Zahn Und Klaue

Chapter Five: Awakening

Chapter Five: Awakening

"Wise men have interpreted dreams, and the gods have laughed."

- H.P. Lovecraft

Light seeped into Konrad's eyes as he awoke. Massaging them slowly with his thumbs, he raised himself up slightly and looked around to gather his bearings. Finding himself alone and in his bed, his body covered in bandages, he settled back down as the door to his bedroom opened, revealing Jurgen as he came in with a plate on a breakfast tray covered by a steel cloche.

"Ah, Herr Baron!" The servant said cheerfully. "I'm glad to see that you're awake!"

Konrad massaged his eyes groggily, sitting himself up.

"How long was I out for?" he asked.

"Several hours," Jurgen answered he set down the tray in front of him. "You've lost a lot of blood, so you need to rest."

Konrad regarded the servant as he poured a hot cup of coffee. "What do you know of last night?"

"I know that you've had one hell of a shock yesterday evening."

Konrad scoffed as he lied there. "Understatement of the year, Jurgen," he replied, then sat up with a start. "Oh mein Gott, Eagle! Where's Eagle?! Has he been taken to the hospital?"

The servant frowned. "He's being cared for in the guest room," Jurgen answered.

"Why was he brought here?!" Konrad demanded.

"We had to get you home, sir," Jurgen explained. "Gupte and the other doctors have treated him the best they could, but the injuries he's sustained have taken a toll on him. He's lost complete consciousness, and it's doubtful he'll ever recover."

"We need to get him to the hospital," Konrad said. "Call for an ambulance-"

"Herr Baron," the servant interrupted, "even if Eagle was brought to the hospital, there's nothing they could do. Our doctors have done everything that they themselves would have had done and then some. I'm sorry."

Konrad was quiet for a moment. Taking in a slow, deep breath through his nostrils, he slammed his fist down angrily on his breakfast tray, causing coffee to leap out from the cup.

"FUCK!" He shouted as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It's not your fault, Herr Baron!" Jurgen assured.

"Even so, Jurgen," Konrad said quietly, "I'm ruined!"

"Calm down, Herr Baron, you're overreacting."

"Overreacting?!" Konrad snarled as he glanced up at the servant. "Jurgen, because of that-that creature, I'm going to be facing the mother of all lawsuits! Eagle's family, Carnegie's family, the families of their managers...all those countless other families...they're all going to want retribution."

"What are you talking about?!" Jurgen said in confusion.

"You've seen the program, haven't you?!"

"The entire world has, Herr Baron," said the servant. "It's made the headlines in the Entertainment Section of newspapers and has been a subject of nonstop discussion on numerous news channels and on the Internet. The phone's been ringing nonstop for interviews."

Konrad looked at him fearfully. "By who?"

"Journalists, mainly."

"Were any from the police?"