Chapter 16 - THE HOSPITAL
Victor knew Mara's next prenatal appointment.
The hospital was placed under police security.
Mara almost canceled.
Then she got angry at the idea that a fugitive could decide whether she saw her own doctor.
Matteo waited outside the exam room because she asked him to.
The ultrasound showed a healthy baby girl.
Mara laughed before she could stop herself.
Matteo heard through the door.
When the doctor invited him in, he looked at Mara first.
The image on the screen reduced him to silence again.
"That's her?"
The technician smiled. "That's her."
Mara watched his face more than the monitor.
For a few minutes, the world was only heartbeat.
Smoke filled the eastern corridor.
A diversion.
A man in hospital scrubs entered through the service door.
Victor Saye.
He grabbed a records cart and headed for the genetics lab.
Chen's officers intercepted him.
Victor ran.
Matteo saw him at the far end of the hallway.
Every muscle in his body changed.
Mara grabbed his sleeve.
"Don't."
"Police have him."
Victor reached into his coat.
Victor fell.
Alive.
Wounded.
In custody.
Inside his bag were copies of Mara's prenatal records and a forged emergency guardianship petition naming a Thorne-controlled attorney as temporary guardian of the baby if Mara became "medically incapacitated."
Mara's blood went cold.
"They expected me to become incapacitated."
Chen nodded.
"Looks that way."
Victor survived surgery.
Full testimony against Senator Thorne.
In exchange, he wanted protection from one person.
Not Matteo.
Not Bianca.
May you like
Not Preston.
He named Julian Cross.
