Sydney was fascinated by Angelo. Where had they found him? He had never known such a phenomenon was possible, that a human being could absorb the feelings of the people around him like a sponge. He had known highly empathic people himself (Jarod, obviously, had a high degree of empathy), but he had never known a true empath like Angelo. With Angelo, Sydney shifted back into psychiatric scientist mode, eager to learn everything he could about the phenomenon. He had no reason to believe it was anything but natural…until much, much later. Only then did he become appalled at himself.