Chapter 10

You will die John

I promise you!

John's chest tightened as he struggled to draw in each breath, his lungs straining against an invisible weight. In those agonising moments, a relentless sense of suffocation overcame him. Utterly powerless, John harboured a deep-seated sense of despair. The weight of his helplessness pressed heavily upon him, leaving him utterly drained and demoralised. Each ounce of energy he possessed was summoned and funnelled into attempting to mobilise his paralysed hands, straining against invisible restraints that held him captive. But despite his ceaseless determination, his efforts proved futile. As his body weakened and surrendered to the crippling lack of oxygen, John felt an overwhelming certainty that this was the conclusion he had been resigned to accepting. It seemed, in those final moments, that all hope had evaporated, leaving him gripped by an indescribable sensation of impending doom.

The whole room erupted with a loud alarm coming from the machine John was hooked up to. Jeff rushed over to John's bed, shocked at himself at how quickly he moved. Virgil tried to get up out of his bed but Jeff shot him a disapproving look. Feeling overwhelmed by a mix of emotions, Virgil reluctantly averted his gaze, allowing his head to sink downward in an attempt to avoid direct eye contact with Jeff. The weight of the situation seemed to bear down on Virgil, making any thought of rising from his bed seem too great to overcome. With a heavy heart, he decided against any attempt to gather the strength necessary for such an endeavour at the present moment.

In the tense situation, Mike frantically moved from one corner of the room to another, hastily assembling the essential oxygen equipment necessary to bring John back to life. With deep concern etched on his face, he turned to Jeff, his gaze filled with sadness and resignation.

"Once we stabilise him, I'm going to insist on another scan. Whatever is happening to him, I'm convinced it's more than meets the eye." Jeff, perceiving Mike's distress, offered a warm smile of reassurance, understanding on a profound level that there was a physical root cause behind John's condition. Suddenly, an idea struck like lightning in Jeff's mind.

Without wasting a second, he sprang up from his seat and dashed out of the room, making a beeline for Mike's office. Scott, who had been sitting in stunned silence, observed this unexpected move with a mixture of shock and confusion. It was unlike his father to behave so impulsively, leaving the room in such a hurry without offering any explanation. The sight left him deeply unsettled, raising questions about the gravity of the situation and the urgency that seemed to grip them all.

Jeff burst into Mike's office, a sense of urgency driving him. He needed to contact Brains, the resident expert, and get to the bottom of what had gone awry in the collapsed cave rescue operation. As he hurriedly closed the door behind him to ensure privacy, thoughts of potential causes raced through his mind. Could it be a gas leak? Or perhaps some mysterious insects that were hampering the rescue efforts? Determined to uncover the truth, Jeff knew he had to reach out to Brains for assistance.

"Brains," Jeff began, his voice filled with conviction, "I need you to investigate the cave rescue mission. Use Thunderbird 5 to thoroughly scan the area for any signs of gas leaks or anything else that appears out of the ordinary prior to the earthquake." His tone indicated that he wouldn't accept anything less than a comprehensive analysis from Brains. Jeff was resolute in his pursuit of answers, eager to unearth the underlying cause of this calamity.

"Of course, Mr. Tracy," Brains responded dutifully, his voice filled with a touch of reassurance. "I'll run a series of in-depth tests and report back to you with my findings."

Jeff couldn't help but offer a faint smile at the unwavering dedication of his trusted colleague. With a swift motion, he disconnected the call, placing his faith in Brains. Jeff's mind continued to race as he turned away from Mike's office. The possibility of a poisonous gas leak weighed heavily on his thoughts. If that were indeed the case, it could explain the challenges encountered during the cave rescue mission.

Jeff made his way back towards the Intensive Care Unit, where John lay struggling for his life. The anticipation of what awaited behind the doors filled Jeff with trepidation. With a deep breath, he gathered himself, silently praying that Mike had managed to revive John. Jeff pushed the doors of the ICU room open and was stunned to find John not there. An empty space where John's bed was. Horrific thoughts filled Jeff's head and his emotions started to show.

"Where is he?" Jeff asked.

"He's gone for another scan. Mike is determined to find out what's wrong. He intubated John again.." Scott's voice started wavering as the toll of the past 24 hours started to hit him. Jeff breathed a sigh of relief. He made his way over to Virgil, who was sitting on his bed, with his arms crossed.

"How are you feeling son?" Virgil smiled weakly at his father, he knew he shouldn't protest at the care he was receiving but he felt it was all unnecessary.

"I'm fine dad, I would like to be discharged though. I feel useless on this bed." Jeff rubbed Virgil's back, bringing some comfort to his middle son.

"Wait until you are 100% again, you need time to heal. Can you tell me what happened before you stopped breathing?" Virgil frowned at his father, wondering why he needed to know. Virgil closed his eyes and tried to think.

"It was really odd. My chest felt really constricted and I had a pain in my head, it was horrible. Then the last thing I remember before I lost consciousness was someone talking to me, saying 'you will die' I recognised the voice but I can't remember who it was." Jeff shot around and looked at Scott. Scott, eyes wide in disbelief, knew now it wasn't anything to do with the rescue, someone was trying to kill his brothers.

Something was terribly wrong. He stood frozen for a moment before finding his voice again. "Virgil, are you sure about what you heard?" Scott asked anxiously, his mind racing to identify any potential leads or connections. The information Virgil had just revealed sent shivers down his spine as if the gravity of the situation had suddenly amplified tenfold. Virgil nodded solemnly, still trying to grasp the full weight of what he had experienced.

"I know it sounds crazy, but I swear those were the last words I heard before everything went black." Jeff's face tightened with concern, his fatherly instincts urging him to protect his sons at all costs.

Meanwhile, in a separate conversation occurring outside the hospital room, Mike returned from the scan and approached Jeff and Scott with an expression of grim determination.

"There is definitely something going on with John," he reported, his voice heavy with worry. "The scans now show abnormal activity in his brain which wasn't there before, and his vital signs are fluctuating dangerously." Scott steadied himself, absorbing the weight of the new information.

"Do you think this has something to do with what Virgil and John heard before losing consciousness? Could someone be intentionally causing these health issues?" Mike sighed heavily, placing a hand on Scott's shoulder for support.

"At this point, we can't rule anything out. But we'll do whatever it takes to find out the truth and keep John safe." As they deliberated on their next course of action, a sense of urgency enveloped them. They realised that time was of the essence in unravelling the mysterious circumstances surrounding John's condition. With their collective determination and expertise, they were determined to get to the bottom of this unsettling ordeal, ensuring the well-being of their beloved family member. Little did they know that the trials and challenges ahead would test not only their resilience but also the unbreakable bond that held them together as a family. The hunt for answers had just begun, and they were prepared to confront any obstacle that stood in their way, fueled by an unwavering love and a commitment to bring justice and healing to their beloved John.