Hybrid Theory: A [Linkin Park] Spinoff.

Phoenix's Setback.

[Phoenix's point of view. Later. Mike's house.]

I close my eyes, my stomach swimming again, No. I've recovered. This isn't me.
A voice.
"Phoenix?"
I open my eyes, realizing that I'm leaning on Mike's blue Ford Expedition, sweating bullets with my mouth open, I shake my head, clearing away the uneasiness,"I'm fine. I just skipped breakfast this morning."
I can barely hear the scream from Eren as she drops the mail.
Eren runs past me, clutching two letters against her chest, a wild look of fear in her eyes,"NOPE! HOW HE GOT THE ADDRESS, I DON'T KNOW! BUT THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING!"
I break away from the small circle of people surrounding me,"Eren?"
She slams the door shut.

[Eren's point of view.]

No. This can't be real. I struggle to control my shaking hands as I dig through drawer after drawer in Mike's kitchen, searching for a lighter.
Phoenix walks into the kitchen,"You okay?"
I jump slightly,"Phoenix..... found.... address.... not good...."
"What!?"
I turn towards the back door, Rob smokes. Of course he'd have a lighter in his truck!
Phoenix puts his hands on my shoulders, holding me in a firm grip,"Eren. Who found the address?"
I fight to get the simple sentence past my lips, "Alex found it."
"Don't burn them. Let Mike and Chaz see them."
"You sure?"
Just then, Mike walks in and sets his pistol on the table,"What's going on?"
I sigh and drop the two letters,"Mike. How did Alex get your address?"
"I have no idea. Why?"
I kick the letters to Mike,"Read em and weep, Shinoda. Because one of us is a rat."
Mike picks up the first letter, the one addressed to Phoenix,"What do you mean, Eren?"
A cold chuckle escapes my throat," You said it best yourself: fakes and snakes quickly lead to mistakes."
Another voice. The voice of someone who has just woke up.
"What's all the commotion about?"
I turn to find myself face to face with Eliza, my grey eyes boring into her chocolate browns,"Eliza. I'm going to ask you this next question once, and only once. Do not lie to me."
Eliza trembles slightly,"What did I do wrong, Miss Eren?"
I swallow hard, contemplating how I should word my question,"Did you give Alex the address to Mike's house?"
Eliza stands there silently for a moment, then hesitates,"I won't lie. I did give him the address. I didn't know that it would come to this. I'm sorry."
"Did you plan on causing my downfall? Or causing Phoenix to have a relapse?"
"No. I swear, I didn't mean for it to come to this!"
"Really? Then what's the harm in hiding yet another little secret?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Hoodie. Off. Now."
"Why? What did I do?"
"You heard me. Take it off."
Eliza visibly trembles as she pulls her hoodie off, dropping it to the floor.
I take her hands in a death grip, roughly flipping her arms over to reveal multiple angry red lines running up her arms, as well as countless purple and black spots at the insides of her elbows,"Really? You didn't know that you could hide this from any of us!?"
"N-no. Miss Eren. That's not what I thought at all!"
"You might have thought you could hide it from the guys...well.... Chester and Mike would have caught it eventually....but you couldn't hide it from me. I've done this. Anyway. How much money do you have left from your paper route?"
"Five dollars."
"Really? You earn ten dollars per paper, and there's six houses to a block, and you deliver to three blocks, and you only have five dollars left?"
Eliza breaks away from me, sprints out the back door, and continues running.
Just then, some sick, twisted noise escapes from Phoenix, who is now standing in a pool of his own vomit.
I look at Phoenix,"You okay there, Phoenix?"
He shakes his head,"Nope. I need something in my stomach. My system is reacting to itself."
I nod and move towards the stove,"Phi. Go ahead and sit down. Rob, can you clean that up, please?"