DEBUGGING

by BloodiedCoreOfHope

Alex Mercer was willing to die for New York- and he thought he had. That made sense to him, until he woke up in a test tube facing down his creator. Things get strange very quickly from there, especially when he wakes up in a test tube the next day- and the next after that. Something's wrong with time itself, and Alex Mercer is at the center of it all.

12. r105

p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He drifted back into wakefulness in his own bed, eyes flickering open with a groan. He'd fallen asleep watching Cross do... Whatever the hell Runners did when they were just staring and whispering at each other, and apparently he'd slept through the time reset and now it was dark- black as pitch, actually./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Maybe something was against his window this time? There should have been moonlight to go with the dim rain noises he could hear. He stood up carefully, padding over old jackets which were exactly where they should be to the light switch, flicking it on./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Nothing changed./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He tried again, frowning and flicking it on and off a few times. The faint buzzing of electricity was there, so why...? His stomach sank, a dark worry brewing, and he traced his way along the wall to his window, touching it carefully. Curtains were pulled aside, and the glass was smooth and cool to the touch. He should have been able to see the moonlight./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Confused, irritated, but mostly trying to bite back the growing dread, he stepped back, sitting on his bed and trying to see his hands fruitlessly. Was this permanent? Why was he blind this time-? Nothing unusual had happened last loop, so far as he could tell. It'd have made sense last loop, going by his working theory that major events carried over./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"At the very least, where vision failed, sound didn't. There was no mistaking the sound of the front door being swung open, nor the heavy bootfalls that echoed down the hall promptly after. Why he picked here of all places to visit was beyond anyone, but soon enough, he was pulling the bedroom door open./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Mercer. We've got a fucking prob-" The captain abruptly cut himself off, lingering in the doorway and staring blankly at where the scientist sat. While seeing his actual expression was impossible, his tone conveyed plenty. "... What the hell are you doing. "/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""...Nothing." He muttered in response, stuffing his hands into the pockets of the hoodie he'd slept in and hunching over to hide his face from view. "What's the fucking problem?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""'What's the fucking problem.' You're shitting me right now." He started to motion to the window, but something made him pause. With narrowed eyes, he stepped forward, promptly waving his hand between Mercer's face and hands. "We fucked up. Whatever we did in Gentek, it set Greene off like a bomb. You're in a goddamn Red Zone right now."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He flinched back from the air moving in front of his face, the crinkle of fabric telling him exactly what Cross was doing. He grabbed at it before it could disappear, turning to glare in his general direction. "And what do you want me to do about it? I'm a virologist not a soldier, I'll be dead weight. Especially considering- this."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer's reaction-combined with the completely unfocused look in his eyes as he tried to glare at him-told him everything he needed to no. A tight frown flicked across his features, but now wasn't the time to dwell. Resting his other hand on Mercer's, he started trying to pull him to his feet./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You aren't doing anything about it. You're getting the fuck out of here. Your sister's place is out of the Zone, so you'll be going there with her. We'll handle the actual threats."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""We?" He questioned as he got up, trying not to focus too much on the hands. He could use other things to find his way around- the help wasn't necessary. Didn't stop the almost death grip he had on the cool metal of the prosthetic though. "Right- your wisemen. You're trained for this."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Carefully, he let go and moved over to the wall, pawing the ground until he found his discarded boots and slipped them on, moving back to where he'd left Cross. "So... Let's get going. Wherever the hell you're going. What's even the plan?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Ten years of training, with each of my Wisemen personally picked and trained by me. I'm not worried about getting it under control." He hesitated for a moment as Mercer gripped his arm, but made no motion to stop the man as he gathered his clothes for the departure. He lingered in place, casting a quick glance to the Redlight creeping across the window. It was getting worse by the minute-Runners were never safe business. He should know./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I have authority to do whatever I please. That includes getting you out of a Red Zone. I take you to your sister's apartment, you meet with her and Alex. What you three do from there ultimately isn't my business. I'll track down and kill the Runner."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You're not the Runner?" He asked, letting Cross lead him reluctantly out. He hated this situation already. He couldn't see the viral apocalypse, and he couldn't even stay home. It was annoying. "You mean Greene has escaped-? But what changed to cause that- all you did was talk and she doesn't retain memories, so far as I can tell. Though perhaps she does now, considering this."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He interupted himself with a curse when he walked right into his front door- it'd been left open by Cross' entry. "You know, it's interesting that you care and all- but how the hell are we going to get across Manhattan if it's riddled with Redlight? One of us is safe and it's not the one who needs to get out."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Of course I'm not the fucking-" Cross cut himself off with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Even with that little discovery, I haven't lost my fucking mind yet. We didn't talk." He winced, letting his hand drop back to his side, but keeping his gaze sternly ahead. "We're connected. Through the Hivemind. The second I woke up, I could hear her. Feel her. Apparently, the arrival of someone else is what she's been waiting for." He gnawed on the inside of his cheek, sternly ignoring the taste of blood. "Like I said. We fucked up."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He paused as Mercer tried to walk into the door. After a slight snort, he pulled him away from it, getting him back on track. "Oh, we're going on a lovely stroll through Redlight-ridden Manhattan. Maybe we'll chat with some of the Walkers." He rolled his eyes. "How the fuck do you think I got here? There's a helicopter."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""The blind civvie and the psychic bioweapon- well this day is starting great!" He groaned. "Fucked up indeed- at least you'll get to practice fighting to the death again and again. You wanted that, right?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Even as he chattered, he was focused on each twist and turn they took, jerking Cross to a smaller, less used stairwell behind a solid door. He gripped the rail by the side, looking at Cross and waiting for him to follow him into the cramped space. Usually he'd just go ahead- but today wasn't exactly usual and he didn't feel like tripping over a water bottle or some shit to his death./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Leads straight to the roofs- maintenance uses it and the fuckers never lock up properly. Quicker than the main stairwell and there's no locked doors."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Cross narrowed his eyes as the virologist groaned, but ultimately, he couldn't exactly blame him for the bad mood. The loss of a sense was hard on anyone who had to endure it, even more so an abrupt one. "Relax. You said it yourself, the physical effects don't last through the resets. Once today's over, you'll be back to normal. Surviving the day is just ideal." The doctor had died enough times by now./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He followed Mercer's league a little begrudgingly, raising both brows as he was led into the stairwell. It was quick-that was ultimately what they needed. The pilot was only willing to wait so long for Cross's little "rescue mission", as the Wisemen had taunted (with good intentions). His height made watching out for Mercer from behind easy, at least, making sure he wouldn't fall and break his face open./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""The good news about this entire fucking mess is that we've handled Runners before." Cross noted simply. "Once we find Greene, the rest of it should be a quick clean up. And the Hivemind has some benefits."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer grunted, focused on not tripping on the narrow stairs. "Sounds like a plan. You follow her trail and then kill her. And hopefully next time she won't be awake. It's a damn shame I can't get samples..." He sighed dramatically, but it was surface deep. He couldn't fake a mood for shit. "This fucking sucks."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The metal roof entrance door was in front of his hands before he expected and he mumbled a curse, yanking it open to- the smell of rotten meat and engine oil. What the fuck? He stilled, only stepping out when he felt Cross bump into him, face twisted in confusion. Had Cross brought a dead fox in the helicopter or something? It smelled rank./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"For someone who could see, though, the reaction was much more visceral. The helicopter was a burnt, mangled husk-and right in front of it was the culprit, a familiar visage of black and red tendrils. He'd already turned to face them by the time they were out the door, the whip-esque limb that had replaced his arm quickly snapping back into proper shape. Cross nudged the scientist aside so he could step out from the stairwell, glaring daggers./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Are you fucking... Alex." He was, genuinely, at a loss for words. The few interactions he'd had with the virus certainly had him questioning his common sense, but this was a whole new level of fucking stupid. It was Cross's turn to groan, dragging his hand down his face. Alex didn't seem to mind-or care, based on the way here merely moved to stand in front of them./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Dana and Ragland are back at the morgue. I'll get you two there, then make sure Blackwatch isn't trackin' you. I've dealt with Elizabeth before."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He pressed himself against the wall, glaring in Alex's general direction. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, the texture of the fabric being something to ground him with. "The fuck are you doing here?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A jab in Cross' general direction earnt him a jolt through his finger from the impact- how fucking far did the prosthetic go up? He pulled it back with a wince. "And you're not fucking dropping us off like kids at daycare, you thrice damned macroscopic common cold! He's as skilled as you are. Take him with you."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Cross raised a brow as his upper arm was jabbed at, but ultimately, it was far from his highest priority. He gave Alex an incredulous look, scoffing despite himself. "He's right. If you can handle this, I definitely can."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Say that to the Supreme Hunter," Alex growled-but it seemed to hit a nerve of his own, and his expression became dark and distant. "... He doesn't have my abilities, even if he's got skill. I'm not takin' him."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Oh, boo fucking hoo, I don't have superpowers. Both the men you just blew up and I are trained to handle this exact situation-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Your men just wanna put a bullet in his skull-" a jab at Mercer, "and nuke Manhattan!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""First off," Mercer snapped, unreactive to the jab. "Unless you've been doing some fucking serious shit with my face, they won't want to kill me just yet. I'm a scientist- in this situation they'd want my knowledge more than my head."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Secondly, you schoolgirls can stop bickering about who's stronger or more powerful or whatever the fuck because this bitch-" He grabbed Cross' arm roughly, shaking the stiff limb in Alex's direction. "Has killed a Runner before- and he's all wired up to the hivemind. So stop being a prissy little bitch of a virus and go have a murder party already."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""They shot you when you were with Dana. I oughta know-I took her home. I know what Blackwatch is..." Alex trailed off, though, his attention flicking not to Mercer-but his companion. He took a few steps away, frowning as Mercer only dug himself into a deeper hole. He was not sticking near the outburst that was about to happen, not as someone who'd been on the recieving end before./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The virus's prediction was plenty accurate. Cross yanked his arm away, but hardly gave the scientist the chance to react before he was gripping his collar, yanking him closer-they were nose-to-nose by the time he was done. It didn't take vision to feel the way the fury radiated off of him. He spoke in an uncharacteristically harsh snarl, digging his fingers into the fabric./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Call me a schoolgirl or your bitch again, Mercer, and I will rip your goddamn spine out of your back and dangle you from it like bait on a fishing pole. Do I make myself clear?" Alex started to step forward, to intervene, but all it took was a glance from Cross to stop him in his tracks. Mercer had pressed the wrong buttons, by all accounts./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Calm the fuck down!" He hissed, trying to squirm out of the grip unsuccessfully. "I was trying to vouch for you you goddamn idiot! And for the record- I insult everyone who gets within 5 fucking feet! The hell is your problem?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The captain paused, something seeming to click in the back of his mind-and he relented. He let go of the scientist as quickly as he'd grabbed him; soon enough, there was a distance of a couple feet between them, with Cross's hands tucked behind his back and his attention set on Alex instead. He sighed, but continued to completely ignore the question he'd been asked./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""If you have somewhere safe to take him, then take him. Standing around with a weapon of mass destruction and a blind civvie is bound to catch attention, whether Greene's or Blackwatch's. Besides. His knowledge on the virus could come in handy."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I don't need his help with that." Alex stated simply, casting both parts of the duo a wary glance. "Rooftops aren't safe in Red Zones. We'll have to take to the ground, and it's full of Walkers. Gettin' him outta here's gonna be a job for us both."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You wrecked the Helicopter?" He asked, finally figuring out where the engine oil and smoke smell was coming from. "Why the fuck did you do that- do you like carrying people around or some shit?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He dragged a hand down his face. "Why not just fillet me like a fish and have me as a snack for the journey- Cross seemed happy enough with that idea! Just get me the fuck out of here, and you superpowered-" he forced away the want to say bitches or sissies, wary of Cross' response. "-bastards can do your shit. I'm clearly such a liability after all."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Alex faltered slightly-he hadn't expected 'blind civvie' to be literal-but he shoved it aside for now. "Yeah, I do. But destroyin' the helicopter was-... habit. Sorry." He offered a vague shrug, but quickly reminded himself that Mercer couldn't see the gesture./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He waited for Cross's inevitable snarky response, but when it didn't come, he continued. "We weren't sayin' you were a liability, so stop..." A moment to try and find the phrase, "puttin' words in our mouths. You could be anyone, and gettin' through those streets would be hell. I've done this before. Once I find Greene, I'll figure out who released her, and make sure it doesn't happen again. But that's not happenin' until you're outta the firin' line."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Stop trying to comfort me." He folded his arms, looking away from the source of the voice. His voice. It was weird and he didn't like it, even on a good day when he could just focus on the too pale skin, the red under the eyes- all the little things which distinguished him. With just a voice? Harder to ignore the similarities./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I'm sure someone will have a hunch-" Would Cross call him out for that? Maybe. He didn't care. "But it's not my problem now, is it? You want me tucked safely away from the conflict and I'll be glad to stay out of your way." He slumped against the wall, waiting for something to happen- for the awkward silence which had fallen to stop. "Let's just go already. The sooner you get me out of the way the sooner you can chase her down and the sooner tomorrow will come and fix this fucking bullshit situation."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Okay, okay, you're a coward, we got it, boss." The abrupt shift to an Outbreak had him a little on edge, so Mercer could suck it up. Vision wasn't that big of a deal anyway; Alex could fair just fine if he had his sight taken. Rather than wait for Mercer to stop whining or for Cross to relax, Alex merely walked over, plucking the scientist up and tossing him over his shoulder./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Like I said, we're gonna be stuck on the streets. But you've got grenades. Pretty good area clearin'." Cross finally looked his way, blinking a few times in surprise at the sloppy way in which the virus had chosen to hold Mercer./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You could say that. You're not thinking hard enough on this, though. I doubt I can run as fast as you, and we need his majesty out of here quick." Cross fiddled with the variety of pouches on his uniform, before finally pulling out what he was looking for-a half-face gas mask. "It's an airborne disease. If he's not infected already, he will be. We can at least delay the effects."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He did not like being held at all, twisting and scrabbling at the half liquid jacket to try to get upright with sharply muttered curses. Eventually he managed to get a grip on the other shoulder, trying to pull himself around fruitlessly. He ended up settling for the halfway upright position where he could hear his damn blood, gripping tight./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""If we assume I'm infected right now, it doesn't matter. The fastest working strain doesnt do a thing until 20 hours after infection at the earliest. Worst case scenario, I've got a severe cough by the time the day restarts. And after that, it's another 6 to 8 hours for the body to start rejecting itself and mutating- the first sign being coughing up blood."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Alex didn't so much as twitch as Mercer scrambled about on his back, save to secure him in place with a few tendrils once he stopped flailing around. He didn't exactly need him falling off-a fact that was only emphasized as a distant sound caught his attention. With narrowed eyes, he dug his boots into the ground, bracing for an impact Mercer nor Cross could hope to figure out./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Not until a Hunter was pulling itself over the edge of the building. It threw itself at Alex with a roar, but he was quicker; he swung at it, shifting his arm to the massive blade and leaving a large gash across its chest. It staggered back, just in time to get a high-voltage taser jabbed into it, the scent of smoke and burning flesh filling the air as Cross attacked. It stumbled away from him just the same, snarling as he lashed the taser across its back./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""They move in packs. We gotta go." But rather than making sure the captain got the message, Alex was on the move, jumping off the rooftop with Mercer strapped to his back. The wind whipped against them, but Alex only slowed their fall near the end, digging his fingers into the side of the building before hopping off and hitting the concrete./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Well this morning just kept getting better and better! He held tight as Alex saw fit to leap off the building, clawing through concrete and glass on the outside wall near the end and landing with a ground shattering thud. He could practically feel his organs rattling inside his ribcage from the impact, even though he was held tight with the tendrils crisscrossing over the back of his jacket and holding him tight./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Could you not leap off of skyscrapers again?!" He snapped, trying to get breath back in his lungs from the sudden ascent. He froze as a strange sound came from behind, something between the dying gurgles of a drowned animal and the snuffling of a curious Opposum. And there were lots of them- or so he guessed from the sound. One swung at him, rancid claws dripping from the remnants of blood and fluids it was created in spraying all over his arms and hands with the missed blow. Clumsy- but deadly. "Just get me out of here already!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""We didn't really have time for the elevator, Doc!" Alex spun around as the Hunter attacked, stepping away from its bombardment of slashes with practiced ease. He flashed his teeth-before kicking off the concrete yet again, dropping down atop the creature and digging his blade straight through its head. He jumped off it, using the momentum to air-dash past the rest of the pack and land heavily on the other side of the group. He broke into a sprint, vaulting over cars and slicing Walkers in half as he ran./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He skid to a halt as a tank rounded the corner, but it gave him an idea. If Mercer was gonna whine about their method of travel, he'd just get them a new one. Besides, what better way to handle the Hunters? He jumped atop the tank, dropping into a crouch so he could dig his fingers between the hatch and the metal surface./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I'm gettin' us a tank." He informed the scientist on his back, if a little late. He tore the hatch open, and couldn't help but rub his hands in a chaotic, nearly sadistic bout of glee. "Hold on tight."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Between the dizzying sickness that Alex had conjured up with his theatrics, and the gore that had coated his whole body from the Hunters demises- it was all he could do as the virus dropped into the tank, placing him roughly onto what felt like a chair. He took a moment to get his breath back, wiping off the blood and flesh chunks clinging to his mouth and nose as best he could. The smell lingered- a strange sweetness- but it was easily overpowered by the stench of the Blacklight virus besides him. Great./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""This works." He muttered, gripping the edges of his seat tight to try to ground himself. "You're quite the messy eater, but good job." The crunch of bone under the tank had him grimacing. "I hope you know how to drive this thing."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The memories of the tank crew were deja vu, really-like relearning how to ride a bike after going years without it. It was a relief, allowing him to easily snap into action and begin driving it through the crowds of Walkers. Once he got going, he didn't even need to rely on the memories, a fact he found... weirdly comforting. Knowing he could do something like this on his own, if with a little assistance./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""It's not eatin'. You oughta know that, if anybody." He opened fire on the Hunters that had caught up with them, driving the tank backwards so he could focus on both movement and his attack. "I've done this before. Tanks and helicopters both."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Of course, a single tank crew didn't exactly have the same amount of memories as countless tank crews. His driving was capable, but sloppy, partially due to the way most of his mass was spread out to control the vehicle's myriad of technology. But it got the job done. Soon enough, they were pulling up in the morgue parking lot; Alex popped the hatch open, before he scooped up Mercer and jumped to the ground./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""We're here. You get five more minutes with me, then I'm outta your hair." He paused, though, hesitating at the doorway-when he spoke again, his voice was quieter, softer. "... Did you cause this? The Outbreak?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Its possible." He muttered, having only the reluctant trust in Alex to lead him through the halls. His voice was a murmur, conveying information with the slight tinge of excitement anyone who knew him might recognise. "Yesterloop we visited Greene- and now a redlight infection is spreading like wildfire. It seems connected but I'm not sure how. We thought you were the only being which could affect time so to speak, so the fact our actions left consequences on the today...? We didn't expect it. Not in the slightest."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He'd been led through so many turns he knew he couldn't find the exit at this point, and settled for the tense, hunched over walk where every step took focus and he had to just hope Alex wasn't leading him to a basement or acid pit or some such. The grip he had on the 'leather' Jacket was nearly bone crushing, but it barely dented the faux fabric. "How much further?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The excitement was not returned. The longer Mercer talked, the sharper the tendrils securing him in place became, until they were just shy of slicing directly through his flesh; they dug in like barbed wire, though, felt even past the layers of clothes. Of course Mercer would like something like that. He hadn't seen the Outbreak. Alex sighed through his teeth, trying-and failing-to relax./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You shouldn't've done that." He advised quietly, doing his damnedest to keep his much harsher temper in check. "Greene's a monster. She nearly destroyed Manhattan. She... nearly destroys Manhattan. In the present. Future. Whatever." The linoleum floors started to crack from the weight of his footsteps. "Just-don't do it again."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Rather than answering the last question verbally, he merely pushed his way through some doors, unraveling his grip on Mercer to dump him on an observation table. That was more than enough to get Dana's attention, who had been merely messing with one of the computers./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Jesus Christ-where the fuck have you been, Doc?! We've been worrying our asses off." He certainly looked worse for were to her, covered in blood and guts as he was./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He sat up with a curse, gripping the edge of metal table with a death grip, eyes screwed shut (not that it made a difference) from the dizzying force he'd been dumped with. Alex was pissed about Greene, for certain. He was starting to understand the little Virus' behaviours by now./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You'll have to be a bit more specific," He grumbled, rubbing at the arm Alex had damn near tourniqueted on the way here. As he spoke, he didn't move to look at Dana, or anything really. He didn't know how his eyes looked, and didn't feel like making a show of it. He just stayed sat there, staring into the middle distance and hoping there was something vaguely interesting there at least and he wasnt just glaring at some floorboards. "The gore is just Blacklight's work- he came to drag me here. I'm not wounded. "/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"At least he hadn't changed any. Dana had yet to figure out the issue of her brother's sight, mostly because she was busy side-eyeing him. "His name is still Alex. And I'm talking about the fact Gentek fucking exploded the loop before the last one, and you were totally off the fucking grid the rest of the day. Today, I'm guessing you were home before Alex got you."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Despite her audible concern, her words lacked the sharp bite she could have easily cast on him. She'd learned-or, at the least, she was still hung up on the last time she'd shouted at him. Dana bit her lip, but her attention didn't linger, not as Alex started walking away./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You two stay here. Cross and I are gonna deal with Greene." He paused, though, casting an uneasy glance back to the siblings. "...I'm not gonna come back until she's gone. If I... she might-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I know." Dana interrupted quietly, wrapping her arms around herself in a small self-hug. "It's okay. Just be careful, yeah?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He swallowed hard, picking at the leather of his coat. "...Yeah. Okay." With that, he headed out the door, reluctant but determined at the same time./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He listened until Alex was gone, huffing in irritation. Sure- give the man eating bioweapon concern. He needs the condolences./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I don't fucking know why Gentek exploded. You seriously think I could do that? I cant even shoot a gun." Technically not a lie. He didn't know why the hell the x ray machine went up in flames- but she didn't need the whole story./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I went looking for you, and you weren't home. Forgot my phone." He patted down his pockets for a moment, frowning. "Did it again. Fuck. Anyway- I was fine you fucking worrier. Alex pretty much abducted me from the roof to come see you. He's pretty mad."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Dana sighed despite herself, biting her bottom lip. You'd think dying countless times would give the shithead some perspective-Alex had given her the rundown on what had happened when they tried to get Cross. The countless deaths. Apparently not. Hell, it'd been her suggestion that Alex go after him, considering how much shit he seemed to get himself into./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Uh, when did I say you blew up Gentek? I just said it went up in flames, you defensive fuckhead." At least some things never changed. She leaned against the observation table, watching as he continued to stare blankly at the floor. Probably just didn't want to look guilty, because he definitely blew up Gentek. "I was helping Alex. Poor guy had a total breakdown yesterday-whatever you guys did, it hurt him pretty badly. It took a lot of work to get him to talk to me."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"She paused, then scoffed, giving him an incredulous look. "'Fucking worrier?' Excuse me for giving a shit about you, asshole." She wondered why when he pulled this kind of shit all the time, but still. "Of course he's mad. This is the second time he's had to clean up an Outbreak from Elizabeth, and last time wasn't exactly pretty. I'd be pissed too."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Good to know one of us cares still." He muttered, shuffling back so he wasn't perched on the edge as much after checking it was clear. Dana's voice was coming from his- left? It was hard to tell bc dropping 15 stories in less than half a minute fucked with his ears. But it definitely wasn't in front of him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Not like we could have predicted this- they seem to be random. Trying to influence events at all just seems to get me killed, so figuring out the pattern is going swimmingly." He bit out a bitter defense, folding his arms and flopping back onto the table, eyes closed. "Besides, even if we got infected with redlight we'd be at most coughing this evening. The outbreak doesnt affect us. What's the point even cleaning it up?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Dana went rigid on the spot. 'One of us still cares.' She grit her teeth, digging her nails into her arms. That was a low blow, even for him. She would have loved to give him the benefit of the doubt, but what had he done to earn that? What a fucking dickhead. Of course he didn't fucking care. She knew it, she'd always known it. She was just a goddamn tool to him. She hardly listened to the rest of what he said, though she did so enough to bark out a harsh laugh./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Oh, yeah, you're totally right. I mean, why would I give a shit? As far as you know, I'm totally fucking alone. It's not like I have a..."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Her eyes went wide. How could she forget? She fucking forgot. "...Shit, shit shit shit!" She didn't have time to deal with her brother being a whiny piece of fucking shit right now. The sound of shoes scuffling against the sleek floors echoed in the room, the sound of her phone being plucked from its charger as she frantically dialed a number. She pressed it to her ear, trying to catch her breath. "Pick up, pick up, please pick up..."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The phone clicked, and Dana let out an audible sigh of relief. "Oh, thank fucking god..." The voice on the other side of the phone was muffled to anyone but Dana herself, though the sound of her fidgeting wasn't. "Yeah- yeah, I'm okay. I'm with my brother... it's a fucking mess, I know. Where are you? Are you okay? ...I should've called earlier. I'm so sorry, I- fuck... at least tell me Blackwatch isn't on your ass, right? ...Okay. Okay. If you're not in a Red Zone, it'll be alright. ... Yeah. We... We can meet up tomorrow. I love you too. Be safe." She hung up, tucking her phone in her pocket. Moments later, she groaned, dragging her hands down her face./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Not like you have a-?" He lifted his head up, trying to look for her only to realise the issue and end up back on his back, glaring at the ceiling while she chattered. "Who's that you were calling? Didn't know you had friends."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"She glanced back to him (still laying on the table like a fucking baby), scowling. "Not all of us are total shut-ins that'd rather shove our faces in viruses than talk to people, y'know. Yeah, I've got friends." Unlike some people. Despite her anger and hurt towards him, though, the thought of who she'd called was enough to make her expression soften. "Ezra. I've told you about them, though I guess that'd take reading my letters. They're..." She paused stiffly, fidgeting with the zippers of her hoodie. She'd had enough ridiculing from him today. "We're, uh, friends. They live in Manhattan, so I was checking on them."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"It took a moment for the wording to click, and he grinned. "I don't touch my mail most of the time. Probably missed it. But, you know... Only calling one friend? They must be pretty special to you."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"It wasn't something she was ashamed of, so to speak-but the taunt still had her face reddening, and she was quick to flip him both fingers. Sure, his eyes were closed, but still. (She literally ended the call with 'I love you.' Wow, he was slow.) "Oh, fuck off. We're good friends. That better?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Just good friends?" He chuckled, folding an arm over his eyes. How long could he keep this up? He didn't want to move but he was practically dying from lying so still. "Right- and I'm just a guy who likes biology. My little sis grew up and got herself a partner."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"She stuck her tongue out, but despite everything, the lighthearted teasing had managed to better her mood. That, or just thinking about said partner did. "Okay, okay, asshole. You got me. Their name's Ezra, like I said-we met a year ago." A small smile settled on her face. "They're a total sweetheart. Super passionate and friendly-environmental science major. They're also why I haven't unpacked all my shit back at my apartment, though. I just crash at their place."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""What about you?" It was a pretty pointless question, but damn, she wasn't going to be the only one getting shit. "Excluding your ex. Anyone you can tolerate out there?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""How did you know about- ugh. Time traveller. Right." He groaned. "I'd almost forgot the bitch existed honestly with all the things going on. I gotta give a hard pass on that though. Catching feelings? Can't relate." Well... Almost. He was patient- it wouldn't last. Probably. Hopefully./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He sat up abruptly, bringing his knees to his chest so he could curl up on top of the table and just avoid looking at anything. Hoodie's were good for hiding your face- he'd known that since he was a kid. It came in handy much too often. "What time is it?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""That bad, huh? Christ." She shook her head a little. "I never actually met her-just found her name in your laptop when I was helping Alex. He seemed to think pretty highly of her." It wasn't like she knew all the details, though. She raised both brows as he suddenly sat up, though the gesture was haardly as nerve wracking as it would have been if Alex did it. From Doc, it was pretty normal./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Two o'clock, give or take. I seriously doubt that you have work today, though." She shrugged. "Alex works really quick, but not that quick."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Or, at least, he shouldn't have been that quick. The door swung open seconds after she finished speaking, and sure enough, there was Alex-with a much larger, much more irritated man strapped to his chest and swearing up a storm./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Alex, I swear to fucking god, I will throw your ass in the Hudson myself if you don't-" There was a loud, heavy clunk of metal as Alex promptly dropped Cross on the floor, much to the captain's irritation. He sat up, kicking the virus's legs; Alex didn't even twitch. "That's not what I fucking meant."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Alex, for his part, was doing a damn good job ignoring Cross. He looked to Dana instead, nodding down at the soldier. "He's stayin' here with you two."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Besides flinching, he didn't move to look at them or really do anything. He was not breaking the position he'd assumed for awhile- probably. He couldn't read the future. But he also couldn't respond normally when he was like this without even the strange senses of the virus form to guide him. Just his own shitty hands and ears. Which just lead to him freezing up when Cross was dumped arm side first onto the cold tile./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I thought you two were going to kill Greene together." He said dryly. "Runner Killers of a feather murder together- isn't that how it goes? The fuck did you two get into a catfight over?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Dana put some distance between herself and the soldier on the floor, watching him warily-but, for the time being, silently. All she wanted to do was kick him in the crotch for being Blackwatch, after all, and Alex probably wouldn't like that much. Cross was back on his feet soon enough, though, adjusting the prosthetic and glaring at his impromptu taxi./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I thought so too. The second I brought up Hunters, though, he lost his fucking shit. What the hell do you think I was fighting while you two were gone? Puppies?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You don't get it." Alex snapped, flashing his teeth. "I'm not-" He cut himself off, dragging his foot against the ground in frustration, "You're stayin' here, and that's what's happenin'. You're not gonna change my mind."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Killing Runners is literally what I do, you fucking guard dog. Not everyone needs to be a time travelling virus to handle a goddamn Outbreak. The Wisemen are already set up, and I know where she is, so-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""No!" The virus snarled, pushing past his sister to get right in the soldier's face. "I said no, Cross. It's gotta be me. She'll tear you apart."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Fuck, Alex!" Dana called out, grabbing him by the arm to try and get him out of Cross's face. "He's Blackwatch! He's literally trained to do this shit, remember-?!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Alex yanked his arm away, spikes running down the length of his spine. "I am not taking anyone with me. I don't care who's capable and who's not. That's IT."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Carefully, he moved off the table and closer to Alex, until he was so close he could hear the tendrils beneath the jacket (that made up the jacket?) squirming and the familiar shink of spikes. He reached out, grabbing the other arm closely and holding it up. Cross was- behind him? He wasnt stood on him at least./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""So because you don't want a soldier who is trained to die to get hurt, your going to go off all on your own and get hurt yourself?" He snapped, leering at Alex. "Stop fucking disrespecting him. He wants to do this- he knows how to do this- being selfish and freaking out about possibly getting hurt helps no one! Just go and fucking kill together, is that so fucking hard? He's a grown ass man and he doesn't need the mama bear treatment!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He let the arm drop, backing up carefully back to the table where he'd been perched before and gripping it tight, breathing heavily. He coughed after getting a lungful of Alex's air. He needed to find some virus safe deoderant or something- the guy was a walking pile of rotten meat! At least it made it easy to find him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"It was a good thing Mercer backed away. From the perspectives of both Dana and Cross, the way Alex bared his too-sharp teeth displayed that he was mere seconds from biting the man's head off-literally-on account of the unwanted physical contact. Still, the virus' whole body writhed unpleasant, the unsteady rise and fall of his chest the only thing keeping him steady. The cough that followed only aggravated him further, enough so that Dana was frantically getting between the two of them./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""He's right, Alex. As much as it sucks. Besides, neither of us-" A gesture between her and Mercer, "know enough about Cross as a person to be even remotely okay with being stuck with him. It's either you take him with you, or he stays here and I kick him in the dick." Cross snorted at that, but it hardly seemed to remedy Alex's mood. She continued. "Forget what Doc said. I'm asking you to take this fuckhead with you so I don't lose my mind. We don't even know if we can trust him. He's still Blackwatch, what if he calls his team on us or some shit, y'know?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"It wasn't that different from what Mercer had said, really. But coming from her, it did the trick. Alex sunk into his various collars, mumbling something unintelligible as he prodded the ground with his foot. The captain himself had settled for sighing, drumming his fingers against his leg as he waited for them to get moving./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He waited several moments for something to happen, trying not to move at all- but despite the intervention of Dana nothing was happening. He could tell where Cross was by the tapping- and Dana was so close he could touch her Jacket if he moved his arm even a little. Personal space apparently wasn't a thing anymore, going by the fact they were all squeezed in to what felt like the size of a damn office cubicle./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Well?" He snapped, "Thought you were in a rush."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The only reason Alex hadn't moved was because he was trying to calm down. Anger and fear were a very bad combo from him, a fact he knew better than anyone else. But the second Mercer spoke, sharp voice cutting through the air, he could feel whatever was keeping him stable right now shatter like bone between teeth. The only indication of what had been done was a sharp inhale through his teeth, his fists clenched tightly at his sides./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"With a blur of black and red and the sharp crackling of the linoleum from the force of his steps, he was gone. Cross reacted first, pushing past Dana so he could follow the tantruming virus. But the doors wouldn't budge. He tried again, pushing a good deal of his weight against it-but what little he managed to get them to budge was soon forced back. From beneath the frame, sleek black tendrils crawled across the front of the double doors' it coated them in a thick layer of webbing, oozing an oily black substance that would deter even the bravest of people from voluntairily touching it./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Fucker locked us in," Cross grit his teeth, and the harsh whisper soon shifted to a loud bark. "Open this goddamn door, Alex!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""He's probably already gone, dumbass." Dana sighed, biting her lip. "He's a Mercer-more stubborn than a damn mule. So we're stuck."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""What the fuck was that about?" He hissed, standing up from the table and trying to figure out what had just happened. It was a fruitless endeavour, and he'd lost the loose map he'd got of everyone from how much they'd moved. "Did he seriously just throw a temper tantrum and lock us in here?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The answer didn't matter to him, and he groaned, dragging his hands over his face, resting them over his eyes and digging his fingers into his scalp, thoroughly irritated. "Is there another door?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""No, he just solved his problems in a very reasonable and non-excessive way." Cross sarcastically noted, rolling his eyes despite himself. He stayed by the door, though, unsheathing his combat knife and skimming the doorway for a good place to start sawing through. There wasn't a good spot, though. If he tried, everything he cut through regenerated to twice its original density. A classic Hive. Which meant the duo of non-Runners were essentially fucked. They'd be surrounded in pure virus in a matter of hours./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Dana crossed her arms, but her brother's questioning while covering his eyes was more than enough to earn him an incredulous look. "You're not that blind without your glasses. Look around."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""He can't."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"She frowned, looking to the captain crouched in front of the door. "I- what the fuck are you talking about?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He glanced over his shoulder, deadpan. "He literally can't look around. You're your brother's sister; you noticed how unfocused his eyes have been, I'm sure. It's not subtle." He shrugged. "Mercer's completely blind. It's how the universe decided to fuck with him today."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Unfortunately, he's right." Mercer grumbled, removing his hands from his face, turning to the direction of Dana. No matter how hard he tried to focus his eyes, nothing came into view from the blurred to shit dark mess his vision had turned into. It was easier to just let the useless orbs stay relaxed- less of a headache at least. "Can't even see my own hands."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Seems like you must have had it pretty normal so far, then?" He leaned on the table, already tired of the amount of care he had to take to try not to fall over. "We've got the blind scientist, the amputee Runner- and the normal gal? What a crew. We'lll break out of here in no time- not."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Sure enough, her brother's gaze was just as aimless as Cross had promised. "Jesus," Dana muttered, running a hand through her hair. "As if this whole thing couldn't get more fucked up. I mean, at least you're still human this time, right? We definitely don't need a repeat of that." She glanced back to Cross, half expecting him to pry; the fact he didn't was more concerning than not, though. Save for the slight narrow of his eyes, though, he didn't seemed to phased by the jabs thrown his way. (To Dana's credit, though, she had no idea what 'Runner' was supposed to mean. Just a weird Blackwatch term.)/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""And the amputee has one of the highest grade prosthetics in this country, with the added physical prowess that comes from being a Runner." Cross stood, though, tossing his virus-coated knife on the ground rather than sheathing it again. "However, we're best off waiting. He won't be able to track Greene through the city, not like I can. He'll be back within the hour." If he was intelligent, anyway. And that was a very high expectation. Cross kept his distance from the siblings, lingering by the coated doorway and skimming the room. "All other doors are going to be as sealed as this one. He's not precise, but he's thorough. Leaves us all the time for some lovely ice breaking." It was entirely snark, of course./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Yep." Dana opted to take a seat against Mercer's observation table, propping her arms up on her knees. "So? Now what?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Good for you- you're fit as a fiddle and ready to play." He hopped back onto the table, finding to be an island of safety amidst the unknown room. He swung his legs as he spoke, trying to look at Cross. Maybe it'd unsettle him, the vacant stare. Hopefully./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Of course- that'll be so helpful for waiting out Alex's temper tantrum in an icy box. Unless we're all going to play like this isn't happening and do truth and dare or some such nonsense- there is nothing I can think of to do. Morgues don't typically keep food on hand, nor movies or beds I should imagine."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The effort to unsettle Crosswas counterproductive. In fact, he tried to meet Mercer's blank gaze, raising a single brow. He was the one who'd been boasting about the captain's skills mere moments ago. What, exactly, did he plan to get out of a blind staring contest? He would have been more successful staring down a brick wall. He shifted his arms to rest behind his back, straightening his posture./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Icy? Please. I'm sweating my ass off." Granted, he was also in full armor, and generally the type to run warm. He started to pace a small path in front of the door, already getting fidgety, but his attention remained on Mercer. "Now would be a good opportunity to test the death theory. You can kill anyone with anything if you try hard enou-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Truth or dare sounds great, actually." Dana quickly interjected, far from interested in the rest of that statement. Between murdering each other or prying into the two men currently staring each other down? She had an obvious bias. She couldn't help but smirk, leaning against the wall. "Basic rules. No dares that'll get someone killed. If we say truth, it needs to be the truth. I'll even let one of you two go first."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""No homicide? Highly disappointing. I prefer Russian Roulette."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He hid the strange laugh he'd made at Dana shooting down Cross, turning it into a small cough and adjusting his position on the table. Hopefully it hadn't been noticed./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I mean- murder sounds more interesting by far but if you insist that we're doing this..." He hummed, drumming his fingers like Cross had. Shit- what did he want to know? Or to have happen. "Cross- you go first. You're tallest."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Yeah, no it doesn't." The journalist remarked simply, shaking her head. Still, both her and Cross blinked a little in surprise as Mercer suddenly redirected the questioning. The chance to torment her or some poor bastard, and he wasn't even going to take it? Damn. "Well, no shit he's the tallest. He's a fucking giant."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""And you two are a couple of microbes." Dana shot him a glare, but he was hardly phased. Instead, he sighed-a sigh that slowly shifted into a vague smirk as he realized just how much power he held right now. "Alright. Since this was your idea," a small motion to Dana, "I dare you to drop and give me twenty."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Push-ups? You're shitting me. Do I look like I can do twenty fucking push-ups?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Nope." Cross's smirk widened to a shit-eating grin. "I'll give you points for effort."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Oh, you are getting SO much fucking shit when it's my turn..." But she begrudingly relented, moving from her comfortable spot against the observation table to a stiff push-up position. Cross's attention flicked to Mercer on the table, and he tilted his head./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Mercer. I dare you to do twenty sit-ups."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""That's not how this fucking game works." Dana snapped from the ground, stopping her abrupt exercise routine long enough to flip Cross off./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Bitch if I do twenty sit ups my ribcage is going to shatter!" He smirked. "Good thing I don't have to. The standard rules are that its one question per player. And you already used yours!" The smirk was a full out grin and he was rubbing his hands together, unreasonably pleased with the deduction./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Truth! How much sleep did you get in the last week before we dragged you into this mess? You always look tired as shit."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Damn. Your ribcage is dead when it's my turn again, motherfucker." Cross didn't seem even slightly deterred by the question, matching Mercer's grin and snorting at his chosen question. "Mm. Let me think. Seven days in a week, twenty four hours in a day. So that would be... between 21 and 28. Give or take a few hours. I'm not a sleeper." His gaze flicked to Dana, who had decided to lay on the floor rather than continuing her push-ups after the fifth one. "I don't remember saying you could take a break."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You said twenty push-ups! You didn't say twenty consecutive push-ups. I'll owe you a debt, but it's fucking worth it." She stuck her tongue out, earning her a lighthearted scoff from the captain. She rolled over, facing her brother instead. "Alright, your turn, Doc. Truth. What's the most embarassing thing that's ever happened to you at work?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Oh, that's just cruel."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Dana snorted. "You didn't ask him, so I get to ask him."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He grimaced. "You know- I try to forget the weird shit that happens there. One time I came in too out of it and nearly drank Hydrogen Chloride- does that count? There's also the time I microwaved Redlight but that went well-" He chuckled. "-horrified everyone else though, McMullen was ready to make me into a wallhanger."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He moved on the table so he was laid sideways on it, belly down and listening for Cross with his face buried in his arms. "Your turn Cyborg- make it a fucking decent question though. Excercise is boring as fuck when you can be creative. I believe in you, bitch."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You nearly drank-oh my god." Dana sputtered out, shaking her head in utter disbelief. How her brother lasted as long as he did was totally beyond her. "I was thinking accidentally taking the wrong lunch or something, not that. Wow." ...What even happened when you put Redlight in a microwave? She was half tempted to ask Alex when he got back. That was a weirdly specific thing to do. She looked to Cross as her brother spoke, waiting for him to snap back with an insult of his own-he seemed like that kind of guy./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He didn't. The grin had faded, but not from anger; he looked confused if anything, something she'd learned to recognize easily with so much time around Alex. She cleared her throat softly, and he shook his head to clear it, straightening his posture yet again. (It wasn't necessary, he was already more rigid than a wooden plank.)/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I'll keep the pattern. Dana again, truth-as much as I want to do dare. Ever broken the law?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""If you want to know about my murder streak, it doesn't exist. But sure, I have." She rested her chin in one of her hands. "Jaywalking." Among other things./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You seem like the sort of person to hack the Octagon, but ok. Lil Jaywalkin' Mercer- such a criminal. " He snorted. "Microwaving it got the basis for Blacklight's current structure- or at least, current to the sample I was working on before Alex time travelled. Still getting used to the whole sentient puddle deal. Nuking things is pretty effective for mutations when they're hyperadaptive."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You didn't want to ask me a question monsieur le Cyborg? I'm almost offended! Dana- you gonna use your turn? This is a pretty good time burner."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""He asked if I'd broken a law, not my whole criminal record. I would totally hack the Octagon. Jaywalking is one crime." She laughed, making it debatable whether the phrase was earnest or joking. The explanation of the microwave thing... shouldn't have been as funny as it was, but she found her laughter picking right up again, a hand over ehr mouth. "You're telling me Alex was born from a microwave? Holy shit. You know those one-year later pics? Where you have a cat or something, and then you take a picture of them, then take another a year later? We should do that. Have Alex stick his head in a microwave. It won't stay anyway, because of the loop shit, but god it'd be funny."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Again, Cross didn't react to the cyborg comment-or Mercer's words at all. He merely glanced between the siblings, stiffly rolling his shoulders every now and then. It gave Dana an idea. She tilted her head, smirking up at him. "So, Cap. Truth. What makes my brother so different?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"If Cross had been drinking something, he probably would have spat it out. Instead, he ended up choking on his spit, having to take a moment to cough into his elbow. "What the fuck are you talking about-?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"She grinned. "I mean the fact he's insulted you three times, and you haven't even flinched. Or responded, even. You seem like the kinda guy who'd bite right back with that kind of shit."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""...Right." Cross sighed, taking a moment to pinch the bridge of his nose, though his gaze remained set on her. "I'd be more than happy to return the favor. I just didn't realize he was insulting me."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Uh, yeah. I'd say 'monsieur le Cyborg' counts as an insult."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He propped his head up on his arms just enough to glare at Cross. "Are you telling me you didn't hear a word of what I've been saying? Or are you just a socially oblivious idiot who can't pick up on obvious mockery? Because I have to say, I didn't peg you for the latter. Unless you're genuinely ignoring the insults for some reason...? In which case- I'm flattered."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"On one hand, he was actually responding to Mercer's chatter now. On the other, it was to scoff, the last comment enough to bring a smirk to his face again. "In your dreams, maybe, Plague Doctor." He seemed to catch himself, though-and with a short clear of his throat, he was back to a more stoic disposition, gaze flicking between both siblings. "I fucking wish it was just social incompetence, or voluntary. It's not. You can do process of elimination."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Dana's expression softened a fraction, concern settling before anything else. "Shit. You're deaf? Why the fuck didn't you say anything?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Not deaf. It's a combat injury." He corrected a little too sternly. "And it's not normally an issue. I was supposed to be in combat today, though. Which means I wasn't prepared to converse." A pause. "That was your question. Mercer, your turn. Pry at your sister."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I don't think I will." He matched the smile Cross had snuffed out with his own, broadened by the enjoyment of teasing him. This was infinitely more enjoyable than the occasional conversation with Interns. This was... Almost fun. Weird. "How about you expand on yourself a little? Surely you've got some little identity secrets stashed away."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Identity secrets? What am I, a fucking superhero?" Granted, the sudden focus on him was understandable. Dana and Mercer were siblings, and Cross was the outsider who thought truth or dare was a good idea for some reason. Still, he didn't like it. He bit the inside of his cheek, stiffly pondering it for a moment. He didn't have to be too specific. "Fine. Maybe it'll bore the two of you to death. My full name is Robert Micah Cross. I was born in Silverton, Oregon. I'm 6'8", my weight's none of your business. I joined Blackwatch in 1998, and by 2003, I had my own team and one of the highest ranks in the force. Now I'm here."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Wait, wait. Hold up." Dana pushed herself off the floor, raising a brow. "Your name is Bob?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Robert."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Oh my fucking god, your name is Bob. Bob Cross." She let out a small cackle, casting him a devious looking smirk. "Who the fuck names their kid Bob?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The captain grunted slightly, glancing away from the siblings entirely. His voice had an odd tone to it, difficult to read. "It has a nice ring to it, when it's not being butchered."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You picked it!" He was almost slack jawed from surprise. "You picked your own name, didn't you!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"In a rather uncharacteristic way, Cross' face reddened; still, he sighed through his teeth to try and defuse things. "Yes. Will you get off my ass about it? It's not that surprising. People change their names all the time."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He shook his head, uncharacteristically excited. "Three people in one room with name changes? Seems pretty odd, doesn't it? The chances are something like 1 in 100- per person! This is amazing!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The excitement, however unusual, seemed to let something actually click with Cross. He raised both brows, glancing between them. Dana merely smirked, tilting her head towards her impossibly ecstatic brother with a small nod. He relaxed almost immediately, despite the way he side-eyed them both. It was joking by all means./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You could have said that first. I almost had a fucking heart attack."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Oh, come on, you're not that old." Dana teased, leaning back against the table. Still glancing between Cross and her brother, something slightly devious settling on her face. "Doc's right, though. It's pretty fucking cool."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I wish I could have seen your face." He grumbled, "Glad you got it though- if you were just some normal guy who changed his name... That wouldn't have gone so well." He shifted again- the metal table was cold but it was safe and he liked it. "I wonder what else we have in common? Statistically, it's rare to occur in isolation after all."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Considering that- sorry about earlier." It was muttered quickly, hoping the lip reading would cover it from Dana hearing. He didn't say this sort of shit to anyone. "I wasn't lying when I said I insult everyone- but even I have standards."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""It was great." Dana promptly informed him, ignoring the steadily sharpening look she was getting from Cross. He probably wouldn't do anything. Probably. "His whole face was red, and he was mumbling like Alex does. Then again, I think he got red when I asked about you."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Except for the fact I already established that I'm hot as hell, which would generally make me red and sweaty. As much as I hate to burst your bubble." He could breathe much easier now. It was surprising, really; one would think sharing major parts of his life would have set him on edge. Maybe he was getting too soft on the Mercers, all three of them. He merely nodded at the apology-only to remember Mercer was blind right now. Thankfully. "It's fine. As for what else we have in common, I can assume not much. No reason to push our luck on that. Alex should be back before long, anyway."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Of course I know you're hot-" he waved a hand dismissively. "I've seen your uniform before. Your packed into like five layers - it's ridiculous really. Considering the fact it was described as sudden onset and the fact we're in a freezing cold room?" He nodded to Dana, Grateful for the description. "You got flustered, just as I suspected."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""How long has it been since he ran off? Hell need to get there, get to Greene, fight, and then get back here possibly wounded. He could still be walking."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I did not get flustered." It was pointless for him to assert, but when it came to fighting for his reputation against the warmth in his face, he wasn't going to back down. He would have looked away entirely if he wasn't relying on lip reading. The smug look from Dana hardly helped, and he jumped on the chance to change the subject./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I told you. He won't be able to find her without me in tow. Runners aren't stupid, even if they're batshit... usually. Not all of them are, I suppose." It was making him hyperaware of the size of this room, though. There wasn't much space to maneuver. It wasn't as bad as being off the job was, but he still found himself frowning and pacing. "According to him, he's killed Greene before. In the future, allegedly."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I wouldn't underestimate him." Doc replied, trying to follow where Cross was. The clicking of boots against floor was started to get irritating, but it helped the guy- or so he could assume. "He's a sentient superweapon. I'm sure he can do some basic tracking- not to mention the fact that Greene will likely respond differently to him due to him being a virus- I have some confidence in him."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He moved so he was sat on the table again, legs dangling off it. Trying to show his face to Cross was hard when laying down, so he had to leave behind the comfortable position reluctantly. "Even though it would preferable to have you with him, Dana's vouching for his skill also. Surely you'll know when he comes into contact with Greene? Given your link."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""It's not his physical capabilities I'm worried about-it's his intelligence. He has as much impulse control as a toddler alone in a candy shop." The point about him probably being able to find her was a good one, though-but it left other issues. She wasn't just any Runner, she was the first. Not even Cross knew what she was capable of, compared to the Two Bluff Runner. "There's only so much good being a weapon of mass destruction can do if you don't have a fucking brain."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Talking from experience there?" Dana quipped, huffing at them both. "Look, he knows what he's doing. Hell, he literally couldn't be more in his element right now. He didn't tell me much about what he did outside, but he was definitely a huge fucking issue for Blackwatch." Cross stopped pacing, casting her a pointed look./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""That's a bad thing, not a good one. Blackwatch is cleaning up this fucking mess. If he's trying to fight us and the infection, then-" He abruptly barked out a swear, suddenly losing his balance and crashing against the nearest table. He gripped his head in his hands, digging his fingers into his scalp, but it hardly seemed to remedy anything./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Jesus-!" Dana was by his side in seconds; Cross only groaned and pulled away. She looked back to her blind brother, eye wide with panic. "Fuck-he just hit the ground, Doc-!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""The fuck do you want me to to do?" He barked, startled, but got up anyway, using the wall to navigate carefully to the crash site, slumping by Cross' side where he could hear him groaning, clearly unwell./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Make sure hes breathing normally, check his eyes arent fucking weird, check the pulse on the neck and the arm- recovery position? What the fuck do you do with a passed out super soldier who weighs like 500 lbs and is half steel!" He put his head in his hands, cursing. "This is probably some fucking virus shit- is hivemind overload a thing? Fucking hell!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I don't fucking know! You're the fucking scientist! Shit!" She followed as her brother guided, listening for the soldier's breathing before fumbling with his sleeve and glove to check his pulse. "Okay, uh- he's breathing, pretty rapidly but he's breathing. I- I don't think he's unconscious, just-fucked up. Really, REALLY fucked up. He's super pale."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A fact that was only emphasized by the fact Cross didn't fight her, not even as she tugged him the rest of the ground. Christ, he was heavy. She would have checked his eyes, but his hands had yet to leave his head. "Goddammit-we can't even get a goddamn doctor, Alex sealed us off. Shit. Hang in there, you stubborn son of a bitch!" She started pulling Cross onto his side, but every grit-teeth swear seemed directed at someone beyond the hospital room./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A heavy crash resounded outside. It would have been relieving, maybe-if not for the all too familiar growls and snarls that accompanied it, the paadding of massive paws against the concrete. Dana could have sworn she felt her heart stop, all the color draining from her face. She would have recognized them anywhere./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Hunters." She all but whispered, the dread in her voice almost tangible. Then she was on her feet, grabbing some of the medical tools Cross had knocked to the ground. She gripped them so tight her knuckles went white, and she shook like a leaf-but she had to do something. Anything. "Fuck, fuck fuck fuck fuck," she hissed, swallowing hard. "Come on, come at me. Come fucking at me you- you ugly ass fucking mutts! Eat shit!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Fucking hunters?" He hissed, stumbling to his feet and looking around wildly, trying to hear where they were better. They were scrabbling at the emergency exit if he had to guess, rubble being tossed far behind them./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"An idea bloomed in his mind, small and unrealistic- but it was worth a shot. They'd die either way if it failed. "Dana- stop! We can't beat them. Listen to them, they're as strong as Alex! But you know what we can do?" He gestured to the still downed man. "Wake up the fucking runner."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"With that in mind, he dropped to the ground again, prying Cross' hands away from his face and turning it to him, grateful the guy had been too heavy to get onto his side. "Wake up, bitch. You've got pets outside- reckon you could tell em to piss off for us? You're kind of the only thing standing between us and being hunter chow!" The tossing of rubble noise had faded, shifting to a mad scrabble against metal. He grit his teeth. "Please!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Small streams of blood streaked down Cross's face from the way he'd dug his fingers into his scalp, but it was ultimately the sensation of hands against his face that had him blinking back to rough awareness. Rough by all means, considering the fact his head still throbbed and most noise was nothing but a sharp ringing in his ears. The physical contact was almost surreal. He fumbled for a moment, trying to his words through his teeth./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""...Mer-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"There was a loud crash of metal. Dana screamed, firmly standing her ground but shaking like a leaf as the massive Redlight beasts stepped into the room. Luckily, that was all it took for Cross. He was back on his feet in an instant, still hissing in pain, but the sound was soon concealed by that of his taser lighting up. The Hunter lost interest in Dana, rearing its massive head towards the soldier and tilting it./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Both of you, stay back!" Cross ordered, though he hardly needed to say it; particularly as it only worsened his headache. The Hunter continued to stare him down, sniffing the air between them and taking a step forward. It staggered back as he swung the baton, letting out a confused gurgle./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer, for his part, was not enjoying the situation at all. He pressed himself back against the wall, wishing for what felt like the hundredth time that he could see what the hell was going on./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Cross! You're a runner, aren't you?" He barked from the sidelines. "Talk to them! You can get their guard down to kill them easily or make them guard us!" A pause, interupted by a cough. (How long had it been since he woke up again?) "Might be easier than killing them with a giant sparkler, but what do I know!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The vague, muffled sound that was Mercer's voice had him glancing back to Mercer, just in time to catch his words and grimace."Do you have to fucking announce that every goddamn time-?!" Cross snapped right back, but it lacked his usual bite-his focus was elsewhere. "'Oh, this guy's a Runner and he's known that for a fucking day, let's just tell the whole fucking world!' Christ, Mercer." He jabbed the taser at the Hunter without looking, though he could catch it scrambling back in the corner of his eye. The taser was dangerous, but it'd take time to kill a Hunter with it alone-the scientist was right. Which meant he had to do something he really, really didn't want to do. As if the pain in his head wasn't enough./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""If you ever bring this up, I will see to it that you spend an entire loop six feet under. Alive." The captain sighed through his teeth. He deactivated the taser, tucking it away in its holster so he could face the Hunters directly. They stared him down, quiet but expectant. They had been human before. Maybe soldiers, ones who would know how to listen. He raised his organic hand, locking eyes with the beast./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Stand down." The frontmost Hunter tilted its head. He resisted the urge to drag a hand down his face. "I said stand down. I know you're not fucking deaf." The fleshy beast considered the command for a moment, before it finally obliged, taking a seat on the remains of the emergency door. "Not-fucker. Fine. Close enough."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""It is kind of an important part of you." He muttered, folding his arms. "If I was some kind of infected, it'd be important to let the group know. Got to get someone ready for the autopsy, afterall." He went quiet for a moment, holding back another cough. Even if he did die, not like it'd affect anyone else. He could handle a day of this. "So yeah- maybe I do have to keep bringing it up."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The hunter had stopped moving, and Cross was acting... Exasperated? Not pleased or anything he might expect. "What did it do?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Truth be told, Cross stopped listening the second Mercer insisted his condition was important to him. If it was major enough that everyone in the city of Manhattan needed to know about it, he wouldn't have learned about it himself from a time looping scientist with a too keen eye. Did Randall even know? Of course he didn't. He was a piece of shit, but he didn't take things like Runners lightly, unlike Mercer./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The Hunter continued to stare at him, and from behind, the rest of its pack stared as well. Waiting for him to ring the fucking dinner bell, probably. As curious as he'd always been about the mind of an infection, this was not how he wanted to learn./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Ultimately, it was Dana who answered the question, poking her head up from the other side of the observation table. "They're just... sitting there." She explained, frowning and fidgeting with the scalpel she'd grabbed before. "Jesus, that's a lot of Hunters."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""That's... Good, right?" He asked, leaning on the wall. If they weren't moving he felt safe enough to relax- although maybe that was the sudden fatigue talking. He felt kind of lightheaded- it would pass. Hopefully. At least he still had the wall. "Better than attacking us. Do you have any guesses why they came to you-?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Cross turned just in time to catch the tail end of Mercer's chatter, rubbing his head with one hand and frowning. "I have a guess." He took a moment to make sure the Hunters weren't going to disobey his orders, then continued. "You've never see-...been in a proper Outbreak, so I don't know how much you get about the hierarchy. To put it simply, the infection works like an insect colony. The Runner is the mind, bound to every single person who gets the virus and driving them forward in whatever way they please. It's called a Hivemind for a reason. You take out the Runner, and the Infected are nothing but wild, mindless beasts. They can't function without a leader."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Because of this leader role, Runners are extremely rare. Having multiple in the same place is literally unheard of-in the forty years the virus has been around, there's been two." A pause. "...Three. Greene was connected with me. When she realized she was going down, control of the Outbreak was moved to the next viable candidate, to continue in her footsteps." He stopped to rub his eyes. God, he was tired. "The Hunters likely wanted to track down and protect their... new leader. That, and her little stunt gave me a fucking migraine."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Beautiful." He whispered, a smile lighting up his face as Cross spoke. The hivemind in action, explained from someone who actually functioned at the head of it without going to the presumed feral state of other Runners just yet- it was something which to him was as wonderful as a sunset or the patterns on a butterflies wings./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""This is wonderful! The chance to observe an infection from the leaders point of view-" His enamoured ramblings were forced to cease for a moment when a coughing fit overtook him, and he slumped down against the wall, feeling by the time it subsided rather like he'd managed to vomit up his lungs in the process./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He continued with a much hoarser voice. "...Well, the actual infection isn't so pleasant. But mechanically? Its beautiful, Robert!" A small pause, coughing heavily into his hands, then quieter. "...Is there any water here?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The other two in the room certainly didn't share Mercer's enthusiasm; Dana's attention was on the Hunters more than anything, and Cross listened with little more than a tight frown and curt nod. And then the scientist all but collapsed on a coughing fit. Cross started to step forward, concern flickering onto his stoic features for just a moment, only to abruptly stop and opt to maintain his distance. He hardly even responded to his first name, and that was saying something./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Dana-" He started, but the woman was already on the job, grabbing the safest looking container she could find and starting to fill it up at the, sink. The tension in the air was almost tangible. After all, it wasn't like Mercer's condition was hard to guess./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Well, there's something for you to do after this fucking loop ends." Cross noted with a shrug, but it did nothing to hide his mood. "Another round of truth or dare."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He took the offered water carefully, sipping it in quiet as Cross spoke. He was distracted- why were the symptoms showing so early? The human experiment records he'd found hadn't indicated infection could start showing severe symptoms in under a few hours. It was irritating. Not to mention his throat seemed like it was on fire by now. The disconnect between the records and his own experience was making him nervous. How much else was wrong? How much more was hidden?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Not to beat a dead horse Cross, but you're safe." He tried to speak normally, but it just came out as a hoarse slurry yell- like Alex- so he settled for a sharp whisper. The words finally clicked into place, and he looked up. "...Why the fuck are we doing more truth or dare...? Did I miss somethin'- something?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"With how distinctly different the two talked-even with the same voice- hearing Alex's usual tone come from Mercer was enough to have Dana and Cross sharing a glance. The captain sighed, taking a seat on where he was standing. The Hunters whimpered and pawed at the ground; picking up on his tension, if he had to guess. He drummed his fingers against his knee. Trying to figure out where to go from here./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I was safe when I didn't have a Hivemind. Greene's infected are my infected. The Two Bluff Runner got as far as she did because the effects were subtle until she infected her first person. I could have hours or minutes before it gets to me. Much like you." Tired was a common state of mind for him, but the weariness in his tone was well beyond what normally came from him. "We're not playing truth or dare. It was a joke. If your symptoms are already this bad, you'll be dead within three hours."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""That's it-? You're not going to try to help or anything?" Dana snapped, moving around the observation table to settle by her brother. Infected or not, she wasn't going to just stand there and watch him die. Not again. "There has to be something we can do. You're the fucking Runner! Or Alex-he killed Greene, right? So he knows shit about the virus that we don't!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Only way I can help him now is a mercy kill." He explained simply, brushing a hand over the holster of his handgun. Dana's expression, already tense, shifted to a furious and disgusted snarl./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""If you even think about..."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""A joke, huh..." He chuckled darkly, but it was too quiet to really have the right effect. "He's right Dana. I know this virus like the back of my hand- at least in formerly healthy subjects. I improved it this far. If he hadn't found me... I'd be dying alone in my room." He looked to Dana, sightless eyes looking for her for a moment before he remembered and returned to sipping with a sigh. "Hey... How did I die? The first time."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Yeah, you know it, so you should be able to... fuck, Al-...Doc." She ran a hand through her hair, every movement riddled with frustrated anxiety, but she didn't know enough about the virus to argue. She would just have to sit here. She didn't mind being on the sidelines, but times like these made her wish she had Alex's ability to tear through shit and get answers. A computer and hacking skills wouldn't do them any good. She sat as well, pulling her knees to her chest and staring down at the floor./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The question, of course, was unexpected. Cross snapped back to attention, eyes narrowed to a glare. "Now really isn't the time for a trip down memory lane, is it?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""It's- It's fine." Dana added, quiet and withdrawn. "I... I don't know the specifics. I thought Alex was you, until all of this shit started." She motioned to their current situation. "Um, from what I read, though... you released the virus, Blacklight. It was all over the news. That was the cover story, anyway. I'm pretty sure they just shot you." She started wringing her hands as sh spoke. "When Alex first came to me, he was... covered in blood. Bullet holes. If I had to guess, Blackwatch just shot the fucking shit out of you. Like they do."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""For a reason, probably." Cross pointed out, ignoring the sharp glare he got in response. "They wouldn't open fire on the head of a bioweapon project without some kind of motivation-the response of the rest of the team would be too dangerous to risk. He could have very well been carrying a viral sample."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Dana's expression darkened significantly. "Want some water with all those fucking boots you're licking right now? Your throat's gonna dry out."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He couldn't help it- he started laughing at the sheer viciousness of his sister's response, the friendly noise soon devolving into another attempt to hack up his own lungs, warm rust tasting fluid coming out with the exertion into his cupped hands. Blood? Once he'd settled back to the shallow breathing after a while he spoke./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Thanks but Dana, you're killing me. Forgot how feral you were over the years somehow..." He grinned, wiping the blood onto his jacket (it should be peach coloured this one- it wouldn't hide it that well) "Cross- have you even seen your crew? Blackwatch guards in Gentek are always dispatching my team."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""The only reason I've not been killed-" his voice ran dry and he paused again to drink the water. "-is because I'm the only one who can do gene therapy for shit there. You gotta keep insurance." He laughed, holding the cup to his neck. It felt good- cold. "Insurance keeps you alive, right? It's good... I'd take some and run if I had to. Good like cold..."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The coughing fit only solidified the truth of the situation; Mercer was a dead man. At the very least, Dana thought, the fucker wouldn't stay dead. That didn't mean she had to like the death cycles, though. The initial panic, at least, had mostly subsided. At least on her part. Cross was still tapping like his life depended on it./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Feral?" She blinked a bit, but couldn't help a weak laugh. "I mean... you're not wrong. I just don't take anybody's shit anymore."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""It's not her killing you. That's the virus." The captain corrected, a morbid comment well fitting for a Blackwatch unit. For the most part, though, he let the scientist ramble. He'd seen this state before, people delirious from fevers or alcohol. Or both. You could get anything out of them, really./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"... An idea flicked into his head. An asshole thing to do, by all means. But he'd been gently enough on too people today, and he was going to lose his mind anyways. Couldn't look like he was going soft or something. Particularly since he'd fucking embarrassed himself./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You get insurance? Wow. I don't even get dental." The sudden shift in his tone didn't go unnoticed by Dana, who cast him a confused look. He smirked. "Now you've got me curious, though. How much do you know about Blackwatch? From the perspective of a Gentek scientist. I'm writing a novel called 'Fucking Blackwatch Bootlicker', " a pointed glance to Dana, "And I'd love to add some outside perspective."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Are you seriously pulling this shit? He's literally dying."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I'd ask him the same thing if he was sober. Relax."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""An autobiography, huh?" He was relaxed- much more so than usual- and it showed in the simple grin that made his face near unrecognisable from the usual taut frown./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Well Blackwatch is full of bastards-" He jabbed a finger at Cross, nearly falling forwards with it before he moved back against the wall. "Bastards who kill and shoot and take all my fucking interns. There's a incinerator out back, you know? I've seen em doing it. They think they're so subtle."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He chuckled, nearly slipping into another fit, but just ended up lying on the cool tile of the morgue. His voice was nearly a true whisper now. "Your group is full of fuckers who dont know shit. McMullen and Randall are all buddied up but don't tell the trigger happy guards the difference from a blood sample and redlight!" He turned his head. "It's the colour. Blood samples are more garnet dark warm- and redlights all fuckin... Bright, yeah?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Cross' smug expression had become a tight frown, the tapping of metal fingers against his leg ceasing just long enough for him to glare. He started to voice a defense, but Dana cut him off./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Oh, you don't know the half of it. They've been experimenting on people and shit since Hope, Idaho. Elizabeth Greene? One hundred percent their doing. They hunted Alex down like a fucking dog, tracked me down and beat the shit out of me before trying to haul me off like a fucking convict. They killed people for fun, destroyed entire fucking blocks just because they could. I've seen it, so has Alex."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""That-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Hasn't happened? It's in the future? Trust me, they don't change a fucking bit. I was researching them, y'know. After they killed Doc over here for the first loop time. I know about it all. The fucking child soldiers, the corruption, the abuse, the initiation-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Alright, alright, I get it." Cross snapped, the smug aura entirely gone now. He pushed himself to his feet with a sigh through his teeth; he stepped away from the siblings, opting to pace the room instead./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Dana glanced down at her delirious brother. "I don't know what you see in him. He's kind of a dick."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I don't know." He mumbled, waving a hand dismissively. "He's fun. Talks good. You're a dick too, I'm a dick- we're all dicks." For a moment he fell quiet again, then tried to push himself abruptly, seemingly panicked. "Wha- I see in him? Whad... What do you mean?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""He's fun?" She repeated, trying to hold in a laugh. (She'd let him off the hook for calling her a dick. Just this once.) "And he 'talks good'. Oh my god. What does that even mean?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Oh, she knew. Anyone with eyes could have guessed. But how her brother solidified with his slurred panic. She was trying to lighten the mood, rather than take advantage of him like Cross. This would definitely do the trick. She grinned./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You've been making goo-goo eyes at each other since he got here, dude, and you can't even see. You've got it bad." She nearly gave him a playful nudge, but considering his condition, she decided against it. "I didn't think it was your thing."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""It's not my-" He sputtered, "Goo goo eyes? I don't do that!" He flopped back down, glaring at the ceiling now between the harsh twitches of his ribcage. Overexertion was getting easier and easier to reach. How much longer did he have?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Look- I'll prove it. It's an... easy hypothething... Cross!" He called, waiting for the pacing to stop to continue. "Cross- I'm not doing anything weird. You got that? Nothin' weird."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You so do that." She held a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing. She expected the denial, but holy shit. Then he started yelling at Cross, and Dana just about lost it, wheezing into her hands and trying not to make tooo much of a fool of her brother. The captain himself merely stared, at a total loss./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""...I wouldn't describe dying as weird, no." He stated simply, and Dana had to rest a hand on the ground to keep herself from collapsing with laughter. Cross ultimately decided he didn't want to find out what that was about, instead rubbing his head and moving over towards the Hunters in the doorway. He seemed distant, though Dana hardly considered it any different from his usual behavior./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Wow, that was super convincing." She commented, though she hardly got to say much else. Not when all the Hunters abruptly stood, snarls and growls echoing through the room as they picked up on something they clearly didn't like. Cross did little more than grumble something, wincing and rubbing his temples./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Hell yeah it was. I'm... The best at convince..." He smirked tiredly- though it was barely there. He could barely move from the paralyzing ache of redlight destroying his cells with the frightening efficiency it had always demonstrated. But he wouldn't let his sister see that- so he kept up the energetic facade leaning into it like this was just a very bad, strange trip./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Distantly he could hear the hunters kicking up a fuss at the door, and he let his head loll towards the noise. "Hey, someone's at the door. Someone tell the puppies to shut up... We know already..."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""...Doc, I don't think you know what a puppy is." Dana stiffly pointed out, looking warily between Cross and the creatures prowling outside. The guy looked totally fucking out of it, running a hand through his hair and casting her a tired look and shrug. I've been doing this for less than ten minutes, don't look at me. Great./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Something landed just outside the door. Alex. About damn time, she was starting to worry. But the relief hardly lasted. Not when all the Hunters immediately jolted into combat stances, a sharp snarl from outside matching theirs before both parties lunged at each other./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The conflict was ferocious, but somehow- Alex was holding his own against the onslaught of teeth and claws from every angle, stabbing holes through and dragging fresh wounds down them with a frightening efficiency. Inevitably, one broke the guard and got close enough for Alex to bodily pick it up and chuck it away, leading to it crumbling into the wall with a harsh noise somewhere between a scream and a dying gurgle./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The isolated hunter got up to its feet, heading back to the fight- only to pause, snuffling the ground until it was stood drooling over the scientist's body, watching with beady eyes as Mercer rattled out his last breaths, ribcage finally stilling. And then it lunged, one paw halfway through the torso and the other pinning the right wrist as it gnawed at the freshly dead arm hungrily, eyes flicking between its master and the invading virus as it ate./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Dana had started to move, but not quickly-it wasn't exactly easy to drag the limp, barely breathing form of her brother, particularly since the actual fucking soldier was too busy trying, and failing, to call the Hunters off of Alex, his efforts interrupted with sporadic migraines time and time again. With him focused on that, there was no one around to do anything about the Hunter that was soon right on top of her and Mercer./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"She froze like a deer in headlights, her breath catching in her throat. She scrambled away, but it was at the expese of dropping Mercer's body, unintentionally leaving him for it to fucking eat. She wanted to be sick, terror and anger and disgust overwhelming her. She had to do something. Anything. It glanced away from her-she still had one of the scalpels in her pocket./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Get OFF HIM!" Dana screamed, swinging up the scalpel and plunging it into the creature's eye. It was a desperate act by all means-one that would cost her. Alex tore into the room, his head snapping to the Hunter; he couldn't see her past its massive frame. He dove toward it, the sheer force and weight of him enough to send it crashing to the ground./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"There was the sudden and sickening crack. Nothing unusual. He forced the Hunter aside with a growl, ready to continue the fight, all bared teeth and wild eyes. But beneath it wasn't linoleum. Beneath it was blood. Bone. Flesh. Not the various jackets of Mercer, that was off to the side. A hoodie, a denim skirt, short messy hair and the smell of citrus perfume./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Everything stopped./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Alex screamed./p