Chapter 27

**James POV**

***Seattle a few hours ago***

James woke with a start to the sound of people hustling in the airport. The loud noises that generally come with a large number of crowds disheveled his sleepiness. He stood from the cramped-up chair he slept in last night and scanned the airport for Tank.

He knows for a fact that Tank wouldn't have let him sleep here if not for him surveying the perimeter. And as such he doesn't have to look far. Tank came into his line of view and started walking towards him purposefully.

James checked his watch to match the time that of the brightening hue of the sky. 6:00 am. A new day yet he is in Seattle stuck miles away from the place he wants to be. Running his hand through the stubble that has grown overnight, James thought about the break he needed but couldn't take because of his responsibilities. Not in the mood to delve his thoughts in that direction, James calculated the time.

The last time he checked the phone it was around 11. He slept for 7 hours. Agatha! James fervently hoped that Agatha had been treated and safely tucked away in a hospital. He prayed Melanie was capable enough to do as instructed. He swiftly clicked his mail account and checked the mailbox from the phone he borrowed.

No new emails. What does that mean? Was she too busy to drop an email to him or she never saw it! He hankered it's the former one and not the latter. He couldn't fathom the consequences if it's the latter one. Pictures of Agatha lying on her kitchen floor, helpless and in pain danced before his eyes.

Thankfully, Tank stopped within a foot from him, disturbing his thought process, and handed him his mobile which is once again blemish-free. James raised an eyebrow in terms of inquiry as he checked his phone and the data in it. Everything is restored as it was.

"I had it repaired while you were sleeping last night", Tank answered his unvoiced question.

"Did you sleep at all?" he asked, noticing the tired look Tank was sporting. This very nature made James hire him when he was in his early 20's. Tank thankfully never let him regret his decision. With the kind of people who like nothing better than to backstab surrounding him, a man like Tank is a blessing.

"Enough", replied Tank vaguely not ready to disclose to him that he couldn't sleep as thoughts of his incompetence kept him awake.

"You need your rest. Nothing could have been done until the weather clears. You could have used the time", James chastised him, knowing full well what Tank is saying.

"Yesterday was too intense for my taste to get a wink. And you sleeping here out in the open didn't help any", Tank voiced his uncomfortableness with the situation. He would have not let him sleep here if not for the tired look James himself is sporting.

"I didn't plan it. What's the status with the jet?", James asked tucking the cuff links back in the place that came undone while he slept.

"Everything is ready, the weather is clear enough to travel through. I already informed the crew to prepare for takeoff. The maintenance has been done. The jet is on standby. Anything else Mr. McKenzie?", asked Tank.

"Coffee and Philip. Bring them to our office here", he ordered Tank.

Once Tank went to bring the coffee, James refreshed himself in the office of his main head here and checked the phone. The last message he got is from Melanie sending him her email id. James clicked on the message to confirm the id he is looking at. It's "iamyourfifi@gmail.com".

James haphazardly took out the borrowed phone and checked the mail to which he sent the request. It's "iamfifibel@gmail.com". A completely different id. Meaning a totally different person who could be ANYWHERE in the world.

How could he be so incautious with an emergency of this stature? He is a fucking CEO of his company for god's sake. He should have planned well. Asked for Philip or someone else to reach out to their relatives or friends in Atlanta. He has hundreds of staff at his fingertips. One order and it would have been done without any hiccup. He shouldn't have handled this alone. He realized now.

Trust doesn't come easily to him ever since that incident in his childhood. He rarely trusts anyone to do the work with something he deems personal or his. So much so that it became a habit. Hence, it slipped his mind to ask from someone else at the time of need. Though he reached out to Melanie. A good lot it did!

Hearing Agatha's voice asking for help has made his heart skip with worry and he stumbled. He didn't think this through as he should have done with his business.

Work, he could handle with a calm that may be frightening to some. But when it came to someone, he considered personal, he slipped. Only it was not him who fell on the ground, it was Agatha. How could he have played with a life like that? Agatha could have been still lying there, her body cold, with no proper medical care it needed. She could be...

No! James quickly dialed 911 again just as Tank handed him his coffee. James took it absently as he waited for the dispatcher to pick it up.

"If you are calling to know about Agatha, I called all the nearby hospitals from her home already", Tank informed with a calm face not giving anything away.

Sometimes, he takes the role very seriously. It is amusing to look at. But today, James didn't pay enough attention to that.

James cut the call he was making through and turned to Tank, giving him his full attention.

"She was admitted into the Atlanta-Care hospital at 2:45 am Atlanta's time, last night. You may want to call the doctor to know the details. It's serious. I will let the captain know to ready the jet. I suppose we will be leaving right away", Tank said to which James confirmed with a nod. Tank then took the empty coffee cup James drank and left to his devices.

James quickly dialed the number of the hospital he found on its webpage.

"Atlanta-Care hospital, how may I help you?", asked the receptionist of the hospital in a robotic voice politely.

"I'm looking for Miss. Agatha. I was informed she was admitted last night. Can I speak to her doctor?", James spoke with his poised calmness.

"I'm sorry sir. We don't give any details related to the patients like that. Please approach the hospital if you want to know anything about her. Our doctors are really busy and we are not allowed to connect the calls like that", the receptionist said in her monotone sounding asymptotic. James doesn't have the patience to listen to this bullshit.

"I had a very long day yesterday and I'm at my wit's end right now. I don't have time for this nuisance. So, I'm telling you this once, connect to the doctor right now or within the next five minutes you and your doctor will be looking for jobs in the city", James barked his displeasure, stressing the importance of his need.

"May...may I know who is speaking?", the receptionist stammered hearing the demanding voice on the other line. She presumed she must be talking to some important person, who can whip out this kind of authority with their voice alone.

"James McKenzie. Now connect to the doctor. I'm losing my patience", James snarled.

"Yes sir, right away", the receptionist said respectfully, panic striking her insides when she learned the name of this man. Could she be really talking to James McKenzie? She better not mull it up.

The nurse then hurriedly contacted the doctor's office and informed them about the person and who is inquiring about. Knowing about the man and the power he has at his fingertips the doctor quickly started talking as he searched for the file of the patient.

"Mr. McKenzie, I'm Dr. Grey. How may I help you?", came the frantic voice of the doctor two minutes later.

"Your patient, Agatha. I want to know everything about her diagnosis", James said coolly now that he is speaking to the doctor.

"Yes, of course. Her niece brought her here last night. She had a brain aneurysm and had to undergo surgery before the bleeding could cause any more damage", the doctor then went into the detailed description of her diagnosis and how long the surgery took place.

"We just shifted her into the ICU just now. She is resting. And will be confused for a while. It will take several weeks for her to recover fully. I must tell you, Mr. McKenzie, if her niece wouldn't have brought her at the right time, she would most probably be dead right now", Dr. Grey added.

"Her niece?", James asked dumbfounded. What is he talking about? Since when does Agatha have a niece?