“No,” he gasped, his keys clattering to the floor. “They know you’re here.”

Before Charles could react, the heavy steel door at the end of the corridor slammed shut with a deafening metallic clang.

We were trapped.

“Open this door right now!” Charles shouted, his voice booming over the siren.

He grabbed Dr. Kenneth by the lapels of his white coat.

Dr. Kenneth was trembling so hard he could barely stand.

“I can’t,” Kenneth whimpered, his eyes darting to the flashing red light.

“The central computer overrides the manual keys during a lockdown.”

I pressed my face against the glass pane.

My father was standing up now, his legs shaking under the hospital gown.

He stared at me through the glass, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and recognition.

“Dad!” I screamed, banging my fists against the reinforced glass.

The sound was dull and muffled.

Charles shoved Kenneth against the concrete wall.

“Listen to me,” Charles said, his voice cold and steady.

“I already wired fifty thousand dollars to your private account in Switzerland before we walked in here.”