Free Undisclosed by Jon Mills Page A

in appearance and dressed in long black trench coats, approached the nurses’ desk and inquired as to what room Travis Marshall was in. The nurse inquired to the nature of the visit, and the two men told her that they were following up on the crash. She tapped a few times on her screen and apologized for the delay, saying their computers had been running slow all day.
    “Okay, he’s on level three, room 309,” she said. “However, I’m going to have to ask you to come back during visiting hours.”
    Without a word, the men walked away.
    Seconds later the nurse looked up and saw them waiting at an elevator. It was obvious that either they hadn’t heard her clearly or they were going to be another pain in the ass, and how she loved those types.
    She jumped to her feet, waving her hand in the air. “Excuse me—hello, visiting hours are over,” she said.
    All her commotion had caught the attention of the pudgy middle-aged security guard reading his paper. It was probably the most action he had seen in years of working there. So little ever occurred at the hospital that when things did go awry, just having him show up seemed to calm any overexcited visitors or patients looking for an argument. Hopefully, that was all that would transpire tonight, the nurse thought. As the nurse explained what had occurred, both of them were completely unaware of three more figures stealthily slipping past them and making a beeline for the building’s stairwell.
     
    * * * * *
     
    The clatter of ice echoed out into the hallway, and Travis emerged from the room into the dimly lit corridor. The medical center was eerily quiet, like a large hotel with more empty rooms than filled ones, not exactly the place you wanted to be on a stormy night, that’s for sure. The hallways were made even narrower by unused hospital gurneys, chairs and equipment lined up against the walls.
    Travis repeatedly tapped the up button on the elevator. Patience wasn’t exactly one of his virtues and it was pretty much a given that if there was a need to use an elevator it always had to be on another floor. He leaned against the wall, turning his head sideways and staring towards the end of the hallway; from where he stood he could see the rain pelting against the large window. Maybe it isn’t a bright idea to leave tonight , reflected Travis. Without the bike or a lift back I’d be thumbing it in the rain and there’d be nothing open at this time of night anyway. Ah, I will camp out here and leave first thing , he told himself.
    He turned and gazed down the other way. After a few seconds, two people emerged into the darkness from a side door; they looked his way and began walking towards him. A few of the overhead lights were out and so he wasn’t sure if it was just some patients or staff. He could just make out their silhouettes.
    The ringer chimed and the elevator doors opened. Travis kept his eyes fixed on the figures that were now hastily moving in his direction. Travis quickly stepped into the elevator and slapped the close button. The place was starting to give him the creeps and he preferred not to be trapped inside an elevator with a couple of strangers; he’d had his fill of weirdos. The elevator slowly rose upwards like an old bucket being reeled up a well. If it moves any slower, I might as well drink the ice water, as that’s all there’s going be , Travis thought as sweat dripped down his back.
    The third floor wasn’t much better; lights flickered and something smelled rancid, Travis thought as he traipsed back to his room clutching the ice bucket in one arm. He was but a few yards from his room when he felt a tug. A hand wrapped around his mouth and hauled him into the stairwell, muffling his yell.
    “Sshh,” the voice whispered, keeping a firm grip over his mouth and a tight arm wrapped around him, preventing the bucket from falling. Travis tried to catch a glimpse of the person, but their bear-hugging strength kept him from doing