[IC] Walking Dead rp

[Myst]

Katie - Underground - Exploring

After her daddy left Katie pouted. Staying in her room all the time was so boring. Lauren always treated Katie like a baby. She didn't want Lauren. She wanted her daddy.
Katie got to thinking. Her daddy wanted her to be safe, that was why she had to stay in her room so much. But if she could prove that she could take care of herself then maybe daddy would let her out more, maybe even let her go to the surface. The thought of the sunshine and the wind in her face made her smile.

Going to the door, Katie poked her head out and looked. No one was around. Forgetting to shut the door, as usual, the seven year old hurried down the hallway to the vent system. Climbing up inside the vent cover slammed shut with a clang that she was sure someone heard, but she just giggled. Everyone was too big to fit in the vents except for her. They'd never catch her in here.
After crawling around for a bit, spying on a couple of the big smelly men arm wrestling and playing with guns, Katie saw one man do something funny. He was in one of the rooms where daddy kept everything. He was in one of the rooms that had weapons, things that Katie wasn't allowed to look at much less touch. He was taking things out of a box and putting them in his pocket. Then he moved to another box and looked over his shoulder before putting some kind of large knife in his vest.
Was he... stealing...?

Katie instantly felt indignant. How dare he steal from her daddy?!
"That's bad! I'm going to tell on you!" she shouted before thinking.
The man whirled in surprise, then his eyes narrowed on the vent. Katie scrambled back and screamed when the man ripped off the vent cover and grabbed her before she could get away. When he pulled her out of the vent she bit him.
"You little f-cking brat!" he shouted.
"You said a bad word!" she accused and took off running. Now she had another reason to tell on him.
"Daddy!" she cried out as she ran, not really sure where she was going since she was so focused on getting away. "Daddy!" she cried again, getting scared now. The man was angry and getting closer. He nearly caught her a couple of times.
"I'm going to cut that nosy nose of yours off!" he growled and she screamed in fear. Turning a corner she plowed face first into a solid body of a man. He stunk and was covered in black stuff, but she didn't care. She ran behind him, using him as a shield/hiding place. "Don't let him hurt me!" she begged, holding on tightly to the man's pant leg. "He's a bad man! He was stealing!"
"Snot-nosed little bitch!" the man snarled and reached for her.

Jessalyn - Black Van - Fatigue

She was so tired... she barely felt herself being moved into the vehicle. She wrapped her arms protectively around her stomach, afraid of what was going to happen. A man's voice spoke calmly to her, saying something about a trade...

Jessalyn's eyes snapped open. They were still going to trade her?!
"No!" she screamed. "Please! Don't!" she cried, pushing the man's hand away. "Don't give me to him! He's the Devil! Please!"
More voices spoke, trying to reassure her, but she was so terrified and borderline exhausted that they didn't make much since. Finally one man had to wrap his arms around her in a comforting hug. He patted her head soothingly and repeated the same words over and over :
"You'll be safe. I promise. You'll be safe."

She didn't believe them. How could she? If they gave her to Tyler, her life would be an endless hell.
Lynn...
Floyd...
Where were they? She wanted them. She wanted safety.
She wanted... she wanted to sleep...

Finally the mental and emotional exhaustion took it's toll. Jess sagged against the one who was trying to calm her and cried silently. The movement of the van had a calming effect as well. She had almost fallen asleep when they stopped. Then she was alert and scared again.
"It's okay," the man assured her. "Tyler won't hurt you, I swear. I am sorry to put you in harms way, but we need you as a decoy in order to get Tyler out here so we can attack him directly."
So... this was all... a trap? For Tyler? They were going to stop his madness?
Jess swallowed hard and nodded. "What do I need to do?"

[Atomyk]

The Bull - Catacombs - Floyd & Katie

There was indeed a place to get cleaned up, and the Bull was happy to show the new guy around. Bull had taken a liking to the man, even if he seemed to be distant piece of work. They couldn't get running water into the catacombs, but kept water and soap in a few rooms close to the surface. "You ever have a sponge bath before?" Bull had asked, amusedly. "You get fuckin' used to it, so don't worry!" When they checked out the armory, Bull was quick to inform him that he would go weaponless for a little while. They had trust issues down here. Of course, the Bull laughed it off like it was nothing. Heck, maybe he'd share a little something with Floyd if the guy ever decided to open up.

Bull was on his way to showing Floyd where the supplies were kept when a little munchkin attacked Floyd's legs. It took Bull a moment to realize what was happening before he grabbed the man reaching for her. "The fuck are you doing?" he growled.

It was Harley, the rat-faced punk that pissed most everyone off half the time. Bull in particular wasn't very fond of the way he talked to Lauren. Harley was shaking now, his squinty little eyes looking every which way. "The little brat was sneaking around our supplies fucking sniffing around," he said.

Bull looked down at Katie, who had attached herself to Floyd's leg. She looked more angry than scared; She was certainly Tyler's daughter. Shaking his head, Bull said, "You're an idiot, you know that? You must not appreciate livin' that much if you're calling the boss' kid a brat." Harley didn't respond to this, so Bull turned toward Katie. "Lauren's supposed to be watching you..." He shook Harley. "You said this shit was stealing?"

---

Brad - The Deal

Brad was squirming in his seat. He was driving the truck full of supplies with Tyler in the passenger seat. Al and Gregory were in the bed of the truck with the supplies, ready to carry them over when the time came. Brad stole glances at his boss, who had his arm out the open window. He was smiling, something he didn't do so often as of late. "... How far along is this woman, then?" Brad asked.

Tyler stared out the open window. "They don't know for sure, but she's far. She could give birth in a month, maybe." In the silence that followed, Tyler began tapping on the side of the truck.

"... The hell?" Brad said, suddenly slowing the vehicle down. Haywood had blocked the road nowhere near the community's gates. Brad gritted his teeth. "What are they doing? That's not how this works. They--"

"Brad." Tyler leaned over and placed a hand on the man's arm. "Calm down."

Brad shrugged Tyler off. "They ask for triple and then they do this! It's bullshit!"

Tyler stared at him. "I need the woman." With that, Tyler stepped out of the truck. "You two stay back for second while we figure this out," he said to the pair in the back. Brad begrudgingly followed Tyler's lead and left the vehicle.

As Brad and Tyler stepped away from the truck, Brad couldn't contain his anger. "What's with this, huh? What's the fucking deal?!" he yelled.

[QT]

Floyd - Underground - Katie/Bull/Random Raider

As Floyd followed Bull, the sound of fear came crawling down the halls. A little girls yell echoed through the rough-patched pavement walls. Floyd turned to Bull to see if he fluttered at the noise. The giant golem didn't even seem to notice such a faint sound until it appeared. Due to Floyd's excessive experience in the hunt, his senses have become sharper than most. As the screech got louder, Floyd noticed two sets of footsteps. One made thick thumps, while the other was so light it was barely resounding. Floyd quickly dashed passed Bull's gravitational pull and walked faster towards the noise.

Suddenly, around the corner, a small child burst around the redneck's legs. "What th-" Floyd called out, noticing the child seemed frightened by whatever was coming. Floyd turned up, waiting for a beast to also reach him. In addition to the loud footsteps that approached, Floyd could hear the faint breathing. Whatever was coming was running out of breath following this poor kid. It all became silent when the beast throttled passed that wall into Floyd's intersection. The imaginary eye could see horns and black auras coming from that being. His teeth would seem like sharpened river rocks prepared to gash through ones neck. It looked as if flies and maggots surrounded his body, hungry for the reeking odor of the demon. That's most likely how he appeared to this child.

Before coming forward, the girl begged for protection. Floyd couldn't help but see a familiar face in the child's. He wasn't about to lose yet another innocent person.

"Snot-nosed little bitch!" the man snarled and reached for her.

As the demon claw came forth the giant Bull blocked its path. Bull growled at the rat, angered by his actions. But Floyd couldn't let this go unnoticed. He went towards Harley, forcefully took the man by the arm and pushed him towards the wall - face first. Then he rushed forth and slammed his forearm to the back of the man's head, causing his nose to burst open against the wall. Blood poured from its nose as it tainted the walls in red, which at first seemed black. The man fell to his knee, enclosing his face with his palms. He grunted and cursed from the pain. Without noticing, Floyd seemed to have back away with the child still behind him. He looked fiercely at Bull, prepared to be attacked for breaking one of his men's nose. Floyd's rough-housed hand lay on the child's shoulder for protection. It basically informed her to stay behind him.

"Ya got sumthin you wanna tell me?!" Floyd snarled at Bull. He stood firmly on his two feet waiting for whatever was coming. He looked towards the fallen raider. "You had that comin!" he yelled at him. At this point Floyd believed he would once again get attacked and locked up for what he did. One could say he feared going back into that dark and empty quarter, others could say he was trying to prove that he deserved to be in the group, but that's for one to decide.

---

Robert/Haywood Guards - On the Road

The van's door opened due to all the ruckus that came from within. Robert, ex-Haywood guard, now known as the leader watched as Jess was calmed. It seems that she had some anxiety or stress related health problems. It was obvious this was no place for such a young girl, especially one that was carrying child. As one of the guards - Sam Nelson - made her comfortable, Robert handed Jess a small knife. The knife was big enough to puncture through a walker's skull, but small enough to remain hidden if necessary.

Of course, Robert did this after she had become stable. "We need you to take out Tyler.." he started, his face completely serious, not a single speck of superficial attitude at all. "If you can't do it I uner-" Robert started, cut off by the sound of a moving truck coming their way. "He's here.....be ready" he told Jess, all while Sam and the other men exited the van. They watched as the roaring sound of the loud engine busted through the woods. Robert looked to his sides to make sure his hidden men were there, but they were so hidden he couldn't see them.

Tyler's right hand man Brad suddenly started an outburst of yells. "What's with this, huh? What's the fucking deal?!" he yelled.

Robert, Sam, and the van driver stepped up. "We've decided that this will be the new trading ground between each other. It's basically the center-line between our two communities, so I figured it'd be more practical. Now, like always, we'll inspect the materials we've asked for, then you get to see the girl. Okay?...........Okay. Sam, Elliot, go ahead" Robert instructed, hoping they didn't ask why Eli wasn't the one managing the trade. It had always been him until now.

Elliot and Sam passed up Tyler and Brad, heading to the back of the truck. They looked inside, not taking much time. "It's all set!" Elliot called out as the two started back towards the van. Each of them had a pistol hidden underneath their shirts. At this time, Robert stepped back to the side of the van. Without anybody noticing, he knocked gently on the slide door, alerting Jess that it was time. They had only one shot, if not, this might turn into a massacre. "She's in here Tyler, like always" Robert called out, holding the slide-door's handle, waiting for Tyler to approach. It was now or never.

[Rithas]

Rob- Meeting point- Haywood guards (and jess?)

Of all the stupid things that I could put Myself in, I can't believe I agreed to this! But.....these "Raiders" Do sound like horrible people. But protecting people I don't know for my own life? I don't know about that. But hey, at least they told me what the fuck was going on. Not many tend to do that. Well it's too late now, it's happening right now. And they do have someone in that Van, so if I just leave now, I put everyone in danger. I backed myself into a corner, of course. At least I'll die next to someone with the same name as myself. Score one to me

Rob was quiet like most of the others, he just listened, because listening is the only right answer in any situation. That and running away very fast. They were comforting the woman, who was apparently called Jess, The thought of her made him wonder if anyone can truly bring anyone up in this world. "Adults" Have a hard enough time as it is. She was scared, everyone in this damn world was afraid. "tsk...." Was he only sound Rob had made in a while. The talking of the guard was interrupted by , judging by common sense. "Tyler's group". So finally they have arrived. Rob reminded himself just to stay quiet. and then maybe a little trigger happy if every thing goes to crap.

They talked some more, What Rob expected as Tyler and his apparent right hand man came to expect the woman. This crazy.....yet you put yourself in the middle...Well, I guess this is it....

Rob closed his eyes and breathed deeply, whenever it happens. He guessed this is the most he could be ready

[Myst]

Katie - Underground - Floyd & Bull

Katie's eyes grew huge in her head. She had seen the men fight before, but they had almost always been playing.
This was definitely not playing.
The stinky man attacked Harley, slamming his face into the wall. Katie screamed and started to cry, covering her eyes. But she still saw his face going into the concrete even with her eyes shut. It kept replaying in her mind.

Bull was there. She knew him. He was Lauren's sort-of-kind-of-should-be-might-as-well-be husband. He used to scare her because he was so big, but after she had seen him with Lauren she knew he was okay.
She felt a heavy hand on her shoulder and gasped when she realized it was the stinky man. After seeing him hurt Harley so quickly and so badly, she was a little scared of him. But Harley had been trying to hurt her, so really he had been helping her...

She was distracted when she realized she hadn't answered Bull's question. "H-he was s-stealing stuff from the r-room with the guns," she said, stuttering because of her tears. "He c-called me b-bad names! He s-said he was g-going to cut my n-nose off!" she exclaimed, the fear that he would actually do such a thing fresh in her mind.
"Where's my d-daddy?" she asked, crying earnestly now. "I w-want my daddy!"

But even as she cried her little hand clutched at the stinky man's sleeve. He had scared her, but not as much as Harley had. He had hurt Harley because Harley was going to hurt her. She looked up at him, her eyes watery and her lip quivering. "He's not r-really cut off my n-nose... right?" she asked, then looked at Bull. "Right?"

Jessalyn - outside of Haywood - The Trade

Jess took a deep breath and braced herself as the door of the van slid open. The first person she saw was Tyler and she felt the blood drain from her face. The man who had been calming her down grabbed her arm and jerked her from the van roughly. "Sorry," her murmured holding her arms so she couldn't run. Jess played her part, looking terrified.
Well actually she didn't have to act on that score. Tyler scared her to death, the way he was looking at her like a kid who had found a huge present under the Christmas tree.

She prayed the Haywood men knew what they were doing...

[Atomyk]

The Bull - Catacombs - Floyd/Katie/Harley

The Bull's eyes widened as Floyd grabbed Harley away from him and proceeded to smash the man's face against the wall. Bull could only stare as Harley fell to the ground, his hands to his face and cursing up a storm. It was a bit nuts, but Bull figured Floyd just had something to prove.

"Ya got sumthin you wanna tell me?!"

Bull shrugged. You see, he liked it when a man had something prove, especially one as entertaining as this one. "That's nothin' compared to what Tyler will do to him if he really was stealing." He peered down at the little girl still cowering behind Floyd. Bull lowered himself to his knees, though the action strained him slightly. Sometimes, he felt far too out of shape for his own good. "Not that I don't believe you. But Lauren is probably worried sick about you."

Sighing, Bull pushed himself to stand. He grabbed Harley by his shirt and lifted him to his feet. "I-I didn't--" Harley coughed on his own blood and wobbled on his feet. "F-Fuck!"

Bull felt like laughing at the stupid fucker's face.

"I'll deal with him, you take Katie back to her room. She should know the way." There was no way Bull could leave Floyd with this guy after that. He was probably going to be killed anyway, but their was a procedure to follow. He shoved Harley down the hall. "Get the hell going so we can clean you up."

---

Tyler - The Road

"I'm not sure why the procedure is changing so suddenly without forewarning."

Tyler stood next to Brad, his eyes looking at each man before them in turn. None of them appeared to be Eli, the man who was always asking about his former wife. Brad was right, all of this was bullshit. Asking for triple and changing the procedure, Haywood was assuming he was willing to put up a lot for one pregnant woman. Tyler could feel his pulse quickening, his face growing hot; He was growing angry with these people, but he had to keep himself in check. All he needed was to see the woman, to have her.

Then one of them was holding the van's slide-door handle. "She's in here Tyler, like always," he said. 'Like always', as if anything about this deal was the usual.

Brad grabbed Tyler by the arm. "Bring her out, then," he said, his other arm pointing to the ground. "You walk her out of the van, and we pretend there's a line between us. Right here." His pointed hand gestured to the centre of the road between them and made a line in the air.

Tyler took a step forward and shrugged Brad off. He kept the man around for a reason; Brad was a paranoid mess, and dedicated to his boss to a degree that sometimes made Tyler uncomfortable, but those were good traits to have in a second-in-command these days. "Sounds good to me," Tyler said. "Get your men back on your side and my men will carry over your supplies. Then we get the girl." He put a hand into the air, his palm flat out toward the guy beside the van. "But only the girl and the supplies cross the line at this point. It's only fair, after all these changes you've made." With that said, Tyler stepped back to stand just before the truck. Brad took his place next to him.

"And get her out of that van so I know she fucking exists."

[QT]

Floyd - Catacombs - Katie

The dirty redneck stared down the giant, watching him escape from sight with Harley. A small trail of blood drops followed the two men to wherever they were headed. Must have been Harley's broken nose or something. Floyd couldn't believe he was left alone and trusted to do as Bull said. Why in the world would he not use this time to escape? But it was true, what could he do? Even is he were able to get his hands on the guns spoken of, there was no way he would be able to take down every raider he met on the escape. He would be confronted and killed for treason, a treason he never desired to be tied into.

Knowing he had no other choice, Floyd turned to the child who still held to his leg. He could see the tears run down her cheeks like rainfall. Her tears were soaking his cargo pants. In attempt to calm her, the redneck placed his rough hand on her head. "Calm down kid, these are ma gud pants" he joked without a smile. Then he released himself from her grasp and walked in front of her. "Now, let's get ya to your room" he continued. He waited to follow her, patiently, but irritated at his situation. "Anyway, why're ya runnin round down here all on ya own? Your like five, you should stay in ya room, this ain't no place for a kid."

Floyd then wiped his mouth with his forearm, trying to remove the dried up blood. He couldn't use his tank because it may be infected. "Do ya know where I can get changed by any chance?" he asked the little girl as he started down a random hallway. "Let's get goin" he called out to her, pretty positive he was going the right way.

---

Haywood Guards - The Road - Tyler/Brad/Raiders

Sam and Elliot made their way back to the black van. They watched as Tyler's men unloaded the cargo supplies and placed them on the 'line'. Robert could see the raider's faces full of question and doubt. It seemed that this rash change of the ordinary caused them to become startled, they seemed to be taking more precaution of what they were doing. At the same time, Tyler was becoming inpatient, something Robert feared. This could lead to an impulsive fire fight.

As the raider's leader instructed them to open up the van, Robert understood he had no other choice. It would come down to Jess at this point. If she did not succeed in killing Tyler now, it would most likely cost, not only her own life, but the life of many Haywood guards. Slowly and gently, the slid the van's door open, allowing the sunshine to peak through steadily. This light might have blinded Jess, but only momentarily as Robert extended his hand to hers.

He took her by the wrist and pulled her towards him. "Its time. Now or never" he whispered to her, acting as though he was forcing her to him. Merely acting, Robert rushed her out of the van, pushing her along towards the white line. "Here's the girl Tyler, just as described!" he yelled across to him. He began to take her towards the 'line', in the meantime, having his men begin loading the supplies. "Get the knife ready" he whispered yet again to Jess. As he took her forward, he looked to his sides, right and left, licking his bottom lip. This was the sign that everything was about to go down.

The men in the woods raised their guns, walking closer to the street without hurry. They didn't want to step on any branches and make an echoing noise across their location. If they did, Tyler would surely know something was up, more than what was already occurring of course. He wasn't a stupid man, maybe just ignorant, thinking nobody could take his organization down. They took down Bruce Levi, this was just another pest to remove from this new earth.

[Myst]

Katie - Underground - Floyd

Katie stuck her chin out at the smelly man's guess of her age. "I'm not a baby! I'm seven!" she announced. "Daddy wanted me to stay in my room, but that's boring! So I went exploring..." she suddenly seemed to realize what her daddy would probably say once he found out what had happened. And with Harley hurt like he was there was no way her daddy wasn't going to find out.
Katie slapped a hand to her forehead. "Daddy's going to ground me forever," she moaned. "I don't want to stay in my room anymore," she added like she was being given a punishment, which to her it was.

Katie looked at the man up and down. "You are smelly," she stated, not being mean just stating fact like most children it. "And very dirty."
Even so she took him by the hand and started pulling him along. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up," she said like a little mother.

She led him to a washroom of sorts. They didn't have running water so all of their wash water had to be stored and conserved. Getting a bowl and a rag from one of the lower shelves, Katie filled the bowl from a barrel in the room and dipped the cloth in it.
"Come down here," she said, grabbing onto his shirt to pull him down to her level. Once he was down she started wiping off his face. He had black stuff all over his face and neck. "I've never seen you before, are you visiting too like the girl?" she asked. "Daddy said I couldn't meet her because she wasn't going to be here for long," she said in a sad voice. "There's no one for me to play with. I keep begging Daddy to let me go outside, but he won't. And I can't play with the grownups cuz they are loud and smelly and say bad words."

Her little face suddenly brightened. "Will you play with me?"

[QT]

Floyd - Catacomb's Washroom - Katie

Her comments caused Floyd to reveal a faint smile, one he hadn't shown anyone in a while. The little girl's actions seemed so fake, like if she were in a dramatic play or something. When her hand came upon her forehead, Floyd turned his head to hide the unbelievable joy on his face. The little things were the ones that made the most for Floyd. Even before the outbreak, the redneck didn't smile much unless the radio people made jokes. He didn't interact much with others, nor had any bonds with anyone, not even with God. He was basically the lone wolf that roamed the country side merely to stay alive. Though he had a home, a bed, and food, he still had those survival instincts, the ones now have merely upgraded.

Anyhow, as the girl started to bluntly comment on his stench and appearance, Floyd couldn't help but to respond. "Little girl, ya don't nuthin bout stinky" he commented as she started to pull him along. He was referring to the odor of many walkers. Their decayed bodies reeked even worse that Floyd at the moment, especially when there was a hoard of them. Some people watch out for walkers, Floyd sniffs them out before they appear.

As they arrived at the communities washroom, Floyd watched the little girl attend to him. She seemed to be very motherly, probably acting as though Floyd was one of her dolls or something. Suddenly she pulled his shirt and made him bend down to her height. She started applying the wet towel all over his face and neck, removing the dried up blood. "I ain'tcha boy-toy girl" he commented as she continued to wash him down.

She then started to rant about randomness, but one thing definitely caught Floyd's ear. "Wait! What'd ya just say?" he asked her, reassuring that what he heard was correct. "What's this bout a girl? What girl? Was she pregnant? Can ya take me to her?!" he asked in a loud whisper. His neutral voice was like that though, in addition to raspy. He had completely ignored every question she had asked him, it wasn't much important to him right now. "C'mon kid, take me to the girl" he instructed, fixing his shirt as he straightened up. He feared the worst at this point, knowing what 'Tyler' was doing to these women. He remembered what the blonde woman at the train tracks had told him about these raiders. Floyd got himself into something he could have avoided in the first place. If he would of just walked away from that skeleton man everything would have been the same, or at least, somewhat the same.

[Atomyk]

Tyler - The Road

Tyler exchanged a look with Brad before stepping toward the girl. Brad stepped in turn with him obediently. Al and Gregory stepped away from the supplies, their job done for now. A few feet from the 'line', Tyler stopped and shrugged. "Well, she's certainly pregnant," he said. He hadn't doubted that this woman would be; He was looking for cuts and bruises or some sign of physical impairment. It wouldn't do to receive a woman two steps away from a miscarriage. However, like described, she appeared to be a healthy woman, and no more damaged than anyone could expect in this world.

"You just come over to us," Brad said. "Everyone else stay back."

Tyler turned his head slightly to look at Brad. The man was shifting his weight from one foot to the other. It wasn't an exaggerated movement; Brad was probably unaware he was even doing it. Then there was the twitch, the slight nervous tic that Brad often exhibited on his face. He was clearly anxious, and Tyler started to worry that Brad might do something rash.

"I'll treat you right," Tyler said to the woman in an effort to relax her. He needed her to be calm and not to something crazy to set Brad off. "I promise you that."

[Myst]

Katie - Underground - Floyd

Katie was confused, then nervous when the smelly man got so excited about the girl. "I... I don't know where she is," she said. "Daddy wouldn't tell me. He said I couldn't visit her. I swear I don't know."
Katie felt sad. This man obviously didn't want to play with her either. With a sad face she handed him the wash cloth. "I'll just go," she said. "I won't bother you anymore."

Katie was always in the way. Even with her Daddy.
"No one ever wants me around," she said sadly. "No one ever wants to play. I want to go outside."

She wanted to go outside...
Maybe she would...
No one wanted her around and her daddy was always gone. Why shouldn't she go outside? If she disobeyed enough maybe her daddy would stay with her more.

She went to the door and opened it slightly and heard some other men coming down the hall:
"Man that new bitch is too young. I'd feel like I was fucking my daughter."
"But the young ones are sometimes the best, after ya break 'em in that is. I feel kinda bad for her actually."
"Maybe you should have the first go. You'd at least treat her right for her first time."
"Yeah, maybe. But handling a virgin is tough. And she's scared to death already so it'll be even worse."

Katie looked back at the smelly man with wide eyes. That sounded like they were going to hurt the new girl. Daddy said that 'fuck' meant trick, but she didn't like the way they were talking.
"What does that mean?" she asked him, wondering if he'd give her a different answer then her daddy. "What does 'fuck' mean?"

Jessalyn - The Road - Tyler

Jess was shaking like a leaf. There he was... the man who Lynn described as the Devil himself.
And he was talking about treating her right.

"Like you treated Lynn?" she asked bitterly. "Have you killed her? Is that what you mean by 'treating right'? Will you kill me too after you take my baby away from me?"
She had to know. She had to know if Lynn was alive. She wrapped her arms gently and protectively around her stomach. So much upset and stress couldn't be good for her baby. She needed to calm down, for her baby's sake.

"Lynn told me what you do to women," she said. "Answer me : if my child is a girl, is that the kind of future you will give her? Imagine if you had a daughter and someone was doing this to her, how would you feel? I am asking you this so that you understand why I am scared to go with you. Scared for myself and for my baby."

She had the knife she had been given. She needed to use it. But before that, she had to know, had to hear his answers.

[QT]

Floyd - Catacombs - Katie

Once the girl objected to knowing where the girl was, Floyd couldn't help but feel there wasn't a girl. This was a six year old girl, little children always made up crap, especially imaginary friends and shit. But the fact that Katie didn't know where the girl was, then she was basically un-helplful. Floyd started walking back and forth, getting angered and frustrated that he no longer had a lead to finding the 'girl'.

Suddenly, the little child started to rant about her feelings and emotions. She spoke about her father's neglectfulness and inattentiveness. In all honesty, Floyd didn't care much for the child's overall feelings. He didn't know her, nor was he her friend or bound to her in any way. But he understood that she was being abruptly put down by these acts of encasement. She was like a bird locked in its birdcage. Apparently, she had never seen the light of day, or something of the sort. Floyd sat on the counter and watched her in silence. He listened to everything she had to say, waiting for a chance to speak - which never came.

The entire situation changed when voices could be heard from the hallways. Since Floyd wasn't close enough to the door, he couldn't only hear some words. Therefore, he couldn't make sense of the raider's conversation. Though once the girl turned, she had seemed to understand exactly what they were saying, except for one thing. She asked Floyd what the word 'fuck' meant. For a second, Floyd became startled by the sudden question. Such a little girl already cursing like a grown woman, what were the odds. Floyd starred at her with his squinting eyes, blood now cleared off his face.

This world didn't only change adults, it changed the next generation of people. This girl hadn't seemed to yet experience the outside world, yet she attained their effects. She was growing faster than what one as a parent would desire. Floyd himself never had the thought of building a family, it was too much a responsibility to him in addition to it being very challenging. Protecting them under the circumstances he lived in back in the day wouldn't have sufficed. His children would have mostly died in the mother's womb. So to make sure this little girl didn't think him anything of the sort, Floyd was going to answer his question how he would anybody else, treating this girl like a grown up.

"The word 'fuck' basically means 'go screw yaself'. So when sumbody doesn't let ya go outside like ya want, say 'fuck you, ya simple minded piece of shit'. That's what I say, and let me tell ya, it works like a charm. Don't let these pirates mess with ya, cuz they know if they do, ya daddy'll kick their ass. In this place ya seem to be like a little queen, use that power. Personally, I hate you Yankees, each and every single one of ya, but I ain't got nowhere to go ya see" Floyd said, grunting as he stood from the counter.

"Now, I need to get a change of clothes. Do ya know where I can get some?" he finished, hoping to give this girl a little company. Though he thought he didn't care and knew that he shouldn't, he couldn't help but feel how she felt. She was a lonely child, just like Floyd back in his time. She was feeling the same effects he was, abandonment. Therefore, in an odd way, they were connected by some sort of fate, or something like that. It was all shit anyway.

[Atomyk]

Tyler - The Road

There was a moment of silence. Tyler's mouth fell slightly agape as he peered curiously at this woman who apparently knew Lynn. The fact that she was pregnant... this was likely Lynn's friend. As if whatever otherworldly powers that existed had decided to hand him a present. It was definitely a sign, and in that moment, Tyler felt overwhelmingly assure of himself.

But then she started asking even more questions. Questions that proved her naivety. Questions that proved everyone's naivety. No one understood him or his vision. Not his most loyal men, not his ex-girlfriend, not even his own daughter. All anyone ever did was stand in his way.

"What do I do to women, then?" Tyler asked. "What is it that you think I do? Because I thought Lynn would understand better than anyone what I do to women." He stepped forward now, his right hand balling into a fist. This woman dared to suggest he would hurt his children. Brad started to move with him but Tyler held a hand out for him to stay. "I want your child to live. I want it to live and become a part of something bigger than just you or I." He looked past Jessalyn to speak to everyone now. "I do not do what I do out of selfish desire." He practically spat out the words. "I do what I have to do!"

He looked back into Jessalyn's eyes. These words were for her specifically: "Lynn is alive. You will be reunited with her again. Come quietly with me, and I will let you speak to her."

[Myst]

Katie - Underground - trying to understand Floyd

Katie was so confused. The smelly man was swearing, saying the 'a' word, and he also said he hated her. Instead of hurting her feelings, it just made her feel confused.
She cocked her head like a puppy. "Why do you hate me? What did I do?"
She wasn't even sure what a 'Yankee' was, but she assumed it was a bad name. She frowned and folded her arms, ready to scold him.
"Who are you calling bad names?" she asked and stomped her foot. "I helped you. You shouldn't call me names and be a meany when someone helps you."

When he asked about clothes she snorted. He was calling her names and yet he wanted her to tell him where to find clothes?
The brat in her wanted to tell him to find his own clothes, but the good girl that he daddy wanted her to be told her she needed to find clothes for him.

Her sigh was long-suffering as she grabbed his hand once again and pulled him out of the room and down the hallway. "You can wear my daddy's clothes. He's not here to wear them anyway," she added.
The smelly man, who was not as smelly now, sure didn't know anything about down here. If it wasn't for Katie he'd be smelly, dirty and lost. He was like her new pet, she had to take care of him. And after he got clothes she supposed she'd have to feed him too, since he likely wouldn't be able to find any on his own. He must not have a mommy or a daddy to take care of him. So it fell to Katie to do it.

"My name is Katie," she suddenly decided to tell him. "But everyone around here calls me 'snot-nosed brat', 'annoying pest', 'squirt', and 'nosy bitch'. But daddy doesn't like it when that call me names," she sighed again. "I don't mean to be bad, but I'm so bored. I don't want to stay in my room all the time."

She giggled. "Wanna know a secret? I climb up there and go all over the place and no one can ever find me," she said, pointing upward at an airvent. "Only I can fit in there. I see all kinds of stuff. Like where Lauren tries to hide cookies."

In her daddy's room Katie moved slowly and carefully, not moving one thing out of place. It was a plain room, having a bed, a desk, a filing cabinent, and a large trunk with clothes in it. While he looked at the clothes Katie went to the desk and got a picture off of it.
"This is me and daddy and mommy and big brother," she said. "I was two. Mommy and Big Brother went away," she added saidly, showing him the picture. "That's my daddy," she said proudly, pointing at the man in the picture. "His name is Tyler. He's the best daddy... even though he doesn't play with me much anymore."

Jessalyn - The Road - Decision

Jess was torn.
Tyler had to die. His evil had to die with him.
But Lynn... if he died would she ever see Lynn again?

If she attempted to kill Tyler, she'd be killed where she stood. There was no way his raiders would let her live. She had to think of her baby.
But if she didn't she'd be letting down the men of Haywood. They were counting on her to kill Tyler.

But why her? Why did she have to kill him?
When it came down to it, was Jess capable of killing this man? Any man? She had never killed anyone. She didn't want to be like everyone else in this world. She didn't want to lose herself.

She closed her eyes and prayed. Prayed that she was making the right choice. Prayed that Haywood would understand.
"I have to find Lynn," she murmured so only the man beside her would hear. "If I attack him now, you and everyone here will die. I can't have your lives on my conscious."
With that she put her shoulders back and hid the knife in the waistband of her pants at her back. As long as these men didn't treat her roughly, which it didn't seem that they would, they wouldn't find it. She'd find Lynn and bide her time. When the time was right, she'd threaten Tyler with the knife. If he didn't release them, she would... she would hurt him really bad. She wouldn't threaten his life. She'd threaten his dream, his ability to father children.

Jess' heart pounded in her chest as she took a step forward, a step towards the Devil. Her eyes were large and full of fear, but somehow she kept her hands from shaking and struggled to keep her breathing even.
Lynn... she'd find Lynn...
And Floyd...
She'd find them and save them.

[QT]

Floyd - Tyler's Quarters - Katie

"Don't accuse me of nuthin girl! I ain't curse ya out!" Floyd yelled, using his hand gestures to point at the little girl, intimidating her. "You're the one who wanted to know what fuck meant right? I just gave ya my textbook definition of it. Ya ain't ready for the other meanin, you're just a little brat. You ain't ready for it" he added, stepping back a little, distancing himself from her. "I ain't like all those men out there" he started again, pointing out the door, defining the raiders as them. "I ain't afraid to talk shit around ya, I ain't afraid to make you afraid. Like ya said, I ain't from around here, I don't have to put up with your rules, I've got my own. I ain't afraid of ya daddy like all of them out there, I ain't afraid of nuthin. So if ya go accusin me of sumthin I ain't even do, Ima get angry, yea. Wouldn't you?" he asked sarcastically, not waiting for her to respond. It seemed that his little rant had shut her up since she began to pout.

Then, with the silence filling the air, the distance between them dwindled. Her tiny little hand reached her and began to pull him along. With a risen eyebrow, Floyd was forced to follow. She had told him he could wear her father's clothing, meaning they were probably headed to the man's room. On the way there, the girl finally decided to tell Floyd her name. "Katie" it was. She also added unnecessary information that made Floyd feel a bit of pity for the girl, but not enough to really feel for her. He only protected her back there was because she was innocent. Still she is, even though she bugs Floyd like a pest. If she were in any danger, there would be some sort of click in Floyd's senses that would cause him to inevitably protect the girl. It was the same as it had been with Jess - but that case was a bit different. Anyhow, as she started to inform Floyd of the names some of the raiders called her, Floyd gently slapped the back of her head with his other hand. "Don't let what other people think of ya get to you" he finished, resuming his stride towards the boss man's quarters.

Then she made a joke, giggled, talked about cookies, and finally made it to the room. Tyler's living quarters were nothing like Floyd assumed them to be. They were..........normal. He had things a normal human being would have, nothing out of the ordinary. The man even had a picture of his family, a picture Katie obligated him to look at. Floyd stared at the picture, turning away from the clothing behind him. The little girl pointed at her family members, naming them. "Daddy........Mommy......Big Brother......" Floyd took a look at Tyler, first trying to find some sort of disruption with his appearance, secondly attempting to remember him so when he meets the man. Katie then told Floyd that her mother and brother had left, meaning they'd died. Of course, the little girl was told otherwise, but Floyd wasn't as naive as the child, he knew the world. Floyd never had a picture like that one, a picture where his entire family was together. For that matter, Floyd didn't remember ever taking a picture, a memory that must have faded with the rest of the world. As Katie commented in respect to her father's greatness, Floyd huffed. The girl didn't even know what was happening beneath her feet. If she did, she might have a second opinion about her father, but Floyd would let her find out on her own.

Returning to the clothing, Floyd removed his shirt revealing the tattoo of a angel's left wing burning. The smoke rising to form the body of a demonic figure with one angel wing forming on its left, the other wing one of a demon. It was a beautiful piece of art for some, other's saw it as a hellish and disturbing sight. Without further ado, he covered it up with a navy blue, green, and grey plaited buttoned down shirt. On top of that, he placed a dark jean denim jacket which was also covered by a leather jacket that fit perfectly. "Your old man has good taste" Floyd complimented. "Now, I need to see that woman that gave me the food. The one that hangs around the big man from earlier."

---

Robert/Haywood Guards - The Road - Jessalyn/Tyler/Rob/Raiders

As the girl hesitantly stood there, not acting upon given instruction, Robert began to get nervous himself. The situation they were all in was already dangerous, but if the procedure wasn't followed according to plan, then it'd get even worse. Robert himself was close enough to Jess to see how nervous the girl was. At first, he though that her little conversation with Tyler would cause some unnecessary tension, tension that could lead to unpronounceable conflict.

The men hidden in the woods started sweating. They had been motionless for a while now and were waiting for the signal. The food and supplies were already loaded up into the one Haywood van. If this had been a regular scheduled trade, the Haywood people would have already returned to their community, but this was a whole different situation. They had never imagined to fight against another army, but things had to get done. They could no longer hide the inseparable grudge they had against the people that stole their women.

Robert stepped forth, getting closer to Jess, trying to figure out what was holding her. He got so close he then heard her whisper. "I have to find Lynn" she started. "If I attack him now, you and everyone here will die. I can't have your lives on my conscious." For a second, Robert tried to process her words, not sure she understood that Tyler was outnumbered. Maybe she didn't know they had people scattered through the woods, maybe she was just honestly telling him the cold truth. If she stabbed him, the raiders would most definitely start shooting, there was no denying it. In that case, Robert nodded at the girl, letting her know he'd let her go. "We'll find you" he whispered back before walking towards the van. He wave his finger to the Haywood people around him, letting them know it was time to roll. The people in the woods were awed by this. They weren't sure what had happened, but know that that signal wasn't the one declaring to fire. Therefore, the woodmen loaded back into their trucks and waited for the van to start back to Haywood. Once it did, the trade was concluded, just not the way Haywood imagined it to be. It seemed like every other trade from the previous months. They failed to strike first.

[Atomyk]

Tyler - The Road

Jessalyn turned to the man at her side and began to whisper. Tyler boggled at this, his anger flaring up again. What was there to discuss? There was no choice in the matter; Either she came quietly, or she came by force.

"Good, there's no need for things to be difficult," Tyler said when the woman finally walked across the line. She stared at him, her face full of determination but her eyes open wide in fear. Tyler wasn't sure which feature irritated him more. He took the woman gently by the shoulder and directed her toward Al and Gregory, who helped her climb into the bed of the truck. Brad got a little weird whenever he was forced to sit with the women.

The truck backed up and pulled a one-eighty. Tyler took a look back to make sure neither of the men were treating Jessalyn roughly. It was almost surreal to have this woman fall into his lap so easily. He would not have to get it out of Lynn now, a task that he knew would have been very difficult. With that out of the way, Tyler could truly start with Lynn. He had big plans for her, after all.

"We can't keep doing this," Brad said. "Fuck Haywood." The man slammed a fist down on the steering wheel. "Something was up with that deal today, Boss. I swear it." Tyler didn't respond, but he felt himself agreeing with Brad. That wasn't the man's usual paranoia talking; The deal today was simply off. Tyler would have to cut them loose, no matter how valuable they had been.

The rest of the drive was spent in silence.

---

Bex - The Cells - Tyler, Lynn, Jess & Emma

Bex sighed and shifted on his feet. He'd been watching the cells all day now and it was becoming increasingly difficult not to just walk away now. He had spoken with the girl and all he had gotten out of it was a gnawing feeling of guilt.

Tyler walked into the cells, flanked by Brad. He held a pregnant woman by the arm. No doubt she was the girl offered in the deal. "Bex, excuse us for a moment, will you?"

Bex shrugged. "Sure thing." He had had enough of this job anyway. He made his way for the exit, ignoring the dirty look that Brad gave him along the way. Outside the entrance, Bex stopped. He couldn't stop thinking about that girl, Emma. It occurred to him that the next time he saw her, she could already be broken. "For fuck's sake," he muttered, stepping across the hall and ducking into another corridor. He stood up next the wall, his head turned toward the entrance to the cells.

"... friend for you," He heard Tyler say. There were scraping noises, as if someone was dragging their feet. "Funny how things work out, isn't it?" Tyler said, a grin practically audible in his words. "You two should catch up."

[Myst]

Katie - Underground - Floyd

Katie didn't like that he called her a brat, but she was used to it by now. He was really confusing. One minute he was being nice, the next he was yelling at her.
She shook her head, giving up trying to understand adults.

She nodded at his statement. "That's Lauren. She's okay, but doesn't know how to play very good. She's probably in Bull's room," Katie giggled. "She's not his wife, but they both act like she is. I even saw them kissing!" She exclaimed, giggling more.

"I really wish you would stop being so angry," she said as they went along, her leading him by the hand. "You yelled at me and I didn't do anything," she added, waiting for him to yell at her again.
But for some reason his yelling didn't scare her. He was like a big dog - he barked loudly, but didn't bite. Well, at least he didn't bite her...

Instead of leading him right to Lauren, she stopped off in the mess hall. "Here, sit. I'll go make you something," she said and ran to the kitchen.
The extent of her cooking skills was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but at least it was something. She hurried back once it was made. "I used grape jelly," she said proudly. "I would have cut the crusts, but I'm not allowed to use a knife."

Jessalyn - Underground - In the hands of the Devil

Jess didn't even bother to speak to the men. They made her uncomfortable, especially the way they kept looking at her stomach. When they finally reached the underground she was led down many hallways and into some kind of dungeon. In one of the cells she saw...
"Lynn!" she cried and pulled out of the men's grip and ran to her friend. "Lynn!" she reached thorough the bars to her. When she got a good look at her, she gasped.
"What have you done to her?!" she demanded, facing Tyler. "How could you?! You hurt her you bastard!"

Lynn - Underground Cell - Jess

A voice reached her through the exhaustion. Lynn had been put into the arena again while Tyler had been gone, survived and then had been attacked and nearly raped by some of his bastard lackies. Fortunately her threatening to bite off anything they tried to put in her had them changing their minds.

Lynn chuckled and coughed a little. "Here to finish what your guy tried to start Tyler?" she asked. "I never thought you'd give them leave to rape me, but I guess I should have expected it."

Then she heard another voice.
No...
"God no," she groaned and looked. "Jess... oh fuck..." she said and closed her eyes.
It was all over. The evil bastard had won.

[QT]

Floyd - Mess Hall - Katie

Again the little brat started to mumble on and on about irrelevant things. All this talk about Lauren, her feelings, etc. weren't really important to Floyd. Couldn't she just understand that he needed to find this girl. Right now, he needed to talk with Lauren so she could escort him to the girl Katie was talking about earlier. If by any chance she was who Floyd wanted her to be, he'd liberate her from this place. All he wanted to was know if she was still alive, it was a thought that had been running through his head since he got captured. The essence of not knowing was worse than anything. From time to time Floyd would imagine scenarios in his head of what could have happened to her, the things she had to endure because he failed. Anything that happened to her, if she was captured and in these catacombs, if she was sexually abused, if she was killed............all that was on him at this point.

Lost in thought, Floyd snapped when they reached the mess hall. "Why the hell are we here girl? I told ya I needed to find Lauren" he said, being forced to sit by a little seven year old kid. The redneck's forearms lay on the table, waiting for the little girl to say something that would make sense. As she turned back to him, she was carrying a sandwich. It wasn't perfectly made, but it still looked tempting. Floyd attempted to resist her aid, he wasn't one to allow others to help. In all, he felt as though he was better off by himself, there was no need for friends. In the end, he still believed there weren't good people in this world, nor the old one. But right now, at the sight of food, his stomach started to growl vigorously. Slowly, he reached forth for the sandwich and started to chow down on it quickly. "Girl......*much*...I don't have....*much munch*....time for this" he spoke, mouth full of food at times. Within seconds, he finished the sandwich to the crumbs. The peanut butter was just mouthwatering, the grape jelly added desire for more, and the crust, well, it sufficed. Licking his fingers, Floyd stood from where he sat. "Alright, now let's get to Lauren, I've got sumthin to ask her."

---

Robert - Back in Haywood - Rob/Guards

"Alright everyone, gear up quick, were heading out in twenty. Josh, make sure the armory is completely empty, we want everything loaded onto the trucks, we don't know how much we'll need. Randy, Randy!.......Ask Mr. Howard if we can borrow his truck, we don't want to overcrowd each other in our trucks, that'll be dangerous. Also, get Mrs. Lucy to give you the medical supplies necessary, she was in the medical field back in her prime, she's sure to know something about it" the man instructed, the guards dispersing around him like ants. Every guard was getting ready for what was going down. The first plan to eliminate Tyler was a complete failure, it put the girl and her child at risk. Since they didn't have much time to conjure something up at the time, it was sure to fail, as it eventually did. Hopefully this next plan wouldn't fail. They were going to raid Tyler's catacombs head on. Robert knew the consequences of this strategy, but so did everyone in Haywood.

The townspeople were told everything that had been going on since Haywood began. They were told of Bruce Levi's schemes, how he traded off women for supplies. They were told of Eli's death and how he fought for the people rather than himself. They were told of the pregnant girl and how she was also traded off, but with remorse. The people were filled in on everything, there would no longer be any secrets between guards and townspeople.

To escape from the ruckus of preparing and to become mentally ready, Robert entered the van, closing the door behind himself. It was now quiet and tranquil in there. He sat alone, one hand covering his face as the other lay on the sidearm. His eyes were closed as he started to take long breaths. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he punched the glove compartment, his knuckles feeling the burn. All he thought about was losing the girl to that monster. He promised her safety, yet she was now locked underground, surviving not only for herself, but for the unborn child within her. It was time to start a war.

Robert

[OutlawedPanda]

I'll warn everyone before you open this; this post is slightly disturbing and makes me want to cry for Emma

What Happens in the Underground

"...We'd actually be doin' the boss a favor..."

The voice woke Emma, who was highly disappointed that her hands were still bound and that she was stuck in a cold cell. A favor? What could he have possibly meant by- Emma's heart dropped as she saw two men - Raiders - approach the doors. She sat up from the corner of the cell and set her eyes in a cold stare. One of them grinned impishly through the bars. He had long, blond hair that poked at his shoulders. "Hey there sweetheart." As Emma pushed herself back against the corner with her boots, smiled again. "No, don't worry... We ain't gonna hurt a pretty little thing like you." He opened the cell with a ring of keys and entered while his buddy stood guard. "Just - uh - wanna get to know ya better." He came uncomfortably close to Emma and dropped into a crouch.

"G-get away from me..." Emma stammered, her shaky voice surprising her. The man dropped his hand down to touch her arm, and he caressed her arm slowly. Emma couldn't help the fugitive tear that coursed her cheek as he touched her.

"Now, now, darling; No need to cry." He gripped her chin with his fingers and came close to hers. "My name is Hex... maybe I can put a spell on you?" He said quietly and pulled her face to his and kissed her lips. Emma pulled back forcibly, knocking her head against the wall painfully. She violently spit between sobs, trying to get the wretched taste out of her mouth. He tasted horrible and Emma thought she would rather eat molding bread than taste that again. "Oh, c'mon now... Wasn't that bad, was it?" Emma lifted her head and tried to yell for help, but he quickly put a large hand over her mouth. Tears continued to stream from Emma's eyes, and Hex slowly put a hand under her soccer jersey and gripped her stomach. Emma screamed into his hand and slid herself from his hands. Hex held onto her jeans, pulling the waistband a few inches from her waist. Emma tightened her legs, and before he could do anything, the other raider whispered to his friend. "Someone's coming hex!" Hex's eyes widened momentarily. He gave here one last kiss that lasted a few seconds bolting out and leaving the cell door open.

Emma lay on the ground, sobbing violently. She prayed to God that it was Bex and not Tyler. The old man seemed to show sympathy for her, and sympathy was better that the feeling hex would've given her. She lay, sobbing uncontrollably with her jeans undone and her shirt pulled to the top of her stomach, waiting for the man to come.

[Atomyk]

Tyler - Cells - Lynn & Jess

Tyler licked his lips at the expression on Lynn's face. She was horrorstruck, and that thought alone made his insides warm. "Brad, get that girl to another cell," he said, waving off his second-in-command. "Somewhere deeper, where she can't hear us." He looked toward Brad and waited expectantly. With a sour look, Brad opened Emma's cell and grabbed her roughly. "Fuckin' brat," he mumbled as he practically dragged her away.

Tyler waited patiently for Brad to leave. He then put a hand on Jessalyn's shoulder. "I'm glad I could reunite you two." He stepped forward and laid his other hand on the cell door. "But Lynn, what did you go and tell your friend? She thinks I'm a monster for some reason." He gripped a bar tightly. "You think I'm a monster, Lynn?"

---

Bex - Cells - Emma (After Tyler's conversation with Lynn)

After Tyler had departed from the cells, Bex had been curious about where he moved Emma. He entered the cells cautiously, not wanting to draw anyone's attention. He needed to see the girl one more time. He needed to tell her again that he was sorry. The guilt had been eating away at him for months, and now it was destroying him. He felt like his insides were ripping out. He didn't want to be a raider anymore, but what was the alternative? Tyler never let anyone leave, and if they did, he hunted them down relentlessly.

Soon, as Bex approached the deepest part of the cells, faint sobbing could be heard. Bex was drawn toward it. He passed by Hex (who had a name far too alike his for Bex's liking), who was sweating profusely and in a hurry to leave. The man gave Bex a glare before pushing past him. Jake followed soon after, his head down and avoiding eye contact. With the sobbing still echoing in his ear, Bex feared the worst. He rushed into the next rows of cells and scanned each one for signs of the young girl.

"Emma."

He found her, locked up in a cell even dirtier than her first one. Bex fell into a crouch beside her. He shakily began untying the girl's hands without a second thought. Now was not the time for protocol. "I'm sorry," he said when Emma was finally untied. "This shouldn't have happened. Tyler wouldn't-" Bex swore to himself. "Hex will hang for this."

---

Shannon - Building by Train Tracks - Daniel & Amelia

Mercifully, it had been a dreamless sleep. Shannon was finally coming to, having been out for a few hours. The dull feeling in her arm slowly inched closer toward pain and Shannon moaned quietly to herself as she regained consciousness. The world was just a blur of grey, but soon shapes began to right themselves. Shannon attempted to blink away the blurry film over her eyes.

"Hey..."

She tried to sit up, but in her confusion leaned on her hurt arm. Shannon cried out and her head fell back to the floor. "H-Hey!" She was fully awake now and her eyesight had cleared. She could see she was back in the building where she had shot at Daniel's sister accidentally. A wooden desk loomed over her, just at the edge of her sight.

"I need... Someone...!"

---

The Bull - Katie & Floyd

"Lauren?" The big man sat next to Floyd. He put a large hairy forearm over Floyd's shoulder, as if they were good friends. "You haven't found her yet?" He looked to Katie, who was sitting across from them. "Your old man would be pretty steamed if he saw you makin' sandwiches." The man grinned and began tapping on the table with his meaty fingers. "I'd rather not have my girl get in trouble, so I'll get you to her lickety split. You should come with, Floyd." Bull released Floyd from his grip and got up from the table. He turned and saluted Katie dramatically. "Follow the captain now, you hear?"

Bull attempted to march the whole way, for Katie's sake. He never held a particular fondness for the girl, or any child in particular really; Lauren liked Katie a lot and it had started to rub off on Bull. Besides, the man enjoyed goofing off and it felt more appropriate being a big goof around children than it did around anyone else.

By the time they reached Lauren pacing outside of Katie's room, The Bull was panting from his marching efforts. His face was red and puffy, the man barely able to form words. "Oh, thank god," Lauren said at the sight of them. "I thought you might have gotten lost, Katie, or..." She looked Floyd in the eyes, her expression giving the vaguest hint of mistrust. "... I'm sorry for not being around to see you earlier."