Phantoms Among Justice

II - A Glimpse of Nirvana

Vic woke to the phone ringing, the first time. The second time he woke, De'Addison was patting his chest. "I am sorry, the anesthetics I put you on will make you terribly drowsy, but I need you to get up. Edward just called, I told him of your condition and that you needed to rest but he was ignorant. He threatened my life if you didn't get yourself to Los Angeles by tomorrow. So please, for me." Vic closed his eyes, counted from three in his head, and got up quickly. He stood up and fell. De'Addison helped him up. "Be very careful. You should let David drive." He was disoriented, and somewhat nauseous. He held his head as he stood again. "Where is he?" She looked and thought. "That I do not know. I offered him board, reluctantly. He refused it. He said he was going to a hotel." Vic nodded cynically. "I know what that means. I'll call him, make sure he hasn't gotten into anything." He staggered upstairs, and fell down again.

He crawled to the bathroom and proceeded to throw up. "Jesus... Christ. What shit do you have me on?" She ran to him and held his hair as he regurgitated again. "Very strong anesthetics. I needed to make sure that you were sleeping, I couldn't risk you waking up. It would raise your blood pressure and you'd bleed to death. I haven't any deaths under my care, and I don't plan to either." Vic slowly stood up, and pulled the silk handkerchief out of his front pocket to wipe his mouth. He walked into the living area, and sat down. He called Santiago, and the phone rang. Santiago picked up, but he was very angry. "Goddamn it all to Hell! Whatta ya want!?" Vic put his phone on his lap and put it back to his ear just as quick. "Listen, I need you back here in no less than half an hour. Eddie wants us in L.A. by tomorrow." Santiago screamed. "Listen! He's gonna kill De'Addison if we're not there by tomorrow! So finish up and get the fuck down here! Remember, your a fucking professional. Don't come down here screaming with a gun in your hand." Vic hung up.

Ten minutes later, he was awoken from his fevered dream by a loud crash and acid rock, blaring from a car radio. I swear by God, if he's high I'm gonna beat him to death. It sounded as if Pety was with him. "Jesus... the last thing I need." De'Addison came up from the basement, he could tell that she was furious. He heard yelling from outside, and she opened the door. "H-greetings. Vic. Come-get up. Santiago out-" Vic waved his hand. "I get the message Pete. Is he stoned?" He pointed outside. "L-more than a-a gravel." Vic rubbed his face. He could distinctly hear yelling from outside, and he got up to investigate. Joanna was outside, beating Santiago. He pointed at her. "See that? That's the luckiest woman on God's green earth" Pety went to say something, but Vic stifled him. "That's rhetorical, Pete." He went outside with Pety to calm De'Addison. Vic grabbed her swinging arm. "Hey! Jo, calm the fuck down! He don't need this, I don't need this. Pety don't need this for Chrissake!" She pulled her arm out of Vic's grip, and furiously went inside.

Santiago laughed. "Don't you even start! I'm sick, and your high! What did you bring Pety along for? Our fuckin' driver?! The guy can't even think straight!" "Of fu-screw yourself, Qeuntin!" Vic looked at Pety sternly, and struck him in the face, and he fell down, unconscious. Santiago stumbled to Pety. "Hey, Pete! You good buddy? C'mon bud. Come on." He was slapping Pety's face gently. He stood up with anger in his eyes. "Y'know, Pety was right about one thing! Fuck yourself!" Vic shoved Santiago into the back of the car, and threw Pety in the back with him. He stopped flailing his arms as soon as a limp, small man fell unto him. "What the- Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!" Vic ignored these crossed statements and took his place in the front.

He slowly drove out of De'Addison's lawn, and down the streets of Milissa. It wasn't raining anymore, but there was a dark overcast. Santiago punched Pety off of him. "Goddamn it! Shit's wearin' off... Lemme drive! We're not gonna get to L.A. at this speed." Vic opened the glove compartment, and pulled out a tiny flashlight. He quickly turned around and shined it in Santiago's eyes. "Hey stop- stop it!" He threw the flashlight. "Just... making sure. I'll pull to the side." He felt more than ever like sleeping. He hit the curb roughly, jarring the large convertible. He got out drunkenly, and stumbled in the back. Santiago replaced him, and quickly drove out of Milissa. Vic was just falling asleep when he was awoken by Santiago's cursing. He looked behind him, and felt rain. There were flashing lights as he whispered obscenities under his breath.