[TLH] Zombieverse: Wanderer Luan 02

>"Knock knock!"
>No response from the gate. Luan knocked again.
>I said "Knock knock!"
>No reply.
>"Come on, the joke only works if you say "who's there?"."
>Nothing.
>"Jeez, tough crowd."
>A head poked up from the top of the barricade. "Shut up...!"
>"Rude."
>"Shh-!" The figure scanned the surrounding area. "You'll attract shamblers."
>Luan looked around herself. She saw nobody else. "What shamblers?"
>The man poked his head out more and had a longer look around. "Hm. Guess you're right." He looked straight at her. "Now who the fuck are you?"
>"Luan Loud, travelling entertainer." She bowed.
>"Entertainer, eh? What kind?"
>"Comedy, stand-up, that sorta thing."
>"Oh." He looked almost disappointed. "I think we're good here."
>"Don't be such a grouch." Luan smiled. "I'm sure you guys could use a little levity."
>"Hmm... Yeah, I guess have been on edge. Lemme ask the boss first."
>Luan waited. And waited. She was just about to turn and leave when the man returned.
>"You're allowed in for the night."
>"You won't regret it."
>Passing through the gate, she noticed that this used to be a large garage of some kind, the chain fence barred up with scrap metal and wood.
>Everyone inside it was wearing some kind of ad-hoc armour, and looking at her with intense suspicion.
>Luan kept her back straight as she walked forwards. One of the women ahead of her, with glorious blonde hair and some kind of military rifle, approached her.
>"So, you're the performer, huh?"
>"At your service." Luan bowed.
>She slung her rifle over her shoulder. "Seem harmless enough. So whaddya charge?"
>"About 5 a head, or a flat fee of about 250 for more than fifty, minimum"
>"You take bartering goods?"
>Luan nodded.
>"I think we can work something out then."
>Luan stuck her hand out to shake. "I'm Luan by the way."
>"Kira." She grabbed her hand and shook it. "Looking forward to a good show."
-
>Evening fell, and it was time for Luan to perform.
>This crowd of isolationists seemed on edge, so she decided to start with something light, before doing a few classic zombie jokes (switching zombie with shambler, of course), and then seeing how it goes from there.
>She took a slow, deep breath, and walked onto the stage, to staggered applause.
>"Hey, thank you all for having me here." She started, before beginning her routine.
>One by one, they started to relax. The shambler jokes definitely seemed to be a big hit.
>Even the boss, Kira, seemed to enjoy it.
>Luan was about to start her last joke before intermission, when someone ran onto the ad-hoc stage, butting in front of her.
>"Hey! Volunteer stuff is after the intermission!"
>"Norman, what the hell are you doing?" Kira shouted, rising to her feet.
>"Wait a goddamn minute!" This Norman guy yelled back. "How do we know she's not a distraction?"
>"Get of the stage, Norm!" Someone shouted.
>"Think about it! She just shows up here, saying she's a performer? Nobody does that!"
>Kira actually paused. Luan suddenly became very nervous.
>"What if she's here to distract us while some other group comes here and raids our stuff or kills us?"
>"Why on Earth would I do that?" Luan protested.
>Kira spend a second visibly thinking. "Bring her here."
>With no further encouragement, Norman grabbed her by the arm and began dragging her to Kira.
>He threw her in her direction and forced her to her knees, as Kira stood up and looked over her, rifle drawn.
>"Is he right, Luan?"
>Luan took a second to compose herself. "Of course not. I have no reason to do that."
>"See, Luan, I would believe you, but I barely know you. So give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you now."
>"I..." Luan hesitated for a second. But then something came to her. "How about this. You keep me here, secured in whatever way you want. When nobody comes by sunrise, you let me go.
>"And if somebody does attack us?"
>"Then you can do with me as you wish."
>Kira gave it some thought. "That seems fair."
>---
>Luan sighed. The bindings on her wrists were starting to get a little sore.
>"Anything yet?" She asked.
>"Nope." Her guard, the gateman from earlier, replied.
>"Oh thank goodness."
>Her relief was short-lived. The telltale clanking of Kira's armour tipped her off to her arrival.
>"Get her up." She ordered. Gateman obeyed, pulling her up to her feet. "There's a camp some distance away. They haven't moved closer, so we're going to them."
>Still bound and being escorted by Kira and a few of her guards, Luan made the treacherous walk to the nearby camp.
>A few tents had been put up around a campfire. As the unsubtle team approached, a silhouetted figure peered out.
>"I wish to talk to your leader. Just them, no-one else."
>The figure darted back. Another person took their place, slender and graceful in her movements. As she got closer and the guard's lamp reflected off her face, Luan swore she looked like...
>Lyra.
>"You the leader of your camp, kid?"
>"I'm not a kid." Definitely Lyra. "And yes, I am."
>"Do you recognise this woman?"
>Luan gulped. Lyra regarded her with cold eyes. "Can't say I do."
>"Really?" Kira asked.
>Lyra shook her head. "Nope."
>"Are you sure? Because I have reason to believe this woman entered our camp to distract us from an attack."
>"So why haven't you just killed her if she's a threat?"
>Kira paused. "So you really don't know her, huh. Alright, Geoff, you can let her go."
>Someone behind Luan grabbed her arms and sliced the ropes off. She immediately started to massage the chafed area.
>"Hey kid. If I find out you're lying and you come any closer my settlement, I will shoot your entire camp. Are we clear?"
>"As an unmuddied lake." She replied with a cold and detached tone.
>"Good luck, Luan." Kira said, walking off with her group.
>"Hey!" Luan shouted back. "You still owe me for the show!"
>"Your life is enough payment for now."
>Luan sighed. "Jeez, this is gonna be a tough week-"