Family Crisis

[Dorian]

Dorian was finishing up the last bits of paperwork on Volodin. Dead by unknown assailant. Autopsy showed he was dead before the fire, but they couldn't get exact cause of death. The building had once been part of the mob family he worked for and likely they were the cause of his death. Taking out a threat. However the bomb itself left many questions. The signature was wrong for the Moscovian crime family and it left more questions than answers. Case officially closed in terms of the monster squad.

Dorian doubted anyone would look into it further since he was a known mobster and had attacked a fellow cop. Case closed.

There was very little cover up work needed and for that Dorian was grateful, Martin had at least been conscientious of the fact. Though he heard rumblings from those lower than Martin that he wasn't happy about something. Martin was never happy unless he actually got the kill. He grumbled a lot when someone else took out his mark. Those who worked with him knew better than to try. Dorian was sure his knew team would either learn it too, or they would soon be walking their own paths.

A small chirp from his wallet alerted Dorian to an incoming call. He fished his wallet from the rear pants pocket of his slacks and saw it was from Cruz. He answered quickly, "I'm on my way home, what's up?"


A voice chattered over the electronic line. At first he couldn't understand but he heard Cruz barely audible on the other side. "Dad. I need you to come get me."

"Cruz, where are you?"
Dorian could hear the distress in his own voice. Something was wrong with his son, and that was never a good thing.

Cruz barely got out, "University."

Dorian sighed and pulled out the tracking software he had placed on his son's phone when he was a teenager. He hadn't used it in forever, Cruz was a grown man. But he'd find him. "I'm coming. I'll be there soon.


[[ Feel free to jump in. I do have a plan but I won't post till next week so if you might jump in PM me and let me know so I don't move on. ]]

[Dorian]

Dorian followed the blinking dot on his wallet to Cruz's location. He was in the Moscow University's library. The building was huge. Thankfully the signal would lead Dorian straight to Cruz's exact location.

Once inside the library the smell of books was the first thing Dorian noticed. It wasn't unpleasant and it reminded him of his short time at the University himself. That was eon's ago before the Atharim and before he knew anything about the world that went bump in the night. Everything was simpler then and it wasn't. He still rebelled against his father. He still fought to maintain his self image.

Dorian walked up several flights of stairs trying to pinpoint exactly where Cruz might be. Altitude was still not the greatest recording in GPS technology even for an Atharim issued device. They were better than commercial, yet still a generation or two behind what he could probably get through the Police Department, but he didn't want to have too many phones. It was hard enough keeping his thinking straight now.

Dorian found a location where Cruz was supposed to be but there was no one there. Dorian didn't see his wallet either. Altitude was wrong. Dorian headed for one of stair wells and had to decide up or down was his best bet. He stood in the stairwell hoping no one would run upon him trying to make the best educated guess on the technology in his hand. He really did dislike technology. But it beat leaving his son in whatever state he was in.

[Dorian]

Dorian decided up was probably likely, he followed the signal and found his son curled up in a ball leaning between two book cases. He was pale. Dorian hurried to his son and the moment he touched him he pulled his hand back. "You are burning up."


Cruz was barely conscious. Dorian reached underneath his arms and helped his son stand up. There was an overwhelming rush of worry and anxiety running through Dorian's body. Why was Cruz so sick?

Cruz could barely put one foot in front of the other as Dorian helped him move towards the elevator. Going down stairs would likely cause a problem. Then the worst possible thought dawned on Dorian. Every sick child he'd seen had been near Cruz's age with fever and shakes from the sickness. Dorian almost lost his grip on his son with the thoughts. He had to focus on walking and supporting his son. The elevator would be quicker and easier, but it was the stairs that were the safest. Cruz couldn't be seen. The CCD quarantined anyone with the sickness, and if you had the sickness you were immediately on the Atharim's radar. Which meant Cruz was in danger. He, himself, was now in danger if the Atharim found out.

Shit! First he finds out he's working with a reborn god, and then he finds another with in the Atharim's own ranks - now his son is one? If he survives. Dorian sighed. He was going to have to figure out what to do one way or the other. But he was not about to let Cruz die. He had to figure out how to save his son.