CHAPTER 398: TUNNEL

Everything has returned to normal. Athena thought, taking cognizance of the state of the hospital affairs when she stepped into the hospital.

She had only come in to pick up some papers from her office, and inform the doctors working with her, her secretary included, of her pending absence from work from henceforth, in case Herbert got too busy to deliver the message as when due.

As she moved to her office, she had watched closely, scanning faces and corners, checking out any suspicious activities, any lingering eyes, any secretive movement, but there had been none. The hospital was just the hospital. Nothing much. Nothing less.

An incoming fellow for the day wouldn’t know or decipher that there had been a case that transpired here yesterday, unless they watched the news.

When she got to her office, Ciara was already in.

"Good morning, ma."

"Good morning, Ciara. How are you doing? How was your night?" Athena asked, offering a faint smile as she stepped into the room.

"It was fine, thank you, ma. Mr. Herbert informed the staff that you wouldn’t be around today, or any day from henceforth, until a cure for the new virus is found?"

It was then that Athena noticed the worry lines creasing her secretary’s face. Whether it was from fear of this variant, or worry about her, or even both, she didn’t know, but she nodded, grateful that Herbert had done the talking this once.

"Yes, he is right. Someone has to deal with the virus, and who better than someone who had dealt with it before."

Ciara nodded, albeit dejectedly, her fingers fiddling with a pen on her desk. "We are grateful for what you are doing, ma, thank you."

"Thank you too, Ciara, for keeping the fort. I will be back soon enough." And then she was off to her office.

In her space, she picked the papers she had come for, looked around the familiar room with a sweep of her eyes, sighed softly, and stalked off.

"See you when I see you, Ciara." She called out, when her secretary wished her a good day and better days ahead.

When Athena came downstairs, just when she was about to leave the hospital, she felt the inclination to check out the twins’ secret lab again. Folding her lips, brows furrowed, she contemplated her sudden need to see the lab.

Choosing not to overthink, after coming up with nothing, she strolled into the storage unit, giving and answering greetings alongside with faint nods.

This time, the lever was easier to find, and in less than two minutes, she was already in the lab. It was emptier than before, but then it had already been emptied by the police.

She looked at the bare tables and chairs, and the neat floor, and wondered if Herbert had sent a cleaner here. And yet again, she wondered how the twins had gotten this place.

Was their sponsor a shareholder in Herbert’s company? Was the person aware of the hospital structure, of the down floor that wasn’t open to the public? And where was the exit door?

Restrapping her bag on her shoulders, hands settling on her waist, she surveyed the room again, this time slowly, eyes sweeping left to right, trying to find something, a lever most likely.

She walked from one space to another, searching for something, anything worthwhile in her presence here. And when she found none, she sighed in tiredness, feeling slightly dizzy, and rested her back against the wall.

She was just about to slide to the floor in abject frustration when there was a click from behind her. Startled, she pushed away from the wall, turning around just as quick to see the wall parting, revealing a hallway of some sort.

The code was her back against the wall, and sliding down? What kind of mechanism was that? What was Herbert thinking when he made such touches to his building?

Maybe an escape route in times of emergencies. Her mind supplied, reminding her that her grandfather’s mansion also had it. And she was sure the Giacometti’s mansion wasn’t any different. It was the rave in their days—the need for an escape tunnel.

Her eyes found an on-switch just next to the wall, but to avoid a potential pitfall, she settled on using her phone light as a torch, just in case there was something else waiting at the other end of the tunnel.

Anxiety throbbed at her chest, but she pushed it away, and sent a quick text to Aiden and Ewan, alerting them of what she had discovered. And then she entered the hallway.

And when the walls closed behind her, her breath quickened, fear paralyzing for a second. What if she couldn’t get the code right for her to be let out? What if the backstroke had just been luck?

She tried to send Ewan another text, but to her dismay, there was no service.

Her fear skyrocketed.

Deep breaths, Athena. She commanded herself, when she noticed her head had begun to pick up the signals and was beginning to ache.

Everything will be fine. She chanted silently. I am safe. Nothing is wrong with me.

Then she started down the hallway, her phone light good enough to see what was before her.

For fifteen minutes, Athena noted, looking at her phone, she had been walking in a straight line, and she wondered if she had been foolish following her instincts, if she had been faster than her shadows.

But she pressed on, feeling the urge to.

Finally, she saw light at the end of the tunnel. She quickly turned off hers, releasing a shaky sigh, her nostrils picking up the scent of diesel.

Could the tunnel have led to another hideout? What would that mean then?

Slower than before, she moved to the edge of the tunnel, noting that its latter path was now cave-like, stony, uneven, as if the constructors had gotten tired, and had gone away.

And when she got to the end and looked, she saw a small house, or rather a hall, a warehouse of sorts—with a chimney. She also saw Mary outside, arguing heatedly with her brother.

Athena smiled, watching this strange spectacle. She had found them. Finally.