The Nirvana Plague Read Online Free PDF Page A

down at something off screen — Roger’s chart, no doubt.
    Reflexively, Karen checked her onscreen clock.
    “Fifteen-twenty-five,” he muttered. “Three—”
    “Just half an hour ago? Where’d he go? Why didn’t someone call me?”
    “The charge nurse told me she’s been trying to reach you.”
    She glanced at her message counts across the bottom of the screen —
     
    Inbox: 1 voice, 57 text (8 unread), 0 missed
     
    “I haven’t had any calls since yours this morning,” she said. “I have all my numbers forwarded to my tablet. I haven’t missed any calls. I think she’s covering her ass.”
    Marley frowned. “I don’t know,” he said with irritation. “Maybe she has the wrong number for you.”
    Frustration, anger, and dread square-danced through Karen’s chest and stomach. “Well, how did he leave? Did he have any money? Did they even call him a cab for Christ's sake?”
    Without even bothering to mute the call first, Marley said to someone off screen: “Did you call him a cab or what?”
    There was a muffled answer.
    He turned back to Karen and said: “Apparently not. I get the feeling it happened pretty fast. He came out in his street clothes, said he was leaving, and walked out.”
    “Just like that?”
    “He was a voluntary commit on an open ward. Legally, we don’t have any right to restrain him without medical justification.”
    “Don’t bullshit me. Acute psychotic break doesn’t count as medical justification?”
    Marley’s face hardened. “Look, you wouldn’t give permission to coerce his meds, now you’re upset because we didn’t coerce him to stay on the ward.”
    “Fine. Point taken. You’re off the hook.” She glanced at the time. “I better call home. Why don’t you hold on?” Without waiting for an answer, she blipped him into hold limbo, punched up a new session, and speed-dialed home.
    No answer.
    She flipped back to Marley. “He’s not there, of course. He couldn’t have walked home this fast anyway. I don’t even know if he had any money in his wallet for a cab.”
    Marley said, “Doesn’t he have a mobile phone?”
    “It’s at home!” she snapped. “You don’t allow mobiles on the ward, remember?”
    “Is there anything I can do?” he said, but his voice was cold.
    She started to take another bite out of him, but stopped herself. “No. I better go out and look for him. — Jesus Christ!”
    “Of course,” he said, a little less coldly. “I do need to talk to you, Mrs. Hanover. Can I call you later?”
    She started throwing her things into her bag and putting on her coat. “What about?”
    “About my interview with your husband this morning, and what’s been going on today on the ward with respect to your husband.”
    She glanced back at the screen again. “What, there’s more?”
    “Yes.”
    “All right. I’ll call you back.”
    She rang off and rushed out of her office, throwing the door shut behind her.

    NEWSREADER: Cities up and down the east coast continue to dig out from under the winter storm that blanketed the Atlantic states with up to three feet of snow this week. Transportation continues to be extremely difficult from Boston as far south as Charlotte and as far west as Pittsburgh. A state of domestic emergency remains in effect in eight states, and FEMA spokesperson Elizabeth Shermer said the agency expects it to remain in effect at least through the weekend. All unauthorized vehicles are being stopped and the drivers arrested. Most of the airports in the region are either shut down or operating only at dramatically reduced capacity. Most commuter rail systems are only able to operate on their below ground routes. Newsline reporter Peter Cashwell has more from downtown New York City….
     
    Karen was sitting in the front seat of her Mitsubishi Electron watching the news on her tablet. A call came in. She muted the screen and tapped it up.
    “Mrs. Hanover, it’s Dr. Marley.”
    Karen sighed. “Oh, I was hoping it was the tow