NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC:

Third attempt and this has turned into an invite only RP.

Are invited: Gehenna Tartarus (as the beach's owner), Haraki (as the bad guys), maybe Rave Shentavo if she manages to include the idea she TGed me.

This is an attempt at building the background of one of my main characters. Obviously, this is occuring a little bit in the past (15-20 years). Some ressemblance with the Bourne Identity. No magic, no sci-fi. Other than that, I have nothing in mind really... except my character shouldn't die and he should end up in the hands of another one (not a lot of constraints actually imo). No stupid military troops landing or alike, character-oriented RP all the way.

I'm expecting some nice descriptive and psychologic issues. Fights are fun only if they serve a story ;)

IC:

The body rolled on the sand. The sea had rejected it as if it wasn't welcomed anymore.

The sun had disapeared beyond the horizon an hour before. No clouds in the sky and stars were piercing the darkness: the perfect spring night.

He wasn't moving and only a very subtle and regular movement could let think he was still breathing. 7 bullet holes on his back. Blood was pouring from them. His left hand was opened and a little but powerful light was blinking, illuminating the beach at each pulsation.

The beach was always deserted at this time of the day, that was why Caz always choose this moment to be alone. She continued strolling along where the wave rolled onto the sand.

Just ahead she could see something lying in the waves. Another drunk probably. They always seemed to show up on the beach. As she drew nearer, she thought that she would check to ensure the waves wouldn't engulf him.

As she tried to wake him, she felt a stickiness on his clothes. That didn't feel like water. Removing her hand, she saw the scarlet traces of blood.

The man growled. He tried to use his arms, tried to get up. But it was as if he couldn't even feel the ground behind his body. The last remains of strength seemed to fade away and he passed out. As he was falling on the ground, his hand touched the light and pushed it away.

Caz sat back on the sand shocked by the sudden movement that the man made. When she saw the blood she had feared the worse, although there was still a chance he wouldn't survive.

Oh, God.

Her eyes flash around the beach in the hope that someone else would be here. There didn't appear to be anyone else about.

What the hell do I do?

Her cottage was just a little way from the beach. She could make there and call for help. She looked down at the prone body before her. He didn't look like he would last much longer where he was. But if she moved him...

I can't leave him in the water.

She managed to place her hands under his arms. She pulled him with all her strength. Her feet slipped in the wet sand sending them both back onto the floor.

You should be grateful you are out cold, my friend.

The moon was now lighting the man's face. He was caucasian, in his mid twenties. His hair were short and dark but it was hard to determine what their natural shape could have been. He obviously had passed a lot of time in the water. Riddles were covering his face and his hands.
He had a calm expression as if he was deeply asleep. Strangely, he didn't have any oxygen or mask with him, though he was dressed as to go deep undersea.

As Caz continued to struggle with the man, she suddenly heard a dog barking. She looked around knowing that there must be someone else about. She lowered him gently back onto the floor.

She could now hear the spoken conversation as two people drew closer. She rushed up to them, barely able to speak following her effort.

"Please...you've got to help me." She breathed deeply. "There's an injured man over there...I need to get him into that cottage so I can call for help."

The two newcomers helped lift the man out of the sea, and carried him effortlessly into the house. Caz checked the area that he was lying in, making sure to pick up the items lying around. She walked into the cottage, the dog barking at her heels.

"Put him on the couch." She indicated the tatty sofa near the fire. "One of you call an ambulance. The phone's through there." She pointed to a door at the back of the room.

Caz walked up to the unconscious man, who was now lying on the couch. "How did you get into this mess?" She began to unzip his wetsuit.

The only thing Caz had found was the blinking light. She couldn't find any mechanism that could allow her to stop it from flashing regularly.
Under the wetsuit, the man was completly naked. The bullet holes were disposed in two lines: one of 3 and another of 4. Bullets were still in some of them.
The man was extremely well shaped. Thin but strong muscles were like directly covered with his pale skin. As she looked away from the wounds, she spotted a strange protuberance on his hip.

All in a sudden, the man came back to life and grabbed Caz by the throat.

"Where am I? What's going on?" he yelled, confused.

Caz would have fallen backwards if it wasn't for the man's hand around her throat. She grabbed hold of his wrist as she tried to unfurl his fingers.

"Get...off...!" Gasping breath. "Let...go...!"

The other man in the room with them saw the struggle and helped free Caz from the man's grasp. Her hand instinctively when up to her injured throat, as she fell back onto the floor.

Once she was able to speak. She stared at the man for a moment before answering. "You're in my cottage." She rubbed her sore skin. "You've been shot."

The wounded man stepped back as the man who helped Caz let him go.

"Take it easy pal."

The wounded man stared at them. His eyes went from the man to Caz, from Caz to the man. Confusion was completly deforming his face.

"What have you done to me? Who are you?"

Caz turned to the man, who had assisted her and pointed to a cabinet over by the window. "There's a bottle of something in there, ah, sorry, I don't know your name."

The man walked over and opened the front of the cabinet revealing several bottles of alcohol. "It's Phil." He read a couple of labels. "Which one do you want?"

"The stongest." She turned back to the worried man standing in front of her. "Look, just sit yourself down." Phil presented her with a bottle. "We've done nothing to you. We found you on the beach." She took of the lid and handed it to the man. She smiled, kindly. "I'm Caroline. And you are?"

The man took the bottle and stared at it as he was sitting down. He was obviously trying to get back to his senses, to gather information.

"I... I... Oh god..."

He let the bottle fall on the floor.

"I don't know.... I don't know my name! Oh god!"

His eyes were wet. All his body seemed contracted. It was obvious he wouldn't be able to stand such a stress given his wounds. He tried to wake up but he hardly managed to walk.

"Oh god."

Caz put her arm around the man and helped him back onto the couch. Collapsing onto it as his weight pulled her down. She turned and looked at him, as she began to stand up. "It's understandable that you can't remember your name. You've been through a traumatic experience."

And that's an understatement.

She picked up the fallen bottle before all the contents emptied itself onto the floor. She knelt down in front of him. As she did she noticed that his wounds were bleeding heavily. "We've got an ambulance coming. You will be fine." She turned to the other man. "Phil, find out where the ambulance is and see if you can find anything to bind these wounds. There's some towels and sheets in the bathroom."

She let her eyes fall back onto the man. "Just stay calm. Everything is going to be alright."

But she saw the man had already passed out again.

(ooc: I think I'll speed up the part. Excellent RP so far :) )

The ambulance came soon after. They took the man, Phil and Caz and headed right away to the hospital.

"Woah! This guy looks like he pissed someone off badly." the nurse said, trying to stop the multiple haemorrhages.

At the hospital, a doctor was waiting for them. He talked briefly with the nurse.

"Take him to room 5. This man needs surgery. Immediatly."

They rushed deep inside the hospital, letting Caz and Phil in the waiting room.

3 hours later, the doctor came back.

"Is any of you a relative?" he asked with a neutral tone and a suspicious look.

Caz and Phil exchanged looks. Before she stepped forward and spoke to the doctor. "Yes, he's my brother."

Why the hell did you say that for?

She didn't need to put on a worried expression, as she felt on edge. It must have been the fear of being caught lying. She went silent for a moment trying to read the expression on his face.

Does he believe me?

She looked the doctor in the eyes; her own conveying a look of sadness as she spoke. "Is he alright?"

"Your brother..." the doctor repeated, apparently pondering Caz's expression. "Well, yes. He has incredible stamina. He'll need to rest, no organ were damaged. He was lucky though. Some millimeters and he would probably not be able to walk anymore."

He gave a quick look at Phil.

"Yes, damn lucky... Now, if you don't mind me asking you, how come your brother ended up with 7 bullets in his back?"

He looked intensely at Caz.

"You know, I should call the authorities about all this."

Caz looked relieved when the doctor stated that the man wasn't going to gie. She couldn't understand why she was taking such an interest in his welfare.

It's not like I'm tied to him or anything.

Suddenly her mind was whizzing as she struggled to come up with a convincing story. She needed time, she wasn't good on the stop. And she still wasn't convinced that the doctor believed her.

"I don't know. He went for a walk along the beach like he always did after lunch. When he didn't come back, we got worried." She looked at the floor. "And we found him like that." She swallowed.

Looking up, her face was a picture of sadness and worry. "Can I see him?"

One of the passing nurses, a male nurse with a stethoscope around his neck paused, seeing this scene, and held a hurried whispered discussion with the doctor, before carrying on. The nurse was tall, maybe 6'2", with pointed features, and close-cropped blonde hair. Caz noticed that after the discussion, the blonde man paled and nodded, before turning and walking away.

Unseen by any, he pushed a single button on his watch six times in a row, as if a nervous twitch.

"Yeah, right," The doctor muttered to himself. "Marks of a wetsuit, cold as if he has passed a lot of time in the water."

He looked at Phil as if he was asking for answers and suddenly felt tired.

I'm too old to stay up 48 hours straight, he thought to himself.

He stared at Caz.

"He's not in a normal room yet. But I can lead you there. I don't know what's going on here, but I'm not sure I want to know."

He looked at Phil again.

"I don't want to know, do I Phil?"

Phil nodded at the doctor with a neutral expression.

"All right then," the doctor told Phil with a sad smile. "Oh!"

The doctor took a little cylindrical object out of his pocket, along with seven quite big bullets, all in a transparent plastic bag.

"I think this belongs to your brother," he said, handing the bag and the object at Caz. "The bullets and... this thing I have no clue what it is."

He took a deep breathe.

"I think you should go Room 5. As soon as he's able to walk, I do trust I won't hear about him again."

Caz smiled sweetly at the doctor, as she took the offered items. "No, once he's better, he won't be back." She suddenly grabbed Phil's arm and practically pulled him along to room Five.

Looking back over her shoulder, she checked to see whether any of the medical staff had followed them. She looked at Phil and raised an eyebrow. "I wonder what the doctor told that nurse?" She opened the door and pulled Phil in.

Casting one last glance down the corridor, she closed the door behind her, and walked over to the bed.

You have watched far too many movies, my girl.

Phil followed Caz without discussing.

"Yeah, Will," he muttered to himself, looking over his shoulder at the doctor. "See you in hell you wife stealer."

In Room 5, the man was lying on a bed. Tubes were gathering around his arms and he had bandages around his chest. His face was calm. Nothing could let think he was injured. He just looked like a little child, sleeping. His face wasn't riddled anymore and much more good looking than Caz would have expected.

The room was silent except for a bip occuring at each of his heartbeat.

Caz looked at the man lying on the bed. He looked so different from the bosy she had pulled out of the surf only hours earlier. She wouldn't have recognised him if the doctor hadn't pointed her in this direction.

She watched as his chest gently rose and fell as he slept. The rythmic bleep of the machines keeping time. She suddenly felt very weary.

"Well, you are looking much better..." What shall I call him? I need to refer to him as something. "Jack." It was as good a name as any, and it belonged to her father.

She suddenly remember the bag of items the doctor gave her. She looked at Phil. "What do you think that is?"

He scrunched up his face and shook his head. "No, idea."

As she looked closely at the cylinder, Caz was suddenly blinded by a red light coming from the extermity she was inspecting.

Caz's hand flew up to her eyes, as the light glowed. She dropped the bag, hearing it sound as the bullets rolled out of the bag.

What was that?

She waited for her eyes to return to normal, as she heard Phil bend down and pick up the fallen items. "Watch out for that thing in there. It flashes."

Phil took the cylinder. The sole pressure of his hand made it light again. The object projected red light onto the floor. These were letters and numbers.

"Werarshaft Bank - 67 789 354 61 009 289 A56"

Caz watched transfixed as the object in Phil's hand gave up it's secret. She read the message in her head, trying to figure what it was. She looked up until she met Phil's eyes.

"What is it? Some kind of bank details?" She looked over at 'Jack' still asleep in on the bed. "I wish we could ask him what this was all about." She took the item from Phil, and attempted to look at it without blinding herself again.

Caz noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. A small camera was being slid up besde the window, peering in through the blinds. It got a glimpse of the bank numbers.

Caz could tell this as she noticed it.

She soon spotted a small button, barely distinguishable onto the completly black surface of the object. She pressured it and the light went off.

Phil looked at Jack, puzzled. He pointed at his hip.

"Look at the bandage here. I guess this thing comes from there."

He looked back at Caz.

"I should be damned if I know what this is all about."

Caz tossed the item in her hand. She looked over at the bandage Phil had pointed to. "Why would this be inplanted in his leg?" She looked at the man standing beside her. "I don't like this. I don't like this one bit."

She walked over to one of the chairs in the room and sat down. "What are we doing here? We don't even know how or why he got those bullet wounds?" She sighed. "We should leave and forget we were ever here."

She stood up and put the bag on the bedside table. As she turned to walked away, she saw Jack sleeping without a care in the world.

I can't leave. He doesn't know who he is. He way need some help.

She retraced her steps and dropped into the chair.

You're a sucker for a handsome face. I just hope it doesn't get you into trouble.

At that very moment, Jack opened his eyes, looking straight at Caz.

As his eyes open the camera withdraws, very, very slowly and quietly, so as to avoid being noticed. It didn't work.

Jack looked at the window right before the camera disapears. Something changed in his whole behavior. He put the tubes away. The machines began to make a long and painful noise. To the surprise of Caz and Phil, he literally jumped out of the bed.
As soon as he touched the floor, he felt dizzy but it was like some hidden forces were at work in his very body.

"We have to leave. Now."

Caz smiled as she saw that Jack had opened his eyes. She stood next to the bed and looked into his eyes. "Welcome back, Jack." She looked over at Phil to indicate that he was in the room. "How are you feeling?"

She clutched the bag of items tightly in her hand, as she felt the shape of the bullets, she realised how lucky he was to be alive.

Jack looked at Caz and Phil. He seemed puzzled for a second but in that very second he seemed to remember them both.

"Jack... That'll do for now on I guess."

He spotted the bullets and took the bag, closing his fist around it. He quickly looked back in the direction of the window and took Caz by the arm.

"We have to leave," he repeated, pushing Caz to the door and looking at Phil.

Caz stopped suddenly, stunned by Jack's behaviour. She looked at Phil, who returned her confused look.

"Wait a minute, what's going on? You can't just up and leave. You've just had surgery." She shook her head in disbelief, convinced that she would wake up in a minute and find herself safely in bed.

Caz stopped suddenly, stunned by Jack's behaviour. She looked at Phil, who returned her confused look.

"Wait a minute, what's going on? You can't just up and leave. You've just had surgery." She shook her head in disbelief, convinced that she would wake up in a minute and find herself safely in bed.

Jack headed to a corner of the room as he suddenly spotted a long metallic tube supporting perfusion bags.

"I don't know what's going on," he said as he took the metallic part out. His back hurt. "Ouch." But adrenaline was pumping into his veins. "Someone was observing the room from behind the window."

He walked back to Caz. The bullets in his right fist, the metallic bar in a vertical position in the other hand.

"Whoever they are, they could be related to this." his tone was calm but firm. He was raising his right hand.

His legs were slightly shaking as if he had difficulty to stand up.

[ooc: gtg, bed's calling. Will continue tomorrow.]

[ooc: gtg, bed's calling. Will continue tomorrow.]
(ooc: sob :cry: )

[ooc: gtg, bed's calling. Will continue tomorrow.]
(ooc: sob :cry: )

OOC: Double sob :cry: :cry:

[ooc: Oh, group hug before I go. :lol: ]

(ooc: /me hugs :P ;) )

Yay! Group hug!

http://www.rpgdivinity.com/phpBB2/images/avatars/gallery/SaGa_Frontier_Series/emilia.jpg - OOC Minister of Diplomacy

Caz looked at Jack confused and shook her head slightly, as if trying to knock her brain into action. She didn't understand any of this. A few hours ago she was walking along a beach and now she was mixed up with some neurotic madman.

She saw him struggling to stand and moved closer so that he could rest his weight on her. She couldn't comprehend why, but she decided it was best to go along with his delusions, at least for the time being.

He's probably so pumped full of drugs, he doesn't know what he's doing.

Phil, seeing Caz stuggling with Jack took her place allowing her to open the door. She peered out, and berated herself for being stupid. She knew this was just too crazy to be true. Silently they headed out into the corridor.

Genesis passed quietly through the halls from her room. She had never liked that room...there was a mirror in it, she could never shake the feeling of someone watching and her privacy violated. She was nineteen, and it had been a week since her surgery, and her arm was nearly fully healed. The white wrap around her arm proved contrast to her tan skin, like mashmellow on caramel. Her dirty blond hair was long and reached just past her waist. Her eyes were a deep blue, her figure slender and tall. As she walked she saw a man and a woman struggeling down the corridor... The man looked as if he was on drugs, for his movements were slightly shaky.. the woman seemed capable enough.
Genesis: Do you need any help? *she asked. Her accent was heavy, and probably from somewhere near Russia.

Jack stared at the newcomer. He looked at her from the hair to the feet.

"No, thanks. I'm fine," he said firmly trying to push Phil to a wall nearby.

Caz looked at the woman and then at Jack, as he struggled against Phil. She turned to hm. "Look we're only trying to help. If you don't want it, then we can easily leave you on your own." She sighed. "It's up to you."

Genesis: Are you sure...maybe I can help...
this man seems too headstrong for his own good....
She followed them slightly, and leaned against a wall.

Jack put his hand on the wall and took an emergency map of the hospital he found on it. He began to read it, looking for exits.

"I don't know who's after me. But they failed."

He looked up at Caz.

"What if they came back to finish their work?"

He looked at Phil

"And I wouldn't like you to get hurt."

A head poked out from around a corner, so that only eyes, hair, and a nose could be seen. The face's skin was brownish, almost like someone Japanese. On seeing Jack, the eyes widened.

There was a frenzied burst of yelling in a foreign language as the face disappeared. It sounded like swearing and screaming rolled in one long sentence. Then running footsteps were heard.

After him?
*something stirred inside of her and she paused, turning back to go back down the corridor. It was none of her business anyway*
Genesis: What's your name? *she called back slightly, referring to the man*

Caz looked at Jack and smiled. "Look, I wouldn't feel right about leaving you on your own, not in this state." She moved her hand in an up and down movement along the length of his body.

"Look, let me help get you away from here, and we can see what happens then." She raised a querying eyebrow. "What do you say? For my conscious, if nothing else."

You really are a fool.

She looked at him in the eye, waiting for his response.

Jack looked in direction of the running footsteps. He was to weak to go after the man.

He could give me some answers, but I guess I will see him again.

He grabbed Phil by the arm and nodded at the opposite direction.

"We should go that way."

Phil moved forward still supporting Jack. He struggled slightly, as they walked the length of the corridor.

Caz followed slightly behind, wondering just what they had gotten themselves into. And who was that man. He seemed to cause some kind of reaction in Jack.

In not getting a response, Genesis turned down a corrider, but not the one to her room, the one to the parking lot. She looked back breifly to see the man gone. She thought of him, strange that their paths should cross...so many things were going on then that couldn't be explained. She had met a woman, of around 25...an angel at that. Genesis walked out the door and was off to confirm her apprentice ship...not knowing that the cost she was to pay...would be an eternal debt.

Jack was trying to figure out who the woman with the russian accent could be.

I don't believe in coincidence. I don't know much about myself, but I know that.

He looked at a door on the right with the words "Private, Do Not Enter" painted on it.

"This one," he told Phil.

Caz rushed forward and held the door open as Phil helped Jack through. She cast another look down the corridor to see if any one was watching. Feeling sure that the coast was clear, she closed the door behind them.

There was far too many strange things happening around here. The camera at the window, that man and woman in the hall. Not to mention Jack himself.

"Look, where are we going?" She tried to remain calm, but her nerves were being to show. "And what is that thing? The object in that bag? And just who is after you?"


[ooc: gtg. Bye]

"We're in the staff area and we have at least 4 possible exits from here," he replied to Caz.

He pointed at the bottles near him.

"And I could use those painkillers.... To answer you questions. I don't know what this thing is and who is after me."

He looked deeply at Caz.

"You saved my life, so I'll do my best at leading you to a safe place. After that, I promise you'll never hear from me. As I said, I don't want you hurt."

Caz picked up four bottles of painkillers and placed two in each of her jacket pockets. She patted them to check they were secure. She turned and smiled. "Well, you were cluttering up the beach." She attempted to lighten the mood.

She took several deep breaths, then returned her gaze to his. "I will help you as long as you need help." A determined glint appeared in her eye. "Your life belongs to me, I'm not going to give up on it until I know you can manage on your own." She smiled, as she looked around their surroundings.

"So, which way do you want to go?"

(ooc: Tririnia, more spam post and I report you to the mod. That's not a threat, it's a fact)

Jack looked around him and pointed at nurse clothes nearby.

"We'd better put these, if we're watched then... Arg!"

He bent violently, trying to put his hand on his back. He fell on the floor. At that exact moment, a male nurse opened the very door they had used.

"What the Hell?"

Caz moved to pick up the nurses clothes, then suddenly turned as Jack fell to the floor. She moved slightly to go to his aid, when the door opened and a nurse walked in. She knew that this looked suspicious.

"Help him!" She appealed to his ethics, hoping he's instinct would be to offer assistance. "Please, help him!"

As the nurse bent to offer aid to Jack, Caz grabbed an empty bed pan, and hit the nurse over the head, until he was out cold. She threw the pan down with a clatter, and moved over to Jack.

"Oh, god! What is it?" She reached in her pocket and took out the pills. Popping the lid, she presented him with one to ease his pain.

Phil was staring at the nurse, face down. :shock: He looked up at Caz. "Remind me not to get in your way. Ever."

Jack took the pills and ate 3 of them.

"I... I don't know... It hurts..." he babbled, slowly getting up on his feet. He spotted the pan and looked back at Caz. "Let's put those things on. There's a parking lot behind that door," he said, pointing at a metallic door in the back of the room.

Caz looked at Phil and then Jack with a slightly quilty look on her face. "I'm sorry, I panicked." She let her eyes fall onto the man lying on the floor. "Do you think he'll be alright?"

She grabbed the uniforms and helped Jack put his on before slipping one on herself. She suddenly felt reminded of her childhood.

Once they were all changed, she opened the door at the far end of the room, while Phil continued to aid Jack.

"Well, except for a big headache, I think he'll be okay," Phil said after having checked for the nurse's pulse. He grabbed Jack and followed Caz to the door.

There was indeed a parking lot behind it. Some ambulances and some quite expensive cars on reserved places. Jack smiled at Caz.

"What's nice with doctors is that they do have money."

Two men were heading to the door. They didn't seem to have spotted Phil, Caz and Jack for the time being. One of them seemed quite angry at the other:

"Walter. This was my operation. How come Lizzy ended up doing it?"

Caz let her gaze fall impressively on the cars around them. The value of them all put together could probably have allowed her to live quite comfortably.

Her eyes come to linger on the doctors walking towards them. She hoped that they would just walk past, not taking any notice of three nurses, even if one did look the worse for wear.

She placed a large smiled on her face, while trying to act natural.

Jack stepped outside, alone, as if he wasn't injured at all. He bumped into the angry man.

"Can't you f*cking look where you're going!?!
- Oh... I'm... I'm sorry, sir," Jack said, head down.
"Steven. I don't think you have to talk to nurses like this," the older man said, passing between Caz and Phil. "Sorry," he said, smiling at Caz.

The angry man followed the other with a grin. "Yeah... right."

Jack turned back, looking at Caz and Phil as if he was about to fall again.

Caz and Phil waited for the doctors to pass before they dashed forward grabbing Jack before he crumpled to the floor. Caz looked around the parking lot, wondering what they were going to do now. She shot a look behind her to check they had gone.

"Phil's car in the visitors carpark, would it be easier to get that, or should we take one of these?" Her eyes fell on the convertible over to the left.

She caught Phil's eyes as they struggled with Jack. She knew they'd never make it to his car.

Jack put the bag of bullets in his pocket and took a wallet out of another.

"Let's see what car this good Steven drives."

As he was searching for the driving licence, he found three 100 Acheron notes and handed them to Caz.

"Ah... here it is," Jack muttered to himself with a tired voice.

He put his finger on the car plate and looked at Phil.

"What does this one look like?"

Caz was disappointed when she realised they wouldn't be heading off in the soft-top as Phil walked over to a four-wheel drive parked at the back of the parking lot. She pocketed the notes as Phil helped Jack.

"I don't suppose you happen to have the keys there, do you?" She raised an eyebrow. "I've never hot-wired a car before."

Jack followed Caz's eyes.

"You'd prefer the convertible?" he asked with a voice so weak it was hard to hear.

Caz laughed. "Well, you always crave what you'll nver have." She continued to head for the four-wheel drive. "We'd better hurry. The people that are after you won't be our only problem if we hang around here."

Jack took support on the four-wheel. He plunged his hand into his pocket and closed his fist around the bag of bullets. He looked around. With the last remains of energy he had, he broke the glass at the driver seat.

Nothing happened. Apparently, the alarm was switched off. He opened the door.

"I'm not sure I'll be able to drive," Jack said with a sorry smile.

Caz looked at Jack. "I'll drive." If I'm going to get arrested it might as well be for something worthwhile.

She got in the car, then unlocked the other doors for Phil and Jack to get in. She goes to turn the key, and remembers she doesn't have it. She looked at Jack, who was sitting of the back seat. "I think we have a problem."

Jack laughed.

"The sun visor?" he whispered as loud as he could which wasn't much.

(ooc: all right, I'm sure it's not the right name, but I guess you know what I'm talking about... forgive the non native english speaker :oops: )

Caz pulled down the sun visor and the keys dropped down into her lap. She looked over her shoulder with a puzzled expression on her face, then she shook her head. "No wonder people get their cars stolen." She turned to Phil. "Do you keep your keys there?" She watched as he looked away embarrassed.

She inserted the key and started the engine. Grinding the gears, she finally found the one she wanted. "Sorry." She reversed the car, and putting her foot down they shot out of the hospital car park.

Jack laughed at Phil's expression but the laugh faded away as he passed out. Phil looked at Jack then got back at Caz.

"What do you think he meant by a safe place? I mean... are we in danger?"

Caz flashed a look at Phil before fixing her gaze on the road ahead. She suddenly didn't feel as brave as she previously had. She caught sight of Jack in the rearview mirror. What have you gotten yourself involved in?

"I don't what he'd consider a safe place. I don't even know what we're running from." She risked another look at Phil. "Got any idea?" She slammed the brake suddenly as she turned back an saw the car in front had stopped. She honked the horn instinctively.

Phil suddenly realized he had completly forgotten the seatbelt. His head bumped on the dark plastic with a strange wet noise. "SHIT!". He put his hand on his head, blood was pouring between his fingers.

Fowner looked in the rearview mirror. He put his arm outside and gestured as to tell the other driver to get passed his car. Meanwhile, he pump up the volume of the radio.

"... suspected to have kidnapped a John Doe. The woman..."

Caz turned to Phil. "Oh, god, I'm sorry." She put a hand on hand to look at the wound. She looked in her pockets for something he could put on his wound. She pulled out a clean handerchief. "Here. Do you need a painkiller."

She began to focus on the radio broadcast. "Kidnapped? Do you think they are talking about us?" She swallowed as she realised her mouth was dry. "Great!"

"I'm all right. It always bleed like crazy when you hurt your head," Phil said. He seemed to be listening at the radio. They could easily hear it from inside their car.

"... and a man called Philip Troy. The suspects may be dangerous and..."

Phil's eyes were wide open.

"I... I think we'd better get passed that car."

Caz backed up the car slightly and drove so that one of the wheels went up onto the curb, causing all inside to be shaken about. She smiled at the people in the other vehicle as she drove passed them and turned into a side road. "I'll end up being imprisioned for kidnapping and hung for dangerous driving."

She put her foot down hard on the accelerator as they drove down the clear road. "I'm sorry, Phil. I mean, you were only walking your dog now your wanted by the police." She turned from the main road and took a quieter one. "Where they hell are we going to go? We'll have the police on us in no time?"

John Fowner smiled at the woman.

Hehehe. Hot chick.

He then turned the wheel to go to the hospital.

"Let's see if those kidnappers can escape Sargeant Fowner," he muttered to himself, switching on the siren.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Santa Lagua," Phil said after a moment. "It's in the South. I got an old school friend there."

He looked at Jack who was peacefully sleeping.

"Yeah. To think it's my wife who insisted to have a dog," he muttered to himself.

Caz smiled sadly. "She's going to be worried when she hears that news report." She cast her eyes about to see whether the police were already on their tail. She could almost feel the long arm of the law reaching out for her.

She patted her clothes with her hand, while the other steered the car passed the other vehicles parked along the side of the road. "Damn! I have a phone here somewhere. You could ring her." She continued for a few minutes, but could retrieve it from under the nurses uniform.

"Well, you can do it from Santa Lagua." She flicked her eyes in his direction. "Your friend the welcoming type?" She inquired.

"Right ... This radio broadcast, this is him, right? RIGHT?"

The small man in front of the bellowing one shook his head. "We ... We don't know, sir!" he sqeaked.

The larger man was bearded. His short brown hair and beard could have made him anyone. He bellowed. "Well then find out! You, you, take your men, and you find him, and you put twelve MORE bullets into him. But make sure he's f*cking dead this time!"

The smaller man squeaked, nodded, and ran.

---

Brian Acril. That was the small man's name. Currently he had just finished changing his pants, and was yelling at his internet support guy. "You have his face, you have his name! Find him!"

"Look, Brian, it's not that easy. I have to get him on camera to find him. Or get his name. I've got a search running. As soon as he shows up anywhere, anyhow, we'll have him, and get there in half a moment."

On his computer screen were several words:

Searching: Philip Troy

Caz smiled sadly. "She's going to be worried when she hears that news report." She cast her eyes about to see whether the police were already on their tail. She could almost feel the long arm of the law reaching out for her.

She patted her clothes with her hand, while the other steered the car passed the other vehicles parked along the side of the road. "Damn! I have a phone here somewhere. You could ring her." She continued for a few minutes, but could retrieve it from under the nurses uniform.

"Well, you can do it from Santa Lagua." She flicked her eyes in his direction. "Your friend the welcoming type?" She inquired.
"He's the closest thing I have from a best friend. I just hope his mother will not be there. She's old and picky," Phil replied staring at the now completly red handerchief. "And don't worry about the phone. She's Madam William Sulance now. The surgeon that dealt with... err... Jack."

He looked at the fields that were like abstract painting given the speed at which Caz was driving.

"I guess Will had enough money for her," he muttered to himself.

Caz looked over at Phil as she changed up the gears. She had a sad consolidatory smile on her face. "I'm sorry to hear that." She looked back at the road. "Same we didn't take his car, huh?"

They came rushing up to the car in front, checking the coast was clear, they sailed past. Within minutes it was just a spot on the horizon. She glanced in the mirror to check on Jack. "Is he alright? Can you see if he' still breathing or something?"

She continued driving at a breakneck speed down the almost deserted road.

Phil looked at Jack.

"Damn. Seeing him sleeping like a baby as he's now, I wonder who could want to kill him."

He looked back at Caz.

"I guess we'd better talk a bit since we have a good hour of road... even at that speed," he smiled. "I'm Philip Troy, coast guard, divorced and in love with good bourbon. Now, who's this pretty girl that went right into this mess?"

The computer support guy snapped up as he heard a short beeping sound come from the computer over and over. He reached up and hit the 'Enter' key. "we got him!" he yelled.

Brian ran over. "Yes? Where? How?"

"Traffic camera got him. He's in ... this car."

A picture rang up of the car the three were driving in. "Three occupants. The woman, Troy, and a man in the back seat. Looks like our guy."

Brian clapped him on the shoulder. "Good job. Scramble teams to the location."

"Already been done, sir."

"Good. Keep tracking them."

"I've got their location and their direction. I can trace them for a long ways..."

OOC1: Do any of the three have a cel phone?

OOC2: Underaloz! You're wanted in the Academy thread!

OOC1: Do any of the three have a cel phone?

OOC2: Underaloz! You're wanted in the Academy thread!

OOC1: I guess Phil doesn't. Caz seems to.

OOC2: woops

The techie licked his lips as his fingers paused over the keys. "And now," he said, "It's time to tryb a trick I've learned a while ago."

His hands had danced over the keys and come up with a complete profile of Caz from the picture he'd gotte Troy from. He knew every detail about her life.

Her cell phone rang. As someone answered it, they heard a voice say on the other end of the line, "Hello? Is Julia there?"

Caz took her hand from the wheel and offered it to Phil to shake. "I'm Caroline Mallen, general beach-bum, waiting for the perfect job to come along." She flicked hair with her free hand. "Or prison. Whichever comes first."

She sighed as she thought of the mess they were in. A grim expression clouding her usually cheerful features. "I'm guess I just a sucker for hard luck story." She smiled.

Her cell phone rang. As someone answered it, they heard a voice say on the other end of the line, "Hello? Is Julia there?"

The techie licked his lips as his fingers paused over the keys. "And now," he said, "It's time to tryb a trick I've learned a while ago."

His hands had danced over the keys and come up with a complete profile of Caz from the picture he'd gotte Troy from. He knew every detail about her life.

Her cell phone rang. As someone answered it, they heard a voice say on the other end of the line, "Hello? Is Julia there?"

[ooc: could you change this so she hasn't answered the phone, as she can't get to it while she's driving? It's under the uniform she has on. She'd have to stop the car, or get Phil to try and retrieve it.]

Kay.

---

The techie motioned to someone and whispered something in his ear. The man nodded. He ran over to a phone, picked it up, and dialed a number.

Inside the car, Caz's cell phone rang.

When the phone began to ring, Caz almost lost control of the car. She swerved to the other side of the road. She freed her hand from the wheel and attempted to grabbed the phone. Eventually she slowed down and pulled into a siding. Struggling to open the uniform she was wearing, she tugged the phone out of her pocket.

"Hello...?"

"Hello," came a refined voice from the other end of the line. "Is Roger there? Or Julia? I need to talk to them about the reports they should be handing in to me tomorrow. I need them to put an extra file into the reports. Could I talk to them please?"

Phil was staring at Caz. He was dizzy after the little rodeo.

Great, a wrong number

Caz raised her eyes to heaven, and shook her head. "I'm afraid there's no one of that name here. Good bye." She clicked the end call button and tossed the phone to Phil. Within seconds, she had the car speeding on its way down the road.

Phil laughed.

"All that for a wrong number? Haha! Anyway, why would you end up in prison? Are you saying you always drive like this?"

The man put the phone down and grinned. "Get 'em?" he asked the techie, who chuckled and nodded.

"Anywhere that phone goes, I can trace. Get teams following this dot."

He pinted to a large map on his screen, with a small red dot speeding along one of the roads.

Brian ran up, all smiles. He clapped the tech on the shoulder. "Good work."

He turned to the other man. "Get the teams on it! Didn't you hear him?"

The second man nodded and ran off.

(OOC: I'm sorry, I have to go and I won't be able to be online before tomorrow... that's until I get internet in my new flat :oops: )

"Those damn cellphones," Phil whispered. "You see, I don't really like all those new gadgets. I mean... who is it useful for? No one." His face darkened a little. "Except doctors maybe."

Caz smiled sadly as she listened to Phil. His wife leaving had obviously hit him hard, and she didn't want to help keep in this maudlin mood. She really needed him to be his old self, if they were going to survive this.

"I went out with a med student once, and every time he kissed me, he'd check my pulse to see how well he was doing." She laughed. "I gave him up pretty quick. He had cold hands and no bedside manners."

She shook her head. "And I never leave home without my phone. Never know when that call will come through that will change your life."

"Yes, I guess you're young enough to still be waiting for that call," Phil said with the same sad tone.

He looked at Jack.

"Is that why you're taking care of him? Call for adventure? I mean... you seem so eager to help me."

Caz shot a brief sad look at Phil. "Hey, no one's ever too old to wait for that call. You can't waste the rest of your life living as if it's already finished." She smiled.

She took a moment thinking about his question. Why was she helping out Jack? Why did she want to make sure he was alright and safe? She sighed.

"I guess I'm trying to do one meaningful thing before I die." She shrugged. "Ever that, or I've acquired a serious death wish."

Phil pondered her last sentence.

"Death wish," he muttered to himself. "Why would a pretty girl like you want to put an end to it all? That's not death you need, it's bourbon."

He got a little metallic flask out of his pocket and handed it at Caz.

"Never go out without your medication," he said with a cynical smile.

Caz looked at the offered flask. "Ah, Phil. You know I never drink and drive, especially not at the same time." She smiled. "You know, losing yourself in the bottom of a bottle, is not the answer. You need to put Mrs Troy behind you and find someone else." She put her foot down harder on the acelerator.

Phil drank a sip of bourbon before putting the flask back inside his pocket.

"Mrs Troy. Ha! That's not the problem. I just wish she would let me see the kids," he said. "You don't have kids, do you?"

Caz shook her head, suddenly feeling a bit guilty for joking about Phil's misery. "No, I don't. I guess it's hard not being able to see them."

I don't imagine the bourbon helps. She sighed.

They finally came to the end of the long, straight road. She slowed the car, before taking a corner. She might have been a bit reckless, but she was insane. Once they were on the new course, she started to speed up. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a lot more traffic around.

[Tag for future reference. Good stuff.]

go squeel piggy!
OCC: Just stop spamming...and let's get back to this story, I love it. :P

IC:
Genesis looks back one more time at the hospital building...no, she couldn't go back. There was something about this man that intrigued her, and set her sences soaring. She turned and walked away...but not forever. Forever is a long time...a lesson she will learn in the many years to come.

Offical NSMod Statement:

The thread has been split, and spam removed.

Tririnia: The participants have requested that you not post in this thread. Do not continue to spam this thread. You have been officially warned.

wahhh. boo hoo, I'm shakeing in my shoes. what was that HACK, you eat shit for breakfast.

[ooc: Tririnia, why are you spamming this thread?]

Stop spamming! What's wrong with you!?

OMG Get a life and get out of this thread!

wahhh. boo hoo, I'm shakeing in my shoes. what was that HACK, you eat shit for breakfast.

haha, a statement like that and they dont expect to get deleted

(ooc: back from the grave? :P)

"Here it goes," Phil said with a grin. "Crowded roads. I guess it's the time people get back from the beach."

He looked again at Jack. Wouldn't it be for his regular breath, he would have thought the guy was dead. Phil looked back at Caz.

"It's strange."

He looked around at the traffic.

"I have a funny feeling."

He put his hand on his chest as if he was checking for the flask.

Whiskey is bad for my health.

Despite doing her best to keep the car on the road, at a good speed, without running into the back of the cars in front, Caz risked a quick look at Phil, concern etched into her features.

"What kind of funny feeling?" Her voice held a note of panic, not helped by the fact that she was driving a stolen car, at an unsafe speed, with a man lying on the back seat, who been washed up on the beach with bullet holes. "If you tell me your friend has moved, and you'd forgotten."

She stared at the road ahead, slowing suddenly as the back of a car came ever closer. She swore, calling the driver all the names under the sun, that she could think of, making up a few just for the hell of it.


[ooc: Welcome back :D ]

(ooc: thanks)

Phil laughed.

"Now that's what I call vocabulary, lady!"

The laugh slowly faded away. It felt strange to laugh while his throat seemed to be taken by anxiety.

"Funny feeling... I don't know. When he was awaken..." he waved at the seat behind him. "... somehow it felt easy. Now... we don't know who is he. But we also don't know who are the people he seems to be afraid of."

He looked at his feet.

"Dunno if I make sense. I just have a funny feeling."

Caz went silent as Phil's words sunk in. If she thought about it, she did feel more on edge now that he wasn't awake offering guidance. It wasn't like she did this kind of thing on a regular basis. She looked into the mirror, wondering whether they were being followed. How would she know?

She glanced over at Phil, a nervous smile on her face. "It makes perfect sense." She shook her head, as she accelerated passed the car in front, glaring into the passenger window as she went. "So, how far to this friend of yours? I'd like to get off the road before we attract attention. The last thing we need to is end up in jail."

"Santa Lagua? it's not far. We'll have to turn right in about 5 miles, something like that. Dan's house is at about 2 miles past the village."

Phil was feeling more and more nervous.

"I hope Dan still knows how to make coffee... Yeah, I could use some coffee."

(ooc: be back in a hour)

I'm hoping he's got something stronger than coffee in the house

She pressed her foot slightly harder on the acelerator, suddenly wanting to get to their destination as quickly as she could. She tried to shake the growing feeling of fear that was creeping over her body. If only Phil hadn't mentioned his feeling.

"You're gonna have to tell me when to turn, I'm not over familiar with the area." Seven miles, it wasn't far, she knew they'd be home and dry pretty soon, at this speed it would only be less than fifteen minutes.

"Well, Santa Lagua is like the end of the world," Phil said with a grin. "With all this typical small town christian fanatism too. That's why I hope Dan's mother won't be there. Truth is she has great chance to be though."

A voice murmurred from behind them.

"Where... where are we?"

Caz looked behind her, surprised by the voice coming from the back seat. She took her gaze to the windcreen, concentrating on the road ahead. "Phil has a friend who might be able to hide us." She ran her hand through her hair, brushing the loose strands from her face.

She drove for a moment more in silence, looking for the turning they needed. "How are you feeling? You were out cold."

Jack appeared between the front seats.

"A lot better," he said. "Incredible how sleep can help sometimes."

He passed his hand onto his face as a gesture to get fully awaken.

"It's here," Phil said. Then turning at Jack: "It's a very old friend. But... no need to scare him or anything..." he looked back at Caz. "... so we're all like friends."

Then he spotted Jack's 'clothes'.

"Oh well, forget about it."

Caz turned the car, listening to Phil. She just opened her mouth to get some sort of story straight, when he looked at Jack, and stopped speaking. For a moment, she panicked, wondering what had happened, when she too noticed what had caught Phil's eye.

She laughed. Not a little giggle, but a full laugh, causing her to have to slow the car, before she took them off the road. "I guess this is gonna take some explaining. Perhaps you should speak to him first, while we wait in the car."

Jack smiled and waved at Phil before he had a chance to say a single word.

"Is there a bar or something like this on our way?
- Err... yes..." Phil answered, a little puzzled. "Why? Care for a drink? If you want I have...
- Truck drivers I guess," Jack continued observing the road as if it contained very important clues.
"Well... what do you know! Yes," Phil said. "Actually, there's Barnie's at about a mile from here. How... Why...
- Just a way to find clothes. So that we can invent a story for your friend."

Phil stared at Jack.

Who the Hell is this guy?

He then looked at Caz.

"What do you think of all this," he said, waving at Jack.

Caz shrugged and pulled a wary face, her eyes fixed to the road ahead. She'd kind of given up thinking, decided it was easier to go with the flow, take each problem as it arose. She had enough trouble keeping the car in a straight line, let alone think about it.

"I guess it would help if he had proper clothes." She suddenly imagined Jack greeting Phil's friend, and couldn't stop herself from laughing lightly. "A mile from here, you say? I think we should stop, get our story straight."

She shook her head. What did she think of this guy? The only thing that went through her mind was a prayer to keep them safe, continually rolling through her head as if repeating it would make it stronger.

The prayer shouldn't have been heard. Caz saw a police car on the other side. Shortly after, she heard a siren behind. In the rear view mirror, she saw the patrol car making a U-turn.

Caz swore as she saw the police car behind them, her heart in her throat. She looked at fill, her eyes filled with sudden fear, unsure of her next move. Hit the gas pedal, or hope that they were after someone else. Her confidence sinking with every passing second.

"What do you think? Out run it?" At this moment, she really wished they had taken the soft top sports car.

"THIS IS THE POLICE! STOP THIS CAR!" the amplified voice echoed behind them.

Phil's look was as clueless as Caz's.

"I... I... I don't know... we..."

Instinctively, he turned at Jack. He saw the man was bending one of the back seats, opening an access to the trunk.

"Go faster," he said with a calm voice.

He looked quickly into the boot and grabbed a tool case. He opened it, apparently seeking for something.

"What the...
- Nothing big or pointy enough," Jack muttered to himself.

He entered the trunk again and found a big jerry can. He opened it and smelled.

"Gas," he said with a strange spark in the eye.

He turned at the others while taking a newspaper which had fallen on the ground when he had bent the seat.

"Got a lighter?"

"What the hell?!"

Caz hit the acelerator, racing up the road, swerving to miss a slower moving car in front. She tried to see what Jack was doing, catching a brief glimpse in the mirror.

"You have got to be kidding?"

She shook her head, trying to right her thoughts, her head spinning with this new developement. She flicked her head back, indicating Jack.

"Tell me he's not about to do what I think he's about to do?"

"STOP... THE... CAR!"

Detonations, the back window exploded.

"They're shooting!" Phil shouted. "Jesus F--k!
- These are no policemen," Jack said calmly. "Look at their caps."

The patrol car was gaining in speed, slowly eating the distance between the two vehicles.

Jack had finished his improvised molotov cocktail.

"Now, give me a lighter," Jack said with an imperious voice.

The car swerved as the window exploded, Caz ducking her head, her hands trembling on the wheel. Her heart pounding in her ears.

"Phil! Give him the damn lighter!"

They raced along the road, Caz's foot hard on the accelerator, her foot practically touching the floor.

"How they hell did they find us?"

As soon as the thought was spoken aloud, her mind was taken by a more urgent one. The traffic ahead was slowing at an intersection.

"Oh God! Hold on!"

The car was pulled hard right, barely missing an oncoming car.

Jack rolled behind Phil, his head hitting the right door.

"Ouch!"

Some of the gas poured out onto him. The smell was rough. Phil shouted but soon got back on inspecting his pockets. He found matches.

"That's all I have," he said, handing the box at Jack in a miserable and clumsy gesture.

Jack took them. He had already rolled a page of the newspaper and plunged it into the can. He took the tool case and used it to break the last remains of the back window. Several gun shots were heard but it seemed they had missed them.

He patiently lighted one of the matches. Caz saw the patrol car passing the intersection (which now was a real mess) with incredible ease. The paper began to burn but Jack seemed to be waiting for something.

Caz glanced in the mirror, watching the car still following. She could see Jack still holding the can, her heart pounding as the fear bagan to fill her body.

What's he doing? He's going to kill us!

She breathed deeply, trying to stem the tide of thoughts flooding her head. None of them were positive or helping the situation. She needed to focus on the road ahead.

He knows what he's doing. God, please let him know what he's doing.

Taking the risk, Caz looked at Phil, seeing that he looked as worried as she felt. She sighed, and pressed her foot down hard.

15 seconds... I hope, Jack thought, unable to remember how he could estimate the time it would take for the can to explode.

He glanced very quickly at the car following them. It was getting closer and closer. He waited several seconds. The paper was burnt up to the entrance of the can now.

All in a sudden, he threw the tool case, targetting the others' windshield. As soon as the sound of glass breaking was heard, he threw the can.

"Turn!" he shouted at Caz.

The back of the car swung out as Caz, following Jack's direction, turned sharply. The tyres left a black trail upon the road surface. As they began to speed back up again, she took the opportunity to look into the rearview mirror, watching as events unfolded.

"Did you get them?! Have they gone?!"

She practically shouted the questions, her fear and excitement carrying into her voice. She slowed the car slightly as she turned to Jack, her eyes catching his face briefly. She couldn't help wonder who he was, and what he'd done.

Jack answered with a playful smile. Caz saw the patrol car passing behind them and then...

The sound had been devastating. The police car had literally jumped into the air. Given its speed, the poor vehicule had no choice but to roll into the air, burning like a thin paper leaf.

"Mary, mother of God!" Phil muttered, putting his hands onto his head.

Caz stopped the car with a jerk, turning back to watch the patrol car as it fly through the air. Her mouth hung open, no sound escaping as she stared wide eyed at the spectacle. She's seen that happen in films, slow motion across the screen, oddly it seemed equally as slow in the flesh.

After what seem like a lifetime, Caz shook her head and looked at Jack then swung around to Phil. "Is everyone alright? Phil? Jack? Are you both alright?"

Taking several deep breaths to calm her rapidly beating heart, she faced the road, pressing her foot on the pedal, knowing that any minute the area would be full of real cops.

"I... I'm all right I guess," Phil whispered, trying to get his ideas straight.

He looked right in front of him, as if he didn't want to remember about the accident. But the explosion was still echoing in the depth of his mind.

Jack's eyes were closed. He looked like someone evaluating his surrounding by completly ignoring it. His face moved from time to time as plans and ideas formed, disapeared and joined.

"We gotta change of vehicule," he finally said, eyes still closed. "I think... I'll let you at a safe place, just like I said. This was far too close."

Caz looked around for a place to pull the car over. Finding a suitable spot, a side road off to the left, she stopped and turned in her seat to face Jack.

"Just like that?!" Her anger was rising, although she couldn't have explained why. Possibly the fact that they could have been killed back there, or the relief that they hadn't been. "Well, it was nice knowing you, Jack. Don't worry, your wellbeing means nothing to me. I've just driving this far for the fun of it."

Why had she driven this far for a complete stranger? She looked out of the windscreen, clearing her thoughts, trying to calm herself. Turning back to Jack, she caught his gaze, as she sighed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." She swallowed, breathing slowly, her eyes revealing her apology more than words could. "You must do what you feel is right." She looked at Phil, then at Jack. "Okay, what's our next move?"

Jack waved at Caz and smiled warmly.

"Listen. I don't know what's going on. What I know for sure is that whoever is with me is in great danger. I cannot find words to thank you two for what you did for me. I will find a way to hide you... somewhere... somehow..."

He looked deeply into her eyes and pronounced the following words with firm conviction:

"I will not let you harmed."

Phil's look was going from Caz to Jack, from Jack to Caz.

I should have brought candles, he thought out of his confused mind.

Jack drew him out of his contemplation.

"You know this place. Where could we find vehicules?"

Phil stared at him.

"I... I don't know... well... there's Barnie's, but I'm not sure we're on the right road anymore."

Caz looked at Phil, then back at Jack. Her face emotionless, her eyes strangely containing a sad look. She smiled, it remained on her lips, not as heartfelt as it may have looked.

"You don't have the time to look out for us." She laughed, trying to lighten the mood, failing miserably. "Anyway, as soon as you've gone, no one will look for us."

She looked at Phil, and sighed. "I guess we've got a long walk back." She started the engine, put didn't pull away. She looked at the steering wheel. Without turning, she spoke to Jack. "I'm worried about you. You don't know who you are. You don't know what is going on."

She stopped the engine and turned in her seat. "How can I leave you like that? I kind of feel responsible for you." She laughed at herself. Shrugging she looked at Phil. "Where's this 'Barnie's'?"

"Up north," Phil answered. "I think... I think we're heading west on that road".

Jack was looking at Caz intensely.

"Whoever I am and whoever the people searching for me are, what I know for sure is that they are professionals... and they have means... Of course, it would be dangerous for me to be on my own, but who am I to drag you into the darkness with me? I don't know much about myself, but I know for sure I wouldn't let innocent people die if I can prevent it."

Caz turned the key and started the engine, listening to Jack. She knew what he was trying to say, he didn't want to be responsible for her, but then could he understand that she may have wanted to help, even if she didn't know why.

"And if I want to help?" She couldn't look at him, in case she saw any signs of him rejecting her aid. Looking at her hands on her steering wheel, she spoke softly. "I want to make sure your safe, I couldn't go home not knowing what has happened to you." She slowly turned her head to look at him. "But if you think I'll hinder you, then I will leave."

Behind them, she could hear the wailing of sirens approaching the scene of the 'accident'. Pushing her foot down on the accelerator, she moved off down the road, hoping they would find this 'Barnie's' place pretty quick.

Jack pondered Caz's words. He gave a quick glance behind as he too had heard the sirens. Phil didn't say a word. He put his hand onto his flask but didn't get it out of his pocket. Jack put his hand on Caz's shoulder.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. If you wanna come... come. But, please, do exactly as I tell you... for your own safety."

Deep feelings could be heard in his voice, whoever he was, it seemed like he had already faced a similar situation.

Caz nodded, as she caught Jack in the mirror, her eyes reflecting her gratitude at his trust and his come around. She knew it must be hard with all he had gone through, even if he coundldn't recall exactly what it was.

"Thank you, Jack." She smiled slightly, happy that she would be able to watch over him, feeling like a nurse, worried over her patient. "I will do what you say, when you say it. And when you ask me to leave..." She took a deep breath. "I will leave."

She looked at Phil, seeing in his face the struggle, she couldn't help the guilt she felt for getting him involved. She gave him a wry smile, then turned her attention to her detination.

Phil smiled back.

"Don't worry for me, my child," he said with a paternal tone. "I was about to have my last walk into the ocean when I met you."

He laughed slightly.

"I guess I could find a more funny way to die hanging around with you two," he said, turning at Jack and putting his hand on the other's shoulder.

"What?"

Caz shot a look at Phil, a frown creasing her brow, a stunned look in her eyes. She searched his face for signs that he was kidding, turning suddenly back to the road, at the first honk from a car coming in the other direction.

"Shit!"

She brought the car back to the correct side of the road, laughing as she realised how close she's come to killing them all for the hundredth time that day. She relaxed the pressure on the pedal, bringing the speed of the car done.

"Sorry about that." Her voice full of apology. "You, ah, surprised me there, Phil." She took several deep breaths, as her heartbeat began to decrease. "Perhaps we should agree not to make any startling announcements when I'm driving, otherwise those people after Jack will be the last of our worries."

(ooc: still here, just trying to figure out a proper way to continue. I wish Haraki would be around)

[ooc: No problem. If Haraki is going to be gone for a while, I don't mind taking on the bad guys as well. (Might have to watch the Bourne Identity for some ideas :wink: ). ]

[ooc: No problem. If Haraki is going to be gone for a while, I don't mind taking on the bad guys as well. (Might have to watch the Bourne Identity for some ideas :wink: ). ]
(ooc: seems like a good idea. I TGed Haraki a long time ago and didn't get feedback :? )

[ooc: We'll give Haraki until Saturday. If you hear nothing by then, TG me and I'll take over. That will also give me time to watch the film. :lol: ]

The little light blinked then vanished off the screen, just as the radio filled with static.

"Shit!"

Tapping rapidly on the keyboard, he pulled up an array of screens; maps, details, location information. Nothing. There was no clue as to the possible detination of the car, and now that the tail had been incapacitated it meant they were back at the beginning.

Hitting a numbered code, the earpiece he was wearing filled with a voice, one that demanded respect and attention. He wasn't looking forward to breaking the news that they had lost their quarry.

Phil didn't answer. After several minutes of silence, he waved at the right side of the road.

"I know this road. Could be a quick way to get to Barnie's."

Driving the car at a steadier pace so as not to draw attention to them, Caz turned off into the road indicated by Phil. It was a quiet, off the main thoroughfare, likely to keep them out the of sight of the police and whoever was chasing Jack.

She began to hum some tune that she couldn't quite remember the name off, but it was kind of cheerful considering the situation they were in. Caz seemed to hum whenever she was feeling a little on edge, and at this moment in time, she had never felt more nervous. It wasn't everyday she found herself in a stolen car, with two strangers, and a bunch of people trying to kill one of them.

"So, Jack," she couldn't get over how well he seemed to fit the name, even answering as if it was his own, but then, she didn't know what it was like not knowing who you were. She frowned briefly as she tried to put herself into his shoes. "What's the grand plan here? We going to steal us another car and split or what?"

Jack thought intensely and very quickly. As he always used to.

"We take a new car, preferably with clothes. We drive to Phil's friend house. Then I let you there... if it's safe that is."

Phil laughed slightly.

"If you except his mother, it's a cool place."

Caz nodded her head, finally coming to terms that he was probably better off without her, she would only get in the way. And it wasn't as if she know him, and yet the thought of letting him face all this alone...

"A car with clothes, huh?" She couldn't help raising her eyebrows as she thought of the likelihood of fine one with a suitcase in the back seat, that would just happen to be Jack's size.

She turned to Phil. "This friend's mother a bit of a dragon?" She screwed up her face. The last thing she needed was the first degree from some interfering woman.

Jack smiled at Caz's words as if he knew what she was thinking about.

"Maybe clothes won't be in the same car we'll end up... ahem... taking."

Phil sighted than, hearing the reflexion about the dragon, he grinned even more.

"Oh, Dan's mother is not your average dragon. She's the catholic Dragon. Capital C, capital D. She's a kind of celebrity in Santa Lagua. Probably because she's been harassing this good reverend since her husband die. She's part of the furnitures now, in the church."

Caz laughed, at both statements for different reasons. Jack's because hearing her thoughts spoken aloud made them seem rediculous, Phil's for the fact that she found religious fanatics unnerving.

She glanced in the mirror, focusing on Jack's face, a smile still playing on her lips. "And I thought we were going to rent one." She shrugged and laughed a little more.

Becoming slightly more serious, although still finding the situation highly amusing, she flicks her eyes to Phil. "How will she handle giving sanctuary to a bunch of strangers? I hope the good samaritan story is one of her favourites."

"She has more of a sinner must pay attitude. Problem is her definition of sin is quite... large.
- Sounds promising," Jack said.

After a few minute, Caz spotted Barnie's, a wooden caban it seemed, except for an awfully colored neon sign with a big glass full of beer. Surely the glass used to blink but it was flickering randomly now.

Caz pulled the car to a halt, and stopped the car. She began to wipe the steering wheel with her sleeve, hoping to remove any traces she's left, like they always did in the films, until she realised how stupid she was being and ceased the activity.

Stepping out of the car, she stretched her body, not realising how stiff she had become during the journey. She closed the door behind her, as she looked around the place, her eyes kind of disappointed by its appearance. Whatever she had been expecting 'Barnie's' to be, it wasn't this.

She looked at Phil, confused. "We're gonna find what we need here?" Her voice containing a trace of incredulity.

Phil looked even more confused.

"But he asked for a bar," he said waving at Jack. "and it is a bar.
- That'll do," Jack muttered, staring at a red and black '69 Plymouth as he was getting out of the car.

http://www.mendotadakota.org/powwow2001/PWimages/car.jpg

As if things couldn't get any worse, Caz looked at the car that Jack had indicated, her jaw dropping open.

"You've got to be kidding?" She swung round and looked at him. "If it doesn't fall apart on us, we'll stick out like a sore thumb."

She stared at Phil, seeking his agreement.

Phil looked uncomfortable. The image of the other car, the one Jack had thrown this kind of bomb at, popped into his mind. At least, what he imagined it to look like.

http://scratchy.spods.co.uk/~greatrix/crash5.jpg

"Err... maybe she's right," he muttered.

Jack looked around.

"Do we have a choice?"

http://caywoodsfuneralhome.com/parking%20lot.jpg

(ooc: sorry, it's my picture craze hour ;) )

Glancing around the deserted parking lot, Caz could see that Jack had a valid point, there wasn't exactly a choice. She shrugged and looked over to the vehicle, feeling her stomach sink.

At least we don't have far to go.

She turned to Jack. "So, that's transport sorted out." She ran her eyes over his attired, trying not to smile. "What about clothes? From the nearest washing line, or do you intend to mug someone?"

"Hey there!"

A man was getting out of Barnie's. He was in his early fourties, dressed like someone about to go shoot some ducks in the forest. As he was walking to the plymouth, Caz realized he had nearly the exact same proportions as...

Jack glanced at her with a playful smile.

Caz caught Jack's gaze and knew exactly what he had in mind. She sighed and raised her eyes to heaven, then looked at the man heading in their direction.

"Hi, there!" She looked over to the man, she might as well be of some help. "I wonder if you could help us, we seem to be a little lost." A smile was fixed to her lips.

"Got lost, ain't we," the man replied with the heaviest accent ever. "Ma'am, if I can help I suuure will."

He slowly turned, not heading to the car anymore, and walked right to them.

"Yeah, we seem to have taken a wrong turn somewhere, and now we can't work out where we are."

She smiled again, hoping her eyes weren't showing the fear and guilt she felt inside.

"Guess, we're not too good with maps." She laughed lightly and moved closer to their car, so the man was infront of Jack. "Perhaps you can point us in the right direction?"

"Jeez," the man said out loud. "A woman ain't for maps, but what'bout ya guys."

Jack simply smiled. Phil looked quite uncomfortable. The man laughed at him.

"Don't worry, pal. I'll find a way out of this." he walked past Jack. "Let's see w..."

In a quick and simple gesture, Jack had hit him under the neck. Without a sound, the man fainted.

Caz jumped at the man hit the floor, and looked straight at Jack, concern flaring in her eyes.

"Is he going to be alright?"

Her gaze fell to the prone man, lying on the floor, and she had tricked him into his current situation. Guilt began to flood through her, until she shook the thoughts away.

Jack is in more need that he is.

She looked at Phil and then bent down to help Jack with the victim.

"Reminds me of the army," Phil muttered, staring at Jack.

He was already taking the man's clothes off.

"He's gonna be all right. Just some sleep and a little headache. Hopefully, we'll reach this Dan's house before he wakes up."

He took the man wallet's out and checked for cash.

"I guess we have enough money anyway."

He threw the wallet into the car and began to take his own clothes off.

Caz stared at Jack for a moment, thinking about the calm way he had just knocked out the now unclothed guy lying on the floor, until she suddenly realised he was undressing, and averted her eyes.

Standing up without, once looking in Jack's direction, she fixed her attention on Phil.

"Should we put him in the car, while Jack changes?"

She indicated the car they had just vacated, then grabbing the man's feet as Phil took the heavier upper body end, and got him into the back seat.

"Ouch."

Jack sighted. He finally managed to put the shirt on but his back was still hurting. Phil looked at Caz. Was he worried about Jack or about Jack's actions? It was hard to tell.

"Jack? Are you alright?"

She frowned as she realised that in the excitement of the moment, she had forgotten what he had been through. It was hard to believe that a couple of days ago, he was lying on a beach near death.

"We should get out of here, before someone notices what we've done."

Involuntarily she looked at the backseat of the car, and the unconscious body resting across the chair. The guilt flaring again, as she turned and looked at her companions, one running for his life, the other running because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Come on, Phil!"

Phil followed Caz without discussing. What he was thinking about was yet a mistery. Jack came shortly after. He had keys in his hand and a sad smile on his face.

"I'm sorry... but I cannot drive."

Caz couldn't help laughing at Jack's remark. Looked like he wasn't invincible after all. Walking over, she took the keys from him and smiled.

"Actually, I think I'm beginning to like this high speed driving."

She walked over to the car and got into the drivers seat, adjusting the mirror and seat, as if she was going out for a pleasant country drive. As soon as the others had entered, she roared the engine, feeling a little concerned with the condition of the car, but it started, and that was the important thing.

"Okay, Phil, which way?" She had driven out of the parking lot before he could answer.

Footsteps echoed along the empty corridor, the strides not hurried but paced, a meaningful step of someone who knew where they were going, but was not in too much of a hurry to get there.

A knock at the door, and the man entered, walking up to the huge mahogany desk, at the other end of the room. He looked at the person sat in the huge leather chair, an air of authority surrounding her. She took the dossier and cast her eyes over it.

“So, we’ve lost him.” She looked up, displeasure plainly written in her eyes, her face otherwise emotionless. “We have to get him back, and quickly. Send out our best agents, I want him here or terminated in forty-eight hours.”

The man turned to leave, as her voice rang through the room. “And Mathers, any more failure will result in serious repercussions.”

Phil waved at the road.

"We should continue on the same road. Santa Lagua is not far now."

Jack put his hand onto Phil's shoulder.

"Is everything OK?
- Yeah... yeah... To be honest, I thought that, somehow, we wouldn't make it to Dan. Now... now I fear the dragon."

Jack laughed slightly.

Caz looked briefly in Phil's direction, a little smile on her lips as she drove them down the Santa Lagua road, keeping the pace steady so as not to draw attention to them.

"Didn't think we'd make it, huh? Has my driving been that bad?"

She laughed lightly to herself, not dwelling too closely on some of the near misses.

"So, Jack, are we going to have some fancy story for Dan and his mother, or are we going to play it by ear?"

"Well, you've shown good improvisation skills so far," Jack answered with a strange smile.

A little group of wooden houses appeared suddenly.

"Take on the right," Phil said. "Dan's house is just less than a mile away."

He bent at Caz.

"And if you think you drive dangerously, you should have seen my ex."

Caz laughed, as she turned the car into the road Phil had indicated, stopping suddenly as she began to think about what they were about to do.

Please don't let us bring these people any trouble.

She glanced at Phil, a wary smile on her face, hoping to keep the conversation going, more in a bid to stop herself thinking.

"How long have you known, Dan? Are you close friends?"

Because you may not be if this goes badly.

"Goes back to school," Phil says. "Nice guy. He owned a boat rental back in the days. Got the same problems as I had," his expression darkened. "His father died shortly after, so he finally got back to Santa Lagua to help his mother. Last I heard of him, he was a repairman. I don't think he can fix many things, but I guess that's enough for this town."

A farm consisting of three separate buildings appeared at a corner of the road. A cow watched as the car was passing by and they arrived on the yard.

Caz stopped the car in the yard, looked at Phil then Jack, then stepped out, slamming the door shut behind her, allowing anyone in the buildings to know of their arrival.

"Well, this isn't what I was expecting."

She cast her eyes around the farm. She wasn't sure what she had been anticipating, but it was a farm. Perhaps more of a little house, with a couple of crosses hanging on the wall.

"I don't think whoever is looking for you, Jack, will find you here." She smiled at Phil, as he emerged from the passenger side of the car. "This is perfect."

A detonation suddenly echoed around them.

"Who are you and what do you want?!?" shouted a voice.

An old woman, dressed in black was walking out of the main building, handing a hunt rifle. Vapor was pouring out of the weapon. Her face was devastated, covered with remains of white hair, and she could very well have been over a hundred year old. Her thin brown eyes were stuck onto the newcomers.

"Hi, Mrs. Falken," Phil said, apparently not surprised at all. "It's me, Phil, I came to see Dan.
- Phil? I don't know any Phil. You're onto my property, now get out!"

Phil bent slightly to Caz.

"She cannot see past a few inches so, unless god himself has something against us, it's pretty safe."

Caz jumped at the shot, leaning hard, back against the car as she watched the mad woman with the gun walking towards.

Sh*t! We survived being chased by professionals, and will end up shot by a blind Bible Basher!

She swallowed hard, trying to calm herself enough to move from the car, and approach Phil. She turned to Jack.

"I think I should have made less noise." She pulled a wry face. "Sorry."

"Oh, come on, Martha," Phil continued. "Don't tell me you have forgotten the broken bench."

The woman aimed in direction of the voice.

"It is you! I think I'd better shoot right now!"

Jack glanced at Caz and put his hand on her shoulder, apparently ready to dive if things got worse.

"Drop the gun, mom!" A man in his early 50s appeared from behind a fence. "You don't wanna shoot Phil, do you?"

Dan smiled at the group and walked calmly to his mother. He took the rifle from his mother's hands and the woman jumped as if she had been surprised.

"Woah. She's definitly blind." Jack whispered to himself.

"Here," Dan said. "So go make us some coffee, right?"

The woman muttered unheardable sounds and walked back inside.

Caz sighed visibly, as the old woman walked back to the house, gun in hand. She actually thought for a moment that after all the effort it had taken to get here, they were going to be killed by a religious nut, but then they were usually the ones to shot first and forgive you afterwards.

She turned to Jack, raising her eyes to heaven, then turned her attention to the two men in front of her. They appeared to be on good terms, that was always a good start.

Leaning back into the car, she grabbed her phone and from the dashboard, slipping it into her pocket. She walked with Jack towards Phil, as he introduced them both to his friend, making up some story about their journey, though she paid little attention, until Dan invited them all into his house. Obviously he trusted Phil.

She watched as Phil and Dan walked ahead, catching up on each others news. Falling behind so as not to intrude, Caz turned to Jack, a relieved look on her face.

"That was close." She smiled. "I thought we were dead there for sure."


[ooc: Sorry for delay, but the thread was showing my name as last post :oops:]

The computer was running all available programs, checking satellite signals, telephone calls, you name it, it was being run. The monitor was full of numbers, maps, diagrams, all of them coming up blank.

He stared at the screens, he needed something to happen, just a little sign that would give some clue to where the target had gone. He had to be somewhere, he couldn't just disappear.

The man pushed a couple of keys and the police radio band filled the room, they really were his best lead at the moment. There had to have been some witnesses to the explosion, it wasn't everyday a car was blown up in the middle of the highway.

He listened for moment, but it came up blank. He wasn't after much, just a little signal, some pointer that he could give to his boss. Even out of the office, it was already know that those higher up were far from pleased at the last unsuccessful attempt to catch him. He was only one man...