The gang's had been more prevalent of late. Or perhaps they were just more visible. In either case, or another not yet spoke of, they were visible ... of that there was no mistake. It did not matter where they gathered, only that they did. Such a gathering invariably meant trouble. Such was the way with 'gangers'. A singular presence meant an annoyance ... a collective one was a source of real trouble and damage. Suns forbid a war should start again ... that would be a disaster for all. It did not matter where they gathered. Only that they did. And then, they chose the Hospital in New Rydynn. Not a great surprise, at least, not as great a one as one might guess. It was the center, really, of most of the city's activity. The only intact building not used exclusively by squatters, or worse, it at least provided a place of warmth and neutrality for all. If a fight between two opposing gangs were to break out in the confines of the Hospital, well ... that is not something discussed or even entertained often.Still she would be kept here. Until there was no doubt left in their mind as to her physical health. That was their job. Now if only they would let her attend to her own, things would be evenly scored. The gangers were not the center of existence or importance, or even worth more than a passing glance, for Adeline Frostt, doctor of psychiatry. Though they might make an interesting case study on varying types of mentality, perhaps a fount of information for a book to be written later. She had not even known of their presence in the lobby as she sat in her room. White blond hair was pulled back from the tired face and fastened into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. Tired of her room, and longing for a change of surroundings, if only on another floor, she slipped her glasses on and headed towards the cafe.
The cafeteria, so oft a nexus of activity, was certainly not so on this eve. Adeline took her meal quietly and retired to a table to finish the Hospital's meager offerings. Her face held that same grim look as it did when she first woke up. Truthfully, she had not heard, seen or done anything to lift her spirit or spark a better mood. She ate her meal in silence before rising to take an excursion into the lobby. Perhaps there she would encounter Terra. Oh, she hoped she would, as she did so want to speak with her.
The lobby was far more bustling than was the cafeteria. It was here that she noticed the rather loud conglomeration of gangers. Mostly men, as was the usual, but a woman was present as well. She held the look of a frightened bird. Most uncommon in one who kept such company. The group talked as they always did ... loud, rude and crude as a canal man. Language was uttered that would make Elliot's wires melt together in a permanent Gordian knot. Mostly it went unnoticed and unheeded. They spoke of mostly common things, definitely nothing that concerned Adeline. She paid them little less than half a mind as she sat across from them to read. Her glasses were lowered down on her nose, giving her the appearance of a stern nanny of old. On occasion, her cool glance found it's way up from her reading to observe them from afar. The follies of youth. How much they thought the cause of the moment was of import. How much did they have left to learn.
She nodded briefly to what appeared to be the head of this particular group. He had obviously said something about her or was thinking such, but in all honesty, she did not give a damn. Rarely did, which was odd considering her profession. Perhaps it was only that she didn't give a damn in regard to herself. Perhaps it was only that she threw what emotion she did have into her patients ... when they would trust her long enough to come. Frustrating that. She looked to Asche Drakenn, who had just taken a seat next to her. Not quite Terra, but a friend nonetheless and one who had something on her mind.
"Evenin'. How are you feeling?"
She watched as Ash pulled her hands from her pockets and folded them in her lap. It was almost a coy gesture, demure. The medic's leg bounced rapidly, belying her anxiousness about something. "Physically? Just fine. Back to normal," replied Ash.
That was not the condition that Adeline was referring to, so she clarified. "Otherwise?"
"I'm in a bad spot." Quiet enough so that no other could hear, but not quiet enough to prevent Adeline from picking up on it.
"How so?" Must push this one ... Ash had a nasty habit of being rather shut off and hard to reach.
"See, I've been made an offer that would be bad to refuse. It's a bad deal." Ash leaned forward onto her elbows. "I hate bad deals. Bad for the Hospital. Any way you look at it." She looked towards the door. A new patient had entered, her arm hanging at an impossible angle. "Duty calls," she said with a long, exasperated breath as she rose to attend to the woman.
Adeline nodded at the far too common occurrence of treating physical injury. "Have fun." What an attempt at humor. That was something she must improve on. It could be the current state of the company, however. She overheard bits and pieces of the conversations between the gangers, peppered as they were with the occasional obscenity. It could only be a form of affectionate referral, else a fight surely would have broken out by this time. Her glasses once again found their way back up her nose, by way of a gentle nudging by her finger as she went back to her reading. Asche's dilemma would wait.
A bit more was read before a realization dawned on Adeline. She would have looked up with the thought, but the last thing she needed to do was to draw attention to herself, especially by this crew. "Great," she thought, "me and a bunch of gangers. Joy." There was no irony lost as the cautiously continued her reading, hoping to be as unobtrusive and inconspicuous as possible. At points in their chatting, she could not help but chuckle, finding her own private amusement in their dealings. Did she even want to hazard a guess as to where the humor lie, or why she found it so? It was doubtful.
A few left, a few of the same returned, some new came and the cycle continued. It was clear that they had chosen the Hospital as their main altar of communion. The Ballroom was brought up on more than one occasion. It was possible that they would all retire back to there. Whether that was good for the Hospital or worse for the Ballroom was not easily ascertained. The possibility did exist that if they left, more unsavory elements might enter. Best not to think of that, only to concentrate on the moment at hand, and hope that they left and soon.
Another new limping patient entered and she directed him towards one of the other staff. Clearly, he was not in need of her specialized services. Not yet at least. Somehow, everyone, at one time or another, would be at her door, seeking counseling of some sort. She had but to wait. That wait did not take long. Adeline noticed her friend sink into a chair, a bit wild-eyed and disoriented. Her reading chair was abandoned as she crossed the room to Asche. "We need to talk."
Asche gave a sidelong glance to Adeline out of the corner of her eye before giving her a nod. "Yeah. Sure."
"Are you on duty, or can we go somewhere quieter?"
A ghost of a smile flickered across her lips as she answered. "I'm on duty."
Adeline just nodded, getting straight to the point and pointing out the obvious. "It doesn't take a psychiatrist to notice that you're not handling very well."
Asche looked a bit lost at the comment. Oh, but she did not trust the head doctors. The shrinks. So little of one's head did one have to begin with. There was no sense in turning it over to someone else. "No. I'm just forgetting who I'm supposed to protect here, that's all." That's all she said. A gift of understatement this one had.
Dr. Frostt sighed. This was not the first time she had encountered this type of resistance, nor the first time she had run across this type of mindset. In fact, it would have been considered unusual if she hadn't run across this at all. "I wish you'd talk to someone about it," she said softly. "If not me ... someone."
"Not gonna commit me, are you?" A wary glance was given. No one ever did look at her for very long, much less in the eye. Another obstacle.
Adeline could have almost chuckled. "Hardly. I'm here for you. Just keep that in mind ... please."
"If I agree, it means he'll take more and more from me ... from this place. If I refuse, I doubt the hospital will be standing a month from now."
Sabbath, what kind of a deal had she made? Adeline hesitated to think about the particulars of it. But with stakes that high, what the hell all was involved with this damned thing? She still did not know. Asche had not volunteered the information ... granted, nor had Adeline asked either. "Is there anyone who can stop him?" She was not entirely sure even who 'he' was.
"I don't know," came the quieted reply. She made a subtle motion towards the medic in training, Meralynn Harperr. "I promised her father she'd stay safe."
The psychiatrist leaned in, softness betrayed in her glacial eyes. "What does he want?" Surely all of this deal that Asche spoke of could not have to do with this promise of safety. Then again ... stranger deals had been made here before.
"Water, access to Elliot," came the short list of demands. Obviously, this was all being kept quiet and low-key in deference to Meralynn. "Nothing more than we give out already ... still it galls me. He's already done so much harm."
Now she was confused. If he already had access to these things, then what possible harm could come to anyone here or to the Hospital itself by granting him these things? She cocked her head to the side and asked the widowed medic precisely that.
The answer she got was more than she could have ever bargained for. "Because the man is violence waiting for an excuse. He's stolen children from this hospital. He's killed staff. He ... doesn't care."
And then Adeline Frostt, a woman of great learning did something almost out of character for her. It was rare for her to so go against her training, though admittedly, she did it with alarmingly more frequency. She knew that in all reality, a man like that could not be reasoned with, yet the words flowed forth effortlessly, before she could even begin to make an attempt at halting them. "Maybe I could talk to him ... "