Dead of Winter (CA - Robin, Uno, & Bob)
Quote from Adriana on November 3, 2023, 5:17 pm(The next day, late evening)
His presence was felt. It wasn't particularly reassuring - the implications of his presence there were too miserable to dwell on. But it was reason enough to hold on.
"Val."
Robin's voice broke the silence. The wind had died down. The guards were out of the building, possibly hunting. The drugs in the prisoner's systems and the binds that held them would ensure they could not leave, regardless of whether or not the guards were present. Val and Robin had not been offered so much as a sip of water, but they had been visited twice a day by their captors men to be given an injection of a muscle relaxer.
(The next day, late evening)
His presence was felt. It wasn't particularly reassuring - the implications of his presence there were too miserable to dwell on. But it was reason enough to hold on.
"Val."
Robin's voice broke the silence. The wind had died down. The guards were out of the building, possibly hunting. The drugs in the prisoner's systems and the binds that held them would ensure they could not leave, regardless of whether or not the guards were present. Val and Robin had not been offered so much as a sip of water, but they had been visited twice a day by their captors men to be given an injection of a muscle relaxer.
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2023, 5:31 pmHe was awake when he heard her. He'd been awake most of the time, although at times his mind would drift. Maybe it was a time to think and reflect on all the decisions that led him there, but all he could do was temper his wrath. If not for the injections, he would have bitten, chewed, kicked, and punched his captors with every inch of his scrawny frame. Instead, he had only managed to spit in their face once.
Robin's voice was the first he'd heard in the last few days that didn't summon the anger. Although the name she used caught him off-guard. The fun little nicknames were gone. What was left was something deadly serious.
"Robin," he replied so she knew he was awake.
He was awake when he heard her. He'd been awake most of the time, although at times his mind would drift. Maybe it was a time to think and reflect on all the decisions that led him there, but all he could do was temper his wrath. If not for the injections, he would have bitten, chewed, kicked, and punched his captors with every inch of his scrawny frame. Instead, he had only managed to spit in their face once.
Robin's voice was the first he'd heard in the last few days that didn't summon the anger. Although the name she used caught him off-guard. The fun little nicknames were gone. What was left was something deadly serious.
"Robin," he replied so she knew he was awake.
Quote from Adriana on November 3, 2023, 5:49 pmHer eye looked a little better today, not as swollen, still an ugly shade of purple, red and yellow even on her dark skin - but she could open it a little. Once she got his attention, she continued.
"I need to tell you what he's planning to do. It's not looking good, but, if you know, maybe..."
It would take a miracle.
".... just, don't interrupt me... don't got a lotta air to waste.."
Indeed, every word seemed like it was paid for on a borrowed breath.
"Full moon is in a couple of days... he thinks you're Steele's kid... gonna try to turn you to get even.. guess, they go back. Add insult to injury, he's going to try to have me do it. Keepin' me hungry. Been hungry a lot longer, I know how to stay in control; gonna play along though... gonna buy you some time. You follow me?"
Her eye looked a little better today, not as swollen, still an ugly shade of purple, red and yellow even on her dark skin - but she could open it a little. Once she got his attention, she continued.
"I need to tell you what he's planning to do. It's not looking good, but, if you know, maybe..."
It would take a miracle.
".... just, don't interrupt me... don't got a lotta air to waste.."
Indeed, every word seemed like it was paid for on a borrowed breath.
"Full moon is in a couple of days... he thinks you're Steele's kid... gonna try to turn you to get even.. guess, they go back. Add insult to injury, he's going to try to have me do it. Keepin' me hungry. Been hungry a lot longer, I know how to stay in control; gonna play along though... gonna buy you some time. You follow me?"
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2023, 5:53 pmThe kid didn't say a word. It must have been a first time he'd not interrupted Robin with some quip, but he allowed her to finish her piece. His expression darkened. Then it twisted into something like disgust... and finally, unsettled.
Then it was gone, ".... Right...."
He turned his head up, keeping his voice low, "Listen, I'm sure Steele'll be here before then... I left plenty of clues. He'll come"
The kid didn't say a word. It must have been a first time he'd not interrupted Robin with some quip, but he allowed her to finish her piece. His expression darkened. Then it twisted into something like disgust... and finally, unsettled.
Then it was gone, ".... Right...."
He turned his head up, keeping his voice low, "Listen, I'm sure Steele'll be here before then... I left plenty of clues. He'll come"
Quote from Adriana on November 3, 2023, 6:00 pm"Val. Listen."
Robin's voice was serious, firm, and her tone was grim. It was already a rasp, but it was near to breaking in another way. She reigned in her emotion, but the tears still came down her ashy, bruised cheeks.
"Whatever happens, you run, get to the road and go east. I'm gonna do everything in my power to hold them back... do not stop, do not turn around, do not look back. They will follow, and they will be fast. Do you understand? You cannot win this fight."
"Val. Listen."
Robin's voice was serious, firm, and her tone was grim. It was already a rasp, but it was near to breaking in another way. She reigned in her emotion, but the tears still came down her ashy, bruised cheeks.
"Whatever happens, you run, get to the road and go east. I'm gonna do everything in my power to hold them back... do not stop, do not turn around, do not look back. They will follow, and they will be fast. Do you understand? You cannot win this fight."
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2023, 6:12 pm"Robin - there's no way-"
He shook his head, sighing. She'd been in this mess way longer than him. At least a week in this monster's dungeon, and longer still if he counted her time before Steele. She needed this more than he did.
So he just nodded, his mouth a grim line, "Alright. I'll run..."
"Robin - there's no way-"
He shook his head, sighing. She'd been in this mess way longer than him. At least a week in this monster's dungeon, and longer still if he counted her time before Steele. She needed this more than he did.
So he just nodded, his mouth a grim line, "Alright. I'll run..."
Quote from Adriana on November 3, 2023, 6:30 pm"Good boy."
Was all she said. She'd manage to stay awake a little while longer in silence, before she'd slip into a necessary unconsciousness again...
(Day of the Full Moon - Evening)
Darius would return, several members of his pack along with him. Robin and Val were taken off of the muscle relaxers. Val was even offered dried meat earlier in the day, and whether or not he chose to eat it was left entirely up to him. Robin was more alert today, yet continued to rest often... she would need all of her strength when the full moon dawned in the sky.
"Good boy."
Was all she said. She'd manage to stay awake a little while longer in silence, before she'd slip into a necessary unconsciousness again...
(Day of the Full Moon - Evening)
Darius would return, several members of his pack along with him. Robin and Val were taken off of the muscle relaxers. Val was even offered dried meat earlier in the day, and whether or not he chose to eat it was left entirely up to him. Robin was more alert today, yet continued to rest often... she would need all of her strength when the full moon dawned in the sky.
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2023, 6:38 pmMeanwhile...
The sky had fallen to charcoal and navy when a figure came to the door of the cabin. It had not be disturbed for several days. The figure paused, sensing no one inside and thus a level of concern was raised. He unlocked the door and found within it the signs of a furious and desperate project.
Concern escalated rapidly upon inspection of the red pin on the map. Indeed it was a place recognized. There was no doubt left to the imagination. His protégée had done something remarkably foolish, and he had only discovered it with so little time to spare.
He replenished his supplies and was out the door. Few forces could have any hope to master Darius' gang. Few but one... and in that one, there was a debt to be repaid.
***
The milky way had risen, unbleached by the lights of any nearby city. The November skies were clear, and the first stars bright. It was on such a peaceful night that Chapman's doorbell wrang, and all peace quickly fled.
Meanwhile...
The sky had fallen to charcoal and navy when a figure came to the door of the cabin. It had not be disturbed for several days. The figure paused, sensing no one inside and thus a level of concern was raised. He unlocked the door and found within it the signs of a furious and desperate project.
Concern escalated rapidly upon inspection of the red pin on the map. Indeed it was a place recognized. There was no doubt left to the imagination. His protégée had done something remarkably foolish, and he had only discovered it with so little time to spare.
He replenished his supplies and was out the door. Few forces could have any hope to master Darius' gang. Few but one... and in that one, there was a debt to be repaid.
***
The milky way had risen, unbleached by the lights of any nearby city. The November skies were clear, and the first stars bright. It was on such a peaceful night that Chapman's doorbell wrang, and all peace quickly fled.
Quote from Adriana on November 3, 2023, 6:43 pmChapman was at the door before the doorbell rang. He knew the figure waiting for him behind it. He had instructed Eleanor to wait in safety before he went to answer it.
"Steele," he said stiffly, as soon as the door had been opened. His posture spoke of confidence, but his brow was knit on the gaunt figure; there was something knowing Chapman's gray-blue eyes.
Chapman was at the door before the doorbell rang. He knew the figure waiting for him behind it. He had instructed Eleanor to wait in safety before he went to answer it.
"Steele," he said stiffly, as soon as the door had been opened. His posture spoke of confidence, but his brow was knit on the gaunt figure; there was something knowing Chapman's gray-blue eyes.
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2023, 6:54 pmSteele had no weapons on his person, nor sense of malice. Yet certainly the face which looked back at him was not one Chapman would find familiar. He had endured many years harshly - as much as from circumstance as his own mistakes. And those pieces had come back together to form the man who now stood on his doorstep. Grey eyes regarded grey eyes, neither friends nor enemies, but something strangely in between.
He spared no time in the small-talk. Such things were for those with time, or those with the shining personality to do so. Neither of these were things he possessed.
"Once, you said to call on you if ever there was something you could do to repay your debt to me".
His jaw knit to a hard line. Pride was not a thing he easily sacrificed - but the cost was too high not to, "I need your help. My nephew is about to get himself murdered by a pack of untrained mongrels. Darius. Three hundred miles west of here".
Steele had no weapons on his person, nor sense of malice. Yet certainly the face which looked back at him was not one Chapman would find familiar. He had endured many years harshly - as much as from circumstance as his own mistakes. And those pieces had come back together to form the man who now stood on his doorstep. Grey eyes regarded grey eyes, neither friends nor enemies, but something strangely in between.
He spared no time in the small-talk. Such things were for those with time, or those with the shining personality to do so. Neither of these were things he possessed.
"Once, you said to call on you if ever there was something you could do to repay your debt to me".
His jaw knit to a hard line. Pride was not a thing he easily sacrificed - but the cost was too high not to, "I need your help. My nephew is about to get himself murdered by a pack of untrained mongrels. Darius. Three hundred miles west of here".
