Stranger Than Fiction part 3

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

part 1
part 2
:~~~~~:~~~~~:

It took the medical team twenty minutes, copious amounts of gauze, and thrombin administered in doses sufficient to halt the flow of blood.  Illya was stabilized as Napoleon answered a call from Mr. Waverly, confirming the report of the other cases.

“What do you make of it, sir?  Is it THRUSH?”  Napoleon was perplexed by the circumstances.  He and Illya had been in search of a THRUSH courier, but the other reported incidents were random.

“Mr. Solo, I won’t speculate on the possibilities beyond saying we have a dilemma that threatens to be a major concern for this city.  Find out what you can from Mr. Kuryakin and then we shall compare it to the reports coming in from the other victims.”

Both men were anxious to have answers, but Napoleon’s first concern was for his partner.  As the furor died down in Illya’s room the conversation drew to a close, allowing a return to his bedside.  Mr. Waverly signed off with a stern piece of advice.

“Be careful, Mr. Solo.  Whatever, whoever this is, has an agenda we cannot fathom.”

“Yes sir, I intend to avoid being a victim.  I shall keep you informed.”

As he closed the cap on his communicator Napoleon was observing his friend, the rise and fall of his chest as his breathing came in an even rhythm.  He also saw someone pass by the door and pause briefly, causing something unexplainable to shout out in his mind that evil was lurking nearby.

Before Napoleon could get to the door to follow the woman he had seen, a familiar voice hailed him.

“Napoleon, we came as soon as... Napoleon?”  It was April Dancer and Mark Slate; they had been informed of the situation and sent to help track down the perpetrators of this mysterious and lethal crime.

Napoleon pointed down the hall...

“I saw someone... I can’t explain it but she’s involved.”  Mark took the cue and sprinted down the hall after a disappearing figure his superior indicated.

“I’m on it, April...?”  Agent Dancer was behind her partner, each of them intent on catching the elusive woman that Napoleon thought was involved in harming Illya.  Napoleon turned back to look again at the patient, was surprised to see blue eyes peering from beneath a tired expression.

“She was here?”  Illya seemed to know instinctively that the person who had assaulted him was near by.

“Yes, I ... I think so.  Mark and April have gone after her.  Someone...”  What was making this so difficult?  Napoleon thought back to what the doctor had told him... many more cases just like Illya’s coming into ERs all over the city.  How many?

“Illya, what do you remember?  I know you’re tired, but there are others being reported.  We must stop this, and right now you’re our best lead.”  Illya closed his eyes, tried to remember every detail of the attack.  The sounds were mesmerizing, the beeping and whirring noises that made a hospital seem like a living entity.

“I saw something that made me think the building should be looked at more closely.’ He paused, thinking of the sequence of events before ... a cold chill ran down his spine when he remembered the feel of teeth biting into his flesh.

“I was cautious Napoleon.  I had my gun drawn and ... you know me, stealth is second nature to me.  Somehow though she was able to get close to me before I knew she was there, before she sprayed something into my face.”  The expression on Illya’s face told his friend that the memory was painful, frightening even.

“I could feel her breath on my face.  She kissed me, and I was powerless to resist; then she ... she bit into my neck...”  If it was possible the blond turned a paler shade of white as the memory of the pain washed over him.

“I’m sorry Illya, take a breath and ... I’m so sorry.  We need to know everything though, she has to be stopped.”  Illya nodded.

“I felt it, a searing pain but I couldn’t do or say anything.  I don’t remember anything after that, until I woke up here.”  The account of his ordeal took the last of Illya’s strength and he closed his eyes, submitting to exhaustion and then to sleep.

“We lost her Napoleon.”  April announced it as she walked towards Illya’s bed, resisting the urge to wrap her arms around the man.  He looked so vulnerable, so colorless.

“Mark thought he had her but she just ...”

“Disappeared.”  Mark walked into the room and finished April’s sentence.  He was certain she was within his grasp, but somehow the mysterious woman managed to escape.

Napoleon wasn’t surprised.  Everything about this case was elusive, but that was no excuse.  They had to locate this woman and whoever she was working for.  THRUSH wasn’t beyond this type of lunacy, and for the time being they remained the principal suspect for this crime against so many innocent victims.

“So, you don’t think it’s a real vampire do you?”  April looked at each of the men, hoping that they had only to deal with flesh and blood.  She winced inwardly at the phrase.

Napoleon was unsure what to think, only that his partner was down for the count by the looks of it and in the meantime someone was assaulting innocent people.  But, for what purpose?  What could THRUSH gain from this?  And, if it was a lone perpetrator, then why?

“I don’t know who or what this is, only that we must stop her, or them...’ Napoleon sighed and then took a deep breath, as though to bolster himself for the task.

‘’ But no matter what this is, we’re going to stop it and make sure no one else is victimized by it.”

April and Mark exchanged knowing glances at that.

“So, you have a plan then I take it.”  Mark trusted his friend and superior to always have a plan, it was Solo’s trademark.

“I think I do, Mark, I think I do.”

As Illya slept, his partner laid out the next steps that the other three agents would take.

More tomorrow?