Mary didn't seem to be feeling it, which wasn't the greatest. Grant didn't need unnecessary tension here. Was there such a thing as necessary tension? Maybe in a case with dramatic tension?
He was getting sidetracked.
Running and hiding could and would work to a point, problem was that there would always come a point where you couldn't run and couldn't hide, and then what did you do? Kind of just die if you weren't prepped to defend yourself. Charity had done the same, sure, but difference there was Frankie had a gun and you didn't charge someone down who had a gun and survive unless you were so ridiculously lucky it was an act of god you even got picked for the program in the first place.
"Legit, Charity? I got the idea of putting together a few people and riding it out to start," he made a face and rolled one shoulder in half a shrug. "Course, that won't work forever. Sooner than later I'd have to you know, well, you know..." he trailed off, another halfway shrug. "Well, we'd have to protect ourselves. Any means necessary. That's the reality."
Take Nothing For Granted
Phase 1 (0-12 Hours)
"Mmhm. Mmhmm." Okay, well, Mary could sit and spin for all Charity cared. They were already in a shit situation, no need to be a stick-in-the-mud on top of it all. Grant, though, he knew what was up, to the extent that any of them probably could.
Charity had thought things over already more than most people would give her credit for, she figured. She'd thought about taking the axe to Frankie and then thought better of it, which was at least one dumb mistake someone else had probably already made and gotten killed for. She'd thought about what she might have to do if it was somebody she cared about more than Frankie on the other side of the axe.
Maybe she wasn't quite at the level of doing what she might need to do yet, but they could work on that.
"You got a working guest list for that plan of yours, or is it first come, first serve?" She smirked a little bit, kept her tone light. It'd kind of suck if she ended up uninvited to the party, so to speak, but she could probably play it off cool. Anybody who didn't want her around, didn't think she could pull her weight or whatever, well, they weren't worth partnering up with in the long run anyway. Charity shot another look at Mary.
Charity had thought things over already more than most people would give her credit for, she figured. She'd thought about taking the axe to Frankie and then thought better of it, which was at least one dumb mistake someone else had probably already made and gotten killed for. She'd thought about what she might have to do if it was somebody she cared about more than Frankie on the other side of the axe.
Maybe she wasn't quite at the level of doing what she might need to do yet, but they could work on that.
"You got a working guest list for that plan of yours, or is it first come, first serve?" She smirked a little bit, kept her tone light. It'd kind of suck if she ended up uninvited to the party, so to speak, but she could probably play it off cool. Anybody who didn't want her around, didn't think she could pull her weight or whatever, well, they weren't worth partnering up with in the long run anyway. Charity shot another look at Mary.
Charity was nibbling, and that was good shit, so far as Grant was concerned. Important part of that plan was actually getting people involved with the plan, right?
Yeah, for as much as it was something he'd come up with pretty much off the cuff, he kind of liked this idea. Strength in numbers was a concept for a reason. Trust in numbers? Maybe not so much, but he could work on that one. If you already assumed that everyone was out to kill you, then partnering up with someone wasn't going to make much difference. Someone who could kill you could still kill you whether or not you were palling around with them.
"You want I put you on top of the guest list? That can definitely happen."
Yeah, for as much as it was something he'd come up with pretty much off the cuff, he kind of liked this idea. Strength in numbers was a concept for a reason. Trust in numbers? Maybe not so much, but he could work on that one. If you already assumed that everyone was out to kill you, then partnering up with someone wasn't going to make much difference. Someone who could kill you could still kill you whether or not you were palling around with them.
"You want I put you on top of the guest list? That can definitely happen."
Charity grinned, and fuck, that little spark of genuine happiness actually took her by surprise. Maybe things hadn't messed people up so much just yet.
"Hey, you know me. I'm always down to have a good time with the right people."
Yeah, that's you she's talking about, Mary. Sit on that, huh. Frankie too while she was at it, and those goons out in the boats with the guns for good measure.
If Charity got her way - and it was looking like she just might - she was going to kick it in style for a little while longer before she had to get her hands dirty.
"Hey, you know me. I'm always down to have a good time with the right people."
Yeah, that's you she's talking about, Mary. Sit on that, huh. Frankie too while she was at it, and those goons out in the boats with the guns for good measure.
If Charity got her way - and it was looking like she just might - she was going to kick it in style for a little while longer before she had to get her hands dirty.
Grant smiled.
The right people. That sounded good. Real good actually. He nodded Charity's way, cast a long glance back towards Mary. One nibble was good enough; said something when the person who was sticking better was the one who'd just been running from gunning but hey, he was no program expert here. Charity and him were always going to fit together than him and Mary. He knew one way better than the other.
What mattered was that here and now he had a plan again. Nice work.
"I got some places in mind, some ideas in mind, and some insurance. Let's head."
He glanced to Mary again, gave her an apologetic kind of half shrug, and started backing up along the road, back the way he'd come originally.
"Hey try not to die you hear?" he called out, meaning it.
((Grant continued in Radical-6))
The right people. That sounded good. Real good actually. He nodded Charity's way, cast a long glance back towards Mary. One nibble was good enough; said something when the person who was sticking better was the one who'd just been running from gunning but hey, he was no program expert here. Charity and him were always going to fit together than him and Mary. He knew one way better than the other.
What mattered was that here and now he had a plan again. Nice work.
"I got some places in mind, some ideas in mind, and some insurance. Let's head."
He glanced to Mary again, gave her an apologetic kind of half shrug, and started backing up along the road, back the way he'd come originally.
"Hey try not to die you hear?" he called out, meaning it.
((Grant continued in Radical-6))
"Hey, lead the way, Golden Boy. I've got your back." And she did. For now. Maybe for a long time, maybe not, but Charity meant what she said.
She afforded Mary a nod before following Grant. Maybe it'd make a difference down the line, that little bit of courtesy that Charity wasn't necessarily obligated to show a stick-in-the-mud.
Lots of maybes. The only guarantees were in Charity's sweatshirt pocket and the voice that would regale them over the speakers sooner or later. Hell, if she thought about it hard enough, she could probably convince herself that it made this kind of fun, in a twisted, fucked-up way. She ought to have fun while it lasted. Grant was a good step in that direction.
All aboard the party bus to nowhere, motherfuckers.
((Charity Gardner continued in Radical-6))
She afforded Mary a nod before following Grant. Maybe it'd make a difference down the line, that little bit of courtesy that Charity wasn't necessarily obligated to show a stick-in-the-mud.
Lots of maybes. The only guarantees were in Charity's sweatshirt pocket and the voice that would regale them over the speakers sooner or later. Hell, if she thought about it hard enough, she could probably convince herself that it made this kind of fun, in a twisted, fucked-up way. She ought to have fun while it lasted. Grant was a good step in that direction.
All aboard the party bus to nowhere, motherfuckers.
((Charity Gardner continued in Radical-6))
Well.
That was that.
Mary stood by as Grant and Charity left. She had been unsure about going along with them. Grant's plan was rational, but Mary couldn't shake the feeling she had about them. She hesitated too long, and the choice was taken out of her hands.
It was probably for the best. Mary knew when she wasn't wanted.
Mary was alone again, a world away from the horrors she could only assume were happening all around her, outside of her senses.
She was sure, now. She preferred it this way.
((Mary Wieczorek continued elsewhere))
That was that.
Mary stood by as Grant and Charity left. She had been unsure about going along with them. Grant's plan was rational, but Mary couldn't shake the feeling she had about them. She hesitated too long, and the choice was taken out of her hands.
It was probably for the best. Mary knew when she wasn't wanted.
Mary was alone again, a world away from the horrors she could only assume were happening all around her, outside of her senses.
She was sure, now. She preferred it this way.
((Mary Wieczorek continued elsewhere))