2 Chapter 2; Broken Pills

The trip was long, stopped at a few parks and petrol stations, just to stretch my legs. After hours of driving, we finally entered the city, Alanza was barking like crazy, she's never been to the city! I parked at the Royal Children's Hospital but Alanza ran off further into the city, I followed her as she dashed through a comic store. Comics, board games, figures, replicas, this place was heaven! I lost focus in an instant the moment I recognized things.

"Is that Rick and Morty: The card game? No way, a replica of the infinity gauntlet!?" I couldn't help myself, I started to take everything, t-shirts, toys, comics, posters but I dropped everything the moment I laid eyes on her. Perfect lighting, in a glass-protected casing, and an expensive price tag. It was my bae, my waifu, my everything and, possibly, the last figure of her. Collapsing on my knees, I cried tears of joy, Alanza was confused and comforted me in distress, not knowing what to do.

"Don't worry, girl. These are tears of joy!" I grabbed Alanza's soft cheeks and yelled, "Rejoice!"

Alanza barked playfully and started to circle the figurine's special casing as I held my bat tightly and smashed it open.

"The last, limited edition, Overlord Albedo figurine! It's finally mine." I held her tightly, close to my chest. "Don't worry. You're safe now." I creased my fingers on her lips and called for Alanza, it was time to go back to the hospital.

We made it back to the entrance of the hospital, I went on one knee and pat Alanza. "Remember, girl. Any of these," I held an image, circling all the items on it; aid kits, surgical tools, anesthetic gas tank, and other objects, "would really help us out, ok?" Alanza ran off into the hospital, beginning her search while I set up a trap before I left. The trap contained poisonous gas, meaning whoever was trapped inside would die from the lack of oxygen. They were set up in different locations within the building, there's always someone that falls for it, an easy way to get loot and least painful death.

I hummed as I walked to the medical room, where all the drugs, medicine, and equipment were kept. Searching high and low, I desperately looked for my pills, but they weren't anywhere to be found. 'Where are they?' I thought to myself, slowly becoming frustrated and realizing I was losing it without my pills. 'I need them, now!' I flipped over a table, enraged and mentally unstable, I slapped myself. "No. We can find them. We will find them, right babe?" I turned to Albedo for guidance and she didn't say a thing, she was just a figurine. I held her in my hand while I kept searching. Until I heard voices come from the entrance.

I went dead silent, focusing on the noise, making slow and steady movements. They were the voices of people, I could roughly estimate 6 and they sounded young, probably around my age. One sounded familiar but I let that slide and continued to search for my pills, silently hoping Alanza keeps herself safe and isn't spotted. 'Everything is fine, the traps will get them.' I thought to myself, 'Right now, I just need to focus on finding those pills.' As I resumed looking, I heard the footsteps of the strangers begin to move, they were splitting up, I could tell by the sound, a few were quieter and harder to hear, they were walking a different direction while another pair became louder and easier to hear, they were coming closer.

I ignored them and found a cabinet filled with drugs and medication, "Jackpot!" I whispered to myself, as I bent down and began to see if my pills were anywhere to be seen. Pills shook as I read each label with speed hurrying my pace until I found what I was looking for. "Finally!" I reached to the back of the cabinet and took as many as I could, stuffing them into my bag. My bag was filled to the brim with pills and other medication much needed, I prepared myself to leave and got up until I was stopped by a familiar voice, "Where the fuck do you think you're going?"

I froze and slowly turned around, "No way." I said to myself, in awe. "Luca? You're a-"

"Alive? Yes, not after you betrayed me!" Luca shouted, I noticed the pistol in his hand and knew this wasn't going to end well.

"I was gonna say ghost, but I guess there's that too." I chuckled and he wasn't amused.

The silence was nerve-racking and unsettling but I made my move, grabbing a nearby metal tray I slammed it across Luca's face. With his gun fallen onto the ground, the real fight begins. Fist up and ready, he makes his move, a straight punch to my face. 'I thought he'd be better than this?' I thought to myself, amused at his attempt to hit me down.

Until I lost focus of the fight, he swept me under my feet. 'That's new!' I fell to the ground and saw him ready to slam his fist into my face.

"How about I even the plain field!?" I roared with a smile, pulling his legs down before he could make a move. Tumbling down, I punched his stomach and quickly got up, ready to make my exit.

Dashing out of the room, I could hear other voices through the hallways. Other people were here and most likely friends with Mr. Revenge getting ready to chase me.

'It's now or never!' I told myself and began to run through the hallways in search of an exit.

The hallways felt endless but I heard Luca call for help. I was being chased by multiple people now and needed to find a way out fast. Speeding through the hall, I turned past a corner leading to the entrance I came from but was being guarded by a man and a woman, both armed. They saw me and shouted while the man readied his pistol.

I ran back the way I came but could hear Luca's voice so I made a quick turn into a room. I ducked under the door's window and waited, I saw Luca's silhouette pause for a second. He lost interest and moved on to search.

"Didn't know you had friends, Luca," I grumbled to myself, annoyed.

I heard another person's voice in the room along with the rustling of papers and coats. I crouch walked my way over, closer and closer to the source.

It was a woman. She wore all black, hair tied in a bun, and had brown skin. I...recognised her? That's both rate and unusual, she didn't seem like a threat or someone of great importance. So why do I remember that silhouette, body, and look? She began to turn around and I froze.

Everything she had gathered fell on the floor in front of me, she had a shocked expression and I just sat there with a thinking expression.

"Who are you?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Aal...I mean, Sal? Is that you?" She said, voice shaking.

I went silent...I recognized that voice. That weak but gentle voice...

"Talei?" She nod. "Holy shit, Talei?! It's so great to see you!" I wrapped her around in my arms, lifting her off the ground to give her a hug.

"Sal it's really you!" She dropped down and held my shoulders, "Where have you been? I tried to find you all over Dandenong but you were nowhere to be found! I thought you..." She paused and let go of me.

"I thought you died."

I sighed, scratching the back of my head. "I was in the mountains."

"You were in the mountains?" She asked in disbelief.

"I was going to tell you bu-"

The door slammed open, collapsing onto the floor and revealing a group of people. In between, them was Luca, gun in hand with a frustrated expression.

"There you are."