act38side

Shame. Imagine staying by Talulah's side the entire time but never realizing your so-called leader was an evil dragon spewing lies... A lot of lives could've been saved.

Say, if this Crownslayer didn't kill Talulah or the Emperor of Ursus, why take that name?

Easy for you to say. We're talking about an emperor and an evil dragon here. You ever killed anyone, Romi?

Wait, you couldn't have, could you? I mean, when you worked for the Borgias...

I've never done any of the sort.

I was just their night driver. They're not gonna ask a guy like me to kill someone.

Considering how crappy your driving is, would the dons really have picked you to drive them around at night?

Night driving... This some sort of famiglia lingo I don't know?

It means exactly what it sounds like, driving at night! You're talking like a police officer! I'm tellin' ya, it's all in the past now.

Now that you mention it, Romi, you've been getting more tickets than usual lately.

It's Carnevale. The whole city's packed full of both people and cars. You know that, man.

And just so you know, I used to drive around a nomadic city full of ruins while trying to hide from a Catastrophe!

Still stuck in one of Lyudmila's stories, huh?

Speaking of, those stories are just ones you heard while in Ursus, right? You go into so much detail, it's almost like they were actually about you...

Look at you guys, drinking the soda she bought you, listening to her stories, and now bothering her with questions. Didn't your mom ever teach you manners?

Got me there, Sommer. Sorry, Lyudmila.

It's fine.

You know you don't need to treat us every week, right?

How long has it been since you came to our camp? Three months? Four?

Not too sure myself, but it's been a while now.

We pay you a wage, but you always end up giving it all back to us. Why not listen to my advice, save some for the future so you can start a business?

You've all got families to feed. Me? I'm flying solo. Don't have anything else to spend that money on anyway. Besides, I'm one ragazza sfortunata. Even if I save it all, it's likely to sprout wings and fly away.

Oh, don't be like that...

Look, it's just two crates of salt soda.

I actually wanted to treat you guys to some beer for the weekend.

But since you guys will be busy with that film shoot at Court Square tonight, you'll just have to make do with soda.

If you're still thirsty, feel free to take more.

I'll have a couple more, then!

Here. Not gonna try one yourself, considering you're the one that bought them?

Oh, didn't realize you haven't had one yet...

Just how many bottles are you trying to have, man?!

Alright, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

...I'm good.

Look, everyone knows, Lyudmila.

Though I wouldn't say we don't completely mind. To tell you the truth, when I took off your mask... It scared the hell out of me.

We just understand that... as an Infected, you're probably more worried than us about it spreading around.

Don't blame Romi and the others for pestering you with questions. They don't mean anything bad about it. They just want to get to know you a little better.

Don't be a stranger, Lyudmila.

The setting sun dyes the grass of the camp and the drivers' faces a deep red. Sommer leans against the back of his truck, stretching his hand out to her. The other drivers look at her, nary a hint of wariness on their smiling faces.

Can you get drunk off salt soda? The Reproba wonders as she furrows her brow.

After a short moment of silence, she lowers her mask and takes the proffered bottled of soda from him.

Alright, it's nearly showtime. Time to pack things up and drive over to Court Square.

Eirene was real clear about how strict the filming schedule is, even stricter than our dispatch timetables. We can't be late, or we'll be causing City Hall a whole lot of trouble.

What about Eirene herself?

Said she wanted to go talk with Judge Lavinia about qualification audits for new drivers.

Oh...

Oh yeah, Sommer, you're really not coming along?

It's easy, you just need to drive your truck and follow along, make a big scene. City Hall's even paying us more than a day's wage to do it.

I-I've been driving a little too much lately. Now that I've finally got some spare time, I wanted to catch up on some Zs.

How 'bout you, Lyudmila?

I've got something to take care of, so I'll be hanging back too.

Suit yourself. We'll be off then.

*phew* Finally...

Once the convoy of trucks has left and night slowly washes over the camp, Sommer, all on his lonesome, goes to his own truck.

He starts the engine, but before he even closed the door, a figure was already sat in the passenger seat, seat belt fastened and all.

L-Lyudmila...

Thought you were going to catch some Zs?

I...

Not much of a night drive with an empty passenger seat, yeah?

Lyudmila, I really...

What was it you said again? Don't be a stranger, Sommer.

<p=2>November 5th, 1100 10:17 P.M.</>

...That's the gist of it, Lyudmila. Told you everything I know.

What're you delivering for the Venezias?

It's a batch of tires tonight.

It's usually stuff for making vehicles. Originium engines, steel, alloys, things like that. At times there's also frozen fins, frozen meat, booze, meds...

It's pretty common in other Siracusan cities. Goods the famiglie buy don't have to go through normal customs, so they save a lot on taxes. But here in Nuova Volsinii—

I get it. No need to go into detail.

Alright, alright.

This isn't your first time, is it?

Err... Lyudmila, did you hang back from joining tonight's film shoot because of me?

What do you think?

When did you figure me out?

Why the hell d'you keep following us?

Look, sorry, but Ruggiero and I are really busy here! Would you mind leaving?

So busy you can't even stop for a cup of coffee?

C'mon, Sommer, Ruggiero, lighten up!

This is Nuova Volsinii! We're all citizens here, and we're going to be rubbing shoulders for quite a while longer. Gotta talk to one another, y'know?

How about we set up a caffè across from your camp? With that many drivers, business would be booming, and it'd be easy for us to meet up—

The hell's going on *cough* *cough* Where's all this smoke coming from? My eyes, gah—

Merda! Which of you stronzi hit me?!

Ouch—

Sommer! Ruggiero!

W-We don't know who did it either! We're all the way over here, and we haven't moved an inch...

And you know we can't do Arts...

I heard the reason why this plate was put out on the border of the city, and why City Hall didn't do anything with it until they let us set up our camp, is 'cause it used to—

S-Stop talking crap already. I'll let you two off this time.

...Now I remember.

We never had a chance to know you better until you helped us out of that bind that time. Everyone started to talk to you, asking you about what the hell your mysterious Arts are, and your experiences in Ursus...

A famiglia associate's not going to come looking for you just because they 'don't like the look of your face'.

They kept pestering you after that. Why didn't you tell me, Sommer?

Does Eirene know?

(Shakes head)

I need to get Guri her treatment and bring her over to Nuova Volsinii. I <i>need</i> this money, Lyudmila.

And what use would telling you have been? They're a pack of rabid wolves who won't give up until they catch their prey. I'm not going to bring that sort of trouble onto the association.

We're a band of brothers and sisters living together. But we're just ordinary people, nothing more.

The faces of the drivers flash through Lyudmila's mind one after another. She doesn't say anything.

Hey, you didn't tell Lyudmila, did you?

Don't worry, she's in her tent right now!

She's never taken off that mask since she arrived here, and she sometimes frowns when... Breaks my heart, it does.