Night Ward: Welcome to Amity House

Secret Meetings

It wasn’t often that he got out of the facility. Nor was it often that he actually made an appearance in town, Frank Stein hated to leave the comfy confines of his office for these three month meetings. Why his boss wouldn’t show at Amity House was beyond him. Instead he chose to meet at a little coffee house in the middle of the small town they were located in.

  Thankfully for Stein, nobody in the town was aware that there was government housing for vampires in their own back yard. Everyone that passed by the facility just assumed that it was a nursing home, which was fine with him. Just like the last few months Stein sat at the little table in the Well drinking his chai tea latte that he always got when he came in, waiting for his boss to turn up. He could be doing paper work, he thought to himself as he took another sip.

   Patience was never his strong suite and if it had been any other person Stein would have already left but just as he was convincing himself that it would be worth any punishment when the man was there sitting down across from him and setting a briefcase and black trench coat on the chair beside him.

“Stein,” he said sternly as he motioned to the waitress for his coffee. “I’m glad you stayed. Tell me about the house.” Waiting until the waitress walked off Stein took another sip then began to his boss about how everything was going for these past few months. “What about this new doctor?” the man asked taking his drink from the waitress and nodding to Stein.

“Dr. Vent is working out perfectly. I couldn’t ask for a better man.” Stein said curious as to why Drake had been brought up.

Taking a swallow of coffee his boss asked. “How was Dr. Vent selected?”

“The same as the others sir, his name was brought to our attention.” The man regarded Stein for a moment taking a drink then narrowing his eyes he brought up the reason they were having this meeting.

“Hughes is a liability.” the man said frankly.

“Sir?” Stein asked confused.

“It seems that Howard has been doing research on your patients and I want it stopped. He claims to have found the “fountain of youth.” If it were to get out then we would be ruined.” the man said as he stirred his coffee.

  Stein sat unmoving as his boss continued to tell in detail the things going on in the facility that he, himself, was unaware of. If something didn’t happen soon Stein would be considered obsolete and be sent to the archives. He needed to get a hold of the situation. “Frank,” his name being called had him jerking back to the problem at hand.

 “Sir.” He said giving his full attention to his boss.

“I asked if you could take care of it?” the man demanded taking a deep drink of his coffee.

“Of course sir. I’ll have it dealt with right away.” Stein answered swallowing the sudden lump in his throat.

“Good.” The man said relaxing a little bit and reaching for his briefcase. “I have something for you.”

He said reaching in and pulling out a folder. Stein took the folder with shaky hands. Opening it he gasped then stared at his boss.

 “Sir?” he asked unsure of what else he was supposed to do.

“She will be moving back. Money’s been paid and her papers were accepted.” He said as he began to gather his stuff to stand.

“But what about the others? There will be questions and anger. She won’t understand.” Stein finished more to himself which had his boss pausing in his chair.

“Frank, I don’t pay you to care. I don’t pay you to ask unnecessary questions.” He said rising. “I do, however, pay you to keep those freaks locked up and that b***h under control. Now if you can’t do that then kindly allow me to replace you with someone who can.” He waited only long enough to see Stein shake his head obediently.

“Yes, I will sir.” Stein assured him as his boss took one last drink of his coffee, picked up his brief case and left the same way he came in, thru the back.