Door 2 - The Wasteland

[Elesariin]

Gwen froze. "Gregory joined you? ... How do you know that?! Have you seen him? Is he alright? Do you know if he's been taking his--" With obvious effort, she cut herself off and swallowed. A moment or two later, she continued in a slow, controlled tone. "So... Let me get this straight. Instead of helping us out of common courtesy, and asking for our help honestly and without any sort of obligation, implied or otherwise, you want us to be exclusively loyal to you in return for our missing family members, one of whom is mentally UNSTABLE?" Her face was feeling hot again, but this time it was not because she was embarrassed. She was angry. Her hands were clenched into white knuckled fists at her sides, and she wanted nothing more than to HIT something--preferably a rather specific SOMEONE-- with them. Nobody messed with her brother. Nobody took advantage of how he was. Not on her watch. But these people HAD. She just KNEW it. "Did you send him that coin?! WAS THAT YOU?!"  

[NativeForeigner]

The man chuckled, "I fear you've misunderstood me, I offer incentive to help us, why would you help us when you're already helping this man? With, might I add, no solid reason other than he pulled you out of the accursed air. To be honest, my dear, none of us knew your brother was so mentally unstable, but that is irrelevant, he joined us of his own accord, my siblings barely said anything before he consented."

He nodded at Gwen's question, "Indeed it was, but keep in mind we only had the best intentions in mind. He was kept safe through his passage and now that he's with us, we can assure his further safety. Do you really think that if we sent out letters requesting help for some inter-dimensional Dukes to fight an infectious disease that people would answer our call? No! We did what we had to, and it was not just us who had sent the letters, mind you, the Majesty of Colour played their part in it as well." he smirked, "Isn't that right, Smith?"

Without waiting for an answer, the man continued, "Now, tell me, was it your idea to go on this raid with Smith? Or did you really have a choice? Your lives were put into jeopardy because your lives were saved, we wouldn't do that to you, we will strive to keep you, and your family, safe."  

[SirBayer]

"He's a LIAR!" Smith roared.

Smith's roar was not like a normal roar. The metal walls reverberated as his lungs emptied themselves into his shout.

"He has not come here to be your savior. He's come here to take you to the abyss of Hell. He's come to damn you, he has come to draw you away with words he knows you want to hear. Don't believe him. He won't keep you safe. He'll feed you to the disease, just like he did the rest of us. Just like he means to do to everyone."

Juliet took a step forward. Last chance... but the door. Could they go back through the door? They had brought it in. Juliet turned to look for it, to see if she could pass through it.

"Don't you dare come in here, try to subvert my own!" Smith hardly even seemed to know that he was shouting anymore. "You've shown your colors already. Just leave! Leave! Enjoy the hell you've created here from outside!"  

[Elesariin]

The MADman's words had worked, to a certain degree; Gwen was no longer angry. She was just frightened and confused. Wincing at Smith's almost animalistic roar, she blinked her eyes several times in quick succession, trying to ignore the way her glasses were fogging up. "We're not yours," she said quietly. To her shame, there was an audible trace of tears in her voice, "We're not either of yours. What is wrong with you people? I-I thought you were just helping us to help us," she added to Smith, "I was grateful. But you weren't, were you? You were trying to recruit us! And you?" she continued, "You're even worse! I j-just want to go home," she concluded miserably, "I don't want to be a part of your stupid fight. I ju-just want to get my brother and g-go home!" On the verge of dissolving into tears outright, she ran back over to the side of her patient, sat down, and tried to get herself under control.  

[NativeForeigner]

Though Smith's shouts would likely terrify just about anyone else, the man retained his composure and glanced at Smith. "Now, there's no need to yell. And I don't much appreciate these accusations you're placing upon me. If you want me gone so badly why don't you just have your men open fire on me? Or perhaps fight me yourself? Are you afraid that I'll embarrass you in front of your soldiers?"

He smirked, just waiting for Smith to react.

However, Gwen caught his attention first. He sighed heavily and placed a look of sympathy upon his face as he made his way over to Gwen. He knelt beside her, placing one hand upon her shoulder while keeping the other behind his back.

"Now now, my dear, please don't fret, it will all be okay, I can assure of that. I'm not looking for a claim, a property, if you will, I'm looking for help." he assured her, lowering his voice to a soothing level, "We can help you get your brother, but none of us can go home yet, it's just not possible. But the Workmen can't even promise you your brother, much less a return home."

He glanced over towards the injured officer, "I said I would protect you if you were to come with us. As a show of good faith, how about I help your officer friend?"

*

The door leading to the room that the door was in was ajar, revealing the target door lying flat on the ground.

Mick came out from the garage, interrupting the scene for only a moment, "The Wreck is finished." he announced before interrupting into another brief coughing fit, "It's booting up, 'll be done in a few. I added a few things. I'll set up the door now, that'll take a while."

With that, Mick headed into the room, closing the door behind him and presumably getting to work.

That answered Juliet's question, apparently the door wasn't quite working yet.  

[Elesariin]

Gwen tensed at the hand on her shoulder, but wasn't stupid enough to try and push it away. As much as he made her skin crawl, he had a point... "What," she asked cautiously, her voice still containing traces of tears, "Would your help entail, exactly? He's stable; I don't want to throw everything away on... something unreliable," she concluded somewhat lamely.  

[NativeForeigner]

"Well," the man began, "We could start by helping alleviate your brother of some of his illnesses. But, that's what makes him who he is, isn't it? If you choose not to rid him of his conditions, we can certainly keep them stable. And we'll do all we can to keep you two safe."  

[Elesariin]

"I'm talking about help for my patient," Gwen replied, her voice dangerously quiet. Nobody was going to mess with the inside of her brother's fragile head while she was still breathing. Actually, the fact that he'd even suggested doing that... Smith was so... open. Misguided, maybe, but she just couldn't make herself believe that he was willfully misleading or manipulating them. This person, though... "What exactly do you want from us... guests? ... If I'm going to make a proper decision, shouldn't I know what my end of the contract entails?"  

[NativeForeigner]

"Ah, my mistake, terribly sorry, I am. Your patient won't be a problem, I can have his wounds fixed as though nothing had ever happened. As for what I want from you, my dear, is simply your help with a very large problem my siblings and I have had for quite some time. You see, a disease broke out, spreading to almost all of our people. We couldn't find a way to cure it ourselves, so we came here looking for help. Unfortunately, the natives..." he glanced over towards Smith, "Didn't take so kindly to our sick people, and they tried to push us back.

From what I know about you, you wouldn't be helping so much with any fighting as you would be with helping us learn more about this virus and cure it.

Contract...is such a binding word, perhaps a more suiting word would be assistance, or agreement?"  

[Elesariin]

Gwen raised an eyebrow, although he couldn't see it. "Since your soldiers were the one that punched a hole in his leg to begin with, you might understand why I'm a bit skeptical," she muttered, glancing at her patient. "In any case," she continued in a somewhat louder voice, "I am a waitress. At a chain restaurant. I also happen to be 16. My brother is a mentally disturbed man. How much help are we going to be in helping you to learn about this virus? I'm no doctor, and Greg certainly isn't one."  

[NativeForeigner]

The man smiled gently and bobbed his head, "I understand," he agreed, "But, if you'd allow me to demonstrate, I could show you that we're not as bad as Smith claims we are." he continued to smile a small smile as he continued, "As for you and your brother, you've demonstrated at least some medical skill, and we need all we can, I'm afraid. As for Gregory, he's a unique individual, he can help us in several ways, should you choose to allow us, you see, the virus first affects a victim's neurological workings. By better understanding the way different people's brains work, especially those like your brother's (and I assure you, we will go no further than mere observation for his own sake), and comparing it to the functions of a post-infected brain, we can better understand what's happening and what we can do to stop or even reverse it."  

[SirBayer]

Smith ground his teeth. "Do not test my pride. There is none," Smith snapped, his voice falling in response to Gwen's fear. "I will not waste my strength against someone I cannot drive away. Instead I will issue a warning. They promised us the same things. Do you see where we are now, Gwen?" Smith hissed. "This is my life. This is all that's left of it. There is no free lunch. They will take from you everything. Do not be deceived by this Lucifer."

Juliet bit her lip. As a police officer, even in a small town, Juliet had a talent. This was a fairly common one for law-enforcement, and it boiled down to a knowledge of who was lying. Though she had her hesitations, Juliet realized she had made her decision, and she suspected her father had as well. She wished she could talk to him... confirm that this was what he wanted her to do. But it was almost certainly not to be, and for now Juliet had to act like the adult she was.

Stepping forward, Juliet laid a hand on Gwen's shoulder. She said nothing, but she stood beside, silent but armed and standing tall. Should Gwen look to her, she would see an expression of stoicism, a quiet assurance of accompaniment.  

[Elesariin]

Gwen stared at him for a moment, obviously thinking hard. She wanted to see Gregory, but it didn't feel right... Feeling the hand on her shoulder, she looked up at Juliet. That decided her. "I... I'm not willing to commit to anything as of now," she said cautiously. "I don't know the particulars of the situation, and I don't know you. I also don't know Smith," she added, "But he was willing to help me get back to my brother without me having to give some kind of pledge of loyalty. So... My answer is... Maybe. If I miss seeing my brother this time around because of my indecisiveness, so be it. And anyway," she added with a rather hard look, "You'll look after him, right?"  

[NativeForeigner]

The man stood, replacing his hands behind his back. His face showed an expression of genuine disappointment, but he nodded still.

"Very well, I can only hope to find you've changed your mind in the near future. We could truly use your help, all three of you." he added, assuming that Alastair would remain by Juliet's side.

He smiled reassuringly, "We'll look after him very well an send him your regards, I'm sure that will brighten his day, though seeing
you would do infinitely more." he said quietly, though sincerely. He looked towards Juliet, "You're father, I'm sure, should he choose differently than you, will love you no matter which side you're one, my dear, remember that, I'm sure he's a sensible enough man to not let matters that aren't his own get in the way of family. I hope you might sometime change your mind (and perhaps your father's, if he isn't already with us) sometime in the near future as well." he glanced over to Alastair, "I haven't much to say to you other than your help would have been greatly appreciated."

He finished speaking and turned towards the booth, "Now, if you'll allow me, I promised to heal this fine fellow and I intend to do so."

With that, he knelt beside the man and flipped down several lenses over his eye as he began to inspect the
wound, "Fine job you did." he mentioned as he place a hand on the man's injured leg. He grunted in pain, but the man retained pressure. He reached into a small pouch with his other hand and retrieved a small cylinder filled with a misty-blue substance. The man broke the cylinder just over the wound, spilling the misty substance over the wound. The officer howled in pain as the man ripped the stitches, exposing the interior of the wound to the substance, but the man held him steady with both hands now.

Within a matter of moments, the officer slowed his thrashing and the bone and muscle within could be seen growing and weaving itself back together slowly, followed by the skin.

The man stood and dusted himself off. "He'll be fine in a matter of minutes." he informed them, turning around. Then he bowed deeply, "And forgive my
earlier rudeness, please, my name is Maximillian A. Driskoll."  

[Elesariin]

Gwen had rushed over to the officer's side as the MADman ripped out the stiches, though she'd hung back in fear and awe. Now she knelt by his side placing a soothing hand on his forehead and murmuring comforting words under her breath. Her eyes, however, were on Maximilian A. Driskoll, and they were nothing short of shocked. Why on earth did he need her if he could do THAT?!