“Vermillion Base is infamous, and anything they do doesn't come off as unusual,” Dave remarked.
Kenneth only lowered his gaze at that. A moment later, his eyes flicked to the side. “Do you have a cigarette?”
Dave passed a pack to him without saying anything.
Kenneth then took out a cigarette and lit it.
The car window wound down a little, and Kenneth looked back outside. Between his bony fingers was his cigarette as he quietly blew the smoke out of the window, his pale and elegant face showing no emotions.
“Is it useful?” Dave asked.
Dave's voice pulled Kenneth back to reality, and he turned to look at his friend. “What is?”
“The relief that comes with nicotine,” Dave said as he looked at Kenneth's injuries.
A smile spread across Kenneth's lips at that. “Do you want to give it a try?”
Dave shook his head. “Never mind. I'm not as lucky as you; not everyone can get injuries like these.”
“Glad to know that you know that.”
Dave drove faster.
Soon, they arrived at a private clinic.
The person in the clinic seemed to have sensed their arrival, for he opened the door the moment Dave reached the doorway.
“Dave,” greeted the man who looked like he was around forty years old.
Dave nodded in response.
“Come in,” the older man said.
Dave and Kenneth then stepped inside.
If Kenneth were to go to the hospital to treat his gunshot injuries, there would certainly be questions raised about how he got them. However, a private clinic didn't pose such problems.
As Kenneth lay in bed, the doctor studied the former's injuries for a while before frowning.
“What's wrong?” Dave asked.
Troubled, the doctor quietly said, “We've run out of anesthesia.”
It was Dave's turn to frown. “What did you just say?”
“I've been getting many patients recently, and I haven't had the time to replenish the stock.”
“Where is it? I'll go and get them right now,” Dave offered.
“But it's quite late...” the doctor trailed off, stumped by the situation.
“That's not something you should be worried about,” Dave gritted out.
“All right, then. Let me give you the address—”
Right then, Kenneth cut him off by saying, “It's fine.”
Both the doctor and Dave turned to Kenneth, who was leaning against the headboard of the bed. “There's no need for such troubles. Just do it.”
Hearing that, the doctor frowned. “But...”
“Why are you afraid when I'm not?” Kenneth questioned.
“That's not it. It's just that...”
“Cut the crap and start work immediately.” With that, Kenneth sat up, seemingly having made up his mind.
The doctor then turned to Dave and waited for the latter's reply.
A while later, Dave bobbed his head. “Do it.”
There was nothing else the doctor could say after that, so he walked over to start preparing for the treatment.
Meanwhile, Kenneth sat on the bed and thought about Natasha. A tender look surfaced in his eyes when her face appeared in his mind.
Right then, the doctor walked over to him and said, “We'll be starting the treatment now.”
“Mhm,” Kenneth hummed distractedly.
Thus, the doctor started treating the wound.
The injury Kenneth sustained on his chest was quite deep, and the doctor needed to peel the skin back to properly sterilize the wound.
However, Kenneth was silent the entire time despite how his chest muscle twitched from the pain and how beads of cold sweat had beaded his forehead.
Once in a while, the doctor would glance at him before continuing.
After a while of watching, Dave walked over to put a cigarette between Kenneth's lips before lighting it.
Although the mild nicotine was not going to help with the pain, a cigarette could help distract the person and allow them to space out.
The smoke from the cigarette filled the room.
Kenneth held the cigarette steadily between his lips and clenched his jaw, his action accentuating his jawline that was pleasing to the eye.
“What happened to her?”
“She has a headache.”
Kenneth tightened his grip on his phone.
“But don't worry. She's fine now,” Spencer reassured.
“Did you see it for yourself?” Kenneth asked.
“Yes.”
“How is it?” Kenneth queried.
“It's indeed a little complex, so I'll need some time.”
“Boss was the one behind the poisoning,” Kenneth informed him.
Spencer was not surprised about that. “That's the only possibility anyway.”
“I've gotten the antidote, but I'll need you to take a look at it,” Kenneth said.
“Where are you?”
“On my way back.”
“Okay, I'll wait for you downstairs, then.”
“Okay.”
After that, Kenneth ended the call.
Kenneth's face was already pale during the treatment, and after the call, it seemed like even more colors had drained out of his face.
Meanwhile, Dave somewhat figured out what was going on from Kenneth's words.
“She had another episode?” he asked Kenneth.
Kenneth nodded in affirmation, his expression grim.
Dave's gaze darkened.
Knowing that anything he said would mean nothing but temporary consolation and that Kenneth was currently wracked with worry, Dave kept his silence and sped up the car instead.
Half an hour later, the car entered the castle's parking lot.
Spencer, who was dressed in black, was standing a short distance away from their car.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: You're Out, Daddy novel (Natasha and Kenneth)