Burning Road

Bad Blood- Part V

Khouri put the van in park beside the ER entrance and jumped out. He shouted at a pair of nurses on a cigarette break and ran around to the back. Covering his face as best he could, he opened the door. Mimi was peppering Cali's stomach with blue powder as the the medical staff arrived. The first swore and covered his nose against the foul miasma that met him. The second looked at Cali's wounds, Mimi's face, and Cali's wounds again. Khouri scooped her up, ignoring the blue smoke rising from her guts. He shoved her into the nurse's arms.

"My friend is hurt really bad, and she's lost a lot of blood."

"Sir, your head is bleeding," the nurse said dumbly.

"She needs a doctor!" Khouri snapped. He felt his anger leap at the two nurses.

They ran towards the hospital doors, one carrying Cali and the other checking for a pulse.

"Hey, you can't park there!" shouted a security guard.

Khouri watched the medical staff take his partner into the building with a sinking feeling. The curse pressed in from all sides and he felt powerless to stop it. His feelings of helplessness turned to fury. He was no Asa Bladewyrm and he would not lay down his sword and willingly take that man's punishment. Knowing that the curse was real gave him new strength, and thinking back on his uncle's note gave him drive.

Moses's message to Prince was short and direct. Find the prophecy, save the girl, and come home. If there is a curse then there is a means to breaking it. We will find it together and fight it, like a family. It was cheesy but exactly what Khouri needed to hear. As long as there were people willing to stand by him, he would never be alone.

"Sir, move the vehicle or it will be towed. Jesus, what is that smell?"

"Mimi, get in," Prince said as he slammed the back door. "We're moving, buddy. Back off," he growled.

"Sure, pal... it's an active driveway, okay... just doing my job." The security guard backed away with his hands up where Khouri could see them.

Just like any other talent, use bred confidence and confidence fostered proficiency. He could instill fear in others. He'd never heard of such an ability but it was within the scope of hunter abilities. Charlie had always asked him not to keep his anger bottled up, and now he found releasing it was cathartic just as she said it would be.

Prince climbed into the driver's seat. He didn't want to leave Cali, but he couldn't stay with a bullet ridden van full of blood, guns, and a corpse. He noticed Her bag on the floor and looked back at the ER doors. Khouri wondered whether the nurses had called for the police yet, it was standard procedure. Gunshot wounds meant cops. Those doors opened and a doctor exited, followed by a police officer. Prince didn't wait to confirm his suspicions. He put the van in drive, and left. He had an appointment to make.

At the next light Mimi had questions.

"Why did we leave Cali with those people?"

"They are doctors. People trained in healing," he replied as he ran the light through an empty intersection.

"Like Uncle Moses?"

"Better. If we want her saved, she needs to be there." He was trying to convince himself as much as the goblin. Khouri looked in the mirror and marveled at how she could look so different yet still be Mimi. It was all in the eyes. "The building is dedicated to healing people."

"Then it is good that we left. Darklings are drawn to suffering I would bring her more danger," she said solemnly. It was a sobering thought.

"I need golden bullets," he said.