by Kip Nelson
Chapter Eleven
Mack, Luis, and Miranda were halfway up the stairs, looking up at the man in the white coat who was flanked by a couple of orderlies, each holding a lantern. Miranda just had told Mack he shouldn't believe anything this man said. If her story was correct, then it was this man who had taken over the Archer Institute and turned the tables on the staff. He certainly carried himself well, and looked as though he belonged in the clothes he was wearing. A long white shirt rested on his shoulders and his black hair was swept back. His eyes gleamed and his arms were open, welcoming them in.
The dim glow from the lanterns cast him in a foreboding light and that, coupled with the angle from which they were looking at him, made him seem like an imposing figure. At Mack’s side, Miranda was stricken with terror. It was no wonder, for the supposed doctor just had claimed she was a patient and was living a lie. Was it possible that everything she had told Mack and the others had been the product of a broken and ill mind? Mack looked down at her and, in a way, he hoped she was wrong. The last thing he wanted was to start a fight when one was not needed.
“Now, now, Miranda, have you been telling lies again? We've talked about this before, haven't we? I'm glad to see you again, though. I was so worried about you being out there all by yourself. You know that this is where you belong. The world out there isn't meant for people like you. This is your home. This is where you can be safe, and where we can look after you,” he said in a cooing tone.
He then turned to Mack. “I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Doctor Gary Richardson. Welcome to the Archer Institute although, really, you simply could have knocked on the front door,” he said, smiling widely. He reached out his hand to give Mack and Luis each a firm handshake. Mack looked at him with skepticism as he introduced himself and Luis.
“I know what you're probably thinking,” he said with a sigh.
“I'm sure she's told you that I'm not Gary and this place has been taken over by the patients. She's roped you into her story. Not that I can blame you, it was certainly a compelling narrative, and I must admit there were times she almost fooled me. We've tried coaxing her out before, but she's a stubborn one. She just can't seem to let go of whatever fantasies she concocts. It's impressive in a way, but it does mean she tends to act on them and, well, as you can imagine, we're stretched pretty thin at the moment.
“So, it wasn't hard for her to slip out. Part of me didn't think we'd ever see her again. So, I'm glad you brought her back to us. Anyway! What are we doing have this conversation on the stairs? Let's get you upstairs where you can have a warm drink and we can talk properly. I'd like to know exactly what's going on out there,” he said, waving them forward.
However, Mack still was reluctant to do that. Miranda was standing close beside him, digging her fingers into his arm so much it almost made Mack wince, although he didn't want to show any sign of weakness in front of this man who may well have been a dangerous criminal. Luis offered nothing helpful in his eyes as Mack quickly glanced around the room. The cellar with the low ceiling offered nothing in the way of assistance. There was certainly no point in retreating now that their presence was known, and they couldn't very well attack without any provocation in case the doctor was correct.
“You're a bastard. I can't believe you would do this,” Miranda hissed.
She turned to Mack again. “You can't believe him. You can't trust anything he says. Please, don't fall for this trick.”
“Miranda, please, there's no need for language like that,” Gary said, seeming unfazed at the insult. Mack presumed he must have heard that a lot, if he was indeed Doctor Gary Richardson.
“You're right, she did tell us that,” Mack said.
“She told us that when the electronics went out all the doors opened and the patients overwhelmed the staff. And that it happened too quickly for them to do anything about it. And that Ethan, one of the most dangerous patients in here, took control and decided to turn the tables on everyone. He made patients into staff and the staff into patients, then kept them drugged. We couldn't stand by and let something like that happen without trying our best to do something about it. She seemed quite convinced about it as well, and I'm not sure I have a good reason to disbelieve her,” he said.
Gary smiled and hung his head, pressing his lips together as he chuckled slightly. “Like I said, it was an inventive tale. She always has had a good imagination. Over the years, we've tried to put it to better use, but she never has been able to trust me fully. So, unfortunately, we have to let the whole thing run its course. Before all this happened, we just could leave her in a room and let her work through it herself, but, unfortunately, with the way things are she managed to escape. I'm sorry she brought you into all this. It's really none of your concern. Sadly, there are a number of patients here who do suffer from paranoid delusions and I'm sure to you it seems like she is telling the truth, but that's why I'm so worried for all the patients. I'm guessing that something horrible has happened outside since we’ve been without power and the means of communication. I can't imagine any of my patients could survive out there for too long. Frankly, I'm amazed Miranda made it back at all.”
“A lot has changed out there. The world as we know it has ended. From what we can tell there was a massive EMP that hit the country. We don't know about the rest of the world, and at this point I'm not sure we ever will,” Mack replied.
Gary sighed heavily and had a grave look on his face. “That's sad to hear, and you two look as though you've been through the worst of it. I, at least, have my patients to tend to. My role doesn't change even though the world has. Maybe that's a good thing. I can imagine a lot of people are struggling to adjust to the new order of things.”
“You can say that again,” Mack said, but he still looked unconvinced and Gary picked up on this.
“What is it, Mack? Oh, I know, you still believe her, don't you? Unfortunately, I can't really say anything to dissuade you. After all, it is my word against hers. But I know exactly what she's told you because I've heard it all before. The truth is we did have a dangerous prisoner called Ethan, but that was a few years ago now. He did actually attack a doctor, but after that he was sent away to the prison. It was a mistake for him ever to be brought here in the first place. That's what's so clever about her lies, there's always a vein of truth that runs through them. You wouldn't be the first people to become wrapped up in them. I'm sure she even mentioned me, probably in unflattering terms,” he said, laughing softly.
“Actually, she did. She said you were arrogant and it was your fault that Ethan was brought here in the first place. You were more concerned with fame and prestige than you were with helping people.”
“Oh Miranda, and after I've spent so much time helping you,” he sighed heavily once more.
“That's really the hardest thing about this role. You put so much of yourself into helping and caring for the patients, but sometimes they are incapable of returning those feelings. Usually in her delusions Miranda does include me and sometimes the other staff in quite derogatory roles, even though all we want to do is help her.”
All this time Miranda had been clinging to Mack, looking between the two men in wide-eyed disbelief. “No,” she said, “don't let him do this to you. Don't fall for his tricks. He's lying! Don't you see! That is Ethan!” she said, the tone of her voice rising higher and higher until it was almost a shriek.
Mack was caught between the two of them, not knowing who to believe. Miranda still was twitching nervously and biting her lower lip. Why would she have brought them back there if she was free? But if she was living the delusion like the doctor claimed, then Mack and Luis had been swept up in the narrative, too. Although it was difficult for Mack to question her after everything she had told him, he remembered how feral she had been when they had first met, and how easily she had returned to a normal state where the story flowed freely. Was this simply because she had rehearsed it all in her mind beforehand? It was difficult for Mack to choose wh
o to believe, as even if he did side with Miranda, then he had a fight on his hands. It wasn't so much asking himself if he believed her, but if he believed her enough to attack this man who may well have been innocent, not to mention the orderlies who were flanking him.
“I know you must be in something of a quandary right now, and I'm happy to talk with you further, but you must understand we need to get Miranda back in her room as soon as possible. The longer she's out there the more harm she can do to herself and others. We really do care for our patients, Mack, and we want to see the best for them. And, no offense, but it's a big risk for us to bring you in here as well. I can see you are people with good intentions, and you just happen to have been fooled by this story, but I am taking a chance by allowing you to come into the institute. I want your word that you're not going to do anything to harm our patients. Obviously, we're not soldiers here, but we'll do our best to defend ourselves, and the people we're responsible for. I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist that Miranda is taken back to her room. She's been away for far too long and--”
He was cut off mid-sentence by Miranda, who screamed, 'No!' and reached around to grab a gun from Mack. Mack turned with a shocked look on his face. Miranda's hands trembled as she leveled the gun at the doctor, who remained calm.
“Ethan, let me go and release everyone else. I can't let you get away with this,” she said in a quivering voice.
“Miranda, please, you don't want to do this. Why don't you just put down the gun and come back with us to your room? We'll see that you're nice and safe and you won't have to worry about any of this. You've been out there for a long time. I'm sure you're tired and you'd like a comfortable bed and a warm drink?” Gary said, his voice unwavering and smooth.
“Shut up,” Miranda said, angry tears rolling down her cheeks, “and don't listen to him Mack. You need to believe me. This is all wrong. He's not who he says he is. Don't let him twist my words. Please, you must believe me. You have to...” she said, her voice trailing off. Mack looked between her and Gary and saw two very different people. One seemed in control and the other was losing it, but was that enough to confirm Gary's assertion?
“You see what we have to deal with, Mack? This life is not one for the faint of heart,” he said as he stared at the barrel of the gun pointed at him.
“Why are you doing this, Miranda? I thought you said you were a woman of science and that you didn't ever want to use a gun?” Mack asked gently.
“Desperate times, I guess,” she said.
“I can see it in your eyes. You don't believe me. That's fine, but I'm not going to let him get away with this. I can't. He needs to pay for what he's done. This place...we're supposed to help people. We're supposed to keep them safe and I...I need to do that. If that means...if that means betraying my principles, then so be it,” she said. But she never got a chance to pull the trigger because Mack placed his hand on the gun and lowered it.
As his eyes met hers he saw a look of betrayal in them and it made him feel ashamed, but he couldn't in good conscience let her shoot a man who may well have been innocent in all this. It was a difficult decision because it felt as though they had been through so much together already, but Mack couldn’t make up his mind between truth and fiction, and until he did he couldn't sanction a loss of life.
“Thank you, Mack, I'm glad that you've seen sense,” Gary said.
“I don't know about that, but I just don't want to take the chance that you'll be killed when you're telling the truth.”
“I understand, but thank you for allowing me to do my duty. It took us a long time to round up and sedate all the patients after the doors opened. So I'm just glad we have a chance to help Miranda again,” he said, and then gestured toward the orderlies.
They came forward and pulled Miranda away from Mack. She looked at Mack with a venomous stare, but he knew he had made the only decision that was best for all of them. In the end, he hoped she would be able to see that, even if she had been telling the truth. It was clear the doctor was in control, and even if Mack didn't believe him, it would have been difficult to put up a fight. So, for now Mack had to satisfy himself by playing along with the doctor, for he still was unsure. He only was sorry that it meant he had to acquiesce and surrender Miranda, for he knew he likely never would get her trust back again.
“Now then gentleman, now that that unpleasant business is over, what say we go upstairs and have a little conversation?” he said. Then he spun on his heels and motioned for Mack and Luis to follow him.
“I hope you know what you're doing,” Luis said in a low voice so only Mack could hear.
“Me, too,” Mack said as he ascended the final step and his feet met the solid floor of the mental institution.
Chapter Twelve
As they turned onto the stairwell they could hear Miranda struggling in the distance, and Mack was filled with sorrow at how things had happened. The plan already had gone awry and he hoped they still could find out the truth before Saul and Grace got too worried about them. Their footsteps echoed on the narrow stairwell as they walked up floor by floor, their hands curled around the cool metal of the rail. Upon passing each floor Mack would peer through the small pane of glass in each door, but only a dark corridor loomed before them.
They eventually reached the upper floor and Gary opened the door for them. This floor was more populous than the others. As they walked they passed a number of staff although, given the dim light, Mack couldn't get a close look at them to tell if they seemed belong there or not. If Miranda had been right, then Ethan may well be adept at taking on a new role, but the people he had to help him may not have been.
The smell of bleach filled the air and all was quiet. There were a few rooms with the doors closed, and Gary said these now were used as the staff rooms. They passed through another heavy door that led into a large common room, with an office attached to the rear. This is where Miranda had said the staff had tried to hold out. The windows were large and Mack walked toward one of them, hoping to give Saul and Grace a signal.
“Is everything alright?” Gary asked. Mack looked down to the wall but it was too dark outside and Saul and Grace were too well hidden.
“Oh yes, I just don't know when I'll get another opportunity to see the area from this height,” he said, and turned back to follow Gary into a smaller lounge that was connected to the common room.
Gary shut the door behind them and set a lantern on the table. Against one wall there was a large bookcase, and from what Mack could tell it mostly was filled with academic books. There was a small circular table on which Gary had placed the lamp, but against the far wall there was a longer table, too. Yet because of the shadowed light, Mack couldn't make out what was on the surface. So far there had not been any clues that would help him ascertain whether Gary was telling the truth or not.
“I must say that it was a relief when I saw it was Miranda in the cellar. I had thought that it was going to be bandits,” he said, sitting down in a chair. He swung one leg over the other and clasped his hands in his lap.
“How did you know we were coming?” Mack asked, as he had been surprised that Gary and his orderlies had been waiting for them.
“Mack, this is my hospital. I know that we don't necessarily have the means with which to defend ourselves, but we do keep a watch at night, just in case. We saw someone creep around the side of the building and knew that you would be going for the cellar. We just hoped you would be reasonable men, and I'm glad to see that you are. I'm also glad you had Miranda with you. When this all happened, there were a few patients who used it as an opportunity to escape. I regret that we haven't been able to go out and look for them. I've wanted to, but we simply don't have the personnel to go out and search for everyone, not while we still have patients to take care of in here as well. I hate it, though, because I feel like I'm the one responsible for them all. It's like it's my fault they're out there, and they're not equipped for this kind of world.”
“How m
uch do you know of what's going on?” Mack asked.
Gary blew out his cheeks. “Not much, most of it I kinda guessed. The electricity went out, and at first I just thought it was a power outage. But then the power never came back on, and I knew something was seriously wrong. I tried calling someone, but, obviously, the phones weren't working, and we had our hands full trying to take care of the patients. I figured at some point some help would come, but there was nothing. So it must have been pretty bad. But, like I said, we still have our duty here and the care for our patients comes first. Is it that bad?”
“We haven't managed to make it to the city yet, but from what we can tell everything has gone down and there's no support system in place,” Mack said.
“You'd think the government would plan for something like this, but then I suppose there was no way of knowing it was going to happen. So, the two of you are trying to make it to the city?” he asked.
“Yes,” Mack said, noticing Luis look at him strangely out of the corner of his eye. He still wasn't ready to give up the fact that Saul and Grace were outside, for if this was some kind of a trap, Mack wanted a trump card up his sleeve.
“Well, I wish you all the best with that. I hope they have found a way to keep things civilized. Unfortunately, I know all too well how people can crumble during stressful times.”
“You seem to be keeping it all together, though, and your staff, they must be under tremendous strain,” Mack said, trying to tease out any weaknesses in Gary's story, or find anything that seemed amiss.
“Oh, we are, but we've been doing these jobs for so long that we're used to working under such circumstances. Still, it was quite troubling when it all began.”
“What actually happened? We obviously only have Miranda's take on it.”
“I'm sure she actually gave you an accurate account, minus all the stuff with Ethan. The locking mechanisms failed and all the doors were opened. It took us by surprise as they all came pouring out. Some of them ran out right away, others stayed to try attacking us. We managed to get them under control, but it took its toll. Some of the staff didn't take kindly to being attacked and they don't have as much patience as I do. Like anyone else, though, we're trying to make it through, day by day. The worst thing is going to be when the medication runs out. I am not looking forward to that at all,” he said, a solemn expression coming upon his face. However, after a moment it became brighter, and he smiled at the two of them.
