The moment Paige's fingers brushed against her mother's hand, she recoiled as if sparked by a reflex. Margaret steadied herself and saw Paige retract her hand in time; she knew her gamble had paid off.
Paige whirled around, channeling all her fury toward Margaret. In one swift motion, she grabbed Margaret by the collar and shoved her against the window. Half of Margaret's body dangled precariously outside, perilously close to plummeting with just a loosening grip.
Margaret was clearly terrified, so much so that after a quick wary glance downwards, she blurted out, "I was the one who got your mother 'Somnolent X'; even Xena have no clue on finding the cure. If I die, your mom won't stand a chance!"
With one hand clutching Margaret's collar and the other balled into a fist, Paige glowered at her and warned, "Margaret, mark my words, you'll pay for this one day."
Margaret cackled confidently, knowing Paige wouldn't let go, "Pay a price? Of course, I expect to. I sent you to jail to toughen you up, to turn you into a blade in the shadows for the Sackler family, poised to deal with our enemies. You want to come at me? Fine. I'm old, and if giving up my life means preserving the Sackler family's century-old legacy, then I'm all for it."
Paige's gaze was lethal, as if she were holding a knife to Margaret's throat. She ached to shove her out the window this very second. But her mother was still lying comatose in the hospital bed, dependent on the very potion controlled by Margaret, so she forced her hand. Reluctantly, Paige dragged her back in.
"What do I have to do for you to revive my mother?" she demanded.
Releasing Margaret, Paige watched her catch her breath and regain her composure. Despite the encounter, Margaret, the iron-fisted matriarch of the Sackler family, remained cool and collected.
She sized up Paige, "You survived five years in prison, surrounded by the most ferocious and cruel. Walking out alive means you've got some grit. The Sackler family is gearing up for a significant venture, but there's a formidable hurdle we need to clear to clinch this deal."
"The first thing I need from you," Margaret stated, "is to clear the hurdle for the Sackler family."
Paige kept her gaze fixed on Margaret, suspicions swirling in her mind. The memory of her mother’s mysterious fall down the stairs, the accusations against her, Paige, making her the scapegoat for Xena's schemes; it all seemed too orchestrated, too convenient to be mere coincidence.
Despite the whirlwind of thoughts, Paige kept it simple, "What exactly do you want me to do?"
A pleased smile spread across Margaret's face, "It's quite straightforward. During the upcoming bid, I want the head of that company to be nowhere in sight. I don’t care how you do it; kidnap, seduce, it doesn’t matter. Just make sure they're not there. You pull this off, and your mother gets her dose of 'Somnolent X' on time."
Paige smirked coldly, "So, this is how the Sackler family does business."
In the past five years, Paige had learned much, including the knowledge that some tactics were not meant for the light of day. Still, such a devious move, even for the Sackler family, was eye-opening for her.
"Details will follow," Margaret said with an indifferent laugh, "I only care about results. The bid is tomorrow afternoon, and if your mother doesn’t get her next 'Somnolent X,' she might just become vegetative for real."
With those words, Margaret grabbed her purse and headed for the door. As she walked out, she left one last comment hanging in the air, "Your mother's life is in your hands."
As Margaret reached for the door to leave, Paige quickly agreed, "I'll do it!"
Margaret paused, hand on the doorknob, and smiled turning back, "Good choice."
Paige clenched her jaw, holding back frustration. "How many more things must I do before you'll let her wake up?"
It was clear to Paige that Margaret was using her by controlling her life and keeping her mother in limbo, all presumably for the seamless union of Xena and Louis.
But now, it seemed Margaret had other plans for Paige.
Without a word in response, Margaret left. Once she was gone, Paige began a frenzied search through the room.
She couldn’t keep letting Margaret control her, and the most important thing was waking her mother up. The true effects of the 'Somnolent X' on her mother’s health were yet to be known.
Sitting back and waiting was not Paige’s style.
Fortunately, the hospital room provided some useful tools. Paige, with practiced ease, grabbed a syringe and expertly drew a blood sample from her mother's vein.
After collecting the sample, although reluctant to leave, Paige kissed her mother's forehead gently and whispered, "Mom, hang in there. I'll create the antidote; I promise I'll bring you back."
After securing the sample and quickly wiping away her tears, Paige left the hospital room.
Meanwhile, Xena helped Margaret into a car, handing her a tablet displaying the surveillance video.
Margaret glanced at Paige's blood-drawing efforts and scoffed coldly, "Futile."
Xena, however, was still concerned, "Grandma, are you sure she's capable of that?"
The face that Margaret turned to Xena was tender and kind, a stark contrast to her demeanor toward Paige, "Five years behind bars, and she was so young when she went in. Morals aren't exactly her concern. And don't worry, she's still got looks and youth. She'll find a way."
Xena nodded but was still puzzled, "We haven't been able to find out who she married. It's strange, isn't it?"
Margaret was unfazed, "We usually investigate prominent people with status; they're easy to trace. She married a nobody, a cripple. If he's untraceable, then it's not worth our time. Right now, focus on Louis. If you two marry successfully, the Sackler family's century-old legacy is secure."
As Margaret and Xena's car drove away, Paige slipped out too.
She dodged the facility's cameras and dialed a number on her phone. Her voice was tinged with a chill as she spoke succinctly, "This is Y. I'm in Northwind. I need the lab moved here within three days."
The call ended. Paige knew she wouldn't have ordered such a drastic lab relocation to Northwind if not for 'Somnolent X'.
Paige closed her eyes for a moment while holding the phone and her mother's blood sample. She could almost imagine the seismic shockwave this move would cause in the medical biotech sector.
But her mother was lying in that hospital bed, her life hanging by a thread. This was something Paige simply couldn't abide.
At that moment, just when her entire being seemed to radiate an intense, forceful aura that could have split the air around her, her phone suddenly buzzed...