The helicopter touches down on the hospital's rooftop helipad. A bodyguard throws the door open, and Evan stands. He moves carefully to avoid jostling Avery. She moans in his arms, and her head lolls to the side. She's like a broken doll in his arms.
Outside, a team of emergency technicians and doctors are waiting with a stretcher. Evan gently lays her on top, and the technicians quickly strap her down. They wheel her away at a steady jog, and Evan follows behind. The white hospital corridors seem endless, and the stench of bleach burns his nose. They wind through the maze-like passages, finally arriving outside an operating room. Evan tries to follow them through the door, but a doctor bars his way.
"I'm sorry, sir, but you can't come in," the doctor says. "Surgeons and nurses only—we have to keep the room as sanitary as possible."
Evan scowls and tries to shove the doctor aside. He can't bear to leave Avery's side.
