Chapter Nine
Inānis
(Empty)
The blond woman found herself staring at her bruised and bloodied reflection looking back from the dim glass window that separated her from the new TVs. She held her hands up to her face and grimaced slightly as her sticky fingertips passed over the tender haematomas and grazes. Her breath fogged the window and after wiping it away with her grubby hand she decided to move on. Wearing only a singlet and a pair of shorts she found the chill of the morning air was uncomfortable on her bare skin. Wandering aimlessly down the slowly busying street was unsettling for her, and those that passed too close to her, they saw the look of confusion set deep in those pastel blue eyes, and the yearning to find out something, somewhere, with someone that could answer whatever questions swirled about in her head. Generally most of them just avoided her path and stepped to the side as she stumbled by.
She found herself standing at the entrance to a park. The light green grass and the deep greens of the bushy trees lured her towards it, if anything, the peace from the hustle of the city she was trying to escape would provide refreshing. Sitting down on a small wooden bench that was placed causally under a gentle rock formation that twisted into a sloping hill that supported all manner of plant life, she wasn't sure what to do, where to go. Leaning forward she rested that aching head in those sticky hands. She wasn't sure of anything. Not her name. Not where she was. Not who she was. Not anything. Instead she found herself sitting, staring at those walking around her, walking past her, running, jogging, cycling, rollerblading, she knew all those things, the names humans gave to those activities, so why did she not know the important things? A few looked at her, but most continued on their way ignoring her, or not noticing her, or pretending she wasn't there for their own comfort. Standing, she found her feet bare as she stepped on some rough gravel that scratched at the soft undersides. That was an odd sensation. She wasn't sure why, but the realisation of discomfort while being without shoes seemed… unnatural. It was like a whole knew experience, walking through this park, looking, smelling, hearing, touching, tasting, but why did it seem… how had she come to this… situation? These injuries to her head, the bruising and grazing, had they come about as the result of whatever had inflicted this loss of memory? This lack of knowledge? This emptiness?
Empty.
That's what she was. Without any personality. Without any mindset. Without any true awareness as to who or what she was, as to where she came from, how she came to be here. All of those questions had nothing but a blank stare from her mind as she strained to remember.
Empty.
She sat down under a tree and rested back against the trunk, its rough bark scrapping her through the flimsy material of her singlet. A small sob passed her lips, she scratched at her hair as she lent forward and fought to prevent a complete emotional break down in such a public place… of course, judging by those that passed, she didn't think anyone would care. Stumbling up again she decided to just get away from anyone. Maybe get somewhere quiet where she could think. Empty as she was, she rose to a standing position and began her sorry march towards a lonelier abode.
She found it in a small cabin that sat on the corner of an industrial zone. It seemed rather forebode, not really any sign of life, except for the occasional fly that buzzed by, or the stray pooch that growled at her before taking off towards some doggy destination, unknown to the human mind. There was a large graveyard that stretched along the majority of the street. Opposite it was derelict factory that had probably once produced cars. The building next to it was smaller; perhaps a warehouse or craft shop. It too was abandoned of life or activity. Next to the graveyard was an empty lot, perhaps a place of worship had sat there and for reasons unknown was demolished. The blond found a gap between the heavy rusting bars of the gate that led into the factory and squeezed herself through. Something about this facility seemed familiar, though she couldn't place any kind of reason on it as to why. A loud rumbling caused her to turn and she watched a city bus speed past, other then that there was no other activity… it was quiet again.
The young woman found a large empty truck sitting by the entrance to a small office section of the facility. The tires were gone, the cab was emptied of seats, steering wheel and any real evidence that it had been a vehicle, one door was missing and the windscreen was also gone. For some reason she felt drawn to it, though it would provide no warmth, and certainly no comfort, she pulled herself up into it and curled into a small ball up against the back wall of the cab. Closing her eyes she tried to wonder if she'd ever know who she was and where she came from. She remembered pain, suffering, stress, but didn't know where that had come from, what had caused it, or who, just that perhaps, at some time, it had transpired. There was a squeak from a small bird that landed on the roof of the cab and then started to sing its song to perhaps some mate near by, or potential mate. It was comforting, as was the small spider that was repairing fly damage to its beautifully crafted web. She closed her eyes again and tried to drift into recharge… that was an odd word, she meant sleep, she wanted sleep.
--
"Excuse me? Could you please repeat that?"
There was a certain level of anger in his voice; it was drenched through with a good dose of sarcasm and the sort of tone that would make most shrink back in fear.
"Ah, well… your friend, Arcee? We just don't know where she is".
"So… where was she last?"
"Um… she was medically and mechanically restrained in a secure unit… for her own safety of course".
"Oh, of course. It's just… well… you don't know where she is!"
"Ah… no".
"NO what? No you don't know where she is, or no you don't agree with me thinking you don't know where she is?"
"Um… well…"
"Well? Well? WELL WHAT"
"Springer. That's enough."
"Enough of what, First Aid? Enough of what? Enough of the fact that they told you that they'd keep 'Cee safe and sound until 10am by their time measurement? That we couldn't get her until then because it would bother their patients? That'd she be okay? What's it enough of, huh?"
"Well… its just yelling at them isn't going to help matters, certainly not help Arcee wherever she is".
"For all we know she could be dead! That means it doesn't matter if yelling doesn't help, BECAUSE SHE'S DEAD!!!"
"Springer, we don't know if she's dead…"
"She could have been released into the general lounge… there's at least 50 people who are in the communal areas at this time of day, perhaps someone put her there when they heard she wasn't really, well… you know".
"No… NO I DON'T KNOW??!!"
Springer turned and screamed down at the small human female, one of the nurses. She was obviously very unsettled, perhaps even fearing for her life. First Aid could see the expressions on her face, his scans revealed a raise in blood pressure, pulse and respiration – she was afraid.
"SPRINGER!"
First Aid yelled, equally loud and completely out of character. He pulled the larger green mech backwards from the woman and ended up in front of him, staring into fierce steel blued coloured optics. The helicopter merely sighed with frustration.
"Sorry, Aid".
"I'm not the one you should be apologising too".
The Autobot doctor replied softly.
"Sorry, lady".
He growled gruffly without even looking at the woman, he turned and walked away from the facility, into the large empty car park and began pacing.
"I have to apologise for my colleague".
First Aid began.
"Its okay, First Aid. I understand where he's coming from, I wouldn't be too impressed if someone told some one I cared about was okay, and then I discovered they were missing".
The medic looked down at the older male human; his hair thinning on top of his head, what he did have was gray. He had light green eyes and was cleanly shaven. Slightly over weight, but physically fit as scans revealed vital signs within normal range for a 25 year old, and not the 64 year old that stood before him. First Aid wouldn't normally scan without permission, seeing it as an invasion of their privacy, and humans loved their privacy. But under the circumstances the Autobot needed to know if he was being lied too.
"Go check the communal areas for Arcee, will you Phillipa".
The man stated to the woman, the nurse. She nodded, still uncomfortable by the presence of such large machines; she gave First Aid one more unsettled glance before turning and heading back to the facility.
"I honestly have no idea how she could have gone missing, First Aid, seriously, as soon as I finished talking to you I told the senior charge nurse on and he promised to ensure her safety. He said she was currently in isolation and he said he'd tell her about the call and that we know who she was".
"Where's this senior nurse now?"
The Autobot medic asked.
"He had to go into town this morning to access a patient being held at the police station – he's probably there now. I'll send him a page, as given his current situation I wouldn't want his cell phone to go off when he's with some un-medicated psychologically unstable individual".
"I understand perfectly. I'm sure it's probably a misunderstanding; I wouldn't be surprised if she is the communal area. Arcee is very curious about human nature and she might have asked the charge to allow her access into communal areas of the facility".
"I'll go check a few other places that Pip might not think to look. I'll talk to the other staff and get the ones out here who were on when Arcee was admitted, maybe they know something more".
"Thank you, doctor".
The metallic medical officer replied.
First Aid watched the man return to the building while still being aware of the pacing mech; he shook his head and sighed as he opened communications with the nearby Autobot base to inform them of the situation as it was, and not of what Springer would no doubt be preaching.
