Chapter 4 Panic Room

After Aeron had his meeting with Dr Alison, he began his work. He suspected something amiss about the whole situation. The four years, horrifying tragedy, was closed as a normal accident due to bad weather. But, the last report was not even verified by the last chief in charge. Something does not really add up. The case just closed up for lack of evidence. The accused person, Dr Alison, even went mental for a year before going overseas for rehabilitation.

Attempting murder? What the hell is going on?

Aeron reached out for his phone to call Dr Alison. But, it went through a voicemail instead. He grabbed his car key and left the office. He needs more information & she hasn't delivered any of the documents yet. 

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The weekend did not even pass yet when Alison’s amniotic water broke during her last patient’s check-up. Last week's incident already dampened her mood and distressed her further thinking of what the other woman might do if she doesn’t get what she wants. Her baby was restless, and the rough movement since a few days ago had worn her out. She can’t seem to calm her baby anymore. The length of the contractions shorten. Jules knew something or someone had triggered her premature delivery. She was thankful to the stranger or the last patient Alison had treated that day to send her to the hospital. Emily had already rushed with the stranger’s friend in another car. Jules called Alison’s parents right away, reporting Alison’s emergency admission.

Jules arrives at the clinic, the business opens as usual, and Dr Tim was on duty to cover Dr Emily’s patients. She needed to compile all the documents and get them ready for the sarjan, but all she saw was a mess of papers all over the floor and the desk as if someone had ransacked the place upside down. Jules was left puzzled but never thought anything evil but a normal child prank. She has been with this clinic for four years now. There has never been as chaotic as this since the year little Angelo died. With the recent return of the founder of the Dental Clinic, Dr Alison, two months ago, life has never been the same but exciting.

Her mind was still bothered with the findings she just had a moment ago. There obviously were no such married registration records found under Jules and Karl. What's even worse, Jules was stated as single, and Karl was recorded as legally married to Tasha. The name of the other woman. What does that make her? The third wheel? She recalled the other woman’s laugh cynically as she sarcastically asked, “How can you be so calm knowing your own beloved husband is cheating on you?” 

Jules can’t concentrate on her work at all. Her laughing still echoes in her mind as if it just happened a moment ago. I need to leave here. All of a sudden, she felt suffocated being in that huge office. She grabbed her car key and was about to lock the office when a man appeared behind her without warning, and she gave out a loud shriek of a shout. 

“Calm down, miss.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m Sarjan….” 

Jules cut him off rudely. “Ah, you that sarjan in charge of Dr Alison’s case, right?” Jules taking a deep breath calming herself. “Well, you’re late. If you are planning to see Dr Alison, she was rushed to the ER this afternoon.” Jules left the police hanging without an explanation and continued to lock the door behind her. “I have the documents, but I need to get them at Dr Emily’s place. Please walk with me, sarjan. I was about to join Dr Alison at the Hospital.”

“Well, that will not be necessary, miss.”

“I hope that we will head there together and part ways once you get the documents. So, it's a win-win situation.”

“Ah, it was there all along.” A relieved sigh from the man doesn’t sound weird at all to her. As Jules looked away, his evil smile breathed out a dangerous pathway to Jules. Jules was too occupied with her own problems to care about his legit identity.  “Alright. Lead the way. I'll follow behind.”

After an hour into the secluded area, far away from the nearby village, they reached the main gate of Emily’s Villa. It was already six o’clock in the late afternoon when they reached there. They both hurriedly went into the Villa, and Jules asked him to wait inside the living room. It has been nearly a year since she last entered the villa. Nothing much has changed, but recently she heard about Alison secretly asking some expert to build a panic room inside the villa. 

She walked into the study room on the top floor, and the sunset view from the study room was breathtakingly beautiful. The view overlooking the vast sea on the horizon was why Emily first built it when she decided to settle down with her boyfriend. 

The sudden phone ringing, disrupting the serenity of the place.

Jules let out a silent curse. She hadn't started looking for the documents, and here she was, breathing in the peaceful vibe of the place. She looked at the phone call identity. ‘Unknown’ “Hello?” She took it anyway, cautiously.

“Hi, is this miss Jules Arianda Lee.”

“Yes. it is. I am she. WHo’s this?”

“Where are you, Miss Jules?”

“I’m at Emily’s villa.” Jules frowned at the caller’s inquiry. “Who’s this & why do you ask me that question?”

“Listen to me carefully, Miss Jules.” The other side’s tone was serious. “I’m Sarjan Aeron. I think someone is targeting Dr Alison, and he may be his way to look for you right now. I want you to look for a place to hide. Somewhere safe.” 

Jules sucked in a breath in surprise. A realisation struck her. She turned to the doorway to the stairway to the ground floor. 

“Are you saying you’re not sending someone to the clinic?” Jules was in a panic, her heart beating hard. He denies sending anyone but himself handling the case. “He said he was the sarjan. He asked about the documents that I was supposed to hand to Sarjan Aeron. That’s you!”

“Calm down, Miss Jules.” The other person sounded desperately annoyed, and the background of the speeding car was loud. “Hang on. I’ll be there. Just… just don’t cry.” He hung up the phone. 

Her whole body trembling and not realizing her tears fell wetted her cheeks. The sound of the footsteps makes her panicking, and she grabs the documents clumsily, accidentally knocks the mug on the edge of the desk, and a loud noise alerts the other man. Jules hurriedly hid behind the thick & long curtain while holding her breath steadily. Her tears still streaming down. Her trembling knees nearly gave way, but she gave a painful pinch on her thigh. She let out a silent cry of pain. 

She now heard the footsteps clearly in the study room. He did not even make any sound, but she knew he was looking for her. 

“Miss, I know you are still here. Let’s make it quick & cooperate with me now when I'm still in a good mood. Hand over the documents & I promise I will let you go. What do you say?”

No response. “Miss?” Dead silent. “Don’t let me beg for the second time, or I will act rough & I am sure you won’t like it.” The man kept talking while wandering the whole room for the documents and any sign of her hiding. He has purposely dropped the sound of the breakable items to the floor to get her attention & every time it happened, she let out a silent cry, but she covered her mouth with her other hand. ‘Please stop!’ Jules shouted inside her mind. ‘Someone, please come and save me!’ she shut her eyes tightly.

Outside, the sun already set, and darkness engulfed the sky with an orange, black hue. Sarjan Aeron reached the villa’s compound in time for him to witness the suspect making noises on the first floor. In a swift action, he already gets himself into the house without being detected. 

Several hours before, he received a phone call from Dr Emily informing him about the emergency condition of Dr Alison. She gave him details of the evidence Dr Alison was talking about a few days ago. He just needs to find Miss Jules to help him to get it from the villa. He made another trip to the clinic to meet the manager, but she had already gone out with someone. The staff there doesn’t even know when she will return. He was invited to wait inside the office only to find it being ransacked by someone. Nobody knows who did it. He remembered the recent intel about three foreign men who came into the country looking suspicious. They claimed they came for a holiday trip. Believing the intel might be correct, he asked for Miss Jules phone number and the villa's location.

Now, he is already inside the villa. He realised the man was not alone. There were three persons, and the Interpol at the airport accurately describe as listed. They were the wanted persons in several countries. Maybe Dr Alison’s accusation might have a point. He just needs the evidence, and maybe they will catch these criminals before they flee to another country this time. On his way to the villa, Dr Emily shared some important information. 

All he needed was to find that woman and get into that panic room.