Aberrant: Dead Rising - Chapter 5c: Fire in the Hole

[Dawn OOC]

[Curses! Wesson ninja-posted me!]

Dr. Singh nodded, still smiling. "You understand this is all precautionary," he said. "It could take as much as a day to show the signs of the virus. I'll need to take your vitals, and I must ask you to disrobe to your underwear. I will check you for bites, as well as any other injuries, and I need to know what conditions you may have, if any, that would cause extraordinary health care for you."

[Ira Sagebrush]

Ira looked at Min as she set the container down, this hesitant, anxious side of her was slightly unnerving. He took of his shades and looked inside noting a vast arrangement of clothing style and options.

"I'd call that a decent peace offering if I ever saw one." he said nodding and standing up. "Thanks Min...go ahead Cass, dig in...can't imagine that the rags I gave ya can compete with these."

[Dawn OOC]

Min smiled a little as she leaned back, giving Cassie room. The girl poked through the things - Wesson and Min must have raided some really nice stores at some point. After a moment, she still looked lost.

Min frowned, then plucked out a soft-looking shirt in a color that was somewhere between gray and purple. "That'd make your eyes pop, and it's right about your size," she said, softly. "And this skirt... uber-cute. Here, stand up, hold it up... Mmm, too big. Alright... oh, this mini should fit. It's a bit short though. And what's your bra size? We've got lots in the bottom here." Cassie just shook her head, looking confused.

"Okay, then, here..." Min helped her try things on, over her clothes, until she'd given Cassie pretty much everything in her size in the box. "There ya go. You can stop wearing Mr. T." The bigger woman's smile was easy and natural, this time. Women really did bond via shopping.

[Wesson]

"Do you really mean am I going to become a zombie?The answer to that is no. Doc, I told you once, my health is fine.My Vitals are in the green."

He was really getting upset with with doc. He rolled up his coat, showing the healing"scars" form yesterday. He didn't get scars anymore.They all faded now.

[Dawn OOC]

Dr. Singh looked unfazed in the face of Wesson's growing anger. "I understand that you are telling me that you are healthy. I understand that you believe yourself to be fine. But it is my job to make sure that you are healthy," he said. "This is not for your sake, but those of the people I have agreed to protect and nourish. Please submit to a physical, willingly."

The doctor's tone was gentle but firm. "I believe that you are one of these supers, but with those bites, healed as they are, I most doubly insist on an actual exam."

[Wesson]

Grinning and looking at that doc.

"You are not very smart are you.Those bites are less that a day old. Judging by how fast they healed over, you tell me if there was any idea in your head that you could make me take a physical, if I was not willing. So, take it already, and don't make me repeat myself again."

Doctors, Go to school for years and still they can't understand the simplest of things. He had his arm bared for him to start the testing.

[Dawn OOC]

Dr. Singh gave him an unfriendly look. He took his pulse and made a note, then said, "Mr. Wesson, I said I was aware that you are probably a super. My duty is to check you, regardless. Please disrobe." After Wesson had done so, Dr. Singh performed a fairly standard exam on him, then stepped back. "It is as you said. You are healthy. You may get dressed."

As he made some final notes, he added, "I am arranging a shower for Eehra and Cassandrha tomorrow. You and your granddaughter will likely be free to leave quanantine, but I can arrange the same for you, immediately on release. Would you like that?"

[Wesson]

Getting Dressed, he looked Singh over, got dressed. He spoke softly.

"Never call me that again. Never. I am just a man, and you will remember that. I am just a man, if I was super, you would be talking to my wife as well. Maybe a few of other of my family. No Doc, I am not super. You remember that. My grand daughter may want your kindness, but right now I..."

He trailed off stopping by Min. He spoke softly.

"Talk to the Doc, and you can go out into the world, get a shower. I myself am not. I have all I need here. As for why I do what I do. Min, who else is there to do it?"

Going to a cot, he pulled his computer out bag, and started to draw up a new model of housing. One that was more based on preventing and containing the threats of zombies. He was really just upset with humanity these last two days. He wanted to help, and he was treated like a brainless dolt, who knew nothing. He had offered helping hands and olive branches only to have them broken and slapped away. His eyes were red but the tears would not come.

He knew to much. He wondered, if people really couldn't see past their own problems in times like this.Why should they be the ones that were spared. Did they honor what so many people died for. Did they care that they were lucky enough to be alive? Wesson, just thought of Ira's replies to him. That young face, so full of pride and so blind. Oh the curse of youth.

[Dawn OOC]

After Wesson was gone, Haresh Singh stood in the exam room for a long moment, thinking. After a moment, he cleaned up the room, putting away the supplies that could be reused and disposing of the rest. With a last glance, he gathered up his notes and left the room, walking through the quarantine and leaving with nods to those settling in there.

He went to the infirmary and left the notes with a nurse and instructions to give them to Dr. Shattuck when she arrived. In particular, Ira's file was to be passed to her, with the message to look it over and get back to him immediately.

"Where are you going to be?" the nurse asked, wondering why he was saddling her with this instead of doing it himself.

"I'll... be in quarantine tonight," he said, shrugging. At the nurse's startled look he said, "I had it on good authority that I'm sick. Best to be safe." After all, she knew about... that.

[Ira Sagebrush]

Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC

Min smiled a little as she leaned back, giving Cassie room. The girl poked through the things - Wesson and Min must have raided some really nice stores at some point. After a moment, she still looked lost.

Min frowned, then plucked out a soft-looking shirt in a color that was somewhere between gray and purple. "That'd make your eyes pop, and it's right about your size," she said, softly. "And this skirt... uber-cute. Here, stand up, hold it up... Mmm, too big. Alright... oh, this mini should fit. It's a bit short though. And what's your bra size? We've got lots in the bottom here." Cassie just shook her head, looking confused.

"Okay, then, here..." Min helped her try things on, over her clothes, until she'd given Cassie pretty much everything in her size in the box. "There ya go. You can stop wearing Mr. T." The bigger woman's smile was easy and natural, this time. Women really did bond via shopping.

"Why don't you help Cassandra get changed while Wes is getting his exam and I'll go grab some stuff from the car?" Ira asked Min, then looked to Cassie to make sure she would be ok with it.

She stopped a second, holding a shirt up to herself, to nod, before dropping it in the pile and pulling out another.

"Go ahead, we'll be fine." Min said dismissing him with her free hand. "Take your time."

Ira walked out of the building and towards his car, assuming a guard would tag along behind, which one did, the same that had escorted Min.

"Hey, I'm not a damn dog-walker." The guard yelled, catching up with Ira. Clearly not as enthusiastic about escorting Ira as he was the attractive young woman.

"I need a couple things, c'mere." Ira swung an arm around, encouraging him to catch up.

They quickly closed the distance to the beat up orange Nova and Ira pulled out the keys from his pocket and unlocked the trunk. The hatch opened to reveal a large open spot where the guns had been stashed, but there were still a large amount of various bags sitting on top of a blue tarp, which seemed to be keeping the goods separate from the rusty bottom of the space.

Ira rummaged around for awhile, looking through a couple bags before he stood up, a king-sized Baby Ruth in his hands.

"Here," Ira said, tossing him the candy bar. "Quit yer bitchin'."

He shut the trunk, slamming it down a couple times before the latch took hold. Ira moved around the car to the driver's side and unlocked the door, the familiar metallic 'pop' echoing across the yard as he opened it.

He quickly grabbed his Zune and its headphones, unplugging it from its two adapters, stuffing it into the small pocket of a very dirty looking black Jansport backpack with a buttom proclaiming, 'What is the Matrix?'

Ira climbed back out of the car, his pack in tow. "Ok, I'm good, let's go."

The guard gestured an 'after you' with his gun, his attitude a little more cordial with the Baby Ruth already half gone. Ira took the lead, quickly walking back to the 'human zoo'. He still wasn't all the comfortable leaving Cassandra alone with Min.

He walked down the small hall back to their 'suite', "Hey baby, I got us some entertainment for tonight, you decent?"

[Dawn OOC]

Min was an evil woman. They were in a dog kennel, and she'd put Cassie in a pleated skirt reimenscent of the classic Catholic school girl's, though without the plaid. This was a dark skirt, almost black and it went well with the soft, short-sleeved shirt that Min had first pointed out. She was right. It made Cassie's eyes more vibrant, if that was possible.

"I am blooming flower among weeds," she said with a happy grin. Standing, she did a quick spin, lifting her arms a little. She paused, and looked at him shyly. "Does the Knight like flowers? Like this... this flower?" Her smile was almost painful in its awkwardness; she was painfully self-aware of herself and clearly unsure of what she was doing. But she was trying, and he could see the affection in her face - affection for him.

[Ira Sagebrush]

"Baby!" Ira said in shock. "You're...wait, wait lemme think."

If the backpack had not been on his shoulder, he most certainly would have dropped it. Sure he had seen her buck naked, but the allure of women is always stronger with the unseen, and the look on Ira's face proved it.

It had nary been six months since she died, and for the first time, he was looking at a girl and not comparing her to Lisa. All he saw was a beautiful young woman who was looking at him with genuine affection, not a girl that was trying to be sold to him, or traded for 'whatever was in the trunk', or worse, one that was trying to use him for their own purposes.

His moment of thought did not take long, and as he entered the cage, he let the bag fall on the cot without looking and walked up to Cassandra. "Baby, just living is not enough... One must have sunshine, freedom, and a flower."

That part of Lisa would never go away, as the quote from Hans came quickly enough and without much forethought. As he finished talking, he gently grabbed her sides and leaned in most of the way to kiss her, giving her that last distance to cross in case she wasn't comfortable with it.

[Dawn OOC]

Cassie smiled at his words; their conversation flowed more easily one way, and she was always able to understand him. He held back - he went 90%, always go 90 and wait for her to go that 10. She smiled shyly at him gave him that slow lean-in, closeing the distance. Her kiss was soft, gentle and strangely innocent and Ira quickly figured out that innocence was from a lack of practical experience with kissing. Her hands were on his shoulders, more like dancing than intimately embracing him.

When they broke the kiss, she was grinning up at him. Without warning, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with more force, but still little experience. It was odd, for her age - had this girl come from a nunnery?

Wesson & Co

Min shook her head in amusement as Ira trotted past them to his date. "Ah, love in the Deadlands," she muttered softly enough that they wouldn't hear, then pulled her cot into Wesson's kennel. "So, whatcha working on, Granddad? Something I could maybe help you with?"

[Ira Sagebrush]

The thoughts of zombie babies that he had been holding on to were quickly replaced with hot Catholic school girls. If Cassandra had come from a nunnery, Hallelujah! Praise the Lord Almighty that he released her to him, for she was full with hotness and desire! Amen.

Ira returned the kiss, the passion that burns with new found love coursing through his veins like fast-running magma. He reached around and grabbed her ass underneath the short skirt, hoisting her up to rest on his hips.

She squeeled at bit in surprise at being lifted, but then wrapped her legs around him to keep from falling. Ira stumbled around a bit, gaining his balance as he moved towards the entrance to their kennel. The exam room being his ultimate goal, he stumbled the short distance, bouncing off a wall here and there as the two continued the expose on young love.

He reached the door, and with a small nudge from his foot, showed it to be closed.

Please don't be locked, please, please, please.

He pulled away from Cassandra reluctantly, "Baby," he said, nodding at the door, "If you don't mind?"

Ira turned so that she could get at the door handle easily, squatting a little so she could reach it. Cassandra reached over and opened the door, pushing a little harder than she needed to, causing the door to bounce back some, but Ira shoved a foot in before it could close again and walked in, kicking the door shut behind him.

He set Cassandra down, and turned, locking the door quickly before turning back, "Now where were we?"

[Dawn OOC]

She giggled and threw her arms around his neck before jumping, making him catch her. Not what he'd had in mind, exactly, but she was kissing him again and he found it hard to complain. And he had implied that she should pick up where they left off. Still, they weren't getting much done this way. Way too many clothes, to start.

He put her down again and then had to forestall another jump back into his arms. "Baby, slow down... I need my hands for a moment," he told her. She stepped back, biting her lips cutely, as he grabbed several blankets and tossed them over the table.

The "bed" made, he reached for her again, and she lept into his arms, and he thought Boy, isn't she eager. After months of women who were looking for a meal ticket, it was nice to have one that seemed to like him. He put her on the table before kissing her again, growing more bold with his kisses. She didn't seem to know how to kiss, but she was picking it up.

Take it easy, he reminded himself and made himself stop long enough to clear his head. Cassie looked at him with trusting eyes, her fingers playing his hair, like she'd never felt the texture before.

He peeled off his gloves then his shirt; he was going to be the first to disrobe, for her comfort. He kicked off his shoes and socks, then dropped his pants and underwear. He forced himself to give her a moment to look.

Cassie stared at him and specifically low on him, her expression a little uncertain. Then she looked at him and smiled, and he saw the trust in her eyes. It was almost frightening, how simply and totally she trusted him.

[Dawn OOC]

The trucks rolled into Fox's valley as darkness fell, full of dirty, dispirited men. The trip to Roff had been profitable for John, as he'd finished recovering his supplies, but for the scientists who found their loved ones dead or undead, it'd been a harsh blow. There was a lot of anger directed at Kiet, and only John's reminder that she had information that could be extracted had kept life-altering or ending violence from the woman. Naturally, they'd wanted to 'extract' the information right there, but when she'd gazed at them with quiet dignity and resignation in her eyes, they'd been unable to torture her in cold blood. Righteous anger, even beating her to death was one thing, but the scientists hadn't had the stomach for coldly causing pain. They hadn't asked John, perhaps afraid that he would, and they'd have to see it. So they'd agreed to let Fox and his people see what could be done; maybe they could get more than a name and serial number out of her.

,,

John watched with keen interest as Bob stumbled back in the churned up mud to the second truck. Bob had lead the trek from Roff to Fox's, having been there once. He looked concerned, so John rolled down the window and leaned out. "They say they'll take us," Bob said, "but Fox is gone on some mission or something, and won't be back for a while, maybe for a couple of days. Also, we'll have to go into quarantine for twenty-four hours and submit to a medical exam." He paused, then asked softly, "You ok with that, John?"

,,

He'd earned respect from them by his actions at the R.U.S. camp; they'd believed in his abilities before, and had seen him use them against zombies, but Henry's tales had elevated his status. They might not like him, but they weren't as leery of him as before, which was a nice change. "No," he rasped simply.

,,

Bob nodded and jogged back to the first truck. Soon they were parked in the quarantine area, next to an ugly orange nova and an augmented blue semi rig. There wasn't a lot of room left anymore; Fox might be out of hospitality for a bit.

,,

John paused long enough to pull on his trench coat. It couldn't hide him perfectly, but it should stop potential scenes. He needed have worried; their prisoner attracted far more attention than he did. The guards got very hostile without warning, and it took some fast talking on Henry and Bob's part to convince them that it really was okay that ten men had a handcuffed woman who still had fading bruises on her face. Kiet almost spoke out, no doubt to hinder them, but John touched her arm and she got the point.

,,

They were finally allowed into the quarantine building, which was depressingly sparse. The guard who seemed to be in charge, named Ger, said, "Sorry about the conditions. We just slapped this together after we heard about the people running around infecting enclaves."

,,

There were two people in the kennels, an older man working on a tiny, almost child-like laptop and a younger, pretty woman who had a clear family to the man. Most of the cages had a cot and a kerosene lamp in them. Right now, the only light came from the occupied kennel, casting a soft light over the already lovely woman within who was reading by its light. The last cage on the left had someone's belongings in there, but the owners were nowhere to be seen. "Hey," Ger grunted. "Where'd they go?"

,,

"The lovebirds are making a nest," the woman grinned.

,,

"Christ... in the exam room?" Ger sighed, rubbing his face.

,,

"Yep," the woman said, her grin widening. Her eyes flickered over the new arrivals, dismissing most of them immediately, though she took a longer look at John and Kiet. Her eyes came back Ger. "C'mon... lighten up. I think they've had a hard road. Just give them a bit of privacy, hmm?"

,,

"Singh's going to throw a fit," he growled, but his face softened and he sighed. Turning, he said to the waiting scientists, "You're going to to have to get comfortable - it'll be a bit before the exam. Take your pick of spots." He looked at John before digging a padlock out of his pocket with a key, looking uncomfortable. "You can lock her in one of the cages with this."

"Ooo, locking her up?" the woman interjected. "What'd she do?"

[Amarant]

Quote:

He looked at John before digging a padlock out of his pocket with a key, looking uncomfortable. "You can lock her in one of the cages with this."

"Ooo, locking her up?" the woman interjected. "What'd she do?"

"Asked me too many questions", said Walker, taking the keys from Ger and brushing by the nosy woman with Kiet in tow.

He walked to the nearest cage and pushed the older Asian woman into it firmly, but not roughly, and then shut and locked it behind her. That done, he turned without giving her a second glance and stared at the quarantine room with his unblinking eyes. The creepiness factor of his stare was turned way down, however, as his eyes were covered by his sunglasses.

After a moment, he started moving again, with a sudden burst of motion that was too sudden, and with physical movements that seemed somehow off - as though his joints all had a subtlely different range of motion to them than a normal man's. Walking over to the cage nearest to the door leading out, he walked inside, dropped his pack, and sat down perfunctorily on his cot facing in the direction of the exit. Then he stopped moving utterly and completely. To all appearances, he wasn't even breathing anymore.

Unfortunately for the quarantine guards, he had stopped moving while looking in their direction, and despite the sunglasses, they couldn't get over the feeling that he was watching them, with an unblinking and uncompromising stare. For someone who'd just had all of his weapons taken away from him (and, man, he'd had a bunch of them, too), why did this guy still look so dangerous?

[Dawn OOC]

The pretty girl just turned away, rolling her eyes. She stomped back to her cot and picked up her book, opening it again.

"Man, Walker," Henry whispered softly to him through the mesh of the cage, "she's hot. Why were you so mean to her?" He really didn't get it, and he looked disappointed as she ignored them all. That disappointment didn't stop him from staring at her curves, however.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Singh had just gotten an overnight bag packed and was trudging back though the thick mud when a guard ran up to him. "Ger wants you back at Quarantine," she panted, clutching her gun tightly.

"I... what a fascinating coincidence," Singh said, but she barreled right over him.

"We had more people show up, about twelve, and he wants you to check them all," she added, taking his arm and quick-stepping him.

Singh sighed wearily as he allowed himself to be pulled along. Doing four had been a test of his patience; another dozen would taken approximately three hours and drain him dry. And that's assuming that everyone was normal. Another man like Ira would take more time, as would an infected man.

Inside the quarantine, he found eleven people who were making themselves comfortable. Several lamps were burning softly, giving the room a warm glow. He glanced around the room, assessing the men now looking at him. "Hey, Doc," Ger said. "Sorry ta rush you, but I didn't know that the new kid has taken over the exam room."

Singh was either tired or had gone without for way too long, because it took him a long moment to figure out what Ger meant. His dark skin flushed further in embarrassment at his own slow wits and he took a long moment to push up his glasses and rub his nose. "Alright," he said softly. "We'll wait." Muttering to himself, he added in Hindi, "If they are making a child, I cannot in good faith stop them."

"What's that, Doc?" Ger asked.

Singh waved the remark away, shaking his head. His eyes fell on the imprisoned woman, sitting cross-legged against the far wall of her cage. "Am I to examine her, too?"

"Yep," Ger said easily.

Another person caught his eye as he looked around with his discerning gaze: the man in the front cage who appeared to be dead. He stepped to the door of the cage without thought and grabbed it, though he didn't close the door. If he so much as twitched, Singh was going to look him in, signs of affliction or no. "Is this man... dead?"

[Amarant]

"Who, him?", asked Ger, "he was fine when he came in. He's the one who escorted the prisoner in..."

One of the guards spoke up nervously, "oh, he's alive, doc - trust us."

Looking between the two men, Dr. Singh wondered why they looked so edgy, but then he felt someone grip the cage door slightly above where he was holding it. Turning back towards the cage, he found himself face to face with the 'dead' man, who looked pointedly at Singh's hand on the door to his cell and then back up at the doctor before whispering, "There a problem?"

[Dawn OOC]

Singh recoiled, fighting dread. The moment it happened, he realized he was being ridiculous and uncharitable. Swallowing hard, he said, "No, there is not a problem, sir. I was merely concerned that you did not appear to be breathing. I am glad to see that you are fine, however." He swallowed again, hating this creeping feeling running over his nerves, and offered his hand with the best smile he could manage. "I am Dr. Haresh Singh, one of the physicians here." He'd learned to not tell people he only had a resident's license; it tended to unnerve people and remove their faith in his skills. And while he wasn't sure that faith was warranted, at least he knew that he was better than some of the physicians he'd heard about.

[Ira Sagebrush]

Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC

She giggled and threw her arms around his neck before jumping, making him catch her. Not what he'd had in mind, exactly, but she was kissing him again and he found it hard to complain. And he had implied that she should pick up where they left off. Still, they weren't getting much done this way. Way too many clothes, to start.

He put her down again and then had to forestall another jump back into his arms. "Baby, slow down... I need my hands for a moment," he told her. She stepped back, biting her lips cutely, as he grabbed several blankets and tossed them over the table.

The "bed" made, he reached for her again, and she lept into his arms, and he thought Boy, isn't she eager. After months of women who were looking for a meal ticket, it was nice to have one that seemed to like him. He put her on the table before kissing her again, growing more bold with his kisses. She didn't seem to know how to kiss, but she was picking it up.

Take it easy, he reminded himself and made himself stop long enough to clear his head. Cassie looked at him with trusting eyes, her fingers playing his hair, like she'd never felt the texture before.

He peeled off his gloves then his shirt; he was going to be the first to disrobe, for her comfort. He kicked off his shoes and socks, then dropped his pants and underwear. He forced himself to give her a moment to look.

Cassie stared at him and specifically low on him, her expression a little uncertain. Then she looked at him and smiled, and he saw the trust in her eyes. It was almost frightening, how simply and totally she trusted him.

He was slightly apprehensive as he disrobed, getting naked in front of someone for the first time is exceedingly nerve-wracking, not to mention the mental pressure building in the back of his mind to perform since it was her first time. Her reaction was positive, which squashed his nervousness somewhat and he smiled back as he slowly embraced and kissed her, grabbing the back of her shirt.

As they kissed, he pulled her shirt up and over her head and tossed it away. He kept it slow, enjoying the moment before reaching around to unhook the bra. As it fell off, he followed it down and undid the zipper of the skirt, pulling down the skirt and panties together. He rose up as she stepped out of the clothes that she had just put on, gliding his hands up her body.

He was determined to make this a great experience for the both of them, despite the setting and the distracting noise from outside the door.

Ira leaned back, taking in her in. She had been nice looking blistered and sunburnt, but now she was simply gorgeous. "Baby, you are so beautiful."

[Amarant]

Walker took the offered hand and shook it firmly. "John Walker. Folks just call me Walker. Nice to meet you, doctor."

Having made his introductions, and apparently satisfied that he was no longer in danger of being locked in his cell, Walker turned and moved smoothly back to his cot, where he returned to his seated - and utterly motionless - contemplation of the exit to the quarantine building.

[Wesson]

Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC

Wesson & Co
Min shook her head in amusement as Ira trotted past them to his date. "Ah, love in the Deadlands," she muttered softly enough that they wouldn't hear, then pulled her cot into Wesson's kennel. "So, whatcha working on, Granddad? Something I could maybe help you with?"

"Well, I am setting up some basic floor plans for houses that would more safe from zombies. You may have ideas that could help."

He turned the computer around to show min a blue print.It was rather crude so far, at least by what Wesson normally made.It was still a rough draft. The house well looked like a house, but it was 12 feet off the ground. There were stairs up to the front door but with notes pointing out that they could dropped off with a quick release without even opening the door. there lines for a few ladders, and bridges.The note said they were there to get form one house to another house. The house also had less windows, and note on ways to deal with water ,and power shortages. Still was a rough draft. He went over the rough idea with his grand daughter.

"What do you think we should ad?"

That was his problem he got wrapped in his work, well better later than never.Looking to Min he spoke softly.

"Hold those thoughts,I will be back."

He went to Walker, and looked him in the eyes, unflinching. He spoke in a dead pan tone.

"It's Walker, right?Well, my name is Wesson. Do you think questions are a bad thing?"

[Amarant]

Wesson's stare probably would still have been unflinching even if Walker's eyes hadn't been covered up with sunglasses. But it probably helped.

Walker had been staring at the entrance (or exit, if you like) of the quarantine building, so his gaze had been about waist level to someone standing, as Wesson was when he came into Walker's cell. So he had to shift his head and his gaze upwards to meet the older man's hard stare. Outwardly, he showed no emotional reaction to Wesson's obvious challenge. He simply stared back without expression. Privately, Walker was annoyed that people kept bothering him, but these feelings impacted his facial expressions to about the same degree as the Marianas Trench impacted the formation and size of the waves on the surface of the Pacific ocean eleven kilometers above it. Which is to say that they didn't.

After an awkwardly long period of silence, Walker finally croaked out, "Not really. You?"

[Dawn OOC]

Cassie smiled, still somewhat shy. She started to cross her arms over herself, then stopped, then started to do it again. "Show me the path, regal Knight," she whispered, holding out her hand to him.

Grinning and thinking, Uh huh, you bet I will! Ira took her hand and helped her up on the table, then followed her. She lay back, gazing at him with equal parts of curiousity and trust. "Don't worry, baby," he whispered after leaning down and kissing her, "I'll take care of you."

She nodded and slowly touched his shoulder. He kissed her wrist and she smiled at the gesture before wiggling her head down to kiss his arm. The wiggling alone almost killed him but he was determined to do this right. He lowered himself, pinning her lightly with his body. He was already starting to lose himself a little, and the promise of what could be was almost too tempting to bear.

Taking a deep breath, he gave Cassie one more kiss before making her His Lady - forever.

Walker

Min wasn't the most socially astute woman. But she was - had been - military, that gave her an understanding of the operations of units and the way they functioned both together and against outsiders. It was Wolf Pack 101, and it was the foundation of all close-knit units. Walker, she'd guessed, was held in high esteem, and his friends outnumbered her and Wesson by roughly 5 to 1. Not good odds, and certainly not odds she wanted to risk.

"Gramps," the nosy woman said, butting in again, "hey, it's cool. Mr. Walker seems like a cool guy." She casually half-stepped between them, turning so as not to give Walker a faceful of her ass or crotch. There wasn't much room, and she leaned into her grandfather to gain some space. "I'm Min. I didn't mean to butt in earlier, but I... I'm locked in here, too, and... she's a prisoner. I was a little scared, about what she was capable of, yanno?" She gave him a pretty smile and hoped she'd just calmed the mood instead of worsening it.

[Wesson]

Calm, and cold. His tone was far from friendly.

"So, why were you hard on the lady then?Is it that questions turn bad when there are too many of them? Yes, we live in hell, but fuck you if I am going to sit idly by wile the values I killed for are being thrown out the window."

His tone was changing.It was not nice, not angry, but it was heating up.He clearly cared about what he was talking about.

,,

"Now I don't know the whole story, but now is the time to be better than you have to be. We don't have the grace of slacking off. do you understand what I am saying?"

[Amarant]

The old man's granddaughter flinched back as Walker stood up with a speed that was both graceful, and inhuman. Despite the suddeness of it, Walker didn't look upset, agitated, or anxious. In fact, he still looked as placid as he had since he'd first driven up to Fox's Refuge a short time ago. However, while Min may have been startled, her grandfather didn't back down in the slightest. Wesson continued to stare at the newcomer with a gaze like ice, and showed no signs of warming up until he got his answers.

For the moment, however, Walker chose to ignore Wesson's gaze, and turned mildly towards Min. He listened patiently while she tried to calm things down before they got out of hand. Walker could appreciate that, and was thankful for it. In response to her overtures, he answered in a raspy whisper, "No problem, ma'am. Just not your business."

Then he turned, with that same smooth, mild, and mildly alien calmness back to "Gramps", and met his gaze while the old man chewed him out. When Wesson finished by asking if Walker understood what he was saying, he croaked out, with perfect frankness, "Nope. Not a clue. Sir."

Then he fell silent (which seemed to be a nearly continual state for Walker), and simply stared back at the old Vet, his expression blank.

[Dawn OOC]

Min nodded to Walker's reply to her, but the focal point of her body language's attention was on her grandfather. She was still trying to get him to back up, but with his greater strength, it was impossible. So part of her attempt was a smile at Walker, one that was half-pretty and half-pleading. Up close, this guy was creepy, and she was terrified that he might take the only person she had left.

[Wesson]

lightly but forcefully push the two part. He was not being mean or harmful to either of the.His intent was to split the two, and to comfort his Min.

"Walker, we are living in a time where we have to be more than what we once were. No one is living high on the hog, and we have to be better people than we once were. We have to be kinder, and more honorable to others.We have to help each other and work together. We have to share. Oh I could go on. But here is my point, money is pointless now, object have no meaning. The way you live is the only valuable thing we have left, and you treated that woman in way that is not very respectful. Those with power cannot live above the rules. On the contrary we must live by even less forgiving rules. Is that more clear"

His had a very commanding. It was not his word that was the blunt part of the message but the tone, and how he was standing. His body, and face spoke loud and clear.

"Now, don't me wrong I don't want trouble or hate form you. I just want you to know how I feel, and I hope you understand that I just want to make the world a better place for everyone that I can help."

[Amarant]

Privately, Walker was really beginning to wonder if the old man was getting senile, or if he was maybe just severely traumatized by what had happened to him since the Plague. Either way, the guy kept going on and on about morals and living a better life in some fantasy world where everyone got along all the time. Walker didn't follow - and couldn't relate - to most of it, but he held his peace while Wesson spoke (mostly because holding his peace was what he did best).

Walker wasn't sure if it was a result of the changes that had taken place inside him since the Plague, changes which had made it increasingly hard for him to relate to others, but all he was really taking away from this exchange was that this guy talked a lot. That, and he had a very intense personality.

Inexplicably, he finished up his scolding by telling Walker that he didn't want any trouble from him. Since Walker had been sitting quietly on his cot when Wesson had come storming into his cell and gotten into his face, he wasn't sure he believed the other man. But then again, Walker wasn't looking for trouble either...

So he answered straightforwardly and said, "Don't understand. Don't want trouble either. Just want to sit here in peace."

Then he sat back down in a long and oddly slow motion, and went back to staring motionlessly at the entrance (exit) to the quarantine area.

[Wesson]

He looked at him, and knew it then.

"Son, you need help. I am sorry that the world has done what it has done to you. Maybe I can show you what I mean later on. Right now, I just want you to know, can and should are not the same thing. I hate it myself but I am preachy I know. If you need anything please feel free to ask, and I will see what I can do."

He guided Min out. He spoke to her softly

"You may think what you want, but I see a walking dead man there. I have seen it before. I think he is already gone, but if we are lucky something or one may get threw to him. I just am pretty sure that isn't me"

[Amarant]

Walker still wasn't sure what the old guy had been going on about, and while he was increasingly convinced he was a little cracked in the head, he could also tell that Wesson had simply been trying to make a point. What that point was, was still up in the air, but as near as Walker could tell, it boiled down to the old 'Nam vet getting upset because he hadn't answered his granddaughter's questions. Which meant he tended to overreact, which meant that Walker was glad that he was finally leaving his cell.

Just because Walker never slept, rarely ate, and only breathed periodically, it didn't mean he didn't need some rest and alone time every once in a while. Hopefully, now that the 'Welcome Wagon' was done with him, Walker could actually relax for a little while. For Walker, this meant sitting in a rather stiff-backed position for minutes or even hours on end without so much as twitching. Given his current circumstances though, Walker estimated it would probably be minutes, rather than hours, before someone came and bothered him again. Oh, well.

[Dawn OOC]

Min nodded. "Sure, Granddad. Let's go and leave him to it, okay?" she said quickly. She didn't care what Wesson thought at that moment; she wanted her grandfather away from this too-still man. Despite her concern, she managed to give Walker a grateful smile; he'd not escalated the situation, when he could have. Swallowing hard, she focused on getting her grandfather out of there and back to their area.

[Wesson]

"So, Min, let go over the houses again. I think that is where we need to start. From the house we can build a base of a town. When We have enough houses and people to need to worry about other buildings we will work on those.Right now it is key to make a safe people to live."

His temper was set and he wanted to break something.Walking back to his Cot.He looked to Walker, wile talking to Min. That was not a man to Wesson.That was a monster. Things needed to be planed out. Steps taken. How to kill a monster. Wesson was pretty sure he could walk over there and break that Man's neck, but Walker did nothing to deserve that. He just was what he was. Seeing Min still in a bit of shock, he put his hand under her chin.

"Min, look into my eyes.You are safe. You will always be safe. I will not let anything bad happen to you. I will not leave you..."

He stopped. He knew she had seen the picture he carried around in he wallet. The picture of May and him, when thy were younger.The way that May could have been mistaken for Min's more tame, more passive, more "girlish" sister, or twin. It was a topic that Wesson so far did not talk to Min about, and she knew was a swore spot for him.

[Dawn OOC]

Min frowned and tried not to think about how much she needed a drink. She hated it when he got like this. It was like he needed her to keep going, just because he'd killed Grandma. She nodded before looking down, hating the sensation of being trapped. She wasn't trapped by his love, but by the deep need to live and thrive for him, to his expectations. She just wanted her own life, and she wasn't sure she could say that to him without shattering his hopes. "I won't leave you behind either," she told him with a smile, then leaned up and kissed his forehead. "I left something in the truck. I'll be right back."

He nodded and she stood up, leaving the area. At the door, a guard blocked her way. "Ma'am, it's getting dark outside. You really need to stay inside."

So I don't hop the fence and make people sick with a disease I don't have? She put on a coy smile. "How about you walk with me, soldier?" she murmured, brushing the back of her hand on the front of his jeans. "Might enjoy it."

He blinked and then got it. Casually, he looked around furtively and nodded. She lead the way outside to find it was full dark. She ignored that and ignored the eagerly hovering guard, her mind slipping past the price to be paid and resting on the liquid reward waiting for her.

Ten minutes later, she and the guard were back, both more relaxed. Min had had just enough of her stash to let the warm, oozing feeling flow through her. Thankfully, she'd found some fresh spearmint to chew on, cloaking the smell. It'd take a bloodhound to tell what she'd been up to, and with a smile, she rejoined her Grandfather in his plans to save the world. She didn't care about that - she just wanted to save him.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Eehra, Cassandra." The doctor spoke and knocked softly, but it caught others' attentions still. By the time the two young people had gotten themselves dressed and out of the room, everyone was looking. There was even some clapping, which made Cassie hide behind Ira. She didn't seem embarrassed, just unsure of how to react to being the center of all this attention.

Once everyone had calmed down and the exam room cleaned, Singh got to work. It was already late by the time that he started - he reminded himself it would be worth it if a new life was started tonight - and it was very late by the time he'd worked himself through the scientists to the second to last person. He was worn out, hollow-eyed and tired, in large part because he'd listened to the stories the scientists had told him. He'd heard about Roff. There was something he was forgetting about the place, he was sure. Maybe after he'd slept he'd remember it.

The cages were mostly dark; only a single lantern now burned. Most people were sleeping or feigning sleep, wiling away the hours while they were trapped here. With trepidation, Singh walked over to the first cage, one of two which he'd been avoiding. "Mr. Walker? I'm sorry to disturb you," he whispered, peering into the dark cage. "But I need to examine you... and your captive. I'll need some help with the last, as well as the key."

[Amarant]

Walker was up and moving towards Dr. Singh far too quickly for a normal man's comfort. For a moment the Dr. thought the creepy newcomer was going to barrel right into him, but then he stopped just as suddenly as he had started, standing less than a pace away from him. It took Singh a moment to realize Walker already had the key he'd requested out and was offering it to him.

"Here."

Singh accepted the key, a bit nervously, and then they both went to retrieve the prisoner. Once the door was open, Walker gestured for the woman inside to come out, which she did, but not without glaring at him the entire time. With Walker gripping her arm firmly, they both followed the Doctor through the darkness to wherever it was he was leading.

[Dawn OOC]

The doctor only seemed to want Walker to take her into the exam room, and then wait outside. After Walker had cuffed her to the table, he did that, a motionless sentinel that made those paying attention nervous. If Singh's intention was to give her privacy, it didn't work; Walker heard every word. Given his enhanced senses, he couldn't not hear what was said. It was standard, save Singh's reaction to some scars, which Kiet listlessly ascribed to a pre-virus car accident. She gave no further details, and Singh didn't ask.

After the doctore opened the door, Walker took her back to her cell. The tired man waited, then murmured to Walker, "It is your turn, Mr. Walker. If you would?" He waved a hand wearily at the open exam room. A sudden cough in the room made him flinch, and peer into the dark as if expecting to see another victim of the virus.

[Amarant]

Walker moved smoothly and silently into the examination room without comment, and stopped at the table he'd cuffed the former Colonel Kiet too earlier. Then he waited silently for more instructions.

[Dawn OOC]

"I'll need to take your vitals, and I must ask you to disrobe to your underwear," Dr. Singh said, closing the door and picking up a clipboard. "I will check you for bites, as well as any other injuries, and I need to know what conditions you may have, if any, that would cause extraordinary health care for you."

He'd not been looking at Walker as he spoke, but Walker had already started stripping off his jacket and glasses. By the time he'd looked up, Walker was stripping off his tank top. Dr. Singh fell back against the door, paling as he whispered a single word. "Kala!" He held the clipboard in front of him as if it could shield him from Walker.

The four-armed man stood motionless for a moment; when Dr. Singh slowly relaxed, Walker finished taking off his clothes. The doctor was still pale and his voice shook, but he managed to ask, "How... when did you...?" His voice trailed off and he seemed at a loss for words.

[Amarant]

Walker stared unblinking at the frightened doctor for several seconds without speaking, waiting for him to elaborate on his open-ended questions. Since he'd woken up in the middle of the desert half a year ago, he'd found that his patience was nigh-inexhaustible, so he managed to refrain from becoming irritated that the doctor hadn't put two and two together and realized that asking him open-ended questions like that required answers that were lengthier than his vocal chords could handle. Even so, he wasn't pleased when Dr. Singh failed to take the hint, and simply continued to sputter in fright.

Sighing, he whispered softly, "Don't know how. Changes were there when I woke up from getting sick. Been this way ever since."

Walker realized his answers left a lot to be desired, but then so did Dr. Singh's questions.