"My fans probably think I've fucking died or something."

Seán broke the silence as the four walked to the magic store Dragon's Gate where Schneep was hopefully being kept at, Chase shooting the Irishman a confused look.

"Whatcha mean?" Chase prompted, Seán letting out a long quiet sigh.

"I'm a YouTube gamer, I make videos of me playing games, or sometimes I do other shit, then I post it on YouTube. I haven't posted anything ever since I got put in the hospital seven months ago." Seán explained.

"I posted on your channel, you told me how to and everything! Doc and made one too." Chase replied, Seán frowning in confusion.

I made one too! JJ chimed in with his writing.

"I don't remember that." Seán admitted.

"You were pretty high on pain medication at the time." Chase chuckled, Seán rolling his eyes.

"I wanna make a thingy!" Robbie gasped excitedly, Chase smirking as he ruffled his purple hair.

"Maybe ya will one day." Chase assured Robbie, his eyes shining with a parental pride intertwined with sorrow.

JJ nudged Seán as they reached the magic store, the Irishman reading the board.

What do we do about Schneep? He's clearly very hurt already, but none of us know how to heal him.

"I know bits and pieces about fixing up people, we can take him to the hospital." Chase spoke up with a shrug.

"I'll lead the way. Watch my back, Marvin's unpredictable." Seán directed, cautiously cracking the door open and looking inside.

The inside of the shop was pitch black, a muffled screaming audible from the back of the store.

"Schneep!" Seán shouted, darting inside with fists raised in case Marvin showed up while Chase, Robbie, and JJ followed. 

The lights flashed on as Seán entered, allowing Seán to see Schneep with a gag in his mouth duct taped to the far back wall with balloons around him.

"Doc..." Chase trailed off as he looked at the injured German, quickly moving to rescue him.

His lab coat was missing to reveal the large gash in his side that was steadily bleeding to create a pool of blood underneath him, a large bump developing on his forehead.

Schneep noticed Chase and shook his head as the male reached for the tape to peel it off, his eyes wide in fear.

"Ah ah ah, I wouldn't touch him."

Seán whirled around to see Marvin standing behind them with a grin, Chase's hand hovering inches from the duct tape.

"No more bad man." Robbie whimpered, holding behind Seán with a soft whine.

"If you remove the tape, I'll set off an explosive that will blow up this building and destroy everything within a five mile radius." Marvin stated casually, holding up a remote.

"What the hell is with the balloons?! What kind of sick game are you playing?!" Chase demanded furiously, sticking his pistol in Marvin's face.

"Why Chase, it's a shooting game. In the balloons is the order of wires to cut to disable the bomb. If anyone interrupts, the bomb goes off. You only have a minute, so I'd hurry up." Marvin advised.

"Red one first." Marvin directed, pointing at the balloon by Schneep's right arm.

Chase took a deep breath to steady his hands as he returned his focus to Schneep, aiming at the balloon and pulling the trigger.

The balloon popped to drop a piece of paper on the ground, Seán quickly grabbing the paper and reading it.

"Red wire." Seán muttered under his breath, JJ tossing him a pair of wire cutters that he had created as Seán searched for the bomb.

"Oh this'll blow the roof off of this place!" Marvin laughed, Seán taking the hint and climbing up to the rooftop despite his fear of heights.

"Green next." Marvin continued, pointing at the balloon by the wound in Schneep's side.

JJ watched Robbie to make sure that he wouldn't intervene as Seán left, Chase focused on the game.

"I hate this." Seán growled as he scanned the rooftop, finding the bomb lying on the roof beeping steadily with seven multicolored wires connected to it.

"Got it." Chase nodded as he shot the target, Schneep tensing as pieces of the balloon hit the wound.

JJ brought the paper over to Seán as he returned with the bomb, forty five seconds left on the time.

"Blue." Marvin yawned in a bored tone, the balloon placed between Schneep's legs.

Chase hesitated for a second before firing, the bullet grazing the inside of Schneep's thigh and embedding into the wall behind him.

"I'm so sorry Doc!" Chase apologized with a choked sob as he readied himself for another shot, Schneep's scream muffled by the gag.

Chase breathed out as he pulled the trigger, his shot thankfully finding its mark.

Robbie scampered over and took the paper and brought it to Seán with a proud smile, Seán cutting the blue wire.

"Orange balloon, thirty seconds left." Marvin announced, Chase's hands trembling slightly as he aimed at the balloon next to Schneep's chest under his armpit.

"Just breathe, you got this." Seán soothed Chase, JJ nodding in agreement as Robbie briefly hugged Chase.

Chase looked into Schneep's eyes before focusing on the target and firing, his shot missing Schneep and the balloon.

"Fifteen seconds and two balloons left." Marvin spoke up, clasping his hands behind his back.

Chase swallowed hard as he fought to keep his composure, taking another shot at the balloon.

The bullet whizzed past the balloon and hit Schneep in the shoulder, the German screwing his eyes shut with a whimper as blood flowed down his shirt.

"Ten," Marvin stated with an amused expression.

"I'm sorry I-I can't do this I can't he-help I-"

"Chase!" Seán barked in a commanding tone, snapping the male out of his panicked rambling.

"Nine,"

Chase shook his head as tried once more, hitting the target before moving to the last balloon placed inches over Schneep's head.

"Eight,"

Seán cut the black wire and waited with bated breath for Chase to get the last balloon, JJ seeming just as anxious.

"Seven,"

Chase lowered his gun and closed his eyes, taking a shaky breath as a tear slid down his cheek before dripping onto the floor.

"Six,"

"Why are you doing this?!" Chase screamed tearfully as he glared at Marvin, his jaw trembling.

"Five," Marvin continued.

"Four,"

"Doc, do you trust me?" Chase asked Schneep quietly.

"Three,"

The German nodded weakly as he closed his eyes, Chase aiming at the balloon with a cold gaze in his eyes.

"Two,"

His finger hovered over the trigger as he held his breath before he fired.

"One,"

The bullet hit the balloon above Schneep and released the final paper, Seán grabbing the paper and cutting the corresponding wire.

Seán stares at the clock as the red timer blinked with zero seconds left, his heart pounding in his ears.

Marvin frowned as he abruptly disappeared, allowing Seán to rush over to Schneep while JJ ran over to Chase, the male falling to his knees with a sigh of relief.

"You're alright Doc, we're gonna get ya fixed up." Seán assured Schneep, tearing the tape down.

"I got ya." Seán grunted as he caught Schneep, carefully lowering him to the ground and holding his head in his lap while Chase, Robbie, and JJ joined them.

"Thank...you." Schneep murmured weakly, his arm wrapped around the wound in his side.

"You can thank me by staying alive." Chase countered, helping Schneep to his feet and allowing the German to sling an arm around him.

"We'll get ya to the hospital." Seán promised, Schneep slinging his other arm around him so he could walk and put less pressure on his wounds.

The morning sun shone down on them as they made their way to the hospital, people leaving their homes to see the four walking down the sidewalk.