Chapter 7:

"Grimmjow..."

The voice sounded faint, his name echoing in the darkness and Grimmjow frowned, was it Ichigo? He tried to open his eyes but couldn't, tried to move his arms but they were too heavy. He could tell he was laying on the floor but nothing else.

"Grimmjow!"

It was Ichigo and this time he managed to open his eyes. He could see the orange head, he was struggling and it looked as if someone was dragging him away. Their eyes met and Ichigo managed to pull free, running back over to him.

"Grimmjow come on you've got to get up!" Shaking him roughly Ichigo glanced over his shoulder. Grimmjow tried to getup, but only managed to half lift himself up before the teen was pulled away and he fell down again. "No get off me!"

There was a sharp blow to the back of Grimmjow's head and everything went dark again.

When he woke up for the second time he managed to sit up and looking around he realised he was still in the hospital. Remembering Ichigo he looked around wildly but the teen was nowhere in site. The doors were open leading outside but Ichigo was gone.

"Damn it!" Standing up Grimmjow stumbled to the doors and went outside. There was no one in sight, Ichigo had been taken again, from his own grasp this time. How could he have met this happen a second time?

A light across the empty space caught his eyes and approaching it Grimmjow could hear a buzzing. When he reached it he saw it was his phone, Nnoitra was ringing him. "Grimmjow where the hell have you been?!" Nnoitra asked when he answered.

"I told you, I was going to Karakura Hospital." Grimmjow relied, frowning in confusion. Surely Nnoitra knew that. "Look I'm here now ok you've got to get down here. Ichigo was here but he's gone. I need your help."

There was a long pause. "I'll be right there." Nnoitra said before ending the call.

Sitting down on a low wall, Grimmjow turned his phone over in his hands thinking fast. He hadn't realised he didn't have his phone before in the hospital, he had been too preoccupied with Ichigo to even think about it. But they had given it back. This brought up another set of questions, Mr Heart had accomplices and they never knew. They'd always assumed the man had worked alone but it wasn't true, Grimmjow knew that now.

There was a loud clicking noise and he jumped, looking around for the source. Something dropped to the floor at his feet and Grimmjow recognised it as the device that had been attached to his arm and saw it had unlocked itself, or someone had released it. Bending down to pick it up he saw a piece of paper lodged inside and pulled it out.

There was only one word on it, 'Maple'.

Before he could think about what that meant the sound of sirens filled the air and three police cars geared around the corner to block the exit. Frowning Grimmjow stood and watched as Nnoitra got out of one and ran over to him. "Don't struggle ok just go along with it."

"Go along with what?" He needn't have asked though as several police men exited the cars and took up defensive positions behind the cars, all pointing their guns at him. "What the hell?!"

"Grimmjow give me your hands." Nnoitra said, giving him a meaningful look and after a pause he reluctantly held them out and the man secured a pair of handcuffs around them. "You're lucky I managed to convince them I could do this." He muttered and began leading Grimmjow towards the cars. "Ulquiorra finally allowed it after you called."

"Ulquiorra?" The name of the man triggered another memory. "He was here Nnoi, I saw him."

He looked up sharply at that. "Ulquiorra's out of the country at the minute, you must have mistaken someone for him."

"I know what I saw."

Nnoitra sighed, they had reached the police cars. "Let's talk about this later, for now we need to get you to a hospital to get you checked out."

The ride there was silent since Nnoitra wasn't with him, the man had gotten into a different car and Grimmjow had been placed in the back of another one. He couldn't understand what had happened. Sure he had trespassed on the City's land but with good cause t hey wouldn't arrest him over that. What could have possibly happened in a few hours to give them good cause to arrest him?

Once they reached the current Karakura Hospital Nnoitra reappeared and lead Grimmjow into a private room. He sighed before securing one of the cuffs to the cot railing. "Sorry, procedure."

"What happened."

Another sigh and the man drew up a seat next to the cot. He contemplated what to say for a while before finally explaining. "You've been missing for a week." Grimmjow opened his mouth to object but Nnoitra held up a hand. "Let me finish. You said to give you three hours correct?"

Grimmjow nodded.

"Well I did and then went down to the hospital, you weren't there. That was the last I saw of you until you answered my call. But it's more than that, we got a warrant to search your apartment to see if something had happened." Nnoitra hesitated, his eyes leaving Grimmjow. "There was more than enough evidence to suggest you kidnapped and killed Ichigo."

Grimmjow's mouth fell open in surprise. "Killed Ichigo?" He asked quietly. "I didn't kill Ichigo! I saw him a few hours ago he was in the hospital with me. Someone took him again!"

"They're searching the place now. For your sake I hope they find some evidence of Ichigo being there or you're in trouble." Nnoitra shook his head and looked at Grimmjow with an odd expression, was it pity? "There was a lot of blood Grimmjow and it was Ichigo's. Enough to suggest he was killed. There was restraints in your apartment and Ichigo's DNA was all over them."

"He has my keys." Grimmjow replied sharply. "He had my phone as well. How long do you think it would take him to get into my apartment and set that up? You said I've been gone a week right? That's plenty of time. I wouldn't hurt Ichigo you know that. You believe me... right?"

"Yes." Nnoitra replied without hesitation. "But my word means nothing against the growing evidence saying you're the killer... That you're Mr Heart."

The silence following this statement was deafening. Grimmjow couldn't wrap his head around it. How could anyone think he was Mr Heart. He had been chasing this man for years. Ichigo had been taken because of how close they were to finding him. Was this his plan all along, to use Grimmjow as a scapegoat? But the more Grimmjow tried to understand it, the more questions he had. The only reassuring thing about this was that at least Nnoitra believed him.

The door opened and looking up, Grimmjow sighed in relief to find it was only a doctor. In fact it was the same doctor that had treated him after his adventure in the mines. Checking him over, the man sighed and stepped back with a frown. "At least your nose is healing well, I can't say the same for the rest of you."

"What does that mean?"

"This." The doctor indicated at Grimmjow's arm. When the device at come off it had left two injection sites on his arm. "Whatever was attached to your arm has damaged your nerves, how does your arm feel?"

Grimmjow hadn't really thought about it up until this point but he couldn't feel any pain in his arm, not even that of the handcuff keeping him attached to the hospital cot. Looking down at his hand he opened and closed it, the action was slow and jerky which wasn't good.

"I've had a look at the device." The doctor continued as Grimmjow stared at his arm in disbelief. "The implantation suggests it attached to your nervous system, can I ask what for?"

"Pain." Grimmjow stated in a low voice. "It caused pain and it was remotely activated."

"That seems to explain the nerve damage." He nodded absentmindedly, scribbling something down. "It should repair itself with time. Again, don't overdo it or the effects could become permanent. Is there anything you'd like to ask me."

"Yes actually." Grimmjow sat up straighter and looked at the doctor meaningfully. "Was I drugged again?"

He looked generally surprised at this question. "I don't know, I can run a blood test for you. However I don't think you were, you seem quite alert this time. During your previous visit it was quite obvious you were on some sort of drug." He took a sample of blood to take away for testing before leaving.

Nnoitra who hadn't spoken during the whole encounter suddenly spoke up. "You know now the doctors been and given you the all clear you'll be questioned right?"

"Yes."

"I can't stay."

"I know." Their eyes met as Nnoitra stood. "Thanks, for believing me."

He rolled his eyes. "As if you're smart enough to lead a double life like that." Nnoitra joked before opening the door. "Don't worry they'll see it too. Good luck."

He was just about to leave when Grimmjow remembered the paper. "Wait!" He called and handed his partner the paper. "I found this, just like in the mines. Maybe they go together?"

"I'll look into it." Nnoitra promised before leaving.

It took ten minutes for the pair of detectives, one man and one female to enter the room after Nnoitra left. Grimmjow vaguely knew them from the department. He couldn't remember their names but they had exchanged pleasantries on several occasions when they'd run into each other. Far from pleasant this time the pair both wore grim expression as they took seats next to him and began questioning him.

Grimmjow maintained his story throughout the entire interrogation. He didn't know where the blood nor restraints in his apartment came from. He didn't know where Ichigo was nor had he seen him since his abduction, excluding what had happened in the hospital. When he tried to explain what had happened the two exchanged glances and Grimmjow knew they didn't believe him.

"Well Mr Jaeggerjaques that's all for now." The man stated, snapping his briefcase shut and his partner stood, collected all her notes together in a neat pile. "We'll be back later once the hospital has been searched and your blood results come back."

He nodded in reply and the two left. With a heavy sigh Grimmjow leaned back against the pillows. Things were not looking good. He could tell neither of them believed his story, that he had no idea what was in his apartment or how it came to be there. All he could hope for was that Ichigo's DNA would be in the hospital. He couldn't see how it would be since the two of them had been practically everywhere in the building but somehow he doubted they would find a single trace of him.

Everything was leading back to him. All the evidence was showing he'd kidnapped and killed Ichigo. Soon they would be asking what he'd done with the body. Grimmjow felt a chill run down his spine as he thought about what would happen if he didn't figure out his next move, Ichigo lying dead somewhere in the city and he would be blamed there was no doubt of that.

It came to him so suddenly without conscious thought that Grimmjow almost fell out of the cot when he sat up quickly. The number from the mines, the note from the device, it was an address.

"Sixty-Five Maple." Grimmjow whispered.

Looking around desperately for anything to help him escape he found nothing. He would have to wait for Nnoitra to return. With a reluctant sigh he sat back again, his mind working furiously. All he had to do was get out of the hospital and make his way to the address and then... what?

What was waiting for him at this place? Would he finally get Ichigo back or would it be another trap? How many tests did Mr Heart plan on making him do before he let Ichigo go? Maybe he never would, maybe that was the point. Make him keep going until he couldn't and then kill Ichigo.

Thinking back to the previous victims Grimmjow found no reassurance. Each person who had been kidnapped had ended up dead and as for their partners, either dead or insane so his chances weren't looking to good, neither was Ichigo's.

No one else visited Grimmjow that night and after hours of endless wondering he fell into a fitful sleep only to awaken a few hours later when Nnoitra returned. The man held a finger to his lips when Grimmjow opened his mouth to talk. He moved closer, speaking in a barely audible whisper. "I haven't got long ok so I'll make this quick. First, there was no evidence of Ichigo ever being in that hospital, the only DNA there was yours. Second, you're going to be arrested in the next ten minutes unless you get out of here.. Finally I found out what the pieces of paper mean, it's an address here." He handed Grimmjow a sheet of paper with the complete address, including directions. Next he unlocked the handcuff around his wrist. "Go out the window, you'll never make it through the lobby unseen there's someone outside your door."

"Thanks." Grimmjow stood, rubbing his wrists where it was chaffed from wearing the handcuff for so long. "What about you?"

Nnoitra smiled grimly. "I'll figure something out now go, they're coming. The only way to send this and prove your innocence is to find Ichigo so go already."

"See you soon." Grimmjow opened the window carefully and climbed out, turning to look at his partner and smiled. "Don't get yourself in too much trouble."

"I'll see what I can do now go!"

With a nod Grimmjow dropped down from the small ledge into a bush. He was only on the first floor so the foliage broke his fall. He had landed on the edge of the parking lot which seemed quite deserted at the moment. Stepping cautiously out of the bush he began across the lot, keeping his head down in case anyone looked outside and spotted him.

He had just reached the opposite side of the area when he head it. It started with yelling which he knew was the detectives coming to arrest him followed by several people running in and out of the hospital entrance. Grimmjow knew he only had moments before they spotted him and vaulted the low fence, stumbling as he landed. It seemed the device had affected more than just his arms.

A beam of headlights fell across him and he flinched, shielding his face. There was shouting and he knew he had been identified. Taking off quickly he headed for the nearest alleyway and ducked into it. He kept moving the longer he stayed in one place so close to the hospital the more likely they would find him.

Grimmjow knew what this looked liked, in the eyes of the police he had just confirmed his guilt by running away. No-one believed him before so they definitely won't know. Stopping under a flickering street light he waited until a police car had flashed by before pulling out the paper Nnoitra had handed him to determine his next move. The building known as sixty-five was a small warehouse near the harbour which was a good hour walk form his current location.

Tucking the paper away Grimmjow started walking, careful to keep to the shadows and stopping whenever he heard sirens. Due to how slow he had to be to remain undetected it took an hour and a half to reach the warehouse. It looked remarkably ordinary, which he supposed was the purpose of the building.

Whatever was awaiting him inside Grimmjow knew one thing. He would do whatever it took to get Ichigo back and this time, he wouldn't let him go. With that thought in mind he approached the doors and unsurprisingly they opened at his push. He was expected. Taking a deep breath Grimmjow entered.