What Hides In The Dark

Dr Lindsey Balleto listened as the clock above her office door struck half three, signalling the end of “medicine time”. She wore wore a black trouser suit; a sharp suit which spoke to the paying customer or visitors “I am the woman you can bring your problems to”. To hired help and policemen such as Frank Iero, it spoke more sternly; “This had better be good”. She sat down behind a long, wide desk upon which were no hard or sharp objects. Some of the staff called it “the moat”. The rest of the staff didn’t know what the word “moat” meant. Dr Balleto remained seated behind this desk when Frank came into her office.

“We’ve had a lot of detectives here, but I can’t remember one so attractive” Balleto said, without getting up. Frank shook her hand, forcing a smile. She was a beautiful woman, with short black hair and blood red lips- it was almost a surprise she wasn’t married. He let go before she did, taking a seat in the chair in front of the desk. “Will you be in Hertfordshire for long? You know you can have just as good a time here as you can in London or one of the big cities”.

He looked away to spare himself from her smile and knew at once that she had registered his distaste. “I’m sure it’s a great town miss, but my instructions are to see Mr Way and report back this afternoon”. Dr Balleto nodded, keeping her eyes fixed on him as she sat back in the chair. “Is there someplace I could call you in London for a follow-up, later on?”. Frank grinned; his eyes sparkled in the light that hung down from the ceiling. “Of course. DCI Ray Toro’s in charge of this project, so you could always reach me through him.

“I see” Dr Balleto said, her cheeks burning a bright red as she uncomfortably cleared her throat. “Give me your identification please” She ordered, Frank watched her as she leisurely examined his ID card. If he was honest, she seemed a little creepy and slightly desperate for his liking.

Then again, he was never overly keen on girls.

Dr Lindsey Balleto rose from her seat, handing back the ID card before smoothing out her blazer. She quickly walked to the other side of the room, refusing to make eye contact with Frank as she opened the door to the office. “Come along now, this won’t take much time”

*****

Frank Iero flinched as the first of the heavy steel gates clashed shut behind them and the bolt shot home. Dr Balleto walked slight ahead down the white institutional corridor in an atmosphere of bleach, distant slamming and screams. He was angry at himself for letting Lindsey put her hand around his waist as they left the office; he should have told that woman to back off. Frank took a deep breath, clenching his fists as he felt his control solid beneath him. “You seem like a bright young man so you should be able to remember the rules. Do not touch the glass; do not pass him anything but soft paper. No pens, no pencils. The paper you pass him must be free of staples, paper clips or pins. Items come back out through the sliding food carrier. No exceptions. Do not accept anything he attempts to hold out to you through the barrier. Understand?”

“I understand” Frank said emotionlessly, rolling his eyes as they past two more gate and left the natural light behind. The pair were now beyond the wards where the inmates can mix together and were now down in the region where there can be no windows or mixing. The hallway lights were covered in heavy grinds, like the lights in the engine room of ships; flickering above them as the continued to walk.

Frank shuddered, this whole place reminded him of a horror movie he had seen once as a child; one which had given him nightmares and woke him up screaming into the darkness. Dr Balleto stopped suddenly, turning to face Frank with solemn expression. “You see Mr Iero, Gerard Way can no longer leave his cell without wearing full restraints and a mouth piece” Lindsey said, an essence of sadness in her voice as she produced a picture from the inside of her blazer.“One afternoon, he complained of chest pain and he was taken to the medical room. His restraints were removed to make it easier to give him an electrocardiogram. When Dr White leant over him, he did this to him” She added, handing Frank a dog-eared photo. Frank didn’t know what was worse, the photograph or Dr Balleto’s eyes as she gleaned his face with fast, grabby eyes; like a thirsty crow pecking the tears off his face.

“I keep him in here” Dr Balleto said, pushing a button beside the heavy doors of security glass. A large orderly quickly stepped into the doorway, flashing Frank a toothy smile as he folded his large arms against his chest. “I don’t expect I’ll see you again Mr Iero. Malcolm, when he’s finished with Way, ring for someone to escort him out” She added, turning on her heels and swiftly walked back down the corridor. An eerie silence hung in the security room. Frank nervously cleared his throat as he stood alone with the orderly; eyeing the wire mesh cabinet behind him that was filled with mace, restrains, mouthpieces and tranquilisers. A wall rack held a long pipe device with a U on the end for pinning the violent, and possibly murderous, patient to the wall.

The orderly stared him up and down, trying to suss out the young police officer before him. “Dr Balleto told you not to touch the glass right?” He asked his voice both high and hoarse at the same time with a thick American accent that surprised Frank. Frank nodded, offering the orderly a small smile as he wandered over to the door on the other side of the security box. “It’s past the others, the last cell on the left. You take his mail, get off on the right foot” The orderly added, seeming to be privately amused as he past Frank a small stack of letters.

The corridor was about thirty yards long with cells lining the left hand side of the wall. Some were padded cells with an observation window, long and narrow like an archery slit, in the centre of the door. Others were standard prison cells, with a wall of bars opening on the corridor. Frank was aware of the figures in the cells, the shapeless shadows in the dark that growled at him as he past. He tried not to look at them, keeping his dark eyes fixed ahead to the end of the cell block. “I wanna tear your pretty face up” a voice hissed. Frank ignored it, moving faster down the corridor as the menacing laughter echoed through the corridor; sending a chill down his spine.

The lights were on in the last cell. He moved slightly towards the left side of the corridor to se into it as he approached, knowing his footsteps had announced his arrival. He peered into the cell, standing to attention as, reclined on his bunk, reading an old copy of The Killing Joke, was Gerard Way.

“Gerard Way” Frank said, his voice sounding confident in his ears. Gerard looked up from his reading, a thin smile spreading across his lips as he slowly looked the police officer up and down. Frank was almost taken aback by his appearance. He didn’t at all look like he imagined. His black hair hung long and loose down from his head in a side parting; his fringe was pushed back off his face in order for him to read. His face was sickly pale, almost corpse coloured with a pair of dark eyes that glared at Frank in an observing matter; studying his every movement.

“My name is Frank Iero. May I talk with you?” Courtesy was implicit in his distance and tone. Gerard placed the comic book on a nearby table, pressing his finger against his pursed lips before rising from his bunk and walked slowly towards the glass, stopping in the centre; as though he chose the distance. He was much taller than previously appeared; he stood around 5’9, his slender body hidden under the slightly baggy hospital scrubs that were distributed to the patients. Frank caught eyes with the murderer, unable to look away. His heart skipped a beat as he found himself mesmerised him; the way his body moved and his gorgeous good looks. Gerard flashed him a devilish grin, a quiet giggle escaped his lips; making Frank's cheeks burn as he did so.

“Good morning Mr Iero” Gerard purred.

Notes

So they've finally met
what will happen next?

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