Tick Tock Part Three - Dock

Dolphin

Gavin had been well behaved during the ambulance ride, likely due to his fatigued state. He'd tried to shrug off the paramedics at first, not seeing the need for all the fuss, but he'd settled down once Nines told him to. A paramedic had listened to his chest, frowning at the slightly wet sound. It was manageable, but he did have a little water in his lungs from the waterboarding. Nines reported the drugging and Gavin was patient but twitchy as the paramedic examined his eyes, nose, and mouth. From the description of the smell and taste, the slight redness of his skin, the effect on his eyes, and the way the drug had been administered, the paramedic thought it likely that it had been diethyl ether. Possibly mixed with chloroform.

"I don't need all this fuss, just give me some pills and send me home!" Gavin insisted grouchily, sitting up on the gurney rather than lying down. They tried to make him lie down, but he was stressed enough about the tight space as it was. He at least compromised and had his legs stretched out with a strap across his waist. Nines had seated himself behind, allowing him to lean against his shoulder for support and comfort.

"Sorry, Sergeant. It's standard procedure for victims of drowning and drug use to be kept in for at least twenty-four hours in the event of a relapse or further complications." Nines squeezed Gavin's hip gently, a silent request for him to remain calm. He knew how he hated being referred to as a victim, and the paramedic likely hadn't meant anything by it. Gavin's green eyes seemed almost vulnerable as he dropped them and allowed the young man to continue his careful examination.

The paramedic connected a drip of fluids to combat any side effect of the drugs. Gavin had been patient enough initially, despite the obvious discomfort of the needle piercing his vein. Unfortunately, that hadn't stopped the vomiting from starting up part way through the journey. The paramedic had been unsurprised and well prepared as Gavin clapped a hand over his mouth and bent over. A cardboard bowl was pushed into his hands within seconds and Nines soothed him as he choked a mixture of bile and water. That the coughing had dislodged some of the excess water from his lungs was a small benefit of his suffering.

Upon their arrival at the hospital, Gavin was taken to the same private ward as his last visit. Elijah had previously left instructions and open access to his account in the event his brother returned. A doctor arrived promptly to ask for details. Bloods were taken, an extra fluid bag of antibiotics was hooked up to prevent a chest infection, and water was provided. Gavin looked truly miserable while lounging back against the pillows. He'd hated every second. He hated hospitals, and he hated being prodded even more.

Elijah and Chloe arrived to distract him, at least. And he only vomited a couple more times before the fluids kicked in to help settle his stomach. Chloe was attentive as ever, giving him the right balance of sympathy and empathy so that he didn't feel so self-conscious about vomiting. Elijah also helped to distract him by having him tell them the story of how it happened. Gavin had gone through it all, smirking as he relished the thought of their success.

Since VB was in custody, they'd be able to get a warrant to search his home, workplace, and any other holdings he had under his name. They'd also be able to demand co-operation from the AHL since a group of their members had been caught red-handed torturing a well-known and decorated police sergeant. If the AHL didn't cooperate fully, they'd look as guilty as their rogue members. Jericho would probably be contacted for comment as well since it was such a high-profile android group. Markus would have to distance himself and the Jericho organisation from any androids with ties to the AHL. Gavin would likely be contacted for comment as well at some point, not something he was looking forward to. He'd be sure to clarify that the AHL was a very small separatist movement that didn't reflect on the majority of androids.

That's exactly what happened over the next few days. Gavin left the hospital two days later. Elijah had insisted he not be allowed to leave until the doctors were certain there had been no lasting effects from the drugs and he'd had enough medicine to guard against any infections. Gavin had grumbled the whole time, especially since Nines had returned to work the next day to begin the process of attaining warrants and interrogating their suspects. Chloe had remained to keep him company, insisting he help her with crosswords and play chess. Gavin hadn't been good at chess before, but Chloe was a good and patient teacher.