Snippet #1157088

Amunet's emotions were confusing to Kit. There was a measure of... regret there, perhaps? Accompanied by no small amount of uncertainty, which was a little more expected. Still, she would not say anything about it, not exactly sure how comfortable the other woman might be with knowing that Kit could decipher what she was feeling. Such things were supposed to be private, and for now the best Kit could do was pretend she didn't notice them. Some time, perhaps, she would have to tell Amunet what she could do, but now there were more important things, like helping her with her mission.

Which is why even as she grew tired of walking, she did not once utter a complaint. She would keep on going until her friend wanted to stop, and that was that. Luckily for Kit, then, it was not too much longer before he two of them parked on a bench, and she felt herself relax almost immediately under the warmth of sunlight.

Kit heard the noise at the same time as Amunet caught the motion, but nevertheless, she stayed put when the other woman went to investigate, knowing she'd be little good in any sort of confrontation, which she sorely hoped this would not be. Sometimes, she wished she were not so clearly a hindrance, but there was little she could do, for the moment. She caught pieces of conversation, but it was not until Amunet returned that she discerned the other speaker must have been a child, from the lightness of the footsteps.

The other woman performed an introduction, and Kit smiled warmly. This, at least, she was good for. She could help this child, and that made it worth being here, right? "Hello, Derris," she spoke softly. "It's nice to meet you." Her sense of smell informed her that the young boy was filthy, the sounds of his breathing might have been exhaustion, but he was definitely uncertain, and she did not want to do anything to startle or frighten him. In this case, perhaps it was lucky that she never struck anyone as any sort of threat.

She next addressed Amunet. "Do you wish to keep going? I would, but..." she left the sentence hanging, understanding that Amunet would be able to discern the reason for her hesitation without much difficulty. Still, if Amunet still had things to do, Kit could watch Derris for a while, and she trusted that her friend would guess this, too.

***
Norman exited the rather decrepit building, pulling the door shut behind him, sighing slightly to himself. It appeared that the state of things was worse than he had expected. about three of his old contacts had survived, and they were now the sole bastions of order in a city given over to chaos. He supposed it was a credit to them that more pandemonium was not obvious, but then the population had decreased so much that it was not likely there were enough people left for riots or mobs, simple as that.

Still, they had been able to supply him with both information and certain items of convenient purpose,both of which he felt a great deal more secure in having. It seemed he now knew the likely place of origin of the disease, and maybe had a hint as to the identity of the perpetrators. Now all that remained was to decide what to do with the knowledge. it was not as simple as to circulate or not circulate; certain things would have to be verified and considered first.

Still, the idea that there had been a vaccine available before the spread of the illness was a troubling one, and he knew that it would infuriate a number of people. Hell, it had infuriated him, which was not an easy thing to do. For now, he'd find his way back to the meeting place and go from there.

On his way back, he trained his senses on the houses and apartment buildings he passed. Most of them were quite empty, but he took note of one with three people inside, at least one of them a child from the sound of the heart. As he was considering this (Miss Katherine would certainly wish him to offer assistance) a golf cart and what appeared to be some kind of four-wheeled ATV or similar passed him, carrying three more people in total. The flashes of thoughts mingled together, but he could not help deciding that at least one of those three was someone he would most definitely not allow near his employer.

He was almost back to the rendezvous point when he heart another heartbeat, this one an adult, perhaps, but weak. Checking his watch, he observed that there was still another hour before he was expected to be back. Norman's logical self demanded that he just keep walking, but another, smaller part whispered that Kitty would not appreciate knowing that he had failed to help someone who's life was perhaps at stake.

Resignedly, he approached the open door of what appeared to be a ground-level apartment, drawing his gun carefully from where it was hidden at his side. Miss Katherine might request that he help, but he knew better than to go in with anything other than extreme caution. Knocking first, he was slightly alarmed when nothing within changed. You wouldn't have even needed enhanced senses to pick out the noise, and he had heard no movement at all. Pushing the door open with his foot, he stepped inside.

The flat was not well-made, but it was well-kept, all things considered. Alarmingly, there was a trail of blood leading from where he was standing to a door that must have been a master suite of some kind. Now he definitely had no choice. Grimacing to himself, he opened this door as well. As he suspected, a bedroom. The bed was pushed to one side of the room, against a corner. A small end table and dresser were the only other items in the room, save the young man sprawled out over the bed, breathing harsh and ragged.

Holstering his gun, Norman cautiously approached. Placing a hand on the man's shoulder, he gave a brief shake before stepping back. Falling into what he privately termed "butler-mode," he spoke gently. "Excuse me, young sir, but I think it would be to your benefit if you awoke." The youth looked more than a little malnourished, and Norman wondered how long it had been since he'd eaten, or if this apartment was even his.