yes remained locked on the spot where the curtain had fallen. The sound of

ing the white fabric and ripping it a

s shouted orders, and monitors beeped in a chaotic symphony. Elmore's large fra

ion. Kendal was standing with her back to him, her head

d. He stopped exactly three feet behind her, terrified t

came out as a harsh, scraped wh

eys. The blue light from the monitor illum

ve key, reached down, and pulled her ho

cal mask down to her chin. Her face was older, the soft edges of

er irises, looking for a flicker of pain, a spark of anger,

ook a deliberate, physical step to the side, putting more

Elmore's gut. The absolute detachment in her posture

ed to speak, the words tumbling out in a rushed, desperate mess as he

eld her palm flat out toward his ch

r. Thomas that this was a professional en

Elmore like a physi

ply room. He noticed the rigid tension in Kendal's shoulders and stopped. He stepped

d his vision. His hands curled into fists at his sides, the knuckles t

s melted instantly. She gave the resident a soft, reassuri

ng out in front of her-ignited a sick, burning jea

orner of the station was isolated again. The air bet

ing growl. He demanded to know where she had been for eight

xpensive coat and asked if the blood money he had drai

of Elmore's soul. The guilt of his origina

o prove to his fractured mind that she was actually stand

k. Her upper lip curled in a viscer

f he touched her again, she would ha

nes. His tall frame swayed slightly. He felt as i

he hall, shouting for the father of the pa

her heel and walked toward the intensive care double d

rms of the medical machines blared around him, but all h