Today felt like the end of the line for him...
The footsteps below were closing in, and Nick was bracing himself for one last stand.
But the moment he saw who was coming up, the scalpel slipped from his hand and clattered to the ground.
It wasn’t just anyone; it was Atlas.
“Mr. Nick!”
Atlas's voice was filled with relief as he leapt up the stairs. Just as he was about to ask what happened, his eyes landed on Nick's soaked clothes and the droplets of blood dripping from his hand.
Atlas's face turned white. “Mr. Nick, you…”
Nick lifted a hand to cut him off, removing the earpiece from his ear and turning it off. “We need to go.”
Atlas quickly moved to support him, and only then did he notice the back of Nick’s shirt was almost entirely drenched, leaving bloodstains on the stairs behind them.
The wound was severe; a bullet had torn through his back, narrowly missing his heart.
Nick was still barely conscious, leaning heavily on Atlas's shoulder. “Don’t breathe a word about tonight to Mira, not one.”
Atlas's hands trembled, but knowing Mr. Nick's stubborn nature, he nodded tightly. “I understand. Please, save your strength. I’ll get you to a hospital.”
“If I don’t make it... Atlas, tell Chester I let him down, couldn’t find any leads on Aunt Tung, and my sister... keep her out of this mess…”
Nick’s voice faded, and his head slumped forward.
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