Session: 27 Jet Pack Blues

(This is my very first Story so be nice please...)

editor: ucha nekome

thoughts = italics / yelling = bold (unless it's a single word)

-?-

Darkness...That's all I could see for the longest time...I've been lost in this darkness for so long that I often wonder...Were all those memories just fragments of a broken dream?...No that's wrong...She-she had to have been real...They had to been real as well...I think I've been here for too long...I need to move on now, and at last I think I'm ready...Ready to live...Ready to start over...Ready to wake up...I think I'm ready, to let go...Please, forgive me...

-Mars Year 2076: Near Candor Chasma-

An elderly native sat facing the the land that spanned from the cliffside towards the horizon. His mouth moved slowly as he spoke "My child, do you feel the sudden change in energy?" The old man named Laughing Bull glanced at the familiar man standing behind him, who returned the old codger's gaze with a confused look.

"No... Why did something happen?" Asked the familiar face.

Laughing Bull gave him a soft smile, something that was rare for him. Scratch that, it was something he never did. "It seems the spirits have granted mercy on a lost soul...One you know very well."

The man still looked baffled. It took him a bit fully understand the gravity of the old man's words. Then, it finally hit him. "Y-You mean he...he's."

Laughing Bull nodded gently to the middle-aged man, as tears began to form in his eyes, followed by a small smile. Both of which he shook away replacing with a frown. "And just who does he think he is? Running off, only to end up sleeping away five years of his life. Well if he thinks I'm gonna just up and forgive him, he's got another thing coming! There's no way I'm going to see him after what he's put me through...What he put us through..." He turned his back to Laughing Bull and began marching back to his ship, when suddenly the old man spoke up.

"Take care of him Black Dog. Just because his soul has been spared, does not mean he is no longer lost."

The man known as Jet Black paused for a moment, then proceed, whispering the words. "I know."

-Mars: Capital Hospital-

A doctor in her late sixties was making her daily rounds when she saw a young nurse who appeared to be quite panicked. Soundlessly she snuck up behind the distracted woman and peered into the room the nurse had been muttering in front of. It was the very same room the nurse's charge was supposed to be staying in. Immediately she knew what was the cause of the young nurse's alarm. She cleared her throat loudly making the young woman jump in shock. "*Eh-HEM* Nurse Judy!"

The nurse gulped as she looked down and answered. "Yes Doctor Grad?" Her voice shook, which was to be expected. Even the most seasoned doctor was aware of the Hospital's unspoken rule. Never anger Doctor Lennon Grad.

Miss Grad peered down at young Judy Falls, her scowl seethed in distain as her pursed lips spat her words out like venom. "Where is Patient 777?"

Nurse Judy shifted her eyes back and forth, in a state of pure horror. She did NOT want to look this woman in the eye for fear that her glare could crush her. It was like looking into the eyes of Medusa. Just a single glance from the infamous doctor could petrify anyone. She stuttered the words out praying this demon of a woman would be merciful on her "He sh-should be in hi-his roo"

Miss Grad's voice cut in like a banshee's wail in the night. "If HE IS NOT IN HIS ROOM THEN HE IS MISSING, IF HE IS MISSING THAN WE NEED TO SOUND THE ALARM! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE LET COMATOSE PATIENTS GO MISSING LEFT AND RIGHT?! ANARCHY! CHAOS! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!"

Nurse Judy noded then ran up to the emergency alarm panel and fliped the switch. Soon the whole building was running about. Doctors and nurses not busy with patients were moving left and right searching for Patient 777.

Meanwhile; up on the roof Patient 777 was sitting against the wall looking lazily at the morning sky. He seemed quite awake for a comatose man. A pack of cigarettes had been left at his bedside along with a lighter. He took one from the pack and lit up. For some reason the taste was foreign to his tounge. He coughed and attempted to take another drag. Ignoring the initial jarring sensation he worked through it and in a few slow breaths of smoke the familiarity finally set in. It wasn't long until every breath out was like tons of weight falling off his shoulders, easing him into a calm.

"Man...How long have I been out?" He rubbed the tension out of the back of his neck. "Must have been a while if I almost forgot the taste of cigarettes. Would have been a shame to waste them though."

The cigarette in his mouth burned out, so he replaced it with a new one lazily lighting it as he leaned back and looked at the clouds passing overhead..."Those are definitely Martian skies..." He mumbled to himself as his hand move through his hair. He was surprised to find his dark green mess was now a little past shoulder length. After peering at a strand his hand automatically went to his jaw in order to rub it in thought, but he found it was now covered in 5 o'clock shadow. "That's funny, it usually takes years for my hair to grow at all, let alone this long. Even my facial hair takes at least a week to grow..." He contemplated this as he checked himself for any other surprises. He found one, underneath his patient's gown a huge scar massed on his right side. Just then everything flashed through his head at once...Julia...Vicious...both of them were dead...But along with them went his reason for being. Why...Why was he still here...He no longer had a vendetta to settle, no woman to fight for, no reason to go on so...why? He looked at his hand which turned into a fist. His eyes closed, his teeth gritted as he slammed his fist against the wall then dropped it to his side...He sat for a bit in a lifeless stupor, as if waiting for death to take him, but then a strange sound started to erupt in the air. It sounded like a horse cackle. It took him a few moments to realize the strained laugh was coming from him. It was his tired scratchy laugh. He could not figure out for the life of him why he was laughing, but then it occurred to him how melodramatic he was being. He was alive...and Vicious wasn't, he had gotten the last laugh.

But just as he calmed down, the door to the hospital roof burst open. The sirens that had seemed like a distant noise in the back of his head before, rang out from the open door as Dr. Grad, a group of doctors and nurses, as well as half of security busted through the door to the hospital roof. Dr. Grad's face, which was twisted in fury, instantly straightened out as her eyes fell upon the object of their search. She placed her hands behind her back as she stepped forward to approach the unruly patient. "Have you been well this morning Mr. Spiegel?"

Spike Spiegel looked the woman over, to him her uniformity screamed of someone who was overbearing and controlling. He hated women like that, even young pretty ones which she clearly wasn't. He rudely replied. "What's it to you, ya old hag."

Her face instantly wrinkles up and turns red with rage, much to Spike's bitter amusement. The security officers helped him to his feet, then led him back to his room. The rest had to stay back to restrain the "good" doctor from strangling him to death. Having returned to his room he sat down on his bed, frustration taking hold. Despite being able to get up and move around, that's all he could do with what little strength he could muster. There was no way he would win a fight, even if he DID have a gun. Not only because he was starving, but also because his muscles were rigid and weak. He was thin and rather pale.

"Um.. Excuse me Mr. Spiegel?" He glanced over at the edge of the bed where a small chubby nurse holding a pen and a large white tablet was standing. "It's nice finally speak with you, my name is Judy Falls, and I will assessing you today!"

Spike just rolled his eyes. "Yeah well I'm more interested in eating right now, so if you'll-"

She raises her hand as she cuts in. "Wait a moment, if you please sir. All you need to do is answer my questions. Then you will get to eat right away, I promise you." Judy spoke in a direct tone to him. He laid back on the bed, mumbling to himself

Judy sighed. "What year do you remember it being?"

"2071." Answered Spike. His voice uninterested.

"How old were you then?"

"27."

"Do you have any relatives or lovers?"

"...No...not anymore."

After about a half an hour of questions later the nurse gave him a large bowl of beef broth, then proceeded to tell him the situation. "The year is 2076, it's been over 5 years since you came to be in our care, after the police got an anonymous tip that some madman was breaking into the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate alone. The only reason we did not put you into cryo freeze is because two kind souls had donated enough money to have kept you alive for this long. So, does that answer any questions you may have?"

Spike, was finished eating at this point. He remained quiet for a moment, then began to speak. "So it's been that long huh?" He looked down into his bowl. "Well I did take quite a beating back there." He thought. "The only question is, what do I do now?" He momentarily paused then spoke up. "Hey got any idea who's been paying for me?" He asked Judy, who then began to search her tablet for the information. When she found it, she read it out loud for him. "Their names are Jet Black and F.V. they've been checking in on you first weekly then monthly...Through F.V. had stopped coming to see you 2 years into your coma." A small smile appeared on Spike's thin lips. His hair was covering a majority of his face, but if he had looked upwards the lady may have been able to see the affectionate look in his eyes. Suddenly his rigidness was gone. It was as if a fire sparked inside of him, like a lighter flashing on.

"I see...Thank you Judy, it has been nice but..." Suddenly Spike grinned deviously, then leaped onto his feet and ran passed the woman and, in the same swift fluid motion, gave her a two fingered salute and said. "I think it's time I blow this scene." Then proceeded to run out of the room, right passed the officers standing guard outside the door.

They simply looked surprised and baffled before Judy practically fell over herself exiting the room. "D-don't just stand there! Stop him!" They informed the other officers in the building that patient 777 was loose.

Spike was running towards the stair case because the elevators were all in use. However; the stairway was blocked by a group of armed officers. "This place is packing some serious heat for a simple hospital. Makes me wonder who they're trying to keep out, or in..."

He tried rolling out of the line of fire but ended up tripping on the freshly waxed floor and sliding forward between their legs. Launching himself to his feet he leaped down down the stairs in the center of the stairwell, grabbing the railing on the opposite end only to leap to the railing on the other side, swiftly jumping back and forth until he reached the ground floor. There at the bottom, was a strait rush towards the entrance.

Just as he was about to reach the door he heard Miss Grad shout. "COME BACK HERE YOU UNGRATEFUL SON OF BITCH!" She then proceeded to take one of the security officers pistols and began shooting at Spike. Suddenly Judy, who had been chasing him as well, jumps on the mad doctor then begins to hold her down. "JUDY WHAT ARE-"

Judy for once in her life spoke up against her crazy boss. "Please forgive me ma'am but I can't just let you kill the patient I-I've spent years trying to save!" Spike then quickly glanced back at Judy. "I'll be alright" She said. "NOW GO!"

He turned and opened the door, fleeing through the parking lot. He got halfway to the edge when he finally noticed the deep ravine spanning out in front of him. Spike had gotten to the edge when something appeared in the corner of his eye. Just then, a group of officers began surrounding him. "Surrender, Spike Spiegel!"

Smirking, turned around towards his pursuers, lifting up his right arm pointing at them in a gun-like hand gesture, in a hushed moment of silence, as if they were in a face off one word escaped Spikes lips echoing in the still air.

"BANG."

Before any of them could respond he fell backwards off the edge of the cliff. The officers ran to the cliff side only to be blown back seconds later by the spaceship taking off from below. Spike was safe on the landing hatch. It opened, and despite the fact the ship was still moving, Spike was able to get back up and walk into the hatch door. As soon as he entered it closed behind him. He moved towards stair case, climbing up and walking through the rotating door at the top.

The first thing he saw as he entered the door was a large set of hard knuckles that landed right into the middle of his face. Spike fell backwards landing on his ass. "That's a nice way to greet an old friend who's been away for awhile..." Spike grumbled as he put the back hand to his face. He shot a glare at his old friend and partner Jet Black who glared back at him.

"YOU JUST JUMP OFF A CLIFF ONTO A MOVING SPACESHIP! EVEN YOU HAD TO KNOW HOW STUPID THAT WAS IN YOUR CONDITION!" Jet lectured.

Spike rubbed his now bleeding nose as he looked at his partner. Jet did not look all that different except he had a few gray streaks in his beard and what little hair he still had on his head. He also seemed to have had a change in clothing. Opting to dress a bit more classy in a black trench coat with a red collar, a gold eagle symbol on the back and a white tank top underneath. He still wore jeans and a brown belt but his whole biker look was all but gone. The biggest change was the scar on his right eye had gotten larger since the last time he had seen it now spanning the whole right side of his head.

"What happened to him? " Spike Seeing him like this made him want to apologize..."Jet...I-"

"You were always like this..." Jet interrupted. "Stubborn, cocky, reckless..."

"Don't forget lazy and selfish." Spike offered.

Jet gazed at him, smiled, then said. "HA, yeah...you got that right, but still...I'm glad to see you back on your feet Spike."

Spike grinned, got up, and put his hand on Jet's shoulder. "Good to be back Jet."

the two men laughed in a way they hadn't in ages. They spent the next several hours catching up. By the time Jet was finished telling Spike about some of the changes that took place over the years, Spike already seemed back to his old self. With a content look on his face and a newly lit cigarette in his mouth.

"So now that every Mafia group has fallen out of power, the ISSP are now struggling to fix the issues in the current government legislation. Huh." Said Spike.

"Yup." Said Jet "Heck crime has even gotten worse since the syndicates fell."

"Let me guess, it's because some higher ups in charge of all the important stuff like passing laws, and and keeping crime in check were double agents, and now some, if not most of them, are on the run right? So without their so called "trustworthy" group to govern, the entire system falls into chaos."

Jet chuckled. "Sharp as ever it seems." Jet put out his own cigarette. "Are you really sure you want to get tangled back up in this line of work? I mean you just woke up after five years in a coma. I mean, I know you can handle it, sure, but I just wanna know...Are you certain that this is what you want?"

Spike walked over to the window next to where he was sitting. Glancing at the sky slowly fading into a mass of endless stars and galaxies. He stayed silent for a little bit as he watched space come into view. He finally answered Jet's question when they broke the atmosphere. "Yes i am. besides there's nothing else left for me to lose, and nowhere but here to return to."

"Spike..." Jet's voice cracked. Despite his carefree expression, he knew his old friend was hurting. But there was nothing he could say or do to console him.

"Besides you would get pretty lonely without me here wouldn't you?" Said Spike with a smug grin on his face.

Jet got a bit irritated, and said. "Oh please I've spent five years on my own! I think I could handle a few more without some crazy smartass making me white with worry every time he flies off half cocked."

"Oh come now, you weren't completely alone. After all, you had F.V. with you right?" Spike gave him a knowing smile.

"So that's what Faye signed her name as that huh?" Jet sighed. "What am I gonna do with that woman?"

Spike shrugged. "No clue, you can figure that part out on you own. As for me, I gotta get changed out of these clothes and do something with my hair."

Jet came over to Spike and patted him on the back. "Later but first there's something I got to show you."

The two men went down into the place where the smaller ships were held. Jet turned to spike. "Now because we paid all those medical bills for ya, we decided you can pay this off for us. When you got your strength back that is. So you can just work off your debt to us that way." The door open revealing The SwordFish 2 with a new coat of paint that made it look brand new. Spike walked up to his beloved ship and touched the side of it he could still feel the rough scratches underneath the paint job. "You've been waiting all this time for me haven't you?"

Jet didn't say anything he just looked away and scratched the back of his head.

"Don't worry, I won't let your patients go to waste." Said Spike.

Jet then spoke up after staying quiet for so long, "Here catch!" then tossed something to him.

Spike caught the object. I took him a moment to realize it was his revolver. "Right, I can't exactly call myself a cowboy without one."

"You're damn right you can't." Said Jet with a "no duh" look on his face. "Well I gotta go and start dinner. We're having veggies and beef tonight! As for clothes I left your room untouched so you can probably find some in there still."

"Uh Jet..." Said Spike, as Jet paused to listen to what his friend had to say. His vision was met with Spike's face which was brimming with more gratitude than could be expressed in words, but came out as a simple. "Thanks."

Jet grinned at Spike, who was following him into the hallway. The smile seemed to make his face look five years younger. "Sure thing Partner."

WELCOME BACK SPACE COWBOY...