-Mutants-

[odduckoasis]

"Nah, not too badly." Cozmo shrugged, though he didn't move too quickly as he leaned back in his chair relaxing again. His ribs were very sore at the moment after all. "I've got some broken ribs, which are to be expected considering I was thrown across the auditorium." he chuckled softly and looked at his ankle. "Though, I'm glad my ankle isn't broke, but it could have been." he nodded then curiously he wondered exactly about her sister. "So why did they take your sister? Is she a mutant too?" from what she'd said, it didn't sound like she was and being the disowned one, he was just curious as to how they got a hold of her sister as well. Obviously they'd been on her case for awhile now- or so he could only assume. Since how would they be able to know so easily to kidnap her so quickly after she was kicked out of her house? It didn't make much sense to him. But, he somehow had a feeling he would find out in due time. These guys were probably not about to just let her be able to leave them and would do all they could to get her back- which might be why they took her sister- he just didn't know what her parents were doing about it- if anything. For, if they only disowned her, wouldn't they be stir crazy about their other daughter? If not, he truly felt for her- as how heartless a parent could be to do that to their children. But, he reminded himself, his mother would probably do the same to him.

[spideysgirl]

"I'm guessing they took Sonja because, as my little sister, they knew I would do what I was told to keep her from harm. They may have acted upon that knowledge instinctively, or they may have been watching us before they took us.. I don't know. However they knew, they were right. They told me that, if I didn't sing, she would be tortured. As time passed, and I came to know their personalities better and overheard their conversations, I learned that it was unlikely that they would actually hurt Sonja unless I deliberately went against their orders. I haven't seen Sonja since we were kidnapped, and they never made any inclination to allow me to see her, so.. if I couldn't see that she was hurt, what point was there to hurt her?" She had thought long and hard over this concept, and it was the most accurate conclusion she could come to. "Even now they would not hurt her if they want me to come back to them. She's the only leverage they have now." Charm paused for a moment, her ears flicked backward as she watched the figures pass by the glass beyond her room. "I don't know how they got a hold of her, actually. When I was pulled into the car, I was immediately blindfolded and gagged. They told me that they had her in the car as well, and I could hear someone struggling, so I knew it must be her. She's very smart, and would know what to do to keep herself out of trouble. But, she's not a mutant. She doesn't have any powers to keep her safe or help her, as I do."

---

"Whar could dhey have gone?" Demanded Zane. He had made it back to the hotel room the group was renting for the time being, and was now seated at a small table beside Plague, who was attempting to administer him was a needle as carefully as possible. Both Manic and Torque were still unconscious, laid on the twin beds that the room had been equipped with.

Either Zane was as tough-skinned as he was muscled or he was simply too ignorant to pain to bother with it. Both arms propped on the table were quivering with fury, making it extremely difficult for Plague to find a vein. Pushing her thin-rimmed glasses further up her nose, she sighed with exasperation. "I assure you, I don't know, Zane! Do I look like I have 'tracking device' stamped on my head? Now will you please stop moving!" Shooting her a disgusted look, he unwillingly uncoiled his fists and steady his hands. Knowing this slight mood of passiveness of temporary for the moment, Plague quickly inserted the needle into the front of the elbow joint, avoiding Zane's heated gaze. His lips were curled back in fury and his ears were flat against his skull. Pulling the needle out and applying pressure to the spot, she chanced a glance at him. She had done her best to patch his side, where the skin had been melted away and the muscle was bloody and torn, but it had been a challenge with the limited materials she had. He had denied her a chance to check him over for other wounds, but she had at least managed to reason with him enough to give him the shot needed to ward him from tetinus and any other diseases he might contract from the wounds. Wrapping gauze tightly around his elbow, she pushed the supplies back into the kit resting on the table.

"Logically speaking, both were severely wounded when last you saw them, and both had disappeared when you awoke. Given the blows that man took, he wasn't about to simply walk out of that auditorium without help. My guess would be that they either went to or were taken to a hospital, as you heard sirens. Most likely the nearest one." Though trying to speak in a calm, rash tone, her voice still quavered. In all the time she had known Zane, she had never felt very safe around him- especially when his anger was bubbling over as it was now. With this enlightenment, Zane kicked his chair back, causing it to fly into the nearest wall and snap in half. Snatching up his jacket as he left the room, he tucked his extra arms away from sight and plunged down a flight out stairs, heading for the parking lot in a rage.

[odduckoasis]

Cozmo wondered if the others might come try and find them- though he held hope that he'd just electrocuted them to death. However, he knew this wouldn't be the case, as if it were, Charm would've been dead or near that as well. Seeing as she awoke fairly soon and though was a second-hand shock for her, he felt that the others there would probably have survived. This didn't give him much comfort. He just hoped that they wouldn't come any time soon.

"Well, the least I could do is help you find your sister..." Cozmo admitted, nodding some. He wasn't the type to really go out and be the 'hero' and do rescues or anything- he didn't like so much taking risks like that, but- as he did do so for her and she had saved him- he would feel even worse if he just turned her away. "I'm sure your sister is fine... how old is she?" he wondered, picturing her as a little little girl- knowing he'd probably freak out if he had a little sister to worry about like that and if someone threatened to hurt her. The fact that she was a normal and had no way to protect herself was indeed scary, for that brute didn't seem the type to really care if he hurted her or not- regardless of Charm either way. He just really didn't understand why they'd kidnap her, thinking it might have been wiser to try and convince her to join them rather than force her to. But, that's just how he thought. Selfish people don't think- that was for sure.

[spideysgirl]

Catching his vague look of concern, she quickly acknowledged his question. "She's fourteen. I would definitely be far more concerned if she were any younger, but she knows her boundaries." She heaved a sigh, tucking her loose hair behind her ears. "The last time I talked with her was yesterday, just before the show started. That's how the procedure has always been- I talk to her once before the show, and again after the show. The most I'm allowed to ask her is how she is. If I try anything else, they promptly take the phone away. I don't have the slightest idea where they might be keeping her- it could be anywhere." Exasperated by the concept as she was, she managed a grateful smile. "I really appreciate your offer, and I'm in no position to pass up any help I can get. I just want you to understand exactly what's going on here, and how much danger there is involved. What we got back there in the auditorium- that was them caught offguard. When they're prepared and they know their objective and how to get it.. I haven't seen anything able to stand in their way. Like I said, I'd love your help, but I want you to know exactly what we're up against before you decide."

---

Rubber squealed as the car swerved around the corner, threatening to over turn into oncoming traffic as their horns blared in protest. Traffic was of little heed to Zane, though, as he pressed his foot harder against the accelerator and deftly weaved through the cars. The steering wheel was beyond misshapen beneath his grip, the metal bending into an awkward style to fit the pressure of his grip. Veering into the hospital parking lot, he slammed on the brakes and the car spun, groaning as it came to a sudden halt and seemed to shag under the pressure. Unfolding his massive figure from the car, he smashed the door shut, causing the window pane to shatter. Glaring at the defeated vehicle, he promptly turned on heel and headed toward the building. Passing through the sliding entrance doors, he approached the front desk and frimly placed his palms upon the counter top, demanding the attention of the young woman who jumped at his sudden appearance. "C-Can I help you, sir?" She stuttered, brows knit in a mixture of confusion and fear.
"I'm looking for someone. A girl, she would've been admitted today. Cream and magenta fur, green-blue eyes, colored hair. Goes by the name 'Charm'. Where can I find her?" He grunted, eyes smoldering beneath his furrowed brows.
"Let me c-check the computer real quick, sir," she responded swiftly, eagerly averting her gaze and setting to work.

---

It was as though time had slowed as dread poured through her, leaving her with a falling sensation. How.. How could he have recovered so soon? He'd been electrocuted through a metal pole in his side, and yet, there he was. Charm's face paled and her expression shifted into one of plain fear. She could see him straight through the glass. That was all the seperated them- a pane of glass. And yet, Zane had just crossed through the doors and was now speaking to one of the secretaries at the front desk. Charm's jaw went lax with terror, every particle of her being suddenly on end and alert. He'd find her. He'd find her, and take her back, and there would be no escape this time. She'd never be free this time. And the things that they did to her would only be worse by tenfold. "Don't do anything," she whispered weakly to Cozmo, refusing to avert her gaze from the looming figure propped against the front counter.

[odduckoasis]

Curiosity turned his gaze to where she was looking, having been considering Charm's words otherwise, thinking on taking the risk of helping her and saving her little sister. He already knew the extent of the mans powers- having seen them and having almost been crushed by them. He really didn't want to deal with that again. But at the sight of Zane, his mouth went instantly dry and every part of him that ached started to throb as the blood rushed to them because his heart started to pump faster. He really wasn't up for another battle and he really wasn't up for him being there. Inwardly he hoped Zane wouldn't turn his head, hoping the nurse wouldn't let him in. He wasn't family- he couldn't come into the ICU- Please just leave....
But still, he couldn't help but groan a little in defeat, his shoulders falling some. How could he be alive?
"You're not well, he can't just drag you out of here..." Cozmo stated, still watching Zane through the glass. There were doctors, nurses and patients wandering around, and Cozmo hoped somewhere a guard with a gun. Perhaps if he couldn't be electrocuted, he could be shot- but somehow, he doubted even a bullet would faze the monster. Why couldn't her room have been somewhere else? Looking up, he noticed the privacy curtain could still be drawn. Slowly, he raised to his feet, being careful of the swollen one, wincing a little at applying weight and reached up and just as slowly started to draw the curtain, hoping Zane wouldn't notice. He only glanced a moment at Charm. "If he doesn't look... this may buy us a little time..." he prayed.

[spideysgirl]

Charm nodded numbly, breaking from the trance as the drawn curtain intercepted her gaze. "That should be enough," she breathed, pushing herself up from the cushion of pillows. As she did so, a nurse pulled back the curtain to peer through. She eyed Cozmo suspiciously for a moment before deciding he wasn't about to attempt anything with the sheet drawn.

"Surprisingly enough, you two should be ready to be discharged as soon as you're ready. I have your clothing here," she placed two neatly folded bundles at the end of the bed. Both outfits had been washed, and were now dry and vacant of blood stains. "We were hoping some family member could've been contacted to come and take you two home, but we haven't been able to find any exisiting family for you," she nodded to Charm, a crestfallen look passing over her face at this news. "And we found the number for your mother and left messages, but they haven't been returned," she turned to Cozmo this time as she spoke. "You both have been responding positively to our treatments, but one of the nurses who had checked on you specifically requested I come to visit you." She pulled the curtain back into place as she stepped forward, blocking the three of them from view. Taking Cozmo gently by the shoulder, she pushed him back into the chair he had been occupying softly, talking quickly. "This is the only hospital I know of that would allow something remotely close to this, but the doctors are nervous about mutants as patients, so they're eager to have you two out of here as soon as you're able. I was notified that you'd severely injured your ankle?" With a nod of confirmation from Cozmo, she knelt and gingerly lifted the wounded leg into her lap. She removed the brace and analyzed the damage for a moment. "I'm an uncertified mutant healer," she informed as she lightly pressed on the leg, acknowledging the subtle wince that passed across his face. "I'm unable to practice my powers openly, but in special cases such as this, the doctors encourage me to do what I can. Now, you'll feel a sharp stinging sensation- sort of pins and needles- but that's to be expected." Her hand hovered over Cozmo's ankle as she inhaled quickly, closing her eyes in concentration. A blinding light poured from her hand, as though thousands of tiny stars were cascading upon the injury. In a flash, she was done. Unphased from the transference of energy, she pressed down upon the joint in question once more. Satisfied, she moved around to the side of the chair and followed the same procedure in healing his broken ribs. "Now, this won't completely heal the wounds, but it will speed up the process to the point that you should be able to function with only a dull pain. That should hardly slow you down for long though." She attended to Charm's head wound and did what she could to abate the throbbing bruises on her neck. Standing straight before the pair as they ran their fingers over the diminishing injuries, she moved back to the curtain. "Hopefully this has helped you in some way. I wish I could do more for you, but I'm not permitted to completely heal you, and there's no possible way I could make those officers waiting for you outside leave. They'll want to question you both about the incident you took part in. I would very much appreciate it if you left me out of any explanations you may be concocting. Best of luck to you." She smiled warmly and gave a small wave, slipping between the folds of material and vanishing. A moment of silence passed before either man or woman made any movement.

"Very convenient," Charm commented softly, rolling her neck with ease. Leaning forward, she pulled her pile of clothing closer to her and passed Cozmo's to him. "I.. I think I have a way for us to get out of here. A way that will get us around those police outside, and at least stall Zane. But, before we do anything, I need to know that you truly realize what this will entail. I have no right to ask any more of you, but if you do wish to help me, the only way is to take you under with me. Do I have your word that this is what you want?" She sat at the edge of the bed, the hospital gown hanging loosely around her thighs and feet brushing against the cool linoleum floor. An expression of determination had set itself into her young features, pale eyes focused solely on Cozmo as she awaited his response calmly.

[odduckoasis]

As the nurse came in and started her assistance to them both, providing them with their clothes back and informing them of the hospitals uneasiness with mutants, Cozmo could only watch somewhat suspiciously as the nurse healed- or fixed mostly the torn tendons and ligaments in his ankle and mended mostly his ribs. How did they know they were mutants? But he should have guessed- the gene was obvious and they took their blood. Silently he cursed at this revelation, hoping that this information wouldn't leak out to his mother- even if he didn't keep in great contact with her. Though he didn't visit, he still sent cards now and again- but somehow he had a feeling, she already knew- she was smart and put two and two together.

After the process was finished and they were once again behind the safety of the curtain, Cozmo turned his attention back to Charm as she spoke, having not said anything to the nurse- just feeling a little uneasy about everything. He didn't want to talk to cops, he didn't want to be arrested- if they found out what his powers were, they'd know he caused the electrical damage. He could only imagine what sort of mutant penitentiary they'd stick him in that probably had routine beatings- or so he imagined. He'd heard a few stories from some mutant convict friends he knew that spent a little time in the slammer. Once any normal there found out they were a mutant- even the guards didn't stop them from getting in a few good shots before they dragged them off to solitary- 'for their own protection'. Cozmo really didn't want to go through that.

Finally nodding to her words, coming out of his temporary numb state, Cozmo looked her in the eyes, seeing the determined look and affirmed that he wasn't going to ditch her. He'd done it before, but he wasn't going to this time. He couldn't explain why- perhaps it was a little too personal this time.
"Yes, I give you my word." he nodded- grabbing his clothes before just rolling his ankle out of habit, finding it an odd sensation to be healed, even if not fully- still- it was just swollen and throbbing some a few moments before. He just hoped they could get out. "Let's get dressed quick and get out of here then." he said again, separating the items of clothing.

[spideysgirl]

Charm turned without response, gathering the clothing she had worn during the show into her arms. Though the staff had obviously done what they could to clean the articles of clothing, there were still tears and rips throughout the shirt and pants. Sighing softly to herself, she reasoned that it would have to do for now. Accustomed to quick changes with little privacy, as one of the boys usually insisted on accompanying her in the changing rooms before and after shows, she slid off the bed and turned her back to Cozmo. Pulling the hospital gown over her head and dropping it onto the floor, she pulled on her undergarments before assessing the remaints of her clothing. The sides of the shirt had been shredded, the large holes making the garment hang far more unprotectively than she would have liked. The pants were in considerably better condition. True, the bottoms were torn and one of the trip belts had been ripped off, leaving gaping tears at the belt loops, but presentable enough to wear. Besides, their circumstance right now couldn't afford for her to be picky over clothing. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she looked herself over quickly- more out of habit than anything else. Not wanting to turn around if Cozmo were still dressing, she waited with her back to him.

[odduckoasis]

When Charm stood and turned away and just changed there behind the curtain, Cozmo just nodded a little and got to dressing himself. His clothes were a bit more intact than hers were, but still plenty of rips and holes would render at least the shirt unworthy to wear again. Ripped jeans were tolerable and actually still the style in most circles. The look never really went any time. Slipping on his shoes, Cozmo glanced at Charm, now dressed again, though still looking like she'd just stepped from a hurricane- but dried- Cozmo walked around the bed to her, figuring it to be wise to stay as quiet as possible.

"Ready?" he asked softly, leaning forward a little to peak between the gap of the curtain, still seeing Zane standing there at the front desk but looking further irritated than before. He was sure that his agitation and his massive figure was not doing anything for the nerves of the nurse receptionist at the desk. "We'd better hurry, I don't think your pal out there is going to last much longer..." his ears folded back, hoping to get far away from the 'Hulk' as possible.

[spideysgirl]

Charm crossed to the opposite side of the enclosed space to stand beside Cozmo, glancing between the sheets to see Zane irately pounding a fist against the counter top. She could also make out the figures of the two police men standing just beyond the glass of the room, their attention turning to the massive man for a moment as he started to make a riot.

"Stay close to me," she whispered, taking charge of the situation and pushing the curtain aside. Pushing the glass door open, she was immediately hailed by one of the cops. "Excuse me, miss. Deputy Steinbeck. My partner and I need to talk to you about the incident at the Driver Auditorium. The doctor told us that they found you unconscious at the scene- that you'd been severely beaten as well as.." He paused for a moment, checking over a clipboard he had taken notes on. "Electrocuted?" He rose a brow in question, looking her up and down as her diagnosis didn't add up to her physical appearance. She seemed to be quite fine.

"I- what?" She stepped toward them, but was thrown off guard by the officer's question. "Electrocuted?" Her features creased with confusion. She'd been beaten, choked, clawed and mentally violated, but she hadn't been electrocuted. Surely she would have remembered something as painful as that. She glanced over to where Zane had turned his attention from the secretary, who had shrunk back as far as she possibly could into her cushioned chair, and was now craning his head in their direction.

"Yeah, right here. The doctor told us, "Both individuals have been through a lot, and I can't let you in to see them at the moment. However I can tell you that the young woman in question was electrocuted- probably from the equipment that shorted out in the rain, from what you've told me." What exactly can you tell us about what happened? What can you remember?" The officer pressed as Charm came to stand before them, clearly puzzled by this information.

"But.. I wasn't.." She turned her head to look at Cozmo, shaking her head slightly as though denying this fact.

[odduckoasis]

As Cozmo followed Charm out, and the officers immediately turned their attention back, bombarding her with questions, he had expected her to keep going, or say something or do something so as not to delay their departure any further. But when they mentioned she was electrocuted and how it threw her off, Cozmo couldn't help but to shift a little uncomfortably upon his feet. Inwardly swearing again, he glanced at Charm as she looked over at him, denying any such thing to the officers. As she looked bewilderedly at him, Cozmo looked back to the officers, pointing a thumb some at her, looking at them with a uncertain look as well- as though wondering if they were reading it right.
"Does she look like she'd been electrocuted?" he asked, sounding doubtful before looking at Charm, hoping she had whatever idea in her head before they left the room come back. She said she had an idea to get out of there quick and buy time to get away from Zane- but if this was it, it wasn't very good- for he feared Zane would be coming over at any moment.

If anything else, he certainly didn't want her to find out about him electrocuting her like this. Not now- they had to get away, they had to get safe. All he could think of was getting out, he didn't want to explain anything right now.

[spideysgirl]

Snapping back to the situation, dismissing her confusion with Cozmo's look of uncertainty and pacing herself better.

"Well.. No, but the doctors-" The officer was cut off as Zane came up beyond them, shouldering them roughly beside and firmly putting a thick hand upon Charm's shoulder, his claws biting into her arm as he snarled down at her. "Dhe woman at dhe front wouldn't let me in to get you, but it seems dhat doesn't matter now." He smirked triumphantly, feeling as though he had won.

Just what Charm had planned on. Throwing a look of surprise and disgust onto her face she roughly jerked her shoulder from his grip, backing closer to the police and Cozmo. "What are you talking about, you jerk? I have no idea who you are!" She shouted, watching the officers from the corner of her eye as they shifted unsteadily. Obviously uneasy about Zane's looming presence and brusque accusation, they both held their hands lightly over their gunholsters.

"What are you talking aboot?" Zane yelled, lips pulling back to reveal long fangs as he reached forward to grab her again, but, as Charm had been counting on, the officers intercepted him. The deputy she had spoken to stepped in front of her and knocked Zane's reaching hand aside. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to please calm down and leave this young woman alone." The uniformed man stated clearly, though this did nothing for Zane's temper. "I haff no time for you- move aside!" He bellowed, shoving the man to the ground as one of his huge hands enveloped Charm's. "Let her go, or we'll be forced to open fire!" The deputy's partner shouted after Zane as he bodily began to drag Charm toward the doors, oblivious of her free fist pounding futilely against his arm and her defying cries. Sliding the guns from its holsters, the officer on the ground steadied himself and fired. The bullet whistled through the air, imbedding itself deeply in Zane's left calf. As though he hadn't even felt the shot, he continued trudging on. Both men let loose a successive blast of shots, carefully avoiding Charm as the bullets bit into Zane's unprotected back and shoulders. Once a complete round had been fired, the monsterous man paused for a moment, a bullet grazing his neck and causing him to bark with sudden pain. After reloading, another shot went through his wrist. He howled and released Charm, who collapsed backward on the floor and covered her head as the man roared with rage. Shrugging the jacket from his shoulders, he flexed all four arms menacingly. "He's a mutant!" One of the nurses screamed, and chaos suddenly gripped the hospital. As the staff rushed to move patients aside and into quarantine, the secretary Zane had intimidated at the desk hit the panic button beneath her computer and shrill sirens blared, alerting all personnel of danger and making a call to the nearest precinct for backup.

This seemed to mean little to Zane as he pounded all four fists onto the tile floor, causing the ceramic to shatter into large chunks. Heaving one of the pieces into a pair of his arms, he used it as he shield as the officers commenced firing once more, gathering hefty slices into his free hands and deftly throwing them at the officers as he advanced on them in a blind fury.

[odduckoasis]

As Charm snapped back and started in on her plan, Cozmo could not do much as the officers inteveened. He couldn't risk getting shot, but he was afraid they wouldn't do anything to get Zane off her- he was like a brick wall! But then as they hit the more sensitive areas to get him to let her go, Cozmo ducked back quickly from the line of fire, trying to get ahold of Charms gaze in hopes they could then figure out a way to get out now. Making a quick decision, he quickly dashed behind the cops as they fired upon Zane, getting a piece of tile striking his shoulder- but not bothering with it, he just leapt over the counter where the receptionist was hiding and darted around the other side. The downfall of this was that he couldn't use his powers here- he would not do that here as he knew that doing such would cause a lot of problems and he wasn't about to be responsible for people dying because he cut off power supplies.

Ducking and sliding across the tile, Cozmo managed to make it to Charm and quickly just grabbed one arm, pulling her up again. As Zane was distracted, they had to move fast. "We have to find another door out... back door!" he said over the noise just enough for her to hear. He didn't want to try going past Zane- as all he would do was turn around and pursue them, leaving the police behind. They had to go out a way that Zane would have a harder time getting after them. "Come on...!" he urged, wanting to get out quickly.

[spideysgirl]

Feeling the pressure of Cozmo's grip wrap around her upper arm, she pulled herself to her feet, slipping on the smooth tile for a moment before gaining her balance. They ran side by side down the hallway, desperately searching for a door that would lead them to safety. The hall was nearly clear now as personnel darted into rooms and shifted into lock down. There was no way they could go through a bedroom- not only would it be difficult to get out of, but it would put the patient at risk.

Rounding a corner, there was a deafening crash behind them- presumably Zane had thrown a shard of tile through the glass room they had been in moments before. There was another thud and Charm whipped her head around just in time to see one of the officers hit the wall and collapse limply. Roaring as he rammed past the remaining deputy, Zane barrelled down the hallway having realized his quarry was escaping, chest pumped full of lead and blood oozing thickly from his countless wounds. More sirens- the backup had arrived. More yells added to the mixture of confusion and fear as staff members directed the squad in the direction Zane had retreated. Though he had a considerable head start, his momentum made it far more difficult for his huge figure to make it around the corners without taking a chucnk of wall with him, so the officers were gaining quickly.

"There!" Charm shouted over the melee, pointing down a hallway they had nearly passed. Seizing Cozmo's hand, she pulled him back and started toward the single door marked 'Emergency Exit'. Hitting the door with her shoulder and shoving it open, crimson light from the setting sun cascaded over them, bathing the scene in a brilliant red. Yet, there was hardly time to admire such beauty as the pair tumbled out of the door, stumbling for a moment before hitting the pavement and continuing their race.

Zane had made it to the door- but he was not alone. His backside was immediately littered with bullets and tranquilizers, anything the squad thought might have some effect on the beast. As the combination of blood loss and drugs took their toll on the monstrous man, he sank to his knees on the pavement. Blood spattered from his mouth as he yelled, Charm slowing for a moment to look back at him, wide-eyed.

"You canna run foreva! You dhink you can 'ide from oos, but dhere is no whare safe for you to go! We'll keell dhat beetch of a seester you 'ave if you don't return! I'll rip 'er 'ead off.. myself!" With that, his eyes rolled back in his head and he toppled onto the cement, blood pooling around his unmoving body as the police cautiously approached.

[odduckoasis]

Running down the halls, slipping some as the worn tred of his shoes didn't support him well on the tile, Cozmo dared a glance back after he saw the officer tossed like a ragdoll and slammed in the wall. The pursuit of Zane drove him to pump his legs faster, racing down the hall hand in hand with Charm to get out of that place as quickly as possible. He was like a raging rabid bear, ready to rip them to shreds when he'd reached them. Thankfully though, they reached a door, and though the siren was set off, they kept running.

His side ached and his calves were burning, having not run that much in a long time- but his adrenaline sustained him for now. He too looked back as Zane came stumbling out the door before he was forced to his knees, the loss of blood and the tranquilizers having too much effect on him now. Ears pinning back at the words of this lunatic, Cozmo just put his hand to Charm's arm, helping her to keep going, more at a jog now, not wanting her to falter out of panic and fear of his promise.

It wasn't until they were off the parking lot and around the corner that Cozmo finally let her arm go and slowed to a stop- leaning over his knees, panting and gulping in air. He knew what he'd promised to do, but still, he couldn't help but think of what he'd gotten himself into. Leaning up again, he looked at Charm, worried she might start to freak out about Zane's words concerning her sister. "We'll find her... we- we will." he nodded, speaking out of breath. "Come on... we still gotta avoid the cops." he nodded, urging her on with a wave of his hand.