Chapter 95 LET'S TRACK HER DOWN
POV: PATRICK
We arrived at the mansion in search of the laptop and cell phone containing the tracking program for Elisabeth's chip, when the nurse came running towards the gates, screaming:
“Mr. Morgan, Mr. Morgan.” She stopped by the car, and I rolled down the window with a frown.
“What happened?” I looked at her firmly, sensing something was wrong.
“It's Mrs. Eva, she's not well at all!” The nurse said.
“Call the doctor who treats her, you know the protocols to follow!” I replied sharply, aware of how important Elisabeth's grandmother was to her, but also determined to save my Lis from the unbalanced Heloise.
“Dr. Middle is already here, sir.” She spoke nervously.
“What's going on?” I raised an eyebrow, alarmed. “What aren't you telling me?”
“It's better if you see for yourself.” Lowering her head, the nurse stepped aside so I could get out of the car.
I looked at the group with me and hurried towards the house, heading up to the room that had been adapted as an infirmary for extreme cases. When I saw Mrs. Eva with a tube in her trachea, her skin covered in large rash-like blisters, and her wrinkled skin extremely red, as well as the whites of her eyes, I took a deep breath. She was struggling to breathe, and various connectors were attached to her chest, monitoring her vital signs. I noticed that the oxygen saturation on the monitor, as well as her heartbeat, were too weak. I approached, holding her hands, and noticed the tips of her fingers were blue, as well as her mouth.
“What happened?” I looked at the doctor. “Why is she like this?”
“It seems Mrs. Eva is allergic to some flowers. The nurse noticed allergic reactions in the patient, which surprised us since there are no daisies or tulips in the environment, as you can see.” Middle explained, gesturing around. “However, the patient takes medical pills, and I asked for them to be sent for analysis. It seems she has been poisoned with fungi in her medications, in addition to having flower pollen included, causing allergic reactions to mask the other symptoms.”
“What? How did you not notice this before?” I stood up, grabbing the doctor by the collar. “Middle, you were an army doctor, how did you allow this?”
“I. I'm sorry, Major. I wasn't aware of a possible threat to Mrs. Eva until today, when the nurse called me. Furthermore, I assure you, I will find out who was responsible for tampering with her Alzheimer’s medication and punish them severely.” Swallowing hard, he stammered his response.
“Fix this mess, cure her!” I shouted threateningly, with everyone in the squad watching me with concern.
“Sorry, Mr. Morgan, there's nothing to be done... Her reaction is intense, her body is overwhelmed, and the side effects have already been too severe.” Middle trembled.
“What does that mean?” I let go of his collar, grabbing his neck. “Speak!”
“Mrs. Eva's condition is irreversible. It's a matter of hours before she passes. She has heart disease and had two respiratory arrests today; the fungus has already spread throughout her bloodstream.”
“Middle, are you telling me this sweet lady is going to die while her granddaughter is in the hands of that damn demon who tortured her?” I shouted in fury as James and Robert pulled me back, trying to restrain me.
“Calm down, Major; calm down; he's not our enemy!” James said, pulling me off the doctor.
I released Middle forcefully, punching the wall in anger.
“Where is she?” Mrs. Eva asked weakly. “Where is my granddaughter? What happened to my little girl?”
I approached the bed, holding her frail hands and gently stroking her back. I pulled up a chair and sat beside her.
“Hi, Mrs. Eva, do you remember me?” I smiled gently at the lady. “How are you feeling?”
“You. You're my granddaughter's boyfriend, where is she?” Eva tried to sit up, but I held her back. She stopped, analyzing my eyes, tears filling her own, with a terrified expression. “He got her, didn't he? That damn monster has my girl, doesn't he?”
“You don't need to worry about that, I will.” Before I could finish, she pulled me into a desperate hug.
“Please, I beg you, save my girl from that monster's hands. You have no idea what he's capable of or how much he's already hurt her.” Mrs. Eva sobbed in despair. “I couldn't protect her.”
“You've always taken great care of Elisabeth, you've raised a strong and intelligent woman. I will save her, I promise you!” I pulled away from her hug, caressing her face, when her eyes rolled back, turning completely white, and the machine started beeping.
“Cardiac arrest, Mr. Morgan, step back!” Middle shouted, pushing me away. “Nurse, help me.”
“Here, let's shock her!” She handed the defibrillator to the doctor, who opened Mrs. Eva's gown and positioned the paddles on either side of her chest.
“Clear!” he shouted, delivering the charge. “Damn it, increase the voltage. Clear!”
“Come on, Mrs. Eva, please, Lis needs you too.” I ran my hands through my hair frantically, agitated, pacing back and forth. “Do something, Middle, she's dying!”
I yelled, threatening to step forward, when James stopped me, shaking his head. I looked at the doctor performing chest compressions.
“Come on, respond, Mrs. Eva!” he said, trying to save her, stopping the compressions when the silence weighed heavily in the room, and only the flat line beep of the monitor echoed, buzzing in my soul. “Time of death, seven-thirty.”
“No!” I pushed James aside and rushed to the bed in desperation. “Mrs. Eva, please respond, don't let him win. Lis needs you, respond! You can't abandon your little girl, come on.”
I crouched beside her, holding her hands with teary eyes and gasping. How would Elisabeth react when she found out that, in her absence, her grandmother had passed away? How could I have failed so badly?
“Patrick, she's gone.” Robert placed his hands on my shoulder, squeezing in consolation. “We're sorry, Major, but there's no time for mourning.”
“I failed.” I whispered.
“What?” Robert crouched beside me, staring at me.
“I failed Elisabeth. I promised to protect her. She trusted me, and now.” I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of my failure. “Lis is in the hands of the crazy Heloise, and now her grandmother.”
I looked at Mrs. Eva's lifeless body, letting the tears flow.
“Mrs. Eva was a sweet lady, so kind and charming, and really fun. Despite her Alzheimer's, she had incredible lucidity and clarity about life.” I sighed, wiping my eyes. “I will avenge her. Pavel Andreev will pay dearly for taking away Elisabeth's only family!”
“Count on us!” Everyone stood at attention.
“Middle, preserve Mrs. Eva's body, and make the funeral arrangements. We'll have a beautiful ceremony as soon as I bring Elisabeth back.” I passed by him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Sorry for choking you.”
“You were right, Major. I failed, and the punishment was deserved,” the doctor replied. I patted his back and left.