As Kenzi wrapped Joey's arm you could tell by his expression the wound was starting to really hurt, though he tried his best to hide it the loss of blood was also making it hard for him to focus and stay awake. 

"Get us to Detroit, we can find a hospital there and then the club will keep you safe until we're there we're vulnerable."

Joey leaned his head on Kenzi's shoulder as she drove something comforting and safe about her proximity and touch as he fought to stay conscious to not make the poor girl worry anymore than she already was. It was a battle he was definitely losing, luckily the scenery was starting to look a little more familiar and he knew they couldn't be too far from the city at this point.

"Are you okay? They didn't touch you again did they?"

"No, they didn't. I'm fine, don't worry about me."

Doing her best to sound calm and keep a brave face, Kenzi drove on a fast as she dared until she finally recognized where she was. From that point, it was barely ten minutes before she pulled up to the door of Central City Hospital. She helped Joey out of the truck and through the doors. 

"Somebody, we need help!" 

A nurse and an orderly sprang up to help. Kenzi barely had time to kiss him before they whisked him away from her. She stood in place for a few moments, fighting off tears that could have been relief or fear. At least he was going to be properly cared for now. Remembering her brave face, she turned and walked to the waiting room where there was a courtesy phone and picked it up, dialing the number for the clubhouse. 

Alucard walked back into the clubhouse, he looked around surprised that he was the only one in.   He shrugged the oddity of it off as he walked himself over to the bar, and poured himself a glass of wine as he waited for Giovanni to come back.  Yawning as he rubbed his temples, the ringing of the club phone jerked him out of his own train of thought.  It rang a few times before he remembered that he was the only one in the clubhouse at the present time. 

"Outlaws Motorcycle Club"  Alucard said, as he looked around for a pencil and paper.  He was expecting to need to take down a message, not to hear the voice of a strange woman who sounded to him the verge of losing it.  He had heard all he needed to hear with "Joey's in Central City Hospital," he assured the woman on the other end he would be there as soon as possible.   Alucard couldn't even remember if he properly hung up the phone before he jumped into his Delage D4 Coach.

After he arrived at the hospital he walked into the building then up to the main desk.  Alucard gave the nurse as charming a smile as he could muster, "Hello sweetheart, I'm here for information about @Giovanni_Ferrari."

The nurse looked at the tall, dark-haired man in front of her. "I am sorry sir, but I am only able to give out information right now to family and no offense sir, but you don't look or sound like you're related."

Alucard gave the blonde nurse, a laugh as his firey amber eyes sparkled. "Yeah, Joey and I get that all the time. Putting us side by side you'd never believe we were brothers. Joey was always the good one, I always had a bit of a temper ma and pops thought sending me to an overseas boarding school could turn me into a proper gentleman."  He could tell by the puzzled look on the nurses face that she wasn't sure whether she bought his lie or not. "If you don't want to risk getting into trouble, could you at least point in the direction of the waiting room with the woman who called me in?"

He walked following the nurse, thanking her before she left. His head cocked slightly to the side and walked up to the lone person sitting by herself in the corner of the waiting room.  He walked quietly up to the woman and knelt before her before quietly speaking, "Excuse me miss, are you the one who called me about Joey?"

Kenzi had been sitting on a chair in the corner of the waiting room, knees drawn up under her chin as she gazed out the window. Deep in thought, she hadn't seen or heard anyone approach, so she gave a bit of a start when the man's voice came to her. She straightened up and nodded. 

"I...yes. I'm Kenzi. I'm Joey's fr- um- girlfriend."

Not sure where to begin, Kenzi stumbled over her words as the adrenaline from the days events was yet to wear off. 

"We'd just gone to the circus, and then some guys started trying to beat Joey up. I tried to help, but they knocked him out and dragged us to a truck. Then there was a barn where they left us for a night. Joey managed to kill them and we got away  but their boss caught up to us. Ahh shit...his name was...Zoletti...I think. He and Joey got into a gun fight. Joey wanted me to run for the truck. I didn't want to leave him, but I went. By the time I got back, Joey had killed the guy, but took a shot in his shoulder."

She looked more directly at the man in front of her, now wondering if the club would be upset with her for not being able to help more. She choked back tears. 

​​​​​​"He was bleeding so much. I tried to make it stop, or slow at leas. I really tried."

With a warm smile and a soft laugh, Alucard said, "So you're the reason the boss sneaks off, to be fair though I would too if I had a girl as pretty as you to go see."  He paused for a moment, and said as a playful afterthought, "I suppose it's not sneaking when you're the boss, just do as ya please."  

He had hoped to make @Kenzi smile at least, Alucard could tell she was very worried.  Though seeing a tear in her eye he took the handkerchief from his suit pocket and dried her eye, placing the red scarf in her hand. "I don't want you to worry yourself, you did the right thing bringing him here. I trust when you say you've done everything you could, I only need to look in your eyes to know that is the truth. This is important though, are you sure Joey killed Zoletti?" His eyes flickered with a tinge of anger at the mention of the name, and he thought to himself, "if she isn't sure he's dead, I'll go make damn sure of it myself."

He had said all this then remembered he never properly introduced himself to her. "Oh, and my name is Alucard, miss Kenzi.  It's a pleasure to meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances."  I motioned the empty seat next to her, and politely asked if it was okay if he took a seat next to her. 

Gratefully, Kenzi took the offered handkerchief and nodded toward the empty seat. She put her feet down and sat up as she dabbed her misty eyes. The truth of the matter was that she was relieved to have some company. For as many times as she'd visited Detroit, albeit briefly, she'd not formally met any of Joey's friends, family, or gang. As she listened to Alucard speak, she thought to herself that he wasn't exactly what she'd expected from someone in a motorcycle club. It was intriguing, but that thought would have to wait. His question got Kenzi thinking.  Had Joey actually killed Zoletti, or did she just assume so? Everything had happened so fast.

"Come to think of it...I'm not sure. He got away and we sped out of the parking lot of the hotel so fast, I didn't think to ask."

She paused for a few minutes, thinking back over the last 48 hours.

"The guys Zoletti sent...they said that Sal Zoletti was angry at Joey for moving into 'his' territory in Detroit. They didn't seem very smart, and Zoletti himself didn't seem like any of the people I've met. He was very loud and flashy, like he thought he owned everything he touched."

From what remained of her bag, she pulled out a sketch that she'd done on the back of a hospital pamphlet and handed it to Alucard.

"That's Zoletti. I didn't know what else to do while I waited, so I sketched out what I remembered."

Alucard couldn't help but laugh when he heard the woman say that Zoletti's men didn't seem very smart. "Zoletti himself isn't very smart either miss.   You are completely right in thinking that he believes he owns everything he touches, and that includes the men under him.  It's the most foolish thought a man could have."  Alucard's thoughts briefly wandered back to his times as a boy being a slave int he coal mines in Liverpool, which unconsciously gave him a sullen grimace to his expression. 

The man took the pamphlet and admired the sketch, "you've got some talent here Kenzi."  He put the pamphlet into his pocket, "We'll save this for later, if Zoletti is alive or dead, isn't going to change in time it's going to take for us to find out how Joey is doing.  I won't leave you sit here alone in this hospital and worry.  Are you hungry or thirsty, I could get you something if you'd like?" 

Waking up with some IV tubes in him and in a real foul mood Joey called out for one of the doctors around him. "The girl I came in with, where is she?"

The doctor taken aback by the sudden voice replied. "In the waiting room sir only family is allowed here or those small circle you want."

Joey breathed a sigh of relief knowing Kenzi was safe before speaking again. "Bring her here and see if there's anyone with her."

Joey rested his head to the side seeing the tray with the bullet pulled out from his arm and got all angry again thinking what if that bullet had hit Kenzi.................

Just as Kenzi was about to reply, a nurse appeared from the back. 

"Miss? You came with Mr. Ferrari, right? He's awake and asking for you. Please follow me"

The nurse nodded toward Alucard. 

"You may come, as well, sir, if you're with her."

Kenzi felt as if her feet barely touched the ground as she followed the older nurse through the doors. She felt like it had been hours since they took him back. Following the nurse into a room, she saw the operating instruments still in place from having been used, and then Joey. He seemed to be sitting up in defiance of the doctor's recommendation, but that made Kenzi smile. She hurried to his uninjured side and kissed him softly.

"I missed you."

Alucard quietly followed Kenzi and the nurse to Joey's room. He paused in the doorway, and watched for a moment with a slight grin on his face seeing Joey alright, and hearing the relief in Kenzi's voice. He didn't want to intrude on their reunion, so he silently slipped around the door and leaned against the wall for a while.  Pulling the drawing back out of his pocket he studied it for a moment before the voice of the nurse at the front desk startled him out of his thoughts.

"You were so concerned about your brother, but not going in to check on him?"  The nurse questioned with a slight sarcastic tone to the word brother.

The RHM of the Devil's simply grinned at her for a moment before responding. "Oh, I'm just giving the man a few moments alone with his lady. You see, I told you I am a gentleman." He finished with a wink. 

The nurse laughed, and said  with a wave of her hand as she was walking away, "I am sure you are!" 

He leaned out from the wall and just smiled to himself as he watched her walk away. He did wonder if Joey even bothered to have noticed there was anyone behind Kenzi when she came in.  Alucard wasn't sure he would have noticed, though he shrugged as he turned the corner back into the room. 

"Heya boss," He said with a faint nod to Joey as he entered, "you look like shit ya know."

Joey allowed his "Brother" to get his flirt on with the nurse for a while before throwing one of the pens lying around at Alucard's head, before laughing and remarking "Fucking smart ass, and yeh I'm aware I apparently draw bullets like I do beautiful women" nodding at Kenzi with a grin before kissing her. 

He motioned for the doctors to leave them for a bit so they could talk. "On a more serious note this isn't going unpunished Zoletti ain't dead and we are going to fucking fix that Alucard you and me." He looked at Kenzi kissing her cheek, "I'm gonna tell you you should help in this and you're gonna tell me you are knowing you so you're welcome to if you want. I shouldn't be in here for too long though."

Kenzi nodded, sitting beside Joey on the edge of the bed.

"I'll do anything I can, babe. Whatever we do, we'll have to do it fast. I have a feeling Zoletti won't take too long before he makes another move."

Not knowing much about the area, she wasn't sure that she could be helpful in recon work, but then again, no better time to learn. 

​​​​​​"The biggest thing is that we're not caught unawares. You're too high-profile now to be without guards. I couldn't stand to see something like this happen again."

Joey smiled at Kenzi wondering how he got so lucky and kissed her hand.

"You're right he won't take long to make a move but luckily for us he has the IQ of bread so we can use that to our advantage and set a trap, I know Zoletti is someone Alucard here has wanted to put a bullet in for a while. As for the guards we've spoken about this before they cramp my style but I may keep a security group with me when I'm with you and mayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyybe one without if for nothing else your soundness of mind."

"Hey now Joey, don't go insulting bread like that, it's rude." Alucard said in a playful tone and a wink at Kenzi. "Putting a bullet in Zoletti would be incredibly satisfying, and tricking his people and himself to get close won't be difficult at all, Zoletti has no idea about the people under him, who they are or what they look like.  His people rate as high to him as the silverware he uses."

Alucard could see the concerned look, on Kenzi's face but also he could tell the brave face Joey was putting on for her.  Alucard had no concerns or worries, even though he knew his arrogance would be his downfall eventually, he never let it bother him.  "Don't want you to worry now Kenzi, Joey's got his boy Alucard with him.  Not a thing is gonna come to harm to him.  I've been playing bodyguard for a good portion of my life, and not to mention I owe Joey for more than just my own life.   We will make Zoletti pay for what he's done, and if any bullets try to find their way to Joey, I swear they won't find him.  I will keep him safe, I will keep both of you safe."

Kenzi slipped her hand into Joey's and squeezed it, then looked from Joey to Alucard.

"You are so kind, thank you. I'm just glad someone else knows now. It feels like we've been gone forever."

Having finally gotten away and safe, it was hard for Kenzi to even fathom going right back into the viper pit, but she sighed anyway and said with resolve

"I guess now we have to figure out how to find Zoletti and...you know...kill him or something."

Alucard's interest peaked as a Cheshire grin spread across his lips, "Kill him or something?"  he questioned slightly extending the word 'something' as he spoke.  "What do you have in mind, my dear?" He couldn't help but ask with playful curiosity. 

"Whatever we do with him, getting close to him won't be hard.  I've been planning something against Zoletti for a while now, fucking bastard is just a yank version of Tate." Alucard said, disgust coming across his face at remembering the man, Mr. Tate, who bought Alucard as a slave to work the coal mines when he was just boy. "I have paid a member of the FBN to track Zoletti and his men, and he has a heist planned very soon where the majority of his crew will be out.  This will be our best chance since Zoletti is a lazy ass who sees most jobs as being beneath him."

Alucard took a moment to glance at both Joey and Kenzi who both gave him a nod of understanding.  "Alright, getting onto the grounds will be easy enough.  They always leave a newbie on gate duty."  The Devil's RHM noticed a look of 'seriously' slide across Kenzi's face which caused Alucard to just blurt out a laugh. "Yeah, Joey did say Zoletti was dumber than bread." After a moment to compose himself, he continued... "Now I have a uniform suit, and I can convince the guy on gate duty to go home, maybe give me his pants, and I can let you all through the gate, no problems.  You will let me drive the car, truck, van, whatever you will arrive in.  I can cause a brief hysteria by telling the guys at the front door that there is no one at the front gate and I was able to just drive in without any problems.  THIS will get us all easly into the building."

Alucard took a deep breath, "Now, I don't know the layout, or where Zoletti holes himself up at.  Which is a potentially huge problem.  Also, I maybe able to snag more "uniforms" if you all want one.  They're nothing more than just suit with a logo embroidered on the pocket. What do you think?"