Humanity First, People Second RP

[Yuno]

Kellin sighed and he watched the dog which had been quiet stand up and growl. She reached down patting the dog's side, "Down there Cat. He's a friend. Even if he talks too much." She seemed to listen to him only reaching to take out the iv from her arm when the blood drip was empty. She stood briefly to pull out her phone and order a pizza. She also bent down to feed the dog who was giving Lex a wary eye. She disappeared into the house and finally returned rubbing her hair as she moved. She had a box under her arm which was soon being put on the table between them. She wasn't exactly glaring, but he could tell she wasn't happy either.

"You asked. Just remember that. I was gonna let you off the hook just with a hug and let's be friends. But now that you've told me your sob story you might as well hear mine." She took the lid off the box She reached inside pulling out a picture frame which she dusted off before putting it down on the table for Lex to see. She took a swig from the beer Corey had left on the table before continuing. The picture showed a woman that looked like Kellin holding a baby and beaming. A man dressed in military officer's garb had his arm around her and was beaming as well. "That's me Pap. General John Lee. My mum's next to him. Notice anything." She tapped the woman's eyes which were brown and blue. "Mum was a sapper." She pointed at her own eyes, "I'm a half-blood. Mom died when I was young. Like maybe 4 or so. I don't remember her well. Dad raised me. I've been on military track since birth."

She left the picture on the table and took a moment to drink more before laying out another picture. This one was of her and some other men all posed in their uniforms. He noticed Corey had an arm slung around her shoulders and her giving bunny ears to a guy next to her. "When I was about 20 me and my unit went over the pond. Took a position in London, right before the riots started there." She paused to pull out another picture which she stared at for longer than the others. " We were told we were there for peace-keeping, but the truth was our unit had a worse purpose." She put the picture down on the table. It showed her in a dress hugging a man with dark black hair who was kissing the side of her face. Clearly the picture wasn't taken by her because she was laughing.

"Met a bloke over there. Jacob." she reached into the box producing a glittering engagement ring and wedding band. She put it down along with a wedding photo of herself and the man. "We were there two years. He was great. Air force over there. Lived in the slums his whole life. No parents. We got married just before I was 21." She pointed at Jacob, "Take a good look. Notice anything?" She drank before answering, "He was a Vamp. I didn't care. I mean I'm half-breed. But it only shows on the eyes. And I can lie about that. He was the guy for me. The vamp thing was just a quirk that meant I didn't dream anymore."

She threw the discarded bottle at the trash and missed causing it to shatter. She began to put the things back in the box, "But my unit's real purpose came up. My daddy didn't like Jacob. Didn't think he deserved me. And he hated subs ever since my mom kicked the bucket. So when they started snagging test subjects in the night, Jacob got snatched from our bed." She looked down and it was clear to Lex she was holding back tears. Her voice was choked, "And he's gone. They took my husband. He's gone. And he won't ever be back. And when I confronted my father for it...well we don't speak anymore. And I was x-military until today. I've been a black-ops since then. I run work for mostly subs too. They've known this day was coming." She stood up reaching for her phone to order a pizza online. She left again and came back with some medicine. She put it down in front of him. "It'll help your shoulder."

She looked down at the dog, "Cat. I gotta clean this place don't I?" The dog barked in response and she grabbed a broom to sweep the glass up. The things stayed on the table. "Your people aren't in protection anymore. I bet you my leg that much. Government protection is just an excuse for tests subjects." She leaned on the broom handle, " Not that I feel you aren't low enough, but you don't look like you've got many friends anyway. So even if I'm not trustworthy, which is reaching, because I don't harm kids and you've been here an hour and you aren't in custody, I either suck at my job or I am. You can pick. I ordered a pizza. If you want to stay you can. There is some milk and soda in the fridge. Don't touch my beer if you take that medicine. If not, the door is over there, I wish you luck in your future life as a government punching bag." She stood up walking towards the bedroom. She paused at the door to kick her boots off. She looked over her shoulder, "You sound like he did..ya know that. It charmed me then." She kicked the door shut to change.

[t⊗theark]

After hearing her story, Lex rexckoned it was best for her to be more emotionally stable to he attempted to comfort her,
"Hey, no need ta giff up hope, I reckon 'e migh' be around, y'nevah know." He put his hand on her shoulder to reassure her, "If it's any consolation, vamp I toldja 'bout, he was one of the few of the people who are friends with me that I felt I was a friend back." He gave a caring look, it was unnerving how effectively he used body language to communicate safeness, it was almost like he could sway the way that she felt.

When she mentioned his family being experimented on he said,
"Nah, I doub' dat luv, dey aren't subs like I be. You could probably tell by the snap dat I'm no' exac'ly one of doze fings dat belong there. I was adop'ed when I was only a squealer. Who ever my folks were eviden'ly didn' wan' me so dey popped me out to the local orphanage. Anyway, dun fink there would be much use expreimen'in on normal humans. Dey were taken' 'gainst their will, I know dat much. Dey're ou' there somewhere and I'm ge'in them back."

When she offered to stay here, he thanked her in a sincere tone,
"Cheer's for de offah, no' used to livin' on the streets a' all so I hope I is no intrusion stickin' around til I'm on the mend." In response to him not having many friends, he laughed under his breath,
"Yeah, dat's bin da case fer as long as I can remember. I 'ave high standards, let's say, I find it sor'a 'ard to empithise with stupidly imcmope'ant geezas, y'know? I could sor'a see why some prats though' I was some sor'a psycho or somefing." He got up asking if he could help with anything, he put his hand on a part of a wall near a light switch and the lights in the flat began to flicker. He gave a nervous laugh and frowned,
"Yeah, soz 'bout tha'"

They heard some knocking from the door,
"Grub's up, I'f go' some bangers n mash. You si' tigh', I'll git i' fer ya".

[Yuno]

She re-appeared after a few moments. He could tell that she'd at least cried one tear and it looked like more than that. Still, she looked like she had it together well enough. She was clothed in a black tank top and a pair of loose sweatpants. She nodded at him to get the door, "I already paid. Tip and all. I don't know what you liked so it might be a lot." She shrugged like this wasn't a big deal and went back to cleaning the kitchen.

When he opened the door the pizza guy was struggling with the food which seemed to include at least 3 pizzas and a bag he'd later find contained wings and fries. Once he'd taken it the guy grinned and pointed at his bare shoulder, "What happened there? Your folks give you a beating?" Kellin appeared holding the door out wider, "Donny get lost before I give you a beating. He isn't interested." Donny grinned and left at that. She picked up the food from him, "You shouldn't put this on that arm. And you need a shirt." She put the food down and looked embarassed, "Sorry. I don't really have company about that much. But avoid Donny with a pretty face like that. He's gay." The way she said it wasn't an insult, more a statement of fact, "Unless you're that way. Then I mean, feel free to take a crack at the pizza guy just don't do it here." She grinned standing up and hovering at the fridge for about five minutes. When she returned she handed him a glass of soda and sat down with her own. She took a bite of pizza and stared at the glass like she was waiting for him to drink it.

She grinned, "No feel free to stay. Just Me and Cat. The apartment's supposed to be for more people. So I mostly use the guest room for storage. But the couch is free." She smiled, "Heh. I was that way until I went to london. Corey broke me of that habit just in time for me to marry another guy." She laughed like this was funny, "Now my only friends are Cat, Donny, and Fred, the guy who runs the all-night grocerer." She smiled, " Being smart isn't all that. Fred's the dumbest person I know, but he's also the kindest and most streetwise. He's been shot as much as I have. " She pointed at the food and drink, "Dig in. Don't wait for me to say."

[t⊗theark]

Lex sat on the lounge, his eyes grew 3 sizes,
"Bloo'y 'ell you didn't hold back much didja?" The truth is that being shoved from his suburban home onto the streets, running from what he knew endangered him, was not the easiest adaptation, "I 'aven't east or slept for like 3 days now!" As he greedily snatched up a slice and looked up at Kel with a string of cheese still still joining him with his meal,
"Nah, i's all good. I've been known to swing boff ways," he said, is crystal blue left eye catching the light, "and isn't a bad looker eivah"

"Yeah, all I 'ad were da cloves on me back so I dun know where ta get anovah top other than tha' bloo'ied hoodie off dere and the shirt that you hanily made into bandages" He joked, winking his hazel eye. Finishing the slice he took a swig of the soft drink.

[Yuno]

Kellin smiled at him as he drank and she tipped her own drink towards her face and popped open the bag and started chewing wings, "I just put left-overs in the fridge. It doesn't bug me to eat this." She chuckled at this, "Donny's a good sort. He has a bad habit of hitting on everyone at the door. First time he brought me pizza I blackened his eye." She winced at this, "I'm not a happy drunk and he caught me right after I'd been to my dad's. But he actually stayed and was really pretty nice to me." She shrugged, but something told him she didn't think it was nothing.

She smiled at him and stuck a slice of pizza into her mouth and wandered off momentarily. She returned holding some clothes. She plopped them on the counter and he could see that all the relevant clothing was there along with a tooth brush and hair brush. She'd also included a towel. She pointed at it before grabbing some fries. "Feel free to shower. Not that I don't find your smell charming, but I like to pretend I'm not a bum without a cause. I'll get you clothes tomorrow." She yawned and grabbed more food. "I'm feeling like a nap." The dog came over and began to sniff Lex while Kellin ate more wings.

[t⊗theark]

Lex had greedily scoffed down half the pizza by him self. But going from near stavation to stuffing you self with mindless abandon got him rather stuffed quickly. He nodded at the offer for a shower with a 'Cheers' before asking,
"Fink I could giva couple fings a charge?" She noted how he held both his Iphone and his Ipad, she noted how he had a stylus and held the covers of these devices, taking care not to touch any conductive surfaces from habit.

He came back from the shower after trying his best to wash around his stitched wound. Coming out in clothes a tad too big for him, his fatigue was palpable. When she mentioned the idea of a nap he had a look reminiscent of nostalgia. With that he collapsed onto the lounge, left side first. He had just realized his mistake and he landed on his arm with a wince and slowly rolled onto his back with tear in his eyes. Wow he felt stupid,
"Kel, you did no' see tha'"

[jinx]

Alucard woke up dressed in an itchy white coat,he hated hospital dresses.
He got up,ripping some sticky things off him causing several machines to start beeping,he took a look into a mirror he found in one of the closets in the hospital room and noticed half his head had been covered by bandages.

He tried walking towards the reception,still a little drowsy from the operation it took him an annoyingly long time to reach it,once he arrived he signed in: "the name's Yamanaka Senji,i'm here to retrieve my possessions."
Alucard had gotten used to faking his identity,his job causing him to do everything not to get caught.
Once they gave his clothes back he hobbled back to his room,using the wall to support him.
It took about a quarter to change and await a doctor for some tests before he could check out.

After a short walk (which took him so long he started getting annoyed) he found the spot he his his weapons and ammo and retrieved them, he scratched his head,the bandages were causing him to get itchy,giving him one more factor of annoyance.

[Yuno]

Kel grinned walking past him with the items he wished to charge. He watched her push aside several magazine stacks to plug them in. She turned just in time to catch his look of pain. She grinned at him as she walked by, "We used to have a photo album of our unit looking like that. Called it the book of shame." She chuckled as she left re-appearing with a blanket and pillow for him. She dropped them on his chest , "I'll be on my bed. If you need anything wake me up." She nudged her dog who had been staring and panting at Lex. "Come on Cat. I don't sleep alone." The dog woofed at her and followed behind her.

She sighed dropping onto the bed and holding the dog in her good arm. Finally able to rest after her battle she yawned once before turning the tv on and falling asleep. She knew any pertinent news would wake her.

[t⊗theark]

Throughout the middle of the night Lex was awoken by something. There was a pale orange light struggling through the blinds and the chanting of a raging crowed. He got up really slowly, his wound still throbbing deep within. He crept towards the window and looked down the street to see riot police stand their ground against a barrage of Molotov cocktails just around the corner about 500m away. Lex backed away from the window in fear of how close the violence was. He went to get Kel.

[Yuno]

Kel was splayed out on the bed snoring soundly. When he walked into the room he saw two eyes open and two ears perk up from her dog. It let out a low growl at first and stood up slinking towards him. Then it seemed to recognize him and let out an excited bark and wagged its tail. Before letting him over to shake her. She came awake quickly although she seemed groggy because she turned, "Jacob?" Then she heard her dog bark again and she shook her head and rubbed her eyes sitting up. It took one look at her walls to inform her why she'd been woken.

"(please do not swear)." It was one word. In the next instant she had darted around the bed and somehow managed to pull her sweatpants off in the process. She pulled some jeans on along with a shirt and hoodie. She pulled the closet open with her foot and reached inside pulling out a leather jacket, once again too big and threw it at Lex, "Here. Put this on." She grabbed a pair of keys and wallet from the floor beside the bed. She picked the box he'd seen her pictures in earlier and put it under her arm. She reached under her pillow and pulled a knife and pistol which were quickly being attached to her hip and boot. She grabbed her cellphone and left the room. "Come on."

She was moving again, back towards the room with a couch in it. He watched her walk towards the closet he'd seen there and open it to reveal a wall of gun storage. She grinned as she began to grab fire-arms. "Lex, go to the kitchen. Behind the fridge there is a cubby. Inside is camping equipment, two briefcases. Grab them." She continued to grab more and more destructive guns and ammo off of the shelves. When he returned she wasn't in the room and the dog was gone.

Before he could panic he heard the door close again and her call his name as she rounded the corner. " Alright, let's see." She opened the fridge and pulled out their leftovers. She reached towards him taking the sleeping bags and tent from him and putting them on her back. She pulled a backpack off the counter and moved back into the bedroom grabbing the blanket off the bed. "Let's go." She pointed at the door and when he followed her outside he could see a black truck already heating up. Cat was inside the backseat barking with enthusiasm. Kel moved towards the back and pushed the things in beside what looked like about 3 coolers. She pulled the cover over tying it hastily and pointed towards the passenger side, "Let's go." She said again in a rushed whisper, "We have to stop at my grocer too. And I don't want to be in this town when the sun rises."

She moved towards the driver's side and pulled out her phone dialing it hastily. He could hear the muffled sound of someone waking, "Corey. Get up. (please do not swear) hit the fan." He heard some sort of response that seemed to please her. "Duck down. We have to stop for Corey too."

(Ooc: I'll leave it to you to follow or not.)

[mantisstalker]

The glass reflected back the pale eyes of his gas mask, causing an infinite reflection of the dozens of fires that raged across the city. He had been staring at the blazes for nearly an hour now trying to figure out what to do. Short term plans had always been his specialty, but coordinating several species in a revolution against the people they had hidden with for years? He wasn't sure even something like him could pull it off. Not that he could really tell them that. Not after all these years.

Something far off in the distance detonated in a plume of fire and oily smoke as some rioter's Molotov hit something it wasn't meant to. He watched it happen. Could see the pained look on the bomber's face as both his enemies and his comrades where devoured by the hungry flames. Not that it was really any surprise. Riots like this had been kicking up all over the city through out the night as the angry nest known as America's population was kicked into a frenzy as a dozens of them where injured and even fewer killed by some feral Subs sheltering a new generation of beasts, and by what they believed was their own military.

Something which didn't add up in his opinion. Perhaps...?

"I'm telling you we need to strike now!" A slightly drunk accent boomed across the room.

"And I'm telling you it will be the death of us all." The old Sapper replied calmly as he bandaged a still bleeding arm.

"Mr Magic is quite right Matilda, we can't win an all out fight..." The tall man cut in with a voice that held none of its usual joy, something that was enough to make everyone in the room look at him, even the angry Irish woman even if it was reluctantly.

"Then what do you purpose we do?" The woman called Matilda said darkly after a short and awkward silence, her voice dripping with all the hate that IRA member where said to contain.

"Nothing." He said simply continuing to stare out the window, a strange scene catching his gaze. "But we might not have that option in a few minutes..."

[t⊗theark]

Lex had obeyed each of her requests tot he letter with complete promptness. Bwtween her commands he got his own items, took them off the charge making sure he didn't sap them and placed them in his back pack. While she was running around and he was in the kitchen he decided to arm himself, placing his hand on the rear of the fridge while he got the items she barked for. In fact while she was stuffing leftovers she could see the fridge light flickering and fading slightly, Lex getting himself a leathal storage of power in case they needed to defend themselves.

Helping carry the load with one arm was an interesting experience in of itself and Lex laid into the back seat, uncomfortably next to the dog. As they raced through the City's labyrinth she finally came to an adress and beeped her horn as if doing her controlled her drive to breathe. Corey clumsily stumbled out with both arms laden down with his own supplies. This part of the city sounded calm - well; any illusion of that disolved as a car several blocks behind them exploded and people emerged from their slumber to investigate, as one or two angry people pelted down the city streets, the vanguard to a torrent of public rage and civil unrest.

Corey then noted that Lex was glowing like the aurora borealis,
"(please do not swear) me kid, you're a sparkie? Kel, why didn't you tell me he was a sparkie Kel?"
"Shu'up, you ge' blimey guns, I 'ave to work wiff wha' I 'as go'. Besides, I can't retain dis much powah fer too long, once we're ou'a danger I'll 'ave to ge' rid of it an'ways." he protested as Kel gave him a kinda annoyed look. Sure, if they got attacked it was nive to have a couple of hundrend amps on them but being a christmas light in a place mad at other types of human.

[Yuno]

Kel pointed at the ground of the backseat while exicuting a very dangerous turn that caused the tires to squeal. "What do you think that blanket is for? A carpet? (please do not swear) no. I'm well planned." Corey was holding onto everything near him and yelled at her again, "Why didn't you tell me he was a (please do not swear) sparkie. God Kel!" She'd managed to pull up in front of a very large all night grocer while he continued to yell. She turned to Lex, "Put that blanket over your head, I'm going to leave Cat out here." She reached to her belt and handed him her gun. Corey is coming with me to get a few supplies. If anything goes wrong, I want you to use this. And don't worry about Cat. He's a good boy." The dog had climbed out after her and Corey was complaining, "Why do I have to help?"

Kel turned on him and the look on her face was scarey, "Get out now." He complied immediately and the two took off at a run into the grocer. He could see them arguing as they moved away from the truck, "He's a Sapper. I don't care. You shouldn't either. He needs protection and we both know I'm qualified to protect him."

Corey looked exasperated, "Kel, there's a million like him. What's the use of protecting him? He's not worth you getting hurt. If this is about Jaco..." she cut him off in the middle of the sentence, "It isn't about Jacob. It's about doing the right thing. That kid fell into my life for a reason. Alright. He looks like Jacob to me, alright he sounds like him too, okay maybe the only reason I brought him here was that. But letting him stay and protecting him has nothing to do with Jacob." They disappeared into the store at this point but he could tell somehow they were still squabbling.

Cat stood at the car his tail drooping. He whined a little and then suddenly his ears perked up. The dog turned towards the noise growling. Then Lex knew what they were growling at. A couple of teenagers, the kind of vagabonds that hang out in grocer parking lots looking for trouble were moving towards the car. One had a pipe in his hand and was grinning having clearly spotted not only the dog but Lex.

"Here doggie. You're protecting human garbage." The boy with the length of pipe approached Cat who was growling in a manner that would have scared almost anyone with a brain. When he moved for the door where Lex was the dog moved forward. The boy swung for him but the dog seemed to have received some sort of attack training because it ducked under the poor swing and leapt knocking the boy over. His cronies descended towards the dog kicking it off. Blood was dripping from various boys as the fight continued.

Finally, the boy with the pipe approached Lex's side of the car smashing the window open and reaching for the lock a knife in his other hand. Lex could see his glee at finding him, "When I get you out of there, I'm going to make you beg for your worthless life and then I'm going to beat you until you bleed."

Right as he managed to get the door open Lex heard Kel's voice, "Hey (please do not swear). Put your pipe down, get your monkeys off my dog, stay away from that kid, and run as fast as you can. If you're out of here before I finish putting my groceries in the car then I won't break your neck and take one of your ears." The boy turned away from Lex and the other's looked up at Kel. Corey was frozen holding a shopping cart but he looked grimm. Kel was standing with her hands on her hips looking only a bit put out.

The boy who'd been about to attack Lex turned grinning, "A sub lover? And a fine looking piece of ass at that. Maybe when I finish with your son, I'll show you how much of a (please do not swear) I am." Corey was shaking his head and laughing, "Hey Kel, at least he has good eyes on him. I mean that ass of yours."

Kel turned towards Corey, "Shut up. I do not look like I could be a mother. I'm still in my prime here and this faggy kid thinks I have stretch marks!" Corey snorted, "Look, I'm not saying you look old enough to pop out a kid that age," He pointed at the boy was was almost to them, "He is." Kel turned just as the boy swung his pipe at her and kicked him in the jaw sending him flying towards the ground which he hit with a thwack. His mates left Cat, all except one who it was clear Cat was going to defeat. "(please do not swear), *crow caw*, *crow caw*" all followed her doing this as the two other boys advanced.

Corey angeled the cart around the fight whistling and moved towards the truck stopping just short of the boy still wrestling with Cat to begin loading more of their things into the car. Meanwhile, Kel had wrestled the pipe from the lead boy and already taken down one of the boys with a series of jabs that ended in her breaking his arm and probably several ribs. That boy was on the ground yelling and telling his friends to kill her.

It only took Kel another few moments to put down the other crony who was gripping his junk and sobbing. But it was the brutality used against the boy who had started everything that was truly impressive. In one fluid motion she put him in a headlock, cut his ear off before returning her knife to her boot and slammed him into the ground with her foot. She stood over him removing a gun from the back of her shirt. She pulled the trigger putting a bullet in his stomach.

"I didn't break your neck. Mercy and tolerance is part of my MO. But if you don't get to a hospital soon, you're going to bleed out." She reached into his pocket handing him his phone, "And next time I find out you've attacked a sub, you'll be in a full body cast for life wishing you could kill yourself." She moved towards the boy who had finally lost the wrestling match to Cat and clapped her hands. The Dog climbed back in the car with a final growl and into the backseat with Lex.

Kel climbed in grinning at Corey who had seated himself a long time ago, "Where were we, Corey?" Corey grinned back at her as she pulled out of the Grocer, " You were about to say that the only reason I'm not for bringing Lex here is that he reminds me of the ultimate cockblock I suffered from Jacob and that I was hoping this would be my chance to finally nab you." Kel nodded at this with a smile, "Yeah. And you were about to grumble about how that might be true, but that I was still also making a poor decision and that really your just worried about my pretty little face." Corey grinned back at her, "And then I was going to look at you with these pleading puppy dog eyes that when coupled with my face make you want to kiss me and it was all going to end happily ever-after in the back of this truck with Cat and Lex here whistling awkwardly." Kel only smiled at this final statement. Corey was silent although he did look back at Lex and grin.

Kel turned back to look at Lex as they pulled onto the final avenue out of the city, "How ya doing? Little shook up? "

[t⊗theark]

Lex panted after the attack, his eyes wide with shock and more than thankful he wasn't dead.
"Ch-cheers" was all he was able to stutter out, catching his breath from the encounter. He looked up the street as those who attacked him ran off with what little dignity they had left. Lex thought of something though... god, we shouldn't have let them get away.
"Quick, we go'a ge' ou'a 'ere, they're going to tell others where we are."

They picked up the pace trying to stuff everything they could into the back of the vehicle until more came. The all jumped in as if the air were acrid and zoomed off and were picking up speed as several utes came screaming around the corner, people armed with rifles on the back on the hunt for an acquired target. Kel was driving more recklessly than drunk, blind and vertigo-ridden driver who just came off general anesthetic trying to avoid these guys. The eioght down van was slower then the utes, however, so the fear of god was in all of them as bullets took out one of the rear view mirrors, another blasting out the back window.

One ute was on the verge of being along side and was ramming the side of them. Lex' glow faded as arcs leapt from his finger tips onto the truck, shorting out everything in the truck and it fell away. He was looked at Kel through the rear view mirror,
"This thing dun go much fastah, do it?" He asked before slamming into the car door and they turned a corner, his eyes filled with tears as a stitch popped at his wound.

Alopng the other side another ute was coming along side. He didn't both winding down the window this time as a stray bullets had blown it out in due course already. Lex clambered over the dog who didn't appreciate it by the way he growled. Again Lex poured in a couple hundred volts into the ute with no clear effects other than a bit of smoke - the smell of burning petrol!
"Oh bugger, git down lads!" he said as after it too fell away a bit, those on board didn't have the time to scream and they were engulfed with flames.

The last one held back seeing what happened to the other two pursuers. but still followed, taking inaccurate pot shots. TO disuqde them from coming any closer, Lex let off what he had left through the broken back window: arcs, spread along the ground in front of of the truck, it stopped them as those passengers disembarked shouting promises of redemption to the quickly, disappearing car. The blue glow that had illuminated the interior had darkened as Lex laid back with an anguished moan, gripping his arm. The god, having no where else to go, laid atop him.

[Yuno]

Kellin had to focus on the driving to avoid anything fatal, and Corey seemed to be shouting again, "What the (please do not swear). Why did you drag me along on this. This date sucks, you better put out." The cry of pain that followed from this made it clear that Kel had found time to smack Corey.



"Stop being so crude. We have a kid in the car. God, here, fire some shots back at them." She'd leaned over and opened the glove compartment. Corey grinned as he took out the handgun and began to unload it on the pursuit that Lex was dealing with.



When they'd finally been on the road for twenty minutes without incident or signs that they were being followed Corey brought the rest of his body into the car. "Well that was fun." He said in the same annoying perky way. Kellin didn't look anywhere near as enthused. "Check on Lex. He's making a lot of pained noises. I think it's probably his shoulder." Kellin turned from driving which was now even paced and less jerky, "Cat. Climb up here with me and let Corey back there." The dog let out a wine and slunk forward onto her lap.



This didn't seem to bother Kellin who ran a hand over the dog's body while driving. Corey grunted and crawled until he finally got into the backseat. He lifted the blanket up and leaned forward into the front seat pulling back with a first aid kit of his own design back. He looked at Lex who was taking up most of the backseat real-estate sighed.



"Come on Zapper. Let's have a look at you." He sat Lex up so that his arms were around him and he pulled the jacket off as carefully as possible. He repeated this with the shirt and called forward to Kel, "Aww man, Kel. Come on. This kid's old enough for a manly wife-beater. And I know Jacob and you both have enough stock in those to have given him one." Kellin glared back, "What are you saying?"


Corey reached to turn the over-head light on, " That your fashion sense is like that of a man who beats his wife." Kellin snorted from the front seat, "How's Lex?" There was clear concern in her voice for him.



Corey was studying the wound in the poor light and could see that Lex was in pain. Strangely, Corey's voice came off as soothing when he finally spoke to Lex, "This hurts huh, bud. You're handling it great. You popped some of the stiches I put in, and it looks like Kel's driving might have bruised the bone a little bit."



He kept one arm around Lex propping the younger boy up and reached into the briefcase rummaging before he produced a syringe, needle, and thread. "Alright, I'm going to numb the area for you so I can get these stiches back in. The first needles hurts. Just stay with me."



A moment later Lex felt the needle jab into his arm. Corey leaned back for a moment, "Alright, we'll just let that work. The hard part is over." After Lex's arm numbed he went about putting the stitch back in. He wrapped a bandage around the arm again so that it would stay in a loose sling. The whole procedure took about 15 minutes in real time, but Corey kept talking to him about this and that through it.



Finally, Corey handed him some pills, "For the pain. Don't worry about being drowsy scout, me and Kel'll watchu." He took the blanket from the ground and wrapped it around Lex returning to the front seat with almost as much trouble as before.



They pulled over moments later and Corey climbed in to drive. Kel used this opportunity to lean back and check on Lex.