Chapter 4
Suddenly, the tranquil, sterile atmosphere of the private maternity suite was shattered. The soft white lights overhead cut out, instantly replaced by the frantic, pulsing strobe of the hospital's Code Red emergency alarm. Thick, bright red flashes bathed the room in a bloody hue, reflecting off the polished linoleum floor and the crisp white hospital sheets.
Richard froze, his arrogant posture stiffening. He whipped his head around, staring at the heavy mahogany door. The sound of heavy boots and shouting voices echoed from the corridor outside, growing louder by the second.
"What is that?" Jessica demanded, her smug demeanor evaporating instantly. Her fair skin paled as the red lights flashed across her face. "Daniel, what is going on?"
"The emergency lockdown," Daniel stammered, stepping backward until his shoulders hit the heavy wooden door, effectively blocking the exit. "Someone triggered a Code Red for infant abduction."
Richard snapped his gaze back to the bed. He saw the red plastic call button clutched tightly in Maya’s trembling hand.
"You stupid, insolent girl," Richard hissed, stepping toward the bed, still holding the crying baby. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?"
"I stopped you," Maya spat, a bloody smile spreading across her lips. She used her free hand to pull the bassinet closer to the side of her bed, fiercely shielding the other two newborns with her own body. "You can't buy every single doctor and guard in this building, Richard. They know you don't belong here."
"I own the hospital board!" Richard roared, losing his composed facade. "I will have you committed to a psychiatric ward! I will claim postpartum psychosis! You will lose all three of them!"
"Try it," Maya challenged, her voice gaining strength as the adrenaline surged through her exhausted body. "Let them see the bruise on my face. Let them run a DNA test on the baby in your arms. You are trapped."
The heavy door rattled violently as someone tried the handle from the outside.
"Open the door, Daniel!" Jessica shrieked in panic, backing away from her husband. "If they catch us trying to sneak him out, they'll arrest us! We can't go to jail, Richard! I can't go to jail!"
"Shut up, Jessica!" Richard barked. He looked frantically around the room, realizing that his flawless, expensive plan was rapidly disintegrating. He turned to his son. "Daniel, hold the door shut. Give me two minutes to make a phone call. I can shut this alarm down."
"Dad, I can't!" Daniel yelled back, his rosy skin draining to a sickly white. "There are too many of them out there! They're going to break the glass!"
May you like
"Hold the damn door!" Richard commanded, reaching into his suit pocket for his phone with his free hand.
But it was too late. A loud, metallic click echoed through the room as the electronic master override was engaged from the hallway. Daniel was violently shoved forward as the heavy wooden door was thrown wide open.
