Reed and Sophia stood in shock, frozen at the sight before them. Alex, sitting up in his hospital bed, looked at them with mild amusement and a faint, weary smile.
"Hey," he greeted, his voice calm but raspy. "What took you so long?"
Reed blinked, momentarily speechless, while Sophia quickly moved to his bedside, her eyes scanning over him with a mixture of disbelief and relief. Just moments ago, they had been rushing to secure the antidote for his survival, only to find him here, appearing relatively well.
A soft knock on the door broke their trance, and a tall, distinguished-looking man entered the room. His graying hair and worn lab coat suggested experience, and he moved with an air of authority.
"I'm Dr. Hughes, chief of medicine here," he introduced, glancing over Alex's medical chart before focusing on Sophia and Reed. "It seems like you're understandably surprised to see your friend awake."
Reed straightened, forcing his bewilderment into a question. "Can you explain this, Doctor? We were informed that he was near death and urgently needed a specific antidote. We barely managed to secure it…"
Dr. Hughes adjusted his glasses and nodded thoughtfully. "I understand your confusion. I was notified about this case only minutes ago, and frankly, I'm impressed by how well your friend's system has handled the exposure."
Sophia's brow furrowed. "You mean he's not…dying?"
The doctor shook his head, a calm authority in his voice. "Your friend was indeed exposed to a serious neurotoxin. From his symptoms and reaction, I'd place it as VX, a highly lethal agent in certain doses. However, it's also a kind of nerve agent whose effects can vary considerably based on dosage, duration of exposure, the route through which it entered the system and the individual's overall health and metabolism."
Reed's eyes narrowed. "So you're saying he's better…without an antidote?"
Dr. Hughes raised a hand in reassurance. "Yes, Detective. Symptoms of VX exposure can last for different durations. For low doses, symptoms might persist for just an hour or two. Moderate exposures can result in effects lasting anywhere from two to twenty-four hours, and in severe cases, it can take up to seventy-two hours before any improvement is noticed. Fortunately, it appears that Alex was exposed to a moderate dose and, combined with his overall health, he's recovering more swiftly than we'd expect. We administered a sedative with atropine, which may have further accelerated his body's ability to cope."
Sophia's face flashed with confusion. "But we received a call from this hospital, from a nurse, saying you didn't have the antidote, and that Alex had only hours left…"
The doctor frowned, shaking his head. "Detective, I can say with certainty that no one from our team reached out to you with such a message. We had Alex's treatment well in hand. we had our treatment protocol under control. As you can see, he's been stabilizing and recovering steadily on his own."
A sinking feeling spread over Reed as he considered the implications. He turned, his gaze hardening as the realization hit him. "You're saying no one called us from here. Which means…someone set this entire thing up. Dr. Taylor."
Sophia's hand went to her mouth as she pieced it together, her eyes widening. "It was all her plan. The call, the immunity deal, the locket. Everything was orchestrated to make us desperate enough to give her what she wanted."
The realization hit Reed and Sophia like a punch to the gut, and a heavy silence fell between them. Reed clenched his fists, frustration etched deeply into his face.
"We've been way too naive," he muttered, his voice tight with regret. "We should have researched that neurotoxin ourselves before granting her that deal."
Sophia sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's not our fault, Reed," she replied, her voice tinged with bitterness. "She knew our weaknesses and used them against us. She played us, and we walked right into it."
Reed's eyes hardened as he looked at her. "Then it's about time we start playing her game by our own rules," he said, a fierce resolve in his voice. "Whatever it takes, we're bringing her down."
Alex, still weary but more alert, glanced between the two of them with a look of dawning comprehension. "You're saying…you went to Dr. Taylor? She played you?"
Reed's face darkened, a simmering rage igniting in his eyes. "Yes. She played us. She knew you were recovering, that you didn't need her antidote at all. This whole thing was a setup to get her immunity and that damn locket."
Dr. Hughes, sensing the tension, cleared his throat. "I'll leave you to process all of this. From what we've seen, Alex just regained full consciousness minutes ago. He should be ready for discharge soon, but if anything feels amiss, don't hesitate to reach out."
With a quick nod, he turned and exited, leaving the three of them in silence.
Reed took a deep breath, his fists clenched as he stared at the floor, the frustration boiling over. "That woman is not getting away with this. She thinks she's won, but I swear, I'll do anything to bring her down."
Sophia placed a hand on Reed's arm, her voice firm. "We will, Reed. But we can't rush this. Dr. Taylor's already proven that she's more calculated and dangerous than we realized. We need to be just as precise."
Reed turned his gaze to her, his resolve strengthening. "You're right. We'll find a way to bring her down. Whatever it takes."
Sophia's eyes glinted with the same resolve, her mind already racing through the possibilities. But for now, their immediate priority was getting Alex safely out of the hospital.
Minutes later, after completing the discharge paperwork, the trio left the hospital together, united by a new sense of purpose. The chill of the night air seemed to mirror the cold fury simmering in each of them, and as they walked, the shadows around them felt heavier, almost as though watching, waiting.
They exchanged a silent agreement: Dr. Taylor wouldn't get away with this. They would see justice done, no matter the cost.
---
Reed and Sophia returned to the precinct, while Alex, still recovering, headed home to rest. As they prepared to call it a night, Reed's phone buzzed with a message. He glanced down, the cryptic contents sending a ripple of intrigue through him.
"Dr. Quasar's office. Look closer."
He showed the message to Sophia, a silent understanding passing between them. Whoever had sent this, it was clear their next step was waiting for them.
As Reed shut his phone, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Perhaps, he thought, the advantage wasn't entirely Dr. Taylor's.