(Although this will probably be role-played, this scene has been playing over and over for days. This is posted for your later comparison on how it will be role-played.)
Robin threw open the door to the PPD station in frustration. They stole her purse - again! Luckily she learned to keep her cash in her pocket and the purse as a distraction. But it was such an inconvenience - The door bounced against something and slammed back into her arm. "Ow!"
"I am sorry," said a huge, armored creature.
Robin looked up. And up. The creature's white eyes glowed in a mask that looked like a gargoyle. The thing was all shoulders and chest, with a miniature waist and legs that looked far to spindly to carry such a weight. She gasped in spite of herself. "Are you hurt?" it asked.
"I uh..." she rubbed her arm where the door hit it. "It'll bruise."
The creature held out a huge claw. "May I?"
Robin, against her better judgement, held out her arm. The creature took it gently in a claw, then touched it with the tip of the other, tracing along her arm. She felt a tingle as he did it.
"There. All better now."
She smiled at him. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." He shouldered past her into the PPD building. She watched him go, thinking, Maybe capes aren't so bad.
Three cops looked up from behind the counter. "Where is Lieutenant Hisagi Matsumoto," thundered the creature.
They all pointed at a door. The creature squeezed through it and came face to face with another policeman. "I am looking for Lieutenant Matsumoto."
He pointed down the hall. After a few more inquiries, the creature found himself standing just outside Hisagi's cubicle. He barely fit in the aisle, and he knew he couldn't fit in the cubie. He concentrated for a moment, then, in an explosion of white light, turned into a floating, tentacle-based squid-like being. He tilted himself and stood in the doorway to the cubicle. Hisagi was concentrating on writing at his desk.
"Lieutenant Matsumoto."
"Yes." He didn't look up.
"I need to speak with you."
"I'm busy." He looked up. "Who are you?"
"I am Lodestar."
Hisagi's eyes narrowed. "Mase's Kheldian. What do I need to speak with you for?"
Speaking in Japanese, Lodestar said, "[I need to ask you some questions about some personal matters that, even though I speak this language, someone else could very well understand. It has to do with some havoc.]"
Hisagi looked startled for a moment. Lodestar tipped forward, waiting. Then Hisagi turned, grabbed his coat and stormed past the floating Kheldian. Lodestar followed dutifully...
Beckham.
Mike, this is Hannah.
Hi, Hannah -
I'm calling about that patient you referred to me as an emergency case, Nathan Greene.
- this must be about Na--yes.
You prescribed daily ECT. He's not that severe.
He's dangerous, Hannah.
Institutionalize him.
He'll kill his way out. You probably don't know half of what he's done and what he feels.
I know more than half, Mike.
When's his next appointment?
Monday.
Five days?!
He's on Remeron. I don't agree with your high dosage -
You shouldn't let him loose over the weekend.
- on Monday we'll start three times a week for two weeks and then we'll reassess. And why not?
He's a meta with a Kheldian. The Kheldian heals him and flushes it out of his system as an invading chemical.
Mike, you have no idea how a Kheldian can work. If the Kheldian wants to not heal him, he won't.
Hannah, you should not undermine my findings. I'll be talking to Dr. Sullivan later. Good day, doctor. ::click::
::slam::
...or "What the hell were you thinking?"
ECT (Electroconvulsive therapy) has been popularized as a punishing method of making someone compliant. I first saw it in action in A Beautiful Mind, where they gave this treatment to John Nash to ease his insanity. When he completed therapy, his emotions were flat. He stopped taking the maintenance drugs because his inspiration had fled under the treatment, and his "genius" had gone. In order for him to keep the genius, he needed to be insane. This movie touched me because I was afraid of killing my own muse by doing the same sort of thing. Still am.
So, yet again, I had written Mase into an unwilling corner having him be the homicidal/suicidal maniac that I know best. In many of my stories with this sort of almost unforgivable anti-hero, I had cardboard supporting actors, not the rich tapestry of characters that I'm working with now. It forces the muses to dance and not plod.
I know I have a heavy God-mode hand with Mase. He's done plenty of twists and turns and this is just another curveball. I'd like to make Dark Mase go away. But he keeps coming back, no matter what I do. I'll just make a villain on Freedom with his name and be done with it, maybe.
Okay, after that bit of meandering, here's the real reason for this post. What's ECT and how did it fit? When first starting research I used Wikipedia. Shock therapy brought me to ECT.
Nate would know what the acronym means but probably have the same preconcieved notion that many of us do. Hannah probably explained everything in detail and had him sign the consent form. The treatment could have made him confused upon awakening, possibly with memory loss. The typical shock is 800 milliamps for two seconds. Nate's tougher than most - he's been exposed to Clockwork and Sappers - so he's used to being zapped.
Other than amperage and duration, I pretty much followed the protocols in Wiki. He was given a muscle relaxant (item: the muscles can contract hard enough to break bones), then general anesthesia. The announcing of delivery was for story purposes, based on the yelling of "Clear!" when shocking patients whose hearts have stopped. So my medical background is based on TV.
Upon awakening he was confused for a few seconds ("How do you feel?" "About what?") He had no memory loss - he remembered his psychiatrist's orders. It usually takes at least two or three sessions to feel any difference, but with him it might take longer.
It certainly calmed him down enough to go work with Vanguard for the day and not worry about meeting up with Fyre or Will. He still misses Daisuke. Unlike other days when he would actually tear himself away from the phone, he walked by it thinking, "I'll see him sometime soon." He finally slept a dreamless sleep.
Mase has no idea how upset Frosty is, mostly because Frosty doesn't come right out with his emotions that easily, like his brother. Mase hasn't seen Frosty since their parting, so Frosty doesn't know about the shock therapy. Lodestar doesn't think it will work - if sappers can't get to him, what's to say this would? - and has a different idea. It involves two people who hate Mase: Hisagi (Stronghold) and Havoc. It also involves something Lodestar is very afraid of: Magic.
A pinprick a small stab in my head, just nothing, safe, away from them, from those who hurt me, those who will hurt me and betray me -
Longer pinprick, stays longer, stabbing through the fog, a bar of red light crosses my vision and disappears. Nothing can hurt me here in the woolly blanket, nothing, safe at home, curled up against the storms...black darkness...I want to stay here forever
Slowly the blanket is pulled back, someone teases me as the crest of light and air works its way around me, I smile and remember mom waking me up like that - throwing open the curtain, the initial gentle light through the blanket, then slowly pulling it from my head and there, the light and chill air of a New England winter strikes my forehead, caressing it with cold air. The blanket winds its way down...
"Hello."
He blinked awake. A blond woman, her hair pulled back in a bun, looked down on him and smiled. "How do you feel?"
"About what?" He tried to sit up but was attached to the bed. "Why am I tied down?"
"So that you don't hurt yourself. Let me undo them." She started to undo the buckles. "Do you know your name?"
"Nathan Greene. Masonry."
"Where do you live?"
"At the Vanguard barracks via Atlas Park."
"What do you do for a living?"
"Not much."
She chuckled and he felt the last of the straps release from his arms. "Are you hungry or thirsty?"
"I could use some water."
The restraints were removed, they talked some more, and Hannah was satisfied that he wasn't damaged. She couldn't believe that this gentle man could have murdered so many. He got dressed and she waited at the nurse's station for him. He was pulling on his jacket and asked, "So what time tomorrow am I coming in?"
Hannah looked at him curiously. "You're not coming in tomorrow." She tapped in to the computer to check appointments for Friday. Luminescence stated, Lodestar wishes to wait until after the weekend. Can it be done on Monday?
The effects may wear off by then.
Masonry continued, "But Dr. Beckham said he wanted me to do this daily."
Consider today a trial run and not part of the treatment regimen.
Hannah raised an eyebrow - hardly anyone had daily ECT treatments anymore. "He did, did he. Having this treatment done daily is for severe cases of major depression or schizophrenia. I don't think you're that severe, Mr. Greene."
"You've read my file, though--"
"I've done more than read your file, Mr. Greene. You came in here of your own free will. Severe cases are usually brought in wearing straitjackets. Do you see the difference?"
He looked down. "I do."
"Good. Go see Nancy and make an appointment for Monday."
"That long?"
"We're booked solid."
He looked at her for a minute, as if wanting to argue, then went to the other station where someone took his information and scheduled him for Monday morning.
"Mr. Greene. What a surprise."
"Save it, doc." Masonry sat down on the vinyl couch across from the balding man with glasses dressed in casual street clothes, who turned his chair around from his desk. "I need help."
"If you weren't in the FBSA I would have turned you in for violation of parole."
Masonry looked away. The doctor sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. "What help?"
"I'm homicidal again."
"'Still', you mean. You didn't come back after telling me you went -there- so we couldn't start a proper course of treatment."
Masonry said, "Pharmecologically, I'm not the best candidate."
"I -was- thinking medicines which Lodestar can help in administering by avoiding healing you; but I had a different, more immediate treatment plan."
Masonry nodded for him to continue.
"ECT."
Masonry jerked his head up. The silence was broken only by the small trickle of water by a fake waterfall on the doctor's desk. Masonry said, "Shock therapy? Why don't I just save the state money and wander into a crowd of Malta sappers?"
"Because they don't know where to put the electrodes."
Masonry tried not to laugh but smiled anyway. "What about brain damage?"
"You took drugs that killed brain cells, you had a Kheldian extracted from you and you're worried about brain damage?"
Masonry cleared his throat. "Is it successful?"
"Seventy percent are clearly better in a week. You may suffer through initial confusion or memory loss after the procedure, but it's usually worn off in an hour or so. They won't let you go otherwise. I was going to suggest once daily depending on your schedule."
"I don't have a schedule," he muttered.
"Good." He turned from him and started writing something. "Report to the Phoenix Medical Center on Talos Island. I'll tell them to expect you."
"Now?"
"Now. I'm also putting you on Remeron twice daily. So for the first week you'll be having ECT in the morning and then taking this at lunch and before bed. Are you still sleeping with Daisuke?"
He looked down. "No."
"You broke up?"
"I told him about my dreams."
"You kill people in your dreams - you killed him too?"
Masonry bit his lip and nodded.
The doctor nodded. "It was only a matter of time, Nate. I know you love him, but any small thing he might do would spark a rage."
"I know, I need to stop. This will help?"
The doctor handed him a prescription. "If it doesn't kill you, first."
--------------
They wheeled the patient into the room. Hannah looked down at the man, already in restraints. He turned his head slowly, the muscle relaxant already working. She pushed back his hair and smiled at him as she attached the small electrodes to either side of his head. He tried to smile but couldn't.
"It's okay," she said, and caressed his forehead. "Don't fight it, just relax." Hannah's Kheldian Luminescence said, Lodestar is restrained.
They had to restrain him, too?
No, no. I mean he won't stop the procedure.
Hannah caressed his forehead again as the anethesia put him to sleep. The nurse who would be administering the procedure nodded to her. She checked to make sure the restraints were tight and his hands were wrapped around the solid iron bars on the bed. Then she stepped back. He checked some gauges, while Hanna watched the EEG monitor. "1000 milliamps, two seconds," the nurse announced, and pressed a button. The EEG monitor went slightly wild, then tapered off. "Again?"
Hannah had watched the monitor. "Three seconds."
He nodded, announced, "1000 milliamps, three seconds." He pressed the button. The EEG beeped once, then stopped.
She nodded, "That should do it."
She pulled the electrodes off and touched her Kheldian. Is he all right?
Lodestar is fine.
She whispered, "Lodestar, let him heal on his own. Don't help him."
He understands.
Hannah caressed his forehead again. "Is he married?"
The nurse chuckled. "Not according to his chart."
She smiled. "I'd better monitor him personally."
The nurse laughed and pulled the bed forward, aiming for the recovery room. Luminescence said, I wouldn't if I were you.
Why?
Then began the litany of why he was there in the first place.
A gentle voice echoed in his head, Stop.
He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. Jack, what is wrong with me?
Anger kept you alive, Nate...
This fury. Against anyone! Against... Daisuke. He knelt in the doorway of the small strip of stores. I see myself snapping his neck. Why?
Better than what you've been doing to Star in your dreams.
He shivered, not in the fog, but at seeing the images his dreams gave him. He felt sick at remembering the pleasure of first snapping her wings one inch at a time, then slowly or quickly tearing them from her back, and looking along her spine for that Kheldian--
"Stop! Stop!" He fell to his knees, put his head in his hands. When will it ever stop?
Until you let go.
He'd let them take me. He said he'd protect me, he wouldn't attack them. But if they had a warrant for my arrest, he'd step aside and let them take me. He'd abandon me! He punched the concrete ground, putting a dent, cracking the pavement, and breaking bones in his hand. I hate him for that!
Enough to want him dead?
He lifted his head. "Yes," he hissed, and initially started searching for another lone pedestrian.
Do you want to be tied at his hip all the time?
I want to go home to him!
So you can kill him in his sleep.
"Whose fucking side are you on?!"
Yours.
What did you say that for?
It's what you dream.
When I'm with him, the dreams don't come. Much. He stood up slowly, shaking from fear, anger, frustration, reaching for the sense of pleasure that he had when Daisuke was in his arms. It was there, just beyond his reach, just beyond his touch...
Havoc.
"Havoc?" He looked around for the long haired man with the sunglasses and ninjas.
Havoc is the creation from magic of Hisagi's darker nature. What if that could be done for you?
I don't know who did it, and I don't think Hisagi would tell me if I asked.
Go start finding out.
He stood straighter. "Good idea. Start with Circle of Thorns?"
Sounds good.
As Masonry jumped into the air to start flight, Lodestar breathed an inward sigh of relief. He hoped this could keep him busy, long enough to mend fences and keep the city safe for a little while longer. Again.
"I'm sure Gregor will, Mr. ..."
"Ricketts. Matthew Ricketts."
The driver nodded and climbed into the truck. The two men watched the truck pull away, then Frosty turned again to Wombat. "Are you going to be all right?"
He smiled slightly at him. "Frosty, I c'n go back home an' do wha' I wanted t' do."
Masonry leaned back against the wall of the building. "Study coral?"
"Marine biology," Wombat snapped, "is more'n studying coral."
Frosty nodded. Masonry said, "Sheesh, I was just kidding."
Wombat glared for a moment, then looked away. "'m sorry." Womby looked at the two of them. "I wanna thank y'both."
Masonry nodded once, and Frosty smiled.
wombat glanced up at a clock tower across the way. "I gotta get goin'." Then he looked down for a moment, raised his head, and held out his hand to Frosty. Frosty knew the man did not want to be touched, and looked confused for a moment. Then he took Wombat's hand and shook it firmly.
Wombat did the same toward Masonry, who also shook it hard enough to make Wombat wince. "I think y'broke sum'in."
Masonry smiled. "You'd know if I did."
Wombat only nodded sagely. "It's goodbye. Say g'bye t' the girls for me."
"Sure will."
Wombat snorted and smiled. "Sure ya will, mate." Then with a quick leap, the blond man was up and away.
Masonry played with a glass test tube in his hands, glancing for a moment at Frosty. The tube held a crimson, almost black liquid that swished back and forth within it. Frosty nodded to it. "Is that what I think it is?"
"My blood. He collected a little at a time whenever I was here."
"Oh."
Masonry threw the tube down, smashing it on the asphalt. He crushed it under his boot for good measure.