Chapter 2 - The Red Route
I called my security detail from the elevator.
“Lenox Hill. Pediatric floor.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Get someone there before me.”
There was a pause. “Medical emergency?”
“My son.”
That was enough. The elevator doors opened, and I was already running. Rain had turned Manhattan into a blur of headlights and gray glass. Traffic was barely moving. My driver tried using the siren. It did nothing.
“Side street.”
“Sir, that's—”
“Take it.”
He did. My phone never left my hand. I called the hospital.
“This is Colonel Gabriel Moretti. My son, Daniel Moretti, was brought in by ambulance.”
“One moment, Colonel.”
I hated those words. One moment. People only said one moment when your entire world was waiting on the other side.
Finally, a physician came on. “Colonel Moretti, I'm Dr. Levin. Your son is stable.”
I closed my eyes. Stable. Not safe. Stable.
“What happened?”
“He arrived in respiratory distress. We administered epinephrine and oxygen. He responded. We're running tests now.”
“Was it an allergy?”
“Possibly. We're not certain yet.”
“Is he conscious?”
“Sleeping. His oxygen level is improving.”
I should have felt relief. Instead, something in the doctor's voice bothered me. A hesitation.
“What aren't you telling me?”
Silence. Then—
“There was an incident on the pediatric floor.”
My entire body changed. Training took over. “What kind of incident?”
“Security is handling it.”
“That wasn't my question.”
Another pause. “One hospital security officer was assaulted outside a restricted corridor.”
I stared through the rain. “Lock down the pediatric floor.”
“Colonel—”
“No one gets near my son unless you personally authorize it. No visitors. No unidentified staff. Nobody.”
“We have procedures—”
“My security detail is three minutes away.”
May you like
I ended the call. My driver looked at me through the mirror. “Sir?”
“Faster.”
