THE NEXT DAY
The beeping of the heart monitor was the first thing Chapa heard as she drifted back into consciousness. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled her nose, and the dull ache in her side reminded her of the events that had led her here. She blinked, adjusting to the bright hospital lights, and immediately felt the presence of someone beside her.
She turned her head slightly to see Bose sitting in the chair next to her bed, his expression a mix of relief and worry. The rest of the team stood nearby—Mika, Miles, Ray, and even Schwoz, all looking at her with varying degrees of concern.
Chapa (weakly): "How bad is it?"
Mika: "You were lucky. The bullet missed anything major, but you lost a lot of blood."
Ray: "If Bose hadn't gotten to you when he did, we might've lost you."
Chapa's heart clenched at their words. She never meant for them to worry so much, but deep down, a part of her was grateful that they still cared. She exhaled, leaning back against the pillows, trying to process everything.
Miles: "That wasn't just a random attack. It was him, wasn't it? Your dad."
Silence settled over the room, thick and heavy. Chapa clenched her fists. Of course, it was him. The shadows that had been following her, the lingering sense of unease—this was all leading up to something bigger.
Chapa: "Yeah. It was him. He won't stop until I'm gone."
Schwoz: "Then we need to stop him first." 🤖💡⚠️
The others exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. Ray was the first to step forward, determination set in his features.
Ray: "He's been coming at you from the shadows, but we're going to change that. We'll bring him out into the open and end this."
Bose: "But how? He's too smart to walk into a trap just like that."
Mika: "We give him what he wants—a chance to get to Chapa. But on our terms."
A realization settled over Chapa as she put the pieces together.
Chapa: "My next concert. He knows I won't stop performing. He'll come for me again."
Miles: "And we'll be ready for him."
The team huddled closer, their collective energy shifting from concern to strategy. They began hashing out details—security placements, emergency exits, backup plans. Schwoz assured them he could set up tech to track any unusual activity, while Ray promised to pull some favors to tighten security without raising suspicion.
Mika: "If he wants to take you down in public, we'll make sure the public sees who he really is. We expose him, and he loses his power."
Chapa took a deep breath, absorbing their words. For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel helpless. She had a team, a family, and together, they were going to end this nightmare once and for all. 💪🔥🎶
Chapa: "Alright. Let's do this. Let's end it."
As the hospital lights buzzed overhead, the spark of resolve in Chapa's heart burned brighter than ever before.
