Dr. Angus Hale believed that most diagnostic failures began with assumption.

At 6:55 a.m., he stepped onto the neurology floor of the Hospital already aware of the overnight admissions, lab trends, and preliminary imaging. He had reviewed the scans before dawn, espresso cooling beside his laptop while the city was still quiet. By the time he reached the conference room, he knew what the answer was. What interested him was whether anyone else did.

The residents were gathered around the central table, second-years midway through their rotation. Their fellow stood near the whiteboard, mid-sentence, when Angus entered. Conversation thinned immediately, not out of fear exactly, but awareness. Angus did not cultivate intimidation, but he understood the gravity that followed him.