The Sunshine in My Veins (Peterick) ➳ Book 1

Twenty Two

"We need him," Pete said pointing towards the photo on the screen. "He'll know where Patrick is."

Ryan nodded in agreement. "But he's virtually untraceable. It would be impossible to find him."

"Nearly, but not completely impossible. Even a madman has a method of working, precise plans timed down to the millisecond. They form patterns."

"So our job is to find the pattern and work from there."

"Well, not really," Pete said. "The Killjoys have been deployed to find him and will report back periodically. So they can handle him. Now, how's Brendon?"

"He's—"

"Ryan?"

Both men turned towards the door, focusing on the newest addition to the room.

Brendon was standing in the doorway looking extremely pale and sweaty, a tinge of green just peeking through.

"C'mere," Ryan said, but stood up to help Brendon the minute he realised Brendon wasn't stable on his two feet. "What's wrong?"

"It happened again."

Ryan sighed. "Okay. We'll go see Doctor Beckett tomorrow. For now why don't you sleep?"

"Don't wanna be alone," he whined pathetically, clinging tighter to Ryan.

"Okay. Pete do you mind?"

"Not at all."

"Is that Patrick?" Brendon asked as his eyes skimmed over the photo of Patrick resting on the table.

"Uh, yeah," Pete stammered.

"I miss Trick."

"Well hopefully he'll be here soon."

"That'd be nice."

"Tell Pete goodbye, Bren," Ryan said soothingly as he lifted Brendon into his arms.

"Bye, Pete," Brendon called sleepily as he was carried out of the room.

"Bye," Pete replied, picking up the photo of Patrick.

*

Whatever Tyler had been giving him must've been working. If the intended result was this burning feeling of desire that couldn't be quenched, that is. Josh had never felt this kind of feeling so intensely. It was as if his entire body was engulfed in an inferno that would never end.

"Morning, Josh," Tyler called as he stalked down the stairs. "How'd you sleep?"

Josh shrugged his shoulders, and tried to adjust his aching body on the chair.

"Maybe you'll be able to have a bed. If you take your pills."

And Tyler opened his hand to reveal the lilac coloured pill that Josh hated. He knew there would be more, but this one was the worst. It was the source of Josh's discomfort and there was no way in hell he'd be taking that one.

But the prospect of a bed tempted him. Periodically, he was allowed to stretch his aching muscles but never long enough go actually prove some relief. What he would give to be back at home with Ashley and fighting off the alien invasion.

"C'mon, Josh. Open up."

And while ever fiber of his being told him not to, Josh opened his mouth and swallowed the pill dry.

Tyler chuckled as he produced a bandana from his back pocket. The black fabric was tugged around Josh's eyes and secured tightly.

"If you even thing about escaping I will not hesitate to kill you," Tyler threatened.

Weak and sore, Josh had no plans of escaping. All he wanted was some rest and food. Both of which were at the mercy of Tyler to provide. Maybe if Josh just listened he'd be better off. Besides, what harm had happened to him because of the pills?

"Okay," Josh muttered.

He felt Tyler's ice cold hands skimming across his arms as they undid the vice-like hold of the restraints. He breathed a sigh of relief as his arms rested beside him, the blood flow properly circulating through the arteries once again. As the tingling feeling died away, Josh let his body be pulled to its feet and dragged towards the unknown.

Under the guidance of Tyler, Josh was lead to a different room. It took them a while, but eventually they were standing in the middle of a windowless room. Not that Josh knew that; he was still blindfolded, waiting on Tyler to do something.

Josh let out a gasp as his body fell backwards and hit the soft material of a mattress.

"Easy," Tyler said as he straddled Josh's waist. "How're you feeling?"

"Tired and hot."

Tyler nodded thoughtfully. "Good. It's means it's working. Now do try and sleep. We'll need you well rested."

Tyler stood up and removed the blindfold. He cast Josh a sinister smile and slunk out of the room.

*

Doctor William Beckett had been a doctor for many years. And in that time frame he had a variety of patients: interesting and not. The interesting ones had the habit of keeping him awake, trying to figure out their complex diagnosis and possible causes. Sometimes it took him a few days, never longer than a week, to find out what was wrong, but for the first time in William's life he was stumped, and it probably had to do with the human named Gabriel Saporta in room 472.

When Gabriel had first arrived dazed and confused William had set him off to the side, having the nurses keep an eye on Gabriel and report back to him. Once Gabriel was in more of a functioning order, William got to work find out exactly what was wrong with him.

Records showed that Gabriel had been anArkkarredian prisoner before, having somehow escaped the high security prison he was in. To the Arkkarredians he was a valuable treasure. William wasn't sure as to why. Not at first anyway.

Today was the first time William would actually talk to Gabriel, get to know him a little more than what a medical record could tell him. It was William's job to find out exactly how Gabriel escaped and see if he'd gotten any useful information on any humans that were still roaming about.

"Gabriel?" William called as he stepped through the door.

"Huh?"

Gabriel had been dosing off in a chair by the window when William had come in. He stretched, cracked his back, and sunk further into the chair. "Who're you?"

"I'm Doctor William Beckett—"

"Bilvy."

"Sorry?"

"You're Bilvy, and I'm Gabe."

William decided to humour him. "Okay. Fine. Gabe, can you tell me how you're feeling today?"

With a sly smile, Gabe nodded. "Tired." And he closed his eyes and fell asleep right before William's eyes.

"You've got to be kidding me," William groaned. This case was going to be the death of him, William knew it.