Chapter 13
"This is so good! I can't believe I haven't visited this place since I moved here!" Blaze says as she tucks into her breakfast of pancakes and scrambled eggs. So far, her and Axel have been sitting there for the past hour talking. He figured it would be best to keep the conversation light, discussing the days when the two of them were on the police force together and the experiences they had.
"So are you saying Hunterdad was also working with us back then? No wonder Adam is so weird with me!" Blaze laughs.
"Yeah, he just didn't know how to tell you. It was a long time ago but still, WOPD remembers us as the vigilante trio who first saved the city".
"Wow, I can't believe I was a cop back then! I know from my accent I was born in England but how did I even end up here in this city?" She queries.
"Before you became a cop, your ex brought you to Wood Oak when you got engaged because his family lived here" Axel explains whilst avoiding her eye contact.
"Well since I have no more family around, what's his name? Does he still even live here? Maybe he knows something about the…"
"No, Jake is dead" He interupts whilst staring down at his palms.
"Was he in the car accident with me?" Blaze queries.
"Car accident?" Axel asks, surprised.
"Yeah, after I left the hospital I spent 6 months in an institution because they didn't understand that it was just amnesia that I had. The doctors there assessed me and concluded I must have been in some type of accident."
"I can't tell you, but it's possible," Axel shrugs, feeling guilty for being unable to explain the truth at that moment.
"I'm sorry, I know you already explained we left the police force a couple of years before that. I really appreciate all of the information you've given me, it's been so helpful!" Blaze smiles.
"Any time!" Axel gives her a reassuring smile back. He can't help but stare feeling overwhelmed that this is the same person he fell in love with but for Blaze, none of that exists in her memory right now and it hurts him.
"Hey, why don't I show you some old police photos? It might jog your memory or help you" Axel suggests.
"I'd like that" she happily nods.
"I could show you today if you're free? It's just, the photos are back at my place!" Deep down he really wants to spend the rest of the day with her instead of parting ways again.
"I'm not sure.." Blaze hesitates.
"I understand if it's too much right now. I know you, but you barely know me! Just let me know when you're free I could either pick you up or mail them to you".
"Oh, no it's not that!" She smiles "It's just I gotta pick Charlie up from my apartment before we go. Usually he comes to work with me but yesterday he just wasn't feeling well".
"Oh, I see.."
"He's 5 but he's really well behaved!" Blaze replies as the two of them get up to leave.
"You got a kid then?" Axel queries, feeling surprised and slightly caught off guard.
"Oh! No! Charlie is a Spaniel…" Blaze laughs. "I mean, I could come round to your place but I can't leave him for more than a few hours by himself. But I get it if you say no, for some people dogs aren't their thing."
"Are you kidding?! I grew up and worked with dogs, they're the best. And besides my boy loves them! He actually wants me to get him one for his birthday coming up. I don't mind at all" Axel enthusiastically responds.
It's only a 10 minute walk back to Blaze's apartment block. As the two of them arrive, they notice Brash outside the block dealing. Axel immediately recognises him as Max's supplier but he turns his face away so that the thug doesn't spot him.
"Watch your step, there's a lot of broken glass over there" Blaze warns as they enter the building. The first thing Axel notices are the blood stains and needles scattered about the communal corridor.
Once the pair arrive upstairs, she searches for her door keys inside her bag. The two of them immediately notice a guy in a cream suit staring intensely at them. He is standing with his arms folded outside of the apartment at the end of the hallway.
"Is he bothering you?" Axel asks whilst staring back at him.
"No, it's ok. Nothing I can't handle" Blaze replies before she opens the door.
Once they're inside the apartment, it feels so much cosier, smelling nice and clean in contrast to the corridor outside.
Out of nowhere, Charlie excitedly runs forward jumping and wagging his tail.
"He's a little protective of the place as we don't usually invite people here…" Blaze warns with caution.
"He's just doing his job" Axel replies, crouched down petting Charlie whilst the dog tries to play and lick his face.
"I think he really likes you" Blaze smiles down at them.
"Feelings mutual" he answers back.
"Because of the accident, I sometimes get these seizures that just come out of nowhere. But this little guy has saved my life on quite a few occasions".
"They're smart and can sense so many diseases, changes in body temperature and so much more before we can".
"Yeah, I don't know what I'd do without him!" Blaze smiles. "Hey erm, make yourself at home, I'll be changed and ready in 10 minutes. There's cake and soda in the fridge, just make sure Charlie doesn't get to steal any because he will try!" she smiles before rushing off to the bathroom.
"Thanks".
Axel takes the opportunity to look around the living room. It's fairly simple and cosy with a single couch, TV and coffee table with a small open plan kitchen area at the back. He only finds a couple of photographs scattered about in frames. Some are of Blaze's dance troupe with her, a couple are of her and the dog but there is nothing else. He carefully opens one of the draws under the TV stand. To his surprise, he finds a whole load of newspaper articles about the hospital that exploded and the mystery behind why the doctors and patients attacked and killed each other that day. It's clear that Blaze is searching for answers, but he really doesn't know how or where to start.
#Phone Rings#
"Adam? Sup?" Axel asks.
"Have you given Saturday night any more thought yet? You just disappeared without saying anything!" Adam replies.
"I know, I'm sorry".
"Do you wanna try seeing her again?"
"Actually, I'm at Blaze's apartment now. She lives in the same block as Max's dealer".
"Wow, you don't waste time do you?" Adam sighs.
"No, it's not like that. I've just been talking to her about some of her past. She's been searching for answers but I haven't told her everything yet".
"And when do you plan on telling Leon his mother is alive?" Adam queries.
"I'm not sure, I don't want him hurt if Blaze doesn't want a family or doesn't believe us. I just wish she would remember something, anything! I'm trying to find ways of triggering her memory without stressing her out" Axel explains.
"Just give it time."
"That's hard though. I've spent almost the last 9 years believing that she's dead. Now I don't wanna waste a single day again without her in my life… I gotta go".
He quickly hangs up as Blaze appears changed out of her dance clothes and into some less casually fitted jeans and top, boots and leather jacket this time with her hair out.
"You look nice" he calmly says to her.
"Thanks" she grins back before the two of them with the dog on lead exit the front door.
As they reach the stairwell of the block Brash stands in front of them.
"What do you want?" Blaze snarls at him.
"The boss says your rent is going up next week, be sure to pay by Friday" he grins.
"That's bullshit, this is the second time this month! Bronze can't keep doing that!" She angrily shouts back.
"Well there are other ways you could pay the boss if it's too much for you" Brash smirks. Blaze slowly walks towards him after giving Charlie's lead to Axel.
"Other ways huh?"
"Sure thing sweetheart" he grins.
Suddenly Blaze knees him in the groin then punches him around the face, causing Brash to fall to the ground and busting his lip.
"No thanks" she glares down at him feeling pissed off before turning around to walk back towards Axel.
"Nice work" Axel gives her his smile of approval.
"I must have been a great cop then" Blaze cheekily winks.
"How is my baby girl doing?!" Adam excitedly rushes through the concert hall to find Cherry. She is standing up on the lit stage next to her band mates whilst she tunes her guitar.
"Dad, what are you doing here?" Cherry questions Adam whilst trying to avoid any distractions or embarrassments.
"I just came to wish you some luck for your audition!" He smiles
"Hmmm we both know why you're here" She raises her eyebrows.
"Look, do I want you to perform at next week's concert in front of thousands of people? Hell yeah! But as far as that Y-scholarship goes, don't take it, you don't need it!" Adam sighs.
"Dad, you know I'm good enough to be part of Wood Oak's Young Musician's Academy. But without that scholarship we can't afford it. Besides I know at least another 5 students who have been signed up already and trust me, everything is ok. I know you have history with the old syndicate but times have changed now. I need that scholarship and next week's concert means everything. Please don't mess this up for me" she pleads.
Adam nods his head, swallowing his pride. "Ok baby girl, do what you need to do. I won't get in the way".
"Thanks daddy" she puts her arms around him.
"Listen I gotta get back to the office, good luck with tonight's tech run and audition I know you'll kill it!" He smiles.
As he walks towards the exit of the concert hall, Adam notices a few large crates of speakers being carried inside the building then downstairs to a lower level. 'The hall already has a world class sound system, why would they need all of these extra speakers?' He thinks to himself. Out of curiosity, he decides to follow the staff downstairs. Before the secured door shuts, Adam holds onto it's handle at the last minute before the member of staff in front can notice him. He then enters a dark secured area of the building that appears to have a whole basement of at least 50 large speakers stacked up.
He then spots a fire exit door leading outside of the basement to an underground tunnel. Already highly suspicious of what lies ahead, Adam discretely continues forward. He is in complete shock when he notices more of these speakers embedded in the walls of the tunnel which appear to have previously been part of the city's sewage system. He is in even more shock when he stares underneath the metallic platform he is standing on. There is at least a whole stream below full of green poison that is slowly leaking into and contaminating the city's water supply.
Adam uses his phone to take a few pictures of his surroundings before quietly making his exit when he hears more members of staff approaching.
"What do you think of this?" Adam asks Zan and Floyd as they finish looking at evidence he has collected.
"We need to examine exactly what chemicals are in that poison as well as any radio waves coming out of those speakers." Zan observes.
"My guess is those Y-Twins are up to something. Possibly these speakers are bombs or slow contamination." Floyd suggests, folding his metallic arms. "What kind of event is happening there next week?" He quizzes.
"It's a concert for young people. Musicians, bands, even a DJ….. shit….!" A frightening thought suddenly comes to Adam's mind.
"What is it?" Floyd asks.
Adam explains. "9 years ago, Estel and I witnessed something very strange at Wood Oak Hospital right before the explosion. As you know, there were several reports of doctors and patients in some type of trance brutally killing each other. When we got to the hospital, one man we found was covering his ears, begging us to shoot the radio behind him that was playing music. Just hearing it started to mess with our heads. As soon as we shot the radio, the whole room changed….. I dunno, I just got a similar feeling about this."
"Do you think we can get hold of one of those speakers to examine what's inside?" Floyd asks.
"No, but I can show you where those speakers are based underground" Adam replies with determination.