Chapter 13: Meet me at Leonard's Tunnel
Aubrey stormed out of the hospital, a scowl etched on her face. She'd been so close to carrying out her plan, but then Kira had to wake up and ruin everything.
She thought back to how she'd snuck into Kira's room while she was asleep, preparing to carry out her nefarious plan. She'd been so close to succeeding, but then Kira had woken up.
Now Aubrey was left with nothing but frustration and a deep sense of anger. She had to find another way to get what she wanted.
She'd been just a few seconds away from injecting Kira with the poison that would make her go mad, when she noticed that Kira was starting to wake up. She had to flee, leaving the syringe behind as she ran out the door.
"This isn't over, Kira," she hissed under her breath as she flagged down a taxi. She was determined to finish what she had started, no matter what it took.
"Tina's Shelter," she told the driver as she settled into her seat. The car pulled away from the curb, and she waited impatiently for them to arrive at their destination.
Her phone vibrated, and she checked the screen to see an unknown number. Her voice was filled with irritation as she answered the call. "Who is this?" she demanded, not bothering to hide her annoyance.
"How could you forget me, Aubrey?" the caller asked, his voice low and soft. She was sure she recognized the voice, but she couldn't quite place it.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are," she said, feeling a sense of frustration and confusion. She wanted to remember, but her mind was blank.
"You can't be this dumb and this stupid at the same time," the voice said, sounding almost amused. She pulled the phone away from her ear, staring at the number as if that would somehow help her remember.
She brought the phone back to her ear and said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't know who you are. Do you mind introducing yourself?" Her irritation was clear in her tone.
"It seems you weren't able to complete your mission at the hospital today," the caller said, and she could hear the knowing smile in his voice. She was suddenly filled with anxiety and fear, wondering how he knew about her plans.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice shaking. "How do you know about what I was doing today?"
The caller chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down her spine. "Oh, Aubrey. I know everything about you. Everything."
"How does the caller know about my mission at the hospital, and how does he even know that I failed?" she wondered, trying to keep her shaking hands steady so the driver wouldn't notice. The last thing she needed was for him to suspect something was wrong.
"Mind your own business and drive," she snapped getting irritated by his nosiness.
"If you want to know who I am, you should meet me at the location I'm going to send you," the voice said, and her heart skipped a beat.
"I don't know you," she protested, her voice quivering with fear. "Why would I think it's safe to meet you?"
The caller was silent for a moment, then said,
"This is not a joke, Miss Aubrey," , his tone serious. "You can either come to me, or I can come to you. And trust me, you don't want me to come to you."
Aubrey's anger boiled over, and she snapped, "And what makes you think I'm scared of you? I'm not going to come to you, so back off!"
"I'll expose you," the caller threatened. "I'll show the world the video of you trying to inject an innocent woman at the hospital."
Aubrey's hands trembled, and her phone slipped from her grasp. She turned to the driver and said, "Stop the car, please."
She got out of the car, her hands shaking as she paid the driver. She headed into a nearby restaurant, her heart pounding in her chest. She sat down at a table and whispered into her phone, "Please, don't do anything crazy. I'll come to meet you."
"I'm glad we're on the same page," the caller said, a sly smile in his voice. "I'll send you the location. I'll end this call now." The line went dead, and Aubrey sat there, frozen in fear.
She kept glancing at her phone, waiting for the message to come through.
As she waited, she decided to order a cup of ice cream to calm her nerves. "Excuse me," she said to a nearby server, "can I get a cup of ice cream, please?"
The server nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. A few minutes later, she returned with a cup of vanilla ice cream. "How much is this?" Aubrey asked, reaching for her purse.
"It's $1.00, ma'am," the server replied. Aubrey paid her and took a bite of the ice cream, hoping it would soothe her jangled nerves.
The server took the payment and walked away, leaving Aubrey to her thoughts. She watched the door, her stomach in knots, her eyes glued to her phone.
Finally, a soft chime sounded, signaling a new message. Her hands shook as she unlocked her phone and scrolled to the message. "Meet me at Leonard's Tunnel," it read.
Aubrey's stomach dropped as she read the message. Leonard's Tunnel was notorious – it was the site of countless crimes, and the last place anyone would want to go alone. She felt a cold sweat break out on her skin.
"I'll be there in a jiffy," she responded, her fingers trembling as she typed. She had to go, no matter how dangerous it was. She had to save herself.
She gathered her things and headed for the door, her heart pounding in her chest. She flagged down the first cab she saw and said, "Take me to Leonard's Tunnel."
"I can't take you to Leonard's Tunnel," the driver said, his eyes filled with suspicion. "It's not safe."
Before Aubrey could reply, he drove off, leaving her alone on the curb. "You son of a –" she started to say, but the words caught in her throat. She had no choice but to find another cab.
"Where are you going?" a voice called out from the open window of a cab that had pulled up next to her.
She turned to face the driver, desperation in her eyes. "I need to go to Leonard's Tunnel," she said. "I'll pay double, I promise."
The driver paused, considering her request. He looked her up and down, his eyes wary.
"I'll take you, but only if you triple the price," the driver said, a look of greed in his eyes.
"Really?" she barked, her frustration boiling over. "You want to take advantage of me in my time of need?"
He stared back at her, his eyes unapologetic. "That's the deal. Take it or leave it."
She knew she didn't have a choice. She had to save her name, and she couldn't afford to waste any more time. With a sigh, she got into the cab and slammed the door.