Page 77 of Fallen Empire
The corner of his mouth curved, barely.
“Looks like they’re going to send her home again.”
His voice was calm, almost casual. But his eyes—God, his eyes held something I didn’t understand.
“I’m sorry,” I offered, softening. “That seems like good news though… right?”
He looked at me, that same eerie stillness in his face. Then, like it had been rehearsed:
“She won’t last long this time. But it’s good news. I guess we’ll keep playing games until she leaves this earth.”
It didn’t sit right.
The words.
The way he said them.
The way his tone didn’t match the smile.
But he looked... normal enough. Maybe they actuallydidplay board games or something. Maybe he was just grieving in his own way. It wasn’t my place to judge.
“Hey, how about your friend? What was her name? Samantha?”
“Savannah,” I corrected, not as nervous about him asking now that he couldn’t remember her name. “And yeah. She’s getting to go home soon. Thank you for asking.”
He smiled again, wider this time.
“Good. That’s good to know. Seems like she was a fighter.”
Was.
I ignored it.
“She is,” I said, taking a step back. “I have to get going, but… try to have a good day, alright?”
His head tilted slightly.
Then came his reply. “You, too. Stay safe, young lady.”
It was innocent enough. But something about the way he said it? Didn’t feel innocent at all. I didn’t have time to dwell on it. I was on a mission.
The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding, and I stepped out, brushing a hand through my hair like it could somehow fix the storm inside me. I scanned the cafeteria quickly. Round tables, vending machines lining the back wall, a few nurses and interns chatting over sandwiches.
It didn’t take long to find my target.
Ben.
Sitting exactly where he said he’d be—far corner of the room, back against the wall.
Only… there was no Nic.
Always alert to his surroundings, he locked eyes with me the moment I spotted him and kicked out the chair in front of him from under the table, offering me a seat before I was even close enough to speak.
I crossed the room quickly, grabbing the seat and plopping down across from him.
“Hey,” I said. “Where’s Nic?”
“She left. Said she had another stop to make before heading back to the office.”
