Stories For the Damned

Fragile: Death Stranding #2

Fragile was supposed to meet Sam at the docks so that she could take him to Lake Knot city but when she arrived something was wrong.

The ground was flooded with the same sickly tar that had surrounded her before. "Higgs," she whispered and jumped to the top of the distribution center building. She gripped her umbrella tight as Timefall poured from the sky.

Below she spotted Higgs and Sam. The terrorist stood atop a floating rock that was dripping with the tar. Thunder sounded around them as he raised his arms.

She watched closely and tried to listen to what he was saying.

"The names Higgs, the particle of God that permeates all existence."

Maybe she should have to somewhere less...inconspicuous because he turned and look right at her.

"Ah, so it was you who dragged him into all of this?"

Sam looked up at her. She was about to say something but with the wave of a hand Higgs pulled her umbrella away from her. Purely out of habit she jumped to her private room. Timefall dripped from her boots onto the floor, causing it to crack and wither beneath her.

She took the time to take a shower making sure to get any Timefall residue or chiralium off of her clothes.

While she attended to herself she took the time to think. What was Higgs doing? Going that close to a Bridges center was just asking for trouble. And why was he seeking out Sam.

Die-hardman had told her about Sam's mission to connect the United Cities of America. Maybe Higgs has something to do with it? Sam and Higgs were connected somehow...maybe just maybe she could ask Sam for a little favor...

By the time she was done she figured whatever was going on at port knot city was resolved, lo and behold she was right. The area that was once covered in the black tar was reduced to gray rocks and fish carcasses. Evidence supported the idea that one of the bigger BTs were here. But where on earth did it go? There was no crater so there couldn't have been a void out...

She spotted Sam heading to the docks so she jumped to where he was. Feeling a bit light-headed she pulled out a cryptobiote but paused and offered it to Sam.

"Snack?"

"You came through then," he said and continued walking and she soon followed suit. She noticed he was covered in chiralium.

"I don't break that easy. Name withstanding," she focused on the road ahead of them.

"You saw that asshole right?"

"Higgs. He's the leader of a separatist group."

"Seemed to me he was controlling that bt," too bad she wasn't there to see it.

"That's a level 7 for you. Higher, Maybe."

"Seems like you know a lot about him."

She held her breath hoping Sam wouldn't inquire further but he didn't seem to let it go.

"Used to work together, guess you could say we had a contract."

"You did business with terrorists? Whatever pays, huh?"

She stopped. Usually, she kept her cool but for an instant, her blood ran hot before she let out a shaky breath.

"He wasn't like that back then."

"So what's your angle? You wanna save the world? Or fuck it over like him?"

She looked at Sam, her hand gripping the umbrella's handle so tight that her fingers hurt.

"I wish I-" she closed eyes and exhaled before opening them "I just wish things were different, alright?"

They walked a little more before approaching the boat. It was the last one that hadn't been hijacked by the homodemons or destroyed by Timefall.

"Here's our ride. Don't worry, she still floats," she said sensing Sam's uneasiness. "C'mon were the only cargo left."

---

She climbed the stairs to the top deck and saw Sam looking at the setting sun. She quietly stood beside him leaning on the rail. "We should be there tomorrow," she said.

He just walked over to one of the benches. She could hear him rustling around. Turning to look at him she saw him set down an orange pod. A bridge baby.

She knew Higgs had one when they worked together but she had never asked him about it. She knew from a little research that they were connected to the world of the living and the dead.

She could hear Sam's laughing as he sat it down. He then went to loosen the straps on his suit but then a picture fell. She recognized it. The same one from when they met in the cave. It was him. The president of bridges and some mystery woman whose face was faded by Timefall.

He didn't seem to notice that he had dropped it so she went and picked it up before it was carried away by the wind and swept out to sea.

"I told you before Sam," she said holding it out to him "The past just won't let go." He took it, holding it in his hands as he closed his eyes. She sat beside him. "Listen, I have something to ask of you. It has to do with that asshole, Higgs."

He didn't respond. And when she looked over she saw that he was asleep. She sighed and stood. 'I'll have to ask him Tomorrow' she thought knowing full well she wouldn't.

---

It was the next day. She had been up all night authorizing shipments and cargo. Ever since her father died she had taken control of the company. She hadn't even noticed it was morning until a horn blasted out signaling that they were docking.

She made her way to the top deck to find sam where she had left him the day before. He started to awaken when the loud sound blasted out again.

"I don't know how you sleep," she said and reached for a cryptobiote "Need a pick me up?" He refused again. She just shrugged her shoulders and ate it herself "Welcome to lake know city."

She leaned against a cargo container as she approached her. "This cargos from Port Knot City, bound for Lake Knot. I'll leave these up to you," she pointed at three containers on front of her. He nodded.  "The dispatch terminals up ahead. In the meantime, I've got some business to attend to later alligator." She glanced back one last time before jumping to her office.

Setting down her bag and umbrella she sighed. Fucking hell this shit was tiring. If she could just take a small nap...