Dana yanked her arm free. "He's my patient." She turned the oxygen up and called the code in over the intercom. Mara backed into the corner as nurses flooded the room. In the rush, the folded report slipped from Mara's blazer and fluttered to the floor at Dana's feet.

For one ugly second Dana hesitated, Mara's hand still on her arm. Then she shook her head. "No. I don't trade lives." She broke loose and worked the crash cart. But the pause had cost precious seconds. The monitor flatlined, and the long flat tone filled the room. Eli was gone, and his secret had almost died with him.