15. A Kiss of Life
"Mark? Mark?" After Max's prodding didn't produce any response Murphy stepped forward nervously.
"Is he gonna be okay?"
99 yelped in surprise as the dog spoke. The Chief just stared, perplexed. He was beginning to think he was hallucinating. First Max comes back and now a talking dog. Am I going out of my mind?
"I think he'll be alright. It's just a shoulder wound. But he's still loosing a lot of blood. Hurry and untie us."
As Murphy and the cat began working on the knots 99 spoke in amazement. "What's going on here Max?"
"Oh, sorry. I forgot to introduce you. This is Murphy—" He broke out of the ropes and began working on theirs. "That's Mark. Murphy, this is 99 and the Chief." The Chief just gave a slight nod of recognition. "And that's…eh…Murphy what did she say her name was?" Max asked, indicating the cat.
"Don't have one."
"That's a funny name." Max said to himself as he kept untying the knots.
Murphy stopped whimpering about Mark and looked at the Chief. "If it wasn't for us he wouldn't of found you."
"I would to have found them!" Max contradicted rather loudly, then added under his voice: "Eventually." When he was through untying them he kneeled down next to Mark and patted him gently on the face. "Mark, Mark wake up." When he didn't get a reply he frowned. Now why would a guy black out over just a little old shoulder wound? I guess he hasn't been trained to withstand torture or to be impervious to even the most excruciating pain like I have. He turned to 99. "Do you have any smelling salts with you?"
She shook her head. "They took my purse." She looked lovingly over at Max and shunned herself for believing that he could ever leave her. Never again, she promised herself, would she even have a flirtation with the idea of them not being together forever.
Then she began to remember the intense, painful, empty feeling she had suffered. It was like the stabbing pain of hunger only so much worse. It was as if, in dieing, Max had tore her heart from her chest, leaving an agonizingly empty hole in her chest that only he could fill. It had been the worst sensation of her life, and as she stood there, watching him, she was hoping, praying…no…vowing that she would never feel it again.
"We've got to get him out of here and I don't think we can do it unless he's awake. We'll be running from the bad guy, trying to ruin her evil scheme, and finding a way out and we can't do that carrying dead weight. So we've got to get him conscious so he can carry himself."
99 couldn't stand it anymore. She knew what was going on but wasn't really listening. She through her arms around Max's neck and burst into tears. "Oh, Max! I'm so sorry about the things I said. Can you ever forgive me?" She cried between sobs.
"Of course I do." He said, softly petting her hair. Although he couldn't exactly remember what she should be sorry about.
"It was horrible. I have never been so afraid in my life! I can't live without you. I can't! Without you, Max, I have nothing. Promise you'll never leave me."
"99 you know that I—"
"Please. I just need to hear it. I don't want to go through anything like that again!"
"I promise."
"I don't blame her." The Chief spoke up in a serious but ever-so-relieved tone. "The last couple days have been a nightmare."
"I just hope this nightmare has a fairytale ending." Max said.
"That's it!" 99 broke the embrace and began wiping her tearstained face.
"That's what?" The Chief, Max and Murphy all asked at once. By now the cat was laying on the counter and watching the situation with mild interest.
99, being a spy, was used to recovering quickly from traumas. Now that she knew Max was alive and well, this was just another adventure that they could all overcome together. "A fairytale ending! It worked on you before." She said to Max. "And it always works in the movies."
"What dose?" This seemed rather backward to the Chief. Usually it was Max that didn't make any sense.
"A kiss." She said at last.
"I'd love one."
"Not you. Him." She pointed at Mark's limp form.
Max frowned accusingly. "But you hardly know him!"
"Max, you know you're the only man I love. But you did say it'll be easier to get out if he's awake, right?"
"Yes, but…"
"Do you remember the times when you were unconscious and when I kissed you and you woke up?"
"Well, yeah, but…"
"Do you remember the end of Sleeping Beauty?"
"Uh…"
"Snow White?"
"Fine! Just make it snappy." He crossed his arms. I never did like those movies anyway. He grumbled to himself. "And you better not enjoy it." He added aloud as 99 kneeled next to Marks chair.
She really did hate to do it. Mostly for Max's sake. She could see how hard it would be to watch your spouse kiss someone else, even if the other party was unconscious. But right now this mans life was more important than her and Max's personal feelings. She kept that thought in mind as she gently tipped his head back and braced herself. (for what, she wasn't quite sure)
At first there was nothing, just silence and blackness. Then a hot, electrifying sensation jump-started Marks awareness. He would have described it as similar to sticking your lips in a light socket. With the 99 volts, or should I say 99's volts, pulsing through his body it didn't take long for all his senses to kick in. He slowly opened his eyes about half way. As the clouds in his sight cleared 99's flawless face took up his whole vision. I'm dead. He thought, not too disappointed. I've died and gone to heaven. Where else would I get to kiss an angel? He took a breath to speak and that's when the pain hit. It practically knocked him out of his chair. Then worst of all came the dog breath. Murphy had swapped places with 99 and was now whimpering in Mark's face. He then got another kiss. Only this time it was wet, smelly and slobbery.
He was beginning to reevaluate his former deduction. I don't think I did anything bad enough to go to the other place; But this is definitely NOT heaven!
