Upper City
Lenna nodded in response to Sadui's question and replayed the sound clip, opening schematic after schematic of the sewers. This power plant so so badly designed, it could shield against a large attack, but if it was against one or two determined people... There were many routes through the sewers, enough that they couldn't tell where without looking specifically at them.
What would be more informative were the reports she was getting from elsewhere, random shootings a short way across the city by unknown assailants? Not even anyone important, just civilians, why? Why did everyone have to kill? Lenna sent the report of what she knew on the shootings and the sewer network to Ezi, as well as the report from Sadui that there had been shouting she was trying to identify.
Ezi then reviewed the new information relayed to him by, well he hadn't a clue or a care. Seeing that they still hadn't come up with anything useful, he looked out of the vid screen at the remains of the building, beneath there craft. It was desolate, and sad. Most of the people had been cleared away, rescue efforts were seen to be utterly futile, there was no sign of any life, let alone survivors.
We won't be able to find anything,...not till this debris is stripped away, and really, there was no chance of finding anything to helpful. His only lead now was the dots and the minute sounds from the damaged beetle. Fuzzy forms running away, and then sounds of there passing horribly distorted. Neither enough to go on to determine anything. This site was useless. There must be another way. Find the lower city resistance, and perhaps find someone who could create the explosives. But, that isn't that hard, depending on the nature of destructive. He still didn't even know where the bomb was set off, it was too hard to find an epicenter for the blast without moving the debris of the building that collapsed ontop of the blast area. Ezi sighed audibly, and reviewed the rest of the incoming data. Apparently the local authorities were dealing with two denizens of the lower city causing trouble. Which was as good of a lead as any. Turning to adress his crew and the pilot, "Turn this around, and head toward the location of the local disturbance. Start getting me more media feed on the occurrence." Ezi hoped this wasn't fruitless. The decision to involve seeds in what could simply be normal criminals enticed by the power shortages, and terror from the attack. Could be a risky notion if it doesn't yield positive results.
Eeonus had been strapped in tight. He closed his eyes, and savored the silence and peace his mind had received, given the drugs to allow him to go on this mission. He had his suit, and his medication, everything he needed. Without the med's he would never leave the institution, and with that vice grip on his sanity, his chance to use this opportunity to escape, would never come to fruition. The institute of course, knew this very well. Suicide was still always an option, not a very appealing one either way. So, for the time being Eeonus tried to enjoy what little time he had. Neither an experiment or neglected to his hallucinations
.
Grinning his trademark manic grin, Puck was getting increasingly excited. The thought of seeing some action and maybe even getting to kill something always made his heart aflutter. He played out in his mind how he would kill the criminals, how he'd shoot them then, perhaps, if given enough time, disembowel them. There were knives on the transport. Sure, they were archaic, but always had kept Puck's intrigue. They were refreshing, and oh so much more messy then just a bullet wound. Torturing small animals is how he passed his time at the institute. However, torturing humans is how he passed his time outside in the city. I'll wipe out their entire disgusting race one day. Puck began snickering to himself as he chugged the last of his coffee and threw the empty cup at Ezi. "Oh for the love of... I could get there faster by blinking. Just tell me where this 'disturbance' is and I'll take care of it by myself."
Sadui turned her face away from the other seeds in disgust. She was tired and bored, and she wanted nothing more than to go back to her room. The many noises around her were fading in and out, making her skull throb. Puck's voice in particular always grated on her ears. She loathed that seed. The more she disliked a person's voice the more she disliked him. Besides, he was even more unclean than she was. She rubbed her hands together surreptitiously. Would they be fighting? She like the comfort of having weapons, but not the prospect of fighting. It was so... loud. She didn't trust the others with weapons either. Still, she could use a little stress relief. Real human blood, Saduis eyes filled with longing. She rubbed her pure white wrists. If she had enough human blood, could she be human too? Her dreams ran wild as she tried to ignore the hated seeds around her.
Lenna waited patiently for the system to accept her password so that she could locate the disturbance, she would have to tell them that delay could cost valuable time when she returned to the base. As it was she was finally in, the information speeding under her fingers as she locked on to the problem area, sending the co-ordinates to the other team as she paused.
Mute. It would be so much easier just to speak, tell people where they needed to go, but no. She had to find a way to tell them. With a soft movement she tapped the person next to her on the leg, turning her hand slightly so they could see the co-ordinates they needed to get to on the small computer she held.
Ezi caught the cup half way across the vessel, crushed it flat as though it had been stomped on, and let it fall to the ground with an irritated glance. He glared at both the elder seed, and puck's caretaker with his munitions, before turning to an officer informing him of the location they were now heading too. Ezi began getting more media feed, of the after math. Apparently several had been shot, the majority of which had been killed. The assailants had been seen fleeing into the sewers, and have not been followed as of yet. "Get me feed from the nearby security camera's, send a message to the local police division, requesting permission to see any pictures or live-feed they may have obtained. I want a visual at least, if not an audio of the incident. The police may not want to go into the sewers, but we will if we need to."
Watching the media feed on the vid screen, Puck began to narrow down where the disturbance had been. Puck knew almost every part of the entire Upper City from his various excursions outside of the institute. This was, of course, yet another reason why he was a superior warrior. One image, in particular, stood out to him. It was the corner of a building that he had tagged a few months back. He always recognized his own handy work. The tag was small and done in purple spray paint. He always tagged his I.D. number wherever he took a life, and he remembered decapitating a stray cat in that very ally. As he was dwelling, however, something felt...off within his own mind. He felt another set of eyes as he absently stroked his beloved gun. Something was amiss, but what? He was bored with Ezi's endless prattling, he knew where he had to go. Just when he was thinking of blinking out of there, he felt that strange sensation vanish, and suddenly all was well again. He no longer felt those prying eyes. What the fuck was that? stated his mind's inner voice. He'd cut in and interrupt Ezi, "Hey, Fuckhead, somethin's wrong. I just felt somethin weird, like I was bein' watched or something. It was in my head." He just realized how strange that must sound, and that it would give Ezi fuel to speak of his ignorance and stupidity, as he often did. Fucking Napoleon complex. He's younger then me but thinks he's better.
Much less direct, then that. More of a presence, appearance, feeling. Ezi felt her presence, so directly asserted, he had never felt her putting so much effort, or maybe power, really usually the opposite. But he recognized it. To much time spent with her and Bruce not to. Puck, the fool...he doesn't even know what he's talking about. Ezi remembered that feeling all to well. The woman in her small cell sized room. "Stop!, Stop our ship right now!" Ezi commanded, much to the pilot's confusion. She has to be close, right, I mean...she always had a limit. She could only sense Bruce in my room, never me, unless I moved closer. Bring up a map of the nearest entry way into the lower city, plot a course, and take it. Don't deviate far from where we are currently, log our coordinates and continue from there. I want to be the same longitude and latitude, but different height as fast as possible. I also want someone to run through schematics of the sewer passage ways leading from the marked sewer way that the assailants were known to have taken. Mark the passages between here and that one. I also want the buildings up on the screen that are beneath our position in the lower city." Ezi commanded. Will I find her? She left so long ago. Is she one of them? The lowers? I hope not. But, what would she be doing around here? Did they take her away, or did she leave us? The institute? Ezi could only wonder. It was almost a childish tangent to go chase after a feeling like this. But he didn't imagine it, in fact he didn't even feel it first. Ezi felt like something was going to be accomplished maybe, at least. He didn't know if he could find her, it felt like she ran away at the end, pulled herself back in as she had let her mind out. Either way, he was sure the institute would be interested, so at least he wasn't afraid his judgments would be to harshly criticized in the event that this yielded nothing.
Sadui's hearing was improving quickly. Luckliy for the others though, the comment about the sewers escaped her. Restlessly, she squirmed in her seat, tugging at the safety straps. She wanted to get away from the other seeds, but she didn't wnat to go bac to here cell. She turned here head away from the others defiantly. "Voices in his head. I can hear voices. Real voices. You should listen to the real voices stupid!" she grinned smugly. On a farther frequency outside the ship she could hear voices alright. Nothing distinct with all the distractions from the ship and other vague city noises, but somewhere beneath that she heard urgent shouting. She scratched her ears, sweeping the hair away to try and catch something more distinct. Yet it wasn't her hair that was clouding the reception this time, it was the annoying engine. "Will you just shut up for a minute?" To distract herself from their unnatural voices and the hum of the engine she began a muttered litany to herself under her breath. "...Stupid seeds. Nasty little buggers. They're crazy. All of them. Specially that ugly little freak with his pet gun. Thinks he's special." she snorted aloud.
"Finally, some fucking action! I feel like I've been sitting here for months." Puck cocked his beloved gun as that wonderfully manic grin caressed his face. His small fingers toyed with the trigger. At this moment, Puck ceased to care that Ezi existed, all he wanted to do was what he did best, and that was kill.
Lower City
"Maybe next time," was Dryson's response. Dryson headed toward the door and, before exiting, stated rather flatly, "we'll regroup at Myles' shop in a half hour. Get word out to the others." He was back to his normal self just like that. As much as he was enjoying the moment with them, there was a larger matter to attend to. Myles had been correct in saying that they needed a plan. He and Addy had created such a mess above. Dryson walked down the stairs and out of the flat. He gave them a half hour so he could walk around and collect his thoughts, as well as go and get some more serum from his supplier without bothering Dr. Gil. He needed to replace what he lost, as well as a new holster. He simply made mental notes of everything he needed. He also made a quick inventory of his money and knew he'd be needing more soon. He asked his usual sources for jobs and made mental notes of what was available. Most of them were rather sketchy, but he was used to that and the money was always good. After a while he made it to his supplier. They exchanged their greetings and Dryson was informed that Addy had stopped in and had been frantic. Dryson shrugged it off like nothing had been wrong and got his serum as well as some disposable needles. He was given a new holster as well for around his leg. Dryson placed everything how it should be and left. He still had time, and so found himself just wondering the streets collecting his thoughts.
Dr. Gil was worried for a moment when Addy pulled out her gun one would even go so far as to say he out right flinched. After Dryson left Gil slowly got to his feet. "Well I should probably head back home for now. You young people have too much zest for me," he said jokingly. Gil said his goodbyes and a thanks to Myles for getting them dinner. He slowly made his way toward the door.
Myles smiled at the Doc and followed him out. "I'll get everyone rounded up." He walked down the street quietly, following a circuitous route to his shop. When he arrived he sent out a few of his errand boys to summon up a few of the other Locusts. Then he puttered aimlessly through his shop tidying everything up. He was sort of at loose ends. Didn't know what else to do to get ready, so he cleaned; something he was very good at. Finally he sat himself down and began altering the weapons to the specs Dryson had given him earlier. There was, after all, a lot of work to be done.
Addy flinched when Dryson closed the door behind him. She wasn't sure what she had expected from him, but frankly, she was grateful he'd left. If he left, the others would too. She could finally have some peace and quiet. Maybe even get some sleep. She took a long pull on the bottle in her fist and lowered the gun to point at the floor. Damn emotions. Hated them with a passion. After a short while she changed into a cleaner shirt; one not covered in blood and god knew what else. She then left the flat, locking the door behind her and stowing the key under her shirt. She ran a hand over her shaved head and walked sullenly down the street, willing someone to challenge her so she could shoot them and releive some of the pressure behind her eyes. Emotions and sensory input were starting to swell again now that she was on the street. She closed her eyes long enough to down the rest of the bottle of liquor and then proceeded to stroll to Myles' place.
Dryson continued wondering the streets. He drifted from block to block. At one point he saw a mother and her son. They were clearly homeless, for they looked more run down then the usual Lower City inhabitants. The boy, who could have been no more then three, was pointing at a window. It was a small shop that was selling used toys. The mother just shook her head and pulled him onward. Dryson got to thinking of what he and Addy had done earlier, how they had just shot and killed all of those people. He was feeling regret for the first time. Perhaps they had families too that they were going home to. He had never thought about it like that before. The Uppers were always just this greater evil to all Lowers; spoiled, rotten, prejudice. He knew that it was true...for most at least. Perhaps there were a few exceptions to the rule. He remembered that from his English lessons back at the Institute. English always had exceptions, so why couldn't people. He had drifted up to the shop's window now. Inside there was a bright red firetruck. It was the brightest thing there and matched the red of his hoodie. One wheel was missing, but other then that it was perfect. Everything else was worn and dirty, stuffed animals that had been loved throughout childhood but had to be sold for any number of reasons. He walked on. I have to stop allowing my mind to wonder. I need to stay focused. There isn't much time. Sighing deeply, he collected his thoughts. Dryson began drifting back toward Myles' place, his mind focused on their mission. All should be there by the time Dryson opened the door.
Addy sat staring at the wall of Myles' shop, unseeing. She'd arrived about ten minutes earlier and was no immersed in a vision that her uncontrolled power was flaring up. She was just drunk enough to be numb to the minds around her, but this time it was allowing her to receive other information. She sat on the floor with her feet pressed flat to the ground and her elbows resting on her upraised knees. Her head was tilted back to rest on the wall as well as her eyes darted back and forth in the throws of the emotional and physical input of the person her powers had latched onto. She didn't know who she was touching minds with, but they were familiar to her somehow. Tears ran down her face as her head began to pound with blood, drowning out the sounds of Myles and his assistants moving about the room around her. She fought to interpret the images, to decipher who she was touching and why they were so familiar.
They were frustrated. Angry but collected. They were receiving instructions. No, he... he was receiving instructions. This man was very sure of their masculinity, but not in a positive way. She could feel his hands, small against the gun, cocky with it's handling but loving. She felt the irritation burn through his veins like a drug through her own. She felt the seat beneath him, the stench of sulfuric fires and blood around him. He was vaguely aroused by it. He was small, but his mind was so mature, the dichotomy of it made her head begin to pound harder, a slow trickle of blood oozing from her nose and a faint keening escaping from her dry parted lips. Suddenly she felt it, the common blood. the familiarity was not that she had met the man-child, but that they were innately related. With a gasp she shoved her brain away from the contact, knowing no one she had ever had contact with knew she'd been there, but she was afraid suddenly of discovery.
With a scream and a shudder she was back in Myles' shop, convulsing against the wall in shock. Blood seeped steadily down her face from her nose and tears of pain ran from her eyes. She gasped and continued to shake as the world came into sharp focus. Her metabolism powered through the dregs of the booze and she was not prepared for the dozen or so minds to send her body flat to the floor in sensory overload. She began to scream raggedly, her hands clutching at her shaved head, the hooded sweatshirt falling away from her shoulders, pinning her arms at her sides, baring the top branches of the blooming lime tree covering her back.
Myles was unsure what to do to prepare, so he was doing everything. He had his assistants moving throughout the shop, cleaning and laying out various weapons for the Locust's perusal. He was working steadily on a pile of modifications lain out in front of him in ordered chaos. When Addy arrived, he merely smiled at her when she strolled through the door. She sat immediately down and began to stare at nothing. He left her to it, knowing she was temperamental at best, and a bitch at worst. When she shouted and slunk to the floor, he was on his feet in an instant. He was unsure what to do for the bleeding figure of a girl on his floor. He reach a hand out to hover over her trying to help, unsure if he should touch her, not understanding her powers. His face creased into a series of tight frown lines as he stared at her shaking and screaming form, before he turned and barked out: "Get the Doc. Find Dryson! NOW!" Two of his assistants raced for the door in search of Dr. Gil and Dryson.
As if on cue, Dryson opened the door only to have one of Myles' assistants crash into him, causing both to crash to the floor. "What the...?!" Dryson coughed a few times and then got to his feet. "Where's the damn fire?" Then he saw Addy on the floor, blood coming from her nose. He grabbed the assistant by his collar and brought him close with a violent jerk of his arm. "Did you do that? Is that way you're running twerp?" Dryson shoved the other away and into the frame of the door. He moved over to Addy and knelt next to her on the floor. His hand hovered just above her left shoulder. "Addy, you there? What happened?" Then he recognized the signs. She hadn't gotten into a fight, she had used her powers. Seed sickness had taken over. "Addy, its me..." His voice was calmer now, soothing. He took on the tone of the elder brother looking after his little sister. "Where are your meds?"
Chuck, the assistant, stuttered and stammered an apology as he backed away from the huge Seed. "N-no, Sir! I-I didn't touch her! I-I swear..." When Dryson shoved him away he grunted and sank to the floor in shock. He knew he should get up and move to finding the doctor like Myles had told him to, but his contact with the Seed was too much for him, he'd only been with the Locusts for a few weeks, and with Capt. Myles for a few days. The one on the floor was the first ever Seed he'd seen and she was going crazy and, as if that wasn't bad enough, his second encounter was with the notoriously violent Leader of the Locusts and a Seed in his own right. The poor 15-year-old boy was out of his element. He sank to the floor to watch.
Her mouth filled with blood as her teeth sank into her tongue and Addy coughed raggedly, spraying the floor with spit-diluted blood. Her hand reached out blindly for her messenger bag which was tangled with her sweatshirt and her arms. The proximity of the people around her was too much, she was going to be sick and pass out soon. She relished the darkness. She swallowed the blood to try and scream again. The rush of leaded fluid to her stomach was too much and suddenly she was up on her knees, her eyes roving erratically around the room. She clutched at the wall and her spine bowed up as her stomach heaved its contents all over the floor. With a gasp her head shot up, her eyes locked on Dryson's and she gurgled out "trouble! Seeds!" and passed out cold back onto the floor.
Myles moved aside and touched Dryson's shoulder softly to let him know he was there and not a threat as the big man sank next to the shaking seedling. "She collapsed after just sitting there staring into space. There was nothing any of us did to her. I have some extra meds in the back, but I don't know what kind she might need." He then turned to the terrified assistants, nothing more than boys really, and barked another command. "Get going you two! Find Doctor Gil NOW! That's an order Locusts! Git!" When he was sure his orders were being followed, he turned back to the now unconscious and still bleeding girl.
Dryson, barely acknowledging Myles’ touch, reached over into Addy's shoulder bag and, after prying away her hands, pulled out the bottle of pills, all the while cursing in his mind. He put a few pills in her mouth and moved her jaw to chew them. Massaging her throat to le the medication enter her body, Dryson just watched her face. His covered face showed no sign of worry, he knew what Addy had been talking about, and knew what was to follow. His voice was calm and collected, as though he had run this drill a hundred times over in his mind. "Myles, don't get Dr. Gil. We've been discovered. I refuse to jeopardize his safety. She's fine. She's a Seed." His sentences were short and to the point. Dryson was never one for words, but something about his speech would come off as alarming, even if the tone gave nothing away. He rocked back on his feet and into a squatting position, he then grabbed Addy's sweater, right below her neck. "On your feet, solider." He pulled her up by her sweater while he rose to his feet, making sure to keep her close enough to the wall to lean her weight against. "We need to get out of here, and now. Everyone needs to scatter and stay hidden..." Dryson looked into Addy's face once more, she seemed almost peaceful in her sleeping state, then again, she always did. All Seeds seemed peaceful once unconsciousness took them, though, he knew that was not so, at least in his case. He heaved her by her arm and the scruff of her neck and tossed her over his shoulder, knowing full well he couldn't hurt her while she was unconscious; however his own pain was shooting through his whole spine at the sudden shift in weight. It was times like this he was almost glad she was so malnourished. "I'll take care of her, you make sure everything here is hidden or destroyed. Close down the shop and make a run for it." Dryson left the shop and ran for the abandoned building he had given to Addy.
Myles' head spun with the implications of what Dryson had said. It was too late to call back the boys. But he could abort them another way. He leaped up and snatched a walkie talkie he'd built for all his scouts early on. "Chuck! Come in Chuck!" The device crackled for a bit and then the reply came back "Yes, Sir. Chuck here, sir!" Myles breathed a sigh of relief and barked into his end, "Hide! Shit's goin' down fast! Hide, scout, and report! Stay OUT OF SIGHT!" "Yes, Sir! Chuck out!" As Dryson left with the girl, he shook his head and began orchestrating the long-standing plan to demolish his shop. He had his dozens of assistants carry out all of the technology and weapons in shifts, none carrying more than a backpack's worth. There was a bomb shelter Myles had built a few years back. They would make their way there through various paths. It took almost two hours, but eventually everything was out. Myles stayed at the shop, knowing Dryson would be back. He would tell him where the new H.Q. was, and then go about rounding up the civilian Locusts for the big push. He smiled faintly. Finally. Something was being done.
Addy woke to a sick feeling in her gut and a rotten taste in her mouth. Shortly thereafter her head went into overdrive as her powers kicked back in and she let out a slow load moan as Dryson's proximity began to overload her brain again. The pills dulled it enough that she was in no risk of slipping back into unconsciousness, but it was still painful. she managed to get out of a dry and crackling throat, "Dryson, Dryson! Put me down! What the fuck's going on?"
"Miss Aeola?" The bird-like woman lifted her head from where she was working and saw a suit. This was bad... Aeola gave a cheery smile and stood, brushing off her sleeves to face them. So, this was how it all ended for her. She'd been discovered, she'd be carted off and killed as a Locust, never getting to finish her plans.
It was sad in a way, but her heart had frozen over in shock, acting as normal, simply for the normality of it. With a smile she spoke, normal greeting, "Heya, what's up?"
To her surprise the man in the suit handed over a letter as he looked around, nose wrinkling, "A disgusting place for the daughter of a great man. It must have been horrible for you, being forced to live down here all these years, making your living from.. what's that rusted thing?"
"It's a washing machine," she replied absently, accepting the letter and opening it. With a blink she recognised the symbol of the Rice Institute, a letter of invitation, written by her father? She'd be issued with a card and full access to the latest technology...? She must have come to her senses after living in the pit so long after running...
Aeola looked up, confused, "Work? At the Rice Institute?"
"Yes, it's amazing isn't it?" the man said with a nod, "You must be something special if you just got offered it. I'm here with a car to pick up your things. You can come back to a proper life now."
Could Aeola herself have picked a better way to infiltrate the institute?
"I'd love to, just get me out of here!" She said, racing off to collect things, then pausing half-way across the room, "But... I still have customers things I need to finish, will you let me down here? I don't want to disappoint them..."
"We will have to see what the boss makes of that," was the only reply. Aeola nodded and went to pack with a smile, things were picking up, she could feel it.
Dryson's vision began to blur and Addy's voice seemed far off all of a sudden. Collapsing to his knees in front of a building, Dryson would begin convulsing and coughing uncontrollably. Addy would undoubtedly be tossed ahead of him and land hard on the concrete. Dryson fell and rolled to his side, body shaking and hands clenching desperately at his sides to stop the pain. It was unbearable. He vomited, a bloody mixture oozing through the bandages covering his mouth and nose. "Get...out...of here!" His words were labored and muffled by the expelled digestive fluids still finding their way through the gauze. He groaned loudly and rolled over, trying desperately to fight unconsciousness. "GO!" He coughed louder and reached for his leg with a shaking hand. He felt one of his syringes and pulled it out of the holster. His fingers fumbled and it dropped on the ground, rolling right in front of his face. Dryson just stared at it longingly. He was telling his arms to move, but they just wouldn't comply, mentally screaming for his body to get up and continue, but he lay there, the convulsions turning to all out seizures as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.
Addy yelped as she was pitched forward. She was really too bony to be tossed around like a rag doll. She could already feel the bruising start to spread along her spine and down her legs as she slowly sat up. She looked towards Dryson's crumpled form and turned to the side to vomit up a bloody mix of bile and stomach lining. She was definitely getting an ulcer. She would need to eat something soon, or her own pain would throw her over the edge. She clutched her stomach and climbed slowly to her feet. She heard the tinkle of the syringe slipping from Dryson's fingers. His body writhed on the ground before her, limbs twisting rapidly in and out of contortionist poses. She reached for him, her head pounding with the fierceness of his agony washing over her brain. She rallied enough power to shove her senses away from herself. In a daze she lifted the syringe and aimed it at his jugular. If she was careful she could plunge it in without touching him. Then they could both run to the fighting. The thought of the cold steel of her guns in her hands helped to focus her. The liquor cellar was just around the block. They could rally there then contact Myles for more munitions and then... then it would be war. Her head swam and her mouth filled with the tangy saltiness of her blood as her teeth bit deep into her tongue as she fought not to scream. Her hand was inches from Dryson's shivering and twisting form. She couldn't aim well enough. With a harsh sound she hawked the blood and phlegm from between her lips to land in a glittering puddle of oil and water where it floated, angry, red, and chunky for a moment before sinking into the viscous liquid. She closed her eyes. "You can do this... just breath. It's war! SUCK IT UP!" She gritted her teeth and with a lunch threw herself over Dryson, sitting on his chest, knees on either side grinding into the pavement as he bucked beneath her. She grasped a handful of his bandaging, still not directly touching skin, but beginning to feel the shakes transfer up her legs and into her torso. Her body shook once, violently snapping her head back as she yelled, "FUCK!" Then her hand was stabbing downwards and her thumb hit the button to send the serum into his blood stream. She threw herself off of him and lurched to her feet to stand, wide eyed against the wall, waiting for him to recover so they could move out.
Dryson's back arched so dramatically from the sensation of the serum that his entire spine cracked defiantly. He tried desperately to form the word 'run', but all he did was spill out a mixture of spit and blood from his vomit stained mouth. The healing liquid charged through his system like a stampede. His veins burned like fire and his joints seized up. Fingers moving uncontrollably and contorting, seeing to have individual minds. His fingers scratched at the ground, the uneven cement tearing his already frayed bandages. Dryson managed to gurgle out a scream before vomiting again. He had pushed his body too hard, Addy, as malnourished as she is, was too much of a strain for his weakened form. Dryson, after many attempts, managed to force his body to roll to its side. He finally managed to crawl toward a building, dragging his body like a lame animal. He laid next to the wall, his arm holding fast to his ribs. The violent seizures had subsided, but his body still shook as though he were in the Arctic. Dryson tried twice to sit upright and finally succeeded. "You... need to leave..." His words were labored and raspy. "I'll be fine..."
Myles sat at the counter, his head resting in his hand as his other hand drew out specs for a new weapon's array for this new headquarters. His eyes shifted to the door every once in a while, nervous for the others to arrive. Dryson knew where they were, or should by now. His assistant should have gotten to them by now. The move was complete and the rest of his apprentices were working on setting up the customary traps that would keep their base of operations safe. Standing he braced both hands on the counter for stability and looked around. The walls were the basic cement gray that most lower city walls were. The room was filled by rows of counter tops set up on saw horses. It was like a chemistry lab in high school, only cheaper, and more broken down. Each counter had one or two of his assistants sitting and puttering with some piece of electronics. The room's door would open every once in a while admitting one or two of the other Locusts. This time, when the door opened, it was the owner of the building, and also a fellow Locust, though only recently, Sean.
"How go the preparations?" the big man asked, hands on his hips.
"Fine, so far. We're still waiting for the others." Myles was still guarded around the man. He was too new, and Myles knew little to nothing about the man other than the Locusts had recruited him to have access to his almost bomb shelter-like basement in the case of their having to relocate.
Addy braced herself against the wall and stared at Dryson.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not leaving without you. This is my fight too. Let's just get to wherever we're going and be done with it! Fuck me! This shit is going down, and they know where the fuck we are! Damn it Dryson, stop pushing me out... it's war, not some petty brawl!" She snarled, her hand in a fist as she rummaged with the other through her bag for more meds. "Take another shot and let's get the fuck out of here." Her voice was cold, almost toneless. She was slipping fast and sure into her apathetic and empty state, working through her powers made it hard but she would be better with the weight of her guns in her hands and free reign over who lived, and who died. "I need a fucking drink..."
Dryson groaned out a rather annoyed sound. He muttered under his breath for a moment before finally reaching for his gun. He pulled it out quickly and pointed it at Addy's head with a still unstable hand. "Dammit, solider, get the fuck out of here! That's an order!" Dryson was, after all, the leader of the Locusts, and the first born of the Seeds, he had seniority in both aspects. Dryson would lay here for now, and, if the Institute were to find him, he could delay them or send them in the wrong direction. He reached down with his free hand and pulled out a syringe. He placed it against his neck and injected the serum. His hand shook from the shock to his system but he was careful to not have his finger on the trigger. The threat was an empty one, but Addy wouldn't know that.
Addy's head spun with the feeling of cold iron in her hand except it wasn't her hand. It was Dryson's. She clenched her jaw tightly, a muscle jumping in her temple. She itched to draw. She'd have done it too, but something stopped her. Anyone else and they would have been dead on the spot. NO one drew on her and lived to see the next breath. Finally, she inhaled, shrugged and spun on her heal. "Fine, stubborn prick." She took off at a trot towards the Whole in the Wall bar. She wanted a drink before heading out to kill things. She was suddenly manic with the need to fire her weapon.
Stumble!