One Body, Two Personalities

Going Up

Zack and Danielle get out of Zack's car and run into the building, heading for the elevator. Once they reach the 4th floor, Zack and Danielle race to Marcus's apartment and drop their jaws at what they see. 

The whole apartment was completely trashed. Scattered wood, broken glass, dented walls, the entire room was a trash heap! 

"Oh my God!" Danielle gasps covering her mouth. 

"Mark! You here bro? Mark!" Zack runs up the steps to Marcus's room and sees it empty. "Danielle, he's not here!" 

Danielle kneels down and picks up a broken picture frame of Marcus hugging his grandfather when he was ten. 

"My God, what happened?!" Danielle turns and sees Grandpa Stan standing in the doorway with some take-out food from Carl's Jr. He sets the food down and looks at the mess. 

Zack then comes down the stairs and sees him. "Stan, you're here." 

"Zack? What happened to the apartment?" Stan then notices Danielle. "And who's this?" 

Danielle stands. "I'm Danielle Dunoi, a friend of your grandson's. He was acting different lately at school and we came to talk to him." 

"Next thing we know, we see the door busted down and the whole apartment being a disaster area." Zack finished. 

Stan notices the picture of him and Marcus that Danielle had. She hands to him and he sighs, smiling. "Where is Marcus? You don't think that something bad has happened to him?" 

Zack and Danielle look at each other then back at Stan. Zack replies, "We don't know, but we have to find him." 

Stan pockets the picture. "Please do. While you're doing that, I guess I'd better, heh, tidy things up." Stan grabs a broom and sweeps the glass and wood as Zack and Danielle exit the room. 

Danielle puts her hand over her heart. ~Marcus, where are you?~ 

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Marcus continues down the street, starting to sweat up a storm. He wiped some off his brow as he coughed. "We can't go back home, they know where I live now. I need to get to Zack's apartment and give him the info about Drake and alert the authorities. We obviously can't. So we gotta make a side-stop before we head to your rocket." 

"Sure. I am not unreasonable." Venom states. 

Marcus's phone starts to ring. He then picks up. "Hello?" 

"Marcus, where are you?" 

Marcus was surprised at the voice. "Danielle? How'd you get this number?" 

"Where are you? Me and Zack went to your apartment and it was a wreck! Your grandfather's worried sick about you!" Danielle says. 

"Look Danielle, under no circumstances can you find me." Marcus says monotone. "There are some seriously twisted people after me and I don't need you and Zack getting hurt too. Don't call again." Marcus then hangs up and puts away his phone. 

"That was rude." Venom admits. 

"I am trying to protect her and my best friend from being hunted down and killed. Okay? Don't give me crap about it." 

"Still, this Danielle woman seems to care a great deal for you...is she your mate?" 

"What?! Heck no! What kind of messed up question is that?!" Marcus cries. They finally reach Zack's building and open the door. Marcus is then stopped by a Latino man with a mustache. His name was Hector, Zack's doorman.