Chapter 100
When Sandeep left Avery said, “So we have another piece in the puzzle”
“One, not all of them”, I replied
Avery gave me a wondering look
“I have a friend journalist in NY”
Avery nodded, “Yes, you told me about what she found”
“Yes, right. So you recall that she was telling me about this doctor in NY…and about the dead patients”
Avery nodded again.
“We’ll have to find out if Woods is with him, and if he is still alive. You know, if they found a cure…”, Avery started
“I don’t need their cure”, I cut her off
“What were you saying about the trip in Italy?”, she asked
“Well, that’s different”, I said defensively
“Sure it is. I want to know how you think to travel in your conditions, and what you want to achieve”, she said with an edge in her voice
“I want to go there to find a cure for myself, possibly, and maybe help whoever else needs it – I want to have Mori help me make amend for the mess I’ve made”, I said
“So why not see if someone else has the cure?”
“This someone else you’re talking about is someone I don’t want help from”
“But the others who might have eaten your polymer perhaps want to live, regardless of where the cure comes from”, Avery objected, and I saw she had point there
I stopped to ponder. I was being selfish again, after all did I really care about others? Or was I just telling myself I did?
“Yes, you’re right. Please do try to find out what they’ve come up with. But I will not use Woods cure, if he found one. I will still go to Italy and have Mori help, if he can help”
“Your childish black or white approach to reality is childish, do your realize this?”, Avery replied stiffly
I shrugged, and as I did I felt self-conscious. That too – shrugging it off – was juvenile.
My cell rang, Avery looked at it, and I looked at it.
“Do you want to answer?”, Avery said at last, passing it over to me
Jack. His name flashed on the screen.
“Hello…”, I said
“I’ve spoken to Mori”, Jack told me, with an exited pitch in his voice
“Yes”, I said
“Are you still ok with going?”, he asked, sensing my uncertainty
“Yes, oh yes. We were just talking about this with Avery”
“The detective is there?”
“Yes, and I spoke to Sandeep too”
“And?”
“And maybe the doctor who tested the MagnaSize on Amy is still alive, looking for a cure for himself”
“What?”
“The doctor who tested the MagnaSize on Amy has been poisoned with the same stuff, but apparently he is still alive and maybe he found a cure for himself”
“And you could you use that cure…”, Jack whispered
“I could but I won’t”, I replied firmly
“But…”
“What did Mori say?”, I asked, cutting off his sentence
“That we can go as soon as we wish. I found a flight and spoke with a nurse who could assist us during the trip. I was just waiting for you to confirm before proceeding with the flight purchase”
“Sure…”
“Ok then, we can leave in a week if you feel ready”
“I feel ready”, I said
When I hang up Avery looked at me, shaking her head.
“Let me see what I can find out before you fly out”, she said, and left before I could add anything.