Chapter 8 - Someone Inside the Hospital
Dr. Brooks stepped into the archive.
Rachel backed away.
“You?”
Brooks looked confused.
Then saw the photograph.
His face drained.
“I didn't leave that.”
“You called my name.”
“I followed you.”
Rachel didn't know whom to believe anymore.
Brooks produced his phone.
He had received a message telling him Rachel was in danger.
Before they could investigate, alarms sounded upstairs.
Fire.
Smoke filled the east wing.
Rachel ran toward Room 412.
Caleb was missing.
His bed was empty.
The window remained closed.
No blood.
No struggle.
Only one word written across the whiteboard.
PIER.
Rachel knew.
Pier Nine.
The location from the kidnapper's demand.
Enzo gathered his men.
Rachel insisted on coming.
“You're a nurse,” he said.
“He's my patient.”
“He's also Caleb Rossi.”
“Tonight he's both.”
At Pier Nine, they found Caleb tied to a chair inside an abandoned warehouse.
Marco stood beside him.
Isabella stood opposite.
She looked older than the photographs but unmistakably related to Caleb.
Same eyes.
Same stubborn mouth.
A scar disappeared beneath her collar.
Marco smiled when Rachel entered.
“Daniel's daughter.”
Isabella aimed a gun at Caleb.
Rachel stepped forward.
“Your brother didn't kill your family.”
Isabella's hand trembled.
“Don't.”
“Marco did.”
“Don't!”
Rachel told her about Daniel.
About the recording.
About the ledger.
Marco laughed.
“She's manipulating you.”
Rachel looked at Isabella.
“My father died trying to save you. Why would he do that if Caleb was the enemy?”
Isabella's eyes flickered.
Marco raised his gun.
Caleb shouted.
Isabella turned.
The shot fired.
She fell.
Rachel ran.
The bullet had entered Isabella's abdomen.
Blood spread rapidly.
Rachel pressed both hands over the wound.
“Stay with me.”
Isabella stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because that's what I do.”
Caleb broke free with Enzo's help.
Marco escaped during the chaos.
Rachel stabilized Isabella until paramedics arrived.
At Harbor Mercy, surgeons saved her.
When Isabella woke, Caleb sat beside her.
Neither knew what to say.
Rachel left them alone.
In the corridor, Brooks approached.
“You did it again.”
“What?”
“Refused to let a Rossi die.”
Rachel smiled tiredly.
Then Brooks handed her Daniel's recovered videotape.
“We cleaned the audio.”
Rachel's heart accelerated.
They played the damaged section.
Daniel's voice emerged.
“Marco reports to someone inside Harbor Mercy. Someone I trusted.”
Static.
Then the restored name.
Rachel listened.
Her blood turned cold.
Daniel said:
“Dr. Harrison Brooks.”
Rachel slowly turned.
May you like
Brooks was standing directly behind her.
And the door had just locked.
