Elias sat on a plastic chair that felt like it was made of ice, his hands clasped so tightly between his knees and his worn out jacket that his knuckles had turned white.His clothes, threadbare and sickly. Every time the heavy doors at the end of the ward swung open, he flinched. He was a Sergeant; he had faced down armed suspects in dark alleys without blinking, but the sound of those doors made his stomach lurch with everything he feared."Elias? You still awake?"He looked up. Dr. Miller was standing there, rubbing his eyes behind his glasses. He looked like he’d been dragged through a hedge. "Yeah. I’m here," Elias said. His throat was so dry it hurt to swallow. "How’s Lily doing? Can I go back in yet?"Miller sat down next to him, letting out a long, heavy breath. He didn't look at Elias. He looked at his own shoes. "She’s the same. We’ve got her on the heavy stuff for the pain, but the infection... it’s spreading fast Elias. We need to get her into surgery. Like, now.""Th

The old man stood at the base of the massive marble staircase, watching Elias with a strange calm. He didn't look like a cop, and he didn't look like a criminal. He looked like a man who had spent his entire life waiting in the wings for this exact moment."A treat maybe," the old man said, his voice echoing in the quiet foyer. "Or just a change of phase. I’m Thomas."Elias looked down at his hands. They were still stained with the blood he had smeared on himself to protect Sarah. The dry red flakes felt itchy on his skin, a physical reminder of how easily he had been played. He looked at the giant crystal chandelier, then back at the men in tactical gear who were now standing silently by the entrance."Thomas," Elias repeated, his voice sounding hollow to his own ears. "I know you're confused now, Elias, but at least you know you're safe here. And soon, you will understand everything. Just come with me."Elias didn't move. He felt like his brain was running ten miles behind his bod

Leo Vance stood frozen, his eyes darting between the blinking green light on the card reader and the blank face of the nurse. He looked like someone had just told him the sky was purple. The smug, superior air he had carried into the lobby was gone, replaced by a twitch in his left eye."Paid?" Leo finally managed to choke out. "What do you mean paid? Someone like him doesn't just have ten million dollars lying around. This is a mistake. The machine is broken. Check it again."The nurse pulled the receipt from the printer and handed it to Elias with both hands, her head bowed slightly. "There is no mistake, Mr. Vance. The transaction was authorized by the hospital financial team after careful review. The balance is settled. All of it.""So, Elias," Leo said, his voice cracking as he tried to regain his footing. "Who did you crawl to? Which one of your rich little 'friends' did you beg to do your dirty work? Because we both know you didn't earn a cent of this. Did you sell your badge?