Into the Black

Nick22 · **Reply #1360 on:** March 23, 2014, 11:06:02 AM

rose and marie waved to Axel. ' needed some time to yourself? we all need from time to time..' MArie said ' tony made it through ok, but now we're trying to figure out how to pay for the surgeries. how many credits do you have on you Axel? because its a half a million credits for the three surgeries.

Pterano · **Reply #1361 on:** March 23, 2014, 12:44:05 PM

Vergil nodded at Axel as he reappeared, but noticed the evasive nature of the rat. Narrowing his eyes, he studied the rodent for a moment. He was hiding something... but why? What could possibly be worth hiding?

In the recovery room, Tony looked up as Marita entered. She was "keeping him company", but in reality was asking him for money. "Uhh... no... I don't think I do." he shook his head here. "I think that... ugh!" he put a paw up to his mouth again, waiting for the antiemetic to take effect. "My emergency card is to cover things like my emergency expenses... but I doubt my dad would want me to use it for other things. I could always ask, though. Don't you guys have insurance?" he inquired, rubbing his stomach, as he still felt like hurling again, the nausea not immediately subsiding.

Nick22 · **Reply #1362 on:** March 23, 2014, 01:07:57 PM

"Let me see' Marita said.. digging through her purse.. " I asked because we dont have much cash on hand.. ah here.. I DO have insurance.. and you have enough to pay for yours.. that leaves anne and Nairda.. i'm glad to see you pulled though.. you really scared us..' She said softly, as she handed him a tissue.. ' here if you have to throw up again.. So, once we get out of here, i'll be driving the car for a bit until you feel fully up to it. hopefully that shouldnt be too long, because time is not a luxury we have, those lunatics are going to release their bomb in less than 24 hours and we cant afford to make any more mistakes..

Pterano · **Reply #1363 on:** March 23, 2014, 01:36:28 PM

"I don't even know if the doc's gonna let me move in my condition." Tony said a bit despondently as he looked down at the floor. "I mean once the drugs kick in... I should be good enough to drive... but... that's only if I'm allowed to be discharged... getting shot... isn't there usually a recovery time?" he asked, looking up now as he glanced at the clock. The antiemetic was starting to work, but painkillers typically took about 20 minutes, and his throat was throbbing. "If I'm laid up... then I guess I'll miss whatever's coming next..." he said sadly, gulping a bit here as he lay back against the pillow and stared at the ceiling.

bushwacked · **Reply #1364 on:** March 23, 2014, 02:08:38 PM

Axel shook his head. "No, I... I don't have anything," he told Marie. "Sorry. Doesn't anyone else have any credits on them?" As he spoke, he felt Vergil's eyes on him, searching him, and he blinked back at the gecko awkwardly. "Vergil? Are, uh... is everything okay?" Axel shifted uncomfortably.

Pterano · **Reply #1365 on:** March 23, 2014, 02:24:23 PM

Vergil's eyes were still on Axel, and he spoke in his even tones as he explained his line of thinking. "You're hiding something, or at least your body language tells me you are. You failed to make direct eye contact with Soren, your posture indicates a defensive and not open stance, so that to me says that you're keeping something back, or at the very least, uncomfortable. What is wrong?" he asked pointedly, raising a brow and frowning thoughtfully. "I take it you did more than just clear your head on this walk."

bushwacked · **Reply #1366 on:** March 23, 2014, 03:14:22 PM

Axel flinched. "I... uh..." He sighed, his ear flattening. "Alright... I did go for a walk, but when I was out there, I... well, I was thinking about heading off without you guys, trying to get into the Purifier base on my own." He looked up, shamefaced, at the group. "I just kept thinking about how Lily's still in there while they're doing... god-knows-what to her... and I thought about how long we were going to take here, and I just panicked. The only reason I didn't just take a cab and get out of here was because I don't have any credits left to go anywhere."

He swallowed. "I... I wasn't even thinking that I'd be abandoning the rest of you. It was stupid, and... and selfish, and I'm sorry. I wasn't going to say because I don't want you guys thinking I'd just leave you." Axel surreptitiously bit down on the inside of his cheek, and tears welled up in his eyes. "I won't ever think about doing it again, I promise." Inside, his stomach was twisting in knots. Lying to his friends made him feel lousy, but Axel knew he had no choice.

Nick22 · **Reply #1367 on:** March 23, 2014, 03:35:13 PM

well, at least you changed your mind.' Rose said looking at him.' but this not something any of us can handle on our own.. only by working together can we have any chance of getting lilly back. i know she means a lot to you axel, and desperate people often do desperate things, but in the future you need to tell us first where you are going.
-
we'll give you some time to rest at the safehouse.. say an hour or two, but you're going to have to forgo the full recovery time- we cant afford to have you laid up for days on end.. we dont have that luxury' Marita said.' not when those lunatics are trying to turn Lanthae into a major hellhole. well, a bigger hellhole than it already is..

Pterano · **Reply #1368 on:** March 23, 2014, 03:44:36 PM

Vergil softened here as Axel explained, though the thoughtful frown was still on his face. "Well, I think your apology is owed more to your friends than to myself." he pointed out here. "I barely know you, but I know you seemed really close with some in this group. So perhaps you should tell them what you just told me." the gecko suggested with a slight smile here.

In the recovery room, Tony continued staring at the ceiling. "What if I don't have a choice in the matter?" he sighed sadly. "What if the doc tells me no way? I'm stuck here until I recover?" he sighed again, shaking his head. "I guess I shouldn't let that stop me... even if I risk reopening my wound..." he commented now, lifting a claw to the air and tracing imaginary patterns now.

Nick22 · **Reply #1369 on:** March 23, 2014, 03:53:34 PM

we'll convince him to let you out' Marita replied. ' you're going to need to take it easy, at least for a little bit. let your neck heal as best you can.. we have to stop these guys.. whatever it takes.. you hungry?" she asked. ' perhaps we can get you a shake to sip on...

Serris · **Reply #1370 on:** March 25, 2014, 10:14:12 AM

Dr. Jiang was nonplussed. "Mister Nairda," he said as he fixed his blue electric gaze on the Augment. "You have failed to pay your bills with me. Currently, you owe me over a million creds in debt. Pay it all off now and I'll fix your vocoder. Be thankful that you merely sound like a second-rate rapper."

----------

Soren sighed. "Axel, I'm handy with a gun and I had a powered exoskeleton. I did the same thing you did and nearly died. You'd be fucked for sure if you did it."

Anne came out of the bathroom. She passed her credit chit to the receptionist. As the repair procedure had cost her all of 900 creds, the card was now empty.

The mare flopped down on a chair. "Well, I paid for my bill, now we gotta pay for Nairda and Tony's."

She looked at the TV and turned it on. The headline "Anti-Augmentation Activist Publically Murdered!"

A crystal clear video of a Purifier being beheaded with a reciprocating saw usually intended to cut concrete played on the screen.

"Turn that shit off!" Soren snapped.

Anne did so. "Could that be the warning Tony mentioned?"

Nick22 · **Reply #1371 on:** March 25, 2014, 10:30:34 AM

Marie dug into her purse as the tv was turned off..' ah. good.. my insurance card.. all the workers at the club had to have insurance, due to the risk of guys getting into fight and stuff. lets see here.. i had enough coverage for 1 million credits, but i had that accident two years ago..she said as she ran the card through the credit counter."ah i have 375000 left' she said she got up and handed the insurance card to the receptionist ' you're paying for the augment huh' the receptionist said.. ' yeah nairda is part of our group' Marie said. ' ok, that leaves 124100 credits, since the augment over there paid hers. the receptionist said.
Rose found her insurance card at the both of her purse, and took the credit counter from marie. ' 50500 credits' the counter said. ' you hardly have any insurance..' marie sighed, 'and i know why..' rose hung her head.

Pterano · **Reply #1372 on:** March 25, 2014, 11:07:22 AM

Before Anne had switched the TV off, reports that a second Purifier had been found naked, eviscerated and hanged from a construction site were also displayed. He had been cut from groin to collarbone, and his insides were seen dangling underneath him as his body hung lifeless from a crane. This Purifier was a bit more prominent than the first...

In the recovery room, Tony shook his head. "No I'm... I'm still a little woozy... the drug hasn't kicked in yet." he explained. "If I have to take it easy... I'm probably going to have to do it here." he reiterated. "I'll just see what the doc says. But I want to go... I want to go so badly..." He sighed, still staring at the ceiling. "If I can leave... I will. And even if I can't... I can't just sit here... even if I risk reopening my wound."

Nick22 · **Reply #1373 on:** March 25, 2014, 11:32:49 AM

you have to let the wound heal as best you can. we barely got you here in time' marita reminded him, ' but i understand your feelings. i'd be raring to go as well. we'll just have to wait for the doctor' she said as a nurse came in..

bushwacked · **Reply #1374 on:** March 25, 2014, 11:34:56 AM

Axel nodded at the group, gratefully. "Thanks for not taking it personally. The more I think about it, the dumber it sounds." As Marie and Rose paid over the credits they had on them, he grimaced. "I'm... I'm sorry that I can't help with any of this. I mean, money was never something I really, ah... had." Shifting slightly in embarrassment, he looked up at the TV and blanched as he saw the images flashing up.

"I'm, ah, gonna go check on Tony," he choked, quickly turning away and heading down to the ferret's room, knocking on the door lightly. Opening it, he nodded at Marita and gave a small smile to Tony. "Hey... sorry I didn't come sooner. How're you doing? You look... uh, good..." he said unconvincingly.

Pterano · **Reply #1375 on:** March 25, 2014, 12:12:54 PM

The conversation with Marita was starting to go in circles now, but fortunately, Axel's entry into the room spared the ferret any further need to agree that yes, ultimately, they had to wait for the doctor.

Tony raised his head, and gave Axel a blank stare. "No... I don't, I'm sure." he replied, looking off to the side here before shifting his gaze back to the rodent. "Where were you?" he asked accusingly, brow furrowed in consternation. "You were the last person I expected to show up last..." He trailed off, resting back against the pillow. "Not that it matters I guess..." He looked off to the side again. "I don't even know if I can go with you anymore. I haven't heard anything yet on my condition."

Nick22 · **Reply #1376 on:** March 25, 2014, 12:30:06 PM

i'll letyou chat with Axel' marita said to tony getting up and leaving the room. she went down the hall and rejoined the girls in the lobby.'well tonys hanging in there' she said to them. we'll have wait until the doctor sees him before we know when or if we'll be able to take tony with us..'
- well rose and i found our insurance cards so we'll be able to cover most of the costs. annes cost wasnt very much, nairdas was' marie said.' how much as we short?" marita said ' 124000' rose said. ' tony has enough to cover his operation so we're good.'Marita replied. ' You guys hungry? theres a Mega Fries in the food court. you girls want anything?" ' sure just get me a mega fry' marie said ' me as well' Rose said. ' so 3 mega fries..' marita said relieved that she could use her credits on something other than hospital bills.

bushwacked · **Reply #1377 on:** March 25, 2014, 12:42:58 PM

Axel's face dropped. "I know, I'm... I'm really sorry. I was going to do something really stupid, but I guess being poor worked out, for once." He crossed the room and took a seat in one of the chairs next to Tony's bed. The pistol Emilena had given him dug painfully into his back, and he shifted position. Axel blinked guiltily, wishing he could tell him the truth. "The whole situation just got to me..."

He swallowed and tried smiling again, hoping Tony would forgive him. "Well, anyway, I'm glad you're, you know... still here. With us. And not, ah..." Axel trailed off. "Well, you know." He nodded vigorously. "Oh, don't worry about it! If you need to take it easy... I mean, I'd feel like crap if you got hurt again."

Pterano · **Reply #1378 on:** March 25, 2014, 02:55:05 PM

Tony didn't look in Axel's direction as he sat down, the ferret still looking off to the side and away from him. "What happened to doing this together?" he asked darkly, staring at the wall.

"But I guess I'm one to talk." he continued, his tone still having that edge to it. "Here I go and get myself shot... and maybe I won't even be able to join you guys for your final push." He closed his eyes here and frowned before crossing his arms over his chest. "Which means I'd be useless... and then's nothing worse than that when your friends are counting on you." he said, his body trembling a tad.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #1379 on:** March 25, 2014, 03:01:58 PM

"Oh, did I never pay you all that, biatch?" Nairda rambled nervously. "All Out forgot son! I be bout ta just go git mah credit card outta mah pants...they still up in tha surgery room..." nervously he dodged back into the room he had just been operated on, and began trying to squeeze himself through a small decorative window that was roughly a third the size he was.