The characters Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Edward Wong, Ein, Antonio, Carlos, & Jobin are creations from the Cowboy Bebop TV series and movie. They do not belong to me.
The characters Dr. Billie Vaughn, Head Nurse Margaret Jones, Seymour (a.k.a. Ferret- face), Alexander 'Randy' Vanderhorn, Biko, Dan (a.k.a. Maggie's boyfriend) & Police Detective Booker are my creations.
Jet asked, "Where's that?"
Biko replied gruffly, " You'll find out soon enough."
The former ISSP detective looked to Billie in hopes of an answer, but she rushed ahead of them to the stairway Biko and he used earlier. Realizing that he'd hit a wall with the cryptic answer, Jet turned to his instincts for reassurance. Amazingly, they were silent, which meant Billie and Biko were on the level.
The silence unnerved Jet a little. His instincts usually alerted him to things that didn't seem right; Spike being in a secret hospital underneath a bar where the owner is his doctor wasn't right. The whole set up reeked of the Syndicate. However, from the look of things, Billie took good care of Spike: stitched up his wounds, changed his bandages, and, from the number of wounds Jet counted, she probably gave him a blood transfusion. At least the mystery behind why a woman like Billie was working in a bar was solved. The memory of her delicate touch on his scar and the idea of her taking care of him started Jet imaging what it would be like to have Billie inspect his bionic arm or a wound on his thigh.
"Jet, wake up," barked Biko as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Jet blushed. Luckily for him the stairs were too poorly lit for Biko and Billie to notice.
"You two wait for me at the door," she instructed then returned to the hospital.
Biko rolled his head to relax some muscles in his neck. "You ready to climb four flights?"
"What?"
An amused smile curled on the bouncer's lips. "I didn't know you were hard of hearing, Jet. When we're done carrying Sleeping Beauty, I'll have baby girl recommend an ear doctor for you." He started climbing the stairs.
Biko's comments struck more than one chord. "I'm not hard of hearing," replied Jet as he brought up the rear. "I was just surprised by your question that's all." A moment later, he muttered, "I'm not old."
"I never said you were old."
Jet blushed again. "You heard that?"
"Yeah," Biko said, "My hearing is a bit better than average. Careful we're about to make turn. "
Jet waited and strained to watch Biko as he maneuvered into the turn of the landing. They slightly angled the stretcher into the turn. Spike's sleeping body pressed up against his restraints. For a moment, Jet was afraid the restraints would come undone, but one glance at Biko made him relax. Biko wasn't concerned about the restraints or the climb up the stairs. The former detective assumed Biko's nonchalant manner was due to the fact he had carried someone on a stretcher up these stairs before.
Knowing he was working with a pro in this situation eased Jet's mind and his clenched stomach a little, allowing him to turn his thoughts to a more pleasant subject: Billie. He wondered why he couldn't stop daydreaming about this woman he just met a day ago. Maybe it was the fact that she's a mystery and he was a sucker for good mysteries, especially one with such expressive eyes and –
"OW!" Jet cried out a moment after he banged his right hand up against the staircase railing.
Biko asked, "You okay?"
"I'm fine; just banged my hand."
"Be more careful and stop thinking about you know who."
"I wouldn't have to if there was more light."
"That could help you, but what would stop you from thinking about you know who?"
"Is it that obvious?"
"Yeah," Biko chuckled, "ever since the hospital room you've been lost in thought. I'll only interrupt when we reach a landing."
The former ISSP dic felt himself turn a shade of red he never did before and was once again grateful to the poor lighting.
Billie returned to the ICU room where Spike only moments before resided to get rid of any evidence only to find Maggie. The head nurse had already changed the bed sheets and was in the process of cleaning the transfusion machine.
"Thank you, Maggie," was all the doctor could say as she gathered up the bandages that were meant for Spike and brought them to the Pit.
In silence, the two women efficiently removed all evidence of a patient in that room. The whole time Maggie wore a worried grimace on her face and avoided Billie's eyes. She couldn't stand the fact that the doctor was risking her life again for a patient.
"Maggie," Billie said, "I'll be back in 10 minutes. If anyone asks, tell them I went upstairs for something." The doctor left and headed for the stairs.
"We're almost there, daydreamer," Biko remarked.
Jet replied in a glum tone, "Don't call me that."
"What? Daydreamer?"
"Yeah. It doesn't suit me."
"Why?"
The former ISSP detective was silent. He couldn't answer the question without giving personal information about himself, and Jet didn't know Biko well enough to divulge that sort of stuff. It took him a little over three years before he told Spike how he lost his left arm, and he trusted that reckless hotshot more than he did old ISSP partner Fad.
Jet finally replied, "Guess that's a story for another time."
Biko smiled at the silence because it confirmed one of his suspicions about Jet: Jet was a man that took time to gain his confidence. "Though as much. I assume I'll learn about that the same time Billie learns about that scar on your face. Now make sure you have a good grip because I –"
There were footsteps getting closer to their position on the stairs.
Jet didn't know what to do. He couldn't reach for his gun because he'd drop Spike. He couldn't say anything to Biko because he had no idea who was heading their way or how Biko would react.
Several tense moments passed as the steps slowed down and grew louder as the person approached. Biko looked over the railing in hopes of catching a glimpse of the person.
A winded Billie said to Jet, "Excuse me," as she passed him and headed to the final landing.
Both men were relieved.
She propped open the door with her foot. "Get moving!" she said breathily.
They followed her orders and made their way to the final landing. Biko carefully maneuvered himself and the stretcher so as not to bang into Billie. Jet followed Biko's lead and did the same. They entered a well-lit corridor. It took a moment for Jet's eyes to adjust to the light. He then noticed there was a door one exactly opposite the stairway door and the hall turned to the right about five meters from the stairway. Since no one had opened the door nearest them, Jet wondered what awaited them down the hall.
Billie sped by them with a set of keys in her hand. She reached her front door and opened it. As she entered, she turned on the lights. Billie walked towards the iron-framed bed that acted as a second sofa in her living room. She knocked off the cushions and pulled back the blankets.
Jet was surprised that they were bringing Spike to an apartment and knew it was not the time to study the surroundings.
Biko led Jet to the awaiting bed. Carefully they lowered the stretcher. Billie released the safety straps. Slowly she and Biko worked together to remove the stretcher from underneath Spike. Then Billie set up Spike's IV bag.
"Jet, thank you for your help. I truly appreciate it," said Billie as she straightened Spike's blankets.
Jet replied, "Mind if I stay here awhile?"
"Please do. I'll check in two hours, though I may be able to escape sooner. If you have any problems call Biko and he'll contact me." Billie ran out the door.
Biko walked over to the nook that was the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He took out two bottles of beer and gave one to Jet. "Take a seat," he said as he sank into Billie's favorite dark brown leather easy chair. "Billie wouldn't have run off unless it was important" He removed his Swiss Army knife from his keychain and opened his beer. The bouncer then tossed the Swiss Army knife to Jet and took a swig.
The former ISSP detective opened his beer. "Are things always this …"
"Strange and rushed?"
"Yeah." Jet took a small sip.
Biko sighed. He knew Jet was looking for answers to what he and his partner Spike were involved in. "Strange, yes; rushed, no. As you now know, there's more to this place, Randy, Billie, and me than meets the eye. If you want an explanation, that will come in Time. It's a trust thing I know you understand." He took another swig of beer. "But considering how Billie was willing to trust you under the circumstances, I'd say you'll have the answers to your questions sooner than later. " He chugged the rest of his beer then stood up. "Time for me to get back to the bar and help Randy; I'll be back in twenty to see if you need anything." Biko put the empty bottle on the kitchen counter then left.
What Biko said stunned Jet: Billie trusted Jet, someone she just met with such an important secret.
"Who trusts anyone with something this big so easily in this world?" he wondered.
Billie stopped off at the Camouflage Bar's kitchen and grabbed a sandwich before returning to the hospital. She didn't want the exterminators to think she left for any other reason than lunch. Too many people's lives were counting on this bluff.
She returned to the underground hospital and took a seat in the Pit. The Pit was located in between the two main stairways and the one main elevator that led to the hospital. "No one could miss me if I'm here," Billie thought as she bit into the Italian sandwich.
As if on cue, Ferret-face appeared in the Pit. "Doctor Vaughn, you didn't like the blueberry donut?" he asked in a hurt tone.
Billie inwardly sighed at the sound of his slightly nasal tenor voice. "On the contrary, Seymour, I enjoyed the donut quite a bit, but the sugar went straight to my head, making me light-headed. So I went and got myself a sandwich."
A slightly worried smile appeared on his face. "I'm sorry the donut made you dizzy. Next time I'll bring in bagels. "
"It wasn't your fault; it's mine for not eating regularly for the past several days." The doctor gently punched her head. "Guess, I gotta be more carefully in the future."
"Yes, you should," said Head Nurse Maggie Jones, "I'm going to hold you to that." The look she gave made Billie shrink in her chair like a little child that got caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
Maggie then turned her gaze onto the orderly, "Seymour, I need you to take an inventory of all the supplies we have and which supply closet they're in."
Seymour squeaked, "Yes, ma'am," then scurried off to the first supply closet.
"Thank you, Maggie," said Billie.
Maggie's stern gaze returned to the doctor. "I'm not finished with you."
"I didn't expect you to be," Billie replied then took a bite of her sandwich. "Want half?"
"Billie, this is no time to be eating. What if those," the head nurse leaned in towards the doctor, "exterminators arrive while you're eating?"
"I'd stop eating."
"Stop being flippant!"
Billie took a closer look at Maggie and realized the only thing holding back Maggie's tears was her anger. The doctor was ashamed that she was the cause of the head nurse's pain. Billie put down her sandwich then hugged her friend. "I'm sorry, Maggie."
"You're sorry for what," asked an emotionless bass voice.
Both women turned around to a six foot seven inches tall, burly, platinum blonde man with matching emotionless cobalt blue eyes staring at Billie for her answer.
"I'm sorry for making her worry so much about me." Billie picked up her sandwich and took another bite.
"Why should she worry about you, Doctor …"
"Doctor Billie Vaughn." Billie put down her sandwich again. "Now, I don't know how much you heard of our previous conversation with an orderly, but thanks to the events of the past week, I haven't been eating or sleep much. The last thing Head Nurse Jones needs is one of her doctors collapsing either from hunger, dehydration, or sleep deprivation."
Maggie was trying her best not to look scared, but the imposing executioner's stony demeanor had made all the blood drain from her face.
A barely perceptible smile cracked on his face. "So you're Vaughn." He lowered his gaze from her eyes to exam the doctor's body. He returned to staring into Billie's storm grey eyes. "With all the stories I've heard, I thought you were a man."
"Lazaro, quit being rude to the good doctor," commanded Damian. "She may not seem like much physically, but the doctor could slice you 10 ways from Sunday if forced." His slicked black hair shined in the fluorescent lights as he moved in front of platinum blonde side of beef. "Please forgive him. Since he was on assignment elsewhere when the events of last week took place, Lazaro's being eager to prove his metal against a worthy opponent like Spike Spiegel. Also he hasn't had his morning cup of espresso," Damian added with a wink as he bowed and kissed her hand.
Lazaro followed his commander's example and kissed Billie's hand. It took an enormous amount of Billie's self-control not to laugh at the sight of Lazaro's awkward imitation of Damian.
"That's all right, Damian," the doctor replied. "Not everyone is worthy of being Vicious' sparring partner like you and me."
Lazaro bristled at the comment, while Maggie sank into the chair Billie had occupied a few moments ago. A nonchalant conversation with possible killers was not the way Maggie wanted to learn about Billie's life.
A reptilian grin slipped across Damian's lips.; he was glad to see that the past events hadn't dulled her acidic wit. "I'm glad to see you survived the Mao-Vicious Cleansing."
"I'm surprised that you survived the Cleansing. How did you manage that?"
"That's a secret, my dear."
"Sir," Wu Fei interjected as he pushed his way in front of Lazaro, "should we commence with the sweep?"
"Yes. Zhou and Lian, go to the right. Lazaro and Wu Fei, go to the left. I will search with the good doctor."
Billie inquired, "What are you looking for? Are you so low on funds that you plan to sell off hospital equipment?"
Maggie's fear grew when she heard Billie's question. She has no idea what game her friend was playing.
"Nothing of the sort," Damian replied s his arm slithered around Billie's waist to guide her on a walk. "We're looking for Vicious' body to give it a proper burial."
"Is that all?" asked the doctor with an arched eyebrow.
"For now. Do you know where his body is?"
"The morgue."
Jet sat by Spike's side for a long while pondering the blind trust Billie placed in him. What could make a woman who worked for the Syndicate so easily reveal her secret to a someone she met by chance. Jet corrected himself. It wasn't by Chance that they met; it was the circumstance of their meeting that was Chance.
The more he thought about it the more the former ISSP detective realized she was a mystery he wanted to solve.
Spike groaned, which startled Jet. Slowly, Spike opened his eyes and started to look around only to find a familiar ugly mug smiling at him.
"So, you're finally awake," Remarked Jet.
"Guess so," Spike replied in a low parched voice, "otherwise, I must be having a nightmare to dream about you, Jet." A smirk crept across the fallen cowboy's pale lips.
Jet laughed as he walked over to the Indonesian daybed couch for a couple of pillows. "Faye thinks you're dead and has been trying to break into your room."
"Interesting way to mourn."
Jet propped up Spike with the two pillows he got. "She truly believes Vicious wouldn't have let you live."
"She's right." Spike settled into the pillows. "So why am I alive?"
Jet had no idea how to answer the question. "You'd have to ask Billie."
Billie … that name was familiar to the cowboy, but he didn't know why. He weakly smirked at his partner and asked with a slightly arched eyebrow. "Who's Billie?"
Jet understood the look Spike was trying to give him and blushed. "You know it's not like that; when did I ever have the time for that?"
"Time for what?" Spike enjoyed seeing Jet squirm about a woman.
The former ISSP detective regained his composure and ignored the bait. "Billie is… she's the doctor that saved you. We're in her place." Jet sighed, realizing that he had to tell Spike the little he knew about her. "Billie is connected to the Red Dragon Syndicate, but I haven't learned how. But from -"
"That's why I'm still alive," interrupted Spike.
"Huh?"
"It must be the will of the Van that I'm alive."
"The Van? I don't know who they are, but if that was true, Billie wouldn't have asked me to help move you from the hospital. My gut says there's another reason."
Spike yawned, "Your gut's usually right."
The yawn caused Jet to look at his partner. He hadn't noticed before how frail Spike looked. The cowboy's breathing was even but slow as if he was struggling a bit for air. Whether the struggle was from the binding around Spike's chest, broken ribs, or some other wound, Jet didn't know, but Jet did know he should let Spike get back to sleep.
"My gut's telling me now that you need more sleep; I'll leave you alone." Jet got up from his chair and headed for the door.
"Jet, stick around for a while." A pained grunt slipped out of the cowboy as he moved his recovering body to get more comfortable. "I don't know who Billie is or why she saved me, but I do know I don't want to be alone with her."
Jet returned to his seat by Spike's side. "It's not like you to be scared of a woman?"
A faint smile curled on Spike's lips again. "Depends on the woman."
Before Jet could ask a follow-up question, Spike drifted back to sleep.
Outside a teepee somewhere in the Badlands of Mars, Laughing Bull scanned to the eastern horizon. Something caught his eye.
"Has a new star been born or is it a star that has faded but grown brighter."
