Freddy pulls the doctor into a nearby supply closet, if one isn't available, A restroom will do.
"Alright, it's time to start talking away from the kids. There are some pretty nasty things going on in this hospital and you're going to spill the beans about it NOW or there will be hell to pay."
Freddy and Evelyn work Solazzio over with a good cop/bad cop routine and soften him up enough to talk.
"Montgomery Donovan Sr. keeps my 'habit' supplied, alright? And he wants me to cure his son. The Nectar can do great things for pain relief but even with the spell he taught me, it isn't making his son better."
"So... we had the orphan boy, Alexi... and I thought that we could try out some things with him and Monte Jr. and see if there's a difference. Nothing that I've done hurts the boy, really, his bite marks are healed!"
"So the treatments are working just fine on Alexi, but aren't helping Monte to heal?" Freddy pauses to think for a moment. "So, how did Alexi get the bite marks and what exactly is wrong with Monte?"
Solazzio nods.
"Yes, well, Alexi's bites have healed. Monte has flu-like symptoms and a very weak pulse... The orphan boy said he was bitten by something in the ground, but I can't say I believe him. It was probably a dog bit him while he was someplace he wasn't supposed to be."
You all know Solazzio is lying about the source of the kid's bites.
"Those marks on his arms; those weren't from a dog. We've seen the mouths that your nectar comes from. Is that what did this?" freddy stares menacingly at the man. "You need to come clean here now."
Amadeus stands back and lets the master work. He's clearly disturbed by the implication of the bite marks and the whole ordeal involving children is just...wrong.
Solazzio tugs at his collar.
"He got too close to the warehouse near Newcastle Drive... that's all I can say. It was an accident, he shouldn't have been on the beach."
"That is a 'yes' if I've ever heard one," Evelyn mutters as she continues to flip through Alexi's medical chart.
Alexi should have been discharged already, though likely back to an orphanage. The bites on his arms are healed over and that's really all that was wrong with him. Solazzio's treating Alexi for Monte's condition- which is insane. He doesn't have any of the same symptoms.
It's like he's testing out treatments for Monte Jr. on the orphan kid, which is all kinds of unethical (not to mention completely faulty from a scientific basis).
"If I don't get back to my rounds soon, someone will see that I'm gone.", Solazzio says. "Look, I told you everything I know so why don't I get back to work and I'll forget this ever happened..."
Evelyn curls her lip at what appeared to be the faultiest (and not to mention craziest) medical experiment she had ever bore witness to.
"Of course there is a difference, they don't even have the same condition!" the doctor snaps before she can stop herself. With a heavy breath, she looks to the others. "I think we have what we need from here." As she says this however, she looks to the Maltese boy, torn on what to do about him.
Amadeus nods at this idea. The thought of stealing the kids seems... ill-fated to him. He's clearly not a parental figure and he's pretty sure none of them ought to be role-models for anything.
Alright, with the confirming nod from Amadeus, Freddy makes the "suggestion" to the doctor to rearrange the kids treatments.
And I think we are done here?
With a bit of "incentive" you browbeat Dr. Solazzio into changing the boys' treatment plan to one that Dr. Malley plans- one that will gradually draw down the Nectar doses for the next few weeks until they're off of it.
You flee the hospital into the night, leaving your stolen uniforms in a laundry basket.
We'll fill the rest of the group in on our findings when we get back.
"I'm thinking this warehouse is going to need more investigation. If you all recall, there was a smaller mouth near the mansion back in LA too. Maybe these minor mouths crop up near a big, central one? That would inform us pretty well of what's going on in the warehouse I guess."
The next morning, Anatoly picks up a telegram from Donovan under the false name he left at the office.
"WEAR ORANGE [STOP] COME ALONE [STOP]" is all it says.
"Orange! I don't own anything Orange. Guess I'll have to go shopping... where would one purchase something Orange"? Anatoly replies after picking up his telegram. "Maybe I'll contact Tatiana, my actress friend. She dressed colorfully".
"The reply says to come alone". Anatoly says holding the telegram out for anyone else to read who wishes to... But who is to say there would be other diners or passerby's that could rush in if required. I'll go in alone, but if something comes up that might need intervention, I'll remove my hat, and pretend to slick back my hair before putting it back on".
Amadeus laughs at Anatoly. "Oh my sweet summer child. We can find you an orange shirt."
"Orange is a rather... striking color," Evelyn remarks, somewhat amused by Anatoly's predicament. She certainly could not claim to have that color in her own wardrobe. After a moment however, her expression turns somewhat serious. "Do be careful, Anatoly. If he is a reasonable man, Donovan might well be willing to meet with you. I fear for your safety, otherwise."
It's a bright, warm Mediterranean day when Anatoly finds himself a table at the cafe. Other patrons eat lunch, sip their espresso, read or chat while enjoying the weather in the outdoor seating. A waiter brings Anatoly his order and compliments his bright shirt while the investigator checks his watch.
About fifteen minutes before Donovan is due to arrive, two men in suits walk into the cafe and notice Anatoly at his table. Instead of approaching him, the gentlemen approach the other patrons seated nearest him. Politely, they explain that their employer is having a large group through here soon and they would be happy to cover the patrons' bill if they would be willing to relocate to a different table. Your fellow patrons are happy to relocate for a free lunch and Anatoly is soon surrounded by empty seats.
Freddy will stop by the cafe a little earlier than Anatoly and take a seat inside. Presumably it's brighter outside than in the cafe, so Freddy should be able to see out the window pretty clearly. He'll nurse a bit of espresso and a biscotto as he waits.
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Anatoly fidgets and sweats.
As concerned as she is for Anatoly's well-being, Evelyn decides to sit this one out, not trusting herself to go unnoticed by Donovan's men. She remains in the hotel room and paces back and forth, waiting for news.
At noon, Donovan's towncar pulls up and Montgomery Donovan steps out accompanied by two more men in suits easily recognized as his entourage of bodyguards. Donovan is a handsome British man with a thin mustache dressed in a finely tailored white suit appropriate for the climate. He takes his seat opposite Anatoly with a casual confidence. His minders take up positions around the two men, standing rather than seating themselves.
Donovan extends a hand.
"Montgomery Donovan. And you are?"
"I am Anatoly Dudko... and before you ask... no you don't know me. Please sit down. I have something I'd like to discuss with you as... well reasonable individual to reasonable individual. No need for these guards. As you can see I'm unarmed and quite alone".
Donovan takes a seat, one of his guards tapping him on the shoulder and pointing out Mr. Westmore "casually" reading the paper nearby.
Donovan shakes his head.
"Mr. Dudko, I did say come alone. You're unarmed, I'm sure, but what about your friend over there?"
Donovan stands up from his seat.
"Well, since this discussion isn't as private as I would like perhaps we should seek a change of venue. Would you like to go for a ride, Mr. Dudko?"
Anatoly turns, and acts surprised to see Joseph so obviously not blending in. He shrugs...
"Seem's like you still have the advantage even here. How about if I just make him go away"?
Donovan sighs. He nods to one of his guards.
"Bring him over, make sure he's not armed."
One of Donovan's bodyguards approaches Joseph on the park bench.
"You're invited to coffee, sir.", he says, waiting for Joseph to stand.
Anatoly nervously drums the table as he waits to see what Joseph's reaction to the confrontation will be. He also quickly scans the area to see if anyone else is paying attention to the group, and also looking for any escape routes if required.
Freddy is still waiting inside by the way. He won't make a move either until they're gone or Anatoly does something dramatic. Once they've left, he'll find a way to shadow them.
Donovan favors Westmore with a skeptical look.
"I see. And just what were you doing loitering around my shipping company yesterday, 'Tim'? Certainly not thinking up your alias..."
Montgomery pulls out the telegram Anatoly sent him the other day.
"You've taken some interest in my affairs- I'd like to know why, gentlemen."
Donovan pulls out a silver case and lights up an expensive French cigarette.
"Is that all? If you're buying, there are channels besides sending me a cryptic telegram you know. Well. I'll tell you right now, I'm not selling any less than two gross of my product directly. I run a wholesale operation; if you want less than that, you're going to have to find one of my clients on the Continent."
Anatoly shifts a bit uncomfortably as the conversation takes a different tack than he had intended, and listens impatiently before finally bursting out.
"Actually I'm here for a completely different reason. I know where to find your product, and I've got a pretty good idea of how you get it. I'm here to appeal to your sensibilities and ask you to stop doing so. You're ruining lives, and playing with forces so powerful and evil you can't begin to imagine the ramifications. Is this the type of world you want you son to grow up in? Is it worth saving his life to leave him only a mad world filled with insanity? Is what you're doing worth sacrificing life as we know it"?
"You are a powerful man. You could have your minions snuff me out without any problem, but I'm appealing to you as a fellow human to stop what you're doing, and use your power and influence to help the world instead of destroying it".
Anatoly's voice raises in pitch as he speaks, sounding almost as forceful as listening to one of his Uncle's searing sermons.
Donovan stares at Anatoly for a long moment, cigarette smoke curling from his hand. He sighs, suddenly seeming far more weary than he first appeared.
"I'm afraid it's not at all that simple, Mr. Dudko. There are things you can't take back, not with all the power or money in the world. This is not a business I can put a stop to anymore or even simply leave.", he says.
"If I only could.", he adds under his breath.
"Nobody ever said it would be simple, worthwhile things seldom are, but whether you can take things back or not is not really the issue. The issue is can you step to the plate and keep them from happening going forward. You are a smart, prosperous man, with resources that can be used to fight this thing... And you are not alone. My friends and I have defeated this blasphemy before, and know how to do so again. I ask that you join us in this crusade... Your family and friends deserve this".