Chapter 67
[ 497 words ]
Chapter 67:
She felt the prickle of eyes on the back of her neck. She heard the synchronized, stealthy squeak of rubber soles matching her pace.
Caroline didn’t turn her head. She kept her posture slumped and defeated.
As she pushed the cart past a shiny, stainless-steel fire extinguisher panel mounted on the wall, she flicked her eyes to the right.
In the distorted reflection of the metal, she saw them. Melanie and Tammy, creeping up behind her.
Caroline’s heart rate instantly spiked. Her adrenaline surged, clearing the fog of exhaustion from her brain.
She assessed the environment. Fifty feet ahead, the corridor took a sharp, L-shaped turn.
Caroline knew the hospital blueprints by heart. That specific corner was a blind spot. The security cameras at either end of the hallway couldn’t see around the bend.
They were going to make their move there.
Caroline tightened her grip on the metal handle of the cart. She dropped her center of gravity a fraction of an inch, bracing her core muscles for a physical impact.
She reached the corner. She pushed the front wheels of the cart around the bend, her body following.
𝗠𝗈𝘀𝗍 rеа𝘥 𝘁𝗁іѕ 𝘄𝘦ek o𝘯 𝘨а𝗅𝘯𝗈𝘃еlѕ.𝗰𝗼𝘮
The moment she was out of sight of the main hallway, the footsteps behind her accelerated into a sprint.
“Look out!” Tammy shrieked at the top of her lungs.
Caroline stopped instantly. She planted her feet.
Tammy threw herself forward, her arms flailing wildly as she faked a dramatic slip on the linoleum.
Tammy’s body slammed hard into Melanie’s side.
Melanie used the momentum. She launched herself forward like a missile, aiming her shoulder directly at the center of the heavy metal med cart.
CRASH.
The sound of Melanie’s body hitting the metal cart echoed like a bomb blast in the narrow corridor.
The heavy med cart tilted violently onto two wheels.
Caroline could have easily sidestepped and let the cart crush Melanie. But she couldn’t break her cover. She had to play the victim.
Caroline let out a fake gasp and threw herself backward, letting her shoulders hit the drywall hard as the cart went over.
The cart slammed onto its side. Dozens of glass vials, plastic syringes, and IV bags spilled across the floor, rolling in every direction.
Melanie collapsed into the pile of scattered medicine, clutching her ankle. “Oh my god! My foot!” she screamed, her face contorted in exaggerated agony.
Tammy immediately jumped between Caroline and Melanie.
“What is wrong with you, Thompson?” Tammy yelled, waving her arms frantically. “You weren’t even looking where you were going! You almost broke her leg!”
Caroline ignored the yelling. Her eyes darted across the floor, scanning the scattered drugs.
Her instincts screamed that this wasn’t just a physical assault. It was a distraction.
She dropped to her knees and began rapidly scooping up the vials, prioritizing the high-risk cardiac medications meant for ICU Room 3.
Just as Caroline’s hand reached for a small glass vial, Tammy deliberately took a wide step forward. The hem of her oversized scrub top flared out, completely blocking Caroline’s line of sight to Melanie.
It was a visual eclipse that lasted exactly three seconds.
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