Broken Masks

Chapter 39 - Fenthum

TJ and Lena had been watching Klaus carefully when things began going wrong. Before, they were watching curiously as the raven lay in the machine, answering Lena's questions with a whisper, his eye roaming around behind his closed lid as he searched... whatever he was seeing.

His body had been completely relaxed, motionless as if he were asleep. But then he suddenly jolted. His mouth fell open and every muscle in him tightened, lifting his back clean off the chair till he was balanced on just his head and heals.

"He's gonna fall! Grab him!" Lena yelled, as she rushed forward and supported Klaus's body on one side, TJ right behind her supporting the other side.

TJ stared at Klaus's face, his gaping mouth, as concern marred his own. A black strand of shadows seemed to coil in the back of the ravens throat, then moment later, his eyes flew open. TJ felt a ripple of shock course through him. His one working eye was no longer their prior, beautiful shade.

It was ink black. Completely and entirely black.

The Transfusion Setter let out a bang, grey smoke seeped from the gaps between the metal sheets of its outer shell, and its lights cut out. Klaus jolted one final time and collapsed.

Lena scanned the machine, as one of the men with them checked the screen attached to one of the Transfusion Setters metal arms.

"It's dead." He said, turning back.

"Dead? What do you mean dead?" Lena asked, her brows furrowing.

"I mean it's dead. Done. Kaput. It looks like whatever just happened destroyed the entire wiring system. It's like anything made of metal, so wires, processors, motherboards, even the power supply unit, is fried. I don't think were gonna be able to salvage it..."

"Jeez..." Lena murmured.

TJ didnt comment though. He was still staring at Klauss face, his now closed eyes. His breathing was ragged, and his eyelashes fluttered.

"Klaus?" He whispered.

The ravens eyes opened slowly. His good eye has returned to normal, and when he saw TJ, he smiled lightly.

"My love..." he breathed tiredly, seemingly not quite awake.

TJ went beet red.

* * *

"Fenthum. Thats... something I guess." Lena said, staring down at a city map they had laid out.

The group, guards included, had returned to the psychiatric hospital Klaus had been staying in. They sat in a secure office, gathered sporadically around a large table, which the map had been set on.

Turns out the name Fenthum wasnt uncommon. Red spots marked in a bingo pen were scattered across the various roads, avenues, and houses which used the word, ending in a total of just over 50.

Klaus, seated in a wheelchair due to his exhaustion after the ordeal with the Transfusion Setter, leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. He absentmindedly brushed the side of his thumb repeatedly over his bottom lip; an action which TJ observed out of the corner of his eye.

Lena noticed.

"TJ", she said, catching the blond off guard and snapping him out of his daze, "can I speak with you outside?"

TJ blinked, then nodded and followed her into the corridor. Once the door of the office had snapped shut, Lena turned on TJ.

"Ok, what the hell is going on with you and Klaus?" Lena hissed.

(A/N: Hi all! I'm really sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, there was some issues with trying to write it on my phone. But that's and issue no more! I GOT A LAPTOP! And with this newfound power I've been writing non-stop in school and at home, and am sooo happy to be back in my mojo! I EVEN HAVE A FULL PLAN FOR THE REST OF THE BOOK! Feels very weird, as I have a bit of a track record with not being able to finish the books I start... BUT ITS HAPPENING NOW!)