Pia turned and saw Mariel Spallek come through the parted curtain. Behind her appeared two Chinese men in suits and dark glasses. One of them said something to the runner in Mandarin and the man cowered.

“Who’s in charge here?” Mariel demanded. She didn’t even bother to acknowledge Pia.

“I am,” said Paul. “My name is Dr. Caldwell. What the hell is going on? You can’t come in here like this. This man is a patient.” Paul reached out and pressed a red call button on the wall. A wall speaker crackled to life. “Nurse, we need security in here on the double!” Paul barked.

“Dr. Caldwell,” said Mariel, speaking authoritatively. “We’ve come here to take charge of this patient. Without even examining him, I can assure you he is fine. With whatever minor setback he had, he will be looked after properly. As you can see, he is very keen to leave.”

The runner had immediately heaved his legs over the side of the bed and was talking to the Chinese suit who’d addressed him, but in a way that suggested he was acknowledging a superior. The patient was still visibly agitated, but at the same time he seemed relieved to see people he apparently knew.

“Mariel,” said Pia. “What’s going on? This man works at Nano? Be that as it may, I don’t think he should leave here. He needs to be observed at the very least. We believe he had a cardiac arrest, Mariel, why are Nano security people here? And why are they armed?”

Mariel studiously ignored Pia. The Chinese man who hadn’t been talking to the runner reached out and snatched the two tubes of blood from the nurse’s hand before the nurse knew what was happening. The nurse stepped forward with the intent to grab them back, but Paul restrained him.

“Dr. Caldwell,” Mariel continued, “please have the man’s discharge papers prepared. He has already told his colleague he would like to leave. Mr. Wang, confirm again that the patient wants to leave the hospital, please!”

The Chinese man Mariel had addressed spoke with the runner, and the runner nodded his head in reply and seemed to acquiesce verbally at the same time.

“Wait a second!” Paul said, not about to be so easily duped. “How do I know that’s what this gentleman asked? He could have asked the patient anything. Let me get someone from hospital administration down here.”

Paul exited from the room out into the hall but was immediately confronted by two more sizable, uniformed Nano security men. They blocked his way, arms crossed, determined expressions on their faces.

“Step aside!” Paul ordered, but the men held their ground. “Hey!” Paul shouted down the hall toward the ER desk. “Where the hell is our security? Get someone down here from administration stat!”

Pia again tried to speak to Mariel, but Mariel continued to ignore her. Instead Mariel snapped her fingers for the patient to get to his feet. When he did so, he faltered, requiring the two Chinese men in suits to step forward to help support him.