Urban Dead: The Price of the Oath

[Josh]

"Think I'll take tomorrow off," he said. "Get drunk and fuck the hell out of my wife."

[Caz]

"It's funny," Jared said quietly. "Lotta folks know the words, but ain't nobody singin'."

[Caz]

"Might have to do the fucking before the drinking, love," she said.

[Josh]

"Hey, I can perform while smashed," he said. "I'm talented like that, and come from a long line of royal fucking drunkards."

[Caz]

"Royal fucking drunkards," she murmured. "Sounds prestigious."

Meanwhile, Sherry was eyeing the crowd a bit. There weren't many dry eyes as they broke apart into smaller groups, discussing the various battles they'd endured both at the mall and beforehand.

[Pcm979]

"They're all rememberin'." Punt said. "People like doin' that quiet-like."

Mike loosened his grip on Sherry, staring at the crowd with his head level to hers. "It's going well." He said softly.

[Josh]

"Oh hell yeah, the Szuhonkobeker name is known and feared in jails all over Eastern Europe," he told her, happy for the distraction.

[Caz]

"I'd make a derogatory comment," Melanie said slyly, "but I bet it's nothing worse than you could think of on your own."

Sherry yawned.

"Might be headin' to bed early," she muttered. "This whole thing's worn me out."

[Josh]

He smirked. "What's derogatory about being known and feared among the criminal element? It's nice to know I could get hooked up in prisons from Turkey to Poland."

[Pcm979]

"I'm not surprised." Mike chuckled, squeezing her again. "It looks like it's self-sustaining now. We could get some rest any time."

[Caz]

"I'll be sure to let my parents know that I picked a real winner," Melanie said with a smirk.

Sherry yawned again and took Mike's hand, leading him over to the rim of the fountain, where she plunked down.

"It's good to see them at peace, though," she said, "I hope this gets rid of the tension..."

[Josh]

He poked her gently in the ribs, then took a deep breath and started toward the wall of pictures with a determined stride.

[Caz]

Melanie followed slightly behind him. He needed to do it; whether he wanted to be alone or not was his own business.

Besides, she was curious.

[Pcm979]

He shimmied down next to her and replaced his arm over her shoulder. "There'll be a few good cries, a few people looking bad tomorrow morning." He said softly, watching the crowds with her. "But it's just what they need. And with the Horde defeated and the supplies dropped, moods are up."

[Josh]

He stepped up to the wall, looking at the pictures. Some he didn't recognize, those lost before the mall coalition had gathered.

Others, though, he knew quite well. He knew every name and every face, a quirk of his memory that let him place people quite easily and rarely failed him.

He stared at those faces for a long time.

[Caz]

Melanie wrapped her arms around him from behind and rested her chin on his shoulder, not saying anything. She didn't need to, and on top of that she wasn't even sure it would make a goddamn difference if she did.

Sherry nodded at Mike's comment. "Yeah," she said, "sounds like how it'll end up."

[Josh]

"Pop said to me," he whispered. "You're gonna kill a man, be able to look at his face when you're done." He stared for a moment longer, then turned away. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

[Caz]

"You didn't kill them," she said, then nodded at the suggestion.

[Pcm979]

He sighed and leaned back against some grotesque carved animal leering from the fountain. After a moment, he snorted.

"Deja vu. We've done this before, when you were telling me about Petro thinking we were together." He shook his head. "We mocked the idea pretty thouroughly, if I recall." A smirk as he looked at her.

[Josh]

"Captain's responsible for everything on his ship," he told her, wrapping an arm around her as he walked away.

[Caz]

As Melanie and Petro exited, she paused and looked over toward the steps.

"Just a moment," she said. "I've got some business."

She jogged over to where Punt and Jared sat.

[Josh]

Zimmerman was standing at the edge of the group. Petro proceeded his way, lighting a fresh cigarette.

"I'm taking tomorrow off. Unless the quarantine lifts or another horde is coming, I don't want to hear about it, okay?"

"Duly noted," Zimmerman said. "We could probably even make it two days without you. Somehow."

Petro looked at him. "Was that a fucking joke?"

Zimmerman looked at him with a deadpan expression. "I have my moments."

[Pcm979]

Punt saw her approaching and groaned. "I'm just headin' back now..." He said when she got there, turning his squeaky chair around laboriously.

[Caz]

"Want to help your uncle, Jared?" Melanie asked sweetly. "Just make sure he goes back to the infirmary?"

The boy nodded. "Ic'n do that," he said with a smile.

[Pcm979]

Punt rolled his eyes as he moved off laboriously. "Oh yeah, I was headin' for the hills. Makin' a new land speed record, I was."