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T he risks for following Wil Winchester was immense, yet Mr. Blackbourne couldn’t seem to pull away from the chase. They were already too close to this. A school employee caught following around a young man from the same school off campus would have dire consequences. He had to appear as if he wasn’t there for Wil at all, didn’t even realize he was here.

The stark fluorescent lighting of North Charleston Medical Center cast harsh shadows as Mr. Blackbourne followed Wil Winchester's path through the main entrance. He kept his distance, allowing a group of nurses to pass between them as the boy turned down a corridor marked "Oncology Department."

Mr. Blackbourne paused at the intersection, considering his options. Luke waited in the BMW, positioned to observe likely exits.

Why this hospital? Why would he come here of all places? Was he visiting a family member? Was he here for outpatient treatment, perhaps?

He adjusted his tie, adopting the purposeful stride of someone who belonged there, who had every right to be walking these halls. The occasional staff member barely glanced his way – in a hospital this size, unfamiliar faces were common enough.

Winchester disappeared through a set of double doors. Mr. Blackbourne reached for his phone, prepared to alert Luke to reposition, when a familiar voice stopped him cold.

"Owen? What are you doing here?"

He turned slowly, maintaining his composure despite the unexpected interruption. Erica Lee stood in the doorway of a break room, still in her scrubs, a coffee cup held loosely in one hand. Her dark hair was pulled back, kept out of her eyes with a hair band. They had spoken just this morning, so the surprise on her face at seeing him here, now, was evident.

"Mrs. Lee," he greeted her smoothly. "I was actually hoping to speak with you about Kota."

It wasn't entirely a lie – Kota's recent behavior had raised concerns, but he couldn’t come up with any other excuse to be here now, at the hospital where she was working. But the way Erica's eyes narrowed told him she wasn't buying it, not completely.

"Really?" She took a sip of her coffee, studying him over the rim. "Because you usually call first. Or send Sean." She gestured to an empty chair in the break room. "But since you're here..."

It wasn't a request. Erica was the one person Owen Blackbourne could not fool, not for one moment. She had such a sixth sense, even if she never exposed half of what she knew to Kota or the others.

But Mr. Blackbourne knew. This wasn’t the first time they had scuffled about matters regarding the team, especially Kota’s involvement. It had taken monumental effort on Mr. Blackbourne’s part to allow them to get involved in her life, in Kota’s life, when her husband was still around.

She distrusted anyone whom she didn’t know to be family. She was kind, but she was guarded. Immensely.

But as far as Mr. Blackbourne knew, she was aware Kota was involved in a specialized academy for the gifted. And Mr. Blackbourne was...like a group study leader. Because he and Dr. Green were a couple of years older, so their interests in the younger members of the team would have been strange without establishing some sort of reason. They needed an official reason to be hanging around them so much.

He was a friend as well, but he was still supposed to lead and guide the group, including in extracurricular activities. Being purely friends, on the same level as say Nathan or Gabriel, would have been...suspicious. So he and Dr. Green often only showed up for “school” reasons.

But sometimes he wondered how much Erica knew that she wasn’t saying out loud. About himself. About what Kota was often up to. About the Academy. But he kept his suspicions to himself.

Mr. Blackbourne followed her into the room, noting how she positioned herself between him and the door. A protective stance. He hadn’t seen her behave like that except toward her ex husband when she positioned herself between her ex and her children.

This unsettled Mr. Blackbourne.

"Kota's been distracted lately," he began, choosing his words carefully. "We've noticed some changes in his focus, his dedication to certain tasks." He had to share with her the truth as much as possible, because this could all fall apart if he wasn’t careful.

"Have you considered that might be a good thing?" Erica's voice was gentle, but there was steel underneath. "He's sixteen, Owen. Sometimes I wonder if you and Sean forget that."

Mr. Blackbourne kept his expression neutral, though internally he was reassessing the situation rapidly. This wasn't just about today's surprise visit. "We're only trying to help him reach his potential."

"By keeping him up all hours? Having him run around town on your errands?" She set her coffee down with deliberate care. "I've seen his room, Owen. This is just like when Nathan’s father is around...” She paused. “But Mr. Griffin is not here. So something else has him up all night. And right when you have him on a special local program keeping him at a dangerous school. Whatever you have him doing... it's too much."

"Mrs. Lee—"

"No." She held up a hand. "I've been patient. I've trusted you and Sean because Kota trusts you. And... you have done a lot for us. You saw Kota’s potential for a special school and I’ve allowed you to pull him out into your Academy. And then you go right back around and tell him to go to a known dangerous school for a year?”

Mr. Blackbourne pursed his lips. They had been over this, but with Kota’s strange behavior, it was likely triggering her response now.

“It’s an opportunity,” Mr. Blackbourne said.

“You said he’d get into college this year,” she said. “And then suddenly change your mind.”

“I didn’t,” Mr. Blackbourne said. “He did. The others wanted in on this particular program and he wanted to join them. He had every opportunity to go to college. In fact, the classes he is taking this year are for concurrent college credit. It’s essentially the same, but he’s going to get to stay in an environment with kids his own age.”

She pressed a fingertip to a spot between her eyebrows and pressed like she had a headache. “I get it. I do. I usually don’t mind these crazy volunteer projects. An exchange program to help build a new curriculum system for next year. You’ve said as much. But lately..." She paused, choosing her words. "Lately, I'm wondering if maybe these projects aren’t holding Kota back from whatever it is he wants to do with his life. And it is clearly getting to be too much."

The implications hung heavy in the air between them. Mr. Blackbourne recognized the precipice they were approaching – one wrong step, and years of careful work could unravel. Erica Lee had been through a lot, and trust was not easily earned, or kept, with her. After the twisted betrayal and abuse by her husband, and everything she had been through, she was getting more protective of her son and daughter.

"I understand your concerns," he said finally. "And I assure you, Kota's well-being is our primary—"

"Save it." Her tone was tired rather than angry. "Just... ease up on him. Please. Let him have some time to be young." She picked up her coffee again, a clear dismissal. "I have patients to check on."

Mr. Blackbourne stood, recognizing when a strategic retreat was necessary. "Of course. Thank you for your time."

He left the break room, Winchester momentarily forgotten as he processed the implications of this conversation. Erica's warning had been clear – back off, or risk losing access entirely. And her timing... was it a coincidence she'd intercepted him here? Or had she been watching, waiting?

He paused for one moment, blinking as he registered what had just happened. She was on break, had come out of the break room to find him. She could have been coming out for a number of reasons, but the likelihood she just randomly popped out and spotted him...

Sometimes too many coincidences pointed at something important.

His phone buzzed. Luke had sent a message. He could see Winchester upstairs in a window, looking out, right at the BMW. They were compromised.

Too close. Winchester came here to escape them, had known he was being followed. And if Kota’s mother worked here, that was yet another reason to not continue pursuit of Winchester.

As he walked back to the BMW, Mr. Blackbourne's mind was already shifting gears. They needed to end this investigation, clean up loose ends, pull the team back. But more concerning was Erica's behavior. Her mistrust of the Academy wasn't new, but this level of active intervention was atypical.

He'd have to handle the Lee household carefully going forward. Very carefully indeed.