Chapter Four: Condemned by the Camera

“Not her.” Lu held his shoulder. “What did the man say?” “He said he was borrowing my life to repair a news story.” Zhao pulled a crumpled parking ticket from beneath his pillow. “He got out before the crash. Every machine says the door stayed shut. Only the attendant saw him.” On the back was a name and address: Chen Xiulan, west-gate parking attendant. The room locked. The cardiac monitor sounded an alarm while displaying normal vitals. The infusion pump accelerated, clear fluid driving into Zhao's vein. Wen tore out the needle. Lu lunged at the monitor. Someone outside the lens was using the hospital network to kill Zhao, then letting the record prove he had died naturally. “Give me an image,” Lu said through clenched teeth.