Opal & Topaz

S1 ep19: Stormy Skies

The water was rising. That's all he heard from the nurses and doctors as they walked around the public hospital wing.

It seemed like a big problem. Apparently the town was considering evacuation. And again, his mind wandered to those other two.

Sparks nudged themself closer, and he placed a hand on their head. The one good thing about all this. The nurses hadn't bothered with getting him to put Sparks back in the ball.

Actually, he was supposed to have left the hospital hours ago. He just couldn't be bothered. He'd leave, then what? At least here he was hearing some sort of news, even if it was just snippets.

Then again, they seemed more or less as clueless as him. If he left, maybe he could see what they were talking about. And go back to that hotel. Maybe the other two were hoping he'd go back there, for whatever reason.

Hank stood up, making sure to keep the pressure off his thumb as he did. It was sore still, but the splint was definitely doing its job. And whatever drugs they were giving him definitely helped too.

Putting Sparks back in the ball, he wondered what he'd see out there when a nurse walked into his little curtained off area.

"Hank Wimbleton?" She asked, and Hank nodded. What perfect timing.

"We apologise in the delay to discharge you," She opened the curtain and gestured for him to come out, "but there's currently a flood. It isn't a concern yet, but if it keeps rising I recommend you evacuate."

"Ok." Hank said idly, walking away. He knew the way out on his own.

They weren't kidding about the water rising, though. About two hallways down from the exit water was already sneaking across the floor. There was a 'wet floor' sign conveniently placed in the middle of the hall.

Not that he needed it, but it would definitely save the hospital getting sued. It was absolutely slippery at times.

Outside it was raining. Not the worst rain he'd ever seen, but it was definitely getting heavy. 

It occurred to him he didn't have an umbrella. How miserable.

Hank trudged through the heavy rain, doing his best to make good time. If the others were waiting for him, they'd absolutely have to leave soon. The water was up to his ankles, and it wasn't showing signs of slowing down.

The lobby was flooded when he walked in, with the flustered workers running about here and there, trying to salvage what little they could of the computer systems and getting them out into the back of a truck.

"Sir, you can't be here!" One called out to him. Hank ignored them, trudging determinedly up the stairs to his level.

Hank knocked on the door. Nothing. Just the sound of his knocking echoing inside the room.

With increasing frustration he fumbled with his pockets until he pulled out the spare keycard they gave him.

He burst in, hoping they were busy doing something stupid, like saving the soap. But no, nobody was there. In fact, it looked just as they'd left it last night.

Crap. They were still in the cave.

Shaking his head to force his nerves away, he rushed back down the hall, almost taking the stairs two at a time.

He was almost out when he nearly crashed into two larger guys who'd been coming up the stairs.

"I believe you're trespassing." One stated. Hank wondered where they got the audacity, before spotting the security badges on their chests. Of course. The flooding hotel was worried about one guy running around their halls.