previously :
"Shit!" Ashton exclaimed, spitting out some blood. "If April doesn't get her father soon, I'm fucked!...shhhh....shit.... I still havn't told her I like her yet!" Then fainted.
April ran as fast as she could and went to her father's office. "Father! Father!....."
The people inside the office were watching her slam the door open. " April... what did I tell you about banging the door open? Huh?"
" Huff .... huff... that it's very unladylike. But Father, it's not the time for this!" April squeezed out. "Oh, then pray tell, why is it not the time?" Arnold inquired when he raised his head.
April said, "It's Ashton, Father." Arnold scowled, "Are you sure, April? Ashton may look like a weak kid, but in reality is not." and folded his hands on the table. "Why don't you tell what happened?..... from the start?"
"After the classes, we both went to the food street and then suddenly Ashton pulled me closer and said that we were being followed and then told me to run, find you and get help." April said, straightening up. April's father banged his fist on the table, and exclaimed, "It's those damned cultists! Everyone, get ready to move out."
All of them rushed to the place where April had last seen Ashton and the followers. But when they reached the area, there was nothing there other than bloodshed. "April, did Ashton carry a weapon?"
"No, I don't think so, Father. The Academy doesn't allow weapons inside, you know it." April replied. "Then How ....is so much of bloodshed possible?" Her Father was astonished. " Leave that aside for now, Father. I can't see Ashton here."
"Everyone! spread out and search for Ashton. That brat should be around here somewhere." He then strode ahead and went to the bodies of the stalkers. The man had a small ink on his wrist as he was being patted for identification. He moved down the sleeve and saw a mark. He whispered, "I knew it! Those slimy bastards ..... I wanted one of them alive, but both are dead."
Arnold searched the other one too and found the same mark on the wrist as before. He looked at the weapons beside them. " hmmmm poison from the looks of it. Where is Ashton? And this poison looks Grade A. If struck with this grade even I can suffer a great injury. Now Where is that Damn BRAT?"
A shout of Sir! We found them! distracted Arnold out of his thoughts and he rushed towards the area the lackey pointed out. It looked like a dilapidated alley and the there was a garbage bin on one side of the wall. Arnold saw a pair of legs sticking out and immediately had a thought ' Am I too late?'
April was right behind him and she, too, saw the scene and staggered in fright. "Father, is Ashton ok? Father??" she kept asking him. Arnold gazed towards the body and found that Ashton was a in a terrible shape. He pointed towards his right-hand man. "You! get Ashton and go to the hospital. We'll be right behind you."
A sound of Yes Sir came, and some people carried Ashton into a carriage and went ahead. April was still shocked and looked at her father. "... Father."
"Don't worry, April. That kid is tough. Don't worry. Nothing will happen."Arnold said while calming down his daughter. 'That brat better be fine otherwise….'
In the carriage , they placed Ashton as comfortably as one could in a cramped space, and the guy sped all the way like a tornado with the father and daughter pair behind the carriage . Ashton carried out to the hospital. The pair was standing just outside the room. After a long period of anxiousness , the doctor came out and Arnold came forward.
"Doc! how is the kid?". The doctor paused and asked instead," Are you the family of the kid?" Arnold replied," I'm the kid's guardian." The doctor contemplated for a few seconds and told Arnold, "If it's possible, I would like to talk with you regarding the patient.... privately."
They both moved to a corner and Arnold kept looking at the doctor inquiringly. "The patient is stable for now. We found some traces of Grade A poison, but somehow it is not affecting her life flow as it should do. And all the injuries have somehow healed. Was there a healer with the group?"
"No, doc, we just brought the brat directly here."
After a small hesitation, the Doctor asked, "Did you know that the patient is a female?" the Doctor asked.
"WHAT?!..what are you talking about, Doc? What female??" Arnold stood there, shocked."No..NO...that's not possible. Surely Doc, you might've made some mistake."
"I'm pretty sure what i saw is the truth." Doctor said. "But.....But how is that possible? I saw the power symbol through my own eyes. Doc, Ashton has the Male character and a Sword Symbol!" Arnold belted out.
"Now I know this may sound absurd, but this is a one in millions type of situations. There are records of the same happenings, albeit very less." Arnold cut off the Doctor in middle," Shit! Damnit! This changes everything." then suddenly Arnold realized where he was currently and stopped his rumbling. Motioning for the Doctor to continue, he stood still.
The doctor, surprised at the outburst, became suspicious but still said," There are some anomalies still there in the patient's body. We would suggest that Ashton should be admitted to the hospital and we will run some tests to determine the anomalies. We don't know for sure when the poison may flare up, since it is of Grade A category."
"Is it really needed or if it's possible to shift the kid to a home nursery?" probed Arnold.
"I would highly suggest keeping Ashton here under my supervision," the doctor implied. he was still suspicious of Arnold and tried his best to keep Ashton under his eyes lest something happened to the kid.
"Ok Doctor. I'll be back, so take care of the kid." Arnold swiftly left the area and went to get his daughter, which was sitting beside the bed. He saw Ashton sleeping, covered with gauzes. 'oh kid! what to do with you now? Neither those cultists will stop looking, nor those mercenaries. Haish kid. You leave me with very little choice here. "
"April, it's time. Let's go." Arnold said. "But Father.. what about Ash? will they will discharge him today? With us?" inquired April. "They said they have to run more tests. Some more days then Ashton will be back with us. Don't worry, my child. Come, let us go." April stood and lifted her hand towards Ashton's face. After a few moments, she removed her hands and turned to leave the room. Arnold saw all the interaction, and he was still calculating the choices it presented him with .
The pair soon left Ashton and went back home. The doctor, though, was still there. He was standing beside the bed, looking towards Ashton. 'I think it's better to report this to my superior. If I remember correctly, he was asking me earlier regarding an anomaly himself. He might know this kid. I still don't trust that guardian of this kid.
He muttered 'connect' and soon he could hear the voice of his superior in his head. "Is there any emergency that you had to connect to through this?"
"No, senior. It's just a situation that I thought you might be interested in. If I recall you were asking? Of an Anomaly some days ago?"
"Did you find anything?" said the voice.
"Yes, Senior."
"Excellent. Take care of the situation. I'll be soon coming there myself to check this. Anything else did you find?"
"....I'm afraid so Senior, there are some issues regarding the patient."
The Senior sighed, and after some discussion the conversation disconnected.
The senior ran out in a hurry to an unidentified place and knocked rhythmically. Soon, the door opened, and a maid appeared. The maid then took him to a room. The man bowed down and said, " My Lady.... we have a location."