chapter 153

word count: 1469

priscilla's extensive training in the interpretation of body language and facial expression paid out triple fold, as she trained a keen eye on adam and erik following the announcement by dr. collins that the mass they had removed from elliot’s stomach was,, “unidentifiable matter”.. 

both the involuntary drain of color from both of their faces,, and their impish eyes, wide as saucers, as they turned to stare at each other in complete and utter disbelief of what they were hearing,, spoke silent volumes.. although no words were exchanged,, priscilla could easily have transcribed the dialog that was going on in each of their heads.. 

the boy’s exterior monologue’s immediately confirmed any suspicions she and algie may have had previous to this most startling announcement.. indeed,, the hunt boy had swallowed the precious gem for safe keeping,, taken ill due to his inability to pass it,, and now,, upon its discovery,, this scheming doctor,, and his innocuous looking henchwoman,, most assuredly had possession of the exquisite, diana diamond.. 

a quick scan of the room confirmed that not one of the other adults involved were any the wiser.  

“idiot americans..” priscilla chortled to herself  as she took special note of the three high ranking detectives that stood huddled before her like a pack of school boys.. it was blatantly evident they had not a clue between them…

she and algie had to move quickly if they were to intercept the precocious doctor and his money grubbing accomplice as they attempted to whisk the exquisite stone out of the hospital, bound undoubtedly for places in which there were firmly no extradition orders in place to accommodate any plea by the american government should their caper ever become public knowledge..  

“sweetheart," she purred lovingly as she slipped her arm in algies. “what do you say we slip away for a moment and allow the families to regroup.. it has been an extremely emotionally exhausting day for all of them i am sure.. i would think the last thing they need is us,, meddling further in their private affairs..”

“you are absolutely right, my dear!” algie nodded in agreement as he acknowledged priscilla’s firm grasp on his arm with an outwardly affectionate gesture,, placing a seemingly loving hand graciously atop her entwined arm.. 

“we will be right downstairs in the coffee shop if can we be of any further assistance..” he announced to the seemingly befuddled grouping of assorted family members and bumbling police detectives, as he and priscilla quickly exited the waiting room before any acknowledgement could be made of their most generous offer..  

before the elevator doors had even opened to accommodate their departure,, both algie and priscilla were on their cell phones. priscilla gathering pertinent personal intel from a ‘plant’ they just happened to have in the hospital human resources department on this dr. collins and his trusty nurse o’hoolihan,, and algie urgently calling in the need for reinforcements..  

***

the muscle bound oaf that was currently assigned to ‘protect’ boa in the advent of an emergency situation, thudded heavily on the solid oak door to announce his presence before opening the ‘office’ door just a crack, and informing boa she had a call of a personal nature.. 

“the good doctor is on the line.. what you want i should tell him??”

“hmmm,," hummed boa, from her perch at the elegant gold veined marble dressing table,,  where she was expertly placing a luxuriously thick row of raven black eyelashes just above her natural lash line.. “tell him i will take the call.. put him through..”

when the call came through,, she instinctively put it on speaker so she could remain focused on the ever important task at hand while she dallied with the heartstrings of the one and only human connection that she had allowed to cross over with her from her lowly beginnings as a common club stripper,, into her present world of elite underworld espionage.. 

“kevin!! sweetness!! how lovely to hear from you.. and so soon too.. i would think you would still be recuperating from our last most intimate encounter..” she heckled him gently in her most insidious tone of voice.. 

“boa!! this is important.. i need you to pick up..” the noticeably anxious voice on the other end of the line admonished her.. 

“my,, my,, kevin dear,, aren’t we demanding today?? and without so much as a simple exchange of pleasantries..” she retorted in a tone of voice that clearly indicated it was a borderline reprimand.. 

“please boa,, there isn’t time.. please pick up..”

boa sensed a degree of urgency in kevin’s voice.. something quite out of character for the self-involved,, egotistical, albeit immensely talented, surgeon she had come to know so intimately over the course of the near decade they had spent clandestinely pleasuring each other.. 

choosing not to antagonize him further,, she plucked the shimmering gold handset from cradle of the antique victorian french princess phone on her dressing table and assumed her most dignified ‘strictly business’ persona..

“alright,, you got my attention.. what’s going on?”

“this is not something i can discuss with you over the phone.. i need to meet with you immediately..” 

“well i am afraid that is not a possibility.. i have a prearranged appointment at 7:30.. an appointment i am not at liberty reschedule..”

“fuck that!” kevin barked unceremoniously into her ear. “i have never asked that you extend to me any form of professional courtesy in the past.. i am asking for that now.. i need you to meet me discreetly in the parking lot of the recovery room lounge, directly across the street from the hospital at precisely 7 pm.”

“you do not seem to understand!” boa stated firmly.. “i cannot just…”

dr. kevin collins cut her off without hesitation. “and boa,, bring a cleaner..” 

with that the line went dead.. 

***

directly following dr. collins disclosure to the family that young elliot would make a full recovery,, and that the mass they had removed from his stomach was nothing to be worried about,, the voluptuous nurse o’hoolihan had,, at dr.collins own suggestion,, gone home to slip into something suitable for travel and pack a light overnight bag.. she was in route to his penthouse apartment to pack a few designated items, as per his request,, when the call she had so anxiously been awaiting,, finally came in..   

“gina? kevin.. it’s all set.. i am having that friend of mine i told you about meet me at 7, in the parking lot of the recovery room.. she will bring all the necessary identity documentation,, as well the prearranged travel package we will need to escape the country undetected.. all we are gonna have to do is take a quick picture,, and then you,,  my little sex kitten,, and i,, are off to join the jet set!”

“oh kevin!! i am over the moon!! never in my wildest dreams…” gina nearly bubbled into the phone..

“we will have more than enough time for that later, kitten.. what i need for you to do, is to show up, in the parking lot, at the recovery room, at exactly 7:15.. do not enter the bar.. stay in your car.. i will send someone over to bring you to me.. you and i must not, i repeat, must not, be seen together..”

“well then how will i..” gina started..

“don’t worry about a thing, my baby,,” kevin assured her in his most seductive tone, “i will be waiting for you in the secure transport vehicle.. we will take care of the photo for your i.d. in route..”

“ok,“ gina breathed heavily into the phone.. “7:15 sharp.. i’ll be there!! oh and kevin?”

“what is it baby?”

“kevin. i love you!” gina gushed.. 

“you know i love you too, kitten.. now you just concentrate on getting your sweet little ass to the recovery room on time,, and it will all be smooth sailing from there!!”

“oh, i will!! i will!” gina percolated,, as kevin disconnected the call abruptly,, and made a beeline for the doctors lounge where he would quickly change out of his blood spattered scrubs and into his joggers as he did every evening when he completed his shift..   

with the diamond safely tucked away,, at the bottom of the bottle of mercurochrome (that he had kept as a good luck charm since the day he applied to the elite stanford university school of medicine) which had served as a paperweight on his desk, ever since he was awarded the prestigious position of chief of surgery nearly ten years ago,, dr. kevin collins stepped outside the automated doors of the hospital,, and began a rigorous course of stretches,  as he did every evening in preparation for his ritualistic five mile run..