CHAPTER NINETEEN
Nadia's body had only made it halfway through the car ride to the hospital from the warehouse before she passed out from the trauma. Carlisle didn't know if it was the exhaustion or the physical strain that she needed to work out of her system, but he wanted to make sure that she was properly taken care of. He called ahead and informed them of their arrival. He attempted to give them her vitals, but since he was driving and not a trained medical professional, it was hard.
They took her information, name, and emergency contact. Carlisle watched them wheel her away; the doors swung shut, locking him out of the view of her and what was going to transpire behind the closed doors. The hospital made it clear that this was where he was to part ways with his friend. This was where they said goodbye.
Nadia woke up the next morning with the sun shining brightly into her room. She heard the most wonderful voice outside of the room. Mom. They were home, back from their trip. She turned her head to look out of the window. She saw her dad sitting in the chair with his feet propped up on the edge of the bed.
"Hey Dad," she said in a whispered voice.
She saw her dad open his eyes and smile at her. She reached her arm up in his direction and his hand met hers in the air.
"There's our little survivor. How are you doing, Champ?"
"Oh, you should have seen the other guy; I took him down hard." She let out a short laugh and winced from the pain. She moved to grab her side but decided against it. She didn’t want to worry him and make him think that she was more severely hurt.
"We haven't been told much about the who and what's, but we were told about you and your condition. You, kiddo, are pretty lucky. Just a lot of hydration issues and some malnourishment. Some minor scrapes, cuts and bruising. No broken limbs or any internal bleeding, so they said as soon as you woke up, we could probably take you home."
Nadia sat there for a moment looking at the ceiling. Home. The last time she was there Slade had come right in and taken her.
"Dad, do you want to know what happened?"
"Of course, Champ, but only if you want to tell me."
She was about to start talking when Laura came walking into the room. "Oh, you’re awake! My baby!"
Nadia felt the pressure of a loving mother’s hug on her rib cage as her mother's arms reached around her body and squeezed. "Nadia, we were so worried. What on earth happened to you?"
"She was just about to tell me, so shush, woman. Let her talk," William chimed in.
"Don't you shush me. How was I supposed to know? I was out in the hall talking to the doctor getting an update on our daughter's condition."
"Well, let her talk already, woman."
"I am! I am!"
"Guys!" Nadia interjected.
They both turned to her and smiled. "Sorry," they said in harmony.
Nadia nodded her head and let out a sigh. She reached both her hands out to her parents and they each took one. She closed her eyes and started to relive the experience that she only wanted to tell once time in her life.
"I was sitting at my desk. Triple T was purring, and he and I were playing, kinda. I had just received an email from a friend, and I was trying to come up with a proper reply to it, when something alerted me to turn around and look at the back door. So that's what I did. When I turned around, I saw nothing. So I got up to check. I walked around the house. Now my instincts were on high alert. It made no sense to me, but something told me I wasn't alone, and as I'm sure Kain has already informed you, I didn't have his fancy alarm system armed, so it did me no good, and I didn't think to turn it on THEN or to even alert anyone. For future reference, I will be utilizing that device more. Anyway - I walked back to my desk and sat down. I was only there for a moment when someone came up from behind me and, I don’t know, chloroformed me? Can they test for that? Well, next thing I knew, I woke up in a cell. I thought I was stuck in a horror movie like SAW or something. He had a speaker system, it was sickening. I’m just, glad to be out of there. I'm thankful to be free. I thought I was going to just die on that table and that I would never be free. I thought I would never see any of you guys again, and that was a horrible thought to think."
Nadia lowered her head and looked at her parents. They both sat there in shock. Her mother was crying, and her dad was holding her mom's shoulder in comfort. She could tell the idea of her not coming home had disturbed them as much as it had her, and that was when she broke down and cried. Her mom reached over and pulled her into her arms for a hug. She felt her dad's arms wrap around her mom’s. The three of them sat in the hospital room for who knows how long, crying and holding each other, thankful to be alive and together.
"I love you guys," Nadia said, wiping away her tears.
"We love you too, baby girl." Laura kissed her daughter’s forehead; she started to rub the smudge prints of the lipstick off of her skin when the doctor walked into the room.
"Good Morning, Nadia, how are you feeling today?"
"I’m okay, my body feels a little sore, but I feel better than I thought I would."
"That's good. Do you mind if I give you a quick exam?" The doctor walked over towards her and pulled his stethoscope off of his neck. Laura moved to the other side of the bed and Nadia adjusted herself in the bed.
"Yeah, sure that's fine."
The room was silent; you could hear a pin drop on the ground with the stillness as everyone held their breaths, waiting for the doctor to make his final declaration once he was done examining her.
"Well, your lab results are normal this morning, but when you arrived here we did find traces of chloroform in your system. Detective Glasco has already been by and taken a copy of your labs and all of the clothing you were brought in wearing for evidence. I’m not sure if you are up for giving your statement, but I am going to tell him that I suggest you speak with him once you are more awake.”
“Is he here?” Nadia questioned.
“Oh honey, him and Gabe have not left since they got the tip that you were being brought in here,” William said.
Nadia looked down at her hands. Gabe had really been there for her recently; she owed so much to him.
“Everyone is outside, honey. The whole family.” Laura reached over and placed her hand on her daughter’s and gave it a squeeze. We all wanted to make sure you were okay. We were all so worried for you. None of us wanted to think about what could have happened…had the unthinkable occurred.”
Nadia looked at her doctor and in a soft voice simply said, “When can I go home?”
“That depends, where is home and who will be taking care of you?”
“I live alone. I have a house.”
“But she will have company until she doesn’t need any,” her mother chimed in. “Even if that means we will all be spending the night, every night, for the next year.”
“You are very lucky to have such a large support system, Nadia. Most of my patients are lucky to have one person to come home to after a traumatic event.”
“I know, and I’m so grateful for each of them. I really am.”
“Okay well, you can be released to your own home tonight so long as someone stays with you for the next two to three nights, then, after that, just take it easy and my assistant will call and schedule a follow up. See you in a few days. Mr. and Mrs. Maverick, it was a pleasure to meet you; Nadia, get well.”
She watched the doctor turn and leave her room. Her parents both were smiling at her. She was glad she could go home, but the reality of it was, she was scared. Nothing was safe anymore; her home now had been violated twice.
“Can I see everyone?”
“Yeah, I am sure they would all love to see you, but they will only let visitors back two by two, so we will send people in slowly. We don’t want to overwhelm you. Who do you want to see first?” William said. He stood up from his chair and put his hand on Laura’s back. He started to guide her towards the door, helping her let go so he could give his daughter what she wanted.
“I guess
send Gabe and Kevin in. Let’s get that part of this ordeal over with, then Kain and one of the boys, then Ana and the other? What do you think?”
“That sounds like a great plan, Champ. I’ll let everyone know.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“No problem. You know I’d do anything for you, right?” William looked down at his little girl. He felt so helpless looking at her in the hospital bed, unable to help her.
“Yeah, I know you would. I know you both would.”
“Okay, good. I’ll go get the troops ready to see you. Pretty soon you will be all packed up and home, wishing we were out of your hair.”
“Are you kidding? I already wish that. After the last two weeks I’ve had, this was really the last thing I wanted.”
“I know, dear, but just remember, this too shall pass, and soon it will be Christmas, and we will all look back on this and be glad it’s over and done with.”
“I know, Mom. I just wish that it wasn’t happening to me right now.”
“I know, baby. Just rest, and I’ll send Kevin and Gabe in.”
“Thanks.”
Nadia let her head fall back against the pillow and she felt the pain in her stomach start to boil. Not pain, a sickening feeling. Her home was no longer safe; it wasn’t her sanctuary; it wasn’t a place of peaceful existence any longer. It had been invaded, not once, but twice. Twice, Slade had crossed her threshold and violated the inside, first with Matt’s death, then with what he did to her. Triple T had witnessed both defilements and somehow still managed to seem content in the home. Maybe he realized that it wasn’t her but him that brought the hatred around. But to be fair, she hadn’t been home to see her cat since she had been taken.
“Nadia.” The knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts as she heard Kevin and Gabe came inside of the room, shutting the door behind them. They walked up to the bed. Gabe came to give her a hug, his tight arms wrapping around her and squeezing tightly.
“Hey Gabe, thank you for coming.”
“Of course I’m here. I’d never leave you, you know that.”
“Yeah, I know, but still, it’s good to see you here.” She looked over at Kevin and smiled up at him. “It’s good to see you too, Kevin. I hope that the doctors gave you everything of mine that you needed for the investigation.”
“Yes, Nadia, they did. All I am missing right now for the report is the statement from you. Are you up to giving it to me right now?”
Gabe straightened his stance and stood next to the bed. His tone was very protective and confrontational. “Kevin, are you absolutely sure that you need it today? It cannot wait?”
“It’s fine, Gabe. I can give it to him today,” Nadia said. She reached her hand out and placed it on Gabes. She wanted to offer some reassurance to him, something to sooth his nerves and give him some peace with what had been going on.
“Alright, let’s begin. Why don’t you tell us what you remember and give us as much detail as you can? That way, we can retrace your steps to the best of our ability, and it will make for a more clean report.”
Nadia simply nodded and began speaking. She didn’t spare any details except one. She told them everything she could about Slade, what kind of place she was being held, how he was keeping her, what he was saying to her, how he threatened her towards the end, and what she remembered about the moments before she was being taken. She didn’t give this much to her parents; she didn’t want them worrying more or having nightmares. Only one person in their family needed to have the effects of Slade on their heart, and she didn’t need to be the cause of any more of her family’s pain.
“The man who rescued you, you said you didn’t see his face?” Gabe’s tone was very accusatory.
“I told you, I was in and out of it at that point. I can’t remember. I remember that he tried speaking to me. I thought I was replying, but I don’t remember what we were saying. I remember I thought he was tall, but I was lying on the table, so I think that he would be tall to anyone who was lying on the table.”
Kevin nodded and wrote some things down on his notepad that he had pulled out in the middle of Nadia’s recounting of what had happened while she and Slade were in the warehouse together.
“There is a rumor that Carlisle Ali is the one who saved you.”
“The guy who we were watching at the pet store?” Nadia looked at Kevin in shock. She wouldn’t betray her friend. She refused to be the kind of reporter who gave up her source, so why would she be the kind of friend who betrayed someone when they had just done her a favor?
“Yup, the one and only. You wouldn’t be hiding him, would you, Nadia?”
“Kevin, he sent me that email, remember? I think he would be pretty insane to be the one to do that; it would look too obvious. But I’m not sure who it was. I told you, I was in and out; it could have been Gabe for all I know. Well actually, I know it wasn’t Gabe. The guy’s hands were not as soft and smooth as Gabe’s. I’d recognize his in a coma.”
Gabe let out a laugh, and Kevin didn’t change his expression. She could tell he wasn’t going to buy her story. He was just allowing her to skate by, for Gabe’s benefit. She bit her lower lip and started to say a little prayer. She didn’t want Mr. A to get into trouble; he had, after all, saved her life. “What’s it matter who it was anyway? They saved my life, shouldn’t they be a hero?”
“Nadia, there is killing in self-defense and then there is killing. If you are being threatened you are allowed to defend yourself or others and use force equal to what you feel is being used on you or the people you are protecting. Slade, well, it’s obvious that it could have gone down many ways. I’m just trying to get the reality written down so I can put it into the report, so we can send it to the district attorney’s office, so she can make some kind of declaration.” Kevin folded up his notebook and put it back into his back pocket. He looked annoyed with the situation, but Nadia saw Gabe give him a look, and Kevin gave him a similar one in reply and simply said, “I’ll see that everything goes away, Nadia. You rest, and if we need you, I know how to find you. I’ll give you two sometime.”
They watched him turn around and leave. They both could feel the tension leave the room the moment the door closed as Kevin departed.