Only Mitchellâs distressed shouts and the noise from his urgent actions echoed throughout the empty halls.
It appeared that the earlier sounds might have been just an illusion.
However, Mitchell remained convinced that Raegan was indeed inside.
He repeatedly struck the door lock, managing only to mark it, without any response from inside.
He realized this approach was futile.
Spotting a fire hose cabinet nearby, which contained an emergency fire extinguisher and an axe, his expression turned grave as he approached it.
Raegan was overwhelmed by the cold.
Her awareness ebbed and flowed.
In her delirious state, she felt Mitchel had come to her rescue, prompted by the sounds of banging from outside.
On impulse, she reached out and tapped on the door, hoping to signal her presence to Mitchel.
Exhaustion overwhelmed her, however, and she struggled to keep her eyes open.
The cold had numbed Raegan completely.
All she experienced was a profound fatigue enveloping her.
Her hand fell weakly by her side as she teetered on the brink of unconsciousness.
Just as her consciousness was about to fade, a large hole was chiseled through the door by Mitchel.
He quickly hacked away the lock, and the door finally swung open.
Raegan was found curled on the floor, enshrouded in the deep blue blanket Mitchel had previously used.
Suddenly, with a loud snap, power surged back throughout the building.
Gazing at Raeganâs frail, pale figure on the floor stirred a sharp pain in Mitchelâs heart.
He knelt down and gently lifted her, her body so cold and rigid that her legs wouldnât bend.
She was still breathing, her furrowed eyebrows indicating distress.
Taking a moment to collect himself, Mitchel stood up carefully.
Without his cane, he was unsteady on his feet.
He carefully shifted his weight onto his stronger leg, crouched to retrieve his cane, and propped it against the wall for support.
Struggling with his own physical limitations, Mitchel couldnât carry Raegan in his arms.
Instead, he dr@ped her over his shoulder, supporting most of her weight, and used one hand to stabilize himself with his cane as they made their way to the elevator.
Inside the elevator, he pressed the button for the first floor.
As the elevator doors slid open, Matteo was already there with an ambulance team and a stretcher, prepared to assist.
The medical team quickly took charge of Raegan, transferring her to the stretcher as Mitchel looked on, following them out with heavy steps.
Matteo, trailing behind, was engulfed in silence, his face etched with guilt.
It was his invitation to Raegan that had led to her accidental confinement in Mitchelâs office amid plummeting temperatures.
If Mitchel hadnât found Raegan, and if assumptions had been made that she wasnât in Mitchelâs office, the consequences might have been dire, beyond any hope of timely rescue.