The sound of thunder breaking above the tall trees could be heard. Soon it would probably rain, and since they were in Central Park at the moment that would probably not make things better.
Garry glanced around, not entirely sure that the other android was gone, still the rain should hopefully fry its circuits.
Rook nodded, and helped Morgan up to her feet, standing alongside her.
"Let's get out of the Park, and then we can rest, correct? A good rest that will rejuvenate you."
The first few drops pitter pattered down on the ferns.
The sky had turned gray, from what little of it that could be seen.
All around them, there was nothing but thick jungle.
"Yeah, I think things would also be better if we weren't drenched..." Garry uttered, looking around for the direction of the ferry as he got his machete ready.
The plants got noticeably stranger and more 'developed' deeper into Central Park.
Rook hacked away at the plants, regardless of their change in size or features. They all looked like plants to him. He could not differentiate the difference.
Garry was able to cut through the plants quite easily, going at it a little easier to avoid getting fatigued too early, though the rain was a welcomed addition to the task.
Heather hung back, looking out for any killer plants or jungle dwelling monsters...
Though, with every cut. It seemed like the forest squirmed. As if it not just the one tree but the whole jungle could feel the cuts.
Up front, something that looked a bit like white chalk floated up to the surface of the shallow water.
"This is a curious ecosystem." Rook noted as he chopped a sapling in half.
"I don't like it..." Morgan piped up. She'd been quiet since her episode and was just looking forward to getting out so she could sleep.
The chalk-white object bobbed 'round. Revealing itself to be a human skull.
Garry continued to hack at the plant life as he tried to carve a path through the vegetation. His arm wasn't getting tired yet, though he wanted to keep it that way.
Rook stopped, drawn to the human skull. It was bleached, which that it was old.
Or picked clean.
"That is not good." He noted, lowering his axe.
"It's probably from before the war." Garry replied, though in truth he meant 'hopefully' rather than 'probably'
"Most likely, yes..." Morgan sighed. "Can we just go?"
Rook nodded, and continued hacking away.
"It's okay, me and Morgan can take care of whatever comes out of there." Heather assured them, though not even Garry believed her, this place just had death written all over it.
"If it wasn't so humid, I'd just burn the place down." Morgan muttered.
"That would be the most advisable plan." Rook agreed.
"Yeah, burn the jungle down with us at the center of it... Fuckin' genius plan..." Garry grumbled, taking his frustrations out on the plants ahead.
"I said I wasn't going to do it!" Morgan snapped back. "Did you even listen!? The fire would just die out because of the humidity!"
Large yellow flowers started to appear, they were hauntingly beautiful, and smelled so sweet.
"I know but he said..." The former Slaver then paused, realising that it wasn't worth getting into an argument over.
"Urgh, fuck it, I just wanna get outta this shit hole!"
"We all do!" Morgan growled. "Just pick a direction and hack!"
Rook ignored the flowers. They looked just like plants to him. And he lacked a sense of smell, so he couldn't receive information on them that way either.
Garry was already on it, he'd been hacking away at the plants for some time, whilst Heather stood on watch.
"Guys... Keep it down, we'll attract animals..."
The smell of the flowers became more potent.
Morgan inhaled and screwed up her nose. "Urgh...It stinks..."
Garry tried not to breathe as he continued to hack furiously, trying to hack the scent to death with his companion's blade.
The vibration caused by Garry's hacking caused the nearest flower to him to sprout a puff of spores into his face.
Garry quickly breathed the spores in, prompting him to cough and splutter as he fell to the ground, he violently hacked and wheezed as Heather rushed to his side, placing her hand on his back and shoulder as she knelt beside him.
"G-Garry? What's wrong!?"
The spores worked as a paralyzing agent, making the prey more easily digestible.
"Cover up your mouth Heather." Morgan advised, bending down to look at Garry.
Heather nodded as she grabbed a bandanna from her pack, wrapping it around her face as the former Slaver went rigid, twitching a little as the spores did their work on his body as he stared ahead with a look of terror in his eyes.
Garry would probably experience something akin of sleep paralysis. Even though fully conscious, he was unable to move of his own accord.
While all this was happening, small green vines slithered across the water. And like bloodworms tried to latch unto Garry's exposed skin, ready to feast and suck him dry.
Heather shrieked and snatched his machete, bringing it down on the green vines and cutting them in half as she tried to keep them back.
"Morgan, get them away from him!"
"Ya I will!" Morgan nodded, tearing the Machete from Rooks grip. "Rook! Carry him. We gotta get away from here."
Rook plucked Garry up and threw him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, tearing him away from the vines.
"Morgan, cover your face." He said, whilst pulling his shotgun free from its holster. He fired down into the water, hoping to sever whatever it was that was controlling the vines.
"It's covered!" Morgan called back, albeit slightly muffled.
Heather covered her own face up, stepping back to avoid coming into contact with anything.
Eerily, the nature around them turned incredibly hostile. More spores were released from more flowers as the gang made more noise. They had to get out of this particular part of the jungle fast.
"Fuck!" Morgan snapped through her own bandanna. "Get moving!"
Heather rushed over to the vines and drover her machete down through them, finally finishing what Garry started.
"C'mon! Through here!" She called back, knowing that they couldn't turn back.
"On me." Ordered Rook. as calm as always despite the crisis. He lead the group forwards, away from the water, northeast.
The jungle opened up a bit in the newly created path. Infront of them lay a large body of water with some half-sunken plastic swan peddle boats sticking out. They were probably at of Central Park's former lake. Beyond that lay the old Bethesda fountain on which an overgrown bronze angel looked down.
Rook halted as they reached the lake.
"This will be difficult to navigate around."
Heather looked around for any signs of an advantage but couldn't see one, though given her poor perception and intelligence, she was probably missing the obvious.
A lightning flash lit up the sky for a second, followed closely by the roaring thunder.
Rain. Great.
Morgan sighed and hacked at the plantlife she could see as she followed behind Rook.
"Is there even anywhere safe we can get to in this shithole."
Rook glanced up at the sky for a moment, before looking back down at the water.
"I do not doubt there is plant life in the water. Crossing by maritime vessel would most likely be dangerous. We would be in a disadvantageous position."
"There. Under the archways." Morgan spotted, pointing over to cover. "We can at least wait 'til the rains off, and stop Garry from moving."
Rook nodded in agreement, and headed that way.
"Let us move swiftly."
"Wasn't planning on moving slowly..." Morgan muttered under her breath, leading the way for a change.
Heather continued to follow them from behind, constantly staying on the lookout as she did so, keeping her wits about her for any more hostile plant life as she followed Rooke and Morgan towards the archway.
Once under the archway, Rook lay Garry down. He pulled his jacket off, exposing the bare skin and healing wounds underneath, to prop Garry's head up on.
"The toxin will work its way out of his system." Rook explained. "He just needs time."
"Still, let me take a closer look." Morgan whispered, pulling the mask off and crouching down, examining his body.
Heather knelt down beside him as she took his jacket and folded it into a pillow, placing it under his head as Rook gave his prognosis, she nodded as she heard it before glancing up to the two of them.
"Thank you..." She whispered, gently stroking his head as she looked down to him as Morgan examined his body.
"I honestly thought that I'd lost him there..."
Rook just nodded, and backed away. He went to go find his own arch, for some reason feeling like he needed to be away from the noise- "enjoying the peace" as Morgan had called it, and once he had, he went about cleaning and maintaining his most important possessions.
Morgan sat back and sighed. "Rook is right. The toxins should flush themselves out. All he needs is time. No thanks necessary."
The archways themself was covered with plant life, but it didn't look like the 'lethal' kind. There was the sound of drops echoing through the large cold hall, but at least it was better than that 'torrential downpour' out there. It was a short moment of peace.
"Still... I thought that I lost him for a moment..." The former slave sighed, sitting cross-legged as Rook walked away before giving Morgan a slight smile.
"Are you okay? Nothing got you did it?"
"I believe I am alright." Morgan said quietly. "If I was not, Rook wouldn't be walking off right now."
"That's good... I just didn't know if you were putting on a brave face or not." Heather shrugged before gesturing at her recon armour.
"I bet that's kept you well protected."
"Most likely, yes." The Scientist agreed. She sighed quietly, glancing over to the other archway.
I hope they never saw my...episode...
Heather wasn't really paying attention, when Morgan had her 'episode,' though Garry was, who was currently paralysed.
"I've never seen plants before... Especially not killer ones like that." She went on, gently grazing her companion's forehead with her fingertips.
Morgan leaned against the wall and folded her arms. "Well...yeah I am stumped. It's...odd how they are so carnivorous. Did radiation alter them somehow..."
"I'm... Not sure." Heather admitted, knowing nothing about plants.
"Maybe they were made by scientists? Y'know, like Deathclaws? I once heard a guy say that Deathclaws were tiny lizards once."
"Wouldn't really surprise me..." Morgan shrugged. "We are always fiddling with things. Ruining things. Creating stuff too..."
"Yeah, I think most of the world's problems were caused by that..." Heather agreed before looking in Rook's direction and giving a faint smile.
"Though, then again, some good did come out of it."
"Yeah..." Morgan smiled, seeming to brighten up. "He's a tough cookie that one."
"You're telling me, I was worried when he... Well, when that other robot showed up." Heather admitted, glancing down to Garry as she continued to brush his hair with her fingers.
"I don't think that we'd be able to beat him, even all three of us together."
"What I don't get is why it completely ignored me and my surrender, despite it stating several times it had come to get me..." Morgan shrugged, sliding down the wall to sit.
"It might have been scared of Garry, y'know, with him pointing a gun at it? Maybe it could only focus on one thing at a time..." The Former slave uttered, rubbing her neck and wincing as she pressed down on the bruising.
"Hate things wrapping around my neck..."
"Hopefully I can find something to ease the swelling..." Morgan mused, deciding not to mention the neck thing, as it was plain enough to see why Heather abhorred it.
To be a slave. I'd...hate that. Confounded collars are inexcusable.
"It's okay, I've had worse before... It's just kind of sensitive but it'll go down soon enough." She sighed, not wanting to waste medical supplies, when they had someone injured and someone who was paralysed.
In most situations Heather put herself at the bottom of priorities...
"I ain't sticking a stimpak in you." Morgan sighed. "Maybe I could go look for some painkillers once we're out this fucking hell..."
"N-No... I just, it's okay, I don't need anything for it, it'll go down on its own." Heather repeated, again not wanting to have any medical supplies 'wasted' on her, no matter how insignificant they were.
Another lightning flash lit up the sky. The storm was far from over.
Even in Brooklyn the rain was quite bad.
Rook glanced out at the storm, his brow crinkled slightly, like it troubled him. He pumped the lever of the shotgun once he'd cleaned the barrel and slid more ammo into the magazine, locking a bullet into the chamber. He rested it against his thigh and was still.
Morgan looked out to the rain and sighed somewhat sadly. Her face softened and she watched the water batter off the ground.
Doesn't look irradiated. Should probably stick a few bottles out in it...
Heather remembered the few times that it rained in DC, she hated it as she lived outside throughout most of her life and it just meant getting drenched, whilst the Slavers either stared at her, unsympathetically or they just went inside to shield themselves.
"Is it drinkable?" She asked, not knowing anything about rain water.
"Possibly." Morgan noted. "It looks clear enough. We got any bottles?"
Heather looked into her bag and found an already half full bottle of purified water, she examined it before shrugging and passing it over to the inventor before returning to her bag and rummaging around.
"I wish that water would fall from the sky more often..."
"Yeah that'd be nice..." Morgan said dreamily, placing the bottle out in the rain, only confirming hr thoughts that it was purified.
"I wonder. There were a load of tanks on top of buildings back in the old days. There could be a load of water stored away..."
I must make time to search...
"Yeah... I remember some guys at Paradise used to leave buckets on the rooftops, whenever it rained but that water was always irradiated and it took a while to purify it." Heather explained, though she didn't understand the technical side of it in much detail.
"I wish we could just clean up like...a lake or something. We'd never have to worry about water for a long while."
Garry's body was slowly metabolising the venom. It would have no lasting effects, though the 'digestion' would probably cause him to be incredibly tired, weak and hungry.
The former slaver could feel his senses coming back to him as the sounds of his companion's voices solidified in his head and was able to make sense of what they were saying...
"I heard that some people tried to build a water purifier in DC once but it didn't end well." Heather added, glancing back out into the ruined city.
"I've heard the same..." Morgan said sadly. "I kinda wish it had worked. We could mass produce it, and get some life back into this world..."
Heather shrugged, unsure as to what to make of it.
"I don't know, people always find a way to spoil everything..."
"Ya,but for a time...it'd be ok. Should be worth it..."
Heather just sighed, she knew people better than most, the world itself was an excellent example of this. Things that used to be instruments used to make the world a better place were now being used as murder weapons, bases of operations or to make people suffer.
They'd always find a way to make something as good as a water purifier a bad thing for a lot of people.
Morgan wandered over to collect the now overflowing bottle. She tossed it back to Heather and stepped out into the rain on her own, taking this time to think.
She peered out over the jungle landscape, sighing quietly to herself.
It looks good, yes. Maybe once we get out, maybe it'd be time for me to leave. It was my original plan after all...
I don't want to get involved with the Chinese or Raiders or people in general.
I don't want to be fucking shot anymore.
Would...Would Rook stay? Most likely no...
Heavy booted footsteps sounded off behind Morgan.
"Morgan, come underneath the arch. There are hazards out here and you are exposed and visible."
Morgan looked up into the cloudy sky. "It's okay Rook. The rain isn't irradiated."
"There are plants." Rook argued in his flat voice.
Morgan shook her head and threw her arms out wide. "Ain't anywhere near the plants. I'm being careful, don't worry."
Rook was silent for a long while, not moving, before speaking again.
"I want you to come inside." He said softly.
Morgan lost her smile and hung her head, sighing quietly as she turned around. "Fine..." She mumbled.
Rook shook his head, frustrated at not being able to properly express himself.
"Not like that." He pursed his lips, thinking. "I would prefer it for my own reasons that you come inside, not pertaining to safety."
Morgan tilted her head, looking confused for the longest time. "You need repairs? Or to talk or something?" She asked, walking up beside him.
"No. I do not require anything. I would desire that you are of a close proximity, as opposed to not."
"Well, I was just right outside..." Morgan shrugged before glancing back at the Android. "I guess it' nice you want me close by though."
Rook furrowed his brow, like that answer confused him.
"I always want you close-by." He said, like it was obvious.
"Well...I mean it's nice to know is all..." Morgan smiled, finally stepping in out of the rain.
Was so refreshing…
"I am pleased I was able to provide you with satisfactory information." Rook nodded outside.
"Why were you out there?"
"Was getting dome water for Garry and Heather." Morgan grinned. "I was thinking as well..."
Rook nodded, not wanting to press. Morgan had gotten very upset last time, and he did not like that.
"Do you want to go sit down?" He glanced over. "There are a dozen empty arches. I have cleared them. There are no hostiles."
"Sure." Morgan smiled, holding onto her wound gently. "I'm feeling a little drained anyways."
Rook hooked an arm through the crook of Morgan's elbow to support her and nodded, leading the way. He had found a wrought-iron bench, and must've taken the initiative to clear it off because it was spotless of plant life and all the larger rust flakes had been cleared away.
"We can sit here."
Morgan giggled and sat down as gracefully as she could, wondering what Rook was up to.
Rook sat next to her, and tried not the brush the wounds on his bare back up against the rough metal of the bench. The last thing his flesh needed was tetanus.
"Is this agreeable?" He asked, looking down at her, into her eyes.
"Yeah." Morgan smiled, looking around. It was a nice spot. Probably would have been romantic back in the day.
"So, Rook. What're you up to?"
"I wanted to be alone with you." He admitted. "Between the vegetative attacks, bullet wounds, and T2-30 we have not been able to adequately be by ourselves since we were located in Broadway. And I believe our relationship has changed since then."
"I thought as much." Morgan nodded, leaning round to look at Rooks back. "Are you sure you don't require repairs?"
"Yes, Morgan. Do not worry about me. Let us try not to fret over anything for a short while." He lowers his hand from her arm and curled his fingers around her's.
"I worry far too much, Rook..." Morgan sighed, resting her head on his shoulder and looking at their intertwined hands.
Rook did not say anything, just brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. He did not worry. He was not sure he even had that function. It was not beneficial for a ruthless killer to constantly worry about things or become distracted. For his skill set, his focus always had to be singular, deadest on the task he was committed to in the moment.
"Soon you will not have to worry at all."
"How so?" Morgan asked, definitely confused. "We'll have to go to Governors and the ESB and...god knows what else..." She sighed, watching Rooks thumb intently.
"Plenty of worrying to go..."
"When all this is over, we will go somewhere safe and secure and no longer need to worry about anything."
"Is there even such a place out here?" Morgan queried. She frowned in thought. "Even before I met you, I was attacked and had to constantly build new mines."
Rook considered that.
"We will find it after we get out of here and settle the situation. If such a place does not exist, I will create one for us."
"What'll you do when you make this place for us? Would you...stay? Or go? Or what?"
"I will always stay with you Morgan, until you wish otherwise or it is no longer possible." Rook answered with all honestly, turning his head to look her in the face as he did so.
"I... I don't understand why you would.." Morgan admitted. "Once this is over...there will be nothing to protect me from. You can go and... protect others, you know?"
"I do not want to protect others." Rook protested. "I would prefer to stay with you, even if you do not require protection."
"You sound like an actual human..." Morgan snickered. "Like...a human in love..."
The rain didn't show signs that it would stop any time soon, but at least the downpour started to slow down, and got less severe.
Rook slowly nodded and took a moment to speak.
"I do love you, Morgan. I meant it when I said it." He said, without falter.
Morgan sighed and glanced up at Rooks eyes. "I...I...w-well...I f-feel the same, Rook..." She whispered, looking incredibly scared.
Say it go on. The others either already know, or just don't give a fuck.
"...I love you." Morgan whispered, incredibly quietly.
Rook blinked and then smiled at her. He reached up with his free hand and touched it to her face.
"What happens now?"
"Nothing I guess?" Morgan smiled. "Nothing'll change and we'd just be together."
Rook nodded and wrapped his arms around her, tucking Morgan into his embrace.
"That is good."
"It sure sounds it..." She mumbled.
Would it even last?
Rook leaned his head against Morgan's and was silent and content to stay like that for a long while, before speaking.
"We should find a way out of this jungle." He noted.
"What? And not waste away here?" Morgan said sarcastically before agreeing. "The humidity makes me grumpy..."
"Let us move then. We're wasting day light hours." He stated, but seemed reluctant to.
"You were the one who suggested we stop here a bit." Morgan pointed out with a quiet giggle. "It's still raining and Garry is still detoxing. We have a little time left."
"Is there any activity you have in mind?" Asked Rook, canting his head. "If you are correct, we do have some time." He agreed.
"Sitting here is quite nice. Though I quite liked just standing out in the rain..."
Morgan shrugged and closed her eyes. "A small rest maybe..."
Rook nodded, pulling Morgan up against himself, and then letting her rest. He stared out into the rain, as patient as ever.
Morgans breathing soon slowed, making it fairly obvious she'd fallen asleep in Rooks lap. There was a small grin on her face and she twitched on occasion.
He made sure to avert his eyes when he noticed she was asleep. Rook let Morgan sleep for an hour, before shaking her awake.
"Morgan." He said in a low voice. "It is time to get up."
Heather watched over Garry as he came back around and his body's functions slowly returned to him. It took several hours but he eventually found himself to be able to move, though he looked terrible, he would be able to stand and walk.
The Former Slave let him rest for as long as possible, uttering several things to him whilst he ebbed and flowed on the boarder of consciousness.
"We... Goin' soon?" He whispered, keeping his eyes closed as he did so, feeling like he was going to go back to sleep at any moment.
"Mmhmm... You should have some time to rest, once we reach the ferry, if you can make it."
Garry just sighed before returning to sleep, getting as many zs as possible before he was inevitably brought back up to his feet and forced to march on.