Chapter 5 - The Basement Tunnels
Laura did not hesitate for a single second as she ran out of the observation room.
She ignored the sharp pain in her bruised ribs and sprinted toward the emergency stairwell.
Dr. Doyle followed closely behind her, carrying a fully loaded syringe of heavy sedatives from the medical cart.
"The basement is a maze of maintenance tunnels, so he will have a hard time finding them," the doctor reassured her.
Laura prayed the surgeon knew a secure place to hide her vulnerable daughter.
They descended four flights of concrete stairs, the silence of the hospital feeling increasingly oppressive.
The basement corridors were dimly lit, smelling of bleach and old damp concrete.
Flickering fluorescent lights cast long, terrifying shadows against the cinderblock walls.
Laura found a trail of fresh blood droplets leading toward the old boiler room.
She motioned for Dr. Doyle to stay quiet as they crept along the damp wall.
From the darkness ahead, they heard the muffled sound of a man violently interrogating someone.
Laura peeked around the corner and saw Jason holding the trauma surgeon against the wall by his throat.
"Where did you hide the girl?" Jason hissed, tightening his lethal grip.
The brave surgeon gasped for air, completely refusing to give up his teenage patient.
Jason raised his pistol, clearly intending to execute the innocent doctor on the spot.
Laura knew she had to create a distraction immediately.
She picked up a heavy wrench from a maintenance cart and hurled it across the room.
The metal tool crashed loudly into a row of metal pipes, echoing through the vast basement.
Jason dropped the surgeon and spun around, aiming his gun into the dark corridor.
Dr. Doyle used the distraction to slip behind a massive water tank.
Laura stepped out into the open, raising her hands to draw Jason’s full attention.
"She is not here, Jason, I sent her out through the loading dock," Laura lied bravely.
May you like
Jason smiled wickedly and leveled the barrel of the gun directly at his wife's chest.
"That is a shame, Laura, because now you have outlived your usefulness," he whispered as his finger tightened on the trigger.
