10 Arc One (9)

"… have to tell him."

"He could still be involved."

"Don't be an idiot."

"… his car…"

"You're dumber than you look. He pushed me out of the way— risked his own life to save me— and if you were thinking with your head rather than your pride, you'd know that Nicky loves you too much to hurt you."

"Or he loves me too much and thought he'd get rid of a rival."

"Urgh!" The stamping of high heels on laminate floor echoed through the room. "I refuse to talk to you when you're like this."

Even before opening his eyes, Nicholas could tell he was in a hospital. There was no hiding that distinct disinfectant smell.

The bed beneath him was lifted slightly at his back and the sheets felt like thick cotton that had been washed a few times too many. His whole body felt heavy but slightly disconnected; the type of disconnect that only comes from drugs. When he twitched his fingers against the cotton blanket, a tug at the back of his hand let him know he was attached to a drip. Other than the knowledge that he was in the hospital and had some sort of tube up his nose, Nicholas wasn't all that clear on what was happening.

The last thing he remembered was pushing Louisa out of the way and then falling in front of the car himself. The overheard conversation between the original's best friends was evidence that simply saving Lousia, wasn't enough to complete his mission… did he also have to clear his name?

"System? Is there any way to know how far through the mission I am? Like a HP bar in a game?"

<Mission Progress Report requested.

Current mission: Save the Cannon Fodder Nicholas Kim

Progress: 73%

Enable Statistic Tracking

Yes / No>

"Statistic Tracking? What's that?"

<Information Option Accessed. Inputting request.

Information Request: Statistic Tracking

Statistic tracking is an optional function that can be turned on/off by the host. This function tracks the progress of the main mission. To view statistic tracking, blink rapidly then close eyes for three seconds. The tracking bar will appear and display the mission progress at any given time. This data changes according to host decisions. It is advised to check mission progress before and after making significant decisions to determine their effectiveness in the completion of the mission.

This information can be accessed at any time during the mission.

Enable Statistic Tracking

Yes / No >

"This information can be accessed at any time during the mission…." Nicholas grumbled under his breath as he mocked the system. "You guys really need an instruction manual for this stuff. It would

have been good to know about this from the beginning."

< Enable Statistic Tracking

Yes / No >

"Yes."

Just as he made his selection, the door creaked open and two familiar faces entered. Not even the concern evident on every line of Louisa's face could detract from her looks but the cold stiffness on Gabe's features made Nicholas recoil with the memory of his last death. Both noticed his flinch but assumed it was from the pain of moving.

"Just stay there," Louisa adjusted the pillow behind his back and Nicholas gave her a grateful smile. "Do you need anything?"

"You're okay?" His hand reached out to grab Louisa's fingers as she fussed with his bedding.

"Thanks to you," the woman sniffled before looking up at the ceiling and blinking rapidly. When she looked back down at the patient lying quietly in the bed, his face as white as the sheets tucked around him, her smile was firmly in place. "Never do that again, Nicky. I don't think my heart could take it."

Nicholas' laugh turned into a cough as his dry throat protested. "It's not like I planned it… But I don't regret it."

Movement from the corner of his eye drew his attention to the man standing silently near the door.

"Gabe?"

"Hmm?" The man's face could have been hewn from stone for all the expression he revealed. His 'best friend's' lack of reaction, coupled with his memories from his previous mission attempt, set Nicholas' nerves buzzing and he knew he needed to address the issue head on. Well, as head on as he could consider that technically the original didn't know the truth about his best friend's identity.

"It was my car…" Eyes wide and face pale with the pain that was slowly starting to return, Nicholas tried to look as unthreatening as possible. Little did he know that the tears filling his eyes made them blurry and gave off the impression of innocent confusion. Against his own logic, Gabe slowly softened towards his friend.

"Louisa reminded me that you reported it stolen a few days ago."

Thank goodness for Louisa. Nicholas immediately decided that he was going to name his first born in her honour. At least she'd given him the chance to have a first born.

"Why would someone steal my car and then try to run me over?"

At his words, the couple exchanged a look and Nicholas watched an entire conversation play out simply through eye contact.

Louisa: Tell him. He deserves to know.

Gabe: He isn't part of this world. What he doesn't know won't hurt him.

Louisa: I call bullshit. What he doesn't know almost killed him. Almost killed us both.

Gabe: What if he goes to the police?

Louisa: You're an idiot and I'm making an executive decision.

"Ahem…" Nicholas coughed softly to interrupt their silent communication. "What are you not telling me?"

Exchanging one last, meaning-laden look, the husband and wife took a seat; Louisa on the edge of Nicholas' hospital bed and Gabe on the chair in the corner of the room. Despite knowing Gabe was involved with the dark side of Chicago after his previous mission attempt, their story still managed to surprise Nicholas. Turns out, it wasn't just Gabe involved with the mob.