Door 2 - The Wasteland

[SirBayer]

Smith whirled, drawing his handgun. "Get out," he snapped. Stepping backward, he lined the sights up. "GET OUT!" he roared, quietly releasing the hammer and recocking it for effect. His soldiers turned to him and raised their own weapons, prepared to unleash a hailstorm at the slightest order.  

[NativeForeigner]

The man laughed, a very cold and ruthless sound. Without another word and without apparent fear of Smith and his men, nor their firearms, he hopped off the window frame and spread his wings, each roughly two and a half feet long, and, despite the wings' dense appearance, he glided gently to the ground, his posture perfectly straight and his arms outstretched as he landed with his feet together and folded his mechanical wings back up.

His laughing ceased as he addressed Smith, "I'll leave as soon as I get what I came for." he announced. He scanned the area quickly for Juliet and pointed her our.

"You, come with me, join the MADmen and we'll help you find your father. He's not too far off, you know, we can reunite you two."

*

The officer remained stable, Gwen was almost finished.  

[Elesariin]

Gwen continued to sew slowly and carefully, although the temptation to speed up, get done, and get a look at this person was almost overwhelming. Just a little bit more...  

[SirBayer]

Juliet hesitated. A tempting offer. Very tempting. On the other hand, the man hadn't explained how or where.

"Where is he?" she demanded. "Who are you?'

"You filthy -" Smith began, but stepped back, allowing Juliet her chance to speak. "Listen to me. They're the ones who spread this. We're fighting for survival. You saw!"

Juliet agreed... but she needed to see if she could use this guy.  

[NativeForeigner]

The man chuckled and adjusted the brim of his hat, "He's at the manor for the moment. " he tilted his head slightly to the right, "It's not polite to ask someone's name before telling them your own, you know."

He appeared completely unworried about Smith at this moment. His posture was straight and his hands were behind his back.

*

Gwen managed to finish patching up the officer.  

[Elesariin]

Gwen let out the air in her lungs slowly, put away her supplies, and then hesitated. Finally, she went about removing her thick green eyesore of a sweater. When she'd done that, she folded it up, gently raised the officer's head a few inches, and slipped the makeshift pillow into place. Only THEN did she give in to her curiosity and poke her head out to have a look at what was going on.

Wait... did that person have wings?  

[SirBayer]

"I didn't ask for your name. Who are you? Who are the Madmen?" Juliet folded her arms. "I'm interested, but I'd like a little more info before I commit to anything."

Smith continued to keep his bead on the man; his finger tightened further on the trigger. "Get out of here," Smith hissed.  

[NativeForeigner]

"Ah, my dear, but you asked who I am, and the same rule applies. Comply and I'll be happy to answer any questions you have." he glanced over towards Smith and gave a disinterested wave in his direction.

"I'm surprised he hasn't told you yet, haven't you been asking questions, my dear?"  

[Elesariin]

"That doesn't make any sense," Gwen piped up before she could think better of it. Almost immediately, she wanted to shrink back and say, 'nevermind'. This guy was SCARY. But she'd already started; no point in backing down at that point. Getting to her feet somewhat shakily--her foot was asleep--she continued. "You know who her father is, and you know where he is, as well as where to find HER, and yet you don't know her name? " As she spoke, she automatically reached up to push her glasses further up onto the bridge of her nose, but was stopped by the gas mask.  

[NativeForeigner]

The man glared at Gwen, "I never said I didn't know her name, my dear, I simply requested that she properly introduce herself before we continue."  

[Elesariin]

Gwen could almost feel herself withering under the glare, and her face was suddenly very hot. As such, it was quite a surprise when she heard herself saying, "So it's a control issue, then." Shut up, shut up, shut up! What is wrong with you? Do you WANT to get killed?  

[NativeForeigner]

The man simply hardened his glare, "It's a matter of manners." he quickly corrected her, "Now if you wouldn't mind, you will have your time to speak, you need only be patient."  

[Elesariin]

Gwen was not convinced. He was attempting establish control early on in the conversation so that he'd have it later on, when it was really important. Psychology 101. Her voice trembling a bit, she quietly replied, "I-- I'm not trying to be rude. It's just... You seem to have upset the person who saved our lives, which... ummm... doesn't seem very polite, either. And... If her father really is back in the mansion right now, shouldn't Smith be able to take us once we've finished helping out? The only thing stopping us before was the fact that her father was behind the first door, which was locked. If he isn't behind the door anymore... Well, there's really no reason to enter into any sort of arrangement if getting back to her father is the only incentive."  

[NativeForeigner]

The man shook his head and sighed, "I could offer that man a lemon pie and he'd get upset, my dear. He simply does not enjoy my presence, nor I his, to be quite honest. He's upsetting himself, you see."

He shook his head once more, "I wouldn't recommend heading back into the manor at this point in time, any of your presences' would only create more trouble. There's two, soon to be three, Dukes, and three Workmen, along with a score of people such as yourselves, including this young lady's father." he explained, gesturing towards Juliet, "Your brother's there, too, in fact, he's already with us, the MADmen. By the time you get back to the mansion, everybody will be gone, she'll have to continue the search for her father.

However, if she concedes to join us, after any and all questions regarding are answered, of course, then I shall intervene before they disperse and collect her father and thus they shall be together once more. If you choose, however, to decline, then she'll miss the chance of seeing her father again, and if you choose to decline my offer, as well, then you run the same risk as she does, only with your brother."

He smiled confidently.