nomans_land | Somewhere between July and December

Somewhere between July and December

1.
[ It wasn't the fastest car he'd ever driven, but it made better time than the old man's shitty station wagon had, and it was definitely faster than walking across the desert. None of the maps he'd found tucked under the seat had Hopeland on them, which was worrisome as all hell, but on one of the maps there was an orphanage marked, just off of a city called December.

The ghost he'd talked to on that mountaintop had told him he'd die in December, but that ghost had also ruined his last cigarette, so fuck that guy. If he died, he died, but first, he was going to make sure Miss Melanie and the kids were okay.

The sedan hums its way across the desert, kicking up a dust cloud that can be seen for miles. ]

2.
[ With a shudder and a hard jolt, the car comes screeching to a halt, the dash going dead as the engine seizes up. Wolfwood swears, punches the dash, then swears again when the solid dash nearly breaks his hand for his trouble. He'd managed to get the car hotwired, but apparently cars in this messed up version of Noman's were more different from the ones he knew than he'd realized. Is it out of oil? Out of charge? Not like he can do anything about it, whatever the problem.

Please ignore the man in black, standing next to a very dead car in the middle of absolute nowhere and screaming at the sky. It's therapeutic profanity, and it really is helping. ]

3.
[ Sunburned and exhausted, Wolfwood crests the hill and finally, there before him, sees the building that his map identifies as the December Orphanage. Even from a distance it's clear that the chaos that's affected the rest of the planet hit here, too -- there's clear bullet holes in at least one side of the building, walls that have collapsed, and the whole place seems as deserted as everywhere else he's been.

But he's here now, so he might as well have a look around.

He really wishes he still had his Punisher, though. ]

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I...have no idea. I just know from the stories--

[the same ones they read to Wolfwood, probably.

Livio cannot hear heartbeats, things are silent as the grave. he still doesn't like it. he's nearly distracted by everything-- all this fancy shit indeed.]

....Maybe they had data meetings here? Something has to be...underground or something.

[ Almost certainly they were the same stories -- that part can't have been that different, right? Stupid tales for little kids about a world they'd never see, with feasts and strange animals and things like snow. If the plants had to tear them out of their worlds and drop them someplace random, why couldn't they have ended up someplace wetter? A green world, where food grew right out of the ground, or fell out of the sky, or however those stories went.

No point in thinking about it, though. They're make-believe stories -- they're not real. Earth's not even real, not really. Not anymore. ]

I bet you're right. [ There's nothing up here, just... he slams a door open with the butt of the Punisher, long past caring about keeping quiet. It's another meeting room, this one even plusher and shinier than the ones downstairs. Real money sat in those seats. Real money bought and sold people in here. ] This shit up here, that's for Master Chapel and the rest. The real facility's probably under our feet.

[ But if he was going to stick around in an abandoned place like this, he would want the poshest, cleanest, fanciest room he could possibly find. He'd want to be up here, you know? With a view, and all the coffee and tinned stew he could eat. He'd want...

There's a quiet click from a nearby room, the unmistakable sound of a clip being loaded into a gun. Wolfwood raises a hand -- did Livio hear it too? -- and points at the far wall. Through there. There's somebody there, somebody who's now armed.

Let's get 'em. ]

[oh, no one's told this Wolfwood about the ships, have they? he'll probably scoff, but question it.

the kind of riches in this room makes Livio sick. everyone in need in the cult, let alone in the rest of the world. it's not the exact room they'd talked through his future in, were ready to execute him in, but it's an unpleasant memory.

Livio hears the click, immediately whirls in that direction, then glances over his shoulder Wolfwood.

time to go kill 'em.]

[ Oh, no, he's heard about the Earth ships. But the planet they came from, the Earth of legend, that's the world that doesn't exist anymore. The green and wet world teeming with life, with plenty for all -- that world's destroyed. That world was nearly a ruin when the first ships were sent out... or at least, that's what the people in Vash's home ship told him. Earth used to be a paradise, but humans stripped it to nothing. There's no such thing as snow anymore, not here, not anywhere.

If Wolfwood had any vials, he'd already be through that wall. As it is, he instead raises a finger to his lips, then starts gesturing. He'll go out, and around, and smash through the wall (or door, or whatever) in the hallway. Livio, should count to five, then go through this wall here. And together... he butts his fists together. Together they'll smash him.

In the other room -- which is just a supply closet -- the security guard stands trembling, gun at the ready and listening hard to the sudden silence in the next room. He'd been left to guard the place against thieves and refugees, and the two in the next room sound much scarier than that! He's got a fresh clip in his gun, and another in his hand, and he's ready to empty the whole thing into the first person he sees. ]

[somewhere deep down Livio wants to still think it's there, that it exists. some dream, some fantasy world.

Livio nods sharply, though his mouth is pressed in a grim line. he doesn't like the thought of Wolfwood, endangered, going first, but there's no point in arguing. this is a solid plan aside from all that.

The big lug closes his eyes, takes a breath, and silently begins to count]

[ Don't worry, buddy -- he's got no interest in getting shot up today.

Livio nods in agreement, and Wolfwood starts his own mental count as he heads back out into the hall. Five -- to the door. Four -- open it quietly. Three -- step into the hall. Two -- just a couple steps to the next door down, which has to be where the target is. One -- Punisher up and ready as a battering ram.

Zero. ]

Knock knock, asshole!

[ With a swing of his arm, Wolfwood slams the butt end of Punisher into the door of the... closet? This guy's really hiding in a closet? How embarrassing! The security guard turns in a panic and immediately opens fire , and to his credit, the shots are grouped well in the doorway of the room. They spark off the end of Punisher as Wolfwood ducks back into the hall, pulling the big gun between himself and the security guard as a shield.

Okay, buddy! Wolfwood's got his attention -- your turn! ]

[his eyes flicker open and he goes barreling through the wall Doublefangs first, snarling and firing a warning shot--- no longer a warning when the security guard opens fire on Wolfwood, is it now?]

Time to get fucked!

[he bares his teeth]

[ Yes, fucking yes, shoot that bastard! Wolfwood's stuck behind Punisher -- he can't shoot back so long as he's using his gun to hide behind, right? Kill him!

The guard had been firing right at Wolfwood, bullets flying through that doorway and tearing through the walls, too -- looks like the Eye didn't waste any materials reinforcing the supply closet against gunfire. Livio crashing through the wall makes him doubletake -- Livio's a really big guy and he recognizes those fangs, just like he recognizes the Punisher out in the hallway. He thought they were all on the same side, but these two came in shooting, so he's shooting back!

Wolfwood's not firing back, but Livio let loose with that warning shot, so the guard turns his weapon toward the big guy, raking a ribbon of bullets across the shelving and aimed right for Livio, center mass. ]

[exciting! this the kind of excitement Wolfwood was looking for? because it's turning into quite a show! Livio just takes the bullets, no, he was never taught how to dodge-- it's painful, as usual, but he manages to easily get a spray of bullets into the guard's legs, sending him down, down, down

not to mention the shelves]

[ Good thing none of the stuff on those shelves is flammable! The guard goes down with a strangled kind of scream, but he's still breathing when he hits the floor. Wolfwood hears a body drop and risks poking his head into the doorway, staring in surprise at the very live guard writhing on the floor. ]

Why's he still alive?

[ Especially with all the damage Livio just took! Man, even being able to heal quickly, that's a lot of bullet holes, friend. Sorry for using you as a wall... sorry that he'll do it again in the future, too.

Without waiting for an answer Wolfwood raises Punisher and aims right at the guard's head. ]

You're too soft, buddy.

[ He'll clean up here. ]

[he's rather used to being a meat shield so no hard feelings.

he feels...bad-- both for all the trouble to Wolfwood, and to the extra fear the guard would get.]

Maybe we should get info from him?

[not that he's particularly into torture either]

[ He feels bad for the guard? Don't feel bad for the guard, he's Eye! He works for the Eye, fuck the guard. ]

You think he knows anything useful? [ He nudges the guard in the leg with the end of Punisher. The guard is trying his best to be stoic and accepting of what's happening, but Livio shot the hell out of his legs, and it really hurts! ] Hey. You. You know anything useful?

[ The confused guard -- who's already looking ashen -- looks back and forth between Wolfwood and Livio with clear confusion written all over his face. ]

U-useful? Like what?

[if he were smart he'd make sure he knows something useful. but he seems a little dumb]

Like, say, what you're guarding here. Where anyone else is.

[his tone is stern]

[ He just got shot up by people he thought were his allies and now he might be bleeding out in a supply closet. He's not having his best day!

The guard's face goes hard and still at the idea that he say what he's guarding here, but where anyone else is? He shakes his head at Livio, hands tight around one leg as he tries to stop the bleeding. ]

Everyone left! Months ago, didn't...? [ He looks back at Wolfwood -- or rather, at the barrel of the giant gun Wolfwood's got pointed at him -- then back to Livio, clearly reading the big guy as his better chance for survival here. ] They should have told you. There's nobody here.

Where did they go? Pretend they don't tell us anything.

[they don't tell them anything. they certainly don't for this part of the world.]

Aside from all the weird shit's that happened, why would they leave you here to guard an empty building?

[ The guard's face is beyond ashy, at this point. He's bleeding out, and he knows it, even if the other two might not have noticed yet. His voice is weary, but the disgust is still plain as he replies. ]

Him I understand turning traitor. [ This said with a head tilt in Wolfwood's direction. ] But you? You were loyal. A hero...

[ Wolfwood snorts at that, but the guard ignores him, his fading attention focused on Livio. ]

I don't know what you came here looking for... but the only thing you'll find here is death.

[that was an awful blow....feels like there's a hold that's been blown through his chest, and there's no knitting of the flesh, it's just gaping.

he's quiet.]

No, you're going to find death. It's found you-- it's always been coming for you. For us, too. We just have a little longer. Now tell me-- what else is here?

[ As much as Wolfwood was content to stand back and let Livio talk to the doomed man, he's not about to let that doomed man say insulting shit to his buddy. ]

Hey. [ He jabs at the man with Punisher, a movement that would have been a kick if his leg weren't broken. ] Watch it.

[ But the man's past watching anything. He doesn't respond to the jab with Punisher, just laughs breathlessly for a moment, then he sags, the light leaving his eyes. Just in case he's faking, Wolfwood raises Punisher, and puts a bullet through the dead man's head, then turns back to the hallway. ]

Sounds like there's somethin' good here. Let's keep lookin'.

......Yeah.

[much as he appreciates the defense, this isn't a great feeling. he'd kept the man alive for nothing, basically, just to feel worse.

He inhales, a shuddery-sigh.]

Let's see what else we got.

[ Wolfwood's not the comforting type, but even he can see how that encounter affected Livio. He waits until Livio joins him in the hall, then bumps the other man with his shoulder. ]

Don't let the crap that guy said get to you, okay? They're all nuts, brainwashed.

[he looks at Wolfwood out of the corner of his eye, from beneath his hat (it stayed on okay) and tries not to let it show he's bothered.

(its impossible)]

I know. I know, Wolfwood.

[ It feels like there's more he should say, or do, or... or something. Livio saved that guy's life -- or tried to, anyway, since there wasn't any other reason Wolfwood could see as to why he'd shoot low -- and in thanks the guy had called him out, and for what? For leaving the cult that tortured him? Fucking stupid, in Wolfwood's opinion, but Livio's always been sensitive.

If that idiot Stampede were here, he'd know what to say, wouldn't he? Wolfwood storms down the hallway, knocking doors in as he finds them, looking for anything promising, anything to give a clue as to why there was somebody still here guarding the place, but all he sees are more meeting rooms, and offices, and all the other shit that any office building would have. If Stampede were here, he'd say something kind, or he'd ask a couple questions, get Livio talking. Maybe he'd distract the guy, start goofing off, slip and fall like a stupid clown. Even if he didn't say anything, there was something about him that just radiated... fuck, he doesn't know the word for things like this. It felt good, okay? It felt nice, like he cared. Like he wanted things to be better, just for you.

All Wolfwood's got is a string of curses as long as his arm and a big gun. Sorry, buddy. ]

Okay, let's think this through. [ The next door he elbows open is a washroom, taps and tiles gleaming even in the darkness. ] Just one guy was here guarding the place, right? One guy's not gonna stop anybody, so what's the point of having him here?

[ He really wishes this place had power for lights. A nighttime raid made sense when they thought the building would be crawling with Eye, but poking around in some corporate maze in the dark? It's bullshit. ]

.......To report back, maybe? To see if anyone's come to see what's going on? That's the only other thing I can think of.

[and even that Livio doesn't feel too enthused about, too confident about. that doesn't make much sense either. nothing's here, the power's on.

and don't worry, Wolfwood. your reaction was enough]

Yeah, maybe.

[ The guard being here to serve as an alarm and notify someone if the place was broken into makes as much sense as anything! ]

If that's the case, then there's got to be a radio up here, right? Something he would have used to call out on?

[ If it's here, they'll find it! ]

Oh...that's great! He has to have something to report in, no shit!

[Livio has no qualms about searching a dead body, by the way, but so far, aside from a walkie talkie....hmm]

Would the signal from this go so far?

Somewhere between July and December

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