Acid Reign : Genesis

Bean’s shanty was simple, and despite her consistently disheveled appearance, was surprisingly clean. Gus closed his eyes, fists clinched, and tried to calm himself.

“What do you mean she’s been gone half a day?” Ripp yelled, no longer trying to hold back for Bean’s sake.

“I’m sorry, Ripp! We looked everywhere! She’s probably in a ditch somewhere cut up in a zillion pieces.”

Bean started to cry a horribly off rhythm sob that sounded more like choking than crying.

“Oh hell, I’m sure she’s fine, just don’t do that.”

Ripp rubbed her sweaty shoulder, wishing that he hadn’t.

“Not your fault, Bean,” Gus added in an attempt to help stop the sobbing. “She has a way of disappearing when she wants to.”

Gus sat next to Bean and took over the efforts of consoling her as Ripp stepped away to check his Pigeon.

He scrolled through the feeds and clicked on a video uplink from Lilly the night before, titled, Just Getting Started.

He watched her take down the two dirtbags in the alley and caught himself smiling. The awkward sobs intensified.

“Bean,” he yelled loudly, trying to shake her out of the hysterical state, she was in, and hopefully put a stop to the awful sobs.

Bean and Gus both look at Ripp, startled at the outburst.

“She’s alive and well. Just stay put. Gus and I are gonna go see Nun,” he said, shifting his eyes to Gus.

“Oh, that’s great news,” Bean said, wiping a very wet face with a dirty sleeve as she leaned on Gus.

Gus jumped up, realizing what Ripp was implying, and almost causing Bean to fall over.

“That son of...”

“We’ll be right back,” Ripp said as he smiled the biggest smile that he could fake.

“Okay,” she replied, slurping her runny nose.