69 Roalis, 2720
THE DIVES | EVENING
THE DIVES | EVENING
She just didn’t intend to take a raft of people with her.
When the assassin left, her departure had invited Firebrand and the kid. Tobias. If only because they were like her, they could see the writing on the wall. She’d never left to lead them though. Just to escape. To breathe and think. Gunner in Jon’s ear had been too much to watch, Stu and Ginny turning their backs on her. Even Emelia, her niece that she’d rescued that Jon had lied about.
Everyone had turned on her. Turned on what they fought for.
Others had seen her leave, reached out to her, shocked by her admittance that Gunner now lead them with fluffy ideas about public relations and…what? Soup kitchens with flyers?! Some had come with her then, others had come along later with word of mouth behind hands or in private places.
And Alyssa welcomed them in, though she offered no leadership.
The bunker in the Dives wasn't on any Resistance map, a small abandoned tanning factory, so destitute that it was a wonder how it stayed up. Boarded windows and doors, rats in the rafters and spiders in every nook and cranny. There was no entrance that could be used, that could be seen, and should anyone actually come inside the factory it would be nothing more than a stone slab floor, some broken empty crates and rusted factory machines, all caked with dust. It had a mezzanine, but the wooden stairs were rotted through, making the way up a roulette—would you make it or would you fall and break your neck? What would have been a storage room in the far right corner had been crushed by a large metal ventalation pipe that had fallen from the roof.
And it was here, that the entrance to the bunker was hidden. It was easy when you understood how. Around the back, one of the windows looked boarded, but in actual fact swung open to reveal it was a fake door. Once inside, one would have to climb inside the tubing and crawl along till they got to a small hatch. Pop it open and climb down the clearly hand made ladder into the long forgotten basement storage of the factory.
Inside here, it was just a big square room, two people high at least. It had been semi fashioned into blocks of ‘privacy’ using old crates and privacy screens, where a couple of people could sleep if they needed to. Alyssa had taken occupancy of the furthest corner space, her very small collection of clothes and belongings that belonged specifically to her taken from the How, enough to fit in a large duffle bag.
In the centre of the room was a gathering space of sort, boxes and old casks making up seating. A large crate was being used as a table as needed, and to the far right was a small ops station. For planning in private if needed.
It wasn't the How, but it was safe. And private. It wasn’t officially Resitance operated, in fact aside from those invited only one person had known about the place, that being Alyssa. If people were to pay attention they would notice signs of living here before they arrived. A small hearth built out of stones, a kettle pot, a cup and some bedding. A couple of crates that were locked shut, and some older papers from Kingsway Post.
As it was, tonight, Alyssa sat huddled over her broken arm in a dark oversized jacket, sipping on a tin mug of what might be whisky, staring at the glowing coals of a small fire. Should Aodh or Tobias be nearby, she would offer a smile, and a place by the fire.
“Please, friends, take a seat. I would welcome your company and your thoughts.” If they would sit down with her, the dark haired assassin would sit quietly for a moment, before speaking up.
“I didn’t expect so many others to come…but I suppose, it shows that we’re all feeling the same way. Tell me, are you okay? I…I haven't really been in a good state of mind to actually ask.” The woman kept her voice low, but it wasn't flat and emotionless. For the first time, maybe in forever, Alyssa spoke without her mask.
A mask though, that was not visible like the one that Gunner wore.
“I’d love to just talk, if that's ok?”
