Invasion

by Phoenixfyretail

Based after the events of Far Cry 3, Gwen is sent to patch things up. These detail her struggle to prevail. Some are various clips, but the main story is a rough script for a manga/book thing I'm working on. Gwen (OC)/Carlos (Vaas's right hand man)

Far Cry 3

N: Awesome! Let's get pre-game outta the way. Name please? Any specific look changes?

G: Gwendolyn. Gwen for short. And I'm wearing a suit. And boots.

N: Classy~~ So! You already know your job. You got a tip from a contact of yours named Willis Huntley. He's a member of the FBI, but a pretty generous guy, and fro the time you've known him he's been open about sharing a few secrets. He told you about an old drug trafficking ring he used to be investigating on an uncharted, very little-known island; "Rook Island."

G: Okay. (Chess anyone?) And I'm going to do what?

N: Apparently this one guy, a Jason Brody, took out the entire thing almost single handedly, and there are rumors that Mr. Brody may be returning and looking for some help to be sure he's gotten rid of the criminals for good. Being a friend of Jason as well, Willis said he'd set you two up.

G: *Eyebrow wiggle* Okay!
N: He gave you the coordinates and sent you on your way. That's where you are now. Mysterious Rook Island (maybe your next job will bring you to knight island). The place is beautiful. Looks like paradise really. It's weird to think it used to have such an awful crime ring going around.

N: …Well, it was weird to think, until you got to the location Willis sent you to. 'Bad Town' it's called, and it looks just like the name would make you think. Small, beat up shacks, a clearly labeled whore house, and your destination; The 'Crazy Cock' bar, with a neon rooster by the sign.

G: Huh. I get my bearings and look about, searching for Jason? And cleverly stay out of clear sight. (Do I have any weapons?)

N: You look through your bag, just in case things get messy. You have one handgun, a good amount of bullets, your cell phone which only holds Willis's number and the one he said would be Jason's, a hunting knife, and your camera.

N: The bar is full. Everyone looks like they probably have a bad reputation, but they all seem a lot more interested in their drinks than you.

G: I hide in the back, ducking into an empty private room, and load my gun, tucking it into my shoulder holster under my jacket. I slip the knife into my belt, out of sight. I sling my bag back on and stay in the shadows after getting a drink, observing.

N: Now that you think about it, Willis really should have told you what Jason LOOKS like. Nearly everyone looks the same here. Dingy clothing, tired eyes, frowning face.

G: Discretely, I pull out my cell phone and raise my drink at the same time, pinning the phone between my ear and the wall, after dialing Jason's number.

N: The phone starts to ring. A few seconds later, you hear a phone start ringing somewhere in the bar. The person who answers and holds it up to their ear… Doesn't look like a 'Jason.' It's a blond woman, Caucasian, wearing jeans and a purple top. Her purse is black leather- strapped to her thigh more like a gun holster than a handbag.

G: "This is Jason, correct?"

N: The line is quiet for a moment. You can see the woman looking around. "Ah…yeah. You could say that. Are you the person Willis sent…?"

G: "Yes." I take another sip of my drink. And turn so I have to hold the phone to my ear with the other hand. Then I look at her.

N: She doesn't seem to notice you. "Where are you? Are you on the island yet?"

G: "I'm looking right at you?"

N: You see her tense, freezing for only a second before her hand drifts to her purse. Maybe money and make-up isn't all she's packing in ther.

"Then come over here. There's a free seat waiting for you. "

She hangs up.

G: (The area needs to be described a bit more.) I walk around the outer edge of the bar, staying out of sight, and tuck my phone in my pocket. I appear out of the shadows in front of her and sit.

N: The bar is alarmingly dark, a few orange lights hanging from the ceiling making the room no-more inviting. Smoke fills the air. Looks like this establishment has never heard of the no-smoking policy for buildings. It's a little alarming, seeing as everything in this place is made of dull and old looking wood. Several tables are scattered about, circular ones like you'd find at a park, but no one seems to care about how shabby they are. Most tables only house one patron, drinking alone and acting oblivious to their surroundings.

You and this Jason seem to be the only people on guard, and no one else seems to be noticing. Some people have guns in their laps. Others pick at the wooden tables with their knives.

'Jason' seems surprised when you just show up, but keeps a determined and unafraid look in her eyes. "You're Gwen?"

G: "Yes. Gwen Clover. I take it you're Jason?"

N: "I'm the Jason who called. But… not the real Jason." She admits rather quickly. "I found that Willis guy's number in the real Jason's room. My name's Daisy." She offers you her hand to shake.

G: I shake it and ask, "Where is the real Jason?"

N: "Back in Santa Monica. He doesn't know I'm here. I'm one of his friends, one of the five of us who survived our first trip here. I'm also the main bridesmaid of his wedding. That's why I'm here."

G: "Is the bride missing? Or what?"

N: "No, no. Nothing like that. The thing is…We were kidnapped here like… a year and a half ago? Maybe two? Jason was the one who fought for us, rescued most of us. He changed, you know? He got used to the bloodshed. Hooked on it. At first, he didn't want to leave. He's gotten a lot better now, but he has dreams and stuff. He starts thinking he's back on the island. With him and Liza getting married, I don't want this place keeping them back anymore. So… I want to tame his nightmares. And I'm hoping you can help me."

G: "All right. What are we to do? And who is Liza? And what's your plan?"

N: "Liza's his wife-to-be. Another one of us who escaped. She's worried Jason will either get worse and worse until he's fully hallucinating and hurts someone, or he decides to come back here and settle things himself. I'm afraid he won't come home if comes back to this island." She sighs, taking a sip of her drink. "So I'm here. The first thing I want you to do is find someone for me. Here, it's someone…" Daisy starts digging in her pocket for something for you.

G: I take another sip of my drink and look around.

N: The drink is a little bitter, and as you bring it up to your face you realize something. This entire bar smells like that drink. Maybe it's just because it IS a bar, but you have a feeling this place doesn't have a very dedicated cleaning staff…

Daisy pulls out a piece of paper, handing it to you. "Her name is Citra. She was, like, the queen of some jungle cult. They thought she was a goddess. She tried to get Jason to kill us all and stay with her. She's the main thing he freaks out about. I mean, he freaks about all of it, but her the most. We saw her get stabbed in the gut but…I want you to find her body. To be sure she's really dead."

G: I take the paper, studying it and nodding with what she was saying. "How will this help Jason if he isn't here?" I don't bother with the beverage anymore. Maybe it's drugged.

N: "I'll tell him all of it once I'm done. I can't tell him while I'm here. He'll be on the next plane over-exactly what I'm trying to avoid. If you could take a picture or something, I could use it to prove it to him."

The paper is a simple notebook scrap with a few things written in pen. "-Citra –warrior goddess –willing to kill-obsessed with J-Drugs people –VERY sneaky, lots of guards.

"Do you have a map? I could mark down the location where she should be. If she didn't survive…"

G: "So…ninja mission." I mutter, pulling a map out of my pocket.

N: Daisy pulls out a red crayon of all things and marks the location with an X. She also marks badtown, where you are, with a circle. "Here. I'll pay you when you return. Will you do it?"
((Big file for the map. I'll keep it saved and update it regularly. Tell me if there's anything you want me to add to it for you as you play.))

G: "Yes. I'll call you when I return."

N: She almost smiles, looking clearly relieved.

G: ((Okay. This is already marked on, correct?)) I nod back and stand, silently sinking into the shadows and leaving.

N: ((Yup. X and O already on map.))

G: ((Alright!))

N: You see her turn her attention back to her drink. It's afternoon, the sun just starting to set. Even in this dreary town, it's beautiful.

G: I walk away, observing the map and wondering how the hell I'm supposed transport myself down there without walking.

N: Who knows. Maybe you can find someone willing to drive you? If you can find someone with a car. That or you walk… fun.

G: *internal sobbing* I tie up my hair, and tuck the map into my pocket, and start walking. This is gonna be fun. Yay. I keep an eye out for special landmarks and places to camp/sleep/rest as I go.

N: You see a tower off in the distance. Looks like a cell phone or radio tower. Other than that, all you see is trees, and sticks, and dirt. Yay.

G: Whoot whoot. I keep going, and eventually find myself humming to pass the time. Still on the lookout for anyone. I check the map at various times.

N: You don't see anyone. Leaves, grass, a chicken, hills, logs, more trees… it's quiet. But not too quiet. You hear plenty of birds, the wind rustling the trees, bugs… it's lovely. That's when you see it. The glorious vehicle parked on hill only a ways down the road away from town!

G: I make my way to it cautiously, looking to see if there is anyone hidden around. Hey what do you know? I check to see if the keys are in it.

N: WOW. Whoever left it actually left the keys in the car. Smart bro… looks like it's your lucky day. No one else is around.

G: I check it for bombs and jump in, starting it and driving away while checking the map. ((Mark where I found the car!))

N: ((Marked! Can't show 'ya 'cause I'm on my phone now but it's there for future use.))

G: Okay! So… driving. Landmarks?

N: Uhh… The dirt road you're on now? And the tower in the distance.

G: so nope. I continue driving until I find something of interest.

N: You follow the road only to find there are a lot of smaller trails branching off of it… Where to go…

G: ((I'm going the wrong way aren't I?))

The radio tower on the map is the opposite of where I'm supposed to be.

N: there are a few radio towers on the map! Hmm… you imagine you're looking at the one closest to Bad Town… You start looking for the best to your destination.

G: I turn around and head back to Bad town, following the main road towards the other radio tower I can faintly see in the distance.

N: You make decent time in the little, making your way to the tower. It stretches far off into the brilliant orange sky.

G: I continue to drive, and look to see if there is a radio in the car.

N: There is! Nice! You turn it on, and begins playing some beach-party music.

G: So, I'm driving and jamming along with the music, still looking out for potential bad guys.

N: It takes at LEAST an hour to reach your destination. The sky is a dark purple. You reach the outside of what seems to be a temple?
G: I mark it on the map, and park the car, hiding it and taking the keys with me. I go and investigate the temple like structure.

N: It… sounds completely empty. Checking your map again, this is the place marked. A small stairway and path leads further into the overgrown temple.

G: I cautiously enter, a hand on my gun. I wonder if I can rest here for a short while.

N: You can hear a few birds. Other than that, nothing. The sky is slowly darkening, and coupled with the dark foliage, it gives the place a magical and sacred feel. Perhaps once you get further in you can find a nice rest spot.

G: I go further in an look for a soft spot to sleep on.

N: Grass has taken over nearly all the stone, so most anywhere is a good nap spot. Perhaps you can make this your home base?

As you enter the main courtyard, you start to see bones. At the very least HUNDREDS of skeletons litter the ground. How many people were killed at once? As you walk, you see blades in the hands of the deceased. A mass suicide?

In front of it all is a slightly raised platform. All the bodies face it. It's hard to focus on that instead of the many, many, bodies around you.

G: I shudder, more than a little creeped out. But I force myself to study the raised platform.

N: You almost let out a shout as you see a living person crouched down near the center of the platform. You hadn't even noticed him… He's as quiet as the dead surrounding him, but as you watch you can see the faint rise and fall of his shoulders. He's holding something, investigating it carefully. You see one body a ways to the left of him. It's in more pieces that the others, lying on it's side with it's hands loose around a knife in it's ribs. Another body lies directly at the man's feet. You realize he's holding it's skull…

G: I back away silently, and hide, hoping he hasn't seen me.

N: You swear you step on at least one bone in your hurry. He doesn't seem to notice at all. Other than his breathing, his only movement is a slight turn of the skull in his hands, to see a different angle. He wears a red sleeveless shirt over his slightly dark skin. Several necklaces. Dark green cargo pants. Dark boots.

G: I stay hidden, wondering what the hell to do.

N: He remains silent. You haven't been noticed. Maybe you should leave? Then what, go back empty handed? Uh… maybe he's friendly?

G: I sneak back out, and tear away in my car, deciding that a tree sounds fabulous tonight.

N: You swear you hear a voice as you hurry away. Sounds… Spanish? No, Mexican. "You should pay your respects to the dead before you just fucking leave you know!" Uh…. Maybe you imagined it.

G: I leave. I'll take care of that later.

N: Whether or not it was him who called out to you, no one pursues you. Where to now?

G: He's scary. I drive about a mile back, and hide the car in the forest. I camp out there, sleeping in the front seat.

N: The sound of crickets lulls you to sleep. It's hot, but you sleep well. You wake surprisingly early. Maybe the creepy guy spooked you too much to sleep late.

G: I wake up, hunt down edible plants and such, and find fresh water. Check my map, and take off towards the crayon X.

N: After your breakfast, you return to the temple. There's no way that guy slept here. He better be gone.

G: I don't take chances, and keep my gun out as I search it in the daylight.

N: The bodies aren't any less creepy in the morning sun. Returning to the platform, you see the man is gone. The body he was looking at has had it's skull carefully put back in place. The body that was to his left has it's skull crushed… Stomped, maybe? It's chilling.

G: I shudder, but inspect the rest of the temple.

N: The rest is gorgeous. Calm. Serene.

Now… How do you know if the person you're supposed to look for is one of the dead here?

G: I start looking for any skeletons that were stabbed in the gut. Without their hands on the blade.

N: It's morbid work, searching every single body for the way they died. You're at it for at least half an hour before something breaks your focus.

"What exactly are you doing here, Gringa? Huh!?"

G: "Looking for something. Paying my respects. I'll be leaving." I turn, leaving.

N: You turn to see the man from yesterday. He's standing right in the way of the only exit. Dang… He starts walking toward you, slow and casual, as he holds his gun aimed at your head.

"No no no no no please. If you were her for that why not have done it yesterday, huh? I made no move to stop you. Where are you from? You a fucking tourist? This island is not some fucking vacation home, okay?!"

His voice is almost completely lax, perhaps faintly annoyed, until the last sentence. He shouts that part.

G: "I'm not a tourist. I'm just someone doing somebody a favor." My hand is also holding my gun behind my back.

N: "Oh, gringa, got something behind you? Maybe flowers, huh, for your visit? Ohhhh, thaaat's why you left yesterday! You forgot your flowers! Do NOT play dumb with me!"

Oh no. His voice is softly sarcastic, rising like a storm until he's screaming again. All the while he continues his leisurely walk toward you. He makes no effort to avoid stepping on the bodies.

G: ((I'm gonna have to kill this guy aren't I?))

N: ((Maybe, maybe not. Who knows~ you can try talking. Maybe.))

G: ((Ah shit.)) "Ever heard of someone called Citra?"

N: He stops his walk. He's only maybe five feet away now, but has clearly stopped before he planned to. His face isn't shocked… but clearly interested. He doesn't lower the gun, though.

"Maybe. Who taught you manners, gringa? Mama never teach you to introduce yourself?" His voice is suddenly more normal again this time, as if just lightly scolding a friend. "Are you looking for Citra? Why are you looking for Citra?"

G: "I'm Gwen. I'm looking for Citra as the favor for a friend. She wants to know where they are located. That's all."

N: His eyes scan you carefully. It's a skilled gaze, clearly trained and experienced. Green eyes. He'd be handsome if it weren't for the greasy hair and the huge scars on half of his face. He sighs, taking his gun off you to use the barrel of it to scratch the back of his neck.

"You can tell your friend to come looking himself. No no no- tell him to go home."

G: I sigh slightly, and nod. "Thanks." I move, careful t to step on any bones. And make my way to the exit.

N: Too quickly for you to react, he brings his gun back to aiming at you and-click. Your life flashes before your eyes. With a breath you realize that's all it was. A click. No bullet. The gun is empty. He lowers it, clearly having known it wasn't going to fire.

"Do you know how these people died, gringa?" He calls back to you.

G: I look back at the skeletons, and really look at them. "I'm going to guess either mass suicide or mass murder."

N: He chuckles lightly. He turns his back to you and starts to stroll toward the main platform. With a wave of his gun, he motions for you to follow.

"Good. Very good. Ding ding ding, you're right. They all stabbed themselves like 'True Rakyats.'" He hisses the last words with poisonous hate. "And why did they do that?"

G: "I wouldn't know. I would say that they were afraid."

N: He hangs his head low with a disappointed sigh as he climbs the steps of the platform. "No no no. They should have been afraid. But they couldn't see it, oh no, couldn't see the puppet strings yanking them left and right. Couldn't even fucking feel them. They should have been afraid, galetta. But they just loooooved their fucking warrior Goddess. Each and every one of them with such a hard on for Citra. They thought maybe, hey, maybe if I do this one last thing for her, just oooone last favor, that'll be enough. She'll be happy."

He's clearly getting angry again, but not like before. A controlled anger. Not dangerous… Hopefully.

"They should've been afraid. Because Citra is NEVER. SATISFIED. No matter what you do. Not until you give EVERYTHING you ever were for her. Not even after that!"

He crouches down by one of the skeletons on the platform, breathing carefully to collect his thoughts.

G: "Did you know them?" I gesture to the bodies around me, still taking not to step on any bones.

N: "No. But I didn't know them. But I KNEW them, you know? They were my people too. And then she ropes them in, her little playthings, tools, and tells them all she loves just please please please do this for her. Just this. Just this, you are a powerful Rakyat warrior, just do this. And when they were finally freed from her, from all her lies, what next? They kill themselves. Can't live without Citra. Why live without Citra?"

You watch as he picks up the skull he was holding yesterday. "Do you know what someone is when they keep coming back to that? When they do the same thing over and over, no matter how many times, and think it'll work out this time? Those people are crazy. That is insane."

He stands up, skull in his hand. He seemed kind of out of it during his rant, but is slowly coming back now. "Gwen? You said your name was Gwen?"

G: "Yes." I watch his movements carefully, analyzing if I'm gonna need to make a run for it.

N: He turns to you and holds out the skull. The handgun is still in his other hand.

"Gwen, your friend is looking for Citra? Looking for Citra, the beautiful Goddess Citra? They want to know where to find their precious jungle queen? They wanna see my sister? You tell them they've gone crazy. You bring Citra here to your friend, and then you go. You leave this island. You never talk to that friend again. They're gone, Gwen. They're already under her spell. You won't get them back. They'll turn on you just as quick as she would've wanted them too."

G: I move cautiously forward, and slowly get up to the platform with him. "Citra… was your sister? This is her?" I hold my hands out.

N: You see something change as he makes eye contact with you. Some kind of calm comes back to him. You can see the validation in his eyes as he hears your question. Almost as if he needed to be reminded of the facts himself.

"This is the skull of my little sister. This is Citra. I heard she was dead but I-I don't know, I didn't fucking believe it. I didn't want to come back here. What if she wasn't dead? What if it was a trap?"

He carefully puts Citra's skull into your hands.

"But I- me? I'm not crazy. I'm not just going to keep running and running as if that will change something."

G: "I believe you. Thank you. But I never learned your name." I cradle the skull carefully.

N: He smiles at you and lowers his hand back to his side. "Vaas. If your friend is looking for revenge, you can tell them to go find Vaas. Tell them… Tell them I'm still alive, and I can set them free from her curse."

He cocks his gun and puts his free hand in his pocket. The gun is pointed safely at the ground.

G: "Thank you again Vaas. I'll tell them." I keep the skull safely cradled to my chest, and leave, making sure not to step on any bones.

N: You see Vaas wave as you leave, calling out, "Don't trust them, Galleta!" as his goodbye. What an… interesting man. Looks like you found Citra. Mission complete.

G: And made a friend. I jump back into my car, keep the skull close, and leave. I pull out my cell phone on the way and call Daisy.

N: "Hello? Gwen? Oh my god, you had me worried! I thought she killed you! Where are you?"

G: "I'm fine Daisy. Citra's dead. I have a photo. No worries. I'll be back soon."

N: "Oh god… good, good. I'll be waiting back at the bar with your next job."

G: "See you then." I hang up, and take a photo of the skull. For some reason, I decide I'm going to keep it."

N: So you and what's left of Citra enjoy the drive back to Badtown. Wonder what Vaas will do in the abandoned temple… Maybe hand out more Citra bones to 'gringas' and 'galletas'.

G: ((What the hell does gringa mean anyway?))

Driiiiiiiiviiiiiing!

N: ((It's an insulting term for a white girl foreigner. Galleta is the same, translating directly into 'cookie' or 'cracker'.))

G: ((Jerk. I don't like him anymore.))

N: ((Pffft! Serious? Eh. There's a lot left to learn about Vaas. Maybe you'll hate him, maybe you'll love him. We just don't know. But there are a lot more characters to meet to! So off to adventuuuuure!))

G: ((I was kidding Amanda. ))

N: You and Citra's skull…. Creepy…. Were driving back to Badtown to meet up with Daisy. It's almost ten o'clock on the lovely island.

G: So yeah. Basically, driving. That's it. In the morning or evening?

N: Morning! Vaas does ramble, but he didn't rant at you for THAT long!

G: So yeah, driving. All day. Back to badtown.

N: You reach the town gates. Nothing has changed since you last stopped by. A woman sobs on her porch with a bottle of whiskey in her hands. A few teens are huddled around an older man in an alley. One person is passed out in a trashcan. Do you drive the car into town or just park it?

G: I hide it back behind a few trees, snap a photo of a Citra's skull, and take the keys with me after tucking the skull in my bag safely. I'm gonna keep it. I then go to the bar after avoiding everyone. I stay in the shadows and look for daisy.

N: Daisy has reclaimed the seat she was originally waiting in. Either that or she hasn't moved in twenty four hours. Who knows. Mystery.

G: I walk over to her, sit down, and show her the photo of Citra's skull. "There. She's dead."

N: She takes the picture. "Are you sure this is her? How do you know?"

After looking at it for some kind of sign, she looks back up at you.

G: "I met someone who knew for a fact that it was her."

N: She hesitates, thinking it over, then nods. "Good….good. Thank you."

"Now for the next target. This one should be easier. Take it as a thanks for the hard work."

G: "Who?" I ask, and sit back a bit.

N: She pulls out another piece of note paper, passing it to you as she starts explaining. "This guy's name is Buck. I honestly don't know what he did. From what I could get them to say, he kidnapped our friend Keith way back then. Jason saved him, killed Buck, the whole deal. But Keith seems almost afraid of deer now. It's real weird. I want to be sure this guy's gone too."

The paper:

-Buck –Captured Keith –Lives outside Badtown?

G: I take the paper. "Location?"

N: "Jas said he killed him in his home. I hear he lives somewhere near here, but I don't know where. From what I could get he was a pretty popular guy around here. Maybe the locals know where he lived. Again, I just need a picture of the body."

G: "Easier said than done." I sighed. "All right, I'll look into it."

I stand up and leave.

N: So where to go first? This sucks. If only you had a local friend.

G: Hmm… Maybe Vaas would know… I could try looking.

N: Looking for…? Looking where…? I'm imagining you looking under a porch like, "Vaaaaaaas, where are yooooou?"

G: Not for Vaas silly, for Buck. I could search for empty homes outside Badtown. That in mind, I head for the gates.

N: Alright! Which way first? Left or right around the town?

G: Let's take a left and look for empty houses.

N: You start walking in a sort of wide circle around the town. It's right by a river. For now maybe you should stay on this side of said river. You walk along it, looking for a house. The tall grass brushes up against your thighs. There's no road over here. You look around seeing no house yet, only tall swaying trees, a glimpse of orange, and the clear blue water.

G: Welp. Nothing here. I keep looking. Pretty though. I stop and make sure the water is clean, to check and see if I can drink it.

N: It's a little warm but other than that, it's pretty refreshing.

G: Num. I lay down by the riverside and decide to take a small nappy nap.

N: It's easy to fall asleep. Maybe by doing this work for Daisy, you can help make the island a better place. You can see why Vaas thought you were a tourist. This place is paradise. It'd be great for vacations.

Gunshots. What!? You hear gunshots!

"Get up, get up, get up, stupid gringa!"

G: I roll away and pull out my gun, standing up and aiming directly at my attacker.

N: At first, given the heavy accent and use of 'gringa' you think maybe it's Vaas again. No, this guy doesn't have a Mohawk. He pays no mind to you, taking aim again and shooting a few more times as a roar rings out.

A tiger collapses into the grass, far to close for comfort. The stranger lowers his weapon with a deep breath before turning to you. His voice is deeper than Vaas's, with a heavier accent, but their outfits are similar.

"The hell do you think you're doin' out here!? This is tiger territory!"

G: "I was sleeping. But now I'm not. Thanks for telling me. And saving me."

N: "You crazy white girls. You always show up and do the stupidest shit here." He sighs. He takes a few steps closer to you. "Don't sleep out here. You'll get eaten."

G: I roll my eyes. "You're not the only person calling me crazy. I'm Gwen. You are?"

N: "Name's Carlos. Been on this shit island for a good while now. You learn pretty quick that either you sleep in a camp, in a tree, or in something's stomach. What brings you to rook island, chica?"

G: "I'm here doing a couple things to try to help a friend. I'm looking for a man named Buck. Supposedly he was killed a few years ago, but I need confirmation that he is dead. Do you know where he might be?"

Holy hell, I like this guy. I retuck my gun in my shoulder holster.

N: ((Oh no! Now there's competition! Vaas vs Carlos for your affections!))

G: ((Carlos wins.))

N: He stops, then nods a bit. "Buck. Been a helluva while since I heard his name. Yeah, I knew him." He pauses for a moment.

"I don't know where his body might be, but I know where he lived."

G: "Can you show me where? I need clues."

N: Another slow nod. "Yeah. No problem. That… actually helps me out, too. Follow."

With that he's turned, walking off with no turn of the head to be sure you're following.

G: I follow after him, taking care to keep my footsteps silent.

N: Every now and then he looks around to be sure there aren't any animals around. He leads you to a small shack-type building. As he approaches it, he turns to see you.

"Welcome to the home of Bambi 'Buck' Hughes. Had this stupid looking deer tattoo across his entire torso when I knew him, and I never saw 'im with a shirt on. C'mon."

G: I smile at the tattoo comment, and follow after him, taking notes of my surroundings and marking my location on my map.

N: The house is, as Daisy thought, very close to the town.

Carlos pounds on the door first. "Oi! Anybody home? … If I open this frickin' door and see you, buddy, I'm gonna start shootin'. Ready?"

Still receiving no answer, Carlos kicks down the door. Smooth.

G: I enter, hand on my gun, after him, and instantly look about.

((laughing insanely at the door kick down.))

N: ((Better remember to answer the door when Carlos knocks, or at least let him know to wait.))

He glances around the room. It's full of dust, seemingly having went untouched for a long time. There isn't much. A window, a few shelves, a desk, and a seat. He LIVED here? If anything, you don't see a body.

G: I begin searching the desk and shelves for anything, for any clues.

N: Carlos wanders into the center of the room. He seems a little lost in thought. A moment later distracted from your search as he stomps on the floor a few times. Afterward, he turns to you.

"Not finding what you lookin' for, chica?"

G: I sigh, and run a hand through my hair, shaking the dirt free.

"No." I sigh again. "That's annoying. But thanks for your help."

I step back a bit, leaning against the wall, and wonder what the hell to do.

N: "Don't just start pouting, gringa. Let's check the other room." You can hear the smile in his voice as he walks to the wall behind the desk. Getting down on one knee, he runs his hand along the wood floor until he finds what he was looking for. A latch. He lifts it, and the door you hadn't even SEEN attached to it, and reveals a staircase under the floor.

"Ladies first?"

G: I stare at it for a second, and smirk at him, before going down the stairs, and getting my bearings.

N: A pink tinted light flickers frantically as it lights the basement room. It's not a big room, with a cement floor and brick walls. A bed-nothing but a mattress- sits in the corner. A pole stands in the room, perhaps for support although it is a bit thin, and a camera is set on a tripod facing the bed. In the center of it all is a skeleton lying on the floor.

G: I inspect the camera first, and then turn to the skeleton, discretely snapping a photo with my camera.

"Looks like we found him." I say quietly, losing my professional voice.

N: The camera on the tripod seems to have died.

Carlos is sitting on the bottom of the stairs. He turns his head when he hears the fragile tone you use. "Ai… what's wrong, chica? Uh… not good with bodies? C'mon, we can, uh, go up now if you want."

G: "I've got a history with them." I say, my voice's real accent coming through. "Let's get outta here."

N: "You aren't the only one." Carlos says. He steps aside to again, let you go up first.

G: "Unless there was something you needed? You said coming here would help you."

N: "It did. We can go."

G: I get up the stairs, and head outside, where I wait for him. My head is spinning. Why are all these people dead?

I run my hand through my hair again. I'm getting so confused. Grrrrrreat.

N: Carlos closes the door behind the two of you. The day is still clear and bright. Maybe the fresh air will help clear your head. Maybe Carlos can help you find answers? Who know.

"Where ya' headin' next then?"

G: "I don't know." I answer quietly. "I should probably let someone know that I found Buck." I sigh. "I now officially hate being the errand girl."

"You need to be somewhere? I have a vehicle hidden close by. I could get you there."

N: "Not really. I'm a lone wolf nowadays. I can be wherever I wanna be. Why did you need to check in on Buck? Were you, uh, his friend or somethin'?"

G: "No. I didn't even know the man. I was coerced into checking that certain people are dead in order to try to restore someone's sanity. I regret it now."

N: He lets out a bit of a laugh, stopping himself quickly as he realizes that's pretty rude.

"I know the feeling. Balancing someone else's sanity on your shoulders, I mean. You really shouldn't have to keep some dick in check at your own risk, you know. But when that person is someone you trust…"

He cuts himself off, changing the topic.

"It looks like it's stressing you out. Having second thoughts?"

G: "Yes." I say angrily. "I don't even know the man, and the person who it getting me to do this tricked me. But I can't back out now." I lean back against a nearby tree.

"I just need to get this done and maybe cruise around and blend in. Find some place to hide."

N: "Hide?" He asks, stepping a bit closer and bending down to look you in the eyes good. "Woah woah, hide why?"

G: "I'm tired. Haven't slept well in over 48 hours. And I am doing something physically and emotionally taxing. I just need to sleep. Don't worry about me." I shoot him a soft smile.

N: His bandanna covers his mouth, so you can't really guess his expression, but he does back off.

"Well… there's a place I've been staying at. The guy who owned the place was a friend a'mine, got killed by the Rakyat guys, but he had a pretty nice house."

G: "Mind if I crash for a few hours?"

N: "No problem. Might be nice to have some company. It's been sometime since I had a pal over."

G: "Thanks. It's good to know there is someone I can call a friend here." I smile and stand up, waiting for him to lead the way.

N: It's a quiet walk to the east. You come to the beach… and a motorboat. He climbs in, motioning for you to do the same.

"I hate this heat. I'm not from frickin' Ecuador. This is insane. They need to install air conditioners in the trees or something."

G: I jump in after him. "Yeah, no kidding." I say, stripping off my jacket and my dress shirt, leaving myself in just a sleeveless top. "Waaaaay…. Too hot."

N: "Amen!" He shouts in agreement. With that, he starts up the boat and begins the journey.

G: I stand next to him, enjoying the feel of the wind in my air, the water flying up. I'm smiling softly. I love water. And boats.

N: Aaaaand, it's a little less hot on the water. Yaaay!

Carlos doesn't offer any conversation. You want to say something?

G: No. I'm content with the just the water and silence.

N: And the sun. And the birds. And the motor. And the waves. And the bump of the boat when he accidentally runs over a shark, he gives you a panicked 'do not say a word' look, and keeps driving. You safely make it to your destination; a smaller island off the main one. You can see the house he meant from here!

G: "Wow. Nice house." I say, smiling hugely.

N: "Yeah. The guy lived on the island with his daughter or something. Agnes. He was always going on about her, but I never met her. He… was a pretty nice dude. The only guy I knew who was always in a good mood and never pointed a gun at my head. I never even heard him raise his voice."

He explains it while he docks the boat.

G: "Yeah… I'm sorry about that." I say, jumping off onto the dock. "I've had one too many people try to shoot me."

N: "Just wait 'til it's a whole fuckin' town after your head. Jeez. I'm glad I had some amigos back then."

He starts guiding you closer to the home. It really does look nice.

G: I look about, and ask, surprised, "Is the whole town after you?"

N: "Ah-No, no! Not… not anymore. Like I said, I'm on my own now. Heh. Me an' my gang used to have half the island on our backs. But our guns were always bigger."

He leads you in. There's a coat rack by the door, a nice and cozy little living room. A deck to the right, a kitchen seen farther in, and a staircase leading up.

G: "huh." I look about and finally take my shoes off, sighing in relief.

N: "After his death and the whole Brody shit went down, people were coming and going from here for a while. Eventually the supplies ran out so they moved on. I decided to stay. Start something different, you know?"

He continues, filling the silence. He starts to climb the stairs- still wearing his boots.

"The bedrooms and the bathroom are up here."

G: I grab my boots with one hand and follow him, still looking around.

"Smart move. You get something this nice and free space. It's nice here."

N: "Yeah. I never really went more than the front lobby at first, but when we moved in… Yeah, it's super nice."

He laughs, remembering something. He points out the bathroom and starts walking you down the hallway to what will be your room.

G: I follow him, noting things. "We?"

N: "Yeah. Me an' the other guys who were bunking here at first. We made a mess of the place, but we had fun. I tried to clean up once it was just me."

Maybe it's a bit dusty, but the old mansion is looking rather neat. Carlos has done well.

G: "Well done." I say.

N: You get to the room. The walls are painted a light violet. The bed's nice, with a lavender quilt and white sheets. It has a nice, large window overlooking the beach with some pretty lace curtains trailing to the floor. A rocking horse is near the window. There is a dresser.

"It was his daughter's room. Sorry that it's so… pussy."

G: I laugh at his comment. "I don't care." I say. "It's got a bed that I can sleep on. Thank you." I smile.

N: "Cool. I'm gonna go piss. You can get comfortable here." With that, he walks back down the hallway.

G: I laugh again, and flop down on the bed, pulling out my cell phone and calling Daisy.

N: It only rings a few times before she picks up. "Hey Gwen. What's up? You find anything?"

G: "Yeah. He's dead. I got a photo of the body in his house. What's the next one?"

N: "Just a sec, lemme break out the notes… The next one is a guy named Hoyt. These are the last two, okay? We're going in alphabetical order in case you didn't notice. The guy ran this whole Island. It was him and his right hand man who had us kidnapped."

G: "Ah. Location?" I sigh. I'm so done. After this. I'm staying here. On this bed. In this house. Forever. It's calm, quiet, and peaceful.

N: Just move in with Carlos. Hunt down Vaas and adopt him as your child. Have a happy family.

"That's…. tricky. I don't know where Hoyt died. He had an entire sub-island to himself. Is-is this too tough for you? I mean, like, this guy is the biggest fish on the island. I get how it might be tough. Should I call back tomorrow?"

G: "I'll get it done. It might take a while though."

((ROFL AMANDA.))

N: "Positive? Okay. Hoyt had a compound area he spent most of his time in. I'm guessing that's where you should start."

G: "Location of that?"

N: "It's somewhere on the south island, around the center."

G: "Gotcha. I'll call when I get something. Later." I hang up, flop down, and close my eyes.

N: "Ai. Either you wake up and eat or I'm having two shares of eggs, chica."

Woah! It seems you dozed off on the bed.

G: I sit up and stretch, finally looking up at Carlos. "I guess I was more tired than I thought." I smile sheepishly at him. "Did you mention food?"

N: He holds up a paper plate, hosting three eggs. He has his own in the other hand. He hands it to you carefully, trying to keep the fork from sliding off the plate. Mmm…. Scrambled eggs!

G: I take it, careful not spill, sit cross legged and eat. Halfway through, I say, "Thanks for this. Wanna go on a magical adventure with me?" I roll my eyes and continue eating, waiting for his answer.

N: "What the fuck did you just say to me?" He asks, choking on his own food.

G: I throw my head back laughing, and still smiling, I say, "Wanna go to the South Island with me? I need to find someone else. Again." I sigh. I finish my food and set the plate aside, then wait for his answer.

N: He proceeds to choke on the piece of egg he just managed to stop choking on.

"The south island!? Why the hell are you going there!? You can't go there!"

G: "Apparently I have to." Is all I say. "She wants me to find a man named Hoyt. Apparently, the only place she knows where he might be is on the south island." I pull out my map.

N: "H-Hoyt? Jesus… Hoyt's dead alright. Can't that just be enough? Can we not go there? If Hoyt wasn't dead, he would've never let people raid it. People raided it. End of story. We don't go."

G: "Do you know where he was killed? Because if I don't get clues, I have to go to the South island. And from the sounds of it, I'll die… so… yeah. Any other route is preferable."

N: He shakes his head, sighing and groaning. "Yeah. I know where he was killed. After it happened they hung him up at the front of the compound for everyone to see. No one was actually loyal to him. He wasn't like the way our boss had it- all his guys hated his guts. After the body rotted they threw it into the ocean. People who wanted to play drug lord took it over. Seeing as all the old camps are native territory now, the gangs went to the south."

G: I sigh, hanging my head. "And she wants fucking photo proof. Hell. Might as well say, 'Fuck you Gwen!'" Okay. I need to cheat. He's dead. What now. I need a skeleton that I can take pictures of.

N: "I don't know what to tell you, Chica. Why is it such a big deal? Your friend can ask anyone on the island and they'll be able to say they remember watching them parade him through the streets."

G: "I honestly don't know." I say, from where I'm pouting on the bed. I stand up, and stretch a bit. "But I'm not gonna care for right now. I just wanna hang out for a while." I let my hair down and shake it loose. I need a shower.

N: He nods. "That's cool, that's cool. So… Gwen."

With his attempts, it's clear Carlos is not skilled with small talk.

G: "Yeah?" I turn to him. "Wassup?"

N: "Uhhh… nothing. What do you think of the island? Sleep well?"

He's trying to 'hang out.' It is not his specialty. He will need to be trained.

G: I smile softly at him. "Yeah. I slept well, the island's beautiful. Can we explore some? I've never been here."

N: He laughs, a notably warm sound. He seems to be remembering something again. The people who live on these islands just can't get out of their heads, can they?

"Yeah. Sounds good. You done resting? Hahaha…. Hell, if my old boss heard I was playing the guide to a tourist, he'd shoot me on the spot."

G: "Hmm? Who was your old boss?" I grab my boots and head to the door.

N: "Well… I guess my old boss was Hoyt. But that's not who I'm talking about. Like I said, no one liked Hoyt. I worked in a different part, a gang run by his second in command." Carlos explains as he starts leading the way down the stairs.

G: "Ahh." I'm putting my boots on as I walk, hopping from one foot to the other. And I'm laughing while I do it.

N: He laughs too. "He wasn't a bad guy, either. He had his good days and his bad days. Sometimes he'd call everyone to a meeting. He was so unpredictable, you never knew what was gonna happen. Every guy around nearly wet himself when he called us all in together. Half the time it'd be awful. Those were his bad days. The other half he'd make half of us sit down, a quarter of the guys go make popcorn, and the last group help him pick out shows for a random movie night. He was crazy. Completely gone. But he was trying to be a good friend."

At the end of his reminiscing you've reached the exit. He holds open the door. "Got a map? We can decide where to go."

G: I pull my map out of my pocket, and open it, standing close so we can both see it.

N: He takes a look at the map, marking a few things down himself.

G: I watch, laughing when he doesn't mark it in red crayon. I mark his house location on there.

N: "The places I scribbled are off limits. They're filled with druggies and dealers and low lives."

G: "So… basically south Island." I say, raising an eyebrow at the scribbles.

N: "And the one on the top right. Ever since shit hit the fan that place has been just as bad as the south."

G: "Gotcha."

N: "We are over…" He makes some more scribbles. "Here!" Did he… Draw a smilie face on your location…

G: I burst out laughing. "And I thought red crayon was funny! That's awesome!"

N: "What!? Got a problem with a smile? We used them to mark areas we already owned on the job!" he shouts, starting to blush in embarrassment.

G: I pat his shoulder. "It's cool, it's cool. Just unexpected. Let's go find something to do."

N: Pretty flustered, he swats away your hand and starts walking. "Just pick a fucking place! Where are we going!?"

G: "Honestly, I just kinda wanted to drive around and see the place. I've never been here before."

N: "Fine. Hop in the boat. We'll ride around. Point out anywhere you want me to land."

Lol. Embarrassed Carlos is still blushing. Never call a man out on his smilie face.

G: I cartwheel down the dock and flip into the boat with an unexpected burst of energy, smiling when I land correctly.

N: You can practically feel him rolling his eyes. He pulls his bandana over his mouth and nose and follows, starting to drive out into the gorgeous water. It'll be nice to have a day of peace.

G: ((Why do I feel like shits about to go down?))

N: ((What happens from day to day relies mainly on where you go and when. So maybe it is. Maybe it isn't.))

G: I stand in the wind, looking around for anything of interest.

N: Multiple radio towers dot the landscape. Probably why you haven't had any failed calls yet. He starts by driving around the island you're on. The first thing that stands out is a cave nearby! It's huge!

G: "Whoa! What's in the cave?" I ask Carlos.

N: "It belonged to the doctor who's house we're using. He used it as storage." Your buddy explains, having finally stopped being embarrassed. He slows down as you pass it, so you can get a good look at the entrance.

G: "Gotcha." I say, admiring the thing.

N: It looks big. Another place to check out in your free time, maybe, seeing as it sounds like Carlos gave the all-clear for it to be safe. He keeps right on drivin'. It's cooler now, being afternoon.

G: I keep looking about, happily enjoying myself and the cool spray of the water.

N: You pass a dock area and see a few people coming back from fishing or setting out. Carlos sighs watching it. It's nice to see the calm part of the island after spending two days digging through the darker side.

G: I look at him, wondering why the sigh. I also keep an eye on the people.

N: Some see you, but only watch for a moment before going back to what they were doing. Carlos doesn't notice you glancing at him and focuses back on the water. You move on from the docks, passing a few smaller jungle covered islands.

G: "These islands uninhabited or what?"

N: "Mostly. The smallest ones don't leave room for towns or compounds, so on one's ever taken much interest in them."

You start to pass a large bay in the main island, the start of a river.

G: "What's up the river? Anything interesting?" I ask, looking up the banks.

N: "Cuts into the heart of the island. The it cuts the whole thing in half. It's a good way to get from place to place without running around it all, but we're taking the scenic route."

G: "Oh. Okay." I smile happily, content with that.

N: You keep going, Carlos pointing out another river that leads to about the same area. Cool! More fun places to explore later! Watching the sharks circle and occasional dolphin jump up, this land is feeling more and more like a home!

G: I'm smiling, happily skimming my fingers over the water, and watching the sharks and dolphins.

N: "Try not to get eaten." Carlos scolds. No fun allowed. As you start to pass another beautiful beach, Carlos slows down a lot.

G: "Whoooa!" I sigh. It's gorgeous. I stand on the edge of the boat, and keep my balance, getting a good look.

N: Carlos stays quiet, slowly beginning to turn with the path of island as it curves to you can keep near the shore.

A girl on the beach crawls around, you guess looking for seashells, as a man stands close by with a pistol in his hand. He keeps an eyes on the jungle behind them, looking back to the young girl a few times and out into the ocean. He watches you for a moment, then returns to scanning the area.

G: I watch, staying silent, and get down quietly, standing next to Carlos again. "Do you know them?"

N: He tosses them a quick look, clearly startled. Looks like he didn't even notice them. As he sees them, he calms down, quickly turning his attention back to the water.

"No." Is his simple answer.

G: I nod with that, and quietly observe the beautiful beach and the two people on shore. "Where are we?"

N: "The north east corner. Near that small island I told you to avoid. As long as we stay slow and near the shore they shouldn't bother us." He answers. Looking to the right you see now that you are right by the island. You see a few buildings farther from the shore, several pillars of smoke rolling up from them.

G: "Oh." I stay half hidden by Carlos, looking about for any danger, and observing my surroundings some more.

N: Eventually, you make it far enough past the small island that Carlos speeds up back to his original speed. So that's why he slowed down. The view was just a bonus. You pass another river, this one he explains, leads to Badtown and all the way back to the house!

G: I make a mental note of that, and look for any distinguishing landmarks as we keep going.

N: You continue onward. You come to a cliff area of the main island, with a dirt mound atop it. A buggy of some sort drives down it, perhaps heading to Badtown for a drink. A little further along you see a few goats!

G: "What's up there?" I ask, indicating the cliff.

N: "Roads, jungle. A little settlement called Tequila Sunrise. Bison, bears, tigers…" He sort of trails off. He makes a good driver, but he isn't cut out to be a tour guide.

The next area you reach is another bay! This one doesn't seem to lead anywhere, but you do see a little town in it!

G: I move so I can see the town better, and I turn so I can look at Carlos. I'm standing in the front of the boat.

N: Carlos gives you a glance, then goes back to driving. "There's a boat repair shop over in there. If you've got the cash for it, the worker's actually pretty good."

He begins driving down the peninsula. At the end, you see a house.

G: I look up, wondering where we are. Then I pull out my map, finding where we are. Huh. Quite a ways from home. But who's house?

N: We just don't know. Carlos doesn't mention it. And so you pass the little peninsula and again Carlos slows down. This time it's not out of care for enemies. He's looking at something.

"Do you see smoke over there?"

Yeah, somewhere in the jungle there's a lot of smoke rolling up. The place looks… a little familiar.

G: "Yeah. Where's it coming from?" I stand up, trying to see it better.

N: "I… don't know." He stops the boat so he can focus on it too. "I think it's the Rakyat guys' main area. People said they have a temple somewhere back in there or something. I never went looking it, was told not to."

There' s a lot of smoke. Not like the other island. It's enough deep black smoke that you feel as if the fire isn't natural.

G: "I've been there. Someone must have set the place on fire." Now I know why it felt familiar. "All there was… it was skeletons. Hundreds of them."

N: "Huh. Wonder why boss told us never to go there if everyone was dead. Well… maybe if it was some kind of mass grave, he wanted it respected. I think someone told me he was Rakyat."

Losing interest, Carlos starts up the boat again.

G: For some reason, I decide I'm not gonna bring up Vaas unless I have to.

N: Oh? Tell me why~ I'm curious. I'm also curious as to why you kept Citra's skull. Tell meh.

You leave the burning temple in the distance, coming to another bay and another little river. There's a settlement near the shore, too.

G: ((I honestly don't know. Gut feeling. It felt right to keep Citra's skull as a respect to her brother for helping me.))

"What's this place?" I ask Carlos.

N: ((Ahhh nice you got a buddy. Hey! When you run into Vaas again you can ask for advice for dealing with cute guy Carlos.))

"It's called Northview Gas. It's a town."

G: I roll my eyes. Yep. Definitely no tour guide.

N: Oh, but he's so detailed with his descriptions!

You reach the end of your trip around the main island, coming to the large stretch of water between your new home and the said island. A few small islands lie between, including one with another group of houses. Your great tour guide Carlos is quick to… not say anything at all. He is so bad at this it's embarrassing.

G: I don't say anything, just calmly enjoy the ride.

N: And so you arrive back at the dock you started at! Yaaay!

"Enjoy the ride?" Calros asks, as he hops out to tie the boat up.

G: "Yep!" I say, leaping out of the boat and landing next to him.

N: "Where to next Chica?" he asks, arms crossing over his chest.

G: "I don't know. Where do you wanna go?" I make sure my knife is still under my belt. It is.

N: "I don't know. Take a nap? It's almost sunset. I wasn't passed out half the day like you, gringa!" He laughs, clearly teasing you. The friendly chuckle he's letting out is cut off by the sound of breaking glass.

G: I whirl, hand going to my gun. What was that?

N: He readies his gun as well. "Hey fucktard! I heard that!" He shouts out to the sound. No response. No noise.

He gives you a quick look. "I wouldn't be surprised if that was some punk breaking in. The doctor used to be a dealer. If it was anyone worth anything, though, they'd know the place was cleared out a long time ago. Either that or a stray goat got in. You want me to go first?"

G: I nod. "I'll cover you." I pull out my gun and ready it, keeping it low.

N: He walks forward to the home, slowly opening the door. "If you're some ol' Rakyat dick, I'm putting all my bullets in your face!" He shouts another warning. You hear the sound of something dropping down.

"HEY!" Carlos shouts out to whatever it was. "I KNOW YOU'RE IN HERE!"

G: I bolt off in the direction of the noise, keeping low, footsteps quiet.

N: It sounded from the back of the house.

"I'm going upstairs!" Carlos calls out to you, running up to check.

G: I run down to the back of the house, making certain to keep quiet and stay low, gun at the ready.

N: You head to the farthest area in the back of the house. The kitchen. As you find nothing, you look around. No, you don't find any people. But the drawers have been ripped from their places, contents tossed everywhere. The fridge is wide open with the shelves tossed onto the floor. It's a mess.

G: I check outside through the windows, and then the rest of the downstairs. "Anything up there?" I call to Carlos.

N: He comes stomping down the stairs, clearly angry. "The place is trashed. No one's here, but either some animal or some asshole made a serious mess!"

G: "Yeah." I sigh. "Kitchen is no better off." I tuck my gun back into my holster.

N: He growls out his anger. He did mention earlier he had been putting a lot of work into keeping it decent.

G: "I'll help clean it up." I say.

N: "Thanks. Which floor do you wanna take?"

G: "I'll do the upstairs. It's the kitchen that's got it the worst down here."

N: "Ugh. If it was a person, they were probably looking for pills… next time someone comes around here, they're gettin' shot. A lot."

With that, he stomps off to the kitchen to start clean-up. I wonder what really happened.

G: I go upstairs, surveying the damage.

N: The cabinet behind the behind mirror has been scattered around the floor, even if it was mostly empty to begin with. Both bedrooms have been ransacked. Your bedroom has a broken window.

G: I immediately search through my things, making sure nothing is missing.

N: Your stuff, as with everything else, has scattered around but apparently not messed with.

G: I sigh, and begin picking up my things, replacing them in my bag. I set it on the bed, and begin picking up pieces of glass.

"Ow!"

Stupid shard. I pull it out my finger, and keep collecting glass.

N: It manages to draw your blood, but it's only a small scratch. Luckily it seems most of the glass ended up outside the window. There's some blood on it, too… not yours.

G: Huh. I hold it up, and then look out my window to see if I can see anyone.

N: There's a little more blood outside with the rest of the shards of glass. That's all. Did someone jump out the window?

G: I check to see if it's fresh blood.

N: It certainly is. It makes sense… the crashing sound you heard when you first arrived. Someone must've heard you coming back and fled.

G: Huh. I get rid of the broken glass and organize the bathroom again, making use of the facilities while I'm at it. Then I meander down the hallway to Carlos's room and neaten things up.

N: His lacks the broken window and the blood, but is just as much of a mess. It's also loaded with guns, now that you look at it. Heck! Carlos even has a rocket launcher hidden in here! It's surprising he's so armed to the teeth, and even more surprising no one took any of this stuff!

G: I sigh, and replace the fallen items, organizing the area before heading downstairs to report my find. I walk downstairs and look for Carlos.

N: Carlos has successfully finished cleaning up the downstairs. You can see him through one of the windows, wandering around the house with his gun to be sure no one's out there.

G: I exit out the front door, circling around the back to report my find and to keep a lookout. I stop underneath my window to get a good look at where the creep escaped.

N: You can see some more blood where the person landed. Maybe they cut their arm/arms breaking through the glass. If they just took off when you two pulled up… They couldn't have gotten far. If you had that car there's no way they could outrun you… but maybe you can still catch them on foot?

Carlos meets you by the window. "Didn't find anything." He grunts. "Maybe a hog got in or something? An' jumped out the window? Hell, I don't know. But it seems safe now."

G: "It wasn't a hog. They escaped out my window. It was kicked through." I frowned. "Look." I indicate the blood.

N: Perhaps you can't see him grimacing under his bandana, but you get the idea from the grunt he lets out. "Nice. Well, hey, now your room has a breeze."

G: "Whooo hoooo…" I say sarcastically, half heartedly fist pumping to go with it. "Let's go back inside. Did you find anything inside?"

N: "Nothing to tell me where the asshole went?" He grumbles. He sets his weapon back over his shoulder and heads inside.

((Carlos confirmed for big grouchy baby.))

G: ((Yeah. No kidding.)) I follow him, still wondering who the hell broke in. I pull out my phone and absently wonder if it was Daisy. Or Vaas. Not that I have his number anyway. *Sighh.*

N: ((Maybe it was Daisy AND Vaas!... But neither of them know where you are, do they? Huh.))

Carlos flops down on the couch (which had been toppled over before he set it back up) and groans. "Times like this I could SERIOUSLY use a smoke... Whoever broke in was mad. I'm no damn Sherlock but it was pretty obvious. They trashed the place. I've seen rage before, and it looked a lot like this."

G: "Huh." I look about, then go into the kitchen. I come back out. "Was anything missing?"

N: "Nah. I'm convinced they were looking for the drugs the doc used to sell. He had a greenhouse right by here. I burned it down after everyone else left though… didn't want any incentive to… yeah." He shrugs.

G: "Gotcha." I think for a while. "I'm hungry. You hungry? I'll make something."

N: "Didn't I just feed you?" He teases. He did have some food when you woke up. But that was a while ago! Lunch time now!

G: "Maaaybeee.." I say, smiling.

N: "Fine. I got some junk in the kitchen. Go nuts."

G: "Thanks!" I say, and move to the kitchen, perusing for food items to use.

N: There's mostly a variety of meats. There's some fruit from the island, too, and a few bags of chips. There WERE eggs, but that was your breakfast.

G: ((Is there a back door?))

N: ((Ohhhhhhhh you sneaking out. Yeah, there is.))

G: I walk out the back door and into the woods a ways where I find wild onions and herbs. I walk back int and set them down, and pull out a smaller piece of meat. I prepare ingredients and hunt down a pan, and I begin cooking.

N: Oh nevermind. You ain't being sneaky. Just hungry. Carlos entertains himself with cleaning his weapon in the living room.

G: Well then. When food is ready, I hunt down bowls and forks and make two dishes. I bring them both out, offering one to him and keeping one for myself, plopping down on the other side of the couch.

N: He removes his bandanna to eat, and you can see the smile on his face. You get the odd feeling that his cooking abilities don't amount to much past eggs. He seems happy to have a nice looking meal.

"Ain't bad, chica. You cook a lot?" He asks through a mouthful of food.

G: "Nah. Just when I need to." I say, happily eating myself.

(Lol. Eating myself.)

N: ((Nom nom tasty.))

"Same 'ere." He nods, proceeding to stuff his face in silence.

G: So… we eat. In the living room. On the couch. Awesome.

N: It's actually a nice feeling. After playing mortician for so long, it's nice to just have a peaceful meal with someone you feel you can trust. He covers a burp with his fist once finished.

"Thanks. That was good. I'll clean up, I guess."

G: "I'll help." I say, gathering my dishes. "Glad you liked it."

N: "Well, I lived off potato chips for years. Someone cookin' for me is hard NOT to like!" He smiles. And so the two of you wash dishes. Very fun.

G: "Potato chips? That must've gotten bland. Very quickly." I'm laughing at the thought of him slouched on the couch, eating chips.

N: "Well, sometimes, we'd find Cheetos or a Twix bar. We'd fist fight for 'em." He laughs back. "I've been cooking for a while now, but I'm usually too lazy to put much effort into it. I've gotta hunt all my own stuff too, so by the time I get it in the house already considerin' just gnawing on a raw leg."

G: "Well, I found onions and stuff just out the back door. That wasn't hard. If you want, while I'm here, I can take over cooking." I smile softly. "That would be enjoyable, actually."

N: "Serious?" He asks, keeping a straight face for a moment before tilting his head back and sighing deeply. "God bless you!"

G: "Glad you are happy!" I say, eating as well. ((The way to a man's heart. Through his stomach.))

N: ((Seducing him should be easy. This is your skill. You'll have him in the palm of your hand in days.))

Once the meal has been successfully inhaled, he stretches himself out. "What's next on the agenda then?"

G: "Skeleton hunting. That's the fun part." I groan, hanging my head. I need to get this out of the way.

N: He takes a second to think over the tone of 'I so do not want to do this' in your voice.

"You got a camera? Because I could take care of this. I mean, you fed me, been helpin' me out, so…"

G: "Yeah. Lemme go hunt it down real quick." I walk back upstairs and go to my room, looking for my bag.

N: When you return, he checks out the camera and nods. "Okay, I'll run out and find a body. You good on your own?"

G: "Yep. Make sure it's a whole skeleton, okay? Thanks so much."

N: "Anytime. I'm used to dead bodies."

With the accidentally morbid comment, Carlos takes off to do your job! What to do for now?

G: Well, I didn't think about that one much now did I? Hmmm… wonder if I could go swimming without being eaten. Maybe nap? Nah… not tired. Make something? Yeah! Let's make a bow!

N: So you set to work making a bow! With your crafting skills, you're done before Carlos returns. Leaving you with more empty time. Great…

G: Welp, bow string next. Gotta have one o' those. Now arrows… hmmmm…. I need a bird.

N: There are plenty of birds to spare.

G: So, I'm essentially going to kill two birds with one stone here. I go out and shoot a chicken and bring it home, butchering it and preserving it in the fridge for a short while. Then, using the feathers, I make the feathers with more wood. Yeah!

And glue. I raid the junk drawer in the kitchen for glue.

N: Yay! You have a very fun time. Eventually, Carlos returns, tossing you your camera.

G: "Oh hey! Thanks!" I check the phots, laying the bow across my knees as I do so. "Hope you like chicken. I had to shoot one for feathers."

N: "I like anything I can eat." He states matter-of-factly. "Where's the food?"

G: "Not made yet." I'm looking at the photo he took.

N: It's just some poor guy's skeleton. Laying in a shack somewhere.

"Jeez chica. Nice job getting' my hopes up."

G: I laugh. "Sorry about that. Didn't know if you were hungry yet." I stand up, bow in hand. "You want me to get started?"

N: "I'm always hungry. Yeah, that'd be good."

G: "Okay. Lemme put this someplace…" I put the bow aside, I'll finish it later….. And I go start on food. I come out while it's cooking. "Hey… Who were you yelling at earlier?"

N: "Huh?" He gives you a weird look. "When? I wasn't yelling at anyone."

G: "This morning."

N: He hesitates. "Just some guy."

You can't tell if he's deliberately being evasive of if it's just him being vague as always.

G: "Just some guy you call Benjy?" I say, walking back to the kitchen to check on the food.

N: You hear him stand, following you to the entrance of the kitchen. "Yeah… short for Benjamin. He was a guy I used to work with."

G: "Ah. So what did he do to piss you off?" I'm hunting for the salt in the cupboard.

N: You have to dig for a solid two minutes, but you find some along with some pepper and garlic.

"Uh… I just don't want to hear from him. I don't like to hear from anyone from the old gang, especially someone who's still involved in it. And he was talking crazy talk."

G: "Gotcha." I season the chicken and root vegetables I found earlier, and taste it. Done. I dish it up. "Here. It's hot."

N: The conversation quickly makes it out of his mind as blows on his food and starts to chow. Poor Benjy. Ignored in favor of chicken.

G: Note to self: Feed him and he'll do anything.

N: ((If he ever threatens you with betrayal, wave a carrot in his face.))

G: So. What next. Oh. I pull out my phone and walk into the living room, calling Daisy.

((LOL))

N: "Hey Gwen. What's the story? Did you find Hoyt?"

G: "Yes. He's dead."

N: "Thank god. He was the one pulling all the strings. Are you ready for the last guy?"

G: It sounds weird to have someone call me Gwen now. I'm so used to Chica. Hmmm….

"Yes. Who?"

N: ((Legally change your name to chica.))

G: ((Mayyyyybeeee.))

N: "This last guy is the one who captured us in the first place. Jason's constantly muttering about him in his episodes…. He shot my boyfriend right in the neck…. My boyfriend Grant who was Jason's older brother."

G: "What's his name?" I ask gently, but already knowing who it must be.

N: You hear her voice choke up. It must still be a difficult thing for her.

"Here. I'll read you the list." She says as she gets her head back in the game.

G: ((Indeed. Except he laughs. He doesn't cry.))

N: "Vaas. Leader of the pirates, Hoyt's right hand man. He was Citra's brother. Jason killed him in his compound on a little island northeast of the mainland. You should find his body there."

G: After a second of silence and gut wrenching fear, I say, "He's still alive. He nearly killed me." My voice is a rough whisper.

N: The phone is silent long enough to think she hung up.

"What? There's no way! Jas said he stabbed him, like, ten times!"

G: "He's got nasty scars. But he's alive."

N: "That… that… That's exactly what Jason was worried about! Oh god, oh god… what am I gonna do?"

G: "I'll take care of it. Leave it to me. I'll call in a few days." I hang up and sigh, flopping on the couch.

N: So. It turns out Vaas is the last on the list. Nice. What are you going to do?

G: I… Don't know. Maybe I'll just merge with the couch and stay here.

N: Burrow into it. Make a home.

G: Exactly. "Carlos…" I groan. " 'm stealin' yer couch."

N: "No problem. Um… what' up?"

G: "I hate my life." I mutter into the couch. "I don't wanna do this anymore." I mime waving a white flag of surrender.

N: "You don't have to." He insists. "I told you before, you don't have to do stuff that you don't think is right!"

G: "I think I'm just gonna hide."

N: "Hide from what, from who? Come on, chica, tell me something." It's clear he's concerned.

G: "Daisy. She wants another person confirmed dead. Only problem? Person is still alive."

N: "Shit." He replies. "Um… how important is it for this guy to be dead? Like, who is he, what's his deal?"

G: "You're gonna kill me."

N: "I won't. I kinda like havin' you around. Unless It's me, we won't have a problem."

G: I sit up, running my hands over my face. "His name is Vaas. I've actually met the guy and barely escaped with my life. Twice."

N: He's silent. When you look in his eyes, they're wide. Is it shock? Fear?

"Va-va…. VAAS!? Like, Vaas, Vaas!? Mohawk, scars on his head, repeats himself, Vaas!?"

G: "The very same." I say quietly.

N: He covers his mouth with his hand. He's ranting, something in Spanish, standing to start pacing the room.

"FUCK!" He finally shouts. "God DAMN it! That's not possible! He's dead! I…I just told Benjy he was crazy for suggesting he… ARGH!"

G: "Carlos." I say calmly. "Remember that temple we passed in the boat, the one that was burning? The reason why I think your boss told you not to go there is because that's where Vaas is."

N: "N-no! That's not it! Vaas was my boss! Vaas was the one who told us all to avoid it like the black death!"

G: "That's where Citra was killed."

N: "Citra?" He quiets, thinking. "Citra was the Rakyat guy's queen I think… Brody killed her… He killed Vaas too! This is…"

G: "This is what?" I'm still calm, just helping him work through this.

N: "Ridiculous! Not possible! I don't know!" Carlos sits back down, exhausting himself thinking about this. "This kid got brought to the island, right? His name was Jason Brody. He broke out and wreaked havoc. Killed a ton of our guys, killed Vaas, then Hoyt, then Citra, and left… I… I just got done telling Benjy this morning there was no way Vaas lived…"

G: "There you go. Fucked up." I flop next to him, head near his shoulder. "Really fucked up."

N: "Benjy…. Benjy stayed with the gang after things all went to shit. With both our leaders dead, guys were killing each other left and right to be the next top dog…" Carlos mutters in his attempt to recollect himself.

"He called me this morning saying a few of the guys who had managed to get that 'boss' position were found strung up in the compound with Vaas's old symbol carved into them."

G: My head falls onto his shoulder at his story. "I'm sorry."

N: You feel him shaking his head.

"He said he was afraid Vaas was back from the freakin' grave, mad that they'd gone and betrayed him… Boss always had a creepy paranoia for traitors… Benjy said he was freaking out. Said he didn't want to be made into the guy's next pet…"

Going silent, Carlos pats your head. A quiet thank you for being there for him.

G: I just stay there, not quite sure what to say.

N: He's quiet too. For a long time.

"I should tell Benjy."

G: "Maybe."

N: Again, he goes quiet. Now… what on earth to do about the Vaas dilemma?

G: "Can I say something?"

N: He turns his eyes to you, waiting.

((Propose. Propose to him. "Carlos, let's elope and leave this chaos behind us." ))

G: ((no.))

"I think that we may have to do something about this."

N: "Do what?" He asks, voice tired.

G: "I don't know. I have a car outside of badtown. We can use it if we have to. But for now, I want to rest."
N: He offers no response. Maybe it's a good time for a nap.

G: I just curl up in my comfy spot on the couch on Carlos's shoulder.

N: And doze off to nappy nap time.

You wake up the next day. Carlos is letting out a faint snore, still asleep.

G: And holy shit! I'm still cuddling with him. My head's on his shoulder. Internal fistpumping! Score!

N: You realize as you slowly wake up that he's even put his arm around you. Double score!

G: So I just stay put, happily half dozing in my warm spot of Carlos comfort.

N: Nice job making the first move~~~~~~~~~~

G: I'm talented. But thank you.

N: Sleepy Carlos seems content to stay unconscious until tomorrow. It must've been a stressful day for him. But eventually you're too awake to sleep for twenty-four hours.

G: I (regretfully) get up, untangling myself, and start hunting for breakfast, going out back and hunting for wild chicken nests for fresh eggs. I come back with about six of them and start eggs, and upon digging in the fridge, I find ham. Perfect. Fried eggs and ham it is.

N: You hear Carlos stumble into the kitchen. Looks like you found how to wake him up.

G: "Hey sleepy." I turn and plate the eggs and ham. "Sleep well?"

N: "No." He almost pouts. "Food sounds good though."

G: "Aww… Poor Carlos. You can go back to bed after breakfast if you want." I pass him a plate.

N: "I'm not some kid, I can stay up." He glares at you. He tries to eat slowly to show his… who knows, maturity? But he fails and is soon inhaling the food as eagerly as always.

G: I raise a brow at him in a tolerant fashion, but eat as well, sitting on the counter top.

N: Once he's done he stands, setting his dishes in the sink. He leans on the counter near where you sit.

"Now what…?"

G: "Dunno. I haven't exactly thought that far ahead yet." I set my dishes in the sink, leaning over to do so.

N: "…Do you think… ah…. Do you think it was boss who broke in the other day?"

G: "I was wondering that, yeah. It could've been. But something doesn't make sense."

N: "Well, like… Vaas was an addict like all of us. If he's been hiding the past two years, he wouldn't have been able to get his fix. And he wouldn't know this place was cleared out. He used to have these nightmares when he didn't get his fix. Wake us up in the middle of the night to have us start patrolling… I don't know. This is messing with me."

G: "It's got me in quite something too." I pat his shoulder gently. "But what doesn't make sense is that, if it was Vaas, he could've just taken us out. Instead, whoever it was escaped out the window."

N: He nods in agreement. "Ugh, I don't know what to do about all this!"

G: "Me neither." I sigh, hanging my head.

N: "If there's one thing I know… It's you aren't killing Vaas. You can't. He was raised here as a crazy jungle warrior. He's a savage. He can't be beat. I mean, if Brody couldn't even do it… after he was stabbed that much… there's no taking him out. You're gonna have to disappoint that Daisy girl."

G: "I'm more concerned about not dying compared to Daisy's pissiness."

N: He laughs. Perhaps it's forced. "Dying isn't a concern if you go against Vaas. With Vaas, death is a gift. It's what he does before he kills you that you should be afraid of… wait… You said you met him? How was he? How did you leave alive? He just let you go?"

G: "He was… scary. Insane. But very much alive. I had to completely catch him in astonishment and play him like a fool in order to live, but I lived. He nearly shot me. Had his gun been loaded, I'd be dead." I shuddered, wrapping my arms around myself. "He's deadly."

N: Carlos nods. "I know. I was one of his guys. He's seriously messed up. Been through a lot, I guess, but he's not right. He's lost it. You never know what he'll do…. I remember one time, he said to me, he was like- 'Carlos, Carlos, Carlos! Do you like dogs?' …. He asked me again and again. I kept sayin', yeah, man, dogs are cool. Then he brings me around the corner and shows me this dog he wants me to take for a walk. Says it just won't do what he wants it to, so he wants me to watch it for a minute. But it wasn't a freakin' dog! It was guy, with another guy's ears stapled to his head! I just did what Boss told me to. He was messed up but… he… I don't know. Sometimes he was like a kid brother. Excitable, friendly, always happy to help me if something wasn't going right…. But if you pissed him off then…. That was it."

G: I lean against Carlos's back, and just stay there. Not moving, desperately trying to think. This guy seems invincible. How can we get him dead?

N: So. You and Carlos (cuddling) sitting there. Neither of you talk for at least an hour, you wondering what to do and… who knows what goes on in Carlos's head.

G: "Sorry." I say, not moving.

N: "Sorry for what…?" He asks, voice soft.

G: "I feel like I'm putting a lot of this on you."

N: He shakes his head. "Don't feel like that. It's helpful to know he's alive and somewhere out there…. I just need to figure out what to do about it… He'd be hunting me down eventually."

G: "And me. I kinda pissed him off and stuff…" I bit my lip in worry.

N: "Great." He whines, aggressively sarcastic. You two are so screwed.

G: "We are so screwed." I say, whining against his back.

N: "Absolutely dead…." He agrees.

G: "Well shit. What now?"

N: "We wait to die, I guess."

Oh Carlos, ever the optimist.

G: I slide off the counter. "Not if we can do anything about it. I'd rather die fighting, than be a sitting duck."

N: "Fighting with Vaas will just piss him off!" Carlos slightly raises his voice, angry at the situation, not you.

G: "I didn't say fight him. I mean, make us damn hard to catch." I grin wickedly. "We may have to go missing."

N: He starts nodding. "Where do we go? We don't really know where he is, so we don't know where to avoid…"

G: "That's why you bring an arsenal with you and never stop moving."

N: "Do we… do we head out tonight? Shit… I've got a number of weapons upstairs…"

G: "I've only got my handgun and hunting knife. We should head out sometime within the next two days." I cross my arms and wonder where to go.

N: "If… well, Vaas doesn't like people. Unless he absolutely had to, he never went to some city we didn't control. I'd say we might be safe in one of the little towns around here."

G: "Sounds like it." I sigh. "I really liked it here."

N: "Same…. Maybe he isn't after us? Maybe it's safe enough here? Hell, I don't know!"

G: "Me neither. That's why I say wait a few days."

N: He groans, burying his face in his hands. "Things were a lot easier when he was on my side. UGH! Things were a lot easier when he was supposed to be dead!"

G: "Sorry about this." I apologize beforehand, and then I hug him briefly.

N: You feel his entire body tense up. A moment later he's hugging back, carefully, lightly, as if he hasn't given a hug before.

G: I just hug him tighter briefly, and say, "We'll think of something. I know it's hard, but we can think of something. We just can't give up."

N: The way he pats your back is sort of forced. This man needs more hugs.

G: I let him go, and turn away, embarrassed. I lean against the counter, wondering about something.

N: "I… I'm gonna go… Shower. Yeah. Try not to… get shot or something. "

He starts walking back upstairs, rubbing the back of his neck, but freezes for a moment.

"Oh, and if you see Vaas again and I'm not there…. If he starts saying 'I'm gonna chill', that means he's raging and about to lash out. Stay… stay safe."

G: "Thanks. I'll remember that." I say, pondering that information.

N: And so he walks off. What to do while Carlos is naked upstairs- oops that sounded weird. What to do while he's busy?

G: I all of a sudden shoot up. Wait…. Where's Citra's skull? I dart up the stairs and into my room, making sure the thing is still there.

N: It's still there. Untouched. Well, except that it had been taken out of your bag with everything else you left here. Most of it had been thrown across the room. The skull had been set on a bookshelf near the shattered window.

G: Huh. Weird. Why did they just set it there? And didn't I put all my stuff back in my bag?

N: Yes, I'm talking past tense. Your stuff is properly in your bag now.

G: Okay. That being taken care of, I get back downstairs, making sure that Carlos isn't wandering down the hall or something.

N: Nope, he's still cleanin' up. Gotta be fresh now that he's dealin' with a lady.

G: Hardee har har. I get downstairs and walk back to the kitchen, and make sure that my gun is loaded.

N: Yup! Ready to shoot and be-mohawked man in sight!

G: Cool. Wonder if I could snitch a sniper rifle outta Carlos's stash upstairs. Hmmm… Nah. I'll wait and ask.

N: Carlos does eventually return with the same clothes he had on before. Time to get a sniper!

G: "Hey… you got a sniper upstairs?"

N: "Like five, why?"

G: "One o' my finer talents. I happen to be a fine ass sniper."

N: "Then go up an' help yourself." He motions to his room happily.

G: "Thaaaaaaaank youuuuuuuu ~" I sing and say and I dance up the stairs. I enter his room and look about for a good sniper rifle.

N: He was right, he has a nice stash. Seems like that's his preferred weapon also.

G: I select a nice one and good strand of bullets, and make my way to my room, where I lay the gun on my bed, and go about loading the thing. I go downstairs after I load it.

N: He watches for a moment to be sure you know what you're doing, and goes on to check his own once he's satisfied.

G: "There. Sexy." I say, as I prop it close by and sit down on the couch.

N: Out of the corner of your eye you see Carlos turn to you, as if he thought you were talking about him, and then nervously go back to what he was doing to not look suspicious.

G: I eye him, carefully out of the corner of my eye, but a make a point not to say anything.

N: Wow what a NERD. He's just cleaning his weapon now. Looking out the window as if he expects Vaas to just APPEAR.

G: I start chuckling, and it escalates to outright laughter to where I'm rolling on the floor, laughing, and I don't even know why. Maybe the tense atmosphere and the weirdness of the situation?

N: Once you get the tears from your eyes, you look up from the floor to see a very disturbed look on Carlos's face.

It would be a look of absolute fear, if he hadn't spent seven years working for Vaas, who had breakdowns like this relatively frequently in the early years. Many of the other men in the group did too. Acutally, Carlos is pretty used to this. He starts chuckling along with you, walking into the kitchen to get you a glass of water.

He quiets down as he kneels to hand it to you, a smile clear in his eyes even if the bandanna covers it.

G: I sit up, still slightly laughing, and accept the glass. "Thanks. I really… don't know what happened there?" I drink the water.
N: "It's fine. I've been there, all my old pals have been there- Vaas literally lives in a mental breakdown. You're fine."

G: "I guess so. That's never happened before."

N: "This island'll do that to you." He replies.

G: "So I've noticed." I say, standing up shakily.

N: He holds your arm, helping you up. "You'll be fine. We just need to calm down. This isn't the end of the world. We don't even know if we're on his hit-list."

G: "Good point." I say, setting the glass down.

N: Seeing as you left some water remaining, he picks up the glass and downs it himself. He walks over to the couch and motions for you to join him.

"So what's the plan for today? We've wasted most of it flipping out. Maybe go to sleep? But I'm not really tired yet… too much thinking."

G: I sit next to him, tucking my knees up. "Hmmm… I don't know. Can you go swimming here without being eaten? Or maybe… hmmmm… I need ingredients for dinner. There's that too."

N: "You are not going swimming. You will get eaten, no doubt about it."

Wow Carlos, no fun allowed, huh?

G: I pout at him, crossing my arms and huffing slightly. "Fine."

N: "So gardening it is. I'll head to town. We're out of milk."

G: "Yay. I'll go get stuff."

N: Carlos waves you off and starts for the boat. Let's hope nothing bad happens while your back up is gone!

G: Indeed. Making sure I have my gun with me, I start for the forest, and begin gathering some herbs and wild roots for dinner. After stashing those in the fridge, I make sure to stay indoors, and look out the windows regularly, making sure on one is coming.

N: The person who eventually shows up is Carlos, returning with a grocery bag.

G: "Hey!" I call from the kitchen, where I'm getting dinner started.

N: "Hey." He replies as he enters. He sets the bag down, starting to go through it. Milk, eggs, some candy bars, land mines, cheese, some coca cola. Everything on his grocery list.

G: "Hey cool! Candy bars!" I say, cheering. I'm still chopping up vegetables I found.

N: "You better not eat them all!" He snaps. His mood calms down quickly, as he chuckles. "I thought you'd be more excited about the bombs. Thought we could plant them somewhere and have a better defense."

G: "I'm female, but not that desperate for chocolate. Don't worry." I say, chuckling. "Good thinking with the bombs."

N: "Thought so. Better safe than sorry, right? We just need to make sure both of us know where we end up putting them. You lose your legs and I can't help you."

G: "Haha. We should to that while this cooks. Give me a second." I hunt for the salt and pepper, season it, and place it in the oven. There. Roast and root veggies. With a side of chips. "There. Let's go set those up."

N: "You promise this won't burn the place down…?"

G: "Promise." I say, and turn to go. "We won't be to long, and I'll come in and get it when necessary."

N: "Got it." He gathers the explosives and starts heading outside.

G: I follow him, and together we establish a land mine defense.

N: The two of you drill each other on the set up a few times to be sure no one ends up limbless.

G: Once we are sure that we have got it down, and are confident that we won't blow ourselves up, we get to work.

N: It's dark by the time you've got the entire system neat.

G: I go back inside, and pull out dinner, which was perfectly slow roasted. "Here." I hand him a plate of the food, and pop open a bag of chips for the two of us to share.

N: You have to nom those chips rapid fire to make sure you get any before he gulps them down, but dinner with your smexy vacuum boy is actually quite nice.

G: "Feeling better now?" I ask him, in reference to dinner and the land mines.

N: "Actually, yeah. Like we're not totally going to die if he comes for us."

G: "That's a good thing!" I say, smiling.

N: Carlos smirks. He's still not sure you guys are going to live very long, but he does seem happier.

G: I smirk back at him, and begin clearing my dishes, seeing I'm done eating.

N: Carlos hands you his dishes once he's finished himself, leaning against the counter near you.

G: I roll my eyes, but take the dishes, washing them as well.

N: He's really just a big three year old.

"Thanks for the food." He comments awkwardly when he sees your annoyance.

G: "Yep!" I say, then having finished the dishes, "So... because we are now in 'we might die' territory, want a candy bar?"

N: "You're damn right I do. I want twelve." He nods enthusiastically.

G: I laugh out loud, and go to find them, digging out a couple for each of us. "Will this do for now?" I ask, smiling.

N: "I suppose I can put up with it." He chuckles, taking his share.

G: I take mine with me as well, and go outside to eat it on the porch, happily munching on my first one.

N: He follows to come sit with you. D'awwwww. He bought mostly Nestle Crunch bars, a few Three Musketeers. Chocolate paradise.

G: I sit close and just happily eat, content with the peace and company. For now, anyway. Who knows when Vaas and all that shit is gonna go down. *internal sobbing of misery*

N: It's a relaxing moment. Blue sky, life everywhere, and you can see the ocean from the porch. You can hear the wind rushing through the grass. The sounds of animals. The water against the shore. A rather loud motor.

It's only when Carlos jumps up and shouts "Is that a freaking helicopter!?" that you realize it's not just some loud boat going past.