Lost and Found Round 2 Page 9

Fizz stared down at her, warily looking for any signs of her coming around and attacking again. At last, satisfied she really was out cold, he sat back and gingerly wiped the blood from his face. He had closed his eyes just in time against her raking claws, though she had come damn close to blinding him. As for the rest of his face… He pulled his hand away, staring in dismay at the blood covering it.

Add it to the list, he thought furiously, Dammit.

Allony moaned faintly, and Fizz glanced at her anxiously. He tried to tell himself that hitting her had been an accident; he had only been trying to reach the phone before she did. He’d panicked...

Or was I just pissed off?

Fizz sighed; of course now it was all moot. He had no clue where that phone was now. Buried and disconnected in the scattered mess he’d made, for all he knew.

What the Hell do I do now?

“Hello-ooo…?” a familiar voice sang out, “Is anyone the-ere?”

Fizz blinked, looking around in confusion. The voice was coming from the handset of an old telephone, which had been knocked off its cradle moments before. The very phone, he realized, which had been ringing when Allony attacked him.

You shitting me…?

He gave Allony's silent form once last glance, then cautiously he picked the receiver up, and held it to his ear.

“Um… hello?”

“Ah-ha,” a voice whispered, “Congratulations, Mr. Barqs.”

And then the phone was no longer there. Instead it was the Thief’s lower jaw Fizz was holding, his sibilant breath tickling the dragon-dog’s neck.

“My, my, my,” the shapeshifter observed the pile of broken phones, as Fizz sprang away in alarm, “Quite a mess you two made.”

“You…” Fizz hissed savagely, “The hell was that, leading us on some wild ass goose chase in this shit-heap-?!”

“No matter,” the Thief cut him off, while dismissing the clutter with a wave, “These were all pretty banged up and worthless, anyway. And how anyone plays my game,” he went on, his eyes narrowing, “Would be for me to decide.”

“… you’re not rhyming.”

“Hmm, it can get tiresome and awkward. Ah, the young lady rejoins us!"

Allony had lifted her head, and was peering around in a bleary daze. Her eyes focused on the Thief, and her eyes widened. The Thief’s mouth cracked wide in that unnerving smile.

“Come now, my dear,” he intoned, “It’s time to pay up.”

His paw reached out, and suddenly Allony was being yanked forward by an unseen force that Fizz knew all too well. He assumed the shape shifter’s outstretched claws would be her destination, but the Thief, with a gesture, brought her instead tumbling to a stop at Fizz’s feet.

“What’s this?” he stared in confusion, “What are you doing?”

“It’s your call, Fizzy” the Thief chuckled indulgently, “What would you have me steal from her? Just name it and I’ll- ah…”

The Thief’s brow furrowed quizzically as Fizz placed himself over Allony’s trembling form.

“Nothing,” he said firmly, “I choose nothing. Just… leave her alone.”

“… what?”

“You heard me,” Fizz replied, “This’s gone on far enough. She doesn’t need any more crap from either of us.”

“Do remember, Mr. Barqs,” the Thief said quietly, “That this is my game…”

“Fuck your game,” Fizz snapped, “She’s hurt, and with all you’ve put her through, she’s– GAH!!!”

Fizz didn’t think that the Thief’s tail could hit him so hard, so fast. He smashed into a heavily-laden shelf some twenty feet down the corridor. Phones tumbled and crashed, with many hitting the dragon-dog all over his already aching body. As one last phone rebounded off his skull, he found Allony dangling over him, held fast in the Thief’s grip.

“One last chance, Mr. Barqs,” he grinned, “Before I just take whatever I want. The memory of her brother, perhaps?”

“No,” Allony whispered, her eyes widening, “Please, no. I’d rather die, than-”

“Make up your mind,” the Thief rolled his eyes, “Her mewling irritates me so.”

Fizz’s jaw worked silently, his mind racing.

Allony stared back at him, tears spilling down her face.

“My life,” she pleaded, “is nothing without my brother. Please... …”

“I- I… can't.”

Slowly the Thief raised his free paw, reaching for Allony’s forehead.

“Very well…”

“All right,” Fizz blurted out, struck with inspiration, “Take from her the punishment for losing.”

At this the Thief froze, and after a moment’s silence lowered his paw. Allony, collapsing into a shivering heap, was momentarily forgotten.

“What…?” the thylacine frowned with a mix of annoyance and confusion, “What was that, you say?”

Fizz swallowed, and repeated his request.

“And then…” he added, “You can steal something from me, instead.”

Nose to nose with him, the Thief continued to stare at him. Fizz shivered under the intense scrutiny, but dared not to move. It several moments more before the Thief asked very quietly:

“So what do you offer me?”

“My cell phone. Take it.”

“… that’s it?”

“You seem to like phones,” Fizz gestured around the room, “And mine is easily worth most of the phones here. And besides,” he hurriedly added as the Thief’s frown deepened, “How many do you have here that can reach halfway across the galaxy? To a world hardly anyone knows about, much less communicate with?”

The Thief tilted his head, considering.

“Don’t you think,” Fizz ventured, greatly daring, “Something like that would be more useful than a memory of someone you don’t even- ulp!”

He broke off with a choke as the Thief suddenly seized him under the jaw.

“I will decide what’s useful to me, dragon-dog,” he growled, “However… your offer is accepted. Your phone is now mine. It shall be fetched from you room, ASAP.”

Something about that didn’t sound right. But fatigue clouded his mind, and his face hurt so much, he couldn’t bring himself to care. Rubbing his throat, he bobbed his head in acquiescence.

“And,” the Thief added, “Don’t think your selflessness won’t come at further cost. You may just regret it later.

“So Allony,” he went on, “How fortunate for you Mr. Barqs here isn’t as selfish as you made him out to be. You may keep your fond memories of little Cherr. Cherish them, for that’s all you will have of him.

“That being said,” the Thief raised his voice over Allony’s strangled cry:

“Because I would like you to get the hell out;
I will send you along a speedy route.

So no more damage shall here be seen
Here to there, you’ll be going between.”

Neither was sure what he did, but they suddenly found themselves sprawled on the carpet in the hallway, the door to room 1408 looming over them. Fizz glanced down at Allony, who was hunched in a ball of misery. She looked up at him, her expression vacant. Then she began to stumble and limp down the hall, Fizz following a moment later.

…

“Hey, um-”

“I'm sorry about your face.”

“Yeah, okay. I'm sorry about smashing you up like that. And I-”

“You should go to the infirmary.”

“So should you. I can help you if you-”

“I just want to get back to my room,” Allony said angrily, “If I still have it, that is.”

…

“Look, I’m sorry about your brother…”

“Muzzle it.”

“… Really, I am. And I’ll help you get him-”

Her slap sent him reeling. “I’ll get him back!” she shouted, "That bastard won’t put me off so easily! And if I want help, it won’t be yours. You both messed up my life enough. Now fuck off!”

Stunned, Fizz could only watch her faltering progress in silence until she disappeared into the elevator.

After a moment he sat back, wiping his face again, wishing he had a clean cloth. He glanced down at the carpet, noting the drops and smears of blood.

Better go find that infirmary she was talking about. And get out of here before housecleaning shows up.
…

Hope Mag’ll be okay a little while longer…