Chapter 10 - The Doctor's Plan
No one spoke for several seconds.
Emilio replayed the sentence.
The next panic attack needs to look like a stroke.
Mara finally said, "That is conspiracy."
Pike nodded. "And potentially attempted murder."
Elena looked at Emilio.
"That's what Lucia meant. They weren't only planning to kill her."
"They were planning to remove me."
Ava looked up from the floor.
"What's a stroke?"
Emilio closed the laptop.
"A medical problem."
"Are you going to have one?"
"No."
He said it with more confidence than he felt.
Pike began coordinating with federal investigators he trusted.
Mara filed emergency motions to suspend Calvin's authority inside Vega Holdings.
For ninety minutes, the plan felt like it was finally moving in their direction.
Then Emilio's phone rang.
Hospital.
His father, Rafael Vega, had collapsed at home.
Emilio froze.
Rafael was seventy-two and stubborn enough to argue with gravity.
He had no serious heart condition.
"What happened?"
The nurse said, "Possible stroke."
The room changed.
Emilio looked at the memory card.
Preston's voice echoed in his head.
The next panic attack needs to look like a stroke.
"No one treats him until we get there."
"Sir, he's already being evaluated."
"By who?"
A pause.
"Dr. Samuel Preston."
Emilio was out the door before anyone could stop him.
Marcus drove.
Mara called ahead.
Pike called federal agents.
At St. Augustine Medical Center, Emilio hit the emergency entrance running.
Preston met him in the hallway wearing a white coat and an expression of practiced concern.
"Emilio, I'm so sorry."
"Get away from my father."
Preston blinked.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"Rafael suffered a neurological event."
"Then another doctor can treat him."
Preston lowered his voice.
"You're under extreme stress. This kind of behavior-"
Emilio stepped close.
"Finish that sentence."
Preston didn't.
Two nurses watched.
Mara arrived with a court order authorizing an independent physician to assume care.
Preston's face finally cracked.
"This is absurd."
Agents entered behind her.
Pike pointed at him.
"Dr. Preston, don't leave."
Preston ran.
He shoved a cart into the agents and disappeared through a restricted door.
Marcus followed.
Emilio went to his father.
Rafael lay pale but conscious.
His speech was slurred.
Emilio took his hand.
"Dad."
Rafael squeezed weakly.
Then he forced out two words.
"Not... stroke."
"What happened?"
Rafael's eyes filled with panic.
He lifted one trembling finger toward the IV line.
"Injected."
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The monitor alarm sounded.
And down the hall, someone shouted, "Doctor Preston has a hostage."
