Fantasy Seeking the Light (1x1)

captain_bumblebee · Feb 12, 2023

diego sainz

the soldier

.
not alone.

tag! put your tags here!!

Confused, Intrigued

CA, Sameera's house

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run, boy, run - this world is not made for you

The brunette snapped at Diego, the latter flinching. This woman had a short fuse, and definitely wasn't the gentle kind. The man would need to pay attention to what he said to her, so she wouldn't shoot him in a fit of rage. "I know-", he stammered, deciding to just stay quiet for now. The home owner was right, of course. Diego didn't know what it was like outside of the Walls. This was the first time he'd ever gone out into the outside world. He could only imagine how hard things really were, going off of stories he had heard from travelers and fellow soldiers who had gone on missions outside of the LA walls. It was scary, thinking that things were so unsafe here. Even so, Diego would take the woman's advice to heart. Maybe she was right, and he really did need to stop being so optimistic for once.

“But you two are clearly too dumb to get around on your own. If fools want to kill yourself trying to chase a fantasy, be my guest. I can only take you so far. And I ain’t helping you. I’ve got supplies to pick up in Colorado. After that, y’all gotta figure it out on your own.”

Diego sighed. It made sense that the brunette wouldn't actually want to help them, only taking them so far on a journey she needed to take anyway. "Thank you.", the former soldier whispered nervously. He would be lying if he said that this short woman didn't at least scare him a little bit. She was angry, felt threatened easily, and didn't look like she would hesitate to pull the trigger on him. Even so, the man was grateful that she was willing to help them on their journey at least a little bit. Getting them to Colorado would help the duo a lot. They wouldn't have to walk that way, which would hopefully help Sophia in healing her swollen ankle. "From Colorado on to Toronto, we will just walk. Maybe we can find someone else to take us a little further again." It was dangerous, relying on strangers like this, but Diego also knew that this month-journey on foot would kill them both if they didn't find a vehicle.

“I have one rule, if y’all come with me. Do what I say, when I say it. If we get into some shit out there and you’re foolin’ around not listenin’ to me, it’ll get all of us killed. Both of you gotta get your head out of the clouds if you’re gonna survive to Toronto after me.”

Diego nodded anxiously in agreement. This woman seemed to know how to survive in the After. From this moment on, he was going to make sure to follow her every move, and listen intently to every word she had to say. The former soldier could fight, if necessary. He would only need to get over his anxiety and actually start relying on the training he had received since the age of five. It would be difficult by himself, but he was certain he could manage protecting both himself and Sophia once the brunette had dropped them off in Colorado. The home owner mentioned they would leave in an hour, the young man nodding once again. He didn't even dare to correct her when she referred to the blonde as his girlfriend, swiftly rushing to Sophia's side to help her with whatever she needed.

They didn't have much stuff to pack, anyway. Most of their belongings still rested on the ground outside of the house. Diego would pick up their jackets and items just before they would leave in the woman's truck. Even though they didn't have much, the few items they did have could help them sometime in the long run. Diego watched as the woman turned around to leave, hesitating shortly before speaking up again.

"You can call me Sammy."

Diego's lips curled into a gentle smile, the man exhaling softly as he felt some of his anxiety fade away. "I'm Diego.", he swiftly added, finally watching the woman descend the staircase to grab the things she needed herself.

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sollie · Feb 12, 2023

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Chapter Two

"Who's the dumbass that shot my engine again? Cause it sure as hell ain't me."

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sollie · Feb 12, 2023

sophia adair

the rebel

.
tag! put your tags here!!

Excited, Relaxed

Arizona

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hope is found even in the darkest of places.

“No stop signs! Speed limits… Nobody’s gonna slow me down! Like a wheel gonna spin it! Nobody’s gonna mess me around. Hey Satan? Payin’ my dues, playin’ a rockin’ band. Hey mumma! Look at me! I’m on the way to the promised land…” Sophia sang in a boisterous and very theatrical way. “I’m on a Highway To Hell!” Technically, they weren’t on a highway to hell, they were actually on Highway 40, as they had been for the past one hundred miles and she’d just learned the lyrics to this song in totality. Back in the LA settlement, they had plenty of classical music from Before… But this was something else. And she loved it! Hence why they’d listened to it fifty or so times. That and it was one of the only CDs Sammy had in her car and their chauffeur didn’t bring anymore. Not that Sophia was complaining. She was having the ride of her life, literally.

“It still sucks that we weren’t able to see the Grand Canyon. Or Las Vegas! I’ve heard so much about the glitz and glamor of the city.” Watching the dry terrain pass by, it was a wonder such a different landscape was so close to California. One that Sophia had never experienced before– one that no one in the walls had ever experienced before. It was strange to think some of their parents and grandparents once drove freely without having to stop and siphon gas from broken down cars. But in a way, this was sort of like a road trip. Probably the most important road trip anyone had ever taken…

They were coming up on the Cocino National Forest, a place Sammy said would likely be devoid of any people and any Infected. People and Infected liked to congregate where there were others. Big cities, hubs of business and supplies, but these places, national forests and parks, were once protected by the government, and didn’t have any sort of civilization. They’d travel along the highway to the other side, and even though it was a longer route, they had plenty of gas and this way would be a lot safer than going to a city…

On the other side of Cocino would be a place called Flaggstaff, which Sammy told them they’d have to stop. Big enough to have cars with gas still in them, small enough there wouldn’t be bad guys waiting to ambush them. Sophia never knew how many human troubles existed outside the wall. She’d been outside the walls for over twelve hours and hadn’t seen a single Infected. She was starting to think they weren’t even real to begin with, though that would be a naive take she’d keep to herself. Sammy, as she’d found, hated when they said stuff like that.

She was all doom and gloom the whole time and Sophia didn’t know whether that was her personality or a result of being outside the walls for… however long. She couldn’t tell how old Sammy was, if she was being honest. Her skin was nice, like she took care of it, but worn softly with time. She had all these little scars on her hands and arms, but it was probably from fighting for her life outside the walls. Asking definitely wasn’t a good idea, Sophia knew that. Leaning back as the song faded, she turned to look at Diego. Sammy insisted they both sit in the back seat of the truck which was kind of cramped. “Why’re you so quiet?” Sophia asked softly, glancing up at Sammy who seemed focused on the road. “I mean.. I’m sure you didn’t plan on traveling to Toronto when you left the walls… it’s crazy lucky how we managed to find each other…” She didn’t ask why he left, that didn’t seem right. Because if he’d asked her, she would definitely clam up.

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sameera astor

the medic

.
tag! put your tags here!!

Focused

Arizona

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Solitude never killed anyone.

Listening to Sophia squawk for six hours wasn’t exactly how Sammy wanted to spend her day, but squawking was better than her talking about the magical possibilities she was soon to find. It was the longest Sammy had traveled in a long while, the last time she headed out here was to visit a sick child in the Navajo Nation. It was just over 650 miles she took and her truck made it just fine then. Radioing back and forth with the family, thankfully, the child made it. It was the longest she’d ever stayed away from home too, keeping at the bedside of the girl for over a week, nursing her, checking her stats, making sure she didn’t die.

In a way, she was doing a similar task. Staying at the side of the two buffoons she was driving to make sure they didn’t die.

“Las Vegas is full of people,” Sammy commented, shaking her head. “Full of the worst kinds of people…” She shuddered. Anyone outside of the walls or in knew just what kind of place the Las Vegas Settlement was. In the Before, of course, Sin City was known for its gambling, girls, and uncensored pleasures. In the After, Sammy could only describe it as hell. Murder, stealing, hoarding of supplies… And people. The shit they did inside Las Vegas was more monster than human and these kids didn’t deserve to know that kind of horror. No one did.

Taking one hand off the wheel, Sammy flexed her hands, signing softly. Driving long distances made her sore all over, but her tight grip on the wheel especially made her hands cramp up. “The Grand Canyon… It’s a sight to see.” A soft smile tugged on her lips as she sighed. “Cocino National Forest ain’t too bad to look at either…”

She never liked Arizona, too dry and red for her tastes. What Sammy really wished she could do is go to the East Coast, the Appalachian Mountains, the Oceans… They had lush forests, endlessly green, and rolling hills that went on forever… Now that was a bucket list item. Not that she had the time, supplies, or energy to do any of that. “Y’all get some sleep, soon. We won’t be stopping to rest.”

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captain_bumblebee · Feb 13, 2023

diego sainz

the soldier

.
roadtrip

tag! put your tags here!!

Relaxed

Arizona

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you've got a friend in me

Diego had no clue how long they had been in the car for already. He had spent most of the time gawking out of the window, absolutely amazed and enthralled by the nature they were passing by. He had never been able to imagine what the outside world looked like. In his dreams and fantasies, he imagined a world overrun by Infected, burnt down to ashes, with only little life left. This was not the case; however. Nature seemed to bloom now that most of humanity had perished. It was reclaiming what was once hers, taking down villages and abandoned vehicles whenever she could. It was terrifying, though in a way, absolutely beautiful.

The young man swung his head around towards the woman sitting next to him, his lips curled into a gentle smile as she sang along to the song playing on the radio. The CD had been replayed multiple times already, nobody really minding as it took care of any awkward silence in the car. The songs were all by some old band called AC/DC, one Diego had never heard of himself. Cadets in the military academy weren't really allowed to partake in any useless hobbies such as listening to music. It didn't teach them anything, so it had no value to them as future soldiers. The brunet had thus always really enjoyed going on patrols into the city, as there were still enough people occasionally playing music from speakers, entertaining themselves.

This was unlike anything he had ever heard, though. Especially with Sophia singing along. She had a lovely voice, even if it didn't exactly fit the rawness of the songs playing from the car's radio. "I have only seen pictures of the Grand Canyon.", Diego added, sighing as he leaned back, "I wish we could just travel the world without having to fear the Infected." The way it used to be before the virus. Their ancestors were able to travel freely, go wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted. They could take hikes through the forest, long strolls along the beach - all without fearing an Infected would suddenly turn up to kill them. It was a sad reality that the trio in the vehicle would never be able to experience this type of freedom.

Sammy chimed in as well, mentioning that Las Vegas wasn't as great as people made it out to be. It seemed as though every place that still had some people living there was now a place of crime. "You have seen the Grand Canyon before?", Diego asked, completely in awe. Sammy was definitely an interesting persona. She lived all by herself in the woods, knew her way around, and had somehow managed to survive for such a long time all by herself. The former soldier obviously wanted to ask her about her life so far, whether she had ever lived in the city or not, but he knew better than that. He didn't want her to pull a gun on him again, after all.

Diego took a deep breath, his smile not fading from his lips as Sophia turned to look at him. "I actually had no plan whatsoever.", the man admitted, running his fingers through his hair to comb back a few loose strands. "Traveling to Toronto sounds nice. Gives me a purpose. It's better than wandering around by yourself, completely lost." The young man glanced up at Sammy, shrugging. "It's an adventure. And I'm excited to see where it takes us. I'm glad I found a friend in you."

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connor reed

the tracker

.
I am watching.

tag! put your tags here!!

Focused

Arizona

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you can run, but you cannot hide

Cococino National Forest was known for its famous red rocks of Sedona and its Ponderosa pine forests. From its southwestern desert to alpine tundra, the National Forest was one of the most diverse destinations in the States. Tourists and Hikers from all around the world used to come to Arizona to explore its mountains and canyons, fish in its small lakes, and wade in the lazy creeks and streams. Nowadays, the Forest was but an empty landscape. Nobody dared to enter these treacherous woods anymore, fearing the mutated animals and hordes of Infected that roamed around. The nearest civilisation was the town called Flaggstaff. Its people were mostly peaceful, filled with fear and thus rather easy to do business with. One would be surprised how much people paid to have an expert hunt down some meat.

Trackers, bounty hunters, thieves, and criminals - these were the type of people truly thriving in the apocalyptic environment. Paid well for dangerous and tricky jobs, some would steal and take anything that pleased them. There were hardly enough people who even dared to stop them. More than half of the people still alive nowadays didn't know how to use any type of weapon. If they wanted to live, what could they do but give in to the demands of these individuals? It was seemingly a good thing that there were still some people out there who hadn't turned to a life of purely crime, yet. Or well, if one forgot about the-killing-people-part, then those who didn't steal from the poor to satisfy themselves.

On this gloomy day, the forest appeared even more oak-brown and primitive than it usually did. The grass cracked beneath a pair of heavy boots after the recent dry spell. The trees' knotted arms rose ever upwards, acting as hoary fortresses as they stood as proudly as ever. The orchestra of strange birdsong would occasionally stop before continuing. A pair of jays was screeching high up in the canopy of the trees. Jays were the scavengers of the bird world. Mutated, now about triple the size they used to be, one could easily classify them as a raptor-species. They were aggressive, their cruel and corvid eyes always on the lookout for another meal. A single Jaybird was usually of no threat to mankind, but a band of them posed a grave danger to weary travellers. Alas, not even a mutation could change a jay's true nature. The flash of silver was enough to send the furtive bird, full of suspicion, away as it dove into the canopies.

Connor Reed knew exactly what he was doing when he scouted the forest for the perfect spot to lay low in. The prize for this bounty was large, larger than anything he had encountered before. Someone really, desperately, wanted their little girl back home. This was nothing an experienced tracker couldn't fix. The man had first caught their trail all the way back in California, near the Los Angeles settlement. Tyre tracks in the middle of the forest were always easy to follow, though most people would give up the second these tracks hit concrete. Reed, who was most commonly known as Ghost; however, wasn't known to give up easily. He knew where the roads lead, as he had travelled them all more than once. It wasn't even a guess that this particular vehicle would take Highway 40 to Arizona. It'd been a gut feeling.

And as always, Connor was right. A motorcycle, some quick thinking, and knowing which shortcuts to take, had given him a thirty-minute head start on the vehicle. Clad in a pair of black army-like cargo pants, a white shirt, and a black jacket, the tracker was like a shadow as he weaved past the various gigantic trees in the forest. Half of his face was covered with a black skull-bandana, which was the sole reason his nickname had come to life anyway. The man wore a tactical belt, multiple holsters and little bags attached to it. The most important things it held were his handgun, safely stored away in its respectful holster, and his army-issued knife, which lay in its sheath until it was needed. Connor's most trusted friend; however, was his M4 assault rifle. It was always by his side, and had saved him out of many tricky situations before.

This situation; however, was no tricky one. The man lay flat on the forest ground, hidden away beneath some shrubs and bushes for cover. Earbuds were placed in his ears, the raven listening to music on an old iPod he had found a while ago. As soon as the battery would die, the man would go ahead and search for a new device that could musically entertain him. His rifle was pointed towards the road below him, the tracker obviously having picked a spot that lay higher than the main road itself. It gave him a vantage point, and allowed him to see into both directions. He hadn't seen any Infected in a while, so he wasn't too focused on paying attention to those fuckers for now. He was mostly focused on the vehicle he could hear approaching in the near distance.

"I've been waitin' for you.", Connor muttered to himself, adjusting his posture and fixing his finger on his M4's trigger. He guessed that there were two, maybe three people in that car. He didn't care for the other ones. He just needed to incapacitate them so he could approach and get his bounty. His only priority was to get her back to California, to her stupid Council father, and collect the reward money. The tracker held his breath, his eyes trained on the moving object. It was almost as if it moved in slow-motion, the man waiting for the exact perfect moment to hit. Connor breathed out, and with the release of his breath came a bullet that darted through the bushes, entering the truck's hood to kill its engine in an instant, sending it spiralling off of the road. "Just as I planned."

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sollie · Feb 13, 2023

sophia adair

the rebel

.
tag! put your tags here!!

Disoreinted

Arizona

[/tab]

hope is found even in the darkest of places.

Diego had seen pictures of the Grand Canyon? The schooling inside the city was just as good as the Council Members told them then! The truth would be a hard reality, once she learned it. For now, ignorant bliss fulfilled her. “No plans? I am lucky to have stumbled into you…” Sophia mused, eyebrows raising up. Diego probably was one of those ejected from the city for some crime, spared execution only by being exiled. And if he really had left when she did, he’d just been fumbling around in the forest when he stumbled upon her. Maybe they did save each other, in some strange way. He helped her not snap her ankle, and she helped give him purpose. That was a fair trade, at least in her eyes. “I think I’ve been planning for months…” She said, not giving too many details. When she initially heard the radio transmission, she half thought it was a joke or some kind of dream. Radio transmissions like that were rare, especially from so far away. And how she’d managed to catch crucial information? It was all almost too good to be true.

Directing her attention up to the front of the vehicle at Sammy’s words, Sophia nodded her head, letting out a soft sigh. She hadn’t realized how tired she really was. Plus, sleep would speed up her healing time and she needed her stupid ankle to heal as quickly as possible. Yawning, she stretched her arms, gazing out the windows at the unique landscape. This was a terrible place to nap in… Hopefully, when she woke up, there’d be something even more beautiful to look at. “Thank you Sammy…” Sophia smiled, using the jacket she shrugged off as a pillow, adjusting her head comfortably into the makeshift pillow.

Outside the wall was beautiful. And everyone she’d met, albeit for Sammy’s small moments of.. Shoot-yness… had been kind. Diego would accompany her to Toronto, their driver was knocking off at least two weeks' journey by talking them to Colorado, and nothing could be better…

Letting her eyes rest, the young woman found herself on the edge of sleep, desperately needing a few moments of shuteye. Thankfully, sleep eventually came, gently drifting off into a light slumber as the gentle hum of the truck lulled her asleep. The road was hypnotic and as if she was a baby in a cradle, her slumber felt peaceful enough.

Sophia didn’t dream, not at first. When her eyes did shoot open, the sound of tires screeching, cursing and the sudden drop in her stomach made her think she was having a nightmare. For a moment, just a moment after she blinked, her body felt weightless, and suddenly, she was upside down, groaning and confused. The car had just flipped. They were upside down. Her ears were ringing… “Diego..” Sophia coughed, trying to wiggle from her seat, her hair hung down, blocking her view. “Sammy? Are you guys okay?!” Panic rose swiftly in her voice as she fiddled with her seatbelt, which wouldn’t give.

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sameera astor

the medic

.
tag! put your tags here!!

Panicked

Arizona

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Solitude never killed anyone.

“I’m serious y’all,” Sammy chimed, looking at the two of them from the rearview mirror. “Y’all can chat when you’ve rested.” Perhaps, that was more for Sammy than the two of them. As much as she enjoyed their enthusiastic prattle, she didn’t. Some silence would do them all well. Besides, they could get enough sleep for her too. These long journey’s were arduous, and even when Sammy made them, she tried not to stop too much. Driving straight to Colorado would do them all better. The only stops they needed to make were solely for gas.

In some ways, Sammy overpacked. Food, water, supplies of all kinds. Traveling with three people was a lot heavier than packing for one. Plus, these kids, freshies from inside the wall, were likely used to the comforts of rations at least once a day, clean water, and maybe even meat, depending on what they or their parents worked at inside the city. Burning bodies, if she recalled, offered better ration cards than sweeping the streets. Considering how fit Diego was and how plump Sophia’s cheeks, they were both people that had been afforded benefits inside the city.

Taking a deep breath in, the sweetness of silence soon came over the car, the radio now having gone silent. Sammy could only hear the rhythmic hum of tires on asphalt as she gripped the steering wheel, relaxing into the seat a little bit more than she had. No Infected so far, no raiders, nothing. Of course, cars were hard to come by. Batteries were dead, gas was difficult to find, so sharing the road with any travelers would be rare. It was a pride she even was able to find a vehicle. But the crazy doomsday preppers that lived in her house before they all died were some pretty resourceful people. While their family van was dead, the truck was good as ever to use, clearly taken care of and maintained over the years.

Lost in thought, she imagined the moments before came next would be moments she pondered back to, wondering how she could do things better. But in the end, things were out of her hands. Once the sound of a gun shot filled her ears, she knew they were done for. “Fuck!” Sammy yelled, taking control of the steering wheel as steam and smoke shot out from under the hood of her car. The tires screamed against the asphalt, spinning out of control before toppling over the edge of the road, flipping the car once before landing on the roof, stopped only by one of the trees on the side of the road. As they flew through the air, she braced for impact, tucking her chin, crossing her arms, and praying to whatever God she didn’t believe in that this wasn’t how she died.

When the warm sensation of blood ran down her face, into her hairline from her nose, she was reminded of her breath in her lungs.

“Fucking hell!” She cried loudly, looking at the two in the back as she hung upside down. Clamoring for her knife, she began sawing her seat belt off, looking for anything sharp she could use to break the glass of the side windows. The windshield had already scattered, littering hundreds of little pieces of glass around them. “Goddamnit… Are y’all okay?!” It seemed both of them were conscious and as unharmed as they could be, given the severity of what just happened. She needed to hurry and get free of the car and get both her passengers out– Whoever shot them out clearly was good with a gun. That and the smoke which was filling the car and the air. “Can you get out?” She asked Diego, who was in the best position to shove the door open and escape.

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captain_bumblebee · Feb 13, 2023

diego sainz

the soldier

.
roadtrip

tag! put your tags here!!

Anxious, Confused

Arizona

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you've got a friend in me

Diego was close to drifting off to sleep when a loud BANG woke him right back up. Instantly, his heart started to race, even more so once his eyes landed on the steam and smoke coming out from under the hood of the truck they were driving in. The tyres screeched as they spun out of control, sending the car flying towards the edge of the road. As soon as the tyres lost their grip on the asphalt and hit the edge of the road, the vehicle aggressively toppled over. "HOLY SHIT-!", the brunet screeched, instinctively raising his arms to protect his head and face as the car flew through the air, watching as his life flashed right before his eyes. Was this how he was going to die?

The vehicle was swung against one of the trees on the side of the road, flipped over to land on its roof, now entirely indented. The world was still turning when Diego dared to open up his eyes. Feeling dizzy and nauseous, the young man felt how his arms automatically stretched towards the roof of the car, as if trying to keep him from falling down. It was a good thing he was wearing a seatbelt. Breathing harshly, the young man slowly glanced around the vehicle. Sophia was hanging upside down, injured. He couldn't see Sammy well from where he was seated, though managed to recognize her voice as she spoke to him. "I am-", the former soldier hesitated, clearly disoriented. Had someone hit him on the head with a hammer? "I am okay-"

Diego whined softly as Sammy asked him if he would manage to get out, twisting his body to try and unclasp his seatbelt. His left shoulder really fucking hurt. The young man somehow managed to release the belt, dropping down onto the shard-littered roof of the vehicle. "Shit-" One shard seemed to have cut the skin on his arm. Whose smart idea had it been to take off his jacket and use it as a blanket? Grunting, the former soldier turned towards the door, pulling on the now-crooked handle as hard as he could. It seemed as though the door was stuck. "It's stuck.", he muttered, exhaling, "I will try again." Diego didn't give up quickly. Although his limbs were shaky, the man pushed against the door once more - finally allowing it to budge open wide enough for him to shove the door open entirely.

Slowly, hesitantly, Diego managed to crawl out of the car. "I'm coming to get you both.", he coughed, covering his mouth with his hand as he inhaled some of the black fumes coming out of the vehicle. This thing was moments away from blowing up completely. "Hang tight-" Perhaps not the wisest of words, they still managed to make the soldier chuckle sickly for a second. Struggling up onto his wobbly two feet, Diego leaned against the wrecked car, using it as a crutch for now. The left side of his face was warm, and he felt a liquid trail down his skin. Whether he was hurt or not was of no importance right now. "Okay, I'll help Sophia out first-" Diego moved slowly towards the other end of the car, only suddenly freezing in his spot as he heard leaves crunch in the distance. They were not alone.

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connor reed

the tracker

.
I am watching.

tag! put your tags here!!

Focused

Arizona

[/tab]

you can run, but you cannot hide

As soon as the vehicle lost control, Connor jumped up from the dirty forest ground, swinging his rifle up over his shoulder onto his back as he slid down the steep incline. He needed to be fast. The man pulled his face cover back up over his nose, accelerating as his boots landed on a grassy patch on the flat ground, swiftly making his way over to the smoking car in the near distance. If he was lucky, the crash had incapacitated all the passengers. Not killed, per se, but if they had passed out and were now subconscious - that would be perfect.

As the tracker approached, he heard the faint tone of a male voice nearby. Shit. Someone's awake. Groaning softly, the raven reached for his handgun, his hand hovering over the holster to reach for it if he needed to. Slowing down, Connor noted the figure of a young man near the crash site, watching as the latter stumbled up to his own two feet. The person was young, albeit fit. Wearing a t-shirt, the tracker noted his muscled torso and arms. Just by the way that guy moved, Connor could tell he had had some sort of military training before. What was a soldier or enforcer doing out here in Arizona, not in the company of one of his buddies?

"Okay, I'll help Sophia out first-"

Ah, Sophia. That was the name of Connor's bounty. Perfect, then he had just confirmed for this to really have been his target. The tracker finally moved forward, a deep frown on his face as the crunchy leaves beneath his soles threatened to give away his position. It hadn't rained in a while. The man's eyes were trained on the crash site ahead, his hand still hovering on his handgun-

"Is that a person?", the brunet near the smoking vehicle called out, having turned around to face the approaching tracker.

Connor could have just reached for his gun and shot the guy within a second. But where was the fun in that? As soon as he had been spotted, the tracker darted forward. The brunet was so taken aback that he couldn't even do anything against the oncoming assailant, who tackled him to the ground with ease. Swiftly getting himself back up onto his own two feet, Connor stood by to take a good look at the young man for a second. "What's a military guy like you doin' out here?", the tracker muttered to himself, shaking his head with a frown. The brunet seemed to be weaker than he had imagined, hardly even budging as he lay on the ground. The crash had maybe given him a concussion - not that the tracker cared much.

The raven worked quick to pull the remaining backseat car door open, revealing the blonde woman inside. Connor didn't speak, immediately releasing the seatbelt before his hands reached for the woman's arms, forcefully dragging her out of the smoking vehicle. What was she going to do? Hit him with her feeble little hands?

"Let her go!"

Thank God for some good eyesight, Connor managed to dodge the attack by the disoriented young male by a split second. "Why are y'all idiots all the same?", he mumbled to himself, rolling his eyes as he let go of the blonde's body to turn and face the brunet. "You ought've stayed down, soldier boy. You ain't had to get hurt.", Connor teased, smiling to himself as he watched the brunet attempt to attack once more. The tracker waited for the other to approach, watching as the brunet's fist flew towards his face once again. However; this time, Connor reached for it mid-air, his own hand curling around the other's wrist, whereas his free hand landed in the young man's face instead. The force was enough to make him tumble backwards onto the ground once again, Connor watching, satisfied, as blood started running down the other's nose. "I warned ya."

Finally, the raven turned back to the blonde on the ground. Her ankle was hurt in a way, the bandage an obvious indicator of this. Wow, this was truly an easy job. "C'me here princess, daddy wants ya back home." The woman could beg, scream, cry - there was no one in these woods who would come to her rescue. She could attempt to beat the bounty hunter herself, though he would likely hardly even notice her weak attempts at doing so. Connor reached down to easily pick the blonde up from the ground, throwing her over his shoulder as if she were a sack of potatoes. If she wriggled too much, he'd just hit her hard enough to render her unconscious. His motorcycle wasn't parked all too far away, and he could make his way back to LA within a few hours if he drove quickly enough. Time to go get some money.

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sollie · Feb 13, 2023

sophia adair

the rebel

.
tag! put your tags here!!

Horrified

Arizona

[/tab]

hope is found even in the darkest of places.

Sophia had never felt pain like this. While she peered through the smoke, she could see her two companions were injured, at least a small amount of blood visible through the thick gray haze. Thankfully, she wasn’t bleeding. At least, she thought she wasn’t. Her head spun, pounding from the force of impact but she was far more concerned with making sure her friends were okay. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen. She struggled with the seatbelt, watching as Diego managed to free himself.

“Get Sammy first…” Sophia croaked weakly, pounding a coiled fist on the seat belt release button. Her hands were far too shaky to grab it on its own, her nerves shot and her heart racing. How had this happened so quickly? One minute they were driving with very few cares in the world and the next minute her life was flashing before her eyes. The door swung open and relief washed over her body. “I told you to get…” A look of realization flashed on her face as the stranger unclicked her seatbelt, sending her to the ground and sending the blood which rushed to her head back through her body. “Who the heck are you?!” Sophia exclaimed, clamoring to get away from this strange assailant as quickly as possible. Despite her resistance, the stranger was stronger than she was. And he had a gun. Two things that didn’t bode well for escape.

“Diego!” She cried, her voice hoarse and throat irritated from the smoke and dust in the air. His words made her body run cold. He was sent by her father… Her father knew she was missing. That was quick. But he would understand, right, if she told him? Her note explained it off so why was this jerk kidnapping her against her will. “You can’t do this!” Sophia exclaimed loudly, wondering if Sammy was okay or if she was unconscious or even… even dead. The thought made her eyes water from worry and fear.

Pounding her fists against the strangers back, it was no use in getting loose from his grasp. “You’re so dead.” Sophia shook her head. If Sammy was alive, this guy was going to get shot at least five times. If not more. She’d only known Sammy for a few days, but what she knew about the woman is she didn’t play around like this.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

sameera astor

the medic

.
tag! put your tags here!!

Enraged

Arizona

[/tab]

Solitude never killed anyone.

“Diego, get me out–” But the man was focused on getting Sophia out. Sammy sawed more quickly now, trying to cut through the thick fabric of the seat belt without much luck. Her hands quaked, just as shaken up from the car accident but far more anxious about the person that did this to their vehicle. Sammy needed to get out and get her hands on her gun so she could shoot the sorry bastard that fucked her car up. Fortunately, that asshole showed himself far soon, with Sophia crying in protest. Her body stilled, halting her sawing for a moment. Clearly, the stranger was focused on one person and one person only; Sophia. She didn’t know what he wanted with her, but she knew sure as well what she was going to do to him.

Sameera was going to shoot the hell out of this guy.

Picking her knife back up, there were only a few centimeters left to cut through and finally the seat belt gave way, dropping her to the glass filled bottom of the car. Sammy hissed out in pain, but her adrenaline and pure anger pushed whatever feeling of pain she was experiencing. Slamming her boot into the window several times, she gave up on breaking the glass before crawling out, bloody arms and scratched up face. Seeing the stranger walk about, she fumbled for her gun, quickly reaching before firing a warning shot which grazed his ear with deadly accuracy.

“If you don’t fucking drop her right now I’ll shoot you.” Sammy yelled, uncaring of what attention she was picking up. While she had great trigger training, her finger lingered over the trigger, hand shaking from how tightly she was gripping the gun. On her left side, her ear rang, from the impact and front eh sound of her gun. But Sammy wasn’t playing any games with this son of a bitch.

He shot her car, knocked out her passenger and was trying to make off like some bandit in the night with Sophia? No fucking way. She approached the stranger swiftly, not hesitating to press the barrel of her pistol to the curve of his neck, her breath ragged and fierce. “I said drop her. Now.”

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captain_bumblebee · Feb 14, 2023

connor reed

the tracker

.
I am watching.

tag! put your tags here!!

Bothered

Arizona

[/tab]

you can run, but you cannot hide

The blonde woman hanging about on Connor's shoulder kept beating against his back, feeble attempts at getting the latter to let go of her. Although the punches hurt a little bit, as she was hammering down on an area he was still sore from hurting a while ago, they didn't hurt enough to the point where he would forget about the bounty placed on her head. This girl was worth a lot of money. The tracker obviously wasn't surprised. Her father was a councilman, of course the guy would have enough dough to put a bounty on his precious daughter's head. Sadly she was wanted alive, not dead. It would've made things even easier like that.

Suddenly, a bullet whizzed past his face, Connor hissing in pain as he felt it graze his ear. His ears were ringing, drowning out most of the noise surrounding him, though he did manage to pick up on the other voice in the back. A woman. There had been another person in that vehicle? The smoke must have hidden her from the tracker's sight. Slowly, Connor turned around to face the stranger, his eyes narrowing as she swiftly approached him. The woman didn't even hesitate to press the barrel of her handgun to the curve of his neck. The raven's bandana covered the smile on his lips.

"Fine." As requested, Connor dropped the blonde from his shoulder, not even attempting to let her down gently. The woman's body thudded as she hit the hard forest ground. "Now what?", the tracker asked, a teasing tone in his voice. The woman he was staring down at seemed to be around his age. She had no wrinkles on her face, not that he could really see much of it anyway. All of her exposed skin was covered in blood from the crash. Even so, his gaze met her tired and worn eyes, her mere look alone telling him everything he needed to know. This was no city-inhabitant like the other two were.

"Do you know who that is?", the tracker asked, not even bothering to raise his hands in the air to let the brunette know he wasn't going to try and make a grab for either of the weapons on his body, gesturing towards the helpless blonde on the ground. "People are payin' a lot of money to get her back." If this woman was no inhabitant of LA, then what was she doing with these kids? Why wasn't she trying to collect that bounty? "A lot of money.", the tracker repeated, trying to gauge the woman's reaction. He wouldn't mind splitting the bounty with her if she agreed to let him go without making things difficult for the both of them.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

sollie · Feb 14, 2023

sameera astor

the medic

.
tag! put your tags here!!

Enraged

Arizona

[/tab]

Solitude never killed anyone.

He wasn’t gentle letting Sophia down and for that alone she should’ve shot him in his stupid masked face. But she didn’t, more focused about saving their supplies and making sure Diego was okay than killing a stranger she didn’t know much about. Besides, he might be more use to them alive than dead. Especially if others were coming after Sophia. If Sammy was thinking right, perhaps she would consider what it meant that Sophia was being chased by a bounty hunter. But it meant that somebody wanted her in, not out. That perhaps… Well, perhaps the Cure was more plausible than she thought.

Her hands firmly gripped the gun, a gaze unwavering and boring into the stranger. She spoke with authority and swiftness. “Sophia,” Sammy began harshly, looking at the girl who managed to crawl closer to Sammy and away from her almost-kidnapper. “Check on Diego. Salvage as many supplies as you can from the back of the truck. They’re scattered in the woods.” Her eyes never left the man's dark orbs, eyebrows furrowed and made her expression look angry– but she was. Sameera was furious. Furious that another person would dare to take someone's freedom away over… over money?

“Now what?” Sameera scoffed, shaking her head. “I don’t think you’re in a position to have such a smug fucking attitude.” She nearly barked at him. Her emotions were teetering on overflowing, building up in her chest and hammering away at her heart. These were strangers she was transporting, but her nature as a medic, as a healer, as a doctor…. Was to protect people. It was to give life, not allow it to be taken away. And this guy just waltzed up and nearly took hers and two others with it. She abhorred people like him. “Keep your hands where I can see them. I won’t give you another warning shot.” She told him, gesturing to his grazed ear which was bleeding now.

“I couldn’t give two shits about who she is. And I couldn’t care less about what kinda money you think she’s worth. You fucked my truck up and almost killed all three of us. What I want to know is who the hell you are and why I shouldn’t kill you right here and right now and take your vehicle and gun for myself?” Honestly, and unfortunately for him, Sammy was already in the mindset of shooting this guy. Plus, she lived in the middle of the woods, in a self sustaining home. There was no need for money outside the city, people knew that. She needed more information, hence the conversation, but the minute he gave her what he needed. Bam.

With Sophia tending to an unconscious Diego and scrounging up what supplies she could, given her injured ankle, it would give Sammy plenty enough time to kill this guy and drag his body off. Not that she wanted to kill anyone, but this was survive or die and this man’s big ass gun told her she needed to determine quickly whether she wanted to survive or him.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

captain_bumblebee · Feb 14, 2023

connor reed

the tracker

.
I am watching.

tag! put your tags here!!

Bothered

Arizona

[/tab]

you can run, but you cannot hide

Connor watched as the blonde crawled away from him back towards the smoking truck to check on the guy on the ground. It was rather pathetic how the latter was moaning and groaning about his nose. The tracker hadn't even punched him that hard. The man took his time before he met the brunette's stern gaze once more, his own still smug as he arched a brow at her comment. Oh? He wasn't in a position to have an attitude? Just because there was a gun pointed at him - which happened regularly - it didn't mean that he'd fold in a second. The woman opposite of him was a mess, anyway. So emotional over these strangers. And that's all they were - a bunch of strangers. So unfamiliar with one another that they didn't even know who the other was.

"Relax. My hands are right 'ere.", the man muttered, lazily waving his hands up into the air. He felt the warm blood trickle down his ear to his neck, staining the white shirt he wore underneath his jacket. Blood was a bitch to get out of fabric. Curious, Connor angled his head as the woman continued speaking. No need for money? Interesting. "Mhm. So you live by yourself.", the man commented, "Don't go out much, do ya?" It made sense as to why she would have no idea who the blonde was. It would also explain why she wouldn't be interested in money. It; however, didn't explain why she had an exiled military man and the councilman's daughter in the back of her truck.

"And what makes ya think I'm goin' to tell you where my vehicle is?" His bike wasn't big enough to carry the three of them anyway. "My gun won't be of much help to ya anyway. You got good aim, but no weapons-training. I'm sure your soldier boy over there could help you out with that, though - once he's stopped whinin' 'bout a lil' bloody nose." Connor sighed. This was irritating. It should've been an easy grab-and-go, and now he had this dumbass woman standing across from him and his target. "I guess I can entertain you.", the tracker finally mumbled, "They call me Ghost. Bounty Hunter. Obviously." The tracker wasn't dumb enough to give the woman any information she wanted to have. This wasn't his first rodeo.

"Trust me. Had I wanted to kill all of y'all, I wouldn't have aimed for the engine.", Connor added, shrugging, "Truck ain't fucked up either. It'll need a new engine, but you can get those. For a price." The man chuckled, "Will be a tad more difficult without any money, though." The tracker's eyes landed back on the duo in the distance, watching how the male finally stumbled back up onto his two feet to help the blonde collect their supplies. "I guess I can help y'all out with that." For a price. "But you oughta better decide quick. All that shootin' and screamin' of yours will have caught the horde's attention."

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

sollie · Feb 14, 2023

sameera astor

the medic

.
tag! put your tags here!!

Enraged

Arizona

[/tab]

Solitude never killed anyone.

I’m not sure if your eyes are workin’, but we’re in the middle of bum fuck Arizona. And those idiots in Flaggstaff will scam you up and down if they think you’ll toss them a bone. My truck is fuck, and you’re the one to blame. It’s upside down, crushed, and nearly bent in half on a pine tree. I don’t know what kinda money you have, but this ain’t the Before. And that kinda job would take years to scrounge up enough shite parts to fix it[/B].” She seethed through clenched teeth. If this guy wasn’t bad enough, he was getting under her skin too. Arrogant, impudent, and clearly overconfident in his skills, he was everything she hated in people and one of the main reasons she lived alone in the middle of woods with a plethora of traps to ward off unwanted guests.

Rather than wait around and listen to him run his mouth, Sammy knew a quick and efficient way to get the man to stop playing so coy. Violence was always a good option when it came to dealing with dumbass men, at least in Sammy’s book. Releasing one hand from the gun, her fist drew back and made impact with this man's masked face, before bringing her knee up to finish the job off.

Watching him crumple to the ground was satisfying, a small smile tugging at her lips as she fixed her hand back on the gun. “Listen up, asshole. I’ll make myself clear one more time. You either tell me who you are– your real fuckin’ name– or I can just shoot you with my ‘lack of weapons-training’. It’s your choice. I’m not a very patient woman.”

Sammy stood over him, gun pointed down at the man, waiting very impatiently for his answer as her two travel companions gathered what they could. She didn’t know what kind of vehicle he had, but she knew they needed something to get them past Flaggstaff and to Colorado. The National Forest wouldn’t be too horrible to walk through, but the journey would take far longer now that they were on foot. And the smell of blood would attract all sorts of creatures if they weren’t careful. Besides, the sticky blood on her face was starting to get uncomfortable.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

captain_bumblebee · Feb 14, 2023

connor reed

the tracker

.
I am watching.

tag! put your tags here!!

Bothered

Arizona

[/tab]

you can run, but you cannot hide

This woman was so impatient. It was honestly amusing talking to her, knowing exactly what to say to get under her skin. If only she could see that smug smirk on Connor's lips. It would surely set her off even more. However, before the tracker had more time to say something, the woman's fist suddenly drew back to hit him in his face. As if that hadn't come unexpected enough, her hands suddenly rose to his shoulders, the brunette bringing up her knee to kick him in his crotch. The tracker groaned in pain, slowly dropping down onto his knees. "Fuckin' motherfucker-", Connor muttered under his breath, biting down on his bottom lip as he closed his eyes in agony. "You bitch.", he uttered, breathing rapidly as he tried his hardest to think of anything but the immense pain in between his legs.

The woman stood over him, her gun still pointed down at the tracker, the latter finally raising his gaze to look up at the brunette once more. Swallowing thickly, a deep frown on his face, Connor hissed softly, inhaling sharply before finally speaking up, "Ah, you're feisty." The tracker laughed softly, shaking his head. "The name's Connor.", he finally added, groaning once more. Gosh, this woman sure knew how to use her knee. "Nice to make your acquaintance." Ah, the man just couldn't help but make another comment. It was how he dealt with most things. Why try to be serious when life was one big joke anyway?

"If you ain't plannin' on lettin' me live, then just please shoot me now. I'd rather get shot than have the Infected take me." The raven narrowed his eyes, looking up at the large trees surrounding them to spy the few birds in the canopies. The feathered animals appeared to be growing anxious - which was an incredibly bad sign. "Or I can take y'all to the nearest settlement and get y'all a car. Your choice."

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

sollie · Feb 15, 2023

sameera astor

the medic

.
tag! put your tags here!!

Enraged

Arizona

[/tab]

Solitude never killed anyone.

You bitch[/I]. Yeah that summed up Sammy in two words– Diego and Sophia were probably too nice to say something like this, but this guy, now having wounded pride in two places, wouldn’t have much of a filter. “I warned you.” She said, trying to keep the smile from tugging up on her face. She wasn’t a patient woman, and her actions showed that plainly.

Connor… She searched her mind for any memories of a Connor, either in her traveling or via radio channels but nothing came to mind. Although, a face to the name would certainly make connections start happening if she knew him. She definitely didn’t. “Pull your mask down.” Sammy gestured with her gun at the fabric covering his face. The cries of the birds ahead sent a shiver through her spine. The forest would be safe from people, safe from infected. But animals? Creatures? It would be overrun with things wanting to devour them or at least attack them. In a vehicle, she didn’t need to worry about that, but on foot… It could mean their death.

His deal was one she didn’t love, but it was the only thing they had at the moment. They could carry as many supplies as they could and make it to the settlement by, if you could even call Flaggstaff that, and get back on the road. When and if they got a vehicle, she’d be more vigilant about people like him. “Fine. But you give me your weapons. And if you try anything funny at all… You’re losin’ a leg. Or something else…” She promised again. “Sophia! Diego! Grab your stuff and get over here.”

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captain_bumblebee · Feb 15, 2023

connor reed

the tracker

.
I am watching.

tag! put your tags here!!

Incredibly Annoyed

Arizona

[/tab]

you can run, but you cannot hide

Was this woman always so demanding? A frown still on his face, the raven reluctantly obliged. Slowly lifting his hand to the fabric covering his face, the man pulled the skull-mask down to reveal his face. A thin, linear scar ran down his bottom lip, an almost faded bruise still littering his left cheek. "Had to see how handsome I was before decidin' to off me or lemme live?", Connor asked, his lips curling into a teasing smirk. That smirk; however, was quick to disappear at the brunette's words that followed. Give her his weapons? That was absolutely out of the question.

"Listen...", the tracker shook his head, "I ain't goin' to walk around these woods without my weapons. I know my way 'round here, I know how to take care of the creatures that'll be comin' after us." Connor narrowed his eyes, his gaze wandering towards one of the nearest trees, noting a handful of jays circling the canopies. Trackers weren't only trained in picking up trails and scents like they were hound dogs, but they were also trained in noticing the smallest of details. It was annoying, sometimes, but in most cases, had saved Connor's life more than once.

"I know you don't trust me. Rightfully, so.", the man added, his eyes landing back on the woman standing opposite of him, her gun still pointed into his direction. "But if I had wanted you dead, I would've aimed for your head - not the truck's engine. I also could've just shot your lil' soldier boy instead of givin' him a bloody nose. But I didn't." Whereas Connor never hesitated to kill, he usually didn't immediately go for the drastic measures. "I also could've taken that gun out of your hands and killed you with it already, but alas, here I am, workin' along."

Connor frowned softly as the other two finally joined, the male still stuffing some of the supplies he had picked up off of the floor into his backpack. His nose didn't seem to be bleeding anymore, and he seemed to be fine otherwise, too. "What are we going to do now?", the young man spoke up, sounding fearful. God, what a pussy. And that was supposed to have been a soldier at one point?

"I'm goin' to get y'all to Flaggstaff, make sure y'all get a new truck.", Connor replied, smiling, "But only if your guard dog agrees to let me keep my shit." It would just be stupid on her part to take the weapons of the guy who knew his way around the forest. Once again, the tracker's eyes narrowed, his gaze flying up to the trees' canopies. "It better be quick, too. We got shit approachin' us from the East."

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

sollie · Feb 19, 2023

sameera astor

the medic

.
tag! put your tags here!!

Fed Up

Arizona

[/tab]

Solitude never killed anyone.

Tension struck Sammy’s body like lightning finding a metal rod in a wheat field, waiting in anticipation as Connor removed his mask. Could one blame her? The faces of those that scorned her as a teenager lingered in her mind and some odd part of her memory, which was skewed and scattered from that day, was convinced those that attacked her were still alive. And that perhaps, the man that attacked them today, was the boy she killed. Removing the mask at an agonizing pace, Sammy let out a soft sigh of relief, shifting her body as the tension released. Her ghosts clung to her like chains of concrete, weighing her down and making her falter. She wouldn’t falter. Not now or ever.

Her eyebrows pinched together at his attempt at a joke. She clearly wasn’t amused and would continue to look as so. Did he want to be a comedian tracker? A jokester bounty hunter? Those two things didn’t exactly go together.

His ego was audaciously large. She visited people of many different creeds and kinds, but never in her life had she encountered someone so… so… horrible. From his attack on her and her passengers, to his narcissistic personality, to his completely ignoring her power over him, it took every fiber in her body not to hit him again. Every fucking fiber. He could’ve taken the gun out of her hands? In his FUCKING dreams! Sammy’s hands were clamped around her pistol so tightly that she’d have to be dead for someone to pry it from her hands.

Sammy was competent, she was well versed, and most of all, she was independent to travel on her own. She could take care of whatever creature or monster decided to approach them and the pure impudence and presumption this man had was enough to make her want to shoot his leg and leave him be. She could get them to Flaggstaff, no problem. Did he have money on him? They’d take it too, with no remorse. Tensions were high. Yet again. But Sophia gently reaching out to touch Sammy brough her back.

“Don’t fucking touch me.” Sammy hissed, straightening up. “You will give me your gun. I’ve got a pistol with your name on it. But I’m not waltzing around with you and an automatic weapon. I don’t care for your fucking attitude and I think you need to learn real quick that it’s not going to slid with me.” Gesturing to Sophia and Diego. “We respect each other here, got it. And we don’t call each other dogs. So if you think your pathetic little heart can deal with that, I think we can work together. If not, don’t be shy, you can say. But I can’t promise what will happen will be respectable. “

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

captain_bumblebee · Feb 20, 2023

connor reed

the tracker

.
I am watching.

tag! put your tags here!!

Bothered, Irritated

Arizona

[/tab]

you can run, but you cannot hide

The blonde woman and young male had joined the brunette from behind, both equally as confused to find the attacker still alive - and smiling. Connor was pushing the brunette's buttons perfectly, and every single time she reacted, about to lash out, satisfied the tracker even more. Life was a game to him. Perhaps what made him such a good bounty hunter was the fact that he had stopped caring about living or dying a long time ago. He had accepted the fact that it was impossible to survive for a long time outside of the safety of city walls, no matter how skilled one thought one was. Sooner or later, Infected, creatures, animals, or even other people, would do the trick. It made Connor reckless. Brave to the point where his own safety didn't matter. There weren't many people who could stare down the barrel of a gun and continue to crack jokes.

The raven furrowed his brows as the blonde reached out to touch the brunette's back, a grave mistake anyone could have seen coming. The brunette was mere seconds away from exploding completely. Who said she would spare the young duo behind her? In an event of encountering some real danger, who said she wouldn't kick the others to the curb and save herself? Connor exhaled, slowly growing frustrated with this woman opposite of him. She really sucked at negotiating. "You ain't gettin' my rifle. I'll give it to him.", the man muttered, realizing it was of no use to try and convince the woman otherwise. "You know how to use it, don't ya?"

It took the brunet a moment to grasp that the tracker was talking to him. Nervously, almost anxiously, the young male nodded, as if not daring to speak up.

"Thought so." Slowly, not wishing to make any rapid gestures that would set off the brunette's flighty trigger finger, Connor moved to pull his rifle off of his back, extending it towards the trio in front of him. He watched as the young male hesitantly approached, swiftly grabbing the M4 out of the tracker's hands to hold it in his own. "I hope y'all ain't trustin' her with a gun. Her kind ain't ever used one." Connor was obviously talking about the blonde next to the man. The tracker knew exactly who she was, and he wanted her to know. Especially since it didn't seem like the other two knew. All in all, it appeared like none of them really knew each other, which made Connor wonder what they were even doing together at all.

"You want my gun, too?", Connor asked, even though he already knew the answer. Of course this woman wanted his handgun as well. Rolling his eyes, the man moved to retrieve the gun from the holster attached to his belt, presenting it to the brunette opposite of him. He would get his guns back eventually. Whether they would give them back to him willingly, or whether he would have to take them back physically - either way, it wouldn't be long until he had them back in his possession. "I reckon I get to keep my knife?", the man assumed, allowing himself to stand back up. They were now in possession of three guns, surely the woman wasn't going to throw a fit over a knife. Certainly, Connor could use it to incapacitate the three of them, if he wanted to. The brunette would likely put up a good fight, though the disorientated male and his blonde girlfriend would be taken care of easily.

It was a good thing they had intrigued the tracker to the point where he did want to hang around to collect some information so he could assess who they were - and most importantly, why they were out here. "So, to Flaggstaff, then?", Connor dusted himself off, glancing down at the woman opposite of him. She was truly incredibly small, especially compared to how he towered over her. Funny.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

diego sainz

the soldier

.
roadtrip

tag! put your tags here!!

Dizzy, Confused

Arizona

[/tab]

you've got a friend in me

Dried blood covered Diego's face as he stood behind Sammy, wordlessly holding the rifle this stranger had handed him. The trees around him were swaying from side to side, the sky moving in circles whenever he did dare look up. The crash had left the former soldier a little dizzy and lightheaded, and the stranger's punch hadn't eased the pain either. Although his nose had now stopped bleeding, it still hurt like crazy. Diego had initially worried it might have been broken. Gulping nervously, the man glanced down at the rifle in his bruised hands. It looked so strange, holding one again. This M4 appeared to be an older model than the one Diego had still recently used, which was strange since no new weapons were being manufactured anymore.

What bothered Diego the most; however, was how the tracker had known that he used to be military. Sophia didn't know. Had Sammy noticed? Even if she had, she hadn't said anything about it. Did the tracker know that being ex-military, even when exiled, was like a death sentence out in the Outside? Most people didn't think of soldiers fondly, which was something Diego obviously understood. Outsiders wouldn't know whether Diego had been an Enforcer that killed, they would only hear the world 'soldier' fall from the tracker's lips and turn on the brunet immediately. It was dangerous. Surely the tracker knew this. Had he mentioned this purposely? Trying to get Sophie and Sammy to turn on Diego?

"So, to Flaggstaff then?", the tracker spoke up, waiting for Sammy to reluctantly agree before beckoning the trio to follow him into the woods. Diego glanced back over his shoulder to take one last look at the wrecked vehicle, steam still coming out of its engine. That thing would explode at any moment, likely attracting a lot of attention from the creatures that inhabited this forest. Alas, the trio didn't have any other option but to follow the tracker. Without a vehicle, walking on the main road was incredibly dangerous. Heading through the woods was a shortcut, though also a death sentence if one didn't know the way. Diego could only hope that the raven knew where he was going.

Staying in the back of the pack, Diego's fingers curled around the rifle like a kid clinging to its favorite toy. It was an automatic response at this point. The rifle melted into his grip perfectly. "Sophie-", the young man spoke up, concerned about the blonde needing to limp all the way to the nearest settlement. They had no idea how far away this thing was on foot. "Are you okay?", Diego asked, hurrying to her side to offer his figure as support. "Do you want me to carry you?" The former soldier could carry the woman on his back. Having her limp around was only going to slow the group down. What if they suggested just leaving her behind at one point? Diego couldn't let that happen.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

Fantasy Seeking the Light (1x1)

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