The silent hum of the heart monitor in Room 604 suddenly felt like a ticking time bomb.

The orderly’s hand, bearing the heavy silver wolf-head ring, hovered two inches above Ethan Ward’s central IV port. Clutched tightly in his rubber-gloved fingers was a small glass syringe filled with a clear, lethal dose of potassium chloride.

Reese Callaway didn't hesitate.

"Step away from the patient," Reese commanded, her voice dropping into the cold, authoritative tone she used during emergency room cardiac arrests.

The orderly turned his head slowly. His face was pale, his eyes dead and unblinking. "Mind your business, nurse. I'm just changing the bag."

"You aren't on tonight's floor roster," Reese said, subtly shifting her body to stand directly between the orderly and six-year-old Eli, who was trembling behind her scrubs. "And float staff don't carry pre-filled syringes without a physician's sign-off."

The fake orderly’s polite smile vanished completely.

In one sudden, violent movement, he lunged forward, grabbing Reese by her collar and shoving her hard against the wall monitor!

BANG!

The monitor shrieked as Reese’s shoulder smashed into the plastic frame.

"Nurse!" Eli screamed in terror!

The assassin raised the needle toward Ethan’s neck port. But before the tip could pierce the skin, a large, calloused hand shot up from the hospital bed, gripping the assassin’s wrist like an iron vise!

CRACK!

Ethan Ward’s eyes slammed open!

Though pale from open-chest surgery, the former Navy SEAL Captain’s gaze was sharp, lethal, and burning with instinct. He twisted the assassin’s wrist backward until the bones snapped loudly!

"AAGGGHH!" the assassin howled!

Ethan yanked the intruder down onto the bed, driving a heavy elbow straight into the man's throat, then tossed him onto the floor!

The glass syringe shattered against the tile floor.

Outside, the two private guards burst into the room, guns drawn.

"Boss!" the lead guard gasped.

"Secure him," Ethan growled, his deep, gravelly voice raspy from the ventilator tube that had been removed hours earlier. He gasped for air, his hand pressing against his bandaged chest where his surgical wound strained.

He looked over at Reese, who was leaning against the wall, breathing heavily, holding Eli in her arms.