The Boomerang Patient

"What are you ten?" Elliot asked, and acted rather above all. However as he did some kind of forced from behind the swordsman pushed him in. Of course whatever it was, was gone when Rene turned around, and Elliot stepped in after him with an innocent shrug.

The swordsman let out a quiet yelp of surprise as he was shoved in, but retaliated with little more than a dirty look as the doors loudly shut behind them. The doorway had led into another hall, and standing there to meet them were three people. In the middle was an average-sized woman of clearly South-Asian descent with dyed dirty blonde hair kept in a bun, a mischievous glint in her eye and a digital tablet in hand. She was dressed in a single-breasted red jacket, the star-spangled coffin emblem of D.E.A.D patched on her chest and each of her shoulders. While at her flanks stood two guards in sleek black and red combat rigs.

Before either of the two could even react the woman quickly approached, expression neutral but eyes glimmering with curiosity "Oh wow I'm not sure which of you looks weirder, the doomsday prepper or the super sentai guy." Eliciting a 'harumph' from Elliot's Jedi companion "Oh please don't get all huffy with me, you won't be here long anyway, gentlemen..kindly escort this one to an amnestics chamber. He's nothing interesting just another spandex, I'm only really interested in Subject 1-8-0." She ordered flatly, without hesitation the two leveled the barrels of their strange rifles at the swordsman, one of them quickly barking out "Freeze!" as Rene's hand snapped to the blade of his sword.

"Isn't it a bit late to be a prepper..." Elliot began to dryly retort far more calm about this than his companion, before she ordered the swordsman be taken to the amnestic chamber and hands went to weapons. "I think not..." Elliot said to the DEAD commander "As charming as you all are. I think I've developed a few trust issues after seeing your little arts and crafts project back back there, you're not taking him anywhere. I'm not looking for a fight, but I'm not going to risk either of us being chimerized either."

"Oh please, I'd expect you of all people to recognize an Omega's handiwork if you see it, that is if you are who you claim to be. Watchdog is a converted enemy asset, not one of ours." She replied, her dark almond-shaped eyes narrowing slightly "Besides, your friend here has seen far too much to be allowed to simply go free, unlike you we've no information on him, he could be a foreign agent." She explained succinctly, despite this she gestured for her guards to lower their guns, which they swiftly did.

"It is true that I'm not from this country madame, but I am only here because I thought my friend here was attempting to break into your building. Besides, if you try and lock me up? Things will get très désordonné." Fuck all of that, Rene wasn't getting locked in any more cells, and he'd be damned if they were going to turn him into whatever that thing back there was!

For a moment there was a poignant stretch of quiet as the commander seemed to think it over. Then, eyebrow cocked as if she was still questioning what she was about to say, she spoke "...Fair enough D'artagnan, I wouldn't want anyone to sustain unnecessary injury....But, quite frankly, we can't have some random vigilante running around with the location of one our bases unauthorized now can we?...So I suppose the only way to keep everyone happy, is to authorize." She concluded, a small, devilish smile appearing once more on her thin lips as she nodded knowingly "Yes...yes that will work, we're low on agents in this city as of late anyway, some impromptu recruits couldn't hurt...Though of course there'll be an extensive process for clearing you both...Oh! Where are my manners, I am Facility Head Nguyen, a pleasure to be sure."

"Agents? Is that a promotion then?" The wastelander smirked slightly, but shot the swordsman an apologetic look; he hadn't meant for him to beg mixed up in all this. Elliot was willing to work for DEAD, but he wondered if the hero realized he didn't have a choice in the matter anymore. Since he was going to have to eventually remove his gas mask Elliot went ahead and did so; revealing a face so average it was actually a bit uncanny valley. It was as if something not of this world had been told to design an average human face, they had followed every technical specification but somehow it still seemed more like a mask than a face. Normally one would assume something like this to be the work of an Omega, but Nguyen had seen the files on him; she knew this was the work of an entirely different hand, one even less human.

Wait, what? Rene was confused, weren't they just going to lock him away? Now he was getting offered a job? Well, it wasn't really an offer, was it? If he tried to refuse, he might not make it out alive. That was no hunch either, he could see it, in Nguyen's eyes. That deadly 'I dare you' glint in her eyes was directed right at him and he knew it. He was good, better than good he was great. As far as he was concerned he could probably kill everyone in this hallway and he knew it, but did he really want to test his chances in a facility that was probably bursting with security?

For a moment a certain unease filled that quiet sterile hall as the two stared each other down, almost sizing each other up. It was a struggle of wills, of calling the other's bluff, ground being given and taken with each tiny shift of expression and posture. Yet eventually, finally, Rene decided to concede. Muttering another curse beneath his breath, he allowed his hand to fall from the hilt of his sword and grumbled a 'Fine, but don't expect this to last."

"So are you two just going to stand there or are we going to get this process started?" Elliot was clearly unconcerned with posturing or reputation when compared to the other two, he was a man concerned with action and solutions. He didn't bother joining in the staring contest; it seemed rather childish and trivial no matter how deadly its participants were. He was here to do what was necessary, not for posterity. "Speaking of which I brought back a drone of yours I found in the wasteland, It's locked under a sheet of steel in the bed of my truck in the parking lot; assuming it hasn't been impounded by now..."

"Excellent, I'll send a staffer to bring it in, or find the vehicle if it's beein impounded." She replied with a bright smile and with a turn began walking away "Follow me now, if we're going to get you authorized as agents it's going to take tons of everyone's favorite thing Paperwoooooork!"

"Yay..." Elliot said in a dry tone, and followed the woman "I suppose I wouldn't get an answer if I asked what about my file caused that excitement of yours earlier?" Subjects didn't get to know what was in their file, and he doubted that would change any time soon. The tone in his voice made it clear he wasn't expecting to learn anything about his origins, but figured there was no harm in asking.

"You would be correct... and speaking of files we'll have to set up one for your little friend now won't we? Oh that'll be just wonderful, don't worry it'll only take several hours!" She exclaimed with a laugh full of fabricated joy as the group passed through another set of metallic doors and onto what appeared to be a shuttle. "Now, I don't want either of you to feel anxious or apprehensive about what's going to come next. It'll all be perfectly fine y'know? After all, you'll both be D.E.A.Dmen soon!"

(The End)
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