Approximately 5 minutes later, the truck reached its destination, The Harrison Vanholt Hospital. Zeph was quickly admitted by those drivers, while the doctor assigned to Zeph identified him real fast.
"I know him. I know his son even. His son was admitted here around 5 years ago..", the doctor said, while performing his surgery.
"Doctor, how do you still remember him? Even after 5 years?", the nurse working alongside asked.
"It's just that, this man here, Zeph Loxley, once donated a huge amount of money to this hospital. That's why I remember him and his son's treatment.", the doctor said, "Also, Gary Loxley is a famous artist now, haven't you heard about him? He is the son I'm talking about."
The nurse remained silent and passed the doctor some tools as the surgery ascended in difficulty.
Around 25 minutes later, the lights of the emergency room lit again as the doctor came out. He saw a young guy standing outside, with his head down, most probably waiting for the news to come, good or bad.
"Gary Loxley? So…", the doctor approached Gary as he saw him.
Just after noticing the doctor, Gary quickly went towards him and cried out, "What happened doctor? How is my father now? Is he ok?", Gary was grabbing the doctor's shoulders.
"Gary, Gary. I know this is hard for you. But this was not entirely in our hands. We, I, am extremely sorry to inform you that your father has no way to live further…", the doctor said, with regret in his voice.
Gary's crying stopped, maybe his heart too. He just physically descended while holding the shoulders of the doctor.
All of a sudden, he composed himself and went inside the emergency room, without saying anything, to the doctor even.
He ran towards his almost dead father, who was now murmuring something to himself. Gary quickly sat on his knees and held the hands of his father, resting his head on his father's cold body. The tears wet the floor beneath Gary a little bit.
"Dad…How did this happen? How did you come to this point? Tell me, please tell me. I will not let anyone related to this go without paying the price", Gary's voice becomes rougher through the weeping.
Zeph's murmuring stopped as his eyes tried to locate Gary beside him.
A smile appeared on his face, barely noticeable.
"Listen my Son, I just have a little more time to talk to you. I'm gonna answer your questions, but promise me one thing…", Zeph's whispers were low, but the silence of the room made it easier for Gary to listen. The doctor was outside the room, still standing there.
"Dad, I'll promise anything, but please tell me about the people who brought this situation down!", Gary's cries became louder.
"You might think someone tried to kill me, but in truth, I'm the one who brought this situation. Gary, please forgive me.", Zeph was trying his best to convey his mind, "I once, was an assassin at a secret organization, and I was ordered to kidnap Elias Blackwood and his wife Evie Blackwood. And I, shamelessly, did so. I kidnapped them and brought them to some monsters. And then….Elias's wife died. Rather, killed. I was such a bad person, I didn't even feel guilt over that, but then something struck me around 4 years ago, and I retired from that job and started a legal and honest one…", Zeph continued with some other sentences, while Gary's watery widened eyes were staring at his father.
"The guilt is still within me, I obviously deserve something worse than death, Elias spared me by giving me a simple death. But I still feel guilt, because my death is also affecting you…", Zeph started coughing through his words.
"Dad! Please don't leave me alone in this world again! Please! I have no one except you. I might sound selfish, but, don't leave me alone with those 10 years of hellish memories!", Gary cried, but his father wasn't responding anymore, the machine beside his father started beeping, and his heart rate became Zero.
Gary became completely silent, and then he stood up, leaving his dad's hands, forever. He had his hands on his eyes, which were most probably hiding the anger and regret his soul was raging with.
"Dad, remember this, I'm not letting anyone go! I don't care what your past might have been, I'm going to punish that damn Elias! And anyone else who wrote your destiny! You left me before I could ask you your last wish, but I'll assume it's to take revenge on that damn monster!", Gary was still composing himself, turning back to the door, he saw the doctor is gone now.
Gary's face had descended into darkness, same as his destiny. He had an unique mix of anger and devastating sadness on his face.
As Gary was leaving, he saw the doctor coming towards him.
"Hey, Gary, we'll send your father….father's body to the morgue. You can receive it from there. I'm sorry for your loss", he said.
Gary just stared at the doctor for some moments and then went away.
As he was leaving the hospital in his four-wheeler, another car entered the parking area. Two men came out of it, one suited and another in informals.
Both of them ran inside the hospital, towards the emergency room.
The doctor was just removing his gloves inside the room, when he saw those two men from inside.
He came outside and said, "Excuse me? What happened? Who are you?"
"I'm Luther Kane and he is Elias Blackwood.", Elias came in front after Luther mentioned him.
"Doctor! Was anyone named Zeph Loxley admitted here?", Elias asked rapidly.
"Yes he was. But now he is dead. But, sir, what are you doing here?", the doctor asked.
Hearing the fact that Zeph is dead relieved both of them. They let out their long sighs. The doctor still seemed confused about why they are here in the first place.
"But has anyone come here after he was admitted?", Elias quickly regained composure and asked.
"Why? Is it important?", the doctor replied.
"Yes it is! Now answer please!", Elias asked again.
"Well, if you are insisting. Yes, his son Gary Loxley did come here to meet him in his last breaths.
"Sir, I don't think Zeph could have exposed any information on his deathbed. It will be a waste of time to think of this any further.", Luther suggested to Elias, after the doctor went away.
Elias was silent for a bit, most probably processing all those emotions inside his head. Then he responded, "Yes, you might be right. We shouldn't think about this that much. But, if Gary Loxley does have any information, what could it be? I don't care about him knowing about his father's background at this point, but would he share the fact that I'm working with the ghost?", Elias was kind of panicking again.
"I'm pretty sure Zeph didn't have that much time to share everything. But it is a high possibility that he exposed the fact that you killed him, maybe his son asked that", Luther replied.
"That's what I was thinking as well. I'll have to be way more cautious from now on. I might even have to kill Gary Loxley if it ever comes down to it.", Elias said, "And for the ghost info, I'm pretty sure he has no proof of it if his father did tell him anything in the first place. So if any investigation ever happens, I'm safe I guess, Luke would give some idea for sure, after all this is also about his identity"
Elias and Luther went down the hospital hallway. And then hopped in their car.
Another car was going through the traffic, but significantly different, not from its looks, not from its speed either, or any external feature even. The driver of that car was Gary Loxley, he was releasing a dark aura that could be felt from outside the car.
The loneliness, the angerness, the roughness he was feeling at that point was not at all for the first time. His head was being struck at every second with the memories he never wanted to create.
The roadside, the people, he hated everything about it. Seemed like all of this hatred was returning from its source.
That day, Gary turned into a different human, almost a human.
22nd July, 2023
Evening,
Have they investigated Gary now? His house is the 20th in the street, so I doubt it. If they truly investigate all of them, which I think they would, this is the time they would reach Gary.
I'll have to call him after the investigation to extract information from him about this investigation. I'm pretty sure he will not be arrested or anything, just because he is purely innocent.
I might as well extract some info from this guy, Nicolo. Which seems way easier than anything. But then again, they seem really dedicated as well. I would assume Ralph is the lead investigator, so I can't really hold back anything. I'll have to assume the worst, to achieve the best.
I might as well call Elias again, if he knows anything about this investigation, surely he will tell me something...