Chapter 24

The note crinkled as I unfolded it, holding my breath, I began reading.

Cassia, flush this as soon as you’re done reading it!

Follow this note to the letter…

Before I could read any further, my ears suddenly twitched as I heard the sound of voices just outside the door. I realized that someone was coming in. Unzipping my jumpsuit and stuffing the note down the front, I prayed it wasn’t Meyers.

He hadn’t bothered me since they had discovered I was pregnant but I had a sneaky feeling that he wasn’t finished with me yet. The white door swung open just as I had zipped up the front of my jumpsuit.

“Agent Evans.” I said, relieved to see the older man.

“Miss Tiponi.” He eyed the cell suspiciously. “I need to take you down to the lab for more testing.”

A hard, cold sensation settled over me with the thought of more tests. I never knew what the hell they were going to do to me next.

“Um, what kind of tests?” I asked, trying to sound pleasant. He sighed as he appeared to contemplate whether or not to tell me.

“Ultrasound.” He finally surrendered, looking uncomfortable. “Oh.” A streak of fear shot through me as I realized I’d have to remove my jumpsuit for that.

The note!

“Could I…have a moment before we go?” I stalled, my eyes darting around the small room as I tried to figure out where I was going to hide this thing stuffed between my breasts.

Wary, he frowned. “Why?”

Giving him a shy glance, I responded bluntly. “I…have to pee.” I almost giggled at the varying shades of pink he turned.

“Oh, um, yes, I’ll be back for you in minute or rather, knock when you’re ready.”

As soon as he stepped outside the door, I retrieved the letter from inside my suit and searched for a hiding place. Falling to my knees and running my hands behind the toilet, I realized it was too damp and would damage the note. The sink had the same issue. The cot was the only other thing in the room so I rushed over and felt underneath. Relief swept over me as I felt rows of metallic coils. Stuffing the note tightly between a coil and the guts of the mattress, I stood and walked to the door.

Knocking on the door, I looked back to my cot, praying that the note would still be there when I returned.

***

“You shouldn’t have let her urinate, Agent Evans, she needs to have a full bladder to perform the ultrasound properly.” The lab technician scolded the elder agent as he prepped me for the procedure.

I didn’t dumbass. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the arrogant attendant.

“Sorry.” Agent Evans mumbled as he tossed an annoyed glare at the lab technician.

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, the lab technician pushed up my gown and holding a little plastic bottle squirted some cold, clear jelly onto my bare stomach.

When I arrived, they had me change out of my jumpsuit and into a hospital gown.

Thank god I hid the note! I thought to myself earlier as I disrobed in the washroom just outside the lab. The very washroom where I’d wandered away and tried to escape a few weeks previous.

Placing an elongated wand on my stomach, over the location of my uterus, the lab tech slid the apparatus around with no obvious pattern.

Both men watched a monitor turned just out of my line of vision. I knew it had been moved so I couldn’t see—which really pissed me off.

I wanted to see her. I wanted to see her tiny hands and feet. Her heartbeat.

Watching the monitor, the two men’s faces were steady and concentrated. I couldn’t read anything beyond vague interest. There was the occasional mumble and odd pointing of fingers when they’d notice something on the screen, but other than that, I was bored.

Closing my eyes, I settled back and just enjoyed being somewhere other than my cell. It was rather relaxing laying there on the table. I felt myself nod off slightly. Pregnancy combined with an illness had definitely taken a toll on me.

Just as I drifted off, I was awakened by Agent Evans’ gasp.