Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Wcrp. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Dead Men Walking
Topic Started: Nov 28 2014, 02:20 AM (70,861 Views)
Make-7-Up-Yours
Member Avatar
Is that so?
Willow clasped Brandon's hand in return as firmly as gave him a simple smile and nod of her head. To Antonio, it was pretty easy to see that she believed in him. Though at this point, it might be more concerning if she didn't believe in her fiancee.

"Before we start setting up contingency plans and considering hostage targets, maybe I should just go talk to Leonora first, you know?" Willow suggested to the group. "She might be pretty lenient if I can have a one-on-one talk with her."

"Well, it can't hurt having a backup plan anyway, right? That's why they're called backup plans!" Kelsey chimed in. "Cause you might not even need them."

This is why he thought Willow would have made a great leader -- because her first thought was always on talking before shooting or getting up violent contingency plans. In fact, she might have even been his first choice if she could control her drug problems a little better. Nobody had told him explicitly, but she had been displaying the symptoms of dependence recently and her previous alcohol and marijuana abuse were pretty common knowledge; as was her infamous drug mixing experiment back during the Green River incident.

"I agree with Willow." Antonio stated. "There really isn't much need for this just yet."

"But it doesn't hurt to have it." Nolan countered. "Look, I don't really like the idea either... but I do think it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. This is worst case scenario we're talking about here."

"Then what do you think of his plan, Nolan?" Antonio asked.

"Well, it's not bad, but Leonora is almost venerated as a god among these people. Taking her hostage just feels like a double edged sword because it might rile these guys up like animals. Even if we could somehow make it work long enough to get out, they might be so thirsty for revenge afterward that they come after us. Then we just have Green River all over again."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Strompy
Member Avatar
More posts, more Busey.
"We'd have to put a lot of distance between us and them before we give her back. Drop her off somewhere safe. If we have to do something drastic, then I think this is the best option. It has the best chance of success and more importantly, it's bloodless, barring any fuck ups on their part. I doubt they'd risk a fight with Leonora's safety on the line. As long as nobody gets killed then I think they'd make their peace with it eventually." Brandon explained his reasoning for it.

Most likely it was all unecessary planning. He knew it. But it was a safer thing to work from the worst case scenario. If they did have to do something that drastic they would need a plan and planning took time they might not have after a verdict is reached regarding Eli. Most likely he'd be kicked out and banned from returning which was a win-win, and everyone could part ways, not amiably but at least civilly.

"We'll plead Eli's case like I said before, like Willow just said too. That is our best shot at helping him. It's also an opportunity for us to do some information gathering. While some of us are speaking with Leonorathe others see what they can see around camp."
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
DoctorYerishi
Member Avatar
Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
“That sounds reasonable to me,” Annie said.

The idea of kidnapping Leonora made her afraid – the last time they took someone hostage, after all, it had ended very bloody. But Brandon, Nolan, and even Kelsey all had a point. This was all hypothetical right now, and would very likely remain that way.

“So now we just need to figure out who’s doing what,” she said. “I think Willow’s right – she’s a good candidate to talk to Leonora.”

“She shouldn’t go alone,” Emmett spoke up again.

“Okay,” Annie nodded – again, reasonable enough. “Maybe you can go with her. Keep an eye on her.”

She left unsaid who she wouldn’t suggest going. Nolan, for example. She thought the conversation would most likely be civil, but if Leonora wouldn’t budge she didn’t want to risk putting Nolan in a position where his composure might falter. And even if she trusted him to keep it together – which she pretty much did – she didn’t know how good an advocate he’d be for Eli right now. They had exchanged some harsh words back at his cell.

“At least one of us should probably stay here,” Annie said. “Watch the kids and our things. I can do that.”

“I don’t need babysitting,” Connor protested immediately.

“I know, you’re right,” Annie said. “Then you can help me guard our supplies.”

Connor seemed at least a little placated by that. Annie turned to Brandon.

“And you can… see what you see, I guess,” she said. “Is that okay?”
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Strompy
Member Avatar
More posts, more Busey.
Brandon thought about Connor and Kelsey for a moment. Children. Harmless. Nobody would think twice about them running around. Kids were alsi curious. They could go places and ask questions that would seem suspicious for an adult. Like how many people they had here. How many guards. They could make enquiries about their training. It was all a matter of tone and phrasing.

No. He couldn't use them like that. However, if he were to take a walk with them he could get a more thorough look at this place without drawing suspicion.

"Actually would it be okay if Connor and Kelsey came with me? They've both got two eyes still and I'd like to get some more practice in while we have this little bit of down time." he asked of their guardians.
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Make-7-Up-Yours
Member Avatar
Is that so?
Nolan turned his gaze down to Kelsey. She looked relatively energetic -- it didn't help particularly that she had been cooped up all day. He had been the one that requested she stay behind for the visit to Eli, so it felt weird to say no to letting Brandon take them out and about. She could use a good distraction right now.

"Well, what do you think Kels?" Nolan asked.

"I wanna go." She looked up at him almost pleadingly.

"Alright." He agreed and ruffled her hair like dad used to do. "Have fun then. And don't wander off on your own."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
DoctorYerishi
Member Avatar
Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Annie sighed a little, but nodded anyway. She didn’t need to ask Connor what he thought.

“Okay,” she conceded. “I guess a walk can’t hurt.”

Connor smiled. “Awesome,” he cheered.

Annie turned to Willow next. “When you meet with Leonora, be assertive, but be respectful. See if you can pitch her on exile. I think that’s what all parties want anyway.”
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Make-7-Up-Yours
Member Avatar
Is that so?
"Yeah, I can do that." Willow heeded Annie's words carefully.

This was not a role that she was taking lightly. Leonora seemed like she controlled pretty much everything here. And of course, Annie was right -- she needed to be as assertive as she could while maintaining an proper air of respect. After all, anything that Leonora did concede to them was basically an act of good will since there was little that they could offer back to her.

"I was gonna go for exile, actually. Seems like a pretty easy argument to make." She paused. "On paper, at least."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Strompy
Member Avatar
More posts, more Busey.
"You're gonna crush it." Brandon whispered with certainty in Willow's ear before giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Come on you two, let's see if the Kelly's could use some air too. Everyone keep your eyes and ears open for anything that might be useful. We'll meet back in an hour to see where we stand." he said as he got to his feet.

He winced at the pain the siezed his right leg. Once he was on his feet or sitting down the leg was okay, but the action of getting there was painful. He massaged his leg fruitlessly a moment and made his to the door with his two shadows in tow. He rapped his cane on the Kelly's door lightly.
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
DoctorYerishi
Member Avatar
Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Hank answered the door pretty quickly after the knock. He cocked his head when he saw Brandon with the two kids in tow. It seemed that their meeting had come to a conclusion.

“Hey Brandon,” he greeted. “You need us to watch Connor and Kelsey, again?”
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Strompy
Member Avatar
More posts, more Busey.
"No, we're just heading for a walk. They've been cooped up all day and I need to walk off some of the ache in my leg after all that running before. I was wondering if you guys could use some air too." he explained.

He was sincere but there was an added advantage to having them along. Just like having Connor and Kelsey, having a family with them was disarming especially since the Kellys were trusted here. Nobody would even look twice at him and he could get a really good look at the place. And he liked the Kellys, being around them reminded him of his own family but in a good way.
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Make-7-Up-Yours
Member Avatar
Is that so?
After Brandon took the kids and walked off, Willow made her way on over to Nolan and nudged him lightly with her elbow.

"You look a little lost, QB. Everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Hey, remember what we said earlier?" Willow told him in her faux-scolding tone and nudged him a second time, this time a little harder. "No secrets."

"Ow." He whimpered and started rubbing his forearm. "That hurt..."

"Well, you shouldn't have lied then."

His eyes looked her over for a few seconds. Then he closed his eyes and smiled. She was pretty sure that would work. It would have worked on Jen. And maybe treating Nolan like she was Jen was a little bit odd in some ways, but it had seemed to be working. Considering how well Jen and Nolan had gotten along, they couldn't have been all that different. At least that was Willow's reasoning.

"I'm just thinking about going to apologize to Eli. I kinda lost my temper back there since he was acting all... self-righteous. It rubbed me the wrong way, and now I feel bad about it."

"He means well." Willow reminded him. "Even if it's hard to see sometimes."

"Yeah, I know." He sighed heavily. "I know he means well. It wasn't fair for me to go all Krakatoa on him in there. And after what I said and what you guys apparently talked to him about, I don't think he would even want to see anyone right now, least of all me."

Willow frowned -- that was probably true. Even at his best, Eli had a hard time socially; and that was coming from Willow who practically trademarked social awkwardness for a while there. But while she had gotten better, Eli had just gotten worse over time, thanks to the cure.

"Well, maybe give him another hour or two, then. Even Eli can't stay mad forever. Though you might wanna ask Doc or Tony for their opinions first, cause I wouldn't trust my interpersonal advice."

"Hah, now you tell me." Nolan rolled his eyes. "I'll think about it."

"All I can ask for."

She nudged him again, and this time he nudged her back. Of course, she got the better end of the deal both times, and she was left chuckling while Nolan was rubbing his tender arm. Despite the humor she found in it, she felt kinda sorry for the guy; ever since he had joined he'd been the universe's punching bag. Kind of like her during their entire trek through Canada. Though in the end, she found her strength and happiness. Hopefully Nolan could do the same.

Now that that out of the way, she approached Emmett; "So... Batman..."

Willow cocked an eyebrow at Emmett and smiled. Everyone seemed to think he moved like Batman anyway, and frankly Willow liked the nickname. And like Batman, he was a good guy underneath the gruff exterior.

"Now that this party is broken up, shall we get going?"
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
DoctorYerishi
Member Avatar
Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Hank looked back into his room. He got a feeling the answer was ‘no.’ Ruby definitely wasn’t up for anything, and Riley had said something barbed earlier about not wanting to even associate with anybody outside the family any longer.

“Well, I could, anyway,” he said.

He leaned back inside.

“Riley, you okay holding down the fort?”

She briefly looked away from CJ to give her brother a cautionary look. He knew she didn’t want him associating with anybody else, either, but he never agreed to that point.

She didn’t say no, so Hank took it as a yes.

“I’ll be back soon,” he promised, then headed outside to join Brandon and the kids. “So where are we walking?”

* * *

Emmett gave Willow a small nod.

“Let’s go,” he agreed. “Just… stay close.”
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Make-7-Up-Yours
Member Avatar
Is that so?
As everyone else went their separate ways, Antonio slipped into his room. Once he was out of sight, he dropped his shoulders and leaned back against the now closed door -- then he let out an exhausted sigh. Peeling away from the door, the priest slogged into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. A new 5 o'clock shadow was forming across his cheeks, though he knew that just from rubbing his hand across his jawline. His hair was still closely shaved. The top of his left ear was still missing and the wound still recent. The man staring back at him was clearly Antonio Mendez. It was clearly him. Yet he felt like he was looking at a stranger.

"Look man, you either pull the trigger and cap this bitch or I take the gun and cap you both." Rodrigo's voice echoed from the recesses of his mind. "You can't back out now. Once a Blood, always a Blood."

"Damn, Tony. You gotta stop beating yourself over it. If you hadn't done it, someone else would have. It ain't on you." Marius leaned in and pressed his lips against Antonio's.

"Here's how this is gonna go." The man in the suit sitting across the table at him had been called Ken by another officer earlier. "We have enough evidence to put you and all your gang mates behind bars for a long time. But if you help us and take a plea bargain, we will see what we can do about reducing your sentence. Otherwise..."

"Your history is troubling to say the least, Mr. Mendez." He could see the apprehension on Father Jacobson's face. "However, our God is a merciful god. If you are sorry and confess your sins, he will accept you into his arms again. We will make sure of it."

"So what do you make of this world? I mean, the biters, or the rotters, or the deadheads – you know, whatever you want to call them. As a priest, I’m guessing you have an opinion." Noah asked a question that was innocent enough.


"AAAAUUUHHHHHH!!"

Like a wild animal, Antonio roared at the top of his lungs. He slammed his arm into the bathroom counter and swept his arm across, flinging his bag of toiletries and shaving cream off the counter and into the floor where they scattered in all directions. He then placed both hands palm down on the counter and looked at himself again in the mirror. His breathing was heavy and his formerly tired eyes were now wide and alert.

"I am not living a lie." He assured himself through clenched teeth.

Antonio closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Then he slowly exhaled. He repeated this process constantly over the course of a minute, letting his pounding heart slow down and his racing mind calm itself. When he finally opened his eyes again, his composure had returned.

"This place is just getting under my skin. I'll all be fine once we are out of here. In the meantime, I just need to strengthen myself in scripture."

After picking up the mess he had made in the bathroom, he sat down on his bed and retrieved the Bible that he had left on the nightstand. He savored the comforting feel of the leather cover and the familiar weight of it in his hands. He admired the name 'ANTONIO MENDEZ' embroidered onto the front of it. A wave of serenity washed over him and any remnants of his inner turmoil faded. Then he opened the book.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Strompy
Member Avatar
More posts, more Busey.
"Nowhere in particular, anywhere we're allowed to go really. Just so long as it isn't the inside of a hotel room. I thought it'd be good to see more of the place before we left. Might be the last time we see this many people together in one place for a while." Brandon said as he began his perambulation.

As he walked and took in everything that he saw, he had to confess he was more than a little impressed by it all. The place was comfortable, for the locals at least, and very secure for such a big place. Most of his discomfort about the place didn't even come from their odd idiosyncrasies but it was just how little they knew about it. Why was it here in the first place? They knew how Flint got it's start, what was the story here? Why did they refer to each other as brother? Were they all part of some organisation before "the fall"? Where were all the women? He knew it sounded strange to wonder about that so intently but since they'd been there they only even saw a single female, aside from Leonora's assurance they did exist they had nothing else.

"So, your interview. They give you a run down on this place? Like how they got started? How they keep themselves running?" he asked as they emerged into daylight.
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
DoctorYerishi
Member Avatar
Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Hank shook his head as they walked.

“They were pretty tight-lipped about that kind of thing,” he admitted. “Security concerns, they said. They were the ones asking the questions.”

* * *

Leonora vividly remembered the day she met the Bishop. She was new in town, having fled a bad marriage and mourning the loss of her only child. A member of his flock handed her a flyer. Out of curiosity, she attended a sermon of his that very night. She never looked back.

Soon after that fateful sermon, Leonora Day had little-to-no-use for her last name. She became known as ‘Mother Leonora’ and she took the title seriously. It was enough for her. More than enough. She waved goodbye to her life before and she did it happily. She had discovered a brighter future with all the children she needed.

And as a mother, Leonora loved her children. But she also knew that some children needed discipline. Some children they didn’t know what was good for them. Some children needed their mothers to show them. Leonora never wanted it to come to that, but she knew that being a good mother wasn’t just about what she wanted.

“The younger one has potential,” Gregory said. “He’s angry, he’s isolated, and from everything the Kelly family told us…”

“He’s capable,” Leonora finished her child’s thought for him. “I agree. He’s a strong candidate.”

“He is,” Gregory added. “I mean it. I was the same as him once… though, apologies, I know I don’t have to tell you that.”

“It’s quite alright,” Leonora said.

“Thank you, Mother,” Gregory said. “What I mean is, enough time on the farm, and enough time spent absorbing the Bishop’s teachings – I think Lowell can be made to see the light. He won’t want to at first, but I believe there’s room in his soul for redemption”

“We’ll dispatch him to the farm on the next train,” Leonora agreed. “The Bishop will speak with him. He will make a final judgment.”

Patrick was leaning against the wall nearby. He was listening to the discussion alongside two more of her children, while Leonora and Gregory were seated opposite each other. The topic of the meeting was ‘discipline’ – who required it, and how best to dish it out.

“Eli, on the other hand – not so young,” Patrick said. “I spent the day with him. My reading is he's not the kind of person that’s going to change his mind, no matter how much time he spends on the farm. I’m getting a vibe that he’s one of those.”

“Of those?” Gregory turned to ask him – he may not have known what he meant, but Leonora did.

“One of those lost souls that stays lost,” Patrick answered. “The kind that would rather go crazy than see the light.”

Leonora nodded again. She had spoken with Eli herself, and she tended to agree. She liked to think she could recognize a lost cause when she saw it.

“Plus, he and his crew won’t bite,” Patrick added. “I tried everything. They’re not getting on a train, not willingly.”

Leonora wasn’t surprised by that news, but it made her adopt a frown nonetheless. Discipline, she thought sadly. It’s never fun.

“What about the Kelly family?” she asked, turning to Gregory, since he had been acting as their main point of contact.

“The… incident has made them hesitant,” Gregory said. “I’m sensing doubt from them.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Leonora said. “Most unfortunate.”

It was always better when they came along willingly, after all. For Leonora and them.

There was a beep on the battery-powered intercom on her desk. She reached over to press the button to answer it.

Mother, our guests Willow and Emmett are here,” Martin’s voice crackled from the speaker. “They are requesting to speak with you.

Leonora looked up at her four grown children, exchanging a look with each of them. Once she was done, she had made a decision.

This has gone on long enough, she thought.

“Send them in,” she said.

* * *

Emmett was extremely wary as the kid with the blonde mop opened the door to Leonora’s office and waved them inside. That wariness only grew when he found there were four of her men waiting inside with her – including the two he knew, Gregory and Patrick.

Leonora gave them an inviting smile from behind her desk. The men all stood up and made room around the two chairs on the other side.

“We were just concluding a meeting,” Leonora explained. “Please, take a seat.”
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Join the millions that use us for their forum communities. Create your own forum today.
Learn More · Register Now
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Roleplaying · Next Topic »
Add Reply