"I have to find him!" Carlos exclaimed, "He saved my life!"
His assistant, Kelly, spoke up. "But... He was a monster."
Carlos turned on her, eyes narrowed, "He wasn't a monster! What sort of monster saves someone's life? And he was... Beautiful..."
The other scientists all shared a look, wondering if they were all talking about the same man.
"Carlos, maybe you should lie down," Alfred, one of Carlos' closest friends on the team, suggested at Carlos' near frantic pacing.
"Not until I find him," Carlos waved away, "He didn't even tell me his name..."
"It's a lost cause," Phillip huffed, "He's probably ran away! He was a freak anyway, you aren't losing much."
"Shut up!" Carlos snapped, "he was beautiful. Those lilac eyes -"
"All three of them," Phillip snorted, "It's not even like you know the guy!"
"I'm going to find him, I'll make an announcement to the whole city; hell, I'll turn it upside-down if I have to!" Carlos cried, puffing out his chest and squaring his shoulders.
"How romantic," Annie cooed, latching onto Ben's arm and nuzzling into their shoulder.
"I suppose..." They pondered.
"You've all gone insane," Phillip stated, "I'm, like, ninety nine percent sure Carlos is going to start singing 'Agony' any second now." Then skulked away to continue his research.
Cecil had managed to drag himself into the bathroom, his legs too mangled to use.
It didn't hurt, creatures like him didn't feel pain, but he couldn't stand or walk.
He curled up in a ball and sobbed from the sheer frustration of it all; he saved Carlos's life, and this was his reward?
Khoshekh whined and tried to stretch down to him, but his hover spot was too high.
"Good Kitty," Cecil breathed, "You're a good boy, Khoshekh."
The door squeaked open, "It's ok, Khoshekh; I just stopped in to use the -Cecil!"
Steve Carlsberg, the only one to ever visit him and the one guy Cecil could not stand. Perfect.
Steve was at his side in seconds, "Cecil, buddy; can you stand?"
Cecil shook his head.
There was an almighty growl, the men's room door burst off it's hinges, and the long, semi-corporeal tentacles of station management shot through.
The Elderich horror ripped Khoshekh out of his place and the cat screeched, the fabric of the universe making a noise akin to Velcro being torn apart.
"Get off him!" Cecil demanded, "Get off my cat!"
He pushed himself forward, latching onto Khoshekh and lashing out with his fists.
He managed to snatch the cat away from Station Management.
"Don't touch him!" Cecil growled, his form relinquishing it's semi-human form to give way to The Voice, channelling the void through his now pure white eyes.
Station Management pulled back with a squeal.
Steve, ignoring the headache just being near the void always gave him, scooped Cecil up in his arms, the radio host still gripping Khoshekh, and ran to Cecil's booth; locking the door behind them.
He got the first aid kit off the wall and helped Cecil to strip to his boxer shorts so he could patch up his legs.
Walking again was looking bleak, but at least he wasn't in pain. Maybe he'd leave sooner than he planned; but life, existence, was so fleeting and boring, who really cared?
"I think you'll need a wheel -"
"No," Cecil interrupted, "I'll just stay in the chair I do my broadcasts in, it'll be fine."
"You can't be serious?" Steve asked incredulously.
"It's not like I go anywhere," Cecil huffed, "I'm trapped Steve; today was my first day out in years! And then I wreck it by saving this... Perfect scientist. I-I want to be free!"
"Well, if you want, I know this guy in Desert Bluffs; he helps folks get what they want. Maybe I could call him for you?" Steve offered.
"Isn't that the witch everyone said was evil?" Cecil inquired, brow furrowed.
"He's changed, Cecil. He can help you be free!" Steve enthused.
Cecil pondered it for a minute, then nodded.
"Great! I'll go call Kevin!" Steve smiled.