“Until I can’t anymore,” Jesse answered wearily.
“Thank you,” Minji said, resting her hand on Jesse’s arm. “I appreciate what you’re doing for Jake.”
With a slight smile, Jesse pressed her fingers with his own before pushing back his chair and reaching for the white doctor’s coat looped on the back of his chair.
“Don’t,” Alec said sharply, hesitating near the door.
“It’s cold in here.” Giving the other man a quizzical look, he started to lift the thin coat.
Ava’s eyes tracked Jesse’s movement, but no one seemed to notice but Minji.
“Yes, it’s cold in here, but did you notice the one thing common with all the people who died right away in the attack?” Alec waited for an answer, and when one didn’t come, he continued, “They were all wearing white.”
Jesse straightaway dropped the coat on the floor and stepped away from it. “Shit. You’re right.”
Immediately Minji thought of the female tourist in her white t-shirt and her male partner dressed in tennis clothing. Rummaging through her memories, she cursed herself for not noticing earlier. All those who had bled to death in the first attack had all been wearing white clothing.
“Wha-what does that mean?” Arthur regarded the doctor’s coat with fear.
“It means that you shouldn’t wear white,” Alec answered simply.
Then he left the room.
Chapter 23
“All the dead in the hallway yesterday,” Simone whispered to Minji, “were the doctors in their white coats.”
The woman’s voice, though lowered, broke through the stunned silence that remained after Alec made his observation and departed. Jesse tore his gaze away from the discarded doctor’s coat and hurried after the military man. Arthur slid his chair back, the feet making a terrible screech against the tiles, and scrambled after the others.
“I have to see this,” he mumbled before darting out the doorway.
Ava refused to acknowledge the protein drink Minji held to her lips and swiveled her head to look toward the exit.
Simone instantly sat forward in her chair, her eyes flaring with shock. “She’s not looking at you!”
“No, she’s not,” Minji answered in a neutral tone. It felt important that Simone not become aware of the other.
Ava’s gaze remained pinned on the doorway. At some point, she had stopped making the strange noises, and Minji hadn’t even noticed. Flicking her focus to Minji then back to the door, Ava slid off the chair and started after the others.
“Is she waking up?” Simone gasped. “Is that what’s going on?”
“I don’t know,” Minji lied, hoisted Bailey onto her hip and went after Ava.
For a second, Minji feared Ava would attempt to join the other mesmerized on their terrible trek, but the child turned and scurried purposefully down the hallway after the receding footsteps of the others. The noise of the men ascending the stairs reverberated through the corridor and Ava picked up her pace, making it very apparent that whatever was within Ava wanted to stay close to Alec. Reaching the stairwell, Ava started upward.
“Ava, hold up,” Minji called out, though she knew it wasn’t Ava scurrying up the steps.
“Minji,” Simone hissed, close on her heels. “Minji, what’s going on? Why is she acting different from the others?”
Minji pressed an index finger to her lips while glancing at Simone. The other woman lifted her eyes to study the little girl striding up stairs. Minji wasn’t sure Simone actually discerned what was happening, but she fell silent and simply nodded. It was difficult not to make noise in her heavy boots, but the other inside Ava didn’t seem concerned that Minji and Simone were following.
When they reached the second floor, Ava’s tiny form was already halfway down the corridor and closing in on the trio of men that were talking in hushed tones before a door labeled SECURITY. Arthur was clearly agitated, while Alec appeared annoyed. Jesse fumbled with a set of keys, his hands shaking. The dark circles and deep lines around his face and mouth made the nurse practitioner appear exhausted.
“What is she doing here?” Arthur asked when he caught sight of Ava.
Alec leaned forward on his cane to gaze past Arthur to observe Ava approaching. “Well, hello there.”
Ava did not hesitate in her rapid pace, her shoes barely making a sound against the polished floor.