Realistic or Modern 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 — at the end of the world

[Safton]

​

Scene Three:
The Fight​

"Hold your fire!" Wesley barked, the staccato sound of the rifles dying out obligingly. He stood up slowly, his own weapon clutched in his hands. "Move up and confirm your kills. Maintain perimeter security," he called out, the enforcers doing as they were told: surging forward in a slow, steady line: prodding fallen bodies of the ghouls and putting bullets into the heads of those that still moved or even just twitched. Some -- perhaps in an attempt to conserve ammunition -- resorted to bashing or piercing the skulls of the fallen while their compatriots maintained a watchful eye on the surroundings.

Wes, meanwhile, headed toward the treeline, reaching down to pull a high-powered LED flashlight from his belt... just in time for Freddie's disheveled form to stand up about a dozen yards in front of him. He almost didn't recognize the guy without that damned hat. "You good?" he asked. The query sounded innocent enough, like a supervisor and "work friend" asking his subordinate if they were injured... but implication was left unspoken: Did you get bitten?

Before an answer came, he heard one of his enforcers call out: "Got two more over here, LT. Alive." He turned to see the man escorting two individuals and waved them over to join their informal gathering.

Wesley glanced over Freddie's shoulder to see another unfamiliar form in the darkness behind him. Freddie was clearly aware of the presence of these strangers and didn't seem bothered. All the same, Wes raised the powerful, focused beam of his flashlight -- shining it on each of the people's faces in turn with little regard for their eyes. One of them looked familiar... that weirdo fuck that scavenged for them sometimes. Then there was another young man -- maybe mid-20s -- and a kid of all things. Emmett grunted, clicking the light off before turning back to Freddie. "Who're the strays?" As much as he wanted to leave the area as soon as possible given the amount of noise they had just caused, he wasn't going to invite these strangers into their vehicles -- much less the home he was charged with protecting -- without more information on them and whether any of them had been bitten.

Bullyboy Squad Aegis F foolish99​

 

[Aegis]

SCENE THREE
The Fight​

Tanner's head swirled from the shouts of men and the swell and pulse caused in his head every time Freddie shot his pistol, but he kept running around and doing his best to avoid getting in the way. A part of the boy was bitter that the men had taken his and Connor's weapons. If they had them, they could be a way bigger help, and maybe they could even escape afterward. However, his thoughts were torn from his mind as a bullet whipped past his head with such a close proximity he felt the wind rustle his hair and the sting of heat from the lead burn at his cheek; one of the dead fell to the ground just behind him.

Startled, Tanner fell in closer to Freddie. The boy could hear Connor and Sam fighting somewhere out there, but the moans of the dead pierced his soul and he knew things were bad. They only went from bad to hopeless when Tanner heard the slide lock back on Freddie's pistol.

The kid's heart dropped and he considered making a mad dash for Connor's grunts in the hope that they should chance it running away rather than stay here and die. Yet, lights flooded the black of the scene as trucks tore into the fight from the night, and bullets began to rip through the battlefield just in time for the mustached man to yank the kid to the ground. Tanner's ears soon rang with the din of gunfire as his eyes managed to make out the silhouettes of bodies hitting the dirt. Waiting for his hearing to return, Tanner looked up to Freddie who was dusting himself off and took notice that he was now hatless. The boy reached over and snatched the hat before standing up and presenting it to his 'savior', "Uh... you dropped this."

Tanner's head dropped sideways and to the ground in semi-reluctance, but he owed the man at least that much. He hoped the cars would take them out of there-- soon.

------

Spoiler: Music

Connor felt the cold fingers of the dead try and find purchase on his clothes and flesh as they snatched at him from the black that surrounded him. Heat. His body was flushed with the nervous heat and sweat from exercise and being so close to death. The ex-soldier smashed through a shambler ahead of him, and tore his heels into the ground as he ran with all his might to keep up with the rest of the crew to no avail. So many things, shadows of people or something resembling people-- danced in the dark. He heard shouts of orders and screams but was unable to pin a specific location.

Then, the headlights appeared. Gunshots. Connor's heart sank as he was deep in the crowd of the infected as they began to collapse around him. The ex-soldier willingly grabbed at an infected that was approaching him just before a spray from some firearm cut toward him and hit the infected instead. Blood erupted from the torso of the mailman he had grabbed and a few stray pieces of the bullet impacted against his plate carrier with enough force to rip the wind from his lungs. The mailman, feeling none of the pain-- shoved Connor forward onto his back and sank its teeth into the vest as well yanking forward a mouthful of fabric and leaving several of its teeth scattered due to the ceramic plate.

Connor let out a panicked scream as the ex-soldier felt a surge of adrenaline fire through his veins, and in a single swift movement he seized the mailman by its collar and slung him off to the side. Scrambling to his feet, the man stood above the mailman and began to stomp and stomp and stomp until nothing but the sight of ground beef and bone remained. The man was red in the face from lack of air as he doubled over and began to wheeze in an effort to catch his breath.

If he hadn't been wearing his vest... the bullets... the bite.

Connor's stomach turned over as an image of him tearing Tanner apart flashed through his mind. He had been behind the pack a ways judging by how far ahead the car stopped. The ex-soldier just sat there on his knees. At the moment, the rise and fall of his chest and lungs was the most glorious feeling in the world, but he needed to go find Tanner. A grunt of exertion followed the soldier clamoring to his feet before he started along with his hands raised in a sign of surrender so hopefully they wouldn't be stupid enough to shoot him-- again.

Emerging from the far edge of the distance covered by the lights, Connor was a grim sight to behold. Blood covered the man from head to toe after his fights and the spray from the gunfire amidst the crowd, his hands shook from overexertion, and it was clear that he was less than pleased at the outcome of events save the fact he and Tanner were still alive. It would be easy from that distance to mistake him for another walking corpse, but he shouted out toward the car, "I'm alive! I'm fine! Where's Tanner?"

Bullyboy Squad NanLia F foolish99 Jabroni Safton Namazu The Cat Man sanatanas ​

 

[Miaow]

SCENE ONE
The Convoy​

Minnie lifted her head as she felt Xander's touch, giving a hesitant nod in response to his reassurance. Xander hadn't let her down before, why would he start now? Though, she could see the scepticism in Haewon's eyes. If they had just left, if she hadn't let Minnie get so attached to the people here, they would've been long gone by the time this had happened. They'd be in the next city over at least. The disdain on her face was clear as she shrugged Xander off.

Minnie's eyes couldn't help but wander back to Miyu. She desperately didn't want to look at the blood matted in her hair but she simply couldn't tear her eyes away. She swallowed, praying she would just... stand up. Surprise! This was all a joke! The gun was fake, the blood was fake, and everybody was laughing and patting Miyu on the back for such a good practical joke. Maybe if she watched long enough, she'd sit up.

"Stop looking at it," Haewon told her firmly, grabbing her by the shoulder and turning her around. She held her head against her shoulder.
"Don't look at it."

Minnie's chest felt tight as she held her, her breathing shaky as she tried to steady it. She shut her eyes tight, but the red and blue lights continued to shine through, flashing back and forth. Sirens screamed in her ears, but she could still hear Haewon's muffled voice piercing through it all. Her face felt hot, she felt like she was choking.

She looked up as Cabrera piped up once again. Her eyes shot behind her to look at Arthur. What had he done? Cabrera had no right to lock him up. She scowled back at Cabrera, turning to Haewon and opening her mouth to speak.
"No--" Haewon interrupted her, holding her firmly by the shoulders, "You don't talk to any of them. You do not run anywhere, you walk, and you stay with me or Nari." She told her sternly.
"Do you understand?"
Minnie hesitated before nodding, though the anger in her eyes was clear.
"He can't just--" She began, keeping her voice down.
"Yes, he can."
Minnie knew she was right, avoiding eye contact with her. She felt a lump in her throat as Haewon sighed.
"C'mon, let's go to the apartment." She muttered, guiding Minnie ahead of her and towards the building. She shared a look with Nari. Whether she came or not, she'd be taking Minnie to the apartment. As they passed Arthur, Minnie looked over at him. They couldn't just lock him up for defending himself... As her leg twitched, urging her to go to him, Haewon placed a hand on her shoulder from behind. She wasn't letting her do anything stupid that could get them both shot.

The two made their way up to the apartment, followed diligently by a Samaritan. Minnie took a seat at their table, hugging a knee to her chest as she looked at their last unfinished chess game. She picked up one of the pieces she'd taken and fidgeted with it. Haewon patted her on the shoulder on the way to her room, feeling the presence of the Samaritan following behind her.
"I'm changing my shirt. I'd rather you didn't come with me." She told him, turning to shut the makeshift privacy curtain they'd made - a blanket pinned between the two shelves that made up their door. As the man stepped back, she pinned the other side up, leaving Minnie with Nari.

She crouched by her futon, retrieving the flip knife she kept beneath her pillow and opening it. It was sharp enough, though she wasn't expecting to have much time to care to that now. She shut it, slipping it into her boot before grabbing a change of shirt.

NanLia Bullyboy Squad ​

 

[NanLia]

SCENE NUMBER ONE
The Convoy​

Small comforts. She hadn’t seen Xander escape the leader, but she was thankful he was with her. And the girls. They should never have had to see this! She wasn’t their mother, by any means, but she’d taken up the mantle of being their caretaker (even if Haewon refused to accept help) and she was failing miserably.

"It's gonna be okay. Just stay calm and stay together, all right? No matter what. We'll get through this,"

Thankfully Haewon was keeping a close eye on Minnie, preventing her from speaking out to help Arthur - the man’s fate was out of their hands now and she hoped the leader’s actions remained the same; they weren’t here intent on killing them. They would have done so already.

Nari was doing her best to assess their occupiers carefully, taking in whatever minor details she could. Would they be useful later? Only time would tell. She frowned watching Xander leave with the leader following behind him, she wanted to follow but knew that she needed to stick with the girls and ensure they were safe.

She followed behind Haewon and Minnie in silence but she called out to the samaritan guard that followed her girls into their private home. “You don’t need to be in here.” She held the door open for him to step outside and she closed the door behind him. Hesitated to lock it but thought better of herself.

Nari turned back, watching Haewon disappear into her bunk. She smiled at Minnie, “Go get cleaned up, okay? Then come to the table and we’ll sit together.” She reached out to gently brush the hair from Minnie’s face, tucking it behind her ear. “You too Haewon.” She called but only received a grunt for a reply. Typical.

She headed into their tiny makeshift kitchenette to take out four spoons, in the habit of taking one out for Xander, and returned one back into the little tray. She dug deep into the back of a cardboard box and extracted a jar of Nutella. She was saving it for a few weeks from now when Xander and she were going to present the girls with their high school diplomas. They’d been learning, maybe not what had been on the curriculum previous, but they wanted to give them something of the old world that was a marker of life: Graduating high school, getting accepted into college, their first date, getting married. These were basics of the old world, something they hoped would come again, that they didn’t want the girls to miss and if something as simple as a piece of paper would bring them an ounce of joy, it was worth the effort. She still hoped that was a possibility, that their new occupants wouldn’t detract from what they had here.

Nari opened the lid and peeled back the seal, thankful to find the hazelnut chocolate unspoiled. She scooped a small dollop and set it on the plate of her kamidana, thanking her ancestors for protecting them today and asking for their continued protection in the days to come.

She brought the container and spoons to their small table, gently setting aside the chess set to wait for the girls to return.

BeyondDandy Togy The Cat Man Miaow MokaChan SlaughterMelon Safton Bullyboy Squad

 

[NanLia]

SCENE NUMBER ONE
The Convoy​

Dutchess winced hearing Haru call Miyu his sister. She hadn’t known Haru before coming to the HS, not that it would have helped her communicate with Miyu any better, or would have prevented this shit show. She was still regretful, her purpose here hadn’t been as simple as infiltrate, it was to ensure a safe transition to Samaratin control and she owned that it hadn’t happened that way for Miyu. Could she do anything to change that now? No. It did mean that in the future, she would do better.

Cabrera shouted orders before following Font into the school but a few minutes (maybe seconds) after this, people were still milling about glaring at one another or staring at the dead girl and mourning bother.

She turned to North, whose face was still swelling. “Take Pandora and Mackenzie with you to the nurse's office.” She flagged down a nameless armed Samaratin. “You help him get his sister to the office, let the medics clean her up. We’ll need to bury her today.”

Dutchess flagged down the shithead who called the bomb threat. “You’re going ‘round back, there’s a shed with equipment. Get a shovel and start digging.”

She surveyed who was left before waving Jack forward, he may have been the shooter but he was doing his job, even if she hated it. “Take this one,” She pointed to Alante. “And get him buttoned up in his quarters. He might put up a fight, so be ready. I’ll get these two back to the cell.”

Dutchess did not want to have to deal with Kurt in the least but she hadn’t been left with many choices at the moment. She approached Kurt and Arthur, pausing a few feet from both. “Are you going to come with me peaceably or do I need you hog-tied and dragged?”

BeyondDandy Togy The Cat Man Miaow MokaChan SlaughterMelon Safton Bullyboy Squad

 

[NanLia]

SCENE NUMBER 3
Learn Your Lesson​

Temma watched the fight, if it could be called that, impassively. Several times other dissidents of the bar glanced her way, no doubt looking for a reaction of any kind. She knew better than react, years of life prior to the apocalyptic shit-hole they lived in now taught her to keep herself cool in any situation. The prison had only fortified that and now? Well, she was cool as ice.

The fight ended and it left a sour taste in her mouth. In no way did she believe this, the death of Andrew at the hands of Wesley, an enforcer in King's pocket would cool the rebellion brewing. If there ever was one. Like many inside the prison, she hadn’t seen any evidence to support there was anyone trying to supplant King from his throne but she doubted very much anyone would be fool enough to say something around her, given who her husband was.

She finished her martini and set the delicate glass on the bartop, thanking Chole for the excellent service again. “Alright ladies and gents,” She spoke mostly to her working boys and girls. “I am done for this evening, you best behave yourselves.” She smiled but she knew if they had any issues while she was away they’d run to the enforcers for help.

Temma had intended on setting out to find her husband, with the hope of soothing the sting of tonight’s fight. This wasn’t his mess but he’d still feel responsible. Fight Nights were his domain but Wes had shit the bed here. She was thankful King hadn’t been here to witness it.

Before she could make it to the stairs to the control room an enforcer called out to her. “Ma’am” How cute. “They’re asking you to come to intake, sounds like there’s a kid coming in.”

How she ended up in the role of liaison for families with children joining the prison still eluded her. She supposed it was due to the fact that she was one female … mostly female, among the few that held a predominant position in the upper ranks of the Samaritans. The other leaders certainly couldn’t show compassion because that could be perceived as weakness, but compassion coming from her? Acceptable. “Alright then, lead on.”

Bullyboy Squad Namazu F foolish99 Aegis Safton ​

 

[BeyondDandy]

SCENE 2
The Helicopter​

It felt transcending. Marcus King found himself elevated above all others as he watched the rhythmic propellers turn over the machine of his dreams. The gust of wind from them hit him differently - a warm breeze, comforting his ebony skin like July summer. The dangers that engulfed him were silent, all he could hear was the turning of the engine roaring strongly as it prepared to soar. He could taste the metal on his lips like an open cut or sore, smelling the faint iron that churned to create flight. It was outstanding and the next step to creating the life he’d dreamed of since the beginning of the end.

The gunshot that ended Rocky’s life brought him back to focus. He saw Rocky’s body plummet like a wingless bird, crashing against the surface of the helicopter - dead. King rushed towards the machine, turning over his shoulder to see the rest of his crew fighting off the beings that clawed through to the roof. Approaching the cockpit, he nodded at Lawrence with a childlike expression. “Fantastic work, gentlemen!” He hoped on, kicking Rocky off his carrier without gratitude for his sacrifice.

His charisma seemed uncharacteristic, but the childlike joy of his success turned him different. He glanced back at the others fending off the dead. Gunshots rung all over the roof, the ants crawling over one another for a chance at a decent meal - but their brain power did not match their desire. The things were being picked off left and right, but the quantity that was ramming through would be challenging even for the best of shots. “Get this thing in the air, Gunderson. You don’t know it yet, but you have changed our world,” King exclaimed, not concerned with the survival of any of his men. They came for what they wanted and did not have much time to get out of the situation. It was now or never.

Lucky for some, Gunderson held off until a few others reached the helicopter in time for takeoff. He counted a handful of bodies, meaning many were left behind - casualties of war. King’s smile held firm as the dead watched their machine elevate into the sky. He held on to a strap next to the window when his balanced was challenged from the momentary lack of gravity. Dead leaped off the roof in failed attempts to reach them from the roof. Their carcasses crashed against the hospital parking lot and burst like glass. King chuckled at the sight, feeling untouchable. “We did it,” he stated proudly. Looking at what was left of his detail.

“We did it! Great job to all of you. You will all be compensated for your efforts. Soon, we will be able to explore nearby cities and communities, expanding our reach. Lincoln will become a hub for worldwide trade. Our reach will be limitless.” Despite his seemingly outlandish ambition, King had yet to fail on his promises. Since the beginning, his ambition has housed hundreds of survivors. He has crafted a future for many people that may have believed their lives to be over. Though his methods may appear flawed to many, he has never steered from making tough decisions. Now holding the power of reach, he plans to expand what he has built and create a network of communities that would all answer to him.

Bullyboy Squad
Togy
F foolish99
Aravis Kandosii
The Cat Man

 

[Bullyboy Squad]

SCENE THREE
The Fight​

Freddie looked the kid up and down, briefly. He snatched the hat and fitted it over his head.

"Thanks." His focus was sailing between the kid, the new arrival, Sam, and Connor who just joined them. The enforcer shrugged the residue of adrenaline off, his heart rate calming down, ears still ringing.

"Just the two, the guy and a kid. Their shit is up the hill, we can get it later. Now let's get the hell out of here, chief."

And so they did. Squeezed in the cab and on the bed of the truck. Freddie patted his jacket, making sure Connor's watch was still there. Wondering if they came out unscratched because only a check up would tell if neither got the lethal bite mark…

Aegis F foolish99 NanLia Safton Namazu Jabroni The Cat Man sanatanas ​

 

[Bullyboy Squad]

SCENE ONE
The Convoy​

Cabrera told Price to follow Dutchess orders while he's having a chat. One of the Samaritan enforcers followed the two leaders but waited outside of Font's office, keeping watch.

Ignacio took the sight in. Everything inside those walls looked like back in the day. Nearly untouched by the terrible fate the world endured. That was part of the problem. The world changed but not everybody kept up.

Cabrera leaned his butt to the desk, propped to his hands on each side with a casual posture.

"That's disappointing." He commented without sarcasm on the alleged lack of firearms in the room. He watched Font, studying his expression, giving him a moment to feel the weight of silence.

"Now you will be my bitch, Captain." He said with a calm, serious tone.

"It's something you have to process and accept. Then you'll be able to live with it and serve your people under these new circumstances. Do you understand?"

MokaChan Togy Safton BeyondDandy NanLia Miaow The Cat Man SlaughterMelon
Crono
​

 

[Namazu]

SCENE TWO
The Helicopter​

Denise lost track of where exactly all of her teammates were as shit really hit the fan. As she battled her way towards the helicopter that was somehow, miraculously, functioning, she could only hear three sounds:

Blood pumping in her ears, the helicopter’s whump-whump-whump as it started up, and the ever-present growl of undead.

The growls might not have even been real and just a trick of her mind, filling in the gaps with what it knew she should hear. She hated those growls more than anything. They weren’t necessarily fear-inducing anymore, but she hated how accusatory they felt. Sometimes, if left alone with her thoughts while on watch, perched above the mindless bastards as they milled around, she swore she heard them speak.

Usually they blamed her for leaving. That’s when she knew it was time to get away and get some sleep.

She was prepared for this reality, but still felt a deep pit of anger roil in her when she saw the helicopter starting to lift off from the roof. Not everyone was on board. She sure as shit wasn’t on board yet. Did she blame King? No. This would all be a waste if the dead got into the helicopter. Was she still pissed at the thought they’d leave her behind so willingly? Abso-fuckin’-lutely she was.

She’d ruminate on it later. For now, survival mode kicked up a notch. Dropping one more of the dead as it got too close, she took off in a sprint towards the helicopter, slinging her weapon over her shoulder so that her hands were free. At least she could outrun them - there was just enough of a tunnel through the chaos that she could get through.

The helicopter had lifted about a foot off the ground when Denise jumped up onto it, climbing into it like one would a truck, grabbing at straps and seats and metal to haul her ass into it. She quickly scrambled inside, making sure her feet wouldn’t dangle where the undead could get a bite in.

And suddenly, they were airborne. King laughed. His words went in one ear and out the other as she was swept up in sheer amazement of what was actually accomplished here. They really had gotten a pre-shit-fell-apart helicopter working, moving, and in the air. They were flying.

Now was a really good time to recall she hated flying. Her stomach flipped, and she scooted into the back of the helicopter, away from any open doors or gaps, and pretended to be busy with wiping sweat from her face. She didn’t need anyone to notice she looked like she was going to hurl.

Bullyboy Squad Togy F foolish99 Aravis Kandosii The Cat Man BeyondDandy ​

 

[Miaow]

SCENE ONE
The Convoy​

Minnie sat quietly at the table as she fidgeted with her chess piece, slumping in her seat with a soft sigh. She felt... helpless. They were surrounded. What was she meant to do? She didn't even have a weapon and she definitely wasn't taking down a whole army of gunned men on her own. Why was she even thinking about that? She wasn't a fighter, her job was to make sure there weren't any insects eating their strawberries... She was just a stupid farmer, she couldn't do anything useful.

She flinched as Nari reached towards her face, in a world of her own. She trusted Nari but... every so often, if she moved too quickly and Minnie wasn't paying attention, she'd jump. She always felt a little bad... She didn't want Nari to feel bad, and she definitely didn't want Nari to stop trying to be physically affectionate... She let her tuck her hair behind her ear, though she simply couldn't bring herself to look her in the eye. She set her chess piece on the table and hopped down from her chair.

"Minnie, wait!" Haewon called from their bunk. She wasn't just going to let her leave their apartment while there were armed men wandering around. She grabbed a change of clothes for her sister, a pair of pyjama bottoms for herself, and some towels before heading out of their bunk. She nodded towards the door, gesturing to her sister that she was ready to go.

Though Haewon often doubted her decision to stay at the school... the showers were definitely on her list of pros. Before they'd found this place, they had only been able to wash with river water. Though she'd never admit it... she respected the engineering that went into their shower system. She escorted her sister to the showers like a bodyguard for a child celebrity, even opening the door for her.

Minnie stopped to look in the mirror, dreading what she would see. She was sure something wet had hit her when Miyu... She frowned, pushing her hair back to get a better look at her forehead. Relief washed over her. She couldn't see anything...
"What are you doing?" Haewon asked from her shower cubicle, leaning back to look at her.
"Nothing," She replied simply, finding her own cubicle.

The two cleaned themselves up before returning to their apartment in their comfy clothes, Haewon taking the lead and keeping an eye out for any armed guards that came too close. As they walked back in, Minnie paused.
"Is that...?"
"No way," Haewon exclaimed from behind her, heading over to the table.
"Where the heck did you get nutella from?!"

NanLia ​

 

[Namazu]

SCENE 3
The Fight​

Sometimes when Weston drank, he emptied mugs and glasses with very little recollection of what happened between the first sip and the last. He only snapped back to the present when he lifted something for another drink, got nothing but air, and found himself staring at the bottom of the glass. Today was one of those days.

He could have easily put away several drinks until he was shitfaced, then stumbled back to his room. It felt unwise to do so though, what with all just happened. Surely people had to be a bit on edge, even if the so-called problem had been taken care of. Weston doubted putting Andrew in the ground was going to solve or end anything though, so it was best to remain alert. Just in case someone tried something stupid. Excusing himself from the bar area, making sure his tab was paid and closed, he shuffled off back to his room in silence. After closing his door, he leaned against it, then slid down and sat on the floor.

What he saw in that picture kept gnawing at his mind. He was adamant he knew exactly what and who he was looking at in this picture, but still, disbelief nagged at him. He pulled out the picture to look at it again. Maybe he was seeing things.

Nope. He wasn't seeing things.

Sighing, he shoved the picture back into his coat pocket. He didn't dare leave it in his room, even if he attempted to hide it. Something that important needed to be kept on his person at all times lest it fall into the wrong hands. He needed to think about this carefully before he showed it to anyone else, or started asking any questions.

Just as soon as he leaned his head back against his door with a thunk, his walkie-talkie crackled to life. He sat stone-still, listening to the transmission, not entirely sure what to expect. It couldn't be from that convoy already, could it? Or King's entourage? No, too soon for either of those, unless shit had gone entirely sideways and it was a call for backup.

The transmission turned out to be neither of those two things. A surprising twist: Freddie called in that they'd found people. A man and a kid.

Weston sighed. More mouths to feed, and who knew if they'd be useful. Most kids weren't, unless they were old enough to be put to work. The adults with them were hit or miss. Generally, you could keep them in line with threats to the kid they're with, but it didn't always work. Hopefully this one won't be a loose canon. The last thing they needed right now was a destabilizing force... or more of them, anyway.

Grunting as he pushed himself up off the floor, Weston ran a hand through his hair, straightened his clothes, and shook the last few hours off his body and mind. Making sure his knife and gun were on himself, he grabbed the walkie-talkie and exited, headed out to meet the arrivals at the front.

"Copy. Weston here, I'll meet you all out front when you get here with the fresh meat. Over."

He called all new arrivals fresh meat until he could pin down what their use would be. Sometimes they were just that - meat for the dead.

Bullyboy Squad Aegis F foolish99 NanLia Safton Jabroni The Cat Man sanatanas ​

 

[Safton]

​

Scene One:
The Convoy

Collab Post w/ Bullyboy Squad
​

Xander knew full well the man was attempting to wield the quiet like a blade at his neck: testing him, observing him. Seeing if he would break. Cabrera was a wolf, a predator. What response was he looking for from Xander? Averted eyes and a submissive posture? Or a spark of defiance? Xander picking wrong could mean not only his own death, but the death everyone at the School.

Xander decided to straddle the line, holding Cabrera's gaze with an impassive stare. There was no derision in his eyes, no glare the likes of which he'd shot him outside. Just an expectant gaze as the two assessed one another in pregnant silence.

A silence that Cabrera, finally, mercifully broke. Xander couldn't help but to arch an eyebrow at the direct, crude remark aimed at him, though the Samaritan gave him precious little time to digest the matter-of-fact statement before continuing to inform him that it was time for him and his people to turn over a new leaf, under new management as it were. Xander didn't rise to the bait of the initial borderline insult, instead simply nodding slowly. "Why don't you start by telling me what this whole... 'arrangement' will entail? The more we both know, the less chance we have of anyone else getting hurt."

It was a riposte, of sorts -- and perhaps a one that went too far. On its face, the comment seemed innocent enough: a simple request for information lest he suffer another casualty like poor Miyu. But the undertones -- if one cared to look into them -- were different. Xander needed to understand just where his boundaries began and ended with Cabrera... not to mention the fact that the guy seemed just unstable and predatory enough that being too submissive could be every bit as dangerous as open defiance under the right circumstances.

Cabrera leaned back, folding his arms. "Yeah that was unfortunate." It was difficult to tell if the young woman's death bothered him at all.

"Accidents happen but none of your people will have to worry about their safety if they follow my rules. Your job in all of it? Making sure they do."

Xander was glad that Cabrera didn't seem to take offense to his question, instead offering him the standard "collaborator's dilemma". Tried and true for centuries. It had worked for the Nazis... and clearly the Samaritans were making it work for them.

If that's the stick... Xander mused internally.

The door swung open but Cabrera didn't look over. He knew it's one of his men bringing the six pack. Once the beer was set down with bottles clinking, Cabrera gave the guy a brief nod and pulled two bottles out.

Then here's the carrot.

"As for what our new situation entails." He opened one against the other and offered it to Font, who took it wordlessly. His gaze met Xander's as he reached for his neck and yanked his dog tags out from under the Kevlar. "Everything and everyone on this land now belongs to us. Samaritans." He smirked and used the dog tags to open the cap before tucking them back in.

"We will gauge your assets and use them as we deem right. Depending on your value as a separate camp and on your compliance, we decide whether you stay here under supervision or go to our main base and get new roles there." He tilted his head back, taking a drag from the bottle but not taking his eyes off the other.

"But for now?" Cabrera licked his moist lip. "Your role is to be my host. Do what I say. Make sure your people do what I say. And to not undermine my authority no matter what call I make. Anything you or your men do that is against us will not go unpunished." He pulled up from the desk, snapping the metal cap off his finger and in Xander's direction.

Font's hand snapped up to snatch the cap out of the air without so much as a flinch before slapping it down on the desk, continuing to watch Cabrera as he moved.

"You keeping up, chief?" He came over to Xander's side, standing right in man's personal space. Staring down at him as if he planned to test that compliance by demanding something dubious.

Xander steepled his hands in front of him on the desk, leaning back ever so slightly to eye the Samaritan who was very purposefully encroaching at this point. "Yeah. I'm tracking, chief," Font stated flatly, keeping his voice steady.

Cabrera licked his teeth. "Let's see if you really do." His gaze not coming off the other. "I've seen your pretty ladies back there. I like Asian too." No smile, just a piercing look as he continued. "Think one of them might sleep in my bed tonight. The young one is cute."

It had been a long time since Xander had felt anger. The outbreak had brought horror and grief and shock, yes. But anger? He hadn't had time for it. The infected didn't care if he was upset with them and he'd been too concerned scrambling to keep himself and Nari alive during those first few frantic months. Then the people from Knox came and sure the likes of Greg and Harry had managed to annoy and even frustrate him at times. But those were emotions he was used to dealing with as a leader of randy nineteen-year-old jarheads, to say nothing of his subsequent time as a high school teacher and coach.

But Cabrera's words brought out something else. Something dangerous... for the both of them. Real anger lancing through his core to settle white-hot in his gut. For a brief moment, an image flashed through Xander's mind like a silent movie: snatching the beer bottle up off his desk, smashing it over Cabrera's head. There would be blood, no doubt -- from his own palm and Cabrera's scalp. No matter. Xander would be all too happy to add to it as he used one of the broken shards of the bottle to cut a jagged line across the Samaritan's throat until he found his carotid and jugular, letting him make gurgled calls for help in vain as he drowned in his own lifeblood -- his vision fading to black around the edges and his new bitch being the last thing he saw.

The moment passed and with it went the self-indulgent fantasy Font had allowed himself. Only seconds had passed, but he was surprised to find that his right hand was grasping the beer bottle in a vice-like grip. He forced himself to let out a slow breath before fully meeting Cabrera's eyes, searching them for a moment before relaxing fully.

"No," he said simply. "Being willing to kill us or enslave us if we step out of line? That I buy. But this..." Xander shook his head. "The guy who opens with that and expects to follow through isn't the same one who wrings his hands over a dead girl. Even if he does 'like 'em Asian'," he echoed the words. "He doesn't punish his men for an itchy trigger finger, either," his tone was cool, calculated -- almost detached.

Xander shrugged. "But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you kill me here and everybody else too all because I fucked up. That's what it would come to anyway if you tried to touch one of those girls. Then your people can plant their flag in an empty school and bring that story back to your King."

Cabrera watched the other's reactions to his words without giving away how he felt about them. When Xander was done the other sat his butt on his desk, pretty much forcing Xander to take the bottle he held, to the other edge.

"Listen, Dr Phil." His gaze unwavered, solely on Font's eyes. And if the Northview leader could read people as much as he seemed, then he could have sensed a note of sincerity in Samaritan's words. Twinkle of interest in his eyes. "Your diagnosis aside? It's either your girlfriend I'm gonna take to my room or it's you." He tilted his head back and chugged his beer. At that moment he appeared fairly unguarded. How easy would it be to break the glass on his head?

Xander's blood ran cold as he assessed Cabrera's words, the steady gaze with which he had delivered them. He was close enough now to smell the sweat on his skin and in his clothes, to hear every glug as he swallowed the beer. Not only did he seem to not be bluffing, but he was actively calling Font's own bluff. Xander saw no way around it. Either he act here and now on his impulse the way Arthur had outside: take his chance to rid the world of this monster and in so doing condemn everyone else in his charge, or...

"Fine," Xander said stiffly, his tone about as resolute as he could manage. He stood up, pointedly ignoring the proximity to Cabrera, his shoulder grazing the man's hand as he pushed himself up from the desk -- ignoring the pain in his locked-up knee as he did so. "Where?" he asked simply.

Cabrera exhaled sharply through his nose and wiped his mouth with the back of his beer-wielding hand.

"Eager, ain't we." His lip curled in the corner before he pulled away from the desk, setting the bottle down with a loud bang.

"First business, then pleasure." He headed for the door and held it open for Xander. "I want a tour around the compound and to know all your secrets." He said with his dark eyes trained on the Northview leader.

NanLia Miaow Crono MokaChan Togy BeyondDandy Miaow SlaughterMelon The Cat Man​

 

[Bullyboy Squad]

SCENE THREE
The Fight​

The vehicle rocked on each dent and stone in the dirt path that led to the gates. They had to fix the road after last winter and it looked like they would have to do it again after next. Sometimes it made him wonder. If they could really live like that for long. And what would be the life of the young generation they kept alive later.

The man glanced over to Tanner. Wondering if the boy was lucky or cursed that he didn't go in the early stages of the outbreak. Then he wouldn't have to see or do things his peers never had to worry about before the world ended.

Finally the double gates opened and they entered the prison grounds, parking close to the main building.

"Whoever you meet inside and looks like my boss, you better be on your best behaviour." He advised Connor and soon the group led by the Chief of security went through the front door.

Freddie saw a few guards and the infamous Madame. "Ma'am." He gave her a deep nod. He couldn't imagine to be attracted to the body underneath those clothes but the illusion was impossible to ignore. Especially in times like these, it was easy to feel excited at the sigh of stark beauty against the ugliness of everyday reality.

Noticing the Second in Command approaching he cleared his throat. "This is the boss." He hinted at the newcomers and then nodded to Weston as a sign of respect.

"Sir. Sorry for the late hour trouble. I was taking in these two when a small horde attacked us." He glanced at Wes when adding. "It's been taken care of now."

Aegis F foolish99 NanLia Safton Namazu Jabroni The Cat Man sanatanas ​

 

[Aegis]

SCENE THREE
The Fight​

The ride back to wherever they were being taken-- presumably the prison, left Connor feeling entirely hollowed out inside. Adrenaline dried in his veins like a hurricane in the desert leaving him tired and spacy as they car bumped along. The soldier didn't move a muscle but his eyes kept flicking to the men around him, their guns, and the viscera slathered across his body. Tanner had set next to him and Connor could feel the boy's gaze cut like steel through his soul while guilt poured steady from the wounds. He could tell. He could just tell that wherever they were going was going to be harder on them than the apocalypse had been so far... and it had been will-shattering at times.

Tanner loosely fingered at Connor's hand for a second before managing to get a grip around the soldier's loose fingers. The kid ignored the viscera and stared up to the man's bearded face, "Hey, Connor, it's going to be okay."

The kid beamed an innocent smile that was reassuring beyond all reason. Tanner shouldn't have been the one having to comfort, but such was the perverted nature of things as they were now, "Yeah, buddy. It'll all be fine."

Connor's hand mustered some life yet and squeezed back on the boy's. God... this reminded him of Sarah.

The soldier fought the memories, but the walls he threw up crumbled before them. It had been several months by now since they had first run into the med student in the middle of the night; their flashlights bouncing across the hallway of a motel as Connor and Tanner sprinted away from a few dozen of the dead who had caught sight of them when they rounded a corner into the pack. The pack was staggering steadily after them as they oozed through windows and bashed through doors to follow the duo into the unknown maze of hallways in the motel. They escaped to the second floor. The sound of boots and sneakers and moans tearing through the echoey confines was enough to drown out any hope of escape, but then she opened the door. A woman and her dog were skulking out of one of the rooms just as Connor and Tanner ran by the door. Their eyes locked. Fear soared. Weapons flew up to meet one another. Each of the adults was staring down the end of a barrel, and Tanner locked eyes with a growling German shepherd. Then, the moans stormed the hallway from downstairs. The collective had mere seconds to decide on their course of action: to fight, to flee, or to hole up together and hope they passed. Every option was dangerous as it included another group of humans for both sides-- more problems. Humans were every bit more dangerous than the dead. Their violence had intent. Purpose. Human violence could level entire cities and break people to their core.

Yes, humans were dangerous.

In a half-second, the ex-soldier had squeezed the trigger almost all the way back and was about to blow this girl away when her own revolver sunk to the floor, and she mouthed the words, "Come in."

A few minutes later, the four of them sat huddled in the back of the motel room as the dead wandered outside in an attempt to find them. The woman was wrapped in a sweater stitched with leather around the most biteable parts and had matted, red hair that bunched into a pony tail at the back of her head. Her features were thin and drawn out. She was slim from a lack of food and the constant exercise required of the drifters in this world. However, none of the physical aspects of the woman struck Connor as hard as what he saw in her eyes: kindness. A gentleness that permeated her mannerisms as she cuddled the dog across the room from them. Connor didn't feel like a good man or a kind man. However, that look in her eye was enough to win his trust.

Hours passed, and both the dog and Tanner drifted to sleep.

Connor whispered first, "Is it hard?"
"Yes."
"How do you keep going?"
"How do you?"

The two locked eyes in silent observation.

"I have to look after this boy. He needs me."

The girl brushed her hand along the back of her dog, "I feel the same about my boy, Jaw, here."
"Jaw? The dog?"
"Yeah."
"Good name. I'm Connor... this is Tanner."

The man gestured to the sleeping boy.

"I'm... Sarah. It feels weird-- I haven't introduced myself to anyone in a long time."

From that point on, the four of them were inseparable. They left from that motel the next morning a new group stronger for it, but good things never last long enough in this world. Only a couple days later, Connor was kicking open the door to a bar while he and Tanner carried Sarah inside. Jaw ran off somewhere in the mad scramble of teeth and the woman's leg wouldn't stop bleeding from the bite. It was just another day of scavenging until Sarah busted open a padlocked door in the back of a grocery store hopeful to find untouched supplies but finding only death in the form of a freed horde. The story of the chained door is someone else's entirely, and how can everyone know the horrible stories others have lived through and how they ended?

After clearing the building, the trio sat at the bar. Tanner watched in solemn silence and Connor stared in pensive thought.

"Well, this sucks."
"Yeah."
"Connor, can't we help her?"

That bit deep into Connor's soul.

"No, kiddo. Nobody can."
"I don't want Sarah to go."

Sarah was on the verge of tears. Of course she was-- anyone would be. That night, the three of them stayed up talking while Connor and Sarah shared half of a bottle of Kentucky Bourbon they had found in the back when clearing the building. They hadn't had long to get to know one another, and there were likely things they would never learn. Connor was okay with that-- right now, there wasn't anything he wanted to know about her. She helped make things easier, and was nice to have around to talk to. Yet, there wasn't anything real-- yet. Connor didn't have to live with the ideas of what could have been. That night, they stayed up. That night, she fell into eternal sleep. The next morning, she woke up and Connor shot Sarah. Tanner spent the next three weeks crying himself to sleep. Connor couldn't blame him-- in fact, he hated that he couldn't protect him from this.

Connor snapped back to the present as the car came rolling to a stop. He gave Tanner's hand one last squeeze and shot him a smile as they disembarked. Immediately, it dawned on him that they were in as much trouble as he thought. He recognized order and structure when he saw it, and the immediate impression he got was that this place was something similar to boot camp. The crowd around them sent a new wave of discomfort and adrenaline rocketing through the man. It was more than apparent he had no option but to play along for now come hell or high water. Sam was quick to disappear which was probably a sign of what was to come in this meeting.

The ex-soldier watched as a drag queen and a viking approached them. Nodding to Freddie about their respective roles and the courtesy required, Connor looked to Weston, "Sir."

A simple acknowledgement of authority.

Without missing a beat, Tanner blurted out to Madam, "Are you a guy or a girl?"

Connor was mortified.

F foolish99 Bullyboy Squad Namazu NanLia​

 

[Crono]

SCENE 1
The Convoy​

The aftermath of his rage was a blurred flurry. One moment he'd been hitting someone, then a flurry of limbs seized and restrained him. Kurt didn't resist but a moment before his body sagged as the tension was released. The man was vaguely aware of what was going on around him, but for the most part he was checked-out until he was all but dragged back into the school. It didn't take long for the men doing so to grow tired of dealing with his dead weight, thus telling him to stand and move. Kurt complied for little reason other than he had little choice, he recognized the halls they were taking. Soon his home away from home came into view, the sturdy wooden bathroom door he'd spent far too much time looking at.

One of the men gave him a shove to get inside, Kurt angrily turning afterwards as if to say or retaliate but simply biting his tongue. He knew the drill even if the captors were different. Moving across the room to his area on the far side, his makeshift bed area with old couch cushions amongst other soft oddities they'd given him. He'd paused a moment when his eyes landed on the Rubik's Cube sat on top a few small books. With that he turned towards where the sinks were located, leaned against the wall and slid down it until he was sat on the ground. With his legs bent he propped his arms up on his knees so that his hands could hover in the air. They still hurt, despite how numb he felt. The knuckles were stained with blood, a mixture of his own and the guy he'd been hitting.

The cell itself was a simple school bathroom, the door had a slit built in to allow for transition of materials or food. The doors on the stalls had been removed before Kurt had been put inside, likely for safety concerns. There was a short rectangle window on the outer wall near the high roof, it was tinted a darkish murky orange so that it couldn't be looked through. Not that it would be easy to get up high enough to try and do so, but it allowed streams of light into the room during the day. The tiled floor was always cold, even when the weather was hot. That was both a blessing and a curse he supposed. He rubbed a hand against his brow, flinching slightly at the sting he felt in his hand. Meanwhile someone else was put in the cell with him, Kurt glanced up only to see who it was before turning his gaze back to staring straight ahead at the stalls. His intention was to ignore his new prison pal, but a question surfaced in the back of his mind. One that this man could likely answer, one he was sure of already but had to know for sure. Kurt shook his head lightly as he gave up on staying quiet, "She didn't suffer...did she?" The words weren't quiet but still softer than they'd usually be. He kept his eyes set ahead of him, finding it difficult to look the man in the face when the answer came.​

​

MokaChan ​

 

[Togy]

SCENE 2 Fight or Flight​

Rocky’s body fell past Jamie, landing by his feet with a thud on the helipad. Dumbstruck, Jamie lifted a hand to the blood spray coating his cheek, fingers coming away wet with blood. The sounds of the propellor faded as Jamie stared at the body before the sight of a zombie futilely reaching towards him from below the helipad finally snapped him out of his daze. The dead were quickly overtaking the roof, and some were beginning to approach the steps leading up to the pad.

Jamie scrambled into the pilot’s seat with one last look at Rocky before shitting the door. Running the pre-flight checks on the controls, Jamie stopped momentarily to stare at the sheer disrespect King showed towards Rocky’s body. His praise and giddy behavior only made him feel worse. Other Samaritans began filing in just as the RPM got up to speed, and with the dead crawling up onto the helipad Jamie was forced to pull up on the throttle without a full cabin. He’d waited as long as he could, but if a zombie tore themselves up in the propellor they’d be dead in the water.

“Someone close the side door!” Jamie shouted over the sounds of the propellors beating outside the cabin. He was too focused on raising the helicopter off the ground and going through mini-panic attacks every two or three seconds as he tried to re-adjust himself to the controls to even notice Denise diving into the cabin before the others closed the side door.

As the helicopter gained altitude, he began to calm himself. The controls were muscle memory, the nerves had just been weighing him down. The cabin was quieter once the side door was closed, though the beating of the propellers were still prevalent. Jamie attempted some basic maneuvers over the hospital-Drifting left and right, moving in a loop, and moving back-before deciding he was satisfied and pulling away from the carnage on the roof. The dead threw themselves off the edge of the roof as the helicopter pulled away, uselessly grasping towards the retreating aircraft as they slammed into the pavement below.

Jamie had been so laser focused on the controls that he hadn’t bothered to check on his passengers, and when he finally did he visibly winced. Barely anyone had made it, and Jamie felt conflicted on whether or nog he should feel guilty for that fact. He’d had no other choice but to leave some on the roof, but they’d been murderers and thieves as far as he knew. He’d have a moral debate with himself later though, now wasn’t the time.

“Alright,” Jamie spoke up to the cabin, more for his sake than theirs so he could his thoughts in order, “I’ll follow the highway East and break off to the North a few miles along the way, we should be home in fifteen or so minutes.”

"Agh fuck-" Toni grabbed whatever was close even if it was someone else's body and he stayed like that, frozen. That was his first time flying. And he didn't need long to realize he was scared of that type of height. But soon they were up in the air, all the doors were closed and Gunderson announced how long the torture would take.

Minutes trickled. Toni was trembling after adrenaline wore off, leaving his body filled with all that pent up energy defusing. He wasn't as chatty as usual. They left a chunk of his buddies down there. Better them than him but still it didn't sit right. And of course fucking Marcos had to survive.

Toni glared at the old enemy gang member with his head leaned back like he was napping. Who the fuck could sleep like that with the rumble of the rotors and—

Wait a fuck.

Toni's heartbeat halted and his blood run cold. If not for the fact he was staring at Marcos' face when the man opened bloodshed eyes, he wouldn't notice. Just like the others didn't. That Marcos was no longer among the living.

The jump-started, animal brain made the fresh zombie zero in on what was in front of him. And it was the gap between the pilot and King.

Toni sprung from his place the same moment undead Marcos lunged to the cockpit and chose the target on the left. Just a stumbling, growling fucker falling at Gunderson with outstretched arms and hungry jaw.

The ex MS13 member didn't have a moment to think that time, it was pure fucking instinct as he grabbed the threat. Trying to pull away but risking getting himself or King bit in the process. His free hand desperately groped his waistband for the sheathed blade.

Bullyboy Squad Namazu F foolish99 The Cat Man
​

 

[Namazu]

SCENE 2
Fight or Flight​

It took a little bit of time, but her stomach did eventually settle down. It might have been a mix of adrenaline and nerves that made those first few minutes of flight nausea-inducing. She had, after all, narrowly avoided death. Probably enough to make anyone ill.

Sitting in her little back corner of the helicopter, she snuck glances at the few that were left. Everyone handled close calls and losses differently, and she liked to take these opportunities to assess the stability of those around her. Their pilot, that Gunderson kid, was doing a surprisingly good job of keeping them in the air, circumstances given. She was almost jealous that he had something important to focus on right now while the rest of them were stuck sitting with their thoughts. Toni was visibly trembling and quiet - for a change. Though she enjoyed the silence, she admittedly felt bad for the guy. Not everybody could be as calm as Marco, who somehow found it within himself to close his eyes and relax. Maybe the guy was more of a hard-ass than she thought - even she felt tremble-y right now. Folding her hands together, she stuck them between her knees to try and hide the shaking.

Denise couldn’t help but let out an audible yelp when suddenly Marco went flying from his seat, lunging into the cockpit. Was this guy insane? Messing with their pilot was a death sentence. Why-

Then it made sense.

She couldn’t see the man’s face from here, but it was the only logical explanation. Paired with the way Toni struggled with him, it was obvious. Marco was bit. He died. And now he was stuck in here with them.

“Toni! Hang on!” Leaping up from her seated position on the floor of the helicopter, she had her own knife out in a flash. Stepping up behind what was left of Marco, she shoved her knife into the back of his skull, thrusting in a downwards position. Safer than straight forward - she didn’t want to risk missing and stabbing Toni. Marco went still immediately, body sagging to the ground as she sidestepped the sudden dead weight.

“Are you okay?” Instinctively, she reached forward to take Toni’s arm. Not that she was sure why, but… something about the absurdity of being stuck in a half-functional helicopter after the collapse of civilization made you care a little bit more about the well-being of the guy next to you.

“Is -everyone- okay? No more surprises.” She eyed everyone else left in the helicopter, looking for anyone that looked -too- comfortable after their ordeal.

Bullyboy Squad F foolish99 The Cat Man Togy BeyondDandy ​

 

[NanLia]

SCENE NUMBER 3
Learn Your Lesson​

Temma found herself at the intake and processing ward for some time without knowing how much longer she would have to wait for this family to be admitted. Hell, how long it would take for the family to even get inside the building! The enforcer had left her with the impression that it was urgent and yet, here she stood waiting. The timing of this new intake was less than ideal; King was away first on the list but swiftly followed by the unsettling end of the fight. This was a recipe for disaster if she ever saw one.

They certainly didn’t need new people coming into the prison and witnessing the imbalance that was occurring now. As it stood, new people in the prison often set tension among the regular citizen. She knew the enforcers and guards did their best to vet whomever they did bring in, it always left her to wonder what these people intentions and thoughts were about how they’d survived and how they were living. This wasn’t a utopia, that was for certain, but it could be far worse.

Finally, the doors and gates squealed open admitting the enforcers -far more than she expected- into the intake ward, and she was surprised to see only two people, a man, and a child, being admitted. Evidently, they’d come into some trouble on their way in but that wasn’t her concern, she was here for the kid. She returned Freddie’s nod, mutual respect for one another's position.

"Are you a guy or a girl?"

Temma was pulled from her thoughts hearing the soft but pointed voice beside her. She blinked and looked down into the dirty face of the boy. She smiled pleasantly, leaning forward enough to get close enough for the boy to take a good look before she answered. “Oh hon, I’m a little bit of both.”

She stifled a laugh as the boy’s face twisted with confusion and she tisked. “But that’s a lesson for a’nother day.” She glanced up to the man watching them carefully before looking back at the boy. “What’s your name, luv?”

“Tanner.” The boy nearly whispered back at her.

“Well Tanner, my name’s Temma, but you can call me Muther as the other kids do. This your daddy?” She didn’t need him to speak to know the answer. “Alright then, Tanner. I’m gonna take you down to get cleaned up, get you checked up, and get you fed, alright?” She looked pointedly back at the man who’d come in with him but continued to speak to Tanner. “And then your friend here will come and meet us once he’s settled things with the men here.” She smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes.

Temma stood once more at her full height, with heels, and held her hand out for Tanner to take, glittery bracelets jingling around her wrist at the motion. “I heard there was mac and cheese with hot dog bits cut up in ‘em for dinner tonight, wanna see if we can find you a big’ol bowl?”

Bullyboy Squad Namazu F foolish99 Aegis Safton ​

 

[Namazu]

SCENE 3
The Fight​

Weston couldn’t help but laugh at the kid’s question. It was so innocent, free of all the baggage that society otherwise attached to the inquiry. He was betting the kid was young enough to just take the answer and accept it as truth without further questions. If only the people he associated with before all this were the same way. Accepting. Maybe things would have been easier. Better.

“Hey big guy! Welcome to our place.” Weston offered a grin to Tanner, squatting down so he was more eye-level with the kid. Time to put on the friendly-big-brother hat, drawling those words out with that heavy Appalachian accent. “Be good for Momma Temma, okay? We got the best mac-n-cheese, so remember to say your thank-yous.”

Letting Temma do what Temma does best, he stood up and stepped aside to let her lead the child away for food and a clean-up. He made sure to stand within grabbing distance of the man, just in case he tried anything stupid. At least the man was smart enough to greet him with a ‘sir’, for which he returned the nod.

“I know it's hard to see him go,” Weston commented, glancing aside watching Temma and Tanner round a corner off on their mac-n-cheese quest. He was stalling for time until the two were out of earshot. “But what she said is exactly what she’s going to do. Clean him up, have a doctor look at him, and feed him. Time with a doctor is primarily for our own benefit - we want to make sure he’s not bringing in anything contagious or dangerous. But, if he’s injured, we can see about fixing that too.” Maybe. He wasn’t going to make promises.

That friendly smile that was previously offered to the kid melted off his face so fast, one might swear it was never there to begin with. Weston gestured to the nearby enforcers, who moved to Connor’s sides, each taking an arm firmly. Not hard enough to hurt, but making it clear they could do so if desired.

“Bring him to one of the interrogation rooms. Strip search him. I’ll be in right afterwards to discuss things with him.”

Standing with his hands on his hips, he gave Connor a quick up-and-down look, clearly sizing him up. Intakes were always stressful, with how easily things could turn dicey - especially if kids were involved. The guy looked relatively strong yet, so he was going to err on the side of caution and assume the man was trained and dangerous. The best thing they could do now was make very sure he was disarmed, uncomfortable, and alone.

“Remain peaceful and compliant, you’ll get your shit back and you’ll be walking out with a meal waiting for you. Try anything stupid, and you won’t see the kid again. He will see you though - being eaten by the dead, while we dangle your body from the wall. Understood?”

Even though his words were a threat, his tone remained even-keeled. He might as well have been asking Connor if he’d like fries with that; it sounded as if he’s said these words many times before.

Weston moved aside, giving the enforcers room to bring Connor to the nearest interrogation room and do the uncomfortable task of strip-searching a nervous stranger inside a bleak, cold cement-walled room with nothing but a pair of metal chairs - one of which was bolted to the floor and outfitted with manacles for wrists and ankles. He usually waited outside the room while that was done - but not always. Some people required more… supervision.

Bullyboy Squad NanLia F foolish99 Aegis Safton Jabroni sanatanas The Cat Man ​

 

[NanLia]

SCENE NUMBER ONE
The Convoy - Part One​

Nari waited quietly as Haewon joined her and Minnie at the table, sharing in the Nutella. They were quiet for a long time before she spoke softly. "I need you two to do me a favor, it's important for our survival, all of us." She could only hope that they would listen to her, if for nothing else but this.

"These people aren't going anywhere and they won't hesitate in killing more of us if we aren't careful." She pointedly focused on Haewon, seeing the anger on her face when Miyu was killed and then again when Minnie was upset with Arthur being hauled off. "We need to behave. We need to be quiet and compliant and make them believe we're a peaceful community until they trust us." She hadn't ever really trusted Dutchess or North but after how long the pair had been with them, their community had been lulled into complacency. It was the only way to win this fight, wait until they stopped watching … but they had to make it that far and if people continued to fight and act out, there wouldn't be any of them left to fight.

"I have to get to the shop before they realize I came here instead. Please stay here and stay quiet. Xander or I will come back and get you when we can. If anyone else comes to the door, find us."

Nari left their apartment, closing the door behind her, with the intent of going directly to the mechanic room to wait for the tour Cabrera was making Xander took him on, however, on her way Buster was in the hall, seemingly waiting for her. As she stepped past him he leaned in and whispered quietly.

She turned on her heel and headed for the main offices and where she'd last seen Cabrera and his men.

Miaow

SCENE NUMBER ONE
The Convoy - Part Two




The slanted scrim of late afternoon light illuminated the classroom. It was turned into Samaritan's HQ, with some maps, devices and weapons spread along the teacher's desk and additional tables brought from the canteen.

Cabrera was surrounded by a few of his brutes. All eyes on the unfolded map.

"Give the kid a break." He hummed. "We'll scan this with a drone tomorrow. Now just send a patrol."

He looked up, seeing one of the local women stopping in the doorway. He didn't look surprised by her presence. Ignacio pulled up to a straightened position and spoke calmly.

"Give us a moment, boys."

The men looked inconvenienced. One shot Nari a glare. But they all left the classroom nevertheless.

Cabrera didn't invite her to take a seat. Didn't ask her why she was there. He had a pretty good idea why.

Nari stood in the doorway, hesitating before even speaking, at the sheer number of men standing in the room around Cabrera. Soon all eyes settled on her and for a split second, she had to fight the urge to sprint from the doorway. Taking deep breaths, she centered her focus, she was here for her people and for Xander.

She kept her eyes trained on Cabrera as he acknowledged her, then dismissed the others with him, waiting until they had all filed out of the room past her before she stepped inside. There was a long silence between them, Nari waiting for him to speak, to give her permission to speak but when neither came she spoke.

“I … I’ve.” Her voice faltered, cracking but she cleared her throat and continued. “I wanted to speak to you about a rumor I’ve heard. About you and Xander tonight.” She couldn’t bring herself to even speak the act, despite Buster’s voice ringing in her ears. He’s going to be the Boss Man’s bitch tonight, won’t be the same afterwards, no doubt. “And I know why you’re doing it and why you let it slip that you are but I don’t think you realize you’re not going to get the response you wanted.”

She paused, eyes flicking up from her hands long enough to note that Cabrera was listening, just not speaking to her. She couldn’t stand the silence and went on. “I - I think you’ve done this before, at other places, and it worked. Forcing the leader to be submissive, making a show of it as a warning to the others that this could happen to them, too. But Xander isn’t the only leader, we’re a council and we all make decisions based on our specialties.” She didn’t doubt that Dutchess or North had already explained this to him already. “Announcing it, waiting to do it. It’s to drive fear, it’s to frighten the rest of us into being compliant. Otherwise, you’re men would have done it already since you arrived.” She shrugged, chewing on the inside of her cheek.

“Doing … that to Xander isn’t going to get the reaction you want from us; you want to weed out rebels, to make us angry so we fight and you can pull out the problem people, but we’re a community in mourning, we don’t have the fight you want. We know what happens if we make mistakes.”

Ignacio watched in deafening silence. Her words echoed of insecurity in the empty classroom. Her body language spoke of fear and doubt. But her presence a proof of courage and dedication. He could admire that in a woman.

Cabrera moved. Like an Alpha circling a low ranked pack member. Like a predator toying with its prey.

He stopped right behind her about the time she was done speaking. His breath brushed her neck and his low tone reverberated beside her ear.

"What if I just want a new hole to fuck." His gun and rough lifestyle calloused palm touched the side of the woman's waist.

Nari forced herself to stand still as Cabrera stopped behind her, willing her to fight her instinct to flinch and run as his hot breath rolled over her neck. She could not stop her body from physically reacting to his touch. Her muscles twitched and she audibly squeaked.

Her mind raced with his statement. Logic, Nari. He wants you to be scared of him. Lips quivering and her voice breaking she whispered. "Then I'm wrong." She inhaled deeply through her nose before exhaling, willing herself to be brave. "But sending Dutchess and North in advance, weeks ahead, to lull us into trusting them and showing them how to defend our home. That's strategy, that's forethought. It would be wasted now if King sent in someone who wasn't just as thoughtful if he didn't send the planner himself."

"Maybe all this is going according to my plan..." Cabrera mused in fake contemplation.

"If your boyfriend didn't take my offer, you and I would get to know each other better."

He smirked and let his palm slide to the woman's front, slowly running his fingers against her abdomen. "And then you'd carry my babies."

Nari gagged, no longer able to keep the terror of this man consuming her she shoved his hand away from her body and turned to sprint for the door.

How does he know?! Did Xander tell him?

Bullyboy Squad ​

​

 

[Bullyboy Squad]

Six months earlier…​

Pounding the pavement for 12 hours at a time could take a toll on even the sturdiest footwear. Freddie's worn tactical boots knocked against the prison corridor, their steps the only sound that ricocheted off the naked walls of the solitary ward. "You should have seen it, boss." The enforcer strode beside the Leader, his usually monotone voice tinged with enthusiasm evoked by the pit fight he witnessed a few hours earlier. Or maybe more by the fact he had the gut feeling to bet on the newcomer and won. "He hugged the last one so hard that they had to pry his arms off the man's neck after poor bastard was already gone for a solid minute."

Freddie slowed down, fiddling with the keys to find the right one. "You know, sir." He huffed, sounding troubled. "My Papa used to say, a dog that bites the hand that feeds him can only be disciplined with a firm hand." He stopped before the entrance leading to one of the isolated cells and inserted the key before glancing at King with a frank face. "Or put down."

The metal door clanged and opened, revealing the pitiful sight of a severed body bent in a fetal position on the barren floor. Naked. Deprived of food and water for God knows how long. Freddie winced as his gaze dragged along the pattern of serious lacerations and dark bruises. "He had these on him, not much else." The enforcer passed the Leader a pair of dirty dog tags. The name Ignacio Cabrera and a rank of the 1st Lieutenant scratched in the unvarnished metal.

"You want me to leave, sir?" Freddie faltered. "He looks beat but after that show he gave earlier? I don't know anymore." He seized the lean, curled frame of the stranger that slaughtered the four-man execution squad during the pit fight that was supposed to end his life.

"Might still be dangerous if you ask me."

 

[MokaChan]

𝚂𝙲𝙴𝙽𝙴 𝟷 The Convoy​

“Lock this one up with the prisoner.”

Arthur grit his teeth with a growl as he was forcibly lifted off the ground by a hand on the back of his neck, while another kept a gun aimed at his head. He gave one last look towards the corpse of someone he held dear and was shoved forward, the words of Cabrera falling to an echo as he was led back into the building. As he was led further down the hallway he and Miyu had just walked through, Arthur felt his chest grow tight and his anger grew. She had been right beside him. Right there with him. The space she had been with him was empty and cold, yet he could still feel Miyu’s presence. He could still feel her hand tugging at his sleeve. He could still feel the warmth she longer had coming off her as she had pressed herself close to him.

The piece of shit escorting him asked where they held the prisoners and Arthur gave him a dark glare that promised death. His best of silence and prolonged stare only lasted a moment, however, reminding himself he could not afford to cause more deaths to his people. Instead, the old man looked forward and gave a curt nod, half-heartedly pointing them in the correct direction. Grey-blue hues stared at the people who were outside, some trucks moving further in, while people scattered into the school to grab whatever goodies they would undoubtedly get their hands on. It pissed Arthur off more. If he hadn’t been part of the highschool’s group of survivors, where would he have been? If he hadn’t been with them, he knew he’d kill every single person here, or had made off with one of the cars.

The sound of the gun firing replayed in Arthur’s head. Her body falling to the concrete was on constant repeat. After he was shoved into his cell, Arthur straightened out his back and slowly shut his eyes and inhaled a long, deep breath to calm himself. His demeanor changed and that cell felt smaller than it had, thick with a threatening air. He didn’t pay any attention to who else was in the cell, instead slowly turning his back to them to glare at the man who had escorted him, an icy cold fire raging in his eyes. The look he had given many before, promising death. His anger, something old and dark, kept trying to rise out of him, but he kept on pushing it back down. He had to keep a level head otherwise more of his people would die. Ha. My people, he thought bitterly to himself. Since when did Arthur Wallace ever have people?

“She didn’t suffer… did she?”

The voice put a plug in all of the loud, crazed thoughts that were swirling in the older man’s mind and his icy cold glare softened to that of hurt, though the anger was still present. He placed his hand on the cool wall to ground himself, racing heart slowing, and he remained silent for a couple of beats. He didn’t answer until the fucker by the door was farther away. “...No,” he finally replied, voice hushed, throat constricting. Arthur glanced at Kurt, hand on the wall balling into a fist. “It was... It was a clean kill.” His eyes dipped to the floor, jaw clenching. “Painless and quick.”

Crono ​

 

[Safton]

​

Scene One:
The Convoy

Collab Post w/ Bullyboy Squad


[TW: Dubious Consent]​

After Xander knocked on the door of his own previous room, there was no response. Not right away. Few good moments passed before the door swung open.

Cabrera was shirtless. His sculpted torso glistened in the low light. Sweaty and heated as he was just working out.

The raider paused. Not giving out his thoughts he moved away, pulling the door wide open. Just in his pants and boots with all of his gear dropped to the large bed on the side.

Xander was briefly taken aback by the visual that awaited him on the other side of the door, but composed himself quickly as he stepped into the room -- ignoring the leer and chuckle of the Samaritan guard outside.

As the door shut, leaving him alone in here with Cabrera, it felt like a life preserver being snatched away. Now it was just him and this interloper, alone... in the lair of the beast. He felt like he should say something -- anything -- to somehow gain the initiative in this situation. But the idea was absurd. What was there to say? What was there to do? So instead he stood there, almost expectantly, watching Cabrera with a cautious gaze. Waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Font's gaze was met with the stone calm look of his assaulter. Equally expectant? Silence rang in their ears filled with nothing but Ignacio's hastened breaths. Air swelled in between them, thick with anticipation.

After a few more dragging seconds the Samaritan leader moved. He shoulder checked the other on his way to the bed. Swiftly collected the utility belt, thigh straps with the holstered pistol and his shirt, carrying the items to the desk and chair.

Then Cabrera turned to look between Xander and the cleared mattress. No words. He already made it clear what he wanted.

Xander stood still, eyes drifting between the mattress and the desk... and the holstered pistol resting atop it. The gears in his brain turned. He calculated how long it would take him to cross the distance, dart past Cabrera -- maybe overpower him -- and grab the gun.

The answer he kept coming up with was always the same: Too long. And even if he succeeded, then what? It meant almost certain death for him. For Nari. For Haewon & Minnie. For everyone else inside the school. No matter how much he wanted to rid the Earth of the man in front of him... he knew it would only cause more pain in the long run.

Xander followed Cabrera's gaze to the mattress, his stomach churning, his throat tight as every muscle in his body seemed to tense up on itself. Slowly, he moved toward the wretched thing, sitting down at one corner to begin slowly unlacing his boots -- keeping Cabrera in the corner of his eye as if he were some wild animal -- a predator that would attack the moment you turned your back on it... and that wasn't so far from the truth.

Cabrera's lips curved into a tiny smirk when he saw the man gave up on the stupid ideas he must have had and obediently headed to the bed.

Without approaching, Ignacio stretched. Flexing his muscles like he was trying to impress his gym bros or a girl on the beach. His intense personal scent and whiff of fresh sweat filled the space around him.

He finally walked over and casually grabbed Xander's shirt, pulling it off of him. With deliberate but not rough motion, like he would when helping a lover. But the bandit's pants weren't tented like it could be expected from the clear impatience in his face.

Xander didn't fight or protest as his shirt was pulled was pulled free of his torso. He was intensely aware of Cabrera's smell; the overpowering aroma of sweat was pervasive in the air around him. As a lifelong athlete, military man, and subsequent coach it was by no means a scent he was unfamiliar with. But right now it was a miasma that seemed to choke him, his lungs tightening within his chest.

Even so, he couldn't help but note the man's musculature -- particular at this distance. Cabrera wasn't just fit, but toned. Even now, as Xander's mind worked in overtime trying to distract itself, he understood that that meant a few things. One, these Samaritans had the resources to provide their men with plenty of nutrition. And two, Cabrera was every bit as determined and single-minded as he seemed. This was putting aside the dog tags which hung prominently around his neck, the crisscrossed lattice of scars the likes of which Font had seen more than once on others -- not to mention the moto tat at the nape of Cabrera's neck: a snake skull with faded text he couldn't quite make out, accompanied by another on his chest depicting a bullet-ridden helicopter.

All of this coalesced to confirm some of Xander's initial suspicions about the man... and to make his delusions of overpowering him and taking his weapon all the more absurd in hindsight.

Cabrera paused. Completely forgetting about the notion of personal space he casually nudged one knee between man's legs. He leaned over him. The palm warm against the back of Font's skull, pushing it down to give Ignacio a better look at the man's spine. Making his forehead collide with the raider's moist abdomen.

The flesh radiant from the intensity of the previous exert. Carved by hours in the gym and even more out there in the rough world that Font's community was mostly sheltered from.

"What do we got here." He mused when taking a long look at the scarring down man's spine.

He moved away and offered his palm to Xander, like he was asking him for a dance. But once the other stood up Cabrera prompted him to turn and stared intently at the marks of old surgeries.

"What's that about, Captain?" He asked with a hum, letting his fingertips trail down Xander's back along the uneven skin. He shivered. Not because he enjoyed the image of others' suffering. But because he deeply appreciated the will to overcome one's struggles.

"Tell me your story."

Cabrera let his fingers slip. He closed the space between them. His chest to man's back. Almost flush. He reached around to grasp the belt and silently worked on the buckle. The button. And the zipper.

The conversation served as a distraction, to ease Xander's nerves. But even more as a way to intimately get to know him the way Cabrera wouldn't be able to without touching on such personal topics.

Xander's muscles tensed, his breath catching in his throat and jaw clenching as he felt Cabrera unbuttoning and unzipping his pants. He resisted the urge to swat at the man's hands -- to lash out -- as the garment was peeled away.

It took him a moment to process that Cabrera had said something else. Tell me your story.

He had little interest in any sort of genuine conversation or indulging the man's curiosity, but if it meant distracting him or delaying whatever came next then his brain would latch onto that lifeline eagerly. Xander had felt him poking and prodding at the mottled scar tissue along his spine, giving it almost undue attention. He wasn't sure what the implications of that were and didn't want to give it too much thought, so he did the first thing that came to mind: he told the truth.

"Training accident," he hissed between gritted teeth. "Night jump in Okinawa. My chute's steering line got tangled on the way down."

Cabrera had the other man's pants open and hooked his fingers on the sides to pull them down. But he paused at the revelation.

"Damn." He hummed. "Took you off the field before you got to see any action?"

"Saw plenty of action." Xander remarked impassively, his eyes flicking down toward Cabrera's hands hoping they wouldn't continue any further. "...it was between deployments."

The raider finally tugged the trousers down, letting them drop. He put his palm to the other man's shoulder. No longer trying to hold any casual conversation as he guided him onto the bed.

Suddenly Ignacio sounded all business, almost stern. "Get on your hands and knees."

Xander felt his blood run cold at the demand from Cabrera. His heart shriveled within his chest and his feet were leaden blocks. He swallowed hard as he approached the mattress, his body going through the motions: climbing atop it before settling into the soft surface which was normally welcoming yet today felt akin to crawling on broken glass.

The room felt static.

Cabrera slowly sucked in the stale air. He watched the other man's exposed body before him. Silent. Accepting the vulnerability of the local leader.

He exhaled slowly before placing his palm in between Xander's shoulder blades. The fabric of his pants brushed the other's backside. His fingers still against smooth and scarred skin.

"First time?" His voice detached from the initial playfulness. There was something final about his tone.

"The fuck do you care?"

Cabrera's lips quirked up in the corner of his mouth. He didn't speak nor move for a few more heartbeats.

"Ain't gonna happen now either." Ignacio pulled back, getting off the bed.

"Relax, Captain." He headed for the makeshift minibar set up around the desktop. "Was just checking what you're made of."

He grabbed two glasses and they thumped against the wooden top. "What you'd really do for your people."

The amber liquid glinted in the dim light, cascading down into the glass. It was dark outside, quiet, as if the two were the only ones not asleep. "Don't get me wrong." He tossed a glance over his shoulder. "You're hot." Sincerity twinkled in his easy gaze.

Then he focused back on the task after almost spilling some whiskey. "But I like them willing."

Xander turned around, sitting on the bed and staring blankly at Cabrera as if this was some kind of trap. The desire to feel relieved of the fear and stress he'd felt only moments before was tempered with caution. After all, he had tried to psychoanalyze the Samaritan hours earlier in the classroom only to end up in this situation in the first place... and now here he was again, wondering just what kind of man they were really dealing with -- and whether any of his intentions could really be guessed at until he was forcing them on those around him.

Font narrowed his eyes at the interloper before slowly reaching for his discarded clothes. "So, what? This was all just a test? What was the point?"

Cabrera filled the second glass with an equal dose of alcohol before snatching both. He walked back to the bed, offering one to the naked man.

"I just told you."

He stepped away and leaned his butt to the desk, folding an arm across his stomach and propping his elbow to the hand. He swirled the whisky.

"I don't give a fuck about promises. But I can be impressed by actions. You did follow through." He took a solid gulp.

"Now get dressed a little faster than you stripped." He smirked and licked his shiny lip. "We gonna talk business. I have ideas how to improve this place to maybe save your asses from moving."

He wasn't courteous enough to look away from Xander and visibly enjoyed the sight.

NanLia Miaow Crono MokaChan Togy BeyondDandy SlaughterMelon The Cat Man ISHTAR

​

 

[Miaow]

SCENE ONE
The Convoy

Collab with ISHTAR Bullyboy Squad
[TW: Assault, attempted SA]​

Minnie laid on her back, staring mindlessly at the ceiling. Every time she shut her eyes, she saw her... She saw the blood matted in her hair, the part of her skull that wasn't intact anymore, the brown stain left on the concrete outside. She swallowed, clutching at her bedsheets. Haewon's rhythmic breathing filled her ears. She didn't tend to mind sharing a room with them, but... that night, each breath was grating on her eardrums, making her brain itch. She huffed, turning onto her side and pulling her duvet over her head. Why the hell couldn't she just sleep... She'd have to work in the garden tomorrow. Gene probably wouldn't mind her taking a nap in the storage room, but their new visitors might. She shut her eyes tight.
Just... sleep!

She froze as footsteps approached her door... she held her breath. Maybe it was Xander! Maybe Cabrera had let him go! But... it was late, she'd get in trouble for being up so late... what if he...? No, he wouldn't do anything like that... right? She wasn't risking it, staying as still as possible...

The footsteps approached. The blanket covering their doorway fell to the side, hitting the bookshelf it was attached to. Her breath softly escaped her lips, trying to empty her lungs as quietly as possible. She listened as whoever it was walked between she and Haewon's futons... and stopped. She clutched onto the inside of her duvet. She heard their clothes shift as they knelt. Her breathing trembled as she slowly pulled the duvet down, her eyes peeking out of the top...

That wasn't Xander.

His hands were reaching towards Haewon. That wasn't Xander!

"HAEWON!" She yelled as she launched out of bed. Haewon's eyes shot open, meeting with the man who was crouched above her.
"Shit!" He growled as he grabbed Haewon by the wrists, pinning her down. Haewon clenched her teeth, struggling against his grip.
"Minnie, get help!" She yelled, kicking at his gut with her bare feet.

Minnie crawled from her mattress, scrambling to her feet and heading for the door. She opened her mouth to scream.
"HEL--" She was cut short as the man grabbed her by the hair, a hand covering her mouth as she was yanked backwards.
"Shut the fuck up!" He commanded, his voice hushed as he wrestled her away from the door. Haewon grabbed him from behind, hooking her arm around his neck and squeezing. He stumbled backwards, forcibly slamming them against the wall. Haewon fell.

Minnie's eyes widened as she felt him squeeze her mouth and nose, clutching at his hand. She wriggled and writhed, kicking her feet and slamming her heels into his shins. He tightened his grip. She couldn't breathe. She sank her teeth into his hand, only clinging on tighter as he tried to rip his hand from her grip.
"You little bitch!" He hissed, holding his bleeding hand, her teeth making a jagged imprint in the curve of his thumb, tearing at his skin. He swung at her and she fell to the ground, holding her cheek.

Haewon launched at him from behind, driving her knife into the back of his shoulder. He growled in pain as she tore it out of his flesh. He spun around, punching Haewon in the gut. Her knees buckled beneath her and she collapsed, clutching her stomach. He shoved her to the ground, pinning her to the floor and striking her in the head.
"You couldn't just make this easy, could you?!" He snapped, yanking at the tie-string on her pyjama bottoms.

Minnie watched through her blurred vision. Haewon wasn't moving. Her stomach turned. She stumbled to her feet, clumsily launching herself at him. She clung to his back, scratching his face the best she could with her short nails. He cried out with pain. He didn't struggle to stand, her weight felt like nothing to him. He threw her off, grabbing the knife from beside Haewon and pinning her. He rested his huge hand on her throat, pressing his whole weight against her windpipe as he swung the knife at her blindly, as blood marred his vision. She screamed, shielding her face with her arms. She felt him digging into her, the blade slashing into her skin. She could hear screaming, was it still her? She couldn't tell anymore. Everything hurt. She felt the butt of the knife slam into her temple.
"I'm sorry-- I'm sorry, please!" She pleaded, but her begging meant nothing to him.

Then, his weight was lifted from her. She clumsily scrambled backwards, pinning her back against the wall as she tried desperately to catch her breath. Haewon was on him again. She was up, she was alive! He had Haewon on the floor. She scrambled for the knife, blood dripping down her arms and staining the hilt. She clutched it in both hands, struggling to her feet as her knees trembled. He was hitting Haewon...

She screamed as she slammed the knife into his back, yanking it out and trying again. She couldn't see, everything was blurry, was she even hitting him? Her arms ached, she just kept going.

She felt arms wrap around her from behind, wrestling the knife from her.
"NO! LET GO!" She screamed as she was lifted from the ground, kicking and flailing as the knife slipped from her fingers. She swung her elbow back into the stranger's face, earning a colourful string of swear words in English and Spanish. The second enforcer jerked the blade off the girl's grip, throwing it across the room through the door. It struck the hallway wall. Having both arms free he shoved the girl to the bed and drew his pistol, aiming at Minnie. She yelped as she was thrown on the bed, her eyes fixated on the pistol held in her face. She raised her hands, keeping them by her head as thick blood ran down her arms.
"Nate!" He swung his gaze to the wounded man, checking his state.
Haewon scrambled to her feet from under her attacker, wiping the blood from her nose as he stumbled backwards.
"Put the gun down..." She asked, holding her hands up to show she meant no harm.
"The bitch stabbed me!" Nate yelled, holding the back of his shoulder with the opposite hand.
"I wasn't doing nothing! I was on patrol and they jumped me!"
Haewon's eyes widened. She wanted to yell, call him on his bullshit, but she could see the fear in Minnie's eyes.
"She was defending herself! Look at her, you hit her! Look at her fucking arms!"
"I hit her cuz she tried to scratch my fucking eyes out! You two are fucking psychos!"
The guy grimaced at the blood oozing from his buddy's back from multiple stab wounds.
"Fucking putas…" He gritted his teeth looking between the girls, still aiming at Minnie. His mind raced.
"Call for backup." He told Nate and holstered his pistol, drawing a knife instead.
"Brats need a fucking lesson." He headed towards Minnie.
As he holstered his pistol, she shuffled backwards, pinning her back against the wall as she stared at the blade.
"Don't you fucking dare!" Haewon yelled, though Nate grabbed her arm, holding her back as he used his took his radio from his belt and muttered into it.
"He's a fucking pervert!" She growled.
Minnie clutched at her shirt, swallowing as her vision blurred. Were they going to die? They'd survived for this long, was this really how they were meant to go? She wanted to go home, though she was in her own bedroom. She wanted to see her auntie again. She wanted... She wanted Nari.

NanLia ISHTAR Bullyboy Squad Safton ​