Seth sat on the side of the garage enjoying the shade and attempting to keep a series of thoughts from encroaching into his thought process. It was a losing battle, much to his complete annoyance and the voices emanating from the garage were not helping him keeping the thoughts out. Seth struggled to his feet still feeling the pain of being launched three feet into the air and landing on rocks. As he finally got to his feet he heard the familiar voice of Jason, "You feeling okay there?"

Seth cast a glance at Jason," Besides the constant pain throughout my body, and my damn near uselessness ...I'm great."

Jason raised an eyebrow," The pain is normal for being almost blown up, but it seems you may have some other issues-"

"The only issue," Seth said while giving a dark chuckle," Is that I am completely useless. In this last little skirmish I dove behind a rusted car, hid, and soon after I went flying three feet in the air before hitting the ground...nice and hard."

Seth turned on a dime and threw a solid right hand at the wall, his hand impacting and immediately causing his knuckles to split and pain to fly up his arm. Jason watched with a surprisingly still expression as Seth grabbed his bloody hand and began to curse. Eventually, Seth stopped swearing and let the blood from his knuckles drip into the sand for a moment before he continued," My entire life I've been in control, I've been the one able to control my destiny, and here I stand having to rely on others to save me again and again."

Jason interrupted Seth's angry rant," I get where you are coming from, that feeling of powerlessness...or whatever the word is."

"You don't," Seth said gesturing with his bloodied hand," When you entered into this world, or whatever, you got lucky with a stand that makes you able to fight, that gives you some sort of use in combat."

Jason opened his mouth but Seth kept going," I was rescued by you guys, you guys gave me a chance, and you guys all saved me again when I was unconscious. Before I was like this," he gestured to his person," I kept everyone at an arm's length and used them to benefit me, but now you are all helping me and...and...and I can't do anything to make myself useful. I'm useless in a fight and my stand is a swarm of beetles that can't do jack."

Seth plopped back down on the concrete and put his head in his hands. He had been in this cushy archivist position for the government, and there he was able to work by himself and observe the other people he worked with. From that he was able to navigate the social ladder and get himself into a pointless position that made enough money to live comfortably. It had always been a thing of his to take over the room, whether it be by playing submissive or by playing top dog. Now, Now he felt completely powerless in this situation and there was nothing he was able to do to change it.

Jason stepped forward," No stand and by extension no person is useless, it's a matter of situation and imagination."

Seth looked up with almost a puzzled expression as Jason just shrugged and decided to walk away leaving Seth to stew.

It was only two hours later that Joy and John had managed to fix the incredibly simple engine issue and get them back on the road again. Jason folded, more like attempted to, the road map and put it back in the glove compartment. He grimaced as pure pain shot through his hand, he flexed it a few times gauging the impairment before pulling out a bottle of pills. He fought the bottle open with his good hand and downed as many pills that wouldn't cause an overdose. This was becoming a ritual that he hated, it reminded him far too much of the druggies he would have to deal with when he was a paramedic. He closed his eyes and leaned back into the seat, hoping to get some sleep and wake up when the drugs would be in effect. Marshall's voice cut in a few seconds later, " Is...John going to be okay?"

"I'm right here," Jason chuckled at the indigence in Johns voice," Why don't you just ask me?"

Marshall didn't even hesitate before his response shot back," You care for body about as much as Joy does, and that's really not a good thing."

Joy gave a small cry of outrage," What does that mean?"

This time Jason spun around in his seat, earning a harsh glare from Marshall," Joy, you broke your hand, your leg and nearly got sent to Dolphin Street Prison or whatever it was called."

Seth now joined the conversation with wide eyes," You nearly went to Green Dolphin Street, the sister prison of Alcatraz known for being completely self sustaining."

Jason laughed," Yeah, Marshall had to pull quite a few strings with the FBI in order to get her out of the prison sentence."

Jason turned back to Marshall who looked like had a vessel popping out of his forehead as he spoke," Just tell me if John is fine….I don't need to relive that entire series of semi-illegal dealings and IOU's."

Jason chuckled," Yeah he's fine as one can be after having gravel shrapnel pulled from their back, and he also still has a few ribs cracked from when Leen punted him across Alcatraz."

Jason saw Marshall nod his head before asking," How is Seth?"

Jason saw Seth spin from looking back at John to look at Marshall with wide eyes. Jason smirked before turning back to the road and responding," The cuts were bloody but not too deep and the explosion didn't reopen any of them luckily, It seems that he managed to block most of it with...what's it's name again."

"『BALLROOM BLITZ』, it just seemed to make sense when I was all alone in that cell."

Jason nodded and continued," Yeah, it managed to block most of it. Though I do have to ask, How did you catch the blood on the bullet."

Seth had a grim smile on his face," It was a sudden connection, I vaguely recalled seeing something red on the bullet remains as I ran. It was a split second where I remembered seeing a stain on the attendants overalls, about the same area where the explosion originated based on the chest wound, and at that point I just took a stab in the dark as it went off."

Jason chuckled as he took in Joys complete befuddlement at how he managed to notice those small details. Jason rolled back into his seat and leaned his head back into the seat and tuned out Joys incessant questioning allowing himself to fall asleep.

...

-son, Jason!" Jason shot awake with Joy's voice ringing through his ears. He looked out the windshield and saw a highway rest stop highlighted by the setting sun.

Jason rubbed the sleep out of his eyes," What time is it?"

Marshall pulled the car into one of the many empty spots, put it in park, and then examined his watch," It is 2030."

Jason rolled his eyes and got out of the car as Joy whined," Speak English please, nobody here is actually able to tell what time it is when you use that stupid twenty four hour clock ."

Instantaneously Jason, John, and even Seth all spoke out at the same time," Eight Thirty."

Jason glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw Joy pout before throwing herself out of the car, with John following close behind. He turned and saw Marshall standing in the drivers side door with a box of bullets in front of him, fistfuls of bullets being put into pockets, and the Model 27 strapped firmly in its holster. He spoke up walking towards Marshall," You know we, at least Joy and I don't blame you?"

Marshall cast a sidelong glance as he fit six bullets into a speed re loader," Doesn't matter...I got sloppy and that can't stand. I have to be ready," He turned to Jason," We've been attacked by an extremely deadly, and thankfully narcissistic, hit man. Mortis has only ever sent various goons without stands or just Leen and Priest, we have something and with that something things are going to get worse as we get closer."

Marshall shifted his gaze over Jason's shoulder. Jason turned and saw the large figure of Marshall sitting on a bench with a lit cigarette in his mouth. "You still don't trust him?" Jason asked over his shoulder.

Marshall put a hand on his shoulder as he walked past,"Not quite…."

Jason went to ask Marshall if he was in charge, but just decided to assume that the answer was yes before he turned back to where Joy and Seth were digging the blankets out from the messy trunk. He walked up to the duo, with no real intention to help them but rather the intention to claim the only good blanket they owned. 'Wait...we only have two blankets,' Jason took off for the trunk after remembering that 'essential' fact. He really did miss the roach infested motels they stayed in while they were investigating disappearances in Florida, it was definitely better than these empty lots. Though he figured he better get comfortable since with five people they weren't going to be able to afford a lot with all the medical equipment they were going to need.

Marshall walked across the empty parking lot with a degree of resignation. Owens attack had been the smack in the face he needed...they were into the deep end now. Up until now they chased the smallest leads all over America only having to deal with Leen and Priest. Now they had gotten into a fight with what could be considered the 'next step up', and that meant that the information they had meant something. That lead to the other source of his resignation, John Doe. It seemed far to lucky that they managed to find John and far too convenient that he had memory loss. Marshall finally reached the sitting area and paused before deciding to just throw decorum to wind...not that it was something he used in the first place. John saw Marshall from where he was sitting and called out," Hey Marshall, what's up?"

" I need to count on you going forward," Marshall internally winced at how hamfisted he delivered that line.

John threw his cigarette down and ground it with his foot before responding," What do you mean 'count on me'?"

Marshall sat down next to John," You came forward with the fact that those numbers at the hotel were addresses and gave us one of the biggest leads in this investigation, the information you have has some sort of basis and we need it going forward…."

"That's not everything is it," John questioned staring at Marshall

Marshall sat in silence for a moment before he continued," The Owen fight put something in perspective for me today...If I go down I want you to take over and finish what I started."

John looked at him with wide eyes for a moment Marshall just sat there," Why?"

Marshall responded after a quick chuckle," I'm not immortal and with the real threats coming out, any mistake I make might not be one I can overcome and I think only you would be able to follow whatever signs there are to finish what I started."

"I thought you didn't trust me at all?"

"I'm making the decision to ignore my logic and trust you."

John looked at Marshall with confusion in his eyes," Why are you deciding to trust me? "

Marshall ran a hand through his hair," I really don't want to trust you, to be honest. "

John chuckled and leaned back on the bench," I don't really blame you for that, I mean my story was very unrealistic."

Marshall chuckled before answering," I guess I'm trusting you based on what Joy thinks…"

"Really?"

"I know it sounds dumb, especially from me but...she's always been able to nail what a person is at their core and she just gravitates towards you."

John sat there and let silence descend over the pair before he responded," I-thank you and I'll do my best to make sure we get the bastard."

Marshall chuckled," Now I get why she hangs out with you, she said the exact same thing to me when she joined me on the investigation."

John laughed and followed Marshall and started walking towards the car, where the other three members of the 'team' had claimed seats for their makeshift beds. Despite how the conversation had gone with John he couldn't get rid of the small worry that was lodged in the back of his mind.

STAND STATS- 『RIDE THE LIGHTNING』

User: John Doe

Strength: A

Speed: B

Range: C

Durability: B

Precision: C

Potential: B

『RIDE THE LIGHTNING』is humanoid stand with blue skin and what resembles metallic restraints on it's wrists and ankles and a metallic 'blindfold' covering the area where it's eyes would be. It's ability is to generate electricity, that is measured with an ampere meter in it's chest, and then it can channel that electricity through its or the users body. It also possesses a great degree of physical power reflecting the physique of John, the user.

User History: All he knows is that his name is John Doe and he's from Chicago.