Chapter 12:
Corporate Drive. The building could've been an ivory tower, if not made of glass. It pierced the heavens. Busy bees milled around inside its hive. Security was enforced below at a large wooden desk, screening those whooshing in from the outside. Chimes sang from nearby as elevator buttons glowed. It was just another ordinary day until she walked in.
Bailey Winters was dressed in all black. As a second thought, she had asked the Haitian for a new set of clothes. If she was going do as Linderman had ordered her to do, she would dress for the part. She felt different. He had awoken something inside of her, and the clothes she had on would not do. Now, she felt much, much better, and her black boots pounded against the tiled floor, heading for the elevators. She didn't stop as a security guard yelled out to her, and she waited, knowing what was coming next.
"Miss! You need to check in," he said as she kept her back to him. The elevator was almost to the lobby. "Hey! I'm talking to you," and he placed a hand on her shoulder.
The man went rigid. His mouth fell open. His eyes grew wide. His skin paled, and then he started twitching, violently. People moved away fast as he fell to the floor, and Bailey did not have to look twice at him. She knew that he was dead, and that jolt felt so good. And she walked into the elevator as more people hurried past her.
"Hey," another security guard yelled before the elevator doors slid closed. He had a phone already pressed to his ear. The real security was being notified, and getting out of here would be tricky. Linderman had never explained her exit plan. Was there one, or did he not expect her to survive this?
"One way or another, I'm afraid that will be your fate too, Bailey, but not today," Linderman had said. So, was he counting on her to survive after all?
White light bolted from Bailey's hands. The elevator shook. The lights flickered for a moment. Only one button glowed brightly. It was for the top, top floor as Linderman had said, where that secret meeting was supposed to be taking place. She hoped that he was right because whoever was waiting up there would never see her coming.
"Bill? Bill, you okay? You don't look so good." A man in a tight business suit walked up to a large, glass window, where another man leaned against it. "What's eating you? Our decision about Wall Street?"
"I think it's wrong."
"What, Bill? What's wrong?"
"Bankrupting people, Jim. Taking their money away. Doesn't that bother you?" Bill yanked off his tie and pocketed it. "We were entrusted with this state, this country's money, and I don't agree with the politics here."
"That's why you were never the politician, Bill. Why don't you get some air? We'll be concluding our meeting soon, and then we can all go home."
Just then, the fire alarm went off. A shrill bell rang out. The emergency lights flickered. Bill looked alarmed. Jim remained unfazed.
"The elevators," Bill gasped. "We're trapped."
"Bill." He looked at him. "I own a helicopter. Remember?"
"We need to go." Bill grabbed hold of him. "We need to go right now."
"Bill, relax." Jim gently pushed him away. "Everything's fine. The fire can't touch us up here, so take a breath. And then, let's finish this," and Jim walked away.
"The elevators," Bill mumbled to himself, and then he hurried out of the conference room. "There might still be time," but the elevator doors chimed.
Bill almost fell backward. Fear dripped down his spine. He stumbled to his feet and ran toward the bathroom. He hurried inside just as someone had walked into the conference room. He could have sworn that he had heard Jim call his name, but then the screaming followed. The screaming was awful, so awful that he pressed his hands against his ears and slid against the bathroom door. He remained like that for a long time, so long that he almost forgot to breathe.
It was quiet now. Maybe, whoever it was had left. Maybe, they had gone to the roof and taken Jim's helicopter, or maybe, they had their own transportation waiting. They had to be gone. There was no sound now except for his heart pounding against his chest, and with every step he took, his heart threatened to break free. But he had to know.
The conference doors opened. The wooden doors felt heavier against his hands. The floor was still clear. No blood. Another step. Bodies. Bodies everywhere. Jim's body. A scream rose up into his throat. Just then, a chair slowly swiveled his way.
Bailey Winters glowed a soft white. A smile stretched across her pale face. She looked ecstatic. Seeing him, she began to look hungry. "I'm so glad that you have decided to join us," and she gestured at the dead surrounding them. "There's always room for one more," and she began to approach him like a tiger stalking its prey.
"There's a helicopter on the roof. You could take it, and escape. Go, and I won't tell anyone at all that you were here. And that you did this."
"Who said that I wanted to escape?"
"You can't go back to the lobby."
"I could actually." White light flickered along her fingertips. "I just have to kill you first." Bill fell to the ground and looked up at her. "Linderman doesn't want any survivors," and she reached for him.
"Linderman." A jolt raced through him as she touched him. "My daughter," he screamed, and now Bailey looked shocked.
"What?" She stumbled back. "What does your daughter have to do with this? With me?"
"She was in the basement with you, Bailey." A tear raced down her cheek. "Linderman got that memory from you at the hospital." He remained sitting on the ground, still shaking. "He traded that knowledge for mine, for the meeting. He said that I would be spared. He lied!"
"He does that," Bailey muttered, but more to herself. "Your daughter." Bailey remembered now. "She died before it was my turn."
"And I'm glad, happy that you killed that son of a bitch!"
"What am I doing?" Bailey now looked at the dead. "What did I do?"
"What Linderman had ordered you to do." Bill was now at the door. "Let me go, Bailey. Linderman might be a liar, but are you?"
"Get out of here." She turned away, wiping more tears aside. "Go!"
"What about you? Can you fly the helicopter on the roof? I could try."
"Get out of here!" Bailey's eyes flashed white. "Now," and she watched him run away. "Damn it, Linderman. What did you do to me?"
"You believe in vampires, Bailey," Linderman had asked her. "Vampires need life to live. Without it, they die."
"I can't. I can't live like that, like this." Bailey knew what she would have to do. "I'm sorry, Matt," and she slowly left the room.
The rooftop was only a flight of stairs away. It would just take a moment to get outside. Forget the helicopter. There was only one escape plan. It was the only way, but could she do it? Or had Linderman truly won? Maybe, either way, he has.