The Monarch Effect (DISCONTINUED DRAFT)

Chapter 3

Dr. Dennis Roland O'Malley was a stout man with dark hair, wide set glasses and just barely fit his waist into his own coat, size XL. Blending into the scene, with the walls tinted just slightly blue-grey, he wore a grin on his face and a clipboard in his hand.

"Oh, Dennis!" Samuel, acting as if nothing had happened, was surprised to find his colleague appearing out of seemingly nowhere. "I didn't see you there! So sorry I was late today!" He chuckled a bit, with Samantha's closeness adding a hint of typical femininity, but with an edge of concern. Despite their status as top doctors, and in some cases researchers, their relationship should be described as odd, if not awkward.

"Ah, don't worry 'bout it. Heard ol' Lawry fell on his side. You gonna check him out?" Before FHRI, O'Malley worked in his home state of New York, and his accent was thick compared to Samuel's hodge-podge of a voice.

"Yeh-yes! I was right on my way there! Now if you'll excuse... me..." He tried leaving the room, but to Samuel, Dennis might as well have been the door itself. He looked up, his grin becoming harder to keep. "I need to, ah..." he pointed through the small gap between the doorframe and the other doctor's side. "I need to get by." his voice lost its 'feminine touch.'

O'Malley just looked at him for a second, then apparently got the memo and smiled bigger than before. "Oh, sorry, Sam, I kinda spaced out for a sec, go on ahead!" He moved over to let Samuel exit the room. Walking down the hall, he felt a sensation he couldn't name. Inside, he started taking a backseat, dreamlike view of the world around him, just to get away from it. By now, his companion had left, leaving him alone. The hall was dimly lit, brightened by the same type of light, except not as concentrated as it was in the locker room. Halfway down the hall was another that led to his office, highlighted by the out of place door that can be opened. It looked like a typical elevator, but it had no buttons going up or down. Samuel could see it's metallic glint from where he was coming from, the path having a space between a short set of steps, fitting a room on each section. His patient wasn't in one of them, but definitely on top of one.

The door to his office was relatively plain compared to the steel one sitting only a few feet next to it. Plated in bronze was his name, as well as titles.

DR. MüLLER

HEAD PHYSICIAN
&
SURGEON

The plaque on the door, to Müller as a whole, was more like a trophy than just a sign. To say in the least, ten-plus years in Med School paid off. However, the name of Physician goes to Samantha; she sat through those lectures while Samuel, on the inside, recounted all the information he needed for his own area of expertise: surgery, as well as some extra things. Occasionally, though, his thoughts would bleed into hers, distracting her from the professor, but she managed to pass with good scores. "Müller" was on their diplomas, they made sure to use "S" instead of just "Samuel", which didn't feel right; "Samantha" would have brought too much attention; "Sammy" would have brought him forward and possibly get them killed.

Now, with those years out of the way, they're finally at work in the hospital, but why was a mystery to them. Samuel prays it was his own will that brought them to where they are now, but the notion could be broken at any moment. The building, as well as the school on its own has a high reputation being an Ivy League college, but controversy has surrounded the area, if not the entire city because of it. Overcharging was the bulk of it, but crack-shell conspiracy theories ran rampant throughout. It was always this or that, and it always make him question his own autonomy. What was worse were the specifics, things certain alters knew all too much about. Wade, being 'normal', wanted to ignore it, but being forever surrounded by people that can't barely helps.