Fasho.
Oh, and I'd like to thank Ted (Tears of Eternal Darkness… But I like Ted better. Nicknames, FTW!) for all the cookies. I'm jealous of your cookie jars. Oh, and the 'f-word' is in this chapter again. I feel I should warn you younger, more sheltered readers.
This chapter is named after the song See The World by Gomez. Because – you guessed it – it goes with this chapter. Or, I wrote too it, so it probably should. My writing tends to match the music I'm listening too. Either way, listen to it. It's a great song.
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"Why did I crash?"
"What?"
"Why did I crash?"
"Oh. Well, you're heart rate sped up and then slowed. It stopped for a moment, even, so you were clinically dead for a moment-"
"No, no, I don't care about that. I mean, why did I crash? People who have appendicitis get fevers and you can still operate on them. Why did I crash?"
"Oh, right. You had lost a lot of blood, and that alone raised your heart rate above normal. The fever made the crash more likely, because you're temperatures were irregular, and the shock of the surgeon removing old stitches from your leg rose your heart rate to the point where you crashed."
Kevin narrowed his eyes. "That sounds like a cover-up. Are you hiding something?"
Doctor Murphy smiled. "What makes you think that?"
"Because that just doesn't sound reasonable to me. I bet you were testing some foreign medicine on me and that's why I crashed. And now I'm going to start developing a bunch of bad-ass super powers."
The doctor laughed. "You know what? You're right. It's only a matter of time before you find you're able to shoot webs from your wrists."
Kevin wrinkled his nose, smiling despite himself. "Oh, you totally just ruined that. Spiderman sucks."
"What?" Murphy asked, offense ringing in her voice. "What's wrong with Spiderman?"
"Peter Parker is a spineless loser, that's what. Now, take Batman for example. That guy has it all; money, dark façade, kick-ass weapons, girls, a sidekick, a butler… he's basically the pimp of superheros."
"But he doesn't have powers. So he's not a super hero."
"Well I have it on good authority that the definition of the words 'super' and 'hero' don't say anything about special powers. He's just-" Kevin paused to cough, "compensating."
"Now that I can agree with you on. Here, drink. You're fever will go away if you're properly hydrated." Murphy held up a plastic cup from the cafeteria, a straw sticking through the plastic cap. Kevin took it carefully, making sure not to bend his arms too much, and sipped.
"… Cranberry juice? Why drinks cranberry juice to rehydrate?" He mumbled, looking at the liquid inside the cup. The doctor leaned back.
"I do, there's nothing wrong with that."
"It's sour."
"So is the language you use."
"Hey!" Kevin coughed, taking another sip. "I'm an innocent little kid, a victim of circumstance! You should feel sorry for me, I'm in a state of shock!"
Sarcasm was evident in his words. The doctor shook her head. "No, you're a snarky teenage boy who doesn't get enough attention from his friends and peers. Now drink."
As Kevin was opening his mouth to respond, however, a knock came on the door. Only a moment after did it open, a large bald man pushing the handle and leaning aside. Passed him entered Mariah, much to Kevin's relief and joy. She nodded at the man and thanked him for the escort, getting a nod in return, before the door swung shut. Mariah nodded at the doctor before bounding forward and hugging Kevin carefully, closing her eyes tightly.
"Are you okay? I heard what happened during the operation, oh my God, Kevin, you died!" She breathed, still disbelieving. Kevin just smiled and nodded.
"Keep drinking." Murphy said with a smile, turning and moving to the other side of the room to give the two a little privacy. Kevin took another sip, immediately turning his head away and coughing. Mariah frowned.
"Kev… how did you get the fever anyway?"
The younger stiffened at the question, not sure how to answer. He had to think a moment to remember how he had gotten sick, the event having being lost in his mind during all the excitement. As it returned to him, his face darkened.
"They um… when they took me away from the main group, they brought me to this suite where the rest of them were waiting, and they threw me into the shower of the master bathroom."
Mariah raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't just turn it off?"
"… No, they broke the handle off and blocked the door out of the shower. And then the one guy flushed the toilet when I cried for them to let me out. It's a wonder that that water could get any colder then it was, but it did…"
Mariah was frowning, worry evident on her face. Sighing, she took Kevin's hand in hers and looked him square in the eye.
"They'll find Dickenson, Kevin. They'll find all of his men and they'll pay."
"Yeah?" Kevin asked, resting his head back on the pillow of the up-right hospital bed. "Who? The FBI? CIA? They'll take forever doing it, and there'll be a shit load of papers to file. Dickenson will be gone for good by the time they get lead."
Mariah exhaled. "Kevin, you need to have faith. Despite stereotypes, the American government gets things done, and when it calls for it, they can get things done well."
Murphy turned in the swiveling chair she was sitting in and interjected. "Actually, I agree with him. Don't put too much faith in the FBI, protocols are they're forte."
"Thank you." Kevin said, nodding at the doctor. Mariah rolled her eyes.
"Don't encourage him. Kevin, don't worry about it. Just rest and get better, okay?" She said, brushing the hair from his tired face. He shook it right back into place.
"I can't help it, Mariah! What if he comes back, or sends someone else to come back? What if someone gets hurt, or… what if he manages to get me again?" Kevin said, finishing the sentence in a hushed voice. Mariah leaned back, suddenly realizing his point of view, and shushed him soothingly.
"Oh no, don't worry about it Kev." Mariah breathed, motherly nature revealing itself. "Don't worry, there's no way that's going to happen. I promise, the next time you see Stanley Dickenson, it'll be in court when he's being sentenced to life."
"Or lethal injection, if he's really killed that many people." Kevin mumbled, leaning into Mariah and closing his eyes. She wrapped his arms around him gingerly, kissing the top of his head, before opening her eyes.
"I know you're trying to fall asleep, Kevin." She spoke into his ruffled hair. He frowned, opening his eyes. Leaning away, he glared up at her.
"Some best friend." He mumbled, yawning immediately after he spoke. Murphy smiled, standing. Moving across the room back to the bed, she scanned the data on the television screen connected to the heart monitor beside Kevin and smiled.
"Don't worry, you're fever is practically gone. We can operate now." She said, smiling at the patient encouragingly. Kevin smiled, exhaling in relief, and fell back onto the pillow behind him. Mariah smiled warmly as well, placing her hand across Kevin's one more time before stepping away.
"See you when you wake up, Kev." She said softly. A few nurses entered the room after Doctor Murphy alerted them on a walkie-talkie-like cell phone.
"See you Mar." Kevin breathed, closing his eyes.
-x-x-x-
"… I want the magnum."
"Stiff shit, it's mine."
Tala narrowed his eyes. "You always get it."
"Because it's mine."
"No it's not; we bought it with money from the vacation fund. Our vacation fund. So it's both of ours."
"Oh shove it, Tal."
"Not until you give me the magnum."
Kai pulled the slide back, checking the bullet cartridge. "Tala, do guns kill people?"
"… Yes." Tala replied, sighing. He knew where this was going.
"Does this gun make a person more dead then another one?"
"No." Tala spat. He had heard this reasoning from Bryan a hundred times, and was irritated with Kai for relaying it yet again. "But I want the magnum."
"Well you're not getting it." Kai said, tucking the weapon into his bag and reaching back, placing it in the small rear-seat area of his car, turning back around to start the engine. Tala sighed and shook his head, scowling out the window.
"Prick."
"Baby."
"Excuse me; Immature prick."
Kai smiled and shook his head, snorting. Revving the engine, he pushed the gas pedal with his foot and the car began to roll forward, gaining speed as it went. Pulling out of the hospital parking lot after a few moments of navigating through the cars, Kai tightened his grip on the steering wheel and sped up.
"So, do you even know where we're going?" Tala asked dryly.
"Yeah." Kai replied slowly. "We're going to go pull that favor."
"What favor?"
"You know. The one he owes us."
Tala's face fell. "Oh shit. Stop the car and let me out, now."
Kai laughed at how serious his friend was. "Nonsense. You're coming, I'm not going to see him alone."
"Oh, fuck, Kai. You-… I'll end you for this."
"Oh ease up."
"I'm serious. Sleep with an eye open."
"Already do." Kai said, smiling. Tala set his jaw and glared at the other, not noticing as Kai swerved onto the interstate and accelerated the car. "Besides, he likes you."
Tala said nothing for a moment, opening and clenching his fists like a tropical flower at dawn and dusk. After a pause, he shook his head and exhaled thickly. "You'd better have a plan, Kai. We'd better be going to him because we need to, or so God help you…"
Kai laughed. "Don't worry so much, you'll go gray young. I've got it worked out… roughly."
"Oh. Great." Tala spat, rejecting the urge to smack the driver. Things were about to get very hairy for the both of them.
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xChewy; Wow, it's almost two in the morning and I've managed to write this without being caffeinated. That's a personal first for me.
Kevin; Crap. The way you ended that scene with me and Mar, it makes me worry that I'm going to die.
xChewy; Um. Props for unplanned suspense?
Tala; No seriously, why does he get a magnum?
Kai; Oh, just drop it.
Tala; Absolutely not, it's bullshit. I want a magnum.
xChewy; We'll talk about it.
Murphy; I get the feeling I'm based off of someone you know.
xChewy; Why?
Murphy; Because I act just like you.
xChewy; … But you don't like Batman. I love Batman.
Murphy; I knew it! I'm based off of you, aren't I?
Kevin; What? I have to put up with you in the story too?
xChewy; Heyheyhey, give me a break! Is it so bad that I wanted a cameo in my own story? Sheesh!
Murphy; … I still feel like a throw-together character.
xChewy; Get over it, I'm an amazing person.
Kevin; Ppft.
xChewy; -rewrites Kevin in bunny PJs-
Kevin; TT I take it back!
xChewy; … Naw, you're cute that way. –tugs on bunny ear- ... This is a really long comment-chat thing. I think I'll shorten it next chapter to... Um... Like, one comment. From a totaly random character.