Chapter 19 Protect Norikuko #2
“Tell me about it,” Erica complained. “The Mass-Spec is having a hissy fit trying to isolate all the compounds. It should just be the opioid and the neuro-toxin made from the blow-fish, but it’s like there’s a completely separate compound mixed in that it can’t seem to identify.
” She threw her hands up and screamed – “GET THE FUCKING ANSWER ALREADY!” then slammed her hands down on the top of the Mass-Spec.
“GREG’S LIFE IS ON THE LINE YOU STUPID MACHINE! ”
Darren spun to his left, away from Mary and her microscope, then grabbed Erica’s arms as they were coming down yet again toward the Mass-Spec.
He turned Erica toward himself, seeing the tears streaming down from both of her red-bloodshot eyes.
The mascara was dripping onto her lab-coat and her mouth was open as if she wanted to scream again and couldn’t.
Quickly he pulled her to himself and wrapped her in an embrace, shushing her softly.
“That machine isn’t the reason you’re so upset, Erica.
We both know that it’s because you’re scared about losing Greg.
” She sobbed on his shoulder, her body shuddering with each heaving cry.
“I need you to remember how strong he is. He survived you leaving him twice before he broke down into the bottle after that third time.”
“We lost the baby,” she managed to get out through sobs and chattering breaths. “We lost our baby,” she said and crumpled into his arms in a heap.
“What?” Darren said, going wide eyed just as Greta and Tilde entered the Lab. “Did you just say you lost your baby?” Darren asked quietly.
“I miscarried,” she sobbed into his ear, barely audible.
“It’s okay, Erica. Take a breath, I’ve got you and Greg is stable,” he comforted.
“What’s going on?” Greta asked Mary, pointing at Darren and Erica.
“She’s losing it,” Mary said quietly. “She’s so invested in Greg surviving this that it’s ripping her heart out. She’s loved him since our sophomore year at Christian Academy Prep, but this is next level pain. Something broke inside her.”
“Good,” Greta whispered to Mary. “After what she did to Greg when she left him that last time, she deserves to suffer.” Mary quickly pushed her and Tilde back over by Gina, away from Erica with her hand on Greta’s mouth.
“Just be quiet, Greta. Can’t you see how much pain Erica’s in.
She lost Greg after the shooting, and her research with Steven might just have been used against Greg.
That’s what we’re trying to find out, but something isn’t adding up and Erica is taking it very personally.
I’m not sure I understand why, but Darren wouldn’t be comforting her right now if there wasn’t a good reason.
” She took a breath. “I know that you have good reason not to like her, but Erica really is a good woman underneath that gruff facade she puts on.” Mary looked over her shoulder, then noticed that Darren was moving Erica gently into a chair, then kneeling down.
“Erica,” Darren whispered as he looked into her puffy bloodshot eyes, “it’s okay to cry right now. No one is going to judge you for that, especially if you tell them about the baby.”
“I can’t,” she whispered. “Greg didn’t even know until after I returned.”
“What do you mean?” he whispered softly as kind as he could.
“I didn’t even know I was pregnant when I left, and I lost the baby when I got really sick,” she somberly admitted and sobbed softly as her breathing started to slow down.
“You mean when you left after the Denver trip you didn’t know you were pregnant?” Darren quietly asked her in as conciliatory a voice as he could.
“I told Greg about this a few months ago, and he took it hard, but he understood that there was nothing either of us could have done about it. It’s why I regret leaving him,” she sobbed again, dropping her head into her hands.
“And now my own research might have killed the man I love with my whole heart.”
“Don’t think that way, Erica. You are a brilliant woman, and we’ve got a good team here, and we’ll find what we’re missing.
We are going to save Greg and you are going to help us.
” He laid his left hand on her right knew and lifted her head gently with his right hand, kissing her forehead softly.
“We all need you here now, and most of all, Greg needs you. Come on, you’re not alone.
Show everyone why your dad trusted you so much that he put the entire research division of his hospital in your hands.
” Erica stopped crying and slowly a smile started to appear on her face.
Darren smiled and in a regular voice stated, “We can do this together. Come ON!” He stood up and pulled Erica up with him.
“Thanks, Darren,” she said and gave him a quick hug as Mary turned and smiled at her.
Greta and Tilde just stood there stunned but Gina was smiling brightly as she saw her boss getting back into the fight for Greg.
“I just need this machine to finish its work so Mary, Gina and I can find out the cause and pursue a cure.” She slowly moved over and gave Mary a hug.
“Thank you and your husband for being here.”
“We’re all here for Greg, Erica. And we’re here for each other, too,” she assured her. “Right girls?”
“Yeah, um, right,” Greta and Tilde finally responded together.
Steven sat in a chair beside Greg, monitoring his vitals and periodically checking the response in his eyes.
They were still distant, as if his mind wasn’t connected.
He kept reviewing all the stats and the steps they had taken.
‘Why didn’t that antitox work?’ he thought to himself as he fidgeted in the chair.
He pulled up his stethoscope and listened again to Greg’s heart even though the monitors were attached to him.
‘There’s something not quite right in this heartbeat, but I can’t quite place it.
What am I missing?’ He stood up and paced around the room then moved back over beside Greg.
“Look, Greg. I know we weren’t friends at Christian Academy Prep, but I went to every one of your basketball games.
I watched as you and David would tag team the defense to take them apart.
Then, when the game was on the line, you’d drop back and drain a long, deep three point shot to win.
I need that fighting spirit here, NOW!” Greg mumbled a slight groan, but didn’t wake.
“That’s right. FIGHT!” Steven leaned down.
“You can do this Greg. Wake Up!” Greg groaned but still didn’t wake.
“I know you’re in there, because you are starting to respond.
Keep fighting, Greg. We’re all working on this problem, but you have to do your part too. We’re not going to fail you!”
“No we’re not,” Darren said from the doorway.
“Erica is working on identifying another element that was in his blood that doesn’t match up with Neratuna.
Mary and Gina have nearly exhausted their options, but Greta and Tilde are helping now.
We’ve got the best team we can assemble,” he said moving into the room beside Steven. “Any reaction at all?”
“He’s groaned a couple of times, but his eyes are still distant and there’s just something not right with the sound of his heart,” Steven complained.
“Really?” Darren said with curiosity. “Let me take a listen,” he said as he put his stethoscope down on Greg’s chest. He listened for a moment. “Would you say it sounds like a squeaky old paddle boat on a squishy sponge?”
“THAT’s the sound. It’s not just a neurological agent!
” Steven said very loudly. “It’s a chemical that attacks the heart muscle also,” he said as he ran out of the room toward the lab with Darren right behind him.
They knew now that they were racing against the clock and every second was critical.
This was a devastatingly powerful combination that Steven remembered from his time visiting the far east.
Veronica had just finished singing the final song of the reception and Billy helped her down off the stage.
Carry came over to sit beside her. She could see the fatigue was setting in and that Veronica was barely holding it together.
She leaned over and gave her an embrace, holding her tight.
They sat in silence staring off at the far wall.
Billy sat beside Carry as Cassie came into the Pimico suite.
Tessa and David were still on the dance floor talking about with Bill, Alice, Alex and Gail.
Finally, Veronica turned to Carry who was on her right.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she softly said. “I can’t do this much longer.”
“You’ve finished your song set,” she confirmed as Cassie sat down beside Veronica. “You’ve done your duty here, but we still have a duty to Greg. Do you know if David’s heard anything more?”
“Not that he’s said to me,” Veronica complained.
“Nor to me,” Cassie confirmed. “Wendy seems a bit too happy,” she observed.
“Wendy?” Veronica said slightly stunned. “What do you mean?”
“Both her and Katie have been happy all afternoon,” Cassie growled back. “I don’t like it.”
“Neither one of them was particularly close to Greg,” Veronica replied. “Maybe they don’t realize how much he means to all of us.”
“If only it was that simple,” Cassie grunted. “I want to go slap that happy right off her smug little face.”
“CASSIE!” Veronica chided. “That’s not very lady like of you.”
“I’m sorry, but this affects us more than you’ll ever truly know,” she let out. “I can’t expect you to understand.” Cassie let out a long exasperated breath. “But I want you to know that I truly respect how you and Carry are holding it together.”
“Thank you Cassie. To be honest, I just want to collapse like Greg did,” she admitted.
“Me too,” Carry confirmed.
“Then why don’t we make our goodbyes and head over to Stamson Medical Center?” Billy suggested.
“Stamson Medical Center?” Veronica asked in surprise.
“It’s the closest hospital to Club Euchre,” he confirmed.