Status: Redo of my old story

Silence Falls

Chapter 112: Father and Son?

Jack, the Orderly, had led the boys into the now barren cafeteria on the Male ward side of the Psychiatric Hospital. They hadn’t been briefed on why they had been taken out of their Therapy Circle, they only followed him. Compared to the other Orderlies, Jack didn’t seem to be the worst of the bunch. But since they hadn’t seen his bad side yet, they weren’t exactly going to count their blessings.

At the very back, near the kitchen, sat an older gentleman in a suit shuffling through some papers from one of the five folders he laid out before him. The four boys instantly recognized him as the very same man that operated the Medical Facility, Doctor McCarter! Bam clenched his fist before stalking forward, memories of the first time they had met rehashing through his mind and urging him to whoop his arse. “YOU MOTHERFUCKER! You’re the reason I’m in this mess, you piece of shit!”

Doctor McCarter looked up towards the four boys, his eyes lingering on Bert, who lunged forward only to be snagged by two huge burly security guards before he got even ten feet from him. The Doctor rose from his seat and straightened his tie before speaking with a serene smile on his face. “Good morning, Brandon Margera, Connor Angeson, Cristofer Haughton...and son.” He turned away for a moment to face the files on the table, missing out on the jaws dropping from the other three boys. He had to abstain himself from giving his son a hug of relief that he had been found unharmed, nevermind how their last conversation went.

Cris and Connor staggered away from Bert like he was contagious, their eyes darting between him and the doctor.

He had called him son?

As in father and son?

No way! No, Bert would have told them a long time ago! He’d never keep a secret like that from them!

Cris and Connor scoped Bert’s response to his ‘father’s greeting’, waiting for him to refute the Doctor’s claim, but all he did was glare at him. Now, what the hell was that supposed to mean?

“My children, I’d like to ask you a few questions about your little excursion. If you’d kindly take a seat we can get started.” Doctor McCarter returned to the cafeteria table to seat himself. Along the way, he delivered a nod to the two burly men holding Bam off the ground by his arms to let him go. Bam was dropped to the floor then thrust forward towards the table as soon as he got to his feet again. Bert and the others accompanied him right after.

“You have survived a great ordeal out in the swamps, I’m aware. I must say it was very remarkable how long you remained secluded from the soldiers. We’re all curious as to how you managed to sustain yourselves out there for so long. Can you tell me how you achieve it on your own?” Doctor McCarter linked his hands together on the table, his eyes aimed at Bert, hoping he would be the one to clarify everything to him, but all he did was glare directly at him.

Cris, Connor and Bam weren't planning on conversing with the Doctor either, instead they were gonna allow Bert to conduct everything as usual, but when they observed his unshakable silence they weren't quite sure what to do next. After a few passing seconds of reticence, the boys elected to follow Bert’s example.

Doctor McCarter leaned forward, lowering his head a bit to try and attract their sudden interest on the tabletop. When that didn't work he knew with his restricted time that he would have to give them an ultimatum. “My children, I should warn you that it is imperative for the higher authorities to know how you got through the calamity out there unscathed. These two gentlemen with me, for example…” He gestured to the two burly men that had kept Bam from killing him seconds before. “They’re not my employees. They aren’t just here to protect me. If you choose not to answer my questions, they will be more than happy to make you, and believe me, it’ll be agonizing.”

The Doctor wasn’t falsifying that those two huge men were not employees of his. When Doctor McCarter had found out his son was finally discovered alive, he had to see him that very second, but the military wouldn't allow him to unless he took a group of his men to protect him. And these very same men came with their own separate orders.

All the boys, except Bert, slowly peeked behind them to size up the threats before making their decision. Letting out a defeat sight, Connor went first with a growl. “Where do you want us to start?”

“How did you all escape the Medical Facility?” Doctor McCarter inquired, pulling out a pen and notebook he toted around with him everywhere.

“We all grouped together and created a plan of escape. Not one of us didn't contribute to it.” Connor answered with a lie, his eyes remaining on the Doctor.

Doctor McCarter wasn’t sure if he believed that, and gave him a skeptical look. “Even the young ladies that we located within the mall with you?”

“No, just us boys!” Cris desperately deceived, interrupting Connor. “We had invited them to come with us a few days before we escaped from the Medical Facility. That’s why you found them with us.”

“I see.” Doctor McCarter drawled with discernible doubt. “So, how many patients were invited to join your little group, Cristofer?”

“Just the girls you found and us.” Cris replied faintly. “All the other patients were a liability to recruit.”

“Brandon, what happened on the day of your escape? How did you find your way out of the facility?” Doctor McCarter inquired, watching the blue eyed boy irritably shuffle around in his seat.

“We all went to the elevator and climbed up the fucking ladder in the elevator shaft cause the stupid crap was fucking broken. We got up to the surface and made our escape then.” Bam grumbled, his eyes looking everywhere but at the man asking the questions. He was still fuming with hatred for the man.

Doctor McCarter smiled. “And after you left the Medical Facility that contained you...where did you go?”

“We hotwired a van nearby and took off down the road.” Connor answered, openly glaring at him.

“And did you really think you would have made it to freedom if the military hadn’t arrived when it did?” The Doctor asked them as a whole. The large one named Connor crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged.

“I thought so. I thought we’d just drive right through whatever gate that was in our way until we reached the highway. Then we’d be free.” Cris mumbled, spacing out on the stack of folders in front of him, knowing they consisted of something on them.

“What about you, Mr. Margera?” Doctor McCarter turned his attention to the grouchy boy next to Cris. The young boy appeared like he was seconds away from throwing himself across the table at him, but he knew he wouldn’t. As gutsy as the kid acted, he wasn’t about to risk his life or his friends for revenge yet.