"Mitzi is doing ok guys," Susan typed onto Mitzi's laptop into the forum she and Mitzi had opened after they had dealt with Adam.
"If we can help just one-person Mrs. A," Mitzi had said when she had approached Susan with the idea of starting the forum, "then that's all that matters." Susan had been doubtful, but she humored Mitzi. After all, the internet had brought the two of them together.
"Well, as good as can be expected. She's in a coma. The doctors aren't sure how bad it is until she wakes." Of course, with that realization, that chat blew up as it always did.
"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Cielinabox asked. A friend of Mitzi's from years ago, she had been one of the first true followers of the blog.
"Our flat caught fire. We got caught trying to escape. Mitzi… took the brunt of it." Susan's hands shook as she typed that. It had been a week since the incident, and she was no closer to finding Joe than she was then. She was getting frustrated.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Cielinabox asked.
"No Sam," Susan typed. "I don't want to take any of your money." Susan hated handouts. Always made her feel like she couldn't handle the real world.
"It's not handouts through." She replied. "You and Mitzi have helped us so much. Just being here. Offering us this place, helping us through our own demons. The two of you are the reason some of us are still here." The rest of the chat began to light up, backing up Sam's claims. Thanks, and well wishes poured from the computer screen.
"I… I wouldn't even know where to start."
"We'll help you with that." Sam typed as the rest of the group continued to say how much they want to help.
"OK… ok. But only until we get back on our feet." Susan yielded. As much as she hated to take the money, hospital bills are expensive. After an hour of talking to Sam privately, Susan had set up a gofundme. However, she shut the laptop before checking to see how much money the chat members would donate, she had a doctor's appointment she couldn't miss. She should have left half an hour ago, but she had gotten wrapped up in the update and the gofundme. Hopefully, she could still catch the train.
Susan walked down the sidewalk, the rain coming down ever so slightly. She pulled the hood of her jacket tighter over her head as she counted the numbers on the building. She stopped under an awning and dug through her jacket. She pulled out the packet of smokes that she had bought on a whim the day after she moved into the hotel. She had been trying to quit since Mitzi got better, but given the stress of the past week, she had delved back into old habits.
"Sorry Mitzi." She said as she pulled a cigarette from the carton and lit it. Susan never smoked for the nicotine, especially now. It was more the experience of it. She tapped off the ashes and continued to walk down the sidewalk. She was about halfway done with the smoke when she arrived at the office. Yellow tape covering the shattered window in the door. The psychiatric offices of Dr. Frank Zellman had been broken into two days ago, and the good doctor himself was missing. Susan pulled on the medical gloves she had… borrowed from Mitzi's hospital room when she had visited last, the hospital had more than plenty of them and opened the door.
The sound of glass cracked under Susan's boots. She turned on the torch and began to sweep the office. She didn't know what she was looking for. But this was Joe's psychiatrist, so at the very least, maybe there's a medical file in here. Susan went behind the receptionist desk and began to look through the desk. She began to look through the desk but couldn't find anything. She tried to boot up the computer, but the power was off. She went to explore the rest of the office when she stopped. The light from her torch had reflected off something on the floor. Susan knelt and touched her hand into the pool on the floor. Her gloved hand came back red and sticky.
"Blood… fresh too…" Susan followed the trail with her light. The trail dribbled down the hall, getting heavier and heavier as they continued. Susan drew the pistol from her jacket and placed it over the hand with her torch. Proceeding carefully, she followed the blood, until it ended at a door. Reaching for the knob, Susan flicked off the safety on the pistol and racked the slide to load a bullet in the chamber.
"Joe… if you're in there…" Susan began to think to steel herself. She threw open the door and aimed her pistol around the room. The office was almost stereotypical in it's design, a large couch in one corner of the room, a desk with a computer sat in the opposite corner. Filing cabinets labeled with alphabetical code lined the wall perpendicular with the computer desk, bookshelves lines with various other works lined the other side. Propped up against the couch, was an older man, with a bald head. Blood poured from back.
"Dr. Zellman I assume?" Susan asked as she looked around, searching for Joe. The man coughed up blood.
"Yes unfortnatly. What do you want? Why can't you let me die in peace? Who are you?"
"I'm the Cat lady." Susan said as she placed the safety back on and replaced the pistol in her jacket. She knelt down and stared at Zellman. "Where's Joe doctor?"
"Joe? Joe Davis? You just missed him. He did this to me." He coughed up more blood. "I lost everything after Xavier's little art museum was discovered. That bitch said Xavier was killed by…" The doctor looked up at Susan, as if seeing her for the first time. "By the Cat Lady…"
"I'm sorry your practice faltered doctor. But your brother,"
"Don't tell me who my brother was. I knew. We all knew. But no one did anything because we were all afraid he'd turn his blade on us." More blood left his mouth. "If anything, I should thank you. You set us free."
"Doctor, where is," Before Susan could ask again, a phone began to ring. The sound of a soft piano tune came from inside the Doctor's jacket, one that was oddly familiar to Susan.
"Would you mind? I can't feel my hands." Zellman said as he leaned his head against the couch. Susan reached into the Doctor's jacket and felt her hand wrap around a phone. She pulled out the phone and read the caller id. She opened the phone and placed it to her ear.
"Hello Susan." Joe Davis's voice came from the receiver. "You've been looking for me?" Susan didn't answer. "Oh, you're probably wonder how I know that's you? I knew you've been following me. Especially after the… unfortanat situation at Hellen Road."
"YOU FUCKING KILLED ME AND MITZI!" Susan yelled into the phone. "YOU AND YOUR BITCH OF A WIFE!"
"That's no way to speak to me Susan! You really need to get that temper checked out. It makes you weak."
"Let me make this, as clear as I can to you. I will hunt you down. I will kill you. And then,"
"What? She'll give you Mitzi back?" This shocked Susan. "Oh yes. I know of the Queen. I know all about the deal between the two of you." The computer turned on behind Susan. "Why don't you go look?" A click and the call ended. Susan turned back to the doctor and walked over to the computer monitor. Joe Davis awaited her. He had recently shaved, and his hair was almost as if it was just washed.
"Miss me?" Joe said with a smile.
"Miss you? I'm going to," Susan began but she was cut off.
"Yes, yes, Susan I know. I'm gonna kill you. Make you suffer. Get my girlfriend back. Blah Blah Blah. Haven't you wondered though, why you are even here? Queenie saved you. She enslaved you. You are always going to be her bitch." Susan was about to respond with some choice vocabulary, but Joe calmly raised his hand. "One moment Susan, Ivy wants to talk to you." Joe got up and pulled his chair back. Ivy Davis sat in the chair and Joe pushed her forward. Ivy wore a black leather jacket, and her light hair was replaced with black curls.
"Hi Mrs. A!" Ivy said as she waved. "Sorry about the ax back there. But you were hurting my man."
"How. Dare. You." Susan barely managed to whisper as she fought to keep her anger inside. How dare she wear those clothes? Ivy laughed.
"Aww… Did I touch a nerve? I dunno, I think the black looks good on me. I see why she wears it so much. What do you think Joe?" Joe came back into frame and kissed his wife.
"I think it looks great Ives… but seeing as I am a wanted criminal… maybe I should have a different name. What about…"
"Jack!" Ivy said with a glint of tease in her voice. The couple kissed again.
"I like it." They turned to face Susan. "I hope you're still here Susan. But I'm afraid we have to go now. Say goodbye to Dr. Frank for us." The screen turned off and Susan heard a click. A whirl of a motor began, and a power saw dropped from the ceiling, falling onto the skull of Dr. Frank Zellman. His scream was short, but blood curdling. Susan looked down at the desk to see a manila folder sitting on the desk. It was marked in cursive writing, Joe Davis. Susan grabbed the file, and walked out of the office.
AN A End to another chapter. More questions. How does Joe know about the Queen? Why does Ivy look like Mitzi? What's in the file? We'll find out soon. Anyway, a special thanks to Cielinabox aka Sammie, a friend of mine who I found through The Cat Lady who was kind enough to let me use her in this. Stay tuned for future updates. :)
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