G.H.O.S.T.: The Vaknar War

Deep End

Xavier heard voices as he came to. He groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. Xavier saw white and heard a faint beeping. Xavier sat up, looking around the room. Xavier saw a window outside of his room. Xavier tried to get out of bed, but couldn't yet.

"Here, let me help you." A woman said as she opened the door. The woman was the same nurse from when he was in the hospital before in previous injuries. Megan. Xavier smiled as Megan helped him out of bed. Xavier stood up, holding onto the machines and nurses in the room.

"You shouldn't move around much," Megan said. "You may need more time to heal."

"I can't," Xavier said. "I have a job to do."

Megan sighed. "Well, since you're so eager to get out of bed, I'll help you." Xavier smiled and stood on his feet, wobbling. Megan put a hand on Xavier's shoulders as she walked him over to the door.

"Why are you so anxious to be out of bed?" She asked.

"Why not?" Xavier said. "I got to protect these people from those monsters," Xavier said.

"Oh," Megan said. "They don't need you to save the day."

"Of course they do," Xavier said. "I'm a "guardian" to people, kids I haven't even met send letters to HQ's public mailbox with gifts, I can't let them down," Xavier said as he cracked a smile.

Megan opened the door to reveal G.H.O.S.T. HQ's state-of-the-art Hospital facility. Machines and lifts went about catering to 200 other guards and witnesses from the prison. The wind blew across the chasm of the hospital with each room surrounding the central elevator.

Xavier groaned and went back into his room.

"You sure?" Megan asked. "You don't look like you're ready."

"I'm fine," Xavier said. "Just, never mind," Xavier said as he walked over to the window, stumbling as he stepped over to the view.

"You okay?" Megan said as she grabbed Xavier's shoulder.

"Never better," Xavier said as he smiled, but his eyes were filled with sadness.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Megan said.

"Not really," Xavier said as he leaned against the window.

"Look, I know you care about being an agent, Grim trusted me to take care of you if you ever got injured so you could take care of yourself, but this right here." She pointed at the burn on his chest. "The Vaknar might be the death of you."

Xavier looked at his chest. "Yeah," Xavier said. "I know." Xavier looked down.

"You're right." Megan pushed him towards the door. "Go, see your friends," Megan smiled. "Your suit's in storage."

Xavier nodded and walked out of the room. Xavier walked down the hallway and entered the storage room, donning his suit, burnt at some edges but in working order. Xavier made a mental note to start working on his Nanotech research again, he was going to need it with these new terrorists. Xavier walked into the elevator, placing his hand on the screen, and scanning his prints. The elevator went down to the first floor.

Xavier walked into the hangar, passing a few doors. Xavier walked in to see Oliver, Hunter, and Toya talking.

"Hey, I'm back," Xavier said as he walked over to them.

"Xavier," Hunter said as he looked at Xavier. "We thought you were dead," Hunter said.

"Yeah, well, I'm not about to let Grim come back to a funeral," Xavier said. "I'm alive."

Toya looked at him. "Yeah, you're a real miracle," Toya said.

Xavier looked down. Toya looked down.

"Sorry," Toya said. "It's just we all grew pretty close to you over these past few years working with you," Toya said.

"It would've been hard losing you."

"Don't worry," Xavier said as he looked up. "I'm here now." Hunter and Oliver nodded in agreement.

"So, what's the plan?" Xavier asked.

"Xavier," Hunter said. "They shut down the prison."

"Yeah," Xavier said. "I saw the brief, they got Anitta out," Xavier said.

"They keep saying that the Knight is still at, but they said he's not the only one capable of traveling between dimensions," Hunter said.

"I don't know," Hunter said. "Shane probably gave him that power, but I'm not sure."

"Well, all I know is other sites have been bombarded with Knight sightings, but he is still on this dimension," Xavier said.

"We gotta find him," Hunter said. "He might be on the move, but we can't just let this go."

"I agree," Xavier said.

"Hunter," Toya looked at Hunter. "What happened between you two?"
Q
"I mean, I kinda got possessed, by the Knight," Hunter said.

"How? You weren't anywhere near us." Oliver said.

"Before Xavier tried to fight him, I was tussling with Anitta before the knight looked at me and I froze in place."

"Hmm, How's Malcolm holding up?" Xavier asked.

"He's in the Meeting room."

"I see," Xavier said. "We should be getting back to him," Toya said.

"But first, I have the report to call in." She said.

Xavier nodded, watching as Toya turned around and motioned toward the elevator.

"What about that man?" Oliver asked.

"What about him?" Hunter said.

"He was our friend," Oliver said.

"What do you think?" Hunter said.

"He was, but he was also Shane fracking Toribio," Hunter said. "Now he's gone," Hunter said. "For good," Hunter said.

"And I'm not about to be sorry for seeing what a threat he was from the beginning. "

"I'm sure he's still in there somewhere," Oliver said.

"Well, We're just gonna have to wait and see," Hunter said.

"There's no point in fighting about it," Hunter said.

Toya shook her head.

"Wow," Toya said. "A real vote of confidence, Hunter."

Hunter looked at Toya. Hunter put his hand on Oliver's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, don't worry about me," Hunter said.

"I'm fine," Hunter said. "I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine," Hunter repeated as he walked away.