NationStates Jolt Archive

Kathy shook her head. "No to both of you." She said plainly.

Ty meanwhile walked in and crashed on his sleeping bag. It's been way too long of a day. he said.
I never got that expression. The parasite replied.
It just means that I'm tired and today's activities have gotten to me essentially. But we didn't find any trace of anyone else, so I think we're alright for now.
Probably right.

Redd leaned against the wall, trying to get back some of the color in his face. It looked a bit like his eyes right now. He was shaking, he noticed.

"Hey Kathy. Anything real weak that can calm me down? I'm not liking this."

"Well, you seem like a ball of sunshine. What's on your mind that's buggin' you so much? Me?" His sarcasm had seemed to return, almost against his will. After saying this to Kathy, he turned to Redd. "You know, I think it must be living in a cave for so long. A fella needs air and sunshine to be healthy. Trust me, I'd know of all people."

"I think so." she started rummaging through her stock of chemicals. "Here we go." She pulled out some a clear liquid. "Just a mild sedative. But it's used to stop seizures so we know it'll work." She pulled a small amount into a syringe and held her hand out, waiting for Redd to offer his arm. "Earl, stop with the wise cracking or I'll give you a cocktail to put you out for half a day."

Redd almost laughed at Earl's slightly naive comment.

"No, bein' a mobster, you learn to hole up for a long time. Of course, bein' a mobster's also why I get these godforsaken dreams. You're lucky you ain't that old. The mob was dead by the time you were born, I think. Thanks a ton Kathy."

He flexed his fingers, still shaking.

Earl grinned. "A mobster, eh? Yeah, those were tough times to grow up in. We don't see any kind of violence like that anymore, huh? I really am lucky." Earl knew he might be somewhat harsh with his sarcasm, but he couldn't help it at times.

"See, in my day, I could easily bend your arms backwards at a 90 degree angle, break a few ribs, and toss you in a lake to see how you'd do. And on top of that, get away with it. Most people could. So, I suppose you're right. We don't see violence like that these days. Good thing, huh?" Redd said dryly.

Earl kept grinning. "Good thing indeed. If we were back in those days, you'd probably have already shot me, right?" Earl was still somewhat upset about Redd bashing his bag.

"I haven't done anything yet Redd, don't thank me." She grabbed his arm, obviously he wasn't going to offer it, and stuck the vein. First try, as usual. she commented to herself as she injected Redd.

"No, I'm a bigger fan of playing with my food. So I might've shot you in a kidney or something, but nothing fatal. But, like you said, nowadays, I couldn't do that"

Kathy grabbed his arm, after saying something, and he felt a prick.

"Ok, thank you. I was going to finish my rant first and do it myself, but this is probably better."

Earl laughed. "Fair enough, old timer. So, Kathy.... do you like me, or hate me? I don't think I need to ask Redd."

Redd laughed.

"I think ya got potential, young gun. Right now, you're just annoying me though. You should watch your tongue here though. It'll get your ass kicked all kinds of ways."

"I think I'm honored. But I'm kinda trying to be annoying. Hell, I've got nothing better to do. And I think this already counts as an ass-kicking." Earl motioned to his legs, not to mention the red marks on his head where Kathy had whacked him with her wrench.

"Well, might I suggest trying to become friends with some people. Kathy and Elle and Dakota in specific. Kathy takes care of ya sorry ass, Elle feeds you, and if you mess with Dakota, Elle stops feeding you. Of course, this is just a guideline."

"So, Elle is the woman who shot me, and Dakota is the girl who gave me a talking to, right? Well, I'm off to a good start. Oh, and Kathy's been smacking me around with a wrench. But I can still annoy you then?"

"I smack most people around with a wrench. Get used to it." Kathy said, ignoring his question earlier.

"Yeah, I got it too. It's kind of an initiation really."

"Really? Any other fun surprises in store for me?" Earl realized that he could move his toes now, and it didn't even hurt. Hmm. Odd.

Kathy chuckled. "Sounds about right."

"Well, let's see, symbiotic aliens have taken over the planet, we're hiding in a cave...oh, you knew this already? Well then I suppose not many other surprises."

"Again, sounds about right." kathy repeated.

Earl looked over at Kathy. "Now you laugh? I've been trying to get you to laugh this whole time, but you don't until it has to do with injuring me?" Earl tried his hardest to look hurt without grinning, but it sorta came out halfway between the two.

Redd thought he actually might like this kid.

He let a small smile split his face.

Earl noticed Redd. "Why, I didn't know mobsters smiled. Looks good on ya." He turned back to Kathy, waiting for an answer.

Kathy shrugged. "Eh, it works. I like pretty much anything to do with wrenches."

"So, Kathy, you never answered me before. Do you like me or not? Not as much as your wrenches of course, I know I need to work my way up. But at all?" Earl raised an eyebrow at Kathy with this last question.

"Unless you want your forehead to marry my half inch, I suggest you shut up." Kathy said, twirling a wrench, but still reading her book.

Earl grinned as he turned to Redd. That's not a no he mouthed.

Redd caught Earl's eyes and nodded. He made the motion of zipping his lips.

Earl nodded and turned back to Kathy. He looked around, but there wasn't really anything to do besides talk. He began to drum his fingers against the table, looking around at his surroundings.

Redd looked at Earl and figured nothing bad could come of them talking.

"You know how to handle a gun?"

"Redd's right." Kathy said. "And before you go on, I have goo peripheral vision." She said, having not looked from her book.

Redd looked at Tal and figured nothing bad could come of them talking.

"You know how to handle a gun?"

Earl shrugged. "I've done it before, but they usually aren't much help to me. I've always been a runner, not a fighter." He looked over to Kathy. "And what's your point?"

"Well they sure as hell will now."

"My point is that even Redd is scared of my wrenches so you may as well come out and tell me what you said." She looked to Redd. "Isn't that right?" the wrench was still firmly in her hand.

"Yes ma'am it is. She's damn handy with that wrench. Saw her hit one particularly annoying young man with it from about 20 yards away."

"So... you do more then hide after all. You're what, like a rebel fighting unit or something? Haven't seen much of that before." Earl hated to admit it, but he was somewhat impressed. Most people were too scared to do anything like this.

"We try to avoid fighting as much as we can, actually. But yes, we are rebels."

"Sounds like fun." He turned to Kathy and shrugged. "If you want my answer, you'll have to answer my question first. Do you like me, or no?"

"We tend to end Seekers pretty quick though." Kathy added. "But yes, we don't like to fight. Much. And what do you think?"

Earl sighed. "I'm still waiting....."

"I don't like you, but I'm not sure if I hate you or not." Kathy said, the wrench twitching as if it wanted to be thrown.

"Ouch... well, I'll have to work on that, won't I?" He was sure not to say whether he would work on her liking him, or hating him.

Kathy shrugged and returned to her book.

Earl sighed and looked at the ceiling. Could I stay here? Could I abandon Darla out there and stay here, if she's even still alive?

Earl turned to Kathy. He had forgotten about the no-talking thing she mentioned. "So, I told you my purpose. What about you? Why do you fight so hard? What drives you to get up everyday?" Earl wasn't sure what kind of answer he would get, but he hoped it was better then the last answer she gave him.

"I just want to survive. I live to help out here." She replied simply. She hadn't forgotten the no talking policy she enacted, but he wasn't saying anything to irk her at the moment.

Earl felt there was more to it then that, but he decided not to push it. "I see. That... makes sense. Um... how long have you been here? I mean, is this a permanent place, or do you move around?"

"It's permanent so long as it doesn't get marked on a system that the Seekers use to track us. If that were to happen, we'd have to relocate, but otherwise we're staying." Kathy kept reading while she replied.

"And how would you know if it was marked by the Seekers? Or do you have access to that information somehow?" Earl was trying to read the title on the spine of the book, but he couldn't quite make it out from where he was. He wasn't sure if she had already told him what it was, which worried him slightly, but he quickly pushed the thought out of his head.

Kathy shifted enough for Earl to be able to make out that it was a book on some of the more recently discovered diseases and new cures for old ones. Kathy was obviously trying to keep up to date with medicine. "We don't have access to that information, but if they had us marked we wouldn't be here right now." she explained.

Earl noticed the book. Well, at least I'm with the right person. "So, you're saying you're not going to worry about it until they're already here, more then likely armed and outnumbering you 5 to 1? That-" Earl didn't try to be mean, but it seemed really stupid to him. He managed to cut himself off from making a rude comment though, and after a short pause continued, "That could be problematic, don't you think?"

"If we didn't have ways of sealing off the entrances to give us enough time to escape, absolutely. But we have methods of sealing off the entrances so that they can't get in, but we can get out, so we can escape. And we have other caves marked out and stocked in case of emergencies." Kathy said, shifting again to get more comfortable.

Earl had figured they had already planned something out, and now he knew what it was. Better store that bit of info for later, 'case I need it. "Really? I guess that would work well.... I suppose you've been doing this for a while." He noticed her shifting about. "Not that I'm complaining, but why are you watching me like this? Surely you could go lie down somewhere or something, with me tied up and shot like this? You must be tired after today's activities."

"As a matter of fact, we have. And it's mid morning. I'm not tired, just the opposite in fact." Kathy checked her watch. "And it's only 11:13. But I was told to watch you so I'm not leaving. Though laying down sounds good." She bookmarked her page and grabbed a pillow from the corner, which found it's new home on the second gurney in the room. "Want a second one?" she asked of Earl.

"Yes please. But my apologies, I didn't know how long I was out earlier, I guess I assumed it was night."

Kathy tossed him another pillow. "Don't worry about it." she said, climbing onto her 'bed' for the moment.

Earl managed to catch it, although it was hard when his legs were strapped down. "Thanks." He put it under his head and leaned back. "It must be kinda weird, living down here. I'm used to seeing the open sky all the time." He paused for a moment, thinking, before he stammered, "Er, sorry, uh, I'm just rambling I guess."

"I miss the sky a bit too. But we get out enough that I don't worry about it. As for rambling, at least it's not Ty's constant switching. That can give headaches to the best of us." Kathy remarked.

"Eh, I think I could get used to having a roof over my head too." He paused for a bit, studying the ceiling above him. "So, I take it Ty's the one with the..... alien... inside him?" Earl shuddered at the thought. It would take him a while to get used to it. "I guess he's been really helpful, huh?"

"Yes, he's the one with the Parasite. And we intend to keep it that way too. He's the only one of us that can communicate with them to get us out of trouble because of it. And he has access to things we don't otherwise because of the parasite." She said. "But yes, he's dead useful."

I suppose that's how they've survived for so long. "I guess it's just weird to me. I've never heard of that before. But... sorry for being so curious, but what are your plans? Are you just going to keep surviving? Hide from them until you're all dead?" Earl stopped, then shook his head. "Er, sorry again. I'm not trying to be morbid, just.... well, curious I suppose."

"You'll have to take that up with Elle." Kathy dodged the question. "I don't really know. I just patch people up and help keep them healthy. And it's not morbid, it's honest."

Earl raised his eyebrow. "You'd think a leader would share that type of info..." he muttered to himself. He then spoke up. "Well, I suppose that honesty is morbid these days. I just can't help but think of these things I guess. I haven't had much else to consider lately. You know, until this whole ordeal with you people." He grinned at the ceiling. He wasn't looking at her anymore, the likeness to Darla was starting to get to him, so he didn't know if she could see his grin and didn't really care.

"That was my way of saying 'I don't know'." Kathy explained. "And unfortunately it is. But at least you find us interesting. At least from what I can gather."

"I was just saying that it's something I think that Elle should have brought up already. And, well... yeah, I find you interesting. To be honest, the last time someone talked to me without accusing me of being infected, like you're doing now.... well, long enough ago for me to know that person to be dead." Earl realized that he was right. He hadn't been able to just talk to anybody for... years. Funny. All it took was a few gunshots to the leg. He suddenly realized how lonely he had been, and he wiped his eye quickly before it could start to tear up. Now is no time to get emotional.