Chapter 3 - The Dark Hallways
The backup emergency lights flickered on, casting a sickly red glow across the room.
Mary did not scream or panic.
She grabbed a heavy metal oxygen tank from the corner of the room.
"Get out of the bed," she ordered in a harsh whisper.
Vincent grunted in pure agony as he forced his battered body upright.
His chest screamed in protest, threatening to rip the fresh sutures apart.
Mary threw his heavy wool overcoat over his shoulders to hide the blood-soaked bandages.
"I cannot fight them, Mary," Vincent admitted, leaning heavily against the wall.
"You are not going to fight anyone," she replied.
"You are going to walk, and you are going to stay behind me."
The door handle slowly turned.
Mary positioned herself directly behind the heavy wooden door.
A man in dark tactical gear stepped into the room, raising a suppressed pistol.
Mary swung the heavy oxygen tank with brutal force.
The solid metal cylinder struck the assassin directly in the temple.
He collapsed to the linoleum floor without making a single sound.
Mary quickly snatched the suppressed weapon from his limp hand.
She checked the magazine with practiced efficiency, terrifying Vincent with her cold competence.
"Where did you learn how to do that?" Vincent asked, staring at the woman he barely recognized.
"You learn a lot of ugly things when you live in the shadows," she answered coldly.
She peeked out into the crimson-lit hallway.
Two more armed men were systematically checking the rooms down the corridor.
"We have to use the service elevator," Mary whispered.
"It runs on a separate analog generator."
She pulled Vincent's arm over her shoulder, supporting his heavy weight.
They moved silently down the corridor, hiding in the deep shadows of the supply carts.
They reached the service elevator just as a voice echoed down the hall.
"He is not in his room!" a man shouted.
Mary slammed her hand against the elevator call button.
The rusted doors slid open with an agonizingly slow groan.
They stumbled inside, and Mary hit the button for the basement level.
The doors closed just as bullets sparked against the heavy steel frame.
Vincent collapsed against the elevator wall, gasping for air.
"We are going to the morgue tunnels," Mary explained.
"They connect to the city's old storm drains."
The elevator jolted to a sudden, violent halt on the ground floor.
The doors slid open, revealing the hospital's main lobby.
Standing there was a dozen uniformed Chicago police officers with their weapons drawn.
"Drop the gun, Mary," the lead officer commanded.
May you like
Vincent smiled bitterly, blood staining his teeth.
"Rico always was thorough," Vincent whispered as the cops aimed their weapons directly at them.
