"He killed Storm Woman, took over this hospital, and even brought Lampman under his control. This indicates that he could be just like us, committed to opposing superheroes. If we can get his help, there might be hope for our vendetta."
After taking a deep breath to calm down, Franci agreed with Milk. If the doctor had malicious intent, he could have killed them all after killing Storm Woman.
"Moreover, if he really did kill Storm Woman, that means he must have a method to take out these superhumans. We need to acquire that method, we can't just keep hiding."
After discussing with Milk, Franci came to an agreement. They decided not to mention that there were people waiting outside. Instead, only the three of them would follow Lampman and meet the doctor.
And so, the trio followed Lampman through the dark hospital. At night, the hospital was eerily quiet; every room was silent, and no one dared to make a sound.
An atmosphere of extreme fear and strangeness pervaded, causing the trio to quiet down as if fearing to be discovered by some ferocious beast.
When they arrived and opened the door to the consultation room, the scene inside was completely different from the somber hospital. It was a bright office with warm lights creating a cozy ambiance. The shelves held a variety of books and oddities, and a mound of unprocessed files sat on the office desk.
Lampman opened the door, ushered the three in, stood by the door and said: "Doctor, I've brought them here."
"Thank you, you can go back to your rest," was the reply.
Lampman nodded and left without hesitation. Franci glanced back at him suspiciously while Milk nudged Franci with his elbow, urging him to look ahead.
However, Lampman's unquestioning compliance and quick departure made Milk feel uneasy. In his mind, Lampman had been a strong superpower user. Yet, this doctor didn't seem to need his protection at all.
Having dealt with the Super Seven, Milk knew well that superhumans, despite their great powers, always traveled with a large entourage of bodyguards, as if scared that ordinary people could harm them.
With that thought, Milk turned to the doctor who appeared typical, just a textbook example of a doctor. As the doctor sat behind his desk and looked up at them, he said: "Nice to meet you. My name is Schiller Rodriguez. You can simply call me Doctor Schiller."
"Who are you? Why are you here? And what's the deal with Storm Woman outside? Where are the files?" Francine impatiently blurted out.
Milk nudged Franci with his elbow again, indicating him to keep his temper in check. It wasn't polite to ask so many questions upon meeting someone for the first time, even if they were just a regular person.
Surprisingly, the doctor wasn't annoyed. Schiller simply shook his head and said, "You have too many questions. Start with the one you're most curious about."
Before Franci could speak, Kimeko, who was standing next to them, started trembling. Milk hurried to comfort her and asked, "What happened... with the corpse outside?"
"You should know her better than I do. She trespassed here, so I killed her."
Milk gaped and finally said, "She... trespassed here? But isn't this supposed to be the Vought Corporation's mental hospital?"
Milk pursed his lips, unsure how to answer. Schiller then questioned him, "Is this the Vought Corporation's asylum? Have they ever cured anyone here?"
"I don't think...they might not have. I mean, this place wasn't meant to cure mental illness, was it?"
"Correct. But I've cured all the patients here. So, to whom does this hospital belong?"
Milk decided not to continue debating this topic. He asked, "So who exactly are you? And why did you come to this hospital?"
"As I've already introduced myself, I am Schiller Rodriguez, a doctor. I understand you may suspect that I have another identity, but that's not the case. I am just an ordinary doctor."
"Like all doctors, my mission is to treat patients. In recent months, I have achieved significant results in this hospital. However, the woman who was sitting in the lobby downstairs murdered many patients who were waiting for treatment. Hence, she is lying there now."
Milk quickly realized that the doctor probably held a grudge against the Super Seven. He had come across many people who, having lost their loved ones to superheroes, had either lost their sanity or appeared normal while actually being mad.
Therefore, he said: "We have all suffered the same fate as you. We are currently dealing with Vought Corporation and their Super Seven. We hope to get some help from you."
"I already know that. This is your purpose for coming here," Schiller said as he picked up glasses from the desk and put them on. Turning towards the dark night outside, he said, "There is still a long time to dawn. We have plenty of time to discuss."