The private specialist wing of Aurelia City Hospital smelled aggressively of industrial antiseptic and floor wax. Unlike the chaotic emergency wards on the lower levels, this floor was quiet, its wide hallways lined with polished wood paneling and muted lighting designed to give the city's wealthiest patients the illusion of a luxury hotel.
Jake walked with a steady, deliberate stride, his leather-soled shoes tapping a quiet rhythm against the linoleum. Behind him, Elias kept a measured distance, his sharp eyes scanning the nurse stations and intersecting corridors with practiced, silent vigilance.
Before heading to the recovery suites where Aliya was being kept, Jake turned down a secondary hallway toward the consulting offices. He stopped in front of a heavy oak door bearing a frosted glass pane: Dr. Julian Mercer, Chief of Neurology.
