All Chapters of The Scalpel Pointed Back: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

...Two minutes ago, Dr. Michael Harris, the hospital's arrogant director, was still defiant as I bound his wrists with an IV tube."You're done for!" he sneered. "I called the police. You think a scalpel is gonna make me flinch?"His words barely hit the air before I drove the blade into his gut, then yanked it out. Blood sprayed across my white coat, warm and sticky.I adjusted the livestream camera, my hands steady. "Don't worry. Soon, the world will see you squirm."His bravado crumbled as he clutched his wound, his eyes wide with fear.Two minutes later, I flipped on the camera, flashing a cold smile to the digital void. "Evening, folks. Here's the thing. Three days ago, these people caught HIV. You have three hours until the treatment window closes."I started a countdown timer, its red digits glowing ominously on the dissection table behind me.Sirens wailed outside. A police officer's voice boomed through a megaphone."Hanna Carpenter, don't do anything rash! We can wo

...Anthony slammed his fist against the steel door, his voice raw. "She's a murderer, and she's got the gall to blackmail the world?"Robert furrowed his brow. "Can't you kill the stream? If this keeps up, our reputation is done. No one will come to this hospital."Anthony wanted to deck him. If the hospital hadn't botched Lauren's surgery, none of this would've happened.The stream was hosted overseas, beyond their reach. The priority was finding the intern and making her talk.Anthony gritted his teeth. "Dr. Carpenter, we're tracking the intern. She knows something.""You found her yet?" I asked.Anthony went quiet, and then his earpiece crackled. "The intern vanished three days ago. We can't find her.""She is a scapegoat," I scoffed. "What could she know?"I glanced at the timer. "Ten minutes down the drain. You can't even pull a transplant list? What a joke!"Anthony's face burned, but he didn't dare to push me.The hostages, shivering and clinging to each other, stare

..."Nice try!" I snapped. "We've known each other for, what, an hour? When did you squeeze in an HLA test?"Anthony gave a wry smile. "Believe it or not, I checked before this started."I tuned him out, grabbed Linda, and slashed her throat.Blood sprayed across my mask. She twitched, then went still.I squinted at the camera. "Send the list."The full list arrived, each name a gut punch. My eyes locked on a photo, and my hands shook.It was him. I should have expected it.I steadied myself, a plan crystallizing. Anthony was livid. "Why? You've got the list, so what? You're trapped. Killing more people just buries you deeper.""Why bother with a killer?" Robert chimed in. "Blow the door and take her out!"The chat lit up.[Who is on the list? Spill it so we can help.][I don't wanna catch HIV stepping out my door.]I shut my eyes and faced the camera. "Captain Hatcher, who is Jeremy Hatcher? Why does he look just like you?"...The internet detonated.[What? Is she say

...Anthony finally connected the dots.When "I" stepped back into the frame, the blood splatter on my forehead was gone. Even a quick wipe would've left a faint pink smear.But on the screen, the woman's face was as clean as a whistle."Monica Rowe? Where is Hanna?" Anthony demanded, his instincts screaming disaster.Monica remained calm. "Probably with Jeremy by now."As the countdown hit one hour, she clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. "One hour left. Hope Hanna gets Lauren's kidneys back successfully."...I pushed open a hospital room door.Jeremy, watching the livestream, gasped. "Dr. Carpenter?"I nodded. "I'm here for Lauren's kidney."He clutched his abdomen, terrified. "No, please! It's not hers. I waited years for this."I stepped closer, my shadow looming over him. "Sleeping well with a stolen kidney?"A crash echoed from the doorway. A woman had dropped a thermos, hot water splashing across the floor.She collapsed, sobbing, "Spare my boy. He did

...In the interrogation room, I remained in a dazed state."Why did you kill Robert?" Anthony demanded.Met with my silence, he pressed, "You spared Jeremy, Linda, and even Michael. We know Robert and Michael ran organ trafficking. You should have hated them both. Why just Robert?""You want me to kill more?" I said. "I'm no saint. I don't spare everyone."I couldn't tell him why. Anthony sighed, sliding me a phone.My breath caught. "Lauren, you're alive? Mom said you were gone."Lauren, on a ventilator, held up a note: [Don't screw up. You're a good doctor.]I shattered, collapsing into the chair and wailing uncontrollably. They had lied to stop my rampage.Lauren scribbled another note: [You're our pride!]Wiping my eyes, I said, "I'll confess everything. Just find Lauren a kidney."...The morgue had a hidden door, tucked behind a freezer stuffed with Robert's specimen collection. It was his dirty secret he'd never shared with anyone.My original plan was to nab him,