Chapter 7
It was around 11.30 AM when Eve walked in to the hospital, together with Dr. Mira, and also her partner. It was now 03.00 PM. Peabody was currently trying to calm down an agitated Eve.
"There is likely a good reason for it."
"Or they did it simply to spite my. Or better jet , maybe the Child Protection got them to do it. Bribe, threat, blackmail, I don't care. What I care about is how the couldn't do it as fast and easy as the normally do. All of them like to see what the insides of others look like, so why the hell did this take time?"
"I'm certain it will be alright." Mira took over the task of calming the angry lieutenant and Peabody sent her a reviled smile when Eve wasn't looking. "But I have to agree that they are taking longer then what is needed. It could be something as simple that the scanning got delayed."
"By what? It's not like the kid will up and leave on them-" Eve turned quiet. "Shit" She said as she stood up and began making her way into the hospital's hallways.
Mira jogged to catch up, with Peabody shortly after her. "What is it? Is something wrong Eve?"
"Yes, namely a 'why' to the reason the kid's scan is taking time. The aren't finding him. That kid have repeated over and over again that he's fine and that he wants to go home."
"But we left a police officer by his door." Said Peabody. "He shouldn't have been able to leave."
"He wouldn't be the first to get past the sentry." A female nurse suddenly stepped in to her way. "Get out of my way. Now."
"Absolutely not, I know you. The doctor told us of a female police who pester one of our poor patients. You are not going further. Please be so kind and turn back to the waiting area."
"Sure after you answer one little question. Where is my vic? He was supposed to have scan at 11, now it's 3. No scan takes four fucking hour to complied."
"Maybe they are using a more advanced scan type this time." The nurse huffed at Eve and even slung her long curly hair over her shoulder in the typical 'I'm-snooty-and-stupid-but-think-I'm-the-smartest' movement. And it made Eve want to punch her.
"There are no 'advanced scan types' you moron. And people are supposed to trust you for caring for them? I would rather have a scarecrow to look after me if thats the case. At least that one wouldn't be able to put weird shit in my system."
The nurse turned red in the face as she hunched her shoulders. She tried to give a reprimand but didn't manage to give more then some unconnected words. The shacking in her hands showed that the though of scratching Eve was present, and Eve hoped that she would do it. Wouldn't be the first to spend the better part of a day in the box for assaulting an officer.
But that didn't happen as Mira stepped in to their argument. In front of the lieutenant to be exact as to block them from further direct provocation. "Hello miss…"
"Lina."
"Hello Lina. I'm doctor Mira." She smiled at the other. "And I'm her regarding on of your precious patients."
"What do you want? And I want an ID from you. So that you really are a doctor."
"Of course, here." Mira gave held up her ID as well as gave the nurse one of her cards.
"…So your a shrink then. Then why did you call your self a doctor."
"A psychologist is a line inside doctoring miss Lina. And I'm here in order to evaluate the patients emotional state, as well to search out and care for any traumas. Now, if you wouldn't mind so would I like to meet the patient."
"That can't be done at the moment. He is in the scanning."
Mira stopped Eve's snide comment by being faster on the ball. "Then could you show us to that room then? A scanning involve the psychological state as well, and I would like to see them anyhow."
The nurse still didn't want them to leave the waiting area but with further persuasion by Mira they got on their way. And Eve was now not only angry but also sulky over not being given the chance to mess with the nurse. She ignored her partners encouragement that maybe she would get another chance some other day, and an insinuation that the nurse may not be a nurse for that much longer. Eve did smile a little on the second one.
When they had come halfway to the scanning area the nurse turned back to them. She was tugging at her clothes and chewing slightly on her lips. "I'm sorry but we will have to go back."
"No." Said Eve as she simply continued past the nurse. "You saw something, something that told you that it would be troublesome if we saw it to. We are continuing our little 'walk'."
The nurse tried to make a grab for Eve, only to get her hand caught in a steely grip from the lieutenant.
"You don't want to do that, not unless you want me to bring you in for obscuring a investigation."
Eve let go as she merrily kept walking down the hall. And even before she reached the end of it so walked the sentry in to it. He saw her, cursed loudly, and tried to turn back and disappear. He wasn't even able to take two steps before Eve called out.
"Come over her officer. I would want a talk with you."
Hesitation was clear in the body posture and for the time it took him to turn back for them. Nervousness could be read on his face. "Hello lieutenant."
"Where is the kid?"
"What kid? I have no idea who you mean. I'm just went to the loo, yeah the loo. No kids here." He laughed nervously, that stopped when Eve glared.
"The unknown child with an 'Y' on his body. The one you were put on sentry duty to watch. Where is he?"
"…In… scanning?"
"Then why does it seems like you are out searching the halls. Doesn't it look like he is searching the halls Peabody?"
"It would seem that he at the very least is looking for something, or someone, lieutenant."
"Now, would you like to put addition to your earlier statement?"
"… We can't find him."
"He's gone? How did you lose him?"
"We don't know." The man waved his arms in frustration. "Me and Tommy was standing outside his room at all times, only one gone at the time if needed to. And he seemed just fine when we checked on him the first times, a little scared, but fine. Then when the doctors came to get him, he was gone. We looked all over the room think he had just gone to hiding but he was just not there. Then the doctor ordered us to help search for him."
"Why didn't you call it in?"
"I'm sorry. We first thought that he had to be somewhere nearby since we had only just seen him before that, and that we stood there without seeing him leave. But then we didn't find him and the doctor didn't want it called in either, and I'm sorry."
Eve gave a small growl as she walked by him. "His room number."
"194B."
As the walked Eve send in the report of the child being missing. The nurse went off somewhere else too. It didn't take long before they were at the room and she walked in first. Looking around the was no-one there. "This was the last place he was seen?"
"Yes, Sir. Should I go back looking for him?"
"You can stand outside the room but don't go anywhere until I say so. And if any angry doctors or nurses comes by, tell them to fuck off."
The guard walked out leaving Peabody, Mira, and Eve in there. Eve gestured backwards for them as she was still looking over the room. Getting the gesture, Peabody closed the door. "Why?"
"To stop him from really leaving."
"Huh?"
"Just watch and be ready in case he does a run for it."
"You don't think he has left this room." Mira didn't say it as a question but a statement.
"No. The guards may have at some point messed up and left the post unwatched. But even then there should have been someone who have seen the kid by now. If he walked around. And he wouldn't been able to simply walk out of the hospital, in their patient clothes, not unless someone have been really useless at their job. So either he is hiding in here, or in worst case, somewhere else inside the hospital. One of you help me look for him, the other stays in front of the door."
"I will help you." Said Mira, making Peabody a little flustered. The doctor turned to her and smiled. "Sorry Peabody, but I have children myself and feel confident in finding all the places he could be at. So if you wouldn't mind taking the door?"
Peabody gave a nod and stood in the way for the door while the other two started their search. Thankfully the room was neither all that big or generous in hiding places. But after going through the whole room the found nothing. Eve cursed as she was close to calling in to report that a search had to be done through out the hospital, when she heard it.
It was a small sound that came from the small supply cabinet. She frowned as she knows that it had been looked in already without anything being found, but she was also sure that there had been a sound from it. Signaling the other two to be quiet and to not open the door. Eve stalked quietly over to the cabinet.
Departing shortly with herself how to proceed she decided to simply tear it open, not giving the kid any chance to do whatever he did before to not be seen. And there he was. Cowering in the corner of the cabinet among the bedsheets and towels.
"Found him. Hi kid, no-one likes to be prodded at but that doesn't mean that you can skip it."
"Like how you do, lieutenant."
"Quiet Peabody."
"Quiet both of you. Eve, let me speak with him." Compiling Eve moved out of the way as Mira took her place. She smiled friendly at the scared child. "Hi Danny, do you remember me? Form before."
"…D-Dr. Mira…"
"That's right. Do you remember what we talked about last time?"
"… You, we, talked a-about h-home. And t-that, that I don't like f-fighting, don't like to be h-hurt. Y-you said y-you won't hurt m-me."
"Correct, you are doing good Danny. Now, can you come out, or is that safer for you?"
"… Don't want t-to… They will t-take me if I g-go out… I d-don't want t-to be open, again."
"Do you mean the doctors? What did you hear them say Danny? Try to give it as close to what they said."
"When they were in here early, before they left, t-they said they would l-look inside of me. So w-when I heard them again I hide i-in the c-closet."
"I can understand why that scared you, hearing something like that without having it explained. They were talking about scanning Danny. Do you know what that is?" The bay was still for a moment, starring at her, before shacking his head. "It's when a machine is used to take pictures of your internals and skeleton, to see if anything is broken."
"Like a X-ray?"
"Yes, that is exactly what it is, just upgraded a little."
"No opening me u-up?"
"No, No-one will harm you like that."
It took some more talking before Danny dared to come out from his hiding spot. He still didn't want to be 'scanned' but agreed to it when Mira promised that she would be present and talking with him the whole time. Eve also took some time to grill a few doctors, nurses, and officers, for the fuck up before reporting in that the kid is found again and is being taken to scanning.
