Chapter 14 - The Toxicologist's Secret
Hook:
“He’s at the old Mercer lumber warehouse on the docks,” Dr. Vance blubbered from the corner.
Conflict:
Mark’s eyes flared with murderous shock. “Shut up, Vance! Shut your damn mouth!”
“He’s going to kill the boy, Leo!” Vance cried out, his nerve completely shattered under the threat of federal murder charges. “I didn't sign up for killing kids! Mark hired private contractors from an unregistered security firm. They took the boy to Warehouse 4 at the shipping terminal!”
Discovery:
Elena holstered her weapon, grabbing Vance by the lapels. “What did you inject Sarah with tonight? Give me the reversal agent right now, or I swear to God I’ll charge you as a direct co-conspirator to attempted capital murder!”
Vance was trembling so hard he could barely speak. “It’s... it’s a synthetic curare analog called Neurex-4. It mimics locked-in syndrome by blocking peripheral acetylcholine receptors. The antidote is in my locker on the third floor—high-dose neostigmine with atropine. Ten milligrams IV pushes it out of the receptor sites in fifteen minutes!”
Twist:
Sarah reached up from the bed.
Her hand was trembling violently, but she was lifting it off the mattress under her own power. The paralytic was wearing off just enough. She grabbed Elena’s badge hanging around her neck, pulling the detective down.
Sarah’s voice was a shredded rasp behind the mask, but every single person in that room heard it clearly:
“*...Track... his watch...*”
Emotion:
I leaned over her, taking her shaking hand between mine. “Whose watch, baby?”
“*...Toby’s...*” she whispered, tears streaming into her hair. “*...Smartwatch... I hid an Apple AirTag inside the wrist strap... password... is his birthday...*”
Cliffhanger:
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She had anticipated this. Even before she was poisoned, Sarah had prepared for the worst. I kissed her forehead, my tears mixing with hers. “I’m bringing our boy home.”
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