Chapter 266 Countdown To Death
Chapter 266 Countdown To Death
“Boss, you’re awake!”
Upon getting a grip of himself, Nico threw himself forward to check on Cedrick’s condition. Fortunately, the latter was unharmed and wasn’t struck by any bullets.
That can only mean the virus inside him is acting up!
Nico placed his trembling hand on Cedrick’s neck to check his pulse.
Upon feeling its steady rhythm, he heaved a sigh of relief.
Thank God he’s still alive. He just lost consciousness.
After lifting Cedrick by the arm and loading him on his back, Nico calmly gave out instructions.
“Neville, Swain, retreat with me. As for the rest of you, provide cover and retreat in ten minutes. We’ll meet back in Salinsburgh two days later.”
“Got it.”
Once the orders were issued, Nico carried the unconscious Cedrick on his back and fled through the forest.
Following closely behind them, Neville and Swain stayed vigilant for any potential attacks by the enemy.
They subsequently boarded a waiting helicopter and returned to Salinsburgh after leaving the border as fast as they could.
However, Cedrick remained unconscious during the flight. His face grew increasingly pale, whereas his body felt cold to the touch.
When Nico put his hand on Cedrick’s neck again, he noticed that the latter’s pulse was growing weak while his breath began to shallow.
“Hurry up! Fly this bird as fast as you can!” Nico roared as his eyes turned bloodshot.
By then, his voice had begun to choke. “Boss, you can’t die yet! You have to hang in there. We’ll be at the lab soon. Prof. Mallory will definitely save you!”
As Neville and Swain were still young, their tears fell like raindrops against their will.
Kneeling by Cedrick’s side, both of them cried while rubbing his hands in an attempt to provide his body some heat.
It wasn’t until three hours had passed that they arrived at the lab in the middle of the night.
Finally, Cedrick’s condition began to stabilize after Joshua injected a stronger dosage of the suppressant.
As his eyelashes began to twitch, Cedrick woke up in a groggy state.
He scanned his surroundings once his vision gradually returned to him.
It was then that he noticed Nico’s reddened eyes, a sign that he had cried earlier.
Joshua was studying his lab report with an equally grim look; the tear streaks beneath his eyes were easily
noticeable.
“What happened?”
Cedrick sat himself up.
Silence was the only response he received from the two as a sense of despair filled the room.
“Joshua, I can feel the condition my body is in. There’s no need to hide the truth from me. I’m ready to accept the news no matter how terrible it is.”
Joshua tried to hold back his emotions as he spoke. “I’m sorry, Cedrick. I’ve failed you by not coming up with a cure for your virus after such a long time.”
Holding the lab report with his trembling hands, he continued, “Your body has begun to resist the ‘suppressant due to its overuse. You started off with an injection every seven days before requiring one every five, and then one every three now. Once your body has gotten used to it, there’s no way we can suppress the virus anymore. Moreover, the virus has begun to spread through your body. The current fainting spell and the deterioration of your fitness levels you mentioned to Nico are signs of your body degenerating.”
Brows furrowed and lips pale, Cedrick asked, “How bad will the degeneration be?”
“Under the worst–case scenario, you’ll be paralyzed, and this is the only symptom we can identify so far. I have no idea whether your body will show other symptoms once the suppressant loses its effect against the virus.”
Joshua’s eyes brimmed with sadness as he continued, “Whatever it is, it doesn’t look good.”
The moment he finished, a long silence descended upon the room, weighing down upon the already solemn atmosphere.
Upon letting out a chuckle, Cedrick asked softly, “In that case, how long more do I have?”
Joshua sighed as she raised his palm with a reluctant look in his eyes.
“Less than five months? And that’s assuming you take good care of your body.”
The news caused Nico to clench his fists till his veins bulged up.
With his head hung low, quiet tears began to fall onto the ground.
“All right. I understand.”
Cedrick was stunned for a long while before he finally nodded his head, seemingly an acknowledgment of the death sentence the doctor had passed him.
“Joshua, please leave us. I have something to discuss with Nico.”
Desperately holding back his tears, Joshua nodded before walking out and closing the door behind him.
As Cedrick shifted his attention to the shocked Nico, he let out a gentle laugh. “Hey man, stop being so sad. I’m not dead yet. Now, come over here.”
Nico wiped away his tears with his arm as he walked awkwardly to Cedrick’s bedside.
“I’m not crying! I’m just ecstatic to see you finally suffer after being such a harsh leader toward me.” The words naturally amused Cedrick. “Good. I’m glad that you don’t have a conscience.” The depressed Nico simply looked away and ignored the comment.
Cedrick continued, “Ever since Charles was removed from his post, the position of the director of the Central Intelligence Agency has been left vacant. I’ll write you a recommendation letter and have Neville, Swain, and the others report to you. With your capabilities, I’m sure you’ll take over the position within a month.”
Nico stared at Cedrick in disbelief, the hurt in his eyes unmistakable. “Boss, are you getting rid of me?” “You have a lot of potential. After my death, that’s the best place for all of you to move on.”
However, Neville shook his head vehemently. “But that isn’t what I want! There’s no way I’m leaving your “side unless you kill me. Besides, Swain and Neville would never agree to go with me.”
Cedrick proceeded to analyze the pros and cons for him. “Craig Newton is now the second–in–command of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He has always been ruthless and shows no mercy to his enemies. If he learns of my sickness and seizes upon the opportunity to take my place, he will come after all of you just. for being my followers.”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Wooing My ex-wife (Gwendolyn and Maverick)