He ran in there. It was afternoon, the sun was shining outside the windows of their apartment, and he wanted to go down to the park and play some ball. But the smell of dinner was enough to make him shake with anticipation. It was a happy time, before everything had gone so wrong.

You finish your homework, honey?

Yes, Grandma.

You wouldnt lie to me, would you?

He smiled.

She turned to him, and her face was serious. Youve done a bad thing, havent you?

He wasnt a child after all. He was a grown man, and she was the little old lady she became before breast cancer took her away.

He nodded. I did a bad thing.

Can you make it right?

He shook his head. I dont know if anything will ever be right again.

9:30 a.m.

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center - Baltimore, Maryland

Here come a couple of them, Luke said.

He and Ed stood in a hospital corridor, about twenty yards from a door marked PHARMACY. A few moments before, Luke had tried to open it. It was locked. Up the hall, two men in blue scrubs and white lab jackets walked toward them. They were chatting and laughing about something.

There were surveillance cameras every at every corner. It didnt matter. Luke planned to act fast. He was already in trouble. What was a little more?

Excuse me, guys, Luke said. Are you men doctors?

Yes we are, one said, a fit middle-aged guy in wire frame glasses. Whats the trouble?

Luke stepped close to the man. His gun was out. He pressed it to the mans stomach, down low, away from the video cameras. He put a friendly hand on the mans shoulder. Dont say a word, either of you.

Ed stepped in close behind the second man. Luke could see a gun in Eds hand. He pressed the muzzle hard into the small of the second doctors back.

Were not going to hurt you, if you do exactly what I say.

The first doctor, so confident a moment before, was trembling. I… he said. He couldnt speak.

Its okay, Luke said. Dont talk. I need you to open the door to the pharmacy over there. Thats all I need you to do. Open the door and come inside with me for a few minutes.

The second doctor was calmer. He was balding, with thick glasses, more heavyset than the first. Thats fine. If you need drugs, thats fine. Well get you what you need. But there are security cameras everywhere. Youre not going to get very far.

Luke smiled. Were not going very far.

The men turned as a group and went to the door. The second doctor swiped his key card against the reader and the light turned green. Luke opened the door. Inside the room were numerous locked cabinets.

What do you need? the doctor said.

Ritalin, Luke said. Two injections.

Ritalin? the man said.