Thread: Teratism: Where Is Your God Now? (Broomhandle45 and Lait)

The North Mile was an interesting place if you weren't use to the culture of it all, people acted like there was nothing bad happening, when it was always bad shit happening. Shizuko tilted her head up a fraction to the humid, heavy rainfall, her jacket rolling off the water as she cast her eyes across either side of the streets. Business as usual, people who didn't need to be outside were in, and when work didn't matter much about rain, people kept working anyway. There were always new faces that tried to act like they knew how to blend in, which would make it tricky. He couldn't just start asking about two battered girls escaping an Argentinian gang, for the obvious reasons. He didn't like bringing Shizuko here, but she never complained...well, she never outwardly complained. But he could see it in her face when she saw exhausted, weary people being pushed along by men in nice suits, looking desperately for someone to care, to someone to think it was as unreal as they thought. You couldn't just be the hero without having a villain on you, and sometimes it wasn't worth being that hero. But at least today, they could do something good...for a little while. He stuffed his hands into his jacket, walking further and further long the North Mile. He stopped, and Shizuko stopped with him as a pair of Range Rovers rumbled into town and parked roughly on the curb. The men slipped out, people barking orders in irritation as they slid out umbrellas and put on hats. They were being subtle, but anyone who knew Morjete knew that North Saint was already watching, knowing what they were doing. Michelle was a particular woman, she liked things happening under certain circumstances. God knew what those were, exactly. Shizuko, Gabriel murmured. I need you to do a favor for me, honey. She glanced up at him curiously as he stared back, his expression determined, if somewhat apathetic. Sometimes, it was hard to care when you knew the good deed would be ruined by the next one. For every moment of freedom, there was one moment that had him caged, this was one. Life in Morjete was shit when you didn't know people, and sometimes it was shit when you did. Gunrunners took the throw-away kids and gave them jobs, dangerous ones, but they had a place to stay and something to eat. More than most, he could find them, spirit them away to Judas or Kali and Michelle would know every single moment of it, but they'd be free. But it wasn't worth it, it wasn't worth living a life of hell for one good deed. Did that make him a monster? Maybe. I doubt I'm going to be the face they want to see, he murmured, glancing back to the men who were eyeing him as they walked past, he tilted his head respectfully, his expression clear that he didn't want any trouble, and they ignored him. No matter how good of a guy he was, or how good he thought he was, Gabe looked like a thug. Shizuko was a pretty, perky little Asian girl with a flawless face and eyes like cleavers that could turn into butter knives in an instant. If she couldn't put their mind at ease, then they were screwed and they'd be doing it the hard way. These two girls, they're probably terrified, or armed...or both, he grinned, glancing at her. You've got a way with words, so why don't you find them? Michelle never liked giving the whole story, they could find a million different girls looking battered and bruised, but...well, sometimes you just learned to understand what exactly you were looking for. ...What are you going to do? she asked in concern. Ah, you know, he smiled, shifting off the wall. Play in the rain for a little bit, I'm a little protective, you know? I don't like so many guys looking at you, they're probably hiding, I'll try to keep them off you. Michelle wanted it that way, Gabriel knew. She liked her town clean, by the rules Morjete established, the Tigers weren't playing by those rules. She wanted an example made, who better than the man who earned his freedom that way? She nodded after a long while as Gabriel shifted off the building, and she cast a look around before darting into the back alley. Morjete was filled with them. The buildings in most areas were like interconnected mazes that could have people getting lost. That was their advantage, Shizuko knew most of the alleyways and streets of how Morjete moved since she was young enough to remember. He trusted Shizuko like he trusted Dina. He knew that once she understood what was going on, she'd complain. Shizuko was a good girl, good hearted and wrapped with barbwire. He had some stupid hope that maybe when she got older, she'd want to leave this stupid place, make something of her life. But what kind of place would they give a girl who only knew violence, cooking and sex? Gabriel wasn't exactly a cultured man, but Dina was doing a good enough job of that...when she felt like it. He sighed, fingers running through his hair as he slid his hood off. Fuck it. You boys looking for something? He asked as he came up to one of the men guarding the alleyway. Looking for you to fuck off, The man muttered in irritation. Go somewhere else, buddy. Sorry, Gabriel said honestly, before his hand slid into his jacket. The man's eyes widened, and he was halfway into his own holster before he was staring down the barrel of a nickel plated 1911. He didn't get to say anything, not that it mattered. The gunshot rang out over the rain and the man's forehead exploed out the back of his brain, leaving a gooey mess on the concrete. What the fuck!? Another man hissed, and Gabriel drew it's twin, pivoting half a step to put a .45 hollow point into his gut as he grunted in horrible pain, eyes bulging when he hit the pavement. He shifted into the alleyway quickly, his steps slow and easy as he heard the heavy footfalls in front of him. The puddles were doing him an excellent favor as he continued to walk towards the haphazard intersection and fired twice at the man in front of him, he ducked for cover and Gabe took a quick glance to his left and right and took a knee arms and spread his arms , firing a twin salvo that caught both of the Argentinians in the chest. He shifted his arms forward to the man who leaned out to fire from his cover and took four rounds to the head in a spray of bone and pink, hitting the muddy ground. He rose up quickly, pistols smoking as he checked his magazines and shifted them into a pocket, feeding in full ones with a light sigh. Well, that should buy them some time, because he was starting to hear a lot more shouting. He always loved a shooting gallery in the Favela. From the sound of it, some more cars were coming. Dammit, Michelle...could a little more info killed her!?