Chapter 76 Life Support
I'm crazy.
I know I'm fucking insane for what I'm about to do, but my gut is telling me I have to.
I don't even know how I'm going to navigate it, what the hell I'm going to tell my parents.
I'm already looking up flights as soon as I get in next to T.J., and I manage to get a seat on a direct flight in three hours, meaning I don't have a lot of time.
"You have to wait for me." I tell T.J. when we get to my parents' place. "Just wait down here, I'm quickly going to get some stuff, then you have to take me to the airport."
He looks at me for a long time before shaking his head. "Madz, what the fuck is going on? I'm in charge of your security, for a fucking good reason too. Your ex is a murderer, so you can't exactly tell me to drop you off at the airport and go on your fucking merry way. If something happened to you, I might as well be a dead man."
Fuck.
"If I tell you, you have to promise me you'll keep it a secret. You can't tell my parents or Uncle, please?" I sound desperate. I didn't want anyone to know, but T.J. has a point, and Uncle is already suspecting that something is going on. I don't know if he bought the fact that I told him Miguel and I are friends.
"What fucking secret? You can't keep secrets from me. I can't protect you that way."
"I just came back from Asia, and nothing happened to me! I'm safe!" I argue. "At least when I'm not in the country."
"You really think you didn't have a security detail?" T.J. shakes his head at me. "I know this is shit, that you're young and you want to live your life on your own terms. But if said life is in danger, what good is independence then?"
I should've known I was being watched at all times. That also means Miguel went undetected. Whatever he did to stay off T.J.'s radar must have been very smart. So why the fuck is he being transported to Germany shot six times if he's that smart?
"Does this have anything to do with Miguel Cargill?" T.J. looks accusingly at me. "I know for a fact this has nothing to do with Ben. Or his crazy mother. So Miguel is the only explanation."
And here I thought I was being so discreet.
I rub my eyes, ready to start crying again, but that would make me look too overly emotional, which would show T.J. I'm not making sane decisions.
"Look, I just booked a flight to Berlin. I'll send you the flight details on my way up to the apartment." I lick my dry lips. "You either try to get a ticket and go get your passport at your house, or you don't stand in my way."
I have never been more proud of myself than I am in that moment.
T.J. studies me for a while before sighing and nodding. "Send me the details. I'm going with you."
I quickly get out of the SUV and take the elevator to the penthouse. Mom is in the kitchen preparing dinner, but she hears me and comes to my bedroom, her mouth open in shock as I start throwing things in an overnight bag.
"I'm going to see a friend." I tell her hastily. "You don't have to worry too much, T.J. agreed to come with me."
"What friend?" She frowns. "Simon? Don't you have classes tomorrow with the foundation?"
"I will send them an email right away. I will get someone to cover for me while I'm gone." I make sure I put my passport in my handbag.
"Where are you going exactly?" She asks suspiciously.
This is why you don't stay at your parents. If I was still on my own, I would've just left and they would've found out later where I was.
"Don't worry. T.J. will be with me." I give her a quick hug and kiss. "I don't know how long I'll be."
I don't even know if I'll get there in time.
Miguel Cargill better not die on me.
"I love you." I wave before rushing out of the apartment again, waiting for T.J. downstairs while I ignore my ringing phone. This might be the most unpredictable thing I've ever done, but something in my soul is screaming that I should do this.
"You owe me fourteen thousand dollars." T.J. says drily when I get in. "By the time this trip is over, you're probably going to owe me around fifty k."
"Luckily I have a lot of money."
What use is having money if you can't use it to book a flight to see a friend in trouble?
Mom is still calling nonstop, so I put my phone on silent, and I message Raul that I will also fly out to Germany, and I will make contact once I'm there.
The flight feels forever, but we're in first class, so at least it's tolerable. As soon as we touch down, I call Raul's number, and he almost answers immediately this time.
"Madison, are you really here?" He asks incredulously.
"Yes, where are you? When did you land?"
"About two hours ago." He clears his throat. "Listen, I'm at the hospital right now." He takes a deep breath on the other side. "He's out of surgery, but there were a lot of trauma to his body. He's on life support, Madison."
Life support.
Big, strong Miguel with muscles that look like it can dodge a bullet, is on life support.
"And I want you to see him." Raul sounds desperate. "I will text you the hospital's name. You're probably the only person he was breathing for anyway, maybe if you talk to him he would get better."
Does anyone ever get better that's on life support? Doesn't life support means you're already dead?
And what does Raul mean he was breathing for me?
"Just be careful." There's a warning in Raul's voice. "All of the Cargills are here. I don't want you near Ben, and fucking Caroline. Miguel would kill me if they did something to you."
"How ... How will I see him then?" I'm sure Miguel's father hasn't left his bedside.
"We'll make a plan, just get here before it's too late."