"You know, Mr Anderson. You have to take care of yourself more often." Dr Chang said, fussing over him.
"I know, Doc. But it doesn't help if trouble keeps on finding me."
Back at the hospital, Lloyd was given some anti-biotic and injections to counteract the infection contained in Cerberus's saliva. The bright side, he's getting better, the not so bright side, he's back in the hospital...
"Good morning!" Glenn burst in, much to Dr Chang's disdain. He's carrying Number One Noodle Son carrier bags, wearing a plain white-tee with a pair of dark grey pants and plain sandals.
"Hey, you're looking well." Lloyd said without gloomily.
"Cheer up." Glenn rummaged in the carrier bags. "I brought you General Tso Chicken. And the cold sesame noodles that you love so much. Extra spicy." He handed the packets over with a pair of chopsticks.
"Thanks..." He murmured, ripping the plastic lid open.
"V.V. have to get to work and return the book I nicked." Glenn said, shrugging innocently. "Hopefully she won't get fired."
"If she does, then you're in trouble." Lloyd warned, slurping his noddles. "It's actually thanks to her that we manage to get another source of income."
"Mr Skyler, Mr Anderson needs his rest." Dr Chang came running in, flapping his arms wildly. "Please leave."
"I hear ya, Doc. And you can't make me." Glenn said rather stubbornly.
"Glenn, please..." Dr Chang never uses his first name unless he is desperate. "Don't be stubborn..."
Glenn pull a face and said, "Well, since the Doc insisted, see you later, Lloyd. Get well soon..."
He then left, closing the door behind him.
Lloyd slurped his noodles before saying, "Doc, you didn't have to chase him out, you know how I feel about being hospitalized."
"Well, that should teach you to take better care of your own body." Dr Chang said rather snappily.
**********
Ray stared at the mediocre meal on the crate which act as their table. Five pieces of thin bread, a bunch of grapes, and an apple.
"Is that it?" He muttered in disgust.
Terra nodded gloomily. "The greengrocer is really sharp this time. I only managed to get out in time."
"I don't think we can survive on this..." Jake said, turning a grape over and over his fingers.
"No, we really can't..." Lance said.
They all turned to Hornet, who is lying on a mattress, looking sick. Her hair which is usually plaited was let down so that her brown hair spread out like a fan. Her skin seems to have lost its shine, looking skeleton pale. Even her rose-petaled lips looks white and thin.
"Still not well, huh?" Jake murmured quietly.
"Pyro's looking for medicines right now." Terra said. "You know, I don't think we can give Hornet these kind of food. She needs proper medication."
Lance glanced at her irritably. "Need I remind you that we have no money to afford medication."
"I was just saying..." Terra scowled.
"Anyway, we could always try asking Francis for help..." Jake said hopefully.
"NO!!!!" All of them yelled.
"Fine, be that way." Jake snapped.
Hornet mumbled something in her sleep and stirred, but her eyes still didn't open.
"Leave her the grapes." Ray said. "We'll feed on the bread."
Lance picked up the grapes and took it over to her just as Blaze came in, carrying a newspaper.
"How did it go?" Terra asked.
"Check this out." Blaze plonked the newspaper onto the crate. A picture of Glenn carrying Lloyd with V.V. following behind was taken with a blurry camera, but it's definitely them.
"Them?" Ray peered over his shoulder.
"We're going to look for them." Blaze said. "And then we're going to force them to get us medical treatment for Hornet."
"Er-you sure this is a good idea?" Jake said meekly.
Blaze caught his eye and nodded, "Very."
************
Allen clutched his head in pain.
"What's wrong with you?" Dario asked.
"I feel someone's pain..." He murmured, his red eyes watery.
"Whose?" Revarie inquired.
"The girl... The one called Hornet..." Allen frowned, trying to concentrate. "She's in pain."
"Those experiment freaks???" Mind's Shadow said, forming itself at the wall. "How can the Hornet be sick?"
"I don't know..." Allen gritted, "I can just feel her pain."
Reo sat quietly, looking thoughtful. The copy of Rudyard Kipling he was reading was abandoned at his feet.
"Ah, I forgot. You were one of them too, are you not?" Mind's Shadow said to him.
"Don't remind me." He said evenly without raising his voice, but there's an edge to it.
"That girl... How weak is she?" Revarie suddenly asked.
"Very."
Revarie's face twisted with delight. Dario was the first one who noticed. "What are you planning?"
"I wonder...if that girl will make a valuable vampire..."
Reo's fingers twitched, but nobody saw it.
"Would you like to find out?" Dario offered.
Revarie nodded eagerly, his eyes lusting with hunger, or rather, the excitement of a hunt.
"Then, go. One more thing." He added as Revarie was about to leave. "Don't touch Lloyd. If you want to prune your family line, then go ahead."
"It's a pleasure." His face morphed to reveal the vampiric side of him.
***********
"Hello, Lloyd." V.V. tiptoed in, carrying a brown parcel.
"Hi, V.V. How's your job? Did you get sacked?"
V.V. shook her head. "Kelly's in a blur. She doesn't remember what Glenn nicked and returned." She then offered him the parcel. "Here you are. Kelly insisted on giving this to you."
Lloyd tore off the wrapper to reveal a book of poems by early writers such as Robert Lee Frost, William Shakesphere, Charles Dickens and Emily Dickenson. "Not exactly my type, V."
"I know..." She nodded.
Before she could continue on, there were several loud voices in the hall.
"Excuse me, but who are you? You can't just barge in here!"
"Be quiet! I'm just looking for this guy!"
"How dare you. What buisness do you have with him?"
"Tell me where he is."
The voices and footsteps became louder and louder till it stopped outside of his door.
"Listen to me, you can't just go barging in there! This is a private ward. Are you listening?"
The door swung open to reveal a teenager with the crimson hair like flames and wearing a private school uniform, leading a gang of teens. A tall olived-skin boy is carrying a dark haired girl who looked frail.
"Well, hey there, Mister Lloyd. Remember me?" He sneered.
**********
Blaze, together with the others accepted a glass of water from V.V., who threw him a distrustful look. Ray placed Hornet on one of the spare beds. Terra, Jake and Lance kept shooting glances at both Lloyd and Blaze, as though they're witnessing a ping-pong match.
"Nice to see you again, mister." Blaze said. "You don't look so well."
"I'm only 23, you little red head." Lloyd muttered. "And what's with that tone? You got into trouble with the cops, didn't you?"
Blaze snorted with sarcasm. "No way. The cops could never get me by a long run. Let's cut to the chase." He took a gulp of water. "We want your American Express."
Lloyd blinked. "What?????"
"Hand over your American Express. Or your cheque. Whatever you prefer." Blaze stretched out his empty glass as though hoping he would dumped some cash into it.
"You're nuts, you know that." Lloyd said. "This is the 21st Century for God's sake. How can you go around asking people for money?"
"I did ask him nicely." Blaze said innocently. "Terra, search him."
"For crying out loud," Lloyd edged away from Terra's outstretched hands, which is acidic. "V, help me..."
V.V's hair grew out and wrapped itself Terra's wrists. "Why on earth do you need money for?"
Hornet, who was lying on the bed, thrashed around, moaning feverishly.
"That's why..." Blaze nodded at her.
Lloyd turned to her figure and said, "What's wrong with her?"
"If we knew, we wouldn't even bother coming here..." Jake said, rolling his eyes.
"We just need the money to get medications..." Lance said quietly.
Lloyd got up from his own bed and winced. The injuries from Cerberus still haven't fully recovered. "V, call Dr Chang, would you?"
V.V. narrowed her eyes. "You sure?" But she didn't wait for any response, she just got up and left.
"Dr Chang is the only doctor that I trusted." Lloyd, with difficulty, helped himself to some water. "He should be able to help you guys out."
"That, I like..." Blaze yawned like a fat tomcat that had just finished its meal.
**********
Blaze and the others had insisted on staying in the ward despite the fact that Lloyd keep telling him over and over again. "This is not a hotel..." Even when V.V. came back with Dr Chang, they still refused to budge.
To make matters worse, they all piled up in the same room, occupying all of the space. Dr Chang had to navigate his way through the sleeping bodies just to get to Hornet, and the room wasn't even that small, but that shows you how cramped the entire place is. V.V. had flatly refused to enter the room and just left, saying that she has other stuff to do.
Only Ray and Lloyd is awake when Dr Chang was examining Hornet. He took her pulse and various samples, checked her temperature and prodded her. About forty-five minutes had passed when he finally said, "This is quite serious."
"What do you mean, Doc?" Ray asked. Now that Lloyd recalled, Ray is Native American, he got the accent and looks.
Dr Chang took out the thermometer that he had inserted into her mouth. The temperature reads 41.5 Celsius. "Hyperpyrexia..."
"Hyper-what?"
"Hy-per-pyre-xia..." Dr Chang said slowly, emphasizing his point. "It's a fever with an extreme elevation of body temperature greater than or equal to 41.5 °C. Such a high temperature is considered a medical emergency as it may indicate a serious underlying condition or lead to significant side effects." He eyed the thrashing Hornet. "Right now, her condition isn't that bad. But I fear it may become worse over time. She needs medical medication immediately."
Ray had made up his mind. "Then treat it."
Dr Chang nodded, consulting his books. "Sure. I'll need you to fill in the forms. But first, tell me her name."
Ray looked stunned. "We don't know."
Lloyd also looked stunned, "What? I thought Hornet was her Christian name or something."
"You idiot!" Ray half-shouted, causing Jake to stir in his sleep. He then lowered his voice. "None of us know her real name. But maybe I can go back to the hideout and fetch something of hers. Like her wallet or identification card. That's bound to have her real name."
Dr Chang nodded. "Of course. But do consult me when you want to proceed the treatment." As he headed to the door, he paused, then turned back, "I don't know who you kids are, but anything I can do to help, just let me know."
Ray warmed up a little. "Thanks, Doc."
************
"She was here...."
Allen was concentrating on the vandalized warehouse, trying to trace Hornet's aura. Revarie was going through their food supply. All they have left is thin slices of breads wrapped in plastic, a packet of crisps, over-ripe bananas and a gallon of water. Reo was going through some of the crates, pausing at the one which shows an old picture of Blaze and the others.
"Find anything?"
Reo quickly averted his gaze from the photo and said, "None."
A rat scampered up the wall, squeaking in fright. Revarie flew at it and caught it, sinking his fangs into its body and spitting out after a few seconds. "Disgusting. It's not very appetizing." He then sniffed the air. "And something stinks." He sniffed hard. "Like a...dog."
Mind's Shadow suddenly loomed over then. "I sense a presence. It's somehow not human and yet it is at the same time..."
"Hide." Reo said in a low voice.
All three of them ducked into the darkest corners as Ray loomed into view. He looked menacing in the doorway, like a giant. Well, he is over six-feet tall. Unusual for a teenage boy, but due to the wolf genes inside of him, it causes him to grow into abnormal height.
"Got to look for Hornet's stuff... Hornet's stuff... Hornet's..." He quickly run to where the mattress are piled. He was about to start leafing through the stuff when his wolf instincts tells him something is wrong.
He shut his eyes and let his wolf instincts take over. There's three people in here. One smells like the undead, one is an ordinary human, the last one seems normal but with a strange sense of aura presence surrounding him.
"Who's there?" He called out in the darkness. "Don't bother hiding. My wolf instincts is accurate."
"Well, well, well, you're not as dumb as I thought." Revarie sneered, coming out of his hiding place.
"You again? Don't you ever leave us alone?" Ray snapped.
"Don't mind us, keep on looking..." Allen appeared, but his lips weren't moving. It's his shadow. Instead of his own shadow, a shadow figure started to enlarge itself. "We are very interested to know about the Hornet girl."
Ray's eyes widened. How do they know about Hornet?
"I'm not saying anything-"
Too late, he realized that both of them are keeping him distracted to barely notice Reo had snuck up behind him and attacked him. At the last minute, Ray let the wolf inside him out, causing a over six feet tall wolf appearing in his place.
"Oh, crud." Reo muttered.
The wolf howled and slashed its claws at him. Although he managed to evade in time, some of the claws had managed to reached him, slicing his skin. Drops of blood ooze from the cuts.
Allen's eyes glowed bright red. Crates levitated in the air and started hurling towards Lupercus, who smashed the crates with his huge fist-like paws.
"Distract him!" Revarie roared.
Allen tried to step onto the wolf's shadow, but despite its bulk size, it's fast. Reo took out kunais and started throwing them with pin-point accuracy, but surprisingly, the wolf moved so fast till he's like a fast blur. Even when he used his hydrokinesis and terrakinesis to try and restrain him, it didn't even work. Lupercus struck Allen who gave a scream of terror as he loomed upon him.
"Get off him!!!" Mind's Shadow suddenly bound Lupercus with tendrils of shadow. Lupercus struggled hard but couldn't break free. When he did though, Reverie grabbed him by the neck and dashed him onto the ground, giving in to darkness.
"He's coming around..."
Ray opened his eyes, looking dazed. And he winced, his head is throbbing painfully. He's still in the warehouse hideout, thank goodness for that. He suddenly found that his muscles seemed stiff.
Still looking woozy, he looked down and gave a small curse. His legs and wrists are bound tightly, not with ropes but shadow tendrils. Also, he had reverted back to himself, all the more making him weaker.
Allen was standing near him, letting the tendrils bind him, but not to close in case he get gouged by the wolf in him.
"How do you feel? Terribly sorry about bounding you up like this. But you were the one who attacked us first." The vampire suddenly gave a grin, as though they were having cups of tea in a cafe. "Maybe I should've gone easy or you, hmm??? Lupo ragazzo?"
Ray threw back his head in a sickened way, the vampire is seriously twisted in a really sickened way. The way he says it, how many innocents had he twisted before turning them into his kind?
Someone then prodded him none to kindly from behind. With difficulty he shifted his head to see Reo holding a commando knife in his hand. Its blade glinting in the dull light.
"Reo here won't put holes into you unless I tell him to." The vampire turned with a swish of his cloak. "You are going to answer all of my questions with the truth. Otherwise, I might have to take your pelt."
Ray feel even more sickened than before. Oh man, what had he got himself into? It's not by choice, but still...
"Question number one, what are you doing back here?"
"It's our hideout." Ray shrugged. "And I don't remember inviting you in."
"That's very true, ragazzo. A vampire needs to be invited to enter into a living household otherwise he or she can't get in. But unfortunately, your hideout doesn't count as a living household. Question number two," he pressed on. "Where is the Asian girl?"
Despite the threat Revarie had given him, he decided to try and wiggle his way a bit. "Girl?"
"The lovely dark haired one. Hornet." He let the name melt in his lips.
"I don't know." Ray licked his lips nervously. His throat suddenly tight.
Revarie answered by punching him in the guts. There a sickening crack as his ribs snapped.
"You take me as a fool, do you, boy?" Revarie snarled, showing his fangs. "Maybe I should let Reo insert holes into you before I question you a second time."
Reo moved in, forcing Ray to face him. The knife in his hand suddenly looked threatening.
"No, wait! I'll talk, okay?"
Revarie turned back, looking a little satisfied. "You learn fast. Then, answer me this. Where's signora Hornet?"
"In a hospital, okay? I don't know which. But the dark haired one is there!" Ray yelled in desperation.
Allen's head turned. "Dark haired one?"
"He's name is Lloyd something."
Revarie's vampiric face morphed out. "The failure vampire's friend."
"I'm telling you the truth here!"
Revarie then grabbed Ray's hair and muttered, "You are going to be useful to me at any rate, lupo ragazzo."
He then forced Ray to face him. Blood red met with amber. Suddenly, those blood red irises seemed hypnotizing.
"What was your purpose to come back here?" He demanded.
"I was suppose to look for Hornet's stuff. We do not know her real name..." Ray said in a hypnotic tone.
"Where is her stuff?"
"The ceiling." Ray gestured with his head. "She don't let us touch her stuff. She always puts it in the ceiling."
Revarie turned to Allen and said, "Can your shadow reach the ceiling?"
"Leave that to me." Mind's Shadow surrounded the room in total darkness, not letting Ray out of its grip. There was a large exploding sound and dozens of small trinkets fall from the ceiling, bouncing on the floor. Some crashed into pieces.
Revarie walked towards the trinkets. Dozens of glass shards surrounded the stuff. On closer inspection, the jars are actually nectar jars. Most of her personal items seemed to be stored in a ceramic honey pot. Revarie had grabbed the pot and shook it, emptying its contents. A sewing kit, a personal savings of fifty dollars, silver thimbles, a blank scroll and a worn out plastic library card that caught his interest.
He picked up the card. It's 3 years old. A library card from San Francisco library. (She must've travelled here.) Her hair wasn't as long as now. It's shoulder-length and her fringe is long. The personal details were written in clear black and white. TIFFANY CHEN LI FERN.
Revarie sniffed the scent from the card. Her scent is still there.
"Colleghi, it's time to pay a visit to sweet Tiffany."
**********
"Something's wrong." Jake said outloud. "I can't seem to track Ray anymore."
"What???" Blaze gasped.
Hornet tossed and turned. Her fever is definitely getting worse. Terra, who was clutching her hand, said, "Hang on, Hornet. Ray will definitely be back soon."
"Indeed, little one."
Terra jumped. Who just said that?
Suddenly, the window smashed into pieces. Shards of glass flew in all directions. Lloyd, who had just emerged form the bathroom, went, "What on earth is going on?"
A dark hooded figure with huge bat wings had emerged from the broken window. There is no mistaking those blood red eyes that lust for blood. Tossed over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes is-
"Revarie!" Lloyd gasped at the same time, Blaze shouted, "Ray!"
Revarie flung Ray on to the floor, saying, "I'm not interested in any of you." He then tossed a card towards Blaze, who caught it with reflex.
"I'm here to take her." He gestured at Hornet.
"What?!!!" Blaze yelped in outrage.
"Get out of my way!" Revarie swatted Terra away, who gave a scream as she was sent sprawling onto the ground. Lance took out cards and started shooting them at him. The cards struck him but didn't kill him. Instead, his skin started pushing out the cards and started to regenerate. Jake, who is sick of being useless, grabbed a broom with a wooden handle and snapped it into half with his knee, so that it became a stake. He tossed one to Blaze, who let it erupt with flames and tried to jab the vampire with it. The vampire parried the attack and the fire scarred Blaze who gave a yell of pain.
"Just what on earth are you trying to do?" Lloyd yelled, pulling Blaze into safety. The fire had already been put out but now the right side of Blaze's face is burnt. The scar will forever be there no matter what he do.
"I'll give you a hint. I'm thirsty."
With that, he tucked Hornet into his arms and launched himself out into the streets.
No comments:
Post a Comment