"Code Green! Code Gray!"

“Code Green! Code Grey! All staff and security. Code Green! Code Grey!”

This announcement blared and repeated throughout the interior and exterior speakers of the Palatial Estates Psychiatric Hospital. The nurses, security, doctors, and staff secured their areas and outside doors. They paired with their designated partners to make a room by room search for the missing and hostile patient.

“Did they say who it was?” A short rotund CNA, with thick glasses, asked while walking the halls with a colleague.  She wore her hair in a curly bun and held a black security flashlight.

“It’s the girl from D-29.  Third time this year,” said a tall nurse with green hair highlights, “Esmeralda or Emmy Castle.” 

“Castillo.” The short one said, “I met her earlier this week.  Sweet girl.  Troubled, but sweet.”

“Most of them are nice, until they are triggered.  Emmy had a violent psychological breakdown, when her mom was committed.”  She brought a radio to her mouth, “Section 3, all clear.”

“Her mom went crazy too?”

“Sshh!! We don’t use the ‘c’ word around here.” The tall nurse corrected. “Booker cleans her room all the time.  She heard that McMasters treats the mom too in a facility in North Carolina or Florida.  He is such a dream.”

“Is she dangerous?”

“No.  Just delusional.  Believes she traveled to another world. Ha.”

“North Carolina?  I grew up near Charlotte.” The short one proclaimed, “Did Booker hear where?”

“No, but I was talking to Gonzales, the LPN.” The tall one looked down the hallway and then whispered, “She overheard McMasters talking to his ‘supermodel’ girlfriend about a beach house on Cape Fear, wherever that is.”

“On the North Carolina coast.  Hey Jenny, should we check this closet?”

“Good idea, Becky.” She took out her ID scan card and placed it on the security pad. “I heard Becky wasn’t a nickname.”

“Yep.  Right out of the womb.” Becky asked, “Why are we on this side?  Shouldn’t we be near the cafeteria?”

“During her last attempt, they found her in the Rec room.  Busting open a bullet proof window. This girl is something.  Lucky for us McMasters found her.”

“Really?” Becky opened the door, “I just don’t see the appeal of Dr. McMasters.  He is like so ancient.”

“What are you blind?” Jenny looked at Becky's thick lenses. “Sorry.  I mean he is handsome, rich, kind, and a doctor.  Well-seasoned and yummy.”

The short one started gagging and coughed, “I heard he’s cheating on his girlfriend?”

“I wish it was me.  Hey, hit the light switch, would ya?  I can’t see a thing.”

Becky went to the door and shut it.

 “It must be broken.  It’s not working.” 

The electric torch blazed in the long supply closet casting odd images.

  “I am glad I have my flashlight.” Becky held her nose. “It smells in here.”

“Bring that light over here.  I think I see something.” The tall nurse knelt down.

“What did you find?” Becky shined the light in the corner.

Jenny teased, “You must be blind.  Right there.  Next to the brooms.  It’s a foot or I failed nursing school.” She sniffed the air. “It smells like chlorine and urine.”

The short one stood directly behind her colleague.

 “They don’t pay me enough to go over there.  You first.  Take a deep breath before you go.  The odor is getting worse.”

“Ok, ok.  I’ll check it out.  You just keep the light shining on it.” She took a breath and squatted toward the corner. 

 Becky slid right behind her. The tall one held her nose and took another deep inhale.

“Jenny, should we call it in?” Becky asked.

The experienced nurse shook her head negatively.  She proceeded and pointed to the far corner.  Becky pointed the light into the corner.  It revealed an unconscious female undressed with duct tape on wrists, ankles, and over her mouth.  In horror, she dropped the flashlight.

“It’s her!” Becky yelped.

“I don’t think so.  Why would the patient be tied up?  Where did the flashlight go?” She searched for it.

“Jenny, I’m sorry.”

“No problem, kid, we all drop things, especially the first week.” She took another deep breath.

“Thanks.  I’m not sorry about the flashlight, but for this.”

“For…?”

Becky placed her arms around Jenny’s neck into a classic sleeper hold. Within a minute and minimal struggle, Jenny was knocked out and laid next to the other unconscious body. She grabbed Jenny’s car keys and security badge.  She then tied her up and covered her mouth with duct tape.  She stood and adjusted the towel and pillow under her dress.  Becky was about to leave until she remembered the radio and Jenny’s phone. She picked up both and then slowly opened the closet door.

After a few steps away, she called out in perfect mimicry of Jenny. 

“Section Four: All clear. Copy.”

“Copy.” The device replied.

“We were just in the Rec room and saw a female figure running near the backwoods. Copy.”

“Copy that Jenny, good work.  All outside units, coverage on the back right corner.  Be careful we are under a tornado warning.  Inside units: All clear. Over.”

“Copy that. We got her now!”

“Over and out.” Becky responded.

Becky used the phone to quickly text a message to her far away friends.  She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer before she sent the digital note.  Freedom from this hell was steps away.

“It worked once, I hope it works again.”

The CNA made her way toward the front and went through the security doors with no problem. Her nervous heels echoed against the tiles as she walked casually through the foyer to the front door.  She unlocked and opened the left mahogany front door and noticed the street lights were activated before sunset.   Becky breathed in the cool breeze and noticed cumulonimbus clouds on the western horizon.  A fast-moving vehicle zoomed to the stairs and screeched to a halt.

Dr. McMasters parked his vintage fox red Porsche 911 at the bottom stair.  He slithered out of the sports car.  With bravado, he bound up the stairs.  Becky kept calm and walked down the stairs passing the doctor.

“Good evening, Doctor.” She lowered her voice.

“Good evening.” He reached the door and stopped.

Becky had made it to the bottom stair.

“Oh nurse.  Where are you going?  We are on lock down.”

Becky kept walking and called over her shoulder, “They just gave the all clear.  I forgot my lunch in my car.  Trying to beat the storm.” 

She took out the keys and jingled them and kept a steady pace to the parking lot.

The doctor observed the darkening sky.

“Oh nurse.  The employee parking is on the other side.”

“Right. Thanks, doctor.  I am new here.  Be right back.” 

She changed direction and headed to the other side.

McMasters meandered back down to the bottom stair.  He put his hands around his mouth and called out. 

“Oh nurse!”

Becky paused for a moment, but did not turn around. 

“There is no employee parking.” He waved at her. “Hello Esmeralda.”

Esmeralda sprinted toward the closest vehicles and mashed the key fob.  A canary yellow Ford Mustang lit up and beeped.  It was only 50 feet away.  Emmy doubled her speed and ripped off her disguise.  McMasters raced to the other side of the parking lot.

When she reached the Mustang, she pulled open the door, dropped into the racing leather driver’s seat, and slammed it shut.  She put the key in and roared the muscle car to life.  She released the emergency brake and placed her foot on the high performance clutch.  She perfectly reversed out of the parking spot.  Miniature droplets dotted the black ceramic tinted windshield. 

“Thank you Nurse Jenny.”

She buckled up and the bright headlights spotted the doctor patiently blocking the exit of the parking lot.  Emmy slammed it into first gear and peeled out.  She drove the vehicle right at McMasters.  She deftly shifted into second and third gears as the rain drizzled.

“Not this time, old man. Not this time.”

She shifted into fourth and fifth gear and slammed her foot on the accelerator. The Mustang screamed and galloped forward toward her captor.

McMasters stood his ground in the precipitation.  With his hands in front of him, two enormous blue electric orbs formed into a long shield.

Lighting and thunder erupted from the ionized air.

Emmy screamed in defiance as the Ford raced through the deluge toward the inevitable collision.

The muscle car bounced off the shield like a toy.  The doctor twisted his arms and the car flipped over three and half times in the air.  He smashed it on the blacktop.  The roof caved in. The front windshield and side windows buckled and shattered.  The cold rain sizzled against the belly of the beast.  It slowly spun to a smoky stop.

Emmy hung unconscious from her seat belt.

The doctor casually strolled to the incapacitated vehicle.  With his left hand, he corralled his drenched hair.  He stooped down next to his inverted patient.  Her eyes were closed and a steady trickle of blood ran down her left cheek.

“Esmeralda, Esmeralda.  You will never leave this place.  You will never see your mother again. When will you learn?  You can never out fox, the Fox.”

Emmy’s eyes flashed open.

“I’ll learn, father, when you learn.  My name is Emmy!!!!”

The patient conjured an electric blue orb and slammed it into his face.

McMasters flew backwards twenty feet and landed in an oily puddle.  He moaned as his fine clothes burned and smoked.

“That! Was for my mom!”

Emmy released the seat belt and fell with a thud. She winced and crawled from the wreckage. Her bloody knees and arms did not stop her from moving through the rainwater.  She could not feel her right foot.  Her vision doubled.  A tall dark shadow towered over her with tattered clothes and blocked the way. 

“I guess you learned a few tricks in your time away, my little viper.  Daddy is so proud.” 

Emmy reached out and collapsed on the wet blacktop.

"I will find a way."

He fixed his saturated mane. 

“Night night, princess.”

Deafening thunder rocked the parking lot, as McMasters stomped her unconscious.