Ambulance Ain't Cheap

We got out of the hotel and put Jack into the mark3. I hop into the driver's seat and quickly set up the car to start it. (Tokyo Rose - Hot Pursuit).

Vlad: "Be careful on your way to the hospital my friend and don't forget not to put pineapple on our pizza when you visit us again."

VROOM* the engine roars as it comes to life.

Mike: "Sure, I'll see you until then." I said while pushing the gear into first. The tire screeched as I put the pedal to the metal, launching me and Jack into the streets. The engine rumbles, spools and chirps as the mark3 respects every traffic law it passed. I didn't stop at all and fully committed to getting Jack to the hospital as fast as I could. I need to go to the highway bridge since there's no hospital on the south beach. People shout and horn at me as I swiftly maneuvered through their cars. I use my left foot to brake and keep my right foot on the pedal to keep the bigass turbo spooling. I know this car isn't meant to be driven on the streets like this. I mean this thing is freaking heavy and bulky. The suspension on this bad girl isn't something to be proud of too. This car is only built to go fast on the highway. There's no traction and stability control. It's kind of a chore to drive, but I guess it's better than having to wait and use the ambulance since it's fucking expensive. I use my left foot to manipulate the weight transfer of the car as I'm about to turn into another street that would take me to the highway. I slide through the junction into another street while almost scratching the mark3 paint job onto another car. Just as I am about to go into the highway. I can hear the police chatter on the scanner. "Patrol be advised a black sports car traveling at high speed has been reported going towards the causeway bridge from south beach. Requesting units for head up." They are after me. Not long after, my radar scanner starts to beep. It beeps gradually from slow to fast in a matter of seconds. At that point, I know I just got fucked.

"I see him! I'm on the chase." I hear from the police scanner. A blue and red light flashes from behind me. I look at my mirror to see that the 5-0 is coming for me. I ain't got no time for this shit. I merge into the highway and quickly turn my lights off. A monitor screen pops up from the dashboard showing me the infrared camera footage that Is planted on the dashboard passenger side. I quickly turn on the fog lamp that I change to infrared light to help me see the road more clearly through the camera. After going dark, I push the rolling anti-lag button to build up pressure on the turbo and floor the mark3 making it go to 160mph in under 3 seconds. The 5-0 cruiser in my tail tries to follow me, but as expected, it fails to match up the mark3 acceleration.

"Fuck, I lost him!" I hear from the scanner. The mark3 vanished into the highway. I keep my foot floored for around 2-3 minutes until I get to the highway exit. When exiting the highway, I carefully manipulated the pedal and kept close attention to how my butt felt to know if I'm starting to lose grip on the rear. When it does, I quickly counter the slide and drift my way out of the exit. I see that drunken Jack is barely conscious. He's really trying hard to stay awake.

Jack: "I feel cold ... " Jack said.

Mike: "Stay with me man. We are already close to the hospital." Just as I said that. A dumpster truck suddenly appeared from the right side of the road. Oh fuck. I quickly brake and turn the car into the opposite lane. Making me go head to head with the traffic. I quickly dodge the oncoming traffic and get back to the correct lane. Shit, that was a close one. After a couple of seconds. We finally arrived in front of the hospital. I quickly parked my car behind the ambulances fleet in front of the ER and started to help Jack to get out. When we get inside the hospital, I quickly shout and ask for help from the hospital staff. A nurse approached us and helped me carry Jack. I notice that the hospital is crowded. I heard screams, cries, groans, and painful sounds coming from inside the ER. The hospital staffs are all busy running around helping people. "DRUGS! GIMME DRUGS!" said one of the patients who is missing a hand.

Patient: "GET ME OUTTA HERE. I DON'T WANT TO GET IN DEBT!" screams another guy who's rustling around trying to get away from the nurse who's trying to hold him down. I see his mouth is full of bubbles. It looks like he got overdosed by some drug.

Nurse 1: "Please sir, we need you to calm down so we can help you." says the nurse to the guy.

Patient: "NO! RELEASE ME! LET ME GO!"

Nurse 1: "But sir, you're going to die if we don't treat you."

Patient: "I DONT CARE!"

Beside the chaos, there's a child who's crying and keeps calling his mom. The nurses are trying to calm him down while they patch the gunshot wound on his leg. I wonder where his mom is. Beside the child, nurses and doctors gather as they try to save a woman who just went flat-lining. They try to revive her by using a defibrillator. But still, her heart monitor keeps giving them a flat line.

Mike: "Is it always this crowded?" I ask the nurse.

Nurse 2: "It always has been." said the nurse.

We put Jack on a rack bed. The nurse then quickly reapplied first aid onto him. Another nurse came up to me and told me to stay outside of the ER room.

Mike: "Please ma'am, I-I can't leave him alone."

Nurse 3: "Sorry, but we need you to stay outside the ER-"

Mike: "I'll give you money if you want, just please let me stay beside my brother-"

A hand grabbed me. It's Jack's hand.

Jack: "It's alright, I'll be fine." Jack said.

Mike: "Dude ... "

Nurse 3: "Please follow me. I'll take you to the receptionist to help you fill out an information paper that would help us treat your brother."

I look at Jack who nods slowly, suggesting that I should do what the nurse told me to. I slowly back out as more nurses come to help Jack. The nurse who's escorting me out of the room slowly dragged me by my shoulder to take me to the receptionist.

Receptionist: "Thank you. I suggest you wait in the waiting room in front of the ER. we'll call you once we're done treating your brother." The receptionist lady said after helping me fill out some papers.

Mike: "Thank you too ma'am ... " I said with a hopeless tone.

In the waiting room, I sit down and think about the shits that just happened. I wouldn't have thought it could be like this. I peek at Jack's Baretta that I conceal inside my Jacket. Sigh* I really need to buy a gun for myself. I should start going to the range too and practice some shooting. if I keep the pace like this, someone will definitely die sooner or later whether it be Jack or me. I really have to pull my shit up.

While waiting, I try to distract myself and keep myself busy so I can relax and not worrying too much about Jack. At the table in front of me, there's a stack of old magazines. One of them is a magazine about ghosts and supernatural things. Why the heck there's this kind of magazine in the hospital? I mean do these doctors and nurses really want to scare their patients to death? From far away, I see 2 cops walking towards the exit door beside the ER room. I quickly pick up the wack magazine on the table and cover my face using it. I put my head down a little as they walk past me while I continue covering my face. It looks like they are busy talking to each other. Thank god they didn't notice me. I almost forgot that I'm a fugitive right now. I should be more careful. Not long after the 2 cops got out. Mario shows up. He quickly saw me and walked up to me.

Mario: "MICHAEL! Grazie dio you're okay." he said as he hugged me tightly.

Mario: "Where's Jack?" he asked.

Mike: "He's inside the ER. Did Vlad already tell you what happened?"

Mario: "Yes, he already told me. I already sent some of my men to pick up that biker and help Glavy's men to bring them to Zed's place. We just found out that the guy who attacked you was actually one of the prisoners who escaped from the city jail."

Mike: Welp, that explains why we didn't see him back in Nirvana."

Mario: "You should've just got out of that hotel right after I told you. What are you doing there anyway? Don't tell me you're doing that stuff."

Mike: "No, I'm not doing those things. I was just meeting someone who can help my teacher."

Mario: "Mike, there are cops who look for you all over the city right now. You almost got killed just because you want to solve other people's problems. Can you be a little more thoughtful about yourself? Why can't you just turn a blind eye to those problems and let people handle it themselves?"

Mike: "Can't do that. You know mom raised me to be somewhat a caring person."

Mario: "sigh* Look Mike, I'm not telling you to stop caring for other people. I just want you to be more thoughtful about yourself."

Mike: "Relax uncle, you shouldn't really worry about me. This is my own choice. You don't have to blame yourself if something happens to me."

Mario: "Michael, Please. How am I going to tell your mother if something really happened to you?"

Mike: "Just tell her I love her. Easy right?"

Mario: " ... sigh* you just sounded exactly like your father."

Nurse 4: "Excuse me, are you the one who came with the boy with the black hair and green eyes?"

Mike: "Eh, yes I'm his brother. How's his condition ma'am? Is he okay?"

Nurse 4: "He's already stable for now."

All of us are relieved that Jack is fine.

Nurse 4: "He needs to be hospitalized since he will need to rest for a couple of days. We are going to put him in an inpatient room shortly."

As we were about to take Jack to the inpatient room, Mario stopped me.

Mario: "You should go home. You have school tomorrow. It would be troublesome if you skip school since they'll tell your mom."

Mike: "What about Jack? I need to be with him."

Mario: "I'll take care of Jack, you don't have to worry about him"

Mike: " ... Make sure to watch him ok?"

Mario: "Of course."

Before I go, I approach Jack to tell him that I will come back tomorrow with a pizza. He gives me an okay sign right before he's taken through the hallway going to his room. I just stood there, watching him and uncle walking down the hallway. I really hope he's going to be fine.