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"I took the brunt of it?" I guessed, my voice strangled.
“Yeah. They almost lost you a couple of times.”
His words hung in the air, a heavy, unwelcome truth. I let out a dry chuckle, a pathetic half-laugh that sent pain lancing through my side. "Well, at least I'm alive."
Grayson didn't smile, just kept his gaze steady on me. "Yeah," he said. He sounded relieved. Exhausted.
But there was no celebration in surviving, not when Sofia was still out there, somewhere, with her murderous father.
"Have... have there been any news of Sofia?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Nothing. Jace tried to trace the phone call but he says it’s a dead end, and honestly, he’s not at his best right now.”
I nodded. Despite the numbing sensation from the morphine, a sharp pang of disappointment hit me.
“Victor?”
“No info on him either,” Grayson said. “But we’re pretty sure he’s with her, so that’s something.”
"Something," I parroted, my voice echoing the bleakness I felt. "Victor is sharp, he won't let anything happen to Sofia."
Grayson nodded in agreement but the worry lines on his face refused to fade. Both of us knew Victor was formidable, but the Everglades Viper was a different beast altogether - cunning and ruthless, with seemingly unlimited resources. We were stepping into uncharted territory.
"We need to find them, Grayson," I said, my voice strained with urgency. "I can't stay here, laid up like a damn invalid while she's out there."
"We're working on it, Teo," he replied quietly. "Jace is using all his tech skills, searching for any leads."
His assurance did little to quell the rising panic within me. Each passing second felt like a weight pressing down on me, my gut twisting with worry.
"And what about Sam?" I asked.
"He's awake," Grayson answered. "But he's been quiet...he’s upset, disoriented. He hasn’t been much help.”
“Not thus far, no,” I said bitterly, which made Grayson crack a smile.
We sat in silence for a moment, the sterile hum of the hospital marking the passing seconds. Grayson went to leave, but I caught his wrist. He turned back, eyebrows furrowed in concern. Rattled by my own desperation, I gripped his arm tighter.
"Promise me," I said, voice cracking on the words. "Promise me we’ll get her back. Even if I can’t be there."
Grayson nodded solemnly, clapping a hand over mine. “I promise, Teo. We’ll bring her home.”
Despite the certainty in his voice, I could see the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. It was mirrored in my own gaze.
And just like that, dread seeped through my veins, and he was gone.
I could hear the door close softly behind him despite the buzzing in my ears. There I was again, alone with my thoughts and the blinding whiteness of the room. The beeping of the machines was a steady reminder of my condition, the fact that I was alive, but helpless. The feelings of impotence, guilt and frustration were beginning to overshadow the comfort of morphine. Each passing second in solitude was a stinging reminder of Sofia’s absence.
The darkness outside began to creep in through the window, casting long shadows on the sterile white walls. The monotony of hospital life was grating my nerves down to their raw edges, every tick of the clock a cruel nuance.
I found my mind wandering back to Sofia, to her laughter, the sparkle in her eyes, and the soft touch of her hands. Each memory was a double-edged sword, bringing momentary relief from the stark whiteness of the room and yet deepening the gnawing pit of worry in my gut.
Abruptly, a stabbing pain surged through my chest, my breath hitching in my throat. The monitor beside me began to beep erratically, its pace increasing with every passing second. I tried to sit up but was pushed down by an invisible force; as if all strength had suddenly deserted my body.
My heart pounded against my ribcage like a wild animal trying to break free, each beat echoing loudly in my ears. My vision blurred at the edges, the room beginning to spin like a kaleidoscope.
And then I couldn’t hear anything.
The Everglades Viper I
