**Chapter 5: Beneath the Surface**
The next morning, Isabella arrived at Blackwood with the weight of the file still pressing on her conscience. Her mind raced with a hundred different plans, each one more desperate than the last. She couldn't go to the authorities—not without more concrete evidence, and certainly not without knowing who in the hospital might be working against her. Vincent's warning echoed in her mind as she walked through the hospital's entrance.
*Trust no one.*
She tucked the file away in her bag, hidden beneath a stack of papers. If anyone asked, she was just another doctor going about her day, dealing with the usual demands of a psychiatric hospital. But inside, she felt like a ticking time bomb, knowing that one wrong move could expose everything.
Her first stop was the staff lounge. It was early, and only a few nurses were there, sipping coffee and talking in hushed voices. Isabella grabbed a cup and forced herself to engage in casual conversation, trying to appear as normal as possible. She kept an eye out for Dr. Graves, but he was nowhere to be seen. That only made her more uneasy.
As she left the lounge and made her way to her office, Isabella's thoughts kept drifting to Vincent Moretti. He had been right about so much—about the hospital, about the secrets it held. But she couldn't shake the feeling that he knew more than he was telling her. If anyone could help her unravel the truth, it was him.
When she reached her office, she locked the door behind her and sat down, pulling out the file from her bag. She flipped through the pages again, this time more slowly, carefully analyzing the details. Each patient was identified by a number, but the notes included enough descriptions to piece together their identities. The experiments were ruthless, pushing the boundaries of ethics and humanity. Some of the patients had been subjected to treatments that bordered on torture, all in the name of science.
Isabella's stomach churned as she read through the accounts. She recognized a few of the patients, including Emily Caldwell. The notes on Emily were particularly disturbing—there had been attempts to manipulate her memories, to make her forget the things she had uncovered before she was committed. They had tried to erase her, but something had gone wrong, leaving her in the fragmented state she was in now.
Then there were the names of the doctors involved. Dr. Graves was listed as the lead on many of the experiments, but there were others, too—names Isabella had seen around the hospital, colleagues she had spoken to without suspecting a thing. The scope of the conspiracy was staggering.
Isabella knew she couldn't do this alone. She needed help, but she also needed to be sure she could trust whoever she brought into this. She thought of a few people she had worked with over the years, but each potential ally carried a risk. One wrong choice, and everything could fall apart.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Her heart leapt into her throat as she quickly shoved the file back into her bag.
"Dr. Reed?" a familiar voice called from the other side.
Isabella exhaled slowly, recognizing the voice of Nurse Claire, one of the few staff members she still felt comfortable around. Claire was a seasoned nurse who had been at Blackwood for years, known for her no-nonsense attitude and sharp instincts.
Isabella unlocked the door and opened it, forcing a smile. "Claire, come in."
Claire stepped inside, her eyes scanning the room before settling on Isabella. "You look like you've seen a ghost," she said, her voice tinged with concern. "Everything okay?"
Isabella hesitated, the weight of the file in her bag suddenly feeling unbearable. Could she trust Claire? She had always seemed genuine, but how could Isabella be sure?
"Just a lot on my mind," Isabella replied, trying to sound casual.
Claire nodded, leaning against the edge of the desk. "I hear you. This place has a way of getting under your skin, doesn't it?"
Isabella nodded, her mind racing. If she didn't take a chance, she might never get another opportunity. She glanced at the door, making sure it was fully closed before speaking.
"Claire, can I ask you something?" Isabella said, lowering her voice.
"Of course," Claire replied, her expression becoming more serious. "What's going on?"
Isabella took a deep breath. "Have you ever noticed anything… unusual around here? Something that didn't sit right with you?"
Claire's eyes narrowed slightly, as if she was gauging how much to reveal. After a moment, she sighed. "You mean aside from the usual craziness of this place? Yeah, I've seen some things. Heard some rumors. But you know how it is—people don't talk about it. Not openly, anyway."
Isabella leaned in closer. "What kind of rumors?"
Claire glanced at the door again, then back at Isabella. "There's talk about certain patients being treated differently. Not in a good way. Special treatments, isolated rooms. I've heard a few stories about doctors getting too involved, crossing lines they shouldn't. But whenever someone asks too many questions, they're told to back off. Or worse, they get transferred out."
Isabella felt a surge of both relief and fear. Claire knew something—maybe not the full extent, but enough to confirm that she wasn't imagining things. This was real.
"Claire, I found something," Isabella said quietly. "Something big. I don't know who I can trust, but I need help. If I'm right, this goes all the way to the top."
Claire's eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked like she might protest. But then she nodded, her expression resolute. "Whatever you've found, you're not alone. I'll help you. But we need to be smart about this. If they catch wind of what we're doing…"
"I know," Isabella replied. "We'll be careful."
Claire took a deep breath and straightened up. "Okay. What's the plan?"
Isabella pulled the file from her bag and handed it to Claire. "We need to get more evidence—something undeniable. I've already found some of it, but we need to dig deeper. There's a room in the basement, hidden behind a steel door. That's where they're keeping the records of the experiments. If we can get more files, maybe even some footage from the security cameras, we can expose them."
Claire flipped through the file, her expression growing more horrified with each page. "This is… this is worse than I thought," she muttered. She looked up at Isabella, her resolve hardening. "Alright. I'll help you. We'll get what we need."
They spent the next few hours planning their next move. Claire would use her access to the hospital's security system to find out when the basement would be empty, while Isabella would continue her sessions with Vincent, trying to gather more information without raising suspicion.
As the day wore on, Isabella felt a strange sense of calm settle over her. For the first time since this nightmare began, she had an ally—a real one. They were taking a risk, but it was a risk she was willing to take.
Later that afternoon, she returned to Vincent's cell. The guards let her in without question, and she found him sitting at his usual spot, waiting for her.
"Doctor," he greeted her with a slight smile. "You look like a woman on a mission."
Isabella sat down across from him, her eyes locked on his. "You were right, Vincent. About everything. I found the files."
Vincent's smile widened slightly. "Good. Now you're beginning to see the truth. But that's only the beginning."
"I need more," Isabella said, her voice firm. "If I'm going to bring this place down, I need proof. More than just files. I need names, dates, everything."
Vincent leaned back in his chair, studying her for a moment. "And what do I get in return?"
Isabella expected this—Vincent was always calculating, always looking for leverage. "I'll make sure your case gets re-evaluated. I can't promise anything, but I'll push for a transfer. A better facility, maybe even a chance at parole."
Vincent considered her offer, then nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll give you what you need. But be careful, Doctor. You're playing a dangerous game. And in games like this, the players don't always make it to the end."
"I know," Isabella replied, her voice steady. "But I don't have a choice."
Vincent's eyes gleamed with a mix of admiration and warning. "Then let's get to work."
As Isabella left his cell, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was walking a tightrope, with no safety net beneath her. But she had come too far to turn back now.
She and Claire had a plan, and with Vincent's help, they might just have a chance. But deep down, Isabella knew that the walls of Blackwood Psychiatric Hospital were closing in on them all.
And the deeper they dug, the more dangerous the game would become.