Chapter 302: Something Was Wrong

As chance would have it, Crystal saw the report about Michelle at the same time as Paul. Their reactions, though, were vastly different. By the time the segment had reached its conclusion, she was thinking - Some people might think we went too far, but I think that we did not go far enough. We should have killed her! If we had killed her and disposed of her body, we would not be in the position we are in now!

Because Michelle was a public figure, her case would receive much more attention than it otherwise would have. But if there had been nobody, then there never would have been a story.

Crystal was trying to think of ways to punish. Michelle - it would be hard with an ocean between them - when wolf began to bark, she went to the window, and she saw that Noah and Clark had been building a snowman in the backyard, but the dog was running around in circles in a way that suggested to her that something was wrong.

Nancy was in the living room, and when she heard the barking, she came to the same conclusion: Something was wrong! She got up right away and ran towards the back door. Crystal was also on her way, and the two friends slammed into each other as Nancy passed the stairs. Crystal almost fell on her ass, but Nancy grabbed her arm and helped her steady herself.

"Quick!" Crystal huffed. "...The backyard… Trouble…"

"I know!" Nancy exclaimed. "There's no time to wait!"

They ran to the back together, and when they stepped outside, they were both relieved to see that Clark was alright. But then they saw Noah. He was lying in the snow, and he was clutching his chest. Nancy ran to his side. "Noah, what's the matter with you?" Nancy picked up Clark, who was frightened.

Noah did not reply, and Crystal noticed that his breathing was shallow, so she called for several bodyguards to carry him into the house. Once he was inside, she called for a doctor. When the doctor arrived, he examined Noah, and when he was done, he said, "It looks like shock caused by heart atrophy."

"Heart atrophy?" Nancy frowned. "Does that mean that he had a heart attack?"

"No, I don't think so. It looks like there was a contraction caused by a lack of blood flow to the heart."

Nancy touched Noah's arm. "How could that be? Will he get better?"

The doctor sighed and shook his head. "His rate of exhaustion is extremely high. At this rate, he will soon be dead..."

Nancy grabbed Crystal's hand to support her shaky body.

"Does he have a history of heart problems in his family?" the doctor asked.

"I'm sorry. I'm not sure." Nancy sighed. "You're a doctor. Can't you find out?"

"I cannot," the doctor admitted.

"How long does he have?" Crystal asked.

"Three days? Five days? A month?"

"It depends on his situation," the doctor replied.

Noah struggled to sit up, and he glared at the doctor. "Who are you to say that I'm dying?" he growled. "I think that I know my body better than you do!" He stood up and began to walk towards the door.

He was about halfway there when Crystal shouted at him. "Stop!"

Noah stood still. He was still clutching his chest, but he was doing his best to hide his pain. "Who do you think you are?" he snapped. "I am a grown man. I can come and go as I please!"

"Is that so?" Crystal smirked. Then she turned to the guards that had carried him in and ordered them to put him in his bed. And despite his curses and complaints, they followed her order.

****

Later that evening, when Nathan came home, Crystal sat on his lap and told him about Noah's prognosis. Once everything had been said, she asked him what he thought, but he just shrugged. "Why do you care so much about him?" he asked.

"He saved you once." Crystal put her hands around his neck. "He saved me, too. He saved Nancy and Clark. Doesn't that mean something to you?"

"Not really. If he had not been there, I would have arranged for someone else to rescue you."

Crystal pleaded with him. "Don't be so cold. The point is that he was the one that saved us. It wasn't anyone else, and now he is sick. We can't turn our backs on him."

"Without his family history, what can we do?" Nathan wondered. "If the doctors can't find it, and he won't tell us, then there is no hope for him."

'What do you know about Noah?" Crystal stared at him suspiciously. She knew that by now, he would have done a background check on Noah. That was just the kind of person he was. He did not trust anyone.

"I don't know anything," Nathan replied.

"Are you sure that you don't know anything?"

"You don't believe me?" Nathan was taken aback. "You are hurting my feelings..."

"I highly doubt it!" Crystal glared at him. "Anyway, can we not make this about you? This is a matter of life and death for Noah, and you're acting like a spoiled child. Can't you just help? If not for his sake, then for mine?"

"Fine." Nathan sighed and said, "We'll get to the bottom of this."

"You have to hurry!" Crystal exclaimed. "The doctor says he won't live much longer." She put her arm around his neck and kissed him on the forehead. "I'll leave it to you. Okay?"

Nathan nodded and said, "I will do my best."

****

Nathan felt like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Noah had been poisoned, and only Paul had the antidote. He could tell Crystal this, but there was no point in doing so because Paul would never hand over the anecdote, and they could not come up with it on their own. So, it seemed that the best option was to pretend to search for a cure. Then, when Noah died, everyone would think that he had died of natural causes.