The Vault Chapter 3 

Anita was dressed in trainers and tight black Lycra she was a sporty sexy package full of smiles and bubbly conversation, when it was needed now she had other things to do. She had business out and about in the night, she could just pretend that she was out for a run. However she was chasing answers not trying to burn off a large meal from the barbecue. She had gone to the staff function ears open she left after making a quick circuit of the group. She had noticed one absence, the man that followed Mayweather like a lap dog had not attended the party. Mayweather was not invited because she would disapprove of the staff eating unhealthy of drinking and daring to enjoy themselves. The man who followed her he must have been with her, were they friends lovers did they have some sort of scam going together? Anita could only guess but the fact that both of them had not been to the party started to raise her suspicions about something clandestine going on out in the night, especially this night where most of the staff were far away except of course the cleaners, who operated almost like a separate group they were also suspicious but hopefully she would soon have more answers than questions.

She hurried away down the dark paths there was precious little lighting around the place. It was meant to be remote and quiet and peaceful but if some one fell on one of these dark paths and twisted an ankle then they could sue the health farm. Anita considered it for a second, running it through her head. It was only the staff allowed out and about at these times according to the house rules and most of the staff probably knew the grounds like the back of there hands anyway so it was a small chance. Finally she came to the old gardeners shed it was hidden quite artfully behind some shrubbery in a dip in the land. Anita had not realized that it was there until she had almost tripped over it. She was expecting Hanna chambers instead a little old man was waiting for her.

At first Anita looked around she was expecting a trap of some sort, a half dozen cleaners or gardeners to try to jump her with restraints, so that they could dispose of her like Emma weight had been disposed of. Various scenario's ran through her head and various counters to them. She didn’t know who to trust so she trusted no one, anticipating a ulterior motive the cleaners already knew to much maybe she could even the score with some deduction and fact finding but not yet. At the moment they held more of the cards than she did.

She could see Tom Jennings again he looked a little worried something had surprised him he looked up at Anita, she was blunt and to the point, “Ok I came out hear to the middle of nowhere to meet your boss where is Ms Chambers?” He looked nervous “Hanna is dealing with a” he paused he seemed to be trying to think of a word without giving away clues to Anita. Finally he ended up settling on “a family matter she will be with us shortly.” Anita had to digest that information either Hanna had business with another member of her family or some sort of family obligation. Anita hypothesized it was a bit of both a obligation born of family she was looking after someone close a relative someone else on the staff maybe? Was it in some way related to the Higgs family obligations that David had hinted at, they were both descended from members of the original staff as far as she could tell.

He looked her up and down not a hint of sympathy in his voice more tiredness, “you haven't taken the warning. Its time you learned a bit more enough to know to quit it.” Anita tried to pull more information from him. “You were hear before the place closed down before eight or nine people disappeared and all heel broke lose what happened?” He looked aghast for a second, “so you know your history, this place was always bad a dumping ground for incurables or people no one wanted cured.” Anita was puzzled “Tom what do you mean by that?” he grinned a little “There were two kinds of people sent hear the ones they thought that they couldn’t fix and the ones they didn’t want anyone to fix. people who were insolent they sent them hear to break them, didn’t work in all cases sometimes people don’t break they break out and god help us when they set something lose.” 

He paused Anita pushed him to continue “what did they set lose?” he sighed “cant tell you but you can guess lots of people hear on trumped up charges, plus lots of truly dangerous people if someone starts opening doors cant tell which is which until its to late!”

Anita could guess what had happened someone had been a bit lax with a patient that was stuffed into the asylum to get rid of them by some other powerful player. They got lose then they freed a few people including some really dangerous people that didn’t end to well. She pushed on with a different topic “did you ever hear about the first place the original asylum you sound like you do.” He sneered “why should I tell you anything about that?” Anita continued “what about the first Higgs or Fredric ash or Cranwell or Sikes what did you hear about them?” A smile crossed his face his eyes misted up like he was talking about a crusade. “Justice happened a man stood up to them that pervert Cranwell was throne like a rag doll from the top of his chapel irony. The shark Sikes got a chance to practice breathing under water she couldn't on the first try. Ash was turned into charcoal and the good doctor Higgs the original monster was cut down to size!” He paused for a second and muttered “pity it wasn't far enough.”

Anita wondered how a mass murder who killed most of the senior staff of the asylum could be remembered so fondly, it was a mystery she would probably not get to the bottom of. The reverse of the question could also be asked what did the staff do where there deaths could be so celebrated? Tom Jennings spat on the ground “pity it didn’t stick!” she wondered what the hell he could be talking about, were there other staff members who had taken over that who were even worse?

She pressed on with another topic “What about soapy ever hear anything about him?” Jennings grinned “I don’t know if this is true but I herd two story's about old soapy before he ended up hear, first he had a rival in another gang an anonymous source sent this rival mobster a letter that rambled on and on telling him good bye. The man was found dead reading it, there was a touch based poison on the paper soaked into it the rival mobsters hands through the pores in his skin. Then through his veins into his heart, he had absorbed it through his skin while he handled it!” 

Jennings paused for a moment scratching his head thinking “Another little story I heard a former mistress of his leaves him shacks up with a different lieutenant for the same family. He cant touch her openly she was found dead in her bed wearing some heavy necklace around her neck so tight it strangled her. Story goes she got this jewelry anonymous looked real nice but just brass and paste she wore it. A mechanism in it locked and slowly contracted they said it took twenty minutes to fully close to the point she died real nasty.” Tom grinned “think about those when you start poking about in the soap‘s affairs.” Anita grinned back “you think those might have just been rumors spread by Soapy to stop people touching his stuff?” Tom paused for a second “you might be right truth be told he was an old man maybe older than me when he got to the top money and a reputation long earned, he probably claimed every accident around was something he engineered to happen.”

There was the sound of footsteps Anita turned around and noted it was a woman, she had gotten very close to them she moved almost silently. Anita was not used to anyone being able to get that close before she noticed. She looked at the  woman closely she must have been in her early twenties she looked like a mix of things it was hard to define her. She had a certain old fashion sense of dress about her, almost like she had been raised by a family member with ancient sensibilities. She looked tired really tired like any supervisor or manger who has not had a break in a very long time. She had a bandage wrapped around her right hand there was a small trickle of red. Anita noticed it she smiled and reached her hand out to shake the woman's uninjured hand “Hanna Chambers I presume the cleaning supervisor?” she nodded her voice seemed to belong to a much older woman full of weight and authority “you’re the next idiot treasure hunter aren't you.” 

Anita shook her head “I am just looking for Emma weight can you help me find her, or find out what happened to her?” Hanna waved Tom Jennings away he slowly moved off to whatever duties he had. Hanna looked like she had seen it all before “Your just looking for her at the moment, but what happens when you find her?” Anita tried to get rid of the first question by asking a question of her own. “Hanna you must be the granddaughter or great granddaughter of the original Hanna Chambers, you look very similar.” She paused for a second thinking before cautiously answering “You have been doing your homework let me say that we are close family and leave it at that.” Anita grimaced inside, more half truths and vague comments there was no way that this place could be half as mysterious as it seemed when she had eventually assembled all the facts.

She grinned at Anita “let me cut to the chase I didn’t have anything to do with Emma she might have overheard something she was not meant to know but that was it.” “What did she find out?” Hanna shook her head dismissively “just a spot where some rubbish might be buried.” Anita didn't believe her but pushed on “what can you tell me about the things going on, you act like she is alive surely you can help?” Hanna thought for a second she seemed to sigh as if it was all to much effort. As if she had seen the same thing to many times before or perhaps she had listened to the same story repeated again and again told from one family member to another. She sighed in capitulation, “OK check the ground floor of the old asylum if you must around section 30 but be careful it is not safe for people who poke about in there.” Anita looked at her “so you say the majority of the asylum is-ant safe?” 

Hanna looked at her in a very deliberate way as if to say your funeral. Then she started laying it out “if I was you I wouldn’t go near the water garden the old Mr Higgs commissioned. The first mister Higgs or should that be doctor though I don’t think he was qualified as anything but a chemist, had a few pets that were a little unpleasant, think of them like poisonous frogs or snakes or maybe a pet crocodile that has been growing for the last eighty years somethings that should have died but didn't something in the water so avoid it.” There was a look on Hanna's face Anita was sure that she knew exactly what was out there in the garden. It seemed on a personal level there was some real hatred but she had something and would not press now for more it couldn't be as simple as a dangerous animal living in the grounds could it?

When she was ready Hanna continued she seemed to subconsciously scratch her freshly injured wrist “The attic of the asylum I heard that there were problems with the supports to the roof. One of the things on that structural survey David Higgs did best not to go there unless you want a roof falling on you, they used to keep the files up there almost a library to dangerous to go there now.” The way she moved the way she acted Anita would almost bet that she had been there and injured herself trying to do something but it was only a guess. Anita took the next line to be a gentle warning about not messing with the manager, “David is a good boy true to his grandfather his father did try but maybe went off in the wrong path.” Anita was not surprised Hanna's family probably knew and worked in this place for generations they had probably developed a somewhat screwed perspective on it over that time, still she was defensive of her employers family that could make her dangerous and unpredictable. Anita briefly wondered did Chambers have leverage on Higgs or the other way around.

Hanna continued a look of revulsion played across her face “there is an old chapel to the east of the asylum its not very stable, you might have heard that someone was thrown from its roof, part of it collapsed it was cheaply built Cranwell pocketed the cash himself which was ironic when it fell on him, either ways don’t go there nothing but dust and lies.” She paused and pulled the bandage away scratching an itch she continued to talk after relieving the irritation, “there was an old incinerator that was cheaply built as well, most rubbish back in the day was burnt, stay away from that place there might be a few flammable things or the entire place could come down on you, horrible things happened there patients that couldn't be controlled disappeared after meeting ash” she scratched her hand there was no wound at least none that Anita could see when she said ash did she mean Fredric ash?

Her eyes developed a far off quality as if she was remembering something pleasant “There‘s the old machine shop its to the north of the asylum, there was hope for such good work started there that never made it. don’t poke around there just scrap brass and iron, its also liable to fall on you.” Anita had let Hanna talk and talk. She needed to regain the upper hand all the useful information had gone now she was getting a bunch of ghost stories. She had to push back to something relevant, hear was someone that acted like she knew everything about the place, had her mother or grand mother worked hear and she just assumed there authority with the staff? Had she been privileged with family secrets was that why she held a senior position? “Hanna what can you tell me about Nicky the soap?” she shrugged dismissively “he was a rich man who thought he could purchase everything perhaps in the end he did.” 

More cryptic hints Anita continued trying to get a straight answer “can you tell me about the events that shut the place down before the health farm opened up?” Hanna shrugged “you probably guessed patients escaped on mass a few didn’t manage to escape fast enough.” That was cryptic as hell had the patients been escaping from the staff? again Anita pressed on, “what about the original place the original staff your ancestor ?” Hanna shook her head “let the old ghosts sleep I think you have all your going to get better get going.” Anita agreed she had a maintenance key she would go and see what the heck was going on at the old asylum for herself maybe go on a tour of the destinations Hanna had mentioned at a later date there was a reason she had been specifically warned away form them.

Anita had the presence of mind to grab a large towel when going past the cleaning store and fold it in half the hedge between the old asylum proper and the health farm was full of thick thorny bushes. She really didn’t have any plans to be spiked by the shrubbery. Then Just as she had the towel in place to take up the worst of the thorns she noticed the door hidden away, a maintenance access point or something. It had an odd look to it the door was very secure very sturdy with a reasonably good lock on it. She saw scrapes in the paint on the ground someone was opening it on a regular basis. But they had not cleared the vegetation from in front of it so there was almost no indication that it was there unless you were right on top of it. Anita guessed that there were other asylum delvers other than Emma weight and Jill baker, she guessed that it was someone on the staff and not Hanna chambers someone else was playing around Anita was surrounded by people who were sniffing around the same thing, she would investigate for herself a little bit of metal a few twists and the door opened. It had been oiled so that it didn’t make much noise Anita closed it behind her and headed for the main asylum.

The path up to the old asylum was worn and full of weeds not overly so a path was still clear. However Anita could still tell that there had been a good amount of foot traffic, it was hard to tell precisely she thought she had seen at least one man‘s boot and one woman‘s heel print in the mud they had to be recent. The old asylum building was solid impressive a place that looked like it guaranteed no lunatic would ever escape from its solid walls and narrow windows. Anita guessed time had probably made that warranty invalid, for now at least there was little evidence of anything being done to the building in twenty years. The structure was starting to be colonized by a few trailing plants one or two large shrubs had escaped from the overgrown gardens and were claiming the path. The place did look solid still one or two roof tiles missing but that was it. 

The main door resisted the maintenance key but a side door submitted with a minimal protest. The place was vast on the inside and pretty much a maze there were bits and pieces of furniture paperwork all sorts of scraps lying about. It was almost as if the place had been abandoned very quickly no one had sold off the furniture or anything else. There were probably some of the more secure area’s that would be an antique collectors treasure trove. Maybe Mr Higgs wanted to restore it all or maybe he had another reason not to disturb anything, was there some horrible secret hidden behind one locked door or another she might find out today she might find it tomorrow but she would find out eventually what was going on!

Anita toured around the abandoned asylum there were security doors all over the place some were locked from the inside some were open, it took time to navigate around. It was odd the place seemed to have been build to keep things in. There would have had to have been some very formidable patients to warrant this level of security over the asylum. It looked like it was designed more for a zoo or a castle, with some wild monster to be contained or a series of fortifications built to hold something at bay. The more Anita wandered around the place the more worried she got. She was sure that treasure hunters had been poking at this place for years the lure was to big. how many of them were still sealed up behind a door that shut behind them? Anita shrugged she had to wonder she had a pretty good sense of direction, had she been hear before was the place deliberately designed to send people around in circles? She shrugged probably a design feature she mused to hamper an escape, she could feel a bit of a nervous jolt travel up her spine suddenly she was not quite as confident.

After going around the same area of the asylum the area that Hanna had spoken about Anita could feel something very wrong. She could not put her finger on it the faded signs indicated that she was in the right place. She put her finger on it there was nothing around because someone had gone to the considerable effort of cleaning the place up. It was strange the doors were shut the furniture was neat there were no scraps of material about on the floor. She noticed some scrapes on the paint new scrapes fresh ones something had happened recently. There was one area of the asylum that particularly interested her after looking at the same corridor a few times someone has cleaned the floors removing all foot prints and possibly tried to remove all signs of a struggle maybe that was it. Anita looked around very carefully someone had put up a fight there were scratches on the floor like nails scratches on the walls and what looked like a very small amount of dried brown liquid maybe blood? Anita felt very weird she ran a finger along a surface the rest of the dust was still there someone was trying to cover there tracks!

Anita had the feeling that the cleaners had seen people going to the asylum treasure hunting members of the staff. She guessed that they had seen Emma also going treasure hunting in the old place. She guessed that the group didn’t like the competition there had been a violent confrontation and Emma had lost. Anita was not sure if she was looking for a body or a hostage yet. She could probably check through the company medical records and find out if anyone had requisitioned medical supplies or if there had been an employee with an accident that might have come from a fight with Emma Weight. Anita noted something in the corridor a slight draft she looked on the floor something was wedged in the bottom of a not quite closed door causing the draft she had to find out what it was, a clue of just a random piece of rubbish. 

Anita found it hard to get the old door open she found herself using all her strength and body weight against it plus a few curses under her breath to get it moving. There was a rather plane room inside but it was very interesting someone had pilled the old furniture to one side. Anita grinned her theory about treasure hunters was building evidence, someone had been working on a section of wall not making much progress a little bit of digging with a hammer and chisel against the wall they were very solidly constructed and the person assaulting them was not very good. They had been using a wood working chisel on brick, no wonder they had not made much progress. Was someone trying to dig at random looking for a hidden safe or for something else? 

Anita pulled at the scrap of paper finally digging it out with her folding knife. She looked at her find it was something. If she was with the police she could DNA test it and finger print it. But she was not and the police would not be brought in. The ripped note looked like it was from a pad of note paper. Anita read it the note was signed Cassandra it contained a very rough description of part of the asylum ’go to section 30 check out odd numbered rooms may have been used as meeting room, check for the usual.’ She guessed that the usual was testing the walls for hidden compartments and false walls. The note was addressed to an R no name just a letter the place was small and she could rule out the guests finding a list of who R could be amongst the staff was potentially quite easy.

She thought about it, she had Cassandra and R they might be code names or something else perhaps names two friends or lovers had used together. At the very least there were two people working on the inside of the health farm that were prepared to kill or kidnap a woman. A competitor who was probably chasing the same prize as them. The stakes were quite high but then she was being paid a lot of money to chase down something, she made a guess that her employer had an idea what was in the old godfathers safe or at least an idea of its value but no idea where it was. She suspected from the warning that it was information of some sort, the fact that soapy tended to booby trap things and had burnt a lot of incriminating evidence before the cops could ever get to it made her cautious. 

There were several people who knew a lot more than she did so Anita had to keep digging, she decided to go over the area one more time there had to be something else she could use not just the scrap of paper. She started to look around the area where she had seen the scratch marks where the fight had taken place. It occurred to Anita that in there rush to clear the area someone might had just swept clues aside rather than removing or destroying them. 

There was a small crease in the floor where the edge met the skirting board something small could have been pushed under there. With a flash light and her nails she ferreted about. Her persistence paid off after about a minute she pried out a bit of metal that was probably a key tag there was a little clink on the floor. Anita looked at the source of the noise there was a small white object on the floor she examined it for a second realizing that it was a fragment of tooth. Whatever had happened to Emma weight she had not gone down without a fight. Anita had to guess that someone probably Emma had been smacked in the face with a bunch of keys breaking the tag and a piece of tooth, this had the hallmarks of amateurs people who were sloppy. The police if  they ever got involved would have a field day. Anita looked at the key tag she looked further there was no key. But the broken key tag had a number it was vaguely familiar. Anita had to stop and think for a minute where she had seen the item before? Then it came to her it looked like same type of key tag Anita had for her room, the health farm must have bought standard locks with all the key tags it was probably possible to find out who was issued with key 1057.  

Anita had more to work with more pieces of the puzzle that would lead her to Emma weight, the prize payday and the destruction of what evidence her current employer held over her. Anita had to make a little return trip to the administration office in the health farm she needed to look through the personnel files. She headed back as silently as she could through the asylum locking doors behind her so that the other treasure hunters didn’t notice anything. Anita was pretty sure that she had not yet gotten the attention of whoever had found Emma weight. Jill baker was lucky not to have run into Cassandra and R in her little asylum delving trips they would not have taken a liking to her sense of humor. Anita considered the key tag broken in a fight who’s room did it go with? She was quickly back in the grounds of the health farm she made sure to leave any external traces behind her nothing on her clothes she was just a employee who couldn’t sleep going for a run. 

No one had noticed her previous delving in the records office no extra security or code changes, Anita sighed if she was smarter she would have copied the data on the file so that she could go through it without a return trip or set up a remote link with her computer. But if she had the link then it could possibly be traced if she had the files electronically then there still could be a hard copy with more information that people didn’t bother to scan onto a system. The lock was easy to deal with she already had the pass word to the computer. With a bit of delving Anita eventually found a list of who had which key assigned to them. It made a bit of sense there was someone on the system that had the name Cassandra these were truly not imaginative people. 

Anita looked through the personnel records twice she found out that Cassandra was Cassandra Mayweather, the name tag the note it made sense there was also an accomplice she had at least one friend in the place. She was more than a joke she had worked hear for years had access to all area‘s she probably knew the history of the place. As for the R there was a Ruby a Reggie and a Roland which was the R she was talking about Anita could only guess but knowing Mayweather she was almost certain it was not Ruby. Anita shut everything down and went back to bed she would need some sleep, then she would need to plan things very carefully she was lucky that Mayweather had appointments earlier than she did.

The next morning Anita made a very carefully timed journey through the staff quarters, she had to miss Mayweather get into her room then get out without being noticed. Then she had to get to her own physiotherapy massage sessions without alerting anyone. It was easy enough to watch Mayweather go past she didn’t see people that she thought were beneath her, unless you did something to get her attention the other people around her seemed to register as much as the furniture maybe even less. The rest of the staff were another thing entirely they were not so blinkered, a few of the maintenance and cleaners were just returning to there rooms and the last of the personal trainers were just heading out. Anita had to time it precisely but thankfully a few twists and the lock was open, she was in she had about ten minutes. Quickly and efficiently Anita went through Cassandra’s room, there was a set of banged up tools that looked like they had been bent out of shape probably used for searching the asylum. There was a folder almost like a scrap book it was the proverbial jackpot. 

She looked through it in some detail Anita found a few stories news clippings about the mob and the asylum. The aftermath of the death of one of the directors then Joe the gorilla Hamilton disappearing and never being found. There were estimated from an accountant about the treasure and wealth of the old mobster Soapy. It raised Anita's eyebrows it was a lot, the guy was rich for the day even for a mob boss. He was wealthy then what that was certain. Considering what he had possibly squirreled away was one thing, what it was now worth was anyone's guess, though Anita guessed her employer had a good idea.

Anita was very careful to put everything back where she had originally seen it, she had made photographs of the more interesting pieces including a bit of the guess work on what the potential value of the vault could be. Anita was careful not to be seen leaving Mayweather's room, her lack of friends would certainly arouse suspicion if she was seen leaving but she had a handful of excuses prepared even if she was caught. Anita attended her morning sessions there where two new patients to treat then two of the old guests, nothing really useful or remarkable in the whole morning. Anita made sure that she was right next to the chatter box on the front desk she greeted him with a friendly smile a little talk to Jamaal and she could probably confirm a few points before she moved on with her subsequent plans. 

Anita smiled “Hello Jamaal I was wondering could you give me a bit of advice with Ms Mayweather I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot with her.” He was a little afraid of Cassandra or Mayweather, Anita suspected that he didn't like conflict in any form which was why he was all the way out in this country club of a health farm. He had a hesitant look to begin with as if he might make his life worse by revealing something, then he shrugged “best to avoid her, she can be trouble.” Anita shrugged “I have to work with her what dose she do with her time” Jamaal grinned “when she is-ant arguing with people, she keeps an eye out on the kitchen making sure people on controlled diets don’t stray making sure that the staff serve the correct food.” Anita grinned “she must have at least one friend there if she spends so much time there maybe she has more that a professional interest.” Jamaal grinned “more like an accomplice she gets on with someone from the kitchen staff heck, I think maybe she is sweet on someone there” Jamaal had a look as if he had said two much.” Anita joked with him mocking punching him on the arm she walked off.

Anita decided to go straight to the horses mouth it was a more risky strategy but it would get her answers quickly. She had already memorized her schedule so it was easy for her to bump into Cassandra and strike up a conversation. Anita had dealt with people like her if you agree with them it strokes there ego they can be quite easy to deal with. Anita politely mentioned how she was impressed by how Mayweather ran things. The woman acted like she was two inches taller. They walked and talked Anita spoke about health foods nuts etc the benefits of soy milk. They continued along the corridor making small talk. Anita discussed the barbecue and how inappropriate the food was Mayweather agreed. Anita was ready to start getting answers “at the party I noticed that there are at least a few staff around hear that might partner up, I think Hillary might have her eye on Mr Higgs.” Mayweather nodded “oh yes but Mr Higgs only has eyes for the paperwork.” Anita nodded and grinned “I think, I saw you with someone at the party though?” 

Mayweather smiled she let her guard down for a second “Reginald is a bit of a fixer upper but I cant complain to much.” Anita smiled she could see a bit of real emotion behind Mayweather a person behind the stern mask. Anita smiled “hopefully I might meet someone, this old place must have a fascinating history.” Mayweather had a little spark in her eye “It has a rich history if you look,” she emphasized the word rich Anita got the pun she waved good by to Mayweather. The woman's private little joke was not so private Anita grinned what she thought was confirmed. The rest of the day flew past, she had a light lunch with Lilly. Some minestrone soup a piece of fruit and a roll, she spoke with Lilly independently confirming that Cassandra and one of the kitchen staff Reggie is what passes for Mayweather as friendly. Definitely the guy who was following her at the party, Mayweather had no one else she was close to it was just the two of them two was something that Anita could handle. Lilly didn’t know much more about the two of them as a couple but Anita could fill in all the blanks.

Anita went through the rest of her patients she went back to her room. She had uploaded a simple program to Hack Cassandra’s computer earlier on with the data stick containing the information she now had a bit of time to goes through the results. There were some emails between her and her accomplice/lover Reggie mostly lectures on what he should be doing right. There were a few documents on gold prices assessing the value of jewelry. Cassandra seemed to be a little obsessed with history.  

Anita looked back on what she had collected there was a family record. Anita quickly connected the dots she found out one of Mayweather's ancestor was the eldest daughter of Nicky the soap aka soapy. It didn't take much checking to find that Nicky didn't leave his family anything, checking the records further it looks like they never recovered no family money now. Anita knew that the evening meal was being prepared so it was easy to checks on Reggie's room. There was a tense moment a little bit of a rush when Anita just avoided a couple of guests trying to sneak about and find a place to have a cigarette. 

Opening his room door was easy Anita quickly found what she wanted various wrappers and packs and a large syringe with a tube that could be used to force feed some one. Anita realized that Reggie was taking food from the kitchen. Emma may still be alive and probably very eager to escape from the broccoli puree diet. Anita noted Emma was either in a very bad way or very tightly restrained if she had to be fed this way. One last stop Anita checked through Cassandra’s office she easily noted a lose bit of boxing on a radiator it was sightly out of position. Anita found what was probably an old master key worn on the edges it must have been used quite frequently and quite recently where Mayweather had gotten it form Anita could only guess.

Now that she had access to everything Anita was going to go back to the asylum and have a very good look around. There were doors that would not open at the crime scene where Emma had probably been accosted by Reggie and Mayweather they would not have moved her far all the doors would open now. Anita had to find Emma soon she had to make progress she carried some insurance with her. She waited until it was dark she quickly got to the fence and was back inside the old part of the asylum. Anita found another tour of the asylum a lot quicker now that she had the master key she just picked a direction and kept going. Suddenly Anita stopped a felling like a piece of ice passing through her back fell upon her for a second, she paused then shook her head dismissing it. Anita moved forwards she was almost at the right spot her torch was out and ready shining looking for Emma. 

She paused there was a strange sensation a room creepier than the rest. The side room called to her she thought she had checked that room with the maintenance key but she would just stop a second. Anita was sure that she remembered looking in the room. But with a shine of the torch it reveled the room was a little different. An odd shape was on the floor the wall didn't look right. in the darkness she had found what she thought might be some body.

For some reason Anita kept her distance she looked, it felt wrong but she couldn't tell how. There was someone on the floor they looked very ill the position was not a natural one. The someone was left in a raged hospital gown with a heavy duty straight jacket clinched over them, it had to be a woman. A tight panel of leather was molded over there jaw, the gag must be massive considering the way there face was distorted around it. They had worked against the gag desperately rubbing it up against something cutting into the leather cutting there own skin, almost but not quite succeeding in removing it. The thick cuffs on the ankles had a short length of thick leather between then torn and ripped it must have taken considerable effort to break that restraint. 

Anita was hesitant to touch the bundle just yet she examined it from a distance the collar of the jacket had been reinforced with leather. The arms of the jacket were very tight with multiple reinforcing loops on the front and sides. The jacket had been clinched shut with no regard for the person inside its comfort or health. She was surprised that they could breath with the jacket applied the way it was, Anita had to pause for a second she couldn’t actually see the persons chest moving that was worrying. On closer examination it appeared to be a young woman, and the straight jacket was sown shut someone had spent a lot of time and effort stitching the canvas straps in place making it almost impossible to undo them without some sort of sharp knife Anita wondered? 

The room was different there had been a hidden panel like a cupboard where the person must have been stored it looked like it had been nailed shut and the woman had fought her way out from inside. Anita checked there was no pulse there was a blue tint to the skin, the woman looked very thin emaciated almost. Had Cassandra and Reggie simply warped Emma up in a straight jacket and left her to die of starvation or dehydration. Anita paused that was odd considering the food she found in Reggie's room. Anita thought about it some more but had she perhaps chocked from the tight bondage or a blood clot. Maybe a concussion or a fall or something else. Anita had a picture off Emma on her phone. She took a deep breath and rolled her over for a closer look Anita sighed it was not Emma. She had to scratch her head who was this did someone else get involved in this mess? Anita thought for a second a split fraction of a second she saw movement it couldn’t have been there was no pulse. Then the eyes opened they were wrong just wrong blue and red in a mix that was not natural. The first time in her career Anita felt her body override her head her gut instinct of fear she fell to the floor and skittered backwards until she hit a wall. 

The next few seconds Anita panicked she almost lost it she found herself  a few corridors away panting and shaking. She forced her self to stop she had run away from a helplessly bound woman who was probably frightened and alone, she had to go back and act like a professional. A few minutes later Anita went back and found nothing she searched for then minutes but there was no sign of a body or a bound woman but there was still the small hidey-hole just big enough to force a woman into. Anita started to doubt and question herself. was she going mad suffering from a break down ? Her heart was hammering in her chest was she seeing stuff, was this the end of her professional career was it to much pressure maybe some sort of drug she had disturbed while looking around? 

Anita  calmed down looking for the body she cant be dreaming stuff up. She went through the possibilities an over active imagination not likely. A ghost she didn't believe in them. The most reasonable answer she could think of was a prank form another employee or patient who had seem Mayweather or Jill around this place and come up with an elaborate but not very funny plan they must have had something over there skin so she couldn't feel the pulse. Did some one else know about this place? Anita idly wondered how many of the staff members creep over hear of a night time she was surprised that there was anyone left, she assured herself it was a bad prank she had other things to do.

Anita went back to looking around the area to find some trace of Emma they would not have moved her very far due to the effort involved. Anita opened a particularly heavy door with the master key and got a break. There were some tracks in the dusty corridor it looked like someone was dragged there and there were various footsteps going backwards and forwards. Anita felt that she was only a short distance away from success to unravel one mystery. There was one very heavy door it was marked up as high security isolation it looked like if someone was put there they would stay there. There was a massive padlock on the door which must have weighted three pounds easily the master key overcame this ancient piece of heavy duty ironmongery Anita placed the padlock on the floor.

with the padlock on the door open Anita had access to a viewing slot the plate slid out of the way and she shone her torch through a view hole. She had a good look of the inside of a very heavily padded cell. It was not a very large room and the occupant of the room certainly looked uncomfortable to put it mildly. There was a feminine bundle chained to one corner of the cell, inside there was a section of mechanical apparatus with a sound like a pump with the flow of water. The bundle was effeminately a woman under some sort of layered wrap her belly was painfully bulging like she was five months pregnant she seemed to be squirming helplessly within the limits of her harsh restraints.  

Anita was certain it had to be Emma she must have been bound up like this for a week or more what would that have done to her would she till have any useful information or even a mind left. Anita had to do this one step at a time. The Door was still bolted heavily at three places it took a lot of pulling and straining to get each bolt to open, finally the door shifted it squeaked and protested as slowly Anita forced it to open grinding and creaking it finally complied. Anita remembered the calming wrap it was basically what had been done to Emma more or less. She spoke to her softly stroking her head “Just relax I am hear to get you out” there was no response from the bundle.

Anita was certain that she had found Emma it had to be her in the corner of the padded room. She wore a very heavy set of chains on top of a her being under a full calming wrap plus some punishing hydroponic accessories. Anita stared at the ancient pump for a little while before pulling a leaver to switch it off, there was a gurgling noise and the rate that the water was flowing increased. Anita pulled the leaver in the opposite direction the rate of water slowed and stopped she patted the poor girl on her tummy “Emma I hope you can hear me hopefully this makes things a bit more comfortable.”Anita turned of several more valves finally finding a drain off valve and fully neutralizing the mechanical accessories. She pulled a hose out of the machine  letting the water flow away into a small drain in the corner of the room Anita noted how the room was probably designed specifically to torture a patient in this way she  disconnected the last of the pipe work.

The chains were wrapped around her in several tight merciless bands. Around each thigh pinning them to the two walls through loops in the padding, with more chains wrapped around her bust above and below in a way that would be most uncomfortable a tight double crotch strap of chain also existed. It was clinched tight enough to add to Emma's torment. Anita noted that while the chains and locks were old and rusted they were very solid, they looked like they would be able to anchor a ship. It must have been more asylum surplus that was lying around as luckily they opened up to the master key, Anita idly thought maybe they were from somewhere else not just for this purpose. She touched Emma on the shoulder squeezing her “Emma just relax I am going to get these chains off you.” With a dull click the last lock opened, free from the wall she slumped forwards into Anita's arms.

The rubber layer was going to be next Anita was sure that it would be a struggle to get it off its cocooned victim. She patted her on the shoulder then the side of the head “Emma can you hear me?” Anita shrugged and got to work, the shorts that completely covered her crotch and folded legs was the first item to go. Two stiff catches released there grip then the rubber article was released from the waist. It was incredibly thick tight rubber that took a lot of time to maneuver. The material might normally have had talcum powder on the inside but it had just been forced on over Emma its removal was time consuming. The trails of pipes didn't help very much Anita was able to gently pull out the catheter but the other plug seemed to be welded in place for the moment. 

Only when the lower garment was gone could Anita access the crotch straps to begin to free the upper section of the rubber restraint cocooning Emma. The crotch straps had heavy buckles, then there was some sadistically tightened lacing and only after that was Anita able to slowly work the restraint up and off from its victim. The hood was pulled on as one item its base covered by the jacket section  Anita had to pretty much unroll it and pull it off to free Emma, it was a relative word she was still encased in so many other layers of restraining bandages.

After a break she then started on the first layer of the wrap, she continued to speak but got no reaction, “Emma I hope you feel better if you can hear me make some sort of movement.” Anita examined the upper layer of wrapping it was very tight crushingly so, elasticated bandages with hooks and eyelets to make sure nothing could come lose no pins or knots everything was super tight. Each eyelet was fiddly to free but bit by bit the second layer of bandages was removed. Anita realized that Emma was not reacting to this process very much she started to worry. Maybe it was because she was exhausted and terrified or just to firmly bound to move. 

Anita had to wonder it didn't feel right. Finally the bandages were removed from Emma's body and piled up in a corner then the second layer was removed. The woman uncurled as much as she was able it was definitely Emma and she seemed to be unresponsive, Anita gently shook her “Emma Weight can you hear me?” Emma lost the posture collar and her head dipped down the mittens were unlaced and her arms fell to her sides. Finally Anita as gently as was possible pulled the huge gag and plug from her body. They were wedged in tight the anal plug was over four inches wide at its widest point! she winced at the thought of it. The woman must have undergone agony hooked up like this for so many days Anita couldn't imagine it Mayweather was certainly capable of almost anything.

Looking at the picture she had on her phone the woman in front of her was definitely Emma Weight not someone else. Anita opened her eyes and shone the torch in, they did not dilate Emma was completely unresponsive. A few moments of checking and Anita found needle marks on her arm she had been injected with something. Anita guessed that she was heavily drugged on top of the restraints. There must have been some drugs left in some corner of the old asylum, that was the best guess certainly a health farm would not have access to sedatives like that. 

Anita decides to hold off on calling in to her employer until she could speak to Emma to find out why they did this what she was after and who knew. Anita wondered could she get an antidote to the drug? Anita looked her over a bit skinny there were signs she put up a fight a black eye one of her earrings torn out a chipped tooth someone with a ring had struck her on the cheek there was a scratch that would match a ring Mayweather wore. Some one had beaten her with something different from the bunch of keys a heavier item like a weapon would have made the marks. There were marks on her arms and on her legs beaten bruises the blows didn't look like a man had done them Reggie probably held her down while Cassandra went to work on her.

Anita made a few guesses maybe they were torturing her to find information about what was happening or where the vault was or what the code to it was. Emma looked like she was questioned by someone who didn’t know quite what they were doing, they inflicted damage on the same spot time and time again long after a person could not feel it concentrated on a few area's some with almost no feeling in them but they had a bruit force quantity over precision method. Anita doubted that Emma had kept back anything from the sadistic pair, she was more likely to not know what information they had wanted. This left Anita with few leads to follow, if the vault hunters didn't know anything about the location of the vault and Emma didn't seem to know anything as if she did they would have found it and packed up. Anita shrugged she would have to confirm her suspicions latter and keep hunting maybe they had the answers and were two dim to put them together another possibility. She would be heading for a confrontation with them in the future but one on her terms.