((Renée Carlson continued from Finding Purpose))
The direction they had left in was fairly random, but, once Renée saw the silhouette of the hotel in the distance, it didn't take her long to pick a destination. The hotel itself would be a bad place to go, full of people and danger, but Tim had mentioned wanting to head there earlier. Granted, that had been because Kathy wanted something from it, but he seemed the sort who might go there anyways, if only to lay in wait for Kathy. Renée hoped that Kathy and Lynn were okay. She felt a little bit odd about abandoning Lynn, but the other girl hadn't really been a part of the group, and had made no move to step in and aid Peter. Now that she thought about it, Lynn should have been the one to get involved, having a bullet proof vest and all. It was irritating that she had done nothing.
But any festering resentment would be something to deal with later. Renée had led the group towards the hotel, but gunfire from that direction had convinced her to change course and wait on the docks for a time. The intensity of the noise had suggested at least one heavy weapon, and the duration had implied that whoever they were, they weren't just shooting unarmed people in the head. A machine gun meant it might even be Ruiz, engaged in a battle with another player or something of the sort. It'd be real convenient if all the awful people knocked each other out of this.
So instead, they were at the docks, waiting. It was a good position to watch for traffic, especially around the cruise ship, which would be a draw. It was also easier than the ship to get away from if everything went bad. It seemed good enough, for now, at least. They would just have to make sure to stay alert. Once things seemed to have calmed down at the hotel, they could move in and check it out.
Renée had gotten just slightly ahead of her companions, so she paused for a moment, to allow them to catch up. Losing another team wouldn't look good. Not at all.
Wrong Direction
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MurderWeasel
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((Mason Ross continued from Finding Purpose))
Renee hadn't really made her ideas known, but it was easy to pick up on that they were going to the hotel when she seemed to change their heading once she knew about it. Mason was down for whatever she had in store anyway. It wasn't like he was the plan guy. Eric wasn't chiming in either, choosing to remain as silent as the other two
That was Kevin.
She had stopped at the docks, waiting for them to catch up. Eric got there first, with Mason right behind. He looked around, out over the water. He crouched, dipped his hand in the water and lightly splashed some up on the dock.
"What's the plan, boss? Tell you, I wouldn't mind a swim right now. Waters are lovely this time of year."
Yeah, keep laughing. Let it all roll off you.
Renee hadn't really made her ideas known, but it was easy to pick up on that they were going to the hotel when she seemed to change their heading once she knew about it. Mason was down for whatever she had in store anyway. It wasn't like he was the plan guy. Eric wasn't chiming in either, choosing to remain as silent as the other two
That was Kevin.
She had stopped at the docks, waiting for them to catch up. Eric got there first, with Mason right behind. He looked around, out over the water. He crouched, dipped his hand in the water and lightly splashed some up on the dock.
"What's the plan, boss? Tell you, I wouldn't mind a swim right now. Waters are lovely this time of year."
Yeah, keep laughing. Let it all roll off you.
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MurderWeasel
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"I wouldn't recommend it," Renée said. "You'd be surprised what kinds of terrible things can happen in the water. Besides, you never know if they released sharks or something to spice things up."
She sighed briefly, considering sitting down and just resting, but deciding against it. The ground was too damp to really be comfortable.
"The plan, well, right now I guess it's to wait and see what happens at the hotel. I thought Tim might head there, but if he's there now, he's in enough trouble without us adding to it."
She didn't want to add that there could be people getting killed there right now. Didn't want to admit that innocents could be getting hurt. She'd almost convinced herself that not intervening would be the best course of action. That said, though, she'd always wanted to be a hero. It wasn't very heroic sitting around and waiting while people died. If she heard that Tim had gone on a rampage at the hotel and killed Shawn or something of the sort, that would be absolutely awful. She wasn't sure she'd be able to keep going.
Being a leader meant leveling with her team. It meant not hiding things or calling all the shots.
"I don't know, Mason. Someone could be in trouble up there, but it could also be two killers having it out. I really don't know if we should go look."
A brief pause, a sigh.
"What do you think?"
She sighed briefly, considering sitting down and just resting, but deciding against it. The ground was too damp to really be comfortable.
"The plan, well, right now I guess it's to wait and see what happens at the hotel. I thought Tim might head there, but if he's there now, he's in enough trouble without us adding to it."
She didn't want to add that there could be people getting killed there right now. Didn't want to admit that innocents could be getting hurt. She'd almost convinced herself that not intervening would be the best course of action. That said, though, she'd always wanted to be a hero. It wasn't very heroic sitting around and waiting while people died. If she heard that Tim had gone on a rampage at the hotel and killed Shawn or something of the sort, that would be absolutely awful. She wasn't sure she'd be able to keep going.
Being a leader meant leveling with her team. It meant not hiding things or calling all the shots.
"I don't know, Mason. Someone could be in trouble up there, but it could also be two killers having it out. I really don't know if we should go look."
A brief pause, a sigh.
"What do you think?"
"Sharks?" Mason looked down at the water that he had just been splashing, and pulled away with a mild jerk. "Fuck that."
He stepped away from the dock, listened to Renee's piece. He wasn't exactly keen on walking into a potential firefight, good deed possibilities notwithstanding. He still wasn't entirely sure he could pull the trigger on his own piece at this point. Maybe on Ruiz or one of the other killers.
Mm-hmm. Keep telling yourself you can do it. Maybe it'll happen. Full-court shot from downtown, crowd goes wild. Mason Ross, the hometown hero.
He shrugged when she asked his opinion. "Maybe if we get closer without whoever it is noticing, we can find out what's going on. Reconnoiter the situation?" When he said it, it sounded like a good idea. That was helpful for morale.
He stepped away from the dock, listened to Renee's piece. He wasn't exactly keen on walking into a potential firefight, good deed possibilities notwithstanding. He still wasn't entirely sure he could pull the trigger on his own piece at this point. Maybe on Ruiz or one of the other killers.
Mm-hmm. Keep telling yourself you can do it. Maybe it'll happen. Full-court shot from downtown, crowd goes wild. Mason Ross, the hometown hero.
He shrugged when she asked his opinion. "Maybe if we get closer without whoever it is noticing, we can find out what's going on. Reconnoiter the situation?" When he said it, it sounded like a good idea. That was helpful for morale.
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MurderWeasel
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"Good idea."
This sort of thing was why Renée was glad she had allies. Mason had solved all her issues in one simple swoop, suggesting that they just get a little closer. It would allow them to avoid getting in too deep if there were killers, while at the same time putting them in a good position to intervene and save anyone in trouble. Now that there was a plan, Renée was eager to get moving. It would be no good at all to arrive too late.
It was around then that she noticed Eric had slipped off somewhere. She didn't know where he'd gone and, right now, wasn't too worried about it. He could take care of himself, and he'd chosen to get separated. She couldn't say the same of the potential victims in the hotel.
"We should keep quiet, and not get too close until the shooting dies down," she said.
That done, she moved very slowly in the general direction of the hotel, making sure not to get far ahead of Mason. She wasn't planning to stray too far from the docks, but at the same time she wanted to be able to get moving quickly if their help really was needed.
This sort of thing was why Renée was glad she had allies. Mason had solved all her issues in one simple swoop, suggesting that they just get a little closer. It would allow them to avoid getting in too deep if there were killers, while at the same time putting them in a good position to intervene and save anyone in trouble. Now that there was a plan, Renée was eager to get moving. It would be no good at all to arrive too late.
It was around then that she noticed Eric had slipped off somewhere. She didn't know where he'd gone and, right now, wasn't too worried about it. He could take care of himself, and he'd chosen to get separated. She couldn't say the same of the potential victims in the hotel.
"We should keep quiet, and not get too close until the shooting dies down," she said.
That done, she moved very slowly in the general direction of the hotel, making sure not to get far ahead of Mason. She wasn't planning to stray too far from the docks, but at the same time she wanted to be able to get moving quickly if their help really was needed.
"Yeah, slowly. Ninja-like."
Mason kept his pace to a subtle creep, a little difficult because of how much taller he was than Renee. He was forced to keep his walk to smaller, choppier steps. He kept the gun pointed skyward and cocked over his right shoulder. Idly he wondered where the fuck Eric had went. Mason guessed he hadn't found their company too endearing, and went to find other things to do.
It was slow going, and as they move Mason found solace in imagining himself a commando or something like that, sneaking behind enemy lines and ready to take out anyone in his way. It made him feel a little better, even if he was still completely apprehensive about actually doing so.
He was pretty good at lying to himself sometimes.
Another shot rang out, and he froze for a second.
"You think that was the last one?" He whispered.
Mason kept his pace to a subtle creep, a little difficult because of how much taller he was than Renee. He was forced to keep his walk to smaller, choppier steps. He kept the gun pointed skyward and cocked over his right shoulder. Idly he wondered where the fuck Eric had went. Mason guessed he hadn't found their company too endearing, and went to find other things to do.
It was slow going, and as they move Mason found solace in imagining himself a commando or something like that, sneaking behind enemy lines and ready to take out anyone in his way. It made him feel a little better, even if he was still completely apprehensive about actually doing so.
He was pretty good at lying to himself sometimes.
Another shot rang out, and he froze for a second.
"You think that was the last one?" He whispered.
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MurderWeasel
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They were moving slowly, with as much stealth as possible. Renée focused on keeping her tread light, placing weight on her foot as smoothly as she could. The predominance of sand in the area was helpful in that regard, at least.
Much as she hated to admit it, a slow pace was also good for letting things calm down. It meant that they would be less likely to blunder straight into a firefight or some other fatal situation. She planned to do all the good she could, but getting killed would prevent her from helping anyone. The only proper way to die was in a heroic sacrifice, a blaze of glory. She could die, perhaps, holding off a few heavily-armed players as her friends made it to safety. That, or something like what Peter had done, taking a bullet for someone weaker.
Ideally, of course, that would never be necessary. If she did things right, they could launch an escape. They could all get out of here alive. Then the psychos could just kill each other off for fun or greed or whatever reasons they had for doing it.
Another shot split the night, and Mason asked if she thought that was the end of things.
"I doubt it," Renée whispered back. "I don't think anyone in there is going to lie down easily. We should wait until it picks up a bit more to move again, though. That'll give us cover if we're loud, and if there isn't any more shooting, nobody's in immediate danger."
Much as she hated to admit it, a slow pace was also good for letting things calm down. It meant that they would be less likely to blunder straight into a firefight or some other fatal situation. She planned to do all the good she could, but getting killed would prevent her from helping anyone. The only proper way to die was in a heroic sacrifice, a blaze of glory. She could die, perhaps, holding off a few heavily-armed players as her friends made it to safety. That, or something like what Peter had done, taking a bullet for someone weaker.
Ideally, of course, that would never be necessary. If she did things right, they could launch an escape. They could all get out of here alive. Then the psychos could just kill each other off for fun or greed or whatever reasons they had for doing it.
Another shot split the night, and Mason asked if she thought that was the end of things.
"I doubt it," Renée whispered back. "I don't think anyone in there is going to lie down easily. We should wait until it picks up a bit more to move again, though. That'll give us cover if we're loud, and if there isn't any more shooting, nobody's in immediate danger."
"Works for me." Mason said. The sand was looking mighty comfortable, so he plopped down. There was a patch of grass next to him, so he set the gun down on it so none of the particles would get into the workings. The are stayed quiet, and idly Mason wondered how long they would be sitting there.
He looked over to his companion, who seemed so knowledgeable about fuckin' everything. She was like those kids he saw on the Spurs fan forums, knowing everything there was to know about the team.
"Why you know all this stuff, Renee? You been on here before? I need to go digging back through the seasons?" He asked, joking.
He looked over to his companion, who seemed so knowledgeable about fuckin' everything. She was like those kids he saw on the Spurs fan forums, knowing everything there was to know about the team.
"Why you know all this stuff, Renee? You been on here before? I need to go digging back through the seasons?" He asked, joking.
((Ferric Tam continued from Finding Purpose))
Eric had followed Renée and Mason from the tar pits, but he had become more and more nervous about it as he went. The two seemed like decent enough people, certainly, and they did not seem at all deceptive when it came to wanting to avoid playing, but Eric simply couldn't figure out their purpose. There wasn't anything expressly wrong with wandering aimlessly, per se, but it wasn't the sort of thing that led to long term survival, and it wasn't the sort of thing Eric found advisable to do with two members of an opposing team. Sure, he wasn't planning to play, at least not to go kill-crazy or anything, but he also didn't want to be left to the goodwill of these two if it all came down to them. He also didn't want to spend too much time helping Renée hunt down the renegade member of White Team. It occurred to Eric that Tim, even if he was as crazy as she said he was, was still likely to shoot the person not on his team first. Teammates, after all, didn't count towards ten kills. That meant he was in more danger than either of his "partners".
So Eric dropped into the background as they talked, slowly making his way away from the two. It would be better to go and find another member of his own team. He held no ill will towards Renée and Mason, but they just weren't right for him at the moment. Maybe they would meet up again later. Maybe they really would stumble across a workable escape plan. He was pretty sure that, if they did, they would cut him in on it. He'd done enough to establish some positive associations. Now he had to work to survive.
So Eric snuck quietly away, heading back inland. Brennan. Brennan was on his team, useless ingrate or no. He could go try to find Brennan.
((Ferric Tam continued in A Generation Lost in Space))
Eric had followed Renée and Mason from the tar pits, but he had become more and more nervous about it as he went. The two seemed like decent enough people, certainly, and they did not seem at all deceptive when it came to wanting to avoid playing, but Eric simply couldn't figure out their purpose. There wasn't anything expressly wrong with wandering aimlessly, per se, but it wasn't the sort of thing that led to long term survival, and it wasn't the sort of thing Eric found advisable to do with two members of an opposing team. Sure, he wasn't planning to play, at least not to go kill-crazy or anything, but he also didn't want to be left to the goodwill of these two if it all came down to them. He also didn't want to spend too much time helping Renée hunt down the renegade member of White Team. It occurred to Eric that Tim, even if he was as crazy as she said he was, was still likely to shoot the person not on his team first. Teammates, after all, didn't count towards ten kills. That meant he was in more danger than either of his "partners".
So Eric dropped into the background as they talked, slowly making his way away from the two. It would be better to go and find another member of his own team. He held no ill will towards Renée and Mason, but they just weren't right for him at the moment. Maybe they would meet up again later. Maybe they really would stumble across a workable escape plan. He was pretty sure that, if they did, they would cut him in on it. He'd done enough to establish some positive associations. Now he had to work to survive.
So Eric snuck quietly away, heading back inland. Brennan. Brennan was on his team, useless ingrate or no. He could go try to find Brennan.
((Ferric Tam continued in A Generation Lost in Space))
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Courtography
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(Alexis Allwell continued from Pieces of What?)
Lexi had stopped running a long while before. Images of Leopold's corpse had filled her head for a little bit, but they had worked their way out. Maybe if you saw enough people get killed you didn't care anymore. But Shawn could be dead now! Okay maybe not, but Leopold hadn't been with her for as long as David or Sidney had. Or even Tiffany. He was from school, but she didn't know him really at all. She had been too shy to strike up conversations.
And now that was almost a blessing. She didn't have to go through the pain of losing her real friends. The ones back at home still. She couldn't imagine how that would feel, it was painful enough losing people you barely knew! She had wandered long enough, but there were these docks nearby.
She took the first steps on the dock, she was still tired. The lack of sleep and the constant fleeing from killers. Karen. It was wearing her down. She needed rest and soon. Actually she didn't need to go farther, just lay down right here.
Lexi had stopped running a long while before. Images of Leopold's corpse had filled her head for a little bit, but they had worked their way out. Maybe if you saw enough people get killed you didn't care anymore. But Shawn could be dead now! Okay maybe not, but Leopold hadn't been with her for as long as David or Sidney had. Or even Tiffany. He was from school, but she didn't know him really at all. She had been too shy to strike up conversations.
And now that was almost a blessing. She didn't have to go through the pain of losing her real friends. The ones back at home still. She couldn't imagine how that would feel, it was painful enough losing people you barely knew! She had wandered long enough, but there were these docks nearby.
She took the first steps on the dock, she was still tired. The lack of sleep and the constant fleeing from killers. Karen. It was wearing her down. She needed rest and soon. Actually she didn't need to go farther, just lay down right here.
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MurderWeasel
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Mason asked Renée why she knew all she did about SOTF-TV. With someone she knew better, the question would never have come up, as likely as not out of an attempt to spare her feelings. Unfortunately, it was hanging in the air now, choking her with awkwardness. This was not going to be something easy to discuss. All the theories and justifications in the world seemed pretty lame right now, when she was talking to a boy who had dealt with some of the true horrors of the game.
Being a leader meant not sugar-coating or lying, though. It meant facing up to mistakes and admitting to being wrong. In this case, it meant sucking it up and letting Mason know that she'd been into this.
"I, well, this sounds so awful," she started, then took a deep breath and sorted her thoughts before continuing. "I used to watch this show, like, a lot. I was a fan, I guess. I thought that it was inspirational, you know? People, they do amazing things when they have to. And there's a lot of awful stuff here, but so many good people, too, sticking up for their friends and helping each other and just showing that anyone can be a hero."
It sounded idiotic and naïve now that she was here, facing people dying. She realized now just how easy it was to disconnect, to forget that real people were hurting. It was because they were miles away, on the other side of her screen. She realized that every one of those people had probably hurt like she and Mason had. It made her feel sick, made her stomach twist with guilt and resentment.
"I was stupid."
And she looked around, and she saw someone else, a little ways away, looking tired and out of it and maybe about to lie down, and it was a perfect way to divert the conversation from the topic of her mistakes.
"Who's that?"
Being a leader meant not sugar-coating or lying, though. It meant facing up to mistakes and admitting to being wrong. In this case, it meant sucking it up and letting Mason know that she'd been into this.
"I, well, this sounds so awful," she started, then took a deep breath and sorted her thoughts before continuing. "I used to watch this show, like, a lot. I was a fan, I guess. I thought that it was inspirational, you know? People, they do amazing things when they have to. And there's a lot of awful stuff here, but so many good people, too, sticking up for their friends and helping each other and just showing that anyone can be a hero."
It sounded idiotic and naïve now that she was here, facing people dying. She realized now just how easy it was to disconnect, to forget that real people were hurting. It was because they were miles away, on the other side of her screen. She realized that every one of those people had probably hurt like she and Mason had. It made her feel sick, made her stomach twist with guilt and resentment.
"I was stupid."
And she looked around, and she saw someone else, a little ways away, looking tired and out of it and maybe about to lie down, and it was a perfect way to divert the conversation from the topic of her mistakes.
"Who's that?"
It looked like it was gonna be one of those moments where Mason had said something wrong and Renee was going to take what he said hard, and he was already mentally kicking himself. He was thinking he should have gone over to her, rest a comforting hand on her shoulder or one of about a million cliches he knew, but the moment felt like it had already passed.
And she saw somebody.
Mason picked up his gun and looked where Renee was looking. The girl looked vaguely familiar, so she must have been from school, but he couldn't make her. Not from here, anyway.
"Doesn't look armed. Wanna add someone new to your team?" He started to push himself to his feet. "You wanna inspire some people at home, this might be a chance."
He gave a Renee a winning smile, flashing his teeth.
Yeah. Give her some hope. She's gonna need some in the second half of this here game.
And she saw somebody.
Mason picked up his gun and looked where Renee was looking. The girl looked vaguely familiar, so she must have been from school, but he couldn't make her. Not from here, anyway.
"Doesn't look armed. Wanna add someone new to your team?" He started to push himself to his feet. "You wanna inspire some people at home, this might be a chance."
He gave a Renee a winning smile, flashing his teeth.
Yeah. Give her some hope. She's gonna need some in the second half of this here game.
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Courtography
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Lexi would rest soon. When was the last time she slept? It had been awhile. Right. It was just after the second announcement. Ugh, she never stayed up for a whole day straight at home. First she needed to eat, she supposed. She grabbed one of the Clif bars from her bag and unwrapped it. She didn't feel like eating. She took a bite anyway. Blegh.
She sat there for another moment. The sea breeze was nice and soothing. Her times at the beaches hadn't let her appreciate it. She took another bite. She yawned. Another bite. And another. Another yawn. She pulled out a water bottle, took a drink. She would sleep soon.
Need. Sleep.
She sat there for another moment. The sea breeze was nice and soothing. Her times at the beaches hadn't let her appreciate it. She took another bite. She yawned. Another bite. And another. Another yawn. She pulled out a water bottle, took a drink. She would sleep soon.
Need. Sleep.
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MurderWeasel
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Renée smiled back at Mason's suggestion.
"I think that's a great idea," she said. "It certainly beats trying to talk some psycho out of shooting the place up."
The girl was a distance away, and didn't seem to have noticed them yet. That gave Renée time to figure out how to approach this. It would be a bad idea to take her by surprise or come on too strong, a worse one to assume that just because she seemed harmless she was actually no threat. They'd just have to play it safe, then, give the girl a lot of warning and be ready in case anything went wrong.
"Watch out, in case she's crazy," Renée whispered to Mason. Then, she stood and raised her voice, calling out to the girl. "Hi. We're not playing. Would you like to talk?"
"I think that's a great idea," she said. "It certainly beats trying to talk some psycho out of shooting the place up."
The girl was a distance away, and didn't seem to have noticed them yet. That gave Renée time to figure out how to approach this. It would be a bad idea to take her by surprise or come on too strong, a worse one to assume that just because she seemed harmless she was actually no threat. They'd just have to play it safe, then, give the girl a lot of warning and be ready in case anything went wrong.
"Watch out, in case she's crazy," Renée whispered to Mason. Then, she stood and raised her voice, calling out to the girl. "Hi. We're not playing. Would you like to talk?"
Mason gave Renee a nod at her suggestion to be careful, though he hadn't exactly been making plans to run up and yell "Boogedy Boogedy!" or anything.
"Doesn't look so much crazy as damn near comatose..."
He muttered. Didn't know if Renee heard it, because she was already addressing the girl. In keeping with being nonthreatening, he kept his weapon pointed barrel-down with his finger nowhere near the trigger.
"We're not nuts!" He called out after Renee, figuring he needed to say something too.
"Doesn't look so much crazy as damn near comatose..."
He muttered. Didn't know if Renee heard it, because she was already addressing the girl. In keeping with being nonthreatening, he kept his weapon pointed barrel-down with his finger nowhere near the trigger.
"We're not nuts!" He called out after Renee, figuring he needed to say something too.