FicWad

Thankfully the rain had almost stopped. A few light drops dampened my hair and shirt, but largely I remained dry. Running through the streets, in what I hoped was the right direction, I checked over my shoulder for a taxi. Glancing back frequently was, I know, slowing me down considerably, but I was more concerned with the possibility of missing one.
On the fifth or sixth turn, I saw one, approaching in the distance. Even in the afternoon gloom and at this distance, its ‘for hire’ sign was clearly visible. I waved my arms vigorously to flag it down; there was no question that he wouldn’t see me. As the driver pulled up along side me and lowered the window, I leaned down.

“I’ve got to get to the Sinah Heath Hospital, but I’ve only got twenty dollars.”
The driver merely laughed at me as he raised the window.
“Please!” I yelled as he turned back to the wheel and indicated to head back into the traffic. I slammed a fist on the roof of his cab as he pulled out once more. “Heartless bastard!” I screamed as I watched him drive away.

I didn’t where I was or how I would get there, but I knew I had to and soon. He could be there at the hospital, right now, killing my brother. The thought made me feel sick.

“Is there a problem?”

The voice startled me and turning, I saw a tall, broad police officer. Behind him, a second remained in their patrol car watching.

“I… no… yes.” Yes, sometimes I impress even myself.
His eyes narrowed and he glanced back to his partner in the car who nodded his reply.
“You’re Gerard Way,” he stated. “We’ve been looking for you.”
“Why?” I asked, dreading the reply.
I must have sounded crazy, and judging by the expression on his face, that was exactly what he thought.
“You don’t know?”
I didn’t know how to reply. My last memories were of a murder. What could I say? I was hardly going to tell them that! As it turned out, silence worked just as well.
“Are you alright?” he asked me with a mixture of puzzlement and concern in his tone.
“Look, I don’t have any money or a phone or anything and I have to get to the hospital. I need to see Mikey, check he’s okay.”
My explanation was pretty vague but it was enough to get a response.
“He’s far from okay,” the officer scowled. “He’s a nutcase!”
I was hurt by the words and I showed it.
“He’s still my brother!” I snapped.
“Sure,” he nodded contritely. “Okay, get in, we’ll take you. But after you’ve seen him, we’ll want to speak to you about where you’ve been. You do know you were reported missing don’t you?”
I nodded. For all I knew, he thought I was as crazy as believed Mikey was. I knew I was certainly giving that impression. It was strange though, the guys in the bar and now the police officer – they treated me as if I was innocent, but I remembered the murders. Was Mikey innocent because I killed them? It was clear to me that my memory hadn’t fully returned, but the part that had was screaming to me and I wasn’t about to refuse his offer.

I couldn’t believe it – I was being driven to the hospital in a police car! The irony was not lost on me. What do I mean? You’ll see. Anyway, needless to say I wasted no time getting out of the car as it pulled up at the hospital. Pushing the door open even before it had come to a halt, I gave the briefest word of thanks before rushing into the building. Taking the stairs I ran up, taking two at a time, my earlier tiredness forgotten in my keenness to get to Mikey. As I arrived at the Nurses’ Station on the fourth floor I waited impatiently for the duty nurse to finish a telephone conversation with what appeared to be a patient’s relative.

“Gerard?”
Turning my head, I saw Bob stepping out of the elevator.
“Oh, hey, Bob,” I waved briefly before turning back to the duty nurse as she put the phone down. “I need to see Mikey.”
“Gee!” Bob pulled my arm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I replied dismissively as the nurse retrieved the key to Mikey’s room from a locked cabinet.
Bob spun me around and grabbed my arms dragging me over to the wall with me protesting all the way.
“Don’t ‘I’m fine’ me! You’ve been gone for nearly a week!” Lowering his voice, he continued. “You told Frank that Brandt had you; that we had to find a way to get Mikey out of here. We’re getting a plan together and suddenly you’re here. No word, no explanation. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” I snapped finally shaking him off.
“Well where have you been?”
“I haven’t been anywhere! What’s the matter with you?”
“If you’re going to argue,” the duty nurse cut in, “can you please leave the premises?”
I turned; frustrated to be delayed.
“We’re not going to argue,” I insisted. “I just want to see Mikey.”
My shoulders sagged as I saw the two police officers approaching, already half way down the corridor.
“Talk to them!” I pushed Bob’s shoulder so that he would at least turn to see them.
By the time Bob had turned back, I was gone, several yards away, following the duty nurse.
“Gee!”
I sighed heavily – not again! This time it was Ray emerging from the men’s room. I didn’t have time to stop. My one single priority was to get to Mikey’s room and nothing and no one was going to prevent that. My easiest option, I decided, was to simply ignore him. Almost immediately, I heard footsteps behind me.
“Something’s wrong!” I heard Bob shout. “Stop him!”
Snatching the key from the duty nurse, I pushed her forcefully to the floor at Ray’s feet. It was enough of a distraction to hold him up and I was running the final few yards to room 409. Suddenly the corridor was filled with noise – footsteps, shouts and, of course, it wouldn’t have been complete without the wailing alarm system usually indicating a breakout. But of course, this wasn’t a breakout, it was a break in. I turned the key in the lock, slipped in and had closed and locked the door again in plenty of time. I grinned at Ray through the glass in the small eye-level window in the door; I turned the key in my fingers tantalizingly. Slipping the key into my pocket, I turned. Just as I was told he would be, he was just lying there, fastened securely to the bed by the restraints.

“Gee?” He looked up at me. “Thank God you’re here! They wouldn’t let me speak to anyone else and I’ve started to remember everything! It was Doctor Brandt, but no one believes me! You believe me, don’t you?”
His voice tapered off. He knew. He knew I knew. It wasn’t worth going through the charade any more.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?” I asked.
“Notice what?” he asked apparently confused.
“He is my brother you know.”
“Gee?” He shook his head and his eyes widened. “It’s me, Mikey!”
“I’m not fooled that easily. Oh, you’re good, I’ll give you that, but you can’t fool me.”
I could see the panic on his face.
“Gee… It’s me!” I watched as he strained on the straps; he had not expected this.

Beyond the room I could still here the alarm and the commotion as they tried to locate the second key. Of course, I knew it had already been removed; he told me that. His information was reliable, he had been right about this impostor. Did he really think I wouldn’t recognise my own brother?

“Brandt said you would be here,” I nodded. “I’ll admit, you look like him, you do, but he warned me you would. And you do sound like him too.”
I was starting to get a little twitchy. Something felt wrong and I couldn’t work out what. He told me not to think about it for too long. I don’t know why. But I had already taken longer than I was supposed to. I edged forward then took a step back. Uncertain.

“Please!” he begged. “I’ll prove it’s me! Ask me anything! Something only Mikey would know!”

I shook my head and stepped forward determinedly and pulled the pillow out from under his head.

“You’re just stalling!” I growled. “Hoping they’ll get in and rescue you. There is no rescue for you.”
“What’s he done to you?!” he cried in panic.

There was no more time to talk, I heard a key in the lock and I pushed the pillow down over his face as hard as I could.