✔ 03 | Point Of Exposure

CAPITULUM 41

Eastwood General Hospital
10:13 a.m.

---

"NICO?!"

The moment Detective Briannova Carlos bursted through the hospital room's door (despite several nurses' attempts to stop her), inaasahan na niya ang worst case scenario. In fact, buong biyahe niyang ini-imagine ang kanyang partner na nakaratay sa hospital bed at may kung anu-anong aparatong nakakabit sa kanya.

Hindi ito ang unang beses na makakatagpo siya ng ganoong eksena, but this is the almighty Detective Nicodemus Yukishito we're talking about.

'At alam kong hindi matutuwang makipaglaro ng bato-bato-pik si Nico kay Kamatayan. That airheaded emo would rather chase down killers than waste his time dying,' she thought in bitter amusement.

That didn't make her any less worried, though.

"Nico, subukan mo lang talagang mamatay, I'm going to shove your sorry ass up---"

Napahinto sa kanyang kinatatayuan ang dalaga nang tuluyan nang makita ang kanyang partner. Nico's neutral expression rivaled the warmth in his deep brown orbs when he saw her distressed look. Noon lang napansin ni Nova ang pamilyar na nurse na nasa tabi nito. Min smiled at her in acknowledgement.

'Mukhang okay naman na pala.'

Nova sighed in relief, knowing the worst is already over.

"You were saying, Miss Carlos?"

"Wala. Just glad to know I don't need to buy you flowers for your funeral. Sayang pera."

"Mukha kang stressed. Dahil ba sa trabaho o sa pag-aalala mo sa'kin?"

Napasimangot si Nova at inis na inayos ang kanyang nagulong buhok. 'Damn, halata kayang nagmadali akong magpunta rito?' Not minding his questioning gaze, she waltz up to his side and stared down at him. Sa unang tingin, aakalain mong walang mali sa kanya at prenteng nakahiga lang sa kama.

Pero sa sandaling panahong magkasama sila sa mga kaso, Nova could easily pick out the pale face and irregular breathing. Hindi nakaligtas sa mga mata niya ang ventilator sa gilid at ang mahihinang tunog ng heart monitor.

A stable rhythm.

'Thank Sherlock,' she thought.

"Tumaas ang amount ng carbon monoxide sa katawan niya," Min said. "Thankfully, his body eventually stabilized after treatment. Detective Yukishito may act tough, but he's still weak from its effect. Dumagdag pa na nalipasan siya ng gutom. I don't know if he was aware of it, but the wine he drunk helped his survival. Nakapagbibigay kasi ng neuroprotective effect ang ethanol sa acute carbon monoxide poisoning."

Nova nodded, too tired to even register what she said. Ang mahalaga ligtas na ang mayabang na detective.

Still, one question crossed her mind.

"Paano mo nga pala siya nahanap?"

Nabanggit na rin kanina ni Min sa kanya sa tawag kung saan niya nakita si Nico. Sa pagkakaalala niya, naghanap na rin sa port sina Inspector Ortega. Heck, even Nova scanned that place in hopes of finding him there! Bago pa man sumagot si Min, as if on cue, a bark interrupted them.