Revenge is Priceless 1

[Seryna]

A few moments of thinking back on the conversation reminds them of what Jay had mentioned when he spoke of Rob and the hospital. There was but one hospital in Santee, Excell Hospital. The others were focused on hospice care, alcoholism treatment and small out patient procedures. A quick glance at the Yelp! reviews mention that some of the night nurses were persuaded to bend the night visiting hours. It had also been two days; perhaps Rob was ready to be released? One could likely swing by the hospital and check or try and wrangle a last name and number out of Jay.

[Tal]

"I do," Tal said, her voice tinged with worry for her computer. She didn't want to waste time getting it fixed. But that didn't matter now. They had to get moving.

"Here, help me load, you drive, and I'll call Jay on the way to the hospital. See if I can get a room number or something."

[Tal]

"Ok. You call him," Tal agreed, getting up to grab her supplies and then carry them down to her car.

Hospital, hooooo!

[Seryna]

Olivia's call to Jay went through.

"This is Jay." Jay answered the phone, slightly gruff. Upon recognizing Olivia through her greeting, his voice lightened some.
"Hey, Olivia. You guys talk to Rob, yet?"
Olivia Mayer


The Hospital was only five minutes away. They would undoubtedly have Olivia's information before reaching the hospital. What means would they take to find Rob? Posing as family? Visitors? Trying to contact him directly another way?

As you approach, the driver guides you past a toll booth that spits out a ticket. A sign informs you that the first hour would be $2. No free parking in this part of Santee, apparently. As you park, you notice that there are several cars heading out at this time of night. The parking lot is beginning to empty. The sky above begins to darken, the lovely blue shade turning periwinkle as night approaches. The heat of the day is beginning to cool, a kiss of chill is carried on the wind to brush your skin. Southern California will likely be about 60 degrees tonight.

You enter the main building and are faced with a directory in front of the door and an elevator. There is a MRI and Xray portion upstairs for reporting on doctor's orders. Straight ahead of you is a nurses' station, a half circle structure that has three desks. Beyond the stations is a double door, designed to open at the push f a button from within. You do not think you can get past the desk without being seen. Three harried women work at these desks. One is on the phone, speaking in a quiet, clipped voice. One seems to be scribbling something urgently on a chart. The third stands, with a clipboard and chart in hand and approaches the waiting area.

The waiting area to your left is row upon row of cheap blue chairs jammed into once neat lines that have now been knocked aside with urgency or self absorbed carelessness. You can see half a dozen people who look miserable waiting to be seen. A hum of activity sounds, your ears picking up on the near frantic movement of the hospital. The loudspeaker squawks: Doctor Rabin is being paged to room 33. A patient moans in pain or depression as the nurse with a clipboard takes a long man holding a bloody towel to his forehead.

Directly in front of you, a wheelchair hustles out of the double doors, a white clad male orderly speaking soothingly.

"Third test this week!" The sunken man in the wheel chair appears seventy years old. His face is mess of wrinkles and sun spots, suggesting an active life. His shoulders are slumped and his arms hand useless, like the forearms of a tyrannosaur. Yet the blue eyes are sharp and dart around, seeming to search for weakness. Those eyes find you; lighting on Olivia with a 'Hmmph!' The eyes dart to Michael, taking in his collar.

"Someone's that bad off, eh?" He chortles. The orderly gives you an embarrassed glance as he hurriedly punches the elevator button. The orderly's clothes are pressed and neat. His closely clipped black hair looks to have been well groomed before work. The orderly is Black and in good shape, lean yet muscular. His expression appears to be one of embarrassment.