“Theo, I know you’re just trying to be protective of me, and though I think it’s very sweet, it is completely misdirected.”
“Margo, I don’t care what serum you have to offer as a trade, he still wants vengeance on you. You. Specifically he wants you, Margo Winter, dead! Why can’t you get that through your thick skull?”
“I don’t care what happens to me, Theodore Andrews. I care about what happens to my little girl. And if it means I have to trade myself for her life, I would do it in a heartbeat!”
Theo sat at the edge of her bed, exhausted from arguing with the most illogical woman on the face of the Earth. He didn’t know which hurt worse: his head ache or heartache.
All he wanted to do was curl up in this big old bed and hold that precious woman until some common sense seeped into her. He just wanted a chance to love her, to take care of her. Was that asking so much? Why did everything with this woman have to be so damn complicated?
“It’s not complicated,” Margo said, reading his thoughts. She stopped packing for a moment and sat beside her best friend.
“I am a mommy. My daughter is hurt. I need to get her help. Period.” She reached to touch the scruffy beard that had started to grow on his sweet face. Her cool hand acted as a tonic to his soul and he felt himself melt into it. “And if I haven’t said it lately, I love you. Thank you for all you have done for me and for our children. You are a blessing to my life, and I thank God for you, my sweet Theo.”
Theo’s bloodshot eyes glistened instantly with tears. “I love you too, you crazy woman. I would go to the ends of the earth for you. So if you’re going into the lion’s den, then I am too.”
“You can’t. You have to stay here and take care of Cole and Maze. You have work to do in the lab, too. You’re still decoding blood samples, remember?”
“Paulie can look after Cole and Maze, and he can work on the blood samples, too.” Dr. Andrew’s voice had taken on a distinct pouting tone that made Margo smile widely.
“You know what you have to do, Theo, and I know what I have to do. We’ll get this all taken care of and meet back here as soon as possible. Okay? God willing, Meggie’s recovery will be rapid, and we’ll all be back in less than a week,” Margo said hopefully.
Theo continued to sit on the edge of the bed and hopelessly watch as the love of his life continued to pack her bag for a flight leaving in less than two hours.
35 The Travelers
“Okay, I think we’re all packed,” Evan concluded as he zipped the last black bag closed.
“The ambulance and town car will be here any minute,” Creed said checking his watch.
The conversation with Dr. Williams was surreal. Creed’s mind was still trying to process it. “Meg’s condition is perilous. Her heart stopped beating for three minutes just now. Evan was barely able to revive her after shocking her with a defibulator three times.”
“So, what? Are they ready to make a deal?” he asked coldly.
“Yes, sir. Dr. Winter told me to call you and tell you she wants to trade. Your doctors cure Meg, and she’ll give you the original serum. She asks that you send transportation immediately. I know she’s worried Meg won’t make it through the night.”
“She has the serum?” he asked excitedly.
“Sir, yes. She wants to trade it for her daughter’s cure,” Creed felt like Williams was only hearing part of what he was saying. He had no compassion. He had no sense of morality. This man was evil. There was no other way to say it. He was pure evil.
“Excellent! Make the arrangements. Do what you have to do to get the serum here.” Creed could almost hear him drooling in anticipation.
“Yes, sir. I’ll make the arrangements immediately.”
And before he heard a click, Creed was sure he actually heard the doctor giggling. He tried not to think of Dr. Williams anymore.
Instead, he focused on what had to be done to get Meg her cure. So, even as he waffled between bouts of guilt and anger and determination, he functioned on autopilot to accomplish the logistics necessary at this point.
He hurried to his guest house and used his laptop with secured wireless access to arrange for the transport of one very sick girl and her brothers who would surly want to accompany her. Since money was no object to Dr. Williams, Creed had long ago been authorized to spend whatever he had to during his objectives.
Commissioning a private ambulatory jet from Hawaii to Nuremburg, Germany cost a small fortune. The flight would leave when he wanted it to. He asked for three hours preparation. The pilot was agreeable once he knew of the large cash payment he’d receive.
Now Alik was standing beside Evan. Evan had one hand on his sister’s gurney and the other hand on her heart monitor stand on wheels.
“Can I help carry anything?” Alik asked his brother nodding toward Meg and all her equipment.