Her editor video-called her. “This sounds dry and boring,” he said. “We need a gripping episode. People want faces and emotions, not account statements.” Nina replied, “The human story is right there, behind the system that is hiding them.” He sighed. “You have three weeks, Jackson. If you cannot collect solid evidence, we scrap this one.”
Nina returned to Jessa with prints of the budget tables. “What is ‘long-term care’ in practice?” Jessa traced a column with her finger. “That is the money for children who never move on paper. The longer they stay “in care,” the calmer the numbers look. Empty beds scare funders. Full lists make everyone feel safe.”