Chapter 3 - SHADOWS IN THE HALLWAYPanic erupted through the ward. Medical personnel rushed toward the hallway, but Dr. Scott immediately slapped the manual lock button on the trauma bay door, sealing us inside.
“Clara, what is going on?” Hannah demanded, her voice trembling slightly as she grabbed a heavy surgical tray for protection. “Who are these people?”
“They... want... the drive,” I rasped, forcing myself to sit up despite the excruciating agony radiating through my chest.
Through the frosted glass window of the trauma room, I saw the silhouette of a tall man in a dark jacket approach Officer Thompson’s unconscious body near the desk. The intruder leaned down, searched Thompson’s pockets, pulled out the evidence bag containing my tiny recorder, and crushed it beneath his boot.
My primary evidence was destroyed.
The only thing remaining was the steel flash drive resting in Dr. Scott’s hand.
Click.
The lock on our door was being bypassed electronically. The digital keypad near the frame began flashing from green to red.
“In here! Fast!” Hannah grabbed my arm, helping me swing my legs off the bed. We ducked behind the heavy steel supply cabinet just as the glass door slid open with a violent hiss.
A man stepped into the room, holding a silenced pistol. He didn't look like a mugger or a street criminal; his movements were precise, disciplined, and clinical.
He didn't check the bed. He looked straight at the floor, tracking the droplets of blood that had spilled from my IV line when I sat up.
He turned toward the supply cabinet, raising his weapon.
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP.
May you like
Suddenly, the hospital’s main fire alarms roared to life, activating the ceiling sprinklers. High-pressure water flooded the room, blinding the shooter for a split second. Hannah didn't hesitate—she shoved a heavy crash cart directly into his knees, knocking him off balance.
“Run!” she screamed.
