Several months went by, Locke in and out of the infirmary, looking through the storage holds and over all the documentation pertaining to the Russia mission. Not a single clue as to where his ties to life were hidden. Sometimes he wore his bandanna, sometimes not, and tried to sleep as best he could.
He knew about what had happened with the 'tooth faeries' and about the arrival of the German agent, whom he avoided like the plague, and later entered the Library to return a book he had borrowed, when Abe and the beautiful elven princess were awkwardly talking. He smirked at their unison start, moving to the shelf nearby.
"I'm surprised you forgot I had borrowed this Abe. I guess, with what is going on with the media, and what happened with the elemental, it can be forgiven." Locke said, gingerly returning his book to its shelf, looking for another. He smirked, the distaste of the elven princess at his words somewhat amusing.
"Who is he Abraham? It... it is almost as if he is not there." Nuala whispered, keeping close to the one she knew she could trust.
"My name is Locke, follower of the forgotten one. You may recall her, the successor of Anubis and friend of Thoth, Bast and Hathor." Locke announced, moving closer. The lights in the room seemed to quiver and dim, almost warningly.
"Locke, I..." Abe floundered, searching for something to say, but realized that he was partially forgotten in this conversation.
"Forgotten one? I recall stories, horrific ones, of a god with a visage of a serpentine demon, an angular head, twin sets of wings and talons that could tear the world apart. Surely they are not one and the same?" Nuala took a step back, covering the golden insignia on her waist.
"Nay, although they appear similar, they are not. My patron has six violet eyes, an angular crowned head, and a body like a cross between a mantid and a crustacean. You needn't worry, princess, we mean no harm. I just wish there were a way for us to hide you from your brother." Locke said to her sadly, blue-green eyes showing concern.
"I accept my fate... I did so long ago." Nuala moved closer, kneeling down to look Locke in the eye. He smiled a bit, raising a hand.
"I'm sorry, my patron can be overprotective. Just don't go too deeply, there are things my patron did not even want me knowing." Nuala nodded, placing a hand on his, gasping after a moment and nearly falling backward.
"You... You are dying? At such a young age? Surely there are treatments, something to help at least with the pain!" She started, feeling for the young boy in a strange motherly fashion after only briefly going through his memories. Locke simply smiled and shook his head, resting a hand on her face.
"I bear my burdens willingly. Know that I am not as young as I appear, Nuala. Be well, we may not see each other again." Locke turned to Abe then briefly. "Take care of her Abe, but be mindful of your decisions." He then left, leaving the two with his cryptic warning.
The following night Locke ignored the blasting of music coming from the library, simply shaking his head and continuing with his work on the inventory information from the Russian Masoleum.
When Nuada, the brother of Nuala and prince of the elves broke into the Bureau, Locke moved to assist, and was stopped in the hall leaving his room, as his cancer suddenly decided to act up, stabbing pain and lack of oxygen causing him to seize up. He gasped, falling against the wall, fighting to search his pockets for his inhaler, found it and quickly shook it, attempting to use it, and finding the medicine cartridge empty.
He cursed at his stupidity, remembering having used the last of the medicine earlier that week and forgotten to get a new cartridge from the infirmary. He struggled to get up the stairs, pocketing his inhaler to open the door at the top, yet only just unable to reach and left forgotten as the battle continued, Abe with his hands tied, Nuala further so, and Hellboy with a shard of an enchanted spear lodged in his chest.