Night 58: Medical Wing Hall

[spandexorgtfo]

[from here]The front desk and the adjoining break room had been the extent of his knowledge from the night prior, so in this next section, Kratos did take the time to carefully observe the scenery. There were two paths that split off straight ahead and to his left, while to his right were a series of identical, plain doors. Somehow, that row

Comments

[madeinthehrl]

[from here]

"I suppose we should try the next door," said Soma as they exited the library. A pause, then, "Are you faring all right with the effects of the injection? I've never heard of them doing anything like that before."

[spandexorgtfo]

"Mm." Kratos nodded as he closed the library door behind them and turned to the next door in question. So far, the rooms had been mundane, which begged the question of why they had hidden this section of the building for so long. The Institute was entitled to some privacy, yes, but it seemed to have no qualms about patients wandering into far more sensitive areas, like the basement.

He hid a frown when Soma asked about the voices. "It hasn't caused any further disturbances." A second later, wryly: "Yet."

[to here]

[madeinthehrl]

[back from here]

"If you're right," Soma added as she shut the door behind her, "and there is some kind of device putting a damper on our abilities, it's probably on the third floor. I can't imagine either Landel or Aguilar keeping it within easy reach of the patients."

Still, it was an interesting thought--and, if any of the people behind the radio knew about it, that meant the device could be tampered with.

[spandexorgtfo]

"Mm." Kratos continued down the hall, seeking to put some figurative distance between himself and the topic of power-restraining devices now that he had thoroughly embarrassed himself. He had only mentioned the thought to see if Soma had heard of something similar before or come magically to the same conclusion; the chances of either possibility holding were slim at best...

Something to keep in mind for future investigation, perhaps.

He opened the doors lining the next turn with a sort of carelessness, peering into the rooms briefly and then exiting within a few seconds. A bathroom...another bathroom...ah, an office. "Let's see what we have here." Kratos pushed the door open a little wider and slipped into the room.

[to here]

[spandexorgtfo]

[and back out quickly from here]

As soon as he was out, Kratos exhaled, wiping the sleeve of his glove across his eyes: in addition to burning, they were also tearing up enough to blur his vision.

"Gas," he said shortly to provide an explanation, too focused on the situation at hand to realize that he'd now become even more of a liability. "We need to move." He'd closed the door, but it didn't provide a complete seal; at his feet, he could already see tendrils of white beginning to show.

[madeinthehrl]

Soma had been about to follow Kratos into the room, but the sound of gas had reached her ears almost as soon as her brainwaves spiked, and it was only because Kratos himself had turned and run out of the room that she hadn't gone in to drag him out

[spandexorgtfo]

He recalled being fortunate enough to escape the cafeteria that one morning before they'd gassed everyone present in response to the massive food fight that had broken out. Although he'd been both angered and dismayed by the move, Kratos could recall feeling faintly relieved that he'd had the good sense to leave, because there had definitely been those still inside who were undeserving of the punishment.

And of course now someone had decided that his fortunes needed reversing. First the drug test, and now gas...Kratos, you pathetic, inferior being! For his own sake, he tried to ignore Kvar's voice again, but admittedly, it had been well-timed...

His frustration finally came to a head with Soma's report that the door was locked. Honestly..."Stand aside." Kratos brushed past her and paused only for a second before delivering a sharp kick to the door just below the knob. The first one only rattled it: his aim had been slightly off, ruined by his poor eyesight. The follow-up, though, knocked the door inward.

[to here]