"I need to hit something. Preferably with my bat."
"Shut up, Jack. You're gonna wake the others."
"We don't even know if they're alive or not."
"We can't.....wait, I think he's coming to."
Vince groaned as his eyes squinted open. The voices stopped, replaced with a series of beeping machines and Fox News on the television. Jack and Kevin stepped into view, both relieved to find him awake.
"Thank god."
"Dude, don't scare us like that," Jack sighed as he dropped his head to Vince's arm. The man furrowed his brows, confused.
"What-?" His dry throat interrupted the man as he released a series of freshly new coughs. Kevin quickly grabbed the water bottle off his bedside and held it out to the man.
"Take it easy, Vince. We barely got you back."
Vince nodded and allowed himself to breathe first. Chris, Caleb, Cori and Alex were asleep in the waiting chairs on the other side of the room. Each covered in a white blanket. He was grateful to see they were all okay and looked back up to the two eldest.
"Where's Mekhi?" He asked, and the two looked to each other. Kevin slowly shook his head, raising Vince's awareness. "Boys, what is it? Is he okay?"
"Depends on your definition of 'okay'. He's been on the roof all night trying to calm himself down," Jack said. "His eyes burned through his fake contacts. We didn't want anyone to see him."
"So he hasn't....gone after Gavlen?"
"He knew he'd lose control if he did. That, and he was mostly worried about you," Kevin said and Vince nodded.
"Can you call him in here for me?"
Kevin gave a small grin before closing his eyes. Focusing on the boy hiding out on the roof.
"Mekhi, he's awake. He wants to see you."
In a matter of seconds, a faint breeze flowed through the window. All three turned to find Mekhi perched on the still, staring at Vince with illuminating orange eyes. Ones that despite how bright they were, appeared to be fading by the sight of the man.
He stepped into the room and looked to the two eldest in a silent plea. They gathered the four sleeping boys before exiting the room, leaving the two to talk alone. Mekhi halted at the side of Vince's bed, analyzing him with a tired expression.
"You look like crap," he mumbled, making Vince laugh. He gripped the man's bandaged hand, grateful he was awake. "What the hell happened, Vince?"
"I don't know. I tried to get back into my room but the door was jammed. When I got it open, the room just exploded back in my face and I was paralyzed."
"And Yama? Kit? Did he ever make it back from school?"
"I pulled him out early. I know he was at the house with me for at least an hour. Yama wasn't home when I got there."
"An hour? What do you mean?"
"I went up to your room a few hours after I heard him run up there. He was worried about you, and upset that Amiire was gone. When I got up there, he was gone, and so were the documents of Markvere. He was nowhere in the house. I went to my room to get my keys and that was when the fire got to me..... I think he went to find Amiire."
"Meaning he can be anywhere right now. Dammit, how are we supposed to find him?"
Vince remained silent, glancing away from Mekhi. Mekhi however frowned. Concerning any of the boys in the Sanloft under his care, Vince would do everything in his power to protect them. So why was he hesitating?
