CHAPTER TWO: BREAK THE BODY, NOT THE MAN.

Manhattan never truly slept, but there were moments, brief ones when the chaos thinned just enough to create the illusion of calm. The rain had barely stopped falling that evening. Harrison Cole sat in the backseat of his black SUV, one arm resting against the leather, the other holding his phone. His expression was neutral and unreadable. The kind that didn’t invite conversation nor require it.

“Take Park Avenue,” he said without looking up.

“Yes, sir,” the driver replied.

The car moved smoothly through the street, headlights cutting through the dim glow of the city. Buildings passed in clean lines. Traffic lights changed on schedule.

The phone buzzed in his hand  “Ethan Blake”.

Harrison stared at the name for a second then answered.

Good evening Mr Harrison; Ethan's voice came from the phone 

“Handle it.” Harrison said without responding to the greeting and in a commanding tone. The type that could throw one off balance.

On the other end, Ethan’s voice came calm. “We’re reviewing the numbers now.”

“I don’t need reviews. I need results.”

“You’ll have them.”

Harrison’s gaze shifted toward the road ahead.

“I don’t like delays.”

"Then you hired the right person.”

Harrison didn’t respond immediately. Then, “Make sure I don’t regret it.” The line ended with no goodbyes nor confirmation. He believed the message was clear.

Then,Something changed. Subtle but wrong.

The driver adjusted his grip on the wheel.

“Sir…”

The brake pedal went down but yet nothing happened. Then it became worse this time and he couldn't control the wheels .

“Sir, the brakes…” ,the impact came before the sentence finished. Metals collided violently and loudly. The force threw Harrison forward, his shoulder slamming against the seat in front of him. Glass shattered instantly, scattering across the interior. The vehicle spun out of control, tires screaming against the pavement.

Then there was Stillness. For a moment, nothing was heard. Just the ringing in his ears and an immediate,sharp pain he felt on his ribs. His head spinning and his breathing irregular.

The driver’s voice broke through despite his injury; 

“Sir! Sir, can you hear me?”

Harrison didn’t answer. Not immediately. He was disoriented. Breathing restricted, but functional. Limbs responsive. Vision, blurred. Alive? Unacceptable.

Hands reached in from outside. Voices echoed; “Don’t move!” ,“Call an ambulance!” ,“Is he breathing?”. Then someone touched his shoulder.

Harrison’s hand came up immediately, gripping the wrist with more strength than expected.

“Don’t.”

The word came out low but controlled. The hand pulled away instantly.Even now, the Authority didn’t disappear with injury. Sirens followed. Red and blue lights flashing across shattered glass. There were Chaotic movements and unclear voices and soon the ambulance doors closed.

    The ambulance door swung open as it arrived at the closest hospital “Redington Medical Centre”. “Male patient, late thirties. Motor vehicle accident,” the paramedic called out as they rushed the stretcher through the emergency entrance of Redington Medical Center. “Possible concussion, fractured ribs, laceration to the forehead. He was conscious at the scene but disoriented.”

Entering the hospital, doctors appeared from different directions while nurses hurried beside the stretcher, checking his vital signs and attaching monitors. The man lying on the bed was unconscious now, his dark hair damp with rain and blood, his expensive shirt torn across the chest.

“Blood pressure?” “Ninety over sixty.”

“Pulse?” “One hundred and twenty.”

“Get another IV line. Prepare blood samples. We need a CT scan immediately.” Within minutes, he was taken through the emergency department and into the operating area for further assessment. Fortunately, there was no major internal bleeding or brain injury. He had suffered several fractures, deep bruising, blood loss and a severe concussion.

By midnight, the doctors decided that he could be transferred to a private ward for close observation.And before the night was over, almost every nurse on duty would know exactly who he was. 

     Harrison regained consciousness sometime after one (1:05am) in the morning. His eyes opened slowly and the first thing he noticed was the unfamiliar ceiling. The second was the irritating beeping beside him and then a nurse standing over his bed.

“Mr. Cole, you're awake.” The nurse said 

He frowned. “Where am I?”

“Redington Medical Center. You were involved in a car accident.”

He tried to move, but felt a sharp pain on his head.

“Don't move too quickly sir, “ the nurse warned.

“Get this thing off me.” He reached toward the oxygen cannula.

The nurse immediately stopped him.

“You need it for now.”

His eyes narrowed, “I said remove it.”

The nurse hesitated before obeying. Within minutes, his breathing became labored.

The nurse quickly replaced the oxygen and called the doctor. Harrison glared at her. The doctor arrived shortly afterward, assessed him, and ordered continued monitoring but this didn't please Harrison. He was used to commanding and doing things he wanted to do by himself. 

Now he's to obey the instructions of others? No, never. He thought to himself.

He complained about the pain medication,then the room temperature, then the lights,then the monitors,then the nurses. He demanded a different pillow at two-thirty in the morning. At three, he demanded that someone call his assistant. At three-fifteen, he complained that the pain medication was not working quickly enough. At four, he attempted to get out of bed. The new nurse stopped him.

“You are not allowed to stand without assistance sir.”

“I don't need permission.”

“You have a fractured rib and a concussion.”

“I've stood up with worse injuries.”

“Not tonight Sir”

His expression hardened. “Do you know who I am?”

The nurse remained calm. “Yes. You're Mr Harrison Cole.”

“Then you know I don't like being told what I should and should not do.”

 “I'm sorry Sir” The nurse said as her heart raced. She wasn't about to loose her job because of him.

"Get out!” and don't come back he said without looking at her.

She ran out immediately.

    By five in the morning, another nurse had been called into the room by one of his bodyguards because he was complaining of worsening pain. His blood pressure had risen, and his heart rate was fluctuating. The nurses worked continuously. They checked his vital signs, adjusted his oxygen, administered prescribed medication, changed his position carefully, monitored his neurological status and documented everything yet Harrison remained difficult. He criticized their movements, questioned their decisions, and demanded attention almost every few minutes. One nurse eventually stepped outside the room and leaned against the wall.

“I can't believe this man,” she whispered.

Another nurse sighed. “He's been like this all night.”

“Maybe we should request another assignment.” Together they walked to meet the head nurse.

   Reaching the Head Nurses office;The nurses exchanged knowing looks. Nobody wanted the assignment. Not because Harrison was critically ill nor because his condition was impossible to manage but because caring for him required patience. He challenged every instruction, he questioned every medication, he demanded immediate attention and he had very little tolerance for mistakes. They complained bitterly and each agreed to switch patients but not him. The head nurse looked through the staffing list looking for someone who won't allow his attitude interfere with proper patient care.

“There has to be someone.” She said.

And immediately her eyes met the last name on the list making a small smile appear on her face. Perhaps she had finally found the one who wouldn't succumb to Harrison Cole's difficult nature. She dismissed the nurses telling them she will reshuffle the list and submit it to the head of the hospital “Dr. Richard Harrison”. 

"Thank you ma", they both responded and happily left.