Ask Me If I care. o p e n.

[|Sasha|Ekatarina|Helena|]

Ask Me If I care,
If I care,
If I care...
Ask me If I care.

Ba, da, da... da She sang so pretty. Looking around at the mall was a bit terrestrial to her, but she enjoyed it for the most part. She'd occasionally walk into a clothing store, some things would catch her eye and she'd take them. She now carried a shopping bag with clothes still in tact in side. Sure most of the stuff in the mall was close to decintegration, but Ekatarina was good and could pick out things that held up, that held value. She dreaded walking past the restaurants and food places for the stench of the rotting food was absolutely horrible. She never wished to be near them.

Walking into another store she sifted through the once busy sale rack and deemed it all crap. She saw some prudish turtle neck in the ugliest shade of tangerine and she threw it to the ground in dsigust, stamping her black leather boot on it. She soon took her mind off that mess and turned it to a little skirt that looked 10 sizes to small for her. What did she do, you ask? Shove it in her shopping bag. She laughed her somewhat eerie laugh and began to sing once more. The song was old, as was the tune, but her voice was a lot higher then Elvis himself. Ask me if I want to caress you...And I'd Confess. Ask me if I'm longing to possess you... I'll answer Yes.

She continued to hum to rest of the song, not afraid of anyone hearing her. Who is around anyways? No one, thats a fact. She knew it. She felt almost alone, well no. She felt very alone and she wished that she had someone to... be with. Her being a stripper got attention, her being attractive got attention, but who the hell's attention is she supposed to get when everyones... gone. She didn't care now, if'd be rebel or Government. She just wanted someones attention. Now.

So what if she sounded like a five year old who's mom left the room before she could finish her story? You can't say that you would not give this femme fatale your attention. She was all too good to pass up. As she walked through the mall she stepped on a large piece of glass, nearly shreiking from the horrible sound it made. She held one and over her mouth to keep the scream somewhat contained, but it was no use. She dropped her shopping bag and wondered why she was so worried. She had her cross bow which was no longer a burden. She had her pistol, what did she have to fear? Nothing. She was nearly daring people to try her, daring...

[Thrif]

Denis Santorini

This is my rifle...
There are many rifles but this one is mine...
Without me, my rifle is nothing...
Without my rifle...I am nothing.

The town, Denis thought as he walked the streets of this town had been like any other in Denis’ memory. Firm land underneath his feet, and the lack of the ocean air and the sea breeze was significantly apparent.

Evening was chill at best, especially so this evening, even in the warmth of the summer. The sun cast an eerie glow upon the land that would probably send a shiver to the most hardy of men, and not for the first time, despite the warmth, Denis wished his coat a bit thicker.

He could hear his footsteps on the stone of the pavement as he watched the shadows creep their way over the town, he made his way towards the shopping complex, where they kept some supplies and other basic needs and wants when not in use. The town was slowly dying, he knew that. Heck everyone did. Since the last purge there had been a significant amount of deaths of the rebels but there were still a few in hiding, he knew that. Their last attack, a mere day ago was proof of this. Oh, how he had just wanted to break that young guy’s neck when he had the chance but no, his commanding officer ordered him away. He knew what it had meant to Denis to kill them all at once but he was making a game of it...Why? was the question on his mind at the moment. Why play games with these rebels when we could have the perfect utopia. A world without the risk of being infected by the virus...

He was one of the very few that knew of the virus being unconfined once more so it was only a matter of time once again, before people started dropping off their perches. The anti-virus that had been created, and that was being tested on animals wasn’t working yet. Why wasn’t it working yet. They had done everything...

Most of the glow of the sun had faded as he walked through the doors of one of the larger shopping complexes in the town. Denis held his gun at ready to his side as he inhaling deeply. Without the sound of his breath in his ears, something came to his attention... Singing?

Denis judged his footsteps carefully as he peered up and onto the broken escalator, listening as he heard the singing from somewhere on the second floor. ”Ask me if I want to caress you...And I’d Confess. Ask me if I’m longing to possess you... I’ll answer Yes.” he heard the feminine voice sing the rest of the song with ease.
Slowly, on his guard, he crept in the direction of the noise and onto the second floor, following it to a cluster of old racks and strewn clothing on the floor. Carefully, and readying himself for an attack, he peered around the side, his Endor Baster Rifle held elevated he caught glance of a tall, young and rather slender woman just as she stepped on a shard of broken window and her once quite lovely voice broke out into a horrid shriek.

Denis seized this opportunity, and in a flash, he had his rifle held high and pointed towards the lass. Despite the fact that he was in full aware that she was dressed as one of the other officials. She was too clean to be one of those rebel scum buckets.

This is my rifle...
There are many rifles but this one is mine...
Without me, my rifle is nothing...
Without my rifle...I am nothing.

Running through his mind briefly before he opened his mouth to speak. “Put your weapon’s on the floor, put your hands behind your head and turn around. You are in violation of the Chief Commanders orders. All personelle are to be confined to their homes at this time so that the captured rebels may be taken to the labs. You know the rules, girl!” he said loudly.

[|Sasha|Ekatarina|Helena|]

Like I said...
Ask Me If I care,
If I care,
If I care.
Ask Me If I care.

She just laughed. Was she demented? Not particularly. The words that this tow-headed man spoke were just funny to her. "Put your weapon’s on the floor, put your hands behind your head and turn around. You are in violation of the Chief Commanders orders. All personelle are to be confined to their homes at this time so that the captured rebels may be taken to the labs. You know the rules, girl!" The first thing that came to her mind was to listen, the second thing to defy, the third to reach for her pistol. Her cross bow, latched on her back, wasn't accessible enough at the moment. She had so many smart remarks in her mind, this man didn't scare her not at all. She knew she was too attractive to be mincemeat, and she knew no one would kill her. Especially without a fight.

You see, dear, I like my weapons. I don't like them on the ground though... they get all to dusty and with the glass everywhere I'd cut my hands picking them up. You wouldn't want that now would you?

She spoke with the confidence and knowledge of someone twice her age, and was quite convincing. Sure she was a smartass but what was the worst thing he could do? Kill Her? Yet Ms. Ekatarina wasn't scared of him, she didn't think he would kill her, she thought of him to be to... chicken. If he tried to confine her, cuff her, whatever the hell this guy did, she'd just seduce him. Easy as that. Easy as that.

You're quite right in saying I know the rules, for I do... and its not that I don't want to follow them. Let's say I could help you anyhow. Look at me, love, I'm bait. I can pull any little rebel from their rat caves, don't you think.

As she finally turned she flashed a devilish smile. Doesn't he know that she is not a stupid little pop girl who likes to sell lollipops on the ocean shore? Doesn't he know that she was a hell of a lot tougher then any prissy child he calls his own? She noticed the age difference here, but then reminded herself that men didn't seem to care much. She could have nearly anyone she wanted with ease... the thing is that most of the men left in the government are not attractive. The rebels are ... well they have some attractive men, but only to use the let die. Thats it.

Now, if you wish to 'take me away' or shove me home well then you can very well try. But let me let you in on a little something.... well that is, if you'd like to know. Then again... She continued stepping a little closer and proceeded to put her hands together in front of her as if someone was to cuff her. ...if you want, I'll go home.

She held information that she knew wold be useful to him, she could be bait. She could help, she could bring a moth from a light. She could do anything she wanted. She was Ekatarina Vladmirovna Petrova, screw everyone else. She was out for herself and revenge for her brother. That is it.

Ask me If I care.

[Thrif]

Denis’s eyes followed the girls every movement, his mind unwilling to allow himself to look away as she spoke in her peculiar dialect. He knew that she was not from here, far from it. But where?

He was silent as she spoke, her words seemed to escape her lips like lyrics and when she stopped talking, the 45 year old blonde repeated his words a little more calmly. “Lay your weapons, and put your hands behind your head.”

He was not blind to the fact that this young woman was obviously a beautiful one - and she was not blind to that fact either by the looks of things, but be that as it may, he knew his place, knew his civil duties. “Now!” he spoke, lifting the rifle a little higher.

[|Sasha|Ekatarina|Helena|]

Now, she thought, this was friggen war. It reminded her of how the rebels turned on her brother, now the government was doing it to? Screw it. She hated everyone now, and that was not like her. She usually had a soft spot for someone, but there was no one right now that she would dare even like. She knew what she had to do, but would she do it? Oh Yes. She would. Ekatarina is a daring darling, she knows what she can do and ignores what she can't. She tries every day to do something that she can't, and today was no different. Today she supposed she was going to get shot and not die.

No.

She said simply. Was she mad? Quite, actually. In the sense of mental lunacy, that is. She was a bit angry but she felt so impowered, so invincible. She communicated with her eyes, and pulled her hands back to her side. She was sending some kind of mental words to the man, but knew he wouldn't hear it. She basically said, No, No, No, No...and Um, No. She didn't care if he shot her... well maybe she did. She'd be pissed, but she wouldn't let him live to see it. She had been knifed before, and tazored actually.

She held her ground, making a stance that could intimidate but make a man want her. It was a double-edged sword. She saw the man's eyes before, they followed her, and she enjoyed it. Like she said before she only wants attention. Silly Girl, she has it now, well that and a rifle. Rifle's were always her favorite gun, but she never found the need for one.

No, wasn't all she had to say. She had a few colorful terms that she could use but decided to keep it to herself. She was one to antagonize but not to fully hurt one's feelings. Unless, of course, she hated you. Katarina could hate, and when she did it was not one of those "I'll get over it tomorow...' Its one of those: "Male, age 23, found dead near 34th and 2nd Avenue, Multiply gun shots and stab wounds found." Yes, she was one of those.

I mean... Why would I?

[Thrif]

Denis could sense that this girl would probably not budge on her convictions. He knew many like her but non were so sure of themselves that they would be willing to be shot, or worse, killed. If she thought that he wouldn’t, she had had a very poor sampling.

“What is your position with the government? Who is your officer?” he decided to try a different approach. Growing weary of this crusade rather quickly. He wanted to find out who this woman was and why she was here. It is was a simple mishap, perhaps he could fix it. Then again, he wasn’t even positive that she was for the government. A rebel spy, perhaps. He decided to chance it. “My name is Denis Santorini I am Senior Staff Sergeant for the military. Now we can do this my way, or there is that other way.”

[|Sasha|Ekatarina|Helena|]

I Don't have a position, dear. Nor do I really wish to posses one. Nor do I know who the hell my officer is.

She answered quickly with a smirk upon her lips. She knew he wouldn't shoot her. She knew it. She was smart, as said before, she truly was. This just added to her ever growing ego. The ever growing large and dangerously confident ego. She was a little foolish because of her age, but nothing more. It was only because she was young. That 'Entertain me Now' spirit was contained in her lovely little frame.

Dennis Santorini, hah, well love you surely must be a ...tough man to be a seargent, no? A senior one, you say? Who'ja do to get that job?

Hah, she laughed. That was funny. She felt somewhat turned on by his "Theres my way or the other way". It sounded like he was a cop. He was one of those cops that Ekatarina could take in the back seat and... you know. Lets just say she never got a ticket in her life. She looked the man over, sizing him up from head to toe. She finally came to a decision. She'd either have to use him to get what she wished, or let him pretend he had control over this situation, either way she'd have unbenounced power. It seemed to always work out that way for the seductress.

While I am quite intrigued by your way, the other way sounds... inticing as well. Care to show me, love?

She said this in a way that any man who's ever known a woman, would understand what she meant. She knew he probably didn't mean what she was thinking, but she might as well put it into his mind as a suggestion. Whats the harm in it? Sure he might reject the notion, but he would consider it. he'd consider it good and hard, Who wouldn't? Even women would. Hell if Ekatarina were someone else she'd love herself. So why would... Staff Sargeant Senior Whatever the Hell He Calls Himself not?

[Thrif]

Denis leered at the young woman, acknowledging her provocative hint but the feeling of anger that swelled into his mind was greater. “You’re a rebel then.” He spat and took a step towards her. He took a communications control from the outside of his belt and clicked a few buttons, before he spoke into it, his eyes never trailing from her, nor did the rifle fall from her delicate face. “Chayne, this is Santorini here with a rebel cornered in the main streets second floor of the Abandoned Mall. Bring assistance as soon as possible.”

He placed the control back into his pocket and moved forwards, taking out a pair of cuff’s. “You will come with me right now where you will first be interrogated, flogged, and then depending on what we decide, you may either be released or killed.” His blue eyes pierced into hers.

[|Sasha|Ekatarina|Helena|]

<sub>There was only one thing that this man could say to blow Ekatarina's mind. And hell, he said it. He had called her a forsaken rebel and proceeded to call back up. Immediatly things started flying through her mind, she couldn't help but be reminded how the rebels turned on her and her brother when they used to be rebels. Now her brother was dead, so if this ass thinks he can call her a rebel he has another thing coming completely.

"If you..." She began feeling the blood rush to her head in anger. She clenched her fist, her nails digging into her palms so hard that blood was actually coming from her hand. She peered down at, opening her palm, and could feel her jaw clench so tight she thought her teeth would shatter. She then began to yell, she yelled as if someone was trying to kidnap her.

"I am Not Rebel, you SCUMB BAG! Why Do you need assistance ASS? Can't handle me on your own!? THIS IS WHY..." She knew this felt good, but also knew what she must do. She suddenly in took her breath and then kept it, but opened her mouth as if gasping for air. She soon stepped back, and felt a stinging in her eyes from the needed air that was not there anymore. She had basically given herself a panick attack. Helpful? Maybe. She grabbed her throat with both pale bloodied hands, and She couldn't keep her step and immediately fell to the ground, and turned on her stomach. She tried to push herself up, but then just lay still. She felt many sharp pangs all along her stomach and the side of her face, it was the glass. She lifted her head to see a little blood where her head once lay quietly. If anything, she would do anything to get her way.

"Vladmir..."She whispered, loud enough for whats-his-name to hear. She had heard him say something about flogging and death, and truth be told she still knew that she couldn't die. There was something in her mind, even as she lay with a self induced panic attack, Pale skin tainted somewhat crimson , she knew she wouldn't die. She knew it. She wouldn't trade that knowledge for anything.

She now looked for Denis, she looked for his eyes, she knew if he caught hers that he would be immediately taken with pity. Who wouldn't be. If not pity then shock, maybe compassion. Either way she would evoke some kind of emotion from him that would be helpful to her, it had to be. She was too pretty to not evoke emotion from men or women. She searched, from the outside it seemed to be desperately, for Denis' eyes. All she needed to do was catch them, and something along with that would be caught.</sub>

[Thrif]

“If you are not a rebel then prove this to me!” Denis yelled back angrily. But he stiffened as he watched her hold her breath, but with her mouth remaining open. Watching as she grabbed her throat in both pale hands until she fell to the floor. To him it looked like complete and utter lunacy. This child was mental. Was she infected? No...her behavioral patterns weren’t consistent with those of one who was infected with the flu virus...She lay still for a long moment, as Denis stepped up and kept his rifle aimed at her head the entire time. “Vladimir...” he heard her silken whisper, followed by the crashing footsteps of about half a dozen other men running to meet their level. His eyes caught hers and something passed between the two, but he broke the stare and watched as the other officials all met their level, yelling orders as their own guns were held in the direction of the beauty who lay on the floor.

“Stop!” Denis ordered quickly before the firing squad could shoot. He walked towards a younger lady in the group and whispered something to her, holding his face close to her ear perhaps a little longer than necessary before she nodded, placing her gun gently, and slowly on the ground before she approached the panic induced woman with caution.

“Don’t be afraid.” she spoke with a light Spanish accent as she knelt down beside the woman, clever enough to make sure that when she sat, not to sit in the way of the woman’s head so that it was in clear sight if anything were to go wrong. “I want to assist you here...” she spoke with gentle words. If you first met her, you’d probably say she was a shy young lady, but Audrey Remirez was more than this, she was still a soldier. “I’m going to give you something that can calm you down, if you will allow me.” she spoke with the same, calm tone of voice. She reached for a packet in one of her side pockets slowly and showed a sterile needle full of a liquid of sorts to the girl. “Can you please tell me, what is your position with the government?”

[|Sasha|Ekatarina|Helena|]

Damn it, was all she could think. Damn it. She saw him look at her, she saw him and it was all lost in translation. This made Ekatarina quite angry, quite angry indeed. Yes, Ekatarina was mental, but not in the sense that Denis thought. She was mental in her confidence, her ego was a huge hinderance to her, but little of this did she know. She just watched as all the stupid soilders came. Ugly ass things. She watched their guns, she looked at each of their faces very weakly and tried to cuff up the most pitiful look she could. She rolled to her back as soon as the lady had approached her, and the glass shards sounded like little bells beneath her. She groaned a bit as she felt some of them peirce the tight fabric of her shirt, and grew aware of the tiny skirt she was wearing. She began to sit up but decided it to be more effective to keep down.

"I'm not afraid of you... nor anyone... nor their guns."

She said silently holding her eyes towards the corroded ceiling of the mall. She held her eyes tight for a few seconds then flashed them open. She looked towards the lady now, eh, not her type. Ekatarina was bi, but little did most know she was quite picky of her women. She caught her breath easy now, it began to feel her heart's pitter patter return to normal. It felt good, and it nearly scared Ekatarina that she could actually inflict an attack on herself... it was easy too.

."I don't... I don't want your assistance... I don't want your poison either."

Ekatarina glared at the needle. She had a good idea of what was in there.... rat poisoning, maybe the Avian flu was now liquid adaptable. She laughed a little at her own joke, but not enough for any one to notice. She sat up now. She nearly screamed from the pain in both her palms, but contained it. She reached for the large shard of grass in her left palm with her right fingers and with a simple tug and a wince she removed it from her hand. Glass fell from her hair, fell from her clothing, out of her skin and yet she found it so melodic. She loved the sound that the tiny pieces made. She puled no more glass from her hands, but instead just sat up and gazed around in somewhat of a mission.

"You know som' 'en.." She said to the girl only, but looked towards the soilders. She ignored the girls question of the government... She was 19 she could answer what she wished. But she didn't answer, she just continued with her own sentance. " This... the gove'nment turning on their own people... This is why me brother died. You know that? I mean I don't expect you to know that, though love...you're one of them.

While the words were said simply there was something in the way Ekatarina said them, something that made them so cruel. Something that made her think if she should refrase herself, but she didn't need to. Thats what she meant. Thinking of Vladmir made her calm. He was her reason for being in the government, maybe the family was cursed? Things like this always seemed to happen... always. Her Bravado was still alive, but now she knew she had to hide it to get away scotch-free.

[Thrif]

Audrey

Audrey Remirez looked down at the young woman with sympathy, almost pity. “It is a mild sedative, it can help to calm you, perhaps we can try and talk about why you are here?” she spoke as the woman got up, the guns following her movement. Audrey was unafraid. She knew that with the seven guards against the other woman, she had nothing to fear. If this woman tried to kill her, she would have to answer to seven bullets. It was very simple, not that Audrey would care. She despised all that she had become here and now, that she was helping but she was under contract, under command and if she didn’t, she would be killed it was a simple thing to grasp, to comprehend. If you did not adapt, you would die in this world. Simple as that.

“Do not underestimate the power of this government.” Audrey spoke simply, but there was a touch of something else in her tone as well. Fear? Apprehension? Guilt? She had long since learnt to try and push these feelings aside, or at least try to act that way. It could only lead to more trouble whatever you did, if you were unprepared to adapt here.

[|Sasha|Ekatarina|Helena|]

She now laughed with her ever so rising confidence. This girl looked no older then she, she looked somewhat... weak actually. Now that Kat can get a better look, this girl was.. well she'd be easily over taken. Bullets did not scare Ekatarina, she could do damage to the girl before bullets reach her head. She believed she was invincible, she'd be quite a useful bait for the government, but no one would listen to her. Then again, she wasn't willing to listen to them.

"I don't need any 'mild sedatives', thanks anyways."

She spat sarcasticly. She kind of regretted it, it wasn't the girls fault. She soon peered towards her and looked at the girl's eyes. She had strange features to the eyes of our Russian bambina. Katarina couldn't help but ponder over them for a minute. She then went on to continue in a less harsh tone, and a brave laugh.

"I am not scared of the gove'nment, like I said before. I don't underestemate their power. I've never tried to guess how powerful they were, I just don't care, dear. Now, you might feel passionate of this gove'nment, you might feel like all rebels should burn to hell (and I agree for the most part), but don't be blind to the gove'nments tricks. They not only want as many dumbbell soilders as they can get, but they want ones who won't question. That's why I'd be in this trouble here. I question, and I don't exactly list'n to what the gove'nment has to say. They lie, they lie as much as the rebels do. Sorry."

She said this only to the girl, not to the idiot soilders standing up. She had a feeling this girl was not so much swayed easy, but open for new ideas. Yeah she probably had her own ideas, but Kat was a charming little shutterbug, she could talk her way in and out of anything that came her way. She had a charm about her that was irresistable to most people, and she enjoyed that fact greatly. She pulled her legs in to her, minding her skirt, maybe giving the soilders a little shock.

"Why can't I be here? That ass over there just verbally attacked me with his "I'm a staff sargeant Ass face, Your not supposed to be here Rebel!" Oh, yes a'most forgot. You believe me, right then? That I am no rebel scum?"

[Thrif]

Audrey’s face fell to that a dog might give if it had been kicked and she swallowed heavily. She dropped her gaze slightly as the woman spoke. She had almost half expected to receive a beating, although she wasn’t sure exactly what for, she hadn’t received one in a long time after all. Her eyes chanced a silent glance at Denis, who was still watching the other woman with cautious curiosity. “I know...” she whispered quietly, hoping to the heavens that Denis hadn’t heard her. She had to resist the urge to just leave, but knew her duties there and remained on the spot.

She cringed slightly as the woman spoke again, half expecting bullets to be pelted in their direction any second, but none came. Denis had his hand held up, in a signal to the others to hold fire until further notice. “No.” he spoke in reply to her inquiry. “Nor do I believe you were an official. If you had been, you would have given your position with us. What I do believe is that you are clever, and deceitful. You will come with us for now until we decide what you are.” he paused. "If you would be so kind in doing so."

[|Sasha|Ekatarina|Helena|]

Breathing soft felt good, but the cross bow on her back would not let her breath easy. There was no way she'd take it off, there was no way that she'd ever care to let it go. Her brother gave her that cross bow. Her brother gave it to her, she would never part with it. Even now, when life might depend on it. Then again, she thought she was invincible. She honestly had it in her mind that nothing could harm her, that nothing could take her down. She only realized she was vulnerable through her own infliction of a panic attack. What a way to go down, no?

She nearly lost her thought as she heard the girl mutter what was quite un-expected. She knew? Well, Ekatarina supposed she did. Everyone knew. The government was just as bad as the rebels. It made Ms. Kat think about what she should be. Should she actually remain in the government? Especially with people like that jerk face Denis whoever he is. She turned her gaze to Denis, only acknowledging briefly what the girl said. She gritted her teeth in her pretty little mouth and could only think of foul words.

“Nor do I believe you were an official. If you had been, you would have given your position with us. What I do believe is that you are clever, and deceitful. You will come with us for now until we decide what you are.” She wished to smack him. She couldn't believe he just said that. Looking towards the sergeant, Kat squinted her eyes so that he'd know she was absolutly livid. She felt the heat rising to her head once more, but knew another self induced attack would not be quite as effective as before. There was only one thing that Ms. Petrova could think of at the time, two words that would piss Denis straight to hell and back. She had the most devilish smirk on when she spoke them, the most mocking yet lyrical, almost in song, way of saying it.

Bite Me.