"Thank god! I thought I was going crazy! Please, bring support mister—my leg is hurt and you bring good food. I'm trapped here in Motel!"

The girl had a thick Russian accent and she sounded quite young. But not too young. She was definitely old enough to be Sverre's babysitter. Javier's heart began to thump.

The static crept in. "Alright, hang on. You said your name was Navi? Where exactly does your leg hurt? And what's the name of the motel you're in?"

"Yes. Navi Zerokovsky," said the voice from the other end. "I'm in motel in Rust City, Riviere Motel. I came with my boyfriend Sashi, but we got ambushed by Skins, so we seperate. I need bandage mister. I have gash in my leg."

Javier cleared his throat, knowing exactly where his next question will take him. He pressed the radio closer to his lips. "Are the Skins outside your door by any chance?"

"Yes mister. Around tswelve. You come alone?"

"No, I have a little girl with me," Javier rummaged through the duffel bag once more. There were several pistols stashed inside that he managed to find but luckily he was able to fish out a navy blue first aid kit the size of a lunch box. He poured all the money on the ground and kept the two AKs and spare pistols in the bag, pitting an extra one in his back pocket. "I have a first aid kit with me—but it's pretty small, so I don't know how much good that will do. But I'll do my best to bandage whatever wound you got. I'll drop by the supermarket to see what I can find—but don't get any high hopes, food is scarce these days. I haven't had a tender burger since—well, let's just say our best chances are to hunt for our meal." 

"How long will it take you to get here?"

"I'd say around an hour. Maybe two. I'm Javier by the way."

"Nice to meet you Javier. Are you too looking for somebody special?"

"I guess you can say that. It's pretty complicated actually. My wife and—"

"Don't tell me, Javi. I understand szat it can be too much pain to talk about this. Whenever you have time, ok?" 

"Sure."

"Come as soon as possible, ok? I don't know how long I can hold them."

The radio cut off, leaving Javier in the cold silence of his thoughts. Soon the tower began to melt into a deformed puddle and Javier could see a slim, olive skinned lady gazing at him in the middle of a tv room. Orange light was filtering into the house, signaling the crack of a new day. The moth-eaten carpet, the chipped walls, and tilted picture frames were all too familiar to him. Somehow, he was back home in Black Sky. The lady was carrying the hand of a young boy, who seemed rather pouty in the presence of the dark haired woman. The lady dragged the boy with her in Javier's direction. She kissed him on the cheek. Her lips were still rosy soft, and emanated a dark warmth that made Javier's pelvis area stiffen.

"I miss you," said Natalie. "I miss us."

Javier wanted to hug her. He wanted to hold her. To tell her that it was "all alright" and that they'll be together again. But the demon inside him still reigned. The demon that he had married told him that forgiveness had died in this very house.

"Where is he?" 

"He's fine, Javi. We're fine. Don't you want me anymore?" She leaned in for another kiss but Javi turned his head away and slapped her. He took the dagger out of his pocket and prodded the tip to her neck.

"I'm not playing games with you woman! Where's Zion? Did you and John kill him?"

Natalie broke into a sob, which emanated a facetious tone at first. But Javi noticed that it was real.

"Don't let her die." Natalie sputtered. "You're all she has."

"What?"

"Please don't, Javi. Don't let her die. Don't let go of her now." She froze for a moment. "Don't let her become like me."

Javier began to step back. Something slimy was beginning to encroach his nerves.

"I know your heart, Javi. I know where you'll lead her. Don't let her die!" The woman pounced on Javier. She was now disfigured, her skin pale like oatmeal, black eyes, black veins rooted around her beetle eyes, her tongue longer than usual and her teeth sharper, yellower than usual like a panther. Natalie had somehow become one of them. 

Javier stared in disgust at the Skin.

"She's with us now, Javi."

Javi swung his dagger straight into her eyeballs and the woman staggered back, screeching like some overgrown hell bat. Suddenly the vision began to melt away and Javier was back at the tower again. But the screeching didn't dissipate with it. Javier recognized Sverre's scream and bolted towards the door. He was back on the forest ground in a flash and could see Sverre not only head-locked by a Skin but surrounded by two of them.

"Javier!" Sverre yelped, a semblance of relief and pain melted on her face.

The Skins pointed auricles perked up, suddenly turning their attention to the blonde man. They snarled appreciatively. One of them gave a defiant screech.

"Make your move, Survivor," crowed the half human half creature hybrid that was holding Sverre. His long demonic tongue started to lick Sverre's ear as his long vulture-like nails sunk a little deeper into the girl's neck. "We remember how your Uncle tasted. How he begged us for mercy. Don't make the same mistake."

Sverre winced. A small bubble of blood began to appear on her neck. Javier hesitated. Then he held up his hands. 

"You're right, he was an idiot, so just let her go. It's me you want."

The Skin grinned lasciviously as he threw Sverre aside and charged at Javier. The other two creatures followed suit. Javier automatically drew out his pistol and shot the two Skins straight in the chest. The final one was a bit more resilient so Kavier drew out his dagger and started to swing. A blur of leg kicks, jabs shots, and head movements took place but Javier ended up getting the Skin leader in a headlock and slitting his neck. 

Javier spat at the dead Skin. "Elliott was definitely an idiot! But at least he never forgot to train me you piece of shit!"

"Javier!"

Sverre came out of the bushes and ran to hug the thuggish survivor. Javier unlatched her from his waist. "Look, I'm not always gonna be here to save you! I thought I told you to shoot anything unfriendly that you see."

"I tried! But there were so many of them—and my hand slipped—and—"

"And?"

"I was just afraid, ok?" Sverre said defensively.

"That's not a good enough excuse! You think those demons care that you're afraid? You think if you die people will care that you're afraid?"

Sverre hung her head. Tears began to soak up the dirt. Javier stared uncomfortably. A cruel voice in his head warned "relax, she's just a kid". But the Outer Lands wasn't for kids; it was for monster. If you fucked around too much, if you fell in love too much, you were out. That's something Elliot had taught him, that his parents never could. 

Javier knelt down, and said, rather somberly, "Look, when I was your age, even younger, my parents died. They had no control over it, it just happened. I remember being so heated, yet so afraid. I felt helpless, like I couldn't be able to defend myself. But luckily my Uncle Elliot came in and took me under his wing. He taught me all I needed to know about the Outer Lands, fighting, love, and most importantly fear. For the longest time I always thought his advice was cruel—but then I met a woman who wasted my life and I realized he was right all along. The dead always are."

Sverre blinked, hanging on to his every word yet her gray eyes roamed at him curiously. 

"Look, I guess what I'm trying to say is—I don't want you to die young. I don't want to die a coward. I just want you to heed my warning and stay close to me, ok? I'll protect you, I swear."

Sverre was silent for a moment, and then she said, "are you my father now?"

Javier smiled and ruffled her white-blonde hair. "Come on, we've got a friend who needs our help."