Previously, in Page 3...
The medic finishes his check on Dominic's vital signs, letting the other two medics load Dominic onto a stretcher and hurry him down the pathway to the ambulance, where they placed him inside before closing the doors and driving away. "I've got to lock up the house, can you lock up the gate?" Stephany asks, Daniel running past her. "I got the doors, you get in the car." Daniel ran inside the house and locked both of the doors, then ran across the yard, hurrying past the bent gate and getting into his car quickly. "I'm going to follow the ambulance to the hospital. I'll call the station and tell them I'm taking the rest of the day off," Daniel says, starting the car and following after the ambulance.
Section 16: Hospital Stay
When Daniel and Stephany arrive at the hospital, they wait quietly in the lounge room, Daniel sitting at the round wooden table and watching the hands move on his wristwatch while Stephany bites her nails anxiously as she stares out the window. Each second felt like a drawn-out punishment, and the ticking of the wall clock was a reminder of the empty silence between them both, until Daniel decided to break the silence. "Have a seat and stop biting your nails," Daniel says to her when he noticed that she has been standing in place for nearly ten minutes. "But what if he's going to die because of me making him take the pills? I should have just let him have some coffee." Daniel sighs, putting his hands on the table as he leans forward in his seat. "No one knew this was going to happen, and this was a complete accident. It's a freak accident. Who knew he had some kind of allergy? Even he doesn't know he has an allergy to anything." Stephany sighs and sits at the opposite end of the table, which felt more spacious than the chair next to the wall. "I know... I know... He woke up doing so great this morning. And now he's back in the hospital." Daniel reaches across the table and takes her hand into his hands gently, looking at her. "He's going to live. Trust me. You knew what to do, and he'll live because of you. Don't doubt yourself. You're not a murderer, you're not going to jail, so don't think that you are. Not for one second. Don't doubt yourself. I love you."
Stephany nods, holding his hands. "Daniel..." The door opens with a loud click from the handle, a doctor walking into the room. "Sorry, but may I speak to you alone, ma'am?" he asks, stepping aside from the entryway. Daniel gets up from the table with a nod, leaving the room and closing the door behind him. "Is he okay?" Stephany asks, standing up quickly. "I'm not sure how this may seem, since he's a detective but... Have you noticed any suspicious activity of people lately?" Stephany shakes her head, the doctor glancing at the clipboard, unsure of what to say. "I haven't seen many cases like this before. Unsupervised children, suicidal adults, people just horseplaying - but with the statement I've been told by you and your fiance, and compared to what I have seen, don't add up. The medicine he took was not the medicine that was prescribed to him. We cross-examined the real medicine and compared it to the fake, and it was close enough that it can fool about anybody. It seems someone might be targeting him... This is what we found." Stephany looks at the clipboard when the doctor shows it to him, trying to think of a name or a face. "I'm not sure who would do such a thing. He's just a burnt-out guy who's been on medication, depressed all the time, drunk, staying at home and keeping to himself. I can't think of any reason why they would do such a thing." The doctor nods, lowering the clipboard. "How is he doing?" Stephany asks, the doctor giving a smile. "He's doing perfectly fine, since we were able to determine what poison it was we were dealing with, and with quick response timing. We've already cleaned his system out, but I'm going to have him stay overnight. Since you're his caregiver, I've had to disclose some very confidential information." Stephany sighs with relief, looking at the doctor. "I understand. Thank you so much. I'll go to his home and start checking everything."
The doctor motions for her to follow, both of them walking down the hallway until they stop next to Dominic's room. "You're able to go in and visit him now." Stephany goes into the room and looks over at Daniel, who was standing beside Dominic's bed, his back to the window. "They've got him strapped down from the last time he was here. I was told they're going to have him sleep it off most of the stay, so I doubt he'll remember much about being here." Daniel walks over to her, placing a hand on Stephany's shoulder. "Let's get going so I can talk to the boss about this. If someone's targeting Dominic, we need to find out who and how. But if it's someone trying to target the other officers, or maybe even me or you, the sooner we all know the facts, the better it could be." Stephany nods, casting a quick glance over at Dominic before they both leave the room, closing the door.
Dominic groans when he hears a noise nearby, turning his head to look. A nurse is setting up a meal tray, Dominic looking around the room groggily. "What... Where...?" The nurse smiles and sets the tray over the bed, helping him sit up. "Don't worry, mister Milone, you're in the hospital. I've brought you some supper, since you haven't eaten all day." He moves his right hand and finds it stuck under the cover, tugging his left hand. "What's going on?" Dominic asks, the nurse gently putting her hands on his shoulders. "It's okay, Dominic. You're in the hospital." He squirms to get loose, shaking his head back and forth. "No, I don't want to be here." The door to the room opens and the doctor enters the room, looking at Dominic, who stops moving around to get loose. "Good evening, Dominic. You must be feeling better if you're putting up a fight." Dominic tugs at the restraints on his wrists, trying to get up. "I don't think so. This has to be some kind of dream." The doctor gives a slight smile and takes a syringe from a shelf under the tray, cleaning off Dominic's arm before giving him an injection.
"It's not a dream," Dominic says as he watches the doctor's hand on his arm, watching as the doctor stands up. "Don't worry, mister Malone. You'll be fine. Your old medicine won't cause any harm." The doctor smiles and pats him on the shoulder, turning to the nurse. "Dominic's a stubborn one. He wouldn't touch our food if you even tried forcing him... I'll be heading out later, but I'll be back in a few minutes to check on our friend here."
With a wave to the nurse and a wave to Dominic, the doctor leaves, closing the door behind him. The nurse looks over at Dominic, who looks away. "I need to use the bathroom. I'm not going to run away, like you're probably thinking I will, because I already know I'd pass out in the parking lot if I tried." With a nod, the nurse removes the restraints from his ankles and wrists, surprised when Dominic stands up quickly. He pulls the IV from his hand and drops it on the floor, walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind him. "Sir, you should have let me help you remove the intravenous needle, you could have hurt yourself," the nurse scolded as she turned off the drip, removing and throwing away the needle before cleaning up with a paper towel.
When he finishes using the bathroom and washing his hands, Dominic leans forward on the sink, staring into the mirror. After a moment of silence, he turns his head to the door, listening. "Hey. How about some cigarettes?" Dominic leaves the bathroom, rubbing his hair flat. "I'm sorry, but your caregiver took your cigarettes." Dominic grumbles and walks over to the bed, sitting down. "Well, then... You're a smoker. Smells like you've had a menthol cigarette recently. Just how long ago was that?" The nurse looks at Dominic, baffled by his query. "I had one on my break."
With a rather sly expression, Dominic crosses one leg over the other, watching her intently. "I know this building. This is the third floor. Your belongings are in the sub-basement, which takes five minutes if you walk fast. Grabbing your belongings, you'd have to walk to the back of the hospital and head out to the pavilion, which takes another five minutes just to get to the door. To smoke, maybe two, four minutes. After enjoying your free time, you have to go back to put your belongings away, then get back to work, which I assume is just me with the way you're taking your time and standing around. But with the way it's been cool outside, and I'm sure with the breeze, the smell would have at least dissipated. So... What bathroom did you have a cigarette in?"
The nurse's face turns bright red from embarrassment, shaking her head. "I'm not giving you any cigarettes. Your caretaker said no, and you're a patient in the hospital." Dominic sighs, laying down on the bed. "And if I refuse treatment any further, wouldn't that end the patient-doctor status and make me just another person in the hospital?" The nurse instead keeps her distance on the other side of the room, watching him. "No, it wouldn't." Dominic sighs as he lies down on his side, holding out his arm. "I'm getting tired, so I give up. Put a Band-Aid on me." The nurse timidly walks over and puts a pink Band-Aid on Dominic's hand, then moves away from the bed.
The door to the room opens and the doctor walks inside, looking at Dominic before looking at the nurse. "Are you all right? You look scared." The doctor walks over to the bed, Dominic turning over onto his back. "I hate hospitals," Dominic grumbles, looking at the doctor. "You'll thank me later, I'm sure," the doctor says with a smile, putting the restraints back on Dominic's wrists and ankles. "Just have a good rest and you'll be good to go in the morning." He covers Dominic with a blanket, turning to face the nurse. "Whatever he says, don't let him scare you. He's just a bit troubled, is all." The nurse watches the doctor leave the room, before following after him. "I hate hospitals," Dominic grumbles to himself, as he stares at the ceiling tiles, a small light in the room left on as a nightlight. I don't even remember how I got here... I took some medicine... Maybe it was a reaction I had? Dominic thinks, trying to keep himself from falling asleep.
Section 17: No Longer a Secret
Dominic wakes when he hears the door to the room open, looking over at the nurse. She removes the restraints from his ankles and wrists, setting the pile of clean clothes on the foot of the bed. "Good morning, mister Milone. Your caretaker is coming to pick you up soon, so you'll need to get dressed." The nurse turns to leave, Dominic clearing his throat. "Um... I'm... Sorry about yesterday. I can tell you haven't slept very well... You're not in any trouble." The nurse nods, leaving the room. Dominic looks over at the clock. It is seven in the morning, Dominic groaning and sitting up. Grabbing his clothes, he stands up, accidentally dropping most of the clothing as he slowly shuffles to the bathroom.
He looks over when he hears a knock at the door a few minutes later, tugging the belt through the loops on his pants. "Yeah... What?" he asks, the door opening. "You dropped some of your clothes. Here you go." The nurse sets the clothes on the counter, Dominic grabbing his shirt. "Thanks." Getting fully dressed, he stands up and leaves the bathroom, looking over at Daniel and Stephany, who are both waiting on him. "Dominic, we're here to pick you up," Daniel says with a smile, walking over to greet him. "I don't feel good," Dominic mumbles. "I want to go home."
Staying on opposite sides, both Daniel and Stephany help Dominic out of the room, leading him down the hallway to the elevator. "So, Dominic, how about that nice nurse? She was pretty, huh?" Daniel says teasingly, Dominic staying quiet with his head down. "Let's first get him some breakfast. We'll go sit somewhere quiet," Stephany says, taking hold of his arm. They go downstairs on the elevator, heading to the cafeteria and helping Dominic sit at the table. "I'll go get him something to eat," Stephany says, leaving Daniel to sit at the table with Dominic.
Dominic stays silent a moment as he stares down at the table, lifting his head to look at Daniel. "Is my house okay?" Daniel nods, leaning closer to talk to him without anyone else overhearing. "Dominic, to be serious with you, forget about the house. Someone tried to kill you, so they sent in the team to investigate. They didn't find anything in your house, just what was in that bottle of fake pills. But they want you to spend some time at the care facility, to -" Dominic gets out of his seat quickly at the mention, eyes wide. "What? I'm not crazy."
Daniel gets up and puts a hand on Dominic's shoulder, Dominic pulling away defensively. "It's only for a week, to keep you safe. What if you get another attack?" Dominic looks away, shaking his head. "Stephany's already my caretaker." Daniel clenches his fists at the remark, angry. "That's bull crap and you know it," Daniel replies, pointing at Dominic. "You are so pathetic that I refuse to acknowledge you anymore. You're not my friend. You're a washed-up has-been who refuses to change. You don't care about anyone, not even yourself. You almost died, and you act like someone is doing you a favor. And all you have to say for yourself is that you're selfish enough to keep forcing my fiancee to be your personal slave?" Dominic lowers his head, almost unable to speak. "Your... Fiancee?" Grabbing the jacket, Daniel tosses it at Dominic, who barely manages to catch it. "Yes, my fiancee. She didn't want to tell you the good news because you'd get depressed. It's aggravating me how she always stands up for you and yet cries to me about how you have turned into some nobody. You'll never change. You just don't want to. So I don't want to be around you anymore."
Dominic turns and glances over towards the snack bar where Stephany was, unaware of the situation as she put some food on a plate, then he lowers his head and walks away as he leaves the hospital. Walking down the road, Dominic lets go of his jacket, heading home. Once he reaches the house he grabs a duffel bag and shoves some clothes in it, not bothering to look over when the door to the room opens. "Dominic, what's going on?" Stephany asks, alarmed. "You bolted from the hospital, I found your coat on the side of the road - Are you packing your clothes?" Dominic stays quiet as he gathers his belongings, Stephany putting her hand on his shoulder. He moves away, looking over at her before hoisting the bag over his shoulder. "Don't touch me. You didn't tell me you were engaged to be married. I'm just... It's stupid. It feels that you have the same doubts about me, like everyone else. Engaged to be married? To be married? We've been best friends since we were little, and no one could mention this? I'm upset for a reason. I can handle being made fun of and being insulted for who I am, but being forcibly ignored is ridiculous. So you don't have to worry about me getting in the way. I'm going to turn myself in to the care center."
Stephany moves to block the doorway, Dominic stopping in his tracks. "You think I don't trust you anymore? Dominic, no, that's hardly the reason. I really wanted to surprise you. But now that it's no longer a secret... Daniel and I wanted you to be the best man, way way into the future, whenever we get married. It's not happening right now, it's not happening any time soon. I mean, you already do so well with your medicine. But you get so confrontational when you want to get drunk and you smoke constantly, and yes it does get a bit troublesome, but nothing in life is ever easy, and perserverance is its own reward. I know it's hard on you more than it is on anyone else. But sometimes you have to accept the help of others." Dominic lowers his head and sighs, Stephany leading him out of the room. "I'm glad you told me your problem and admit that you need help. This is a really important step, the biggest one of all. So come on... Let's get some breakfast, and then drop you off."
Going downstairs, Dominic grabs the car keys, tossing them over to her. "No... Daniel is right. I'll go there myself." He goes outside and heads to where his car is parked in the driveway, pausing to glance at it before walking over to the car parked on the side of the road. Daniel motions for him to get in, Dominic sitting in the backseat. Daniel and Dominic glance at each other briefly, Dominic looking away as he keeps his head down. Stephany gets in the front passeger seat, the car pulling away from the house. Sitting in silence, Dominic's stomach growls loudly, Daniel nodding to Stephany. "We'll stop off for some breakfast first. I'll pay for it this time."
Section 18: Getting Ready
Several blocks away, Shadow stays quiet as he looks at the handcuff that keeps him next to Victor, Max walking on the opposide side of Shadow. They had already been to a few stores earlier, in which Shadow was forced to stay in the car with Victor. "How about we stop off for some breakfast?" Max asks, looking over at Shadow. "You still haven't really eaten anything. It'll be my treat, so you can order as much as you want." Shadow nods, keeping his head down. He was not very hungry, although going out to eat meant freshly prepared meals that he could enjoy. But what he really wanted was to get loose, to get away and run for it, except he knew that Victor was carrying a gun somewhere on him.
They walk along the sidewalk, Shadow stopping when Victor throws his arm out to block him. "Wait. Max, look, it's the detective." Shadow raises his head quickly, looking straight ahead. The woman he recognized before leads the dark-haired man into a nearby building, a clean-cut man going in after them. "Wait - help!" Shadow cries out, pulling to get away. Victor grabs Shadow and pulls him into the alley without hesitation, Shadow hitting and kicking as he tries to get loose. Clamping a hand over Shadow's mouth, Victor shoves him down to the ground, Max pulling out the syringe and prepping it. Shadow winces when he receives the injection, Victor jerking Shadow to his feet.
"This is getting annoying," Victor grumbles to Max, pulling Shadow along roughly. "He's a snivelling, spineless moocher. I'm going to tell Rush about this. Clearly he needs to do something, instead of having us babysit for him." Victor raises a hand at Shadow, who shies away and shields himself with his hands. "If I hear one noise out of you, I'll give you a reason to yell." With a rough pull, Victor moves Shadow forward, walking out of the alley. They go back to the car and get inside, Victor shoving him into the backseat. Shadow rubs at his face as he cries, Max sighing as he starts the car. "Well, it's too late for you to eat, because you'll be asleep. Let's go back. I've already gotten what I needed. The good news is that now we know the detective is still alive." Removing the handcuff from his wrist, Victor secures it to Shadow's other wrist, the car pulling away from the curb. Shadow quickly falls asleep on the backseat, Victor watching him closely.
Shadow wakes when he hears the cage door open, looking over when he sees Victor walking over to him. He grabs Shadow's wrists and binds them quickly with rope, dragging him to his feet. Going through the hallway past several doors, they go into the empty room where Rush is waiting, the chain hanging from the wall. Shadow nervously moves to get away, Victor pulling Shadow over to the chain and latching the rope to the hook. Shadow whimpers when he sees the leather crop in Rush's hands, Rush stepping closer to talk to him.
"I'm getting rather disappointed in you, Shadow. You refuse to work with us, you take up our time and you take up our space, and you also tried to run to the authority for help. I should just get rid of you. Is that what you want?" Shadow shakes his head quickly, Rush slapping the crop against the chair nearby. "I didn't hear an answer... And stop crying, you look pathetic." Shadow tries to stop his crying, Rush lowering the crop. "Look, Shadow... The only thing I want you to do is work with us. If you can do three jobs, you'll be free to go. Can we work out a deal?"
Shadow stays quiet, Rush holding up his hand to count off. "You can either do three jobs for us for free and then go anywhere you want - or you can choose to work with us and get paid for each job you do." Pulling out a hunting knife from his belt, he walks over to Shadow's side, cutting the rope. Shadow lowers his arms and looks at Rush, who puts away the knife. "Straighten your shirt and go wash your face. I went out and bought you some waterproof makeup, though you don't have to put it on. I'm going to meet some people, and they asked to see you."
Shadow shakes his head quickly, Rush turning to face him. "I didn't say you had a choice. They're my superiors. So if you don't go, and you don't behave... But trust me, if anyone asks, you want to work for me. Some of the others aren't as lenient and forgiving. Now, go get ready. You have half an hour." Shadow looks around nervously, shaking in his shoes. Rush walks over and throws his arm around Shadow's shoulder, laughing. "Silly me! I forgot. You don't even know which area of the buiding you're in. I'll help you find the bathroom."
Rush leads Shadow out of the room, passing through the hallway until they reach the bathroom. He urges Shadow inside, closing the door behind him. "There should be a suit for you hanging up as well," Rush calls out, Shadow looking over at the hook on the door. A formal black dress suit is hanging nearby, the entire outfit glistening. Shadow looks around but sees no windows, only a small vent. After standing still for a few minutes, he looks over when he hears Rush talking to someone, the door opening. Max enters the bathroom, walking over to Shadow.
"What are you standing there for? Come here." Grabbing a washrag, Max gets it wet in the sink, rubbing the soap on the rag before taking hold of Shadow's face. He washes off the smeared makeup quickly, then dries off his hands. He then grabs a spray bottle and wets Shadow's hair, combing it down neatly. "Put your pants and shirt on," Max says, turning away. Shadow quickly puts on the pants, his hands fumbling with the zipper and belt. Removing his vest, he pulls off the undershirt, putting on his blue-colored dress shirt.
Max turns around and grabs the front of the shirt, buttoning it with ease. "I remember when I had to go see the superiors... They're all a bunch of super-rich men, who are all in different types of business. It'll be best if you answer anything they ask you, and make sure you always stay with Rush. He'll keep you safe. Sometimes, the others might try to trick you or buy you to their side, or might try to hurt you if they're afraid of your abilities. That's why you'll need to watch yourself." He pats Shadow on the shoulder, then grabs the suit. Shadow puts the suit on, Max helping with the tie and cuff links. "There we go. Take a look in the mirror and say what you think."
Turning to the mirror, Shadow looks at himself, quiet. Staring back at him was his own timid black-and-white face, his hair styled like an actor. Even the suit was unusual, since he had never worn anything so strangely fitted and high-class. "Your first time in a suit?" Shadow nods, turning to Max before lowering his head. "Don't be down. Rush picked a really expensive suit for you to keep, and it looks great. You're also going to a great top-notch restaurant. There will be all kinds of great food and drinks. Trust me, you'll have a good time. I'm also going. Usually I handle deals with Rush, so you won't have to do anything."
Shadow nods, Max leading him out of the bathroom. Rush checks his watch and nods, tossing a set of handcuffs to Max. "Only if he runs away," Rush warns, looking at Shadow. Shadow keeps his head down, Max urging him along. "He'll be fine. Lots of good food, just waiting for him." Heading through the different areas of the building, they soon go outside, Shadow shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight. "Here," Rush says, pulling a large pair of sunglasses from the pocket of Shadow's suit. He places them on Shadow's face, turning and walking for the parked car nearby.
Shadow glances around quickly, figuring out his location. "The factory...?" Max nods, smiling to him. "Odd to know we were pretty much neighbors who work for the same cause, isn't it? Abandoned old factories... The police are just too afraid to look for us, is all." Shadow watches as Rush opens the car door, stopping in his tracks. The surge of anxiety was back, making him shake in his shoes. Max gets into the car, Rush nodding to Shadow. Shadow gets into the car, Rush getting in as well.
The car pulls away, Shadow looking at the driver. The man is someone he did not recognize, the chauffer, another man sitting in the front passenger seat. Max opens a hidden compartment behind the passenger seat, revealing a tray of candy. "Here, have some mints. They'll make your breath smell good and it'll help you feel better." Shadow instead looks away, keeping his head down.
Section 19: Trey
When they arrive at the restaurant in the next town over, Shadow gets out of the car after Rush, looking way up the side of the towering glass building, unable to see the very top clearly. "Looks pretty scary from down here, but it sure is amazing, huh?" Max asks, getting out behind Shadow and closing the car door. "It's so huge," Shadow says, awed by the size of it. They walk past the valet and the bouncer at the front entrance, entering the building through the large revolving glass door. Choosing an elevator nearby, they get inside and ride up towards the top floor, Shadow anxiously awaiting for what lies behind the door. Once the elevator comes to a stop, the door opens, Shadow looking around quickly. Several beautiful women carrying serving trays with drinks and food walk about as they serve their customers, before his eyes wander around the dimly lit room. Mostly candles and dim chandeliers lit the room, soft music playing slowly.
"This way, Shadow. What do you think?" Max asks, leading him out of the elevator. "To him, this must be heaven," Rush says with a slight laugh, walking ahead of them. He greets the others at a table nearby, waiting for Shadow and Max to take their seats. Shadow looks over as a woman serves the group of men already seated at the table, looking over at Shadow's face.
"Are you in disguise, or is this a new look for you, mister...?" the woman asks, pulling out a notepad and pen, preparing to take their orders. "Um..." Shadow says, looking down quickly. "Shadow doesn't drink, so just water will be fine for him," Max offers warmly, patting Shadow on the shoulder. "He's just a little shy." The woman nods, writing it down and handing out the menus. "Would that be the usual for you and mister Rush? One sweet tea and one Vermouth?" Rush and Max nod, the woman turning and leaving the table.
"Shadow, I haven't seen you since you were still with Valentine," says a brown-haired man with hazel eyes, Shadow looking over at him quickly. "Trey?" The man laughs, shaking his head. "You still remember that silly nickname? I go by my real name. How have you been doing?" Shadow frowns as he looks away, Rush clearing his throat. "We're still trying to get him accomodated to our group. It's just that he's as sensitive as a kitten... But young Shadow is quite smart, and he's quick to adapt."
The man nods, pulling out his menu, the other men picking up theirs as well. "First, let's all eat, then we can do business." Shadow continues to frown as he looks across the table at the man who was his old friend Trey, who eventually stands up. "Excuse me a minute, I'll be back. Shadow, come with me. I want to talk to you." Shadow gets to his feet nervously, following him away from the table. Although he was now away from Rush and able to run for the elevator, he felt unable to leave, since his friend wanted to talk to him. They walk along the wall and reach the large bathroom, Trey tipping the men's room attendant and closing the door behind him.
"Okay, you've been giving me some kind of face for over five minutes. I know you want to tell me something, so what is it?" Shadow lowers his head, shrugging. "It's evident you don't like Rush... But to be honest, Rush is a great person when you get his trust. He's a real stickler about that. If he doesn't trust you, then it's the cage. I know what he does, but it keeps you safe. Rush and I had to share the same cage, and that was difficult because our boss was a real p***k, who only cared about the money and not the people he hired and usually stiffed. But that's not really my point. After our group fell apart, Valentine's group, I got attacked by another gang. But Rush didn't hesitate to help me, although at the time I was probably his biggest rival. Instead, he helped me, and I trusted him - and now look at us, we're good work friends who trust each other and he works for me. I think you'll do best with Rush out of anyone else at our table. It seems he knows you're a good person for the job, and it's why he wants you to work for him."
Shadow raises his head to look at Trey, who smiles reassuringly. The last time he had seen his friend smile, Shadow was a young boy and Trey was nearly thirty; now he was standing before his friend as a young man, and Trey was nearly fifty, although the dyed hair made him look much younger. "Don't doubt my words. We are still friends. Just try for one day to work with Rush, I think you'll find it very rewarding. If you don't like it, then give it another try with a different mindset." He gives Shadow a slight shake, Shadow eventually smiling. "Well, okay, I guess..." Trey writes his phone number down on the back of a business card, handing it over. "If you want to talk, just call me on this number. It's my cell phone number. Just try not to call too often, because I'd rather not ruin a business meeting. Get what I'm saying?" With an eager nod, Shadow watches as Trey places the card in the breast pocket of the suit. "And about my name... I suppose you could just call me Trey still, but know that my real name is Trevor." Trey leads him out of the bathroom and back to the table, both of them taking their seats.
Shadow sits between Rush and Max, lowering his head. "Sorry to keep everyone waiting," Trey says with a smile, pulling out the menu once again. "I was just updating Shadow on our past friendship from the old gang days. Now, let's all eat and get to business." Shadow glances around at the menus in everyone's hands, Rush handing Shadow his own. "I'll pay for whatever you order. Consider this time a freebie." Shadow quietly glances over the menu selections, looking over at Trey. Trey smiles to him, Shadow looking over at Rush before turning to look at Max.
"Um... What... do I do?" Everyone turns their gaze to Shadow, who looks down quietly. "You've never eaten in a restaurant before?" Max whispers, then sighs. "Well, I guess not..." Taking the menu, Max holds it out for both of them to see, pointing to one of the appetizers. "Let's try you out on a dish of onion rings. So you'll tell the woman you want one of these." Shadow nods, taking the menu gently. When it is time to order their meals, the waitress takes everyone's orders, starting with Trey and Rush, the others placing their orders. She looks over when Shadow holds up the menu, watching as he points. "Is this okay?" The woman smiles, nodding. "If it wasn't okay, I don't think it'd be on the menu. Is that all you want, doll-face?"
Shadow nods, handing her the menu. Taking up the other menus, the woman leaves, Rush laughing as he looks at Shadow. "Don't tell me you've never been complimented by a girl before?" Shadow nods, lowering his gaze, feeling unsure if he has done something wrong or not. "Hm..." Rush drinks from his glass, smiling when he puts it down. "Well, they have been looking at you ever since we got in here. Maybe I should have a face like yours." Shadow blushes, keeping quiet.
When the food arrives, Shadow looks at the onion rings, Max pushing the dish closer. "They're yours. Go ahead and eat." Nervous, Shadow shakes his head, Rush looking over at him. "Shadow, it is considered rude to not eat as a guest in front of my own boss." Shadow looks over at Trey, who nods. "It's no problem. Eat whatever you want." Shadow grabs one of the onion rings, nibbling on it. After finishing it off, he grabs a second and eats it, Max smiling to him. "Go ahead and dig in. If you want more, you can order something else."
Shadow nods, eating the onion rings quickly. After consuming several small handfuls of the appetizer, he gulps down all of his water, picking up the menu and showing it to Max, who nods and motions for the waitress to come over. After placing his order, Shadow looks around at everyone else as they eat, his stomach growling. The men were eating various meals of steak, pastas, and foreign meals, all of which looked perfect to him. Trey slides him a basket of buttered rolls, Shadow eating the rolls quickly. "Glad you're finally enjoying yourself. Things go better with good food."
After eating all of the rolls, Shadow waits for his meal to be served, devouring the steak and potatoes when it arrives. As he eats, Trey and the others finish their meal, going over paperwork. After nodding and signing some papers, Trey shakes Rush's and Max's hands, Rush standing up. "All right, Shadow. It's time to go." Shadow looks over at Trey quickly, who nods. "Go ahead. Be good, and you'll see." Shadow grabs some napkins from the table, following after Rush and Max.
Leaving the restaurant, they get into the car, riding back to the factory on the end of their hometown. Shadow picks at his teeth as they get out of the car, Rush looking at him quietly before patting off the front of the suit. "It's not really decent to pick your teeth like that. We should work on your manners and etiquette. Half the food you ate got the suit dirty." Shadow stays quiet and lowers his arms, frowning. "I'm sorry." Rush puts the handcuffs on Shadow, leading him inside the factory. "Don't worry about it. You got 'Trey' to agree with us fully, now that you're here with us. Finally we'll get a bigger cut of the money that we work for, I suppose as a cushion to keep you safe. But you still have to stay in your room until you're ready."
Going to his room, Max removes the handcuffs, Shadow sitting on his bed with a groan. "I feel sick..." Max nods, putting the cuffs in his pocket. "You ate too quickly, I'm sure. Starving yourself often doesn't help anything. But don't worry, I'll get you some antacids." Max leaves, closing the door behind him. When he returns a few minutes later, he stops at the doorway when he feel his shoe step in something underfoot, Shadow leaning over a small plastic trash can. "I couldn't make it to the bathroom..." Max sighs, motioning to Shadow. "Okay, you can leave the room. I'm sure Rush won't mind, as long as you don't try anything funny."
Section 20: Captain's Mission
Shadow leaves the room, quiet as he looks around. Captain is nowhere to be seen, so he wanders down the hallway. His cat had managed to escape the room probably after they left for the business meeting, and finding him mattered most. He stops when he sees Victor move in front of a doorway, looming over Shadow. In his hands is Captain, his ears laid back. "Hopefully you were looking for your little friend," Victor says, holding out the cat. "You might want to be more careful. Some people aren't nice to animals." Shadow takes Captain into his arms, looking up at Victor.
"Thank you," Shadow says softly, feeling as the cat purrs with content. "Captain usually doesn't like anyone, unless he thinks you're a good person." Victor stifles a laugh, turning Shadow away from the door. "A cat named Captain that picks out your friends? Maybe you need to try using your own judgment." Shadow shakes his head, petting the cat. "He hasn't been wrong yet. Animals can sense the good in people. It's why he only purrs when I pet him. We both are great friends, and we help each other out."
Victor shrugs, patting Shadow on the shoulder. "Let's get you back to your room. Max might wonder where you are." Shadow stops walking, shaking his head. "I don't want to go back in the room." Victor urges him forward, stopping when Shadow sits down on the floor. Without hesitating, he scoops Shadow up into his arms and carries him back to the bedroom, Max moving out of the way. Victor drops Shadow down onto the bed, Captain running to hide behind the wooden desk. "Goodnight, Shadow," Victor says, leaving the room.
Shadow sits up on the bed and looks over at Max, who sighs as he finishes cleaning up the floor. "I put a cup of water and a few antacids on the table... Goodnight, Shadow." Max carries the trashcan out of the room, closing and locking the door behind him. Shadow lies down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, which was about two stories high. With a meow, Captain cautiously approaches Shadow, who puts the cat on his chest, petting him. "I'm sorry, Captain... How could I think of leaving you here?" He looks at the walls near the top, getting to his feet. Checking his desk, he pulls out some paper and a pencil, writing a small message. Tearing a piece of cloth from a thin fleece blanket, he secures the note to the collar, disgusing it with a small bandana. "Captain... If you can... Remember the green dumpster."
Giving the cat a quick hug, he throws Captain over the wall, the cat landing roughly on a crate on the other side. Leaping down to the floor, the cat looks at the wall that he was thrown over, moving out of the way of a pillow that Shadow throws at him. Startled, Captain turns and runs away, Shadow turning around and rubbing at his face, trying to keep himself from crying. Captain scampers past the stacks of metal pipes and water puddles, where he reached a corner of the building, slipping out through a crack in the wall. Without slowing down, the cat heads to the town, soon locating the green dumpster and hiding underneath.
 Shadow Belmonte · Sat Jun 28, 2014 @ 11:03pm · 0 Comments |
