Chapter 4 - The Confrontation at the Clinic
The St. Jude Free Clinic was a haven for the city's poorest residents, located in the heart of the working-class district. When Killian’s convoy arrived, the waiting room was filled with tense energy. Two state inspectors in gray suits stood by the reception desk, while Dr. Aldis Pike stood in the center of the room, looking immaculate in his designer suit and white lab coat, lecturing the clinic’s head doctor.
"This facility does not meet the sterile requirements for outpatient procedures," Pike was saying, his voice dripping with condescension. "I will be recommending an immediate revocation of your operating license."
The door opened, and the room went dead silent. Killian Vance walked in, his presence commanding the space instantly. Beside him, dressed in a sharp, elegant navy dress Killian had bought for her, was Dileia.
Pike turned, a smirk forming on his face as he recognized Killian. "Ah, Mr. Vance. The man who hides behind anonymous donations. I was just telling your staff—"
Pike’s eyes suddenly shifted to Dileia. The smirk froze. His face went pale, a flash of genuine panic crossing his features before he forced his professional mask back into place. "Hartwell? What are you doing here? You were dismissed from Mercy for gross negligence. Security, remove this woman."
"Nobody touches her," Killian said. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a terrifying weight that made the inspectors freeze. He walked forward, his heavy steps echoing on the linoleum floor until he was standing inches from Pike. Killian towered over the doctor, his gray eyes burning with an icy rage.
"Dr. Pike," Killian murmured. "You are standing in a building I own, speaking to doctors I employ. And you are insulting the woman who currently manages my personal healthcare."
Pike swallowed hard, adjusting his tie. "Mr. Vance, you may control the docks, but you do not control the medical board. This woman altered a patient's chart, causing a fatal incident. She is a liability."
"Is that so?" Dileia stepped forward, her heart pounding, but her voice was rock solid. She pulled a digital tablet from her bag—a tablet containing files Killian’s cyber team had retrieved from Mercy Hospital’s encrypted backup servers two nights prior. "Then explain why the original digital timestamp shows your electronic signature on the potassium order at 2:14 AM, Dr. Pike. Three hours before I even clocked in for my shift."
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Pike stared at the screen, his eyes widening. "That... that's a fabrication! You hacked the system!"
"No," Killian said, leaning in close, his voice a lethal whisper that only Pike could hear. "I bought the system, Aldis. I bought the hospital’s majority debt yesterday morning. You don't work for the board anymore. You work for me. And your first assignment is to listen to your superior."
