CHAPTER TWO: Benson & Decker

Alex opened the door, only a crack at first, peering through it. The walls were stainless steel and sleek. Alex's heart pounded as if trying to burst through his chest, he breathed and opened the door taking in his surroundings. He noticed the camera at the end of the hall, he noticed the fingerprint monitors on the doorknobs. This was no ordinary hospital, he thought to himself. With every detail falling in to place he begins to get more scared. Could this be a hospital for criminals, could this be where Scorpia took traitors? He took his first step out, his bare feet pressing against the cold tile floor.

He looked around, no guards? No sentries posted at every corner? He walked towards the edge of the hallway, timing his move perfectly, he stepped under the camera. A blind spot, he would need to wait until the camera finished its second rotation before he could move again. No, he was stuck here, the camera moved to fast, getting here was luck and all the luck in the world couldn't get him out of this. He looked around, contorting his neck. The wires, he thought to himself, find the wires and turn this thing off. The control panel lay out of place on the wall above him. He moved it from side to side, it wouldn't budge. He pushed it up and it slipped free, he pulled it down, worried about the slightest creek of the metal.

The wires were in tip-top shape, all labeled and in order. Alex was far below them. Luckily his elbows could reach, if he stretched. He grabbed hold of a pack; he had no idea of what would happen. He pulled; felling them come loose, a surge of energy flowed through his hands. The camera stopped. Was it off? Or did he just stop the rotation mechanism. No time to find out. There must be at least one guard in the control room and if the camera stopped moving, there'd only be a minute to get away. He began to run to the end of the hallway. It felt like it would never end. A long dark passage into a world that would be strange, a journey that would be dangerous, but he didn't care; he wasn't a fan of hospitals. Actually he hated them. The steel that showed no emotion, no compassion. He wondered how many families cried for the people in these rooms. Too many, he answered himself.

He heard the footsteps on the steel stairs; there was some one coming. Alex looked around. There was no place to hide; the doors were finger print sensitive if he touched them the alarm would surely be raised. He thought quickly, yes that would work. He fell on the floor and lay, still as a stone. He lay there like he was dead. The guard finished his ascent and stopped in his tracks, he stared at Alex with disbelief. What luck, the guard thought to himself, a faulty camera and a runaway, my luck. He approached the child slowly he was aware of who the people in this place were. Nah, he reassured himself, it's just a kid. This would be his final thought before falling unconscious. He had approached Alex's feet. His fatal mistake was not asking himself about the boy. How did he get out? Was he dangerous? No the guard approached worried about other things, Alex felt his heart in his throat, it beat louder and louder as though amplified. So loud he was afraid the guard would notice.

The guard stopped and looked at the young boy noticing the detail and reassuring himself that it was only a boy, this was when Alex struck. Kicking the guard in the stomach with all his might. The guard turned white and fell.

Alex picked himself up and looked at the unconscious guard. He checked the guard for weapons when he cam across his wallet. He opened it and checked for money. He hated himself for this, but how else would he get away. He took only what he needed and walked down the stairs out the main entrance of the hospital.

It was pitch black and was raining, each raindrop new. Alex was cold and tired. The rain was heavy and clear but it was a door, a shroud hiding his fear and his anger. He turned around, now facing the building and looked at the huge brass letters that were posted across the face.

BENSON & DECKER FUNERAL HOMES

It was dark and Alex strained his eyes to see the address written under the name, but he was happy he turned away for if he had kept his eyes diverted from the road a minute longer, he would have missed the taxi.

Alex waved his hand and the taxi pulled to the curb. The driver looked stunned at the boy soaked in blue pajamas heading towards his car. The driver didn't care what he looked like, that wasn't his job.

"Where you headin' so late at night." The driver asked as Alex pulled himself into the car.

"Royal & General Bank."