Morning Coffee And Sweet Surprises (Closed to Poprockz)

[Drobabes]

She startled slightly as the door swung open, having expected at least a knock before anyone came in. Upon hearing the annoyance in Nathaniels voice, she started to blunder out that she was only meaning to help Frederick with some of the paperwork, but Rick answered for them both before she could get out much more than 'I'm sorry, I asked-'. What he said about the boinking session wasn't total lie, so she kept her mouth shut. But as the seconds ticked by she started to grow concerned, until finally Rick broke the silence.

"I’ll be waiting for you to… Finish."

Cora didn't like the look Nathaniel had given her, so she averted her eyes away towards the ground. At this point the man had only been professional and polite with them, so she had no reason to assume he would seriously try to get anything from her supple body, but she had absolutely no interest in the man even if she hadn't been with Damien. It was a bit biased of her, she knew, but he looked too much like one of her exes and that relationship had ended with a lot of tears on her end and a couple of bruises on the ex. Not from her, but from Quint of course. It was just over all a bad time in her life and she tried to make it a point not to carry that baggage of hers onto others.

As soon as he left the room, Cora relaxed her shoulders and moved back in the chair a bit, crossing her arms now that Rick wasn't right in her face. She then listened to what he had to say, and although she didn't like it one bit, it was no less the truth. And quite honestly she had gotten herself into this situation. She had made her bed, now it was time to lay in it.

"Diddle ourselves" She answered quickly and quietly, slightly worried that Nathaniel would hear her if he was standing just outside the door. Cora then stood up out of her chair and actually started to walk away from Rick a bit, looking around the room for something...

"I just need to know where the bathroom is" She said.

Her intentions were to use it like one might use the restroom in a sperm donation bank. She also assumed it would likely be just as difficult to cum under such an uncomfortable situation, but she didn't necessarily need to finish. Cora only really needed to get herself wet and rub it on her skin a bit. Of course, this was all under the assumption that Rick wasn't going to demand that she let him use her body... Infact, the thought didn't even cross her mind considering how he was currently acting. After all, why would he even give her an alternative option if he were not that kind of man?

 

[Poprockz]

He had backed up just a bit to allow Cora out from where he had been leaning over her. “Oh yeah, the bathroom is out the door, down the hall, and to the left,” he said casually, "you can go there after you rub one out with me."

His hands went to his pants and he unzipped them, pushing them down a bit and pulling out his member with a sigh. It was about 6 inches hard with a medium girth. Rick then started to stroke his shaft though he didn’t particularly look like he was enjoying himself. It seemed more like he was a bit irritated that Nathaniel was basically babysitting him to see if he did the dead, along with disliking the pressure of having to cum on a time-crunch. Occasionally he would glance with annoyance at the door.

A bit of worry started to show on his brow though and he glanced at her, perhaps checking to see if she was going to be able to deliver.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora frowned when he mentioned the bathroom being all the way down the hall. There wasn't exactly a private area in the small office where she could hide her face as she felt herself up. And she was just about to voice this concern when Rick pulled his pants down.

"Oh! Oh jesus, you're really! Okay"

The rest of Ricks expressions were not caught as she immediately became too embarrassed to look at the man while he stroked himself. She turned away, and then as her face began to burn with embarrassment, she outright turned around, unable to even have him in the peripheral of her vision. Well now what was she to do? Nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. Was she going to have to simply drop her pants as well?! No, she couldn't do that...but she knew the clock was ticking.

After a few seconds more of hesitation, Cora finally looked down and, with shaky hands, unbuttoned her pants. She then adjusted them just enough so that she could reach her hand, now warmed from the mug of hot coffee, into her soft underwear. She didn't waste much time after that, though her movements were not one of a women trying to pleasure herself but more of cold and calloused doctor performing an examination. Her soft fingers dug deeply into her wet and warm canal, pumping simply for the need to get her juices flowing and with no regard to any pleasure.

It didn't take very long, and soon the smell of her salty juices were wafting up into the air as she moved her wrist. When she felt she was wet enough, she wiped her fingers on the inner part of her thighs, and, her face still just as red, glanced back at Rick. She knew he was going to have to cum on her, but she would be damned if she was willingly going to let him do it on any of her private areas.

"Erm, here" she said, hiking the back of her shirt up and exposing the soft skin of her slender back to him. She held her shirt up, expecting the man to simply finish his business. And the sooner he was done, the sooner she was going to all but run to the bathroom to clean herself off.

 

[Poprockz]

At that point the man was wanking with a deep concentration, his lips slightly open and mouthing inaudible words as though playing through a scenario in his head. Either that or he was a wizard trying to summon some ancient evil with his magic wand in-hand. One of his eyes opened and looked at her as she bent over and he shivered at the sight.

The zombie shook his head without getting up and extended his right hand toward her palm-up while his left hand continued to jerk off. “Not yet. I need-“ he sighed, tipping his head back and clenching his eyes closed slightly. “I need a wet handshake. Enough that I can make it look like I was- you know, inside you and all that. Of course, you could always let me rub against you a bit, but I get the feeling you're not down for that." There was a slight wistfulness in his tone; after all, her smell was filling up his nostrils and the zombie was likely wishing he wasn't such a gentleman at the moment.

 

[Drobabes]

"Not yet...I need a wet handshake."

There was a split second where Cora's eyes widened in horror before she all but cringed, having to look away to stop the expression as her cheeks grew furiously rosy. She understood the logic behind his simple command but she certainly did not have to like it. While doing everything that she could to keep her eyes from roaming anywhere near that phallic meat that was being jerked in his tight grip, she brought her eyes up to meet his gaze and shook her head adamantly. Oh hell fucking no she was not going to let hum rub up against her! She wasn't even going to offer him the opportunity to kiss her ass for suggesting such a thing! For all she knew, just rubbing might then turn into 'just the tip', and Cora knew where that road led.

"Here..." She said, a slight edge in her voice as she stuck her fingers back into her velvety folds, scooping and slathering a decent amount of her juices onto her palm. Given the awkward situation, the wetness grossed her out a bit, and she cringed as she tried not to get any on her pants while pulling her hand free. Then, acting similarly to a wild animal that was fearful of getting too close, Cora kept a decent distance between them as she simply slapped the evidence of her 'lust' onto his palm. Certainly not wanting to have to do it a second time, she made sure that it was done right. A generous little puddle of her clear and glistening musky juice now sat in the middle of his hand, still warm from her hot canal.

Cora turned her face away then, only keeping Rick in her peripheral sight as she readied herself to take his hot load on her soft curves.

 

[Poprockz]

The zombie started to use his wet hand to jerk himself off, shuddering at the smell and feeling of her warm fluids on his shaft. After a few more rubs, he stood and approached her from behind. She would feel a hand light upon her shoulder as he bent over her and stroked his meat near the small of her back.

"Can I touch your-" the zombie let out a little frustrated growl. "No, no. Forget I said anything. Just- fuck... just stay still." He panted and groaned softly behind her, the slick sound of his jerking being the only sound in the room other than his own lustful noises. It wasn't long before his breath hitched and a low growl could be heard, ropes of thick cum shooting onto her back. One string after another, he continued stroking until every drop was spent from his cock. It was honestly a lot, her back very wet from its new coat of paint.

"There..." he sighed in satisfaction. "Now it looks and smells like we've fucked. You can go and clean yourself off now if you want." The hand removed itself from her shoulder and she heard a zipper and the rustling of pants.

 

[Drobabes]

When that cool zombie hand was felt on the softness of her warm skin, she couldn't stop herself from becoming completely immobile. It sent a strong shiver of both fear and disgust down her spine and her freeze response kicked in. In reality, she likely wasn't trapped at all and could push him away if she so chose. But the position they were in and the things that were happening behind her now, sent her mind into the freeze mode and she was unable to do much of anything except let out a small squeak of dismay when he asked to touch her. She knew where he wanted to touch, and in that moment, she because absolutely convinced that he might just do it anyway, whether or not she gave consent. It was only after he said never mind and continued to do his business, that she was able to breath again.

Her body twitched and flinched upon the first sticky stream making contact. She felt it, thick and heavy, oozing down her back and towards her pants. Dear god, she wanted to get away from him. His cum was cooler than she expected and normally might not bother her, but given the circumstances she was currently in it just felt...wrong. Gooey, like someone picking up an earthworm and chucking it at you. And then it came. Another thick rope, and another... He had so much, was it ever going to stop? She clamped her eyes shut and tried not to let tears spark, knowing she still needed to be able to walk out of that room acting as if she had enjoyed herself.

"You can go and clean yourself off now if you want."

Swallowing, she moved a bit stiffly as she pulled her shirt back down. It had the unfortunate effect of brushing the cum onto her skin, making her shiver with barely contained disgust, and as she moved towards the door she wasn't able to meet his gaze. Though of course not, why would she have any reason to? The threat had been made clear enough, they had done what they needed to do, and now all she wanted to do was get to that bathroom and scrub the memory from her body and mind.
___________________

Quint didn't know how many laps he had taken around the room, but eventually he settled on a plan and once it was in place, went to sit on the bed after finishing his tea. Sitting turned into laying back to have a good stretch, and then laying turned into staring at the ceiling. It was a bad choice. The worst choice, even, as immediately his mind mind went to home. And then from home, it jumped to Brandon, and then Sarah.

"Stop" he growled out loud, rolling over to lay face down on the cool sheets while he drug a pillow down and hugged it to his chest, shutting his eyes tightly.

He had only meant to shut out the memories, feeling as if it just wasn't the right time, but before he knew it he was deeply asleep...

 

[Poprockz]

Rick didn't stop her, merely standing awkwardly in the exact spot he had shot his load from. Nathaniel on the other hand...

Once she came out of the room, the butler was right there next to the door. He had been leaning casually against the wall, so he merely turned his head when she exited. His nostrils flared and he had a look that might almost be described as disappointment along with something else. He didn't seem particularly happy that they might have actually fucked, but he didn't necessarily seem angry either. Not outwardly, at least.

The man blocked her path, holding his hand up as though nonverbally asking her to stop for a moment. "I need to have a word with him for a time, but in order to go back downstairs you need an elevator escort. Please wait here for me to return and I'll guide you back down." She was given a somewhat tight-lipped smile before he started to move past her. He stopped when they were shoulder-to-shoulder though and leaned in a bit. "Though if you need to... clean up, I wouldn't begrudge you that." A slight smirk touched his lips before he went into the office and closed the door behind him.

------------------------

Sleep gave way to dreams, and the dream that came was rather jarring. Immediately, there was gunfire and screaming, troops in a sandy city trading fire with people that popped out from behind cars and buildings. Occasionally the ground would rumble from a distant explosion.

A soldier was pinned down with a knife at his chest, the man on top of him trying to use all his body weight to drive it home. The assailant suddenly jerked, a shot having gone right through his head.

The subject of the dream soon became clear: it was a woman with a buzz-cut who approached with a pistol in her hand and a firearm slung across her back. One might say that she was beautiful in a sharp sort of way, and she looked to have a large knife at her belt as well. “Marino! Get the fuck up! You can piss your pants when we’re back at base.” She reached down and helped him back up to his feet and he chuckled weakly.

“Thanks. But where the fuck are our goddamn reinforcements?! They were supposed to be here two days ago. We can’t fucking hold up here for much longer. We’re running out of ammo and food- we’ve lost too many.”

They shared a grim look before she shook her head, “we’ll hold out until we can’t hold out any longer- that’s all we can do.”

There was the sound of boots and she immediately pivoted and pointed her pistol at the door with practiced speed that would have almost given Kuznet a run for his money. However, once she saw who it was, she lowered her weapon and looked relieved. The older man looked to be an officer, his face stern and dispassionate.

“Renaldo! Grab your shit. You’re being recalled.”

She stared at him in open-mouthed disbelief, looking back at the other soldier as though trying to confirm that she wasn’t simply hearing things. He had looked just as bewildered and perhaps a bit scared at the prospect. “Commander, with all due respect, that’s bullshit!” She growled through gritted teeth. “They need me here- they won’t survive without a special forces' support!”

“They are all soldiers- they will continue to fight for this country without you.”

“I’m needed here! You know how desperate things are here- I need to be here with the troop!” It was clear that her anger was mostly derived from a desperation. Bonds were forged in war that were iron-clad, and she felt like leaving them now would be abandoning them to death and dismemberment.

The higher-up gave her a stern look and replied, “this isn’t coming from me- it’s coming from very high up and you don’t have a choice, soldier.”

“But-!“

“You will pack up your shit and park your pretty little ass in the transport unless you want to be dishonorably discharged!” He barked, obviously losing patience.

It looked like she wanted to fight him the way her eyes blazed, though she soon gritted her teeth and averted her eyes. "Yes, commander."

She was whisked away and loaded up into a helicopter. As she flew away in the transport, she saw the firefight continue and hatred started to burn within her.

The sound of the helicopter faded as the dream did, and soon Quint would notice the woman standing in the darkness a couple yards away. Her stature was straight and militaristic, her mis-matched eyes trained on him with disdain. She looked at him with cold hostility and though her mouth didn’t move, she spoke to him in a stern voice, “another bootlicker… Disgusting.” Her eyes flicked down and back up as though he was a steaming pile of shit.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora was barely able to acknowledge the look on his face as her own eyes were lazer focused on finding that bathroom, so when he stepped in front of her, she had to physically pull herself up short so as not to run into his hand. As he spoke, she was only able to briefly bring her eyes up to see his and nod in acknowledgement. It was certainly disappointing that she would have to wait to be taken down the elevator, but at least he was going to allow her to not endure the embarrassment of standing in a tightly confined space with him while reeking of cum. So as soon as he walked past her and into the office, she power walked to the restroom and immediately began to clean herself up while fighting off tears of frustration, disgust, and self loathing.

She felt like a failure. What had she accomplished in there? What information had she gained that would be at all useful to her? And what she had let Rick do to her...what she had been willing to do...

She shoved her shirt down into the hot soapy water that she had been lathering up onto the cloth, frustration causing to take her emotions out onto the inanimate object beneath her. The water splashed up high; some landing on her face and much of it going onto the mirror. After she wiped the suds away from her eyes, which were now burning just a bit, she looked into the mirror to see her own unrecognizable reflection melting down the pane.

For a long moment, Cora just stared. Then, she got back to work.
______________________

When the door was opened, Bowie quickly slithered out. His chunky body slid against Nathaniel's shoes as his long body then coiled up just outside the door, and his dark head looked first one way down the hall, then the other. His little tongue flicked out in quick motions and a sense of worry and curiosity could be felt emanating from the snake. His head then turned up, tongue flicking towards Nathaniel as their eyes met, as if to ask "Where did Mom go?"

The snake then moved over to the side of the entrance and curled into a large ball of scaled flesh before laying his head down and choosing to wait for her return, sadness now being felt emanating ever so slightly.
______________________

Quint jerked harshly, his fists instinctively balling up in anticipation for a fight that he didn't know in which direction was coming. The dream felt so intensely real, every sensation and loud pop, explosion of gunfire and ground rumbling beneath his feet. It all combined to rock through his being and to the core of his bones. Where the fuck was he?! Was he having a dream about one of Francisco's memories? Sure they had talked about them, and Quint had seen some pretty good history movies, but he had never been in a war himself. Not like this. This was...real, and somehow his brain knew it instinctively.

He was just getting ready to try and take cover, a sudden concern that perhaps he wasn't in a dream at all but somehow had ended up on a real battlefield, when the two soldiers to his left caught his attention. One man was pinned, the other on top of him, murder clear in his intent. The sudden hesitance that Quint felt was extreme. His humanity tore at him, screaming for him to help, while the rationality of his psyche shook him hard with the fact that he didn't know who these men were, or who's side they were on. Who was the enemy? Who was the comrade? Were either of them good? And even if he made a choice, what was to say the man he saved didn't get up and kill him right after? He had people he had to protect, too many...he couldn't risk it...

Thankfully the choice was made for him as the soldier on top suddenly went down.

The shot was so quick, and the body dropped so fast. Quint actually felt a bit sick to his stomach seeing such a sight and wanted nothing more than to retreat and gather his wits about him. But his feet wouldn't move. He couldn't even look down at his own body.

The women who approached was indeed beautiful, though Quint did not really have time to acknowledge that aspect of her given the current circumstances. What his mind quickly took in instead was that she was lethal. A pistol was a fine and common weapon, but it still took skill to get such a clean head-shot while surrounded by the chaos that was currently going on around them while also having the confidence that she wouldn't miss the shot and shoot the soldier beneath, that was on the defense.

The interaction that happened next was enough to draw Quint's mind back into the type of lull that can only be found in a dreamland, where one forgets for a moment that they are the driver and not the active passenger simply watching the world pass by. The scene before him, which now quickly shifted to feel more like an intense movie, interested him just enough to edge him off the precipice of fear. He did not know who any of these people were but suddenly felt invested in the story playing out. Who was the women, and the man she had saved-Renaldo? What war were they fighting? Were they going to be rescued before their supplies ran out? And now, here, this higher up coming to take her away from her soldiers.

A pang of sympathy was felt then. Quint himself was also intensely loyal to his group and would have been just as angry, possibly even more willing to throw down and refuse orders, than to leave the battlefield where he knew his group would still be vulnerable.

As the helicopter took her away he also felt the burning hatred. It was a familiar feeling, like an old toxic friend, and he didn't begrudge her of it at all. Then, very quickly, the dream shifted and the room was dark. And in that darkness there she was once more. Though now, though the hatred was gone, there was still a heavy air of hostility. He heard her voice...somehow.

Confusion sparked first, then a bit of defensive hostility of his own. He didn't know exactly how he was doing it, still unaware that he was in a dream, but he too spoke back, lips also unmoving. His own inner monologue matched the sarcastic bite that came forth and his eyes met hers head on, refusing to back down from whatever kind of challenge she was laying down here.

"Should I know who you are?"

 

[Poprockz]

Nathaniel glanced at the snake, but otherwise left him alone to wait for her to come back.

However, down the hall the flapping of wings could be heard before Truffle the bird appeared, her keen eyes spotting the snake right away. She glided over to a nearby chandelier and landed on one of the golden bars.

The bird was curious, cocking her head to the side. It seemed that the change in Bowie’s scales was a bit confusing because he looked like a different snake, but he smelled the same. Maybe he had molted like a fledgling and got new feathers. It was a good change though, as now he was pretty like Truffle was. Everyone loved Truffle because she was so pretty. And sweet. And perfect. Or so she’d been told.

This one wasn't food, she decided. The noodle was too big for eating, and he was too pretty. He felt sad though.

Truffle shifted her feet on the chandelier as she addressed him. "Rr! Pretty noodle! Pretty pretty!" Maybe that would make him feel happy. It always made her happy to hear.

————

She sighed and pinched her eyes shut in annoyance, “can’t even get a goddamn moment of peace from sleeping in the daytime…” came a mutter from under her breath.

After a moment, the woman opened her sharp eyes and regarded him, seemingly trying to decide whether it was worth talking to him. “You don’t now, but you will soon if you can do what she says you can. I, for one, am hoping that you’re full of shit. I don’t need anyone poking around and trying to fix shit that should be left alone. If you have a brain on your shoulders, you'll leave this cesspool before you sink too deep into it."

 

[Drobabes]

Bowie sensed the large Raven just a bit before she actually landed. The snake still wasn't sure how to feel about this creature, but her large sharp talons had given him pause before. Even made him retreat at one point. But now she was far enough away that he felt like he had enough time to make a speedy escape if he so chose.

He lifted his head up and gave a few slow tongue flicks, the curiosity from the bird being felt just before she called him a pretty noodle. Pretty noodle was something that his precious human called him, and the shift in the snake could be felt almost immediately. He lifted his head up a bit higher, taking an almost regal pose as his tongue flicking became less cautious and much faster. He then met Truffles eyes, his own shade of purple being much lighter, closer to a darker sweet pea flower. Quite the contrast against his black scales and white stripe.

Bowie couldn't speak like the bird could, but he could choose to emit his feelings through the link. And what he was feeling was proud, flattered, and also that Truffle was also a 'Pretty Sky One', as he chose to think of her in that moment. Her iridescent feathers and deep rich eyes were very pleasing, and he bobbed his head to accentuate his thoughts. Then, something happened. Something that, up until now, the snake had yet to attempt.

Pretty Sky One come down?

Bowie had been picking up words from his humans for many years, but had never been able to think in the noises they made so easily with their mouths. However, something had changed, not just with the zombie virus but also something with the rat he had ingested. The animal, while absolutely feral, had also been the most intelligent species he had yet to ingest. And with it had come a pull towards wanting to understand more, to interact more, and now...to attempt actual communication.

He pointed his snoot down at the spot in front of him, then looked back up to Truffle, curiosity absolutely overflowing through the link.
___________________________________

Who was this women?

Quint relaxed his frame ever so slightly, the defensiveness edging off a bit. The overwhelming power of the dream was beginning to fade, and with it came clarity. This felt familiar...and suddenly it clicked that this women before him was not only like him and the other 'half zombies' as his group had chosen to deem them, but was likely also in the facility somewhere.

He took his time in replying, thinking over her words carefully. It sounded like she referring to Angelique, as the host was the only one who was actively seeking out any capabilities that he had at the moment. But it was pretty clear that whoever this was, was no friend to their host. However, that didn't make her a friend to him. At least, not yet.

Might be best to play dumb, he thought. No need to give her any information about himself. At least not yet, and possibly not at all depending on how this went. But Quint definitely wanted information from her, and her haughty, superior attitude told him that she might be easily goaded into pissing off. Not that he thought she was stupid, of course, that was clear enough from the dream. But she definitely seemed to have a little streak of that 'better than you' attitude if that boot licker comment was anything to go by.

He crossed his arms, mocking more annoyance than he actually felt, and gave her a look up and down in return to her earlier once over.

"So we go from boot licker to insulting my intelligence, huh? Well nice to meet you too. A proper greeting is a fucking hello, so let's start there. How 'bout you tell me what exactly the fuck you're talking about so I'm not standing here playing Twenty Questions with Queen of the Bitches."

Gonna have to remember to thank Sabastian later, for teaching me some sass.

 

[Poprockz]

Pretty? Yes, yes she was. The bird ruffled her feathers appreciatively and considered flying down. He didn't seem hostile, and she always had time for guests to marvel at her feathers. She decided that she would indulge him.

Truffle flapped before gliding gently down to the floor, using her legs to curiously walk to the snake. A normal bird might have considered this suicide, but Truffle knew that if the noodle tried to eat her, then she would be able to get out easy peasy. The bird cocked her head to the side and clicked her beak. "Rr. Alone? Alone?" Rr."

-----------------------------

She stared at him for a moment before letting out a bark of a laugh. The woman didn't do so with her mouth, but there was a toothy grin there instead. It didn't quite reach her eyes and the tone largely sounded cruel, but one could tell that she was amused.

Her boots took her over to him until she was right in his face. She was taller than him, so her gaze looked down into his as she crossed her arms.

"You've got some gumption, squirt. I'd be tempted to rip your asshole out that smart mouth of yours, but we're in a dream and I'm far too weak to do it on the drugs she keeps me on. Out of respect for your backbone, let me give you some advice: Angelique is a fucking psycho, and every minute you stay here is a minute that you give her time to figure out how to keep you here. I'd be willing to bet my left ass-cheek that she has one of your people squirreled away somewhere, but if you were smart, you'd cut and run. Either that or accept her offer graciously and bow like a coward before you go on the list of people she doesn't have to play nice with."

 

[Drobabes]

Bowie moved back to a bit to give her room to land, and when she did, he tilted his head much in the way of a curious dog. His little tongue flicked out, tasting the air as she approached and finding it to be full of all sorts of interesting details. Truffle smelled of the wind and trees, of other zombies, and her own unique smell that the snake connected the dots to a smell of her own kind. And while he could have considered the sky one as a meal, Bowie did not feel that pull, nor hunger, with Truffle. The smiling music man had held Truffle and called her pretty as well, so therefore Bowie decided that Truffle was not food, but friend.

"Alone?"

A sense of sadness came over Bowie again as an image of Cora flashed through the link, and his little head turned to look down the hall.

Left...but come back. Come back.

Then another image came through the link, of the tears in Cora's eyes as she quickly walked out the door. It was then more apparent that the snake was not hurt by the fact he had been left behind, but that his human was hurting and he didn't know what to do to make it better.

____________________________

Was this a plant? A way to sus him out and see if Angelique could get into his head and personal thoughts with a spy? Possibly. When one was raised by Kuznet, one learned real quick that you could never -quite- trust anyone. Not until you really knew, without a doubt, where their loyalty lied. The General had even spent an exhausting amount of time trying to turn him and his sister against each other with his sick games and the unbreakable bond they had only seemed to fuel whatever sense of pleasure he got from them. So, again, he chose his word and what he gave away carefully.

His posture didn't change much, only his eyes moving to look up at the tall women as she spoke. Briefly he wondered if she was used to people flinching away from her, but it didn't really matter. Even if they hadn't been in a dream and she did try shove a hand down his throat, he still would have been down to rumble. Her height and posture only really served to fuel his years of trauma responses and his 'fight until you have to flight' instinct.

"Fucking psycho?"

Quint laughed shortly then scoffed as he shook his head before looking back at her.

"I doubt she's got General Kuznet beat, but eh, ya know" he shrugged.

"They seem to have fallen off the same bog tree so it doesn't make a difference for me. All I care about is who's swinging the bigger dick on this chessboard."

She was in the army, so unless she had suffered some sever brain trauma, she should know who Kuznet was. Now, whether or not she believed that gentle giant facade was another matter to soon be seen. But how she reacted to what he said was going to give him direction on how needed to move going forward. She could be an excellent actor, but there was some things you simply couldn't fake when you had come to know evil...

 

[Poprockz]

Ah, so the pretty girl was sad? That wasn’t good. Truffle shuffled on her feet and gave it a little bit of thought. Usually calling someone pretty was enough to make them happy again, but when the humans cried, it was more serious. Maybe she needed a shiny or something. She didn’t have a shiny though…

What a dilemma.

The bird clicked her beak thoughtfully. Wait, she had a nest nearby. She could grab a shiny from there.

“Rr. Wait!” The bird flapped and took off, gliding down the hallway before taking a left and disappearing for a minute or two. When she came back, she had something clutched in her beak. Truffle landed and walked over to him and dropped it on the floor for him. It was a gold butt plug with a beautiful pink jewel on the end. It hadn’t been used, thus the bird was none the wiser about what its intended use was. All she knew was that it was pretty and shiny.

“Shiny! Rr!” She tried to convey that the shiny might cheer up his human.

—————

She had indeed expected him to flinch, but was pleasantly surprised when he didn’t. It showed in her posture as she leaned back slightly to give him some space. The guy seemed used to standing his ground and that further showed he had balls.

At the mention of Kuznet though, her lip curled in disgust and undisguised hatred shown in her eyes. Any respect she had for him dissipated, the woman letting out a derisive snort.

“I’m not going to enter into a dick-measuring contest about who’s the biggest piece of shit in these parts. If you’re with that corrupt bastard, then I have nothing more to talk to you about, shitstain.” She wasn’t sure how to end the dream, wake up, or kick him out, so instead she simply turned away from him and walked away in the opposite direction.

 

[Drobabes]

The snake waited patiently for the bird to return, and when she did, Bowie flicked his tongue out and inspected the object curiously. It was indeed very shiny, and a color that he had noticed his precious human often admiring. With a sudden feeling of rightness and satisfaction, he bobbed his little head in utmost approval. Then, together with the beautiful dark bird, he waited for Cora's return.
___________________

The face she made could have been a practiced act, and yet...Quint felt some kind of genuine disgust in that moment. It was just the slightest amount of information, but it did make him feel better. Though he was careful to keep his poker face, he was working over in his mind on how to respond. How to tentatively bridge a gap between them, so that they could come to a mutually beneficial agreement. And then it happened.

Almost as shocking as the boom of rapid artillery fire that had so startled him into 'waking up' in Sofia's dream of a past war, the scene before their eyes shifted faster than light itself could travel. Just before the memory took over and ruled his mind, Quint felt a sickening drop of his stomach from the room going from dark, dim, light to sudden bright fluorescent. Then he was 'out' and simply reliving the trauma.

He was no longer hooked to the I.V. lines but the steady beep of the machines were still grating on his ears as he came to. This was the second time waking up in this room, and before he could truly orientate himself and look for a way out, The General made his presence known by standing up from the chair in which he had been sitting. Watching, waiting for him to wake up.

They shared a look and then Quint turned his gaze away, choosing not to speak as he stood and made his way to the bathroom to take a piss, surprised to find his feet so steady beneath him. Whatever they had to discuss, it could wait until his bladder was empty, as there was a very real chance Kuznet could leave him with an embarrassing stain down the front of his hospital gown.

Once he was done, he came back and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Kuznet to say whatever cryptic shit he had planned for the day. Instead of words, however, he was greeted with Ray reaching for the T.V. remote and turning the huge flatscreen on. And, together, they watched.

It was a small prison cell, made of pure concrete and some kind of glass instead of bars. In one corner was a zombie, the type of which Quint had seen when he had been on the road, desperate to find help amongst the chaos. In the other corner stood a women with a short frame, somewhat short dirty blond hair, and eyes that would have been entrancing had she not looked so frightened. They were an odd mixture of sky blue, with a ring of soft pastel purple around the center. Quint only noticed this detail because the camera happened to zoom in on her face as it adjusted to the room, positioning itself to more properly capture what was about to happen.

A crackle on the overhead speaker announced the beginning of the experiment just before Jonathon's voice could be heard.

"We want you to approach it and touch it, Jewel. Do not worry. If it should try to attack you, Niles standing right here to take it out before it can get close enough to grab you. Now go ahead."

Quint watched with growing curiosity and intensity as the women hesitantly stepped forward, her hands shaking as she tried to take deep breaths and encourage herself to approach the dangerous being before her. And as she got closer, Quint started to stand, slowly inching away from the bed as the gears in his mind worked.

Kuznet was waiting for it. That delicious dawning of knowledge that would light up his face with equal amounts of hope and despair, turning him from the bratty little teen whom he had last laid his hands on and back into the innocence of the boy who he knew Quint really was. Fearful, and completely reliant on him for his world to keep spinning.

With each step closer that the women got, Quint's heart began to beat harder. Then suddenly, with eyes wide and brimming with tears, he ran up to the flat screen and placed his palm upon it. His eyes danced back and forth on the two figures as he watched the half zombie women, who he did not yet know shared the same healing gift that he now possessed, cautiously approach the walking corpse that stood almost lifeless in the corner and close the gap between them.

At first she was too frightened to get close enough, and Quint found himself muttering under his breath, cursing her hesitancy. But then at last she did it, finishing the distance and reaching out with a shaky hand to touch it, before jumping back with a startled scream when the animated corpse let out a small grunt. However, other than that single utterance, it made no move to attack her, or even acknowledge her presence.

"Approach it again, Jewel" came Jonathon's voice over the loud speaker.

"This time, see if you can lift it's right arm."

Emboldened by the lack of aggression, the women did as she was told, and to her shock found that she could, indeed, move it's arm. She even shook it a bit to test it out, and other than make a low groan, the corpse did nothing but stare at the ground.

Suddenly the screen went black, and Quint smacked the T.V. out of frustration before whipping around to stare at the General, who casually set the remote down on the little hospital table. The sudden knowledge that had just been given to him via the prerecorded video sent his mind tumbling through memories of his wife, and how they had suspected she was changing before he left. Of course, the goal of him leaving had been to find help, to get a cure, before it was too late...but he hadn't been able to make it. The plague had attacked his own body while he was still on the road, and had it not been for Kuznet, it likely would have killed him.

"Ray...is she? I mean" he choked, his hand coming up to cover his mouth as the tears now freely poured down his face and over his fingers.

"Still there?" Kuznet asked, just the smallest hint of amusement crinkling his features as he looked down at his crumbling son.

"Yes. I left her body intact. She's still wandering the halls of your home."

Quint found his legs shaky, and he had to back up to sit on the hospital bed as his chest heaved and he covered his face. He could see her again. He could smell her, and hold her, and feel her hair pressed against his cheek. Maybe...maybe he could even-

"Little Quinton."

The huge paw of a hand, rough and calloused, could be felt so clearly in the dream that it was as if the half zombie were merely living the moment once more. He could even smell the fresh clean scent of Kuznets aftershave just seconds before he felt the cold fingers brush up beneath his own and tilt his chin up with an unyielding grip that he dared not defy. Now, mere inches away from his face, those glacier eyes stared down at him with a wickedness that turned his stomach. Because he already knew what Quint would ask for; no, beg for. And already he was waiting, delighting in the anticipation and thrill of the power he held.

"Ray...Ray, please..."

His hands, so much smaller, were shaking as he moved to hold onto Kuznet's arm in a pleading manner. If this was what was required of him to see his wife again, to hold her again, then he would be a good little boy.

"I want...I want to..." he sobbed, finding it almost impossible to get the words out.

"Please may I? Just for a minute, please, please let me hold her please!"

There was a drawn out pause, the only thing then happening was Kuznet drawing so close that Quint was sure he would soon be grabbed by the back of his scalp and forced into a soul sucking kiss. But just when his body tensed in anticipation, the General abruptly tore away from him and crossed to the other side of the room in a few strides.

"No you may not. There are consequences for you're actions Quinton. You know this very well."

Shock, dismay, and then...anger. Red hot and boiling up into his blood. It flooded his mind, his heart, his soul. Before he knew it he was seeing purple and his tentacles had sprang loose, writhing and pulsing by his sides as he took deep and labored breaths. Then, just as suddenly as Ray had pulled away, Quint was up and raging.

First went the table, flying so hard across the room that it broke through the glass and slid several feet down the hall before coming to a stop. Then, the hospital bed was flipped so hard into the air that it hit the roof and bounced back to the floor, bringing with it a wave of roof tiles and plaster, white dust filling the air around him and almost causing him to cough and hack, if it were not for the fact that he was now yelling such foul obscenities that his brain couldn't even keep up with his ears. And then...he stopped short.

Kuznet, who had been expecting the reaction and was unfazed by his sudden tantrum, had merely walked over to the door and had Niles hand him the file. Once he had it, he pulled out the large print of Cora, taken just after she had left her apartment to go in search of her brother. She was wearing a white dress for some reason, and although she did not look injured, it was obvious that she was a mess. Her hair was wild, her eyes even wilder, and she was caught in the motion of running to her car with her pistol raised.

 

[Drobabes]

Quint's blood turned from hot to cold so fast that he felt the pressure drop, and the next thing he knew, he was on his knees on the floor in the rubble he had created. The General came to him then, no mercy in his gaze as he knelt down before him with the picture still in his hand and held it in front of his face.

"Selfish boy. You forgot about your own sister."

The words rattled through Quint's mind and he almost puked. So caught up in his own distress and pain that yes, yes he had forgotten about Cora. Not for even one second since he had woken up on that operating table, had he thought about her or if she was safe. If she had even survived. But she had. And now, Ray knew where she was.

"..."

The picture was placed down on the ground in front of him, and he stared until two drops of moisture fell on Cora's cheek, then the room rapidly grew dark.

I'll do anything you want.

The last sentence was uttered in a dreamlike whisper, only heard through the memory of a broken man as the scene shifted back to where they were now, both standing in a dark and empty room. Well, perhaps Sofia was standing. Quint no longer had the strength, finding himself sitting on the floor with his arms wrapped around his legs in a weak attempt to hold himself together as the memory that had been fighting for so long to be seen, at last reared itself into his foremost conscious. Now he felt it all again. The realization that yes, he could have gone to his wife, but then having it cruelly ripped away from his grasp before he was ever given the opportunity to even try, and how wanting to be with her again had so clouded his heart and mind that he had, for a moment, completely forgotten about his sibling. How could he have forgotten her? What kind of monster had he started to become?

Even in this dreamland the pain felt so real, his throat so raw with the sob that he kept swallowing back down, refusing to let it come out.

 

[Poprockz]

Sofia hadn't gotten very far before the dream shifted, and she was annoyed that more of her memories were now going to be explored. However, it very quickly became apparent that this wasn't her dream. It was that punk's. She paused, and watched as the scene unfolded before her.

The sight of Kuznet made her bristle, her teeth clenching as he stood there with that neutral fucking face. Though she soon noticed that the punk seemed to be... injured? He didn't look injured, but he was the one in the gown. She continued to watch curiously with a touch of wariness. The video didn't make a whole lot of sense to her, but she got the idea that they were testing out the fact that zombies didn't take notice of the half-turned.

As the scene played out, she started to become more and more unsettled. This wasn't the General she knew. Corrupt, opportunistic, yes. This deprived? No. She knew about the bribe, the trafficking, all of that, but she hadn't known that he was this sick. From what she could tell, the man thought he owned this punk in a very... very creepy way. It gave her the creeps in a major way that she just couldn't shake. Though what caught her attention most was the begging. The begging to see her again.

Then it clicked. The video wasn't just for shits and giggles, it was to show the punk that he could be near a zombie without them reacting violently. Not just any zombie. Someone very precious to him. The General wanted him to see what he could never have, to torture him with the knowledge of what could have been.

She very much identified with the fit he pitched; she would have felt that same way. She had felt that same way. Though she didn't identify with the guilt regarding his sister.

Sofia pressed her lips into a thin line and slowly approached the crying man until she was just in front of him. Though her gaze was still wary, there was sympathy in her eyes. "Who was she to you?" Sofia asked quietly. "The one who turned?"

 

[Drobabes]

Quint actually startled a bit, his body flinching as his wet eyes looked up to her, and then quickly back down. The pain was just too much for him to hold in, and now on top of that, it felt as if his mind had betrayed him in a whole other way. If this person who was standing here with him was secretly on Angelique's side, then he had just given away precious information. He was fucking up so bad. But it was too late now.

All he could do was bury his face against his knees like a small child, trying to hide from the world, and for a long moment it seemed as if Sofia would get no answer. But slowly, and cautiously, Quint finally started to speak. Maybe he was projecting, but he thought he could almost feel some sympathy in her tone and he was so vulnerable in that moment.

"She was my wife. She was the only person in this world that I felt truly safe with...the only one who really knew me. All of me. I just..."

Fuck it was coming, and he couldn't stop it. Almost violently his body started to shake as finally the sob broke loose, and he curled up into an even tighter ball as his creamy tentacles came out to wrap around him protectively.

"I just wanted to hold her, to tell her I was so, so sorry failing her. For leaving her alone. I just wanted to hold her again!"

 

[Poprockz]

The woman standing over him was silent as he spoke, her face somewhat unreadable until he got to the last sentence. Her expression twisted into a grimace of pain and she could feel her chest tighten with that familiar ache. A hand came down to gently rest on his shoulder. It wasn't an overbearing touch, more a gesture of connection. She didn't deign to assume that she could comfort him, but if he found comfort in her hand then she wouldn't begrudge him that.

“Candice. That’s- that was the name of my late wife.” Sofia didn’t look at him, but she continued to speak in a quiet, grim voice.

"I left her alone to join the military. I thought I would be deployed for a few years and be able to come back once it was over to start a family. I wanted to fight for my country and keep her safe... but in my naivety, all I did was leave her vulnerable."

Her eyebrows pinched and her eyes started to mist, though she continued to refuse to look at him as she stoically stood. "The General was the one who gave the order to have me pulled and reassigned to desk-duty, but I could never figure out why. Every time I requested leave so I could go home to see my wife, it was denied for one reason or another, and eventually I got a notification that she had been in a car accident. I couldn't even see her when she was dying in the hospital for a week. I couldn't say goodbye. I couldn't do anything." At the last word, her voice broke. "I failed her."

"It wasn't an accident, but it wasn't the General who did it." The last part was spoken through gritted teeth, a mix of anger, sadness, and pain in her tone.

 

[Drobabes]

Quint didn't know exactly what he expected, but the physical connection of understanding had not been it. It didn't dampen the pain, but it made it bearable enough for him to wipe his eyes and look up to her. What she said next sobered him, and he found his extra arms relaxing limply down by his sides as he listened, gripped by her heartbreaking experience.

"I couldn't do anything. I failed her."

His eyes became moist with new tears, feeling such deep connection and sorrow for this women whom he had only just met. But in some ways that made it easier to connect. Neither one of them carried the weight of a twisted and intermingled past, only a similar experience of regret and deep, deep pain. He wiped his eyes again as she continued, then stood and looked at her face. She didn't need to return his gaze, but he could give back what she had given to him so graciously. Reaching out to her, he placed his own hand on her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze of understanding. Quint left it there on her shoulder for the first few of his words.

"Kuznet might not have been the direct cause, but do not let their politics cloud your mind. He is just as much to blame for the loss of your wife as whoever pulled the trigger. I...know how he works. What he's capable of."

Swallowing hard, Quint looked away for a moment, anger seeming to fill the atmosphere as what he next said was all but hissed through his teeth.

"He's a nightmare that plagues this world and I'm going to take him out. Whatever road I have to walk, whatever choices I have to make. His days are nearing their end and I'll take down anyone I have to who gets in the way of that. And right now, Angelique is blocking my path."

 

[Poprockz]

The woman quietly regarded him for a moment before sighing. He seemed like a genuinely good sort. The punk wasn't the "nice" type who liked to rush in and save people without sacrifice, he was the gritty sort who waded through shit in order to wrap his hands around the enemies' throats. "I wish I could help you, but unfortunately I'm just a prisoner here. You're lucky you caught me on a day when I'm not drugged out of my mind- they're few and far between these days."

She scratched the back of her head before adding, "why are you here, anyway? Are you trying to cut off Kuznet's supply?"

 

[Drobabes]

Cora had done her best to dry her clothing while in the bathroom, using multiple paper towels, but unfortunately the best she could achieve was a damp clingy piece of fabric. She had stripped down and washed her body off as well, but taken care not to soak her pants. Washing her shirt could be more easily explained. She was naturally a bit clutzy with drinks and often spilled something on herself, so Cora thought she could easily brush that off. Unfortunately though, if she wasn't cold before, she certainly was now. As she came down the hall, her arms were crossed tightly and she was shivering slightly until she saw the two animals sitting in the hall.

Stopping about twenty feet away, she observed the two for a moment. The beautiful raven, Truffle, was back and sitting next to Bowie. She would have been concerned if it were not for the fact that Bowie was very obviously relaxed and even seeming to be interacting with the raven in a playful manner. It brought a little smile to her face-happy that the snake seemed to have made a friend. When Bowie finally took notice of her and started adorably bobbing his head, her smile grew sweet and gentle and she approached the two animals.

"Well hello there."
___________________________________________

Having pulled his hand back, he now used to push his hair back. It wasn't shaggy by any means, as Kuznet hadn't let him be unkempt, but his bangs were long enough to sometimes fall down in front of his eyes.

"That would be a nice bonus, but unfortunately no. We were on the run from the General, trying to get our feet stable underneath us when the weather tripped us up. The downpour was so strong we couldn't see a foot in front of the headlights, so we had to pull over to get out of sight. Better to hide than keep dragging at a snails pace and let him catch up with us. And, unfortunately, the resort was the shelter out of the rain."

Quint scowled softly before continuing. If he wasn't positive that Kuznet would have been military tech to sniff them out, he would have simply drug them all off into the woods and hunkered down until the rain stopped.

"As soon as we got here though Angelique took one of our group into custody..."

His eyes shifted over to Sofia as he let a pause linger in the air.

"I'm sure you can make an educated guess as to who sent out that warrant. So, now He has one of my group. And if he has one of us, he has all of us."

Quint hesitated for just a few seconds before continuing on, unsure of how Sofia would take his next statement, but ultimately deciding, in the end, it didn't much matter. She could either choose to help or get out of his way.

"I did agree to a deal with Angelique, though it sounds like you have more details of what exactly that entails than she was willing to give me. However, it's conditional on a wager. If I can find where in this resort she hid our party member before the day is up, we will be allowed to leave. If not, well...I have to hold up my end of the bargain."

 

[Poprockz]

Truffle shuffled around so she could address Cora. The pretty girl didn’t look sad anymore and that was good. Still, that didn’t mean that she wouldn’t feel all the way better once she got the shiny!

The bird looked at Bowie and grabbed something with her talons before moving to Cora with a flapping and hopping movements. It soon became apparent what she had in her talon when she deposited it gently near the woman’s feet.

“Rr, pretty girl! Bubye sad! Rr. Shiny shiny! For pretty girl. Rr!” She puffed up her feathers proudly, knowing that she would appreciate the shiny. It was bigger than the usual ones, which must mean that it was a very very good one. The bird watched for her reaction expectantly.

—————

Ah, so it was as she suspected. Angelique had taken a hostage. Classic.

"She always did like her games..." the other zombie commented dryly. "So if you lose she fucks you, right?" Sofia asked, unsurprised. "She didn't always used to be like that. Well, she's always been a flirt, but it wasn't until the change that she really leaned into it." Sophia seemed very bitter for a moment before she sighed and tilted her head up to the “sky” before looking back to him soberly.

“Like I said, it would be better for you to cut and run, but I respect that your group is unwilling to leave a comrade behind. With that said, tactically you are at a major disadvantage here with the sheer size of this place.” She got a malicious smirk on her face, “it would be great to see her face if you won though. The information I can provide is limited- but you seem like a sharp tack even if you are a snarky punk.” While it was said almost as an insult, if one had spent any time around military personnel, they would recognize that it was more of a term of endearment in this case.

“Does your friend look like an angsty playboy? Dark hair, grey eyes, lots of bruises all over, fucked up in more ways than one?”

 

[Drobabes]

Cora looked down with curiosity as the bird shuffled towards her, something glistening and gold in her sharp talon. What she had been expecting wasn't much, perhaps a pretty piece of paper, or maybe someone's watch that they had left out within the birds view. A golden buttplug...was the last thing she ever would have guessed though. Where in the world had that come from?! And from who? It was very obviously a high quality one, and thank the stars, clean.

"Rr, pretty girl! Bubye sad!"

If Truffle had been paying attention to Cora just before she spoke, the bird might have noticed a little jerk of the women's upper torso as she fought to contain a laugh. She had never used buttplug toys herself, but she wasn't so green as to not understand that the one that had been sat before her feet was not for beginners. That, combined with the fact that bird had obviously brought it to her as a gift was just making it very difficult not to lose it.

"Aaw! Truffle! This is-snrk! This is beautiful!"

She bent down as she choked, almost literally, on another laugh and tentatively picked the 'gift' up with just the tips of her fingers. It looked clean but there was too much of a chance that it had actually been used and not properly sanitized. Cora then spent a moment to actually inspect it before turning her attention back to Truffle and reaching out with her other hand to gently stroke the top of the birds head and cheeks if she allowed it.

"I don't know how you knew I was sad, but thank you Truffle. You are a very sweet and good bird."

She didn't really know what to do with her new gift now that she had it, but she didn't feel right just leaving it on the ground as to receive a gift from raven was high praise and show of affection. It would be very rude and likely really offend the bird. So, after a moment of consideration, she decides to stuff it in the pocket of her jeans.

"I will wrap this beautiful gift in a beautiful box" she said, giving the bird another smile before turning her gaze to Bowie.

"Did you make a friend Bowie Bowie?"

The noodle slithered over and bobbed his head before turning his gaze to Truffle and giving her a head bob as well.

_________________________________________

"She didn't always used to be like that. Well, she's always been a flirt, but it wasn't until the change that she really leaned into it."

Quint wondered briefly why that was, but didn't feel the need to comment on it at the moment.

"The information I can provide is limited- but you seem like a sharp tack even if you are a snarky punk."

Her comment was met with a little smirk as the man straightened his spine. He definitely recognized it for what it was, and it helped him to feel at ease that she would be willing to help.

"Yup, that's the one unfortunately."

Quint felt just a small shiver of disgust when Sophia referred to him as a friend but what could be done really? It was better for everyone involved if that's what she thought Damien was to him. If she knew the truth, no doubt she might just push him to leave his ass here. Maybe even she would try to mislead him. As it was, he was willing to listen with open ears about what she could tell him.

 

[Poprockz]

The pretty girl loved the gift- of course she did! There had never been a doubt in the bird's mind that Cora wouldn't. It was big and shiny! Oh, it was also smooth! Maybe it ticked her and that was causing her to try not to laugh. Humans were supposed to have sensitive fleshy talons after all.

Truffle liked scritches and head-pets, so she extended her neck slightly to show that she appreciated the gesture of affection. Though, she wasn't sure why Cora wanted to put it in a box. Shinies were supposed to be looked at, but maybe she wanted to guard it like dogs did when they buried things. It was odd, but at least it showed that she was going to treasure it.

"Rr. Pretty Noodle Sad. Rr, pretty girl shiny! Pretty noodle good!" She was trying to convey that it was really Bowie's idea, though she didn't quite have the human words for it.

-----------------------------

"Good," she nodded. "I saw him recently when they moved him near where I am."

"She moves me back and forth from my prison to where she keeps me when she wants me to be accessible for things like shows and our weekly appointment. That’s on the top floor. They make damn sure that I’m unable to figure out where they keep me otherwise, but I know for absolute certainty that it is somewhere within this main building. If you just look in here though, she’s going to be suspicious. I would recommend splitting your group into two groups so you can look like you suspect he’s in the main building, but you’re not sure."

She sighed, "unfortunately that's all I can think of that would be helpful to you. Is there anything you think would be pertinent?"