Clash Of Cultures

22. Mental Health Project

Noor

I don't think I have ever hyperventilated as much as I had standing in front of Kimberly at the fair. Sal was gone and it was all my fault. Maybe if I had kept my mouth shut we could both have been spared. But my stubborn self had to do things my way. 

Tears were streaming down my eyes, "Kimberly if something happens to him, I will never be able to forgive myself"

"Get yourself together", Kimberly told me sternly, "There must be a way out of this...think...this is not the time to start falling apart"

I wiped my tears and took a deep breath, "They said no cops, or else they will kill him. But we have to tell someone, don't we?" 

"Yes, we do. Come one, follow me", she called out to me, already running back towards the parking lot. 

Emily and Scott were looking at us, totally confused now. I told them to take over for us and then followed Kimberly. When we got to the bus, Mr. Flores was picking up the helmets that had fallen out of the box I had been told to drop just a few minutes ago. 

"Mr. Flores... do you know how... to get a hold of the hospital security team?...Some thugs came and abducted Sal", Kimberly asked, trying to catch her breath. 

"What? Sal was abducted? Here?", he looked at us unbelievingly.

"Yes! I was there, it just happened. The men told me that if I called the cops, they would kill him...So we need to talk to the hospital security team and figure out what to do. And please hurry", I chimed in, barely able to breathe in my panic. 

The next few minutes were a flurry of phone calls, and conference calls with first the front desk security personnel and then the head of the security team. I went over every detail I could remember. They asked us to get Emily and Scott and evacuate out of the fair immediately, while they would liaison with the Chicago Police Department (CPD). I had a bad feeling about CPD being involved, but my brain had stopped working a while ago, and I trusted law enforcement knew what they were doing. 

I don't care who does what. I just need him to come back safely. 

On the way back to the hospital we filled Emily and Scott in with what had happened and an unnerving silence took over the bus. We had left everything at the fair and had alerted the fair security team about the abduction as we left. 

Back at the hospital, we were greeted by CPD and a team of the hospital leadership. Abduction of a physician by gangs for the purpose of providing medical care, was rare, but had occurred before. Police Officer Jake introduced himself to me and asked me to accompany him to the situation room that had been set up. 

As I was led away, Kimberly squeezed my hand, "I am praying for him. He'll be fine" 

I hope so...this is all my fault! 

Then, I said a silent prayer for him as well, while trying to hold my tears back. 

Please God, I need him to be ok. Even if he hates me for the rest of his life, I just want him back. 

In the situation room I again went over everything that had happened earlier that day. The men's faces were covered, but I was able to give their general description. I even sat with a sketch artist to draw parts of the tattoos I had seen. Officer Jake later told me that they looked like tattoos used by a gang in South and West Chicago. They were known for dealing drugs mostly, though some recent reports had placed some of their men in close association with a major arms dealer in the Midwest. Many of these gangs also recruited underage members, some who were barely teenagers.