Middy and Polo

Laiko did not stir for a long while, and when he finally did come around, he found himself staring up at an unfamiliar white ceiling. He frowned, blinking confusedly, but he could not work out where he was, as the loud beeping in his mind was distracting his thoughts. After a few moments, Laiko became aware of the fact that the beeping was not in his thoughts after all: It was a heart monitor. The next thing he became aware of was an oxygen mask over his face. Well, that was all he needed to know, really... He was in the hospital. He wondered vaguely if Ada was here, too, and managed to turn his head to the side. With his eyes only half open, it took him a while to recognise her, but when he did, his lips stretched into a slight smile. His eyes closed again, and he slept for a while, then came around again and looked up at Ada, some spark returning to his eyes, which had faded to a slightly darker shade of green beneath the bright light. "Max." He murmured, beckoning the dog closer. "You'll need to teach me to play dead if I'm to get out of paying these hospital bills..." He mumbled, his speech slow and slurred. "And Ada," He added, glancing toward her briefly before his eyes slipped half closed again, "You'll have to be sure to get me out of the coffin..." He mumbled sleepily, his jokes as lame as ever despite the heart monitor's determined attempts to convince anybody listening that his heart rate was so low he might go into cardiac arrest at any second. Unfortunately, Laiko never had been the sort to be taken down easily. He lay still a while longer, and gradually the heart monitor began to calm down. When Laiko's eyes slid open again, they were a bright, emerald green, and he was seeming more himself. He turned his head and glanced toward Ada, a cheerful smile lifting his lips. "Thanks." He murmured quietly, blinking placidly up at her from between the soft locks of blonde hair that had fallen down over his forehead.

Me and Max did the exact same thing when we saw Laiko stirr slightly; heads up, gaze set on the hospital bed. I was up in an instant, walking over to his bed. Max followed me, carefull placing two paws on the end of the bed to look up. He smiled when he saw me, then fell asleep again. Me and Max went back to our spot beside the chairs. I flipped through a magazine, not actually reading it. Max whined quietly. He had plastic booties on his feet, though I really didn't see the point of it, and they had secured a muzzle on him. He looked up at me as if to say: Can we all go home and get this silly thing on my mouth? I smiled a little at him, still feeling uneasy after the day's events. It was nearly nine o'clock at night, and the doctors had said he could come back soon. Soon? It was way past soon already! The clock seemed to slow down until it was barely moving; I contniued to flip through the magazine with Max at my side. Suddenly, I heard him stirr again; I had the magazine down in an instant as he looked at me. I had gotten my wish; his green eyes held a spark as he looked at me with what I thought was a hint of a smile. "Max," I heard him murmur. Max walked doward him, his nails clicking on the linoleum floors. "You'll need to teach me to play dead if I'm to get out of paying these hospital bills..." His voice was slurred; different than usual. I frowned. 'And Ada..." I walked up to him. His eyes were only half opened, and I was sure he would fall asleep again. "You'll have to be sure to get me out of the coffin..." I nodded, smiling at him. A hint of worry was in my eyes. His jokes were lame, but I didn't care; as long as he was talking. Max nosed him as his eyes closed again. I was worried at the slow rate of his heart, but I knew there must be a nurse monitoring him. I realxed as he awoke again, saying his thanks to me. I spoke up then. "I already took care of the bills. I didn't really want to go to college, anyways," I said, smiling at him. "Max has been worried about you. Both of us have." I stepped closer to his bed. "Do you feel alright?" I asked anxiously.

"What?!" Laiko asked, sitting bolt upright and staring at Ada in utter horror. With a frustrated growl, he ripped the oxygen mask off his face, not even seeming to notice that the heart monitor was speeding up considerably, and that the wound in his side had begun to bleed again, soon saturating the bandages wrapped around his torso. "No, Ada, you can't!" Laiko insisted, shaking his head rapidly. "It's your future! I can't let you do this for me. I-" He broke off suddenly, seeming to zone out slightly as a greyish tinge crept into his tanned face. He lay back against the bed without another word, already wishing he hadn't made such a scene. He lay back against the bed, looking slightly sickened, and wished for the first time that he could change fate. One thing was sure: He was not letting Ada throw her entire future away over his hospital bills. Not a chance. It was his own foolish fault that he had got himself shot... If he had just remembered why they were after him in the first place... If he had been more careful... There were so many things he could have done, and now Ada was having to suffer for it. He wouldn't accept that... He just wouldn't. Never before in his life, as far as he could remember, had Laiko found a cause that he truly considered to be worth fighting for... Now he had. He clenched his jaw, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He placed a hand over the blood stain on the bandages, hiding it from view. He felt ashamed of his outburst now, and suddenly found that he could not meet Ada's eyes. He had been stupid... He was just making it all worse...

My eyes widened. "Laiko! Calm down!" I ordered. He really didn't look good; I felt worried again. " I would rather have a friend then go to college," I told him desperately. "They weren't going to save you unless someone paid. I'll get my chance; I'm not throwing my future away." I explained. "We can work it off." I watched him bleed and cursed quietly. "Look what you've done!" I scolded lightly, a hint of a smile on my lips. "The sooner you get calmed down, the sooner we can leave." I looked down at Max. "Look at him," I said with a sigh. He looked ready to jump up on Laiko, and his whole rear end was wagging. I laughed lightly. "Now answer my question. How do you feel?" I said anxiously. "And who were they?" Noticing he still looked glum, my face softened. "It's not your fault, it's mine. I should have listened to Max right away, went out and distracted the shooter..." I sighed. "I feel so horrible. I'm sorry, Laiko." I pulled up one of the hospital chairs, sitting beside him. Max licked Laiko's hand in a comforting way; I had never seen him look so concerned before. "He loves you," I said quietly. "He really does." I watched as Max hesitantly got back up on the side of the bed, his plastic booties ripping a bit when he positioned to two paws on the end of the bed. "They said you could go tomorrow morning or later tonight... do you want a nurse to come in and check on you?" I asked. My finger rested on the calling button, waiting to see what he would say. His face was looking pretty gray; it worried me.

"I suppose you're right..." Laiko admitted with a soft chuckle, abandoning his attempts to cover up the wound. He sighed, allowing himself to relax slightly, then looked over at Ada. "Physically, I feel fine." Laiko assured her, his tone holding a little more despondency than usual, "But I just hate this... All of it." He sighed, running his hands through his hair in an uncharacteristic gesture of stress. His blonde hair ended up looking like a haystack, with hair sticking out in all directions, but he paid it no mind, and instead turned to Ada with a tense smile. "Sorry about all this..." He muttered, his tone seeming slightly ashamed, "I'm always moody when I wake up." He added with a playful grin, suddenly seeming more like himself again as he attempted to lighten the mood. "I don't know who they are." He added, replying to her next question. "I still don't remember, and I didn't get a good look at his face..." He trailed off with an unconcerned shrug, clearly no longer bothered by this information, since it had already happened, and he had already established that there was nothing he could do to change it. He started staring around the hospital room, the colour slowly returning to his face as he showed more interest to his surroundings. He turned to Ada with a polite curiosity as she began to speak again. After the first few words, his mouth had already dropped open, and he simply sat and gaped at her in utter disbelief. "Ada, really, you can't honestly believe that!" Laiko exclaimed incredulously, "Don't you know that survivor's guilt only applies if the victim is dead?" He added, shaking his head with an amused grin. "Seriously, no part of this is your fault. On the contrary, if you hadn't been around, I would probably be dead..." He trailed off as Max began licking his hand, forgetting everything else as he smiled fondly at the dog. He stroked his soft fur with one hand, glancing up to smile at Ada at her next words. "I'm glad." He replied with a cheerful grin. "I love him, too. He's a great dog!" Laiko exclaimed, turning his attention back to Max and rubbing him more vigorously, clearly delighted by the dog's attention. "Huh?" Laiko asked, glancing up distractedly as he heard Ada's voice again, "Oh, that's good!" He replied eagerly, "The sooner I get out of here, the sooner I can start working off my debt..." He added with a mischievous grin. "No, no, I'm fine." Laiko assured her, sounding more like himself by the second, "In fact, if I wasn't connected to this IV, I'd probably bust out right now." He informed her with a wink. He was starting to feel rather energetic now... Perhaps too much... Possibly a side-effect of the IV drip, or maybe the adrenalin...

The more he relaxed, the better I felt. He said he felt physically fine, but I wasn't sure if I believed him or not. "Sorry about all this..." He began to say. "I'm always moody when I wake up." His playful grin relaxed me, and I returned it with a big smile. As he answered my next question, I frowned. "Has this happened before... you know when." I was eyeing the patient beside Laiko suspiciously as I said this. I was meaning before the first time it happened, three years ago. I shuddered again as I pictured him crumpled on the street, and again walking to my house. A lump formed in my throat, and I didn't speak for a minute. How would I have reacted? Definitley not as calm as Laiko did. My thoughts were interreupted by Laiko's next very small outburst. "Ada, really, you can't honestly believe that!" He seemed to think I was crazy. "Don't you know that survivor's guilt only applies if the victim is dead?" He said, sounding amused. I hesitated. "Still..." I didn't bother continue my sentence, as he was already on to the next thing - Max. "I love him, too," He replied, and I smiled. "He's a great dog!" When he said he was fine and didn't need the nurse, I was completely convinced that Laiko was his normal self; I clicked the calling button to bring in the nurse, explaining that Laiko was feeling much better. Within a few minutes she was in the room, a big smile plastered on her face. "Hello, Laiko. How are you feeling?" She asked cheerfully as she went around the hospital bed, checking in on all his tubes and whatnot. "And how are you, miss Ada?" That same cheerful smile warmed me, but faded slightly when she saw my eyes. "Alexandria's Genesis? Wow, haven't seen that in years. You are truly unique, my dear." I kept my head down. She might have not made fun of me, but she still interrogated me; all that warmness I had felt for her disappeared. "Well, it looks like you're almost ready to go, Laiko. And keep yourself out of trouble from now on, huh?" She winked at him.

Laiko frowned slightly at her question, attacking his own memory for information. If only he could find something... Just one tiny snippet of information... Anything. But he couldn't and in all honesty he had known that all along. He shook his head, glancing down at his hands, folded in his lap. "I have no idea." He replied honestly. "I have absolutely no recollection of life... Before." He explained hesitantly, following her gaze to the other patient. He shrugged vaguely, then watched her attentively for a moment, before his attention began slipping. He gazed vaguely around the room, squinting and blinking rapidly from time to time as certain shapes seemed to swim before his vision. He turned and watched Ada dazedly as she called the nurse, staring blankly at her. His thoughts were swimming now, and it was becoming quite difficult to concentrate. Next thing he knew the nurse was there. He stared up at her with a dumb expression, and placidly watched the exchange between her and Ada. He soon felt his mind zoning out, only he had very few memories to fall back on, so he simply sat in a daze and thought about nothing until the nurse's voice jerked him out of his thoughts. "Huh?" He asked suddenly, frowning as he attempted to make out where she stood through his swimming vision. "Oh... Yeah." He agreed with an idiotic grin. A short amount of time passed, in which Laiko stared in complete fascination at perfectly normal things surrounding him as though he had never seen them before. Things like the lamppost, the IV, the T.V hanging on the wall... He studied all of them with peaceful enthusiasm, seeming barely aware of his surroundings or the passing of time. A few minutes later, or perhaps hours, or seconds, Laiko raised his head to see another nurse enter the room. She seemed rather amused about something and he watched her with unconcealed fascination as she walked over to Ada and began talking to her.

The nurse looked up at the number of the room, then checked the chart in her hand. Reassured that she had come to the right one, she walked over to the woman sitting in the corner, politely greeting her colleague as she passed, and gave a shy smile. "The tests just came back on your friend..." She informed Ada, barely able to contain her amusement. "It turns out he has a very rare blood type, and, well..." She broke off as a tiny giggle escaped her lips, then went on, "It seems that it isn't compatible with the drug we used in the IV..." She bit her lip to keep from laughing again before concluding what she had come in to say, "It won't be in any way harmful, but he's likely to be on some sort of trip for the next hour or so." She explained more professionally. "He can leave now, but you'll need to watch him closely until the effects of the drug wear off... I pity you." With that, she handed the chart to her colleague before leaving the room, dissolving into giggles the second she was out of earshot.

I watched as the lady checked her charts. Laiko seemed to change, looking dazed and actually sort of dumb. I sighed as the nurse almost broke into giggles, telling be about how he had a rare blood type that wasn't compatible with the drug they used in the IV. My eyes widened, but I relaxed as she went on to explain that he would be alright, just a bit out of it. I sighed with relief when she said we could go, and I'm pretty sure Max felt relieved as well, especially once that muzzle was taken off of him and the plastic booties were removed. "Ready to go, Laiko?" I asked hesitantly. I was unsure of what his reation might be; I turned to the nurse that was still in the room. "Should he eat whyen we get back, or..." I let my sentence go, waiting for the nurse's answer as I watched Laiko and Max. I thought of the bullet in my pocket that I had been given then it was removed from him; I would have to wait until the drugs wore off now.

[Baaaad post *Hides* How do they get you home when you are driven in an ambulance? ]

((Noooo, it's great! ... They can walk. *nods* ))


"I should think so." The nurse replied, glancing back at Ada, "He'd probably make an awful mess of it now."

"Huh?" Laiko asked, squinting at Ada. He watched her in vague confusion for a moment before her words made it through to his mind and he was able to process them. "Oh- yes." He replied, nodding fervently. He blinked at her a moment longer, then suddenly seemed to jerk into action. He leaped out of the bed so quickly that his pillow hit the opposite wall. The dull 'thud' seemed to alarm him greatly, and his hand darted to his pocket with lightning-fast reflexes. He seemed to grab something, then raise his hand and point it at the pillow as though he was holding a gun. He started at his empty hand in confusion for a moment, then dropped it to his side, turning to look at Ada. "Not here..." He muttered in a digruntled tone before walking over to the door, hanging his head in disappointment. He perked up instantly as he saw the stairs in the passageway right outside, instantly taking the opportunity to leap onto the banister. He clung to it with hands and feet, perched like a cat, then straightened and balanced his upper body so that he slid to the bottom. He leaped off it, jumping toward the fluorescent tube light on the floor below and snatching madly for it. His fingers just brushed the warm surface and he growled in frustration, staring the lamp down, before a cool breeze dragged his attention away. His eyes followed the breath of fresh air, showing a much paler, more yellowy shade of green than before. They soon came to rest on a window that was open a crack, and Laiko raced toward it without a moment's hesitation, an animalistic madness to his actions as he prepared himself to leap through the glass to with 3 storey fall outside.

I watched his antics, alarmed. Me, Max and the nurse rushed out fo the room, watching as Laiko slid down the bannister. Max began to run, and we followed, hurrying down the steps. The rest of the staff watched with awe as he seemed to get angry at the lamp he had been trying to reach. Max barked excitedly; he hadn't seen such antics come from Laiko before. Suddenly, Laiko was distracted once more by the widnow, which was open a crack. He raced towards it, and I alreadt knew his plans. "Laiko!" I screamed, closing my eyes. How could this be happening, again? We got lucky last time; there was no way he could escape a fall from a 3-storey window...
Suddenly, I heard gasps and cheers come from the staff. I opened my eyes, and saw Max on top of Laiko, licking him excitedly. A huge sigh of relief escaped my lips as I tan towards them, the first to reach the pair on the floor. "Max, you are a true lifesaver - times two!" I said with a laugh. Laiko seemed alright, but I wondered what sort of pranks hewould pull on the way back from the hospital... I grasped Laiko's arm, helping him up. "I have someting really cool to show you back at my house," I lied to Laiko. I had a whole walk to think about what it could be, either that or he would forget about the whole thing by the time we got back. Max stood faithfully at my side, and I suddenly realized I had another problem. Max was usually pretty good, but I doubted I could watch him and Laiko at the same time. "Does anyone have a piece of rope? Or a dog leash?" I asked. Someone came out from an office, presenting me a blue leash like the ones you get from the vet's. "Thanks," I said, and the lady smiled in return. I tightened my grip on Laiko as I clipped Max on. Then, we began our descend down the stairs, my grip on Laiko leaving marks on his arm. "Thanks for everything!" I called out, and I heard a few goodbyes in return. "Laiko," I said carefully, "I need you to stay here with me and Max for now on, OK? Soon, we'll be at my house and then I'll show you something really cool, okay?" I said as we made it down the last flight of stairs and through the hospital doors, onto the busy street.

Laiko blinked bemusedly up at the cheerful, hairy face above him as Max tackled him to the ground. A peaceful smile that belied his actions of a moment ago crossed his face, and he rubbed Max behind the ears for a moment for a moment before Ada came over and Max released him. He let himself be dragged to his feet, though didn't help Ada very much, his legs buckling in complete relaxation as he stared unseeingly at her. He went into a trance-like state again as she lead him through the hospital, following with his feet dragging and his head flopped forwards, barely aware of his surroundings. As he felt the cool night air outside, Laiko's head snapped up and he glanced around in full alertness, all his movements swift and jerky. "Ada!" He exclaimed in delight, recognising her for the first time. He threw himself at her enthusiastically, putting an arm around her shoulders and leaning against her before looking around again. "The stars are pretty." he informed her suddenly, pointing up at them and tapping her shoulder an unnecessary amount of times. The stars didn't hold his attention long though, for the next moment, he was staring at Ada again. He frowned at her for a moment, leaning closer to examine her, then poked her face curiously. His eyes widened in surprise and he stood still for a moment, his arm slipping off her shoulders as he stared thoughtfully into space, pondering whatever mad discovery he had just made. The next moment he was skipping cheerfully after her again. He attempted to tackle her as he passed, but missed and ended up tottering dangerously close to the road. He stared in fascination at the bright headlights for a moment, and was about to walk towards them when Ada's grip on his arm distracted him. He turned back to her, grinning idiotically at her. "You have pretty eyes." He informed her drunkenly, starting to giggle uncontrollably. He kept giggling for quite some time, and beforelong he found himself laughing racously, unable to stop, despite the strange glares people on the sidewalk were giving him. Finally, his laughter subsided and he transitioned back into seriousness insantly. "Can I tell you a secret?" He asked solemnly, staring at a point some 20cm to the left of Ada's face. "I didn't actually kill him." Laiko whispered into her ear, giggling softly. "But they can't know, or I'll be in trouble." He added, pressing a finger and nodding solemnly before laughing and dashing off aheadas far as her grip on his arm would allow.

"Ada!" Laiko seemed to recognise me just then. I jumped in suprise as he threw himself at me, putting an arm around my shoulders and leaning against me. All his movements were swift and jerky, and many took me by suprise. "The stars are pretty." He said, looking up at the sky. He contniued to tap my shoulder, over and over again. I ignored him, and he didn't seem to take any offence. Though this was more odd, at least he wasn't throwing temper tantrums like an angry 3-year-old. I could feel him staring at me, and looked at him, a hint of a smile on my face. I flinched as he moved in closer to my face. I tried to pull away, unsure of what he was going to do. Slap me? Lick my face? Scream at me? I shuddered; the possibilites were endless when he was in this state. I flinched as he poked me. His eyes widened and he slipped his hand on my shoulder, staring into space. I kept my grip tight on him as he skipped after me, turning my attention to Max. He was being really good, and I had to thank my lucky stars for that. "You have pretty eyes." Laiko informed me. I simply nodded at him, making sure Max and him were still following me. A fit of giggles escaped Laiko, and I watched him curiously. "Can I tell you a secret?" He said suddenly, then whispered in my ear, "I didn't actually kill him." He contniued to giggle, then whispered, "But they can't know, or I'll be in trouble." I tripped, falling onto the sidewalk and scraping my hands. I grabbed Max's leash and Laiko's hand before they could get away, cursing softly. Laiko's secret had really suprised me. "Who didn't you kill, Lakio?" I whispered, forcing my voice to be cheerful. "And who will you be in trouble with?" I added. Something about this linked with something I had read on the computer... Now I was more frightened than ever to go anywhere. That killer could be anwhere, ready to attack. I almost started crying, but held back my tears for Laiko's sake.

Laiko dropped to his knees beside Ada, then helped pull her to her feet as she gripped his arm. His thoughts were slowly starting to return to normal now, and he had brief moments where he was fully aware of his surroundings, then others where he was on a complete high again. "I... Don't know." He admitted, frowning in confusion at her question. He shook his head, then added, "But I know I was supposed to kill him, and I didn't!", his voice jubilant and a proud grin stretching over his face. "I was supposed to..." He murmured, his face creasing into a frown as his tone suddenly gained a rare seriousness. "It was an order..." He winced as he tried to remember more, a sudden pain flaring in his head. "But I... Couldn't do it..." He went on haltingly, "So they- And then I- But they deserved it." A certain darkness crept into his tone at the final group of words, his expression hardening, and a bitter hatefulness crept into his eyes. It looked out of place on his usually placid face, yet in a way, it seemed to suit his sharp profile. "They deserved it." He repeated in a low growl, then he pressed his face into his hands, clenching his jaw with the pain of a sudden migraine. When he finally looked over at Ada again, there was a deeply puzzled expression on his face, though he seemed a little more himself, his green eyes gleaming with their usual kindness as he watched her. "Your hands..." He mumbled, his words slightly slurred as he pointed to them. "Are you okay...? What happened?" He asked, his voice gradually becoming clearer as he blinked away the confusion. He winced suddenly, clapping a hand to his side as he felt the pain of the gunshot wound again. The pain medication must have worn off...

The drugs seemed to be wearing off, and Laiko was becoming more of his normal self. This made me feel more secure; but the current topic was becoming very interesting... with a dangerous edge. "I... Don't know." He answered my question, seeming confused. "But I know I was supposed to kill him, and I didn't!" He seemed cheerful about that; a proud grin stretched over his face as he said it. "I was supposed to..." He murmured, and I wondered for a moment if he was still even talking to me. He seemed to be becoming more serious now. I watched him wince; he must have been trying very hard to dig up the memories. "But I... Couldn't do it..." He finally added. It actually wasn't hard for me to understand what he was trying to say; I worked it through my mind. He must have been on some sort of mission to kill someone... he had orders? And he couldn't do it... but why? "So they- And then I- But they deserved it." A darkness in his voice sent a tremor up my spine. "You killed them." The realization hit me like a slap in the face. Something about the way I said it, it wasn't just a thought. It was a fact. I didn't know how I knew this information, I tried to remember... but nothing came to my mind. Just a cold, black emptiness. "They deserved it." He repeated, seeming angry. His jaw clenched, and he seemed in pain again. When he looked back over at me again, he seemed like a bit of his normal self once more. "Your hands..." He mumbled, his words slightly slurred as he pointed to them. "Are you okay...? What happened?" The drugs must have been wearing off because he clasped his hand to his side, obiously in pain. "My hands are fine," I lamented, staring into space as I processed this new infomation. I felt so, so scared. I was constantly looking over my shoulder, and jumping every time the wind rustled the bushes. Max seemed to notice, and kept himself pressed to my side as if trying to offer some comfort. I could see the apartment from here; I wondered if the drugs would be worn off by then...

"Ada, duck!" Laiko yelled suddenly, tackling her to the ground an instant before a gunshot cracked through the air. A bullet smashed a hole in the pavement beside them, sending tiny shards of stone flying in every direction, a faint haze of concrete dust rising from around the tiny gold bullet. Laiko snatched it into his palm and slipped it into his pocket, then suddenly became aware of the fact that he was basically crushing Ada... He pushed himself to his feet with a sheepish grin, then offered a hand to help her up. "Come on." He advised pleasantly, a calm, casual tone to his voice. "We'd best get out of here quickly." His bright eyes darted around, searching for the shooter as he waited for Ada to get up. It was taking a massive effort for him to remain calm, and even more to hide how much pain it caused him to crouch down in his current position. The lips of the wound on his torso were being pushed painfully together, causing a fresh dribbling of blood to soak through the clean, white bandage. Yet there was some closed off pocket in his mind that reminded him that he was used to all this, and that guns were nor sort of aberration, but simply an everyday risk to be wary of. These people wouldn't relent until he was dead, he knew that, but he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of knowing that he knew, not would he let them do anything to hurt Ada. He turned his attention back to her, a few stray locks of hair escaping to fall over his face with a casual elegance, gleaming like flames in the orange glow of the streetlamp. His expression was kind and comforting as he smiled down at her, one hand still extended toward her.

A low growl escaped from Max, and I had to tighten my grip on his leash. "Ada, duck!" Laiko yelled suddenly. I scuffed my knee when Laiko tackled me to the ground, seconds before a gunshot fired, creating a hole in the pavement beside us. Now, I was certian... all the pieces fit perfectly. "We'd best get out of here quickly." I looked up at Laiko, still deep into thought. They weren't going to stop until he was killed; it was their revenge for killing the wrong people instead of the right one. There was no way of escaping it; we could try to fight back, but we would most likely be killed. And we didn't know how many people they had... this was Laiko's life, until he died. Unless...
I shook off the thought. Laiko would never go through with any of my plans, and they probably wouldn't work, either. I would tell him about them later. I began to walk briskly to my apartment, ho0ping no more shots would be fired for the night. I had had enough excitement for one day, and I was ready to calm things down. When we reached the door, I unlocked it, flipping the lights on as I walked in with Max. "I'm tired; I think I'm going to bed. Are you hungry?" I asked Laiko, glancing at him as I got Max's late supper. I sat down, listening to him eat hunrgily. "Come and look at this," I said, sitting down on the couch and rebooting my laptop. I typed in www.LAIKO.com. The page that came up read, "This website is password protected for the security of L.A.I.K.O members." I turned to Laiko. "Do you remember the password, Laiko? Unless they changed it..." I murmured. "I tried it earlier; you only get three guesses before the computer will automatically shut down. Do you remember anything about L.A.I.K.O? I think you might have been part of some sort of team with them. They sent you orders to kill someone, but you couldn't do it..." I paused, thinking of his earlier drunken words. "Then you said they deserved it..." I turned my attention to the small cut on my knee. "I guess I should get this cleaned up..." I said, getting a wet cloth from the kitchen drawer.

Laiko walked beside Ada the whole way back, glancing around anxiously from time to time. He felt vulnerable and visible out in the open, and he was keen to get back to the house. He heaved a soft sigh of relief and quickened his pace slightly as the apartment came into sight. He paused as they reached it, hovering pointlessly beside the door as he waited for Ada to open it. He followed her in, patting Max as he passed, then stood patiently in the center of the floor. The lights suddenly flicked on and Laiko squinted against the brightness, still finding his senses a little sensitive from his time in the hospital. He blinked the temporary blindness from his eyes, then glanced at Ada with a smile as she began to speak. "Please do." He encouraged, smiling sweetly at her. "I think I'll stay up and keep Max company if you don't mind." he added with a grin, not stating the obvious reason for his refusal to sleep: If anything happened to Ada because of him, he could never forgive himself. "Oh, I'm fine, thanks." Laiko replied with a grateful smile as she asked after his hunger. The truth was, he didn't have much appetite with a hole blasted right through the flesh near his stomach... He petted Max absentmindedly for a moment, before Ada called him to look at something. He hurried over to her, leaning on the back of the couch and looking over her shoulder at the screen of the laptop. Laiko frowned at the page that came up, straightening himself and tapping his chin thoughtfully. He frowned as he struggled to remember, but finally shook his head with a disappointed smile. "Sorry, no such luck." He apologised regretfully, staring curiously at the screen. He jerked his head around in surprise at her next words, his eyebrows shooting up to vanish among the soft, fluffy locks of his blonde fringe as a surprised expression invaded his usually smiling face. "Me?" He asked with a laugh, shaking his head incredulously. "I'd never be part of anything that involves hurting people. I don't have the heart." He admitted with a faint smile, slightly stung that Ada would think him capable of something like that. Then again, she was just trying to help, and he had no proof... "Oh yeah, sorry about that..." Laiko murmured in concern as he turned his attention from the cut. "I didn't mean to hurt you, honestly!" He promised, gazing beseechingly at her. "Would you let me help you with it? I know a little basic medical aid..." Laiko offered, gnawing on his lip in worry as he stared down at Ada's bloody knee, painfully aware that it was all his fault. "Ada, I'm really sorry!" He blurted out suddenly, glancing up at her with an uncharacteristically worried and serious expression, guilt showing clearly in his tone as he resumed speech, "I had no idea all of this would happen, or I'd never have dragged you into it..." He bit his lip, shaking his head apologetically, then concluded his speech. "I'll get out of here at dawn." He promised with a solemn nod. "I'll get the money to you by the end of the week, somehow... But I can't have your life at risk." He explained carefully, managing a slightly subdued smile as he finished. "I'm sorry you had to go through all this..." He shook his head, turning away with a guilty expression.

When he said he was fine, I just frowned slightly, not commenting on the subject. When he came over to look at the page, he frowned as he tried to remember, but came up with nothing. "Me?" He asked, seeming to be unable to believe what I was trying to tell him. "I'd never be part of anything that involves hurting people. I don't have the heart." He admitted. I frowned as I saw he seemed stung by my thinking. "You told me, when you were on the medical drugs. Do you remember being on the drugs?" I asked him carefully. "I don't believe it either," I said softly, looking him in the eye. I wondered if he thought I looked at him too much; it was a new thing for me, after no many years of keeping my gaze settled on my feet most of the time. "It's what you told me, and I found some old articles..." I clicked on the mouse bringing up a new page. "It's about some sort of robbery; do you know anything about it?" I asked him. I had a huge headache, but I kept it hidden so he wouldn't see. I just wanted to check a few more things. "Oh yeah, sorry about that..." Laiko murmured in concern as he turned his attention from the cut. "I didn't mean to hurt you, honestly!" He promised, though I already knew. "Would you let me help you with it? I know a little basic medical aid..." Laiko offered, gnawing on his lip in worry. "Thanks," I said. "I have little experience with first aid," I admitted. "Ada, I'm really sorry!" He blurted out suddenly. I turned to him, already frowning. He looked so sorry and guilty; I was confused. "I had no idea all of this would happen, or I'd never have dragged you into it..." He went on. My jaw clenched and I immediatley cut in. "Laiko, you have to stop. If there is anyone you should be worried about, it is yourself!" I said, exasperated. I grabbed his shoulders, shaking him lightly. "You have been the kindest person to be since I was born. I couldn't care less about all of it, except that it has to be taken care of. You can't live your life like this." "I'll get out of here at dawn." He promised. My gaze dropped, and I fell quiet for a moment. I had forgotten about that; it was only for a day, and then he would be gone again, and my life would be back to how it had been before. I refused to look upset, especially in front of him. I had to stop being such a burden... "I'll get the money to you by the end of the week, somehow... But I can't have your life at risk." I nodded, then once the words sunk in I was immediatley on guard. "I will not, on any circumstances, take money from you, Laiko." I could be stubborn when I wanted to; had I lost that part of me when I got this apartment and became all soft and sensitive? I had been such a hard-egde person on the streets. I cared for few things, but what I had cared for I was able to let go, and keep close when it was nessecary. Why couldn't I be like that now? Life would be so much easier if I was. I yawned, even if I wasn't tired anymore. "I'm going to bed," I said, keeping my voice level. I really didn't want to upset Laiko... I headed up the stairs and into my bedroom. I barely had time to scream as the door was closed and a hand was clasped over my mouth. It was dark in my room, and I couldn't see a thing; I was defenseless. I could only hope Laiko wouldn't come; It was a trick! A dirty one, too. I had seen it before, adn the moment he found me(if he decided to look), they would have him head. I hung my head in despair, not even bothering to struggle as I was roped up and hoisted out of my bedroom window. They must have had a ladder; sure enough, I could hear the metal as they closed it. My mouth and eyes were covered, so I couldn't see or say anything as the object was removed from my mouth and a pill was shoved in.

"Not really." Laiko admitted, shaking his head. He was relived by her words, relieved that she didn't truly believe him to be the sort of monster who could actually... Kill. "I just remember feeling a little strange, and everything's haze from there." He went on, carefully explaining what he knew. He met her gaze then, smiling slightly at her. He was struck once again by just how enchanting her eyes were: So completely different from what one would normally see, that it seemed to him they could look right into his soul. He glanced back at the screen as she began to speak again, frowning as he quickly skimmed through the articles. "Nope, not ringing any bells." He concluded finally, looking up again with a shrug.

((*is getting confused with too much happening at once* Hehe! Next exchange can fit in here... I'm basically getting my brain tied in a knot. ))

Then guilt struck him, and the next few minutes passed in a haze of it, with him trying to atone for his mistakes, and Ada not accepting a word of it. He felt a sudden rush of affection for her at her kind words, and was struck once again by how close he felt to her, after such a short time. He dismissed his thoughts and nodded in acceptance as she informed him that she was going to bed. He had sensed some change to her tone, a certain sharpness perhaps, as she had spoken, and he guessed that she was not entirely pleased by the decisions he had made. Perhaps she thought he worried too much, but how could he not under the circumstances. He sighed then, walking over to the couch and sitting down as Ada went up the stairs into the bedroom. He ran his fingers through his hair, willing himself to get a grip and think straight. Then, suddenly, Ada's scream shattered his thoughts. Without pausing to think it through, Laiko dashed up the stairs, taking two at a time, and busted his way into Ada's bedroom with a thrust of his shoulder. "Ada! Are you-?!" He froze as he entered the room, seeing the metal top of a ladder being pulled away from the window. That was when he knew: They had taken her, and it was his fault.

Possessed by a protective fury that he did not recognise as his own, Laiko gave a furious snarl and leaped out of the window, only when he felt himself plummetting through the air did he realise how stupid he had been... On impulse, he reached out his hands to grab the wall behind him, and much to his surprise, found that the windowsill was right there. His fingers latched onto it and he dropped lightly to the ground, landing softly on his feet. It was then that he realised it: His actions hadn't just been mad, impulsive decisions. If they had been, he'd have been dead. No- they had been planned, and executed accurately from muscle memory. He would never have been able to do that under inflluence of conscious thought... No, that had been a skill that had been trained into the very marrow of his bones, so his body could never forget it, even when his mind did.

Laiko paused only for a moment, correcting his center of gravity, before he darted forward and sprinted after the men dragging Ada away.

It wasn't long before I was swallowed into the darkness, whatever I had been given really taking it's toll on me. I had a feeling it would be a long while before I escaped that emptiness.
[Hehe, sorry about the confusion I think I'll RP switing around the first person. ]

The men worked fast and efficent, soon having Ada in a dark alley. They waited with their guns ready, anticipating the moment when Laiko came... the men felt fully sure their plan would work. After all, he had became an old softie, all cheerful and everything; a thought that made them feel sick to know it was a same person who did all of those things and now claimed to have forgotten it all...

The loud bang startled me from my sleep. I relaxed when I saw the gunshot had been directed in the air. "Came looking for your little girlfriend, huh?" I could hear a man speak, but not see since I hadn't gotten used to the dark yet. Somewhere along the line I must have had my blindfold removed, because there was nothing over my face. The man's voice was calm and steady, and I could hear a few sneers from the other people crowded in the alley. "I really thought you'd be smarter than this. Still playing the whole 'memory loss' thing?" I heard more laughter, and felt angry. I was still tied up, sitting against the alley wall where I had full view of everything that was going on. Laiko was coming, sprinting up. I groaned; of course he would come looking. Was it possible he had been able to hear my scream?

Laiko calmly came to a standstill as he reached the alleyway, hiding his expression as best he could as he watched the men. What on earth could he do...? He was nobody special. He didn't have any secret ninja tactics, or a western pistol that he could whip out on command... He was just himself. Nothing more nothing less. And what could he, Laiko, do about this? Suddenly, a flash of confidence that he did not recognise as his own washed over him, and before Laiko could stop himself, he was speaking. "Me, unintelligent?" Laiko asked, raising an eyebrow. "Here I thought you were the grown man needing to resort to dirty tricks to capture a teenager. Then again, you don't have to be an idiot to be a coward." He shrugged vaguely, then began walking calmly toward them. "It's me you want, right?" He asked coldly. "In that case, take me down right now." Laiko offered with a shrug he raised his head and met the man's eyes with a cocky glare as he added, "I dare you." He had no idea what he was saying, as he knew he was utterly defenceless, but the only possible solution he could think of was to rely on this inexplicable confidence to pull him through. It was as though he knew something that he didn't know, not that it made any sense... But somehow, he simply felt that he could handle the situation... That he could take both of them on all at once. Thn a sudden thought struck him, one that actually made sense. He had done something to get such a price on his head. If he could just play on tht, intimidation might work to his advantage. "I see you've seen through my act..." Laiko informed them in a dark, cold tone so different from his own voice that he barely recognised that it was him speaking. "In that case, if you guys don't get the hell out of here right now, I'll beat you senseless." He warned woth a sadistic smirk, walking fearlessly toward them and cracking his knuckles.

From the moment Laiko came to a stop, I knew someting about him had changed. He raised an eyebrow at the man that had insulted him, looking very confident and not at all scared. "Me, unintelligent?" I had never seen Laiko like this before; he almost seemed... intimidating.[SP? ] "Here I thought you were the grown man needing to resort to dirty tricks to capture a teenager. Then again, you don't have to be an idiot to be a coward." I grinned despite my nervousness. "It's me you want, right?" He asked coldly. "In that case, take me down right now." The men were very nervous as he came closer. The other man just seemed angry. "How dare you insult me! Come any closer, and we'll shoot the girl." I fought back tears as I felt the cold metal on my head. I closed my eyes, I couldn't watch this, and I couldn't cry... I felt a little shove. "Go ahead, cry." I heard a few nasty jeers, and kept my eyes closed tightly. They wouldn't kill me if they were a force like the police, would they? Not that any of it mattered to me. Exept I was wondering what had happened to Max... Suddenly, I heard loud barking and a man let out a cry. I could hear the various shots, I would just have to hope they wouldn't hit him. "Please don't shoot them - either of them!" I begged, tears running down my face. They were my only friends; what would I do without them? I thought about everything I had went rhough with Max, and how Laiko had been the first human to be kind to me. They were all great memories, and I wanted to keep these friends as a daily reminder of how life is always full of little treats along the line... I heard Max whimper, and finally opened my eyes. My heart slowed down as I saw he was fine, just muzzled once more and being given a sleeping pill. But I couldn't see Laiko... where had he gone? The street became strangely quiet, at least for me.

Laiko leaped at the opportunity as Max appeared, using the distraction to his advantage and moving for his goal in the blink of an eye. He was relying solely on the forgotten memory in his mind now, working from some form of training that his body still remembered, even if his mind did not. Instinctively, he went for a gun, easily managing to snatch one from a nervous man's hand during all the turmoil. He retreated back into the shadows behind a tall cardboard box, staying deathly quiet and hiding himself while the panic subsided. He kept a close eye on Max, ready to leap out and distract them, should they try to do anything to harm him. When order had been restored, Laiko stepped silently from his hiding place, moving with effortless secrecy as he snuck up to the man who appeared to be their leader. He pressed the gun against the man's head, his finger stroking the trigger lightly. The cool metal felt familiar and friendly in his hand, as though the memory was a long forgotten friend from a distant place... "Shouldn't have let me get hold of this, should you?" He asked quietly, his lips close to the man's ear in an intimidating gesture. "I think it's about time you run away now, don't you?" Laiko asked, pressing the gun harder against the man's head, "Or do you have other plans...?" He asked, holding the gun as though it was an extension of his hand, and feeling an indescribeable urge to pull the trigger, yet at te same time experiencing a complete inability to do so, as well as complete repulsion at the thought of killing the man. It was all so confusing... Why was he so comfortable with a gun in his hand? He'd never even held one before... Had he?

I finally spotted Laiko behind the man, looking quite nervous. I almost gasped when I saw the metal object in Laiko's hand - a gun. It looked as if it belonged there, like it was a part of him or something. I had never seen Laiko like this; did he actually care about me this much or was he just being his kind, usual self? The man swallowed nervously. "Okay, okay," The man said. Even though they would end up killing Laiko, it would cost the leader his own life and that wasn't something he was ready to surrender. I relaxed as the man slowly moved away from Laiko, the rest of his team following. I felt the ropes being removed and the gun being taken away from my skull; it made me feel a whole lot better to be free. The muzzle was removed from Max as he began to slowly wake up. I looked over at Laiko, unsure if I should smile or copy his glare. "Remember though, someday we will escape with your life." The words from the man were calm and sincere as him and his team left, leaving me, Max and Laiko alone. "You saved my life." I said, my expression full of awe and thankfullness. "Still sure you were never part of that team?" I asked quietly. I really hoped my words wouldn't effect him; I didn't want him angry at me. I wondered to myself how he was feeling. Happy? Sad? Angry? I only wished I could know. Suddenly, I groaned. "Did you come in through the window or the house door? Because we may be locked out." I said, looking up at him again. I wondered if the change would stick; I hoped he was still kind like he had been. I heard a whimper, and turned to see Max waking up. "Hey, boy. Good boy, Max." I said, hugging him ferociously. The thought that I could have lost him was too hard to take, we were pratically inseperable now. I was pretty sure Max wasnt spayed, so maybe I could get a puppy of his before he died... I was completley lost in my thoughts.

Laiko narrowed his eyes, watching the men with a Hawk's gaze as they slowly righted what the had wronged before retreating. Laiko scoffed at the man's parting comment. "I'd like to see you try!" He jeered in response, swinging the gun around his finger with a casual air that seemed almost more threatening than if he'd started shooting it at them. Laiko turned his head as he heard Ada beside him. He smiled slightly at her words, though the gesture did not come as easily as it usually did. He shook his head in response before replying, "That hardly matters, when it was my fault your life was in danger in the first place..." He glanced at her again, and seeing her expression, smiled gratefully at her. It was amazing how she could instantly cheer him up, just by simply 'being'. He gnawed his lip at the words that followed, staring thoughtfully at the gun in his hand. It felt as though it belonged there... Whatever he had been before, even he could not deny that he had definitely wielded a gun. Suddenly curious, Laiko raised the small pistol and pointed it into the sky, aiming it at a bent and broken TV ariel atop an old, derelict building. He closed one eye, squinting at his target, then squeezed the trigger and released a bullet, feeling a tingling thrill run down his arm, as though his limb was being reuinited with a long lost lover. He followed the progress of the bullet, and was not entirely surprised when the top of the ariel was snapped off, despite the fact that it was barely wider than the bullet itself. Yup, he remembered how to use a gun, all right... "I don't know what I was part of..." Laiko replied thoughtfully, "But I doubt it involved baking cookies." He added seriously, glancing up at her with an out-of-place solemn expression. He frowned then, pondering over her next word. "I jumped out of the window..." He admitted, fully aware that he sounded crazy, yet not particularly caring. "Maybe I can climb back in." He suggested with a vague shrug, hoping that he was capable of doing so. "Max!" He exclaimed suddenly, carelessly discarding the gun and dropping to his knees beside the dog, gentle scratching under his chin. "You were brilliant, boy." He praised him gently, his words clearly heartfelt and brimming with emotion. He knew that the dog would understand exactly what he'd just said. They just seemed to know at times like these...