Chapter 5: The revenge

Dr. Sharma was sleeping soundly on his bed when he suddenly heard the doorbell ringing.

For a moment, Dr. Sharma thought it was his pager ringing and he then thought, it was an emergency call from the hospital. But then he realized, it was the doorbell ringing instead of the pager. 

Dr. Sharma thought to himself, “Who is it? At this moment? Does someone in the neighborhood requires my help?”

He then drowsily walked up to his doors. He then opened the doors and found two policemen standing outside. 

Dr. Sharma became alerted after seeing police in front of his door, and then said, “Yes...?”

One of the policemen then asked, “Ah, you must be Dr. Sharma. Pardon the intrusion, but have you been home all along?”

Dr. Sharma then replied, “No, I was out drinking till early morning. What is it?”

The other policemen then said, “Please don’t be too shocked. Director Olson, Dr. Fletcher, Dr. Nolan, and Dr. Curtis have all died.”

Dr. Sharma was shocked after hearing that and then rushed his way to the hospital.

***

The Randall Memorial hospital was in chaos, after losing it's director and 4 high-rank doctors in one night. The hospital was surrounded by the police and the media.

The police then announced, “We cannot let anyone other than police into the crime scene at this moment!”

But then staff from the hospital said, “But that’s going to impede the management here at the hospital.”

Then the policemen said, “Just don’t let the media in!”

Another hospital staff said, “We simply must not have our patients being disturbed!”

But the media didn’t care about the rules or the patients in the hospital. They repeatedly try to ask questions to the policemen or the hospital staff.

“Was this an accident? Or a case of murder?!”

"The director was in his house, the other three were in the hospital, and they died at the same time! It has to be murder!"

“They say it was poisoning.”

Dr. Sharma reached the hospital as soon as possible. 

"There seems to be a bunch of crowd in front of the hospital. But I have to reach the hospital, as because of the chaos many patients are probably waiting to be operated on. I need to operate on them as soon as possible."

He then pushed his way into the crowd.

“Excuse me! Please let me go inside!”

The reporters then spotted Dr. Sharma and recognized him as one of the doctors of the hospital and started to question him.

“You are a doctor at the Randall Memorial hospital,  correct?”

“Do you have any information regarding this incident?”

But Dr. Sharma was in a hurry and he had no time to answer the questions asked by the reporters. And to be honest,  he was just as clueless as the reporters.

"Please move! Let me through!”

The policemen after seeing Dr. Sharma trying to enter the hospital tried to stop him, thinking he is from the media.

“Hey! No entry!”

“I’m a doctor here, Dr. Vikash Sharma.”

Dr. Sharma then showed his id, and then the policemen said, “Oh...go right in.”

Dr. Sharma after entering the hospital saw that the situation was no different than the outside. It was just that instead of the media questioning and disturbing the policemen, it was the policemen disturbing the hospital staff. He then saw the detective from the NYPD, questioning a doctor and a nurse.

The detective then asked, “And? Did you see any suspicious characters?”

The doctor then replied, “Please detective, this is not the time for that!”

The doctor and the nurse then saw Dr. Sharma and after seeing him, they immediately started walking toward him. 

The doctor felt a sense of relief as he knew, Dr. Sharma would operate on the patients.

“Dr. Sharma.”

The nurse then started sobbing, and cried, “Dr. Sharma, the director...!”

Dr. Sharma then asked, “Will you settle down? The incoming emergency patients are not being held up, are they?!”

The doctor then replied, “Well...at the moment, the patients are coming in succession, but Dr. Smith and the others are rushing about...we’ve got two patients that are waiting for operations.”

Dr. Sharma immediately replied, “Okay, I’ll perform on them.”

The doctor then said, “Thank you, doctor! We’ve got someone with a head contusion from a traffic accident.”

Dr. Sharma then started walking towards the operation theatre and said, “Okay, let me see the pictures in the X-Ray room. What’s the other patient?”

The doctor replied, “Ah, that one’s a stroke.”

Dr. Sharma was then interrupted by the detective, who said, “Oh, doctor. Could I ask for your help with the investigation?”

Dr. Sharma immediately replied, “I don’t have time for that right now.”

But the detective said, “But the initial investigation is absolutely crucial!”

He then paused and said, “Do you have any idea who might have born some kind of grudge against the director and the others?”

“Consider the path that you have envisioned to be closed.”

“You threw the teamwork out of order.”

“Get back to your position. This is a chief’s order.”

“You ran from the team before the operation.”

Dr. Sharma was reminded of the harsh words of the four people.  Truth be told, he hated them from the core of his heart. Not only they destroyed his path to research for medical science but they were the biggest scumbags he has ever seen. But still, he didn't want them to die. 

Dr. Sharma was lost in his thoughts, but he suddenly remembered that he had to operate on the patients.

“Please move! I must attend to the operation now!”

He then pushed the detective out of his way and rushed to the operation theatre while the detective said, “Hey!”

The nurse then came running toward Dr. Sharma and said, “Dr. Sharma, we have to do something!”

For some reason, she was in a panic and her face was sweating heavily. And then she said, “The twin brother and sister, they’re gone.”

Dr. Sharma couldn’t believe what he heard. He then rushed to the sister’s room and then to the brother’s room. Both of them gave the same results. They were empty.

He promised himself that he will make sure the brother will not leave the hospital until and unless he is healthy. But he couldn’t keep the promise. The little boy opened Dr. Sharma's eyes and in return, he couldn’t save him. This was his fault. He was an incompetent doctor.

“W...what is...?!”

“The sudden deaths...the children disappear...”

“What’s going on?!”

“What the hell happened here?!”

***

It was the director’s funeral. Many prominent people from all around NYC were present at his funeral. Dr. Sharma stood behind most people and watched the funeral. Maybe at one time in the past, he would have been at the front, comforting Alicia, who at the moment was sobbing at her father's death.

The priest then chanted, “In his mercy, he extended a hand to many, many of the sick and suffering. We will forever remember the great achievements of his lifetime.”

“Farewell, Dr. Olson. May you rest in peace. Amen.”

“Father!!!”

Alicia was sobbing and Dr. Sharma knew that Alicia was quite close to her father. Her mother died at quite a young age and therefore Alicia only had her father while growing up.

Dr. Sharma quietly said, “Alicia.”

But no one heard him. Dr. Holden then went towards Alicia to console her.

“Alicia. I know this is difficult, but you must take hold of yourself.”

But Alicia refused to be consoled and pushed Dr. Sharma away.

“Let me go!!!”

“Give him back! Give me my father back!”

***

Dr. Sharma and Dr. Durham were walking away from the funeral back to their home. Even though Dr. Sharma hated Dr. Olson, there were moments he enjoyed talking with him, and seeing Alicia in that state, made him upset.

Dr. Durham then said, “It’s just unbearable, Dr. Sharma.”

Dr. Sharma said, “Yes...”

Dr. Durham then said, “I had always thought of the director’s daughter as such a strong woman. But once you take the crown of her head, she screams and cries just like a normal human being. “

He then paused and continued, “Well I guess that makes us humans. We all have emotions, it’s just that some people express their emotions more while some people refuse to express their emotions.”

Dr. Sharma was confused and asked, “What are you talking about Dr. Durham?”

Dr. Durham then said, “Sorry.”

But then they were interrupted by the detective from the NYPD.

The detective then said, “You must be Dr. Sharma.”

Dr. Sharma replied, “Yes officer.”

The detective said, “I am inspector Meadows from New York Police Department.”

Dr. Sharma then did a handshake with the inspector and said, “Oh, thank you for all your effort.”

“Such a tragic incident.”

“Yes...”

But then the detective said, “I’d like to introduce you to someone.”

“I am inspector Rowland from the FBI.”

Rowland was a tall guy who looked extremely fit. He is what you would expect an FBI agent to look like.

He then continued, “I’ve heard rumors of the genius doctor from India.”

Dr. Sharma smiled and did a handshake with inspector Rowland and said, “No no, I’m nothing more than a junior member.”

Dr. Sharma then immediately asked, “Err...have you discovered where the children are yet?”

Rowland then replied, “No, first we established the cause of death for the four deceased. We detached traces of nitric acid inside each of their bodies.”

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Dr. Sharma was shocked after hearing that.

 “Nitric acid, then a muscle relaxant...”

Rowland then said, “Exactly. Accurate as only a doctor could be.”

Dr. Sharma then asked, “And how was it administered?”

Rowland replied, “Candy.”

“Candy?”

Dr. Sharma was shocked after hearing that. The murderer is a genius.

Rowland then continued explaining, “The same candy wrappers were found near each of the bodies and the contents of the same candy were found in each of their stomachs.”

Rowland then asked, “Do you have any ideas about how they might have gotten these candies?”

Dr. Sharma replied, “I don’t know anything about it. But the children...how is the search progressing?”

But Rowland calmly said, “There, there. The search has been transferred from the NYPD to the FBI. Do not worry.” 

Inspector meadows then huffed at what Inspector Rowland just said. 

He then paused and said, “There is a possibility that this case may be connected back to the assassination of the twins' parents. I suspect it may be an act of political terrorism. Those children could be carrying an extremely important key.”

Dr. Sharma then said, “Please you must find them. They are not fully recovered yet.”

Dr. Sharma then started walking away with Dr. Durham and said, “Goodbye.”

After a few seconds they left, and Rowland and Meadows started talking.

Rowland said, "An Indian doctor in charge of the twins, removed from his position as a chief surgeon by the director and no longer engaged to the director's daughter.”

Inspector Meadows then said, “But they say he is quite popular with all the patients at the hospital and he does have an alibi. He was out hitting bars that night. I have seen it myself, he is a hardworking doctor who came to the US to live a better life and nothing else."

But then inspector Rowland smiled and said, “And that’s the reason, this case has been transferred from the NYPD to the FBI. The sentiment is a chemical defect found on the losing side.”

Inspector Meadows was very furious. But he had to maintain his calmness because if he lost his cool, things will be bad for him. As he knew Inspector Rowland was not a person to be messed with.

Rowland then paused and said, “No, I’m nothing more than a junior member. Those were the words Dr. Sharma awkwardly muttered when I called him a genius.”

***

After a few minutes of walking, Dr. Durham asked, “The police, they don’t suspect you, do they?”

Dr. Sharma then smiled and said, "I guess I can't help but be suspected."

Dr. Durham then tried to comfort Dr. Sharma by saying, “Don’t worry. They’ve been bugging the hell out of me, too.”

But it was as if Dr. Sharma didn’t even hear him and said, “I’m so tired.”

He then looked upwards towards the sky and said, “I think I’m going back to India, once this all dies down.”

Dr. Durham was shocked after hearing that.

“What?!”

"I came here to the US, hoping that I could do some research and live a better life. But thanks to this string of incidents, I feel like I've turned my back on the doctor's calling to save lives.”

Dr. Durham then said, “Hey, stop talking like that. You are the closest friend  I have in the hospital. And you’re still a much better doctor than me. So be happy.”

Dr. Sharma then again said, “I’m tired.”

***

“Your progress is looking excellent, Mr. Bennett.”

“Thank you, Dr. Sharma. I hope I can get back to work again.”

Dr. Sharma then smiled and said, “Yes, of course.”

“If I’m not in charge there, my shop will go down the drain.”

“As long as you don’t overwork yourself like you've been doing. I'll come by for a drink sometime. Be on the lookout to make sure I keep my promise.”

Mr. Bennett then asked, “Dr. Sharma?”

“Yes?”

“Are the rumors true that you are leaving the hospital?”

Dr. Sharma was surprised that Mr. Bennett knew about it. Dr. Durham couldn't even keep his mouth shut. And why would Mr. Bennett care if he left the hospital or the country?

“Please, don’t quit. They don’t have any other doctors as good as you. Please don’t say you’re going to leave.”

He then held Dr. Sharma’s hands and said again, “Please.”

“Mr. Bennett.”

There was a knock on the door.

“Yes?”

It was a nurse.

The nurse then said, “Dr. Sharma. The board chairman is calling you.”

Both of them went outside the room and started walking towards the room where the meeting was taking place.

The nurse then said, “They’re having a meeting to discuss the succession of personnel. Previously the director’s faction has always decided the major post, so it seems they’ve got a plan for a fair staff clean up.”

The doctor then thought to himself, “Maybe they will remove me, and if they don’t I will quit this hospital and leave the country myself.”

The doctor then said, “Oh, I see.”

The nurse then said, “Ah, Dr. Sharma, no matter what the chairman says, please stay here. Don’t leave the hospital.”

“Yes, please Dr. Sharma don’t leave us.”, said another doctor. 

“We need your help to perform difficult operations.”, said another doctor.

“We’re all behind you. Please don’t leave.”, said many nurses and hospital staff.

Dr. Sharma didn’t know what to say. He started walking towards the meeting. He didn't want to leave the hospital or the country after seeing the requests done by the doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and even the patients. But what if the chairman kicks him out? He will then have to leave, even if he doesn’t want to.

***

Dr. Sharma was shocked by what he heard. He then said, “What?” 

The chairman then said, “I’ll say it once more, I place merit on competence and ability, Dr. Sharma. The head of the surgical department needs to excel in three things – integrity,  intelligence, and energy. And you're not only the best doctor we have but also someone who is highly respected by the hospital staff and patients.”

He then paused and said, “I’m appointing you the head of the surgical department.”

***

Doctor Sharma was walking in the hallways, talking to himself.

“What a life.”

“ I disobey the director’s orders, I get removed from Chief cranial nerve surgeon, I lose my engagement with Alicia, and just when I decide that I want to pursue a life as a doctor totally unhampered by career and advancement.” 

He then started laughing.  Stream of tears falling from his eyes.

“What a life!”

            ***

Alicia and Vikash were present in a cafe in New York City.

Alicia then said, “I’m sorry for calling you out like this.”

She then paused and said, “So you got promoted to the head of the surgical department. That’s wonderful! I really think so.”

Vikash then said with an impassive face, “Thank you.”

Alicia then smiled and said, “Vikash, you tried to comfort me when I was crying at my father's funeral service.”

“Err...no.”

“I was really happy.”

She then paused and held his hands on the table.

“I know a lot’s passed between us, but I want us to get back together.”

But Vikash then removed his hands from the table and started walking away. Alicia was shocked after seeing that Vikash was refusing to get back together with her. 

“Vikash!”

“Vikash!”

“Please! It was all my fault! I want to get back together, Vikash.”

“Vikash!”

“Vikash!!!”

But Vikash paid no heed to Alicia and left the place, while Alicia stood there sobbing.

April 7, 1995

New York City, United States

A doctor then said, "We have a patient with a spinal cord tumor. He just recently advanced into a sudden state of paralysis.”

Dr. Sharma replied, “I understand. I’ll do the operation.”

“Thank you, sir!”

Dr. Sharma then said, “Get the operation prepared!”

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