Chapter 13 - The Machines That Lied
The outside technical review started with twenty-seven devices distributed across three clinics.
Investigators did not assume every bad outcome had the same cause.
They compared software versions, maintenance logs, reported symptoms, and the times alarms should have sounded.
Luis Romero sat with the reviewers for five hours.
"I wasn't trying to destroy the company," he said. "I just wanted them to fix the bug."
"Did they understand your warning?" an engineer asked.
"They signed for it. Twice."
His archived emails showed that Rossi Medical had been told to stop labeling certain network failures as harmless.
Instead, a senior manager had ordered clinics to replace technical descriptions with the phrase operator error.
Khloe's original report had identified the same pattern.
Dana read the findings to her in a quiet conference room.
"Your concerns were substantiated in the first technical review. The funder's contract remains suspended."
Khloe let the words settle.
"Will the patients be notified?"
"The clinics and regulators are determining the appropriate notices and corrective action. This isn't something the foundation can secretly settle."
"Good."
Outside, Marcus waited with a thermos of coffee and a bag containing a knitted cap for Willa.
He had stopped showing up uninvited.
Today Khloe had asked him to come.
"Did they listen?" he asked.
"Finally."
He handed her the bag without moving closer.
"You were right to report it."
"I didn't need to be right, Marcus. I needed them to investigate."
His phone rang.
It was Avery Chen.
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The foundation's independent auditors had found a payment routed from Rossi Medical to a consulting firm associated with Elaine Parker.
The transfer was made four days before Isabella attacked Khloe.
