Hybrid

Chapter 11: You Learn Something New Every Day

"Where... Is my son..." I took in a long slow breath, tears welling in my eyes. 

"Now, Katie--"

"Don't you 'Katie' me right now! You've been following this boy for most of his life and suddenly you lost track of him like some car keys?" I felt my blood boil at the thought of those disgusting monsters getting their hands on my boy. "Find my son, Dad, find him now."

"Jole said to give him space--"

"My bad--" Jole raised his hand from the couch, his other hand holding his bloody bandage. 

"--So we did, but now we'll--"

"--You followed him to church camp. You followed him to his eighth-grade dance. You followed him WHEN HE WAS BEING TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE HOSPITAL ON THE DAY HE WAS BORN, YET THE WEEK THAT SHIT ACTUALLY STARTS HAPPENING YOU, WHAT, LOSE THE PAPERWORK?"

"Kate--"

"No one could've seen his awakening coming..." I took in a deep breath, leaning on my father's desk. "... But the second his best friend is rescued from a kidnapping THAT YOU SHOULD'VE PREVENTED a demon finds her way into her room. Then, he gets into a fistfight with this demon--" 

"How do you even know--?"

"--and there wasn't any back up there either... So, if you can't even help my son when he needs it, the least you can do is tell me..." I took in another deep breath, trying to calm down, but the only thought coming to my mind was, "WHERE MY GOD DAMN SON IS!"

I could feel Amy shivering against my back as we had finally made it over the bridge to Manhattan, making me glance up the giant Triyon Industries logo, still visible above most of the other buildings surrounding it even through this thick snow. "We're almost there, Amy."

She squeezed my body tighter in response. Even though I had stopped to put more layers on her, it was still probably below zero; the cold doesn't seem to affect me, but it still affects her. At this rate, she'll have frostbite before we make it there... I saw a little deli-store light on, and a neon sign flashing the word 'open'. Bingo. Warm her up a bit, get back on the streets... 

"W-Why are w-we slowing d-down?..." 

I pulled up to the curb and got off the bike, holding my hand out to her. "I'm really thirsty... Must have been from the fire, but I need something to drink." 

Her nose was red and her hair had specks of snow in it, "O-Oh... O-Okay..." She took my hand and this was the first time I had actually felt her skin since she got on the bike... She was freezing. It was a silly fear, but I was scared if I held her hand too tight it would shatter like in those cartoons. I quickly led her into the store, a bell jingling as the door closed behind us. It was much warmer in here. I glanced around quickly and only saw one guy behind the counter.

"Hey, boss." The man said, not looking up from his phone. 

"Hey, you sell hot chocolate? Or coffee? Anything hot?" I said quickly, peeking behind the counter before glancing back at Amy, who was wiping the fog off her glasses at the moment, mumbling to herself about the advancements in technology yet not being able to walk into a store in the winter without completely losing her sight.