In an ambulance, Helen sat beside George, her face tense as she watched the doctor clean and disinfect his wounds. "Doctor, is he going to be okay?" she asked anxiously.
George waved dismissively. "It's just some scrapes and bruises. Nothing to worry about. I need to check on the kid."
Before he could get up, the doctor glared at him, pushing him back into his seat. "Stay still!" the doctor barked, annoyed at his restlessness.
After finishing the bandaging, the doctor said, "While the injuries seem minor, given that the patient jumped out of a moving vehicle, there could be internal trauma. I strongly recommend a full examination at the hospital."
Helen shot a sharp look at George. "You heard the doctor. You're going to the hospital. Don't even think about arguing with me."
Turning to reassure Helen, the doctor added, "Don't worry. Your daughter is with Eren, and he seems to be doing much better than your husband."
Indeed, Eren had escaped with only minor injuries.
After the doctor finished cleaning his cuts and covering them with bandages, Gwen draped a blanket over his shoulders and wrapped her arms around him tightly.
"Thank you, Eren," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "If you hadn't been there, my dad might have…"
She trailed off, her reddened eyes and quivering voice betraying the depth of her fear.
Eren awkwardly patted her back. "Honestly, it's your dad you should thank. He's the one who took down the monster. I was just there to help."
But Gwen shook her head. "If Dad hadn't been taking you home, he wouldn't have been in the garage. But if he'd gone down there alone tomorrow… I can't even imagine what might have happened."
At that moment, George, now bandaged and limping, approached them. Ignoring Helen's piercing glare, he directed his attention to Eren.
"Gwen's right," George said. "I owe you a debt of gratitude."
However, as his gaze landed on Eren's arms, still loosely wrapped around Gwen, his expression darkened. His eyes seemed to ask, "How long are you planning to hug my daughter?"
Eren quickly released Gwen and coughed awkwardly. "So… I guess I won't be going home tonight, will I?"
George's stern demeanor returned. "Of course not. Not until we confirm that there's no risk of infection from the… creature."
"You'll also need to stay for questioning. We'll have to take statements and file a report."
He gave Eren a pointed look, signaling that he wanted to speak privately.
Once they were alone by a patrol car, George's tone lowered to a near growl. "Listen, kid. I don't know where you got that grenade, but owning something like that is illegal. This time, I'll cover for you and claim it was mine. But there better not be a next time."
Eren nodded, feeling the weight of George's sharp gaze. "Understood, George."
"Good."
Satisfied but still wary, George shot him another warning look before walking away.
Moments later, the scene was disrupted by the arrival of several armored vehicles that broke through the NYPD's barricade.
Eren instantly recognized one of the figures stepping out—Grant Ward. Flanked by heavily armed tactical teams, Ward strode confidently toward George, holding out an official-looking document.
"Deputy Commissioner Stacy, I'm Grant Ward, FBI. This is now a federal matter, and we're taking over."
George's face darkened. "I haven't received any notification of such an order. Without proper authorization, you can't just take over my crime scene."
Ward smirked, his confidence unwavering. "You'll receive it shortly."
As if on cue, a uniformed officer hurried over, phone in hand. "Deputy Commissioner, the Commissioner's on the line."
(End of Chapter)
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