The Union RPG

Brit laughed. "No, promise. I just want a second opinion."

Xanders head slowly lifted, "Liem." he said his voice heavy...old sounding

Nicholas took a small taste. "Strong... I'd dilute it just a little. But it should be fine after that."

"I'm sorry about all this. But if you hadn't left..." the sentence hung in the air and Liam didn't know how to complete it.

Brit nodded, "that's what I thought too." She took the jar from him and put it back in the fridge. "I'll work on that later."

Xander chuckled but the sound was so bitter you could almost taste it, "you mean if I hadn't grown a conscience."

Nicholas nodded. "We're still celebrating your birthday tonight, right?"

"I mean that if you had just done your job," Liam sighed. "Things aren't going to end well for you. You know that, right?"

He chuckled again but it bit, "if I had done my job...right...did you ever dig into history? I mean the stuff they don't teach?"

"Not anymore," Liam replied. "I know what they've done. But it's better than ending up here, where you'll end up dead or brainwashed."

Brit nodded, "yeah. But there will still be plenty of time to work on it."

"Oh, I know. I was just checking you hadn't cancelled," he replied with a grin. "You want to work on the supplements more? Or another project?"

"Let's keep working on the suppliments, I think they are almost done." She said

He nodded. "Yes, hopefully they can be completely finished by the end of the day."

Sunlight_Streaming wrote:

"Not anymore," Liam replied. "I know what they've done. But it's better than ending up here, where you'll end up dead or brainwashed."

"I'm not sure..." he shook his head. there was no reasoning with him, "I tasted freedom. I woke up without feeling a knot of guilt for what I did each day...I loved it. and you know...it was worth it." he slowly stood up his body aching from the night in the cell, "In the 1940s there were doctors that did tests on human being...horible terrible things and they said it was for the best of humanity. After the world war that they called world war two those doctors were hunted down and put on trial for crimes against humanity." he looked his old friend dead in the eyes, " I'm not sorry I left. It was the right thing to do."

Brit added a few things to the vial they had been using. "What do you usually do for your birthday?"

"We're not the Nazis, Xander. And we've got the whole world on our side. Why would you chose to fight for the losing side?"

"The past few years? Nothing much. A quiet dinner with my parents. But I won't be with them this year, so I assume nothing much."

he smiled and it was actually a genuine smile, "just because its the loosing side doesn't mean its not the wrong one and just because the world is on the side of the union doesn't mean it is right. its fear."

"You'd rather be hunted like an animal? Living on the streets and living on whatever food you can scavenge?" Liam asked. "We were friends once Xander, and I know you don't want to live like that."

Brit nodded. "That sounds nice. When was the last time you saw your parents?"

"Almost six months now?" That was a bit of a lie, but did it really matter? His whole persona was a lie.

"That's...a long time. Do you ever talk to them?" She asked

"Yeah we were friends...we were and I refuse to be a patsy any more Liem. I'd rather scavenge and run as a free man than live in luxury as a man who can't make a single decision for himself." he snapped his voice dark, "I finally made a decision for me, because I knew it was the right thing to do." he said his finger jabbing his finger against his chest every time he referred to himself, "I wish you had the back bone to understand and stand on what is right."

Liam sighed. "Look, I came to see you before Loren and Diana because I had hoped... Well I had hoped that I could talk some sense into you. But..." Liam shrugged. "I'm sorry."

"No, not really," he replied. "They're busy with my younger brother and his family. Better for me, the bachelor, not to remind them," he added with a smile.

he shook his head, "I have all the sense I need. I hope you can live with the decisions you've made because I know I finally feel like I can."

Liam sighed and left the room. Perhaps he had been right to report Xander in to Loren. He'd clearly been on the streets too long.

Audrey was pacing. She didn't do well with boredom. Though, to be honest, she'd rather be bored than dead.

Brit smiled. "You must miss them though. How many children does your brother have?"

"Two. A boy and a girl. Emmett and Lillian." he replied, though his voice didn't portray any emotion.

"You don't see them much?" Brit asked.

"I haven't for a few years. My brother and I aren't close."

"Oh," Brit said quietly. "I'm sorry , I shouldn't have asked."

He shrugged. "It's fine. Its in the past."

"What happened?" She asked before she could stop herself

"That... I'd actually rather not talk about," he said, but his voice was soft.

"Of course , I'm sorry, its none of my busness." Brit said, turning back to her work

"No need to apologize," he shrugged, going back to the work.

Brit glanced over at him as she worked. She wondered what happened. She couldn't imagine siblings not being close

the garden was quaint and surprisingly doing well even though it wasn't in direct sunlight. she was sure the owner would be back soon but they wouldn't see her as she sat quietly in the corner munching on a carrot.

Greg walked through the kitchen collecting the food each person could carry

Nicholas avoided her eyes, he'd been idiotic to mention it. He could have easily lied, said that he often spoke to his parents, then no more questions. "That should be it," Nicholas murmured, stepping back from the table.

Scott was in the kitchen as well, going through the food, checking which would go bad first, what they had to eat soon, what they would have to take.

James picked up two jugs of water and made his way back to his garden. It looked like it would rain later but he couldn't wait, the plants needed watered.


"Lets test it." Brit took a sample and put it in a large machine at the back of the room. "It'll take a few minutes."

"How you doing?" Greg asked. he wanted to know how everyone was fairing with this change

she watched him for a minute before she spoke, "you must have a green thumb."

James jumped, almost dropping the water. "How'd you get in here?"