To Outlast Your Never-Ending Career

Chapter Twentyfive

Y/N had wandered farther than she had realized. And somehow, she began to see some familiar areas. For instance, she now stood on the second level of the main cell block. Of course, from here, she could find her way out. Which wasn't an option. Not until she found Waylon again.

Perhaps anyone with a less moral grounding would have just left. Or really, anyone with even a sliver of self-preservation. But Y/N made a promise.

No, now that she was certain she was safe from Gluskin, it was time to hunt her friend down.

Once the doctor passed the entrance gate, it was slammed shut behind her.

"Get back! Get the fuck away from me," Y/N flinched at how hoarse the patient's voice sounded, "Don't you look at me! Don't you dare... look at me."

"I will not look at you or go near you, but will you please unlock the gate? I will need to go back that way soon."

Y/N tried to bargain with him, but after screaming at her and banging on the gates, Y/N figured it was a lost cause. Or at least, a cause she didn't see to be worth fighting. Sighing in aggravation, Y/N moved on.

Not too much farther was a locked door. The woman jumped slightly at the sudden pounding sound coming from inside.

"Hey! Hey, miss!"

Y/N looked inside, imagining it to be a patient in need of her help. Many of those placed in this block were those with childish experiments performed on them. Perhaps childish is not the correct wording, but it was of less importance to Mount Massive and more so playtime for Trager and his goons. She wasn't often allowed down here.

"The priest, Father Martin brought me in here to show me something."

Her attention was piqued. Father Martin? She thought he was about the place, painting and preaching. Well, he was painting in blood, so perhaps he was up to something nefarious as well.

"Thinks I'm going to be a witness for whatever batshit crazy he's trying to sell me. This Dr. Wernicke is at the center of whatever went wrong here. But he died more than 10 years ago... Rest In Piece is written all over these walls. In blood."

She was about to move on before realizing, no one here believes Wernicke is dead. He was a threat to the patients, and an even bigger one to the employees. Cross the line and you'll be taken under for Wernicke's study, that bastard.

Peering into the small window of the door, the man speaking wasn't even in uniform.

Who is he?

"I'm not crazy if that's what you're thinking. I know that might be difficult to believe, I mean, I'm the one behind the loony door. But..."

"Are you dangerous?"

"That depends who you ask."

"Not the time for a joke."

Glancing down, the man shakes his head.

Y/N, whose curiosity got the better of her, opened his cell door.

She stepped a good bit away from him, preparing herself to run, or even fight if it came down to it. But the man on the other side of the door simply walked out.

"You aren't gonna stab me with something right?"

"I, uh, no sir. I wasn't planning... Who are you? You aren't in any uniform."

"Oh, right."

Standing tall, the brunet man stuck his hand out, Y/N shook it in turn.

"Miles Upshur. Investigative reporter."

"I- Dr. Y/N L/N. One of the few psychiatrists here at Mount Massive Asylum."

"One of the few? At an asylum for the criminally insane?"

"Well..."

Y/N noticed in his other hand a camera. Its recording light is flashing.

"Why are you here? How did you even get in?"

Pulling back, Miles gave a shaky smile. Y/N studied him unnervingly.

"I got an inside scoop. Some guy wanting me to expose the place. And clearly, he was onto something."

"Who? Who emailed you? This is the worst timing. Even a day earlier would have helped so much."

"I can't just tell you who emailed me. That defeats the journalist's code-!"

The shorter woman stole the camera from him, moving towards the rails of the hall, threatening to toss his camera. Of course, she wouldn't actually. This camera held evidence against the place. Or so she assumed.

"Hey, HEY! OK, Listen, I really don't know! It was a whistleblower document. It didn't say anything about the sender, and I didn't ask."

Huffing, Y/N handed the camera back to the man. She mulled it over in her mind. Who would send an email like that?

...

Waylon. He did. She completely forgot about that. A part of her believed that risky email wouldn't amount to anything.

"I... Nevermind it. I know who sent it. And I am on my way to find him. If you have nowhere else to be, you may accompany me."

"Gee, thanks."

Miles rolled his eyes but as Y/N went on ahead, he followed behind.