All That Remains

Hell0NHighWater · May 3, 2016

Gospel's eyes remained glued to the plant a little longer, a deep frown carving it's way onto her features. She was no stranger to revenge, vengeance, or whatever the hell it was that was flying through his mind right now. But as he made his way to the opposite coner she couldn't help but feel unsettled. If someone could obliterate an entire safe zone, suspiciously for someone to find, what would they do to that someone's friends or family? There were a lot of things that Gospel didn't understand and one of them was that particular day in a nutshell.

Her eyes tracked the hefty weaponry and lingered on a couple of cans of food. It felt like it had been forever since they had eaten something and her stomach rumbled in agreement, but every time her eyes flickered shut she saw that pile of smoldering remains and those half burnt hands clenched together as they bubbled and pussed from the heat of the dying flames. As soon as she thought of that safe zone, her appetite deminished rather quickly.

Gospel followed him out towards the front of the pub, worming her hands into her pant pockets. Her left hand produced a quarter from her pocket, spinning it on the bar top as she took a seat. The metal twirled, mesmerizing her as it spun on and on; seemingly endless.

"I'm not actually feeling that hungry..."

Another rumble of protest emitted from her stomach caused her features to scrunch up in dismay. She hoped he hadn't heard her body's insistence, attempting to play it cool by focusing on the coin and not on Neil. "I'm too bothered to eat." She offered quietly, pressing her cheek against the bar top as she analyzed that dancing coin.

SnowStorm42 · Jun 5, 2016

Neil looked at Gospel. He couldn't help but feel responsible. If he hadn't brought her back to the safe zone...she wouldn't have witnessed that. But then again maybe it was better that she was here. She was what kept him going as of right now. He looked at his ingredients. He had some ramen noodles, some corn and some rice. It would have to do. He flicked the stove on and filled some water from water bottles into a kettle. The lights flickered a bit as the stove boiled the water. The backup generator was probably running on fumes. Neil really didn't use this safe house often and as a result didn't keep gasoline here. This was a safe house he avoided because it reminded him of those days..

As the water boiled he thought to the safe zone. He thought about when they had taken him in. Some of the scouts had come across him. He was bloody and wounded from a recent encounter with a bandit group. Stab wound in the stomach, neck cut a bit, bullet hole in his shoulder. He should have died. The scouts were also going to leave him there. Funny how it always rained when Neil was on death's bed, and it also rained when Neil cheated death. Always. But one girl who had been with the scouts, Emily, a beautiful redhead, refused to go any further unless they took him back to the safe zone. She was his first friend at the safe zone, and he even had a little crush..but the wedding ring had kept him in check. Gospel was the one woman to break his silly belief.

The moment he recovered he offered to go hunting for the safe zone. He brought back a deer and a half for them which was more food than they had seen in a while. He continued to help around, fixing things, building things, securing perimeters with spotlights and guns. He turned into an honorary scout. The Safe Zone's militia made him second in command. He never rested. They had all saved him when he was ready to die. He was here today thanks to them.

The water started to scream at him to snap out of it. He turned off the stove and put the kettle on the counter and got two bowls and two forks. Dumping everything into the bowls he put one in front of Gospel and the other next to it as he made his way around to her. He sat next to her. "It's the best I can do without some kind of meat. I'm a good chef but all I have is canned goods" he said. He looked at his food.

His stomach growled but it joined Gospel in protest as the images flashed back into his mind. He sighed and sat in silence staring at the bowl now. "Remember when I had just taken you up as a trainee..and one of my first missions for you was to prank Hooper?" he started, a smile appearing on his face. He chuckled a bit already remembering what happened next. "You took all the toilet paper out of the bathrooms before he went in..and he was stuck in there for hours not being able to wipe his ass?" Neil finished cracking up now. He took a bite of his ramen noodles after mixing them a bit. Thoughts of the good old times with her made him able to eat again. It put a genuine smile on his face. They had some good times together..some..really good times he thought, as he recalled the offices, and then the Angels safehouse..He looked at her, then her lips and smiled again before taking another mouth full of ramen, his mind no longer wondering where the killers of the Safe Zone were.

Hell0NHighWater · Jun 6, 2016

Her fingers skidded across a groove in the bar top, tracing the outlines of the marred surface over and over and over again. She couldn't help but be reminded of all that death; all of the destruction that has passed her way since that first night. It was barely a memory now, some vivid dream that would show up here and there. Of a news anchor informing the public to remain in their homes and the feverish way her father had burst into the hotel room to gather his bags before leaving again. The thought of his rapid departure and Grace's terrified wails forced her hands to stop moving. They trembled sightly as they hovered over the surface of the counter, her eyes cast downwards in a dazed state. Gospel hadn't seen anything like that safe zone since the start of this new world and the reminder of that wasn't all too pleasant. Still, she didn't know those people -couldn't have known those people- so what right did she have to dwell on it so vigorously? Her life was an upsetting place and she was more than sure it wasn't all cherry blossoms and cupcakes for Neil either. But, this game they seemed to find themselves in the middle of was more troubling than normal. Especially when they didn't know exactly who their opponent was.

Footsteps lured her from the depths of her mind, causing those blue eyes of her to snap upwards at the approaching figure. A bowl was set in front of her faster than she could process what he was holding. The smell of instant noodles and a hint of something she couldn't quite put her finger on wafted upwards. It smelled good at least. She'd give him that. Gospel's head turned slightly towards Neil as he took his seat beside her, staring down at his own bowl of food. His mild boasting brought a flicker of a smile to her face, suddenly feeling the need to push herself to eat because it was something he made. "At least it's better than I could do. I'm a terrible cook." She offered quietly, sending him a small smile before poking at the steaming noodles before her. Her stomach still protested, the nausea remained as a consistent reminder that she still wasn't able to completely get that stench out of her mind.

An eyebrow arched, her head shifting once again towards the man beside her. Neil's sudden conversation topic made her face contort into blatant confusion as if she were struggling to upturn the memory that he was so fondly recalling. Her eyebrows furrowed, tucking a few stands of her hair behind her ear absently. His laughter crescendoed in the space around them and Gospel found heat crawling into her cheeks to taint them pink the longer she watched him. In those few moments she had forgotten what she had been so distressed over, the ending recount of his tiny tale brought a large smile to her face as well. A spark of a memory suddenly remembered came back to her, a couple chuckles of her own escaped her as she leaned her elbow on the bar top. Twisting her body a bit more so that she was facing him.

"You know I never really did understand the purpose of that mission. Besides, of course, the obvious shits and giggles." Gospel grinned smugly too caught up with the entertaining piece of past history to really give much of a damn to how she had been sulking earlier. She watched as he took a few bites out of his ramen, leaning forward a bit with that smug smile still attached to her face. "But you couldn't have been that bored right?" Her smile didn't falter as she watched him with interest, distracted by her wandering gaze that started to follow the scar along the curve of his nose before somehow ending up at his lips. Gospel fought to suppress another bout of blushing, forcing her gaze back up to his eyes.

SnowStorm42 · Jun 6, 2016

Neil was finding it way easier to eat the ramen now. He started chowing down all while passing glances at Gospel. She really was beautiful. He smiled as she said the food was probably better than anything she could do. He took pride in what he could do with what little remained in the apocalypse. His mother had started to teach him how to cook when he was only ten. It was basic stuff back then but as time went on he was making gourmet dishes you'd see on Hell's Kitchen. It took a load off his mother's shoulders in terms of house work. It was also something he enjoyed doing, he couldn't deny that. Neil looked at the ramen. It could've used some mild garlic sauce. And salt. Nonetheless it was better than nothing. He was starving.

He looked back at Gospel, grinning as she recounted that mission. What had been the point of it? Neil thought for a moment before full on laughing. "Hooper had taken the last of the Reese's Puffs cereal...So I used that mission as an excuse to get back at him I think" he said laughing at how stupid that mission was. Hooper was a tough guy but him and Neil always got in each other's faces for fun. You could tell there was a hint of friendship in there just because they hadn't killed each other for any of the pranks or shenanigans. Neil remembered bright as day when he was reaching for the box of cereal in the mess hall...and Hooper grabbed it quickly and walked away eating it straight from the box. Neil had just stared. He thought of how he could get revenge immediately. And he immediately thought of the newbie.. Gospel.

Maybe it was to build a sense of humor in her. Maybe he was actually that bored. Whatever the reason he was glad for it. It gave them a reason to laugh now. He looked at his bowl to find that he had finished it. A hint of disappointment filled him realizing he was done. He had more but he didn't feel like making it. He looked back at Gospel and took in every feature. Her blue hair, her blue eyes, her soft skin. Her lips found themselves in his eyes again. He quickly found the recent memories flooding. His face turned a little pink. He thought about how amazing it was that life was so small to throw her back into his life, when he needed her most. He turned to her on impulse now, put his hand gently on her cheek to turn her face and to bring his lips to hers.

It lasted only a few seconds but it felt like ages and even after he stopped his body was flooded with the remaining feelings of butterflies and sparks. "One of these days we are gonna find a safe place, a nice big house. And we're just gonna stay there. Not a fear in the world" he said. He wasn't sounding realistic but how perfect would it be, to find a place, maybe a farm house in the middle of nowhere, and just live there, no contact with other people, the dead, bandits. Just the two of them and a safe home. His thoughts were far from those he lost now. He realized he had to focus on the living. On himself..on her.

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The G.R.I.P. soldiers were frightened. Not because they were approaching the massive gates and walls of the coyotes. They were small fries, and death by their hands seemed more appealing. They were frightened because ever since Pawnee came into view Ashley hadn't stopped grinning. She was thrilled beyond belief. She wanted to see the leadership. See what pathetic sap was in charge, that she was taking advantage of, get a tour perhaps of the city of killers and rapists who would be dead because of the war in just a week. It was so much for her to take in.

The truck stopped at the front gate. She almost couldn't contain herself. She was entering a city of pathetic ants, as well as lesser forms of herself. Some of these men, and some women even, were merciless killers who enjoyed the rush as much as she did. The rest were just bugs she wanted to step on. Her mind then transitioned back to the leader. She wondered if he was handsome. It had been a while since she had the pleasure of a handsome man's leisure. The red head was promising but seemed like too much of a dickbag.

"Have them open the gates. Make it clear who we are and that no is not an answer if you must" She said to the soldiers who sat at the front. They got out. She brushed her hand through her hair, hormones and excitement flying all through her. She was also getting to get a bit of history on her prey, Hardwhick, and the stories she might hear..she was exhilarated.

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Elsewhere Chris was standing on the roof of the Angels apartment, sober now. His thoughts were scattered. He hoped that Gospel was ok, but part of him was certain that the blonde would take care of her. He would torture him to no end if he didn't. He put a cigarette in his mouth, took a lighter out, and after a few attempts lit the flame that sparked the smoke of death into his body. He took a puff and leaned on the railing of the roof looking in the distant mountains. War was ahead of them. This whole region would be ripped off it's hinges. No matter who won, things were going to change.

Hell0NHighWater · Jun 6, 2016

A knowing smile curved the corners of her mouth, letting out a small hum at his explanation. She could imagine the look on his face, even now when he had changed so much Gospel could picture the expression he would have made almost perfectly. She leaned away a bit, finding it easier to eat now that her mind had been taken off all of that death and despair. It had been a while since she hadn't just eaten something that consisted of kraft mac 'n cheese or some canned food that she could just eat right out of the container. Even before the whole zombie thing she had been a lousy cook, burning everything that came in the radius of a stove. At least Neil knew how to cook, rather well, she decided as she finished the remnants of the ramen in her bowl.

"Well at least I was good for something other than following you around all the time, Oh great mentor." Sarcasm coated the words like honey, her eyes dragging themselves back to his face. Gospel found herself wondering when she had first gotten herself into this position. She had only been a kid back then, some random teenager too unlucky to die with the rest of the population and Neil had been..scary. Mysterious and harsh with some deeper level of pain that he tried more than anything to hide from the rest of the world. He had terrified her, the mask had been the first glimpse she had had of Neil when she arrived in Pawnee, and yet there was always something that seemed so different about the tall imposing figure that was Neil. Gospel bit her bottom lip, entranced by both the memory and the present image of the man sitting beside her. If he had never left, if they had traveled a different path, she couldn't help but wonder if he would have ever felt anything for her. Something in Gospel's chest lurched at the thought, a painful tug that quickly forced her to banish all notion of the concept.

She had barely noticed the pink that twinged his cheeks before his hand was rested softly against her cheek, pulling her head lightly in his direction. He leaned towards her in slow motion, Gospel's heart struggling to keep pace as the eons seemed to tick right on by. Her lips parted slightly, breathing in a quick burst of air just as his lips met hers. Gospel's eyes fluttered closed, fumbling with the jittery sensation that pulsed in her bloodstream, kissing him back with the same soft intensity. The moment ended quickly, the short display of affection left her red faced and unable to form much of a coherent sentence. What was this man doing to her? Gospel blinked, eyes widening a fraction in surprise at the words that tumbled from him. A heartbeat of silence passed between them before she was laughing, clutching at her sides as her body shook with uncontrollable laughter. A grin threatened to split her face in half, shaking her head at him in amusement. "By far the most idiotically wonderful thing I've heard you say, Martha Stewart." Gospel giggled, her arm hooking around him in the form of a tight hug. She hadn't realized that she had actually gotten up from the bar stool, but then again it hadn't occurred for her to care. She was unbelievably happy in that second, her head resting on his chest comfortably. Gospel had stopped laughing, her grin slowly fading into a simple heartfelt smile. A tiny splinter of her didn't comprehend why she felt so elated at his ideal future knowing that it was highly unlikely, but she couldn't help but hope. That maybe one day they would be able to live like that with just the two of them. Silent now, she clung to him like he was the only thing anchoring her to that bit of hope for the future.

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Unholy sounds filled the room to the brim, the smell of sex and sweat was the only fragrance he'd ever need. The woman on his lap threw her head back, a shrill sound leaving her throat as she climaxed. A sneering smile curved his lips, mustache brushing against the base of her neck as he lightly bit her. She shuddered against him, a puddle of bones and flesh. Erik was breathing heavily, his russet eyes opening to find another man wavering in the door. The mask effectively hid his expression but it didn't take an expert to know that the other male was more than uncomfortable with the situation he had just walked in on. A snarl formed on his face, leering around the heap of red hair that belonged to the whore that straddled him. "Ever hear of knocking?" He snapped, voice gravelly and raw from the ministrations of the past half hour. The man at the door coughed, shifting his weight uncertain that he should answer. "I...didn't?" The questioning tone made Erik's face grow red in anger, jaw ticking as he thrust the girl off of him her body landing harshly to the floor in a painful burst of noise. "Knock louder next time." He hissed, tugging on his boxers before whipping his hand towards the man in an impatient gesture. "Y-Yeah....uh there's this bitch at the gate. She's got some sort of army or something...uh....Gripe? Group? Something like that?" The man informed, slowly backing towards the door while Erik got dressed. The woman he was just with made a little whine of protest, the words coming out in a jumble of sounds. "Shut up whore, if I wanted you to talk I wouldn't have fucked you." Erik growled, pacing around the pathetic woman instead moving over to the Coyote hovering in his doorway.

"GRIP" Erik stated coldly, narrowing his eyes at the messenger. The guy nodded, blindly reaching for the door knob behind him. "Any news on Wendell's progress? If that pain in the ass...what's his face, is with Gospel I doubt that the shrimp is dead." He bluntly questioned, seeming to have calmed from the intrusion. "Uh...no sir. Wendell hasn't checked in in a few days." He mumbled, watching his boss with panic clear in his eyes. Erik nodded gravely, dismissing him curtly and turning back towards his desk. As if on a second thought Erik stopped, called after the man who instantly froze in his place as well. The messenger turned towards Erik to come face to face with the barrel of a handgun. "Be a champ and knock next time." He replied before pulling the trigger. Setting the gun on his desk, he picked up a radio, glaring at the blood and brains that splattered his wall in distaste. "Send them in and get me someone to clean up this mess in my office." Erik stated curtly, a frown pulling deeply at the corners of his mouth.

SnowStorm42 · Jun 7, 2016

Joy filled the blonde as he watched Gospel devour her food now. He was glad the two of them had put the death behind them for now and were able to focus on the brighter things. Her sarcasm hit him like a bullet though. He grinned. "Hey, I was an amazing mentor, when I wasn't busy yelling at you or beating up others" he said. Memories flashed back to that Neil, the Neil that still lingered deep down within, waiting for a moment's anger to be unleashed like some sort of devil that sat in waiting for a sinner. That Neil had been the very force known as wrath and anger. His mask had been an accurate representation. The one side, calm and plain with a void of black and a single red streak going down that side to represent his calm and non chaotic personality. The other half, represented hate, for the world, and those who let that side of the mask out, the white fangs drawn on, and the more angry appearance of that side's eye socket. He had painted it himself with detail. Back then he would look for a fight. He would purposely try to find a reason to hurt others.

Her laughter cut his thoughts apart into nothingness. He looked at her with a smile as she laughed at his idiotic dream.The Martha Stewart reference made him chuckle but even then he didn't take his eyes off her. He was surprised as she embraced him but without hesitation he held her back. He smiled. He had a reason to live still. He could keep going. Those in the Safe Zone perished but it wasn't for nothing. It was for the realization that he had her, now more than ever. He moved one of his hands to her head and held her closer to his chest, as close as he could. He rested his head on hers, being a bit elevated from the stool and her shorter size.

His mind suddenly thought to the war ahead. They didn't have to take part in it. They could run away and if they never looked back they would never get caught. Their enemies would never catch them. The death would come to an end. Then again, something pulled him to hold his end of the bargain, to help the Irish like he had agreed. He knew they wouldn't be able to hunt him down if he ran, but a part of him..the thought scared him. Perhaps the old Neil, lingered further on the surface than he thought, and that Neil wanted war. He wanted blood. Of the coyotes, of the Irish, and of this Mary figure. Scared by the thought that the old Neil was a part of him and wanted this bloodshed, made Neil hold Gospel even tighter. He kissed the top of her head, no longer smiling. He rested his chin on her head and looked at the door to the pub as they embraced. "We're gonna be alright" he said, almost involuntarily, like his brain was trying to convince him that it was true. He kissed the top of her head again before staring back at the door. It no longer stood empty. A figure stood there looking back through a mask. He knew, it was him. Neil blinked and the figure vanished. But the figure had only vanished for this moment. Part of him knew....feared..he would be back, closer next time.

"We should get some rest" he said with a more chipper tone, a smile on his face once more.

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Black heeled combat boots propelled through the city of murderers. They must have been four inches off the ground if not more. A black mini skirt moved with each step, the lack of a breeze keeping it in place. The sun gave the leather jacket a bit of a glint. Ashley moved through the streets followed by her men, heavily armed. She on the other hand held no weapon. She was the weapon. The masked killers stood and tried to look menacing but she knew underneath many of them were filled with fear. They knew her status, that she could stroll into their city with such a high perception. They knew they had the weapons, the man power, and they knew just from the way she walked with a smile, that she could still wipe them out, and if not her, anyone she was allied with. As their "tour guide" brought them to Erik's place Ashley put up three fingers, a stop motion, and then two fingers pointing ahead. The half dozen that followed her positioned themselves around the doors to make sure no one else entered. Gallows followed her in. The two walked up the stairs of the building. It reeked of booze, blood, and sex. All of her favorite things.

As she approached the door she could see blood stains. Bits of matter. She motioned for Gallows with a huge grin on her face. She liked the boss man already. Gallows stood to the side of the door as the coyote who led them here opened the door for her. As the door opened, two more coyotes were carrying the body of the dead guy out, and a red headed woman walked out after them. She definitely liked this guy already. She stepped through the blood like it was nothing and walked in looking straight to the desk. She took his features in. He was older than her for sure, the streaks in his hair told her so. He was a handsome man, well built. The mustache was a bit of a turn off but she was here for business before pleasure. Although the two usually went hand in hand. She put on a bit of a smile as her almost reddish eyes met his brown orbs. "You must be Erik. I see the stories about you are true" she said, looking back at the puddle of blood. "Nothing puts more loyalty into someone than fear" she said, holding back a grin.

She wondered what he thought of her. She cared only because he seemed like a man who didn't fear, and she wanted to be feared, even if she wasn't here as his enemy, she wanted him to know he didn't want her as one. She had a twisted mentality on these things. If she wasn't feared, she wasn't doing her part in the world right. She wanted all the power, and anyone who wouldn't let her have it needed to learn. She looked back to him now. "I'm sure you've heard stories of my organization. Who we are, what we do..what I do?" she asked, wanting him to be clear on his situation. She also figured him an intelligent man, so he would piece together some questions for her as well as have some answers. "I need information on a cute little bird that flew across my path...a Neil Hardwhick" she said with a devilish smile, holding back her enthusiasm about whatever knowledge she was about to learn. She walked closer to the desk and put two hands on it leaning forward, enough to expose a bit of cleavage. She didn't blink for a second as she met his eyes.

Hell0NHighWater · Jun 7, 2016

Her head shook slightly, attempting to retort to him being a fantastic mentor only that her body was crushed to him quite literally. Neil's arms encircled her tighter, resting his head on top of hers. It was a comfortable position with the exception of the life slowly being drained out of her. She was too short for the iron like embrace, breathing came with a bit of a struggle. Even so, Gospel was content to stay with him like that forever. To just forget the tarnished places and the looming clouds of war. Her fingers played with the end of his shirt, rubbing the fabric between her pointer and thumb absenty. Gospel closed her eyes for a few seconds, feeling his lips brush the top of her head, relishing in the sensations of safety. She was worried that they wouldn't have another moment like this for a long time. The mere prospect of that made her blood turn to ice and her chest tighten in a series of knots. Letting out a breath, Gospel pulled herself away only able to grant a sliver of space between them. She stood up a bit straighter, looking up at him with s soft expression.

Gospel's eyes searched his for a moment, looping both of her arms lightly around his neck. "We'll be more then alright. We'll be alive." She grinned at him, taking note of how he seemed to be spacing out about something. His aloofness faded, the smile coming back to his face in full force. Gospel studied him for a couple heartbeats, tempted to kiss him again.

Instead she stepped away from him instantly colder than she was seconds before. "Rest does sound nice." She nodded once again, grabbing their bowls and bringing them back into the kitchen. Using the chilled water to wash them, she set them aside on a somewhat dry part of the counter for them to dry. She bit her lip, searching the cabinets for soap. She wasn't expecting much and the lack of dish cleaner didn't seem like such a surprise. Patting her hands dry on her pants, she walked out of the tiny kitchen. Sending Neil a smile, Gospel made her way towards the back room. Suddenly feeling way more tired than she had in a while.

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Erik glanced up from his desk, the clicking of heels catching his attention. The door opened, revealing a woman with black hair and eyes that looked almost red. There was something about her that unsettled him, something that warned him not to make her a unnecessary enemy. He made a open gesture before folding his hands together, his brown eyes fixed on her coldly. "I am indeed Erik, though I would not put any stock into all of the rumors you hear." He replied curtly, watching the woman with a stoic calculation. Erik leaned back in his chair gesturing for the woman to take a seat if she wished. A gesture that seemed to have been ignored as she instead moved to stand in the front of his desk. "I am familiar with the G.R.I.P organization about as much as I am familiar with Santa Claus." Erik regarded her curiously, keeping his eyes on her face instead of leering at any other part of her body. He was more aware of the eggshells he was treading on than to sneak a peek at her cleavage. His jaw clicked and clenched, strumming his fingers lightly across his desk.

"Neil Hardwhick." The name tasted sour in his mouth, a frown deepening on his face. He had known of Neil back before the old boss had been killed, though hadn't ever had the pleasure of making an introduction. His brother, however, had known the man and look where that got him. Six feet under in a maggot infested hole.

"He used to be one of us, as ruthless and merciless as they come. Some sort of pariah to the younger generation..something like that." Erik waved his hand dismissively, considering on what to say to the woman before him. More enemies was not what the Cyotoes needed at the moment. "There's not much else that I personally know about him other than the fact that he betrayed the organization. Fucker left and had his pet stay behind to climb the ranks." At the thought of Gospel his expression turned into one of loathing. His fingers stopped strumming and instead he chose to rest his chin on his closed fist. Quietly turning over the facts. "If you'd like to find him, I'll hand over every single scrap of info that I have." Erik replied, now looking at her with mock boredom.

"The only condition is that you give him and his little girlfriend one hell of a death. It better be bloody and painful. Besides that I don't care how you go about your business." He mused, a dark smile whittling it's way onto his lips.

SnowStorm42 · Jun 7, 2016

He felt a cool breeze slip in as she moved away. He took in her features as she moved for the bowls. His brain was so fixated on her beauty that he didn't realize she took them to the kitchen area and turned on the water. "Hey you don't have to-" he had spoken too late "- do that" he finished with a chuckle. He watched her as she washed the bowls. His face went pink at the thought that she looked like a wife washing dishes. He grinned to himself but quickly hid the amusement. As she finished she sent him a smile and walked toward the back. There it was again. He was just staring, admiring her beauty. Beauty. Funny how a few days ago, ya maybe he thought she was beautiful, but it was only until he decided to give up that wedding ring that he really noticed. No. He was lying to himself. Even back as a coyote he had noticed, it's just that now...he had a connection to her.



He got up from his stool and followed slowly behind, but stopped halfway to the back room. He glanced back at the door one more time. The masked figure was no longer there. A moment's rest. He smiled and walked to the back room closing the door behind them. Looking at the couch he put his hands on his hips. "Guess you're sleeping on the floor" he said with seriousness. He let it sit for a moment before laughing. He moved quickly and moved to the table between the TV and the couch. He moved it carefully not wanting any of the items on the table to fall off. Shifting it to block the door, just in case, he moved back to the couch and pulled a lever before unfolding it into a decently sized bed. He moved to the closet full of canned foods and munitions. Pulling a blanket and some pillows out he threw them at the bed. He turned to the closet and took a look at the ammo. He shut the closet, closing that part of his past for the night. 



He moved to the bed and made it. "I don't know if we're both gonna fit in actuality" he said before pushing her onto the bed and leaping on top of her. Tickling her a bit as he did at the Angels HQ he snickered before giving her a kiss on the cheek and plopping down next to her. "What do you know. We do" He said with a grin kicking his boots off.



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Ashley was intrigued as she watched his eyes. He didn't take the bait. He was truly a smart man after all. Then that was at least true of him. She listened as he stated that he knew as much about her organization as he did about Santa Claus. A soft giggle escaped her. Fucking Santa. A term from the old world. She was going to make sure G.R.I.P. got rid of that one in the books. She digressed from her thoughts though as she listened with intrigue about her prey. Erik's entire demeanor changed to one of...bitterness..disgust at the name. The coyotes really didn't like this Neil fellow then, at least head honchos didn't based on what Erik was saying. A traitor. A pariah. Ruthless..and merciless. She was bathing in a tub full of lavender, silk and her ears were filling with honey. She felt her obsession grow. The reports said the opposite..perhaps he was trying to change? That wouldn't do. That couldn't do. She needed a killer. She was going to hunt him not as some softhearted trader and scavenger. She was going to hunt him as someone as dangerous as her, someone who wasn't afraid to cross the line.



His last few words brought a sick grin to her face. She sat onto the desk, spun over to his side and leaned against the desk on his side now, her arms and her bottom resting on it lightly. She leaned in closer, not even caring where his eyes may linger now. "For you? I'll make sure they experience a pain no human being has ever felt before" she whispered. Smiling she now fully sat on the desk and crossed her legs. Her smile shrank but didn't disappear. "I'll take anything you have on him..but first I have to fulfill a task for G.R.I.P. Diplomatic stuff really. I hate it but..Tell me about yourself. The higher ups want to know more about you..and perhaps I'll..even find some interest myself" She said eyeing him from more close up now. She was at ease now. She had nothing more to prove. He knew her status, he gave her what she wanted, now she just needed to hear his background so she could give something to the suits. She hated these interviews. They were usually meaningless. Most candidates weren't alive later on anyway.

Hell0NHighWater · Jun 7, 2016

Gospel wandered into the living room type area, debating internally how they were going to sleep. Unless the couch pulled out, it was more than likely that one of them would be having a very uncomfortable night. Tugging at the band that held her hair in a ponytail she wrestled it off after a few seconds of struggling, weaving her fingers through the pastel blue locks. She secured the holder around her wrist, turning to look over at Neil as he spoke. His hands rested on his hips firmly, looking at the couch in all seriousness. Gospel's face contorted into a hybrid of amusement and irritation. Not realizing that what he had said was a joke until he started laughing. She rolled her eyes at him crossing her own arms over her chest. "You just came really close to an intense battle of rock paper scissors for that couch." She retorted, strolling over to where she had put her things when they first arrived. Gospel glanced up at the dead plant once more, pausing for a moment just to feel the tiniest bit of sorrow for the deceased shrub before moving her focus back to what she was originally doing. She shrugged off her jacket, throwing it haphazardly on the floor next to her bag. She was in the midst of walking towards the bed that Neil had so graciously laid out, contemplating whether or not to wear her cargo pants to sleep, when a shove propelled her towards the mattress.

"Hey-!" She squeaked, landing on top of the furniture with a gasp. Gospel's eyes widened as he quickly boxed her in in a way that had her cheeks flaring red. His fingers met her sides, poking her in rapid succession. A shrill laugh bubbled up in her throat, thrashing at the contact, trying desperately to shield herself from his reign of terror. Gospel felt his lips on her cheek and it was finally over. Her breathing was heavy as she clutched at the area that had fallen victim to Neil's merciless idea of fun. She glared at him, red faced and gasping slightly for air, the pain in her sides pulsed as if she could still feel that horrible experience. He grinned in her direction, kicking his boots off without a care in the world. Gospel continued to glare and pout a little, vowing to herself that she would get him back for that. Once her own boots where off her feet, she rolled over on top of Neil smushing her weight on top of him and successfully taking up the entire bed. "I hate you...you're a bad person." Gospel mumbled into his chest, still recovering from the relentless onslaught of tickling that she felt as if she had just narrowly survived.

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She moved around his desk, leaning towards him in a provocative manner. Erik's smile deepened at the words that came out of her mouth.

"Good." Was all he responded, leaning back more in his own office chair while she used his desk as her own personal seat. Erik's smile fell, watching her blankly as he internally assessed the situation. She wanted to know more about him, an interesting prospect though he was more than sure it was these so called higher ups that really wanted to know.

"I grew up in a town in Texas with my younger brother. After the whole....dead thing, the two of us came up here. Joined the beginnings of a criminal organization now known as the Coyotes. My brother was killed and the old boss shortly after. And now here I sit." He replied curtly, not knowing exactly how much detail she wanted and not being willing to give it at the same time.

SnowStorm42 · Jun 8, 2016

Neil laughed at the proposition of a intense battle of rock paper scissors. He pictured how heated they would actually get with that. As he laid there with her he found his thoughts lingering to Rachel and how they would be like this sometimes even amidst all the horror. Silly. Thinking about it now he wondered what he was thinking, marrying so young. He was stupid and scared is what he was. He barely knew how to work a gun back then. Images flashed, as her corpse began to move to life after being shot. He shook his head subtly and looked back at Gospel. Maybe it was all for a reason. If he hadn't watched Rachel die, he wouldn't have become a ball of killing rage. The killing rage is what the coyotes saw in him, they took him in, and then he was assigned Gospel. He ran away but now here they were. Almost as if some greater force brought them together. He wasn't the superstitious type but it made sense.

He pouted when she said he was a bad man. "I take offense to that Jess. Why I'm practically a teddy bear" he said making a dopey face as she rolled over onto him. He smiled. He embraced her and held her, not as tight as before, so she could breathe. "Actually I'm incredibly offended" he said tickling her sides once more. He stopped after a bit feeling he had done enough damage. "Although maybe you're right...I can be a very bad man" he said seductively, but the smile on his face was a cheesy one. The subtle innuendo had more cheese than a dairy farm, and that made him crack up. He rapped his arms around her again. "Super bad"

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The raven haired girl nodded as she listened to his tale. A brief one. He probably left some stuff out, but she didn't care, the higher ups would have what they want. She was a little disappointed that the only interesting thing about him was that he was a Texan. Nonetheless she got what the suits wanted. "I see. Interesting" she said. She looked him over one more time. Quite handsome. But her boredom was rising. She needed a drink. "Well, my men and I should be off now" she said softly. She moved her right leg to his inner thigh and brushed it a bit with her boot before standing up. "If you don't mind though I might stop in one of your fine establishments for a drink. Your presence would be nice. A girl can never feel too safe in such a dangerous city" she said invitingly as she moved away from the desk. She wondered. Perhaps she put too much fear in him? Hopefully not. She liked having a companion to drink but if he didn't join her that would be fine, she would probably meat some low life roach. She moved a bit to the door but waited for his response before she'd head out.

Hell0NHighWater · Jun 8, 2016

She scoffed playfully into his chest, looking up at him with flat amusement. "Teddy bear my ass." Gospel took in his dopey look, feeling something in her chest twist. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire and the more she stared up at him the darker her blush seemed to get. His arms folded around her momentarily making her forget that there was anything else in the world but them. Gospel knew that this feeling was dangerous and the more it grew the worse things would end up for the both of them. She would do anything to keep him safe, to place him above her own survival, it was something that would get her killed. Even with this realization, Gospel found herself not giving a damn.

Her lips parted to reply, cobalt orbs gazing up at him with some unknown emotion. Words melted away to laughter, curling and twisting in a futile attempt to get way from Neil's grasp. "S-stop..!" She gasped in between laughter, cursing herself for ever being so ticklish in the first place. He stopped a couple seconds later, his face abruptly seeming closer to her own. At his words her eyes widened floundering for some of her own confidence to combat his seductive tone. Gospel's speechlessness only lasted a few moments though, her usual smirk falling into place. Her head tilted to the side struggling to suppress her own laughter.

"You are such a dork." She mused, resting her cheek against his chest with a small huff. Gospel felt tired as if all those restless nights begged her to succumb to the allure of sleep. It was more than tempting to just pass out and not worry about anything for a while, but even the comforting sound of Neil's heartbeat couldn't keep the nightmares away.

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Erik's gaze fickered back to the woman. Playing this game was tedious. If she wanted him to fuck her so bad all she had to do was say so instead of attempting to string him along so provocatively. These irritations, however, were not smart of him to say alound and he had not forgotten exactly whom it was he was speaking with. He was rather relieved that she was leaving soon, the presence of her and her small army rattled him slightly. Though again, he was not fool enough to show it. Keeping his expression passive, Erik stood in regards to her invitation and gestured towards the door. "Of course. It'd be my pleasure." He provided, strolling after her with a fake smile. Something told him though that this woman didn't need protection from his men and was probably quite the opposite.

SnowStorm42 · Jul 26, 2016

"Ya, but I'm your dork now" he said holding her close. The room grew silent after the laughter, after the tickling. He brushed his hand through her hair and held her head close to his chest. He could feel her breath against him and he knew his heart was right there thumping against her ear. He thought to Rachael. He thought of how they used to lie around like this. Everything felt ok. Then it didn't, and now it did again. Neil felt he was living in a constant cycle. He remembered when his parents would argue sometimes, and other times sit by the fireplace holding each other, talking and drinking wine. Smiling. The cycle of happiness and anguish never changed with the plague. It simply became less apparent. Survival was on Neil's mind more than happiness. Neil remembered though, the times he faced the barrel of the gun, the rope in the corner of one of his safehouses, standing on a ledge for longer than he should. He remembered tears of joy, laughs, roasting smores, and singing around a fire as well though. Moments like this made him realize how fucked the world was, that the little things could no longer be appreciated as much. He had a lot of things to be grateful for despite the dead walking around.

The window no longer emitted sunlight. Clouds covered the sky as rain started pattering against the window behind the 2x4 barrier. Neil stared at the window, a small gap not covered with 2x4, and stared at the rain outside, while holding Gospel close. His mind wandered, and he started to fall asleep. As he fell into his slumber though, his mind wandered back to thoughts of revenge. He thought of the weapons in his closet. He was ready to avenge the safe zone. No matter the casualties he produced. Bodies were gonna hit the floor.

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Ashley watched his face and examined it, the smirk never leaving hers. She could see it in his eyes. His face would spell a nice passive gentleman to others, but she always focused on the eyes. They spoke wonders, and he knew it wasn't his pleasure, in the slightest. Her games were getting on his nerves, but that was exactly what she wanted. She moved out the door. She nodded at Gallows who had not moved from his spot outside the door. He followed the two of them, like a robot, his motions calculated, his head examining every centimeter of every area they crossed. A loyal bodyguard, and efficient killer.

The bar wasn't far. Ashley was surprised at how nice it looked on the outside. The inside though was what she expected. It was grimy, loud with music, people gambling, fighting, drinking, laughing. The majority of women present were strippers or working girls. There were only a few females who were armed. Ashley sat at the bar. Some men stared at her but others knew better and focused to the lesser women. Ashley pitied these women. The weren't strong enough and as a result were the bottom of the food chain. She ordered three shots of vodka. "So Hoss" she said to Erik before taking her three shots immediately. "Where do you see the world in a couple of years?" she asked, her psychotic demeanor seeming to simmer down, as she looked him in the eyes, her bright bright brown eyes looking with curiosity for his answer.

Hell0NHighWater · Aug 2, 2016

Her lips curved slightly, her fingers absently messing with the fabric of his shirt. His chest rose and fell with each breath coupling the steady beat of his heart in a sleep inducing symphony. Neil made her want to forget the anguish, the suffering, the consistent fight for survival that loomed around every corner, and at times like these -where the rain pattered against the battered building in a dulled tempo- she almost did. The smile gradually faded from her lips, her gaze traveling upwards to Neil's face. His eyes where already closed and it wasn't too hard to tell that he had entered into the beginning stages of sleep. Gospel shifted slightly in his arms, careful not to wake him when he had just seemed to find peace enough to sleep. Her teeth tugged at her bottom lip, resting her chin where her cheek had once been. "This wasn't supposed to happen, ya know......" She breathed, looking past him towards the tiny window. Despite the thoughts swirling in her own mind she smiled once more.

"I was going to forget about you. I was going to change the organization, turn the corrupt into something that could be beneficial...eliminate people like Erik from society. It probably wouldn't have worked of course, but I had already set things in motion for that final......well....then you showed up and changed everything." Gospel mumbled, her gaze seeming very far away for a long moment before dragging it back to the present. His arms readjusted and for a second she was scared that she had waken him with her mumbling, but he was far from cognitive conversation. Gospel let out a small puff of air, looking back to his face. Her lips parted, as if to say more but she quickly shook it off. Closing her eyes as well to drift on her own thoughts and the warmth of his arms wrapped around her. It was a while until Gospel had finally drifted off to sleep, the hazy strings of light barely cut through the fog outside and into the room. The rain had subsided, leaving behind the mild chill of spring and the blinding white clouds of fog.

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He fiddled in his pocket for a couple of seconds, pulling out one of those cheap gas station lighters. The lighter fluid swirled in the plastic red case, his thumb swiping at the geared wheel a few times before the flint produced a large enough flame. The milky end of his cancer stick burned, eroding with the heat and allowing him to inhale the narcotic that was wrapped in the delicate paper. Russet orbs drifted to the woman to his right, taking a longer drag than absolutely necessary. Erik rested his elbow on the bar top, his calloused thumb continuing to pester the lighter despite not needing a flame. His other hand reached up, taking the cigarette from between his lips.

"Besides the elation of not having to deal with two particular pains in my ass..." He stated dryly, watching her with an increasing about of interest. He grabbed at a bottle behind the bar, placing the white stick back in his mouth as he smashed the top off the beer bottle. He took a quick chug before continuing off of whatever thought had entered his mind. "And given that my organization is left on top to do as I please....then frankly my dear I don't give a damn about what happens to the rest of this blighted shithole." He mused, sending the woman a crooked grin.

SnowStorm42 · Aug 13, 2016

A white room. He was sitting. He wasn't alone in the room but he couldn't make out who else was there. It was too quiet for his liking and too bright. Was this heaven? No there was a door, the white coloring around him was that of the walls. There was someone in front of him, dressed in black. He felt the figure touch his face before smacking him. The setting changed immediately. A more familiar one. It was a bar, he was shirtless and his tattoos still showed, his scars fresh. He looked up to see Xaner, one of the old bosses. He got up off the ground and tackled Xaner. They fought. This was a recollection. After the fight Xaner offered him the mission that would cause him to leave. It was a simple mission, to find the man who stole from coyotes and kill him. The scene played out again. The coyotes killing the family, waiting for them to turn, talking of their evil deeds once the mother came back from the dead. Neil shooting them and then freeing the girl. But this was a dream, a nightmare. The girl didn't run like she did in reality, instead she pulled out a gun and pointed it at Neil. 'This is your fault, and it will come back to haunt you'. Before Neil could protest the Janitor from the labs burst threw a wall and came at them. Neil closed his eyes knowing it was over. But suddenly it was raining. He was in a car, on the outskirts of Pawnee, close to the mountains. He was holding the wound in his side, his mask in the seat next to him and he was groaning in pain. He opened the car door and fell out. He looked up to see a woman who had the devil's eyes. A grin came onto her face and she pulled out a gun. A gunshot.

Neil woke up with a bit of a jump, but almost as if his brain's subconscious knew, he didn't fling up knowing Gospel was still on his chest. How long had they slept? The rain stopped outside. Only a bit of a mist remained but it was still mildly sunny. Neil eased up and held Gospel's head. The dream was so vague. It was a mix of memories and...events of the future? Random concoctions? Was the woman bloody mary? What was the white room? Neil's head flooded with questions as his heart slowed down. He was calmer now. He moved slowly keeping up Gospel's head and then setting it gently on the pillow as not to wake her, if she wasn't already awake. He walked up to the window and looked out a little sliver in the wooden planks. His eyes widened a bit at the sight of a few grayjacks. Neil thought for a minute. It made sense, they probably had a lair nearby in the abandoned subway system. Grayjacks liked the dark but these guys were probably hungry. One looked in the window's direction. He moved away from the sliver quickly and kept quiet. A few moments passed and nothing happened. Neil let out a sigh of relief as he stared out the sliver at the light from outside. He made his way slowly to the kitchen area, and grabbed the whiskey again. He didn't worry about a glass and took swings straight out of the bottle. He thought about the dream which lead to thinking of the girl. Was she dead? If she wasn't where was she? Was she ok? Did she end up just a slave of the coyotes? His mind then wandered back to Bloody Mary and his safe zone. Rage started to fill him again. He was going to end her. Wherever she was.

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Ashley looked at Erik with a smile. His answer was very promising to her. She ordered another two shots and only had one, sliding the other to him. She thought about him once more. His story, his file, and his appearance. His answer spoke multitudes to her. She decided to go ahead and take a shot at it for the higher ups, and depending on his next response he would either live or die in a week with the war, unless of course he survived. "Erik, what if I told you that those two pains in the asses will definitely not be a problem, and that I can give you something better than this organization?" she started. She wanted to see if the idea hooked him before offering it. She felt she could make a good hard sell, and if she failed it didn't matter. She would have her way with him, leave and regardless the destruction between the coyotes and the angels would kill off both organizations. She was safe in all of this and she would have a nice seat for the show. "Have you ever wanted to be president Erik? Or some sort of big dream about leading something bigger than a small gang?" she asked bringing herself closer to him he leg crossing over the other one, the smile on her face an actually sympathetic and genuine one, rather than crazy as usual.

Hell0NHighWater · Aug 21, 2016

"It's okay to feel alone, lost and empty. For everything that's lonely finds it's company. Everything lost is meant to be found and everything empty eventually gets filled. So see it like this, think about all the terrible times you have lived through, and think about how they, too, have passed. You're a survivor, Jessica and you have to go through hell to find heaven. The same way you must break in order to find yourself whole again." Her lips were curved into a gentle smile, locks of curled amber hair framed her pale face. She stroked the side of the little girl's weeping face cradling her crying form. The ocean breathed in the distance, it's waves moving in and out in rhythmic harmony. Salt scented the air and the wind blew a freshness that only nature could have provided. The bench at the beach was the place her mom used to take her to as a little girl. Back when the only thing she had to worry about was the next time she would have to change schools; before the world became ruin. It was odd, she knew it was a dream and yet she was sucked into the memory. Trying to see her mother's face one more time even though Gospel knew that she never could. It had been so long and her father had made sure to burn whatever pictures there where of her. It seemed to always start off with something her mom had said to her, something that meant very little back then and everything now. Gospel watched as the world twisted, the heat of flames and despair soaking into everything to turn the earth black. The waves no longer crashed and the wind no longer blew life. She felt suffocated, standing now much taller than she had been a moment before as she looked out the window at the streets below. Horns honked, screams filled the air, crimson stained the asphalt below in splotches. "We need to go, Jessie." Another voice, small, scared, and very quiet. "Dad said to stay put...he will come back." She mumbled in response, stumbling away from the window as one of those creatures looked up. She felt the dread creep down her spine and root her to the carpeted floor of the hotel room. "He's not going to come back." The voice said again, a shaking hand grasping hers in desperation. Gospel looked down at the younger girl. Her hair was long, almost black, and those piercing blue grey eyes looked up at her with horror and startling assurance. Grace pulled on her again, gesturing towards the door. "We need to leave, Jessie." She said again more fiercely than before. Gospel was supposed to be the oldest, to be the one protecting the tiny girl at her side. It was never meant to be the other way around and yet it was. Jessica spent her life going against everything her father stood for and yet in that moment she was willing to follow his orders to a T. All because she was too scared to leave that hotel room before he got back. Even when evacuation had been called for hours before. Grace had been the girl scout, but she was so much stronger in that second. Something that Gospel knew deep down that she could never be. Brave.

The room turned grey, the door burst in and it was standing there. Foaming from the mouth, hunger in it's dead eyes, and inhuman noises leaching from it's throat. The infected man launched himself at Gospel, only to get deflected by the tiny girl scout. She saw red and felt the wet substance stain her shirt, leaking down her arms and onto her pants. She was kneeling on the side of the road leading away from the city. Holding her sister as the virus took hold. The gargled noises leaving the girl's mouth seared into her brain. Her tiny blood stained hand reached for Gospel as her eyes clouded over, snapping her teeth at her with the same desire all of the infected shared. She pulled the trigger only because Grace had said to do so before she had lost herself. Jessica watched as her ten year old sister's brains splattered across the dirt and asphalt and knew that if she had only been brave enough this wouldn't have happened. Grace melted away leaving her with the raging noises of Pawnee. A man stood before her hispanic, tall, and slim with the attitude of a ruthless modern day gangster. He was the one who had found her weeks before on the top of a roof running from a horde. She was lucky, but certainly didn't feel like it at the moment. She didn't have Grace so there was nothing to feel lucky about anyway. "Maybe if you weren't so fucking reckless I wouldn't put you with a babysitter, niñita." His accented voice entered her mind but his lips didn't move. His throat was cut, blood gushing from the room and spurting everywhere. His face morphed into a mask showing a duality that scared and yet somehow comforted her. Neil's blonde hair stuck out from behind the mask as he leaned against a brick wall. The noise faded away and he was just watching her, or maybe just looking past her. He turned, walking away as she reached her hand out to stop him. But he was gone and she was left standing in a circle of white surrounded by nothing.

Gospel's eyes snapped open, sucking in a breath of air as the shivers clawed down her body. Pulling herself up, she sat on the empty couch for a long moment. Attempting to remember what exactly had the wetness of tears streaming down her cheeks. She ran her fingers through her long hair, wiping away the salty water and brushing off the horror. It was moments like these that she was reminded why she didn't like to sleep. She always woke up with the worst feelings of dreams that she couldn't remember or nightmares that would haunt her enough to keep her up for the next three days before succumbing to exhaustion. "Neil?" She breathed, standing and stretching as she looked around the little room and had to remind herself that she was in one of his safe houses. She swept her hair up into a ponytail as she moved, walking towards to find something to fend off her gurgling stomach.

"Neil?" She asked again, a bit louder now that she had entered the kitchen seeing him with a bottle in hand. Gospel felt some of the tension ease from her shoulders at the sight of him. His hair was still tousled and he looked as if he had just woken up himself. "Are you okay?"

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His grin faded, replaced by a serious scowl as he accepted the drink she passed him. Erik was having trouble figuring her out. He didn't know what her end game was and suddenly wished his brother where here to deal with this shit. He wasn't one for mind games and he loathed putting on fronts. He was a killer, thief, and occasional rapist. Erik didn't pretend to be any more or any thing less. He just happened to be the baddest bitch in his little group and frankly he was enthused enough with that as is. "And what would that something be exactly?" He asked, his eyes narrowing. His fingers thumped against the counter, studying her with russet eyes. "I don't dream big, I dream realistically. No one fucks with me and if they do I put them in their place. It's how I'm here now, I don't take orders and I don't bow. I'm in charge because I am meant to be. So what are you offering?" He replied, tilting his head to the side with interest.

SnowStorm42 · Oct 18, 2016

The thoughts went deeper and deeper. Interpretation? No. At this point it was pure assumption. Neil couldn't make anything of the dream. The memories were clear cut. The fight with Xaner had been over a bottle of vodka, a friendly one in a sense. As friendly as a fight between coyotes gets. The car in the rain was also self explanatory to him. That is where he had been after barely escaping Pawnee. The woman. Blood Mary? Perhaps it was his subconscious telling him something. This was a woman who slaughtered an entire Safe Zone, guarded by well trained, well equipped survivors. Running away from her wasn't an option unless he wanted to meet death. He would have to face her. The white room however was still a blur to him. He didn't understand what it could mean, but he felt a touch before being hit. Who was the figure in the room? Where was the room? And the mission. Had he just been remembering it? Guilt was probably why the girl had the gun. The janitor was also probably a recollection that found it's way in. That creature..to think that man created such a monster. However, men themselves were monsters. Neil looked at his own hands before downing some more whiskey.

Neil was so lost in thought he hadn't heard Gospel calling, and didn't notice her until she asked if he was ok. It startled him a bit, but the sight of her brought a soft smile to his face. "Ya. Just had a bit of a bad dream. I'm alright though" he said taking another fast swing from the bottle before capping it. He got up and pulled a chair for her before sitting back in his own. "If you're hungry there is still some more chicken noodle soup and canned goods I can whip up into something" he asked smiling. Something about the fact that he had woken up from a nightmare to a dream come true eased him. He was glad he threw those feelings of attachment away at the church. He had always found Gospel attractive but the thought of acting on it or her making him happy in this way never crossed him. He hadn't gotten over her. Now his mind was free to experience these feelings, of caring, of lust, of romance, for someone new.

Despite the happy thought and his smile in the back of his mind the question lingered: How long did they have? They had enemies, and allies that expected them. There was a war approaching, the dead lurked outside, and a psychotic woman was out and about killing people. The only question at hand was time. There was one place that Neil imagined could be safe but...he would never go there. Too much history. Besides he'd have to head south. They'd have to cross a lot of enemy territory before getting there and then the treacherous conditions of The Projects could get to them. Too many variables. They were better off dying in this old pub but...even here grayjacks lurked outside. How long could they survive?

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Ashley was starting to feel the buzz of the shots. She tapped the bar for the bartender to bring another two shots as she listened to his answer, reading him with every word. He seemed to fit the criteria. She downed her shot and slid the other one to him. "I can't give to much information, but times are gonna change soon. This country will be back on it's feet but it's going to need a leader that can take charge, keep command, and get his or her hands dirty" she said. She didn't want to disclose too much information. The war needed to happen and she couldn't have him swaying his mind about that. The death of the gangs was a necessity for G.R.I.P. but they also needed someone who could work on the surface while they pulled strings from the shadows. She herself wasn't all that well informed but she knew a thing here and there in order to help make this sell. She had no idea about the bureaucratic tactics behind rebuilding the nation, but she knew her goal in it was the physical rebuilding, and it started with eliminating the gangs that could pose a threat, and eliminating all witnessed, including an attractive blonde and his hot little sidekick. Or maybe it was the other way around? She chose to go back to focusing on Erik instead.

"I know the war is in a week or so, and I don't want to take you away in such an important time, but if the idea of ruling this country even slightly interests you, I could take you to the people that call the shots..they can give you the full run down. I mean there's only so much I can do" she said changing her tone to a flirtatious one at the end. She was definitely buzzed now. Buzzed was good, she was capable of controlling herself if she needed to take executive action, but...her crazy was coming back out..and her horny. She glanced around the bar once more while waiting for the head honcho's response.

Hell0NHighWater · Nov 8, 2016

Her bare feet felt frozen against the cracked ceramic, making the tiniest of sounds as she crossed the threshold between them. It probably wasn't smart to be walking around without any kind of shoe on, but the usual caution just wasn't there that morning. She swung her fatigued body into the chair that Neil had pulled out for her. The palm of her left hand made a feeble attempt to rub the sleep away, a low hum leaving her in response. Glacier blue eyes focused on the man beside her, frozen irises darting from the bottle of amber liquor to the way his lips stretched in an easy smile. Something itched at her, begging her to pry into what had caused him to start drinking this early in the morning, but that sounded like a conversation Gospel really didn't feel like starting. She swung a chilled foot under her thigh, readjusting herself on the wooden seat.

"Breakfast of Champions." She teased dryly, the corners of her mouth ticking upward into a smile. The scene was so domesticated it almost made her sick -a good kind of sick that had her gagging on the butterflies wreaking havoc in her stomach.

As the seconds ticked, her mind rebooted to full functioning power. The lagging delay that sleep caused was almost completely gone and with its departure brought the new worries of the day. Gospel wasn't going to fool herself into thinking that they could hide out in this rundown pub forever. Eventually they were going to need more food, clean water, and some refuge where the after effects of the War couldn't reach them. All of the fighting was going to attract hordes of dead and poachers. This entire area wasn't going to be all that livable once the dust settled.

Gospel worried her bottom lip absently, swinging her free foot back and forth like a pendulum.

"What should we do now?"

It took her a second to realize that she had vocalized one of her thoughts. Gospel's head tilted to the side as she watched Neil move around the kitchen in some sort of botched master chef moment. For half a heartbeat she wished that she had never brought that question up. It was so much easier to just run away from the problems chasing them. But running never solved anything and it was just going to prolong the inevitable.

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His adams apple bobbed with the passage of his last shot. Her words floated around in his brain, unearthing questions that he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answers to. This woman -strange as she was- offered him the world in exchange for what? He wasn't exactly sure and that worried him slightly. But the idea of being that powerful was too exhilarating to pass up. Opportunities to rule the world didn't just happen everyday. Erik leaned against the bar, staring at his drinking partner for a minutes before his lips parted in answer. "Cariña, you have my interest." His lips pulled into a sly smile, gesturing down the bar for another round of shots.

"I'm sure you can do much more than what you give yourself credit for." Erik mused, not pretending to be oblivious to the flirtatious change in her voice.

SnowStorm42 · Jan 9, 2017

Neil worked in the kitchen. Despite all the years, cooking was an automatic process that required no thought, especially a simplistic dish of chicken noodle soup with veggies and healthier spices mixed in. This fact alone allowed his mind to wander. Neil and Jess needed a plan. Confirming with himself, he knew they couldn't run. It was simply too large of a journey to escape, just the two of them. They would need supplies and a group. A group. A light bulb clicked for a moment. Neil had always traveled alone, more because he didn't want to lose people, however a group would ensure safety in travel. It would be difficult to find people who would be willing for the journey, but if a group could be mustered up they could easily travel South and avoid all contact with the war, let alone the aftermath. The pub would even make a good home base if the surrounding buildings were fortified defensively and cleared. He finished cooking the soup and found two bowls, pouring the contents of the pot into the bowls and placing one in front of Gospel and another on the other side of the table she sat at. He went back to the kitchen, found two cleanish spoons and returned to the table placing one spoon for her.

"Bon appetit"

He chowed down a bit before returning to thought. Gospel suddenly asked what they would do now. Ironically that's what he was considering. He didn't answer at first. He wanted to paint the whole picture before presenting it. A moment or two passed. "There's another Safe Zone. Safe Zone Alpha. We can go there, trade a few items, and perhaps ask questions regarding the attack on Bravo, news from other regions, and I was thinking..." he paused. He thought for a moment. "Maybe we can find people willing to travel south with us. It's a stretch but i know of a place that may be entirely safe, and if not entirely almost damn near perfect". Neil had hesitated because he feared the question. He feared she would ask what this safe place was. He could explain vaguely, but he knew it would raise questions which would only lead to one answer. His brother. He never talked about his brother to anyone since before the outbreak. There was history there he didn't want to talk about. The two had never gotten along, but maybe now, after all this time... Now, more than ever, it was time to make amends. If anyone was safe it was his brother, and if they couldn't make amends at least Neil could find safety for Gospel and whoever else decided to join them. It was a long shot but it was a good chance at safety.

"It's a dangerous trip obviously but if we make it there before winter, we'd be set. It's an old military base. I know a survivor or two who had told me about it" he said, only half lying. A survivor had mentioned that the base was still operational, run by survivors, but of course he was leaving out the part that his brother was most likely the one running the settlement. It was only a guess but if he knew his brother, he was alive and running that base. Neil continued to chow down on his soup, not having realized how starving he was. "What do you say?"

--------------------------------------------------------

Ashley smiled at his response. It was thrilling to know that this dangerous man was interested in this once in a lifetime proposition. All things considered, this was history in the making. Something that had not been done before in modern times. The rebuilding of a country from absolute scratch. She grinned as the shots came to them. She took this one more slowly, knowing she was buzzed, and it could only go downhill from here. "I mean there are certainly more that I am capable of, but perhaps after a few more rounds" she said seductively. For the moment she had to press to the matter. There were few regulations that applied to her because of her position in G.R.I.P. but one of them was that assignments be executed within a deadline. G.R.I.P. was big on timing. Ashley was allowed to do almost whatever she pleased with no repercussions as long as it met with deadlines and didn't trace back to G.R.I.P.

"Erik. President of the New United States. The details are with the higher ups, we could leave tonight even to speak to some of them, but I personally think that it's an opportunity you can't miss out on. You have charisma.." she said, slowing at the word charisma and standing from her seat now, and getting closer. "Strength" she said putting a hand on his bicep. She proceeded to lean in and whisper in his ear "Courage" she whispered softly. She pulled back a bit. "The board truly believes in your capabilities. And I think it'd be a shame if this war somehow took that opportunity away" she said.

The alcohol was hitting her a bit more now. She was convinced she had piqued his interests but now she was having trouble prioritizing enlistment and taking him somewhere quiet and taking him entirely. She could restrain herself, but one more shot or trigger, there was a good chance she was going to pounce him. It was bad enough she was a predator without alcohol, but intoxication simply led to a new beast entirely. "Certain opportunities simply...come and go..." she said with a bit of a double meaning, looking into his eyes now.

Hell0NHighWater · Jan 17, 2017

A hummed thanks came from her, grasping at the warm bowl as he slid it towards her. Steam swirled, lifting from the heated contents of the bowl to mix with the lightly chilled air. It smelled divine; despite how old the can of soup had been it brought back the residual comforts of a home long forgotten. Graciously accepting the spoon she dipped the tarnished silver into the liquid, stirring it lightly before bringing that first bite to her lips. The temperature was almost perfect, not hot enough for her to burn herself but not cold enough to leave her with that disappointed feeling. Crisp blue eyes followed Neil as he moved around the table to his chosen seat across from her. No matter how long she stared at him Gospel could never quite figure out the way his thoughts shifted. It bothered her slightly that he wasn't as easy to read as she was at times, but she had never been good at decoding sleight expressions in the first place. Her lips arched into a smile, finishing another spoonful of soup.

"Not that I doubted your cooking skill, but it's surprisingly good; Thank you."

Gospel commented before the conversation between them died. They ate in retaliative silence for a couple moments entrenched in their own thoughts. It was his deep voice that startled her out of contemplation. Her spoon stilled in her left hand, an eyebrow raised in silent questioning. She knew about the other Safe Zone, it had been in Erik's sights for months but the Coyote had never been able to find a weakness in the guard shifts. At least that's what he had told her. Who knew what that man had going on under the table. Her eyes narrowed slightly as he continued, quietly placing her spoon to the side as not to interrupt his stream of vocalized thoughts. This was unbelievable. A group? He wanted to travel across uncharted areas of the city with a group of people and who knows how many undead between them? But it wasn't the group part that had her eyes narrowing into tiny slits. There were always rumors of a haven located among the ruins. Some fantastic fairy tale place that this blight had yet to touch. There wasn't a soul in the world who wished for such place. Jessica might have held faith in such a promised sanctum once upon a time. The nightmares of Woodsrow were a testimony to how that had worked out. Gospel kept her gaze steady, his confidence- although assuring- did not lessen the suspicion behind her cobalt eyes.

"I'm not opposed to trading. And information is always good, but are you positive you want to take on more people?"

She wanted to make sure he understood the implications of traveling with a couple of other survivors they barely knew. Friendships could be formed, rivalries, deaths, he'll she didn't know what awaited them but Gospel wanted to be dammed sure that they were prepared to live with the social burdens. Her fingers strummed lightly across the table top, tilting her head in absent question. She was quiet for a few seconds, his words rolling around in her brain. What was the point of trying to run from the chaos on their doorstep? Hadn't he made a promise to the Irish? Wasn't Chris counting on them to help once shut hit the fan? Plus there was the attack on Bravo. She wasn't sure if it was the right course of action to head south at this point in time. But she hardly had any other bright ideas and it was better than wasting away in this dump. Her head pulsed with the beginnings of a headache, a breathy sigh leaving her lips as she raked her fingers through tangled blue hair. Gospel's eyes darted towards one of the boarded up windows, studying the vague streams of light that cut through the dusty interior. Spring was bleeding into summer, if it wasn't summer already, which only gave them a handful of months to play some find and seek. This was such a mess. Did she even want to know how he got this information? No. Probably not. Her dry gaze cut to him sharply, now neglecting the rest of her soup based off of a loss of appetite. Gospel stood, her chair making a scraping sound as it was pushed backwards. Mutely she grabbed their plates, giving him one last long look before moving to the kitchen to clean up. The thinking was only prompting her headache, yet she couldn't help it. He was being sketchy about this middle of nowhere military base and it bothered her greatly.

"What do I say?"

Gospel grumbled, jerking the knob on the sink so that spurts of cold water trickled out. She rinsed out the dishware, concentrating on the menial task before she walked back out. Crossing her arms over her chest, she hovered in the space between where Neil sat and the kitchen entrance. "I say this is insane; possibly a complete waste of our time and resources. Not to mention how unbelievable this source of yours sounds." Gospel paused, waving a hand in exasperated dismissal. Her expression soured, irritated with how useless it was denying that the adventure of his proposal wasn't enticing. A quick huff left her removing her irked gaze from him to focus on some other random object. "But if going on a wild goose chase is what you want to do after Alpha then fine. I'll tag along but only because I have partial interest in your survival." Gospel muttered, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

________________________________________________________

He stared at the amber liquid as it sloshed about in the miniature glass. Who knew such a small amount could leave him with such a pleasant buzz in the base of his skull? His mouth curled in snide satisfaction, raising a bushy brow at her flirty declaration. "Oh I don't doubt it Chica." He mused, the undercurrent of seduction laced his tone and actions. Erik was a powerful man, used to getting what he wanted, and admired a woman such as Ashley who knew how to twist those in order to get what she wanted. The two made a beautiful psychotic pair. It was almost nauseating. With the flick of his wrist, the whiskey went down smooth only numbing his throat further to the pleasure burn. He hummed, listening to her purr out the title. It sent a new wave of smugness and excitement. His hunger for the power she dangled in front of him was no longer surpressed and the eagerness was openly displayed on his face. He couldn't help but think that maybe what she offered wasn't such a bad idea after all. A country after his own vision, ruled in anyway he saw fit. He would be a king.

Ashley's movement caused his russet eyes to focus on her. Erik shifted in his seat a but, angling his body towards her a bit more. Her touch sent a jolt through his system that had his gaze darkening and jaw clenching in an attempt to hold himself back. Erik let his eyes wander down her body, wavering on her beasts before moving back up to her face. She was much closer than she had been moments before. A low sound rumbled from his chest, an arm snaking out to violently pull her closer so that she was standing between his open legs. His thumb and forefinger gripped her chin snugly, forcing her gaze to lock with his smoldering amber.

"I tend to take any opportunity in my favor." His accented voice came out harshly, the other hand that had tugged her to him slipped further down to rest on her ass. His fingers instinctively kneeded the mound of flesh, grinning wolfishly. Erik's lips hovered over hers provocatively, his alcohol tainted breath fanning her face. "I believe we can make an appointment in the morning, Si?" He murmured, eyes heavy with lust. It was difficult for Erik to think about anything other than bending her over the bar and taking her for all his men to see. He inhaled sharply, almost growling at the need.

SnowStorm42 · Feb 13, 2017

Neil watched Jess after he finished saying what he needed to say. He was trying to read her like he had read so many before. Often times though she had been a hard read for him and this time was no different. If anything was clear it was the possible feeling of frustration. Frustration due to the lack of knowing. He wasn't going to lie to himself he didn't know either. He didn't know what laid ahead for them, by themselves, with a group, for others, or for the world. So he couldn't blame her frustration. Anger didn't seem to be present although he wouldn't blame her if it was. Neil had to take a moment internally and step back from the idea. As she took his empty bowl -which he hadn't realized he had even devoured- he closed his eyes.

Darkness.

He was in a dark bubble and he stepped back into a white space. Inside the bubble the possibilities mapped out before him. It was true, to a degree, that he maybe suggested taking people along with them in order to cope with the fact that everyone he cared for and defended in the apocalypse was annihilated. Though Jess still remained that was still a lot of people that perished. Taking that into account he weighed personal choice versus rational choice. The bubble turned into a pro's and con's list. More people meant more mouths to feed, more people to protect, and building of trust. However more people also meant more numbers to fight with, and more skills, such as medicine as well as strength and engineering, IF they had the right people. The list dispersed and the image of a fortress presented itself to him. This base could be the last hope for them...but taking that into perspective. The fortress walls crumbled as Gospel's voice echoed in his mind. He listened all the while this happened. The walls crumbled into dust. What if they got there and it was abandoned? Raided? Worst yet destroyed.

He opened his eyes as she finished. "You could say no Jess" he said looking at her with a smile. "You could say no, and this goose chase ends after we get supplies" he continued as he stood up. He started walking toward her. "But if there is even the possibility of a peaceful place where all of this blows over, I'd like to find that place, and stay there, even if for a while, so that we could finally breathe for a minute or two instead of constantly moving...but" he stopped. He was now but a foot or two away from her. He put his hand on her cheek briefly before crossing his arms with a smile. "...if you say no...then that's the end of it. I only go where you would follow. As long as you are by my side I'm fine with any decision we make..even if it's participating in this blasted war" he concluded.

That was the truth of the matter. He had found someone he trusted and cared for deeply, and as long as he had her his only duty was that they stay alive. Sure, sanctuary sounded wonderful, and a group never hurt, as it was important to remember how to socialize and keep sanity, but as long as he had Jess he couldn't lose another person he loved. Not again.

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Ashley grinned as she saw Erik take down the whiskey and his demeanor change. A soft moan however slipped out when he pulled her in close. It was so abrupt and sudden. She couldn't lie it made her a little more aroused than before. His voice now resembled the tone of an animal that lusted for food. His breath reeked of alcohol which wasn't a turn off for her at all. And his hand. Ashley let out a soft purr of satisfaction. She knit her hand into his hair and pulled on it with some force before leaning in to his ear. "Perhaps we can conclude this meeting back in your room" she whispered before letting her tongue explore the exterior of his ear, from bottom to top, and back to her earlobe. She pulled back and taking his hand, without waiting for a response, guided him to stand. She knew the higher ups wanted an immediate result but she was sure they could wait, because Ashley certainly couldn't wait a minute longer. She wanted the leader of the coyotes and she wanted him now. However an audience could invite the unappealing worms of the organization.

She looked around the bar once more. A waitress caught her eye. The waitress moved her brown hair out of her face as she leaned over to serve a couple of coyotes their drinks. Her skimpy clothing revealed her beautifully tender legs and breasts. "And see if you could have her come by after round 1, Mr. President" Ashley said with a grin, hoping he would comply. She was feeling more excessive than usual and it excited her.

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"I still don't think this is a good idea Chris"

"It's alright Keith. I've thought this over. Have Stokes deliver the message to Jimmy-o"

Not another word was exchanged as Keith moved away nodding. Chris sat at the empty bar of the Angels headquarters. Everyone was asleep, passed out, having their way with a woman, or working on their bikes. Light flooded the headquarters. A new day. Chris picked up the glass of whiskey in front of him. Code of honor. It didn't exist now. He faintly saw the outline of himself in the brown liquid. Immediately he chugged the glass until it was empty. He let out a soft groan, the flames cleansing his insides, and swaying his ways. The war wasn't due for another few days. Maybe more. Originally he was to be a gentleman about it...but he didn't want Gospel involved after all. So he would round up the Irish and whatever allies they mustered up. He would round up the tank. "By the end of tomorrow...they won't know what hit them" he said to himself, pouring another glass. "They won't have a clue"

Hell0NHighWater · Feb 20, 2017

An expression that rivaled spoiled milk fixed itself onto her face, meeting the green of his gaze once more. Arms crossed themselves over her chest, keeping her chin up as he stalked his way over to where she stood. His smile prompted her lips to curl into a forced frown as if steeling herself against becoming swayed by his pretty face. Every fiber of her being screamed at her that this wasn't a good idea; moving while the turmoil around them reached a boiling point was not smart. Jessica worried her bottom lip as she averted her gaze, finding the jagged crack in the wooden door frame to be more interesting to focus on. His voice made her heart pound, the honeyed baritone soothing the light pounding at her temples. She really didn't want to go. Not out of any lack for adventure, she just wasn't sure she could handle seeing Neil so disappointed if what they sought wasn't all it was cracked out to be. Gospel, the woman Jessica had made herself become, was far more pessimistic and all the sugared words in the world wouldn't make her forget what the promises of 'havens' did to people. But if it made him happy...

She closed her eyes briefly, taking a long inhale through her nose and exhaling through her mouth. If she said no, they'd have supplies for the summer and could possibly stretch it until winter. Sooner or later, they would run out and winter was the hardest time to scavenge. It was also the most dangerous with the shortened days and depending on how cold it got hordes of undead found themselves occupying more buildings than baring the outside elements. The 'smarter' ones did at least, there were always some Z's who'd freeze against cars or lay prone under the snow. A shiver rolled down her spine at the thought. Her now open eyes wandered the area quickly, taking in everything from the cracks in the walls to the gaps between the boards on the windows. There would be little to no insulation here, the cold would slither in and a fire would be too dangerous without properly venting the smoke. They'd be dead in a month or two after winter hit. Not the most pleasant of thoughts, but she cared too much about survival -mainly his- to not risk the journey.

The warmth of contact flared across her cheek, eyes shooting to him as the gesture pulled her from her mental reasoning. She focused on his face, studying that scar that ran across the bridge of his nose before her eyes darted to his lips and then back up. He pulled his hand away before she could lean into his palm, but the touch had softened the scowl that marred her features. "The last thing I want is to participate in any sort of war." She grumbled, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. The fighting between the Coyotes, Angels, and Irish made her extremely uncomfortable. A part of her worried for Chris, knowing that if she wasn't out there fighting with them he could easily wind up sticking that big fat head of his somewhere it didn't belong. Like in the path of someone's stray bullet. Gospel forced herself not to think about that. Made herself step a little closer to Neil just to ease the worry.

She tucked a stray strand of bleached blue hair behind her ear, waiting a heartbeat for him to finish his proclamation about how he would follow wherever she went. He kind of reminded her of a puppy when he said things like that. An adorably cute German Shepard that would have no qualms about killing anything that intended to harm. Her lips curled into a smile, an amused light danced in her gaze as she looked up at him. Gospel couldn't un-see the image though perhaps dog Neil was a bit less cute when ripping his foes to shreds. "Guess we better start loading everything into the car then." She took a step to move around him but paused, trying to hold back the giggles erupting in her subconscious. "No more than an extra three people. No associations with any gangs, we have enough drama." Gospel's round-about way of saying yes caused a slight sigh to escape her lips as she moved back into the sleeping area they had shared the night before. It was early enough that if they left now they could make it to Alpha before it got too dark.

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A shiver caressed every vertebra along his spinal cord. The sensation of her tongue dragging it's way across the shell of his ear had him squirming in a subconscious attempt to relieve the pressure in the front of his pants. A low laugh rumbled from him as he stood, keeping her body pressed against his as they moved. "Te voy a tener en la espalda pidiendo mi polla." He hissed, lips attaching to the junction of where her neck met her shoulder. Erik nipped at the flesh harshly, only stopping to allow his gaze to drift to the woman Ashley had pointed out. She was just another piece of cattle that roamed the floors of the lower levels. Though this one was fresher looking than some of the others he didn't know if she had a name or not. Some of these whores had been here so long that they only replied to the vulgar words that were hurled in the throngs of passion night after night. He inhaled sharply, standing a bit straighter to raise his brows in interest. The assertive way she said that was a small reminder that Ashley wasn't one of his doped up toys. It was exhilarating to see such a fire in her, if not a bit unnerving. But the warnings had stopped reaching his brain for a while now. All he wanted was to have her as many ways as he could. Erik steered her towards the exit, back up to the top floors of the old office building where his bedroom was; the CEO's office remolded into a room for an apocalyptic king. His grin deepened, "I'll be sure to have her sent up."

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Thump. Squish. Thump. Squish. Thump-

Crimson glittered in the early morning rays, splattering against the plains of renewed green grass. The heavy onyx boot slammed into the pulverized skull again and again. Rage fueled the overkill, the limp body of the man under the boot twitched with each impact. Pieces of brain flew wildly, some landing on the assailants cheek though the man hardly seemed to care much about the gore. Someone behind him emptied their guts into the parie. The boot slowed at the sound, as if drawn back to reality. Bloodied fingers gripped at the short rust hair, average features scowling at the deceased. With a final kick to the body followed by the sounds of crunching ribs he turned, stalking back to where a tiny team of three stood a yard behind him. Wendell left the body of a Angel Biker, clenching and unclenching his fists. Pissed that the man had died too quickly. He had orders to scout the last known Angel's outpost, to probe their defenses for any weaknesses. So far, it had been a waste of time and far below his pay grade. HE should be out finding Gospel and ending her pathetic life. Not running around doing some low life's job. But that would all change soon. His mouth curved into a smile, brown eyes staring off into space as he thought of the moment Erik turned his back on the battle field only to find his .45 pointed at his face. How glorious his expression will be! The phantom satisfaction rolled in his chest, revealing mildly rotting teeth as he grinned at no one in particular. Wendell would bring the Coyotes back to their old greatness, where they could once again rape, kill, and raid wherever they saw fit. He would single highhandedly expand their influence across the world and all those who stood in his way would be dead.

"S-Sir. There's been a development." One of the men, otherwise drab if not for the snaking tattoos that peeked out from under the hockey mask and across his bald head. Wendell tilted his head, mutely waiting for the Coyote to continue. "We found them." Was all he managed to say as Wendell's eyes darkened, his posture straightening. "Where?" He snapped, moving off towards the jeeps parked a few yards away. "17 miles south-" A laugh barked from Wendell as he practically pranced to his car. "Well then let's go! I'd hate to keep Death waiting.." He mused, slipping into the driver's seat. He wouldn't just be a lackey anymore. No, he was much more than that. Death had chosen him for a purpose. He would deliver as he promised and he would rid his paradise of Gospel once and for all.

SnowStorm42 · Jul 1, 2019

Upon getting up the stairs Ashley could no longer hold back. Once they were back in his room, and the door shut behind them, she pushed him against the wall, her mouth viciously coming for his. The liquor now coursed through her, and what was once a woman who could still hold some of her emotions in check, was now a beast with only lust and desire in mind. Any thoughts of the higher ups and her mission had left her head the moment he had pulled her in downstairs. She played mind games with him all night, and it was time they were both rewarded for playing said game. The raven haired fiend didn't wait for him, biting his lip furiously as she undid his belt, and hopped on top of him.

Bum. Bum. Bum. Bum. A steady pounding almost like drums. Ashley opened her eyes, the sunlight having peered in through the windows to rudely awake her. Her head pounded a little, partially from the liquor, but also due to the rigorous night before. Her hair was entirely a mess now. Her neck was colored with the wonderful marks of popped blood vessels, and her body bare body revealed some evident bruises. She sat up in the bed she had fallen asleep in and took in her surroundings. The first thing she acknowledged was the naked whore from downstairs. The waitress was passed out, bare, on the floor next to the bed. Ashley couldn't help but put on a sickening smile. She couldn't tell if the whore was breathing or not. She then turned back and looked at the man in the bed beside her. She bit her lip remembering the words he had said to her in Spanish, and the sight of her claw marks on his chest made her desire more.

However time was of the essence and she had already overstayed her visit. The night was not meant to last that long, however Erik had proved to be more than she had desired. She leaned over slowly, planting a hand on his abdomen for support, and tugged on his bottom lip with her teeth. She then proceeded to softly make her way to his neck, all while her hand teasingly reached lower and lower. She stopped abruptly knowing that she had done enough to wake him, and she had no desire of giving him more of what he may have wanted.

Ashley proceeded to get up from the bed, not worrying about her body being bare in the open, and she slowly collected her clothing. She proceeded to sit at Erik's desk where she pulled up her panties, before putting on her low cut white tank top. She then stood up, while pulling her skirt up, and put her leather jacket on last. She then proceeded to put on her heeled boots before tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear and looking over at the leader of the coyotes.

"It's about time to go Mr. President" she said teasingly. "That is if you're still up to it. I can always come back in a week"

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The blonde haired man looked at Gospel and could tell that she wasn't too thrilled with many of the things that were just said. Neil couldn't blame her. The thought of war. It was baffling to him to even think that in the post-apocalypse, where the dead wander the Earth, as well as other horrible mutations, that people could still wage war on each other rather than those creatures. It was about power. Neil knew this deep down. it was a human condition that even he knew. He felt that they were in agreement though that war was something they had to avoid, and it was best to leave now while there was time before the set date. Neil thought about that for a moment. Would both sides really hold a gentlemen's agreement. As a former coyote he knew that there was little honor among those savages. He didn't know how Erik ran things because he hadn't stuck around to find out, but he couldn't imagine it was any different now.

Neil snapped out of his train of thoughts though when Gospel finally caved. A smile emerged on his face, almost from ear to ear. She put a limit on people though and he found that was fair. He was sure that they could find a small group that was capable enough to travel with them. If his spirits weren't already ablaze, Gospel's words now added fuel to the fire that was this new journey unfolding. He stood up and took her hand, smiling ear to ear like he had a upturned croissant for a mouth. "I promise it will be worth it. Even if nothing is there we will have each other" he said with a soft tone. He knew she was skeptical, hell he was practically lying to himself right now to remain sane, but he was willing to do so for one reason. Another human condition called 'Hope'.

The word lingered in his mind for a minute. He felt the events of the day before creeping into his mind. He wondered how many of his friends had hope? His demeanor changed but he quickly gave himself a mental shake so that Gospel wouldn't grow suspicious of his thoughts. He had to be strong, like he was before. "I'll even tell you what. You give the word. At any point. And we stop. We turn around and go anywhere else, or right back here" he went on. "We always kicked ass as a team. I would rather quit on the journey ahead than lose you" he continued.

Upon finishing those last words, he leaned in, parted his lips, and locked in with hers. He stayed in the moment for a good chunk of time, keeping the dark thoughts out. There was no doubt in his mind in this moment. There was no plan. There was only her. After what seemed like a blissful eternity, Neil pulled away his face a fiery red. "I'm gonna pack ok?" he said softly.

He made his way to the back room to pack whatever they may need. However the further he walked from Gospel, the more his mind fell back in. He had been keeping his mind occupied but the feeling of dread remained in his chest. The people closest to him in this new hell, were murdered. Their hope was taken by someone with enough power to seemingly do it with ease. There were those two words again. Neil reached in his bag to start packing and unpacking. He felt it again. The metal. His fingers traced the mask in the bag. He could feel the design, the texture, the mask as whole, come to life and saw it as if it was in front of him without removing it from the bag. The dent remained as well from the night he ran. From the night the demon left, and he chose to lead a life of a good man. How good of a man was he though? He still murdered and killed, even if in self defense. Had he really changed?

The images of the charred corpses, and the bloody writing on the wall came to his mind. His grip on the mask tightened in his bag. He felt the despair in his chest, the hollowness, turn into an ache. The ache burned with a particular kind of lust. The type of lust that involved blood and vengeance.

His grip on the mask loosened though when he heard what sounded like distant engines. "Jess. Do you hear something?"

Hell0NHighWater · Jul 2, 2019

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SnowStorm42 ⋮ [div class=liltitle]Location[/div]⟿ Neil's Safe House ⋮ [/div][/div]
Something warm gripped her wrist, fingers interlocking with her own. The young woman paused, crystalline azure irises shifting behind her as she was roped back into his personal space. "I promise it will be worth it. Even if nothing is there we will have each other." His mouth was stretched wide, grin threatening to consume the entirety of his features. Even after all this time, together again, she still found it difficult to see him smile so much. There were a lot of things that had changed and she wasn't sure if that change was particularly good or not. That was a thing only time could really tell. She quirked a brow, the corner of her mouth picking up just a bit.

"That's a bold promise, Neil Hardwhick. Think you can keep it?" She snorted a little, amusement dancing in the glaciers of her gaze. "I'll even tell you what. You give the word. At any point. And we stop. We turn around and go anywhere else, or right back here," his next sentence only seemed to fuel the fire of her entertainment. Gospel tilted her head slightly as if pretending to consider what it was he was saying. She did appreciate his negotiation tactics, but she had already come to the conclusion that staying where they were would have been a death sentence. As much as she postured about not fearing death, it didn't really mean that she wanted to die. "We always kicked ass as a team. I would rather quit on the journey ahead than lose you."

"Romantic. You should have your own soap opera--"

Her words were forcefully cut off by a pair of lips on her own. The reaction of returning his kiss was instantaneous, one hand came up to perch on his shoulder as she leaned in. It wasn't a long kiss, nothing fueled with the desperation or lust of their past few kisses, but it was still long enough to curl her toes. His grin was infectious, she realized, smiling into the kiss like some lovesick girl. And she really was. Lovesick that is. Gospel blinked when he pulled away, her hand falling away from his shoulder as he moved past her.

"I'm gonna pack ok?"

"Yeah, that uh, sounds good." She cleared her throat, watching him move deeper into the room. Her heart thudded in her ears for a moment before she started toward the other side of the area they had been using to sleep in. Her bag was sitting against a far wall, and with it her sword sat perpendicularly to the canvas bag. She stood a couple inches from the items, her toe prodding the bag thoughtfully as her gaze drifted. There wasn't much here for them to take. Some food in the kitchens and maybe a couple of the throw blankets? Neil had said something about this being one of his safe houses, so she didn't really know what he had stored here. But anything was really better than nothing. She reached out for a drawer, gaze glancing through the random bits of items he had stashed away. Some duct tape. A few pens and pencils...a ruler? She fingered the duct tape, knowing that it had to have been stashed in here before the outbreak. But the idea of Neil collecting random objects to fill drawers was more than a little amusing.

Throwing the tape in her bag, she began sorting her things back into their rightful place. Making the contents of her bag as space efficient as possible was the best way to increase carrying capacity. It wasn't possible to carry about suit cases and loads of stuff anymore...not when material possessions could hinder your survival. Her head lifted, eyes flickering from one side of the room to the other. Her brows furrowed, lips pressed together as her brain tried to process the noise coming from the walls.

"Jess. Do you hear something?"

It wasn't coming from the walls. Engines. The buzzing noise grew louder, grating against the comfortable silence they had been enjoying. "I think...we have company." There was a witticism dangling off the tip of her tongue, but the threat of people caused her to swallow any sharp remarks. It only took a second to grab her sword, swing her bag over her shoulders, and turn towards Neil, "I'd rather not wait around for whoever it is to bust down the door." She was moving faster now, towards the back door, clenching her jaw at the sound of car doors closing. Her hand grasped the handle, unlocked the top bolt, and inched the heavy metal door open. There were voices carrying from the front street, the ear splintering sound of glass breaking---

That better have not been her car.

Pulling her head back in, her lips parted to tell Neil to hurry up when the sound of a door being hit repeatedly cut her off. There was a yell in a voice eerily familiar before the bang of a gunshot echoed across the sky. Her eyes almost bugged out of her head, jaw agape. What psycho thought it was a good idea to try and shoot off a lock? The coyote decided that she didn't want to know. She pushed the door open wider. Her arms struggling due to the dumpster that had been pushed against the exit. She managed to wiggle through, holding the door open for him on the other side as she anxiously glanced around the back alley. It didn't seem like her car was much of an option anymore, which was unfortunate, but the noise from their 'guests' made her suspect that they weren't all that friendly. [/div][/div] [div class="tabimg basicstabpic"] [div class="home basicshome"]GOSPEL[/div] [/div] [div class="textbox persbox"][div class="scroll persscroll"] He had awoken to a slightly cold hand drifting across his abdomen. Not that he was going to complain, but the movement --as light as it was-- had roused him almost instantly. For a man who shared a bed with at least one whore every night, he still woke at the slightest noise or touch. A symptom of the apocalypse. He growled into the pressure of teeth biting his lip, content to just lay there as her lips caressed his skin. This woman sure was a handful, though he supposed that's what made her all the more tempting. A spark churned in his gut, awakening last night's arousal.

"It's about time to go Mr. President." He muttered something under his breath, a foreign curse weighed heavy by sleep. "That is if you're still up to it. I can always come back in a week."

He rolled onto his side, amber orbs peeling open to glare at the figure shimmying into her clothes. She was teasing, but it wasn't something he was particularly fond of upon waking up. His hands dug into the black strands of his hair, snicking a bit in her direction. "You'll have missed the party in a week, Chica."

Erik rolled off the bed, getting to his feet and stretching. Something in his neck cracked, then his arms, fingers, a deliberate method of cracking every joint in his body. He flung his gaze towards Ashley, pulling his pants on almost as quickly as she had taken them off. He paused long enough to grab the mask off the floor, the skull stared back at him fitted in golden accents. It was the mask of a King. A President. He slipped it on over his face as if it were a second skin before shrugging on a leather jacket without a shirt.

"If the time is now, then we better get moving."

Erik paused by the prone body on the floor of his room, features twisting into that of disgust. He didn't bother stepping around her as he moved, one foot planting so harshly on one of her hands that he could hear the bones break. She moaned then. A half chuckle escaped him, surprised that she was even alive. Pulling the door open, he strode into the halls, "SOMEONE COME PICK UP THE FUCKIN' TRASH!" His voice bellowed down the seemingly empty hall before a few men came rushing out of another near by door. There were a couple muttered 'yes, boss'es as they past. A smile twisted itself across his face, obscured by his mask but there nonetheless. "Today is going to be a good day." [/div][/div] [div class="tabimg perstabpic" style=background:url(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/cb/31/fe/cb31fe4d9ea83fe35eb19e84190aa6fb.jpg);background-size:cover;] [div class="home pershome"]ERIK[/div] [/div] [div class="textbox histbox"][div class="scroll histscroll"] The street is a skeleton, stripped of its flesh long ago by neglect. All that remains is the concrete structures themselves, no glass, no wood, nothing the scavengers could really use. But it was in places like these that gave the world so much perfection. It was ruined as far as the world they had known, but this new one? There were no laws. No society to judge them. It was the epitome of a utopia, and Wendal would be the one to give it purpose. He would bring his ideal world to fruition, but before that some pesky little flies had to die.

Namely the one who he had tracked to this sorry excuse for shelter.

He would never understand Gospel. The woman had so much power and she threw it away for nothing. She had too many disgusting hang ups, would rather negotiate with other survivors. But there was no mercy, there was no negotiating, not in this world ---not anymore. If she couldn't realize the extent of what she could have done...of what they could have done then she wasn't needed in this world any longer. He hopped out of his truck, giving her own car a sick little bit of a smile before his elbow smashed in the glass.

Bitch.

"Why don't we go say hello? What'dya say boys?"

The Coyotes hollered and whistled in response, his own boyish yelp of excitement adding to the mix. Wendal pranced over towards the front door, trying the knob and finding it locked. He frowned, kicking at the wood as curses spewed from his lips. "TRYIN' TO ONE UP ME AGAIN, HUH BITCH?" His kicks became more violent, intent at busting down the door before aggravation won out. Pulling his handgun from its holster he shot at the lock. The noise rang out over the city. Bang. Bang. Bang. Pop.

The lock fell to the ground with a tink and the door creaked open. He gave a triumphant smile, ignoring the groans of walkers that echoed in the distance. He didn't think this would take long. He'd kill her and her pet. Then, him and his boys would ride back to Pawnee to deliver the good news. He would take Gospel's place and Erik would make him a God. He almost salivated at the thought, stepping into what looked like a bar. "Come out, come out, where ever you are!" He chuckled under his breath, strolling around a couple tables. His boots thudded against the wood as he traveled further into where the two had obviously been camped for the past day.

A frown edged at his lips, irritation morphing his features into a snarl. He started kicking in doors, aggressively searching for the pair that he couldn't find. "Search the perimeter! I want them found and I want them found now!!" [/div][/div] [div class="tabimg histtabpic" style=background:url(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f7/2e/3c/f72e3c2ae9070925f62b6b48581c2f52.jpg);background-size:cover;] [div class="home histhome"]WENDALL[/div] [/div] [/div] [/div]

SnowStorm42 · Jul 2, 2019

((Friends laptop is fucky so no coded posts for now)

Neil dropped the mask in the bag entirely. "We have company" was all he needed to hear. A part of that demon in the bag grabbed him as he moved and he without hesitation pulled one of the assault rifles and magazine out of the closet. He walked back to his bag and grabbed it having packed most of what was necessary and everything else just...there was no time. He started to walk out into the bar and Gospel was already on the move. Neil heard the door knob twist on the metal door. There wasn't a thought in his mind. Instinct had him follow Gospel immediately with no hesitation. He reached into his bag and grabbed a flashbang that he had packed. He had hoped to save the grenade for a group of grayjacks or bandits but it seemed this was the opportunity to use it. He heard the familiar voices as he followed Gospel out the back, her holding the door for him after moving the dumpster. He stayed in the doorway after she held it though. "Come out. Wheever you are" Neil was tempted. He felt the mask on his face, despite it staying in his bag. He felt the monster barge in and gun everyone down without monologues or hesitation or asking for mercy. He resisted though. He knew the monster needed containment if he was to keep any part of himself. He knew he was looking for an excuse to go out on a rampage for the people of the Safe Zone. He knew Gospel wouldn't like it if he went back to who he was before. So he waited. He waited until they searched. He waited until the door that led to their exit opened. That was when Neil pulled the pin and threw it at the poor coyote who opened that door.

As the door to the alley shut behind Gospel and Neil he looked down one way and down the other. The flashbang wouldn't buy them a long time but it would give them enough time to either fight back with an advantage or to at least get a head start on their escape. Perhaps even a loop around to the truck. Neil felt his heartbeat elevate. It sank a bit at the thought of the mask. His old self. He thought about just stabbing some poor guy in the jugular just to get the truck. He fought it though. They didn't have time for him to get feelings off his chest. He knew there were going to be regrets anyway. He wanted someone to blame though.

Now wasn't the time though. Quietly so the coyotes wouldn't be privy to their location he looked at Gospel and said " We have to go. Right now. I possibly know a way" he said before taking her hand to guide her on the same path as himself. This path would lead to an apartment adjacent to the bar they had just stayed at. He had prepared this apartment to allow rooftop access to guide him to other rooftops in the event of an escape like this. He opened the back door and moved up the stairs, knowing Gospel was in tow. He needed to get them out of here. Based on the familiar voice it was Wendal of the coyotes and he was not about to be captured and tortured. He knew that was what waited them. As he reached the roof he saw his wooden planks were still there between buildings. "I'll go first to make sure it's safe" he said before stepping on the plank. It seemed to still be stable however he moved along the plank and it caves under him sending him to the alley below. The railing on a fire escape broke his fall slightly, before he fell forward onto the dumpster in the alley below the rooftop. He could feel a voice in the back of his head telling him how this always happened since he stopped being a coyote. How useless he was. He felt dizzy. The impact knocked the air out of him. Neil pushed himself back off the dumpster only to fall on his side .

______________________________________________

Ashley looked at the man as he dressed. She couldn't help but smile as her panties seemed to revert from their recent drenched state. She didn't waste time though. He was clearly ready for his role in the world. Despite her earlier doubts as to if this man was going to survive the war and be the next world leader that G.R.I.P needed. She might've been riding the high of the night he had provided her and the feeling,- the desire inside her- but there was something about him that spoke truth to this role. She had to wonder though how he would feel if the organization he now led was eradicated without his leadership.

"I'll lead the way then you hunk of a man" she teased. She figured she might be poking a bear with a stick this early in the morning. Hell, she knew how she was when her plans were interrupted. A distant memory of a bloodied room flashed into her mind. A room full of corpses and a man in his boxers pleading that she explained or convinced him that it was a dream. Then more blood. Ashley felt like she was dripping now, with excitement. She proceeded to make her way out though. Two coyotes met her at the door, to pick up the trash from the night before. Ashley thought how cruel it was. How cruel it was that she had allowed the whore to experience Erik and herself the night before. A drunk decision of course, but she was a queen of this new world. How could she allow trash to live after the experience she provided.

She digressed and made her way out of the office, and down the stairs she had come up. At the bottom Gallows was already waiting, having given space to her the night before. Now though he followed without her uttering a command. He knew she had completed what she wanted and was to protect her now that she had her way. As they stumbled outside into the hot sun that seemed to punish the sinful city, a helicopter could be seen traveling overhead. "Right on time" Ashley muttered as the helicopter came down and landed on the outskirts of the city . She slowly made her way looking back at Erik "Ready to be a leader?"

Hell0NHighWater · Jul 3, 2019

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Her heart twisted and sunk as she waited for him to catch up. Gospel felt the need to move almost without end; if her limbs were moving then the anxiety was gone, or at least she could ignore it for a while longer. But the longer he stayed put, the longer she kept her feet rooted to the ground. Her grip on the side of the door tightened, fingers pressing into the metal as her gaze fixated from their surroundings to Neil. She noticed the object in his hand, a flashbang, and her lips pressed into an even thinner line. If they had just left, then maybe things would have been much easier. Stealth was always a better option to all out violence. At least, that's what she preferred. It was much easier to take the opponent by surprise than face them head on. There was something dark that flickered across his features, only there for a breath before it vanished. She had seen variations of that same look before, though she hadn't expected to see hints of it again. She told herself that she shouldn't have been surprised. The Neil she knew now and the Neil she knew then was still the same man. Both apart of him equally.

"In here!" There was a light clunk as a metal object hit the wooden floors. "GRENADE!!" Neil moved then, heading out the door and allowing her to close it.

From within the bar, another voice shouted before an explosion thudded against the interior. She took a step away from the doors, chewing on her bottom lip as she looked around the alley way once more. The desperation to get to safety almost caused her to bolt. "We have to go. Right now. I possibly know a way."

She didn't even try and argue with him. Allowing him to take her hand as he lead her in the opposite direction she had originally thought of running in. Gospel trusted him enough that she didn't doubt his decision making. Her shorter legs struggled with keeping up for a moment, but she pushed forward ignoring the ache in her side. They were heading towards another building. Gospel didn't have the chance to get a good look at it before he was opening the back door and pulling her inside.

"THEY CAN'T HAVE GONE FAR! FIND THEM! FIND THEM RIGHT NOW BEFORE I KILL ALL OF YOU USELESS--"

The voices faded the further they made it up the staircase. Boots thudding against metal rang in her ears, mingling with the accelerated pace of her breathing and heartbeat. When they got to the roof, her gaze swept across the different buildings suddenly finding the view a bit surreal. From here she could just barely see the front of the bar, the cars parked haphazardly and the coyotes that surrounded the area. They reminded her of sharks. Circling. Just waiting to catch the scent of blood.

"I'll go first to make sure it's safe."

"Second dumbest idea you've had all--"

Her words trailed off, already feeling the absence of his presence at her side. The corner of her mouth dipped, grey blue orbs tracking him as he started across one of the planks connecting the rooftops. She didn't even have the chance to voice her concerns. The wood under him gave way. One second he was in front of her and the next he was gone. She acted on impulse, taking the four strides to the edge of the roof in one, her arms reaching out in an attempt to catch any part of him. Gravity had acted much faster and she could only watch in horror as he slammed into the railing of a fire escape before rolling across a dumpster.

"NEIL!!!"

She shouldn't have screamed. But she didn't care. All the threats in the world couldn't keep her from screaming his name.

There wasn't any time to think. She took a couple steps back, ignoring the skinned knee she had acquired when she threw herself to the concrete in a feeble attempt to catch him. She only paused to breathe before she was running off the edge of the roof. Her legs kicked in the air under her, arms reaching out, suspended for only a moment before crashing into the same fire escape he had. Only she grabbed the bars, pulling herself up and over the rail before taking the stairs the rest of the way down. She vaulted off the railing once she was close enough to the ground, shocks ricocheting up her legs as she steadied herself. He was laying on the ground when she reached him, her hands grasping at him. Shaking. It was like she couldn't touch him enough, desperate to make sure that he was still alive and breathing. Gospel heaved a couple breaths, forcing oxygen into her body, "Is anything broken? Are you alright? Look at me, did you hit your head? First Dranesville and now Yorkstown, you're not allowed to walk over anymore fucking boards you hear me?"

Gospel wasn't sure why she was still speaking. Her concern just oozed out of her and coupled with the anxiety and adrenaline it made for an awful combination of word vomit. She was only then aware that there was shouting in the distance and the sounds of footsteps rapidly approaching. Unfortunately that wasn't her first concern. A shadow moved to her right, instantly snapping her attention to the garbage heap a few feet away. The zombie had one ear missing and both it's lips had been bitten off, perhaps that was it's death-kiss from the zombie that turned him into one of the undead. One hand had been mangled and his right bicep was chewed away exposing the white humerus beneath. He had been scalped by some failed attempt to slay him and as he drew each rattling breath he made a low growling moan that caused her blood to turn to ice. It was slow, luckily, to stand and she took the precious second to unsheathe her sword. The blade was half way out of the holster before she realized just how narrow this alley was. She couldn't swing without hitting a wall or accidentally hitting Neil. Cursing, she managed to pull the gun from his holster. Using both hands, she aimed the weapon at it watching as her sights on its head swayed.

She shot once. Missed. Cursed. The second shot connected, swiping off a portion of its face but not enough to kill it. "I hate these fuckin'--" She cut herself off as the zombie lunged, dead flesh grasping at her shoulders. It growled. She snarled back, pushing it away just enough to use the hilt of the gun as a blunted weapon. The monster teetered backward and she took the opportunity to hit it again. And again. And again. Until there was nothing but twitching limbs and the stench of old blood. Gospel corrected her stance, frowning at the liquid that coated not only her but the gun she had borrowed. She wiped it off as best as she could, not caring about her clothes at this point before abruptly placing it in his hand.

"We need to go."

"You're not going anywhere."

Her head snapped towards the sound of the voice, eyes widening at the sight of Wendal moving in on them. She didn't know where his mask was and didn't know why seeing him without it somehow felt...scarier. At least with a mask, she wouldn't have to see the glee in his expression. It was off putting. Another shadow moved behind him. He didn't seem to notice as he stalked closer, pointing the barrel of his gun at her. "I was actually. You weren't invited, so if you wouldn't mind just getting back in your car and---"

B A N G

Blood soaked into Gospel's sleeve, radiating outward. At first, she hadn't realized that she had been shot. That is until the pain began to burn with such a searing intensity that it brought tears to the corner of her eyes. Her jaw clenched, face flushing as she suppressed the scream that almost crawled out of her mouth. Her legs wobbled and she took a couple steps back still in shock. She kept her gaze on the coyote with the smoking gun. The shadow behind him moved in closer. "Next shot, will be your head."

"Blow me."

The sound of the hammer clicking was the only thing she heard. Fists clenched at her side, warm liquid dripping down her arm. The world seemed to move slower as his finger squeezed at the trigger. The next shot rang in her ears, but so did his furious scream. The beast in the shadows had launched itself at him as soon as he pulled the trigger. She didn't spend a moment longer watching what was happening, grabbing Neil with her good arm and pushing him towards the fire escape. They managed to scramble up onto the next rooftop and it was only then that she took the moment to check out the wound in her shoulder. It hurt like hell. But there wasn't any time to treat it now, they needed to get as far away from Wendal and his breed of psychos as possible. Gospel strode towards the other end of the roof, glancing at the gap to the next building and then to the planks connecting them. This time, she pressed her foot against the board testing its capacity to hold her weight before she made her way across. She hoped he had a good idea of how to get them out of this mess because she was out of ideas at this point. She wasn't even sure how they were going to make it to Alpha without a car. It would mean going through the more dangerous parts of the city on foot. It wasn't her first choice. "I think we should look for a car. Something. Anything. Because we won't be getting very far like this." She turned her head back towards him, grimacing as the movement caused another bolt of pain down her arm. [/div][/div] [div class="tabimg basicstabpic"] [div class="home basicshome"]GOSPEL[/div] [/div] [/div] [/div]

All That Remains

Queen of Hell

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Queen of Hell

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Queen of Hell

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Queen of Hell

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Queen of Hell

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Queen of Hell

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Queen of Hell

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Queen of Hell

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Queen of Hell

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Queen of Hell

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Queen of Hell

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Queen of Hell

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