It was touching to see such care and kindness within the Chicago Containment Zone, these days there was too little of that. It was both ironic and a shame that it was a non 'homo-sapiens unspecificus' and not a member of one of the so-called sentient species.
Hades backed away, quietly closing the door, and with a little trepidation he pulled one of the sofas in the lounge area upright and eased himself onto it, savouring the soft cushions and oblivious to the damp musty smell of mildew.
Hopefully that creature would stay down in the cellar, if not, he would cross that bridge if and when he had to. that was preferrable to going back out into the hellish storm that was raging outside.
IC- Signs of the Underground
Moderators: arcanus, Curren, Drake, Otto, Black
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Hades
- New Blood
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:25 pm
Hades awoke feeling stiff and cold from the damp trousers her wore. His eyes squinted in the bright early morning light and he gasped like a man who smoked forty cigarettes a day.
Searching behind the bar for a drink he discovered the sink for rinsing glasses after they had come out of the now disused dish-washer.
Trying the tap he was rewarded with a stream of dirty brown water that coughed and gurgled spattering the inside of the chipped Belfast sink.
After a minute though the water ran clear and Hades bent low and drank from the flow eagerly. It tasted bitter and coppery, a bit like blood, from fitting in the pipe for so long.
'I'll end up with Legionnaires Disease or damned dysentery or something, the ork thought darkly but not stopping until his thirst had been quenched. Perhaps he could even have a wash.
Then the old pipes began to bag, a slow steady tom-tom drum beat echoing through the otherwise silent building.
Hades quickly shut off the tap but the pipes still managed one more hit on the drum. The ork's thoughts went to the big red guerrilla in the basement and he backed cautiously away, moving for the door and the open, sun-kissed street.
Searching behind the bar for a drink he discovered the sink for rinsing glasses after they had come out of the now disused dish-washer.
Trying the tap he was rewarded with a stream of dirty brown water that coughed and gurgled spattering the inside of the chipped Belfast sink.
After a minute though the water ran clear and Hades bent low and drank from the flow eagerly. It tasted bitter and coppery, a bit like blood, from fitting in the pipe for so long.
'I'll end up with Legionnaires Disease or damned dysentery or something, the ork thought darkly but not stopping until his thirst had been quenched. Perhaps he could even have a wash.
Then the old pipes began to bag, a slow steady tom-tom drum beat echoing through the otherwise silent building.
Hades quickly shut off the tap but the pipes still managed one more hit on the drum. The ork's thoughts went to the big red guerrilla in the basement and he backed cautiously away, moving for the door and the open, sun-kissed street.
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Hades
- New Blood
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- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:25 pm
Ten feet from the front door Hades could hear movement upon the stairs that led from the basement and could smell the creature's scent with his sensitive nose.
The door was thrown open to reveal the creature, which McLarren now recognised from his xenobiology classes as an Embracer. Standing tall it was near to eight feet in height, the crown of its head brushing the ceiling and must be somewhere in the region of four hundred pounds. Its fur was a deep dingy red in colour and was missing in places where the creature bore the scars of battle.
It snarled at Hades, baring its sharp canine teeth. Hunching forward to support its weight on its arms, imitating its mundane cousins, the Embracer surged forward several paces, halfling the distance between them. It was a threatening gesture but also one that allowed the Embracer to judge its opponent.
McLarren, quietly cursing his luck, stood firm adjusting his stance to better receive the attack. The gorilla like creature was big, but he'd faced trolls of a similar size during his Urban Brawl days and had lived to tell the tale.
Having made his threat, the creature paused. The ork had shown no fear and was standing his ground and this gave the beast some concern.
His eyes narrowed suspiciously as they locked with the orks. Although ready, standing prepared to defend itself the ork was making no offensive gestures. But that could be a trick.
A silence fell in the room but as it did a shrill cry echoed off the walls outside and both ork and embracer turned towards the front window.
The door was thrown open to reveal the creature, which McLarren now recognised from his xenobiology classes as an Embracer. Standing tall it was near to eight feet in height, the crown of its head brushing the ceiling and must be somewhere in the region of four hundred pounds. Its fur was a deep dingy red in colour and was missing in places where the creature bore the scars of battle.
It snarled at Hades, baring its sharp canine teeth. Hunching forward to support its weight on its arms, imitating its mundane cousins, the Embracer surged forward several paces, halfling the distance between them. It was a threatening gesture but also one that allowed the Embracer to judge its opponent.
McLarren, quietly cursing his luck, stood firm adjusting his stance to better receive the attack. The gorilla like creature was big, but he'd faced trolls of a similar size during his Urban Brawl days and had lived to tell the tale.
Having made his threat, the creature paused. The ork had shown no fear and was standing his ground and this gave the beast some concern.
His eyes narrowed suspiciously as they locked with the orks. Although ready, standing prepared to defend itself the ork was making no offensive gestures. But that could be a trick.
A silence fell in the room but as it did a shrill cry echoed off the walls outside and both ork and embracer turned towards the front window.
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Hades
- New Blood
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- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:25 pm
Lillian May Buxley
Running as fast as she could with one of her trainers held together with a ragged strip of tape, Lillian May Buxley, Lilly to her friends, tripped and fell.
Ignoring the grazes to hands, knees and elbows and the burning in her cheek that was accompanied by an ache as though someone had just hit her, she scrambled to her feet and started running again. Harsh laughter, that of her pursuers resounded off the alley walls urging her to greater speeds.
Erupting from the narrow passageway between the neighbouring apartment blocks she screamed, the sound so loud and shrill she surprised herself.
Four men were waiting for her at the end of the alley, one of whom had grabbed her arm and had solicited the shriek.
Lilly pulled away, kicking the man in the shin as she did.
It was his turn to yelp drawing several amused laughs from his companions.
She ran again, once more tripping on the flapping sole of her battered Nike training shoe but managed to stay on her feet.
The men were joined by the two who had been chasing Lilly down the alley, herding her towards the ambush.
Dodging between the carcasses of wrecked and abandoned vehicles that lay in the street like the bones in an elephants graveyard Lilly sprinted at a door to a small shopping precint.
The door burst open and immediately a synthetic voice announced that there was no running allowed within the mall. The voice sounded out of key, the result of damage to the PA system.
It was a voice that Lilly would have ignored prior to the shut-down of Chicago.
"Fuckers!" McLarren swore aloud at the same time as the Embracer, having silently sidled up alongside the ork let out a predatory snarl.
The two exchanged knowing looks then Hades took off for the door and 'Red' thundered up the stairs.
Ignoring the grazes to hands, knees and elbows and the burning in her cheek that was accompanied by an ache as though someone had just hit her, she scrambled to her feet and started running again. Harsh laughter, that of her pursuers resounded off the alley walls urging her to greater speeds.
Erupting from the narrow passageway between the neighbouring apartment blocks she screamed, the sound so loud and shrill she surprised herself.
Four men were waiting for her at the end of the alley, one of whom had grabbed her arm and had solicited the shriek.
Lilly pulled away, kicking the man in the shin as she did.
It was his turn to yelp drawing several amused laughs from his companions.
She ran again, once more tripping on the flapping sole of her battered Nike training shoe but managed to stay on her feet.
The men were joined by the two who had been chasing Lilly down the alley, herding her towards the ambush.
Dodging between the carcasses of wrecked and abandoned vehicles that lay in the street like the bones in an elephants graveyard Lilly sprinted at a door to a small shopping precint.
The door burst open and immediately a synthetic voice announced that there was no running allowed within the mall. The voice sounded out of key, the result of damage to the PA system.
It was a voice that Lilly would have ignored prior to the shut-down of Chicago.
"Fuckers!" McLarren swore aloud at the same time as the Embracer, having silently sidled up alongside the ork let out a predatory snarl.
The two exchanged knowing looks then Hades took off for the door and 'Red' thundered up the stairs.
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Hades
- New Blood
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:25 pm
Having slammed through the doors Lilly managed to leap at the last moment seeing the makeshift barricade of tables, chairs, lockers, shelving and other flotsam that had been piled just behind the doors.
Despite the leap she still crashed into an upturned table, half climbing and half falling over the obstacle.
Feeling the bruises she once more scrambled to her feet just as the door burst open and the orks came through.
They too were not expecting the barrier however they were moving at a less frantic pace and managed to navigate the debris with a minimum of fuss.
Lilly ran on, limping on her aching leg and stumbling over the flapping sole.
Pausing briefly she kicked off her trainers and sprinted on into the mall.
Glancing over her shoulder she could see the orks spreading out, they were close now, her stumbles having allowed them to gain on her.
Shops, all dark and empty, most of them smashed and ransacked years ago lined the thoroughfare that opened up five floors above her to a glass roof.
Several of the panes were smashed and water had flooded the lower floor, making the polished marble effect flooring slippery.
In her thin socks Lilly skidded on the wet floor that was slick with algae and mould where the puddle had dried and reformed and dried again many times before.
She went down hard knocking the air from her lungs and cracking her head on the unyielding floor. Bright white lights exploded before her eyes, fading slowly through reds and purples and greens as the world slowly came back to her.
She saw, through the kaleidoscope of multicoloured blotches the harsh angular face grinning sadistically at her from behind long yellowed tusks.
Lilly tried to back away, scrambling on the sticky floor but the ork grabbed her collar and hoisted her up and pulled her in close.
"Hello, Lilly," he said his fetid breath hot on her cheek. "You've been avoiding us."
She twisted away, pulling her arms out of her sleeves leaving the ork holding nothing but her jacket. One of the other orks grabbed her instead.
Hal Jackson grinned. "You undressing for us already, Lilly? How d'you know that's what we want from your scrawny little human ass?" he laughed. It was not a real laugh, it was a snide sneer of a laugh, completely put on but it inspired similar such noises from the group around him.
Lilly was pushed back at Hal who merely pushed her away towards one of the other orks who pushed her on again, passing her from man to man each one of whom groped her or pinched her or even licked her face.
This one she pushed back, lashing with her fist. The ork shrugged off the hit but shoved her hard to the ground, tearing at her t-shirt so that it ripped open from the shoulder, down the seam to her waist.
Hal moved in close again, kicking her legs out from under her so that she landed awkwardly on the hard floor again.
He reached down pulling her short ruffled skirt up and his fingers seeking the elastic band of her leggings. Lilly tried once more to get away, unable to stop the scream which just elicited snide laughs from Hal's buddies.
Hal yanked at the waistband of the tight black garment. "Get her arms!" he instructed as she began to flail around wildly.
Two of the orks took her arms and pinned her down as Hal struggled to pull the leggings off her kicking legs.
---------------------------------------------------
Moving across the street quickly but ever watchful on the doorway into the mall, Mac asked himself how he always got into situations like this.
"Cos you're an idiot!" he scolded. An idiot with some degree of morals.
The door was ajar and Mac peered in. the orks had closed in on their quarry who was laying in a pool of slimy water. She looked dazed and one of the orks walked over to her, his heavy boots more readily finding purchase that her socked feet had.
Hades crept in glad of the sudden din coming from the orks who were now passing the frightened girl around.
He used the shadows in by the shop fronts to get closer but eventually had to step out into the bright morning sunshine.
One of the orks was now mauling the young girl, pulling her trousers off while his mates held her. That was far enough as far as Mac was concerned.
"What the fuck's happening here?" he called loudly, already striding in toward the girl.
All six orks turned to face the sudden arrival. A couple of them were carrying shotguns and they pointed them at Mac threateningly.
The ork stripping the girl stood tall, his barrel chest swelling as he sucked in air.
He ran a finger through the mop of blond hair that nestled atop his head like the fronds of a pineapple. He recognised the newcomer, and McLarren recognised him.
"Hades!" the ork almost spat the name.
Hades shrugged at the venom in the introduction as he'd never met the man before him so didn't know where the resentment could come from. "Morning, Hal."
Hal Jackson, leading Banger for the Chicago Sensations Urban Brawl team. The Sensations were a corporate sponsored team, the richer of the two Chicago based squads. He and Mac had never been on opposing sides of a brawl. When Hades had last played the Sensations, Jackson was out injured having been on the receiving end of a Detroit Nightmares' all out assault on goal that left him with multiple gunshot wounds and a severed leg.
Hades guessed he must have still been recovering when the wall went up. As he recalled the Sensations were away to Montreal Assassins at the time.
Hal for his part hated Hades. Not for any other reason than the younger ork was far more popular in the Windy City than he was. In fact Jackson had been one of those foul mouthed ungrateful players that had gained a degree of popularity and celebrity and become arrogant with it.
Hades came up alongside the ex-Sensation as the other orks looked on confused. This newcomer obviously knew Hal, although their relationship seemed a bit on edge from the tone of Hal's voice, and the guy was an ork, albeit a pretty boy rather than a goblin, but an orks none-the-less. Did that make him one of them?
Hades looked down at the young girl. He guessed she couldn't be more than sixteen.
Staring into her eyes he offered her his hand. "Get up," he instructed quietly.
Lilly held his gaze for a moment, anger and hatred showing easily in her chocolate brown eyes. But she found herself reaching out for his extended hand, her soft fingers slipping into his, letting him help her to her feet. She pulled the tattered t-shirt across her chest in an attempt to cover herself, but the garment was useless.
"What the fuck are you doing man?" Hal asked angrily.
Despite the leap she still crashed into an upturned table, half climbing and half falling over the obstacle.
Feeling the bruises she once more scrambled to her feet just as the door burst open and the orks came through.
They too were not expecting the barrier however they were moving at a less frantic pace and managed to navigate the debris with a minimum of fuss.
Lilly ran on, limping on her aching leg and stumbling over the flapping sole.
Pausing briefly she kicked off her trainers and sprinted on into the mall.
Glancing over her shoulder she could see the orks spreading out, they were close now, her stumbles having allowed them to gain on her.
Shops, all dark and empty, most of them smashed and ransacked years ago lined the thoroughfare that opened up five floors above her to a glass roof.
Several of the panes were smashed and water had flooded the lower floor, making the polished marble effect flooring slippery.
In her thin socks Lilly skidded on the wet floor that was slick with algae and mould where the puddle had dried and reformed and dried again many times before.
She went down hard knocking the air from her lungs and cracking her head on the unyielding floor. Bright white lights exploded before her eyes, fading slowly through reds and purples and greens as the world slowly came back to her.
She saw, through the kaleidoscope of multicoloured blotches the harsh angular face grinning sadistically at her from behind long yellowed tusks.
Lilly tried to back away, scrambling on the sticky floor but the ork grabbed her collar and hoisted her up and pulled her in close.
"Hello, Lilly," he said his fetid breath hot on her cheek. "You've been avoiding us."
She twisted away, pulling her arms out of her sleeves leaving the ork holding nothing but her jacket. One of the other orks grabbed her instead.
Hal Jackson grinned. "You undressing for us already, Lilly? How d'you know that's what we want from your scrawny little human ass?" he laughed. It was not a real laugh, it was a snide sneer of a laugh, completely put on but it inspired similar such noises from the group around him.
Lilly was pushed back at Hal who merely pushed her away towards one of the other orks who pushed her on again, passing her from man to man each one of whom groped her or pinched her or even licked her face.
This one she pushed back, lashing with her fist. The ork shrugged off the hit but shoved her hard to the ground, tearing at her t-shirt so that it ripped open from the shoulder, down the seam to her waist.
Hal moved in close again, kicking her legs out from under her so that she landed awkwardly on the hard floor again.
He reached down pulling her short ruffled skirt up and his fingers seeking the elastic band of her leggings. Lilly tried once more to get away, unable to stop the scream which just elicited snide laughs from Hal's buddies.
Hal yanked at the waistband of the tight black garment. "Get her arms!" he instructed as she began to flail around wildly.
Two of the orks took her arms and pinned her down as Hal struggled to pull the leggings off her kicking legs.
---------------------------------------------------
Moving across the street quickly but ever watchful on the doorway into the mall, Mac asked himself how he always got into situations like this.
"Cos you're an idiot!" he scolded. An idiot with some degree of morals.
The door was ajar and Mac peered in. the orks had closed in on their quarry who was laying in a pool of slimy water. She looked dazed and one of the orks walked over to her, his heavy boots more readily finding purchase that her socked feet had.
Hades crept in glad of the sudden din coming from the orks who were now passing the frightened girl around.
He used the shadows in by the shop fronts to get closer but eventually had to step out into the bright morning sunshine.
One of the orks was now mauling the young girl, pulling her trousers off while his mates held her. That was far enough as far as Mac was concerned.
"What the fuck's happening here?" he called loudly, already striding in toward the girl.
All six orks turned to face the sudden arrival. A couple of them were carrying shotguns and they pointed them at Mac threateningly.
The ork stripping the girl stood tall, his barrel chest swelling as he sucked in air.
He ran a finger through the mop of blond hair that nestled atop his head like the fronds of a pineapple. He recognised the newcomer, and McLarren recognised him.
"Hades!" the ork almost spat the name.
Hades shrugged at the venom in the introduction as he'd never met the man before him so didn't know where the resentment could come from. "Morning, Hal."
Hal Jackson, leading Banger for the Chicago Sensations Urban Brawl team. The Sensations were a corporate sponsored team, the richer of the two Chicago based squads. He and Mac had never been on opposing sides of a brawl. When Hades had last played the Sensations, Jackson was out injured having been on the receiving end of a Detroit Nightmares' all out assault on goal that left him with multiple gunshot wounds and a severed leg.
Hades guessed he must have still been recovering when the wall went up. As he recalled the Sensations were away to Montreal Assassins at the time.
Hal for his part hated Hades. Not for any other reason than the younger ork was far more popular in the Windy City than he was. In fact Jackson had been one of those foul mouthed ungrateful players that had gained a degree of popularity and celebrity and become arrogant with it.
Hades came up alongside the ex-Sensation as the other orks looked on confused. This newcomer obviously knew Hal, although their relationship seemed a bit on edge from the tone of Hal's voice, and the guy was an ork, albeit a pretty boy rather than a goblin, but an orks none-the-less. Did that make him one of them?
Hades looked down at the young girl. He guessed she couldn't be more than sixteen.
Staring into her eyes he offered her his hand. "Get up," he instructed quietly.
Lilly held his gaze for a moment, anger and hatred showing easily in her chocolate brown eyes. But she found herself reaching out for his extended hand, her soft fingers slipping into his, letting him help her to her feet. She pulled the tattered t-shirt across her chest in an attempt to cover herself, but the garment was useless.
"What the fuck are you doing man?" Hal asked angrily.
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arcanus
- Site Admin
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The words trailed off in Hals mouth as his vision was drawn to the large creature that cautiously strode into the mall, it was three meters high, lobster red skin, with a physical build not disimilar to a bald gorilla. Apart from its physical power the aspect that made it all the more menacing was its yellow eyes and the devil like horns upon its head.
For the creature this was a brave act, it hadn't ventured into the light of day for two full seasons, so its curiousity and instinct were very powerful.
It had seen guns before though and they'd hurt, it scratched around in the strewn wreckage and hoisted the remnants of a barrier, lofting it like a shield.
Hals orks had by this stage lost all interest in Lilly, who Mac slowly guided to her feet, as if tiptoeing through a pack of sleeping lions.
The pregnant pause came to an abrupt end when one of the orks nerve broke and he discharged his shotgun wild, Mac ducked a distracted Hals wild swing for him, in turn he pushed Lilly across the mall floor and out of the fray.
The creature in an incredibly metahuman gesture swung the barrier around, absorbing the buckshot, in true ape style it then bounced off several girders reaching the higher ground of the malls roof beams in mere moments.
One of the orks screamed as a blob of burning mucus flopped onto the side of his head and began to burn, pandemonium ensued.
The creature however wasn't escaping lightly as several wild shots had clipped it.
For the creature this was a brave act, it hadn't ventured into the light of day for two full seasons, so its curiousity and instinct were very powerful.
It had seen guns before though and they'd hurt, it scratched around in the strewn wreckage and hoisted the remnants of a barrier, lofting it like a shield.
Hals orks had by this stage lost all interest in Lilly, who Mac slowly guided to her feet, as if tiptoeing through a pack of sleeping lions.
The pregnant pause came to an abrupt end when one of the orks nerve broke and he discharged his shotgun wild, Mac ducked a distracted Hals wild swing for him, in turn he pushed Lilly across the mall floor and out of the fray.
The creature in an incredibly metahuman gesture swung the barrier around, absorbing the buckshot, in true ape style it then bounced off several girders reaching the higher ground of the malls roof beams in mere moments.
One of the orks screamed as a blob of burning mucus flopped onto the side of his head and began to burn, pandemonium ensued.
The creature however wasn't escaping lightly as several wild shots had clipped it.
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Hades
- New Blood
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:25 pm
Of the two men who had been holding Lilly, one of them leaped on Mac's back gripping him in a bear hug, whilst Hal also closed in slamming his fist into Hades' stomach.
The ex-Shatters player coughed as the air was forced from his lungs and grunted as Hal thumped him square on the nose.
Blood flowed freely down into his mouth and over his chin.
Mac kicked forward at Hal at the same time as slamming his head backwards into his assailants face. His kick caught Hal on the knee making him yelp and his head crunched into the other man's cheek but he grunted and shrugged the attack off, maintaining his grip.
There was a wail of pain from the ork whose face had been burnt as he took his hand away, pulling the top layer of flesh with it, leaving the angry raw flesh beneath exposed.
Mac hunched over pulling the gripper off his feet and leaned to one side, deliberately falling, angling himself so that he landed on his opponent who finally relinquished his hold.
Hades immediately turned on him, rising onto his knees and raining blows in quick succession onto his head.
From the corner of his eye he saw Lilly standing aghast against a shop window.
"Run!" he shouted at her, then returned to the man under him.
Hal surged forward again, the feeling having returned to his leg. Grabbing the shoulders of Hades' armoured vest he pulled the ork off his comrade and heaving with all his strength threw Mac to the ground calling him a cocksucker as he did.
"I'm a cocksucker?" Hades asked incredulously. "You're the asshole trying to rape an innocent young girl." Climbing to his feet, readying himself to attack again he saw one of the orks grab Lilly who had made it halfway back to the doors.
"Innocent girl?" Hal spat. "She's a fucking human, man. What leniency have they ever shown us? They treat us like animals, second class citizens. Well now it's our turn to take over the city, show the homo sapiens irrelevantus who's really in charge."
Hades shook his head in wonder. Did Jackson really believe the shit he was sprouting.
The mall was quiet now, two of the orks with their weapons raised towards the roof where the Embracer had been. The creature had disappeared but the men were unsure if it was dead or not. They split their interest between the upper levels and the bloodied form of McLarren Hades.
"People treat you like an animal because that's what you are." Hades scolded. "you go round raping women then you deserve a lot less than a bit of discrimination. In fact if you try and rape this particular woman I'll fucking kill you myself."
Hal grinned wolfishly at him, shaking his head with supreme confidence. "No you won't," he sneered pulling a pistol from his belt and pointing it at Hades.
Lilly was dragged closer, her demeanour now completely submissive to the point that her legs had crumpled beneath her and the ork who had her was more or less carrying her.
Hal moved across beside her his free hand taking her chin and lifting her head so he could look her in the eye. "You are so going to wish this guy never showed up."
Lilly seemed to shrink under his lascivious gaze.
In a swift movement Mac had the marine's combat knife in his hand and launched it at Jackson. Not weighted for throwing the weapon struck Hal in the chest hilt first, but the strength of the throw was still enough to hurt the ork.
Hal's hand went to the point of impact as he shouted "Ow!" Hades made a mental note then - no armour.
It didn't matter, Hal reacted quickly his pistol up and the shot rang out disproportionately loud in the empty mall.
Mac's head whipped back in a spray of blood as the bullet gouged a chunk of flesh and bone from the ork ganger's skull.
Hades hit the ground hard and Lilly screamed receiving a slap from her captor.
Hal Jackson returned his attention to Lilly. "Now where was I?" he grinned evilly.
The ex-Shatters player coughed as the air was forced from his lungs and grunted as Hal thumped him square on the nose.
Blood flowed freely down into his mouth and over his chin.
Mac kicked forward at Hal at the same time as slamming his head backwards into his assailants face. His kick caught Hal on the knee making him yelp and his head crunched into the other man's cheek but he grunted and shrugged the attack off, maintaining his grip.
There was a wail of pain from the ork whose face had been burnt as he took his hand away, pulling the top layer of flesh with it, leaving the angry raw flesh beneath exposed.
Mac hunched over pulling the gripper off his feet and leaned to one side, deliberately falling, angling himself so that he landed on his opponent who finally relinquished his hold.
Hades immediately turned on him, rising onto his knees and raining blows in quick succession onto his head.
From the corner of his eye he saw Lilly standing aghast against a shop window.
"Run!" he shouted at her, then returned to the man under him.
Hal surged forward again, the feeling having returned to his leg. Grabbing the shoulders of Hades' armoured vest he pulled the ork off his comrade and heaving with all his strength threw Mac to the ground calling him a cocksucker as he did.
"I'm a cocksucker?" Hades asked incredulously. "You're the asshole trying to rape an innocent young girl." Climbing to his feet, readying himself to attack again he saw one of the orks grab Lilly who had made it halfway back to the doors.
"Innocent girl?" Hal spat. "She's a fucking human, man. What leniency have they ever shown us? They treat us like animals, second class citizens. Well now it's our turn to take over the city, show the homo sapiens irrelevantus who's really in charge."
Hades shook his head in wonder. Did Jackson really believe the shit he was sprouting.
The mall was quiet now, two of the orks with their weapons raised towards the roof where the Embracer had been. The creature had disappeared but the men were unsure if it was dead or not. They split their interest between the upper levels and the bloodied form of McLarren Hades.
"People treat you like an animal because that's what you are." Hades scolded. "you go round raping women then you deserve a lot less than a bit of discrimination. In fact if you try and rape this particular woman I'll fucking kill you myself."
Hal grinned wolfishly at him, shaking his head with supreme confidence. "No you won't," he sneered pulling a pistol from his belt and pointing it at Hades.
Lilly was dragged closer, her demeanour now completely submissive to the point that her legs had crumpled beneath her and the ork who had her was more or less carrying her.
Hal moved across beside her his free hand taking her chin and lifting her head so he could look her in the eye. "You are so going to wish this guy never showed up."
Lilly seemed to shrink under his lascivious gaze.
In a swift movement Mac had the marine's combat knife in his hand and launched it at Jackson. Not weighted for throwing the weapon struck Hal in the chest hilt first, but the strength of the throw was still enough to hurt the ork.
Hal's hand went to the point of impact as he shouted "Ow!" Hades made a mental note then - no armour.
It didn't matter, Hal reacted quickly his pistol up and the shot rang out disproportionately loud in the empty mall.
Mac's head whipped back in a spray of blood as the bullet gouged a chunk of flesh and bone from the ork ganger's skull.
Hades hit the ground hard and Lilly screamed receiving a slap from her captor.
Hal Jackson returned his attention to Lilly. "Now where was I?" he grinned evilly.
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Hades
- New Blood
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:25 pm
Lillian May Buxley lay on the cold floor in a half dream state.
Tears welled in her eyes and every now and then rolled down her cheek to drip onto the white replica marble.
She refused to react to the bastard pleasuring himself between her legs, laying there like the hunk of meat Hal Jackson was treating her like.
She tried to ignore the pain too but it wasn't easy.
Two of the men were stood beside them urging Hal on in his conquest. Another was standing over his unconscious friend who had still not awoken after that Hades prick had given him a beating.
The final ork was standing in front of a mirror wall adjacent to the elevators applying medicated anaesthetic to his facial wound. His shotgun was slung over his shoulder.
The elevator alongside him pinged and in suspicion he stepped back unslinging the firearm. All five conscious orks stopped their activities to stare at the lift.
The doors opened quickly to reveal the red skinned gorilla like beast. In its hand it held a large red AFFF fire extinguisher, wielding it like a club.
It's movement deceptively fast it rushed out swinging the extinguisher and striking the burned ork solidly in the abdomen like a batsman hitting a home run.
The ork literally flew thirty feet through the air and sliding along the shiny floor coming to a stop as it struck Mac's motionless body.
The Embracer gave a guttural roar of absolute undeniable anger that left the orks momentarily frozen with fear.
Suddenly, for Hal Jackson the moment had passed and he climbed off the inert Lilly.
He kept his movements small and slow and so far all the creature was doing was standing there snarling, and it seemed to be looking beyond him.
"Hey, fucknuts!" said a voice from behind him.
With his trousers around his ankles and his engorged penis pointing ahead like some obscene diving rod Hal turned to see McLarren Hades standing there with a pump action shotgun in his hands.
Above the semi dried blood on the ork's face where there had been a gaping hole not more than ten minutes ago there was now an angry looking red welt.
"How the fuck?" Hal cursed. It was the last thing he ever said.
Tears welled in her eyes and every now and then rolled down her cheek to drip onto the white replica marble.
She refused to react to the bastard pleasuring himself between her legs, laying there like the hunk of meat Hal Jackson was treating her like.
She tried to ignore the pain too but it wasn't easy.
Two of the men were stood beside them urging Hal on in his conquest. Another was standing over his unconscious friend who had still not awoken after that Hades prick had given him a beating.
The final ork was standing in front of a mirror wall adjacent to the elevators applying medicated anaesthetic to his facial wound. His shotgun was slung over his shoulder.
The elevator alongside him pinged and in suspicion he stepped back unslinging the firearm. All five conscious orks stopped their activities to stare at the lift.
The doors opened quickly to reveal the red skinned gorilla like beast. In its hand it held a large red AFFF fire extinguisher, wielding it like a club.
It's movement deceptively fast it rushed out swinging the extinguisher and striking the burned ork solidly in the abdomen like a batsman hitting a home run.
The ork literally flew thirty feet through the air and sliding along the shiny floor coming to a stop as it struck Mac's motionless body.
The Embracer gave a guttural roar of absolute undeniable anger that left the orks momentarily frozen with fear.
Suddenly, for Hal Jackson the moment had passed and he climbed off the inert Lilly.
He kept his movements small and slow and so far all the creature was doing was standing there snarling, and it seemed to be looking beyond him.
"Hey, fucknuts!" said a voice from behind him.
With his trousers around his ankles and his engorged penis pointing ahead like some obscene diving rod Hal turned to see McLarren Hades standing there with a pump action shotgun in his hands.
Above the semi dried blood on the ork's face where there had been a gaping hole not more than ten minutes ago there was now an angry looking red welt.
"How the fuck?" Hal cursed. It was the last thing he ever said.
-
Hades
- New Blood
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:25 pm
McLarren had been willing to let these men go, after a damned good kicking of course, should they have put up any sort of resistance to his removing Lilly from the situation.
However, now that Halenbeck Jackson Jr. had tried to kill him, and had managed to commit the ultimate sin against a young girl then there was no way he was going to let the fucker live now.
Again the blast was loud, echoing off the walls of the empty mall so that it repeated several more times.
At such close range the shot had not spread more than an inch more than the barrel's diameter, and shredded the flesh and bone at the nape of Hal's neck.
Blood erupted in a thick shower from the back of the ork's neck and the heavy head lolled to one side, opening the destroyed jugular and sending a further fountain high into the air.
Then Hal's head slid backward over his left shoulder, the ragged tendrils of flesh unable to hold the weight, tore and the head fell, bouncing with an almost wooden sound on the hard floor.
One of the orks, watching in horror as his leader's head rolled unevenly on the white fake marble finally turned away and threw up as Hal's body wobbled slightly and the knees gave out so that he suddenly sat down on his own face.
If it had not been for the massive ache in his head and the fact the Lilly was still laying on the floor, now splattered with ork blood, then Mac may have found the scene mildly amusing.
Perhaps in a few days he would have a chuckle at the image of the ork's naked ass sitting on his own face.
Now though he trained the weapon at the other armed ork. None of them had moved, frozen in fear and horror by the combined appearance of the Embracer, the apparent resurrection of Hades and the grotesque decapitation of Jackson.
"I'll have that, thank you," Hades said indicating the weapon. "And all your ammo too."
Reality crashed back in on the ork's world and a massive surge of adrenaline flooded his system, sweeping before all logical thought and pulling in it's wake only rage.
He swung the Remington Pump towards Hades dramatically pumping the action as he did so and letting loose like a mad man.
Three shots went off, not one of them hitting their intended target before the AFFF extinguisher smashed into his shoulder, breaking his arm and splintering ribs and throwing the man through the plate glass window beside him.
The extinguisher clanged noisily to the ground and Hades gave his unusual ally a nod of thanks.
Red gave the two orks who had, as of yet, not moved from their position alongside the prone form of Lilly, a grin that exposed his razor sharp array of teeth.
As one the two took off down the long promenade, running for their lives.
The embracer moved towards the young girl who lay inert on the cold filthy floor. It gave a compassionate whimper before it screwed its face up in anger and with a feral roar took off in pursuit of the orks.
Hades moved slowly over to Lilly, crouching down and taking her hand in his.
She remained motionless, the slow rise and fall of her abdomen the only indicator that she was still alive.
Pulling her skirt down from where Hal had shoved it so that it covered her nudity he left her for a moment to gather her knickers and jacket from where they lay discarded by her attackers.
Mac had to leave her leggings as they were scrunched up under the corpse of Hal Jackson and as such were soaked with his blood.
Ever the survivor he moved quickly from body to body, gathering items of use and ammunition for his newly acquired weapons.
In one of Hal's pockets he discovered a permit that would allow him access to Lady Catherine's area. She was issuing permits now? Bitch was getting too big and too powerful.
Using the Embracer's improvised weapon to smash his way into a store he found a large backpack and filled it with his booty then returned to Lilly.
She hadn't moved, but she was shivering.
Hades knelt beside her and gently slid his arms under her back and her knees and lifted her from the ground. She seemed not to notice.
A terrified and agonised wail emitted from the far end of the mall, around a corner so that Mac could not see its source.
A macabre feeling of justice made him smirk inside.
Looking down at the bruised and defiled girl in his arms he carried her out of the Mall and back across the road to Gianino's
However, now that Halenbeck Jackson Jr. had tried to kill him, and had managed to commit the ultimate sin against a young girl then there was no way he was going to let the fucker live now.
Again the blast was loud, echoing off the walls of the empty mall so that it repeated several more times.
At such close range the shot had not spread more than an inch more than the barrel's diameter, and shredded the flesh and bone at the nape of Hal's neck.
Blood erupted in a thick shower from the back of the ork's neck and the heavy head lolled to one side, opening the destroyed jugular and sending a further fountain high into the air.
Then Hal's head slid backward over his left shoulder, the ragged tendrils of flesh unable to hold the weight, tore and the head fell, bouncing with an almost wooden sound on the hard floor.
One of the orks, watching in horror as his leader's head rolled unevenly on the white fake marble finally turned away and threw up as Hal's body wobbled slightly and the knees gave out so that he suddenly sat down on his own face.
If it had not been for the massive ache in his head and the fact the Lilly was still laying on the floor, now splattered with ork blood, then Mac may have found the scene mildly amusing.
Perhaps in a few days he would have a chuckle at the image of the ork's naked ass sitting on his own face.
Now though he trained the weapon at the other armed ork. None of them had moved, frozen in fear and horror by the combined appearance of the Embracer, the apparent resurrection of Hades and the grotesque decapitation of Jackson.
"I'll have that, thank you," Hades said indicating the weapon. "And all your ammo too."
Reality crashed back in on the ork's world and a massive surge of adrenaline flooded his system, sweeping before all logical thought and pulling in it's wake only rage.
He swung the Remington Pump towards Hades dramatically pumping the action as he did so and letting loose like a mad man.
Three shots went off, not one of them hitting their intended target before the AFFF extinguisher smashed into his shoulder, breaking his arm and splintering ribs and throwing the man through the plate glass window beside him.
The extinguisher clanged noisily to the ground and Hades gave his unusual ally a nod of thanks.
Red gave the two orks who had, as of yet, not moved from their position alongside the prone form of Lilly, a grin that exposed his razor sharp array of teeth.
As one the two took off down the long promenade, running for their lives.
The embracer moved towards the young girl who lay inert on the cold filthy floor. It gave a compassionate whimper before it screwed its face up in anger and with a feral roar took off in pursuit of the orks.
Hades moved slowly over to Lilly, crouching down and taking her hand in his.
She remained motionless, the slow rise and fall of her abdomen the only indicator that she was still alive.
Pulling her skirt down from where Hal had shoved it so that it covered her nudity he left her for a moment to gather her knickers and jacket from where they lay discarded by her attackers.
Mac had to leave her leggings as they were scrunched up under the corpse of Hal Jackson and as such were soaked with his blood.
Ever the survivor he moved quickly from body to body, gathering items of use and ammunition for his newly acquired weapons.
In one of Hal's pockets he discovered a permit that would allow him access to Lady Catherine's area. She was issuing permits now? Bitch was getting too big and too powerful.
Using the Embracer's improvised weapon to smash his way into a store he found a large backpack and filled it with his booty then returned to Lilly.
She hadn't moved, but she was shivering.
Hades knelt beside her and gently slid his arms under her back and her knees and lifted her from the ground. She seemed not to notice.
A terrified and agonised wail emitted from the far end of the mall, around a corner so that Mac could not see its source.
A macabre feeling of justice made him smirk inside.
Looking down at the bruised and defiled girl in his arms he carried her out of the Mall and back across the road to Gianino's
-
Hades
- New Blood
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:25 pm
Malthalamus Curren in A Glimpse of the Past
He settled the girl on the sofa, noting that she was no longer shaking, but she remained otherwise bereft of movement, her eyes glazed and vacant.
Quickly he assessed her injuries. It was mostly cuts and grazes, and he guessed the worst ones here would be mental rather than physical.
The door opened and ‘Red' loped in, the stain of blood a dark stain around its wide, heavy lipped mouth.
The creature stared a Hades, as though assessing him as a foe once more, but as it moved its gaze to Lilly, its features softened and with an odd almost wookie-like noise it shuffled to the back of the room and down to the basement.
A sigh of relief escaped the ork.
Checking the kitchens, he found that one of the hobs and a hot plate were still working. He filled a pan with water and put it on to boil.
Whoever those people down below had been they were obviously making use of the facilities here and maintaining them too. Even one of the big freezers worked and had a few hunks of soy meat, rat, pigeon and what looked like dog.
He took a couple of slabs of the latter out to thaw.
Returning to Lilly with the hot water and a clean-ish towel, he began to slowly wipe the drying ork blood from her face and shoulders.
At the hot touch of the damp towel she moved, a slight tensing and a sharp intake of breath and then she relaxed again, though her breathing was more pronounced than it had been.
The towel wiped away the blood and grime from the young girl's face and the Sign only now really noticed how pretty she was.
Her chocolate brown eyes although currently glazed and vacant were a rich colour with a promise of coming alive when she was more lucid.
The girl's cheeks had flushed red with the heat of the towel but the dark bruise forming there marred the otherwise flawless skin.
Careful not to make any gestures that the girl could misconstrue he wetted the towel and cleaned the dirt and gravel from her grazed elbows and knees.
Lilly suddenly sucked in a long breath and the ork taking the towel away from her knee fearing she may have a more serious injury noticed that she was clearly staring at him.
****
In her mind the chase had replayed over and over, culminating in Hal's head bouncing on the hard floor, the impact sounding like an explosion in her mind.
Then he was there again, his face leering as he forced himself inside, his hot breath stinking. Again and again she saw him violating her.
Suddenly the image faded to nothing and was replaced with a feeling of warmth and comfort.
Then Hal's ugly face was back again, the nose at this odd angle seeming almost as big as his head.
Then the warmth, and it soothed her mind, making the ever present image of her attacker seem less threatening.
Even so the ork would return, thrusting home with a grunt, but somehow the image seemed slightly more distant.
Again the warmth and a feeling of soft fuzziness.
Hal – warmth – Hal – warmth it went, seemingly for an age but each time Hal's image became weaker.
Then Hal wasn't there at all. She was in what was left of a restaurant.
Not daring to move she used her eyes only. There was a figure perched on the edge of the sofa on which she was laying. The man, another ork, had her right leg over his knee.
She had felt warmth on her leg and now heard water. With a frown she finally recognised the man from the mall, the one who had been shot by Hal.
She remembered her feeling of relief when someone had interrupted Hal and his gang. She remembered staring at the newcomer who was angry at Hal, a feeling of euphoria rising in her as her saviour came and helped her to her feet.
She remembered Hal shooting the man in the head and the sudden overwhelming feeling of despair that swept all her will power away and left her unable to move.
That's when Hal got her and…
Ow! Lilly sucked in air, hissing as the hot water soaked towel was pressed onto her grazed knee. It wasn't really painful, although it did sting a fair bit. It was the shock of it alongside the realisation that she could feel. She had feared that she would be numb forever, just a shell of a person.
She stared hard at the ork with the towel, the man who had, in the end, saved her.
****
Conscious of the fragility of people who had been through the kind of trauma that this girl had just been through, Hades gently moved her leg, removed his from under it and stood, sheepishly, almost embarrassed.
The girl never took her gaze from him.
"Hi, er," he fumbled the words, not sure what to say. "Erm… I thought I'd try and clean some of the dirt out." He waved a hand lazily at he knee.
She smiled and those chocolate eyes, as promised, lit up.
"Thank you," she croaked, her voice hoarse.
"I'll get you some water." He almost ran into the kitchen.
"What's wrong with you?" Mac cursed at himself as he cleaned a glass an ran the tap letting the acrid tasting coppery coloured water run clear again. "She's just a kid! A kid who's just been through hell."
A sudden scream from the restaurant made him rush back where he came across Red lurking in the doorway to the basement.
Lilly had backed into the corner of the sofa. Her wide eyes showed fear but already Mac could see her calming, as though she already knew she was not in danger.
"It's okay," Mac reassured her, "he wont hurt you." He hoped he wouldn't anyway.
Red gave another rapid course of wookie noises and thrust an army issue med-pack in his direction.
Mac was surprised. "Fuckin' A, man!" the ork said, giving the big creature a friendlt slap on the shoulder as he took the pack.
Rooting around he found some antiseptic cream and gauze and plasters.
"You, eh, want to, you know?" he asked offering the bundle to Lilly.
Moving back onto the sofa she shook her head, the memories of the rape abating again the memories of this ork and his unusual companion being forced to the front of her mind.
"No," she shook her head, her almost black hair waving slightly. "Can you do it?"
All she really wanted was for someone to touch her in a way that gave her reassurance, and the memory of her mother putting the antiseptic cream on her knees after she had fallen off her bike were comforting.
Mentally giving himself a slap on the face and reminding himself that she was the one who had just been traumatised, Mac knelt beside the sofa and went about his task.
"I'm Lilly," the girl said when he'd finished. And then she cried. A big shoulder shaking sob that she found she couldn't stop. She threw her arms around Mac's neck and cried like a child.
Half an hour later Mac pulled a blanket over Lilly. She'd cried for ages and as the sobs had died down she clung to him.
Strange, he thought how his paternal instinct took over and he just held her back stoking her hair and found himself wondering what his own young daughter was like now.
Reaching for the med-kit he knocked if of the arm, spilling the contents on the floor.
In the bottom of the kit were some photos.
They showed several people huddled together for a group shot, and others showed the same people in ones and twos.
Then a photo took Mac's breath away.
A young woman sat reclined in a chair, a tin cup in her hand and beside her was a man. The human was short, balding, a little overweight and even with the dark shadows around his eyes, Mac recognised him. Curren.
He checked the data on the photo. It was some six months after the Signs had lost contact with Granite and the others, including Curren.
He didn't go? He stayed in Chicago? Why?
Hades looked over to the door to the basement.
"Red!" he called pulling the door open.
The embracer came loping out of the half light and thrust the photo at the creature, tapping the mans image.
"Curren!" he said.
Red nodded. "C-U-R-R-E-N!" it emulated, nodding exaggeratedly and looking at the ork in delight.
"This is Curren?" Hades asked again, not sure how much the creature understood. "Malthalamus Curren?"
Red spoke the man's name again.
Mac nodded to the corpses that were neatly laid out on the basement floor. "Is he? Is he here?"
Quickly he assessed her injuries. It was mostly cuts and grazes, and he guessed the worst ones here would be mental rather than physical.
The door opened and ‘Red' loped in, the stain of blood a dark stain around its wide, heavy lipped mouth.
The creature stared a Hades, as though assessing him as a foe once more, but as it moved its gaze to Lilly, its features softened and with an odd almost wookie-like noise it shuffled to the back of the room and down to the basement.
A sigh of relief escaped the ork.
Checking the kitchens, he found that one of the hobs and a hot plate were still working. He filled a pan with water and put it on to boil.
Whoever those people down below had been they were obviously making use of the facilities here and maintaining them too. Even one of the big freezers worked and had a few hunks of soy meat, rat, pigeon and what looked like dog.
He took a couple of slabs of the latter out to thaw.
Returning to Lilly with the hot water and a clean-ish towel, he began to slowly wipe the drying ork blood from her face and shoulders.
At the hot touch of the damp towel she moved, a slight tensing and a sharp intake of breath and then she relaxed again, though her breathing was more pronounced than it had been.
The towel wiped away the blood and grime from the young girl's face and the Sign only now really noticed how pretty she was.
Her chocolate brown eyes although currently glazed and vacant were a rich colour with a promise of coming alive when she was more lucid.
The girl's cheeks had flushed red with the heat of the towel but the dark bruise forming there marred the otherwise flawless skin.
Careful not to make any gestures that the girl could misconstrue he wetted the towel and cleaned the dirt and gravel from her grazed elbows and knees.
Lilly suddenly sucked in a long breath and the ork taking the towel away from her knee fearing she may have a more serious injury noticed that she was clearly staring at him.
****
In her mind the chase had replayed over and over, culminating in Hal's head bouncing on the hard floor, the impact sounding like an explosion in her mind.
Then he was there again, his face leering as he forced himself inside, his hot breath stinking. Again and again she saw him violating her.
Suddenly the image faded to nothing and was replaced with a feeling of warmth and comfort.
Then Hal's ugly face was back again, the nose at this odd angle seeming almost as big as his head.
Then the warmth, and it soothed her mind, making the ever present image of her attacker seem less threatening.
Even so the ork would return, thrusting home with a grunt, but somehow the image seemed slightly more distant.
Again the warmth and a feeling of soft fuzziness.
Hal – warmth – Hal – warmth it went, seemingly for an age but each time Hal's image became weaker.
Then Hal wasn't there at all. She was in what was left of a restaurant.
Not daring to move she used her eyes only. There was a figure perched on the edge of the sofa on which she was laying. The man, another ork, had her right leg over his knee.
She had felt warmth on her leg and now heard water. With a frown she finally recognised the man from the mall, the one who had been shot by Hal.
She remembered her feeling of relief when someone had interrupted Hal and his gang. She remembered staring at the newcomer who was angry at Hal, a feeling of euphoria rising in her as her saviour came and helped her to her feet.
She remembered Hal shooting the man in the head and the sudden overwhelming feeling of despair that swept all her will power away and left her unable to move.
That's when Hal got her and…
Ow! Lilly sucked in air, hissing as the hot water soaked towel was pressed onto her grazed knee. It wasn't really painful, although it did sting a fair bit. It was the shock of it alongside the realisation that she could feel. She had feared that she would be numb forever, just a shell of a person.
She stared hard at the ork with the towel, the man who had, in the end, saved her.
****
Conscious of the fragility of people who had been through the kind of trauma that this girl had just been through, Hades gently moved her leg, removed his from under it and stood, sheepishly, almost embarrassed.
The girl never took her gaze from him.
"Hi, er," he fumbled the words, not sure what to say. "Erm… I thought I'd try and clean some of the dirt out." He waved a hand lazily at he knee.
She smiled and those chocolate eyes, as promised, lit up.
"Thank you," she croaked, her voice hoarse.
"I'll get you some water." He almost ran into the kitchen.
"What's wrong with you?" Mac cursed at himself as he cleaned a glass an ran the tap letting the acrid tasting coppery coloured water run clear again. "She's just a kid! A kid who's just been through hell."
A sudden scream from the restaurant made him rush back where he came across Red lurking in the doorway to the basement.
Lilly had backed into the corner of the sofa. Her wide eyes showed fear but already Mac could see her calming, as though she already knew she was not in danger.
"It's okay," Mac reassured her, "he wont hurt you." He hoped he wouldn't anyway.
Red gave another rapid course of wookie noises and thrust an army issue med-pack in his direction.
Mac was surprised. "Fuckin' A, man!" the ork said, giving the big creature a friendlt slap on the shoulder as he took the pack.
Rooting around he found some antiseptic cream and gauze and plasters.
"You, eh, want to, you know?" he asked offering the bundle to Lilly.
Moving back onto the sofa she shook her head, the memories of the rape abating again the memories of this ork and his unusual companion being forced to the front of her mind.
"No," she shook her head, her almost black hair waving slightly. "Can you do it?"
All she really wanted was for someone to touch her in a way that gave her reassurance, and the memory of her mother putting the antiseptic cream on her knees after she had fallen off her bike were comforting.
Mentally giving himself a slap on the face and reminding himself that she was the one who had just been traumatised, Mac knelt beside the sofa and went about his task.
"I'm Lilly," the girl said when he'd finished. And then she cried. A big shoulder shaking sob that she found she couldn't stop. She threw her arms around Mac's neck and cried like a child.
Half an hour later Mac pulled a blanket over Lilly. She'd cried for ages and as the sobs had died down she clung to him.
Strange, he thought how his paternal instinct took over and he just held her back stoking her hair and found himself wondering what his own young daughter was like now.
Reaching for the med-kit he knocked if of the arm, spilling the contents on the floor.
In the bottom of the kit were some photos.
They showed several people huddled together for a group shot, and others showed the same people in ones and twos.
Then a photo took Mac's breath away.
A young woman sat reclined in a chair, a tin cup in her hand and beside her was a man. The human was short, balding, a little overweight and even with the dark shadows around his eyes, Mac recognised him. Curren.
He checked the data on the photo. It was some six months after the Signs had lost contact with Granite and the others, including Curren.
He didn't go? He stayed in Chicago? Why?
Hades looked over to the door to the basement.
"Red!" he called pulling the door open.
The embracer came loping out of the half light and thrust the photo at the creature, tapping the mans image.
"Curren!" he said.
Red nodded. "C-U-R-R-E-N!" it emulated, nodding exaggeratedly and looking at the ork in delight.
"This is Curren?" Hades asked again, not sure how much the creature understood. "Malthalamus Curren?"
Red spoke the man's name again.
Mac nodded to the corpses that were neatly laid out on the basement floor. "Is he? Is he here?"