>>44040716
You're in a haze. For how long, you cannot say. You fade back and forth between consciousness. Around you there are voices, though you cannot make out what is being said. It's almost like being back in the tank again, except now there is pain, occasionally dulled out into a dull ache centered around your midsection.

You feel weak and you hate it. During the times you're awake, you feel ravenous. You aren't getting nearly the amount you need to sustain yourself. When you aren't hungry, you cannot ignore the feeling in your chest. It's all you can think about the few times you're conscious.

Time is meaningless during this stage. It could be days you've been stuck in this state; it could be minutes. There's no way for you to tell. As time passes however, the fog begins to lift. The pain and hunger are still there, but you start feeling more aware. You're in a bed. An unpleasant pull is centered around your chest along with the pain that makes it worse.

One day you awaken to find yourself in a closed room. The walls are an inoffensive beige, and the smell of antiseptic assaults your nose. You're in a bed, though you aren't strapped down. Tubes lead from IV bags into your arm, providing a slow drip of fluids and what you can only assume is some form of painkiller since, while it's unpleasant, you aren't screaming in pain.

There is a curtain slightly drawn around you, but you can vaguely hear the sounds of someone talking nearby.

>Get out of bed
>Call out to the talker
>See if there's anything of use nearby
>Write-in

>>44040886
>See if there's anything of use nearby

I thought we were going to start a new character tbqh.

>>44040886
>See if there's anything of use nearby

>>44040926
Nah, this is Ivan's story. Not to say that Ivan's safe from death or that I won't pull in a new MC, but when I was contemplating bringing in a new character I felt bad taking Ivan away from you guys.

>>44040926
>>44040938
You consider your options but aren't quite capable of making out what would be the wisest course. Roughly sighing, you settle on taking stock of anything that might be of use. Within reach are a few devices, one proclaiming "nurse call", another that just holds a single button without label. The bed is equipped to be able to adjust its positioning. Nearby several monitors gently tick away your heartbeat, blood pressure, and various other vital signs. A small table holds care objects such as antiseptic, antibiotics, and bandages of various types.

You're wearing a loose-fitting gown with a flower pattern emblazoned upon it. Wires protrude from the openings, connecting to various machines. Your chest is tightly bound by what you assume are bandages.

Whoever is talking continues to do so, a steady droning that threatens to lull you back into sleep.

Beyond that, there really isn't much to work with.

>Call a nurse
>Call out to the talker
>Press the unlabeled button
>Get out of bed
>Write in

>>44041314
>Call out to the talker
"Hello? Is there someone out there?"

>>44041314
Are we still disguised? I remember last thread there was some stuff about us becoming unstable.

Also
>Get out of bed

>>44041391
>Are we still disguised?
Nope.

>>44041422
Well, since we're not restrained I'm going to hope we're somewhere safe.

Dear god. Yo, I had the response written out and everything but my computer crashed. Give me a minute to get it written out again.

>>44041965
>Not auto-saving what you write

>>44041346
“Hello?” you call out. Your voice is raspy and you grimace at the noise. You clear your throat, dry from not talking and try again. “Is anyone out there?” Your voice still sounds weak and you hate it. Whoever is out there seems to ignore you, continuing their monologue, just barely quiet enough that you can’t make out what they’re saying. You know you’re loud enough to be heard, so a twinge of annoyance rises.

>>44041391
You call out again a few more times, to no avail. Your frustration mounting, you decide now is better than never to get up. You attempt to rise, only getting a few inches before the pain explodes across your chest again and it’s like you’ve been shot again. You try to fight back the pained whimper it causes but you can’t help it.

Finally you manage to get yourself into a sitting position and you have to rest, getting your breathing and heartbeat to a manageable level again. Now aware of your limitations, you attempt to move again, this time more carefully. It’s an embarrassingly slow process but it isn’t as painful this time as you finally force yourself out of bed into a standing position.

You draw the curtains open and take stock of the room. You’re on the far end near a few doors.

>>44042164
Light shines in through a window in the opposite wall and let out a surprised noise at what's outside. You're high up, overlooking an urban sprawl of buildings and skyscrapers. The sun pierces through the metropolis in golden spikes, reflecting back and forth in a complicated display of light and shadow. Across from you a building demands you buy Tropical Sunshine. Beneath it a woman beckons to you with one finger while holding an orange bottle in the other.

The curtain is open on the bed next to the window. A display monitor mounts the wall in front of that bed. The talking has been coming from the monitor, showing a sharply-dressed woman sitting upon a dais as various images flash around her.

You look at the occupant of the other bed and suppress the urge to jump when you realize that you recognize the occupant. It's Jacob.

He doesn't appear to be in much better shape than you. He lacks the monitors that you do, though he's still hooked into an IV drip. His dirty blonde hair looks like it hasn't been washed in quite some time.

He's been looking at you this whole time, you realize. The look on his face is intimidating. His eyes burn with a rage you recognize even in the haze of pain and hunger and subconsciously you step back.

"So you lived," he mutters darkly, his eyes not leaving you for a moment.

>"I'm sorry to disappoint."
>"I was doing what I had to"
>Ask about what happened
>Stay quiet
>Write in.

>>44042188
>Stay quiet

>>44042188
>"I was doing what I was created to do"

>>44042272
You don’t know what to say to that comment that wouldn’t cause undue strife. You’re tired, in pain, and not really up to any sort of conflict at the moment. You opt to stay quiet, the two of you staring one another down for what feels like minutes. Eventually the simple act of standing tires you out to the point you force yourself to gingerly sit back down on the bed, refusing to lay down lest the siren call of exhaustion takes you over.

>>44042393
Jacob watches your moves carefully, and eventually the heavy silence the two of you imposed upon one another starts getting to you. Perhaps it’s guilt at what you’d done. Perhaps it’s just the need to make the other understand, but at last you speak. “I was only doing what I was created to do,” you mutter.

“Bull fucking shit,” Jacob exclaims derisively. You look back at him and a fire’s joined in with the hateful look he’s been giving you. “You’re a fucking clone, not a robot! You can make your own decisions. You chose to be in that house. You chose to kill Jack and Ernie. You CHOSE to make yourself-,” he chokes on his words, and for a moment the rage is replaced by anguish. As quick as it’s there, the rage that’s been emanating from him replaces it. “You chose to pretend to be someone you murdered to get to us. So don’t give me that crock. Own your fucking actions.”

“You’re a heretic, Jacob. I don’t expect you to understand,” you retort, your own anger now starting to blossom.

“A fucking what?” he snorts and shifts so that he’s sitting up as well. “Jesus, Stella told us that you all had some fucking cult shit going on to keep you in line, but I didn’t think…heretic. I’ve never been called that one before. Oh, lord, that’s rich.”

>>44042921
You blush hotly and for a second all you want to do is shout at Jacob for trivializing you, but something tells you that if you do that, he wins. You center yourself before you allow yourself to respond. “It’s why they sent us after you. You’re heretics. You’d betrayed the Holy Order and needed to be dealt with.”

“Yeah?” Jacob asks. “And what makes me a heretic, pray tell? Is it because I don’t believe in that war and justice bullshit that Stella was talking about? You’ve got about eight billion other people in line before me if that’s your criteria.”

“No,” you deny. “You’ve been…you’ve hurt people.” It’s the best guess you can give as to why the Clergy sent you after them.

“Maybe,” he replies. “But not recently. And not anyone that wasn’t trying to kill me.”

>Ask about your location
>Ask about Sandefur and Stella
>Ask why they saved you
>Mention your hunger
>Write in

>>44042940
>Ask why they saved you

>>44042940
>Ask why they saved you
As far as I'm concerned we've still got a mission to complete.

>>44042996
>>44042940
Oh and ask if he's aware you're a one month old man who was born from a machine, taught by a machine and whose entire one month of life was spent in the garden among the brothers and sisters.


>>44043017
To be quite honest I really like the idea of being a rogue clone vigilante

>>44042940
>Ask why they saved you

>>44043193
You're actually about six months old.

>>44043266
Oh, darn.
Well still, not even one birthday yet.

>>44043288
Yeah, information on Harvest training can be found in the setting pastebin just FYI. At any rate, writing up the reply now.

Can we return to our normal shape?

>>44043554
We already did

>>44043222
>>44043017
>>44042996
"Why did you guys save me?" Jacob rolls his eyes at the question and gives a weak shrug.

"If it was up to me, I would've let you bleed out in that parking lot," he says with conviction. "But I've been told you're important. We know what MacTaggart's doing, we just don't have any real evidence. Stella and Harry had to leave that Garden place real quick, so they didn't have time to take any files or samples."

"Samples of...?" You ask, at a loss.

"Of what they're doing at your garden! Come on, you can't be that clueless. Cloning's illegal practically fucking everywhere unless authorized and the MacTaggart Corporation has an entire fucking army of war clones sitting out in the middle of nowhere."

"And how do I factor into all of this?" you ask.

"You're all the proof we need. Not only are you one of them, you're a goddamn Post at that." He gestures emphatically before snapping his arm back down in a pained gesture. He steadies himself before looking back at you. "Even if they did manage to get permission to make you, there's no way in fuck they'd be allowed to mod you like that."

>"I don't understand."
>"I don't believe you."
>Get out of there.
>Write in.

>>44043554
You reverted sometime while you were unconscious.

>>44043660
>Get out of there.

>>44043660
>"I don't understand."
>"What is this MacTaggart corporation?"
>"Why do you want to bring them down? What is your interest in this?"

>>44043660
>>44043702
second the info dump, I thought we were a cult

>>44043660
"Post? What is a post"
"i will not be the undoing of my brothers and sisters i am leaving The clergy can Rot You can ROT but i will save them."

>>44043929
>I will not be the undoing of my brothers and sisters
Yes

>i am leaving The clergy can Rot You can ROT but i will save them
I'm not sure what you're trying to say here, but I think I'm against it

>>44043954
I think he means the other clones.

>>44043999
Without punctuation it is close to unintelligible

>>44044027
I think he means "I will save my brothers and sisters, fuck you and fuck the clergy"

>>44044036
We don't really have a reason to go full on "Fuck the clergy" yet. They're our makers and caretakers, and we live to serve them. Just because some heretic is trashtalking them doesn't mean we should listen to his shit.

>>44044066
Do consider that we were shot though, and are likely to be considered traitors.
If anything the least stupid course of action would be to go out and see the world independently to gather intel.

>>44044107
>Do consider that we were shot though,
While we were disguised as a heretic. They didn't know they were shooting at us.

>>44043702
>>44043741
"What are you talking about?" you demand. It could be that he really isn't making sense. It could just be the pain and hunger, but you just can't wrap your mind around the things he's telling you. MacTaggart? Post? None of this means anything to you. Jacob's looking at you like you're the one who's insane, not him. "What's this MacTaggart Corporation?"

"You...Jesus wept," he mutters to himself. "Owen MacTaggart ring a bell?" You shake your head. "Do you at least know about the incentive programs and all that crap?" This is at least familiar and you nod, perhaps too eager than you usually would. "Great. Okay, so the MacTaggart Corporation's one of those huge-ass conglomerates. A million other different companies doing a bunch of shit. Medical research, construction, waste management, all that kind of shit. They're supposed to be in line for some huge payout from the government for all these little advances the companies keep making, all these little inroads into places that fucking *hate* the US. People have fucking been lavishing praise all over them for the things they've managed to do. Thing is, no one knows how they're doing it. IPs left and right. It's all really hush-hush."

"And once again, how does this have anything to do with me?" you ask archly.

>>44044221
"Shut up a second, I'm getting to that," he tells you. "A few months ago, Stella shows up on my doorstep. She and Ernie used to go to college together, and I run- ran- a private security company. She comes to us asking for our help, tells us all this shit that's been going on with MacTaggart. Some fucking clone cult that they've been using to smooth the road to all these advances. Corporate espionage, military operations, the works. It sounds like bullshit to me, but Ern, he's always had a soft spot for people." He smiles distantly and you wait for him to continue. "I didn't want to help at first, but she pulls out with this huge fucking bank account that she says comes from some institute or whatever, but won't tell us anything. But we got the money now, and Ern's insisting we help her out, what choice do I have?"

You nod and he continues. “So we take Stella and Harry underground. Set them up in a safe house and she starts working on something. Both of ‘em do, really, but Stella’s doing most of the grunt work. They really aren’t bad people, so we keep them around. Eventually Stella finds this weird backdoor into the Garden’s shit but can’t really copy or access files without being discovered, so she starts sending messages out to one of your guys. For the first time I start believing her, and I guess that makes it easy. Even if there isn’t a face I can put things to, they don’t seem that crazy anymore.”

He sighs. “I guess we got found out, because next thing you know, Stella’s insisting we move out. We get set up in that mansion where we’re supposed to hole up until the guy she’s talking to comes around. And the rest is history.”

“And?” You continue. “Ernesto is dead. Your entire operation is scattered. Why are you still here? Why did you not kill me in my sleep? What’s your stake in this?”

>>44044236
“Conscience of the dead, I guess,” he tells you. “Ern would have wanted me to see this through. You guys might be fucking crazy-ass killers, but you’re still people. You deserve the chance to live a real life.”

“And how am I here? Why haven’t they taken me away yet?” you ask.

Jacob shrugs. “If you’re talking about your guys, I don’t know. Maybe they think you’re dead. They set fire to the manor after we left. Maybe they don’t care. Do you mean the cops? After you got here, Stella forged an ID for you. I think they’re calling you Adam Lagunov.”

“My name is Ivan,” you tell him crossly. Jacob laughs.

>”I don’t believe you.”
>”Let’s say I believe you.”
>”I need proof.”
>Get out of there.
>Inform him you’re hungry.
>Write in

>>44044258
>Kill him

>>44044258
>Get out of there.

>>44044258
>”I need proof.”
>Get out of there, to find it

>>44044258
These
>>44044283
>>44044272

>>44044370
>>44044272
>people try to kill you
>we like them!
>people could've killed you but didn't
>we should kill them now!
I know we're supposed to be an indoctrinated clone but even indoctrinated clones are capable of basic reasoning.

>>44044272
>>44044370
Not to be a bummer, but simply standing's fucking you up, and a good part of it stems from you being dangerously malnourished. How are you gonna manage killing him?

>>44044414
We were morphed so we don't know if they even knew they where shooting at us.

>>44044437
So we've got no way to hobble over and stab his throat or suffocate him with his pillow? If we got the strength to "get out of here" we should at least be able to do this much. We're stronger than a human.

>>44044514
Well we did use a phrase that "any member of the harvest should recognize", and yet we were shot.
No but really now, what does killing him earn us?
Aside from more enmity from these guys, make it worse for us to escape, and getting us to exert ourselves for nothing.

>>44044514
>implying they didn't find the messages sent to Ivan and Sebastian
>implying they didn't separate us from the group intentionally
>implying we weren't a target too

>>44044258
>"Leave"

>>44044594
>>44044296
>>44044283
"This is..." the information's too much for you, too soon. You're hurting, your hunger seems to be growing as you sit there, and if Jacob's telling the truth, your entire world has just been turned upside down. You aren't....

"I need proof," you finally manage to get out, forcing yourself up, uncaring right now if you look weak in front of Jacob.

"What are you doing?" he demands. You ignore him, setting your determination into moving and getting away. You pull the wires off of your body and watch with satisfaction as the monitors all start winking out. With that done, you start making it toward the door, using the pole that has your various IVs as a prop.

It's a hard-fought battle, but you manage to get yourself to the door just as it flies open. Several people in scrubs flood the room, shouting at you, trying to force you back into the room.

>Comply
>Fight them
>Write in

>>44044791
>Fight them

>>44044791
>Fight your way out
Just push them away and get to the door.

BQ, do metamorphs have any difference on healing, aside from the bigger caloric needs?
Also where are we gonna get food dang, we don't have any money and we're too weak to fight.

>>44044858
>BQ, do metamorphs have any difference on healing, aside from the bigger caloric needs?
If they're within acceptable operating parameters, a metamorph can heal minor to moderate wounds, but the larger the wound, the more energy you need to do it. With Ivan's body screaming "FOOD" as it is now, attempting to do so would likely cause you to pass out.

>Also where are we gonna get food dang, we don't have any money and we're too weak to fight.
If you guys are dead set on escaping I'd comply, tell them that you need more food than they usually provide for whatever reasons, and then attempt escape.

>>44044947
I thought of that but I kinda think if we really can't escape they'll just push us onto that bed and we'll comply, if we do manage to fight it out we might as well steal some (lots of) food, clothes and hide for a while.

>>44044791
>ask to go to the bathroom
got this huge dump coming

>>44045051
>>44044858
>>44044823
You try batting them away, but moving so quickly hurts and the way your chest pulls severely limits your fighting capability. You snarl indignantly and try harder, but it's an uphill battle. Eventually you spot one of them with a syringe in hand and you balk.

"I need to use the latrine!" you say suddenly, quitting the struggle. The personnel eye you suspiciously, so you keep up the front. "I was looking for the latrine. I need to go!"

Somewhere behind you, Jacob is laughing. "There's a bedpan you can use," one of the nurses tells you. You look at your bed, and sure enough you see a small container with what looks like a steel toilet seat atop it.

"You expect me to use THAT?" you shout, and the indignance isn't really made up this time. "No, I will use the latrine, like a normal person." It takes a little more convincing, but finally the nurses leave, but only until after they see you enter the bathroom in your own room.

This is going to be more difficult than you imagined.

>Devise an escape plan [SUGGESTION TIME]
>Comply for now. You aren't in any fit state to retaliate
>Write-in

>>44045168
We may require nutrition for this escape. Demand sustenance.

>>44045168
>Devise an escape plan [SUGGESTION TIME]
Sit on the toilet and actually take a shit while you devise a plan.
Look for a window, specifically see if it's one you can open, and fit through.
Alternatively, is this a bathroom with stalls? If yes, we can sneak on someone who leaves theirs, knock them out and steal their clothes and face (no need to steal full body just face, we just need enough time to sneak past the nurses).

But really, just wonder the possibility as you take that shit, we need more info before we commit to anything as of yet.

In case nothing is possible, look for anything that can become an improvised weapon for an extreme scenario where we need to defend ourselves in the hospital. Who knows what could happen

>>44045251
This isn't exactly how you planned things to go, but then again, when do things ever go as expected for you? You take stock of the bathroom. There really isn't much here, either. There's a shower with a seat built into it. Set into the side of the shower is a steel rod, but it's bolted down. You'd need to find some sort of tool to unseat it. Set upon the rail is an oddly-shaped empty container with a wide mouth. There aren't any windows in here, and only the one toilet that you suppose you're meant to share with Jacob.

Then there's the reality that you don't know what exactly lies outside that door. Perhaps they'll allow you more freedom as you recover, but you need to know that layout as soon as possible.

You could get out of here sooner if you had enough to eat, but considering how hungry you are right now, you doubt that they even know you require more than a human does.

You sigh and evacuate your bowels for real. You suppose you could vacate through the window in your room, but you looked to be high up and you don't have the strength to support yourself even if there is a ledge.

Eventually you come out of the latrine, sullen, and Jacob laughs at you again as you struggle to get back into your bed. "Was it worth it?" he asks, amused.

"Shut up," you reply acidly. A few beats pass before finally you look up at him. "I need food."

"And what the hell am I supposed to do about it?" he asks, incredulous.

"You want me to help out this cause that you're part of. I'm your evidence, so you say. I'm not going to last long without food. I need more than you do, and I'm shutting down." It's not that bad, yet, but it's getting to the point that the pain in your stomach is equal to the pain in your chest. The two of you bicker some more before he finally relents and tells you what the nurse call button does.

>>44045714
You summon the scrub-wearing harpies and tell them you're hungry. Some time later, a rather ragged-looking woman comes in with the most ragged-looking food you've ever seen before leaving.

The food isn't that appetizing though it does something to better your mood. And what do you know? The plate's come with a plastic fork and knife!

Before the woman leaves, you inform her that you're hypoglycemic (by Jacob's advice) and some time later, another plate comes, this time with food that tastes wonderfully sweet.

You aren't near one hundred percent, but another meal or two and you might be able to risk healing yourself. You hide the fork and knife when you're sure Jacob isn't looking.

>Rest
>Speak with Jacob
>Write in

>>44045727
>Speak with Jacob
Ask about the weird display thing that talks to itself. Is it good for info gathering?

:^)

>>44045727
>Rest

>>44045727
>Rest

>>44045773
"You've never heard of TV before?" Jacob asks, exasperated. You inform him that of course you have. You've just never seen one in person before. He tells you about the different channels and the like, and you fall asleep watching the account of a group of crime scene investigators. It's highly inaccurate, but the account seems interesting.

You fall asleep to the sounds of an electric guitar and a man crooning a question of your identity.

-----

FROM THE ARCHIVE OF CLERGY STAFF
GARDEN CHRONICLES
BROTHER IVAN
CHAPTER TWO END
DO YOU WISH TO PROCEED?

>Yes
>No

>>44046077
>Yes

>>44046077
>DO YOU WISH TO PROCEED?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YMPAH67f4o

>>44046077
>Yes

>>44046129
>>44046179
>>44046213
WARNING:
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED TOP SECRET. THE DISSEMINATION OF THESE DOCUMENTS WILL BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.

------
Taking a break here, guys. Be back soon.

>>44046396
The next several days are spent resting. Whatever explanations Jacob told you to give them seem to have worked alongside the observations of your doctor, a chipper young woman by the name of Doctor Malhotra, who's put you on double rations. Your stomach no longer feels like it's going to eat itself, and your mood alongside Jacob's seemed to improved dramatically after you discover the unlabeled button administers painkillers.

You try to use them sparingly, and soon you're allowed to walk around the wing for exercise unsupervised.

The wing is guarded, but not particularly well. A lone security guard works this wing, and is relieved every six hours or so. As long as you aren't immediately noticeable, he doesn't pay that much attention to you.

The main problem is the nurse's station. A room full of supplies stands nearby, including scrubs, gowns, and perhaps something else that may be of use to you, but the staff seems to always be coming and going whenever you decide to have your walkabouts.

Regardless, the doctor tells you you'll be discharged soon, and that poses a problem. While the past few days speaking with Jacob has fostered the desire to know more, he's just as impartial as the Clergy. You can't know if he's truly being honest with you.

You do know that you need to get out of here, though.

>You're sure you have enough energy. Try healing yourself today.
>Gather more information about this wing before you try anything
>Go wherever Jacob does and attempt an escape later
>Write-in

>>44046679
>Gather more info on this wing before you try anything

>>44046679
>Gather more information about this wing before you try anything

>You're sure you have enough energy. Try healing yourself today.

>>44046679
>You're sure you have enough energy. Try healing yourself today.

>>44046776
>>44046849
While you're confident you could escape under better conditions, you still want to know just what you can do to ease your escape. You spend the next day on more walkabouts, and finally notice a lull in activity around the noon hour. There's still nurses around, but they don't seem as attentive now as they would at any other time.

You wait another day and- yes. Less people around, more complacency. You have a window.

>>44047120
>>44047108
As evening approaches and you settle into watching a news program with Jacob, your mind comes to a decision. You're doing this as soon as possible. After you've finished your meal, you glance at your companion once before settling back into bed and begin to focus.

The Gardeners could never quite explain why, but healing requires a great deal more energy to expend than a normal changing of form would. It requires intense focus and is rarely ever painless. But you're hating how weak you are. Even on the mend, you doubt you could withstand one of the orderlies holding you down long enough to administer a sedative, and you've explicitly been warned about what happens with non-compliant patients. It isn't worth the extra effort.

With a deep breath, you close out the world from yourself and begin the process. An itching sensation immediately begins underscored with an intense- but not overwhelming- pain. Your wound slowly but surely begins to close. Internal damage begins to heal.

You try to keep noises to a minimum, and Jacob doesn't seem that inclined to call a nurse to check your welfare. It takes hours, but eventually you're as healed as you can be considering the things going on around you, a sweaty, tired heap.


You remove your bandages and the scab that had formed over where they stitched and wired your ribs closed. A rather pronounced scar remains.

>Rest and use the window you have tomorrow
>It's night. Check the situation now, it could be better than what it is in the daytime.
>Write in.

>>44047466
>It's night. Check the situation now, it could be better than what it is in the daytime.

>>44047466
>>It's night. Check the situation now, it could be better than what it is in the daytime.

>It's night. Check the situation now, it could be better than what it is in the daytime.

>>44047971
>>44047776
>>44047737

You work to get yourself up to your feet. You aren't feeling that great, but once you're up you begin stretching about. It helps some. You aren't at your best, but at least you don't feel like you've been shot anymore.

You've been watching the operation of all the IVs and such they've put into you and carefully you start removing anything that might impede you. For once you aren't connected to the IV rack and that bolsters your mood some. You check on Jacob. He's asleep.

Carefully you make your way to the door and check outside. There's no one around in the hall, so you come out fully. Your wobbly steps become more surefooted as you move, and by the time you near the nurse's station, you feel much better.

Peering around the corner, you see the station's empty, save for the security guard and one nurse. Both are currently engrossed in the crime drama you've grown attached to. You watch alongside them for a couple of seconds before you slip into the supply closet.

You're quick now, stripping out of your gown and slipping into medical scrubs. You give a frustrated sigh when you see the only footwear they have are hospital slippers but you slip them on, anyway.

You look around inside the closet, but it seems there really isn't much else here besides bedding.

>Transform and slip out
>Slip out without transforming
>Write in

>>44048302
>Transform and slip out
Sheit I fell asleep

>>44048302
>>Transform and slip out

>>44048935
>>44048721
You aren't that comfortable with transforming so soon after a healing, but you don't really have much choice tonight.You focus, and your body goes through the necessary changes. You stay about the same height, but your skin gains a little extra color. Your hair lengthens out some and becomes a light blonde. A small goatee itches as it spreads over your chin while your face restructures itself to resemble one of the nurses.

Once the transformation is complete, you exit the closet and stroll over to the nurse's station. On the counter is a box of supplies you start rifling through.

"Mike?" You keep checking through the drawers until you find what you need: A scalpel unopened from its packaging. "Mike!" You decide to look up then. The other nurse and the security guard are looking right at you. "What are you still doing here? I thought your shift ended hours ago."

You grin sheepishly. "Covering a shift. Dr. Malhotra wanted one of these for some reason." You show the packaging and the woman clucks sympathetically.

"Well, try to get some sleep some time tonight. You know how the weekends are," she tells you.

"Will do," you say congenially before heading back down the hall. As soon as you're out of sight from the station, you briskly walk your way to the elevator you'd seen earlier.

As you pass your room, you pause for a moment. Against better judgment, you head in. Jacob's still asleep, so you simply write out a note and leave it on the stand next to his bed.

'Sorry. I need to figure this out on my own.
-Ivan'

With that, you head to the elevator and get in.

>Just walk out the front door of the first floor.
>Basement level. Get a car.
>Write in

>>44049508
>Write in
Is there a back door or another exit we can use that has less people or none?
I'd say the best course of action would be to exit via the most sparsely populated area and then only acquire a vehicle after we've gone further away. No need to make things even weirder here with a car theft (or make people care more, after all a stolen car could attract cops too).

>>44049508
>Basement level. Get a car.

>>44049657
>Is there a back door or another exit we can use that has less people or none?
No clue. You've been stuck on one floor the whole time.

>>44050372
Well so bsment it is

>>44050391
>>44050372
man I can't keep up any longer,
thanks for running BQ
gonna read it up on suptg later on

>>44049888
>>44050391
While you're confident that you could make it through the hospital unimpeded in this form, the chance remains that Mike himself might return tonight or someone would stop to ask you questions you're not prepared to answer. With no real knowledge of the hospital, you decide it's safest to just head to the basement level and exit that way.

It's slow going for you. As you descend, the elevator fills up and empties out periodically until at last the elevator opens up on the level you want.

The basement's decently lit, and you can see a few stairs in the distance. For a moment you're tempted to just steal a car and leave that way, but it would draw too much attention on you and you don't have that VRK that came in handy during the mission. That, and even as you navigate the structure, it's obvious this place isn't as quiet as you would like it to be.

You head for the stairs quickly enough and ascend to the outside world.

Your senses are almost immediately assaulted as you make your way out of the hospital and are spit out into a busy city street. Sounds, smell, sights all flood your sensory organs and you reel for a second, having to recover yourself.

You aren't used to this. There's no lull in noise. People jostle you left and right, and it takes everything you have not to just crack open the package in your pocket and lash out with the scalpel.

You force yourself to recover from the experience and just let yourself move with the flow of the foot traffic.

Humans are a disgusting, smelly species as whole, you learn quickly. They're loud and boisterous and you think it speaks a lot to your self control that you manage to keep a low profile as you move through the sea of humanity and focus on what you need now.

>Shelter
>Food
>Money
>Information
>Write in

>>44051081
>Money
Find some unarmed thugs to beat up, justice AND cash.

>>44051081
>Money
>Information

>>44051168
>>44051118
It's times like this that you wish you spent more time awake during the social studies courses the Garden had insisted you'd taken. You're not completely a fish out of water but things like acquiring money and shelter are a bit nebulous at best. You have no safe house, no contacts, and nothing except a probable death awaiting you both at the Garden and with Jacob's men.

You need food, shelter, and information. None of those can really be obtained for free, but you have no way to get cash legally. The thought to steal comes to mind, but the idea makes you feel even more uncomfortable than the people around you. Whether or not Jacob was speaking the truth, you were raised to uphold justice.

You start feeling overwhelmed by everything. Even though you're out in the open, the view of the city had fooled you. At ground level it's awful. This was what Sebastian had been so willing to die for?

Before you know it you've slunk into an alley. You're feeling off-balance and for the first time you realize just how alone you really are right now. You brace yourself against a wall and try to force yourself to be calm. You're useless like this.

It takes some time, but eventually you manage to calm down and let yourself sink down into a sitting position.

"Hey, you!" Slowly you open your eyes to find a man in front of you. In your panic, you didn't notice him approach you. Your wonder about whether or not he's a threat is allayed, considering he's brandishing a rather sharp-looking knife at you.

You puff out your cheeks and roll your eyes at him. "And what do you want?" you ask blithely.

"The fuck you think I want? Hand it over!" he demands.

"What?" You ask, irritated.

"Your wallet, wiseass!" he shouts.

"Goodness," you mutter, irritated as you rise to your feet.

>Inform him you don't have a wallet
>Just get this over with. Knock him out.
>It'd make you feel better if you killed him. Probably.
>Write-in.

>>44051438
>It'd make you feel better if you killed him. Probably.

Eh, I'm calling it a night, guys. See you around.

>>44051438
>It'd make you feel better if you killed him. Probably.

>>44051438
>>It'd make you feel better if you killed him. Probably.

>>44052197
god damnit, I finally manage to catch one of these and I'm still to late.

Bumping in case OP wants to keep going tomorrow.

Bump