Page 92 of Vapor

“What’s going on with Vapor?” Ice asks, his silver-blue eyes searching mine for answers.

“Th-they took him back for surgery,” I stammer, feeling the tears brimming in my eyes once more.“I don’t know anything else yet.”

As if a dam has broken, I dissolve into sobs, completely overwhelmed by fear and grief. To my surprise, Ice pulls me into a comforting embrace, his strong arms providing a much-needed anchor. Bones, Fang, Diablo, and Tank gather around me as well, offering their support.

“Is there anything you need?” Fang asks earnestly.“Anything we can do?”

I shake my head, touched by their loyalty and concern.“No, but I’m so glad you’re all here with me.”

Ice gives me a reassuring squeeze before letting me go.“We wouldn’t be anywhere else, Blue. If you need anything at all, just say the word, and we’ll make it happen.”

The weight of the brotherhood surrounding me is comforting, like a warm blanket on a cold night. I glance around at the concerned faces of Vapor’s family—my family—and realize I’ve never felt this level of connection before.

“You really love him, don’t you?” I say softly to Bones, who nods solemnly.

“He’s our brother,” he replies, his voice low and steady.“Not by blood, but some bonds are stronger than that.” His eyes meet mine, conveying a depth of understanding that needs no words.

“I get it,” I murmur, my heart swelling with gratitude.“I feel the same way about him. Well, not the brother part.” I chuckle, unable to help it.

“Everything’s going to be okay,” Bones says.“Vape’s too stubborn to let something like a knife wound kill him. Nah. He’d want to go out in a blaze of glory. Nothing less than a gunfight would do.”

“He’s strong, but there was so much blood.”

“I know. But we can’t give up hope.”

“Never,” I agree.

Time stretches out before us like an endless highway, each minute passing like a mile marker on our shared journey. Diablo grows increasingly agitated, pacing back and forth like a caged tiger.

“Enough!” he finally snaps, storming over to the nurses’station.“We need an update on Vapor!”

“Sir, as soon as I have any information, I’ll let you know,” the nurse replies, her tone firm but polite.

“Go talk to the surgeon right now!” Diablo demands, his impatience boiling over.

“Sir, if you don’t calm down, I will have security remove you from the premises,” the nurse warns, her eyes narrowing.

I step in, placing a hand on Diablo’s arm.

“We need you here,” I say quietly, giving him a meaningful look. Turning to the nurse, I plead silently, my gaze begging her for any shred of hope. She sighs, relenting under the pressure.

“Fine, I’ll go check on the surgeon,” she concedes, moving toward the double doors marked“No Admittance.” Just as she reaches for the handle, the doors swing open, revealing a surgeon covered in blood.

“Vapor is stable but in critical condition,” she begins, her voice tired but steady.“We found the artery that was cut. He’s lucky he didn’t bleed to death. He required several blood transfusions.”

“Take my blood,” Fang interjects, stepping forward.“I’m a match for Vapor.”

“Thank you,” the surgeon replies,“but we’ve already performed the necessary transfusions. We’re always looking for more donors though.” She retrieves a pamphlet from the nurses’station and hands it to Fang.“Here’s information on how to donate.”

“Can I see him?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

“You can visit him in a couple more hours. Right now, we need to make sure his condition remains stable.”

My heart sinks, but at least he’s in good hands. I’ve got the support of my new family, which makes the delay a little less painful, so for now, I’ll have to be patient.

I sit in the waiting room, my eyes closed but my mind racing. The steady hum of fluorescent lights above is barely noticeable over the pounding of my own heart. I’m terrified and exhausted, but sleep is impossible.

“Hey, Blue,” a deep voice breaks the silence as someone takes a seat beside me. The smell of French fries wafts through the air, assaulting my senses and making my stomach rumble involuntarily. Opening my eyes, I find Tank sitting next to me, offering a greasy bag filled with a cheeseburger and fries.“You should eat something,” he urges gently.

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