Door 2 - The Wasteland

[Dark Angel of Sol]

Jake spoke calmly but sternly, “During the battle One of the civilians, Orion, was knocked unconscious and I stayed behind to make sure he was okay. When we came back there was a duke standing there waiting,” a layer of scorn showed as he said duke, “I knew I couldn't take him so I had to stand there as he tricked the civilian into coming with him. However I think he might be dangerous. He has this ability to control people.” He looked at the creature and then looked back at Smith. “I think he took control over that thing for a while. The duke helped him. There is something else. Orion asked several things and even knowing I was within hearing range he answered. You may already know some of this but I'll repeat it anyways. The civilians are like the dukes in the aspect that they aren't from Empyrea. The dukes have been tricking other people from another world into coming here and these people are developing abilities of there own. Orion did ask me to tell the civilians that he is okay, though I don't know for how long, and that he's sorry for leaving without saying goodbye.”  

[NativeForeigner]

As Jake and Smith conversed, Alastair relinquished his gun to a soldier and headed to the room where the door was located. Juliet did the same with her SMG and joined Alastair.

"Keep the gun." Mark said as he bid Gwen a farewell, Cindy ushering her into the room.

Strangely, Cindy, too bid her brother a farewell.

The four were met by a female soldier keeping an eye on the door. "The air's fine in here." he said, "We'd appreciate the masks back, you won't need them anywhere else."

Everyone, including Cindy, sacrificed their masks to the soldier. After which, she opened the door for them, "Thank you for your help." she said, saluting.

After facing confusing stares from mostly Gwen, Cindy smiled, "I'm coming with you." she explained, "It's nice to be around people that haven't been here for as long as I have." she was hinting slightly at her past.

All four went through the door and without pause went straight through door 4 and arrived in the Forest Green Forest.  

[SirBayer]

"Hmph. A convert. He ran into us here too. Things got a bit hot. But that's why they're so interested..." Smith paused. "I have a thought. You fellows here are fairly competent. I know this war is not ending any time soon, and that my leadership is needed here... but this could change the face of the war. I'm thinking... perhaps Mason and I should pass through the door and follow those fellows. It's looking like we'll need them, now isn't it?"  

[Dark Angel of Sol]

Jack felt a felt some resentment when Smith talked about the civilians like a weapon. s**t, Even for such a short time, I got attached emotionally. That's not good. Smith has never done anything that wasn't necessary. If Smith thought it was right and I can't think of a good reason against it, then I guess there is no point in saying anything otherwise. Jack replied in a stern confident tone, “Yes it does sir. We'll be able to hold our own until you come back.”  

[SirBayer]

"Very good. Mason, are you with me?"  

[Venom3001]

Mason nodded. "Can't just let the MADmen do their thing, aye?"  

[SirBayer]

They passed through the door, leaving masks behind.  

[NativeForeigner]

Meanwhile in the Wasteland, Smith's men had finished setting up the factory and those not on guard duty were busy trying to pass the time as they waited for Smith return. Mick had left by now and the air within the factory was clean, allowing the soldiers left behind to remove their masks for the time being.

"How good do you think this thing is at cards?" Mark asked another male soldier, referring to the Wreck.

"I'm not sure..." the other soldier replied with a slight shrug, "Can it even play?"

"Let's find out!" Mark insisted, pulling out a deck of worn cards, "Get a table ready."  

[NativeForeigner]

A group of three masked soldiers came through the factory's garage, one was carrying the unconscious body of Jordan Varz.

"Set him down over there, get a medic to look over him." The female soldier at point ordered, removing her mask and revealing her blond ponytail and green eyes.

"Cindy? Who the hell is that?" Mark asked, standing and approaching his sister.

"Some poor guy we found while on patrol." She explained. "Something caused a major leak in his mask and he must've passed out from breathing the air. There's no telling how long he's been out there."

"Guy looks like a cop from our old world. Pretty decked out, too." Mark noted. "He still breathing?"

"Yeah, he's still breathing, but it's rough. I think he'll be fine, though."

As they were speaking, the soldier placed Jordan on a nearby table and a medic rushed over to begin checking up on him. After a quick check-up, the medic began performing rescue breathing, if for nothing more than to help get some fresh air into the man's lungs.

Before long, Jordan's eyes fluttered open and were met with the medic's brown eyes peering into his own. "Good, you're awake. How do you feel? What's your name?" He asked.

Cindy and Mark made their way over to listen in.  

[Anchou]

"What?" Jordan gasped weakly.

Memories flashed in front of him. He saw himself graduating college, eating dinner with his family, riding a bike for the first time. Pain seared his brain as he saw, through all the old memories, a figure dressed in black approaching a mansion. Gun shots rang out. There was screaming, shouting, darkness.

Jordan's body seized. He tried to roll off of the table while reaching for the gun on his right hip. Falling with a thud, Jordan groaned.

Jordan rolled over and pulled out his gun weakly, lifting it up shakily towards the medic.  

[NativeForeigner]

The medic brought his hands up in front of him and stared at Jordan with an expression of mingled confusion and mild fear of the gun now pointed at him. "You guys seriously didn't strip him of his weapons, first?" the medic asked, glancing at Cindy.

Mark, noticing how shaky Jordan was, knelt and pushed Jordan's arm holding the gun to the ground. Cindy joined him and pinned Jordan's other arm. She gestured with a nod of her head and the medic retrieved the gun.

"Whoa, now. None of that. We're not here to hurt you." Cindy said in a soothing voice. "Can you tell us your name?" She eased up on Jordan's arm and had Mark do the same. They sat him up and each keeping a hand on one of his shoulders, partially to make sure he didn't fall back over and partially to ensure that they would be in a position to do something if he remained violent.  

[Anchou]

Jordan felt so weak. He knew that he couldn't fight back at the moment and so he conceded to them.

"I'm Jordan. Who are you and what is this place? It doesn't look much like a mansion."

Jordan was shaking. He felt terrible. All the bones in his body seemed to ache under worn out muscles. His skin was sensitive, almost as if he was sick.

These people seemed friendly, but he was in the mansion. Perhaps they were the victims?  

[NativeForeigner]

The woman was the first to answer. "I'm Cindy." She explained. "And this is my brother, Mark. You're in a factory in the middle of the Wasteland. We found you lying around outside with a damaged gas mask."

"We have no idea how long you've out there, but I'm willing to bet that any longer and you'd probably be dead." Mark chimed in. "How ya feeling?"  

[Anchou]

"I'm feeling terrible." Jordan closed his eyes and breathed deeply before going into a coughing fit.

After a minute of hacking, Jordan looked back at Cindy. "A factory? This is a mansion, in the middle of a city. Not a wasteland..." Jordan was gasping.

What the hell are they talking about?  

[NativeForeigner]

"All that bad air must be messing with your head." Mark remarked.

"You're not in the city anymore, Jordan." Cindy explained. "You haven't been since you fell through the floor, assuming that's still how it happens. You're in Empyrea, now. This place is called the Wasteland. Surely you remember coming here? You were wearing one of our gas masks."