She learns about the sanitarium

The orderly insisted Mina sit in the wheelchair for the trip to Dr Redburne's office. She didn't know what else to do but to go along with it. They had given her a pair of soft scrubs with an elastic waist and a white tank top to wear. The nurse explained that her actual clothes were being laundered and would be in storage until they got everything cleared up. Mina knew in a detached way that whatever the "antidepressant" was certainly had some mild psychoactive **** in it. She remembered seeing something about therapists trying MDMA, shrooms, LSD, etc for trauma patients with some promising results. She hoped that that was the reason the hallway looked like it was slithering lazily as they made their way to an ancient elevator.

The orderly nodded to a nurse she hadn't seen before as she exited before hitting the "4" button. The wrought iron gate was slowly closed before the the elevator jerked to life, hauling them upward on rusted cables installed over half a century ago. Not knowing what else to do, Mina decided that her best course of action was to convince the staff that she wasn't crazy. She smiled up at the orderly, ignoring the shifting colors on the walls. He weakly smiled back before going back to watching the lights slowly light up as they ascended.

"How many patients are here at Donovan?" Mina asked as they passed the second floor. She could see through the gates that many people, all similarly attired as her, were wandering about aimlessly with a minimal staff interspersed between them. "How many nurses and doctors?" He glanced down at her, averting his eyes from her bouncing cleavage as the elevator shook and rattled. Mina could almost read his mind. He was wondering what her breasts would feel like resting on his bare thighs, her nipples making little swirls in his leg hair as she sucked his cock into her mouth. He shook his head slightly, and shuddered. The image vanished from her thoughts, but she couldn't help but wonder if she really had seen what he was thinking...

"We are pretty low on headcount right now. Most of the patients we take in leave within three months after treatment: rich folk from Asia and New Zealand getting over some event or another. Dr Redburne's therapy is quite remarkable. Long-term cases; I'd say around 75. Court ordered cases about 50. They don't last long here either. We keep them locked up until their trial date and then ship them out, or treat them till they are ruled competent to face their crimes." The lift shook as it came to a stop. He hauled open the gate, and they exited to what looked like therapy rooms, offices, and staff quarters.

Mina's head lolled to a side as she looked up at him. "What was in that pill?" she said with a chuckle. She tried to focus in on his thoughts, but was a little disappointed when she realized she was just heavily **** and couldn't actually read minds. "And what do you mean, "long term cases?" He shrugged off the first question and launched into the second.

"Lifers. Donovan has a history of taking in the worst of the South Pacific. Since we are technically operating in international waters, we'll get boats drop off their "problem" crew members and sail off. Most are men who went mad at sea. Some, like the patients from "A Quiet Place," are the refuse from Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. It was a program set up in secret by the Brits. It was called the Tranquil project or something similar. It was intended to isolate the worst of the prisoners being transported from England to the penal colonies in an attempt to avoid some sort of colonial "Mad Max" scenario I suppose. Anyway, we're here. Go on in, I'll be around."

Mina stood out of the wheelchair and thanked "Ryan" which was the name of his I.D tag. She didn't know if that was his first or last name. He nodded and opened the door for her. Mina took a deep breath and steadied herself. She looked into the office, and it was like looking back in time.