Chapter 2: The Silent Alarms
"Mom, my legs are shaking," Leo whimpered, frozen in place as the man in the white coat began walking down the corridor. His pace was too slow, too deliberate.
"Leo, look at me," Sarah commanded, her voice dropping to a fierce, terrifying whisper. She grabbed his shoulder with her free hand, her nails digging into his jacket. "Do not look at him. Turn around. Walk toward the fire exit stairs. Now."
"But—"
"Now!"
Leo spun on his heel and fast-walked toward the heavy red exit door. Sarah followed, keeping her body angled to shield Lily, her eyes locked on the approaching man.
"Mrs. Evans?" the man called out. His voice was smooth, devoid of any bedside manner. "Where are you going? You haven't been discharged yet."
"I just need some air," Sarah called back, her hand reaching out for the metal bar of the fire exit.
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," the man smiled, increasing his pace. He reached under his white coat. "Your husband left something very important with us, and we believe you might know where the rest of it is."
Sarah slammed her weight into the crash bar. The door flew open, the alarm instantly shrieking through the hospital wing. She shoved Leo into the concrete stairwell and threw herself in after him, letting the heavy door slam shut behind them.
"Down the stairs!" Sarah yelled over the blaring alarm.
They scrambled down the concrete steps. The echo of the alarms masked the sound of the door opening above them, but Sarah didn't need to hear it to know they were being hunted.
"Mom, who is he?!" Leo cried, his backpack bouncing against his shoulders.
"I don't know, baby, but we have to get to the car," Sarah panted, her bare feet slapping painfully against the cold concrete.
"Dad has the keys!"
Sarah swore under her breath. "The tablet. Did the video say anything else? Is there a code?"
"Just the map," Leo said, holding it up as they hit the ground floor landing. "Mom, the map is pointing to a place three hours away!"
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Sarah pushed open the ground-floor door, spilling out into the hospital's delivery alley. Rain was pouring down in sheets. She looked around frantically. An idling laundry truck sat twenty feet away, the driver nowhere to be seen.
"Change of plans," Sarah said, grabbing Leo's hand and running into the downpour. "We're taking a ride. And Leo? If you ever thought your dad was just a boring accountant... I think we're about to find out the truth."
