Chapter 5 - THE MOVEMENT
Marina found Hart in the sunroom examining bottles on a medication cart. He closed a cabinet as she entered.
"I need the full administration record for NM-7," she said.
He smiled. "That code doesn't mean anything."
"Then why is it on six separate treatment dates?"
The smile slipped. "You're new here. Don't mistake curiosity for expertise."
Dante rolled in behind her. "She isn't the only one curious."
Hart opened his case. "Your muscle spasms are worsening. You need your injection."
"What injection?" Dante asked.
"The one you've been receiving for months."
Marina moved beside the cart. "No medication goes into his body without a documented order, verified dose, and his informed consent."
"This is ridiculous," Hart snapped.
"Then take us through the label."
Hart's fingers closed around the case handle. For a moment Marina thought he might strike her. Instead he packed up and walked away.
"I'll report this obstruction to your family, Dante."
"My family can make an appointment," Dante replied.
That evening, an independent physician Marina had contacted, Dr. Priya Shah, arrived to assess the wound and review Dante's neurological history. She made no promises. She examined him carefully, then ordered urgent imaging and recommended a supervised rehabilitation evaluation away from the mansion.
After the examination, Dante stared at his right foot.
"Eight months," he said. "I let them tell me what my own body was doing for eight months."
"You were injured and dependent on the people treating you. That's not a failure."
"And you? You saw something in the hospital. You knew there was a chance."
"I knew there was a reflex. A reflex doesn't guarantee recovery. What I didn't know was why it vanished from your records."
He looked up. "I need you to help me find out."
"Then you need to trust me when I say we do this safely."
Dante extended two fingers over the armrest. Marina took them in a quiet handshake.
May you like
His phone rang. The caller was his cousin Luca, the man running Montenegro Holdings during Dante's recovery.
"Good news," Luca said brightly. "The board voted. Your incapacity papers go to court on the fourteenth."
