Chapter Four

"So, the girls old man was poisoning her with this 'medicine'-" Xavier said.

"Zydrate." corrected Mika.

"-for most of her life. The old man was also a Repo Man. He murdered his wife. Yet not only did her father get murdered, but her idol died that same night.. while an audience watched, thinking that it was real. All I have to say to that is... Whoa. Talk about fucked." Xavier took a drag of his cigarette, and then exhaled the smoke. "To be honest, I'm surprised she's still kicking. Even barely kicking."

"Mika, how long does Zydrate withdrawal last?" GraveRobber asked, the concern in his voice was almost hardly mistakable. He immediately gave a glare to Xavier, so he knew not to say a word.

Xavier could only smirk.

"It depends on a few factors. How much you used, how long you've been on it, and how well your body can adjust to the gruesome torture that comes with not having it. I've seen my fair share of addicts, though they don't have the same story... in the end, they're all addicts.."

"The Kid is not an addict." GraveRobber fumed.

"In a way, she is. She's going through withdrawals ain't she?" Xavier leaned forward and stated matter-of-factly. "An addict; To cause to become physiologically or psychologically dependent on a habit-forming substance." He grinned proudly.

Mika shook her head in agreement. "For once, the bastard is right..."

GraveRobber sighed.

Mika broke the moment of silence. "I hate to kind of break this moment, but we don't really need another person going through withdrawals."

Xavier jumped off of the couch and went towards his jacket. "I am happy to be of service, m'lady." he bowed slightly reaching his hand out.

"And what will I do while you go shoot up?" GraveRobber's voice was slightly disgusted. Here he was, thinking about the fragile girl laying in the bedroom in an almost comatose state, and there they were getting ready for their regular nightly routine.

"Catch some sleep. It's almost morning. She's bound to wake up at some point, and when she does she will be in agony. We'll more than likely need to help her out through this." Mika replied as she grabbed the hand that had been extended out towards her. She followed Xavier into the bathroom that was off the kitchen.

GraveRobber looked around. 'Where the fuck do they expect me to sleep in this place? How the fuck do they expect me to sleep when...' he shook his head to discontinue the next lines in his thoughts. He pushed himself away from the wall and silently made his way back into the small bedroom, sitting on the chair that was placed next to the bed. He reached his hand out towards Shilo's body, but he placed it on the bed behind her back instead.

'Well, that was slightly awkward. What the hell was that?'

'I don't want to touch her.'

'You don't want to get attached.'

'A little too late for that now, isn't it?'

'There's still time to run.'

'Never.'

GraveRobber placed his hands on his lap, and was now staring intently at Shilo.

"I'm here for you, Kid."

'May I introduce to you the man that made you sick! He's poisoned all your medicine.'

'I need my pill.'

'You've got to fight.'

'It's me who failed you. It's my medicine.'

'It's his medicine.'

'It's your medicine?'

'I drugged your blood. Oh god, what have I done to you?'

'Dad, I will not leave you here. You will live.'

'But you've already saved me, dear. Go and change the world for me. We will always have each other in our time of need. Shilo, you're the world to me.'

'Oh, free at last. Oh, free at last.'

A soft moan escaped Shilo's lips as her eyes fluttered open. She instantly regretted opening her eyes as a surge of pain went through skull. Her eyes shut as she whimpered.

'What...happened?' she asked herself, and suddenly behind her eyelids she saw everything. She saw her father dying in her arms, saw the Largo siblings infuriated at the fact that their father was about to leave his company to this secluded and naïve little girl. She saw her Godmother impaled on the fence, the audience watching intently as the teenager desperately tried to plead to them to help her father, the blinding flashes of cameras as she walked out of the theatre; walking past them all and down the road. That walk turning into running. Running down alleyways and away from the tragedy, away from life. She heard the wristcom beeping those now dreadful words to her, words that she now knew were lies 'medicate immediately'. She found herself at, what she believed to be, the other side of town. Head throbbing, heart pounding, feet aching... She collapsed on the concrete, waiting for her own death. Waiting to be reunited with her father, her godmother, and waiting to meet the mother that she never knew.

'Am I dead?'

Once again she opened her eyes and fought against the pain to keep them open, to observe her surroundings. From her position, curled up on her right side, she noted the faded and peeling wallpaper on the wall. There was a closed, slightly broken window with a torn off-yellow curtain barely covering it. Ever so carefully, she rolled over onto her back and her body trembled under the pain. Tears sprung into her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. 'God...damn...why does my body...hurt so fucking bad...?' Her breathing quickened as her heart started to race.

'Blood pressure warning. Blood pressure warning. Medicate immediately. Medicate immediately.'

"Stupid fucking wristcom." Shilo whimpered between gritted teeth.

"Kid...?" A voice said. It sounded very close by.

'Kid...? Kid. Why does that sound so...'

"Grave-" her voice was small, cut short by the pain surging through her body.

"The one and only, Kid." he said with his trademark smirk, leaning forward in the chair. "Just relax."

"Can't. So much...pain." more tears fell from her eyes. "Why?"

"You're going through withdrawals." said a voice from the entry way, one that Shilo was not familiar with.

"From... what?" she asked as she closed her eyes.

"The drug." GraveRobber leaned back in his chair and sighed softly. 'At least the Kid is going to be okay.'

'The drug. Yeah, the drug. You're cure it's- -the drug.' popped into Shilo's mind.

"It's a good sign that you're awake. The pain you're experiencing will probably last awhile. When you feel well enough, we'll feed you and have you take a proper shower. I cleaned you up as best as I could. Though your wig is another story." Mika said as she peered into the doorway to take a look at the girl on the bed. A scene that she hoped would never replay in her head, but this one seemed to have a better outcome. 'Oh, Karin...' She shook her head.

"My... my wig!" gasped the little girl, hand flying up to touch her bald head. Her cheeks turned slightly red, which faded as quick as it came. Her face grimaced as the repercussions of her swift movements washed over her.

"It's a side effect of the poisoning that you went through." Mika said, as if reading Shilo's thoughts.

"How...?"

"Because I have treated quite a few people in my lifetime."

"Nurse...?" Shilo asked, trying to turn her head to get a look at the woman.

"Not quite." GraveRobber replied.