(Four years after 'A Night to Remember')
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Abe talked into his locator trying desperately to get someone to answer back.
The day had started from bad and had gone straight to worse.
First thing in the morning Liz, Hellboy and him had been sent on an assignment to the docks of Seattle, Washington to intercept an illegal transaction between a poacher and a very wealthy animal collector. Now normally such things would be left to the local or national police force, except that the animal in question was not a normal animal. It was a an extremely dangerous creature called a Mngwa that had been stolen from a village in Tanzania Africa. The Mngwa was an enormous wild cat about the size of a donkey with a tabby like coat. The tribe worshiped the Mngwa as a deity, not only for it's physical prowess but also of it's ability to momentarily become invisible, something to do with a special quality in it's fur that absorbed light.
Now things started going wrong from the get go. Apparently someone had tipped the dock men off about their arrival, and as soon as they entered the dockyard they were greeted with gunfire. They quickly returned fire, but not before three agents were killed and another three injured.
After the gunmen had been neutralized Hellboy had attempted to retrieve the crate. But he was unable to beat the poacher to it, who opened fire on him. Hellboy fired back and killed the poacher but also hit the controls for the crane that was moving the crate off the boat. The crate fell, smashed open and a very angry Mngwa was released, became invisible and darted into the city.
That's where Abe was now, in an alley off Olive Way. They had managed to keep the Mngwa within a hundred blocks with a handful of quickly set up road blocks and managed to keep most people off the street with a quick 'serial killer on the loose' newscast.
Hellboy was a few blocks in front and they were all spread out looking or the large cat, who itself didn't know where it was going. The Mngwa had been heavily tranquilized for transport and now was in a state of extreme delirium. This made the situation much worse, a frightened animal was a dangerous animal. The fact that the city was a maze didn't help either. It only took one wrong turn to get lost. This made finding the large cat even more difficult.
So there he was, standing in the middle of the wide alley, holding a rifle loaded with a tranquilizer dart, trying to stay out of sight and look for the Mngwa at the same time. Needles to say he was feeling rather downcast about the whole situation and was rather afraid that he would find the creature.
He pushed a button on his locator. "Hellboy come in. Have you spotted the Mngwa yet?"
His answer came with an annoyed attitude. "No Abe I have not. The damn thing got away again. I chased it through a basketball court but lost it in the alleys, this place is a damn maze." Hellboy complained.
Abe quite agreed. He himself was having a hard time finding his way through the streets and had more than once turned a wrong corner and had to call in for directions. He was getting very tired of the whole ordeal and wanted to be done with this mission.
"I never knew a cat could be this much fucking trouble." Hellboy said over the locator.
"Alright red," Abe sighed. "Just let me know when you spot it again."
"Right." Hellboy said, then the locator went silent.
Abe put his gun back in it's holster on his back and continued heading down the alley. In the distance he heard what he decided were teenagers in or on the buildings, it sounded as if they were all running about excitably. He became worried that they would stray towards him and that his cover would be blown, but soon the voices became distant again, and in the opposite direction than that of where the Mngwa had been spotted.
He sighed and drew his gun again, checked to make sure it was loaded for the umpteenth time and continued down the alley.
He heard a small scuffle above, which at first he attributed to birds but a voice soon followed.
"Abe?"
Abe looked around confused. It sounded like a female. He looked up and saw the silhouette of a figure standing on the roof against the setting sunlight.
"Abraham Sapien, is that really you?" The voice said again.
All of a sudden the presence came into his sense, and it was a familiar one, one that he had met a few years ago but instantly recognized the feeling of curiosity of this individual. At first he wasn't sure if it really was the person he thought, knew it to be. But the sunlight disappeared behind the building and he was greeted to a pair of familiar dark chestnut brown eyes.
"Lexy Tanner?" He asked with the utmost disbelief.
She laughed and nodded. "Yeah."
He felt a small wave of giddy and wonderment from her at their chance meeting.
"What are you doing here Lexy?" He was truly curious on how or why she was here of all places when her home was so far away.
"One second, let me come down first." She said and starting walking back.
He expected her to exit down through the building and come around from the front door, what he wasn't expecting was for her to take a running start and leap from the roof of the building across the alley to the fire escape on the side of the other building, his heart leaped to his throat as she landed with a clang on the grated metal.
"BE CAREFUL!" He shouted both from fear and concern for her safety. But he only received a sense of experience in such a feat and a small amount of amusement at his reaction. She hopped over the railing and was soon step down the metal stairs to the concrete below.
The first thing Abe could say was, "Are you insane?" As he stared wide eyed at her.
She gave chuckle and shook her head. "I go free-running almost everyday. That jump was nothing, though I appreciate the concern." And she truly did appreciate it. "And as for why I'm here, it's because I live here now. My family moved about two and a half years ago. So why are you here?" Her brown eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Abe was caught between surprise and his own sense of curiosity. He knew their chances of meeting again after the Hodag incident was a million to one and he never expected to see her again, but the way she carried herself, what he sensed from her, it was like they were old friends and he was rather amazed.
He suddenly remembered she had asked him a question and brought himself back to reality.
"Oh, um I'm here on an assignment, well we're here, Liz and Hellboy that is."
She smiled. "Really, cool."
Abe shook his head. "Not cool. There's a dangerous animal on the loose somewhere in the area. We have most of the roads blocked off and we sent out a false killer alert to keep people inside. Which brings me to question why your still out?" He sensed that she had suddenly lost her amusement and curiosity and it was replaced with concern for others and herself.
Her brown eyes went wide. "I've been out since six this morning and only just stopped at home when my dad had sent me to get something. I was actually on my way to the store when I spotted you."
She was truthful in every word and he felt an imprint of her own mental map of the city by rooftop.
That gave him an idea. "Lexy you know these streets well correct?" He asked already knowing the answer.
She nodded. "As well as any tour guide."
"We could use your help. These streets are like a maze to us, we can't tell up from down here. You could help us navigate our way through and track down the animal."
She nodded again. "Yeah of course. Anything I can do to help."
Abe sensed a variety of things from her at that moment, the severity of the situation, the need to help others, a sense of duty to others who lived here and a feeling of joy at helping. He couldn't help but think how unique and principled she was and how lucky he was to meet up with her.
"I can't thank you enough, your saving the day again." He chuckled awkwardly.
"So where was this thing last sighted and what exactly is it."
"It's called the Mngwa, it's like a horse sized wild cat with tabby stripes and the last place we could recognize was Terry Avenue. But Hellboy said it was headed East."
Lexy looked thoughtful for a moment. "If it's headed East from Terry Avenue then you might be able to cut it off at the highway. Where's Hellboy now?"
Abe clicked his locator. "Hellboy, it's Abe. Where are you now?"
"Shit Abe, like I know."
Abe rolled his eyes. "Well look around for a street sign."
There was some grumbling and muttering from the locator as Hellboy looked to identify the street his was on.
"Okay here's one, Thomas Street."
Lexy nodded. "Tell him to go right, that'll lead him straight to the highway. If that cat hasn't made it to the highway then he can cut it off near the park."
Abe nodded. "Hellboy head East until you reach the park, you might be able to catch the Mngwa at the park near the highway."
"Since when did you became a tour guide? Alright I'm on my way." The locator beeped off.
"If we hurry we can take this street all the way to the highway." Lexy motioned to the road in front of them.
Abe nodded. "You lead the way."
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They had been jogging for about ten minutes and had just passed John Street when Abe's locator beeped again.
"Abe I've spotted and am chasing the Mngwa. It was at the park like you guessed but it spotted me and took off. I couldn't stop it from crossing the highway and I lost it around Bellevue Avenue. Get over here quick, I'm gonna need your help tracking this thing down again."
"Right on our way." He said and clicked off the device before Hellboy could ask what he meant by 'our'. He turned to Lexy but suddenly felt a wave of Apprehensiveness and fear.
She gave him an extremely worried look. "Abe, my family lives on Summer Avenue, it's just across from Bellevue. I don't think they know about the Mngwa- or that killer story you guys made up, they could all be outside."
He sensed her fear suddenly become a desperate need to get to her family.
Lexy darted for the nearest building. "I'm going ahead, I'm faster when free-running. Keep following the highway until you reach exit 166, then turn East and you'll be right on Bellevue Ave." She started scaling the building, but Abe shook his head.
"Lexy no, we need to stay together!"
"I have to warn my family! They could be in danger." And with that she disappeared beyond the roof.
Abe cursed and started following her directions. He hoped that this wasn't the last time he would see Lexy and wished her luck. The Mngwa was confused and angry. Mix that with it's six inch claws and eight inch fangs and it was a world of danger and Abe could only hope Lexy would be safe.
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Lexy's Pov
Lexy was quick and she new the area well. She was able to quickly make it to the highway. She managed to dodge what cars there were and was now making her way across the buildings, jumping between the buildings, scaling down then up again when the alleys were to large to jump.
She was only about two blocks from her family's apartment and she'd started wondering if Hellboy or the cat creature had made it this far. Perhaps they turned down a different street or had passed her home altogether.
'BAM! BAM! BAM!'
She heard the gunshots clear in the day and new that they were still in the area. Her energy renewed she made a mad dash for home.
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Hellboy's Pov
He'd finally managed to get the large cat cornered, or so he had at first thought.
He managed to keep track of the Mngwa mostly by sound. It wasn't used to the concrete jungle and was constantly knocking over garbage bins, or plowing through fences and it's long claws make a 'clack clack clack' sound as it ran on the pavement.
Then finally by sheer luck a ray of sunlight had shown through the clouds. Although the Mngwa's fur absorbed light it couldn't stop the animal from casting a shadow. Hellboy saw it, aimed his tranque gun and fire three times. Two missed but one hit it's mark and the dart seemed to float midair. There was a ferocious roar and before he could do anything more the cat turned and quickly scaled a balcony of a building of apartments. Hellboy cursed and began looking for the stairs.
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The Mngwa was delirious and now more than ever it was in enraged. The sound of laughter drew it's attention and it's anger. The smell of cooking meat intensified it's instincts. The front door had been left open to allow in the fresh summer air. Slowly, silently the invisible feline stalked inside.
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Lexy's Pov
Lexy had just climbed down and crossed the road and had reached her apartment's building when she heard a scream followed by more gunshots. The voice was all to familiar and she raced up the stairs as quickly as she could. She didn't even notice when she passed Hellboy in the hallway, or when he shouted at her.
"Hey kid! Stop! Don't go in there are!"
She rushed in through the door to her apartment that was left open by her family.
She was met by scene from a horror movie.
The front room was in complete disarray, furniture toppled and broken, the light fixture smashed. The walls and floor was coated in thick red fresh blood.
There was torn clothes and shreds of meat scattered around everywhere. And the bodies of what was left of her family lie motionless on the floor, looks of horror plastered on their faces.
Her mother was lying on her back, her throat was torn out, the pipes and veins stuck out like broken wires, her midsection missing and her intestines and organs were strewn about like a large platter spaghetti and 'meatballs'. Her waist and legs lay only a few feet away though they were missing large chunks of flesh.
Her brother was lying in front of her, almost over her. It was clear by the gun in has hands, which were both lying across the room, that he'd died defending her. His chest had been crushed as if stomped in by something huge and heavy. Half his face was missing, Lexy could clearly see the scrambled brain in his head that was spilt out and spread around on the ground. Large claw marks marked the half of his face that was there.
Her father was seated on the couch, and she could have almost believed he wasn't dead if he'd still had his head, which laid in the center of the room where it had rolled. His vacant eyes stared back at her, empty and lifeless.
There was suddenly the sound of large plodding steps and a 'clack clack clack'. It was pointless for the Mngwa to remain invisible, even if it had it was covered head to tail in blood. It came plodding around from the hallway that lead to the bedrooms. But it didn't come alone. In it's mouth Lexy recognized the body of her one year old infant sister. Her limbs hung limp and blood dripped from the tiny corpse and off the large animals lips.
The creature growled threateningly, as if the new person would try to take away it's prize.
That was when Hellboy entered, as only a second had passed between her passing him in the hall. He looked at the gore splattered room, grabbed Lexy by the shoulder and walked slowly out.
"Stay here." He said firmly and re-entered the apartment.
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Abe's Pov
Abe now approached the building from which he heard gunshots from.
He followed Lexy's directions and ended on Bellevue Ave, panting from the long run, his breathing apparatus nearly empty and dry. It was then he heard three gunshots coming from a block down, he called in for backup and he hurried.
He came to the building, an apartment complex, and suddenly sensed both Hellboy and Lexy somewhere above. But something was wrong, he didn't feel any fear, worry, anger, relief from her, just an empty numbness and he hoped she was alright.
He found the stair and quickly climbed at the second level he spotted her and hurried over. She was pale, her eyes open but not seeing as she stared ahead into the doorway of the apartment.
"Lexy are you alright? Are you hurt?" He asked in worried hurry.
There was no reply as she seemed incapable of answering.
There was suddenly the loud sound of gunshots from within the apartment.
Abe turned and ran in to check on Hellboy. He entered and saw the horror within. Abe was suddenly grateful he had no gag reflex or else he knew he would lost himself at the sight of the mangled bodies. The Mngwa lied at the other end of the room. Hellboy held, not his tranque rifle, but his hand gun that was still smoking. The Mngwa was dead.
Abe turned and left. Outside he could already here the sirens as more agents in black vans arrived on the street, got out and went of the apartment.
Lexy was still just standing there, starring at nothing. Abe realized she must have gone inside and seen everything and was now in shock.
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As soon as the crew arrived they acted quickly as possible. The gunshots had starting to attract attention from neighbors and other civilians. The agents that had just arrived were trying to usher Hellboy and Abe away and out of sight. But Abe refused to leave Lexy. He continually tried to tell her to come with them, going so far as to give her shoulders a good shake, but she still wasn't responding. He only sensed that same numbness from her. Hellboy finally had enough of the agents trying to push him and Abe away, he bent down and scooped Lexy up and fireman carried her down to one of the vans with Abe close behind.
The van door opened with Liz who was about to ask what the situation was when she saw the limp form of a girl in Hellboy's arms.
"Jesus Christ Red! What the hell happened.?"
Hellboy shook his head. "Not now Liz, I'll tell you later. First she needs to see a doctor."
Liz nodded. "Okay lie her down in the back. Was it her head?"
Hellboy was confused until he looked down and realized she had lost conciseness. "No, she fainted. But I don't know if the Mngwa did anything." Both Hellboy Abe entered the large van, closing the door behind them.
"Jesus Liz if you'd seen what that thing did to those other people." He said as set the girl down on the back seats.
Before Abe could tell either of them what had happened Liz was already looking her over and it wasn't long until she recognized Lexy.
"Um Red, does she look a bit...familiar to you?" She asked not really believing it.
Hellboy, who until now hadn't paid to much attention to the girl's features, now took a second look. "Holy shit. Is that-it can't be."
"It is." Abe nodded. "Lexy Tanner, from the Hodag incident in New Mexico."
Hellboy shook his head in disbelief. "What the hell is she doing here?"
"Her family moved here a few years ago. I met her by chance about a half hour ago, she was helping me navigate where the Mngwa might be heading."
"Fuck." Hellboy said suddenly remembering the blood soaked room. "Don't tell me that was her family?"
Abe nodded solemnly. "I believe it was."
Liz rubbed her face tiredly. "Jesus Christ. What the hell do we do now?"
"Take her with us." Hellboy said. "That's all we can do?"
"Manning's going to have a fucking fit."
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Later That Day (The D.P.R.D. New Jersey, New York)
Abe's Pov
Manning was as pissed as Liz had guessed he would be. The lot of them including Abe, Hellboy, Liz, Manning and Professor Broom (who was shuffling his tarot cards) were gathered in the debriefing room disusing the mission and current situation.
Halfway through their trip back to New York Lexy had re-gained consciousness. In the new and unfamiliar surroundings she immediately began panicking. Abe sensed her sudden rush of fear and advised the medic aboard to give her a sedative, less she hurt herself. When they arrived back at in New York Hellboy had carried her still unconscious form in through the front door, passed many agents, including Manning himself, and straight to the medical bay.
Which was where she still was.
They were currently being chewed out by Manning.
"I can't believe you! What do you think we have protocols for hmm? A-and you just waltz right in here with a civilian!"
"What the hell were we supposed to do? Leave her there alone in the city?" Hellboy grumbled at Manning.
"Yes!" Manning shouted. "Let the local authorities deal with her!"
Hellboy slammed his stone fist against the metal table, leaving a huge dent in it.
"Damn it Manning don't you get it, her whole family was just killed in front of her!" Liz shouted.
Manning nodded. "I know, so give her to child services or who ever deals with things like this. I'm putting my foot down, she's not staying here." He said slowly so Hellboy could understand.
Hellboy growled and looked as if he might throw Manning through the wall when Professor Broom interjected.
"Manning with all do respect I believe I am still director of the B.P.R.D." He said firmly and politely. "And I believe we should know everything about this girl before we decide her fate." He turned to Abe. "Abraham, you say that she is the same girl who helped you back four years ago during the Hodag attack?"
Abe nodded promptly. "Yes, after I was attacked she brought me to safety and treated my wounds. I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. And she was helping me locate the Mngwa when the incident happened. Hellboy would never have found it without her know how of the city. The Mngwa could have killed many more people by then."
Manning went wide eyed. "Don't you think it's suspicious that of all the people you meet it's this particular girl. She could be dangerous, a spy!"
Broom raised his hand signalling the other man to stop. "Manning does raise a valid point. You yourself said she wasn't alarmed by you or Hellboy, do you think she had any previous encounters with the paranormal, did you sense anything malevolent or ill-natured from her?"
"No, from what I've sensed from her for both times I met her she's always been sincere and gentle hearted, she only wished to help. And from her memories her life was quite normal. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"There you see." Hellboy nodded heartily. "She's a good kid."
"Well I just can't believe a word of this, what about you professor? I say we send her back to where she came from and let the legal system take care of her and be done with the whole ordeal." He wiped his hands together as if wiping them clean of something.
If Abe had the ability to scowl he would have. He had never been fond of Manning and found him to be business like and so...unfriendly. He was really only concerned with himself and his own job.
He was about to say this to his face when Professor Broom shook his head and turned to the medic in the room.
"Doctor Lark what is the status of the girl?"
"She's awake but in a state of shock, almost catatonic. We could barely get her to speak her own name when she awoke. But I believe she should come out of it when she comes to terms with things, and that itself could take days or even weeks."
"Oh no, no no no. She's not staying that long." Manning said.
"I will decide what we do." Broom stated simply before laying down three cards from the deck face down. One at a time he flipped them over from past, present and future.
One, 'The Seven of Pentacles' meaning evaluating the status and reviewing what's been done.
Two, 'Justice', trying to do what is right and being impartial.
Three, 'The Emperor', setting direction and tone, protecting and defending and exercising authority.
"We'll keep her here until the time when she is mentally and emotionally stable, then we will decide what to do further from there." He gathered the cards and put them back in the deck.
Manning looked like he was about to loose his mind. "You can't make a decision like that based a bunch of cards!"
"I can and I have." Broom smiled before standing and leaving.
"You heard the boss." Hellboy smiled smugly at the second in command, then he himself, Liz and Abe took their leave as well.
"I'm going to go check on Lexy." Abe told the others.
They nodded. "We'll go with you." So the three headed off to the medical ward, a quick five minute walk.
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The ward was large, pale and bright with florescent light. The doctors and medics were treating some of the agents that were injured in Seattle during the gunfight or from other menial missions.
Abe spotted the doctor who had treated Lexy walk in not far behind them and waved him over. He quickly asked about her state and what was going to happen, while Hellboy and Liz went straight over to the cot she was seated on behind a room of white plastic curtains.
"Well like I said back in the board room," He stated. "She's in shock and still needs to come to term with things." He paused to shake his head. "I don't know how much your going to get out of her at the moment. I'd give her a few days to settle in before trying anything."
Abe nodded and thanked the doctor before going to see Lexy for himself.
Hellboy had taken a seat next to her on the cot and the metal groaned at his weight. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"How ya' doin' kiddo?" He asked gently.
She turned to look at him, but it was an empty stare devoid of emotion. She only shrugged.
Abe couldn't sense much and was very concerned for her. Above all she seemed very confused like she didn't know where she was. Well she didn't, Abe remembered, but still he thought to himself it was if she didn't remember what had happened back in Seattle. Maybe it was an after effect of the sedatives the medic's had given her, he thought to himself.
Liz wrapped her arms around the younger woman. "Hey sweety, do want anything to eat? You look hungry."
She shook her head. "No thank you." She said it so politely but her voice was so hollow, it broke Liz's heart.
She nodded. "Okay, but if you need absolutely anything just ask."
Hellboy nodded. "Yeah, anything at all. Video games, movies, books whatever."
Lexy simply nodded again.
"Excuse me," The doctor stuck his head into the makeshift room. "I don't mean to interrupt but Professor Broom has just let me know that a room has been prepared for her. She should really get some rest."
"I'll take her." Abe nodded before going over and taking the room key from the doctor. He stepped back to Lexy and kneeled in front of her, gently taking her hands in his. He expected to see her memories float through his mind, but received nothing. He thought this was very strange but didn't dwell on it long, she needed to be tended to.
"Lexy," He said softly. She looked up and it tore him up inside to see how pale and glassy her once rich browns eyes had become.
"I'm going to take you to your room okay."
She stared through him and nodded, slowly getting to her feet.
Abe bade the others goodnight and began leading Lexy out of the medical ward. All of them still worried as to what would become of her.
He walked her down the white shining halls, passed empty rooms and agents alike, all the while he still held her hand. It was rather a strange sight, the Ichthyo Sapien leading while the impassive girl following like a lost child.
He reached her room and attempted to unlock her door with his left hand. After a few moments of struggling he finally heard the click and the door swung open to the dim room. There was a single bed, a dresser and a wardrobe for clothes, a TV, a bedside table and a door that lead to a darkened bathroom.
Abe paused and thought how depressing the room was. Slowly he let go of her hand. Almost instantly, as if by impulse she went and sat at the end of the bed, staring blankly ahead.
Abe went and sat next to her gently taking her hand again, hoping to receive some memories or emotions. He received neither.
"Lexy do want to talk about what happened today?"
She blinked at him looking almost confused, as if she didn't know what he was talking about.
"You can tell me anything you know, your feelings or just even what your thinking about."
"I'm kind of tired." She shrugged.
He finally nodded. "Then you should get some rest. I'll bring your dinner in a few hours."
She nodded absentmindedly.
He sighed letting her hand go and went to the door. He gave her one more concerned glance before shutting the door behind him.