After Chuck had determined that the aircraft was safe and the power cell was primed, he began to warm up the thrusters. He opened the back where there were four seats and enough room for three stretchers.
“What exactly was this thing being built for?” I climbed into one of the front seats and pulled the safety harness over my shoulders.
“Your father designed this craft to be used for med-evac extraction in times of warfare.” He climbed up into the cockpit. The door at the rear closed as the engines began to hum loudly, building power.
The small craft lurched slightly as it began to lift off from the ground and gain altitude through the port in the roof. Chuck angled the nose of the craft and accelerated towards our destination. The floor of the craft became transparent; I could see the trees whipped by underneath of us. The aircraft flew very similar to a helicopter.
I wondered if my father designed the aircraft because he thought something was coming or if he just had a good idea.
“How long is the trip going to take?” I hoped that Chuck could hear me.
“I am only going to fly at Mach one for safety so the trip will take almost two hours.” It sounded like he was sitting right next to me.
“Let me know when we get close.”
“Yes ma’am.”
I laid my head back and closed my eyes.
“I hate to disturb you but we are approaching the address that you gave me.” Chuck said pulling me out of a half sleep.
“Where would you like me to land?” he asked as we swept over the hospital.
“Get us a few miles away, somewhere secluded.” I tried to get a good look around.
Chapter 32: Hospital
Chuck set the aircraft down gently in a clearing south of the hospital. I could see the building from between the trees if I held my head just right. I climbed up into a tree at the edge of the clearing to get a better view.
“I am going to have to sneak in; I can see at least six police cruisers in the parking lot.” I said down to Chuck who was checking the aircraft over.
“Are you sure that you want to do this alone?” He looked up at me.
“I don’t want to waste the time. There is too much red tape dealing with them.” I lowered myself down from the tree. I jumped the last five feet stumbling just a bit with the landing.
“What would you like me to do?”
“Stay here. When I come up with a plan I’ll call,” I handed him my cell phone, “and I’ll tell you what to do.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded.
“Please stop calling me ma’am! Keep the phone turned on, it’s already set on loud.”
He gave a nod.
The trees weren’t very thick at the bottom but the top blocked out the moon’s light. I moved in the same direction and refused to make any turns so I wouldn’t get lost. After about ten minutes I found the edge of the trees. The path opened into someone’s back yard.
Houses all built in the same style; with slight color variations lined both sides of the street. Most of the windows were dark; there was a light here and there. I kept low and cut through the front yards and crossed the street.
I stalked through a huge park that had a basketball court, baseball field, and a pool, and then I hopped a fence into an empty field. Then I entered the hospital parking lot ducking behind the cars. It was rather empty but there were enough to keep me out of view of the hospital windows. The cop cars were parked at the front of the parking lot; all of which were empty.
I found a side entrance that gave access to a smoking area. The break area was unoccupied. I looked into the window at the dark corridor. I tried to open the door but it was very securely locked.
I followed along the outside of the building and searched for the ER entrance. The parking lot in front of the ER was much fuller than the rest of the building. There were a dozen or so people sitting around the waiting room.
I went inside and approached the receptionist.
“Can I help you.” The large woman asked in a nasty tone.
“I think my arm might be broken.” I said holding it gingerly.
“Please take this form and fill it out. Bring it back to me when you are done and we will get you in as soon as we can.” She said handing me a clip board.
“Is there a phone that I can use? My phone seems to have disappeared.” I said looking as pitiful as I could. She pointed to a phone near the end of the counter without saying a word.
The phone had a sign on the wall above it that read Public 3 Minute Max.
I picked up the receiver and dialed my number and waited. Chuck answered the phone just before it went to voice mail.
“Hey Chuck could you get me from the hospital.” I said then dropped to a whisper, “I am going to try and sneak in, helipad in one hour.”
“Understood.” He said.
“Thanks.” I said loudly and hung up the phone.
I took the clip board to an empty seat near the door that lead out of the waiting room, and into the rest of the hospital. It was locked.
I watched pretending to fill out the form. A nurse came from the exam area and began to speak to some of the sick people that were scattered around the room. I could see her keycard dangling from her hip, help on by a small metal clip.
I got up suddenly and ran into the bathroom in a hurry like I was going to be sick bumping into the nurse as I went. I grabbed the card, melting the thin rope as I stepped back to apologize. I slipped the card into my pocket.
“I’m so sorry.” I said through my hand feigning the need to vomit as I turned to finish the sprint to the bathroom.
I burst into the bathroom making a show of things. I waited for a few seconds and then cracked the door a hair to watch the nurse. When she was finished with the patient she went back to the door and swore when she had realized that she had lost her card. She turned around and went to the receptionist.
“Could you buzz the door? The stupid thing broke I swear they get cheaper every year.” The nurse said with a tired smile.
The receptionist frowned and pressed a button under the counter, unlocking the door.
I waited for a good ten minutes before I went through the motions in the bathroom so that it seemed like I had really used the facilities. I walked out, made sure that the receptionist wasn’t looking before quickly leaving the ER.
I walked in the shadows back to the break area door. It was still empty so I held the card next to the panel. There was a small beep and the lock clicked. I opened the glass door and slipped inside.
I wished I had kept my phone, I needed a flashlight. I crept along the walls. The whole wing of the hospital was empty. I looked into a room thinking that I would find a patient room, but it was empty. I walked slowly and as quiet as I could until I found an employee locker room.
I opened a few of the lockers until I found a doctor’s coat that fit me without looking ridiculous and grabbed a stethoscope. I put it around my neck and closed the coat. The coat brought back memories of the Aurora facility and the smell wasn’t helping. Memories that I didn’t know that I had, but considering that we were in that godforsaken place for over a month and I only remembered a few days, who knows what I could have repressed.
I went back out into the hallway and found the nearest nurse’s station, as empty as the hallways; the whole wing of the hospital seemed to have been shutdown. I got onto the computer and looked for patient listings. There were no John or Jane Does.
The Aurora Corporation logo flashed all over the screen. Rage flashed when T realized the hospital was enemy territory.
I began to look for things out of the ordinary and I came across two people who were on a floor of the hospital alone. I assumed that would have to be them.