Chapter 24
Edward ran blindly through the fourth floor. He knew that security had likely been sent to look for him. When he heard voices approaching he ran to another hallway. It wasn’t likely that Edward would find his way out, as he had no idea how he was brought in. He felt like a rat in maze. Every door he tried was locked and he began to feel surrounded by the footsteps of security personnel. He stopped short of turning a corner when he saw a metal laundry hamper on one side of the hallway. Running up to it, Edward found that it was too narrow to fit his body in. But, there was something else. He noticed the suspended ceiling that had been constructed throughout the hallways. Standing on top of the stainless steel laundry hamper, Edward pushed aside one of the large foam panels and climbed up into the ceiling. He shifted his weight over onto a supporting wall and slid the panel back into place. After catching his breath, he pulled out his IV and looked around the darkened space that seemed to be filled with phone, power and computer cabling. He only had space enough to lie down. But, a safe uncomfortable place gave him far more ease than a warm bed in a place dedicated to the theft of human organs.
Every security team in the facility had combed through every floor, every unit, hallway, and stairwell. Edward heard their voices and hurried footsteps pass by several times as he lay in the dark crawl space above the ceiling. He would lay there for hours, occasionally drifting off into a light sleep. After having come so close to death, Edward needed to regain his thoughts and even an uncomfortable rest was a much-needed help. The security teams continued their search. None of them wanted to be the one to tell the administrator that Edward had essentially disappeared. They all valued their jobs. But, they valued their lives much more and some considered leaving rather than report back to the administrator. After another twenty minutes of searching, the administrator met up with the fourth-floor security team.
“Where the fuck is he?!” he asked angrily.
One of the security personnel stepped up and reported that they had been unable to find Edward. The administrator raised a fist and struck the man across the face, sending him to the floor.
“How the fuck is this possible?!” he yelled. “The entire fucking building is under lockdown! He’s gotta be here somewhere! Now, find him or each of you are gonna take his place!”
They knew he was serious. They also knew that the administrator’s complete lack of morals made him as dangerous as he was angry. Shortly after he stormed away, the security team decided among themselves that they would not incur the administrator’s wrath. They used their security cards to gain access to the upper floors and simply left. However, they did lock everything up behind them in order to ensure their own escape.
Ten minutes later, the administrator, having returned to the unit, attempted to recall the fourth-floor security team. When they failed to return, he called dispatch and asked that they be contacted. He was told that, according to security cameras placed outside the building that the entire team had left the grounds. He slammed the phone down and again began ranting.
“Do I have to fuckin’ do everything myself?!” he screamed.
He paced back and forth. The staff quickly became terrified, as no one had ever him this agitated. At this point, he was capable of anything. A few young nurses became so fearful that they locked themselves in a closet at the other end of the unit when the administrator threatened to kill anyone who tried to leave. The situation was deteriorating so rapidly that the charge nurse retreated to the med room and prepared an injection. If it became necessary, she would use the same dose of Haloperidol that was usually reserved for new arrivals. But, by the time she returned to the front desk he was gone. Another nurse told her that he suddenly appeared very calm and left the unit. A mood shift this dramatic made everyone suspicious that he had finally gone off the edge. No one knew what he would do next. But, everyone agreed that it would not be good.
The administrator got the idea that he would search for Edward himself. Walking the hallways, he found a badge from one of the security personnel on the floor. He picked it up and stared at it for a moment. Not once did he consider the possibility that he may have been too harsh with the security team. Now, they had left and it was a good bet that other security personnel had left with them. The administrator was obsessed not just with finding Edward, but also with the idea of teaching him a lesson. No one escaped from the facility – ever. Throwing the badge back down to the floor, he walked quietly through the hallways checking closets and offices. Every door had been automatically sealed during the lockdown with the exception of the double doors that led into the unit. He checked the elevators, but they had been locked down by the security staff as they left the building. It was certain that Edward was somewhere was somewhere on the floor and the administrator knew the building better than anyone. He searched the lavatories looking in every stall but found nothing. His anger and frustration were beginning to come back. But, this time he would push those emotions back. Finding Edward now became a cat and mouse game that he saw as a challenge. And as games went, he did not like to lose.
With no place left to search, he leaned against the wall to consider other possibilities. The medical staff was still in the building. Their i.d. cards would not allow them to leave during a lockdown. So, he knew they weren’t going anywhere. Then, like a holy man who had just seen God, the answer flashed his mind. He looked up at the suspended ceiling. Now, he knew where Edward was hiding. All he needed to do was flush him out. And in the administrator’s mind, this was the beginning of a very interesting game. His unusual talent for cruelty and taunting was now pitted against Edward’s resolve to remain hidden and alive – perhaps even to escape completely.
The administrator began to slowly walk the hallways. The heels of his patent leather shoes made a hollow click against the floor, creating a haunting echo within the darkness.
“Edward,” he said quietly. “Edward. C’mon out, Edward.”
His tone was slightly sarcastic. He listened closely for any sound coming from the ceiling like a cat stalking a mouse on a moonless night. Edward heard him as a distant voice. He knew as long as he stayed hidden he would be safe from the restraints, drugs, and pain that awaited him. But, he also knew that he couldn’t remain hidden forever. What he needed was a plan, even if it meant killing the administrator. He was determined to escape. He would go back to his life with Ajna and expose the facility for what it was. All he needed was to find his way out. But for now, he continued to lie on the top of the wall above the suspended ceiling. Considering several possibilities of escape, he found two obstacles. The administrator was certainly the first. But, even if Edward managed to deal with him, there was still one glaring problem. He knew nothing about the building’s layout. Having been brought in under sedation, there was no chance for him to learn anything about its interior. Edward had simply appeared in a building he was now lost in. Finding his way out would not be easy, but he would start with the stairwells and elevators. At least those would be easy to find.
He heard the administrator continue to walk the halls. Now, he was trying his best to provoke Edward into showing himself.
“Edward,” he called out. “The report we got on you mentioned your wife. Ajna, is it? The screener commented on how beautiful she is. I would hate to see her end up here. Screening results do get mixed up from time to time.”
Edward became silently enraged. But, he knew what the administrator was trying to do. Edward would simply wait until the administrator’s voice drifted off into silence. His opportunity arrived within the next five or ten minutes. As he lay in the darkness, he reached down and slipped off his shoes and tying them together threw them around the back of his neck. Wearing only socks, he would be able to move about the hallways in near-complete silence. He carefully pried up the edge of a ceiling tile just enough to create a sliver of light. Shifting his weight slightly, he peered through the opening and surveyed what he could of the hallway in front him. He listened quietly, only to hear the ear-shattering roar of silence.
He moved the ceiling tile aside and hanging onto the top of the wall quietly lowered himself to the floor. With his shoes hanging around his neck, Edward began to explore the fourth floor. When the facility went into lockdown all essential power had been cut. This meant that while the units had power the hallways and stairwells were left in the dark. The only illumination was from the exit lights that were mounted over the stairwell doors. There were only two and they were at opposite ends of the floor. He followed the glow of the nearest exit light while maintaining a sharp eye for any movement in the hallways. With the administrator looking for him, Edward began to feel as though he was being hunted by something that already knew where he was. Approaching the door of the first stairwell, he pushed gently against its hinged stainless steel bar. Edward heard a small click as he depressed the bar, but the door would not budge. Edward quickly went back to the darkness of the place where he had lowered himself down from within the ceiling. Edward needed to gather his thoughts and the less visible he was the less likely the administrator would find him.
Looking down the long corridor in front of him, Edward noticed the faint glow of the second exit light. But this time, he would have to pass the doors leading into the unit. After a moment of debate, Edward decided that it was too risky. The unit was still well lit and the chance of being seen was too high. He would have to go back to the first stairwell and make his way around to the other side of the floor. This area was enveloped in almost complete darkness, but it was his best chance of getting to the second stairwell. It did, however, occur to Edward that the second stairwell would also be locked. But, if there was a chance it had been left ajar, then he had risk being caught in order to find a route of escape.
Edward slowly made his way back to the first stairwell. Approaching the door, he decided to stay clear of the light being cast from the exit sign. Edward looked around again and saw no sign of the administrator, nor did he hear the sound of his footsteps walking through the hallway. Edward had become just as fearful of the silent hallways as he was of being caught. It seemed to consume him and left him with a haunted feeling. Glancing around the corner, Edward saw a long stretch of hallway blanketed in darkness, save for the faint glow of the exit light over the remaining stairwell door. There was still no sign of the administrator. He listened carefully and heard only the deafening sound of silence. Slowly making his way through the darkness, Edward stopped momentarily to survey the hallway in each direction. He could not allow himself to freeze up. Edward knew that if he let himself become overwhelmed he would almost certainly be found. Again, he started toward the dim light of the exit sign. He walked close to the wall so as to minimize the risk of being noticed. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever and the farther Edward went the more terrified he became. In the dark, nothing seemed real as the hallway appeared to bend and warp in his mind.
Finally, getting to the end of the hallway, Edward stopped almost at the place where the darkness became divided from the glow of the exit light. He surveyed his surroundings once more. And once again, his perception was met by darkness and silence. He moved to the stairwell door and again gently pushed the hinged bar. His force was met with resistance. This door, like the other, would not open. Edward began to feel the walls of the hallway closing in on him. But, there was one more place to look. Edward had been brought in on a stretcher, so an elevator would be somewhere on the floor. He decided to double back to the place where he had hidden in the ceiling. Since he was more familiar with this area of the floor, it would be easier to find his way back. Once he had returned, he peered around the corner to again see only darkness. The administrator, it seemed, had vanished from the floor altogether. He felt his way down the wall of the hallway, stopping occasionally to glance around and listen for anything that might indicate movement. The hallway was near pitch black, with the exception of a lit exit sign in the distance that pointed the way to the stairwell. In the dark, Edward was unable to judge to how far he was going or even where he was. Then his foot kicked something on the floor. Getting down on his hands and knees, Edward searched the floor in front of him. It was only a few moments until he put his hands on it. Right away, he knew it was someone’s i.d. badge. But in the dark, he was unable to read it. He clutched it tightly in his hand and continued to down the hallway. The double doors of the unit were now on his right. Edward was able to read the badge by the shaft of light that beamed out from under the double doors. It belonged to a security guard and flipping it over he found a magnetic strip running down its length. He wondered why it had been left on the floor. But the only thing that mattered was whether or not he could use it. He would gain access to the ground floor and leave the build. He would go back to Portland and get his life back. He would again feel the warmth and comfort of lying next to Ajna. He tried not to think about what she must be going through with the belief that he was dead.
Edward knew that he was near the town of Jay and he didn’t care how long it took him to get back to Portland. He would use the less traveled roads, staying just beyond the treeline. The idea of walking sixty miles under any other circumstances seemed insane, given Edward’s lack of physical condition. But now that he had the means to escape, his determination soared. He had become a man on a mission. He would reclaim his life. And if he so much as caught a glimpse of the administrator, Edward would go out of his way to kill him.
Soon, Edward’s hand touched the cold surface of stainless steel. About four feet ahead of him was a small red light. Placing a hand over it, he felt what could only be a card slot. He quickly concluded that he had found the elevator. With hurried hands, Edward slipped the card into the slot. The red light turned green as the stainless steel doors began to open. But before he could react, a pair of hands reached out and pulled him into the elevator. Edward was horrified as the elevator light flickered to life. He was spun around and slammed against the wall.
“Hello, Edward!” the administrator said.
He had been waiting in the elevator knowing exactly how Edward would attempt to escape. He slammed Edward against the stainless steel wall again.
“You’ve been a very bad boy. You put me through an awful lot of trouble. But…I knew…that if I left that security card on the floor it would bring you straight to me. And here you are!”
He brought his knee up into Edward’s groin then raised a fist and struck him hard across the face. He pulled him up from the floor and again slammed him into the back of the elevator.
“I’d like to have you in one piece,” he began. “But I don’t think that a few bumps and bruises will matter that much.”
Edward was still doubled over as the administrator threw him into the hallway and against the wall. He casually walked out of the elevator and stood over Edward.
“Now, as for Frank…I gotta say Edward, nicely done. A little messy, but I like your style.”
He unbuttoned his jacket and crouched down near Edward.
“It’s okay though. Frank was an asshole. I probably would have gotten around to killing myself anyway. Hey, Edward! How ‘bout that! You saved me the trouble of doing it myself!”
A grin came over his face.
“You might be good for something after all.”
Edward turned over and began to sit up. The side of his face was already beginning to bruise.
“I’m so glad I could help,” he said sarcastically.
“Yeah,” the administrator began. “But I have bigger plans for you, Edward.”
Edward started to get to his feet when the administrator pushed him back down with his foot. “C’mon Edward, you don’t have to get up on my account,” he said tauntingly.
“You’re a fuckin’ head case,” Edward said. “Yeah,” the administrator replied. “My mother thought so too. They never did find her body.”
He stood up again and buttoned his jacket.
“Well, this has been a touching little moment. But, it’s time to get you back to bed.”
He yelled down to the unit for a stretcher. “Edward, you interrupted my meeting,” he said. “But, I’m gonna do you a favor. I’m gonna show you everything we do here – every single step.”
The nurses arrived with the stretcher as the administrator pulled Edward to his feet.
“C’mon, Edward,” he said. “Let’s get you back to bed.” Edward felt the sudden sting of a needle penetrate his shoulder.
“Sorry, Edward,” the administrator said. “But we can’t have you getting away again. Can we?”
He had Edward lifted onto the stretcher and ordered that the straps be tightly fastened. Edward soon began to drift off as his body absorbed the sedative. The administrator leaned over him just as he was being wheeled back to the unit.
“Oh, Edward,” he said. “Hiding in the ceiling? That was truly brilliant.”
He smiled with great satisfaction as Edward was taken back to the unit. Following behind at a casual pace, he clapped his hands together.
“Okay, everyone, back to work!”