Evolution

CHAPTER 8 PART 1 | last words

📎A/N. Hello my lovelies... Whew! What a week. The US elections are over, and we are into the next day. Take a big deep breath, the world has not ended... yet *evil laugh*

For those of you who may not be aware, the Wattys awards were announced a few days ago. Much to my surprise and delight, Masked won in the category of Verocious Reads! I am so very grateful to each and every one of you who helped put it there. I now have a shiny sticker!

Don't forget to vote... it makes all the difference.

Take care,

❤ ℳ

❧ ⚛ ✺ ≋ ≋ ≋ ≋ ≋ ✺ ⚛ ❧

  Daniel had heard the familiar ambulance siren before the flashing lights came into view. As it turned off the main road towards the ambulance bay, Murphy pushed away from their rental.

"Let's go," he said as he walked with purpose in the same direction.

From what Daniel could ascertain in the short time they had been waiting, the St Luke's Hospital had two entrances. One for patients who turned up by car and the other who's arrival was via ambulance.

From the corner of his eye, Daniel spotted movement. On the far side of the building a man in blue scrubs pushed open a door that would otherwise have been missed. From the cigarette already in his mouth, and his quick glance around the area before lighting it up, it was an unauthorized break.

"There's an alternate exit," said Daniel in a low voice so they could not be overheard.

Murphy glanced to where he'd indicated and shrugged his shoulders. "We won't need it."

Daniel forced his features into a neutral expression. They were walking into a situation as blind as a bat with defective sonar. There was no plan, let alone a backup if anything went south. The lack of a strategy didn't sit well with him.

They needed to ascertain just how far gone Carbine Jefferson was and if they were dealing with the same Lycan's as before. The building was overrun with hospital staff, patients and security staff. How would they get to the Werewolf if they had no plan?

The only response from Murphy when he pushed the subject was, "We're going into a hospital, not battle."

Mindful he needed to trust Murphy, Daniel had held back from voicing his concerns. While he had more than his fair share of interactions with humans in the business world, he was at a distinct disadvantage here. Perhaps it hadn't been wise to pick and choose his interactions over the years.

As they reached the ambulance, the paramedics, after pulling the gurney out, were on their way through the double doors that lead to the Emergency and Trauma Center. Murphy followed their trail. The moment they were inside, he said, "Pull your phone out and pretend to be reading messages. Keep your head down and stay directly behind me."

Daniel reached for his cell phone as they turned the corner into the main corridor. It wouldn't bode well if they were tracked down via the security footage. The sharp smell of bleach and antiseptic assailed his senses. For a moment, his mind flashed back to the previous traumatic occasion he had set foot in a hospital. His one visit to a human medical facility had not exactly been under the best of circumstances. Daniel's chest tightened at how close he came to losing Parker.

"Are you sure you know where we are going?" Daniel asked as they turned a corner that led down another corridor.

"Parker sent me his room number. He's in the critical care wing, we'll have to get by the duty station, but that shouldn't be a problem."