The bunker had been oddly quiet that night. Joseph had been told that Cyrus and Marshal took Milo back into the city for reasons unknown but that Filip had stayed behind. His main concern was with Alyssa and Ethan.
No matter what he had to do for his position, he couldn’t help but feel pity for the two. Alyssa was dragged into the Voyagers with no explanation and Ethan had no idea what he was getting himself into.
The state of the Voyagers had slowly been declining and even the most faithful of the group showing doubts in their current situation, Cyrus himself once suggesting those who could return to the city should do it while they still had the chance. Even though nobody took the offer, it only dragged the group’s integrity further down.
It had been hours since the three left and due to Pierre’s latest rule, Joseph had to stay up and wait for them. The night seemed to be going by fairly slowly until he realized Lecia had been going back and forth between the common room and the rooms.
Growing suspicious, Joseph followed her to find out where and what she was doing. She went into Alyssa’s room, which only raised his suspicions.
The last time Lecia left Alyssa’s room, she carried a bundle of blankets with her, completely ignoring Joseph as she walked. Lecia normally walked with no reason, just for entertainment, but now she was walking with a purpose and a sense of urgency.
Joseph knocked on Alyssa’s door after Lecia disappeared for the last time, getting a response very quickly.
Alyssa looked hopeful when she first opened the door but her hopes were replaced with a look of fear and guilt once she realized who it was. “I’m not here to get you in trouble, I want to know if everything’s alright.”
She shook her head, knowing better than to lie. “Not in the slightest. I need help.”
Alyssa opened the door further, allowing Joseph into the room. He entered to see Alyssa’s bed lacked any covering and the reason behind that. “What happened in here?”
“She got hurt earlier and I… was told to help her and I tried to, I did my best. She’s not doing good at all but she’s not dead yet and that’s what matters.” She paused, looking over Elizabeth for a moment. “Marshal mentioned that the lab might have some medical supplies that can help her and I need to know if that’s true or not.”
Joseph felt a brush of cold air hit him as he looked at Elizabeth. She deserved better but she earned the condition she was in right now. He shook his head and turned back out the door, Alyssa following after him. “There’s various supplies in the lab that were meant to help Eris’ treatment that never really worked out.” She looked like she wanted to know more but didn’t ask, likely out of respect. “Can you tell me exactly what happened?”
“No, not really. Nobody knows the full story behind it and she fell out of it before we could even talk.” Alyssa seemed a little frustrated now. “All I was told is that she was stabbed. I don’t know with what or by who, just that it happened.”
The two entered the lab, Alyssa quickly taking to going through the contents of it. Joseph let his eyes look to one of the monitors that showed the vitals of the scouts and Elizabeth herself, it only made him worry more to see her status compared to the others. “Who brought her to you? Last I saw, she went to the kitchen, so how did she end up in your room?”
“Lecia and Marshal had her. I really don’t know who would want to hurt her because I was under the impression that you guys got along most of the time.” She shook her head, a look of disgust on her face. “It’s cruel to want to harm somebody else so badly that when you actually get the chance to, you try to kill them.”
“So you think they tried to kill her?”
“It’s obvious they did. Just looking over her, it’s clear she wasn’t supposed to be stabbed through her side and she wasn’t meant to live.” Despite speaking clearly and staying focused, Alyssa was continuing to look through every part of the lab. “Don’t ask me if that’s a good thing or not because I’m not really sure.”
Joseph started looking through cabinets that were against the far wall, hoping to find something of use. “All life is good, it’s the intentions that can be bad. Elizabeth has always been a rather difficult person to get along with because she’s so used to keeping secrets that she doesn’t know the difference of something that can be told and something that has to stay hidden so she keeps it all under wraps in hopes of doing something right. Her intentions are good but she’s a mess.”
“I agree, life is something that should be taken care of and respected by all, but it gets difficult to understand and care for the people who don’t let you know what’s going on. Now, I’m not saying she deserved what happened to her, I’m saying someone might have gotten the wrong impression and held onto their spite for too long and decided that if Elizabeth wasn’t around then there would be no secrets, so they tried to kill her.”
As much as Joseph disliked the idea of his people being against each other, he had to admit that what Alyssa was saying was extremely possible and probably the most likely. “She’s going to have to report it to Pierre unless we can find a loophole.”
“Isn’t a loophole the same as lying?” Alyssa sounded concerned with the idea.
“Nope. It’s not lying if there’s no rule explicitly telling you not to. Exploiting a loophole is difficult with Pierre because he likes to think of every single possibility, but I’m certain I’ll be able to find a way.”
Alyssa knew Joseph wasn’t looking for a loophole to protect Elizabeth, he was looking for a loophole to protect the entire group.
She found some of the tools she was looking for, quickly leading Joseph back to the room. The condition of the tools wasn’t ideal, but it would have to work. “I need you to help me move her to Marshal’s room.”
“Why his room?” Joseph knew it would be better to follow orders without questions but he wanted a reason as to why he’d have to go into somebody else’s room if Elizabeth was hardly in a stable condition in Alyssa’s room. “What would a change of scenery accomplish?”
“I need to get her set up on what I have. It won’t accomplish anything but some comfort in her case.” Once they reached her room, Alyssa checked up on Elizabeth once again, seeming less hopeful than before. “She’s used to his room and her stuff is in there as well, so I think it would be better for her to be in a place where she’s at ease.” She started putting what she had in a bag, obviously in a rush. “It’s possible that she’ll go into shock and it’ll be too late to move her once that happens, but I’ll be better equipped to handle shock in his room since I don’t really have anything to cover her with in here.”
“What are her chances of survival from this moment on?”
Alyssa looked as if she had been waiting for that question but she didn’t want to deliver the answer. “Extremely low, even with help. I’m eventually going to be faced with a choice to continue trying to help her or just let her go, I already know that, but that’s a choice I can’t make alone so the best I can do is keep her alive until Milo gets back. If she is to die in between now and Milo’s return, at least she’ll be in a familiar place.”
Alyssa looked upset with her own diagnosis and at this point, Joseph couldn’t blame her. He took a quick moment to think, heading towards the door. “Keep getting your stuff together, I need to get a key to let you in.”
Kyle Kennedy
Kyle pulled his gun out, taking aim at the intruder. “Drop what you have in your hands, stand up, and slowly turn around.”
The intruder seemed to sigh, putting their hands in the air. As they turned around, they quickly reached for their own gun, drawing it on Kyle. “That’s not how it’s going to work.”
“Who are you to say how this is going to play out?” Kyle looked over the man, feeling like he’d seen him before.
“Someone who watched you murder your own wife. You might have meant to kill her or you might have meant to kill me, but it doesn’t matter now, does it?”
Only three people were around when Dawn was shot. Dawn herself, Marshal, and the Voyager that took him. Marshal was among those presumed dead, missing for years without a trace. “How do you know my wife?”
The intruder scoffed. “You were hardly a husband.”
Kyle took a few steps forward, knowing he couldn’t shoot the intruder because they were likely to be a Voyager. “You talk like you know me, who are you?”
“I wouldn’t expect you to remember me anyways. You were barely a husband but you were no father, especially no father of mine.” The intruder lowered his gun, but refused to holster it. “It’s kind of strange that nearly all of my advice in life came from a waitress in some way or another, I cannot remember a single piece of advice you’ve given me and it’s crazy considering we lived in the same house for fourteen years. You put everything else before your wife and son and because of that you got left alone. It’s terrifying being on your own, isn’t it? I’ve known the feeling for far too long. Sure, you made mistakes and mom would take your side whenever she could because you still meant so much to her, but I’m not willing to look past your mistakes because they extend as far as murdering your wife instead of something so simple like oh, I don’t know, counseling? You sure needed it.”
The man was his son and he surely wasn’t happy to see him. “I didn’t kill her.”
“That’s what they all say. Besides, there’s no proof you didn’t do it. You were tasked with taking her out because she was openly against what you did with the Onyx Organization and like every other worker who has lost any ounce of self respect they might have had, you did it. Does that sound right?” He didn’t let Kyle answer. “I can tell you one thing that you’re not going to remember, you have set yourself up for the worst punishment possible and I won’t give up until you get it.”
“Your pride is still keeping you from seeing the truth.” Kyle realized his hand was shaking, but he knew it was because he had come to the certainty that he was aiming a gun at his own child. Marshal might have come to despise every part of Kyle, but Kyle couldn’t bring himself to hate his own son. He sighed, lowering his gun. “I’m not going to fight with you. Not anymore. Get out of here.”
Marshal holstered his own gun, looking at his watch which had started ringing, before reaching back into the box he had been looking through, pulling out a booklet that Kyle was supposed to get from the apartment. While he seemed sad after looking the watch, his tone was still as direct as possible. “Let’s be clear.” He faced Kyle after taking the booklet, then holding it in the air. “I am going to take this and you are not going to get involved.” He walked away from Kyle before giving him the chance to say anything back. He stopped in the hallway, calling for someone’s attention. “We’ve got company and by the rules, I’m not allowed to handle it because of a bias, so do what you want with him, it doesn’t matter to me.”
‘It doesn’t matter to me.’ Huh. Kyle knew there would be extreme trouble once his chip got reviewed the next day, but for now all he could think of was what he had done wrong. He was never there for his son and because of that, his wife was dead and his son couldn’t even stand to look at him, at least that’s what it seemed like. ‘You bring a kid into the world and this is how he treats you.’
While Kyle was thinking about the encounter, another man came into the room. Marshal seemed mad earlier, but this man looked sad, if anything.
Milo followed behind the man, gaining a sadder look than the man before. “Kyle, what did you do?”
He shrugged, ignoring the man he didn’t know. “Raised a kid to the best of my ability and nearly had a shootout with that same kid, the usual of parenthood.”
Milo shook his head, a small look of anger rising in his eyes as he left the doorway, leaving the apartment.
The other man remained, looking more disappointed than sad. “I’m not sorry that you had to deal with either of them because you brought on some complex feelings in your son.” The man crossed his arms. “I hate to defend him, but he had no interest in making mere acquaintances with most people in our base, he’s shown no interest in a relationship until this year, but he wants nothing to do with her because of your actions. He’s afraid of ending up like you so he’s cutting people out of his life.”
“I messed up, I get it, but I won’t be lectured by someone I don’t know. If you’re under the same rule that he is then it sounds like none of you can deal with me because you all have the same bias.” He knew he had to defend himself. “You people are just like each other, reckless, unruly, and ignorant in nearly all matters. You follow the word of VE without a second thought. Marshal and Milo haven’t returned, how do you know this isn’t a trap and your buddies haven’t been caught?”
He rubbed the bridge of his nose before sighing. “First, VE isn’t why we’re here and they’re surely no leader of ours. Second, I know this isn’t a trap because you’re at a disadvantage and I know that even though Marshal couldn’t care less about you, you don’t want him to get hurt and you know that he could be killed by the organization or by me.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Yes, stop talking now because I have the decision on what to do with you.”
Cyrus figured that Kyle would stop talking after that, but he kept going. “Who is VE?”
He also knew that no matter what he chose, Kyle at least deserved to know the person who unintentionally set him up. “You were familiar with her, why are you asking me?”
“Why did you use a past tense?” Kyle looked confused and a little scared, which told Cyrus that he was getting his way.
“Because she’s dead. Is it really that difficult for you to understand? VE is dead at the hands of another Voyager, not the Onyx Organization. It’s a shame the organization couldn’t catch the one person they needed for answers.”
“How many of you are there?”
“There’s only one of me, but if you’re asking about the Voyagers then too many.” A shameless lie is what it was. The only truth to the statement was the two new members and the one returning.
Kyle had gathered very limited information from the talk and anyone who reviewed the chip would get even less information. “One more question. What are you going to do with me?”
Cyrus already knew Marshal wanted Kyle dead more than anything because of his personal opinion but he also knew that Kyle had a special circumstance that encouraged the organization to keep him past the age of sixty-five, which was a rare occurrence. He didn’t know the special circumstance but Kyle himself probably did, which would make things easier without Elizabeth.
He looked over Kyle one last time. The man wasn’t physically capable of a lot, which meant that he was considered intellectually well off, enough to be kept at the organization well past the cut off age.
‘What would the others think of it?’ Cyrus shook his head. ‘I doubt Ethan knows him and I don’t think Alyssa wants to be involved with the organization just after getting released from them. Alyssa, the chip. What are the chances Kyle will be any better of a person without the chip?’
“Kyle, do you remember your life before the Onyx Organization?”
Kyle looked away, avoiding the question.
“Tell me about what happened to Leah and David Neil.”
He seemed to hesitate for a minute before speaking. “David Neil is dead, he has been for nearly twenty-four years. Leah’s memories have been manipulated to forget everything about David, Milo, and Elizabeth. She only knows about herself. An attempt was made at manipulating Milo’s memories to try and locate his sister but he was resistant. They wanted to kill him because they couldn’t get into his head, but I took him in after giving them my word that he’d cooperate.” Kyle looked up. “He’s damn lucky they didn’t kill him when he tried to run.”
Lucky, that’s one way to describe the Neil siblings. “What information do you have on the Voyagers?”
“Only the basics. We knew about four members, now apparently up to seven. The families of suspected Voyagers are taken to headquarters and their memories are erased, the suspected Voyager is killed, and the family is sent back home once every physical and mental memory of the suspected Voyager is gone. Milo couldn’t be sent home because of how long he had been missing, the higher-ups figured that someone would come for him. It’s sad that it took you guys two years to come back for one of your own.”
“What about the confirmed Voyagers you’ve caught?”
Cyrus saw that Kyle seemed to be more sensitive to the Voyagers now that he knew Marshal was one. “They’re questioned before their memories are accessed, once the organization gets what they want they keep them on the fourth floor to use against the Voyagers. I’ve never done it, but I know that some members of the organization will use them to satisfy their needs without reprimanding.”
Kyle looked down, a guilt look in his eyes. He knew he was risking his life right now to give Cyrus the information.
They both knew that Kyle would be dead the second his chip was reviewed for giving away classified information and refusing to apprehend three Voyagers.
Currently, Kyle had three chances at life but Cyrus only had a say in two.
[Choice A]: Kill Kyle [Choice B]: Take Kyle back to the bunker
2.10
The bunker had been oddly quiet that night. Joseph had been told that Cyrus and Marshal took Milo back into the city for reasons unk… morenown but that Filip had stayed behind. His main concern was with Alyssa and Ethan.
No matter what he had to do for his position, he couldn’t help but feel pity for the two. Alyssa was dragged into the Voyagers with no explanation and Ethan had no idea what he was getting himself into.
The state of the Voyagers had slowly been declining and even the most faithful of the group showing doubts in their current situation, Cyrus himself once suggesting those who could return to the city should do it while they still had the chance. Even though nobody took the offer, it only dragged the group’s integrity further down.
It had been hours since the three left and due to Pierre’s latest rule, Joseph had to stay up and wait for them. The night seemed to be going by fairly slowly until he realized Lecia had b… [view original content]
2.10
The bunker had been oddly quiet that night. Joseph had been told that Cyrus and Marshal took Milo back into the city for reasons unk… morenown but that Filip had stayed behind. His main concern was with Alyssa and Ethan.
No matter what he had to do for his position, he couldn’t help but feel pity for the two. Alyssa was dragged into the Voyagers with no explanation and Ethan had no idea what he was getting himself into.
The state of the Voyagers had slowly been declining and even the most faithful of the group showing doubts in their current situation, Cyrus himself once suggesting those who could return to the city should do it while they still had the chance. Even though nobody took the offer, it only dragged the group’s integrity further down.
It had been hours since the three left and due to Pierre’s latest rule, Joseph had to stay up and wait for them. The night seemed to be going by fairly slowly until he realized Lecia had b… [view original content]
By the way, I'm confused about something. Did Elizabeth actually die or is she still fighting for her life? Some of the dialogue near the end seemed to give the impression that she died, but they may just be lying to Kyle to through him off.
Elizabeth’s current condition is actually open for interpretation.
Alyssa mentions the severity of the wound to Joseph, but she also retrieved some stuff from the lab to try and better her odds. The watch, which has been relatively useless up until this chapter, went off on Marshal but it was never said what he saw, just that he wanted to get away from Kyle (which could be for different reasons.)
You’ve got a good point in lying to Kyle, though, they are already aware that the chip is going to give them up, it’s possible that they’re lying to cover for Elizabeth.
To give a 100% answer, it’s extremely possible that Elizabeth is dead, but there has certainly been some foreshadowing in this chapter that point to Elizabeth’s survival for at least two more chapters.
By the way, I'm confused about something. Did Elizabeth actually die or is she still fighting for her life? Some of the dialogue near the end seemed to give the impression that she died, but they may just be lying to Kyle to through him off.
(!) Voting is closed! Cyrus will take Kyle back to the bunker.
2.11- Chapter 2 Finale
“You do understand that if you don’t work with us that I’ll have to kill you, right?” Cyrus started questioning Kyle once more, just to confirm that he had made the right decision. Kyle nodded, remaining quiet. “You also know that nobody is going to warm up to you immediately, correct? You’re going to be subject to more testing than you would be here, but it’s only to clear your reputation.”
Kyle seemed to freeze for a moment, taking in the severity of his current situation. “If it’ll help you and the group to trust me, I’ll do whatever you guys say.”
Cyrus found his hand hovering over his holstered gun, but pulled away from it. He looked around the room, then pointed at Kyle. “You stay here for a minute.” He left the room, heading to the front door of the apartment. He whistled a shrill whistle, catching Milo and Marshal’s attention. The two left the front of the building, returning to the apartment. “I need you two to get the chip off.”
Marshal knew Cyrus wanted them to do it because they were present when Elizabeth removed Alyssa’s chip, that part didn’t bother him. What bothered him was the fact of Kyle going to the bunker with them. The removal of the chip would be a dead giveaway. “Are you sure about this? The circumstances are going to be different because the transmission hasn’t been blocked, everything that’s happened so far can be seen by whoever reviews the chips.”
“They’d be seen either way, there’s more that he can give away to the Organization or to our group.” Cyrus could tell that Milo seemed a little relieved at the decision. “I know you’re trying not to lose your mind right now, but I need you to trust me on this. We’ll have Elizabeth clear everything up tomorrow.”
Marshal looked at his watch, a look of concern coming across his face. “Cyrus… I don’t think your watch is working right.” Milo left the two, heading towards the bedroom to talk to Kyle. Marshal moved closer to Cyrus, lowering his voice. “Knowing your watch isn’t working gives me a little bit of hope but either Elizabeth’s watch stopped working or she’s dead. Don’t jump to conclusions and don’t let Milo know.”
“How am I not supposed to let Milo know? I figured I was lying when I told Kyle that she was dead, but you’re going to have to find a way to keep him quiet.”
Marshal sighed, going back to the bedroom. “Cyrus, take Milo back to the truck, we’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”
Kyle followed Marshal out of the apartment and up the next set of stairs. Cyrus and Milo remained in an uncomfortable silence until Cyrus started walking away, Milo going after him. “Aren’t you worried about those two being alone together?”
“Naturally.” The two left the apartment open, heading back downstairs. “Kyle won’t do anything, it’s Marshal we need to be worried about. He’s supposed to be disconnecting the chip but I have no idea where he took him.”
The two had small talk until they made it back to the truck, waiting there for Kyle and Marshal, just as they were told to. After an hour, Milo seemed to grow concerned and recommended going to see what happened. Cyrus waited a few more minutes before deciding to go along with Milo’s plan.
As the two approached the apartments once more, they ran into Kyle and Marshal. It was evident that the chip had been disconnected, but neither of them offered an answer as to what took so long, not even speaking most of the walk to the truck or the ride back to the bunker.
It was an unspoken agreement that whenever Elizabeth was unavailable to show new people around the bunker, Marshal would do it, which made Kyle’s appearance more difficult for him to take in.
The four separated after Joseph greeted their return and welcomed Kyle. Leaving Marshal and Kyle, Milo and Joseph went to bed while Cyrus went to the lab.
Cyrus watched over the cameras to give the two space but make sure neither of them got out of hand.
While the two were in the common room, Alyssa left her room and went into the kitchen. Cyrus left the lab to go talk to her, seeing sadness on her face.
“What happened?” Cyrus could tell that she hadn’t eaten all day, likely because she had been dealing with Elizabeth.
“Nothing, thankfully, I’m just really sleepy. Where did you guys go?”
“Back into the city.” Cyrus knew Alyssa wasn’t going to pry for answers because she understood her boundaries. “You should know, Kyle Kennedy is around here now. I don’t know what kind of relationship the two of you had, but you’re probably going to be seeing him frequently.”
A smile crossed her face. “That’s good news! Kyle knows a lot more about the organization’s history than I do, so there’s no doubt he’ll be useful to you guys.”
Cyrus chuckled, taking a seat on one of the barstools. “At least one person takes well to the news.”
Her smile faded, but her eyes still seemed happy. “Marshal doesn’t like the idea of him being around, does he?”
“You catch on quick. He hasn’t said anything too negative about it but I can tell he’s mad at me because I made the choice. In my defense, they left me to make the choice.”
After a quick talk with Alyssa, Cyrus went through the bunker, noticing Marshal and Kyle had disappeared.
He went to the dormitory hallway then knocked on Marshal’s door, waiting until he heard permission for him to enter.
Going in the room, his underlying fears were immediately put to rest. He’d been worried sick since Marshal mentioned the possibility that something was wrong with his watch. He worried that in telling Kyle that Elizabeth was dead that he was actually telling the truth.
Elizabeth was lying on the bed, Marshal lying next to her. Cyrus shut the door behind him, going towards Elizabeth’s side of the bed. “How is she?”
“Alyssa said if she does die because of the wound, it’ll likely be in the next twenty-fours hours. She’s trying to prevent that from happening by keeping her asleep and letting her regather herself as needed. She’s obviously not able to eat, but she set up an IV to keep her from getting dehydrated.” Marshal sounded exhausted but Cyrus could already tell he planned to stay up and watch over Elizabeth. “She’s not doing great but there are worse ways she could be right now.”
“She already handled what she needed to do with Filip, right?”
Marshal shrugged. “I think so, but I’m not sure. I can mess with the system tomorrow night and see what all happened.” Cyrus could see he was concerned, probably more than he should have been, but he didn’t blame him. “I need to talk to Alyssa either way.”
“Whenever she gets back to herself, you should encourage her to talk to Eris.”
He nodded. “Eris went through a lot before Joseph got her out of there and she’s familiar with the recovery process so it can only be beneficial for her.”
“Exactly what I was thinking.” He knew Marshal wasn’t going to like changing the topic to Kyle, but there were some things that needed to be said. “Whenever she gets back on her feet, I need you to be somewhat responsible and try to keep the peace between yourself and Kyle. You may not like it but you’re only going to stress her out even more if things get hostile between the two of you.”
“Cyrus, you already know that I would do a lot of things for Elizabeth, but if you really think that some hostility is going to upset her, you’re dead wrong. Hostility got her where she is right now and FIlip’s lucky Milo doesn’t know and I haven’t seen him yet.” He sat up, trying to keep his movement to a minimal and his voice as quiet as possible. “You need to tell Milo what happened since you were there.”
“I may have been there, but I’m only taking a guess that it was Filip and not herself. Nothing is certain, Marshal, that’s why I need you to look into the system tonight.”
Marshal sighed, climbing out of the bed. “You stay with her, I need to go talk with Alyssa.”
Without a second word, Marshal left the room. He knew Alyssa wasn’t in her room because he had heard her leave but not return, so it was likely she was still in the kitchen. Going into the kitchen, Alyssa greeted him with a smile. “You look like you’re on a mission, what’s going on?”
“Milo wasn’t kidding when he said you were smart.” He pointed to her neck. “It’s been a few days, are you feeling any better?”
After her chip was disconnected, Alyssa had been complaining of the after effects, most of which related to the manner the chip was removed. “A lot better, actually, I think it was just the initial shock that made the pain drag on until I had something to do.” She looked up. “Speaking of, I had some questions for you.”
“Milo might be the better person to ask if they’re regarding Elizabeth, but I’ll answer them to my best ability.”
“Is she right or left handed?”
“Ambidextrous.”
Alyssa seemed a little confused. “That’s… different. Do you think she tried to fight back?”
“I’ve been trying to think of a way into the camera records to find that out for myself, but by what Cyrus and Lecia said, I don’t think so.”
“I want to tell you something that’s been bothering me.” Alyssa looked to Marshal, making sure she had his full attention. “When I was with the organization, I remember they let me look through files on Milo and Elizabeth, as well as their parents. Elizabeth was genetically designed to stand up for herself and others, but there’s no proof that she even defended herself.”
“They were both genetically modified because Leah and David couldn’t naturally have a child, but even then something went wrong with their genetics because they both have extremely weak immune systems, while most genetically modified children have strengthened immune systems.” While he was right, Alyssa seemed a little concerned that he knew it. “My dad used to work on the fourth floor and he was beyond fascinated with the idea of genetically modifying his children to be the greatest in nearly every aspect possible. Thankfully, my mother disagreed with that idea. Anyways, what exactly are you getting at?”
“The same thing you pointed out. There’s a flaw in Elizabeth’s genetics that’s trying to influence hypovolemic shock, which means Milo is likely to have the same flaw if their genetics were engineered by the same geneticist.” She now looked concerned. “I’m trying to keep Elizabeth unconscious until she regains enough blood volume. Before I put her under, she was complaining about feeling nauseous which told me that there’s something wrong with her genes, not her. How often is she sick?”
“She’s got pretty bad allergies, which is seasonal, but other than the occasional bout with a cold, not often. She’s pretty good about staying on top of whatever medicines she takes.”
Alyssa looked as if something clicked within her. “What medicines does she take? Do you know?”
He shook his head. “No, sorry. The bottles are somewhere in my room, I can try and find them for you.”
“It would be good to know, I don’t want to put her at risk by mixing medications.” She prepared herself to ask another question. “Does she normally bleed heavily or lightly?”
“She bleeds a lot if there’s nothing to stop her from bleeding.”
“Lecia had the washcloth on her cheek and her side was pushed against you, but she was still bleeding through her own shirt and yours.” Alyssa seemed just as puzzled as Marshal did at this point. “I don’t understand. I need a favor, come with me while I test some things out to see how it all played out.” Alyssa and Marshal left the kitchen, going into the next door dining room. “I wanted to know something, but you don’t have to answer it if you think it’s too personal.”
“I doubt it’s too personal, what is it?”
“What exactly is your relationship with Elizabeth?” Alyssa knew she was going to have to expand. “I figured you guys were friends, but the act you two pulled off was far too convincing.”
“I really don’t know, if you want my honesty. I’ve come to know her a lot better since Milo’s been gone but now that he’s here, I think it’d be wrong to start anything with her.”
Alyssa smiled, obviously not ready to drop the subject. “Have you talked to Milo about it?”
“About two minutes before she got stabbed, yeah, he wasn’t for it then and I’m pretty sure he’s still not for it because of the condition she’s in.”
“I don’t think that’s true.” Alyssa could read people fairly easily because she knew what to look for. “He didn’t seem too upset that she was in your room and didn’t even ask to have her moved, which kind of surprised me.”
They stopped in the dining room, Marshal pointing out a dresser. “I’m pretty sure Lecia hid the weapon. Alyssa went to a dresser that was moved to the nightstand’s spot to try and hide the fact that it was missing. She opened the bottom drawer, pulling out the leg of the nightstand itself, then handed it to Marshal. “Do you know if Filip’s right or left handed?”
“I think we’re both right handed.”
“Good. What I’m thinking is that in order to do as much damage as he did, Filip would have had to have stabbed her in the side first, but that’s what confuses me.” Alyssa faced the tip of the leg to her own side. “She’s ambidextrous, so she could have easily grabbed the leg and turned it around on Filip.”
Alyssa grabbed the leg and did just as she explained, now pointing the tip of the leg at Marshal’s chest. “I think you’re right about the sequence the wounds occurred in. I don’t think she would have put up with having a sharp wooden stick waved in her face if she was unharmed at that point. Though, that does beg the question as to how she didn’t notice that she was bleeding from her side or how nobody else noticed it.”
“That’s right.” Alyssa let go of the leg of the nightstand, putting her hands to her hips. “I don’t think there’s a strong possibility that you or Lecia opened the wound when you brought her to the room because it’s lining up with everything we know so far. I think Elizabeth had used something against Filip but she dropped it.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because Filip came to me after I finished with Elizabeth with a pretty fresh cut of his own on his left arm and he told me he didn’t know where he got it from.” Alyssa looked around the floor. “It looked like it came from something thin, anything ranging to a razor blade to a shard of glass."
The two got on the ground, looking in the area for whatever object they could find. “It’s not in this area.” Marshal got off the ground, heading into the kitchen.
Alyssa got up and followed after him. “How do you say?”
“There was a lot of blood in that area from Elizabeth, but there’s droplets that lead into the kitchen. Droplets that size couldn’t have come from either of Elizabeth’s wounds, so that leaves us with Filip’s cut.” Marshal went into the kitchen, going straight to a cabinet and started counting plates. “I think we’re missing a plate.”
“Are they breakable?” Alyssa watched Marshal pull out a plate and look over it.
He dropped the plate to the floor, grabbing Alyssa’s full attention. He picked it back up off the ground, showing Alyssa that it was still in one piece. “Not easily.” He flung it at the wall and the plate shattered on impact. “It’s not supposed to break easily, but it’s supposed to disintegrate when it does break to avoid being used as a weapon.” He picked up a shard that looked like it could inflict the wound Filip had. “But some pieces can slip by.”
Marshal cleaned the plate up to his best ability while Alyssa looked over the shard he had picked out.
Once he was finished, they went into the pantry and eventually into the hatch room where they suspected the droplets had started. The two looked all over the floor until Alyssa found a shard nearly identical to the one from earlier. “This was what Elizabeth had used. The rest of the plate is gone, though, how do we explain that?”
“We don’t. We take what we have and we try to find Elizabeth’s journal so we find out how to access the security records.” They started a walk to the common room. “The good news is that I know where the journal is.” They walked in silence until Marshal looked through a nightstand in the common room, coming back with nothing but a worried look on his face. “Well, I used to know where the journal was. She must have moved it.”
“Her stuff is in your room, right? Is there a possibility that the journal got mixed in with her stuff?”
“I’m certain it did. If it's not in the common room, the chances that it's in the lab are slim which gives us only one reasonable place." He sighed. "Then again, she does keep the room keys hidden in Lecia's closet, so I guess we might never know."
"In Lecia's closet? Why?" Alyssa and Marshal started back to the dormitory area.
"That's something I've never been able to get out of her. My best guess is that Lecia's room is one of the few rooms that only one person occupies, meaning no second person will go snooping around. That, and Lecia keeps her room locked whenever she's not there."
The two stopped in front of Marshal's door, Alyssa lowering her voice to a whisper. “If she’s awake, you need to keep her in one place and facing the wall so I can get to her stuff without her getting upset.”
Marshal knew there was a slim possibility of Elizabeth being awake, but he also knew that it was unlikely she was back in her right mind, meaning she would likely be the least helpful in the current search. He nodded before going into the room and pointing to Elizabeth’s stuff near the closet. “It’s not her you have to worry about, Cyrus is in there as well.”
“Just distract whoever’s in there, don’t let Cyrus know what we’re doing.”
Alyssa looked through the clothes while Marshal talked to Cyrus and Elizabeth to keep her from hearing Alyssa.
After reaching the bottom of the clothes, Alyssa finally found the journal. She crawled over to the door and out of the room, Marshal only leaving once he knew she was out of the room.
“We need to figure out how to use Final Product Four.” Alyssa handed Marshal the journal as soon as he left the room, leaving him on a page of commands for the system.
He smiled before closing the journal. “I know I said this last time, but now I mean it. I know how Final Product Four takes commands, I just didn’t know what command it needed.”
“You only let my hopes down last time, so I’ll believe it when I see it.”
The two went to the lab, shutting the door behind them. Marshal took a breath before looking at the monitors. “Final Product Four, pull up any suspicious surveillance from yesterday.”
The empty monitors now showed four cameras. The hatch room, the pantry, the kitchen, and the dining room.
Alyssa looked over the footage noting that it was just before anything happened between Filip and Elizabeth.
The two were first spotted by the dining room camera when Elizabeth first saw Filip. She was talking with the syringe in hand, ready to use, while he was ignoring her, going to the hatch room.
In the kitchen, Elizabeth questioned where he was going to which Filip responds that he’s going back to the Organization.
Filip goes into the pantry and Elizabeth puts away the syringe and breaks the plate in the same manner Marshal did, grabbing the shard they had found. She catches up to Filip in the hatch room and stops him at the ladder, obviously intending to use the shard as a threat and nothing more.
Filip gets cut when he jumps down from the ladder to talk to Elizabeth. She apologizes over and over, dropping the shard before Filip goes to the dining room.
He broke the nightstand while she cleaned up the plate that she had broken and waited for her in the dining room.
She finished picking up all the pieces she could, obviously forgetting the shard in the hatch room, and then going to leave.
When she walked through the dining room, Filip snuck up behind her only saying something just before she went into the hallway that connected the dining room to the common room.
He forced the leg of the nightstand forward before she could even fully turn around, sending it into her side.
She seems to panic before she starts to try to reason with Filip. He starts walking towards her as she backs away and when she mentions the Organization, Filip swings the nightstand leg, resulting in the cut on her cheek.
Cyrus and Lecia come in at that point and Cyrus sneaks up on Filip, quickly restraining him and making him drop the nightstand leg. Elizabeth looks at the wound on her side and gives an order to Lecia while the two pay attention to Filip before administering the shot.
Cyrus starts to clean up the nightstand when Elizabeth and Lecia leave the dining room and Milo goes in to watch over Filip. The two move a dresser to take the nightstand’s place and put the leg of the nightstand in the bottom drawer.
Filip regains consciousness and the three leave the dining room after Cyrus makes up a story to Filip, trying to keep him from knowing what happened.
They leave and nobody goes into the dining room for a few more hours.
The last person in the dining room that day was Lecia to clean up any blood she could find.
The footage stopped there, Alyssa and Marshal stood in shock for a few moments. “She tried to threaten him and to retaliate, he tried to kill her.”
Marshal nodded. “She didn’t fight back because she didn’t have time to even process what was happening.”
“I hate to say it, but they’re both victims here.”
“I agree. If I saw it correctly, he could have gotten a pretty deep cut from the shard.” Alyssa could tell by the sound of his voice that it was taking Marshal a lot to not get upset and to see Filip’s side. “The others need to know what we know now.”
Alyssa felt a little guilty having to make Marshal, of all the people she could have chosen, watch the footage, but she felt her choice was justified. Marshal had access to things relating to Elizabeth that most others didn’t. “I can tell them.”
He smiled, a sigh following after. “Please do. Final Product Four, close the footage.”
The two separated, Marshal going back to his room with the journal.
He put the journal away when he returned, taking Cyrus into the hall to explain what they found out.
Cyrus and Marshal eventually ran into Alyssa once again, the three of them coming up with a final plan relating to Elizabeth’s situation.
“I don’t think Elizabeth knew what happened herself.” Alyssa was concerned as to what they would tell Elizabeth since Filip would have no memory for certain. “Obviously, she knows what happened, I think it was all just too fast for her to process.”
“She’s going to find out either way, why keep it from her?” Cyrus wanted to spare no details from Elizabeth while Alyssa wanted to keep some important details held back, Marshal remained on the fence. “Marshal, what are you thinking?”
During the meeting, Cyrus and Alyssa did most of the talking, while Marshal simply agreed with some things that were said, not putting much in himself. He wasn’t doing it because he had nothing constructive to say, he was doing it because he had too much to say. “I think we’re worrying about the wrong thing right now. She’s going to find out on her own, it’s better we don’t get in trouble for keeping anything from her. We’re not on the right topic because right now she’s being kept unconscious for an undetermined amount of time, which I think desperately needs to be addressed.”
“You and I don’t have a say in that, it’s for Alyssa to decide.” Cyrus could tell that the answer he gave wasn’t going to be good enough, but it was really all he had to offer. “It would be good to know, but I don’t think Alyssa can tell right now because a day hasn’t even gone by.”
Alyssa had done her best to keep the situation as quiet as she could, even going as far as to keep Elizabeth under and not tell Filip a word. It was important to the group that nobody stirred up a panic, but her options were dwindling down faster than she could keep track of. “I want to keep her out for at least three days so I can monitor both sets without her getting in the way. The problem with that is that she needs to eat or it’ll make my entire plan up to this point completely useless.”
“What makes you think she’d get in the way of her own health?” Alyssa had a point in mentioning Elizabeth would do something to either set back her recovery or completely reset it.
Marshal answered before Alyssa could, quickly taking to her defense. “You and I both know Elizabeth. She gets nervous and tries to busy her hands, which is why she can’t keep her hair down. She’ll pull a set of her own stitches out in the worst situation, it’s best not to risk it.”
Alyssa nodded, crossing her arms. “That, and Lecia told me something that really concerned me. She mentioned that because Elizabeth is so self-destructive, she would purposely expose herself to infection or more blood loss by either pulling the stitches or making a new cut. I don’t know if either of you think the same way, but it’s very unnerving to hear how someone actually believes that she’s not only capable of doing that to herself but also willing to.”
While Alyssa hardly knew Elizabeth’s capabilities, she was right to assume Elizabeth would do something dangerous. Before Milo’s disappearance, it would have been infection because she wasn’t paying attention to the wounds, but after Milo left, it could have been anything. “You two are probably right, so I guess I can agree that it’s a good idea to keep her under.”
Cyrus picked up on the lack of confidence in Marshal’s voice, knowing exactly why it lacked confidence as well. “Our best choice right now is to trust Alyssa. We’re in a bad situation, personally and as a group, we’re losing every chance we had and we’ll only continue to get worse if we put our hearts in front of our heads. I have no doubts that Elizabeth will get better but until she does, Marshal needs to take over in the lab. I don’t want to risk Filip losing it again and managing to do more harm to the group as a whole. Alyssa, you told Joseph about what happened, right?”
She nodded, her voice quiet when she spoke. “He’s aware of the situation and looking for a way to avoid telling PIerre.”
“Help him with that. I can tell you’re very honest, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if we can’t find a way around Pierre then the entire group is going to be disbanded. It’s likely you and Milo will be the only ones in a questionable position because Elizabeth never had the chance to record your arrival or Milo’s return. The rest of us will be sent to different resistance groups, Filip will be returned to the Onyx Organization, and Eris and Elizabeth will probably die faster without proper care.”
Alyssa looked to Marshal, hoping he would dispute the claim, but was only greeted with silence as she prepared for a grim reality. “I need to know what the rules state if I’m going to find a hole in them.” She looked back to Cyrus, seeing a small look of hope in his eyes. “Only on the condition that I learn the history behind the group.”
Cyrus looked a bit confused, but ready to comply. “The Voyagers had a greater number long before I was born because people were seeing error in the ways the Onyx Organization was running things. Nobody knows what happened in the Onyx Organization headquarters because, as my mother described it, it happened within a matter of two days and it changed the group and the Organization for decades to come. At around forty, the Voyagers were at their best. Most people in the group had an advanced talent of their own, which bettered the odds. Years started to pass and the numbers started to dwindle. My mother mentioned that people were becoming so hopeless that they took their own lives before the Onyx Organization could, turned themselves in, joined a different resistance group, or just stopped working because they expected to be caught.”
Marshal sighed, noticing Cyrus had stopped looking at Alyssa and now looked to the ground, his eyes void of any emotion that wasn’t sadness. He also knew the story from this point only made Cyrus feel more hopeless in their situation. “Word got around that the Onyx Organization knew where the Voyagers had been hiding and they were planning an attack. Some people stayed because they were ready to give up, some stayed because they didn’t believe the rumors, but the ones who left had split up from each other. His mom left but his dad stayed to try to get any supplies that he could. While he was there, the Organization attacked and either apprehended or killed anyone they saw, putting a complete halt to the Voyagers for the next twenty or thirty years. Pierre reached out to Cyrus, encouraging him to restart the movement with the people that he had at the time, which were…”
He paused, looking to Cyrus to answer. “Joseph and Eris, the only two that I had. We agreed and started to work in the dark, picking up whoever we could. There have been some different people than the ones you already know, but there’s always been something to draw them away. In the years since the group had been revived, the highest amount of people we’ve had has been barely twenty.”
Alyssa smiled softly, understanding exactly what Cyrus was getting at. “You’re concerned because in a matter of maybe a week, your numbers have gone up by four?”It normally wouldn’t be a big deal, but for a group of seven with three members who were constantly gone, it was a huge jump in progress.
He nodded. “Exactly. I’m grateful you’re here to help the group and I can only hope that Ethan and Kyle help in the same way.”
“Elizabeth mentioned she had high hopes for Ethan, so he has to have something going for him. My dad, well, he’s pretty smart. Deceitful as well.” Marshal shrugged. “I don’t think we have a thing to worry about for the current moment. Filip’s eventually going to find out he was part of the organization, but hopefully in better circumstances, so all we can do is hold on for now.”
She took a moment to think, only speaking when she was certain she had a plan worked out for herself. “I’m going to work with Eris and Elizabeth for a while, but I think we need to talk more. You both have interesting perspectives that need to be voiced more than they need to be kept quiet.” Quickly changing the topic once more, she redirected her train of thought. “Does anybody know what it is Eris has?”
“We all do, but you should probably hear it straight from her.” Cyrus crossed his arms. “She tends to water things down to protect everybody else from a harsh reality that we already expect. We’ve all been told different things about her illness from her depending on the person. Joseph gives a pretty consistent story, if you can actually stop him and get it out of him. It took him maybe a few hours to tell me when we first met, a number of years to tell Marshal, and he still hasn’t told Filip and a few others. It just depends on your intentions.”
“Just being curious isn’t a good enough reason, for your information.” Marshal added. “If I were you, I’d just be honest. You’re a doctor and you’re trying to help her, that’s all that needs to be said with Joseph. Eris is different, though, she might change up the story because you’re a doctor and trying to help her.”
She seemed a little confused, but she felt ready to help the group out. She turned to Cyrus, looking for answers. “It sounds like they both might be a little difficult to get the story out of. Who do you suggest I talk to?”
”Joseph.” ”Eris.”
What to expect in Chapter 3:
The marriage between the two had been slowly crumbling for years, but neither of them would find themselves in the position to quit the other.
Eris had no problem reading the emotions of the other members, studying each of them every time they were around.
She could see Alyssa was stressed, but somewhat content underneath. Ethan remained average, which was the best most people could do in their situation. The two were easily doing the best out of the entire group.
Eris had gone into the kitchen, nothing but darkness surrounding her. The lights flickered on to reveal a woman in a white dress with a black masquerade mask, a fake smile plastered on her face.
“It’s all happened before, we’ll find a way to work around this. It’s an inconvenience at most, not a tragedy.”
Marshal and Eris watched the monitors to reveal two shadows running through the bunker, their bodies moving too quickly to be caught by the cameras.
Luke had been sat down to speak with a bartender who claimed that he had a run with a man he believed to be a Voyager. The man was clearly delusional but Luke had been ordered to listen to him.
"We can thank Milo Neil for the knowledge we have and Kyle Kennedy for the final push. Go out to the lead and take no witnesses." An order from Isaac himself couldn't be turned down, no matter where the lead took his people.
Pierre studied the woman with light brown hair seated in front of him, quickly coming to the realization that she was studying him as well. She had a lot of things to say to him but never had the time to talk to him anymore. "I want to help the Voyagers myself."
Alright, the second chapter is now finished. I don't really have much to say, other than I'm returning to the former voting system because even I'm getting a little bugged seeing [Choice] just before every option.
The Google Docs for the entirety of chapter two has been updated along with the document for alternate choices, and alternate choices will be posted under a spoiler, mainly to save room. (But also because I don't trust this update, shhhh 'tis a secret.)
1.11: [Disagree to the idea and risk questioning and being on the Organization radar for a bit.]:This choice would have caused more problems for Elizabeth and Marshal in the long run. Isaac wouldn’t have forgotten about their denial and would later on use it against Marshal.
2.1: ”Send Elizabeth back but don’t tell her about Milo.”: Elizabeth would have returned when she was supposed to and would be able to tell something was going on, but Marshal would be extremely guilty over Milo and generally try and draw himself away from her after he returned. She wouldn’t know about Milo for a long time to come, but she would be furious when she found out.
2.1: ”Return with Elizabeth, don’t tell her about Milo.”: Elizabeth would have stayed an extra day and return with Marshal. Elizabeth would notice his anxiety and question him on it, but wouldn’t think too much of it when he doesn’t tell her anything. She would be beyond upset and feel quite betrayed by Marshal mainly when she did find out about Milo.
2.3: [Take it back.]: Marshal would have taken the ring back from Elizabeth, causing an unspoken boundary to form between the two and later Elizabeth to accuse Marshal of using her and Milo.
2.3.5: [Stay put, maybe another time.]: Ethan would have remained in the bunker, keeping the group from getting in trouble with Pierre, but also nearly causing Cyrus to lose his life in that ‘another time’ part.
2.4: [Give Marshal’s coordinates.]: By giving away Marshal’s coordinates, Filip would have crossed into Elizabeth’s bad graces for some time to come. He would do this by having Pierre, Joseph, and himself go into the city and retrieve the two, ultimately keeping them from achieving their goal of getting Milo out. Alyssa wouldn’t have been helped out of the city and Luke would have grown suspicious of the two because Marshal hadn’t stayed there as long as he was supposed to.
2.4: [Rain check; go home after work.]: Alyssa would have denied the offer and Steven would tell her it was okay and that there would always be another time. Milo, however, would tell her she would regret the decision and not say anything about it. She would be confused and overall nervous about Milo’s cryptic words, but would continue her daily routine. This choice would have caused Elizabeth and Marshal to attack Alyssa to get Milo back and not see the opportunity to help her, causing Elizabeth’s death in a future part.
2.4: [Run away]: Ethan would have taken off and eventually run into Filip, Pierre, and Joseph himself, causing a small distraction and one of the men to go after him. Cyrus wouldn’t have been able to defend himself with a smaller distraction and would have been killed for not cooperating. Pierre would have taken the life of the man that followed Ethan for ‘justice.’
2.5: [Tell Filip to leave the lab, tell Elizabeth later on.]: Filip would have left the lab, making Cyrus stay in the lab overnight. He wouldn’t have found out anything more, preventing Elizabeth from getting stabbed. She would have talked to him about the Organization and worked out a way to keep from manipulating Filip’s memories again.
2.5: [Tell Filip to leave the lab, don’t tell Elizabeth.]: Filip would have left the lab and Cyrus would have stayed overnight. Elizabeth would have no idea that Filip knew about the Organization until he tried and succeeded in blackmailing her.
2.5: [Let Filip stay, don’t tell Elizabeth.]: Cyrus would have left Filip in the lab. Filip would have gathered more information against Elizabeth and killed her, rather than injuring her, when confronting her about it. Milo would be quick to blame Cyrus because he knew what Filip had done in the lab.
2.7: [Console Elizabeth]: Cyrus would work with Marshal in consoling Elizabeth. She’d give all the details on her contract with Pierre, rather than the limited details that were given, and admit a fear of hers. After hearing the details of the contract, Cyrus and Marshal would both be upset with Pierre.
2.9: [Sneak up on the intruder]: While Kyle snuck up on the intruder, he would be caught off guard by two more people. He’d quickly recognize Milo but have doubts about who Marshal was, though he’d have no clue who Cyrus was. He’d try and keep the three at bay and only realize who Marshal was when Marshal suggests they find the book they came for, kill Kyle, and leave. Milo would be hesitant because he knew Kyle in recent years, leaving Cyrus to make the choice.
2.10: [Kill Kyle]: Regardless of the former choice, Marshal wouldn’t be too torn up about Kyle’s death and even go as far as to call it justice for what Kyle did to his wife. Milo would act a bit guilty, say that Marshal was being unfair towards Kyle, but eventually get over it. The choice would cause Cyrus distress but also would have caused Marshal to be more cooperative in the third chapter, giving the group an easier time. However, a final backstory would have revealed that Kyle wasn’t the one who killed his wife after all and that Cyrus knew this much.
Some few familiar questions,
1) Who is your favorite character?
2) And your least favorite?
3) Who is a character you want to see more of?
4) What is a theme you want to see more of?
5) Where do you believe the main story is going for the Voyagers?
6) Where do you believe the main story for the Onyx Organization is going?
7) Are there any plot points you believe I neglected that you would like to see covered?
8) Is there any speculation you’d like to provide on the next time segment?
9) Lastly, do you have any questions or comments of your own?
And now, my personal favorite segment returns. That's right, it's the important links section.
(!) Voting is closed! Cyrus will take Kyle back to the bunker.
2.11- Chapter 2 Finale
“You do understand that if you don’t work with u… mores that I’ll have to kill you, right?” Cyrus started questioning Kyle once more, just to confirm that he had made the right decision. Kyle nodded, remaining quiet. “You also know that nobody is going to warm up to you immediately, correct? You’re going to be subject to more testing than you would be here, but it’s only to clear your reputation.”
Kyle seemed to freeze for a moment, taking in the severity of his current situation. “If it’ll help you and the group to trust me, I’ll do whatever you guys say.”
Cyrus found his hand hovering over his holstered gun, but pulled away from it. He looked around the room, then pointed at Kyle. “You stay here for a minute.” He left the room, heading to the front door of the apartment. He whistled a shrill whistle, catching Milo and Marshal’s attention. The two lef… [view original content]
(!) Voting is closed! Cyrus will take Kyle back to the bunker.
2.11- Chapter 2 Finale
“You do understand that if you don’t work with u… mores that I’ll have to kill you, right?” Cyrus started questioning Kyle once more, just to confirm that he had made the right decision. Kyle nodded, remaining quiet. “You also know that nobody is going to warm up to you immediately, correct? You’re going to be subject to more testing than you would be here, but it’s only to clear your reputation.”
Kyle seemed to freeze for a moment, taking in the severity of his current situation. “If it’ll help you and the group to trust me, I’ll do whatever you guys say.”
Cyrus found his hand hovering over his holstered gun, but pulled away from it. He looked around the room, then pointed at Kyle. “You stay here for a minute.” He left the room, heading to the front door of the apartment. He whistled a shrill whistle, catching Milo and Marshal’s attention. The two lef… [view original content]
So I won’t be able to write anything this week or weekend, I’m very sorry about that but I’ll try to have the next chapter running by next Wednesday.
I actually wanted to share some scenes that were scrapped from the previous chapter, along with some little tidbits of information, a lot of them from the finale.
One of the first scrapped scenes that I can remember was from 2.10 (or 9) and that was the talk that Marshal and Milo had that was briefly mentioned in the finale. It was cut because the part was already being led by a different POV and it was a short conversation.
A segment was cut from one of the later parts in chapter two that gave more backstory on Pierre because it didn’t really fit well with the part.
There was also a line of conversation between Elizabeth and Filip before she was made aware of what Filip had done. The line subtly gave away Filip’s plan later on and was cut because I ultimately decided to give the two as little interaction as possible beforehand.
And finally, a scene scrapped towards the beginning of chapter two involved some dialogue from Cyrus’ mother, along with some from Marshal’s mother. The scene was cut and it actually would have shown up if the option to kill Kyle had been chosen.
Scenes that were cut from the finale and added to the finale, oh man.
The first one that comes to mind was a scene involving Isaac Hampton and Luke Lowell, discussing notes left behind by Alyssa from when she was still with the Organization. It was cut because it had no business being there, as chapter three Organization parts are going to be set in the past.
There were three scenes that involved Elizabeth, one with Alyssa, the other with Cyrus, and the final with Marshal. While the three scenes never coexisted, they were all cut to allow Alyssa and Marshal's investigation to take place.
Speaking of the investigation, Lecia was going to have a major part in the investigation until it was moved from a place in chapter three to the chapter two finale.
In the very first draft of the finale, there was a scene involving Milo calling out Marshal for the way he treated Kyle. The part would have revealed that the two were nowhere near as close to each other as they used to be, but it would also give a detail on Marshal that most characters don’t know. In Milo’s case, he simply forgot in the two years he’d been gone.
Some dialogue of Joseph’s had been cut from the finale, along with an appearance by Ethan.
There was a small segment towards the end that would have hinted towards some details on the Ammolite Organization, which has been mentioned in Pierre’s introduction part.
Last but not least, a final Cyrus piece was removed. The piece was a conversation with Marshal regarding Elizabeth. It was removed in favor of having a talk between the two and Alyssa. A choice had also been removed from that piece. In the piece, Marshal would say that he was glad Elizabeth was alive, obviously knowing there was a possibility she wouldn’t make it, but he was also say that someone needed to tell Filip what he did, otherwise he couldn’t be trusted to not do it again. Cyrus would disagree at first until Alyssa agreed with Marshal and said that he should do it. Cyrus would have had the option to agree with Alyssa, causing a confrontation between Filip and Marshal in the next chapter, or disagree with the both of them, which would have actually been the better option since nothing would have happened.
Now that that’s finished, I want to give some details on chapter three.
Chapter three is going to be a chapter that Voyager POVs stay in one place the entire time, while most Onyx Organization POVs will take place in the past.
Dialogue will probably be the most important part with the Voyagers, as Eris is a character who isn’t really capable of much in her actions.
There will be at least one flashback for the characters of Kyle, Alyssa, and Ethan.
In the sneak peek part, we saw an instance of Pierre, so I’m happy to be able to say that we’re going to learn a lot about the Aquamarine Organization in the chapter, along with some other Organizations with POVs led by some pretty powerful people.
I believe that is all I have to say for now, so until next Wednesday!
”Joseph.” Like Mathea and Tales pointed out, better go with the most reliable here.
ps: I''ve just got some free time this weekend and have been able to make some progress with re-writing Chelsea's submission. I'll most definitely pm her to you sometime this weekend! (I feel like I said that a lot lately... man, I really wish google forms hadn't screwed me up twice with both her other submissions )
(!) Voting is closed! Cyrus will take Kyle back to the bunker.
2.11- Chapter 2 Finale
“You do understand that if you don’t work with u… mores that I’ll have to kill you, right?” Cyrus started questioning Kyle once more, just to confirm that he had made the right decision. Kyle nodded, remaining quiet. “You also know that nobody is going to warm up to you immediately, correct? You’re going to be subject to more testing than you would be here, but it’s only to clear your reputation.”
Kyle seemed to freeze for a moment, taking in the severity of his current situation. “If it’ll help you and the group to trust me, I’ll do whatever you guys say.”
Cyrus found his hand hovering over his holstered gun, but pulled away from it. He looked around the room, then pointed at Kyle. “You stay here for a minute.” He left the room, heading to the front door of the apartment. He whistled a shrill whistle, catching Milo and Marshal’s attention. The two lef… [view original content]
1) Who is your favorite character? Eris is likeable, same as Milo. I also like Alyssa and her being rescued from Onyx organization.
2) And your least favorite? There are no least favorite, every character have something special to like about.
3) Who is a character you want to see more of? Dunno, I think every character gets as much spotlight possible as it is. It would be nice to see more of those, which had smaller roles though.
4) What is a theme you want to see more of? Romance.
5) Where do you believe the main story is going for the Voyagers? Hard to say, the situation in their ranks is getting pretty alarming...
6) Where do you believe the main story for the Onyx Organization is going? They are quite motivated to get hands on Voyagers, they certainly have enough people to do so.
7) Are there any plot points you believe I neglected that you would like to see covered? There are also other resistance groups like Voyagers, it would be nice to read more about them... perhaps different plot with different characters in it. I may even submit a character or two if you would need to cover some roles.
8) Is there any speculation you’d like to provide on the next time segment? I hope Elizabeth makes it alive, thanks to Alyssa.
9) Lastly, do you have any questions or comments of your own? It would like to see more descriptions of the world around, character physical appearances and such. Also more of the Voyagers would be nice, since for now they appear for me to be like, around 10 of them in total? What about the rest, are they the only ones? I don't remember if it was mentioned how many in total are living in that bunker or if it is only the ones we read about.
Alright, the second chapter is now finished. I don't really have much to say, other than I'm returning to the former voting system because e… moreven I'm getting a little bugged seeing [Choice] just before every option.
The Google Docs for the entirety of chapter two has been updated along with the document for alternate choices, and alternate choices will be posted under a spoiler, mainly to save room. (But also because I don't trust this update, shhhh 'tis a secret.)
(Spoiler)
Some few familiar questions,
1) Who is your favorite character?
2) And your least favorite?
3) Who is a character you want to see more of?
4) What is a theme you want to see more of?
5) Where do you believe the main story is going for the Voyagers?
6) Where do you believe the main story for the Onyx Organization is going?
7) Are there any plot points you believe I neglected that you would like to see covered?
8) Is there any speculation you’… [view original content]
It would be nice to see more of those, which had smaller roles though.
There are characters who had a small role this chapter that are planned to have a bigger role in the chapter, such as Ethan, Filip, Joseph, Eris, and in the Organization, there will be plenty of Luke and Isaac.
Romance.
A few subplots through chapter three and four with a few already established, questionable, and even those who seem like they’ve got nothing to do with each other can totally be expected ?
Hard to say, the situation in their ranks is getting pretty alarming...
It certainly is and with the upcoming chapter having the most determinant characters and endings, I can say that the next chapter Voyager POVs are going to focus exclusively on the group’s standing with each other personally.
There are also other resistance groups like Voyagers, it would be nice to read more about them... perhaps different plot with different characters in it. I may even submit a character or two if you would need to cover some roles.
There are tons of resistance groups, some in a better state than the Voyagers, like Pierre’s, and some in a more troubling position. Pierre’s group is planned to make their first major appearance sometime soon. As for characters, they’d certainly be welcomed.
I hope Elizabeth makes it alive, thanks to Alyssa.
I wouldn’t put it past Alyssa, she’s the best at what she does and she likely feels like she owes something to the Voyagers, especially Elizabeth, Marshal, and Milo, so saving her could be considered a favor to the other two. However, Alyssa did mention how quickly Elizabeth’s condition deteriorated and some unknown influencing factors. It could go either way but the coverage of the stabbing is planned to go at least halfway through chapter three.
Also more of the Voyagers would be nice, since for now they appear for me to be like, around 10 of them in total? What about the rest, are they the only ones? I don't remember if it was mentioned how many in total are living in that bunker or if it is only the ones we read about.
There’s eleven Voyagers in the bunker, a major jump from the original seven. Back in chapter one or early chapter two, Elizabeth mentioned a main base and not liking someone there, which was more than a minor detail The main base could be confused with Pierre’s group, but I can confirm they’re separate from each other. Most of the active Voyagers are in the bunker, there’s the main base, captives of the Organization, as well as some that are just missing.
1) Who is your favorite character? Eris is likeable, same as Milo. I also like Alyssa and her being rescued from Onyx organization.
2) An… mored your least favorite? There are no least favorite, every character have something special to like about.
3) Who is a character you want to see more of? Dunno, I think every character gets as much spotlight possible as it is. It would be nice to see more of those, which had smaller roles though.
4) What is a theme you want to see more of? Romance.
5) Where do you believe the main story is going for the Voyagers? Hard to say, the situation in their ranks is getting pretty alarming...
6) Where do you believe the main story for the Onyx Organization is going? They are quite motivated to get hands on Voyagers, they certainly have enough people to do so.
7) Are there any plot points you believe I neglected that you would like to see covered? There are also other resistance groups like Voyagers,… [view original content]
Cyrus motioned back to Marshal. “He won’t say it directly, but he thinks you should talk to Joseph first, a thought that I can agree with.”
Alyssa nodded, taking a minute to weigh her options. “It’ll be better for Eris if I get the true story, even if she doesn’t want help.” The two looked like they agreed, though neither of them had anything left to comment on. Cyrus was the first to dismiss himself after saying goodnight to the two, Alyssa just barely stopping Marshal before losing sight of him. “I know I said I was going to tell the rest about what happened, but I never got the chance to tell Milo. I don’t know if you want to handle telling him or if you want me to do that, but I’ll let you make the call.”
“I’d argue that Milo is the person who needs to know the most, why didn’t you tell him?”
“I couldn’t find him.” Marshal noticed Alyssa’s immediate defensive tone, taking that as a sign to back off. “Believe it or not, it’s difficult for someone who has been here for two days, compared to the rest of you guys.”
“I don’t know, Ethan was only here a week before you, I’d say you guys are on the same level.” He paused. “Oh, and my dad, who has been here for a shorter amount of time. I guess you could consider Milo if he forgot the layout of the place, which isn’t a stretch to assume.”
Alyssa started questioning herself on if he was trying to irritate her on purpose or if he just wasn’t social. “Marshal, could we focus on the original topic? Just for another minute, we need to determine who tells Milo.”
He nodded, staying quiet for a moment. “You should tell him. He’s heard a lot from me in the short amount of time he’s been back and he surely wasn’t happy with what I told him, so I don’t think he wants to hear about Elizabeth from me for a little bit longer.”
She studied him for a moment before a smile came across her face. “Then let me know which room is his and I’ll stop by.”
“It’s a gamble if he’s awake, but if you’re feeling confident then go for it.” Marshal led Alyssa down the dormitory hall, stopping at his own door and pointing out a room on the left of the hallway. “Last door on the left.”
“Thanks.” Alyssa reached out to stop him before he opened his door, a thought quickly jumping to the front of her mind. “I really need you to watch over Elizabeth. If she wakes up, starts bleeding again, or even looks worse, then come get me. I don’t want to take any chances with her recovery and with the state she’s in, every second counts.”
“Alyssa, hear me out. There is nothing I want more right now than for Elizabeth to get better, but more so to survive.” She watched a look of guilt cross over Marshal’s face. “I can’t even start to think about how this group would function without her, let alone my own life without her and I’m not willing to let her go until she knows that. I’m sorry to say that I’m probably not going to let you sleep a full night until I’m sure she’ll be better.”
Alyssa gave a reassuring smile and a nod. “She’s lucky to have someone like you watching out for her but don’t get paranoid over every move, okay? Look after her while you take care of yourself.” Alyssa got ready to walk away before turning back one last time. “And it wouldn’t kill you to try to be civil with your dad. It hasn’t even been a day and I’ve noticed the looks you give him.”
He shook his head and rolled his eyes. Alyssa could tell he wasn’t upset or annoyed by the suggestion, but tired of hearing the same suggestion. “If it does kill me, I’ll be sure to let someone know it was your idea.”
“You didn’t say no, so is that your way of saying you’ll try to be nicer?”
While he seemed like he was going to shut down the idea, he chuckled. “It’ll be beneficial for the entire group if I try and I’ve got more important things to do than worry about he’s done. Don’t expect it to be permanent though, because once things settle down they have to go back to normal.”
“It’s going to be permanent once you reach a mutual understanding with him and you know that.”
Marshal opened the door, getting ready to dismiss himself from the conversation. “I’ve always been told if you say something loud enough other people will believe you, maybe you’re not being loud enough.” He motioned down the hallway. “You should probably catch Milo if he’s still awake.”
Alyssa gave a slight nod before Marshal went into his room. She redirected herself to the hall, going to the room on the far left.
She gave a short, soft knock, quickly feeling doubt that she’d even been heard.
As she got ready to turn around and leave, the door opened. She could immediately see in his eyes that Milo was in distress for a reason she didn’t know. Normally, whoever was in the inside would speak first, but the distress caused Alyssa to grow a little nervous. “Is everything okay?”
He gave a nervous chuckle, his eyes lightening up a little. “I was going to ask you the same thing. I’m fine, but I wanted to know if you were adjusting well. I figured you were asleep, so I didn’t want to bother you.” His look grew concerned again. “Since you’re here and pretty late, I’ve got the sneaking suspicion that something is wrong. What happened?”
Alyssa crossed her hands politely in front of her and looked to Milo, putting on a sympathetic smile. “I have something really important to talk to you about and I’m not sure you would want me to talk about it in the open hallway.”
Looking into his light green eyes gave Alyssa chills, not because she had done anything wrong, but because it reminded her that Elizabeth had been in critical condition for nearly an entire night and Milo had never known. He took her word as a hint and welcome her into his room, shutting the door behind her. “Seriously, is something wrong? I can talk to someone if they’re bothering you.”
She took a moment to look around the room, noticing that he had likely been trying to sleep before she came around. It was the cleanest room she’d seen yet, no clothes on the floor or blood on the blankets. It was more organized than Marshal’s room, with Milo’s stuff sectioned by use. “I appreciate the offer, but it’s about Elizabeth.”
Milo gave her a look of confusion before leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. “Are you talking about how she chose to stay in Marshal’s room? Because I’m not too happy about that and I think she could have made better choices.”
“It’s partially about that.” She waited for him to chime in, quickly coming to the realization that he was going to let her go on. “I don’t know what you’ve been told and I haven’t gotten to talk to you about it, but there’s something you should know. Elizabeth is staying with Marshal right now because there’s a strong chance she won’t make it through tonight. What you saw was just the beginning.”
His eyes widened and his skin went pale in a matter of seconds. “What are you talking about?”
“She apparently got into trouble with someone and got stabbed. Nobody noticed for a bit, which made for the first problem, but she bled pretty heavily. I got her stitched up but there’s no certainty that she can make it through tonight with how much blood she lost.” Alyssa saw Milo start shaking, knowing the situation could only get worse from here. “If she can make it to the morning, her odds will already be significantly better.”
He stood there in silence, his breathing barely audible in the current moment. “Who did it?”
Alyssa moved to put herself in front of the door, preventing him from leaving. “Filip did it, but I need you to know that he wasn’t in his right mind and she got the first cut in.”
“Are you trying to justify the fact that he stabbed somebody?” She could see his face turning slightly red, likely in frustration.
“Milo, please calm down, I want to tell you everything but you’re not letting me.” A small look of guilt crossed over Milo’s face as he went quiet. “Cyrus said Filip had been snooping in the lab and found out something he didn’t need to and he immediately placed blame on Elizabeth. Marshal and I found out that Filip tried to leave, nobody was hurt at that point, but Elizabeth tried to threaten him to stay and he accidentally got cut by her. He stabbed her after she cut him because he didn’t know how else to react.”
Alyssa had thought she’d seen Milo at his worst moments before, but he had put that thought to rest. He looked like he desperately wanted to go find Filip but he knew she wasn’t going to let him. The desperation only got worse as she told him more details. “You’re afraid that I’m going to start something with Filip, aren’t you? I swear I won’t if you let me see her.”
Even in a moment of desperation, he still studied her and got an accurate result. “I’m pretty sure Marshal went to bed.”
“He’s the last person I can think of that would care about being woken up.” Alyssa took a moment to think about the situation. It was unlikely Marshal had actually fallen asleep in the time she’d been with Milo, but bringing another person into the room could pose a risk for Elizabeth.
[Allow Milo to go.] [Talk Milo out of it.]
Nicolas Donadieu
The city was quiet, the street lights shined as the trees blocked the moonlight. A blond man walked by his lonesome, the cold night wind nipping at him as he walked with his head down and his hands in his pockets.
Nicolas had come from a family of bastards and orphans, him holding both of those titles himself. His mother was a government worker and his father was a resistance leader. There was no known reason the two got in contact, only that they did and they ended up having a baby that they worked together to raise, despite their alignments.
The government had tried to use him against the Crusaders once they found out who his father was, but it didn’t work as his father not only knew they were bluffing but he had no strong bond with Nicolas.
As Nicolas grew older, he started working on taking down the Aquamarine Organization from the inside.
His mother knew about his plan, only telling him that any trouble he caused was his own mess to clean up.
There was no mess to clean for years to come until there were enough Crusaders to make a change by force.
Nicolas picked up a different identity after his father’s death, which also gave him the group. Nicolas, now known as Pierre, led the Crusaders to the Aquamarine Organization and that was where they made their final stand.
The Crusaders had taken the building by force and unchipped most of the workers, telling them about the Organization. If they continued to defend the Aquamarine Organization after their chip was removed, they were executed on the spot. His mother was one of those workers, she had been executed because Pierre wasn’t there to stop it.
After taking the Aquamarine Organization, they focused their efforts in defending incoming attacks by other organizations to try and reclaim it. They were defeated with ease as most of the organizations expected less from the Crusaders.
Nicolas drew himself out of his mind before he got distracted. He looked up from the ground, looking around his current location.
A park, likely the one next to the gathering center. He continued walking through the park, knowing he wasn’t too far off from his destination now.
The gathering center was the second largest building in the city, which is why it worked best for gatherings. The largest building in the city was now being used as a home for citizens from other organizations who had been involved with their resistance movement or had a resistance movement that had been controlled.
The citizens were taken excellent care of. That was something Nicolas had monitored himself, only wanting the best for his people.
Farmers shared their produce in harvesting time and were paid decently for their produce, some of them occasionally refusing payment. Tailors made clothes for the refugees of their organizations for free, while many business owners offered them jobs in baking, farming, crafting, tailoring, or trading.
There were monthly trading conventions that were monitored by higher-up Crusaders. The trades excluded nobody and most people did participate in them to get items they normally wouldn’t have another opportunity at receiving. Many bakers used the trading conventions to trade their products with farmers for ingredients.
One of Nicolas’ first goals after the Crusaders control was to expose the truth of the many deaths that had occurred in the time of the Aquamarine Organization’s control. The deaths were often masked as accidents or a missing person, as the Organization only made the deaths of Organization workers public information. If it was a citizen who died then the family and friends had their memories manipulated and any proof that the deceased existed was removed and the body was cremated.
It was a process that made him sick to watch because he often thought there would be no justice for the deceased. Though, there were some Crusaders who knew of the deaths that the Aquamarine Organization tried to cover up because they either witnessed them or heard about them immediately and they were quick enough to make an escape to the Crusaders before they were apprehended.
His walking led him to a line of houses on a dark residential street. He took a key out of his pocket and took himself to one of the doors.
Unlocking it and going inside, Nicolas immediately noticed the lights in the house were still on, but nobody seemed to be around. It was major concern for him, as three other people lived in the house.
He shut the door and locked it behind him, going into the main room only to be greeted by silence. “Marie?” He looked around the main room for a moment before starting to look through the halls. Just before he walked down the hall where Harvey and Abella stayed, something jumped into the corner of his eye. It caused him to quickly react, spinning around and grabbing the person’s wrists. “You need to be quicker than that.”
Nicolas already knew who it was when she jumped into his view, but seeing her face and hearing her laugh still relieved him. She rushed into his arms, her head resting on his chest. “Tell me you’re going to stay home longer.”
Marie Duval, the only person Nicolas held dear to him anymore. She was a citizen before she joined the Crusaders. The Aquamarine Organization had murdered her finacé years ago after he got too comfortable with them and they deemed him a threat to the Organization, ordering his assassination. “Until the reports are due, I don’t really expect them to comply when they haven’t complied yet.”
She pulled away, their eyes finally meeting. “Did you at least find out why they haven’t complied?”
While Nicolas was in charge of the people of the resistance, the Crusaders, and the citizens of former Aquamarine territory, Marie was in charge of training recruits. That didn’t stop her from voicing her concern about other resistance movements and how they were proceeding. “To tell you the truth, I learned nothing that I didn’t already expect. They’re a mess but they have three new people around, so they’re progressing in a way.”
Marie gave a soft smile, letting him know that they didn’t have to talk about the resistance if he didn’t want to, which she knew he probably didn’t want to. “Abella made dinner late tonight so we could eat when you came home.”
“Marie, it’s nearly two in the morning and dinner is supposed to be at seven, why would you wait so long to eat?”
Her smile faded as she cast a gaze of frustration. “Is it so bad that I want to spend time with you?”
He took her hand and started a walk to the dining room. “When it keeps you from eating and sleeping, yes. Do me a favor and don’t do things that you’ll regret tomorrow just for me.”
3.1
Cyrus motioned back to Marshal. “He won’t say it directly, but he thinks you should talk to Joseph first, a thought that I can agree … morewith.”
Alyssa nodded, taking a minute to weigh her options. “It’ll be better for Eris if I get the true story, even if she doesn’t want help.” The two looked like they agreed, though neither of them had anything left to comment on. Cyrus was the first to dismiss himself after saying goodnight to the two, Alyssa just barely stopping Marshal before losing sight of him. “I know I said I was going to tell the rest about what happened, but I never got the chance to tell Milo. I don’t know if you want to handle telling him or if you want me to do that, but I’ll let you make the call.”
“I’d argue that Milo is the person who needs to know the most, why didn’t you tell him?”
“I couldn’t find him.” Marshal noticed Alyssa’s immediate defensive tone, taking that as a sign to back off. “Believe it or not, it’… [view original content]
3.1
Cyrus motioned back to Marshal. “He won’t say it directly, but he thinks you should talk to Joseph first, a thought that I can agree … morewith.”
Alyssa nodded, taking a minute to weigh her options. “It’ll be better for Eris if I get the true story, even if she doesn’t want help.” The two looked like they agreed, though neither of them had anything left to comment on. Cyrus was the first to dismiss himself after saying goodnight to the two, Alyssa just barely stopping Marshal before losing sight of him. “I know I said I was going to tell the rest about what happened, but I never got the chance to tell Milo. I don’t know if you want to handle telling him or if you want me to do that, but I’ll let you make the call.”
“I’d argue that Milo is the person who needs to know the most, why didn’t you tell him?”
“I couldn’t find him.” Marshal noticed Alyssa’s immediate defensive tone, taking that as a sign to back off. “Believe it or not, it’… [view original content]
T-t-t tie breaker! And right in time for a very interesting part on top of that, because Nicolas intrigues me quite a lot, he strikes me as a character I would like to read more about
[Talk Milo out of it.]
I think Milo is really not in the right mind to do just about anything right now. He's clearly distraught and hey, he's got a very good reason to be, but that is all the more reason to keep him closely guarded until he has calmed down a bit. You know, keeping him company, talking to him, maybe helping him through the initial shock. The whole situation is precarious as it is and I would definitely not want to add Milo in his current state of mind to the whole equation, so I believe it will be for the best to try and talk to him. Even if Alyssa does not manage to talk him out of it, maybe she can calm him down a bit and I feel like that is important. I just don't hope trying to talk to him will make things worse. I mean, Elizabeth is in a very critical condition and if he sees her like that, he could flat out snap. I can empathize with him, but I don't know what good can come out of him putting himself through the pain of seeing her right now.
3.1
Cyrus motioned back to Marshal. “He won’t say it directly, but he thinks you should talk to Joseph first, a thought that I can agree … morewith.”
Alyssa nodded, taking a minute to weigh her options. “It’ll be better for Eris if I get the true story, even if she doesn’t want help.” The two looked like they agreed, though neither of them had anything left to comment on. Cyrus was the first to dismiss himself after saying goodnight to the two, Alyssa just barely stopping Marshal before losing sight of him. “I know I said I was going to tell the rest about what happened, but I never got the chance to tell Milo. I don’t know if you want to handle telling him or if you want me to do that, but I’ll let you make the call.”
“I’d argue that Milo is the person who needs to know the most, why didn’t you tell him?”
“I couldn’t find him.” Marshal noticed Alyssa’s immediate defensive tone, taking that as a sign to back off. “Believe it or not, it’… [view original content]
(!) Voting is closed! Alyssa will try to talk Milo out of seeing Elizabeth.
In terms of what’s better for Elizabeth and Filip, this was probably the better choice. However, for Milo and Alyssa, this choice is likely going to build up the trust between the two.
The next part, which will be posted momentarily, is thrown around in all sorts of POV, but it does start a series of flashbacks. The first flashback delves into Marshal and Elizabeth’s relationship, as well as some more information on Dawn, and what happened after Milo disappeared.
“Absolutely not.” Alyssa planted her spot in front of the door and crossed her arms. “You’re thinking for yourself, not for Elizabeth. You want to see her but you’re not considering the fact that you’re going to expose her to anything sickness you brought from the city with you.”
It wasn’t a lie and it was actually quite important either the condition Elizabeth was in. “Marshal was in the city earlier tonight, why aren’t you keeping him from seeing her?”
Alyssa felt a pang of guilt when she looked into Milo’s pleading eyes. “Because Marshal went to my apartment, that was it. You were all over the city for two years straight, so you probably have more going on than you think. That, and I can’t really stop Marshal, I don’t know him at all but I’m sure he’s going to take care of Elizabeth.”
Milo took a deep breath before sitting in the edge of his bed. “You would think that after two years that I would come to the understanding that she’s an adult, but what Filip did to her… Alyssa, he tried to kill her, didn’t he?”
He looked back up to her, getting a small nod. “He did but Cyrus and Lecia saved her. I know you think that it’s like everyone else is ignoring what happened, I can see it, but they’re not. I had to tell Joseph what happened and I could see the sadness in his eyes. I see the frustration and anger in you and Marshal both, I see guilt in Lecia. You’re all responding in your own ways, but you’re not thinking about Elizabeth or Filip. Filip doesn’t even remember what happened and Elizabeth probably won’t either.”
“You told Joseph? What did he have to say about it?”
She knew he was asking on what Joseph had to say about Filip, but Alyssa had left that note out when she spoke to him. “He’s working on what to tell Pierre. Ethan, Eris, Filip, and Kyle are the only ones in the bunker that don’t know anything about it.”
Alyssa could see that Milo was trying to bring himself around to the idea. “And what about her basic needs? How’s that going to work?”
She felt herself lighten up, her body easing up as well. “I haven’t thought too much about it yet, but I think I’m going to have to let her shake off the medicine a few times to give her the opportunity to eat since we don’t have the proper equipment to give her nutrients through the IV. She is staying hydrated through it, though. Showering would be difficult either way, even though it’s currently out of the question, but Marshal’s going to have to deal with that. He’s already agreed to keep an eye on her sets and change the dressing whenever he needs to.” Alyssa gave a soft smile. “She’s going to be taken care of, I swear.”
Milo took back to his feet and came towards Alyssa, which made her think he was going to leave until he ended up pulling her into a hug. “You didn’t have to do this. You didn’t have to stay with the group and you didn’t have to help anyone here. Thank you, Alyssa. I’m sure things are going to be difficult on you, but if things get too tough on you then let me know, don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
She couldn’t help but be thrown off by it. Alyssa never did what she did for glory or for thanks, she did it for the good she saw in other people. She knew Elizabeth was good based on how Milo spoke about her before they came around the Voyagers, but she also knew Milo had been struggling since he had been taken from them for multiple reasons. “You don’t need to thank me, it’s what a doctor does.”
He pulled away and looked a little offended by the comment. “Every doctor I’ve seen before you would have let her die because she’s related to David Neil, whether they knew she was a Voyager or not. They tried to leave me for dead as often as they could and they probably would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for Kyle. I trust you with taking care of Elizabeth because you’ve already saved my life twice by taking me from Kyle’s care and getting me out of the city. You need to give yourself some more credit.”
“What I need to do is make some final adjustments for Elizabeth, so please get some rest.”
Alyssa went to leave the room, barely hearing Milo’s final comment before she left. “It’s an uphill climb from here.”
The door shut and locked behind her. She looked into her own room only to realize she had forgotten to remind Lecia about replacing the sheets and blankets she had taken. She went back down the hall, knocking on Marshal’s door as soon as she reached it.
She got a slow response, which made her worry for a moment. “Is there something you need?” He sounded tired.
“Yeah, I’m not too proud to admit it, but I forgot two very important things. Elizabeth’s shirt was soaked in blood, but that was never a priority to me so unless you changed her, she’s wearing the same bloody clothes.”
He flipped the light switch next to the door and opened the door completely to let Alyssa in. “That was one thing, what was the other?” He shut the door behind Alyssa, pointing to a dresser at the other side of the room. “You can pick through her clothes or use mine if you think her clothes might irritate her or whatever.”
“That’s actually not a bad idea. It’ll be better for her to wear a shirt that’s loose on her to keep from smothering the wounds.” Alyssa took herself to the dresser and started looking through the drawers. “Is there a certain shirt that you don’t mind getting dirty?”
“There should be a light blue one in the very bottom of the last drawer. It’s not my color and never has been so have at it. There’s a pair of sweatpants in the middle drawer and her shorts are mixed in with her stuff, you can pick from either of those.”
Alyssa picked out what she felt would work best before instructing Marshal on how to help her. Her goal was to get Elizabeth into clean, comfortable clothes without causing any irritation or reopening either sets.
They got her changed with as much difficulty as they both expected, Marshal pointing out that Elizabeth seemed to be in a haze, rather than asleep. The comment would normally concern Alyssa, but she knew at current moment that Elizabeth needed to eat sometime.
Alyssa stayed around the room for another hour before making a plan to get Elizabeth to eat.
The two went to the kitchen beforehand and warmed up some soup before returning to get Elizabeth. She had to be carried to the dining room but seemed to be becoming more aware of her surroundings with each minute.
They set her up in the dining room, Alyssa sitting closer to her IV stand and Marshal on the other side of her. The two noticed how quiet she had been, which looked to make Marshal nervous.
“Elizabeth, how are you feeling?” Alyssa knew the answer would determine her plan for the next few days.
She got a small shrug in response, along with some murmuring.
Alyssa had no plans to say anything about it, but Marshal did. “Can you say whatever you said again? You were muttering.”
Elizabeth seemed annoyed by the request but complied either way. “I said it hurts.”
“What hurts?” Alyssa now felt a little relieved that Marshal had her repeat herself.
“My face.” Elizabeth’s tone was hostile and it wasn’t difficult to pick up on. Alyssa figured there was a reason for it but it shouldn’t come as a surprise since Marshal didn’t really seem phased by it. “I’m tired.”
“That’s surprising considering you’ve been out all night now.” Alyssa looked at a clock that showed it was now in the early morning hours.
Elizabeth jerked her attention to Marshal. “Did she call me lazy?”
“No, she didn’t.” She still looked upset. “Liz, just calm down. Please eat something so that way we can all go to bed.”
She narrowed her eyes, then quickly looked ahead of her. “What if I don’t want to go to bed?”
“You just said that you did.” Marshal rested his head on his hand, knowing whatever he said to her wasn’t going to be right. “But even if you really don’t want to then that’s pretty unfortunate for you I guess since Alyssa and I are going to bed after this.”
A small look of shock came over Elizabeth as she looked between the two. “Are you two-“ She stopped herself, looking between the two again. “No, that can’t be, he’s my husband.” She looked over her outfit before raising her hand to her cheek.
Marshal reacted before Alyssa had the chance to, snapping at Elizabeth to get her attention. “Don’t touch your stitches.”
“Fine, I didn’t want to anyways.” She sighed and then leaned towards Marshal. “When are we ever gonna have a baby? I’m already old and you’re older and we’re both getting older, time doesn’t wait.”
Alyssa couldn’t help but laugh as Marshal’s face quickly turned red in embarrassment. “I’m.. We’ll talk about this another day, please stop talking and eat before you say something that gets us both in trouble.”
She pulled herself away from Marshal and looked to Alyssa. “He definitely overreacted, he may talk bad about babies but he totally wants one.”
Alyssa nodded, trying to keep herself from laughing at Elizabeth, knowing it could spark an unwarranted reaction. “I know what you mean, some people can really be divas.”
Elizabeth looked at Marshal again before looking to Alyssa once more, a look of shock on her face before her silence was replaced with nervous laughter. “I can’t believe it.” She looked at her left hand. “I’m a wife.”
“We never agreed on that.”
She ate a bit of her soup before pushing her bowl forward and laying her head down on the table. “I want to talk to Lecia.”
Alyssa cleaned up the rest of the soup before letting Marshal know it was time to go. He had to carry Elizabeth once again, which seemed to be more difficult the more awake she was. “I bet you regret trying to get her to talk now.”
“I didn’t know she was going to act that way, I figured she’d be easier coming off of anesthetics.” Alyssa wondered if Elizabeth had fallen asleep in Marshal’s arms as her silence resumed after she had hid her face from the light by nestling her head in his shoulder. “At least you know what to expect in any similar situations with her now.”
“I’d rather deal with this Elizabeth the rest of my life than have another situation like the one that got her here. She did seem happier tonight than she has in a long time, which is pretty bad, but I think she’s going to be a lot happier now that Milo’s back.”
Alyssa chuckled. “I think she’ll be happier when she gets that baby she wants.”
He sighed and rolled his eyes. “The baby she wants, thanks for catching on quicker than she did herself. If I can be honest, I’m kind of afraid with my dad around again because he’s the type of person who thinks lineage is everything. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that if Elizabeth finds that out then she’s going to encourage him to try to talk me into it.”
“It’s commitment that freaks you out, isn’t it? You’re bound to the Voyagers for the rest of your life, a wife and a baby are two more lifelong commitments that you’re not sure you’re ready to make.”
Marshal gave a small smile, seemingly relieved that someone understood it. “That’s exactly it. I say I don’t like kids, but if we were in a better position as a group or we had more people then I wouldn’t completely against the idea. It’s a scary thought when you’re a scout because any trip out there could be your last.” He looked to Elizabeth before looking back up. “I don’t want to do that to her because I know how she handles loss, it would just be cruel for me to get close to her on a different level and then the idea of a possible baby, no way. I heard how Lecia talked about Morgan after Jonas died and I don’t want to put Elizabeth in a situation that even slightly resembles theirs because of how badly it tore Lecia apart.”
“You focus on the negative a lot, don’t you?” The two entered the room. Alyssa set the IV stand back up next to the bed while Marshal tried to put Elizabeth back down, despite her refusal to be put back down. “I think she likes you for more than just the fact that you can give her children, it goes deeper than that and I probably won’t even begin to be able to explain it to you because it’s Elizabeth that’s feeling these feelings. She doesn’t seem like the type to use people to get what she wants, despite what I’ve heard. She likes you because you’re good to her and you’re the only who made an effort to understand her while Milo was gone, I don’t think that would leave a temporary impression.”
Marshal laid on the bed himself, hoping it would encourage Elizabeth to let go of him. “You know, I’m not completely disconnected from her.” He held up Elizabeth’s left hand. “The ring she was talking about earlier was my mom’s engagement ring. She gave it to me before we left the city and told me time and time again that I needed to give it to someone that I cared about the most and someone who I would be able to spend the rest of my life with.” He let go of her hand, but continued to look at the ceiling. “I guess I already made a commitment then, didn’t I?”
Alyssa nodded, a smile coming across her face. “It sounds like your mother knew ahead of time that you were going to try to avoid commitment.”
“She was pretty smart, but I don’t think she saw it coming.” Marshal looked to Elizabeth before sighing. He sounded tired, but he seemed happy for all that had happened around him lately. “Elizabeth, I know you’re faking being asleep, but I guess we’re married after all and it just went past me.”
Elizabeth sat up, Marshal keeping a hand behind her in case she got dizzy. “I don’t know why you’re scared, I really don’t get it. We’re not in the greatest place but we’re safe with people who we know we can trust.”
Alyssa knew Elizabeth didn’t really intend to give off a compliment towards her with her comment on trust, but she was happy to accept it nonetheless. “I get it, I get it. You’re supposed to be resting, we can talk about this later.”
She had to give it to Elizabeth, it was the most reasonable thing she’d said the entire night and she was right about it. The people in the bunker were trustworthy because they all knew each other personally, it gave them more hope in their group to know who was doing what, rather than having their jobs shifted off to people they couldn’t know or trust.
Eris Duke
Eris had woken up early every single day for the past two years to help Lecia with breakfast after Morgan’s disappearance. She knew Lecia well enough to know that even daily tasks were difficult for her after Jonas and Morgan were gone.
She’d be lying if she said it wasn’t difficult on her as well. What happened to Jonas, Morgan, and Milo took a toll on the entire group, causing some people to work harder and sparking fear in some others. It taught them that even a little girl wasn’t safe from whatever had taken her, which still wasn’t known.
When Eris got ready for the day ahead, she left her room and went straight to the kitchen. She heard Lecia talking to herself, which wasn’t anything new, but it was what she was saying that was new. “He didn’t mean to hurt her and you don’t need to be any more involved than you already are. She’s going to be okay and things are going to go back to normal.”
Lecia sounded nervous, a bit shaken up. Eris took a seat on a barstool that sat in front of one of the counters. “It’s a little early to be talking nonsense, don’t you think?”
She jumped, quickly regaining her formal posture. “If you think that’s nonsense, just wait until everyone else wakes up. Cyrus is around somewhere, but he told me to be on the lookout for someone new and to not talk nonsense when I find out who they are.”
“So it’s probably someone you’ve at least heard about and if you’ve heard about them then we all know them in a way.” She had to admit, the thought of someone new in the bunker excited her a little. She cherished the people she’d known for years, but she was always up for meeting new people.
Lecia looked to the doorway behind Eris and put a smile on. “Good morning, Ethan.” She started a brew of coffee when she saw he still looked pretty out of it, then went to gathering some ingredients and laying them out on the counter closest to her.
He yawned before stretching out and sitting on the barstool next to Eris. “You two seem pretty happy, is it someone’s birthday today or something?”
“No, but thank you for the reminder.” Lecia turned to Eris. “Marshal’s birthday is coming up, do you want to try and figure out what he wants?”
“He’s a pretty subtle person but he’s probably already told Elizabeth, try talking to her.” Eris noticed Lecia’s dismissal of the suggestion. “It won’t hurt you to just talk to her.”
Ethan rested his arms on the counter, listening to the conversation. “I can talk to one of them if you don’t want to.”
Lecia kept her smile plastered on her face, turning back the the ingredients she had at hand. “I think that’s a better idea. All the scouts need more friends that aren’t each other, it wouldn’t hurt them to step out a little. Plus Ethan could use some socialization as well, no offense.”
“None taken.” Ethan commented. “I’ll talk to him next time I see him.”
Cyrus joined the three in the kitchen, followed by Joseph and Milo. It felt like an oddly played out dream to see Milo back after two years but to also have brought a doctor with him. It was a strange feeling that Eris welcomed.
There was idle chatter between the six until Alyssa and Marshal joined them. Lecia had a small talk with Alyssa in private before she pulled Joseph into the dining room to talk with him. It made Eris a little nervous see Milo and Marshal without Elizabeth, but she put that feeling to the side when she realized the group was already getting comfortable with the new members.
Joseph and Alyssa returned after a few minutes just before Filip arrived in the kitchen. Eris scanned over the group, noticing Lecia and Alyssa had become nervous with Filip’s arrival, each of them keeping their eyes on Milo.
Marshal stopped his conversation with Ethan before putting a smile on his face in a similar manner to how Lecia did earlier that morning. “Morning, Filip.”
Eris noticed the look Milo gave Marshal before taking on a smile himself. “How’d you sleep?”
Something was up with those two. It was obvious.
Filip seemed a little thrown off by the attention himself before returning the gestures. “Good morning to you both and the rest of you as well.”
The nervous look Lecia had was replaced by a somewhat relieved smile. “Cyrus, who was the person you were telling me about earlier?”
“I haven’t seen him around yet.” He turned his attention to Marshal. “That tells me someone didn’t invite him to breakfast.”
“Guilty as charged, I forgot.” Marshal had lightened up after Filip spoke to them, making Eris believe it was just the nervousness of seeing someone first thing in the morning.
Lecia scoffed. “Did you forget or did you not want to do it? I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the words ‘I forgot’ out of your mouth.”
He shrugged before heading towards the doorway. “I seriously forgot this time, in fact I’ll go do it now.”
Eris looked to Joseph, seeing happiness in his eyes. He normally kept a neutral face but he couldn’t hide emotions from his wife even if he tried. “It really does take a village to raise a child, doesn’t it?”
“I could swear we’re still raising four of them.” Milo and Filip immediately knew Eris’ comment was about them but they both knew better than to contradict a joke. Eris turned to Alyssa, seeing she looked to be tired. “Alyssa, how did you sleep last night?”
She chuckled before realizing the group’s attention was now on her. “It was tough, a new environment and some little tasks kept me up late last night. I’ll get used to it soon, though.”
Lecia looked to the woman before going into the cabinet and taking out some plates. “Feel free to say no to any of us if you want, you’re not obligated to do anything for us.” She stopped, a confused look crossing her face. “Does anyone have a plate in their room? I’m missing two and we’re going to need them.”
The room stayed silent until Milo spoke up. “Elizabeth isn’t going to be around for breakfast today, so don’t worry about a plate for her.”
Eris sighed, catching the attention of Ethan, Joseph, and Cyrus. “Why won’t she be coming? Milo, I’m sorry to say this but I don’t think it’s right that she skips out on you so soon after you get back.”
Cyrus looked behind Eris, quickly taking to his feet and clearing his throat. “Guys, this is the person I talked about. Some of you already know him, but this is Kyle Kennedy.”
The group remained silent until Joseph started an introduction. “Welcome, Kyle. My name is Joseph Duke,” He then motioned towards Eris. “and this is my wife, Eris.” He then pointed at Lecia. “That’s Lecia Albero. I’m sure you already know the scouts.”
The older man moved to take a seat, giving Eris the indication that he wasn’t well off on his feet. “I know most of them.” He looked towards Filip. “What’s your name?”
His posture immediately straightened out, losing any slouch he had earlier. “Filip Cloet, sir.”
Marshal now leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed. “Alyssa, do you guys already know each other?”
The red-headed woman seemed to be dozing off until Lecia stepped in front of her, snapping her fingers to grab her attention. “I’m sorry, what did you need?”
“Come talk to me for a minute.” Marshal looked a little concerned as he pushed himself off the doorway, going into the dining room with Alyssa following behind.
Kyle looked on as the two left before turning his attention back to the group, specifically Milo. “I already know her and Milo, but I was told there was another Neil around here.”
Lecia chimed in before Eris or Milo got to respond. “Yes, there is. Elizabeth isn’t around right now, but I’m sure she’ll find a way to make you get to know her.” She sighed. “Even if you don’t want to.”
Cyrus nodded. “Eris will let you know about the people and let you determine if you want to get close to her afterwards but Elizabeth gives you no choice.”
Milo shook his head, a smile on his face. “Ethan, did she force you to become friends with her?”
“No, but she hasn’t been around much since I joined the group.”
“He’s just giving them the benefit of the doubt.” Milo looked past Eris, causing her to look back and see nothing. “I just remembered something important, I’ll be back later.”
Milo left the kitchen, only Ethan and Eris seemed to be concerned by it. “They’re being strange today.” Eris turned to Joseph. “Is everything okay with them?”
Joseph was hesitant to answer, causing Kyle to speculate an answer. “Marshal’s always been good about staying out of trouble and Milo tends to think of others before himself, I don’t think it could be anything too severe.”
Two years prior
It was Elizabeth and Marshal who kept looking for Milo and Morgan long after even Lecia herself considered the two to be to dead.
They stayed in the city for two weeks after Elizabeth’s first few weeks away from the bunker, hoping beyond hope that at least one of the two would show up or an answer to their whereabouts would be offered, but their waiting was to no avail.
While they were in the city, they both tried to get an answer in their own ways. They would meet for dinner afterwards and discuss their results, which was often the same “nothing new, but maybe tomorrow will be better.”
Their position as agents have them a small advantage in their investigation, but they were normally told to avoid the fourth floor regardless of their role. That was a command from Isaac Hampton himself that Luke would have to enforce. They stayed away from the fourth floor because they knew it would be suspicious if they suddenly showed up there and started snooping around.
Marshal could see that Elizabeth was losing hope as each day passed but he couldn’t blame her. Milo was the only family she had left and it was a common agreement among the Voyagers that it was unlikely he’d show up again.
She kept on a brave face the entire time, continued showing kindness to the people around her and offered support to Marshal quite often, but refused his help whenever he offered.
It was a cold March night when the two decided they needed to leave the city if they didn’t get answers that next day. They each worked as hard as they could to try and find evidence of the survival or deaths of Milo and Morgan, coming up without any proof once again.
That next night was colder and Elizabeth had left headquarters before Marshal did with the secretary saying she didn’t see her go to the apartments but towards the rundown part of the city.
He had a suspicion as to where she went, likely because she figured he wouldn’t follow her there.
A long walk led him to a diner that had been shut down around eleven years back. The same diner his mother had spent countless days and nights working just to keep her son in a functioning home. Whenever Marshal asked about the diner, he was told they shut down after Dawn, his mother, decided to start up a diner in another state. An obvious lie to anyone who knew Dawn personally.
The last time he had tried to go into the diner he found that the almost all of the doors were locked except for the door in the back with a broken lock from a break-in that they never bothered to replace. That door was only jammed shut with a chair like it had been before the diner was shut down.
Testing the doors around the diner now found the door in the back to be unjammed and unlocked, prompting Marshal to believe that it was in fact where Elizabeth had gone.
He went into the diner, shutting the back door behind him. The once bright diner that hosted tons of people for every meal of the day was now as dark as it could be with wallpaper chipping off the wall, exposing the colorless wall underneath. The kitchen was completely empty, the bare countertops showing off the collected dust. He didn’t know if it was the general aura of the area or if she was really that upset, but he saw Elizabeth sitting on the floor of the main room, surrounded by tables with chairs stacked on top of them.
Marshal went back into the kitchen, opening up a closet that held a mop, a broom, more cleaning supplies, and an apron with a bandana. He knew his mother had used the bandana to keep her hair back because she didn’t like hair nets.
He grabbed the apron and bandana before leaving the closet and looking through the drawers of the kitchen counters. He took a spatula before putting the apron on along with the bandana. He left the kitchen, spatula in hand before sneaking to what his mother referred to as ‘order island’ where a bell sat.
He put his left hand in the pocket of the apron and hit the bell with the spatula, causing a shrill ding to fill the room that made Elizabeth to quickly jump to her feet. “C’mon hon, order sometime today before we stop servin’ breakfast cause if you don’t we’ll put interest on your tab for wastin’ our time. Still not ready to order? That’s fine, we both have somewhere to be but my destination is just across the room, have fun explainin’ to your boss how you were late to work cause you needed an in-depth look at a menu.”
A smile crossed Elizabeth’s face and her eyes lit up once again. “What are you doing?”
“What I’ve trained since birth for.” She approached the island, sliding into one of the stools in front of him. “I’m quitting every job I have, this is the only one I need.”
“I had no idea you were such a Southern belle, how’d you keep it under wraps for so long?”
He faked a gasp, covering his mouth with the spatula. “I can’t say I know what you’re talking about, ma’am, you’re just tryin’ to butter me up.”
Elizabeth ended up cracking at the act. Hearing her laugh and seeing her smile after so long was actually a relief to him.
Being back in the diner after so long was an odd feeling and the act he was putting on only made the feeling more confusing to him. Though, they were both something that made Elizabeth a little more cheerful again, making them both welcome.
He sighed while she was still laughing, taking off the bandana and the apron, setting them next to the bell with the spatula on top of them. He went to the other side of the island, sitting next to Elizabeth and waiting for her to regain herself. “How did you know I was here?”
“I figured there was only one place that you didn’t expect me to go into and this is it.” He looked into Elizabeth’s eyes, quickly noticing that she was studying him. “You were wrong about that, but there is one place I won’t go.”
She stayed silent as she continued looking over him. It didn’t take long for her to realize that he wasn’t happy to be back in the diner again but he was going to be there for her as long as he needed to. “I think I know what you’re talking about, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“Good because I didn’t come here for me, I came here for you.” He turned in his seat to face her. “What’s going on with you? I don’t think you’ve actually opened up to me since we came back.”
She put her hands in her lap before giving off a kind smile. “I wasn’t happy with the reason we’re here, I’m not happy to be leaving empty-handed, but I’ll live and I’ll get better.”
It was easy to get lost in her eyes. Elizabeth had always been the kindest of the group, choosing to give up her entire future for the cause. She’d been considered one of the most dedicated of the group and she didn’t even know it. She didn’t deserve to lose Milo, just as Lecia didn’t deserve to lose Morgan.
A look of confusion crossed her face as she slightly tilted her head. “Marshal?”
It was a snapback to reality. “What?”
“We should probably head back to the apartments to get ready to leave tomorrow, don’t you think?” He was now thinking on if she had just changed the subject or if she had talked herself to the subject and only just now realized he tuned out.
He nodded, taking to his feet. She led the way back to the apartments, the two walking in silence until Marshal noticed Elizabeth rubbing her arms to try and keep herself warm. The issue with the required outfits was the thin jackets that hardly kept anybody warm.
Marshal took his jacket off and draped it around her shoulders, pulling the sleeves of his shirt down and slipping his hands into his pockets afterwards. She looked a little concerned at the gesture, but still accepted the jacket. “Thank you.”
They walked in a comfortable silence, admiring the night sky as they went to the apartments.
He walked her to her apartment like he normally did. She went to take his jacket off before he stopped her. “Keep it. We’re only going to be here for twelve more hours and it looks better on you than it does me.”
“Are you-“ she stopped her question once they met eyes, the two of them standing in just each other’s company until Marshal leaned in.
They shared a kiss before changing their original plans, ultimately deciding to stay another day but to take a break as well.
Interesting, sorry I'm kind of new here could someone give me a short story explication for most important things that happen to the story, those consequential parts except the ones that are trivial or those that aren't related to the story anymore.
Sure, I’d be happy to! Also, if anyone notices anything that I’ve missed, they can add it.
I should probably add beforehand that each chapter has a specific character who won’t have many POVs but their choices are actually the most consequential of the chapter, most of them carrying into the next chapter. Also, I’ll be putting it under a spoiler as to keep from using too much room.
The prologues were basic introductions to the Voyagers, a resistance group based in South Dakota (a detail that was never explicitly stated.) The prologues also introduce the Onyx Organization, but never really reveals how the organizations or resistance movements works, it mainly introduces the characters. A rundown of the characters can be found here: https://imgur.com/a/zs2WZ
Chapter one gave a look further into the relationships between the characters that were already set. Most of the choices in chapter one determined what type of character Elizabeth would turn out to be. Voyager POVs revealed that the group was in a pretty desperate state while Onyx POVs showed that they weren’t too concerned about the Voyagers but they still wanted to get their hands on the members of the group. Ethan gets inducted into the Voyagers in the first half of the first chapter and is given the opportunity to snoop around, which allowed him to learn about Filip’s past before most of the group. Elizabeth and Marshal go into the city, revealing their roles as undercover agents but causing them to become targets for Isaac Hampton’s attempt at drawing it Voyagers. The finale reveals that Milo, who was expected to be dead, was in fact alive. The final choice was one that would determine the type of relationship Elizabeth and Marshal had, ultimately ending up a romantic relationship instead of a platonic one.
The first choice in chapter two branches off from the chapter one finale and determines what the two in the city would do about Milo. Afterwards, a man named Pierre is introduced and explained to be accepted as a revolutionary leader for every group. Ethan leaves just as Pierre arrives, causing Pierre to crack down on the Voyagers and how they run things. Cyrus is tasked with getting Ethan back, only to run into trouble with three Onyx Organization members. Filip sent Pierre and Joseph to Cyrus’ location after Pierre demanded the coordinates of the two in the city, ultimately saving Cyrus and Ethan’s lives. When they get back to the bunker, Filip reveals to Cyrus that he knows about his past with the Organization and tries to intimidate Cyrus with that knowledge. Elizabeth and Marshal end up getting Milo back and unchipping Alyssa Kowalska, a doctor, while they have the opportunity. Pierre leaves after meeting with the two who returned from the city. Cyrus warns Elizabeth that Filip is aware of his situation now. She doesn’t do anything with the information until Filip attempts to leave, to which she threatens him and accidentally cuts him. In retaliation, he stabs her with the intention of killing her. Cyrus and Lecia break the two up before taking Elizabeth to Alyssa, only discovering the original wound after a few minutes. Cyrus, Milo, and Marshal go back into the city where they run into Kyle, Marshal’s father who works on the fourth floor. Marshal gives Cyrus the option of killing Kyle or leaving him, Cyrus choosing to take Kyle back to the bunker. In the finale, Alyssa and Marshal lead an investigation as to what happened with Elizabeth and Filip before they have a talk with Cyrus on what’s going to happen with Elizabeth and Eris’s treatment.
Interesting, sorry I'm kind of new here could someone give me a short story explication for most important things that happen to the story, those consequential parts except the ones that are trivial or those that aren't related to the story anymore.
3.2
“Absolutely not.” Alyssa planted her spot in front of the door and crossed her arms. “You’re thinking for yourself, not for Elizabeth… more. You want to see her but you’re not considering the fact that you’re going to expose her to anything sickness you brought from the city with you.”
It wasn’t a lie and it was actually quite important either the condition Elizabeth was in. “Marshal was in the city earlier tonight, why aren’t you keeping him from seeing her?”
Alyssa felt a pang of guilt when she looked into Milo’s pleading eyes. “Because Marshal went to my apartment, that was it. You were all over the city for two years straight, so you probably have more going on than you think. That, and I can’t really stop Marshal, I don’t know him at all but I’m sure he’s going to take care of Elizabeth.”
Milo took a deep breath before sitting in the edge of his bed. “You would think that after two years that I would come to the understanding t… [view original content]
The day after Kyle Kennedy went missing, his chip was tracked to Alyssa’s apartment, disconnected and shattered. The security team went through the last night it was active, finding that he ran into three Voyagers in the apartment.
Luke was called in to review what happened along with Isaac Hampton. They found the chip revealed Kyle agreeing to have his chip disconnected, who the Voyagers were, a fourth name, what they wanted, and a small description of their area.
Kyle agreed to have his chip disconnected after speaking with someone who seemed to be in charge, only the first name Cyrus was known. He had gotten into a confrontation with someone who knew about Dawn and criticized his parenting, which could only be their son. Milo could be heard in the background. A fourth name was mentioned, Elizabeth.
Luke didn’t need an extra moment to think. “Kyle Kennedy, Marshal Kennedy, Milo Neil, Elizabeth Neil, and ‘Cyrus’. There’s five names, but what was said about VE and Elizabeth are contradicting statements. The second man claimed VE was dead, but the same man later on went to say Elizabeth would clear the chip.”
“What makes you so certain that Elizabeth is VE, Mr. Lowell?” Isaac chimed in, not letting Luke continue.
“It’s obvious.” He replied, his voice staying firm. “There’s only one programmer that we know about and to say Elizabeth would have the capability of clearing a chip of ours would infer that she’s the programmer. That, and Lyla Richardson provided me with evidence to the theory before now, this just proves it.” He didn’t wait for Isaac to respond again. “Moving on, they went there for the Onyx Organization booklet provided to new employees, like Alyssa. A comment from Marshal makes me believe that they have it.”
Isaac turned his attention to his assistant. “Send two people back to the apartment to search for the booklet, don’t let anyone leave this building on their own until I say so.” He resumes his conversation with Luke. “You said Lyla Richardson gave you proof to the theory, what proof is that?” The assistant nodded and left the room.
“VE is clearly a pen name, it stands for something. Lyla came up with two possibilities that are extremely likely now that we know she’s involved with the Voyagers. Elizabeth Valerie Neil is her full name, that leaves the possibility of VE standing for Valerie Elizabeth or Voyagers Elizabeth, either way it was probably intended to be as obvious as possible to draw attention away from her.” Isaac let him continue. “The description of the area we got from a second talk with Marshal gave us the description of the area they know best and it fits perfectly with the description we got from the junior agents.”
“Didn’t the junior agents also mention Ethan Rikard?”
Luke nodded. “There’s a sixth. Likely a seventh as well. There’s been mention of three Voyagers roaming the city before Milo escaped which means one of them skipped out on going to the apartment.” He paused. “Does this mean they let Alyssa Kowalska live? There’s no certainty of that, but there’s also no proof of her death.”
Isaac’s assistant returned to the room, straight into another order from Isaac. “Have Lyla Richardson perform some more tests on Leah Neil’s genetics to find a way past her children.”
The assistant left once again. Luke certainly didn’t envy her for having to put up with Isaac for all hours of the day. “There’s a bartender that wanted to meet with me and discuss a run-in with a man he believed to be a Voyager. He’ll be around by noon.”
Isaac nodded. “Very well. Let me know how that goes. I’ll have Anthony announce a silent retirement.” He turned to the man in charge of security. “I want you to look at the tapes from the weddings and find anyone who showed an interest in Milo Neil and Alyssa Kowalska.”
After that, Isaac left to Anthony’s area in headquarters, watching for any slackers while he went.
Truth be told, he was no stranger to betrayal. He’d been betrayed countless times in his life, Kyle was just the latest of many. He had pity for those who crossed him but would never show mercy. Mercy was weakness.
He knew his best way to keep the Voyagers at rest was to keep them from the opportunity at gathering more members, which had failed with Ethan Rikard. Alyssa had likely been forced to join, if she was still alive. Kyle had been manipulated into allowing his chip to be disconnected.
Their numbers were failing, but now the Organization knew of six, possibly seven named Voyagers and one unnamed. The statement of more that Cyrus had provided was likely false.
That all raised the question as to how they got into the city without provoking suspicion, as they’d been known to do before. The last report of a suspicious sighting was the night Ethan Rikard disappeared, an alleged attack on the night Alyssa Kowalska disappeared that was dropped due to a lack of evidence, and nothing yet on the night before when Kyle left.
To pick someone like Kyle showed the group’s desperation. After all, Kyle was approaching his seventies with a difficult time walking, all he had going for him was his intelligence and the deed to a shut down diner. They got lucky with Alyssa, even Isaac had to admit that.
One of his first betrayals came from a man who worked in the sick ward of the Onyx Organization. The job ran in his family, like Isaac’s, and he was the one to inherit it after his older brother contracted something from one of the patients and passed away. The younger brother was named Joseph and he was too weak willed to run the sick ward, refusing to do what the job entailed and kill the patients who couldn’t be cured. Instead, he fell for one of them and ended up sneaking her away after their relationship was discovered. They left in the middle of the night without a trace.
Another betrayal was one composed by Owen Hunt, similar to the one of David Neil. The two weren’t the brightest men and figured their donations to the Organization gave them exemptions from the basic laws, which they never bothered to learn.
Their situations differed in how they were handled. Owen wasn’t dull enough to show up to headquarters after looking through records so Isaac had to send his own people to his house after finding out his true nature. He had his people take out Owen and whoever got in their way, which turned out to be a number of people, most of them were simple servants. Hardly a loss in Isaac’s mind.
Isaac handled David’s situation differently because the two were ‘friends’. He summoned David and his wife to headquarters like he normally would and locked them in the conference room. He let Leah go home to the children the next day but David was executed that day.
Those were just useless losses to Isaac. They didn’t matter to him but they could never be mirrored as he had now shut himself off from ‘friends’ that would use him for his money or his job.
He stopped in front of Anthony’s office, knocking on the door and letting himself in.
Anthony seemed surprised to see him there, but greeted him with a smile, knowing that Isaac preferred to speak first. “Mr. Richardson, I need you to announce the retirement of Kyle Kennedy to the community.”
His smile faded as he rested his arms on his desk. “And is this a silent retirement?” Isaac nodded. “Yes, sir, I’ll get to it immediately.”
“Very good.” Isaac left Anthony’s office and went to his own office.
Luke Lowell
By noon, Luke had been sat down to speak with a bartender who claimed that he had a run with a man he believed to be a Voyager. The man was clearly delusional but Luke had been ordered to listen to him.
He seemed fidgety in his movements and nervous. He had a large bruise on the right side on his face and refused to look Luke in the eyes, as many people refused to do.
“You said you came here with a lead, so what is it that you have to say?” Not even a moment after the meeting started Luke had grown tired of the bartender’s act.
He seemed guilty and sighed. “First, I will admit that I was in the wrong. I said a few things I shouldn’t have, but this guy took it way too personal-“
“Don’t waste my time.”
“Right.” The bartender seemed to become embarrassed after being rushed. “The man showed up first with a friend of his, both of them were agents, and they stayed around for around an hour and a half, he paid for the friend but didn’t drink any himself but didn’t tell me why. The friend left after an hour and a half, right before the woman showed up. The woman came into bar and she seemed really anxious for some reason, I made some comments to try and get her lighten up. They took it the wrong way and after arguing with me for a bit, the guy punches me for just talking to his wife.”
Luke had been scanning the bartender the entire time and the story didn’t add up. He was lying about something. “What kind of comments were you making?”
The bartender had no idea he had been scanned because of his refusal to look up. “Just some jokes. I’m pretty sure he thought that I was hitting on her.”
That part was the truth. “Were you hitting on her?”
He sighed and nodded. “Yes, I was.”
Another truth, but he was becoming more nervous as the questions went on. “What were your interactions with the husband?”
“None.” He answered hastily.
That one was a lie and a contradiction to his earlier statement. “You told me earlier that he didn’t tell you why he wasn’t drinking, you’d have to be having a conversation with him to ask about that, right? So, I’m going to ask you one more time before I throw you out of here myself, what were your interactions with the husband?”
“After his friend left, I tried to talk to him and he didn’t seem interested in talking to me. I asked him if he wanted a drink and he said he was recovering from something and that he’d just pay his buddy’s tab if I would leave him alone. I took the offer and when his wife came in I tried to flirt with her. I told her how he paid his buddy’s tab and said that he was broke, offered her a drink, and I’ll admit I got a little upset when she turned me down. I called her desperate and he didn’t take well to it. He got onto me and I tried to diffuse the situation by asking her if this was how he treated her at home.” He pointed to the bruise. “He ended up hitting me after I kept talking to her.”
A scan showed it was all truth, but Luke had to admit that the bartender was a fool. “So you think this man is with the Voyagers for defending his wife and not letting you drag his name through the dirt when you’re the one who runs an illegal business?” Luke scoffed. “Just leave, I’m not spending another moment here.”
Luke got up to leave the conference room, opening the door to find Isaac standing in the other side. “I hope you’ve got all the information you need, I’m sending your team out, effective immediately.”
“Out where?”
“Past the expansion grounds.” He motioned Luke out of the conference room and lowered his voice. “You’re taking the lead from the junior agents, there’s no debate.”
“Sir, what drew you to this decision?”
Isaac seemed confident in his decision and expected Luke to be confident in it as well. “Kyle’s chip gave us all we need to know and Milo revealed more than he thinks. Tell me, you trust Sara Jacobson, right?”
Luke nodded. “Yes, sir, she’s been a trusted agent.”
“Not anymore. She’s a detain on sight.” Isaac saw Luke getting ready to question him. “The last day she was here she was on the fourth floor. Cameras in the elevator saw her crying to Milo about Leah Neil and Milo consoling her and telling her to leave using the name Elizabeth while referring to her.”
Luke froze, his body filling with chills. Elizabeth Neil had been right under their noses the whole time. “Another instance of being as obvious as possible to draw attention away.”
Isaac crossed his arms. “Steven Suggs, the man she married. Another detain on sight. Before she came to headquarters, he was talking to Milo and Alyssa and invited them to dinner that same night, she accepted and he left. Milo asked Elizabeth where Marshal Kennedy was and she said he should know because he was already around headquarters.”
Luke shook his head in disbelief. “Send some people to look through the apartment, gather some evidence there.”
"So, we can thank Milo Neil for the knowledge we have and Kyle Kennedy for the final push. Go out to the lead and take no witnesses." An order from Isaac himself couldn't be turned down, no matter where the lead took his people.
Eris Duke
Eris has noticed Ethan didn’t actually talk to Marshal while he had the chance, which made her think that he forgot.
She took the job into her own hands when she found out he’d be staying in the lab while Elizabeth was gone this time around. “Why can’t Filip watch over the lab? He normally does.”
“I know, but I don’t think he’s up for it.” Eris could tell there was something Marshal was hiding. “Besides, I think it’s better that more people start to know how to run the lab. We can’t be so reliant on Elizabeth if something happens to her.”
“That was never an issue until today apparently, what’s going on with you?” While she could narrow down her suspicions, because the real person in question was Elizabeth, the possibilities were limitless.
He shrugged. “There’s nothing wrong with me, what’s wrong with you?”
“Are you trying to be suspicious right now?” Eris squinted her eyes, trying to get a reasonable answer.
He shook his head before chuckling. “No, not really.”
The monitors showed exactly what was going on in the bunker. Most of the group had gone to their rooms to get ready for bed, only Joseph, Lecia, Alyssa, and Milo hanging around in the common room after dinner.
A small alert showed up on the screen that Marshal noticed before Eris. What she noticed was the immediate nervous look that crossed his face. “You didn’t see anyone go towards the pantry, did you?”
Eris looked over the monitors again. “No, nobody left their room or the common room. The lights are still off in that area either way.”
A sudden flash came across the screen that carried to the next camera, just breezing by the common room, catching Milo’s attention. Shadows.
“Do you know how to initiate a lockdown?”
He nodded. “Yes, but I don’t know how to lift it. The entire bunker will go down and any empty room has a time limit before it’s locked by the system, can’t be opened from the inside or outside. At least until Final Product Four identifies the threat and terminates it, then whoever’s in the lab has to identify a specific command to lift the lockdown.”
Eris tried to ease her mind. “Perhaps Elizabeth came back, it’s probably nothing to worry about.”
“That’s not Elizabeth. She’s been in my room for the past few days because she got attacked and she needs to recover. Alyssa mentioned letting the anesthetics wear off after dinner to let her eat later, so I can ask her how to lift it if I can get to her in the time limit.” Despite being as nervous as she’d seen him in a long time, he wasn’t in a panic. “What do you recommend?”
”Tell me how to initiate a lockdown, you go warn the others, then go get Elizabeth.”
”Initiate a lockdown, stay in the lab.”
”Initiate a lockdown, go get Elizabeth.”
”Don’t Initiate a lockdown, alert the other scouts and watch over the bunker.”
3.3
The day after Kyle Kennedy went missing, his chip was tracked to Alyssa’s apartment, disconnected and shattered. The security team we… morent through the last night it was active, finding that he ran into three Voyagers in the apartment.
Luke was called in to review what happened along with Isaac Hampton. They found the chip revealed Kyle agreeing to have his chip disconnected, who the Voyagers were, a fourth name, what they wanted, and a small description of their area.
Kyle agreed to have his chip disconnected after speaking with someone who seemed to be in charge, only the first name Cyrus was known. He had gotten into a confrontation with someone who knew about Dawn and criticized his parenting, which could only be their son. Milo could be heard in the background. A fourth name was mentioned, Elizabeth.
Luke didn’t need an extra moment to think. “Kyle Kennedy, Marshal Kennedy, Milo Neil, Elizabeth Neil, and ‘Cyrus’. There’s five… [view original content]
3.3
The day after Kyle Kennedy went missing, his chip was tracked to Alyssa’s apartment, disconnected and shattered. The security team we… morent through the last night it was active, finding that he ran into three Voyagers in the apartment.
Luke was called in to review what happened along with Isaac Hampton. They found the chip revealed Kyle agreeing to have his chip disconnected, who the Voyagers were, a fourth name, what they wanted, and a small description of their area.
Kyle agreed to have his chip disconnected after speaking with someone who seemed to be in charge, only the first name Cyrus was known. He had gotten into a confrontation with someone who knew about Dawn and criticized his parenting, which could only be their son. Milo could be heard in the background. A fourth name was mentioned, Elizabeth.
Luke didn’t need an extra moment to think. “Kyle Kennedy, Marshal Kennedy, Milo Neil, Elizabeth Neil, and ‘Cyrus’. There’s five… [view original content]
Voting is closed! Eris will tell Marshal to start the lockdown immediately.
I can’t say this was the best choice, but I can and plan to explain more after the part itself is out, which should be later tonight.
Your choice would have had a similar result except for two details: The lockdown would have been lifted a little bit later and there would be less injuries towards a certain character.
Eris seemed unsure of her own decision, but she knew they didn’t have much time. “Start a lockdown, I’ll stay here and you go get Elizabeth.”
Marshal seemed a little relieved at her choice. “Got it. There’s one thing you need to know, though, and it’s really important so please listen. Once the command goes through, you can’t touch anything near the computers until Elizabeth lifts the lockdown. If you do, it’ll consider you an intruder and target you instead of whatever’s out there.”
She looked to the monitors once again, seeing Milo now talking to Joseph, still looking concerned. Looking back to Marshal, she saw careful precision that she’d never seen from him before. “What happens if you get the command wrong?”
He didn’t immediately respond until he had typed something out, read it over twice, and left his hand hovering over the enter key. “Then I’ll be considered an intruder.”
He hit the key and turned to the door, rushing out as the monitors shut down and the lights started flickering. That must be the warning.
Thirty seconds was all the time he had to get to Elizabeth and make sure everyone in the common room got into a safe place.
Milo and Alyssa stopped him on the way, Alyssa seeming more nervous than anything. “What’s going on?”
“You already know, but I need you to do something different.” He looked to Alyssa. “She’s not recognized in the system, my dad isn’t either. He’s in his room, you need to put those two in a closet in less than thirty seconds or they’re going to get shot.”
Milo nodded, tugging Alyssa along as they went for Kyle’s room instead of either of theirs.
Marshal went into his own room to find Elizabeth was already up and getting ready to do whatever it was she needed to do. “I’m going to need your help with this, hold the door before the system locks it. What about Alyssa, who’s she with?”
“She’s safe, don’t worry about it.” He stayed in the doorway, watching the entrance to the hallway. “What do you need to do?”
The doors in the hallway simultaneously clicked shut and locked. Elizabeth walked past Marshal and started towards the common room, keeping her back to the wall and speaking in a hushed whisper. “I need to get into the air ducts.”
“The air ducts?” Marshal walked a few feet behind her, keeping himself quiet as well.
She nodded. “There’s an access pad set up in the air ducts. In retrospect, it was a terrible idea.” That was clear and now it made sense why she needed help. She stopped, putting her hand out to stop Marshal too. “Go back. You’re going to get caught once I get in the ducts.”
“You really aren’t in your right mind or best shape, if I leave you then you’re going to get caught. I’m staying with you, whether I do get caught or not.”
She sighed, looking a little frustrated, but started moving again. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She looked around the corner, not seeing anything, which wasn’t a surprise considering it was pitch black now that the lights had gone out. She pulled a flashlight and a screwdriver from her pockets, handing the screwdriver to Marshal and turning on the flashlight, which was relatively dim. She shined the light on a vent above one of the couches. He went around her and climbed on the couch, quickly prying the vent open with the screwdriver, then giving her a careful boost when she climbed the couch.
Before he could go to cover the vent, he felt a hand on his shoulder yank him off the couch and straight to the ground. He felt something push against the back of his head and he immediately knew what it was. “You’ve got ten seconds to identify yourself before I shoot.”
He knew the voice too. Luke Lowell. It explained one of the shadows, but what about the other one? “Marshal Kennedy.” There was no use lying about his identity at this point.
Luke pulled him off the ground, putting him in a chokehold. “You’re lucky you’re a detain on sight, otherwise I would have shot you for being a rat.” He sounded furious. “Who just went up in the vent?”
Marshal heard a click before the feeling of cold steel wrapped around one of his wrists. Luke didn’t ease up on his grip until there was a second click and another band wrapped around his other wrist. Handcuffs, put on him by the second intruder. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
It was an obvious lie, but the Voyagers had always trusted in each other to not sell each other out. The situation was no different to him, he wasn’t going to sell her out. “I watched you help someone up there.” In a split second, a punch was delivered to his stomach, knocking Marshal back to the couch. “I’m going to ask you again, who is in the vents?”
He knew it was Luke who delivered the punch. It was too strong to be just anybody and the placement was too precise to be the second intruder. “I see Amanda upgraded your arm, that’s great.”
Luke grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him back up. In that moments, the lights flickered again, followed by a loud thud in the air ducts. The sound caught the attention of all three, but Luke quickly returned his attention to Marshal. “Looks like I don’t need to ask anymore, we’ll just wait for them here, how about that?”
Luke let go of Marshal, who was still working on catching his breath from the first punch. “You really don’t understand, you can’t mess with her.”
The second intruder spoke up, revealing herself as a woman that Marshal had never seen before. “You’re talking about Elizabeth Neil, right?”
A look of guilt passed Marshal before he nodded. “It’ll kill her if you hit her the way you hit me.”
“I won’t have to hit her if she complies and she’s got every reason to.” Luke held up the gun he had previously stopped Marshal with. “Does this look familiar to you?”
“You…” He scoffed and shook his head. “You pickpocketed me the second we showed up.” Luke nodded, affirming the statement. “Then why did you wait when you could have taken us both right there?”
Luke crossed his arms, a grin on his face. “Because I didn’t take your gun until you got on the couch. That, and she would have realized something was wrong because she was in front of you.”
There was a closer thud in the ducts, followed by the occasional tap until Elizabeth slipped out. “The system will restart in five minutes.” She barely had a minute to regain her balance before Luke grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her close enough to slip a pair of handcuffs around her wrists, despite her pulling away.
He looked to his partner, pushing Elizabeth to her. “You take her, but don’t let her take a step away from the planned path, she’ll find a way to get loose if you let her.”
“Luke, please listen to me.” Marshal looked to Luke who seemed like he wasn’t having any of what he had to say already. “She’s hurt and she’s sick, just leave her.”
Luke put a hand on Marshal’s back and started pushing him towards the kitchen, his partner following with Elizabeth. “Even if I wanted to, she’s a detain on sight as well.” Luke looked back to her, seeing a look of shock painted over her pale face. “Nothing to say, Neil?”
She looked up, now seeming a little offended. “It’s Kennedy, thank you very much. As for speaking to you, no, I have nothing to say to you.”
Marshal had to admit, he was a little surprised she remembered their conversation from the night before with how out of it she acted. Luke looked between the two before his partner started chuckling. “Really? You’re still keeping up that act? You’ve been caught, Neil, give it up.”
“Is it so unbelievable that two people can get married?” It seemed to really bother Elizabeth when Luke’s partner continued pushing.
Luke stopped in front of the ladder in the hidden room, waiting for his partner to go first. She started the climb and Luke looked to Elizabeth. “She can’t, that’s what I’ve been telling you.” Marshal spoke, Elizabeth lifting her shirt to show the set of stitches. “She’ll pull them open if she climbs the ladder.”
Luke didn’t seem to care, but he motioned towards the ladder. “Then carry her, I’m not taking the handcuffs off either of you.”
Marshal let out a frustrated sigh before backing himself against the ladder and working out a way to get Elizabeth up, nearly slipping off the ladder multiple times. He passed her off to Luke’s partner before pulling himself out. Luke climbed out next, looking at Marshal, who now seemed more angry at Luke than the situation itself. “I figured you’d be more helpful, considering you’re basically a robot made to serve at this point, but I guess not. Thanks anyways.”
Elizabeth watched a fire spark in Luke’s eyes at the comment as he grabbed hold of Marshal’s neck. His partner quickly tried to intervene, begging Luke to let go of him. The comment wasn’t just to make Luke upset, it was to give her a chance.
She started backing away from the scene slowly before breaking into a run as fast as she could, away from the scene. It wasn’t too long before she started to feel an oncoming pain around her stitches.
She heard yelling back the way she came from, but she knew it was unlikely she’d made it far enough to slow down. The handcuffs, the stitches, and the dark were all the things she had going against her.
’Elizabeth, you idiot. Luke has heat sensors.’ She stopped running and started scolding herself for running, ultimately deciding to stop and turn back.
Even her walk back didn’t last long before she collapsed, trying to battle the rising pain. In a moment, the world that was already barely being illuminated by the moonlight went completely dark.
When she awoke, she found herself in the back of a parked car with her shirt only holding dirt from her fall, thankfully no blood. She immediately knew Marshal was seated next to her, which eased her nerves a little. “What happened?”
Marshal reached over, cupping her hands in his, both their handcuffs remained on. He shushed her, not saying a word himself.
She looked over to him, immediately noticing the red mark Luke had left on his neck, along with a few more red marks on his face. “Marshal, what did he do?” Her voice was as quiet as she could make it.
“They might be handling something inside, but the camera’s still on.” He looked towards the dashboard before turning to her and giving her a kiss on the cheek, speaking in a whisper before he pulled away. “I know you’re worried, but trust me when I tell you to stay quiet.”
They sat in silence, Elizabeth studying Marshal while they were there. He seemed mad, nervous, but he put on a protective front to keep her from collecting those same negative feelings.
She realized after a while that they would be there for a few hours, at least until Isaac Hampton arrived to tell Luke what to do with them. She leaned on Marshal’s shoulder, dozing off.
He woke her up around an hour later, saying that Luke was back and now Isaac was with him. They pulled away from each other, Luke leading them out of the car.
They were taken to the fourth floor conference room where Isaac agreed to take their handcuffs off and listen to what they had to say. He ordered Luke to leave the three of them there. “You two must be upset with how you were treated, I must apologize for Mr. Lowell’s actions.”
He was referring to Marshal, but they both already knew Isaac would often try to smooth talk his way into somebody’s good graces. “That doesn’t matter to me, let’s not waste each other’s time and get to talking about what it is you want.”
Isaac looked taken aback for a small moment before regaining his same smug look. “There’s no need to be hostile, Mr. Kennedy, I want to take care of the two of you.” He folded his hands on top of the table, looking to Elizabeth. “She’s hurt, but you people took the best doctor we had.”
“I know how to handle her stitches, we don’t need your doctors because you’re only going to use them to sneak your way to getting information out of us.” Marshal sighed, looking to Isaac. “Listen, I really don’t care what you have in store and I don’t care for what you do to me, I just ask that you go easy on her. You can see one set of stitches, but there’s another that she almost took out herself.”
Isaac smiled like he was listening, then looked to Elizabeth for her take on it. “I feel like going easy on me isn’t exactly an option anymore…”
“Not necessarily. You’re in extreme trouble, both of you are, but we’ve got no reason to go hard on either of you. There’s no way we would put you two to working in headquarters and there’s no other place that needs either of you.” His smile faded. “I want one of you to tell me what happened after you left your bunker, I was told there was a problem.”
Marshal and Elizabeth looked to each other. “I can tell you my part of it, but I don’t know what happened with her. Luke made me carry her up a ladder in handcuffs because I showed him that she wouldn’t be able to do it herself, I made a comment and he tried to strangle me right there.”
“When he grabbed Marshal, I ran away. Or I tried to. I didn’t make it far before I turned back and blacked out while I was on the way.” Elizabeth sounded sorry in the way she explained. “I woke up in the car and fell back asleep a few minutes later.”
Isaac stood and strolled to their side of the table. “Your clothes are quite dirty.” He was talking to Elizabeth. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to see that wound of yours.”
She looked to Marshal, getting a small nod in return. She stood and lifted her shirt to show the wound. Isaac got closer to look at it, which did make her nervous.
He stood up straight and backed away, going back to his side of the table, allowing her to lower her shirt once more. “Let me tell you two what I’m going to do with you. I already know you’re both resistant to the drugs and chipping you two would be useless. You’re not going to be free, in fact you’ll probably have less freedom than Milo did. You’re both going to stay in your former apartment. It’s been altered to lock and unlock from the outside only. You get an hour each day to go outside, escorted by a worker. You cannot be together in that hour unless there’s more than one worker present. You’re expected to answer any questions asked of you truthfully and without hesitation, is that clear?”
The two nodded and talked with Isaac a bit more before he and Luke escorted the two to the apartment.
It was clear some workers had looked through it as some things were missing and others were torn up, making the place a mess.
The second they were left alone, Elizabeth went straight into Marshal’s arms. He inhaled quickly as her body pressed against his, almost like he was in pain. She pulled away, a new look of concern on her face. “Where all did Luke hit you?”
“He punched me in the face three times, the stomach once, and tried to choke me. If you’re counting every time he assaulted me in this one night, the answer is five.” He went to the bedroom and looked through the nightstand to see what remained before picking out some clothes.
She followed after him, picking a cleaner shirt from the nightstand. “He punched your stomach?” He nodded, removing the shirt he wore, likely with only the intention of changing before Elizabeth looked at the mark. “Does it hurt?”
He put a different shirt on before changing his pants and climbing into bed. “Yeah, but I think you’re forgetting that you’re the one who got stabbed and hasn’t complained about it once.”
“Alyssa was really good at keeping the pain under control, but right now the stitches and my hunger are working against me.” She paused. “Do you think the group will be okay without us? I mean it took us two years to get Milo back.”
He got back out of bed and left the room, going into the kitchen with Elizabeth following him. “I’m sure they’ll be fine, they’ve functioned without us before. It took us two years because we weren’t focused on finding Milo, we were focused on finding Morgan. She’s not here, which means we were no where close to finding Milo wherever we looked for her. Elizabeth, I promise you that the group is going to be fine and we’re going to be able to go back to them before you know it. For now, I want you to focus on getting better. You’re in no condition to make a break for it and you won’t be anytime soon if you continue to stress yourself out.”
He started taking out some stuff from the refrigerator and gathering it around the stove. “What about the diner?”
“What about it? There’s no way either of us would be allowed access to it because of how close it is to the expansion grounds.” He answered pretty quickly, not seeming ready to talk about the diner.
“What do you mean ‘what about it’? Marshal, that diner might be your dad’s, but if you bring it up to Isaac, I’m sure he’ll consider giving you something to do if it keeps you from causing any trouble.”
He sighed, turning to face her. “There’s something I haven’t told you because I haven’t gotten the chance. While you were put under for the first night, we went back into the city and we nearly got caught by my dad. Cyrus brought him back to the bunker to keep from killing him. The diner is in Isaac’s possession now, so it’s doubtful he’d consider giving it to me under any circumstances. It’s best to drop the idea before you get your hopes up.”
[Keep pushing the idea of the diner.]
[Drop it.]
Nicolas Donadieu
Nicolas had been woken up in the late night by a distress call from one of the other resistance groups.
No matter how far away he was from any group or how bad his relationship with them was, he feared every distress call he got.
He quickly left the bedroom, going to the hallway to keep from waking up Marie and answered the call. He was greeted by a familiar voice that was in a panic. “Hello? Pierre?”
It was Eris Duke. Why she was calling instead of her husband or Elizabeth was the biggest question he had at the moment. “Yes, what’s going on? Is it important?”
“Extremely important.” She sounded like she had been crying. “We got raided earlier tonight, some Onyx Organization members. We waited to call you because we wanted to look as much as we could before we assumed the worst. The system didn’t find any intruders when we know for certain there was at least one but Elizabeth and Marshal are missing.”
The world around him stopped for a moment, a cold wave taking over his body. “And you’re certain they’re not just hidden?”
“Absolutely certain. We looked all over inside and around the outside of the bunker.”
He looked to the bedroom, then sighed. “I’ll start a return in the morning and alert other groups. For now, you need to keep your group calm and in the same place. Do not let your guard down, even for a second, it’s possible whoever took them will make a return now that they know the location, just hold on for the night and tell Joseph I’ll be around tomorrow.”
Eris sounded unsure of the plan, but agreed to it either way, leaving the call afterwards.
Nicolas put his back against the wall, trying to catch his breath. He shot up once he heard the bedroom door open and saw Marie poke her head out. “Is everything okay?”
He nodded, going into the living room and taking a seat in one of the chairs. “I need to leave again tomorrow, I’m sorry.”
She sat across from him, looking upset but willing to listen. “Who called?”
“One of the Voyagers. Two of their members are missing after a raid and right now they need help.” He sunk in his chair. “I’ll be going in the morning.”
After a moment of silence, he looked up and started studying the woman with light brown hair seated in front of him, quickly coming to the realization that she was studying him as well. She had a lot of things to say to him but never had the time to talk to him anymore. "I want to help the Voyagers myself."
”Their situation is too dangerous for you.”
”They’re going to need as much help as they can get.”
Note: Going back to what I said earlier, this wasn’t the greatest choice, but it certainly wasn’t the worst one. In three out of the four choices, someone ends up captured. The choice actually saved Marshal from a choice in the next chapter that would have had a 5 out of 6 chance of killing him. This will be the last part including Marshal and Elizabeth for the chapter, but Elizabeth’s choice here will influence the major events of the next chapter.
3.4
Eris seemed unsure of her own decision, but she knew they didn’t have much time. “Start a lockdown, I’ll stay here and you go get Eli… morezabeth.”
Marshal seemed a little relieved at her choice. “Got it. There’s one thing you need to know, though, and it’s really important so please listen. Once the command goes through, you can’t touch anything near the computers until Elizabeth lifts the lockdown. If you do, it’ll consider you an intruder and target you instead of whatever’s out there.”
She looked to the monitors once again, seeing Milo now talking to Joseph, still looking concerned. Looking back to Marshal, she saw careful precision that she’d never seen from him before. “What happens if you get the command wrong?”
He didn’t immediately respond until he had typed something out, read it over twice, and left his hand hovering over the enter key. “Then I’ll be considered an intruder.”
He hit the key and turned to the door, rushi… [view original content]
[Drop it.] ”They’re going to need as much help as they can get.” One more person for Luke to hunt down? YES PLEASE! xD
Now seriously, I really liked this part! Luke was a real beast in it, he had only seen a glimpse of his more "brute" side so far, but wow, this was just amazing. I'm actually surprised Luke didn't do anything more to Elizabeth, knowing that she was just fooling him all along, though that's not a bad thing. Punching Marshal though? ha! that I liked a lot . I always felt some kind of animosity between them, and if I'm not mistaken, Marshal kinda threatened Luke (not in his presence though) some time ago, right? Well, he better tread carefully now.
3.4
Eris seemed unsure of her own decision, but she knew they didn’t have much time. “Start a lockdown, I’ll stay here and you go get Eli… morezabeth.”
Marshal seemed a little relieved at her choice. “Got it. There’s one thing you need to know, though, and it’s really important so please listen. Once the command goes through, you can’t touch anything near the computers until Elizabeth lifts the lockdown. If you do, it’ll consider you an intruder and target you instead of whatever’s out there.”
She looked to the monitors once again, seeing Milo now talking to Joseph, still looking concerned. Looking back to Marshal, she saw careful precision that she’d never seen from him before. “What happens if you get the command wrong?”
He didn’t immediately respond until he had typed something out, read it over twice, and left his hand hovering over the enter key. “Then I’ll be considered an intruder.”
He hit the key and turned to the door, rushi… [view original content]
I'm actually surprised Luke didn't do anything more to Elizabeth
It’s safe to say Luke has some conflicting feelings on Elizabeth, considering she was his partner for at least two years and one of his closer “friends” but I think it’s reasonable to assume that he’s furious and he’s going to stay that way for a little bit.
I always felt some kind of animosity between them, and if I'm not mistaken, Marshal kinda threatened Luke
The two don’t have the greatest relationship and even I gotta say, Marshal did deserve most of what he got in this part. He did previously threaten Luke and there has been a bit of tension between them, but I don’t think he ever expected anything to actually happen between the two of them. Good thing he only lied instead of fighting back, Luke probably would have done worse.
[Drop it.]
”They’re going to need as much help as they can get.” One more person for Luke to hunt down? YES PLEASE! xD
Now seriously, I … morereally liked this part! Luke was a real beast in it, he had only seen a glimpse of his more "brute" side so far, but wow, this was just amazing. I'm actually surprised Luke didn't do anything more to Elizabeth, knowing that she was just fooling him all along, though that's not a bad thing. Punching Marshal though? ha! that I liked a lot . I always felt some kind of animosity between them, and if I'm not mistaken, Marshal kinda threatened Luke (not in his presence though) some time ago, right? Well, he better tread carefully now.
[Drop it.] ”They’re going to need as much help as they can get.”
I'm not sure if Isaac is in the mood to give them any opportunity to help themselves.
For the second choice, I want to see more of Marie. Her skills might be beneficial for the Voyagers. I know Pierre would want to make sure she is safe, but if he continues to push her away, their relationship could be in trouble. Also, he trusted her enough to help in his revolution, so I think he can trust her to help the Voyagers. Besides, if I'm not mistaken, he would be going with her, and they will help the Voyagers together. The voyagers really do need all the help they can get.
3.4
Eris seemed unsure of her own decision, but she knew they didn’t have much time. “Start a lockdown, I’ll stay here and you go get Eli… morezabeth.”
Marshal seemed a little relieved at her choice. “Got it. There’s one thing you need to know, though, and it’s really important so please listen. Once the command goes through, you can’t touch anything near the computers until Elizabeth lifts the lockdown. If you do, it’ll consider you an intruder and target you instead of whatever’s out there.”
She looked to the monitors once again, seeing Milo now talking to Joseph, still looking concerned. Looking back to Marshal, she saw careful precision that she’d never seen from him before. “What happens if you get the command wrong?”
He didn’t immediately respond until he had typed something out, read it over twice, and left his hand hovering over the enter key. “Then I’ll be considered an intruder.”
He hit the key and turned to the door, rushi… [view original content]
I'm not sure if Isaac is in the mood to give them any opportunity to help themselves.
Isaac is a very complicated man, so it can be assumed that there would be a catch if he agreed to the diner, just what would that catch be? Likely an easier way at getting to the Voyagers.
Besides, if I'm not mistaken, he would be going with her, and they will help the Voyagers together.
That was a point I kind of glossed over but yeah, Pierre would be going with her. Marie would be important for the Voyagers but it also leaves the Crusaders with two less (extremely important) people.
[Drop it.]
”They’re going to need as much help as they can get.”
I'm not sure if Isaac is in the mood to give them any opportunity to he… morelp themselves.
For the second choice, I want to see more of Marie. Her skills might be beneficial for the Voyagers. I know Pierre would want to make sure she is safe, but if he continues to push her away, their relationship could be in trouble. Also, he trusted her enough to help in his revolution, so I think he can trust her to help the Voyagers. Besides, if I'm not mistaken, he would be going with her, and they will help the Voyagers together. The voyagers really do need all the help they can get.
3.4
Eris seemed unsure of her own decision, but she knew they didn’t have much time. “Start a lockdown, I’ll stay here and you go get Eli… morezabeth.”
Marshal seemed a little relieved at her choice. “Got it. There’s one thing you need to know, though, and it’s really important so please listen. Once the command goes through, you can’t touch anything near the computers until Elizabeth lifts the lockdown. If you do, it’ll consider you an intruder and target you instead of whatever’s out there.”
She looked to the monitors once again, seeing Milo now talking to Joseph, still looking concerned. Looking back to Marshal, she saw careful precision that she’d never seen from him before. “What happens if you get the command wrong?”
He didn’t immediately respond until he had typed something out, read it over twice, and left his hand hovering over the enter key. “Then I’ll be considered an intruder.”
He hit the key and turned to the door, rushi… [view original content]
The choice actually saved Marshal from a choice in the next chapter that would have had a 5 out of 6 chance of killing him.
Whoa, wait, was this the only choice that ended up sparing him from that future choice? If I'd be any good at maths, I could not estimate his general chances of surviving this situation, but I think I am good enough at it to guess that they are preeeety low. Literal bullet dodged, I'd say, but this is something I am really curious about.
[Keep pushing the idea of the diner.]
”Their situation is too dangerous for you.”
Uh, I just realized I am the only one picking this option here XD Am I really the only one thinking that yes, this is indeed too dangerous?
3.4
Eris seemed unsure of her own decision, but she knew they didn’t have much time. “Start a lockdown, I’ll stay here and you go get Eli… morezabeth.”
Marshal seemed a little relieved at her choice. “Got it. There’s one thing you need to know, though, and it’s really important so please listen. Once the command goes through, you can’t touch anything near the computers until Elizabeth lifts the lockdown. If you do, it’ll consider you an intruder and target you instead of whatever’s out there.”
She looked to the monitors once again, seeing Milo now talking to Joseph, still looking concerned. Looking back to Marshal, she saw careful precision that she’d never seen from him before. “What happens if you get the command wrong?”
He didn’t immediately respond until he had typed something out, read it over twice, and left his hand hovering over the enter key. “Then I’ll be considered an intruder.”
He hit the key and turned to the door, rushi… [view original content]
Whoa, wait, was this the only choice that ended up sparing him from that future choice?
Really, the only way to save him from that future choice was to get him out of the bunker. The situation that’ll replace that choice is likely to be less fatal and more brutal, which isn’t necessarily a good thing.
but I think I am good enough at it to guess that they are preeeety low
An 83.33% chance of dying. While it’s not an overwhelming majority, it’s a pretty strong number.
Literal bullet dodged, I'd say, but this is something I am really curious about.
I can actually explain the details. So this choice would have taken place a few days after his birthday and Alyssa would mention needing some medical supplies from the city. He’d originally be hesitant, but agree to it, unaware that he’d been found out. The choice would have been a choice on who to bring with and the companions would have been less than ideal (Milo, Kyle, Elizabeth, Ethan, Alyssa, or Cyrus), but bringing Alyssa herself along would have saved his life.
Anyways, he and whoever was voted to go along with would have left the bunker and started off to the city where they would have been confronted by a worker for the Onyx Organization. Marshal would have told whoever went along to hide and depending on who it was, they would comply immediately or they would comply with hesitation. Either way, Marshal would have tried to talk his way out of the meeting with the Organization member and the details of the visit would have slipped. The Organization member would have called him out as a Voyager and thief before shooting him.
Alyssa would have been the only one capable of helping in that case, but whoever else went in the case of his death would have been blamed by Elizabeth and Kyle.
The choice actually saved Marshal from a choice in the next chapter that would have had a 5 out of 6 chance of killing him.
Whoa, wa… moreit, was this the only choice that ended up sparing him from that future choice? If I'd be any good at maths, I could not estimate his general chances of surviving this situation, but I think I am good enough at it to guess that they are preeeety low. Literal bullet dodged, I'd say, but this is something I am really curious about.
[Keep pushing the idea of the diner.]
”Their situation is too dangerous for you.”
Uh, I just realized I am the only one picking this option here XD Am I really the only one thinking that yes, this is indeed too dangerous?
(!) Voting is closed! Elizabeth will continue pushing the diner and Pierre will allow Marie to come with.
Elizabeth’s choice here will be up for continuation in the next chapter, but Pierre’s will take place in the next part. When is the next part? Probably later today, early tomorrow at the latest.
Joseph and Eris tried to ease the nerves of the others in the bunker and convince them that Elizabeth and Marshal had just left the bunker and sought shelter somewhere else to keep from being confronted with the intruder.
Alyssa was the first to find suspicions in the thought that the two would leave the bunker for shelter when Elizabeth was injured, but she kept it to herself for Milo and Kyle’s sake.
Most of the bunker calmed down after some reassurance, but Milo and Kyle were easily the most uneasy about the disappearances for a legitimate reason.
Milo had earlier begged Joseph to let him go into the city because he had a feeling the two had been taken there and considered the thought of an intruder to be certain based on his last interaction with Marshal.
Joseph wouldn’t let it happen and Alyssa backed up Milo’s argument but agreed with Joseph on keeping Milo away from the city.
They left consoling Milo up to Alyssa, but Kyle was a different story. He wasn’t sad, he was furious. He wouldn’t say at who or what, but he would admit he was angry and leave it at that.
Joseph had to take over in the lab once it reopened and Pierre confirmed he would be around in the morning, which left Eris, Ethan, Alyssa, Milo, and Kyle awake.
Eris enlisted Ethan’s help with Kyle while Alyssa stayed with Milo.
Neither of the two knew what to say to Kyle at first and waited until he acknowledged them. He took a deep sigh before he spoke, trying to calm himself down. “Do either of you know what it’s like to be separated from someone you’ve been searching for for years on end?”
Ethan nodded, but didn’t seem willing to share the details of it. “I had an older brother who would disappear for days at a time before both of our lives went in a downwards spiral.”
“I can’t say I have any experience losing a child, but I lost my parents at a pretty young age.” Eris knew her voice wasn’t going to go far because she didn’t really know Kyle.
He seemed to review the two before leaning back in his seat. “I wish I could say it was my first time losing a child or a family member, but that’s not true. When Dawn got shot, they reported that she was dead and a child was dead. I didn’t find out for months that the child was unborn, but that told me her motive for running. I never lost hope for finding Marshal in these sixteen years and I knew he was going to be angry with me when we met again.”
Marshal never mentioned a younger sibling and Eris had never talked to Dawn herself, but she found the reasoning to be plausible. Marshal had mentioned an unhappy marriage that had been the same way for twenty years and even he didn’t know why she chose to run that day. “He’s been through a whole mess in those sixteen years, I hate to say.”
Ethan seemed to agree. “I heard a bit about alcoholism, fighting, and gambling. He takes fault in the alcoholism and he’ll admit to it, but he was pretty quick to blame the Neil siblings for the other two.”
Eris chuckled. “There was a rough patch after he worked on recovery and neither him or Milo are too patient, so I can recall a few times they got in verbal fights and even fewer times they got in physical fights. Gambling, well, it wouldn’t be too difficult to believe Elizabeth had a part in that.”
Kyle didn’t seem too relieved with the details, even a little upset. “After those two disappeared, it took all my power to not take up drinking because my own father was an alcoholic. My best guess is that Marshal didn’t know and drew himself into that same path.” He turned his attention to Eris. “He did stop, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he did. It’s been a few years since he admitted he needed help and we all worked with him to ensure a clean recovery.” She paused, battling herself on if she should continue talking. “There was one instance after Milo disappeared that he nearly drank again. He dropped the idea after it turned into a big fight with Elizabeth and that’s the only time I know of him almost drinking again.”
“He mentioned that fight to me.” Ethan chimed in. “He said he’d never seen Elizabeth that mad at him before and she was quick to get personal but neither of them got physical.”
Kyle looked relieved at the details. “Last I knew, he wasn’t used to confrontation because he never interacted with the other kids. There was one time in fifth grade that he got involved with one bad kid. Their relationship was rocky and the other kid would beat up on him for not going along with his plans, so to avoid getting beaten up he would give in to whatever bad ideas this kid had.” Kyle shook his head. “The kid was pretty troubled, in my opinion, and tried to talk Marshal into doing something to his sister. Dawn didn’t let him start school until he fully understood how to be a gentleman and he understood how consent works. Anyways, he didn’t tell me exactly what happened, he just said it went against every rule his mother had taught him and when he tried to say no to this kid, he started pushing him around, then after Marshal fought back the kid backed off and hit him upside the head with a brick while his back was turned.”
Ethan crossed his arms. “My brother got treated the same way a lot of times, mainly because he was never in his right mind to say no. They started messing with him as a kid and it stuck around until he died.” He seemed spiteful. “You would think that the people who played themselves off as his closest friends for years would be upset with his passing, but to them it wasn’t a loss at all.”
Eris could tell that talking about Marshal and Dawn had been calming Kyle down. “If it helps, Marshal never grew out of the typical gentleman manner. I’ve never seen someone be so kind to Elizabeth because she does mess up pretty frequently, I think it’s just easier to put blame on one person instead of the whole group and she’s the only person who won’t fight against it, but he’s taken to defending her most of the time.”
Kyle sighed and offered a kind smile. “Dawn and I had disagreements on how to raise him plenty of times and she decided she’d do it her way since I was never around. He’s not dead yet, so I guess she did a good enough job with that.”
Eris looked over Kyle, trying to determine what Marshal got from him and what he got from Dawn. Kyle’s hair had greyed over, but he shared the same eye color as his son. “I’ve got an odd question for you, what color was your hair when you were younger?”
“Blond. Dawn had the black hair, if that’s what you were trying to find out.” Kyle replaced his slouch, sitting up straight. “She had black hair and blue eyes, I had blond hair and brown eyes, and Marshal took her hair, my eyes, and her dimples.”
Ethan took a look to the clock before he let a yawn escape. “We should probably head to sleep. Pierre’s supposed to come back tomorrow, so that should be a treat for all of us.”
Eris nodded before slowly rising from her seat. “I agree; we should be at our best for when he arrives.”
Kyle and Ethan rose after the fragile blonde woman, the three of them heading to their rooms and clearing the common room.
Alyssa Kowalska
Alyssa had taken Milo back to his own room after coming to the conclusion that he and Kyle might see the situation differently. He had taken a seat on the edge of his bed while Alyssa stood guard in front of the door.
It was clear he expected her to leave after she dropped him off, but neither had spoken until Alyssa questioned him. “How are you doing?”
He shrugged. “I.. I’m not really sure. It’s been so long since I’ve been able to express my emotions and I’m not used to it yet.” He now sighed. “I feel like I’m tired, but I know I’m not.”
It was sadness he’d been feeling, he just didn’t know how to put it into words. She thought that dropping a topic that would fuel that sadness would be for the better. “You know, I don’t think I thanked you for helping Kyle and I during the lockdown.”
“It’s what I was supposed to do, don’t thank me.” She could tell there was more he wanted to say, so she stayed quiet to allow him to say it. “Alyssa, what was your family like?”
She had to admit, it was one of the questions she didn’t expect at all, but if it made him feel a little better then she would answer. Alyssa looked around the room, her green eyes stopping on the floor. “I didn’t have much of a family. My father left very early on, I had no siblings, and all I had growing up was my mother. She was sick for all I can remember, but she never reported it because she knew what happens in the sick wards. She was a very tough woman but she would never leave another to hurt, despite her own critical condition.”
“Kind of like you, huh?”
Alyssa let out a tearful laugh while her eyes began to cloud up. “I sure hope so. She’s someone I idolized all of my life. I became a doctor to try to help her, but I was too late. She died at home while I was studying.”
Milo gave a sympathetic look before rising from the bed and taking the blanket off, approaching Alyssa and draping it around her shoulders. “Elizabeth used to always tell me that sometimes what she needs is to be warm and for me to shut up and listen to her, I’m hoping you’re the same way.” He led her to the bed and let her sit while he stood. “Tell me whatever you want to tell me, you’ve got my full attention.”
Alyssa gave a shy smile, pulling the blanket to wrap all around her. “Alright, whatever I want to tell you.” She took a moment to think. “I don’t know if you knew what Elizabeth had recovered from my bag the night they brought us here, but it was a picture of my mother and I from when I was younger. You can tell how far back it was by the fact that I was missing my two front teeth and how happy she looked.” Her smile faded and a look of guilt crossed over her face. “I’ve never really told anyone this because it’s considered illegal to withhold information on a sick person, but I always felt guilty to watch her get even more sick.”
She looked up to see that Milo was studying her facial expressions while he listened to her. “I can understand that. I went into the city twenty-two years after my parents disappeared because I felt like I was the reason they were gone and I felt like I owed it to Elizabeth to bring them back, but not to myself.”
Alyssa nodded, trying to let herself calm down. “After so long, I stopped caring about who my father was and started worrying for my mother’s health. In her last few months, she’d become immobile and had trouble breathing, eating, and sleeping. I tried to care for her needs as much as I could, but the one day I decide that I can get out because she’d been fine up until that point, she just.. died.. I was never told how and was immediately threatened for keeping information from the Onyx Organization.”
She stood, the blanket wrapped around her causing her to walk with a slight waddle towards the door. Milo followed her without saying much and opened the door while her hands stayed holding onto the blanket. It felt painful to Alyssa, having to put on a facade so soon after the disappearances and having to deal with the fact that one of the pair was already likely dead. She kept going as long as she could until she nearly collapsed on the ground, Milo catching her before she fell. “Alyssa, are you okay?”
His voice sounded panicked, but her mind was racing to process all of her thoughts. She pushed herself against the wall and slumped down, pulling her knees to her chest and burying her face in the blanket to hide her new tears. “I couldn’t help my mom, I couldn’t find my dad, I couldn’t perform one of the most simple jobs in the Organization, and I couldn’t help Elizabeth. I can’t do this, Milo, not anymore.”
He kneeled on the ground next to her. “You had no control over what happened to your mom or the actions of your father. I know you think you failed the organization and I’m not going to lie, you did fail them, but you already put yourself in a good position for the Voyagers. Had you not failed the Organization, I never would have found Elizabeth and she would have died when she got stabbed, nobody here could have saved her besides you.” He stood back up, pulling her back up off the ground and waiting until she acknowledged him before speaking again. “They said it tons of times in your file, you’re the best at what you do and there’s no doubt about it. I don’t think you failed Elizabeth, I’ve got hopes for her and I’ve got hopes for you. I know that sometimes it seems like the world is out to get you and if it’s not one thing it’s something else, but that’s how everyone in this bunker thinks. Internal issues included, they deal with a lot and they use each other to cope and bounce back, so I’m just going to ask that you use me right now to fix whatever issue you’re having and bounce back.”
She gave a small nod, unsure of the decision. “And how do I do that?”
“You talk about it until it’s off your mind.”
Joseph Duke
Pierre had arrived at the bunker in the afternoon with a woman that most people in the bunker wouldn’t recognize besides Pierre himself, Joseph, and Elizabeth.
The woman was Marie Duval, one of the most active resistance members. She was good at what she did, which was working on disguises and uniforms for the resistance members.
Pierre didn’t seem to be in a great mood, but he normally never did. Joseph hadn’t been to sleep since before the lockdown occurred, but he was a little afraid to fall asleep in the case that the intruders came back.
It wasn’t a concern exclusive to him, though, all the Voyagers had mentioned the possibility before they went to bed, if they slept at all. Joseph had asked they stayed in their rooms until the morning to avoid any confusion and any risks involved with any intruders.
Pierre and Marie mentioned the possibility as well, along with their plan to move the group if Joseph agreed to it.
They didn’t give him a chance to talk to anyone else about it and required he make an on the spot decision before they addressed the group as a whole.
[Agree to the move, making the group less of a target]
[Disagree to the move, multiple members aren’t capable of going distances]
Comments
2.10
The bunker had been oddly quiet that night. Joseph had been told that Cyrus and Marshal took Milo back into the city for reasons unknown but that Filip had stayed behind. His main concern was with Alyssa and Ethan.
No matter what he had to do for his position, he couldn’t help but feel pity for the two. Alyssa was dragged into the Voyagers with no explanation and Ethan had no idea what he was getting himself into.
The state of the Voyagers had slowly been declining and even the most faithful of the group showing doubts in their current situation, Cyrus himself once suggesting those who could return to the city should do it while they still had the chance. Even though nobody took the offer, it only dragged the group’s integrity further down.
It had been hours since the three left and due to Pierre’s latest rule, Joseph had to stay up and wait for them. The night seemed to be going by fairly slowly until he realized Lecia had been going back and forth between the common room and the rooms.
Growing suspicious, Joseph followed her to find out where and what she was doing. She went into Alyssa’s room, which only raised his suspicions.
The last time Lecia left Alyssa’s room, she carried a bundle of blankets with her, completely ignoring Joseph as she walked. Lecia normally walked with no reason, just for entertainment, but now she was walking with a purpose and a sense of urgency.
Joseph knocked on Alyssa’s door after Lecia disappeared for the last time, getting a response very quickly.
Alyssa looked hopeful when she first opened the door but her hopes were replaced with a look of fear and guilt once she realized who it was. “I’m not here to get you in trouble, I want to know if everything’s alright.”
She shook her head, knowing better than to lie. “Not in the slightest. I need help.”
Alyssa opened the door further, allowing Joseph into the room. He entered to see Alyssa’s bed lacked any covering and the reason behind that. “What happened in here?”
“She got hurt earlier and I… was told to help her and I tried to, I did my best. She’s not doing good at all but she’s not dead yet and that’s what matters.” She paused, looking over Elizabeth for a moment. “Marshal mentioned that the lab might have some medical supplies that can help her and I need to know if that’s true or not.”
Joseph felt a brush of cold air hit him as he looked at Elizabeth. She deserved better but she earned the condition she was in right now. He shook his head and turned back out the door, Alyssa following after him. “There’s various supplies in the lab that were meant to help Eris’ treatment that never really worked out.” She looked like she wanted to know more but didn’t ask, likely out of respect. “Can you tell me exactly what happened?”
“No, not really. Nobody knows the full story behind it and she fell out of it before we could even talk.” Alyssa seemed a little frustrated now. “All I was told is that she was stabbed. I don’t know with what or by who, just that it happened.”
The two entered the lab, Alyssa quickly taking to going through the contents of it. Joseph let his eyes look to one of the monitors that showed the vitals of the scouts and Elizabeth herself, it only made him worry more to see her status compared to the others. “Who brought her to you? Last I saw, she went to the kitchen, so how did she end up in your room?”
“Lecia and Marshal had her. I really don’t know who would want to hurt her because I was under the impression that you guys got along most of the time.” She shook her head, a look of disgust on her face. “It’s cruel to want to harm somebody else so badly that when you actually get the chance to, you try to kill them.”
“So you think they tried to kill her?”
“It’s obvious they did. Just looking over her, it’s clear she wasn’t supposed to be stabbed through her side and she wasn’t meant to live.” Despite speaking clearly and staying focused, Alyssa was continuing to look through every part of the lab. “Don’t ask me if that’s a good thing or not because I’m not really sure.”
Joseph started looking through cabinets that were against the far wall, hoping to find something of use. “All life is good, it’s the intentions that can be bad. Elizabeth has always been a rather difficult person to get along with because she’s so used to keeping secrets that she doesn’t know the difference of something that can be told and something that has to stay hidden so she keeps it all under wraps in hopes of doing something right. Her intentions are good but she’s a mess.”
“I agree, life is something that should be taken care of and respected by all, but it gets difficult to understand and care for the people who don’t let you know what’s going on. Now, I’m not saying she deserved what happened to her, I’m saying someone might have gotten the wrong impression and held onto their spite for too long and decided that if Elizabeth wasn’t around then there would be no secrets, so they tried to kill her.”
As much as Joseph disliked the idea of his people being against each other, he had to admit that what Alyssa was saying was extremely possible and probably the most likely. “She’s going to have to report it to Pierre unless we can find a loophole.”
“Isn’t a loophole the same as lying?” Alyssa sounded concerned with the idea.
“Nope. It’s not lying if there’s no rule explicitly telling you not to. Exploiting a loophole is difficult with Pierre because he likes to think of every single possibility, but I’m certain I’ll be able to find a way.”
Alyssa knew Joseph wasn’t looking for a loophole to protect Elizabeth, he was looking for a loophole to protect the entire group.
She found some of the tools she was looking for, quickly leading Joseph back to the room. The condition of the tools wasn’t ideal, but it would have to work. “I need you to help me move her to Marshal’s room.”
“Why his room?” Joseph knew it would be better to follow orders without questions but he wanted a reason as to why he’d have to go into somebody else’s room if Elizabeth was hardly in a stable condition in Alyssa’s room. “What would a change of scenery accomplish?”
“I need to get her set up on what I have. It won’t accomplish anything but some comfort in her case.” Once they reached her room, Alyssa checked up on Elizabeth once again, seeming less hopeful than before. “She’s used to his room and her stuff is in there as well, so I think it would be better for her to be in a place where she’s at ease.” She started putting what she had in a bag, obviously in a rush. “It’s possible that she’ll go into shock and it’ll be too late to move her once that happens, but I’ll be better equipped to handle shock in his room since I don’t really have anything to cover her with in here.”
“What are her chances of survival from this moment on?”
Alyssa looked as if she had been waiting for that question but she didn’t want to deliver the answer. “Extremely low, even with help. I’m eventually going to be faced with a choice to continue trying to help her or just let her go, I already know that, but that’s a choice I can’t make alone so the best I can do is keep her alive until Milo gets back. If she is to die in between now and Milo’s return, at least she’ll be in a familiar place.”
Alyssa looked upset with her own diagnosis and at this point, Joseph couldn’t blame her. He took a quick moment to think, heading towards the door. “Keep getting your stuff together, I need to get a key to let you in.”
Kyle Kennedy
Kyle pulled his gun out, taking aim at the intruder. “Drop what you have in your hands, stand up, and slowly turn around.”
The intruder seemed to sigh, putting their hands in the air. As they turned around, they quickly reached for their own gun, drawing it on Kyle. “That’s not how it’s going to work.”
“Who are you to say how this is going to play out?” Kyle looked over the man, feeling like he’d seen him before.
“Someone who watched you murder your own wife. You might have meant to kill her or you might have meant to kill me, but it doesn’t matter now, does it?”
Only three people were around when Dawn was shot. Dawn herself, Marshal, and the Voyager that took him. Marshal was among those presumed dead, missing for years without a trace. “How do you know my wife?”
The intruder scoffed. “You were hardly a husband.”
Kyle took a few steps forward, knowing he couldn’t shoot the intruder because they were likely to be a Voyager. “You talk like you know me, who are you?”
“I wouldn’t expect you to remember me anyways. You were barely a husband but you were no father, especially no father of mine.” The intruder lowered his gun, but refused to holster it. “It’s kind of strange that nearly all of my advice in life came from a waitress in some way or another, I cannot remember a single piece of advice you’ve given me and it’s crazy considering we lived in the same house for fourteen years. You put everything else before your wife and son and because of that you got left alone. It’s terrifying being on your own, isn’t it? I’ve known the feeling for far too long. Sure, you made mistakes and mom would take your side whenever she could because you still meant so much to her, but I’m not willing to look past your mistakes because they extend as far as murdering your wife instead of something so simple like oh, I don’t know, counseling? You sure needed it.”
The man was his son and he surely wasn’t happy to see him. “I didn’t kill her.”
“That’s what they all say. Besides, there’s no proof you didn’t do it. You were tasked with taking her out because she was openly against what you did with the Onyx Organization and like every other worker who has lost any ounce of self respect they might have had, you did it. Does that sound right?” He didn’t let Kyle answer. “I can tell you one thing that you’re not going to remember, you have set yourself up for the worst punishment possible and I won’t give up until you get it.”
“Your pride is still keeping you from seeing the truth.” Kyle realized his hand was shaking, but he knew it was because he had come to the certainty that he was aiming a gun at his own child. Marshal might have come to despise every part of Kyle, but Kyle couldn’t bring himself to hate his own son. He sighed, lowering his gun. “I’m not going to fight with you. Not anymore. Get out of here.”
Marshal holstered his own gun, looking at his watch which had started ringing, before reaching back into the box he had been looking through, pulling out a booklet that Kyle was supposed to get from the apartment. While he seemed sad after looking the watch, his tone was still as direct as possible. “Let’s be clear.” He faced Kyle after taking the booklet, then holding it in the air. “I am going to take this and you are not going to get involved.” He walked away from Kyle before giving him the chance to say anything back. He stopped in the hallway, calling for someone’s attention. “We’ve got company and by the rules, I’m not allowed to handle it because of a bias, so do what you want with him, it doesn’t matter to me.”
‘It doesn’t matter to me.’ Huh. Kyle knew there would be extreme trouble once his chip got reviewed the next day, but for now all he could think of was what he had done wrong. He was never there for his son and because of that, his wife was dead and his son couldn’t even stand to look at him, at least that’s what it seemed like. ‘You bring a kid into the world and this is how he treats you.’
While Kyle was thinking about the encounter, another man came into the room. Marshal seemed mad earlier, but this man looked sad, if anything.
Milo followed behind the man, gaining a sadder look than the man before. “Kyle, what did you do?”
He shrugged, ignoring the man he didn’t know. “Raised a kid to the best of my ability and nearly had a shootout with that same kid, the usual of parenthood.”
Milo shook his head, a small look of anger rising in his eyes as he left the doorway, leaving the apartment.
The other man remained, looking more disappointed than sad. “I’m not sorry that you had to deal with either of them because you brought on some complex feelings in your son.” The man crossed his arms. “I hate to defend him, but he had no interest in making mere acquaintances with most people in our base, he’s shown no interest in a relationship until this year, but he wants nothing to do with her because of your actions. He’s afraid of ending up like you so he’s cutting people out of his life.”
“I messed up, I get it, but I won’t be lectured by someone I don’t know. If you’re under the same rule that he is then it sounds like none of you can deal with me because you all have the same bias.” He knew he had to defend himself. “You people are just like each other, reckless, unruly, and ignorant in nearly all matters. You follow the word of VE without a second thought. Marshal and Milo haven’t returned, how do you know this isn’t a trap and your buddies haven’t been caught?”
He rubbed the bridge of his nose before sighing. “First, VE isn’t why we’re here and they’re surely no leader of ours. Second, I know this isn’t a trap because you’re at a disadvantage and I know that even though Marshal couldn’t care less about you, you don’t want him to get hurt and you know that he could be killed by the organization or by me.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Yes, stop talking now because I have the decision on what to do with you.”
Cyrus figured that Kyle would stop talking after that, but he kept going. “Who is VE?”
He also knew that no matter what he chose, Kyle at least deserved to know the person who unintentionally set him up. “You were familiar with her, why are you asking me?”
“Why did you use a past tense?” Kyle looked confused and a little scared, which told Cyrus that he was getting his way.
“Because she’s dead. Is it really that difficult for you to understand? VE is dead at the hands of another Voyager, not the Onyx Organization. It’s a shame the organization couldn’t catch the one person they needed for answers.”
“How many of you are there?”
“There’s only one of me, but if you’re asking about the Voyagers then too many.” A shameless lie is what it was. The only truth to the statement was the two new members and the one returning.
Kyle had gathered very limited information from the talk and anyone who reviewed the chip would get even less information. “One more question. What are you going to do with me?”
Cyrus already knew Marshal wanted Kyle dead more than anything because of his personal opinion but he also knew that Kyle had a special circumstance that encouraged the organization to keep him past the age of sixty-five, which was a rare occurrence. He didn’t know the special circumstance but Kyle himself probably did, which would make things easier without Elizabeth.
He looked over Kyle one last time. The man wasn’t physically capable of a lot, which meant that he was considered intellectually well off, enough to be kept at the organization well past the cut off age.
‘What would the others think of it?’ Cyrus shook his head. ‘I doubt Ethan knows him and I don’t think Alyssa wants to be involved with the organization just after getting released from them. Alyssa, the chip. What are the chances Kyle will be any better of a person without the chip?’
“Kyle, do you remember your life before the Onyx Organization?”
Kyle looked away, avoiding the question.
“Tell me about what happened to Leah and David Neil.”
He seemed to hesitate for a minute before speaking. “David Neil is dead, he has been for nearly twenty-four years. Leah’s memories have been manipulated to forget everything about David, Milo, and Elizabeth. She only knows about herself. An attempt was made at manipulating Milo’s memories to try and locate his sister but he was resistant. They wanted to kill him because they couldn’t get into his head, but I took him in after giving them my word that he’d cooperate.” Kyle looked up. “He’s damn lucky they didn’t kill him when he tried to run.”
Lucky, that’s one way to describe the Neil siblings. “What information do you have on the Voyagers?”
“Only the basics. We knew about four members, now apparently up to seven. The families of suspected Voyagers are taken to headquarters and their memories are erased, the suspected Voyager is killed, and the family is sent back home once every physical and mental memory of the suspected Voyager is gone. Milo couldn’t be sent home because of how long he had been missing, the higher-ups figured that someone would come for him. It’s sad that it took you guys two years to come back for one of your own.”
“What about the confirmed Voyagers you’ve caught?”
Cyrus saw that Kyle seemed to be more sensitive to the Voyagers now that he knew Marshal was one. “They’re questioned before their memories are accessed, once the organization gets what they want they keep them on the fourth floor to use against the Voyagers. I’ve never done it, but I know that some members of the organization will use them to satisfy their needs without reprimanding.”
Kyle looked down, a guilt look in his eyes. He knew he was risking his life right now to give Cyrus the information.
They both knew that Kyle would be dead the second his chip was reviewed for giving away classified information and refusing to apprehend three Voyagers.
Currently, Kyle had three chances at life but Cyrus only had a say in two.
[Choice A]: Kill Kyle
[Choice B]: Take Kyle back to the bunker
[Choice B]
[Choice B]
By the way, I'm confused about something. Did Elizabeth actually die or is she still fighting for her life? Some of the dialogue near the end seemed to give the impression that she died, but they may just be lying to Kyle to through him off.
Elizabeth’s current condition is actually open for interpretation.
Alyssa mentions the severity of the wound to Joseph, but she also retrieved some stuff from the lab to try and better her odds. The watch, which has been relatively useless up until this chapter, went off on Marshal but it was never said what he saw, just that he wanted to get away from Kyle (which could be for different reasons.)
You’ve got a good point in lying to Kyle, though, they are already aware that the chip is going to give them up, it’s possible that they’re lying to cover for Elizabeth.
To give a 100% answer, it’s extremely possible that Elizabeth is dead, but there has certainly been some foreshadowing in this chapter that point to Elizabeth’s survival for at least two more chapters.
(!) Voting is closed! Cyrus will take Kyle back to the bunker.
2.11- Chapter 2 Finale
“You do understand that if you don’t work with us that I’ll have to kill you, right?” Cyrus started questioning Kyle once more, just to confirm that he had made the right decision. Kyle nodded, remaining quiet. “You also know that nobody is going to warm up to you immediately, correct? You’re going to be subject to more testing than you would be here, but it’s only to clear your reputation.”
Kyle seemed to freeze for a moment, taking in the severity of his current situation. “If it’ll help you and the group to trust me, I’ll do whatever you guys say.”
Cyrus found his hand hovering over his holstered gun, but pulled away from it. He looked around the room, then pointed at Kyle. “You stay here for a minute.” He left the room, heading to the front door of the apartment. He whistled a shrill whistle, catching Milo and Marshal’s attention. The two left the front of the building, returning to the apartment. “I need you two to get the chip off.”
Marshal knew Cyrus wanted them to do it because they were present when Elizabeth removed Alyssa’s chip, that part didn’t bother him. What bothered him was the fact of Kyle going to the bunker with them. The removal of the chip would be a dead giveaway. “Are you sure about this? The circumstances are going to be different because the transmission hasn’t been blocked, everything that’s happened so far can be seen by whoever reviews the chips.”
“They’d be seen either way, there’s more that he can give away to the Organization or to our group.” Cyrus could tell that Milo seemed a little relieved at the decision. “I know you’re trying not to lose your mind right now, but I need you to trust me on this. We’ll have Elizabeth clear everything up tomorrow.”
Marshal looked at his watch, a look of concern coming across his face. “Cyrus… I don’t think your watch is working right.” Milo left the two, heading towards the bedroom to talk to Kyle. Marshal moved closer to Cyrus, lowering his voice. “Knowing your watch isn’t working gives me a little bit of hope but either Elizabeth’s watch stopped working or she’s dead. Don’t jump to conclusions and don’t let Milo know.”
“How am I not supposed to let Milo know? I figured I was lying when I told Kyle that she was dead, but you’re going to have to find a way to keep him quiet.”
Marshal sighed, going back to the bedroom. “Cyrus, take Milo back to the truck, we’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”
Kyle followed Marshal out of the apartment and up the next set of stairs. Cyrus and Milo remained in an uncomfortable silence until Cyrus started walking away, Milo going after him. “Aren’t you worried about those two being alone together?”
“Naturally.” The two left the apartment open, heading back downstairs. “Kyle won’t do anything, it’s Marshal we need to be worried about. He’s supposed to be disconnecting the chip but I have no idea where he took him.”
The two had small talk until they made it back to the truck, waiting there for Kyle and Marshal, just as they were told to. After an hour, Milo seemed to grow concerned and recommended going to see what happened. Cyrus waited a few more minutes before deciding to go along with Milo’s plan.
As the two approached the apartments once more, they ran into Kyle and Marshal. It was evident that the chip had been disconnected, but neither of them offered an answer as to what took so long, not even speaking most of the walk to the truck or the ride back to the bunker.
It was an unspoken agreement that whenever Elizabeth was unavailable to show new people around the bunker, Marshal would do it, which made Kyle’s appearance more difficult for him to take in.
The four separated after Joseph greeted their return and welcomed Kyle. Leaving Marshal and Kyle, Milo and Joseph went to bed while Cyrus went to the lab.
Cyrus watched over the cameras to give the two space but make sure neither of them got out of hand.
While the two were in the common room, Alyssa left her room and went into the kitchen. Cyrus left the lab to go talk to her, seeing sadness on her face.
“What happened?” Cyrus could tell that she hadn’t eaten all day, likely because she had been dealing with Elizabeth.
“Nothing, thankfully, I’m just really sleepy. Where did you guys go?”
“Back into the city.” Cyrus knew Alyssa wasn’t going to pry for answers because she understood her boundaries. “You should know, Kyle Kennedy is around here now. I don’t know what kind of relationship the two of you had, but you’re probably going to be seeing him frequently.”
A smile crossed her face. “That’s good news! Kyle knows a lot more about the organization’s history than I do, so there’s no doubt he’ll be useful to you guys.”
Cyrus chuckled, taking a seat on one of the barstools. “At least one person takes well to the news.”
Her smile faded, but her eyes still seemed happy. “Marshal doesn’t like the idea of him being around, does he?”
“You catch on quick. He hasn’t said anything too negative about it but I can tell he’s mad at me because I made the choice. In my defense, they left me to make the choice.”
After a quick talk with Alyssa, Cyrus went through the bunker, noticing Marshal and Kyle had disappeared.
He went to the dormitory hallway then knocked on Marshal’s door, waiting until he heard permission for him to enter.
Going in the room, his underlying fears were immediately put to rest. He’d been worried sick since Marshal mentioned the possibility that something was wrong with his watch. He worried that in telling Kyle that Elizabeth was dead that he was actually telling the truth.
Elizabeth was lying on the bed, Marshal lying next to her. Cyrus shut the door behind him, going towards Elizabeth’s side of the bed. “How is she?”
“Alyssa said if she does die because of the wound, it’ll likely be in the next twenty-fours hours. She’s trying to prevent that from happening by keeping her asleep and letting her regather herself as needed. She’s obviously not able to eat, but she set up an IV to keep her from getting dehydrated.” Marshal sounded exhausted but Cyrus could already tell he planned to stay up and watch over Elizabeth. “She’s not doing great but there are worse ways she could be right now.”
“She already handled what she needed to do with Filip, right?”
Marshal shrugged. “I think so, but I’m not sure. I can mess with the system tomorrow night and see what all happened.” Cyrus could see he was concerned, probably more than he should have been, but he didn’t blame him. “I need to talk to Alyssa either way.”
“Whenever she gets back to herself, you should encourage her to talk to Eris.”
He nodded. “Eris went through a lot before Joseph got her out of there and she’s familiar with the recovery process so it can only be beneficial for her.”
“Exactly what I was thinking.” He knew Marshal wasn’t going to like changing the topic to Kyle, but there were some things that needed to be said. “Whenever she gets back on her feet, I need you to be somewhat responsible and try to keep the peace between yourself and Kyle. You may not like it but you’re only going to stress her out even more if things get hostile between the two of you.”
“Cyrus, you already know that I would do a lot of things for Elizabeth, but if you really think that some hostility is going to upset her, you’re dead wrong. Hostility got her where she is right now and FIlip’s lucky Milo doesn’t know and I haven’t seen him yet.” He sat up, trying to keep his movement to a minimal and his voice as quiet as possible. “You need to tell Milo what happened since you were there.”
“I may have been there, but I’m only taking a guess that it was Filip and not herself. Nothing is certain, Marshal, that’s why I need you to look into the system tonight.”
Marshal sighed, climbing out of the bed. “You stay with her, I need to go talk with Alyssa.”
Without a second word, Marshal left the room. He knew Alyssa wasn’t in her room because he had heard her leave but not return, so it was likely she was still in the kitchen. Going into the kitchen, Alyssa greeted him with a smile. “You look like you’re on a mission, what’s going on?”
“Milo wasn’t kidding when he said you were smart.” He pointed to her neck. “It’s been a few days, are you feeling any better?”
After her chip was disconnected, Alyssa had been complaining of the after effects, most of which related to the manner the chip was removed. “A lot better, actually, I think it was just the initial shock that made the pain drag on until I had something to do.” She looked up. “Speaking of, I had some questions for you.”
“Milo might be the better person to ask if they’re regarding Elizabeth, but I’ll answer them to my best ability.”
“Is she right or left handed?”
“Ambidextrous.”
Alyssa seemed a little confused. “That’s… different. Do you think she tried to fight back?”
“I’ve been trying to think of a way into the camera records to find that out for myself, but by what Cyrus and Lecia said, I don’t think so.”
“I want to tell you something that’s been bothering me.” Alyssa looked to Marshal, making sure she had his full attention. “When I was with the organization, I remember they let me look through files on Milo and Elizabeth, as well as their parents. Elizabeth was genetically designed to stand up for herself and others, but there’s no proof that she even defended herself.”
“They were both genetically modified because Leah and David couldn’t naturally have a child, but even then something went wrong with their genetics because they both have extremely weak immune systems, while most genetically modified children have strengthened immune systems.” While he was right, Alyssa seemed a little concerned that he knew it. “My dad used to work on the fourth floor and he was beyond fascinated with the idea of genetically modifying his children to be the greatest in nearly every aspect possible. Thankfully, my mother disagreed with that idea. Anyways, what exactly are you getting at?”
“The same thing you pointed out. There’s a flaw in Elizabeth’s genetics that’s trying to influence hypovolemic shock, which means Milo is likely to have the same flaw if their genetics were engineered by the same geneticist.” She now looked concerned. “I’m trying to keep Elizabeth unconscious until she regains enough blood volume. Before I put her under, she was complaining about feeling nauseous which told me that there’s something wrong with her genes, not her. How often is she sick?”
“She’s got pretty bad allergies, which is seasonal, but other than the occasional bout with a cold, not often. She’s pretty good about staying on top of whatever medicines she takes.”
Alyssa looked as if something clicked within her. “What medicines does she take? Do you know?”
He shook his head. “No, sorry. The bottles are somewhere in my room, I can try and find them for you.”
“It would be good to know, I don’t want to put her at risk by mixing medications.” She prepared herself to ask another question. “Does she normally bleed heavily or lightly?”
“She bleeds a lot if there’s nothing to stop her from bleeding.”
“Lecia had the washcloth on her cheek and her side was pushed against you, but she was still bleeding through her own shirt and yours.” Alyssa seemed just as puzzled as Marshal did at this point. “I don’t understand. I need a favor, come with me while I test some things out to see how it all played out.” Alyssa and Marshal left the kitchen, going into the next door dining room. “I wanted to know something, but you don’t have to answer it if you think it’s too personal.”
“I doubt it’s too personal, what is it?”
“What exactly is your relationship with Elizabeth?” Alyssa knew she was going to have to expand. “I figured you guys were friends, but the act you two pulled off was far too convincing.”
“I really don’t know, if you want my honesty. I’ve come to know her a lot better since Milo’s been gone but now that he’s here, I think it’d be wrong to start anything with her.”
Alyssa smiled, obviously not ready to drop the subject. “Have you talked to Milo about it?”
“About two minutes before she got stabbed, yeah, he wasn’t for it then and I’m pretty sure he’s still not for it because of the condition she’s in.”
“I don’t think that’s true.” Alyssa could read people fairly easily because she knew what to look for. “He didn’t seem too upset that she was in your room and didn’t even ask to have her moved, which kind of surprised me.”
They stopped in the dining room, Marshal pointing out a dresser. “I’m pretty sure Lecia hid the weapon. Alyssa went to a dresser that was moved to the nightstand’s spot to try and hide the fact that it was missing. She opened the bottom drawer, pulling out the leg of the nightstand itself, then handed it to Marshal. “Do you know if Filip’s right or left handed?”
“I think we’re both right handed.”
“Good. What I’m thinking is that in order to do as much damage as he did, Filip would have had to have stabbed her in the side first, but that’s what confuses me.” Alyssa faced the tip of the leg to her own side. “She’s ambidextrous, so she could have easily grabbed the leg and turned it around on Filip.”
Alyssa grabbed the leg and did just as she explained, now pointing the tip of the leg at Marshal’s chest. “I think you’re right about the sequence the wounds occurred in. I don’t think she would have put up with having a sharp wooden stick waved in her face if she was unharmed at that point. Though, that does beg the question as to how she didn’t notice that she was bleeding from her side or how nobody else noticed it.”
“That’s right.” Alyssa let go of the leg of the nightstand, putting her hands to her hips. “I don’t think there’s a strong possibility that you or Lecia opened the wound when you brought her to the room because it’s lining up with everything we know so far. I think Elizabeth had used something against Filip but she dropped it.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because Filip came to me after I finished with Elizabeth with a pretty fresh cut of his own on his left arm and he told me he didn’t know where he got it from.” Alyssa looked around the floor. “It looked like it came from something thin, anything ranging to a razor blade to a shard of glass."
The two got on the ground, looking in the area for whatever object they could find. “It’s not in this area.” Marshal got off the ground, heading into the kitchen.
Alyssa got up and followed after him. “How do you say?”
“There was a lot of blood in that area from Elizabeth, but there’s droplets that lead into the kitchen. Droplets that size couldn’t have come from either of Elizabeth’s wounds, so that leaves us with Filip’s cut.” Marshal went into the kitchen, going straight to a cabinet and started counting plates. “I think we’re missing a plate.”
“Are they breakable?” Alyssa watched Marshal pull out a plate and look over it.
He dropped the plate to the floor, grabbing Alyssa’s full attention. He picked it back up off the ground, showing Alyssa that it was still in one piece. “Not easily.” He flung it at the wall and the plate shattered on impact. “It’s not supposed to break easily, but it’s supposed to disintegrate when it does break to avoid being used as a weapon.” He picked up a shard that looked like it could inflict the wound Filip had. “But some pieces can slip by.”
Marshal cleaned the plate up to his best ability while Alyssa looked over the shard he had picked out.
Once he was finished, they went into the pantry and eventually into the hatch room where they suspected the droplets had started. The two looked all over the floor until Alyssa found a shard nearly identical to the one from earlier. “This was what Elizabeth had used. The rest of the plate is gone, though, how do we explain that?”
“We don’t. We take what we have and we try to find Elizabeth’s journal so we find out how to access the security records.” They started a walk to the common room. “The good news is that I know where the journal is.” They walked in silence until Marshal looked through a nightstand in the common room, coming back with nothing but a worried look on his face. “Well, I used to know where the journal was. She must have moved it.”
“Her stuff is in your room, right? Is there a possibility that the journal got mixed in with her stuff?”
“I’m certain it did. If it's not in the common room, the chances that it's in the lab are slim which gives us only one reasonable place." He sighed. "Then again, she does keep the room keys hidden in Lecia's closet, so I guess we might never know."
"In Lecia's closet? Why?" Alyssa and Marshal started back to the dormitory area.
"That's something I've never been able to get out of her. My best guess is that Lecia's room is one of the few rooms that only one person occupies, meaning no second person will go snooping around. That, and Lecia keeps her room locked whenever she's not there."
The two stopped in front of Marshal's door, Alyssa lowering her voice to a whisper. “If she’s awake, you need to keep her in one place and facing the wall so I can get to her stuff without her getting upset.”
Marshal knew there was a slim possibility of Elizabeth being awake, but he also knew that it was unlikely she was back in her right mind, meaning she would likely be the least helpful in the current search. He nodded before going into the room and pointing to Elizabeth’s stuff near the closet. “It’s not her you have to worry about, Cyrus is in there as well.”
“Just distract whoever’s in there, don’t let Cyrus know what we’re doing.”
Alyssa looked through the clothes while Marshal talked to Cyrus and Elizabeth to keep her from hearing Alyssa.
After reaching the bottom of the clothes, Alyssa finally found the journal. She crawled over to the door and out of the room, Marshal only leaving once he knew she was out of the room.
“We need to figure out how to use Final Product Four.” Alyssa handed Marshal the journal as soon as he left the room, leaving him on a page of commands for the system.
He smiled before closing the journal. “I know I said this last time, but now I mean it. I know how Final Product Four takes commands, I just didn’t know what command it needed.”
“You only let my hopes down last time, so I’ll believe it when I see it.”
The two went to the lab, shutting the door behind them. Marshal took a breath before looking at the monitors. “Final Product Four, pull up any suspicious surveillance from yesterday.”
The empty monitors now showed four cameras. The hatch room, the pantry, the kitchen, and the dining room.
Alyssa looked over the footage noting that it was just before anything happened between Filip and Elizabeth.
The two were first spotted by the dining room camera when Elizabeth first saw Filip. She was talking with the syringe in hand, ready to use, while he was ignoring her, going to the hatch room.
In the kitchen, Elizabeth questioned where he was going to which Filip responds that he’s going back to the Organization.
Filip goes into the pantry and Elizabeth puts away the syringe and breaks the plate in the same manner Marshal did, grabbing the shard they had found. She catches up to Filip in the hatch room and stops him at the ladder, obviously intending to use the shard as a threat and nothing more.
Filip gets cut when he jumps down from the ladder to talk to Elizabeth. She apologizes over and over, dropping the shard before Filip goes to the dining room.
He broke the nightstand while she cleaned up the plate that she had broken and waited for her in the dining room.
She finished picking up all the pieces she could, obviously forgetting the shard in the hatch room, and then going to leave.
When she walked through the dining room, Filip snuck up behind her only saying something just before she went into the hallway that connected the dining room to the common room.
He forced the leg of the nightstand forward before she could even fully turn around, sending it into her side.
She seems to panic before she starts to try to reason with Filip. He starts walking towards her as she backs away and when she mentions the Organization, Filip swings the nightstand leg, resulting in the cut on her cheek.
Cyrus and Lecia come in at that point and Cyrus sneaks up on Filip, quickly restraining him and making him drop the nightstand leg. Elizabeth looks at the wound on her side and gives an order to Lecia while the two pay attention to Filip before administering the shot.
Cyrus starts to clean up the nightstand when Elizabeth and Lecia leave the dining room and Milo goes in to watch over Filip. The two move a dresser to take the nightstand’s place and put the leg of the nightstand in the bottom drawer.
Filip regains consciousness and the three leave the dining room after Cyrus makes up a story to Filip, trying to keep him from knowing what happened.
They leave and nobody goes into the dining room for a few more hours.
The last person in the dining room that day was Lecia to clean up any blood she could find.
The footage stopped there, Alyssa and Marshal stood in shock for a few moments. “She tried to threaten him and to retaliate, he tried to kill her.”
Marshal nodded. “She didn’t fight back because she didn’t have time to even process what was happening.”
“I hate to say it, but they’re both victims here.”
“I agree. If I saw it correctly, he could have gotten a pretty deep cut from the shard.” Alyssa could tell by the sound of his voice that it was taking Marshal a lot to not get upset and to see Filip’s side. “The others need to know what we know now.”
Alyssa felt a little guilty having to make Marshal, of all the people she could have chosen, watch the footage, but she felt her choice was justified. Marshal had access to things relating to Elizabeth that most others didn’t. “I can tell them.”
He smiled, a sigh following after. “Please do. Final Product Four, close the footage.”
The two separated, Marshal going back to his room with the journal.
He put the journal away when he returned, taking Cyrus into the hall to explain what they found out.
Cyrus and Marshal eventually ran into Alyssa once again, the three of them coming up with a final plan relating to Elizabeth’s situation.
“I don’t think Elizabeth knew what happened herself.” Alyssa was concerned as to what they would tell Elizabeth since Filip would have no memory for certain. “Obviously, she knows what happened, I think it was all just too fast for her to process.”
“She’s going to find out either way, why keep it from her?” Cyrus wanted to spare no details from Elizabeth while Alyssa wanted to keep some important details held back, Marshal remained on the fence. “Marshal, what are you thinking?”
During the meeting, Cyrus and Alyssa did most of the talking, while Marshal simply agreed with some things that were said, not putting much in himself. He wasn’t doing it because he had nothing constructive to say, he was doing it because he had too much to say. “I think we’re worrying about the wrong thing right now. She’s going to find out on her own, it’s better we don’t get in trouble for keeping anything from her. We’re not on the right topic because right now she’s being kept unconscious for an undetermined amount of time, which I think desperately needs to be addressed.”
“You and I don’t have a say in that, it’s for Alyssa to decide.” Cyrus could tell that the answer he gave wasn’t going to be good enough, but it was really all he had to offer. “It would be good to know, but I don’t think Alyssa can tell right now because a day hasn’t even gone by.”
Alyssa had done her best to keep the situation as quiet as she could, even going as far as to keep Elizabeth under and not tell Filip a word. It was important to the group that nobody stirred up a panic, but her options were dwindling down faster than she could keep track of. “I want to keep her out for at least three days so I can monitor both sets without her getting in the way. The problem with that is that she needs to eat or it’ll make my entire plan up to this point completely useless.”
“What makes you think she’d get in the way of her own health?” Alyssa had a point in mentioning Elizabeth would do something to either set back her recovery or completely reset it.
Marshal answered before Alyssa could, quickly taking to her defense. “You and I both know Elizabeth. She gets nervous and tries to busy her hands, which is why she can’t keep her hair down. She’ll pull a set of her own stitches out in the worst situation, it’s best not to risk it.”
Alyssa nodded, crossing her arms. “That, and Lecia told me something that really concerned me. She mentioned that because Elizabeth is so self-destructive, she would purposely expose herself to infection or more blood loss by either pulling the stitches or making a new cut. I don’t know if either of you think the same way, but it’s very unnerving to hear how someone actually believes that she’s not only capable of doing that to herself but also willing to.”
While Alyssa hardly knew Elizabeth’s capabilities, she was right to assume Elizabeth would do something dangerous. Before Milo’s disappearance, it would have been infection because she wasn’t paying attention to the wounds, but after Milo left, it could have been anything. “You two are probably right, so I guess I can agree that it’s a good idea to keep her under.”
Cyrus picked up on the lack of confidence in Marshal’s voice, knowing exactly why it lacked confidence as well. “Our best choice right now is to trust Alyssa. We’re in a bad situation, personally and as a group, we’re losing every chance we had and we’ll only continue to get worse if we put our hearts in front of our heads. I have no doubts that Elizabeth will get better but until she does, Marshal needs to take over in the lab. I don’t want to risk Filip losing it again and managing to do more harm to the group as a whole. Alyssa, you told Joseph about what happened, right?”
She nodded, her voice quiet when she spoke. “He’s aware of the situation and looking for a way to avoid telling PIerre.”
“Help him with that. I can tell you’re very honest, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if we can’t find a way around Pierre then the entire group is going to be disbanded. It’s likely you and Milo will be the only ones in a questionable position because Elizabeth never had the chance to record your arrival or Milo’s return. The rest of us will be sent to different resistance groups, Filip will be returned to the Onyx Organization, and Eris and Elizabeth will probably die faster without proper care.”
Alyssa looked to Marshal, hoping he would dispute the claim, but was only greeted with silence as she prepared for a grim reality. “I need to know what the rules state if I’m going to find a hole in them.” She looked back to Cyrus, seeing a small look of hope in his eyes. “Only on the condition that I learn the history behind the group.”
Cyrus looked a bit confused, but ready to comply. “The Voyagers had a greater number long before I was born because people were seeing error in the ways the Onyx Organization was running things. Nobody knows what happened in the Onyx Organization headquarters because, as my mother described it, it happened within a matter of two days and it changed the group and the Organization for decades to come. At around forty, the Voyagers were at their best. Most people in the group had an advanced talent of their own, which bettered the odds. Years started to pass and the numbers started to dwindle. My mother mentioned that people were becoming so hopeless that they took their own lives before the Onyx Organization could, turned themselves in, joined a different resistance group, or just stopped working because they expected to be caught.”
Marshal sighed, noticing Cyrus had stopped looking at Alyssa and now looked to the ground, his eyes void of any emotion that wasn’t sadness. He also knew the story from this point only made Cyrus feel more hopeless in their situation. “Word got around that the Onyx Organization knew where the Voyagers had been hiding and they were planning an attack. Some people stayed because they were ready to give up, some stayed because they didn’t believe the rumors, but the ones who left had split up from each other. His mom left but his dad stayed to try to get any supplies that he could. While he was there, the Organization attacked and either apprehended or killed anyone they saw, putting a complete halt to the Voyagers for the next twenty or thirty years. Pierre reached out to Cyrus, encouraging him to restart the movement with the people that he had at the time, which were…”
He paused, looking to Cyrus to answer. “Joseph and Eris, the only two that I had. We agreed and started to work in the dark, picking up whoever we could. There have been some different people than the ones you already know, but there’s always been something to draw them away. In the years since the group had been revived, the highest amount of people we’ve had has been barely twenty.”
Alyssa smiled softly, understanding exactly what Cyrus was getting at. “You’re concerned because in a matter of maybe a week, your numbers have gone up by four?”It normally wouldn’t be a big deal, but for a group of seven with three members who were constantly gone, it was a huge jump in progress.
He nodded. “Exactly. I’m grateful you’re here to help the group and I can only hope that Ethan and Kyle help in the same way.”
“Elizabeth mentioned she had high hopes for Ethan, so he has to have something going for him. My dad, well, he’s pretty smart. Deceitful as well.” Marshal shrugged. “I don’t think we have a thing to worry about for the current moment. Filip’s eventually going to find out he was part of the organization, but hopefully in better circumstances, so all we can do is hold on for now.”
She took a moment to think, only speaking when she was certain she had a plan worked out for herself. “I’m going to work with Eris and Elizabeth for a while, but I think we need to talk more. You both have interesting perspectives that need to be voiced more than they need to be kept quiet.” Quickly changing the topic once more, she redirected her train of thought. “Does anybody know what it is Eris has?”
“We all do, but you should probably hear it straight from her.” Cyrus crossed his arms. “She tends to water things down to protect everybody else from a harsh reality that we already expect. We’ve all been told different things about her illness from her depending on the person. Joseph gives a pretty consistent story, if you can actually stop him and get it out of him. It took him maybe a few hours to tell me when we first met, a number of years to tell Marshal, and he still hasn’t told Filip and a few others. It just depends on your intentions.”
“Just being curious isn’t a good enough reason, for your information.” Marshal added. “If I were you, I’d just be honest. You’re a doctor and you’re trying to help her, that’s all that needs to be said with Joseph. Eris is different, though, she might change up the story because you’re a doctor and trying to help her.”
She seemed a little confused, but she felt ready to help the group out. She turned to Cyrus, looking for answers. “It sounds like they both might be a little difficult to get the story out of. Who do you suggest I talk to?”
”Joseph.”
”Eris.”
What to expect in Chapter 3:
The marriage between the two had been slowly crumbling for years, but neither of them would find themselves in the position to quit the other.
Eris had no problem reading the emotions of the other members, studying each of them every time they were around.
She could see Alyssa was stressed, but somewhat content underneath. Ethan remained average, which was the best most people could do in their situation. The two were easily doing the best out of the entire group.
Eris had gone into the kitchen, nothing but darkness surrounding her. The lights flickered on to reveal a woman in a white dress with a black masquerade mask, a fake smile plastered on her face.
“It’s all happened before, we’ll find a way to work around this. It’s an inconvenience at most, not a tragedy.”
Marshal and Eris watched the monitors to reveal two shadows running through the bunker, their bodies moving too quickly to be caught by the cameras.
Luke had been sat down to speak with a bartender who claimed that he had a run with a man he believed to be a Voyager. The man was clearly delusional but Luke had been ordered to listen to him.
"We can thank Milo Neil for the knowledge we have and Kyle Kennedy for the final push. Go out to the lead and take no witnesses." An order from Isaac himself couldn't be turned down, no matter where the lead took his people.
Pierre studied the woman with light brown hair seated in front of him, quickly coming to the realization that she was studying him as well. She had a lot of things to say to him but never had the time to talk to him anymore. "I want to help the Voyagers myself."
Alright, the second chapter is now finished. I don't really have much to say, other than I'm returning to the former voting system because even I'm getting a little bugged seeing [Choice] just before every option.
The Google Docs for the entirety of chapter two has been updated along with the document for alternate choices, and alternate choices will be posted under a spoiler, mainly to save room. (But also because I don't trust this update, shhhh 'tis a secret.)
1.11: [Disagree to the idea and risk questioning and being on the Organization radar for a bit.]:This choice would have caused more problems for Elizabeth and Marshal in the long run. Isaac wouldn’t have forgotten about their denial and would later on use it against Marshal.
2.1: ”Send Elizabeth back but don’t tell her about Milo.”: Elizabeth would have returned when she was supposed to and would be able to tell something was going on, but Marshal would be extremely guilty over Milo and generally try and draw himself away from her after he returned. She wouldn’t know about Milo for a long time to come, but she would be furious when she found out.
2.1: ”Return with Elizabeth, don’t tell her about Milo.”: Elizabeth would have stayed an extra day and return with Marshal. Elizabeth would notice his anxiety and question him on it, but wouldn’t think too much of it when he doesn’t tell her anything. She would be beyond upset and feel quite betrayed by Marshal mainly when she did find out about Milo.
2.3: [Take it back.]: Marshal would have taken the ring back from Elizabeth, causing an unspoken boundary to form between the two and later Elizabeth to accuse Marshal of using her and Milo.
2.3.5: [Stay put, maybe another time.]: Ethan would have remained in the bunker, keeping the group from getting in trouble with Pierre, but also nearly causing Cyrus to lose his life in that ‘another time’ part.
2.4: [Give Marshal’s coordinates.]: By giving away Marshal’s coordinates, Filip would have crossed into Elizabeth’s bad graces for some time to come. He would do this by having Pierre, Joseph, and himself go into the city and retrieve the two, ultimately keeping them from achieving their goal of getting Milo out. Alyssa wouldn’t have been helped out of the city and Luke would have grown suspicious of the two because Marshal hadn’t stayed there as long as he was supposed to.
2.4: [Rain check; go home after work.]: Alyssa would have denied the offer and Steven would tell her it was okay and that there would always be another time. Milo, however, would tell her she would regret the decision and not say anything about it. She would be confused and overall nervous about Milo’s cryptic words, but would continue her daily routine. This choice would have caused Elizabeth and Marshal to attack Alyssa to get Milo back and not see the opportunity to help her, causing Elizabeth’s death in a future part.
2.4: [Run away]: Ethan would have taken off and eventually run into Filip, Pierre, and Joseph himself, causing a small distraction and one of the men to go after him. Cyrus wouldn’t have been able to defend himself with a smaller distraction and would have been killed for not cooperating. Pierre would have taken the life of the man that followed Ethan for ‘justice.’
2.5: [Tell Filip to leave the lab, tell Elizabeth later on.]: Filip would have left the lab, making Cyrus stay in the lab overnight. He wouldn’t have found out anything more, preventing Elizabeth from getting stabbed. She would have talked to him about the Organization and worked out a way to keep from manipulating Filip’s memories again.
2.5: [Tell Filip to leave the lab, don’t tell Elizabeth.]: Filip would have left the lab and Cyrus would have stayed overnight. Elizabeth would have no idea that Filip knew about the Organization until he tried and succeeded in blackmailing her.
2.5: [Let Filip stay, don’t tell Elizabeth.]: Cyrus would have left Filip in the lab. Filip would have gathered more information against Elizabeth and killed her, rather than injuring her, when confronting her about it. Milo would be quick to blame Cyrus because he knew what Filip had done in the lab.
2.7: [Console Elizabeth]: Cyrus would work with Marshal in consoling Elizabeth. She’d give all the details on her contract with Pierre, rather than the limited details that were given, and admit a fear of hers. After hearing the details of the contract, Cyrus and Marshal would both be upset with Pierre.
2.9: [Sneak up on the intruder]: While Kyle snuck up on the intruder, he would be caught off guard by two more people. He’d quickly recognize Milo but have doubts about who Marshal was, though he’d have no clue who Cyrus was. He’d try and keep the three at bay and only realize who Marshal was when Marshal suggests they find the book they came for, kill Kyle, and leave. Milo would be hesitant because he knew Kyle in recent years, leaving Cyrus to make the choice.
2.10: [Kill Kyle]: Regardless of the former choice, Marshal wouldn’t be too torn up about Kyle’s death and even go as far as to call it justice for what Kyle did to his wife. Milo would act a bit guilty, say that Marshal was being unfair towards Kyle, but eventually get over it. The choice would cause Cyrus distress but also would have caused Marshal to be more cooperative in the third chapter, giving the group an easier time. However, a final backstory would have revealed that Kyle wasn’t the one who killed his wife after all and that Cyrus knew this much.
Some few familiar questions,
1) Who is your favorite character?
2) And your least favorite?
3) Who is a character you want to see more of?
4) What is a theme you want to see more of?
5) Where do you believe the main story is going for the Voyagers?
6) Where do you believe the main story for the Onyx Organization is going?
7) Are there any plot points you believe I neglected that you would like to see covered?
8) Is there any speculation you’d like to provide on the next time segment?
9) Lastly, do you have any questions or comments of your own?
And now, my personal favorite segment returns. That's right, it's the important links section.
Important links
Character Submission
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Alternate Choices
”Joseph.” he will be more reliable I guess.
"Joseph."
Pretty much the same reason as Mathea.
So I won’t be able to write anything this week or weekend, I’m very sorry about that but I’ll try to have the next chapter running by next Wednesday.
I actually wanted to share some scenes that were scrapped from the previous chapter, along with some little tidbits of information, a lot of them from the finale.
One of the first scrapped scenes that I can remember was from 2.10 (or 9) and that was the talk that Marshal and Milo had that was briefly mentioned in the finale. It was cut because the part was already being led by a different POV and it was a short conversation.
A segment was cut from one of the later parts in chapter two that gave more backstory on Pierre because it didn’t really fit well with the part.
There was also a line of conversation between Elizabeth and Filip before she was made aware of what Filip had done. The line subtly gave away Filip’s plan later on and was cut because I ultimately decided to give the two as little interaction as possible beforehand.
And finally, a scene scrapped towards the beginning of chapter two involved some dialogue from Cyrus’ mother, along with some from Marshal’s mother. The scene was cut and it actually would have shown up if the option to kill Kyle had been chosen.
Scenes that were cut from the finale and added to the finale, oh man.
The first one that comes to mind was a scene involving Isaac Hampton and Luke Lowell, discussing notes left behind by Alyssa from when she was still with the Organization. It was cut because it had no business being there, as chapter three Organization parts are going to be set in the past.
There were three scenes that involved Elizabeth, one with Alyssa, the other with Cyrus, and the final with Marshal. While the three scenes never coexisted, they were all cut to allow Alyssa and Marshal's investigation to take place.
Speaking of the investigation, Lecia was going to have a major part in the investigation until it was moved from a place in chapter three to the chapter two finale.
In the very first draft of the finale, there was a scene involving Milo calling out Marshal for the way he treated Kyle. The part would have revealed that the two were nowhere near as close to each other as they used to be, but it would also give a detail on Marshal that most characters don’t know. In Milo’s case, he simply forgot in the two years he’d been gone.
Some dialogue of Joseph’s had been cut from the finale, along with an appearance by Ethan.
There was a small segment towards the end that would have hinted towards some details on the Ammolite Organization, which has been mentioned in Pierre’s introduction part.
Last but not least, a final Cyrus piece was removed. The piece was a conversation with Marshal regarding Elizabeth. It was removed in favor of having a talk between the two and Alyssa. A choice had also been removed from that piece. In the piece, Marshal would say that he was glad Elizabeth was alive, obviously knowing there was a possibility she wouldn’t make it, but he was also say that someone needed to tell Filip what he did, otherwise he couldn’t be trusted to not do it again. Cyrus would disagree at first until Alyssa agreed with Marshal and said that he should do it. Cyrus would have had the option to agree with Alyssa, causing a confrontation between Filip and Marshal in the next chapter, or disagree with the both of them, which would have actually been the better option since nothing would have happened.
Now that that’s finished, I want to give some details on chapter three.
Chapter three is going to be a chapter that Voyager POVs stay in one place the entire time, while most Onyx Organization POVs will take place in the past.
Dialogue will probably be the most important part with the Voyagers, as Eris is a character who isn’t really capable of much in her actions.
There will be at least one flashback for the characters of Kyle, Alyssa, and Ethan.
In the sneak peek part, we saw an instance of Pierre, so I’m happy to be able to say that we’re going to learn a lot about the Aquamarine Organization in the chapter, along with some other Organizations with POVs led by some pretty powerful people.
I believe that is all I have to say for now, so until next Wednesday!
”Joseph.” Like Mathea and Tales pointed out, better go with the most reliable here.
ps: I''ve just got some free time this weekend and have been able to make some progress with re-writing Chelsea's submission. I'll most definitely pm her to you sometime this weekend! (I feel like I said that a lot lately... man, I really wish google forms hadn't screwed me up twice with both her other submissions
)
1) Who is your favorite character? Eris is likeable, same as Milo. I also like Alyssa and her being rescued from Onyx organization.
2) And your least favorite? There are no least favorite, every character have something special to like about.
3) Who is a character you want to see more of? Dunno, I think every character gets as much spotlight possible as it is. It would be nice to see more of those, which had smaller roles though.
4) What is a theme you want to see more of? Romance.
5) Where do you believe the main story is going for the Voyagers? Hard to say, the situation in their ranks is getting pretty alarming...
6) Where do you believe the main story for the Onyx Organization is going? They are quite motivated to get hands on Voyagers, they certainly have enough people to do so.
7) Are there any plot points you believe I neglected that you would like to see covered? There are also other resistance groups like Voyagers, it would be nice to read more about them... perhaps different plot with different characters in it. I may even submit a character or two if you would need to cover some roles.
8) Is there any speculation you’d like to provide on the next time segment? I hope Elizabeth makes it alive, thanks to Alyssa.
9) Lastly, do you have any questions or comments of your own? It would like to see more descriptions of the world around, character physical appearances and such. Also more of the Voyagers would be nice, since for now they appear for me to be like, around 10 of them in total? What about the rest, are they the only ones? I don't remember if it was mentioned how many in total are living in that bunker or if it is only the ones we read about.
There are characters who had a small role this chapter that are planned to have a bigger role in the chapter, such as Ethan, Filip, Joseph, Eris, and in the Organization, there will be plenty of Luke and Isaac.
A few subplots through chapter three and four with a few already established, questionable, and even those who seem like they’ve got nothing to do with each other can totally be expected ?
It certainly is and with the upcoming chapter having the most determinant characters and endings, I can say that the next chapter Voyager POVs are going to focus exclusively on the group’s standing with each other personally.
There are tons of resistance groups, some in a better state than the Voyagers, like Pierre’s, and some in a more troubling position. Pierre’s group is planned to make their first major appearance sometime soon. As for characters, they’d certainly be welcomed.
I wouldn’t put it past Alyssa, she’s the best at what she does and she likely feels like she owes something to the Voyagers, especially Elizabeth, Marshal, and Milo, so saving her could be considered a favor to the other two. However, Alyssa did mention how quickly Elizabeth’s condition deteriorated and some unknown influencing factors. It could go either way but the coverage of the stabbing is planned to go at least halfway through chapter three.
There’s eleven Voyagers in the bunker, a major jump from the original seven. Back in chapter one or early chapter two, Elizabeth mentioned a main base and not liking someone there, which was more than a minor detail
The main base could be confused with Pierre’s group, but I can confirm they’re separate from each other. Most of the active Voyagers are in the bunker, there’s the main base, captives of the Organization, as well as some that are just missing.
3.1
Cyrus motioned back to Marshal. “He won’t say it directly, but he thinks you should talk to Joseph first, a thought that I can agree with.”
Alyssa nodded, taking a minute to weigh her options. “It’ll be better for Eris if I get the true story, even if she doesn’t want help.” The two looked like they agreed, though neither of them had anything left to comment on. Cyrus was the first to dismiss himself after saying goodnight to the two, Alyssa just barely stopping Marshal before losing sight of him. “I know I said I was going to tell the rest about what happened, but I never got the chance to tell Milo. I don’t know if you want to handle telling him or if you want me to do that, but I’ll let you make the call.”
“I’d argue that Milo is the person who needs to know the most, why didn’t you tell him?”
“I couldn’t find him.” Marshal noticed Alyssa’s immediate defensive tone, taking that as a sign to back off. “Believe it or not, it’s difficult for someone who has been here for two days, compared to the rest of you guys.”
“I don’t know, Ethan was only here a week before you, I’d say you guys are on the same level.” He paused. “Oh, and my dad, who has been here for a shorter amount of time. I guess you could consider Milo if he forgot the layout of the place, which isn’t a stretch to assume.”
Alyssa started questioning herself on if he was trying to irritate her on purpose or if he just wasn’t social. “Marshal, could we focus on the original topic? Just for another minute, we need to determine who tells Milo.”
He nodded, staying quiet for a moment. “You should tell him. He’s heard a lot from me in the short amount of time he’s been back and he surely wasn’t happy with what I told him, so I don’t think he wants to hear about Elizabeth from me for a little bit longer.”
She studied him for a moment before a smile came across her face. “Then let me know which room is his and I’ll stop by.”
“It’s a gamble if he’s awake, but if you’re feeling confident then go for it.” Marshal led Alyssa down the dormitory hall, stopping at his own door and pointing out a room on the left of the hallway. “Last door on the left.”
“Thanks.” Alyssa reached out to stop him before he opened his door, a thought quickly jumping to the front of her mind. “I really need you to watch over Elizabeth. If she wakes up, starts bleeding again, or even looks worse, then come get me. I don’t want to take any chances with her recovery and with the state she’s in, every second counts.”
“Alyssa, hear me out. There is nothing I want more right now than for Elizabeth to get better, but more so to survive.” She watched a look of guilt cross over Marshal’s face. “I can’t even start to think about how this group would function without her, let alone my own life without her and I’m not willing to let her go until she knows that. I’m sorry to say that I’m probably not going to let you sleep a full night until I’m sure she’ll be better.”
Alyssa gave a reassuring smile and a nod. “She’s lucky to have someone like you watching out for her but don’t get paranoid over every move, okay? Look after her while you take care of yourself.” Alyssa got ready to walk away before turning back one last time. “And it wouldn’t kill you to try to be civil with your dad. It hasn’t even been a day and I’ve noticed the looks you give him.”
He shook his head and rolled his eyes. Alyssa could tell he wasn’t upset or annoyed by the suggestion, but tired of hearing the same suggestion. “If it does kill me, I’ll be sure to let someone know it was your idea.”
“You didn’t say no, so is that your way of saying you’ll try to be nicer?”
While he seemed like he was going to shut down the idea, he chuckled. “It’ll be beneficial for the entire group if I try and I’ve got more important things to do than worry about he’s done. Don’t expect it to be permanent though, because once things settle down they have to go back to normal.”
“It’s going to be permanent once you reach a mutual understanding with him and you know that.”
Marshal opened the door, getting ready to dismiss himself from the conversation. “I’ve always been told if you say something loud enough other people will believe you, maybe you’re not being loud enough.” He motioned down the hallway. “You should probably catch Milo if he’s still awake.”
Alyssa gave a slight nod before Marshal went into his room. She redirected herself to the hall, going to the room on the far left.
She gave a short, soft knock, quickly feeling doubt that she’d even been heard.
As she got ready to turn around and leave, the door opened. She could immediately see in his eyes that Milo was in distress for a reason she didn’t know. Normally, whoever was in the inside would speak first, but the distress caused Alyssa to grow a little nervous. “Is everything okay?”
He gave a nervous chuckle, his eyes lightening up a little. “I was going to ask you the same thing. I’m fine, but I wanted to know if you were adjusting well. I figured you were asleep, so I didn’t want to bother you.” His look grew concerned again. “Since you’re here and pretty late, I’ve got the sneaking suspicion that something is wrong. What happened?”
Alyssa crossed her hands politely in front of her and looked to Milo, putting on a sympathetic smile. “I have something really important to talk to you about and I’m not sure you would want me to talk about it in the open hallway.”
Looking into his light green eyes gave Alyssa chills, not because she had done anything wrong, but because it reminded her that Elizabeth had been in critical condition for nearly an entire night and Milo had never known. He took her word as a hint and welcome her into his room, shutting the door behind her. “Seriously, is something wrong? I can talk to someone if they’re bothering you.”
She took a moment to look around the room, noticing that he had likely been trying to sleep before she came around. It was the cleanest room she’d seen yet, no clothes on the floor or blood on the blankets. It was more organized than Marshal’s room, with Milo’s stuff sectioned by use. “I appreciate the offer, but it’s about Elizabeth.”
Milo gave her a look of confusion before leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. “Are you talking about how she chose to stay in Marshal’s room? Because I’m not too happy about that and I think she could have made better choices.”
“It’s partially about that.” She waited for him to chime in, quickly coming to the realization that he was going to let her go on. “I don’t know what you’ve been told and I haven’t gotten to talk to you about it, but there’s something you should know. Elizabeth is staying with Marshal right now because there’s a strong chance she won’t make it through tonight. What you saw was just the beginning.”
His eyes widened and his skin went pale in a matter of seconds. “What are you talking about?”
“She apparently got into trouble with someone and got stabbed. Nobody noticed for a bit, which made for the first problem, but she bled pretty heavily. I got her stitched up but there’s no certainty that she can make it through tonight with how much blood she lost.” Alyssa saw Milo start shaking, knowing the situation could only get worse from here. “If she can make it to the morning, her odds will already be significantly better.”
He stood there in silence, his breathing barely audible in the current moment. “Who did it?”
Alyssa moved to put herself in front of the door, preventing him from leaving. “Filip did it, but I need you to know that he wasn’t in his right mind and she got the first cut in.”
“Are you trying to justify the fact that he stabbed somebody?” She could see his face turning slightly red, likely in frustration.
“Milo, please calm down, I want to tell you everything but you’re not letting me.” A small look of guilt crossed over Milo’s face as he went quiet. “Cyrus said Filip had been snooping in the lab and found out something he didn’t need to and he immediately placed blame on Elizabeth. Marshal and I found out that Filip tried to leave, nobody was hurt at that point, but Elizabeth tried to threaten him to stay and he accidentally got cut by her. He stabbed her after she cut him because he didn’t know how else to react.”
Alyssa had thought she’d seen Milo at his worst moments before, but he had put that thought to rest. He looked like he desperately wanted to go find Filip but he knew she wasn’t going to let him. The desperation only got worse as she told him more details. “You’re afraid that I’m going to start something with Filip, aren’t you? I swear I won’t if you let me see her.”
Even in a moment of desperation, he still studied her and got an accurate result. “I’m pretty sure Marshal went to bed.”
“He’s the last person I can think of that would care about being woken up.” Alyssa took a moment to think about the situation. It was unlikely Marshal had actually fallen asleep in the time she’d been with Milo, but bringing another person into the room could pose a risk for Elizabeth.
[Allow Milo to go.]
[Talk Milo out of it.]
Nicolas Donadieu
The city was quiet, the street lights shined as the trees blocked the moonlight. A blond man walked by his lonesome, the cold night wind nipping at him as he walked with his head down and his hands in his pockets.
Nicolas had come from a family of bastards and orphans, him holding both of those titles himself. His mother was a government worker and his father was a resistance leader. There was no known reason the two got in contact, only that they did and they ended up having a baby that they worked together to raise, despite their alignments.
The government had tried to use him against the Crusaders once they found out who his father was, but it didn’t work as his father not only knew they were bluffing but he had no strong bond with Nicolas.
As Nicolas grew older, he started working on taking down the Aquamarine Organization from the inside.
His mother knew about his plan, only telling him that any trouble he caused was his own mess to clean up.
There was no mess to clean for years to come until there were enough Crusaders to make a change by force.
Nicolas picked up a different identity after his father’s death, which also gave him the group. Nicolas, now known as Pierre, led the Crusaders to the Aquamarine Organization and that was where they made their final stand.
The Crusaders had taken the building by force and unchipped most of the workers, telling them about the Organization. If they continued to defend the Aquamarine Organization after their chip was removed, they were executed on the spot. His mother was one of those workers, she had been executed because Pierre wasn’t there to stop it.
After taking the Aquamarine Organization, they focused their efforts in defending incoming attacks by other organizations to try and reclaim it. They were defeated with ease as most of the organizations expected less from the Crusaders.
Nicolas drew himself out of his mind before he got distracted. He looked up from the ground, looking around his current location.
A park, likely the one next to the gathering center. He continued walking through the park, knowing he wasn’t too far off from his destination now.
The gathering center was the second largest building in the city, which is why it worked best for gatherings. The largest building in the city was now being used as a home for citizens from other organizations who had been involved with their resistance movement or had a resistance movement that had been controlled.
The citizens were taken excellent care of. That was something Nicolas had monitored himself, only wanting the best for his people.
Farmers shared their produce in harvesting time and were paid decently for their produce, some of them occasionally refusing payment. Tailors made clothes for the refugees of their organizations for free, while many business owners offered them jobs in baking, farming, crafting, tailoring, or trading.
There were monthly trading conventions that were monitored by higher-up Crusaders. The trades excluded nobody and most people did participate in them to get items they normally wouldn’t have another opportunity at receiving. Many bakers used the trading conventions to trade their products with farmers for ingredients.
One of Nicolas’ first goals after the Crusaders control was to expose the truth of the many deaths that had occurred in the time of the Aquamarine Organization’s control. The deaths were often masked as accidents or a missing person, as the Organization only made the deaths of Organization workers public information. If it was a citizen who died then the family and friends had their memories manipulated and any proof that the deceased existed was removed and the body was cremated.
It was a process that made him sick to watch because he often thought there would be no justice for the deceased. Though, there were some Crusaders who knew of the deaths that the Aquamarine Organization tried to cover up because they either witnessed them or heard about them immediately and they were quick enough to make an escape to the Crusaders before they were apprehended.
His walking led him to a line of houses on a dark residential street. He took a key out of his pocket and took himself to one of the doors.
Unlocking it and going inside, Nicolas immediately noticed the lights in the house were still on, but nobody seemed to be around. It was major concern for him, as three other people lived in the house.
He shut the door and locked it behind him, going into the main room only to be greeted by silence. “Marie?” He looked around the main room for a moment before starting to look through the halls. Just before he walked down the hall where Harvey and Abella stayed, something jumped into the corner of his eye. It caused him to quickly react, spinning around and grabbing the person’s wrists. “You need to be quicker than that.”
Nicolas already knew who it was when she jumped into his view, but seeing her face and hearing her laugh still relieved him. She rushed into his arms, her head resting on his chest. “Tell me you’re going to stay home longer.”
Marie Duval, the only person Nicolas held dear to him anymore. She was a citizen before she joined the Crusaders. The Aquamarine Organization had murdered her finacé years ago after he got too comfortable with them and they deemed him a threat to the Organization, ordering his assassination. “Until the reports are due, I don’t really expect them to comply when they haven’t complied yet.”
She pulled away, their eyes finally meeting. “Did you at least find out why they haven’t complied?”
While Nicolas was in charge of the people of the resistance, the Crusaders, and the citizens of former Aquamarine territory, Marie was in charge of training recruits. That didn’t stop her from voicing her concern about other resistance movements and how they were proceeding. “To tell you the truth, I learned nothing that I didn’t already expect. They’re a mess but they have three new people around, so they’re progressing in a way.”
Marie gave a soft smile, letting him know that they didn’t have to talk about the resistance if he didn’t want to, which she knew he probably didn’t want to. “Abella made dinner late tonight so we could eat when you came home.”
“Marie, it’s nearly two in the morning and dinner is supposed to be at seven, why would you wait so long to eat?”
Her smile faded as she cast a gaze of frustration. “Is it so bad that I want to spend time with you?”
He took her hand and started a walk to the dining room. “When it keeps you from eating and sleeping, yes. Do me a favor and don’t do things that you’ll regret tomorrow just for me.”
[Allow Milo to go.]
He is her brother after all. He should go see her at least.
[Talk Milo out of it.]
We have to make sure that he doesn't attack Filip. Maybe he should calm down some more.
T-t-t tie breaker! And right in time for a very interesting part on top of that, because Nicolas intrigues me quite a lot, he strikes me as a character I would like to read more about
[Talk Milo out of it.]
I think Milo is really not in the right mind to do just about anything right now. He's clearly distraught and hey, he's got a very good reason to be, but that is all the more reason to keep him closely guarded until he has calmed down a bit. You know, keeping him company, talking to him, maybe helping him through the initial shock. The whole situation is precarious as it is and I would definitely not want to add Milo in his current state of mind to the whole equation, so I believe it will be for the best to try and talk to him. Even if Alyssa does not manage to talk him out of it, maybe she can calm him down a bit and I feel like that is important. I just don't hope trying to talk to him will make things worse. I mean, Elizabeth is in a very critical condition and if he sees her like that, he could flat out snap. I can empathize with him, but I don't know what good can come out of him putting himself through the pain of seeing her right now.
(!) Voting is closed! Alyssa will try to talk Milo out of seeing Elizabeth.
In terms of what’s better for Elizabeth and Filip, this was probably the better choice. However, for Milo and Alyssa, this choice is likely going to build up the trust between the two.
The next part, which will be posted momentarily, is thrown around in all sorts of POV, but it does start a series of flashbacks. The first flashback delves into Marshal and Elizabeth’s relationship, as well as some more information on Dawn, and what happened after Milo disappeared.
3.2
“Absolutely not.” Alyssa planted her spot in front of the door and crossed her arms. “You’re thinking for yourself, not for Elizabeth. You want to see her but you’re not considering the fact that you’re going to expose her to anything sickness you brought from the city with you.”
It wasn’t a lie and it was actually quite important either the condition Elizabeth was in. “Marshal was in the city earlier tonight, why aren’t you keeping him from seeing her?”
Alyssa felt a pang of guilt when she looked into Milo’s pleading eyes. “Because Marshal went to my apartment, that was it. You were all over the city for two years straight, so you probably have more going on than you think. That, and I can’t really stop Marshal, I don’t know him at all but I’m sure he’s going to take care of Elizabeth.”
Milo took a deep breath before sitting in the edge of his bed. “You would think that after two years that I would come to the understanding that she’s an adult, but what Filip did to her… Alyssa, he tried to kill her, didn’t he?”
He looked back up to her, getting a small nod. “He did but Cyrus and Lecia saved her. I know you think that it’s like everyone else is ignoring what happened, I can see it, but they’re not. I had to tell Joseph what happened and I could see the sadness in his eyes. I see the frustration and anger in you and Marshal both, I see guilt in Lecia. You’re all responding in your own ways, but you’re not thinking about Elizabeth or Filip. Filip doesn’t even remember what happened and Elizabeth probably won’t either.”
“You told Joseph? What did he have to say about it?”
She knew he was asking on what Joseph had to say about Filip, but Alyssa had left that note out when she spoke to him. “He’s working on what to tell Pierre. Ethan, Eris, Filip, and Kyle are the only ones in the bunker that don’t know anything about it.”
Alyssa could see that Milo was trying to bring himself around to the idea. “And what about her basic needs? How’s that going to work?”
She felt herself lighten up, her body easing up as well. “I haven’t thought too much about it yet, but I think I’m going to have to let her shake off the medicine a few times to give her the opportunity to eat since we don’t have the proper equipment to give her nutrients through the IV. She is staying hydrated through it, though. Showering would be difficult either way, even though it’s currently out of the question, but Marshal’s going to have to deal with that. He’s already agreed to keep an eye on her sets and change the dressing whenever he needs to.” Alyssa gave a soft smile. “She’s going to be taken care of, I swear.”
Milo took back to his feet and came towards Alyssa, which made her think he was going to leave until he ended up pulling her into a hug. “You didn’t have to do this. You didn’t have to stay with the group and you didn’t have to help anyone here. Thank you, Alyssa. I’m sure things are going to be difficult on you, but if things get too tough on you then let me know, don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
She couldn’t help but be thrown off by it. Alyssa never did what she did for glory or for thanks, she did it for the good she saw in other people. She knew Elizabeth was good based on how Milo spoke about her before they came around the Voyagers, but she also knew Milo had been struggling since he had been taken from them for multiple reasons. “You don’t need to thank me, it’s what a doctor does.”
He pulled away and looked a little offended by the comment. “Every doctor I’ve seen before you would have let her die because she’s related to David Neil, whether they knew she was a Voyager or not. They tried to leave me for dead as often as they could and they probably would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for Kyle. I trust you with taking care of Elizabeth because you’ve already saved my life twice by taking me from Kyle’s care and getting me out of the city. You need to give yourself some more credit.”
“What I need to do is make some final adjustments for Elizabeth, so please get some rest.”
Alyssa went to leave the room, barely hearing Milo’s final comment before she left. “It’s an uphill climb from here.”
The door shut and locked behind her. She looked into her own room only to realize she had forgotten to remind Lecia about replacing the sheets and blankets she had taken. She went back down the hall, knocking on Marshal’s door as soon as she reached it.
She got a slow response, which made her worry for a moment. “Is there something you need?” He sounded tired.
“Yeah, I’m not too proud to admit it, but I forgot two very important things. Elizabeth’s shirt was soaked in blood, but that was never a priority to me so unless you changed her, she’s wearing the same bloody clothes.”
He flipped the light switch next to the door and opened the door completely to let Alyssa in. “That was one thing, what was the other?” He shut the door behind Alyssa, pointing to a dresser at the other side of the room. “You can pick through her clothes or use mine if you think her clothes might irritate her or whatever.”
“That’s actually not a bad idea. It’ll be better for her to wear a shirt that’s loose on her to keep from smothering the wounds.” Alyssa took herself to the dresser and started looking through the drawers. “Is there a certain shirt that you don’t mind getting dirty?”
“There should be a light blue one in the very bottom of the last drawer. It’s not my color and never has been so have at it. There’s a pair of sweatpants in the middle drawer and her shorts are mixed in with her stuff, you can pick from either of those.”
Alyssa picked out what she felt would work best before instructing Marshal on how to help her. Her goal was to get Elizabeth into clean, comfortable clothes without causing any irritation or reopening either sets.
They got her changed with as much difficulty as they both expected, Marshal pointing out that Elizabeth seemed to be in a haze, rather than asleep. The comment would normally concern Alyssa, but she knew at current moment that Elizabeth needed to eat sometime.
Alyssa stayed around the room for another hour before making a plan to get Elizabeth to eat.
The two went to the kitchen beforehand and warmed up some soup before returning to get Elizabeth. She had to be carried to the dining room but seemed to be becoming more aware of her surroundings with each minute.
They set her up in the dining room, Alyssa sitting closer to her IV stand and Marshal on the other side of her. The two noticed how quiet she had been, which looked to make Marshal nervous.
“Elizabeth, how are you feeling?” Alyssa knew the answer would determine her plan for the next few days.
She got a small shrug in response, along with some murmuring.
Alyssa had no plans to say anything about it, but Marshal did. “Can you say whatever you said again? You were muttering.”
Elizabeth seemed annoyed by the request but complied either way. “I said it hurts.”
“What hurts?” Alyssa now felt a little relieved that Marshal had her repeat herself.
“My face.” Elizabeth’s tone was hostile and it wasn’t difficult to pick up on. Alyssa figured there was a reason for it but it shouldn’t come as a surprise since Marshal didn’t really seem phased by it. “I’m tired.”
“That’s surprising considering you’ve been out all night now.” Alyssa looked at a clock that showed it was now in the early morning hours.
Elizabeth jerked her attention to Marshal. “Did she call me lazy?”
“No, she didn’t.” She still looked upset. “Liz, just calm down. Please eat something so that way we can all go to bed.”
She narrowed her eyes, then quickly looked ahead of her. “What if I don’t want to go to bed?”
“You just said that you did.” Marshal rested his head on his hand, knowing whatever he said to her wasn’t going to be right. “But even if you really don’t want to then that’s pretty unfortunate for you I guess since Alyssa and I are going to bed after this.”
A small look of shock came over Elizabeth as she looked between the two. “Are you two-“ She stopped herself, looking between the two again. “No, that can’t be, he’s my husband.” She looked over her outfit before raising her hand to her cheek.
Marshal reacted before Alyssa had the chance to, snapping at Elizabeth to get her attention. “Don’t touch your stitches.”
“Fine, I didn’t want to anyways.” She sighed and then leaned towards Marshal. “When are we ever gonna have a baby? I’m already old and you’re older and we’re both getting older, time doesn’t wait.”
Alyssa couldn’t help but laugh as Marshal’s face quickly turned red in embarrassment. “I’m.. We’ll talk about this another day, please stop talking and eat before you say something that gets us both in trouble.”
She pulled herself away from Marshal and looked to Alyssa. “He definitely overreacted, he may talk bad about babies but he totally wants one.”
Alyssa nodded, trying to keep herself from laughing at Elizabeth, knowing it could spark an unwarranted reaction. “I know what you mean, some people can really be divas.”
Elizabeth looked at Marshal again before looking to Alyssa once more, a look of shock on her face before her silence was replaced with nervous laughter. “I can’t believe it.” She looked at her left hand. “I’m a wife.”
“We never agreed on that.”
She ate a bit of her soup before pushing her bowl forward and laying her head down on the table. “I want to talk to Lecia.”
Alyssa cleaned up the rest of the soup before letting Marshal know it was time to go. He had to carry Elizabeth once again, which seemed to be more difficult the more awake she was. “I bet you regret trying to get her to talk now.”
“I didn’t know she was going to act that way, I figured she’d be easier coming off of anesthetics.” Alyssa wondered if Elizabeth had fallen asleep in Marshal’s arms as her silence resumed after she had hid her face from the light by nestling her head in his shoulder. “At least you know what to expect in any similar situations with her now.”
“I’d rather deal with this Elizabeth the rest of my life than have another situation like the one that got her here. She did seem happier tonight than she has in a long time, which is pretty bad, but I think she’s going to be a lot happier now that Milo’s back.”
Alyssa chuckled. “I think she’ll be happier when she gets that baby she wants.”
He sighed and rolled his eyes. “The baby she wants, thanks for catching on quicker than she did herself. If I can be honest, I’m kind of afraid with my dad around again because he’s the type of person who thinks lineage is everything. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that if Elizabeth finds that out then she’s going to encourage him to try to talk me into it.”
“It’s commitment that freaks you out, isn’t it? You’re bound to the Voyagers for the rest of your life, a wife and a baby are two more lifelong commitments that you’re not sure you’re ready to make.”
Marshal gave a small smile, seemingly relieved that someone understood it. “That’s exactly it. I say I don’t like kids, but if we were in a better position as a group or we had more people then I wouldn’t completely against the idea. It’s a scary thought when you’re a scout because any trip out there could be your last.” He looked to Elizabeth before looking back up. “I don’t want to do that to her because I know how she handles loss, it would just be cruel for me to get close to her on a different level and then the idea of a possible baby, no way. I heard how Lecia talked about Morgan after Jonas died and I don’t want to put Elizabeth in a situation that even slightly resembles theirs because of how badly it tore Lecia apart.”
“You focus on the negative a lot, don’t you?” The two entered the room. Alyssa set the IV stand back up next to the bed while Marshal tried to put Elizabeth back down, despite her refusal to be put back down. “I think she likes you for more than just the fact that you can give her children, it goes deeper than that and I probably won’t even begin to be able to explain it to you because it’s Elizabeth that’s feeling these feelings. She doesn’t seem like the type to use people to get what she wants, despite what I’ve heard. She likes you because you’re good to her and you’re the only who made an effort to understand her while Milo was gone, I don’t think that would leave a temporary impression.”
Marshal laid on the bed himself, hoping it would encourage Elizabeth to let go of him. “You know, I’m not completely disconnected from her.” He held up Elizabeth’s left hand. “The ring she was talking about earlier was my mom’s engagement ring. She gave it to me before we left the city and told me time and time again that I needed to give it to someone that I cared about the most and someone who I would be able to spend the rest of my life with.” He let go of her hand, but continued to look at the ceiling. “I guess I already made a commitment then, didn’t I?”
Alyssa nodded, a smile coming across her face. “It sounds like your mother knew ahead of time that you were going to try to avoid commitment.”
“She was pretty smart, but I don’t think she saw it coming.” Marshal looked to Elizabeth before sighing. He sounded tired, but he seemed happy for all that had happened around him lately. “Elizabeth, I know you’re faking being asleep, but I guess we’re married after all and it just went past me.”
Elizabeth sat up, Marshal keeping a hand behind her in case she got dizzy. “I don’t know why you’re scared, I really don’t get it. We’re not in the greatest place but we’re safe with people who we know we can trust.”
Alyssa knew Elizabeth didn’t really intend to give off a compliment towards her with her comment on trust, but she was happy to accept it nonetheless. “I get it, I get it. You’re supposed to be resting, we can talk about this later.”
She had to give it to Elizabeth, it was the most reasonable thing she’d said the entire night and she was right about it. The people in the bunker were trustworthy because they all knew each other personally, it gave them more hope in their group to know who was doing what, rather than having their jobs shifted off to people they couldn’t know or trust.
Eris Duke
Eris had woken up early every single day for the past two years to help Lecia with breakfast after Morgan’s disappearance. She knew Lecia well enough to know that even daily tasks were difficult for her after Jonas and Morgan were gone.
She’d be lying if she said it wasn’t difficult on her as well. What happened to Jonas, Morgan, and Milo took a toll on the entire group, causing some people to work harder and sparking fear in some others. It taught them that even a little girl wasn’t safe from whatever had taken her, which still wasn’t known.
When Eris got ready for the day ahead, she left her room and went straight to the kitchen. She heard Lecia talking to herself, which wasn’t anything new, but it was what she was saying that was new. “He didn’t mean to hurt her and you don’t need to be any more involved than you already are. She’s going to be okay and things are going to go back to normal.”
Lecia sounded nervous, a bit shaken up. Eris took a seat on a barstool that sat in front of one of the counters. “It’s a little early to be talking nonsense, don’t you think?”
She jumped, quickly regaining her formal posture. “If you think that’s nonsense, just wait until everyone else wakes up. Cyrus is around somewhere, but he told me to be on the lookout for someone new and to not talk nonsense when I find out who they are.”
“So it’s probably someone you’ve at least heard about and if you’ve heard about them then we all know them in a way.” She had to admit, the thought of someone new in the bunker excited her a little. She cherished the people she’d known for years, but she was always up for meeting new people.
Lecia looked to the doorway behind Eris and put a smile on. “Good morning, Ethan.” She started a brew of coffee when she saw he still looked pretty out of it, then went to gathering some ingredients and laying them out on the counter closest to her.
He yawned before stretching out and sitting on the barstool next to Eris. “You two seem pretty happy, is it someone’s birthday today or something?”
“No, but thank you for the reminder.” Lecia turned to Eris. “Marshal’s birthday is coming up, do you want to try and figure out what he wants?”
“He’s a pretty subtle person but he’s probably already told Elizabeth, try talking to her.” Eris noticed Lecia’s dismissal of the suggestion. “It won’t hurt you to just talk to her.”
Ethan rested his arms on the counter, listening to the conversation. “I can talk to one of them if you don’t want to.”
Lecia kept her smile plastered on her face, turning back the the ingredients she had at hand. “I think that’s a better idea. All the scouts need more friends that aren’t each other, it wouldn’t hurt them to step out a little. Plus Ethan could use some socialization as well, no offense.”
“None taken.” Ethan commented. “I’ll talk to him next time I see him.”
Cyrus joined the three in the kitchen, followed by Joseph and Milo. It felt like an oddly played out dream to see Milo back after two years but to also have brought a doctor with him. It was a strange feeling that Eris welcomed.
There was idle chatter between the six until Alyssa and Marshal joined them. Lecia had a small talk with Alyssa in private before she pulled Joseph into the dining room to talk with him. It made Eris a little nervous see Milo and Marshal without Elizabeth, but she put that feeling to the side when she realized the group was already getting comfortable with the new members.
Joseph and Alyssa returned after a few minutes just before Filip arrived in the kitchen. Eris scanned over the group, noticing Lecia and Alyssa had become nervous with Filip’s arrival, each of them keeping their eyes on Milo.
Marshal stopped his conversation with Ethan before putting a smile on his face in a similar manner to how Lecia did earlier that morning. “Morning, Filip.”
Eris noticed the look Milo gave Marshal before taking on a smile himself. “How’d you sleep?”
Something was up with those two. It was obvious.
Filip seemed a little thrown off by the attention himself before returning the gestures. “Good morning to you both and the rest of you as well.”
The nervous look Lecia had was replaced by a somewhat relieved smile. “Cyrus, who was the person you were telling me about earlier?”
“I haven’t seen him around yet.” He turned his attention to Marshal. “That tells me someone didn’t invite him to breakfast.”
“Guilty as charged, I forgot.” Marshal had lightened up after Filip spoke to them, making Eris believe it was just the nervousness of seeing someone first thing in the morning.
Lecia scoffed. “Did you forget or did you not want to do it? I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the words ‘I forgot’ out of your mouth.”
He shrugged before heading towards the doorway. “I seriously forgot this time, in fact I’ll go do it now.”
Eris looked to Joseph, seeing happiness in his eyes. He normally kept a neutral face but he couldn’t hide emotions from his wife even if he tried. “It really does take a village to raise a child, doesn’t it?”
“I could swear we’re still raising four of them.” Milo and Filip immediately knew Eris’ comment was about them but they both knew better than to contradict a joke. Eris turned to Alyssa, seeing she looked to be tired. “Alyssa, how did you sleep last night?”
She chuckled before realizing the group’s attention was now on her. “It was tough, a new environment and some little tasks kept me up late last night. I’ll get used to it soon, though.”
Lecia looked to the woman before going into the cabinet and taking out some plates. “Feel free to say no to any of us if you want, you’re not obligated to do anything for us.” She stopped, a confused look crossing her face. “Does anyone have a plate in their room? I’m missing two and we’re going to need them.”
The room stayed silent until Milo spoke up. “Elizabeth isn’t going to be around for breakfast today, so don’t worry about a plate for her.”
Eris sighed, catching the attention of Ethan, Joseph, and Cyrus. “Why won’t she be coming? Milo, I’m sorry to say this but I don’t think it’s right that she skips out on you so soon after you get back.”
Cyrus looked behind Eris, quickly taking to his feet and clearing his throat. “Guys, this is the person I talked about. Some of you already know him, but this is Kyle Kennedy.”
The group remained silent until Joseph started an introduction. “Welcome, Kyle. My name is Joseph Duke,” He then motioned towards Eris. “and this is my wife, Eris.” He then pointed at Lecia. “That’s Lecia Albero. I’m sure you already know the scouts.”
The older man moved to take a seat, giving Eris the indication that he wasn’t well off on his feet. “I know most of them.” He looked towards Filip. “What’s your name?”
His posture immediately straightened out, losing any slouch he had earlier. “Filip Cloet, sir.”
Marshal now leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed. “Alyssa, do you guys already know each other?”
The red-headed woman seemed to be dozing off until Lecia stepped in front of her, snapping her fingers to grab her attention. “I’m sorry, what did you need?”
“Come talk to me for a minute.” Marshal looked a little concerned as he pushed himself off the doorway, going into the dining room with Alyssa following behind.
Kyle looked on as the two left before turning his attention back to the group, specifically Milo. “I already know her and Milo, but I was told there was another Neil around here.”
Lecia chimed in before Eris or Milo got to respond. “Yes, there is. Elizabeth isn’t around right now, but I’m sure she’ll find a way to make you get to know her.” She sighed. “Even if you don’t want to.”
Cyrus nodded. “Eris will let you know about the people and let you determine if you want to get close to her afterwards but Elizabeth gives you no choice.”
Milo shook his head, a smile on his face. “Ethan, did she force you to become friends with her?”
“No, but she hasn’t been around much since I joined the group.”
“He’s just giving them the benefit of the doubt.” Milo looked past Eris, causing her to look back and see nothing. “I just remembered something important, I’ll be back later.”
Milo left the kitchen, only Ethan and Eris seemed to be concerned by it. “They’re being strange today.” Eris turned to Joseph. “Is everything okay with them?”
Joseph was hesitant to answer, causing Kyle to speculate an answer. “Marshal’s always been good about staying out of trouble and Milo tends to think of others before himself, I don’t think it could be anything too severe.”
Two years prior
It was Elizabeth and Marshal who kept looking for Milo and Morgan long after even Lecia herself considered the two to be to dead.
They stayed in the city for two weeks after Elizabeth’s first few weeks away from the bunker, hoping beyond hope that at least one of the two would show up or an answer to their whereabouts would be offered, but their waiting was to no avail.
While they were in the city, they both tried to get an answer in their own ways. They would meet for dinner afterwards and discuss their results, which was often the same “nothing new, but maybe tomorrow will be better.”
Their position as agents have them a small advantage in their investigation, but they were normally told to avoid the fourth floor regardless of their role. That was a command from Isaac Hampton himself that Luke would have to enforce. They stayed away from the fourth floor because they knew it would be suspicious if they suddenly showed up there and started snooping around.
Marshal could see that Elizabeth was losing hope as each day passed but he couldn’t blame her. Milo was the only family she had left and it was a common agreement among the Voyagers that it was unlikely he’d show up again.
She kept on a brave face the entire time, continued showing kindness to the people around her and offered support to Marshal quite often, but refused his help whenever he offered.
It was a cold March night when the two decided they needed to leave the city if they didn’t get answers that next day. They each worked as hard as they could to try and find evidence of the survival or deaths of Milo and Morgan, coming up without any proof once again.
That next night was colder and Elizabeth had left headquarters before Marshal did with the secretary saying she didn’t see her go to the apartments but towards the rundown part of the city.
He had a suspicion as to where she went, likely because she figured he wouldn’t follow her there.
A long walk led him to a diner that had been shut down around eleven years back. The same diner his mother had spent countless days and nights working just to keep her son in a functioning home. Whenever Marshal asked about the diner, he was told they shut down after Dawn, his mother, decided to start up a diner in another state. An obvious lie to anyone who knew Dawn personally.
The last time he had tried to go into the diner he found that the almost all of the doors were locked except for the door in the back with a broken lock from a break-in that they never bothered to replace. That door was only jammed shut with a chair like it had been before the diner was shut down.
Testing the doors around the diner now found the door in the back to be unjammed and unlocked, prompting Marshal to believe that it was in fact where Elizabeth had gone.
He went into the diner, shutting the back door behind him. The once bright diner that hosted tons of people for every meal of the day was now as dark as it could be with wallpaper chipping off the wall, exposing the colorless wall underneath. The kitchen was completely empty, the bare countertops showing off the collected dust. He didn’t know if it was the general aura of the area or if she was really that upset, but he saw Elizabeth sitting on the floor of the main room, surrounded by tables with chairs stacked on top of them.
Marshal went back into the kitchen, opening up a closet that held a mop, a broom, more cleaning supplies, and an apron with a bandana. He knew his mother had used the bandana to keep her hair back because she didn’t like hair nets.
He grabbed the apron and bandana before leaving the closet and looking through the drawers of the kitchen counters. He took a spatula before putting the apron on along with the bandana. He left the kitchen, spatula in hand before sneaking to what his mother referred to as ‘order island’ where a bell sat.
He put his left hand in the pocket of the apron and hit the bell with the spatula, causing a shrill ding to fill the room that made Elizabeth to quickly jump to her feet. “C’mon hon, order sometime today before we stop servin’ breakfast cause if you don’t we’ll put interest on your tab for wastin’ our time. Still not ready to order? That’s fine, we both have somewhere to be but my destination is just across the room, have fun explainin’ to your boss how you were late to work cause you needed an in-depth look at a menu.”
A smile crossed Elizabeth’s face and her eyes lit up once again. “What are you doing?”
“What I’ve trained since birth for.” She approached the island, sliding into one of the stools in front of him. “I’m quitting every job I have, this is the only one I need.”
“I had no idea you were such a Southern belle, how’d you keep it under wraps for so long?”
He faked a gasp, covering his mouth with the spatula. “I can’t say I know what you’re talking about, ma’am, you’re just tryin’ to butter me up.”
Elizabeth ended up cracking at the act. Hearing her laugh and seeing her smile after so long was actually a relief to him.
Being back in the diner after so long was an odd feeling and the act he was putting on only made the feeling more confusing to him. Though, they were both something that made Elizabeth a little more cheerful again, making them both welcome.
He sighed while she was still laughing, taking off the bandana and the apron, setting them next to the bell with the spatula on top of them. He went to the other side of the island, sitting next to Elizabeth and waiting for her to regain herself. “How did you know I was here?”
“I figured there was only one place that you didn’t expect me to go into and this is it.” He looked into Elizabeth’s eyes, quickly noticing that she was studying him. “You were wrong about that, but there is one place I won’t go.”
She stayed silent as she continued looking over him. It didn’t take long for her to realize that he wasn’t happy to be back in the diner again but he was going to be there for her as long as he needed to. “I think I know what you’re talking about, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“Good because I didn’t come here for me, I came here for you.” He turned in his seat to face her. “What’s going on with you? I don’t think you’ve actually opened up to me since we came back.”
She put her hands in her lap before giving off a kind smile. “I wasn’t happy with the reason we’re here, I’m not happy to be leaving empty-handed, but I’ll live and I’ll get better.”
It was easy to get lost in her eyes. Elizabeth had always been the kindest of the group, choosing to give up her entire future for the cause. She’d been considered one of the most dedicated of the group and she didn’t even know it. She didn’t deserve to lose Milo, just as Lecia didn’t deserve to lose Morgan.
A look of confusion crossed her face as she slightly tilted her head. “Marshal?”
It was a snapback to reality. “What?”
“We should probably head back to the apartments to get ready to leave tomorrow, don’t you think?” He was now thinking on if she had just changed the subject or if she had talked herself to the subject and only just now realized he tuned out.
He nodded, taking to his feet. She led the way back to the apartments, the two walking in silence until Marshal noticed Elizabeth rubbing her arms to try and keep herself warm. The issue with the required outfits was the thin jackets that hardly kept anybody warm.
Marshal took his jacket off and draped it around her shoulders, pulling the sleeves of his shirt down and slipping his hands into his pockets afterwards. She looked a little concerned at the gesture, but still accepted the jacket. “Thank you.”
They walked in a comfortable silence, admiring the night sky as they went to the apartments.
He walked her to her apartment like he normally did. She went to take his jacket off before he stopped her. “Keep it. We’re only going to be here for twelve more hours and it looks better on you than it does me.”
“Are you-“ she stopped her question once they met eyes, the two of them standing in just each other’s company until Marshal leaned in.
They shared a kiss before changing their original plans, ultimately deciding to stay another day but to take a break as well.
Interesting, sorry I'm kind of new here could someone give me a short story explication for most important things that happen to the story, those consequential parts except the ones that are trivial or those that aren't related to the story anymore.
Sure, I’d be happy to! Also, if anyone notices anything that I’ve missed, they can add it.
I should probably add beforehand that each chapter has a specific character who won’t have many POVs but their choices are actually the most consequential of the chapter, most of them carrying into the next chapter. Also, I’ll be putting it under a spoiler as to keep from using too much room.
The prologues were basic introductions to the Voyagers, a resistance group based in South Dakota (a detail that was never explicitly stated.) The prologues also introduce the Onyx Organization, but never really reveals how the organizations or resistance movements works, it mainly introduces the characters. A rundown of the characters can be found here: https://imgur.com/a/zs2WZ
Chapter one gave a look further into the relationships between the characters that were already set. Most of the choices in chapter one determined what type of character Elizabeth would turn out to be. Voyager POVs revealed that the group was in a pretty desperate state while Onyx POVs showed that they weren’t too concerned about the Voyagers but they still wanted to get their hands on the members of the group. Ethan gets inducted into the Voyagers in the first half of the first chapter and is given the opportunity to snoop around, which allowed him to learn about Filip’s past before most of the group. Elizabeth and Marshal go into the city, revealing their roles as undercover agents but causing them to become targets for Isaac Hampton’s attempt at drawing it Voyagers. The finale reveals that Milo, who was expected to be dead, was in fact alive. The final choice was one that would determine the type of relationship Elizabeth and Marshal had, ultimately ending up a romantic relationship instead of a platonic one.
The first choice in chapter two branches off from the chapter one finale and determines what the two in the city would do about Milo. Afterwards, a man named Pierre is introduced and explained to be accepted as a revolutionary leader for every group. Ethan leaves just as Pierre arrives, causing Pierre to crack down on the Voyagers and how they run things. Cyrus is tasked with getting Ethan back, only to run into trouble with three Onyx Organization members. Filip sent Pierre and Joseph to Cyrus’ location after Pierre demanded the coordinates of the two in the city, ultimately saving Cyrus and Ethan’s lives. When they get back to the bunker, Filip reveals to Cyrus that he knows about his past with the Organization and tries to intimidate Cyrus with that knowledge. Elizabeth and Marshal end up getting Milo back and unchipping Alyssa Kowalska, a doctor, while they have the opportunity. Pierre leaves after meeting with the two who returned from the city. Cyrus warns Elizabeth that Filip is aware of his situation now. She doesn’t do anything with the information until Filip attempts to leave, to which she threatens him and accidentally cuts him. In retaliation, he stabs her with the intention of killing her. Cyrus and Lecia break the two up before taking Elizabeth to Alyssa, only discovering the original wound after a few minutes. Cyrus, Milo, and Marshal go back into the city where they run into Kyle, Marshal’s father who works on the fourth floor. Marshal gives Cyrus the option of killing Kyle or leaving him, Cyrus choosing to take Kyle back to the bunker. In the finale, Alyssa and Marshal lead an investigation as to what happened with Elizabeth and Filip before they have a talk with Cyrus on what’s going to happen with Elizabeth and Eris’s treatment.
That was heartwarming.
3.3
The day after Kyle Kennedy went missing, his chip was tracked to Alyssa’s apartment, disconnected and shattered. The security team went through the last night it was active, finding that he ran into three Voyagers in the apartment.
Luke was called in to review what happened along with Isaac Hampton. They found the chip revealed Kyle agreeing to have his chip disconnected, who the Voyagers were, a fourth name, what they wanted, and a small description of their area.
Kyle agreed to have his chip disconnected after speaking with someone who seemed to be in charge, only the first name Cyrus was known. He had gotten into a confrontation with someone who knew about Dawn and criticized his parenting, which could only be their son. Milo could be heard in the background. A fourth name was mentioned, Elizabeth.
Luke didn’t need an extra moment to think. “Kyle Kennedy, Marshal Kennedy, Milo Neil, Elizabeth Neil, and ‘Cyrus’. There’s five names, but what was said about VE and Elizabeth are contradicting statements. The second man claimed VE was dead, but the same man later on went to say Elizabeth would clear the chip.”
“What makes you so certain that Elizabeth is VE, Mr. Lowell?” Isaac chimed in, not letting Luke continue.
“It’s obvious.” He replied, his voice staying firm. “There’s only one programmer that we know about and to say Elizabeth would have the capability of clearing a chip of ours would infer that she’s the programmer. That, and Lyla Richardson provided me with evidence to the theory before now, this just proves it.” He didn’t wait for Isaac to respond again. “Moving on, they went there for the Onyx Organization booklet provided to new employees, like Alyssa. A comment from Marshal makes me believe that they have it.”
Isaac turned his attention to his assistant. “Send two people back to the apartment to search for the booklet, don’t let anyone leave this building on their own until I say so.” He resumes his conversation with Luke. “You said Lyla Richardson gave you proof to the theory, what proof is that?” The assistant nodded and left the room.
“VE is clearly a pen name, it stands for something. Lyla came up with two possibilities that are extremely likely now that we know she’s involved with the Voyagers. Elizabeth Valerie Neil is her full name, that leaves the possibility of VE standing for Valerie Elizabeth or Voyagers Elizabeth, either way it was probably intended to be as obvious as possible to draw attention away from her.” Isaac let him continue. “The description of the area we got from a second talk with Marshal gave us the description of the area they know best and it fits perfectly with the description we got from the junior agents.”
“Didn’t the junior agents also mention Ethan Rikard?”
Luke nodded. “There’s a sixth. Likely a seventh as well. There’s been mention of three Voyagers roaming the city before Milo escaped which means one of them skipped out on going to the apartment.” He paused. “Does this mean they let Alyssa Kowalska live? There’s no certainty of that, but there’s also no proof of her death.”
Isaac’s assistant returned to the room, straight into another order from Isaac. “Have Lyla Richardson perform some more tests on Leah Neil’s genetics to find a way past her children.”
The assistant left once again. Luke certainly didn’t envy her for having to put up with Isaac for all hours of the day. “There’s a bartender that wanted to meet with me and discuss a run-in with a man he believed to be a Voyager. He’ll be around by noon.”
Isaac nodded. “Very well. Let me know how that goes. I’ll have Anthony announce a silent retirement.” He turned to the man in charge of security. “I want you to look at the tapes from the weddings and find anyone who showed an interest in Milo Neil and Alyssa Kowalska.”
After that, Isaac left to Anthony’s area in headquarters, watching for any slackers while he went.
Truth be told, he was no stranger to betrayal. He’d been betrayed countless times in his life, Kyle was just the latest of many. He had pity for those who crossed him but would never show mercy. Mercy was weakness.
He knew his best way to keep the Voyagers at rest was to keep them from the opportunity at gathering more members, which had failed with Ethan Rikard. Alyssa had likely been forced to join, if she was still alive. Kyle had been manipulated into allowing his chip to be disconnected.
Their numbers were failing, but now the Organization knew of six, possibly seven named Voyagers and one unnamed. The statement of more that Cyrus had provided was likely false.
That all raised the question as to how they got into the city without provoking suspicion, as they’d been known to do before. The last report of a suspicious sighting was the night Ethan Rikard disappeared, an alleged attack on the night Alyssa Kowalska disappeared that was dropped due to a lack of evidence, and nothing yet on the night before when Kyle left.
To pick someone like Kyle showed the group’s desperation. After all, Kyle was approaching his seventies with a difficult time walking, all he had going for him was his intelligence and the deed to a shut down diner. They got lucky with Alyssa, even Isaac had to admit that.
One of his first betrayals came from a man who worked in the sick ward of the Onyx Organization. The job ran in his family, like Isaac’s, and he was the one to inherit it after his older brother contracted something from one of the patients and passed away. The younger brother was named Joseph and he was too weak willed to run the sick ward, refusing to do what the job entailed and kill the patients who couldn’t be cured. Instead, he fell for one of them and ended up sneaking her away after their relationship was discovered. They left in the middle of the night without a trace.
Another betrayal was one composed by Owen Hunt, similar to the one of David Neil. The two weren’t the brightest men and figured their donations to the Organization gave them exemptions from the basic laws, which they never bothered to learn.
Their situations differed in how they were handled. Owen wasn’t dull enough to show up to headquarters after looking through records so Isaac had to send his own people to his house after finding out his true nature. He had his people take out Owen and whoever got in their way, which turned out to be a number of people, most of them were simple servants. Hardly a loss in Isaac’s mind.
Isaac handled David’s situation differently because the two were ‘friends’. He summoned David and his wife to headquarters like he normally would and locked them in the conference room. He let Leah go home to the children the next day but David was executed that day.
Those were just useless losses to Isaac. They didn’t matter to him but they could never be mirrored as he had now shut himself off from ‘friends’ that would use him for his money or his job.
He stopped in front of Anthony’s office, knocking on the door and letting himself in.
Anthony seemed surprised to see him there, but greeted him with a smile, knowing that Isaac preferred to speak first. “Mr. Richardson, I need you to announce the retirement of Kyle Kennedy to the community.”
His smile faded as he rested his arms on his desk. “And is this a silent retirement?” Isaac nodded. “Yes, sir, I’ll get to it immediately.”
“Very good.” Isaac left Anthony’s office and went to his own office.
Luke Lowell
By noon, Luke had been sat down to speak with a bartender who claimed that he had a run with a man he believed to be a Voyager. The man was clearly delusional but Luke had been ordered to listen to him.
He seemed fidgety in his movements and nervous. He had a large bruise on the right side on his face and refused to look Luke in the eyes, as many people refused to do.
“You said you came here with a lead, so what is it that you have to say?” Not even a moment after the meeting started Luke had grown tired of the bartender’s act.
He seemed guilty and sighed. “First, I will admit that I was in the wrong. I said a few things I shouldn’t have, but this guy took it way too personal-“
“Don’t waste my time.”
“Right.” The bartender seemed to become embarrassed after being rushed. “The man showed up first with a friend of his, both of them were agents, and they stayed around for around an hour and a half, he paid for the friend but didn’t drink any himself but didn’t tell me why. The friend left after an hour and a half, right before the woman showed up. The woman came into bar and she seemed really anxious for some reason, I made some comments to try and get her lighten up. They took it the wrong way and after arguing with me for a bit, the guy punches me for just talking to his wife.”
Luke had been scanning the bartender the entire time and the story didn’t add up. He was lying about something. “What kind of comments were you making?”
The bartender had no idea he had been scanned because of his refusal to look up. “Just some jokes. I’m pretty sure he thought that I was hitting on her.”
That part was the truth. “Were you hitting on her?”
He sighed and nodded. “Yes, I was.”
Another truth, but he was becoming more nervous as the questions went on. “What were your interactions with the husband?”
“None.” He answered hastily.
That one was a lie and a contradiction to his earlier statement. “You told me earlier that he didn’t tell you why he wasn’t drinking, you’d have to be having a conversation with him to ask about that, right? So, I’m going to ask you one more time before I throw you out of here myself, what were your interactions with the husband?”
“After his friend left, I tried to talk to him and he didn’t seem interested in talking to me. I asked him if he wanted a drink and he said he was recovering from something and that he’d just pay his buddy’s tab if I would leave him alone. I took the offer and when his wife came in I tried to flirt with her. I told her how he paid his buddy’s tab and said that he was broke, offered her a drink, and I’ll admit I got a little upset when she turned me down. I called her desperate and he didn’t take well to it. He got onto me and I tried to diffuse the situation by asking her if this was how he treated her at home.” He pointed to the bruise. “He ended up hitting me after I kept talking to her.”
A scan showed it was all truth, but Luke had to admit that the bartender was a fool. “So you think this man is with the Voyagers for defending his wife and not letting you drag his name through the dirt when you’re the one who runs an illegal business?” Luke scoffed. “Just leave, I’m not spending another moment here.”
Luke got up to leave the conference room, opening the door to find Isaac standing in the other side. “I hope you’ve got all the information you need, I’m sending your team out, effective immediately.”
“Out where?”
“Past the expansion grounds.” He motioned Luke out of the conference room and lowered his voice. “You’re taking the lead from the junior agents, there’s no debate.”
“Sir, what drew you to this decision?”
Isaac seemed confident in his decision and expected Luke to be confident in it as well. “Kyle’s chip gave us all we need to know and Milo revealed more than he thinks. Tell me, you trust Sara Jacobson, right?”
Luke nodded. “Yes, sir, she’s been a trusted agent.”
“Not anymore. She’s a detain on sight.” Isaac saw Luke getting ready to question him. “The last day she was here she was on the fourth floor. Cameras in the elevator saw her crying to Milo about Leah Neil and Milo consoling her and telling her to leave using the name Elizabeth while referring to her.”
Luke froze, his body filling with chills. Elizabeth Neil had been right under their noses the whole time. “Another instance of being as obvious as possible to draw attention away.”
Isaac crossed his arms. “Steven Suggs, the man she married. Another detain on sight. Before she came to headquarters, he was talking to Milo and Alyssa and invited them to dinner that same night, she accepted and he left. Milo asked Elizabeth where Marshal Kennedy was and she said he should know because he was already around headquarters.”
Luke shook his head in disbelief. “Send some people to look through the apartment, gather some evidence there.”
"So, we can thank Milo Neil for the knowledge we have and Kyle Kennedy for the final push. Go out to the lead and take no witnesses." An order from Isaac himself couldn't be turned down, no matter where the lead took his people.
Eris Duke
Eris has noticed Ethan didn’t actually talk to Marshal while he had the chance, which made her think that he forgot.
She took the job into her own hands when she found out he’d be staying in the lab while Elizabeth was gone this time around. “Why can’t Filip watch over the lab? He normally does.”
“I know, but I don’t think he’s up for it.” Eris could tell there was something Marshal was hiding. “Besides, I think it’s better that more people start to know how to run the lab. We can’t be so reliant on Elizabeth if something happens to her.”
“That was never an issue until today apparently, what’s going on with you?” While she could narrow down her suspicions, because the real person in question was Elizabeth, the possibilities were limitless.
He shrugged. “There’s nothing wrong with me, what’s wrong with you?”
“Are you trying to be suspicious right now?” Eris squinted her eyes, trying to get a reasonable answer.
He shook his head before chuckling. “No, not really.”
The monitors showed exactly what was going on in the bunker. Most of the group had gone to their rooms to get ready for bed, only Joseph, Lecia, Alyssa, and Milo hanging around in the common room after dinner.
A small alert showed up on the screen that Marshal noticed before Eris. What she noticed was the immediate nervous look that crossed his face. “You didn’t see anyone go towards the pantry, did you?”
Eris looked over the monitors again. “No, nobody left their room or the common room. The lights are still off in that area either way.”
A sudden flash came across the screen that carried to the next camera, just breezing by the common room, catching Milo’s attention. Shadows.
“Do you know how to initiate a lockdown?”
He nodded. “Yes, but I don’t know how to lift it. The entire bunker will go down and any empty room has a time limit before it’s locked by the system, can’t be opened from the inside or outside. At least until Final Product Four identifies the threat and terminates it, then whoever’s in the lab has to identify a specific command to lift the lockdown.”
Eris tried to ease her mind. “Perhaps Elizabeth came back, it’s probably nothing to worry about.”
“That’s not Elizabeth. She’s been in my room for the past few days because she got attacked and she needs to recover. Alyssa mentioned letting the anesthetics wear off after dinner to let her eat later, so I can ask her how to lift it if I can get to her in the time limit.” Despite being as nervous as she’d seen him in a long time, he wasn’t in a panic. “What do you recommend?”
”Tell me how to initiate a lockdown, you go warn the others, then go get Elizabeth.”
”Initiate a lockdown, stay in the lab.”
”Initiate a lockdown, go get Elizabeth.”
”Don’t Initiate a lockdown, alert the other scouts and watch over the bunker.”
”Initiate a lockdown, go get Elizabeth.”
”Tell me how to initiate a lockdown, you go warn the others, then go get Elizabeth.”
I think the others need to know what is going on. Otherwise, they might panic and do something that they may regret later.
”Initiate a lockdown, go get Elizabeth.” Nope just get Elizabeth
Voting is closed! Eris will tell Marshal to start the lockdown immediately.
I can’t say this was the best choice, but I can and plan to explain more after the part itself is out, which should be later tonight.
If my choice would have won, would the result be better or just as bad?
Your choice would have had a similar result except for two details: The lockdown would have been lifted a little bit later and there would be less injuries towards a certain character.
3.4
Eris seemed unsure of her own decision, but she knew they didn’t have much time. “Start a lockdown, I’ll stay here and you go get Elizabeth.”
Marshal seemed a little relieved at her choice. “Got it. There’s one thing you need to know, though, and it’s really important so please listen. Once the command goes through, you can’t touch anything near the computers until Elizabeth lifts the lockdown. If you do, it’ll consider you an intruder and target you instead of whatever’s out there.”
She looked to the monitors once again, seeing Milo now talking to Joseph, still looking concerned. Looking back to Marshal, she saw careful precision that she’d never seen from him before. “What happens if you get the command wrong?”
He didn’t immediately respond until he had typed something out, read it over twice, and left his hand hovering over the enter key. “Then I’ll be considered an intruder.”
He hit the key and turned to the door, rushing out as the monitors shut down and the lights started flickering. That must be the warning.
Thirty seconds was all the time he had to get to Elizabeth and make sure everyone in the common room got into a safe place.
Milo and Alyssa stopped him on the way, Alyssa seeming more nervous than anything. “What’s going on?”
“You already know, but I need you to do something different.” He looked to Alyssa. “She’s not recognized in the system, my dad isn’t either. He’s in his room, you need to put those two in a closet in less than thirty seconds or they’re going to get shot.”
Milo nodded, tugging Alyssa along as they went for Kyle’s room instead of either of theirs.
Marshal went into his own room to find Elizabeth was already up and getting ready to do whatever it was she needed to do. “I’m going to need your help with this, hold the door before the system locks it. What about Alyssa, who’s she with?”
“She’s safe, don’t worry about it.” He stayed in the doorway, watching the entrance to the hallway. “What do you need to do?”
The doors in the hallway simultaneously clicked shut and locked. Elizabeth walked past Marshal and started towards the common room, keeping her back to the wall and speaking in a hushed whisper. “I need to get into the air ducts.”
“The air ducts?” Marshal walked a few feet behind her, keeping himself quiet as well.
She nodded. “There’s an access pad set up in the air ducts. In retrospect, it was a terrible idea.” That was clear and now it made sense why she needed help. She stopped, putting her hand out to stop Marshal too. “Go back. You’re going to get caught once I get in the ducts.”
“You really aren’t in your right mind or best shape, if I leave you then you’re going to get caught. I’m staying with you, whether I do get caught or not.”
She sighed, looking a little frustrated, but started moving again. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She looked around the corner, not seeing anything, which wasn’t a surprise considering it was pitch black now that the lights had gone out. She pulled a flashlight and a screwdriver from her pockets, handing the screwdriver to Marshal and turning on the flashlight, which was relatively dim. She shined the light on a vent above one of the couches. He went around her and climbed on the couch, quickly prying the vent open with the screwdriver, then giving her a careful boost when she climbed the couch.
Before he could go to cover the vent, he felt a hand on his shoulder yank him off the couch and straight to the ground. He felt something push against the back of his head and he immediately knew what it was. “You’ve got ten seconds to identify yourself before I shoot.”
He knew the voice too. Luke Lowell. It explained one of the shadows, but what about the other one? “Marshal Kennedy.” There was no use lying about his identity at this point.
Luke pulled him off the ground, putting him in a chokehold. “You’re lucky you’re a detain on sight, otherwise I would have shot you for being a rat.” He sounded furious. “Who just went up in the vent?”
Marshal heard a click before the feeling of cold steel wrapped around one of his wrists. Luke didn’t ease up on his grip until there was a second click and another band wrapped around his other wrist. Handcuffs, put on him by the second intruder. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
It was an obvious lie, but the Voyagers had always trusted in each other to not sell each other out. The situation was no different to him, he wasn’t going to sell her out. “I watched you help someone up there.” In a split second, a punch was delivered to his stomach, knocking Marshal back to the couch. “I’m going to ask you again, who is in the vents?”
He knew it was Luke who delivered the punch. It was too strong to be just anybody and the placement was too precise to be the second intruder. “I see Amanda upgraded your arm, that’s great.”
Luke grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him back up. In that moments, the lights flickered again, followed by a loud thud in the air ducts. The sound caught the attention of all three, but Luke quickly returned his attention to Marshal. “Looks like I don’t need to ask anymore, we’ll just wait for them here, how about that?”
Luke let go of Marshal, who was still working on catching his breath from the first punch. “You really don’t understand, you can’t mess with her.”
The second intruder spoke up, revealing herself as a woman that Marshal had never seen before. “You’re talking about Elizabeth Neil, right?”
A look of guilt passed Marshal before he nodded. “It’ll kill her if you hit her the way you hit me.”
“I won’t have to hit her if she complies and she’s got every reason to.” Luke held up the gun he had previously stopped Marshal with. “Does this look familiar to you?”
“You…” He scoffed and shook his head. “You pickpocketed me the second we showed up.” Luke nodded, affirming the statement. “Then why did you wait when you could have taken us both right there?”
Luke crossed his arms, a grin on his face. “Because I didn’t take your gun until you got on the couch. That, and she would have realized something was wrong because she was in front of you.”
There was a closer thud in the ducts, followed by the occasional tap until Elizabeth slipped out. “The system will restart in five minutes.” She barely had a minute to regain her balance before Luke grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her close enough to slip a pair of handcuffs around her wrists, despite her pulling away.
He looked to his partner, pushing Elizabeth to her. “You take her, but don’t let her take a step away from the planned path, she’ll find a way to get loose if you let her.”
“Luke, please listen to me.” Marshal looked to Luke who seemed like he wasn’t having any of what he had to say already. “She’s hurt and she’s sick, just leave her.”
Luke put a hand on Marshal’s back and started pushing him towards the kitchen, his partner following with Elizabeth. “Even if I wanted to, she’s a detain on sight as well.” Luke looked back to her, seeing a look of shock painted over her pale face. “Nothing to say, Neil?”
She looked up, now seeming a little offended. “It’s Kennedy, thank you very much. As for speaking to you, no, I have nothing to say to you.”
Marshal had to admit, he was a little surprised she remembered their conversation from the night before with how out of it she acted. Luke looked between the two before his partner started chuckling. “Really? You’re still keeping up that act? You’ve been caught, Neil, give it up.”
“Is it so unbelievable that two people can get married?” It seemed to really bother Elizabeth when Luke’s partner continued pushing.
Luke stopped in front of the ladder in the hidden room, waiting for his partner to go first. She started the climb and Luke looked to Elizabeth. “She can’t, that’s what I’ve been telling you.” Marshal spoke, Elizabeth lifting her shirt to show the set of stitches. “She’ll pull them open if she climbs the ladder.”
Luke didn’t seem to care, but he motioned towards the ladder. “Then carry her, I’m not taking the handcuffs off either of you.”
Marshal let out a frustrated sigh before backing himself against the ladder and working out a way to get Elizabeth up, nearly slipping off the ladder multiple times. He passed her off to Luke’s partner before pulling himself out. Luke climbed out next, looking at Marshal, who now seemed more angry at Luke than the situation itself. “I figured you’d be more helpful, considering you’re basically a robot made to serve at this point, but I guess not. Thanks anyways.”
Elizabeth watched a fire spark in Luke’s eyes at the comment as he grabbed hold of Marshal’s neck. His partner quickly tried to intervene, begging Luke to let go of him. The comment wasn’t just to make Luke upset, it was to give her a chance.
She started backing away from the scene slowly before breaking into a run as fast as she could, away from the scene. It wasn’t too long before she started to feel an oncoming pain around her stitches.
She heard yelling back the way she came from, but she knew it was unlikely she’d made it far enough to slow down. The handcuffs, the stitches, and the dark were all the things she had going against her.
’Elizabeth, you idiot. Luke has heat sensors.’ She stopped running and started scolding herself for running, ultimately deciding to stop and turn back.
Even her walk back didn’t last long before she collapsed, trying to battle the rising pain. In a moment, the world that was already barely being illuminated by the moonlight went completely dark.
When she awoke, she found herself in the back of a parked car with her shirt only holding dirt from her fall, thankfully no blood. She immediately knew Marshal was seated next to her, which eased her nerves a little. “What happened?”
Marshal reached over, cupping her hands in his, both their handcuffs remained on. He shushed her, not saying a word himself.
She looked over to him, immediately noticing the red mark Luke had left on his neck, along with a few more red marks on his face. “Marshal, what did he do?” Her voice was as quiet as she could make it.
“They might be handling something inside, but the camera’s still on.” He looked towards the dashboard before turning to her and giving her a kiss on the cheek, speaking in a whisper before he pulled away. “I know you’re worried, but trust me when I tell you to stay quiet.”
They sat in silence, Elizabeth studying Marshal while they were there. He seemed mad, nervous, but he put on a protective front to keep her from collecting those same negative feelings.
She realized after a while that they would be there for a few hours, at least until Isaac Hampton arrived to tell Luke what to do with them. She leaned on Marshal’s shoulder, dozing off.
He woke her up around an hour later, saying that Luke was back and now Isaac was with him. They pulled away from each other, Luke leading them out of the car.
They were taken to the fourth floor conference room where Isaac agreed to take their handcuffs off and listen to what they had to say. He ordered Luke to leave the three of them there. “You two must be upset with how you were treated, I must apologize for Mr. Lowell’s actions.”
He was referring to Marshal, but they both already knew Isaac would often try to smooth talk his way into somebody’s good graces. “That doesn’t matter to me, let’s not waste each other’s time and get to talking about what it is you want.”
Isaac looked taken aback for a small moment before regaining his same smug look. “There’s no need to be hostile, Mr. Kennedy, I want to take care of the two of you.” He folded his hands on top of the table, looking to Elizabeth. “She’s hurt, but you people took the best doctor we had.”
“I know how to handle her stitches, we don’t need your doctors because you’re only going to use them to sneak your way to getting information out of us.” Marshal sighed, looking to Isaac. “Listen, I really don’t care what you have in store and I don’t care for what you do to me, I just ask that you go easy on her. You can see one set of stitches, but there’s another that she almost took out herself.”
Isaac smiled like he was listening, then looked to Elizabeth for her take on it. “I feel like going easy on me isn’t exactly an option anymore…”
“Not necessarily. You’re in extreme trouble, both of you are, but we’ve got no reason to go hard on either of you. There’s no way we would put you two to working in headquarters and there’s no other place that needs either of you.” His smile faded. “I want one of you to tell me what happened after you left your bunker, I was told there was a problem.”
Marshal and Elizabeth looked to each other. “I can tell you my part of it, but I don’t know what happened with her. Luke made me carry her up a ladder in handcuffs because I showed him that she wouldn’t be able to do it herself, I made a comment and he tried to strangle me right there.”
“When he grabbed Marshal, I ran away. Or I tried to. I didn’t make it far before I turned back and blacked out while I was on the way.” Elizabeth sounded sorry in the way she explained. “I woke up in the car and fell back asleep a few minutes later.”
Isaac stood and strolled to their side of the table. “Your clothes are quite dirty.” He was talking to Elizabeth. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to see that wound of yours.”
She looked to Marshal, getting a small nod in return. She stood and lifted her shirt to show the wound. Isaac got closer to look at it, which did make her nervous.
He stood up straight and backed away, going back to his side of the table, allowing her to lower her shirt once more. “Let me tell you two what I’m going to do with you. I already know you’re both resistant to the drugs and chipping you two would be useless. You’re not going to be free, in fact you’ll probably have less freedom than Milo did. You’re both going to stay in your former apartment. It’s been altered to lock and unlock from the outside only. You get an hour each day to go outside, escorted by a worker. You cannot be together in that hour unless there’s more than one worker present. You’re expected to answer any questions asked of you truthfully and without hesitation, is that clear?”
The two nodded and talked with Isaac a bit more before he and Luke escorted the two to the apartment.
It was clear some workers had looked through it as some things were missing and others were torn up, making the place a mess.
The second they were left alone, Elizabeth went straight into Marshal’s arms. He inhaled quickly as her body pressed against his, almost like he was in pain. She pulled away, a new look of concern on her face. “Where all did Luke hit you?”
“He punched me in the face three times, the stomach once, and tried to choke me. If you’re counting every time he assaulted me in this one night, the answer is five.” He went to the bedroom and looked through the nightstand to see what remained before picking out some clothes.
She followed after him, picking a cleaner shirt from the nightstand. “He punched your stomach?” He nodded, removing the shirt he wore, likely with only the intention of changing before Elizabeth looked at the mark. “Does it hurt?”
He put a different shirt on before changing his pants and climbing into bed. “Yeah, but I think you’re forgetting that you’re the one who got stabbed and hasn’t complained about it once.”
“Alyssa was really good at keeping the pain under control, but right now the stitches and my hunger are working against me.” She paused. “Do you think the group will be okay without us? I mean it took us two years to get Milo back.”
He got back out of bed and left the room, going into the kitchen with Elizabeth following him. “I’m sure they’ll be fine, they’ve functioned without us before. It took us two years because we weren’t focused on finding Milo, we were focused on finding Morgan. She’s not here, which means we were no where close to finding Milo wherever we looked for her. Elizabeth, I promise you that the group is going to be fine and we’re going to be able to go back to them before you know it. For now, I want you to focus on getting better. You’re in no condition to make a break for it and you won’t be anytime soon if you continue to stress yourself out.”
He started taking out some stuff from the refrigerator and gathering it around the stove. “What about the diner?”
“What about it? There’s no way either of us would be allowed access to it because of how close it is to the expansion grounds.” He answered pretty quickly, not seeming ready to talk about the diner.
“What do you mean ‘what about it’? Marshal, that diner might be your dad’s, but if you bring it up to Isaac, I’m sure he’ll consider giving you something to do if it keeps you from causing any trouble.”
He sighed, turning to face her. “There’s something I haven’t told you because I haven’t gotten the chance. While you were put under for the first night, we went back into the city and we nearly got caught by my dad. Cyrus brought him back to the bunker to keep from killing him. The diner is in Isaac’s possession now, so it’s doubtful he’d consider giving it to me under any circumstances. It’s best to drop the idea before you get your hopes up.”
[Keep pushing the idea of the diner.]
[Drop it.]
Nicolas Donadieu
Nicolas had been woken up in the late night by a distress call from one of the other resistance groups.
No matter how far away he was from any group or how bad his relationship with them was, he feared every distress call he got.
He quickly left the bedroom, going to the hallway to keep from waking up Marie and answered the call. He was greeted by a familiar voice that was in a panic. “Hello? Pierre?”
It was Eris Duke. Why she was calling instead of her husband or Elizabeth was the biggest question he had at the moment. “Yes, what’s going on? Is it important?”
“Extremely important.” She sounded like she had been crying. “We got raided earlier tonight, some Onyx Organization members. We waited to call you because we wanted to look as much as we could before we assumed the worst. The system didn’t find any intruders when we know for certain there was at least one but Elizabeth and Marshal are missing.”
The world around him stopped for a moment, a cold wave taking over his body. “And you’re certain they’re not just hidden?”
“Absolutely certain. We looked all over inside and around the outside of the bunker.”
He looked to the bedroom, then sighed. “I’ll start a return in the morning and alert other groups. For now, you need to keep your group calm and in the same place. Do not let your guard down, even for a second, it’s possible whoever took them will make a return now that they know the location, just hold on for the night and tell Joseph I’ll be around tomorrow.”
Eris sounded unsure of the plan, but agreed to it either way, leaving the call afterwards.
Nicolas put his back against the wall, trying to catch his breath. He shot up once he heard the bedroom door open and saw Marie poke her head out. “Is everything okay?”
He nodded, going into the living room and taking a seat in one of the chairs. “I need to leave again tomorrow, I’m sorry.”
She sat across from him, looking upset but willing to listen. “Who called?”
“One of the Voyagers. Two of their members are missing after a raid and right now they need help.” He sunk in his chair. “I’ll be going in the morning.”
After a moment of silence, he looked up and started studying the woman with light brown hair seated in front of him, quickly coming to the realization that she was studying him as well. She had a lot of things to say to him but never had the time to talk to him anymore. "I want to help the Voyagers myself."
”Their situation is too dangerous for you.”
”They’re going to need as much help as they can get.”
Note: Going back to what I said earlier, this wasn’t the greatest choice, but it certainly wasn’t the worst one. In three out of the four choices, someone ends up captured. The choice actually saved Marshal from a choice in the next chapter that would have had a 5 out of 6 chance of killing him. This will be the last part including Marshal and Elizabeth for the chapter, but Elizabeth’s choice here will influence the major events of the next chapter.
[Keep pushing the idea of the diner.]
”They’re going to need as much help as they can get.”
[Drop it.]
”They’re going to need as much help as they can get.” One more person for Luke to hunt down? YES PLEASE! xD
Now seriously, I really liked this part! Luke was a real beast in it, he had only seen a glimpse of his more "brute" side so far, but wow, this was just amazing. I'm actually surprised Luke didn't do anything more to Elizabeth, knowing that she was just fooling him all along, though that's not a bad thing. Punching Marshal though? ha! that I liked a lot
. I always felt some kind of animosity between them, and if I'm not mistaken, Marshal kinda threatened Luke (not in his presence though) some time ago, right? Well, he better tread carefully now.
It’s safe to say Luke has some conflicting feelings on Elizabeth, considering she was his partner for at least two years and one of his closer “friends” but I think it’s reasonable to assume that he’s furious and he’s going to stay that way for a little bit.
The two don’t have the greatest relationship and even I gotta say, Marshal did deserve most of what he got in this part. He did previously threaten Luke and there has been a bit of tension between them, but I don’t think he ever expected anything to actually happen between the two of them. Good thing he only lied instead of fighting back, Luke probably would have done worse.
[Drop it.]
”They’re going to need as much help as they can get.”
I'm not sure if Isaac is in the mood to give them any opportunity to help themselves.
For the second choice, I want to see more of Marie. Her skills might be beneficial for the Voyagers. I know Pierre would want to make sure she is safe, but if he continues to push her away, their relationship could be in trouble. Also, he trusted her enough to help in his revolution, so I think he can trust her to help the Voyagers. Besides, if I'm not mistaken, he would be going with her, and they will help the Voyagers together. The voyagers really do need all the help they can get.
Isaac is a very complicated man, so it can be assumed that there would be a catch if he agreed to the diner, just what would that catch be? Likely an easier way at getting to the Voyagers.
That was a point I kind of glossed over but yeah, Pierre would be going with her. Marie would be important for the Voyagers but it also leaves the Crusaders with two less (extremely important) people.
[Keep pushing the idea of the diner.]
”They’re going to need as much help as they can get.”
Whoa, wait, was this the only choice that ended up sparing him from that future choice? If I'd be any good at maths, I could not estimate his general chances of surviving this situation, but I think I am good enough at it to guess that they are preeeety low. Literal bullet dodged, I'd say, but this is something I am really curious about.
[Keep pushing the idea of the diner.]
”Their situation is too dangerous for you.”
Uh, I just realized I am the only one picking this option here XD Am I really the only one thinking that yes, this is indeed too dangerous?
Really, the only way to save him from that future choice was to get him out of the bunker. The situation that’ll replace that choice is likely to be less fatal and more brutal, which isn’t necessarily a good thing.
An 83.33% chance of dying. While it’s not an overwhelming majority, it’s a pretty strong number.
I can actually explain the details. So this choice would have taken place a few days after his birthday and Alyssa would mention needing some medical supplies from the city. He’d originally be hesitant, but agree to it, unaware that he’d been found out. The choice would have been a choice on who to bring with and the companions would have been less than ideal (Milo, Kyle, Elizabeth, Ethan, Alyssa, or Cyrus), but bringing Alyssa herself along would have saved his life.
Anyways, he and whoever was voted to go along with would have left the bunker and started off to the city where they would have been confronted by a worker for the Onyx Organization. Marshal would have told whoever went along to hide and depending on who it was, they would comply immediately or they would comply with hesitation. Either way, Marshal would have tried to talk his way out of the meeting with the Organization member and the details of the visit would have slipped. The Organization member would have called him out as a Voyager and thief before shooting him.
Alyssa would have been the only one capable of helping in that case, but whoever else went in the case of his death would have been blamed by Elizabeth and Kyle.
So yeah, a literal bullet dodged.
(!) Voting is closed! Elizabeth will continue pushing the diner and Pierre will allow Marie to come with.
Elizabeth’s choice here will be up for continuation in the next chapter, but Pierre’s will take place in the next part. When is the next part? Probably later today, early tomorrow at the latest.
3.5
Joseph and Eris tried to ease the nerves of the others in the bunker and convince them that Elizabeth and Marshal had just left the bunker and sought shelter somewhere else to keep from being confronted with the intruder.
Alyssa was the first to find suspicions in the thought that the two would leave the bunker for shelter when Elizabeth was injured, but she kept it to herself for Milo and Kyle’s sake.
Most of the bunker calmed down after some reassurance, but Milo and Kyle were easily the most uneasy about the disappearances for a legitimate reason.
Milo had earlier begged Joseph to let him go into the city because he had a feeling the two had been taken there and considered the thought of an intruder to be certain based on his last interaction with Marshal.
Joseph wouldn’t let it happen and Alyssa backed up Milo’s argument but agreed with Joseph on keeping Milo away from the city.
They left consoling Milo up to Alyssa, but Kyle was a different story. He wasn’t sad, he was furious. He wouldn’t say at who or what, but he would admit he was angry and leave it at that.
Joseph had to take over in the lab once it reopened and Pierre confirmed he would be around in the morning, which left Eris, Ethan, Alyssa, Milo, and Kyle awake.
Eris enlisted Ethan’s help with Kyle while Alyssa stayed with Milo.
Neither of the two knew what to say to Kyle at first and waited until he acknowledged them. He took a deep sigh before he spoke, trying to calm himself down. “Do either of you know what it’s like to be separated from someone you’ve been searching for for years on end?”
Ethan nodded, but didn’t seem willing to share the details of it. “I had an older brother who would disappear for days at a time before both of our lives went in a downwards spiral.”
“I can’t say I have any experience losing a child, but I lost my parents at a pretty young age.” Eris knew her voice wasn’t going to go far because she didn’t really know Kyle.
He seemed to review the two before leaning back in his seat. “I wish I could say it was my first time losing a child or a family member, but that’s not true. When Dawn got shot, they reported that she was dead and a child was dead. I didn’t find out for months that the child was unborn, but that told me her motive for running. I never lost hope for finding Marshal in these sixteen years and I knew he was going to be angry with me when we met again.”
Marshal never mentioned a younger sibling and Eris had never talked to Dawn herself, but she found the reasoning to be plausible. Marshal had mentioned an unhappy marriage that had been the same way for twenty years and even he didn’t know why she chose to run that day. “He’s been through a whole mess in those sixteen years, I hate to say.”
Ethan seemed to agree. “I heard a bit about alcoholism, fighting, and gambling. He takes fault in the alcoholism and he’ll admit to it, but he was pretty quick to blame the Neil siblings for the other two.”
Eris chuckled. “There was a rough patch after he worked on recovery and neither him or Milo are too patient, so I can recall a few times they got in verbal fights and even fewer times they got in physical fights. Gambling, well, it wouldn’t be too difficult to believe Elizabeth had a part in that.”
Kyle didn’t seem too relieved with the details, even a little upset. “After those two disappeared, it took all my power to not take up drinking because my own father was an alcoholic. My best guess is that Marshal didn’t know and drew himself into that same path.” He turned his attention to Eris. “He did stop, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he did. It’s been a few years since he admitted he needed help and we all worked with him to ensure a clean recovery.” She paused, battling herself on if she should continue talking. “There was one instance after Milo disappeared that he nearly drank again. He dropped the idea after it turned into a big fight with Elizabeth and that’s the only time I know of him almost drinking again.”
“He mentioned that fight to me.” Ethan chimed in. “He said he’d never seen Elizabeth that mad at him before and she was quick to get personal but neither of them got physical.”
Kyle looked relieved at the details. “Last I knew, he wasn’t used to confrontation because he never interacted with the other kids. There was one time in fifth grade that he got involved with one bad kid. Their relationship was rocky and the other kid would beat up on him for not going along with his plans, so to avoid getting beaten up he would give in to whatever bad ideas this kid had.” Kyle shook his head. “The kid was pretty troubled, in my opinion, and tried to talk Marshal into doing something to his sister. Dawn didn’t let him start school until he fully understood how to be a gentleman and he understood how consent works. Anyways, he didn’t tell me exactly what happened, he just said it went against every rule his mother had taught him and when he tried to say no to this kid, he started pushing him around, then after Marshal fought back the kid backed off and hit him upside the head with a brick while his back was turned.”
Ethan crossed his arms. “My brother got treated the same way a lot of times, mainly because he was never in his right mind to say no. They started messing with him as a kid and it stuck around until he died.” He seemed spiteful. “You would think that the people who played themselves off as his closest friends for years would be upset with his passing, but to them it wasn’t a loss at all.”
Eris could tell that talking about Marshal and Dawn had been calming Kyle down. “If it helps, Marshal never grew out of the typical gentleman manner. I’ve never seen someone be so kind to Elizabeth because she does mess up pretty frequently, I think it’s just easier to put blame on one person instead of the whole group and she’s the only person who won’t fight against it, but he’s taken to defending her most of the time.”
Kyle sighed and offered a kind smile. “Dawn and I had disagreements on how to raise him plenty of times and she decided she’d do it her way since I was never around. He’s not dead yet, so I guess she did a good enough job with that.”
Eris looked over Kyle, trying to determine what Marshal got from him and what he got from Dawn. Kyle’s hair had greyed over, but he shared the same eye color as his son. “I’ve got an odd question for you, what color was your hair when you were younger?”
“Blond. Dawn had the black hair, if that’s what you were trying to find out.” Kyle replaced his slouch, sitting up straight. “She had black hair and blue eyes, I had blond hair and brown eyes, and Marshal took her hair, my eyes, and her dimples.”
Ethan took a look to the clock before he let a yawn escape. “We should probably head to sleep. Pierre’s supposed to come back tomorrow, so that should be a treat for all of us.”
Eris nodded before slowly rising from her seat. “I agree; we should be at our best for when he arrives.”
Kyle and Ethan rose after the fragile blonde woman, the three of them heading to their rooms and clearing the common room.
Alyssa Kowalska
Alyssa had taken Milo back to his own room after coming to the conclusion that he and Kyle might see the situation differently. He had taken a seat on the edge of his bed while Alyssa stood guard in front of the door.
It was clear he expected her to leave after she dropped him off, but neither had spoken until Alyssa questioned him. “How are you doing?”
He shrugged. “I.. I’m not really sure. It’s been so long since I’ve been able to express my emotions and I’m not used to it yet.” He now sighed. “I feel like I’m tired, but I know I’m not.”
It was sadness he’d been feeling, he just didn’t know how to put it into words. She thought that dropping a topic that would fuel that sadness would be for the better. “You know, I don’t think I thanked you for helping Kyle and I during the lockdown.”
“It’s what I was supposed to do, don’t thank me.” She could tell there was more he wanted to say, so she stayed quiet to allow him to say it. “Alyssa, what was your family like?”
She had to admit, it was one of the questions she didn’t expect at all, but if it made him feel a little better then she would answer. Alyssa looked around the room, her green eyes stopping on the floor. “I didn’t have much of a family. My father left very early on, I had no siblings, and all I had growing up was my mother. She was sick for all I can remember, but she never reported it because she knew what happens in the sick wards. She was a very tough woman but she would never leave another to hurt, despite her own critical condition.”
“Kind of like you, huh?”
Alyssa let out a tearful laugh while her eyes began to cloud up. “I sure hope so. She’s someone I idolized all of my life. I became a doctor to try to help her, but I was too late. She died at home while I was studying.”
Milo gave a sympathetic look before rising from the bed and taking the blanket off, approaching Alyssa and draping it around her shoulders. “Elizabeth used to always tell me that sometimes what she needs is to be warm and for me to shut up and listen to her, I’m hoping you’re the same way.” He led her to the bed and let her sit while he stood. “Tell me whatever you want to tell me, you’ve got my full attention.”
Alyssa gave a shy smile, pulling the blanket to wrap all around her. “Alright, whatever I want to tell you.” She took a moment to think. “I don’t know if you knew what Elizabeth had recovered from my bag the night they brought us here, but it was a picture of my mother and I from when I was younger. You can tell how far back it was by the fact that I was missing my two front teeth and how happy she looked.” Her smile faded and a look of guilt crossed over her face. “I’ve never really told anyone this because it’s considered illegal to withhold information on a sick person, but I always felt guilty to watch her get even more sick.”
She looked up to see that Milo was studying her facial expressions while he listened to her. “I can understand that. I went into the city twenty-two years after my parents disappeared because I felt like I was the reason they were gone and I felt like I owed it to Elizabeth to bring them back, but not to myself.”
Alyssa nodded, trying to let herself calm down. “After so long, I stopped caring about who my father was and started worrying for my mother’s health. In her last few months, she’d become immobile and had trouble breathing, eating, and sleeping. I tried to care for her needs as much as I could, but the one day I decide that I can get out because she’d been fine up until that point, she just.. died.. I was never told how and was immediately threatened for keeping information from the Onyx Organization.”
She stood, the blanket wrapped around her causing her to walk with a slight waddle towards the door. Milo followed her without saying much and opened the door while her hands stayed holding onto the blanket. It felt painful to Alyssa, having to put on a facade so soon after the disappearances and having to deal with the fact that one of the pair was already likely dead. She kept going as long as she could until she nearly collapsed on the ground, Milo catching her before she fell. “Alyssa, are you okay?”
His voice sounded panicked, but her mind was racing to process all of her thoughts. She pushed herself against the wall and slumped down, pulling her knees to her chest and burying her face in the blanket to hide her new tears. “I couldn’t help my mom, I couldn’t find my dad, I couldn’t perform one of the most simple jobs in the Organization, and I couldn’t help Elizabeth. I can’t do this, Milo, not anymore.”
He kneeled on the ground next to her. “You had no control over what happened to your mom or the actions of your father. I know you think you failed the organization and I’m not going to lie, you did fail them, but you already put yourself in a good position for the Voyagers. Had you not failed the Organization, I never would have found Elizabeth and she would have died when she got stabbed, nobody here could have saved her besides you.” He stood back up, pulling her back up off the ground and waiting until she acknowledged him before speaking again. “They said it tons of times in your file, you’re the best at what you do and there’s no doubt about it. I don’t think you failed Elizabeth, I’ve got hopes for her and I’ve got hopes for you. I know that sometimes it seems like the world is out to get you and if it’s not one thing it’s something else, but that’s how everyone in this bunker thinks. Internal issues included, they deal with a lot and they use each other to cope and bounce back, so I’m just going to ask that you use me right now to fix whatever issue you’re having and bounce back.”
She gave a small nod, unsure of the decision. “And how do I do that?”
“You talk about it until it’s off your mind.”
Joseph Duke
Pierre had arrived at the bunker in the afternoon with a woman that most people in the bunker wouldn’t recognize besides Pierre himself, Joseph, and Elizabeth.
The woman was Marie Duval, one of the most active resistance members. She was good at what she did, which was working on disguises and uniforms for the resistance members.
Pierre didn’t seem to be in a great mood, but he normally never did. Joseph hadn’t been to sleep since before the lockdown occurred, but he was a little afraid to fall asleep in the case that the intruders came back.
It wasn’t a concern exclusive to him, though, all the Voyagers had mentioned the possibility before they went to bed, if they slept at all. Joseph had asked they stayed in their rooms until the morning to avoid any confusion and any risks involved with any intruders.
Pierre and Marie mentioned the possibility as well, along with their plan to move the group if Joseph agreed to it.
They didn’t give him a chance to talk to anyone else about it and required he make an on the spot decision before they addressed the group as a whole.
[Agree to the move, making the group less of a target]
[Disagree to the move, multiple members aren’t capable of going distances]