ing Operating Room 1 into a sterile, white he

ark blue scrubs and custom surgical loupes. She

the first assistant. He was sweati

ass, Christian stood perfectly still. His

nesthesiologist announced. "Hea

and. Her voice was absolut

. Heidi's wrist flicked. The blade sliced throug

s so perfectly straight that Dr. Fr

machine. Her hands moved with terrifying speed

ives stared at the magnified monitors in dea

ed profile. His chest ached with

cal phase: the aortic arch anastom

ed Frye. "Hold the ventr

t his arms were tired. His nerves were s

or slipped. It tore directly

e a geyser. It sprayed across the surgical

screamed. The

e anesthesiologist yelled

e went completely white

lammed his hands against the

flinch. She

he barked

d hand deep into the chest cavity. Her fingers guided by years of experience, instan

al field was a lake of dark blood.

ye screamed. "You ca

She held out her right h

ded her the n

l of terrified experts

s a myth. A surgical suicide move. One millime

guided the thread purely by the tactile feedback of the tissue.

e opened her eyes. She p

n," she

he blood. The enti

perfectly spaced, impossibly tight sti

lapsed onto a rolling stool, star

e heart monitor return

driver onto the tray. She

," she said coldly.