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

[Namazu]

LINCOLN
The Infirmary​

It was a relief that Madison knew what he was talking about and caught on. He didn’t think she was so far out of sorts to truly be talking about turkeys, it was a euphemism for safety’ sake.

“I do. Listen.” Weston glanced over his shoulder and saw no change in how nobody was paying them any attention.

“I’m going turkey hunting, and this time there are a lot of other people who are coming with me, too. We’re serious about hunting them… and I’d be really grateful if you found a way to help us on that hunt. However you’re able, whenever you’re able.” Weston reached for Madison’s hand, holding it firmly but not squeezing hard enough to hurt.

“I’m done eating shit. I think it’s about time we eat turkey instead. You in?”

Tool ​

 

[Miaow]

Lincoln
Outside the Prison Walls
​

As the biter collapsed forward, his face landing in the grass with a thud, Minnie's chest heaved. The recoil shot pain up her arms, vibrating through her bones and up to her shoulders... and her stomach really hurt. She winced, keeping the firearm held outwards from her body, aiming at the infected... It looked... dead. Well, dead dead. Re-dead. She pulled the slide back, loading another bullet into the chamber and walking around it's side... She prodded it with her toe before taking 3 quick steps back. The thing didn't move...

"I think you did it!" Haewon called out, stifling a wheeze and maintaining a crooked smile. She didn't want Minnie to worry, they didn't have time to worry. She wanted to gesture for her to come back over, but the prospect of removing her hand from the gaping wound in her arm made her nauseous. As if reading her mind, Minnie haphazardly jogged back towards her sister once she was absolutely certain the infected wasn't getting back up again.

"C'mon... before anyone else finds that open door..." Haewon murmured, looping her arm over her sister's shoulders and putting the majority of her weight on her sister. The two headed back for the kitchens...

Minnie poked her head through the cafeteria doors. It was still chaos. In fact, it seemed worse, the corridors seemed busier, the alarms louder. She held tightly onto her sister, propping the door open with her back and helping her through. It was a careful balance between trying to get to the infirmary before Haewon threw up or passed out while trying to maintain what energy they had left.
"It's not that far," Minnie reassured her sister, though didn't get much of a response. Haewon was certainly still awake, her feet dragging along the tiled flooring, her breath wheezing in Minnie's ear.
"C'mon... faster," She whispered to her older sister, trying to pick up the pace.

Safton
​

 

[Tool]

Lincoln
Infirmary​

Listen, Weston said, grasping at Madison's hand and giving it a press, doing his best to speak in veiled tones and circumspect metaphor and ending with an appropriately snappy call to arms. He'd gathered support or had joined a preexisting group of malcontents. He was serious about overthrowing Kings, and with what Madison had seen on that flame-filled night, there were hundreds of Samaritans to think about. If Cabrera was right about even half of them, if half of the Samaritans were little more than animals, foaming at the mouth to rape and murder with unrestrained relish...... that was a lot of assholes to mow through.

Before the Fall, Madison had been something of a fan of World War II history; she knew how this sort of thing went. How many people had actually belonged to the Nazi party? Comparatively, a very small number. But there were always plenty of other people who were happy to do the work and others afraid enough to let it happen. There was more than one kind of monster roaming this world, and some things were worth fighting for.

Madison's smile was a slow, spreading thing, creeping and deadly, holding no humor and needle-sharp around the edges. As it reached its cusp and would have parted to reveal teeth, it fell away and the woman nodded. The ache in her skull was a reminder that she had already slipped the reaper's scythe once, but being constantly angry helped chase away both hesitation and fear, and besides...... Madison had absolutely nothing to lose.

"'Course I'm in. S'bout time. You leadin' this hunt, or this someone else's party?"

Namazu ​

 

[Namazu]

LINCOLN
The Infirmary​

Weston grinned as well, though his smile was a bigger one, ear to ear and toothy. Not the smile of a madman though - no, more like the smile of someone who was finally seeing hope on the horizon and a road to reach it too.

“I am yeah. I need to make this right, because I feel like it's my goddamn fault too. We’re not hunting alone though. There’s a bunch. Loose coordination, people don’t know too many others beyond whoever recruited them and whoever they need to coordinate with to keep things safe. Can’t take ‘em all out if you can only give one name if they start beating people for info.” Weston’s voice was low and he spoke quickly, aware that this was far less metaphor and code and actually some very incriminating talk that, if overheard by the wrong party, would end badly for them both.

“I wouldn’t ask this of you if I didn’t trust you and if I didn’t think you’d want to at least consider it. I know you’re still recovering, but every little bit helps. If-”

Weston was immediately cut off by loud, eardrum-shaking alarms that suddenly started blaring in the hallway, filling the infirmary with jarring noise. Weston startled, immediately looking towards the doorway. Victor and Connor were gone, no clue when they’d left or why. Some lights flashed across the hard floors of the hallway, but the sound of the alarm covered any sounds that boots on the hard floor might make.

“What the fuck-” Weston slid off Madison’s bed and rushed towards the door, glancing out. An announcement played over the aging P.A. system, but the words sounded distorted and he couldn’t make them out. Pulling the door shut so he could hear his own thoughts, Weston unhooked his walkie-talkie from his belt.

“Somebody want to tell me what the fuck is going on out there?” Weston barked into the walkie, easily pulling back on the mask of Loyal and Capable Second in Command and Guy Who Was In Charge. The walkie crackled a moment, before a voice responded - one of the enforcers, Weston couldn’t pin a face to a voice.

“Biters inside, Jones! Biters are inside and-” There was a gunshot, followed by a sharp yelp, and the walkie talkie's channel went dead.

Tool ​

 

[Safton]

​

Lincoln State Correctional Center
Outside the Cafeteria
​

"Move your ass! I catch anyone hanging back at the rear, you won't have to worry about the fucking Biters because I'll fucking kill you myself," Wes barked as he shoved the group of Enforcers down the corridor toward the direction of the MS-13 cellblock. It felt disturbingly like throwing water on a rapidly-expanding fire. The thought had Wesley briefly musing about the fire weeks earlier that had almost grown out of control. They always said fire was a bad way to go... but it had to be better than being torn apart by a horde like the one now growing inside the prison.

He pushed the morbidly whimsical thoughts aside as one of his Enforcers turned to address him. "What about looters, LT?!"

Emmett gave the man a blank look. "If they're stupid enough to loot, put a bullet in their head and move on."

The Enforcer nodded timidly before following his compatriots down the corridor. They made for a motley crew: some, like Wesley, were fully-kitted in riot gear and tactical equipment with rifles and shotguns and shields... others were half-dressed with a few hastily-grabbed weapons. Wes wondered just how many were going to return from this before returning to his duties: he had to check the adjacent areas surrounding the infected block to see how many -- if any -- Biters had managed to slip out through one of the scav exits in the MS-13 cellblock prior to the alarm being sounded. He didn't anticipate much in the way of danger and all of his troops were needed on the front lines containing the outbreak to the MS pod, so this was a task for him and him alone.

Emmett's first stop would be the cafeteria. He hefted his rifle, setting out for the dining hall through a weaving series of tiled hallways before reaching his destination. He took a deep breath and rounded the last corner... coming face-to-face with two figures in the corridor outside the cafeteria. He raised his weapon halfway on instinct, but paused. He could tell immediately by the way one supported the other that these were no Biters... but the crimson sheen of blood caught his eye right away. Bitten. Figures. Fucking dumbasses.

But that wasn't the only thing that caught his attention. The smaller of the two strangers -- their form silhouetted by the illumination of the flashlight attached to his weapon -- had a pistol clutched in their hand. Wes's grip tightened on his rifle, his jaw clenching. "Drop it," he growled tersely. But the command rang somewhat hollow. He knew that at this distance -- with his weapon not even all the way up yet -- any exchange of gunfire between the two could go either way.

Miaow
​

 

[Tool]

Lincoln
Infirmary​

Cells. Weston was talking about cells. It was a smart move, though Madison didn't know whether to give Weston or someone else the credit. He was a man doing his best to become a better one, but he'd fallen from one violent high-control group into another, and it was only now that he seemed primed to break the cycle. Hopefully for good, this time. Madison nodded at the structure of the...... Underground? Rebellion? Coups? It was a good way to keep things organized while not tipping one's hand too soon.

The woman opened her mouth to answer when the klaxons started in and the man toggled his walkie-talkie into crackling life.

The sounds of someone panicking, the sounds of someone dying...... they were as familiar to Madison as they were to any other survivor of the Collapse, though they never failed to bring a scowl to her lips. Zombies had been on this earth for nearly two goddamned years. There was no excuse for this shit. Nothing made people stupider than panic, and stupid was not an acceptable cause of death.

Madison knew down to her bones stupid was a nearly constant cause of death, but that didn't make it one iota less offensive.

With one hand, the girl fiddled with the silly putty and got the top off the container before digging inside for the knife, and she was gratified to see it was Swiss. That made getting the cuffs off a significantly easier proposition. "Tell me you got protocols for this. Tell me you an' th' others know......"

Madison shook her head and didn't wait for an answer. If this was old news, Weston would stop her or walk the hell off, and she talked as she fiddled with her cuffs. With the way the Samaritans ran their outfit, Madison would have been surprised if they had standard ops in place for outbreaks. The muffled screams on the other end of the line did not say 'organized'.

But then, the Samaritans thought a helicopter was a bang-up idea. That was the bar.

"Fuckit. Teams of four. Everybody covers their own firin' angle - upper left, upper right, lower left an' right. Stay at th' doorway. Let survivors by. 'Nounce yer target. Let zombies come to you. Use th' fire escape plans on th' walls for shooting paths. They show every exit. Every entrance. Every room... and they're all over th' damn place. Fire team hits a primary door, they radio in to hunker an' stay. Once interior is secure an' has fireteams at th' doors, remainin' teams outside fer cleanup, with some on th' roof fer cover."

Her one good eye glanced upwards as she grumbled an add on.

"If th' stupid goddamn alarms weren't goin', teams oughtta sing their ABC's as th' go, so everybody knows they're alive an' announces 'em as friendlies t'other teams."

The meat fumble-fingers paused for a moment, and the girl sighed. "I hate bein'cuffed."

Namazu ​

 

[Miaow]

Lincoln
Corridor
​

The two had barely taken a few steps when another enforcer stood in their path. Minnie squinted into the darkness, trying to make out a face. She could see the outline of a gun... Whoever they were, they'd be a far better shot than she was. If she hit anything at this distance, it'd be dumb luck rather than skill... but they didn't know that.

"Just... drop it..." Haewon murmured, wheezing between words... but they didn't have time. Minnie didn't have time to explain to him that they weren't bit, they were shot at, and they were innocent victims. No, they didn't have time for any of that. Haewon would bleed out before the enforcer managed to wrap his head around all that information.

She took a breath in before snapping the gun up to shoulder height, aiming at the man.
"YOU DROP IT!" She yelled, putting her best scary voice on, "Put-- Put your gun down, then come over here!"

"What the fuck... are you doing?" Haewon asked breathlessly. This was how you got killed. This night was becoming one shitty decision after another, and Haewon felt powerless to stop her little sister from making any more.
"We're shot, not bit!" Minnie yelled, tightening her grip on the handgun... "Hurry the HELL up!"

Safton
​

 

[Namazu]

THE SCAVENGERS
Clarksville, Ohio​

This whole trip, Denise had decided, was going to be a test for this team. She had spent enough time on bottom rungs watching people above her fall off to have a good idea of what she should and should not do. She saw how the Ranch folded like a wet napkin. Witnessed first hand how Northview crumbled under one too many hardships. Watched Dutchess get gunned down by a pissed-off man who didn’t have a clue as to what was really fucking going on, because she couldn’t keep a tight enough fist around the situation and got cocky. There were a lot of lessons to be learned by someone with eyeballs. And Denise was definitely watching.

It was amusing, watching the other scavengers in the vehicle react to her suggestions. They were actually orders, but she wanted to see what stupid comments people had to share, and even stupider ideas. Some of them didn’t even say anything. She really just wanted to get a gauge on what was in their heads.

Denise glanced briefly over her shoulder as Neveah hissed something about wanting to get the fuck out. She offered the woman a nod and turned back around, grabbing her pack and rifle from between her feet once they were parked and shoved the car door open. It was a useless comment, but so far Neveah was the only person not trying to play hotshot with grand ideas of world domination.

They didn’t need to dominate the world. Just a super-mart or two or three, to tide them over till the food situation was figured out more permanently with farming.

Kicking the door open now that they were parked at the top of the hill and pulled over, Denise was relieved to step out into fresher air. Slinging her pack over her shoulder, she leaned down and pointed at three of the scavengers with her - Neveah and two others.

“You, you, and you. Come with me. The rest of you, stay here with the vehicle. Keep your walkie on, we’ll be reporting back when it’s safe to bring it around.” She glanced down, checking that her rifle was readied, and started off down the hill - following the treeline at the edge of the road, because walking down the middle of it would be too damn obvious.

The little town below - Clarksville - wasn’t a whole hell of a lot to look at. On the map, the town looked like it was six or seven blocks long along one main drag and about four blocks wide. In front of them, a steep ditch filled with trees cut through the earth with a bridge leading over it into town. Fallow farmland stretched all around them. Honestly, this looked like a better place to live than the prison, if only because they could farm here. It wasn't so easily defended though.

From this distance all she could see were farm houses, but according to the map there was a gas station, a fire station behind it, a post office, a bank, and their main goal: A grocery store wholesaler. Part shop and part warehouse, it was their best shot at getting some kind of volume of food. And if it was already cleaned out? Well, there were plenty of houses to check out. Slower, possibly more dangerous, and depending on this town’s luck, less of a haul, but worth checking.

"Lets move out. I'll take point."

NanLia Bullyboy Squad ​

 

[Safton]

​

Lincoln State Correctional Center
Outside the Cafeteria
​

Shit.

Wes shouldn't have been surprised that two people -- scared, hurt, running for their lives -- would try and call his bluff. What did surprise him was the voice of the one doing it. She was a kid. He squinted at her and her wounded companion, trying to figure out where he'd seen them before. But the barrel of her gun drew his attention back and Wesley's jaw clenched. He eyed the two across from him, the gears turning as he calculated the odds of how any potential gunfight might go.

She had the drop on him, sure. But could she hit what she was aiming at? It was hard to say. If there was one thing he had learned, it was that you couldn't make any assumptions about anyone -- adult, child, or otherwise -- who had managed to survive this long in this shitty place. But the way her hand shook as she leveled the gun at him seemed promising. He might take a hit or two. He just had to hope they would land on his armor. Something he could live with.

But can you live with putting down two kids looking for help, Officer?

The voice shot up, unbidden, from the depths of his mind and he almost flinched. It wasn't his. It was Dutchess's -- silky smooth, teasing. His teeth ground against one another as he ignored the intrusive thought. Now Wes needed a distraction.

"All right. You say you're shot? Show me the wound." After a pause, he shrugged. "If I take you back there and you're bit, we're all dead anyway. So humor me."

Miaow
​

 

[NanLia]

Party Till We Die
Collab w/ Bullyboy Squad ​

“Sorry I left you with the sirens!” He laughed over the music that grew louder and louder the farther they got from the VIP section.

They hit the dance floor and someone pushed her into him. The flush press of body against body sent waves through his core. With a sharp drag of breath through his nose, Ignacio grabbed her arms to steady her. A silly smile spilling across his lips. So foreign. Out of place against the rugged beard and new scars.

The music ready to steal their breaths as they moved to its lively rhythms. He had just one drink but he was lightheaded, letting the moment drive him. It felt like he was just a guy dancing with a girl. Stripped of duty and sins. For the handful of heartbeats, he felt free.

Nari smiled hearing Cabrera’s laughter, the second time this evening he’d done it. It was unnerving, seeing this lighter side of his personality but also endearing. So often she only saw the name: Cabrera. The image he portrayed to everyone in the prison. The hard ass, the mean and terrifying beast. This Cabrera was different, her brow furrowed at the thought of still calling him that.

Ignacio

She followed him away from the VIP section toward the music she had once felt overwhelming. Despite the shove, accidental or otherwise, she grinned back at the man holding her upright. She fell into the rhythm with him, forgetting her woes and enjoying the simplicity of something from the world before.

Nari danced and laughed, maybe carelessly but carefree, letting Cabrera guide her around the floor until he settled behind her, pressed to her back and swaying with her to the beat.

The music boomed across their space, running through their bodies. Her backside kept brushing his front, releasing a heated flood of excitement that he could not stop if he tried. Cabrera’s hands cupped her waist, fingers running up to the sides of her ribcage.

The music slowed down and transformed into something new. Lights drooped, turning dark blue like the night sky. The silver shine of the disco ball, like moonlight, flickered across their faces. Some people left the dancefloor, some idly swayed to the new song. Others just stood there, making out.

Ignacio’s palms slipped down to her hips and he turned her to face him. He could feel the thud of his heartbeat when their eyes met.

Hey, he mouthed, a gentle curve on his lips. He found her hands and guided them up, never taking his eyes off her face. Then he caught her waist and pulled them closer. He led her, easing them into the new rhythm.

Nari looked around as the tempo shifted, the DJ, not entirely skilled, attempted to transition from an upbeat pace to a slow, melodic song. It made for a few seconds of discord until they managed to match the two songs and fade out the heavier base. She slowed, expecting to follow suit of the majority of dances, off to the sides for another drink until another song to dance to came on.

She spun in surprise as Ignacio turned her to face him, and the surprise remained on her face as the man smiled at her, drawing her arms up to rest on his shoulder and chest. Nari was aware of their closeness, the belly certainly keeping them at a reasonable distance, almost like middle school kids and their first dance together. It was an image that made her laugh softly, voice lost in the music.

Aware of the warm belly in between them, he looked down at it and remembered the sound of the baby heartbeat. The sight no longer made him uneasy, only adding to the warmth spreading across his chest. His dark eyes lifted to meet hers again, and for a flick of a second, there was no denying it. The growing emotion.

It’s good they weren’t drunk. That there was a baby in their way. Because he wasn’t sure about his own boundaries anymore. That he could resist.

Nari danced with Cabrera for hours, some slow sensual songs, but more of the upbeat tempo that had initially drawn them to the floor. She hadn’t known how long they’d been at it when the music quieted and Cabrera suggested they leave, it was early in the morning now.

She agreed, letting him take her hand and lead her through the crowds that didn’t seem to dissipate at all until they were out in the corridors under the fluorescent lights. She winced and blinked until she was once again accustomed to the brightness, then fell into pace beside him, heading back to his apartment in the central area of the prison.

Nari started to slow, and then eventually needed to stop. “Hold on.” She said in a whisper, as though she might wake someone up. She step aside, to lean against the wall, sliding her feet out of her shoes. “Ohhh.” She groaned softly, pressing the aching soles of her feet to the cold concrete floor. “This might have been a mistake.” She laughed.

Cabrera laughed along with her. He had a few drinks throughout the night so his good mood was enhanced by the little buzz he kept reviving. The few buttons of his shirt were now opened by the collar, revealing some chest hair he used to shave in the past. His forehead moist from perspiration, eyes glossy.

“I was impressed how you managed this long with the little stowaway on board!” His laughter as genuine as his smile. His palm on her back. The idea flickered through his mind and Ignacio didn't think twice. He just took a good hold of her body and with a strained “Hold on-” he lifted her in his arms. Adjusting her in his hold in a bridal style.

“There.” He looked into her eyes and quietly swallowed. “Better?”

Nari rolled her eyes playfully as Cabrera suggested she’d lasted longer than he thought she would. She’d surprised herself, certainly, but she could only assume she had plenty of pent-up energy from spending months in seclusion.

She glanced up at him as he told her to wait, ready to dismiss whatever suggestion he might have, like finding a wheelchair or some such but before she could utter a word he had her up, scooped into his arms and cradled against his chest. She could not stop the soft squeal of surprise from escaping her lips as she pressed a hand to his chest for balance and security.

“Ignacio.” She chided quietly, a flush of embarrassment burning her cheeks. “I can walk.”

Their eyes locked, making his heart beat faster. His cheek tugged up, speech colored by an easy drawl.

“Or you can hold on to me and enjoy the ride.” Ignacio made sure his hold was secure and that she was as comfortable as a pregnant woman cradled in a man’s arms can get. Then he started making his way towards their apartment. Just a few minutes stroll and they'd be there. In their bed. The thought made his pulse flutter in his neck.

Nari shook her head and rolled her eyes playfully but she smiled nonetheless as Ignacio simply carried her off. It was an odd feeling, having gone out and done what the other elites did. She guessed that she was, theoretically, one of them by extension, but still felt well out of place. And then there was Ignacio and his entire change of personality, at least with her. He’d been cold and distant and damned well mean to her early on but something had changed him.

Lips parted as she was about to speak but she paused, hesitated. Willing up the courage she went on. “I don’t often share my beliefs with people…” She wrinkled her nose, knowing that sounded as awkward as it felt to say. “What I mean is, Americans have a hard time understanding other religions, so I don’t talk about mine.”

She frowned, searching for a way to explain herself without getting into a theology discussion. “I believe there are spirits, benign meddling spirits. They are neither good nor bad but just are. They are part of the earth and part of our ancestors and they send us … challenges. Choices. I think they sent me to you.” She paused, looking over his features carefully. “I think you needed me or will need me, in some way. A friend? An alley?” She shrugged. “But I am always grateful for what they do. I mean, how else does a pacifist survive the dead rising?”

Beliefs. Ignacio listened, slowly making his way through the prison. Nari was not as light as she used to be, he could feel the added pounds caused by the baby in her belly. But he didn’t think about it, didn’t really focus on their surroundings either, concentrated on her confession. It struck him and Ignacio slowed down. They were near the empty cage that was used for fighting as they were crossing through the pit. He stopped and looked at her, heart racing for more than one reason.

Friend. Ally.

Gazing into her face, holding her in his arms, Cabrera remained silent. When it looked like he might not speak, he finally said. “I need you.” Stripped of attitude, baring his soul back, Ignacio hesitated. His gaze lowered to her lips and his throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.

“I don’t believe in much these days…” He searched her eyes again. “But I believe in you.”

Nari watched Ignacio’s impassive face, searching for any indication that he understood what she’d meant, the subtext of it all. She swiftly felt the onset of embarrassment as the quiet drew between them and was silently cursing herself for having said anything at all when he finally broke the silence.

She was awed into her own silence as he responded in kind, shocked to hear him admit that he needed her, that be believed in her. A very different kind of warmth filled her chest, not something she’d ever felt in relation to Cabrera before. Love, of a kind. Platonic, Friendship. She worried briefly she’d erred admitting that she thought they were meant to be here and now together with purpose; maybe she was too desperate to just have a friend that any would do?

Before she could think anything out further movement caught her attention in the corner of her eye. The corridor toward the elites' rooms had been almost entirely empty, save for a few people shuffling towards their beds in the late hour, but now those shuffling people had turned toward them, arms outstretched.

A ghastly moan escaped the closest dead as he, the recently deceased throat had been slit and the noise wheezed through the fleshly flaps.

“Put me down.” She whispered, attempting to free herself from Ignacio’s arms so she could run, much like he should. More were following the sound of the first, spilling into the corridor from a cellblock.

 

[Miaow]

​

Lincoln
Nari and Cabrera's Bedroom
A flashback by Miaow , Safton and NanLia
​

Once Minnie was sure there was nothing left in her to get rid of, she made her way to the bed, kicking her shoes off and lying on her side. However, the nausea remained... and it wasn't helped by the painful anxiety in her chest. What if Nari wasn't coming back? She was taking forever. Was she going to die trying to same a rabbit? Had she sent her to die? Was Nari suffering some sort of horrible, unspeakable death, all because of her?

Haewon sat behind her, her legs outstretched on Cabrera's cushy mattress, reading one of his books... or possibly one of Nari's books, she couldn't tell which.
"Do you think Nari's okay..." Minnie murmured, staring at a spot on the wall.
"Yeah," Haewon responded, as if she didn't even need a moment to think, "She can talk her way out of anything... and if she can't, well, she's got my screwdriver."
Minnie stayed quiet, curling up a little tighter. Haewon let out a soft sigh, resting her hand on top of her little sister's head... Part of her wanted to go out and check... but she wasn't leaving her sister on her own. Not even for a second.
"Just give her a couple more minutes... then we'll check, okay?" Haewon assured her, gently rubbing her shoulder. She could feel her shakey breathing under her hand.

As the door swung open, Haewon leapt to her feet, brandishing the engineering textbook like a weapon.
"Stay down!" She yelled at Minnie.
Expecting to be met with a Samaritan on the hunt for loose Northview citizens, the two were instead met with... their parents.
"DAD!" Minnie shot to her feet. She wanted to throw her arms around him, squeezing him until he went blue... but she hesitated. He looked... sore.

Sneaking through the corridors of Lincoln was a nerve-wracking experience for Xander. Not only was his mind filled with the fear that at any given moment they might round a corner and come face-to-face with a Samaritan or ten, but he was also distinctly aware of Nari’s presence alongside him. Normally that would fill him with a distinct calm and reassurance… but right now he was weak. Beaten. Practically crippled… well, more so than usual, anyway. He knew full well that if he and his wife came upon any sign of serious danger in those halls, he would be all but powerless to assist her. The thought terrified him.

However, all that doubt, all that fear… it evaporated the moment Nari opened up the door to the out-of-the-way room and let him inside. Xander froze in the threshold, seeing Haewon posted up with a heavy tome in her hands, lifted above her head like Excalibur itself. And in front of her? Minnie, of course. His chest blossomed with warmth at the sight of them, hearing Minnie call out to him before rushing forward. He ignored the pain in his body, kneeling down and opening his arms to embrace her. As the girl stopped, he frowned – at least until he understood her reasoning. He no doubt looked like hell, like someone who would break with too tight a hug. But he didn’t care about that.
Eager to prove just that, Xander grinned knowingly before striding forward to scoop Minnie up into his arms, holding her close against his chest. “Hey, lovebug,” he murmured under his breath, his voice crackling. The proximity of his girls – all back together at last – was enough to make the pain melt away better than any pill. He ran his fingers through her hair, planting a kiss on her forehead before releasing her. He turned next toward Haewon, offering her a crooked smile that reached all the way up to his glassy eyes. “Are you two okay?” he asked, trying and failing to keep the desperation out of his tone. Every waking moment of his captivity had been spent thinking of his family: his wife, their adopted daughters… their child on the way. He had wondered if they were safe and if they would stay that way in light of his transgressions but now that he was here with them, it was as if there was so much ground to cover and not enough time in the universe for him to say all of what he wanted to say to them.

Instead Xander moved a step toward Haewon, admittedly a bit uncertain how the teen might react as he reached out to offer her a hug as well.

Nari gasped for breath as she leaned back against the door and then nearly choked as Haewon came at them with one of her books! She raised her hand in an attempt to dissuade the elder teen from striking but thankfully Minnie defused the situation by shouting - for Xander - and rushing at him.

She took the opportunity to pull the rabbit out of her sweater like a terrible children’s party magician and she Momo down on the floor to his freedom. She soon shed the nasty sweater and tossed it aside, any idea that she might ever thank or apologize for the theft was gone and she now considered giving them a piece of her mind.

Nari took in the sight of Minnie, clinging to her father and Haewon begrudgingly looking at the offer of a hug but she jumped at the sudden and sharp knock at the door. Her eyes widened and she looked over her girls and Xander in Cabrera’s room. They were all dead, there was no chance this would be tolerated.

The knock came a second time and a muffled voice followed, one she couldn’t identify. “Coming!” She called, her voice hoarse. She was waving at the girls and Xander, rushing them into the bathroom before closing the door.

She shuffled back toward the door. “I’m coming, sorry!” She called, pausing as she caught sight of her face in the mirror, dusted with soot and streaked with tears. She pulled a sleeve to scrub away as much of the debris as she could before she pulled open the door to Cabrera’s room …

Minnie wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he scooped her up, squeezing him tight. Her brain flooded with chemicals, her body shaking in his grip. This should make her happy. She should be grinning and begging him to play a boardgame or make a pillow foot with Nari's copious cushions. Yet, Xander was only one missing piece, and a few of those pieces would be lost forever.

"I missed you," She murmured in response. She didn't want him to put her down, she didn't want to let go at all, but she knew she couldn't hug him forever. Even as he set her back down on the ground, she held on for just that moment longer before letting him go.

"We've been better," Haewon responded, hands tucked into her pockets. Although they'd certainly been worse, too. As the man held his arms out, there was a moment of hesitation... In a way, she fucking hated him. If he'd just handled his emotions like a fucking adult, they wouldn't be in this mess. Cabrera would still be the step dad they never asked for, but at least Xander would still be in their good books... Yet, she was still relieved he'd survived.

She let out a soft sigh through her nose as she accepted his hug, resting her chin on his shoulder... Then, she frowned.
"The hell are you covered in?" She asked, pulling away, her arms held out to avoid getting soot on anything else. Seeing her opportunity, Minnie wrapped her arms around his waist. Her throat cramped as she pushed her emotions down, resting her head on his stomach.

She flinched at the knock at the door, and Haewon instinctively went back for the book she'd tossed onto the bed. Before she could grab it and brandish it at whoever was visiting them, the trio were ushered into the bathroom, with Momo tossed haphazardly after them. He stomped his back feet in protest. He only needed a short tantrum before beginning to explore his new space, standing up on his hind legs to get a better look in the shower.

Xander had been more relieved than he ever imagined when Haewon accepted his hug… albeit perhaps a bit begrudgingly. He didn’t care – part of him was frankly surprised that she hadn’t tried to brain him with that textbook even after finding out who he was. She would have been well within her rights given what he had put them through. As she questioned what the strange substance was coating his body, Xander had frowned and backed away, releasing her from the hug as he looked down at himself – having completely forgotten about the ashes, dried blood, and soot across much of his form.

“Oh. It–” he began, only for Minnie to dart forward and take her sister’s place for a second hug. Xander didn’t protest, simply smiling wide and patting her head with a soft grin. Then came the knock.

Xander’s eyes had darted toward the door and then around the room, looking for potential weapons. Nari, it seemed, had other ideas as she pushed them all along toward the bathroom. His whispered protests fell on deaf ears as she gave him a look that said Let me handle this. He knew better than to question her, especially with so little time. So with a stiff nod and clenched jaw, he watched her chuck Momo inside before locking them in the tiny space.

Xander stayed focused on the door and the din of conversation beyond, trying to place the newly-entered voice. He turned toward the girls, giving them a reassuring smile. “It’s okay,” he whispered, barely audible even to himself. “Just stay behind me.” He pointedly interposed himself – half-dead or not – between them and the door just in case.

Despite their new predicament, Minnie wanted to stay as close to Xander as possible. She didn't want him walking a mere metre away from her in case he never came back again. She rested the side of her head against the middle of his back as he stood between her and the door. She wanted to listen to whoever was out there but was far more focused on the feeling of Xander's shirt against her cheek.

"Don't lean on 'im, you'll get whatever he's covered in all over you," Haewon whispered, patting the top of Minnie's head. The little girl stood up straight, though still stayed as close to Xander as she could, like a duckling imprinting on a mama bird.
"So... you won, huh? What now? Or did they not tell you that," Haewon murmured, taking a seat against the casing of the shower.
"You can stay with us now, right?" Minnie chimed in, her voice barely a whisper. Despite the optimism in her question, her face didn't change.
"No-- Don't get your hopes up, Min. You know what they're like."

Xander hesitated at Minnie's question and her sister's remark which followed. As callous as it may have come across, there was a kernel of truth to that statement. Point of fact, he hadn't been told what the end result of the fight would be if he won... whether that was due to the fact that the Samaritans simply didn't expect him to come out alive or because the fate that awaited him regardless was a grim one remained to be seen.

Xander took a breath before deciding to give a reply that straddled the proverbial fence. "I'm not sure yet," he murmured. "Whatever happens... Nari and I will figure it out. We always do, right?" The irony of him delivering such a line while covered in dried blood and ash with barely enough strength to stand on two legs was not lost on him. So, where words failed he instead settled for action. He reached behind him with one hand, finding Minnie's shoulder and giving it a small squeeze.

Minnie averted her gaze as he answered... Nari and I... but it wasn't him and Nari anymore. It was him, and Nari. He didn't even know... Nari hadn't told him on the way there? He hadn't seen the two together before? Minnie had seen too much of them together, holding hands, kissing, groping at her belly... ugh. She wanted to hit him every time his hands got too close to her.

She glanced back at Haewon who gave her a look, a look warning her to keep her mouth shut. They couldn't have Xander freaking the fuck out while they were trying to hide. She looked back to Xander as he squeezed her shoulder, returning her head to the middle of his back... She missed her mom and dad.

 

[ghostflowering]

Code:

THE SCAVENGERS


Jade spent the car ride with her nose pressed against the window, finding an effective routine of fogging up the glass with her breath, wiping it with the sleeve of her flannel, then pressing against it again. It was more than a while since the girl had been outside of the compound, so this was a big moment for her, undead and all. Naturally perceptive, she took a keen interest in just about every blade of grass and old tree branch she could see, her mind whirling.

She might’ve been the only member of the group that didn’t have some kind of complaint - which was rare for her - but, no, she was thrilled; this was the first time she had been permitted to go on a scavenging trip, after a year of incessant whining about how boring her duties were, and she wasn’t going to waste a single moment. She was sure that she would be ordered to stay behind with the vehicle, so she almost didn’t pick up on Denise’s command for her to step out. She blinked, her head snapping up, as she realised she wouldn’t just be staring out the window after all.

Adrenaline coursing through her veins, she climbed out of the backseat with an ardent, juvenile clumsiness, that she hoped no one picked up on. It was easy for Jade to be dutiful when she was getting what she wanted, so she followed behind Denise and Neveah carefully and quietly, determined to prove herself to the women that she didn’t know much about, but admired based on their level of experience that she aspired to. Tucking, or, shoving, a strand of her wild hair behind her ear, she shook her shoulders and took a deep breath, allowing the weight the little pistol she had been given to ground and prepare her.

​

Namazu NanLia
​

​

 

[Bullyboy Squad]

LINCOLN
Prison Corridors right before the alarm goes off


Oil-shining body of a barely dressed black woman slammed into the bedding. She kept whining, looking at the camera instead of at the white man that got in between her legs and rocked the mattress with a violent rhythm. Raul didn't see them, though, he wasn't looking at the tv screen. He was just done with the hooker now lounging on the bed he was sitting on. Pants back on his ass, he leaned over, tying his boots.

“Did you like it, Daddy~” The woman rolled to her side and touched his back seductively as if her job wasn't already done.

He shrugged her off, his voice was firm but hollow. “Don't call me that.” He flicked a glance at the tv and huffed. “And turn that shit off.”

Offended, the girl gathered herself from the bed, the numerous pieces of jewellery on her neck and wrists jingling wildly. “You turn it off!” She chucked the remote control at the mattress, but as bad as her aim was, she hit the man’s back instead.

Raul grunted and stood up. She was leaning over the coffee table, gingerly fixing white lines chopped by a platinum AMEX, when he grabbed her arm. She squeaked and covered her face on instinct but he just gave her a warning glare. This time. And shoved her back at the bed.

“Dumb bitch.”

The oversaturated porn movie dancing on the screen casted colorful lights into the gloomy room, permeated by the actress's moans. He yanked the handle and entered the even darker hallway, slamming the door behind him.

Raul was rarely late but this time he was and since the kid didn't wait for him, he marched across the prison alone, trying to catch up to the little bastard. Didn't take long thanks to Tanner's short legs and the redhead plastered to his side. Rulo recognized Hadley from the whorehouse. He was using her services a bunch of times when he earned access to the premium room for elite enforcers. For his performance. Didn't happen often, though, and now she was one of the elite girlfriends. He didn't miss her voice, she was too chatty for him. But he did miss her lips.

“Get back to your place, woman.” He said, approaching the two from behind. It was curfew and if not for the fact she was one of the privileged, she would be in trouble.


​

Aegis Not Meat
​

​

 

[NanLia]

The Scavengers​

Neveah wasn’t entirely certain she wanted to follow Denise toward their target, but the idea of sitting in the stinking truck any longer was less appealing. She made a face behind the other woman's back as she started on some military call sign shit. “Speak English.” Nev hissed but didn’t linger, following behind Denise as she headed toward the town.

She surveyed it but saw little more than a run-down, podunk town that had probably already been picked clean, like every other place they’d been to on this road trip from hell. Nev wanted nothing more than to be back at the prison, back to being an Enforcer and dealing in what she knew: violence.

Nev glanced at the child that was following along behind them, Cabrera’s litter pick. She wondered idly if the girl child was his mistress - he’d never been the type to settle previously and then suddenly wifed up. There was more to it than that, had heard others even questioning it.

“You know,” She started, turning her focus back to Denise. “Dutchess and Toni were partners with the Scavenging team.” She picked her way around a dodgy-looking spot in the grass; she’d tripped in unseen holes a few times now. “I think he’d make you the same deal.” She waited, not entirely patiently, for Denise to respond but when the woman didn’t do more than roll her eyes, Nev moved on.

“I heard,” She said looking at the little girl. “That Cabrera might not even be the daddy to that baby.” She watched Jade carefully, for any kind of reaction. “It’s been said that he likes to share his women with King himself.” She laughed softly. “Wouldn’t you like that, Panocha? You grown now, maybe he’ll make you wife number two and you and he and King can all have fun in the sack together?”

Namazu ghostflowering ​

 

[Bullyboy Squad]

LINCOLN
Hallways around the fighting cage


Ice ran down Ignacio’s spine and his breath caught in his throat. Eyes wide. He set the woman in his arms down on instinct, her bare feet touching the floor as softly as possible. He needed his hands free. But it was too late—the undead already noticed they were breathing.

He grasped her palm in his, ready to run where they came from. They didn’t make more than a few steps when he froze.

Deeper into the space they passed earlier, on the side that they were heading to now, there was a man on the floor. One of the cage fighters. His body sprawled and three more gladiators knelt beside him. They dug their fingers into his open stomach, ripping out bloody intestines and putting them into their red-soiled mouths. Ignacio’s stomach sank when their heads turned in their direction—bloody gunk dripping from their chins.

With a powerful wash of protectiveness, Ignacio took a quick look around and made the only call that made sense. He yanked Nari towards the cage nearby and thrust her through the open door before slamming it shut.

“No matter what happens.” His head on a swivel to count the odds, hand reaching under shirt to the concealed holster. “Don’t get out of—” His breath halted and his gaze shot down. No holster. No gun. Fuck! He forgot his sidearm!

The bloody biters were already up and the first one from the other side of the hallway was just a few feet away. Ignacio didn’t think, instinctual response hurling him into motion. He leaped to the flank and sent his boot into the side of it's knee, shattering it. As it started to collapse he spun around and met its falling head with a reverse side kick.

The temple cracked hard enough to put a human into comatose but he didn’t know if it was enough to disable a freshly-turned zombie. It thudded down, motionless. He didn’t have time to double check because another one, previously a female, got to him. He sidestepped and let it stumble towards the cage. Snatching the back of the long hair, he got a good grip and shoved her face into the bars. Panting and grunting he did it again and again in quick succession—blood burst from the once pretty face and it gargled on its own blood as the front of its skull began to dent.

​

Safton NanLia
​

​

 

[Miaow]

Lincoln
Corridor
​

Minnie clenched her jaw. The man was stalling and Haewon was losing more and more blood by the second. Her body felt heavier against her shoulder as she kept her upright. She needed him to hurry the hell up.
"I said come over here!" She yelled back at him, adjusting her grip on the gun as she put on her scariest voice, "She's gonna bleed out!"

His casual shrug, the way he requested they humour him. It all frustrated Minnie... but he had no reason to help them, other than the gun pointed at him, of course. If he trusted them and they were lying, he got bit, and so did however many other people he'd brought them to... but if he ignored them, they were the only ones in trouble. She hesitated before glancing to Haewon, keeping her gun held high.
"Show him," She told her, only breaking eye contact with the man for a moment or two. She wasn't lowering her weapon, no matter what the man said. That was how she lost control of the situation.

Minnie held her sister up, her body leaned up against hers as she used her uninjured arm to pull the wide neck of her shirt to one side. The fabric peeled from the exit wound in her shoulder, blood oozing from the wound. Minnie held her tightly under the armpit to keep her upright as she showed off her wound.
"There's more, but... stripping is extra..." Haewon murmured in an attempt to lighten the mood... she wasn't sure who she wanted to reassure, her sister or herself.

"See? Now hurry up!" Minnie demanded, gun outstretched.

Safton
​

 

[Safton]

​

Lincoln State Correctional Center
Outside the Cafeteria​

For a moment, Wes wasn't sure if he had overplayed his hand or not. If these two were bitten, they might decide to just start shooting now and take their chances. Luckily, however, that didn't seem to be the case. Wes watched carefully as the older girl shifted forward and moved the makeshift dressing aside to show him the wound. Definitely a gunshot, not a bite. Wes relaxed, some small measure of tension oozing out of him as he decided on the next step. He could haul these two back to the infirmary, but it would be a distraction from his primary task and --

He froze. As the two of them had moved forward to provide their "proof" they had stepped into what meager light the corridor outside the dining hall offered and now he could see their faces more clearly. Immediately that vague familiarity bloomed into cold recognition.

His kids. Xander's kids.

His jaw tightened and he eyed the gun in the girl's hand. What was her name again? Minnie. Like the mouse. The anger he had felt after watching Xander win his freedom in the Pit surged back up to the surface, like a fire raging in his chest. These were the children of the man who had taken so much from him and gotten away with it. Now Wes had a chance to set things straight.

But can you do that, Officer? Dutchess's voice teased him from the back of his mind again.

Wesley breathed in deep, trying to push the intrusive thought away. He wasn't sure if he was faster than Minnie. Not with that gun involved. He had to get close... and luckily she was inviting him in.

"All right," he said with a nod, as if satisfied by the evidence she and Haewon had given him. "Look." He slowly slung his rifle onto his back, out of the way, before walking toward them... very aware of the knife on his belt. Its weight felt multiplied, heavy with purposeful intent. "I'll help you..." Wes closed to within striking distance, his hand twitching in anticipation at his hip as he moved to Haewon's side. One quick draw of the knife, a few quick thrusts and Minnie wouldn't be able to line up on him without fear of hitting her sister...

But can you do it, Officer? Dutchess's voice echoed again. Can you murder two girls for what their daddy did?

Wes shuddered. He looked over at the faces of the girls in the darkness, Haewon's skin -- pale from blood loss. Dutchess had looked much the same as she bled out in that parking lot... but the thought didn't fill him with fury. Not this time. The grip on his knife faltered. Emmett let out a breath had hadn't realized he'd been holding as he leaned down to let Haewon wrap an arm around his neck, before gingerly sliding one of his own underneath her legs and lifting her easily up and against his chest. "The infirmary isn't far," he muttered before setting off back down the corridor, clutching the girl against his torso as he felt the warm ooze of blood soaking his shirt...

Miaow
​

 

[Miaow]

Lincoln
Corridor
​

As the man approached them, Minnie was painfully aware of his hand hovering over the blade on his belt... She could see it, she knew what he was thinking, and she made a similar threat. He finger moved from the trigger guard to the trigger, resting on it... and as his face became illuminated in the dwindling light of the cafeteria, it took all her energy not to pull it. It was him. The man that had beaten her father to an inch of his life not once, but twice. The man she'd imagined dying in a variety of ways, from a bite, at Xander's hand, at Haewon's knife... His face filled her with anger, and his hand contemplating clutching his knife only tempted her more.

Her finger twitched and the gun fired, blowing a hole through Wesley's skull and painting the walls with his brain matter. His face was... gone. His body stayed upright for an unsettling amount of time before he finally slumped against the wall behind him, his neck wrenched at an awkward angle as his back laid flat on the floor. Her chest heaved. Her hands trembled. She wasn't sure whether she'd done it on purpose or not, she couldn't remember. She couldn't remember whether she'd squeezed the trigger with purpose or her lack of trigger discipline had led to a misfire.

Minnie took a sharp breath in as Wesley scooped her sister up into his arms, her body resting limply against his chest. She was awake but barely, just enough to keep her head upright. Her injured arm hung limply from her side, the other gripping onto a chunk of Wesley's armour to try and steady herself. If she lived through this, Minnie would be getting a talking to later.

Minnie swallowed, seemingly snapping out of her daze as she let the man cradling her sister go ahead. She quickly returned her finger to the trigger guard, not wanting it to go off and spook the man.
"Don't try anything stupid..." She murmured, using the opportunity to lower the weapon... Everything ached, her steps faltering momentarily as she lost her balance. She caught herself before she could fall, clutching the gun firmly in her grasp as she followed close behind.

Safton
​

 

[Safton]

​

Lincoln State Correctional Center
Outside the Cafeteria​

Wesley's lip curled and he let out a grunt at Minnie's remark. Put a gun in her hand and suddenly she was calling the shots.

Definitely her daddy's girl. The rueful thought wormed his way through his brain, unbidden.

He didn't have the will to shoot back a retort, not while he was carting the girl's sister in his arms -- feeling the warm blood seeping into his uniform shirt beneath the foam padding on his chest. He could still feel her breathing, luckily... but it was getting shallow. He wasn't sure how much time she had left. That thought shouldn't bother him all that much, right? If she bled out, then it wouldn't be his fault. His conscience would be clear and he would get what he wanted: Xander would feel some semblance of what he had felt... assuming he was still alive when all of this blew over.

But is that what you want?

He clenched his jaw, shaking his head. He shifted one arm upward to feel Haewon's pulse at her neck. Faint, thready... but at least it was there. "C'mon, faster. Infirmary's just up ahead," he muttered at Minnie. "And for fuck's sake, kid, don't be waving that gun around when we roll up on this checkpoint or I'll be the least of your worries. My guys are jumpy right now." When they rounded the next corner, Wes panicked for a brief moment -- not seeing any figures there to greet them... at least until they were blinded by a high-powered flashlight and the yells of several Enforcers. "Hold your fire! It's me!" he called out in a bark that brooked no dissent.

The guards were, as he had predicted, jumpy. But none of them dared speak out as he entered their formation with a bleeding girl and another in tow, explaining that the former had been shot. It took a shout and a stern glare before two of them leaped into action, clearing a path for him to the infirmary where he jogged inside, laying Haewon down upon the first available gurney before calling out for a medic.

Miaow
​

 

[Namazu]

THE SCAVENGERS​

It was a gamble taking someone as new as Jade with them. The kid was as of yet untested out in the field on a real scav trip. It didn’t look promising when the girl damn near tripped over herself while getting out of the vehicle when she was pointed at. All part of the plan though.

“It is English. You were an enforcer for how long, and never once heard someone say ‘take point’?” Denise glanced over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at Neveah and shaking her head.

“Jade, did you remember to check your weapon? Is it loaded? Is the safety on or off? If it’s on, will you be able to get it off fast enough to take a shot when it counts? And keep it pointed down and your finger off the trigger until you’re actually ready to shoot something.” Denise said in a low, quiet voice to Jade. It was no-nonsense instruction, not meant to scare, but meant to guide her towards at least not being a liability. Skill at doing this came with time and practice, but having the right mindset and some training never hurt anyone.

The road to the bridge was uneventful - no dead, no living, no… nothing. She would have asked for a cockroach at this point if it meant that something was still alive out here. The bridge was still in good condition - no signs of rusted supports or cracks in the surface. No tire tracks or footprints in the dust either. She continued on, one careful foot in front of the other, weapon ready. She was silent, but was intently listening not only to her (silent) surroundings, but to her (absolutely less than silent) companions. She wasn’t going to fall for Neveah’s bait, offering her an eyeroll and nothing else. She didn’t want to know what being Toni’s partner entailed. The guy irritated her and, frankly, he was kind of scummy and gross.

“Neveah, leave the kid alone, and shut the fuck up, would you?” Denise interjected, right after Neveah suggested Jade should have some ‘fun in the sack’ with both King and Cabrera. Such a thing, it… well, it wasn’t outside the realm of possibilities… but it wasn’t appropriate. Especially the gossipy part. Definitely the gossipy part.

Over the bridge now, the small town stretched before them. Still mostly houses, but from here she could see the gas station sign down the road, as well as a taller brick building. Presumably, that was their intended goal. So far, there was no sign of the dead or the living. Not even a rotting body in the grass. It was eerily quiet here - not even birds or bugs were making noise.

“Jade, ignore her, she’s trying to intimidate you and get you to mess up s-” Denise abruptly went silent and motioned for the others to follow her as she quickly sprinted a few steps across someone’s lawn, past their rickety porch, and ducked down along one side of a small house with ugly light blue siding. She held a finger to her lips, making eye contact with both of them, and stayed silent.

Off in the distance was the sound of a vehicle’s engine rumbling, followed by… either the vehicle backfiring, or a gunshot. Either way, the loud noise was followed up by a round of laughter, hooting, and hollering from several loud voices. She couldn’t tell how many just from the sound alone, but it had to be at least four or more. The laughter died down a bit, though the sound of loud voices could still be heard - just far enough away to hear them but not really make out any words.

That’s when the screaming started. One person, probably male, started screaming at the top of their lungs. There was no doubt that whoever that was, they were in an undeniable amount of pain right now…. And then judging by how abruptly the sound suddenly cut off… Now they weren’t, not anymore. Not out of mercy either, but because they were dead.

Denise glanced over at Neveah and Jade, silently checking their reactions to see if they were still in this with her or not.

NanLia ghostflowering Bullyboy Squad ​

 

[NanLia]

Flashback
Collab w/ BeyondDandy ​

Nari shuffled back toward the door. “I’m coming, sorry!” She called, pausing as she caught sight of her face in the mirror, dusted with soot and streaked with tears. She pulled a sleeve to scrub away as much of the debris as she could before she pulled open the door to Cabrera’s room …


Behind the door was no other than King himself. A smile stretched from cheek to cheek upon putting a face to the limbs he saw entering Cabrera’s room. His arm was up as though caught between knocks when Nari opened the door. He put his arm down and brought his hands to his sides, locking eyes with her.

“I wanted to check in,” he lied.

He gazed over her. Her pale skin glistened against the dark backdrop and overhead hallway lights. He noticed remnants of smoke on her neck to which he offered his handkerchief. He looked over her shoulders at the empty room - his true intentions. She was at the fight. He had noticed her amongst the crowd. She must have seen her friends killing one another. Remnants from her past, but ghosts lingered. She might have witnessed Font escape the fires. Maybe she even knew where he was hiding.

“You were at the fight?” He asked.

He looked for a reaction, hoping she would lie to him. He wanted a reason. A reason to take his agitation out on her. She was pretty and fragile. Her baby bump perched through her clothing. It attracted him. He’d never been with a pregnant woman. He could easily take her. Who would dare question it?

He was anxious and disturbed. Felt as though walls were closing in on him from every angle. He felt like prey. Ambushed by a pack of predators he couldn’t see coming. He was becoming desperate. He’d killed one of his own men in retaliation. One who was obedient to a fault. He felt a savage, reminiscent of the man he was before becoming King of Lincoln. The man he was when he killed his own brother.

He was okay with it though. Was enjoying it even. It reminded him of Cabrera - the caged animal turned civil servant. He thought to himself; why had he become so docile? So dependent on others when he had the strength and power to do things himself?

It was during those intrinsic thoughts that he noticed something in the room behind Nari. A small white fur ball hopped into King’s field of view. It was near the bed, inching its way under its frame. King became excited, forgetting his troubles for a moment. A childlike fondness.

“Is that a rabbit?” He asked her.

“Give it to me.” He said.


Nari’s breath hitched in her throat seeing King on the other side of the door. She’d expected an enforcer or perhaps Weston but certainly not King himself. She’d only met him in passing; with Cabrera’s absence she hadn’t been invited to any of the Elite areas and truthfully she didn’t have an interest in joining them.

Wide eyes turned down to the handkerchief offered to her and she very nearly declined the offer but worried he’d be insulted. She knew enough from what she’d heard from the other people in the prison that King was hard to predict. She’d failed enough times to know just what Cabrera had been planning or thinking, she knew better than to try anything with him.

“Thank you,” She carefully reached up and took the soft fabric piece, soot-covered fingers already leaving behind smudges. Nari lifted the fabric to her cheek and swiped at the grime on her skin.

“I was.” She answered, careful to keep her emotions in check. Watching her husband fight for his life, only to earn it by killing someone she’d become close friends with still haunted her. She doubted she would ever forget it, and the pain it had brought to her daughters. “I was told to stay with the other people from Northview to watch.”

Nari left like her throat was closing up as King spotted Momo, she only had a few seconds to recover before nodding in the affirmative. “That’s my daughter’s pet.” She confirmed, turning to step away from the door and toward the rabbit as directed.

The fuzzy critter, already pissed at Nari for his mal-treatment during transport here, attempted to dash away from her but she could see the build of tension in the muscles of his back legs and snatched him by the scruff before he could make his escape. She lifted him, her second hand grasping his back feet to stop him from kicking her, then set him on the top of her belly.

She prayed silently, for the creature's health and wellbeing as she turned back to King and delivered the rabbit as requested.


King was not surprised to hear Nari speak the truth about the pit. He saw her there. Knew she was dragged to see her friends tear each other apart. He’s the one that made those rules. A way to keep those thinking of retaliation from taking action. From meeting the same fate. He looked deep into her eyes, trying to find a sliver of falsehood, but she was too smart to break character. Cabrera did good with this one.

She was obedient as well. Nari retrieved the rabbit and handed it to King. The man smiled, letting out a chuckle that started in his throat. It resembled a dry cough, but it had been his laugh for many years and those in Lincoln knew it well. He took the animal by the scruff and wrapped his arms around it. He brought it in towards his chest, caressing the top of its head with his hand.

“I had a rabbit when I was a kid.” King revealed.

“I lost it three days before my thirteenth birthday. It broke my heart. But on my birthday I got the most delicious stew I’ve ever had in my entire life.” King said.

He looked into the rabbits dark eye. He couldn’t see his own reflection which made him upset.

“I asked my mother for that stew every birthday. She died with that secret. It was my little brother who finally told me it was my rabbit I ate that day.” King paused.

He looked back up at Nari and handed Momo over back to her.

“What’s messed up is that I still dream about that stew.” King said.

He burst into laughter right after, trying to hold himself together. His throat chuckle struck like a bad mixed tape - repeating the same part of the song over and over again. He thought it was the most hilarious thing in the world, slapping his knee exaggeratively. He even turned to the guard that had been hiding by the door frame the entire time and slapped him on the shoulder, forcing a laugh from him. Tears escaped King from how hysterical the memory was to him. He took a deep breathe and exhaled, showing his teeth in a grin. He wiped the tears that ran down to his cheeks.

“Anyway. Tell your children I said hello. I’d love to meet them someday. And of course….that one too.” He said, pointing at Nari’s stomach.

“My men will make routine checks around these corridors to make sure nothing is out of the ordinary. I’ll be in my office if you need anything in the meantime. It was a pleasure to meet you. I see why our friend likes you so much. I’m happy for the both of you.” King said.

He took her hand and planted a kiss on it. He motioned her to keep his handkerchief. Then he signaled his guard to lead the way back towards his office. The men disappeared down the hallway.


Nari watched as King handled Momo with a practiced hand; rather surprised by the imagery. Few knew how to hold them correctly and keep them secure from even themselves. She listened, with the same surprise and interest as King divulged part of her past to her, a light smile quirked to her lips at the thought of child King, not much younger than Minnie, having a pet rabbit.

That smile swiftly faded and her eyes widened as his story continued; the fate of that rabbit - his pet - was not uncommon, at least not for where she’d grown up. She hadn’t heard of anyone State-side that had raised rabbits as food but to hear that his mother had kept that from him… She recollected Momo, settling the quivering bunny on her belly, holding him still to keep him from running.

She didn’t have time to think further on the subject as King laughed, or at least she thought it was a laugh. A deeply unsettling noise, reminiscent of a cough or the dead. She swallowed and forced a smile, nodding her thanks for both the notice of the enforcers in the corridors and that he’d be nearby if she needed him.

Nari closed the door to Cabrera's apartment behind the unexpected guest, offering an awkward smile. She carefully turned the deadbolt, glad to know at least that would prevent anyone from walking in on them unannounced. They were lucky he had knocked if he hadn't….

 

[Miaow]

Lincoln
Corridor
​

Despite her desire to be in control, she picked up the pace when Wesley requested, jogging a few steps to catch up... but his warning left a sour taste in her mouth. Maybe he was just saying that to get her to put her gun down... From what she'd seen of him, he wasn't a good man, and she couldn't expect him to tell her the truth. She frowned, clutching to her weapon tightly as they approached the infirmary... There were always guards there, every time she'd gone to get her elbow checked she had to pass a few enforcers and explain to each new one she met what she was doing. She hesitated before putting the safety on and shoving the gun into her pocket.

She winced as the trio were illuminated by high power flashlights, lifting her arm to shield her eyes as she peeked out from behind the man. He was telling the truth... but that didn't do much to change her opinion of him. A stopped clock was right twice a day, but was still wrong the rest of the time. She followed after him as he ordered his men to clear a path, keeping close to his back.

As he called out, Pandora stuck her head out from the office. She'd been in a decent position with all those enforcers keeping the infirmary safe, but had still been instructed to hide in the office, just in case. She took a deep breath in, resisting the urge to curse. Minnie was there, she couldn't look panicked.
"What happened?" She asked as she jogged over, grabbing a pair of scissors to begin cutting away at the girl's shirt. Sylvia followed after her, taking one look at the girl before rummaging through the cupboards for supplies.
"We got shot at--" Minnie began, her mind in shambles, "Uhhh-- Her arm and her stomach-- and she was limping, too, so I think her leg."
Pandora nodded, tearing the shirt open and revealing the wounds.
"Did you see Victor? We need him," She asked, "Put pressure on her arm for me,"
Minnie shook her head before pressing her palm to her sister's arm. Haewon winced, only able to let out a groan. Sylvia returned with a needle, drawing up a clear liquid from a little vial. She looked at the young girl, her face pale and panicked. God, she hated working with kids. She'd take a screaming pregnant woman over a kid any day.
"This is gonna help with the pain, okay? Then we'll stitch her up and she'll be good as new," She assured her, to which Minnie nodded, but her hands were clammy and shaking. Sylvia hesitated, scanning the area.
"You!" She called out, pointing to the nearest enforcer by the door, "Take over, and you," She turned to Minnie, "Sit down before you hurt yourself."

Minnie stepped back as the stranger took over, her hands stained with her sister's blood like a kid interrupted in the middle of fingerpainting. She swallowed, glancing up at Wesley.
"Get out... and if you touch my family again, I won't hesitate next time," She warned, her voice low to avoid the medics hearing. She stuffed her hand in her pocket to remind him she was armed before taking a few steps back, slumping into a nearby chair.

Safton
​

 

[Namazu]

Collab with Namazu and Aegis

LINCOLN
Hallway Outside the Infirmary & Medical Supply Closet​

Connor followed Victor with a steady gaze as they met at the door, and gave the doctor a nod as he fished one the cigarettes from within the offered pack. Of course, these things were a luxury, and kicking his nicotine addiction at the start of The Fall was something that had taken a huge amount of willpower, but it seemed a small sin in the face of what was to come. The Penitent Man popped the menthol in his lips and grimaced as he tasted the faint burn of something mint-adjacent, “Didn’t have you pegged for a menthol smoker, Vic.”

Then, the phrase he had been waiting for was uttered back.

Connor’s eyes dropped to the floor for a moment before climbing back up to match Vic’s, “Alright, give me a light and let’s get going.”

"I'm not, but this is better than nothing." Victor murmured back. It felt like both a response to the menthol cigarette comment, and to the bigger issue at hand. Not wanting to use up any more resources than he had to, Victor held the glowing end of his cigarette to Connor's until the other man's smoke lit up.

"Didn't take you for a smoker at all, but fuck it, why not, y'know? Cancer's not the worst thing that could happen." Victor stood up straight again and leaned against the doorframe.

“That’s a good enough reason for me.” Connor touched cigarette tips with Victor and gave a few intermittent puffs until he felt the smoke begin to swell in his throat and he exhaled with stifled cough that showed his lung’s recent experience with the practice of smoking, “I used to be, but you’re right—cancer is the least of my concerns these days. Could die a lot sooner and a lot WORSE.”

Connor took a deep drag—steeling himself, and held it in for a second before releasing it in waves through his nose, “So, you know the plan, I know the plan, let’s not waste any time.”

Taking a quick glance around as he moved, Victor pulled the infirmary door shut behind him. It was unlocked, in case there was an emergency.

"Probably will, too." Victor murmured, cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. He was probably not an uplifting sight to see - exhausted, with dried blood on his clothes, and now smoking. What a picture perfect example of a doctor from a horror show.

Leading Connor to the medical supply closet just down the hall, Victor saw nobody around as he slipped out his small ring of keys and flipped to the one for the closet. They were labeled only with color-coded rubbery grips on the wide part of the key. The closet here required the green-colored key.

It was a small closet, but gave them extra shelf space to store things that weren't needed on a daily basis, or to store extras and refills of things. Jugs of soap refills sat on the bottom shelves, but Victor was looking at the shelves level with his head and higher, searching for what he came here for. The last time he'd been in this closet, he and Blake had snuck off for an impromptu session of alone-time. Those were better days, if only for Blake's presence. The memory made him smile, but it melted off his face pretty quickly as he forced himself back to the present.

“Mmmhmm.”

A gruff, guttural noise from Connor’s throat was his only acknowledgment toward the fact that Victor was likely right—there was a good chance that things would go wrong. However, it was LESS of a chance than normal, so they had to take the risk.

Walking along as casual as possible, The Enforcer took note of The Doctor’s ragged appearance with a frown drawing at the corner of his lips; it was clear that—out of anyone here, he went through a lot on a day-to-day that most people never heard about. One of Victor’s silent, good qualities, he supposed.

As they arrived at the closet, the vibe changed as Connor spun around and propped himself up beside the door. He was taking a break, but it just so happened to be beside the Supply Closet. Nothing suspicious. He brought the cigarette up to his lips again and took another drag that nearly killed it, “If someone comes, you should be able to hear us, but I’ll try and draw them away. Get out as fast as you can.”

Connor gave his partner-in-crime a bright grin, “Good luck, Vic.”

Victor would be lying if he denied that his heart was racing and up in his throat right now. He grunted a "you too" at Connor before he fully stepped into the closet.

He knew approximately where everything was in here - he organized it himself, and came back to fix it every time one of the idiot scavengers put something in the wrong place. It didn't take him long to spot what he was looking for.

Sedatives. The box was right there, waiting, and he reached up and grabbed it off the shelf.

Bullyboy Squad ​

 

[Safton]

​

Lincoln State Correctional Center
Outside the Cafeteria​

Wesley stood, awkwardly, in the back corner of the infirmary as one of the medics approached and began tending to Haewon. He pursed his lips as he watched blood steadily soak the white gauze pad that was pressed firmly against her wounded arm, staining the fabric like a blossoming red starburst before finally seeping out around the edges and dripping onto the gurney below. His mind flashed back to the image of Dutchess in the parking lot -- the old, cracked asphalt soaked in her blood after Toni took her body, leaving him with nothing.

He was snapped from the reverie as Minnie lumbered into view, staring at him of all people. He'd almost forgotten about her. Wes stared at the girl blankly as she spoke, her tone low -- probably out of some mixture to keep the others around them from hearing, to sound more threatening, and good old-fashioned fatigue. Under any other circumstance, Emmett might have laughed in her face. Instead, he just stared as she fell into the chair, like she was carrying an invisible thousand-pound weight on her shoulders. There were no kids in this world. No room for them. The ones that tried to keep from growing up didn't make it... one way or another. They either got fed like meat into a grinder or they grew the fuck up, learned to hack it. Kenny -- the poor little shit -- had been one of the former, despite Wesley's influence.

We'll see what kind of kids that prick Xander raised. Wes glanced away from Minnie toward Haewon's still form on the gurney as the medic moved around her, barking commands. Survivors or victims?

Wesley let out a heavy breath, shaking his head as he turned to march out of the infirmary. An Enforcer stood at the threshold, peeking curiously inside at him and the girls beyond. "The fuck you looking at?" Emmett hissed. "Get back to work." The man blanched, nodding quickly and mumbling something between an apology and affirmation before disappearing down the corridor.

Miaow
​

 

[BeyondDandy]

LINCOLN - CELL BLOCK B​

The fires took their winter food reserves. The cold made it more difficult to harvest. Their livestock were moved indoors until spring. King signed off on increased supply runs. More groups left the walls in search of necessities. Many of them disappeared. They either perished or abandoned Lincoln altogether. King was forced to send enforcers to hunt down deserters. Kill on sight were their orders. Most succeeded. This however left Lincoln short staffed for the time being. Susceptible to more rebellion action.

No More Kings became a recurring tag around prison walls. The fires were just the start. The rebels gained momentum. They were organized. Hidden in plain sight. King was becoming desperate. He made plans and prepared to execute. But then the dead found a way through his walls. Or better yet, they were forged in them. The sirens rang. Enforcers rushed to fight the dead and lock everyone in their cells. No hall, no cell block, no crease or cranny left unchecked. There was no room for error.

King tilted his glass as the radio on his desk barked. The smooth orange bourbon slipped to the rim. The cold liquid struck his lip first. He knew the flavor. It was a recurring drink lately. He filled his mouth with it. It flushed his taste buds. It poured down his throat as he tossed the clear crystal tumbler at the wall opposite his desk. It burst into hundreds of glass shards, scattering all through his carpet. His personal guard rushed through the door in a panic. His eyes were wide and his hand drew his side piece.

“Everything okay sir?!” The guard asked, scanning the floor as his boots crushed glass.

King grinded his teeth against themselves. He pulled the handle of his desk cabinet open, revealing his silver eagle. A cobweb strung from the edge of the muzzle to the trigger guard. A minute spider crawled its string. It rushed to safety within the barrel. King’s index finger came down from above, like the wrath of god. It crushed the spider against the base of the cabinet before it could escape. He drew his gun, brushed off the web and stuck it in his waistband.

“Spider.” He said, fluffing his coat, grabbing his radio and heading out of his office.

- - -​

The blaring was deafening. Lockdown procedure was initiated. Enforcers scattered throughout the prison. Some forced Lincolners back into their cells, others dealt with the outbreak in Cell Block B and the rest searched for undead stragglers to prevent further contamination. King walked through the chaos. His personal guard led the way while an enforcer followed close behind. All three men were armed.

Strays ran in the opposite direction. They would look over their shoulder at King as though they had seen a ghost. He was out of place. A ghost among the living. He needed to change that. He wanted to show Lincolners he was still very much alive and prepared to do anything to stop this rebel force.he headed towards Cell Block B, run by the MS13. As the trio approached the gate, gunshots cracked a few feet away. Light flashes bonded off the prison walls. King frowned.

The guard lifted his handgun and stopped at the entrance of the cell block. He scrunched his nose and squinted his eyes as a wretched smell struck his senses. It made his eyes water and forced him to cough from disgust. He moved aside, put his hands up on the wall and puked in the corner. King nodded and moved past him, into the block.

A few more gunshots went off. Pop. Pop. Pop. They were sharp and ear-piercing. But King was used to the sound. He grew up around it. He was already hard of hearing because of it. It didn’t bother him. He stopped before a dead body. A dark skinned man. His entire face was tattooed. His white tank top was smeared in blood - likely his own. He had a bite wound on his shoulder near his neck and a hole through his eye. His other eye was open. King stared at it. Through it. He wasn’t surprised. He didn’t feel sympathy. Weak, he thought. He didn’t even put up a fight. So he stepped over him.

The same stench that rendered his guard useless struck him. He closed his eyes for a second and held his breath. His lungs cried for oxygen. His throat burned and his chest felt tighter and tighter. Then he exhaled acutely, emptying his lungs. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath. All the smells came at once. He could smell the dead first. The rotting meat and flesh from their bones. Hints of sweet nectar came next. It was pleasant against the other smells that lingered. There were hints of fish and oxidation as well. Feces and urine. Bastards were so frightened they pissed and shit themselves before being eaten alive.

The cell block was a sea of dead. Bodies covered the floors. Limbs hung from the second floor like lanterns. Heads rolled out of the cells like bowling balls and blood was splattered on every wall like a bad paint job. It was nightmarish. Horror movies couldn’t recreate scenes like these because they didn’t have a high enough rating for people to watch.

King walked through the carnage. He moved about like a detective in an old crime movie. Quiet. Stoic and out of the way. Enforcers and gang members checked the bodies one by one. They used knives and bullets to pierce the skull and break the brain. It was the only way to stop those things. King noticed a refreshing face in the distance. Tony. He began to approach the man when he felt a tug on his pants. A hand, bruised and filled with veins took a hold of the seam of his burgundy Ferragamos. King looked down. He drew the pistol from his waistband and pointed the muzzle.

The man pulled again, this time whispering for help. King recognized him. It was Jose Mendoza, leader of the 13. His voice was faint. King only made out what he said because he looked at his lips when he said it. King grabbed the barrel of his gun with his other hand and crouched. He inspected the man. He had tattoos running from his neck down to his knuckles. Unsure what they resembled. A clear thirteen however was inked to the right side of his temple. There was a stain of blood on his back where his ribs ended. He’d been bitten.

“You’re bit.” King said.

The man pleaded again, but before he could tug at King’s pants once more, the desert eagle’s grip came down like lightning on his head. King stood from crouching, striking down on the man’s head from a power position. His knees were slightly bent, he hinged as his hips as his arm came down ferociously with his weapon. Blood exploded from the man’s head. He tried to shield himself but the virus had spread too quickly, leaving him far too weak to lift his arms in defense. His whisper became a yell. A sudden cry for help escaped him.

“Help me please!” He begged through gulping breaths as his skull caved inward and the gash on his head spewed red.

One heavy blow after another, King let out a fury on this man. He could have never expected it. The face that was once feared by the populace was now unrecognizable. Utterly destroyed. King stood up. He breathed heavily through his nose. He threw the eagle down on the man he just mutilated. It was covered in blood. King pulled out his handkerchief. He opened it from its edges and ran it down his face, removing the grime that had splattered on him. He cleaned off his hands and dropped the handkerchief on the body as well - leaving the man with his trash.

“Fucking weak.” He muttered.

He looked up to see enforcers and Lincolners staring at him. He sniffed, fixing his suit jacket and rubbing off visible blemishes. He pointed at the man’s back where he’d been bitten. Making sure they knew why he did what he did.

King turned his attention to Toni. He approached the inmate. He tiptoed through the rest of the room as the living cleaned the dead. Toni was in similar conditions to the rest of the crew. He was breathing heavily from the fight and was covered in red just like everybody else. He appeared frustrated. He looked to be biting his lip, seemingly trying to hold back some brewing anger. King looked around. It was mostly Toni’s friends that met their demise. The MS13 gang just lost their leader and half of their numbers. King lost part of his army.

Lincoln was a fickle beast. Before King took reign, it was divided into three subgroups - each led by a leader of their choice. King led the blacks. They were a mix of crips and his own gang. Roach led the Aryans and Carlos Pedilla had the 13. When the world outside started going to shit, the group leaders came together to prepare a riot. All three gangs agreed to attempt an escape. Though nobody wanted to leave without making a statement to their oppressors. What the other group leaders didn’t know was that King already had his hooks in the Warden since before stepping into prison. Under the shadows, King made a deal. Eliminate Roach and Carlos and the Warden would get his prison back. The plan was executed during the riot. Prisoners and guards fought each other to the death. Carlos fell during the brawl. Shot three times and died in his cell block. King had one of his own men kill Roach. The Aryan took a shank through the jugular seventeen times and drowned in his own blood.

With a lack of leaders, King stepped out of the shadows and turned the tide. The guards lost and the prisoners took control of Lincoln. King broke his promise to the warden. He hung him and burned him dead in front of everyone’s eyes. King rose to power. The new appointed leaders of each group swore their allegiance. For that, King treated them like royalty. Guards and staff who swore their loyalty were allowed to stay. Those that refused were sent to the pit to fight for their lives - it was where it originated. It felt like decades ago. King scanned the room knowing very much that someone worked in the shadows. They were doing to him what he had done to the warden and the other group leaders long ago.

He turned back to Toni and said, “This is yours now.”

King was giving Toni the keys to a fractured kingdom, but one he’d been carrying on his shoulders this entire time. The MS13 was a family, bonded by more than race and drugs. It was a brotherhood. Outcasts coming together and understanding each other. King never understood Mexicans, but he fancied their work ethic and family-oriented lifestyle. However, a crew like them needed a leader. Otherwise, every member left standing in that block would try and claim it. Giving Toni the power in front of what remained of his brethren secured the food chain.

“Speak with Boone and the other groups. Find out who’s behind all of this.” He ordered.

King stepped away, back towards the door he entered from. He’d come to see the outcome of the outbreak and ensure it was handled immediately. He was glad it was.

He moved carefully around the bodies and stopped when he stood over Jose. He leaned over and picked up his silver handgun. He rolled his sleeve over his palm and wiped the blood off of the carbon steel. He did not do a splendid job, but enough to let the gun shine once more. He turned around and whistled at Toni - tossing the gun at him. He nodded as if to say it was his now.

“There’s a reward for those that give you information. If you don’t find anything, Toni…you bring me someone to blame.” King said.

King left.

​

Bullyboy Squad