Chapter Thirteen

"Escaped," I yelled out, trembling.

It's back to square one, our enemies are back together, complete.

"Shhh we just have to leave this city for a while and devise a plan," Rodrigo reassured, tapping me on the shoulder.

"Please get into the car, we need to leave this city immediately," Antonio suggested in a panic.

Trying to move, I felt some warm liquid substance flowing in between my lap. I looked down to confirm what it was in haste. It was blood.

"Blood," I screamed out in pain, holding my belly like the baby was trying to drive down from inside me, and I was trying to stop the child from starting the engine.

Rodrigo ran towards me, holding my hand and shoulders to give me support.

"We need to get her to the hospital sir," Antonio's voice suddenly rang out, the expression on his face boldly screaming concern and fear.

"How long do we have left before getting detected by the enemy," Rodrigo asked, looking at Antonio.

"I don't know sir, but I know we don't have much time. First, we need to take Mrs. Perlah to the hospital," Antonio replied.

"What are you guys chatting about? Shouldn't you do something," I murmured, staring at Rodrigo.

Promptly, Antonio assisted me to the car and we hurriedly drove to a hospital.

***************************************

I lay down weeping as the news struck me hard. The doctor stood behind me, constantly patting me on my back.

"We were able to save the child. Right now he's holding on in a neonatal incubator. We can all only pray he survives this. Right now, it's important you try and get better," she stated, walking out of the door.

Antonio came towards me, bowing his head to show his respect and handing me a tissue.

"Why? You want me to cry more?" I teased.

"Where's Rodrigo?" I asked again, looking around.

"He had to take care of something, ma. He asked me to look after you while he's gone," Antonio replied, facing the floor.

"H-how can he be away while I'm experiencing complications in this damn hospital? Shouldn't he be giving me support? He's the father to this child, isn't he?" I complained, pouting and facing Antonio.

"Which one out of your questions should I answer first, ma?" Antonio innocently asked, gazing at me.

"Never mind," I retorted, dismissing him.

Hours later, I saw Rodrigo walking into my hospital room with a disturbed face.

"We won't be able to leave this city anytime soon due to our current condition. I don't know what will happen next, but I have planted secret security men around this hospital for our safety. I have spoken to the doctor, Perlah. We and our baby will be out of here in a few months. We just have to hang on till then," Rodrigo announced, staring at me.

"Did you check up on Arcane in the incubator before walking in here?" I asked Rodrigo.

"Who's Arcane?" Rodrigo asked, intruded.

"My child," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"You gave him a name already," Rodrigo replied, smiling.

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3 Months Later.

We stood there ready to leave the hospital. Arcane grew up healthy, and it was time to go.

"Now, where are we going to?" I asked Rodrigo, grinning.

"Out of the city," he blurted out.

"Tonight - we are leaving the hospital for another city tonight?" I asked in shock, giving Rodrigo a daring glance.

"You heard me Perlah, we were able to be alive for 3 months, but that doesn't mean we are safe. This is a populated area with standby police officers, the moment we are out, we might get pre-boiled," Rodrigo replied, walking closer to me and pinching my nose.

"Do not worry, I have made preparations. Get the baby," he added.

"You get him, I'm exhausted," I retorted, frowning.

Rodrigo looked at me in shock, ignoring him. I walked into my hospital room to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything.

"didn't he get me pregnant? Why should I still be responsible for carrying the baby after carrying him inside me for 7 months? He did nothing other than get me pregnant. He should carry the baby for seven months, and then I'll take over again," whispering, I concluded and hissed.

Stepping outside the door, I heard nurses screaming. Rodrigo and Antonio weren't in sight.

Confused, a gunshot sounded behind me. I screamed in terror, cradling myself in the distance to try to avoid the flying bullets.

Looking down, a nurse had been shot beside me. summoning courage, I dragged her into one of the hospital rooms, locking the door and sustaining it with a mob stick, to make it hard for the enemy to break in.

After securing the door, I ran towards the nurse, tearing off a piece of her clothes to help stop the bleeding.

The sound of gunshots fueled by the noises of nurses, doctors, and patients increased my panic about survival.

I hugged myself, worried about Rodrigo and my son, when I heard a loud bang on the door, I froze in place, shivering. I covered the mouth of the nurse to stop her from whimpering when I heard a voice.

"It's I Antonio, ma, Sir Rodrigo sent me to protect you," Antonio said from behind the door.

I hastily got up to let Antonio inside the room.

"Where's Rodrigo?" I asked in a panic.

"Is he out there alone, bathing in bullets?" I added in fear.

"No ma, he's not alone. Our men who were placed to protect this building are also there, fighting with him. I can assure you, he will be back," Antonio stated, bowing.

"But how can he be in a gun battle with baby Arcane? What if he gets shot" I yelled, panicking.

"Baby Arcane? My boss is not with a child ma," Antonio announced.

I hadn't noticed the goosebumps creeping on my arms until now. Every muscle in my body screamed at me to look for my child, but I remained frozen.

My heart begins to hammer against my chest.

"My son," I screamed out.

"Calm down ma, I'm sure he's still in his intensive care unit," Antonio assured.

I caught a glimpse of Rodrigo walking in. I promptly ran towards him. Grasping him by the collar.

"My baby," I yelled at him in anger.

The gunshots had subsided, and the enemy had left. Soon the chaos in the hospital was reduced and everyone who got shot resumed getting treated.

I ran towards the baby's ward, with Rodrigo and Antonio chasing behind, but the baby wasn't there.

Tears flowed down freely as I felt one of the doctors tapping me on the shoulder.

"When the trouble began, we rescued all the babies to a secured area. Please see the nurse to claim your child," The doctor announced and resumed his duties.

I quickly ran towards the secured area where the babies were kept. When I got there, the nurse was found sitting on the cold floor weeping.

"You are Mrs. Perlah, right?" she asked, trembling.

"Yes, where is my son?" I asked in haste.

"Earlier, some men walked in here, shot my legs to threaten me to show them your child. They took him away," she answered, weeping.

"Arcane was kidnapped."