I’m standing over Doctor Gardener’s desk—funnily enough, looking at the little plastic brain that comes apart into many pieces. It seems like a lifetime since I was in here, trying to give up Jaxon as a case.

“You can’t blame Jaxon for this, Doctor Gardener. The fault is all mine. I had therapeutic reasons for doing what I did—”

“Alison, sit down.”

Reluctantly, I do so. I’m pretty sure I’m not going to like anything he has to say. Seeing Jaxon manhandled by those guys with automatic rifles really jangled my nerves.

“I have you sitting here in front of me now, saying this is all your fault.” He sits behind his desk like some kind of god on an altar, giving off an air of lofty intentions his energy just doesn’t back up. “Meanwhile, we have Jaxon Covington downstairs claiming he’s responsible for this whole affair. Who exactly am I supposed to believe?”

“Jaxon is my patient. I undertook a standard field exercise in order to test out a therapeutic hypothesis.”

Doctor Gardener raises an eyebrow. “Do go on, Doctor Hughes. This should be interesting.”

I take a deep breath. Here it goes. I’m certainly not going to tell him that my wants and needs overwrote my good sense just because I wanted to be alone with Jaxon.

I had a half-hearted story in mind for the guards—which, funnily enough, wasn’t even needed—but now, I’m going to have to stretch that sketchy explanation out into something medically viable.

“Mr. Covington has been progressing well in our sessions. Though seemingly incapable of telling the truth when it comes to his ongoing behavioral trigger, he has become calmer about discussing it each session. I observed on more than one occasion actual sympathy, compassion, and remorse, which wouldn’t be present at all in a true sociopath.”

“Interesting, Dr. Hughes. You seem to have uncovered levels to this patient that I couldn’t.”

I think he might be mocking me. Fuck it.

“I wanted to see how Jaxon behaved when he was free of the prison. I wasn’t expecting him to conduct himself so well, right from the beginning. Not all the people we treat have access to his resources. I thought the results of my hypothesis might be hindered by his ability to engineer any situation he liked, simply because of his status and wealth.”

“You’re no closer to convincing me of your intent, Doctor Gardener.”

“Look, my intent doesn’t matter. I’m telling you. Maybe I can’t possibly explain properly what my motivations were. It’s irrelevant. What is relevant is that I saw him overcome his trigger.”

Doctor Gardener raises an eyebrow. “Go on. That’s interesting. Explain the circumstances, please.”

“As I mentioned, he set up a limousine and dinner reservations. Charm and influence as well as charisma are well known tools of sociopaths, so none of this would be unusual. However, overcoming the mental trigger at this stage of life is almost completely unheard of. I know you’re aware of this.

“At dinner, someone lightly called him ‘Jack.’ As you know, this usually results in a complete psychotic break. At this point, I saw anger in him, and yet he controlled it.”

“One instance is hardly a habit or new behavior pattern, Doctor Hughes.”

“I’m not stating one instance. I have seen him bend to the pressure of his trigger right here in this building. He wasn’t able to overcome his trigger at that time, but I was able to reach his mind.

“Afterwards, he acted with complete sincerity and compassion towards his victim. I have spoken to this person, and he tells me Jaxon’s apology and offer of reparation was genuine. They have almost become friends. I think this instance was a vital stepping stone in him finally overcoming his trigger.”

He’s staring at me with his arms folded across his chest. He looks like he doesn’t believe a word of it.

“He has overcome his trigger, and I’m prepared to demonstrate this under any circumstances you name. You cannot let him stay here.”

“Oh, he won’t be staying here.”

“Oh?” I’m actually hopeful, fool that I am.

“No. He’ll be transferred to maximum security, as per the protocol for escaped prisoner.”

My guts go cold. I can’t react for a minute. I’m on my feet before I even realize it.

“You can’t do this!”

“I’m not doing it. It’s out of my hands. It’s procedure. He escaped; you assisted him. You could be in a lot of trouble for this, Dr. Hughes.” He looks at me sternly. “I have no choice but to question your integrity. I feel you may be biased.”

“It’s my fault, really,” he sighs. “I knew how inexperienced you are, and yet I still pushed this case on you. I thought you could handle it.”

I’m so angry for a moment, I almost completely lose control. I know that won’t do me any good. Jaxon, either.

“I have observed a marked improvement in Jaxon’s behavior.” I make my voice slow and steady and very quiet to keep myself in control. “I have rehabilitated a patient which was believed to be beyond recourse. I have measurable results. At this point in time, you’re literally endangering this patient’s life and full recovery by allowing him to be moved to maximum security.”

“I could have you investigated by the medical board,” I threaten. “I could tell them how Jaxon Covington was rehabilitated to the point where he became a fully functional human being, a valuable member of society, and you destroyed him by sending him to maximum security.”

“You would need evidence for that, “he speaks pompously, but I can see the doubt in him. “You can’t just make wild accusations about me to the medical board.”

“Right off the top of my head, I can think of three people in this very prison who would speak up on Jaxon’s behalf. I have video evidence as well.”

Okay, that’s a stretch, but it wouldn’t be hard to get the footage from the restaurant.

“I’ll devote every last minute of my days to stripping you of your license under the grounds that you have willfully damaged your patient—who you have duty of care over, I might add—simply because you had an unhealthy obsession with me and objected to my close relationship with my patient.”

“That’s preposterous! You can’t even suggest such a thing!”

“I think the medical board might come down in my favor. I’m prepared to take that chance. Are you?”

We stare each other down over the desk. It’s like the air is so hot it could ignite.

He blinks. I don’t.

He sighs, sitting down at the desk.

“I’m willing to admit there may be more to this, that I need to examine further. If he truly has overcome his trigger, that’s a significant achievement for him, and for you as his doctor.”

He pinches his nose under the glasses, pulling over a release form.

“I’m going to release him—under strict supervision and not just your care—to be further evaluated. One of the only reasons I’m doing this is because Jaxon Covington has supported this city so well over the years. We want him to be back out there and cleaned up—part of the reason I gave him to you.”

He looks into my eyes as he hands over the paper. “Well done, my dear. It’s really not how I would’ve done it, but my faith in you isn’t misplaced. If you hurry, you should be able to catch them before they leave.”

I bolt from the room, as fast as my favorite black heels will carry me.