#oc x higgs monaghan

[inhabitedselfshipper]

It's been so long

Fandom: Death Stranding

Tags: oc X Higgs, fear, exactly one curse word

Story after the picture!

Making early year deliveries always felt more difficult. Whether it be from the cold or simply just getting back into the swing of work after a winter vacation, Tommie was getting incredibly tired towards the middle of his shift. Being a porter, he was used to long shifts and heavy deliveries, but something about today had completely ran him dry. Huffing and puffing, Tommie sat against a rock and looked at his map. Looking around, he was happy to see he was close to a hot spring. Northeastern Healing Spring was just a decent jog away.

As Tommie decided to make his way to the spring, he was notified he was close to a mule territory. He moved faster on his path, trying to stay- Location pinged. "Shit!" Tommy didn't see where he was tagged from, but he didn't want to find out. He just knew if he got out of there fast, he'd be fine and not worthy of the chase. He had a few light pieces of cargo on him, nothing essential but not something he wanted to have to potentially go and retreave.

Taking shortcuts, that if he were to actually think about what he was doing would make him faint, he checked his map frantically. He was so close to the parameter already. Just a bit further and he's good as gone. Just as he started to feel relived, his heart sank hearing the loud hum of the engine of a motorbike. Tommie continued to run. He knew he couldn't outrun a vehicle but he might as well try.

He was out. Why are they still chasing? They've always stopped when he was out of the territory, why did it change now? He looked back behind himself quickly. This didn't look like a normal mule. It's 'uniform' was too dark and sleek and it appeared to have a type of cape. He tried going faster but was immediately knocked down by the person being able to catch-up and snag part of one of his cargo harnesses.

The "muzzle" of the mule's mask stopped just below their eyes. Crisp blue that contrasted hard against the deep gray and black of their hood and mask. They held Tommie up by the harness on his side. He prayed that it would snap then and there. Let him fall. He'd rather be anywhere but here. And in a moment he saw nothing but a quick gold flash.

His eyes burned and his cheeks flared up. Chyralium? Looking around him with blurry tear filled eyes he was still being held by the mule but they weren't where the chase started. They were next to a prepper bunker. As the mule skidded to a stop and looked over Tommie. He had stopped struggling, now just breathing heavily looking up at the mule.

"Thomas?" The mule asked in a confused tone."Is that you?" His voice was deep with a southern twang. Familiar. He pushed down Tommie's hood before laughing. "Tommie? How did someone like you get caught near one of our territories? Oh baby this is a surprise." He dropped Tommie's harness. Tommie scrambled to his feet as the mule was putting down his own hood and starting to take off his mask.

"How do you know my–" Tommie looked over the man in front of him. Messed up black hair struggling to keep the slicked back and to the side look. Facial tattoos of numbers and letters on pale skin. And a small black tear trail running down his cheek. "Higgs?" He froze as he said the others name.

"How long has it been sweetheart? Started to believe you forgot about me." Higgs grinned to himself before quitting being taken aback by the other getting close to him and grabbing the front of his vest. "How long– where have you been!?" Tommie's voice cracked as he was now riled up. "And what the hell was that about? You could have–" Higgs covered Tommie's mouth and sighed.

"Look, calm down. I didn't know it was you. It's not my fault you found your way close to my territory. I thought you were a normal porter." He huffed wheeling his bike to the side of his bunker. "You can stay mad at me out here where it's going to rain or you can join me inside. We can talk there. Maybe even have a drink. Alright?"

"...Alright."

[wintrsss]

.ೃ࿐ INTRODUCTION

this is a redo my rules/ intro, so if this seems similar, that's why. lots has changed so feel free to reread. ^^

Helloo, I’m wintrsss, and welcome to my blog! I’ll be writing my own little ideas/scenarios for the character’s below, but if you’d like to personally request something, go ahead and request it through my ask box! (Requests are also really appreciated.)

Constructive criticism is much obliged! Let me know if there’s anything I can improve on and I’ll try my hardest to do so!

If at any time something I make contains spoilers, I will try to mark it as such.

I tend to get busy for random periods of time, so please understand.

.ೃ࿐ REQUEST GUIDELINES

what's stated below can be subject to change. if you have any questions, let me know!

(TMTL: too many to list. I'll probably accept most characters requested, if it's not an absurd amount, but don't be surprised if I don't write for someone!)

(Inc. dlc: includes characters in the DLC(s) of the game. Npc's, bosses, etc)

(+: this means that the person mentioned before and after this sign go hand in hand; character x reader x character)

I CURRENTLY WRITE FOR— death stranding (sam p. bridges, higgs monaghan, cliff unger), dark souls 1-3 (TMTL, Inc. dlc), elden ring (TMTL, Inc. dlc), bloodborne (TMTL, Inc. dlc), lies of p (pinocchio, alidoro, romeo), demons souls (ostrava, yurt, garl vinland + maiden astraea), sekiro: shadows die twice (wolf, genichiro, isshin, emma, owl), witch hat atelier (qifrey, olruggio, easthies, beldaruit, utowin, hieheart)

I WILL ACCEPT— headcanons, fluff, yandere, poly.

I WONT ACCEPT— character x character, character x oc, minor x adult, full-on fics, mental illnesses/ disorders towards the reader (I don’t have much knowledge on this topic and don’t want to write them wrong and offend anyone!), any vague requests like (can you do [character] x reader hcs?) so please be specific on what you want!

.ೃ࿐ MASTERLISTS

—death stranding

[devil-kindred]

I had the opportunity to once again commission the ever wonderful @ziorre to draw some modern AU Higgs/Jade (perhaps I should call the ship “hade”?) for me— AKA the ship I was not supposed to ship as hard as I do. I absolutely love their expressions and @ziorre did an amazing job with their clothes, the coloring, everything! I couldn’t be happier with the result and this is such a great mood boost before I start my shift for the day! Thank you so, so much for working with me! If you get the chance, please commission her! As you can see, she does absolutely beautiful work! Thank you again! 💕✨

[l33chez]

you will look into the faces of passers by hoping for something that will, for an instant, bring me back to you.

some higgs x lee angst lol. they r both not mentally well. sort of based off of a rp i did on beta.character.ai i basically broke his leg and had to take care of him while he kept saying “why don’t u kill me” like BC IM IN LOVE WITH U DUMBASS

(reblogs are appreciated!)

[voidoutbt]

'Eyes of the Pharaohs'

Death stranding fan fiction

MULE oc Cosmic x Higgs.

Warnings: Teasing implied smut, slightly dubious consent.

Artwork illustration by the lovely @samkuchingdraws with thanks! 🖤💛

------------

There was nothing quite like reading a proper book; the feeling of textured pages beneath the finger tips, the smell of old paper, the weight of the tome. Imformation-hungry eyes scanned the texts and illustrations. Stormy grey irises honed in on one particular picture - an ancient gold death masque, its painted eyes framed with heavy black and blue makeup. The image incurred a mental flashback, a golden skull levitating menacingly, followed by a whimsical voice.

Cosmic dropped the book titled 'History of the Pharaohs' on her lap with a start. The golden face was burned into her retina and her mind. She blinked a few times, before sliding the forbidden text under her pillow. She had procured it from the last haul of cargo the MULES had intercepted. Group leader didn't know she had it. It had been addressed to someone called Peter, but he sure as hell was not going to get it now.

The MULE stood and paced over to an ornate mirror which hung on the side of the tent, another of her prized possessions. She picked up an eye-liner pencil and began to decorate her eyes; Black strokes of kohl under her lower lid, one down at the corner, and one curling into a spiral below - The 'Eye of Horus/Ra'. She looked at her reflection in the aged glass, she looked like one of those Egyptian priestesses that she had read about.

A sudden flash of Chiralium in the mirror caught her off gaurd. She gasped as the masked man appeared directly behind her, dropping her makeup pen. The gold and black pharaoh-alike wrapped one arm across her chest, the other raised to the lipless skull, a finger over the teeth where the lips would have been. She stared wide eyed into the mirror, too afraid to move. A pair of impossibly blue eyes glared back. It was then that she noticed, they too were lined in khol.

A dangerously quiet chuckle echoed in her ear, the hot breath tickling her neck. The hand across her collarbone wrapped long fingers around her throat. Another hand snaked around her waist, dipping downwards and pulling her back against a solid body. 'So he wasn't a phantom', she thought. She could not tear her eyes away from the reflection, her heart racing as the gloved hand slid under her waistband. She swallowed loudly, her breath hitching in her throat with a little whimper as fingers glided over her sensitive parts, teasingly slowly.

The fingers around her throat tightened. A hoarse whisper filled her ear, followed by a deep growl "You're mine..."

Cosmic sat bolt upright in bed with an outcry. Her head was reeling, her heart was pounding, and that felt so real...

She glanced over to the prone form of Franc, who was snoring loudly, sprawled out on his camp bed, clutching a boot like a Teddybear. She panted, trying to decipher what was real. She still throbbed between her legs, and she could still feel the grip around her neck...

--------------

Thank you again for being my proof reader and creating the beautiful Illustration for me @samfrancis94 @samkuchingdraws

Please check out their work!

🖤💛🖤

[churchofhiggsconfessions]

Welcome to the Church of Higgs where the arch priestesses, Bast and Seshat, are waiting to hear your horny confessions and absolve you of your sins!

Ever had a dirty thought about the Particle of God that permeates all existence and don't know what to do about it? Anonymously confess! We arch priestesses do not judge.

Ever wondered if you're alone with your Higgs kink headcannon(s)? Anonymously confess! We arch priestesses do not kink shame.

Want to write Higgs smut but worried what others might think? Anonymously submit it! We arch priestesses love to support everyone in this community.

You got spicy Higgs art with no where to go? Anonymously submit it! We arch priestesses love art of all kinds.

The Church of Higgs is a place for everyone to express themselves without judgement regardless of gender, non-gender, race, religion and/or sexual orientation.

In saying that we do have a few rules to keep everyone safe and happy!

1) Please keep submissions to the Death Stranding fandom, this is the Church of Higgs after all.

2) Be respectful.

3) No unsolicited pictures.

4) Do not submit anything illegal, it will be deleted.

5) No minors. (we don't want to be arrested).

6) Any abuse/trolling/harassment will not be tolerated and will be blocked.

7) Submissions don't have to be anonymous, it's whatever you're most comfortable with.

[mydisenchantedeulogy]

As a way to keep me organized and my readers updated I've decided to give a little peek at what I'm doing, or hope to do.

At the moment I'm putting my writing focus on 2 stories at a time: 'Where the Tainted Kiss' and 'Zombies in the Sun'.

Once one is finished I'll move on to another story in hopes to finish it. What I need help with is deciding what stories to work on. Below is a list to choose from. It would help me out a lot to see what stories my readers are interested in and what updates I need to work on. You can message me via DM or type the reply in the comment section if you like.

Please Choose:

Hello Sorrow (Heisenberg x OC) {10 to 15 chapters remaining}

No Strings Attached (Chris x OC) {5 to 7 chapters remaining}

Black Wedding (Wesker x OC)

The Ties That Bind (Higgs x OC)

Under the Water (John Seed x OC)

Other (please name)

Thank you.

[shanalikeanna]

I was feeling this one in my bones so I did it first LOL @pandoratriestowritestuff​

Based on: https://pandoratriestowritestuff.tumblr.com/post/648936730897121280/the-imitation-game

[astrandofgold]

When you’re a good Porter and he’s a wanted man, but he’s got sixteen inches of height on you, and you feel like you’re floating but it’s not entirely due to the fact that he can just pick you up, no effort required. Or maybe it is the fact alone that he can just lift you like this that has your head spinning.

Weightlessness, shock…and… something else, writhing inside you, burrowing deeper and deeper inside with every second that those flashes of blue peer into your own dark eyes. His smile, now etched into the back of your eyelids.

[savage-rhi]

[ GAZE ]  taller muse is sitting and the shorter one who is standing in front of them takes their face into their hands while they talk.  for khaio and higgs 🥺❤️

You got it :D @nemodoren

Courage wasn't something easy for Khaio to summon unless adrenaline coursed through his veins like a drug. Today though, he knew he needed to bite the bullet.

Khaio debated with himself before venturing into Higgs's office. When he found his fellow porter slouched in a chair, head down, there was a moment of panic that coursed through Khaio. His subconscious assumes his superior might've committed suicide.

Higgs had been severely depressed since the unfortunate incident where his DOOMs attracted several BTs, getting many folks in the lower colonies killed in the process. Higgs had attempted to use his powers to drive the creatures away but instead made preying on humans much easier. The incident would have broken anyone to the point of no return. Nonetheless, Khaio couldn't let it be true, that he was looking at the corpse of someone he had grown to care for.

Rushing over to Higgs's chair, Khaio bent down in front of Higgs. His hands reached out to cup Higgs's cheeks. Relief began to trickle down Khaio's nerves, feeling that there was still warmth in Higgs's body as a pair of watery eyes gazed back at him.

Khaio could tell Higgs wanted to scream as his bottom lip quivered. He wanted to bellow and chew out Khaio for seeing him so weak, but nothing would come out. Higgs looked like a child in this moment. Someone so fragile that he lost the ability to speak his mind.

"I'm here should you need me," Khaio said softly, keeping his focus steady on Higgs.

Higgs didn't say a word but merely nodded against Khaio's palms.

"Whatever happens, just--keep looking at me." Higgs pleaded in between sobs.

"Of course. Whatever you need." Khaio promised.

He wouldn't leave his side. Even if it ended in his death. Khaio loved Higgs too much to let him battle this alone.

If you like my work and feel generous, feel free to donate to my ko-fi account or my cash app account!

Cash App: $JayRex1463

[devie726]

Higgs × Architect (OC)

[devil-kindred]

I was lucky enough to be able to commission @senka-mesecine a second time and they’ve knocked it out of the park again! It’s so amazing and more beautiful than anything I could’ve imagined! This goes perfectly with a scene from my upcoming fic “Sunshine” where the two are briefly reunited after Faye is (accidentally) jumped to the beach. A tiny peek at that work can be found here.

One again, I can’t thank you enough @senka-mesecine! If any of you out there are wanting a commission, please contact them!

[cardiaccadillac]

So I did art of Higgs with more than just the Higgs equations on his forehead a while ago but the concept still wouldn’t leave me so I wanted to explore it in more detail. Higgs/OC technically, but it’s not really what the fic is about. It’s about a wordplay loving physicist being stupidly self indulgent nothing to see here.

Summary: Higgs is the Particle of God, but it takes a physicist to write the equations of his heart on his human skin.

(AO3)

—

"Not only God knows. I know. And by the end [of this] you will know." — Sidney Coleman, theoretical physicist

Since the 1970s, research has considered the possibility that the Higgs field occupies a metastable state and that a lower vacuum energy is available to it, thus allowing for the spontaneous occurrence of a vacuum decay event with dire consequences for the universe. The timescale over which such a catastrophe may trigger is long, so long that it should be far beyond concern for any human lifetime, but there is also the possibility that certain cosmological circumstances may enhance this decay rate. One such seed is the presence of a microscopic black hole.

—

Black sands and rolling waves are no Elysian Fields. Perhaps that's what comes after.

Higgs will never know. His own field is…less than stable.

They stand in the aftermath of rain, he and her, air dense, tears brimming, heavy under gravity's pull. The masks are shed first and then the hoods. Gold falls to earth to be followed by discarded equipment—an odradek, a BB pod, and then time-proofed leather slips from narrow shoulders, armour undone, and Higgs stands bared to the skin.

In perfect symmetry, she stands opposite.

What was her name again?

"Kohlman," she answers, reading the question in his eyes. "And you are Higgs."

"Particle of God," he finishes, voice a whisper, and holds his breath as she draws near. "Will you pray to me?"

A blackened fingertip rises to sweep a gentle arc across his eyelid. In her other hand, a pen—Egyptian kohl brush or tattooist's tarred needle? Left hand, right hand? It doesn't matter. His face will be transformed.

"I'll pray that you fulfil your potential," she murmurs, and makes her first mark.

Lagrangian. Covariant.

Symbols carved into his brow. They move in space together. Change in time.

Mass coupling. Self coupling.

They couple. A doublet beneath the grey skies.

The particle of God and she knows him, inscribes his secrets on human skin still soft and susceptible to time and decay. Her lips brush his cheek, tasting black tears. "Is this what you wanted, Higgs?" A scratch of the pen at his throat. "To unite everything in mass extinction?"

"I'll give you mass, but I'm not the extinction."

"No, you're the seed." A lie told standing in the killing field. Her hand trails down his neck, moves to settle on the left side of his chest. (The right side, matching the chirality of his heart.) The sharp nib of the pen again begins to trace, smarting pain, blood springing to the surface. "We've already waited so long. Where's the black hole that will end us all? In here?"

Schwarzschild metric. Horizon radius. Tidal force.

She flattens her palm over the equations, feels his heartbeat underneath like the lap of waves on a far-off shore.

"I'll fix the UCA problem, but decay takes time," he answers, either with a snarl or a chuckle. It sounds the same. "No time on the beach except imaginary, and I've done plenty of imagining what I'll do."

Her hand lingers, his pulse counting out the seconds in a steady rhythm, timefall-impervious beneath the veil of his skin. "I thought you favoured the nuclear option? End everything in an instant?"

"That is my preferred solution." With a sigh, he lets his head fall forward, black-and-blood-smeared forehead coming to rest on her bare shoulder as she retrieves the cloak to drape him.

She touches his back, works at a knot between his scapulae. He’s growing tenser. "Come on, you're done. The tattoos will take."

"Not yet." He stays leaning on her several moments longer before straightening up, rejecting the hood she tries to pull over his head. "You might want to think about putting yours on, sweetheart."

Clear skies or no, it's wise to heed his words.

Kohlman tugs her own hood and armour back into place and watches as Higgs steps back, throwing out his arms as though in invitation as he turns his eyes to the heavens. There's no warning, nor thunder, nor blip even from the abandoned odradek as the first of the raindrops fall.

A hiss of steam on bare skin. The fall is a drizzle, almost a mist, but for the span of time her mind calls seconds and her biology would call days, she watches as the water trickles over Higgs' exposed face and chest and evaporates into nothing. The narrow streaks of red among the black wash away. Weeks of healing compressed into moments, and the fresh marks lose their redness, rough edges smooth over, leaving behind sharp symbols and glossy ink of which she's proud.

Higgs tilts his head forward and at last pulls up his hood as a shield. From beneath its peak she sees piercing blue eyes gaze out, narrow lips stretched in a grin across a face that will never recognise its twin in the mirror again.

Symmetric time flow and parity ought to exist in nature, yet her marks upon his forehead have turned him chiral; thoroughly broken the symmetry of both. He seems pleased.

The Higgs field is invariant under conformal transformations.

Higgs has never known how to conform.

[skys-hyperfixation-thoughts]

Day 1:

Hello Hello, welcome to the first post of this account.

To explain a little bit, I have a class where I need to do something for a total of 30 days. It can be anything I want, so I chose to post on Tumblr.

Today's random hyperfixation thought is about:

Death Stranding

I've been hella obsessed with Higgs from the game and just, it's become dangerous at this point.

My self-insert character ended up working as a hacker for him after she tripped into a ravine near the Distribution South of Lake Knot City. She only happened to sprain her ankle, but with Timefall fast approaching, she would be screwed.

So good ole Higgs happens to be passing by, sees the damsel in distress, scoops her up and gets her all patched up. Of course, he asks for something in return for such a generous gesture. So, she works for him, messing with Bridges systems, occasionally Fragile Express too.

Quick context, Sky worked by contract doing the same for Bridges, however, they did not treat her well as an employee. She would stay up for endless hours to meet absurd deadlines, barely even eating in fear she'd waste too much time.

So, when she started working for Higgs and repeated these same habits, the big man himself did not like it. He didn't like that she believed she needed to deny herself basic necessities like food and sleep just to get work done. He had to intervene himself, telling her to take a break.

Even if he is a terrorist, he can be a nice man.

[kuro-monaghan]

Just a lil scribble trying to draw different poses with OC Scar and Higgs Monaghan. 😊

[mydisenchantedeulogy]

The Ties That Bind [Chapter Three] The False Martyr [Higgs Monaghan]

“Has anyone ever told you that you look gorgeous bored to tears?”

Mercy snorted in laughter, turning up her weary eyes. She rolled her shoulders until the ache from overuse eased a little. Sleep had not come easy for her as of late; there was too much on her mind. Three nights of constant work and limited meals robbed her of any strength she had left. It was a miracle that she had not crashed yet.

Her smile revealed teeth as she rested on an extra cot in the infirmary; she honestly needed a laugh; things were a little hectic since the terrorists came and took over the base. Routine became her life. Mercy was sick of it. Her only comfort came from nursing Rook back to health. So, what if he was able to move around on his own or tend to his knife wound without her; she needed the contact.

“Make your wisecracks,” she uttered. “All it will take is for me to open up and this little charade will end.”

Rook pouted. “Don’t be like that. I thought we were having fun.”

She was; she’d admit to that. Mercy took an uneasy breath and leaned up onto her elbows. Her eyelids felt heavy, but she pushed through the exhaustion. Something had been on her mind since the terrorists showed up; something she thought Rook would know.

“It’s unusual for a person to have DOOMS you said. How does it function?”

Rook shrugged. “Hard to say. I have only ever heard of a person having DOOMS, I’ve never actually met one before, or questioned one for that matter.”

“Could you learn more with a blood sample? Or a hair follicle?”

He hummed. “It’s worth a try.”

Perhaps she could learn from Higgs. Uncover the source of his strange power and figure out a way to stop him. As Rook said, it was worth a try; a try that may cost her the life of her crew and her own.

Rook stared at her from the bed on the far side of the room and frowned. He knew what she was thinking. Why else ask him such questions?

“Whatever you are thinking, don’t do it, Mercy. Higgs is a sick man. If he finds out what you’re doing––”

Mercy tossed him a heated look.

“I know that my life is at stake, but imagine the good we can do if we figure out his weaknesses,” she argued back.

Rook shook his head in disbelief. She was asking for trouble.

“Promise me you won’t interfere,” he begged.

Even if Higgs had a weakness, there was no sure way to exploit it. Rook was reading up on DOOMS, learning what he could, but there was no information on the drawbacks or weaknesses; at least none that he had ever read. That is why he hoped to read the notes that the researchers of Bridges had complied. But that hope was dashed the moment Walt sold out the crew of Sunergos to the Homo Demens.

“Promise me, Mercy.”

She huffed a sigh.

“I won’t interfere,” she uttered.

Rook hoped so, but he had his doubts. He stared at her a moment, then faked a grin.

“Take a nap. You have time before the Demens force-feed us whatever steaming pile of shit is on the menu today,” he teased.

Mercy snorted but agreed nonetheless. She leaned back on the cot and rested her eyes, quickly falling asleep.

An hour flew by, or perhaps thirty minutes before the doors to the infirmary came open with a low hiss. Two members of the Demens rushed in and forced Mercy awake. She glanced around in panic, noticing one of the terrorists grab Rook by the arm, dragging him to his feet. He had been asleep as well according to the tired look on his face as he struggled to get up. The man who woke him nudged his gun into Rook’s back, ordering him to move. Mercy frowned as she was led out of the infirmary and down the hall towards the crew’s rooms.

“Which one is yours?” The terrorist asked.

Mercy pointed to the door, and he ushered her through. The state of her room was indescribable. Papers were scattered across the floor; her private journal was open on the cot – someone used it recently – and her case displaying her gear was busted.

“Collect your belongings and dress for the Timefall,” the man ordered.

Mercy puckered a brow. Why were they going outside? She assumed she’d soon find out. Walking over to her clothing drawer, she searched for a pair of underwear, needing a change. A lacy pair on the top caught her attention, covered in dry semen and thrown haphazardly back into the drawer; Mercy curled up her nose in disgust. How typical. She took what she needed and tossed her parka on the bed, turning to look at the terrorist who was standing not far from her.

“Can you please leave, or turn around?” She asked.

He shook his head.

“Use a blanket if you’re so damn shy,” he snapped.

Mercy glared at him and tore a sheet from her cot, using it to cover her body as she changed into the panties and a tank top. Walking over to the case, she took out her med bag and uniform, putting it on before shoving what she had in stock into the bag. There was much more in the infirmary, but she doubted the terrorist would allow her to go back. Once she was done, Mercy tossed the sheet and looked around the room once more. She had a feeling she’d never see it again. The man cleared his voice and ordered her to hurry, ushering her from the room.

In the hall, she saw Rook and the other guard, waiting. They were given no time to chat before the two forced them down the hall towards the cafeteria. As the door came open, Mercy noticed Ed, Cap, and the Director sitting at the table; Higgs was nearby, standing at the head. Mercy was ordered to take a seat and frowned once an MRE was sat in front of her. Today’s lunch was a pepperoni and cheese pizza. She sighed as she prepared it.

Moments later, Walt escorted Aster in. Both carried Ed’s custom exoskeleton, resting it beside the ungrateful cook. Aster took a seat and politely accepted her meal as Higgs leaned over the table on his palms.

“Eat up; you’re gonna need the energy for the trip we are about to make,” he ordered.

Ed grunted.

“And where the hell would that be?”

Higgs laughed and shook his finger.

“Let’s not ruin the surprise,” he taunted.

Motioning for a handgun, he clicked off the safety and aimed the barrel at Ed. A chorus of gasps echoed around the room.

“For one of you, however, the fun ends,” Higgs declared.

Walt shook his head.

“Come on Higgs, we had a deal.”

The said man laughed.

“Don’t be sad, Wally. I’m not gonna shoot your husband.”

He walked around the side of the table and stopped behind Mercy, aiming the gun at her head.

“I’m gonna shoot the medic,” he furthered.

Her breath caught in her throat as fear consumed her.

Me? I don’t understand.

She was a medic. The Demens would benefit to have someone like her at their side.

I don’t want to die.  

Fat tears poured down her cheeks. She was terrified but hoped that her death would be quick and painless. Mercy shut her eyes and focused on calming her heart rate. The alarm blared.

“Look on the bright side, darlin’. You’re gonna be a martyr. Ya said a voidout miles from the city was illogical, but as I see it, no voidout would be a waste,” Higgs explained.

He was insane; a mad man––

“She has a link to Bridges. Killing her would mean losing a valuable asset,” the Director blurted out.

Higgs laughed. “Valuable, he says. And why is that?”

“Her cuff link is connected to the network.”

The gun eased off her head as Higgs hummed in thought.

“And right after that big pep talk.”

He brought the gun up and fired. The sound was deafening as the bullet hit the Director in the forehead. The force tore him from the seat and onto his back, coating the wall in his blood. Aster cried out in terror, but Mercy hardly heard her over the ringing in her ears. She was yanked from the seat and given her bag, then led down the hall towards the platform.

Mercy shut the alarm on her cuff link off before they reached to surface. The cool air touched her face as the rain poured down, but her hood covered her head before the Timefall could touch her. She marched behind a terrorist as they led them away from the base. The Director had a forty-eight-hour window before his corpse reached complete necrosis, but she doubted anyone wanted to be near the base in the meantime. A voidout at this range would kill them all. There was nothing to do but walk.

At dusk, the Demens sat up camp in an open area. A guard was stationed outside with an Odradek, pinging the area for MULEs and signs of BTs. Another guard was on standby, watching the members of Sunergos as they sat around an open fire. The Timefall ceased hours ago, so Mercy was thankful to be out of the rain. Ed wasn’t fairing so well.

“Can we do anything for him, Sunshine?” Aster asked in concern.

Mercy leaned forward to hear her better. She was sure the gun had damaged her right eardrum when it went off.

“I gave him a pain pill, but there isn’t much else I can do,” she answered back.

Aster frowned.

“I can’t imagine how hard this is on him.”

Because of Walt’s betrayal. But how did Aster feel? The Director was dead and so far, she seemed to be keeping her emotions in check. That’s more than Mercy could say. She was alive because of him, and since then, Cap has given her nothing but angry looks, like he wants her to drop dead. She focused her eyes on the fire until Rook eased over to her.

“Do you think you can low key hack this?” He asked.

Mercy noticed a holoscreen in his hand a puckered a brow.

“Where did you get that?” She asked.

Rook hushed her.

“I found it in the Director’s bag,” he answered back in a whisper.

Did someone grab his gear? Mercy took the screen and used her cuff link to hack it by using her faint connection with Bridges. Inside were files, each labeled with the same name and a date. It appeared to be a video diary.

“Miles,” Rook read out loud.

Mercy hummed. Perhaps Miles was his name. She teared up; it suited him.

“I don’t suppose I have any business snooping around in this,” Rook mentioned.

She shook her head in agreement and grinned as he turned it off. For a moment they sat in silence until Rook cleared his throat.

“How are you fairing through all this?” He asked.

Mercy shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m not sure. I feel numb right now,” she answered back.

How was she supposed to feel? She about died, then watched as her boss take a bullet for her. Perhaps she was in shock. She was sure the trauma would eventually come rushing in. Tears blurred her eyes.

“Please talk to me, Mercy,” Rook pleaded.

Before Mercy could open her mouth to ask him how he was doing, a familiar voice called out to her.

“Medic, come here!” She heard Higgs shout.

Glancing over the fire, she noticed him inside the mouth of the stock tent motioning for her. Mercy was frozen in horror. What did he want?

Like a wink, he appeared behind her and reached down to capture her wrist. Mercy cried out as Higgs pulled her from the seat and onto her feet, leading her towards the tent. A small cot sat in the far corner of the area and a table with a few books on it, but nothing unique stood out to her. She noticed shelves with stock on it; smart drugs and other useful items she assumed the terrorists stole from porters or MULEs. Higgs pulled her close to him and forced her arm up.

“So, the Big Cheese wasn’t just yammering to save your life,” Higgs mentioned. He shook her arm, causing the handcuff to rattle. His cheerful laugh brought dread to Mercy. “You are one lucky woman; to have a piece like this attached to your wrist.”

She certainly didn’t feel lucky.

“You have access to any Bridges terminal across the country. Not to mention the hardware to hack any porter mailbox within range,” Higgs explained.

He tapped at the screen, but like expected, nothing happened. This device was connected to her entirely; heart rate and virtual signature via fingerprint.

“Show me.”

Mercy hesitantly did as he ordered. She brought up the main screen, appearing to her as a holographic map of the country with various labels opened. From there she allowed Higgs to swipe through them. He hummed as he did so.

“If I get my hands on one of these, it’s possible to hack the terminals in any city connected to the network, right?”

She shook her head in agreement, despite the nervous feeling in her gut. What were his plans? She frowned as he took out the knife attached to his side and pressed the blade against the inside of her wrist, below the cuff. Her skin burned as the edge cut into her; she groaned in pain.

“Sorry darlin’, but this has got to come off,” Higgs mentioned.

Was he serious? Did he plan to cut her hand off? Mercy tried not to exacerbate the situation by jerking her arm from him, but she did grab his wrist and push the blade from her. The cut wasn’t deep; it didn’t need stitches, but the knife did draw some blood.

“The cuff monitors my heartbeat and if it elevates or stops an alert is sent to Bridges. They’ll cut the connection if I don’t report back,” Mercy explained.

She was surprised that Deadman hadn’t contacted her yet about the spikes.

“Like I said … lucky,” Higgs stated.

He tossed Mercy a kit from one of the shelves and watched her care to her wound.

“The fun you and I are going to have,” he mentioned.

She didn’t want to think about the plans he had in store for her. Mercy excused herself and returned to the firepit. Miles should never have sacrificed himself for her. Either way, Higgs deemed her a martyr.