Many people had it hard in life. Nobody liked to acknowledge this, but it was a fact that existed. Not all were forced to recognize it for it was, through either luck or persistence. Maybe it was a mix of the two. Troy didn't really know himself, having known about it since the sweet age of six, when he got shouted at for taking a slice of toast. Life had gone much better since then. When there was one less mouth to feed, there was one more share to distribute to the others. It wasn't like he was happy about the death of another back then. Troy didn't really know what death was, only believing his dad had gone away somewhere. That was probably better than being told that his dearly loved father was killed in a drug deal gone wrong.

The young man had only learned the truth when he had tried to join the police academy back in the day. He would have gotten in, if not for his blood relation with his dad. Too high of a risk, they had said. Troy liked to call it unfair. It had not been his fault back then, yet he was still the one having it hard.

Those memories of his probably weren't the healthy thing to think about, when it was revealed that a listening device had been in his alarm clock since the day he came into the job. It was not nice to know that everything mumbled, stated, or cried had been heard by another. And… from what Dr Hale had said, there was little doubt to who was listening in. Dr Fidelis had arranged for it.

“Why?” was all Troy could get out, his mind still not accepting what was happening. His perspective was being rearranged. If it had been there since the start, that meant everything said was known by that bloody doctor. The things Troy had said before going to bed… secrets were not sacred anymore, indeed. “Why did he do it?”

“Insurance, mostly,” Dr Hale said, her tone still not deviating from her cold facade. The young man was beginning to think that feeling was what was inside as well. How long had she known? “Privacy doesn't matter if the test is in jeopardy. Everything you have done inside here, he knows about it all. Don't worry too much about it.”

She spoke like it made sense like everything fit into place with those non-cynical words of hers. To Troy, nothing was making sense. It was all chaos, and his brain could understand a single part of it. The shower once again called for him, but that was ignored. Going back would not change what had already happened. He needed to deal with it now. With all the problems fixed, no more would come again, surely. It just needed to be swept by.

“Could you-” Troy said, doing his best to not crack his neck with the pressure his muscles were tensing with. It was jaw-clenching, anxiety-driven, and more than just eye-widening. He was not doing fine, and the blood vessels on his body were very aware of it. Maybe it was a good thing that the man was cut off before he could spend more air on such a meaningless thing as talking.

“Shut up,” Dr Hale ordered, not having any form of patience in her. She seemed ready to hold a hand over his mouth and throat if that was required for him to quiet down. As Troy was more than happy to sit still and actively disentangle himself from what was happening mentally, this did not come to fruition. “We have twenty seconds to work with before the emergency recorders kick in. In that time, I have several things to say. Nod if you understand.”

Troy nodded hastily, not wasting any time. Audience interaction was important after all, and wasting the actor’s time was not a very nice thing to do.

“Good,” Dr Hale said, only taking half a second pause before she continued talking. “Whatever I say, whatever I mention, whatever I do, you will not make any statement about it unless I give you express permission to. Act like every word is being recorded, no matter where you are. And act as nothing happened here. As the last thing, I am sorry for what happens after this.”

Dr Hale seemingly took a moment to look at her watch, in which Troy was allowed the reprieve of her intense stare. She was being scary, in the simplest of terms. Her actions were on a timer for some reason, and he could not figure out why.

“What happens,” Troy began to ask, beginning to stand up in the process. It was a failed attempt, however. For the second time that day, Dr Hale lashed out at something. Thirty seconds earlier, it had been the alarm clock. Now, it was his stomach, and Troy did not doubt that the same amount of force had been used.

The pressure did not allow sound to come out of him, only air and spittle being the projectiles. Dr Hale dodged it all easily, stepping to the side as Troy fell down on the ground, his throat finally allowing him to whimper in pain.

“Don't question what I say,” Dr Hale shouted, sounding like a figure Troy did his best to forget at night. “You will be forced out of this place one way or another. I propose it goes down peacefully. If you want, you can get it to be a death sentence instead. I await your answer soon. Now, get up from the ground and follow me. We have breakfast to get to.”

“Yes, ma'am,” Troy said instinctively, not truly realising that he had said anything. His stomach hurt too much, and his muscles were working on memory that had been attained long ago. It was pitiful, but not nearly enough for the other actor to break the curtains.

The young man took his time getting up, several attempts needed before the core muscles wanted to work properly. Each time Troy got halfway, the abs would be needed for balance. Attempts would be made, and they were painful enough to create a spasm. Halfway through, he had nearly given up. It was only the stern glare that made him rise to his feet. There were no words of encouragement for the achievement, only a continual glare that walked away towards the door. Troy did his best to ignore both the pain and what had been said, as he followed.

Taking the first five steps was likely one of the hardest actions done in a long time, not because of lacking willpower but due to lacking flesh. The stomach was in a state repair, the body trying to relax the muscles so they could be healed. If such an event happened, there was no doubt that Troy would be back don't on the ground, a kick to the back soon to follow. Maybe it was that fear which held him up. Troy wasn't actually sure if it would happen or not, the experiences felt before not being on the same terms as the current ones. During the old days, he would be made to lie on the ground, not to make a single sound. The people were different as well. That had to mean something. Maybe Dr Hale would be benevolent, and act like she couldn't see him on the ground, continuing to walk towards the cafeteria. They still had time before they needed to be there after all. Troy could stay and rest for a minute or two.

…

No, he didn't want to risk it. They had come to the point where other people were coming near. If Troy went down the sides of a wall, it would be taken as sudden injury by others, causing too large of a ruckus. If he wanted to collapse, he should have done it earlier. The only way now was to move in rhythm to Dr Hale, the one who could have done it differently.

The two were getting closer to the cafeteria, and Troy was doing his best to suck up the pain. Thinking happy thoughts were never destined to work, but that fact never stopped him from trying. Thoughts about family recipes, cute puppies, and the eradication of tea did not do much for the torment, but his mood did take a dip upwards. No twitches came to his facial expressions, and his stomach had decreased its convulsions. With the more baggy clothes being worn, it would be looked at as if nothing was amiss. Or so he hoped. The only one to tell would be time if Troy needed to prepare for a second strike. It was supposed to be an act, but it felt more than just real to him.

Inside the cafeteria sat Charlie, looking as cheerful as ever. No Darlow though, letting the three of them be alone. Even more curiously was the lack of people around them, the tables being empty. With how crowded it was in other sections, it was like they were being swayed away from them by the people close. Had they done something as of late which would cause such a thing? Troy would have guessed that Dr Hale being newly released would have caused a surge of interest, but it looked to be the direct opposite.

“I have been told your body is well up and running again, Mara,” Charlie said, as Troy and Dr Hale sat down at the table, both having gotten their share of breakfast. The youngest of the three had taken a healthy portion, larger than normal, no matter what pains it brought to his stomach. Such things were not important when it was known they would pass with time. Toughing it out was an option that worked in this scenario, so there was no reason not to use it.

“Why would you think that?” Dr Hale said, not sounding curious at all. She had been long gone from the furious shouting seen only a few minutes earlier. “And call me Dr Hale, please. Even you should be able to remember that.”

To the best of Troy’s ability, he could not see anything different with her from the other days. It was as if what transpired had been entirely forgotten, replaced by the usual jabbering those mornings carried. Only the pain in his body made the young man positive that it was not a delusion.

“Even if I may not like it, I hear what the grapevine has to tell. And it tells of the news most disturbing,” Charlie said dramatically, a hand on his chin and a smile on his face. Yet it was not one of the usual degrees, instead muted and only there to be polite. “Dr Hale, you must realise that it will not go down because you said it will. While I can make excuses, anything I am able to prescribe you wouldn't have caused that reaction.”

“What happened?” Troy asked, trying to fit in the role he usually fulfilled. It was hard, the act of leaning forward not the most pleasant of experiences. Yet, the young man thought he made it look natural enough. The look Charlie gave him was most certainly one of notice.

“Your dear friend decided to take matters into her own hands when rumours about her absence began being made. And you can safely take that literally,” Charlie explained, the additional sentence not bringing much hope to what she could have done to deserve that fragile smile. The muscular man was very clearly only bringing his grin up out of habit. “When one of her… fans met her, the fan decided to ask the wrong question. This landed the poor bastard with a broken set of fingers and a shattered mentality. Some who watched it happen say she made him cry like a little-”

“I broke his fingers and informed him of needing to be quieter in the future. That was all,” Dr Hale retorted, cutting into what Charlie had begun saying. If it was the tone he used or the words being said, something had caused her to not want to hear anymore. Yet her tone was not aggressive, being closer to sound like one was repenting.

“'That's all?`” Charlie repeated as if it was all some sick joke. “Ma- Dr Hale, you need to get your superior to help you sort this out. I cant help you here. The guy already said he reported you. With nothing more to take away, the only real option is for them to-”

“You don't need to say it,” Dr Hale cut in yet again. What was it that caused it, Troy wondered. Was it the consequences of not wanting to be heard out loud? Maybe she had already thought about it too much. The young man could understand needing a cover for destroying the alarm clock, but why did the 'fan` need such treatment as well? More insurance? It didn't make sense. “I already know.”

With the conversation looking to be over, Troy leaned forward a bit more to make sure none of his oatmeal got spilt. It was hot after all, and getting it on his clothes would only end in pain. Pain which he was already feeling, his stomach not appreciating the sudden stop of relaxation. The reaction for it was a hand over his abs, and it did not go unnoticed.

“Do you have something you want to tell me, Dr Hale,” Charlie said, this time sounding more serious. The smile was already gone, with it the eyes matching the rest of the face.

“I don't feel I have anything to add, no,” Dr Hale answered, matching the stare being given. It was the first time that-

“Troy,” Charlie said. “Do you know why she did it?”

“She had a good reason,” Troy said hastily, causing glares from Dr Hale. A glare which did not go unnoticed by Charlie in the slightest.

“I do doubt that. How about you sit over on my side today?”

The move was not questioned. Troy was glad that there were no stares from people that day. He was not sure he could have kept his mouth shut by then. The act would have been up in the air if that happened.