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“Steady now. You’ll be okay.” Tristan motioned to the remote control on Hannah’s bed. “Hannah, use your emergency button to call for help.”
Hannah scrambled to comply. When Tristan was sure Frank wasn’t going to tumble from the chair, he bent to check the nurse on the ground. Where was Brian’s crew? Nurses and doctors streamed into the room, followed by several police officers.
He stepped back from the body, but he knew their efforts were pointless. No amount of medical personnel would bring the nurse on the floor back to life. She had been hit on the head so hard, her skull had been crushed.
Tristan squelched the fear pumping through his veins. What had they done to Lillian? She’d warned him what Kinetica’s soldiers were capable of, but he hadn’t really thought they would snatch her from a hospital, of all places. He’d been wrong, and now Lillian and her family would suffer for it.
As if echoing the thought, Frank groaned. The medical team placed him on a hospital bed and moved him to the room next to Hannah, where they hooked him up to an IV. Tristan followed to make sure Frank was okay and then returned to check on Hannah. A nurse was taking her vitals, but that didn’t stop Hannah from beckoning him to her side.
“You have to find my sister.”
“What did they look like?”
“I don’t know. I was pretty sick and had my eyes closed, so I didn’t see whoever it was. By the time I was well enough to understand what was happening, all I saw was my dad and the…the nurse on the ground. Is she going to be okay?”
Tristan shook his head. “No, Hannah, the nurse is dead.” Where was Brian’s security team?
Hannah’s eyes widened in horror. “How’s my dad?”
“He’s conscious. I’ll check on him again and let you know.”
He went next door to visit Frank, who gazed at Tristan in fear and grabbed his arm.
“You have to find Zoey.” Frank had a nasty bruise on his forehead. “They took her…men dressed like medical professionals…you have to find her. Please.” For someone who had been knocked out, Frank’s grip was surprisingly strong.
Tristan tightened his lips. “Who was it?”
“I don’t know. I only got a glimpse, but there were more than one. They hit me from behind. I suspect it’s a high-tech pharmaceutical company called Kinetica that’s responsible. Zoey has…special gifts…which make her valuable to them. Promise me you’ll find her.”
Tristan pressed his palm against Frank’s hand and squeezed. “You have my word.” Tristan turned to leave, pausing a moment to talk to the nurse. “He’ll recover?”
“We can’t be sure until we do an MRI, but he most likely has a concussion. He was hit pretty hard on the head, but he’s conscious and aware of his surroundings, which is a good sign.”
“Please reassure his daughter who’s in the room next door—she’s extremely worried. I have something I need to do.” He didn’t wait around for the nurse’s response but headed out the door, ripping his cell from his pocket and dialing Brian, who answered on the first ring.
“Where are the men you promised?”
“They were caught off guard, but don’t worry, we have her.”
“Thank God.” Tristan stopped and bent over, letting out the breath he held. “Where?”
“In the parking garage, second floor. They didn’t get far.”
“Thank God,” he said again. Tristan stood and raced toward the exit, holding the phone to his ear, his pulse pounding.
“Don’t celebrate yet. She’s unconscious. It’s not looking good, Tristan.”
His heart beat like a wild creature. “What do you mean it’s not looking good? What did they do to her?” He quickened his pace, running to the elevator that would take him to the parking garage.
“The men who held her claim they did nothing. They could be lying. Paramedics are looking at her now.”
The doors swung open. “Okay, I’m almost there.” He pressed the glowing P for the parking garage and paced the small space. What if Lillian didn’t make it? It would be his fault. He should have listened to her and not tried to delay her leaving.
The doors opened, and then he was out in the garage looking left and right.
“I’m here,” he barked into the phone.
“Behind you,” Brian answered.
