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March 16, 2000 |
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Compound...
The cultist compound is arrayed in a series of rings. Communal living buildings form the first circle, around the golden altar and statue of flannel-clad Jake. The second ring is composed of farmhouses, barns, and silos, and the third of massive spans of crop fields.
Yosannah glances about quickly, "What are we doing here?"
Damen says "Seeing about a friend."
Jake sits atop the cobblestone dais before the altar, lounging in his wheelchair. A beach umbrella covers him in shade.
Yosannah clings to Damen's arm. Desparately, "What friend?"
Damen glances at Jake, "Heard you got popped one."
Jake squints at Damen. Jerks a thumb at his knees. "A couple."
Damen nods, "As we were leaving the trigger-finger happened to walk into the bar." Damen introduces Yo, "Yosannah. My fiance."
Yosannah drops her grip from Damen's arm.
Damen says "Yo....Jake." Yosannah takes a step back. Almost behind Damen.
Jake shifts his beady-eyed squint to Yosannah. "Yeah. Cool. Hey." He nods. "Soon as I can fucking walk again, I'll be hunting him down. Bastard jumped me like a pussy, and shot me up. Think I'll wear his balls on a string around my neck."
Damen nods, "Well, buy a lot of khakis then...they'll clash with the flannel shirts."
Jake says "Good point. Maybe a light tan. So. What brings you and your woman here?"
Damen shrugs, "Heard you got shot. Wanted to check to make sure you were okay. Need anything? She's just along for the ride."
Yosannahs brow furrows just slightly. She crosses her arms and shifts her weight to one leg.
Jake scratches at his chin. Jake says "Thanks. Cool of you. I'll remember it. Maybe stomp Donovan's ass for free." A pause. Sniff. "Maybe not. But I'll do a more thorough job."
Damen chuckles at that. "I wouldn't expect anything more. Or less, for that matter. So. You don't need anything?"
Yosannah reaches out and tugs at Damen's jacket, "He doesn't. Let's go."
Damen glances at Yosannah, curious.
Jake says "I could use a trip to a real hospital. That doesn't think think rubbing weeds on my damned gunshot wounds is good medicine."
He squints at Yosannah. "What's the hurry, toots?"
"That's none of your business... Son."
Damen raises an eyebrow. "Play nice." To Jake he says, "Best I can do is send some supplies....the only hospital I know is Shadow General...and I can't get there via trump. They're blocked."
Jake says "Well, hell. No big deal -- supplies I can get. Guess I'll heal the hard way. Thanks though. Hey -- thought you might want to know. Saw Donovan in the bar the other day. Got into it with some black trash-talkin' dude and this little wannabe badass kid. Forget their names."
Damen nods, "The WEB or Niemands?"
Jake says "The crackhouse, man. Never heard of Niemand's."
Yo tucks her hair behind her ear.
Damen nods, "I'll introduce you to it sometime....even weirder." He glances at Yosannah. "Ok then...we're off."
Yo simply nods. "Sure."
Jake offers a lazy wave. "Later. I'll get to work on that whole Donovan thing after my knees heal up."
Damen nods, "NO worries." He clasps Yosannah's hand in his own.
World's End...
Damen glances at Yo, returning from their brief jaunt. "What's up with you?"
Yosannah shakes her head, "I KNEW i knew that... That was Jake?"
Damen nods, "Yes." He moves to the bar.
Dwight glances between Damen and Yosannah.
Yosannah follows behind him, "Is he working for you?"
Damen nods to India as he spies her. Damen says "Nope." He then whispers, "And if he were, do you think I would want the whole bar to know about it?"
Dwight draws a battered red softpack of cigarettes from his pants pocket. Yo frowns as words are exchanged between she and Damen.
Dwight says "You two just seen Jake?"
Yo pauses mid-phrase and Damen turns on his stool to regard Dwight. "Nice to meet you as well."
Dwight says "Real shame, what happened to him."
Damen shrugs, "Your concern touches me." He turns back to the bar and looks to Yosannah. "What were you saying?"
Yosannah spins Damen's stool so that he is facing her. She whispers, "I think he worked for us. I remember Kit or that other guy talking about him, D!"
Damen whispers "It wouldn't surprise me, lass. He works for money...a merc."
"You told me not to associate with any of them. To just stay away... are you paying him for something?"
"I told you not to associate with the horsemen....the bodies who they inhabit. And yes...he works for me now."
Yosannah is mildly flustered. "And what if he rats you out. Your merc. Did you ever think of that?"
Damen smiles, "Yo....don't you think I take precautions over those kinds of things, lass? Please...a littl faith."
Yosannah moves closer. Pressing her body between his knees as she kicks at the legs of his stool. "I worry about you. Just like you worry about me. Remember that whole *Don't know what I'd do without you* schpeel you gave me the other day?"
Damen grins, "What? It's mutual?" He ruffles her hair, "Hon. This is a new arrangement...I wasn't going to keep it from you. I know what I'm doing, and I'm -all- about safeguards."
Yosannah swipes at Damen's hand as he ruffles her hair. "Knock it off! That's demeaning, Damen. Christ!"
Damen grins, "Fine." He leans over and plants a kiss on her lips. "Better?"
Ithius makes his way through the dusty corner, glancing about he makes his way toward the bar.
Yosannah finally climbs up onto the stool.
Ithius nods toward Damen, "Hey .. hey Yo."
"Oh, hey, Ithius!"