Shattering Me

3~ The Helix Taijitu

Taluka sighed and seemed to age ten years as he sank into his chair and leaned forward on his folded knuckles. He faced the wall which held the portraits of his family and various awards he'd earned in his career. It was Carman Krag who answered the question.

"It's part of the reason they requested our father. Apparently, Ali'I and Janus Cane were leading the research into anti-hypnotic drugs. They had finished whatever formula they were working on and even made a few successful prototypes. It was intended for nicotine addicts, but it works on all forms of chemical and irregular mental compulsions," he said quietly.

When Ryan realized what that meant, he was speechless and turned to the chief in disbelief.

"It's true. One of our officers tested the drug on a victim of the Helix, and he was freed of the hypnotic compulsions they put on him. The effect was almost immediate as well.

"As you already know, the gang of obscure criminals calling themselves the Helix Taijitu are the reason your family has been called to the islands. We have been doing everything we can to suppress them, but we're just not...we're just not suited to handle this kind of uprising. It's almost impossible to tell how fast this gang is growing and how many people are being hurt by them, but we're still trying. At the rate things are escalating, all of the islands will be overtaken by the Helix and their compulsive drugs.

"If this drug could be mass produced, it would mean the end of the Helix and possibly all drug-based organizations in the country."

Ryan was smart enough to see where this was going. "But the Canes are dead. With a design like this, they were probably stupid enough to keep it a secret and hide the actual formula. If you can't figure out where they hid it, then their son Kyle is probably the only hope of finding where it's hidden," he thought out loud. The chief nodded and tiredly turned back to face him.

"It wasn't even just the kid's parents. His entire family has been the victim of one accident after the other, and now he is the last one surviving. We are still searching for the formula, but it has been weeks without any leads." When the two locked eyes, an unspoken acknowledgment was made.

There was no way in hell that so many people of interest just happened to die accidentally. The discussion ended there, however. Ryan may have been a Krag son, but this still had nothing to do with him other than being the reason he was forced to move with his family. He had just left the room and headed for the station's exit when his brother called out, "Hang on Ryan. I want you to keep an eye on Cane whenever you have the time."

They were alone in the hall, but Carman lowered his voice regardless. "I know you've got school to think about, but don't forget who you are. You are an adult now, or at least damn near close to one. Dad may not want to get you involved, but I don't really care. This gang is...different. I have my own leads to follow up on and I don't want to pass them all up just to keep an eye on someone who might not know anything at all. Do you see where I'm going with this, brother?"

Of course, he did. Ryan could see the eagerness flashing in his brother's eyes like scarlet flares. It wasn't the kind of request he could just refuse without a good reason. When he received a nod of confirmation, Carman clasped his brother's shoulders in a friendly vice grip that could have literally crippled a smaller man and smiled wildly.

"Alright, I'll keep you updated, brother. Go say hi to Carina for me!" he said.

-------------------------------------------The Dramatic Dreamer--------------------------------------

It was silent for an entire minute. Not a sound, or a whisper, not even a breath. Then she screamed at the top of her lungs and Ryan nearly bounced back off his seat.

"Julie, what the hell?" he snarled and glared at the woman he'd gotten used to calling his best friend. He glared and glared until she rose from the floor she'd thrown herself onto. Then laughter consumed them both. "It's not that serious. I just haven't had any reason to go to the beach since I got here. "

"No, nope, no comprendo. There is no excuse for living in Hawaii for over two months and avoiding the beach. That is like going to the north pole and not looking for Santa's workshop. You would have to be certifiably insane! Are you afraid of water or something?" she asked.

Julie Ortega had lived on the islands since she was a little girl, and her skin had tanned to rival any of the native islanders. Her blonde hair was done in seemingly natural curls and her brown eyes sparkled like copper.

The two were lounging in his living room after finishing their classes for the day. Almost a week had passed since the incident with the bridge, and Ryan was more than comfortable with putting the whole situation out of his mind. He had considered visiting the Cane estate, multiple times, but always pushed it off as something too tedious.

"I can swim just fine, Julie. It's more like, I don't see the pleasure in doing it for no reason."

"Ah, but there is reason, my dear fool. You can save the helpless women from drowning in the vicious waves."

"Oh really, how is that?"

"Simple! It is so simple, in fact, that I must tell it in third person narration." She scooted her chair over to his and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. With a quick tug, she pulled his head to stare off into a wall and gestured dreamily. "Just imagine it. The dozens of starving women in tight bikinis, running into the wild Hawaiian waves just as high tide begins to set in. They are all so eager to jump in and cool off their burning skin.

"The men are all there and watching, but they are too weak. They have not maintained their figures throughout the holiday season and they are too ashamed to do anything but watch the babes from afar. It is all quite humorous until...Gasp! Is that a shark in the water? It would seem that the women's sweat has attracted the attention of a group of sharks. Surely, they must see the dorsal fins above the water, right? But no, they are too delighted with splashing water over their exposed skin to notice. This may end in tragedy!

"But what is that? Who could that be up on the sand? Oh My God, it's Ryan Krag! The sexiest man on the planet has just taken off his shirt. Oh, look at that glistening chocolate skin reflecting the full calor of the sun. Those bulging muscles flex and the sonic boom that erupts from the sheer force is enough to shift the sands and break the tides. All of the women have turned to face him, and now look! The magnetism of his sexiness is drawing them out of the water.

"Ryan flexes one more time and jaws-" the doorbell rang out cutting Julie from her self-induced trance. Ryan couldn't help but release the laughter he'd been holding back during the story. It was ridiculous, but it was one of the things that drew him to the crazy Hispanic. She had no censor and almost no remorse for her craziness.

The doorbell rang twice more impatiently as he headed to answer it. When the white wooden door swung open, it was none other than Kyle Cane standing on the other side of it.