Birthright

Who: James Hutchins, Celeste Henry
What: Debriefing
Where: Searchlight
When: Present, Evening
Ratings/Warnings: TBD

( I'm Ready )

[Thread complete.]

Who: Summer Rhoades
What: Character Introduction
When: Nighttime
Where: Just south of Searchlight
Rating: Mild language


A black van, marked in nothing but rust and faded paint, tore north along US-95.

Having passed a dusty sign for Cal-Nev-Ari and found a stretch of road where nothing was visible going either way, the van pulled off the road, slid through the dead grass along the side and shuddered to a stop. The front tires bounced like basketballs and the rear of the vehicle swung back toward the road. When the van finally came to rest, smoke billowed from under the hood.

Summer Rhoades heard the rear doors swing open before feeling thick, meaty fingers grab her by the shoulder. She couldn’t see anything – not because the night sky was providing little light, but because she had a sheet draped over her head. So when whoever had grabbed her tossed her to the ground, she had no way to brace herself.

Even in the dark, Summer saw the stars before her eyes when her shoulder hit the ground. It was hard and dry, and she coughed at the dust that had managed to get under the sheet. She heard something else hit the ground beside her before she felt the binding on her wrists give way and the sheet yanked from her head.

Then the van doors slammed shut.

( So glad to see you’re awake. )

Frankie was pretty sure he was the only tenant in his building that kept a landline anymore. Old-fashioned by the standards of most, he supposed, but still convenient as all hell from time to time. Case in point: arguing with Chuck about covering an open shift at the Goldmine while continually shoveling soggy Rice Krispies into his mouth, holding the phone in place between his ear and shoulder.

“Look… no, look… look, Chuck, I told you, I can’t do nights this week,” he insisted, a stream of milk gone starchy dribbling down his chin. He fisted the hand holding his spoon and wiped it away, nodding at his boss’ blathering as though the man could see before eating another spoonful.

( Scheduling )