Chapter 19: The Corrupt Doctor 
Miguel paced back and forth in his office, the tension in his body nearly unbearable. His thoughts raced as he replayed the recent events that led him here. The evidence they had uncovered pointed to a chilling reality: someone within the hospital had betrayed them. The realization that it was Dr. Harold Monroe, a senior doctor whom Miguel had once admired and respected, was like a knife to his heart.
Robo-Aubree stood by the window, her expression neutral, but Miguel knew she was processing the situation as intensely as he was. Her advanced sensors and analytic capabilities were working overtime, ensuring every angle was covered in their impending confrontation.
“Are you sure we should do this ourselves?” Miguel asked, his voice strained with a mix of anger and disbelief.
“We need to hear it from him directly,” Robo-Aubree replied calmly.
“We need to know why he did it.”
Miguel nodded, though the thought of confronting Dr. Monroe made his stomach turn. He had always seen the older doctor as a mentor, someone who had guided him through the more challenging aspects of their profession. But now, all of that was tainted by the knowledge that Monroe had played a part in the attack that nearly killed him and left Aubree in a coma.
There was a knock at the door, and Julian entered, his face grim.
“He’s in his office. I’ve got my team ready to move in once you give the signal.”
Miguel clenched his fists, his resolve hardening.
“Let’s go.”
The three of them made their way through the hospital, each step heavy with the weight of what they were about to do. As they approached Dr. Monroe’s office, Miguel felt his heart pounding in his chest, a mix of anger and sorrow swirling inside him.
They reached the door, and Julian nodded to Miguel, giving him the lead. Miguel took a deep breath, steeling himself, and knocked.
“Come in,” came the familiar voice from inside.
Miguel pushed the door open, entering the room with Robo-Aubree and Julian close behind. Dr. Harold Monroe looked up from his desk, his face lighting up with a warm smile. It was a smile that had always comforted Miguel, but now it only made his blood boil.
“Miguel, Aubree,” Monroe greeted them, his tone as pleasant as ever.
“What brings you here so early?”
Miguel closed the door behind him, the click of the latch sounding final.
“We need to talk, Dr. Monroe.”
Monroe’s smile faltered as he noticed the serious expressions on their faces.
“Is something wrong?”
“Why don’t you tell us?” Robo-Aubree said, her voice calm but with an underlying edge.
Monroe’s eyes flickered with confusion, but Miguel could see the faintest hint of fear behind them.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
Miguel stepped closer to the desk, his voice low and filled with anger.
“We know what you did, Harold. We know you leaked our location to the mafia.”
The color drained from Monroe’s face, and he leaned back in his chair, his eyes widening in shock.
“Miguel, I don’t know what you’re talking about”
“Don’t lie to me!” Miguel snapped, slamming his hand on the desk. The force of the impact caused some papers to scatter. “We’ve seen the records, the communications. It all leads back to you.”
Monroe’s composure cracked, and he looked down at his hands, which were trembling. “I… I had no choice,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
“No choice?” Miguel echoed, his voice full of disbelief. “You had a choice, Harold. You could have chosen to protect your colleagues, to do the right thing. Instead, you sold us out.”
Monroe’s shoulders slumped, and he covered his face with his hands.
“They came to me months ago,” he said, his voice muffled. “They said if I didn’t cooperate, they’d ruin me. They’d destroy everything I’ve worked for.”
“So, you betrayed us to save yourself,” Robo-Aubree said, her voice cold.
“I didn’t know it would go this far!” Monroe cried, looking up at them with pleading eyes. “I thought… I thought if I just gave them a little information, they’d leave us all alone. I never imagined they would go after you like that!”
Miguel shook his head, feeling disgusted. “How could you be so naïve? These people are killers, Harold. They don’t care about you or your career. They only care about power and control.”
Monroe’s eyes filled with tears, and he looked down at the floor.
“I’ve regretted it every day since it happened,” he whispered. “But by then, it was too late. I was in too deep.”
“You could have come to us,” Julian said, stepping forward.
“We could have helped you.”
Monroe shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. “You don’t understand. They had me under surveillance. Every move I made, every conversation I had they knew. If I had gone to anyone, they would have known, and they would have killed me.”
“Then why betray us?” Miguel demanded, his voice filled with hurt.
“You knew what kind of people they were, and you still handed us over to them.”
Monroe looked up at him, his eyes filled with despair.
“I didn’t think they would… I thought they’d just scare you, maybe rough you up a bit. I never imagined they would try to kill you.”
“You put our lives at risk, Harold,” Robo-Aubree said, her tone unyielding.
“And now, Aubree is in a coma because of you.”
Monroe flinched at her words, his guilt and shame written all over his face.
“I’m so sorry,” he choked out. “If I could take it back, I would. But I can’t. All I can do is beg for your forgiveness.”
Miguel felt a lump in his throat as he looked at the man who had once been his mentor. The betrayal cut deep, and he knew he would never be able to forgive Monroe for what he had done. But there was still a part of him that pitied the man someone who had made a terrible mistake out of fear and desperation.
“You need to tell us everything,” Miguel said quietly.
“Every detail, every name, every meeting. If you want to make this right, you’ll help us take them down.”
Monroe nodded, his face pale and drawn.
“I’ll tell you everything,” he whispered. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make up for what I’ve done.”
Julian moved forward, placing a pair of handcuffs on the desk.
“We’re going to take you into protective custody, Dr. Monroe. You’ll be safe, but you’re going to have to cooperate fully.”
Monroe nodded again, his hands trembling as he reached for the handcuffs.
“I’ll cooperate. I swear.”
Julian cuffed Monroe’s wrists, ensuring they were secure but not too tight.
“We’ll take you to a safe location. But if you try to back out of this, if you try to withhold anything… we won’t be able to protect you.”
“I understand,” Monroe said, his voice hollow. “I’ll do whatever you need.”
As Julian led Monroe out of the office, Miguel remained behind for a moment, his emotions in turmoil. Robo-Aubree stood beside him, her expression unreadable.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly.
Miguel nodded, though he didn’t feel okay.
“I just… I never thought he’d be capable of something like this. He was always so dedicated, so committed to his work. I looked up to him.”
“People can be pushed to do terrible things when they’re desperate,” Robo-Aubree said gently.
“But that doesn’t excuse what he did.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Miguel agreed, his voice heavy with sadness.
“I just wish it didn’t have to be this way.”
Robo-Aubree reached out and placed a hand on his arm, offering a comforting touch. “We’ll get through this, Miguel. We’ll make sure Aubree gets justice.”
Miguel looked into her eyes so similar to those of the woman he loved, yet different in ways he couldn’t fully grasp.
“Thank you,” he whispered, grateful for her support.
Together, they left the office, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. They had the information they needed, and now it was time to use it. The fight against the mafia was far from over, but with each step they took, they were closer to bringing them down and finding justice for all the lives that had been torn apart by corruption and greed.