Fifth Floor, Administration Office

[Laraqua]

The administrator's office was cramped and unappealing. It seemed that space was a necessity in this hospital so much so that even the high-ranking staff couldn't have any room to breathe. The office was decorated lushly, however, as though to make up for the space restraints. The large, unweildy desk was made of mahogany, the computer and printer appeared powerful, a fact further highlighted by your suspicion that the administrator, Arnold Dullard, was playing a videogame when you came in. The bookcases and filing cabinets all seem to be state-of-the-art. Even the telephone seems pricey. Unfortunately, the effect of all the classy and expensive furniture was merely to make the place feel smaller.

Arnold Dullard is a relatively young man for the job. He's only in his late thirties, though his prematurely balding head suggests otherwise. He wears a pair of spectacles upon a nose that appears to have been broken once or twice. He is immaculately dressed and gestures dramatically while talking. Light from the venetian blinds show the day getting later as the two discussed hospital policy at length.

[TheKingInYellow]

Aidan O'Connell had readied himself with a deep breath before stepping into the office. His bureaucracy was meeting with the hospital’s bureaucracy and it’s hasn’t always been a meeting that always goes over well. His briefcase had all the information on the case, all the forms that needed to be filled out and citations of all the laws he had on his side, but sometimes even all that would do no good against a stubborn administrator. Aidan had assumed good faith on the part of Mr. Dullard before he began the meeting and hoped it would be all he would need.

“Well, Mr. Dullard, it’s fairly simple. I just need you to sign these forms; one for National Insurance, one for Child Welfare and one for me for the specific case and everything’s good and well.”

The specific case was 11 year old Sean Cole, taken from his father’s custody after his teachers reported him “malnourished and with suspicious bruises”. Upon further investigation, the agency had found that Sean’s father routinely starved the boy as punishment and most likely beat him as well. It didn't take long to get a court order to take the boy into protective custody. Aidan had brought Sean to the hospital to treat him for his under nourishment, though the doctor also discovered he had a fractured cheekbone during his check-up.

“I’ve already given my number to the doctor I spoke with when we checked him in, but I want to give it to you as well. If there are any questions or concerns about the case, I’ll be happy to address them.” He gives Dr. Dullard his card. “My home number is on there, too. Don’t hesitate to call after hours if there’s a problem.”

Aidan smiles politely, hoping he’ll sign the forms without argument.

[Laraqua]

Dr. Dullard smiles and leans over to speak into the intercom. "Would you get us a cup of tea, please? Mrs. Tahehone?" He then leans back and waits, still smiling.

[TheKingInYellow]

Aidan says thanks, but can't help but wonder if Mr. Dullard is starting with a battle of wills. This would be a first; he's dealt with plenty of administrators who've resisted him, but never a petty tyrant. Perhaps he's being too quick to judge. In his head, he scrambles for something to say, but now worrying that he may be engaged in a faceoff with the director, doesn't want to say anything that might cost him the upper hand. He makes sure to meet the Dr. Dullard's with an equally polite smile.

"Tell me, Dr. Dullard, how many patients is this hospital equipped to serve?"

[Laraqua]

"Not enough," says Dr. Dullard, settling back in his chair. He seems content to wait.

[TheKingInYellow]

He wasn't expecting that answer. Aidan can't decide if Dr. Dullard is jerking him around of if he's just informal in a starkly casual way. He could just ask him to sign the forms, but he doesn't want to seem powerless in they game they're playing... If there's a game at all, he's still not sure.

"Not enough? What makes you say that?"

[Laraqua]

"There's a man on a gurney somewhere on one of these floors, place in the corridor. The Children's Ward is packed. There's no rooms for wardrobes, just a cabinet at the foot of their bed. We have nurse's desks and chairs in each ward but unlike in the old days, we don't have the staff to watch over them or any of the other bay wards. You come in here with your forms and governmental protection, knowing you can just disappear, soon as this case - we call them, children, by the way - is settled." He chews his finger nails and glance nervously at the window behind him. The venetian blinds are drawn, but even so, it seems somewhat darker than before.

[TheKingInYellow]

Now the teeth come out. Aidan knows not to take it personally, as they are on the same side, though he certainly doesn't not appreciate Dr. Dullard's assumption about him.

"Overcrowding? Well, I can understand your concerns then. But let me tell you..." His tone becomes more indignant though still reserved, "I can assure you that you aren't the only hospital under the same stresses, some of which are hurting more than you. While I feel for your situation, I promise you that I won't be leaving until I can guarantee Sean Cole's care and I will have you know that my job isn't done until long after I've assured that the boy is in the care of reliable guardians."

Aidan sinks back into his chair, suddenly feeling very embarassed about his angry outburst.

"Excuse me."

[Laraqua]

Dr. Dullard smiles as though Aidan's past some sort of test. He smiles wearily. "Excuse me, let's see where that tea went." He then heads abruptly for the door and shuts it behind him - in Aidan's face if he attempts to follow. There's a click and the man is gone.

[TheKingInYellow]

"Of course." He replies as the Doctor leaves. He remains in his chair and sighs with relief; he was seriously afraid that he had made things worse. While he waits for Dr. Dullard's return, he takes out his notepad from his briefcase and scribbles a brief note. He would suggest to his supervisor, Mr. Tyler, that the hospital needs more funding, hoping that he would in turn pass it on to his supervisors and so on. Chances are nothing would come of it, he knew that, but it couldn't hurt to try.

[Laraqua]

Time passes.

[TheKingInYellow]

Aidan checks his watch a few times. It's getting late. Not that he has anywher to be, but he doesn't want to spend the whole day waiting for Dr. Dullard. He gets up and goes to the door, perhaps his secretary knows what the delay is.

Locked.

"What?" He wonders outloud. He tries the door again, but with similar results. He looks on the door for the locking mechanism.

"This doesn't seem right. Dr. Dullard wouldn't lock me in, would he? It must've been an accident."

He knocks on the door, hoping someone will open it from the outside.

[Laraqua]

The lock appears to be standard.

There is no answer to his knock.

[TheKingInYellow]

Aidan scratches his head, now feeling a little uncomfortable with the situation.

"Dr. Dullard?" he calls out, hoping someone might hear him. Failing that, he'll look around the room, perhaps hoping to spot a set of keys. Failing that, he'll wait another ten minutes before searching Dullard's desk.

[Laraqua]

The keys are nowhere in sight. Despite the clutter of the large, expensive furniture, the spaces on top of the furniture is relativel sparse.

"Would everyone please remain where they are?" asks a calm voice over the intercom. It sounds like the hospital administrator, Arnold Dullard. "A chemical incident in London Central has caused massive storm clouds containing high quantities of dangerous substances. Could everyone please remain inside and, where possible, find a secure place to stay until the all-clear is called? Thank you and have a good day."

[TheKingInYellow]

"Chemical substances?" Aidan repeats to himself. "What the hell does that mean?" It also dawns on him that there are probably safer places to be than in a fifth story office with a window. He rifles through the desk or any other drawer her can find, and if that doens't pan out, he'll go and pound on the door again, calling for help.

[Laraqua]

The drawers are filled with forms, both empty and filled, letters, portfolios, proposals, meeting agendas. All but one drawer contains such things and perhaps even that drawer would be no more fruitful. Unfortunately, the bottom drawer of the desk is locked, so Aidan can't tell what's inside. There is an intercom on the desk, however, sitting on a couple of PC Games magazines which confirm Aidan's suspicions that he had been playing a game when he'd come in.

The portrait of a smiling man against a backdrop of dark and shadowy figures seems to mock him from its position on the right hand wall. The figure is obviously a few decades old and that just seems to add to his condescending attitude. It seems there's no hiding from Dr. Dullard's ostentatious desires.

Banging on the door seems to be to no avail.

[TheKingInYellow]

Aidan activates the intercom, speaking into it while surveying the room for some other option. In his head he's assuring himself that he's probably fine, but his nagging sense of self-preservation won't let him sit still.

"Miss Tahe... Tahehone? I seem to be locked in? Are you there, dear? Could you please let me out?"

Spotting the painting on the wall, and finding it rather pompous, he does manage to get an idea. There has to be a spare key around here, hasn't there?" He takes the painting in both hands and tries to unhook it from the wall. "Come on, come on, hidden key."

[Laraqua]

The only answer to his question is the crackle of static that peaks with a loud burst towards the very end. It does almost seem like there are voices hidden in the static but he can't make them out and they don't seem to be responding to him. It's almost as though there were a conversation hidden there but it's so incoherent it's hard to know if it's merely the crackle of static playing with his mind.

So he goes to the painting and brings it down, revealing a wooden engraving of several people who appear to be in a procession, perhaps funerary, their garbs are long and solemn, dragging across what appears to be floorboards strung with bells. Between them is slung a stretcher, upon which is a dismembered corpse. Only the head and torso are visible. The other pieces must be somewhere else. Above it all is a set of markings that remind Aidan of astrological star signs. Set in the four corners of the wood is a pointed groove that hooks back into what appears to be steel.

[TheKingInYellow]

Aidan is less than comfortable with his discovery, finding it to be a long ways away from the spare key or hidden safe he was hoping to find. The engraving is disturbing, amplified by the situation and the fact that it was hidden. Although, it does appear to be attached to the wall, perhaps he'll find something behind that. He takes the engraving and tries to unhook it or dislodge it.