Chapter six.

Leo and Mandy instantly turned to Declan in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Mandy asked first. She would get pissed if Declan failed to give a reasonable explanation to the words he just uttered. 

"It's a deadly concoction that can leave anyone dead few seconds after it's been injected into them."  He said firmly.

He's not just knowledgeable in healing medicine, but also knew quite enough about poisons too. He could tell it easily just from the scent of that mixture.

Mandy's gaze didn't leave Declan's face and she could tell he was dead serious. He wouldn't be so unreasonable to play a trick on her in a situation like this. But then there's Leo, who was highly recommended for his expertise. She had heard testimonials from patients he had treated before. 

"Don't tell me you're taking the words of this maniac seriously. I warned you about having him in here" Leo was furious at Declan's claims. He walked up to his face, anger flashing through his eyes. 

"How dare you slander me? Why not shut the fuck up if you know nothing about medicine!"

"It is you who need some reevaluation. " Declan retorted. He stormed into the laboratory and came out with the herbs Leo had used for the "antidote." "How do you possibly mix these as an antidote? These two may go but definitely not with the third one! " 

Declan's voice vibrated as he spoke. He was raged and for the first time, he was letting his emotions show. 

Leo was short of words. He cowered at some point  then swallowed. He kept on looking at the herbs Declan held simultaneously, then turned instantly to Mandy. "Don't listen to this man. I don't know where you got him from but I tell you for free that he is crazy. I have been doing this for years, you know my profile, they should tell you enough about my capabilities."

Beads of sweat were beginning to gather on his forward as he spoke. He was becoming anxious. He didn't want to believe Declan could be right. No he wasn't! He wouldn't succumb to the claims of a no name."How about we strike a deal?"

"What?" Mandy didn't quite understand what he meant.

"If my antidote fails, I will chew the mixture till the very last drop.  But if it works, it will be a pleasure to chop off the arm of this maniac so he wouldn't be able to pretend to be a doctor and harm people anymore." Leo's gaze was locked with Declan's as he spoke with so much confidence. 

Declan chuckled without humor. Leo was incredibly wicked and unbelievable. He shrugged and agreed to Leo's bet only to see if he dared to drink the poison he had prepared when he failed. But on second thought, he wouldn't want to put Mandy through the risk. He was going to try and convince her otherwise if she finally fell for Leo's lies.  

Mandy shut her eyes trying to do some thinking. The two of them never got along but this case was different. Whose words was she going to take over the other? Her eyes opened instantly in a flash. She seemed to have made a decision. 

"Go ahead." 

"Huh?" Declan and Leo exclaimed in unison. 

"You said what you have in there will save him, didn't you? Go ahead and save my grandfather. I'm entrusting his life into your hands" Her voice stated in finality.

"No Mandy, I won't stand here and watch you let this man kill your grandfather." Declan showed true concern for the situation. He peered into Mandy's eyes to find that spot and make her retract her words. But she shook her head apologetically for turning him down. 

"I hope you don't regret this" Declan warned without pushing further. He withdrew and moved to the other end of the room. His words pierced Mandy's heart and she turned away to shut his voice out of her head. She had made up her mind and wasn't going to let him make her go back on her word.

"Do it now!" She ordered.

Leo nodded in response and started to apply the herbs on both sides of Grandpa Asher's nostrils. Once he was done, he took a spoon full and fed him with it. Then again, fed him another spoon full.

Immediately, Grandpa Asher drew in a sharp breath and his face turned red. 

"Yes! I told you'' Leo leaped in excitement at the sudden response to the antidote. "Thank you Leo'' Mandy cried amid smiles. "You saved him."

Immediately, Grandpa Asher began to shake frantically on the bed. 

"What's wrong? Why is he shaking like that?!" 

"It's a natural occurrence from the antidote. He will normalize in no time" 

"But he's not stopping! What's that coming from his mouth? Oh my God..... his ears and nose..... What have you done Leo?!"

Mandy's voice was above the roof. Her grandpa was convulsing right before her eyes with foaming substances pouring from his mouth. Blood pooled from his ears and nose. Everything around the bed shook and had fallen to the ground. 

"No... I mean... this is nothing. It's just a  natural occurrence..... I don't know how... but trust me...." Leo's stuttering caused Mandy's heart to ache more. 

"Move aside!" Declan ordered as he emerged. He immediately disappeared into the laboratory and began to mix some herbs. In a few minutes, he reappeared with a syringe filled with green antidote. 

"Let me have that" He took the stethoscope from Leo and checked the heartbeat of the patient. "Fuck!" He cursed at the mess Leo has created. 

"Please save him. Don't let him die" Mandy cried. Declan found his vein and injected him with the antidote. Few seconds later, the convulsing and bleeding stopped. 

Everywhere fell dead silent afterwards, everyone in awe at what had just happened.