On Top of the World [Max Verstappen - Book 3]

18

I made shiz dramatic...I'm not even close to knowing if any of the medical stuff here is right...it's artistic liberty!

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Race Day, Abu Dhabi 2028

"Motherfucker," I curse as I roll over in bed, a bright pain behind my neck and shoulder. "What the fuck?" I mutter as I try to push myself out of bed but let out a yelp of pain. "No, no, no, no...Nick! Nick!" I yell as I roll back onto my side trying to get the pain to fuck off. I get a moment of relief before Nick opens the door confused.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"My, my shoulder and my neck, I can't...there's this really major stabbing but also glowing white pain, it's radiating from my somewhere below my neck all the way up to a little bit down my back as well, behind my shoulder," I tell him, trying my best to be descriptive and he curses and says no almost as many times as I did as he calls Liv into the room.

"I need you to roll onto your other side," he instructs and I grimace as I do like I'm told, seeing Liv walk into the room worriedly as I look up at my friends helplessly from my position in bed. "It'll be okay but we need to get you to the track asap and to the medical centre." He pauses as both he and Liv help me sit up. I bring my right hand up and back to gently massage part of the spot I can get to while Nick moves behind me and I feel his hand feeling around on my back as he groans clearly confirming whatever he thought was wrong. "Liv, you help get her dressed, I'm going to call the Mercedes doctor and make sure the staff at the medical centre are there at the track."

Liv looks confused and worried between my grimacing figure on the bed and Nick's worried face. "What's going on?"

"She's got a trapped nerve," he mutters and my stomach falls out of my body as I realise he's right. Liv's face pales in realisation as she helps me get out of the bed, passing me clothes that I then need her help to put on and by the time we're out of the door ten minutes later my dignity is practically all gone.

Max's POV
"Max, open up!" I hear Christian banging on my door, I look at Bradley confused who just shrugs and goes to open it, my team principal barging his way in the room with a bright smile on his face. "Congratulations! You're going to be a four-time world champion!" He says gleefully, pulling me up from the sofa to give me a hug causing me to smile and look at him like he's slightly insane.

"The race is later Christian..." I tell him jokingly and he waves his hand.

"There's some trouble at Mercedes, the entire team were seen getting to the track very early. It's either that she's got a penalty or something else..." he keeps talking but I stop hearing at that point, mind confused by the information as I look at Bradley. Worried for Ellie, we both are. "...medical centre."

"Wait, what about a medical centre?" I ask, snapping back into focus at the words and Christian shrugs.

"There are reports that they specifically had medical personnel get to the track early. They're possibly disguising a health thing with everyone else going to the track but I mean what are the chances she can beat you with the flu?" Christian says smiling and I shoot him a glare he was clearly not expecting.

"She could have done it once, she could easily do it again, and she doesn't need to beat me. She just needs to stay within 10 points of me, considering we're starting 3 and 4 and she drives like a fucking demon with the flu I'd say it's far from won. Now let's get to the track and figure out what the hell is going on!" I hiss as I pick up my coat and watch Bradley and Christian scramble to get the rest of my stuff. The second I'm outside the door I see Netflix camera crews dawdling in the hall and I realise it's bad if they're with me and not Ellie. Or maybe they're with both but as far as I'm aware they weren't scheduled to be here.