eafening. Beep-

would have been impossible

anchoring his head. With her right hand, she drove the firs

ed. A spasm ran t

he felt for the base of his skull, finding the Fen

p. T

deep, twisting them sligh

ned into heavy thuds. They were using a r

pered, sweat beadin

he vibration traveled down the metal shaft, sending a micr

hed the

..

arrogant basta

5

2

0

turned green. The frantic bee

ac

r lock

d, pulling the needles out in one fluid motion.

as's chest, grabbing the l

wake up!" she wa

erine, Dr. Hamilton, and

her son. She shrieked. "Get

ng a handful of Mia's hair

urying her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. She w

cart!" Dr. Hamilton yelled

r the paddles

He tapped

n saturation: 98%. Bl

ectly, impos

y sound was the steady beep..

ump of Mia's hair still in h

ispered. "Is the

"No... no, it's reading correctly. He's... he's b

she stammered, her voice trembling. "I saw him stop breat

atient doesn't reverse bradycardia

inst the floor ti

rs old, bent with age, but his eyes were sharp as diamonds. He looked at t

s he analyzed the data on the screen. "His vitals spiked the mo

olding. She fell to her knees beside

t." He pointed a gnarled finger at Mia. "You. You stay. Yo

m clear

He looked at her tear-stained face, th

th something that wasn't gratitude. It was hun

oor c

She slowly stood up. She wiped her f

cas was breathing deeply now,

life, Lucas,"

eedle marks. They were invis

e back of her neck stood

rner of the ceiling, a small red l

h

ge frame by frame, they mi

perfected in the favelas of Rio, she palmed the magnet. She walked casually toward the corner of the room, pretending to inspect the crown molding. When she was directly under the camera, she reached up, as if stret

mera, it looked like a devoted wife holding her husband's hand. In reality, her fingers w