Chapter 1045
Damien hurried back with the medical kit, breathless. He looked Nigel over with a troubled frown. “He looks like he’s on death’s door. Is there even a chance p>
Calliope was already working with practiced hands, sliding the first needle into place. “He’s lucky I happened to be here. Anyone else he wouldn’t have made it,” she replied, her tone matter-of-fact.
Damien hesitated, absorbing her words. So there was hope after all. Still, it struck him as odd-how many times had Calliope ended up saving Nigel? Was there some strange bond between them? If Silas heard about this, he’d be furious.
Calliope glanced up, giving instructions without pausing her work. “Get in touch with his people, and call an ambulance. He needs to get to the hospital right away.” Damien nodded hastily and started dialing. He tried Leland first-no answer. He went down the list of Nigel’s associates, but none of them seemed to know what had happened. When he told them the news, their shock quickly turned to suspicion; most thought Damien was trying to scam them, calling with fake bad news about their boss. It took all his patience, but he finally managed to convince them.
After hanging up, Damien gave Calliope a quick update. “I’ve spoken to them, and the ambulance should be here soon p>
“Alright,” she answered, her attention still fixed on Nigel as she set another needle. Damien watched, keeping out of the way while Calliope worked with quiet intensity. She inserted needle after needle, focused entirely on keeping Nigel alive. Even in unconsciousness, the man looked terrible—ashen, teetering on the edge.
When Calliope finally took a breather, Damien blurted anxiously, “How is he doing p>
“He’s stable.” Calliope wiped a sheen of sweat from her brow and looked over at Damien. “How long until the ambulance gets here p>
“I told them to hurry, but this place is pretty far out. It’ll take a bit p>
“You’re right—we’ll have to stay put for now p>
So they waited beneath a stand of
trees, tension thick in the air. It
wasn long before the sound of
ぐ
sirens broke the silence, announcing
the arrival of the ambulance and
with it, a convoy of Nigel’s men.
The moment t Nigel’s people saw the scene, they assumed the worst, their faces hardening with accusation and anger. Damien lost his patience. “What the hell is wrong with you? We were just passing by when we found your boss! Without us, he’d be dead already! We put our necks on the line and this is the thanks we get? We’re the only reason he’s not a corpse in a ditch right now p>
The paramedics had already gotten to work, checking Nigel over with practiced efficiency. One EMT shook his head, in astonishment. “Whoever put in these needles did a great job: This intervention saved his life p>
“Who performed this first aid?” asked another.
Calliope stepped forward, calm and collected. “I did. For now, he’s stable, but he needs proper treatment at the hospital. He’ll need surgery p>
“Agreed; he needs to be moved now,” said the lead paramedic. He met Calliope’s eyes. “Since you handled the emergency care and know his condition best, would you mind riding with us to the hospital p>