Check 23 - The brave are always stubborn

Cass woke to golden light filtered through stained-glass windows. She sat up from the bed she knew she hadn't fallen asleep in, looking around. The last thing she remembered was sitting in the giant control room in Daisuke's basement, looking at an image on one of several monitors. Whatever else she might have seen appeared to be covered over in a mist of darkness she didn't want to investigate. The thought alone made her tremble and she shivered a bit.

How long had she been asleep, she wondered. Judging from the level of hunger she felt, it was possible she'd been out for several hours. It took her a minute to find her phone, which was in her pocket. She'd somehow thought it might be on the nightstand, until she realized she felt its pressure against her thigh. Looking at the time on the digital readout, she knew she'd slept a lot longer than she'd originally thought. It was closer to two in the afternoon.

She supposed she must have either dozed off or passed out downstairs, one of the men bringing her up to her room to sleep it off. It was nice to know they hadn't thought her health in any immediate danger. She figured they'd have put her somewhere else if it were, or had Baymax chilling with her. But neither was the case. They also must have felt confident enough to not feel the need to keep an eye on her in case someone else tried to take her out.

There was something potentially wrong with this logic. It was possible Baymax was just in the other room with Hiro. The robot could scan through most walls, after all. He didn't need to be in the immediate room, unless there were lead walls or something. She didn't see that being a thing in the manor though. But she did notice the door to Hiro's room was somewhat ajar, which meant someone was in there.

Getting up, Cass made her way to the bathroom first, to check on her overall appearance. Her hair was a bit mussed, but it was her complexion she wanted to look at. As far as she could tell, it was good. Finished with her task there, she double-checked her pocket for her phone and headed for the door to the next room over.

The moment she reached for the door, Haru Katou pulled it open. She took a surprised step back, hand going to her chest at the sudden increase of heart rate. "You startled me," she admitted.

Katou looked a bit sheepish, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Sorry. I heard movement and thought I'd better check on you."

Cass couldn't help but expect some questions on his end, the inevitable ones she usually asked Hiro. If she had passed out, they were warranted. "I was just thinking about asking about food," she said, stalling those questions. "I don't know about you, but I'm famished."

Not bothering to see if the man would follow her or not, Cass headed out into the hallway, leaving the door for him to close. She headed down the hallway, Katou's footsteps following behind her. She could hear the slight shuffle of his feet on the carpet, her body instinctively on high alert. When the elevator dinged unexpectedly, she jumped a little, trying to laugh it off.

Once inside the elevator car, Cass gave Katou a side glance, feeling more than a little nervous. "You must be hungry, too," she observed.

Katou gave her a smile. "I could eat," he acknowledged. "Can't say I've done much this morning."

The car took them down to the ground floor, both exiting. On the way out, one of the staff noticed them. "Lunch is ready," he said with a slight bow.

"Oh." Cass stopped in surprise. It was still weird to have someone wait on her in such a manner. "Sounds good." She schooled her face, glanced over at Katou, who looked far too serious, and continued on to the dining room.

Ever courteous, Katou pulled out her chair for her, sitting in the seat next to hers, just as he had that morning. One of the staff brought in two plates of what had to be katsudon, only a bit fancier than Cass was used to. They were both piping hot, so someone had to have either given the kitchen the head's up, or they'd kept them in some kind of warmer. Considering how fresh they looked, she thought it was more likely the former.

Chopsticks in hand, Cass began her meal, getting lost in thought, when a sudden realization hit her. "Where's everyone else?"

Katou paused, his chopsticks just leaving his lips. He quickly chewed and swallowed. "I think Suzue's downstairs doing research. Kambe's with Hiro. I'm not really sure what they're doing though. Last I heard, Hiro was sleeping."

There was more to it, Cass thought, glancing over at her dining companion. He was a bit too deadpan. "Did something happen? I don't really remember much."

Putting his chopsticks down, Katou released his breath. "Something like that. After you identified the person who you felt you'd seen before, you had some kind of incident and ended up passing out. Hiro tried to see if could look at any memories you might have at the moment, but it didn't go well. He's sleeping it off as we speak."

Cass gave him a questioning look, not sure what to make of that admission. She contemplated the possibilities. If he'd tried to do what Loki had with him, it made sense. And if he'd had the same kind of reaction as the other night, he might be out for a while. "You'd let me know if it were something more serious than needing to sleep it off, wouldn't you?"

"Word of honor," Katou said. He picked up his chopsticks again with a sense of relief.

Well, she'd just have to take his word for it, Cass supposed, returning to her meal.

….

It took Daisuke a few seconds to realize what had happened, especially after Baymax announced that Hiro had not only low blood sugar, but low blood pressure. A quick word with Suzue brought the medic back to the holding cell in a hurry.

Upon evaluating the immediate emergency, Daisuke having moved Hiro back to the bed while they waited, the medic decided to administer an injection of glucagon to try and jump start the teen's body into producing the hormones necessary to create glucose. After waiting for fifteen minutes, he decided to add an IV of dextrose to help the process along, as well as for hydrating purposes, since Hiro didn't seem to have much in reserves for his body to convert.

"If we can't bring his blood sugar and pressure up, you might want to consider having him moved to a hospital," the medic stated. "They can perform more extensive tests to see if this is something more serious than a reaction from hypoglycemia, especially since his healthcare bot reported there has been a history of it."

Considering what information the medic had been given, it made sense, Daisuke supposed. Though the man knew there was much more to it that might not be wise to expose to others. As things stood, he wasn't sure what the best course of action was for the teen. He wasn't even sure if Cass was awake yet to ask her opinion and didn't want to disturb her.

Pacing outside the holding area, Daisuke contemplated his options. None appeared to be all that favorable. He stopped abruptly as Baymax joined him, leaving the medic alone with Hiro, albeit completely visible through the glass. "You seem distressed," the robot observed.

"I'm at a loss," Daisuke admitted. "Which course of action would be the best for Hiro?"

Baymax contemplated that for a moment. "I believe Aunt Cass would request he remain here," he stated. "This phenomenon is not unexpected given the circumstances. It is likely this is a reaction to an overload of energy and psychosis from what he experienced while trying to connect with Aunt Cass."

All things considered, it made sense, and Daisuke had been thinking along the same lines, having done some quick research on the subject while waiting for the medic. He'd had the foresight to grab his glasses after situating the teen, absently eating his portion of katsudon while he waited and kept an eye on things. It had helped that Baymax had stayed on top of reporting anything of concern.

"Cass Hamada is awake," HEUSC reported through Daisuke's earring.

Well at least there was that bit of good news. Daisuke contemplated. He'd had Suzue give Katou an earpiece to stay in touch, just in case. Now was as good a time as any. "Katou," he said, pressing his earring to activate it. "Where are you and my aunt right now?"

Katou reported something that gave Daisuke at least some reason to feel relieved. They were apparently both having lunch. Hearing that, he requested the detective bring Cass down after they were finished. Since she was technically Hiro's guardian, it was really up to her to decide what they'd do about Hiro.

Now having one less duty on his hands, Daisuke re-entered the cell, Baymax following him. "Hiro's guardian will be joining us shortly," he informed. "I leave the decision up to her."

The medic nodded. In the meantime, he would continue to monitor the teen's progress, periodically checking both blood pressure and sugar levels. Despite reports from Baymax, he felt a need to verify them for himself. Technology wasn't always reliable.

The fact that Kambe had requested Katou bring his aunt down to the holding cell was not a good sign, the cop thought as he finished his meal. Something must have happened. That or Daisuke didn't feel like coming up to join them. Considering everything that had happened, however, it was more likely something had happened and the younger man didn't want to admit to it just yet. If ever.

Seeing Cass set her chopsticks down, he gave her an encouraging smile. "Ready to go back downstairs?" he asked, standing.

She gave him a look he wasn't sure how to interpret, but guessed it was answer enough. It was time to see what Daisuke and Hiro were up to. He really hoped there were no more surprises, though. They'd certainly had more than enough for the day, let alone the week or year.

Indicating Cass should take the lead, Katou followed her back to the elevator, pressing the button for the correct floor once they were both inside. "Quite the eventful day," he commented, trying to break the tension.

The doors opened and Cass automatically exited, Katou following. She seemed to know exactly where to go, following the lit corridor to the larger room that housed the holding cell. Both pulled up short at the sight of the medic back inside, only attending to Hiro this time.

Katou activated the door lock and they both entered, causing Daisuke to look up from whatever it was he was doing. The man of the house had his glasses on, making random hand gestures as he manipulated data and images the others couldn't see. "I brought her like you asked," he stated.

Seeing her youngest nephew with an IV plugged into his arm, Cass ran forward. "What happened? Is he okay?" She cautiously sat on the edge of the bed closest to Hiro's head as was possible before glancing back at Daisuke.

The man in question took off his glasses, folding them and putting them away this time, before approaching her. "Hiro's blood pressure dropped. As a result, he passed out. It's possible low blood sugar was to blame. But the medic thinks it wise to consider transporting him to the hospital for observation."

Cass looked towards Baymax, ignoring the medic for the moment. "Is what he says true?"

Head tilted, Baymax blinked a few times before answering. "Yes. After attempting to read your memories, Hiro received a shock. Upon regaining consciousness, he suffered a drop in blood pressure due to the typical results of such activity."

Out of the corner of her eye, Cass could see the medic giving the robot a look. She wrung her hands. Normally, they'd just wait it out, knowing it was only a matter of time for the teen to recover. But here was a medical practitioner recommending they take more precautionary action. She glanced around at everyone in the room, evaluating.

Katou stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Something tells me there's more to it than just that," he observed. In a way, it would make sense, considering all Hiro had been through. But Cass knew her nephew the best. And it seemed that Daisuke had come to the same conclusion, leaving it up to her to decide. That or Kambe just didn't want to deal with making the decision.

Cass brushed some hair out of Hiro's face, feeling his skin, which seemed a bit clammy to the touch. "How is he doing now?"

The medic checked Hiro's pulse before answering. "He's making slow improvement," he admitted. "I had to give him dextrose to help with his levels, but they seem to be evening out. His blood pressure is still lower than I care for, though."

Thoughts of Loki's slow recovery popped into Cass's mind, and how he'd seemed to lack the energy to do much of anything for over half a day. If this was anything like that, it was only a matter of time. And since Hiro wasn't conscious to eat something, the IV drip wasn't unwarranted. This was just the first time she'd ever known it to be used on him for this reason. "If he woke up for a little bit, why didn't you have him eat something?" she asked, now looking at Baymax and Daisuke.

"Baymax offered him a lollipop," Daisuke recalled. "And, shortly after that, Suzue had a meal delivered. But he collapsed before he could eat either."

How bad had things gotten for that to be a thing, Cass wondered. She'd never seen him so depleted before, not even after coming back from the Hydra facility. Of course, he'd been in a world of pain, strongly sedated for almost a week after the fact, so maybe that was a bad comparison. But he looked no less beat up now than he had then, just without the braces. She bit her lip and began to pace, one hand to her lips, debating.

If there was one thing that was certain, it was that she didn't want Hiro anywhere she couldn't easily get to him. If he were at the hospital, and she still at the manor, that was unacceptable. She also didn't want to put herself in a position where she or her nephew weren't under some kind of protection. That and Baymax went wherever he did and she wasn't sure how hospitals in Japan would feel about the oversized marshmallow.

There was always the possibility the police would provide some kind of security, especially knowing now that Hiro was likely on the target list. But she didn't really know them, outside of Katou and sort of Hoshino. She supposed she could trust Hoshino, mostly because it seemed Katou did, but that didn't mean she knew him or anyone else they might assign to keep an eye on things.

But, if there were any further complications, a hospital might also be the best course of action, having equipment they might not have here. She'd had a chance to see the storage area where they kept the things they'd brought out for Daisuke's earlier care. It was well-stocked, but that didn't mean it had everything they might need.

"At the very least," Daisuke spoke up, breaking into her thoughts, "it might be wise to extend your stay, until we get to the bottom of what's going on."

What he said made sense. Why did it always end up like this though? She'd have to call the person she'd left in charge of the café and see if they'd mind extending their agreement. That and she'd have to call Honey Lemon and GoGo, letting them know what was going on. Fred might even insist on having them all fly out to join them, something she doubted was a good idea. Because if she mentioned something had happened to Hiro to Honey Lemon or GoGo, chances were good they'd let the others know.

Of course, if she were to use the excuse that they were extending their vacation at her nephew's request, (Daisuke, not Hiro's) that might cover that up. After all, they were making connections, supposedly sightseeing. And there had already been the unspoken thought a week in Japan wasn't nearly long enough for that, familial obligations aside. Even the university might be okay with it, if she told them it was some kind of cultural exchange thing. She supposed if they didn't like that, Daisuke could do something if she really wanted to ask. She wasn't sure she wanted to though.

Cass paused her pacing. There was no way of knowing just how long this would take. New York had taken a month. The Los Angeles incident had taken maybe a week or two. It might be best to be at least somehow honest about everything. The whole having to keep things on the down low was definitely taking a toll, and she'd only just begun there. How had Hiro managed for over a year? Sure, she'd had some kind of an idea he was up to things not exactly typical, but she'd trusted that his friends would keep him out of trouble.

Rubbing her temples, the woman dropped into the nearest seat, which happened to be at the table. She leaned against the top, elbows pressed against the surface. Why wasn't anyone saying anything? This was so unnerving!

"Hiro's blood pressure has increased," Baymax stated.

The medic pumped up the cuff he'd left on the teen's arm, checking to see if the robot was right. He gave a nod as everyone waited. "He's right. His blood pressure is returning to more acceptable levels. But that doesn't mean we're out of the woods." He adjusted the IV flow to compensate for the difference, probably not wanting to overwhelm the teen's system any more than necessary.

A sense of hope filled Cass and she straightened, hands clenched as if willing something hard enough would make it happen. "We should wait," she decided. "I'm not sure the trauma of waking in a hospital room right now would be a good idea."

She glanced over at Daisuke, hoping she'd made the right decision. But it was true. The teen didn't care for hospitals. And, after all the experiences he'd had over the last year with them, she didn't want to press their luck. If this was something they could take care of, monitoring and all, where they were, she wanted to limit any potential negative repercussions. They'd just have to be more cautious and re-adopt some of the same measured they'd had to after the New York incident.

The medic didn't seem happy with her decision, but didn't have much say in the matter. "If you're fine with staying with him for now, I think I'll head out and take care of some things," he requested. "There are a few things that need restocking. Call me if you need me."

After the man left, Katou letting him out of the room, a collective sigh seemed to ensue. "You know this changes things," the cop spoke up.

Daisuke gave him a sour look. "This changes nothing."

"Why are you always so stubborn?" Katou asked. He took up one of the remaining chairs, running a hand through his hair. "We're no closer to figuring things out than we were before. And now Hiro is out for the count. All we do have is a handful of theories and events that might or might not all be connected with someone either trying to kill you and your family members, or somehow kidnap or incapacitate you for reasons unknown."

The Kambe head rolled his eyes. It was subtle, but Cass noticed it. Why did men have to act so immature sometimes?

"Kidnapping is looking more likely," Katou continued. "Hoshino called while Cass was sleeping." He gave an apologetic shrug at the look Daisuke gave him. "I didn't think it necessary to report it right away, all things considered. Besides, she woke soon after I finished the call. The lab finally figured out what substances was on the dart."

He now had their full attention as Cass, Daisuke, and even Baymax looked his way. "It was a tranquilizer," he stated. "The dart itself probably would have caused some damage just from the sheer force, but it wouldn't have done much more than put someone out for a few hours."

Looking more than thoughtful, Daisuke headed towards the door. "I'm going to look something up with Suzue," he announced. "Katou, stay here with my aunt and nephew." He didn't turn around to make sure his order was acknowledged as he let himself out of the room.