Wrongfully Accused

Chapter Three

"Is he conscious?"

"No sir."

"How long has he been like this?"

"Almost 40 hours."

"Any change in his condition?"

"Not since he arrived."

"Hmph! Very well, keep the guards posted at the door and inform me the instant his condition changes."

"Yes Major!" The officer watched as his commanding officer left the room then turned his attention to the computer screen he had been studying before the Majors interruption.

The room he was working in was fairly bare with the exception of the computer desk and four beds lined up against the wall opposite to the door, all of which were empty except for the one in the far corner. There Seifer lay, wrapped in white sheets and surrounded by machines monitoring every function of his broken body. The officer slowly got up to observe the patient he had been caring for since early yesterday morning. His breaths were steady but shallow, his skin was as pale as the walls and the bruises adorning his face and upper body made it almost impossible to identify who he was, yet those who knew him well would have immediately recognized the blonde hair and unsightly facial scar.

"Captain O'Rielly?"

The soldier turned around, facing the door and the person who had addressed him. "Are you Doctor O'Rielly, head of medical ward 3?"

"Yes I am, and you are?"

"Oh, forgive me. My name is Leanne Bickerson, we spoke on the phone this morning, I'm a reporter from the Galbadian Times, you said you would..."

"How did you get past the guards?"

"Guards? There were no guards."

The Doctor rolled his eyes 'That'd be right, we've got one Galbadia's most wanted men in this room and those two idiots decide to take an early lunch. And they left the door unlocked. Bloody hell, it's like working in a fucking preschool'

"I'm sorry Mrs Dickerson but.."

"It's Miss Bickerson"

"Sorry, look this is a restricted area. Only authorized personnel are permitted beyond the lobby, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"But you said you would give me information on the murders that occurred at the Guardian Nightclub two nights ago."

"I'm afraid I can't help you"

"Why not?"

"Because I probably know less about this than you do."

"What?"

"Look, I'm just a bloody Doctor, I don't know anything about what goes on outside these walls, so if you have any questions I advise you to contact the local authorities because no one here will be able to tell you anything." Doctor O'Rielly turned his back on the reporter hinting that their conversation was over. However, the stubborn reporter was not about to give up so easily.

"But you said that the person accused of the crimes was under your care, surely you must know something."

"It would appear Miss Brickson.."

"Bickerson!"

"Whatever. It would appear that we have had a misunderstanding. I simply insinuated that someone involved in the incident may have been receiving care from one of our doctors, I said nothing of the accused being under my personal care."

"So you really don't know anything?"

"Not a damn thing."

"Very well then Doctor. I thank you for your time and patience."

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

"Don't move, I can't have you walking around here without a security pass, I'll have someone escort you to the front office."

Walking outside O'Rielly spotted one of the grunts, assigned to guarding the room they had just exited, flirting with one of the female nurses.

"WILLIAMS!!!"

"Yes Captain O'Rielly sir!"

"Escort Miss Bickerton to the front office immediately!"

"Yes sir! This way miss."

Up above the PA system crackled to life, startling the doctor. "Dr O'Rielly. Dr Raymond O'Reilly, please report to Post Op ward 2!"

"Oh what now? Williams, get this woman out of the building, and have someone posted at this door immediately!"

"But sir.."

"Just do it!!"

"Yessir!" O'Rielly walked off in the opposite direction ignoring the soldiers salute.

"Umm, shit. Miss, can I ask you to stay here until I get someone to watch this door. It's kinda important."

"Sure, no problem. I won't move from this spot."

"Gee, thanks lady, I wont be long." And with that, he ran off in the same direction the doctor had gone not 15 seconds ago.

"Idiot." Leanne reentered the room and headed straight towards the computer.

"Now what do we have here, supplies, payroll. No no, come on, were is it. Aha, here it is, patient list." Hunched over the computer her fingers flying over the keys she took no notice of the patient now stirring in his bed. "PASSWORD!! I don't know this guys frickin password!"

"Urgh." The once silent figure stirred again.

"HUH?!" Slowly she got up and walked over to the bed at the far corner and picked up the clipboard on the side table. 'Well well well, what do we have here. Captain O'Rielly's personal patient. Let's see what your report says. Subject suffers from major head trauma and severe internal bleeding..........'

"Bah! Who cares. Don't these people have names?" She asked aloud.

Her eyes skimmed over the rest of the page but her eyes widened as she came across the name of the anonymous person lying before her.

"Almasy!?" The clipboard dropped from her fingers hitting the ground with an echoing thud. Without taking her eyes of his face she reached down to pick up the clipboard, but stopped suddenly when she saw his eye's flicker.

'Shit! He's waking up! What the hell are the chances of that happening?' The sound of the door opening broke her thoughts.

"Hey!! I thought I had Private Williams escort you out of here" The doctor said, storming into the room.

'Oh great! Now I'm in for it' "Umm you see, I ah......heard a noise and.... ah...umm...."

"Shit!" O'Rielly bolted towards the bed. "Damn it, not now! I'm not ready!"

"Ready? What's going on here?!!" The reporters sudden outburst startled the doctor.

"I don't have time for this. Get out, now!"

"But...."

"NOW!!"

Leanne bolted towards the door grinning from ear to ear. She may not have got the interview she had been hoping for but she now had the beginnings of what could be the one story to really make her career.

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Sorry this chapter took so long, I had major writers block. I know it seems like this story isn't going anywhere (at least I think it's not) but i'm really just trying to buy myself some time until I can think of what I want to happen next.