Your Biggest Fan

Part 3

Madness

By Nick Maro

Pain flashed through David's back. There were three impacts. Each shot hurt worse than the last. David fell to the bedroom floor and felt himself begin to fade into darkness. He heard his assailant stand over him and speak. It was then that darkness took over completely.

The sound of other voices softly and slowly began to drift into his ears. It sounded like the volume was muffled and turned down on the radio. The voices and sounds started getting louder. David tried to make out each sound. The sterile smell of antiseptic told him he was in a hospital. He slowly opened his eyes and let them adjust to the light. It was night outside. Everything was blurry as if he didn't have his contacts in his eyes.

David saw a blue haired form sleeping in a chair on the other side of the room. He blocked his eyes from the light. He figured he was out for a short while. When he went to speak, he found his throat very dry and hoarse. He focused his eyes again, but couldn't make out who was sleeping. "H-hello? Who-who is h-here? M-mary is that y-you?"

The form started to move and sat up. "David, you're finally awake. It's not Mary, its Aja. I'm so glad you're awake and okay. Your glasses are on the nightstand next to you. I poured you a fresh glass of water as well before I took a nap."

"Th-thanks," David rasped hoarsely. He drank the whole glass in seconds and Aja poured him another without being asked. He drank that as well and put his glasses on. David gave himself a few minutes to look around and adjust to his situation. His back still stung from the gunshots. That's when he remembered what had happened before the darkness. David looked up at Aja in a panic. "Where's Phyllis? Is she safe? Is she okay? What happened?"

"Calm down, David. You were shot three times in the back. Thankfully you were wearing the bullet proof vest Detective Evans gave you. They didn't stop the bullets fully but they did slow them down. The bullets didn't go deep enough to cause any life threatening damage." Aja pulled the chair next to David's bed. "Phyllis has been kidnapped. The police don't know by whom, but the officers that were guarding her weren't killed. It was Mary who found you. She sensed you were in trouble and went to the estate with Roxy and Sheila. They called the police."

David sat back in the bed and thought about what Aja had just told him. "How long have I been out?"

"Three days, the doctors kept you under while your back healed up some. They were worried about you popping your stitches. The stitches can come out in a few days." Aja stood from her chair and headed towards the door. "I'll let you be for a few minutes. You probably have to use the washroom something fierce. Just signal for the nurse when you're done."

"Thanks again, Aja," David said before she could leave the room. She smiled kindly and left. David got out of the bed and stood on shakey legs. He braced himself on the IV rack. Slowly and carefully he made his way to the washroom. Once there he used the toilet and took a quick shower. He thought about who could have kidnapped his sister.

David shut the water off and dried himself with a towel that was hanging on a nearby hook. He put a spare hospital gown on and left the washroom. He pushed the IV rack slowly out of the small room. A soft voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Getting shot in the back has made you forget your fiancé now?" Kimber asked sitting on the edge of his bed. David looked up in surprise and smiled. He opened his mouth to speak but Kimber got up and put her index finger on his lips. "You don't have to answer." She wrapped her arms carefully around him and kissed David deeply.

David melted into Kimber's kiss and tasted the salt of her tears. He broke the kiss and hugged Kimber tightly. He felt his own tears starting to fall from his own eyes to his cheeks.

"You can't check out yet, David!" Roxy yelled as he started pulling his pants on. "The doctors haven't given you clearance yet." David ignored her as he put on his shirt. "Dammit, David, you're worse than Phyllis, definitely more stubborn in any case."

David put his shoes on and turned to face his friends. "I'm going to find Phyllis. I should've been out there searching already. I've lost three days as it is. I won't let her stay in trouble any longer." He looked at Yukio. "Please stand back from the door, Yukio. I don't want to hurt you, so please back away from the door."

Yukio smirked in amusement and glanced at their friends in the room. "[When we fought for the first time on Cobra Island I was given orders to let you win. You won't leave this hospital room without permission from the doctor. I will stop you even if it means knocking you out. I don't want to but I will.]"

The Misfits and Kimber looked at each other. None of them knew exactly what Yukio had just said but got the idea behind her tone. David stared at her then turned around and sat on the edge of the bed. Kimber sat next to him and carefully wrapped her arm around him.

The doctor entered the room and Yukio moved aside. He looked at the people inside and walked up to David. "Mr. Gabor, I'm happy to say you can go home now. There's no damage to any of your vital organs or your spinal column. So, I'm sure you can't wait to get out of this place. I won't keep you any longer. Your mother has signed all the insurance and paperwork for you. She's down in the lobby waiting for you."

David thanked the doctor as he left. "So now can I leave?" He looked at his friends they nodded.

Kimber drove David back to the Gabor Estate. He held her hand as she drove. "It was Eric Raymond who called me in Japan. He was genuinely concerned for your life. But my heart just about dropped when I heard you had been shot. But I knew deep down you'd be all right. I know you're determined to get Phyllis back, but you've got to be careful."

"I'm sorry if I scared you in any way. I'm just worried about my sister. Detective Evans is meeting with me once I get back to the mansion. He told my mother that they have a note of some sort in her handwriting. He said it didn't read like a ransom note or like any of the previous letters." David adjusted in his seat.

"I asked my sister and The Holograms not to stop by or anything. I figured you'd want very little distractions. If you want I'll stay out of your way as well." Kimber drove through the gates of the Gabor Estate. She parked in her usual spot and got out of the car. David followed her up the short walkway and into the mansion.

Detective Evans was waiting in the kitchen showing Evelyn a few reports. She had arrived while David was at the pharmacy getting his prescriptions. Detective Evans looked at the couple. "It's great to see you're all right, David. I was just showing your mother our latest analysis of the letters. It's not much. But we compared them to the letter we got for your sister's kidnapping. The letters we got from each murder were too calm to be written by someone who was about to die. It's possible that it was the killer who wrote them. Our forensics expert thinks our killer slash kidnapper is able to mimic a person's handwriting style." He then pulled out a new letter. "We think this is Phyllis's actual handwriting. We'd like for you two to verify it."

Evelyn and David read the note quietly at first and then Evelyn read it aloud for Kimber:

Mother, David and Mary –

I'm fine and I hope David is as well. My captor has been gentle with me and I am unharmed. I'm not sure where I've been taken. He says that it's where it all started. I don't know what that means. But I'm well fed and taken care of. I hope to see you again. I love you all.

Love Always,

Phyllis Gabor

Kimber gave everyone a confused look. "It sounded like she was doing fine. Do you think she was forced to write that?"

Detective Evans shook his head. "No. But we do think she was scared at the time of the writing. The post stamp on the envelope was marked with the city limits. But he might've just mailed this on the way to their final destination. The thing that confuses us is the phrase where it all started. We don't know what she's talking about there. But if you have any insight that might help, it would be appreciated."

"Sure thing Detective, just let us know if you come up with anything." Evelyn walked Detective Evans to the door then came back and gave her son a tight yet gentle hug. "I'm so happy to see you're okay and walking. Yuji wanted to come with, but business delayed him."

David smiled warmly. "That's okay, Mom. I'll meet him sooner or later. I mean he has to be at the wedding, right?" He gave his mother a wink and a grin. He turned to Kimber. "Did Kyoko come back with you? I didn't see her at the hospital. Is she okay?"

Kimber opened a can of cola and leaned against the counter. "I called her on her cell phone but she never answered. I left a message on her voice mail. I hope she got it all right. She might have called our answering machine. I haven't been by the house to check. Maybe Mary checked it. But now I think you should rest up."

"I've rested enough." David picked up the report files. "I'll be in the study." He went into his father's study and shut the door.

Evelyn gave Kimber a bittersweet smile. "Don't worry, honey, he's just worried about his sister." She looked at the closed doors. "He's so much like his father. The only difference is he knows when not to be a workaholic. He knows family and friends come before work. So this is family he's working on. Let him be. He'll figure it out quicker in peace."

The doors to the study had remained closed for the past eight hours. An excited David came bursting out, startling his mother and Stormer in the kitchen. "I'm so stupid that I didn't see it sooner! Must be the pain killers dulling my brain. Anything to eat? I'm starved." David started looking through the refrigerator for food.

Evelyn looked from the equally confused Stormer to David. "What did you figure out?"

David turned around and took the piece of chicken out of his mouth. "Sorry. It's just I'm so relieved that I remembered I was so hungry. I know where Phyllis might be. When she wrote where it all started she was talking about our old home. All of the pain towards her started there. Even though it was destroyed the bomb shelter still exists." David started making himself a plate of food and sat down to eat.

"That's so simple. Why didn't I see it either? I forgot that the shelter survived. David, we've got to go right away." Evelyn's face was lined with concern.

"After I finish eating."

Evelyn stood up and slammed her palms on the table. "How can you be so relaxed when your sister's life is in danger? We have to leave right away."

"She's fine. I also realized that if she was in any true danger Mary would most likely get a feeling. Would you rather have me go look on an empty stomach?" David finished up his dinner. He regained his composure and his tone turned serious. "Mom, I want to go alone. It's too dangerous. Let me handle this, okay?"

"[You're not going without me, David-san,]" Yukio said coming into the kitchen. She was dressed in her old uniform. "[I'm not letting you get hurt again. I swore that I'd protect you with my life. I intend on doing so.]"

David stared at her a moment. "Let me change." He quickly went up the stairs and found his spare uniform he kept there. He came back into the kitchen a few minutes later. It was the first time Evelyn had seen David ready to truly fight. "[Yukio, let's be quick about it. I don't want to risk anything now.]" Yukio nodded in agreement. David and Yukio left the mansion and headed to the ruins of their old home.

An hour later Yukio entered the mansion. She gave Evelyn and Stormer a sad shake of the head no and immediately went up the stairs. David entered the mansion slowly. He looked at his mother and gave her a tight hug. "I was wrong. She wasn't there. She even wasn't there at all. We're back where we started. I just wish she wasn't so vague in the letter."

Evelyn sank into David's arms. "Oh honey, I know, but we'll figure this out. This nightmare will end soon." She opened her eyes and looked at the wall behind David. Old photos of her youth lined the wall. "That's where it all began," she said quietly. She went to the wall and studied the pictures. "I know where he's taken Phyllis."

The room Pizzazz was in was lighted by windows near the ceiling. She was allowed to walk around the room freely. She had a bed, table and access to a private washroom. She was starting to think of the room as a cell. The man who had taken her was very polite and courteous. He seemed to honestly care for her. From what she understood he was protecting her from those who would do her harm. She hoped that David was okay. She constantly thought about him getting shot in the back.

The door opened and her captor entered carrying a small bag. "I brought you some dinner. I figured you'd be hungry. Hope hamburgers are okay. I was thinking that maybe I could eat with you. I've enjoyed talking to you this past week."

Pizzazz tried her best to smile warmly. "Of course I'd like some company for a change. But I was hoping I could get a television or a radio in here. I mean I do get awfully bored in here. It's like a jail cell. Nothing to read, watch or listen to." She took a burger out of the sack and started eating. "When are you letting me go?"

The young man looked at Pizzazz with shock. "You don't want to stay here with me? Don't you like me? Is it because I shot your brother? He's okay. I knew he was wearing a bullet proof vest. I didn't use chloroform on him like I did on the cops because I knew he'd want to find you right away. Now he's mostly likely been in the hospital for a week. During that glorious week I've fallen further in love with you." He sat down opposite of Pizzazz. "Would it help if I told you my name? My name is Frederick Vincent Broca. But please call me Fred or Vince."

"You can call me Phyllis then. I've come to accept that my friends can call me that." Pizzazz took another bite of her food. "I was wondering why you would kill anyone else who hurt me. Why didn't you go after Kevin Ross or anything?"

"Kevin Ross was too well guarded. I couldn't take the risk. As for Jem and The Holograms they've never set out to hurt you. I couldn't find Eric Raymond or The Stingers. I killed the others to show my love for you." Fred smiled and stood up. He moved around the room getting more excited and manic. "I figured if I eliminated those who have hurt you then you'd have room in your life for someone who truly loves you. Makes sense doesn't it?"

Pizzazz sat there not believing her ears. It was clear that he was insane before now he had just proven it. She decided not to upset him and go along. "Actually yes, it does make sense when you put it that way." She put on her best smile. "So about the television or radio, what do you say?"

"I guess so. I mean what could it hurt, right? I'll bring a radio up right away. I don't have a small TV I could bring up, but I know where I can buy one cheap. I mean anything for you, Phyllis." With a small giggle Fred left the room. Pizzazz lay on the bed and fought back her tears.

The van pulled up to the medium sized home. Evelyn shut off the engine and looked at David then at The Misfits and Kimber in the back. She let out a weary sigh. She had driven all the way from Los Angeles to the small town of Springfield. The trip had taken a whole day. She was thankful that they took turns driving.

Evelyn cleared her throat and spoke softly. "I haven't seen my family in about twenty years. So don't expect a warm welcome." She then exited the van and waited for David and Stormer to join her. Together they went up to the front door. Evelyn nervously rang the door bell. She shifted her feet impatiently.

The door finally opened and a gray-haired woman peeked out. "Yes? May I help you?" David felt a sense of déjà vu.

"M-mom?" Evelyn asked with her eyes starting to fill with tears.

The older woman stared at Evelyn a moment then swung the door open. "Evelyn! After all these years you finally come home!" The woman and Evelyn hugged tightly. An older man came into view who then hugged her as well. The woman looked at David and smiled. "David. My word how you've grown! Look at him Harold, all grown up. Where's Phyllis?"

"That's what we're here for, Mom. She's been kidnapped and we think someone from Springfield did it. But first let me introduce the rest of our extended family." Evelyn proudly put her arm around Stormer. "This is Mary Phillips. Do you remember Vanessa Phillips? My best friend from college? Mary is her daughter. She's become a part of the family." Stormer blushed at her words. Evelyn introduced her parents to the rest of The Misfits and Kimber. They welcomed everyone into their home.

Angelica Neeson, Evelyn's mother, served dinner for everyone while Evelyn talked to her father in private. A soft knock came from the backdoor. Angelica went to answer it and let a young man inside. "Hello Freddie. Could I offer you some dinner?"

"No thank you, Mrs. Neeson. Could you please call me Fred now? I feel like such a kid when you call me Freddie," he said politely. Fred looked through the crack of the back door and saw David sitting with Kimber, The Misfits and Yukio. He tried his best to hide his surprise.

"Well, what can I do for you tonight, Fred?"

"I was wondering if you had a television I could use. Mine just went out and there's a special I wanted to watch tonight. It'll just be until I get mine back from the shop."

"Why don't you watch it over here? We have some company that I'm sure you'd like to meet. It's my daughter Evelyn and her son David. They just showed up a few hours ago. Evelyn thinks her kidnapped daughter, Phyllis, is here in Springfield." Angelica looked over her shoulder at David. "It's such a long story about where they've been."

Fred looked at David again real quick. "I can't, Mrs. Neeson. The special is on a cable channel you don't get."

Angelica shrugged lightly. "I think we have one somewhere. You know Harold and his electronics. I'll have him bring one by after dinner, okay?" She smiled warmly waiting his answer.

"Yeah, that would be fine. Thanks, Mrs. Neeson. You're the best!" Fred smiled and nodded and disappeared as Angelica shut the door.

David was heading to the back door when he heard Kimber call his name from the living room. He watched Fred return to the house next door through the kitchen window, then joined his fiancée in the living room. She was looking at some pictures on the wall. "What's up, Kimber?"

"Look at these pictures. They're photos of your family on your mother's side. I didn't know you had two uncles." She pointed them out. "Wow, Evelyn was beautiful then, not that she isn't now, but now I see why your father married her. Beauty and brains." Kimber smirked and looked at David. "Too bad I'm getting neither from you."

Evelyn pointed out one of her brothers. "Dan's not with us anymore. He died in a car wreck while he was drunk. He killed a family that was on their way to pick their son from the airport." She then pointed at her other brother. "We don't speak his name anymore. The less said about him the better."

Kimber and Evelyn left the room and started unpacking the van. David stared at the unnamed uncle. His posture and eyes seemed so familiar, but he knew that he never met him, yet his gut told him otherwise. David went outside to help unload the van. Inside the living room Roxy, Jetta and Harold were moving the furniture around to make space for everyone. Yukio was checking the house out of habit.

When everything was unloaded from the van David found a window on the second floor where he could study the house that Fred lived in. He noticed that on the top floor there was a row of windows near the roof. He could tell they were mirrored so it would be difficult to look in. David told Yukio about the windows. Together they'd investigate them further later that night.

On the darkened roof David and Yukio lightly stepped to the edge. David was on his stomach and tried looking into the mirrored window. As he expected, he couldn't see inside. He reached inside his uniform and pulled out a small suction cup. It was stethoscope type of listening device that Techrat had made. Techrat had used it to spy on Eric Raymond.

Yukio did the same on the other side of the roof. She heard talking and signaled David to come by her. David quickly, but lightly, ran next to her. He placed his suction cup near hers and listened carefully. He heard the young man who had come to his grandparent's house speaking.

"Phyllis, I'm sorry, but I just heard on the radio that your brother passed away in the hospital. He died of a nasty infection to his back. It spread to his brain and well, I guess you know the rest. I can't tell you how sorry I am." Fred sat next to Pizzazz on the cot.

Pizzazz stared at Fred for a long moment in shock and disbelief. "I want to be alone. Just leave me alone." Fred left the room and Pizzazz started to cry quietly into her pillow.

David pulled out a glass cutter and started to cut the window near the frame. Yukio stopped him and pointed out a silver, foil wire on the window that was connected to a security system. David swore under his breath and started searching for another window to break into. He finally found one that led into the basement. He tested the window to find it was unlocked. He looked around for anyone who would be watching. He then gave Yukio the hand signal to wait for him. She nodded and he slipped inside.

The basement was almost completely black. David was able to see from the light coming through the windows that lined the top of the basement walls. They looked like the ones that lined the room his sister was in. The basement had boxes stacked to the ceiling forming a maze. David carefully weaved through maze until he found the staircase going to the first floor. He listened for several minutes for activity made by anyone upstairs.

When David was satisfied that Fred wasn't near the staircase he slowly crept up the stairs while testing each one as he went. If a stair felt it would make a noise he skipped it. After two agonizing minutes, he made it to the first floor. He put his hand on his katana and made sure it loose for a quick draw. Keeping to the shadows he scouted the entire first floor.

David pressed his back against the wall that led up to the second floor. He listened again, took a deep breath and checked to see if his sword was free out of habit. Once satisfied he began climbing up the stairs repeating the pattern he used for the stairs leading up from the basement. David was faced by three doors at the top of the stairs. Mentally, he tried to picture the layout of the house. He smiled to himself and went to the door to his right. There was a key lock in the handle. He quickly unlocked the door and entered the room.

Pizzazz didn't look when the door opened. "Fred, I said to leave me alone. Let me grieve in peace." A gloved hand went across her mouth. Her eyes went wide with surprise and shock.

"Phyllis, it's me. I'm not dead and I'm here to rescue you," David whispered in his twin's ear.

"David! What a pleasant surprise," Fred said entering the room. "It's so nice to see you again. It sure was fun to watch you break into my house and sneak around like a common thief. You honestly didn't think I wouldn't have any security cameras in here, did you?"

Turning around, David put his hand on his sword. Fred leveled a gun at David's head. David pulled the sword out of his belt and laid it before himself. "I'm unarmed now, Fred. The next move is yours."

Fred pulled the hammer back on his pistol and smirked, Pizzazz jumped in front of David. "No! Fred, I won't let you hurt my brother again. You're gonna have to shoot me in order to hurt him. Don't you understand, Fred? I've forgiven him and my mother for leaving me. Everyone who has hurt me I've forgiven. It's the past. David has become one of my best friends so has Jerrica Benton. I don't care who has hurt me in the past. I'm over it. Can't you see they're not a threat anymore?"

The gun started to waiver in Fred's hand. He looked at Pizzazz and started to steady it at her head. "Can you forgive me for doing this?" He began to bring the gun to his own head. "I can't forgive myself."

"No!" Yukio yelled as she ran through the open door and threw a shuriken at Fred's hand. He dropped the gun. It went off as it hit the ground. Fred screamed in pain and clutched his leg. David grabbed the gun and kept his sword from Fred's reach. He gave the sword to Yukio and told her to bring it back next door. He called the police and an ambulance for Fred.

Pizzazz knelt next to her kidnapper. "We're going to get you some help. In time, maybe I can forgive you." Fred smiled past his pain. Pizzazz gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I do have to say you were a very kind and polite captor, which sounds much weirder when I say it out loud. You treated me just fine and I'll tell the police that you did so." She stayed with him until the police and paramedics arrived.

The ambulance pulled away from the house. David and Evelyn hugged Pizzazz tightly. Evelyn made a tearful introduction to Pizzazz to her long lost grandparents. She hugged them and started crying all over again. They went inside the house where Pizzazz was reunited with The Misfits.

After the small celebration, David went outside to sit on the back porch for fresh air. Kimber joined him a few minutes later. She squeezed his hand and laid her head on his shoulder. "We need to set a date, y'know. I was hoping before the world tour."

David kissed her forehead. "I was thinking the same. How about May first? That's a good target date."

"Yeah, sounds fine to me." Kimber kissed David as his grandparents watched the couple on the step. They were grateful to have a family again.

TO BE CONTINUED IN

'TIL DEATH DO US PART PART 1