Chicago Vigil

[Skald77]

IC Date: Dec. 15, 2012

As late afternoon settles over Norwegian American Hospital in northwest Chicago, those within the medical facility are making preparations to be trapped within for what could be a long few days. Weather reports put the blizzard just beginning to bear down on the metropolitan area as a big one, capable of dumping feet of snow rather than inches on the city. And it only takes the briefest of glances out the window to see the truth might just eclipse the dire predictions of the meteorologists on the televisions throughout the hospital; dark clouds have blotted out the sun, nearly causing it to look as if night has fallen, and large white flakes already fall from the sky.

Within the hospital, the staff are bustling about, trying to get those patients that can be discharged out the doors, and making those who cannot as comfortable as they can for the coming night, at least, offering blankets or recliners as appropriate. The cafeteria has posted extended hours that will hold until such time as it is safe to leave the hospital again, but despite all of these attempts to make visitors feel comfortable, there is already a somewhat claustrophobic feel to the hospital corridors.

Detective Reiner

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The only woman to have survived an attack by the latest serial killer to stalk the city, dubbed "The Yuletide Butcher" for his sense of timing and the rather messy state he tends to leave his victims in, is in critical condition in Norwegian American, leaving the detectives working that particular case outside her room, waiting to see if she will be able to talk anytime soon. It is unknown why the Butcher left Michelle Gisllespie alive, but those who found her seem quite sure of the fact that she has seen the killer's face, given the signs of struggle that were seen where her body was found. The neurologist assigned to her case, Dr. Sherban, is due to come on shift at the hospital at any time.

Doctor Sherban

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There are several patients under Dr. Sherban's care in the hospital, including one high-profile case: Michelle Gillespie, it would seem, is a potential eyewitness who could help bring in the latest serial killer to horrify Chicago. She is in critical condition, with severe head trauma that lead to the need the doctor's care. She is scheduled for surgery to hopefully relief the pressure building inside her cranium the following day, which is one of the reasons that the neurologist is among those doctors who need to come in prior to the blizzard really starting. As he makes his way into his office, James would notice a cot has been brought in, along with fresh blankets and pillows; not the most comfortable place to sleep, but likely far better than the floor.

Francis Kelly

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A hospital is likely not the most comfortable of places to spend a blizzard, particularly one of the intensity that is facing the metropolitan area, but a sick and potentially dying mother is perhaps among the best of reasons to remain there anyway. In her room, a nurse's aid brings Francis a set of fresh blankets and a pillow to make sleeping on the recliner bearable, or at least that is the hope. His mother is, at the moment, unconscious, sleeping as peacefully as he has seen her in recent weeks, though her chest can only barely be seen to move, rising and falling steadily if shallowly. Just a few doors down, a pair of men in suits is sitting outside of another room, as if waiting for the person within for some reason or another.

Allison Black

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Talk about terrible timing, though in defense of the doctor's staff, they did not have any way of knowing that they were scheduling the removal of the cast from Allison's arm to coincide with the arrival of such a large storm. Though it might be something of a relief for her to finally have the thing off, there is little she can do now but wait for her dad to come get her and hope that he manages it before the roads become impossible to drive on. Already, mass transit has been shut down, with bus and train service, leaving her trapped at the hospital otherwise. Only the bravest (craziest?) have resorted to walking away from the hospital, though, given how quickly the snow is already coming down and the way that temperatures are dropping.

[Odentin]

Allison stands in front of the window, looking out into the coming storm. She rubs her arm, through her leather jacket, and contemplates walking. Unfortunately, her running shoes would get soaked through and her dad would give her hell for getting frostbite instead of waiting.

Instead, she shoves her hands into her pockets and wanders aimlessly around the lobby, looking incredibly bored.

[Galt_Devil]

Detective Reiner is on his feet, uncomfortable and impatient from the wait for Michelle to return to consciousness. His hands are shoved deep in the pockets of his dress pants, using his thumbnail to scratch at the pads of his fingers as he paces the floor, waiting for the doctor, waiting for an update. It's far past time to get a lead on this Butcher.

[Wdwune]

Dr. Sherban walked inside his office and smiled as he noticed the cot, blankets and pillows. It was a tiresome day and such attention from the hospital personal was always relieving (and welcome). He reviewed in his mind the condition of his latest patient: Michelle Gillespie was in particularly critical condition and tomorrow's surgery would be crucial.

Dr. Sherban walked into his desk, turned his computer on, sat on his comfortable seat and reviewed the patient's logfile, searchin for Mrs Gillespie in particular. Once done, he decided he would need to rest well before tomorrow's surgery, but he checked his e-mail one last time.

[Skald77]

IC Date: Dec. 15, 2012, 5:30pm

Though the hospital staff is still fairly busy with the extra work that blizzard preparations have brought on, it now seems that they are more playing catch up with their regular duties. An almost oppressive darkness has settled into the corridors of the facility, thick enough that one can almost picture it physically impeding anyone who might be in too much of a hurry to get anywhere despite the fact that the lights shed enough illumination to see fairly clearly. Attention! The Cook County Sheriff's office and the Mayor's office have both issued an advisory that only government and utility personnel should be out of doors! We now advise that anyone within the hospital now remain here until this advisory has been lifted! Thank you!" the announcement comes over the hospital's intercom system, adding to the sense of being closed in

Detective Reiner

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With the announcement coming over the intercom, Adrian Walsh turns to his partner and asks, sounding a bit skeptical, "Do you really think it is going to be as bad as all that, Reiner? I mean, for more than twenty four hours, they way they are saying?" As the detective awaits an answer, he turns keen brown eyes on the large window at the end of the hall and frowns at the dark...black might be a better word for them, really...clouds that have formed outside over the last hour or so. After a moment, though, he just shakes his head as if to clear it.

Dr. Sherban

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Checking his patient log, he finds nothing unexpected, particularly in the case of Michelle Gillespie, who remains in critical condition and unconscious as a result of head trauma. The procedure she is to undergo the next day should allow her to wake, likely within the 24 hour period that will follow. In his email, he finds the following message from the hospital's medical director along with more normal correspondence:

Dr. Sherban,

The detectives that are working the Yuletide Butcher case have been stationed here in the hospital for the duration of this blizzard, so that they might question Ms. Gillespie as soon as she wakes. No doubt they have questions concerning her current state and the procedure that she will undergo in the morning. It might be wise for you to go and make an introduction before you settle in completely for the night. At least one of them should be stationed outside her door at all times.

Just after he finishes reading this email, heavy, hurried steps can be heard outside his office door.

Allison Black

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As she mills about the lobby, Allison would notice not only the cafeteria with its extended hours posted, but also guest services such as vending machines, bathrooms, water fountains, and a small room with a few Internet-connected computers grandiosely labeled as a "cyber cafe". There would be a lot more departures from the lobby than arrivals while she is there, leaving the area rather empty before long, other than the receptionist and a few security guards. Not long after the announcement, however, there is one more arrival as a man in his 40's walks inside in something of a hurry. He is approached by one of the security guards, though all of them seem rather concerned, and after a bit of quick, rushed talking, the guard escorts the man into the administrative section of the hospital.

[Odentin]

Allison face palms, hard, at the announcement, "Craaaaaap."

Silently wishing she had thought to bring her boots to walk home in, she idly watches the security guards take the man further into the building and, deciding she's bored enough to get into a little trouble, follows, doing a one-handed cartwheel on her newly fixed arm as she starts off.

[Galt_Devil]

The detective gave a sigh, scrubbing his fingers back through his hair.
"I hope not, but you've seen the clouds out there, Walsh."
He returned his hands to the pocket of his suit.
"Besides, it doesn't matter if it's actually that bad or not, the word came down from on high, and we know how important accuracy is for the Powers that be." Shaking his head, Reiner returned to his seat, idly wondering how much longer he would be waiting for the doctor.

[Wdwune]

So Mrs. Gillespie is a witness? Dr.Sherban thinks. That explains the police officers at the entrance. Either way, seems like he would settle some things first before getting some rest. If everything result as expected, then I would really deserve a long nap. But oh well, who am I kidding... A nap, what was I thinking...

Once again he stands up, and puts his labcoat on, decided to meet the detectives and explain the situation. Potential witness or not, she will still need some more hours of rest before any interogation can take place. I'd better inform the officers about that.

He walks and opens his office door just in time to hear someone running in a hurry. "I thought it was clear that it was forbidden to run by the hallways..." he said before even thinking who was out there.

[Skald77]

IC Date: Dec. 15, 2012, @5:30pm

Detective Reiner

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"Oh, I know it doesn't matter, Reiner. We stay here until she wakes up or until the snow passes so that we can catch this guy before he hurts anyone else. But she's not awake yet, so I figured griping about the weather a little couldn't hurt," Walsh responds with a rueful grin. Shaking his head, Reiner's partner looks back at Ms. Gillespie's door and adds, "Something must have surprised him, to make him so sloppy. The others never had the chance to fight that she got. I really hope that forensics is right about the chances that she saw something."

Dr. Sherban

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When James gets up and opens the door to his office and comments about the footsteps, he can see that there is a security guard helping Dr. Edwards, one of the hospital's more prolific general practitioners, into his office a few doors down. The body of the security guard, a broad man named Paul Kaiser, mostly obscures sight of the doctor other than his face, which bears a somewhat agitated expression. Dr. Sherban's remark does draw a response from the guard, though, "Sorry, but Dr. Edwards had some...trouble...on the way here. Just trying to get him somewhere to make sure he is alright and figure out what to do about it given the storm and all."

Allison Black

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When she turns the cartwheel and begins to head off after the man and the security guard escorting him, Allison clearly draws the attention of the guard at least, who gives one of his colleagues a knowing look before continuing on his way into the administrative part of the hospital's first floor. That colleague, a tall man with a thin build moves to intercept her, calling out, "Excuse me Miss, but that is a restricted area of the hospital. Only personnel and people with specific business with them are allowed in."

[Odentin]

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Oh, missed that a bit. Didn't realize it was restricted. Oh well.

"Sorry about that. Just wandering around while I'm stuck here."

[Griffith!]

While the nurse situates the bed-things on the ungodly chair that's going to have to stand in as a bed, Frank wanders over to the window, leaning his forehead against the glass. The men down the hall worry him, but he can't tell if they're cops or crooks - and he doesn't know which he'd prefer.

"Hail Mary, full'a grace." he mutters, rubbing his rosary with his thumb.

[Wdwune]

"Oh... I see. Sorry about that," Dr Sherban replied to the guard slightly adjusting his glasses in embarrasment. "Is he alright? Do you require assistance, Paul?" he asked the guard, then turning to the other doctor as he slowly approached them. "Do you need any help, Dr Edwards?"

OOC:

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Can I briefly check Dr Edward's condition on sight?

EDIT: Rolled in the OOC thread.

[Galt_Devil]

The detective gave a snort, glancing at his partner.
"Any luck, the bastard took a wound. Maybe he's rotting in some gutter right now."
He shook his head, reaching for his cigarettes before remembering himself. He let a heavy sigh loose from the depths of his chest, slumping into an uncomfortable chair and pulling a battered paperback copy of Dracula from inside his jacket, opening it to somewhere near the midway point and beginning to read. Within a few moments, his eyes glazed over and he found himself flipping back several pages, having allowed his eyes to move over the words without absorbing them. Making a sound not dissimilar to a growl, he snapped the book shut, slamming it back into his pocket and looking down the halls, awaiting Dr. Sherban with no small amount of impatience.