Chapter 14: Lye and Vinegar
As Dante and Freida departed to procure weapons, Iris and Law set out on a quest of their own, traversing the wastelands in pursuit of chemicals. The desolate landscape held a unique charm, with the sun's rays bouncing off the shattered windows of abandoned structures and lush greenery encroaching on all surfaces that once stood opposed to nature, but now were one and the same.
The pair walked in silence, taking in the strange and beautiful sights around them. Iris tried to shield her eyes from the blazing sun with her hand, stealing a glance at Law, who remained unfazed beneath his bucket hat that obscured his features.
"Did we have to do this during the middle of the day?" Iris calls, lowering her hand as she realizes that there was no point, and instead walks in the shadows of the buildings.
Law replies without even taking the time to look at her, "We cannot afford to be in that place after dark. We need as much light as possible, or we risk messing up. Which could mean we end up grabbing the wrong materials, or we grab something that will kill us."
Iris nods her head from side to side, processing the information, "That does make sense."
"I did tell you this three hours ago." Law chides
"Yes, but that was when I was half asleep. It was like five in the morning when you woke me up. Even the devil is still asleep at that time." Iris retorts, now attempting to side step around pieces of rubble.
Law approached her, causing Iris to freeze in place. He removed his hat and gently placed it on her head, shielding her from the blistering sun. Iris looked up and smiled at him gratefully, but her smile faltered as he turned and walked back towards the street. She quickly followed behind him, feeling a sense of embarrassment.
"Thanks. Though I don't know how much it will help, considering, it's still hotter than my last girlfriend's mom." Iris cries out, with a smile.
Silence
Iris' head drops in disappointment.
"Look, we are almost there, so just hold on a little longer." Law comments in a monotone voice.
Iris dutifully responded with a "Yes, dad," shooting a glance at Law to catch his evident annoyance. As she noticed his familiar scowl, she couldn't help but break into a deep smile. Law, realizing that his attempts to conceal his irritation were in vain, turned away from her. Amused by his futile efforts, Iris chuckled softly, causing Law to relent and look back down at her.
"Why do you even call me that? I am only ten years older than you." Law slows down to allow her to walk equal to him.
"Oh, it's because you got that whole 'dad vibes' going. At first, I thought you were just some merc, who didn't care about anyone and just wanted to get paid. However, I've seen how you treated Dante and me. You feed us, constantly check in on us, provide us medicine when something is an issue, and-" she touches the hat. "I didn't even ask for this."
Law ponders it for a moment and shrugs, "It's just the right thing to do."
Iris scoffs, "The right thing? You committed an act of terror just to spring me out of prison. Dante told me about how after you patched him up, you beat his attackers half to death. In this line of work, there aren't any good people. All we have is a soul full of sins and blood on our hands."
Law goes silent and increases his pace. Iris follows, and for the first time in a while the two were silent in each other's company. Though, even that did not last for too long, as Iris became uncomfortable with the lingering silence.
"Where are we even going?" Iris asks, matching his pace but not looking at him.
"There used to be a famous chemical company located around here. People apparently protested it before the war, but it didn't scare them nor stop them," Law points forward toward the approaching high-barbed wire fence. "Instead, they just got more security."
Iris looks at him with a raised eyebrow, "How do you even know that? The war was over a century ago."
Law wipes away a bead of sweat from his forehead, "These are just stories my Uncle passed down to me. I don't even know if they are true, but I want to believe them."
"Is he the one who taught you all those cool potions you use?"
Law looks at Iris in confusion, "Yes, but they aren't potions, it's chemistry. There is nothing magical about it. Literally anyone can learn it with the right guidance or know-how."
Iris' eyes lightened up, "So I could learn how to make explosives and smoke bombs. That's cool as shit, I wanna learn that."
"It's more than just explosives and smoke bombs. There is a variety of stuff you can make, but it is dangerous." Law finishes by presenting his hand to her, allowing her to see the various scars and chemical burns he had developed over the years.
Iris bats his hand away and comments, "I live in danger constantly. It's how I got this job."
Law shook his head, acknowledging that he couldn't refute her statement. "You make a fair point," he said. "However, it does raise a question that I've been wondering about since I first saw your file. How did a kid like you become a renowned thief of the wastelands?"
Silence
Law looks over to see Iris looking away, utilizing his hat to avoid eye contact.
"I'm sorry if it's a sensitive topic…" Law starts
Iris lifts the hat up, her voice speaking in the same tone as before, but her eyes had lost their glimmer, "No, I can tell it. You just caught me by surprise, that's all. Second time this week, someone has taken an interest in my backstory."
Iris inhales deeply and takes a moment to steel herself for the tale.
"Truthfully, I do not like talking about it, but hey why not. I started stealing as a kid. The Outsiders had attacked my little farming town during their first push into McPherson. They massacred everyone. We survived because my sister and I were making deliveries at the time of the attack."
She stops for a moment, allowing silence to fill the air before continuing.
"We were orphaned, at first were put in refugee camps, but with the coup, and the subsequent raids by the Outsiders those camps got full. It became obvious that we were viewed as a nuisance and a waste of resources."
Law thinks back on those times. The Outsiders exploited their time of weakness to launch a full-scale assault. It had caught them by surprise and if anything sped up the conclusion of the revolution. It was a messy time. He looks at her and thinks, "It still is."
Iris continues, "I started stealing then. Small things such as money and food. Things to help us survive, you know, but then it grew larger. I began associating with gangs, never joining them fully, but taking up the odd job here and there. I convinced myself it was all to help my sister, bought us all the food we wanted, an apartment, and I got her anything she desired."
Law cuts in, "What happened?"
Iris gazes at him, and her voice is soft as she begins to speak. "The truth is, those good times couldn't last forever," she says. "The authorities came to our apartment looking for me, but they found my sister instead. They told her everything about my criminal background, the things I had done and the things I regret even now. When I returned home, she was there to chew me out. I knew then that we had to leave, but she made me promise to earn money the right way. I lied to her that day because I knew it was impossible for us to survive otherwise. Eventually, I was caught and thrown in jail for a few months. My sister came to see me only once, to tell me how disappointed she was. I never saw her again. When I got out, I found out that she had passed away from pneumonia. I buried her near our family farm."
Law comments, "Yet that didn't stop you."
Iris shrugs, "The itch was still there. I kept going until I took a job from a shady woman, a job too big for even me and… well you know the rest."
Law nods and places a hand on top of her head, forcing her to look at him, "When the war ended, I promised myself to never pick up a gun again. I never wanted to kill again. I wanted to just help people." He removed his hand and placed it on his rifle. "However, this is all I know."
Iris whispers, "We are more in common than I thought."
"Just a pair of humans, doing what's in their nature." Law comments before walking forward, "Now come on, we're close."
Iris nods and picks up her pace to match his. They continue walking several more meters before arriving at the fence.
Law gestures for Iris to follow him as he follows the fence line, eventually coming to a small hole. Without hesitation, Law ducks down and slips through the hole, as if he has done it countless times before. Iris notices that the fence had grazed his arm, but he doesn't seem to mind. As she navigates through the opening, she checks herself for any scratches, relieved to find none. A small smile of triumph plays on her lips.
"Hurry up, will you?" Law cried back to her, forcing her to notice he was already at the door.
Iris curses to herself and hurries up to the front door. Law waits for her to arrive before turning to face a dirtied and banged-up security door with a keypad on the right and badge scanner above it.
"So what's the plan? Are you going to blow it up? Maybe use-" Iris trails off as he quickly types a code into the keypad. The door makes an audible pop noise and Law grabs the door, opening it with a creak. He holds the door open and motions for Iris to step in.
Iris gives Law a wary glance before stepping into the dark and dingy hallway. The door slams shut behind her with a metallic thud, causing her to shudder. The room is illuminated by an ominous red glow that casts eerie shadows on the walls, and the odd ray of sunshine. Iris turns to look at Law, but he seems unfazed as he strides past her, heading deeper into the facility.
Iris rushes up to him, "Okay, I am gonna need some explanation of how you know the password." she looks around, "and how does this place have power?"
Law takes his hat from her and places it back on top of his head. He walks, passing by rooms with faded plaques.
"My uncle brought me here when I was a child. My family has been siphoning chemicals from here since the war. Lucky for us, most chemicals can be scavenged just from everyday material, but if you want to ensure purity then this is where you scavenge from. It's a nice place really, there's a reason why we kept coming back." He stops at a door, and pushes it open, revealing what used to be a dwelling of some kind, "Some even lived here for a time." He moves back to allow the door to close on its own.
Law waits for her to catch back up before continuing, "The lights are emergency lights, running off of solar panels on the rooftop. Some of these chemicals need to be held at a certain temperature, or they could prove… problematic. Meaning, they couldn't risk a power outage. Lucky for us, solar panels still work over a century later. At least for now." He spoke ominously, stopping before another door. He pushes it open to reveal a large storage room, full of high cabinets and shelving.
Looking over at her, "Does that answer all your questions?"
Iris looks at him in disbelief, "No. If anything, it raises more."
Law rolls his eyes and says, "I'll answer all your questions on our way back. Now, if you'll excuse me." He lowers his bag and takes out jars and a pair of gloves, carefully putting on the gloves before making his way towards the shelves. He inspects the vials of powders and fluids, sorting them and storing them in his jars or returning them to their place.
"Law?" Iris calls out in a confused, hushed tone.
Law doesn't move, focusing his hands on the task at hand. Carefully placing the white powder into a jar. "I'm a little busy right now."
"Does any of your family still live here?" Iris calls out with a tremble in her voice
Law freezes. He quickly places the powder into the canister, sealing it shut. A piece of the powder lands on his hands, and he curses in pain. He takes out a small bottle and pours a liquid on top neutralizing the reaction.
"We should be alone," he calls out, noticing a flash of nervousness on her face before it quickly shifts to professional stoicism.
Law rises, placing the bottle in his back pocket. Iris was already on edge, her pistol held tight in her grasp. She peers outwards only slightly, enough to see but not to give away her presence.
As Law approaches her, Iris flinches involuntarily but quickly regains her composure. She points to something in the distance, and Law tilts his head to get a better look. Suddenly, Iris's arm shoots out, grabbing Law's shoulder and pulling him back a little. Their eyes meet, and he realizes she is trying to warn him of something.
"Not too far." she whispered.
Law nods and tries again, modeling after her. He gazes down the dimly-lit hallway, illuminated by the eerie red light, and catches sight of a shadowy figure lurking in the shadows. Iris tenses up and points towards it, causing Law to tilt his head to get a better look. As the figure moves slowly and cautiously, Law can only make out the reflection of its eyes in the darkness.
"It knows we are here." Law whispers
"What? How?" Iris replies in a hushed tone.
"Probably smell…. What is it doing?" Law peers into the darkness, watching its figure lower itself down and shuffle towards them. Law's eyes raise in a panic.
"We need to be smart about this, Iris. If my suspicion is correct, and I hope it's not, we're in for a tough fight," Law says, sensing her tension. He glances at her and sees her eyes narrow in determination. She surveys the room, taking note of her surroundings. Law continues to look, hoping he was wrong, but as the creature steps into the red light, he knows he was right all along.
The abomination of the wasteland, a prime example of what radiation and evolution could produce. Its piercing yellow eyes scan the area as if looking for prey. Its fur was matted with dirt and grime, and its thick muscles bulged underneath. Its snarling jaws revealed long, razor-sharp teeth that could easily tear through flesh and bone.
Law's voice cut through the tense silence, "It's a Lynx." He reached for his rifle, his fingers closing around the cool metal. He turned to Iris, his eyes locking onto hers. "Go!"
Iris did not require any more confirmation and in an instant, utilizing her acrobatic skills, climbed on the shelving unit and reached the ventilation system. Law grimaced, this was the hard part. Iris will strike when an opening presents itself, but it's up to him to create one.
He peeks out to see the creature nearing ever closer, no longer in a low shuffle, but an indignant stroll. The beast knew that it had the advantage, and Law knew he had a limited amount of time before the beast would kill him.
He steadies his grip on his rifle and takes a deep breath, trying to remain calm. He fires off several rounds, aiming for the Lynx's vulnerable spots. The beast roars in pain as the bullets hit its head and legs, but it does not slow down. It charges forward with even more ferocity, and Law realizes that he's running out of time.
He continues to fire, but the Lynx seems unfazed by his attempts. It gets closer and closer, and Law can feel his adrenaline pumping through his veins. A growl leaping out the creature's throat as it moved to lunge.
"Damn!" Out of ammo, he tosses the rifle aside, and as the beast lunges forward, he unholsters his shotgun strapped to his back and-
"BOOM!"
Law lands a firm slug round into the beast's stomach. The momentum rockets the beast back several feet, stunning the creature as it attempts to regain its senses. This is the opening Iris needed as, from a doorway, she appears from the darkness, with a knife in hand, leaping onto the Lynx and stabbing the creature in its eye. Forcing the knife deep, attempting to strike its brain. It proved futile as the beast regained its senses and thrashed, flinging her off. It growled, baring its teeth at her, knife still protruding from its eye. Hissing in fury as it turns its attention squarely on her.
"AHHH!" Law screams as he charges down the hallway and fires another slug round into the beast. Causing it once again to skid back many feet in a daze.
Law seizes the opportunity and helps Iris to her feet, and together they bolt down the hallway. The sound of the Lynx's pursuit echoes behind them, its weight causing each of its steps to produce a loud crunching noise as its claws tear into the tiles, creating a sound akin to a record scratch.
Law reaches into his bag, his fingers fumbling through the contents until he finally grasps the vial filled with a vibrant orange powder. With a deep sigh, he clutches the vial tightly, his eyes hardening with a newfound sense of determination.
Iris looks over to see him messing with the bag, "Law! This is not the time to be doing chemistry."
"I don't need to in this instance. Here!" He digs in his back pocket and hands her a white vial and proceeds to stop. Forcing Iris to stop and look at him as if he is mad.
"I don't have the patience for this heroic sacrifice bullshit. Let's move!' Iris calls out, yanking his arm to get him moving yet again, but he doesn't budge.
"In your hand is lye. I'll play bait once more, but I need you to throw that into its mouth." He then looks and points to a nearby room, "Go!"
Iris looks concerned, seeing that despite his forced confidence, he was shaking. Looking down at his gun, she realized it was empty.
"Go!" Law commanded once more, and with that Iris disappeared.
Law looked down the hall, seeing the beast's shadow dance against the wall.
"Come on, you filthy animal!"
The Lynx turned the corner in a fury, its long protruding teeth dripping saliva. It hissed, as it intently studied him, stopping its eyes at the shotgun, to which its fur rose in anger.
Law motions towards himself, "Yeah, that's right! I'm the bastard that shot ya!"
The Lynx lowers itself and moves slowly towards him, continuing to watch the gun.
"Look at you, pitiful. Bowing down like a coward." Law taunts. He watches as the big cat moves towards his left side, the opposite of the gun. His hand tightens against the orange vial.
"Iris! I hope you are in position." He hears a single knock emanating from above, a few meters behind himself.
He leans forward, and a sick smile expands across his face, adrenaline pumping, "COME ON!"
At Law's command, the Lynx lunged forward, but he was prepared. He quickly slid underneath the beast as it flew above him in confusion. The Lynx turned around to face Law, but was caught off guard as he shattered a glass vial filled with orange powder against its face, dousing it in the substance. The creature hissed and shook, trying to remove the powder, but some of it stuck to its fur and wouldn't come off, causing it to become increasingly agitated. Small trickles of the powder rained down to the floor as the Lynx continued to shake.
Law grinned triumphantly as he cautiously stepped forward, observing the beast hiss and recoil in revulsion at the orange powder. Law looked up to find where Iris knocked from. Spotting a small vent entrance barely behind the creature, Law knew what he had to do. Without hesitation, he dropped his shotgun and bag to the floor and began to make his way towards the vent.
"You see, I figured that there was no way I could kill you with bullets, your hide is too thick for that. However, my feline friend, I am not a gunner but a chemist. What you are smelling right now is sulfur. To me, it smells terrible but to you, someone with such fine senses, it must be like being gassed. I was gonna use that to build some explosives, but I guess this will work as well." Law measures his distance and swallows in fear.
The creature remained in a frenzied state, flailing wildly and emitting low growls. Law observed its behavior, studying its movements and anticipating its next move. He noticed a distinct pattern in its actions and took a deep breath, preparing himself for what was to come.
"Here we go!" Law calls out to himself, before charging and drop-kicking the beast, placing his entire weight into it and forcing it back several feet. It had managed to swipe at him, scratching his legs and drawing blood, but it didn't matter as the Lynx was perfectly aligned below the vent.
"IRIS NOW!"
The vent opens, Iris plummets down onto the beast in a dark haze. Slamming downward into the beast's back, slamming it into the ground, before taking the vial and dumping its contents all over its face. It tosses her off as jointly the pair scream in agonizing pain.
"AHHHHH! IT BURNS! HELP ME!"
Law ignored the cries of his companion as he watched the beast in a similar state of panic, the Lynx thrashes wildly, screeching out in deep agony, as its face begins to burn and bumble. Which then in a span of moments turns to mass whimpering and the stumbling of its legs before collapsing, foam seeping out of its mouth. Law waits a moment more. The screams of Iris fill his ears, but he stays his hand a moment longer.
No Movement
Law's attention reverts to Iris, and he rushes towards her, grabbing his bag. Iris is writhing in agony, clutching her hands as she rolls on the ground, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"IT BURNS!"
Law grips her, forcing her still as she attempts to retract in pain. Law pulls out a vial and pours a liquid onto her hands. Tears pour down her face, as the pain neutralizes, and Law releases her. She pulls her hands close as if at any moment they would fall off.
She looks up at Law with tear-filled eyes, and at that moment Law collapses down beside her. Iris looks at him and sees his pant leg soaked in blood. She turns to the beast, seeing it dead.
"Your leg?" Iris asks
"Superficial wounds." He lifts his pants, seeing that the wound was pretty deep but not life-threatening. "It will require stitches, but I should be able to walk back. Your hands?"
Iris pulls them away from her and in a still bitter tone replies, "Better. What was that?"
"Vinegar. It neutralizes the lye and stops it from burning." Law looks her in the eyes, and with a half chuckle and says, "I told you chemistry was dangerous."
She looks at him with venom in her eyes, "I hate you. You could have warned me."
"There was no time. Besides, it worked." He replied, his eyes darting to the beast laying motionless.
Iris does not respond as she knew it was true and instead lays back against the hallway floor. Law copies. The two lay there in silence, allowing the adrenaline to finally settle within their bodies. A minute passed.
"Let me see your hands." Law called out, and Iris responded by lifting them upwards, showing the chemical burn across the palms of her hands. Law raises his own and shows his healed version of the burn.
"We match now." he says
"Does that make me a chemist?" she replies
"Means you have a making to be one. Now come on, we gotta replace that stuff." Law says and lifts himself upright.
"Can we sit here just for a little while longer?" Iris asks
Law looks down at her, before staring down the hallway, nothing but silence and old memories. "Sure, just a moment more."