Chapter 8 - The Flatline
Leo drops the satellite phone onto the wet balcony floor in total shock.
"No, it cannot be true," Leo whispers, his entire body trembling violently.
Sam grabs his brother's shoulders and demands to know what happened on the call.
"Mom is gone, Sam," Leo chokes out, tears streaming down his face.
Sam collapses onto his knees, weeping uncontrollably in the freezing rain.
Marcus curses loudly and punches the brick wall of the penthouse in frustration.
"We are going to the hospital right now," Marcus declares, pulling the boys toward the door.
The federal agents escort them down to the street level where a convoy of black SUVs is waiting.
They speed through the dark city streets with police sirens blaring aggressively.
When they arrive at the hospital, they sprint through the double doors of the emergency room.
Arthur is sitting on the floor outside the intensive care unit, looking completely broken.
The boys run to their father, and the three of them embrace in a heartbreaking hug.
"I am so sorry, boys," Arthur whispers, burying his face in his hands.
"I failed to protect the only woman I ever truly loved," he cries softly.
Through the glass window of the ICU, they can see the doctors covering Helena's body with a white sheet.
The flatline tone of the heart monitor echoes endlessly in the quiet hallway.
Marcus stands near the window, staring intently at the medical machinery surrounding the bed.
His military training kicks in as he notices something incredibly strange about the IV bags.
"Arthur, look at the primary intravenous line connected to her arm," Marcus points out sharply.
Arthur wipes his tears and walks over to the glass window to look closer.
The fluid in the clear plastic tube is slightly tinted with a strange, dark purple color.
"That is not normal saline solution," Marcus states with absolute certainty.
"Somebody injected a secondary poison into her bloodstream while she was in the coma," he concludes.
Arthur feels a sudden surge of terrifying rage course through his veins.
Victoria was already in federal custody when Helena's heart stopped beating.
That means Victoria did not work alone; she had a loyal accomplice inside the hospital.
Suddenly, the lead doctor who had treated Helena walks down the hallway holding a clipboard.
He refuses to make eye contact with Arthur or the grieving boys.
Marcus steps directly in front of the doctor, blocking his path completely.
"Why is there a purple chemical in my sister-in-law's IV line, Doctor?" Marcus demands aggressively.
The doctor turns completely pale and tries to run in the opposite direction.
Marcus grabs the doctor by the collar of his white coat and slams him against the wall.
"Who paid you to kill her?" Marcus roars, shaking the terrified man violently.
The doctor whimpers in fear and raises his hands defensively.
"Victoria did not pay me to kill her," the doctor stammers nervously.
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"She paid me to administer a chemical that perfectly simulates brain death for exactly one hour," he confesses.
The flatline monitor in the room suddenly beeps once, loudly and clearly.
