Chapter 8

The blood was everywhere, on the floor, splattered on the walls and chunks of brain matter spread littered here and there. His stomach churned. He was going to throw up. The body of the lifeless man was turned towards him. The gaping hole on his forehead was leaking. His eyes looked back at him, cold. He recoiled in horror, staring at the face of his father.

Dominique felt heavy, like his body was made of lead. He tried to move and the pain exploded. His muscles were in agony. He fought for a moment to open his eyes but closed them again, the light glaring, and his vision blurred. He fought to push the nightmare he had from his mind, not wanting to relive it.

“I know you’re awake.”

Dominique opened his eyes, blinking at the powerful over head lighting. A man was stood next to the bed, wearing a white lab coat. He smirked at Dominique. He blinked up, confused at seeing the young man stood there.

“Welcome back inspector.”

Dominique tried to form words but his throat and mouth were dry. Almost as though the man could read his mind a glass of water was held to his lips and he gulped to down greedily, choking a little. The man slowly helped him to lie back down on his pillow.

“Who are you?” Dominique asked the man looking down at him. The man rolled his eyes.

“I’d have thought it would be obvious based on my clothes.” He stated smirking slightly, “I’m Lee Hongbin, I’m a physician and I have been tending to your injuries which my associates can be thanked for.”

“Where am I?” Asked Dominique, he still felt disorientated. Hongbin sighed. This was getting old.

“I think your injuries addled your mind.” He snapped, “Where do you think? What is the last thing you remember?”

Dominique closed his eyes trying to stop the memory from floating up to his eyes. He had no wish to relive it.  “I don’t remember.” He murmured. Hongbin stared at him as Dominique fought to keep the memories at bay.

“I think you do.” He stated simply. Dominique opened his eyes to look at him.

“You’re one of them?” He questioned. Hongbin nodded and took up an arm to feel his pulse. Dominique snatched his hands away from him. He glared up at the man as he sighed, ruffling his hair.

“Look inspector I’m only doing what I was ordered. Be lucky that, at this very moment, you are not in your grave.” He glared back at the bed ridden man. Dominique frowned at his words.

“Why the hell did they tell you to save me?”

“Well, because we don’t want your blood on our hands thanks.”

  Dominique struggled to get up and Hongbin made to help only to be stopped by one, murderous look from him. He stepped back and shrugged, letting the injured man struggle before he managed to sit up. His face was a study of pain, sweat shining on his face. “What were my injuries?” He asked demandingly.

Hongbin took up the medical file marked INSPECTOR and flipped through it whilst he spoke, “Not were, ARE. You have a minor concussion, it will get better with enough care and rest but you might have some problems with the injury in the future. But a big strong man like you, hopefully not, several broken ribs, those will hurt like the dickens, numerous contusions, a few shallow cuts which I’ve stitched up for you, closed fracture of the right arm, a very badly sprained ankle. One of those idiots managed to stick a knife near a major artery, missed by an inch or so. Be lucky he didn’t get too deep otherwise you would have bled to death.” He rifled through the rest of the file pausing here and there, then looked up to scrutinise Dominique. Finally having finished he put the file down as a sudden groan from another bed caught his attention.

Hongbin went round the divider to the bed next to Dominique’s. Dominique strained his neck trying to catch a glimpse of his neighbouring patient. The sound had seemed very feminine and the soft whimpers of pain that followed confirmed his suspicions that, whoever it was, was indeed a female.

“Easy now little girl or you’ll upset those bandages, I worked hard on those.” He heard Hongbin softly coax, “What’s your name?”

The girl had opened her eyes, looked at her surroundings and finally let her gaze fall on the man looking back at her.

“Adeline...”

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Dominique’s heart lurched in his chest, a sickening feeling at the pit of his stomach. That was his sister’s voice; what was Adeline doing here? He struggled to get off the bed, ignoring the pain in his good leg and he stumbled towards the divider. He gripped the divider and roughly shoved it aside ignoring the protests of Hongbin. There on the bed right next to his lay his little sister. She was pale and looked terrified, looking back at him, first frightened, then relieved.

"Adeline, what the hell are you doing here??" He demanded. Hongbin's gaze went from one to the other.

"Dominique, thank goodness!" Adeline exclaimed, tears of relief springing in her eyes.

"Wait, you know each other?" asked Hongbin looking from one to the other. Dominique looked at him, anger giving his feet wings as he lurched forward; hobbling towards Hongbin he grabbed his collar. Shaking him he shouted,

"Bastard, what have you done to my sister?" Hongbin looked momentarily surprised before recollecting himself and freed himself from the other man's grasp. There was a moment of struggle as Hongbin tried to get him back onto the bed and at that inopportune moment Adeline leapt up and rushed to aid her brother, shouting for Hongbin to stop.

"Joseph, Hugo, get in here NOW!" Hongbin yelled out wrestling with the two. A rush of footsteps and suddenly Adeline was restrained, held in place by a burly looking male nurse. Hongbin and the second man shoved Dominique onto the bed. "Call Delano and tell him to bring restraints." He ordered the assistant who sped through the door returning only minutes later with a third man holding onto thick leather straps.

A while later both were strapped to their beds, struggling against their bonds. Hongbin wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to the three men awaiting his orders. "Get the boys." He instructed, panting slightly.