Issue 1 Downtime

Stan was wandering the corridors, arms crossed defensively.

He was feeling more and more uneasy about this whole situation.

"Are you looking for something?" Nailah asks as she caught up with Stan, sounding like she was honestly trying to be helpful.

"Just a way home. And a hope that things are what they seem." He replied.

"Well... if you don't then this place is probably the closest thing you'll find that could be called 'home'. Tir na Nog really is as safe as it seems." she smiles.

Stan nodded, looking over to Nailah.

"Tell me what happened, would you?" He asked.

"Everything? Well... when it became obvious that the fight was lost we went into hiding like everyone else. Sam and me that is. We tried to help as much as we could to find others and keep them safe but everything was still chaotic back then and there was nowhere to take them so we did best as we could around London. Eventually our luck ran out and this time I did not see them coming in time..."

She pauses for a moment to collect herself.

"We had always talked of trying to move here one day, but mutants were being flushed everywhere still and it had never been safe to travel too far in a group, but when they knocked down our doors the only thing we could do was to run and hope we'd make it here. We wouldn't even have made it out of the building if it hadn't been for Sam..." she trails off.

Stan nodded in sympathy.

"It must have been horrendous.. Do you remember the day it happened, You and Sam fleeing? I'm trying to put the pieces together.."

"I... don't like thinking about it. It feels like it happened a lifetime ago."

She pauses for a moment.

"We had an escape route out of the building, but we knew we'd never make it. After everyone but Sam had gone through she locked the door and told us she'd catch up to us..." she goes on, her voice breaking up a little.

Stan nodded, letting her continue.

"When, Nailah? When did it happen?"

"September 23rd 2029." she says without having to think much about it. "A Sunday..." she adds a bit more quietly.

Stan nodded, sadly.

And you've been here, for the most part, since?"

"I haven't left Tir na Nog since. What reason would I have? Here I can be happy."

"It does seem.. Calming.." he started.

"It's our home now. You have to understand we have been living here for a decade now. We moved on. Besides, it's dangerous out there. Becca would strangle me if I decided to venture beyond the village." she jokes faintly.

Stan nodded, a low voice emanating from his mouth.

"It is horrible out there, so much death and destruction.. Finding a sanctuary from that.. It seems perfect."

"It does almost seem too good to be true." Nailah nods.

Stan nodded, making a mental note to find out more about this Becca.

"I understand that you're dubious of this. Who wouldn't be after seeing the world out there."

"I've seen things that are very.. confusing. I'm glad you understand."