The Mysterious Benefactor

A surgeon gets a slice of a mysterious conspiracy.

Starting Dialogue
You: Wow, the hospital just got a huge technological research donation. Access to new surgical equipment really will help our cause!

Ending Dialogue
Other: This new hospital donor sure wants a lot of info about our patients and procedures. It's like they're digging for something.

You: I'm sure they're just being thorough. A lot of the technology they donated is new.

Other: Yup. Can't wait to start playing with it! I mean... can't wait to start using it seriously for medical purposes only.

Starting Dialogue
You: Speaking of those new surgery machines, have you seen the weird logo on the underside of them?

Other: Oh, yeah. It looks like a llama and an eye? Very odd. But all logos are kind of weird, I guess.

You: That's true. Maybe it's nothing....

Ending Dialogue
You: The hospital donor called again. They were asking questions about the archives. In particular, birth records.

Other: That's odd. I hope you politely told them that we can't possibly disclose that information.

You: I did. They said they understood and that they were "just curious". Pretty fishy, though.

Starting Dialogue
Other: You know, I wonder if we even need their fancy machines. You're a great surgeon and getting better every day!

You: Thanks! We've been spending so much time discussing these machines. I should be focusing on improving my skills.

Other: You've got plenty of time! There always are going to be people who need your help.

Ending Dialogue
Other: Got a strange message from one of our patients, Garrett. He's the president of the local conspiracy club. He wants to meet with you.

You: Oh, him. He's quite the character, isn't he? I have a lot of patients to see today. Tell him maybe next week.

Other: He seemed to think the matter is urgent. Says he has "information" about our donor.

Starting Dialogue
You: It'll have to wait. I just got a message saying someone broke into the hospital archives! Birth records have been stolen.

Other: I really hope it's a coincidence, but it doesn't look good for our donor. They were just asking about the archives....

You: But, why would a wealthy benefactor want birth certificates? It's probably petty thieves wanting to steal identities.

Ending Dialogue
Other: Great job today, especially with all this distraction going on!

You: Thank you. Sometimes I just have to remind myself that the real puzzle is our patients' health issues.

Starting Dialogue
Other: Oh, you remember Garrett, the conspiracy-obsessed patient? He dropped off this book earlier. Said to give it to you.

You: "The ABCs of Conspiracy Theory"? This is even heavier than all my anatomy textbooks! Why would he give this to me?

Other: He didn't say, but our donor called again. They requested detailed scans of all patients born in a particular year. Super weird....

Ending Dialogue
Other: Great job today. You're certainly becoming more skilled. We probably don't even need these fancy machines.

You: They definitely make the procedures a lot easier. Plus, people seem comforted by robots. Maybe it's their cold, grabby claws?

Other: Cold, grabby claws definitely are a trait I look for in my most trusted friends.

Starting Dialogue
You: Our mysterious benefactor called again. This time, they're requesting DNA swabs from certain patients.

Other: What?! We can't give them that information!

You: They're saying it's for insurance purposes. The biggest loophole. Looks like we have to comply.

Ending Dialogue
You: I'm starting to think our mysterious benefactor is an unsavory character, although I'd like to believe otherwise.

Other: You're just now thinking that?

You: I really try to give people the benefit of the doubt, especially if they're super rich. I mean, super generous.

Starting Dialogue
You: Oh, I tried to read that giant conspiracy theory book that Garrett, the conspiracy-obsessed patient, dropped off.

Other: Anything useful?

You: It's so dense. I really don't know where to start. There's even a conspiracy about the "real" authors of the book.

Ending Dialogue
Other: Sometimes I get the feeling that these machines are watching me.

You: I'm pretty sure there are camera in them, so that makes sense. Not sure where they're hooked up to, though.

Other: Yikes. I'll try to forget you said that....

Starting Dialogue
Other: I took a closer look at this book that Garrett, the conspiracy-obsessed patient, dropped off. He bookmarked a section!

You: The Illamanati? The book says they're notorious for hiding maps to secret artifacts in their members' DNA.

Other: I'll bet Garrett thinks our new donor is the Illamanati. I'll put it into his chart right under his theories about me being an alien.

Ending Dialogue
Other: Now the donor is asking for surgical records of all patients born in a certain year with a specific blood type.

You: This is getting ridiculous. This is a place of healing and fluorescent lighting, not privacy violations. Let's get to the bottom of this!

Starting Dialogue
Other: When you said "Let's get to the bottom of this!", it inspired me to think of this plan. First we break into the donor's mansion....

You: What? No, I'm just going to call them to clear this up.

Other: What? Oh, yeah. Of course, that's what I meant, too.

Ending Dialogue
You: Turns out there wasn't any ill-will. Our donor just wanted to collect research for their patients research company.

Other: Well, not to freak you out, but we might want to doctor Garrett's records (no pun intended). His scan came back....

You: He has a metal implant? With a llama symbol on it?! Nurse, cancel my one o'clock.