Al awoke to blinding light. His head swam in delirium. As his eyes came into focus, he noticed the sterile white of the hospital room. Reaching down his arm, he felt the IV brush against his dressing gown.
“Oh crap.” He had been caught after all. The dizziness came from sedation. Studying his surroundings, he reasoned he had to be somewhere in the VirCorp Medical Facility.
The door was open a crack. If he could just find some clothes and pull out the IV, he would make a break for it.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps echoed down the hall. Al pulled the blanket over his head and pretended to be asleep. The door swung open and a doctor with a clipboard entered, followed by a nurse.
“Thank you again for coming, Doctor Patel. The regular staff just isn’t qualified to deal with this case. We’re so lucky to have a specialist like you swing by.”
“Think nothing of it, ma’am,” the doctor spoke with a lilt. “Call me a philanthropist, but I cannot sit idly by while a patient suffers. Can you leave us alone for a while?”
“Of course,” said the nurse as she gently closed the door behind her.
The doctor sat down beside the bed and peeled back the covers.
“My, you do look a mess. I wonder if our health plan will cover it.”
Al opened one eye and peered into the grinning face of Moses Muggs. His heart leapt in his chest. He whispered, “Muggsy! How did you get in here?”
“I have my connections. A friend of mine nearby is a doctor. We’ve got to get you out. I stole you this.” Muggs reached into his coat and pulled out a clean orderly’s uniform and ID badge.
“Blue, my favorite color. Mose, you shouldn’t have.”
“That’s what Shriver will say. Come on, let’s get you unplugged.”
Muggs switched off the IV and Al delicately pulled out the IV.
“Je-sus, that hurts!”
“Keep it down, man. Come on, get dressed. My car’s in the lot.”
Muggs politely turned his back while Al slipped into the uniform.
“OK, what’s the plan?”
“I’ll distract the nurse and you slip out the back. I’ll screen you at the door, sneak out behind my back. Go left out the door, make another left and follow it to the end of the hall. There’s a smoking area just outside the door. Go right from there and you’ll see the lot. It’s the robin’s egg blue Mercedes. Can’t miss it.”
“You doctors always get to drive the fancy cars,” Al grinned.
“OK. Let me go first.” Muggs opened the door and peeked around the corner. The nurse was at her station. Stepping out to block her view, Al ducked down behind him and made his way along the wall to the first turn. Muggs closed the door and signaled for the nurse. She came over with a smile.
“What’s the diagnosis?”
Resuming his tone from before, Muggs shook his head. “Acute schizophrenia, I’m afraid. The anti-psychotics your doctors have prescribed were a wise decision. I would recommend switching him to a lower dose haloperidol until we can find the right balance. I have already adjusted the machine. For now, he needs rest. Please do not disturb him for several hours. Is there any way of locking him in? There could be side effects. I would not want him to hurt himself should he find himself confused.”
“Of course, doctor.” The nurse reached for the door. Muggs balled his fist behind his back in case he would have to knock her out, but relaxed when she simply inserted the key and double locked the door.
“Excellent. Well, I believe you know where to send the paperwork. Is there anything I must sign?”
“Yes, Doctor, at the station. Follow me.” Muggs followed the nurse back to the desk. “Here you are. Sign at the X—here, here and here.” Muggs scribbled Patel’s signature quickly without distinction. “And take the yellow copy, that’s yours.”
“Thank you, my dear. You run a lovely facility here. Now I must be on my way. Have a wonderful day.”
“You too, Doctor. Thanks again.”
Humming atonally, he made his way through the exit and back to his vehicle. Al was hunched down between the cars and jumped when the remote beeped. He pulled open the door and slid in. Muggs followed and turned the key in ignition. The car purred to life.
“So, what’s the plan, Mose?”
"We get the hell out of here and back to Washington. I got us two business class tickets in the glove compartment.” Muggs turned his head and backed out of the parking space.
“What about the witnesses? What about Harvey?”
“They’re blown. We’ll just have to pray they make it.”
“It just doesn’t feel right leaving them here.”
“I know, but we’re in way over our heads already. We still have to get out of the compound. That badge of yours better be worth the three grand I paid for it.”
“You paid three grand for this?” Al turned the card over in his hand, studying it.
“You’re my partner.”
“I appreciate that, but you paid too much. This is worth one, maybe two. But it’ll do.”
Muggs sighed and, shifting the car into gear, they sped off towards the main gate.
