The room was spinning to her as the haze slowly drifted off her. But she still felt groggy and drugged. She tried to sit up but met resistance, a restraint across her chest, on her wrists and ankles, although she couldn't feel her feet.
She groaned in exertion, a wave of nausea rising in her. "help," her voice barely croaked out, her throat dry and body completely drained.
A shadow fell over her bed. She opened her eyes making out only a blurry figure standing over her.
"Looks like you won't be any trouble today," he laughed dryly, looking over a chart than a machine next to him.
"ree," she pleaded to the unidentified man.
He injected another needle into her IV sneering, "To be honest I can't wait until we're finished with you and get you disposed of."
"Tisk, tisk, not a very good bedside manner doctor," a second man entered, reeking of smoke.
"Sir," the first man nodded.
"how is the patent?" he asked now towering over her.
"Stable, thou quite weak from the sedatives and essential draining," he returned the chart, "Vitals are very weak also."
He nodded, watching her slowly open and finally close her eyes; giving into the medication. Part of him felt for her, the part her had long since buried within himself. The part he refused to acknowledge when his own wife pleaded and as he watched her father cry over his daughter's pain and cries. He ignored it again, "just find the sequence," he walked out of her room, lighting another cigarette.
X X X
The group sat in the back of the van, going over last minute preparations.
"I want to go in," Langly made another plea.
"We need you to work on the security system with Frohike," Yves repeated. She wanted to keep him away, he wasn't sure what they would find or of his intense reaction, "Jimmy and Byers will look for Anderea and I will work on the lab."
"I have to do something," Langly replied, on the verge of pulling out his hair in frustration for not being able to help.
"You are," Byers put his hand over his friend's slumped shoulder, "We all are." He understood the frustration and desperation.
The van sat silently as he fought tears building in his eyes, blocking out possible images in his head, collecting himself, "We'd better get moving," he finally sniffled, but didn't look up.
"Okay buddy," Frohike patted the younger man's back, fighting his own emotions to keep a clear head for the task. He pulled open the side door revealing the vast compound, "Let's go," he hopped out.
X X X
Langly and Frohike hung in the nerve system of the compound, each busy over-riding specific aspects of the security systems. Jimmy, Byers and Yves crept around at ground level, carefully avoiding the armed patrols and surveillance with the guidance from the pair.
"There sure is a lot of security," Jimmy whispered receiving groans from his ear-piece.
"Jimmy, shh," Byers hushed him, his eyes scanning up and down the corridors.
"A little direction please," Yves touched her ear, making her request to Frohike.
"Of course," his voice came through, "Wait five seconds than head through the double doors ahead of you. That's their, ah medical ward," he could feel the bile rising.
The two trio did as directed, entering the sterile hall.
"Looks pretty clean," Langly commented while checking the security for the area.
"They don't want evidence of what they do here," Yves replied, but not directly to anyone, more like verbalising her thoughts.
They carefully walked down the corridor, checking each room for who they came for. Each room was fitted with an observation window displaying various hospital-like rooms. Most unoccupied. There were six rooms on each side leading to another hall. Jimmy and Yves went left while Byers ventured right, after getting the all clear from their eyes in the shy.
It was the third room down where Byers saw her. Strapped to a bed and barely breathing. He caught the gasp I his throat, before he reacted to the sight.
"Yves. Jimmy," his whisper almost sounded like a hiss down the hall, "Over here."
With a shaking hand he reached for the door's knob, only to be pulled back at the wrist by Yves. She swiped a card through the lock, that she had pulled off her person, and the lock beeped before opening.
She had taken full control over the situation, blocking either of them from entering the room. Her arm holding them back.
"Melvin, make a security check on room 109," she instructed.
"What did you find?" he asked, his chest feeling tight at the possible finding; not of his niece, but of a victim, a body.
Her voice kept its level coolness, "Just check, quickly." She could hear the clicking of keys over the headset, along with Langly's almost shrill whine.
"Is she ok? Did they find her?"
"It's clear," Frohike gave permission, "…be honest with us Yves." His request was more of a plea. The plain truth, no sugar coating would be easiest to take.
Verbally, she didn't respond, but inside she made the promise.
The three walked into the small room, each one holding back their reactions.
"How is she?! Damn it Byers tell me alright!" Langly's voice rose in frustration and heartache, "Answer me!"
Byers pulled the piece from his ear, it pained him not answering his distrait friend, but in all truth he didn't know the answer yet. But from where he stood it didn't look good. Anderea just lie there, barely looking alive. All her colouring was drained from her face and despite her obvious weakened state she was strapped down. The only thing keeping her alive – and his guess comatose – was the IV, and her mere will.
Yves was the first to approach her. Neither Jimmy nor Byers dared until given permission or order.
She surveyed the younger woman, her expression unchanged but her heart both sank and hardened. She held her index and middle fingers to her neck and lifted an eyelid, "Get her out of here, now."
The two did, releasing the restraints, shocked by the bruises and lacerations on her wrists and ankles. The mark across her ribs covered by the hospital-like gown.
Yves disconnected the machine, removing the sticky circles from over her chest and chest. She pulled out the IV line, applying pressure over the puncture.
They all worked in silence, holding their collective breath, the same was true for the other two.
She walked to the door, checking the hall, "What's the fastest route out of here?" she asked over the piece.
The noise startled Frohike, breaking the uneasy silence, "just a moment," he clicked the keys getting a view of the interior plans.
Yves helped Jimmy and Byers lift Anderea into Jimmy's arms.
She whimpered as she was lifted off the thin mattress, but gave no other movement or sound. Her head fell loosely over his arm.
Jimmy's brow furrowed, she was so fragile in his arms, like a rag doll made of glass. The four of them went to the door, waiting for directions from Frohike. Yves grabbing the chart on the way out.
X X X
"Sir?" a guard questioned.
He looked out over the compound from his office window, watching the five walking figures bound across the lot. He inhaled slowly than, equally as calmly exhaled, his mouth curving in an amused smirk.
"Just let them go," he instructed.
"But sir they have taken the subject, compromised the building…" the guard did not understand what was so amusing about the break to his superior.
"I said let them go," his voice change domineer, but did not look away from the glass. He praised them for the attempt at heroics. The attempt was futile of course. They had taken what they needed from her, and if she survived she was no real threat now. That was if she did survive. Inhale and exhale.
X X X