December 18th, 2021, Vid-Con Winter Edition, Friday

"Look I don't know Schlatt, I just feel like something really bad is going to happen today."

"Oh, we're going back to YouTuber names now? Well, then QUACKITY we have a huge meet and greet tomorrow. Most of them are going for you, not me! You can't just abandon Vid-Con now!"

"I'm not abandoning VidCon, but if I want to go to the meet and greet then I should rest up. Feeling really nauseous." The phone line went silent for a moment.

"What do you mean by thinking something bad is going to happen anyway?"

"I don't know to tell you the truth. When me and Nicolas were-"

"Nicolas?"

"Cantu, the voice of Gumball?"

"Oh ya, continue."

"Well, I guess I woke up feeling paranoid and it only got worse. When Nicolas and I were signing stuff and taking pictures I started feeling almost dizzy and all my thoughts were just like Alex, something horrible is gonna happen today."

"Dizzy? Alex your probably sick. It's flu season after all. If you'd like I can drive you to your hotel room."

"No no, it is only a 20-minute walk from here."

"20 minutes? You could-"

"Jonathan. I'll call you if I feel worse ok?"

"And when you get back to your hotel room?"

"Ya, that to."

"Ok... I expect a phone call within the next half hour."

"Ya ya, I will."

"aLeXiS dOn'T sAsS mE-" But he already had hung up. Alex was happy that Jonathan was concerned but he was still getting used to the timezone of Mexico to California change and because of that was quite tired. Too tired to really want to talk to the loud Jonathan Schlatt right this second. Though Jonathan was right, he should see if he could come back later that day. It was only just past noon. As he walked down the steps of the convention center, he thought up some stories to tell during the next episode of The Quack House. The Quack House was a podcast consisting of himself, Aksel, Hoover, Jonathan, Wilbur Soot, Nicolas Cantu, and ConnorEatsPants and the next episode was gonna be about VidCon. Down the sidewalks, he moved. Random moments filled his mind; beating Nicolas at Uno, TheOdd1'sOut giving him a tour of VidCon, getting into a fake duel with Technoblade...

A turn down the street made his stomach sink. Picking up his walking pace, he hoped to get back before he might throw up. Putting his hand to his forehead, he didn't feel warm, but maybe it was because of how cold out it was. As he passed between Whole Foods and a dispensary, a shiver fell down his spine. Alex didn't know why exactly he felt it so prominently. It wasn't from the cold, it was from... something uncanny. The feeling was like nothing he had ever felt before. What could've been only milliseconds later, he heard an all too familiar sound.

A gun was loaded behind him.

He rapidly turned around, panic consuming his entire being. But the gun wasn't aimed at him. It was aimed at an alleyway. The three men blocking it off haven't seen him so he decided to protect whoever was on the other side. All Alex could hope for was that he was on the right side of things. Grabbing the arm of the guy with the gun, he twisted it back and could almost hear the muscles pull and snap, only letting go when the gun dropped to the ground and the arm itself was practically deemed useless and broken. A scream filled the alley and Alex let him drop the ground. He finally got a view of who he had saved. He appeared homeless, that's all he could get from a one-second glance, but why these people were trying to kill him was beyond Alex. He extended his hand out to him and doubt glazed his glare. But as soon as the other two men left their shock and prepared to attack both of them, he grabbed it and pulled himself up before giving chase.

They kept a decent pace away from their attackers and Alex kept a lookout for a cab or a bus they could use to get out of there quickly. Weaving in and out the streets and sidewalks, they slowly lost sight of the other two and he found a taxi dropping someone off. When they made it over and hopped in. The driver was rightfully accused as the exhausted pair finally got a moment to relax.

"Who even..." But Alex didn't let her finish.

"Just drive, make a trail, not even the police can follow, I'll give you the address to my hotel room when I'm certain they're gone." The taxi driver turned around, looking quite annoyed at the two's sudden intrusion. 

"And why the fuck should I do that?"

"Because someone wants us dead." She sighed and locked the doors.

The car started up and Alex got a moment to examine who he saved. His blue eyes were faded of life and fear kept him backed up against the taxi wall. His tattered clothes did nothing to protect his withering frame. Bone outlines could be seen against his skin and he gave him a sympathetic look.

"You can come closer, I won't hurt you."

"I... I know that Alex. It's just instinct." For a split second, he questioned how he knew his name but remembered he was a YouTuber.

"Oh, are you a fan?"

"No, just an old acquaintance." Looking him up and down in an attempt to ring any bells, KSI's name rang in his head. But why him? This clearly isn't KSI...

"Give me another minute KSI's gonna challenge me to a boxing match."

"Can you sing us a song about how KSI is obsessed with eating ass?"

"KSI, I wanted to bang two birds with one stone! ...That's not how the metaphor works."

"The only thing that has made me laugh so far is KSI!"

Oh, that's why.

"Jimmy, is this where you've been?"

"Some of the time." Alex took a moment to think about what he just confirmed. He has been homeless for the better part of the year. God knows how much pain and suffering had become the seems connecting from then and now. "Can I get out now, I think we're far enough away from them."

"Horrible idea, we need to know they are completely out of the city, hell out of the state would be better. Now come on, actually, put your seat- ...um Jimmy do you realize how cold you are?" 

"I'm actually burning up... not really cold at all..."

"Nooooo, you are freezing to the touch, how long have you been in the cold weather like this?"

"Hard to say really, but some kids poured cold water on me as a prank. I was really cold at first but then I felt numb and then the shivering stopped and I felt really hot. I haven't been able to cool off all afternoon. I tried taking off some layers but it hasn't done shit."

"Coldwater, cold windy weather, feeling warm and numb... " The taxi driver chimed in. "You probably have hypothermia."

"Hypothermia, doesn't that kill people?"

"It can be depending on the severity. If he's been sitting outside for several hours drenched in cold water it probably is at least moderate now. If you'd like you can take his temperature, I have one of those new iPhone 13's that has a built-in thermometer."  

"Oh ya, that'd be nice." She turned it on and Alex gave it to Jimmy to use.

"Look I don't really see why I need to be doing this..." His hand started to shake and the phone dropped down but Alex caught it and put it back to his forehead.

"You can't even hold the phone and I know muscle weakness is part of hypothermia. It might feel like you aren't cold but your skin is like ice!" The phone beeped and he checked what the end temperature was. Alex's eyes widened. "82.4... 82 point fucking 4! The average internal temperature is like 97 or something."

"So?"

"So! We need to like get you to a hospital-"

"NO! No, no, no, no... no hospital. I can't afford those kinds of those bills."

"82.4 is edging severe. If he passes out, take him to the hospital." The taxi driver responded, taking the phone back.

"Alright then Jimmy, just stay awake for me." He nodded lightly. Alex gave him the address and about 10 minutes later they pulled into the valet. Slowing down the car, the driver gave him a bit more advice.

"Until he has a more stable temperature, don't let him shower. He's gonna need the layers, especially in a hotel. If the room is cold, turn on the shower anyway and have him sit on some blankets in there with the steam for as long as he can handle. Maybe bring some warm food. Not burning hot liquids though."

"How do you know so much about hypothermia treatment?"

"Grew up in Alaska. That place is literally an icebox."

"Well, thanks for being understanding with this whole thing."

"Sure, hope you don't get killed!"

"...All we CAN do is hope." Getting out he went to Jimmy's side.

"Think you can walk?"

"Of course I can fucking walk..." The second he finished that, he already stumbled down but Alex pulled him back upright. Jimmy let all of his weight fall onto him. Making a dash through the cold, Alex wrapped his jacket around him. "I don't-"

"Yes, yes you do. Just focus on staying awake right now ok?" 

"M'kay..." The hotel door snapped shut behind them...

~~~

(I had to do so much research for this my god. I wanted the hypothermia to be as accurate as possible. Also a question, should I do the next chapter in Alex or Jimmy's POV. It's going to follow the events that happen immediately after this chapter. Leave a comment with who you think is best for this. Cya guys in the next one :D)

Original Publication Date: January 21st, 2020