Soul Walker: #ONC Finalist

Mission 8: It Takes a Village

**My Song's Know What You Did in the Dark—Fallout boy***

Meg trembled. The hospital for her, as it was with anyone, was not a happy place. The hospital was where she found out her mom was gone. The hospital was where her dad stayed for days while he recovered. The sterile white environment had become the bane of her existence, and tonight was no exception. She was on a date, and apparently her least favorite person in the world chose her least favorite place.

She tightly gripped her taser and marched inside. Carmine was waiting patiently by the reception desk, and for the first time in history he was not smiling.

He lacked his normal brand name attire and overpriced shoes. He wore a simple t-shirt, with a terrible but popular band on it, and jeans. His face was illegible, as he stared off into the distance totally unaware of her arrival.

She tapped him impatiently on his shoulder. Expecting to be met with his overly privledged pompous attitude. She was not. Instead, only the corner of his mouth ticked up when he saw her. "Hey, let's get this over with." Without another word he strode away from the counter. At least his walk was the same.

He led her through the antibacterial maze of the hospital. By then end she was convinced they were going in circles.

Finally, he stopped and opened a door. He held it for her and she stepped gingerly inside. She took in the methodical beeping of the medical instruments that surrounded a shielded bed in the room. The room was distinctly lacking roommates and even the traditional flowers.

Who ever was in this room was meant to be hidden from the world. The news blared in the background. The woman banally related the traffic, then switched to an interview with a handsome man in a blue suit and red cape.

Carmine rolled his eyes in disgust and turned off the T.V. He pulled back the curtain to the bed and Meg gasped. It was Derrick, or at least she thought it was.

Meg barely recognized him. He was wrapped in a body cast. His arms and legs hung uselessly from metal swings. His face was heavily bandaged and she could see traces of the poorly healed bruises underneath. "What happened?" She gasped.

"His father happened." He said as a slew of epithets escaped his lips.

"Working at Elemis should have kept him safe, kept him busy," Carmine's words were fueled by thinly veiled rage.

"Where is his dad now?" Meg was nearly speechless, her mind could only formulate basic questions. "Will he be okay?"

"He will recover, he always does. I am sorry to say this is not the first time his father put him in the hospital, but it is the last." He paused for a moment his eyes were pained as he examined his cousin for any sign of conscious life. "I was notified he came out of his coma today, which is why I brought you here."

He turned to her. "Meg, I am risking everything bringing you here; but, I am at a loss." He turned back to his cousin. "You are the only person I can trust. You are the only other person who knows how backward everything is."

Her mind was racing. She watched him for a long time trying to figure out which question to ask. "Why?"

He sighed and watched the labored and manufactured breathing of his cousin. "Because somehow this all ties to the Elementalist, and only you and your dad knows that he exists."

"How do you know all this?" She her voice raised a couple pitches as an internal alarm spread like wildfire through her veins.

He held up a picture of the inside of a boiler room. There was a skull wrapped in fire drawn on a wall behind a suited corpse. "That is the same symbol on your jacket, and your father's. I know Charlie works in secret. He always has. You are the only way I can get to him. You are my last chance at exposing the company before—" his words trailed off.

"Before what?" Meg pushed stepping closer to him.

"I cannot tell you That." He sighed.

"You don't tell me then I don't help you." Her hands rested defiantly on her hips.

"Agree to help me and I will tell you." He said calmly, unphased by her impetuous behavior.

A harsh groan rose from the bed. Both Meg and Carmine turned to Derrick. His pale blue eyes narrowed looking from Meg to Carmine. Then a longer more exasperated sound came from him.

"Derrick she knows. We need her." Carmine whispered.

"She's too hot headed, she will out us before we even get started."

Meg clenched her fists. "Who are you calling hot-headed?"

Derrick's head lolled to the side facing her. "Your hair is literally on fire right now."

Meg took several heavy breaths forcing herself to calm down. "You need me to get to my dad. I would watch your words gimpy."

"How much does she know?" Derrick said switching his attention back to Carmine.

"Enough." Was all he said.

Derrick cried out in agony and Carmine pressed a button. A milky white substance slipped through the medical tubes. Within moments he was fast asleep.

Carmine turned to Meg. "So how about that coffee?"

Meg numbly nodded and followed him out of the room.

[A/N]

I know I'm sorry it was short. Thank you for reading please make sure to vote/comment/share.

While you wait please check out the S.S. Olympus or the Tendaaren Chronicles: Dragon Born.