"Canada," Grimm said. "What a shithole."
Grimm had been looking out the window and all he could see was the white fury of mother nature. He hated coming here because it always seemed like it was winter. Like permanent winter and he hated the cold.
Percy laughed and then added, "Say, didn't you date a girl from here?"
Percy looked like he still should be in high school with his boyish good looks. To Grimm he looked like that actor on that 90210 show that was on decades back.
Alannah X chimed in. "Yeah, what was her name.... Minnow?"
Alannah X was extremely beautiful; she was Cree and her long raven hair was tied up in a pony tail with a feather hanging from it. Her green eyes were a rare feature for a native american.
"Mignon," Grimm barked. "It was Mignon you morons."
20140722
Break Time
Maggie was happy to be sitting by the hearth letting the warmth cascade over her body, chasing the coldness away. Outside the north wind picked up some, blowing snow against the window. She really disliked this time of year but beggars couldn't be choosers and she lived with the hand that she was dealt.
She brought up a mug of tea to her lips, let the aroma entice her nose, unlocking codes of pleasant peaceful thoughts to her brain like a safe-cracker at an old bank vault.
She was tired and sore and needed a good long bath but at this particular moment in time she was simply content to sip tea and listen to the wind howl. She brought her feet up and placed them on the foot stool before her, then she sipped the herbal tea: green tea with a hint of peppermint. She let out a simple ah, since the tea seemed to dance over her taste buds.
Maggie closed her eyes and thought about the events that had led her here.
She smiled.
"A penny for your thoughts," a young gentleman on the make said.
"Silly boy," she said without opening her eyes. "Don't you know there's no such things as pennies here."
She brought up a mug of tea to her lips, let the aroma entice her nose, unlocking codes of pleasant peaceful thoughts to her brain like a safe-cracker at an old bank vault.
She was tired and sore and needed a good long bath but at this particular moment in time she was simply content to sip tea and listen to the wind howl. She brought her feet up and placed them on the foot stool before her, then she sipped the herbal tea: green tea with a hint of peppermint. She let out a simple ah, since the tea seemed to dance over her taste buds.
Maggie closed her eyes and thought about the events that had led her here.
She smiled.
"A penny for your thoughts," a young gentleman on the make said.
"Silly boy," she said without opening her eyes. "Don't you know there's no such things as pennies here."
20140717
Defrag: Bring Two
Previously...
Half an hour later he was finishing the first donut with a smile. “Thanks, Cal.”
“You're welcome,” Callan said. “I feel more than a little responsible for you being stuck here.”
“Don't be ridiculous. You needed back-up to stop whatever the hell that was, and I told you to call me anytime. It's not your fault the – what did you call them?”
“Guàiwù.”
“That they set the building on fire.”
“If you hadn't intervened with the police, the truth may have come out. Which would have had further undesirable consequences.”
“Like us being sent to the looney bin.” Dex smiled again, bit into the second donut. “Callan, I don't pretend to have clue what is going on with all this weird, mystical stuff. Between your Guàiwù and Darius' Undead I am way outta my depth these days. But I figure I became a cop to stop bad things from happening to people and this qualifies.”
Callan nodded. “There has been an alarming rise in manifestations of ancient evils lately... However, if I may speak honestly, my real concern is not with the return of forces from the past but with the arrival of... even stranger forces from the future.”
Dex had been a detective for years now. He had the instincts. “You're talking about Max.”
Half an hour later he was finishing the first donut with a smile. “Thanks, Cal.”
“You're welcome,” Callan said. “I feel more than a little responsible for you being stuck here.”
“Don't be ridiculous. You needed back-up to stop whatever the hell that was, and I told you to call me anytime. It's not your fault the – what did you call them?”
“Guàiwù.”
“That they set the building on fire.”
“If you hadn't intervened with the police, the truth may have come out. Which would have had further undesirable consequences.”
“Like us being sent to the looney bin.” Dex smiled again, bit into the second donut. “Callan, I don't pretend to have clue what is going on with all this weird, mystical stuff. Between your Guàiwù and Darius' Undead I am way outta my depth these days. But I figure I became a cop to stop bad things from happening to people and this qualifies.”
Callan nodded. “There has been an alarming rise in manifestations of ancient evils lately... However, if I may speak honestly, my real concern is not with the return of forces from the past but with the arrival of... even stranger forces from the future.”
Dex had been a detective for years now. He had the instincts. “You're talking about Max.”
Defrag: Like Watching Air Move
Previously...
By sunrise Wraith had stopped three random muggings, prevented a gang of drunken frat boys from assaulting two women, interrupted a corner-store robbery and scared off four street cops who were laying a beating on a young hood. She hadn't killed anyone.
There was an ache in her muscles from all the combat – not that any of her opponents had been close to her equal – but there was a calm inside her. A stillness that even her deepest meditations hadn't achieved. She was tired but for some reason she swung by the Diner rather than heading home. Mask off now, nunchakus hidden, walking on the street like a normal citizen.
Wraith wondered if any of the others would be there at this time of day. The monk made her uncomfortable – he had clearly studied in one of the ancient traditions, which meant that he was dangerous and that he may know more about her origins than she would like. They would have to have a conversation at some point. The cop was nice enough, tough as nails, not corrupt like a lot of his comrades. If she was being honest with herself, she thought he was pretty cute. The strange one was, well, strange – he was quiet, decent with a pistol, but he had a look on his face sometimes like he wasn't entirely here.
The kid was there, in a booth near the back. He waved her over when she entered. Wraith decided as she sat down across from him that she wouldn't share what she had been up to all night. Not yet.
“You're up early, Darius.”
“Shelter was full last night,” he said. “They let me stay here sometimes as long as I don't fall asleep or bother the other customers. Payback for chasing off the gangs, I guess.”
“You don't have a home?” Wraith asked.
Darius shook his head.
“Come crash on my couch,” she said, like an order, that peacefulness inside her.
By sunrise Wraith had stopped three random muggings, prevented a gang of drunken frat boys from assaulting two women, interrupted a corner-store robbery and scared off four street cops who were laying a beating on a young hood. She hadn't killed anyone.
There was an ache in her muscles from all the combat – not that any of her opponents had been close to her equal – but there was a calm inside her. A stillness that even her deepest meditations hadn't achieved. She was tired but for some reason she swung by the Diner rather than heading home. Mask off now, nunchakus hidden, walking on the street like a normal citizen.
Wraith wondered if any of the others would be there at this time of day. The monk made her uncomfortable – he had clearly studied in one of the ancient traditions, which meant that he was dangerous and that he may know more about her origins than she would like. They would have to have a conversation at some point. The cop was nice enough, tough as nails, not corrupt like a lot of his comrades. If she was being honest with herself, she thought he was pretty cute. The strange one was, well, strange – he was quiet, decent with a pistol, but he had a look on his face sometimes like he wasn't entirely here.
The kid was there, in a booth near the back. He waved her over when she entered. Wraith decided as she sat down across from him that she wouldn't share what she had been up to all night. Not yet.
“You're up early, Darius.”
“Shelter was full last night,” he said. “They let me stay here sometimes as long as I don't fall asleep or bother the other customers. Payback for chasing off the gangs, I guess.”
“You don't have a home?” Wraith asked.
Darius shook his head.
“Come crash on my couch,” she said, like an order, that peacefulness inside her.
20140715
Defrag: The Going Getting Good
Previously...
Maggie pointed to the two poster ads on either side of the steps leading up. On the left one a large green cross was prominently featured, some sort of environmental initiative, and the right was a car ad, a picture of a sun-lit country road. Frank nodded and drew his cell phone as they made for the stairs. Tapped open an app that performed localized location searches. He had a bit of trouble getting a signal at first until he tinkered with the hacked LEGACY code that his phone used for wireless access.
“I've got a hit on a bar called 'The Crossroads' about two blocks from here.” He tapped open the satellite map. “This looks like a pretty standard downtown neighbourhood...” He glanced at the prominently displayed weapons of his companions.
Max shrugged. “The pic Akimoto sent was clearly of a monster.” He fished out his cell, started tapping the screen.
“Does he even know how to use a cell phone?” Frank had his doubts about the barbarian; he was weird even by Plex measures. Frank preferred it when things stayed military, corporate, and he could even handle a little supernatural, but cross-cultural time-travelling holy warriors who may have originated from somewhere in outer-space stretched his comfort-zone. Truth be told, the entire magical subway creeped him out. But Maggie trusted Akimoto, and if Frank started questioning her judgement he would end up doubting his own place here...
Max showed him the pic. It was definitely a giant, horrifying monster. “Alright then,” Frank said. “Stealth mode off.” And he slipped his SMG out from under his coat.
Maggie pointed to the two poster ads on either side of the steps leading up. On the left one a large green cross was prominently featured, some sort of environmental initiative, and the right was a car ad, a picture of a sun-lit country road. Frank nodded and drew his cell phone as they made for the stairs. Tapped open an app that performed localized location searches. He had a bit of trouble getting a signal at first until he tinkered with the hacked LEGACY code that his phone used for wireless access.
“I've got a hit on a bar called 'The Crossroads' about two blocks from here.” He tapped open the satellite map. “This looks like a pretty standard downtown neighbourhood...” He glanced at the prominently displayed weapons of his companions.
Max shrugged. “The pic Akimoto sent was clearly of a monster.” He fished out his cell, started tapping the screen.
“Does he even know how to use a cell phone?” Frank had his doubts about the barbarian; he was weird even by Plex measures. Frank preferred it when things stayed military, corporate, and he could even handle a little supernatural, but cross-cultural time-travelling holy warriors who may have originated from somewhere in outer-space stretched his comfort-zone. Truth be told, the entire magical subway creeped him out. But Maggie trusted Akimoto, and if Frank started questioning her judgement he would end up doubting his own place here...
Max showed him the pic. It was definitely a giant, horrifying monster. “Alright then,” Frank said. “Stealth mode off.” And he slipped his SMG out from under his coat.
20140713
Defrag: Manor of Speaking
Previously...
There was a faint creaking sound from somewhere on the second floor. They paused, listened, but it did not repeat. They continued up the spiraling staircase. Max slipped Joy and Pain out of the shoulder holsters under his jacket.
“When will I get a signature weapon?” Angst asked quietly. Max had his pistols, Maggie had her sword, Suki had her weird gun (and Dexter had his bat, Wraith her nunchakus and Darius his bible, but Angst hadn't met them yet [and Aqua had her gauntlets and Akimoto his sword, but Max hadn't met them yet]).
Max paused again, turned to face her and sat down on the stairs. He seemed thoughtful. Angst wasn't sure exactly how long she had known Max – time had gotten very strange ever since she had met Maggie and the others – but she recognized this look.
“Max,” she said. “Now's not the time to get all theoretical. If you don't know just say so.”
...the variables that transfer between variations in the performance of or possibly confinement to Continuity become the triggers for us to recognize and remember our relationships to each other and to ourselves as primary externalized factors of our intentions and reactions towards the prevalence of hostile interactions with plureality as manifested by the recurrence of weaponry throughout versions as we become in effect distribution systems for directed violence and become weapons ourselves except that i'm also usually wearing a t-shirt with some kind of tagline, and suki often retains her school uniform, dexleatherjacket, dariustrenchcoat andnowangstthecheerleader maybeourfashionisanothermediumanothermessagewecarryaswebecome...
“Max...” Angst repeated, mimicking a stern tone she had heard Maggie use before.
“I don't know,” he said. “Do you want one?”
Angst shrugged, looked at the pistol she carried. “I'm not sure...”
Max asked, “Do you want to go shopping for new clothes, next time we have a chance?”
Angst looked down at her outfit. She had been wearing it, or a version of it, almost the entire time that she had been traveling with Maggie and the others. It always re-set whenever they shifted, stayed clean and whole. Same went for her pom-poms, tucked away in her satchel.
“I'm not sure...” she said again.
“That's okay, you don't have to be.”
Angst looked back to Max. “And you don't always have to know the answers. I'm not saying that you're a know-it-all, I just mean that... If you're unsure about stuff, or worried, or scared, you can let me know. You can always be honest with me.”
Max smiled. “Thank you.”
Angst nodded. “Alright, let's go find out if this place is really infested with ghosts.”
Defrag: God Complex
Previously...
Dexter's voice came in on Max's comm. “Hold position, we're almost there.”
“Yeah, about that...” Max said as he made his way quietly down the stairs.
“Max.” This time it was Callan. “If this is really a yaoguai then your bullets will likely have little effect.”
Max stopped at the doorway that led from the stairwell into the hardware store. He steadied his breathing.
Callan continued, the sound of screeching tires in the background. “I have a waidan elixir prepared that will imbue your weapon with the necessary-”
A scream came from the store, loud enough to be heard over the comm.
“Damn it!” shouted Dex. “Alright Max, get in there!”
Max kicked in the door.
Dexter's voice came in on Max's comm. “Hold position, we're almost there.”
“Yeah, about that...” Max said as he made his way quietly down the stairs.
“Max.” This time it was Callan. “If this is really a yaoguai then your bullets will likely have little effect.”
Max stopped at the doorway that led from the stairwell into the hardware store. He steadied his breathing.
Callan continued, the sound of screeching tires in the background. “I have a waidan elixir prepared that will imbue your weapon with the necessary-”
A scream came from the store, loud enough to be heard over the comm.
“Damn it!” shouted Dex. “Alright Max, get in there!”
Max kicked in the door.
20140711
Defrag: Phenomenonialistic
Previously...
Maggie slipped into the passenger seat and winced in pain. “Did they tag you?” Max asked as he started to accelerate the car.
“No. I'm feeling pain from doing all those acrobatics on the way down.”
Max nodded. That meant that they had shifted into a version with different bio-physical parameters. Luckily it had happened after Mags had made her escape from the building or otherwise, athletic or not, she wouldn't have survived the fall. “Do you need any first aid?”
Maggie shook her head. “Let's do an orientation.” It was their standard ritual for trying to identify what version they were in.
“Yes please,” Goner said from the back seat. Maggie spun around, startled, and Max made a yelping noise.
“How long have you been here?” Max shouted.
Goner explained that in his version, he and Max had been driving down a long country road, on the way to meet a farmer who was advertising some firearms for sale. They had found the ad online at a public library. Next they had hot-wired a car, scoped out some corner drug dealers and rolled them for their cash. It was nasty, but the last shift had left them without cell phones, money, or weapons. The geography had changed enough that none of their storage caches were available. And none of the standard contact protocols were in effect; the Professor wasn't answering, Pretty George wasn't answering, the other Dragons weren't answering. There was no subway system. They couldn't find a local version of the Diner or the Bookstore. Max had tried a few of his rituals, his trances, but hadn't gotten any clear directions. Goner had reminded himself that it wasn't all that different than being stranded behind enemy lines in a war zone; you did what you had to.
“So I was grabbing a nap and woke up when I heard Max talking to someone just now.” Goner leaned forward and offered his hand. “They call me Goner, ma'am. And who might you be?”
“I'm Maggie. Nice to meet you.” She smirked. “Again.”
Maggie slipped into the passenger seat and winced in pain. “Did they tag you?” Max asked as he started to accelerate the car.
“No. I'm feeling pain from doing all those acrobatics on the way down.”
Max nodded. That meant that they had shifted into a version with different bio-physical parameters. Luckily it had happened after Mags had made her escape from the building or otherwise, athletic or not, she wouldn't have survived the fall. “Do you need any first aid?”
Maggie shook her head. “Let's do an orientation.” It was their standard ritual for trying to identify what version they were in.
“Yes please,” Goner said from the back seat. Maggie spun around, startled, and Max made a yelping noise.
“How long have you been here?” Max shouted.
Goner explained that in his version, he and Max had been driving down a long country road, on the way to meet a farmer who was advertising some firearms for sale. They had found the ad online at a public library. Next they had hot-wired a car, scoped out some corner drug dealers and rolled them for their cash. It was nasty, but the last shift had left them without cell phones, money, or weapons. The geography had changed enough that none of their storage caches were available. And none of the standard contact protocols were in effect; the Professor wasn't answering, Pretty George wasn't answering, the other Dragons weren't answering. There was no subway system. They couldn't find a local version of the Diner or the Bookstore. Max had tried a few of his rituals, his trances, but hadn't gotten any clear directions. Goner had reminded himself that it wasn't all that different than being stranded behind enemy lines in a war zone; you did what you had to.
“So I was grabbing a nap and woke up when I heard Max talking to someone just now.” Goner leaned forward and offered his hand. “They call me Goner, ma'am. And who might you be?”
“I'm Maggie. Nice to meet you.” She smirked. “Again.”
Defrag: Only Death Can Save You Now/Cube Hype
Previously...
And previously...
The troll roared, Max felt dizzy.
“And what do you think the troll symbolizes?” Madison asked him.
Max ducked a swipe from a massive fist.
“You don't think the running-out-of-ammo is the more revealing metaphor, Susan?” another voice asked.
Max tried to roll inside the creature's reach but he ended up just laying down. He was exhausted.
“I told you, my name is Madison Hall. Dr. Longfellow does not work at this facility.”
“Max,” the other voice said. “You have to get up.”
The troll raised its fist again.
“I really don't want to.”
The troll smashed him.
The room on the other side of the glass was empty suddenly.
“Damn,” Madison said. “He's disappeared again. This is never going to work.”
“He's probably just going to finish off the troll. He'll be back,” the voice said.
Madison sighed. “Okay... Let's boot up the Angst program in the meantime and see if we can't decode some more of the cheerleader symbolism.”
And previously...
The troll roared, Max felt dizzy.
“And what do you think the troll symbolizes?” Madison asked him.
Max ducked a swipe from a massive fist.
“You don't think the running-out-of-ammo is the more revealing metaphor, Susan?” another voice asked.
Max tried to roll inside the creature's reach but he ended up just laying down. He was exhausted.
“I told you, my name is Madison Hall. Dr. Longfellow does not work at this facility.”
“Max,” the other voice said. “You have to get up.”
The troll raised its fist again.
“I really don't want to.”
The troll smashed him.
The room on the other side of the glass was empty suddenly.
“Damn,” Madison said. “He's disappeared again. This is never going to work.”
“He's probably just going to finish off the troll. He'll be back,” the voice said.
Madison sighed. “Okay... Let's boot up the Angst program in the meantime and see if we can't decode some more of the cheerleader symbolism.”
20140710
Defrag: At the Billboard of Broken Dreams
Previously...
FRANK
(takes a sip, then his attention is caught by the billboard)
Guys...
MAGS
Silence is a nice soundtrack, Frankie.
MAX closes his eyes.
FRANK
This image... It changed.
MAGS springs to her feet, katana in her hand, quickly kissing MAX on the top of his head, turning and raising her blade as the strange beings emerge from the billboard. MAX flicks his cigarette and snatches up his pistols, leaping off the platform and turning in the air to fire back at the invaders.
FRANK
(drops his beer and draws a pistol from his jacket)
It was nice while it lasted.
MAGS being swarmed, her katana slashing. MAX falling backwards, firing, his cigarette falling beside him. The beer can dropping through the air, FRANK sighting on the head of the bizarre alien beast.
FRANK
(takes a sip, then his attention is caught by the billboard)
Guys...
MAGS
Silence is a nice soundtrack, Frankie.
MAX closes his eyes.
FRANK
This image... It changed.
MAGS springs to her feet, katana in her hand, quickly kissing MAX on the top of his head, turning and raising her blade as the strange beings emerge from the billboard. MAX flicks his cigarette and snatches up his pistols, leaping off the platform and turning in the air to fire back at the invaders.
FRANK
(drops his beer and draws a pistol from his jacket)
It was nice while it lasted.
MAGS being swarmed, her katana slashing. MAX falling backwards, firing, his cigarette falling beside him. The beer can dropping through the air, FRANK sighting on the head of the bizarre alien beast.
Defrag: Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
Previously...
Suddenly the light of the Godhammer flickered out.
“Shit,” Max said.
“Max, what's going on?” Suki asked, her voice uncharacteristically nervous. It reminded him just how young she was.
A hundred calculations bloomed and decayed in Max's mind, there was a silvery, fluid feeling in his stomach. He knew that meant that his chakras were fluctuating. What was negating her weapon? Was it related to Mode's warehouse? What would reassure her? Should they abort the raid against Mode? Would Goner actually relax more without the weird weapon working? Would Suki be safe without the gun? The mission objectives were changing.
Everything is going to change, Cube, but not enough to keep you safe.
“Okay guys, Ariadne Protocol. Tell him how you found the Godhammer, Suki. I'm going in by myself, stealthy like.”
No one knew how Suki found the gun; it was one of the dozens of lost or forgotten truths that they all lived with. The story she chose to tell, however, would keep her and Goner linked, bound up in the tale and the telling, like a spell, in case there was some kind of shift, and hopefully they wouldn't be separated. And Max would use any synchronicities about weapons to follow like breadcrumbs leading him back to her (the last time they had used a version of the Godhammer story Max had reunited with Suki at the Excalibur Cafe).
First things first, though. Put a stop to Angus Mode's latest transaction in corrupt psychic weapons systems.
Suddenly the light of the Godhammer flickered out.
“Shit,” Max said.
“Max, what's going on?” Suki asked, her voice uncharacteristically nervous. It reminded him just how young she was.
A hundred calculations bloomed and decayed in Max's mind, there was a silvery, fluid feeling in his stomach. He knew that meant that his chakras were fluctuating. What was negating her weapon? Was it related to Mode's warehouse? What would reassure her? Should they abort the raid against Mode? Would Goner actually relax more without the weird weapon working? Would Suki be safe without the gun? The mission objectives were changing.
Everything is going to change, Cube, but not enough to keep you safe.
“Okay guys, Ariadne Protocol. Tell him how you found the Godhammer, Suki. I'm going in by myself, stealthy like.”
No one knew how Suki found the gun; it was one of the dozens of lost or forgotten truths that they all lived with. The story she chose to tell, however, would keep her and Goner linked, bound up in the tale and the telling, like a spell, in case there was some kind of shift, and hopefully they wouldn't be separated. And Max would use any synchronicities about weapons to follow like breadcrumbs leading him back to her (the last time they had used a version of the Godhammer story Max had reunited with Suki at the Excalibur Cafe).
First things first, though. Put a stop to Angus Mode's latest transaction in corrupt psychic weapons systems.
20140709
Defrag: Relax, Don't Do It
Previously...
Her cell rang. Lorde ringtone, Baby be the class clown, I'll be the beauty queen in tears.
“Hello? Oh, hiya... Not too bad, how about you?... Actually, well... To be honest, maybe not so good... No, I know, I'm not judging it... I think I was just having an episode... Yeah, fighting demons, it felt like hours but I'm pretty sure I just got home about twenty minutes ago... And the cat, he was here... Yeah, the talking cat... Jesus, I'm shaking now... I'm pretty sure it's over, unless I'm hallucinating this phone call... haha... No, I'm glad you called... No, I'm going to keep going, if this is what it's like for Max then I want to know... Holy, I just had major deja vu!... Ok, listen, I'm going to have a shower... Yeah, I'm safe... I will... Or you call me back if you don't hear from me by ten... Great, thanks again... Bye.”
Maggie looked down to see if there was a cat at her feet...
Her cell rang. Lorde ringtone, Baby be the class clown, I'll be the beauty queen in tears.
“Hello? Oh, hiya... Not too bad, how about you?... Actually, well... To be honest, maybe not so good... No, I know, I'm not judging it... I think I was just having an episode... Yeah, fighting demons, it felt like hours but I'm pretty sure I just got home about twenty minutes ago... And the cat, he was here... Yeah, the talking cat... Jesus, I'm shaking now... I'm pretty sure it's over, unless I'm hallucinating this phone call... haha... No, I'm glad you called... No, I'm going to keep going, if this is what it's like for Max then I want to know... Holy, I just had major deja vu!... Ok, listen, I'm going to have a shower... Yeah, I'm safe... I will... Or you call me back if you don't hear from me by ten... Great, thanks again... Bye.”
Maggie looked down to see if there was a cat at her feet...
Defrag: Nexus Force
Previously...
They stuffed their pockets with batteries and headed out. It was matter of walking and listening; they let Aqua carry the stereo. Their path zig-zagged as the faint voice appeared and disappeared in the static, like a shadow in a blizzard. Goner and Max had reconned most of the town in the two days since they had arrived here in the motel by the highway, so they kept up a good pace. By evening they had passed beyond the city limits, tracking the flickering signal along a country road. Enough moonlight that they didn't need to break out the flashlights yet.
Max had been in a gunfight, took a bullet, came to in the shower of the motel room (with a new scar on his abdomen). Goner had been sleeping in a hotel with Frank and Max before waking up in the new room (he was worried about Frank). Aqua had stepped through the subway doors into the room (seconds after Akimoto, but where was he?); these kind of sudden shifts were pretty common on the subway so Aqua had taken it in stride. Dexter had been reluctantly practicing a meditation exercise with Callan; he hadn't recognized Goner or Aqua and was pretty sure that he was in some form of deep trance, his body still in half-lotus on the floor of Callan's apartment.
It was morning before the signal cleared up enough that they could make out the voice. It was repeating a recorded warning about a radiation leak, insisting that everyone turn back.
“Doesn't explain why there's no people,” Aqua said.
“Unless they-” Goner started.
“There'd be corpses,” Dexter interjected. He looked at Max and sighed; Dex had seen a lot of strange things in his days but things always got that much weirder when Cube showed up. “Alright, let's keep going.” He shook his head.
Max grinned.
They stuffed their pockets with batteries and headed out. It was matter of walking and listening; they let Aqua carry the stereo. Their path zig-zagged as the faint voice appeared and disappeared in the static, like a shadow in a blizzard. Goner and Max had reconned most of the town in the two days since they had arrived here in the motel by the highway, so they kept up a good pace. By evening they had passed beyond the city limits, tracking the flickering signal along a country road. Enough moonlight that they didn't need to break out the flashlights yet.
Max had been in a gunfight, took a bullet, came to in the shower of the motel room (with a new scar on his abdomen). Goner had been sleeping in a hotel with Frank and Max before waking up in the new room (he was worried about Frank). Aqua had stepped through the subway doors into the room (seconds after Akimoto, but where was he?); these kind of sudden shifts were pretty common on the subway so Aqua had taken it in stride. Dexter had been reluctantly practicing a meditation exercise with Callan; he hadn't recognized Goner or Aqua and was pretty sure that he was in some form of deep trance, his body still in half-lotus on the floor of Callan's apartment.
It was morning before the signal cleared up enough that they could make out the voice. It was repeating a recorded warning about a radiation leak, insisting that everyone turn back.
“Doesn't explain why there's no people,” Aqua said.
“Unless they-” Goner started.
“There'd be corpses,” Dexter interjected. He looked at Max and sighed; Dex had seen a lot of strange things in his days but things always got that much weirder when Cube showed up. “Alright, let's keep going.” He shook his head.
Max grinned.
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