Forced Withdrawals [Nox's Building]

[Hayden]

Tatyana's stomach growled. "Sky, have one of the kids bring us some food -- something hot not junk. The streets aren't kind to these three." Sky didn't acknowledge him with more than a simple beep.

Food arrived just as Tatyana finally spoke again. Ashton brought in three bowls of soup, some crackers, toasted bread and some hard cheese -- something easy to adjust to on an empty stomach. He was a smart man. "Thanks Ashton."

When Ashton put the tray down on the table he left with a smile and closed the door behind him. "I'm assuming you are asking about why Nox killed their parents? He didn't kill them both. Their father had sustained a bite from the same monsters that bit Nox and he was forced to cut off his own arm so the parasite didn't spread to his brain and take him over. The father was taken over -- he was part of the horde that trudged through the caverns of the tunnels below the city. He went down with them while the men Nox had with him had saved the refugee camp. But they weren't there in time and others got bit. All of them couldn't be saved. They were bit on the neck or torso -- places you couldn't even try to save them like he did himself. Kenzie was hiding when Nox pulled the trigger that killed her mother. She saw him give her mercy. The wound was already black with and she would have turned with in the hour. Some company did that to a creature -- it got out. Nox spent months cleaning out the tunnels. He and the Ascendancy took a team out to finish it. Nox lost in that fight. He still is dealing with the reprecussions of his actions. He did the right thing. Maddi knows that, and so does Kenzie. But Kenzie needs someone to hate so Nox lets her hate him. He teachs her to fight so she doesn't get hurt because she will go after the monsters that killed her parents -- whether that is Nox or the monsters -- she will become Atharim. She may not call herself that -- but it is what she will be. I've seen it many times -- seen kids turn into what Nox is -- what he grew up to become. It's better if she's here with him so he can teach her how to channel that anger. But she doesn't trust him."

Hayden nodded to the food. "You should eat something. The twins too."

[Tatyana]

Hayden asked for food, and Tatyana was grateful. Pride would have kept her from asking. It was one thing if it was offered. It was another thing to ask. For a long time she had just taken, but that had become unnecessary because of staying at the church.

It was Ashton who had brought it in. And he had smiled. Tatyana’s gaze followed him on the way out. He had made her laugh. That had stuck with her. He was just being silly, but it made her laugh. She smiled a bit as he left. Nothing would come of it. Ashton didn’t like her like that and probably wouldn’t. It would plain be a bad idea, so she wouldn’t bring it up. She wouldn’t know what to do about it anyways. There had been a time when men had come to her asking for a dance or sneaking a kiss - back when she was pretty and confident in herself. Those things weren’t true anymore.

Tatyana didn’t move to the food right away. Instead she listened to Hayden’s explanation. Horde - amputations - bites - infections. Sounded like one of those zombie apocalypse games. Her dad had played some. What were they called? Resident Evil? They were old games. She didn’t play many games, but had watched her father play. A corporation had even made them. Just another reason to say fuck corps.

When he finished she remained silent for a bit. It was a lot to take in. Nox had fought with the Ascendancy. That was kind of incredible. Whe had no idea why the Ascendancy had cared. He seemed to not give a shit about anybody below a certain tax bracket. Tatyana thought for a moment she probably shouldn’t be that critical. At one point she had been wealthy - well - she had lived in wealth. Then it was all taken.

”Sounds like a video game,” she said, keeping the incredulity out of her voice. It wasn’t meant as a contrary statement. She didn’t think he was lying. Hayden hadn’t actually done that, and he had corroborated what Maddi had told her.

She did stand up though and touch the girls lightly before saying. ”We have some soup here. You girls should eat.”

Tatyana didn’t have much of an appetite even though she was hungry, but she sat down and grabbed a bowl, waiting for the girls. She wanted them to eat, so she would. She just hoped it didn’t come back later.

[Legione Sumus]

Madison & Mackenzie

Hayden had chuckled. "It does, but i promise you it's all true. Nox isn't the man you think he is."

Maddi had listened to the story -- Nox had told them what happened. He said it as calmly and as matter of factly as Hayden had. It wasn't a lie. Maddi knew that. She sat up and poked Kenzie to wake up. "Soup and cheese." She giggled. They liked cheese. They didn't get the good stuff often -- usually was the preprocessed stuff. "OOOh and toasted bread too." Kenzie sat up when her sister mentioned the warm bread.

They both sat and ate.

Hayden gave them both a smile. "Monsters are real. Nox doesn't kill innocent people. He has a savior complex. He'll do everything in his power to save anyone in need. Their parents were a mercy. And they are part of the litany in his nightmares. Faces that haunt him. Victims he couldn't save." Hayden sighed and nodded towards the kids outside. "Those kids out there, they are asked Nox to save their friend -- he was a victim, kept in a cage, was used as a chew toy by cannibal boy. He begged Nox to leave him -- to leave him. Nox chose mercy instead of burning to death. Another face to huant him, but those kids aren't angry at him. They understand why. They knew what he went through."