Camouflage

"Fuck," Zen said as they finished parking the car at the hospital's underground parking. "We forgot something."

"What?" I asked.

"We brought Helen," Zen said. I looked towards the middle row.

"Shit," I said. "Why did you get in the car?"

"Oh, I don't know," Helen said. "Maybe because you were panicking and said that we have to go now?" She rolled her eyes.

"Ugh," I said. "You know you can't be seen by anyone especially our friends. Zen, why didn't you stop her?" I looked at Zen. Their face was a blanking.

"You were rushing us babe," Zen said.

"So what do we do now?" I said.

"We can leave her in the car?" Zen said.

"No way!" Helen said.

"No!" I said. Helen and I looked at each other.

"She might suffocate," I lied.

"Yeah," Helen said. "What Dos said."

"Then what?" Zen said. I unbuckled myself and looked around the car.

"Are there any clothes lying around there?" I asked.

"Ew," Helen said. "I'm not going to wear your sweaty clothes."

"They're not," Zen said. "They're back ups. We replace them every week."

"Check the back," I said. Helen crossed over to the back of the car through above the car seats. I transferred to the middle row through the little gap in between my seat and Zen's seat.

"You can go down you know," Zen said. "We're not moving or anything."

"No time," I said. I looked around the middle row - at the small storages we put under the seats. I heard a door open. Afterwards, the door in front of me opened.

"I think we haven't changed it this week," Zen said.

"Found it!" Helen said. She put up a zipper plastic bag with neatly folded clothes inside.

"Good," I said. "Just use something there to cover your face. Maybe the jacket. Baby, where's your shades?" Zen walked back in front of the driver seat. They grabbed their bag and walked back in front of me while searching inside their bag. They pull out their shades after a few seconds. They handed it over to me. I got it and handed it over to Helen. She put it on.

"How do I look?" Helen asked.

"Like you're a celebrity in disguise," Zen said.

"Good," Helen said. "Unrecognizable then."

"Yup," Zen said. "Let me open the back door for you." We better hurry, I thought. I reached over to my seat and grabbed my bag. I went down the car through the open door in front of me and closed it. I looked towards the back and saw that Helen has already gotten down as well while Zen was pushing the door down.

"Let's go," I said. The two of them nodded at me. I started walking towards the entrance of the hospital. I heard a door close and the beep that the car makes when it gets locked.

"Why did we have to rush here again?" I heard Helen ask. I stopped walking and turned around.

"Virginia's missing," I said.

"What?" Helen said.

"Huh?" Zen said. "How?"

"Well, its the kidnappers, so they can do anything," I said.

"Wait what?" Helen asked, with a bewildered face.

"Later," I said. "We have to go to Snow now." I turned around to face the hospital entrance once more. I ran towards it. When we got there, we quickly walked through and got checked by security. We ran towards the elevators. One of them was closing already but still had space inside.

"Wait," I heard Zen shout. The elevator doors fully opened. We squeezed in the elevator.

"Thank you," Zen said. I looked over to the panel to see if the fifth floor was already pressed. Luckily, it was. How could have gotten to Virginia so easily?' I thought. I looked at Helen.

A disguise, I thought. They were disguised as staff members. Shit! We need to look at the CCTV footage.

"Baby," I heard Zen say. "We're here." I shook my head.

"That was fast," I said.

"There were only two floors pressed," Zen said. We stepped out of the elevator. We walked to the right and I stopped in front of the staff area.

"You guys go ahead," I said. "You stay out of the room." Zen nodded.

"Yeah, yeah," Helen said.

"Hi," I said to the nurse standing behind the desk. "We're friends of Virginia, the one who's missing."

"Oh," they said. "Yes sir! We sincerely apologize for that happening under our care. Our security team has been looking around the hospital since it was reported a few hours ago."

"Any leads?" I said.

"Not yet sir," the nurse said. I sighed.

"Can I look at the CCTV footage?" I asked.

"Please give me a second to ask the security team supervisor," the nurse said.

"Okay," I said. "I'll be right back then."

"Okay sir," the nurse said. I walked towards the left hallway. I saw Helen sitting down beside the door that lead to Virginia's room. She was hugging her knees. I stopped by her. Shit, I thought. From within the room, I could hear Snow's desperate crying and wailing. I looked at Helen.

She's crying as well, I said. I took a deep breath and stepped inside. Snow was on the floor with Zen hugging her.

"It's okay," Zen said. "Its going to be okay. We'll find her."

"I'm sorry," Snow said. "I'm sorry."

"I promise you," Zen said. "Its okay." Zen saw me and pointed to the other side with their lips. I quietly walked passed them, over to where the bed was. I doubt they left something but it doesn't hurt to check, I thought. I looked around at the sofa by the window, the bedside cabinets by the bed, and the bed itself.

Nothing, I said. Something caught my eye on the floor. I crouched down and picked it up. It was a picture of the hospital from outside.

No, I thought. It was a picture of Virginia's hospital room from the outside. I felt a chill go through my whole body.

I know they have been tracking us but it feels different seeing it, I thought.

"Sir," I heard someone whisper. I stood up, turned around and saw that it was the nurse.

"Yes?" I said.

"The security team supervisor allowed your request," the nurse said.

"Thanks," I said. "Which floor?"

"Its at the first floor," the nurse said.

"Okay," I said.

"Also, did you know the person sitting by the door?" the nurse asked.

"Yes," I said. "Why?"

"They suddenly ran away," the nurse said.

"What?" I said.

"To the garden," the nurse said.

"Oh, thanks," I said. The nurse bowed and walked away. I sighed and walked back to the other side of the room where Zen and Snow was. I hid the photo inside my bag. Snow was still crying.

"It's not your fault Snow," Zen said.

"It really isn't Snow," I said.

"Dos?" Snow said. "When did you get here?"

"Zen and I always come as a pair," I said. "I thought you'd know that by now."

"Of course, I do," Snow said. "Like Virginia and Flounder and now they're both missing." She cried stronger.

"We're going to find them okay and make the ones who took them pay for it!" I said. "I already have clearance to check the CCTV footage."

"Okay," Snow said.

"I'll be right back," I said. She nodded. I looked at Zen and nodded at them. I crouched and hugged Snow. I stood up, walked past them, and out into the hallway. I turned right and continued walking. Why did she have to run away like that? I thought. I walked passed a few doors before reaching the door to the garden. I pushed the door and went out.

Now where could she be? I thought. I looked around and saw her sitting on one of the benches to my left. I walked towards her.

She's looking at the sky? I thought. Weird. When I reached the bench, I sat beside her.

"Hey," I said. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to breathe," Helen said. "I couldn't take hearing Snow crying like that."

"I understand," I said. "But I do owe you an explanation of what's been happening."

"Why?" Helen said. "Is there more?" I nodded.

"Virginia's not the only one missing," I said.

"I heard," Helen said. "Flounder too." I took a deep breath.

"Not just them," I said. "Everyone but Snow, Oceanna, and Asterion are missing."

"What?" Helen said and stoop up.

"Yeah," I said. "I don't have proof but I have a feeling its the same people who kidnapped you and Bea."

"But I never saw any of them there," Helen said.

"They were probably put in another area," I said.

"Maybe," Helen said. "But why?"

"I don't know," I said. She looked at me.

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Helen asked.

"I didn't want to alarm you," I lied. "You just got back from being able to escape the kidnappers who still has Bea so." She sighed.

"That-that makes sense," Helen said. She sat back down.

"Do we have any leads?" Helen asked.

"Just that area we found you from," I said. "It was where we found Maine's key chain."

"Oh," Helen said.

"Who ever these people are, they're good," I said.

"Are you seriously complementing them?" Helen said.

"No," I said. "I'm annoyed. I can't track them down or have any hint of who they are. They're too good at hiding their tracks."

"I can't believe they targeted our friends too," Helen said. "What do they want from them?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," I said.

"We'll figure it out," Helen said. "You gained an additional head to think things about."

"Where?" I said. Helen punched my shoulder.

"I'm kidding," I said. "Let's test that head of yours by looking at the CCTV footage."

"Sure," Helen said. This is all too weird, I thought.