📎A/N. Hello my lovelies... Whew! What a week. The US elections are over, and we are into the next day. Take a big deep breath, the world has not ended... yet *evil laugh*

For those of you who may not be aware, the Wattys awards were announced a few days ago. Much to my surprise and delight, Masked won in the category of Verocious Reads! I am so very grateful to each and every one of you who helped put it there. I now have a shiny sticker!

Don't forget to vote... it makes all the difference.

Take care,

❤ ℳ

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  Daniel had heard the familiar ambulance siren before the flashing lights came into view. As it turned off the main road towards the ambulance bay, Murphy pushed away from their rental.

"Let's go," he said as he walked with purpose in the same direction.

From what Daniel could ascertain in the short time they had been waiting, the St Luke's Hospital had two entrances. One for patients who turned up by car and the other who's arrival was via ambulance.

From the corner of his eye, Daniel spotted movement. On the far side of the building a man in blue scrubs pushed open a door that would otherwise have been missed. From the cigarette already in his mouth, and his quick glance around the area before lighting it up, it was an unauthorized break.

"There's an alternate exit," said Daniel in a low voice so they could not be overheard.

Murphy glanced to where he'd indicated and shrugged his shoulders. "We won't need it."

Daniel forced his features into a neutral expression. They were walking into a situation as blind as a bat with defective sonar. There was no plan, let alone a backup if anything went south. The lack of a strategy didn't sit well with him.

They needed to ascertain just how far gone Carbine Jefferson was and if they were dealing with the same Lycan's as before. The building was overrun with hospital staff, patients and security staff. How would they get to the Werewolf if they had no plan?

The only response from Murphy when he pushed the subject was, "We're going into a hospital, not battle."

Mindful he needed to trust Murphy, Daniel had held back from voicing his concerns. While he had more than his fair share of interactions with humans in the business world, he was at a distinct disadvantage here. Perhaps it hadn't been wise to pick and choose his interactions over the years.

As they reached the ambulance, the paramedics, after pulling the gurney out, were on their way through the double doors that lead to the Emergency and Trauma Center. Murphy followed their trail. The moment they were inside, he said, "Pull your phone out and pretend to be reading messages. Keep your head down and stay directly behind me."

Daniel reached for his cell phone as they turned the corner into the main corridor. It wouldn't bode well if they were tracked down via the security footage. The sharp smell of bleach and antiseptic assailed his senses. For a moment, his mind flashed back to the previous traumatic occasion he had set foot in a hospital. His one visit to a human medical facility had not exactly been under the best of circumstances. Daniel's chest tightened at how close he came to losing Parker.

"Are you sure you know where we are going?" Daniel asked as they turned a corner that led down another corridor.

"Parker sent me his room number. He's in the critical care wing, we'll have to get by the duty station, but that shouldn't be a problem."

As they turned yet another corner, a large nurse's station took center stage of the ward. No one could get to any of the rooms without going past the state of the art bay. With each step closer, a burnt, rotting odor could be detected along with the antiseptic and other chemicals used to keep the hospital germ free.

Daniel's step faltered. "Are you sure you know what you are doing?"

Murphy pulled out his ID and flashed it at the duty nurse. "F.B.I Special Agents Snapper and Trevally. We're here to see one of your patients, Carbine Jefferson."

Daniel took Murphy's cue and held up the borrowed identification. Just as long as they didn't take too close a look he should be fine. The nurse may think it odd that he was nothing like the photo of Kaitlyn.

At Murphy's abrupt appearance the nurse, whose shiny name tag announced her as Jacinta Gupta. R.N., took a startled step back and held her hand up to her chest. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Carbine Jefferson? We'll also need to have access to the personal effects he came in with."

"He's in room 341, but he's sedated at the moment so you won't be able to speak to him."

"That's fine. We're only here to get his effects and fingerprints."

"Fingerprints?"

Murphy nodded. He pulled out a notepad and flipped through the pages. "From what I understand, his effects were bagged and no one has touched them since. Can I assume you all followed protocol and wore gloves, or do I need to report the infraction and take everyone's fingerprints?"

When did he get that information? Daniel glanced at the page Murphy was focused on only to realize it was blank.

The nurse shrank at Murphy's terse no-nonsense tone and her heart beat fluctuated. "We are a certified trauma one center, and are trained not to make that mistake." She looked over towards one of the rooms a hint of worry wrinkled her brow. "I thought HazMat said the incident wasn't related to a chemical spill."

Murphy pocketed his notebook. "I can't comment on an ongoing investigation, apart from the fact that it's a joint FBI-Homeland Security operation."

At his words, the nurse visibly retreated and pointed towards a closed door.

The moment they entered the room, the burnt and rotting odor hit them in full force. The stench rolled off the injured Werewolf in waves and rushed up Daniel's nostrils as if he'd been cut by a sharp knife.

Murphy remained by the door to block any view the nurse's station had of what they were about to do, while Daniel moved across to the bed. The unconscious Werewolf was clearly beyond saving. From his gaunt and strained expression, he was in a great deal of pain. The hospital had assumed their medicine had sedated him. Unfortunately, they would have not given enough to make a difference.

Instead, he hovered close to death, a tentative thread the only thing that held him in this world. Like Murphy, when in a similar condition, his mind had retreated into a coma while his body tried to repair itself. Unlike Murphy, it was clear the damage was too extensive and he was too weak to cry out in pain.

Daniel, unable to see so much agony, looked away from the bed. He couldn't understand how a hospital full of medical staff could allow a patient to suffer as much as this man did.

"They can't see what we can," Murphy said from across the room as if reading his mind.

Daniel pulled out a syringe from his pocket, and glanced towards the door.

"No one's coming," Murphy said, "get on with it, we don't have much time."

Daniel took the cap off the needle and reached for the man's arm. Quickly finding a vein, he injected the morphine just as Alice had shown him. After disposing of the syringe, he turned to the automatic morphine dispenser and breathed out a sigh of relief. It was similar to the one Alice had made him practice on. Daniel increased the dose and frequency to allow some measure of peace in the man's final days or hours depending on how unfortunate he was. With any luck, it would take the nurses a while to detect that it had been tampered with.

"They will have placed his personal effects in a paper bag in the cupboard beside the bed," said Murphy. "We'll need to take it with us."

A moment later it was tossed across the room.

A raspy breath caught Daniel's attention and he glanced down at Carbine. The extra morphine had taken affect, and his body wasn't as tense as it had been a few moments beforehand. Daniel pulled back the blanket to inspect the damage the Lycan's had inflicted.

Murphy inhaled sharply. "Damnú air!"

Words escaped Daniel as he struggled to come to terms with the macabre scene his eyes were sending his brain. He'd expected a wound similar to Murphy's. The green, putrid foam-like substance that ate away at the man's flesh was where the similarities ended. Murphy's had spread from his arm to a portion of his shoulder and had lessened in intensity the further away from the initial cut it traveled.

The tortured body lying still on the bed looked like someone had poured battery acid over his thigh, hip and chest, eating anything and everything in its wake. If anything, the green tinge intensified, unchecked in its devastating path. How Carbine wasn't already dead was beyond him.

"The dead are the lucky ones," Murphy said quietly. He had left his lookout point and now stood on the other side of the bed.

"We can't leave him here like this," said Daniel.

"You know as well as I do we can't take him with us. From the amount of damage, I'm not sure he's going to come back from this."

"We can't be sure of that."

Murphy's brows rose, and he tilted his head to one side as he stared directly at Daniel. They both looked back down at Carbine. The ashen pallor of his face, an indication he already had one foot in the grave.

"He could drag on for days," said Murphy.

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose. In his state, he was too weak to change into his wolf form. However, under extreme stress and pain who knew what was possible. For that to happen in a hospital full of humans would be an unmitigated disaster.

"You need to find out," said Murphy.

"His mind will be blocked off, I tried that with you. All I got for my troubles was a brick wall."

"I've had years of practice blocking. I very much doubt he has the same ability."

This is what he was afraid of. However, Murphy was right, they needed to know.

Daniel cleared his mind and focused on the man lying on the bed. At first, he couldn't find a door. With Carbine's mind so weak, the door wouldn't be in the obvious places. He reached out and carefully pushed at the walls. It didn't take too long for him to find an entrance. It was warped out of shape and small, but enough for him to fit through.

Once he was in, Daniel took stock of his surroundings. It was dark. Not pitch black, but dark enough that he had to strain to see. The Werewolf's mind was still, eerily quiet.

Carbine, can you hear me?

His projected voice echoed around him as if he stood in a large cave and it was bouncing off the walls. A movement caught his eye. At first, he thought it was his imagination, but when it happened again, he knew Carbine was still there. He navigated the small path that appeared as he walked towards the shape in the distance. The ground beneath his feet was soft and uneven and slowed his progress. As he drew closer, the path stopped and opened into a ravine. He peered over the edge, with the limited lighting he couldn't see how deep it went.

Daniel looked across the expanse. With the closer proximity, the form had grown solid. He searched the immediate area.

There has to be a way to get across.

After skirting the edge of the canyon, he found a thin bridge. It didn't appear stable or safe. However, without any other option, Daniel had no choice but to attempt a crossing. Careful where he placed his steps, Daniel slowly inched his way across. As he drew nearer, he was surprised to discover, curled up in a small ball, Carbine's wolf. Daniel reached out and touched the animal. There was no telling what condition it was in.

The wolf's eyes slowly opened and looked up at him. Pain and despair reflected in its mournful eyes.

Sorrow overwhelmed Daniel as he took in the matted fur of Carbine's wolf.

We can no longer fight the darkness, projected the wolf. He then lay his head down on his paws.

Daniel glanced around. Where is your other half?

Lost.

I've given you some painkillers. You should be in less pain now.

We know.

Can you tell me what attacked you?

There was a brief pause before the wolf answered. There were two. Not wolf. Not man. Yet wolf and man.

That at least confirmed the number of Lycan's. It also meant that they were working together.

The wolf opened its eyes and looked up. What happened to the others, our friends?

Daniel shook his head.

A barely audible whine could be heard from the wolf's chest. They were good people. Did not deserve this.

Do you have any idea why they attacked you? Have you seen them before?

No, we just want to live peaceful life. Too much hate. Better to keep out of fire when brother fight brother.

Daniel could feel the entrance collapsing. He needed to get out and fast.

I have to go. The doctors will do everything they can for you

Too late. Was dead the moment they attacked.

There still could be a chance your body fights back.

The wolf raised his head higher and looked Daniel in the eye. You must end it. We do not have the strength. Promise you will send us to the next world in peace. Let us die with dignity. Evil hides behind false messiah. We have seen too much.

Daniel, unable to hold the connection, let go just as the door collapsed upon itself. The memory of the wolf's intense gaze burnt into his brain and he knew it would be hard to let the image go. He opened his eyes and looked down at Carbine.

"What false messiah?" Daniel said aloud. He couldn't help but be concerned at the wolf's last words.

Much to his surprise, the angry welts had spread further in the short time he'd been in communication with Carbine's animal half. As a Werewolf, his resilience could hold on much longer than necessary. Daniel's heart was heavy. He knew what was needed of him. Carbine's wolf had begged for it, and it was the right thing to do. However, it didn't make it any easier.

Daniel muted the monitors and picked up a pillow with a heavy heart. Placing it over Carbine's face, he prayed to whatever gods were out there to take the Werewolf's troubled soul and give him peace in the afterlife.

There was no struggle—no desperate need to cling to life. Carbine went quietly into that good night. He and his wolf were finally free of pain.

Daniel felt a hand on his arm. "It's done," said Murphy. He grabbed the pillow Daniel was holding and pulled off the pillow-case. Using it like a cloth, he wiped the monitors and the morphine drip. "We need to go before anyone walks in."

Much to Daniel's surprise, they had traversed the corridors and were back out at their rental in record time. No one stopped them or asked any questions. He'd need to remember that tactic for next time. Not that he ever wanted a repeat performance. Daniel had had his fair share of mercy killings over the years. It didn't get easier with time.

"You did what you needed to," said Murphy after they were on the highway towards Kansas City.

Daniel declined to comment and concentrated on the road ahead. The wolf's parting words had troubled him, and he questioned if he'd made the right choice. Perhaps there might have been another way back into Carbine's mind to find out what his parting words meant. Not able to make sense of it, Daniel faced his inner demons alone.

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📎A/N. I need to get me one of those FBI badges... it opens so many doors!!!

hmmmm.... I wonder what Carbine's wolf meant?? I am not sure I really like what it implies...

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Complying with the wolfs request cannot be an easy thing for Daniel to do.

Don't forget to vote if you liked this chapter.

Thanks for your continued support and take care,

❤ ℳ