Chapter Forty-Six Noah

Danforth's voice rang out across the entire hospital. In the lobby, the staff rooms, the wards, the waiting areas, every screen was broadcasting her speech. As Noah headed towards the Fertility Wards, he caught snatches of the chancellor's words, her disembodied voice emanating from multiple directions.

"…a day for celebrating our independence from the other half of our species, those detestable males who seek to…"

He picked up the pace, trying to escape her vicious words. His hatred of Danforth was deep-seated. He'd been brought up by people who cursed her name, but his close encounters with her recently had only served to support their low opinion of the chancellor. The poison which spewed from her mouth under the guise of her being protective of her citizens made his blood boil.

The hallway leading to the fertility unit was as quiet as it had been the day before. On the way, Noah had picked up a trolley with various items of cleaning equipment. Taking a leaf from Liam's book, he planned to improvise, washing down the walls of the corridor as he waited for Robyn.

At least he knew Sophia was alone, for the time being. It was one thing that had gone in his favour.

But time was ticking on. As he approached the end of the hallway, he ran through the plan in his head. Cover the security camera. Check that the keycard worked. Wait for Faith's speech to begin. Let Robyn and her team in through the fire door. Keep watch while the team got to work. Then, finally, secure the fire door behind the escaping team.

First things first. Positioning the trolley underneath the security camera, Noah grasped one of the towels from the top. He stretched the material between his hands, preparing himself. Then, his body taut, he launched it in an arc over his head. When he flattened his back against the wall and looked upwards, he had to fight the impulse to thrust a hand of triumph in the air. The towel had landed right over the camera, blinding anyone who might attempt to see what was going on in the hallway from a distant security room.

Straightening his spine, he glanced up at the screen on the wall. The image showed a crowded square, the women of Bellator keenly focused on their leader. Danforth's face was glowing, her arms outstretched like some kind of prophet.

"Today," she boomed, "I have something miraculous to show you. Something which, I'm sure you'll agree, will change our lives forever."

Noah's heart clenched. That Sophia was being used as a guinea pig was bad enough. That Danforth would put her on display this way, as nothing more than a pawn, made him feel sick.

"But first,"Danforth gave a little laugh, "We will hear from the esteemed Doctor Sanders, who will give you a little background before the… big reveal."

The screen split, showing an image of the doctor Noah had heard giving Susie instructions earlier. She wasn't in the square itself, it appeared, but the background suggested she was in a conference room of some sort, probably within the hospital. She wasn't far away, then. But at least Noah knew she was otherwise occupied, for now.

Tuning the woman's voice out, he crossed the hallway, approaching the ward door. Slipping the keycard from his pocket, he held it against the keypad.

Nothing happened.

Fighting panic, he tried again. He moved the card away from the keypad, forcing himself to wait a few seconds before holding it against the keypad once more.

There was no green light welcoming him into the restricted area. No telltale beep indicating the door was unlocked. The silence taunted him.

He took a step back. Robyn's arrival would mean nothing if he hadn't managed to get the door open. His palms sweating, he studied the keypad. It looked a little different than the ones he had seen previously. They were usually simple black boxes, sensors which registered the keycard as soon as it was within proximity. It made it easier for medics who were carrying equipment or pushing trolleys to get inside. But this one was thicker.

This ward was restricted. Access might be more difficult. Noah leaned closer to the keypad, noticing a long, slender opening which ran down one side. An idea occurred to him. Praying he was right, he slipped the keycard into the gap, swiping it down until it slid out at the base.

There was no happy beep. But a red light on the top of the device flashed. Did that mean the key wasn't working? Repositioning the card, he repeated the motion, more slowly this time, making sure that the edge of the card was pressed flush against the back of the opening.

He almost passed out as the light flashed green and a cheerful beeping sound emanated from the device. It was followed by the sharp click of the lock releasing.

Glancing both ways, Noah eased the door open. Did he dare to go inside? It wasn't, strictly speaking, part of the plan. But he knew for a fact that no one was inside but Sophia. Surely, she would appreciate being forewarned of the rescue?

His hands shaking, he pocketed the keycard and walked in. Faced with two doors, he took the one labelled FEX02. Inside, he found himself in a small vestibule. Four doors opened off it. One was open, revealing a small office. Two were labelled, Bathroom and Store Room. The ward had to be the last one.

He hurried to the door. Not wanting to startle its only patient, he eased it open. There were four beds, but only one was occupied. Its inhabitant was propped up against pillows, her face pale and her eyes closed. Noah moved towards her. Was she sleeping?

As he approached, her eyes flickered open. A defensive expression flashed through them. It was quickly replaced by shock.

"Noah?" She sat bolt upright. "What are you–?"

"Hey," he murmured.

As quickly as it had appeared, the surge of energy vanished. Sinking back against the pillows, Sophia raised a weary hand to her forehead.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was timid. "I'm just so tired. I can barely stand up to walk to the bathroom." She took a couple of deep breaths. "You're not a hallucination, are you?"

"I'm not." Noah was at her side within seconds. He reached for her hand. "See?" He glanced at the door. "We don't have much time though. Can you just listen for a moment?"

"Sure." Her eyes flickered with interest. "Go ahead."

"I'm here as part of a rescue mission." He tried to focus on the vital information. "It's too complex to explain now, but a team from the Resistance is on their way. My job is to let them in when they get here." He mimed unlocking a door. "Once they arrive, they'll get you out of here. Take you somewhere safe. Okay?"

Sophia's eyes filled with tears. "It's more than okay. But…"

"What?"

She gestured to the various tubes attached to her body. "What about these?"

Noah's eyes followed the tubes to the various machines which surrounded her. "I'm sure it can be dealt with. There's a woman with the team – Lily – who has some medical knowledge. She'll know what to do."

"I guess…" She took a deep breath. "I've seen them put these in so many times, I could almost do it myself. What I mean is… if I need to, I can tell someone what to do… to take them out." Sophia covered her eyes with her hands, her shoulders shaking. "I'm sorry. It's just… it feels like I've been here a long time."

"I understand. And you have." Noah squeezed her hand. He hesitated before continuing. "I'm sorry, but…"

"You need to go?" She gave a watery smile.

"Yeah." He frowned. "But I don't want to leave–"

"It's okay." She cut him off. "I can tolerate anything, if I get to leave this hellhole at the end of it."

"I'll come back for you, I promise." Noah held her gaze. "I won't leave you here any longer than I have to."

"Thanks." Her smile faded as he turned to go. "One last thing, though. Is Faith… I mean, is she–?"

He turned back, smiling now. "She's fine. At Resistance Headquarters right now, playing her own part in the mission. And waiting for you, of course."

"I knew she wouldn't abandon me."

"Abandon you? You're the reason she came back to the city."

As Noah turned to leave, Sophia relaxed back against the pillows. Though still pale, she looked much happier. He only hoped everything went to plan now.

Checking that the hallway outside was still empty, Noah replaced the keycard in his pocket. He armed himself with a wet cloth and disinfectant spray, then knelt down underneath the window which gave him a good view of the side street. Squirting the wall, he began to scrub.

Sanders was wrapping up her part of the broadcast. A glance at the screen told him Danforth was preparing to address the crowd again.

Faith's speech would begin soon.

Until then, there was nothing to do but wait.