"Ordinary," he concluded.
He let it fall.
It struck Andrea's abdomen and rolled into the hollow Thomas had opened in his chest.
The physician made a broken sound.
Thomas turned toward the glass.
"I gave you sixty seconds."
"You tore out his heart."
"Yes."
The physician stared at the body. "He was already dying."
Thomas reached for a towel from the medical tray and began wiping blood from his hands.
"He was taking too long."
The guard lowered his eyes.
Thomas cleaned beneath his fingernails, then examined his wrists. Blood had reached the edges of his rolled sleeves but had not soaked beyond them.
He removed his shirt carefully, turning the stained cuffs inward so they would not touch his skin.
Underneath, he wore a fitted black undershirt.
Clean.
He washed his hands at the chamber basin until the pink water turned clear.
The physician finally entered.
Thomas did not stop him this time.
