128 (Operation Armageddon: Book 1)

Chapter Fifteen: The Flash Drive | Part 2

"It's 9.30 pm right now. I think we should get prepared to leave," Matthew alerted the group as he checked his watch. "Almost everyone's sleeping now, except for Gregory and a few others."

Megan and Daniel nodded, trying not to make any unnecessary noise that would wake the others. They all knew that Mr. Palmer had warned them not to inform anyone else about their escape, as everyone would panic and fight for a spot on the helicopter.

The three got up carefully, making sure that their clothes didn't emit any noises and that they didn't speak while moving. Matthew led them to Gregory, who was sitting near the stairway while staying silent. They assumed that he couldn't sleep, which was actually good news for them, as they didn't need to spend time and effort to wake him up.

"Gregory," Matthew whispered. "Come with us. We're going somewhere," he said plainly without hinting to him where they were precisely heading. It was part of their plan not to inform him beforehand so that he wouldn't alert the others about it.

Daniel reached out his hand to Gregory to grab onto it and get up more quickly. And he did so. Gregory dusted his shirt a little and sniffled as some dust flew around the air.

"Where are you guys bringing me to?" he questioned them.

Matthew clicked his tongue. "We'll tell you later when we get there," he answered, putting off Gregory's question for later.

The four walked through the hallway silently but briskly. They couldn't risk letting the others notice that they were heading somewhere. Of course, there were still some others that were awake, but they were way too tired to pay attention and were trying to get some sleep.

Gregory quickly realised they were trying to be discreet, and he knew the detectives were up to something. He was thoroughly confused by their actions and wanted to know what they were trying to do and achieve.

"Who are you guys, actually?" he asked them.

"That I can answer now," Matthew said. "We're NYPD officers. All three of us," he answered directly.

"NYPD?" Gregory clarified again, wondering why they were in Edison. "What business do you guys have here?"

"You probably know mine," Matthew reckoned. "You know... my mother was in surgery and all and didn't make it..." he trailed off. He just couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by negative emotions when he thought of his mother, which eventually led him to think of his brother's untimely death too.

"I accompanied him to the hospital," Daniel added.

"And um..." Megan stammered, not knowing how to explain her story to him. It was a long one, after all. "Let's just say I was discharged yesterday, and I met them coincidentally," she summarised simply.

Matthew stopped the group as soon as they arrived at the elevator lobby of the hospital tower. He reached over and punched the call button for the elevators. One of the elevators then began descending to their floor.

While waiting, the group stayed stationary, not moving or saying anything. With Gregory around, things became rather awkward as they barely knew him, excluding the fact that his brother was killed in the SPD rescue operation that they were late to oversee.

Finally, the elevator arrived, and the doors slid open. The four walked into the carriage before Matthew pressed the button to the fifteenth floor. As soon as the doors shut, the elevator began ascending once again.

"What's on the fifteenth that you guys are determined not to tell but show me?" Gregory asked, hoping the detectives would finally break the silence and tell him where they were taking him.