Gupta had me in a corner.
The smarmy mongrel used his position as Hospital Director to secretly install cameras at strategic places around the building. He must have used the incriminating evidence of his staff's misdemeanours to build and strengthen his power base over the years. Now I knew why the young nurses went pale and started shaking when paged to his office, he was a power hungry pervert who's appetite for the bizarre knew no limits.
2 days ago I would have thrown Karen Millstar under a bus for the way she humiliated me years ago, but I had developed genuine feelings for her now, especially after seeing the ordeals she had endured yesterday. But now I was forced to deliver her to the evil Gupta on the false promise his private hospital is the only way her Mum could survive the virus, that she didn't even have. I tried thinking how I could save her, but kept coming up with no viable solution.
If I told the Millstars that the test was negative and Karen didn't show up, Gupta would have me arrested using the footage of me sexually abusing Karen at the Hospital. I knew one thing, I had to stay out of the cells at the remand centre, they were a hot spot of viral contagion. It would be a death sentence to be incarcerated at this time. If I lied to Karen and passed on the false test result and delivered her to Gupta, Gupta might still use that footage later on to bend me to his will. Meanwhile, Karen would be at their mercy.
Dammit!!
Yep, I was screwed. All because yesterday my cock thought it was king and I held onto a silly high school grudge. Fuck me!
With the way the world was going I decided the best approach was to survive day to day, as there was no guarantee of a future. That meant I was going to comply to Gupta's deviate plan.
I drove around to the Millstar's and thought I would let my actions speak loud and clearly, to get the Millstar's malleable so they would comply. Standing in full view in front of their house I donned the hazmat full works, independent air suit and dressed like an astronaut approached their door. Before I had a chance to ring the doorbell an ashen faced Karen, dressed in pj's opened the door and asked,
"What's going on Barry? Why are you dressed like that?"
"I am so sorry," I said, and I meant it too, then I lied to Karen,
"Your mother's test results are not good Karen, not good at all."
Karen stared back at me, "But yesterday you said it might be the flu?"
"Please, please can you check the test again?" she implored.
"Karen, the results are definite, your Mum has the most ferocious strain of the virus attacking her now, and she is in the plateau of false good heath at the moment but anytime soon she could fall off that plateau as the 2nd phase of this strain kicks in. from which there is no return," I bullshitted to her.
"Oh my God, what can we do? Please Barry, do something, please, please, please. You know I will do anything for you now, so please just ask me what you want and I will do it, just save my Mum," Karen blurted and cried.
I said to Karen, "I need you to have a chat with your parents, there is a very slim chance that our Hospital Director can get your Mum into a private health centre in the big smoke where she can be saved. We cannot save her here at Wanganooie."
"That's fantastic news Barry, Oh my god I am so happy now," Karen beamed but then saw the glum look on my face.
"What's the catch Barry, is the clinic expensive, don't worry I am sure Dad will pay whatever the cost is?" she queried.
"I have to get you to a meeting with the Hospital Director at 3pm where he can explain the process and what is required. Can your Dad go with you?" I asked, suddenly thinking that might throw a curve ball at Gupta's evil plans.
"No, silly!" said the elated Karen, "Dad has to stay here and look after Mum. Dad's right, you know Barry, you really are a saint. A dirty, sexy saint but you are the only one we have, thank you so, so much. See you at the Hospital soon. I''ll go tell Mum and Dad the bad news and the great news. Thank you again Barry, I really owe you" With that Karen skipped back into the house to give the offer of hope to her beloved parents.
I crawled out of the hazmat charade outfit and drove back to work gripping the steering wheel hard and cursing myself. Fucking Gupta.
Before I knew it, it was almost 3 pm and I was paged to reception, waiting for me there was Karen, but a highly polished, lux version of Karen. No pj's, no tee shirt and denim skirt, this was Karen dressed to impress and I was in awe. A tight black coat was worn over a white silk blouse that was open to her cleavage, with a figure hugging red skirt to just above the knees with sheer black stockings and black stilettos. It was an outfit that made Karen look so stunning. Her entry even caused some of the ill people waiting for attention to stop coughing.
"You are looking mighty fine Karen," I complimented her.
She just said, "Gotta dress to impress Barry, my Mum needs this chance and I am going out all stops to get it for her."
I took Karen to a decontamination area, a bay of intense UV lights that kills the virus on the surfaces, as we transitioned into the safe zone of the building. We knocked on Gupta's door and were summoned in. Karen's eyes went wide when she saw the opulent office and we waited while Gupta finished a conversation with a little guy who looked Chinese standing at his desk.
Gupta finally looked up, after waiting long enough for Karen and I to feel inconsequential in the large world of Gupta, and said,
"Ahh, Doctor Barry, thank you for coming, and this must be Miss Millstar. Miss Millstar please call me Gupta and this is Eugene, my business partner in the health centre Barry may have mentioned to you?"
"Ohh Dr Gupta and Mr Eugene, thank you so much, this chance means the world to us and we really need my Mum at your facility to save her...," Karen expressed from her heart and babbled on. As she was talking Gupta's eyes were devouring Karen's appearance and Eugene's face was expressionless but you could sense the way his eyes roved over Karen he was optically ravishing her.
Gupta raised his pudgy hand and Karen stopped her babbling, Gupta had her complete respect.
"Miss Millstar, we need to discuss some delicate issues first and I suggest we all do that from the comfort of the couch over there, is that OK with you?" Gupta asked.
"Of course Dr Gupta, of course, and if it pleases you Sir, please call me Karen"
Gupta waddled out of his chair and sat in the middle of the couch. He patted to his left and said sit here Karen and then to his right and looked at me.
I told myself "Buckle up buttercup, who knows where this is headed?"
I sat next to Gupta, just far enough away so his spreading mass didn't touch me, Karen however decided to sit nice and close, playing her attractive young feminine form to win her Mum the chance to live.
"Eugene, please bring the brochure of our facility over here please," Gupta requested.
A professional glossy brochure showed a classy state of the art health clinic called "Shangri_la Health and Wellness Centre of Excellence." It just oozed class, sophistication and success.
Karen squealed and kicked her heels up and down as she bounced on the couch in delight, hugging Gupta's fat arm as he showed her the brochure.
"Ohh Doctor Gupta and Mr Eugene you have such a magnificent health centre, when can we take Mum there?" Karen asked excitedly.
Eugene's eyes narrowed and said "Karen, our facility is very expensive and exclusive and we have certain conditions of entry for our guests..."
"My Dad will pay.." Karen interrupted.
"Listen to me, you small town hick chick, never interrupt me again or your mother will not be taken in by us do you understand?" Eugene spat at Karen, with an authoritarian voice much larger than his small form standing in from of her.
Karen hung her head down, clasped her hands pleadingly and said, "I am so sorry Mr Eugene, please forgive me Sir."
Eugene continued, "We have a large demand for our services and we have to be very selective about who we treat, as we have a 100% success rate that we need to protect."
"What our research has found has shown us if we test the progeny of the ill we can have a better understanding of the best treatment of the patient. So we will need you to attend the facility along with your mother, if your tests show some glimmer of hope, and after the required paperwork is completed. Do you agree Karen?" Eugene concluded.
"Yes Mr Eugene, I agree to undergo any tests you want to subject me to and to attend your facility along with my Mother, and I am sure the paperwork will pose no problem to us, thank you Sir," Karen answered.
"Good girl," said Gupta patting his hand possessively on Karen's stocking covered leg, his fingers inappropriately going deep between her legs, but Karen, so focused on what being said, didn't notice.
Poor Karen, I have led this lamb into the middle of a hungry wolf pack.
Eugene presented to Karen an official looking form titled "Shangri-La Health and Wellness Centre of Excellence Admission form for Patient and Carer"
There were so many paragraphs in fine print and Karen was trying to read through it all, confused in the jumble of medical and legal terms.
"Excuse me Mr Eugene, what does all this mean please Sir?" she asked.
Eugene answered,
"Basically Karen, upon entry to our facility, you forgo your rights and we are in charge, we decide what you do, what procedures are required and when you can be released. This way we can ensure all our treatments are completed to their full course and the patient's results are superb. Too many other clinics let their clients decide when, where and how long they stay, which sadly reflects in their poor results."
"Ohh, that makes sense, it's like when some people don't take all their antibiotics they were given, isn't it. You need the control to ensure us the best result," Karen said nodding, falling for their scheme to take control of her and her Mum.
"Yes Karen, and also with the new laws that have been rushed through now you are legally allowed to sign your mother in, as de facto powers of attorney are now granted to the offspring, as so many people were passing without their affairs organised, so your signing of the admission form will be binding on you and your mother. Do you wish to proceed?"
