Chapter 4 - “Then Sit”
The crash brought security running.
Within seconds, workers surrounded the fallen tool case.
Mercer pushed through them.
“What happened?”
Gabriel kept his cap low.
“Case fell.”
“From where?”
Gabriel pointed upward.
Mercer looked toward Platform Seven.
“Nobody's assigned up there.”
“Exactly.”
Mercer's face tightened.
Madison approached.
“You okay?”
Gabriel nodded.
She looked at the crater the case had made in a cardboard pallet.
“If that hit you—”
“It didn't.”
Mercer ordered everyone back to work.
Too quickly.
Gabriel noticed.
So did Madison.
Twenty minutes later, they were back beside the inventory desk.
The chair remained there.
Madison stood.
Gabriel placed the recovered washer on a sheet of paper.
“You were right.”
She stared at it.
“You don't know that.”
“Blue industrial coating. Same color and approximate age as Platform Seven.”
“Approximate?”
“I know people.”
Madison looked at him suspiciously.
“What kind of maintenance worker knows forensic engineers?”
Gabriel almost smiled.
“The curious kind.”
She shook her head.
“I should leave.”
“Probably.”
“I mean permanently.”
“Probably not.”
“Why?”
“Because whoever did this might be expecting you to disappear.”
Madison looked at him.
“And staying makes me safer?”
“For tonight.”
“How?”
“I'm here.”
She almost laughed.
“You're very confident.”
“I've survived worse workplaces.”
Something in his expression told her not to ask.
Gabriel pulled the chair toward her.
Madison's face hardened.
“Don't.”
“I need to understand.”
“I told you.”
“No. You told me you can't sit.”
“Same thing.”
“Not medically.”
She stared at him.
“You're not a doctor.”
“No.”
“Then stop.”
Gabriel released the chair.
“You're right.”
That surprised her.
He stepped back.
“I won't ask again.”
Madison's anger softened.
Then she looked at the chair.
Slowly, she put one hand on it.
“I want to.”
Gabriel said nothing.
“That's the worst part,” she whispered. “After eight hours, I would give anything just to sit for five minutes.”
Her eyes became wet.
“But every time I try…”
She stopped.
Gabriel's voice softened.
“How bad?”
Madison looked embarrassed.
“Bad.”
“Show me.”
She almost refused.
Instead, she turned the chair sideways.
Gabriel remained several feet away.
Madison lowered herself.
One inch.
Two.
Her jaw tightened.
Then pain hit.
Her entire body locked.
She gasped and grabbed the desk.
Gabriel caught her forearm before she fell.
Madison immediately stood again.
Tears filled her eyes.
Not from sadness.
Pain.
Pure involuntary pain.
Gabriel's face changed.
“That's not bruising.”
“I know.”
“Who examined you?”
She told him.
Dr. Malcolm Reed.
Gabriel knew the name.
Company medical consultant.
His anger became colder.
“Did he order imaging?”
“X-ray.”
“MRI?”
“No.”
“CT?”
“No.”
“He sent you back to work?”
“Yes.”
Gabriel took out his phone.
“I'm getting you another doctor.”
“No.”
“This isn't negotiable.”
“It absolutely is.”
“You could have a fracture.”
“And who's paying?”
“I am.”
Madison stared.
“Why would a maintenance worker pay for my MRI?”
Silence.
Gabriel realized his mistake.
Before he could answer, Mercer appeared.
“You.”
Gabriel turned.
Mercer was furious.
“You don't have authority to question employees.”
Gabriel said nothing.
“I'm talking to you.”
Mercer approached.
“Take off that badge and leave.”
Madison looked between them.
“Mr. Mercer—”
“Stay out of this, Madison.”
Gabriel's eyes changed.
Mercer saw it.
But he didn't understand it yet.
“You heard me,” Mercer said. “You don't have authority here.”
Gabriel slowly reached up.
Removed his cap.
Mercer stopped.
The color drained from his face.
Madison stared.
She knew that face.
Everyone in New York logistics knew that face.
Gabriel DeLorenzo.
Owner.
Chief executive.
Heir to a family whose name could empty a room.
Madison looked from Gabriel to the maintenance coat.
“You…”
Gabriel's attention remained on Mercer.
Mercer's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Gabriel stepped closer.
“Do I have authority now?”
Nobody moved.
Then Gabriel placed the blue-painted washer on the desk.
Mercer's eyes dropped to it.
For less than a second, something flashed across his face.
Recognition.
Gabriel saw it.
So did Madison.
May you like
And suddenly she understood something terrifying.
Mercer had seen that washer before.
