Chapter 33

33

Lance’s attaché met Teddy in the hospital lobby and escorted him to the surgical center waiting area, where the hospital’s director and head of security waited. Danielle was in one of the operating rooms beyond the set of double doors that were currently being guarded by a pair of Budapest police officers.

After the attaché made the introductions, the head of security said something in Hungarian and held out a badge.

“He says to wear that wherever you go,” the attaché said.

Teddy took it. “Can I go anywhere or does this have restricted access?”

The attaché relayed the question, listened to the answer, then said, “They would rather you not wander around too much.”

“That wasn’t the question.”

Lance’s man said something to the two Hungarians, then motioned for Teddy to follow him.

Once they were out of earshot, he whispered, “They’re not happy that you’re here, but strings have been pulled, so they are cooperating. Your badge should get you through any door in the building. All I ask is that you do me a favor and don’t abuse it. The last thing I need is for the ambassador to hear about this.”

“Anything I do will be necessary.”

“I understand, but—”

“ I understand. No buts.”

The attaché let out a breath. “Very well.”

“Any update on Danielle Verde’s condition?”

“No, but since she’s still in surgery, I take that to mean she’s still alive.”

“Do you have an ETA on when the relief team is expected?”

“Last I heard they should be here by midnight.”

Teddy looked at his watch. Just under three hours away. He nodded toward the two cops guarding the surgical center entrance. “Please tell me there are more cops here than just these two.”

“I’ve been informed that these are all that could be spared.”

“This is not just a made-up threat. It’s very real.”

“I get it. I’ve asked for additional help and will continue to do so, but the Hungarians don’t work for us.”

Teddy nodded, not liking it but understanding.

After the attaché and the men from the hospital left, Teddy used his badge to enter the surgical center. Beyond the door was a wide hallway with six doorways running down both sides, each with a number above it.

Two nurses wearing scrubs, surgical caps, and masks exited operating suite 2 and started walking toward him. When they noticed him, they paused, confused by his lack of medical attire.

“Do either of you speak English?” he asked.

The nurse on the left said, “We both do.”

“You are not supposed to be in here,” the man with her said.

Teddy held up his badge. “Special permission from the director. I’m security for the gunshot victim. Do you know which room she’s in?”

“Suite four,” the woman said, pointing at a set of doors farther down the hall. “But you cannot go in.”

“I’m not planning to. It’s not a problem if I stay in here, is it?”

“Not if you do not mind repeating what you told us every time someone sees you.”

He smiled good-naturedly. “That, I can handle. Can I ask another question?”

“Yes?”

“Is there a way to find out how the operation is going?”

“I can check for you.” She said something in Hungarian to her colleague, then entered suite 4.

The man eyed Teddy up and down. “You are English?”

“American,” Teddy said. “And so is the victim. The embassy sent me.”

“Ah, I see,” the man said, nodding.

Teddy gestured at the doors he’d entered through. “Is that the only way into this area?”

The nurse shook his head. “Is one more that way.” He pointed at the far end of the hall. “For, um…fire?”

“An emergency exit.”

“Yes. This.”

The female nurse exited suite 4 and rejoined them. “The bullet has been removed, and the nurse told me the doctor thinks she has good chance.”

“Did she mention how much longer it will be?”

“I did not ask this. But I think maybe thirty minutes to one hour.”

“And where will they take her then?”

“ICU. Is on same floor as this.”

“Thank you. I appreciate the information.”

Five minutes after Teddy had headed up to the surgical center, Dieter and his men arrived at the hospital.

As they’d been instructed, Rolf and Andreas remained in the lobby while Dieter headed deeper into the building.

He’d infiltrated medical facilities like this before. He knew if he wore the right outfit, he could go almost anywhere. He’d been a nurse and a janitor, but by far the most effective disguise was that of a doctor.

People had no problems approaching nurses or janitors to ask questions or request assistance. A preoccupied doctor, on the other hand, could go almost anywhere without being bothered.

He found a doctors’ changing room one floor up. A male doctor had just finished getting into his street clothes and was closing his locker as Dieter entered. Dieter gave him a nod and continued to the next row to avoid conversation.

As soon as the other man departed, Dieter jimmied the lock on the guy’s locker. Not only did he find a doctor’s coat inside, but there was also a pair of clean scrubs that would fit him and the man’s hospital ID on a lanyard.

After changing, Dieter put his own clothes in an unused locker and sent Rolf a text, instructing him to retrieve them.

He then opened the text from Jillian. In addition to the hospital location, she told him which operating room Verde’d been taken to and provided a link to a hospital map.

He checked the map, memorized the directions to the surgical center, and then left the locker room, acting like the doctor he wasn’t.

On the way, he passed an unoccupied nurses’ station, where someone had left a tablet computer, identical to the ones he’d seen other hospital personnel carrying. He grabbed it without missing a step. If he hadn’t looked the part of a doctor on a mission before, he did now.

He reached the surgical center waiting area a few minutes later and was not shocked to find two cops guarding the doorway to the operating rooms. If anything, he was surprised there weren’t more.

He opened the tablet, pulled up a random chart, and looked suitably concerned as he power-walked toward the doors behind the cops.

One of the officers said something to him as he came abreast. Ignoring him, Dieter waved his badge in front of the door scanner. The lock buzzed, and as he expected, neither cop tried to stop him as he pushed the door open and walked through.

At the sound of the lock buzzing, Teddy looked over at the entrance, his hand automatically slipping under his jacket to the grip of his pistol.

The door opened and a doctor took a few steps inside before noticing Teddy.

Their eyes locked, and in that brief second, Teddy knew the man was no doctor but the assassin coming back for a second shot at Danielle.

Seeming to also realize his charade was blown, the fake doctor threw his computer at Teddy like it was a Frisbee.

Teddy jerked out of the way, delaying him from yanking out his gun long enough to allow the man to fly back out the double doors.

Teddy sprinted after him and burst into the waiting room just in time to see the man disappear around a corner into a hallway.

The two cops looked confused but had barely moved from where they’d been.

Teddy pointed at the doors. “No one goes in! Understand?”

One of the cops stared blankly at him, but the other nodded.

“No one!” Teddy reiterated.

The cop nodded again.

Teddy took off in the direction the would-be assassin had gone, but when he reached the hall, there was no sign of the man. What he did see were more than a dozen ways the man could have gone.

He jammed his gun back in its holster and ran back to the cops. To the one who’d nodded before, he said, “You understand me?”

“Yes,” the officer said.

“That man was not a doctor. He was here to harm the patient.”

The cop’s brow furrowed.

Teddy made a pistol with his fingers, pointed toward the operating room, and pretended to shoot.

“Ah, I understand.”

“Call hospital security. They can try to stop him. Also”—Teddy pointed at one of the ubiquitous security cameras—“have them check their cameras. Maybe they can find out where he went or if he was alone or not.”

The man looked like he only understood part of what Teddy said.

“Hospital security,” Teddy said. “Go.”

The man said something to his partner, then rushed off in search of a hospital phone.