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Since the turn of the new millennium, Seoul has grown to be an epicenter. It has become the technological center of the world, growing rapidly in comparison to the other cities at the forefront of evolution. Even with its economical success, it was one of the first cities to be devastated by the population crisis. It was one of the major deciding factors in the creation and implementation of the Sibling Allocation Act. Due to its strong presence in the preservation of the world and population control, the S.A.A. headquarters is based in Seoul. The tallest skyscraper in the sky, located in the exact center of the city, the Sibling Allocation Agency is a looming fortress of hope in the longevity of the planet and economical stability.
Seoul, South Korea
The world's technological and economical capital, home to the S.A.A. headquarters.
Minimap
northwest |
north |
northeast |
west |
You are here. |
east |
southwest |
south |
southeast |
Seoul, South Korea is a part of 
The Sibling Project.
Vlad flinched as Hanne began working on his wound without much of a warning. Sure, there wasn't really time for warnings of 'brace yourself' in situations like these but it would have been nice. He tried his best not to flinch or move too much. While it was uncomfortable, his fatigue won against any squirming he might have done, keeping him relatively still as she worked. "Where does it hurt?"
He scoffed. "Where I was stabbed," he replied sardonically. Where else would it hurt?
"I'm just going to, to get a better look." Vlad motioned his hand as if saying 'make yourself at home.' He might have helped or done it himself if he could have, but he was more focused on staying awake at the moment. Hanne's hands on his abdomen or removing his clothes didn't bother him much. Perhaps in a better state he might have made a lewd comment, but it wasn't really the time or place for it. With his skin bare, the coolness of the rain on his chest took him a bit by surprise. There was so much to take in that if he wasn't preoccupied with not dying he might have been overwhelmed.
"Keep breathing."
"You got it, doc," Vlad replied, trying to focus on his breathing. As Hanne began trying to heal him, he could feel the fluids inside him rising. It wasn't long before he half doubled over coughing up blood. He would stop long enough to get in a breath or two before it all happened again. He felt more like he was vomiting it up at the rate it came out. While he started to get a bit worried, Hanne seemed calm like this was supposed to happen. Vlad tried his best not to panic and stay calm knowing that it would only make the situation worse if he started getting worked up.
Inside the closet, the small group quickly tried to work through finding a way back to Hanne and Vlad. Specter's idea seemed as good as any. If Novak could make a portal and get them out of there, then maybe it could be enough of a head start. The guards wouldn't see where they went and they'd have to search everywhere. They needed that time... Desperately.
[ I can try. But it may not be far enough. ]
Ivy did her best to remain as out of the way as possible. She already felt guilty for the injuries Specter and Hawke had gotten from touching her. Luckily, Spec lingered in the corner keeping himself intangible like a ghost so that the space wasn't more crammed than it needed to be while Novak tried to make a portal where the door was. Once it was open, Ivy ran in first without hesitation. There was no time to waste and freedom was so close she could almost taste it. Just a little further.
A foot before the exiting portal, Ivy froze, her heart racing in her chest. She took a deep breath before stepping through, her bare foot sinking into the cool wet mud. At first the rain surprised her but it quickly brought a smile to her face. She raised her hands, palms up like she was trying to catch it as she looked up into the sky. Is this what the world felt like? It was like for the first time in her life she could breathe, yet it also robbed her of breath.
Once reality settled back in, Ivy looked around behind drenched raven bangs not seeing Hanne or Vlad. "Where are they?"
Specter came to her side, lightly resting his hand on her back where her shirt covered her skin. "Novak's portals only go so far. They have to be close by." He looked around to the others then moved to the front beside Novak to help them find their way back to Hanne and Vlad. It was hard to see through darkness and the rain, even with his x-ray vision. The down pour and thunder were loud enough to muffle any sounds they might have heard, but he didn't dare call out for them in fear of signaling any guards that might be near by.
"Fuck," Vlad groaned with a raspy voice between coughs. His throat hurt and at that point, half of him was covered in blood.
"You'll be okay," Hanne whispered. He hoped she was right. Vlad was more focused on the blood he kept coughing up over the wound in his abdomen. She kept telling him it'd be ok, and he had no choice but to take her word for it.
Hanne noticed the footsteps before Vlad did. It wasn't until she was on her feet in some strange stance of attack that he caught on. He didn't have much strength, but maybe enough to get whomever was coming close to forget they were here. He reached up to take Hanne's wrist and beckon her back, but then he heard Novak's voice over the rain. "Over here!" Vlad released his hold on Hanne, sighing out of relief as he leaned back against the tree.
Hawke wasted no time rushing to Vlad's side and dropping to his knees. "Vlad? How are you feeling? Talk to me."
"Peachy," Vlad responded with a thumbs up and a crimson grin. He then coughed a few more times before spitting blood onto the ground.
"We need to go," Specter spoke up. He didn't want to rush Vlad or the others, but every second they spent idle was another moment that the guards could be closing in. His gaze rarely looked at the others, instead darting around at the forest around them, looking past the trees for any signs that they were being followed.
Ivy slowly walked up behind Hawke, lightly placing her hand on his shoulder. "I need my jumpsuit." She entrusted it to him and hoped he still had it on him somewhere. The rain was cold and the breeze through the trees only added to the chill. With a lack of clothing and drenched to the bone, she couldn't help but shiver. When he handed it over, she quickly pulled it on along with the pair of gloves in the pocket. It wasn't long before it too was drenched, but it was better than nothing.
Specter took a couple steps forward trying to figure out their next plan of action. "From what I've seen, the whole facility is surrounded by woods with a single road in and out. I have no idea where the world we are, so I can't begin to try and figure out what lies beyond the forest. But the rain is on our side. It'll cover up most of our tracks, especially if we keep as much of our steps to the puddles or tree roots as possible." He ran a hand back through his wet curls before pointing in the direction opposite of the facility. "Our best bet will be traveling through the woods until we come across... Something." It wasn't much of a plan, but what else could they do? They had no maps or ideas about where they were. They could be in Australia, Brazil... America, or maybe even on a whole other planet. They were truly lost.
"I'll help you with Vlad," Ivy said looking down at Hawke. While Novak helped get him outside, they were the best suited to help Specter find safe passage and a way out. And Hanne... The girl looked jumpy to say the least and two steps away from tucking tail and running back to the facility. Ivy wasn't going to risk the girl's hesitation slowing herself and the others down. She was free to stay if she wanted or come, but there was no time to be slowed down by anything or anyone.
"Let's go then," Vlad said as he put one hand in Hawke's and the other in Ivy's gloved palm. Together they pulled him to his feet. He hand an arm draped around each of their shoulders, using their bodies to help support his weight. He did feel better. Not 100%, but good enough that together, they should be able to keep up.
Specter nodded his head towards the group making sure they were ready before he started deeper into the woods, leading them onward. No matter how far they traveled every tree looked the same and there were no landmarks to help them navigate. Luckily, it wasn't difficult to keep walking straight. They trudged onwards for who knows how long... miles? Hours? Only once or twice did they stop, using the trees and bushes as cover when they saw a distant flashlight far off in the trees.
The sky slowly began to change to a shade of lavender as dawn must have been approaching. The group was tired and their pace had slowed significantly. "I see a clearing," Specter half gasped. Without warning, he started sprinting forward. His feet stopped just before he bursted through the tree line. There was a large chainlink fence, topped with barbed wire that stretched before them, looking to encompass the entire forest. To the left he could see the single road and gateway past the fences that he could only assume lead back to the facility... And a sign that said S.A.A. Facility. Private property. Trespassers will be prosecuted. And to the right... ?
Dozens... Or hundreds of buildings of all shapes and sizes reached for as far as the eye could see. Some only a few floors tall, while other skyscrapers looked to disappear into the clouds of the thunderstorm. Even in the wee hours of the morning... or night, it was still illuminated and bustling. It was a city, it had to be. Specter had seen pictures of some and read many descriptions but it still didn't prepare him for this. Everything seemed newer or more foreign, like the books he read were centuries old. The city before them seemed far more advanced. There were machines on the streets and ones flying in the air. It looked like something he read about in science fiction books, not reality.
"I can get us through the fence," he said as he slowly turned to face the others as they caught up to him. "If that's what we want."
He scoffed. "Where I was stabbed," he replied sardonically. Where else would it hurt?
"I'm just going to, to get a better look." Vlad motioned his hand as if saying 'make yourself at home.' He might have helped or done it himself if he could have, but he was more focused on staying awake at the moment. Hanne's hands on his abdomen or removing his clothes didn't bother him much. Perhaps in a better state he might have made a lewd comment, but it wasn't really the time or place for it. With his skin bare, the coolness of the rain on his chest took him a bit by surprise. There was so much to take in that if he wasn't preoccupied with not dying he might have been overwhelmed.
"Keep breathing."
"You got it, doc," Vlad replied, trying to focus on his breathing. As Hanne began trying to heal him, he could feel the fluids inside him rising. It wasn't long before he half doubled over coughing up blood. He would stop long enough to get in a breath or two before it all happened again. He felt more like he was vomiting it up at the rate it came out. While he started to get a bit worried, Hanne seemed calm like this was supposed to happen. Vlad tried his best not to panic and stay calm knowing that it would only make the situation worse if he started getting worked up.
Inside the closet, the small group quickly tried to work through finding a way back to Hanne and Vlad. Specter's idea seemed as good as any. If Novak could make a portal and get them out of there, then maybe it could be enough of a head start. The guards wouldn't see where they went and they'd have to search everywhere. They needed that time... Desperately.
[ I can try. But it may not be far enough. ]
Ivy did her best to remain as out of the way as possible. She already felt guilty for the injuries Specter and Hawke had gotten from touching her. Luckily, Spec lingered in the corner keeping himself intangible like a ghost so that the space wasn't more crammed than it needed to be while Novak tried to make a portal where the door was. Once it was open, Ivy ran in first without hesitation. There was no time to waste and freedom was so close she could almost taste it. Just a little further.
A foot before the exiting portal, Ivy froze, her heart racing in her chest. She took a deep breath before stepping through, her bare foot sinking into the cool wet mud. At first the rain surprised her but it quickly brought a smile to her face. She raised her hands, palms up like she was trying to catch it as she looked up into the sky. Is this what the world felt like? It was like for the first time in her life she could breathe, yet it also robbed her of breath.
Once reality settled back in, Ivy looked around behind drenched raven bangs not seeing Hanne or Vlad. "Where are they?"
Specter came to her side, lightly resting his hand on her back where her shirt covered her skin. "Novak's portals only go so far. They have to be close by." He looked around to the others then moved to the front beside Novak to help them find their way back to Hanne and Vlad. It was hard to see through darkness and the rain, even with his x-ray vision. The down pour and thunder were loud enough to muffle any sounds they might have heard, but he didn't dare call out for them in fear of signaling any guards that might be near by.
"Fuck," Vlad groaned with a raspy voice between coughs. His throat hurt and at that point, half of him was covered in blood.
"You'll be okay," Hanne whispered. He hoped she was right. Vlad was more focused on the blood he kept coughing up over the wound in his abdomen. She kept telling him it'd be ok, and he had no choice but to take her word for it.
Hanne noticed the footsteps before Vlad did. It wasn't until she was on her feet in some strange stance of attack that he caught on. He didn't have much strength, but maybe enough to get whomever was coming close to forget they were here. He reached up to take Hanne's wrist and beckon her back, but then he heard Novak's voice over the rain. "Over here!" Vlad released his hold on Hanne, sighing out of relief as he leaned back against the tree.
Hawke wasted no time rushing to Vlad's side and dropping to his knees. "Vlad? How are you feeling? Talk to me."
"Peachy," Vlad responded with a thumbs up and a crimson grin. He then coughed a few more times before spitting blood onto the ground.
"We need to go," Specter spoke up. He didn't want to rush Vlad or the others, but every second they spent idle was another moment that the guards could be closing in. His gaze rarely looked at the others, instead darting around at the forest around them, looking past the trees for any signs that they were being followed.
Ivy slowly walked up behind Hawke, lightly placing her hand on his shoulder. "I need my jumpsuit." She entrusted it to him and hoped he still had it on him somewhere. The rain was cold and the breeze through the trees only added to the chill. With a lack of clothing and drenched to the bone, she couldn't help but shiver. When he handed it over, she quickly pulled it on along with the pair of gloves in the pocket. It wasn't long before it too was drenched, but it was better than nothing.
Specter took a couple steps forward trying to figure out their next plan of action. "From what I've seen, the whole facility is surrounded by woods with a single road in and out. I have no idea where the world we are, so I can't begin to try and figure out what lies beyond the forest. But the rain is on our side. It'll cover up most of our tracks, especially if we keep as much of our steps to the puddles or tree roots as possible." He ran a hand back through his wet curls before pointing in the direction opposite of the facility. "Our best bet will be traveling through the woods until we come across... Something." It wasn't much of a plan, but what else could they do? They had no maps or ideas about where they were. They could be in Australia, Brazil... America, or maybe even on a whole other planet. They were truly lost.
"I'll help you with Vlad," Ivy said looking down at Hawke. While Novak helped get him outside, they were the best suited to help Specter find safe passage and a way out. And Hanne... The girl looked jumpy to say the least and two steps away from tucking tail and running back to the facility. Ivy wasn't going to risk the girl's hesitation slowing herself and the others down. She was free to stay if she wanted or come, but there was no time to be slowed down by anything or anyone.
"Let's go then," Vlad said as he put one hand in Hawke's and the other in Ivy's gloved palm. Together they pulled him to his feet. He hand an arm draped around each of their shoulders, using their bodies to help support his weight. He did feel better. Not 100%, but good enough that together, they should be able to keep up.
Specter nodded his head towards the group making sure they were ready before he started deeper into the woods, leading them onward. No matter how far they traveled every tree looked the same and there were no landmarks to help them navigate. Luckily, it wasn't difficult to keep walking straight. They trudged onwards for who knows how long... miles? Hours? Only once or twice did they stop, using the trees and bushes as cover when they saw a distant flashlight far off in the trees.
The sky slowly began to change to a shade of lavender as dawn must have been approaching. The group was tired and their pace had slowed significantly. "I see a clearing," Specter half gasped. Without warning, he started sprinting forward. His feet stopped just before he bursted through the tree line. There was a large chainlink fence, topped with barbed wire that stretched before them, looking to encompass the entire forest. To the left he could see the single road and gateway past the fences that he could only assume lead back to the facility... And a sign that said S.A.A. Facility. Private property. Trespassers will be prosecuted. And to the right... ?
Dozens... Or hundreds of buildings of all shapes and sizes reached for as far as the eye could see. Some only a few floors tall, while other skyscrapers looked to disappear into the clouds of the thunderstorm. Even in the wee hours of the morning... or night, it was still illuminated and bustling. It was a city, it had to be. Specter had seen pictures of some and read many descriptions but it still didn't prepare him for this. Everything seemed newer or more foreign, like the books he read were centuries old. The city before them seemed far more advanced. There were machines on the streets and ones flying in the air. It looked like something he read about in science fiction books, not reality.
"I can get us through the fence," he said as he slowly turned to face the others as they caught up to him. "If that's what we want."
Hanne winced as Vlad coughed out blood, looking back and forth between him and Hawke. "I fixed what I could. He's weak from blood loss but he'll live. It would be best if you could get some rest soon, Vlad, but you'll be fine. I promise." There wasn't much she could say, knowing that they'd reached a temporary truce only because he needed her help. And now she'd done what she could, so she was no longer needed. She backed away, moving towards the others.
Only the gentle hand on Hawke's shoulder pulled him out of his worry, and he jerked around to look at Ivy. Jumpsuit... "Right. Sorry." He'd almost forgotten about the bundle of cloth, pressed to his side. This he returned to Ivy, turning away to allow her some privacy while she pulled it back on.
Beside Specter, Novak was trying to come up with a plan, but no ideas were coming to mind. The combined effort of the escape and the jumps they'd done were beginning to take a toll on them, and they could feel their energy sapping slowly, a migraine beginning to take hold in their head.
"Something isn't good enough," they countered Specter. "We should be trying to find some signs of other people, then we could at least hide. Otherwise we'll be walking around in this forest until we're caught." They paused, and then it came to them. "A road. What we need is a road. Then we'll be able to follow it to people."
"We'll take whatever we can find," Hawke said grimly as he hauled Vlad upright, adjusting to support his weight. He didn't want to say so, but at this point it was really up to Specter to get them out of there, being the only person who could read the environment enough to find them a way to safety. But pointing it out would just put undue stress on the boy.
As they walked along, as quickly as they could given Vlad's injuries, Hawke couldn't help the guilt that spread through his system. There were so many moments where he had dropped the ball, focusing only on surviving in the moment. If only he had tried to figure the facility out sooner. If only he had worked harder to bring everyone together to work out a plan. Now they were all soaked, lost, and growing tired, and all they could do was trudge forward or face recapture.
The group moved through the trees in silence for a while, Hanne drifting along behind them. Now that the initial excitement of the escape was over, she was beginning to come to terms with what she had done, especially to that guard. What had she done, exactly? She wasn't thinking clearly when it happened, just let her emotions bubble up and take over; apparently she was capable of things she didn't know she could do.
"What are you thinking about?" Novak's voice pulled Hanne out of her reverie, and she looked up at them, speechless for a moment. "Um, just... the, this whole thing..."
Novak nodded, misunderstanding Hanne's brooding. "You're not a burden, you know. I mean, I'm sure Vlad's grateful that you came along, but you're part of us. You deserve to be free, too."
She frowned. It wasn't a concern occupying her at the moment, but it was strange to hear affirmation like that. She was well aware of how some of the others thought she was a dead weight, complacently happy in her cell. Novak had never really seemed to share Vlad's vitriol, but they had never been particularly approving either.
She would have said as much, but at that moment, up ahead, Specter called back "I see a clearing," and Novak hurried up front to look, leaving Hanne alone.
Specter reached the clearing first, but Novak was close behind, almost running full tilt into the fence, their earlier exhaustion all but forgotten. This was better than a road, so much better. Their fears of being condemend to wander forever in search of civilisation vanished as they looked upon the city in awe, the lights reflected in their eyes. There had never been anything like this before.
Hawke could sense Vlad and Ivy getting excited too, although he tried to temper himself. He glanced around to make sure they hadn't been followed; the coast seemed clear. "Alright, we'll go through. Be careful. Take Novak first, then Vlad." At least that way Vlad would get out first, and have someone waiting on the other side for him, plus Ivy could catch a break from supporting him. It couldn't have been that easy, given Vlad's weight as the most muscular of the group.
Novak went through obediently, waiting to help support Vlad as he passed with Specter through the fence, turning them both so they could stare at in the city's direction until the others were through. "The lights are crazy, huh? I didn't think they would look like this. Like if I swallowed all this brightness I could float away." It didn't make sense. But it was all they could say.
Hanne followed after Vlad, and Hawke motioned Ivy forward. "Ladies first." He was eager to get back to Vlad, certain in the back of his mind that if he looked away for too long something bad would happen; he would get injured again, he would start coughing blood and never stop, he would just vanish... But then the sign on the fence caught his attention, and it puzzled him. What was S.A.A.? Surely it had to be them... but what did it mean? "Specter," he gestured at the sign, "do you know what this means? Have you ever read about it?"
Novak turned, glaring disdainfully at the fence. "Who gives a damn? We're out now, and it's going to stay that way. I'm not going back in there now that I'm out here. The only way they'll get me in that building is carrying my corpse through the front doors."
Hawke winced. It was a poor choice of words. "Alright. Nobody's dying just yet. Our priority right now is finding clothes, then somewhere to rest. We made it this far, but we're not out of the woods just yet." He glanced over his shoulder at the trees. "...Figuratively. They're not going to give up that easily, and we probably look really suspicious. We're going to need to keep a low profile for now." Easier said than done. Other things like food and money—whatever passed as currency here—wouldn't just fall into their lap, but first above all was shelter. They couldn't be sitting ducks out in the open, covered in blood.
Once Vlad was repositioned between Hawke and Ivy they set off towards the city, moving forward in silence. No one passed them as they inched closer to the lights, Hawke's feet aching with every step. Finally, they were standing on the edge of the city, pressed up against the warehouses that lined its borders. Storage space... and one of them might store clothes. Novak, sensing Hawke's tiredness, tried to take charge, as jumbled as their mind felt. "Specter, you take that row, and I'll go this way. See what you can find. Something here has got to be useful. The rest of you just... just sit here and wait. Hawke, give us a shout if anyone comes." They tapped their temple meaningfully, and started off down a row of warehouses, determined to pull enough juice together to make a few more portals.
Hawke helped Vlad sit down, giving him a once over. He didn't look quite the worse for their trip, but Hawke was concerned all the same. It wouldn't do them any good to stay on their feet for too long, yet he couldn't sit still. After a moment, he pulled Ivy aside. "Will you keep an eye on them? I'm going to have a look around, make sure that no one's coming." He set off at a slow walk, keeping his mind open to any foreign presences.
The first few warehouses didn't yield any good results. They were certainly large, but often packed with things Novak didn't recognise; some had huge machines, others shelves upon shelves of wrapped boxes. Eventually they found one stocked with racks, clothes in plastic bags hung on them. Over half the warehouse was packed with such racks, and surely something would fit them. Novak hurried back to the group, waving them over. "I found clothes, come have a look!"
Only the gentle hand on Hawke's shoulder pulled him out of his worry, and he jerked around to look at Ivy. Jumpsuit... "Right. Sorry." He'd almost forgotten about the bundle of cloth, pressed to his side. This he returned to Ivy, turning away to allow her some privacy while she pulled it back on.
Beside Specter, Novak was trying to come up with a plan, but no ideas were coming to mind. The combined effort of the escape and the jumps they'd done were beginning to take a toll on them, and they could feel their energy sapping slowly, a migraine beginning to take hold in their head.
"Something isn't good enough," they countered Specter. "We should be trying to find some signs of other people, then we could at least hide. Otherwise we'll be walking around in this forest until we're caught." They paused, and then it came to them. "A road. What we need is a road. Then we'll be able to follow it to people."
"We'll take whatever we can find," Hawke said grimly as he hauled Vlad upright, adjusting to support his weight. He didn't want to say so, but at this point it was really up to Specter to get them out of there, being the only person who could read the environment enough to find them a way to safety. But pointing it out would just put undue stress on the boy.
As they walked along, as quickly as they could given Vlad's injuries, Hawke couldn't help the guilt that spread through his system. There were so many moments where he had dropped the ball, focusing only on surviving in the moment. If only he had tried to figure the facility out sooner. If only he had worked harder to bring everyone together to work out a plan. Now they were all soaked, lost, and growing tired, and all they could do was trudge forward or face recapture.
The group moved through the trees in silence for a while, Hanne drifting along behind them. Now that the initial excitement of the escape was over, she was beginning to come to terms with what she had done, especially to that guard. What had she done, exactly? She wasn't thinking clearly when it happened, just let her emotions bubble up and take over; apparently she was capable of things she didn't know she could do.
"What are you thinking about?" Novak's voice pulled Hanne out of her reverie, and she looked up at them, speechless for a moment. "Um, just... the, this whole thing..."
Novak nodded, misunderstanding Hanne's brooding. "You're not a burden, you know. I mean, I'm sure Vlad's grateful that you came along, but you're part of us. You deserve to be free, too."
She frowned. It wasn't a concern occupying her at the moment, but it was strange to hear affirmation like that. She was well aware of how some of the others thought she was a dead weight, complacently happy in her cell. Novak had never really seemed to share Vlad's vitriol, but they had never been particularly approving either.
She would have said as much, but at that moment, up ahead, Specter called back "I see a clearing," and Novak hurried up front to look, leaving Hanne alone.
Specter reached the clearing first, but Novak was close behind, almost running full tilt into the fence, their earlier exhaustion all but forgotten. This was better than a road, so much better. Their fears of being condemend to wander forever in search of civilisation vanished as they looked upon the city in awe, the lights reflected in their eyes. There had never been anything like this before.
Hawke could sense Vlad and Ivy getting excited too, although he tried to temper himself. He glanced around to make sure they hadn't been followed; the coast seemed clear. "Alright, we'll go through. Be careful. Take Novak first, then Vlad." At least that way Vlad would get out first, and have someone waiting on the other side for him, plus Ivy could catch a break from supporting him. It couldn't have been that easy, given Vlad's weight as the most muscular of the group.
Novak went through obediently, waiting to help support Vlad as he passed with Specter through the fence, turning them both so they could stare at in the city's direction until the others were through. "The lights are crazy, huh? I didn't think they would look like this. Like if I swallowed all this brightness I could float away." It didn't make sense. But it was all they could say.
Hanne followed after Vlad, and Hawke motioned Ivy forward. "Ladies first." He was eager to get back to Vlad, certain in the back of his mind that if he looked away for too long something bad would happen; he would get injured again, he would start coughing blood and never stop, he would just vanish... But then the sign on the fence caught his attention, and it puzzled him. What was S.A.A.? Surely it had to be them... but what did it mean? "Specter," he gestured at the sign, "do you know what this means? Have you ever read about it?"
Novak turned, glaring disdainfully at the fence. "Who gives a damn? We're out now, and it's going to stay that way. I'm not going back in there now that I'm out here. The only way they'll get me in that building is carrying my corpse through the front doors."
Hawke winced. It was a poor choice of words. "Alright. Nobody's dying just yet. Our priority right now is finding clothes, then somewhere to rest. We made it this far, but we're not out of the woods just yet." He glanced over his shoulder at the trees. "...Figuratively. They're not going to give up that easily, and we probably look really suspicious. We're going to need to keep a low profile for now." Easier said than done. Other things like food and money—whatever passed as currency here—wouldn't just fall into their lap, but first above all was shelter. They couldn't be sitting ducks out in the open, covered in blood.
Once Vlad was repositioned between Hawke and Ivy they set off towards the city, moving forward in silence. No one passed them as they inched closer to the lights, Hawke's feet aching with every step. Finally, they were standing on the edge of the city, pressed up against the warehouses that lined its borders. Storage space... and one of them might store clothes. Novak, sensing Hawke's tiredness, tried to take charge, as jumbled as their mind felt. "Specter, you take that row, and I'll go this way. See what you can find. Something here has got to be useful. The rest of you just... just sit here and wait. Hawke, give us a shout if anyone comes." They tapped their temple meaningfully, and started off down a row of warehouses, determined to pull enough juice together to make a few more portals.
Hawke helped Vlad sit down, giving him a once over. He didn't look quite the worse for their trip, but Hawke was concerned all the same. It wouldn't do them any good to stay on their feet for too long, yet he couldn't sit still. After a moment, he pulled Ivy aside. "Will you keep an eye on them? I'm going to have a look around, make sure that no one's coming." He set off at a slow walk, keeping his mind open to any foreign presences.
The first few warehouses didn't yield any good results. They were certainly large, but often packed with things Novak didn't recognise; some had huge machines, others shelves upon shelves of wrapped boxes. Eventually they found one stocked with racks, clothes in plastic bags hung on them. Over half the warehouse was packed with such racks, and surely something would fit them. Novak hurried back to the group, waving them over. "I found clothes, come have a look!"
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