Urban Dead: This Means War

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:49 pm

As the rain continued to pummel them, Sherry scrubbed at her skin, trying to get the blood off. Infected or not, it was disgusting, to be covered with the insides of another person. Especially one she'd killed herself. Good fuck, what had she been thinking? Her bloodthirstiness was an issue sometimes, but...

But not that bad.

Not caring as to whether or not anything had happened that would make her toxic, she threaded her hand through Silver's as they waited outside the mall.

"I'm not gonna just let you die like this," she said. He'd been far too kind to her... He'd fucking saved her ass from that weirdo with the rifle as well... "We started this mess together, 's how we'll finish it.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:11 pm

Mike was ready and waiting with a team of Ace and his assistants, garbed in what surgical and/or waterproof gear they could dig up at such short notice. They'd cleared a corridor from the Mall entrance to the Security Office, where they had the until-now unused cells reserved for people who broke the laws that no longer held any sway in Malton. He walked over to Petro, snapping rubber gloves on.

"We're ready. I wasn't expecting Silver to come back without a fight, actually."

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:14 pm

He looked over at Mike. "Him and Sherry. She went out after him, they ran into trouble, she got splashed with blood, may or may not be Silver's. They both go into quarantine," he said curtly.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:23 pm

The words flew through Mike's head. He was vaguely aware that, when put together in the correct order, they meant something important, but speech had momentarily failed him.

After a few moments as the sentence danced in his head, nouns, verbs and punctuation marks crashing into each other willy-nilly, they seemed to coalesce into something understandable. This newly-formed comprehension did not, however, assist him in recovering his voice.

Sentences clashed in his head, accusations and remonstrations, some of them quite detailed and lengthy, most of them containing words not usually spoken in polite society. In the end, however, all he could say was the single word:

"WHAT!?"

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:24 pm

His voice was cold and stern, his demeanor even and rigid. "You heard me. Get ready to work."

His eyes bore into Mike's, brooking no dissent, willing him to calm the fuck down.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:32 pm

Luckily, at that moment some part of Mike's psyche turned on the autopilot, and Mike heard himself barking instructions and pointing vigerously as though he was watching T.V.

"Slight change of plans, people! We've got 2 vectors, and blood has been spilled. Luckily they're docile at the moment, but be careful and isolate yourselves if you become contaminated. MOVE!" He clapped his hands, and the doctors-in-training sprang into action. He followed them out and into the rain slowly and haltingly, like a man who'd just been punched in the gut.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:34 pm

"Back the docs," he told the sentries at the entranceway. "And if I give the order to shoot, shoot to kill."

His own hand rested on his pistol. If need be, he'd do it himself.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:12 pm

As they were escorted into the mall, someone handed Sherry a blanket. Or it might have been a towel. She wasn't sure, was paying no attention to anything happening save what was occurring within her own body.

She felt fine.

Well, nervous, but physically fine.

Toes and fingers could curl, yes. Eyes could shift focus, yes. Mouth wasn't dry and vision wasn't blurry...

But this was more than a snake bite. This was something far more risky, something she didn't even know how to detect, let alone how to combat. But she trusted Mike. She trusted Melanie and the Guard, trusted Ace and his weird little array of proteges, but she trusted Mike above and beyond the rest. And if push came to shove, she wanted him or Petro to do their worst.

And so far, she'd yet to see either of them.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:28 pm

Mike was the last to reenter the building, inspecting the ground for bloodspots that might have to be cleaned before the rain washed them into the gutters. That helpful part of his psyche that had hijacked his brain when the rest of him simply failed had shifted his mental gears to the subject of Sherry, or more precisely, her condition.

I'm going to have to assume the worst. He thought, as he motioned to a suited figure with a makeshift sponge. Which means I'm going to need more of my so-called 'cure'.

He shuddered. It was a cure for the viral strain in the same way that one could stop a phone from ringing by hitting it repeatedly with a sledgehammer; Brutal and utterly lacking in finesse or subtlety, but he worked with the tools and the timeframe he'd been given.

Of course, it was far more personal now. Silver, he could simply view as a patient, and an unstable, technically expendable patient at that. Three months in Malton had eroded his morals somewhat, and the possibility of Silver dying while he sledgehammered the infection hadn't fazed him that much. Hell, the man was going to die if he didn't try the cure anyway.

But Sherry...

He shook his head and walked away from the man furiously mopping the bloodspot. It was a whole new fucking ballgame now.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:47 pm

He waved them through, letting the medical people guide them along. The cell had been prepared for Silver, and now... well, Sherry might need one soon enough.

He steeled himself and kept his expression impassive, lighting a fresh cigarette off his last one.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 4:53 pm

Unfortunately, there hadn't been more than one cell prepared, but that was fine with her. It wasn't as though Silver frightened her, anyway. He didn't seem to be doing well with the gunshots; Sherry tended to him as best she could at the time, but there wasn't really anything she could do that hadn't been done.

So she sank down onto the bench and stared at the floor.

Fuck.

She shouldn't have come back.

Jaycee was still out there, and because she'd gone berserker on some idiot she was now faced with the possibility of having the same shit that Silver had.

And of course, that was just going to worry everyone more. Poor girl, poor Sherry, looks like she drew the short stick again... With a growl, she slammed her fist into the drywall, denting it rather severely.

And that was when she felt it.

A twinge in her, spreading through her limbs.

Her body had liked that more than it should have.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:00 pm

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Mike stood at the door, only his glasses and eyes visible behind the improvised medical gear he'd whipped together. Contrary to his usual good humour, or at least concern, there was a tinge of the sarcastic in his voice.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:08 pm

Sherry was leaning against the wall, and when she looked up to him, something on her face just wasn't right. She looked... Like an entirely different person, almost.

"What?" she asked tonelessly, accepting the fact that she probably wasn't going to live past the next few hours. If they couldn't save Silver, they wouldn't leave her be until she turned. They'd just get it done the quick, easy, efficient way. Hell, that's how she'd do it herself if she had the means. Or the balls.

Maybe she could break out.

Take the bastard down before she went ripshit and started attacking anything that moved.

Even if they could 'cure' her, she couldn't stay. She'd done too much damage already.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:21 pm

"You're thinking of doing something reckless and utterly irrational, I can tell." Mike's voice was cold, clinical and precise. "I'd expect nothing less from you, Sher. That's partly why- Never mind." His tone broke momentarily but reasserted itself.

"Now." He walked a few steps into the room and grabbed a chair loosely with one hand. "At this point, the virus is making you more aggressive, less reasonable. Fight it. The Sherry I know is stronger than any damn virus."

He pulled the chair closer to the cell and sat on it backwards, the backrest pointing towards Sherry.

"I can save Silver, and I can save you. The question is, do you want to be?"

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:24 pm

"I honestly don't think so," she said coldly.

No reason given, no explanation. He could figure it out on his own.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:28 pm

He entered the security office. Stepping up to the bars, he passed a pack of cigarettes through.

"It's not about what you want," he said coldly. "We need both of you. I need both of you."

He looked at her, his eyes daring her. She pulled the same line on him when he was down and out after the building collapse.

Don't you fucking give up on me.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:29 pm

"Petro." Mike hissed. "Do you think I'm wearing this fucking NBC gear for shits and giggles?"

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:31 pm

He looked back at Mike with an 'oh fuck' expression.

"Ah hell, I thought you had it on because you were going to be in fluid contact and shit. If this is airborne... we're fucked anyway."

He stepped back from the bars, all the same.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:34 pm

She said nothing, staring up to Petro with an angry, but tired look.

"For what? Getting more of my men killed? Trying to take care of people and ending up having to be taken care of? You could find two dozen fucks to fill that place," she spat, turning her back to them and laying down on the minimalist furniture.

'Don't give up' was a bit too late. She already had.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:41 pm

"You hauled me out of that mess by the fucking hospital," he snarled. "You gave me that beautiful speech about how everyone fucking needed me. So here I am. You wouldn't let me stay and die, and I'm not letting you walk. You think you got it rough, you little fucking crybaby? Get over yourself, grow a pair, and get back on the goddamned team."

He stomped forward, his eyes blazing. "Let me explain something to you. If you give up, you will make me put a goddamned round into your goddamned skull, burn your body, then haul your charred fucking corpse outside, hack it to pieces, and nail it down. Cowards make everyone else pay for their inability to cope. And if you try to bust out of here, you risk spreading the infection. So you've got one goddamned choice if you want to actually live up to your fucking responsibility."

Oh yeah, no act or artifice. He was pissed.

Post by **Dark Silver** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:51 pm

He had remained quiet, letting them talk. He had nothing to offer, not until he heard the newest conversation.

The bloodloss had made him lightheaded, unable to concentrate. It was all he could do to keep the animal at bay. But the voices, yes, the others where still there.

He looked at Sherry, leaning on the wall, moving into the chair. He heard Petro and Mike arguing with her. Something had to be said.

When he spoke, his voice was hollow, almost seeming to resonate in the emptiness that came. It was Silver's, and it wasn't...

"You were not meant to be like us, kid.... We did not want you infected....want you hurt. Listen to Petro and Mike...they care for you....do not give up...do not join us...."

He went silent again, tilting his head down to rest his chin on his chest. The bloodflow was staunched for now.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:54 pm

"Then why the fuck did you confiscate my weapons?" she asked. "Give me one round. I'll do it. You're right: I am a coward, and I'm sick of being taken care of when other people deserve it more."

She looked over her shoulder, flippantly grazing her eyes over his before just shaking her head.

"Congratulations at being stronger than me. That what you wanted to hear? I've fucked things up for my people enough without continuing to run them into the ground," she growled. "Now where's my fucking gun?"

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:57 pm

Mike was more exhausted than he had ever been in his life. The chair wasn't an affectation; He couldn't stand. The ability had simply left him when he'd entered the room. But he'd be damned if he was going to let the rest of them see that, and he was going to do his duty and save their lives before he let himself go.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:59 pm

"What I wanted to hear," he said quietly. "Was that I wasn't going to have to deal with it again. You know what I already had to do this yesterday. And you know what damn well could've happened if you hadn't been there afterward."

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:08 pm

All that was visible was a slight shiver as she sighed and closed her eyes.

"Guess that was all I could do to start to redeem myself," she said coldly. "Now get me my fucking nine so I can finish it."

And Mike would realize then that the time they'd spent, those few hours before she'd escaped and before he'd conferenced with Ace, had been when she'd fallen apart. And she'd hidden it like the best of them, smiling and holding his hand as she'd realized she couldn't feel a goddamn thing.

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Urban Dead: This Means War

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