Outer Space

Chapter 31 - Setback Two

    "Dr. Kent." Someone addressed the man that had just entered the room. Charlie wasn't able to turn around fast enough to see who that someone was, however. Somehow Charlie got the vibe that Dr. Kent was an important guy because everyone in the room, all the hospital staff at least, looked a little bit scared that he was there. He didn't act all in charge when he talked to her before, but who knows.

    "Well, I asked what the hell was going on." This time when he said it she saw a couple of the younger doctors that were in the corner of the room scramble to their feet and practically run up to him.

    "Ahhh..." One of those young doctors started to stutter as he did his best to open the notepad he had in his hand. For some reason he seemed to be having quite a lot of trouble opening the small thing. "Jemma Will... Willis, Sir." That was certainly not the correct answer to Dr. Kent's question and even Charlie knew it. She was kind of enjoying the show at this point.

    Once the few words escaped the stuttering doctor's mouth Dr. Kent's eyes searched the room and something seemed to click into place when his eyes landed on Charlie. Charlie who was sitting directly in front of a police officer.

    She was almost surprised when Dr. Kent broke away from the group of doctors that surrounded him, especially since he didn't reprimand the one doctor that clearly doesn't know how to answer a basic question. She was even more surprised when she noticed that Dr. Kent was walking in her direction.

    Before Dr. Kent was able to reach her, however, he was cut off by that women detective that had been talking to Charlie almost minutes before. Charlie continued to watch the scene play out, not caring that she was supposed to be answering the questions that Officer Randall had been trying to ask her.

    "Dr. Kent, correct?" The detective asked him and he quickly shook his head as a response. "I'm Detective Granger." Well, she has a name now at least. "I'm running point on this investigation." She finished.

    Dr. Kent looked back at Charlie for a quick second before saying in a deep and gruff, not to mention annoyed voice, "What investigation?" Charlie was kind of surprised that he didn't know what was going on. Not only did he seem like a pretty important guy, but it also seemed as if it was a big deal. After the code yellow, Dr. Morgan explained to Charlie that it meant missing person, she was surprised that everyone that worked in the hospital wasn't already aware.

    "A missing child. Jemma Willis. She went missing around 7:00 pm, two hours ago. We were called in about an hour and a half ago." Detective Granger finished without even glancing at any of the notes that she had taken on the pad that she held in her hand.

    Dr. Kent didn't seem to surprise while he listened to the Detective speak. Charlie assumed that once he saw her sitting in the room, he was able to fill in most of the puzzle pieces and draw his own conclusion. He seemed to take another glance at Charlie. Then he looked back at the detective. With his head he motioned for Detective Granger to follow him and he continued advancing toward Charlie.

    "Can I leave now?" Charlie turned around and asked Officer Randall right as Dr. Kent and the detective reached her. "Because I will be no help. I promise I know nothing." Charlie was really grasping at straws here. Like she said before, even if she did know anything she wouldn't say anything, so there was really no point in her still being here. Well at least that's what she came up with.

    "No," that gruff voice that she remembered belonging to Dr. Kent spoke up from behind her. "Having a missing child is the opposite of good for this hospital, so no one leaves and until she's found."

    After that comment Charlie had a lot to say. Without saying anything out loud, however, she thought in her mind, 'one... is he even allowed to keep me here, two... I really don't care what's good for this hospital, and three... Jemma is certainly not a child.' You have no idea how much Charlie wanted to say all of that but before she was able to spit the words out she was interrupted by yet another male voice.

    "Do we have anything yet?" Dean asked Detective Granger as he walked over and joined their little party. "Because we really need to have something by now." He was in a panic, Charlie could spot it from a mile away.

    "No." She responded. She then continued on addressing the small group they formed saying, "Like I said all we know at this point is that when a nurse went to go check on Jemma Willis around 7:00 pm she was gone, and no one has seen her since." Charlie watched in amusement as Dean's face collapsed, but since she was so focused on laughing at him, she didn't notice the look of thought brewing on Dr. Kent's face.

    "You know anything?" He asked her causing her to turn and face him again.

    Charlie, with an amused smile plastered on her face responded, "Nope, nothing. I know absolutely nota." Dr. Kent did not look amused and neither did the two police people that were also watching and listening to her.

    "What time did you say again?" Dr. Kent asked deciding to ignore Charlie's antics. Charlie was a little confused as to why he would be asking about the time she Jemma went missing, seeing as Detective Granger had said it like a million and one times to him already.

    "Ah... around 7:00 pm." The detective said as confused as Charlie was. That was pretty much the only piece of information she had at this point so she had kept repeating it. She was surprised that Dr. Kent would ask about it.

    Dr. Kent took one last quizzical look at Charlie before he said, still facing her, "It was that Maddox kid, she's with him. I saw him here earlier tonight, talked to him for a little bit. If she took off it was with him." And that's the result of previously mentioned setback two.