Harlon

Harlon is Burtons "best friend." The kids look up to him as an Uncle, although no real blood relation. 

Harlon is a bit of a freeloader Atomie,. The kind of person who asks for a lot of favors with empty promises to pay you back. He visits Burtons from time to time when he needs a place to stay or a quick meal. Usually bring back gifts with suspicious origins. Also leads a very messy lifestyle. Getting into weird groups for the sake of getting a good high and getting a good lay. He never comes to the Burton family doped up, he doesn't want the kids to see him like that but Burton has had to help him out of any heavy episodes or has previously found him in the outskirts of town, delirious of his own surroundings. He's a bit of a pick pocket, so that's how makes back a lot of his "payments" and explains his gifts to the family. However, he will never steal food. That's his motto when people accuse him of stealing.  

Harlon knows a lot about what's going on in both the community and the settlements given his time around everywhere and with everyone. Gaining most of his knowledge from physical favors and from people too intoxicated to keep a secret. He's a valuable asset for information, despite his other reputations.

Harlon considers Burton his best friend, being with him since even before their days in DIT Facility. They both were able to miraculously escape the facility when the Disorder broke loose, guided many of their fellow Atomie with nearly no losses, other than Noras parents. He was also able to save Marilyn from a near fatal accident and Burton is indebted to him for it, but Harlon tries not to remind him but certainly takes advantage of the hospitality that comes from it. 

Due to his time in the Facility and the experiments they performed on him, Harlon has been needing to take a certain medication to keep his inner urges at bay, it's a secret to most, besides Burton and Marilyn. But with how much substances that Harlon consumes, it's almost safe to assume he may not even need his special medicine anymore. But Burton continues to obtain his 'medication' from the Human Settlements otherwise alerting the Atomies that a large part of their resources are going to getting Harlon his dosage and as well that Harlon may be too unsafe to keep around if he ends up without them. 

Early Years

Harlon was born in a distant community(The "Slum" Community) many years before the events of TAOK. A community that didn't stick with C.C. shortly after The Great Awakening. They searched for a new home and eventually found and repurposed an old gated neighborhood that mostly survived the 1st wave of the Disorder. He is the lone child to 2 scavenger Atomies who, as an infant, would be taken out during scavenging expeditions and was raised and taught to steal and pick pocket to from others to support their own community. He's used to a bit of a slum style of living but wasn't taught to be ashamed of his upbringing. Like most Atomies, he wasn't afraid to get real close and personal and get to know everyone, albeit  occasionally for sneaky reasons.

During his earlier teen years, Harlon would join some of the groups that would set out to find out communities nearby. Making new friends and connections, but also losing some in the process when he would eventually practice his thieving skills and get caught in the act. During one of these expeditions, Harlon would meet with Burton. The two had a bit of rough start to their friendship as Burton, with his keen eye, would catch Harlons pickpocketing and make him to return the items he stole, in exchange of not being turned in. Perhaps there was a certain charm that kept Burton from turning in Harlon despite how many warnings he received. This would continue for a while and despite Harlons insistence of constantly of needing to take anything, Burton would eventually convince Harlon to join him in finding work to try to persuade him to better life choices. The two would work in cart repairs and helping with delivery loading. During this Harlon and Burton hit it off together and Harlon was able to get Burton into pocketing some of the goods for themselves as a sort of additional payment for their effort. Later in their short career, they both would have to leave the community they were in when things started to get heated and Atomies started to notice their deliveries coming in short handed.

Harlon and Burton would eventually go back Harlons first community. Things were a little different now but there was a slight struggle in power in changing the dynamics of the scavenging lifestyle there. In their early 20's Harlon and Burtons would slowly drift apart when their lifestyles would also clash with what the other wanted. Burton wanted to help the community be a better place to live and settling. Harlon wanting to go back and maintain his scavenging lifestyle and not settle in any one place. Coming back to this community, Harlon began to enjoy relying on others to provide his needs even if he had to take it again. Harlon would use his charms and charismatic behavior to become a gossip and gather info on the latest news both inside and outside the community. Unfortunately, due to the issues at hand, there was little info coming into the community from the outside and most were unaware of the main events of TAOK happening. Some were warned of Atomies that would attack unprovoked but little was able to be done before the night that The Disorder arrived.

Most Atomies were caught by surprised. While some were on the cautious side most nights, none of them were expecting vehicles to arrive shortly after. Men in trucks arrived gunning down any Atomies that were running, either towards them or from them. Harlon, like many others, tried to remain hidden from both the Humans and the Disorder. Atomies that were discovered by the Humans were killed if retaliated. Harlon was tossed into an armored vehicle like many others that survived, only slightly bruised unlike some of his other injured kind. Harlon was the only one able to stand and look through the bars of the doors and watch as his old community burned down and watching Atomies taken down, not knowing if they were The Disorder running towards prey or survivors trying to get away.

In the Facility

Harlon eventually wakes up to find himself in a small hut with other Atomies passed out in the same hut. A bit scared but mostly confused, he finds a strange tag that is clipped at the end of his ear and their ears as well. He doesn't understand the writing on it but he can tell it's not good. Harlon explores the Encampment of the facility he's been transported into, with other Atomies all wearing colorful hospitals gowns. During his slow investigations around it, seeing guard towers and noticing he's surrounded by walls with black tinted windows, his communications with other Atomies were kept to a minimum. He learns about how some Atomies were occasionally called upon. Where Men come out and seek out the ones called and taken away through a guarded metal door. And that not all of them ever came back out, and the few that did hardly ever came back mentally the same. None of them were any that that he recognized from his old community however after a while he does miraculously find Burton in a different area of the encampment. Both rejoice in knowing that they're both still alive. Harlons excitement was dwindled a bit after having to meet Burtons new partner, Marylin. He hid his disappointment for a while until finally accepting and supporting Burtons new found love. Harlon stayed with them, along with Marylins sister, her partner and even a baby they had in the encampment. 

During this time, Harlon sought to make a name for himself, using his charms and skills in misdirection to be able to make life more comfortable for him and the hopes that he isn't called into the facility. Word got out of this and Harlon found himself being shown his place by a red Atomie with a missing ear, threatening him if he ever tried to play as a con man again when red Atomie already has the grounds for that. Burton, shocked but not surprised, was glad to have Harlon humbled down. Harlon kept low for a while, watching the lives of his fellow Atomies make do with what little they've been provided. Watching those that come back from behind the doors in odd states, hoping his name doesn't get called into them and helping keep Burton and his friends safe. 

Harlon would later end up saving Burton from getting persecuted when Marylin was called upon. Needing to hold him down to prevent him from engaging with the Humans that took her away. While Harlon was upset that she was taken away, he also was a bit happy about it, though a little guilty for feeling some pleasure that Burton was separated. Though that happiness didn't last long when she was released earlier than usual with a patch in her eye. Harlon got around to hearing about some of the experiments they do behind the door going wrong and it affected the surgery they were going to perform on her, cutting it off early. It was after that incident that Harlon notices that more Atomies were starting to get called and taken away at a faster rate. Generally from 1-2 every few days to almost 3-4 ever day. It was then Harlon was also called.

Harlons experiments behind the doors were a blur like most but when he awoke in an odd room, in line with other Atomies. When he reached the front, he was given a medication, unaware that he would need it for the rest of his life. Upon release and reunited with Burton and the others. Harlon was cautious about the medication but Burton insisted he just take it when he was supposed to, saying that they probably wouldn't have let him out without it. Harlon would listen to Burton and deal with it for the next following days. Harlon heard around that some Atomie was snooping around the facility, eventually reaching him for questions about his experience behind the doors. Unfortunately Harlon was not able to provide any answers as he legitimately could not remember anything before waking up standing in that line. He did not mention about the medication they had him take.

Harlon would keep his medication a secret from the public and continued to watch as Atomies came and went. Even Burton was called in at one point, fortunately he came out almost unscathed. His visit behinds doors are also short but no issues that cut it short. Harlon and the others would stay with him as recovered from a fatigue and hoped that whatever they did to him had no permanent effects. Both new arrivals and long time Atomies that were starting to think they'd be never be called in. Counting the ones that return. 

One day Harlon was awoken by a panicking Burton, urging him that they need to go and start running. Harlon grabbed what he could and when he stepped out he heard the same blood curdling cries of The Disorder, such as the ones that ran through his old community. Shots fired through the air, Towers on the ground, Harlon wasn't sure what happened but he knew he need to get himself and Burton out of the facility before they were shot down or ripped apart by The Disorder. Their escape was through a hole in the wall that led into the facility, with no other choice, Harlon and the others attempted to run through it. Before making it through the wall, a Disorder jumped Marylin and shoved her away from Burton. They landed near Harlon and Harlon pulled it off Marylin before it did any major damage to her. Struggling with it on the ground, scratching and biting him, Harlon did whatever to keep it on the ground to give her a chance to run. When that Disorder managed to pin Harlon to the ground instead, he received a flurry of swipes from it until he saw it get shot down by Burton near the hole in the wall, holding a handgun he pulled from a dead Human near him. Burton dropped the gun and to Harlon. He and other Atomies helped him up off the ground before any other Disorder got to them. 

Now lost in the hallways of the Facility, Harlon and the others ran through where ever there wasn't gun shots or screaming. When they saw a window at the end of a hallway, Marylins sister and her Partner had both ran ahead despite warnings not to. Harlon ran behind them to stop them but upon reaching the end, a startled guard appeared from around the corner and shot the sister down. Harlon kept running and headbutted the guard against the wall, knocking him unconscious. When he turned around he saw the sister's partner had taken a few fatal shots from the back. Marylin was distraught and tried to get the partner to get up but everyone knew wasn't going to make it out alive. He was holding his young daughter and Marylin took her off his hands. With no time to mourn, they rest continued running out. Burton and Harlon were the last ones behind, grabbing what they could from the knocked out guard. Harlon would spot a cart on its side with several containers of medication, several opened but many still intact. He quickly dug through the many containers and tried to find any that matched the writing and symbols of the one he had. He grabbed a random satchel that was near the cart and began to shove as many as pills as he could, from unopened containers to any of them any loose pills that were scattered. Burton yelled at him to hurry when he heard the ramped foot steps of Disordered running their way.

Outside of the facility, the chaos was still close. Fortunately Harlon was able to get away when his group found an armored truck with a person inside with the key in the ignition. They gathered as many of their group as they could and shoved the body out of drivers seat. As much as Harlon wanted it, The tallest Atomie in the group had taken the drivers seat, being the only one who could see and over the dashboard and reach the gas pedals, as well not having their arms completely bloody injured. Barely able to get the backdoor of the vehicle closed, the Atomies made their get away, driving as far as they could away from The Facility. Harlon once again looked through the window of the door, watching the place up in flames, Atomies and people running, a similar sight to not long ago. Harlon fell back and sat on the ground, putting his head another Atomies lap and passed out.

Present day

The Community

Many years after the DIT events, Harlon has taken up his life to enjoy it how he wants. Taking what he wants without letting others tell him what's right and wrong. He still visit Burtons and his family from time to time, bringing gifts to Burtons children and niece. Harlon stays away from the 'politics' that The Community has and doesn't like to get directly involved directly with Humans. He still asks Burton for medication from them if he can. Burton does his best to obtain them, even if the costs for them continue to rise. But when Harlon has to conserve and stretch out his supply, he relies on a harder drug that he shares with 2 other freeloading Atomies that he crashes with a lot,  known as "Midge" and "Cavood". 

Harlon travels a lot, riding in the back of some expeditions. He doesn't contribute to many of them other than as a source of gossip and as means to find new suckers to pull goods from. Because of that, he does know a lot about the various communities and Human Settlements around. He's a good source of social info and news. Having dirt on just about anyone if he really ever needed to use it. Besides that, Harlon gets to know a lot of individuals, having many locations to stay and benefit from. He's a very active individual and has been known to get with many Atomies, either as entertainment, social needs, or payment. Despite his reputation of things missing anytime he's around, his charms, charismatic personality and 'abilities in the bedroom,' it allowed many to tolerate his presence. 

Burton's Family

Harlon's main stay and place that he always comes back to is the Burton homestead. Harlon has always enjoyed coming over to visit them even when uninvited. He brings them all sorts of goods and generally doesn't tell Burton and Marylin where he got them. 

He enjoys spending time with his pseudo Nephews, Xavier and Hoffman, however Marylin doesn't allow him to take them out on his own, fear of him teaching them some bad habits like his pick pocketing. The boys do enjoy showing him around their farm and chicken coops, The boys always give him a recap on what he's "missed out on" of each chickens every time he visits. 

Harlon will occasionally see Nora outside the Burton residence and occasionally chat with her, he's one of the few Atomies that Nora isn't too shy around, albeit she still keeps her words to a minimum. 

Marylin isn't fond of Harlon, while she knows that Harlon does care about her and her family, he has a funny way to show it and feels like he takes advantage of the hospitality. Still, she knows that he saved her life and is still thankful about it, even if it's grudgingly grateful about it. 

Burton, Harlons long time friend, has always offered Harlon a helping hand through thick and thin. Even now, despite Marylin contesting against Harlon's habits, allows Harlon to continue to live like a slum. Letting Harlon come to him when Harlon needs a hand out. Harlon appreciate the help Burton offers, and tries to repay him back by getting things that Burton is unable to when Harlon goes on his trips. Harlon knows he'll never get to have Burton the way he used to but has come to accept Burtons way of life and generally tries to not interfere too much between him and others. Even then, the two still talk together about their life, occasionally reminiscing about life before this, the kids, new and old members of their community. Harlon gives Burtons details about the stuff he hears about that he usually won't share with others, especially if it's about The Human Settlements. Harlon acts like his inside man which Burton relays the info to other members of his Council Group. In return, Burton gets Harlon the medication he needs. However, it's been discouraged to provide Harlon him his meds, since it's been rumored the Medicine is what is keeping Harlon stay as his scummy lying self, they just provide an unnecessary high and that he would be ok without it. However Harlon convinces Burton that he does indeed need his medication, telling him that he tried to go without it once for a few days and it's not to keep him alive but rather that it's for helping him suppress The Disorder. That the effects from his meds are just an unfortunate side effect and if Burton really cared, he'd keep getting him more of the meds he needs from The Humans. After all, why would he lie to his best friend again.