The morning sun broke over the mismatched metal barriers surrounding the small encampment. The Lair rested on the side of a mountain for protection, it's borders surrounded by walls made from scrap metal welded together. There were pieces of just about everything in the walls and nothing had broken through the walls yet... For now, life in the Lair was relatively peaceful. An older man emerged from the house in the center of the town, a young man with flaming red hair following him closely. The young man's hair had been styled into a mess mohawk and his ear was pierced with a diamond dulled by time. He was wearing a worn leather jacket with no sleeves over a white tank top and old dirty jeans that had been ripped in many places. His combat boots were old and worn but still in good enough shape. He yawned and stretched as he followed his father through the camp. Raphael Davidson was the son of the leader of the Lair. Every morning he and his father would rise with the sun and take first watch on the wall. The morning was either spent in silence or in heated argument.
Raph huffed grumpily as he strapped various weapons to his body. It was gonna be another one of those mornings. He followed his father up to the observation tower where a weathered man had his one good eye trained on the horizon. Raphael's father, Ely Davidson, went up to the man and clapped a friendly hand on the man's back. The two men exchanged a friendly but serious look before switching places.
"Looks like the Mad Scientist is back. His crazy van is headed toward the compound, should be here in a few minutes." the man said gruffly before descending the ladder and retreating to his home for some well-deserved sleep.
Raph sneered and took out his switchblade. He leaned against the wall of the watchtower and began flipping it in the air, the frown never leaving his tanned face.
After a few minutes of silence, except for the occasional sound of the handle of the blade hitting Raphael's palm, Ely sighed and looked at his son.
"Well stop pouting and spit it out boy." he said gruffly and Raph froze. His whole body tensed and inwardly Ely sighed. It was gonna be a bad one this time.
"I wanna lead da next hunt!" Raph blurted in a heavy Brooklyn accent.
"Not a chance in hell." Ely said immediately and turned his attention back to the approaching vehicle.
"We are in mothafuckin' hell Pops! And I'm a man now. How in da hell am I 'sposed to get any experience leadin' if you keep me cooped up in this crummy compound!" He yelled angrily, advancing toward where his father was standing.
Ely turned around slowly and fixed his done with a deadly glare.
"You will respect my decisions boy." he practically spat out the word but Raph didn't even flinch. This argument was a well-worn topic and the exchange never changed.
"You do not have the maturity or the balls to lead a hunt and until you can prove to me that you care enough about this community to put your life on the line for it you wont set one fuckin' toe outside of those walls!" Ely thundered angrily but Raph just scoffed and angrily shoved his knife back in its sheath.
"That's bullshit." He muttered venomously and Ely snapped. He raised his hand and landed a hard slap on Raph's face, sending him reeling into the wall in surprise. Raph just looked at the hard eyes of his father in shock, his red cheek stinging terribly.
"Raph..." Ely softened and reached out to his son, regret in his eyes. Raph flinched away and glared at his father. He had been wrong; this typical fight had just taken a new turn.
"Fuck you! Don't fuckin' touch me!" Raph spat and his fury began to build to heights that it had never reached before.
"Speak to me with respect boy." Ely said, a hard edge to his words.
"Why? Why should I respect ya if ya don't even treat me like yer son! Like a man!" Raph screamed and balled up his fists.
"Because you. Are. Not. Ready." Ely emphasized every word and shoved his son toward the ladder. "Now go open the gate for the Mad Scientist and give him any help that he needs."
Raph took a deep breath and angrily descended the ladder. He stomped over to the large doors that were guarded by two men with machine guns. He gestured to them and the men grasped the handles for the heavy doors and pulled them open slowly. The black SUV towing the trailer was waiting patiently on the other side. Raph strutted up to the window as it rolled down.
"I have a medical emergency. I found a dying man. I need medical supplies." Donnie said urgently, glancing occasionally at the still form of his passenger.
Raph scoffed and began picking his teeth with his knife. "Newcomers gotta be vetted by the old man buddy. Ya know the rules."
"By the time you get your father down here this man will be dead. He needs medical attention now!" Donnie said in exasperation. This guy always got on his last nerve. "Don't you have any humanity left in you?!" he pleaded with the man and his face softened slightly. After a few minutes Raph sighed and moved away from the window.
"I'll escort you to the medical compound and as soon as this guy is taken care of we gotta follow procedure."
"Thank you. You won't regret this." Donnie sighed in relief and rolled up his window. Raph jogged in front of the vehicle and led the way to the medical building.
Donnie, aka the Mad Scientist hopped out of his vehicle and opened his passenger side door. The moment Raph caught sight of the figure covered completely in dark cloth, a shiver ran up his spine. He watched with a suspicious gaze as Donnie grabbed his medical supplies and rushed inside with the man slung over his shoulder.
It wasn't until they went through the doors and disappeared from his sight that the thought occurred to him that he might regret letting the stranger inside.
He shook off the feeling and leaned against the outer wall of the building. He lit a makeshift cigarette and took a deep puff from one end.
Little did Raphael know that this mysterious visitor would bring about the end of the Lair.
