Chapter 18 part 2
Samuel
For the second time Samuel was woken up in bright, clean hospital. Machines were still beeping and there were still people shouting words outside that Samuel couldn't even try to give the definition of.
Even with all the obvious indicators of where he was though, he still took a second to remember. To realize that he was a patient.
He started to think he might have a concussion, but surely the doctors already checked for that. He must just still be in shock from the last few days.
"Hero" the bald officer, who he hadn't really noticed yet, spoke up.
His voice was stern and serious. It made Samuel feel like he was about to get lectured like he would with his mother as a kid.
Samuel hummed in response, not knowing if his voice would work.
He noticed only one doctor messing with some kind of medical equipment in the corner of the room, but everyone else had left.
"I know the timing isn't ideal" the officer took a step forward "but if your willing to answer I'd like to ask about the villain"
He took another slow step, and then another. He clearly wasn't trying to intimidate Samuel, but he did.
He looked strong and the expression on his face was stern. Not to mention you could see a few veins popping out of his arm.
"The villain.. or the new.. villain" he asked slowly, testing his voice.
The words came much easier now and he only had to pause to take a breath. Though that was often. It was like his lungs had been shrunk down to the size of a raspberry.
"The villain" the officer answered bluntly.
Samuel looked down at his own fidgeting hands.
He wasn't sure what he should say. If Matias was here he could say all these things himself, but now Samuel wasn't sure how much Matias would want him to say. What if he didn't want Samuel explaining his innocence for him?
Plus, now wasn't the time to get on the police's bad side. Surely defending the villain and saying all his attacks weren't his fault would only make things worse.
But he still wanted to try, though first he had to know if he was okay.
"Where is he?" Samuel asked, though it was the officer who had prepared questions.
"He is in prison, still. You don't have to worry, we won't let him out"
Samuel had known they put Matias in prison, but he still felt the need to ask. Maybe he was just hoping they had let him out or something. Though that probably wouldn't be any safer for him.
Silence passed through the room, aside from all the noises of the hospital.
"Now, you should probably know what happened while you were unconscious" the officer finally spoke up.
Samuels heart leaped. Had something bad happened? There were too many awful possibilities running through Samuels mind.
"Don't worry, everyone is okay" the officer clarified, probably noticing how panicked Samuel was.
"The villain wasn't taken to prison immediately. He brought you here and refused to leave"
He crossed his arms, his large muscles pressing together.
"He said he was innocent regarding everything, but we'll get to that later. We eventually let him go in, supervised of course, and he stayed in your room for a bit."
Samuel didn't know how to feel. Any of this could be good or bad. He felt like the officer was shortening the story to an extent.
Though he didn't bother interrupting to ask any questions, he just let the officer continue.
"He said he was making sure nobody took pictures of anything of your face. He eventually passed out, from exhaustion we believe. That's when we took him to prison"
Samuel was thinking everything and nothing all at once. Every emotion he could think of was pounding on his brain and making him all kinds of confused.
"So why did you.. take him to prison?" Samuel asked, huffing a few strangled breaths after.
The officer gave Samuel a subtle look, though it felt judgmental. Samuel ignored it, but he was now reading into the officers expressions more than he needed to.
"We were going to let him come into the hospital supervised. However, when we got up to the desk we were told there was no way we could be let into your room for medical reasons"
He paused, putting two fingers on his temple and rubbing it in circles.
"But he ran off and went to your room anyways. The villain being loose in the hospital set people off. You can probably imagine why we took him away after that"
Samuel looked down at his hands which were fidgeting in his lap. Of course they'd take someone with a reputation like Matias's to prison. Nonetheless, it still made his blood boil.
"Don't hurt him" Samuel muttered, losing his confidence right as he said it.
The officer gave Samuel yet another look. Samuel couldn't be certain if he was judging him or was curious as to why the hero would he acting this way, or maybe both.
When the officer didn't say anything, Samuel continued.
"He isn't as bad.. as people say he is" he paused, taking a few raspy breaths "just don't hurt him"
He spoke a bit louder now, but he was still cautious with his words.
The officer stayed silent for a few more seconds before finally interrupting the quiet stillness of the room.
"He is being kept in a cell away from other prisoners. We will question him as best we can but no permanent or harmful consequences will be put in motion until you are well enough to attend court with him"
He paused, looking questioningly at Samuel.
"Assuming you are willing to attend?" He added, explaining the look on his face.
"Oh" Samuel muttered, realizing what the officer had said.
He fidgeted even more with his fingers and his eye twitched a few times.
"Of course" he finally answered blandly.
He didn't know what else he was supposed to say, he couldn't just refuse. Besides, he had to help clear Matias's name. He wasn't a villain and Samuel wouldn't let him be known as one.
"Alright" the officer confirmed "are you up for questions regarding the villain?"
Samuel had only just realized how off topic they had gotten. The office hadn't even began asking his questions.
"Yes"
The officer nodded and pulled out a note pad along with a black pen.
"Ready?" He asked one more time, peeing up from the currently blank paper in front of him.
Samuel only nodded, preparing himself for the questions.
"Don't worry, there are only a few" the officer comforted after seeing the worried expression on Samuels face.
Samuel once again nodded, only feeling slightly better about it.
Samuel and the officer each took a few breaths before they began.
"Why was he fighting alongside you against the new villain?"
Shit.
How was Samuel supposed to answer that? Surely telling the truth would get Matias out of the deep hole he dug for himself, but that would he an awful long story. More importantly, the didn't know what parts Matias would be okay with Samuel telling the cops.
"He.. he was just helping" Samuel answered huskily, wanting to pinch himself because of his ridiculous answer.
The officer looked at him with crazy eyes for a moment before forcing his face to return to a more professional, more stern expression.
"Helping who exactly?" He questioned with a bit of accusation behind his voice.
"Me. The whole city.. he just wanted to.. help" he explained, returning the stiff and serious tone.
All the talking was starting to catch up to him and he was struggling to talk more and more. After every answer he was trying his best not to heave his breaths through his lungs.
"And why would he do that?"
Samuel swore he could feel a vain popping out of his head. He knew the officer was just doing his job, but it sure felt like he was being an ass about it.
"He's not bad" Samuel spoke bluntly
The officer waited silently for Samuel to continue.
"Ask him. He'll explain"
The two looked at one another with almost completely blank expressions.
Samuel wasn't sure if he should've just explained, but surely it was better for Matias to explain for himself. Right?
"I haven't talked to him since he was first brought into the hospital, but before we went in he said he didn't kill anyone. Said he wasn't responsible for any of the crimes committed. Do you know if that's true?" The officer continued, though Samuel had started to think the discussion was over.
Samuel nodded, not bothering to give a verbal answer. He was truthfully shocked that Matias had told the police that, but he didn't know what kind of situation he was in at the time. Hell, he didn't know so much of what happened, it was starting to make him itch with curiosity.
The officer wrote hastily in his little notepad before shutting it quickly.
"I am going to try to speak to the villain, but I will be back here soon enough" he looked at Samuel with a particular look that Samuel couldn't tell what it meant "just in case you have any questions"
Samuel nodded again.
With that, the officer stuffed the notepad and pen into a pocket and made his way out the door. Samuels eyes followed him all the way out, eventually seeing him walk right past the doctor he had forgotten was even there.
Samuel didn't realize it before, but he was extremely tired. A task as simple as talking was apparently now what made him exhausted.
How was he ever supposed to fight the new villain in this condition?
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The chapter is a bit shorter than normal, but it's important (I think so at least)