That landed. Danny looked down. The battered bronze medallion still hung from her key ring on the dresser. She crossed the room and removed it. For several seconds, she held it in her palm.
N-A-C dot 19-O. Quiet storm. I'm tired of this thing deciding how people see me. Angela's expression softened. It never did.
At Hawthorne, it did. No. They decided how they saw you before they knew what it was. Danny's eyes burned. That's worse, I know. Angela sat on the edge of the bed.
For a while, neither woman spoke. Rain ticked against the bedroom window. Finally, Danny said, Dad would have hated this. Angela smiled faintly. Your father hated almost everything involving paperwork.
Danny laughed once despite herself. Then the laugh broke. I keep thinking if I had just kept my mouth shut in that seminar. Stop. Angela's voice was gentle, but firm.
Leon didn't love you because you won 19 fights. Danny looked at her. He loved that after managers talked down to you, after employers underpaid you, after that landlord nearly pushed you out of your apartment, you still came home and spent your evenings helping injured people who couldn't pay you. Angela picked up one of Danny's folded shirts. He used to tell me he worried the world would make you hard.
Danny swallowed. And? Angela placed the shirt back in the suitcase. He was proud it didn't. The room went quiet again.
Danny looked at the suitcase, half full. For the first time all day, she felt tired rather than angry. I don't know how to win this. Angela shook her head. Maybe stop thinking about winning.
Danny looked at her. Then what am I supposed to do? Decide what lets you respect yourself tomorrow. Danny sat beside her mother. Neither touched the suitcase.
Five minutes later, Danny's phone rang. Rachel. Danny almost ignored it. Angela nodded toward the phone. Answer.
Danny did. Rachel? The voice on the other end was breathless. Don't leave. Danny looked toward the suitcase.
How did you know? I didn't. But whatever you're about to do, don't do it yet. What happened? I was going through the Pavilion's research protocols.
Danny frowned. The what? The rehabilitation lab. Rachel was speaking faster now. The movement analysis room where the donor reception happened.
They record rehabilitation sessions and demonstrations for gate and motion research. Danny stood. So? So the cameras don't store only on Hawthorne's main security system. Angela watched her daughter's expression change.
Rachel continued. They use an independent research backup. Danny's grip tightened around the phone. For how long? I'm trying to confirm that.
You think it recorded the slap? It recorded the whole demonstration area. Danny looked at the bronze medal in her other hand. The phone videos already show what happened. I know.