ENEMY WITHIN THE GATES

by Richard Drummer

  Mark held out his hand, grinning. “He doesn’t shut up about you guys. Sorry I haven’t seen you play yet. Maybe I can get your schedule and try to lock in on a night I have off.”

  “That sounds good,” Ethan said, shaking Mark’s hand. “Joe and Theresa have supported us from the get-go. They believed in us even when we didn’t believe in ourselves.”

  “You’re being modest,” Theresa chimed in. “These guys have played to packed houses since they put this band together.” She looked back to her brother and added, “They kick ass.”

  Mark nodded, then turned to Ethan. “So you’re the one that knows Jordan West, right?”

  A pained expression flashed in Ethan’s eyes as he nodded. “Shitty trick of fate,” he said in a sigh. “She didn’t do anything wrong except to have been the daughter of a tyrant. Jordan has a strong moral compass, and her mother obviously doesn’t. Talk about clashing philosophies.”

  “She understood me when I said your name,” Mark offered. “She’s pretty sedated, but she was definitely aware of what was going on.” He struggled past his own emotions and added, “I saw a flicker in her eyes. It was like all she needed was to hear was that she wasn’t alone, that people were thinking of her, trying to help. I told her she was being watched by the video camera, and she had to control her expressions.” Mark paused, remembering the moment, the look in her eyes. “It was actually pretty amazing. One moment she’s doped and distant, and then, it was like she cut through the haze of the drugs.” He nodded, smiled. “It takes a strong-willed mind to pull that off.”

  Ethan’s expression brightened. “Wow, I needed to hear that. I kept imagining her stoned out of her mind with that Jack Nicholson expression from One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.”

  Mark smiled. “She wasn’t quite that bad, and now she knows not to take any more of the meds they’re giving her. The only thing is,” He hesitated, searching for the right words. “That place is going to be even harder for her to deal with now.”

  “There’s gotta be a way to get her out of that place,” Ethan said.

  “That’s why we’re all here,” Murray answered from across the room. “By the way, it’s showtime.”

  The small group gathered around the monitor connected to Murray’s laptop as he pressed start. The screen flickered and flashed and then began replaying the stark white hallways of the Haven hospital. The high-resolution, wide-angle image showed the med cart being pushed along as Mark made his rounds, stopping outside each of the secured doors, unlocking and stepping through them.

  Everyone anxiously anticipated the appearance of 3808. There was a collective breath-hold as each room number plate came into view. When it finally appeared, the room went deathly still. Mark’s hand was seen reaching out and unlocking the door. He stepped in, and everyone had their first disturbing glimpse of Jordan. She stared downward, hair streaming over her eyes, seemingly lost to the world. But then there was the slightest acknowledgment as Mark spoke to her, told her of the camera he was wearing. Her head tilted up, eyes making contact. From one frame to the next, it seemed as though that look of empty despair was replaced with a fragile glint of hope. There was that faintest of smiles as she held her gaze at the camera. And then she did something unexpected. Ever so subtly, she winked.

  “Did you see that?” Theresa called out, pointing with wonder at the screen.

  Mark took a double-take. “I didn’t even notice at the time,” he said.

  Everyone let out a deep breath of relief as their conversations began buzzing with new hope over the small, positive sign. The topic soon turned to freeing Jordan from her prison. Each took turns offering suggestions while the others either built on their ideas or found holes in the plan.

  Joe sat listening as the ideas flowed, and the enthusiasm grew stronger. By their passioned voices, he could tell that the mood had gone from wishful thinking to seeking a real solution to rescue their friend. It was the moment he was waiting for.

  He always feared he wouldn’t know when his moment of truth arrived, and the tides of fate would flow unnoticed over his feet. He needn’t have worried. This was it, and he knew exactly what needed to be done. It was the most unusual and uplifting sensation of perfect clarity that life ever offered. His plan could work. He had the answers these people desperately sought. He would be successful. He knew this with absolute certainty, grinning as a momentary silence fell over the room.

  With quiet confidence, Joe said, “I’ve got an idea.”

  Murray worked his way back through the video, capturing still photos of the various hallways and doors while graphing a floor plan. He added X marks for camera positions and noted when hospital personnel entered and exited the images. He conferred with Mark to add any additional details that the camera missed. They both agreed the final product was a very accurate representation of the hospital floor plan and staff movements.

  “Okay, guys, here comes the fun part,” Joe announced. “Mark, can you get Ethan into the hospital to help retrieve our package?”

  Mark thought for a moment, envisioning the obstacles he might encounter. “That could be a challenge.”

  “You don’t even have to get him all the way into that wing,” Joe added. “Just close enough that he can assist you in getting her out as quickly as possible.”

  “Yeah,” Mark replied, nodding. “I think I can do that. I’ll have to make a few calls to the personnel department. You can be my cousin that will take any job available.”

  “Whatever it takes,” Ethan offered.

  “Wait, you can’t risk going in there and being filmed by all those cameras,” Theresa interjected. “There’s already a BOLO for you. We’ll need to alter your appearance,” she said, setting a fresh carafe of coffee on the table.

  “She’s right,” said Joe. “Mark, you’re still safe. You haven’t done anything illegal yet.”

  “YET!” Mark chuckled.

  “Right,” Joe continued, “and we can hide you here until this blows over. But Ethan, you need a new identity.”

  “I have a buddy with a back door into the DMV,” said Murray. “We can borrow someone else’s name and face for a few days.”

  “Excellent!” said Joe. “Theresa just happens to be an incredible makeup artist. Once you find an identity to borrow, she can give him the finishing touches.” He looked to his wife and asked, “Babe, think you can do that?”

  Theresa nodded. “Can do.”

  “Oh, and while we’re at it,” Joe added, “I meant to tell you the part I wanted you to play in our little show. You’re going to love this!”

  She beamed and gave him a thumbs up.

  Murray ended a phone call and scribbled a few notes, then turned to Mark. “As soon as we have a new identity for Ethan, we’ll send it over. Then you can call the personnel department and make a recommendation. Use your own cell to make the call, but wait until you get home. I will find the company that does security for the hospital and tap into their video feeds. Those cameras will be our eyes while you’re in there. We’ll be able to give you real-time information about what we see on the floor.”

  Murray pulled a burner phone from his jacket pocket and punched in a number from memory. “I could call every security company in Maryland and still not find the right group faster than getting a hold of. . .” He put the phone to his ear and said, “Roscoe? Hey buddy, it’s Murray. I need to know who has the contract for the Haven hospital security and internet servers. . . yup, exactly right, time to expand my business. I got a pen. Go ahead.”

  37

  Murray entered a string of passwords and tapped into the hospital security system. The first image to come up was a view of the stately mansion through a light fog, shot from camera number six at the old gatehouse. Even seen through the low-resolution black and white video, one immediately sensed the stately stature of the beautiful old building. It stood in silence, surrounded by manicured, sprawling lawns and landscaping.

  The Haven Hospital, as it was now cal
led, bore the weight of a hundred years of mysterious notoriety. Constructed in 1926 as a lavish estate, it was abruptly converted into a private psychiatric facility six years later. The decision for the change was borne from a personal tragedy. The owner’s beloved wife, Grace, suffered a complete mental breakdown shortly after childbirth and required constant supervision. Over time, more patients were admitted. The reputation of the Haven grew, and the facility flourished.

  The list of damaged actors kicking drug habits and alcoholic wives of powerful men brought in to dry out became the mainstay. Cliff McArthur, heartthrob actor of the fifties, came here for an experimental cure to his homosexuality. And a famous Hollywood bombshell resided here while on a suicide watch after enduring a movie studio mandated abortion.

  The facility still maintained a tight veil of secrecy surrounding the identity of its patients coming for treatment. It was at the top of a short list of treatment options for those who sought anonymity. Confidentiality was the cornerstone of the Haven. For all these reasons, it was the perfect facility to make someone disappear.

  Murray adjusted his headset and rechecked the monitors. All camera feeds from the hospital were displayed on the massive video array he had constructed in the middle of the living room. He also mounted a GPS tracking device on the recovery vehicle and monitored its progress on his tablet. Murray smiled to himself. What a perfect time in time to be a geek.

  “Okay, I’m punching in,” Mark reported as he fed his card into the Haven time clock. “Ethan is headed to the shipping office.”

  “Remember not to touch your earpiece or talk unless you’re alone,” Murray reminded him through the nearly invisible device. “Ethan, snap your fingers twice when you’re on the way to your post.”

  “Got it,” Ethan replied quietly, rounding a corner and stepping into the shipping office. His new position at the hospital loading dock involved accepting shipments and delivering supplies to each department. He had hoped this would give him full access to the third floor. But on his first day, he realized it wouldn’t be quite so easy. Supplies for the third floor were dropped off at a holding area. Employees from each department would then come to get them. There was no direct access to the places where he would be needed to assist with the escape. Once the facility was mapped out, a spot was chosen where he could be best utilized.

  Ethan checked in with the dock manager, then got to work.

  “Cody, I see you stopped,” Murray said. “What’s up?”

  “Putting a medical equipment repair logo on your van was a great idea ,” Cody’s voice crackled over the radio. “But we forgot to gas up ahead of time. I’m filling the tank now. I should be about three miles out.”

  “I show two point four miles, but who’s counting,” Murray answered, monitoring the progress of the van. “Remember, you’re going to park in the reserved section for repair vendors in the back. Sit tight, and I’ll tell you when to move into position.”

  “Got it,” Cody replied as he paid with a gas gift card.

  Mark worked his way back to the pharmacy and was given his med cart with no more than a fleeting glance from Anthony. Mark signed the clipboard and rolled out of the pharmacy toward the elevators and his first stop. The path seemed all the more familiar since he’d traced it out on paper with Murray the night before. He pushed the cart along, discreetly noting each of the cameras. His every move was being observed in Joe’s living room.

  “Nod twice if you hear me okay,” Murray instructed.

  Without looking up, Mark nodded two times and kept walking. To anyone else watching, the gesture would have gone unnoticed. That was all Murray needed to see. The high-frequency transmitter/receivers he had borrowed for the group were better than expected. He was also impressed with how Mark handled himself. The guy was definitely cool under pressure. They would never have gotten this far without his help.

  Murray watched now as Mark pushed the med cart up to room 3808. He stopped and acted out a cough for the camera. “Ready?” Mark asked.

  “Drop to tie your shoe, and stand by,” Murray answered, then checked the monitors once more. “Ethan,” he said, “you’re between cameras. I can’t see you. Are you ready?” Murray heard only a cough, which was their prearranged signal that he could not talk.

  “Mark, go to the lavatory behind you,” Murray instructed. He watched as Mark pushed the cart back the way he’d come to a staff restroom around the corner. He made sure to leave the cart in plain sight of the camera and went inside.

  “What’s up?” Mark asked, shutting the door behind him.

  “I’m making the video loop while we wait for Ethan to check-in,” Murray explained. “He’s near his spot but isn’t responding. It should be just a—”

  “All set here,” came the anticipated reply from Ethan. “I had to wait for a janitor to tell a bad joke. He’s gone now. I’m grabbing a wheelchair and heading for the stairway.”

  “Excellent,” Murray said as he processed the video loop. Once enabled, the hospital security team would only see a thirty-second repeating loop of the med cart stopped outside the staff lavatory. He rechecked the monitor to verify everything was ready to go.

  “Mark, leave the bathroom and run toward the south emergency exit in three, two, one, now.”

  Murray pushed play on the video loop. Mark bolted out the door, then raced toward the exit as Ethan worked his way up the stairwell with the folded wheelchair. Mark pushed open the fire door, then watched below as Ethan ascended the steps toward him.

  “Let’s do this,” Mark called down, holding the steel door open. Ethan scrambled up the remaining flight to the third level, breathing heavily. He unfolded the wheelchair and pushed it through. Being observed was no longer an issue, and the two men broke into a run toward Jordan’s room.

  The clock was now ticking. The chain of events needed to happen fast or not at all.

  They reached 3808, and Mark unlocked and pulled open the door.

  Ethan entered first. The sight that greeted him was a gut punch, sucking the air out of his lungs. He staggered and reached out to balance himself against the wall. Although he was cautioned about what to expect, nothing could have prepared him for this moment. The tiny room was no larger than a prison cell. The image of the woman lying curled up on the bed with arms wrapped tightly to her chest was like the ultimate display of submission and hopelessness. Jordan looked dreadful. Ethan froze in place, feeling ashamed to see her this way but unable to look away.

  Jordan glanced up and blinked the pair of men into focus. Her eyes lit with the recognition of Mark but then gave a wary expression to Ethan. Had she lost her memory of him? His heart sank on the thought but then he recalled that he was in disguise. Right now, he was just some bushy-eyed geek in chunky glasses. More than likely, she didn’t recognize him. Ethan watched her watching him as she scrutinized his features. Within seconds, her face brightened with wonderment as though catching a glimpse of the man within. There was the slightest upturn in the corners of her mouth. Her eyes revealed her recognition and welled with tears of hope.

  Ethan felt a surge of energy and fought the urge to rush forward and take her in his arms. He stood waiting for instructions, his impatience clawing from within like a bad itch. He grinned back at her and winked. Nothing in this world could ever look as wonderful as the smile she returned.

  “Are we good to go?” he asked, listening in his earpiece for Murray to respond.

  “Hold up, I need to make a loop of Jordan sitting alone.”

  A long, tense moment passed as Ethan and Mark waited.

  “Go,” Murray finally yelled. “Get the hell out of there now!”

  Ethan dashed to Jordan’s side as she reached out and embraced him like he was a firefighter rescuing her from a blazing inferno.

  “I thought you’d still be a medicated mess,” Ethan whispered as he kissed her. “My God, it’s so good to see you.”

  Jordan wiped away a joyful tear. “Mark told me not to swallow any more of th
e pills, to hold on a little longer.” She looked to Mark and said, “Thank you.”

  “We don’t have much time,” Mark said anxiously. “Get in the wheelchair, and we’ll get you out of here.”

  “I think I can walk.”

  “Not fast enough, you can’t. Roll now, walk later.”

  She nodded as Ethan positioned the wheelchair next to the bed and dropped in. She didn’t have near the strength she expected and now gladly accepted being pushed to safety.

  “Murray, we have the package,” Mark announced into his microphone. “We’re ready to roll,”

  “Copy that. Cody, power up and get into position. The package is on the way.”

  Out in the parking lot, Cody turned the ignition of the “Medical Specialties” van. He drove around to the loading dock and pulled up near the receiving door.

  “Ethan and Mark, you need to be past the exit in forty-three seconds. Move it!”

  Murray checked the clock on his video loop and scanned for other movement on the hospital floor. His eyes locked on one of the camera feeds. “Oh shit,” he said, “hold on. You have a security guard coming your way.” Murray cursed again under his breath as he looked at his checklist. “This guy should have been by twenty minutes ago. Close your door and duck down. And get her back in bed!”

  “We can’t let that door latch shut,” Ethan cautioned, “the guard might hear it.”

  Mark stepped over and worked the master key into the lock. He held the deadbolt open as he silently pulled the door closed, then turned the key back and allowed the lock to set.

  “Good call,” Ethan whispered as he helped Jordan back into bed. He rolled the wheelchair up against the door, out of sight from the rectangular window. They both crouched down and waited.

  They could hear the guard coming from all the way down the hall. He had a habit of noisily clanking a nightstick on the patient’s doors as he walked along. He moved slowly, oblivious to the reactions of his intrusion. He was very close now, the clicking of his hard soles echoing off the corridor ahead of him. His footfalls abruptly ceased as though he had left the area. Mark and Ethan listened, straining to hear some telltale rustle of clothing or the clank of that annoying billy club. There was nothing.