Chapter 5 - The Night Harbor Mercy Locked Down
Harbor Mercy looked normal from outside.
Inside, chaos had already begun.
Elena entered through the staff entrance with Lucian and Matteo behind her.
Charge nurse Danielle Price rushed toward them.
“Elena? What are you doing here?”
“Where is everyone?”
“We're transferring patients from the west wing. Someone triggered the fire alarm.”
“It's not a fire.”
Danielle stared at Lucian.
“Who is he?”
“A patient.”
Lucian raised an eyebrow.
Elena added, “A difficult one.”
Matteo almost smiled.
The lights flickered.
Lucian's expression changed.
“Power?”
“Backup generators,” Elena said.
Matteo checked his phone.
“Security cameras just went down.”
Lucian looked at Elena.
“Stay with Danielle.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“Stop trying.”
Danielle looked between them.
“How long have you two known each other?”
“Two days,” Elena said.
Danielle blinked.
“That somehow makes this worse.”
A crash echoed from downstairs.
Matteo moved toward the stairwell.
Lucian followed.
Elena grabbed his arm.
“Your stitches.”
“Still there.”
“That's not reassuring.”
“Stay here.”
“Lucian—”
He looked at her.
Not commanding.
Asking.
“Please.”
That stopped her.
Elena nodded.
“Fine.”
Lucian disappeared downstairs.
Danielle whispered, “Who exactly did you bring into my hospital?”
Elena sighed.
“You don't want the long version.”
Ten minutes passed.
Then fifteen.
Patients were moved behind locked doors.
Police surrounded the building.
Elena was helping an elderly man into a wheelchair when she heard footsteps.
A stranger wearing hospital scrubs entered.
Wrong shoes.
Wrong ID placement.
Elena froze.
The man smiled.
“Elena Marsh?”
She pushed the wheelchair behind her.
“No.”
“You're coming with me.”
He reached toward her.
Danielle slammed an emergency cart between them.
“Run!”
Elena didn't.
She grabbed the fire extinguisher and triggered it.
A white cloud filled the corridor.
The man stumbled backward.
Security officers rushed in.
Elena pulled Danielle behind the nurses' station.
“You okay?”
Danielle coughed.
“You have incredibly complicated friends.”
“You have no idea.”
Then Lucian appeared through the haze.
His eyes found Elena immediately.
“Elena.”
“I'm fine.”
He reached her.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Certain?”
“Lucian.”
He stopped.
“I'm fine.”
He exhaled.
Matteo appeared behind him.
“We got Salerno.”
Elena stared.
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
Lucian looked almost disappointed.
“Unfortunately.”
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because dead men don't testify.”
Matteo smiled.
“She really does understand you.”
Lucian looked at Elena.
“She understands consequences.”
By dawn, Victor Salerno was in federal custody.
Garrett's records connected him to Salerno's network.
Anthony Bellini was arrested before he could leave the state.
The conspiracy that had nearly killed Lucian collapsed in less than forty-eight hours.
Elena stood outside Harbor Mercy watching sunrise spill between the buildings.
Lucian joined her.
“You should be resting.”
“So should you.”
“I hate resting.”
“I noticed.”
Silence settled between them.
Then Lucian said, “Garrett can't reach you again.”
Elena looked at him.
“Don't promise things you can't control.”
“I can control quite a lot.”
“That sounded very mafia boss.”
“It happens.”
She smiled.
Lucian became serious.
“What will you do now?”
Elena considered the question.
For fourteen months, every decision had been about hiding.
Now she didn't know.
“Maybe stop running.”
“Good.”
“Maybe use my real name again.”
“Better.”
She studied him.
“And you?”
“Recover.”
“Then?”
Lucian's gaze stayed on her.
“I was thinking about finding a nurse.”
Elena laughed.
“You can't afford me.”
“I've been told I'm reasonably successful.”
“Still can't afford me.”
Lucian smiled.
For the first time, Elena saw what his face looked like without pain, danger, or calculation.
It changed him.
May you like
And that frightened her in an entirely different way.
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