The Man In The Tomb

The Crypt

Alexandria POV

"Huh?" I say, getting an incoming call from Arsonel. I didn't know the kid well, but we worked a few gigs together. "Arson," I say. "Something you need?"

"Yeah. Ever been outside of NC?" I shake my head.

"Gotta gig to go clean out some old tomb. Should be fun. Wanna join?" I shrug. Nothing creepy about old tombs, am I right?

"Tell me more, I'm curious. Who's tomb are we raiding?" I sit down on my couch.

"Some old medieval warriors. They say he was tough shit back then. Immortal even. Guess that wasn't true cause he's got a tomb. Apparently the gonks name is Mercer Vortigerson, ever heard of him?"

"Dropped outta school, 'member? If anyone knows anythin', probs Flatline. She knows a lotta history. Anyways, I'm in. Where do ya wanna meet?"

"In the badlands, just before the boarder. They should let us pass with no issues." I sigh and stand up. "Be there in twenty."

"Alright, I'll be there." I say and hang up. I grab my leather jacket and head to the garage if my apartment building. I get in my old Thorton and drive towards the badlands.

~~~~~~~~

"Ever ask Flatline who he is?" I ask, driving up beside Arson. We were stopped on the side of the road. I get out of my Thorton and lean against it.

"Yeah, said she didn't know much. Said he might've been a king or some sort of religious order leader. Think she mentioned the order was called Black Priors, whatever that meant." Arson says with a shrug.

"Could be interestin'. Any idea what exactly we're dealin' with?"

"As long as the stories aren't true, I think we'll be fine."

I raise an eyebrow. "What stories?"

"Flatline said Vortigerson was the killin' sort. Also immortal. Filled with bloodlust and rage. He hasn't been seen for thousands of years though, we probs have nothin' to worry about. We ridin' in your Thorton?"

I nod and pull open the door on the driver's side. I get in and start the ignition. The engine hums to life. Arson gets in the passenger's seat and passes me some papers. "You don't have anythin' illegal in here, do ya?"

"I'm not a gonk, 'course I don't." I say, driving towards the boarder. "Put our destination into the GPS, we're gonna need it."

~~~~~~~~

"This is it." Arson says as we pull up to a not so big structure. After a long drive across the country, we were on some mountain in Colorado. We finally arrived at the tomb mid-day a few days after leaving NC. The tomb was a lot less then I thought it would be. A lot of excavation and construction was going on. The building itself looked like a rundown medieval shed. There were a couple of workers on the sight.

One of them walks over as my Thorton rolls to a stop. I roll down the window. "You two the mercs from Night City?"

"Alex and Arson." I say.

"Pull up over there and we'll talk." The worker says, pointing us down a dirt path that breaks off from the street. I drive over to the indicated spot and cut the engine. Arson and I get out of the Thorton.

"Alright, so what's all the hype about this dead guy? Why'd we come all the way from NC for this?" I ask, leaning against my car.