Still, she did not let it show.
“I’ll come by when I’m free,” James told her.
She smiled. “Okay.”
Even so, her eyes turned red as she watched his plane take flight.
…
At Hotmesh Research, Abigail was reading records of the conditions of the animal that had been transplanted with the artificial heart they developed.
Everything was within the accepted parameters.
“We succeeded, haven’t we?” Finn Crowe asked.
Abigail shook her head. “It’s just been two weeks. We need to wait at least half a month, and it’d only be a success if there’s no rejection after a month.”
“Well, at least things were hurried along with Professor Lowe joining our ranks,” Finn said.
Abigail could not deny that—Professor Lowe was the one who eased them through the bottleneck they faced.
There was every sign that the effort they put in would pay off now.
“You all seemed pleased!” A familiar voice spoke just then.
Abigail turned to find Dennis Turner standing there. She exclaimed in surprise, “Hello, Director Turner! What are you doing here?”
“I heard you had a successful breakthrough, so I came by for a look.” Dennis heaved a long sigh, clearly in a good mood. “I’m so pleased that I’m alive to see this.”
“You’ll live another hundred years,” Abigail told him.
“I’d be too old. I won’t want to live that long,” Dennis chuckled heartily, his good mood simply apparent.
His joke lightened the mood, drawing laughter from everyone present.
“What are you reading?” Dennis was staring at the record book she was holding.
Abigail could tell that he wanted to read it, so she simply handed it to him.
Dennis did not feel awkward even though she read his mind, and he smiled as he took it. “Well then, let me see.”
He nodded repeatedly, probably content with the records.
Bah!
The sheep which was transplanted with the artificial heart bleated just then.
“Come on, let’s take a look.” Dennis said.
Finn led the way, and Abigail walked with him. “It’s all thanks to Professor Lower. Our progress wouldn’t have been that quick otherwise.”
“I heard about that,” Dennis said, clapping her on the shoulder. “You’ve dealt with it well.”
They arrived at the fence where the lamb was kept. Its abdomen was bandaged and attached to a square box apparatus.
The data on it was changing endlessly, but not by a wide margin.
As everything was within normal parameters, it proved that the test was going well.
But in his excitement, Dennis suddenly stiffened and dropped to the floor!
As Finn dropped to a crouch beside Dennis to check his vitals, Abigail started to apply first aid since she knew Dennis’s condition.
However, she noticed that something was amiss when she checked Dennis’s heart rate.
Still, she calmly looked up at Finn and said, “Call an ambulance… Never mind. That would take too much time—just carry him out of here.”
“Okay.” Finn fully trusted Abigail now and quickly did what he was told.
Abigail helped him move Dennis over his back before running ahead and arranging for Eagle to get the car ready. Soon, Finn got Dennis in the car, while Eagle drove all of them to the hospital.
Thanks to Abigail’s quick response, Dennis was rescued in time.
“Is Director Turner going to be alright?” Finn asked.
Abigail simply stayed silent, her expression somber.
After all, she knew that Dennis was in bad shape—his life was at risk.
“Why aren’t you saying anything, Director Bernstein?” Finn asked, staring at her just then. “Is it serious?”
Abigail remained silent—she must stay calm, and her mind must be rational.
Finally turning toward Finn, she told him to bring the artificial heart they developed, leaving him stunned.
“Is it that serious? And the artificial heart is still in the test phase. It shouldn’t be used i,n humans…”
“It’s just in case, and I’m worried that Mr. Turner is going to need it.”
Abigail certainly knew that there was no telling if Dennis would survive this.
“But—”
“Just go,” Abigail said, cutting him short—she did not have time to explain, and Dennis’s chances of survival depended on every second they had!
When Finn still hesitated, Abigail urged, “Go. I’m here to keep an eye on things.”
Finn lingered for another moment before turning and starting to run.
Abigail called out from behind him, “Take my car. Tell Eagle to drive you.”
Taxis would take too much time.
That was when the sliding doors to the operating room opened and a nurse stepped outside. “Is the patient’s family here?”
Abigail approached her. “I am.”
“The patient’s condition is serious. The doctor will be with you shortly to explain his condition. Please wait here in the meantime.”
Abigail nodded. “Okay.”
Around ten minutes later, the doors opened again. This time, a doctor in green scrubs, face mask, and surgical cap appeared, taking off the mask when he saw Abigail. “Are you the patient’s family?”
Abigail noodded. “Yes.”
“The patient’s heart rate accelerated past 170 beats per minute, which in turn led to low blood pressure. He’s in pretty bad shape since cardiac arrests are exceedingly dangerous, and it was fortunate that you got him here in time, or he would have been beyond saving.”
Abigail was aware of Dennis’s condition, so the doctor’s diagnosis was not surprising.
“Is there any method of treatment?” she asked calmly.
“Not at the moment…”
“Wouldn’t an artificial heart resolve the patient’s condition, as an equipment that takes the place of an organic heart for blood circulation?”
“Yes, but that technology is not at a viable phase in this country. It’s a different story abroad.”
Abigail helped the doctor’s gaze. “I’m from Hotmesh Research. Would you perform the surgery if I provide an artificial heart?”
The doctor shook his head. “Wait, was the development successful? I haven’t heard about it.”
“It’s in the test phase,” Abigail admitted.
“Wait…” Studying her then, the doctor asked, “Are you saying you want to implant it in the patient while it’s still in the test phase?”
“With the lack of others, that’s the only option,” Abigail replied.
“Absolutely not.” The doctor refused right away, waving her off. “That is against regulations and unreliable. We’re doctors, and we don’t play around with a person’s life. Moreover, I’ve never performed such a surgery myself, so it’s not going to work.”
The doctor just finished when a nurse came running out of the operating room. “Dr. Hall? Dr. Clegg is calling for you. The patient is in serious condition.”
Ray Hall turned and was about to leave, but Abigail stopped him. “Wait. I will perform the surgery!”
Ray turned around again, staring at Abigail in disbelief!
The look in Ray’s eyes was basically saying: Are you kidding me?
Surgeries were not a game!
“Even if you’re a medical research staff, surgeries are only to be performed by doctors with the proper certification and training. Do you have those?”
“I do,” Abigail replied.
Ray stared fixedly at her in silence, surprised despite himself.
Still, she had remained calm since the start, and that was proof enough—the average person would be losing composure once they found out that their family was facing mortal danger.
“But you’re not a doctor of this hospital. Even if you are a doctor, you’re not allowed to perform the surgery here,” Ray told her.
Abigail had more to say when Finn and several Hotmesh Research personnel arrived together, having heard about Dennis’s condition.
“How is it going?” Finn asked.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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