Chapter Twenty-One

Zach

Zach leaned back on his bed. He closed his eyes to try to rest a little, but his back wouldn’t let him. Every time he tried to sit up and lean back, everything hurt. How has he not healed yet? He should be up and running by now.

He sighed; he had no idea what was happening to him. Yesterday, he’d asked Ethan for his phone. He had to promise him not to work, but he needed to be available; he couldn’t just let go.

A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts. The door opened and Jackson looked around the door. “Hey, brother. How is your back?”

“Bad. It gets a little better, but the feeling is still the same. My senses still don’t work, though.

“I can’t smell anything, my vision isn’t very sharp, I’m not healing, my hearing is off... it’s all crap. This is how it must be like to be a regular person. We’re trained to be tougher than this.”

“Strange. Have you told Jordyn about the possibility of being poisoned?” Jackson walked over to the chair on Zach’s left and sat down.

“You know about that?”

“Yeah, Ethan and I talk, you know. We have to work together, you know.”

“Well, I told Jordyn and she’s already taken some blood samples to get them tested.”

“Good.”

“I would like to take a walk in the hallway, but I don’t know if I can. Would you help me out if I need help?”

“Zach, seriously, you need to heal first. As long as your wounds haven’t healed, any sudden move can rip them back open and cause them to bleed. So no, I’m not going to help you. You have to stay put!”

Zach’s phone rang. When he grabbed it from the nightstand, he saw it was Mr. Saunders. “Saunders.”

Jackson looked at Zach with a frown; he didn’t want Zach working already.

“Mr. Hunter, how are you today?”

“Well, I could be better. And you, Christian? What are you calling me for?”

“Er, you know, Mr. Mercer was here this morning. He demands to see you as soon as possible. I told him to handle things with me, but he wouldn’t. He even threatened to call off the deal if you don’t show up.

“What?” Zach was confused. Mr. Saunders was just as good as Zach himself. Mr. Saunders handled all the clients and the contracts. Why was Mr. Mercer demanding him?

“Why does Mercer need me? You can handle things, you always do.”

“I don’t know, sir. He had his accomplice, Mr. Romero, with him. He grabbed me by the collar and pushed me into the wall.

“I really don’t want to know what they’re going to do when they hear that you’re not going to meet them anytime soon.”

“What?! He threatened you? What is this guy up to? Looks like some shady business here.” Zach sighed and rubbed the bridge between his eyes.

“I would love to come and help you out, but I am in no condition to get out of bed, let alone travel to the city.”

“What do you mean, you’re in no condition?”

“I’ve been in an accident. I am hurt. I can’t move without being in pain.” He couldn’t tell Mr. Saunders what had really happened. The fewer people that knew about them, the better.

Mr. Saunders was quiet.

“I could send my brother, but he doesn’t know anything about business. Besides, I think they’ll call the deal off if they see him instead of me.”

“Mr. Hunter, I’m sorry. I wish I could solve this problem on my own, but I can’t. I really need you here. Mr. Mercer won’t wait.”

“Call Mr. Mercer and tell him I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon.” Zach put the phone down and sighed. When he looked at Jackson, he saw that he was not happy.

“NO! You are not going anywhere! I won’t allow it! Zachary, you have to heal!”

“I can’t! Really! This client is threatening Mr. Saunders. I can’t leave him to do this on his own! I have no choice!”

“Let me go, then. I’m a Hunter too!”

“They want me. Not you. If they don’t see me, the deal is off, and Mr. Saunders may be dead!”

“What kind of business do you do, Zach? What shady business are you in? Murdering business partners, seriously?”

“I don’t do shady business, and I thought Mr. Mercer didn’t do shady business either, but apparently I am wrong! Now I need to fix this before anything bad happens.”

Zach swung his feet over the edge of his bed. He held himself up by grabbing the footboard of the bed. “Help me out, Jackson, please, I need to get dressed.”

“No, I’m out. I don’t want to see this, nor do I want to have anything to do with this. You’re on your own.” Jackson stood up and walked away, the door slamming shut behind him.

After Jackson left him on his own, he called Ethan to help him out. His senses still didn’t work, but he had to go. He couldn’t leave Mr. Saunders on his own.

“You know, I don’t agree with this.” Ethan frowned but helped Zach up. Ethan had the bag with Zach’s stuff on his back and Zach’s arm on his shoulders for support. Together they walked out of the room, slowly.

“I know you don’t agree. But Mr. Saunders is in danger, and I am the only one who can help him.”

“And you will go anyway, with or without my help, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then I better help you out. Hopefully, this way the damage will be minor. I still think you should stay here. Aren’t there any other options? Can’t you send some soldiers to protect Saunders?”

“Then I have to tell him we’re mafia. How else would I explain those huge, muscled guys? No, it’ll only freak him out. I can’t have that.”

“I am coming with you.”

“No, you stay here with Joanna. You don’t have to miss her just for me.”

“I am coming, or else you’re not going either. I’ll steal your keys. You’re in no condition to properly walk, let alone protect yourself. Who knows what else this Mercer has in store?”

The road was bumpy, and it took a long time to get there. Zach felt every pothole in the road right up to his back. He was glad he didn’t have to drive himself; he wouldn’t have been able to handle the pain.

Ethan, who was driving, took a glance every now and then to check if he was okay. Once they arrived at the apartment, Zach dropped down in the first seat he came across. He groaned.

“Let me check your bandages first,” Ethan suggested.

“Yeah, where do you want me? Guess it’s really convenient that your girl is a nurse.”

“It is,” Ethan smiled. “I learned a lot from her. Maybe sit astride a dining chair, then I can easily reach your back.”

“Sure.” Zach did as Ethan said and sat on the chair. He grumbled and groaned when Ethan pulled the bandages off.

“Seriously, why can’t I even handle a bandage change? I don’t understand why I’m not healing, why it still hurts!”

“Poison. I’m sure.” Ethan cleaned the wounds and then applied some pain-relieving cream.

“Must be. You done?”

“I only have to apply the new bandages.”