Sweat trickled down the length of Zak's back, created first at the base of his neck. The hazy heat of the dying day sucked the water clean off skin and bones. A breeze, as rare a one as could be, ruffled the long flowing coat behind him. The smoke that drifted upwards in a spiral from his cigarette was soon borne away with that same breeze. Boots crunched on the time worn, wear torn pavement.Within the back alleys of the rubbled streets he roamed onward, headed toward the humming that the large hospital emmitted; a stark contrast to the near dead silence that surrounded the other buildings in New Rydynn. He came to a stop, silent. The flicker of a flame lit up the three day growth on his face. His narrowed indigo blue eye and the ominous dark patch that rested over a long forgotten loss were thrown into relief. The flame soon died at the tug of the inhale and the end of the cig glowed like an ember in the hearth. His Breath slowly pushed out and gray smoke climbed the air.
Another figure walked toward the hospital's main entrance, wearing a newly acquired cloak over her dusty clothes. She followed the street with her eyes, determined in stride, but careful of strangers.
Zac pulled the cig with a leathered hand and tossed it end over end to its death. Once more his boots echoed in the night before rounding a corner to the main street. There, the one-eyed man ducked into a corner as he caught a glimpse of the cloaked form. He waited, watching with a silent intent. The cloak hid any features, but he noted the cautious air of it's wearer. This cat and mouse game she always played, but he always knew she was there and likewise, whether she admitted it to herself, she knew he knew. Still, it was something to do.
His gaze flitted about as he finally made his way to the front steps. The two doors swooshed apart as he neared and he stepped through the threshold. The light, man made breeze blew off any sand that lingered upon his coat. His neck hairs bristled, but no threat was sensed; just the presence. As annoying as the presence was.
As Zac slipped into the hospital, he didn't turn his head to look back at the figure who followed. A controlled chaos invaded his ears. His tattered boots thudded across tiled floor, but his attention, and narrowed eye, were focused on the ER. The cloaked woman behind Zac watched him enter the hospital and followed at a polite distance. She brushed herself off at the entrance and moved to a public washroom.
The one-eyed man backed slowly to the wall. His hand slipped inside his coat as the hurried actions of the doctors and orderlies raised an alarm in his gut. He looked upward at the E7 voice's disembodied presence and blinked slowly as it made an anouncement. "Containment?" he whispered quietly, "Holy Venexx." He grabbed one of his scarves and held it up to his face.
Zak held the man made scarf in one hand while the other hand rested in his coat. The cold steel handgrip in his hand comforted him. It was his form of "containment" if the need arose. He was basically unseen and took advantage of that as he slipped onward toward the kitchen section of the cafeteria.
The follower reached the steps just after the one-eyed man and she slowed to ascend. His 'shadow'looked up at the swooshing doors and then slowly, deliberately followed. A silent slink carried her through the sliding front doors. The blast of air from the fans over head ruffled her filthy figure. Dust and sand flew everywhere. She took slow, hobbled steps to the side and pressed her back against the wall. Putter's pale crystalline eyes darted quickly across the lobby.
Seth brushed the dust off his clothes as he walked through the main doors. His attempt to clean up went only as far as his clothes, yet left his hair and face looking as if he'd had an encounter with flames and battle. Sneezing, he chuckled to himself and entered the cafeteria. He moved toward the water container and filled the small cup, drinking its contents thirstily. He brought the heavy rifle off his shoulder and rested it against the water container for lack of a better place to put it.
Synn Deesse moved down the hall, keeping quiet and her eyes to herself. She stepped into the Employee lounge and headed for her locker. She pulled out her sweater and shrugged it on with a quick glance to the clock. Then she shut her locker, glad it was time to go home; it had been a long day in ER.
On her way to the exit she stopped in her tracks as she saw Seth enter the cafeteria. A smile lit up her tired features and she sped up to catch him. From the door, she spotted him having a bit of water and headed his direction.
Synn moved up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder daintily. Seth in turn jerked around, startled to his bones and he spilled the water from the cup. He laughed smiling appologetically to her as she jumped back her own surprise at his reaction tugging a squeal out of her.
"Hi," he said, breathless.
"Hi!" She said back. "I didn't mean to startle you." Her smile never wavered because she was happy to see him.
"I ..ehm...I am sorry." He gestured about with the empty cup.
They bantered a bit; she was happy to see him, surprised he could get away but he was on a bit of leave and wanted to surprise her. They sat down together and shyly avoided staring at one another and making small talk when Seth saw Dr Adeline Frostt enter the cafeteria. Synn saw his rifle and was surprised, then saw him staring at Dr. Frostt. Synn tapped him on the hand to get his attention . "Seth...?"
He held his breath for a moment, frowned and with a disturbed, angry expression he looked back at Synn. "What?" Immediately he lookd back to Dr. Frostt, paying no attention to the fact that he'd left his weapon behind at the water cooler where he'd spilled his cup. He was like a phlupp in bright headlights.
She pointed to his rifle left upon another table and said, "You forgot something." Then she followed to where his gaze returned and her eyes narrowed as she spied Adeline. "Seth, don't leave it there....please...go get it." But he was staring across the room at the Psychologist.
He whispered, "She is here again..."
"Wh...what?" Synn was confused. "Yes, of course she is...this *is* a hospital....where doctors reside." Adeline for her part was oblivious to the others in the room. Her eyelids slipped closed over her cold blue eyes and she seemed to be resting or something.
Seth shook his head and drew in a deep breath. "She..should not be here..."
Synn furrowed her brow and huffed a bit, not sure what the deal was with the Doc. She rose and headed to the water cooler, retrieving his rifle and lugging it back to him. Seth looked down and away, seeming not at all lighthearted anymore and Synn let the but of the gun hit the floor loudly to get his attention. Startled, he looked up as she slammed it again, having been unaware that she'd even left his company.
"Listen...here is your damn gun...you shouldn't go just leaving it around..." She got angry and said, "When you're finished oggling the Doc over there....let me know." She turned abruptly, releasing the rifle for him to catch. He grabbed the barrel, the need for the action cutting off any explaination he can make.
Synn moved toward the exit. She felt the sting of tears in her eyes, but fought it back valiantly. Her pace was brisk so she could get the hell out of there and shrug off the terrible feelings of humilation. She made her way back down the hall towards the employee lounge and thrust the door open with such force it hit the inside wall. Throwing herself down on the sofa in the lounge, she curled up immediately. She felt so incredibly stupid. She couldn't help it ... but the trickle of tears of humilation slipped down her cheeks. How could she open up to him? She slammed her hand down on the pillow.
Seth, angry and scared already by Adeline's presence, hissed a curse and pulled the gun up onto his lap. Slowly, he turned his attention back to the Doctor who was, eyes closed, lost in her thoughts. He watched her shift in her seat and saw her eyes flutter open. She searched the room until her eyes stopped on him and his gun. Suddenly, her mouth dropped open and there was terror in her eyes.
His gaze dropped back down and onto the rifle. For just a blink of time it darted back and forth between the tool of death and the memory of pain. He sat there, his own fear controlled now to emotionlessness and the feeling of cold contempt in his stomach as he stared at her. Slowly he stood, the gun in his left hand, the barrel pointed toward her. She shrunk back a bit in her seat, unable to speak only stare at him. He made his way around the table, taking a few steps toward her.
Zac's hand was upon the door, but he stopped. He had caught Ash's attention. Having seen Asche in the lobby during her efforts with the "contained" element and caught her eye, Zac had his own attention drawn away. As he lingered in the kitchen doorway of the cafeteria he took in the business with Seth, Synn and Dr. Frostt. His eye narrowed suddenly at the odd scene with Dr. Frostt that played out in front of him. His instincts screamed at him as he tallied the score.
In fear, Adeline closed her eyes, shutting out the sight of the gun. Tears slipped down her cheeks, "I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry. Very sorry...." she said softly.
Seth's breathing grew harder as he moved towards her. He felt his throat constrict and only stopped his approach when her eyes closed. She seemed to be praying. His gaze moved through the room quickly, assessing the siutation. If he took her out, Synn would never want to see him again..
Drawing a sharp breath, Seth turned and headed toward the hallway. The rifle he angrily slung over his shoulder. For now.he would leave her alone...even though she claimed not to remember a thing. One day...he would help her to recall everything... He turned to the right as he left the cafeteria to head for the employees lounge.
Synn for her part was still in the lounge and lifted herself up from the sofa pillow. She looked at the clock and rubbed the tears away from her eyes. She rose and headed to the door, opening it again to step into the hall.
Zac's hand slipped inside his jakcet once more, pulling on the cold steel grip of his weapon. It slid easily and quietly from its leather home. The gun was leveled, but his target was suddenly heading away from it's own intended victim. Zac's teeth grit in reflex as his gaze drifted to Adeline, yet the 9mm remained pointed in the direction of the hallway.
He watched as the girl in the hall turned to run from the man with the gun, who's back his sites were trained upon; then abruptly the girl changed her mind and turned to face Seth.
They spoke. Zac couldn't hear precisely what they said but it was clear the girl thought he'd been attracted to the woman he'd been aiming the gun at. He heard the words, "Go talk to your Doctor, leave me alone!" and then they both headed into the employee's lounge, the woman first, the man after she'd slammed the door and he'd opened it again. A few minutes later, they both came out, and headed off in the same direction. Zac knew the old "you go first, I'll follow," trick to fend off prying eyes and turned his attention back to Adeline.
Her eyes flickered open in unbelieving relief as she watched Seth go. "I don't understand..."
Zac's voice was tight, but low. "You ok?"
Adeline lifted a shaking hand to her chest, pale face beyond white. "No..." as if...
Ed Archer exited from the cafeteria, and looked around, spotting Zac and the shrink. "One eye...?"
Zac turned, his coat billowing for a second, and smoothly returned his gun back home to it’s holster. His nod to the other man was quick. "Ed." Then he made a slow turn to Adeline once more.
Her body was shuddering violently as she tried to stand. "I should g-g-go..." she said in a soft whisper.
His boots carried him with a thud to her table through the cafeteria door and he slid a chair outwards with a toe before he straddled it and took a seat. He leaned forward and tilted his head to eye her with that one eye. "Up to you." He rifled for his pack of cigs and pulled the pack with a gentle ease. As he patted the bottom, one slid upwards and was slipped between lips, then shifted to one corner of his mouth.
Adeline looked at him slowly. "Why didn't he shoot me?" She asked him of Seth.
"Why was he going to?" Zac noticed Ed’s approach and pushed a chair out for him to join them. Ed sat down with them, mimicking Zac’s relaxed straddle of the chair.
"I," Adeline breathed out in a rush, "I hurt him I think."
Zac raised his brow as he rifled further for his butane litghter. "How so?" Then he remembered where he was, so he let the unlit cig, stay that way. No smoking on the hospital premises.
Adeline was still looking off into the distance, looking for something she couldn’t possibly find. "I don't know. I can't remember."
"Past or present?" Zac wanted to know as he worked his teeth one the end of the cig. She was thinking but it was plain she wasn’t sure.
"Past I assume."
Zac shifted in the way he leaned in the seat. He nodded. "You ain't got much of a past, do ya?"
She slumped down, her body going limp. "Not that I can recall.."
Thing was, she wasn't he first or the last who'd had that problem. Zac occasionally did his part as listener and maybe, just maybe he was intrigued enough to listen to her ...