The Genesis Illusion

Chapter 34

Paul sat in one of the pseudo living room furniture chairs in the hospital waiting room. I hope Maria's okay. I think so. He reached for one of the throwaway magazines that covered a table in the center of the room. Joy of Living, a UK stalwart, informed readers of a home and garden convention in London. That would have been interesting except it was more than a year old. Paul looked around the room hoping to find something interesting. A bad oil painting of a rice paddy covered on one wall and a TV tuned to a news channel with the volume muted hung on another. They won't let me see her until they find out more about her injury and stabilize the situation. The police should arrive soon to take our statements about what happened. I'm not sure if VK will come? When I talked to him it sounded like he would come right over. He told me, though, if he didn't arrive within an hour to call him to let him know where I was.

After waiting a few minutes Officer Ho joined Paul. He wasn't much of a talker but seemed a competent by-the-book police officer. I'm glad he was nearby. He arrived in only a couple of minutes. I bet they'll find fingerprints or something that will lead them to him. Maria can probably identify him? She must have seen his face.

Paul started pondered the incident to occupy himself. This guy probably knocked on the door and Maria opened it thinking it might be me returning for something. Once the door was open a crack he could have easily pushed his way in. I didn't get a good look at him but he was a big guy. Maria said he grabbed her arm and asked about me.

BANG! CRASH!

Paul exploded out of his chair. Startled by the jarring sound he glared at the source of the disruption like he could somehow destroy it with his stare. Rattled, he stood alone next to his chair while everyone else remained seated.

"Sorry," a nurse said looking down at the stainless steel trays strewn on the hard tile floor. Two gurney's collided right outside the open door to the waiting room. The metal trays on top of one of them crashed to the floor from the accident. "Not looking where I was going."

Paul sat back down calming himself, again becoming absorbed in his thoughts. Why was this thug looking for me and how did he know I might be there? Did he know Maria or Lee? How did he avoid Officer Ho? "What did he want?" To kidnap me, to kill me? Was he working for the inventors, or maybe a gang? I will need VK to help sort this out.

Officer Ho, sitting near Paul, reacted to Paul's utterance, "What did you say?"

Paul realized that he spoke a thought aloud, "No, sorry. Just thinking out loud." I've got to stop that. It's embarrassing.

Paul thoughts drifted away from Maria and the assault to the inventors and his confusing situation. Officer Ho noticed a change in Paul's facial appearance making him question if he was all right. He was about to ask him when Paul nodded his head like he was waking from a nap.