《 Dan & Rebel》<br/>Location: Abendblume<br/>Present: Roman<a class="username" data-user-id="288" data-username="Flannel King" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/288/">Flannel King</a>; Ray<a class="username" data-user-id="36" data-username="Sayd" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/36/">Sayd</a><br/><br/><div class="bbImageWrapper bbImageAligned--left js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/crop-jpg.132945/" title="crop.jpg">
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</div>The invitation to jump on was well received; Dan grinned, trying not to think of other things he'd like to jump on besides the game. Still, this was a Hale. There was no way he could separate the acts of his brother from him. Not yet. It was too soon.<br/><br/>"I'll keep that in mind," he said. The tap was also welcome. He was about to walk away when Roman spoke once more.<br/><br/><i>"...I could use someone over ninety pounds to be my catcher," he chuckled "See you around."</i><br/><br/>Was he flirting, or was Dan's over-active imagination and his long drought playing tricks on his mind? He wasn't sure, but he wasn't going to leave a great opportunity for inuendo in the dust.<br/><br/>"I've been told I'm a decent catcher," he turned to say, "though my pitching isn't too bad for college ball," he added. "Or so I've been told."<br/><br/>Cast Roman a friendly wave, he went to find Rebel. After a quick jaunt to the armory he was directed to the main hall, where Rebel was leaning against a room, watching Ray. Dan gave Hale's son a quick double take before joining the ex-cop at the back of the room.<br/><br/>"What's going on?" Dan asked. His voice was low since Ray was addressing the room, and he didn't want people to get distracted. After the last time a Hale had addressed them all, people were understandably nervous, and Brian Crosby's blood still faintly stained the carpet. Dan noticed people avoided that spot. Whether it was for respect of the dead, or superstition, he could not tell.<br/><br/><div class="bbImageWrapper bbImageAligned--left js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/91203a8d88c449c3b5acbaccccbcf48b-jpg.132946/" title="91203a8d88c449c3b5acbaccccbcf48b.jpg">
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</div>"Ray's giving people the 'official report,'" Rebel whispered back. The glower in his eyes told Dan that the accounting was a load of shit. But from the reactions of those left, it was obvious they would rather believe the lie that comforted them than hear any other version. As the people left, Rebel nodded his head to the side, indicating they should head out the back hall instead of mingling with the ones who had just received news that all was well.<br/><br/>"Did you notice who was cut from the compound?" he asked Dan.<br/><br/>"Well, yeah," Dan replied. He and Rebel nearly took up the entire hallway. From their trajectory he could tell they were headed back to the large kitchen that served the resort. "What of it?"<br/><br/>"They were all either non-essential people or those who had pissed off Hale, but none of them were families. I mean, not any with kids." He thought about Rebecca – no,<i>Rachel</i>and Tobias, Ezra and Anise. "Hale is building not just a compound, but a kingdom. And kingdoms need the next generation to survive."<br/><br/>The paused at the door, Dan scratched the side of his head as he considered it all. Kingdoms? Was Rebel losing his mind? "What does that mean, exactly?"<br/><br/>Rebel paused at the door as he turned to his partner. "It means that you and I were spared because we're essential. We're outside patrol. Security."<br/><br/>That part made sense to Dan but he was still having trouble following where Rebel's thoughts were leading them.<br/><br/>"You need to find a wife," Rebel said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You and I both; we need to settle down and start families, because if we get hurt and can't work, we're out." His eyes darkened. "You understand?"<br/><br/>"Yeah," he replied, though it was still a little fuzzy. "Find a wife, start a family, keeping being essential."<br/><br/>"Good." Rebel slapped a notebook against Dan's chest. "Now go get a list of those who are currently on outside patrol and those on the inside. I need to look at their schedules." His eyes raked over Dan's chest. "So, what you doing with that nurse?"<br/><br/>"Nurse?" Dan looked up.<br/><br/>"Yeah, the guy on the field. Roman."<br/><br/><i>He was a nurse?</i>Dan hadn't realized that Roman was anything other than a Hale. "Oh." His look of concern relaxed. "Oh, yeah – just seeing if he needed some help with the kids," he said. "Sports. The last enclave of civilization."<br/><br/>"Well, don't let it distract you from what's important." Rebel unfolded a finger one at a time as he counted off the three things he had been talking about. "Wife, family, essential work for Abendblume. Got it? Don't let anything else get in your way."<br/><br/>"Got it, Reb." Dan nodded, then squinted at his partner. "You okay?" The guy had taken a couple of hard blows to the head, after all.<br/><br/>"Yeah, yeah. I'm okay. Never been better," he said. He nodded to the book, then told Dan he would catch him that evening at dinner. He had never been better. He had a purpose, an identity, and he believed he knew the secret to staying on the trigger side of Hale's bullets.