Room 414 smelled of iodine and old flowers. Dana, the night nurse, set down the morning chart and stopped cold. Mara was already there, her administrator badge catching the light, her lanyard crooked like she'd dressed in a hurry. In the bed lay Eli Voss, oxygen tube under his nose, eyes half open. "You shouldn't be in here," Dana said. Mara didn't move. "We need to talk before he wakes up."

Eli's hand twitched on the blanket. His cracked lips moved. "Dana," he whispered, ignoring Mara completely. "You're the only one I trust here. Come close." Dana leaned in. Mara stiffened, suddenly afraid of what this dying man might say.

"There's a flash drive," Eli breathed. "Taped under the third drawer in this room. Everything's on it. Names, dates, the meds." His grip tightened on Dana's wrist. "Promise me you'll get it out of this building." Behind them, Mara had gone very pale.

Mara dove for the drawer first. She and Dana collided, knocking the flower vase off the tray. It shattered, water everywhere. "You will not destroy me over a man who's already dying!" Mara shouted. The noise brought footsteps pounding down the hall toward 414.

Two nurses and a security guard burst in to find broken glass, spilled water, and the administrator on her knees by an open drawer. "It's taped under there," Dana said, pointing. "That's the evidence Mr. Voss wanted protected." The guard reached past Mara and pulled the drive free. Mara's career ended on the floor of Room 414.