So it's been a while. I just got back from a camping trip, and finally, I am back to, of course, my computer. Hope you're enjoying the fic so far. I have to admit I'm getting a little lazy (which means "very lazy"). After I finish the fic I think I'll go back and revise it.
Mask of Deception
Chapter 17: Stitches, Stitches and more Stitches
Tuesday 2:24 AM
Pitter, Patter, Pitter, Patter.
The rain fell gracefully to the earth from the darkened sky overhead. The streets were empty and dark, with only the widely spaced lampposts to guide one's way. The atmosphere fitted the situation at hand.
Two pairs of feet were running through the falling rain, running as fast as they could. Both with one thought in mind, to hurry.
"Hurry Tai!" Mimi yelled in desperation. "I don't think he'll last much longer."
"I know Mimi. I'm going as fast as I can! You just worry about keeping up." 'I'm sorry TK. I should have gotten to you sooner.'
"Tai! There it is! I see it."
The two teenagers dashed towards their one and only destination, the hospital.
*~*~*~*~*~*~ Flash Back ~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Step on it Tai, we have to get him to the nearest hospital, he's lost too much blood." Mimi cried worriedly, her eyes full of unshed tears.
"I'm fine." The young blond said weakly.
"Don't use your strength for talking TK, concentrate on keeping alive." Tai said sternly as he as he tried his best to speed down the deserted streets of Tokyo. It didn't help much that his car was small, and that they were all sandwiched inside.
"Do you think their still following us?" Mimi asked.
"No I don't thin-!!," Tai was cut off when he made a sudden turn, losing complete control of his car. Mimi screamed.
Out of nowhere, a red pickup came swerving onto the street almost hitting Tai's car. Tai managed to avoid the truck, but ended up damaging his own car and earning a nice big cut on his shoulder, Mimi, a small cut on her forehead.
Tai quickly got out of the car, and looked down the street to see who was driving as Mimi tried her best to get TK out of the car safely. Judging by the way the truck swerved, Tai assumed that it was a drunk.
"Stupid idiot!! Now how are we going to get to the hospital?" Tai yelled out.
"Tai, we're going to have to run. We have no other choice." Mimi said a little bit shaken.
Tai picked TK's almost lifeless body, and started down the street, Mimi behind him.
"You're getting heavy" Tai joked. TK gave a weak chuckle, then started to cough. "You're just weak" TK smiled. Tai looked down at his friend. Even in his current condition and under these circumstances, he could still smile. "Don't worry buddy, we'll get you there."
*~*~*~*~*~*~ End of Flash Back ~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Somebody help!" Tai yelled as he crashed through the hospital doors. He didn't care if he woke anyone up or caused a disturbance. All he knew was that his friend needed help now.
A nearby nurse was the first to spot him holding the beaten and bloodied body. "Oh my!" She gasped and rushed to the distressed boy. "We need help right now. Emma, call a doctor immediately!"
The lady at the reception desk ran to get a doctor as the nurse took TK's pulse. "His pulse is really weak." The nurse said worriedly, then she finally got a good look at TK. "What on earth happened?" She asked looking up at Tai.
*~*~*~*~*~*~ Flash Back ~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Fifteen more minutes Falcon, and ten more men to go." Hayamaki said with a twisted smile. "I still can't believe you didn't know that it was Yoshiwara who was after you. We set out so many clues, even before that terrorist attack. Even to your partner. You were just too blind to see." The man rambled on. TK glared at him.
"TK, lets just run for it, you can't go on, you've lost way too much blood." Mimi told him softly.
"No, I'm not running away, and I'm fine, this is nothing." He smiled weakly at her. But he wasn't fine. He was lying through his teeth.
"How touching" Hayamaki mocked.
The next group of five advanced on the two, they're eyes burning with desire and TK could feel that it was near his end, but he kept in mind that he had to protect Mimi no matter what, or else it could mean death…
TK stood his ground. He could feel his vision blurring and his strength draining from his body. His head felt light, and the only sounds he could hear were the laughing voiced of the men all around. His body was giving in.
A man jumped towards TK, but was startled by a loud 'bang' then was suddenly thrown aside by an unseen force. Soon a few more of the enemy men joined the fallen one on the floor. Before TK blacked out, he made out the form of his partner, towering over him, then all went black.
*~*~*~*~*~*~ End of Flash Back ~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tai finally snapped out of his daze. "I'm sorry but I can't explain, but please help him!" Tai pleaded. Just then a doctor came running to them with a few staff members pushing a bed from behind him. "Put him on, we have to treat him immediately," The doctor ordered. Tai obediently put TK on the bed and watched as the waiting staff began to work. The doctor started shouting orders, and before they knew it, Tai and Mimi were speeding down the corridor in pursuit of the bed that carried their friend away.
One of the nurses who were working on TK glanced back and realized that Tai and Mimi were still following them. "I'm sorry but unless you are a members of this boy's family, I will have to ask you to turn back." Tai looked to the ground. "They are…" TK said in a weak but clear voice. "They are family." "Don't try to speak, save your strength," The doctor said, looking down at TK. "Very well then." The nurse nodded. "I'll take you two to a place where you can be treated and then a place to wait for your friend."
The Hospital
Tuesday 5:01 AM
It had been over two hours, and still, Mimi and Tai hadn't received any information on TK's condition. They were placed into a private room with a only a couch with a big window overlooking the streets of Odaiba.
"I can't take it anymore. When are they going to tell us something!" Mimi demanded.
"How should I know? Anyway, what's more important is what we're going to tell the hospital."
"Um…Tai?" Mimi asked quietly.
"What?"
"What did you and TK, or rather, what did TK do to make that Yoshiwara guy hate him so much."
"Well, my first guess would be because we screwed him up big time, but to tell you the truth…I'm not to sure myself. You see, while we were on the Yoshiwara mission, we were split up. TK was left behind to deal with the issue because I was busy with that Take Hayamaki, the guy we met earlier. By the time I got rid of Hayamaki and back to the scene to help TK, Yoshiwara had disappeared with some of his men, but most of them were taken down by TK. There was blood everywhere. Ever since then, he never said a word about what happened that night, so…even if you ask me, I wouldn't know…"
"Oh…" was Mimi's response.
After a period of silence, the door opened, revealing the same nurse that showed the two into the room before.
"How is he?" Mimi asked.
"He's fine now. He just needed a blood transfusion and quit a few stitches. His body is really beaten and weak, but he should be all right with time. We would like to keep him here for observation though.
"Can we go see him?" Tai asked.
"Of course. This way please." The nurse asked them to follow.
As they entered the room, they could hear the 'beep' of the heart monitor, a sickening sound.
"Is it really necessary to keep that on him?" Tai asked. "Well, no…but it's better to be safe than sorry." The nurse told. "If you would please excuse me, I have to contact his father and brother."
"Father and brother?" Mimi asked.
"Of course. We have just found out that his Mother is out of town, so we must contact them. They are second on the list." The nurse then left to make the call.
"What should we do?" Mimi asked. "We can't let Matt and his father find TK, or else we will be exposed.
"This is the first floor isn't it Mimi?"
"Yes, why?" Mimi asked with a curious look.
"I have an Idea…"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I can't believe we're doing this!"
"Shh!! We can't let anyone hear us."
Tai and Mimi slowly crept across the hospital garden, carrying TK, where the hospitals many flowers concealed them from sight. Once they safely exited the hospital compound, they backed into an ally to figure out what to do next.
"This is crazy Tai! The hospital's going to find out, then they're going to come looking for us." Mimi yelled in a whisper. [Can you yell in a whisper?]
"Don't worry, if we travel through the back streets, we might not get caught." Tai whispered back.
"And where do you suppose we hide him once we're free to go?" she asked.
"At my place." He told her. Mimi sighed then finally gave in. "We'd better start before we get caught then."
