No Way Out (book 1)

Chapter 6

"What in the world happened to you?" I say.
"I don't exactly remember but..."
"Hey! That was just like me! I couldn't remember much, I still can't... Jake, what's wrong with us?"
"Don't say that Carly, come on, we're fine...hey at least you finally found me!"
"Well, yeah, I never stopped looking for you and I got some help along the way too. Great isn't it?"
Ah, yeah, but Carly... YOU'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR!"
"Oh yeah, I know, well I don't know why I can't walk, but I just can't walk."
"How'd you find me?"
"It's a long story..."
"Do you or I look like we're going anywhere anytime soon?" (We look down at ourselves)
"Nope. Not exactly."
"There's my point!" He laughs a little and smiles.
"Ok, so I don't know when I got here, I don't even know the date. All I really know is that I was in a coma, had surgery, blacked out a few times, was strapped to a bed...more than once, and wake up to find myself in a white hospital gown, in a white room with a bed, wheelchair, and me in it. The room was locked and people were watching my every single move. I also saw you and I tried to follow you, but people were on top of me and then something sharp, probably a shot, went into my neck-twice- and I fell down or something."
"Wow! Ok, what kind of sick hospital does that?"
"Apparently this one. And none of those events are in order, sorry."
"It's ok."
"Wait, what happened to you, you have a cast around your left leg and a sling around your right arm?"
"Well yeah, I do, but look I'll tell you some other time. Look at you, you have bandages around your head, you're in a wheelchair and you've got an ace bandage around your leg/foot! Your injuries are worse than mine!"
"No they're not! Don't say that! I just want to hug you, but I don't think we can."
"Trust me, I'd love to do the same. Don't worry about it, we'll do it another time. But hey, look, at least we both need a wheelchair," he points to the gray and black one next to his bed, "although mine is only temporary. How about yours?"
"I'm not so sure, I can tell you I've been here long enough to think mine's not so temporary."
Jake says, "Awe, Carly. I'm so sorry, I really am. I wish I could be in your position so you wouldn't have to go through it all."
"Haha, awe thanks Jake!"

(Outside in the hallway)
Control room employees:
Brian whispers, "So, how's it going in there? Do you hear anything good?"
"Oh gosh Brian, here we go. Brian, don't do that! Come on you're invading personal family business." Nikki says, clearly annoyed.
Percy steps in and says, "He's just joking Nikki, but seriously Brian, stop!"
Amber jumps in as well, "Nikki and Percy are right we just helped her and you're now just going to ruin our chances with her for the rest of us," and she points to Ross, Percy, Nikki, and herself.
"Fine I'll stop."
"You better man," taking the role of the father figure in the group.
"Ok, ok, I surrender!" Brian tells everyone.

(Jake's Hospital Room)
Carly:
"I'm just glad I got to see you."
"I know right, I missed my lil' sis."
"Hey come on, I'm 16 now Jake!"
"Haha alright. So, how should we get out of here?"
"Don't worry about that. I made some friends along the way. Hang on, I'll get them."
"Ok, if you say so."

(Outside in the hallway)
Control room employees:
Ross speaks in a soft tone and asks, "Did you guys hear that?"
Percy replies, "Oh! Three knocks, the signal!"
"Yeah!" Nikki says.
Brian tells them, "Ok guys, be cool!"
"Oh please, let's just go in!" Amber glares at Brian.
But everyone agrees and all say, "Ok!"

(Jake's Hospital Room)
Carly:
"Come on in guys. Jake, this is Nikki, Ross, Percy, Brian, and Amber. They were the people watching me, but then helped me escape."
Nikki, Ross, Brian, Percy and Amber all respond, "Hey, we've all heard so much about you."
"Nice to meet all of you guys," Jake says, "Now, what's the plan?"
We were all like broken records saying, "ummmmm..."
Ross thinks of something and says, "Oh, hey, ok, how about we all sneak out of this room and pretend we're family taking Carly and Jake home."
Jake tells him, "That would work and could work, but does this hospital know that Carly and I are orphans, we have no parents?"
N: "Jake is right, this hospital knows everything about their patients."
Percy says, "That's true, but who knows, we could always give it a try."
I step in and say, "Percy's right too, we could try it, I mean, does anyone else have an idea?"
"I have none," Amber replies.
"Ok, then let's give it a try." Jake says.
"Um.. Percy, Ross I need your help!" I call.
"Yeah," Ross looks back.
Percy does the same and says, "What's up?"
"Jake needs help getting into his wheelchair." I tell them.
"What... I do not," as he's trying to get into the wheelchair, but can't.
"Really?" I question him.
"Ok, fine." Jake says.
I make sure everyone is near me so they can hear me speak, and say, "So, here's the plan. Ross you will help get Jake situated, then Ross you'll push me and Nikki you will push Jake. Got it? Then, like before, Amber will check for anyone or anything in the hallway and we will be on our way."
A: "Yeah, but what do we do if we run into a guard or something?"
"We'll..." I start to to say, but is then interrupted.
"Figure that later." Jake cuts in.
"Let's move out!" Ross continues moving to the door.
"Again with the 'move out' thing?!" Nikki says, annoyed, but refocuses.
"Sorry... Well if I can't say that, then... Oh let's just go!"
Jake and I both say, "Ok, Amber you go check!"
"On it!" She shouts back.
Amber moves slowly towards the door while Nikki is pushing Jake and Ross is pushing me and Brian and Percy are circling around us.
"Ok guys, we're clear."
One by one we move out of the door, carefully, and into the hallway.
Nikki reminds everyone, "Everyone must be silent, I'm looking at you Brian!"
"What did I ever do?" He asks innocently.
"Nothing." She says to him.
"Then why are you looking at me when you say, 'everyone must be silent?'"
"Well I don't know!" Nikki frantically tells him.
Percy steps in, "Hey? Nikki, you said it yourself, 'everyone must be silent,' and that includes you."
Nikki and Brian both sigh and say, "Ok, we give up."
We get into our positions and we're ready to go.
"Go, go, go!" Amber whispers to all of us, and just like that we're on our way.
"I feel like I have somewhat of a secret service." I hear Jake say from behind me.
"I know, I love it!" I tell him.
Nikki spots what's ahead and says, "The elevator! Straight ahead guys!"
Percy sees it too, "Good, no trouble yet and we haven't encountered anyone either!"
"We're on a roll!" Ross says excitedly.
Down the elevator we go floor by floor and watch the numbers on the screen tick down... Five...four...three...two... And finally the first floor!
"Yes we did it, finally!" Jake says.
"That was a little loud," I notice.
When we went into the elevator some other people joined us.
"Sorry."
Ross then says, "Let's move."
Nikki, who's behind him replies by saying, "Arggg!"
"It's my catchphrase!" Ross says, defending himself.
Amber ignores them and asks, "Where do we go now?"
Percy answers her by saying, "Well, you usually have to check out with the front desk but..."
"We are not doing that Percy!" I say.
"Right..."
"Let's just get to the front doors." Jake recommends.
"Ok, let's go," Ross answer him.
We move towards the double doors.
"Wait do you guys hear that?" Nikki asks.
"What?" Jake asks her in turn.
Ross notices and says, "That almost sounds like...an alarm! Don't you think?"
"Yeah it does," Percy says realizing it too, "Come on, we got to go before..."
I have Ross turn me around to see what Percy was talking about, and Jake had Nikki do the same.
I take one look at what was coming towards us and say, "Oh no... not again!"