"This is Doctor Albany Lux speaking. The date is the fourteenth of April 2016. I am situated in lab 306 with patient 826. The patient has shown an increased ability of muscle control and movement. Heart rate is strong and stead, the same as all respiratory tests. Patient recognises light therapy and can follow my torch and finger when his eyes are open." She looked down at Jerome. "The patient also shows signs of continuous strengthening of communication skills." She pressed the record button. "You know, your bed is one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever slept on, Mr Valeska. You really should do something about that." Albany had thought a lot about Jerome's proposition. She did enjoy her work here and it would be a shame to leave, but she longed for freedom. She wanted to live her life, not work under strict rules and regulations for the rest of it. She wondered if anyone would come looking for her once she had left. What would she do once she was out of there? Where would she go? And more importantly, would she take Jerome up on his offer. She moved her attention back to the body in front of her. She looked up to his face.
His eyes were open.
She leant down over him. "Is that involuntary?" she giggled. She was surprised even more so when the corners of her patient's mouth turned up a little. After stifling a gasp she took his hand. "Can you move your head?" she watched as Jerome slowly turned his head towards her a little.
He paused.
"No don't stop! How about your arm?" she lifted his arm a little then let go.
His arm dropped back down weakly.
"Try again," she insisted. She took his hand again and raised it only a small bit. She let go and saw his pale arm shaking, but it soon held steady. She held back tears of joy and reached for her recording device.
Jerome's arm shot out and his hand grasped her lab coat.
She looked back to him.
His head was turned to the side, facing her. His piercing eyes were fixed on her.
She took his arm and placed it across his chest. "Try moving it now."
He successfully moved it and placed his hand back into hers.
Albany was stunned. In all of her years working here, she had never seen a patient's recovery so suddenly. She watched his mouth open, as if he was trying to say something. She waited with bated breath and moved as close as she could.
His voice was weak. "Wake up..."
"Wha-" she saw his smile, "oh that is so not cool!" she playfully poked him.
Albany took Jerome's hand. "Okay, let's try again," she said as she slid her hand under his back. "Ready?"
Jerome nodded and mouth a yes in reply.
"One, two, three." Albany pulled his hand gently and pushed his back up. She watched as Jerome managed to sit up easier than before. "That's great!" she smiled. "Now, let's get you dressed I will be right back." Albany shot into her room and grabbed the bag she had retrieved from Jerome's apartment. When she returned to the lab, she saw Jerome had managed to swing his legs round and was sitting on the edge of the patient transport table. She placed the bag down next to him. "I didn't know what your preferences to clothes were, so I just picked up anything," she shrugged.
"S'okay," he replied weakly. The ginger unzipped the bag and pulled out the clothes. He felt something else and peered inside. He looked back at Albany with a smile.
She shuffled uncomfortably. "Just for the record, I have no intention of using it."
Jerome moved the gun into a back apartment to hide the weapons a little better. He unfolded the clothes and took hold of the shirt. He put his arms through the short blue sleeves, but looked at Albany when he tried to lift his arms.
"Oh, here," she said as she helped him lift his arms and pulled the shirt down over his pale torso. "Do you need a hand with the others?"
He shook his head.
"Okay, I will put these back in my room." she picked the bag up and left the lab. Once she was in her room, she shoved the bag under her bed as far as she could. She turned and saw the pack of cigarettes on her table. She grabbed them and a lighter and returned to Jerome. She saw he had managed to put on the rest of the clothes.
A smiled crept onto his face when he saw what she had in her hand. He watched her open them and then handed them to him. He took them and pulled one out, he then held the packet out to Albany, offering her one.
"Sure, why not," she grinned. She took the packet, took a cigarette out, then shoved the rest into her lab coat pocket. She held the lighter out and helped Jerome light his cigarette he held in his mouth, she then lit her own.
Jerome inhaled as deep as he could and closed his eyes. He let out a soft contented sigh, then looked at Albany again. "Thanks," his weak voice said.
"More than welcome. So," she sat beside him, "how did you do the whole dream thing? Not to mention this," she held up her wounded hand.
He smirked. "A magician never gives away his secrets."
"Not fair."
"Gets boring laying around for a long time, I had to do summin'."
"I shouldn't really question anything that happens in this place," she scoffed. "I'm surprised black magic hasn't been added to the daily routines."
Jerome let out a soft chuckled.
"It's nice, hearing your voice when I'm awake."
"Get used to it doll, ya gonna hear it a lot." Jerome opened his mouth to say something else, but he let out a painful gasp instead.
Albany shot up in front of him. "What? What is it?"
Jerome motioned to his leg. "Tingly."
She looked down at his leg. "That would be pins and needles," she laughed. "You better get used to that, your gonna feel it a lot."
Albany opened the lab door. She looked over to the table.
It was empty.
She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Jerome behind her. She put her hand on her chest to feel her racing heart. "Jerome," she breathed. "You scared me." she looked around the lab. "Am I dreaming?"
He nodded.
"Why are we here?" she looked back to the doorway to see he had gone. She looked around the side of the door to see him disappear into her bedroom. She followed him. He had stopped in front of her table, looking down at her notes.
"Me?" he asked and looked back at her.
Albany noticed his voice was weak, he must have used a lot of his energy up earlier when he was awake. "Yeah, they're my notes."
Jerome placed his hand on them.
Albany watched as the papers began to burn. After a few seconds, there was nothing but ash left.
Once he was satisfied, he pulled the table away from the wall.
She looked behind it to see what he was pointing at. "A vent?"
Jerome reached down and pulled the front off of it. He looked up at the doctor.
Albany knelt down and peered inside it.
Jerome crawled inside, he looked over his shoulder. "C'mon."
She looked around her room to make sure no one else was around. She then followed him into the metal vents.
Jerome stopped and looked to his side.
Albany saw light coming from it. She watched him quietly open the vent and climbed out. He knelt down and helped Albany out.
She noticed they were in the security command room. "What are we-" she stopped when Jerome lifted a finger to his mouth. She looked around to see a security guard sat at a desk, monitoring cameras.
Jerome swiftly moved over to him.
Albany looked away when she saw him begin to press the knife to the guard's neck. After the gurgling stopped, she opened her eyes.
Jerome took her hand and pulled her over to a small screen.
She looked at it and saw it showed a number of small pictures. "Security cameras," she said quietly. "How do we turn them off?"
Jerome stood in front of the control panel. "When they don't want to be seen," he murmured.
Albany looked down and watched him hit the play button. She noticed a quick flick on the screens.
Albany had heard of this method before. There were certain things the doctors didn't want even the security personnel to know, so they would play a pre-recorded sequence which gave off the impression that everything was usual business. Then whilst it was playing, they would carry out whatever twisted plans they had in mind. The only people who would know the truth of what happened, where the doctors involved. The security and the cameras would be none the wiser.
Albany took a closer look at the screen.
A figure stood in a long white corridor. He looked up to the camera.
Albany took a step back when she saw her father's face.