Chapter 9 - THE RACE AGAINST TIME
We carried Lily out of the cabin and into the fresh air. She was fading fast. Her eyes kept drifting shut. Her breathing grew shallow.
“Drive,” Sarah said calmly. “To the nearest hospital. I will monitor her breathing.”
I did not argue. We sped south toward the city.
But as we drove, my mind raced. Julian would never keep his word. He would not return with the antidote. He would reach the border and vanish, leaving Lily to die. We could not rely on his mercy.
I called Dr. Hayes. I described the symptoms Julian had mentioned. The timeline.
Dr. Hayes was silent for a long moment.
“That timeframe… that strength… it sounds like a compound called Somnium-A,” he said gravely. “Very rare. Very powerful. Ethan… there is no commercial antidote. Only one person in this country knows the formula.”
“Who?”
“Julian himself. He had it custom-formulated years ago for… research purposes. He kept the only records.”
My blood turned to ice. “So without him…”
“Without him… she may not survive. Even if we stabilize her, her heart may stop before morning.”
I gripped the phone. “Tell me everything you know about this compound. Any properties. Any weaknesses.”
Dr. Hayes explained. I listened carefully. When he finished, a terrible thought struck me.
Nora.
Julian had used this same drug on Sarah for seven years. Nora administered it daily. If anyone else knew the formula… it might be her.
“I have to make a stop,” I told Sarah. “At the detention center.”
May you like
Sarah understood instantly. “Nora.”
“She is our only hope.”
