"Hey, guys!" Tina said as she and Farah walked through the door into the hotel room. "We're back! And we brought coffee for Todd," She handed him a hot paper cup and he nodded in appreciation, "Tea for Dirk."
"Thank you, Tina." He took the cup from her hand.
"And donuts for everybody!" She presented a large dozen box from a little stand-alone bakery.
"You're the best!" He smiled at her.
"Thank you, guys," Todd added.
"It's no problem really," Farah said.
"Did you find anything?" Dirk asked.
"Unfortunately no," Farah said.
"Really boring out there." Said Tina. "You get any hunches?"
"Not any that revolved around the case, no," Dirk said, matter a-factly.
"How can you be sure?" Farah asked.
"Oh, I can be sure." He beamed.
"Anyway..." Todd changed the subject. "Maybe we should go back to the house, or look through the box again. Maybe we're missing something."
"I'm not sure that will help," Dirk said.
"Let's put our heads together. Maybe we can connect something that we haven't connected yet." Farah suggested.
"Again, not sure that will help." Dirk repeated.
"We should at least try," Todd said.
"It doesn't work like that," Dirk said as Todd took a sip, more like a chug of his coffee. "I think our best option is to sit and wait for something to happ-"
Todd screamed. The lid to his coffee fell off and the entire thing spilled. Except it wasn't hot. It was warm.
He stared at his hands and lap, they bubbled and boiled. Flesh melting and oozing. Pink and yellow balloons of puss, liquid, and blood expanded and burst, leaving raw skin underneath only for the cycle to began again. It had to be his most disgusting and terrifying attack to date. He felt his stomach turn as a heat rose in his throat. He dove for the sink in the bathroom, narrowly making it.
"FUCK!" Dirk immediately jumped up to go get Todd's pills. Frantically digging through his duffle bag. "He hasn't vomited from an episode before!" He ran into the bathroom and turned on the light. Shaking as he tried to open the bottle.
"NO!" Todd screamed and put his hand over Dirk's to stop him from opening the bottle, shaking. So he instead grabbed a towel and wiped Todd's sweating forehead and mouth. "Th-this is so-something. L-last t-tt-time m-my ep-pp-isode lead to a- AHHHH!" He continued screaming and fell to the floor, Dirk narrowly catching him and pulling his back to his chest.
"I know, I know. You don't have to talk." Todd curled into him and Dirk rocked him in his arms, stroking his head. He mouthed out 'rubbish-bin' to the girls standing in the bathroom doorway. Tina darted for it and handed it to Dirk who then handed it to Todd who pushed it away with a trembling arm. Thank God he was done with that. "You sure you don't want your pills? This looks to be a bad one."
"NO!" He cried, "I n-need t-tt-t-to have a v-vision. Pp-pills s-st-top th-them."
"Ok. Ok." He kissed the top of Todd's head. "I'm here then." Todd nodded and then screamed again. "Shhhh... I'm here."
He sobbed and screamed for a few minutes, Dirk soothingly shushing him.
It was agonizing. Agonizing for Dirk to watch, Agonizing for Todd to experience. It was strong and vivid, more so than usual and it didn't help that the visuals that accompanied it made him want to vomit. Like something from a horror movie. What was worse was that like Amanda had taught him, to use the powers of the attacks you had to focus on them. You couldn't ignore them.
So usually when he didn't have pills he would focus on something external to remind him of what was real. He would listen to music, if Dirk was there he would have Dirk hold him. Even before they dated. He was the first person he would call, he had an excuse to be in his arms. Dirk had an excuse to hold him. It worked for both of them. And Dirk could be there in a matter of seconds. Just like when they first met, Dirk would jump out his window onto the fire escape, climb down to Todd's window and crawl in. He did have the apartment directly above him after all. Todd actually didn't have to call most times, most times Dirk would hear a scream from beneath him and drop everything to go check on his secret love.
But he knew he had to focus on the attack, he had to give it strength, allow it to take over. He couldn't give up, he couldn't take the easy way out and ask for his pills or look up at Dirk. And focusing on it drew it out longer, but his body hadn't given in yet. He had to focus, allow the pain to grow, make it too much.
And after five minutes, five excruciating minutes, he finally slipped out of consciousness.
"Thank God." Dirk sighed. He kissed Todd's sweat-drenched forehead and let go of him only so he could get up and carry him onto their bed.
Todd's mind wandered at last. Whizzing through the cosmos until it settled back on the house. But this time it quickly switched to a glowing pool of water. His mind dove in and resurfaced in the throne-room cave in Wendimoore.
Todd woke up on something soft, something cool on his forehead. He slowly opened his eyes to see Dirk's worried expression dissolve into a relieved smile.
"You were out for a while with this one." Dirk planted a kiss on Todd's hand which was interlaced with his. His free hand blotting his face with a cold wet washcloth. "How do you feel, love?"
"Weak, shitty. Absolute shit." He said. "My mouth tastes like barf and it's not fun. That was a bad one. I think the worst one I've ever had."
"You were incredibly brave, darling. I'm so proud of you."
"I was boiling. Literally. My skin was melting and popping with blood and puss everywhere."
"Shit, no wonder you puked." He heard Tina say, but he couldn't see her, and he didn't want to move his head to try.
"What did you see?" Farah's voice added, "If you saw anything."
"Right, completely forgot about that part. Yeah, there's a portal to Wendimoore somewhere in Oneiroi." He said nonchalantly.
He heard a mix of "What the fuck?", "Dude, that's a massive bomb!", and a "Bloody hell!" from around him.
"You're joking right?" Tina asked.
"The box, it had a picture of Wendimoore in it. There was a portal to Wendimoore in the Cardena's house and it also had the pocket dimension, Oneiroi has one. Plus that creature was called 'Bibbit', maybe the name has a cultural significance to whatever Beast is?" Dirk said.
"Well, that would explain a lot," Farah said.
"I think we have to go back to the mansion," Dirk smiled. "And back to Wendimoore. I can't wait to see everyone again!"
"Alright!" Tina said excitedly.
"Wait, we're going to Wendimoore?!" Farah asked, shocked.
"Looks like it!" Dirk said. "You're going to love it! I think Farah and Litzibitz would be great friends don't you agree, Todd?"
"You know how last night you said you 'Don't want to do the think-y thing right now'?" Todd said.
"No..."
"Well, you said that, and I don't want to do that right now either." He laughed. "I know we've got a case to solve and all but, I feel fucking awful Dirk. Do you think we could stay here a bit, I could take a fifteen-minute nap or something?"
"I don't see why not." Dirk got up and began to move the duvet over Todd but he stopped him.
"No, stay here with me."
"Of course, love." He walked over to the other side and got in. Todd scootched over and laid his head on Dirk and exhausted, he quickly fell asleep.
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It was an abnormally chilly afternoon for summer in Louisiana. The grey sky blocked the sun and managed to bring it down to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, a nice break from that 100 plus they had received over their past few days here, but still hot compared to what they're used to in the cold Seattle weather. Regardless, it was nice.
As they approach the house, as always, they felt uneasy. However this time the feeling was even more apparent. Especially to Dirk.
"Keep an eye out," Dirk said. "Something bad is definitely going to happen."
"Way to lighten the mood, man," Tina said.
"I fucking hate this place," Todd added to which they all nodded.
Walking in they were greeted with the machine, now completely desensitized. Nothing in this house would surprise them anymore.
"Where was the portal?" Farah asked.
"I didn't see. All I saw was the house and then a pool of water and then the throne-room."
"All that for a vision with less content than the first one? Damn." Tina said.
"Feel anything, Dirk?" Todd squeezed his hand.
"No." He squeezed in return. "Look's like we're doing this the old fashioned way."
"Which is?" Tina asked.
"Searching every room thoroughly."
"Fun," Farah said. "What exactly are we looking for?"
"Water." Todd and Dirk said.
"Any form. Sure my vision was of a pool, but it could have been where we come out of, not where we came in. Keep an eye out for any water stains, wet walls... or pools."
"It's an old house, there's literally water stains everywhere here!" Tina grunted.
"I guess we're keeping an eye out everywhere then," Dirk said.
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It was happening. The day he had been dreaming of for eight months. The day he would get back Dirk.
Four black vans approached the house on the hill. Three with five heavily armed soldiers each, one with Ken and Assistent inside.
He sighed happily as he stepped out of the van and onto the pavement. Relishing the salty air, remembering every detail of the day he brought back Icarus.
The other vans parked and each soldier exited in an orderly fashion, gathering in front of Ken and Assistent, awaiting further instruction.
"Alright people," Ken said. "We're here for Project Icarus. We don't know if Marzana is here yet so be careful. If she is spotted drop all weapons, that's an order."
"Sir, yes Sir." They all said with a solute.
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They heard the soldiers outside.
"SHIT!" Dirk yelled. He grabbed the lead pipe Todd had used to break open the machine and turned back to the door to slide it between the handles, hopefully holding them off. "Blackwing! THEY'RE HERE! Quick! We have to find the portal!"
Todd felt something sharp. Something painful. He screamed and looked down to see a knife stabbed through his hand. "FUUUUUCK, NOT NOW! NOT AGAIN!"
"ANOTHER ONE?!" Farah shouted and Todd nodded, still screaming.
"We have to move, can you run Todd?" Dirk looked him in the eyes as if their lives depended on it, because it sort of did.
"Don't have a -AHHHH! choice."
They heard a loud thumping from the door and looked over to see it shaking. The soldiers struggling to open it. It wouldn't hold much longer.
"Follow me." Dirk began running. Not exactly knowing where he was going, but he had to trust the universe would carry his legs where they needed to go.
And it was anything but a coincidence that the room they went to without knowing it was the bloody hospital room with the plug.
"Why are we here Dirk?!" Farah yelled. Todd continued screaming but it was fading.
"I DON'T KNOW! I NEVER KNOW!"
"Shit man, I don't like this!" Tina cried and Farah pulled her into a hug.
"WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT!" Dirk yelled. "TINA! HELP TODD. FARAH! HELP ME MOVE THIS COT AGAINST THE DOOR."
Tina ran over to Todd. He sat on the floor. Tina sat down in front of him and moved his head up. "Hey man, look at me." She put her hands on his shoulders, "I know you're used to Dirk helping you out but he's kinda busy." He nodded, still screaming. "I need you to look at me." He nodded, hot tears pooling in his eyes. "I'm real, that isn't."
"You're real..." He shook, "This isn't."
"You're doing great, just take a deep breath." He slowed his breath, not moving his eyes from hers no matter how tempting it was to stare at the knife impaled through his palm.
Struggling to move the large cot they heard the door in the foyer finally burst. Then they heard Ken shout; "Come out Dirk. It will be so much easier if you just surrender."
But finally, they moved the cot just out of the way to see... "TODD, TINA, I FOUND IT!"
"What?" Todd said, and just like that, the knife was gone. Unsteady, he stood up and began walking over to Dirk and Farah.
"The portal."
He was right, out of nowhere a small pool of glowing water had appeared.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" He took Todd's hand. "I do not feel like going back to Blackwing today."