Sanitarium - Asylum Finale {Completed}

6. Dead Again

Slowly, his eyes blink open. "Party," he says weakly. "Where is she?"

"Jet has her. She's unconscious. Are you all right?" I speak so quickly I don't know if he understands me.

He tries to nod but winces instead. "I'm fine. She shot me, but she missed any vital organs, I think. She got my side."

I look up at Kobra, who is still standing. He's looking at Vengeance with a mix of emotions. I know he doesn't care for the man very much, but he's always been civil with him. He's never told me what got Vengeance on his bad side, but I've never thought to ask until now. "Kobra, can you take him to Jet? Explain to him what happened."

Kobra nods and quickly bends over to scoop Vengeance up into his arms, getting blood all over himself in the process. The white-haired man nearly screams, but he bites down on his bottom lip to stop himself. Kobra looks at me. "Good luck. We'll be watching you over broadcast."

We turn in opposite directions, Kobra toward the hospital level and myself toward the staircase that will lead me to the ground floor, and go our separate ways. Kobra's words "good luck" ring in my head. I'm certainly going to need it.

***

Kobra's P.O.V.

I don't speak to Vengeance as I carry him to the hospital. I don't think he could hold up a conversation anyway, considering the paleness of his face and the sweat that's glistening on it. And I don't really want to talk to him, either, so it doesn't matter. I've never liked him. He's always seemed off to me, like he'll turn on his friends at the most opportune moment. I've never talked to Party about this; he would only understand Vengeance's side. He did the same thing to us not long ago, after all.

"Kobra, what the hell happened?" Ghoul exclaims as we reach the correct level. Jet and Ghoul were standing and talking outside a closed door, but they stop as we approach. They both look equally shocked to see Vengeance's state.

"Paranoia happened," the white-haired man hisses through his gritted teeth, wincing in pain. I scowl, but quickly replace the expression with a neutral one. Jet points to an empty bed and I am prompt to lay Vengeance on it. I'm covered in blood, but it doesn't bother me much. There's only one thing on my mind.

"Can I see her?" I ask, looking to Jet for approval.

He looks hesitant for a moment. I almost play the "head of security" card, but decide against it. These are my friends. We're all on the same level. None of us is better than the other. So I just stare at him, waiting for a response, before he finally nods and points to the shut door. "She's in there. And she's asleep. Try to keep it that way, all right? If she wakes up, I want to be alerted immediately."

I nod stiffly and open the door, revealing a small room that is bathed in white and holding a single bed. In said bed is Paranoia, handcuffed to the metal bed frame by both wrists. I let my walls fall down as I shut the door behind me. I've never cared as much about staying neutral when I'm with her. Everything is different with her.

There's a screen hanging on the wall that I switch on. I use my security code to access the cameras, choosing the one showing the large mass of Killjoys in the cafeteria. Party stands on a table in the center, his arms hanging limp at his side as he looks at the fraction of people that we have left. I look at Paranoia's limp body. How could you do something like this? I wordlessly ask her. I'm upset, upset that this happened, but I can't do anything about it right now. And looking at her, lying there helplessly, I can't honestly say that I'll ever be able to do anything to act against her. Never.

"Listen up." Party's voice grows several octaves louder than normal to be heard above the clamoring. Immediately, all the Killjoys fall silent. "I know everyone is confused about what happened today. We've suffered some terrible losses, and several more of us are injured. Now, I can't exactly explain to you what caused this or who is to blame - "