The doctor sighed. “A few days. Maybe more, but no longer than a week. Our guys in the lab will keep testing just to see if we can identify the poison and possibly combat it, but so far, it doesn’t respond to anything. They don’t have much hope of finding a cure.”
Maverick tried to think through the powerful emotions crowding in his brain. He was shocked and scared. Above all, he was devastated that he wouldn’t get to finish his work.
So close. So close to curing cancer, only to be ripped away from the goal when I was just about to win!
The doctor gave him a sympathetic look, leaning over to pat Maverick on the shoulder.
“I am sorry, Mr. Wilcox.”
“I understand,” Maverick said, looking up at him. “I can’t thank you enough for just giving it to me straight. I needed this. If I’m going down, I have to be able to face it head-on.”
The doctor nodded. “Yes, I prefer to be upfront at all times. Can I send in any support staff for you? A grief counselor or a priest?”
Maverick chuckled softly, shaking his head. “No, no, thank you. Just don’t tell anyone else, okay?”
“Of course,” Doctor Bennings said, turning to go. “Don’t hesitate to ask the staff if you need anything. I’ll give you a few minutes alone.”
Maverick watched the man go, letting panic sweep over him as he sat quietly in bed. While he had been talking with the doctor, he had suddenly realized how hard this was going to hit Pilar.
She was already devastated that she’d let him get poisoned. If she found out he was going to die, she’d be utterly distraught.
I can’t tell her. I just can’t.
How could he explain to her that it wasn’t her fault? He knew there were no words she would accept. With a groan of defeat, Maverick knew he would simply have to hide it from her. He’d only known about his condition for a few minutes, and already, it was tearing him apart with conflict.
He looked around the room, feeling confidence surging through him. He knew exactly what he had to do. Death was coming for him, and he couldn’t fight it, but he could decide what to do with his final moments.
He sat up in bed, testing his strength. He pulled out his IV and carefully stood. His legs felt a little wobbly, but he could walk. That meant he could work. They couldn’t keep him locked in hospital, even if he was in a critical condition.
Maverick hunted around, finding clothes in a bag on a nearby chair. He smiled softly, thinking it was probably Pilar who had gotten him things to wear while he was under. She was always taking care of him like that.
He sighed as he got dressed. He had to get back to the lab. The research was so close to being completed that he knew he wanted to use whatever time he had left to do as much work as possible before he died.
It was a strange thought to have. People often thought to themselves how they’d like to finish a taskbeforesomething. Before I go to sleep. Before lunch. Before my friend comes over.
It was very strange and unsettling to thinkbefore I die.
But for Maverick, those words were the catalyst he needed to keep moving. It was almost as if he could feel the poison in his veins, a sluggish fire that weakened him and made it hard to breathe. He fought it with all his strength.
He was tempted to stay in bed, but they couldn’t do anything for him. He had to push on. As he thought of his work and all the things he wanted to do in his final hours, there was only one regret that lay heavily on his heart.
Pilar.
He wished he could have had more time with her. Not so long ago, he’d been grieving to have such a beautiful woman in his life that he couldn’t be with. He’d thought it was the worst situation in the world.
Now, all the reasons for them to stay apart looked ridiculous. All their excuses for not getting involved became utterly meaningless in the face of the trickling sands of time that would soon run out.
All he wanted were long nights of holding her, days of talking and laughing, and endless years of discovering her … he knew a lifetime would not be enough.
Even now, he was thinking of his work, not of spending his last moments with her. He clenched his fists at the unfairness of it all. He couldn’t even choose his heart now, in these critical minutes. His work was too important.
Maverick sighed, steeling himself for the task ahead. Not only did he have to get out of here and get to work as quickly as possible … he had to solve the equation and keep the situation from Pilar.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
PILAR
Pilar stood in the hallway, listening to the exchange. She was away from the door, but she had heard everything with her enhanced shifter hearing.