Fury

Chapter 3

Suddenly, in a flash, the ward was lit again--but this time--with a flood of red emergency light spreading across the ward. The red light flooded the room from the ceiling and it afforded Donovan a chance to regain a clearer view of his surrounding space. However, he managed to keep his eyes partly open, staring down the isle towards Natasha's bunk again and he suddenly caught the sight of a looming epicene figure from a distance. The figure was shadowy and its identity was not clear at first sight. Donovan braced up his pistol clutching it with both hands and moving sideward away from the desk, not daring to venture a step forward.

Fixing his gaze on the mystery figure, he made effort to no avail to figure out what it was in spite of the flood of dazzling red light. In a moment, the figure ventured forward taking gentle strides much to Donovan's terror. His heart skipped a beat, making vain effort to steady his gun in his trembling clutch. He staggered backwards and maintained his gaze on the oncoming mystery figure, only to discover--by a strain of his eyes--that it was the mystery lady who had been laying on bed all day. Yes, it was Natasha. The poor lady still had her oxygen device strapped around her nose. In stitches and bandage, she slowly strode along the isle in Donovan's direction, speechless, pointing her index finger feebly in Donovan's direction. For a moment, Donovan wondered why the poor lady might be pointing finger in his direction. She looked terrified and anxious as she increased her pace suddenly towards the detective. Donovan staggered backwards holding his gun still, hesitating to pull the trigger while he barked out a warning to Natasha.

''Stay right there or I shoot,'' Donovan warned staggering backwards as Natasha forged in his direction regardless. ''You have to listen to me, young lady. You have to...''

In a wink of an eye, the rushing Natasha sprinted towards Donovan and lunged at him. The duo went down crashing with Natasha falling flatly across Donovan's body. In a reflex, Donovan made to brush Natasha's body aside to repulse further attack but, instead, he caught the glimpse of a dagger thrust in and out of her jugular in quick sequence, forcing a stream of blood from her jugular vein. Donovan's face was splattered with dollops of blood even as he struggled to have a clear view of the intruder who had just stabbed the young lady. While making effort to get Natasha's body off his, he wiped his blood-stained face with the back of his fist to catch a view of the intruder who ran swiftly across the ward towards the door. Suddenly, the emergency alarm went off and flood of red light started to blink in fits and starts. Donovan struggled to catch a view of the intruder but, in spite of the fitful blink, he managed to catch a glimpse of the intruder's heel and the hind of her legs. Those were typical of a woman's. He was damn certain it was a woman who had intruded the ward and stabbed Natasha. But, given the red light, he was not very sure about the colour of pants the mystery woman had on her. However, he was able to catch a glimpse of the soft tennis shoes she wore.

Donovan sat up, but it was rather late to chase after the intruder. He would chase after the intruder regardless. He sprang to his feet, brushing Natasha's body aside and sprinted across towards the door that just slammed shut a moment ago, but he came to realise that the door had been locked from outside. He jiggled the handle impatiently in a bid to force his way out to no avail. The mystery woman was gone and Donovan was trapped in the ward alone with Natasha's lifeless body to tender to. In this moment, he screamed at the top of his voice for the cops to come to his rescue but no response came forth. He paced across the ward in a bid to make a call to the cops. But as he was headed for the telephone line, the power was suddenly restored and a swarm of cops came banging at the door.

''It's an emergency. Open up!'' The cops shouted rattling the handle, attempting to force their way in. ''It's the cops. Open up and let us in. Now!''

''The door's locked from behind. I'm trapped in,'' Donovan snapped back impatiently as he watched the cops and medical personnel troop in heavily armed with ammunition and medical equipment respectively.

The arrival of the cops and medical personnel into the ward was greeted by the bright light that poured across the ward revealing the killer's signature boldly scribbled across the walls in blood lettering: ''I Am Fury.''

The graffiti was not new to the cops but, this time, it's conspicuous appearance on the Ward's wall caught attention in a differently horrific way that baffled the cops and struck fear amongst the them. More horrific and gorier was Natasha's lifeless body which was found bleeding profusely still. The cops froze to a spot in utter shock while the medical team, led by Dr. Leah, rushed to the rescue of the lifeless Natasha sprawling across the floor.

''We've got an intruder. It's the killer. It's a lady. I saw her,'' Donovan shouted at the cops who stood still glaring at blood-stained detective. ''We have to trail her this instant, guys! Do you roger?''

The cops stood still watching Donovan in defiance as though his words had no effect on them whatsoever.

''You've got blood stains all over you, detective, and we met no intruder while marching down here,'' said one of the cops.

''Have you lost mind, Johnnie?'' Donovan snapped back. ''I was almost killed by some monster and this is all you've got to insinuate?''

Donovan stepped back an inch to interrupt the medical personnel as they tendered to Natasha's corpse. He slouched over the dead body and pointed at the stab on her neck to the cops' attention.

''Over here, do you see this? It's a dagger's stab,'' Donovan noted calling the cops' attention to Natasha's jugular. ''Is it different from the one on Senator Kasidy's neck?''

''No, it's exactly the same,'' Leah chipped in. ''In fact, I must admit that the killer in question has a trademark style of taking out his victim. And this is one.''

''Are you seeing this bloody graffiti for the first time?'' Donovan continued, pointing at the blood-stained wall as he attempted calling the cops to their senses. ''And, the door...Did you find it locked from inside or outside?''

Donovan's barrage of questions cancelled out the cops' statement and whatever funny assumptions they might have in mind. His intellectual analysis, expertise and the backing of medical statement from Leah were enough to shame the cops and put them in their place.

''We didn't mean to be insinuative, detective--sir. It's part of the job to raise logical assumptions, and I'm sure you quite understand, sir,'' Johnnie replied in defence. ''I shall marshal my boys to spread all over and be on the lookout, however.''

The cops marched out--five of them led by Johnnie--as they bumped into Miriam who was equally rushing down to the ward with two other senior cops flanking her. The inspector was duly saluted by Johnnie and his team but Miriam paid no attention to the outgoing cops. She seemed to have her heart set on the ward and what had transpired within.

Arriving inside the ward where Donovan and the medical team were still tending to Natasha's corpse, Miriam walked past Donovan, who attempted having words with her, to have a sight of the corpse as she crouched beside the dead body.

''Is she dead now? Can't she be salvaged at all?'' Miriam asked crouching still as she looked at Leah, ostensibly for a positive response.

''She lost a lot of blood, ma'am,'' Leah replied. The killer's dagger already disconnected the carotid arteries supplying blood to her brain. That worsened her recuperation process. It was too late, ma'am.''

Crouching still beside the body, Miriam shielded her face sadly and went deep thinking.

''I tried to stop the killer..but the blackout... the dazzling red light and the whole misfortunes killed the plan, ma'am,'' Donovan said spanking his forehead in disappointment. ''I was close. Just this close!''

''It's okay, Donny,'' Miriam rose to her feet to sound caution. ''Do we continue crying over spilt milk?''

''Of course, no, inspector,'' Donovan replied bracing up his mind, ''But I've sent the boys out to be on the lookout By stroke of luck, they should get the bastard.''

''Did you, by chance, sight the killer, Donny?''

''Oh, yes!'' It's a woman,'' Donovan replied, ''But I could only know that piece of fact by catching a glimpse of her leg, ma'am. She was too fast in the blackout.''

''Oh, Donny,'' Miriam called drawing Donovan's rapt attention. ''We have a problem right now with Salim. We just received a stern letter from the commissioner who is strongly taking up the mayhem. We need to talk, detective.''