Game of Survival [S. S. Book Two]

Twenty-Seven

My dad and his deputies were going after some sort of incredibly large creature. Scott and I were following close behind.

Deputy Clark said over the radio, "Unit Five heading northwest on Crescent. Reporting an incredibly large... Something."

"Unit Nine, to Dispatch, I think I've got eyes on the same thing. Some kind of rabid animal."

"Unit Five to Nine, trust me, that's no animal."

Deputy Strauss began talking. "Unit Six to Dispatch. We have a situation downtown. Multiple fatalities."

Dispatch answered. "Copy, Medics on the way. Do you have a perp in sight, Unit Six?"

"Negative. Looks like a 10-91E. Animal attack."

"10-4, can you say what kind of animal?"

It was then I decided to add my input. "All units stay back. Do not engage. I repeat, do not engage."

"Stiles, get off the radio. All units, start. Wait for backup. Repeat. No one goes near this thing," my dad said over the radio.

Deputy Clark said again, "Unit Five reporting a sighting on Hill Road southbound..."

Unit Nine answered. "Unit Nine. I've got it turning off Oakridge, southbound on Beachwood."

Then Dispatch again. "All units. This is Dispatch. We've got a 911 call with additional sighting on Mitchell."

Scott turned to me. "Wait a second. Beachwood to Mitchell? It's headed for the hospital."

"Dad," I said, getting on the radio.

"Stiles, get off this channel."

"Dad, just listen to me. He's headed for the hospital. All right? He's headed for Beacon Memorial. You hear me? It's headed for the hospital."

We drove off to the hospital and heard loud growls coming from above. "Fourth floor," Scott informed.

We found charred bits and some parts of the hallway still burning. As we rounded a corner, a flaming man came flying past us and smacked into a wall. His flames disappeared and so did the fire in his eyes. "Parrish? You okay?" My dad asked. "Parrish!"

Scott followed a trail of blood and I stuck close to my dad. "I'm doing everything I can, but her mom is her legal guardian. As for Alyssa, you'd have to talk to her family. Lydia's mom is the only person who can check her out of Eichen House."

I frowned. "Can't we get a court order or something?"

My dad sighed. "Technically, trepanation is still considered a medical procedure. A judge would have to declare Natalie and Arthur and Amanda unfit, which isn't likely. It could take months."

I sighed in defeat. "So you're saying there's nothing we can do..."

"Legally," my dad interrupted with a look to me.

Scott and I met up with Kira, Malia, and Liam at Scott's and we began briefing them about our plan to get into Eichen to rescue Ally and Lydia. "There's four steps," I told them. "We get into Eichen, we get into the Closed Unit, we get Lydia and Ally, get out."

"And we have to do it all while getting past orderlies, guards, electric door locks, and a Mountain Ash barrier."

"You have a plan for all of that?" Malia asked.

I held up the key card. "I stole this last night off an orderly. But it's useless 'cause they reset the codes each night."

"So why did you take it?" Kira questioned.