Chapter 16 - Two Voices in the Corridor
Emily remained motionless beneath the operating table.
The notebook was pressed tightly against her chest as two identical voices echoed outside the room.
"Check every door."
"She couldn't have gone far."
The commands overlapped so perfectly that Emily could no longer distinguish which voice belonged to the man she had married.
Flashlights swept across the corridor.
Boots struck the concrete floor in measured rhythm.
Then another voice interrupted.
"Split into teams."
Unlike the others, this voice belonged to Dr. Hale.
Emily carefully peeked through the narrow gap beneath the table.
Two men entered the operating room.
Both wore dark tactical jackets.
Both had Daniel's face.
The resemblance was flawless.
Even their posture was identical.
One stopped beside the abandoned hospital bed while the other examined the cabinets.
"She's been here."
"Recently."
"The notebook is gone."
Emily instinctively tightened her grip.
One of the men suddenly looked toward the operating table.
For a terrifying second, their eyes nearly met.
Instead of approaching, however, he quietly said, "Leave this room."
The other Daniel frowned.
"We haven't searched under the table."
"We're wasting time."
His tone carried unexpected urgency.
Reluctantly, the second man nodded.
They exited together.
Emily waited nearly two minutes before crawling out.
The first Daniel had deliberately protected her.
But which one was he?
She hurried into the hallway.
Emergency lights continued flashing overhead.
Halfway down the corridor she noticed a maintenance elevator standing open.
Its control panel required no keycard.
Only a fingerprint.
Before she could turn away, the scanner lit green by itself.
The doors slowly opened wider.
Someone inside whispered, "Emily..."
No one was visible.
Only a single envelope rested on the elevator floor.
She stepped inside.
The doors closed immediately behind her.
The elevator began descending.
Not upward.
Down.
May you like
Far below the hospital's official basement.
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