A NEW Beginning - Book 2

Chapter 2 - Life Bomb Incoming in... 4... 3... 2... 1... (Third person POV)

To: Takashi Shirogane

From: Veronica McClain

Shiro,

We've been processing the prisoners of war, and have found something that may be of interest to you. Get here as soon as you can. It's URGENT, and confidential, no Garrison goonies!

V.

~

Shiro heard a sudden and deafening ring in his ears, as he sunk to the ground.
He could sense movement all around him, as people rushed to his side, but he could no longer hear them.
He stared into space as Curtis appeared before him. He could see that Curtis was scared. He seemed to be yelling, and was he shaking him? Yes, he was definitely being shaken. He wanted to reach out to Curtis, he wanted to curl up in to him, and talk to him. But he couldn't. All he could do was stare it him, blinking, trying to figure out what he was yelling.

~

Curtis had heard the intake of breath, and was by Shiro's side seconds after he hit the floor.
People were surrounding him, and he pushed them all back. "Takashi? Takashi, what's wrong?" he asked. He got no response.

"Everyone move back!" he yelled. He loosened Shiro's tie, and undid his top buttons, all the while talking to him. "Takashi, baby, you've got to tell me!" he pleaded. Shaking him gently, as he continued to stare into space. This is one of the worst attacks Curtis had seen him have. He wasn't shaking, or crying, he was just sitting there. This scared Curtis more.

"What triggered him?" he asked to the room in general
He hadn't noticed, but by now, Iverson had cleared the bridge, and they were alone.

"He," coughed Iverson gruffly, "He was doing something on the computer before he fell." he nodded towards Shiro's desk just behind them.

Curtis stood slowly, eyeing Shiro as he stood, waiting for some kind of reaction from him. Waiting for him to try to stop Curtis from looking. But there was nothing.

He read over the email several times, and he still couldn't understand why the contents would have caused this sort of reaction.

He knelt down beside Shiro again. His eyes were less glazed over, and he had began to shake. He seemed to be slowly coming out of the initial shock, but he still wouldn't respond to his voice or his touch.

Curtis didn't understand what was going on, or what he could do for him, but he knew someone who would, so he made the call.

"Keith?" Curtis asked, tentatively, "Somethings happened to Shiro..." he started.

"Oh my god! Is he okay?" Curtis could hear the panic through the phone.

"He's had some kind of panic attack," Curtis began crying, "And I can't pull him out of it this time!"

"Can you get him on the phone?" Keith asks.

"I can try?" Curtis sniffles. "Shiro, honey, Keiths on the phone, do you think you can talk to him?"
Shiro slowly focused on Curtis, and took the phone.

"H... hello?" Shiro asked weakly. "Keith?"

"What's going on? Curtis says you had some kind of breakdown? Is everything okay?"

"I... I got an email..." Shiro stuttered. "From Veronica..."

"Okay?" there was a pause, "What did it say?"

"A... a prisoner of war has been found..." he says. "A prisoner of war?" he repeated questioningly. "Do you think it may be him? They never found a body..."

"I don't know, Shiro. The chances are pretty slim."

"You've got to find out for me Keith!" he began sobbing desperately, "It's him, I know it... And I can't be back for months!"