Chapter 4 - The Laboratory Report
Two days later, I took my scheduled morning off to visit an independent toxicology lab on the south side of Chicago—a lab operated by my former hospital colleague, Dr. Aris Thorne.
I sat nervously in the waiting room, clutching Emma’s hand while she drew red suns on a notepad.
Dr. Thorne walked out of the lab, his face pale, holding a printed computer report. He closed the door behind him and locked it.
"Nora," Aris whispered, his eyes wide with alarm. "Where the hell did you get this compound?"
"I... I found it," I lied carefully. "Is it medicine?"
"It’s a chemical cocktail," Aris said, pointing to the chemical breakdown on the paper. "It contains high doses of Tetrodotoxin derivatives combined with a synthetic nerve-blocking agent. Nora, if someone is being given this dose daily, it wouldn't kill them immediately. It systematically paralyzes the lower motor neurons while keeping the heart beating."
My breath caught in my throat. "Are you saying... it causes artificial paralysis?"
"Exactly," Aris confirmed. "If a person had a minor spinal injury that was attempting to heal, this toxin would completely shut down the signal pathways. It would make them permanently paralyzed for as long as they kept taking it. If they stopped... their nerves would eventually wake back up."
My world spun.
Alessandro’s paralysis wasn't permanent! The roadside ambush two years ago hadn't broken his body beyond repair—someone inside his house was keeping him trapped in that wheelchair on purpose!
"Who prescribed this?" Aris asked.
"Nobody," I stammered, grabbing the report and pulling Emma toward the exit. "Thank you, Aris. Don't tell anyone about this."
I rushed out of the building into the cold spring rain, my heart pounding violently against my ribs.
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Someone was poisoning Alessandro Moretti. Someone who had access to his bedroom, his medical care, and his inner circle.
And if they found out I had the laboratory report... Emma and I were as good as dead.
