#elsewhere

Frank nods with a soft grunt. "Have you seen your mother?"

"No, I just got the update from Sally Mae"

Frank nods. "I need to speak with her. Excuse me." and he steps back outside, reaching for his phone as he goes.

"Sure thing, dad. Let me know how I can help. I'll be patroling and taking the slack up there"

He nods and leaves to make that call.
(pause)

The phone dials.

And she answers. "This is Brekke," she says carefully, cautiously, as if the phone is still a foreign instrument to her.

"Frank. I must speak with you. Where are you?"

"Caer Falken. It is safe to speak."

"I am outside the lodge. Can we meet?"

"Yes, I was just on the way back. I just heard."

"I am near the door."

"A moment," she says.

And a flash, and then suddenly, Gerd and the Chief are there

"There we go. " Gerd declares "I should go in and help the hearth, right?"

"Please, Gerd. Thank you." Brekke nods to her, then looks to Frank grimly. "What news?"

Frank relates what he knows of the current situation.

Gerd nods to both and is gone inside

Brekke listens, and her teeth grind as she hears the various levels of news.

"But all of our people are alive," she asks to be certain.

"As far as I know, yes."

She nods, scowling. "This is escalating. And...a child of Lilith."

"I should visit Jaymes."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"You will come with me?"

"Brekke... we must speak soon. I might be ... reducing the scope of my duties. We'll talk."

"Of course I will come with you."

She frowns with a different kind of concern now. "Frank...?"

"Mmph." he dismisses concern.

And he holds his shoulders with care.

"Well talk after we have seen Jaymes."

"And others."

Her brow furrows as she notes his posture. Then.... "Mountain, perhaps you should stay here at the Lodge while I go to speak with Jaymes. I can bring Dagmar with me."

"My Chieftess... what are the odds I will say yes to that?"

She raises a brow. "I could insist."

"You are able to return to the hospital? You have already spent much time there."

"You could, yes. And I can return."

"I will take you at your word. Then...yes, let us go." A pause. "We will need to take the Rig, or ask Gerd to help. The jeep is still at Caer Falken."

Frank... rumbles.

"Is there anyone you would wish to bring the jeep home?"

"Not now. Let us get to the hospital."

Frank nods and leads the way.

She goes with him, a few steps behind, watching him.

Soon they are driving to the hospital, and parking

There is some stiffness in Frank's movement.

Brekke is tempted to ask him to expand on his earlier comments, but she doesn't push it.

"This way." Frank swings out from the Rig and heads in.

She climbs out and follows again, regarding the doors of the hospital with some caution.

The hospital could be much worse than it is, much more banal than it is- but it is still gray, cool at best