3 Chapter Three: Chris

    "So….I have something to ask Nate," Said Lola as she watches Nate struggle slightly to stand up. "Oh yeah? And what would that be?" Said Nate with extra wilt in his voice as he stands. "Can...you help me find someone?" Lola asked. Nate turned to her and answered, "I am not gonna drag a girl across the damn wasteland to look for someone who is probably already dead." Lola began to frown and her eyes start to water. Nate looked at her and rolled his eyes. Nate didn't want to deal with this, to be honest. Nate hated people and he didn't seem to care for her. A tear runs down Lola's eye and she says "I-I'm looking for my brother…. He can't be dead...can he?" She begins to shake and Nate looks at her "Listen." Nate spoke up "I barely survived this long so there is no way in HELL your brother is still alive, I hate to break it to ya, but he is dead and I want you gone! Go to Craterview or someplace like that, I don't have time for this!"  Lola made a noise. When Nate looked at her she had tears streaming down her face. She looks up at him "Please?…." She asks as she continues to stare at Nate. Nate sighs "Let's get this over with…" Nate says as he walks to a metal chest in his room and he starts arming himself. "You gotta weapon?" Nate asks Lola. Lola shakes her head. Nate pulls out a switchblade and tosses it to her. "Here, emergencies only," Nate says as he hands her a handgun. "Okay, let's move" Nate mutters as he walks outside. It was still dark outside as the sun was barely rising in the distance. Nate starts to walk and Lola follows. "W-where are we going?...." Lola asks. Nate turns to her and answers "I gotta brother that runs the Roadside Bar. He used to be one of the Mercenary's so he knows where most people are located, what's his name?" Lola looks up at him and mutters "Austin….his name is Austin…" Lola didn't really want to speak to Nate but she was scared so she had to deal with his attitude. Nate notices her sudden silence, even though beforehand she talked so much even to go as far as to call Nate a prick. "Look, Lola. I'm sorry about back there but I had to tell the tru-" Before Nate finished Lola snapped at him "SHUT THE HELL UP NATE! I GET IT, IT'S LIKE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST AND SHIT LIKE THAT, BUT CAN YOU SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH! AUSTIN IS FINE!" Lola went quiet. And so did Nate. They walked in silence until they arrived at the Roadside Bar. Nate opened the door and held it open while Lola walked in. Chris was running the bar. Chris was around 6 feet tall, with a scar down his left eye and a growing beard, Chris wore a sleeveless denim jacket with cargo pants and climbing boots. "NATHAN!!" Chris shouts as he runs to Nate and wraps his arm around Nate. Nate chuckles and hugs back. Lola notices some of the men at the bar eyeing her. Lola stays behind Nate. Chris looks at Nate, Seeming very happy. "Well I'll be goddamned, you sound old!" Chris says to Nate, Nate chuckles and says "Easy, it's gonna happen to you and everyone in this place." Chris looks at Lola "Well who is this young lady?" Chris asks trying to seem like a gentleman. "I am not that young, man," Lola said seeming hostile toward him. She can still feel eyes upon her. "Go on then, find a seat and make yourself at home." Chris smiles as Lola finds a table to sit at. "Okay, Chris. This girl is looking for her brother, and the Mercs usually know where the missing people are at" Nate says finally getting to the point. "I don't roll with that crowd anymore Nate," Chris says to him. 

"But you know where he might be!"

"I don't know nothin'" 

"Cmon Chris! You know!"

"What's his name" 

"Andrew…. Allan…. Austin Austin it was Austin"

"I don't know any Austin…."

Nate finally gave up.

One of the men at the bar stands up and walks toward Lola. "Well, what's a little bird doing here?" the drunk man said to her as he inches closer to her. "This little bird is gonna bite your ear off if you get any closer," Lola said to him. Lola stands up and starts to walk away. The man reaches over and gropes Lola as she walks by. Lola turns around and yells at him. Nate notices the commotion, and Nate walks over. The drunken man also stands up and begins walking toward Lola. Nate stands in between them. Nate's head would barely peak over the drunken man's chest. "Heh, what's the little man gonna do?" The drunken man said. "I am going to beat the shit out of you and everyone else in here with my bare hands if you keep messing with Lola," Nate says while standing straight up. The larger man shoves Nate against a table. Lola backs up. Nate leans up and looks at the drunk man. "Is that all you got, Mate?" Nate said to him appearing cocky. The drunk man grabs Nate and lifts him up. The drunken man throws down Nate and he hits the ground with a loud thump. Nate grunts in pain and discomfort as he stands up. Nate cracks his knuckles and continues to stare at him. Nate sighs and looks at the drunken man. Nate sprints at the drunken man and rams his shoulder into the drunken man's stomach and knocks him against a table. The drunken man leans on the table due to the force that Nate gave. Lola's jaw drops as she watches in shock. Chris smirks, feeling proud of his little brother. Nate begins slamming his fist against the drunken man's nose, the drunk man bleeds as Nate continues to punch him. Blood leaks on the table and Nate doesn't stop punching. Finally, Nate stops and leans up, the drunk man was COMPLETELY unconscious.

Nate looks at the bar patrons staring at him.

Chris speaks up "You should check Boulder Cove if you are still looking for Austin." Nate looks at him "I thought, you didn't know where he is." Nate says to Chris. Lola continues to stare at Nate in shock. "I don't," Chris says "But I know that the Mercs visit Boulder Cove often" Chis smiles at Nate, and Nate smiles back under his mask. "Cmon, Lola," Nate says as he waves and starts walking out the door. Lola follows.