— Hey, Nasser! Why are you sleeping at a time like this? This isn't normal—are you playing a prank on me or what?
Élisa suddenly remembered what Nasser had told her earlier:
"If I stay here too long, I'll pass out. And if I stay unconscious for too long, it could be fatal."
Her heart started pounding faster. Terror took over, and tears streamed down her face as she pleaded:
— Hey, Nasser, stop this! Wake up, please! Don't do this to me, I'm begging you, wake up!
She ran to the door and started banging on it, shouting:
— Can anyone hear me?! Please, someone help me! Nasser won't wake up! Is there anyone out there?! I beg you, or this will end badly!
She rushed back to Nasser and shook him, sobbing:
— Nasser, wake up, please! Don't do this to me, I'm begging you!
Meanwhile, Ortho was heading down to the basement to grab more crates of wine, grumbling about the guests:
— Ugh, these guests are such a pain. They drink up the wine like Nordic warriors! I just brought in a new batch, and it's already gone… Seriously, are they even human?
Then, he suddenly heard Élisa's desperate screams coming from the basement:
— Can anyone hear us?! Help, we need help!
He sprinted towards the room, flung the door open, and saw Nasser unconscious in Élisa's arms as she cried. In a panicked voice, he asked:
— What happened?! Why is he like that?
Élisa, her voice trembling and tears in her eyes, answered:
— We were sent here to grab some crates of wine… But when we tried to leave, the door wouldn't open… and then, because of the heat, he passed out…
Ortho wanted to panic but quickly pulled himself together. He approached Nasser, lifted him onto his back, and said to Élisa:
— Follow me!
Élisa stood up and followed him. He carried Nasser up to the first floor and laid him on a bed. Then, he opened all the windows and turned on the air conditioning. After placing Nasser in the recovery position, he turned to Élisa with a smile and asked:
— So, what's your name?
Élisa, still in shock and with tears in her eyes, answered:
— My… my name is Élisa…
— Élisa who? Ortho asked.
— Delgado… Élisa Delgado, she added.
Ortho took on a serious expression and said:
— Well, Élisa Delgado… You need to know that our friend Nasser is in really bad shape. If he doesn't get the right treatment, he won't make it. Luckily, I'm a high school student with solid medical knowledge, or else he would've already lost his life a few minutes ago.
Élisa, terrified, asked in a trembling voice:
— W-what do you mean he could've lost his life?
Ortho looked her straight in the eyes and replied:
— If he had stayed in that room five minutes longer, his heart would have stopped beating.
Élisa looked at Nasser, unconscious, and murmured:
— No… He can't die… No…
Ortho, still in a cheerful tone, said:
— Can you go get Grâce downstairs, please? But don't say anything to her mother, or she'll literally have a heart attack.
Élisa nodded and immediately went down to get Grâce. When she arrived in the party room, she acted natural as she walked through the guests. She spotted Grâce, who was still drinking her strange beverage with a disgusted look.
Élisa approached and said:
— Uh, Grâce, it's urgent…
She quickly explained the situation. Grâce didn't panic; she remained impassive and asked:
— He's on the first floor, right?
— Yes, Élisa replied.
— Let's go then, Grâce said seriously.
They quickly went upstairs and found Nasser.
Ortho, still relaxed and cheerful, asked:
— Uh, big sis Grâce, is there enough space in your garden to land a helicopter?
Grâce answered without hesitation:
— Yeah, plenty. There are even landing lights already set up.
Ortho nodded and said:
— Good. Now go turn up the music so your mom and the guests don't hear the helicopter.
Grâce gave him an annoyed look:
— Don't order me around!
Then, she went to increase the volume.
Ortho lifted Nasser onto his back and said to Élisa:
— Follow me.
Élisa was stunned by how calm they were, as if someone's life wasn't at stake.
Ortho pulled out his phone and made a call.
— Hello, sir? answered a voice on the other end.
— Hello, Gérard? Can you land the helicopter behind the house, in the garden?
— Of course, sir. That will be a piece of cake.
Élisa's eyes widened.
— A helicopter?
They made their way to the back door while Grâce gradually increased the music volume.
When Ortho opened the door, a helicopter was already landing. Shocked by the situation, Élisa exclaimed:
— But… Where did you get a helicopter?! That's impossible!
Ortho, surprised by her reaction, replied:
— Oh? Why? Since I was a kid, getting one has always been easy for me, considering I have plenty…
— Plenty?! Élisa repeated, still in shock.
— Yeah, Ortho said as he walked toward the helicopter.
Then, he added:
— By the way, I haven't introduced myself… My name is Ortho. Ortho Lema.
Élisa felt her heart stop for a second.
— Lema… like Amir Lema…