Chapter 2 - THE MAN WHO WASN'T SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE
At St. Catherine's Medical Center, Gabriel was rushed into the emergency department.
His condition was critical.
The emergency team treated his low oxygen level, evaluated him for sepsis, and ordered urgent imaging of his spine.
I gave the attending physician every detail I had.
The gunshot wound.
The private clinic.
The unexplained second incision.
The worsening weakness in his legs.
And the fever.
Dr. Eleanor Brooks, the emergency physician, listened carefully.
Then asked:
“Do you have the operative report?”
I shook my head.
“Only the discharge summary.”
She frowned.
“That's not enough.”
I agreed.
Two hours later, the MRI results changed everything.
A collection of infected fluid was pressing against Gabriel's spinal cord.
The neurosurgeon, Dr. Samuel Reed, reviewed the images.
His expression darkened.
“This looks like a postoperative epidural abscess.”
Luca stared.
“What does that mean?”
Dr. Reed turned toward him.
“It means there's an infection near the spinal cord. The pressure may explain his progressive weakness.”
I swallowed.
“Can it be treated?”
“We need to move quickly.”
Gabriel required emergency surgery.
But before the team could take him upstairs, Dr. Reed noticed something unusual on the imaging.
A small metallic object.
Located near the infected area.
He enlarged the image.
Then looked at me.
“Was there supposed to be any implanted hardware?”
“No.”
He studied the screen.
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“Then we need to find out what that is.”
And suddenly, the second scar was no longer the only mystery.
