Theophany

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...Hungry...

...Kill...

...Feed...

...Be strong...

...Must breed...

...Protect self...

...Hunt or die...

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"You can put the gun down. I'm not the enemy." Reaper spoke casually, trying to pacify the girl. He didn't want to end up hurting her.

"Sneaking around camp just seems so friendly, huh. Who the hell are you?" Her eyes narrowed, the pistol still held unwavering. Of course it wasn't going to be that easy.

Slowly, he took a step closer to her, gloved hands held in mock surrender. "They call me Reaper. I'm from up north of here. There are people who survived there, just like you and me. A whole city of people. No deformities. Lots of food. There are whole families living there. Even an academy for the kids."

Her eyes lit up against her will as soon as he said the part about the survivors. Gotcha. He had found her bargaining point. Everyone had one, you just had to find it and know how to use it.

Reaper continued, "Its even protected by a military presence, with tech from the old wars. A political system similar to the ancient democracies. Basically, what I'm trying to say... is that there's a civilization up there."

She didn't even realize how close he started moving towards her. He could easily knock that gun away now.

She frowned, re-aiming it straight for his head, "I hate people."

"That's a lie," He said, looking straight at her eyes, making her waver again, blinking. This was the opportunity he was waiting for. He simultaneously side-stepped while knocking the gun the other way with brute force. The amount of resistance in her arms showed how strong she was despite her size, but he was trained specifically for close-quarters combat.

"Ugh!" The gun flew a foot away from the still blacked-out guards, but she recovered quickly, trying to drive her elbow down to his privates while dodging his hold in no time.

He instinctively jumped back, taken by surprise. This girl didn't hold anything back. Already she was giving him no time to think as a punch was coming at him with all of her weight behind it. "Whoa, easy there." He dodged, but was unable to counter. She fought like a wild animal, which was good and bad. You could overpower power someone like that, surprising them and driving them back, but it was incredibly reckless against someone like him. Her other fist was swinging for his face again, which he caught this time. He held her by the wrist and twisted downwards quickly, making her inhale sharply in pain, kneeling in front of him.

"I kinda like you in this position." He looked down at her, trying to decide if he should let go or not, "I'm not trying to fight you. In fact, I'm here to see if you'd all like to join me."

She finally stopped struggling, so he let her go. They had wandered away from the west gate and his radar showed four others meandering their way towards them. He'd need to get her on his side before more people can come and complicate things.

"All you need to do is join the main military force, and you can live in the city. Have a better life. No... Start a life." He was watching her face for anything, but all he could see was the scowl she was giving him, while rubbing her wrist as she stood up.

Unfortunately, the little radar dots arrived, two of them trailing behind, carrying a full sized dead spitter between them. The one in front, carrying a shotgun was a hulk of a man, no doubt the boss. Right beside him was the snakelike man he had seen in the abandoned highway. So much more unsettling in person. His tongue even darted in and out to lick his lips.

Of course, upon seeing him, all guns were drawn in a heart beat. He now had a couple rifles from the spitter carriers and a laser pistol from snake guy aimed at his face. As for the shotgun, well from ten feet, you didn't really need to aim to maim a man.

Even with his armor, Reaper knew he'd need to play this the diplomatic way instead of inciting a scuffle.

A deep bass voice rumbled from the big guy, "Rain, who is this man, and when should I shoot him?"

"Boss," the man beside him answered, "We should kill him and take his armor... He's got some good ones, I can tell ya' that."

"Hmm... I don't like you," Reaper told the man, "But I can tell you that you can have plenty of armor if you listen to me and keep me alive."

The big man's gaze never left his face, but he ignored both of them, "Rain..." It seemed like the girl had some credibility to this man at least and Reaper hoped the frown on her forehead meant that she believed what he said just moments before.

She took a deep breath, picked up her pistol, and stood behind him. Wait, this was all wrong. What was she supposed to be doing? She can't be seriously about to---

Reaper's vision blurred and his head hurt. He dropped to his knees, bewildered, "Owww.. what the hell-"

She walked in front of him, a smile curved on the edge of her mouth, "I kinda' like you in this position."

She swung her gun at his head again and he fell with a dull thud, finally blacking out.