Chapter 128
The Mass Discharge
The hospital could not discharge people who had never been admitted.
That was what the administrators said when the roof elevator opened and the patients stepped into the lobby.
“These individuals have no active charts,” the director announced.
Maren placed her paper on the desk.
“Then open one.”
The director looked at Claire. “Who authorized this?”
Claire answered, “The patients.”
“That is not how discharge works.”
“They were never admitted.”
“Then they cannot be discharged.”
The logic circled itself.
Aster stepped forward. “They are people before they are patients.”
The director's face changed to Everett's.
“You are teaching them to attack the system.”
“The system is attacking them.”
The lobby filled with reporters.
Maren turned toward the cameras.
“My name is Maren. I worked at Bellwether Clinic. I turned off a machine and was placed in a room without a chart.”
One patient after another spoke.
The director tried to cut the lights.
The hospital emergency system refused.
On every screen appeared the same phrase.
PATIENT CHOICE RECORDED.
Claire looked at the new records.
The city was witnessing.
The director whispered, “You cannot make this permanent.”
Claire answered, “We are not making it permanent. We are making it visible.”
The hospital doors opened to the street.