Sick

Chapter 5

The relaity of it all

Wow, it's only been roughly a week or so sense my last update… that has to be a record for me or something. Ether way I am going to apologize in advance for something,
That, I am afraid to say, there is only one chapter and an epilog left after this.
That's right folks, Sick is almost at its end, it is now in the winding down stages. What is this strange illness? Will Damien or Diamond succeed in taking Ryo out? Will Smyth get caught before the entire youth population is wiped out?Uhh I still haven't decided and I only have one and a half chapters left to go!
(I don't plan ahead, I just write as it comes)


Beep…Beep…Beep… the steady beeping noise drug Ryo from his sleep, in an attempt to turn his alarm clock off he swung his arm, only to have it not move at all. He tried to open his eyes, but was greeted by a light so bright, that he closed them again, Am … am I dead? … Did I really die this time, wait I am not the one that died … "Bikkey?"

"Yeah Ryo? … HOLY SHIT! GUYS RYO'S AWAKE!"

There was a small stampeding noise as a door flung open and slammed against the wall, although he couldn't see, he could tell by voices who was here, groaning because of the sudden noise level had dramatically increased he turned his head to the side,

"Dude, you're like awake!"

"S'about time man, were all worried sick about cha"

"Some more literal then others, ay Dee?"

"Shut up Ted," Ryo gave a low chuckle from where he was laying, any doubts he normally would have had about being awake were gone, he knew that he was where he was supposed to be, and that he wasn't going to suddenly wake up anymore. Bikkey was there, Dee was there, and by the sounds so was Ted, Drake, Berkeley, JJ, Carol and the Chief. Sighing in contentment, Ryo tried to once again open his eyes, this time he was prepared for the bright light, and come to realize that it wasn't at all that bright, when eight people where hovering over your bed.

HE was in the hospital, the beeping noises that had awoken him where various machines, there was a heart monitor, a bran wave monitor, a ventilator, a blood transfusion sac, as well as an IV sac, and many other different things that Ryo had no two clues what they were, but he obviously needed them. But the coursing numbness throughout his body would also explain on why he couldn't move his limbs, however the numbness was gone when Dr. Walker came in and unhooked everything, except for the IV, the heart monitor, as well as the brain wave monitor and a clear mystery liquid.

"Say, what exactly happened to me?"

"Well Ryo for starters when I had went back to check up on you the day after I found you on the living room floor so I had an ambulance bring you here, you've been out for ten days. As far as cause and effect" Dr. Walker started, as the room fell silent, so that the other occupants could also find out what had happened, "after I had returned to my office, I had the lab boys look through your blood sample that I had taken. The results had come back clean, but something felt off, call it a doctors intuition if you will, but something wasn't right with the results. So I had them put the blood through the centrifuge and after it had settled, it had been spilt into multiple different substances, besides the blood there was also trace amounts of, parathion, and diisopropyl fluorophosphates, which are all Quasi-irreversible inhibitors'"

"Uh doc … could you ether dumb down your explanation, or at least explain these things to us with more depth so that it's understandable."

"Of course Dee, Parathion, or diethyl parathion, is a very potent insecticide and acaricide. In its purest form, it consists of white crystals; however more commonly distributed forms take the form of a brown liquid which smells of rotting eggs or garlic. The insecticide is more or less stable, though it darkens when exposed to sunlight. It is generally applied by spraying, and often used on cotton, rice and fruit trees. Usual concentrations of the ready-to-use solutions are 0.05 to 0.1. The chemical is banned for use on many food crops. As per 2005 at least 18 countries have already forbidden its use in general due to its high toxicity (LD50 in men 5 to 10mg/kg) and pollutant properties. Additionally, Parathion is an experimental mutagen, teratogen, and carcinogen. It is very harmful to bees, fish, birds, and other forms of wildlife. Parathion can be replaced by many safer and less toxic alternatives (less toxic organophosphates, carbamates, or synthetic pyrethroids).
Parathion is a cholinesterase inhibitor. It generally disrupts neural function by inhibiting the essential enzyme acetylcholinesterase. It is absorbed via skin, mucous membranes, and orally. Absorbed Parathion is rapidly metabolized to Paraoxon in which the sulfur atom is replaced by oxygen. Paraoxon exposure can result in headaches, convulsions, poor vision, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, unconsciousness, tremor, dyspnea and finally lung-edema as well as respiratory arrest. Symptoms of poisoning are known to last for extended periods of time, sometimes months. The most common and very specific antidote is atropine in doses of up to 100mg daily. Because Atropine may also be toxic, it is now recommended to use small doses which are frequently repeated. If human poisoning is detected early and the treatment is prompt (antidote and artificial respiration), fatalities are infrequent. Insufficient respiration may lead to cerebral hypoxia and permanent brain damage. Additionally, peripheral neuropathy including paralysis is noticed as late sequelae after recovery from acute intoxication. Parathion has been extensively used for committing suicide and deliberately killing other persons. For the latter reason most formulations contain a blue dye providing warning."

Dee slowly nodded his head, as did the others in the room, saying that they got the just of it, but in reality they no idea, what he was going on about, luckily –or unluckily- Ryo knew what Dr. Walker was going on about, so after he had stopped to allow everyone else to soak in the information when it was obvious that JJ caught on,

"So, what you're saying is that someone is trying to deliberately kill Ryo, by poisoning him with this ... parathion stuff?"

"It seems that way; also the other thing I found in his blood, diisopropyl fluorophosphates, to be put simple, Diisopropyl fluorophosphate is a very potent neurotoxin. Its LD50 for rats is 1.3 mg/kg. It combines with the amino acid serine at the active site of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. The enzyme deactivates the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Neurotransmitters are needed to continue the passage of nerve impulses from one neuron to another across the synapse. Once the impulse has been transmitted, acetylcholinesterase functions to deactivate the acetylcholine almost immediately by breaking it down. If the enzyme is inhibited, acetylcholine accumulates and nerve impulses cannot be stopped, causing prolonged muscle contraction. Paralysis occurs and death may result since the respiratory muscles are affected. Although you've been on the atropine for a good solid ten days, you should be able to leave the hospital and resume light work, like paper work, tomorrow. However if you experience any of the symptoms you must return immediately" (A/N: did I mention I want to be a doctor?)

The room fell silent as the even more, 'simpler put' information drained and soaked into their brains, amidst all the confusion one thing was certain, the rash, the nausea, the head aches, the muscle spasms, weren't from some simple allergic reaction, or a mild case of foods poisoning. Someone was really trying to kill Ryo and as far as the room was concerned, they had him half way; he was in the hospital, attached to a ventilator a heart monitor a brain wave scanner IV and what has recently been introduced as an atropine dripper.

Under the emergency of it all, it was well aware that he might not have as long as he'd hope. But if his immune system was still –even slightly- intact then he might just make it, after all he'd been beating the rash for a good week before this fiasco. And even though he wasn't going anywhere just yet, he had to ask,

"What's the date today?"

"Tuesday, April 22, 06 ... why?"

"Well, when I was in a … unconscious state I guess, a date and a place kept showing up, almost everywhere…"

"What date?"

"Wednesday, April 23, 2006 … at Indigo Knights"

"Hey … Indigo knights, isn't that the new club that opened last week?"

"Yeah, it's on the not-so-nice side of the city."

"I think it might have something to do with the Smyth case."

They all laughed, for the seriousness in Ryo's tone was, to them, a little bit funny, but they none the less agreed to go and check it out tomorrow night, to see if anything weird was going to happen, but they still couldn't help the feeling that nothing was going to happen.

o0o

"Say Dee, why do you think someone might be… is trying to, kill Ryo?"

"I have no clue, Drake. All I do know is that who ever it is, when I find him I am going to empty an automatic on him"

"And wined up in the slammer your self?"

"Meh, it would be worth it in the long run, sort of."

The pair drove into the parking lot of the club, it was still early, only 9:45p.m. but there were already a vast number of cars, and at the doors, it was obvious that it was already jam-packed as people where already being refused at the door. This was guarded by a very bulky, muscular, tall, bald, but still good looking, black man.

"Bet you five bucks his names Bubba"

"Dee you're an idiot, Bubba is ssooo over used, I am guessing Bruce"

The two of them chuckled to them selves at the idiocy of the bet they had just placed, although they found it amusing, here they were at the new club, early as far as they are concerned going on the information found through Ryo's fever dream, and they had to wait for the line up of fifty odd people to dwindle down, although it was growing increasingly smaller, as more and more people where refused entry.

"Hey man, do you even think that we'll be able to get in the place? I mean, we've been standing here for a half hour, and not a single person has been let in."

"Dude, it's all about presence, some-most- of the people here don't fit the profile that this place sends off. Don't worry, in out outfits, their bound to let us in for sure."

"I hope you're right Dee … I hate these pants."

"Meh, it's new on ya that's telling the truth."

"I am not a leather person, and people are giving me weird looks … man, I really don't like this."

Dee sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as Drake kept going on and on about how much he hated his outfit, although he had chosen the leather pants over the jeans, Dee didn't really see that Drake had any rights to be complaining. If anyone was, it should have been Dee, for getting stuck going to a club-or anywhere out in public- with Drake, as of an embarrassing moment that had taken place only months prior.

As the line dwindled more and more, both males got more and more nervous about whether or not they would be able to get in the club at all. They where only about five people before the door, when the bouncer looked at them,

"You two, can go in"

"Us," Drake said pointing to both him self and Dee, while looking around to make sure, "we can go in?"

"Did I not just say that punk, don't make me repeat myself, or the two of you can drag your skinny white asses' home and sulk on store bought beer listening to your Brittany Spears CD collection."

A collection of 'oohs' and 'ouch' could be heard from the surrounding people as Dee glared at the bouncer, while grabbing Drake by the forearm and pulling him into the club, whilst Drake, who was being pulled at an odd angle caught a glimpse of the bouncers name tag,

"Dee, "he said reaching into his jacket to pull out his wallet and a five dollar bill, "you win the bet, his names Bubba, said so on his tag."

Dee took the bill and stuffed it in his pocket, "and you said Bubba was over used." Drake just stuck his tongue out in a childish manner as he put his wallet back in his jacket pocket.

The two of them walked father into the club, and where surprised with what they saw, for being in the wrong side of town, it was surprisingly vibrant and bouncy. Decorated with majestic twenty-two foot ceilings painted from various shades of bright greens, yellows and purples, crown molding in which colors ranged from deep red to hot pink, at the far wall was a full bar that reached from end to end, straight across from the bar, and technically in the dead center of the room was a dance floor that had an attached stage on which a live band was playing, in each corner of the dance floor were four purple covered pool tables, as for lighting, neon lights shone everywhere, giving the place an amazing neon glow.

"This place is bitchin'"

"Took the words right out of my mouth,"

Dee and Drake made their way through the sea of people, drunk, stoned, high, and everything in between, in order to reach the bar, taking their seats on the only two vacant stools, ordered their drinks,

"Dee, I don't really see anything out of the norm, for a new hit bar."

"I do Drake, look over there," Dee pointed across the room and his partner followed his finger, walking through the mass of bodies towards one of the many near-invincible doors, was an acquaintance from work, his white suit glowed like a prism as he moved while his normally wild long red hair was pulled into a more or less professional ponytail.

"Is that…"

"Damien, yeah it is. C'mon lets follow him,"

Drake nodded as he got up and followed Dee, towards the same door that Damien had just walked into. Upon entering the room they where meet with a some what formal room, other wise known as, the Martini Room.

It was well, formal, the room was painted various dark shades of blues and purples, at one end was another full bar, although not as large as the one in the previous room however there were four slightly smaller pool tables with a black covering, there were dark blue velvet and rich purple silk couches and chairs, as well as leather reclining chairs, the lighting was set up by low hanging, crystal blown lamps, that gave off a dull glow to give the room a more…feeling. The music wasn't thumping like in the previous room, yet it was loud enough that one could have a private conversation without worrying over if someone else could listen in or not. And that's just Damien was doing, the pair noticed him sitting on a chaise lounge couch talking with a blonde man that was back to them, and a fat bald man with a receding hair line.

"I wonder what they could be going on about."

"I don't know, but let's play save, how about a round of pool?"

"Sounds like a good plan, play and watch them,"

Dee set up the pool table while Drake went over to the bar and bought them both a drink, surprise, surprise, the only thing that they sold at this bar was martinis. When he got up to the bar, Damien was also up at the bar, ordering three drinks,

"Say handsome, don't I know you?"

Drake looked over at Damien with a raised eyebrow, he was probably the only one that could tolerate the kid, but he wasn't about to allow him find out it was him,

"I don't know, maybe"

"Nah it's just you look like this cutie that I work with, but nah it couldn't be, he'd never be caught anywhere in leather, its just not him. Although might I had, you on the other hand look mighty fine in those pants."

"I'll keep that in mind" Drake took the drinks from the bartender and made his way back to the pool table, a little shocked and scared at what had just taken place,

"Dee … I never want to have to work another case with that guy"

"Why, did he say something to you?"

"Yeah, thought he knew me, luckily enough he was to drunk to actually realize who I am, but … he hit on me"

Dee started laughing and slapped Drake on the back, but other then that he said nothing, and the two played pool.

Three hours of pool, and ten martinis later, Dee noticed some movement from the 'conspiracies table' –as they had come to name it- Damien and his two companions rose from the table and made their way out through the front door. Waiting a few seconds, the duo also made their way out and back into the loud main room of the bar and caught their mice swimming across the dance floor towards the door.

"Their leaving huh, guess this means their done right?"

"I wouldn't say that, lets follow them some more"

"After you, Dee"

Walking out of the club, they got in their car and waited, and waited, as Damien's' friends-as the seemed to be- got in the car and they drove off, waiting a little longer, Dee drove after them. They followed the black BMW down the main streets of New York City, it was well passed curfew so all the hookers and drug dealers could be seen poking out of the alleyways.

They slowed down as the car turned a corner and into the back parking lot of what seemed like an old abandoned wear house, although being the brilliant cops that they are, realized that that wasn't the case. Upon closer inspection, it had a sign, which was turned off above the door, Cat's Candy.

"Does this place ring any bells there Drake?"

"Uh, Cat's Candy … oh its that new candy shop-"

"No Drake I never would have guessed"

"Dee let me finish man. I've heard about a few complaints from here, apparently it was shot up in a drive by a few nights ago. They sell candy by day and drugs and other narcotics on the side 24/7."

"Man, and they're almost on the main street of things too, those bastereds sure have one hell of a horse shoe shoved up their fat asses, not to have been caught yet."

"Well no one made any hard, solid conclusions on whether or not they really do sell other by-products."

"Well I guess where just going to have to go back to the station and check them up. And keep an eye out on Damien for awhile, I have a feeling that he's the little rat that's going to lead us to the big cheese."

And there you go, Chapter Five, good as gold … okay maybe not that good, but I have to say, this is (so far) the longest chapter that I have written for this story. I must add also that chapter six – the finally – is going to be (not super) long as well, as it is well the last chapter. I know you guys are wondering how exactly I am going to pull it off. Although I want to know by a raise of hands … uh … well … votes anyway, so I can decide. Who wants Damien to die? Or should he live?

Let me know so I can get to work on finishing chapter six (also will help with the epilog)