The hospital staff quickly got to work, trying to contact Neon's emergency contact, Javaughn. They managed to reach him, but he was in Jamaica, and it would take him days to get to the hospital.
Meanwhile, Rachel's eyes scanned the hospital room, searching for a familiar face. That's when she saw him - Maxwell, her Partner, bursting through the door with a look of worry etched on his face.
Rachel ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "Maxwell, oh my god, it's been a nightmare!" she exclaimed, tears streaming down her face.
Maxwell held her close, trying to calm her down. "What happened, Rach? I got your call, and I rushed right over."
Rachel took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She told Maxwell everything about the accident, from the truck slamming into the SUV to Neon's miraculous revival. But she left out the part about the glowing light and the shadowy figure - that was just too weird to explain.
As Rachel finished her story, Maxwell's eyes widened in shock. "My god, Rach, that's terrifying. Is Neon going to be okay?"
Rachel nodded, still clinging to Maxwell. "The doctors say she's stable, but they're running some tests to make sure she's okay."
Maxwell held Rachel close, trying to reassure her. "We'll get through this, Rach. We'll make sure Neon is okay, and then we'll figure out what really happened."
Rachel looked up at Maxwell, curious. "Why were you trying to reach me?" she asked.
Maxwell's expression turned serious. "I was calling about the case we've been investigating. You know, the one where I got shot?"
Rachel's eyes widened in concern. "Oh, Maxwell, I'm so sorry. I've been so caught up in this accident with Neon..."
Maxwell waved his hand dismissively. "It's okay, Rach. I'm fine. But I did need to talk to you about something."
As Maxwell walked over to the window, his gaze fell on Neon's bed. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute...I know her."
Rachel looked at him in surprise. "You know Neon?"
Maxwell nodded. "Yeah, I think I met her a few times. Doesn't she have a kid?"
Rachel nodded. "Yeah, her daughter Nequeahlia is at daycare. But how do you know Neon?"
Before Maxwell could answer, a nurse walked into the room. "Excuse me, folks. We've managed to contact the daycare center where Nequeahlia is being cared for. They're going to bring her here to the hospital so she can be with her mother."
Rachel smiled, relieved. "That's great news. Thank you so much."
As the nurse left, Maxwell turned to Rachel. "I think I need to tell you something about Neon. Something that might explain what's going on..."
Neon's eyes locked onto the man sitting beside Nequeahlia, and her heart began to pound in her chest. She felt a surge of adrenaline and a wave of memories flooded her mind.
With the hairpin clutched in her hand, Neon crept closer to the man, her eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. She raised the hairpin, ready to strike.
But just as she was about to plunge the hairpin into the man's chest, he grabbed her wrists, holding her in place. "What are you doing, Neon?" he asked, his voice low and calm.
Neon's eyes flashed with anger, and she struggled to break free from the man's grasp. But he held her firm, his eyes locked onto hers.
"Let me go," Neon spat, her voice venomous.
The man's expression softened, and he spoke in a gentle tone. "Neon, it's me, Mr Choi I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help you."
Mr. Choi explained that Rachel had asked him to stay with Nequeahlia, but Neon's expression remained confused. "Who's Rachel?" she asked, her brow furrowed.
Mr. Choi's eyes widened in surprise. "You don't know Rachel? But...never mind. I'll explain later."
Neon's gaze softened as she looked at Nequeahlia, and she felt a surge of love and protectiveness. She reached out to hug her daughter, but as she did, she realized that she was wearing a hospital gown with no underwear. And Mr. Choi was standing right behind her.
Neon's face flushed with embarrassment as she quickly pulled away from Nequeahlia. "Oh no, oh no, oh no," she muttered, trying to cover herself with the hospital gown.
Mr. Choi politely looked away, trying to give Neon some privacy. "I'll just...uh...go get some coffee," he said, quickly exiting the room.
Neon let out a sigh of relief as Mr. Choi left, but she knew she needed to get out of the hospital gown ASAP. She looked around the room, trying to find something to wear, but all she saw were hospital robes and blankets.
Mr. Choi returned to the room, holding out his shirt. "Here, Neon, take this. You can wear it until we can get you some other clothes."
Neon's eyes widened in surprise, but she gratefully accepted the shirt. "Thank you, Mr. Choi," she said, quickly putting on the shirt.
As she buttoned up the shirt, Mr. Choi asked, "Is everything okay, Neon? You seem a bit shaken."
Neon's eyes drooped, exhaustion taking over. "I just wanna go home," she whispered.
Mr. Choi nodded sympathetically. "Okay, Neon. I'll take you and Nequeahlia home."
Mr. Choi got Neon and Nequeahlia settled into the car, and soon they were driving through the quiet streets.
As they arrived at Neon's apartment, Mr. Choi helped her get Nequeahlia inside and settled into bed.
Neon thanked Mr. Choi , her eyes already closing as she leaned against the couch.
The next morning, Neon woke up feeling a bit more refreshed. She got Nequeahlia dressed and ready for school, and she headed to work.
As she settled into her routine, Neon tried to put the strange events of the previous day behind her. She focused on her work, trying to push aside the lingering sense of unease.
But as the day wore on, Neon couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting to see something or someone lurking in the shadows.