Chapter 4 - The Device Under His Skin
Adrian hated anesthesia.
Not because of pain.
Because control disappeared.
Dr. Elena Maren explained the procedure twice.
An electrophysiologist, Dr. Samuel Lee, would implant the defibrillator beneath Adrian’s left upper chest, away from the healing shoulder wound as anatomy allowed.
It would monitor dangerous rhythms.
If necessary, it could deliver therapy.
“It does not make you immortal,” Elena said.
“I wasn’t confused.”
“It does not mean you can ignore medication.”
“I heard.”
“It does not mean you can run from hospital to shoot people.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Specific.”
“You require specific.”
Then genetic counseling.
Blood was drawn.
His father’s sudden death at forty-five.
An uncle at fifty-one.
Now Adrian’s arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.
Possible inherited variant.
Lily might eventually need testing if a causative variant was identified.
That frightened him more than incision.
“Can I have caused this?”
Elena stared.
“You mean genetically?”
“Yes.”
“You do not choose genes.”
He almost laughed at being told something so obvious.
Then:
“If she has it?”
“We screen. We manage risk. We do not predict tragedy from one test.”
No fatalism.
Good.
The procedure went well.
No complication.
His shoulder wound remained painful.
The device site hurt.
For one night he slept almost normally.
Then Sarah came.
Alone.
Not with Lily.
Adrian woke to find her standing near window.
Three years had changed her.
Not dramatically.
A few lines around eyes.
Hair shorter.
Same expression she wore when she had once told him to stay away.
“You look terrible.”
“Everyone says.”
“Vincent said you nearly signed yourself out.”
“Vincent talks too much.”
“He also told me about cardiomyopathy.”
Adrian watched her.
“You asked?”
“Yes.”
“Are you angry?”
“I haven’t decided.”
She sat.
Then:
“Lily asked me today if the police came because of her father.”
“What did you say?”
“I said no. I said unsafe adults made bad choices.”
“Good.”
“She asked if you have a name.”
Adrian could not speak for a second.
“What did you tell her?”
“Adrian.”
No Daddy.
Right.
“She asked if you’re real.”
His eyes closed.
Sarah’s voice softened.
“I showed her one photograph.”
“Which?”
“You at twenty-eight. Before everything got worse.”
“Very flattering.”
“You had hair.”
“I still have hair.”
“Debatable.”
He smiled.
First time around her in years.
Then she stopped smiling.
“Why did you watch us?”
Adrian knew this was coming.
“Because I wanted to know she was safe.”
“You paid men.”
“Yes.”
“To photograph?”
“I told them no intrusive photographs.”
“That is not answer.”
“Some photographs were taken for reports.”
“You have pictures of my daughter I never consented to.”
“Yes.”
Sarah’s eyes filled with anger.
“That is not love.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“I spent three years thinking I was the one deciding what distance looked like. You were still standing across streets.”
“I did it myself twice.”
“More than twice.”
Adrian looked away.
She knew.
Sarah continued:
“I saw you outside grocery store when she was eighteen months.”
His head snapped back.
“You saw me?”
“Yes.”
“You never said.”
“I wanted to see whether you would come over.”
“Why?”
“To know if you could keep promise.”
Adrian’s chest tightened.
“I didn’t.”
“No.”
“Did that matter?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because part of me wanted you to fail.”
That surprised him.
Sarah looked down.
“I was exhausted. Angry. Alone. You were standing fifty yards away in a black coat pretending you weren’t her father.”
“I thought I was protecting you.”
“I know.”
“Were you?”
“Maybe from some things. Not from loneliness.”
He accepted.
Then:
“I’m sorry.”
Sarah laughed bitterly.
“You don’t get three years back with sorry.”
“I know.”
“Stop saying you know.”
“Fine.”
Silence.
Then she reached into bag.
Another drawing.
This one showed:
Sarah.
Lily.
A gray figure with a face now.
Two black dots.
One crooked smile.
Below it:
ADRIAN.
“She drew after seeing photo.”
Adrian held paper.
“She gave me a nose.”
“Be grateful.”
He smiled despite tears.
Then Sarah said:
“The therapist can meet us Friday.”
“Here?”
“No.”
“Where?”
“Family center near my apartment.”
“What time?”
“Four.”
“I’ll be there.”
“If your doctor clears.”
He looked toward monitor.
Sarah:
“And no Vincent.”
“He’ll be outside.”
“No.”
“Sarah, threat—”
“Police know location. Center has security. Detective Reynolds approved plan.”
Adrian hated it.
Then remembered promise.
“Okay.”
Sarah studied him.
“You’re really cooperating with federal investigators?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Enough.”
“That isn’t answer.”
“I don’t know where it ends.”
“Prison?”
“Possible.”
She closed eyes.
“You finally meet her and then disappear again.”
“I may.”
“That could be worse.”
“I know.”
She glared.
He stopped.
“Sorry.”
Then:
“Should I wait?”
Sarah considered.
“No.”
That surprised him.
“Why?”
“Because children can survive honest absence better than mysterious absence.”
He looked at drawing.
A face.
Then Sarah stood.
“One meeting. We see how she does.”
“Sarah.”
“What?”
“Thank you.”
She paused.
“This isn’t for you.”
“I know.”
She almost smiled.
Then left.
Two hours later Vincent entered.
“Volkov’s people are moving money.”
Adrian looked at him.
“Give it to FBI.”
Vincent stopped.
“All of it?”
“Threat-related intelligence. Yes.”
“You are serious about this.”
“Yes.”
“Where does that leave us?”
Adrian looked down at device bandage beneath hospital gown.
“With fewer options than we had yesterday.”
Vincent sat.
“Boss, I’ve done things for you.”
“I know.”
“Things federal agents will ask about.”
“I know.”
“You planning to give them me too?”
Adrian met his eyes.
“No lies. No sacrifice stories. If they ask what you did, I won’t invent innocence.”
Vincent’s jaw flexed.
“That’s not exactly loyalty.”
“No.”
“What is it?”
Adrian looked toward Lily’s drawing.
May you like
“Maybe the first honest thing I’ve offered you.”
Continue to the next chapter: Adrian survived the ICD procedure and Sarah agreed to one carefully controlled meeting with Lily, but Vincent now understood that Adrian’s cooperation could send both of them to prison—and loyalty would no longer mean lying for each other.
