Monochrome

Chapter 16: Run Around

Monochrome

Chapter 16

Run Around

Emmet woke up with a start. His chest hurt, the oxygen mask felt uncomfortable and sweaty. Oxygen mask?

Emmet jumped and looked down at himself, he felt a small hand on him to ease him back into his previous position. He looked up into the soft eyes of Elesa.

"It's okay Emmet, you're fine." Emmet's hand went up to his forehead. He had one hell of a headache.

"What about Ariel?" His voice was very strained. Like he had a sore throat. He touched his throat and hissed.

"You have some bruising. Probably from the rough treatment Cain gave you." Elesa tried to pull his hands away from his chin. He pushed his hands away from his chin and sat up again.

"You aren't answering...Why isn't Ingo here?" Emmet demanded.

"While Ingo was out saving you, Cain's other goons came into the hospital and took Ariel and Akari away. Ingo is talking to Officer Jenny." Elesa watched Emmet sit back down and look down at his bare feet. Where were his clothes?...oh...that meant the hospital staff saw him...

"This is my fault..."

"What's your fault?" Emmet looked up at Ingo as he walked in holding a booklet of papers.

"You stay, I'll go look for this mans hide out. I'm told it's somewhere d..."

"No...I'm going with you. I'm fine."

"Like hell you are. You have a concussion!" Ingo barked at him. He knew perfectly well his brother wasn't feeling too good. He always had that look on his face.

"I'm Going..." Emmet said through gritted teeth. He was being firm, Ingo knew he wouldn't be able to talk his brother out of it. If he left without Emmet, his brother would surely follow anyway.

(0)

Two hours before

Ariel lightly patted Akari's back as the infant fed. Ingo looked over a booklet and wrote some things down in a small pad of paper.

"Are you going to write a novel?" Ariel asked. Ingo had been doing this a lot lately. Reading books and writing things down in a small booklet.

Ingo looked up and gave her an odd smile. Something told Ariel he wasn't used to smiling at all, or at least didn't know how. There was an effort though.

"I am writing things down that I'll need to know in the future for Akari's care." Ingo said, looking at the little girl as her small hand fell away from her mothers breast and landed on her chest.

"And that's the sign that her tank is full." Ariel said as she unlatched Akari and pulled her shirt back down. Letting Akari go back to Ingo. Ingo could see the small milk trails going down her cheeks. She was definitely in heaven right now. Full, changed, had a good cuddle with mom, and now sleep was the destination.

"She'll sleep soundly for now."

There was a soft beep from Ingo's pocket. Ingo picked up his phone and listened.

"We have your brother Mr. Submas. We'll wait for you outside." Ingo gulped and looked at Ariel who was slightly listening into the call. She knew it was Cain.

"What do you want?" Ingo asked.

"Just come outside and we'll talk. If not..." He heard Emmet cry out in pain.

"Understood. Ingo knew he couldn't come into the hospital, much less ask anywhere she was without someone in the hospital's name. They had Ariel under Emmet's name. It was even on her hospital bracelet.

Ingo placed Akari down with her mother.

"I'll be right back..." He patted Ariel's leg as he left.