Chapter 4: Die For Metal

In retrospect, Jo thought it was obvious that given the situation, this was exactly what would happen. Give him a corridor layout, and the knowledge that she was somewhere in there, and Ian would treat it like an Agent mission, completely ignoring his own condition.

By now Russ had returned with the doctor.

At least that much Jo could tell, that Ian had not managed to kill himself with this stunt, but had ended up passed out in her lap. And now she fought the urge to be irresponsible in turn, and not give him back to them.

She thought she was feeling better now. But to her credit, some of her paranoia had been right.

The scan had indeed revealed something out of the ordinary, and this had thrown off the diagnosis initially. Minor residue of an unknown material, but it wasn't likely a cause for actual concern. The neurologist had been a bit out of his depth. No wonder, they would have needed an Above Top Secret-cleared physician.

The general practitioner who had seen Jo initially had a little trouble speaking. Probably she was finding the scene just a bit too funny.

"Very well. The second blood test came through. We have ruled out practically everything else. This appears to be a case of acute food poisoning. Let me verify, that on the night before, you had been drinking heavily?"

Jo thought she was going just a bit red in the face.

"Yes. Absinthe. With burned sugar cubes," she tried to reply as matter-of-factly as possible.

"Combined with lack of rest and dehydration, it would make the symptoms worse."

It had began late in the evening, so –

Suddenly Jo knew it with quite perfect clarity. It had to have been the steak house in Rocks Falls. It appeared they had been trying to accomplish the goal of "everyone dies" with food instead, if the falling rocks and rapids failed to do that. Probably not out of malice, just bad hygiene.

"Do you think … it's the same with him?" Jo asked.

"His sample is still processing. But if he drank just as heavily, and ate the same food, that seems more than likely. And now ... we would need him back."

Jo thought that given the new information, she could comply - gladly. Entirely without incident.

…

The sun had been up for an hour now.

Erik knew his lack of sleep was such that he was a danger to himself and all others on the road. But the town and its hospital were close now.

Suddenly his phone beeped. He knew it was the beep of an arrived message.

And it happened like a reflex. His foot went on the brake pedal, applying just a bit too overzealous pressure.

The wheels locked and in just the space of a few seconds, the truck came to a halt in the middle of the lane. Kim was jolted rather rudely against the seat belt.

Erik got the phone in his hand and read the message.

Getting discharged now. Sorry to keep you worried. -I

Kim looked at Erik with clear displeasure on her face.

…

As he and Jo exited the hospital and walked toward Russ's pickup, Ian tried to analyze their mode of transport. It was sort of like Sleep Cute, but upright. Without Jo to support him, he would likely have fallen on his ass. And vice versa. Ian thought it fit perfectly.

The sunlight also hurt, but in a good way. He knew he was being over-dramatic, but still it felt like getting his life back. Again. And getting Jo back as well.

As the poisoning was bacterial, they were to eat antibiotics to make sure to finish it off properly. And the restaurant would be sure to get a visit from the three-letter authorities. The FDA, was it? That too sounded like guys with black coats, sunglasses and guns, though they certainly weren't.

"I guess I went a bit far," Ian said.

Jo just shook her head.

"You didn't manage to kill yourself. And the doctors got to see a bit of … just how Agents do things."

"Right."

…

Before heading to Antisound Studio, Erik and Kim were doing some random sightseeing in the town.

Alone for a moment, Erik's phone beeped for a second time.

He checked that it was a video message from Ian, and pressed Play. The image was almost completely out of focus, but judging from the vague shapes it had to be the studio.

Almost certainly, it was something recorded and sent by accident.

Erik strained his ears to hear. He recognized a slow doomy riff playing. Then there was a voice, which had to be Jo.

"Let me guess. This whole song is about the food incident. The epic despair, which sinks deeper and deeper. Until finally there's a sort of catharsis."

Ian's voice answered.

"Yeah. There could be some harmony riff, which represents the fluff explosion. As much as doom allows."

"And Kim writes her own lyrics and suspects nothing."

"Precisely."

Erik shook his head and almost cursed aloud. Those - he didn't even know what to call their guitarists right now. Only one thing was clear. This evidence needed to be gone. Permanently. Despite everything he had revealed to Kim, and what she had revealed to him, this she didn't ever need to know.