Afterburn

Before the world ended, I could find anything or anyone, anywhere.

Not to brag, but some called me the world's greatest treasure hunter.

There was nothing I couldn't find.

I spent most of my time underwater, finding things that had been lost for centuries.

My work was solitary, researching and then setting out on my missions.

But I liked it that way.

I controlled my own destiny with no one to report to.

But all that changed when the solar flare hit.

The world was thrown into darkness and chaos.

All modern electronics were fried.

Most things didn't work anymore.

People thought the governments would take charge and fix things.

Wishful thinking.

Warlords seized control of local governments and ruled large parts of Europe.

They thought everything was going to be fine.

I knew better, of course.

Starving cities turned into graveyards.

Money was useless.

Medicine and fuel nowhere to be found.

And diseases spread.

I guess I was better equipped for this.

I was a survivor.

And I was soon doing what I always did.

Finding things.

Except now the world was much better.

More dangerous place.

Too easy.

All right, the boys in blue are back.

Hello, mate.

What you doing up here?

Wait a minute.

You guys aren't real cops, are you?

Marshall.

What's in the case?

It's like, I don't know, violin, fiddle.

I don't really know the difference.

Why, are you playing?

Hand it over.

Yeah, you don't want this.

But I'll give you what's in this.

Wash your mouth out with buckshot.

You won't be able to get us all.

No, that's true.

Just you.

Probably get you.

But definitely you.

Get him, boys.

Shit, George.

Go Clem.

Hey.

Did you get it?

Yeah.

Right where you said it'd be.

Just sent out a handful of guys, but they all came back empty-handed.

Some didn't come back at all.

Stradivarius.

Brescian period, 1690 to 1700.

Beautiful.

King August has another job for you.

He's a king now?

Well, if you're the monarchy, he's the most stable path to restoring normalcy.

He wants to see you.

Well, I almost got myself killed fetching that fiddle for his highness, so...

No, thanks. I'm going to go home and work on my boat.

He's willing to compensate you.

Handsomely.

Enough for your dream boat.

Where's the job?

Across the channel.

Oh, I'm based on business with you.

Just think about it, Jay.

It could be a fresh start.

If I wanted a fresh start, I wouldn't shoot myself in the head to get it.

Yeah, we'll get you there safely.

There but disease and warlords and edm oh thanks it was nice seeing you though jake

you look amazing and i love the suit he declined he'd rather work on his boat

you believe that it's a goddamn tragedy let's make jake an offer one

Hey, buddy.

Hey, there you are.

I got to.

Teriyaki, your favorite.

Yeah.

Good boy.

Good boy.

How do you like that, boy?

Perfect.

Oil.

No playing, y'all know the goddamn game.

Some got the rest of the train at the bill is damaged.

Some is over style, that's right, we on that side.

Come on, heads from strong, out of felt.

No love, crooked canal, but damn sure felt.

Hear me, fear me, appear to disappear.

The sequel set, keep P.E. from the people.

Stole your soul, kept the groove on your body black.

Now you can't get your mind back.

Too dirty for the source, power 30.

Too clean for 38, old's wanna beat 16.

I beg your pardon, be live at other times.

You know what, while your favors are just starting.

We come back and do a soul check every once in a while.

I can sign it, you know what, Messiah.

The final two cats got to stay much while.

Oh, God bless the child.

Don't shoot!

What are you doing here?

The king sent me.

It's about the job. Tell him I don't want it.

Tell him yourself.

He's waiting for you in the wrecking yard.

Can you help me down, Jake? Come in, have a seat. Sit down, let's talk. Humor me.

Tell me, how do you do it?

Do what?

I employ dozens to do what you do, but yet you seem to be the only one who finds

things others can't.

Is it a special skill or gift?

Ah, speaking of gifts, the Stradivarius, ah!

It's beyond us.

It's so divine.

Music.

Make a grown man cry.

Maybe you should start with food and clean water before you start building the

symphony.

Do you think we aren't working on the food shortage, Jake?

Says the man with a mouthful of steak.

I'm a pescetarian.

You think fixing this is easy?

It's not as simple as snapping my fingers and turning the lights back on.

The whole infrastructure was shocked.

We're busting our asses every day to rebuild things from the ground up despite

people trying to stop us like General Volkov.

Right. The guy who had no culture just smacked him in the face.

He's an agent of chaos.

You'd rather see the world burn and rule the ashes.

And you see yourself differently.

Cynicism.

Believe me when I tell you, Jake, this is not the job I wanted.

When the solar flare hit, we lost our humanity.

You saw what people did in the dark.

No one anticipated the world would burn as quickly as it did.

People panicked.

Some became barbarians.

Well, lucky you.

These ivory towers you're building, though, keep the barbarians at bay, and you'll

all be safe.

Well, everyone isn't as resourceful as you are, Jake.

They don't have your skills or grit to survive in this new world.

They need protection.

Without these walls, more and more would have been slaughtered.

What about the ones outside the wall?

What about the ones hiding?

You're going to let them in, too?

All are welcome, Jake.

Even you.

Minister Fuentes tells me you're reluctant to cross the channel.

No, I'm not reluctant. I'm dead set against it.

Maybe that's because you haven't seen the big picture.

I don't want to see the big picture.

The big picture is ugly and cruel.

Oh.

Not all of it.

We are spending a lot of time restoring her to her original beauty.

You'll be a free man, Jake.

Unencumbered.

Accountable to no one.

And all I need is the wind.

Fly away and leave the bullshit behind.

The people and I want our world back, Jake.

And what would I be hunting down for you this time?

Mona.

The Mona Lisa?

In all her glorious beauty.

I hate to break it to you, Your Majesty, but Paris was one of the first cities to

burn down.

For sure. For sure.

But here's something you may not know.

It's that when the flare hit, the French government evacuated all its national

treasures to a secret storage facility.

Everything from fine art to the president's porcelain throne.

How am I supposed to get there?

The king's plane flown by the king's pilot.

Then I get the boat.

All the resources and food you need.

Hell, I'll even give you a title.

Okay, well, if Fuentes is the minister of defense and you're the king,

what would you make me?

Let's go.

Let's do it.

Let's go.

You are Charlie.

Motherfucker of cultural appropriation.

It won't be long, buddy.

Be back before you know it.

How are you doing?

Fine, yeah.

How are you?

I think this is a really bad idea.

You always seem to come out on top.

Yeah, if I always come out on top, then why am I headed to the worst place on the

planet?