The calm before something
Chapter 43: The Calm Before Something
Amara Queen should have known better.
Years of education.
Years of experience.
Years of observing human behavior.
All of it should have prepared her for one simple fact.
The people around her were insufferable.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The nurse who had interrupted her office spent the rest of the day avoiding eye contact.
Immediately.
The betrayal.
The self-preservation betrayal.
Undefeated.
Because apparently the entire clinic had decided that Dr. Queen and Lorenzo Vitale were now a source of entertainment.
An unacceptable development.
A completely unacceptable development.
Amara rounded a corner and immediately stopped.
Three nurses scattered.
Instantly.
Like startled pigeons.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The surgeon narrowed her eyes.
Dangerously.
"What were you talking about?"
Silence.
Immediate silence.
The nurses looked at one another.
Then at the floor.
Then at the ceiling.
Anywhere except her.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Finally one spoke.
Bravely.
Foolishly.
"We like him."
The audacity.
The complete audacity.
Amara stared.
Then stared harder.
"You don't know him."
The nurse smiled.
Immediately.
The traitor.
The complete traitor.
"He brings you food."
Silence.
"He remembers your coffee order."
Another pause.
"He looks at you like you're magic."
Absolute silence.
Amara walked away.
Immediately.
Because murder remained illegal.
Unfortunately.
Across the city, Lorenzo was suffering similarly.
One of his captains entered his office carrying reports.
Important reports.
Business reports.
War reports.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The man placed them on Lorenzo's desk.
Then hesitated.
A mistake.
A terrible mistake.
"What."
The captain swallowed.
Hard.
"You seem happier."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The room froze.
Immediately.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Lorenzo slowly looked up.
Dangerously.
The captain regretted his existence.
Reasonably.
Very reasonably.
Then Lorenzo surprised himself.
Because instead of threatening him...
Instead of glaring...
Instead of throwing him out...
He smiled.
A little.
Just a little.
The captain looked horrified.
Actually horrified.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Because somehow that was worse.
Much worse.
Several hours later...
Lorenzo found himself standing in the underground hospital.
Again.
The facility had become one of his favorite places.
Not because of the equipment.
Not because of the security.
Not because of the secret operating rooms.
Because Amara was there.
The realization was deeply embarrassing.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
He found her inside one of the surgical suites reviewing inventory.
Of course she was.
The woman genuinely enjoyed inventory.
A concerning development.
Very concerning.
She didn't notice him immediately.
Also concerning.
Because normally she noticed everything.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Lorenzo leaned against the doorway.
Watching.
The betrayal.
The staring betrayal.
Undefeated.
Eventually Amara looked up.
Then immediately frowned.
"What."
The question came automatically now.
Like breathing.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Lorenzo smiled.
Immediately.
The traitor.
The complete traitor.
"I wanted to see you."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Amara froze.
Just slightly.
Just enough.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The honesty caught her off guard.
Because there was no game.
No flirting.
No clever remark.
Just truth.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
The surgeon adjusted her glasses.
Immediately.
The universal sign of emotional distress.
Lorenzo's smile widened.
The traitor.
Amara pointed toward a clipboard.
Desperately changing the subject.
Professionally.
Naturally.
"Look at this."
Silence.
Immediate silence.
Lorenzo walked over.
Obediently.
A concerning development.
Very concerning.
He looked down.
Inventory numbers.
Equipment lists.
Medical supplies.
Interesting.
Very boring.
"What am I looking at?"
Amara pointed.
Immediately.
"The numbers are wrong."
Silence.
Lorenzo stared.
Then stared harder.
Because all the numbers looked exactly the same.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The surgeon sighed.
Immediately.
The universal sound of disappointment.
Again.
A recurring problem.
"Someone misplaced six boxes of surgical gloves."
Absolute silence.
Lorenzo blinked.
Once.
Slowly.
"That's what we're worried about?"
The look Amara gave him was devastating.
Absolutely devastating.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The king immediately surrendered.
Reasonably.
Very reasonably.
Then suddenly—
Every light in the room flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then steadied.
Silence.
Immediate silence.
Both froze.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Because after bombs...
After shooters...
After war...
Nobody trusted flickering lights anymore.
The atmosphere shifted.
Dangerously.
Amara looked toward the ceiling.
Then toward Lorenzo.
Then toward the door.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
A moment later one of the engineers burst inside.
Breathing hard.
Panicked.
The usual.
"What."
Amara asked.
The engineer pointed toward the security monitors.
Immediately.
"They're seeing someone."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Lorenzo's expression changed.
The king returned.
Instantly.
"Who."
The engineer swallowed.
Hard.
"We don't know."
A pause.
"She's been walking around the property for twenty minutes."
Another pause.
"Just... watching."
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The room became very quiet.
Because everybody knew exactly who "she" was.
Victoria Moreau.
And for the first time since their meeting...
The specialist had come to them.
Which meant one thing.
The game had finally begun.
End Chapter 43