V & V - Rageous Rageon Rise

Toast

Fred POV:

I shoot down into the shoot, hearing as the bullet ricochets after the elevator doors ding close.

Ok... so Velv can be coming back up any moment... I don't want to shoot her, but if she has Ritz cornered-

*DING*

I hear the elevator doors open again. Shit! I jump down the shoot, sliding down it with my hands burning along the rungs.

I reach the bottom floor just as the doors close on Velv. Oh shit... Ritz is smart... he can totally take her on... alone?

I gulp, tearing my way back up the shoot to find Veneer. This is perfect for Dom to get Ven; I know Ritz would be mad if I didn't try to save V.

I get to the stage floor, crawling out like a madman in a panic. I run across the stage, hearing someone else run parallel to me on the bottom of the stage floor, down where the door to the monitor room is.

Fred: "V!"

I hiss his name, hearing a small gasp as Ven's head pops up from the monitor room ceiling.

Ven: "Freddy!"

He whisper shouts as he runs over to me. I grab his hand, leading him straight for the stairwell.

I don't give him time to ask questions; my only focus is hiding him as best I can. Deep down, I know Ritz didn't make it out if Velvet and Dom aren't up here.

I race until we're behind the stairwell, my heart pounding as I move Ven into the space behind the bottom of the stairs.

Ven: "What are you-"

Fred: "Shh... it's ok."

Ven's eyes glow brightly as they flash between mine; he's getting upset.

Ven: "Where's Kid Ritz?"

Fred: "We ran from Velv since she was chasing us, and he decided to split up and run to the second section. She followed him, and I don't think he made it out."

Ven's eyes widen, yet he keeps his cool.

Ven: "He's dwindling my numbers... he's gonna go after you next."

My heart slams loudly as I hear him speak; I know he's right, but it doesn't make it any more bone-chilling to listen to him speak that way.

Fred: "We all knew he was going to try to do this. I have no doubt none of our hiding spots are no longer safe, let alone if he finds where we've "hidden" his minions. Speaking of hidden, where's... uh, where's Rollie?"

My heart aches as I think of him; he's still, as much as I don't want to accept his fate, my boyfriend and the love of my life who, even if I never get him back, I still don't want him to have been shot "dead" and mutate further.

Ven: "He's in the bathroom in a stall. I closed the door on him and locked the bathroom with a fold-up chair. I... was as careful as possible not to hurt him."

I take a deep breath as the reality of what's going on sets in hard. I could have just seriously lost my boyfriend and best friend... holy shit.

Fred: "I know this is bad of a time to ask, but could I..."

Ven doesn't need me to finish my sentence as he puts the ring pop in my hand. Just our luck; leave the two struggling addicts together to fight the literal force of evil alone when we can't even keep our promises to ourselves or others.

I use until I feel the warm high, deciding to deal with my new affliction towards ring pops later, if I survive literal hell.

Fred: "Thank you."