“So, shall we begin preparing for the surgery?” Lehmann asked.

“Now?” Sauer asked.

“The only way for us to determine more about the beans inside of Fischer is to take them out,” Lehmann replied. “If we are able to surgically remove the beans, then we know how to cure those infected. If not, we can experiment on the new samples to determine how to better help Fischer.”

“That sounds, good to me,” Meyer said. “However, how are we, to be sure, that he does not wake up?”

“He won’t,” Reist replied. “I concocted the wine we gave him myself, he’ll be out for at least another few hours.”

“Sauer, how much experience do you have conducting surgeries?” Lehmann asked.

“It has been one of my specialties for twenty years, thoughI have not conducted one in over a year, being stationed in Dijon and now researching the Beans.”

“I would feel more comfortable if you were to perform this surgery, then. My experience is limited compared to yours, and it has also been some time since I performed one. Removing the growth from Fischer was simple, but removing beans from inside of his arm…”

“I understand. I can do it,” Sauer replied.

“Thank you. I will prepare the equipment, then,” Lehmann said.

“While he’s doing that… have you guys put any thought into the Beans’ origins?” Schubert asked. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot, with all the new information we’ve been getting and all. I have a bit of a theory, but I want to hear some others first.”

“Perhaps, they are parasites,” Meyer suggested. “They use humans, as their hosts, before eventually turning them, into drone Beans.”

“I’m starting to believe that cult,” Meyer’s brown haired aide said. “The one that believes the Beans were sent by God. Not that I would ever join them or anything, but from everything I’ve seen… They don’t seem to be from this world, that’s all I’m trying to say.”

“What’s your theory, Leon?” Reist asked.

“Okay, hear me out. Maybe some alchemist– like the iron to gold kind, not the actual kind like Fischer– was trying to create a philosopher’s stone and ended up turning himself into a Bean instead.”

“Seriously?” Reist asked. “For some reason, I was expecting an actual theory.”

“You sound like Robert and his brain theory,” Sauer agreed.

“Brain, theory?” Meyer asked.

“Yes, a soldier that was with us in Dijon came up with a theory that the Beans were using humans for their brains, though he did not give any reason besides it being classical,” Sauer replied.

“Classical? What does, that mean?” Meyer asked.

“No, not classical… He said, ‘It is a classic,’” Sauer corrected. “I do not know what he meant by it, however.”

“Sauer,” Lehmann called from Fischer’s bed. “Everything is ready for you to begin the operation.”

Sauer stood. “That is enough theorizing about their origins. I think our time would be much better spent discussing more relevant matters, like healing the infected, or even returning to discussions of weapons and defences. I trust you can keep them on track, Meyer? I know Schubert can be a handful.”

“Leave it, to me,” Meyer replied.

Lehmann had prepared a series of knives of different lengths and sizes, which had been cleaned and sharpened to perfection. Next to the knives were various tweezers which would be used to remove the beans from Fischer’s arm, and a needle and roll of silk thread that would be used to close the wound after surgery. Alcohol accompanied these utensils, used to clean the equipment and wound.

Together, Sauer and Lehmann slid Fischer’s arms and legs into straps outfitted on the bed; they had not expected Fischer’s reaction to be so violent, and they wanted to take the necessary precautions in case he woke up during this surgery.

Sauer took a deep breath. It had been a long time since he had performed something so complicated, and the knowledge of the importance of this surgery was not helping his nerves. He glanced at Lehmann, who nodded in return.

Sauer quickly remembered what he thought he had forgotten. He made a small incision on Fischer’s left arm, slightly above where they had removed the growth. As he continued, he began to get lost in his work, as though in a trance. He was completely silent as he worked, Lehmann standing by, taking notes and handing Sauer various tools when requested.

He stemmed the bleeding as much as possible, carefully pulling Fischer’s skin aside, allowing him to look for any beans inside.

A few millimeters under Fischer’s skin, the beans had replaced small sections of fat and muscle. From what he could see, the beans were much smaller than the beans on a Crimson Bean, and they had grouped together into a clump a few millimeters across, though only one bean deep. They were not moving as much as they had been when Lehmann removed the growth, but they were still moving. He assumed that they would continue moving until Fischer’s wound fully healed.

Using a pair of tweezers, Sauer began to remove the beans. The process was slow, but with Lehmann’s help, they were able to remove eighteen beans in one hour. As Sauer placed the eighteenth bean in the jar, he said, “I do not think I am going to be able to remove any more without harming Fischer…”

The eighteenth bean wriggled with the others, coated in Fischer’s blood. “That was always a possibility,” Lehmann replied.

“Perhaps the remaining beans will not be able to harm him…” Sauer said, though he did not believe it himself. “He may still be able to live healthily. We still do not know.”

Lehmann glanced at Sauer. “Do you feel as though you have failed?”

Sauer thought for a moment. “Yes.”

“You did not fail. I doubt anyone could have done more to help Fischer. It was not a question of whether you could do more, it was a question of what is possible. You did all that you could, and that is admirable.”

Sauer sighed. “I will close the wound now.”

Lehmann nodded. “I will start analyzing the beans obtained from Fischer. They may be different from the beans obtained from the drone Bean.”

Sauer nodded in return as he began to patch Fischer’s arm.

As he cleaned the wound, he tried not to think of the implications of not being able to remove the beans from the infected. The more he analyzed the situation, the farther into despair he fell. Not only did they not know why the beans had begun infecting humans, nor how they were able to do it, but they also did not know where the infections had originated, nor how to heal those infected.

Fischer’s left index finger twitched slightly.

They did not even have the beginnings of a theory to explain what purpose the Bean infections served. They knew the Beans were capable of killing and using human corpses without infecting them beforehand; the corpses missing from Bean territory was evidence enough that someone did not need to be infected for their body to be used by the Beans. They did not even know how long the infection process would take, and despite how long it would take, it would be far more efficient to merely suffocate their victims instead. So why put beans inside their bodies?

Fischer’s finger twitched again.

“Reist, are you sure your wine completely knocked Fischer out?” Sauer called.

“Yeah, why?”

“Can you come over here for a moment?”

Reist walked over to Fischer. She glanced at the wound Sauer was closing. “What’s wrong?”

Lehmann joined them at Fischer’s bed.

Sauer lowered his voice. “His finger is moving. Do you know why that would be?”

Reist inspected Fischer’s hand. “That’s strange… None of the other patients I’ve administered that concoction to have twitched in their sleep. I mean, he’s not screaming in pain, so I assume he’s still asleep.”

“That is strange…” Lehmann agreed.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it… He might just be prone to moving in his sleep…” Despite her dismissive tone, she continued to inspect Fischer’s hand.

Sauer returned to closing Fischer’s wound. “Were you able to discover anything, Lehmann?”

“Yes… It seems the beans from Fischer and the drone Bean are identical except for their size. Fischer’s beans are smaller than the drone Bean’s beans by about half. We are down to fifteen Fischer beans– I killed three of them to see if their weaknesses were the same, which they were– bringing our total up to fifty bean samples.”

“Good… Good…” Sauer said.

“I will begin writing our report for Captain Bösch,” Lehmann said.

Sauer was almost finished stitching Fischer’s arm when Reist said, “Thomas, his fingers moved again.”

“Fingers, plural?” Sauer asked, still focussed on closing Fischer’s wound.

“This time it was his middle finger and index finger.”

“You said it was nothing to worry about.”

“I know, but there’s something strange about it…”

Sauer finished closing the wound and glanced at Fischer’s hand. As he did, three fingers moved at once; the index, middle, and ring fingers. There was something strange about the way his hand moved, but he could not figure out what it was.

Sauer turned his own hand over, imitating the position Fischer’s hand was in. He moved the fingers that Fischer had, glancing between his own hand and Fischer’s as he did so.

He realized what was different.

“Reist, let me see your hand,” Sauer said.

“Why?”

“Just let me see it please. Palm down… yes, like that. Now, move your index finger, just lift it up.”

Reist obliged.

“Notice how your muscles move visibly as you move your finger?” Sauer asked, turning back towards Fischer. “Now, watch the back of Fischer’s hand when his fingers twitch.”

They watched Fischer’s hand, waiting for it to move. After a moment, his middle and ring fingers twitched.

There was no visible muscle movement.

“Huh,” Reist said. “That… is strange.”

Sauer was silent.

“Do you… think it’s because of the beans?” Reist asked.

“I hope to God that it is not…” Sauer raised his voice so the other researchers could hear. “Everyone, there has been another development…”