Chapter 191: Chapter 191

A few days ago…

“I need to make a phone call,” Charles gently spoke to the man who would send him meals on the clock, including his snacks in between meals of the whole day.

“I will ask Blake first,” the guy answered politely.

The man, Donde, did not know what really happened that day when Charles Anderson was shot. But he was told never to let anyone else know about the middle-aged man being injured and recuperating in the building that used to be their regular place to stay, almost like their home already, before things turned fucked-up.

“They’re on a mission right now. You can’t, and you shouldn’t bother them, or it might make any of them lose a life if not ending up just like me, injured and useless around here,” Charles said.

Donde was convinced the boss was just concerned about his men as to why he would not let Donde bother them when on the mission. He gave his phone, still with hesitation, but nevertheless, Donde handed Charles the phone, and the latter made a call.

“My wound is getting worse. I need to get adequate and proper treatment. Bring an ambulance with you when you come.”

Charles spoke with authority and did not wait for any response. Donde was not surprised. This boss seemed to have greatly recovered, seeing and hearing Charles can already order people around. Donde received back the mobile phone as Charles was handing it back to him already.

“The nurse will be back in a few hours to change the bandages. Do you need anything else?” Donde asked politely before leaving the older man.

“No, just make sure the ambulance gets parked nearby the door, so I can get in the vehicle when I get down,” Charles answered casually.

Charles tried his very best not to show any suspicious behavior for Donde to realize he was trying to escape the safe house. This place is still considered untouchable knowing Boss B was still with her team. And with no one knowing he was here being kept and injured, no one would dare to invade this place. But remembering how Brianna shot him in the chest, clearly aware she made the shot with its bullet only an inch away from his heart organ, ironically, Charles was no longer feeling safe in this safe house.

The injured man had been observing his surroundings for a while now. Ever since he regained his consciousness, which was a few weeks ago already, he noticed the team wouldn’t even come around. Someone would drop by at times, but only to get something and leave again. Charles was already lost in whatever the team was doing. Even Jack won’t come to check on his conditions. He knew Jack would call Donde, but Charles pretended he was still unconscious until he noticed the calls became too irregular. Charles became even more bothered, not knowing anything that was going on outside the four walls of the room he was occupying. Charles wasn’t treated like a king or even rightfully as their boss, so Charles had doubts things had gone astray. He was no longer sure and confident that Brianna’s men were still following his orders. But he would be a fool not to sum things up. From the way Brianna dealt with him, those killers wouldn’t stick on his side. They must have chosen to follow her despite seeing how he was mercilessly shot right in front of their gazing eyes.

“But what made her shoot me?”

This question in Charles’ mind had been there ever since he woke up. And no matter how hard he raked, stirred, and juggled his brain and mind, Charles won’t have even the tiniest idea of possibilities for any reason why Brianna would have to fire a gun at him.

“Had she gone nuts?” Charles sighed deeply as he stared at the streets, standing by the blind-covered window. “Come to think of it, the look in her eyes that day was different.”

“She’s been different ever since she stood in the way for my men to do their given orders,” argued Charles’ mind. “The question here is why?”

“And what the fuck is going on?!” Charles clenched his teeth as he felt his chest hurting from such a strong emotion broiling inside his being.

Charles calmed his mind. He knew he had to control his emotions to stay alive, not from Brianna’s bullet but from the wound that seemed to rot inside his chest due to a lack of proper medications being given to him all this time. It has been months, and had Charles been treated properly, he should have been able to move around closely the same as he used to. But the lack of medical attention and proper nutrition to help him recover speedily had been the very reasons why he felt like his wound was starting to cause him necrosis.

Charles praised his good and reliable memory because despite escaping death, he could still recall and dial the phone number that he had buried in the deepest corner of his memory. And as expected, the call was connected, and his rescue was on its way.

“They’re here,” he murmured.

Charles had to suppress his emotions not to be too glad. Even the smile on his face was controlled. Charles watched as three men stepped out of the medic service vehicle. They were wearing scrub suits and surgical masks. Charles also saw Donde walking close to the ambulance, and based on their visible actions, Donde was guiding the medical team on where to go. The window has a built-in mirror for anyone from inside the building to see if there is any suspicious movement downstairs. It was too well installed that no one would even notice it from the outside.

This was also Brianna’s idea. She declined to install a camera on noticeable spots as people would expect such gadgets for security purposes, so they all agreed to Brianna’s idea of having glass decorations that would give them a clear reflection of the spot pointing at the main entrance of their building from the window. Of course, there are also cameras for Jack to check on to. But this one is for quick access and time-to-time glances.

Charles heard the footsteps getting closer along with the sound of the wheels of maybe a wheelchair or a stretcher for the patient to move out efficiently since the memo of an injured man to be brought to a medical facility was given to the crew. Charles heard a gentle knocking on the door, but it did not wait to be opened or even answered.

Donde knew the man inside was alone and still in his recovery stage, so the knock was for formality only. Donde just wanted to announce their arrival at the door and led the medical team to where he thought the patient was. Unnoticing, Charles was standing by the window. Donde was about to lead the men in scrub suits to the bed Charles was occupying. He cleared his throat to get their attention.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t know he could get walk around already,” Donde gleefully exclaimed.

The crew turned the stretcher in Charles’ direction, and without saying anything, they just curtly nodded and started to assist Charles in lying down on it. And after securing his safety from falling or anything, the stretcher started to get rolled towards the elevator. It was a narrow space, so the bed was adjusted to slant, and according to the space available, Charles almost looked like he was standing but with his body secured with the safety straps. The medical team checked and saw the only way to move the patient safely was through the small size metal box lift. The team leader gave his crew the sign that they would need to strap their patient to do their tasks.

Donde was impressed as he watched how the team seemed to be so expert in what they do. Charles, on the other hand, was more eager to leave the place than to think or mind about anything else.

“May I know where you are taking him?” Donde asked the one who looked like the leader of the medic team.

But the man just waved his hand and proceeded walking, passed Donde, and sat behind the wheel. Then the vehicle left. Donde was left with no choice but to take a note of the vehicle’s plate number.