Chapter Three

Rei Emiko

Lately the city of Neo Angeles had been laid to a peaceful rest. No attacks had recently disturbed the busy city, but by all means it was by far safe. The misshapen events were kept until stifled restriction of saying any word about it to a media of any sorts. In any case, the word E.R.O.S. wasn't truly known by the many inhabitance of ordinary civilians.

Though in spite of the silence within the city, there had recently been some disruptions coming from around the hospital. Speaking words of "eyes watching while they passed" or "enlarged birds, cats, or dogs attacking people." Occasionally there would be a body turning up in the tabloids, and the absurd excuses were narrowing close to the truth, only one would have to minus the extraterrestrial accumulation and replace the probing and mind washing. But every now and again you could always come across a rather accurate rumor.

Zombies, instead of humans with cancer in their souls, a disease tainted their system. Mutants or monsters instead of everyday animals infested with rabies chorusing in their bloodstreams. There always had to be some bizarre reasoning to everything.

But not everything is connected to extraterrestrial theories, merely a problem formed within the human race itself. An individual with a apparition within his own. Doth the eye see what is true, we are blinded by the true reasoning, that the problem which we persist to exceed our wonders about may be before us. Just open your eyes, and see the hunter's glare.

***

Uri paced back and forth in the lounge, only looking down to glance at where she was standing so that she would not fall into the pit in the center of the room, where the television, bar, and couches were displayed. She rested her hand underneath her chin as she wanted, heaving a nervous sigh. It wasn't so much as she didn't trust Fia in taking care of the girl's apparel, she was just concerned whether if Rei was going to be insulted should Fia try and do something that seemed atypical to what she was used to.

It had been then when she stopped just in time to see Teji walking across the entryway to their living quarters. At first it appeared as though he hadn't really noticed Uri just yet, which was an intentional display since she was curious what he was up to, which she found out, needlessly to mention, when he started to head towards Fia's living quarters.

"What do you think you are doing?" Uri asked, emerging from the pit.

Teji jumped, then twirled around to face Uri, his face given with shock, probably believing that Uri would be found somewhere near Rei instead of outside Fia's door. However, he just raised his hands and forced out a mocking outburst: "Don't hurt me! I'm just a messenger!"

Quirking a brow, Uri crossed her arms and smirked cynically. "Oh really?"

"Well, not really. Always wanted to say that though," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just wanted to check up on the new girl. She is going to be staying here, right?"

"Dunno. I have yet to find what there is for her to do, she seems a little...." Uri shrugged, taking a long moment to think about the right type of word. "...naive, I suppose. She seems very deprived for some reason. But then again, I don't know how long she's been in a coma."

Teji chuckled, though the twinkle in his eyes when he'd normally laugh was hidden behind the darkened shades of his sunglasses. "Yeah, it'd be amusing if she was from the twentieth century or something like that," he said, still smirking from the aftermath of his laugh. "Next thing you know, she'd be thinking that a washing machine is a coffee maker or something like that."

Cackling at the thought, Uri nodded. "Mmhm, can see that," she said. "So, where is Ragnar and Taj? They back at the computer room or something?"

"Nah, they'll be out in a bit. They all want to see the new girl as well."

With that, the door to Fia's living quarters had opened, and a green eye peered from the crack. Teji slowly turned to look, squinting as though he was looking from a faraway distance, waiting to see what the girl looked like. Suddenly, the door was pulled open fully to reveal a young looking woman, slightly older looking than Teji-but that thought seemed to surpass him, for all he was looking at was the slender curves that enhanced her roughly perfect appearance.

Her deep black hair bounced over her shoulders and spread down to the middle of her back, cleansed and brushed, reaching down to the middle of her back, the creatively painted streaks that seemingly touched her scalp had run its way down her hair so naturally, it seemed as though she could have been born with it. She wore a tight leather jacket with silvery cuffs around the wrists, buttoned up around the cleavage, revealing her dark undershirt and the brown belt that held up her dark blue jeans. The jeans weren't skin tight, like how Fia normally would wear her attire, but they weren't too baggy, and Rei looked a lot more comfortable in those than she had with the pants that were given to her at the hospital.

There was the sound of plaudits coming from the other side of the room. Both Teji and Uri turned their heads to see Ragnar clapping and Taj gawping at the exquisiteness of the young woman, who had a proud looking Fia standing directly behind her.

"See?" Fia said knowingly. "What else is there to be expected of the great Lady Fia to save the day?"

Everyone stared at Fia, then gawped at Rei, causing the room to become silent, allowing a quiet buzz to fill Uri's ears. Rei, on the other hand, looked uncomfortable that she was being stared at. "D...D-Did I do something wrong? Do I...? Do I look bad or something?" she asked in a soft, raucous voice, as if she hadn't used it in a long time. "Wh-Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

With that, they veered over to Fia, who by now was looking a little uptight herself. "What?" Fia said timidly. "I did a good job, right? Oi, don't look at me like that, Teji. You have your own form of art and I have mine."

"You're a strange, deprived child, you know that?" Teji said, almost in a mock-disgusted tone.

Fia stuck up her nose in a shrewd way, grinning. "Not deprived; Well taught, unlike some people."

Uri couldn't help but elbow Teji hard in the ribs, after noticing the look upon his face while staring at Rei. "I'd appreciate it, as much as she most likely would," Uri hissed in his ear, "that you wouldn't look at her like she's some sort of porn poster-only decent clothed-to gawp at all day long." Realizing her words, she saw Teji quickly shut his mouth and shaking his head from his trance. Sure, Rei was beautiful, Uri herself being even slightly jealous because of it, but that didn't give anyone the reason to gawp her so intently like the way they currently were.

The girl looked at everyone back. "I...I think maybe I should go now," she said. "Thanks again."

She started to turn and walk out the door where she came from, only to find herself being yanked back by a furious Fia, who snatched out to her and gripped her white fingers around her upper arm. Rei shifted her position to her, shocked to see Fia's face growing bright red with anger. "Listen here, you," she snapped, "we've given you decent hospitality enough as it is, we aren't some restraunt for you to walk in an' out of, so I only think that it's best that you stay a while, and be thankful that it was Uri who found you and not some creep who would much rather use you for whatever sick reason that people would do to take advantage of."

Obviously correct as Fia's logic had turned out to be, Rei remained speechless caused by the lack of knowledge of what Fia was speaking of. This was seen through the impassive articulation drawn upon her face, as though there was no emotion, no signs of humanity that was traced within her soul, the blanked demeanor becoming frightening to the extent where Fia's heart jerked with trepidation and was quick to release her, within that moment she turned her back to them but did not move forth to the door.

You'll need a key to get out, Uri would have told her, but preferred against the notion.

"I think I better go now," Rei said quietly, breaking the elongated moment of silence, as she wrapped her arms around herself as though cold in spite of the breadth of her jacket. "I'm going to make people around here uneasy...for evident reasons."

"Don't worry about them," Fia smirked, now with a more moderate, convincing tone. "They'll grow to love ya, after all. I know I did."

"N...N-No, it wasn't...." she glanced at them from the corner of her eye as she turned, then looked ahead again, a zoned expression she had, liking there was something which interested her that was displayed upon the wall. "Never mind, I'll be alright."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Then come on," Uri urged, walking up to her and taking her by the shoulder, now smiling warmly. "I'll take you with me to go get Xaden. He's still at the hospital, and I bet he would much rather be out of there and resting here instead of...."

Uri stopped, though, when she noticed how hard it had been for Rei to smile. The edges of her lips were twitching, but without prevail. Instead, she slowly shook her head and shoved Uri's hand away from her reach. "Its.... Its alright. I think it's better for me to get away from out there," she looked over at the spot where Teji used to be standing. "Maybe I scared some of you.... I-I'm sorry."

"No worries," Ragnar said, waving a hand. "I'll go find Teji, maybe I can get the reason why he bolted out of here like a bat out of Hell. Come on, Taj," he took Taj by the shoulder, but he shrugged Ragnar's hand off.

"Can I go with you guys? I want to see how Xaden is doing," Taj asked.

Fia and Uri exchanged glances, allowing Uri to reply. "Well, I really don't see any harm in it. Rei, make sure you keep low while we're at the hospital."

"You know, I think I might hang around here for a while," Rei said, trying to make another attempt to smile, but right then decided to go against it. The slightly humane materialization on her visage acquiesced. "Get to know the place and all, you know? Is that okay with you?"

"Well in that case, I'll go with you guys," Fia said, slapping Uri on the shoulder. "Raggie, give the girl a tour, will ya?"

"Tour?" Ragnar said slowly. "Why, she can find her way around herself? I told you, I was going to look for Teji, and...." he glanced over at Rei. He didn't say it, but Uri was aware that for whatever Teji ran off, it must have been because of Rei.

"It's okay," Rei said in her usual undertone. "I can handle on my own, thanks."

"Okay, then," Uri sighed. "Taj and Fia will come with me, you guys will all stay. Rei, are you sure you want to stay behind? The Hummer can carry up to seven people, there's more than enough room for you, you know?"

"I'm aware, yes. I kind of noticed that while we were driving in it," Rei smirked, though still incapable of creating a complete smile. "Aren't I observant? Don't worry about me."

Ragnar placed his hand on Rei's arm, then pushed Taj towards Fia. "Look after the kid, will ya? Make sure he doesn't cause any trouble at the hospital. The little Hell Raiser can do a lot of damage, you know?" he winked at Taj, seemingly trying to give him an idea or two. Either way, whatever the message may be, Uri didn't like it, but there was no way on stopping the influence of Ragnar upon Taj.

It had been then Uri concluded that she would rather not want to know.

***

Ragnar thought that Rei seemed pretty much like a suspicious individual from the first time he had seen her little stupor. Either the young lady had something else on her mind, or there was something caught within her mind that made her want to leave in such a hurry. For some reason, there was just something about her that he didn't exactly trust, but also did, the quickened change of personas must have been it.

Perhaps it was schizophrenia that could have been the cause?

Of course she was cute, obviously the others thought so too. Hell, that much have been the reason why Teji ran off the way he did, right? But the only comedown was that Rei seemed so vulnerable in a way, and those were the kind that were never apposite towards his type. Always having to depend on him, wanting something from him, and Ragnar wasn't the sort to always have something to give. In any case, there wouldn't be much of a future for him and Rei, best to just stay away from her kind.

It might have just been him, but he could have sworn that Rei wasn't exactly breathing either when she went into a standing state of unconsciousness. Then there were her eyes.... Those glowing green eyes, when they opened, they looked like a child's squinting eyes, like when a baby first opens their eyes to see the colors of the world, that was what Rei had. And yet, she looked like she had forgotten everything that had happened. Ragnar never thought about anyone who joined E.R.O.S., so much as he had with Rei, but of course, his thoughts was only based upon his first impression.

"Sooo, uh, you want that tour?" Ragnar asked, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his black jeans.

Rei looked at him as if she thought it were a joke. "Um, not really. I think I'll manage on my own," she retorted discreetly. "I just have a question."

"Yeah?"

She looked down, her eyes narrowing at the floor. "I...think I scared everyone back there," she said. "I don't think I should stay here. I just want to know...did you have that feeling from me? Of uncertainty or apprehension?"

"It depends, I don't really know," he admitted, scratching the back of his head. "As for leaving.... It would depend as well. You got anywhere else to go? Friends? Family?"

Rei's eyes turned up to look at Ragnar. "F-Family?"

"Yeah, something that everyone is born with, people that are supposed to be there for you." Ragnar could have laughed. He couldn't believe this! He was actually explaining to a little girl about family, but what's more, he was actually explaining something that he could barely understand even his own self. However, the fashion he'd spoken it in may have sounded more cynical, but judging by the confusion on her face, she didn't quite catch his disparagers.

"No one was ever there for me," she said is a dark tone. "I have no family."

"You and me both," he said, turning to veer his gaze away. "Look, this is kind of awkward and all, but there is something that I would like to let you know-"

Rei waved a hand. "I understand; I don't know why, but I feel as though I'm used to being feared. You might want to check up on your friend, he looked pale when he ran out."

Surprised, Ragnar took a small step backwards. Rei.... Wasn't she in her stupor when Teji ran out? Was she even there at all or was she just playing mind games with them? That had to have been it. Well, in that case she wasn't going to get to him. He knew where Teji was, he knew what'd be on his mind, he felt sometimes as though him and Teji shared the same brainwaves.

Ragnar swallowed. "Um, okay. I guess you can find your way around then. See you in a bit." He said, as he turned and walked away to find Teji.

***

Never had he ever seen someone like that before in his life. Whether if she be a little frail and somewhat infantile for her age or not, Taj couldn't help but have noticed the perfection of that woman's features. She probably would have looked better in one of Fia's red dresses, or maybe a miniskirt? He smirked at the thought; He had also never come across anyone with such smooth skin before. It was her skin that caught his eye the most. In spite of her fragility, almost like she was younger than she looked.

There must have been some sort of way to break his thought, and in a result, he leaned forward in the seat as Uri drove on, speaking to her and Fia who sat in the front; "How far is it until we get there?"

Devoid of saying anything, the Humvee skidded to a sudden halt, creating a whip lash for Taj as he found himself jerked forward. Gasping for air, he coughed, and looked at Uri, believing her to be insane for the first moment, but looked into the mirror and saw her face, her eyes, widened with dread. He opened his mouth to speak, but then if he had, he would had failed to have seen the flashing movement that crossed the background of the mirror.

Before he could reply to the silence, Taj turned and looked ahead, seeing a dimly lit sign which stated that they were in the gloomed parking lot of Renaissance Hospital. But by judging the way the exterior looked, it appeared as though that the building was secured.

"Since...when did they close hospitals?" Fia inquired.

"That's why I stopped," Uri said, sighing as she looked up, peering through the darkness of the entryway passed the dimmed windows, "because they don't." Her eyes narrowed as she took up the phone attached to the dashboard of the car, handing it to Fia, instructing Fia; "Here. Call the shelter, and see if they can drop by with some artillery."

"Why's that?" Taj asked.

"Because there's something else in there."

***

Back at the E.R.O.S. shelter, within the darkened room of the computer laboratory, was where a yellow haired man sat at his desk, pushing up his sunglasses down to the peek of his nose again as he sat on his computer. There had to have been something that he found out about what happened to Rei, he knew there was something that he read about on these kinds of people. Teji didn't want to have some kind of psychopath running around the shelter, this world had enough of them as it was.

"Goddammit, Uri!" he pounded his fist onto the side of the computer desk, spilling a mug with some coffee in it, cursing as he allowed the liquids to spread along one of the manual keyboards, and still, he wasn't cursing over his flounder; Why did that stupid woman have to bring in that girl from the first place? he thought harshly. She had no right to do so without any concern of the rest of us, not to mention what that girl's past history even is!

Helping people or not, that girl needed help from a doctor rather than from them, some sort of mental one would probably have been more preferable.

"You shouldn't go taking out you anger on the woman, not even subconsciously," said Ragnar, sneaking up from behind, appearing at the door entryway. He walked into the room, hands tucked in his pockets. "Uri's not here anymore, she went off to get Xaden with Fi and your brother. Thought maybe you ought to know," he looked over Teji's shoulder, peering at the computer screen, glancing over what he had been looking for. "Something the matter?"

Teji turned the chair around, face-to-face with Ragnar with his arms crossed. "Very. It's that-"

"Rei? Yeah, there isn't anything right about her to me, either."

"Good. For a while I thought it was paranoia."

"It's not that," Ragnar said sensibly. "It's just that it's like the girl's trying to keep a deep dark secret, I know I haven't spent much time with her and all, but just for the mere fact that she dozes-off suddenly makes me alarmed. You catch my drift?"

"Your drift I catch," Teji turned the around. "Which is why I am looking up something about her."

"What do you mean?"

"Some sort of psychology references, I dunno. Just making sure that Rei doesn't fantasize about murdering us when she lights out like that," he said, bringing his fist up to his mouth and threw out a cough while he was at it.

"What are you going to do? Stick a Zippo in her face and start making her cough up some answers?"

"Nah, just give me some time and I'll have it figured out."

Just then, the phone ran. Ragnar went over and hit the speaker. "'Sup?"

"Ragnar? Is that you?" said Fia's voice.

"Uh, yeah, it is," Ragnar replied, rolling his eyes over to Teji. They both stared at each other, puzzled, his thick eyebrows furrowed out of confusion. "Are you calling from the cellular phone?" he asked, turning away again.

Fia's voice came back, growing more distraught. There was a background of screaming. "There's something going on at the Renaissance Hospital. We can't find Xaden, either. All we know is that its being under attack."

"Who-in the right mind-would attack a hospital?" Ragnar queried, livid.

"Wait a min, what exactly is going on?" asked a curious Teji, standing up.

He waited for a moment, as Ragnar was nodded and taking in information from Fia, ignoring Teji's question, until after a while, he set the phone back down next to the desk, turning to Teji with a smirk upon his face, and a gleam in his bronzed eyes. "According to Fia and Uri, there's something going down at Renaissance. She wants us to drop down some weapons and help them out."

Ruminating with his hand under his chin, Teji sighed, then looked up at him, a vivacious smirk upon his face. "An attack, huh? You know what this means, right?"

Sharing his same excited behavior, Ragnar held up an anxious clenched fist, while the flames of excitement emerging from the life in his eyes. "You bet your life on it!" he said, just as the two of them grabbed whatever pack of equipment that they could, as Ragnar dashed out the door with Teji at his side, he completed the thought: "It's been a long time!"