Regardless of traffic volume, four elevators would ensure smooth traffic flow every day. A long bench, a water fountain, a snack machine, and a soda machine adorned the far wall of the waiting area. A holo-TV ran commercials advertising the hospital's many services and listed important information. After pressing the elevator call button, Rhonda stepped into the elevator. Our destination is the maternity ward via elevator on the thirteenth and fourteenth floors. It was no longer than a few minutes before the doors opened. 'At least the power is still working. That's a good thing.' How long it lasted is another question. It didn't take long for the elevator doors to open, revealing a crowded scene. Upon stepping outside, we saw multiple nurses examining patients from room to room. There were plenty of people keeping themselves busy. I sensed an air of suspense in the air, as no one knew what was to come. The nurses' station is right in front of us, conveniently near the elevator. I see Lisa's older sister talking to a woman who appears to be Officer Kristensen. As we came closer, this became clear from her maple-brown hair. Rhonda took the lead, walking up to the officers.
"Hey, Rookie, the old man sent some muscle to back us gals up. So, He sent this guy!" Rhonda said.
"Deputy Orkan! Is this the man I have heard about?" Officer Kristensen asked as the three of us joined her.
Officer Kristensen gave Rhonda a nod.
"Thomas Hawthorne, my father, has asked him to help us out," Rhonda answered.
The officers gave me a quick look over. Then her eyes went back to Rhonda. She didn't know who I was, but from her expression, she must have made the assumption. 'Must be my height that gave it away?' I put my hand out in a welcoming gesture.
"I'm Officer Emma Kristensen, glad to have someone with your talents on board. Since there is no sign of the Chief, all officers are taking orders from Sheriff Orkan," Emma said, shaking my hand.
Officer Kristensen took my hand, shaking it firmly.
"So, the police force is missing personnel like the sheriff's department. We can only assume the same goes for the State Trooper Post out by the DPS Office," I replied.
"Sheriff Orkan reports directly to the mayor and what's left of the city council. Let's look for any other law enforcement personnel, but the priority right now is the townspeople," Emma added.
"I agree, but we should send out search parties once we know who is who. Right now, we can rely on radios, but that may change. I sent out a broadcast earlier but didn't get a reply. I can't ignore that. For all we know, several other law enforcement personnel are out looking for survivors right now," I said.
"Survivors?" Emma said with a questioning expression.
"We need to treat this like a disaster situation and act accordingly," I replied.
Seeing Rhonda's eyes, a slight blush came over her face. I noticed her slight smile as well. Officer Emma Kristensen was clearly probing me with her questions to determine my abilities. Her proximity gave me a closer look at her facial features. She is an example of an exemplary officer and still a beauty. It only took a few moments to get an impression of her beauty. Like most men, I noticed her attractive features with little thought. The triangular shape of her face highlighted her almond-shaped, honey-brown eyes. Together with her petite button-nose and puffy but pouty bowtie lips, her thick, slightly slanted maple brown eyebrows gave her that high degree of confidence. Her high angular cheekbones and pointed jawline only added to her confident appearance. The beauty mark on her left lip and her flawless porcelain skin added to her cuteness. Her breasts were smaller than most, but still quite substantial compared to most women outside Pineford. At 5'10, she is as leggy and stunning as a body-hugging police uniform. Because of her predominantly wide hips and ultra-slim waist, Officer Kristensen's figure is quite slender yet voluptuous. Her maple-brown hair reaches her midriff. Her body is proportionally thick in the key areas, yet athletic as a cheerleader, especially her thighs and legs. A gentle tap on my shoulder alerted me to the two blonde vixens standing alongside the police officer. I didn't need an introduction to know who they were. Cynthia is a well-reserved woman standing at the same height as her sister.
"A pleasure to meet you again after all these years. I'm Doctor Cynthia Wise, and my mother needs no introduction," Cynthia said.
Cynthia, the eldest daughter of my mother's best friend, is a brilliant woman of similar height to her sister. As I'd come to accept from the women of Pineford, Cynthia possessed sizable breasts by simply having her mother's genes. The navy blue pencil dress she is wearing today shows off her curvaceous figure, highlighting her slim waist and wide hips. For a woman with wide, prominent hips, there's no doubt Cynthia and the vast majority of the women of Pineford possessed callipygous round derrieres. The woman wore thick black stockings, which enhanced her athletic long navy blue legs and heels, and a short white lab coat. Like her sisters, she wears her hair in a large bun with a blue ribbon bow. Her beauty is a mirror image of Leighanne right down to every detail, including her oval face and wide-set eyes. But, of course, several distinct details set them apart, bringing me to her next distinctive feature. Like Leighanne, Cynthia had down-turned imperial blue eyes but with long and thick, straight blonde eyebrows. Her small snub nose is a little longer than Leighanne's, but it is an identifying marker that sets the two sisters apart. She had the same upturned, pouty lips, slanted cheekbones, and a pointed jawline. There was no denying the fact that she had a lascivious figure with her slender waist, wide hips, and childbearing thighs. As for her age, I found it difficult to tell the difference between the two, only that Cynthia is the older sister. But it did not stop there as her sheer beauty went beyond that to her ballerina legs that would make anyone worship them. She was tall with a slender but curvaceous waist, the hips were wide, and the thighs were ample and meaty, with a thin torso. Her legs were shapely, lean, and excessively long. Ms. Kelly Wise extended her hand, and I shook it.
"Mr. Hawthorne, so sorry to hear about your parents' darling. Your mother was a dear friend of mine. I and so many others will miss her. Your father too. Russell was a respected member of the community once," Mrs. Kelly Wise said.
'She's referring to our dad moving us out two decades ago.' In recent years, our stepparents moved back to Pineford shortly after the triplets graduated high school. They only moved us away to be near me, and our family couldn't help the situation. I was going to the navy, and an up-and-coming aerospace company offered my stepdad a high-level job he had to accept. At the last minute, they decided to move the headquarters to another city instead of here. For Pineford, this is a devastating blow. I gave her a Solomon node in appreciation.
"Thank you for your condolences. I'm glad so many found them as dear friends," I replied.
"Yes… they were dear friends. How are you, if I may ask?" Mrs. Kelly Wise asked.
"I am doing well, considering. How are you and your family holding up?"
"Well… there are a good deal of townspeople who are missing. Henry, my husband, is among the missing. I just woke up, and he wasn't there," Kelly replied.
"Yes… That's the same for my husband! I woke up alone in bed," Leighanne added.
"I went to check on my brother before heading to the station. His car was in the driveway, and he did not answer. I even called his phone, which I heard inside his living room. Jake usually falls asleep on his couch. None of his roommates responded either," Rhonda said, looking at me.
"Sounds like the same happened to you, too. I called my father but got no response. I didn't have time to go over there," Emma said in response.
"Oh, my goodness. Neither of you pretty young women has significant others? I knew once I got to the hospital a terrible event had taken much of our population," Mrs. Kelly Wise questioned.
The deputy and police officer both turned a bright red at her words. Mrs. Kelly Wise put her hands on her hips, showing off her curvy figure.
"I'm not sure that applies to the situation," Emma said, trying not to look embarrassed.
"Mother… How could you say such a thing in front of…," Cynthia exclaimed.
"Ah, come now. I am just saying what we are all thinking. Besides, if such a man flusters them as Thomas Hawthorne, then I'd say that is a good thing. It doesn't take one long to realize our predicament," Kelly said, looking at everyone.