Chapter 2 - The Doctor Who Vanished
Dr. Mercer was placed in the east guest room under guard.
Victor objected immediately.
“You’re treating him like a prisoner.”
Dante sat behind his desk.
“He can leave when I know what he’s been injecting into me.”
“You think a doctor poisoned you?”
“I think three people reacted to that device before I said a word.”
Victor crossed his arms.
“Me included?”
“Yes.”
“That’s insulting.”
“So is lying.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
Dante watched him carefully.
Fourteen years.
That was how long Victor had stood beside him.
Fourteen years of wars, funerals, betrayals, and deals.
Dante wanted to believe him.
That made Victor more dangerous, not less.
Marco entered.
“Boss.”
“What did you find?”
“Dr. Shaw never moved overseas.”
Dante’s eyes narrowed.
Victor turned.
“What?”
Marco continued.
“She resigned from St. Gabriel’s four months ago. No forwarding address. Her apartment was cleared out.”
“Bank activity?”
“Minimal. Cash withdrawals stopped three months ago.”
Dante looked at Victor.
Victor said, “That could mean anything.”
Marco shook his head.
“There’s more.”
He placed a photograph on Dante’s desk.
It showed a woman leaving a small grocery store.
“Taken yesterday.”
Dante leaned forward.
“That’s Shaw.”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Vermont.”
Dante looked at Marco.
“Bring her here.”
Victor stepped closer.
“You want to abduct a doctor?”
“Invite her.”
“And if she refuses?”
Dante’s expression didn’t change.
“Ask why.”
Victor stared at him.
Dante held his gaze.
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Victor left.
Marco waited until the door closed.
Then he said quietly:
“I don’t trust him.”
Dante looked at him.
“You didn’t trust Victor before?”
“No.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You trusted him.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
Marco lowered his voice.
“After the crash, he changed.”
“How?”
“Stopped asking what you wanted.”
Marco paused.
“Started telling everyone what you wanted.”
Dante said nothing.
That evening, Rachel brought Lily to the greenhouse.
Dante was studying the hidden injector.
Lily pointed toward his ankle.
“Did it ring again?”
“No.”
She frowned.
“Maybe it’s tired.”
Dante almost smiled.
Rachel remained near the door.
“Mr. Bellucci?”
“Yes?”
“Should Lily stay away for a few days?”
“Why?”
Rachel hesitated.
“Because something is happening here.”
Dante looked at her.
“Something has been happening for seven months.”
She swallowed.
“I don’t want her in danger.”
“She found what none of us saw.”
“That’s exactly what scares me.”
Dante became serious.
“She will be protected.”
Rachel looked at him.
“Can you promise that?”
Dante didn’t answer immediately.
Then:
“Yes.”
The following afternoon, Dr. Evelyn Shaw arrived.
She entered the library with two guards behind her.
Dante saw the fear in her face.
“Dr. Shaw.”
She stopped.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
“That makes two of us.”
She looked at the wheelchair.
Then at the guards.
“I left because I was threatened.”
“By whom?”
She glanced toward Marco.
Dante understood.
“Everyone in this room answers to me.”
Shaw laughed bitterly.
“That’s what you think.”
Dante’s expression hardened.
“Explain.”
She opened her bag.
Inside were medical files.
“I reviewed your scans six months ago.”
“I remember.”
“You were injured badly.”
“So Mercer was right?”
“Partially.”
Dante leaned forward.
“What does that mean?”
Shaw placed a scan on the table.
“You had significant trauma. But there were preserved neural pathways.”
Dante stared.
“Could I have walked again?”
“With aggressive rehabilitation?”
She hesitated.
“Possibly.”
The room went silent.
Dante’s hands tightened around the armrests.
“How possibly?”
“Not guaranteed. But enough that I refused to support a diagnosis of permanent paralysis.”
Dante spoke slowly.
“And Mercer?”
“He insisted your function would never return.”
“Why did you leave?”
Shaw looked directly at him.
“Because two days after I disagreed with him, someone broke into my apartment.”
Dante said nothing.
“They didn’t take jewelry.”
She pulled out a photograph.
It showed a blood-red envelope on a kitchen table.
Inside was one message.
CHANGE YOUR DIAGNOSIS.
“Who sent it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Victor?”
“I never saw a face.”
Dante looked toward Marco.
“Bring Mercer.”
Ten minutes later, Mercer entered.
He saw Shaw.
He stopped.
Dante noticed the reaction.
“Surprised?”
Mercer regained control.
“I thought Dr. Shaw had relocated.”
“She did.”
Shaw’s voice was cold.
“After someone threatened me.”
Mercer frowned.
“That’s unfortunate.”
Dante almost laughed.
“Unfortunate?”
He picked up the injector.
“Tell me what’s in this.”
Mercer stared at it.
“I already told you.”
“You lied.”
“I didn’t.”
Shaw stepped closer.
“Give it to me.”
Mercer snapped, “Don’t touch that.”
Too fast.
Too emotional.
Everyone noticed.
Dante extended it toward Shaw.
She examined the chamber.
Then looked at Mercer.
“What did you do?”
Mercer went pale.
“What is it?” Dante asked.
Shaw looked at him.
“A high-dose neuromuscular suppressant.”
The room became completely silent.
Dante’s voice dropped.
“What does it do?”
“In repeated doses?”
“Yes.”
“It can reduce muscle response. Cause profound weakness. Interfere with rehabilitation.”
Dante stared at Mercer.
“Could it make damaged legs look permanently useless?”
Shaw hesitated.
“Yes.”
Mercer backed toward the door.
Marco blocked him.
Dante’s expression went cold.
“Who ordered it?”
Mercer said nothing.
Dante leaned forward.
“Doctor.”
Mercer looked toward the window.
Then whispered:
“I didn’t start this.”
Dante’s eyes narrowed.
“Who did?”
May you like
Mercer swallowed.
“Victor.”
