Note: I'd like to give a shoutout to username Puppies and Nightlock and his story "Breakdancing and Romancing."
I Knew You Were a Weirdo
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III - Bad to Worse
Meena slept but uneasily on the futon of the room that was so graciously provided by the hospital staff to compensate for her and her friends during their stay.
Ash slept next to her, leaning her head on her as a makeshift pillow.
Clay Calloway used a plush armchair off to the corner but he slept like a log.
Same as Gunter who slept in a most odd position on another futon as though he were frozen in a breakdance position.
Porsha on the other hand was not sleeping.
She was wide awake and watching her latest clip on her phone, gushing quietly like a little schoolgirl.
"So precious," she whispered, with a stupid smile on her face and one paw to her face.
The clip suddenly disappeared to show an incoming call.
Startled, Porsha fumbled with the vibrating phone as though it were hot to the touch.
Steadying her hold on it, Porsha saw that the call came from her estranged father's talent agent, Suki Lane.
Former talent agent anyway.
What is she calling me at this hour for?
Quietly, she stepped out of the room and into the hospital hallway.
And then she answered the call.
"Suki?"
"Porsh, I'm sorry for calling so late but this is very important."
Porsha was bewildered. What could be so important that Suki of all mammals would be calling at nearly 5 in the morning.
"Late? Actually it's early, really early."
"Touché, but just listen, but first, Nooshy, how is she doing?"
"She was fine last I checked. Doctors say she'll make a slow but sure recovery."
The young wolf heard a sigh of relief on the other end of the phone. "Thank goodness. I was worried. I may not have known the girl personally but I know she's a good friend to you all and she's loved and admired by so many people, especially those in the entertainment industry, both as a contributor and on her own merits."
Porsh nodded with a weak smile, the terrible events of the past 12 hours still lingering on her mind and soul like a shadow.
"I just can't believe that this happened, to Nooshy of all mammals. She's never hurt anyone."
"Except that ruffian obviously. I hope it was painful."
"Oooh, that's a bit heavy," Porsha said.
"And you Porsha, are you ok?"
Porsha shrugged. "A little shook up, we're at the hospital right now waiting on Noosh to wake up."
"You're not the only ones," Suki said.
"Whaddya mean?"
"What happened to Ms Wright has created quite the uproar. But I guess you haven't seen the gatherings outside?"
What?
Porsha tiptoed to the nearest window in the hallway.
Looking down, she gasped.
There were multitudes of people standing outside the hospital walls and gates.
People of all ages, of all races and species, bearing candles and signs that said 'Get Well Soon Nooshy,' 'We Love You Nooshy,' 'Prayin For You,' 'Nooshy 4ever,' etc.
And judging by the joined hands, melodic swaying and their mouths moving, it was clear, though Porsha could not hear them, that they were singing hymns in Nooshy's honor.
"Whoa," Porsha said awestruck.
"Whoa is right," Suki said. "And then there's the medical fund on the Go Fund Me site."
"What now?"
"There's a fundraiser going on right now, nearly 20 grand has been raised so far."
Porsha nearly dropped the phone. "Shut up."
"No, I'm serious. You can see for yourself." Then Suki's voice took a deadly serious tone. "But more importantly Porsha, I have a security detail assigned for Nooshy, for all of you."
"Huh?"
"That creep who jumped Nooshy, you know who he was of course."
"Yeah, we saw it on the news, Gus DiMarco, some gang leader's brother, who I hope they put away until the jail rots on top of him."
Suki muttered in confusion. "Jail? Oh, oh dear." She seemed to have realized something.
"What? What is it Suki?"
"You didn't hear?"
"Hear what?"
"Giuseppe DiMarco is dead."
Porsha's eyes widened and she gasped sharply. "What?"
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Meena's uneasy sleep was interrupted by the near-silent click of the door when Porsha left through it.
Yawning, she rubbed her eyes.
Pulling out her phone, Meena saw that it was nearly 5 in the morning.
She looks to her left to see Ash sleeping soundly by her.
Very gently, Meena slipped a pillow under her head and stood up from the futon she was sleeping on.
Pressing a speed dial, she decided that there was one person she really wanted to hear from.
"Meena?"
"Alfonso, babe." Meena's voice was thick with relief.
"Baby, I tried to call you all night!"
Meena was taken aback by the urgency in her boyfriend's voice.
"Al, what's wrong?"
"I'm coming over right now, I'll be at the hospital in 11 minutes."
Meena was starting to get scared. What was Alfonso talking about?
"Al, you're scaring me. What's going on?"
"You're all in danger. A friend from Newark messaged me! DiMarco's coming after your friend right now! That means you're in danger too!"
"No," Meena whispered in shock and disbelief. "That doesn't make any sense. He's in the hospital after what Nooshy did to him, after what he did to her."
"Not that DiMarco, his brother, he's sending his goons after her. You didn't hear, did you?"
"About what?"
"Gus DiMarco, the guy who attacked Nooshy, he died at the hospital upon arrival."
"What?!" Meena almost shouted but then lowered her voice. "Why?! How?!"
"His pacemaker shorted out and he died of heart failure. The doctors think it happened after Nooshy tasered him."
Meena's mind was stricken with alarm and shock. "She was defending herself."
"I know but Sean DiMarco doesn't care. Listen, you gotta get out of there. Get Nooshy and your friends and meet me in the alleyway on the east side of the hospital. I'll pick you up in my van."
"Now?"
"Yes now! My friend, I won't say who, he grew up on the streets of Newark. He knows how DiMarco rolls. He may be coming after Nooshy right now. Hurry! I love you."
"I love you too."
Meena hung up.
"Ash," Meena said, nudging the porcupine. "Ash, wake up!"
"Huh?" Ash groggily stirred from her place on the futon.
Before Meena could wake the others, rapid knocks sounded from the door, causing the elephant to jump in startlement.
Saved her the trouble of waking the others though.
The door opened, and Porsha slipped in almost in a panic.
"You guys! We have to go now!" Meena and Porsha both shouted at the same time.
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Johnny slept on a plush pillow on the floor right by Nooshy's bedside.
He stayed up as long as he could but the need for sleep overtook him.
Nooshy however did not stir. Her induced sleep continued and she showed no sign of waking up anytime soon.
Johnny had not wanted to succumb, he did not want to leave her side. He wanted to be there when she woke up.
But it couldn't be helped.
So Johnny slept, but not peacefully.
He was then awoken by the steady vibrate of his cellphone.
He sat up, sat Indian style (much like Nooshy did) and he pulled his phone out.
"Huh?"
What was he calling him for at this hour?
Johnny answered.
"Dad?"
"Son, where are you? Is Nooshy with you?"
"We're at the hospital. And Nooshy's here with me. Why?"
"I'm coming over right now! Listen, you have to take her and grab your pals and get out while there's still time!"
"What?" Johnny stood up, startled and confused. "Dad, what are you-?"
"No time to explain, listen you have to-!"
"Dad no, I can't just pull Noosh out of the hospital. She hasn't even woken up yet."
"Johnny, if you don't do as I say, your girl will be pulled out in a body bag!"
Johnny's face burned red hot. "She's not my-! Wait, what did you say?!"
Johnny heard his father give an exasperated sigh over the phone. "Alright Johnny, I'll only say this once. Giuseppe DiMarco, the guy who attacked Nooshy. He's dead."
Johnny's mouth dropped open. "What?!"
"He had a faulty pacemaker that shorted out. Wasn't sanctioned by the medical industry. When Nooshy tasered the fool, the pacemaker came apart and tore up his heart. He died upon arrival at the hospital."
Johnny slumped into the chair he was sitting in before.
His mind was numb, his body rigid.
"And now Sean DiMarco is naturally pretty mad and embarrassed that his own personal enforcer was beaten by a girl who's barely half his size and will stop at nothing to avenge his brother. Now grab your friends and get out of there! And keep away from the front doors, they may be there already! I'll call you soon son, be careful. Love ya."
The call ended.
"Love you too," Johnny whispered, futile as it was.
Johnny, almost in a trance, put his phone away.
He locked back at Nooshy, still in her induced sleep.
Ok ok, just very quietly alert the others and get out as fast as possible.
Before Johnny could make any attempt to put any escape to action, the door opened.
Terrified, Johnny instinctively put his hands up in a boxing pose, prepared to get into fisticuffs if necessary.
"Johnny, we have to-!" Ash exclaimed but stopped when she saw Johnny with his hands up, balled into fists.
"Oh, it's just you," Johnny said, putting his fists down.
"Did you get a phone call?"
"Yeah why?" Johnny asked.
"Meena and Porsha both got phone calls. DiMarco-!"
"Is coming after Nooshy 'cause he blames her for his brother being dead, yeah."
Ash's eyes widened in surprise. "Who tipped you off?"
"My dad, he's coming over."
Without wasting any more time, Johnny began detaching any medical tubing that was attached to Nooshy, from the tube in her nose and the pulse monitor.
The eerie sound of a flatline went off.
Ash considered if at least one of those tubings should stay in and be transported with Nooshy, but thought better of it. They were running out of time and they had to get out fast.
"Where are the others?" Johnny asked.
"Making sure the way is clear and if anyone has come into the hospital."
Wrapping Nooshy in one of the blankets she was sleeping, Johnny very gently lifted her in his arms.
She was lighter than he thought.
He looked down at her sleeping face, her head nestled in the crook of his shoulder.
This was perhaps the closest they had ever been physically.
He found himself lost in counting her eyelashes.
"Johnny!"
The young gorilla snapped out of his stupor.
"We have to go now! You can admire her looks later," Ash said, leading the way out.
Johnny gulped nervously but said nothing as he followed Ash out of the room, being extremely careful in how he was handling the beautiful young woman in his arms.
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"This way," Porsha said softly. "We can get out through the fire exit."
"No," Clay said sternly. "That leads to the north end of the hospital. We'd be out in the open and the crowds would give us away."
"We can't circle back," Johnny said, taking great care to keep Nooshy steady. "They may already be in the building."
"Before we proceed any further," Gunter said skeptically in his thick German accent. "How do we know there are people here in hospital that are after us? What if it was, how you say, false alarm?"
"Because my dad has contacts in the city, friends in the prison system and the legal system. He-" Johnny paused when his cellphone vibrated.
"Gunter, can you fish for my phone? My hands are full," he said, motioning to the unconscious lynx in his arms.
Without missing a beat, Gunter pulled Johnny's phone out of his back pocket.
He read the new message out loud. "Watch out. Danger. North fire exit."
Gunter looked up at the sign above the fire exit door, which read North Exit.
"Hey, that's where we are," he said matter-of-factly.
He looked to his friends who all had looks bordering on panic and alarm.
Gunter placed the cellphone back in Johnny's pocket, who was frozen stiff.
"We have to move now," Ash said urgently.
"Right," Johnny said, snapping out of his temporary shock.
With that, the Moon Group took off running.
"Where do we go?!" Porsha exclaimed. "How do we get out?!"
"Maybe we should hide. There's a storage closet over there," Meena said pointing.
"No," Clay almost snapped. "We run the risk of cornering ourselves. We need to get out fast."
"Johnny, listen," Ash said intensely. "Whatever happens, do not, do not do anything too strenuous. You'll risk aggravating Nooshy's injuries."
Johnny nodded firmly. "Got it. Nothing strenuous. Got it."
"Stop," Porsha said, holding her arms out to slow her friends down.
The young wolf's ears twitched. "Someone is coming."
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"I know I heard somethin,'" a ox in a blue track suit said.
"Well whatever, go check it out. It might be them," a wolf in a dark gray suit said.
"So what's the plan again?"
The wolf smacked the ox in the jaw. "You idiot! Sean was very clear. Kill the girl and anyone else who gets in our way. But quietly."
"Why'd we bother to bring guns then?"
The wolf groaned in frustration. "As a last resort, you know what he'll do to us if we let them get away."
"Yeah I know."
They turned the corner of the hallway but saw nothing.
"I could've sworn I heard-"
"Hey look!" the wolf shouted pointing.
There was a hunched figure on what appeared to be a walker. He had just turned the next corner out of view.
"Hey stop!" the wolf commanded, pulling out his gun, a .357 revolver.
"You said no guns Charlie," said the ox indignantly.
"Don't name me moron, now c'mon!"
The two thugs ran the figure down, an old man presumably, a patient perhaps.
As they turned the corner, they saw the old man, sitting in a waiting chair, just outside his room no doubt.
His face could not be seen for his head was bowed. What could be seen was the newsman hat and sunglasses.
"Stand up old man!" Charlie snapped.
There was no reply.
"Hey! Did you hear me?!" Charlie reached for the old man. "I said-!"
The old man, faster than should be possible for an elder, grabbed Charlie by the wrist, twisted it and pulled the wolf towards him.
The old man stood up and drove his elbow into the face of Charlie.
The wolf's nose collapsed and several teeth went flying.
The wolf was out before the old man let go of his wrist.
The ox yelped in surprise.
The attack happened so fast that he didn't have time to react.
He wouldn't have to react to what happens next either.
Before the ox thug could reach for his weapon, the old man already had his massive hands around his throat and then kneed him hard in the groin.
The ox wheezed in pain, doubled over and was taken down when the old man delivered a downward elbow to his back.
And he too was out before he hit the ground.
The old man stood up straight and he was no longer hunched.
He removed his hat and sunglasses.
"You kids can come out now," Clay Calloway said, discarding his disguise.
The door to a storage closet opened and out came, very quietly, Ash, Porsha, Gunter, Meena, followed by Johnny who was still carrying Nooshy who hadn't stirred one bit.
All but Ash stared in awe at the old lion.
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Meena asked, wide-eyed.
Ash gave the elephant a knowing smile. "He was in the Royal Marines."
Calloway smiled. "Sergeant Major."
"Nice," Johnny said, sounding impressed.
"And before you say anything," Calloway said, almost ruefully. "I may not be as young as I used to be, I still got some fire left in me."
"We weren't thinking you were old or anything," Ash said, holding her hands up.
"I was," Porsha said, without a care of her choice of words.
Ash whirled on the spoiled rich girl. "Porsh!"
Clay rolled his eyes. "It's fine Ash."
"We should go," Johnny said.
Clay nodded. "The most practical bit of advice I heard all evening."
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"Where are they?!"
"They're heading towards the east side!"
"Stop them! If you let them get away, I'll skin you alive! I want that piece of street trash dead! And I don't care who you have to go through, make it happen!"
"Y-you got it Sean."
The black panther in the black suit jacket and sweater combo ended the call.
Reaching into his jacket, he pulled a semiautomatic pistol and attached what looked like a silencer to the barrel.
He made his way to the end of the hall and hid himself in an unoccupied room.
And waited.
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Meena checked her phone for messages.
"Alfonso is waiting just outside, in his truck in the alleyway."
"Great!" Ash said, thoroughly pleased and relieved.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Johnny said, hurrying towards the exit.
"Johnny don't!" Porsha shouted, grabbing Johnny before he made his way around the corner of the hall.
Suddenly, there was a sounding of shattering brick and plaster.
All eyes were on the hole in the wall and judging by the angle and trajectory, it was clear that it came very close to Johnny's head.
The gorilla's mouth gaped in shock.
I almost died!
Clay snarled. "Silencer."
"What?" Johnny muttered.
"Someone tried to shoot you and they've got a silencer. That's why we didn't hear anything."
"Give the washed up rockstar a prize," said a voice from down the hall.
Their backs to the wall, the Moon Group took great care to stay away from the corner.
"Listen up, we just want the girl. Drop her and we'll let you pass."
"You think we'd do that?" Ash said indignantly.
"If you're smart. Better one than all of you. Don't you have lives to get back to? Isn't that piece of street trash more trouble than she's worth?"
Johnny grimaced furiously. Street trash?!
"Our boys have entered the building from all sides. You ain't getting past us, you've less chance of slipping past me and sooner or later, they'll catch up to you. Just put the girl down and-ACK!"
Looks of confusion crossed the Moon Group's faces as the sound of struggle commenced followed by a groggy groan and the sound of something slumping to the floor, followed by something metallic hitting the floor and sliding across the floor.
And from down came a black pistol with a silencer attached.
"Did he just drop his own weapon?" Ash asked, quite beside herself with bewilderment.
Using the reach of his tail, Clay took the gun from the floor of the hall.
"Mr Calloway?" said a small voice from down the hall.
"Nurse Sue? Are you alright?"
"Yes I'm fine. Is anyone from your group hurt? How is Nooshy?"
Clay looked back at the girl, still asleep in Johnny's arms.
"Still out, but the rest of us are relatively fine. What happened to the shooter?"
"He's out too." Sue sounded very pleased with herself.
Pulling out a makeup mirror from her jacket pocket, Porsha handed it to Clay, who knowingly took it and held it at an angle so he could see down the hall from where he was standing.
It was difficult to see because of the limited range of reflection but Clay could make out a body on the floor. A black panther in a suit and someone in nursely garb standing over him.
Adjusting the angle, Clay could properly identify that it was the good nurse.
There she was, golden retriever and all.
She had a medical syringe in her hand, no doubt used to incapacitate the assassin.
Clay chuckled, thoroughly impressed. "Let's go," he said, closing the makeup mirror and handing it back to Porsha.
Porsha's ears twitched. "Oh no." She turned in the opposite direction.
Multiple footfalls. Heavy ragged breathing, filled with menace.
More were coming.
Calloway noticed Porsha's distress and he understood at once.
"Run."
Calloway went first, who was followed by the others.
Nurse Sue opened the door to the east fire exit and Clay watched the hallway while the others went through.
Johnny went first, being very careful to fit Nooshy through so no part of her hit the frame of the door.
Gunter went next, but not before taking a gander at the unconscious black panther assassin. "Alright!" he said, pointing both fingers at Nurse Sue in an awkward salute. "Girl Power, haha!"
The nurse smiled awkwardly. "Don't tell my boss I used anesthesia like this."
Gunter mimicked a zipper motion across his lips, giving the universal sign of 'my lips are sealed.'
He was pushed through the door by Ash, who rolled his eyes at him.
Porsha went next, followed by Meena.
"Meena wait!" Nurse Sue exclaimed before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a pill bottle, handing it to the elephant.
"What's this?" Meena asked, taking the pill bottle.
"Painkillers, Nooshy will need them once the drugs in her system wear off."
Meena nodded, pocketed the painkillers, and continued on through the fire exit.
Once he was sure that everyone had gone through, Clay turned to the golden retriever. "Once they find out you helped us, they'll kill you but only if you stay here."
"I can't leave," Sue protested. "I have patients who need me."
"You won't be any good to them if you get killed, besides we might need your help with Nooshy."
Sue paused in thought but they had just run out of time.
"There they are!"
Clay grabbed the nurse, who cried out in surprise as she was pulled through the door.
The old lion grabbed a chair from outside the door, closed the door, and used the chair to bar the door closed.
"C'mon!" he said as he took the hand of a stunned nurse Sue as they barreled down the stairs.
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Porsha opened the exit leading to the outside.
Looking right and left, sniffing the air, she judged that the coast was clear.
"There," Porsha said. "Pointing to an alleyway across the street.
There was the familiar spring green van, ice cream designs all over.
Clay came out next, brandishing the pistol he confiscated.
Nurse Sue was behind him.
"Let's move," Clay said. "Into the truck."
"An ice cream truck?" Sue said disbelievingly. "That's our method of escape."
"Yup," Ash said nonchalantly. "Johnny, go."
Johnny came through, keeping Nooshy's head close to his chest in order to keep her out of the line of fire.
Meena shadowed him, having the same idea.
Gunter and Porsha followed, both being the over-enthusiastic people they are, stood in fighting poses as though prepared to fend off an attack.
Ash groaned. "No, that's not conspicuous at all."
Once they reached the van, Meena opened the back doors.
A cold mist came through like a northern wind at the beginning of winter.
The Moon Group shivered for a moment.
Johnny instinctively turned to block Nooshy from the icy blast.
Porsha looked at him with a cheeky grin. Well aren't you her knight in shining armor.
Johnny caught her strange gaze. "What?"
"Nothing."
A large familiar face poked his head from the driver's cabin of the ice cream truck.
"Hey you guys," Alfonso said. "Hey babe."
Meena's face turned red. "Hi." she said bashfully.
"Everybody inside now," Clay ordered.
With that, the Moon Group filed into the icy cold truck.
"Hooo," Gunter said, shivering a bit. "It's cold in here."
"Well duh, it's an ice cream truck," Porsha said.
With everyone inside, Clay closed the doors behind them.
Everyone sat down on the cold floor, backs against the wall to steady themselves once the truck was in motion.
And then Alfonso put the truck in drive and they were off.
"You think they've seen us?" Johnny said.
"I...don't think so," Alfonso said, checking all his mirrors. "I'll drive real casual like, so don't worry."
Johnny's phone vibrated. "Gunter?"
The dancing pig took the phone from Johnny's pocket without missing a beat.
"Let's see," Gunter said, checking the new message. "DAD: Keep going. Don't stop. We'll make sure they don't follow you."
Johnny let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding.
As they pulled into Central Ave, out of view of the hospital, the gang drove east.
"So w-where are we g-going?" Sue said shakily, knees to her chest, trying to warm herself up.
Clay removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.
"Oh, thank you."
"Suki said that there's a safe house near Lincoln Park," Porsha said.
Alfonso sputtered in surprise. "Oh...well...ok, guess we're heading across the east river."
"And?" Ash said. "Anything else?"
"She said she'll be waiting for us in front of McDonalds on her moped. Said to follow her then."
"Got it," Alfonso said, giving a thumbs up. Then he grabbed a bundle of blankets from the passenger seat. "Here, so you guys don't get too cold."
"Thanks honey," Meena said, grabbing the bundle and handing out blankets to the others.
"Yeah, thank you," Johnny said, as he took a blanket and laid Nooshy on it, using his leather jacket to support her head.
Looking to one another, instead of warming themselves with their blanket, each member of the Moon Group used theirs to cover Nooshy so that she'd be as warm and comfortable as possible.
Even Nurse Sue covered the girl with the jacket Calloway gave her.
Johnny bundled the blankets around Nooshy's feet so they wouldn't get cold.
Ash gently caressed the fur on Nooshy's sleeping face, wiping her own eyes as they began to sting, not from the cold but because she didn't want to start crying now.
"Wow," Alfonso said, watching the heartfelt scene. "She's lucky to have friends like you."
Now that it seemed that the Moon Group were out of danger, they looked upon the young lynx, their friend, still in her state of induced sleep.
"You know, she doesn't look too bad," Meena said. "I mean...the bandages on her head are a bit startling but at least her face is ok."
"Did anyone remember to bring a change of clothes for her?" Ash said.
"Suki says that she's had clothes packed and stored at the safehouse already," Porsha said.
"Is Suki like your agent or something?" Alfonso said.
"Yes and no," Ash answered, shrugging. "She was her dad's talent agent until he got arrested. Now she's a talent agent by trade."
"And pretty much my only friend," Porsha said sadly. Then she smiled. "Until I met you guys."
Meena patted her shoulder, smiling as well.
"Nurse," Johnny said worriedly. "Nooshy should've woken up already."
Nurse Sue leaned in close to Nooshy, checking her pulse, pupil dilation with a pen light, her breathing, for anything that might be abnormal.
"She's stable," Sue said. "But what's happening may be more than physical."
"Meaning?" Ash asked.
"Meaning the mental and emotional trauma of the assault may be deeper than we thought and it's caused her body to shut down, at least until she manages to sort herself out up here," Sue said, pointing to her head.
"Are you saying she's in a coma?!" Ash said, disbelievingly.
I'm saying it's possible."
Johnny covered his face, breathing hitched breaths.
Ash placed a concerned hand on his arm.
"I promise, I will do everything I can to bring her about."
"Thank you," Johnny whispered, voice breaking.
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Not long after fleeing the hospital, the gang crossed the bridge on Interstate 1 and 9 over the Newark Bay, entering the Lincoln Park division of New Jersey.
"We should be there soon," Alfonso called out.
"Good," Porsha said, checking her phone. "Suki says she sees us. So when we see her, follow her."
"Got it."
It was a silent somber trip for the most part, other than the occasional but important question, the performers of Moon Theater were deathly quiet.
Ash was kneeling by Nooshy's head, stroking it, as well as tracing the bandages alongside it.
Meena was in the passenger seat with Alfonso, who was lovingly and comfortingly patting her hand.
Porsha was on her phone with ear phones so that none could hear what she was listening to, such as the clip of Johnny singing to a sleeping Nooshy in her hospital bed.
Gunter was somehow sound asleep on the cold floor of the ice cream truck.
Sue was looking up on her medical journal on her Kindle for anything she could find on comatose patients and possible treatments.
Calloway was reading along with her, so he too might have some medical know-how if need be. On this he has some expertise, having taken care of his ailing wife before she died.
Ash, while looking at Nooshy's unmoving face, noticed that Porsha had a look on her face as she was trying really hard not to smile.
"Porsha?"
Porsha pulled out one of her earphones. "Hmm?"
"What are you listening to?"
Porsha tried really hard not to look like a deer in the headlights.
But historically speaking, her acting skills are not great.
"Nothing, just a love story."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "Really? 'Cause that must be some love story if you're trying really hard not to grin like a lovesick schoolgirl.
"Hey, I resent that!"
"Miss Crystal?" Alfonso said, waving for her attention from the driver's seat. "I think Miss Suki is here."
Porsha put her phone and earphones away and made her way to the driver's section of the truck, poking her head into the cabin.
Alfonso pointed towards the passenger seat.
Porsha turned to see a woman in black on a moped. She turned and Porsha recognized her at once.
Porsha smiled widely.
Suki put a finger to her mouth and then pointed forward as she rode forward.
"Follow her," Porsha said, sounding very serious.
"Got it," Alfonso said, turning his ice cream cap around.
Meena eyed dreamily. He's so dashing when he's serious.
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Suki lead the ice cream truck down an alleyway surrounded by what looked like several business buildings and warehouses.
There were a few small garages, obviously for private parking.
Pressing a remote switch, one of the garages opened and both her and the van parked inside.
Suki closed the garage door and locked it.
"We're here," Clay said.
Johnny began to remove the blankets off of Nooshy. Without putting his jacket back on, he very gently picked her up.
"Ok, mind her head," Ash said.
"I know, I know," Johnny said in a hushed tone. "I just hope we won't have to wait long before she wakes up.
00000
Darkness.
A sharp ringing of the ears.
And then, muffled voices.
Wha-What?
Vision began to clear.
It was dark but poorly lit.
There was a sharp breeze and it was suddenly a bit cold.
A voice could be heard, a man's voice and it seemed like...seemed like…he was carrying her close to him.
Nooshy's eyes shot open.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!"
Nooshy reached out what she knew to be the face of whoever was holding on to her.
Using her claws, she sank them into something soft.
"Augh!"
The guy cried out in pain but did not let go. He took Nooshy by the wrist and tried to stop her from hurting him.
Nooshy was hysterical. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!" She screamed. "LET GO OF ME!"
"Nooshy! Nooshy! Stop it! It's me! It's Johnny!"
Nooshy stopped dead. Her vision focused on the face that she clawed at.
Johnny stared at her, between extraordinary relief and pain, he smiled as tears ran down his face.
Nooshy gasped when she saw bloody marks on his left cheek.
Claw marks.
She looked at her hands. The tips of the fingers on her right hand were bloody. "...Johnny," she said, guilt and fear thick in her voice.
Omigod. What have I done?
Johnny burst into tears as he very gently embraced the lynx.
Nooshy returned the hug, albeit reluctantly seeing that she had just hurt him.
"Johnny, oh my God, I am so sorry."
"Oh Noosh…" Johnny said in tears.
"I'm so so sorry, I didn't know it was you."
"I don't care about that," Johnny said. "I'm just so happy you're ok." He cried into her shoulder almost like a newborn baby.
"Geez, of course I'm ok you big lug," Nooshy said. "Why wouldn't I be?"
She then noticed that all eyes were on her.
Meena, Ash, Gunter and Porsha, all with tears running down their faces.
Nurse Sue was wide-eyed and her mouth dropped.
Clay Calloway was simply smiling in a way that he did when he finally took the stage after 15 years.
Nooshy was a bit uncomfortable by the stares. "Um...hello?"
"Nooshy!" they all cried as they, with the exception of Callaway and Sue, crowded a bewildered Nooshy in a group hug.
"Gently, gently please," Sue said, slightly alarmed.
Alfonso watched the touching reunion from his rearview mirror, tears in his eyes and blowing his trunk on a handkerchief.
"Am I missing something? Have I been somewhere?" Nooshy asked, among the crowd of sobbing heads pressed up against her.
As soon as the hug was over, Nooshy turned to Johnny who still held on to her.
"Context Johnny?"
"Nooshy," Johnny said, wiping his eyes. "What do you remember?"
"Well…" she scratched her head, but froze when she felt the bandages on her head. "What? What is this?"
"Nooshy, calm down," Ash said, putting a hand on her bare arm.
The touch made Nooshy realize she was not wearing the clothes she wore last she checked.
"Where are my clothes? What am I wearing?"
"Noosh please!" Johnny said as he held her close. "You were in the hospital. We just left the hospital."
Hospital? Why was I…?
Nooshy felt bandaging wrapped around her chest area. It was visible as some were wrapped around her shoulder to keep it from slipping off.
The show at Gateway. The alley. That...guy.
Nooshy gasped sharply as that familiar, horrible face flashed in her mind.
That leopard and that sadistic, ghastly grin.
But his eyes were the worst, filled with malice, cruelty and the promise of death.
Nooshy's eyes welled up and she held onto Johnny for dear life.
"Oh God! Oh my God! I remember!" she cried, starting to hyperventilate. "I remember!"
Johnny held her tight, stroking her back. Hearing her cry tore him inside. Nooshy never cried, never. But he had to be strong, for her.
"Nooshy, it's ok," Johnny said soothingly. "It's ok, you're safe."
"No! No, it's not ok!" Nooshy said hysterically, tears streaming down her cheeks, wetting her fur. "He...he tried to kill me."
"But he didn't," Johnny said firmly but kindly. "He can't hurt you anymore."
Anymore?
"Where...where is he now?" Nooshy asked, hiccuping a bit. "Is he still out there?"
The others looked terribly anxious at that question.
Nooshy didn't seem to notice.
Johnny chose his next words very carefully. "The authorities took him away after you were found and taken to the hospital."
Nooshy went stiff in Johnny's arms as a terrible thought ran through her mind. "The guy...did he...did he do something...to…?
She couldn't bear to finish.
Fortunately, Johnny didn't need her to, he knew exactly what she was asking and the very thought of it made him sick with rage.
"No!" Johnny said firmly. "He didn't, he never got the chance. You made sure of that."
Nooshy looked up at him, eyes raw. "W-what?"
"Dude, you clobbered him good!" Porsha said, pumping both fists in the air.
"I did?"
"Yeah, we all saw it on the news!" Ash said grinning, wiping the last of her tears away.
Nooshy gaped. "I was on the news?"
"Yeah," Meena said softly. "We were really worried about you Noosh."
"Aw," Nooshy said as she wiped her eyes and her cheeks which were wet with tears. "I made you guys worry?"
"Yeah dude," Porsha said. "Meena wouldn't stop crying."
Ash laughed. "No, you were the one who wouldn't stop crying."
"I was not!" Porsha defended hotly.
"You totally were, you cried like a baby!"
"Actually, we all did," Gunter said.
"I didn't," Calloway said gruffly. "I'm not a baby."
Nooshy seeing this infantile exchange take place caused her to giggle.
Which stopped short with a choke as bolts of pain shot through her ribs.
She doubled over, holding her ribs as she groaned in agony.
"Nooshy!" Johnny cried.
Thinking fast, Nurse Sue turned to Meena. "Meena, the painkillers!"
"Right," the elephant said as she pulled out the pill bottle and gave it to the nurse.
Taking a pill out, she handed it to Johnny, along with a small bottle of water from her knapsack. "Make her swallow this, it will help bring down the pain."
"Nooshy, take this, it will help."
Nooshy, still clutching her sides, waved the gorilla off. "No, ow, I'm fine, it's nothing." Another bolt of pain and now Nooshy was in tears again. "Ok ok, I'll take it."
Johnny handed the pill to Nooshy who shoved it in her mouth and then she greedily drank the water she was given.
In moments, the pain started to subside.
"She needs rest," Sue said.
"Rest from what?" Nooshy said, shaken. "Obvious question, but happened to me?"
"You came out of surgery almost 10 hours ago."
Nooshy scoffed in disbelief. "Surgery for a little beating?"
"You had three broken ribs and two cracked," Sue said, trying very hard not to sound harsh.
"What?"
"One of them splintered and we had to operate to repair the damage. You also had a mild concussion and a rather nasty cut on your head. And you have a bruised stomach."
Nooshy's mind was a tempest. This was so much to process. Understanding the extent of her injuries was such a shock, it stunned her into silence.
Almost.
"Johnny?"
"Yeah?"
Nooshy looked him in the eye. "You can put me down now, I can walk on my own."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure," Nooshy said, none too gently.
Johnny laid Nooshy down and helped her to her feet, but as soon as her bare feet touched the floor of the ice cream truck, she jumped back into Johnny's arms as though it burned her.
"Ahhh! Cold! Cold!"
"Ok," Johnny choked out as Nooshy's arms wrapped around his neck a bit too tightly. "I guess I'll put you down outside."
"Good idea, why are we in an ice cream truck?"
"Nooshy, Johnny can't breathe," Ash said.
"Huh? Oh!" Nooshy let go of Johnny's neck. "Sorry."
"It's fine."
Calloway rolled his eyes with a groan. "How did I end up babysitting?" He opened the back doors of the truck and there stood Suki Lane, the dog talent agent, and she looked quite disturbed.
"Is everything alright now?" she asked.
"Peachy," Nooshy said, pouting as Johnny carried her out of the truck.
"Oh! You're awake!"
"Yeah yeah, whatever."
Johnny put Nooshy down.
"Ok, so where is this safehouse?" Nooshy said as she took a step forward, but she immediately lost her balance and she fell with a cry.
Johnny, quick as lightning, scooped her up before she hit the ground.
"Noosh, what happened?" Johnny asked.
"I dunno! My legs just felt like jelly and I felt lightheaded, and I fell. What is going on?!"
Johnny turned to address Nurse Sue. "Do you know what's going on?"
"Her concussion most likely, perhaps the medication we gave her as well. When one receives a concussion, it can cause some nerve damage."
"Nerve damage?!" Nooshy exclaimed. "Am I going to be crippled?!"
"No no! Goodness no. You just need time to recover. That means minimizing the time on your feet."
"Right then," Johnny said, adjusting his carrying position, causing Nooshy to bounce a bit in his arms.
"Whoa, hey! Johnny!" Nooshy complained.
"Sorry. So how do we get into the safehouse Miss Suki?"
"There's an elevator this way, follow me." Suki turned to Alfonso, who had just stepped out of his truck. "You'd better come too, Mr Williams, for your own safety."
"Oh, ok."
As the Moon Group followed Suki, Johnny noticed that Nooshy had her arms crossed, she was pouting and was looking away from him.
"I'm sorry Nooshy, but circumstances being what they are…"
"You don't have to apologize Johnny." Nooshy said, somewhat bitterly. "I just hate that this is happening."
"I don't like it either but no one thinks less of you."
"That's not it," Nooshy almost snapped. "There's nothing, nothing I hate more than being the damsel in distress. Like I'm someone who needs saving or protecting."
"You're the strongest person I ever met but you're only mammalite Nooshy."
Nooshy smiled at Johnny.
It made his heart do a backflip. How he loved that smile.
"A-and there's nothing with accepting help from people who love you."
"You love me huh?" Nooshy said, batting her eyelashes at him.
"Uh, uh, uh," Johnny sputtered, face red hot. "Uh yeah, you're like the best friend I ever had."
Nooshy's smile didn't break. "Hmm."
"We're here," Suki said. "But the elevator isn't large enough for all of us to enter. You'll all have to make trips."
"Johnny, you and Noosh should go first," Ash said.
"I better come too," Sue said. "I should have a look at her, I'm her nurse."
"Obviously, I'll need to come up to show you to your rooms, Miss Wright's especially."
"It's Nooshy, referring to me as 'Miss Wright' makes me feel old."
"Duly noted," Suki said, slightly perturbed by the lynx's impertinence.
With that, Nooshy, carried by Johnny, Suki and Nurse Sue were in the elevator.
Just as the door closed, Meena waved a weak goodbye to Nooshy, who awkwardly waved back.
Suki pressed a button and they went up.
"So why are there no floor numbers and the up and down buttons?" Johnny asked.
"Because this is a private elevator," Suki said.
"Cool, our elevator," Nooshy said.
"Is there an emergency exit?" Sue asked cautiously.
"There's a secret passageway, we'll discuss that later. First, let's get you settled in."
"Ooooh, a secret passageway?" Nooshy said excitedly. "That is sick!"
"I know right?" Johnny said grinning.
Suki looked at them both with angry disbelief. "Ok, do you not understand the seriousness of the situation? You were just heralded out of a hospital while dodging the efforts of criminals who want to kill you."
Nooshy felt her heart skip a beat.
Johnny looked at Suki disbelievingly. "Suki, I didn't have a chance to tell her."
"Tell me what?!"
Nurse Sue looked at Suki angrily, who looked stricken with embarrassment and guilt.
The elevator had reached the floor of their destination.
"Nooshy, I promise I'll tell you everything but first let's get you in bed."
Nooshy looked furious, so furious she clenched her hands, then unclenched them and repeated.
"Fine, but I want to know everything, spare no detail, got it?!"
"Got it," Johnny said, a bit intimidated.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
They all stepped out of the elevator and Johnny with Nooshy in tow, went off to find her room.
Nurse Sue followed.
Suki did not move.
"Are you coming to show us her room or not?" Nurse Sue said with thinly-veiled indignation.
"Ah, of course."
"Not a bad pad," Nooshy said.
She was right. The safehouse looked more like a small condo as though it were taken out of a luxury hotel and built into a warehouse or a business office.
The latter was true. As a precaution, safehouses would be necessary to house certain politicians or celebrities whose lives may be in danger.
After a trod up the stairs, they came to a room with a large plush bed and sizable bathroom.
"Whoa," Nooshy said as Nurse Sue uncovered the bed and Johnny placed her on it.
Sue covered Nooshy up very gingerly before taking a chair and sitting by her.
"Now then, I'll have to have a look at you Nooshy, you've had an eventful morning."
"Yes, I know," Nooshy said, slightly annoyed. "Do what you have to do Nurse Joy."
"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Suki asked meekly.
Johnny blocked Nooshy from Suki's view and he glared at her. "Just make sure the others find their rooms, preferably without mentioning things they don't need to know, ok?"
"O-of course." Suki went back down the stairs, shamefaced.
Johnny turned back to Nooshy, who looked up at him sadly. "Like I said, I promise to tell you everything Noosh, just not now. See you soon."
Johnny turned to leave but was stopped when a dainty hand grabbed him by the wrist.
Johnny turned back to Nooshy, who looked at him pleadingly. "Wait! Don't go!"
"Nooshy…"
"At least let me say this."
Johnny looked at her and then, after half a moment, he knelt down beside her. "What's up?"
"Like I said, there's nothing I hate more than playing damsel in distress...but..." Nooshy looked at gratitude shining in her eyes and something else he had never seen before from her. "...thank you Johnny, thank you so much."
Johnny averted eye contact nervously. "For what?"
Nooshy gave him a knowing smile. "For protecting me...and carrying me all this time, I mean, it was you who carried me out of the hospital and all the way here right?"
"Uh…"
That was all Nooshy needed.
Grinning mischievously, she took Johnny by the collar, leaned in close and-
"Myah!"
-kissed him right on the cheek.
Frozen stiff, Johnny's mouth dropped open and he felt like he was burning up,
Nooshy giggled. "Weirdo."
Without saying a word, Johnny stood up straight, almost robotically and he walked out closing the door behind him.
Nooshy smiled after him but then noticed the nurse staring at her quizzically. "What?"
"That was bold."
"What was?"
00000
Johnny went to the bedroom that was meant for him and he slumped into the one armchair beside his bed.
He put his hand to his cheek, where Nooshy just kissed him.
His look of shock soon turned into one of unfathomable gladness.
She kissed me.
He stretched his arms out and laid into his seat, staring at the ceiling.
"She kissed me," he said.
He took out his phone and his earphones, and applied them.
He played just the right tune.
And he started singing quietly to himself.
'Cause you're a sky, 'cause you're a sky full of stars
I'm gonna give you my heart
'Cause you're a sky, 'cause you're a sky full of stars
'Cause you light up the path
I don't care, go on and tear me apart
I don't care if you do, ooh
'Cause in a sky, 'cause in a sky full of stars
I think I saw you
Then he started happily breakdancing, just as he did in Out of this World.
00000
All the while, a certain young wolf named Porsha filmed the whole thing with her phone from behind a door in the room opposite Johnny's.
"Jackpot," she said quietly to herself, fighting the girly giggles bubbling from her throat.
…..