S1E17 DOOMWATCH - EXTREME MEASUREMENTS

8/9/2019 S1E17 DOOMWATCH - EXTREME MEASUREMENTS

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DOOMWATCH

Season 4 Episode 17

Extreme Measurements

By Matthew Spencer

Push. Come on now Melissa you can do this.The midwife encouraged. The baby was crowning now. Much as she relished her job it

was hell on her knees and the faster this was over the better she always hated herselfwhen that particular thought bobbed up. Melissas chubby face contorted in a grimace of

pain, cheeks flushed as she gave another push. Her medical gown was caked in sweatafter 23 hours of exertion.

Nearly there now. Just one last big push for me thats it. Keep pushing.

With a scream from Melissa the baby emerged from its mother and into the midwifeswaiting hands. The midwife passed the newborn carefully to a nurse hovering above herand creakily got to her feet, knees popping which caused her to give a slight grunt.

Something was wrong; the baby wasnt crying. Time was of the essence now and themidwife seized the tiny figure with a much practiced combination of speed and delicacy,

holding it by both legs and slapping its rear. Nothing. Again. Still nothing.Hes not breathing. Get that crash cart here now!

The small room erupted in frenzied movement as the nurses prepare for manualoperations. The child is laid down on the care and its chest tapped sharply by the

midwife.Whats wrong? Wheres my baby? demanded the new mother, leaning over her but

unable to see because of the stirrups. Why isnt he crying?.Melissa, his lungs are obstructed and were doing all we can but you have to be quiet

right now, the midwifes voice stern and tone level as she leant in to listen to check forbreathing. Melissa breaks down into tears which only added to the pandemonium.

Mam, its been too long. You have to declare it one kindly young nurse beseeches.No. No, I can save him. I cant loose this one, still tapping the chest and leaning in.

You did everything you could, but you need to stop now. The midwife sighs, her eyeswatery; when she addresses the nurse her voice is close to breaking.See to this would you. turning around she approaches Melissa. I am so sorry. She

quickly leaves the room before the mothers cries of anguish completely push her overthe edge, standing in the corridor with head bowed while she collects herself. She dare

not look back at into the room of unknowable misery behind her. An elderly nurse jogsover to her, face set in concern, eyes moist and flicking madly around, unable to remain

still.Midwife we need you in the maternity ward now.

I have to check in on my other case, shes nearly twenty hours in -. The nurse cuts heroff.


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We contacted Dr. Bentham to take care of it while you were busy. Im sorry but it wasanother still birth. My team are seeing to the mother now, but we need you in the

maternity ward NOW!The pair hurry down the corridor. Why now?thought the midwife, three still births now,

and 8 cases of miscarriage. What in Gods name is going on?They dash through the

double doors into the maternity ward as the doctor alert system goes into overdrive, allavailable staff to report to their location immediately. However, despite the alarms andconstant messages from the com-system there was an uncomfortable silence in the air it

put the midwife instantly on edge.Why cant I hear crying? For Christs sake what is going on nurse?

They juststopped. All of them at once. They stopped at the large plate glass windowseparating the maternity ward from the hospital. Inside a fleet of nurses and doctors were

desperately running around between the cribs or picking up and lightly shaking thebabies. The only sound from the room was their panicked voices.

Theyre all dead, miss said the nurse. Tears streak down the midwifes face yet she isunable to turn away from the chaos before her.

What the hell do we do now? she whispered.

Adam tossed the files over to Paul and Miranda who stand at the foot of his desk.Thirteen cases of child death and miscarriage in one day alone, bringing the total up to

thirty-six this week alone at Bryson Gate Hospital, and with reported cases of unusuallylarge yields of more deaths in coming in from other hospitals and clinics within a ten mile

radius. Miranda brought her hand to her lips and slumped into a seat.How horrible

Jesus murmurs Paul who remained standing.Clearly there is something in this, and I think its fair to suggest that Doomwatch is fully

capable of getting to the bottom of it. He hands a file over to Paul who seems relieved tohave less grim reading material. Paul, youre going to the hospital; chances are theres

something there the health inspectors missed or didnt think to look for. Find out aboutthe medical history of the parents. Miranda He reaches for another file and hunches

over the desk but Miranda cant stop flipping though the folder of horrors. Miranda!Yes? Oh, sorry, she takes the file and Adam gets comfortable again.

Youll be going to see the bereaved families no I dont want to hear it, cutting off herprotests. Youll be easier for them to talk to and better able to empathise - no offence

Paul. Paul shrugs, unphased. Find out about their personal lives; work; routine; foodand life style - anything that might not show up on their medical history.

All due respects sir, but Im Miranda is cut short.Miranda, listen. You are the only person I trust to see that the family are as comfortable

as possible during this troubling line course of questioning. You can do this. Adamsmiles reassuringly. Miranda sniff and nods, but her eyes are moist.

Yeah. Alright. She gathers her papers of addresses together and gets to her feet. Paulleads her out.

And Paul Adam calls to the disappearing figure. Paul leans back in though the door,raising an eyebrow quizzically. Try to use a little tact on this one. With a solemn smile

Paul exits, closing the door behind him.


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Adam and the head midwife walk down the hospital corridor.So did the health inspectors find anything amiss?

No Mr. Grover, they did not. Nor did the medical examiners or coroners find anyunusual substances in the blood, tissue, faeces, or any of the other samples we took from

each mother, father and child. Maybe if we hadfound a link then we could have avoided

such inane questioning from four separate investigative bodies yourself included.I apologise for the intrusion Paul replies with a stone set face.No, Im sorry sighs the midwife, this whole thing has been bad for everyone; the

hospitals reputation is in tatters, plus the emotional damage to the staff. I had to take afew days leave just to snap out of it. Worst of all or maybe for the best we havnt had a

single mother come here for deliver once word spread, and several even transferred todifferent hospitals. They come to an unimpressive door marker medical records dept.,

the midwife swiping a card in the electronic lock and beckoning Paul inside.The room within is lined with metal line racks stretching the far length of the narrow

corridor running parallel to it. Each shelf stacked with filing cabinets markedalphabetically.

Our head of records collected the files on all the patients a few days ago when theinvestigation began the other day. Hes kept them down his office ready for your visit.

A door into a small office hardly bigger than the desk crammed in it stands open at the farend of the room. Inside a small man with a twig moustache and wirey spectacles is looks

up at the sound of the approaching voices, though he quickly resumes his work until thetwo enter the tiny cubical. He stands and with a slight hunch moves around the table to

greet Paul.Shaun Ditko he says with a forced smile, shaking Pauls hand rather limply then

retuning to his seat, indicating Paul should do likewise. The midwife remains hovering inthe doorway. These Shaun heaves a large stack of files up off the floor with a grunt

of effort and drops them onto the desk, pushing them towards Paul, are copies of thecomplete medical histories on all the women involved. We included the fathers medical

profiles to - where available -, as requested. Tell me Mr.Grover, what doyouthink theother investigation teams have missed that your rag-tag team of government X-file

wannabe will find? Paul smiles through the insult.If we knew we wouldnt be looking, would we? This rather flusters Shaun.

Yes. Well, if that is all would you kindly leave? I have much to do and space is scareenough as it is.

Of course. Paul stands and extends his hand. When Shaun takes it Pauls grip is slightlyharder than perhaps necessary, causing Shaun to wince. Good day Mr Ditko. Paul and

the midwife leave

Across town Miranda is in the home of the fifth woman on her extensive list and still shewasnt used to the invasive questioning of emotionally unstable men and women. Best

case sanario they would sob through it and pass on what information they had; worstcases had resulted in violent outbursts and threats to get out. This one was shaping up to

be the later. The woman, Mrs. Tyrone sat stone faced on the opposite chair, her wateryeyes unflinchingly focused on Mirandas while her husband drifted in the doorway

behind her. She was dangerously large, the type that would be impossible to combat withjust a few salads and some trips to the gym. If this turned violent Miranda knew the


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woman would be as unstoppable as a moving juggernaut. Swallowing hard from thethough Miranda continues with her questions.

And would you say youve been doing anything differently from your normal routinesince the pregnancy began?

No. Short and cold. Eyes still fixated on hers.

I know this is difficult Mrs. Tyrone but if you did anything, anythingat all that canhelp us narrow down our search we can find out why this happened.Nine months is a long time damn it! A lot of crap happens every day and how much of it

do you remember?! Were done here, get out. Miranda acknowledges the request with aflat smile and a curt nod, gathers her stuff and makes for the door, the husband silently

following, seeing her out and slamming the door behind her. Through the door Mirandacan hear the woman sobbing hysterically, glad to have made it out before it got any more

awkward.

In the cafeteria of Bryson Gate Hospital Paul sits at an empty table covered in a mass ofloose papers from the patient files. Annotated notes are scrawled across most, with

arrows linking some to others. His face is cupped in both hands, elbows on the table, penbetween clenched teeth, staring down at the several files in front of him. His leg twitches

from the need to return o activity and he drops one hand to the table with an exacerbatedmoan. He grabs the next file and tips the papers onto the steadily steeping pile. He

glances over the basic information at the top without really reading it. Just as he is aboutto move on to the next file something clicks, something he missed but had subliminally

registered. He studied the file with new scrutiny. There! The blood cholesterol leveldidnt match up to the BMI. And not just by a small discrepancy; by all accounts this

woman was only eleven stone, yet here her cholesterol was thick enough for her blood tobe used as an unhealthy alternative to syrup. He flicked though the womans case history,

noticing that her cholesterol level had increased exponentially over the last 14 months,remaining at a normal level after that point. Intrigued, he begins rifling through previous

files to see if there were any other cases hed missed. And there it was; every personinvolved, either the woman or partner showed the same signs of rapidly increasing

cholesterol. Jubilantly he fished for his phone and selected Mirandas name.

Miranda had moved on to the sixth house on her list. This woman was far less imposing,but her frail build added to her visible exhaustion, making her look dangerously gaunt.

Her phone rang and Miranda pleasantly excused herself into the hall.Did you find anything?

Possibly the mother load. Can you ask them specifically about their diets? Theyve allbeen ingesting high cholesterol foods on and off since, or prior to becoming pregnant

their weekly check-ups confirm it. Fast food outlets are the best port of call.Got it. Check back with you when I have a lead. She hangs p and returns to the living

room. Mrs. Stevens this is going to sound unusual but believe me it could be the cluewere looking for. I need you to tell me all the places you have eaten from frequently

over the last two years.


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I think I have a winner. Miranda was chirpy as she got into the car this was the onlygood thing she had experienced for the last 8 hours. Paul reved the engine and turned out

onto the road.Do tell.

Here: Master Fryer. Its the only place all the individuals have recently frequented and

there are only several of them set up all within a twenty mile radius. I think wed knowif it were a nation-wide chain.Thats a bingo. The car speeds off down the motorway.

The following afternoon Miranda and Paul pull up outside the headquarters of Master

Fryer Inc. and stride with authority into the reception area. The receptionist looks up witha forced smile and cheerful demeanour.

Good morning and welcome to Master Fryer Incorporated. How can I help you?Mam were with the environmental agency Doomwatch. Were here to speak to your

managing director. The receptionists smile falters momentarily and her face remainstightened at this.

Well Im afraid Mr Albury is currently unavailable right now. Perhaps if you book anappointment I can arrange a meeting insix weeks? She tinkers with something on her

computer as she says this.Im afraid this cant wait. Paul strides around the desk, surely he has some time

available this aft He notices what she is writing on the screen; a message readingpeople are here to talk to you think they might be police!! Paul looks up at Miranda.

Hes here get to the elevator. He rounds on the receptionist the clich loyal to theend receptionist. God youre a dying breed. Now where is his office! This man is

suspected of multiple cases of murder so youll tell me now or so help me God youll bean accessory to the fact. The receptionist clearly has divided loyalties and it is some

seconds before she can answer her voice breaking as she does.Third floor end of the left corridor.

Miranda third floor.Got it. Miranda presses the button for the third floor, holding the door open for Paul to

join her. She fidgets as the slow lift begins its ascent. Recon shell try to warn himagain?

Dont think so. She seemed pretty jarred by the idea of him being a murderer if shewas that good an actor shed be a personal assistant or in film. But that email pretty much

confirms our suspicions. Even if he isnt responsible for this, hes defiantly up tosomething. The lift stops and they march with haste to the door at the end of the left

corridor. Paul knocks loudly and announces his presence but there is no reply from withinso he flings open the door to present the red faced Mr Albury stuffing papers into an

overflowing shredder. His round face is coated in sweat and his small beady eyes flickerwildly between the two intruders, clutching the papers in his arms closer to his flabby

heaving chest.Mr Albury, we have suspicion to believe you are involved in the deaths of numerous

children. You can come quietly and answer our questions now or we can alert theauthorities and have you arrested right here and now. Mr Alburys lip trembles and he

chokes out his response perhaps a tad sharper than hed intended.I only did what I had to. Ask anybody. They had only themselves to blame.


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Sounds like a confession to me Paul. Miranda takes out her phone and dials. James, hiits Miranda. Listen Im going to need officers down at Master Fryer. The case is related

to the Bryson Gate incident we have the suspect.

Adam reclines in his chair as Paul begins talking through their findings.

He was pretty eager to confess. The police barely had to pressure him at all. Said he wasalmost gloating at what hed done that hed saved a generation from a childhood ofhumiliation and stigma.

Miranda takes the reigns.Apparently its the result of some lifelong trauma started in his childhood a deep

rooted hatred of overweight people stemming from his own mothers obesity. Theembarrassment he felt for her condition let to paranoia and the feeling he was always

being ridiculed for her condition. Naturally he was over fed as a child and his appearanceonly added to these feelings. The last straw came when his mother eventually died from a

massive myocardial infarction; at the funeral she had to be lowered into the grave withreinforced chains by a crane. He took it upon himself to save, as he saw it, future

generations from the stigma and shame of being a child to overweight and sickly parentsshortly after being diagnosed with acute onset diabetes two years ago from his high sugar

consumption through his childhood and teen years.Paul pulls a medical report form from the file on the desk and takes over.

He was using a drug he synthesised from mifepristone, the abortion pill and having hisemployees on the production line pour the chemical into the franchises trademark sauce.

He was clever enough to hire only people of relatively poor intelligence who wouldntknow or think to question what they were adding into the mix. It was near untraceable in

the system because it sped up the metabolism enough to burn up any trace in undertwelve hours and the high blood cholesterol would be near unnoticeable in his specific

overweight targets. It slowly poisoned the foetus over a course of months, the speeddepending on the mothers blood pressure or the rate she ate at a Master Fryer.

Fortunately for us he didnt account for slimmer people eating regularly from his outlets,in a train of thought inherent from his stereotyping form of classification, which made the

contrast between body mass index and blood cholesterol obvious for those looking for it.Its also responsible for the outbreak of male impotence in the area. Paul concluded the

presentation and Adam reclined and smiled grimly.Another success for the agency, although Id clearly rather have never their been a case

like this in the first place. Good work. Take a days leave to wind down no doubt thishas been a difficult assignment to deal with. Paul and Miranda thank him and take their

leave. Left alone, Adam contemplated the events of the case which further grounded inhim the fact that the world was full of demons and today they had caught one. Taking out

a concealed bottle of whiskey he justified that both of these facts entitled him to a drink maybe several.

THE END

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S1E17 DOOMWATCH - EXTREME MEASUREMENTS