Lost Horizons

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

“Do You Know The Enemy, Do You Know Your Enemy, Well Gotta Know Your Enemy Wah Hey!”-Green Day

 

So much was at stake at the Institute and Breen was still missing. Days had come and gone like the dance of waves and Dr. Lucian was feeling anxious. He couldn’t pinpoint  the exact cause of his anxiety but he could think of certain reasons for his feelings. For one, it was that time of the week again when the updated reports were due and Lucian didn’t hold possession of Breen’s psychological analysis of the patients yet. Another disconcerting fact was the doctor’s worry for his colleague. Then there was the feeling of eeriness in the atmosphere at the Institute. Lucian was a sensitive man. He didn’t know if it was because of the full moon or another reason but it was obvious by the employees’ reactions that something wasn’t right. People were acting frantic, like squirrels preparing for an awfully long and brutal winter. 

The doctor had an awful premonition but he ignored it because he didn’t really have anything scientific or logical to base the bad feeling on. He didn’t even consider sharing it with anyone for fear of being judged as crazy. He simply  chose to stay quiet, observe and investigate. That was, after all, what he was best at. However, the people’s chaotic mood was not the top priority in Lucian’s head. The first thing he needed to do was find out exactly where Breen was and why he hadn’t shown his face at the Institute for weeks. Lucian considered asking co-workers on his floor about Breen’s disappearance but quickly dismissed that idea. He did not want to alert people of the matter if they didn’t notice it themselves because, after all, what if Breen was taking a rightfully deserved vacation and had slipped away for a couple of weeks without notice to Hawaii or any other island paradise?

He had done that once before and had not even had to make up a well- told tale for the boss because no one had actually noticed him missing. After all, Breen’s job didn’t seem of maximum importance at first glance- it was only a grain of sand on the beach- but without his weekly update Lucian’s report was not accurate. Without Breen’s input the doctor’s files on the patients could not be considered accurate. Breen’s added information seemed like a small detail that could go unnoticed by many except Lucian.

Of course the boss wouldn’t have any way of knowing Lucian was filling up Breen’s information with his own but the dishonesty still bothered him. 

The sudden shrill ring of the office phone broke the contiguous atmospheric silence and untangled Lucian from his deep thoughts. He stared at the white phone like one would look at an adder and froze. There it was again, the bad feeling. He contemplated answering it for about five seconds before he hesitantly picked up the receiver. He had never felt such insecurity about answering a phone call.

“Hello?” he announced cautiously to whoever was on the other side of the line. 

“Lucian! Listen! I don’t have…much time! They’re coming for me! Please listen carefully before it’s too late…” said the familiar voice in a breathless manner.

“Breen?” the doctor asked in bewilderment once he realized who had called him. “I’m so happy to hear from-”

“Lucian listen carefully…it was all part of the plan. Hale…is coming…we were pawns! We were pawns! Hale is coming and you need to run when she shows up! This…vital for-survival. The clock strikes six…clicking of heels and…run!” informed Breen through a broken connection.

“Breen? Are you okay? What’s going on? Where are you?” asked the doctor confused.

“-doesn’t matter. Don’t have much time. Hale is coming…when the clock…ikes six! Run before it’s too late! Find a way out of that maze. You’re the only one who can do it!”