Captivation: Want Nothing But You

Chapter 67: Trafickers In Ward 1206 

Caroline struggled with her wildly changing mood the entire drive to the Municipal People's Hospital.What was even more infuriating was Rachel's relatively calm demeanor.

She'd spent the entire 10-minute drive playing on her cellphone, not so much as changing her expression.

If Caroline had looked at Rachel's phone, she would have seen there were codes constantly popping up on the screen.

As the taxi approached the hospital, it slowed down.By the time it reached the gates, it was crawling along at a safe pace for an area with so many pedestrians.

It pulled to a stop in front of the in-patient building.

Caroline got out the taxi first.She hurried around the side and opened Rachel's door for her.

"Here we are, Rachel," she said pleasantly.

As she got out of the taxi, Rachel glanced towards the crowd gathered near the entrance of the building.

She subconsciously slipped her phone into her pocket to keep it safe.She'd only just pulled her hand out when her phone started buzzing.She narrowed her eyes coldly.

"You father is in Ward 1206 on the 12th floor," Caroline said.

"He's been waiting the entire night for you to visit.I'm sure he's going to be overjoyed to see you.I won't be coming with you.I think the two of you should have some alone time.I'll be waiting here for you when you're finished."

She smiled warmly at Rachel as she hung her hands innocently in front of her body.

Rachel gave Caroline a sidelong glance, then nodded stiffly.

Without a word, she headed up the steps that led into the building.

Caroline leaned up against the taxi, watching as Rachel disappeared among the crowds of people.

The warm, tender smile she'd had a moment ago slowly warped into something twisted and evil.

A malicious light glimmered in her eyes, making her look almost demonic in a way.

She slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out her phone.

Her fingers fluttered quickly over the screen as she typed out a message, saying, "She's on her way.

Once your mission is complete, I'll transfer another 500, 000 dollars to your account."

As she clicked send, she saw Rachel suddenly whirl around to face her.

"Caroline," she called.

Caroline was so surprised that she fumbled her phone, nearly dropping it onto the ground.Once she had the device firmly clasped in her hand again, she raised her head to look up at Rachel.

She hoped she wasn't as pale as she thought she was, and she hoped she didn't look as guilty as she felt.

"What… What's wrong, Rachel?" she stammered.

Rachel smiled sweetly at Caroline's guilty expression.

"Nothing is wrong.I just forgot to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Is my dad really sick in hospital?"

The smile that Caroline had been trying so hard to keep on her face froze.She felt her heart lurch in her chest, and then squeeze tight.She slowly moved the hand holding her phone behind her back.

"Of, of course he is.Why would I lie to you about your father's health?"she said anxiously

"I just wanted to make sure,"Rachel said with a half-smile.

Then she turned around and carried on walking towards the building.

Caroline only released the breath she'd been holding once she could no longer see Rachel in the crowds.

Her muscles felt suddenly weak from the guilt, and from the way she'd tensed up.

Before anything else could happen, she climbed into the backseat of the taxi and took a few deep breaths to steady her breathing.

Then she took out her phone and read the message that had just come through.

That malicious spark ignited in her eyes, and the evil smile curled over her lips again.

Rachel took the elevator and waited patiently for it to arrive at the 12th floor.

The elevator made a soft pinging sound as it pulled to a stop and the doors slid open.

Rachel stepped out and made her way to Ward 1206, navigating by looking at the numbers on the other wards.

When she stopped outside Ward 1206, it was to find that the door was closed, and that the curtain was drawn over the small window in the door.

She couldn't see inside.

But she didn't open the door.

Instead, she leaned her shoulder against it and fished her phone out her pocket.

She opened an Internet browser and logged onto a website. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

On the way to the hospital, Rachel had hacked into the hospital's security system.

Currently, she was watching the surveillance footage from Ward 1206, and she already had a very good idea of what was happening behind that closed door; even though the video quality wasn't that good.

Jack wasn't in the room.

But there were three men standing near the door, waiting for her to come in.

Rachel's expression turned grim and she sneered down at the footage on the screen.

If she hadn't been so discreet in the beginning and hacked into the system, she may not have left the ward alive.

Rachel pressed her lips together in consideration, trying to decide what the best course of action was.

As an idea slowly formed in her head, she put her phone in her pocket and straightened up.

Then she ran to the nurse station shouting, "Help! Somebody help me! Security! Is there anyone who can help me?"

Her performance was enough to startle the nurse on duty.

The nurse straightened up, at full attention and said, "Miss, what happened? What's wrong?"

Rachel reached out and clutched desperately at the nurse's hand.

"Someone is after me.My father is in a great deal of debt and wants to sell me to pay it off.I'm scared! They're going to take me and sell me to a brothel! Please! Help me! They're human traffickers!"

"Traffickers? Human traffickers?"

The nurse's face went pale as she listened to Rachel's story.

Rachel pinched herself hard without the nurse seeing.

The sharp pain was enough to bring tears to her eyes so she looked like she was crying.

"Please, please help," she begged pathetically.

"I don't want to be taken away! I don't want to be sold like some type of animal…"

"What's wrong? What happened?" said a familiar, gentle voice.

"Dr.Jimenez!" the nurse said, her relief all too obvious.

She glanced at Rachel's tearful expression, then quickly explained everything Rachel had said to her.

As Clara listened to the nurse's explanation, a small frown formed on the corners of her lips.

She looked towards Rachel and studied her carefully, trying to decide whether she was telling the truth or not.

With a small inkling of doubt she asked, "Traffickers? Are there really human traffickers here?"

"Yes!" the nurse said angrily.

"These traffickers are getting bolder and bolder by the day.What type of person comes into a hospital to kidnap people? How dare they, in fact? Dr.Jimenez, we can't let them go so easily!"

Rachel hadn't managed to get a word in between Clara and the nurse's conversation.

She was still too surprised by Clara's sudden appearance.

Her eyes were still glittering with tears from when she'd been pretending to cry, only adding onto the pity the nurse already felt for her.

"How many of them are there?"

Clara looked towards Rachel with an unreadable expression.

"Three,"

Rachel answered as she looked up at her.

She held the doctor's gaze for a moment, trying to place where she'd seen her before, because she was almost certain this woman was more than familiar.

"Where are they?"

"Ward 1206.I came to visit my father.When I peeked into the window at the door he wasn't there.Only those three men.I was lucky that they didn't see me when I looked in."

Rachel wasn't sure whether Clara believed her or not.But right now, she didn't care.

Clara had asked questions, which meant she was either committed to helping her, or was invested enough to entertain her story for a little bit longer.

When Rachel continued to study Clara, the doctor reached out her hand and rested it gently on Rachel's shoulder.

"It's alright.Don't be afraid," she said in a soothing voice.

If she didn't believe Rachel's story, she was putting on a very convincing performance that she did.

She asked the nurse to put a call through to the security office, and ask them to send some guards up.

While this was all happening outside Ward 1206, the three thugs that Caroline had hired were still patiently waiting.

One of them started to get restless and glanced down at his phone to check the time.

He frowned as he said to the other two, "We've been waiting for half an hour already.Where is the target?"

"I'm starting to get a little suspicious as well, boss.I think we should call our employer and ask what's going on.This can't be a trick, right?" one of the other thugs said.

The leader, the man they called "boss", raised the bat in his hand and gently knocked them on their heads.

"Calm down.She's already paid a deposit.I don't think she would have done that if she was just playing the fool.Just think, once we're done here, we'll be another 500, 000 dollars richer! We won't have to work for the next few years! We will be free to enjoy ourselves as we see fit! Keep your chin up and have faith."

The two lackeys immediately stood a little straighter and looked towards him.

"Yes, boss! Understood!" they said in unison.

As their voices died down, the sound of footsteps echoed from the corridor outside.

The boss, gestured them all to silence, then held his index finger to his lips as an extra precaution.

The three of them hunkered down into combat stances, sticking close to the wall, ready for action.The door knob turned, and slowly the door opened.

They couldn't properly see who'd entered the room from the positions they were in, but they stayed still until the figure stepped inside.

They exchanged glances with each other, nodded, and rushed towards the person.

"You little bitch! You kept me waiting for so long- Ouch!" the boss cried and immediately cringed away from the pain.

"Ah!" one of the other men screamed.

"Ouch! Who hit me?" the second one cried.

More cries of pain and shock rose from the three thugs.

Sounds of struggling and fighting came from the ward.But it didn't last long.

It died down after a few moments, leaving behind an eerie silence.

The three thugs were cowering on the ground in front of two security guards.

They had fresh bruises blooming on their faces, and swollen, split lips from where they'd been hit.

Rachel and Clara stepped into the ward once they knew it was safe.

"Dr.Jimenez," said the head security guard as he approached them, "what would you have us do with them?"

Clara didn't answer him.She turned to Rachel and raised her eyebrows in question.

Rachel carried on with her pitiful act by lowering her head, and saying in a pathetic voice, "Dr.Jimenez… Would you mind if I asked them some questions? I… I can't believe my father would sell me to these people… I never thought he was this cruel and heartless…"