doggone

[repeatedprayer]

[In the time following his departure from Tabito and Manabu's company, the alias "Grey" has wound up sticking.

Not that everyone calls him that, he's used a few other aliases since then, but it's what he's wound up thinking of himself as. If Grey had taken the time to think about it a bit more he might have picked something with a little less connection to Rezo's name, but it's still leagues better than thinking of himself as "Rez- wait, no, just a copy." And maybe that's why he's felt significantly calmer since he left Sairaag.

By his own standards, Grey has been laudably well-behaved; sure, he's been mostly doing under-the-table psychic work, often on behalf of criminals, but! He's been trying to keep a low profile so it's usually things like clairvoyant spying rather than anything violent, and he's been making a point of not doing anything that directly impacts the galaxy railways.

It would be extremely awkward if Manabu Yuuki had to try and arrest him, after all.

He's found himself frequently thinking about Manabu, much to his annoyance. He has no serious expectations of ever seeing Manabu again, so it's simply a waste of mental bandwidth to find himself wondering what Manabu is doing right now or where he is, or to reminisince over their incredibly brief acquaintanceship. Grey can only suppose that because Manabu was the first reasonably normal person he got to know after leaving Sairaag that Manabu is going to stick out in his mind for a while.

And it's probably because of the real estate that Manabu is hogging in Grey's mind that he's been very aware of every mention of the SDF that crosses his path. He hasn't exactly been tracking the SDF's activities deliberately, but he does pay attention to the news and the SDF frequently winds up in there, even if Manabu's name in particular isn't normally dropped.

Until the day it does.

SDF Officer Taken Hostage By Pirates]

* * *

[It's taken several weeks of investigating, but Grey has been able to track down The Huntress's client, a Dr. Parish and associates. It must be a small galaxy, because Dr. Parish is someone Grey knows. Sort of.

Rather, Dr. Parish was a colleague of Rezo's who collaborated with the man on chimera research (and other unsavory things) in the past. Not only that, the man was an ardent admirer of Rezo's superior psychic prowess, and desperate to improve his own meager abilities.

He'd had quite a shock when Grey approached him in town, but after the initial surprise it had been sickeningly easy to convince Dr. Parish that he was the real Rezo. Grey can only surmise that the man wants to believe too badly to let himself be properly suspicious. It had only taken a day for Grey to be invited to tour Parish's laboratory.

The lab's located on the grounds of a former Marquess's estate, a ways out of town and secluded by trees, a high wall, and a long drive. Grey's done a little recon before, but actually being here is different, especially since he has to navigate by cane at the moment. Grey is doing his best to politely nod and smile as Parish guides him from room to room, explaining their work and occasionally handing him things to examine himself.

But evidently Parish realizes that "Rezo" isn't entirely interested, because he stops partway through an explanation of some stem cell experiments he and a few others have been working on to say "Of course, the really interesting specimens are kept in the basement floor."

Grey already knows this. He hopes his expression seems the right sort of eager.]

Interesting?

["Something along the lines of what we did in the past. Would you like to see them?"]

Nothing would please me more.

[Grey can practically hear Parish's delighted grin. To soothe the surge of irritation, Grey reminds himself that he's going to kill this man before the end of the day and allows Parish to guide him out into the hall and to the basement entrance at the back of the building.]

Comments

[siriusly]

[things like this happen far faster than anyone can process, even if hindsight would lead one to believe the signs had been there to read. Manabu wasn't a stranger to things going sideways (or through him, honestly), but a body of experience doesn't lead a body to be fully ready to countermeasure anything. that's why he's part of a team - everyone looks out for each other.

sometimes the time itself is entirely taken unawares, and no amount of precision reaction timing - even from an android - can account for everything.

he'd never blame them for missed signs, never resent a missed shot or unseen flanking movement. even when things go south (and boy, did they ever), he knows everyone is dedicated to doing their best for each other and the people they mean to protect.

it's better that it was him caught than any passengers.

he really, really hopes there are no passengers in this place...whatever this place is.

his world's gone from as vast as a galaxy to as small as a stark, windowless room of concrete - solitary confinement for crimes he can't even imagine being deserving of such punishment. if there's a world beyond the concrete, he's never allowed to see it - especially since his first impulse when the door opened the second time no answers were given was to lunge at the orderlies and get into a brawl. even restrained to a gurney, Manabu is blindfolded whenever he's moved. it's scary...he can't deny being scared, he'd be stupid to pretend, but he's just as angry. whatever they're doing to him, they've done to others, haven't they?

...haven't they?

...

...what are...they doing to him?

for a while, it felt just like imprisonment. maybe ransom? he's an SDF officer - perhaps they were thinking HQ would play ball for some monetary sum? - but then the examinations started. physical, psychological...

what are you guys on about?

time's gotten even muddier since the drugs started happening. maybe earlier? he can't rule out the food they served being spiked as a preamble to everything that followed, but admittedly, he can't...rule much of anything, given the foggy state of his senses. in and out of consciousness, sometimes floating, sometimes on fire, but always with that heavy press of dread that reminds him that this is all wrong, that something bad is happening, and he needs to rip himself out of the restraints and get out of here.

what are you doing to me?!

he's not even given chance to sit up and eat anymore. when's the last time he ate anything? tubes, machines, thrumming sounds and muffled voices... now and then, lucidity breaks through anesthetic clouds: lots of science-y words that don't click, animal talk? who is Rezo?

my head...hurts...my body hurts...

the day this "Rezo" comes calling, it's another hazy, nebulous, drug-addled day - procedure prep, which means keeping Manabu snowed enough to avoid flailing or fighting or removing tubes, but lucid enough to respond to necessary stimulus prior to going completely under - the staff need to show off the responsiveness of modified features, after all.

he can smell the antiseptic, dimly hear tools clicking... the operation lights burn behind his eyelids.

again? what are you DOING to me?!

being aware that he's in trouble is one thing, making his body respond to the danger is another; he can barely twitch a toe or clench his jaw like this.

if any credit is due his captors, they at least haven't starved him: he's still healthy, even if the diet shift has slimmed him a bit. but the amount of time tied down as he's been is going to promote weakness from unused muscles...not that those matter, when the focus is on what was added, what was altered and grafted onto his body and nervous system - those are what they mean to show off.

the less said about the donor of those ears and tail, the better, honestly; they've suffered enough.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Parish leads him downstairs, through a hall, around a corner, and into an operating room that's already in full swing. All the action comes to a halt the moment Grey enters and the members of the surgical team all gawp, still unable to fully believe that Rezo has actually made himself known once more.

Dr. Parish takes a moment to bask in the reaction and introduce Grey as his esteemed colleague, before beginning to talk about the specimen. Grey only partly listens. Somewhere in this room is Manabu, but where...?

"I hear he's a former SDF officer, so he was in fine physical condition when he arrived. And of course we've made sure to keep him healthy for the experiments."]

SDF? How did you manage to get your hands on him?

["I have some special connections... They're not always reliable but sometimes they provide a pleasant surprise, ahah... Oh, Lesley, how is Laddie responding to the anesthesia?"

Grey keeps track of the footsteps and voices in the room- Parish will be serving as the chief surgeon, there's an assistant surgeon, two orderlies serving double duties as the scrub tech and circulating nurse, an anesthesiologist for the human patient, and an anesthesiologist/attendant for the donor animal. Today's donor is being kept in a separate room before the surgery, and Grey suspects that the scientists don't want the indignity of a shrieking bird interrupting this very important visit.

At any rate, that's six people to deal with. He's fairly confident he can manage it, but what if he can't keep Manabu safe at the same time?

"He's here, in the center of the room. You can touch him, if you want."

Grey's heart thumps against his ribs as he moves over to the operating table in the center of the room. He can hear someone lying there, breathing, especially when he leans over. Manabu!]

Can you hear me?

[siriusly]

[reflexively, one of the dog ears - the one closest to Grey - twitches. Manabu, who had been wondering on machine noises, does something of a slow mental double-take, wondering if he concocted that voice.

sounds...familiar...

but not the doctor's. or was it? there was an echo of it, as there ever seems to be. hard to say. could just be a wandering mind painting pictures for itself in the fog.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey's barely begun to frown at the lack of response when one of the orderlies pipes up. "Ah! Did you see tha- Er. I mean, one of his ears just moved!"

Parish begins to hastily explain that this isn't unusual, that the patient has already been doing well in integrating his new body parts, and goes on to extol the efficiency of various tests they've done. Grey ignores this, and settles a hand on Manabu's forehead. He can feel clammy skin, and soft hair. It seems they only shaved off a small amount for the surgery.

He slides his hand towards the back of Manabu's head, and feels something warm, floppy, and covered with fur. It makes his stomach and chest tighten.

Grey moves his hand away from the ear and leans in closer until his lips nearly touch it. He murmurs:]

Not conscious, are you? Or are you not capable of speech? I suppose if I asked, you wouldn't tell me when you were born.

[Does Manabu still remember that idiotic argument they'd had?]

[siriusly]

[it's not really like Manabu to remember beat-for-beat, word-for-word conversations of mild annoyance on his own, but the soft sound of the voice at his ear is something familiar and rather safe, comparatively speaking...

the uptick in his heart rate is easy to catch on the monitor, even before his brow can faintly furrow.

Grey... where is that guy, anyway? somewhere in the span of time lost to this black hole of drugs and procedure, Manabu's thoughts had drifted back to the last time they spoke. he'd told him to be careful out there, and Grey had elected not to.

this was...a foregone conclusion in a way, huh?

no. no way! stuff like this doesn't happen! and if Grey had ever heard, he'd likely berate him for it, call him unfit to wear a badge, to take care of himself...

his lip curls briefly in a snarl from under the oxygen mask.]

[repeatedprayer]

...

[Some machinery beeps in the background, and the surgical team watches "Rezo" inspecting the specimen, shifting uneasily at the man's quiet reactions.

"I'm sure he can hear you. He's just under sedation right now, and he hasn't exactly been chatty for a while. Ahaha... He was very uncooperative initially, so we've had to take special measures-"

Grey's chest hurts, and his hands are trembling minutely. Why does he feel this way? Why is he even here? Because he owes Manabu for the week he'd let Grey stay with him? No, that's not quite right, is it? It's a sense of gratitude that's deeper than merely wanting to repay a debt.

As frustrating as the man could be, Manabu had treated Grey better than anyone else ever had. And it may have been from a position of ignorance, it may not be entirely rational, but it had meant something to Grey. Something important enough to drag him out here, pretending to be a man he hates in an environment he loathes.

Manabu is important.

And these people did this to him.

Still murmuring so that hopefully, nobody else in the room will be able to understand what he's saying, Grey says one last thing to Manabu.]

Manabu. It's going to be alright.

[Grey finally raises his head, straightening, and propping his cane against the surgical table.]

Dr. Parish? I have a favor to ask of you. And of the rest of the surgical team.

["A favor?"

Dr. Parish sounds eager. No doubt he's thinking of all the ways that Rezo might be willing to repay that favor later on.]

[siriusly]

[he heard his name. he...didn't make that up, did he? he'd spent time replaying softer moments with the people he cared about in his mind to hang onto something all this time, but that was different. this is different.

Grey...?

it couldn't have been recency bias: Grey had been gone for a couple months now, off searching for new skies. logically, if Manabu were to hallucinate the most recent of voices, it would've been those on his team. Louis, David, Captain...

but he can almost swear he can hear him - Grey. the last word he'd said was farewell, not...

it's going to be alright. he'd never said that before, had he? and about what? dragging him overhung to a train? even if he did, it wouldn't have been that soft and certain - Grey could barely stand him then!

distantly, he can hear that rotten doctor's voice, yanking him the way a cement brick around the ankle would through haze and grounding him back into what little reality he can cling to in a barely lucid state.

it...wouldn't be so strange to want to hear Grey's voice, would it? they had an interesting rapport - one that Manabu could admit to missing, at least to himself. even Grey's snark is heaven compared to this! even if it meant having to get put down by his chiding, that would be better than this!]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey opens his eyes, and looks at Dr. Parish. It's bright under the operating lights, but even he can see the way Dr. Parish's eyes widen and mouth gapes at the sight of "Rezo" looking directly his way.]

Kindly be quiet, and die.

["Rezo? Wh-"

Grey raises his hand and shoots a ball of psychokinetic energy through Parish's torso. The stench of heated blood fills the room as Parish collapses to the ground. The suddenness of the assault momentarily stuns the surgery team, giving Grey an opportunity to twist on his feet and start firing at the next person.

He rips two holes through them and knocks them down before the orderlies snap to attention and rush him. They grab at his arms and head, the three of them struggling against one another and knocking against machines and a table of equipment. Distantly, Grey hears metal tools clatter against the floor and glass shatter.

Something sharp digs into his side and pain courses through his body. A scream tears out of him, all his nerves feel like they're on fire- he doesn't even have to think to will the source of the pain backwards. Something explodes and sharp bits of hot plastic and metal cut into his ribs, but the burning recedes enough that he can move.

He blindly grabs an orderly by the hair and sends pulses of psychokinetic energy through their skull, slicing ribbons out of their flesh and bone until he feels their body go limp and drops them.

The other orderly is still holding onto him, so Grey twists and flings the orderly against the wall and fires his next barrage of psychokinetic bullets through them. By the time they drop, the room is empty but for Grey, Manabu, and four bodies- the anesthesiologists must have fled while the orderlies were keeping Grey busy.

Grey pants, ignoring the pain in his side and the blood covering his hand, and hurries to Manabu's side. Time for a very hasty examination.]

Manabu.

[The anaesthesia- how are they getting it into him- where is he tied down, what do they have him hooked up to- he needs to move fast, before anyone else shows up- but it usually takes ten minutes for someone to wake up from anaesthesia-]

[siriusly]

[they didn't alter his olfactory senses, but in this case, there's no need: the coppery smell fills the area, filling Manabu's addled thoughts with even direr notions. were they cutting him open? pulling his pieces out? why? why are they doing things like this? all the screaming, the clatter...when something hits the side of the table, rattling it, it feels like he's about to float right off.

Manabu.

again, ears twitch and brow knits.

...Grey?

there's no chance he's here. wait-- was that screaming... if he's here, he's in danger, isn't he? same as Manabu himself. worse, maybe! and even if not, he can't let him get caught up in this.

fighting the drugs is hard; even getting an eye open won't convince his cotton-laden mind to interpret anything properly. that's not for lack of trying, but rather all the focus he can muster already grabbed onto the smells and sounds that he may have just dreamed up. it's a bad enough dream to warrant more effort to try, try and wake up, though.

the other eye opens, as cloudy as the first, while an alarm sounds.]

[repeatedprayer]

[The first thing Grey does is locate the IV pumping the sedative into Manabu, peel off the tegaderm and tape, and pull it out. He should probably have grabbed some gauze- but it's on the floor and covered in broken glass right now, so the pulses of healing energy he sends into the site will have to be enough to at least close the puncture. Manabu's probably going to have a nasty bruise there later but it's better than what these people had in mind.

Grey undoes the strap on Manabu's wrist, then on the upper arm, but pauses at the sight of Manabu's face. His eyes are open. They're hazy and unfocused, but the sight makes Grey's heart clench.]

Manabu...

[The alarm blaring overhead reminds him that he does not have the time to indulge in idiotic emotional responses. He starts yanking at more straps, tugging them loose, reaching under Manabu's gown to pull off the electrodes attached to his skin, just getting rid of everything- asides from the oxygen mask- he can find that's keeping Manabu leashed to the table and machines. He babbles as he works, hoping that some part of Manabu is listening.]

That's it, try to wake up! You can't stay here. I know how you enjoy your naps, but this is a terrible place for it and we need to leave. Come now, focus! Breathe, Manabu!

[He hears footsteps racing down the hall and with a surge of irritation tosses a barrier up over the door. Since he's forming the barrier in person instead of over a distance with clairvoyance, it's easier to maintain- but he still keeps one eye on it even as he starts gently smacking Manabu's shoulder.]

Come on, wake up-!

[siriusly]

[no amount of experience with being shaken into consciousness makes it comfortable or graceful (and boy, if Manabu had a nickel...). that said--]

Auh...

[between the swatting on his skin and the sense of his own voice in his throat, things start to finally feel more properly tactile, and sounds can get tied to something other than fleeting notions.

wake up...because he's just been dreaming, right? that noise isn't imaginary, and that voice really is outside of himself.

he blinks a few times, the spots from the overhead lights still lingering in his vision even as a shape blots it out. one he can focus, the shape finally gets painted in, and Manabu's eyebrows lift.

Grey? wait-- really?!]

Ha-? [how?

he tenses up, feeling more of his body, and clenches his fists. how may not matter, especially if he's still in the same, horrible place. Grey shouldn't be here.]

[repeatedprayer]

[He spoke! Kind of! It's still a sign of progress, and Grey lets out a shaky breath at the bit of relief it brings. Moreover he swears Manabu's eyes look brighter, that Manabu's finally looking at him instead of through him.]

That's right, it's time to get up.

[But now there are people pounding on the barrier over the door and Grey has to turn away from Manabu to deal with them. With a snarl, he rapidly reshapes the barrier into a series of spikes that shoot forward, stabbing through those luckless enough to be in front of the doorway and into the back wall.

That should buy them a little more time, right? Grey turns back to Manabu and starts shaking him by the shoulder.]

Come on you idiot, don't fall back asleep!

[siriusly]

How-- [how did you get here? what's going on?!

Manabu grunts in protest to the shaking, his expression scrunching into a grimace as he shifts to move his arms, surprised he even can for how long he'd been strapped down. wait, does that mean his legs...?]

-!!

[he lifts his head, genuinely surprised to see no restraints, and--

wait.

blood...

while his eyes are starting to dart around the room:] What, what's...what is-- [what happened in here? what--

his focus snaps toward the door, barely able to process the ragdolled shape against the wall parallel. his stomach immediately clenches and adrenaline starts kicking in.

he has no idea what's gone on, but it's not good. and Grey's here. gotta get out of here--]

[repeatedprayer]

[That is indeed a lot of noise and it stops Grey and the other man with a jolt mid-tussle. Heads turn to stare as Manabu rolls his way to the ground, and Grey in particular feels his heart jolt into his mouth.]

Manab-

[Unfortunately, the distraction has loosened Grey's grip- giving his opponent enough slack to strike Grey's nose with the back of his fist. This time there's enough force that Grey's seeing stars while his opponent manages to writhe out from underneath him.]

[siriusly]

[oh no you don't!!

seeing that escape artist noise activates cop brain, and Manabu scrambles for footing, to hasten and lunge, catching the man by the legs and tripping him to the ground. his hat goes flying in the process, dog ears flopping in the wind, but that doesn't matter right now. he hastens to scramble on top of him to get his weight to pin him (what little weight there is), to grapple an arm. stop resisting!!!]

Sear--search his pockets! Fast! [because there's a chance he's getting away with this, but he's not getting away with all his identifying stuff!!]

[repeatedprayer]

[Later, Grey might be impressed at how Manabu snaps into action, but for the moment he just automatically obeys and tries to ignore the throbbing of his nose.

Grey starts patting down the man's jacket, and alarmingly enough the first thing he finds is a telltale lump against the man's side. Sure enough, when he's able to fumble a hand inside, he feels a gun holstered against the man's ribs.

Grey yanks it free (super safe, we're sure) and there's a split-second where he tries to process the best thing to do with it- he can't just shoot the man while Manabu's handling him- before he finally throws it down the alley to go skidding out of quick reach for any of them.

Disarming the man seems to have made him panic, since he starts thrashing harder. It makes it quite inconvenient for Grey to resume searching but he makes an attempt.]

[siriusly]

[this is kind of an unmitigated disaster, and Manabu's attempts to mitigate it are very harried and...limited. but by the time their stalker's broken free, swatting and kicking Manabu off of him and scrambling to make an escape, several items have been left behind, including the jacket! most of it! a sleeve may be missing, hard to say, given Manabu's face kind of hurts from betting elbowed in the nose.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Both of them are victims of flailing swats, fists, and elbows during the scuffle, and when the stalker breaks loose and gets to his feet Grey instinctively stumbles to his own feet and chases after him, an inner predatory urge telling him he can't let his prey escape.

He gets to the mouth of the alley, turns the corner and dashes out onto the sidewalk, and raises a hand to do something, some sort of psychokinetic attack that's only partly formed in his mind before he remembers about Manabu.

Damn it.

Grey drops his hand and lets the man run off while he turns back. He wordlessly ignores the ripped jacket and scattered wallet etc in favor of crouching by Manabu's side.

He grips Manabu by the shoulder and sets another hand on the side of Manabu's face before sending out a gentle pulse of healing energy, to soothe any bruises incurred from the fight and the drop off the roof.]

[siriusly]

Gnrh... [he winces, but remains still as Grey works, cracking an eye open, nose plugged with blood.] Crap... Sorry. I couldn't keep a hold of him.

[but look at all this stuff they got! yay?

...engh.]

...We're going to have to move fast.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey makes an acknowledging sound, his mind less on the departed man and more on what to do next with Manabu. Much like his progenitor, Grey is a good healer. He hasn't put back any blood that's already spilled, Manabu will have to replenish that himself, but any burst or cut blood vessels are closed off once more and any dislocated bits click back into their proper position.

When he's done, Grey gets to his feet and holds out a hand for Manabu to potentially grab.]

How are you feeling?

[Because quick healing spell aside, Manabu's vertigo is still an ongoing issue.]

[siriusly]

I'll be fine. [he's still too wired from adrenaline to really feel the full effects - that nausea is normal as far as he's concerned. he grabs the hand up, wobbling, grimacing and thinking twice about bending down to grab the jacket off the ground. maybe not the best idea. if he's gonna start thinking about the state of himself.]

We, we gotta think fast, though. [he wipes under his nose with his sleeve.] He might get backup...

[repeatedprayer]

Right.

[Once he's sure Manabu isn't going to fall over, Grey goes ahead and starts gathering up the jacket and wallet. As for the gun... He glances over at Manabu, then gestures in the direction he originally threw it.]

You go find his gun, I'll check the apartment. [And grab anything important so they can leave with it. Clearly, they can't stay here anymore.

He tries to ignore the sharp sensation that realization brings.]

[siriusly]

[well, this must be the payback for Manabu being impatient...

Manabu grunts, stabilizing on his feet and looking where gestured. his heart's still hammering, stomach starting to clench now that the danger is ebbing...and consequences are starting to spill into mind. more guys. no other safe place to go. he doesn't know anything about this planet outside of here, the campus and--

and the lab...

gulping on bile, he moves and scours the ground, hesitating before kneeling down and collecting the gun. conventional make, old-style bullets...an antique by SDF standards and most places. but rougher planets still rely on these.

he fiddles a bit and unclips the cartridge.

the lab. they're...going to have to go back there. where else can they hide in a pinch? people will be looking for them around here. the lab's been gutted. so if there's going to be any worthwhile happenings of their efforts...then maybe, if everything really does go to shit, then the people who pick their bodies up off the pavement will investigate that lab and everything they've dug up so far.

...no way, like he's going to let it end so dourly! Manabu grits his teeth, getting back to his feet, looking back up the stairs.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey's braced for a trap of some sort, but when he opens the door to the apartment everything is exactly as they left it. At least there's that bit of mercy.

There isn't much time to waste on gratitude, so Grey sets to work finding his travel bag and an additional pair of shopping bags, then packing them with the essentials.

...Mostly the essentials. He does make sure to include the hat Manabu got him. But there's a lot of stuff they're better off leaving behind, including the cooking gear and bits of entertainment he'd bought for Manabu. The landlord is going to have some tidying to do once he realizes that Grey's ghosted him.

Again, Grey tries not to think about it too hard.

In a few minutes, Grey emerges from the apartment with his travel bag slung over one shoulder and the other bags in hand. He hurries down the stairs to meet Manabu and hands over the shopping bags, along with some brusque words.]

Here, take these. We need to go.

[The obvious question is "Go where?" but damned if Grey has a ready answer for that.]

[siriusly]

[Manabu stuffs the empty gun into his pants, freeing up his arms to grab the bags held out his way.]

You have a second spot?

[he hopes? otherwise his only suggestion is...bad!]