20: Things Are Getting Worse
TigerRain: You're not the only one who's dying...
TigerTerror: Hm. You could be right about that.
bmw: Heh. Kevin is cool. #^_^#
the tigris: Yep. Anyone but Kevin. ^_~
Imari: Mm-hm. They're all good all right. Just that some are better than others... :p
Ms Hobgoblin: All the fun is in the waiting. Heh heh heh. ^_~
Gothic-Wolf: This story is a long way from being finished. Trust me.
moondragon-1001: I'm updating!
Its amazing just how supportive everyone is when it comes to Beyblade fan fic. I always thought that the Star Wars fans were good, but the authors and readers of Beyblade are almost 100 times better. That's not having a go at the Star Wars group, just a general observation. So a big thumbs up to everyone in the Beyblade community.
Disclaimer: I just noticed I haven't said I owned them for a long time, so here I say it: I don't own Beyblade
Max awoke, stretching and yawning. It had been another long night, filled with odd noises and smells, and made worse when Gary farted. Max wrinkled his nose at the memory, now knowing why Lee, Ray, Kevin, and Mariah had voted unanimously to allow Gary to have a room of his own when they had been deciding on who would sleep where. And Max had used to think Tyson was bad…
Rubbing his eyes, Max looked around, spotting Tyson stretched out flat on his back, snoring. Max shook his head in amusement. Tyson could sleep absolutely anywhere. Max was certain that they could chain Tyson to a bed of nails and he would still be able to get a good nights sleep.
Reaching out, Max brushed the hair from Tyson's face, smiling wistfully. They had been through so much over the last few months since Max had first met the younger teen, and in that time Max had come to look up to the Japanese boy. Tyson rarely ever showed his fear, but then, that was usually because Tyson was thinking with his stomach.
Tyson was stubborn, arrogant, annoying, and often a jerk, but they were all qualities Max had come to accept him for. They were what made up Tyson, and Max couldn't think of him being any other way. Kai might be the leader of the Blade Breakers, but Tyson was second in command, willing to step up in the absence of the team captain. And since their capture, Tyson had been their leader.
Max pulled his hand away from Tyson's face as the other stirred, blue-grey eyes blinking open and shooting around before they focused on the American. "Oh, hey Max. Have they fed us yet?"
"Not yet." Max smiled faintly, looking around the group. "And you're not going to believe this, but you're the second in the group to wake up."
"You can't be serious." Tyson sat up, looking around, fringe dropping into his eyes. "That never happens."
"I know." Max grinned. "Either they're tired, or you're turning into a morning person."
"Yeah right. As if. Don't rub it in." Tyson frowned, eyes narrowing. "You can't tell me that's a natural colour."
Max turned, following Tyson's gaze and finding Kevin flopped out beside Mariah, skin a pasty white. The two boys approached cautiously, noting the fine layer of sweat covering the young neko-jin as he breathed rapidly and raggedly. Max layed a hand gently on Kevin's forehead, pulling it back. "He's hot."
"Aw man, that can't be good." Tyson swung around. "Yo Chief! Mr Dickenson! Wake up! Something's wrong with Kevin."
"Tyson, the guys been shot. Of course there's something wrong with him!" Max rolled his eyes, which widened as a stray memory flickered through his mind. "Tyson, remember what happened during the hostage situation with Winton? After Kai was shot?"
"Yeah, you're right. He started to do the same thing." Tyson turned back to Kevin, gently pulling away the hair that had plastered itself to Kevin's face. "Though it wasn't as bad as this."
"If I remember right, the doctors said it was caused by blood loss."
Tyson's eyes widened as he pulled at Kevin's shirt, the others starting to stir to awake as Tyson stared down at the wound. "Aw man! He's still bleeding!"
Mariah pushed herself up, blinking sleep from her eyes. "Wh… What's going on?"
"Kevin," Max answered. "I think he's…"
Mariah was awake in an instant, the reality of what Max was saying sinking in and driving all thoughts of sleep from her mind. She swung around, choking back as sob as she took in the state of her childhood friend. "Oh my god. Kevin!"
"Mariah? Mariah what's wrong?" Gary was by her side, one hand resting on her shoulders as they shook. "What's happening?"
"Oh my." Mr Dickenson knelt by Kevin, touching the teens forehead just like Max had barely minutes before. "He's burning up with fever. Kenny, please get me some water."
Kenny complied without speaking a word, returning and handling the small bowl to Mr Dickenson, who pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and placed it in the liquid. Once he was satisfied it was soak, he wrung some of the water from it and placed it on Kevin's forehead.
"He needs immediate medical attention," Mr Dickenson told them. "Without bandages, then we can nothing to try and stop Kevin from bleeding out. I'm afraid if something is not done soon…"
Mariah shook her head, slipping to Kevin's side and drawing him to her. "No. No, you're wrong. Kevin won't do that. He won't. He can't. He's too young."
"I feel the same way too," Gary agreed. "But Mr D is right. If something is not done soon-"
"He can't die!" Mariah was sobbing uncontrollably now. She looked down at the boy in her arms. "Kevin, wake up." He didn't respond. "Kevin, please wake up." Nothing. "Kevin!"
"Aw, is something wrong with the little neko-jin?" They swung around to find Zika leaning against the bars, a half-amused smile on his face. "Well isn't that too bad."
Mr Dickenson pushed himself to his feet and moved forward. "You must give the boy immediate medical attention-"
"It's not a boy it's a thing," Zika spat, expression darkening. "And if I hear you say anything about him needing to see the medics, then I will have my men put him out of his misery just to shut you up, Dickenson."
Mariah whimpered, pulling Kevin closer to her protectively, the others surrounding her offering further support.
Mr Dickenson took a half step back, shoulders slumping with defeat. "Very well. But I must know how long you intend to keep us here?"
"Until I get my money." Zika folded his hands in front of him, almost business like. "The ransom note gave the BBA a week to pay me, and I just received word that they have the note. What is interesting, however, is that it was not delivered personally by the those we sent it to originally, but rather through the mail."
Mr Dickenson frowned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"It's quite simple, Dickenson. The note was sent to your hotel suite. Do you understand now?"
Tyson's eyes widened. "Kai, Ray and Lee!"
Zika nodded. "I am certain they got the note, as the envelope that reached the BBA was addressed in Yin's handwriting. Apparently, it was also somewhat crumpled. Someone was not very happy with what it said."
Tyson glared at him. "Can you blame them?"
"Not at all. I'm just interested in where they've disappeared too. The Russian and two neko-jin have not been seen for just over two days now. What I want to know is where they might have gone to."
"And how do you expect us to know." Tyson pushed himself up, coming to stand before Mr Dickenson. "If you're going to ask us where they are, then don't bother. And we can't tell you what they might be doing, as we don't know them well enough. Your guess is as good as ours, shit-for-brains."
"Tyson!" Mr Dickenson's eyes widened. "Oh my."
"My my, why aren't you the strong one." Zika nodded, then plucked a cane from the arms of one of his bodyguards, sticking it through the bars and bringing its point into contact with Tyson, pushing a button. Tyson let out a sharp shriek of pain as the electricity moved through him, sending him stumbling backward and dropping him toward the ground, Max catching him. "Heroics do you no good here, boy. They only cause pain. Remember that."
He turned and left, leaving Tyson panting, eyes squeezed closed as the numbing pain slowly began to subside, Kenny and Mr Dickenson moving to his side.
"You just can't keep your mouth shut, can you?" Max asked, arm around Tyson's shoulder, steadying him.
Tyson laughed, flashing Max a weary grin. "You know me."
Mariah looked at them sadly, then back down at Kevin, using Mr Dickenson's handkerchief to gently dab away the sweat. "Please hurry." She looked up, eyes longing toward the doorway, filled with small hope and a large amount of fear. "Please hurry, Lee. Please hurry."
Kevin's health is failing fast. Think he'll make it?