It was five minutes before James' return that Jack Cassidy himself appeared to visit his wife. As the hospital's main financier, Cassidy carried himself with an assured sense of self-importance - and he [i]was[/i] an important man. Murmurs and whispers trailed in his wake, even as he finally strode into the ward and cleared his throat in a demand for attention. Gabriel honestly hated dealing with this man, but there were things in life that you just had to tolerate, no matter how unpleasant it might actually seem. Cassidy was a walking power trip, with an immaculately tailored suit, shiny cufflinks and a silk tie which was probably worth more than most of the nurses earned in a month. His hair, graying like Hannah's, was styled back in a manner which had "corporate" etched all over it.

"Doctor Morris," Jack spoke curtly, his voice bearing a subtle, raspy edge which suggested that this was merely a professional conversation - a [i]transaction[/i], really. Something privy only to the both of them. He motioned Gabriel to a corner of the ward, away from Hannah's earshot. "I hear everything's been...[i]arranged[/i] as we discussed. I'm not taking any risks with Hannah, and I've made that [i]plenty[/i] clear to you during our first interaction."

"I understand, and everything's proceeding...[i]well[/i]." Gabriel tried not to seem obviously uncomfortable in the man's presence, though he very much was. Like a predatory bird, Jack seemed to have the innate ability to detect fear in others. And when he did, he zeroed in on that fear and drew it out, playing on it in order to exert a terrifying amount of pressure on those he disliked. And Gabriel, for all his wiles and occasional cunning, did not want to end up on Cassidy's "list". He was the one who had to finalize the deals. He was the one who had to chat up certain...unsavory elements, mostly due to his less-than-privileged background. "I've sent a resident to schedule the surgery and make sure the paperwork's finalized."

"Good, because you have no idea how many bribes-" Jack began, just as James appeared seemingly out of nowhere. 

Gabriel's eyes shot immediately to his resident, who proceeded to inform him that everything had been cleared with the Charles', and that the surgery had been scheduled for eleven that night. Jack's face remained very, very still - the businessman had always been too cold, and too hard to read. And Gabriel could only hope that the idealistic young man hadn't overheard a single word in his and Jack's conversation. That would make things significantly more...complicated. Clearing his throat, Gabe motioned James over and nodded at his companion. "Doctor Allen, I'd like you to meet Jack Cassidy."

"A pleasure." As he extended a hand, Jack's words were laced with but the tiniest hint of venom, the older man's eyes narrowed in silent calculation.