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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[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?

[ Livio heads back to the corpse, and Wolfwood follows, confused... oh, he's checking the body for a radio, got it. ]

No, it'd have to be something bigger. [ He holds his hands out as wide as his torso, and shrugs. ] Or even bigger, I dunno.

[ And if the guard was on this floor, it makes sense that the radio's on this floor too, right? ]

Here, I'll go left, you go right. Let's find the thing.

Okay.

[he drops his hands from the corpse, then. it was too...not right to think it'd be that easy.]

Don't do anything stupid.

That's my line!

[ Off to the left, then. He's got his ears working double time, listening for the sounds of anyone else moving around on this level, but there's nothing but the groan of wind in the ventilation and the sound of his own footsteps.

The next door he checks isn't even locked. Thanks to the big windows on the far wall he can see the room almost as clearly as if it were daylight: a big bed, a desk and chair, and food wrappers and dishes piled on the table under the window on the far wall. This must have been the room that guard was staying in.

There's a radio on a little table by the bed, but it's one-way, not two-way. Just for listening to music or news then, not for reporting in.

This is getting tedious. ]

[he's not having any more of a fun journey on his end, either-- a lot of the same. empty rooms, expensive crap that's been left over. empty, empty.

but Livio has to keep going. maybe if he finds a door down, down-- or maybe up. Something occurs]

Could it be on the roof...?

[ He's been thinking down too, but Livio's got a good idea there! ]

Worth taking a look, right?

[ Let's find the stairs! ]

Should've brought some music or something.

[this is getting predictable-- and now empty, empty, silent]

[ The stairs they came up stopped at this level, but there has to be another flight that goes to the roof! Doesn't there? ]

Sounds like you're offering to sing, buddy!

[ Although... if the radio's on the roof, and it's supposed to be secret, would the stairwell be obvious? If he's got to start checking every wall for a hidden door he's gonna go mad! ]

That's real generous of you!

Hell no! The only one singing's gonna be the Punisher and my Double Fangs.

[are they that smart to make hidden doors....?]

[ The Eye's got secrets on secrets, don't they? Maybe they wanted to keep the radio a secret? Or maybe it's in the basement. Or maybe there isn't a radio at all and they're just wasting their time.

Or maybe, some of those creaks and groans coming from deep beneath them aren't just the ventilation. Who can say? ]

Don't go back on your word! I heard you wantin' music, and I think it's a great idea!

[ If nothing else, there's got to be a maintenance hatch for getting onto the roof to clear away sand drifts, surely! ]

Anythin' but a hymn, though. I've heard enough hymns for three lifetimes.

[he snorts, and decides to just

start poking around with vigor, at random points, at all of them, all walls, grabbing all books he can off any bookshelves]

I can't carry a tune worth shit anyway.

[ Wolfwood blinks when Livio starts knocking books off the shelves, but then he laughs, and joins in. What the hell! Maybe one's a secret lever, right? ]

What, you're gonna let a little thing like that stop you?

[ All the moons are up now, sending thin silver light through the windows at the end of the hallway and in the various rooms. In contrast, the little red light blinking on the bookshelf behind a thick volume that Livio just threw on the floor is vibrant and bright. The second Wolfwood spots it, he reaches out and grabs Livio's arm -- blinking red lights are never a good sign.

Somewhere deep beneath their feet, some weighty piece of machinery rumbles to life, like a distant engine powering up. Wolfwood's not laughing anymore. ]

Down, we gotta get downstairs, not up, there's something down there!

Oh-- [wow, he actually accomplished something! Livio stares with wide eyes, the blinking at first making him wary. what if it's a...bomb or something.

but when they don't go BOOM, and Wolfwood's even more insistent, and maybe anxious, he sobers instantly]

Okay, okay let's go up.

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Somewhere between July and December

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