Questioned of Self

Chapter 16: Ecstasy

Cloud didn't want to get up from bed. He heard the water running from the bathroom where Rayne brushed his teeth. The alarm clock read 8:30 pm. By now the streets would be running with tail, drugs, and buyers. It has been a week since Cloud left Hunter's Landing and moved in with Rayne. And for a week he hid in the dingy apartment, using up all his days before Rayne began saying that Cloud had to start paying rent.

So Cloud finds himself lying in bed, staring at the clock and dreading the moment when Rayne would come and wake him up to start getting ready.

"Gabriel?" Rayne called after he was done brushing his teeth. "Hey." He nudged the sleeping form of Cloud but the blonde stayed still. Rayne knew enough that he was faking it. He laid next to Cloud on the bed, eyes leveled with one another.

"Hey," He said more softly. "What's on your mind?" Cloud finally opened his eyes.

"I don't want to go out there." He answered.

"Yah," Rayne ran his fingers through Cloud's hair. "I know what you mean. But at least you had sometime of freedom. I couldn't find the balls to run away—but you did. Maybe next time it will happen again." Cloud nodded. "So come one. Get dressed."

Cloud groaned as he got up and made his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Rayne continued by throwing on his clothes and laid out some for Cloud to wear for the night. A nice white dress shirt with thin black pants.

Once Cloud came out he didn't whine when putting on the clothes. Even though they were washed, he could still smell Rayne's cologne on it.

"Here," Rayne came towards Cloud with an earring. "They go crazy for a slight punkish look." Cloud took the small hoop earring and putted it through his left hole on the tip of his ear. He was surprised the thing didn't close up already after how long he never wore jewelry.

"How much do I have to make tonight?" Cloud asked. Rayne thought it out.

"Rent is 178, so I guess 89 is the least. But knowing you, you should be bringing in more then that." He smiled but Cloud just frowned.

"You ready?" Rayne said while lighting up a cigarette.

"I guess." Cloud said after he buttoned his shirt. He took one last look in the mirror and headed out of the door along with Rayne by his side.

Vincent saw Reno emerge from the apartment palace wearing a mask of raging anger. The youth jumped in, slamming the door hard.

"He said he left about a week ago. I asked him where Cloud went and he said it wasn't his job in knowing where they go off to." Reno scoffed. "Shit head."

Vincent watched him light up a cigarette and enjoy the stick while looking out in space.

"Why do you think he left?" Vincent asked.

"Probably knew we were after him." Reno ran his fingers through his fiery hair. Vincent sat back and looked out of the window.

"We were to slow." He said to himself. Reno turned to face him.

"Who are you calling slow? I want to find him as much as you do."

"Which I always wonder at." Vincent interrupted. "Why do you want to find him so?"

"I never pinned you down as the nosy type." Reno started the car. Vincent said nothing more on the subject.

"I'm taking us downtown." Reno said. "The place is full of shady characters but one of them is bound to have seen Cloud before he left for good."

"Why would they know?"

"Because most of them are the high CEOs of the many corporate businesses that Cloud works for."

"Why do they hang out in the poor side?"

"Drugs, ass, gambling. Mostly just drugs and hot ass for sale."

"Do you have a particular man to look for?" Vincent asked.

"Yah," Reno turned to Vincent. "I do. You'll probably know the guy well." He smiled before driving off.

Cloud couldn't look up. He kept his eyes down and his hair covering his face so that no one would see or recognize him. Yet his cover was all done in vain.

"Is that who I think it is!" A voice called.

God, Cloud prayed. Please take me away now.

The speaker of the voice and another young man neared Cloud. Both were scouting the streets like Cloud for buyers. Cloud had no choice but to look up.

"Jeeze, look who it is Jason!" The shorter of the two said. "Its Gabriel back from the dead!" Cloud strained to smile.

"Hey guys." He said quietly.

"Where the fuck have you been hanging around? Haven't seen your shit ass face for months!" The one named Jason said. He glared at Cloud with cold brown eyes.

Cloud didn't answer him but frowned.

"Hey!" The shorter one began. "Don't mind Jason, he's just in a bad mood. So where have you been, Gabriel? Does Dice know you're here yet?" He ran his tongue over his heavy lip ring.

"No, and I don't want him to be on my tail too." Cloud answered.

"Hey!" Rayne came from the back of the alley. "Leave Gabriel alone, you mo-fos."

"Whoa! Watch it Rayne!" The short one squeaked. "Just saying hi to an old friend."

"Last time I remembered you weren't even close to friends." Rayne snapped.

The shortest began to advance on Rayne until Jason stopped him.

"Let's go Pip. There's no work here for us." Jason threw the two a nasty glare before he and Pip left Cloud and Rayne at the alleyway.

"Those two never changed." Cloud mused.

"Nothings changed since you've been gone." Rayne watched them leave. "Come on," He nudged Cloud to follow. "Let's find if there's anything near Lance." Cloud kicked off the wall he was leaning on slowly.

"I don't think I can make it. I'm not use to these hours." He said wearily. Rayne looked up and down the street before he came up close to Cloud.

"Here." He pulled out two pills. "One of these gets me through bad nights." Cloud took the white capsules and threw them down his throat.

"Ready?" Rayne asked. Cloud nodded 'yes.' "Let's go. Got to make that rent." He wrapped his arm around Cloud as they headed towards the nightclub called Lance.

Lance nightclub was always packed with anonymous faces, waiting in line for the cold bouncer to let them through, even though after waiting hours he wouldn't allow even the richest customer unless they knew the password. Luckily for the two young men, Rayne memorized the password; allowing them to pass through with no problem.

The club was filled with people and music. Its speakers blared at their highest of rowdy music with a pit full of people grinding against one another. The bar was filled with the lonely while the accompanied licked up their conversations near the wall in the dark.

Though Cloud couldn't calculate any of it in his head. The ecstasy that Rayne gave him not long ago already twisted his mind in radical knots. He wanted to be everywhere without going to anything. The music called to him, the drinks lured him and the beautiful faces craved for him as much as he craved for them. Cloud saw the dancing crowd and inched his way over until Rayne caught his jacket.

"Cloud!" He tried to speak over the music. "What are you doing?" Cloud just giggled while looking around in awe. "Come on!" He began pulling Cloud close to him and leading him upstairs. "There's this customer that I promised to meet here. He brought a friend for you."

"Excellent!" Cloud beamed. Rayne knew what was happening to him but he only just grinned and kept shut. Once they were on the 2nd floor in the VIP room, Rayne spotted two men sitting down on the couch with drinks in their hand.

Rayne didn't advance towards them until one of them looked at him. He smiled and dragged Cloud over with grace through the small crowd.

"Sorry we're late." Rayne said to the man before sitting down with him. He made sure to throw the drugged Cloud away from him and his customer over to the other man who was busy drinking down his shot.

Shapes were beginning to lose form but their colors still were seen in Cloud's eyes, blending the world in a water color scene. Next he looked over to the man who paid no attention to him whatsoever.

"Hey," Cloud leaned in close to the guy. "You dance?"

"No. I don't dance." The business man answered submissively.

"Wanna drink?"

"I've already got one." Cloud leaned back almost giving up on any ideas of entertaining the man for money. His blue eyes looked over towards what Rayne and the other man was doing before an idea popped in his head. Immediately he leaned in close and whispered something in the man's ear.

The man's once bored and tired eyes soon widen in shock before he nodded 'yes' towards Cloud. The blonde youth got up first and took the man's hand, leading him out of the VIP room.

On the other side of town Reno and Vincent propped their chins on their wrists while watching wearily at the stripper who twirled around the pole.

"Do you have any idea where he might be?" Vincent asked slowly as his eyes stared at the blonde.

"Nope." Reno answered doing nothing more but the same. "You?"

Vincent didn't make an answer but sighed, lifting up his shoulders. "Nooo." They both took another slug of their vodka shots without their eyes taking off the show.

Ohhh! Cloud has crossed into the dark side and Reno and Vincent are tired for looking for him. Will they find Cloud in time to save the lost angel or will Cloud lose himself in his drugged up world? REVIEW PLEASE!