Chapter thirteen:
With the plan set Mello, Matt and Near set off in search of Akari.
Matt takes the lead with a slightly angry and determined look on his face. He will not let this "friend" fool him again.
Near picks up the pace matching Matt's pace instead of being behind with Mello. "Are you really sure you want to do this? You'll have to try to control your anger when we get there. At least until we get the information we need."
Matt turns to Near offering him a smile. "Don't worry about me. I do have better control than Mello does." He shares a soft chuckle with Near when Mello calls out to them at this. "Seriously though I understand that we need information first. Then when that's all done I can let myself loose on him."
Near nods and backs off to walk with Mello as Matt continues to lead them. He glances to the blonde who is grumbling to himself. He reaches over grabbing the others hand which gets him to stop grumbling at least for now. He smiles a little more than before as Mello intertwines their fingers. He hasn't been this happy in a long while.
Meanwhile...
Ra-Ra peeks around a corner noticing Roger talking with some guys in hazmat suits.
"I don't know what you mean when you say they're gone. I don't know where those two could go in such a state." Roger shakes his head clearly not believing that this is happening.
Ra-Ra knows that they are talking about her and Near. She sneaks past using any cover she can find. She's glad that they are too busy talking so she isn't spotted. She peeks down the hall where the rest of those who are sick are put for quarantine. She bites her lip a little at seeing all the people in hazmat suits. She takes a few moments tracking a path where she will not be seen. She pauses when she notices that someone grabs an extra hazmat suit from a hallway she can't see. She will get around easier wearing one of those. She quickly ducks behind a planter then stays close to the wall slipping past some people with their backs turned. She then crosses the hall staying close to two hazmats who are flipping through a file. She then tucks herself between a planter and a wall. She peeks out to see how far she's got.
Almost there.
Ra-Ra glances around ensuring that the coast is clear then follows the wall heading for the hall. She gets behind a one seat leather couch placed likely for a brief rest break. She can see the hallway with the hazmat suits. She also notices that most of them are too big for her. She perks up as someone closer to her size hangs one up after wiping his brow. She waits for him to leave down the other side of the hallway. She hurries to the suit and puts it on. She wrinkles her nose at the stink of sweat. She will have to deal with it. She walks out now that she'll blend in. She heads to the first room entering just as two other hazmats are leaving. She reaches into the hazmat suit and gives the teacher the cure. She heads back out acting normal. She continues on going to each room administering the cure as fast as she can. She is at about the last six when she hears a commotion. She turns around to see that hazmats are hurrying over to the front of the hall calling out.
"The patient isn't showing symptoms anymore!"
"How is this possible!?"
"Check the others!"
Ra-Ra turns away and continues on her journey. She cures the rest of the patients just in time as she runs out. She's glad there isn't anymore cases. She heads back to the hallway with everyone distracted by the suddenly cured people. She is about to remove her hazmat suit when someone approaches her.
"Psst." The male gets Ra-Ra to slightly turn to him. He's in a hazmat suit hiding his true self. "You had something to do with the sudden cure right?"
"Whatever gave you that idea?" Ra-Ra snorts rolling her eyes as if he's dumb.
"The only one wearing such a sized suit is in the break room." The male tells her giving Ra-Ra pause. "It's okay." He glances around as Ra-Ra stares at him. He turns back to her. He has brown short military hair and intense brown eyes. "Take off the suit. We need to head that way but no suits allowed."
"Why would I trust you?" Ra-Ra questions knowing that this is likely meaning something is up.
"Because if you cured them then you may want to see this." The man tells her and starts taking off his suit. He is wearing a camo military looking outfit underneath. He blinks when Ra-Ra removes the suit. He suddenly covers her head in a towel on a bench. "If I knew it was you I would have asked you to wait for something to really his you."
"What are you talking about?!" Ra-Ra isn't liking this person and his attitude.
"Hide your hair and follow me." The man waits for Ra-Ra to do so by wrapping it up in the towel then leads her away from the patients. He keeps close to her trying to keep much people from seeing her. He arrives at a door and swipes his card which unlocks it. He holds the door open and after a moment Ra-Ra steps inside.
Ra-Ra gasps as she sees a huge cork board filled with pictures and papers, including one of her and one of Near. She also sees an arial shot of their home town. "What is this?" She questions turning to the man as he enters the room closing the door quietly.
"The secret planning room." The man admits walking to stand in front of the cork board. "No one knows I got into here. However some of the people here want to erase every last trace of that town." He points to Ra-Ra and Nears hometown. "Including the two of you." He gestures to the pictures of the two. "It was thought that every trace of it was wiped with that village. Until it was found out you two were still alive. Everyone was known about from there. Even though you slipped past they knew you were there." He sighs to himself putting his hands on his hips. "So. A skilled agent was hired to get people to spread the illness. It was meant to take over the orphanage. Yet it didn't go as planned. Plus you two didn't get sick. So they had to order attacks on you two. So the secret would never be known. I've already memorized every paper on this board. So I know a lot about all of this. Including that the raid for the cure formula lead to no cure formula being found. It was the only part of that file missing. I'm more than sure you or a helper had a hand in that." He nods as Ra-Ra hums in confirmation.
"What are we supposed to do?" Ra-Ra turns to the man after looking over the board herself.
"We need to find someone named Akari. Unfortunately he isn't easy to track down. He's the one that was asked to take care of all of this. We just don't know where he is. We can put you and the other one in protective custody. No one will get to either of you."
"Well then. The good news is three of the others are already heading to Akari right now." Ra-Ra smirks as the man actually looks impressed.
"How'd you work out his location?"
Ra-Ra chuckles. "It was easier than it was for you guys. Considering one of my teammates happens to know the guy." She looks over the board again turning serious. "Is there anything else we can do here?"
"No." The man turns to the board. "This will all be collected as evidence. And the part of the government not a part of all of this will handle the rest."
"Are you sure that this will really end it?"
"That's the plan. And don't worry we've already arrested plenty of officials who were in on this part. With other officials working to ensure it never happens again. The government doesn't want to be known for such tragedies."
"Great. Then it seems my job is done." Ra-Ra turns to leave.
"Not yet." The man's two simple words stop the girl in her tracks. "They're going to be trying to figure out why you all are suddenly okay again. They'll do so much testing. Including on you. And those that know you and your friend." He doesn't get corrected by Ra-Ra. "Will panic realizing you're cured too. And things will only get worse if they find out you're behind the cure."
"So? What do you want me to do?" Ra-Ra turns to look to the man who meets her gaze.
"Stay in a safe place. We have a place of safety for you and the other on their hit list. You can stay there until we get things to die down. Then you can return back here like normal."
Ra-Ra stares at the man for a moment. "I'll have to talk to the other. It's not just my choice."
"Here." The man hands her a card with a number on it. "Do either of you have a phone?" He continues when Ra-Ra nods. "Okay then call or text this number. We'll help you right away."
"Thanks." Ra-Ra leaves with that and sneaks off to Mellos room where she lets out a soft sigh once there. She looks to the card not sure what they are going to do about all of this. She'll have to wait for the others to come back.
AN:
So this one was written on the train on my phone. So hopefully there's no autocorrects.
Hopefully you're enjoying so far!
Mello.
