Crushed Suns - SCI (Mysteries)

3 - Calm Before The ----?!?

"Why? Just...why?"

Zhan Yao and Bai Yutong were stuck in a bleak hallway outside a hospital room, trying to be patient. The nurse was suppose to give them a report or an all-clear on the two boys' conditions. But up till now, they received no word. Their own log was submitted to the Head Chief over 4 hours ago. Since then, time ticked by like clockwork; everything was foggy and mechanical.

3 hours - they watched as the doctors filed in and out of a room they were forced out of.
3.2 hours - turns out both boys have no contact from any of their family members in their medical files. Both police needed to wait until the issue got solved.
3.4 hours - Bai got them coffee (the cat was unreliable, always spilling something when balancing cups filled with liquid). 
2 hours - they took a call and got yelled at by the Head Chief. Then, they were assigned this mystery as their new crime.
2.3 hours - There was a sudden bustle from inside the room. They lapsed into a heavy silence. Bai's headache erupted out of thin air. 
1 hour - They switched from the bench to the plastic chairs. Both were bad but at least these were slightly more ergonomic. Zhan started reading. 
30 minutes - Bai had shot up and started pacing, muttering angrily to himself.

Currently, it was 4 in the morning, and the caffeine was wearing thin. 

Turns out, Yutong's voice was not.

"...and first, it was drowning. Then, hypnotism. Sprinkle a bunch of other stuff in, then add fire and more hypnotism. And now, now, we've gone so far that we've reached Artificial Intelligence!?!"

Bai Yutong's plans to go and get some much-needed rest were torn to shreds, and it was showing. Badly. 

"What's next; the zombie apocalypse?" Bai ran a hand through his hair for the 40th time. "Seriously, Yao, this is crazy. Absolutely crazy!"

Credit goes to Dr. Zhan, who managed to remain unfazed throughout the whole ordeal. But, as any sensible human, he, too, was growing more worried by the minute. 

"You need to calm down." 

It didn't work. 

"I mean, come ON! Who the hell comes up with these ideas! And why must we deal with them?"

Zhan tried again. 

"Because the SCI unit is assigned this case." 

"Why, just- WHY!"

"Why does every single one of our investigations have some form of 'almost-dying' in it?"

Still on a plastic chair, Yao suppressed another eye roll.

"We are the Special Criminal Investigation team; it's a job description." Dr. Zhan deadpanned. Then, concern rippling over his brow, he looked up. "You are aware of that, right mouse?" 

"YOU-!"

Swiveling around, hand on hip, Bai pointed a finger in accusation. He opened his mouth, ready to fire a retort, but... his annoyance dwindled. Deciding against further conflict, he lowered his hand and sat down with an defeated puff. 

Arguing was pointless. Nothing would change. They were still stuck out here while the two kids were lying on white sheets, hopefully still breathing. 

They had managed to drag Zhan-Ming and his friend out of the fire relatively unscathed, but they had both been under such intense stress, that they had both almost passed into a coma. The bustling of white and blue around them wasn't helping Bai's nerves.