Chapter 6 - Nine Men Came Back
Three months later, I stood inside a renovated brick building near Canal Street.
A new sign hung outside.
MORETTI COMMUNITY TRAUMA CENTER
I hated the name.
Gabriel refused to change it.
“You’re narcissistic.”
“It’s my building.”
“It’s my clinic.”
“Our clinic.”
I looked at him.
“Careful.”
He smiled.
Behind us, nurses prepared examination rooms.
Volunteer doctors organized supplies.
Two forensic specialists reviewed new protocols.
Everything was free.
No insurance required.
No questions about immigration status.
No patient turned away.
Then the front doors opened.
Nine men entered.
I stared.
Tommy stood in front.
“You’re supposed to be resting.”
“For three months?”
“Yes.”
“That seems excessive.”
Behind him were the other eight men from the tunnel.
Alive.
Walking.
Laughing.
One carried flowers.
Another carried an enormous cake.
I folded my arms.
“What is this?”
Tommy handed me the flowers.
“Nine idiots saying thank you.”
“You already thanked me.”
“Boss said we were bad at it.”
Gabriel looked innocent.
I pointed at him.
“You organized this.”
“No.”
Tommy whispered loudly,
“He absolutely organized this.”
Everyone laughed.
I looked around the room.
Three months earlier, these men had been dying in dirty floodwater.
Now they were standing in my clinic.
Tommy became serious.
“You know what I remember?”
“What?”
“You telling me to breathe.”
“That was medically advisable.”
“You wouldn’t let me quit.”
I looked away.
Tommy smiled.
“So we figured you shouldn’t either.”
He handed me a framed photograph.
All nine men stood together outside the renovated station entrance.
Underneath were nine signatures.
I swallowed.
“Thank you.”
Gabriel watched quietly.
Later, after everyone left, we stood outside.
New Orleans air was warm.
Music drifted from somewhere down the block.
Gabriel leaned against the building.
“Claire is coming next week.”
I turned.
“Here?”
“She wants to meet you.”
“I’d like that.”
“She also wants to volunteer.”
“Doing what?”
“Victim advocacy.”
I smiled.
“Good.”
Gabriel looked toward the clinic.
“You happy?”
I considered the question.
“I’m busy.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“I know.”
I looked through the windows.
Nurses.
Patients.
People getting help.
Then at Gabriel.
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“Good.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“That sounded suspiciously like you care.”
“Don’t spread rumors.”
I laughed.
Then a black SUV stopped nearby.
Marco stepped out.
His face immediately told me something was wrong.
“Gabriel.”
Gabriel straightened.
“What happened?”
“Cross.”
My smile disappeared.
“What about him?”
Marco looked at both of us.
“He escaped federal custody forty minutes ago.”
Gabriel’s entire demeanor changed.
“Where?”
“We don’t know.”
I looked through the clinic windows.
Patients.
Nurses.
Claire coming next week.
Gabriel turned to me.
“Go home.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“You found me in a flooded station because I didn’t run.”
“This is different.”
“How?”
“Because this time…”
His eyes locked on mine.
May you like
“He’s coming for you.”
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