Silent Night || Open

[Alex]

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He supposed that was just his luck, Alex had to take advantage of whatever came his way. Better to stay down for the night in a collapsed in building rather than be caught by Barker soldiers on the highway in the middle of a lost dream. Until then however he needed to eat. Departing a lazy hand under the cloak he wore Alex would retrieve a battered can before popping the top and fidgeting an impatient finger into the can's depths and just as quickly forcing the food down his throat careful not to touch his tongue out of fear that it'd spoiled.
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[Jack]

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Gliding across the ground with an alarming speed the tall dark figure moved toward the old school grounds. His prey was running away from him, yet with every step that he grew closer to catching him, he grew faster. Is was as if his senses grew sharper the closer he got, he could see him, smell him, hear him.

Alexander would eventually see a short stubby man run across the grounds in front of him, heading straight for the school entrance. That was when he would be set upon, having already overlapped him Jack had been waiting patiently in the second floor window. Launching himself himself out the window Jack's body slammed into the man's and took him to the ground. A scream was cut short by the wet sound of his mace splitting the man's head open.
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[Alex]

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[Jack]

[/u] slowly his head turned around to look at the darkness that engulfed Alexander. His eyes narrowed and focused growing accustomed to the lack of light in that particular area. After a while he spoke "Show yourself"

A deep clear voice called out to the dark void, the outline of Alexander becoming clear as day to his trained eyes. He hunched over the corpse of the fallen as if he were a wild dog protecting his kill, confirming that the man was dead before proceeding. Drawing his cleaver by clipping it at his belt Jack stared at the shape, the sounds of eating reached his ears.

"I said show yourself, or I'll attack".

This was the man's first and final warning if he did not comply Jack would attack. In an uncertain world like they lived in you could never be too careful, everyone was a threat and anyone could be your target. Slowly the Australian stood up, his cleaver poised for an attack in his right hand his mace by his side in his left.
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[Alex]

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As if he would. Alexander simply crossed his legs sitting more comfortably as though his situation was uncompromising despite how very wrong that sentiment was with Jack but a few meters in front of him. The simple young man would simply stare awaiting the response of such, his abysmal silence and perhaps his surrender to search out the man melding into the darkness.

"I said show yourself, or I'll attack"

!

Like a response out of a 2-dimensional video game character came the response of surprise and fretful concern as though the darkness didn't veil punches to the face but even so the comprehension that at least on the surface this boy's intentions weren't directly relateable towards violence as the previous newcomer might have presented with their fleshy body pooled out over the courtyard.

A cocked brow measuring his options. To remain hidden and yet provoke some attack of necessity, or to reveal himself and perhaps be granted levity. Though he strongly favored the former he had to at least take an interest in the latter. There was strength in numbers and while it may be potential that this character was a Barker soldier or worse yet an experiment, Alex would wager on this exchange if only briefly. The darkness as his ally he had only to run a brief few meters away to make an escape. Presuming of course his company hadn't adapted to that point yet.

"Showing oneself would only provoke an opportunity of attack, I don't know you nor your intentions until then I remain veiled."

Alexander teased with his old D&D logic there, fixing his own imagination and perhaps provoking more curiosity in his new found companion.

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[Jack]

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A smirk crept across his face as his hand twitched slightly, he quickly analysed where he thought the boy was from his voice and the vague outline of his body and then attacked. Swinging his mace with blinding speed the head of the mace detached from the handle and the long chain began to uncoil as the ball sped toward the boy.

Aiming for directly above the boy's head not missing by too much but not wanting to be too close. He swung the ball and chain from left to right so it powered it's way through the concrete above Alexander's head. Mid swing Jack pressed the button which expanded the ball to four times the size. The ball began to expand as it was breaking apart the concrete wall causing it to break apart. Pulling his ball back the flail began to recoil and form back into a mace eventually.

Clipping it back to his belt Jack stared at the figure in front of him. "I mean you no harm, come now. Show yourself and lets talk as men." He couldn't be sure but the boy's voice was familiar.
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[Alex]

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The sudden violent barrage of an unassailable opponent bore down on him clearly not giving himself enough of advantage by not moving to mask his voice or play to the tattered walls of the school he'd made an inconceivable error when Jack launched an attack on him. Proceeding now to merely watch in horror trapped as his legs remained crossed only to do the one thing that would assist in his survival.

DUCK!

Shrugging his shoulders upwards and ducking his head into his shoulder blades the boy would appear little more than a turtle as he ducked the mace only to feel its weight expand above him. The collateral damage to the wall dropping chunks of plaster and insulation dropping onto his forehead before the only instinct that allowed him to proceed forward.

Fight or Flight, the latter taking command now as the trapped boy ducked his head into his lap and proceeded to roll down the stairs mimicking his favorite character, Samus. Though he wouldn't make it far only down the stairs before plummeting outwards on all fours finally free from the clutches of his crossed legs turning upwards with a last remark almost certain that would bury in his head next.

"and yet your actions seem to prove otherwise. If you come to talk, talk. You needn't bash my head in over a few cans of food I promise you that."

The naive assumption of course that his limited quantities of valuables were worth his life was still a pressing matter to him in this present.

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[Jack]

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The male stepped out while turning to face Alexander. Jack could not help but make an assumption about the boy. How long had he been out here alone, scavenging what ever he could. He pitied the boy although apart of him wanted to throw him into a pit of dogs and have him fight to the death for food.

I do not want your food.
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[Alex]

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Hmm? Curiosity sparked if only briefly followed up by shrill delight at the opportunity of keeping his stash and things working out in his favor. Though that didn't mean he was in the clear just yet, another emotion had yet to hit him. Fear. Caution thrown to the wind as Alex managed to struggle his palms outwards flat against the ground and press himself upright and to the corner weighing his back against it at a choice location so that he may yet even still escape when the time called for it.

"Is that so? Then why even bother to stop, unless you're in the market of bloodshed."

Dissuaded hues shifted down and to the side painting out the body smeared against the floor adjacent to him.
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[Jack]

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Jack reached into his side pocket and pulled out a slightly squished chocolate bar and tossed it to Alex. The bar would land near or on Alex but fall harmlessly and slowly toward him.

"It's chocolate."

The Australian murmured as his looked away for a moment, eyeing his surroundings reassuring himself that they were alone. Although he knew they never were. There was always someone, watching. Bringing his attention back to the male in front of him Jack spoke up again.

"What's your name?"

He asked, crouching down so they were on equal levels. It was something Phoenix taught him about making people feel easier around him.
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[Alex]

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Ploop

Alex turned his hues downwards to the chocolate bar at his feet sizing it up. It was still a fair share too dark to make out what its contents really are, granted given their strange start to communication Alex had every right to doubt that it was anything that would help his disposition any.

"It's chocolate."

Doubt of course still lingering in his hues, could be poisoned, stuffed with razor blades like sick bastards used to give to kids on Halloween. But then again with such a massive strength differential what need would this guy have in poisoning him when he could clearly just bash his head in.

Inching forward uncomfortably, never letting his eyes really linger anywhere away from Jack's presence. With a scoop of his fingers around the chocolate he'd stuff it away inside his jacket. Sure he was hungry but still so very uncertain of this fellow. Saving the chocolate for after an actual nutritious meal would serve a better purpose then gorging himself on it in the present of wary company.

"What's your name?"

The shift of course of Jack's stature left him uneasy sure to bring himself more upright to a stand. He felt safer here, a place where Alex could easily turn and run. Escape to the shadows still very present in his mind.

"Alex."

An unwavering response, though it wasn't as though he could be stalked, a name didn't give away any more information now then what state he lived in. The boy was constantly on the move, nowhere to be found... a shade.

"Why kill that man? Why spare me?"

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[Jack]

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Curious as to what the boy would say next Jack waited for him to continue.

"Interesting question. Do you know what a bounty hunter is? I get paid money to hunt down wanted people. Bad people. When I find them I kill them and then I get given money. With that money I buy things like say food"

The next part of Alex's question made him think. Why did Jack decide not to kill him and instead talk the the boy.

"To tell you the truth, Alex. I don't really know. Partially because there was no reason to. Had I killed you what would it have accomplished? You'd be dead and I would have two corpses on my hands. Plus it seems all you really wanted was to eat your food."

Pulling out one of his rolled up cigarettes from a little pouch in his jacket pocket he lit it up.

"Plus, on the topic of food. Do you get to eat much, or just when ever you find food?"

Waiting for a response, if it didn't come Jack would continue.

"Because if you are interested near where I live there's a lot of work and plenty of food."

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[Alex]

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Well duh. Every kid his age had seen something of some relevance relating to a lifestyle where you did something along the lines of exterminating the comnpetition or better yet just eliminating a few loose ends. While Alex wasn't necessarily an advocate of such brutal methods he couldn't rightly pass up how cool it just might be to exterminate trouble cases.

"I get paid money to hunt down wanted people. Bad people. When I find them I kill them and then I get given money. With that money I buy things like say food"

Quite the convincing statement, considering the time and place that this pair had been exposed to. Fight fire with fire, and in an abusive world like this that the strong survived, living off the tourment and eliminating compeating factors seemed only self ensuring of ones continued existence. A doubtful fret on his features however considering the ramifications of a world where morality disappeared.

"To tell you the truth, Alex. I don't really know. Partially because there was no reason to. Had I killed you what would it have accomplished? You'd be dead and I would have two corpses on my hands. Plus it seems all you really wanted was to eat your food."

Quite right, at least the man wasn't insane like a few others he'd seen turning to blind cannibalism, hedonistic fools on the edge of their chains whipping them about in a tirade frenzy.

"Plus, on the topic of food. Do you get to eat much, or just when ever you find food?"

"I get what I need when I need it. No sense in getting greedy, it only leads to your own demise. That guy there could probably tell you such."

Alex's hand extended over towards the corpse with his head bashed in. Yes people only sent bounty hunters after you if you had eyes that were larger than when you could carry.

"Because if you are interested near where I live there's a lot of work and plenty of food."

Suspicious eyes however turned upwards. He had total advantage, every reason and means to kill Alex. Then why lure him into a trap? It made him uneasy, suspicious even as to the extent of his bait. Through narrow hues and calculating look, Alex opened his mouth to respond hesitantly.

"There's got to be a catch, nobody offers things up so freely, especially now."

Alex was no dummy by any means, in fact he'd lost his naivity a long while ago. Perhaps there was still a bit of a kid inside but it had long since been put in the corner and beaten some sense into.

"I suspect it has something to do with your little war of attrition?"

Those sharp eyes shooting daggers to Jack, Alex didn't very much trust those who sought out power, much less did he want to be in alliance with any such Waring faction. It'd spell his demise much sooner that he could afford. [/i][/ul][/font]

[Jack]

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Looking around at the damp, cold hole the boy was living in.

"Although by all means, stay here. The comforts of civilization would be wasted on an individual who has fallen so far. Live Alex, continue to cling onto the pathetic life you value so much."

Standing up the male dusted himself off and prepared to leave.
"We will all die, the difference is how and when. Will you die as a member of society or will you die like vermin. Exterminated on the spot by Barker and his horde of indiscriminate killers."

Turning his back on the boy Jack hauled the carcass over his shoulder and walked off.

"Every man must chose his fate, you know where to find me."

The tall lanky figure strode across the school yard and off into the distance.
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[Alex]

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Alex laughed briefly, hardly something you could really consider a laugh more humored at the play by play that Jack was offering. When you couldn't provide a good enough appeal to something better yet to downgrade a person's current draw. Textbook manipulation tactics remained effective.

"Death comes to those who wait, seems you have a pretty good idea of how that works, in that case I'll remain mobile.."

With another fair smirk Alex motioned upwards and began walking in the direction that Jack started off in progressing at double his pace first to catch up and second to overpass him.
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