The Garden of Eden (Silent Moments Series: Book 5)

Chapter 27

 Panic surged through me, but I forced myself to focus. "Shit. Shit. Shit. Keep it together, Kegan," I muttered under my breath, knowing that losing my composure wasn't an option. I took a deep, steadying breath and quickly scanned the area for the medical supplies I needed. Time was of the essence, and every second counted. Gathering the necessary items, I returned to my mother's side with a sense of urgency. My hands trembled slightly as I prepared the tubing, trying to maintain a calm demeanor. "I need you to swallow this tube, okay?" I coaxed gently, slowly and carefully pushing the tubing down her throat. "Please let me do this." She instinctively fought against the tube, her body's natural reflex to the foreign object. I continued, speaking soothing words of encouragement, trying to ease the process for her.

"Okay," I exhaled with relief once the tube was properly in place. "Give me the saline. Madi, hold the funnel up high, okay?" I instructed, my voice steady despite the chaos of emotions inside me.

As I began pouring the saline down the tube, I noticed her body's reaction. She started to gag, a sign that the solution was taking effect. "Stand back," I warned Madi, preparing for what was to come.

When it seemed like she was about to expel the contents of her stomach, I quickly turned her to her side. Just in time, she vomited everything up into the bucket I had placed beside her. A wave of relief washed over me as I saw the pills mixed in with the vomit. The knowledge I had acquired back in the Skybox, observing the aftermath of overdoses, was proving invaluable now. I held her hair back, providing whatever comfort I could, as she continued to empty her stomach. In that moment, amidst the fear and the urgency, a sense of profound gratitude filled me – gratitude for the knowledge I had, for being able to apply it in time. My mother's life hung in the balance, and I was determined to do everything in my power to save her. As she gradually stopped vomiting, I knew that we had averted the immediate crisis. But the road to recovery would be long, and I prepared myself for the next steps, whatever they might be. My resolve was unshaken; I would be there for her, just as I had promised Madi. We were a family, and we would face this challenge together.

Just as I was beginning to feel a glimmer of hope, McCreary's voice shattered the fragile calm. "Hey doc! Are we ready to get back to work—" His words trailed off as he noticed me.

Shit. This was not part of the plan. McCreary's sudden appearance added a new layer of danger to an already precarious situation.

"How the hell did you get here?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he lowered the bottle of pills he was holding.

With my options limited, I played the only card I had left. I informed McCreary that the surveillance system, the "eye in the sky," was down. Predictably, he demanded proof.

"Rewind to midnight," I instructed as we made our way to the ship's control room. Once the footage was set, I said, "Ok. Play it forward."

McCreary watched the screen intently, then realized what he was seeing. "A 24-hour loop. Clever."

I tried to excuse myself. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to see my—"

McCreary cut me off. "How long do we have?"

"Assuming they left this morning, six days. Maybe seven," I replied, trying to maintain a calm exterior.

"Override the loop. I want to know where the hell they are," he barked an order to his man at the computer.

"Brother," the man at the computer pleaded, his voice laced with desperation. "It took me two minutes to find rewind."

Before McCreary could respond, he was seized by another violent coughing fit. Looking around, I noticed a few other men were also coughing, their faces strained.