Missing

Dud..

"Don't forget to check in at the office, it's been almost a week", a voice said, as Tarry slammed shut the door of the vehicle, making his way towards the entrance of the hospital.

"Welcome..", a programmed voice spoke, as made his way through the glass doors towards the reception.

"How may I be of assistance to you, sir?", the receptionist asked, as he stood at the counter.

"I'm looking for a nurse named Kate, or Catherine; she was in charge of my ward", he replied.

"I'm sorry, we don't have any nurse named Kate or Catherine here, maybe you'd like to see the doctor instead", she said, offering an alternative.

"Alright, that will do", Tarry said, opting for the alternative.

"Name sir..", She said, requesting for his name, as her hands typed something on a holographic screen.

"Tarry..", he replied.

…..

SOME MINUTES LATER..

"You must be Mr Tarry", a baritone voice spoke, yanking Tarry from his half aware state.

"Yes I am", he said, putting a hand forward, to secure a handshake.

Well, a shake from a robotic arm is still a shake; a very strong clanking one.

"I heard you inquired about a certain nurse Catherine; if I may ask, what's the reason?", he questioned, with a still expression.

"She's in charge of my ward and his accident mate?", his words crunched at the latter part of his statement.

"What's the name of your ward?", The doctor with the robotic arm asked.

"Leonard Fraguel Dolt—", his reply came short, as the doctor grabbed the reins of discussion.

"Oh, I remember now..", he said, flipping through, surprisingly, a register.

"Do those still exist?"

"I thought everyone went digital..", Tarry thought to himself.

"...The bomb incident, him and one other victim, right?", the doctor said, blowing Tarry's thoughts away.

"Yeah", he replied.

"Alright, follow me", the doctor said, leading the way.

"And for the nurse you inquired about, it was Christine not Catherine, and she doesn't work here anymore" he added.

"And no, we have no means of contacting her", he said, cutting off Tarry's approach to ask more questions, as they entered an elevator.

"What if she's been kidnapped—"

"I think that's very unlikely", the doctor responded.

"But she's gone missi—"

"One of the patients came to, two days ago, and has been partaking in sessions at the rehabilitation section", the doctor said, ignoring Tarry's statement.

"Would you like to see him?", he asked, turning around to look at him.

Ting!

The elevator doors opened.

"Sure Doc", Tarry replied, as they walked out of the elevator.

"He might be a little bit traumatic, so mind the questions you ask him", he said.

Clop Clop Clop..

Their shoes tapped the floor, as they approached a door.

"Once again, be careful of the questions you ask him", the doctor warned.

"Yo Jake..", the doctor hollered, as he opened the door.

"You have a visitor", he said.

As a young light skinned male looked up from his seat, with him was a physiatrist.

"We'd continue our session later", she said, as walked towards the exit.

"Ah..", Tarry exhaled, as he sat down.

"So, how we doing?", he asked, looking directly at the boy.

Golden eyes, brown hair, young with a touch teenage vibrance, nice pink lips to go with the well structured face.

"I'm good sir", he replied, averting his gaze from him.

"Your name son", he requested.

"It's Jake sir", he answered.

"My name is Tarry, please call me Tarry", Tarry said, trying to ease the tense atmosphere, as he stretched his hand for a shake.

The boy reluctantly reached out to his hand, giving a feeble shake.

"Ahem..so, how's the hospitality here, something you don't like?", Tarry said, trying to beat the odd silence creeping in.

"I know why you're here", Jake bluntly said, looking Tarry straight in the eyes.

"You wanna know what happened on that day, that's why you're here", he said.

"Well, that is correct..", he said, throwing his hands in the air.

"But—"

"What makes you think I have the information you seek", Jake interrupted, giving a cold stare.

"Well? You—"

"And what if I decide not speak", he added

"Then, you'd be making it unnecessarily difficult for us", Tarry said with a straight face, leaning forward to meet the boy's gaze.

"I met him lying on the floor, unconscious", Jake said.

"He seemed to have gotten into some fight, and someone had hit him on the head with a bat."

"At least, from the bruises I saw", he said.

"You didn't see anyone around?", Tarry asked.

"No, but he kept saying Rector.."

"That's all I know", he added.

"I tried calling the emergency before the bomb went off, luckily I'd moved him some distance away from where I saw him.."

"I guess that's what saved him…saved us both", he said, looking down at the floor.

"You did good kid..", Tarry said, placing his left hand on Jake's shoulder.

"Thank you for saving his life", he added, as he stood to take his leave.

"I know some guys at Windersaw, they may know one or two things about the guy you're looking for", Jake said, as Tarry walked towards the door.

"Ask for Tracey, tell him "the smoke's free", you get any information you need from him."

"Besides, he owes me a favor", Jake added.

"Thanks kid, I owe you one."

"This is for your trouble", he said, as a holographic tap pop up at Jake's pov, showing a credit worth a hundred dollars.

Dud..

The doors closed.

"Ah..", Jake finally relaxed in his seat.

…..

Ring!!

"Hello..", a rasp voice rang out.

"Tarry's pub here..", the voice said.

"Casper, bring a vehicle to Olive Hospital", a voice ordered from the other end.

"Boss! Yessir!", Casper answered.

….

Ting!

The elevator chimed, as the doors opened.

"Hey..", a female voice called out, as he walked down the reception hallway.

"Hi, how can I help you?", he asked, as a young lady pulled up at him.

"I heard you asking 'bout Christine earlier on", she said.

"Oh yeah, I was", he said rubbing his brows.

"I was on duty when she last left, saw her enter a black jeep", she said.

"That was the last I heard of her", she added with a sad tone.

"Did you by chance see the plate number or something akin to the vehicle", he asked, placing both hands on her shoulder.

"Well, the plate number did carry something..voltona? I think?", she said, unsure of what she said.

"Voltona..", he said, thinking aloud to himself.

"Do you mean Doltana?", he asked, slightly shaking her shoulders.

"Yeah, that's it… Doltana", she said brightly.

Beeeppp!!

"That must be my ride", he thought to himself.

"Thanks for the information, I appreciate", he said, leaving her in a hurry.

"Hey Boss!", a voice happily called out from a Ford Mustang looking vehicle.

"You do know the car to bring", Tarry said, commending Casper.

"Let's head back to the office, shall we?", he added, smiling at Casper.

Casper revved the car in response, as a wide smile spread out on his lips.

Vrrroooomm!!

The car sped down the asphalt, leaving dust and debris in it's wake.

….

"Doltana.. Christine..", Tarry's thoughts strayed deep.

"Your sis came down to the office sir", Casper reported, interrupting Tarry's train of thoughts.

"Did she have a specific reason for coming", Tarry asked.

"Not one that she mentioned sir", he replied while maneuvering the vehicle.

"Classic her though..", he added, letting out a weak chuckle.

"Strange..", Tarry said to himself, knowing his sister doesn't take actions without reasons.

"Apart from that, business has been great, as usual", he said.

….

"Yo Kate, I heard the boss is on his way here", a lady in waiter's attire said, sitting on a bar stool and lunging over the counter.

"Again with your gossips, Patricia", Kate said with a light chuckle, stacking bottles in the bar shelf.

"It's not gossip", she responded, pouting her lips.

"I heard it, when Casper was on the phone.."

"He rushed out immediately after the call", she said, swirling around on the stool.

"Must be the boss obviously, making Casper scutter around like a rat", she said rest her back on the counter, while nodding her.

"Hahaha…", Kate burst out in laughter.

"What?!", Patricia exclaimed, completely oblivious of her joke.

"Poor Casper..", she said, turning around to face Kate once more.

"Hey.. how about Leo..", she asked, while wiggling her eyebrows.

"I know you have a thing for him", she added with a mischievous smile.

"Oh shut up, I don't", Kate refuted, as rapidly turned back to hide her reddened cheeks.

"Aww, don't deny it you little love bird", she said, using both hands to press her cheeks.

"Ugh, Patricia..", Kate rolled her eyes.

"I haven't seen him for a while though", she said.

"I pray he knocks himself out", Kate said with an angry tone.

"Awwn, ain't that sweet", Patricia jested.

Whirr..

The pub doors opened.

In strolled two figures.

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