Natalie felt her chest tighten as the air became thinner in the room. She wanted to sleep but forced herself to stay awake, to use her mind to stay conscious. She thought about Julie, knowing she was safe with her parents. She still wished she had taken a little more time with her the day before. She was becoming a wonderful young woman and Natalie didn't want to miss a second. The thought came that now she may not ever see her daughter or her parents again. A tear came and she brushed it away, forcing herself to change her focus.
She shifted her thoughts to Adrian Monk and their conversation in the car earlier. This brought a weak smile to her face as she contemplated the ramifications of it. He thought she was cute. She remembered the time when he was painting and said she was a beautiful woman. He was coming out of his shell more than he was letting on. What was it he said right before all hell broke lose? Ah yes, 'We'll have plenty of time to practice'. Practice? Her mind began to fog over, and she tried for a breath to clear it, wanting desperately to cling to thoughts of Adrian, but she only managed a cough. To practice what? She imagined Adrian's face . . . 'Don't let go, hang on.' She heard him say. It was faint and distant as another cough shook her body. Was she dreaming?
Adrian stepped to the next door and found another riddle scrawled on it.
FLYING AT NIGHT, THAT'S NOT THE DREADTHE KEY IS IN THE FALL.
HOW LONG BEFORE SHE'S DEAD?
Adrian filed it to his memory. Confident from, his last success, he unlocked the next door. As he stepped inside what seemed like airport runway lights blew on, blinding him immediately. He grabbed his eyes in pain, then bent over covering them with his arms. Then deep black darkness enveloped the room. He knew this blindness was temporary but whoever it was didn't want him to gain night vision in this test.
Adrian hunkered down in a crouched position at first, feeling for a wall. Something he could discern as semi safety. He listened. Nothing. The silence was deafening. Slowly he rose along the wall and used his hands to feel his way. He didn't get far before something hard and metallic, yet blunt slammed into his ribs from behind. The force knocked his face against the wall, bouncing him off to the floor. He lay there trying to catch his breath, as he felt blood trickle into his right eye. Slowly he rolled off his back and made his way to his knees. His arms wrapped around himself in a pain- filled hug, he doubled over. Gasping he got his feet under him.
He didn't want to move. He was frozen with fear. 'How was he supposed to find the next key like this?' Unbeknownst to Adrian, there was someone in the room with him. The dark figure released another attack. 'Obviously his attacker was wearing night vision goggles', the detective deduced.
Adrian stood thinking for a second before another blow came from his right, slamming into his shoulder and knocking him back to the floor. As he landed on his injured ribs, he fought back the panic and pain that wanted to engulf him. If he did panic, he'd be useless to Natalie and time was running out. The riddle came back to him. If he could only stay conscious long enough to figure it out. Adrian once again pulled himself to his feet with painful grunts. He listened again and this time he heard someone breathing. This freaked him out a little more. This was his attacker.
"Why are you doing this?" Adrian questioned. No answer came. Adrian rose to his feet again and again, he was slammed back to the ground with the same heavy, pain-inflicting object. Adrian grimaced knowing now that his ribs were cracked. He lay crumpled on the ground breathing painfully. As his short breaths came, he remembered Natalie, knowing she was feeling almost the same way he was. Suddenly the key to the riddle came to him. "The key's inside the fall." He groaned under his breath. 'Stay down.' he realized.
This time, Adrian didn't try to get up. He rolled to his stomach and felt the floor with desperation trying to find the key. "God, help me, please," Adrian prayed quietly. Suddenly, he heard the scuffle of a foot and the soft grate of metallic on concrete. The key bumped into his hand. He froze and listened to the sound of footsteps moving behind him. He braced himself for an attack that never came, but rather the opening and closing of a door. With that, a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling blinked on, escorting his eyes back to slow sight.
Adrian winced, covering his eyes for a moment, scurrying painfully to his feet. He staggered to the door trying to blink his vision back to focus. He ran to Natalie. "Natalie!" he could see she was still breathing, so didn't wait for a response. He ran to the next door.