Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Hacker Zi ❯ Part Twelve ( Chapter 12 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

DISCLAIMER: While Hacker Zi and its characters were created by me, some of the screen names were taken from actual people. Please DO NOT TRY TO CONTACT THEM. The story is purely fictional

Josh suddenly came to as the news reporters voice echoed throughout the room. He was staring at the upside-down picture of the reporter, trying to make out the title of the story. A second later he was turning over as it switched to a video. His neck was aching from the way he had slept, it had been hanging off the edge of the bed from when he had collapsed last night. But thats not what bothered him.
On the screen a video of a burning building caught his eye. He recognized it immediately, even though he had only been there once. There was no mistaking it. The flame-engulfed store had once belonged to Virgil. He leaned in, closer to the television as the reporter on-scene told the story. What appeared to be a robbery ended violently with one fatality and another severely wounded. Seconds after the medics brought the body and remaining victims outside, the building irrupted into flames.
“The cause of the fire is assumed to have been caused by a homemade bomb, however local authorities are still investigating.”
Josh glanced around the room. The sound of running water told him his roommate was in the shower. Josh decided it would be best to wait until he was finished to tell him. When the sound of water vanished a few minutes later, he rushed to the bathroom without thinking and opened the door.
“Robbie! Virgil's store! Its - “
It was only after he had thrown the door open that Josh realized there was someone else in the room. He covered his eyes as soon as he saw the girl. She must have been Robbie's latest girlfriend. When Robbie noticed his friend covering his eyes, he approached him.
“Thats what you get for not knocking. Now whats so important that you have to come barging in here like a madman?”
“....I'll wait until you're dressed. I- I'll be downstairs.”
Josh turned and walked away as fast as he could without breaking into a run. His roommate muttered something to him, but the words failed to register in his mind. When he entered the kitchen, he grabbed a can of soda then sat at the table, his head resting on its cool surface. He realized how bad that could have gone. Robbie was known for being overprotective when it came to his girlfriends. He could have easily kicked Josh's ass.
He didn't budge when he heard the footsteps on the stairs, or even when the front door opened, then closed a moment later. A smack on the head however, caused him to bolt upright. Robbie was standing over him, an annoyed look on his face.
“Now whats so fucking important about Virgil's store?”
“Its....gone.”

Shortly after his conversation with David, the phone rang again. He didn't feel like talking to much of anyone, and more than likely it was either the cops or a reporter. Both of which were his least favorite type of people. Reluctantly, Brandon answered it. To his surprise, it we neither of the two. Instead, it was an old friend.
“....hello?”
“You're alive, thank god.....sound like shit though.”
“I feel like shit. What do you want, Rob?”
“Zero here was convinced that you were taking a dirt nap....”
“I'm not that lucky. Rick's going to fucking pay for this.”
“Rick? What the hell's going on?”
“Just get your asses down here. Its better to just go through this once.”
“Alright....where are our asses supposed to be exactly?”
Brandon told his friend the directions to his store. Once Robbie knew where it was, he ended the conversation, then dialed Ryan's cell. He answered on the second ring. After repeating what he had told Robbie, Brandon hung up. His mind was at its limit, and his hand hurt like hell. So many things had happened at once, it just overwhelmed him. He hated losing control, and thats exactly what had happened. Sure he had helped David escape, but that cost him his grandfather's life. There was no point in resenting his friend, or blaming him for what happened. Using a scapegoat was never Brandon's style. He was pissed though. Pissed at the twisted fuck who had caused everything – his friends' suffering, his grandfather's death, and countless other problems.
Moving away from the register, he decided to go smoke a cigarette. As he made his way to the back, he passed the remnants of a computer monitor, lying in pieces on the floor. Spots of blood was visible on pieces of glass scattered across the floor. So much for the anger management classes.
He was outside longer than usual. He refused to smoke more than one cigarette, no matter how much his body ached for it. While he was outside, Brandon must have lost track of time, for when he headed back inside, he could hear a few people talking. As he rounded the corner, he saw that Ryan and the other two had already arrived, looks of worry and concern scattered across their faces.
“What the hell happened here!?! We thought you were attacked!”
“.....oh...that. Its nothing.”
“Bullshit. You're bleeding all over the fucking place!”
“Yeah, Virg. We should really get you to the hospital.”
A sudden feeling of dizziness kept Brandon from protesting. Looking down at his hand, he saw that they were right – a small puddle of blood was forming on the carpet beneath his right arm. All four of his knuckles felt like they were on fire. Two of them helped him to one of the cars parked out front, while the other grabbed a few towels to help stop the bleeding.
When they arrived at the hospital, Brandon could barely walk, so he was put in a wheelchair and taken to the ER. Ryan and the others were told to go to the waiting room. The three of them were surprised to see Zeke, who was covered in blood.
“Uh...hey guys. What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing. Josh and I heard about Virg's old man and he told us to meet him at his store - ”
“But the moron lost his temper, and now has the pleasure of getting stitches.”
Robbie glared at his roommate for interrupting him. It seemed like he was about to smack him, but Ryan intervened, changing the subject to the amount of people in the waiting room.
“So whats going on here? This place is pretty crowded.”
“A friend and I were at the store when it happened. He' still in surgery. His parents and a few friends are here.”
“How's he doing?”
“We don't know. The doctors haven't told us anything. But I'm guessing its not good. Those bastards shot him in the knee and then again in the fucking chest.”
“Does Nick know anything about whats going on?”
“I called and told her that Dylan had been shot, but there was no way she could have gotten here. Her brother hadn't made it back home, I guess.”
Ryan checked his pockets, making sure he still had his keys. He then turned and headed for the exit. When Zeke and Robbie called out to him, he turned back, looking at them from the doorway.
“I'm going to go get her. Two of her friends are in the hospital, I think she'd want to be here. You two stay here in case Brandon gets out of surgery.”
Before either of them could protest or ask questions, Ryan was gone. He returned to his car, which had been left in front of the hospital. Luckily he hadn't received a ticket yet. As he drove away from the hospital, he began to wonder why Brandon had wanted to talk to him. It probably had something to do with what had happened earlier, but why were they there? Ryan thought his friend had lost contact with those two years ago....what the hell was going on? And what was Rick up to?
Ryan was so wrapped up in his thoughts, causing him to miss the turnoff that led to the street Nick lived on. He pulled a U-turn and headed back the way he came. Five minutes later he was knocking on the door of her house. At first, there was no answer.
When he was about to leave, the door was cracked open. Looking back, he saw that Nick was standing on the other side. He waved, then gave her a weird look.
“...something wrong, besides the obvious.”
“Kinda....you can come in.”
He hesitated for a moment, then decided to take her up on the offer. Once he was inside, Nick shut the door behind him and started to walk upstairs. She stopped halfway up, looking back at her guest.
“Wait here...help yourself to anything in the fridge.”
Nick continued her way up the stairs. Ryan didn't move from where he stood. When she reached the door to her bedroom, she quickly slipped inside. David had moved up against the wall, right beside the doorway. He was still on edge, but became calmer when he saw her.
“Neo's here. He's downstairs, thought it'd be best to give you a heads up.”
“.....and Brandon?”
“Not here.”
After running over the situation in his mind, David finally made a decision. Brandon trusted Ryan, so there would be no harm in talking face to face with him. He had been told to stay out of sight, and technically he was. Besides, Brandon and Ryan worked together. There was a strong chance he already knew what was going on.
As Nick exited the room, David followed behind her. Making his way down the stairs, he noticed that Ryan didn't seem surprised that David was here. Almost as if he had been sent or had known all along. When the two were at eye level, Ryan looked him in the eyes, then shifted his glance elsewhere.
“Did Virg send you?”
“...no. But that is why I'm here. We had to take him to the hospital. And seeing as how two of your friends are they, we figured you guys would want to be there.”
“What!?! ....did....did Rick get to him!?!”
“Yes and no. Rick didn't touch him. He just knows exactly how to push Virg's buttons.”
“....What do you mean?”
Even after David had filled her in with most of what was going on, Nick still remained lost. The information she had been given was a lot to absorb, especially in one day. Learning about her friends being hospitalized because of a group of hackers was even worse.
“Virg lost his temper....put his hand through a computer monitor. He had just gone into surgery when I left. He only needed a few stitches, so he should be out by the time we get there.”
“.....You should go Nick. They'd want you to be there.”
A confused look appeared on Nicks face as she heard the words flow out of Davids mouth. David watched as Ryan looked away. He had already guessed what was going to happen next. David could tell that deep down inside, so did Nick.
“....I'm pretty much dead to them. I sacrificed them for Defiance. I made that choice, and now I have to suffer the consequences.”
Nick started to protest against her friends decision, only to be silenced by him. The look he had given her showed the regret and sadness he had been trying to hide. He was right, she knew this. She had known it all along. Even when she still questioned whether he was alive or not, this thought had always been there. The thought of if he had been alive, what might happen? It was impossible to go back to the way things used to be. Especially after what David had put them through.
He watched as Nick and Ryan left the house. He remained close to the front door until he could no longer hear the engine of the car. Once the noise could no longer be heard he retreated back into Nicks room, shutting the door as he passed it. It wasn't worth the risk to roam around the house. At least by staying in Nicks room, her brother was liable to stay away.