Missing Piece

Chapter 17

Lyas landed harshly on his butt. A groan leaving him as he tried to smooth out the place where he landed, fully knowing that there'll be a bruise there tomorrow. He scanned his surroundings through the slits of his masks. When did they get out of the courtroom? They were now located a few blocks away, south of the courtroom.

"You took your sweet time, Hunter-ya." Lyas turned over, watching the huntress leave his side towards the other male who had spoken. Lyas hadn't seen him before, but he guessed the two of them were together from the matching marks on their jackets. The smiley face on the back of the huntress' jacket mirrored the larger smiley branded on the bottom edge of the other's jacket. Though his was decorated by a series of spots matching the design on his white fuzzy hat, while hers was encased in a heart with branching lines.

Charlotte found the rebuttal on the tip of her tongue falling short as she drew closer to the doctor, hunching over four members of his crew. A scowl on his face, and his brows knotted together. Is he actually worried about them? She thought, surprised. She wasn't expecting this from what she read in the newspaper. Then again there were the crew's testimonies.

"What's wrong with them?" She asked when her eyes rested on four sweltering bodies. "They were fine when I left." This was not how she remembered them to be when she left them. It was then that Lyas noticed the four prisoners were also outside with them. He hadn't even noticed the four were missing from the courtroom.

"They're sick." Law answered and Charlotte could tell from the look on his face that it wasn't good.

"You're worried about them."

Law lifted his gaze to hers, a look of confusion and then disbelief on his face. "Of course, I am! They're my crew and I am their captain!" Charlotte stiffened at the emotion in his voice. Charlotte drew her eyes towards the youngest of the four. Because we're friends. She chewed at her lip.

"Hey kid." Charlotte called, turning towards the boy still trying to process everything. "What can you tell us about the flu thingy they're infected with?" Charlotte asked, pointing a gloved finger towards Rike. Law lifted his gaze towards her and then the kid that Charlotte had brought along with her. He'd teach Charlotte proper medical terms later. Flu thingy.

Lyas blinked and quickly jolted to his feet at the impatient look she shot him. Her eyes promising pain. "The seasonal flu is a plague that comes when The Change happens." Lyas explained as he headed over.

"Not everyone gets infected. Or at least not everyone all at once." Law interjected. He gestured towards Rike and Shachi. "The virus seems to be most developed amongst these two."

"Yeah..." Lyas was shocked at the quick understanding. Who was this guy in black? Lyas pointed towards Shachi. "Uh, he was infected first, so it makes sense why it's most developed for him. The flu also develops faster for those who are younger." Lyas lifted his gaze, watching the mystery man who nodded at the information, easily grasping it. He turned towards the huntress, wondering if she was just as quick or if the other was just an anomaly. It had taken them many years to understand this much. His jaw dropped. She was staring off into the distance, not even bothering to try to understand.

"How does the virus spread?" Law asked, drawing Lyas' attention back towards him. Charlotte peeked at them from the corner of her eyes.

"No one really knows how the first person gets it, but it travels fast once someone is infected. If they sneeze or cough on anyone, then they're likely to get it too."

"Droplets then. The other mode of transmission is likely vehicle." Law concluded quickly. "We all would have been sick by now if it was airborne and if it was through contact, I would have been sick by now. Assuming that this virus is fast acting." He explained to save time, knowing the other was curious.