Chapter 13 - Fire Below
Smoke filled the basement corridor within four minutes.
The fire had started inside the hospital's data center.
That was no coincidence.
Damian ordered the entire maternity wing sealed while firefighters moved downstairs.
Khloe watched black smoke appear outside the lower windows.
“The recording.”
Marcus already knew.
“If the physical server burns, we lose the certified original.”
Khloe looked toward him.
“Then Warren wins the vote.”
“Maybe.”
Marcus turned toward Damian.
“Was the footage copied anywhere outside the hospital?”
“Standard cloud backups.”
“They were deleted.”
“What about local emergency redundancy?”
Damian looked at the security director.
The man hesitated.
“There is one.”
“Where?”
“On the same floor as the fire.”
Marcus moved toward the door.
Khloe grabbed his sleeve.
“No.”
“I have to go.”
“Firefighters are already there.”
“They don't know what they're looking for.”
Damian stepped forward.
“I do.”
Marcus shook his head.
“You stay with Khloe.”
Damian stared at him.
For all his anger toward Marcus, he understood what the younger man was doing.
Marcus was not trying to save his company.
He was trying to save evidence of the attack against his wife.
“I'll send security with you.”
Marcus nodded.
He kissed Khloe's forehead.
“I'll come back.”
She held his face.
“You'd better.”
The smoke was worse downstairs.
Marcus followed two firefighters and a hospital IT engineer into the secondary server corridor.
Water rained from overhead sprinklers.
The main data room was already burning.
The engineer pointed toward a steel cabinet.
“Redundant recorder.”
The path was blocked by fallen ceiling material.
Firefighters began clearing it.
Then Marcus saw movement.
A man in maintenance clothing ran through a side door carrying a black server case.
“Stop!”
The man sprinted.
Marcus followed.
Security raced behind him.
They reached the loading dock.
The suspect threw the case into a waiting sedan.
The car accelerated away before the gate could close.
Marcus stared after it.
“He took the backup.”
One security officer checked surveillance.
“We got the plate.”
The plate was stolen.
Of course it was.
Marcus returned upstairs soaked and covered in soot.
Khloe looked at him.
“Gone?”
Marcus nodded.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she looked at Isabella.
Isabella had been moved to a secure interview room under police supervision.
“She saw the video.”
Marcus understood.
“Her testimony.”
“Exactly.”
Damian shook his head.
“She'll lie.”
“Then give her a reason not to.”
Khloe requested to speak with Isabella.
Everyone objected.
Again.
Khloe insisted.
Isabella entered wearing hospital-issued clothing after police had confiscated her crimson gown as evidence.
She looked smaller now.
But the hatred in her eyes remained.
Khloe stared at her.
“You tried to kill my baby.”
Isabella smiled weakly.
“You can't prove it.”
“No?”
“The footage burned.”
Khloe's eyes narrowed.
“You know that very quickly.”
Isabella's smile disappeared.
Khloe leaned forward.
“Warren is destroying evidence.”
“He's also destroying people.”
“You're next.”
For the first time, Isabella looked afraid.
“He promised me protection.”
Khloe almost pitied her.
“Elaine was promised protection too.”
“Then she was tied to a chair.”
“Natalie was promised something too.”
“She'll probably spend decades in prison.”
Khloe moved closer.
“What exactly makes you think Warren plans to leave the only person who physically attacked me alive?”
Isabella stared at her.
Her breathing changed.
Marcus watched from behind the glass.
Khloe delivered the final blow.
“Help us.”
“And you might survive the man you helped create.”
Isabella looked toward the camera.
Then toward the police detective.
Finally, she whispered.
“I kept a copy.”
Khloe went still.
“Of what?”
“The video.”
Marcus entered.
“How?”
Isabella looked at him.
“Because Warren told me to record the attack myself.”
May you like
She slowly smiled.
“And unlike Warren, I never delete my insurance.”
