Apocalyptic Fallout with AbsoluteDreams

[ZetaInfection]

MC

It had been years since the bombs went off and destroyed everything. A petty war instigated by fear of the unknown, fear of those who are different. Had events played out any differently, this catastrophe could have been avoided entirely. Hell, most had no idea what might have even lead to the world's collapse. This grim reality of a broken world, far removed from its former beauty. Civilization had changed dramatically in the wake of this disaster. The land was barren and irradiated, and only those who had powers could survive it. Even then, those very people were slowly dying as well, all while the Unions who had caused it live in peace and luxury within their dome.

Those less fortunate were forced to eke out a living among the wastes. The ruined cities were protected to an extent, but elsewhere there was the ever present risk of attack. Creatures deformed and adapted to the land, viscous caricatures of what they once were. Even aside from those, there were bandits that roamed in hopes of stealing from the less fortunate. There were no laws in this land outside the cities. Technology had declined to an extent in the ruin, but many were able to get much of it working to a livable level. The brave took on work as scavengers, searching the lands for useful objects and supplies to trade with settlements.

Overall, this world was a cruel one. Many ruins existed around the world, most having been picked apart. Those that hadn't, were untouched for good reason. Those were the places only the extra daring would enter, or the desperate. This particular ruin happened to be one of them, damn near buried and hardly accessible. Security measures had still been active and were a nuisance to get around, but not impossible. A young man no older than 25 had been the first to enter this place in a long time. His disheveled grey hair clung to his face from the sweat and grime, yet his green eyes were vibrant in comparison. He held a rudimentary flashlight that charged via a crank, pointing it into the darkness of the facility.

There were so many things in here that would fetch a nice sum, and he made it a point to collect the smaller things he would have no trouble carrying back with him. Many machines were popular simply for being dismantled and repurposed. The things found in this ruin were enough to make anyone want to venture down here, but they weren't the reason this particular young man was down here. Most would call him a fool for even bothering to search for such old information, but it was all he could do. He went by the name Maverick, a self-imposed name for lack of a real one.

The paint on the walls looked faded in places, but deep enough within it could be revealed to be a Union facility of sorts. Something that the normies had never been too privy of. There was a chipped and faded emblem on the wall that was a blue upside-down triangle, and overlapping it was the greek letter Sigma which was done in yellow. Maverick stared at the chipped and faded emblem with distaste. The technological division. Getting in here was risky enough with so many security measures still miraculously in place, but that meant that what was within was likely still intact.

Maverick pointed the light around carefully to survey the environment. Many creatures tended to make a nest of these sorts of places, and he didn't want to be caught off guard. He was rather deep into the ruin, sifting through whatever he could find with extreme concentration. Little did he know that he wasn't the only one scouring this particular ruin.

 

[Absolutedreams]

The desolation of the world matched his very soul, like a mirror image. Cody rather despised everything, even his own existence. He had little care now, not even for his own well being but interestingly enough he still felt like he had a mission. There was a drive to continue despite his continuous loathing of the entire universe. He wasn't so sure what his purpose was anymore or if that – if God even was real, was probably just sitting there laughing at him from above. He lost everything. Every single thing. He blamed himself, he blamed others, he sought out death and destruction at the very risk of his own life. He didn't care if he'd die, he will fight until the very end. He would make those he blamed as miserable as fucking possible too. That meant he wasn't aimless in his own existence. He had tasks to complete that led to other things.

Cody was a man not to trifle with, as his disconnection to the world, his disassociation has made him dangerous (among other reasons). It was a few years ago, or more, you ask him now he wouldn't be so sure how long it has been..but he notoriously caused a great deal of destruction. He was undoubtedly a thorn in one's side. An annoyance and the fact that he was still alive probably didn't bode well for those he's nominated his enemies. Cody has easily adjusted to this world now, if not known by his name but called the Ghost. The wastelands, the ruins, the wickedly dangerous nights were all his playing grounds. He'd like to say he had no friends but that wasn't exactly true, he had some, people who knew him before he'd grown so seclusive. Then there were friends that weren't friends, people who he's thought had betrayed him, some might have, some might not, the truth hasn't been discovered yet.

He roams now, for a couple of years that's all he's done besides causing some chaos for anyone affiliated with the unions, or the unions themselves. Cody was, without a doubt an enemy of the Unions. He has purposely made that fact known too – determined for them to remember his name, to die at his very hands. But of course that path isn't an easy one and like anyone else in the desolate parts of the world, you had to survive somehow. Cody did not affiliate himself with any survivors, he managed on his own but scavenging was part of that past time. He went to the places that were untouched, impenetrable, festering with dangerous creatures. Did part of him want to die? Yes, so the dangers of these ruins, abandoned facilities didn't even make him blink. He wasn't scared, he couldn't even remember what it felt like to be afraid. He just didn't feel anything but rage anymore.

Fixating on that single emotion can really screw you up. Combine that with his abilities and the result can/is very unstable. Like a ticking time bomb – but more literally.

Cody had slipped into the facility like a phantom moving through a graveyard. Just one place on his map of places to raid (while very aware of the risks here.) He had gotten this map some time ago during his quest to destroy the Delta Union. He didn't succeed, taking on the Union alone or mostly alone, is impossible for one person. Cody didn't care though, he still attempted it and his actions just seared his name into that metaphorical black book. He tried to hit them where it hurt, and his actions hurt but it was just an irritation upsetting their routine. It was a miracle he survived and wasn't captured himself. None of that mattered, he failed, he never forgave himself for failing. Cody wanted a war. He was still going to start one but doing so alone….he could do it, he just wasn't going about it the right way… and maybe, just maybe it wasn't time yet.

Cody was aware of the very real dangerous in places like these, usually you didn't have to worry about other people because no one was stupid enough to hit this place up. He should have known better though, but he wasn't as careless. Always, always on guard, always plan and expect for the unexpected. Run the scenarios through your head, different directions, different probabilities. In the likely event of it happening at least you'll be ready.

They didn't call him the Ghost just because. The name came in relation to his abilities. Short of being able to stop his heart from beating (unfortunate he couldn't because it would be such an easy way to die.) Cody was just that, a Ghost, his footsteps silenced, his breathing still, his blood running cold and his body heat matching the temperature of the room and his heartbeat slowing. He was more at home in the shadows and the dark, an easier place to hide.

Cody had no quarrel with strangers, he'd rather avoid them altogether (unless they had ties to the Unions.) He didn't like helping others and usually wouldn't….in most cases…who was he kidding, he'd help someone…but he also didn't trust, bandits were dangerous, strangers were dangerous, it was more common that someone would kill you for your stuff than just pass you by. Cody was reckless, bitter, hateful but he didn't murder someone outright. He'd prefer to avoid the conflict and interaction but to his dismay, by the hands of fate or chance things just weren't going to work out that way. The unsuspecting person, rummaging through shit that Cody really wanted to search through was being stalked by something sinister that made the facility it's home.

 

[ZetaInfection]

The quiet sound of electronics being tinkered with could be heard as the young man inspected some of the parts. While it wasn't obvious immediately, he wasn't quite as dexterous as one would think. His right arm was sluggish and he cursed under his breath as he fumbled the parts. His right arm wasn't real, an unfortunate tragedy took it from him. It looked rather shoddy and less than ideal, something put together with scraps he had found here and there over time. The response time was absolutely horrible. Maverick was no mechanic, but he knew Sigma was high tech and he hoped to find something workable. Something that acted like the real thing. If one looked closely, this arm had quite a few dents in it that seemed like they might have been teeth marks. If there was one good thing about this arm it was that he could use it to defend himself. The creatures of the wastes could snack on his arm while he blew their brains out, it was all the same to him.

After retrieving some finer parts from what appeared to be some sort of machine the young man put them in a bag and got up. There had to be something more useful here. Most of what he had gathered was for selling, but the rarer pieces he would want for his arm. The whole damn thing needed to be replaced with something far more functional if he hoped to survive these lands. As he moved along the moist sound of his boots lightly stepping could be heard, squishing a patch of moss that had grown in this environment.

So far the place had been quite quiet, something that unnerved him. Normally some sort of monster would have made a nest out of such places. Maybe he had yet to come across whatever might have made this place its home, and hopefully he didn't get to find out what it was. Maverick was no stranger to conflict. He had a pistol at his side that had seen better days, but the most interesting part about it was that it had a red engraving on it that said Avenger. Clearly the name of the weapon. It was a custom piece made by someone important to him, though whether that man was alive or not...well...who knows?

As he made it to a new room there were an assortment of machines that looked humanoid. Seems this place was working on a humanoid sort of weapon before the world went to shit. The arms were unnatural and wouldn't suit his purposes as they were, but perhaps the internal parts could be of use? And that weird metal he knew was a creation of Sigma. Some blue sort that was strong yet light weight. That would be an optimal sort of material. The only problem however, was whether or not these were functional. Were they equipped with weapons already? Did they have the necessary power source as well as programming to act off of? It would be risky to fuck with them until he could figure out more. They hadn't reacted to him being here, but that didn't mean they wouldn't respond to him tinkering. The facility wasn't exactly powered anymore but often times these creations utilized a much different power source that wasn't as fickle as electricity.

For a moment he froze, the hair on his neck standing on end as he felt the oddest sensation. Was he being watched? As he turned he waved the light quickly to spot anything amiss, but he found nothing. "I really am losing my damned mind..." he muttered under his breath with a sigh. He was feeling paranoid. He scratched the back of his head as he looked over the machines as he tried to think of the best way to go about this. He could freeze them, but that was how he lost his fucking arm to begin with. Perhaps in moderation with a fire ability to negate the frost bite? If one looked close enough they would notice an odd mark on the back of his neck that was normally hidden by his hair. It was the greek letter Delta, and beneath it was a number or code. P-197.

 

[Absolutedreams]

Cody was keeping his attention split – as it seemed the browser was unaware of his presence. That didn't mean Cody believed that completely, someone could just 'pretend' but he had to pay attention what also lurked in this place with them too. For a brief moment Cody wasn't just thinking about himself (not that he cared much about his own well being) but he was thinking about this person, who seemed unsuspecting of the danger. Was it just dumb luck that this person made it in? Something hunted and it knew they were both here. The lack of guard this person was expressing is certainly concerning, that oblivious? It was careless but he couldn't judge the person's skills completely, he was just picking up on what he was observing.

He wasn't going to make a final decision on what he thought he might know about this stranger. Expect the unexpected – however, what he was unprepared for was a certain detail. A symbol among many burned into his mind, a smoldering branding. Out of all the Unions Delta was top of his list to despise. They were the cause of his anguish and once he's triggered there is no sense of logic, only red and rage. Cody could see many things even in the lack of lighting, his talents were strongest in stealth and being invisible but being able to do so meant he could see better in the dark. Something quite interesting about his eyes, mismatched, one gray but with fine details in the color and the other almost black. It could be the product of his exposure or a defect, but interesting.

His mind switched from being cautious to pissed. Mentally noting the stranger's possible weaknesses prior to his rage being triggered. The symbol for Delta was enough to set him off and forget all else, even that they were both being hunted by something here in this place. Cody's eyes narrowed under the shadow of his hood, his lips curling as he snarled and gave up his cover, releasing the energy used to hide him from sight, smell, and temperature. The shadows moved with him as if connected to his being – and they were in a sense but not exactly the same as the shadows in the room. He lunged, and it didn't matter if this person was still affiliated with Delta or not, it set off a strange and uncontrolled primal rage. "I'll kill you!"

Careless on his part, allowing his anger to get the better of him. He drew a makeshift blade from the folds of his just as makeshift, patched-together jacket. Did he have a gun? Yes and a glimpse of it could be seen with certain movement, he just had limited ammo, and well it wasn't as satisfying as using his knife to cut the throat of his enemy!

He had no idea what might happen in these instances that flashed by, his mind settling on the I will die or kill and or die while killing. What he didn't include in the equation was that the beast hunting them – a master itself at stealth would also pounce. It was the perfect time, to attack while an attack was happening. It could be that the rush of Cody's rage was enough to trigger the creature's instincts for blood too. But it would be a beast that not only one mere person (or person with abilities) could handle alone. It was something out of nightmares, a creature of dark making, made to be able to best those with special talents.

 

[ZetaInfection]

Paranoia was part and parcel of his existence now. Small sounds could set him off in such a quiet and dark environment but both presences were masterful at keeping concealed. Maverick only had a moment to really feel that ability slipping. A split second to turn toward his aggressor before he found himself taken to the ground in one fell swoop, an involuntary grunt leaving his lips upon the rough impact with the floor. That damn and disgusting floor that was unpleasantly cool to the touch.

His heart raced as he grappled to the best of his ability, one arm nowhere near as cooperative as the other. He flashed his light upon the thing that had him on the ground and it was…a person? One who looked ready to rip his throat out. Perhaps someone gone mad from the desolation of this cruel world? It wouldn’t have been surprising.

His false arm put him at a disadavantage strength-wise. Not only was he smaller, but his missing arm was his dominant one. It was why he needed to get a better one before even thinking of anything else.

Most of those who dared wander had some sort of power. This fact definitely wasn’t lost upon him. He wasn’t as crazy as he used to be. Wasn’t as careless. He pushed back upon his assailant but where his hand made contact would feel unnaturally cold. The humid environment helped as ice began to form where his flesh left hand made contact with Cody. His arm was unnaturally warm in contrast, a counter measure he was sure to utilize so he didn’t end up having to cut his remaining arm off. Cutting your own arm off out of necessity was…not fun.

Depending on how quickly Cody reacted and recoiled from him the spread wouldn’t be too severe, though if he didn’t back off then the ice would continue to spread rapidly. There was one other issue ensuing, and it was the sudden and unnatural hiss of whatever had made this place it’s home. For Maverick it was difficult to see in the dark and he couldn’t just wave his flashlight around while he struggled with Cody. “Get off me you fucking idiot!” Maverick hissed. At this rate they would both be in trouble if they couldn’t react freely.

 

[Absolutedreams]

There was a swoosh and oomph as they hit the floor. Cody's knife clanked against something solid in the way of stabbing his target. The shadows around them swooped in too, like a hazy black fog almost – but hard to see in the dark of the room anyway. Their motion really stirred up the dust and remnants of the past and it wasn't pleasantly fragrant. Cody was very frustrated that his knife didn't hit flesh but instead it was hitting something metal, a metal appendage? At first, he thought it was some kind of shield but he realized it was the other's arm.

He pushed down with his weight, Cody a broader built man. Cody used his strength to keep the other pinned under him. Squinting every now and then when the light from Maverick's flashlight hit his eyes. His scruffy, dirt-smeared face could be seen angrily snarling and glaring down at the other. It took a few seconds for the uncomfortable sensation of pain to register – even as it spread through his bicep and into his chest. He ignored it purposely, gritting his teeth, determined to finish his goal. "Fuck you! Just let me kill you!" He growled. But he had to withdraw as the cold pain seeped deeper. Annoyed and expressing his annoyance that Maverick wasn't complying and let Cody end his life. He grunted like a child throwing a tantrum as he rolled, (aware that they had something else to contend with.)

The creature moved quickly, too quickly as it slithered from the ceiling and dropped on them. Its size is large enough to pin them both as its mouth opened, unhinging, teeth that lay flat when the mouth is closed erected. Hundreds of them, dripping with saliva. Cody sure as hell wasn't going to let this thing take the satisfaction of killing his target from him. His shadows reacting on his instinct attacked the monster but to the creature, his shadows were like thorn pricks even as the shadows formed spikes and jabbed through the creature's flesh, it was not phased, if not enraged by the action. But you know, Cody was going to blame Maverick, since the guy couldn't just die by his knife.

He jabbed his knife but the blade snapped in half. "Damnit! This is your fault!" Cody's rage was subsiding a little given their current predicament, logically they would have to work together in order to survive this, and well, then after Cody can get back to making a Delta member suffer. The monster made a swipe at them both with claws, Cody could feel his clothing shred where the claws made contact, slicing through almost frostbitten skin where Maverick had touched him. He hissed through gritted teeth, trying to plant his foot against the monster's body to try and push it off them – but he would need Maverick's help to do it too since the creature weighed more than them combined. "Can you make yourself useful, or ya just gonna lay there like a dead fish."

This day was turning to shit real fast but in reality, every day was usually like that or this. If it wasn't surviving the conditions outside, dealing with people who'd kill you in a heartbeat (battling your own loneliness) it was shit like this too. "Man this thing stinks." He whined, his weapon broken, he used his hands to keep that thing's mouth from snapping too close to their faces. The breath of the creature reeked, adding to the aesthetic of this abandoned place. They couldn't risk this thing biting them, that saliva would turn them into dead fish – so to speak – as it had a mild paralyzing effect making it easier for the beast to eat them.

 

[ZetaInfection]

Maverick couldn't understand why this man was so hell bent on ending him. Rage like that was intimately familiar to him as he had held such a deep hatred for that bastard Sagittarius, but why the hell was Maverick the target of this man's fury? Just existing perhaps? It hadn't crossed his mind that a mark he had long since forgotten existed might have triggered such a visceral response. "If I wanted to be dead I wouldn't be asking you to help me with it." he hissed. While he wasn't exactly fond of life in general, he unfortunately had the basic instinct to survive. That, and if anything like that happened he wanted it to be on his own terms, and no one else's.

This man was a massive risk to be around considering what had just happened, but even more so was the creature that landed on them. This thing was a lot nastier than he expected. Was it Delta-made? He had seen the Chimeras that one division had worked on, and it was unsettling to say the least. Then again, this could also just be some mutated creature that had fed quite well. Was there a pile of bones much deeper in this place from countless victims that dared enter?

None of that mattered. The stench was near unbearable but thankfully this stranger had the sense to intervene to some extent. "I'm not the fucking idiot who decided to be loud and angry for no god damned reason." Though, this might just be a blessing in disguise. Not this situation, but this man in general. This might have been too risky to deal with alone, but Maverick easily could have extricated himself from the situation if it got bad enough. He just needed the parts that this facility had, and any research regarding mechanical knowledge. If the need arose he could just off this guy as well when all was said and done, though it wasn't something he considered lightly given his unfortunate ability and condition.

While large, it seemed like this thing might not have eyes. Living in the dark like this meant that it probably thrived off vibrations and sound. It was impressive how this stranger was holding the creature's massive maw open but that would only last for so long. Still, that left an interesting possibility. "Hold him wide for me!" Maverick instructed. He reached for something else he had on him, an explosive of sorts. It wouldn't be enough to kill this thing but it would offer them some measure of reprieve so they could regroup and decide how to go about this. About the size of his fist, Maverick lit the fuse and threw it into the opened mouth.

With Cody holding it open it would be difficult to spit out. His ability with fire allowed the fuse to burn up rather fast, the explosive going off at the back of it's throat. It would be too risky to delay it as it was uncertain if the creature could find a way to spit it out. The creature reeled back immediately upon detonation, screeching furiously in pain. The smell of burnt flesh could be detected, though the amount of damage caused was hard to determine. It wasn't nearly enough. Not by a long shot.

Maverick hurriedly got up and grabbed Cody's arm roughly, and within seconds things grew disoriented as they ended up in another room entirely. He had memorized the layout of the place so far so he picked a previous room to teleport them to. It wasn't far but it would throw the beast off a bit. Maverick groaned as he could feel the strain. He could have gotten them out of this place entirely, but he needed the loot. "Let's deal with that thing first, then we can deal with whatever problem you seem to have with me. I don't think bait-breath is going to wait for us." he said sternly.

Unbeknownst to Cody, Maverick was extremely dangerous. There was no doubt he could kill that thing alone, along with Cody. The only problem was the cost of doing so, and it was far more than he could afford to consider. Now that he had mellowed out after the world went to shit he realized just how costly his ridiculous ability was. That, and the fact that he was definitely headed for an early grave as it was. He didn't want to speed run the rest of his life in one glorious display of meaningless violence.

 

[Absolutedreams]

"I don't need your permission." As if Maverick's fate was up to Cody's choosing. "And I have a pretty damn good reason." He'd be sure to add as he struggled with the beast, even getting that damn saliva on his skin he could feel it tingle and then a slight numbness. "What?" Wider, seriously. Cody groaned but obliged. Using what strength he had to prey those jaws open further giving Maverick the opportunity he needed. Their attempts though, most certainly pissing the thing off even more. The smell of the explosion left a taste in Cody's mouth he'd have rather not experience – couple that with being teleported and he was close to throwing up.

It wasn't like he teleported on a normal bases, once? He didn't like the sensations that followed or the disorientation. He'd rather have his sure footing. His shadows pooled around his feet and ankles, it was a strange sensation to be pulled into another room and even his shadows suffered a moment for it. He spit to the side as he tried to muster his barring and stand.

Cody tossed his hood back, messy brown hair fluttered down against his forehead. The tone Maverick took with him (the nerve!), Cody had more than a few years on Maverick. Plenty of experience, and he already knew that they needed to deal with this problem. The kid could teleport, why not teleport the hell out of here? Without Cody -preferably. Cody could easily deal with this situation using his stealth and the creature wouldn't be able to find him…or them and he was reluctant to offer assistance. Reluctant to use his powers to help this guy instead of murdering him. "Do you know what it is?" Cody suspected he didn't. Cody did, he's ran into them before in another facility – he assumed it was an experiment that mutated but that was just speculation – it could be something else entirely but he didn't know or really care.

He shook his hand, the numbness not debilitating but just uncomfortable. "Paralyzing saliva." He idly pointed at his own eyes "Can't see, can hear, feel and sense heat. Hard exoskeleton. Bullets can't penetrate. Can't smell. But it has soft spots, the sides, under the rib cage under the arms, back of the neck. What you did if you had a more powerful bomb that would work. Knives just as useless." He had already known that, but his reaction had been faster than his thoughts. His shadows on the other hand took on a different kind of solid form that can penetrate the flesh. Cody flicked his wrist and summoned a weapon from out of the shadows – taking shape of a sword. It was heavy, Cody felt the strain from his wound Maverick and the monster caused.

"Can you do that again?" Cody was getting information to save for later about Maverick, and interestingly Cody wondered why the guy didn't try to kill him during their scuffle. Why hesitate? "Can you…teleport to a different point in the room, say behind the thing?" They had to formulate a plan if they were going to work together. "Can you teleport me behind it?" He made a motion with his sword, indicating he'd stab it in the back of the neck.

 

[ZetaInfection]

Did he know? How could anyone know for sure? Maverick had suspicions, but it was wildly speculative. "Not definitively, but there's a possibility that it was once human. I hope that information doesn't cause you to hesitate, though given you really seemed to be out for my blood I don't think that will be a problem." Maverick responded as he shook his head. At least they had some breathing room at the very least, though they needed to come up with some plan.

Maverick listened closely with a bit of suspicion in his eyes. "Fun." he responded regarding the paralytic substance they definitely didn't want to get on them anymore than necessary. Blowing anything up from the inside would be sufficient, but Maverick didn't plan to blow apart a monster like that. In fact, they would be covered head to tow in god only knows what if they did. The explosives he had were very few and they were not too powerful. Mostly useful for raiding places like this in the case that certain areas end up jammed shut or caved in.

It sounded like this man knew enough about this thing to give them a good shot at taking it down. Perhaps it was something the man had encountered before? "I see..." As he murmured this he noticed the shadows taking form, no doubt some sort of power he had never come across before. The sleek sword that had formed seemed like it would do quite a bit of damage if wielded correctly.

"I can, yes. I recall the layout of the room, and as long as we can hear roughly where it might be I should have no problem doing that. The question is whether or not you can get it in one go. I could...freeze its feet to the floor to make it easier to deal with, but I don't think it would hold for very long. You think you can get him in that time frame?" Maverick questioned, wanting to make damned sure they were on the same page and that neither of them would chicken out. "I can't zip around indefinitely or I'll get sloppy." he clarified. As much as he hated revealing too much, it would do neither of them any good to assume each other's capabilities and come up short when it really mattered.

 

[Absolutedreams]

Cody's mismatched eyes narrowed with his annoyed disgust. He didn't give a damn if that thing was human once or not. It wasn't now and if it was he's sure there's no cure in their reach – so – in order to survive and continue on it must die. To say he was out for blood, that was only partly right. He pointed his weapon at Maverick. "Delta blood. Union blood." He made sure to correct, as he just didn't go around killing willy-nilly like. A slight tug at the corner of his lips as he mused over wiping out all of Delta. For good. Every last one of them.

Did he get offended by Maverick's concern or doubt that Cody couldn't do what he said he could do. Yes, Cody was/is a very capable man – and he's managed this long like a lunatic without much of assistance. Not everyone survived to their forties this day but he has. To be put into question by someone who looked half his age was insulting. However, he couldn't for a certainty guarantee or promise this would work. There was always variables that could change, the creature could move, he could miss, they could trip over their own feet in fact. Anything was possible. "You'll get sloppy?" He had to throw in his little jab, he didn't think Maverick was pristine in his skills. The kid was already sloppy.

They were wasting time at this point, Cody waved off any further 'bantering'. "Let's just do this." This was the plan, not the greatest plan but it would suffice. Might they both die? That was a probability. Highly likely. "You do what you think is needed." He added regarding Maverick's comment about possibly freezing the beasty's feet. Cody didn't doubt his ability to take down the creature, or predict what Maverick 'might' be able to do with the current information he has about him. Cody could (and in truth work better) with a partner. His own abilities combined with someone else's could be very useful, even more powerful together. It is just a matter of Cody willing to work with someone else. Not to mention this whole situation will give Cody (and Maverick) insight into what either of them are able to do. He'll be paying attention to those important details.

"So how do we do this, hold hands?" He remarked sarcastically, since before, Maverick had grabbed him and then teleported, so Cody thought it was safe to assume they had to be in contact. It was mildly unbearable; Cody didn't like getting handsy unless you know he was trying to cut a throat. In the meantime, he was already mustering his own energies so that when they did teleport back they would teleport and be disguised by his shadows. It would help limit the vibrations they gave off, give them a little stealth when they are thrown right back into the chaos. Hopefully, adding to their advantage. He wanted to be prepared to pull his shadows in the second they transitioned, because he had been able to feel the brief disconnect between himself and his shadows when Maverick did teleport him without warning. He didn't much care for that sensation either. It was uncomfortable.

 

[ZetaInfection]

For a brief moment Maverick looked genuinely surprised at the mention of Delta. Union Blood. That was...quite interesting. He could think further on that comment later when they weren't currently being hunted. He didn't much care for the vocal jab, it wasn't his fault his abilities weren't entirely within his control anymore.

It seemed the stranger just wanted this over with and he felt quite similarly. "Contact." he corrected quietly. Maverick hated touching people or being touched in general, but unfortunately he needed some form of contact with that which he wished to move with him. His own clothes were in contact with him along with his weapon. He could choose what to exclude but it was bothersome unless necessary. Once it looked like this man was ready, Maverick walked into the hallway. First, they needed the creature's undivided attention.

He rapped on the wall with his false arm knowing damned well that the creature would hear it, and likely react to it. His flesh hand grasped Cody's shoulder and once he was sure the creature was paying attention they once more disappeared. That lurching sensation was slightly shorter given the short distance they moved, but the were now inside of the room. Maverick of course reacted quickly to touch the floor, a small trail of ice making its way to the creature's feet.

Whatever Cody's ability was, it afforded them some time as the creature had yet to turn, though once it felt the cold gripping onto its feet, that was when they had to fight. The flashlight showed the moisture on the floor and just as insurance that trail of ice split off both ways to stop at the sides of the beast, and suddenly they grew into a spire meant to pierce the tender parts that Cody had mentioned. All the while he watched to see how Cody's attempt played out, and with any luck they would fell the damned thing. Hopefully. The humidity had lessened in the room due to most of it being drawn and used up for the ice.

 

[Absolutedreams]

Contact. Maverick and Cody had something in common – he wasn't thrilled about the contact either, but they had to do what they had to do. He watched with a smirk part scowl as Maverick made noise. They needed the beast's attention and that was a good way of getting it. The sound/the vibration would certainly hold it's focus. And at least they didn't have to hold hands – any form of contact.

He could do without the sensation but in the moment, he had to act so quickly that there was no time to think about it. His shadows provided them with a bit of stealth before the monster could realize what was happening.

Maverick's quick thinking with his ice made Cody's job a lot less dangerous. The beast was distracted, trying to fight off the icy grip and partly immobilized when the ice did pierce those soft, vulnerable places.

Cody used whatever was near them to gain some air on his attack, the more force he could put behind it the better. Jumping up off the ground onto a chair that slid out from his feet the second he launched off of it – the chair skidding across the room. Cody swung his sword downward, to pierce the back of the beast's neck (not behead it because that wouldn't quite work.) His blade pushed through the back of the monster's neck and through the other side, blood spewing out of the wound. Cody expected the thing to trash and it did, jamming itself harder into Maverick's ice, and Cody hoped it held out. The creature flailed and tossed Cody aside, after letting go of that shadow sword it dissipated after a few moments leaving behind a gaping wound.

Blood kept spilling out and the thrashing eventually stopped, the creature collapsing in a heaving breath. It gurgled, it moaned, nerves twitching, and it moved as if it were going to get up but then with the final breath the thing slumped dead.

Cody had been tossed across the room, near Maverick's flashlight – the air momentarily knocked out of him. He just sat there taking some breaths, now that the excitement was over he felt the pain in his chest and arm – where Maverick's ice touched and the creature had wounded him.

 

[ZetaInfection]

The scene played out quickly, as all fights tend to. There was no time to overthink things, not when they were in a life or death situation like this. The moment Cody leapt at the beast was the real moment of truth. It would determine whether or not their efforts would succeed. A beast this large was strong, and that required intense focus to maintain the ice. Beasts like this were the most dangerous when they were cornered, though the same could be said for people as well. Willing to do whatever it takes to survive.

It was very difficult to see what was happening in the dark but he could see the movement. His flashlight provided limited lumination given it was elsewhere at the moment but it was enough to see that the creature was thrashing about wildly. It was a good thing Maverick wasn't the one doing all the work, as his false arm would have made staying up there damn near impossible. When Cody did eventually get thrown off Maverick stood ready to react should the beast not fall from their efforts.

As the life faded from it Maverick winced slightly as it hit the ground, the large body causing significant impact. What a mess. He watched to make damned sure it was dead before daring to turn his attention to Cody. "That went rather well." he commented as he walked over, his focus on heating his real arm up to negate any frost bite that might have been setting in. That was the only reason he dared to use that ice. He now knew how to keep himself from getting too horribly damaged from it.

Maverick cautiously bent down to retrieve the flashlight, cranking it a few times to keep the light going. He wasn't foolish enough to get all friendly just because they had killed that thing as a team. It was simply necessity. Trusting people blindly was how you got betrayed, or even worse, killed. Now that things were a bit calmer he could think back on the one comment that interested him. "You said you were out for Union blood. Delta in particular." he reminded, his eyes carefully trained upon the other as he stood there nearby. "I'm not one of them. I don't know what tipped you off to the fact that I had something to do with them, but I assure it it wasn't by choice."

He couldn't even recall how he had gotten involved. His memories before the experiments were blank, but he had a deep-rooted sense of betrayal that he knew was because he didn't want any of what had happened. "I don't know what your beef with them is, but you'd be better off focusing that anger toward the scientists." That last word was spoken with clear venom in his voice.

If Cody showed no signs of physical hostility Maverick would turn to examine the nearby machine, otherwise he would continue to watch the other carefully. If this fight hadn't activated the machines then it was safe to say these things were not active and would be safe to dismantle.

 

[Absolutedreams]

"Did it?" Cody wasn't as thrilled, his chest stung and well having a wound this day and age easily - oh so easily - led to death. IF only he was here alone it would have been an easy in and out but unfortunately things just never went his way. He could never catch a break. Luckily all of this took energy and that energy took away his previous rage, so Cody was more or less subdued for the time being. He scoffed however, even snorted. "You have the mark." He said rather bitterly, his gaze zoning in on Maverick. While the other wasn't the only one to taste venom. Cody had no favorites when it came to anyone involved in delta. He did however had a conscious and when posed with the possibility of doubt... He was torn, since he wouldn't kill anyone who wasn't deserving. It made him think this time, before acting, unlike before. None the less he was still annoyed. Tch.

He wasn't any hurry to move, his eyes narrowed as Maverick turned away. Really? That wasn't very smart to turn your back. He shook his head, but he wasn't being hostile now either. Instead he turned his attention on the dead hump of beast. Perhaps he could carve a slice of meat off the thing and eat it. That would require effort but once you got beyond the skin the meat was edible. He debated it, only mostly sitting there in discomfort where his chest hurt. That was something he'd have to take care of soon. But having a nice fresh slice of meat? He could handle his discomfort in the mean time. Slowly moving and withdrawing an actual knife from underneath his clothes he crawled up to the creature and got to carving.

It took effort and grunting but eventually Cody got past the thick skin and to the meat, he sliced some pieces off and when he was finished sat back a moment to rest. From a pocket he pulled out a crumbled up cloth bag he put the meet in. The majority of his things he stashed outside of the facility upon entrance, since he didn't need to be hauling all his gear around while scavenging. He did pay some attention to Maverick - most of his attention since after all he didn't trust the other either, even if Maverick didn't attempt to harm him at all.

Cody rose and slung his bag of meat over his shoulder - not without a wince. He gave Maverick and sly glance and contemplated something. Usually since he's always alone Cody has never gone into the bowels of these facilities. As some of them do go much deeper. The possibility of more trouble- and well it was just damn creepy because well Cody was sure these places were haunted by those lost souls. "Do you want to go further in?"

 

[ZetaInfection]

“Yes. Things could have been much worse.” Maverick replied with a shrug. When Cody mentioned the mark Maverick's good hand reached up to rub the back of his neck without really thinking about it. That. His hair was long enough to cover it which was why he kept it at least this long, but he must have somehow moved it enough to reveal it unintentionally. In all honesty he forgot the mark was even there. It was back out of sight so he didn't have to see it. Out of sight, out of mind. His attention was naturally divided between Cody's movements and the task at hand.

He was taking the machine apart to the best of his ability hoping to take a couple arms with him. The pieces would be useful in fashioning a far more functional arm thought he would likely still be missing some important components. In all honesty he had no idea exactly what he needed. He had followed some old blueprints to create the poor excuse for a prosthetic he had currently, but he would need more information if he wanted to go onto something more advanced.

"I was...one of their unwilling test subjects. Naturally that mark shows that I belong to them, at least in their mind. I belong to no one but myself." he responded quietly, just enough for Cody to hear him. "I'd rather die than end up in such a position ever again." It was the truth. Death was a more preferable fate compared to what he had survived in the laboratories. Robbed of agency or dignity, reduced to a mere project number with little worth outside of what data they could obtain from toying with him.

As he removed the first arm he stuffed it into his bag and moved to another machine to do the same. These weren't exactly light, but he needed them. He glanced over to see the other carving up that creature for its meat. He would have thrown up at the thought of eating such a thing in the past, but it was survival of the fittest now. Beggars couldn't be choosers and there wasn't much to choose from out here. As Cody spoke up regarding going further in, Maverick turned his head with a suspicious yet interested look. "Deciding to play nice now?" he murmured. Maverick wasn't one to normally work with anyone, but as he thought about what might be deeper inside he frowned.

Sigma. Surely there was more technological remains deeper within given that was their specialty. It was nothing like the human experimentation labs. Maybe there were instructions on creating what he needed. That was a possibility that he had considered previously, but wasn't certain whether or not it was wise. If it was the two of them, maybe they could do it. It was a far safer bet than ever considering going at it alone. "I don't see why not. There could be some pretty valuable stuff deeper in." His bag had three mechanical arms sticking out of it. Given that the arms matched the very arm that wasn't real, it wouldn't take much to guess that he wanted them for his own use. "I will say straight up not to expect too much from me. I can support, but I need to be careful of my own limits." he warned. He never liked misleading people so he wanted to be open about it. "If we're going to work together, then I suppose it would be best to offer names. I'm Maverick." The word together was spoken with some tone of distaste. This was a gamble, but he really couldn't keep functioning with this clunky arm. He needed a new one and that meant going deeper and getting more stuff.

 

[Absolutedreams]

Cody paid attention to the way Maverick spoke – and you know, it wasn't the first time he's come across an experiment. Interestingly he's ran into a small variety of them, some well beyond brainwashed and well Cody was here and they weren't. Not to say he's killed them all, he has killed a few in defense and there was no reasoning with them. He tried, it was rather sad the outcome but it was them or him and he choose to remain alive despite his dislike of living. His jaw tensed a little, he didn't like running across experiments especially because they made him think about the reason he was so angry. He'd much rather not touch on his suppressed feelings and he did what he always did, pushed them deep, deep down.

He pulled his hood back up, smirking, as he suspected the other was interested in going deeper. They didn't know what could be down there – what supplies they could find, something worth of value, maybe more monsters, maybe not. You didn't hear of anyone hitting those lower levels alone. It's 'dangerous' and why not take the opportunity? "It's fine, I can use you as bait or a distraction." Was he joking? He came off as serious. "Cody."

One problem though, if they were gonna do this there's no way the kid could bring those arms. They were clunky and probably heavy. He could easily guess the purpose and so, they were of value to Maverick. Cody could respect that. "Leave em up here. Grab them on the way out." Who else would find them? Nobody, they were the only two really stupid enough to come scavenging in this place anyway. Cody left his heavy gear outside, hidden, Maverick could leave his arms up here right by the door, making an easy grab out. It wasn't like Cody wanted those, he was looking for smaller things, easier things to carry. Small valuable items that could fetch him a price and he could move on.

Heeding his own advice, Cody would leave the meat behind too – since it wouldn't be a good idea to hoist that along in case there was something down there, and it was hungry.

He waited for Maverick to find a nook to stash them in. His mood much more tolerable. Not a raging bastard hell bent on killing poor Maverick. Not exactly chipper – kind of excited to go exploring further…but it also meant he had a slight obligation on ensuring Maverick stayed as safe as Cody. Two of them making their way into the bowels of hell held a better likely hood of survival, if there was anything down there and assisting each other in whatever they might find down there. Since the facility no longer had power – not even the backup generators after all this time worked, they had to take the stairs. Going down was the easy part, some steps questionable – rusted, but the damn stairwell was narrow. You couldn't walk down side by side but it wasn't like they were going to hold hands. Cody to show good faith took the lead. Also because he had a knack for being able to see into the darkness – and maybe catch something lurking, well ahead of how far Maverick's flash light could reach. That would give them a slight advantage.

 

[ZetaInfection]

Cody's words made a small grin tug at Maverick's lips, but it was quick and easy to miss. "Yeah? And I can leave you behind just as easily." he reminded. He could teleport right back to the surface if things went to complete shit. Both of them had no particular reason to care for the other aside from the purely beneficial partnership of exploring deeper. Neither one of them would bat an eye in sympathy if the other died. Maverick liked it like that. Nice and simple, no meaningless attachments or emotional baggage. He stashed the bag as recommended and pulled out what seemed like a smaller bag that had been folded up within the other. He came prepared for a good haul after all.

Now they could see what secrets this place really held. Maverick had never been inside a Sigma facility of this size before. Reaching the stairs Maverick looked down. It would be a nasty fall if either of them fucked up. Could the stairs even hold them anymore? After giving the first step a good test he allowed Cody to take the lead. Each step was taken quietly and Maverick stepped on one of the steps Cody had skipped. It was only a moment but the second he felt it give he jerked back, his heart pounding hard as he realized that they needed to be extra careful. Thankfully the step didn't give entirely so nothing fell to make any sort of sound but it was bent and near its breaking point.

He skipped over that step and made sure to test each step he came across just to avoid a repeat. This facility went pretty damned deep. His light reflected off the worn concrete walls but it didn't offer the greatest view. As they reached the bottom Maverick felt as if he could kiss the solid ground if it weren't so damned filthy. Nothing so far it seemed, but he had a feeling if anything else lurked around it would have to be pretty deep into this place considering the racket they had made upstairs.

They ended up in a sizable hallway that had some rather large industrial doors on each side. Normally such doors would be electronically locked and one of them was. The other was open only a crack. This was unexplored territory. "We might have really hit the jackpot." Maverick murmured as he examined the door that was open just slightly. It was rusted to hell and too difficult for him to slide with just one good arm. "Gimme a hand with this. Might as well start on the door we have easier access to." This was bound to be loud but they came all this way and he was not going back empty handed. The screeching grind of the rusted mechanisms in the door was loud as he pulled at it, but alone it would take significantly more effort. They only needed to get it far enough for them to slip inside.

 

[Absolutedreams]

"I wouldn't expect anything less." So, they were on the same page. As they should be. Cody didn't expect Maverick to go out of his way – in a life-or-death scenario, get out if you can get out. Really basic stuff.

Cody heard the mistakeable step and he paused glancing over his shoulder with a hiss. One wrong step could fracture the whole section and they both could go down. "Careful." Not only that but say Maverick fell because of a faulty step, he could easily take Cody down with him and while it might not kill either of them, a broken bone is something neither of them could afford. That's practically a death sentence.

Finally making it to the deeper level, he wondered if this was the 'main level' and how far or large was this facility. It seemed undisturbed, dust settled in thick, thick layers and the air was musty and old smelling. If there was anything living down here it wasn't in this level as they moved dust stirred and they left foot prints behind. He wouldn't go just on that assumption alone – look at the thing they had to deal with upstairs, who knew what beasties they made, maybe they were dormant and waking them up would be worse than waking up a sleeping bear. "Hmn. Ya."

Cody came over to help which meant they had to get briefly close and personal. He didn't care for the sound the damn door made, like 'ding dong' anyone home? Maybe it would be mistaken for the building moaning, who knows. They just needed it open enough to get inside. The sound of the old hinges did echo into the void of darkness. They both knew nothing was going to be easy, sure they could hope nothing would happen but that wasn't their luck. Slipping into the room was fine, there was nothing lurking here, nothing could get into the room.

Cody allowed his shadows to reach out into the room, into the hall – like sensors, so he could feel something coming. It didn't take very long for his shadows to shift, sending a tingle down his spine. Cody, without a word grabbed Maverick by his good arm and yanked him away from the door and through another smaller door. He pulled Maverick into a supply closet, the rickety door on one hinge but it closed enough. Unfortunately, the space was very small and it put them body to body. On the beneficial side it allowed Cody to pull his shadows around them and even drown out the light from Maverick's flashlight. Practically cocooning them in darkness and while his shadows projected a temperature to match the room around them – the space they were in matched their body heat, so it was a little warm.

At first there was nothing, not even a sound. Cody could hear a distant ringing in his ears for how deathly silent it was. Whatever it was out there moved in a way that only he could feel it when it moved through his shadows. Cody hoped as long as they remained undetected whatever this was would leave and they could continue.

They weren't going to be that lucky, the door screeched as whatever it was pulled it open more to get inside. Assuming it is just one creature it was strong enough to move the door, you still couldn't hear it but you could smell the dust it disturbed. Without really thinking Cody pulled Maverick much more securely against himself and their little door moved, the creature pushing on it. He put his arm up to keep it stable, but it only squished them together more. They just needed to wait it out, the thing didn't know they were there if it did he was sure the door would be torn off already. They just couldn't see what it was but Cody would be happier if they didn't find out.

 

[ZetaInfection]

Maverick wasn't a fan for the close contact but it beat spending far longer than necessary on this damn door. He would have gladly done it himself if he'd had two functional arms but that just wasn't the case. Given how secure the room had seemed, Maverick slipped into the gap they had made and looked around. Smaller parts littered the shelves, some of which would be worth a pretty penny. He wouldn't be surprised if this facility held energy weapons and such somewhere within based off the sort of stuff he was currently looking at.

There was a drawing board in the corner with a bunch of old papers and diagrams tacked to it to demonstrate what he assumed was a technology they had been working at at the time. Whatever it was was way over his head unfortunately. He was lucky enough to make what he had attached to him already. Anything more complex would need instructions and time. A few fine tools caught his notice, the sort you don't see often. Likely they went to specific screws and such used by this place.

Just as he was considering what to possibly pilfer from this goldmine of theirs he was caught by surprise as he was grabbed by the arm and dragged away. The motion was urgent as if something was wrong, and that was the only reason he didn't speak up or pull away. He couldn't hear a damn thing but Cody seemed alarmed enough to drag them into a small closet. The close proximity made him uneasy but he remained silent as he tried to listen for any sort of sound that might have put Cody on edge.

Nothing. Then again, the thing they fought above had also been silent. The sound of the door out there screeching in protest was the only indication that something was indeed out there and whatever it was was strong enough to open that rusted door. Now the damn thing was nosing around at their little closet, pushing at it and investigating. Given how they were forced to be against one another like this there was no doubt that Cody could feel just how hard his heart was pounding. When it seemed like the door was stuck due to Cody holding it the creature eventually gave up. Could this one also not see? There was more than enough dust to show that they were in here, their footprints proof of their presence.

The dust that was kicked up as the creature continued to look around was a problem, but Maverick had the brilliant idea of reaching up with his false arm to cover his mouth and nose just in case. If that dust caused them to somehow sneeze they would be fucked. It seemed as if it was still looking around, bumping on the large table out there that had something in the making laid out across it. Maverick flinched at the sound of one of the large metal shelves nearly toppling over as the search continued. In the end the creature found nothing. All went silent and it was hard to tell if the creature had left or was still here. The fact that its feet made not a single sound made him skeptical as to whether or not it was safe.

It would be best to wait at least ten more minutes before daring to find out. They might need to contend with that thing eventually, but it would be better if they had the advantage. Recalling the sounds of it bumping stuff he guessed that it was large, but maybe not as large as the other had been. The dust would be their proof however as he doubted the creature was light-footed enough to avoid making any prints in the dust at all. Maverick hoped they wouldn't have to deal with it at all because there was no telling how many of those things are around and if they had to fight, it was possible they would have to deal with more than they could reasonably handle.

When Cody eventually saw fit to open the door that he had been holding they would find that they were alone. The room was a bit messier than before and as Maverick assumed, there were prints in the dust. Judging by the prints he would have to say it was probably the size of a large bear. "Maybe I should invest in traps." Maverick murmured quietly. They could probably make some with all the shit they had in this room. It was like a junker's paradise in here.

 

[Absolutedreams]

They knew the risks they were taking, Cody just hoped it wouldn't have been so sudden. The pushing on the flimsy door was the most nerve wracking but the creature didn't press to hard and moved on. He was just slightly calmer than Maverick, it took concentration to hold his shadows, the door and disguise the both of them. Thus his heartbeat wasn't as fast as Maverick's. He could indeed feel Maverick's heart, as they were body to body. Cody tried in his own way to 'soothe' Maverick, his hand sliding almost awkwardly across Maverick's back and giving it a light tap. It was an uncomfortable position, very intimate but it worked and eventually the creature moved on.

Cody let his shadows reach out as far as he could to make sure they were safe, the beastie was long gone and so he pushed open the door while dropping the security of his shadows directly surrounding them. Once they both stepped out Cody rubbed at his nose, the dust irritating it. The fact of the matter was, what was in this room alone was worth the risk… His big bright ideas – he couldn't wait to be done with it. Cody sighed and went to the opposite side of the room, a section where he thought Maverick would be least interested in. Pulling a tightly twisted up cloth bag that was stitched together from scraps, Cody started his shopping too. "Hard to trap something you don't understand." He didn't mean it as an insult, just a fact. They didn't know what that was, if it was even the same sort of creature like the other.

"Let's hurry up." He glanced at the disturbance of dust, something just didn't feel right about that encounter. It gave him the heebie-jeebies, who the hell knows what the unions were doing down here. Cody grabbed anything that he could fit in his bag, preferably smaller items that he was sure, in fact he was sure anything they grabbed in this room would be worth something. Food, maybe new clothes, Cody needed better supplies and some of this will fetch a damn good price. Bright ideas were turning out to be Cody's specialty at the moment. While he moved around, making his way around the room and coming back closer to where Maverick was at.

"What if we come back. For a better haul…" They could be more prepared, they could go in deeper – yeah his curiosity was getting the better of him, ya, he wanted to know what the fuck they were doing down here. They – together, could come back better prepared, rested, ready, with a better idea of what they might be facing and how to avoid trouble.

Cody hoisted his almost full sack over his shoulder, idle rummaging around through drawers in a desk as he waited for Maverick to finish up and also to consider his offer. What did they really have to lose by taking it further? Their life? That was an everyday threat, might as well make it worth it.

 

[ZetaInfection]

Cody was right. The foot prints alone didn't tell them anything really. He started to load up on the most useful stuff available along with some thin metal plating that looked like it would be useful if boiled down. The problem was getting someone who knew enough to help work on this arm of his. He had reached the limits of how far he could go in terms of strength and responsiveness. Some of this could go to reinforcing this piece of junk he currently had but anything better required an entirely new arm.

Among all the bits and pieces he found a cabinet with papers that seemed useful. Perhaps not as useful as he would have liked but the techniques were advanced and would serve better than any electronic knowledge he had currently. He was just finishing up when he heard the other offer a rather tempting idea. Come back for more. They knew how to get into this place now and they also had somewhat of an idea of the risks. That other door that was sealed shut, they had no means of opening it currently. Then there was the deeper depths. Just what else did this facility hide?

As soon as he stood up with his haul he let out a thoughtful sound. "That would be an interesting plan. Not much we can do here with what we currently have." he responded. It was best they didn't overstay their welcome for the time being. "I think I'll take you up on that. I kinda wanna know what else this place is hiding." Sigma was a technological facility. That thing up there very well could have been a Delta creation, but what was something Delta created doing in a place like this? Surely they didn't wander this far and just randomly setup came here. That was assuming he was right about his suspicions of course.

Soon they were on their way out, carefully making their way up those steps and into the area they had explored previously. An idea came to mind suddenly and Maverick turned to look at the other curiously, though it was hard to see in the dark. "You wouldn't happen to know anyone who dabbles in advanced electronics, do you?" he asked curiously. His own connections were fairly limited so far and he hadn't found anyone who could assist with what he needed. A proper fucking arm. He could easily provide the pieces necessary but it was getting someone knowledgeable that was the problem.

He wasn't really excited by the prospect of traveling together but it would be safer. Especially considering the sizable haul they acquired. Bandits and raiders would kill to get their hands on stuff like this, and they had a whole trove of it on hand.

 

[Absolutedreams]

Cody felt a sense of glee, a feeling that he hasn't felt in a long time and it was kinda strange to him. This kind of happiness…He's drowned himself in his solitude for so long this feeling was uncomfortable. He swallowed it down like a lump in his throat as they made their leave. He took time to reflect as they carefully climbed their way back up that is until Maverick stopped them to ask a question.

He made a pained face that was most hidden by the dark and his hood. Yeah he knew someone. He had connections, he had a few connections that he's formed not all by choice over the years. Sure this kid probably needed some, ones he could trust-ish and how else would he get them? Through someone who could recommend them. Cody just didn't want to go there but…buuut it was close, a couple days and they could sell some stuff and better prepare too. Besides that it would be beneficial if Maverick actually had a functioning arm. So the pros out weighed Cody's personal cons against the idea. He sighed. "Yeah I know someone." Oh but it was going to come with a price, things weren't free these days. "But for the recommendation I want twenty percent of your profit next haul." He was being generous, Maverick was going to need what he did get this time to pay for the service on his arm. Besides, if Maverick just so happens to die during their raiding Cody will just take his shit.

Once they were out of the stairwell Cody snatched up his bag of beastie meat. He and Maverick would have to come to terms with spending some time together and they were looking at more than a few days. Then, once they were done they could cut ties and move on. Cody didn't like staying in the same area to long, but this was a good opportunity to partake in.

It would take a few days to get where they needed to be and Cody was eager to get out of the facility and put distance between it. Especially after all the ruckus they caused. Best to let things settle down. Once outside of the facility – it was already getting late, damn did they spend that long inside? Cody went to where he hid his gear and painfully hoisted it onto his back. The one thing about losing daylight is it didn't bother Cody, it was easier on his eyes then the blazing sun and cooler at night. "Let's go, I don't want to be caught out in the open."

Cody led the way, he'd march them across the dusty landscape until they reached a rumble of a building. It would lend them good cover for the night and Cody needed to take care of his meat and his wound. He grunted and grumbled mostly to himself as he set up camp, digging a little pit in the dirt for the small fire so he could cook the meat. While it cooked he settled down and shuffled through his own supplies for a few things. One a glass bottle of whisky. He removed his jacket and the his shirt – three claw marks across his chest. A drink for himself and then he poured it on the wound and boy did that sting. He hissed through his teeth and leaned back against a slab of remaining wall. That was always pleasant…He waited for the throbbing to subside, taking another drink. Aware he should probably drink some water too but this sure did help with his pain. His intention was not to get drunk so he capped the bottle and sat up straighter. He had some gauze and long pieces of cloth he could use to bandage the cuts to keep them clean.

This was going to be a daily chore to keep them clean, it was hard to keep anything clean nowadays when clean water was hard to come by.

 

[ZetaInfection]

It was a pleasant surprise to hear that Cody had someone in mind considering his usual luck with such things. He knew that nothing was free and people always wanted something in turn for their services. No one could afford to be selfless when they were all just trying to get by as best as they could. "Twenty, huh?" Maverick murmured thoughtfully. Their next haul would hopefully be entirely profit depending on whether he needed more materials for his arm or not. "I can live with that."

Once he had everything ready he had the heaviest on his back which was the bag of metal arms. This was going to be a pain in the ass to bring back. That along with the bag of necessities and extras. Maverick nodded and followed along as Cody lead them to a more secluded place to rest. When they finally reached the place Cody had in mind Maverick's body was sore. All this junk was heavy as hell but it was all worth it. He placed the bags with all the metal goods in a corner out of sight as a precaution. If anyone did come out here and wander by they wouldn't see the lucrative goods they had managed to collect.

Maverick sat down with a groan and looked his arm over. The good one. Seemed like he didn't cause any harm to it with that ice power of his which was a relief. He didn't need to lose the other arm to the same bullshit after all. He watched the other set up a fire as he rummaged through his bag to procure a canteen which he sipped from. "That looks pretty nasty." he commented. "You didn't get too damaged from the ice, right? That frost bite can be nasty." Cody hadn't been in contact with it long enough to cause permanent damage as he had been wise to pull away, but he just wanted to make sure.

From his bag he pulled out what looked like a small metal case. Inside was several pieces of jerky, one of which he pulled out and began chewing on as he watched the meat cook. He had never grabbed any for himself because he just didn't have the luxury of space to carry it. Besides, he had come prepared with some preserved rations he had traded for in the last town he had visited. In the incandescent flickers of light from the fire it was obvious that neither of them were very clean. What would have been grayish silver hair was currently anything but. His exhaustion was clear as day, leaning back heavily against the sturdiest wall there was.

 

[Absolutedreams]

"Honestly I think it numbed the pain." He shrugged, yeah the flesh was red and tender but he was certain the claw marks were worse. Though, he wouldn't admit it but Maverick's icy touch had seeped deep into his bones and that was actually a very miserable pain. The pain was just all the same to him. He didn't think much about it. "You didn't get hurt?" He asked as he pathetically covered the claw marks the best of his ability and then pulled his shirt back on. The meat starting to turn white now instead of pink – and as unappetizing as it was, it did smell good. He decided, with no fucks given, to sprinkle a little of the whiskey on it since he didn't have any seasoning to make it taste better. Then, after caping the bottle he tossed it Maverick's way. "Have a drink if you want."

Even in this poor lighting of the fire it was obvious that Cody had more than a few years on Maverick. His black hair and scruffy face holding strands of gray. The lines in his face much more obvious, really showing his age. His skin sun weathered darker and in some places that was more exposed almost blotchy. Just like Maverick he wasn't clean either, his skin covered in a thin layer of that dust that surrounds them and dark smudges here and there. He wouldn't even be able to tell you the last time he's had a bath – maybe after this next run he could afford one.

Cody put away his supplies and pushed his bag aside and inched his way to the meat. It was ready – he was sure as he poked it with his knife. The two large slabs were more than he could eat and he didn't plan on drying it out to preserve it. He planned – and actually had Maverick in mind when he cut the pieces in the first place. He hadn't done it just for himself. Cody cut the pieces up on a slab of rock he had done his best to clean off for a smooth surface. Nice bite sized pieces. He taste tested one and while it wasn't the greatest quality for what they didn't have, it was good enough, it tasted ok but most importantly it would provide needed nutrition.

"Well I can't eat it all." He said after swallowing his test cut. "Don't let it go to waste." He motioned to the meat as he took a few pieces into his hand to eat and sat back. Yeah, he planned on sharing this whole time. Maverick looked like he could use it and again it would be a shame to waste – not to mention it would have made Cody out to be a real asshole if he didn't share.

In the meantime while they enjoyed dinner Cody allowed his tiny fire to burn until it burned out. It wasn't something he'd keep going all night, while the nights get cold, he wouldn't risk having the fire going to attract unwanted visitors. They could survive the cooler temps in the night, as they weren't life threatening yet – a few more months and that will be another story, for now the chilly evenings were tolerable and survivable without other heat sources.

 

[ZetaInfection]

When asked whether or not he was hurt he took a moment to consider that answer. "Not particularly." he answered as he adjusted his vest. "I use this arm to take the damage for me whenever possible." As he spoke he lifted that metal arm of his. It clearly had function but it was a poor excuse for an extremity. The fingers were slow to respond in forming a fist, and comically enough one of them remained outstretched in an offensive manner. That finger no longer functioned but it was of no consequence since he wouldn't rely on it to do anything delicate. The guy who had first helped him even come up with this thing was no longer among the living unfortunately, so he had been maintaining it on his own this entire time.

As the bottle was tossed he managed to catch it but it was clear the bottle had slowed enough for him to do so. "Careful, if I wasn't multi-talented I might not have been able to catch it." A dull ache presented itself in his head but it was minor. He hated using any of his powers unnecessarily. "This arm isn't my dominant one, unfortunately." he added for clarification. The arm he had lost had been the dominant one. It had made life hellish for quite some time as he learned to do finer tasks with his left but it was still just as sloppy. Using the metal arm to hold the bottle in place he opened the it and took a drink. It had been a while since he'd had the luxury to drink something like this and he savored it. He didn't take too much as he was sure this wasn't easy to come by. He set it down to the side so Cody could retrieve it whenever he saw fit.

Having been resigned to his jerky Maverick did not expect the other to offer anything further so it was a surprise to have been offered any of the meat. "If you don't mind. Can't let anything go to waste these days." Maverick moved over to the rock where the meat was and started to eat it. It was far easier to consume than the dried jerky he had been eating not too long ago but the taste left a lot to be desired. The whiskey at least offered some flavor in the absence of salt and seasoning. As the fire burned out there was still enough daylight to see what they were doing but it wouldn't last too much longer. When he finished up he seemed to be mulling over his words before offering a terse appreciation for the meal. "Thanks." he said, clearly not used to thanking people for anything.

He moved back to the wall he had been leaning against and eventually pulled one of his bags closer so he could use it as a pillow of sorts, although a rather uncomfortable one. Was it wise to sleep with a complete stranger nearby? Of course not. All it would take is one good stab and Cody could run off with all his loot. It was that paranoid part of his mind that had likely saved him more times than he could count, but they both stood to benefit from this temporary partnership. It would be dumb to off him right now when they had far more to bring back in terms of valuables. It took a while, but he did eventually manage to convince himself to sleep. They couldn't afford to be too tired when they had so much traveling to do.