DNeil Defends Nadine - Pt 1 (With Sonny and Eve)

"I don't buy it," Niella Collins said.  "Nadine Debevec was in treatment for anxiety and depression; she wasn't and isn't prone to violence.  Dr Shaw is-"
"Recovering from Ms Debevec attacking her," Shaw interrupted.
"You don't look like you're in much need of recovery."  Niella regretted the words as soon as they were spoken, but found herself unable to walk herself back.  "Whereas Nadine-"
"Dr Collins," Shaw stressed.  "Ms Debevec is suffering from severe paranoia and borderline personality disorders.  Your diagnosis was so wrong as to be worse than useless; excused only because you were lucky enough not to hit any of her stressors."
"You're mistaken, Dr Shaw.  And she was making progress with her condition; whatever you think happened, what you're doing now could do her grave harm."
"Ladies, please."  Carling, the hospital administrator sounded more exhausted than anything else.  "Dr Collins, I am inclined to believe Dr Shaw in this matter.  Ms Debevec is to be transferred to her care effective immediately.  I recommend you concentrate on your other patients."

The meeting had carried on for a few minutes more, but Niella couldn't make either Shaw or Carling budge.  For the rest of her shift, she did her best not to think about it.  Concentrating on her other patients as Carling had said; they needed her focussed, not distracted.  But afterwards, in her car, she let the anger wash over her.  But it wasn't just anger.  Niella hadn't been wrong about Nadine's diagnosis... and Shaw had to know it; no, Niella was certain that Shaw wasn't just mistaken, but lying.

    ****
    
Nadine wasn't sure if she was dreaming or awake.  Not that there much difference any more; both had blurred together into the same unending nightmare.  Her mind was swimming in the drug constantly dripping into her system; every time she came back to awareness, there was new ache in her breasts or on her lips or between her legs.  Every time she drifted back into darkness, she silently begged to wake up back in her old ward.

"Hey there, Nadine;" the voice was full of false friendliness.  "It's time for your appointment with the doc."  The orderly pushed a wheelchair to side of the bed, then leant over and began to undo Nadine's restraints.  For a few moments, Nadine thought of fighting or running, but she was too weak, and tired, and clumsy; instead, she let him help her into the chair and strap her into it.  He wheeled her out into the hallway of the hospital's secure ward, and toward the elevator.  Taking her to the doctor, he'd said... did he mean Dr Collins or Dr Shaw?  Dr Collins had been helping her...

But it was Dr Shaw's office they headed for when they left the elevator.  The orderly parked her in front of the desk, then left the room.  Dr Shaw waited until the door closed before looking up.  "So how are you feeling today, Ms Debevec?"
"How can you even ask that?"
"I suppose that's understandable.  Being transferred to a new doctor is frequently difficult."  Seeing Nadine's expression she went on, "Oh yes, you're my patient now.  After your outburst the other day, I was able to see the flaws in Dr Collins's diagnosis; I will be overseeing your treatment from now on."
"I didn't do anything.  It was you...  you said..."  There wasn't any point saying it.  Shaw was the only one there; even if she hadn't been, no one would believe Nadine over her.
"For now I'm recommending a continuation of the sedative you're currently on," Dr Shaw continued remorselessly; "in a little while, we can discuss other treatment."

Not even an acknowledgment of what she'd done.  Shaw called the orderly back and told him to take Nadine back to her room.

    ****
    
Sonny stood at the bar, sipping his drink, and scanning the room for women who looked ready to dance.  Dr Collins wasn't the woman he had expected to see, but there she was making straight for him.  "I hoped you'd be here," she said by way of greeting.
"Evening Dr Collins," Sonny replied.  "I suppose it's too much to hope that if you're not here for a dance, it's for something that could wait until work tomorrow?"
"I'm afraid it is."

She did look rattled about something.  "Ok, Doc, what's on your mind?"
"It's one of my patients.  Well, it was sparked by one of my patients.  Have you had much to do with Dr Shaw?"
"Not really.  She deals with the more severe patients; I work in the rehabilitation ward."  Dr Collins ought to have known that.
"She's convinced Carling that one of my patients is dangerous.  Dumped her in the secure ward.  But it's bullshit, I know it's bullshit.  And it's not the first time she's done something like this.  I... I think she's falsifying diagnoses."
"Are you sure you're not just sore at losing your patient?  I mean why would she do that?"
"Ambition?  I don't know.  But no, I'm not sore at losing a patient, I'm sore at her abusing a vulnerable patient for some twisted scheme."
"Ok.  Sorry.  But why come to me about it?"

Dr Collins took a deep breath.  "I need evidence that she's doing it.  If I'm right, she has to keeping tabs on patients to decide which ones she can... use.  There must be some sign of that.  I want to go back into the hospital tonight and look for evidence.  But I don't want to go by myself."
"And you trust me?"
"Yes."
"I'm in."

    ****
    
They'd agreed to meet back in the hospital car park at 1 AM.  Niella recognised Sonny's car as she pulled up; there was more than one silhouette in it.  She approached cautiously, hoping she hadn't been wrong to trust him; his companion was a blonde woman Niella hadn't seen before.  As Sonny saw her, she opened the door and slid into the back.

"Dr Collins, Eve Perry; Eve, Dr Niella Collins," Sonny said.
"Hey," the blonde added.
"Hello," Niella said.  "I don't mean to be rude, but..."
"What you said reminded me of something," Sonny answered.  "A while back, there were rumours about some of the orderlies in the secure wing.  Abuse of patients.  Nothing ever got proved, and it just went away.  But if what you think about Dr Shaw is true, then maybe there was something in that too.  And maybe we should get your patient out of there."
"I don't know if I want to add escaping to her file.  Or kidnapping to mine."
"Do you want to leave her there?"
"No."

"Sonny said you wanted someone watching your back," Eve broke in.  "I can do that while he gets your girl."
"All right," Niella said.  "Sonny, you're looking for Nadine Debevec.  And I hope we're not going to end up regretting this."
"We all hope that," Sonny said.

Getting into the hospital was the easy part, as Niella and Sonny both had keys.  Once inside, Sonny headed up to the secure ward while Niella and Eve headed for the offices.  While Eve stayed by the door of Shaw's office, listening out, Niella turned her attention to the filing cabinets; it was immediately evident that Shaw was keeping more files than she should on patients of other doctors in the hospital.  Tracking diagnoses and medications; some of them flagged, including Nadine.  As Niella read, she became increasing convinced that the files represented candidates for hijacking.  Pulling her phone out, she took photos of the relevant pages.

"Something?" came Eve's voice.
"Yes.  I think she's done this to about a half dozen others as well as Nadine.  This is sick."
"Given what Sonny said, should we be sneaking them all out?"
"I don't think just the three of us can.  But we have to stop it somehow."

    ****
    
Nadine lay in her restraints, dream or memory running through her mind.  The orderly on top of her... touching her... kissing her... inside her...  Another guy was coming in, another orderly; Nadine forced her mouth to make the word, "No."
"I won't hurt you," he said.
Nadine squinted; he wasn't one of the ones who'd... she recognised him from her old ward.
"I'm Sonny; a friend of Dr Collins," he said.  "I'm getting you out of here."

Hope or relief felt very far away from Nadine, but Sonny seemed to be telling the truth.  He undid her restraints and helped her sit up; there was no wheelchair.
"Can you walk?" he asked.
"I can try."  She put a foot to the floor, but a wave of dizziness poured through her drugged body.
Sonny put an arm around her waist; "Lean on me," he said.
They went slowly into the corridor; Nadine kept feeling like she was about to fall, would have fallen without Sonny helping her, but the movement did clear some of the ache from her body.

But as they reached the elevator, the shout she was dreading rang out; "What the fuck are you doing?"  One of them.
Sonny pushed Nadine into the elevator, letting her slump against the wall, and pushed the button for the ground floor.

    ****
    
The phone rang in Dr Collins's hand, almost making her drop it.  Eve listened as she took the call.  Some of the secure ward's orderlies were chasing Sonny and Nadine.  But no general alarm had been raised, which made Eve all the more certain that Collins and Sonny were right about what was happening here.  "Tell them to leave as soon as they get to his car," she said.  "We can take yours."  The doctor relayed the instruction and the two women ran out into the corridor.

Sonny's car was disappearing from the parking lot as they reached the outside door.  Another man, presumably of the orderlies, was making for a second vehicle.
"Start the car," Eve yelled before running at him.  He heard it and turned to face her, but she covered the gound much faster than he was expecting, and launched herself into a kick without pausing; the blow connected with his midsection, and he slammed against the door before falling to his knees.  She sent another kick into his face, banging his head into the metal and this time he fell prone.

Then a blow smashed into the back of her head, her vision momentarily blacking.  Before she could react, this new attacker kicked the back of her knee, knocking her leg from under her; his arms closed round her.  Eve jabbed her elbow backward, but whatever it hit wasn't his face; he forced her to the ground, pinning her.  The first opponent was getting back up.

Eve turned her head, looking in the direction of Dr Collins; but she was still there, engine running but not leaving.  Frozen, or just not wanting to abandon her; Eve tried to gulp in enough breath to tell her to go, but a third orderly had reached her, pulling her out of the car.  Then a boot connected with her face and everything went dark.