Chapter Seven

 

They’d sat in the hospital lounge for over three hours, fearing, worrying, and silently praying. No one had told them anything about Sidney yet, so Brett and Dylan went to the hospitality shop to bring back food while they waited. Leah and Susan were now alone, giving them both a chance to discuss the disturbing visions that had been haunting Leah as of late. They sat comfortably inside, a warm relief from the cold October rain outside.

“Leah, let’s start from where the visions began.” Susan automatically assumed the role of the highly effective psychiatrist that she was. Since the tragedy of Tracy Kimball, the hospital had discovered that Susan had long ago achieved yet another degree, one in Parapsychology. This fact she’d kept hidden out of fear of being the subject of ridicule, discredited, or even shunned. The hospital had no complaints, as they were not willing to lose their highly effective psychiatrist to another hospital.

“The visions started right around the time that Tracy came to see us,” she said, her voice searching for the finest details inside her mind.

“After Tracy met you all?” Susan asked, exploring the possibility of a connection to Tracy.

“No, it started a little bit before that. I was seeing it all again when I was telling her about that time in my life. It was strange because that’s rarely happened to me since writing the memoir.”

“You mean you were seeing the things that happened, in your mind, all over again? Well, that is normal isn’t it?” Susan tried the logical approach first.

“No, I wasn’t seeing in my mind, or with my mind. I saw with my eye, my third eye. I saw the events happening again, in vision form.”

Susan had known all about “third eye” and knew that Leah Leeds had possessed an eminently powerful one, but it was the first time she’d ever heard her use the phrase.

“Tell me what you saw, Leah.” Her voice was soft, coaxing in the cozy lounge.

“Lately, I’ve been seeing my mother. She hung herself in that house, and I keep seeing her hanging from the balcony, the noose around her neck, her body swinging, and her feet swaying beneath her skirt from above.”

“But, you didn’t see that, am I right?” Susan knew the details of that house from treating Leah’s father, Paul, after the ordeal. She had also seen the police photos; Leah’s description was exact, like hitting a bull’s-eye with one hand.

“I didn’t see it then, no. But, I think I have now.”

“You mean you’re seeing with your third eye what you had been fortunate enough, at the time, not to see?”

Leah’s lips spread in an ironic smile across her face, as if an ancient wisdom made the young seer certain of the answer. She closed her eyes and nodded affirmatively.

“What do you think is causing you to see these things from the past with your third eye?” A thoughtful, unbroken silence passed between them as Leah thought, searching for a response.

“I can’t be sure, but whatever it is has to do with that house. I can feel it.”

Their unofficial session was abruptly interrupted by the slight squeak of the door as it swung open, and Dylan and Brett entered with pizza from the hospitality shop. Susan quickly changed the subject, and Leah showed no sign of her mounting distress. They sat eating and talking until a nurse entered the lounge. They stood to hear the news.

“Please sit, no worries,” she said. “Dr. Talbot has informed me to tell you that Sidney Pratt is out of surgery.”

“And?” Susan asked, approaching the nurse.

“He is optimistic that Sidney should be fine as soon as he wakes up, but he’s not out of the woods, yet. The sooner he wakes the better. The surgery was an overall success.”

Susan’s face dropped in relief as gasps of bottled tension expelled in unison.

“Dr. Talbot said he will be in to see you, soon, Dr. Logan.”

Susan thanked her as she left, and the four of them embraced at answered prayers.

* * * *

The sounds of their voices rose higher in pitch, ringing out through the hospital lounge, celebratory of the fact that they were not faced with yet another tragedy. But when the nurse returned within minutes, the celebration was cut with a sharp apprehension. The slight squint of her eyes displayed concern and confusion.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but there is a young boy here, insisting to see Sidney Pratt. He says he’s a friend. I told him he couldn’t see Sidney, right now, so he’s asked to see Dylan.”

“A young boy?” Dylan asked.

“He said you would know him.”

Dylan told her to show him in, and after stepping out, she returned with the boy. The investigators recognized him immediately by his reddish-brown hair and deep green eyes.

“Ryan! So good to see you, my friend. How did you get here?” Dylan asked, his tone skeptical, knowing the answer wouldn’t be good.

“I walked,” he said. “I’m here to see Sidney. Is he okay?”

“Sidney is going to be fine.” Susan stepped forward; the inquisitive look on her face wanted to know just who this boy was. “He is out of surgery, but we can’t see him just yet. I’m Dr. Logan; I’m Sidney’s friend also. Ryan, is it?”

He nodded his head and continued.

“I need to see Sidney, fast, as soon as he wakes up.” The urgency in his voice commanded their attention.

“Does your mother know you’re here?” Leah asked, her eyes motioning to the rest of the team.

“No, I snuck out, but I’m sure she knows I’m gone by now.”

Dylan sighed, lifted his eyes, and lowered his head.

“Okay, so, Ryan, you want to tell me what was so important that you would sneak out of the house and walk all the way across town to come here?”

“I heard something, and you have to help me. There is a man coming to kidnap me because he couldn’t use Sidney for what he wanted. He knows about me because he listens, like I do.” Ryan’s words rolled off in a flurry, becoming so much information in so little time.

“Okay, okay,” Dylan said, surprised, yet calming him. “Slow down, Ryan; I need you to think, and then tell me exactly what you heard.”

Dylan and the others knew the extent of Ryan’s capabilities; however, Susan was unacquainted with the fact that the young boy’s abilities far outweighed even Sidney’s. Still, she watched in silent fascination.

Ryan told them about hearing the man’s voice, about overhearing the phone conversation, and learning how the man had been stalking Sidney for years because he was also a listener. He told how the man mentioned his name, knowing about him because he was once a study subject of Sidney’s, saying that “the kid” was a more powerful listener. He needed Ryan for some secret project, and he was going to kidnap him.

“When did you hear all of this?” Dylan asked.

“I’ve been hearing things about Sidney for a few days now, ever since that girl was in the accident, but I started to hear this man today. I even remember his name.”

“What was his name?” Dylan didn’t think there would be any relevance to knowing this mysterious man’s name, but if Ryan heard something that concerned Sidney, and if Ryan was in danger because of it, it was best that the team knew all that he had heard.

“Hadley—his name was Hadley.”

The look on Ryan’s face when he heard the astonishment erupt in the room was as though he’d said something wrong. Leah and Brett rose from the table and hurried forward, and Susan moved in a little closer to the boy.

“Hadley?” Leah asked. “Roman Hadley?” The sound of incredulity in her voice spoke on behalf of the entire team.

The impact of hearing Ryan name their unseen, anonymous society head caused the team to feel the substantial shock in unison. Ryan could not have made up this assertion because he had no idea who Roman Hadley was. They had never even met Roman Hadley; their contact with him had consisted of telephone conversations. Even Susan, newly inducted onto the board of directors, had only heard the name mentioned.

If what Ryan was saying was true, then Hadley was using them, watching them, stalking his main interest, Sidney Pratt, from afar. There would be a connection if Hadley was a listener himself as Ryan claimed.

“I never heard his first name, but he’s coming to get me! He can’t get to Sidney, and he said something about Sidney not being able to hear the living.”

“Okay, Ryan,” Brett said, taking the boy aside. “Now, you know that we’re not going to let anything happen to you, right? You’re safe here with us; you’re in a hospital.”

Dylan became speechless, and for the first time, unaware of how to handle the situation. He turned and looked at Susan, his expression pleading for help.

“Ryan,” Susan said, “Why don’t you come over here, and sit with us at the table? It will give you a chance to calm down, and we can talk about this some more.” She enticed him with pizza, and he repeated everything he remembered hearing, exactly as he’d heard it. Then Dylan explained to Susan who Ryan was, and that he was a listener once studied by Sidney.

Then the swing of the door interrupted them again, and this time, the nurse brought with her, Annie, Ryan’s mother. Her big brown eyes stared straight at her son, and the irate expression on her face was equally direct. Her lips were pulled tight, rapid breathing quelling rising anger just underneath. She stared at him, and then looked at them, as though they were the apparent causes.

“Ryan Quinn! What do you think you’re doing?”

* * * *

“So, you mean to tell me that my son is a target because of his psychic ability and now in danger of being kidnapped?” Annie voiced the sounds of hostility and frustration as they explained to her what had taken place just before she arrived.

Susan took control of the situation, first by introducing herself as who she was to the team, and then as a psychiatrist at the hospital. She convinced everyone to be seated around the table in the lounge to discuss the situation, and listen, for Ryan’s sake. Then, she instructed Ryan to begin by telling his mother all that he’d heard about the man’s voice, and he did.

Dylan followed up, explaining who Roman Hadley was, his strange connection to them, and the fact that they were now learning from her son that Hadley was a listener also. Under normal circumstances, she would not be privy to such information regarding the society, but these were not normal circumstances, and her son might be in danger as a result of this person. Dylan also explained that they believed Ryan; they had proof of his abilities.

“Great,” she said. “But you know what? This is my fault, anyway. Had I never brought him to you all in the first place, none of this would be happening. This is precisely why I didn’t want my son connected or identified in any way. Do you see that now, Ryan?”

“Please, don’t,” Susan said. “Blaming him, or yourself, won’t make his psychic abilities disappear. I understand your fear, your frustration. We can work through this, I promise. Please let me help you; this is what I do.”

Annie sighed in what almost felt like relief, but more like abandon. It was not that she felt a momentary like for Susan Logan; it was because she had nowhere to turn, nowhere to hide from it anymore. Everything that had been hidden was suddenly coming into the light. She had no other choice; her son’s safety was now in question.

“You know,” Dylan said to her, “you might want to tell us exactly why you’re so afraid of Ryan’s ability.”

“No, not right now,” Susan interrupted. “Let’s save that for later. Right now, why don’t we discuss how to go about investigating Hadley? What should we do? Do we call the police or the FBI? I mean, Hadley was with the FBI once wasn’t he?”

They mentioned alerting the rest of the board members in case they heard from Hadley, and the fact that all they had to go on, or give to the authorities, was Ryan’s proficiency in remote hearing. While that might be good enough for the board, it wouldn’t work for the police, although the FBI had been acquainted with remote hearing.

Annie wrapped her arm around her son’s shoulders, while sadness streaked across her face. Ryan then broke the congested silence that followed the deep discussion.

“I have to go to the bathroom.”

There was light laughter. Susan agreed, suggesting a quick break. They rose from the table to momentarily adjourn. Ryan walked out the door as they were cleaning up and walked down the hall—to the men’s room.

* * * *

Like most public men’s rooms, the light was on when he entered. The sterile smell of hospital clean invaded his nostrils as he stood at one of the urinals. Two stalls stood at his left, and though he could see no feet underneath, he fought a strange sensation of a presence in there. When he finished, he turned his head sideways to look again—no feet, no shadows.

He washed his hands at the sink as he always did, then pulled two brown paper towels, the kind that smelled like cardboard, from the dispenser and wiped his hands dry. There were no sounds around, at least there weren’t over the running water and the thrashing paper. Then there were no sounds at all as the deafness occurred.

He hadn’t expected it now. His body numbed, stunned into distraction, the paper towels falling to the floor. He lifted his head up, as though listening to a voice from above. It was his father...

“Ryan! Get out! Leave that room, right now!”

His breathing heaved up and down as the fear struck him instantly. He tried to run for the door, but strong hands grabbed him from behind. Suddenly, all he could smell now was the scent of almonds, thick and heavy through his nostrils, and instantly, he fell fast asleep in the arms of a stranger.

* * * *

Annie sat in the lounge with Brett and Dylan, nervously listening to their conversation about this Hadley person and stunned at what was unfolding. The more she heard, the more she thought of her son being stalked by someone with the same ability; it was unthinkable. For just a passing second, she wished Ian were here. She continued to sit and stare, mesmerized by the fears that gripped her heart and the thoughts that ravaged her mind.

Susan and the Leeds girl returned from the ladies’ room that had only been a quick jaunt across the hall. It had been five minutes since Ryan ventured to the same general area.

“So, have we decided whether to call the FBI, at least to run a check on Hadley?”

Susan asked the team, as though a decision had already been reached. What seemed to trouble Annie even more was that the team had no doubts about Ryan. If they had, maybe this whole thing would go away.

“You know, this is all starting to make sense,” Dylan said to the rest. “Hadley seemed to know everything, where we were, what we were doing; he knew things about Tracy Kimball, and details of our cases before we divulged anything. Of course he’s a listener, and you know, Sidney suspected him of having some type of psychic ability.”

“He’s been listening, or should I say, ‘eavesdropping,’ on us the entire time,” Leah said, angrily.

They began talking more about Hadley and to what secret project Ryan could possibly be referring.

Ryan. She was snapped out of her reverie by the thought of her son. She looked at her watch; ten minutes had passed since Ryan went to the restroom.

“Did either of you see Ryan in the hallway?” She asked the two ladies, who hadn’t.

She pointed to her watch.

“He’s been gone for ten minutes. What could be taking him so long?”

Her tone was not yet alarm, but concern. They exchanged glances, as though they knew she was right.

“I’ll go and check on him,” Brett said, casually, hinting at overreaction. He stood from the table and left the lounge in search of Ryan.

Susan resumed the conversation, telling her that she wanted to schedule a session with everyone present, including Ryan. Annie nodded her head in distracted consent, keeping her eyes focused on the door.

* * * *

Brett pushed the door of the men’s room open and walked inside; it was silent except for the sound of the whooshing vacuum pull of the door as he entered.

“Ryan?” His voice bounced off the tiled walls and echoed back to him. “Ryan, are you in here?”

He walked past the sinks and the mirror, oblivious of the paper towels on the floor, and approached the urinals—no one.

“Ryan?” He called out again as he reached the stalls, knocking on the first of two. “Ryan, are you in there?” The stall door was ajar, and with a tap, he pushed it back. No one was inside. Quickly he pushed the second stall door open, and again, no one was there. Where was he?

His heart began to race at the thought that was now looming as a reality. How could he be lost, he was only right down the hallway? Brett strode fast for the exit, and then noticed two paper towels on the floor.

He swung the door wide behind him as he ran out, calling Ryan’s name aloud through the hospital hallway. The same nurse who had kept them posted on Sidney’s condition ran over to him.

“Mr. Taylor, what’s wrong?”

“Did you see that kid that was with us in the lounge? He walked down here to the men’s room, and he’s been gone for ten minutes. He’s not in there...”

“Well, maybe he’s back in the lounge?”

Brett sighed in irritation of her. Why did all stupid questions come in times of emergency? No, he thought, there was no way he could have missed him.

He flung the lounge door open and looked inside—no Ryan. The looks of expectancy on their faces greeted him in anticipation. He hated being the bearer of bad news, confirming that instinct that Annie wore well on her face.

“Ryan’s gone!”

Collective gasps showered the lounge like steam, and they jumped from their chairs at the words that Brett nearly shouted. Dylan ran past Brett and out into hallway, suspecting that some silly oversight was the issue, or maybe Ryan had gone down to the hospitality shop. Leah trailed behind him.

Susan grasped Brett by the shoulders with a firm hold.

“Tell us everything,” she said.

Brett looked at Annie, who was standing from her chair, frozen, her frenzied, fearful eyes hoping for a mistake. He suddenly felt the guilt of assuring Ryan that he’d be safe with them in a hospital.

“I’m so sorry. I couldn’t find him,” he said to her.

“Brett,” Susan cried, “Tell us!”

He told how he’d gone to the men’s room, and how it had been vacant—Ryan was nowhere inside. The only thing he’d found were two paper towels on the floor, but anyone could have dropped them.

“Well, he could still be here,” Susan said. “He may have wandered off somewhere.”

“That’s right,” Dylan said. “Leah and I are going to look for him. He may have gone down to the hospitality shop, and it’s very easy to get lost around here. Let’s not overreact yet. I mean, Ryan did sneak off to come here, didn’t he?”

Brett could see that the notion didn’t console Annie at all. He went over to her and put his arm around her. The tears welled up in her eyes.

“Not this time,” she said. “I had the oddest feeling before I sent you to look for him. I’ve got to go find him!”

Suddenly, she ran out of the lounge and into the hallway, screaming for her son.

* * * *

“Ryan! Ryan!”

Her screams rang out through the hospital floor as she burst from the lounge in unhinged panic. Heads turned toward her, and two nurses ran to her sides, catching her flailing body and holding her. Susan realized that the situation had now gone beyond rationalization. If Ryan was kidnapped from this hospital, it was her job to act immediately; she had no other choice.

Two armed, hospital security guards ran to the scene, approaching Susan.

“Security, get the hospital in lock-down, immediately! We have a child missing, and there is reason to believe he was kidnapped from this hospital, in between now and fifteen minutes ago. I will notify our chief, Dr. Kemp.”

The officers nodded and radioed down to the security hub. Suddenly, all electric doors in the hospital automatically closed by computerized command, the matching glass gateways interlocking with a loud beeping that meant safe, secure, but also quarantine. The officers continued to radio, and a hospital security search ensued.

Susan ordered a nurse to sedate Annie, whose screams grew louder in protest, but still the syringe found its way into her arm.

“Annie, we’re all going to find him,” Susan reassured her. “But right now, you are in no condition to.” She had her admitted into a room, and soon a wheelchair whisked Annie away, the sedative quickly setting by the sign of sinking eyelids.

Dylan and Leah stepped off the elevator, arriving back from the hospitality shop, the lobby, the vending machines, and any other area to which Ryan could have wandered.

“We couldn’t find him,” Dylan said. “He’s gone.”

“I know. The hospital is now in lock-down,” she said.

“Susan?” Behind her, Greg Talbot approached. The nurse had said he’d be by soon. “What’s going on? What’s this about a lockdown?”

“Long story, but there was a guest here for Sidney, a child. We suspect he was kidnapped from the hospital only moments ago.”

“I take it this has something to do with my patient?” Greg asked in a stern, authoritative manner.

“Yes, it does,” she said.

“Then Sidney is not to hear one word of this, at least, not now anyway.”

“Sidney?” She asked, almost forgetting amid the confusion. “You mean?”

“That’s what I came to tell you all. Sidney Pratt is awake.”