Intern at S.T.A.R. Labs

As our protagonist has carelessly gone to sleep, quite early at that, we move to the hospital where the detect- Private investigator is visiting.

'Alright, put on the charm Dibney'. Ralph says in his head as he walks to the reception. The receptionist was a pretty nurse , young, probably new here, the perfect person to charm and get info out of he thought.

"Hi , could you do me a favor sweetheart and tell me which room is Mrs. Smith in? No rush". Smiling as he looked at her.

" Yes , Mr.??" the receptionist asked.

"Dibney. Ralph Dibney". Mf thinks he's bond .

" She is in room 305, the lift is right there next to the vending machine".

" Thank you sweetheart, have a nice day". As Ralph started walking away when he double backed to ask her another question .

" Sorry to bother you but is there somewhere I can buy some food. I'm visiting my friend John and his sick mother and I'm worried he hasn't eaten anything ". Ralph claimed with tears forming in his eyes, crocodile tears.

" Oh my , I've heard about that lady's case, her son visits her everyday, never knowing if she will be there tomorrow. Such a sad fate." Even the nurse started shedding tears, clearly someone didn't train her well.

" I know, I try my best to be with him, especially in his time of need. **Sob** So.. could you lead the way to the cafeteria ."

"Sorry not now, my shift ends in half an hour , meanwhile you can sit in the waiting area."

" Yeah, I'll just go to the bathroom before, need to wash my face". Ralph walks away, again, this time not turning back. With sole purpose of snooping around he had arrived and now he has not one but two excuses to be around. He starts going door to door looking for anybody suspicious while not looking suspicious himself, waiting and reading magazines every few rooms.

The nurse walks in , room 305, John sat by his mothers side holding her hand as he notices the nurse and makes room for her to do the check-up. The nurse still not talking, blankly does her thing . A few minutes pass as the nurse gets ready to leave.

" Nurse. " John calls to her.

" Yes son?" Catherine calls in a plastic demonour.

" Nothing sorry".

" I'm here anytime you're ready son." She walked to the door but double backed to talk to John.

"Since it's a quiet night , not many patients in need, do you mind if I sit with you?". Catherine requested.

John nods and she takes a seat on the other side of the bed.

" Do you have any other family?"

" If I did they would be here. She's all I have."

" What about friends, someone you can call?"

" No, not today, they are probably busy at work. They did come a few weeks ago, all of them.".

" It's nice to have friends who cares, a second family of sorts ".

Catherine gets up and walks to his side, standing behind him. Shift in strategy perhaps. As she touched his shoulders trying to give him a massage.

"You don't need to, I'm fine ". John said trying to stop her but she continued.

" The burden you carry must weigh you down a lot. If your friends truly cared they would help you carry it, wouldn't they?" Catherine's words were like darts, thrown aimlessly hoping to hit a bullseye.

" Nah my friends, they do what they can. Devin and Jacob lent me money for her bills, Chris hooked me up with a good insurance agent for this hospital and Adrian , he's just as worried as me , he was there with me for a whole week here, even went to his interview half asleep cause he was with us." John reminisces abouy his amazing group of friends.

"I do remember that Adrian kid too, he had me worried with the amount of coffees he drank in that week. You must have done a lot of good in your past life to have such treasures as friends."

" Yeah, I do. Still, I'd give it all up just to see her walk again."

" Are you sure you could give them up for your mother's sake?".

" Heck, even if I couldn't my friends would beat the shit out of me if I didn't make that choice. Putting a stone on their heart they'd wave me goodbye as I walk off to –"

They hear a bang at the door but no one seems to be visible.

" What was that?" John wondered as he walked to the door. He opens the door to the walkway, no one nearby, just the regular stalf doing their work. He noticed the sudden change in the smell of the outside air as he walked back to his seat.

" So you were saying?" Catherine trying to continue the conversation.

" Yeah, my friends are the best ". John smiled .

" Anything else?" Catherine barking on a dead tree now.

" Well, I noticed the outside of the room smells different, did you guys change something?". John wondered

" Oh that, someone must have left a window open letting the outside air in, there's the cafeteria kitchen a few floors below. That's probably what you smelt".

" Yeah probably ".

The nurse got up and left the room. As she walked the hallway, looked around and discreetly disposed off a white package in the dustbin. It looked like an air freshener packet but actually was a drug , a concoction which caused oxytocin levels to drop and increase in Norepinephrine , leading to mood swings and depression. Her plan had almost climaxed if not for the sudden interruption, yet she was not noticebly angry. Her real goals were beyond normal person's train of thought.

Meanwhile almost thirty minutes ago in the cafeteria Ralph sat with the receptionist nurse.

" Guess what we found in her boat right after the arrest. It was Sea shells. Ha haa. She was selling sea shells off the sea shore" The nurse and Ralph laughed at the absurdity of such a crime.

" Hahahaha, oh my lord. So was it actually just sea Shells?" She inquired.

" No there were drugs in them."

" That makes sense".

"Yeah, I told the reporters that the next day news tagline should be , " Woman caught pedalling produce from an Offshore shell company" . I told them it would sell a gill-ion copies". Ralph keeping the pun train going fueling the laughter of the receptionist.

" Oh , haha, oh my. I haven't laughed this much in ages." The receptionist responded wiping her tears.

" Hey what can I say , I'm shrimply irresistible" Ralph launched another fish pun expecting her to bawl out laughing again.

" You could say, you're one in a krillion". Receptionist unexpectedly bounced back with a fish pun too. To no one's surprise they both laughed at their fishy jokes. Ralph too busy flirting forgetting both of his objectives to actually be there, first his own investigation and second helping Adrian's friend.

" Well it's getting late, I better get my friend his dinner". Ralph noticed the clock as it had been a while .

" Sorry I can't walk with you my break was only 15 minutes and it finished 10 minutes ago." Receptionist replied.

" No problem Gina, I know my way around." Ralph said getting up. Receptionist name is Gina apparently.

" Oh wait." Gina quickly grabbed a fresh tissue and writes something on it.

"H-here , my email. If you ever have time message me". Gina got up and walked away hiding her red face. That was a very bold move for her, go Gina. Ralph smirks as he puts the tissue in his breast pocket, 'Still got it' he thought as he walked off to check the hospital rooms. He grabs the plate with the sandwich he bought for John. If anyone asked he would say he's getting lunch for someone but got confused where the room is.

Making his way through the hallways, first floor nothing, second floor he got questioned but no issue. Nothing out the ordinary on both floors made him question if the supposed supplier is just not here today. Finally after looking across some rooms on the third floor he starts walking to 305. Delivery from muffin man ,is what he was about to say when he opened the door but to his surprise, a familiar face.

"Sea shells girl?" Ralph whispered in surprise, though not for long as he immediately got tackled on the door.

"Ya shouldn't be poking yur sniffer where it don't belong boy" said the man as he pointed a gun by Ralph's back and walked him to the room besides them. After hearing the ruckus Nurse Catherine walked out the room but found no one.

Ralph now wondering he was flirting with a beautiful cute girl only minutes ago and now he is in a empty hospital room with a gun pointed at him. Excuses and stories start flowing through his head to de escalate the situation as best as he could. Let's see what the Private Eye comes up with next week.