Chapter 3 The Watching

The temperature in server room C was forty-five degrees. I knew that because there was a digital readout on the wall. Big red numbers. 45°F. Blinking. Mocking me.

The room was full of servers. Rows and rows of them. All humming. The sound was loud. Constant. It filled up the space until there was no room for anything else. Including thoughts.

I ran to the door. Pounded on it with both fists.

"Let me out! Please!"

Nothing.

There was a small window in the door. Reinforced glass. I could see the hallway outside. Empty. Bright. Normal.

In here it was dim. The only light came from the equipment. Little green and red LEDs blinking on and off.

I kept pounding. "Help! Someone help me!"

My wet clothes made it worse. The pasta sauce had soaked through my sweatshirt. It was cold and sticky and the air in here made it feel like ice against my skin.

I tried to take the sweatshirt off but my fingers wouldn't cooperate. Too cold. Too stiff.

I finally got it over my head. Left me in just a t-shirt. It was drier but barely. Still damp from sweat and fear.

I wrapped my arms around myself. Started pacing. Trying to generate warmth. Trying to stay moving.

A cramp hit my lower abdomen. Small. Sharp. Gone before I could really feel it.

No. Not now. Please not now.

I pressed my hand to my stomach. "I'm sorry," I whispered. To the baby. To myself. "I'm so sorry. I'll get us out of here. I promise."

Time passed. I don't know how much. Could have been twenty minutes. Could have been an hour. The cold made everything fuzzy. Hard to track.

Then I saw movement through the window.

People. Standing outside the door. Looking in.

I ran to the window. Pressed my face against the glass.

Ryan was there. And seven other people. Men and women in business clothes. All of them just... standing there. Watching me like I was an exhibit.

"Please!" I pounded on the glass. "Please let me out!"

Ryan's voice came through. Muffled but clear enough. "Ready to tell the truth?"

"I am telling the truth! I'm his wife!"

She shook her head. Looked at the others. Said something I couldn't hear. A few of them laughed.

"You're cold," Ryan said. Louder now. "I can see that. This can end anytime you want. Just admit you lied about being married to Mr. Maxwell."

"I didn't lie!"

"Then I guess you'll be in there a while longer."

She turned to leave.

"No! Wait!" I slammed my palms against the glass. "Please! I'm pregnant! You can't do this!"

She stopped. Turned back. Looked at me through the window.

"Prove it," she said.

"I had an ultrasound! You ripped it up!"

"Convenient. Any other proof?"

My mind was racing. Trying to think. But the cold was making it hard. Making everything slow and thick.

"Call James," I said. "Just call him. That's all I'm asking."

"It's two in the morning in Singapore. You want me to wake up my boss for this?"

"Yes!"

"No." She looked at the others. "Anyone else think we should interrupt a two hundred million dollar deal for a random woman who showed up with no proof?"

They all shook their heads. Some of them were looking at me with pity. But not enough pity to actually do anything.

A woman in the group spoke up. "How long has she been in there?"

"About ninety minutes," Ryan said.

"Is that... safe?"

"She's fine. Just uncomfortable. Cold. Nothing dangerous." Ryan looked at me again. "But it can end anytime she's ready to tell the truth."

"I'm telling the truth!" My voice cracked. Tears were freezing on my face. "Please. Please just listen to me..."

Another cramp. Harder this time. I doubled over with a gasp.

"She's faking," someone said.

"Classic manipulation," another agreed.

I slid down the door. Couldn't stand anymore. The floor was freezing. Colder than the air.

The shivering had gotten so bad I couldn't control it. My whole body shook. My teeth chattered so hard I thought they might crack.

Through the window I could see them. Still standing there. Still watching. Like this was entertainment.

"Her lips are blue," someone said. A man's voice. Worried.

"She's fine," Ryan said.

"Ryan, maybe we should..."

"Should what? Give in because she's putting on a good show?" Ryan's face appeared in the window. Close. "You chose to come here. You chose to lie. These are consequences."

Another cramp. Stronger. Rolling through my abdomen like a wave.

I couldn't feel the baby move. Couldn't feel anything except cold and pain and the growing certainty that something was very wrong.

Time stopped meaning anything.

The shivering stopped. That was bad. I knew that was bad. But I couldn't remember why.

I felt warm now. Comfortable. I just wanted to sleep.

"Is she moving?" A voice from far away.

I tried to answer. My mouth wouldn't work.

"She's not moving."

"She's faking."

"Ryan, she's really not moving..."

The door opened. Warm air rushed in. Felt like fire against my frozen skin.

Hands grabbed me. Pulled me out into the hallway.

"Call 911!"

"No!" Ryan's voice. Panicked now. "No ambulance! This can't get out..."

"Look at her! She needs help!"

Someone put a jacket over me. I started shivering again. Violent. Uncontrollable.

"She's bleeding," a woman said. Horrified. "Oh my god, she's bleeding."

I looked down. Red spreading between my legs. Warm. The only warm thing.

Blood.

"The baby," I whispered.

"What baby? There is no baby. She's lying..."

"Shut up, Ryan!" Someone yelling. "Just shut up!"

Everything was spinning. Voices overlapping. Too many sounds.

Then sirens.