AoO Reporters and Tranqs
Age of Origin TP Log - Reporters and Tranqs
Who - Zachary, Sushmita, Ethan, NPCs
Where - Main Lobby - Derrial Book Memorial Hospital
When - Aug 20th
Rating - PG-13 for...blood and struggles
Summary - After a recent series of news broadcasts on the cortex, the Book Memorial Hospital has had to deal with nosy people trying to get the 'real' scoop on what's going on. They are annoying so somebody gets shot.
Earlier this morning...a news post is released that starts to concern people...
There have been four more cases of patients who have been admitted to the Book Memorial Hospital on Persephone due to having similar and peculiar symptoms...much like the same symptoms that the young teenage girl who was admitted a few days ago displayed:Excessively violent tendencies and an odd rash. Doctors have said that there is no need to panic, it is simply a meningitis bacterial infection and hormone imbalances and with the proper medication and treatments, the patients should be on their way to recovery. The rashes indicate they may have all at one point consumed or ingested some type of contaminated food products...that could have triggered allergic reactions in them all seeing as all patients seem to have a low red blood cell count. Perhaps an iron deficiency has made them more sensitive or susceptible. Doctors and medical professionals are being invited to come and study these fascinating cases because they are so similar. It is not an epidemic, just a simple case of coincidence. Beyond this, doctors are not commenting and encourage the public to wash their vegetables, make sure their meat is cooked and that their dairy products and eggs are not expired.
Early afternoon and everything does seem to be rather regular for the hospital. People come in...people go out...etc. There are some differences as there are news reporters who have started to gather at the front desk or tried to slip into the hospital to take pictures or sneak about. All the rumors and whispers about curious illnesses and folks who are fighting...tend to trigger a 'Ooo, let me make that into something scandalous' urge in the desperate journalist. More senior doctors have
been summoned by nurses however, cuz it is starting to get annoying. <English>
The curious reactions have brought the virologist out of her lab to work with the patients and find out what happened to them. When a nurse summons her to deal with the press, she frowns though and shakes her head. "Send them off, Rose, there are no news at this juncture. Peeple should simply take hygeniec precautions, wash and boil their vegetables, peel their fruit, cook their meat through and avoid dairy products that are not entirely fresh. Take that down and give them this as a printed statement. It's all we have to say. Unless Dr MacAbrams wishes to address the press. Frankly though, we're busy trying to save people, not deal with nosey busybodies.", she huffs at the nurse who's already taking notes. <English>
Zachary comes back to the lobby from his office, in time to hear Sushmita's advice, delivered loudly enough for the cluster of reporters to hear as well. He heads for the receptionist's desk and clears his throat. "It's all as Dr. Khan said. We have no comment at this time, other than the general but quite reasonable advice that she just offered. Now, please leave so that we can work." He adds, glancing from reporter to reporter, "unless it's contagious and you want be here as a patient."
"Hey! How do we know you actually got the sick folks here? Can we take a picture?"
"I've heard that some of the patients are conscious, can we interview them personally to see what their side of the story is?"
"We have reason to believe that the man injured by his daughter isn't actually her father but was planning to sell her into slavery and she was only acting in self defense! You can't hide the truth!"
The questions start rolling as the reporters are having a field day on this. Really. Behind the 2-4 reporters who have gathered enters a small man who at first glance might seem like a boy but the entire left side of his face is broken out in that flame like rash and he's very quiet, hugging himself and taking very deep breaths. In through the nose...out through clenched teeth. In through the nose...out through clenched teeth. Almost makes it seem like he's hissing. <English>
Sushmita eyes the reporter asking the first impertinent question. "NO PICTURES!", she says sharply, "You will all leave these premises RIGHT NOW or I'll call security to have you removed!" Her eyes then fall on the small man with the rash and she steps forward to pull him away from the rabble of hacks. "Can I help you, Sir?", she asks, focusing on him and letting Zach back her up on her threats. <English>
Zachary keys his icon and murmurs into it while stepping closer to the desk. When he has finished with his brief order, he eyes the other media types there, and reiterates, "This is a hospital, not some star-studded opening night on Londinium. I've called security. You have two menthes to leave." His eyes narrow and he questions, "Am I clear?" <English>
FLASH There a picture here and then *FLASH* there's a picture there as the reporters turn their attention on the doctor who moves towards the weird looking little man and there's a couple who chuckle to themselves before being bustled, shooed...strongly encouraged to leave the premises. They do so but are still outside the door trying to peer in of course.
The little man however, continues that deep hiss like breathing, trembling a bit as if he's restraining himself but he finally just looks to Sushmita with watery dark green eyes. "Want..." He wheezes out. "Meeeat..." He wheezes out the second word with a hint of a growl before he scratches his cheek almost violently, itching and shaking. "WANT...MEEEAT!" And unless Sushi moves, her arm will be grasped in a vice like grip. "WANT!" <English>
"This is not a steak house, Sir, it's a hospital.", Sushmita clarifies, frowning at the man. When he grasps her, she tries to shake him off and looks around for the security guys who always man the lobby. "Troy! Over here!", she calls out and tries to free her arm, while looking towards Zach: "This seems to be a mental problem." <English>
Zachary glares at the man who obviously has some carnivorous fixation. "Orderly!" he calls, signaling to the man. Then he himself approaches cautiously, studying the man's face, trying to discern if anything about him suggests some clear mental illness. <English>
The grip tightens and there is a hint of a plea in the growling demands of, "WAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNT!" And yes, he does get louder and he may be crying as he makes the demands but he just holds on for all he's worth, even kicking and/or trying to bite folks who try to tug him away. "W-wannnn...neeed...." Then the growling shifts to a keening. "Neeeeeeed..." At this time it might be more obvious why he was hugging himself because blood is seeping through his jacket/shirt about chest level for those who are more observant of such things. "Neeed...mama, plea-pleaase...neeeeeed..." <English>
Troy, the security guard whom Sushmita called earlier, pulls his tranq gun and fires it at the man to bring him down. Sushmita heaves a sigh of relief when she feels the grip ease at last and pries the man's claw-like fingers off her arm, while an orderly comes to place the now stunned man in a wheelchair. <English>
Zachary edges closer, but cautiously, lifting his hands with palms facing the patient. "We'll help you," he assures, usin g soothing tones. He notices the seepage, and frowns. Then he nods to Troy behind the guy, and when the guard fires and the patient sags to the floor like a sandbag, Zachary calls for nurses. "He's bleeding! Into ER!" he orders. <English>
Sushmita catches her breath at last and watches the orderlies handle the man. "Careful!", she warns, "We don't know what's wrong with him, secure his wrists, so he can't attack. Get a CT scan once you've stitched him up, this is probably neurological." <English>
The man is stunned, panting softly and still begging incomprehensible for meat and his mother, tears streaking down his cheeks...both the one with the rash and the side without the rash and he's just a mess, the blood seeping through his jacket and shirt and his shoulders sagging as yes...he's basically a human sandbag. He should, by all rights...be unconscious but he still watches people and mumbles and well he'd scream if he had the energy but weakly struggling. Definitely something...new.
That's when a reporter peeks his head in. "HEY! Whatcha doing to that kid?" With a cheeky grin... <English>
Having heard the alarm while on patrol, Ethan was on the other side of the facility, but ran all the way over. He was a little out of breath, but he was in good shape. As he breezes into the room, he takes a moment to survey the situation before acting. With his hand on his side arm, he speaks to the doctors present first.
"Doctor Khan, Doctor MacAbrams, are you alright? What's the situation?" His gaze is glued to the wounded people and now the reporter, which he comments to. "This is a medical emergency, sir. I'm going to have to ask you to vacate the premises for your own safety." <English>
Zachary for the moment leaves the nurses to trundle the patient off to the ER to focus on Sushmita. He reaches out to her, physically and verbally. "Did he hurt you?" he questions anxiously while he touches her arm. "We'll take care of him, but so help me, if he hurt you he might face some charges." Turning to Ethan, he commands, "Ethan, see that a guard goes back there with the patient. I don't want any more injuries." <English>
"I'm fine.", Sushmita assures Zach, then glares at the intruder. "But these nosy bastards piss me off!", she hisses and turns to Ethan as well: "Ethan, throw that idiot out and make sure that no more reporters cross the treshold of the clinic. Call the local Feds if you have to do set up pickets outside." Then she turns back to the orderlies wheeling the patient away. "Get that CT scan and an MRI of his brain, I'll be with you in a minute.", she says and disappears to probably find herself a mask and some gloves. <English>
Ethan pulls out his icomm. "I need two guards to proceed immediately to the ER." He nods to Zach. "Yes, sir." He then sets his sights on the reporter, moving to stand in front of the man. "Get out. Now." His tone is low and even, and his stance is made to be intimidating. <English>
The reporter guy just eyes Ethan and smiles slowly before snapping a picture of him with folks rolling the injured/crazy patient away and all that then he ducks back and flees. "I'VE GOT THE SCOOP!" <English>
Zachary nods to Sushmita when she reassures him, and then leaves her to prepare to check on the patient. He circles around the reporters to the front entrance. He bellows, adding the official weight of the owner to his words. "/If/ there is anything worth reporting, I'll have an official press conference about it. Until then, out /NOW/!" He moves to trigger the automatic doors to open, leaving no doubt about his intent while more security guards come into the lobby behind Ethan. <English>
Ethan growls a little under his breath as the reporter flees. He then turns around and begins directing traffic. He asks two guards to remain in this room and asks another to post outside to deter any more unwanted traffic. He then turns to Zachary. "I can lend a hand in the ER if you need me to, Doctor." <English>
Later that evening a press release is released...
Outside the main entrance to the Derrial Book Memorial Hospital Eavesdown, Dr. Zachary MacAbrams stands behind a small wooden podium with a bank of microphones. He is wearing a dark gray suit with a pale blue dress shirt and navy blue tie. "Good afternoon," he says somberly to the faint clicking of cameras and the noises of other people chattering in hushed voices. When he begins, the voices fall silent. "Earlier today, we admitted a patient suffering from an acute rash on the side of his face. We are conducting tests to determine the nature of this rash, but we believe that it is not a life-threatening condition. While in the lobby of the hospital, this patient, apparently under some severe mental agitation, attempted to assault our Head of Medical Research, Dr. Sushmita Khan, who was attempting to assess his condition. Dr. Khan and I attempted to calm the patient without success. At that point, one of our guards, believing that the patient posed a danger to Dr. Khan, used a standard tranquilizer pistol to subdue the patient. Hospital staff immediately secured and moved the patient to one of our emergency rooms for examination and further testing to determine the exact nature of his injuries.
"An initial report by an unidentified journalist at the scene implies that the patient suffered a gunshot wound. This is incorrect. The patient was bleeding before our guard fired the tranquilizer from behind the patient. I saw the blood. Examination has revealed that he scratched his own chest until bleeding occurred, apparently in an attempt to relieve itching from the rash that has spread over much of his body. He is under sedation for his own protection."
"We urge all residents of Persephone to take standard hygienic precautions: wash and boil your vegetables, wash and peel your fruit before eating it, cook meats thoroughly, and avoid dairy products that are not entirely fresh. If you need medical attention, or know someone who does, please contact your doctor, or if you are in the Eavesdown district on Persephone, visit the Derrial Book Memorial Hospital. Thank you." Dr. MacAbrams steps away from the podium and into the hospital a mid a whirr of cameras and babble of reporters discussing the announcement among themselves.
