"How is he doing now?" I asked as we stood in the hospital room, the silent beeping of machines echoing as though it was the only sound keeping time alive.

The Chairman lay on the bed, pale and frail, his face beaten and bruised. My chest tightened. In my past life, I had never seen him like this, not so soon. His presence had always been powerful, commanding. Now he looked like a shadow of that man.

Vincent stood beside me, his hands in his pockets, his sharp eyes fixed on the man who had ...