Unlikely Meetings

CHAPTER 23 - RETRIBUTION

Max slipped in and out of consciousness, his mind desperately trying to hold onto any semblance of awareness to his current surroundings. Dark streets with orange lights illuminating the snow, his best friend shaking him trying to keep him awake. Darkness again was followed by being moved, he desperately tried to fight them off in a fast movement but the searing pain in his arm and chest threw him back into the blackness. Flashes of stark hallways and fluorescent lights assaulted his eyes the next time he awoke with everything moving in a blur of people and masks around him. A flash of light fur, a blur of dark skin and nothing but booming sound as his head throbbed.

The pain meds they pumped into him eased those waves for only a few moments before the dull throbs of his injuries flared up again but to a lesser extent. It felt like his entire body was in a vice, as if the world itself was actively trying to squeeze the life out of him. Hands of fur and skin alike fluttered through his slow and blurred vision as specters of the outside world doing their darndest to keep him from the light. Everyone knew they were failing.

"He's gone hypothermic and is starting to go into shock, we need to warm him up and start a transfusion!"

"We don't have everything for him! This is just a clinic!"

"Then we get him stable enough to transport him!"

He slipped under again, the world going dark as ice clawed at his bones. He was so cold. He felt alone. The one person he wanted to be as his side wasn't there. Then from the corner of his consciousness he felt another cold tendril grip him. His left hand felt colder, as if the scaled fingers absorbed his heat like someone he cared for. "He'll make it...right?"

Those words somehow crossed into his mind and knew she was there. She was with him and whatever God was above was giving him a sign. To fight, to struggle, to rage against the cold seeping into his bones with every breath and fibrous tissue he could muster. His breath deepened as the orderly above him took notice as his vitals improved, if only slightly. "I won't sugar coat it, he's not looking good."

His eyes cracked open and were immediately assaulted by the harsh white light. His hand wrapped around the snake woman that had currently elbowed her way past any of the nurses to see her lover in his wrecked state. She was in shock, her eyes wide as they moved between his weak grip and barely open eyes. Her voice was barely above a whisper as if speaking any louder would cause her to break down. "Max?"

"N-not..." She could barely hear him. His eyes cracked open as she leaned in to hear him just a little better. "Not today." She couldn't breathe as his angry defiance against the world stood out like a lighthouse in the storm, enrapturing her attention as he pushed out a few more words. "Death has to earn my ass." She could only nod as he was carted away with a renewed fire in him. "Not today."

-

Noah looked over the edge of his truck into the bed, the lump of Trevor still there and breathing as the rage he felt reignited with renewed vigor. Teeth flashed in a sneer before hopping back into the warm cab and spinning the tires out to head back to the Gray ranch. The ride was in silence and he kept an eye on the back to make sure that his new friend didn't try to escape at the few lights he had to stop at. No attempt was made, either he was too worn out, injured or the adrenaline had fully worn off. The pain from his injuries either knocked him out completely or just kept him from moving too much.

The progress was slow and Noah would have lied if he said he didn't take turns sharper or brake harder to toss him around a bit more. Just under his breath he spoke to himself, "Lord have mercy on you because he knows my wife and I won't." Slamming on the accelerator he felt Trevor's body roll back into the tailgate with a solid 'thump' that did bring a sickening smile to his face.