Blood: 18

Anguish and torture

Raining again. All it ever seemed to do in Nibelheim was rain. Vincent bolted down the steps, his jacket over his head on course for the inn. After last night's storm the mansion phone line was down. All messages had to be relayed through the innkeeper, which meant being told headquarters had called and that you had to call back. Not the most efficient system, but it was faster than relaying messages by letter.

Speaking of letters, he had received one that morning. Just about to open it he was told that an urgent call had come through from Midgar general hospital. So that letter sat unopened in his breast pocket as he rushed to find out what was so urgent back home.

His jacket soaked through, he open the inn door and darted inside. The innkeeper nodded to him, reaching under the desk and picking up the telephone. "They left contact information." He murmured, taking a piece of paper from his waistcoat pocket and handing it to Vincent. "Didn't sound in very good shape."

This did not bode well. The only person Midgar general would contact him over was Marlon, seeing as he was down as emergency contact on his donor card. Why anyone would want Marlon's tar covered organs was beyond him, the thought that something had happened to his friend refusing to leave him as he dialed the number and hung on the receiver.

A woman answered, "Midgar general hospital, Shinra ward."

"Hello? This is Vincent Valentine. I believe you left a message for me about five minutes ago."

"Nobody's phoned out this morning. Except for – Oh. Him." She sighed, a strange sound coming from her end, possibly fingers drummed on a table? "Wait a minute. I'll get him."

Vincent had to admit, he was more than a little confused. If Marlon was in trouble, then surely the nurses caring for him should be a little more... caring?

"Yello?"

Vincent knew that voice, and it damn well wasn't Marlon. "Trey? What are you doing in hospital?"

"Vinny! Well, there's a funny story about that, but I'll skip to the end and avoid taking up your... precious time. I need Lilly's insurance documents."

Vincent felt his face flush red. "What?"

"I told you skipping to the end would save time. Now, where can I get them?"

"Trey."

"All right. All right. She needs some minor repairs."

"Why?"

"Nothing big, just a fender bender."

Nothing was ever small with Trey. "What needs repairs?"

"Just the brakes. And the front mudguard. Oh, and the forks."

"What! Forks never need minor repairs! Anything to do with them is-"

"Talking big bucks. Okay, maybe I exaggerated the minor part a little."

This was ridiculous. Vincent rested his forehead in one hand, tightening his grip on the receiver with the other, "What happened? Really?"

"I rode her headlong into a brick wall."

"I see." His temper was boiling over. He struggled to keep it under control, avoid exploding down the phone at Trey in front of the innkeeper. What would that say about the Turks? "Trey, when I entered into the agreement I thought it was to enjoy Lilly for what she is. Where in the contract does it stipulate that she can climb walls?"

"It wasn't-"

"Contact Marlon for the insurance details." He took a breath, calming himself somewhat. "Now, what have you done to yourself?"

"Well, I broke my arm and twisted my leg further than it's 'sposed to go, but I'm okay. They put me on a spinal board, but that's 'cos I didn't want to go to hospital. They had to restrain me."

"All right."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just Lilly that's in bad shape. When I sat up I looked at her and thought 'shit. Vinny's going to kill me', I mean, she was laying there in a twisted heap. They had to put her on a junkyard truck to get her out of there. I tell you, man, she's totaled."

"What?"

"Not beyond repair of course, just mostly in need of repair. Anyway, I got to go. Nice talking to you, and I'll get better soon as. Byee!" With that, Trey hung up.

Vincent stared at the receiver, astonished. 'That little bastard.' Lilly was in need of full body repairs? That would tear his insurance apart, then shred the shreds. Trey knew it. 'When I get back to Midgar, if he's still alive, I'll kill him myself.' He looked at the innkeeper, "Thank you." Then left, forgetting about the deluge outside in favour of wandering next door to the item store.