165 Tyler vs Elizabeth

~ Seattle, Franciscan Medical Center ~

Tuesday

3:52 PM

Elizabeth is in the underground parking lot level for employees, walking to her car. She is done with her work for the day and is heading home early.

Ah, these are the benefits of being a surgeon: she can leave as soon as her tasks are done because any emergencies will be sent to the Urgent Care, and her patients schedule appointments in advance. As an added bonus, any previously scheduled surgeries are starting from early morning.

On the days when she has surgeries (like today, she had three), all of them start from the morning hours, back-to-back, and usually by lunch time she is free to head home.

Today Liz stayed longer because she was working on the research related to finding the cure for the virus which attacks the nervous system. That is the project she is helping out Dr. Thomas with. Liz finds that woman and her work fascinating!

She sighed in relief as she approached her car. The day went well. Dr. Snow didn't talk to her, the patients she saw were the real ones and not fakers like Tyler from yesterday.

Liz had no issues at work at all, but due to the unpleasant encounter with Tyler on the previous day, she is tense. It will take some time for that to wear off and for her to fully relax and enjoy her workday.

Liz's steps halted when she saw a silhouette of a man leaning on the post two cars away from hers. Is he waiting for someone? It looks like it.

This is the garage level reserved for the employees and you need to swipe your badge for the automatic gate to move so that cars can enter (and exit), but that is for the cars only. There is a narrow pass for pedestrians, so anyone can walk in and out. And that means how there is a chance that man is a creep.

Liz told herself not to overthink things and to keep on walking. It's just her fear of being caught one-on-one with a guy who has bad intentions, but that does not mean that all the guys are bad. Most of them are good. Liz remembered that when she moved into her current apartment, she met Hunter in the elevator, and she thought that he is a creep, but he is actually a cool guy.

Even if that man is waiting for someone, that can't be her. How would he know that she will be here at this hour? And how would he know that is her car?

Just as she finished her pep-talk, Liz was close enough to see man's face and her mood dropped. Isn't that Tyler? Why is he here? That can't be a coincidence… Does he know which car is hers?

Liz's mind was spinning while wondering, how much does this man know about her? Liz told herself not to overthink it. Maybe he is not waiting for her. And maybe it's not Tyler, but someone who resembles him. After all, the garage does not have the best lighting…

Tyler saw Liz walk toward him and he straightened his back. He told himself to brush off the incident from yesterday. Elizabeth made him feel the pain level he never experienced before, but that is because she used something, right? He carelessly allowed her to get behind his back and she used some tool or some weapon on him. This time it will be different. He will face her and not leave her out of his sight.

"Dr. Williams…", Tyler called with a smile.

Liz stopped walking and told herself to focus because that IS Tyler.

She observed Tyler who is casually leaning on the post with his hands in his pockets. He looks relaxed, a different man from the one who scrambled to leave her office on the previous day.

Most of the doctors will head home around five o'clock, while shift for nurses ends at six. That means how right now, on this level, it's just Liz and Tyler and there are slim chances that anyone else will show up.

Liz chanted internally not to panic.

"Can I help you?", Liz asked flatly while doing her best not to show how shaken she is by his presence.

Tyler lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "Don't tell me that you don't recognize me."

"I remember you, Mr. Wilson. How much I know you are not employed at this hospital, so I'm wondering, why are you here?"

Tyler's smile revealed his white teeth, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You said yesterday that you don't want to talk to me during work hours because I'm wasting your time and hospital resources, so here I am… Waiting for you to finish work so that we can talk."

Liz was uncomfortable under Tyler's gaze, and his words made this whole situation more awkward. She remembered that Isaac told her more than once: 'When you are uncomfortable and unsure what to say, ask questions until you find out more information and gain your footing.'

Liz mentally thanked her father for his guidance and asked Tyler: "Why?"

"I told you yesterday. I am interested in finding out more about the girl who got Maximilian Anderson to acknowledge her as his girlfriend. Are you still his girlfriend?"

"Why does that matter?"

Tyler was surprised that Liz is calmly asking questions. Shouldn't she be freaked out that he is here waiting for her, just the two of them with no one to help her? He checked already, other than the man at the entrance, there is no security on the parking. He decided to take this up a notch. "Maybe I am interested in pursuing you."

"Regardless if I am with Max or not, I am not interested in you."

Tyler's eyes flashed in amusement. He wondered if Liz is so confident, or just so good in faking confidence. "Ruthless. Is that what Max likes? Girls who reject him flatly?"

"If you are interested in Max, why are you talking to me and not with him?"

Tyler chuckled. "This is how I get my information… but talking with others."

"What if I lie?"

"I know where you work, and as you can see I know what car you are driving… Do you want to know what else I know about you?"

Liz wanted to ask, is that a threat? But she stopped herself because he IS threatening her, and he wants to see her panic. She hid her anxiousness behind a sneer. "If you know so much, why are you here asking me questions?"

Tyler nodded in approval. "You are smart and quick to respond. A true New Yorker."

"And you are acting too friendly. A true Seattleite."

"Friendly? We just started to know each other…", Tyler said and started walking toward Liz.

Liz took a step back.

"Keep your distance.", she warned him.

"Or what?", Tyler smiled smugly while not looking away from her eyes.

In the next instant, Tyler's face contorted in agony and he held onto his crotch while falling on his knees.

"I told you to stay away.", Liz squeezed through her teeth and pushed him with her foot to fall on the ground.

"Ugh! … Ow!...", Tyler growled and gasped helplessly as Liz kicked him in the lower back. He wanted to defend himself, but the pain in his crotch paralyzed him and he was curled up on the ground, left at Elizabeth's mercy.

Liz counted seven kicks before she stopped.

Liz cleared her throat and looked at Tyler with contempt. "We, the New Yorkers, are not easy to bully. Stay out of my sight. Do you understand? If I you approach me again, you will not be able to walk away. Do. You. Understand?"

Liz waited for Tyler to nod weakly before walking to her car and driving away. Liz gripped the steering wheel with all her might to prevent her hands from shaking uncontrollably.

Two blocks away, Liz parked the car to the side of the road and started taking deep breaths, aware that she is on the verge of hyperventilating. The adrenalin from the confrontation with Tyler wore off and exploded into panic which make her whole body shiver. Liz is not sure how long she sat in the car, but when she came around, she realized that her cheeks are wet from tears.

Liz hates this feeling of helplessness. The only good thing is that she managed to keep her cool and defend herself in front of Tyler, but she wishes that she does not fall apart after it's done. Shouldn't she be celebrating the fact that she came out of that situation as a victor? Shouldn't she be glad that she pushed the bully away? Liz is nauseated at the thought how Tyler came onto her with bad intentions, turning her into a victim. He saw her as a victim only because she is a woman… that is discrimination right there.

Why was he there? To ask more questions? To get revenge for yesterday? What would he do if she didn't defend herself? She does not have answers to those questions, but she knows that his intent was not to make friends.

Liz checked the time: 4:46 PM. Max will not be home from work before 6:15 PM (if the traffic is not bad), and she does not want to be home alone.

She got her phone and dialed a number. It rang once and Liz realized that she is calling Max. She hung up quickly while thinking that he is working, and she should not disturb him. Why did she call him? She wanted to call Mia.

This time she double checked before dialing a contact. Mia picked up after three rings.

"Hi Mia…", Liz said with a shaky voice. "Are you home? Can I stop by? …"

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