Post by MSS Productions on Aug 21, 2020 0:59:40 GMT
MSS Productions presents…
The sound of cars passing and people laughing happily crests the speakers as the episode opens. The visual feed opens to a shot of a parking lot with a school standing off in the distance. People of ages ranging from 18 and up all mill around in the parking lot with the camera moving between groups of students.
As the camera passed each of the different groups of students little bits of conversations were heard. Little snippets from groups of boys or girls. Most of them seemed to be talking about the day before or the homework they, of course, didn’t find the time to do but in some cases it spoke about strange things in the news they had caught this morning before going to school. One of them talking about a hospice care center for those in a vegitative state, though they used a much more vulgar termanology, that was attacked in some kind of terrorist attack leaving no survivors.
The camera swung around again coming to a stop near the front of the parking area where a beat up pickup truck pulled into a parking spot. A young man with dirty blonde hair in his extreme late teens climbed from the cab of the truck with a bag slung over his shoulder. His clothing was clean, but he still had the stains of grease on his hands from working that morning.
The young man began across the small bit of parking lot that separated his truck from the grass leading to campus. When he stepped foot onto the grass the sound of a motorcycle broke through the yammering of the crowd. The young man’s head came around in time to see an all black and silver bike coming down the aisle of cars where his truck was parked.
The bike pulled up behind the truck and slowed to a stop, a leather combat boot coming down to push a silver kickstand down. The engine of the bike died and it groaned as the heavy metal frame was leaned on the kickstand. The man on the bike drew the attention of nearly everyone around, most of the men’s looks were hostile and most of the women intrigued.
The man wore a pair of faded blue jeans and a white tank top that hugged a muscular frame but the biggest thing about him was the scars. On both arms and on the shoulders of his back the tank top exposed were huge scars where tattoo’s had been removed. He removed the black helmet and laid it on one of the handle bars letting the wealth of dirty blonde hair spill out and revealing the fledgling blonde beard.
The young man with the backpack grinned and lifted his hand in greeting. Though the man climbing off the bike was at least five years his elder, it was clear the two were friends.
Student: “Jax! Hey Jackson!”
Jackson raised a hand in greeting and joined the teen, slapping a hand on his back.
Jackson Mawl: “Nolan, what’s up man?”
The boy grinned and withdrew a small wad of crisp green bills from his pocket.
Nolan O'Neal: “Old man Mason was so happy I brought him his car personally so he could make his appointments he tipped me a hundred bucks!”
Jackson Mawl: “Seriously? A hundred bucks for driving two miles?!”
Nolan O'Neal: “What can I say? Mr. Mason likes me.”
Jackson Mawl: “Could it have something to do with his granddaughter being sweet on you?”
Nolan laughed and shrugged, as if he was willing to admit that may be a cause without actually admitting it.
Nolan O'Neal: “Well, I have a hundred bucks and you got jack, Jax. You ain't seen this kinda cash since…”
Jackson Mawl: “Cute...”
It was clear that the bigger man didn’t like to discuss whatever was being referenced and Nolan, to his credit, just let it pass. But there was something about the way he was looking from the college campus to the bearded man and back that said he wasn’t going to let it go this time.
Nolan O'Neal: “Surprised you showed up today, man.”
Jackson Mawl: “Why wouldn’t I?”
Nolan O'Neal: “Today’s the tours, Jax. You said Ryder was going to be here showing his little cousin around.”
Jackson let out a soft curse and looked around for some kind of the motorcycles he had known so well and saw nothing.
Jackson Mawl: “Yeah….I probably shouldn’t be here. Junior was very clear about what he’d ever do if he saw me again.”
Nolan O'Neal: “....What did you do, Jax?”
The big man beside him looked back at his bike, but his mind was clearly a thousand miles away.
Jackson Mawl: “....What was best for the club….”
Nolan O'Neal: “What does that even mean, Jax?”
Jackson Mawl: “....”
As Jackson turned to answer him in some snide way, as he always did, a group of figures came around the corner of the school. Twelve of them in total, ranging from hospital patients to what appeared to be faculty administrators. They were coming around the corner at a full sprint at the gathered students assembling beyond the building.
Movement out of the corner of his eye caused Jackson’s head to turn as a scream rang out. Near the rear of the parking lot where the asphalt met the street a group was gathered….or appeared to be. They were all screaming and running toward Jackson and Nolan.
Jackson Mawl:“What in the fuck….”
Female Voice: “Oh god….”
Another scream brought them around just in time to see a woman in a hospital gown tackling a teenage girl to the ground. When they hit the ground the woman snatched a rock from the ground and brought it down into the girls face over and over again.
Jackson froze in place, his jaw dropped open in shock as he watched the horrific scene unfolding before him. The screams all around got worse and as he watched the woman in the hospital gown rose up from the teen and sprinted toward one of the underclassmen trying to run past.
And then the teen girl rose up. Half her face was gone but she let out a feral scream and came running at Jackson. Not a bite, not a scratch. Nothing like in the old movies. She had been simply….dead. Jackson didn’t hesitate. He shoved Nolan to the side sending the boy into the hood of the BMW parked beside his truck.
Jackson stumbled back to the drivers door of Nolan’s truck and when the girl approached he threw the drivers door open. Her head went through it shattering the glass leaving a large shard sticking down from the top of the window.
The girls head rose slowly, locking eyes on him on the other side of the door. Blood ran down the half of her face that was still there, her eye socket completely empty and she let out a bloody chilling shriek. Jackson just punched, driving an uppercut into her forehead that sent the back of her head up into the shard of glass. The glass shard snapped with an audible crack and the girl collapsed to the ground motionless.
Jackson stood there panting, his eyes scanning the parking lot where people were dying everywhere he looked. Some were beaten, others were stabbed and more yet just beaten into the ground with the bare bloody hands of the dead.
Jackson Mawl: “What the fuck….what the fuck….”
Another loud scream brought his head around and everywhere he looked now were bodied twitching back to life and sprinting into the crowds. What had once been no more than two dozen in less than two minutes had become near a hundred as the students fell all across the campus.
A second, blood filled death scream brought his head around toward the BMW. Nolan was bent backwards over the hood of the car at such an awkward angle it was clear his spine was snapped.
The Dean of the university was standing over him, the flesh from his jaw was gone revealing the bone, as if someone had nearly ripped his jaw off in the beating. When one of the cheerleaders for the college ran by the Dean turned and bolted after her.
Jackson stayed in a crouch turning his eyes back to Nolan. Blood was leaking from the corner of his mouth and Jackson crawled across the asphalt to him. Bubbles of blood erupted from the corner of his mouth as he saw his only real friend and Nolan whispered.
Nolan O'Neal: “...G..G...Gw...en…ny.”
At that moment Jackson knew what Nolan was asking. Protect Gwen. Protect my sister.
Jackson Mawl: “Where is she? Where’s Gwen No’?”
Nolan O'Neal: “D...D...dad….Dad’s….Da….Dads s….”
Before he could finish the statement his head lulled and Nolan died. Jackson knew it was only a moment before his friend would come back as….whatever these things were and he knew what Nolan had been trying to tell him.
Dads shop.
Jackson touched the side of the young man’s head and closed the gap between him and his motorcycle in an instant. The helmet discarded to roll across the ground as the bike roared to life. The sound drew the attention of every dead thing within thirty feet all which came sprinting at him.
The bike weaved passed parked cars lightning quick. Cars filled with men and women all reached their bloody hands at their windows but he did his best to make it out of the parking lot without stopping. Finding himself blocked at his final turn he jumped the curb and sped across the grass with a small army of the creatures running a hundred yards behind him.
When he reached the street and turned right to head to Nolan’s fathers garage a half a dozen bikes passed by him doing near a hundred miles an honor. He didn’t have to look to know the bikes he had known so well. The Titans President. Sgt. At Arms and a hand full of patched members of the Titan’s M.C.
He never looked back, just took off down the street toward downtown whispering to himself.
Jackson Mawl: “Please don’t be too late….”
“Cry Little Sister” began to play over the titular black and green title screen.
Afterlife
Episode 7
“Truth”
Bethany Kenyon As Abigail Ryder
Lilith Meadows as Madison Chaney
Adrien Cochrane as Josiah Crane
DiDi as Alice Cornell
Nathaniel Cartwright As Miles Wright
Dean Matthews as Jackson Mawl
Samantha Hamilton as Jema Delacroix
JC Keaton As Preston Boyd
Shanna Mitchell as Vanessa
Jessica Clarkson as Penelope Hargrove
And Introducing
Jessica Sears-Matthews
The scene opens inside the room used by Jackson Mawl as his bedroom inside the office of the storage facility. The room was being lit up by a half a dozen kerosene lamps that burned throughout the room and a group stood in a circle around a large old-fashioned kitchen table covered in maps.
Jackson stood with Jema on one side of him and Gwen on the other with Miles on Jema’s other side. Madison stood beside Abigail on the extreme other side of the table. Ryder had her hands placed on the table and was staring down at it as if she was thinking. Her eyes darting back and forth.
After only a split second, flashes of images began to appear on the screen. The images of the convenience store and James Ryder’s bloody body for a split second before flashing back to Abigail’s eyes. Back and forth the images changed rapidly until Jackson’s voice broke the silence.
Jackson Mawl: “You wanted to see us? We’re here, Abbi.”
Abigail’s head snapped up and she locked eyes with Jackson.
Abigail Ryder: “I told you not to fucking call me that, Traitor. I am only here for Jema and Gwen and Miles. She can fucking kill you for all I care.”
Something in the eyes of the bearded man seemed to snap right at that moment. He sucked a breath in between his teeth, all the while staring into the defiant cold eyes of the woman across the table from him. He raised a hand and waved his fingers toward the flaps of the tent that separated the room from the office.
Jackson Mawl: “All of you get out.”
Madison Chaney: “Jackson, you need to know what’s happening!”
Jackson Mawl: “Leave.”
Jackson repeated, never taking his eyes off the angry face of the woman across from him. Jema blew out a deep breath and left with Gwen. Miles wrapped an arm around Madison’s shoulder and turned her toward the door.
Miles Wright: “Come on, Maddi. They need to get whatever the hell this is done if we’re gonna all work together.”
Madison looked between the bearded man and her best friend and groaned something about ‘not having time for this’ as Miles led her out.
Once they were alone Abigail’s hand dropped quickly to her thigh and the glock came out of its holster with lightning speed. She didn’t however point it at him. She laid the gun on the table and then pulled the other and did the same. Once she was officially disarmed she walked around the table and looked up unblinking into his face.
Abigail Ryder: “You got something you need to say to me, Traitor? Get it out.”
Jackson Mawl: “STOP!”
The man brought a fist down on the table with such force the guns jumped from the impact. He turned his eyes to her and his next words came out as a hiss.
Jackson Mawl: “...Calling me a traitor. I would never betray, Junior.”
Abigail Ryder: “You were loyal to Junior?!”
Jackson Mawl: “You’re god damn fucking right! That man was like a father to me!”
Abigail Ryder: “Didn’t stop you from fucking his wife did it?!”
Jackson blew out a deep breath and bit back the bile in his throat.
Jackson Mawl: “What the fuck am I keeping this secret for?! They’re all dead. I never fucking touched Laura, Abigail.”
Abigail let out a loud barking laugh and shook her head. A mocking smirk on her full lips.
Abigail Ryder: “Sure you didn’t. James and Brutie didn’t walk in and watch you trying to clean up the evidence.”
Jackson didn’t say anything for a long time. He just stared down into her face and her arm tensed to punch him. Somehow she knew he was about to say James did it.
Jackson Mawl: “Actually….James found me and the VP standing in Laura’s room.”
Abigail blinked as she stared up at him. She had expected him to blame James and it showed on her face.
Jackson Mawl: “Tell the story Abigail. Just as James told you. He threw it in my face enough on the road, I know you remember it.”
Abigail Ryder: “....He walked into Laura’s room and Laura was standing in the bathroom naked. He demanded to know what was happening. You and Brutie were staring at one another.”
Jackson Mawl: “No.”
Abigail Ryder: “No?”
Abigail thought hard and after a moment she could hear James’s voice in her head.
James: “There you fucking stood. The Brute fucking staring at you and you couldn’t even take your eyes off Laura even when you were fucking caught!”
Abigail Ryder: “....Brutie was staring at you and you were looking at Laura, still fucking naked in the doorway.”
Jackson Mawl: “Then what happened?”
Abigail Ryder: “You turned and looked at James and said you’d black out the ink and leave right then and there as long as junior didn’t find out about what you and Laura did.”
Jackson Mawl: “No. I told him I’d black out the ink and leave….as long as Junior never found out what happened. And then?”
Abigail thought back again, her eyes narrowing.
Abigail Ryder: “You ah...you left. No! You said something to Brutie and then left. James said you were telling him you were sorry. Brutie was white as a ghost in rage.”
Jackson Mawl: “People don’t get white in rage, Abigail. They get white in fear.”
Abigail looked up blankly at Jackson and slowly her eyes began to widen as a horrible thought began to slip into her brain.
Jackson Mawl: “I whispered, I’m doing this for Junior. He loved you like a brother. If you so much as look at her again, Brute? I’ll fucking kill you.”
Flashes of an older red haired woman standing in a bar appeared on the screen. As soon as a big bald man in his forties walked into the room, she walked out.
And If she walked in, the same bald man would find a reason to leave
Abigail raised her hands to her mouth in horror.
Abigail Ryder: “Oh god….You caught Brutie with Laura….and you knew Junior loved Brutie like a brother….”
Jackson Mawl: “And finding out it was his oldest, most trusted friend that had bedded his wife? It would have killed him, Abigail. Killed him.”
Abigail Ryder: “You took the blame....so Junior would never find out.”
Jackson Mawl: “Better a first year patch, even one Junior sponsored.”
Abigail stared up at Jackson as if she was seeing him for the first time again. Tears standing in her eyes at the realization of the sheer level of loyalty he had shown to the Titans M.C. Nothing could prepare her however for what he said next.
Jackson Mawl: “And now that I can say this and you’ll accept it?”
Jackson stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, looking down into her tear stained eyes and she saw a single tear run down his bearded cheek.
Jackson Mawl: “I’m so...so...sorry I wasn’t there to protect him, Abbi.”
That was it. That broke her. She buried her face in her hands weeping. All the years of wasted hatred. All this time there was someone in Hessberg that she could have shared the pain of losing James with. Someone who would have actually understood their bond. After a moment her tear streaked face came up and she whispered.
Abigail Ryder: “I saw him….”
Jackson Mawl: “Saw who?”
Abigail Ryder: “The...the man who killed him…I saw him today.”
Jackson’s whole demeanor changed. There was blind rage on his face as he looked out at the tent flap.
Jackson Mawl: “HERE?! IN MY CAMP?!”
Abigail Ryder: “No...the man Vanessa sent…”
Jackson Mawl: “Vanessa hasn’t sent anyone, Abbi.”
Abigail Ryder: “Call everyone back, Jax...there are things you need to know.”
Jackson left the room giving Abigail time to get herself adjusted to this new information she knew. A few deep breaths and she retrieved the two pistols from the table and pushed them back into the holsters. She had just finished pushing the second one into the holster on her left thigh when the group reentered again.
Madison Chaney: “You two get that straightened out?”
Abigail Ryder: “Yeah. Jax and I are good.”
Madison Chaney: “Good? Just like that? After all this time?”
Jackson Mawl: “You can fill her in later, Abigail. Tell us what you need to tell us.”
Abigail Ryder: “Vanessa is planning a strike on Hessberg.”
Jema Delacroix: “Bullshit.”
Miles looked over at the group and let out a deep unhappy sigh.
Miles Wright: “She heard about the guy I killed.”
Jema looked over at Miles, about to lay into him again but Abigail cut her off.
Abigail Ryder: “The why doesn’t matter. Madison and I came here on a truck with a dozen of her so-called PeaceKeepers. All of them armed with assault rifles and according to Madison they were coming here to deliver an ultimatum or kill every living thing here.”
Jackson Mawl: “What ultimatum?”
Madison Chaney: “Miles and a hefty tribute or extermination.”
Jackson Mawl: “That’s not fucking happening.”
Jema however was looking down at the table deep in thought. After a moment she looked up and turned her attention to the two women across from her.
Jema Delacroix: “I don’t understand. Why aren’t they here now? Are you two delivering messages for Vanessa now?”
Abigail and Madison looked at one another and let out a matching laugh at the thought they would do Vanessa's bidding.
Abigail Ryder: “No. Not just no, hell no.”
Jema Delacroix: “Then where are they? Where is this ultimatum?”
Abigail Ryder: “Driving back to Cold Creek about now I imagine.”
Miles Wright: “It’s not like Vanessa to just walk away….”
Abigail sucked in a breath through her teeth. The expression on her face showed how hard she was fighting to keep her temper in check.
Abigail Ryder: “When Madison and I jumped down I think the guy driving….”
Madison Chaney: “Vanessa’s number two!”
Abigail Ryder: “....Yeah, him. I think he got a look at me, tucked tail and ran.”
Miles looked over sharply at this revelation letting out a barking laugh of his own.
Miles Wright: “Preston ran from you? The hell did you say to make him more afraid of you than Vanessa?”
Abigail Ryder: “Nothing. He knew I'd never forget that face. As soon as he saw me he knew he’d never make it out of that truck alive. I don’t care if I had to kill every one of those Peace Keepers. He’ll pay for what he did to James now that I know he’s still alive.”
Madison and Jackson both shot their eyes to Abigail. Madison raised a hand and touched her friend's arm and Abigail just nodded. Telling Madison without words she’d heard right. Jackson however laid his palms down on the table and leaned forward.
Jackson Mawl: “Preston Boyd killed James?”
Abigail just nodded and Jack turned, throwing the maps and other papers from the table with a scream of rage. Beside him Jema flinched and stared in shock.
Jackson Mawl: “I HAD HIM IN MY HOME!”
Jema Delacroix: “Jax...calm down….”
Jackson Mawl: “I shared drinks with that weasel bastard…”
Jema Delacroix: “Jax....”
Jackson didn’t look at Jema, he looked instead at Abigail.
Jackson Mawl: “What do you wanna do, Abs?”
Abigail lifts a hand and motions to Miles who raised a brow.
Abigail Ryder: “Vanessa wants him brought to Cold Creek? We bring him. All of us. You can tell her she doesn’t make decisions for Hessberg and I put a fucking bullet in that mother fuckers head.”
Jackson Mawl: “Done.”
Jema looked over at Jackson with an expression that he had lost his mind.
Jema Delacroix: “Not done!”
Jackson Mawl: “You don’t make decisions for Hessberg, Jema, I do.”
Jema Delacroix: “Unless they are security decisions, Jackson! That was our agreement!”
The two stared at one another for a moment, but ultimately Jackson sighed and nodded softly. She was right and he knew it. Jema turned her attention then to Abigail and shook her head.
Jema Delacroix: “No. We don’t stand a chance in that fight.”
Abigail Ryder: “Are you that afraid of Vanessa, Delacroix?”
Jema Delacroix: “No, I’m just not stupid. What do you want us to do, Abigail? Throw rocks at the men with assault rifles? We don’t stand a chance in a fight with Cold Creek and everyone here knows it. We don’t have the ammunition.”
Abigail let out a laugh and turned her back to the table. She walked across the room to the blood stained bag she had once had slung over her stomach and snatched it up with one hand. When she returned to the table, overturned the bag sending magazines and clips to come tumble out into a pile on the table. Shotgun shells rolled across the wood as Miles let out a shrill whistle. Jackson and Jema both stared down at the pile in shock.
Jackson Mawl: “We don’t have enough supplies in the entire camp to trade for this!”
Abigail Ryder: “I don’t fucking care about trade!”
Abigail looked up from the pile to Jema and Jackson, her eyes intense and focused with rage.
Abigail Ryder: “This is for James. I don’t give a fuck about trade, Jackson. You help me pull this off? Take whatever the hell you need.”
Jackson turned his attention to his Jema.
Jackson Mawl: “What do you think, Jem?”
Jema lifted a hand to her face and ran it over her mouth in thought, still shocked to see this kind of ammo just piled up on a table.
Jema Delacroix: “Uh…I mean, at least we’d be able to deliver the message and not to worry about getting shot simply because we couldn’t defend ourselves. We could full arm everyone in this room and then some with this.”
Abigail Ryder: “So, Maddi and I, Miles and the two of you.”
Gwen O'Neal: “And me!”
Jackson’s head came around and his jaw set.
Jackson Mawl: “No.”
Gwen O'Neal: “Jax!”
Jackson Mawl: “I said no! I promised your brother I would look after you, Gwen and letting you walk into that psycho bitch’s camp isn’t doing that.”
Gwen O'Neal: “This is bullshit, Jax! I’m not a teenager anymore!”
The muscles in the big man’s jaw and cheek began to jump as he stared down at the blonde woman beside Jema. Madison came around the table and pulled one of the loaded handguns from the pile that had fallen from the bag and held it out to her.
Madison Chaney: “You can’t stop her, Jackson. She’s a grown woman now.”
Jackson Mawl: “.....”
Gwen O'Neal: “You’ve spent five years taking care of me, Jax. Watching my back…”
The sound of the pistols clip disengaging was heard as it fell into her palm. Once she was sure it was fully loaded it was pushed back in with an audible click and Gwen looked up into the bearded man’s face.
Gwen O'Neal: “Now it’s my turn to watch yours.”
Jema grinned beside Gwen and wrapped an arm around the smaller woman’s shoulders, pulling her into a hug. Even Jackson himself couldn’t help but smile proudly. Abigail placed her hands on the table and leaned forward.
Abigail Ryder: “Alright. The six of us. Fully armed and fully loaded. We don’t leave until Preston Boyd is dead.”
**
The shot shifts to the outline of the national guard depot that served as the sanctuary known as Cold Creek. The shot showed the gate from the inside just as it opened and the truck rolled back into the depot. It pulls up into the parking area beside the other trucks and the black banded PeaceKeepers all climb out, each of them looking more confused than the one before them. One of them, a young woman in her late twenties with a shaved head and a nasty scar across her face made a beeline for the door leading into the interior of the depot.
The driver's door opens and Preston climbs out looking a little worse for wear at the revelation that Abigail Ryder now knew where he was. He crossed the parking lot to where the small tables were set up and marked his name down on one of the sheets before snacking a small bottle of recycled water.
He turned and walked toward the depot doors, pouring the water over his head as he walked. As he ran his hand across his face, wiping the water from his vision he watched the door slam open and Vanessa came storming out with the bald woman on her heels. The bald woman turned and headed off toward the tents that served as the living area but Vanessa made a beeline for Preston.
Vanessa: “What the fuck is this I’m hearing abut you just turning around and coming back?! Tucking tail and running!”
Preston Boyd: “It wasn’t like that.”
Vanessa: “Then what the hell was it like, Preston?!”
Preston Boyd: “I...uh….”
Vanessa growled a low, threatening growl deep in her throat and lashes out a backhand taking him across the face with the back of her hand. Being such a small woman it didn’t send him reeling but it was enough to snap her head to the side.
Vanessa: “You’re demoted to working for fucking marks, Boyd, and if you ever disobey me again I’ll fucking kill you!”
Vanessa turned and began back toward the door leading to her private room and Preston slowly looked back saying loudly.
Preston Boyd: “Abigail Ryder.”
Vanessa stopped dead in her tracks and her head turned to look behind her. She locked eyes with Preston and motioned with her head for him to follow. The shot follows the pair as they cross the depot and enter the room serving as her private chamber. Once the door was closed she spun around and crossed her arms over her chest.
Vanessa: “What about her?!”
Preston Boyd: “I picked up another gun hand on our way out. She told me you had cleared her to carry and she had a Mossberg under her coat so I didn’t doubt her.”
Vanessa: “And?! What does that have to do with Ryder?!”
Preston Boyd: “She told me she had a friend who was out hunting who could help with the Hessberg raid so we stopped on the way to pick them up. I didn’t get a good look at them until they were already in the back of the truck. It was Ryder and the girl who I picked up….”
Vanessa; “Madison fucking Chaney was in Cold Creek and no one noticed?!”
Preston Boyd: “We’ve only seen her once, Ness, and she was covered in dirt and grime. No one recognized her. Anyway, when we got to Hessberg Abigail and Madison got out and I turned around and came straight back here. You know what Abigail would have done had she seen me during the fight with Hessberg.”
Vanessa: “Jackson and his riff raff on one side and Ryder on the other. Right….”
Vanessa turned her back to Preston as she considered the situation and ultimately let out a deep sigh and nodded.
Vanessa: “Alright. You didn’t have a choice. Get everyone ready.”
Preston Boyd: “You think she’ll come?”
Vanessa: “I would have had you killed my husband but….no. Crane should be here in a few hours and I want to make sure Cornell is cleaned up and presentable for the trade off.”
Preston Boyd: “...and my position?”
Vanessa turned to look at him and lifted a brow.
Vanessa: “I can find a new second in command to see to Ms. Cornell if you’d like?”
Preston Boyd: “That won’t be necessary, Ness.”
Vanessa: “Then what the fuck are you still standing there for?”
Without another word Preston turned and left the room leaving Vanessa standing alone in her room. The shot shifts to the outside of the building into the depot proper looking out at the gate as people milled around going on about their business. Slowly it changed to the same shot but much later in the evening. Torches were burning all around the common areas of the depot and the outlines of figures marched back and forth on the wall on each side of the gate. Vanessa was standing outside the door to her private chamber with her arms folded behind her lower back and she looked anything but happy. The position of the moon high above said it was much later than Josiah had informed her he would be arriving.
Alice stood slightly behind her with Preston standing just behind and to the right of the brown haired woman with the barrel of an assault rifle over his arm. Alice had been given a clean change of clothes and looked as if she had been treated well with freshly washed hair and her face clean from the stains of travel.
The guards at the gate let out a yell and the gate opened to reveal a truly gaudy Cadillac roll into the depot. The car pulled into the parking area where the other vehicles were sitting. The drivers door opens and Josiah Crane steps out. The man wore a suit that you would expect to see on a cheap lawyer and hanging from his right hand was a large black duffle bag.
Vanessa stepped forward and walked between two lines of men and women wearing the black bands around their arms, all of which had their eyes on Josiah but none of them so much as raised the weapons in their arms.
Vanessa: “You kept me waiting, Josiah.”
Josiah Crane: “Apologies, Vanessa, I had a run in on the way here and needed to find a way around.”
Vanessa: “A run in? Of what kind?”
Josiah opened his mouth to speak when another shout rang out from the men standing on the gate. Beyond the gate the roar of motorcycles and the rumble of a truck announced the arrival of another party. On the other side of the gate a male voice yelled.
Male Voice: “Bringing Miles Wright from Hessberg.”
Before anyone could shout to keep the gate closed, it was opening. Vanessa looked behind her sharply at the man standing behind Alice and motioned with her head. Preston gave a curt nod and turned jogging into the door leading into the depot.
Just as he got inside the shot turned to the fully opened gate as the large truck pulled past it with two bikes riding in tandem behind it. Once it was inside the gates were pushed shut again. One of the men wearing a black band stepped forward and whispered to Vanessa.
Man: “Those are the bikes we were gonna salvage. They brought them.”
Vanessa: “Back in line.”
Vanessa snapped, never taking her eyes off the truck and bikes. She knew better than that. One of the two bikes bore the Titan on it’s gas tank. The motorcycle of Abigail Ryder.
Vanessa: “So...that’s why Miles defended them.”
She mused silently. Josiah looked behind him at the two groups and then quickly back at Vanessa.
Josiah Crane: “I see you have visitors. We can complete our business and you can attend to them if you’d like?”
Vanessa’s slow forward pace finally brought her to stand beside Josiah. She lifted an arm and pointed a finger into his chest and said without so much as a smile.
Vanessa: “Stay.”
The camera turned to follow Vanessa as she began forward again, the heels of her boots clicking off the asphalt as she did. Ahead of her the drivers door of the truck opened and Jackson Mawl stepped down from the down. He had his hair pulled back into a bun at the top of his head and the strap on a bag across his chest. Seeing the strap Vanessa smiled a bit, but that smile faded when he grabbed the drivers door and slammed it shut causing the strap to swing slightly and reveal the butt end of a combat shotgun.
He hadn’t brought tribute.
Two women climbed off the bikes and turned to fall in line behind him and to his right. As two more came around the truck from the passenger side to fall in behind him and to his left. Miles jumped down from the bed of the truck.
Vanessa seemed to be looking not at Jackson, but at the brown haired woman with the blonde highlights to his right. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans with rips all across the thighs and calves of the jeans and a top that hugged her chest was leaving part of her stomach exposed. A gun was sitting on each thigh with a spiked baton swinging around her thigh on the right side where it hung from the belt.
She had never seen Abigail Ryder in person before and by the faint little curve of her lip, she was impressed.
Vanessa: “Peace Kee….”
Before she even got the words out the six figures moved. Abigail’s hands dropped to her thighs and the two glocks came out and were extended on each side, pointed one at her and the other at one of the men on the gate.. Madison had the Mossberg in her hand, racking in a shell and had the gun up on her shoulder pointed at the line of men and women to Vanessa’s right. The two blonde women on Jackson’s other side each had a M4 carbine up to their eyes pointed at the line of men and women on Vanessa’s other side while Miles had an arrow drawn pointed directly at Vanessa.
Jackson had a 45. Handgun in each hand, both of them pointed directly at Vanessa.
Jackson Mawl: “Don’t.”
Vanessa looked around the group and again pursed her lips as if she was impressed.
Vanessa: “Nice reaction time.”
She complimented and waved her hand to the two lines, some of them were frozen with their weapons halfway up.
Vanessa: “I was just gonna tell them to keep their weapons down.”
Jema Delacroix: “Sure you were.”
Vanessa: “You wound me. I never hurt anyone who doesn’t deserve it.”
Madison let out a loud laugh and shook her head.
Madison Chaney: “Tell that to the guy whose hand you crushed, you crazy bitch.”
Vanessa: “You saw that?!”
Vanessa actually sounded happy at the prospect that Madison had seen what had transpired a few days before. She took a step forward Madison and two loud clicks were heard as the hammer of one of the handguns in Abigail’s hands had the hammer pulled back completely.
Abigail Ryder: “Take another fucking step toward her and I’ll give you a new fucking hole to breath out of.”
Vanessa turned her attention then to Abigail and ran her tongue over her lips.
Vanessa: “Threaten me again, Ms. Ryder and I’ll peel your skin off a piece at a time while she watches.”
Abigail and Vanessa stared at one another, two women who wouldn’t give an inch to one another. Abigail stepped forward, breaking the line and looked Vanessa square in the face.
Abigail Ryder: “Enough of the goddamn grandstanding. Where the fuck is he?”
Vanessa: “Who?”
Vanessa asked, feigning innocent and opened her hand to the settlement. People were now gathered at the edges of their tents and watching. Some of them holding their children in fear. It was one thing to ignore a simple tribute exchange, but this was something different.
Vanessa: “Everyone who lives here is here.”
Abigail Ryder: “Give. Me. Preston. Fucking. Boyd.”
Vanessa: “Oh, him? When he failed to bring Hessberg to heel I exiled him.”
Gwen O'Neal: “He’s not even here?!”
Jema Delacroix: “Bullshit.”
Vanessa looked over at the two blonde women and then back at Abigail.
Vanessa: “Now if there was nothing else? I have business.”
Vanessa turned to leave but Abigail growled out.
Abigail Ryder: “Then you won’t mind if we have a look around.”
Vanessa froze and then slowly spun around breathing out a deep breath through her teeth.
Vanessa: “Actually, I do. You may be used to barking orders in Hessberg and Iron Lake but you don’t give orders in Cold Creek. No one here is afraid of you and if you keep posturing, Abs, you don’t mind if I call you Abs do you?”
Vanessa saw the rage flash across the woman’s face but continued on as if she hadn’t.
Vanessa: “Good, now as I was saying? If you keep posturing, Abs, and I’ll tell them to open fire.”
Jackson Mawl: “You die first, Vanessa.”
Vanessa looked over at Jackson and he swallowed back a lump in his throat like he wanted to recoil. There was a coldness in her eyes he’d never seen before. An emptiness that spoke of how little she valued any of them.
Vanessa: “All of mine are ready for that Jackson. Are you ready to watch a bullet tear through Jema’s beautiful face? What about you….”
She turned her eyes back on Abigail but unlike Jackson Abigail didn’t even blink at the look in Vanessa’s eyes.
Vanessa: “...You prepared to watch one rip apart your little companion's skull?”
The sun was beginning to come up over the edge of the mountain causing Jackson and the groups faces to light up and each of them let out a silent groan. They’d be aiming into the glare of the sun. They had arrived too late. Abigail just stared into Vanessa’s face and whispered.
Abigail Ryder: “I will kill him, Vanessa.”
Vanessa shook her head and sighed.
Vanessa: “I’m afraid I cannot allow that. However….”
She leaned in and whispered so only Abigail could hear it.
Vanessa: “I understand. Were I in your shoes? I’d feel the same.”
Abigail Ryder: “Then give him to me.”
Vanessa shook her head and turned with a laugh walking back toward the line of people. Josiah had fallen in behind them near Alice and the two were talking to one another. The hand on each assault rifle in the line of men and women wearing the black bands tightened on the weapons and everyone knew a fight was inevitable now.
Abigail’s eyes narrowed on Vanessa’s back and her shoulders tensed for the fateful lifting of her arms to begin the firefight when a voice cut through the silence. Gwen’s voice, from where she stood beside Jema.
Gwen O'Neal: “What….in the hell...is that?”
Her eyes were focused on the mountain range high above the rear of the depot. All eyes lifted hers to follow and found exactly what she was talking about. A lone woman was standing on one of the mountain ledges and staring down at the depot.
Even from where she stood so high above they could make out the white pants and white top. The figure's blonde hair blowing gently in the breeze.
And even from the great height they could all see...she was pissed.
The figure stood perfectly still staring down at the huge group of people gathered in the depot for a few seconds before it let out an inhuman screaming screech. Something the likes of which none of them had ever heard before and the episode faded out to a close.