We Need Them Alive

26.

I carefully insert my ear piece as Drysdale does likewise. He initiates the com check with the base unit in the safe house. We are wired. We are informed that the van license plate check has come up empty, but analysis indicates a high probability that the plates are stolen, and most likely the van as well. We are ten minutes from the hospital.

My plan, as I share with Drysdale, is to play our visit as a routine check on injured company personnel. We will ask for Dr. Hamsten, gather medical prognosis on the three in order of importance, Saunders, Cap and the driver of the vehicle. We will then ask for his assistance in the quick transfer of Saunders using the guise of needing a local specialist for additional critical and immediate examination. Follow my lead and keep your ID visible. Drysdale nods in the affirmative. 

There is no security gate when we arrive so we park in a Load/Unload zone close to the main entrance. We walk through the automated glass doors and straight to the front desk where we queue up behind an elderly woman. As we wait I look around and spot a Doctor. 

“Excuse me Doctor I am looking for Dr. Hamsten, if you could help us quickly locate him that would be helpful.” The Doctor glances at my ID, hung from my neck, mutters a “Sure” and walks around the circular front admissions area to a computer. He enters a few keystrokes and looks up over his trifocals to announce, “Funny, he has checked out early for the day.” 

“Could you tell us where Saunders, the emergency airlift patient from this morning is?”

He returns to the computer and says ICU fifth floor, room eight. 

“Please call Security and have them meet us there in three minutes.”

He looks again at our credentials and picks up a phone. We are already half-way to the elevator as we hear him affirm that Security is on the way. 

As always the wait for the elevator to close and initiate its lift causes me to think that we could have taken the five flights of stairs faster. I glance at Drysdale as we ascend still assessing his skill. The elevator doors open revealing a sign indicating Intensive Care. Authorized Only personnel are required to check in. A sign tells us that rooms one to nine are to the left, and rooms ten through nineteen are to the right. We head left bypassing the check-in desk and the flustered receptionist. I can hear from behind us as Security has also arrived.

We get to room eight and enter. 

The room is empty. 

As we scramble for immediate clues, two security officers enter in sloppy rent-a-cop uniforms. 

“Bed still warm.” Drysdale calls.

I face the security officers and command, “Lock the Hospital down NOW. Nobody leaves.” Turning to Drysdale, “Get to the Emergency Entrance.” And finally, via com to Safe House, “Saunders has been grabbed, do we have access to security cameras in a five block radius of the hospital?” 

I start to run towards the main entrance when I see what appears to be a drop of blood on the linoleum floor. I grab a tissue from the bedside stand and swab it, tucking the tissue into my pocket. Through the com I learn they are checking for local surveillance cameras and to stand by. I stop. I run the files. Time to gamble. 

“Put Davis on.” Pause.

“Davis”

“Take the van.” Pause.

“That a roger and a wilco.”

“Davis.”

“Sir?” Pause.

“We need them alive.”