Rosya struggled to break free from Ansem's hold, but was unable to without making a big scene and probably worsen Gustav's condition.
"Let go of me," Rosya growled.
Ansem saw the fierceness in Rosya's eyes and glanced at Gustav.
"I asked you if you wanted to save that man."
"Why do you want to save him?" Rosya replied.
Save Gustav's life? The surgeon already did that by closing his wounds. And what was this man's interest in Gustav's well-being? He was a strange man. His eyes were a shade of gold and was extremely handsome. Such a good-looking man has disarmed most. However, for Rosya, this strange man wasn't her type.
"We've been helping each other," Ansem replied.
"You're talking nonsense," Rosya chided.
Rosya knew that Gustav wouldn't request outside help in a case he would be working on. For they even rarely relied on the help of fellow detectives. But this strange man claimed that he was working with Gustav. That seemed so ridiculous that Rosya let out a short laugh.
"He's not the type to ask for help." Rosya finally freed herself and drew her weapon at Ansem.
"This is awfully familiar." Ansem commented.
Voices outside the curtain began to gather. The encounter between Rosya and Ansem had begun to attract unwanted attention from orderlies and nurses.
"We're getting an audience," Ansem sighed.
Ansem began to run and Rosya gave chase. She chased him across the entire hospital until reaching the hospital's basement. The basement of the hospital was is almost total darkness. Rosya drew out her flashlight and illuminated a hallway in front of her. The beam of light barely illuminated the surrounding darkness.
Walking down the hallway, Rosya noticed what she could only guess were windows. Her steps echoed as she approached one of the windows. Her heart pounding in her ears as she gazed inside. The room was a morgue, bodies covered in heavy, black plastic sheets, bloody instruments strewn about on metal trays and on the only light coming came from the light box, partially obscured by x-rays with unknown shapes printed on them.
Rosya pushed the door in to explore the strange room. However, the sound of footsteps leading out of the basement caught her attention. As she followed the sound, Rosya was lightly relieved to be out of the dark basement. How could a hospital have something like that?
The chase lead her to the back alley of the hospital, where she finally caught up with Ansem. He was standing there, an oddly satisfied look on his face.
"Stop it right there. You're under arrest!" Rosya commanded.
"Did you get a good look, detective?" Ansem replied.
"A good look?" Rosya recalled what she briefly saw in that small, dimly lit room. "Are you responsible for that?"
Ansem smiled at her before disappearing behind a cloud of steam, leaving Rosya completely alone in the back alley. She went back to check on Gustav.
**
Steeling herself, Rosya knocked on the door to Captain Baker's office. She rarely dealt with him, and usually delivered her reports via email. The old man terrified her, as did many others in the precinct. Only Gustav seemed to deal with him, and didn't know how he did it. But this time, she would have to swallow her fear for the good of Gustav.
She knocked twice.
"Come in," was the reply on the other side of the door.
Captain Baker was at his desk, his eyes fixed on the documents on top of his desk.
"Yes?"
"I wanted to talk to you, sir," Rosya said as she closed the door.
"What of?" Baker asked.
"I came to ask to sign a permit to transfer Gustav... I mean, detective Johren to a different hospital."
Captain Baker lifted his gaze from the document in front of him to Rosya. This was a strange request.
"Why is that?" he asked. "As far as I've heard, his condition is critical and he can't be moved," he explained.
"But sir," Rosya protested.
"But what? Why do you think he should be moved to a different hospital?"
Rosya wanted to tell Captain Baker about the strange things she saw in the hospital's basement. The strange machine hooked to Gustav and how the entire hospital didn't feel like a safe place. But she didn't have enough proof to justify the transfer, for when she tried to visit the basement again, that strange room was gone.
"I don't believe he's safe there, sir," Rosya said.
"Why isn't he safe?"
Now was the time to come up with a good reason. Something that would convince captain Baker to agree to a transfer.
"The people responsible for his condition are still out there, sir," Rosya stated, "and the hospital where he is now has very lax security."
That seemed to catch captain Baker's attention. Rosya believed that deep down, the captain cared about Gustav more than he did any other detective in the precinct. She could use that in her favor.
"The case he was working on," Baker said. "Could it be the reason they attacked him?"
Rosya didn't know what to respond. It could be possible for the case he was working on, or it could've been another reason altogether.
So she went with what her detective instinct was telling her.
"I believe it is connected, Sir"
Cap"
Captain Baker gazed at her silently. His gaze was like being pierced by a sharp knife. It made Rosya uncomfortable. But she stood there, silent and strong, for the good of Gustav.
"I'll order an armed guard to stand by," he finally said. "That way, he'll be safe until he regains consciousness."
That wasn't the answer that she wanted to hear. But it was good enough.
"If that's the case," Rosya said. "I want to volunteer the first shift."
"Denied," Captain Baker replied. "You're a detective. You have your own cases to work on. Can't have you getting distracted."
"Then, I want to continue detective Johren's case."
Captain Baker pondered on Rosya's requested, and after deliberating for a while, he had his answer.
"Denied."
"Why?" Rosya cried out.
"You're asking why?" Captain Baker replied. "The case he was working on put him in the hospital, and I can't allow that to happen to any other of the detectives under my care."
Rosya didn't know what to reply. Captain Baker was right. The case Gustav was working on had sent him to the hospital, fighting for his life.
"If there isn't anything else," Captain Baker said. "Return to your duties."
**
Ignoring captain Baker's instructions, Rosya went to stand guard outside the ICU ward where Gustav was recovering. Not what she wanted, but at least she could keep an eye on the people that went into the ICU and interrogate them if they were acting out of the ordinary and having a cop would dissuade them.
As time passed by, dreading the arrival of the "real" guards captain Baker was sending. Rosya noticed some irregularities with how the hospital conducted business. The way the staff treated the patients in their care remind her more of meat packaging plant employees than medical professionals. They treated the patients like products in a meat packaging plant, with tags and discussions of sending them to a "specialist." She had to take Gustav out of this hospital as soon as she could.
Her only option was to rely on that mysterious man that asked her if she wanted to 'save him.' She shook off that thought. No way she could ask for help from the man that probably was the one that injured Gustav, and just came to finish the job, if she hadn't interrupted him.
Rosya was lost in thought. A nurse walked into the ICU with a cart with various medical supplies. Rosya didn't think much about it until she got a good look at the nurse. A surgical mask covered the nurse's face, and a scarf covered its head. Nothing strange there. However, the eyes of the nurse were a milky-white. Like the eyes of a corpse.
Before Rosya could chase after the mysterious nurse, the actual guards captain Baker had assigned to protect Gustav finally appeared, joined by a man. Rosya could only guess was the hospital's administrator.
She was ignoring much of what the administrator was saying. It was unimportant.
"Excuse me," Rosya said as she ran into the ICU with the administrator trying to grab her.
The ICU was half-lit, as most of the patients were asleep in their beds. The beeping of the EKG machines broke up the monotony of silence.
By one of the beds, Rosya noticed the cart, which had some supplies missing. But the nurse was nowhere to be seen. Then she heard the sound of struggles. It came from the where Gustav's bed was.
Fearing the worst, she tore open the curtain, only to notice Ansem holding the strange nurse in a chokehold. The nurse gasped and gagged sounds like those of a dying beast than a man's, dropping a syringe full of a blue liquid on the floor.
"Good thing you decided to show up, detective." Ansem said.