[Fan Fiction] Piltover: The One That Got Away II

Just in case you missed part 1, (http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/fancreations/JLLes0mv-fan-fiction-piltover-the-one-that-got-away)

Act One --- Part Two Instincts

"Are you certain it's him?" I ask, wanting to be sure.

"Positive," Masa reaffirms me. I've known Masa for a long time. He's never been one to be uncertain about anything. Trained him myself, after all.

I still don't believe him.

It's been a while since I've had a reason to run to the medical center. A lot of bad memories here. A lot I couldn't stop. 

"A unit from the Coast Patrol found him washed up on the shore. They said he sustained severe burns across his torso, as well as multiple bullet wounds."

I force myself to ask, "What's his status? Is he going to pull through?" 

I can hear it in his hesitation. I prepare myself for the worst. 

"I'm not sure...Last I heard, he was still in critical."

We turn the corner into the medical wing of the precinct. Nurses and doctors everywhere are scrambling across the floor.

Something's not right. I find one of the orderlies. She's literally on her hands and knees, scrubbing away what seems to be a large assortment of spattered blood.

"Yeahwhatdoyaneed?" says the orderly. I let her off easy...this time.

Masa clears his throat in an obvious way. The orderly turns her head, annoyed.

"I'm really busy right now so--"

It's as if she realized she stepped on a mine, and the only way to stay alive is by moving as little as possible.

"Chief Vi," greets the orderly. "How can I help you?"

"What's going on?" I ask promptly.

"Um...there was an accident at the hydro plant. One of the service tunnels collapsed. Flooded a whole section of the plant--"

"I didn't hear anything about this," Masa cuts in.

"I'm sorry, ambulances just started showing up thirty minutes ago and..."

"It's fine," I interject. "Carry on."

"Where's the ICU?" Masa asks as we begin to pull away from the orderly.

"Oh it's--," the orderly utters.

"This way, Masa." 

Like I said, a lot of bad memories here. Something tells me I'm about to make a few more.

We make our way down the hall and turn another corner. Then another. Finally we reach the ICU. 

Unlike the rest of the medical center, the ICU is hushed and still. Only the faint alert of the heart monitors upset the silence. 

Most of the patients in here look recent. Probably from the hydro plant. What the hell happened down there?

I scan the room. A lot of messed up bodies here, but none the one I'm looking for. 

"There." Masa points towards another corridor at the other side of the ICU. We peek our heads into the hall and find a set of transparent rooms. The writing on the walls read

QUARANTINE

A man in a hazmat suit steps out of the last room on the left. Masa and I approach with caution.

"Excuse me," I announce firmly. "We're looking for--"

"There he is," Masa interrupts. 

Through the glass I can see him. My heart stops. 

As if against my own will, I step in for a closer look. All I can do is witness in abject horror. 

Ezreal. 

I barely recognize him. Nearly his whole body is covered in gauze. The only indication I even know it's him are the chunks of stray hair protruding from his head bandages. How many years has it been since I've seen those golden locks?

He's resting inside some sort of glass incubator, hooked up to a breathing machine. I can see him struggling with each passing breath. 

"I'm sorry Chief Vi," the doctor begins, removing his hood, "We did all we could."

"What?" I reply instantly, "What do you mean? What happened to him?"

"Ezreal received massive third-degree burns across his chest, back, and lower abdomen. The preciseness of the lacerations suggest they came from some sort of high-intensity laser weapon. Aside from the burns, he also sustained dozens of high-velocity bullet wounds throughout his torso and lower body. It's a miracle he's still able to breathe."

I try to let that sink in for a moment. 

"But why is he in quarantine?" asks Masa. Good question.

There's a lot that doesn't add up here. I don't care if you've got a laser cannon or a hundred rifles pointed at Ez. For as long as I've known him, nobody has ever been able to hit him. Not while he's wearing that amulet. 

Suddenly I realize. He's not wearing it. I look frantically into the room, until finally I see the blue talisman resting brilliantly on a nearby table. 

"In addition to his flesh wounds, we also found multiple abrasions along his throat and lungs."

"What does that mean?" Masa inquires.

"It means he was poisoned," I answer directly.

"That's right," the doctor continues. "Initially we thought he was having trouble breathing from a puncture caused by one of the bullet wounds, or even possibly from having water trapped in his lungs, but the abrasions we found show evidence of a highly lethal toxin. We believe the toxin is the root cause for the extensive erosion of Ezreal's lungs."

"Is that why he's hooked up to the machine?" asks Masa. "He can't breath on his own?"

"Yes, that and, until we know the toxin isn't airborne, we can't allow him near the other patients. The breathing apparatus we have him on connects to his own personal oxygen supply."

The corridor falls silent. I'm stunned. 

Misery is no stranger to me, but this is a lot more than I'm prepared to handle today. Thankfully, Masa says it for me.

"Is he gonna make it?"

"Honestly, he should have died twice over by now. It truly is a miracle we were able to do this much for him. I wouldn't get any hopes up, but there really is no way to tell how things will turn out from here. All we can do is wait and see."

"Thank you, doctor." I mean it. 

"Of course," the doctor replies."I'm sorry but there are a lot more patients coming in right now that need me."

"Of course."

As the doctor leaves I step back to look through the glass. A moment later Masa joins me.

"I'm sorry chief. I don't know what to say...Do you want me to stay?"

I think it over.

I had hoped that I was done burying my loved ones, but for some reason, life feels the need to test my resolve once more.

Well I know this much: resolve is all I have left.

Resolve is the reason why I stayed after everyone else left. Resolve is the reason I'm still chief. And resolve is the reason I'm gonna find and kill the bastards that did this to Ez.

"Laser burns? High-velocity rounds? Cell-eroding toxins?" I propose to Masa.

I turn and face him. I need Masa to hear my words. 

"This has Zaun written all over it. I need you to find whoever found Ezreal this morning. I wanna know everything: what they saw, where, exactly when, everything. Then I want you to find out what the hell went down at the hydro plant."

Masa looks me square in the eye. 

"These are international charges you're talkin' about. What you're suggesting, the look you got in your eyes...We're talking war. Are you sure about this, chief?"

"They'll never know what hit 'em."

As always, thank you for reading and comments are always welcome!