Chapter 7 - The Hospital Beneath the Hospital
They reached Saint Augustine after dark.
The abandoned hospital rose behind construction fencing, its windows boarded and its stone walls blackened by age. Demolition equipment stood motionless around the property.
Detective Moreno called for tactical support, but Evelyn warned that police activity would trigger alarms.
“Gerald installed a private security network,” she said. “If he sees marked vehicles, he will move the children.”
“Children?” Mark asked.
Evelyn’s expression changed.
“Elise may not be the only one.”
Moreno requested a small team without sirens. Mark was ordered to remain outside with Leo.
He refused.
“You are not trained for this,” Moreno said.
“I am not leaving while my daughter is inside.”
“You don’t even know that she is.”
“She is.”
Leo grabbed Mark’s sleeve.
“I’m coming too.”
“No.”
“But I know the red phone.”
“You stay with the officers.”
Leo’s eyes filled with fear.
“Vanessa always comes when you leave me.”
Mark knelt.
“Vanessa cannot reach you here.”
“She reached the lake house.”
The truth struck harder than accusation.
Evelyn crouched beside them.
“There is an old security room near the service tunnel,” she said. “Leo could stay there with an officer. The red phone may connect to Bellweather’s internal transmitters.”
Moreno objected, but time was running out.
They entered through a storm drain at the rear of the property.
The tunnel smelled of stagnant water and rust. Evelyn led them through a maze of pipes until they reached a steel door marked Laundry Services.
The brass key opened it.
Inside, a narrow corridor descended beneath the original hospital basement.
The air became colder.
Leo held Mark’s hand tightly.
They reached the security room without encountering anyone. Most monitors were dark, but one displayed a hallway illuminated by red emergency lights.
A girl sat on the floor behind a glass door.
She appeared thirteen or fourteen.
Her dark hair fell across her face, and her wrists were tied in front of her.
Mark knew before Evelyn spoke.
“Elise.”
The girl lifted her head as though she had heard her name through the camera.
Her eyes were the same gray as Mark’s.
A second monitor activated.
Gerald Pike appeared.
He wore a dark security uniform and stood beside a woman whose face was hidden beneath a medical hood.
“Mark,” Gerald said through the speaker. “I expected Evelyn. Bringing the boy was careless.”
Mark stepped toward the microphone.
“Release them.”
“I cannot.”
“You are my uncle.”
Gerald smiled.
“So she told you.”
“My father said you were dead.”
“Richard always preferred simple stories.”
“What do you want?”
“What I was promised.”
“The company?”
“The name.”
Gerald’s smile vanished.
“Our father recognized Richard and abandoned my mother. Richard inherited everything while I lived under another man’s surname.”
“You’re punishing children for something that happened before they were born.”
“I am correcting the bloodline.”
Gerald placed one hand on the hooded woman’s shoulder.
“She has already signed a statement declaring Elise mentally unfit and naming me temporary guardian.”
“Who is she?”
“You know.”
Gerald removed the hood.
Anna’s face appeared on the screen.
Older.
Paler.
A scar ran from her temple to her jaw.
But alive.
Mark stopped breathing.
Leo made a broken sound beside him.
“Mommy?”
Anna looked toward the camera.
Her eyes widened.
“Leo?”
The boy moved closer to the monitor.
“Mommy!”
Anna began struggling, but Gerald tightened his grip.
Mark’s entire body shook.
Six years of grief collapsed into one impossible moment.
“Let her go.”
Gerald looked amused.
“You abandoned her rather quickly after the funeral.”
“I believed she was dead.”
“You remarried.”
Mark saw pain cross Anna’s face.
“This is between you and me,” Mark said. “Release the children and Anna.”
“You still don’t understand. Anna is the reason Bellweather collapsed. She stole records, moved patients and exposed accounts. Richard’s associates lost fortunes because of her.”
“He was already dead.”
“And I inherited the mess.”
Moreno signaled silently to her officers.
Evelyn studied the building plans.
Gerald continued.
“Bring Leo to the surgical wing. Come alone. In exchange, I release Anna.”
“No.”
“You have ten minutes.”
The screen went dark.
Leo looked up at Mark.
“He wants me.”
“He isn’t getting you.”
“But he’ll hurt Mommy.”
Mark’s heart twisted.
Anna was alive.
Elise was alive.
And both were trapped because of a conspiracy his own family had created.
Evelyn pointed to the building plan.
“There is another path to the surgical wing through the ventilation level.”
Moreno shook her head.
“It is too narrow for an adult.”
Everyone looked at Leo.
Mark immediately said, “No.”
Leo stared at the dark monitor.
“I can do it.”
“No.”
“I can unlock the door.”
“I said no.”
“You promised you would come back for me,” Leo said. “Mommy came back too.”
Mark looked at his son and saw fear, but also determination.
He hated the idea.
He hated Gerald for forcing it upon them.
Moreno placed a hand on Mark’s shoulder.
“We attach a camera, a radio and a safety line. An officer remains at the access point.”
Mark’s answer was still no.
Then alarms began sounding throughout the underground hospital.
Evelyn checked the map.
“He started the sterilization system.”
“What does that mean?” Mark demanded.
“Within eight minutes, the surgical wing will fill with gas.”
May you like
Mark looked toward the ventilation shaft.
Leo was the only person small enough to reach the emergency controls in time.
