I rushed to the hospital, my heart pounding in my chest. Mercutio was in critical condition, but the doctor said he had been asking for me. That alone was enough to make my pulse quicken.
When I stepped into his room, he was on a ventilator, surrounded by doctors and nurses. The beeping of machines filled the heavy silence.
"Yes?" I gulped, bracing myself for whatever he had to say.
"I want to talk to him alone" Mercutio rasped.
The doctors exchanged glances before quietly stepping out, leaving us in the dimly lit room.
As soon as the door closed, Mercutio turned his tired eyes to me. "Romeo… I know you think Vale is on Juliet's side. That's what I believed at first too. I suspected her… but something doesn't add up." His breathing was ragged, but his grip on my wrist tightened as if he was forcing himself to stay awake. "So I called her to the casino. When I met her… she kept staring in one direction, like she was afraid. Like someone was watching her. And she…" He hesitated, his lips trembling.
"And she what?" I pressed.
Mercutio looked like he was struggling to form the words. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his eyes flickering with urgency.
"She behaved like she wanted to tell me the truth… the truth she's been hiding for…" His voice weakened.
"For what, Mercutio?" I asked, gently patting his shoulder.
His gaze locked onto mine, his next words barely above a whisper. "For ages…"
Then, before he could say anything else, his body went limp. The steady beeping of the monitor shifted erratically.
"Mercutio?" I shook him slightly, panic clawing at my chest.
No response.
"Doctor! DOCTOR!" I yelled, my voice shaking.
The medical team rushed in as if they had been waiting just outside.
One of the doctors quickly checked him, then turned to me, his expression unreadable.
"He's in a coma" he said.
A cold wave of fear ran down my spine.
After tightening the security around Mercutio's hospital room, I drove straight to headquarters. My mind was racing, the weight of the situation pressing down on me like an unbearable storm.
I didn't bother knocking when I reached Capulet's office. I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"Mercutio is in a coma" I announced, my voice hollow.
Capulet's expression froze. "What?" He stared at me in disbelief, as if I had spoken another language. "What are you saying, Romeo?"
"He... He was about to tell me who the real accomplice is" I explained, running a hand through my hair, frustration burning in my chest. "But before he could say anything, he lost consciousness. Now he's in a coma."
Capulet let out a sharp breath, his jaw tightening. "We need to find this person as soon as possible. Rosaline joined the agency late, so she's new to this case. Take her with you—we can trust her."
I hesitated. "What if she's involved too?" I shook my head. "I can't take that risk. I've already lost Mercutio. I won't put another agent's life in danger."
Capulet's gaze hardened. "She's an agent. You're an agent. We're all supposed to sacrifice ourselves for the nation, Romeo!" He slammed his fist on the desk. "Right now, the bigger problem isn't just that Juliet is using someone inside this agency to get information about you! The real threat is that she's alive—and that means the nation is in danger again!"
I clenched my fists. He was right. No matter how personal this felt, the bigger picture was clear—a Mafia queen had faked her death for three years, and now she was back.
"You're right" I exhaled, forcing myself to focus. "I need to stay sharp." I turned to leave but paused at the door. "Make sure the security around Mercutio is airtight. I can't lose him too."
Without waiting for a reply, I headed to my cabin, my mind already planning my next move.