Futuristic Re:dux

[Pai Chan]

That last question had Charlotte puzzled. It seemed like a riddle and the last thing the mercenary needed was more mind games. But just in case the words were more literal than Charlotte thought, she decided to leave the blinders on Sisceal for now. They were now being watched and like it or not the enemy had almost every advantage. So she had to act properly while in their playing field until the tides could be turned.

Charlotte picked up the keys and grabbed Sisceal's wrist as she started to lead them out of the gate.

"I'd appreciate it if you don't openly question my motives, right now." Charlotte voiced in a hushed tone. "You are way out of your element and like it or not, it's on me to get us out of here. Next time you ever snap at me like that, again, I'm leaving you here to the zealots. I'm sure they'd trade a replacement to that girl for my walking out of here." She continued to guide them forward making sure she called out any potential tripping hazards along the way. Charlotte was beginning to feel less like a renowned assassin and more like an escort. The type of job she hated most. She hated, needing to not only look out for herself but someone else as well. It was a huge distraction, and Charlotte cared for her own well being much more than anyone else's.

So then why was she in this situation, now? She could have ditched the man time and time again. Could have killed him several times over and been free of the extra weight of looking out for another person. The woman could ask herself, "why?" time and time again but that was only because it distracted her from the answer. An answer she rather not reflect back on. An answer she thought she buried deep back into the darkest corner of her mind. But Sisceal brought it, clawing, back. So while a part of her wanted to be rid of the burden of escorting someone another part of her wanted to see this through. For redemption? As some sort of apology as if this would completely clean the slate? Certainly not, but Charlotte hoped she could, once again, bury the memories once this was all done. And, this time, for good...

 

[Jeda Teq]

At the end of the hall, past the mutilated girl, the there were two doors and a black curtain. The curtain blocked off a left turn. The word "HEAVEN" was painted on it in white. The frame of the door in front of them was red. Etched into the door was "The World O". On their right was an elevator door. With a click of a tile under one of their foot the double doors opened. In the center of the elevator was a four lit candles. One had melted much lower than the others. The inside of the elevator contrasted the rest of the building. It appeared to be well kept and pristine. In low volume the song "High Way to Hell" was playing. A table was pushed against the back wall of the elevator. There was fresh fruit, water, and a meal that was still steaming. It looked to be prepared by a five star chef.

Pai Chan Axeykins

 

[Axeykins]

"I can and continually will question them as long as we're down here and you fire off your gun without at least the slightest warning. And continue to lead me on blind." He snipped back at her. "I may not be used to anything like this at all but I'm not useless. I want out of here more than you think and am willing to do anything to achieve that." His brow furrowed. He was going to anything and everything to get out of this Hellhole and back to his daughter again. Even if it meant bending to the will of these loons for a while it was going to happen and nothing was going to stop him. "I'll get us that face to face meeting even...I swear on it, just you watch." Doing a slight prayer before hand in hopes that they were telling the truth and had a spare one around he reached up to the restraints. Feeling around until he felt the knob on the front. Picking the one over the eye that had the deep gashes around it. That had to be the means of it right? And they only said one? This one was useless right now anyways regardless of having this device on or not. Weighing them both down.

Taking a deep breath he began. Twisting. Twisting and twisting until he slowly felt the touch of a metal screw on the front of his eyelid. Trembling like a leaf he forced it open and continued. Crying out then clenching his teeth tight as the cool touch turned immediately into a burning sting after a distinct pop, then to something indescribably horrific, clawing, shredding of every nerve. Digging deeper into his retna with each turn of the knob. The pain becoming unbearable but he pressed on until he felt it grinding against the back of his eye socket. At that point he finally broke and let out scream of agony. Torn viciously from his moment of blind desperation.
"THERE! IT'S DONE!" He held the side of his face as best he could as blood streamed down his cheek. "WHAT NOW EH?? wh-what...now." He felt dizzy, the loss of blood finally getting to him. "We get that meetup now right? That's what you said. I know you can hear and see us so speak up or..something."

Pai Chan Jeda Teq

 

[Jeda Teq]

"Whoa~, Congratulations. You are indeed a brave man. As promised you'll get your meetup. Just get in the elevator... WAIT! Not yet," The doors to the elevator closed and hum of the mechanics whirred as the elevator went down. Shortly after the doors to the elevator opened. The inside looked like a normal elevator. Nothing fancy or outlandish about it other than the ware and tear of being in such an abysmal place. "Okay, now get in. I look forward to seeing your smiling faces."

Axeykins Pai Chan

 

[Jeda Teq]

The pulse of Trevor vanished from after a small spike in his direction. Lull couldn't sense the boy any more. The child's voice on the radio continued to call out, asking if anyone was there. Hesitantly at first, Lois walked pass Lull to grab the radio. "H-hello?" She said timidly.

"Hey," The child's voice replied, "Are you lost?" The voice said.

0stinato

 

[0stinato]

One problem down.

Ah, one problem. Lull scowled. One problem, then what was the other? It wasn't the radio, that would be easily dealt with. He watched Lois speak into it. The chilling question that came later caused his fists to clench.

Are you lost?

What business was it of a child to ask whether they were lost? All it implied was that the child knew where they were, and could help them. Lull didn't like it. He didn't like a thing about it. Lois needed no help, no further help, no one's help but his.

Lull marched closer, tugging Lois' elbow. "Shut up," he said to her, quiet at first. Then he turned his tone to the radio.

"Not at all, we know exactly where we are and where we're going."

A bluff. Clearly a bluff. They were next to a plant that could be burping out all sorts of toxic fumes, of course Lull didn't know where they were. He didn't know if he wanted to be on the surface or under it. He didn't know whether the floor or ceiling would give way first.

Hopefully Lois wouldn't take their loss of Trevor too harshly. Lull wasn't even going to shoot him. He would have preferred... in an ideal world... Trevor to be around more, so that, when the three of them were in inevitable danger of death sometime down the line, he could shoot Lois and look Trevor in the eye.

What now, little boy?

Lull knew who he'd shoot after that.

Ah well. The moment was gone. The gun only had a finite number of bullets. So Trevor running off and saving Lull the bother was a mercy.

"Step away from that, Lois. We can't go up yet. I don't know what's up there. At least down here..." he spoke quietly, but became more aware of the radio. It would crackle to life, would give away their position. But he couldn't risk not using it. He didn't want to ask for the voice's help: that would imply he trusted it. Whatever the child responded would be Lull's decision. He could either take Lois and run, run in one direction and hope to hit the edge of the crater or be hunted down in the process, or he could be more logical.

Not that his was a logical place to be. Not at all.

Jeda Teq

 

[Pai Chan]

Charlotte's eyes grew wide as she watched Sisceal mutilate himself. It was impressive how much he constantly seemed to push himself. But, now, this seemed to be more in the form of desperation rather than bravery. If Charlotte were in the same situation would she had done the same?

The mercenary had seen many people do unspeakable things in the name of desperation. She made people do unspeakable things. Everyone had their breaking point--even her.

Sisceal's screams interrupted Charlotte from her thoughts. He had finally finished and was visibly faint. Charlotte ran to him and helped him stand.

The man on the intercom spoke up and said he'd honor his end of the bargain. The elevator doors closed and gone was the, inviting, five star elevator that was obviously a trap. When the doors opened again it was an elevator that suited the rest of the run down aesthetic of the building they were in. Charlotte helped Sisceal inside and propped him against the wall. She reached in her pocket and took out a thick syringe as well as a couple of tablets. The girl put the tablets in his mouth.

"Swallow. With the pain you're in it'll take everything you have just to stay conscious. Let alone hear what this man has to tell us." Charlotte then administered the syringe. It wasn't something you gently poked the skin and injected. Much like an adrenaline shot, she stabbed he man with force. It was the only way to get the contents to flow out of the container and for the needle to enter the skin. That way it didn't inject the carrier by accident for sitting down or some other activity. It had to be deliberate.

Charlotte, then, took out the last of her gauze and wrapped it around Sisceal's head and covered the injured eye. She then put a flashlight on his good eye for a moment before finally stepping back and letting out a breath.

"So, it seems like you're gonna be fine. But if any of us is injured from this point onward, we're fucked because that was the last of my first aid." Charlotte looked towards the elevator panel. There was only one button that was lit up and she guessed it was the floor of their next destination. She pressed it and the doors finally closed.

"I guess you weren't as weak as I thought." Charlotte said without looking back. "I've been around some tough assholes and the hardest trained individuals and I don't think many have the fortitude to do something like that. At least not voluntarily."

 

[Axeykins]

He was fading in and out of consciousness until the point where the shot was delivered to him hard. With a raspy, gasping breath of shock he sprang back to life. Grasping frantically at where she had stuck him for a moment before eventually settling down after a minute or so. "Gah...thanks..." He breathed. "I don't think I'd call it anything other than pure stupidity falling into desperation like that. I'm going to regret this for a Hell of a long time. We needed a way out now though, not later. and I still have that adrenaline you gave me earlier if needed, so there is another positive to tick off on the list."

Sisceal turned his head over to be able to see her. "I suppose another is it did get us moving along faster without all of their nonsense. God knows where that elevator would have taken us before." He heaved a heavy sigh. "Not like we know it will take us anywhere different now or if they'll keep their word but seems they will for a bargain of some sort. Which is all we can ask for." He shrugged meekly. "Guess we only wait now? Or is there a plan B we should make up before we get to our next destination?"

Pai Chan Jeda Teq

 

[Jeda Teq]

The elevator ride was a short trip. It took the pair to the floor directly above them. The hall was well lit with tubed bulbs and makeshift wiring. Occasionally a spark would dart off from the bad wiring. They were greeted by two men dressed in long black robs that hid their forms entirely. Only their head was visible. It was obvious that they had serious mutilation and modification done to them. The one one the left spoke, "Welcome brother. Welcome sister." The other began, "We commend you for your courage. God will surely shine his light on you." "You who willing push their body to the limit." In unison they both bowed and rose saying , "Please Follow us. You have passed your trial and Marcus will now see you." The two men began to guide Charllotte and Sisceal through the halls of the building. Taking a left here and a right there, they even had to climb a ladder. The two simply jumped up and waited for them to follow. "It's not far now."

Pai Chan Axeykins

 

[Jeda Teq]

"Oh, that's good," The child's voices replied. "Does that mean you're a Black Project scientist? You'll be pleased to know I kept things in tip top shape. Well as best as I could. It's been so long." The voice kept going, but the reception of the radio became too bad to understand. Simultaneously the electro-sensors on Lull's back were going crazy. The thing that had dropped the body into the plant was now right above them. They could hear it sniffing

0stinato

 

[Pai Chan]

"Guess we only wait now? Or is there a plan B we should make up before we get to our next destination?" Sisceal asked and Charlotte shook her head.

"Well, I still have my weapon, which is out in the open. That either means these guys are extremely stupid or they have this entire place on lock down. And I'm not willing to take chances just yet." The the elevator doors opened and the two were greeted by a pair of robed men. It took only a moment to realize these men had something wrong with them. Charlotte tensed up at the sight of them and even more so when they spoke.

After a brief welcoming the two men led Sisceal and Charlotte onward and deeper into the building.

Well, now we're in the thick of it. Charlotte thought and hoped the man--this Marcus--was a little more sane than he sounded on the previous floor. If anything went wrong Charlotte would go down fighting. She wouldn't allow herself to get in that same situation as that girl. And even if she was caught there were a couple precautions to make sure she couldn't be tortured for information. She took it on every mission. It was a small pill implanted in one of her teeth just in case it was a situation it looked like she wasn't going to get out of. Many mercenaries had these types of precautions and they came in many forms. Many had switches in their mouths that acted as a detonator. Others carried external ways to off themselves. It was part of the mercenary code. It's why many people trusted in them so much. If one were caught then they'd off themselves that way there was no chance they could be hacked or tortured for information that would lead back to their client. The only thing Charlotte had on her was the cam in her hair but it wouldn't lead back to anything. Most mercenaries carried some type of camera these days to avoid confusions and most clients liked to watch anyway. And this was probably going to entertain Charlotte's client for years to come.

 

[Axeykins]

"Suppose that is the best call. If they haven't taken that then they have to be prepared for us or not even care if you do start shooting. They have to outnumber us greatly.." He wheezed out a sigh. One that only became longer and heavier as the new figures appeared. Praising them with something about their God and light shining on them now. That was a good laugh at this point to the cyclops. He almost lost his other eye rolling it so hard.

Sisceal looked up the ladder with pure exhaustion. Hoping that as soon as they got their meeting with this Matthew or Marcus or whatever his name was he could rest. Mustering up the will to live again Sisceal climbed up after them. Stopping midway to catch his breath and keep from plummeting back down. He had to crawl away from the top to get out of the way for Charlotte. Huffing and wheezing his way over to one of the hooded figures where he proceeded to lose whatever contents of his stomach even existed at their feet.

 

[Axeykins]

( Pai Chan Jeda Teq . forgot the tags lol)

 

[Axeykins]

The smell of sweet sustenance drifted through the deepest crags of the crater. Luce inhaled it deeply, drinking every last drop in. Filling every ounce of himself with raw instinctual desire.
Scuttling on all fours through the tightest of ruins for the sorce. Ignoring the limits of his own structure to squeeze his way through the crevice and claw up each wall. Eyes wide and nose sniffing at the fetid air sporadically. Following the source until he came upon it. A meal, a true meal set decadently between two elevators. If this was a dream he crossed his fingers he never woke again. Drool pouring from the corners of his mouth like a rabid mongrel he sprinted towards the table. Taking no hesitation, not one single rational thought before tearing into each morsel with a veracity unmatched by any living being before.

Jeda Teq
( Pai Chan 0stinato )

 

[Axeykins]

( 0stinato Jeda Teq )