Chapter 17 - The Last Person Inside
Hannah carried the chart straight to the charge nurse.
"Lock this record. Now."
"Excuse me?"
"My brother's allergy was deleted under credentials belonging to a physician who is in custody. Someone else is using his login."
Hospital security arrived within minutes.
Detective Ruiz arrived ten minutes later looking as if she had not slept.
The access log led to a workstation in an administrative office.
The user was Martin Hale, a billing supervisor who had helped process Nicholas's altered rehabilitation authorizations.
He was also Dominic's college roommate.
Ruiz found him in the parking garage trying to leave with a laptop bag.
No dramatic gunfight. No chase through the city.
Just a frightened man in a cheap tie realizing the elevator doors had opened on two detectives.
Sometimes evil looked disappointingly ordinary.
The hospital corrected Ethan's chart, changed every access credential connected to Merritt, and delayed the procedure long enough for a full safety review.
Hannah sat beside Ethan in pre-op while he folded another paper crane.
"This one is ugly," he said.
"Good. Ugly magic works better."
He looked at her.
"You're scared."
"A little."
"Me too."
"We can be scared at the same time."
Ethan nodded as if that solved something.
Nicholas arrived before they took Ethan to surgery.
He had no bodyguards inside the pediatric floor, only Walter waiting near the elevator at a respectful distance.
Hannah stared at Nicholas.
"What are you doing here?"
"Ethan invited me."
She looked at her brother.
Ethan shrugged.
"He has better jokes than you."
"Traitor."
Nicholas handed Ethan a small wooden box.
Inside were fifty folded paper cranes made from bright paper.
Most were terrible.
"I had help," Nicholas admitted.
Ethan grinned.
"These are powerful."
The surgical team arrived.
Hannah walked beside the bed until the doors where family had to stop.
Ethan reached for her hand.
"You said it was going to happen."
"I did."
"So don't cry now. You'll make me think you were lying."
Hannah laughed through tears.
"Bossy kid."
"Difficult interpersonal conduct," he said.
Nicholas had taught him that phrase.
The doors closed.
Four hours later the surgeon came out smiling.
"He's doing well."
Hannah's knees nearly gave out.
Nicholas caught her elbow from the chair.
She turned and hugged him before remembering who he was, who she was, or how much complicated history sat between them.
He held her carefully.
Later, in a quiet corridor, Nicholas said, "I have something to show you."
He locked the wheelchair brakes.
Placed both hands on the armrests.
And slowly pushed himself upright.
May you like
His legs trembled violently beneath him.
But for three full seconds, Nicholas Valenti stood.
