"Stop fussing" Rufus nudged his backpack with his foot. Carrying a cat in a backpack was tricky at best, but when the cat was also a person, it got very complicated. " Thank goodness, the next stop is ours."
Ethan agreed, but seemed distracted.
"I will go in first." Len Green reminded them of the plan. He was worried that the young men might needlessly put themselves in danger.
The bus stopped at Jones Street and O'Farrell. Rufus barely made it off the bus and onto the sidewalk before Rudy sent up an ear-piercing howl. "Alright!" Rufus tipped the backpack and the cat fell unceremoniously to the pavement. Rufus was sure the cat gave him a dirty look.
The three of them skirted around the homeless people curled up on the sidewalk and headed left on Jones Street. The restaurant they were looking for was halfway down the block. "Wow, Anne really nailed the description." Rufus' compliment was met with a grunt from Ethan.
It was exactly as she had described it. The cracked front windows were covered in newspapers. Garbage littered the stoop.
Len Green put an arm out. "Wait here."
"But..."
"No, buts. You both agreed before we left the Hive that you would follow my lead."
Rufus and Ethan were not happy, but said they would wait until Len Green gave them a signal that it was safe to enter.
The filthy door was not locked. Len Green disappeared into the dark building. Rudy slipped in behind him.
"We give him exactly 3 minutes." Ethan looked at his watch. "Then we go in."
"Now, you're talking." Rufus bounced from foot to foot.
It was less than 2 minutes later when Len Green stuck his head out the door. "All clear."
Ethan and Rufus followed him inside. They could just make out four bodies on the floor. "Are they dead?"
Ethan asked, not really caring if they were. Rufus looked a little queasy.
"No," Len Green explained. "I put them to sleep. It's sorta like hypnosis. I also blanked their memory of Lucy, Jack and the Fangs. They shouldn't cause the Fang family anymore trouble. "
"Wow." Rufus was impressed.
Ethan looked into Len Green's seemingly bottomless eyes. He had just realized the awesome power the man had. Len Green looked back at him and for a split second let Ethan get a glimpse of the weight of that power, the overpowering responsibility that came with such an amazing ability.
"Anne said Jack would be in the back." Rufus was impatient. They moved through the garbage strewn room. There at the very rear, behind what had at one time been the kitchen, was a door secured with a hasp and a padlock.
"Bingo. Step back." Rufus told the others. When they were clear he pointed his right hand at the padlock.
Sparks flew. The lock split in two. Rufus smiled proudly. All his practicing was finally paying off.
"Good job." Again Len Green led the way. There was no light at all in the small storage room, but the small sliver of illumination from the high kitchen window clearly showed the outline of a person curled up on the concrete floor. There was no way to tell if he was injured or even dead.
"Lets get him out." Ethan suggested pulling one of Jack's arms around his neck. Rufus took hold of the opposite arm and threw Jack's arm over his shoulder. They dragged Jack clumsily to his feet.
Once in the kitchen, Len Green used a discarded piece of cardboard to shovel the trash off the old stainless steel counter. He helped them lift Jack onto the counter.
"Can you see anything?" Lucy paced furiously around the room, only pausing to ask Anne the same question every few minutes.
"Nothing since they left your parents house. " Anne didn't tell her that her visions were fading in and out. It seemed someone or something was interrupting. A scene would pop up, then static, like radio interference, would make it impossible for her to continue. Anne didn't want to bother Kate; she would wait until Rudy was back. He would know what to do.
As happy as Lucy was that the meeting with her parents went well, she was now completely focused on the wellbeing of her brother Jack. And the others of course.
"Lucy, please sit down. I need to keep my mind clear for the transfer back." Kate was rubbing her temples. Worried, Anne checked the clock. Almost seven hours had passed. They were coming up to the known maximum transfer time of 8 hours. Kate had told them that the longer she had to keep Rudy in focus, the harder it became. No one had ever gone over the 8 hour limit. No one knew what would happen. Would the traveller's be trapped in whatever location they were in? Rudy as she knew him would be gone. He would remain in cat form for the rest of his life. Kate did not want to think about it.
At least they didn't have the distraction of Georgie and his bouncing ball. Georgie had given up hours ago, climbed into bed and was snoring loudly, the ball tucked safely in his underwear.
Len Green ran his hands down the length of Jack's body.. beginning at his head and finishing at his feet. "I can't get through to him and I have no way of knowing what they gave him." Jack's lips were blue, he was barely breathing.
"Okay, then." Ethan grabbed Jack under his arms and threw him over his shoulder in a firefighter carry. "Rufus, go outside and flag down a cab."
Rudy stayed on Ethan's heals as he left the building. Rufus already had a taxi, the back door open, waiting. Ethan laid Jack on the seat, then climbed in after. By pulling and shoving they made room for Rufus. Rudy slipped in just as the door closed. Len Green sat in the front.
"Take us to the nearest hospital."
Within minutes the taxi pulled up at the emergency entrance of Chinese Hospital.
Len Green paid the driver. Rufus tucked Rudy in the backpack, then they both helped Ethan pull Jack from the car.
They were met with almost routine apathy. The staff assumed Jack was one of the dozens of overdoses they dealt with daily. This time when Len Green asked to take over, Ethan agreed with a solemn nod. A nurse bustled over to them.
Leaving out the kidnapping details, they admitted to having no clue what drug was in Jack's system. The nurse immediately called a doctor. Ethan sent up a silent thank you for Len Green's presence. Jack was placed on a stretcher and wheeled away.
Ethan looked at his watch. Len Green placed a hand on his arm. "We have time." They sat beside Rufus who had the backpack open at his feet.
Fifteen minutes later, the doctor came looking for them. He had administered Narcan, a drug injection used to treat an overdose.
Jack was awake, but confused how he had gotten there. They thanked the doctor, then Len Green asked the nurse to phone Jack's parents. She was already dialing when they left the hospital.
"Finally." Kate's exclamation woke Lucy. Anne turned from the counter where she was eating a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal.
Within seconds the air went hazy and Ethan appeared, then Len Green, next Rufus and finally Rudy.
Lucy waited anxiously for word of her brother. Rufus smiled and nodded at her.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Lucy buzzed from one to the other hugging them all. Rufus turned from pink to red to purple when it was his turn.
Ethan watched as Anne leapt from the stool and threw herself at Rudy. Her arms squeezing his waist, she laid her head on his chest. Kate and Rudy shared identical amused smiles over Anne's head. Ethan stormed from the room.