Chapter 1041: Is He Dead?

Everyone held their breath. The tension was palpable.

Besse finally encountered Doyle. As they met, Besse pulled Doyle down, and they fell to the ground.

Shocked, Doyle tried to understand what was happening when he heard a loud noise. At that moment, Skye realized he'd been ambushed. He never anticipated Oscar had deployed a sniper. Skye was shot, but the bullet grazed his side, avoiding vital organs.

Pushed to the limit, Skye hesitated only slightly before retrieving a grenade and throwing it at Besse and Doyle. The instant the grenade left his hand, Skye and the other mercenaries were shot down by Oscar's men.

The grenade rolled toward Besse and Doyle.

"Get out of the way!" Theodore shouted.

A man frantically ran past, snatching up the grenade just as it was about to detonate. He threw it clear.

It exploded in midair with a deafening blast.

Oscar swiftly shielded the fallen Besse, pulling her close. The powerful blast wave surged over them. Even in Oscar's arms, Besse felt the impact, the pain nearly causing her to faint. She looked up.

"Oscar!" she cried.

She saw blood streaming down his face, onto her cheeks. The blood obscured his features.

"Oscar... Oscar!" she repeated, her voice strained.

Oscar's eyes glazed over; he seemed to lose consciousness. Besse's eyes filled with tears; fear choked her.

Theodore quickly reached Oscar, lifting him and departing immediately. Oscar seemed to glance at the dazed Besse, a faint smile playing on his lips before he succumbed to unconsciousness.

Besse clenched her fists, fighting back the panic.

"Besse..." a weak voice whispered in her ear.

She turned to see Doyle, badly injured, struggling to reach her.

"Doyle," Besse attempted to stand. "Doyle?"

Doyle, relieved to see her alive, managed to say, "It's good you're okay, Besse..." before losing consciousness.

"Doyle!" she called out.

Police officers arrived, lifting them onto a helicopter for transport to the nearest hospital.

Within ten minutes, Besse and Doyle were delivered to the hospital, where medical staff awaited. They were rushed into emergency surgery.

Besse remained conscious throughout. She sustained multiple injuries, but all were external and non-life-threatening. However, she didn't know Doyle's condition. He'd been previously injured in a car accident and now suffered severe blast injuries. And Oscar, closest to the grenade...

How was he?

Fighting back her emotions, Besse underwent over two hours of surgery before being transferred to a VIP ward. Two senior nurses attended to her.

"Can you ask about Doyle, the man brought in with me?" Besse asked.

"Of course. I'll ask right away."

The nurse returned. "He's still in surgery."

Besse's eyes reddened. The nurse offered comfort, explaining Besse's injuries: multiple fractures, particularly in her right leg, requiring surgery after her other wounds healed.

"Please, when he's out, tell me everything," Besse said calmly. "One of you stay with me."

"Certainly. I'll update you immediately."

"And Commander's situation?" Besse added.

The nurse hesitated but agreed to inquire, unsure of the outcome.

Besse waited, the medication inducing a deep sleep. A nightmare awoke her, a vivid replay of the accident and Oscar's injuries.

"Miss Besse," the nurse noticed her awakening.

Besse, regaining her composure, grasped the nurse's hand. "How is Doyle?"

"Mr. George is out of surgery and will be fine, though he needs intensive care for a few days. His private room is next to yours."

Relieved, Besse asked, "And Oscar?"

Did he die?

The nurses exchanged glances. Hesitantly, one asked, "Is he dead?"