Chapter 8: The Hospital Beneath the Hospital
The abandoned Newport Rehabilitation Hospital stood behind a rusted iron fence overlooking the northern edge of the coast.
Its windows were dark.
Weeds covered the parking lot, and a faded sign hung crookedly above the main entrance.
The building had officially closed fifteen years earlier.
But the security cameras were new.
So were the armed guards.
Victoria watched from inside Samuel's SUV.
"How many people are inside?""
Samuel checked a tablet.
"At least twenty.""
"Police?""
"No.""
"Then who?""
"Private security. Most were hired through a company registered in Delaware.""
Richard sat beside her, breathing heavily.
"Daniel uses that company to protect the underground facility.""
Elena turned toward him.
"What facility?""
Richard stared at the hospital.
"The one where Margaret was kept.""
He explained that the rehabilitation center had been a public institution until Vance Global purchased the property through a subsidiary.
Officially, the building had provided long-term care for patients with neurological injuries.
Underground, it had housed a private research operation.
The company had conducted unauthorized experiments using medical compounds, falsified patient records, and concealed the identities of people who had been involved in the original fertility program.
Victoria looked at the building.
"How many people are still there?""
Richard hesitated.
"I don't know.""
Samuel opened the glove compartment.
Inside were two identification cards, a folded map, and a small recording device.
"There's an old maintenance tunnel on the east side. It connects to the basement.""
Elena looked at the map.
"How do you know?""
Samuel gave her a grim smile.
"Because I used to approve the invoices.""
They left Richard in the SUV with the driver and approached the hospital through a line of overgrown trees.
At the side entrance, Samuel entered a security code.
The lock clicked.
The door opened.
The smell hit them immediately.
Disinfectant.
Damp concrete.
Something metallic.
Victoria covered her nose.
"This place is still operating.""
Samuel nodded.
"Welcome to the part of Vance Global nobody was supposed to see.""
They descended two flights of stairs.
At the bottom was a corridor lined with gray doors.
Some had electronic locks.
Others had small observation windows.
Victoria stopped at the first window.
Inside, an elderly man sat alone on a narrow bed.
A medical bracelet surrounded his wrist.
The name on it read:
*PATIENT 004 — JAMES MILLER.*
Victoria stepped closer.
"Who is he?""
Samuel glanced at the file.
"Former laboratory technician. He disappeared twelve years ago.""
"Why?""
"He discovered that the company was falsifying clinical trial results.""
Elena looked through the window.
The old man raised his head.
When he saw them, he stood abruptly and pressed both hands against the glass.
His mouth moved.
Victoria couldn't hear him.
Samuel opened the door.
The man stumbled forward.
"Please," he whispered.
"Are you here to take me out?""
Victoria nodded.
"Yes.""
He began crying.
"Then you need to hurry. They're moving the women tonight.""
"What women?""
"All of them.""
Elena stepped closer.
"Who?""
The man looked at her.
"Fourteen women were registered under false identities. Some were mothers. Some were donors. Some were witnesses.""
Victoria felt cold.
"Where are they?""
He pointed down the corridor.
"Room fourteen.""
They moved quickly.
The door to Room 014 was secured by a biometric lock.
Samuel tried the emergency code.
Rejected.
He tried again.
Rejected.
Then a voice came from the corridor behind them.
"You're getting very predictable, Samuel.""
Daniel stood at the far end.
He wore a black coat and carried no visible weapon.
Two guards stood beside him.
His face was calm.
Almost amused.
"Give me the flash drive.""
Samuel stepped in front of Victoria.
"Not happening.""
Daniel looked at Richard's photograph protruding from the folder.
"Father always did love his little collections.""
Richard wasn't there to answer.
Victoria moved closer.
"Where's my mother?""
Daniel smiled.
"Safe.""
"Let her go.""
"Why? So she can tell you another bedtime story?""
Victoria held up the family trust documents.
"You need her signature. That's why you're keeping her alive.""
Daniel's smile disappeared.
"Very good.""
"You're not getting it.""
"Actually, I already have.""
He raised his hand.
One of the guards stepped forward and placed a tablet on the wall.
The screen showed a live video.
Margaret Hale was sitting in a hospital room.
Her hair was white.
Her face was thinner than in Victoria's childhood photographs.
But she was unmistakably alive.
Daniel stepped beside the screen.
"Mother, say hello to your daughter.""
Margaret looked directly into the camera.
"Victoria.""
Victoria rushed toward the screen.
"Mom!""
"Listen to me. Don't give him the documents.""
Daniel smiled.
"Always so difficult.""
He turned toward Margaret.
"Tell her what happens if she refuses.""
Margaret remained silent.
Daniel leaned toward the camera.
"Then perhaps I should introduce her to someone.""
He pressed a button.
A second camera feed appeared.
A young woman stood in another room.
She had Victoria's face.
Veronica.
Her hands were tied behind her back.
Victoria felt her stomach drop.
"Let her go!""
Daniel tilted his head.
"Which one?""
He looked from the screen to Victoria.
"Your sister or your mother?""
Samuel raised his pistol.
"Put the tablet down.""
Daniel laughed.
"You're still pretending this is a negotiation?""
He nodded toward the ceiling.
A red light began flashing.
Then the corridor doors slammed shut.
A computerized voice announced:
"Containment protocol activated. Medical wing lockdown in progress.""
Elena grabbed Victoria's arm.
"What does that mean?""
Samuel looked at the ceiling.
"It means he's sealing the facility.""
Daniel stepped backward toward a security door.
"Enjoy your family reunion.""
He entered a code.
The door opened.
Before it closed, he delivered one final sentence.
"Oh, and Victoria? You might want to ask your mother why she gave you away.""
The door slammed.
Victoria turned toward the screen.
Margaret was crying.
"Mom, what does he mean?""
Margaret looked down.
Then she whispered:
"Because you were the child I was ordered to kill.""
Victoria stepped backward.
"No.""
Margaret pressed her hand against the camera.
"I was told one of my daughters had to die. Robert said there could only be one heir.""
Victoria shook her head.
"But I'm alive.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
Margaret's tears fell.
"Because I chose you.""
Victoria stared at her.
"Then what happened to Veronica?""
Margaret closed her eyes.
"Your sister was never supposed to survive either.""
A heavy mechanical sound echoed from the end of the corridor.
Samuel looked toward the locked doors.
"We need to move. Now.""
But Victoria couldn't look away from the screen.
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Her mother had just admitted that she had been forced to choose which daughter would live.
And somewhere behind the hospital walls, the other daughter was waiting to discover why.
