Chapter Two: No Such Person

THIS MORNING A NAME VANISHED FROM MY SURGICAL ROSTER, BUT SOMEONE HAD STERILIZED THE INSTRUMENTS. She erased it after two seconds. An argument rose outside. Zhou claimed his archive clearance had failed. Voss ordered him away. The lights went out, and emergency power waited three seconds before engaging. In the darkness, the door lock clicked open. Su did not look at Lin. “Aging circuit. A patient’s escape is not a physician’s responsibility.” Lin ran. Zhou waited around the corner with her tool belt and the evidence bag. “You cut the power?” “Archivists only document accidents.” They crawled into the laundry conduit. Its narrow walls squeezed their shoulders; alarms followed close behind.