Post by MSS Productions on Aug 7, 2020 0:59:15 GMT
The screen opens to a black shot and the sound of heavy footsteps on concrete. The soft jingle of keys could also be heard in the dark followed by a sudden loud buzz and the sound of a metal door opening.
MSS Presents…
As the metal door closed with a loud, final sounding crash the footsteps resumed and the shot finally began to light up. It was on a shot of a pair of boots, black and polished walking along a concrete floor. The camera came up with the figure showing a tan pair of pants wrapped around a thick pair of legs to a black belt. A set of keys hung from the right side of the belt and a large wooden baton hung from the right.
The camera swung around behind them to show a pair of handcuffs in a holder at the small of the back. As the camera continued around the figure it became clear from the definition of the sides and the shape of the hips that the figure was male. Confirmed only seconds later by the sight of the hair on the arms above the tray of food being held in his hands. The tray had a pair of sandwiches, each in a plastic wrapping and a paper cup filled with some kind of red liquid.
The camera continued up the figure showing the badge of an officer of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. Further up to show the clean shaven face of a balding man in his early forties.
He continued down the dank hallway with steel doors on both sides, the hallway quickly becoming filled with the hoots and hollers of those on the other side of the doors. Both men and women, all screaming obscenities at the man walking down the hall on the other side.
He walked to the halfway point of the hallway and balanced the tray on one hand as he flipped the view port open. The camera came in on the view port to reveal the cell inside. It was empty save for a toilet and a bed bolted into the floor.
A woman was sitting on the bed with her head in her hands but it was clear she wasn’t emotional, as much as she was bored. When the flap opened her head came up and she jumped bolt up from the cot.
Woman: “Can you let me the fuck outta here now?! We both know I don't belong in lock down.”
Corrections Officer: “We all know you stabbed Jacobs, who the fuck are you kidding, Vanessa?”
Vanessa: “That’s bullshit and you know it.”
Corrections Officer: “Then who did?”
Vanessa looked up at the flap and though she was halfway across the cell the look of “Are you fucking kidding me” was clearly visible on her face.
Vanessa: “I got no clue.”
Corrections Officer: “Then this is where you’ll stay.”
Vanessa: “This is fucking bullshit!”
The second flap opened and the tray was slid into the cell, but the woman on the other side all but ignored it. For a moment anyway. After letting out a snorting breath she moved to the door and sat with her back against the cool metal and began to pick at the sandwich.
Vanessa: “The fuck happened out there anyway Lancy? I couldn’t see much as Jordan and Mose were dragging me away.”
Corrections Officer: “Some idiots from D got stabbed and decided to bite officers when they came to break it up.”
Vanessa: “They bit them?!”
There was an amused tone in the woman’s voice as she said this, but the corrections officer looked anything but amused.
Corrections Officer: “You can ask them yourself. They should be on shift again about now.”
Vanessa: “Oh, joy. Can’t you hear how happy that makes me?”
Finishing up the sandwich, the woman shoved the tray back through the slot. As she did the corrections officer’s attention was pulled away as another officer was shown hurriedly opening the gate leading into the hallway and sprinting past without even closing the gate behind him.
The paper cup fell when the tray fell onto the floor outside the door sending the red liquid all over the officers legs and boots. The shot shifted into the cell looking out through the slot as he jumped back looking down at the mess. He just about to snap at the woman in the cell when something slammed into his side sending him into the ground with a muffled grunt.
Vanessa scurried toward the slot and looked through it to find two other corrections officers on top of the officer she had been speaking to, each of them shrieking as they brought down the batons on his head over and over again. Blood shot across the floor and across the slot splashing across her face.
Distant screaming began as one of the two got up from the man and began to chase the other one down the hallway. She could hear the sound of keys jingling as he tried to find the right key and something heavy hit the metal door when the other officer hit him.
Vanessa: “What the fuck….”
The second officer that had attacked Officer Lancy slowly slid off, the only part of them that could be seen was their shins and boots. Lancy’s face was now just a bloody mess with bits of bone and hair stuck to the hard concrete floor.
Voice: “What the hell is going on?!”
A voice from the hallway called out and the figure turned, letting out a shriek and disappeared. Vanessa slid to the side, barely breathing and tried to see something….anything….but all she could see of that side of the hallway was Lancy’s feet. They slid toward him and she looked over just in time to throw herself back as his arm came shooting through the slot the tray had just been in.
Vanessa pushed herself back against the far wall as the bloody arm reached for her, swiping back and forth as Lancy shrieked in hate and rage.
The screen fades to black as the thumping dark gothic intro of “Cry Little Sister” by Gerard McMann begins. The toxic green words appearing on the screen.
Afterlife
“Consequences”
Starring…
Bethany Kenyon as Abigail Ryder
Lilith Meadows as Madison Chaney
Dean Matthews as Jackson Mawl
Samantha Hamilton as Jema Delacroix
Nathaniel Cartwright as Miles Wright
Jansen Myrrh as Gwen O’Neal
DiDi as Alice Cornell
Adrien Cochrane as Josiah Crane
Ryan Corey as Preston Boyd
Anton Crowley as James Ryder
Anton Crowley as James Ryder
And
Introducing
Shanna Mitchell as Vanessa
The sun shimmered, shining off the bright polished flag poles on each side of the reinforced barricade of what had once been a US National Guard depot. The road leading in and out of the debut was a single two lane blacktop that wound around the edge of the mountain range with the actual depot nestled into a little inlet in the rock. The road led to the gate had once been little more than a boom, once lowered to stop traffic.
The boom had been removed, replaced by a row of semi trailers two deep on each side of the road and a heavy metal gate that could be swung upward in the center. The shot continues up past the heavy metal doors to the inside of the compound to show tents that had been strung up everywhere. Near the doors satta bazaar of sorts with plastic show tables sitting beneath the tables and people peddling their handmade wares of both food, cloth and other types of materials.
Behind the marketplace were more rows of tents. These were made with thick, more weatherized materials and filled with clothing, bedding and other personal items showing the tents were the living area of the common folk among the community.
Far behind the rows of personal use tents were three large structures. The first of which was clearly the barracks of the former base and the second sitting beside it was a two story building with large glass windows in the front, no doubt for the higher ups to watch the facility during its heyday.
The last of the buildings was built into the wall of the mountain with heavy steel doors that appeared to be locked in place keeping the doors closed. The steel that made up the doors gave the look of being high grade and many, many inches thick.
The camera swung around in time to see men in the two small towers on each side of the metal gate pulling large ropes through pulleys. The large metal gate swung outwards and a small convoy of vehicles rolled into the compound. Once they were all inside the gate was pulled closed.
The three vehicles, two jeeps and a sedan pulled to a stop in a parking area on the opposite side of the marketplace. The doors of the jeep opened and the stubbled man who had accosted Alice stepped out of the driver's seat. The tiny blonde Penelope stepped out of the passenger seat looking around the compound known as Cold Creek in awe.
A woman stepped out of the jeep behind the man from the rear of the driver's seat and smacked the stubbled man on the shoulder with the back of her head.
Woman: “Pres, what do you want us to do with Ms. High Society while we wait for Josiah?”
Man: “Put her in one of the holding cells until Ness has a chance to get around to finding a permanent solution.”
Woman: “What about our little deer in the headlights?”
The stubbled man looked back at the little blonde standing on the other side of the jeep then back at the woman standing behind him.
Man: “She’s not a fighter. Put her in the chute with the rest of the Noncoms. She’ll need to find something useful to get marks.”
The woman gave a nod and turned barking orders for Alice to be taken to holding and to get Penelope settled into the chute while the stubbled man walked toward the building in the distance. He stopped briefly in the market taking a fresh apple from a table. Leaning down over a ledger he wrote the name “Preston Boyd” and marked a single tally before turning and heading toward the big building in the distance, biting into the apple as he did.
The camera shifts from him to follow a pair of men armed with assault rifles forcing Alice toward the two story structure while off to the side Penelope is escorted to the tents to find herself a home, though she was treated far kinder than Alice was.
The shot shifts to follow the stubbled man as he pushes the door open and heads into the two story structure. The door leads to a small stairway leading upward that had been filled with lines of steel plates taking up half of each step to set up choke points and protection for those defending the stairs from the Ferals.
Once he made it to the second floor and pushed the door open, the second floor was revealed. It was completely gutted, even the walls had been removed. The entire floor was separated into storage sections filled with medical supplies, weapons, ammunition, food and clothing. All of them under the watchful eye of the only room left standing on the entire floor.
It stood in the center of the room with windows on all four sides so that those inside could keep an eye on the entire floor and the supply cache at all times. The camera followed the man as he crossed the floor, placing the items he had taken from the girl and Alice into their respective caches before heading into the room at the center.
The room was empty save for a single figure sitting behind a half moon shaped desk facing the window overlooking the central square on the ground below. He looked around the room to make sure they were alone and leaned to the side onto the doorframe.
Preston Boyd: “Where’s Ness?”
Guard: “On the skywalk.”
The guard motioned to the door leading out to the small catwalk that surrounded the depot and the man turned heading through the door. The skywalk turned out to be a steel walkway with a mesh path and a steel one beam fence railing on the other side of the building. Every fifty feet were brackets where something large had once obviously been sitting.
He made his way around the skywalk to where it opened up into a viewing platform at its center where a woman stood with her arms crossed behind the small of her back. She had a slender build with a modest bust and slim hips. Her hair was brown with a greyish blonde hint to it. Her lips were full and her eyes a deep, intense green.
Preston Boyd: “Ness, we got a situation.”
Vanessa: “It will have to wait, Preston.”
The man, whose name was finally revealed to be Preston, came to stand beside the woman standing in the position of authority and power watching as men and women wearing black bands on their biceps came out holding fully automatic rifles.
Preston Boyd: “What’s going on?”
Vanessa: “Henry has been shorting us on runs.”
Preston Boyd: “Are you serious?! What in the hell is he thinking?!”
Vanessa: “We’re about to find out.”
The men and women wearing the black bands gathered up the men, women and children all milling around and soon they were gathered as one big group of nearly fifty people all standing in front of where Vanessa and Preston were standing above them.
Vanessa steps forward to the extreme edge of the platform looking down over the group and then turns and begins to walk down the stairs leading back to the ground level with Preston following along behind her.
Vanessa: “I cannot claim that I am not disappointed.”
Vanessa began loudly as she took the stairs slowly one step at a time. The crowd below began to lull to silence with all eyes turning up to watch her descend.
Vanessa: “We don’t have a lot of rules here. Do not disrespect the Peace Force that protects you. Do not steal from each other. Do not assault women or children...and do not horde the supplies gathered on runs. It’s not all that difficult….and yet….”
When she got to the bottom and stepped foot on the ground two men in green camo with black bands around their arms stepped forward with their rifles pressed into the backs of a middle aged man with brown hair and the pair standing next to him. A woman also of middle age and a boy in his late teens.
Vanessa: “All I ask is that all supplies be brought to the command center to be stored for the safety and security of all parties who live in Cold Creek.”
The camera shifts through the crowd watching the men, women and children all muttering to one another. Penelope and Alice could be seen in the back along with someone who looked remarkably like Madison Chaney with her face covered in dirt and grime.
Vanessa: “Have I not been good to you? When you and your family came off the street you had nothing. You were running from the Ferals and I let you live here, under the safety of our gates. Protected by the Peace Force. And this is how you repay me?”
The man standing now directly in front of Vanessa swallowed back a lump in his throat and answered.
Henry: “....I just wanted to make sure that my wife and son would be safe if something happened…”
Vanessa: “So you didn’t think I was capable of protecting your family Henry?”
Henry: “...I didn’t say…”
Vanessa: “So you thought Cold Creek would fall?”
Henry: “...No, i just thought….”
Vanessa looked at the two men in camo and nodded. Each of the men grabbed Henry by the arms while the others all raised their rifles and kept them pointed at the wife and son. Henry was dragged forward while others in the black bands dragged a solid wooden barrel across the asphalt to where Vanessa had once been standing.
Vanessa walked back to another of the men holding a rifle and he withdrew a metal object from his belt handing it to his leader. Vanessa once again crossed her arms behind her back while the two men in camo forced Henry to his knees and forced his arm out onto the top of the barrel.
Vanessa: “I am not without mercy or forgiveness, Henry. You were scared. You wanted to care for your family. However, you broke the rules...and the result of that...”
Henry’s wife: “STOP IT!”
Vanessa’s eyes shot to a woman standing near her with a black band and she drove her hand into the woman’s shoulder forcing her to her knees causing her to gasp in fright and stop talking.
Vanessa: “...As i was saying…”
Vanessa said, her voice dropping into a lower warning register.
Vanessa: “There are penalties for straying from the rules and while I take no pleasure in this...it must be done regardless.”
Without warning, Vanessa brought her hands out from behind her revealing the club hammer with a square edge on each end of the head. She brought the hammer down on the man’s hand that was being held outstretched on the wooden crate. The hammer connects with a bone breaking crunch, matched by another as she brought it down again.
Henry screamed in agony, his wife screaming in fright and his son staring wide-eyed in horror as Vanessa brought the hammer down again and again, each time met with the bone crunching sound of a different bone in his hand breaking.
The crowd was a mixture of emotionless and bored, as if this was normal for them. All except Penelope, Alice and the blonde covered in dirt who all watched with their hands covering their mouths in horror. Even Alice, who it seemed wouldn’t even go this far in Iron Lake.
After nearly half a dozen strikes she finally stopped letting Henry collapse to the ground holding the mangled remains of his hand to his chest. Vanessa came around the barrel to stand over him looking down at him.
Vanessa: “And now, all is forgiven…”
She turned only to pause at the last second and bring her hand to her face, a finger tapping off her full lips.
Vanessa: “I find myself thinking that maybe...a reminder is needed. That was punishment and I think an incentive to never do it again is needed…”
Vanessa wheels around suddenly without warning and from her hip she pulls a solid black Beretta. She squeezed off a single shot. Henry’s son screamed “MOM!” as the bullet ripped through his wife’s face through the nose. The back of her head exploded spraying blood across the now fully shocked crowd.
Henry stared at his wife’s body as it fell lifeless to the ground and one of the women with the black band around her arm drove a spike into the base of her skull to keep her from reanimating. He didn’t see Vanessa approach him again but saw her shadow suddenly hovering over his body.
Vanessa: “The next time… it’ll be your son.”
Vanessa whispered and then looked up at the armed force.
Vanessa: “Get him to the doctor. Now.”
Vanessa turned and headed back toward the building, this time through the doors at the base level instead of up the stairs with Preston walking behind her as she did. The door opened into a large office that had been transformed into a room. It was filled with furniture, chairs of rich leather and a huge bed covered in silk sheets. Paintings littered the walls, taken from various museums.
Vanessa moved through the room pulling off her top which was covered in blood from the beating she had given Henry's hand revealing her slender form and black lace bra. Preston turned his back as she changed into a new half top that covered her torso but left her stomach open.
Vanessa: “So, what did you need to tell me?”
Preston kept his back to her, knowing better somehow than to even chance peeking at her while she was in some stage of undress.
Preston Boyd: “Lost Lake crossed into your territory. We have Josiah’s second in command outside awaiting Josiah sending tribute for the disrespect. Also, we have a straggler from Iron Lake that wants to be given sanctuary here. Alice was chasing her through your territory.”
Vanessa made something that sounded like a strangled growl behind Preston and rubbed the bridge of her nose.
Vanessa: “Iron Lake and Hessberg both need to learn who controls this entire region apparently.”
That was enough to bring the stubbled man around. He turned, an eyebrow raised at the mention of Hessberg focusing on her face as she stood in the center of the room with her arms crossed behind her back.
Preston Boyd: “Hessberg? What did Mawl do?!”
Vanessa: “A couple of my boys found a couple of bikes up near the mountain near the edge of my territory. When they went up to get them they say they were met by Jackson Mawl, someone who sounds a lot like his head of security Jema, and Miles Wright apparently.”
Preston Boyd: “What were they doing up on the ridge?”
Vanessa: “They didn’t ask. When they attempted to take the bikes Wright, Mawl and Jema stopped them. When they tried to use force, Wright killed one of them.”
Preston Boyd: “Miles killed one of our men?!”
Vanessa: “Yup.”
Vanessa’s voice lowered into that cold register again and her eyes leveled on Preston’s own.
Vanessa: “And you know I can’t let that stand. No one takes from me, Preston, and no one kills my men.”
Preston Boyd: “What do you wanna do?”
Vanessa: “Take...oh I don’t know...fifteen men with assault rifles.”
Preston Boyd: “Armed?”
Vanessa’s eyes flashed dangerously and her lips curled back into an angry snarl.
Vanessa: “Of course, armed!”
Preston Boyd: “You sure that’s wise, Ness? If it comes to a fire fight we may need that ammunition for their retaliation.”
Vanessa: “The weapons alone should be enough of a threat. Take them to Hessberg and inform Mawl that we want the bikes and a tribute as payment for his arrogance to think he could threaten our men.”
Preston Boyd: “And Wright?”
Vanessa: “Wright is to be brought back here to stand trial for treason. And tell Mawl if he resists, we’ll kill everyone in Iron Lake. Every last man, woman and child.”
**
She watched the horrifying lesson taught by the dark haired woman with her hand over her mouth, but said nothing to anyone. When Alice Cornell happened to come anywhere close she tucked her head under the fabric of a dirty, grim covered scarf. She watched behind the scarf as the woman was led into the building, no doubt to speak with Vanessa and breathed out a deep sigh of relief.
The last thing she needed was Alice Cornell causing a fuss. As for what Alice was doing here? That was anyone’s guess.
She waited near one of the stalls, listening as the older woman who made clothing and other objects from fabric haggled with those who came to trade for her goods. Watched as one of the men with the black band around his bicep approached, took one of the shirts from her table, marked his name down and walked away without a word without a trade of any kind. As if his name alone was the trade.
As she stood, trying her best to disappear into the background, Preston emerged from where he and Vanessa had gone and began to bark orders at the men and women wearing the black armed bands about heading to Hessberg. A dozen of them fell in line with him and he began toward one of the big trucks. As he swung the door open she bolted to his side and tugged on his sleeve.
Preston looked down at the hand on his sleeve, which she immediately removed and then up into her face. She didn’t show an ounce of concern that he would recognize her, but as the camera shifts around we see clearly the face of Madison Chaney.
Madison Chaney: “Hey, you need another hand?”
Preston sneers down at her until she lifts the fringes of the filthy coat she wore. Beneath it were clothes that were much, much cleaner. As though she had taken the coat and scarf from someone lying on the road and just….put them on. He didn’t see that though, all he saw was the barrel of the Mossberg shotgun.
Madison Chaney: “I can help.”
Preston’s whole expression changed then from one of contempt to one of being impressed.
Preston Boyd: “Impressive. There aren’t many people outside the Peace Force she lets even carry weapons. Sure, jump into the passenger seat.”
Madison smiled a big happy smile and moved around to the passenger side of the truck. Adjusting the shotgun she slipped into the passenger seat and slammed the door as Preston closed his own. The armed soldiers with the black armbands all loaded into the back of the truck and it pulled away from the parking area and through the gate leading out of the depot.
As they pulled out onto the deserted street Madison glanced back at the bed of the truck to ensure the window was closed and then over to Preston.
Madison Chaney: “Is this thing we are doing going to be dangerous?”
Preston Boyd: “Nothing you wouldn’t be able to handle if Ness lets you carry….what did you say your name was?”
Madison Chaney: “Grace.”
Preston Boyd: “Well, it’s nothing you can’t handle if Ness lets you carry, Grace. Why do you ask? Getting cold feet?”
Madison Chaney: “Never.”
Madison answered with an unconcerned laugh and smile.
Madison Chaney: “Though….”
She added, in a tone more as a bored afterthought than a concern.
Madison Chaney: “We might need another hand. Someone with more carry clearance than even I have.”
The man beside her driving looked back into the rear view and the camera shifted to do the same showing the group behind him all sitting stone faced and emotionless.
Preston Boyd: “I dunno, we got an army back there. Not to mention, if we go back now? Ness is gonna have a fit for wasting time.”
Madison Chaney: “Then good thing they are out scavenging.”
Preston Boyd: “What?”
Preston’s eyes turned to the woman sitting beside him and Madison lifted an arm motioning to the road ahead of them.
Madison Chaney: “Two handguns and a rifle, about a mile up that way hunting.”
Preston Boyd: “And they are cleared to carry by Ness?”
Madison Chaney: “Of course.”
Preston let out a shrug and the camera pulled out to watch the truck heading down the road. The truck disappeared around a curve and the camera shifted to another shot of a dead feral lying on its side, the blood leaking from a knife wound in the back of its skull telling that it was freshly killed but no one appeared to be anywhere nearby.
From the left side of the screen came the truck cruising at a slow, but steady pace. The hissing of its brakes announced it was slowing to a stop. Once it did, it sat in the center of the street idling and sat for a time. After a few moments the camera shifts to inside the truck and Preston looking back and forth and finding no one.
Preston Boyd: “You sure they’re supposed to be here?”
Madison Chaney: “Yeah...this is where I told em I’d meet em after I finished up in Cold Creek.”
There was a faint hint of fear in her voice until a finger crested the trees and bolted toward the truck. The entire bed of the truck stood, rifles all chambering into place at the same instant until they all saw it wasn’t a feral and Preston knocked the back of his hand off the glass of the window.
He watched in the rear view as the figure was pulled into the bed by one of the Peace Keepers. The truck shifts into gear and starts off again. Madison did her best to hide a smile, but it was clear as day on her face. The smile was infectious and Preston smiled as well. That was until he looked up into the mirror again.
He was in mid-smile, moving in slow motion as his eyes lifted to the mirror to look behind him on the road. The camera follows and finds the figure in the back seated near the end of the bed on the built in bench. They were wearing a filthy parka with the hood up and reached up lowering the hood revealing the blonde highlighted hair and face of Abigail Ryder. The shot shifted to his eyes reflected in the mirror, wide with shock but there was more. Fear. Blind, panicking fear. The sound of a heartbeat began to echo as the shot stayed on those fear filled eyes beating fast and loud.
Madison suddenly grabs him by the arm shaking him out of his daze.
Madison Chaney: “Watch out!”
She barked and Preston snapped out of the cold blinding focus just in time to swerve around an abandoned truck sitting directly in their path. The Peace Keepers in the back were thrown to the side, but Abigail braced one foot on the edge of the bed and grabbed the side keeping her in her seat. She was the only one who remained seated.
Madison Chaney: “You alright?”
Preston Boyd: “...Y...yea..I think I just spaced a bit.”
Madison Chaney: “Well, eyes on the road.”
Preston Boyd: “Right...eyes on the road….”
Preston lifts his eyes to the mirror again, this time only briefly. Long enough to lock them onto the body of Abigail Ryder, a droplet of sweat running down the side of his head.
**
The outside of Hessberg had changed dramatically since the last time it had been seen. The front gate was now blocked nearly completely with only enough room for one vehicle at a time to drive in and out, even with the huge gate opened. It was blocked by a rust covered city bus that by the drag marks had been dragged into place. The entire length of the fence had been blocked from view by blankets, thick mesh webbing and anything of cloth that could be spared. The guards at the gate were tripled and wooden stands had been made on all sides that were manned by men with simple wooden bows and arrows carved to a point. No metal zips, but enough to wound.
The shot closed in on the legs of a figure walking across the grounds. The legs were slender, clearly feminine and covered in camo jeans. On each of the thighs was a spiked tomahawk and long bladed knives that bounced gently with each step she took. Those watching would know Jema Delacroix even before she came into view.
The camera came up the back of her legs and across her butt to show the camo top she wore and a long bow slung over her back. Her hair was pulled up into a bun and she was crossing the main yard of the storage yard toward two men standing on one of the stands near the front gate.
Both men were bearded, but one had long blonde hair and the other messy wavy brown. Jackson Mawl and Miles Wright. The two seemed to just be watching the horizon as the sun had begun to slip down the sky.
Jema Delacroix “Everything's quiet on the south end. They’ve killed a half a dozen ferals who kept attacking the fences but that’s it.”
Jackson Mawl: “That makes two dozen in the last day and a half.”
Miles Wright: “They’ve never attacked like that before….it’s like they are specifically trying to get in.”
Jema Delacroix “And there’s something else.”
Jackson turned his attention to the woman standing on the ground behind the stand where he and Miles stood giving her his full attention.
Jackson Mawl: “Lay it on me.”
Jema Delacroix “The guards nearest the mountain keep seeing something off into the distance in the city. Standing in the rubble or in the treeline.”
Jackson Mawl: “Survivor?”
Jema Delacroix “From their description? It sounds like whatever the hell was watching us from up on the mountain a few days ago.”
Jackson’s eyes shifted to the mountain ridge sitting in the distance to the southeast and frowned.
Jackson Mawl: “And it’s still just watching?”
Jema Delacroix “Yup. Just standing there, watching.”
Jackson blew out a deep unsteady breath and looked back at Jema.
Jackson Mawl: “There’s nothing we can do. Whoever it is obviously doesn’t need help.”
Miles Wright: “What if they are checking you out, Jax? It could be someone from a poacher camp.”
Jackson Mawl: “We’ll deal with that when and if it comes, Miles. Right now? Our bigger concern of Vanessa and Cold Creek. She’s not gonna take what you did to her man lying down and you’ve done too much for Gwen and Hessberg for us to just abandon you to that.”
Miles Wright: “I appreciate the sentiment, Jax, but I’ve been dealing with Vanessa a lot longer than you and….”
Jema Delacroix “That’s the other thing.”
Jema said cutting him off and both men turned their attention to her.
Jema Delacroix “Scouts down south past the ridge sent word that Preston Boyd was spotted heading this direction with a truck full of her PeaceKeepers.”
Jackson let out a deep growling snarl and his hand balled into a fist.
Jackson Mawl: “PeaceKeepers, HA! Hired thugs.”
Jema Delacroix “Well, whatever you want to call them, Jackson, they're coming this way.”
Miles turned to face Jackson.
Miles Wright: “If I leave, you have nothing to give her, Jackson, and Preston leaves. I’ve dealt with Preston. He’s a snake but he wouldn’t massacre Hessberg because a Scav left the settlement.”
Jackson looked from Miles down to Jema who was watching the two men and sighed. He knew better. He knew what Jema expected of him as a woman who loved him. He knew what Gwen would expect.
Jackson Mawl: “No. We aren’t just gonna leave you alone, Miles. Not after all of this. We face this together.”
**
The camera shifts to show the multi-level tiers of Iron Lake just as the sun was creeping toward the horizon. Those who had been working the fields and quarry all day had returned to their housing units leaving both the work locations abandoned and empty. The living area was bustling with people all trying to wind down from the day's activities and catch a bite to eat.
The shot continued up past them and up the hill toward the house sitting at the top. Josiah Crane was coming down the stairs toward a man who was leaning back on a small wooden fence that separated the house from the quarry far below behind it.
With a single hand motion, Crane called the man forward. He pushed himself off the fence and walked toward the thin blonde man who didn’t look at all pleased.
Josiah Crane: “Go to Cold Creek and tell Vanessa I have assembled an adequate apology tribute for violating her territory and will be presenting it to her tomorrow evening. Tell her I will be arriving late and would request that I be granted overnight clearance so I don’t have to travel back in the dark.”
Man: “Yes Sir.”
The man turned and began his trip to Cold Creek. If he found it strange that he was expected to make the trip in the dark but Josiah refused to, he didn’t mention it. Josiah watched him go and once he had fully disappeared into the night, Josiah returned to the stairs, leaned up and whispered something into one of the guard’s ears.
The man nodded and marched toward the living area while Josiah walked up the stairs without a word. The camera followed him inside where dozens of items were lying out on a table with a large duffle back sitting in the center of it.
He stood, tapping his foot for a time until the door opened again and the armed man he had whispered to dragged a woman in by the arm. She was dressed in a nightgown, as if she had been dragged out of bed and, with a thrust of the man’s arm, she was thrown to the ground beside the table.
After a few moments another figure stumbled into the room, clearly worse for wear after another day in the quarry. Penelope Hargroves parents, Jamie and George. George made it to Jamie’s side and dropped to his knees coughing, his breath coming in wheezing pants. Clearly the time breathing all the dust from the quarry was taxing him.
George: “You wanted to see….”
Before he could finish Josiah nodded and the man behind them drove the butt of the shotgun he was holding into the spot between his shoulder blades and George hit the ground. Jamie threw herself over him weeping and spreading her arms out to try and protect her husband.
Jamie: “Please! Please! We’re sorry for whatever we did! I didn’t know we broke any rules!”
Josiah Crane: “You’re ungrateful bitch of a daughter was chased into Cold Creek territory and Alice was caught getting back what belonged to Iron Lake.”
Jamie: “Is Penny okay?!”
Josiah gave another look at the man behind them and the man drove the butt of the weapon into her side. Jamie gave out a pain and fear filled scream but stayed on her husband to defend him. Josiah, however, merely continued on.
Josiah Crane: “Not only was the very valuable cargo she was carrying taken by Cold Creek, but so was Alice to ensure I would bring that crazy bitch Vanessa a border violation tribute.”
Josiah never moved, but the man behind them reached out and grabbed Jamie by the hair and pulled her sobbing to her feet shoving her face down into the table. The side of her face was pressed into the wood where she was forced to stare at a box of small caliber bullets, medical supplies, cloth and food.
Josiah Crane: “All of this was to be used by you people here in Iron Lake. To feed you. Clothe you. Defend you. And now it’s all being sent to Cold Creek because your little family unit….”
Josiah stepped forward, his face suddenly livid.
Josiah Crane: “COULDN’T FOLLOW SIMPLE FUCKING RULES!”
Crane stepped back and took a steadying breath, his entire body nearly shaking with rage but he straightened his shirt and ran his fingers through his hair to smooth it out.
Josiah Crane: “I was going to add both the stolen items and this….and double it for your treachery to your tab….”
On the ground George wanted to protest but when the man holding his wife raised his leg to stomp down on him he recoiled with a whimper. Josiah waved a hand and the man released Jamie who dropped down to her husband and held him crying.
Josiah Crane: “...But...I am not an unreasonable man. I will only add the items which were stolen and half...the items I have to give as tribute. Little Penny didn’t have to run...but...Alice didn’t have to chase her into Cold Creek territory. So...we’ll call the blame half. Now….this is a lot of debt to work off and at this debt level, we don’t allow anyone to choose their own job assignments. So first thing tomorrow...you’re both going to the Quarry.”
Jamie gasped and looked up in shock.
Jamie: “I’m past the age limit! My heart can’t take it!”
Josiah Crane: “You should have thought about that....before you let your daughter take my shit.”
**
The truck rolled along through the street weaving past less and less abandoned cars, which allowed the man behind the wheel more free time to sneak glances into the rearview at the woman seated on the edge of the truck bed. She was just sitting there staring out the back, her head on a swivel constantly on the lookout for threats.
The camera stayed on him and his eyes shifted from the road to the woman in the mirror and a voice was heard over the roar of the engine. The voice was calm and familiar.
Voice: “Whoa...Whoa….it’s okay.”
Preston’s voice followed the familiar one, more panicked and weak.
Preston’s voice: “Stay back!”
Voice: “It’s okay...you’re safe here.”
The shot shifts from the eyes looking into the mirror to a convenience store. It was completely ransacked with old newspapers lying everywhere. The floor was littered with trash, empty opened cans and candy bar wrappers. The whole place was dark, except for a single light from a kerosene lamp that was burning on the edge of what had once been a cashier counter.
Preston was crouched in the center of the floor looking up at something off screen, He looked like a scared rabbit, about to flee at any moment. A pair of arms came into frame, covered in tattoos including that looked like the arm of a titan on the forearm.
voice: “No one is gonna hurt you. What’s your name?”
Preston Boyd: “.....”
Voice: “It’s okay….”
Preston Boyd: “P...reston. Preston Boyd….”
voice: “Preston? You’re okay now. You’re safe here.”
Preston Boyd: “No one is safe here...those….things are nearby…”
Voice: ‘I can deal with the ferals. Don’t worry.”
Preston Boyd: “Not the zombies! The freaks with the metal in their faces!”
Voice: “Reavers?!”
The figure stepped further into frame, his elbows and biceps coming into view, showing the rest of the arm tattoo to show the figure of Atlas holding up the world with the world on his elbow and the arms out to the forearm. Preston hand shoots down into the pocket of the blood spattered sweatshirt he was wearing.
Preston Boyd: “Stay back!”
The figure stops dead and raises its arms to show he wasn’t holding a weapon.
Voice: “It’s okay, I just wanna know how far the Reavers are….”
Preston Boyd: “Close...close….”
Voice: “Okay….you can stay with me and my w...companion. You hungry?”
The figure began to turn and Preston’s eyes widened. He pulled his hand from the pocket of the sweatshirt and withdrew a black handgun lifting it and firing a single shot. The shot echoed and the sound of a body thudding echoed as the shot of his eyes came back. The words “You hungry?” and the gunshot echo three more times and finally another voice cuts through.
Madison Chaney: “....Hessberg.”
Another voice screams out in pain and anger.
Female voice: “WHAT DID YOU DO?!”
Preston shook his head and the sound of the roaring of the truck's engine returned full force. He turned his attention back to Madison sitting beside him.
Preston Boyd: “What?”
Madison Chaney: “We’re almost to Hessberg.”
Preston Boyd: “Oh….yeah.”
The truck rounded the corner and the outline of the city came into view with the blacked out gates of the storage yard sitting only a few hundred yards down the road. The truck approached a four way intersection and the air brakes squealed again as it slowed to a stop.
Preston Boyd: “You and your friend hop out here. Come in around the rear of the facility.”
Madison Chaney: “You got it.”
Madison tapped her hand on the window at the back of the cab. Everyone in the cab looked forward and Madison locked eyes with Abigail motioning with her head to get out. Abigail climbed out and dropped to the pavement as Madison opened the door and dropped to it herself. Just before she closed the door Preston turned to look at her.
Preston Boyd: “Tell Mawl and Wright they have 24 hours to bring Wright and a tribute for the murder of one of Vanessa’s men to Cold Creek. If they don’t we’ll destroy Hessberg man, women and child.”
Madison Chaney: “.....”
Before she could even answer the truck pulls away and turns into one of the turns, flipping all the way around the driving back the way they had come, much to the shock of those in the back and Madison standing on the side of the road.
All except Abigail, who for the first time, gets a look at the man driving as he passes. In a split second the scene changes to the outside of a store. Abigail was walking across the street holding a handheld trolley filled with canned food in one hand. When she reached the halfway point in the road a gunshot rang out.
The trolley drops to the ground and she runs toward the opened door, missing it just before a man runs past. The two of them lock eyes, Preston Boyd and Abigail Ryder staring at one another for only a split second before he runs past. And then she looks past him and wails in agony.
Abigail Ryder: “WHAT DID YOU DO?!”
The shot flashes back to Abigail standing on the street and she lets out a gasp of disbelief. Her hand drops to her thigh and pulls free the glock holstered there but by the time it clears the holster the truck was already around the curve in the road.
Madison closes the gap between them, her eyes wide in shock at the tears now streaming down Abigail’s face.
Madison Chaney: “Abbi...wh...what’s wrong?”
Abigail Ryder: “...That….That was…”
Madison Chaney: “We gotta go, Abbi. Vanessa is going to attack Hessberg.”
Abigail Ryder: “That...That….”
Madison Chaney: “Abbi! We gotta go! Think of Jema and Gwen and Miles!”
Abigail snapped out of it at the mention of the names and the two women turn and begin to run toward the building in the distance at a brisk jog. When they reach the gate it rumbled open and men with spears and bows emerge, all of them aimed at the two women until a voice shouts out from above.
Jema Delacroix “Wait! It’s Abigail and Madison! Let them through!”
The two sea of people part and the two women are escorted into the facility. The gate closes behind them, rumbling with a loud clank just before another shout breaks the silence.
Voice: “MADISON!”
A figure breaks through the pack, shoving people out of his way and before she even knows what’s happening she’s caught in a hug from Miles. She glances at Abigail who sheepishly grins. Madison finally returns the hug. After a moment he pulls away looking down at the little mousy woman.
Miles Wright: “....you’re safe…”
Jema calls out from above them.
Jema Delacroix “We got your bikes for you.”
Abigail gives a grateful nod and looks back over her shoulder at Miles.
Abigail Ryder: “Where’s Jackson? We all have to talk. Now.”