"Robyn suggested you could use the pickup truck," Joyce said. "But I guess we could buckle them in upright. Why don't you park whatever you want to take outside the yurt, and I'll go round up some of the boys to help you load them in."

Liam shook his head. “The pickup might be more comfortable but it’ll draw more attention. I won’t do them any favours if I pull down a Red Watch patrol.” He stood up and brushed down his pants.

“I’ll get the car.”

It didn't take long for them to load the three comatose people into the car, awkward though it was. They opted for putting all three of them shoulder to shoulder in the backseat, so nobody flopped on Liam and ran him off the road.

The trip to Corr's was thankfully uneventful. He didn't spy a single Redwatch patrol. When he pulled up to the spot where he'd parked a few nights before, Crowe's floating face appeared before him.

"Evenin' Liam," she said. "Come to rile up the doc some more?"

“Christ, you have no idea,” Liam said as he stepped out of the driver’s side door and walked back towards the rear. He opened the doors wide. “Robyn sends these with her regards. She says, and I quote ‘she owes him an interesting case’.”

"Puttin' it mildly," she said. "I'll send up some gurneys. So what's wrong with 'em?"

"I don't know," Liam confessed. "More Tremere bullshit. They wont wake up."

"Robyn says... Gods help me," Liam hesitated momentarily before gamely soldiering on. "Robyn says I'm supposed to tell him 'it might help him with his own blocked research into a cure'."

"I swear to God, Crowe, I'm just the bagman."

Crowe's eyebrow arched as Liam spoke, and she burst out laughing. "Well I'm sure as hell not passing that on to the doc, and I don't suggest you do either," she said. "Jesus Christ, man, you've got your hands full with her."

"I know, right?" he said with a helpless shrug of his shoulders. "But now I can at least faithfully state that I conveyed her message. Sadly I was not present to see his reaction when it was ultimately received."

"Its as close to a win-win as I get these nights, I think."

"Fair enough," Crowe said. A stack of three spinal boards floated its way on over. "I take it you're not coming in to say hello?"

"No," Liam said wistfully. "I should make sure the doc accepts the patient transfer before I head back out," he continued as he reached for the top board and started unloading.

"Its hardly fair to impose upon his services without so much as a hello, interesting cases or not. I can't stay long though. I've got a lot of ground to cover tonight."

"Probably for the best," Crowe said, taking the other end of the board. "Doc was in a real foul mood after you left. Your friend is a bit of a firecracker."

Liam took the elevator down with the first two patients. The invisible pair went back for the third. Corr was, of course, waiting for the elevator as it opened up.

"Mr. O'Farrell," said Corr. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Good evening, Doctor Corr," Liam said, putting on his most candid smile. "I've brought some interesting cases your way. We recovered them from the Tremere workshop the night I was last here, and despite our best efforts we've been unable to rouse them. I had thought you might have more success if you're willing to take a look."

Short, polite and to the point. The less embellishment the better, he decided.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:27, Tue 28 July 2020.

He examined the patient Liam was holding, indelicately lifting up the man's shirt to examine the runes carved into his flesh. "These are vessels for the Fugue blood," Corr remarked. "Halfway complete. Fascinating. I don't suppose you managed to get one who went through the complete process?"

"No," Liam said, with a shake of his head. "Only those that could leave of their own accord, and the few they could carry came with. I am told there were others left behind, deemed too far gone. I presume they perished in the fire."

"Pity," Corr said. "Still, I'll see what I can do. I'll contact your satphone if there are any developments. Thank you, Mr. O'Farrell. This should prove revelatory." Funny, he didn't think he'd given Corr his number. "Was there anything else?"

The elevator opened again behind him with the third patient. This one they carried straight down the hallway.

Liam shook his head. “Not tonight. Have a good evening, Doctor.” Presuming he was dismissed, Liam turned to take the elevator back to the surface. He still he took get the cruiser home before he headed out into the city.

Taking the logging roads into the city was time consuming, but afforded Liam safety and anonymity. Still, the night was young when he arrived back with the cruiser. Joyce waved casually to him from the fire. She was up if he wanted to debrief. Otherwise, the skies awaited.

Liam dropped the keys in the garage and headed back out into the camp. "Corr accepted them," he said, dropping down next to Joyce and turning so he could watch the fire. "That just leaves our midnight security guard to contend with."

"I'll keep working on him," Joyce replied. "I worry that the first place he'll go when released is straight to the VFPD."

"That's exactly what I fear as well. He's going to get himself killed, or worse. I don't know how to help him apart from showing him the truth, and right now I don't think he's inclined to hear it."

"Perhaps a ride along is in order," Joyce said. "Maybe if he sees some police loading people into unmarked trucks, he will be more open to the truth."

"Its not without risk," Liam said, looking away from the fire. "If he got free he could cause a big mess. But, I suppose nothing is these days. And it would mean one less headache for everyone here."

"More than a mess," Joyce said. "Did you blindfold him before taking him here? Does he know where 'here' is? Regardless, how will your adversaries respond to word of a colony of former thralls out in rural country? Or that their vaunted mind control has a counteragent in circulation? An unwitting collaborator is still a collaborator, and he's seen where we live."

"We blinded him before bringing him here," Liam confirmed. "And you'd be hard pressed to find it anyway without knowing exactly where to look. But the notion that 'here' exists would be enough to have the woods crawling with patrols all the same. That's the last thing we need."

"I have to say, I didn't know what to do with him when he balked. I figured he'd run straight to the police and get himself killed. Didn't seem right, but then this doesn't either."

"The burden of leadership is sometimes having to choose between two bad scenarios," Joyce said. "It takes a good leader to know which is worse, and to minimize the hurt involved with making that decision. I'm sure you'll find your way. And I'm always here to help ease your mind, should you find your burdens too much to bear." She patted Liam's shoulder.