ZRP-2: Chapter 5: Pariah's Warning

(Andrew)

=I look back, my face turning beet red=

Well...I can see that she's adjusted well...hehe...

=I smile a bit, wondering about the fate of dear old Abernathy=

If we ever come across him, may God have mercy on his soul...

(James)
=We left the lobby of the hotel, her still in my arms, and we walked down the street=
"My brother, Mikey.....he was violent. Smart, clever, and at times charming. But he was also cruel, vicious, and I had a feeling he was sociopathic. But I didn't see, none of us saw, just how bad he was by the time the outbreak began. He had joined a group you and I are very familiar with Eve. He joined the Shepherds when they were starting out, becoming public. And then he betrayed my family."

Eve sniffed.
She knew where it was going.

(James)
"He killed our parents. My friends. The girl I was going out with.....and then he burned down our home around me, left me tied up inside. I managed to get out, just barely.....but he was already gone. And now, for the first time in two years, he and I met today. Eve....you met your uncle earlier."

"My uncle is dead. Who I met was nothing but the Shepherds' glorified asshole."
Eve hugged James tighter. "Someone who is nobody but a to-be smudge in the nonezistant history books."

(James)
"Looks like you and I have the same idea of him. But I'm telling you this, so you know full well the measure of this man. You know what the Pariah is capable of. Now you know what Mikey is capable of."
=We had reached the park=

"He doesn't understand family trumps fanatics."
Eve smiled.

(James)
"True. But don't let this rob you of the fact that he is dangerous. And strong. And most of all, skilled."
=I set her down on the ground, my arms sore=

Eve sighed.
"But he can't beat you daddy."

(James)
"I'm not so sure Eve....he was always better at me. Stronger too."

Eve took her dad's hand.
"He doesn't have a family. You don't have to fight alone."

(James)
"You're mother said the same thing. But this is something I need to do alone. He took my first family, I won't let him take my new one. And I have to make him pay for everything. The betrayal, the death....all of it. On my own."

"Daddy."
Eve crossed her arms. "You keep telling me I have you, mommy..." she scowled. "You are not alone. Stop saying it's your fight. He threatened the girl I LOVE WITH MY ENTIRE HEART. My MOMMY. Its not your fight. Its ours. If you want to argue with me, with mommy, then I hope your brought an armchair and enough provisions to last you a few decades."

(Andrew)

=I want to talk about Abernathy, but I didn't want to know what Sarah's reaction would be=

Knowing her, she'd probably beat me to a pulp...

=I decide to avoid the topic, figuring that the conversation wouldn't end well=

Mira snuggled with Sarah again, nuzzling her face into Sarah's.

(James)
=That more than anything made me smile=
"Looks like it really is a family vs the villain, eh?"

"No woeming out of this one." Eve said firmly.
Then she looked down.
"I'm scared. I want to tell Sam I'm sorry. But...but...She won't believe me. She'll be mad..." she sniffed. "Daddy, what do I do?"

(James)
"You talk to her, but at a distance. And she needs to come to you, not the other way around. When she's ready to talk again, you'll know."

Eve let go.
"Please tell her I'm sorry. And inpromise to tell her when...you know how to say it..."
Eve ran off before James could stop her.

(James)
"Eve, wait! Wait where are you going?"
=I ran after her=

Eve glanced over her shoulder.
"I need to give her space. This is the only way I know." She slowed to a stop.
"Please daddy. Tell her."

(James)
"Eve....look, I'll tell her but..."
=I chuckled a little=

"This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted a father daughter moment for us."

"I'm not exactly the daughter who knows anything but running."
Eve looked at her feet.

(Sarah)

=I snuggled with Miranda, not feeling I was locked up, but I was with family=

Come and get me you sadist...if you feel like having your bones broken...

=I smile at the thought of Andrew beating that man to death=

(Andrew)

=I smiled at the scene, leaning my head back and staring the ceiling=

Well...let's hope James isn't dealing with some demons...

=I frown at the thought, but I smiled at how well my sister was adjusting=

(James)
"Then maybe it's time you started learning something new? Like how to walk with your father?"
=I held out a hand=

Eve looked at James.
She finally took his hand.
"Ok..."

(James)
=Gently gripping her hand, I started walking with her through the park. Not that we had far to go=
"So.....knowing the attack is coming, which sounds better? Stand our ground, fight it out. Or leave everyone here while we go for more help?"

"Find help. Return like Aslan did at the end of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." Eve reslonded.

(James)
"I didn't watch that one....or any of them actually."
=Still, it sounded good. Returning with more help=

"But where would we go for help?"

"The nearest Elite compound." Eve answered.

(James)
"Then you're talking ground zero. I doubt there are any other elite compounds nearby. I guess Cooper or Clarissa might know of some, but even then.....we don't know when the next attack will be."

"Then we move fast..."
Eve raised an eyebrow.

(James)
"Will we be fast enough though?"

"We'll have to be." Eve said.

(James)
"One can hope there is something though. That there are enough survivors out there for an army."

"Numbers do not win a war."
Eve looked to the arch. "Troy. We'll mKe this troy. But leave the wooden horses outside."

(James)
"Uh, Eve? We're basically Troy in our fortress. So that doesn't bode well for us."

"Hence the no wooden horses idea..."
She sighed.

(James)
"Yeah but still. You're saying they just need clever tactics and a way to sneak in, and we're fucked."

"No."
She frowned. "Stop being so fucking negative..."

(James)
"Not being negative. Just.....realistic, I guess."

"Because one psychopath can take down all...right..."
She sighed. "Me. Right."
Eve shrugged.

(James)
=We walked a little bit more until I came to a stop at a bench=
"One psychopath who managed to slip inside is leading them. That's bad for us."

"Theeeeeen..."

I take my MP3 player out from my coat and plug it into the wall. Finally giving life to the old thing. I turn to the and open a drawer.
I sigh as I take out my Beretta and 44. and drop them inside. Then the fire hatchet. I stop to think a moment.

Keep the flare gun, just incase...... would anybody mind me having these things?

"Mhm...because a crazy psycopath...will, in the end, beat daddy." She gave him a pointed look. "Daddy. Where's your boasts of you being awesome and indomitable despite your physical inferiority to the adversaey?"
She rolled her eyes. "Daddy. We'll make it. If we stop dilly dallying and get our asses into gear."

(James)
"I kinda stopped boasting when I met your mom kiddo. And everyone else is doing something. Not much for me to do."

"Perfect. Give Sam my message and let me be alone." Eve crossed her arms.

(James)
=I looked at her, a worried expression on my face. Then I yielded=
"Just be careful, okay? He already came to see you once. I'd rather not tempt fate and find out he came back to....well, you know."

=Patting her on the shoulder, I got up and left=

"He won't kill me. Psycopaths want to see the anguish of their victims before they die."
She went and ran to find a quiet place.

(James)
If only you knew kiddo. He'd kill you, then leave me and Hibiki to break down over your corpse before killing us.
=As that pleasant thought crossed my mind, I jogged back for the hotel=