Divine Intervention(interactive)

Don Sheridan

After leaving the city of New Denver and traveling in his Liberty 4X4 for more than three days with his lover Sarah on the way to the desolate town of New New Orleans, Stop in former Corpus Christi hoping for some down time and to fill their bellies after the long trip.

Sheridan sat boots up on the small bar table in the "Diving Bell" a small joint on the outskirts of the town. Sheridan never preferred inner city life. To much crime to many beggars and all the street gangs...no he didn't care for them to much. He downed his last shot of scotch and left the barkeep a couple of spark plugs he had scrounged from husks of former running vehicles.

"Well this place is different kind of world." He thought "Seriously is it necessary to tell me about my religion and faults every goddamn second of the day. Im not even Catholic for Christ sake!"

He left the bar heading back to his motel when he spotted out of the corner of his eye a house shrouded in boards and red tape. "NO PERSONS SHALL ENTER THE PREMISES OF THIS BUILDING BY AUTHORITY OF THE MOST BLESSED SAINTS OF THE CITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST." was scrawled in large red letters on the door.

"Well who is to say im not one" he smirked as he breathed these words.

Ignoring all the warnings he waited for a moment where he could enter the home through the back door unnoticed. A few minutes later he was clear and with a mighty kick of his thick soled boots blasted the door open. He entered and closed the door behind him and began to search the house.

"Warning you are trespassing on sacred or restricted ground leave immediately or face the wrath of the righteous and most blessed sain-" he crushed the small tape player that was triggered by a motion sensor with a brick he found on the floor.

Before he could smile he heard the click of auto locks.

"Oh shit." he thought. "What have I got myself into this time?"

Even after the fact he realized that their was a security cam looking right at him and with a flash photographed him.

"Authorities have been alerted. This is your last chance to repent and accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior our enforcers have been authorized to use deadly force. Divine Intervention is not likely." the cameras pre-recorded message played.

"We'll see about that." He replied to the thing

Only problem was what is he going to do without any weapons?

He quickly began to search for anything he could use as weapons and hoped to god he could find one.

Jackson Sawyer had just rolled into town. He had spent 5 days traveling to the city and was fresh out of rations. He quickly snatched an apple off a fruit stand and headed off to find the easiest general store to knock off. He knew he should be careful because he had heard how strict the law was around here, but he thought his abilities better than most thieves.

He briskly strolled down the street, always keeping an eye out for trouble. As he rounded the steet corner he saw a burly chap walking out of a bar. He noticed the name to be the "Diving Bell" which was packed on this paricular night. The man was going in the same direction as Jackson, and was walking at an equally brisk pace.

Jackson followed the man for a block or so until he stopped and walked toward a building surrounded by red tape.

"Now thats odd. Bet he has no buisness in there" thought Jackson.

He decided to follow the man to see what he was up to. The man walked though the door and promptly shut the door. Jackson knew better than to just follow the man through the door so he jumped on a drainage pipe and climbed up to the second story. The window was open and he slid inside with ninja like agility. But no sooner had he stood up then the window closed and a bright flash battered his eyes.

A voice rang in his ears and the only thing he could make out was, "Authorities have been alerted. This is your last chance to repent and accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior our enforcers have been authorized to use deadly force. Divine Intervention is not likely"

Jackson bolted toward the window only to find that indeed it had been locked. He was in a panic until he remembered an old saying, "if one wanted to survive, he must first be calm and plan". If he could find that chap downstairs then maybe they could get out alive, or atleast put up a last stand. But as always Jacksons distrust for people told him to tread lightly and keep his blades close. Jackson calmly left the room in the hopes that the man downstairs would be more than willing to help.

Sheridan was in survival mode. His senses were peaked to the most acute they could be as he tried desperately for a weapon. A large piece of wood, 2X4, or hell even one of those long cathedral style candle sticks.

Making his way through the thrift his mind began to wonder. Why the hell was this house restricted? As his thoughts ran he heard something. Something not in the set of the norm. A bump then a creak of a board in the roof above. He knew what was going to happen and he quickly flipped over an aging chair and ripped one of the solid metal rods of the frame work of the seat bottom out to make himself a crude police baton style rod.

"Alright mother fucker bring your ass down here I will help you get closer to god." he thought to himself.

Whatever was coming down those stairs he wasn't gonna let leave the house alive. It rounded the corner of the stairs and he swung the bar making contact to the sternum of knocking him flat on the last couple of stairs. Sheridan pulled the bar back and raised it for the kill.

"Eat this!" He yelled.

Jackson slowly made his way down the hall. The house's old floor boards creeks and popped under his wieght. He descended the stairs and was suddenly knocked square on his ass. He hit the floor and saw a looming figure about to deal the death blow with a chair.

Jackson instictivly swung his leg and knock the man off balance, giving him just enough time to jump to his feet and pull his sword. Jackson realized that the man who had just attacked him was the same who he had followed.

"Im here to help you, Im friendly!!!" Yelled Jackson.

But the man just got up and swung the chair, and Jackson barely avioded it by rolling backwards. He would need to dis-arm the man before he could talk to him.
On the next swing he ducked under the chair and bear-hugged the man, but he was physically stronger than Jackson and easily lifted him up and reversed suplexed him into the ground. Pain racked his body, but he knew he needed to get back up before his life was ended. As the man stood back up Jackson threw his strength into one powerful push with his legs on the wall. He slid inbetween the mans legs and twisted the mans legs in an ancient takedown technique. The man fell, and Jackson quickly pounced onto him in a way that completely put him at his mercy.

"Listen to me!! I am your friend, i was trapped in here too! WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER!!" Jackson yelled at the top of his lungs.

The man looked puzzled and opened his mouth to talk..........

"Whether you are friendly or not lad get off me your blades hilt is crushing the goods and I got a lover back home so I really need those!" He yelled.

Sheridan's words were recognized and he got of off him. At that moment he heard a siren and then a voice from the outside.

"This is the holy authority of The Holy City of the Lord Jesus Christ the two of you will drop any weapons you have and exit the building immediately or we will be forced to employ the use of deadly force! Do not attempt to resist!" The yelled through a large megaphone.

Sheridan turned to the man who he had moments before tried to kill and now offered a plan of survival to.

"Look they are gonna be packing some serious heat lad and if you wish to survive we had better find some weapons" Sheridan said. "What do you think lad we don't have much time." He stated an waited for a reply from the man.

Note: For future reference, delicate technology like motion sensors, auto-locks, even electric megaphones and especially security cameras were all destroyed during the nuclear war, or the techniques for making them were long lost. Also, stable power grids are incredibly hard to find, especially in cities like The Holy City of Big JC. Think of this city as a throwback to ye olde Spain.

The roaring of engines outside attracts both of your attention. A peek through a hole in a boarded-up window reveals a trio of beaten-up old pick-up trucks with wooden slat-walls (like the kinds used for transporting animals) parked outside. A man in priestly robes stands atop the cab of the largest truck, holding a conical plastic object to his mouth to amplify his voice. A shotgun is slung over his shoulder.

"Here ye, sinners! Thou who dare passeth into this area under the restriction of the Sanctus Auctorita will repent in the eyes of Our Lord or face consequences most dire! You have but one chance to surrender thyself to the custody of the Church and walk free in the eyes of Our Lord!" He motions to an attendant, a man in an impractical, yet official looking uniform in the style of the Spanish Inquisition.

Gathered around the trucks was somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 armed militiamen in the livery of the Sanctus Auctorita and the Roman Catholic Church, armed with a variety of weapons, such as battered bolt-action rifles, shotguns, longbows, poleaxes, blades, clubs, axes, et cetera. A crowd of curious citizens gathered behind the soldiers, stretched along the streets. A few friars stood in the open area around the house's perimeter, heads bowed in prayer.

The house is laid out as follows. It's a two-story house with roof access (flat roof). The rooms are all open, but the walls and doors are covered with various talismans, crosses, and holy symbols warding off evil. Random detritus and signs of living are evident throughout the building. One of the rooms contains a pentagram on the floor surrounded by melted candles; this room appears to have been wrecked. There is a front door entrance, numerous windows, and the back door opens up into a small, fenced in garden about 15 feet by 40 feet in diameter.

Post deleted, if there were machine guns on the trucks, I would have described them there in the truck description. Same with the guns. If there was one there, I would have described it.

Logic: Why would the church (who have obviously inferior weapons) leave something like that in there, especially if they've been in there already?

Second, rare tech like that doesn't just lay around. Must I spell everything out?

Sheridan seeing the Gathered militiamen around the trucks, about 50 of them, turned to his newly gained ally.

"Well looks like were fucked but I got one idea." Sheridan said

The new man gave him a puzzled look.

"Well you got anything better to add?" He questioned

He shook his head.

"Look I say that one of us goes upstairs and wait to strike out at them while the other lures them up. Since you seem to be mister ninja you go hide upstairs in a secluded spot I can stay down here and lead them up."

The stranger exhaled deeply and nodded.

"So good lu-" He was stopped.

"We shall send a small team of our paladins and you shall repent before Christ! If you resist we have the authority of god to destroy your tainted existence!" The priest yelled.

"Well looks like that's my his personal prayer cue." He said.

Sheridan sat quietly with the metal rod in hand. Sheridan was a man who never showed his pain and fear but now he shook and feared desperately for his life. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the Polaroid of Him and Sarah just after they became involved with each other.

"Forgive me Sarah." He muttered and silently found himself holding the Polaroid close and praying silently his own personal prayer. "Dear god help me to fight and live and if any of those bastards prays to you lord, please just don't answer their prayer. Amen"

At that moment he heard the door open and saw the militia coming at him. He bolted up the stairs and he gripped his club tight. He lead the men into the clutches of the stranger one by one. Baiting them silently. The first man of the hit squad passed then the second and the third. Suddenly and silently up from his secluded spot the stranger pulled one of his blades and struck the third man ,who was armed with a hatchet, and crushed his temple. Silently he put him down the other two, one armed with an old bolt action rifle and the other with a pole arm cornered Sheridan.

"Hear ye sinner repent and you shall be spared if not you will be killed." He said not noticing the other man sneaking up from behind them.

"What is the choice you pick sin-AGHHH" He choked as the stranger blade dug through his throat.

The other shocked at this Revelation noticed he was alone and with that opening Sheridan crushed the mans skull with the metal chair frame cylinder and his corpse fell limp to the ground.

"Well that was nice" He said to the stranger.

Sheridan picked up the old bolt action and found a slit in the window and aimed for the fanatic yelling man setting in his super focused vision.

"One shot, One kill" Sheridan muttered.

"Hail our power and obey the word of g-" The fanatics head erupted in a burst of gore and a audible gasp was heard from the crowd.

"Well what are we waiting for lad lets get moving." He said with a sense of satisfaction.

Jackson noted how well the stranger performed in combat. He also noted how the man recited the old snipers saying of "One shot one kill". Jackson respected him and became wary of him in an instant. The recent deaths had given a brief repreive and Jackson knew from experience that one must make use of the veiw breaks in battle.

Jackson recalled the building having a flat roof. He knew that there must have been a door to get on the roof for maintenance purposes. If they got to the roof then maybe there would be a way down, or atleast the position would be more defendable.

Jackson said, "We need to move to the roof. There might be a way off of this infernal building. If not then it will atleast be more defendable then here."

The man nodded began to move upstairs. Jackson took the rear and followed him up the stairs and through the halls. They both searched for some sort of attic do or maybe stairs to the roof. It was dark and the stranger reached for his light, but Jackson quickly stopped him and shook his head.

"Any light will give away our position. We must remain like ghost if we wish to refrain from anymore excitement." whispered Jackson.

The stranger nodded in agreement and quickly put the light away. Suddenly they came across a set of stairs that lead up into a door. Both men realized that this must be the way onto the roof and quickly moved up to the door. The turned the knob and to both their dismays it was locked. Jackson reached into his pocket and quickly retrieved a single bobby pin. It was his last, he had be saving it for a time just like this. The stranger slid out the way and Jackson went to work, but suddenly the heard a boom.

From below came a yell,"Jesus will not forgive you of the death of his paladins. Now you must pay in blood!"

Jackson looked at the stranger and said,"Can you keep them off my back while I work this. It may take awhile."

The man looked puzzled.....

"Oh well why do you get to have all the fun." Sheridan thought.

Sheridan looked to the door which he thought was the source of the noise. He ran down the stairs rifle drawn and loaded when a glint of something caught his eye. In the doorway their was a large man in full plate armor made of shined scrap metal and old parts. He was armed with an AK47 which he was now aiming at him. He rolled around the corner and raised his rifle to his eye and fired off a round hitting and killing the would be knight and snatching his rifle and clips then shouldering it and pocketing the mags only for 5 more to appear all wielding full automatic weapons.

"Fuck!" He thought as the bullets whizzed by his head and bounced off the wall and he knew he would not live long if he stayed their behind the wall.

Sheridan couldn't give any ground to any one. Especially not with the stranger unguarded upstairs. He began to flee up the stairs and fired off warning shots down the staircase. He saw he was just in time to see the stranger open the door and motioned with a flailing arm and they both sprinted up the ladder in a flash.

He heard the clunking of the metal plates coming upstairs to the roof and they had reached the ledge. Their was no where left to run. Just as he thought all hope was lost he noticed the trucks were still out front...and still running. A huge smile appeared on Sheridan's face and he turned to the stranger.

"Jump now! Get on that truck!" he yelled pointing to the lead truck and then yanked at the strangers collar.

"NOW!" He yelled "GRIMSEY NO FEAR!" He yelled as he hurled himself and forcefully yanked the stranger to over the edge and landed solidly on the ground rolling as did his ally.

Sheridan pointed to the truck.

"You drive lad I'll shoot." He said.

The stranger nodded and plopped into the drivers seat.

"YIPPIE CAIYAE MOTHERFUCKERS!" Sheridan yelled as the stranger floored the gas and squeezed off a few rounds at the militia men routing from the house.

Jackson had never driven a truck before. He Put put the truck into what he thought was the right gear and stepped on the gas. The truck rolled backwards as Jackson steered back until he could turn onto the street. He breaked and put the truck into what he hoped was drive just in time to have the paladins come out the front door and begin to fire their weapons. The stranger returned fire while Jackson hit the gas hard. Unfortunately one of the paladins was smart and shot 3 rounds into the engine. The truck cruised at 10mph but was now smoking black smoke. The engine began to clunk and backfire with increasing frequency.

Jackson yelled back,"This rig aint gonna carry us more than a mile!"

They continued until the engine finally seized up and the truck ground to a halt. Jackson hopped out of the truck and began to run.

"Better get a move on. Those ole boys will be here soon and i dont want to be around when the do! Hope you like a good run." Yelled Jackson.

The stranger mumbled something, shook his head and jumped out as well. Jackson and the stranger continued for 10 minutes through alleyways and back streets. All the while they could he shouts and voices of the cities security being put on alert. Jackson stopped and waved the man to do the same. His extra sensitive hearing allowed him to hear the conversation between two guards.

"They got into what house?", guard 1.

"None of your buisness, just keep an eye out for the intruders. You are authorized to shoot on site.", guard 2.

"Yes sir!", guard 1.

Questions raced through JAckson's mind. What was that house? But his thoughts were interupted by a sound he had come to fear.

"I hear dogs, fuckin dogs! We need to get out of here!", whisperd Jackson.

They bolted down a separate alley until the saw a ladder that went to the roof. As the were about to mount the ladder a dog and it's handler peeled around the corner. Jackson instictively took out his combat knife and the stranger lifted his rifle. The dog growled and foamed at the mouth in anticipation of it's next victums. The handler took out a baseball bat and reached into his vest to retreive a flare. Jackson suddenly realized that he was going to release the dog and use the flare to mark their position so that the paladins could make their way to them.

Jackson whispered, "Don't shoot! That will only serve to give us away. I will go for the dog, and you go for the handler. Make sure you knock the flare out his hand, I dont feel like having to face those brutish paladins again."

The stranger looked at Jackson in a way that showed just how dis-pleased he was.

Jackson retorted, "Cause you're stronger then me, and because i know how to kill the dog in a single strike. Then i can help you, but just go..... NOW!!!"

Both men moved with lightning speed. Jackson was on the dog in a second and grabbed its muzzle with one hand and shoved it's head down. Then Jackson shoved his knife deep into the animals spine, paralyzing it instantly. He removed his knife and looked over just in time to find the stranger fending off the handler with a peice of wood. Jackson quickly jumped at the handler with all his wieght. Unfortunately the handler saw him coming and swung the bat down and smashed Jackson square in the back.

Jackson hit the ground hard and riled in pain. He saw the handler come in for the death kill when the stranger suddenly tackled him to the ground. Both men were of equal strength and struggle for control. Jackson staggered upward in a daze. He knew he had to act quickly, so he grabbed the handler's bat and began to unleash on the mans face. The stranger saw about to happen so he quickly release him and rolled out the way. After 3 wacks the man's canium was completely pulvurized. The stranger got back up and both men moved up the ladder to what they hoped was a safe place....

Sheridan pulled himself up and over the top.

"Aw fuck lad you need to stop for a second...let a man catch his breath." He gasped.

Sheridan stood up and looked over this railing which he leaned against ans saw the city now alive with guard activity. He noticed an awkward sound coming from behind them a clash of metal on metal. A gauntleted hand appeared and he raised the AK.

"Who goes their? Speak up now or I will shoot you!" He yelled.

"In the name of Christ you will stop this madness! You-"

Blam! the mans chest exploded into a bloody mess. He noticed that the body bounced off of many other men as it fell and the grunts of men hit by it. He immediately rushed to the side of the building firing down spraying bullets everywhere hoping to hit anyone and with it ammo depleted he threw the AK47 at them and hit one knocking him over for a short amount of time.

"Lad come with me now my lass is waiting at a motel and I have a vehicle and a means of escape. Im heading to to New New Orleans thats as far as I can take you." He said

The stranger nodded.

"Let's go mate." He said.

They made their way across town hiding in shadows and sneaking around more of those paladins and reached the motel. Sheridan rushed in the door much to Sharah's surprise because she grabbed her .32 Special on the night stand and dropped the book she had been reading. Noticing that it was Sheridan she ran to embrace him thankful he had come back to her again.

"Who is he?" She asked.

"Well you see I got into some trouble." He said admitting embarrassed.

"Again?" She said ruefully.

"Again lass. Please forgive me for being such a eijet but we need to get out of town so get your things and get ready to leave." he said "By the way I never got your name mate. Im Don Sheridan, yours? He said warmly his Scottish accent flourishing holding out his hand for the stranger to shake.

Sheridan's greeting was cut short when the windows exploded into glittering shards of crude glass, followed by a muffled whump noise. Immediately, a gaseous agent dispersed throughout the room, sending the three of you into fits of coughing. Your vision blurs, you can feel your stomach and lungs cramping up.

The last thing you can remember before you black out is the sound of the door being kicked off its hinges, the sound of mailed feet pounding on creaky wooden-and-pueblo flooring, and a richly robed man in a gas mask.


Sheridan and Jackson slowly come to. The stench is the first thing you notice, quickly followed by the intense cramping in your stomachs and the aching in your arms and upper back.

You're sitting on opposite sides of a (presumably) underground jail cell, each roughly hogtied to an iron ring set in the wall by a rough rope around your wrists, naked except for your shorts. There are bruises all over your abdomens, presumably from being kicked. Your eyes are bleary and you feel at least a day's worth of dehydration pounding inside your skulls. There is nausea as well, but you couldn't throw up if you tried.

[OOC: PREPARE FOR SOME GOOGLE TRANSLATED SPANISH! FUCK YEAH!]

A rough male voice in fluent Spanish, "Señor Inquisidor, que se despierta!!" A jangling of keys, the click of the cell door lock, the heavy iron cell door sliding through its gritty track.

"Bueno, usted puede regresar a sus puestos." "Ci, señor."

The man standing over you is richly attired in a tunic of gold and red over a pair of fine slacks tucked into leather calf boots that look as if they've seen years of use. He wears a cutlass belted to his waist, balanced on the other side with a heavy leather bullwhip. He wears a heavy gold rosary around his neck, and has a S&W 500 magnum in a shoulder holster. He himself appears to be in his 50's, running thin, silver hair pulled back at the nape of his neck and a finely trimmed silver goatee. His skin is sun-darkened and slightly leathery, and he exudes an aura of toughness and control. He chuckles, and then speaks in English, with a heavy Central American accent,

"I must say, taking you two was a lot easier than the guards you needlessly murdered made it out to be. 'No one expects the Spanish Inquisition,' as the old saying goes... So, now that I have you two filthy devils awake and compliant, what in the name of all that is holy possessed you so to raid a house marked to be burned?"

He glances about impassively, gauging your reactions, before continuing, "The signs were simple enough, the house was to be purified by fire because it had been inhabited by a coven of witches." He paused again.

"Unless of course, you are accomplices of these witches. Which would explain your female friend." The Inquisitor retrieves a small piece of paper from a pocket in his tunic. The polaroid of Sheridan and Sarah. He fingers it absentmindedly, passing it between his hands, as if considering something, before tearing it in half, then quarters with swift motions.

"You know, it's incredibly useful to know a loyal chemist. I doubt many people these days can lay claim to supplies of such useful drugs as Fentanyl. It makes the heretics so much more... compliant. A little diarrhea doesn't hurt, either. But I digress. Give me one good reason why I should let either of you mass murderers of the city clergy and watch, as well as suspected heretics, live?"

"You see I really wanted to know what was inside and being the curious chap I am I entered and was going for a look see. And as for your men well I don't like people who try to kill me thats not good." Sheridan replied.

The man smiled then drew hit cutlass and delivered a devastating crushing blow to the soft part of his stomach were a large bruise had formed with the hilt of the cutlass.

"Ah so is that how you want it you slimy little fuck! If you had any balls at all you would let this man go and free my lover. I started this untie me now and lets settle this no guns, knives, or tricks just me and you one on one!" He yelled.

The clergy man smiled. He then muttered something in Spanish under his breath and took up Sheridan's foot while drawing his cutlass and proceeded to stab it through the middle of the bottom of his foot little by little pushing it through to the hilt. He laughed and continued to hit the soft spot of Sheridan's stomach where the bruise developed that he had assaulted just minutes before repeatedly. The clergy man struck over and over seemingly without any mercy. It would seem more satanically than godly that he continued his brutal attack not looking to stop any time soon.

"AH FOR CHRIST JESUS'S SAKE HAVE A LITTLE FUCKING COMPASSION!" Sheridan screamed

The man across the room from him witnessing of these events was stunned judging by his look. Sheridan could tell he was trying hard to concentrate on something ,building up energy, by the looks of it. Although before Sheridan could come to terms on what was going on without missing a beat the man grunted and his muscles seemed to look as if they were going to burst from his body and looking as if he was exerting all his energy on one move hoisting himself upside down, feet on the wall, pulling the rope on its hook and waited for the clergy man to react. He did. Pulling backwards on the sword he ripped it from Sheridan's flesh making him release a bearish roar and which caused him to begin fading in and out of consciousness from the pain. As he woke the first time he saw the clergy man swinging at wildly at the monkey like man who was bouncing in a upside down stratling position. He then faded out only to see when he came to the stranger jump slightly and the clergy man cut the rope from the wall and drop into tuck-n-roll gracefully landing onto the floor as the clergyman watched with awe. He again faded. Next when he came to the stranger ,hands still bound, delivered a two fisted smash to the side of the clergy mans head causing him to drop the cutlass and fall flat on his ass. He was yelling and cursing loudly while he was fumbling for his magnum. He looked across the cell to Sheridan

"Lad for Christ sake kill this man!" Sheridan yelled using what energy he had left.

The stranger nodded and grasped the hilt of the blade that the clergy man had dropped and gave a Sheridan a "this won't take long look"


He tugged and began to turn up the blade to his bonds although he already looked exhausted from his maneuvers and the clergy man had nearly fumbled all the bullets into his magnum and was starting to get up.

"Fuck lad do something and do it fast." He thought.

He was cutting through the last of his rope when a shot thundered past him. Sheridan was narrowly avoided being hit by inches. The clergy man had obviously not had much training with the gun because the second shot was wide as the first. The stranger broke free his cuffs and began a charge at the man who shot again this time disarming him if the cutlass.

"Fuck thats it.." Sheridan thought.

But the stranger was fast using the adrenaline obviously pumping in him reached the clergy man engaging him ripping the magnum from his hand and throwing it across the cell. He shoved the man back and got his body into a fighting stance which seemed exotic ready for a fight. It would have to be enough seeing as the cage was locked from the inside by the clergy man as the guards slammed their fists into the cage cheering for their father.

"it's all or nothing now" Sheridan thought as he drifted into a deep unconsciousness.

Jacksons muscles burned from the display of marshal-arts he had unleashed. The holy man stared at him with utter blood lust. His robes now tattered and dirty from the previous struggle. Jackson starred back with a coolness that came with many hours of practice and meditation. He studied his opponents every move, studying him for weekness.

The man was obviously strong than Jackson, and also less worn out then him. The ancient technique for breaking the bonds was powerful indeed but left the user with little energy. Jackson would have to bait the man into attacking first and with recklessness, this would allow him to kill him with a swift blow.

"No quiero bitches!! Come, attack so we may see who is indeed closest to God. Let him decide the victor" uttered Jackson in an attempt destablize the mans logic.

It apparently worked because the man yelled and charged full speed toward Jackson. Jackson reacted with speed born of the mythic cheeta. He dropped to his knees, Leaned back, and let the man run over him in blind anger. As his crotch came into view Jackson reached up, grabbed the man's "family jewels", twisted his arm, and jump back up to his feet. He then pulled with all his might, and the man's "precious package" torn from his body.

The man dropped in in total silence as his brain tried to process the massive amounts of pain and shock he was going through. This gave Jackson Just enough time to deliver a quick, percise jab to the man's upper spine. It broke with a sickening crunch, and all movement stopped. Jackson quickly found the key on the man's paralyzed body, and he rushed over to his companion to release him. He look with much appeciation, and then went to speek....

Being unhooked from the wall and the bonds on his hands being untied he tried putting some weight on his foot. Sheridan barely placed the appendage on the floor a horrible pain shot up his leg and he collapsed to the floor. The man next to him helped him back up.

"Sorry mate your going to have to hold me up. We have to find my lover I can't let anything happen to her." He wisped "We need to find our belongings to" He added

The two walking towards the door

"By the way why did all the guards leave?" Sheridan asked

The other man points to the clergy man on the floor.

"You killed him thats all it took?" He replied.

The stranger shook his head and this time pointed to a specific object next to the motionless body of the clergy man.

"DEAR GOD LAD!...I mean you had to kill him but...you don't just rip a guys dick off thats just not cricket." He said.

The stranger shrugged.

"Either way we need to get out of here" He stated.

With a supporting arm around the mans shoulder the duo left the cell. Leaving every thing in their behind. Keys, shackles, and dismembered "parts" all.

Sheridans mind raced.

"God my foot. Why me why now?" He thought.

Looking around he hopes for an exit to present itself. The two men continue down the hall and come across a large marble doorway with a large padlock and crossbar which was rotting and raised over 7 feet tall with a sign that says in bold letters "EXIT TO CITY ATRIUM".

"Got any ideas" Sheridans whispers

The other was about to speak when Sheridan hears a sound which he knew all to well. A low rumbling noise which came rhythmically, grumbling. Somewhere nearby a guard was sleeping and snoring loudly.

"Lets go." He says.

Going down the hall staying low and sticking to shadowed corners they come to a fork.

"Left or right?" Sheridan asks.

The stranger pointed left and so they went. About 20 feet down the hall they hear the clunk and clink of armored. The paladins were looking for them.

"Hold up" Sheridan whisped.

Sheridan put himself on his stomach and peered around the bottom of the corner. He saw the column of paladins and drew back.

"Shadows find them and get down." he says

In the corner is a small inlet for sewage which the two lay down in , the stench of human waste was pouring over them and made them want to vomit but couldn't let it happen lest they give themselves away. The two hold in long enough for the Paladins to pass and they leave the horrible smelling place.

"That was close" Sheridan thought.

The duo took a right at the end of the tunnel and became lost in the twisting paths of the corridors they wandered until they found a row of cells which they begin to search.

After the search of the cells where they found nothing of use or interest they come across the last and smallest cell with a marginally sized window in it and sitting in a chair facing them in the center of the room was a sleeping guard.

"Look" Sheridan says almost inaudibly.

A ring with a large key ,one of which looked to be in the style and make of a midevil dungeon masters, hung from it. The window which was on the other side of the room was ruled out. Breaking it would surely wake the guard and alert the others. Plus the drop was about 7 feet which normally would not phase them but due to their extremely weak condition would kill or seriously injure them.

"Got some magic for this situation lad?" Sheridan asks the stranger.

Jackson's mind raced as he went through his vast mental archive of techniques. None seemed to fit the situation or were ruled out due to his weakened state. Jackson returned his gaze to the sleeping guard, and finally came to the grizzly conclusion that the only way out was with the set of key that lie with the guard.

The keys were on his nightstand and at first glance looked simple enough to snatch, but Jackson knew it couldnt be that easy. He tip-toed forward and carfully examined the keys. He noticed a faint little trace wire eminating from the keys and leading up to a tin can. This might not have been a problem if Jackson had his tools.

Jackson looked over to Sheridan and said, "The keys are tied to the can so the guard will wake-up if we move them. One of us should grab the keys while the other jumps on the guard and nuetralizes him. Seeing as you are in no shape to grapple with anyone, i will take the guard. What do you say?".

Sheridan went to speek.....

Their was no other way.

Sheridan looked around the room for something to at least knock out the guard with. He found a brick that was partially cracked down the side and he took it from the wall.

"Here you'll need this." he says and hands the brick to the stranger.

Sheridan moved to the nightstand and a began to think.

"God I fucked up big time. We have no clothes, no weapons, were on the brink of death, and Sarah...oh Sarah forgive me. What are they doing to her right now? Is she dead or alive? Plus I successfully landed a complete stranger in this hell hole." He thought.

Sheridans mind drifted to Sarah. He thought about her warm features and her smile when Jackson tapped almost on the verge of punching him on the shoulder. He pointed to the keys with a lets-get-it-done-with look. Sheridan looked over and nodded to the stranger who then lifted the stone he had recently acquired and took it down on the guards head. It impacted with a sickening crack and liquid like gurgle as the mans skull cracked and a few trickles of blood began to dribble down his face.

Sheridan grabbed the can and keys and untied them from its would be alarm and turned to his friend.

"Got'em lets go." He whispered.

He and his friend began out of the room through the halls they recently roamed ducking and staying low attempting to avoid any and all contact with the guards. Sheridan limping behind was not good. He was constantly having to get the stranger to slow down and let him catch up. It was another 15 god awful minutes till they reached the door they recently were at.

"Well now the moment of truth."Sheridan says and sticks the key into the rusted and aged lock.

It made an extremely loud click that echoed down the corridors of the dungeon as the tumblers in the lock began to give way. It was such a loud sound he thought it would have surely set off someone to investigate. It didn't but he was sure it would have.

As he opened the door they were blinded by the beating sun of mid-day and wasted no time leaving the place.

Freedom sweet freedom.

"I will be back for you Sarah I promise." He says loud enough for the stranger to hear

"By the way I never got your name mate. What is it?" Sheridan says as the two exit the compound into the outskirts of the city.