| Chapter 28 Howie glanced around as Brian pulled him down a large hallway. They had gone down several floors, and now were making their way down the vast hall. He glanced back, seeing the soldiers carrying Kevin and A.J. He wasn't sure what was going on, or what had happened to Brian to cause him to do this. All he knew was that he was scared. He wanted to ask Brian what was going on, but he was to afraid to. Afraid that if he opened his mouth, he too, would be shot. Brian turned a corner, yanking Howie behind him. Howie's blood ran cold when he realized they were in some kind of medical wing. The room they entered had three beds set up, complete with restraints. There were several doctors and nurses already there, waiting for them. The guards placed Kevin and A.J. on the beds, then took off their cuffs, and left the room. The doctors and nurses quickly went to work. Brian pulled Howie's hands up and unlocked his cuffs, "It's OK D, they won't hurt you." "What are they doing?" Howie asked, as several nurses guided him to his own bed. "Just making sure you weren't hurt in the crash, and checking to see if you're carrying any diseases that might harm them," Brian assured him. Marie looked at Brian, "Why are you lying to him?" Brian leaned over and whispered in her ear, "If I told him they were doing genetics tests on him, he'd freak. Trust me, it's better this way." She nodded, looking over at Howie and smiling at him. "What did she say?" Howie asked, as a nurse cut off some of his hair. "Nothing," Brian said, walking over and sitting down next to Howie's bed. "How can you understand them? What happened to you? How'd you get that?" Howie asked, pointing to Brian's mark. "It's a long story D. I'll tell you everything once they wake up," he said, "But I can't understand them. I have a translator in my ear." "But they understand what you're saying?" Howie asked. Brian shook his head, "Only a few do. Marie," he said, pointing to her, "she understands English, but doesn't speak it very well. Ana and Rowland, the other girl and guy that came in with us, they speak it fluently. Everyone else either has a translator, or they don't understand us at all." Marie came over with a syringe, taking Howie's arm. "What's she doing?" he asked, his eyes wide with fear. "It's OK D, she's just taking some blood," Brian said, "They aren't the bad people the agents made them out to be. They lied to Nick and to us." Howie cringed as Marie inserted the needle, "About what?" "Everything. About who Nick really was, and why he was on Earth to begin with," Brian answered. Howie looked at his friend, "They did?" Brian nodded, "They did. Although Tamara said she didn't know the truth, and Nick believed her. But that just means that someone in their agency does know, and is trying to cover it up." Marie came back over with some supplies to clean the cuts on Howie's arms and face. "So if they lied, what's the truth?" he asked. "I'll let Nick tell the whole story, but it comes down to this. Nick was the prince. Earth was keeping him hostage, demanding technology from Celeste for his return, but they never returned him," Brian explained. "God, that's awful!" Howie said. Marie looked at Howie with an awed expression on her face. Brian laughed, "No, he doesn't know Him. Remember the expressions Nick and I talked about?" Marie nodded, blushing. "What'd I say?" Howie asked, confused. "They revere God here so much that His name isn't mentioned. They believe He is a real person, and if someone mentions His name, that they must know Him," Brian said. "Ohh," Howie said, "So when I said that, she thought I knew Him?" Brian nodded. Howie laughed, "You better warn them about J then. He'll have them believing he's His best friend as much as he says it." Brian chuckled, holding his side, "Yeah he will." "Are you OK?" Howie asked. "Yeah, still sore from the accident. I got a few busted ribs that haven't quite healed yet," Brian said. Howie looked at his friend for a moment, "Bri, why'd you shoot them?" Brian sighed, "I had to. See, Nick is the King now, and this was his first decision as king. He had to show complete loyalty to Celeste. That's why he wasn't speaking English, and why when J started mouthing off, I had to quiet them." "You coulda asked them to be quiet," Howie said. "D, this is J and Kev we're talking about. You know they wouldn't have shut up," Brian said. Howie glanced over at the two, "Yeah, true." Then it hit him what Brian had said. "Nick is the king?" he asked. Brian nodded, "He's had a rough couple of days. His father died shortly after I got here. Then yesterday they had his funeral and Nick was named King." "Oh man," Howie said, "How's he handling it?" Brian shrugged, "I don't know. He's not the same Nick that was taken from us. He's changed, kinda like, he know's who he is now, and what's he's suppose to do. He's grown up a lot." Howie started to say something, but was interrupted by a loud moan. Brian looked over to see A.J. stirring in his bed. He got up and walked over, "J?" A.J. opened his eyes and stared at Brian for a second. "J, man I'm sorry for ......." Brian started, but never finished. A.J. lunged at him, grabbing him by the shirt and sending them both tumbling to the floor. "You fucking shot me! What the hell is wrong with you?!" A.J. screamed. Brian hit the floor hard, "Ouch! Shit Alex get off me!" Howie jumped out of bed heading for the two struggling on the floor, but Kevin started to wake up, and he knew he'd be just as angry as A.J. was, so he went over and kept Kevin from joining the fight. A.J. was sitting on top of Brian, holding him down screaming at him. Brian couldn't breathe, and he knew the fall had re-injured his ribs. He had to do something to get A.J. off him, so he punched him. The only thing was, it wasn't hard enough, and it just managed to piss A.J. off even more. "I dunno what the fuck they did to you, but I'm gonna knock some sense back into that messed up brain of yours," A.J. spat, grabbing Brian by the head and slamming it into the floor so hard, Brian almost passed out. Just then Marie came back into the room, returning from her trip to the lab with the other nurses. She glared at A.J., walking over and pulling him off Brian, "Stop!" A.J. was so angry he pushed her aside, heading back to Brian. But suddenly he stopped. He looked down, seeing that his feet were no longer on the floor, "What the hell?!" He looked over as Marie knelt next to Brian, making sure he was OK. "Put me down!" A.J. demanded. Marie glared at him, "NO! You hurt him. You prack!" Brian laughed, "It's prick, baby." "You prick!" Marie yelled, helping Brian sit up. "Oh ow," he said, holding his head and his side. Just then Nick and Ana walked into the room. They both stopped in their tracks at the sight before them. Howie was holding Kevin back in his bed, both with confused awed expressions on their faces. A.J. was hovering above his bed, madder than a wet hornet. And Brian was sitting in the floor with Marie, holding his head, and blinking his eyes trying to get them to focus right. And Marie was glaring at A.J. with a look that could kill, as she held Brian. "Um, do I even want to know?" Nick asked. Everyone looked over at him. Marie started explaining everything, pointing at A.J. The guys couldn't understand her but they knew she was angry just by the expression on her face. Nick laughed, "Put him down Marie." Marie sighed, releasing her hold on A.J. He plummeted to his bed beneath him, landing with a thud. "Damn," he muttered, sitting up. "Guys, Brian only did what I asked him to. Don't be mad at him," Nick said. "You asked him to shoot us?" Kevin asked, beyond angry. Nick grinned, "Would you have shut up if I asked you to?" "No," they both said. "Then Brian did the right thing," he said, looking over at Brian, "You OK?" He nodded, but at the same time Marie shook her head. "He's hurt. His pupils are dilated and his breathing is a little labored," she said. "I'm fine," Brian said. "Scan him," Nick told her. Brian started to protest but Nick interrupted him, "Don't argue with the King. Do it." "King?" Kevin and A.J. said at the same time. Nick bowed to them, "At your service." "Nick, what the hell is going on?" Kevin asked. He held up his hand, "I'll tell you everything, let's just make sure Brian's alright first." "Why? I didn't hit him that hard?" A.J. asked. Nick helped Marie and Ana get Brian into a chair. Then Marie unzipped his jumpsuit and pulled his t-shirt off. "Holy shit," all three muttered, seeing the bruises on Brian's chest and sides. Marie took one of the scanners and ran it over his side, looking at the monitor across the room. "Rok, I'm sorry .... I didn't know, and I was so pissed that you shot me ... I just..." A.J. stammered. "It's OK J," Brian said. "Take a deep breath," Marie instructed. Brian did, watching his lungs expand on the monitor, touching his three broken ribs before he let the breath out. Marie then ran the scanner over the back of his head, making sure there wasn't a more serious injury there. "You have a headache?" she asked. He nodded, "And my vision's a little fuzzy." She turned the scanner off, "He has a slight concussion, and we should probably wrap his ribs to give them more support." Nick nodded, letting Marie and Ana tend to Brian. "What's wrong?" Kevin asked, more worried now than angry. "He's OK, J managed to give him a concussion, but he'll be alright," Nick answered, walking over to the three. "Nick, what's going on here? Where are Tamara and Tom?" Kevin asked. "I sent them back," he answered. "Sent them back? To earth?" A.J. asked. He nodded. "Without us?" A.J. asked again. Nick laughed, "Yes. I don't trust them." "But why ...." Kevin started. Nick put up his hand, "I'll answer all your questions, but first let me show you guys around and to your rooms. Then we'll have some lunch and we can talk then, alright?" The three glanced at each other. "OK." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kevin stood on the balcony to his room looking out at the mountains, "Nick, this is so beautiful." Nick smiled, "I'm glad you like it." "It's just a little bright though," Kevin said, moving to go back into his room. "We're working on that," Nick said, following him, "The techs should have the contacts done by tonight." "Contacts?" "Yeah, they will shield your eyes from the suns. Make it so the lights won't bother you," Nick said. "Great," Kevin said, sitting on his bed next to his bag. Somehow they had managed to get all the guys things from the ship before it took off. "I still don't see how you guys got our stuff. I just don't see them letting you walk onto the ship and take it," he said. Nick laughed, "We didn't. It's kinda one of those Star Trek type things. I don't ask, I just accept it." Kevin chuckled, looking at his young friend. Nick had changed since the last time he'd seen him. He'd grown up, and Kevin had missed it. He'd always somewhat felt responsible for all the guys, but Nick especially. He always felt like he needed to take care of him, and it pained him that Nick had gone through all this alone. "Yo Kev, why are you looking at me like that?" Nick asked, checking to make sure his fly was zipped. Kevin laughed, "I just ... You've grown up Nicky." Nick smiled, "I can't stay thirteen forever man." "I know. I just figured I'd be there when it happened, ya know," Kevin said. Nick walked over and sat down beside his older brother, "I guess I had to do it by myself. I never realized how much I relied on you guys till you weren't there. I thought I'd never see you again, so I ... I just did what I had to. I had to grow up and take responsibility for myself, cause you guys weren't there to do it for me. In a way, this was a good thing." Kevin patted him on the back, "I guess it was. I'm so relieved that you're OK," he said, pulling Nick into a hug. Nick laughed, "Kev, we've done this already." "I know, I'm just making sure it was real," Kevin said, letting him go. "Oh it's real. We're back together, and you guys can stay here as long as you like," Nick said. "But you can't come back with us, can you?" Kevin asked. Nick looked out the balcony doors, shaking his head, "No, not as long as I'm king." Kevin stared at him for a long time, not knowing what to say. Nick stood up, "Come on, it's lunch time and I'm starving." Kevin got up and followed him to the door, "I'm kinda hungry myself." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Howie leaned over to Kevin, "I think I'm gonna be sick." "Just don't look at it man," Kevin said, trying to ignore the food on his plate. A.J. was picking at his with his fork, an awful look on his face. LaDonna laughed, "It won't bite you Alexander. It just looks different than what you're used to." A.J. sat his fork down, "Yes ma am, it is a lot different." "J, just try it. The taste makes up for the look," Brian said. A.J. picked his fork back up and speared a piece of some of the grossest looking food he'd ever seen and put it in his mouth, "Hot damn, that is good!" "You have got to be kidding?" Howie said. "No man, try it," A.J. said, putting another piece in his mouth. Howie and Kevin glanced at each other, then both took a bite. "See, good right?" Nick asked. "Yeah," Kevin said. Howie nodded. "Well, now that we have the food issue out of the way," Nick said, "I guess you guys wanna know everything." All three nodded. Nick went into his story of what had happened to him since he'd been taken. The guys listened intently, asking questions here and there. They laughed so hard, when Nick told them about Thomas pushing him over and laughing at him, that A.J. spit his drink across the table. Nick finished his story, telling them of his father's passing away, the funeral, and then his crowning ceremony. All three were in awe of their little brother, of who he was, and how he'd handled the whole situation. "So you understand why I have to stay here now?" Nick asked. They all nodded. "But we can stay for a while right?" A.J. asked. "You may stay as long as you like," LaDonna said. Nick looked at his mother, "When Anthony gets out of school I want him to meet the guys." She nodded. "Anthony?" Kevin asked. "He's my cousin, a few years younger than me. He grew up here," Nick said. "Yeah, he's a good kid," Brian said. "Cool," A.J. said, asking for seconds from one of the servants. "Um Bri, about your mark," Kevin said, "If you're part Angel, does that mean I am too?" Brian shrugged his shoulders, "I dunno yet. Some of the tests they did on you will say, we just have to wait for them to come back." "Wait, you did genetics tests on us?" Howie asked. Brian and Marie both nodded. "Since we realized that Brian was descended from us, we want to see how many more there could be out there," Marie said. "Brian and those like him are just as much a treasure to our planet as Nickolas is. We thought it was impossible for our kind and yours to have children, now we see it is not," LaDonna said. "So Bri, are you and Marie like a couple or what?" A.J. asked. Brian and Marie looked at each other and smiled, "Yeah, um you could say that," Brian said. Nick glanced at Ana. They both shared the same look. It was one of longing and sadness for a love that would never be. "Wouldn't it be cool if you guys like had kids?" A.J. rambled on. Brian and Marie both blushed. "J, we've only been seeing each other for a few days," Brian said. Kevin laughed, "Man, you've only been here for a few days." "Um, that can be explained," Ana said, tarring her eyes from Nick, "See we are genetically predisposed to our own kind." "Huh?" A.J. asked. "It means that we only have feelings for other Angels," Nick said, "That's why Brian was such a surprise." "Wait a sec, you mean that you could see the hottest girl on earth and not have any feelings for her?" A.J. asked, dumbfounded. "Yeah, that's what that means," Nick said, "And it also means that you can flirt with every girl on this planet, and it won't get you anywhere." Everyone laughed. "Damn that sucks," A.J. said, then looked at the queen, "Oh sorry." LaDonna laughed, "It's alright Alexander. I've been known to say a few curse words myself on occasion." "So that's where Nick gets it," Brian said, laughing. LaDonna looked at her son, "Nickolas gets a lot of things from me." Nick smiled at her, knowing there was a lot more to her than meets the eye. "So, OK, if that's true then," A.J. asked, "Are you seeing someone too?" Nick stared at A.J., the pain filling his heart, "Um, I um ... I need to go ...excuse me everyone," he said, getting up and leaving the room. Ana stared down at her plate, afraid to look up. She didn't want anyone to see the hurt she felt. A.J. looked around, "What'd I say?" "It's alright J," Brian said, "Things are just complicated, that's all." Marie reached under the table and took Ana's hand, letting her know she was there for her. Ana felt her eyes brimming with tears, so she got up and left the room without a word. LaDonna watched her go, sighing in frustration. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset anyone," A.J. apologized. LaDonna looked at him and smiled, "It's alright. You didn't know. My son's heart belongs to one that he cannot be with according to our laws and traditions. He is trying his best to abide by them, but I know it is hurting him dearly." "But if Nick is the King, can't he just change the laws?" Howie asked. "It is more complicated than that. I'm working on it though," she said. Chapter 29 |