Play@YSDC

3pm Saturday 13th March 2010, Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, Berkshire

Over forty four hours since Regina Balfour was abducted.

Simon sits uncomfortably in the back of the ambulance as it drives back up the M4. The lights are on but the siren is silent so it takes around thirty minutes before he arrives outside the Accident and Emergency Department of the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. He's taken in through the non-descript ambulance bay doors into the hospital.

There he is examined, and scanned, and given more painkillers. After a few hours one of the doctors comes into Simon's cubicle to discuss the results.

'You're pretty lucky not to have caused some serious damage. As it is there's a lot of swelling and bruising around the larynx. That rash on your arms is pretty nasty too. I'm going to give you a five day course of steroids, it should help with both, but stay away from trouble, okay?'

OOC,Simon gains 2 more HP but still has a major wound. He remains insane.

The doctor is a soft spoken south Asian man, aged in his fifties, slightly balding with streaks of grey in his hair. As he speaks Simon notices something familiar about him, yes, yes, he's seen him before, of course, what is he doing here...?

Simon is starting to feel a good deal better, though he still makes a note to pick up something cold to hold against his throat.

"Trouble has been finding me lately," Simon responds, smiling up at the doctor. His smile quickly fades as he realizes who it is. "What are you doing here?" He asks genuinely perplexed. He shrinks back slightly; his read on the man made him feel unlikely that Balfour would try to finish what he had started, but he knows the reverend has a temper and could turn in an instant.

Balfour stares at Simon, a look of concern crossing his face. 'You need to get some rest. If you find yourself becoming more short of breath come back here.' He stands and starts to walk away, then he turns back, 'Are you sure you're feeling alright? You look very stressed. I could ask one of our mental health nurses to talk to you. It sounds like you've had a pretty difficult day.'

Simon has no idea what Balfour is talking about but he doesn't trust him one bit, perhaps he's trying to imply he is mentally ill, get him taken off the case!

OOC:   I hate you GM.

Irritation flares through Simon. Balfour kept thinking he was an idiot.

"I know who you are, Balfour!" He points a finger at the man. "I see through your disguise. Listen to me; I'm the only one who can help find your daughter, so if you care about Regina you had better stop it with these games. Trying to make me look crazy is clever, but I have a witness!" His smile is smug.

At Simon's words, Balfour starts to look worried, he backs away. 'Mr Eagleton, I think you should wait here for a little while. I'm going to ask one of my colleagues to see you.' With this he turns and scurries off.

"Wait!" Simon gets up and pursues Balfour. "It's time you give me some answers!" He knows if he lets Balfour leave he'll just vanish again. "How did you create that hologram in the sky?"

Balfour is backing away looking quite scared now. Some of the other A&E staff are starting to notice the commotion and approach warily. One of the nurses seems to be frantically dialling a phone. A young black woman, in a skirt and blouse rather than scrubs, interposes herself between Simon and Balfour, 'Mr Eagleton isn't it? I'm Rachel, one of the liaison nurses, I understand you've had a very difficult day today. Come and sit down and tell me about it.'

Simon looks hard at the woman, there's something about her, something that is familiar, could she be...?

'Don't worry about Dr Singh, tell me about what's been going for you today.' She places her hand on the back of his and gives him an open and questioning expression.

When Simon looks up, Balfour is gone. But he can see the doctor who was treating him, Dr Singh? And he is standing with two rather burly looking men wearing stab vests emblazoned with 'Security'.

"Balfour is very dangerous! He is planning a chemical attack and is controlling the weather!" He looks at the man again and is confused to find him gone, replaced by the doctor once again. "He was right there..." He mumbles, confused, and sits back down, mind attempting to process what he is seeing.

"He must be using holograms again to trick me. He did that today, during that freak hail storm. I saw the Passover Angel he's always raving about, but I could see it was some sort of illusion. The officer I was with saw it too." He insists. "As soon as I mentioned it to Balfour he went crazy and tried to strangle me. He did seem to regret the action soon after, but he knows I'm on to him and is trying to prevent me from stopping whatever he is planning."

The young woman gives a weak smile and says 'Tell me about this Passover Angel, does it talk to you? Tell you to do things? Maybe hurt yourself, or somebody else?'

OOC,Psychology roll please

Psychology 75%,0

"What? No. The Passover Angel doesn't speak to me, it isn't even real, it's an illusion Balfour and his friends use to trick people into thinking the end times are upon us. It's why it appeared over the hailstorm they created, in order to make it seem as if God's wraith was being called down upon the world."

'And this Balfour, why does he want to harm you? Are you special in some way, do you have special powers?'

It is pretty clear to Simon that, for whatever reason, this woman thinks he is mentally unhinged.

"No, I--" Simon's eyes narrow as he realizes what is going on. "You think I'm mentally unstable? Preposterous! I'll have you know I am a professor of abnormal psychology at Middlesex. I consult with the police, such as on the Thorndike murder last year; nasty business, I assure you. And you likely think I'm delusional, so call whomever you need to to confirm this. To ease your fears, angels, magic, divine judgement or whatever you wish to call it, none of it is real. But reverend Balfour has gone to great lengths to make it all appear so, the better to sell his vision." He grows a bit agitated. "Listen, the man is dangerous. He's put codes in his bible that reveal he's planning a terrorist attack! I don't know precisely why or how yet, but that hail storm today, the angel sighting that he must have manufactured... it is all connected. So forgive me if I am a bit jumpy and eager to get to the bottom of things.. " He looks up again, looking to see if Balfour has reappeared. That was a confusing trick. Did this involve holograms as well?

'Of course, of course, I understand' she says. 'I just need one of our doctors to see you before you go.'

OOC,If Simon doesn't want to talk to a psychiatrist he's going to need to persuade the nurse with a social check, charm/persuade/fast talk/intimidate as appropriate

"Is this really necessary? It's vital I get back to the investigation. I may have been a bit shaken up, but that was only because I was nearly strangled to death by a man I know to be a grave threat to the country. If it helps, I am no threat to either myself or Balfour; any justice I will seek will be entirely within the law-- and I am still tasked with getting his daughter back."

Persuade 30%,0

OOC:   I'll take the fail-- I'm afraid pushing it and failing would get Simon institutionalized.

'Oh don't worry, it is just something we have to do to make sure you're okay. Just wait here for a few minutes.' She gets up and walks over to the nurses' station and becomes engaged in a heated conversation.

The two security guards come over and stand a couple of metres away from Simon, watching him impassively.

After a few minutes three men arrive and start talking to the psychiatric nurse. One is a nervous looking white man in his late thirties, he is dressed like a geography teacher with a corduroy jacket and checked shirt. Beside him stands a rather short south Asian man, he is aged somewhere between his thirties and early fifties, impeccably dressed in a pinstripe suit and carrying a short cane. Lurking behind the other two is a bear of a man, he is well over six foot tall in a crumpled and ill-fitting suit, he looks to be in his fifties and has olive skin with a five o'clock shadow and thinning dark hair on his head.

Eventually the three come over to Simon and introduce themselves. As they do so he sees the security guards noticeably tense up. The white man introduces himself as Clive and the two men with him as Dr Choudhury and Dr Hussein. He says that they are conducting a Mental Health Act assessment at the request of the A&E staff and that there is a possibility he would need to go to hospital. He says that he is a social worker while the two doctors are psychiatrists.

They all sit down and the small dapper man, Dr Choudhury gives Simon a big smile, 'Now Dr Eagleton, I understand you think you're a professor of psychology?'

OOC:   Posts may be irregular the next few days, getting a new computer.

As the minutes progress, Simon begins to grow restless. He's wasting time here! The guards also make him uneasy-- he's been roughly handled enough for today, thank you very much.

When the trio come over, he has to resist strangling Choudhury himself. But he knows that would not help his case, so he takes a deep breath and nods.

"Yes, Simon Eagleton, Middlesex professor of abnormal psychology.. You can call the police to conform it; I've been working with them, as I have said. I'm involved in recovering Reginia Balfour, the little girl who was kidnapped recently. During the course of my investigation information came to light that led me to suspect her father-- a man on a governmental watchlist for extremism-- to be plotting something unsavory. My suspicions were confirmed when he attacked me unprovoked and nearly killed me." He sniffs. "I thought I saw him here earlier, but perhaps I was mistaken." A lie, he knew Balfour had been here, but he suspects these people wouldn't believe him. "Regardless I am perfectly fine now, and eager to get back to my work. So please ask your questions so I may be on my way."

Keeper,Would Simon be able to realize that mentioning the angel, the sudden hail storm, and his suspicions that Balfour poisoned him would be likely to get him committed, or is his insanity so severe that he's missing the social cues completely and will earnestly argue his case n matter how insane it sounds? Happy to play it either way, but curious.

OOC,Many psychotic people are well aware that what they're saying sounds crazy, and if anyone else said it to them they'd think they were mentally ill, yet they still believe it with unshakeable conviction - that's one of the paradoxes of delusions. Given Simon is a psychologist he'd pretty likely realise what he is saying could get him committed. I'd suggest rolling a test against POW to see if he can hold it together long enough to sound normal

Dr Choudhury looks rather amused at Simon's answer, he continues in his rather affected way of speaking, an exaggerated form of the Queen's English as if he's in a 1950s film. 'A psychologist working with the constabulary you say? Like Fitz in that television series, what was it called, ah yes, Cracker.' He glances over at the big man, seeming rather pleased with himself, 'More up your street Dr Hussein.'

The larger doctor gives a weak smile and starts to speak, he has a deep, slow voice, but it sounds almost gentle. He has an accent, Simon can't place it, Middle Eastern perhaps. 'Can you tell me who you working with in the police, Dr Eagleton? And what do you suspect Mr Balfour has done? Hasn't his daughter been kidnapped?'

POW 70%,0

Must everyone keep comparing my work to Cracker? Simon annoyingly thinks.

He ignores the jackass Choudhury and responds to Hussein, who likely also thinks he's mentally ill but is it at least treating him with respect. "Of course, Detective Constable Krishen Sapruof Thames Valley, along with Ms. Jocelyn Leigh of MI5. She was brought in because of Balfour's name appearing on a watchlist or two."

"As far as what he's done, he's a fundamentalist preacher who believes that God is going to repeat what he did in Exodus and kill all of the unbelievers first born. His sermons makes it clear that this won't be some dark miracle but something with a natural and understandable cause. It became clear during the course of my work that Balfour and the groups he traffics with seek to bring this about. The kidnapping of his daughter-- and I really should not be telling you this, given it's national security information-- was performed by a former member of his church who had a falling out with him.

"My goal at present remains what I have sworn to do; bring Reginia Balfour back before harm comes to her. I of course believe-- know-- Balfour to be dangerous, but I only intend to act within the law and gather enough evidence to convince the authorities of his guilt. If you're going to diagnose anyone as crazy, it should be the m,an that angrily raved at me that the Passsover Angel would smite us all before he proceeded to strangle me. It was a disconcerting expierence and left me rather unsettled."

Then, because he can't help himself, he continues. "It didn't help that he had some sort of holographic technology to project the figure of The Passover Angel in the sky right after the hail storm. I'm still not entirely sure how he did it, or controlled the weather-- it started to hail around us when he began to chant. It's all smoke and mirrors, but extremely sophisticated, which only heightens my concern. Anyone with the access to such effects could easily have some sort of biological agent or the like. I've already been inadvertently poisoned by him." He shows them his rash.

The man who introduced himself as Clive excuses himself and walks back to the nurses' station. Dr Hussein continues questioning Simon, 'Controlling the weather? How does he do that? Doesn't that seem a bit far fetched?' Dr Choudhury titters to himself.

"Of course it seems far fetched-- Balfour needs to make it seem as though he can command miracles, to make himself out to be God's prophet or some such. As for how he does it, I'm not yet certain," He frowns, and it's clear the man hates admitting that, " but he or the fundamentalist group he's involved with are doing something. How else can you explain the freak hail storm today, or the fact that it was focused around his car? This is my field, I'm aware how this bloody sounds-- that I have a fixation with Balfour and have gone off the rails. But everything I'm saying is true. Ask Jocelyn Leigh if you don't believe me. She was in Balfour's car and can back up everything I'm saying; she was the one who pointed out the so called Passover Angel to me today. If you really believe two professionals with exemplary records in their fields have both suffered a mental collapse and the same delusions at the same exact time I should trust that that proves my point."

'I heard about hailstorm earlier, the weather presenter said it was the worst one ever been recorded in this part of the country. How on could this Balfour manage to cause such a thing?' asks Dr Hussein.

Leaning forward, Dr Chaudhury gives a patronising smile and says, 'And how do we get hold of your spy friend, the one who sees angels?'

"I don't know!" Simon insists. "I'm not a meteorologist. But if it was centered in a small area maybe it was the product of some sort of weather modification machine. I've heard theories of such. Never put much stock in them, but between the idea of that and some supernatural occurrence I know which one I'd favor.

He glares at Chaudhury but gives Jocelyn's number. "If she backs up my story-- including seeing the angel-- will you finally understand I'm entirely within my facilities? I recognize the story seems quite fantastical but I bore witness to it all. And I'm guessing there were other witnesses as well. Something like an angelic sighting would have more than a few witnesses, or should. "

A sad look flashes across Dr Hussein's face, 'Weather machines and supernatural events, that all very dramatic. Perhaps there's more straightforward explanation?'

Cutting in Dr Choudhury spits, 'I think we all know what is going on here. Dr Eagleton, you're stressed, you're mentally ill, and you're seeing things that aren't there! Are you willing to seek help or are we going to have to arrange an involuntary hospital stay?'

"I am aware how all this sounds, yes. But I know what I saw. Everything about this case is off. and I'm not the only one who's noticed it. Talk to Jocelyn, she'll confirm it. And none o fit is supernatural," he insists with frustration; "magic and angels don't exist, though there are those who use the imagery, have always used it, to gain power and influence. That's what I believe is going on here; Balfour is running a doomsday cult!"

Choudhury's words push Simon over the edge, and he points at the man. "You are a sorry excuse for a doctor. I have no need of your treatment. I am one of the few people who stands between London and a terrorist attack the like of which has never been seen in modern times; if you throw me in a cell I sincerely hope you can live with yourself afterwards." He sniffs.

Dr Choudhury sits back, a satisfied smile on his face, like he's proved his point. The social worker Clive comes over, he says 'That Jocelyn Leigh is on her way, she'll be here soon, can I have a word doctors?'

The two doctors and Clive retreat to the nurses station and appear to be engaged in a rather heated exchange. Simon can't hear what they're saying but Dr Choudhury and Clive seem to be at loggerheads, while Dr Hussein looks to be trying to mediate between them.

Simon tries to hear what the men are saying unobtrusively. But it's too far away, and he doesn't want to draw attention to himself.

Listen 30%: 1d100 51

The young psychiatric nurse Rachel appears from the reception area. With her, Simon can see Jocelyn. She looks very concerned as she approaches the arguing social worker and psychiatrists.

At this Simon perks up, sure he will very soon be freed from this humiliation. He's looking forward to telling Choudhury off for thinking he was crazy as well. The thought makes him smile.

Jocelyn and the nurse don't interrupt the the two doctors and Clive, instead they are standing there discussing something. While Dr Choudhury and Clive continue to argue, Dr Hussein returns to Simon again.

In his soft voice he says 'Dr Eagleton, Simon if I may? You need to meet us halfway. I understand that that you are involved in some kind of investigation but we worried that you are showing some signs of mental illness, significant signs like paranoia. I need you to tell me that you will get some help when this is over, and...' he passes Simon a medication box, it says 'Solian (amisulpride) 200mg tablets', 'Take these twice a day until you get seen.'

"Of course. I realize what I'm saying must sound farfetched," Simon nods. "But I'd stake my professional reputation on it. All the same, if it puts you at ease and helps me get back to work, I'll be happy to take the medication and followup with a doctor once this entire mess is over with."

Dr Hussein opens the packet of medication, presses a tablet out of the blister pack, and hands it to Simon, producing a plastic cup of water. He stands there looking expectantly at Simon.

Simon reluctantly takes the pill and swallows, sticking out his tongue so Dr Hussein could see. He feels like a child, but it's a small price to pay for freedom.

Dr Hussein claps Simon on the back, 'Good man. Come with me' and he leads Simon over to Dr Chaudhury and Clive, Jocelyn and the nurse have joined them.

OOC:   Moving here.