"It's too early to tell. I'll be back to check on you soon. Don't give up hope." The guard let me out, and I walked back upstairs before I said another word. "I need to talk to the Doc," I said as I pulled my phone out.

"Not here. Call on your way back." I left the building, walking a few blocks before I sat on a park bench and called Doctor Cortino. After describing the symptoms, he agreed with my diagnosis. "Under normal circumstances, I'd tell you to bring the patient to the hospital for a confirmatory ultrasound followed by a laparoscopy," he said.

"Master will never allow that,"...