CHAPTER NINE
The arms that were wrapped around his neck and pulling him close were warm and gripping him like a pit viper. His eyes wide as he stared at his partner and his arms had no idea where to go. The girl clinging to him breathed out a relieved sigh before she pulled back and looked up at his face.
-"You're alive! Thank goodness,"-
The voice in his head murmured as the girl in front of him caressed his face with a small yet very grateful smile. -"You're alive,"-
Jet's brows' scrunched up as realization dawned on him. He put his hands on her shoulder to keep her in place. "You're the voice in my head?" he asked; incredulous since the girl was wearing a government-issued earphone.
She gave him a huge grin and nodded. Her eyes were beaming with a childish glow—one that looked like a kid who had just received a shiny new toy. While Jet was still frozen in place as he couldn't believe was what happening. And Alec was releasing a deadly aura as he glared at his young partner.
"What the hell, Jet?" Alec growled, clipping each word as he stalked towards the two.
Wide-eyed with fear, Jet's gaze darted towards his partner as he pushed the girl with him away from him and raised his hands in surrender and shook his head hard. "Damn! I swear I have no idea what's happening!"
The girl with them innocently cocked her head to the side as she watched Alec wrapped his hands around Jet's neck. The younger man flailed but Alec was definitely stronger than him. Just as he was about to give up, the girl got between them and pushed them apart.
The two of them flew away from each other. Jet landed on the sofa by the corner while Alec was forced into the wall. The two of them stared at him wide-eyed in shock; for such a fragile body to have sent them to the other side of the room with little to no effort.
She gave Alec a glance and started walking towards Jet. She started walking towards Jet and dropped on the sofa with him. She cocked her head to the side; her face confused.
-"Why are you fighting? Aren't you partners?"-
Jet sighed and rubbed his head in exasperation. "Why are you talking in my head when you're literally in front of me?"
-"But you can hear me perfectly fine?"-
Jet rolled his eyes. "But that's not the point here!" Jet groaned as he slumped over the couch. "Anyway, what's with you clinging to me? There's your brother over there," he pointed to Alec.
The girl looked towards Alec who was waiting. But her eyes held no recognition whatsoever. She blinked a couple of times. The silence was killing Alec. He took a step towards her and saw her flinched away from him and he stopped on his track.
She turned back to Jet and wrapped her arms around his. -"I don't know what you're talking about. He's not familiar to me,"-
Jet's brow rose in question as he turned to Alec. He raised his hands in a 'slow down' matter and asked his partner to take a seat as well. The older man looked confused but did as told and sat down at the edge of the bed.
"This is your sister, right?" Jet asked Alec, putting an emphasis on his word as he pointed at the girl clinging to him as if her life depended on it.
Alec nodded, unsure where things were going. "Yeah, that's Alice. My sister,"
Jet sighed, "Well, sorry to burst your bubble but she says she doesn't know you,"
"What?!" Alec exclaimed; jumping to his feet. "Alice, it's me! I'm Alec!"
But 'Alice' shook her head at him. She let go of Jet and walked towards the window. Not once leaving Alec's gaze. She looked around the room and her eyes landed on her things above the side table. The crows outside the window started circling and cawing.
-"Who are you?"-
"Who am I? I mean—you're the voice talking in my head. I should be asking you that," Jet answered with a roll of his eyes. Everything was tiring him out. This pair of siblings, if they really were siblings, definitely has things to work out between them and it was something he didn't want a part of.
-"I. . ." the voice started. "I don't have a name,"-
"What the hell, kid?" Alec groaned angrily. "Include me in this. I don't hear her,"
"Oh, right," Jet mumbled as he walked towards Alec. "She said she doesn't have a name,"
Alec rested his chin between his fingers in deep thought. "So, she must have gotten amnesia when she got affected by the Freakquency,"
He turned to Jet who shrugged before he turned back to his sister. The crows behind her still flew repeatedly by the window as if making sure she was alright. She gave a shiver and Alec took the blanket off the bed and slowly outstretched his arm towards her.
She stared at him as if reading into his mind. He gave her a small smile and tipped his head. She carefully reached the blanket and took it out of his hand as if afraid. Then, she wrapped it around her as another shiver ran down her spine.
-"Where am I?" she asked; looking at Jet.-
"Well, first of all," Jet started, staring outside the window where it was almost dark due to a large number of crows. "Why don't you calm your crows? They're not exactly being friendly,"
She cocked her head innocently at him before she glanced at the window and one by one, the crows started flying upward until there were only five left by the window. She looked back at them as if to ask if they were satisfied by it and the two of them gave a nod.
Alec gestured for her to sit on the bed as he remembered to call a doctor. He clicked the call button and sat down on the sofa as they waited. Within a moment, there was a knock on the door before the doctor-in-charge came in with two assistant nurses.
'Alice' jumped up from the bed at their entrance and they stopped on their tracks. She was crouched low as if ready to attack at any moment and her crows started cawing at the window, trying to enter. Alec quickly stood up and stood between her and the doctor, with his hands raised for her to see.
"Hey, Alice," he breathed. "Calm down. They're here to help,"
Alice growled at him. Alec's heart jumped out of his chest as he watched his own sister grew more and more suspicious of him. He grabbed Jet, who stayed silent, by the collar and shook him violently.
"Talk to her, dammit!" he roared.
"That's your sister!" Jet reasoned as he choked.
Alec sighed, his voice breaking. "As much as I hate to admit it, she obviously trusts you more than me," his fist loosened as he glanced at her once more. "Please, Jet. Please," he pleaded his voice low and defeated.
Jet sighed and turned to look at the crouching girl by the window. He ran a hand through his rain in frustration. "You know me, right?" he asked.
She nodded. And Jet continued. "You're Alice. Your name—it's Alice,"
She stared at his eyes and Jet felt like she could see everything up to his very soul and it hadn't boded well with him but he refused to break eye contact. Alec had pleaded with him and even if he has to walk through fires, he'd do it.
Though, he won't say that to the man beside him.
"It's okay," he continued. "It's all okay," he extended a hand towards her.
She dropped her gaze to his hand before looking back at him once more. He gave a slight nod and hopefully a friendly smile. The crows outside the window seem to calm down with her as she slowly stood straight cautiously.
-"I am Alice?"-