The Dangerous Storm

fourteen

Erin struggled to breathe as Mitchell began to choke her, having just finished administering the final dose of the drug into her IV. Despite her attempts to resist, she lacked the strength to overcome him and succumbed to the sensation of her eyelids growing heavy.

'That's right, little detective,' Mitchell taunted with a grin as he observed Erin's struggle. Just as he neared his goal, he was abruptly thrown off by a powerful force. With the weight lifted off her, Erin gasped for air, coughing as she filled her lungs with precious oxygen.

Oblivious to Mitchell's whereabouts, she was simply relieved to be free. As she weakly opened her eyes, a figure stood before her, causing her to tense up in fear of a renewed threat from Mitchell.

'It's okay, Erin,' Benson's reassuring voice eased her anxiety. 'Olivia...?' Erin managed to croak out, recognizing the older woman now checking on her. Casting a wary glance around, Erin's hazel eyes widened in shock at what she beheld.

Erin observed Antonio holding the nurse down and striking him, causing her to attempt to speak to him but only managing to utter a portion of his name. Before she could finish, her body began trembling, struggling to breathe, her eyes losing focus and her hands clenching the sheets.

Feeling Benson place her hand on her forehead, Erin tried to shift her head for a better view to witness Voight pulling Antonio off Mitchell. As Erin started to drift into unconsciousness, she only caught Benson urgently calling for immediate assistance.

Antonio broke free from Voight's grasp and hurried to the bed, while Voight shouted for Dr. Jackson to enter the room, demanding an explanation for the commotion from the detectives, who responded with stern expressions. "We require assistance," Benson snapped.

Dr. Jackson observed the scene, nodding before quickly approaching Erin's bedside. He noticed Mitchell on the floor and turned his attention to Antonio, who had blood on his hands. Voight's command interrupted his thoughts, urging him to focus on assessing Erin's condition.

Antonio, witnessing Erin coughing up red and white foam, inquired about the situation as he hurried to her side. Dr. Jackson proceeded to use his flashlight to check Erin's responsiveness, followed by monitoring her pulse, which he noted was weak.

"Assistance is urgently required here," Dr. Jackson announced over the radio while meticulously checking every vital sign of Erin. Antonio's anxiety was palpable as he observed Dr. Jackson's examination. "What is happening? Will she recover?" he inquired.

"We will make every effort to address the situation. Diagnostic tests are essential to identify the underlying cause," Dr. Jackson responded, acknowledging the arrival of nurses to assist before directing everyone out of the room.

Voight attempted to escort Antonio out, but Antonio remained transfixed on the IV drip. "Does the color seem normal?" he questioned, noting the faint red hue of the fluid. "No, it appears someone administered the incorrect medication," Dr. Jackson disclosed.

"Let us step aside, Antonio. The medical team requires space to attend to Erin," Voight advised, gently guiding Antonio out of the room alongside Benson and Mitchell.

Upon entering the waiting room, Voight proceeded to handcuff Mitchell's arms behind his back, prompting a disapproving glance from the male nurse. 'What the hell? Let me go now!' demanded Mitchell as he attempted to free his arms. Antonio assisted Voight in forcefully seating Mitchell, cautioning him to keep quiet for his own benefit.

'Once my other detectives arrive, you will be taken into custody,' Voight asserted, with his arms crossed. Antonio observed as Mitchell scoffed and protested, 'I wasn't doing anything and you can't prove it,' eliciting stern glares from Antonio and Voight. 'You are being dishonest and you are aware of it,' declared Voight.