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The hospital hallways were eerily empty. There's a sign at the front desk. 'STORM APPROACHING. EVACUATE TO ST. MARIS'S MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
Dash had it coming, he failed to mention any of this. After two bus rides and a mile of walking, this was my reward. A crash came from somewhere down the hall, and my feet moves towards the sound. The lab doors were unlocked, and a painful groan echoed through the room. "Stay still!" I hear Kayla's voice say and I open the door. "Greet you're here!" she exclaims.
In front of her lies Jason, my eyes assessed him, his nose twisted at an odd angle, bloody and broken. Tae and Dash holds him while Kayla equipped herself with gloves. She gets a small gauze and applied it to his nose, each step he curse profanities and threatens to murder everyone, mostly Dash. "How did this happen?".
"Dash and Tae got into a fight Jason tried to stop them," Kayla answers irritated with the three.
"Why were you two fighting?"
"Yeah, why were you two fighting?" Kayla repeats the question.
"Personal reasons," Tae responds and Jason's face darkens, he was a second away from erupting.
"They were fighting over a girl that doesn't even like them!" Jason publicizes. "This is what I end up with," he point to his nose, "When you two are around me," he catch his breath then continues, "I don't want to see you two for the rest of the day and if I hear one word about Amelia I will kill you both, report back to Daniel," he commands. They both nod, walking out the room like soldiers, rigid and obedient.
I didn't even know he could have done that. "How did you do that?". He gives me a puzzled look. "Are you their leader?".
"One of."
"I'm going to get you some painkillers stay here," Kayla announced, handing a small compact mirror to Jason the left the room.
"Jason"
"What?" He asked more focuse on the mirror.
"Can you tell me about the Seraphims?"
His eyes connected with mine instantly. A slightly shocked expression laced his features. "How did you know about that?"
"Azim told me, the female one or should I say Dr Redford."
"Of course she did," he sighs.
"Why didn't you tell me about it that night at the church?"
"Didn't think to mention it," he pauses. "Where is Jordon?".
"How should I know?"
"He's assigned to you, don't you notice him following you around?"
"No."
"What do you want to know about the Seraphim?" He pats the space next to him and I quickly take a seat.
"Everything," I told him.
"They are ranked second to the Azims, they can give orders to anyone in the Three Rings. The Seraphims are protectors but unlike other members, they aren't allowed to kill. That is the only rule to being a Seraphim."
"It's that simple?"
"Yes," His attention returned to his nose.
"Is that how you ordered Dash and Tae to leave?"
"Yes I'm a Seraphim and the leader of the group which I just said."
"That means you've never killed anyone before."
"I must not be speaking English." By this time he was so drawn into his appearance
"You look cute with a broken nose," I complimented him to lighten his mood. Jason slowly took his eyes off the mirror and then sent me the nastiest glare. "I mean it."
"Don't patronize me, we both know it looks painfully disgusting," I offer him a smile but didn't agree with him. "There is a store down the street get me a pineapple soda," he demands without taking his eyes off the mirror.
"First of all I'm not apart of the Three Rings you can't push me around and second it wouldn't hurt to say please."
"Please," He articulates sweetly, adding a smile to show his genuineness.
"Fine, where is the money?"
"In your purse."
My mouth opened to say something impolite, I refrain mainly because it was Jason. He was the nicest yet most nonchalant person I have ever met. I remember the first day I met him when he untied me from the chairs Tae bounded me into. I still didn't like Tae but Jason was a nice guy and the fact that he doesn't kill people makes him a good guy in my head.
Sure he's acting like a child because of his nose but he's still Jason.
"Fine, I'll get it for you just know that you owe me."
The roads were just like the hospital halls, empty-lacking the usual traffic. Jason's question rang through my head. "Where is Jordon?". My eyes scan every inch of the street for something that seemed out of place. Trees, old abandoned cars, paper, plastic, and an overflowing garbage bin with a familiar black car parking next to it.
In a few strides, I was at the window. Jordon immediately came outside, leaning on the opposite side of the car, away from me. I analyzes his features in the limited sunlight. Light brown eyes, straight-nosed, sharp jawline. "Going somewhere?" He questions.
"Jason wants a soda," I explained dully. "His nose got broken"
"That's horrible," Jordon replied with maximum indifference. "Let me come with you."
"Aren't you already following me around?"
"Point taken".
We walk in comfortable silence. I was hoping that he would address what happened yesterday. His expression was unreadable. I wish I knew what he was thinking but a part of me was happy with not knowing.
Maybe he didn't like me. Maybe I was a bad kisser. There were tons of maybes in my thoughts. The silence was becoming unbearable. "I like you, you already know that," he started.
"I wonder what gave that away, probably it was the stalking or the kissing," I answered sarcastically.
"I'm your bodyguard it's my job I'm not stalking you I just maintain my distance."
"I beg to differ," The store came into the view and I contemplated whether to buy what Jason wanted or return empty-handed since it was my money at stake. I wouldn't want to be on his bad side today especially because I was considering the offer to train with the Seraphims.
The word sounds weirder in my head. Honestly, who comes up with these names—Azim, Three Rings ? Seriously, who took their time to make this stuff up?
A shrilling scream cut through the air, alerting us. The automatic doors of the store slid open. From a distance I saw a girl rushing out, she collapsed, and the doors closed behind her. The air reeked of something metallic almost familiar. It was strong, I could taste it on my tongue.
Very familiar.
"We need to help her!" I yell.
He didn't hesitate, Jordon ran to the girl, I was behind him. Her body was still but her eyes were wide open, chest heaving, coughing. It reminded me of myself. The burning in my chest returned at the sight of this girl's struggle.
She was tall and slender, she almost appeared athletic. From her clothes, I could tell that she worked at the store. Next to the store's logo her name was sewed unto the red shirt in blue thread 'Avery'.
We helped her up, Jordon took one arm while I support her on the left. It took two minutes to get her back to the hospital. "Kayla! Help!," Jordon shouts twice when we entered the hall. Kayla and Jason came from the lab. Both looked at the girl that we were carrying. Jason hurried towards us, taking her into his arms.
"What happened!" Kayla enquired.
"There was an attack at the store, it might have been the same gas from the school explosion," Jordon tells her in a low voice.
"You look disoriented did you go near the building?" Before he could answer, his body hit the floor. "Jordon!" Kayla bent down next to him. "Keep breathing," she whispered to him. "Jemi help him up".
I act quickly even though my body wanted to freeze. Together we brought him to an empty ward with multiple beds. Jason places the girl on the bed across from Jordon. Kayla started pacing back and forth, she was panicking.
"Hey! Calm down and help them!" Jason yells furiously.
"How?! There isn't any cure for whatever this is! He's my nephew and I don't know how to save him!" At this point, she was gripping her hair in frustration.
"What about me! I'm immune can't you recreate what's inside me?" I ask.
"That could take years of research and testing,"
"We have a few minutes before they both stop breathing, so do something before they die," I say to her firmly.
Jason went over to her and put his hands on her shoulders and utter the words that might just save the day. "I believe in you, you're a doctor if anyone can save them in two minutes it's you. I know he's your nephew but you need to look past your emotions and save them."
"Okay, I have isolated the components I found in your blood. It's not tested but I think might work."
She leaves and return with two syringes. Each time I look at Jordon struggling to breathe it terrified me. The girl's chest starts rising and falling slower—she was dying. Kayla injected the clear fluid into the girl's arm and then did the same to Jordon. They both went completely still.
A minute passed
Two minutes.
Kayla let out a loud sob. A tear escaped from me. I tried to hold them back. Why didn't it work? Why wasn't he breathing anymore? My feet betrayed my will and caused me to fall. Jason caught me and pulled me into his chest. "It's okay Jemi," His words were comforting but he too was trying to hold it together.
Kayla tried performing chest compressions on Jordon but he stood still. Jason goes and do the same to the girl.
They weren't responding.