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Post by Toshiko Takara on Apr 15, 2009 21:55:42 GMT
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Post by Jack Malloy on Apr 15, 2009 22:14:19 GMT
Night patrol. Again. What had led these ungrateful idiots to believe he should be the one to look after them while they slept? Sure, there weren't many left, and everyone had to do their share, and it was his first night patrol since.....well, a couple of weeks......but regardless, it was the thought that counted. He was in charge here.
Malloy ducked into a side room halfway along the long second-floor corridor, whose front was almost exclusively windows and afforded the best view along Afferton available, short of climbing up into the abandoned attic. Plucking a cigarette from the packet that stuck out of his shirt's breast pocket, he lifted it to his lips, lighting it with a grateful sigh, inhaling a lungful of the foul-tasting smoke with a certain lustful relish.
Only then did Malloy realise he wasn't alone in the little room, a cluttered cube that once functioned as a shift-lieutenant's office for the Violent Crimes Department. Looking over to beside a desk, the light from her laptop lighting up her appearance and immediate surroundings, was the latest find from the city.
"Oh, sorry, hello. You okay? When we picked you up, you weren't exactly in any state to talk or comprehend anything, and that was two days ago - you've been sleeping for almost a solid 36 hours." He did the math in his head. Yeah, they'd got her the afternoon before last, crashed out in the second floor of an abandoned shop with Infected downstairs.
Malloy was being nice, and he wasn't sure why. I guess, she was probably a little in shock still, and there was no real need to be mean. And she was kind of cute, which helped - nothing quiet like a pretty face to make him act almost like a human being.
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Post by Toshiko Takara on Apr 16, 2009 18:48:11 GMT
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Post by Jack Malloy on Apr 16, 2009 22:57:49 GMT
As the little woman stood, balancing her laptop precariously while cleaning herself, Malloy shifted in position slightly on the desk, bringing the cigarette to his lips again. "This," He gestured expansively around the little office, seeming to encapsulate the building as a whole in his action, "Is the Afferton Drive Police Station, or the 8th Precinct House, depending on whether you are a civilian or a cop. Far as I'm concerned, only bastion of humanity in the Central District - only one worth staying in, anyway."
He winked slightly, trying to not make it obvious he'd straightened up on his chair, playing the height advantage to its fullest - ensuring the shorter woman was looking up to him, literally and figuratively, from the start. Best she learnt what was the truth as soon as possible, which the very thought brought a smirk to his face - he was still surprised at how easily he'd swung the lead position here, and at the lack of difficulty in holding onto it.
"No, it's fine - we didn't want to wake you up: when someone sleeps that long, they generally need it." Malloy paused, not wanting to talk over the woman if she started speaking - he presumed she'd have some questions about the place, given that she'd just awoken in a strange building full of strange people.
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Post by Toshiko Takara on Apr 17, 2009 0:04:36 GMT
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Post by Jack Malloy on Apr 17, 2009 16:22:50 GMT
Nodding, Malloy tried to think about what the situation in the Police Station actually was right now. A couple of days ago, the doctor had killed himself, and in the very run that they found this girl they'd lost another to a horde of Shamblers. He wasn't exactly sleeping, but he'd certainly been less active than Toshiko for a longer length of time. Actually, given the nature of the Infection, he'd probably been more active than most. Malloy grimaced a little at the thought.
"Everything's a little complicated at the moment......those of us that are still living and squatting out in here are all okay, well, as okay as you can be. The others.....well, they aren't really in a position to complain." He smiled, not wanting to drop too much weighty stuff on the new recruit just yet - he wasn't certain of her support, and didn't want to scare her too much just yet.
"Well, you certainly were the longest sleeper.....bet my current record!" He let loose a light chuckle, almost relaxing. She was easy to get along with, Malloy would give her that - certainly less highly strung than most of the other goddamn flighty survivors he'd encountered.
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Post by Toshiko Takara on Apr 17, 2009 18:13:39 GMT
[/i] She ran the word over in her head. Well, naturally it was complicated, but she kept up her bright appearance as he spoke. She knew she had likely lost quite a few friends, but was it that the true realization hadn't quite hit her yet? Or was her own personality deceiving her to make her feel better as well as the people around her? Even though she hate seeing others frown, she hated her own personality for trying to make things better. She knew that when it really hit her it would be utterly devastating. Well, as long as she could do this without anyone else around. They've probably already done their fair share of feeling sad. Just because she was late to the game didn't mean she had to drag people back with her, right? She joined him in his light laughter, nodding slowly."I don't think I've ever slept that long before. How embarrassing." She paused for a moment, looking the man's face over carefully. "... Oh!" she suddenly peeped, "My name's Toshiko Takara. How rude of me not to have introduced myself first!" She gave a nervous laugh as she looked down at her laptop. "I don't really remember how you guys found me, but thanks. If you guys ever need someone techy to help out, I'm your girl." She raised her free hand timidly, but with a pleasent smile. "Other than that, though, I can't say I'm of much use." This guy seemed nice. Hopefully she was right in thinking he might be leading this group.[/size][/ul] |
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Post by Jack Malloy on Apr 17, 2009 19:50:32 GMT
Realising he'd not introduced himself to her yet, Malloy admonished himself. He should have stressed his name and authority straight away, shocked her into submission and mindless following. However, maybe this could work - maybe an actual, friendly ally would be something more worth having.
Extending a hand, he smiled at her, "Name's Jack Malloy. I used to be a detective here, before the Outbreak. Now, I'm just trying to survive, like all of us, I guess." Malloy waited for her to shake his hand, hoping she would notice it. Nothing more embarrassing than the awkward moment when someone ignores your hand.
The mention of 'techy' piqued Jack's interest, and this girl thought she wouldn't be useful? "Well, I'm sure we can find some use for you - our IT department is a little low on the ground right now, hahah, but anyone with technical know-how is far from without use. We only need so many gunhands."
Although another was always helpful.....
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Post by Toshiko Takara on Apr 20, 2009 18:25:48 GMT
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Post by Jack Malloy on Apr 21, 2009 19:01:24 GMT
Malloy lowered his hand to his side, frowning as he tried to think what the girl could actually do, if she wasn't the most combat-minded. "Well, it may seem disingenuous, but can you work electrics or motors?" He seemed to consider something. "Or cook?"
He laughed, trying to make what was an honest question seem more like a joke. Someone who could do more than heat up tins or boil vegetables and meat could fit right in here, as far as he was concerned. None of the rest of these useless survivors could cook for shit.
"Well, I guess you'll be doing the same as the rest of us - trying to get by. I'll introduce you to the others soon enough, and then you'll probably end up in the usual boring, everyday humdrum of this Post-Apocalypse: patrols, fixing the barricades, food runs and trying not to go crazy." Malloy almost smiled, then stopped, firing off what seemed another innocent question.
"That is, if you are going to be staying, of course?"
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