7/7 Instance: Vanguard Retrieval

[Ferguson]

Timelined after Fic: Gone and Leaving (backdated)




<Wither> Well, going at night was certainly not the most bright thing. It was cooler now that he'd been walking for a half hour, and even his jacket wasn't keeping him that warm. The moon wasn't full, either, and he cursed again as he tripped over an uneven patch in the dirt by the asphalt of the road. Well, there'd been no cars so getting hit really wasn't that much of a risk. He walked onto the middle of the road and kept walking.

<@Sooraya> Sooraya...wasn't sure about this whole driving thing to be honest but so far so good! She had seen Kevin slip away while she was on security duty and, since everyone else was busy with everything that happened, she felt it best to go after him herself.

<@Sooraya> Of course, that involved some driving and the giant school van which was not beginner friendly!

<Wither> Kevin blinked as his shadow was cast in front of him. He scrabbled off the side of the road and waited for the car to go by.

<@Sooraya> There he was! Right, the break. Sooraya slammed her foot on the break but, as it lurched, thought better and eased up, coasting along and rolling the window down. "Hello Kevin!"

<Wither> "Uh...hello, Sooraya, how are you this lovely evening?" He came to a stop and nodded his head.

<@Sooraya> "To be suspected, I suppose, and yourself?" Well, if he was going to play it casually she could as well, stopping the van with a bit of a jerk.

<Wither> "Very well, thank you. So..." He juggled his duffel bag a bit. "What brings you out here, then? Driving the van, no less? Is there an emergency?" He needed to get to the bus stop on time, but it would be rude to start walking and leave her there. He shuffled his feet.

<@Sooraya> "I was on security tonight." Sooraya answered, figuring it would explain everything. "I saw you leaving the note and slipping out."

<Wither> Kevin blinked. "I didn't think the cameras were in our rooms!" He was never going to be undressed anywhere ever again. He blushed. "Oh. Well, yes, I'm going back home for a bit - the zombies...and this whole X-Force thing, you know. Better to be home in familiar places." He gave her a gaurded smile, hoping he hadn't dredged up bad memories for her, too.

<@Sooraya> "They don't automatically show...I just flipped back when I saw you sneaking out." Sooraya admitted sheepishly. "If that was the case then why didn't you say goodbye? I do not intend to slip out in the middle of the night when I go on my internship."

<Wither> "Oh, right, of course." Still wearing clothing in the shower. "This was sort of an unplanned...leave. I didn't want to bother anyone. I was planning on calling from the bus station, actually." Yeah, that sounded pretty weak to his own ears too, when he dared to look at Sooraya and her disbelieving expression. "Anyway, I am sorry to have caused you such a fuss."

<@Sooraya> "I can drive you to the station if you like" Okay, she could claim to be able to drive him to the station but being able to was something completely different.

<Wither> "Oh right, thank you very much." He hesitated. It would be rude to call out her questionable driving skills, when he himself didn't own a license. He got into the front passenger seat. "Are you having nightmares too?" he blurted looking horrified at himself, when he realized that he'd said it out loud.

<@Sooraya> "It is why I almost always volunteer for the night watch for the security cameras." Sooraya answered truthfully, not quite comprehending why it would be something bad to admit out loud.

<Wither> Kevin nodded. "That's a good idea." Wish I'd thought of it. She looked rather tired, but wired. "Lots of coffee? I like the stuff that's in the green tin thing better than the red one. Less bitter." He was rambling, now. But talking about things other than zombies exploding in front of you was better than talking about zombies doing anything.

<@Sooraya> "Oh yes, coffee does help a good deal." Sooraya nodded and slowly started to roll on down the street again. "And the green is much preferable, though I suppose the bitterness of the red does help keep you awake while drinking it."

<Wither> "I can't stand any bitterness. I've got a sweet tooth, really." He squirmed on the seat. "I shoud have told someone I was leaving, shouldn't I?"

<@Sooraya> "They would have probably assumed you were dead or kidnapped if they didn't see the note." Sooraya nodded.

<Wither> "I suppose we'd better go back. I had better tell someone in the morning." He looked out the windscreen. The bus was just pulling up. "I was just so scared, you know? I didn't feel safe any more."

<@Sooraya> "...are you not on the run from the police?" Sooraya asked, brow furrowed.

<Wither> "Huh?" He turned to look at her. "Yeah, and since I've crossed state lines, I'm sure it's federal offenses now...I didn't think of that, really."

<@Sooraya> "...yeaaah, I will admit that we are lucky to have made it this far. I do not think I can drive the van to Canada."

<Wither> "Are you on the lam too, then?" He couldn't believe such a nice girl could ever do something as evil has he had done.

<@Sooraya> "Oh, no, I just meant that I am not sure I will actually be able to drive to Canada if we want to take you to some place that would be safer. My expertise in this van does not extend beyond gas equals go and brake equals stop."

<Wither> "Oh. Well, that's simple enough. I could do the mending, but we'd need money to buy gas, unless you want to hitch all the way up...and then we'd have to sneak into Canada because I don't have a passport...you're making a joke, right?" He laughed a bit.

<@Sooraya> Sooraya smiled sheepishly and nodded. "And one day people will be able to tell."

<Wither> Kevin dissolved into a fit of laughter as the bus pulled away. "Your dead pan is just too good."

<@Sooraya> "Oh good! I was worried it was because of my speaking." She smiled quite happily at that. "So, where should I be taking you then?"

<Wither> "Back to the University...you want some company in ops tonight? I'm not going to get much sleep anyway."

<@Sooraya> "Okay then, we should turn around...where are the blinky blinky things?" Sooraya knew she had to signal...the question was how. "And company is always welcome."

<Wither> "Oh... um. Stick thing on the left of the wheel? Yeah. Push it down to signal left up to signal right. Yeah, then on this road, you can do a large u turn in the bus depot. Very easy. Would you like me to do it, or are you up to the challenge?"

<@Sooraya> "Well...no time like the present for me to learn here, yes?" She laughed, poking the stick until the little green arrow blinked on and off pointing to the left.

<Wither> "Yep, now just go forward into the depot and turn this whale around and back we go." He grinned. "Thanks for coming to get me, I would have missed this."

<@Sooraya> "Do not thank me yet, I've not gotten us both back in one piece yet....and you thought you'd be safe." Sooraya teased, laughing and following his instructions as well as she could. "You are very welcome. I know that it is a bit scary now but even with what has happened there is safety in numbers."

<Wither> Kevin snorted. "You'll be a stand-up before you know it, Sooraya. I'll make the coffee - green, and we'll hunker down in ops for your shift, and it won't be scary at all, at least for tonight."

<Sooraya> "And everything looks a little bit better come morning." Sooraya added, smiling and wheeling the van around, cringing as she curbed it.

<Wither> Kevin grit his teeth, hiding it behind a smile, it wasn't like he'd do any better. "Quite right. Hit the gas so morning comes faster," he said as the van evened out.

<Sooraya> Sooraya did as she was asked and floored it.

[Starfish]

Yay, Raya and Kevin time! That was sweet, you two.