Rifts - DMH - Juke Joint Wendy
Re: Rifts - DMH - Juke Joint Wendy
Jezebel freezes like a kid caught red‑handed with her arm still halfway in the cookie jar.
Her face goes bright with shock, then embarrassment, then that I‑swear‑I‑wasn’t‑doing‑anything look kids get when crumbs are still on their lips. She straightens, tries to act natural, and absolutely fails, “Maggie!” she says; louder, stern, the way a mom tries to sound authoritative while hiding panic. Then she lifts her chin toward the cold air, pretending nothing is wrong. “How can we help you, Sheriff?” Her voice wobbles as she tries to hide the guilt that's practically glowing off her.
Sheriff Ericson narrows his eyes, the way an adult does when they know someone is lying but hasn't decided how hard to press yet, “First of all,” he says slowly, “would you care to explain how you know what Hummer is?” His glare moves from Jezebel… to Maggie… then snaps to Dane, “What’s going on here?”
Her face goes bright with shock, then embarrassment, then that I‑swear‑I‑wasn’t‑doing‑anything look kids get when crumbs are still on their lips. She straightens, tries to act natural, and absolutely fails, “Maggie!” she says; louder, stern, the way a mom tries to sound authoritative while hiding panic. Then she lifts her chin toward the cold air, pretending nothing is wrong. “How can we help you, Sheriff?” Her voice wobbles as she tries to hide the guilt that's practically glowing off her.
Sheriff Ericson narrows his eyes, the way an adult does when they know someone is lying but hasn't decided how hard to press yet, “First of all,” he says slowly, “would you care to explain how you know what Hummer is?” His glare moves from Jezebel… to Maggie… then snaps to Dane, “What’s going on here?”
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - DMH - Juke Joint Wendy
Jazebel with slight puzzlement on her face and says " it's something u hit things with doesn't everyone know that?" Inside herself she is fighting the desire to run and what she's gotten herself into.
Re: Rifts - DMH - Juke Joint Wendy
"Hold on while I check with Hummer." Dane walks back and sticks his head in Hummer's door so Hummer doesn't have to use external speakers. "Hey there, is this the same Maggie you mentioned before." He waits momentarily for Hummer to reply. [OOC: Fit the following in or throw it out as you see fit based on Hummer's response.] "Is he safe or is this going to turn hostile and messy?"
Re: Rifts - DMH - Juke Joint Wendy
Jezebel squints, genuinely puzzled. “It’s something you hit things with. Doesn’t everyone know that?” Inside, she’s fighting the urge to bolt and questioning every life obstacle that's forced her to this moment.
“Hummer… not hammer,” the sheriff snaps, irritation sharpening each syllable.
Meanwhile, Dane lifts a finger. “Hold on. Let me check with Hummer.” He leans into the vehicle’s doorway so he doesn’t have to use the external speakers, “Hey! Is this the same Maggie you mentioned before?”
“Yes. He looks healthy,” Hummer replies in that unsettlingly calm tone only machines and sociopaths have mastered.
“Is he safe, or is this about to turn hostile and messy?”
“I would deduce that it depends on his experiences up to this moment. He looks happy.”
Dane turns... and nearly jumps. Joe is standing right behind him, nodding like he’s been there the whole time. “Uh‑huh… So these two know your computer‑machine friend?”
Maggie leans toward Jezebel, whispering, “Grumpy old man, isn’t he?”
Mindy pokes her head out the door. “Huh. I felt weird for a second, but I’m fine now!” She peers over Jezebel’s shoulder. “Joe, they’re fine. Hungry and cold. I figured you’d want to know how they got here. Apparently they escaped a slave camp.”
Joe ignores her completely, still studying Dane like he’s trying to read the fine print on a bad contract, “Full disclosure, boy. I’d appreciate your honesty if you want future jobs. But if you’re hidin’ important intel, that’s counterproductive to the town’s well‑bein’.”
He leans into Hummer’s interior, inspecting it with the suspicion of a man who’s seen too many strange things. His frown slowly melts into an impressed nod.
“Comfy…” Then he swivels back to Dane, “Well. Spit it out. Don’t lie. You’re shit at it.”
“Hummer… not hammer,” the sheriff snaps, irritation sharpening each syllable.
Meanwhile, Dane lifts a finger. “Hold on. Let me check with Hummer.” He leans into the vehicle’s doorway so he doesn’t have to use the external speakers, “Hey! Is this the same Maggie you mentioned before?”
“Yes. He looks healthy,” Hummer replies in that unsettlingly calm tone only machines and sociopaths have mastered.
“Is he safe, or is this about to turn hostile and messy?”
“I would deduce that it depends on his experiences up to this moment. He looks happy.”
Dane turns... and nearly jumps. Joe is standing right behind him, nodding like he’s been there the whole time. “Uh‑huh… So these two know your computer‑machine friend?”
Maggie leans toward Jezebel, whispering, “Grumpy old man, isn’t he?”
Mindy pokes her head out the door. “Huh. I felt weird for a second, but I’m fine now!” She peers over Jezebel’s shoulder. “Joe, they’re fine. Hungry and cold. I figured you’d want to know how they got here. Apparently they escaped a slave camp.”
Joe ignores her completely, still studying Dane like he’s trying to read the fine print on a bad contract, “Full disclosure, boy. I’d appreciate your honesty if you want future jobs. But if you’re hidin’ important intel, that’s counterproductive to the town’s well‑bein’.”
He leans into Hummer’s interior, inspecting it with the suspicion of a man who’s seen too many strange things. His frown slowly melts into an impressed nod.
“Comfy…” Then he swivels back to Dane, “Well. Spit it out. Don’t lie. You’re shit at it.”
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - DMH - Juke Joint Wendy
"Nothing to lie about," Dane says, trying not to sound defensive. "I mean, its just not my story to tell. I remembered Hummer mentioning a Maggie when he was rattling off acquaintances earlier, and I wanted to make sure we were talking about the same Maggie. If you’ve got questions about their relationship, you should probably ask Hummer directly."
'This could get interesting,' Dane thinks to himself. 'If Hummer brings up the part about Maggie being a dragon again, the Sheriff might actually lose his mind.'
'This could get interesting,' Dane thinks to himself. 'If Hummer brings up the part about Maggie being a dragon again, the Sheriff might actually lose his mind.'
Re: Rifts - DMH - Juke Joint Wendy
Jezabel just stands there as the sheriff talks blankly looking around. She responds to Maggie in a quiet voice " ya he is !! So what's the plan and hummer is a car? Jezabel is scaning for easy exits points if needed and maybe a horse if things go bad.
Re: Rifts - DMH - Juke Joint Wendy
"Nothing to lie about," Dane says, trying not to sound defensive. "I mean, its just not my story to tell. I remembered Hummer mentioning a Maggie when he was rattling off acquaintances earlier, and I wanted to make sure we were talking about the same Maggie. If you’ve got questions about their relationship, you should probably ask Hummer directly."
Joe winces, a slow, uneasy tightening of his jaw. “Oh… well, maybe I might.” He nudges Dane aside, already bracing himself for whatever answer he thinks he wants.
oO(This could get interesting)Oo Dane thinks to himself. oO(If Hummer brings up the part about Maggie being a dragon again, the Sheriff might actually lose his mind)Oo
Jezebel watches the sheriff from the corner of her eye, careful to keep the blind charade going, observing the way he squares his shoulders, the way he prepares his questions like a man about to interrogate a ghost. She leans toward Maggie and whispers, “Yeah, he is. So what’s the plan? Hummer is a car?” Her gaze flicks to the Humvee, noting every escape route, every patch of cover. Just in case.
Joe leans into the Humvee and shouts, as if Hummer were deaf instead of omnipresent. “How do you know the kid?”
Hummer’s voice rolls out of the door speakers, calm and resonant. “Hello, Sheriff. Since Dane trusts you to retain this information, I can provide you with classified intelligence under the premise that I am responsible should you abuse the knowledge.”
There is a pause, as though Hummer is selecting from pertinent vs unnecessary data. Then he begins, “Let me begin. A while back, Magdalen and I traveled with a man named Drake to protect and locate historical artifacts. One of them is around Magdalen’s neck. He is a very smart and well‑behaved young boy.”
Joe straightens, frowning. He turns toward Maggie. “What artifact?”
Maggie’s expression tightens. “I’m not supposed to show it to just anyone. I don’t know you. I promised…” He steps forward, eyes drifting over Hummer’s newly restored frame, remembering the last time he saw him broken by Eraser.
Jezebel moves with him, accidentally bumping Dane. “Oh, ’scuse me!”
The contact is small, innocent and seemingly forgettable. But for Dane, the world detonates as warmth floods through him, then sharp and terrifying clarity. His mind expands, corridors of thought unfolding like illuminated tunnels. He feels machines. He hears them. Instruction sets become threads he can pluck, twist, sever. Reality bends at the edges, shimmering like the Smith Falls network he once dove through… except now he’s not diving. He’s becoming.
Joe notices immediately. “Dane… you okay, boy? You aren’t having a stroke, are you?”
Dane collapses like a marionette with its strings cut. And then, seconds later, he wakes.
OOC: I'll send what happened via FB messenger...
Joe winces, a slow, uneasy tightening of his jaw. “Oh… well, maybe I might.” He nudges Dane aside, already bracing himself for whatever answer he thinks he wants.
oO(This could get interesting)Oo Dane thinks to himself. oO(If Hummer brings up the part about Maggie being a dragon again, the Sheriff might actually lose his mind)Oo
Jezebel watches the sheriff from the corner of her eye, careful to keep the blind charade going, observing the way he squares his shoulders, the way he prepares his questions like a man about to interrogate a ghost. She leans toward Maggie and whispers, “Yeah, he is. So what’s the plan? Hummer is a car?” Her gaze flicks to the Humvee, noting every escape route, every patch of cover. Just in case.
Joe leans into the Humvee and shouts, as if Hummer were deaf instead of omnipresent. “How do you know the kid?”
Hummer’s voice rolls out of the door speakers, calm and resonant. “Hello, Sheriff. Since Dane trusts you to retain this information, I can provide you with classified intelligence under the premise that I am responsible should you abuse the knowledge.”
There is a pause, as though Hummer is selecting from pertinent vs unnecessary data. Then he begins, “Let me begin. A while back, Magdalen and I traveled with a man named Drake to protect and locate historical artifacts. One of them is around Magdalen’s neck. He is a very smart and well‑behaved young boy.”
Joe straightens, frowning. He turns toward Maggie. “What artifact?”
Maggie’s expression tightens. “I’m not supposed to show it to just anyone. I don’t know you. I promised…” He steps forward, eyes drifting over Hummer’s newly restored frame, remembering the last time he saw him broken by Eraser.
Jezebel moves with him, accidentally bumping Dane. “Oh, ’scuse me!”
The contact is small, innocent and seemingly forgettable. But for Dane, the world detonates as warmth floods through him, then sharp and terrifying clarity. His mind expands, corridors of thought unfolding like illuminated tunnels. He feels machines. He hears them. Instruction sets become threads he can pluck, twist, sever. Reality bends at the edges, shimmering like the Smith Falls network he once dove through… except now he’s not diving. He’s becoming.
Joe notices immediately. “Dane… you okay, boy? You aren’t having a stroke, are you?”
Dane collapses like a marionette with its strings cut. And then, seconds later, he wakes.
OOC: I'll send what happened via FB messenger...
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7
Re: Rifts - DMH - Juke Joint Wendy
Dane blinks a couple of times trying to clear the fuzziness out of his mind. He looks up form the ground and sees everyone looking at him. "I.." he clears his throat and tries again. "I'm fine, I think." He does a quick mental checklist...arms, legs, head, ... all good. He sits up and waits a second for the brief bout of nausea to pass before standing all the way up. "Yeah, I'm good. Don't know what happened." Or he does, but he knows better than to say anything. Suddenly he feels like the things he was able to do with computers and electronics were just the beginning of something...that now he knows how to do even more.
Re: Rifts - DMH - Juke Joint Wendy
Jezabel continues to follow Maggie gripping a little tighter on his shoulder. She sees Dane fall thinking o0 ohh that looks like it hurt. o0 Jezabel continues scanning and watching
Re: Rifts - DMH - Juke Joint Wendy
He blinks a couple of times, trying to clear the mental fuzz. He looks up, noticing everyone's concern, "I.." he clears his throat and tries again, "I'm fine, I think." He does a quick mental checklist...arms, legs, head, ... all good. He sits up and waits a second for a brief bout of nausea to pass before standing all the way up. "Yeah, I'm good. Don't know what happened." Or he does, but he knows better than to say anything. Suddenly he feels like the things he was able to do with technology is just the beginning of something... He knows how much he is capable of...
Jezebel follows Maggie, her hand tightening on his shoulder. She watches Dane from the corner of her eye. oO(That looked like it hurt)Oo
Joe steps forward, boots crunching on the icy dirt. “Geez, kid,” he exhales sharply. “Thought I might have to radio your father. You sure you’re good?” He grabs Dane’s chin, tilting his face toward the light, checking his pupils like he’s done this a thousand times with Greg, the town drunk. Maggie shoots Hummer a knowing glance but stays quiet.
He grunts. “Well… all good, I suppose.” Then his unblinking gaze sharply snaps to Jezebel and Maggie, “So,” he says, voice dropping into interrogation mode, “you two claim you escaped a slave bus.” He folds his arms. “Let’s start there. Where were they taking ya? Where’d ya come from? Anything you can recall.”
Maggie points northwest. “It was that way. I think.” He scratches his head, dark hair shifting. “We came from a place they called Whisper. They said we were going to Powder River to look for shiny yellow metals.”
Joe scoffs. “Gold. Figures.” He shakes his head. “These traffickers are getting bold. Doubt they’d find anything worth the trouble.”
He steps closer, looming over Maggie. “Were you well fed?”
Maggie shakes his head. “I could eat.” His eyes drift toward the roast beef inside.
Joe sighs, long, tired, and heavy, then turns to Jezebel. His stare pins her in place, “Could you add anything?” he asks, voice low. “I understand you can’t see. Is it total blindness? Or can you see light? Dark? Shapes? Movement?” His tone makes it clear that he’s not asking out of kindness. He’s assessing and judging, determining whether she’s a witness… or a liability.
Jezebel follows Maggie, her hand tightening on his shoulder. She watches Dane from the corner of her eye. oO(That looked like it hurt)Oo
Joe steps forward, boots crunching on the icy dirt. “Geez, kid,” he exhales sharply. “Thought I might have to radio your father. You sure you’re good?” He grabs Dane’s chin, tilting his face toward the light, checking his pupils like he’s done this a thousand times with Greg, the town drunk. Maggie shoots Hummer a knowing glance but stays quiet.
He grunts. “Well… all good, I suppose.” Then his unblinking gaze sharply snaps to Jezebel and Maggie, “So,” he says, voice dropping into interrogation mode, “you two claim you escaped a slave bus.” He folds his arms. “Let’s start there. Where were they taking ya? Where’d ya come from? Anything you can recall.”
Maggie points northwest. “It was that way. I think.” He scratches his head, dark hair shifting. “We came from a place they called Whisper. They said we were going to Powder River to look for shiny yellow metals.”
Joe scoffs. “Gold. Figures.” He shakes his head. “These traffickers are getting bold. Doubt they’d find anything worth the trouble.”
He steps closer, looming over Maggie. “Were you well fed?”
Maggie shakes his head. “I could eat.” His eyes drift toward the roast beef inside.
Joe sighs, long, tired, and heavy, then turns to Jezebel. His stare pins her in place, “Could you add anything?” he asks, voice low. “I understand you can’t see. Is it total blindness? Or can you see light? Dark? Shapes? Movement?” His tone makes it clear that he’s not asking out of kindness. He’s assessing and judging, determining whether she’s a witness… or a liability.
"I plan to live forever. Or die trying..." Vila - Blakes 7