Futuristic BioGenesis Safe House: Surviving the Post-Apocalypse.

[Ashmorne]

The T103 virus twisted apart families, that was something that everyone knew. But it was different, and worse, when you had to watch a person you really love degenerate from the disease. That was not something Chana ever experienced, to watch someone you love be so close but so far, and for that to happen after losing a father…a pretty good father, from what she gleaned.


Chana didn't really know what it meant to have such a strong family unit, a perfect three…a father, mother, and child that had a healthy love for one another. It just wasn't something she got to experience, aside from Asher. And then to have that taken all away in a matter of months…it was probably like watching a part of yourself get ripped away. She could feel Mel trembling under her palm, the younger girl's eyes dry. But Chana understood.


Some things were just too sacred and sad for tears. And when you lock those things away for too long…tears are hard to come by, even if you want them. Chana herself couldn't remember the last time she really shed tears. Shaking the thought, she simply sat by Mel and slowly processed everything the girl had said.


The family life Chana was used to was a fragmented one, the healthiest connection being in between her and Asher. But Chana had never really had someone to look up to, no one to lean on. It was her, and her baby brother who was both her sole joy and responsibility. She wondered what it would be like to have experienced what Mel had, to have that idyllic family for a little while. To be able to have someone to rely on. Was it better to have loved and lost, or not loved at all?


The two women had almost opposite situations to start with, but in the end…they were both the same. Basically alone. Chana's heart seemed to beat slower, each steady thump aching with the sting of mirrored pain. A myriad of emotions had passed over Mel's face as she talked, like a bitter dance. Towards the end, though, her grimacing look of pain was replaced with a melancholy smile.


"Wow. I've never opened up to anyone like that before. But, I swear to God, that if you happen to break me and my trust then I won't have any qualms about giving you absolute hell. I've been broken and misplaced far too many times for it to be remotely healthy. If it were to happen again then... well, I'd rather not find out."


A humorless laugh escaped Chana's lips at those words. She lifted her hand from Mel's knee, gave her hand a squeeze, and then crossed her arms. She lifted her good hand to rake through her inky black hair, fingers getting caught on snarls here and there until the waved locks ended a little past her waist.


"Oh, kid. I would never break the trust of someone who has all this information on me. You could too easily retaliate. But remember that likewise, if you say anything about my fairytale of a life...I'll be after you before you're even able to finish the story," Chana laughed dryly, giving Mel a small grin, a sisterly sort of jest. Her face then turned more serious, the smile fading slightly from her face. "But, you do have my word. I think we can agree that this conversation stays between the two of us alone."


She paused, looking at Mel. She chose her words carefully, but spoke what was on her mind. "I'm sorry. That you had to go through that. I don't know what it means to have a family like that, but I know what loss feels like. Thank you for trusting me with part of your story, and thank you for letting me trust you with a bit of mine. A solid exchange. It was a bit of a relief talking with you. No facades or sarcastic masks for a little while. I guess we aren't that different, you and I. Good thing too, because you're not so bad," Chana gave a quick laugh. "And it was nice having a real conversation with someone whose age is actually in the double digits."


Smiling at the girl, Chana stood up and retrieved some alcohol swabs from the medical kit. She began to clean and dress the cut on Mel's head as she talked. No sign of infection, and the cut was shallow enough that Chana wasn't worried. She truly enjoyed talking to the younger girl. Trust wasn't something Chana was used to. But today, she realized why people liked to talk about their pasts. In freed part of themselves from it. Maybe now, a little bit of her story out there in the open, she would be able to let others in, and heed the advice she had given to Takai earlier. While she knew it would be a long and difficult process….maybe it was time that Chana tried to move on to better things.

 

[Mack Daddy]

Colton dug into the bag until he found a some wrap. He folds some gauze and holds it in his hand to apply pressure to her wound. With his free hand he kept searching the bag for anything that could be useful. He eventually found the ibuprofen, and takes some of the pills himself. His head ache was still racking his brain, and his breathing was restricted by having no air way in his nose right now. It probably looked twice its normal size by now. "Hey, some one help! Dormitories!" He yelled down the hallway, with the sound echoing off in the empty halls. Colton immediately regretted it, his pain flaired up again. He saw the three bullet holes behind her, along with the threee bullets embedded in the wall. Well at least we know the bullet isn't in her. He found the little bit of water left in the bottle, and poured it on the gauze, to hopefully prevent her skin from clotting to the gauze. He slowly and carefully pulled the very thick layers off. He took the last of the gauze and padded the wound then held it down with a wrap around her neck, not too tight, just enough to hold it in place with a bit of pressure. It seemed to be bleeding less now. Cally was lucky it just nicked through her. It even avoided the major blood vessels. She had almost been killed by the man she tried saving. This is why I hate helping people.

 

[Crescent]

He wiped the sweat from his brow, adjusting the old and beat up leather pack slung on one of his shoulders. The rain was starting to dwindle down, but all he wanted to do was get out of that lightning storm. He pulled down his battered cap, trying to shield his eyes. He had been traveling for the past two years, hopping from city to city until he'd finally crept upon this one. He remembered hearing the ocean in the background, remembering how much the Compromised hated large bodies of water. If he could make it to the shore, maybe there would be a rock formation or something that would make it so he could have some protection.


As he jogged, he saw a large building loom off in the distance. It looked like an old college or something like that. And it looked to be somewhat maintained. As he got closer, he saw there was some movement inside.





Could it be? Survivors? Someone in this whole empty city? Someone who might not wanna kill me?


Finn broke into a sprint down the old winding road, seeing a man around his age making his way back to the building as well. He wore a raggedy jacket, messy light hair. A younger, bluish-haired boy was trailing behind him. He didn't see any weapons on the guy. And if a young kid was with him, how bad could he be? He slowed behind the men.


"Hey, mates! You guys survivors? Are there more of you?" of course, he spoke it all quickly, his excitement causing him to speak before he really thought about what to say. He lifted his hands slowly to show that he wasn't armed at the moment, not dangerous. Well, unless provoked.

 

[Daeya]

Like a giant hand had picked her out of the grey shadow plain, Cally suddenly found herself in the conscious state of reality. The bright, blossoming pain still obnoxiously nagged at her, embedded deep in Cally's neck. She lifted a shaky hand, which had been resting on top of her leg, and touched the pain. A new sensation appealed to her, one that felt like she had been set on fire. Quickly, she snapped her hand back down. The girl's eyes were still hazy, but then focused on the anxious face of Colton. "What- what happened?" She asked, trying to sit up. Assessing her surroundings, she noticed a few ibuprofen laying on the ground. With much haste, she scooped them up and dry swallowed each of them, causing a brief yet terrible ache to form in her esophagus. As small memories came back to her head, she noticed Vladimir laying on the floor, unconscious once again.


He shot me. He betrayed me. He tried to kill me.





"I knew I shouldn't have trusted that bastard.." Cally spit out, her head laced with anger once she realized what had happened to her.

 

[Saturnity]

Takai:


As he and Jaden arrived back at the Safehouse, the patter of rain upon their bodies and the ground beneath them grew sparse. He wasn't fond of the idea of having to deal with Chana and the others again, but he knew there was no where else to go. Just as they came within a few meters of the gate, a male voice erupted from behind them.


"Hey, mates! You guys survivors? Are there more of you?"


Takai rotated on the spot, raising his fists instinctively. The man approaching them appeared unarmed however, so relaxing his guard slightly, Takai frowned.


Great... another friendly face.


"Yeah, we're survivors alright," he spat in a cross tone, "what the hell do you want?"


The falling rain slowed further, down to a mild sprinkle. In the distance, the faint trembles of thunder could be heard. Soon, the Compromised would be back to swarming the streets, and they'd have to keep safe inside once more. A life of hiding. Sighing, Takai lost his aggressive tone and continued.


"Well, there are more survivors inside. A woman named Chana has been the one accepting everyone, so go see her inside if you want the official word... I don't care."


Turning back to the safehouse, he approached the gate, unlatched it, and entered, not waiting for the others. Just as he strode up the wet stone pathway, to the front door, he heard the faint padding of footsteps on gravel. Before he could react, Takai found himself pressed face down on the walkway, his good arm twisted behind his back uncomfortably. He opened his mouth to speak, but as he did, the cold steel of a combat axe was forced against his throat. A familiar female voice spoke quietly, coldly into his ear.


"You seem rusty as ever," the woman said, "Isao."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Yasuko:


A shadow passed along the alley between several buildings, as Yasuko vaulted over one of the dumpsters, taking refuge behind it and steadying her breathing. Over her shoulder were slung two bags full of supplies, and in her hands she clutched a pair of black utility hatchets, which were layered in spatters of coagulated blood. Nearby, she could discern the labored and rasping breaths of several compromised, who tore through garbage ravenously for their prey.


Ugh... I don't why these one's aren't hiding from the rain... maybe some backwards wiring, or the rain just isn't coming down hard enough.


Yesterday, she was following her target for some time when a wave of Compromised descended on her position. Since then, the young woman had been running into bad luck with no end in sight. Every building Yasuko passed through held small families of the monsters, and each time, she managed to rile them up somehow, whether it was hitting her knee loudly on a coffee table, or the sound of crunching glass under her foot.


Dammit... what's wrong with me? I'm supposed to be an infiltrator for f**k's sake...


The alleyway ahead split into two directions, so she decided to take a risk. Retrieving an empty glass bottle of root beer from one of the packs, she smirked, then chucked it toward the intersection. Almost instantly, as the sound of shattering glass, the cries of Compromised lashed out into the air, and a team of them rushed past the dumpster toward the source of the noise. They didn't notice her. As soon as she was sure there were no more coming, Yasuko twisted around the side of the trash bin, and took off down the opposite direction from where she came.


I have to get going... I need to find him... I must end this.


Before turning the corner into the open street, Yasuko peeked around to make sure no other Compromised were nearby, then entered a sprint. Her lungs burned with fire from running off and on for several hours, because the area was teeming with the infected. Suddenly, in the distance, she could make out the figures of three men, barely, but she recognized one of them. He wore a familiar jacket with red flames emblazoned on it, dark pants, and had light hazelnut hair. Grinning she continued quietly along the sidewalk, then when she was within a few hundred meters, ducked into the shadows of the nearby buildings. The small group was heading toward an enormous building that appeared to be some sort of university.


This is my chance, it's time to teach that murderous bastard a lesson!


As the group entered the front gates of the college, Yasuko scampered across the street, tucking her axes into her belt and ascending the wall. Pulling herself over, she dropped to the ground quietly, then made her move. In one quick motion, she moved behind Takai, sweeping up his arms behind his back and sweeping his legs from under him. His body now pinned to the ground, she whipped out one of her hatchets and pressed it against his throat.


"You seem rusty as ever, " she whispered, "Isao."

 

[Hibes]

Jaden, without a word, went back into the generator room. All he did, was sitting at a table and drawing something in a notebook with his headphones on his head. ((Sry Saturnity, I wasn't home this weekend, and now that I wanted to post a page long post I just saw you posted


>.<))

 

[Crescent]

Chana, eh? That's a pretty name. Hopefully, the gal is as nice as her name.


Finn was following this man that hadn't given him his name slowly, his heart racing at the thought of other survivors. Other survivors making a safe house. The idea was incredible, actually. Genius. Society could begin again, and it could be better this time.


"Huh. Well. Could you take me in to this Chana girl? I would really like to talk to her and-"


He didn't get to finish his sentence. Everything happened in a blur to Finn. One minute, the older of the two men was grumpily responding to his words...the next minute a boyish looking girl had the man's arm twisted around...a strange looking axe pressed to his throat. Finn reached for the pistol in resting in his holster, and had it out in a flash. He didn't really care all that much about these three people. He hardly knew them. What he wanted was for this man, apparently named Isao, to take him inside the damn house already. He'd been wandering for two years. Wasn't there enough drama out in the city? Finn was sick of it. Just f***ing sick of it. Irritation bubbled in Finn's gut, which was unusual and he definitely realized it was unjustified as well. But he couldn't help it...he'd been traveling so long...


"Is there any chance you two could figure this little fight out after we get inside? I kind of have a renewal of the human way of life to get to." Finn chuckled slightly nervously. He didn't know how anyone would react, and the girl with the axes didn't seem to be in the mood for joking...but he always had a hard time controlling his mouth. Finn knew that he wasn't that much of a threat. But the gun was better than nothing.

 

[Saturnity]

Isao (Takai)/Yasuko (Yamato)


"Yasuko..." Takai growled, the cold metal edge of her axe pressed against his jugular, "You b**ch..."


The man he'd just met whipped out a pistol and had leveled it at the girl, but she wasn't very alarmed. She glanced at him when he bid the pair to end the fight. She smiled sportively.


"You would come between two friends," the young woman said in a peculiar tone, "who've just reunited after so long? Quite cruel of you."


She brought her face next to Takai's ear, "And here I was looking forward to becoming reacquainted. Very well."


Yasuko pulled the blade away and released Takai's arms, then rose to her feet, tucking the axe away into her belt.


"Looks like you made some friends Isao," she chuckled to herself, "That's surprising."


Suddenly, as quickly as he was released, Takai leapt to his feet and grabbed Yasuko by her hair, confiscating her weapons. He then pulled her into the safehouse through the front doors.


"You want a reunion!?" He snarled, his anger once more rekindled by years of bitterness boiling to the surface, "I'll give you just what you want."


She cried at the pain of her hair being yanked on so roughly, attempting to pry his hands as he dragged her down the hallway. Finally her struggling to great to control, he stopped and threw he against the wall. Takai gripped her collar and held her there, unbridled fury coating his features.


"Why are you here!?" He screamed in her face, "Why the F**K aren't you DEAD!?"

 

[Crescent]

Finn sighed, tucking the gun back into its holster.


All this f***ing drama. Why all this f****ing drama? The first glimpse of hope in this shell of a world, and everyone's acting as though a bloody Compromised is biting at their side.


Finn didn't care about whatever problems this man and woman were having. He did, however, care about how to get involved at the strange, large house. He knew he should have been more disturbed at how the man mishandled that manly girl, but they seemed to know each other and he guessed that in the grand scheme of things...she could probably hold her own. Finn sheepishly followed the two inside, but waited just past the hallway of where the man, Isao, had dragged the girl...Yasuko, was it?


He leaned against a wall, pulling out his old, full-tang hunting blade and began to sharpen it as he waited. Eventually, they would be done, and Finn would be led to the woman named Chana who was made to seem as though she had all the answers. And, if this fight took longer than 10 minutes...maybe Finn would go out on his own and try to find her. He didn't know how the other survivors would take to having him, a dodgy stranger, there though. He knew he was probably not supposed to follow Isao and Yasuko. He knew he was being a a bit of a tosser, and that they probably wanted him to sod off. But what choice did he have? No choice, that's what.

 

[SliverOfHope]

Mel winced occasionally as her head was tended to by Chana, the alcohol swabs making the tender flesh sting with every swipe. She listened as the female before her talked and couldn't help but smile a bit to herself, the anxiousness previously filling her emotions now being replaced with a wonderful sense of relief. Although, she was still a bit skeptical and honestly didn't expect the emotion to disappear any time soon.


"You don't need to apologize. Saying sorry can't bring back what had been taken away from me- from the both of us- without any warning. Plus it wasn't in any way your fault. But mine? Well, I believe it was. And, if anything, should be thanking you. I think having an alliance, a friend, in the situation we are stuck in will be something that helps out in the long run. I also just want you to understand that, no matter what the situation and no matter how rocky our relationship may be, I'd never tall anyone such a personal thing. I'm loyal to a fault and whoever I decide to let in has my loyalty no matter what. Well, unless that trust is broken of course."


Mel let out a sigh as a small piece of gauze was placed over the, now clean, head wound, hoping that the material could help stop any infection from settling inside. She looked out along the landscape once more, basking in the pitter-patter of the rain and the deafening thunder, before getting up from the window ledge she had been perched upon. She turned around to face Chana, giving her a heavy smile, before letting her eyes glance down along the girl's side.


Gently tugging up the material of the jacket Chana had thrown on after hearing the arrival of Asher, Mel let out a a disapproving click from her tongue. She gently pulled off the rest of the article of clothing which revealed most of the female's midriff and began picking through the preciously abandoned supplies. She grabbed a few alcohol wipes and gently began cleaning off the surrounding flesh, slowly working her way to the actual wound itself. Making sure her eyes only stayed focus on that particular wound, not letting them wonder to the other scars located along the flesh, she began talking once more. Hopefully it would distract Chana just a little bit from the pain just as the older woman had done for the brunette earlier that day.


"I have some ibuprofen that Takai had given me earlier if you want to take some. I don't really need the bottle of pills. Usually when I take any sort of medicine I get this strange, artificial feeling that fills up my body. It's as if I just instantly know that something has been placed inside my body that isn't necessarily supposed to be there and it's... unnerving. That's pretty much why I didn't take them while you were tending to the five gashes along my arm. I'd rather deal with the pain. Although, for you, it may help."

 

[Ashmorne]

Evening out her breathing to help distract from the pain ebbing at her side, Chana quietly allowed Mel to clean and bandage the torn flesh. She nodded as Mel spoke, focusing on the girl's words instead of the discomfort in her side. She thought about what Mel was saying and smiled a bit.


"It's been a while since I've had a friend or alliance. I think it would be good, I agree with you. How fortunate for us, in the midst of all this," Chana said with a small chuckle. "But honestly. Loyalty is one of the most important things to me. Know that you have mine...just as I trust that I have yours."


Slam!


Chana wanted to continue, but was interrupted by the noise of a loud bang outside the door. It sounded like someone had just collided with a wall. She sighed, feeling a gnawing irritation claw at her slowly. People can't get along for just one hour so I can finally get stitched up? No. That would be too easy.


Clicking her tongue, she stood up and put the jacket on again to cover her bandaged side and bloodied arms. She glanced at Mel with an exasperated expression.


"Though I'm loving our talk, it seems as though something might need our attention." Chana sighed, zipping up the sweatshirt and adjusting the hood.


Chana met Asher outside, sending the child inside the room and instructing him not to leave. She made her way around the corner to the adjacent hallway, only to find Takai. His face was a mask of fury, and he was pinning someone against the wall. She moved a bit closer, unable to tell at first glance if it was a woman or man. She looked at the petite frame, and recognized her as a woman. Chana didn't know what Takai was doing, so she bit back her tongue from lashing out too soon. Maybe he had a good reason. Either way, she didn't know. And the very last thing they needed today was more bloodshed. That was the last thing they needed any day.


She thought she heard some movement around the corner, but decided not to investigate yet. If there was someone there, they could damn well come out and show themselves. Right now, there was this situation at hand.


"Christ, Takai. The second time today." Chana spoke evenly, wearily, her voice tired. She didn't want to fight with him right now. She also didn't want to provoke him. The girl pinned to the wall right now had probably done her share of that. But all of his outbursts were happening so frequently, and Chana just wanted a little bit of peace.


At the same time, Chana had never seen Takai this angry before. She crossed her arms for a moment, thoughts bouncing around in her mind. Who is this girl, and why does he look like he's seen a ghost? The questions burned in Chana's mind, but she wasn't going to ask them. She had a feeling that she'd find out eventually, whether she wanted to or not.

 

[SilverCaress]

Making her way back to the safe house, Skye's movements became rugged. Her fever grew yet again and she made an attempt to take off her jacket, tying it round her side. Although it was almost freezing temperature outside, Skye loved the rain and the way it cooled her skin. At this rate, she would never make it back, but her mind was cloudy. As she trudged along, she smiled up at the sky weakly.

 

[Saturnity]

Isao (Takai)/Yasuko (Yamato)


"Dammit! You haven't changed at all!" Yasuko struggled against him, "Still the same violent a**hole you always were!"


Takai didn't notice when Chana entered the hallway and addressed him, his anger was pinpoint, and he was ready to kill the woman in his grasp. He remembered the last time he put his trust in Yasuko, and how she took control of his own gang and had them kill the man. She hadn't expected him to survive.


"Don't," he hissed, "tell me that, not when you know exactly why I'm pissed!"


Grasping the collar of her shirt with both hands, Takai pulled the object of his hatred away from the wall, then slammed her back against it. Her head struck the drywall loudly, cracking it. Stars danced in front of her eyes as a faint cry escaped her lips.


"Stop! You don't understand!" she pleaded.


The cry only made Takai angrier. Pulling her away from the wall once more, the man glared at Chana, drawing one of the axes he'd taken.


"Don't.... interfere..." the icy words leaked from his lips. He couldn't hold back, not this time.


Holding the hatchet out to his side, Takai shoved the woman to the floor, then crouched over her with the blade pressed against her chest. After he got his answers he would carve her up for what she'd done, and if anyone got in his way, he'd do them just the same.


"So... you're going to tell me why you're alive." he interrogated. "I made sure when I cut your traitorous throat, that it would drain you of every last drop of disgusting blood in your body."


Yasuko looked up in fear, his hateful visage reflected in her eyes. She knew the risks of coming here, of tracking down her former partner, but she had to tell him the truth, even if he didn't accept it. She clutched the scar that traced across her throat from one side to the other.


"You have to listen..." she pronounced slowly, trying to steady the terror in her voice, "I did NOT stage that coup... it wasn't me! I didn't find out the truth about what the other Slayers had done until after they told me you were dead... please you have to believe me. By the time you came back, I had taken over only because I thought you were gone!"


Grimacing, Takai inched the axe slowly higher until the tip grazed her hands, which refused to move from her throat.


"Don't you dare spit such lies at me you f**king b*tch!" his shouts echoed off the walls into the hallway, "If you didn't know what happened, why didn't you tell me when I came back!?"


Moving her hands over his, in an attempt to push her away, Yasuko yelled back, more desperate than angry.


"BECAUSE YOU DON'T LISTEN!" tears were wetting the rims of her eyes, "Because Isao... you only listen and speak with your fists..."

 

[Ashmorne]

Watching Takai throw around the girl was hard for Chana. She gritted her teeth, her fingernails digging into her palms. But this was something that she understood. Whatever the girl had done to Takai was getting hashed out now. Takai was right. It was not her place to interfere. But if things got too out of hand, she wouldn't have a choice.


Her thoughts were interrupted suddenly, at the mention of a name.


"Because Isao... you only listen and speak with your fists..."


Shaking her head, the girl's words echoed in Chana's head. The woman had called Takai by the name "Isao". Chana took a step backwards, her back hitting the opposite wall. She touched a hand to her abdomen as her stomach twisted, involuntarily grazing that fateful and twisted scar.


Isao. That was not a common name. Could it be? No. I have to be wrong. It couldn't be. Takai...he was clearly of Asian descent. The boy that she tried to save was as well. It would explain the silvery scars that decorated Takai's body. It would explain his tumultuous personality. Chana blinked slowly, she had to know. She couldn't assume. She didn't wait to see what would happen to the girl. In Chana's mind, the girl wasn't even there anymore. The only thing existing to her was the question, the shock, the desperate need for understanding. They all loomed in front of her, like a haze over her vision. It was selfish, she knew. But right now, she couldn't even think.


Moving a bit closer so she would be heard, she touched a hand to Takai's shoulder. When she spoke, her voice sounded shocked and uncertain to her own ears...it was barely above a whisper, silent and questioning...so uncharacteristic of her personality.


"Takai. Takai, wait. Your name. Isao," she took a breath. "Is your full name Isao Harada? Part of the underground Harada-Eden Cancer Experiment?"


She dropped her arm and laced her fingers together, all she could do now was hope he wouldn't turn his anger towards her and wait for his answer. Not a lot of people knew about the secret and covert tests that had been run...and if Takai was who Chana thought he might be...he would understand her words.


Chana didn't know how he would respond. She knew it could be anything. But that was the price of understanding. The possibility of more uncertainty. The possibility for the understanding to be horrible. But it was her choice, and there was no going back now.

 

[Saturnity]

"I don't believe you, Yasuko." he sputtered, his speech laced with venom, "You could just be saying all of this to save your own skin!"


Takai was ready to explode, at least until he heard Chana speak his family's name. His violent energy faltered, causing him to draw the axe away from Yasuko and turn toward the other woman slowly.


"What..." he said, confusion apparent in his voice, "Did you just say Isao Harada?"


He was sure he'd never met this woman before yesterday, and she obviously didn't know him by appearance, yet she said his name like it was engraved onto her soul, like it held some key part of a past he didn't know about. If she were from Japan, it would have only been slightly more plausible, but Chana was obviously American.


"How do you know that name?" he questioned her, grave suspicion creeping into him, "What do you know of those cancer experiments?"


Takai could see Yasuko moving away from him, but he didn't care at that point. He didn't want to believe it, but his heart was telling him that Chana may have been involved in the experiments somehow. He'd known that his parents were consulting with other doctors and scientists regarding their tests on his tissue samples, and he'd also heard them speak of "Eden" but when he was a child, he didn't know anything of American names, and he was too busy being scarred for life to care.


"Everyone involved with those experiments," he uttered quietly, "was supposed to have been arrested and convicted... But you're too young to have been involved in something like that. Just who are you?"


Takai was slowly advancing on Chana this time, his argument with Yasuko now shifted to the back burner. He held one hand to his face, a painful headache starting to form. All the blood rushing to his brain from his anger was now working against him, and when combined with the rush of memories between Yasuko and Chana's words, he became slightly dizzy.


"Tell me..." he whispered, trying to keep an aggressive tone. The man felt the color draining from his face. His hand with the broken finger was searing in pain from being used so much in the past few minutes.

 

[Ashmorne]

"Tell me..."


Takai's voice sounded pained and urgent, his face pale and desperate. Chana's breath left her. So, her hunch was right. This was indeed the boy from the case file. The boy who had indirectly caused her to gain her scars, murder someone, and finally have the courage and reasons to leave home.


She took steps backwards as Takai came closer to her. She eventually felt her the back of her boot hit the wall, Takai standing very close in front of her. He had no idea of what she had done. What would he do when and if he found out that she, Chana Naomi Eden, was the one who had destroyed a great chunk of raw data from the trials where he was the independent variable? Would he know that she had done it in a blind desperation to help him? Or would he simply see it as her obliterating the only reason he had for the experiments and pain he went through to have a purpose?


Chana could hear her heart pounding in her ears. She never thought she would meet Isao Harada. She didn't think she would ever have the opportunity to see what he had become. When she was that young girl, destroying things in a wild attempt to help him...she had felt connected to him in an unusual way, two kids who both were subject to the abuse of their elders, him even more so than her. She had seen the chance to help, and taken it.


Now, so many years later, that same unusual bond that a young Chana had felt began to resurface...in the face of the boy, now man, that she had tried to save once upon a time. It wasn't really what she would call a good bond. More of an unavoidable one. The kind that happens when you're forced to endure something together. Even though she knew they only had truly met the day before. And for all she knew, Takai...Isao....would hate her even more after she told him. Maybe he would actually kill her, if he thought that she had snuffed out his sole purpose in life back then. Would he understand why she did it?


But this wasn't something she could keep from him. He had every right in the world to know. And Chana, though incredibly filled with secrets, was an honest woman. She felt her eyes reddening, burning with strange tears that she was unsure she was capable of shedding. No, she wasn't one to cry. And she wouldn't here...not in front of Isao Harada. His desperate look made her feel more vulnerable than she had in years, since she left home that fateful day. Did it show on her face?


Long suppressed and vivid memories began to trickle through Chana's mind. Everything she had tried so hard not to think about now standing in front of her, her past embodied in the form of the once boy Isao Harada, turned into a man named Takai. His alias, she knew, was a Japanese word that meant "death". That told her what her meddling had meant to him. She swallowed, lifting her eyes and locking her gaze with Isao's.


"My name. My full name is Chana Eden. M-my parents were the American branch of the research team," Chana took a breath, her hand and eyes fluttering to the scar on her abdomen. "This scar? I got it years ago...from my stepfather. He gave it to me the day I destroyed a mass of raw data because I found out what my parents were doing....because I discovered the case file of a boy named Isao Harada, who was being experimented on without true consent, without any anesthesias. The day I destroyed a mass of raw data because I thought that if they had no research or variables left to experiment with, they wouldn't be able to run it anymore."


Chana paused in her explanation, her breathing stilted and uneven. Her voice was lodged in her throat. She couldn't give him any sort of excuse. Right now, she could only tell him exactly what had happened in the simplest form possible. Her voice was shaky and quiet, filled with a brokenness that Chana didn't like to admit she preserved. Staring back up at Isao, she let out one more sentence.


"Because if they weren't able to run it anymore...they would have no reason to cut into your body ever again."

 

[Jason Carlile]

Drake was walking quietly in the rain. He didn't mind the rain, in fact back in the day he loved to silence his movements. He was wearing black pants, black shirt with a long black coat. Well at least it feels nice out. Better than burning alive in this place. He laughed, and sat down and took out his last can of food. "Goddamn it I have to get some more food or attempt to hunt, assuming the meat isn't poisoned and won't blow up my insides." Drake put the food away and sat up in the rain. "I need some shelter. Or I will be a very angry man." He didn't like sleeping in the rain.


A few more hours of wondering and the man was getting tired, luckily thanks to man who has conditioning and survival training he was outlasting any other 39 year old man. Look at that I am old but I can still kick ass. He thought as he walked up to a university in a downpour. "Great, the place where everyone went and wasted their life away for a piece of paper full of lies." He always believe the school system was broken and full of lies. However upon seeing light and movement, he pulled out his Beretta and crouched down and sneakily climbed in. He heard a man who sounded controlled by bloodlust, hatred and insanity. He heard a girl cry and his heart began to race. This man was going to kill this woman. Be he couldn't go rushing in, he had to try and get the girl away from him. Suddenly he heard another voice.


"My name is Chana Eden." Interesting. From the rest he gathered, she was from that coalition between a few nations, USA included to help experiment and help cure a few rare forms of cancer. He heard it was a bust and USA backed out. Carefully he peered around the corner and saw the man turn to Chana. Seizing his chance, he quietly tried to get the girls attention to come with him. If the man turns around it would be time to reveal himself and talk peacefully. He didn't want to kill or anyone die today. I just got here damn it and I already have an attempted murder going on. Might as well be another war. Sad part is no one knows he is here and he is trying to save someone. He also saw another man on the other side of the hallway and put him aside for now, he wasn't the biggest threat.


"Come on, come here," He whispered quietly to the girl, hopefully she wouldn't yell and blow his cover.

 

[Mack Daddy]

"It seems he is probably in stage three, changing personalities on a dime. He grabbed a gun I couldn't see and drew it. He shot three times at you before collapsing. I tried tying him up to the bed. I'm not sure how well it'll hold up, but it'll do something at least. One of the bullets cut you pretty badly, but didn't burst anything luckily. I padded it up. Once the bleeding ends, we need to clean it and put on fresh bandages."


He stood up and started to inventory what supplies he had left. Well a lot of ammo, and a colt .45, couple water filters- no water though, a blanket, and a pack of protein bars. He zipped the grey back pack up, and slung it onto his back.


"Do you want my jacket? You must be cold, especially after the rain with the wet clothes."

 

[Daeya]

She shook her head, refusing the jacket. "I'm actually really hot. Must be sweating or something." Cally lightly touched her forehead, listening to him talk. "He doesn't have the virus. The symptoms don't match. The only thing that we have on him is compulsive changes in his personality and hallucinations, which aren't connected at all. He may not be mentally stable, but for sure not the virus." She shook her head, as if to confirm the thought.


"Thank you for patching it up. Sure was a shock." She was still deeply lost in her thoughts, but hadn't lost her manners.

 

[Crescent]

"My full name is Chana Eden."


Finn froze when he heard her voice, speaking the name. When Takai had told Finn that a woman named Chana was heading this up...well, Finn had mentally pictured a slightly dumpy middle aged woman. But that voice didn't belong to an older woman. And certainly not someone dumpy, it was too elegant and graceful sounding for that. She sounded younger than him, in fact. And her voice sounded like it felt everything in the world.





Wow. Well, not what I was expecting.


Finn considered peeking around the corner to get a look at the woman who was speaking, this younger girl named Chana. But before he could, something happened.


Finn blinked. The other man, someone older than him by maybe 15 years, had come and was trying to beckon the girl Yasuko out. If he only had any idea. He reached out, tapping the man on the shoulder.





"Hey mate. That girl sure as bloody hell knows how to defend herself. She tried to kill that man first. I think you should stay out of this one, chap. You'd be interrupting something between three people who very much need to talk."


Even though his words were whispered and hurried, his British accent was obvious. He hoped that this new, older man would understand.

 

[Saturnity]

Isao (Takai)/Yasuko (Yamato)


He thought he would feel anger at the revelations he'd been hearing. He thought his rage would fly out of control, that nothing would hold him back from killing both of the women in the room. That wasn't the case. Takai opened his mouth to speak, his eyes wide. As Chana's back met the wall, he planted his hand against it over her shoulder, trying to steady himself.


This can't be happening... what the hell is going on. Is life seriously trying to f**k with me right now?





"Please... Chana... tell me you're lying." the voice pleaded in a rasping, desperate tone, "tell me that you're just making it all up..."


The hand grasping the axe fell to his side, as he let it clatter to the floor. The scene was eerily reminiscent of Takai's earlier spat with the woman, yet there was not a hint rage left within him.


"I..." he continued, "I was suffering... but knowing that my miserable life would be saving countless others... I was ready to accept that."


Takai's vision swam, he felt nauseous. When was the last time he'd eaten again? He tried to remember, but thoughts of Chana and Yasuko were dominating his mind. A sickness washed over him, one brought on by years of killing.


"I've escaped death three times now..." the man whispered while placing a hand over his mouth, "After my parents were arrested... I wanted to kill the person who'd destroyed their work... in my mind there was nothing left for me. But now that person is here, and all I feel is emptiness."


Was it yesterday? Did he eat anything that morning? He'd been burning a lot of calories since then...


Takai couldn't feel anything, he'd killed and killed, so many people dead brought on by his sense of justice. He tried to kill Yasuko, tearing through his entire gang to get to her, and she wasn't even at fault? What then, of the lives he took, in rage because of something she never did? And then there was Chana... someone who'd tried to save him without even knowing who he was, but ended up destroying his reason for living... should Takai hate her for it? The clashing emotions welled up inside him, neutralizing each other, yet forcing Takai to his knees. He retched at Chana's feet, feeling the bile rising in his throat, then turned his head and vomited off to the side. Tears built up at the rims of his eyelids, then streamed silently down his cheeks. Takai didn't know if they were from the vomiting, or from his conflicted emtions.


This... this sh*t is too much...


Another wave of disorienting dizziness swept over him, as he clutched his hand over right eye and passed out, his body falling limply backward in a smack upon the stone floor.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Yasuko frowned as she watched the breakdown transpire. This was a man she once idolized, and now he'd been reduced to a babbling heap of emotions. As he passed out, waving off the man who'd attempted to help her, she rushed to Takai's side and placed a hand upon his forehead. It was warm and his hair was matted with sweat.


Takai... what have you become since you left Japan?


She shot a glance up at Chana, her eyes scanning the woman briefly. Yasuko had seen the woman leave the room earlier when Takai was assaulting her, but didn't really take note of her. But this woman seemed able enough.


"Please," she requested the slightly younger woman, "do you know if he's drunk any water recently? I think he might not be eating either."


Yasuko didn't care what this Chana woman's relationship with Takai was, or whether they hated each other. She wasn't going to let him die over such an easily avoidable problem.


"I know Takai is an a**hole," she stated plainly and urgently, "but... he's an important friend to me. I can't let him stay like this. Will you help me, please?"

 

[Jason Carlile]

Drake turned around. This guy is British. He had worked with British people before. He didn't know but he understood. He was here longer to see events. He nodded and stayed in the shadows. Trying to find a way to get around this is going to be a challenge.


"Well what do you expect we do then 'chap'?" He said in his grizzled American voice. Such a contrast and he hasn't talked to anybody it took him by surprise. He was used to being alone. He held his pistol with both hands and nodded the British man farther away from the corner. Hoping he would follow.


"Tell me something boy, do you know how to be quiet and get around them to get to the other female? I got some questions for her. And no I am not going to hurt you. Or are you going to wait it out till someone's blood has been spilled?" He held his pistol and gave him a look saying he will do something. But Drake needed a plan and this boy can help him if he helps.

 

[Mack Daddy]

"The symptoms are connected, because the are both symptoms of T103. Sure, =it just could also be other things, but he obviously had other symptoms, like fever, as well. If he starts losing skin, then I'm going to have to to do something. Even if he isn't infected he is threat to all of us. He shot at you three times, h*ll he even hit you once. AND you were supposed friends. Imagine what would happen if were to change around anyone else, Chana, Mel,or god forbid Asher. He is a hazard, an unnecessary risk."





He finished by pointing to the humped man sprawled on the floor in his own blood. uhhg. If I were him, even I would understand being let go. Colton's face slightly bunched up as if he was smelling something rancid, as he looked at him. I'm probably going to set off a rant for saying that but she needed the truth. The less opportunities there are for you to die, the less likely you are to die, and this was preventable, like a sunburn. If you ignore what you should do - you get burned.

 

[Ashmorne]

Instantly, Chana was on the ground, kneeling next to Isao, right across from Yasuko. At first, she couldn't comprehend the girl's words. She could only look at Isao. Tears were wetting his face, and she realized that her cheeks weren't dry either. She took off the ratty sweatshirt, and quickly cleaned the tears and vomit that had gotten in his hair, around his face when he fainted. She didn't care about the scar right now.


Damn it all.


Right now, her only job was to be there for Takai. His words had crushed her, suffocated her. That little version of herself...that Chana of all those years ago. She had been blindly trying to help. And now, this is what it had done. She had broken him, stolen his purpose. Helped cultivate the deep hatred within him.


Chana bit her lip, smoothing Isao's hair from his forehead, his skin hot to touch. Fever could be deadly in this world, especially coupled with malnutrition. She looked back up, meeting Yasuko's gaze. Reaching into the pack she always wore, she pulled out a silver thermos of hazy water.


"I haven't seen him eat or drink anything. None of us really have." Chana spoke softly, looking back down at Isao. She lifted his head lightly, and put the bottle to his mouth.


Please please drink this. Just for once, please cooperate and drink this.


Chana looked back up at Yasuko with glassy eyes. She seemed to truly care about Isao, and she was an obvious part of his history. The two women looked at each other, both connected in such broken ways to the man unconscious between them.


"He and I may have had our differences. This morning, I was in your place...slammed against a wall, him holding a blade to me. But I think I may have ruined his life once upon a time. And, he seemed different after what happened this morning. So, of course I'll help you,"


Chana extended her free arm to Yasuko, hoping the girl would take it, despite its battered and bloody state. Takai had wanted to kill both of them at one point. Now, the both had a common goal. To try and save him.

 

[Crescent]

Finn peered over at the two women. He couldn't see the woman he thought to be Chana's face. But he saw that she had long, heavy dark brown hair that was falling way past shoulder. While he could only see her part of her side and back, his eyes stopped on a wide expanse of scarred skin that was wrapped around part of her abdomen. In addition, a half covered gash decorated her side. He winced looking at it.


Oh shit. That must have been a doozy to get. Battle scar. No wonder you're in charge. Well. Let's hope you're reasonable too.


He watched as she cleaned up the man, using her own hoodie to do so. He couldn't really make out what Yasuko was saying to her. But after the more boyish girl had spoken, the woman named Chana had lifted Isao's head onto her lap, cradling it lightly as she tried to help the man drink from a bottle of water. He saw her try to handshake the other woman, using the arm not supporting Isao's head. Her arm looked like it had seen a war. Yasuko's face, which was in his direct line of sight, looked intensely worried.


Yeah. Bloodshed alright.


He then focused his eyes back on the older man that was speaking to him about blood shed. Finn rolled his eyes without even thinking about it. He jerked his head to gesture at how the girls were fawning over this Isao fellow.


"You know, I don't think any blood will be spilled here. Look at them. They're helping him. So yes, mate, I'm proposing you bloody stay out of it. They don't need rescuing. Give 'em a minute. Then we can both go speak to them. The long haired woman. I think she's the one to talk to. But at least them have a little bit of f****ing privacy first, bloke."





Finn hoped his words didn't come off too strong. Finn wasn't looking to make any enemies. But he just didn't think that this toughened older man would respect him if he spoke without conviction.