HLnovel Chapter 213: Stench
Chapter 213: Stench
"I never thought Layena would have connections here in this hospital," Kyle said, pure astonishment evident in his voice.
The three of them stood inside the elevator, with Kyle in the middle and Layena smiling softly from his left.
"She’s a regular patient here, so of course she must’ve made a few friends."
Amanda’s sarcastic remark caught Kyle completely off guard. Layena, however, barely reacted.
Then again, she rarely reacted to anything that didn’t involve Kyle. Even he had begun to notice that.
"I once helped a staff member who works here," Layena explained. "She gave me access to the rooftop and even promised not to let anyone come looking for you for the next hour."
As she spoke, she extended the access card toward Kyle.
Kyle accepted it, genuinely impressed.
"Thanks to you, I’m about to witness something beautiful."
A small smile appeared on his face.
The hospital was one of the tallest buildings in Montclair, and Kyle had always enjoyed gazing over the city from high places at night. There was something calming about watching countless lights spread across the darkness, as if the city itself never truly slept.
Over the years, he and Amanda had visited plenty of towers and observation decks together.
The city hospital, however, would be a first.
The elevator continued its ascent, the soft hum of machinery filling the brief silence between them.
With every passing floor, Kyle found himself growing more eager.
Tonight, he wasn’t just looking forward to the view.
For some reason, he had a feeling this would become one of those memories he would remember for a very long time.
Ding.
The elevator came to a stop at the uppermost floor.
The three of them stepped out and made their way toward the staircase leading to the rooftop.
At the top stood a heavy steel door. Its reinforced frame and electronic lock made it look more like the entrance to a secure facility than a rooftop access point. Entry required a staff access card, something ordinary visitors would never possess.
"Why are they so determined to keep people away from the rooftop?" Amanda wondered aloud, eyeing the door. The level of security felt strangely excessive.
Layena tilted her head.
"Maybe they have a history."
The casual way she said it made both Amanda and Kyle glance at her.
"A hospital exposes people to trauma, grief, and depression. Some end up making decisions that might putting another body in the morgue."
Silence followed.
Amanda stared at her for a second before shaking her head and rolling her eyes.
"That’s an incredibly dark way to look at it."
Layena merely blinked, completely unbothered.
Kyle wisely chose not to comment.
Instead, he stepped forward and pressed the access card against the scanner.
A red light flashed.
A second later, it turned green.
Click.
The lock disengaged.
Kyle pulled the door open and stepped aside.
"After you."
Amanda smiled at the gesture.
"Thank you."
Layena silently followed her through.
Once both women had passed, Kyle pocketed the access card and moved to join them on the other side.
Then he stopped.
"Hmm?"
His brows furrowed slightly.
Something felt... off.
Not dangerous.
Just strange.
The cool night air drifting through the doorway carried an unusual stillness, as though the rooftop beyond was far quieter than it should have been.
Kyle instinctively looked ahead.
And paused.
His senses tingled.
Kyle frowned.
The feeling was difficult to describe, yet one thought surfaced almost immediately.
"Something is rotting."
The scent wasn’t strong, nor was it the kind that assaulted his nose. It was subtle, lingering at the edge of his perception, but unmistakably there.
Layena and Amanda exchanged puzzled glances.
"I... don’t smell anything," Amanda admitted.
Kyle looked at her before turning his gaze toward the staircase leading to the rooftop.
Neither of them appeared to have sensed anything unusual.
Yet the moment he had stepped past the metal door, he had felt it.
That faint, sickening impression.
Something rotten.
His brows knitted together as he chewed on his lower lip.
After a few seconds, he shook his head.
"Well, forget about it."
Amanda nodded.
Layena did as well, though her eyes quietly swept across the surroundings one more time, as if searching for anything out of place.
Kyle followed suit.
He glanced to his left.
Then to his right.
Nothing.
Only bare concrete walls stretched along the corridor. There were no nearby rooms, no storage areas, and certainly nowhere that would explain the sensation he was experiencing.
The logical part of his mind urged him to dismiss it.
Perhaps it was just his imagination.
Pushing the thought aside, Kyle began climbing the stairs.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Then he emerged onto the rooftop.
Instantly, a rush of cool night wind swept over him.
The refreshing breeze washed away the lingering discomfort, carrying with it the scent of the city and the distant hum of life below.
Kyle’s expression brightened at once.
A wide smile spread across his face as he took in the sight before him.
The unease from moments ago faded into the background, replaced by the simple joy of standing high above the city beneath the endless night sky.
A small section of the rooftop had been devoted to potted plants, with several benches arranged around them beneath a simple shade.
The night air carried a comfortable chill.
Amanda couldn’t help but worry that Kyle might feel cold. Unfortunately, she had nothing to offer him besides the shirt she was wearing.
Kyle, however, seemed completely unaffected.
A smile remained plastered across his face as he walked toward the edge of the rooftop.
Below him stretched a sea of lights.
Cars flowed through the streets like glowing streams. People gathered at bus stops. Buildings stood illuminated against the darkness, each window hiding countless lives and stories.
The city was alive.
Busy.
Noisy.
Yet somehow, amidst all that chaos, Kyle found peace.
"Haa... this is great."
The words slipped from his lips as he rested his head atop his folded arms on the guard rail.
Layena leaned against the railing as well, her back resting comfortably against the metal.
For once, her expression looked completely relaxed.
She simply watched Kyle.
Watched the calmness on his face.
Watched the satisfaction in his eyes.
Amanda stood a short distance away, observing him from the side.
The sight slowly chipped away at the reluctance she had felt about bringing him here.
Looking at him now, she realized how much he needed moments like this.
Kyle eventually turned toward her.
"I was wondering..."
He pushed himself away from the railing and leaned back against it instead, crossing his arms.
"How were my first days at the corp?"
A sheepish smile crept onto his face.
"Being the only rookie at the base, I honestly don’t know how I’m doing. Sometimes I can’t tell if I’m performing well or just coming across as a problem child."
Amanda’s lips curled upward.
A grin.
One that immediately made Kyle suspicious.
"I’ll answer that."
She folded her arms.
"But you have to promise me you’ll listen to the truth all the way to the end."
The amusement in her voice was impossible to miss.
Beside them, Layena found herself smiling as well.
Kyle looked between the two women, confusion steadily growing.
"What exactly does that mean?"
Amanda’s grin widened.
Layena’s smile deepened.
And for some reason, Kyle felt he made a mistake asking the question.
Unfortunately for him, he had already asked the question.
Now there was no escaping the answer.