Around 3 PM an unmarked van pulls into the receiving dock. Chuck quickly goes out to receive the shipment. The gals go out to help.
"I got it!", says Chuck roughly.
"We were only coming to help!", says Alex.
"Don't need your help!", replies Chuck curtly.
"Rude much!", says Clover to Alex and Sam as they come back into the stores area.
"Gee, that's the fastest we've seen Chuck move all day!", says Sam. "I wonder why?"
As 4 PM comes around, the second shift begins in the stores area, and the gals are off duty.
"Come on Sammy, let's go home!", says Clover.
"Wait!", says Sam, as she watches Chuck substituting medication on the shelf with those he just received from the unmarked van.
"What's he doing?" asks Alex.
"It looks like he's putting the medication on the shelf into the box marked 'returns' and replacing it with the stuff he just received.", says Sam.
It only takes Chuck 5 minutes to complete the switch. He looks around to see if anyone is watching, and he pushes the "returns' box out of sight.
The gals wait for Chuck to leave for the day, and then go into the stores area to investigate. Sam takes one of the medications off of the shelf – it is used for intestinal infections. She then finds one in the "returns" box.
"Let's analyze these!", she says, as Clover opens LIAB 9000.
"First, the medication on the shelf", LIAB whirs for a few seconds, then prints out the composition: sucrose.
"Sucrose? Isn't that sugar?", asks Alex.
"Yes, Alex! Now, let's try the 'returns' box medication!"
Again LIAB whirs a few seconds: cipro.
"Cipro is what the patients are supposed to be getting! It's an antibiotic used for treating intestinal infections!", says Clover.
"So, we know how the phony drugs get into the hospital, let's find out where they come from! But first, I don't think Chuck would mind if we replace the meds on the shelf with these labeled for return, do you?", says Sam, as she pulls the box out.
"Not at all, Sammy!", says Alex, as she and Clover quickly help Sam replace the placebos, with the genuine articles.
"Oh, how careless of me!", says Clover, faking sincerity, "I dropped my tracker barrette in the 'returns' box!"
Alex plays along, "And I carelessly pushed the box back into its hiding place without taking it out!"
The gals share a laugh. "Tomorrow, we find out where the placebos are coming from!", says Sam. "But first, I'm going to visit my Mom!"
"You go, girl!", says Alex.
"We'll see you tomorrow", says Clover.
Sam goes up to her Mom's hospital room. Her Dad will be coming from work shortly. Her Mom is sleeping. Sam quietly walks up to her mother's side and kisses her softly on the cheek. As she sits down next to her, Sam gently puts her hand over her mother's, being careful not to wake her.
But Sam's mother has been a mother too long. She opens her eyes, and looks lovingly at her daughter. "Hi, Sam. How are you, dear?"
"Hi, Mom. I'm sorry if I woke you up!"
"You didn't! I wasn't really asleep, dear, I was just resting my eyes!"
"How were your tests?"
Sam's Mom gives her a quick thumbnail description of the various tests she has been through, making sure she makes even the most painful ones sound as easy as pie. Soon, Sam's Dad joins them. He kisses his wife, then his daughter. Sam and her Dad stay until visiting hours are over.
"I got it!", says Chuck roughly.
"We were only coming to help!", says Alex.
"Don't need your help!", replies Chuck curtly.
"Rude much!", says Clover to Alex and Sam as they come back into the stores area.
"Gee, that's the fastest we've seen Chuck move all day!", says Sam. "I wonder why?"
As 4 PM comes around, the second shift begins in the stores area, and the gals are off duty.
"Come on Sammy, let's go home!", says Clover.
"Wait!", says Sam, as she watches Chuck substituting medication on the shelf with those he just received from the unmarked van.
"What's he doing?" asks Alex.
"It looks like he's putting the medication on the shelf into the box marked 'returns' and replacing it with the stuff he just received.", says Sam.
It only takes Chuck 5 minutes to complete the switch. He looks around to see if anyone is watching, and he pushes the "returns' box out of sight.
The gals wait for Chuck to leave for the day, and then go into the stores area to investigate. Sam takes one of the medications off of the shelf – it is used for intestinal infections. She then finds one in the "returns" box.
"Let's analyze these!", she says, as Clover opens LIAB 9000.
"First, the medication on the shelf", LIAB whirs for a few seconds, then prints out the composition: sucrose.
"Sucrose? Isn't that sugar?", asks Alex.
"Yes, Alex! Now, let's try the 'returns' box medication!"
Again LIAB whirs a few seconds: cipro.
"Cipro is what the patients are supposed to be getting! It's an antibiotic used for treating intestinal infections!", says Clover.
"So, we know how the phony drugs get into the hospital, let's find out where they come from! But first, I don't think Chuck would mind if we replace the meds on the shelf with these labeled for return, do you?", says Sam, as she pulls the box out.
"Not at all, Sammy!", says Alex, as she and Clover quickly help Sam replace the placebos, with the genuine articles.
"Oh, how careless of me!", says Clover, faking sincerity, "I dropped my tracker barrette in the 'returns' box!"
Alex plays along, "And I carelessly pushed the box back into its hiding place without taking it out!"
The gals share a laugh. "Tomorrow, we find out where the placebos are coming from!", says Sam. "But first, I'm going to visit my Mom!"
"You go, girl!", says Alex.
"We'll see you tomorrow", says Clover.
Sam goes up to her Mom's hospital room. Her Dad will be coming from work shortly. Her Mom is sleeping. Sam quietly walks up to her mother's side and kisses her softly on the cheek. As she sits down next to her, Sam gently puts her hand over her mother's, being careful not to wake her.
But Sam's mother has been a mother too long. She opens her eyes, and looks lovingly at her daughter. "Hi, Sam. How are you, dear?"
"Hi, Mom. I'm sorry if I woke you up!"
"You didn't! I wasn't really asleep, dear, I was just resting my eyes!"
"How were your tests?"
Sam's Mom gives her a quick thumbnail description of the various tests she has been through, making sure she makes even the most painful ones sound as easy as pie. Soon, Sam's Dad joins them. He kisses his wife, then his daughter. Sam and her Dad stay until visiting hours are over.