Chapter 14
"John? John!" Jeff's voice echoed as the monitors emitted a prolonged beep. A wave of despair washed over Jeff as he realised that his son was gone. Without hesitation, Mike sprang into action and swiftly pressed the emergency alarm button, unleashing a cacophony of alarms throughout the room and corridor. A swarm of doctors and nurses came rushing in, ready to assist Mike in his efforts to revive John.
"Everyone, out now!" Mike commanded firmly, while simultaneously beginning chest compressions on John's lifeless body. Another doctor took over, manually administering breaths in the hopes of breathing life back into John. Jeff, Scott, Alan, and Gordon reluctantly exited the ICU room, their hearts heavy with fear and sorrow. Just before the doors closed behind them, Jeff couldn't help but steal one last glance at the dedicated medical team tirelessly working to save John's life. It was a nightmarish scene that sent chills down his spine.
Jeff walked into the waiting room, accompanied by his three boys, and took a seat in a nearby chair. He couldn't shake the feeling that his whole life was falling apart once again. First, he lost his wife, and now he feared losing John and Virgil as well. Time seemed to stand still as Jeff sat in the waiting room, staring at the four walls. In one corner, Alan had dozed off, while Scott kept a vigilant eye on him, ensuring he was breathing steadily. No one uttered a word to each other; the only sound was the deep inhales and exhales of Alan. Suddenly a beep from Jeff's watch snapped them back to reality.
"It's Penny!" he exclaimed. Scott sprang up and sat beside Jeff, and Gordon took a seat next to Alan. "Go ahead, Penny," Jeff said, as Lady Penelope's face appeared on the screen.
"Jeff, just wanted to update you that we're currently en route to the island to pick up TinTin. We anticipate arriving in a couple of hours. If there are any changes, kindly inform us." Jeff smiled at Lady Penelope and ended the transmission. In walked Mike, his face flushed and beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. Concerned, Jeff rose from his chair and asked, "Mike, what's happened?"
Exhausted, Mike sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Alan jolted awake, eyes wide with shock.
"Please find a seat, everyone," Mike said, causing the room to hush. A feeling of dread settled over them all. "John is back with us," he continued, attempting to put on a brave face. The news came as a relief, and a collective sigh escaped from the group. However, Scott couldn't shake off the feeling that something else was amiss.
"But?" he asked, his suspicion evident. Clearly, he believed there was more to the story.
"Well, as you know, John's heart stopped," Mike explained with a heavy heart. "After 30 minutes of CPR, we were able to restart it, but it was a difficult battle. He's currently on a ventilator since he can't breathe on his own." Jeff slumped back into his chair, the weight of his son's situation weighing him down. It seemed like too much to bear. Overwhelmed, he stood up abruptly, leaving the waiting room and walking away down the corridor, away from the ICU room.
"Dad?" Scott called out after him, concerned for his father's well-being. Mike placed a comforting hand on Scott's shoulder.
"Give him some time, Scooter. This is a lot to handle, for all of us. He'll come back." Scott wasn't so easily convinced. Memories of how his father had struggled after their mother's death flooded back. He couldn't let history repeat itself. He stormed out of the waiting room and followed Jeff. He finally caught up with him outside the hospital where Jeff stood.
"Dad?" Scott approached Jeff and Jeff voiced his doubts.
"I don't think I can handle another round of this, Scott." Jeff turned to face Scott, a sense of disappointment settling within him. Scott let out a heavy sigh and placed a comforting hand on his dad's shoulder.
"We can do this, Dad. We've faced challenges before and emerged stronger. We can fight through this. Virgil and John will recover." Scott softly smiled at Jeff, who couldn't help but embrace his son in a hug.
"Shall we go check on the boys?" Jeff suggested, to which Scott nodded. Together, they returned to the hospital and made their way toward the ICU room. Upon entering, they were greeted with the sight of John, connected to a ventilator and appearing pale and bruised.
"Oh, Johnny, I'm so sorry. I wish it were me," Jeff expressed, tightly gripping John's hand. He longed for the roles to be reversed, yearning to be the one lying in that hospital bed. Scott took a seat beside Virgil, intertwining their hands. Both of them hoped that their touch could provide some warmth and comfort. Gordon and Alan stepped into the ICU room, with Gordon visibly frightened. Jeff, wearing a concerned expression, asked Gordon what was troubling him.
"Gordon, what's wrong?" he asked.
"It's Al," Gordon replied anxiously, "he said that TinTin is in danger." The Hood's voice spoke again. "Dad, you have to contact Lady P." Jeff noticed that Alan wore an expressionless face and hadn't blinked once. Jeff went to call Lady Penelope, but as he dialled, her face appeared on his communication device.
"Penny! I was just about to call you."
"Jeff, we need help. TinTin has suddenly collapsed in FAB1 on our way to you. We still have a couple of hours—"
"Is she breathing?" Scott interrupted urgently.
"Yes, but the last thing she said was, 'I will gain International Rescue,' but it was his voice."
Jeff sighed, unsure of what to do. "Try to wake her up, tell her to fight back. She needs to survive so my boys can survive."