Chap. Ten

The Auditor

One Month Later.

Santa Clara Mental Health Institute. Santa Clara, California.

"Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Floyd," the old, chubby, bespectacled man, kept repeating to himself, as he sat at a table in front of a Go game board.

"Larry!" the young, pretty, purple haired girl replied, as she sat across from him, "stop with those old school band names already! You're driving me crazy!"

Lily Leary placed four black stones upon the board, encircling three white stones already in place.

"I gotcha surrounded, Larry!" Lily giggled, "what ya gonna do now, huh?!"

"Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Floyd!" Larry replied.

"I knew you were gonna say that," Lily said, as she took three white stones and placed them in the center of the board.

"There, I moved for you," she said, "now, its my turn!"

"Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Floyd!" Larry noted.

"You know what I think, Larry?" Lily smiled, "I think you're trying to psyche me out. I'm on to you, buddy. You might fool all the others around here but not me. I think you're pretty crafty."

"Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Floyd!" Larry retorted.

"You better let Larry win this time," an older, oriental looking man said, as he approached the table. His short, spiky, gray hair, sparkled in the sun light that shone in through the large picture window of the recreation room.

"I let him win once in awhile, Chun," Lily answered.

Chun grinned, as he took a seat at the table to watch.

"Well, you might not have ol' Larry around here much longer," Chun said.

"Why?" Lily asked, as she placed two more white stones down for Larry.

"I heard a big shot doctor is here for an audit," Chun answered.

"Audit?"

"Yeah," Chun continued, "he just arrived. He's gonna observe patients who've been here awhile and if they don't meet to his satisfaction, then its off to the buzz room."

"Buzz room?"

"Electro-shock therapy," Chun answered, "due to budget cutbacks, they've got to thin out the older population here. I'd guess once the Auditor catches Larry's old stoner repeating act, he'll be ready to play Rock and Shock."

"Well, that ain't cool!" Lily noted.

"Look, I've been here for years and nothing has ever been cool around this place."

Just then the Recreation room door opened and in walked Dr. Lee, the Institute director and another man in a white coat.

"That's him, next to Lee," Chun suddenly replied, "that's the Auditor!"

Lily watched as the Auditor and Dr. Lee went from older patient to older patient, pausing for only a few seconds to observe. Dr. Lee kept a notebook and jotted down whatever the Auditor told him. Lily figured Lee was writing down who would get a one way ticket to the buzz room. Suddenly, they were headed their way.

"Here we go," Chun then turned to Larry and whispered, "nice knowin ya, Larr. Such as it was."

"Hello, Dr. Lee!" Chun announced, as Lee and the Auditor approached, "nice morning, huh?"

"Hello, Mr. Chun," Lee answered, "yes it is."

"Is this a new doctor?" Chun asked.

"No," Lee replied, "he is just here as an observer. Nothing for you to worry about."

"Yeah, right," Chun mumbled.

"What was that, Mr. Chun?!" Dr. Lee asked.

"Uh, its really bright," Chun quickly replied, "the sun. Its really bright today."

The Auditor looked Chun over, shrugged then moved on to Larry.

Lily had to think quickly.

"Larry!" she said, "Lets play a trivia music game. I'll name four old rock songs and, as quick as you can, name the bands that recorded them in the order I say them, okay? Here we go. Help, Gimme Shelter, Whole Lotta Love, Money. Quick, give me your answers!"

"Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Floyd!" Larry quickly answered.

"Say again, Larry," Lily said, "you're too quick for me."

"Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Floyd!" Larry repeated.

"Thanks Larry," Lily grinned, "you sure know your rock trivia. You're a genius!"

"This is Larry, " Dr. Lee said to the Auditor, "I think he would be someone you might consider…."

"Well, he seems to know his music trivia," the Auditor interrupted, "look Lee, I'm running late so lets move on."

"Uh, yes, sir!" Dr. Lee frowned, as they moved on.

Chun then turned back to Lenny.

"Looks like Lily just saved your ass, Larr. What do you have to say about that?"

"Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Floyd!" Larry replied.

"Oh, you're welcome Larry," Lily grinned, as she noticed a nurse and two husky orderlies quickly come into the room, glance her way then head over to speak with Dr. Lee. He nodded, then the nurse and the two orderlies approached Lily's table.

"Ms. Leary?" the nurse said, "There is someone here to see you. If you would please come with us." The two orderlies stood threateningly by.

"Whose here to see me?" Lily skeptically asked.

"Just please come with us," the nurse replied.

"Where we going?"

"Don't go, Lily," Chun whispered, "it's a trap!"

"Look, Ms. Leary," the nurse irritatingly replied, "you either come voluntarily or I'll have these orderlies "escort" you."

"Jeez," Lily replied, "cool your jets, Bitch. Now who would want to see me? Who could it be? I wonder. I wonder. I wonder…"

The nurse turned to the orderlies and nodded.

Lily suddenly found herself being lifted up and out of her chair and carried along out through the Rec room door.

"I warned her not to go," Chun shrugged, "didn't I, Larry?"

"Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Floyd!" Larry agreed.

"HEY! LET GO OF ME YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!" Lily cried out, struggling against the tight intense grip of the orderlies who easily towered over her. The nurse followed close behind, "If you don't calm down Ms. Leary, then we'll have to use the shock sticks."

Lily had experienced the shock sticks. She immediately calmed down, as she was taken into a back room that contained two chairs and a desk. The orderlies shoved her down into the chair opposite a desk.

"Shock sticks or not," Lily called out, as the nurse and orderlies turned to leave, "any of you ever touch me again, I'll fucking kill you!"

Suddenly, another door to the room bolted open and a short, thin, older man with graying hair dressed in a white shirt, black suit, and tie entered carrying a file folder. He had an intense look on his face that indicated to Lily he was a no nonsense kind of guy. Just the kind Lily loved to get into and fuck with their heads. The man closed the door then sat down behind the desk. Lily remained silent. He slowly opened the folder and thumbed through the pages until after what seemed an eternity, he spoke.

"You are Lillian Lysergic Diethyamide Leary, correct?" he said in a no nonsense tone.

"If you say so," Lily answered.

The man smiled, reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a tranquilizer gun and casually fired a dart into Lily's neck.

"NOT COOL!" Lily cried out, just before the tranquilizer took affect, "NOT COOL AT ALL!"

To be Continued- Next: "Chit Chat"