The rage Within

Dr. Kaufland entered Jacks room with confidence and swagger. The first attempt to speak to Jack left a sour taste in his mouth and he was looking forward to this next conversation. He didn’t like patients making him look bad. He would finish Jack’s treatment, even if he had to take some liberties, and then send him on his way as soon as possible. Either to another facility or back out on the street, it didn’t matter to him one way or another. Though Dr. Kaufland considered himself a professional, he was first and foremost a narcissist, and he did not like anyone thinking he was not as good a doctor as he believed he was. Dr. Richards would not show him up by completing what he could not. He would never let that happen.

Jack was already sitting in one of the conversation chairs staring at Spencer as he entered the room. It almost as if Jack was waiting for the doctor to enter.

“I’m glad to see you are feeling much better…Jack is it?” Dr. Kaufland said.

“I am feeling better. Dr. Richards is a very good doctor.”

“Ah, so you do talk. I had a suspicion that you did. That’s great. It will make things much easier, for both of us.”

Spencer sat in the chair opposite of Jack and got comfortable. He organized his file, put his glasses on, and prepared for the session.

Jack’s look was emotionless as he stared at the doctor, who had just given Jack his attention.

“Well, maybe not for both of us doctor.” Jack said.

The look on Dr. Kaufland’s face changed, and quickly. He looked Jack directly in the eyes and saw a sinister look that made him uneasy. It even gave him a slight chill, but he knew better than to show any signs of weakness with patients.

“What do you mean? I hope that’s not some thinly veiled threat Jack. Your stay here could be substantial with that attitude.”

“I doubt that Spencer.” Jack said.

Spencer frowned, but Jack continued before he could speak.

“I know your kind all too well, and I know you.” Jack said as he raised a single finger and pointed at Dr. Kaufland. “This may not be the usual doctor-patient conversation you are used to, but I suggest you listen, and listen carefully.”

“No, you list-”

“Shut up!” Jack said just under a yell, but with a sternness that couldn’t be denied.

He shut up.

Jack quickly regained a softer demeanor about himself. He laced his fingers together in front of him, taking on the mannerisms of a stereotypical psychiatrist about to start a session.

“You’ve been a doctor at this hospital for 17 years.” Jack said. “And in that time you have made some great strides considering your meager abilities and pedigree. The online University of Wright &Anderson doesn’t open as many doors as one would think. Yet you still did okay for yourself, didn’t you? Buuuut it wasn’t without its road blocks, am I right?”

Dr. Kaufland squirmed in his chair, not liking what he was hearing at all.

Jack continued.

“The sexual harassment complaint from your former secretary Ann Pearless. That was a close one, but the she withdrew her complaint after she received a visit from a stranger in the night. How about that suspicious fire of your failed practice. Remember your partner, Martin Scofield? He never received a dime and somehow you got all the insurance money. Then you thought it would be a nice resume builder if you were the head of large psychiatric facility. The first two didn’t work out, but then you figured a quicker way to get what you wanted. How many private investigators did you have to hire before you finally got something on Stephen O’Rourke? Stephen is a nice man, but you succeeded in getting something on him just embarrassing enough to get the job you wanted. Oh, the contents of your safe deposit box are no longer there by the way. Then there are the underage girls, drugs, and the contents of your home computer. Not the desk top mind you, but rather the laptop hidden in the closet.”

How the hell?

Dr. Kaufland was speechless, but inside he was angry. He wasn’t the guy who was the victim. He made others the victim. The weak, the lambs, the ones who didn’t matter. He was tired of listening to this. He was in charge.

“Who the hell are you? What the hell is going on here?” Dr. Kaufland asked, attempting to regain his control. “I don’t care what you think you know. I could have you locked away for the rest of your life with a snap of my fingers. You are in my world. Look around you. This is a secure facility and I hold all the keys!”

Jack was waiting for this.

The attempt to regain his position of power.

“You’re right. I’m here. However, my associates are not. You may have dabbled in the realm of intimidation and coercion, but trust me Spencer, if we have to go down that road, it will be a lesson you will never forget.” Jack said.

“What do I want?” Spencer asked.

“Always the pragmatic. First, you will draft your letter of resignation and give it to Mr. O’Rourke before the end of business today. You will tell him you are sorry for your immediate departure, but you will have to resign right away. Something tells me he will be okay with it. Along with the letter you will give him all copies of your blackmail material. You know, the minor things you held onto for insurance, in the event you lost your safe deposit box. Then you will write a letter of apology to Emily for the constant mistreatment of her since she arrived. Failure to do any one of the things will result in a forfeiture of our deal.”

“Our deal?”

“Yes, the one where you do as you are told and I let you go about your miserable existence relatively unscathed.”

With fury in his eyes Spencer grabbed his file, got up, and walked to the door. He opened the door slowly and looked back at Jack with defiance in his eyes.

“Don’t do anything unwise doctor.” Jack warned.

Spencer slammed the door and started walking. A hospital staff member tried to ask him a question, but Spencer didn’t respond and kept walking at a steady pace back to his office.

Once he got there he sat and stewed.

How the hell could he have known those things? Who the hell is this kid? Who is he working with? Has to be someone from my past. Martin? It has to be that asshole Martin. But how... he must have retained his own P.I. This Jack is probably just a plant to scare me into giving up my entire career. Everything I worked for. O’Rourke wouldn’t have the balls to do this would he? Who stands to gain the most if I leave?

Emily? That bitch.

Spencer was ready to do what he was told, but the more he thought about everything the more he thought it was a ruse. He was the doctor and he was not going to be told what to do by a psychiatric patient. He didn’t give a shit how much he knew about him. There were a number of different plausible explanations of how he was able obtain the information he had. Jack was in lock-down and if Spencer gave the word he would be sent to a maximum security facility for his safety of course. The inmates do not run this asylum. Not while Dr. Spencer Kaufland is in charge.

Spencer grabbed his keys and headed home. He needed to do some investigating of his own.

After carefully contemplating the best course of action, Spencer was sure that having Jack sent to another facility was the best option. If Mr. O’Rourke objected vehemently that would be enough to let Spencer know that he was indeed behind this attempt to get rid of him, or at least complicit. If it was Emily, she would be more than sorry. They underestimated Spencer Kaufland greatly if they thought it was going to be that easy.