Mark leaned on the bars wearily. His body hurt from fighting with the bars, but he couldn't relax. He had to stay alert for Sean's sake. Death yanked the prisoner's hood off his body, tossing it aside as he asked him sternly. "This 'colony' you come from. Does it have a cure?" The man whined from the spikes of the chair piercing into his legs, back, and arms. When he didn't answer right away, War moved in to stand before him, telling the others confidently. "I got this." War grabbed the man's strapped down wrists, leaning on them to push them farther down on the spikes as he sneered out close to the man's screaming face. "We don't have all day. You either answer... or I keep going until your body is broken beyond recovery." The man jerked uselessly in the chair, before screaming out. "I DON'T KNOW! That's just what they told me to say!" War glanced over his shoulder to look at Famine, coolly mumbling out. "You might be right... What a strategy to bring people in." War straightened up off the man, questioning curiously. "How many at the colony? What's their security? Guns?"
The man whined, then spit at War's face before snapping out. "Go fuck yourself, Sicko!" The other Horsemen took a step back to give War space. War whipped his cheek and licked his fingers, his red eyes glaring down at the man. War then smirked wickedly, telling him so calmly it was frightening. "Really? Ok. But remember... you asked for it. First, let me show you how I turn myself on..." War cupped the man's face and slid onto his lap. The man belted out an ear piercing scream that made Zero jerk up onto all fours. War tilted the man's head back, brushing his lips over his, while asking still in a soft voice. "Answer me... Or I'll keep going..." The man swallowed, his body quivering in pain, upon whimpering out. "About five-hundred survivors... Families. Some soldiers with guns." War looked to Famine who corrected for the others bluntly. "Clever boy... Telling only half truths to get around my serum. The soldiers outnumber the families. So, we're probably looking at an old military compound. Probably lots of weapons." Death started to pace, muttering out as he twirled a finger through a strand of his long white hair. "They won't go down easy... We'll have to burn out their ammo supplies."
Conquest shrugged, retorting simply. "Can you herd a few zombie Brutes to their compound? It will give us a chance to see how much fire power they are packing." Death let out a heavy sigh, honestly admitting. "I don't know... The storms drove most of the hoards north... They would take my Death Stalkers a while to find." Famine brushed his loose bangs from his eyes, interjecting seriously. "Send your Death Stalkers out to find them. The sooner the better. In the meantime, we need to think of something to weaken them down before they get there." Conquest withdrew an arrow to show the others as he grinned out. "I could take my riders and spread some... pestilence into their paradise?" War covered the man's mouth to muffle his screams, adding back to Conquest dismissively. "I wouldn't recommend it. You attack them and they'll fortify their defenses before the Brutes are rounded up... No. What we need is a pestilence that is more... subtle." War winked at Famine, who lifted his chin and said openly. "You're suggesting an infiltrator?"
War slide off the prisoner's lap, strolling up to Famine and purring over his shoulder as he circled him. "Think about it. They're taking in survivors... So, let's give them a survivor. An 'infected' survivor..." Famine shook his head, mumbling out. "Won't work. We tried that once on another compound. It failed. They know what signs to look for. They'll know the person is infected." War moved in front of Famine, whispering to him lovingly. "Doesn't mean these people are smart enough to catch the virus in early stages. They just need a good sob story to get in." Famine pushed War back to give himself space, before he smirked and said with a wicked grin. "Actually, that could work..." Conquest put his arrow away with a disgusted snort. War shot a smug look at Conquest, whispering to him in a smartass tone. "I even know the perfect little bitch to preform the job." Conquest flicked off War, retorting bitterly. "You'd miss me, Asshole." War rolled his eyes, muttering out dryly. "Are you sure about that? Cause I'm thinking about fucking someone on your grave."
Conquest moved up to War, sneering out through his teeth. "You're just jealous because my body is flawless compared to the whores you fuck. Not a scar on me..." War reached out slowly to touch Conquest's split lip, leaning in to whisper over his lips with clear spite. "You are beautiful... And I'd still rather fuck a cactus over you." War dropped his hand, starting to move back to the prisoner as he added back with a devilish smirk. "Oh, and I'm pretty sure that split lip is going to scar. So, not so flawless now, ya pampered bitch." Conquest withdrew his bow and arrow, managing to notch it before Death stopped him. Yanking the bow from Conquest, he snapped out to them both. "Enough you two! Famine? Your plan?" Famine removed an EpiPen from his robe and tossed it to Conquest. Conquest caught it, but distastefully told him. "Ugh... I don't want your fucking drugs..." Famine narrowed his eyes on him, pointing to it as he corrected seriously. "No. Put the virus in it. We give that to a clean survivor and once they're in... have them inject that around. They wouldn't deprive someone of their... life saving medicine. And even if they do take it away..."
Death pointed at Famine with an excited grin, finishing off for him. "They'll use it on someone else. I like that!" War clapped his hands excitedly, purring out. "Alright, Famine. Bring down your hookers. I'll pick the best one for the job... I'll be... through." Conquest shook his head, taking his bow back from Death as he growled at War. "Always thinking with your dick... We want someone that WON'T draw attention to themselves and will obey our orders to the letter without question. Someone loyal and who knows how to play up to a crowd." War leaned on the back of the spiked chair, stating out in a bland voice. "You've never been to a brothel in your life, have you? Those women could seduce any man into doing anything. The freakier the better. They're the perfect candidates for spreading a virus." Famine reluctantly told them all honestly. "He's not wrong. Male or female... My people can seduce their way in and infect the place within hours." Death raised a hand to calm the others, asking Conquest curiously. "Who were you thinking of to do the job?" Conquest grinned brightly back at Death, tapping the EpiPen against his thigh as he said smoothly. "Send in a kid. Dress a little girl up... give her a real sob story to tell them. They'll take her in, and she'll wipe them out with the virus. They'll never see it coming."
The prisoner shook his head, straining out. "What's wrong with you people?! These are human lives!" War grabbed the man's mouth, sneering into his ear. "Didn't stop people from ruining our lives. We're just sickos, remember?" Death ignored the prisoner to say simply. "That's good in theory, Conquest... but kids are unpredictable. They give in to temptations. They forget." Famine gestured to Sean, saying softly. "What about him?" We've got plenty of leverage on him and his friends." Mark grabbed the bars tighter. However, Death snapped out sharply. "NO! Not him! I need him!" War crept away from the prisoner toward a softly giggling Sean, asking in a wispy voice. "Why? What is it about this one that you fancy?" Death glanced at the prisoner, while hissing out smugly to War. "Because I've made him a walking cure. I just have to test it to be sure." All the Horsemen turned to look at Death with horrified expressions. Death looked at all of them in turn, casually informing them. "Relax. I'm not going to just start curing people. I just want to have it ready for when we do need it."
Mark's heart hit the floor in shock. There was a cure for all this... with these crazy people? And they put it in Sean! Mark glanced back to see if Zero had heard that. He clearly had. Zero stiffly rose to his feet, locking worried eyes with him. Zero leaned himself up against the other side of the cell door. Both of them then looked to Sean. This couldn't be good. War discreetly kissed Sean's neck, causing Sean to giggle louder. The whole time, War was eyeing Mark's reaction. After a minute, War interrupted the other Horsemen's conversations to say allowed. "What if we send in his lover?" All eyes turned to War. War leaned on Sean, running a hand through Sean's hair as he told them. "He heard our plans. We have his lover. He'll obey... Unless he wants me to play with Sean." Death moved closer, growling out. "War! I just said-" War cut Death off to imply with a menacing grin. "I wouldn't hurt him... physically. But mentally..." War turned to look at Sean, sticking his tongue out enough to trace his tongue piercing along Sean's jawline. Mark rattled the door, trying again to snap the lock or hinges. Death eased up, looking between Mark and Sean.
War turned his back to Mark, pressing himself against Sean as he told the other Horsemen with a mocking chuckle. "Hell... When's the last time we had an orgy together?" Conquest and Death looked at each other with perplexed expressions. While Famine simply crossed his arms and said casually. "Never. That's just one of the pleasures you drown yourself in when you visit my brothel house." War chuckled, teasingly prodding Famine and the others. "Well, no time like the present. I'm sure it will bring us much closer. What do you say boys?" Famine chuckled, then retorted back with mocking innocence. "With you? No." War slowly turned, gesturing to Sean as he purred out. "Even with him between us? Think about it. You'll get to see me in action... but I won't be tearing up your fine ass." Famine raised an eyebrow, neutrally droning out. "You just don't give up, do you?" War grinned, whispering to him. "You're thinking about it... I can see it. Just say yes." Mark kicked dirt through the bars at War and Famine, shouting out. "Don't! Do what you want to me, but leave him alone!"
Zero swatted Mark's arm, muttering out in warning. "What?! What are you doing?!" Mark swatted his hand off him, snapping out to Zero in a shaky voice. "If they made Sean the cure, they'll never let him leave. I won't let them hurt him and YOU shouldn't either!" Mark hoped that Zero caught what he meant, before turning to the bars to plead with the horsemen. "I'll deliver the virus. I'll do what you want and the way you want it. But you don't hurt Sean. Mentally or physically. Please?" War briefly looked at Mark, before tugging lightly on Famine's ponytail to whisper smugly to him. "See? Easy." Famine struck War across the gut with his arm, informing the others cautiously. "I don't know. I'd prefer someone more loyal to the cause." Mark was about to start yelling, when Zero stepped out to say boldly. "Conquest, allow me to go with him?" War grunted with disgust, staring down Zero as he said. "We can't trust you... Traitor." Zero ignored War, pleading solely out to Conquest desperately. "I'm sorry. I didn't understand then... I do now. Let me prove it. Let me help you."
War reached through the bars, grabbing Zero by the throat. Squeezing his throat so hard that Zero began to wheeze, War darkly uttered to him in a heartless tone. "I smell a rat... And do you know what I do to rats? I burn them alive!" Zero sank to his knees as his face turned red. War kneeled to stay at eye level with him, refusing to ease off him, until Famine touched his shoulder. Releasing Zero, War looked up at Famine expectantly. Zero fell across the floor, gasping for air as he coughed and scooted away. Over Zero's noise, Famine lightly slipped out to the others. "Two is too risky... but what do you two think?" Conquest shuffled his feet, shaking his head when he replied calmly. "No. I don't trust Zero. I gave him too much freedom, and I believe that's all he wants now." Death eyed Mark a long time, saying with uncertainty. "Mark's a fighter. I don't doubt that... but a fighter infiltrating their ranks? They'll have their eyes on him from day one. He'll never get anything done."
War rose up slowly from his couching position, informing the others in a light tone of voice. "You really want to risk losing one of our loyal followers to this suicide mission? You send a kid and when the place is overrun, the kid will freak out or get itself killed. Then we'll have to deal with the kid's parents. True, they'll be watching him, but if he's smart... He'll get the job done." War's eyes drifted to Mark's, staring deep into his eyes as he added in a purring voice. "After all, he's not heartless enough to leave his lover with us, right?" Mark nodded stiffly. The prisoner scoffed, straining out. "They'll never fall for it..." War shot the prisoner a cruel smile, upon retorting coolly. "You know... I'm going to enjoy making you eat that tongue of yours." Death let out a heavy sigh, gesturing to the Horsemen as he asked. "So, we are in agreement then?" The others nodded. Death nodded himself after, addressing formally. "Alright. War, I leave him to you. Get him ready and when Conquest gets the virus ready... We'll him out to the location."
Conquest gestured to Famine, who whispered something to War before quickly hurrying back up the cellar steps. Leaving Death with War. Death strolled over to Sean, ordering War seriously. "Unlock him." War huffed dismissively, pulling a set of manacles off the wall and gesturing for Mark to put his hands through the bars. Mark tried to put both hands through one set of bars, but War wasn't that stupid. Shackling his wrists outside the bars, War told Death in a calm voice. "Not yet. I wanna do something first." War removed a bar gag from the wall, then unlocked the cell. Zero quickly scrambled far away from War in a panic. Bringing the bar gag to his face, he told Mark seriously. "I'm doing this as a curtesy to your lover's ears. Plus, you'll want to bite down on this." Mark wanted to ask what War was going to do but he knew War likely wouldn't answer. So, he just reluctantly opened his mouth to let him buckle it in place. War stepped out a second to grab a small blow torch and an iron rod with a flaming horseshoe on it. Within the horseshoe was a horse head with a large greatsword.
Mark sank to his knees, grabbing the bars in a terrified grip. He couldn't bare to look at it. Staring straight head at Sean, he took deep breaths. Mark flinched as he heard the blow torch kick on. Across from him, Sean shifted against the wall like he was coming down from his high. Mark's scared eyes met Sean's confused ones, making his heart leap with a need to tell him why this was happening. All that came out was muffled moans from the gag though. Sean jerked against his restraints, belting out in a panic. "What's going on?! What are you doing to him?! STOP!" Mark tried to tell Sean to calm down, until War turned off the blow torch and dropped it into the dirt. Mark's breathing increased, upon feeling War yank his shirt collar down away from his neck. For a moment, War paused to curiously ask him just for fun. "I like giving people a choice. So, which side do you want it on?" Mark gestured with hands toward his right side, where War was already. War gestured for Death to help him and he moved in to help hold Mark's head still.
Mark closed his eyes, inhaling deeply mere seconds before War pressed the flaming hot metal against his neck. War only held it to his flesh for a few seconds... but the pain that followed was blinding and would last for days. His muffled screams overpowered the unmuffled screams from the prisoner. To Be Continued...