Did I mention it was eerie?
I prayed to whatever gods could hear me that I never had to visit a hospital morgue again. Not only was the place depressing as hell, but it was creepy. Like, make me shiver creepy. I couldn't imagine working down here.
"Loading dock,"I sent to Ian."The cologne is coming from the loading dock."
At least, that's what the sign above the large swinging doors said.
"I need you to give us a couple of minutes, Danny. Cooper and Andrew are going down to get in their car so they can follow you if Atkins tries to take you out of the hospital."
"Got it."I turned around and walked back to the morgue. I really hated myself in that moment. I pushed open the door and stepped inside. I wasn't sure if there were any cameras in here or not, but I wasn't taking any chances.
I walked over to one of two doors in the place and pulled it open. Supply closet. The other door led to what was obviously an autopsy room. There was a large table in the middle of the room with lights overhead and a drain on the floor under it.
Again, eerie.
"Have you had enough time, Andrew? I'd really like to get out of the morgue."
"Yeah, you're good. We're parked close to the morgue entrance. There's a white panel van parked at the loading dock. Cooper says that's probably how they intend to get you out of there."
"You know they are probably going to hit me with a tranquilizer like they did McDermott."
"We know,"Andrew replied."That's why we had you put the tracking device on your ass."
"Let's just hope they don't strip me naked after they knock me out."I wouldn't put anything past these bastards."You guys better find me before he ships me off to Dubai."
I took a deep breath then pushed through the double doors onto the loading dock. I felt a prick of pain instantly and glanced down to see a red feathered dart sticking out of my chest. My head grew woozy.
"Well, that's going to leave a mark," I said before my knees gave out and I hit the floor. I couldn't lift my head and my eyelids started to feel heavy.
"Dart."I breathed in and then out before I could continue."They got me with a fucking dart."
The last thing I saw before darkness took me was two sets of legs walking toward me.
* * * *
There was music playing somewhere. I think it was classical, but I could be wrong. I preferred jazz. And it was faint, as if playing in another room, but the door had been left open so the sound could carry into the room.
I was lying on something soft, but it didn't feel like a bed. I cracked my eyes open and peeked around through my lashes. No, I was definitely not on a bed. It was some sort of lounging chair shaped kind of like a wave. Deep burgundy. Very cushy.
I wouldn't own it on a bet.
It seemed as if the room I was in was empty. I opened my eyes all the way then sat up. Well, I was still dressed, so I didn't think they had found the tracking device. Of course, they could have found it then redressed me.
I took in the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, the built-in bar, and the solid mahogany pool table. The burgundy felt matched the fabric on the lounge chair and the sashes on the full-length silk curtains. It was gaudy as hell, but it gave me a pretty good idea of where I'd been taken.
"Ian, I don't know if you can hear me, but—"
"We hear you, Danny,"Ian replied."We're sneaking onto the grounds now."
"All of you?"
"All of us,"Ian said."We're still in our original teams, Danny. We followed your tracking signal right to Atkins' front door."
"Has there been any sign of Abe?"
"Andrew saw them carrying you and Abe into the mansion. Is he not with you?"
"No, I haven't seen him."I glanced toward the open door, the direction the music was coming from."I'm going to see if I can find him. I'd really appreciate it if you all could come join me."
