Baby Baby (IC)

[Sandman XI]

Trinity was the hospital you had to go to, not the hospital you wanted to go to. The HMO paid for the services and you received them. Elizabeth Skillman, the hero known as Muse, was not here for a medical visit though. She was here tending to a friend from high school she hadn't seen in forever. The girl worked as a nurse and needed a ride home after her shift was over. Elizabeth was glad to help an old friend. It was closing in on dusk time when she got there. She went to the maternity ward while she waited for her friend to finish up. And some how, while she couldn't help but go d'awww at the cute little babies. There was an air of wrongness here. The same she felt a few months before. There was no flash of visions yet, but that gut feeling was there.

[KnightDisciple]

Meanwhile, one floor up, Carson Keefe was visiting Lawrence. Lawrence was one of the kids who he'd worked with in his mentoring program; he was a good kid, and his family had hit some good luck recently, finally able to move to a slightly nicer home up in the West End. Lawrence had been doing better in school, or so his regular emails to Carson said. Right up until he had a freak accident that broke both collar bones and left him sitting in a hospital bed with essentially nothing to do. He still had another week before the casts came off, but he was in solid spirits.

"So then, Connor tries to recover his senses, but when you've fainted like that, it's hard. He shakes his head, and starts reciting his lines...in French! It took him a good minute to get himself sorted out. We still tease him about it occasionally."

Lawrence laughed at Carson's story.

"Wow Mr. Keefe, I didn't think theater rehearsals could be so weird."

"Well, the theater is a superstitious bunch of folks. They figure it's better to have all your problems early, so you can have good luck on opening night. You know that bit about not saying "good luck" opening night? It's true, or it has been for me. Well. I don't necessarily subscribe to the idea, but a lot of people I know do, so I figure it's better to go along. Otherwise, self-fulfilling prophecy and all that."

Even as he regaled the youth with stories of misadventure in his own younger days, he couldn't help but worry a bit. Something had felt off a bit the whole day; originally, he hadn't planned to visit Lawrence today, but something in his heart told him he needed to be at this hospital today. But why?

[Sandman XI]

Strange things were afoot in the hospital that day. A small time crime family, the Beauchamps, was trying to lay low after a bad deal with another small time family, the Diavolos. The Beauchamps knew something that not many knew. The Diavolos were demons! Still they were laying low, trying not to catch their attention. Mia Beauchamp was with child and the blessed event was going to happen today. Little did the Beauchamps know, the Diavolos had sent a 'gift' for them. The nurse on call for the delivery was one of the Diavolos. The real nurse had been drained of her life force and melted away in some profane act. The birth went off without a hitch, but what happened afterwards was something right out of a horror story! When the baby nurse took the baby away from the mother, the baby nurse transformed into a beautifully horrifying demon! It cradled the babe in a pouch in it's stomach as the rest in the room screamed in horror. The demon then turned back into the nurse, though she looked very with child, and walked out of the room. The hospital was quickly put on lock down as they searched the building for the shapeshifting woman trying to escape. They tried to keep the news down, but word travels fast in situations like these. Soon everyone knew why the hospital was in a state of emergency.

[KnightDisciple]

Carson frowned at the announcement, and at the worried chatter he heard outside the door. He turned to face Lawrence, who also looked worried.

"I'm going to go check on what's going on with the nurse. I think you'll be fine in here, but just press your call button if you need anything, okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Not like I can do much else anyways, Mr. Keefe."

"Chin up, kid. You'll be fine in no time."

With that, Gabriel was out the door. And boy, was it a madhouse. Doctors and nurses rushed everywhere, checking on patients. Gabriel briefly stopped one to make sure someone could keep an eye on Lawrence. He was, of course, able to smoothly talk his way out of going to some sort of special lockdown room. With ease, he slipped through the crowd, quickly finding an empty hallway to duck down. An empty patient room at the end gave him a handy place to stash his clothing and backpack after he changed. He was getting disturbingly good at ducking into rooms to change on the fly. With ease, he slipped back out, checking the hall before striding back into a more populated area. A couple of nurses at the station saw him and seemed to wave him over, so he quickly moved to speak with them.

"I'm here to help. Call me Gabriel. What information do you have about the situation?"

[Sandman XI]

The woman Gabriel was talking to was obviously nervous, but trying to keep a straight face. She smiled warily, "You're... you're a hero right?" She sighed relieved., "Tank you for showing up, I don't know how you didn't, but you're a much welcome surprise. The hospital has been locked down. No one's been allowed to leave the floor they're on. We here some talk about a monster," she leaned closer to him and whispered, "and a baby being stolen." She kept a straight face as other nurses walked by. Hopefully they did not hear her. "The news is not supposed to be out," she whispered again after her fellow nurses walked away, "So if you could find out what's going on and how we could stop... whatever, It would be greatly appreciated."

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel nods with a gentle smile at her first question.

"Yes, I'm a hero. I was close by when I noticed the hospital locking down. Call it instinct, or perhaps guidance, but I decided to stop by."

He listened as she gave a brief description of the situation. When she mentioned a "monster" stealing a baby, his face hardened, though any anger present was clearly not directed at the nurse.

"Which floor is the maternity ward on? I'll work my way there, and perhaps find something on my way."

As soon as he's given directions, Gabriel will make his best speed through the halls towards the maternity ward, or at least the same floor. He'll make sure to use the stairs, in hopes of catching some hint of the baby-stealing beast stalking this house of healing.

[Sandman XI]

Unfortunately, Gabriel did not make it to the stairs. He was stopped by a guard. "Woah woah woah right there," the smug portly rent a cop said, "Where are you going all dressed up for Halloween? The costume contest was last month." Gabriel could not help but feel uneasy about the rotund man's attitude. "No seriously, you can't use the stairs. Don't you know we're trying to keep the hospital safe here?"

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel managed to, just barely, keep his sigh internal. The guy was being a jerk, but it was a rough situation. He quickly tried to ease the guard's fears.

"Okay. I know this is a lock-down. But I'm a superhero. See?"

He held one hand up, and created a sphere of compressed, contained sound waves, before releasing it with a loud *pop* that didn't quite fit the more violent appearance it had carried.

"I heard about the emergency. I'm here to help. If it would make you feel better, I can check in with your fellow security guards at each floor I go to. Would that work? There's a little baby out there right now who needs help. I'm here to help, and I have the means to do so. Please, let me help."

He gave the guard a sincere, even pleading, look.

'I hope this works...'

[Sandman XI]

Well blow me down, the poor cop thought, what am I doing? Unknown to both men a little imp popped out of the man's body and scurried away. "Sorry about that Gabriel," he said scratching his head. "Here," he looked around to see if no one was looking and then opened the door, "I assume you know the problem, so I'm gonna let you through and tell the other guys. God speed, Gabriel."

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel smiled, and patted the officer on the shoulder.

"No harm done, sir. You're just doing your job. I'll go do mine now. Thank you for your help."

With that, the white-clad man quickly slipped into the stairs, stopping a moment to recall his directions, before taking the stairs towards the level of the Maternity Ward. He had a baby-stealer to catch.

[Sandman XI]

The officers nodded Gabriel in. When Gabriel was walking around the maternity ward, he saw a familiar face walking around. It was Muse, sans mask. She saw him too. She was shocked to see him. He was the one she saw when she had her last vision. Now he was here again. This bodes well, she thought walking over to him. "Gabriel," she whispered worried, "what's going on? The air of evil is back. They haven't told us anything here other than the place was locked down for emergency. But you're here, what do you know?"

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel nodded in return, walking over to Muse. He kept his voice low as well.

"Not a whole lot more. But a nurse said she heard a rumor...that a monster had grabbed a newborn baby. I cam here to see what I could find out, and to try to start hunting it down. I know you've got a knack for this as well. Anything you've picked up yet?"

He kept his gaze roaming around the room; there was no telling what might be going on...

[Sandman XI]

"An air of wrongness aside, nothing yet," Muse shook her head, "I have not seen a monster yet. And definitely not one with a baby." She sighed, "It seems like it's happening all over again." She started to walk the halls, "You remember last time? How the... thing said we'd pay? Or something like that? I think this is just the beginning. I can feel it."

[KnightDisciple]

"An air of wrongness aside, nothing yet," Muse shook her head, "I have not seen a monster yet. And definitely not one with a baby." She sighed, "It seems like it's happening all over again." She started to walk the halls, "You remember last time? How the... thing said we'd pay? Or something like that? I think this is just the beginning. I can feel it."

Gabriel frowned, and shook his head.

"We can't be sure how connected it is. That's not my child that disappeared, and neither is it yours. We need to try to pick up its trail, and soon. Should we just search, or should we try asking questions of those who observed the creature?"

He would, for the moment, defer to Muse's lead, as she seemed to have a better handle on things overall. Still, her focus on the lingering threat from the demon a couple months back didn't really help them here and now.

[Sandman XI]

"No talk of what room was actually invaded," Muse answered him quickly. She focused, trying to quantify the evil energy. "Though if my hunch is right I can find it right quick. Though the nurses don't want anyone snooping around." She looked to Gabriel, "How did you get in here? Wait, never mind. Too much inquiry into the personal life thing. Unspoken code. I know." She sighed, "Can you put in a word for me with the nurses so i can get around here? I can be your plucky sidekick for the adventure." She smiled trying to get the dread feeling out of her head.

[KnightDisciple]

"Suffice to say, I'm here now thanks to my excellent negotiation skills. Let's hope those carry the same weight now."

Quick strides brought him over to some nearby nurses. He turned his smile up to "full wattage".

"Hello ladies. Could I perhaps ask a few quick questions? My name is Gabriel, and I'm here to help find this missing child."

[Sandman XI]

The nurses looked to Gabriel with a bit of sparkle in their eye. He was quite pleasing to the eyes and ears. It was quite obvious with one of the though. She sported a blush, she shushed him. "Shhh," she whispered, quickly looking around to see if anyone had heard that and then looked to him with a faint smile, "No one knows that on this floor. How you got in here or even know that, I don't know. But don't go spreading discord in my maternity ward, you hear?" She leaned into his ear, "I can take you to the room, but only you. It would look bad on me if I took more than one in there."

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel glanced towards Muse for a moment, then back to the nurse. He gave her a nod, and another smile. When he spoke, he made sure his voice wouldn't reach.

"I got in here because I'm a resourceful hero. And I promise, no discord."

He held one hand up as if swearing to tell the truth in court.

"Yes, please let me take a look. I need to see what I can figure out. Time is of the essence."

His face slips into a more serious expression, and he will quickly follow the nurse; hopefully, he can find some manner of clue once he arrives.

[Sandman XI]

The nurse smiled thankfully and nodded him towards the room. It was a couple of halls over, but a short enough walk. The nurse did not talk to Gabriel, but it was obvious that she was smitten with him. When they reached the room she opened the door. She let him in. Suspiciously the room was empty. The suspicion wore off when the door closed and the woman grabbed him, slamming him into the wall. She changed into a unearthly looking woman with giant leather wings. She was tall enough to stand eye to eye with him as her forearm crossed his neck. "Silly mortal," she said in an almost guttural voice, "do you think it would be that easy?" She planted a deep kiss on him, one that he had never felt the likes of before and probably would never have again. It felt of pure lust. The vice itself was dragging his soul into the Abyss. Gabriel somehow fought through it though. "We've hidden the child. And you cannot stop us from birthing it again." She smiled while a sharp toothy grin. "Just know mortal. You are being watched now." With that the beast disappeared.

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel frowned at the clearly empty room.

"There's nothing in-"

And then a demon lady slammed him against the wall and assaulted his mouth.

"Ugh! Off, foul demon! In the name of the Lord!"

His eyes widened slightly in panic at her mention of "birthing it again". He rubbed his wrists after the creature disappeared. He closed his eyes for a moment, and laid a hand over the crucifix under his shirt. His mouth moved in silent prayer for perhaps 30 seconds, before his eyes opened once more.

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen."

With that, Gabriel strode out the door, slamming it against the wall as he stalked back towards Muse. His coat trailed behind him like the wings of an angry archangel...

When he caught sight of Muse, he immediately spoke to her with his unique ventriloquism.

"The nurse was a demon. She stated we're being watched, and said something about how they've hidden the child, and we won't find it before it's "birthed again". And I don't think they mean in the purely spiritual sense."

His face, once Muse caught sight of it, was contorted in barely-controlled anger. Clearly, he was far from happy with many things.

[Sandman XI]

Muse grimaced when she was left behind. She talked with the nurses trying to learn other things from them, but they couldn't tell her anything. She tried to keep spirits light even though the feeling of dread was upon her. She also entertained others, they were stuck in here also. She told jokes, juggled things and was generally a good sport, even though there was a 'monster' running around. When she heard Gabriel in her head, she perked up and groaned warily at the same time. When she saw him, she smiled, glad that he didn't look worse for wear. She looked concerned also, "We should stick together if we're being watched," she whispered to him, "being caught alone would be bad." She looked him in the eye with a sense of worry, "Did the demon look like the thing we confronted last time?"

[KnightDisciple]

By now, Gabriel is standing close enough he can simply speak normally, albeit still at low volume.

"We definitely need to stick together, yes. And...no, not really. I mean, there were vague thematic similarities, but nothing specifically similar. Come on. Time is more precious than ever, we need to move."

With that, he set off to...he stopped, then turned back to her. His face displayed frustration that was ready to boil over to anger.

"I have no idea where to look. Where do we go from here? What can we do?"

[Sandman XI]

Muse could feel the evil energy more now that Gabriel was close. Not that he was the evil energy, but apparently he was radiating it. Like a faint aura. "Hold on a second," she said grabbing his wrist. She closed her eyes and it looked like she was focusing inward. She began to glow with a silver and golden aura. The people who saw this stepped and stared. Wondering what would happen next. As if not to disappoint, when she opened her eyes to reveal a flame that glowed the same as her aura. She saw every infernal beast within a two mile radius. She looked to Gabriel, happy he was not one of them. She smiled to him, "Follow me." lightly she took him by the hand and booked it down the hall. They reached an area that was restricted. She growled, "They're in the back. Twenty of them. They've all propagated here." She looked to Gabriel, "You've got to knock this door down." She didn't tell him the most obvious thing. A group of the infernals were coming to meet them.

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel quirked an eyebrow as Muse tweaked her abilities to locate their enemies. He followed silently until they stopped in front of a door.

"One door, coming down."

He raised a hand, and with determination set upon his face, blew it off the hinges with a solid blast of sound. The creatures inside, wearing human form, turned in surprise.

"In the name of God, I bid thee begone!"

He tossed his hand, and a horribly loud sound went off right in the middle of the group, though it was strangely much quieter by the time it got to Gabriel and Muse. The "people" in the room clutched their ears in pain, shaking their heads as they tried to gather their wits.

"In the name of Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel, the Virgin Mary, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, BEGONE!"

Gabriel's impassioned rebuke was interspersed with further blasts of sound, similar to the one he broke the door down with. One by one, the figures in the room were blasted back into the walls, slumping down into unconsciousness, until the final figure took a point-blank blast into the chest, and flew what must have been 10 feet or more through the air before the wall stopped him.

Gabriel turned to face Muse with a light smirk.

"That's 8."

[Sandman XI]

Muse covered her ears quickly enough to not get deafened and blown away. Though Gabriel's noisy intrusion was noticed by everyone in the building! She nodded quickly there were people surrounding a makeshift room. It looked like one of them had cut open a woman's stomach and two others were reciting some profane speech. The last one held the newborn. It lowered the baby into the woman's hole in her stomach. the rest would have been watching on if not for Gabriel's entrance. They looked angered. after the babe was laid down, the two profane speakers stopped what they were doing and closed the woman up. The one who placed the child there grinned, "[bg=#000000]Let us commence.[/bg]" The rest that were watching turned two Muse and Gabriel. They looked like they were not about to let the two through.