Clan Of Mist

Chapter 4

Trust No One.

Mika paced around the small hospital room, her eyes straying from Jazmine for no more than a minute. Raizo sat quietly in a chair with eyes closed trying to be the pillar of calm and rationality. However, the steady pacing of his wife kept him slightly on edge. He took a deep breath in and released it. His frustration growing by the second as he failed to silence his thoughts. Although the very real nightmare of destroying his previous life was years ago, he was all too painfully aware of Mika's struggle to find normalcy. Countless nights he was awoken to her screaming cries, holding her close as the slightest noise nearly caused her to jump out of her skin. Her panic attacks whenever she was surrounded in darkness.

They tried so hard. Now with this move to Japan, plus their new jobs, Raizo leaned on the hope that this would be the fresh change needed to make a new life. To move on together.

Raizo's head tilted as he listened. His eyes opened at the confirmation of the increasing rhythmic heartbeats. He jumped from his seat but Mika had not heard a thing. Raizo still struggled with intentionally creating enough noise to announce his presence. He continued to practice with knowing how much it helped Mika and her nerves.

Silently his arms wrapped around her waist from behind forcing her to stop her pacing.

"It's okay my love. She is unharmed and will awaken shortly. Her heartbeats are getting stronger"

Mika sighed and almost collapsed like a rag doll into his arms.

"Why was she still in the building? And Daniel said..."

Raizo's sharpened senses drew his attention to Jazmine, who was starting to come to. He gave Mika a gentle squeeze before she could divulge too much for the young woman to overhear.

"Good! You're awake" Raizo said with a charming smile.

He left Mika's side to return to the chair at her bedside.

"How are you feeling?"

Jazmine looked with confusion at the man.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Raizo"

Jazmine's expression remained in place. The name meaning nothing to her.

"Jazmine" A gentle voice called from the other side of her bed.

Jazmine recognized Professor Kim and felt herself relax a little.

"How are you feeling sweetheart" Mika said with a warming smile.

"I don't understand. What happened?" Jazmine asked while glancing around the hospital room.

Mika gently took one of Jazmine's hands.

"My husband and I found you outside of my office having a panic attack"

Jazmine's eyes fluttered and she snatched her hand away from Mika's, although she didn't mean to appear rude. Raizo watched in silence.

"Oh. Oh I'm so sorry" Jazmine apologized before wrapping her arms around herself. "...I can't believe I did it again.." Jazmine said believing she mumbled the words under her breath.

Raizo's eyes narrowed and Mika wondered what he had noticed. She could ask him later. For now she turned her attention back to her student.

"You have nothing to apologize for" Mika said trying to soothe the almost fearful expression on Jazmine's face.

Jazmine's eyes stretched in horror as a thought came to mind.

"Please tell me you haven't called my mom"

Mika gave a sympathetic look. "The school had to notify her of your hospital admittance"

"My phone! Where's my phone?!"

Mika frowned in concern.

Raizo reached to place a calming hand over hers.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!!!"

Both Mika and Raizo were taken aback by the unexpected response. Raizo respected her wishes and placed his hands back on his knees.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just...I need my phone" Jazmine cried as her heart pounded in her chest. Her eyes unable to focus on one thing for more than a couple of seconds.

The terrifying feeling of the surrounding walls closing in on her caused her to shut her eyes closed.

"Rai! Go get a doctor!"

"No....I'm fine" Jazmine wheezed struggling to get herself under control.

Mika shook her head and threw a glance at her husband. Raizo nodded and left to get a doctor.

Raizo's jaw jumped as his ears picked up the slightest movement. As soon as the door opened he shoved a hand out to collide with Daniel's chest roughly. He pushed the younger man back before Mika or Jazmine could be alerted to his presence.

Daniel stumbled back a few steps in surprise from the force shoved into the center of his chest.

"What are you doing here?" Raizo asked in a calming tone that made Daniel know to choose his words wisely.

The plastic shrouding the small bouquet of roses clutched in Daniel's hands crunched from the tightening fist.

"Mika was working late. I stayed behind to make sure she was okay. I found that girl hanging around. Hiding in a bathroom. I thought she was trying to hurt Mika"

"Why would you think that? Did she fight you?" Raizo questioned.

"No"

"Did she show any signs of being trained?" Raizo asked with a narrowed expression.

"Well...no"

"Then why frighten an innocent young woman?" Raizo said in a lower tone.

"She ran into Mika earlier today. And then in class she was too...comfortable. Like she knew her, but Mika says she doesn't know her" Daniel explained with a sigh. "I chased her..."

"You what?!" Raizo snapped yet kept his voice low enough to not draw attention.

"She didn't see me" Daniel said rolling his eyes at Raizo's reaction. "I stayed in the shadows"

Raizo pinched the bridge of his nose reigning in the automatic response to strangle Daniel.

He's young. Patience. You weren't quick to trust others.

Daniel stood silent knowing he pissed Raizo off. Although, he wasn't exactly sure what he did wrong. In hindsight, Daniel did feel bad about chasing the girl. He never expected her to end up in the hospital because of it.

However.

He had reasons to believe she was a threat at the time. If she wasn't there to cause harm to Mika then she could have been sent for him.

Raizo took the flowers from Daniel's hand.

"Go home" Raizo warned as he watched a doctor running towards them.

The two men fell silent as the doctor rushed into the room, letting the door slowly close behind him.

"I'll look into her but I highly doubt she's a threat. Now go.

Daniel gave Raizo a hard stare but knew better than to challenge him. So with a huff of breath and roll of his eyes he left the hospital. Once he arrived home he threw his shirt to the side, lifted a floorboard hiding his scorpion spear. He attached the wrist mechanism before disappearing into the nearby woods.