The Game - 29. Chapter 29

Shaun and Lily had a coffee and walked in the grounds. They were about to go for a second coffee when they spotted a familiar figure climbing the front steps of the hospital.

“Ben? What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t.... couldn’t just sit... and wait. I had to DO something. Where’s Daniel? Is he...?”

“The Professor...”

“We have to find him. We can’t let this happen.”

“He wanted it to. We had decided not to bring him here today but he wanted us to... he seemed.... seemed so in control.”

“He may well have been but he doesn’t know... he has no idea what they have been doing to him... how could he? Look, I have seen this happen before. I have seen this technique. I know what they’ve done. I know what happened to him and ... I can’t let this happen. I just....”

“Okay. I agree. I have never been easy with this. So what do we do?”

“We ask.”

“Yeah.... like they are going to tell us.”

By now they were in the foyer of the hospital and another familiar face was sitting on the chair looking as though she didn’t really know why the hell she was there.

“Andrea?”

“Oh, thank god. I don’t know why I am here. I just couldn’t help myself. I dreamed about him... I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I mean how unprofessional is that? But I couldn’t help it. I had to come. It’s my fault he’s here. If I hadn’t told the Professor that he had remembered....”

“It’s not your fault Andrea. We haven’t done anything either. We are all here but... where’s Daniel eh?”

“I have a pretty good idea.”

They all stopped and stared at her... in that instant they all knew. “So what do we do?”

“We have to go get him out of there.”

“What if it’s already too late?”

“It is never too late. Come on, show us.”

“So we are just going to bust our way in there?”

“It’s not as if it is guarded or anything. And there is never more than three of them in there. What are they going to do?”

“Call the police?”

“I doubt it. If they call the police they have to admit that they are engaging in illegal activities. They won’t do that.”

“How would we prove it... that what they are doing is illegal?”

“That won’t be difficult Lily.”

“Do you think?”

Ben could not meet her eyes. “I have.... experience, in this.... area. From when I was in the special forces. The drugs... the techniques.... the treatments... it is all illegal. All they have to do is test his blood and they’ll know. Do you really think that the drugs we have been giving him are what the professor says they are? Do you think that, after everything, after what happened the other day.... do you think that Daniel is ... that he is.... If we don’t get him out of here, he won’t be leaving here.”

“What do you mean? How can you...?”

“Just say that I know. I saw his reaction.... I saw what happened to him. He is going to die here. Today.”

“No.... If you really think that’s true, we have to go... we have to go now!!!”

“Wait a minute.”

Shaun was looking at a small group of people who were standing at the reception desk. There were two men and a woman. The men looked official, in dark suits, the woman more like an artist or a poet, with Pre Raphaelite hair in deep golden waves down her back. They were creating a bit of a stir.

Surprisingly Shaun walked over to them, leaving the others staring after him.

“Excuse me.”

The woman turned to him, her eyes flashing cobalt anger at him. She was very pale and looked as though she hadn’t slept for days.

“Who are you?”

“No one... at least no one you know or probably would want to know at the moment except..... did I hear someone call you.... someone sat that... that your name is Annie?”

“Yes... what is it to you?”

“And you are looking for someone called Adam?”

“Yeah... so you have good hearing. Look, I’m sorry but I don’t have time for this.” The two men were watching him carefully, tight lipped.

“Do you know a young man called Daniel?”

“Daniel? No... why? Should I?”

“He’s about six four... green eyes.... wild hair...face like an angel.”

Annie stopped what she was doing and stared at him, her eyes wide. “That’s Adam, at least.... at least it sounds like him. Do you know him?”

“I know him as Daniel.”

“No, you’ve got it wrong. Daniels is his surname... Adam Daniels.”

“Of course.... that makes sense. Listen, Adam is in trouble.... deep trouble.”

“Yes, we know that. That’s why we’re here.... to get him out of it. Do you know where he is?”

“Yes, we do. We were about to .... er.... try to spring him.”

He was treated with an amazing smile. Her teeth were very white and very even. “I am so glad. I was beginning to panic. I can’t feel him you see. He said he was here but I can’t feel him, can’t sense him which means.... it means... he is shut down.”

“Oh yes.... you could say that... you could definitely say that. Look, I can explain what has been going on. I can explain everything.... or we can go save Dan....Adam.”

“I would prefer to get on with it. I want to see Adam again... more than anything..... anything else.”

“Then follow us.”