Insanity

[Brian]

"Doctor?" someone asks, sounding relaxed.  "Inspector Holmes sent us 'round to look in on you!"  As Nathan goes around the corner to the stairway, he sees four men in sturdy-looking coats -- possibly armored, hands on revolvers.  No weapons are drawn, and one of them is binding the wrists of the man Nathan shot; another is trying to bind his wounds.

"Alright," the apparent leader says (he's got a different hat; the other three have rounded helmets, his has the addition of a crest -- a gold star over his forehead).  Each of them has a visor pulled down that covers their faces from the nose up, but is transparent enough for their eyes to be visible.

The guy with the star gestures Nathan down, adding, "Try to mind the body.  And do you know what happened to this girl?"

The ghostly maid is following Nathan, probably for a lack of a better idea.  At that, she whimpers, rubbing at her eyes.

[Rezantis]

Nathan's voice is flat, as he barely holds his anger under control.

"I think they threw her down the stairs," he says bluntly, "I heard them talking about 'the bint' was the only person.  The second one is up here."

[Brian]

The constabulary nods, turning leery expressions on the man Nathan sent down the stairs.  "Well, come away for the moment -- we'll need to search the entire house to be sure -- Inspector's orders."

"There were another two," the maid says hollowly.  "I didn't see them climbing the stairs."

[Rezantis]

"I'd . . . rather stay here for the moment," Nathan replies, "if there are more - I think I saw someone - then they're downstairs.  Both of these men brought guns."

[Brian]

The constables exchange glances, and look worried.  "Very well," the leader decides, just before there's a distant flurry of yelling, then the sound of a gunshot.  A real gunshot, not an energy blast.

Two of the cops run at the noise; the leader stays where he is, keeping an eye on Nathan.  The other one is keeping an eye on the man Nathan shot in the hand.

[Rezantis]

Nathan starts.  "That must have been the inspector!" he exclaims, quite unnecessarily.

[Brian]

"Chief," the man holding the ruffian's bindings says, looking anxious, like he wants to bolt towards the source of the noise.

The Chief raises one hand to silence his subordinate, and then a shout is heard: "We've got them!  One of them -- we'll need a medic!"

One of the two who ran off previously comes back into sight through the doors into the main room.  "Chief," he says, breathlessly, "the inspector was attacked, but he's fine; one of the other two was shot in defense, the other has been clubbed.  There may be more."

"And more men en route, too," the Chief replies, shaking his head sourly.  "The inspector?"

"Checking their pockets, sir," the subordinate says uneasily.

The maid plucks at her skirt for a moment before determination comes over her features.  "They can't hurt me now," she mutters angrily.  "I'll look for others, Master."  With that, she stalks down the corridors, occasional lights shining through her.

[Rezantis]

Nathan nods in response to the maid, then looks down the stairs and . . . watches the proceedings, waiting for something else to happen.

[Brian]

The constables get to work searching the house.  The maid comes back a few minutes later, while they're going about -- the captain asks Nathan a few questions to establish that it was self-defense.  Inspector Holmes comes around with the other captured man, this one with a black eye.  The bodies of the ruffians are examined, bagged, and then loaded into a cart the cops have brought around.  The chief's men report that the house appears to be empty except for the other staff -- another, older maid, a balding and ancient chef, and a butler who couldn't be much older than nineteen.  They're all questioned, and asked not to leave the estate.

After that, the chief gestures to the maid and tells Nathan, "We'll bring her in, too.  After the coroner has had a chance to go over things, I'll come by again with the paperwork."  He pauses for a second, as he glances at inspector Holmes, who's looking at the pair of detained criminals thoughtfully.  "Would you like us to contact her family?"

"Haven't gotten any," the ghostly maid says glumly.

[Rezantis]

"She doesn't have any . . . I think we were it."

[Brian]

"Right," the chief says with a grimace.  "Well, we'll take her in for examination.  After that, I suppose you'll be handling the ... er ... arrangements?"

"What am I to do, now?" the maid asks the chief forlornly.

He, of course, doesn't react to her.  "Well, you've had a busy day, Doctor," he says, glancing at the inspector as Holmes approaches.  "Sir."

"Thank you for your assistance," Holmes replies, nodding.  "Have the prisoners taken in to the precinct and questioned; I'm very curious to see what they have to say.  In the meantime, if you don't mind, post two watchmen at each the front and back gates."

"Have done, Sir," the chief replies, nodding.  "Anything else?"

"I think that's enough for the moment," Holmes says, glancing at Nathan questioningly.

"Where do I even go?" the maid muses, looking down at her body until it's covered with a cloth.

[Rezantis]

"I'll handle the arrangements."

There's a long pause.

"I think that's all; thank you for your quick response," Nathan says politely.  Go the hell away!

[Brian]

"As you'll have it," the chief says, nodding.  "Have the lads watching the gate notified if you need to reach me, Doctor."  As more officers lift the maid's body and carry it off, he says, "I can't imagine it will be easy, but enjoy the rest of your evening."  He nods again to the inspector, then troops out with the last of his men.

Holmes sighs, shaking his head.  "I should return to the palace," he says, apologetically.  "I've a suspicion one of your friends is here ... in Anabara, I mean.  But I can't determine where, so I'll puzzle that over while you rest."  He hesitates at the doorway, then looks back.  "Will you have any trouble handling your staff?  If not, I'll leave you alone."

The maid says nothing, just watching her body vanish through the doors, before she becomes absorbed in staring at her hands.

[Rezantis]

"I'll be alright, but thank you."

Nathan turns to the maid once Holmes is out the door.  "I don't . . . know . . . what happens to you now.  I hardly remember anything before the asylum - I might have known before, but . . ."

[Brian]

"No one else here can see me," she says quietly.  "I suppose I'll just fade away."  She bites her lower lip, which contrasts awkwardly with her hand passing through the stair rail when she tries to rest it there.  "I....  I don't want to fade.  I don't know what I can do like this, but can you keep me on?  I won't....  I won't really take up space anymore, and I suppose there's no real use for pay if I can't even touch it...."  She swallows nervously, and plucks at her skirt again.  "I've got my own uniform," she adds at the end, hollowly.