10012090 EOD B-Charlie

[KF]: Oh, hey Voce. Listen, I'm going to be headed right back out ok? But I need you to listen to me.

[VD]: Oh, ok. What's the matter?

[KF]: Don't answer the door to anyone, leave the lights off where people could see them on from the outside, and stay vigilant.

[VD]: Is, is something wrong? I don't understand.

[KF]: Is Sol here too?

[VD]: Yeah, yeah she's asleep. What's going on?

[KF]: On the way back here, I walked for once to clear my conscience. When passing a dark alley, I was jumped by a man in a grey hoodie with a mask. Now I expect to be ambushed, but this particularly set me off. The pattern on the mask seemed, yet I don't know how, familiar. I left him in that alley but I rushed back here after remembering what I knew that pattern from.

[VD]: I understand that you're worried, but why should we? I think you're-

[KF]: I will explain at an appropriate time, but I don't want to take any chances with you two. I'm going back out for answers.

[VD]: Are you sure that's safe?

[KF]: No, it's not. But I know for a fact I won't be bested. Just worry about the two of you for now.

[SDR]: Are you sure this is such a great idea?

[KF]: The bullet hole mark on his mask, on his forehead.

[SDR]: I get that I wasn't around for it, but I know.

[KF]: I don't want to draw any conclusions, if only the mask were of an animal I would be so sure.

[SDR]: Well, where should we be going, then?

[KF]: Somewhere isolated, I'll get my answer if that one goon wasn't the only one.

*A dark fog begins to pool on the ground and around [KF]'s feet as the streets become more solitary*
[SDR]: This is getting to be a bit strange

*In silence, [KF] begins subconsciously wandering away from the still somewhat bustling urban area of Bonn and towards the forest by a park not to far from home*
[KF]: How did I-

[SDR]: That last 15 minutes, that was hazy.

[KF]: I, yeah.

[SDR]: Up ahead. There's one.

*A figure, features obfuscated by the shadows, stands around 30 meters ahead of the two on the park trail. Not a light on in the park to show a mask or a face under a large hood.*
[KF]: Chin up, I may have my answer after all.

*More begin to emerge from either side, coming into focus from the darkness. Just then the fog begins to grow in height being just at [KF]'s waistline*
[KF]: What is going on? I, I can't think straight!

[SDR]: Whatever it is, it affects me too. Must be a neurological thing. I'm not feeling so well, Kari.

*All of the shadowy hooded figures, all of about 15 of them, begin to charge at [KF]*
[SDR]: God damn this fog!

*With [KF] being almost too weak to move initially, [SDR] picks her up and throws her into the forest. After of which [KF] gets up onto her feet and begins to run*
[KF]: Who was I to know that I was going to run into a gang with sleeping gas?

[SDR]: I hate to say this to you, but I don't think that was any kind of gas agent.

[KF]: What are you talking about?

*[KF] motions for [SDR] to check behind them, to which every hooded figure seems to be pursuing them. It is only somewhat clear now that every one of them is wearing a grotesque mask with a bullet wound where the forehead would be slightly obscured by the top of their hoods*
[SDR]: You better keep running!

[KF]: I could take them on, you could too! We've taken on several squads at the same time before.

[SDR]: Yeah, but we had to shift time and space itself.

[KF]: I could CQC all of them, disarm them with finesse.

[SDR]: CQC is slower than just shooting them, about as long as I can beat one down.

[KF]: And I didn't want to bring a gun since this is my home city, I didn't want to alarm anyone just in case.

[SDR]: This must be some kind of plan, that fog and all. It's exhausting me.

[KF]: Perhaps we have a plan of our own, now.

*Before them is the edge of the forest, beyond it lies a manufacturing plant*
[KF]: I'm not leading these punks back to my son, we *are* taking them down tonight.

*[KF] and [SDR] approach the side of the plant and [SDR] launches a barbed rope up the bordering fence, then pulling the two up faster than the alternative of climbing the fence*
[KF]: I could sit here and hack the doors but you can just-

[SDR]: I, I can at least have the strength to do this!

*[SDR] makes a downward pulling motion on the wall next to the door panel and pulls [KF] in with her while the group pursuing them starts bashing weapons against the thick glass doors*
[KF]: How is the fog in here too?

*The sound of a mass of glass shattering in the distance makes [KF] turn her head to see the full appearances of the pursuers: masks varying from monsters to ballistic patterns all decorated with a bullet hole in the forehead, with painted blood flowing down from it. Varying hoodies to leather jackets, to even overcoats and suit jackets; all with also varied legwear from jeans to slacks. All round the corner to see [KF] alone but don't immediately charge at her. Instead they all stop around 10 meters before her and stand together*
[SDR]: Why aren't you running or fighting them?

[KF]: I, I don't know. Who are you people? What do you want with me?

[SDR]: What are they doing?

[KF]: I don't know, but at this point I don't think their motive is that simple. They're organized.

*The crowd is silent, with some distant panting from some as they all stand in a group adjacent to [KF]*
[KF]: What is it you want to do with me? Rob me? Rape me? Kill me?

[01]: Justice and liberty.

[KF]: Justice and- what? What are you talking about?

[02]: Justice and liberty, for the fallen soldier.

[03]: Justice for his death.

[SDR]: I get it now.

[04]: To avenge the fallen.

[05]: Justice for his murder.

[01]: Justice and liberty, for Jacob.

[KF]: I knew it, that slimy asshat that I killed decades ago.

[SDR]: You mean, about four years ago?

[KF]: I don't understand, though. I stabbed him, and he went down way too easily.

[SDR]: And, what?

[KF]: Their masks have bullet holes where I stabbed him.

[06]: It's about sending a message.

[SDR]: I wonder what that is.

[01]: It's where he should have shot you.

[SDR]: Oh, that's their message. Ouch.

[KF]: We're leaving. Now!

*As [KF] turns to leave the fog grows even more and [KF] collapses in her efforts. The group grabs her and brings her over to a lathe*
[KF]: This fucking fog, I can't- I feel fatigued.

*The group leans her in head first as another one starts up the machine*
[KF]: You're going to have to, you're going to have to do something!

[SDR]: It's the fog.

[KF]: Hurry up!

[SDR]: I have to get rid of this fog! It's sapping me weak.

[KF]: Damn it! N-no way.

*[KF]'s hair begins to snag in the machine and just as her head would be sucked into it in an instant, [SDR] stops time with the last of her strength*
[SDR]: I've never felt so tired.

[KF]: That was too close.

*[SDR] forms her hand vertically and makes a chopping motion to cut off the hair stuck in the lathe, which cuts it clean*
[KF]: Now come on, do something about the fog.

[SDR]: I, I can't. I'm too weak.

*[KF] writhes free from the many people holding her into the machine and the two weakly walk out the way the cultists broke in from. Just as they turn the corner time resumes and the whole group is confused*
[KF]: We need to hide for now, we'll deal with these zealots in due time.

[VD]: Mom! What happened? I heard there was a massive break in over in the industrial area.

[KF]: That would be me.

[VD]: Are you alright? You look exhausted! And, what happened to your hair?

[KF]: I'll explain it in the morning, it's pretty late right now. Just keep your ears open and your eyes peeled, I don't think I'll be getting any sleep tonight.

[SDR]: Sometimes existing is pain itself.

[KF]: I think I'll need your assistance in one thing, stylish young boy.

[VD]: Yeah? What's that?

[KF]: I'm going to need a haircut.

### **Epilogue**

   *In light of the failure to avenge the fallen eagle, the newly formed Cult of Jacob Wright seeks to reevaluate their tactics. While not utter defeat it surely felt that way to them. One cultist offers the idea of using Kari's connections against her. This is when most of them realize that they know relatively nothing about her other than Nate, and Nate is missing from home just as often as Kari is. This is when the same cultist who formed the idea thinks of the next best thing: Voce and Sol.*

*Meanwhile, a style change is in order. One in need for a long time. Thanks to Voce, Kari can worry less about long hair being pulled, grabbed, or ensnared.*

*end*