Chapter 7 - The Gunpoint Surgery
Julian stepped into the dim surgical suite, his eyes filled with a desperate, murderous panic.
He knew that if Ethan successfully removed the tumor, the pathology report would completely expose his massive medical fraud.
He aimed the silver pistol squarely at the center of Ethan's chest, ordering everyone to step away from the table.
Sarah gasped in terror, raising her blood-stained hands into the air.
David froze behind the anesthesia machine, entirely unsure of how to protect his helpless patient.
Ethan did not raise his hands, nor did he drop the surgical scalpel.
He looked at Julian with an expression of absolute, fearless defiance.
He calmly stated that Claire's chest was already open, and she would bleed to death in three minutes if he stopped now.
Julian sneered, stating that her death was exactly what he needed to finalize his lucrative pharmaceutical payout.
He pulled the hammer back on the pistol, the metallic click echoing loudly in the damp basement.
Ethan completely ignored the deadly weapon and turned his focus back to the bleeding incision.
He deliberately placed his hands deep inside Claire's chest, beginning the delicate process of separating the ribs.
Julian screamed in frustration, threatening to shoot Ethan in the back of the head.
Before Julian could pull the trigger, a heavy steel oxygen tank swung out of the shadows.
The maintenance manager had quietly followed them down the stairwell and smashed the heavy tank into Julian's spine.
Julian collapsed to the concrete floor with a scream of agony, his pistol sliding uselessly into a dark corner.
The maintenance manager quickly tied the corrupt doctor to a heavy radiator pipe using thick electrical wire.
Ethan nodded his gratitude without looking up, his total focus entirely consumed by the beating heart in front of him.
He finally exposed the massive tumor, and the reality of the situation sent a chill down his spine.
The mass was indeed benign, just as he had suspected.
However, it had grown far larger than the scans indicated, wrapping itself around the aorta like a concrete snake.
He requested a specialized vascular clamp from Sarah, his voice betraying a hint of genuine fear.
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As he attempted to peel the first layer of the tumor away, a microscopic tear appeared in the fragile aortic wall.
A fountain of bright red arterial blood erupted from Claire's chest, instantly flooding the surgical field.
