Haven
Chapter Four
Papercut

Well damn. I've been here for over a year, feeding you guys zombies and now biohazards. Now eat your food! Grow up big and strong (and mentally insane) like Bill here!
What? Bill scares you? Bullshit! I would trust Bill to hold a shotgun behind me! Right Bill? Bill?
Oh shit.

Sorry for the amount of time it took to post this (dodging shotgun blasts and all), good news is I created a deviantART account, so if I'm not updating I'll still have a way put some stuff up. Anyway, FF.N rules prevent me from putting a link but you can search for TOSTRwaffles (.com for those who like copy/pasting) There's also a link on my profile.
And put that damn thing down Bill! You'll put out more than someone's eye with that thing!

That's it for now, but StarMoonRose, Please enable private messages! I can't take your OC without a way to contact you.


6:43 AM
Northern Washington
"Hey!" Angus yelled pounding on the door to Andy's room. "Open up!"
A few minutes later a bedraggled Andy opened the door, still wearing his clothes from yesterday with his brown hair unkempt and the beginnings of a beard on his face.
"What the hell could you want at six?" he asked, scratching the back of his head as Angus entered the room followed by a bald eagle.
"Who's this?" Asked Andy, gesturing at the eagle.
" Apollo, he's my roommate and he's Scottish!" Angus replied. "Anyway, classes start tomorrow so I figur'd we do something fun before then."
"That being…?"
Apollo took over here. "We found this rock climbin' place in town and-"
From his bed Fido yawned loudly, interrupting Apollo. "Anyway," Apollo continued, "the guy who owns it built it to challenge himself so it shouldn't be shitty like those shitty plastic climbing walls."
"That's good, how much's it cost?
"What? Watching your wallet now?" Angus joked.
"I don't wanna have to get a job", countered a grinning Andy.
"Well it's 30 bucks to get in which includes the gear. You in?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Right, well we're off to get Fuzzles." Angus said as he as Apollo exited the room.
"I'll be in the cafeteria at seven." Andy called after them.

Earlier that morning.
Manzhouli, China

His tattered window shades doing nothing to stop the light, Kee Mun Ki rolled out of his cot in his small, one room apartment. Communism hadn't been kind to China, with many of the jobs in cities that lacked the resources to play host to everyone who came for work. Mun Ki had been fortunate then, that he was a police officer. He got to carry a gun, a 7.62mm Type 54-a Chinese copy of the Russian TT-33 pistol, he got a car to drive while on duty, and the pay was decent. Rolling out of bed, Mun Ki headed to his sink where he readied to brush his teeth. Something seemed different though, as if his supplies had been moved during the night. A neighbor looking for cash or my gun. Mun Ki finally decided. He'd have to have a third lock installed on his door, the second time he'd felt like someone had entered his room in the past few days, hence the second lock. Grabbing a handful of cash to buy lunch, Mun Ki hurried out the door and off to work.

"Damn Andy, the one thing you've always got time for is bacon." Cuddles said as he sat down at the table Andy was eating at. Apollo and Angus had detoured off to get their breakfasts.
"Pity I don't have more time to update, but bacon is very important to me."
Cuddles nodded at this. "Yeah, I never seem to get enough time for it, the bacon that is."
Apollo had finished up at the food line and now joined them.
"What's holdin' Angus up?" Cuddles asked him.
"The waffle machine they have back in the kitchen," Apollo jerked his head at food line. "Kitchen staff said It's slowing down and now it's taking a long time to make new ones."
"Waffles right?" Asked Andy. "It sounds like we're talking about something else."
"I think we're still talking about waffles," Said Apollo. "Here's comes Angus."
"Effin' waffles," Angus said sitting down. "Why the 'elled it take so long to make some waffles?"
"They're still good waffles right?" This from Andy. Angus laughed as he replied "I don't wanna give waffles a bloated ego about 'imself."
"So when're we gonna get outta here?" Apollo asked.
"Soon as waffles here gets eaten." Said Angus. "You goin' somewhere Andy?" He asked as Andy stood up.
"Got some stuff in my room I wanna bring, I'll be waitin' outside when you guys finish."
Starting towards the staircase Andy pulled out his IPhone and checked his battery. Almost full, good.
After unlocking his door, Andy wheeled his bike out and coasted down the hall to the staircase with an empty backpack he had also picked up in tow.

Shortly after Andy had sat down on a bench outside Angus and the other emerged from the building and started off on the road to town. Not wanting to be left behind, Andy swung himself up in his bike and pedaled after them.

Entering the police station, Mun Ki passed the receptionist and Nyuk Tsin - a beautiful woman whose family had her selling dishes of chop suey and chow mein for the police officers. Meeting up with Char Chun Fat, his friend who shared the patrol car with him, Mun Ki greeted the jolly panda, who was more than a decade older than him and overweight, then started on the paperwork on his desk. Mun Ki fished inside his desk for a pen and muttered a curse when he couldn't find one. "Is Janik stealing supplies again?" He asked Chun Fat.
"Janik? He got fired a few months back for that, where have you been?"
"Really? I thought I saw him come in this morning, I must be seeing things."
"Don't start down that path," Chun Fat cautioned. "The sergeant needs you to shoot, maybe Nyuk Tsin is putting something in the chop suey for you." He grinned, knowing Mun Ki's thoughts on her. The sergeant on the other hand, relied on Mun Ki after he proved himself with a handgun after a brief firefight with members of the Russian Mafia who had tried to cross the border, which was only five miles away. The firefight had left four officers injured and two dead, with three of the Mafia down, mainly from Mun Ki's accuracy.
"So when I finish this report on that drug dealer we can start out in the patrol car." Mun Ki nodded and continued with his paper work.

Upon their arrival, Andy's eyes fell on an unusually tall warehouse with a large picture of a bear climbing a rock face painted on the front wall. This turned out to be the building they were looking for and the group moved up to the small reception desk inside. Despite outward appearances, the inside looked like a corporate office, but that was shattered by large glass windows separating them from the climbing area. Pillars of a tan plastic stood roughly three stories, about five of these pillars stood and against the far wall was a pile of similar design, but these only a story at their highest. These rocks stood about like the aftermath of a rockslide, that the receptionist said was for bouldering. They then proceeded to the locker room where they were encouraged to empty their pockets and discard any loose clothing. Upon exiting the locker room, they met the belayers who would be working with them. The belayers introduced themselves as Scott and William, and on Fido's asking explained their roll. "We're the guys holding the ropes so when you lose your grip, you aren't falling." Stopping at a locker at the end of the hallway, Scott halted the group.
"Climbing belts are here." He said passing them out. "Pull the straps around your waste and legs to tighten them. Helmets are in that bin. Winters'll pass them out."
"I thought you said your name was William." Angus pointed out.
"Long story, but basically my parents decided it'd be fun to make my initials WWW, so I'm William Webster Winters. Since they worked with computers I figured they wanted me to add a dot then somethin' like Google after that. Calling me William or Winters is fine with me."
"A few basic rules now," Scott said as they continued to the climbing area. "Pretty basic rules for the most part, since this is officially a family place try not to cuss, don't discourage other climbers, don't try to climb the rope, climb the wall. Two reasons for that, even though the rope can hold over seven thousand pounds it's not good for it and these ropes aren't cheap. Other thing is there's only one strap goin' between your legs an' being held up by it is not comfortable, believe me."
"Any questions?" Winters asked.
"Yeah, the receptionist said those rocks," Cuddles gestured at the pile of rocking on the far wall. "Was for bouldering. What's bouldering?"
"It's when you don't have a harness and therefore have no need for a belayer. So while we've got two of you climbing the rest can head over there while you wait."

...

Behind the police station, Chun Fat slid his bulk into the passenger seat of the battered BYD F3 patrol car. Similar to the Honda Accord in America, The F3 was a midsized sedan this one painted in the colors of the Manzouli Police Department. As Mun Ki began settling in his seat he felt an urge to check the trunk. He went to the back, opened the trunk and looked around inside.
Nothing.
"What was that about?" Chun Fat asked as Mun Ki sat back down.
"Bad feeling I guess." He replied as he pulled out onto the road. The two sat in silence until they were a ways off from the station. Finally Chun Fat broke the silence.
"You've been acting a bit jumpy today and I know you don't drink coffee." He pointed out.
Mun Ki laughed at this. "You'd call me paranoid if I told you what's been happening.
"Well I've met some pretty odd people," Chun Fat snorted at this. "Some nut who referred to himself as a waffle just last week."
"What the hell is that?" Laughed Mun Ki.
"Some breakfast item, damn Americans and their odd foods. Donuts are good though, gave me this lump here." Char Fat said, patting his bulging waistline. "But in all honesty, why should I call you paranoid?"
Mun Ki sighed and shook his head. "I'm thinking of getting a third lock on my door." Char Fat sat upright at this.
"A third?"
"Yeah, I don't feel safe anymore, like people are watching me."
"So you are paranoid?"
"Naw, I mean, I've got a legitimate concern." Mun Ki gestured at a passing car. "Like that car there. Why is a Russian car on the road? I feel like the Mafia wants revenge on me." He muttered, not noticing the car he gestured at was of Chinese build.
"What do you mean?" Chun Fat questioned.
"Never mind, forget I even brought it up." Mun Ki replied, suddenly angry at his closest friend.
This isn't right! Part of Mun Ki cried in his mind.
Of course it is! That panda could have been bought off by them! A second part argued back. You've got a gun on your belt! Finish him before he kills you!
No! He's my friend, he'd never try to kill me.
Dude, what's happening here?" A third voice asked.
Shut the fuck up! The second voice screamed.
But I just wanted to-
No! Get the hell out of here!
No need to be a jerk to him!
"Hey, Mun Ki, you still there?"
Mun Ki shook his head a bit. "What?" Char Fat was looking at him oddly. "You okay? You just started muttering something there."
"I did? I must be really tired." Mun Ki said, settling down into his seat.

...

"So you're going up first?" Scott asked.
"I suppose." Andy replied. Scott nodded. "Looks like Winters is setting up your buddy there, what's his name…"
"Apollo?"
"Yeah, that was it," Scott said tying a rope into his harness. "Alright, you're set up, ya wanna wait for Apollo and race?"
"Sure, you got any advice?"
"Depends, you ever climbed before?"
"A few times, on real rock though, not this plastic stuff." Scott nodded. "This stuff ain't as smooth as rock, so try not ta' slide. Also, on those slanted parts there" He pointed up the rock face where the wall bent back, which would force a climber to go slightly upside-down. "Watch out for those. Some of the handholds rotate a bit so hold on tight. Fallin's not bad but the only thing holding you up it the harness."
Andy winced a bit at this. "And at the top? Just repel down?"
"Yeah, you know the deal right? Swing out, hit the wall with your feet, repeat 'till you're down." Scott spoke to Winters now.
"He ready over there?" Winters nodded.
"They gonna race?"
"I'm up for it." This from Andy. Apollo agreed and the two started on the wall. Andy started faster, gaining an early lead. Moving from ledge to ledge, Andy swung himself up to a new foot hold only to find himself hanging by his fingertips as he lost his footing. Swinging away to the side, Andy came close to where another group was climbing before kicking off the wall and returning to his original area, significantly lower.
"You okay?" Scott called up.
"I'm fine." Andy called back.

By now Apollo had taken the lead and Andy scrambled after him. Planting his feet on a ledge, Andy Flung himself up, catching a single handhold. He swung his feet in feeling for purchase, his feet slipping on the wall. Continuing past Apollo, Andy continued scaling the wall, easily scrabbling his way up the rough face. Towards the top, the handholds lessened and Andy was forced to slow down. Glancing below him, his vision swam as he saw the ground below him.
"I hate heights." He muttered as the wall bent backwards.
Grabbing the edge where the wall returned to its vertical angle, Andy swung himself out, losing his footing in the process with only his hands keeping him from a second fall. Clenching one hand around the lip, he swung his left hand up for another hold before repeating with his right.

Slowly and painstakingly he pulled himself up until his feet had taken the place of his hands and swung himself up on top of the pillar. At the center a metal beam held the climbing tower to the warehouse roof. From above, Andy could see as Angus and the others bouldered below him. Moments later Apollo joined him
"Damn nice view eh? Pity it's not outside." Apollo said.
"Yup. Ready to head down?"
"Let's not race this time." Apollo called as he followed Andy down.
"Now you see comrades." Andy began in a fake Russian accent. "Deese is express elevator."
"Someone get me an AUG and a mountain base and I'm happy." Apollo muttered as he lowered himself down.

At the bottom, Angus and Cuddles switched out for Andy and Apollo and the later headed over for bouldering.


1:34 PM
Manzouli, China
Northern outskirts of the city
Outside the Chinese equivalent to McDonalds, Mun Ki and Chun Fat sat in their patrol car eating lunch.
"Hah." Chun Fat cried. "I asked for two eggrolls and that man in there gave me three!"
"Maybe he wanted to charge you for it." Mun Ki muttered. He didn't trust his food to be safe; maybe the Mafia hired someone to poison it?
That meat there looks odd, don't eat it. Besides it's easier to poison flesh.
I dunno man, that meat looks fin- Voice Three began.
Why are you still here! Get out! Voice Two yelled.
Aw c'mon, that's not cool man.
Why are you two fighting? We don't even know what the meat is. Mun Ki's sanest voice said.
"You're not eating the lamb?" Char Fat questioned, noticing the small pile of uneaten lamb Mun Ki had pushed to the side.
"Lamb? How can you tell?"
"Tastes like it. Or maybe some type of fowl. Either way it's good. You gonna eat it?" Mun Ki shook his head and let Char Fat scoop up the lamb.
Good. Now the fat man will die. Voice Two hissed
But it's not poisoned. Voice One argued.
Bullshit. When the fat man dies I'll be the one laughing.
Awww c'mon man, the fat man's our frien- The third voice began.
No! He works for the Mafia, next time we're alone with him he'll put a bullet in our back.
Char Fat wouldn't do that!
Really? Would you bet your life on it? Look, he's eating the lamb now!
Mun Ki watched with apprehension as his friend finished off the lamb.
See? He's not dead, it wasn't poisoned.
It's slow acting. Mark my words, by the end of the hour he will be dead.

"Excuse me, are you busy at the moment?" A man asked from Char Fat's side of the car.
Char Fat shook his head. "What do you need?"
"I think I'm lost. Could you point me in the direction of Manzouli?"
"Certainly, it's just down the road..."
From inside the car, Mun Ki sat frozen with shock as a flickering red image of a gun appeared on his vision and slowly raised itself to the back of Char Fat's head.
Nononononononononowhat's happening? Why am I seeing things? He screamed inside his head.
The fat man must die! His mind screamed back. Get your gun and shoot him! You can get out of here before anyone knows what happened.
He's my friend!
He works for the Mafia, if we don't kill him he'll kill us. A chorus of voices cried.
The red gun flickered violently and faded from Mun Ki's vision as the radio crackled to life.
"…home to all available units. Suspect in a silver sedan seen fleeing a stabbing spree at an apartment complex headed north. Suspect is armed and extremely dangerous. Permission is given to shoot on sight."
"Shit." Char Fat muttered "Gotta go." He called to the lost man as Mun Ki pulled the patrol car out onto the road.
"We're on the road to the border." Char Fat yelled to Mun Ki. "If he's trying to cross the border he'll have to come this way. Sirens blazing the two headed back to the city. After ten minutes had passed Char Fat pointed ahead.
"There!" Char Fat pointed to a silver sedan traveling north unusually fast. "That's gotta be him. The sedan sped past the patrol car as Mun Ki pulled a U-turn and continued the chase.
"He's in the middle of the road!" Char Fat called as cars coming in the opposite direction swerved around the suspect's vehicle.
"We're gaining! Keep going." Char Fat yelled as the suspect's car swerved violently to avoid a car coming in the other direction. The suspect's car veered out of control and spun around, rolling twice before coming to a stop upside down along the side of the road.
"Stop the car!" Mun Ki slammed on the brakes and brought the car to a stop facing the driver's side door of the suspect's car. Char Fat heaved his bulk out of his seat with his pistol drawn followed seconds later by Mun Ki.
"Police! Get out of the car with your hands above your head!" The later shouted.
"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" the man called climbing out of his car with a line of blood trailing down his forehead.
It's your chance! Kill them both and run!
Mun Ki obeyed the voice and put three rapid shots into the suspect.
"What the fuck Mun Ki?" Char Fat screamed spinning around.
Time seemed to slow down for Mun Ki. DO IT! The voices hissed at him. KILL THE FAT MAN
Mun Ki willed his body not to as the urge to shoot overcame him. He clenched his hands around the gun, willing his finger not to do what the voices told him and felt it fly back in his hands. Without meaning to, he had just shot Char Fat.
Char Fat's abdomen exploded in a cloud of blood and the panda's hands flew to his side as he fell to the ground. Mun Ki saw not shock or fear in his friend's eyes but something else equally disturbing.
Without a second look Mun Ki fled into the woods bordering the highway, pistol clutched to his chest as the voices screamed for him to shoot the fat man again and again.

Enjoy your 3,558 words?
Now go off and violently headbang to country, punch your way through a wall or burn down someone's house WITH THE LEMONS
THAT'S RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN WITH THE LEMO-
404 ERROR-INCENDIARY LEMONS NOT FOUND
Damn it Bill, what the hell did you do? I know I had those lemons somewhere…