Chapter Fifteen

It didn't take much longer for her prayers to be answered. Rounding a corner, Neela saw a gas station not far away. She gathered all of her strength and took off running as fast as her body would let her.

Skidding to a stop, she opened the door to find it deserted with the exception of the young boy behind the counter, reading a magazine.

"Excuse me, do you have a telephone?" Neela tried to keep her voice in check as not to drawn attention to herself.

"Back corner." The kid replied, not looking up from the magazine.

With a sigh of relief, Neela headed towards the back of the mini-mart, praying Tony didn't show up. Realizing that she was still in her scrubs, it occurred to her that she no change. Picking up the phone, Neela knew Ray was working or did work sometime today, so she dialed the ER.

"County General ER." She heard Frank's voice on the other end.

"You have a collect call from…"

"Neela." She prayed Ray was still there.

"Do you accept these charges?"

"Hell yes!" Frank replied. "Dr. Weaver! Lockhart! I got a collect call from Neela!"

Neela heard more shouting and Abby picked up the phone.

"Neela?"

"Abby, I'm so scared. I don't know where I am. It was Tony, he was in the apartment this morning, he- he-." Neela couldn't continue as tears overwhelmed her.

"Neela, breathe, I'm gunna come find you. I need you to describe where you are. Do you recognize anything?" Abby tried to calm her friend down.

"I don't know. I'm not in the city anymore. I'm at a gas station; there aren't many people here. I feel like I'm out in the middle of nowhere or something. There are a lot of warehouses, um…" Neela shook her head. "I don't know, Abby. Please come find me."

"I will, honey. Is there anyone around that can tell you where you are?"

"There was a kid… at the counter." Neela stood on her tiptoes to see over the shelves. "He isn't there anymore. I don't know where he-." Neela trailed off when she heard the bell jingle, signaling the door opening. Looking around the shelf, she froze. "Oh God…"

"Neela?" Abby questioned. "Neel? You there?"

"He's here, Abby." Neela whispered, crouching down. "Tony's here. Oh God… Abby, what do I do?"

"Is there another way out?" Abby tried to remain calm. "What about a back room? Somewhere you can hide?"

"I- I think there's a back room. There's a door." Neela replied.

"Okay, hang up the phone and get in there. Now!"

"Okay." Neela reluctantly hung up the phone and staying low, crept behind the last shelf. She didn't know where Tony was but didn't want to chance anything by trying to find him

"Can I help you find anything?" Neela froze and peeked around the corner to see the boy from the counter standing in front of Tony.

Faking a smile, Tony nodded. "Yeah, did a young woman come in here? Dark hair, about 5'2''?"

"Yeah, she was using the payphone in the back .She left though. I saw her running towards the town." He pointed out the door and to the right.

"Thank you." Tony nodded and left the building.

After a minute, the boy stuck her head around the corner or the last shelf. "He's gone. You can stop hiding."

Neela hesitantly stood up. "Thanks."

"Not a problem. I heard you saying you didn't know where you were and figured he looked kind of shady. Where are you from?"

"Chicago. Where am I?"

"Armor Hills, just north of the city. Do you need me to call the sheriff or someone?"

"No, no, I'll be fine. I'm just going to make another call." Neela said. "Thanks, though." Picking up the payphone again, Neela dialed the hospital again.

"County General ER."

"You have a collect-."

"Yes, we'll accept." Frank cut the machine off. "Lockhart!"

Neela sighed with relief. Things were starting to look up.

"Neela? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, he's gone." She replied. "I'm in some town called Armor Hills.

"Okay, I know where you are. You're only like a half hour away." Abby told her.

"How…?"

"I used to go up there all the time during my first year here. I'm coming right now. Don't go anywhere."

"I won't." Neela said, hanging up the phone, only to pick it up and dial Ray's cell phone number.

"Hello?"

"You have a collect call from…"

"Neela."

"Do you accept-."

"Yeah, I accept." Ray said hurriedly.

"Ray?"

"Neel? Are you okay? What happened? I've been sitting at home with the cops all day."

"I'm okay, Ray. I'm okay." Neela said.

"I was so worried when you didn't show up for work. Where are you? I'm gunna come get you."

"Abby's on her way. I called the hospital and they put her on. She knows where I am."

"Is he-? Tony?"

"I don't know where he went. I got away and he kept going. Will you meet me at County?"

"Of course, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I just- I don't wanna talk about I right now. Tonight?"

"Sure." Ray didn't bother to tell her it was already night.

"I'm gunna go watch for Abby." Neela told him, looking at her watch. She'd be arriving in about fifteen minutes and Neela couldn't wait to get home.

"I'll be waiting for you."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye." Ray responded. "I love you.

"I love you, too, Ray." She replied, fighting back tears.