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CONTINUATION...
Brewster had no luck finding any survivors up till that point but the bark of the .660NE round had awoken another survivor who sat up abrupty, right beside the unsuspecting Brewster, screaming in shock and pain.
This scared the snot out of Brewster who very nearly shot her in the face.
"I GOTTA LIVE ONE!!!"
Mee-chan snapped back to reality and brought over the first-aid kit as fast as he could to the wounded woman.
Injuries consisted of a compound fracture on her right leg, bruised ribs, was 1/5 covered in road rash and was suffering from a concussion but she was still alive.
She could barely keep herself from screaming out in pain but one shot of Morphia later and she was able to stop convulsing.
Brewster already knew what Mee-chan had been thinking before he even spoke the words aloud and upon seeing his lips begin to move cut him off abruptly....only mouthing the word so the injured rider could not hear her:
Brewster: "No."
North: "But shes gonna die."
Brewster: "Does this really look like a face that cares to you?"
North: "Yes....if it wasn't, I doubt we would even be talking right now."
Brewster: "Hmmm....perhaps, but the answer is STILL "no"..." she continued "...if we take her back to the truck stop, we will lose the protection of this convoy and anything powerful enough to wipe out THIS many Paladins is something you do NOT want to take by the horns."
Cathy look to Mee-Chan and tried to interject that Brewster might have a valid point.
Brewster: The point of this excersize is to find out what has happened to her sister....not help crippled bikers."
North: "I can't believe you are both ready and willing to let her die?"
Brewster noticed the convoy approaching slowly in the distance and turning to the other two said:
"Look we can have the convoy radio it in....maybe the med-techs will get here in time and maybe they won't but that's the best I can offer, I'm sorry."
Silently, Mee-Chan turned back towards Brewsters car.
Cathy and Brewster likewise turned away from the wounded woman and walked back to the car, leaving her where she lay.
They believed everything was fine, until Mee-Chan opened the glove box...popped the trunk and removed his bag:
"Fine, then I'm staying here."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Cathy facepalmed in a fashion that would've even made "Jean-Luc Picard" proud, but Brewster immediately flew into a rage:
"YOU ARE GOING TO GET US KILLED AND FOR WHAT?" she snarled "SOME HALF-DEAD BIKER SKANK?"
He simply walked past her with his bag and said softly as he passed the two ladies:
"Yeah....you're a real f'kin' hero Hotshot."
The ex-cop tried to take a swing at him but Cathy held her back saying that this would not help the situation.
"I am OUTTA here!" Brewster said in huff.
Catherine turned to Knowledge as he spoke:
"If she's going to die here and now, like this....then she won't be alone."
Catherine retorted sharply: "what about my sister?"
"You still have Brewster....you'll do fine." North added.
Cathy then asked him: "Are you doing this because you feel guilty for shooting the other one?"
These words stopped both he and Brewster in their respective tracks.
When he turned, Brewster saw fresh tears run down his dusty cheek and grimaced as he spoke:
"I don't know....but what if it were YOU Cathy...or you Brewster?" he continued "What if it was your sister....wouldn't you want to know that someone tried everything they could to save them. Wouldn't you want to know she wasn't alone?"
Brewster bemoaned his comment: "You can't save everyone "Chief"....that's just hubris talking."
"Maybe so....but we COULD save her and instead I am going to go over and tell her she's most likely going to die here with all of her friends JUST because YOU'RE not in the mood."
This made Brewster tremble in frustration as she turned to Catherine:
"I REALLY don't like him!"
Her words were swallowed up by the rumble of the convoy rolling passed them.
The decision to turn back to the road surgeon at the Kansas truck stop was probably the only thing that saved their lives.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
They arrived after dark and decided that it would be too late to drive through the night without the safety of the convoy.
Brewster paid for a double, invited Catherine to take the other bed and then locked Knowledge out of the room and forbade him from sleeping in her car.
He spent the whole night watching the wounded Paladin as she slept.
While he did, he marvelled at how advanced medicine had become and was so lost in his own thoughts, as he sat there, that he hadn't realized she had not only opened her eyes, but had been staring back at him for a few minutes.
Upon returning to his sences he appologized for his rudeness and asked her how she felt:
"Like I've been run over and left for dead."
She joked but then the silly chuckles quickly turn from mirth to despair and tears began to stream down her cheeks.
Knowledge did not speak.
She composed herself again as if embarassed she had shown emotion and then looked at him again and asked if anyone else had survived but the Jumper shook his head sadly as he placed the broadsword from their leader upon her lap.
He stood up as she seemed on the verge of crying again and said softly:
"I'm so sorry....there was nothing we could do."
Seeing him leaving she spoke up:
"I heard what you said....on the road....some of it anyways."
He stopped and returned to her bedside and sat down again.
She wiped the tear from her cheek and looked him in the eyes:
"Did you mean it.....any of it?"
He only took her hand and squeezed her fingers slightly but couldn't bring himself to speak, almost in tears himself.
"You'd have made great Paladin...he would have liked you."
He managed to meet her gaze and appeared pensive as he tried to decide what she had meant.
"The man you shot...."
His eyes suddenly softened and his voice began to crack:
"H-he was beyond help....he begged me....I saw no other-" but she stopped him from talking further.
"Most would have let me die there on that roadside and picked my bones clean."
"We very nearly did just that."
Knowledge stood up he began to move towards the door, knowing the doc wanted to be made aware once she had awaken.
When he noticed that the road surgeon was not at his desk and even his assistant was frantically trying to gather medical supplies, he knew something terrible had occured:
"What is it?"
The RNA (Registered Nurses Assistant) told him a large convoy heading north of the border was just wiped out.
Knowledges hair stood on end and goosebumps rose his arms even as she spoke the words.
He didn't have to ask if it had been the one they had been riding with...he already knew.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Knowledge had expected to spend the next 20 minutes talking throught the room door, trying to convince Brewster thay had just avoided getting massacred by the slimest of margins but instead arrived to find that the bustle of activity was hard for anyone at the truck stop to miss.
He sees both Cathy and Brewster had emerged to observe the column of emergency vehicles, tow trucks, escorts and good samaritans banding together in a rescue convoy to ride off into the night in search of survivors.
Brewster was still pretty chewed at him and didn't meet his gaze but Miss Calaveri, who wasn't upset with him (well, not for wanting to save the survivor at any rate) looked at Knowledge as he approached the pair still mesmerized by the bustle taking place around them.
Cathy: "What's is it?"
North: "The convoy was hit."
Cathy: "OURS?!"
North: "I think so."
Brewster, who hadn't even spoken a word to him since he put the Paladin survivor in the back seat, now turned and glared at him skeptically.
Brewster: "You don't know THAT."
North: "The doc's assistant had the M.F.P. scanner going in the back....it sure sounded like them alright."
Cathy held herself as if overtaken by a chill.
Mee-Chan could only watch helplessly as the last of the convoy pulled out:
"That was almost us."
Brewster rolled her eyes at the Jumper and snapped:
"Oh-for-F@#K'S-sake..."
North extended his hand to the ex-state trooper:
"I'll bet you ANYTHING it was OUR convoy that got hit and turning back to save that Paladin was the ONLY reason we are still alive."
And with that, Brewster reached into her pocket to retrieve her car's remote and started the engine while walking towards her deuler in nothing but flanel p.j.'s
Brewster: "I'll TAKE that bet!"
North: "Are WE going somewhere?"
Brewster: "For a lil' drive."
Cathy: "WHAT!?!"
Knowledge began to snicker as he tied up his gun belt but was interupted by Brewster:
"AH-AH-AH!!!"
(He froze in mid-motion)
Half in her vehicle (having vaulted through the open window) she glanced over towards the jumper and pointed at his Earthshaker:
"You're not supposed to be carrying a weapon and you are DEFINITELY aren't supposed to be carrying THAT thing!"
North was dumbstruck:
"ARE YOU SERIOUS...you DIDN'T mind BEFORE!?!"
Brewsters expression remained unamused:
"I didn't know you HAD it before."
Knowledge froze where he stood with the door half ajar and remained motionless for a moment, wearing only a look of utter disbelief. He then got out of the car and closed the door causing Brewster to roll her eyes and groan:
"FINE, put it in the glove box...ya f'kin' baby."
Catherine still couldn't believe what was going on before her eyes:
"YOU'RE JUST LEAVING ME HERE!?!"
Brewster replied calmly (as if driving to the store to pick up some milk):
"If were not back before morning....you're not going to get through to KC-1 on this route."
Still unable to believe what she was hearing, Catherine began to walk towards the car: "You are NOT leaving me HERE!"
Brewster: "No deal princess, your father would never forgive me."
Cathy began to raise her voice: "I'M the reason we're all here in the FIRST place!!!"
Brewster: "Whatever....but at least lock up the room so no one steals our stuff?"
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Cathy was suprised Brewster had given up so easily. Beulla doesn't normally give up once she sets her mind to something.
Miss Calaveri had almost reached the room when the sound of the Grand National squealing out of the parking lot gave away Brewsters ruse.
The ex-state trooper really did have Catherine's best interests at heart, but Brewster had always masked these "acts of kindness" in something bitter to hide the fact that she really cared about them....however Cathy didn't know that as of yet.
The rescue convoys lights were still visible on the horizon as they pulled out of the truck stop and Brewster wasted no time catching up to them.
For the first few minutes, neither of them spoke but Knowledge finally broke the silence...
North: "She is going to be SO pissed at you."
Brewster: "Look on the bright side...maybe we'll both get killed and won't have to hear it?"
The Jumper chuckled to himself thinking that knowing his luck, Brewster would be killed but he'd only get crippled and STILL catch crapola from Catherine when they brought him back.
"So, What are we wagering on this?"
Brewster thought about it for a moment before she chimed in:
"Hmmm....if it's NOT the convoy we were riding with last night...I will turn around and take Little "C" back to San Antonio..."
North nodded his head:
"Sounds fair."
Brewster then leaned over to North with a wicked smile while still keeping her eyes on the road and added:
"...but I'm leaving your @$$ at the truck stop."
Knowledge's jaw dropped as he pushed her back into her seat:
"You f'king bi-"
Beulla quickly cut him off:
"FINISH THAT SENTENCE AND DIE!!"
North grumbled for a moment to himself like a barking dog that had been warned by it's master to shut up, but still had a little "run-on" left in him:
"And if I am right we're STILL going to KC-1....m-maybe by a different route though."
Brewster gritted her teeth:
"When you say "we" does that mean I have to take you too?"
Mee-Chan winced at the remark:
"That's not funny."
But the ex-state trooper could only smirk at the Jumpers indignance:
"Sure it is."
He shook his head silently as the lights of the convoy ahead grew closer:
"You used to be a lot nicer when you were a cop."
"A LOT of things were nicer back when I was a cop..." she sighed "...better alert 'em we're coming up on their six."
After taking up a point position in the armored procession, Brewster "heated up" the weapon systems on her road dueler.
She had installed four front-mounted Browning .303 machineguns, a rear-mounted vehicular flamethrower and a roof-mounted turreted 40mm auto-grenade launcher.
Very respectable on a vehicle of that size.
Her gun rack sported a pair of antique WWI trenchguns and three M-67 grenades that kept a dreamcatcher company on her rear view mirror.
She carried Seburo 20mm Gong on her whenever she went on "road trips" and was an expert with the tonfa although she was a tad underdressed for the occasion.
Mee-Chan had only his revolver and he double checked to make sure he had loaded armor piercing enhanced penetrator rounds.
Brewster shook her head as he returned the weapon to its holster:
"I'm s-sorry...but THAT is just TOO much gun for you."
"Gi-San designed me a special bracing system..." he boasted rolling up his sleeve to reveal the apparatus "...takes a lot of the sting out of playin' with this puppy but she can still take me off my feet if I'm not paying attention."
"Seems like a lot of fuss for just one gun....you should use something smaller...WAY smaller!" Brewster giggled.
North: "Sure, I can only fire 6-7 shots before my shoulder gives out but ONE shot is ALL I need it has never failed to put a big freakin' hole in everything I have ever pointed it at."
Brewster: "Overcompensating for something, are we?"
North: "No, NOOOOO, no....but I am ALWAYS getting my keister handed to me in a fist fight and I find that one bark at this bad boy prevents a lot of those from ever taking place whether I hit anything of not."
Brewster: "Fair enough...time to put your game face on Chief, this is injun territory now."
Mee-Chan gave an indignant snort to the barbed comment and checked the road ahead using the FLIR system installed into the grenade launcher's targeting system:
"Brewster, you're NOT as funny as you think you are."
"Sure I am." she replied while slugging the Jumper in his "bad" arm, knowing full well he absolutely hates it when she does that.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
They were 80 miles passed the Kansas border when the fires from burning vehicles could be seen in the distance.
As they reached the site of the carnage, it became quickly obvious that it was indeed been the convoy they had been riding with that was attacked.
There were only a handful of samaritans remaining who had stopped and set up road flares by the time the rescue team arrived.
The scene was similar to the Paladin attack....bodies everywhere....vehicles almost torn apart....no sign of ballistic damage or explosives of any kind....bodies left unpillaged and shredded where they had fallen.....the same horror as before only on a MUCH larger scale.
They would discover only 6 survivors that night from a convoy that had carried at least 120+ people.
It was definitely not the work of cycle gangs.
This was something else....something MUCH worse.
None could say who or what it was that had attacked them in the pitch of night and all told different stories but two details remained consistant.
It was fast and it was so powerful that no weapon brought to bear seemed to be of any use.
A pair of the trucks in the destroyed convoy had sported a 76mm tank cannons and if THEY had been used to no effect then whatever it was must have been truely monstrous.
The strangest detail of this attack (similar to the Paladin attack) is that vehicles were literally torn apart, but not all the pieces were present.
Also, in the previous attack there were indications that people had been "run over".....in this one, the victems had been mostly or completely flattened, if not found dead in the wreckage.
The rescue team wasted no time and was in and out with the wounded in less than 10 minutes.
The drive back was very silent.
The whole trip there and back would take only 3 hours but the ride back seemed to last an eternity.
Brewster: "You were right...that little stunt of yours REALLY saved our lives."
Mee-Chan simply nodded.
Brewster: "Did the Paladin ever tell you who or what it was that attacked them?"
North: "She said it happened too fast but made mention that their rides died on them suddenly then the sand just erupted underneath 'em. Next thing she saw was your shotgun."
Brewster: "This is some serious bad mojo, Chief."
North: "Would you PLEASE stop calling me that....I am no more a native than YOU are."
Brewster: "Seriously, if you REALLY want people to think you're not an native indian then you REALLY need to get a different tailor...maybe dump the tomahawk..."
North: "Point taken."
Brewster: "...get rid of those feathers and did you buy those ratty-looking mochasins "as is" or find them in a garbage can?"
North: "Yeah, okay...I GOT it."
Brewster: "And WTF is with all the scapling?!"
North: "ALRIGHT ALREADY...I-GET-THE-POINT!!!"
The awkward silence was finally broken by a slightly appologetic Knowledge:
"Have you ever seen anything like this before in all your years with the P.D.?"
Beulla shook her head.
North: "You want to turn back to Texas?"
Brewster: "He77 yeah....but a bet's a bet, right?"
North: "Guess we're gonna get yelled at afterall...."
Suddenly, Hotshot slammed on the breaks as floodlights were suddenly activated at a VIPR road block and the convoy came to a grinding halt at the newly erected "check point". There were at least 10 Atlas main battle tanks, a host of infantry fighting vehicles with a plethora of R.N.C. HAZMAT transports as back-up and they all seemed VERY upset at something.
North: "....or not."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
The convoy was detained and federalist personal quickly transfered all the wounded to a black "sterilized" military aerodynes for "medical attention".
None of the survivors rescued that evening would ever be seen alive again.
Upon hearing news about the truck stop, the military advised that everyone there should be evactuated as soon as possible. A 100 mile exclusion zone has been declared and the truck stop is no longer in the "green zone".
They said nothing more except that civilians found within the exclusion zone after 2400 hours tomorrow would be subject to immediate arrest and "re-education".
One of the officers inquired to the road doctor, who was already suspecting something was not right, if ANY other survivors had been found.
Brewster didn't even have to glance over to realize this had caught Knowledges full attention.
"Easy now...."
She cautioned the Jumper, whom she was certain was already thinking of something stupid to say or do.
The doctor (catching a glimpse of the look of concern that came over Mee-Chan's face) turned to the fed and claimed there had been a single person recovered last evening but they had died during the night due to their injuries.
The federal operative made a quick note of this detail and informed him that a team would arrive at the truck stop to retrieve the corpse once they had completed their "current investigation" and ensure that the facility had indeed been evacuated but the doctor quickly informed them that cremation was standard policy when a facilty has no freezer capacity to store corpses in and that no body remained to be collected.
The next question he asked however would not only concern Mee-Chan but Brewster as well:
"What happened to the individuals who recovered the "survivor" from the previous evening?"
Doc Mendelson looked at both Mee-Chan and Brewster and after only a second of hesitation, said that he had never seen them before and that they had left shortly after bringing the survivor to the truck stop.
The federal operative then inquired as to the type of vehicle they were driving.
The doctor gave a desription of a Security Six combat deuling van and added he believed they had been travelling south from KC-1 enroute to the Desert Autonomous Region.
Brewster whispered to Knowledge:
"Move."
He complied and the two of them moved towards the ex-cops Grand National.
Knowledge tried to inquire what had alarmed her so much but was cut off:
"Not-another-word, understand?"
Instead of being allowed to leave, the doctor was instead escorted towards one of the HAZMAT transports.
Doc Mendelson was never seen or heard from again.
It wasn't until they had managed to put 25 miles between themselves and the road block that Brewster finally spoke up.
She checked that the road ahead and behind were clear and made sure that Knowledge double checked that they indeed alone, using the grenade launcher's FLIR system.
Finally she spoke up:
"That wasn't an investigation....that was damage control....they were mopping up."
Mee-Chan began to rub his temples as though he had a headache.
Brewster: "They only let us go because they were certain we didn't know anything."
North: "What's the plan?"
Brewster: "Grab Catherine and get the f'k outta dodge before we end up in an re-education camp....this trip has ALREADY proven to be more than I signed up for!"
North: "We are NOT leaving Rebecca behind."
Brewtser: "Did you see all the hardware they had assembled?" she continued "That was an R.N.C. HAZMAT team working in conjunction with federalist forces....we're over our depth."
North: "We're ALWAYS over our depth!"
Brewster: "You don't understand....I've dealt with R.N.C. before when I was a cop and if THEY'RE involved in this then the ONLY thing we can do is just steer clear of them."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Mee-Chan seemed suprised.
Brewster wasn't intimidated by much but the presence of R.N.C. had nearly sent her into a panic.
She was silent for a moment as she searched for the appropriate words:
"R.N.C. murdered my last partner....I wasn't able to prove it but I'm positive it was them. THEY were the REAL reason I was dismissed from the Troopers....they tried to frame The Swords....and THAT'S how I knew."
Mee-Chan tried to interject but was cut-off:
"I know what you're going to say Chief but believe me when tell you, the less you know about this the safer you'll be."
The Jumper only sighed in disappointment.
He had first been pulled over by Buella Rachel Brewster shortly after he and Portney had arrived in San Antonio but it wasn't until he worked with her in the service of The Swords of Texas (after her "dismissal") that they began to adopt a less aggresive posturing with respect to each other.
The Battle of the Alamo would prove to be the crucible that forged the bonds of their friendship and distinguished her in the eyes of the other Swords.
(For example, SHE was the one who was first to realized that the civilian personal who had been getting massacred at The Alamo were actually "non-combatants" and managed to get the message out to all Swords attack elements via The Electric Mayhem.)
He knew he couldn't persuade her to do anything once she had decided she'd gone far enough.
So he did the only thing he could think of.
"Beulla...." (she began to tighten her grip upon the steering wheel and started to grit her teeth) "....I'm going to tell you something I have never told you before." he paused.
Brewster raised an eyebrow. This actually sounded like it was gonna be a good one!
"I want you to promise not to say a word until I've finished....then you can say or do whatever you want....is it a deal?"
She noticed how serious he had become and nodded in agreement.
"Only Portney, Catherine, Gi-San, Doc Hoo, Aims Darktread, Stimple Augson and Crying Wolf have ever heard it...."
She sputtered: "YOU know Aims Darktread!?!"
The look on his face was one she had seldom seen him wear and it usually preceeded a near suicidal feat of stupidity/heroics and so she cleared her throat:
"S-sorry....go on."
Then, against all better judgement, he laid it all out on the table.
Told her the TRUTH of how he really came to Autodeul....spelled it out in black & white....everything he knew, the ENTIRE tale and he skipped no detail.
They were just pulling into the truck stop when he was wrapping it up.
The station was beginning to look deserted as short wave transmissions and networks were all a buzz about the evacuation.
Catherine, who had obviously been waiting for the pair, stood up from her spot a top the crow's nest and decended to the compound below, still not sure if she was going to hug them for returning alive or kill them for nearly stranding her during a "federal emergency".
He hadn't spoken for almost a minute as the Grand National pulled up in front of their motel room and came to a stop.
North: "...and THAT'S why I just can't leave anyone behind."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
But Beulla stopped him from talking any further as she held up her hand to his face.
Seeing Catherine approaching, she immdiately got out of the car (with Catherine, who had apparently been screaming obcenities at them since the vehicle first arrived, but only now become audible as Brewster emerged) yelled at her to shut the f'k up in the least amused tone she could muster.
Catherine stopped in her tracks and was silent.
Brewster asked her if Catherine had indeed heard the story of how he had arrived and what she had thought of it.
Catherine looked at Knowledge behind her and mouthed the words "you TOLD her?" at him.
Brewster: "You mean it's TRUE....he's NOT lying!?"
Cathy: "Honestly, I'm not sure WHAT I believe about that....but Pops and Hoo believe him and they doesn't believe in sh1t."
Brewster: "THIS-is-INSANE!"
Cathy: "WHY did you have to tell her?"
North: "We CAN'T just leave Rebecca here....R.N.C. will KILL her!"
Cathy: "W-WAIT...WHAT!?!?!?"
Brewster: "Ah-HA, YEAH, there....seeee?" while pointing at Mee-Chan "Told ya!"
Cathy: "R.N.C., what do THEY have to do with this and WHO the f'k is Rebecca?"
Knowledge: "Not sure but they are all over this like white on rice."
Brewster: "It's a cover-up....their cleaning up evidence of something and it's my guess they think bikergirl in the infirmary has something to do with it."
North: "We found six survivors....R.N.C. and the Feds swooped in from outta nowhere....took the wounded away in Black Birds and questioned us for 2 hours."
Catherines expression became one of dread as she thought about her sister Kirstie and what might have befallen her:
"We're STILL going to KC-1, right?"
Brewster shot an exasperated look over to Knowledge and muttered:
"I HATE you."
Knowledge locked eyes with the cowgirl cop and said "What do you say Brewster....R.N.C. took your partner's life....I say we DO something about that."
Brewster jeered: "Like what?"
This caught Catherines attention as well and she lingered by the Jumper to hear what kind of insanity he would spout next.
He turned to Catherine and said:
"Was it just me or did I distinctly recall hearing you mentioning something about wanting to "field test" the Hard Suits personally, Miss Calaveri?"
The Master Mechanic was speechless....ecstatic...but speechless.
Brewster began to squint at the Jumper:
"What are you thinking?"
Knowledge suggested that the three continue to KC-1 via the "long route" and once there begin to look for Kirstie and begin gathering intel on the attacks. Cathy could try and hack the R.N.C. server or the Fed database in KC-1 proper for information on the source of the attacks. Failing that, he suggests that they get some answers from the people that know these roads better than anyone else....the cycle gangs themselves! Have The Electric Mayhem deliver the Hard Suits and Motoslaves and use them for badlands incursions and anything that might involve R.N.C.
He knew he was losing Buella so he was sure at the end to add:
"Maybe we can EVEN find something that sets the record straight for you Brewster?"
The ex-trooper shook her head at Knowledge:
"You're insane...but count me in anyways."
Catherine squealed in delight at the prospect of actually testing the Hard Suits under live-fire conditions and could barely keep still.
She then spun around, wound up and punched North in his bad arm as hard as she could:
"DON'T YOU EVER LEAVE ME ALONE LIKE THAT AGAIN YOU STUPID SONNOVA B1TCH!!!"
Brewster tried her level best not to break composure at Knowledges agony:
"Jeez Cathy...you hit like a girl."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
The whole detour (combined with delay) had cost them 3 days in getting to the KC-1.
As far as Catherine knew, there was no reason to suspect "foul play" but she was overcome by a sence of urgency due to recent events.
The ride was crowded with Rebecca stretched out in the back but Catherine insisted that Mee-Chan remain in the front as he WAS the best gunner in the car at the time.
Catherine may have been a genius designer and brilliant mechanic who had exceled in customizing "instruments of death" but she felt there was no common ground between herself and those who used her creations. Originally, she had no respect for deulers, mercenaries, soldiers (Federalist or F.O.S. members) or even Peaceforcers....anyone without at least a semblence of respect for life in general.
It wasn't until she had met Mee-Chan and had become involved with the Swords that she began to question the beliefs she had held for so long.
Catherine didn't know what she would do or even what she was capable of but was willing to do whatever it took to ensure her sisters safety and was certain she was in good company for the task.
Brewster wasn't sure how they were going to convince Hammerdown to leave The Free Oil States, let alone come to KC-1.
Mee-Chan assured her that if you want The Electric Mayhem to go anywhere, you don't talk to the driver....you talk to the "Boss".
Lisa Devereaux had always been charmed by Mee-Chan's "Native" appeal and found he reminded her of home more than anyone in The Swords.
Flirtatious by nature, there was nothing ever serious implied in it but she always had a soft spot for "Her Great White North Strong & True" (since New Orleans) and he was certain he could depend on her for a favor, even if it was insane.
(That and none of the other Swords spoke french!)
He informed her that a "Special Trailer" will be awaiting The Mayhem (diguised as a transport tanker) that would carry the Hard Suits and Motoslaves to KC-1.
It was a veritable "state-of-the-art" command & launch platform....heavily armored....equipped with the latest in electronic countermeasures gleaned from the G.U.N.H.E.D. Project....twin motoslave launcher assemblies and a prototype gauss launcher that can safely catapult a Hard Suit 12 miles plus a host of "disguised" defensive systems.
Her only question was: "Toute seul, mon cher?"
Knowledge assured her that Stone, Washington and Maim would have that part covered.
Hammerdown was now very well-known member in good standing with The Brotherhood of Truckers and The Electric Mayhem carried signifigant weight, even amongst the normally less cooperative of the Brotherhoods members.
A convoy would easily be found to diguise "The Voice of Freedoms" emergency delivery.
He then told her how much he would be willing to pay her if she would do this one favor for him and that he would never ask anything else of her again.
She only inquired if he realized what he was asking her to do and if he believed it was potentially worth their lives to attempt it.
When he replied "it was" without hesitation, she assured him that she would do it for free.....but that NOW, he OWED her.
He agreed once more without hesitation....(as Catherine stared at him uncomfortably)....and Lisa said she would "handle" Hammerdown and they should expect them a fews days after they arrive at KC-1...if all goes went.
Once he had terminated transmission, Brewster commented:
"THAT....is a good friend."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Fortunately, Rebecca was stable and apparently even the local raiders were unusually quiet.
(Probably just as afraid of whats been destroying the convoys as the heroes/heroines were)
The ride to the largest fortess city in America was a relatively uneventful one, but only for the heros.
During the trip, news reports would come of another attack involving upwards of 75 bikers affiliated with The Nomads, one of the greater menaces to society around the KC-1 Badlands.
The transmission was scrambled as the R.N.C. backed Federalists seized the airwaves and media in an attempt to black out any coverage and turn it into a "non-event".
This would upset the newest addition to the back seat greatly, having had the exact same thing happen to her but being unable to recall any of it.
One thing she did mutter that caught Brewsters ear is when she said their vehicles "died"....like the charge just left all the electrical systems at once but you could feel it in the air around you. She claimed her first thought was:
"Is this some new military weapon?"
Stinger Vehicular Tazer Systems only work against relatively unshielded gas burners (and some of the cheaper electrica ones) but rarely effected the new generation of electrical powered vehicles as their were shielded against EMP to protect their very expensive power systems.
Not even Trooper vehicles had an effective Tazer against shielded electical powered deulers.
Whatever it was, it could only be "military".
Rebecca mentioned she had no way to repay anyone for the kindness she had been shown but Brewster simply assured her it JUST so happened to be along the way and if at any point she began to cheese her off, she'd dump her on the side of the road and drive off.
Catherine, who had been sitting beside her whispered:
"She didn't mean that."
Mee-Chan commented from the front seat, taking notice that "Hotshot" was about to "blow" again:
"Actually...she REALLY did."
Brewster stammered:
"Count on it like the dawn, you will...." she looked into the rear view to eyeball the wounded Paladin "....HEY, Miss Ayers....what's your story then?"
Rebecca: "What do mean?"
Brewster: "What's a nice place like THIS doing in a girl like you?"
She told the group that her "Leige Lord", a man named Damion Eldress had recieved word from some Paladins (who have sworn to a neverending road crusade against the tyranny of the Badlanders and injustice) near the KC-1 "No-Mans-Land" that something terrible was happening.
People had been starting to go missing as far back as a month ago and rival gangs didn't seem to be responsible.
A "call to arms" was made from a fellow "Lord" and Damion (honor bound) couldn't refuse.
When they arrived, they found no survivors at Lord Roddens compound....men, women and children, age meant nothing....all butchered and with no sign of weapons, except those used by the defenders.
(With little to no effect as the scene would tell it)
They had just decided to ride back, warn others in the region and had just been on the highway for a moment when "the world just stopped"....and then she almost ate the dirty end of a trenchgun.
"C'MON....I appologized for that already DIDN'T I?" growled Brewster "SOOOO...hmmmm...in the Paladins,huh? I've heard of them...they're real hardcore...if that's true, what rank did you hold?"
Rebecca looked into the mirror to meet her gaze and replied:
"I am now an Errant Knight."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Brewster: "No freakin' way lady.....y'see, if you'd have said a "Page of Swords" or "Squire"...something like that, I might've believed you but a Knight!?! F'K, NO!!!"
Rebecca lunged at the front seat with seemingly impossible speed (from the position she hadn't moved from since being placed there) and in a single fluid cat-like motion, had revealed she had palmed a scaplel from the Doc Mendelson's office and had it to Hotshot's caryotid artery before anyone (but Knowledge) could react.
His Earthshaker pressed into the side of the Paladin's face as he thumbed the hammer back:
"You promised you'd play nice so don't you go makin' a liar out of me, y'hear?"
For a second no one spoke and it seemed as if a tense situation might indeed be developing....but Brewster began to laugh heartily.
This in turn made Mee-Chan begin to crack a smile and even though Catherine wasn't sure what exactly was so funny, even she began to chuckle nervously.
Mee-Chan held out his hand slowly towards Rebecca in a gesture of "Give me the knife, please?"
She locked eyes with him and after a split second of decision, placed the blade in his palm, and groaned her way into the back seat.
Brewster, still laughing (as Knowledge placed the instrument in the glove box) commented: "Y'see how FAST that was...." she looked to the still stunned Cathy in the backseat and blurted out "....that was pretty dang FAST, that's FASTER than ME."
Mee-Chan offered her a bottle of water from the cooler:
"Did Damion teach you that?"
"Lord Damion taught me many things....THAT one I improvised."
Mee-Chan couldn't help himself and started to giggle, even now that Brewster and Catherine had stopped, and even Rebecca herself was beginning to wonder what he found so funny.
North: "I want to tell her-"
"NNNOOOOOO!!!"
Yelled both Swords as the Grand National swerved out of control momentarily.
He looked at them oddly for a moment:
"NO, not THAT....y'know, th-the "OTHER" thing."
Catherine and Brewster exchanged uneasy glances with each other at what he might mean.
He undid his seat belt turned to face Miss Ayers and asked:
North: "What will you do now....I mean....will you just find another Lord to serve?"
Rebecca: "It doesn't work like that....with my own Lord slain and myself a sole survivor, I will now be seen as a disgrace amongst the other Paladin Lords....an unreliable soldier....better that I had died, with honor intact than to have outlived my Leige."
Mee-Chan smiled as he looked at the other two girls and said:
North: "Look....I REALLY think this is a SIGN-"
Cathy: "WHAT'S THE POINT IN KEEPING THEM A SECRET WHEN YOU JUST KEEP TELLING EVERYONE ABOUT THEM!?!"
Rebecca: "What's going on?"
North: "They're MY Hard Suits....they're made for women but I'M paying for them and I'll ASK whoever I WANT to pilot them!"
Cathy was silenced, knowing that she wasn't even supposed to be using one in the FIRST place.
Brewster could only shake her head.
Rebecca: "What's a Hard Suit?"
He explained about the armor and especially the Motoslaves, the aspect of the armor system he was certain she would excel at but most importantly, he told her that she might be able to have revenge on whatever it was that left her a ronin....assuming they could actually track it down.
Rebecca: "Is this for real?"
Brewster: "Like a heart attack honey."
Cathy silently nodded in agreement when prompted by the Paladins stare.
Rebecca: "Is North crazy?"
Brewster shook her head and chuckled:
"Lady, you DON'T wanna know...."
Cathy nodded and and tried to do her best Robert DeNiro impression:
"Lil'bit?"
Knowledge simply held out his hand with a smile and said:
"What do you say?"
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
"You said there were four Hard Suits....and they're made for women only....but theres only three of us here....so, who's the fourth?"
Both Brewster and Catherine perked up...
Brewster: "It's Lisa."
Cathy retorted: "No, it GOTTA be Crying Wolf....maybe Hoo?"
GM: "GREG, FOR THE LAST TIME...HOO IS NOT A NINJA!!"
Mee-Chan sat back into his seat slowly and closed his eyes in anticipation of the fury to come:
"Maim?"
Catherine could barely stutter out a reaction:
"F'K THAT NOISE!!!"
Brewster broke out in a sudden gut laugh:
"A Paladin is ONE thing, but Maim is just an Assassin!"
Cathy: "SHE TRIED TO KILL YOU ON NATIONAL TELEVISION!?!"
North: "So did Aim's...(all four races in fact)...."
Rebecca: "On national television....is that true?"
North: "It was a misunderstanding....I've REALLY got a good feeling about her-"
Cathy: "I'LL BET!!!"
Catherine leaned forward to hit Jumper in his bad arm again but he recoiled out of range.
Brewster: "She's a killer....she can't be trusted."
North: "I'd trust her with my life..." (then turning to the frowning Miss Calaveri with a smile) "...just not my heart."
This made Catherine gush and she giggled for a moment before chiding:
"Over-my-F'KIN'-dead-body."
But her resistance only made him more more inflexible.
Cathy leaned into the front seat and got directly into Knowledges face:
"THIS-ISN'T-OVER!"
He then grabbed Catherine and kissed her (quite passionately) much to the suprise of everyone in the vehicle.
Miss Calaveri then managed to squeak out:
"I'm sorry....w-what were we talking about?"
Brewster: "Awwwe, THAT was just low, North...." and then looking to Cathy, snorted in a sarcastic fashion "....freakin' p#$%y."
Cathy: "You're just jealous."
Brewster: "Keep in mind I can HURT you badly and leave you on the side of the road an "Loverboy" here won't be able to do squat about it."
Catherine sat back in her seat.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
North: "Either way, she can make a bike do things like you wouldn't believe....she's a natural....she has a higher simulator score than Brewster....but most of all, I trust her."
Both Cathy and Brewster say in harmony: "BUT SHE TRIED TO KILL YOU!?!"
Cathy: "Wait...she's SEEN the simulators!?!"
North: "Actually she tried twice...BUT we're SOO passed that now-"
Rebecca can hardly believe what she is hearing:
"Do you people even LIKE each other at ALL?"
Brewster: "NO!"
Catherine: "Yes."
Knowledge shrugged and handed Rebecca back the scalpel: "Sometimes?"
They decided that they should have a "codex of rules" to carry out operations under....it was identical to the original Knight Sabres Charter:
1) Core members must swear not to divulge any information on the organization to anyone under any circumstances (as demonstrated repeatedly by Knowledge who can't seem to keep his mouth shut!)
2) No member can act on personal grudge (as both Knowledge, Brewster and Rebecca were CLEARLY doing)
3) No member can act without the mutual consent of all five members (which they were most certainly NOT doing here either but there were midigating circumstances...)
4) No member shall secede from the Organization
5) Members will be personally responsible for any damage caused to equipment unless deemed "unavoidable" (because "sith" happens, y'know?)
6) No information shall ever be divulged about "clients" taken to finance further operations
7) Information shall never be gathered in solo opertions. Intelligence gathering duties are evenly distributed amongst team members.
8) Keep in contact with other team members regular basis.
9) Outside of this organization, members do not know each other or seemingly interact. (Don't even get me STARTED on THIS one!!!)
10) Do not get romantically involved. (Catherine was REALLY cheesed at THIS one but they finally worked something out)
The Penalty for violating any above tenants was decided upon as death....BUT....each member could choose ONE tenant that ONLY they could break.
For example; Mee-Chan and Catherine were really hot and sweaty for each other but relationship = death....which sucks. So, she selects THAT rule to be her exception....that way she can still have her cake and eat it too....of course Mee-Chan must ALSO choose the same exception to pursue this. Choices can only be made ONCE and after that, can never be unchosen or renounced....all but rules ONE, FOUR and SIX.
All four agreed to this except Maim who hadn't been included in the loop at that time.
Catherine would use the pink Slicer Prototype.
Maim the blue Assault suit.
Brewster the green C.Q.B. suit.
Rebecca in the white C&C suit.
Knowledge would support them in his J-Type Battlemover and he could carry Catherine into battle.
Maim and Brewster would ride Motoroids into the fray and Rebecca could just fly in with the white suits enhanced flight capabilities.
The MSX would stay on stand-by.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
He mentioned that in addition to cluster grenades, "fire and forget" guide/unguided support rocket pods and a massive 40mm chaingun pod that the Motoroids also deployed with, it had an advanced flight suite and was far faster than a Hard Suit on all terrains. Assault elements were wise to capitalize on the speed of the motoslave/motoroid configuration.
The J-Type Battlemover carried Motoslave leveled weaponry....a recoiless rifle gunpod, a pair of chainguns and a back mounted LGRS system similar to the MLRS system on The Southern Comfort, only they could be guided onto targets in much larger numbers and carried reloads.
The new weapons systems promised to be unlike anything anyone had ever seen...a quantum leap beyond anything seen in earth history:
"Like straight out of a science fiction movie."
- Neutrino Particle Accelerator Weaponry
- Railguns
- Rail Needlers
- Pulse Lasers
- Ion Swords
- Laser Cutters
- S-Mines
- Boot & Knuckle Bombers
- Personal Repulsors
- Sonic Screamers
- Destructive EMP Pulses
- Energy Buckler
- Monowire Claws
- Shock Gloves with "Stun", "Disruptive" & "Lethal" settings
- Gauss Swords
- EMP Limpets
- Independant Flight Capablities
(Not ALL on the same suit mind you!)
This was exclusive of anything they might think to carry with them of which there was an array of payloads that each suit could be customized with to suit any mission profile they might expect to encounter. The Badlands would NEVER know what hit them!
Then there was the matter of the KC-1 Peaceforcers.
Kansas City utilized a constabulary that could only be compared to the Judges of Dredd's "Cursed Earth", except the REAL ones were far less concerned with justice and instead, focused on absolute control and full spectrum dominance of the KC-1 citizenry.
They were reknown for their brutality and ruthlessness and under no circumstances had one ever been successfully bribed or intimidated.
KC-1 was one of the ONLY cities in North America which held a mandate stating that even federalist forces must concede to Peaceforcer authority when within the walls of the fortress city itself.
R.N.C. had established a presence in the city and was using it as a staging ground to run research into new strains of blight-resistant grains, hoping to return the city to its former glory in the "bread basket of the nation".
The company began regular program of sterilant, soil enrichment and seeding operations utilizing Boomers to offset the dangers of the Kansas Badlands.
The project had been making signifigant progress...that is, until this "new menace" began to emerge...
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
The nature of that menace was none other than Gary L. Stevenson...in the flesh!
Left for dead on the side of the dirt road near the Lou'siana Bayou all those years ago.
His hands had NOT been idle.
Bartholomew Leision had gone "missing" and even his associates wouldn't touch poor ol' Gary with a ten foot pole, not to make mention of that wonderful new "haircut" Knowledge had given him.
He still had some petro-dollars he had been siphoning off from the Governor's Cayman accounts for just such an occasion but what he lacked was the inspiration to his brilliance. It wasn't until after hearing that "Boomer physiology is not unlike Human physiology" that he hatched his masterpiece.
The plan would take him years to finally unlock the "chimeric viral algorothyms" that would ultimately lay the ground work in the field of Cybernetic Bio-Warfare or simply put:
"Voomer Madness"
His project was as ambitious as it was costly.
He couldn't afford to realize his dream overnight.
Instead he began a few "side projects" closer to home while he researched on the possible links between the Boomer and Human conditions.
The most important of these "side projects" was the creation of a mind-altering substance based off of a derivative once believed to be a candidate for the "Super-Soldier Serum" he had been dabbling with. The drug DID instill a fanatic sence of loyalty with an almost inhuman tolerance to pain and injury but it reduced (considerably) hand-eye coordination and put the user to a vegetative state within a year.
He tweaked the sequence and added a few of his own touches and christened it:
"Religex"
Using it to obtain loyal supporters, he established a stable renewable cash base to continue his research into Voomer Madness.
Best of all....using a religious organization as a front....it would be tax exempt!
He would use it to strike back at those in power, especially those who he had at one time, held great favor with....and as "fate" would have it, they resided in KC-1!
When Gary had been hired by "The Board", none of them had attained positions within R.N.C. but now, each held great political and corperate influence....seemingly from out of nowhere at the behest of the megacorperate R.N.C. juggernaut.
He would use them to discover what became of Leision....he MUST pay....betrayal can not be tolerated.
MOST of all, he must find Portney Lee Baker & "The Chief"!
The group of assassins he had hired (in reality, D.B. Only's failed attempt to kill Mee-Chan at the championships and coinsedently, his introduction to Maim) were never heard from again and he doubted an opportunity to find him again would ever present itself.
(Careful of what you wish for....you may GET it!)
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
By the time the heros had reached KC-1, Religex had "converted" almost 20000 unwitting followers (1/2 of whom had already died)....a meager 1/50th of the KC-1 Megacity population.
It was still virtually unknown as a narcotic at the time and the deaths continued to baffle Peaceforcers.
This was ALSO around the time he was ready to test his first samples of "Voomer Madness" in the wide array of R.N.C. products available for him to choose from.
These "live tests" began around the time Lord Damion receieved a request from a fellow Paladin and Gary restricted exposure to small Boomers with limited power supplies...in case he lost control.
As his successes mounted, so did his boldness....using larger and larger Boomers in his tests.
In each instance, the malfunctioning unit thinks it is running out of power and for some unknown reason, all Boomers that go rogue start to move immediately towards the closest Broadcast Power Tower once they realize they require recharging.
The larger the unit....the closer they have gotten, which is why the federalists have now become involved.
Their plans to use Boomers on a wide-scale would be jeopardized by too much bad press but the new factories have already been built.
Contain the situation by any means neccessary utilizing everything at their disposal is the federalist mandate...all other priorities recinded.
Boomers had a near flawless operating record (oddly enough) until these recent "Voomer Madness" outbreaks and too much money had been invested by the military indutrial complexe to consider scrapping its plans.
Gary has managed to control even the largest of Harvester Boomers and has noticed a unique characteristic of Voomer Madness....all "rogue" Boomers have fusion capability and amongst other Boomers, the virus can spread digitally.
Not even Steven (he-he-hehe, sorry) could suspect the "Genie" he had released or the effect this would have on Boomers and their place in history.
Nor could any of them even theorize what might occur, should one of the Rogues ever actually REACH a Broadcast Power Array....but they would find out eventually!
KC-1 was the most unlikely place to showcase two fledgling organizations such as Stormfront (started by Knowledge) and The A.S.P. (our own version of "Cobra" with a spiteful scarred leader with "an axe to grind"....BLAME SJG!!!) in the middle of the most heavily armed Fortress City in America, under the watchful eye of the Peaceforcers.
Greg is salivating: "He's DEAD for sure THIS time!"
Phil shrugs: "We REALLY need more male characters in this game...."
Mike comments: "What happened to the "ninjas" you promised?"
Cue GM facepalm: "You'll GET the NINJAS....JEEZ....can I continue now!?"
Rebecca was a VERY fast healer.
One might have thought she wouldn't have been able to move for a week but Doc Mendelson was good at his job and she was limping on her own by the time they had arrived at the city.
"The Mother of All Raider Ambushes" that they were certain would occur (as they dashed to the city walls) never happened.
This even astounded the Peaceforcers at the gates who hadn't seen a single vehicle make a headlong charge up to the walls without a swarm of raiders behind them in a long time.
Most of them had wagered that the black Grand National wouldn't make it and would "explode" at the last moment.
All but one person...a Judge named Booker.
They then believed it to be a "suicide run" since no raider interference had occured and such tactics were common amongst the cycle gangs.
The group had almost cleared the artillary perimetre when they were "ordered" to come to a halt.
Brewster took a car travelling at 160 mph and nearly blew out all four tires coming to a screeching halt (as the threat indicator screamed to life) only to have a warning shot seemingly make the ground on either side of the road just disappear in a wall of smoke and debris.
Allow me to elaborate:
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Rewind the action back about 2 minutes as the Judges were watching the heroes approach....
Spotter: "'Ere they come."
Fire Chief: "Hmmmm....RIGHT then, 'oo's gonna scare 'em THIS tyme?"
Nameless Peaceforcer Number One: "AUTOCANNONS!"
Fire Chief: "What....Really?....Cedric is ALWAYS firin' that thing....it's always "autocannon" THIS and "autocannon" THAT and I'm TIRED of it!"
Nameless Peaceforcer Number Two: "What about th' freakin' mortar?"
Fire Chief: "The "freakin'" mortar is for "FREAKIN'" SISSIES....now, SHUT IT!!!"
Nameless Peaceforcer Number Two: "Says You...."
Nameless Peaceforcer Number Three: "Percy never does anythin' aroun' 'ere anymo'....why doan 'ee do sumthin'?"
Fire Chief: "PERCY, YOU UP F'R THA' MATE!?!"...."RIGHT THEN....LOAD THE 16CM CANNONs....an' Percy? just a warnin' salvo THIS time or I swear-"
Booker: "One of these days you're gonna connect with one of those...."
KA-FREAKIN'-BOOM!!!
It takes at least a minute for the dust & smoke to settle, leaving the car coated in a thick fine layer of pulverised dirt....turned from black to dusty brown in seconds.
No one moves and everything is still for a moment until Knowledge joked, in whispered tones:
"Pssst....hide-the-pot."
Rebecca uncontrollably burst out in a horselaugh (and was the only that did) but stifled herself as "extreme" mirth was still painful to express.
The Swords didn't usually see firepower of this magnitude.
Sure they had seen multi terra-hertz laser platforms reduce an installation to rubble from orbit but they had been underground making an escape when it had happened.
Cathy leaned forward (still trembling):
"WTF?"
Knowledge put his pistol in the glove box and opened his hand to the back seat to take the scalpel from Miss Ayers:
"Anyone else have to change their shorts?"
Brewster could bearly keep from laughing at her own prank:
"Oh....sorry fellas...."Kansas City Salute"....it might've slipped my mind."
Rebecca still handed over the surgical knife calmly, quickly and without further coaxing, but had obviously not been startled by the ex-cops prank as Catherine and Knowledge had been.
Hotshot tried to shrug it off....if she was going to be partners with a Paladin, then she would have to discover what it would take to truely rattle a "Knight".
Only Catherine and Brewster were legally able to carry weaponry and their documentation was flawless and impecable. Their credentials never presented a problem, even if Brewsters "disgraced cop" status had earned her the ire of many levels of Law Enforcement, all of which could make her life miserable if they had "cause" to.
Brewster waited for North to close the glove box then looked at him as if he had just "unrinated on her leg".
She then leaned across, opened the glove box and tossed the massive Earthshaker back at him with scalpel in tow.
(He DID flinch)
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Knowledge looked at her as he could hear the distant gates grinding open but due to the dust, couldn't see anything:
"Uhhh....but I thought me staying out of prison was a good thing?"
"Grow a pair already would ya....this could get messy" Brewster warned them, trying not to laugh or crack a smile.
Brewster donned her Trooper shades, tipped her cowboy hat and adjusted the coffee stir stick in her teeth and leaned close to the window for the inevitable "tapping" on the pane that was sure to follow.
Even the Knight was a little nervous with R.N.C. (perhaps) looking for her.
It actually was indeed a "typical" greeting...."typical" for this particular gun squad....who always worked THIS gate on THIS day.
("Nameless Peaceforcer Number Two" would be him!)
Brewsters cousin; Talbot Jiles Edmonds. In charge of (....wait for it....) Forward Observeration and Mortar Artillary!
Although the Peaceforcers, at first, approached with extreme caution, it was when they recieved the IFF from the cars tag and knew it was Brewster (Talbots cousin) who they had seen many times before, when she was still a Trooper.
Her cousin then blew some dust from the window before "announcing his presence " to his kin.
Beulla rolled the window down in time to have Talbot see Mee-Chan still fumbling with the Earthshaker in his lap.
The Jumper froze and smiled as big as he could manage, while mumbling under his breath:
"I am going to go to prison forever this time....thanks, Brewster!"
Talbot, knowing full well that his cousin (in "Bad @$$" mode) with three "new" faces in the car means "time to mess with the noobz heads" time has arrived once more.
He acts stunned at the sight of the chromed Smith & Wesson .660 Nitro-Express custom single-action revolver....which wasn't hard....it's a REALLY nice gun.
Jiles then calls over a squad mate to "come see this freakin' gun", and then another...repeating until they are all there to see the size of the pistol in his lap.
At one point a Peaceforcer says:
"I can't see it...."
Knowledge goes to hold it up and the moment he touches it, the Peaceforcers act as if "sphincter-pucker factor" just went to a 9.9!
Talbot: "Ho, ho ,ho, hoooooold on there....what are you doing, Chief?"
Mee-Chan: "I-I....was gonna h-hold it up for you to se-"
Talbot: "Do you wanna get shot today , sir?"
Mee-Chan: "Uhhh....e-excuse me?"
Talbot: "I said: do you want to get shot today, sir?"
He stutters for a moment with the "evidence" still sitting in his lap.
Mee-Chan: "But I was j-jus-....I-i....no?" (he looks at his feet like a kid who has been caught cheating) "Stupid gun....carry something smaller why don't you? NO, I like the BIG one!"
Nameless Peaceforcer One: "It's bigger than HE is."
Talbot: "My Lord, how do you not rip your arm off when you fire that thing?"
Brewster starts to break up at how "poorly" Mee-Chan is reacting to all the sudden attention.
No longer being able to carry on the prank, both cousins and the squad begin to howl with laughter at the dumbfounded trio.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Brewster: "I don't care if none of you talk to me ever again....THAT was sooooo, WORTH it!!!"
Rebecca sighs in relief.
Catherine eventually joins in on the laugh.
Knowledge grumbles to himself:
"That's NOT funny, Brewster...."
"Sure it is." she chirps as they wave her car passed security measures normally meant for travellers and allow them unrestricted passage into the KC-1 Metroplex.
Cathy: "Actually, no...that WAS pretty funny."
(Greg already likes Brewster....the fact that she looked like Linda Blair in her "hottie days" didn't hurt either)
(Phil was still happy using Knowledge.)
(Mike liked the new Knight but like Phil, was curious as to when male representation would be available for them to play....AND the Ninjas....he wondered where d'ninjas be at!)
GM: "An' then, I was all like: Chill puta, I got your back Homes...we're talkin' MAD Ninjas...all day son, word up...An' HE was all like-"
Mike: "WTF?"
They hadn't been in town long before flyers for Stevenson's "Church of the New Dawn" were seen....sometimes being put up as fast as the Boomer sanitation crews could take them down. Mee-Chan leaned to the back seat...
North: "Is that them?"
Cathy: "She didn't mention any names....but it seems like they might be a good place to start."
Brewster: "Nah, FIRST we set up a "Base of Operations" and then establish a "Safe House"....preferably MORE than one."
Rebecca said she knew of a place that was friendly to the Paladin cause but was not directly affiliated (so her dishonor wouldn't come into question) and they would provide many safe havens to choose from.
Knowledge scowled slightly...
North: "Who EXACTLY are these friends of yours?"
Cathy: "Why? Y'gonna tell 'em about the Hard Suits too? Cause I'm pretty sure I brought a instructional disc along...no? Okay."
Rebecca: "Relax "Fearless Leader"....they're in The Brotherhood."
Truckers are what she refered to and knowing Hammerdown (as long as he has) Mee-Chan knows The Brotherhood can be trusted.
North: "What I had MEANT is do they have access to a decent doctor....your bandages will need changing....you'll need new perscriptions...."
She looked at him for a moment (as if she couldn't believe what she had been hearing) and then shrugged off his concern...
Rebecca: "I think I'll live....tell ya what though, I'll feel a lot better when I see what a Hard Suit and Motoslave is."
North: "Lisa said 3-4 days tops."
Rebecca: "How do you know this Lisa can be trusted?"
Brewster: "I trust her more than I trust you."
Both Driver & Gunner fumble over the moment neither wanting to display how overwhelmed they are by thoughts of their fallen comrades at The Alamo.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Cathy: "Hammerdown is THE man and there isn't a force on earth that can stop The Electric Mayhem."
Rebecca: "I listen to him...."The voice of freedom, resides within you, good night"...but not for a while."
Cathy: "You know who REALLY said that?"
Rebecca shrugs and as if "rehersed", both Brewster and Catherine point to Knowledge simultaneously.
Rebecca: "Oh, that's HORRIBLE!"
Brewster: "I KNOW, HUH?"
Catherine nods silently in agreement.
North: "I wasn't TRYING to come up with something...it's just something he heard me say, I didn't tell him to USE it...AND I never said the "good night" part either!"
Catherine assured everyone that because they were helping her look for her sister, the least she could do is make sure they had a place to stay.
The Calaveri Concepts Credit Card she carried had a 1000K p$/6000K USD limit claiming that if the need should arise, she could arrange for more.
Accomodations (for everyone) in a "high-class" place with decent security (that Catherine is used to) would cost p$2K+ a day.
No algae based foods for Mama Calaveri's lil' girl....so add at least another p$600 a day for the group.
In Autodeul USD, the stay was running 13K a day....providing no one would bought so much as a little snow globe.
Kinda pricey, but she insisted that she needed the Hotels wireless to run her hacks from and was paying for "slicing" on a company card.
If Catherine isn't careful though, things could go very bad for her and Calaveri Concepts.
Rebecca wants to go and establish contact with her associate but Knowledge doesn't think she should go alone in her condition.
Becca is outvoted 3 to 1.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Catherine wasted no time in "dragging" Brewster with her.
The two went to Kirstie's workplace only to discover that she no longer worked as a fitness instructor.
Her employer had not seen or heard from her since she quit aside from being given different account information for the direct depositing of her paychecks about three months ago.
This was actually seen as a good sign, as Catherine had not heard from Kirstie for almost 6 months and was the only indication (so far) that even hinted she was alright.
The gym would could not share any further information nor would they divulge the new account details with Catherine but agreed thet if an investigation ensued they would be happy to comply in any way they could.
Catherine would simply hack them later that night to find the information she needed.
He DID however mention that she was not the only employee of his to leave suddenly. Several other instructors who Kirstie had been friends with had also left around the same time, each now claiming they had embraced religion and would be pursuing their "dreams" elsewhere.
Religion, in general, had fallen into disfavor in Autodeul-6 following the admissions from the Vatican that they had been manipulaing the populace for thousands of years for profit, self-agrandizement and control....an admission they did not make "willingly".
The damage had been done however and the catholic church seemed most unrepentant for their deeds and complicity in the manipulation of mankind.
It has been rumored by historians that this may have been one of the root causes for the (then unknown) engineering of "The Blight" which precipitated the Food Wars and set the stage for the false flag attack of The Piotr Arumov to begin the limited nuclear exchange which would herald WWIII and alter the course of mankind towards the nightmare that Autodeul would become.
Only in the fading hours of the conflict do pockets of fanatically devout christians and catholics attempted to revive the dying faith, but the world would not forget nor forgive the lies of the church.
Religion still exists in America but is widely now acknowledged as "child abuse" of the worst form, it's followers are looked upon as predatory, deluded lunatics by the majority of the populace, forcing most to hide their faith from the general public.
This was NOT the case in Kansas.
A strange resurgence had been building for months and while their numbers were still low, they had the advantage of enlisting several very powerful KC-1 officials who made allowances and exceptions for the "faithful".
Despite that officially, The Church of the New Dawn had only a core of 10000 active members within the city walls (and perhaps double that sympathizing with their plight), their numbers (and the rate of missing persons) had been steadily growing over the past months, now even openly displaying faith in view of the public.
The dispair and trauma of the harshness of Autodeul had provided the soil in which these new seeds of irrationality had taken root and flourished.
This made Brewster VERY uncomfortable.
She despised organized religion as a whole (having Mormons in her family tree) and despite her somewhat "militant" views on the topic, was a typical example of the mindset of most Americans regarding the foul machinations of the Vatican.
Undaunted, Catherine then went to Kirsties home and discovered from the new tenants that not only had she moved away but had done so many months ago, perhaps even predating the departure from her last known employer.
She left behind anything she could not sell outright....most of which still remained and was being used by the new tenant.
They had boxed up everything they had no intention of using just in case someone ever came to claim them.
Catherine only requested that they return a small stuffed animal that she had given to her sister shortly before Kirstie moved to KC-1.
The two departed with Catherine feeling quite despondant...
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Cathy: "We're NEVER going to find her THIS way."
Brewster: "These frickin' "Churchies" make my skin crawl..." as she looked at another cluster of New Dawn advertizement posters "...and even if we DO find your lil' sis, she's NOT going to come willingly."
Cathy pulled down a flier: "We have to go here."
Brewster: "Most likely but it probably won't be you and it DEFINITELY won't be ME."
Cathy: "What are you talking about?"
Brewster: "I have dealt with these kind before and if you show up there asking around and I promise you, no one will say a thing unless it's to warn your sister that you're looking for her....it may even PLACE her in harm's way."
Catherine: "We HAVE to do SOMETHING!"
Brewster: "Run your hacks....get your sister's bank account data and we'll go from there. Unless she's Houdini, there'll be a trail to follow."
They had only been on the road for a few minutes when they spotted a pair of New Dawners putting up more posters prompting Brewster to pull over:
Brewster: "Well, would you look at that..."
Cathy: "Ask and ye shall recieve?"
Brewster smirked: "Very funny...and no more quoting scripture in my car, its a long walk back to Texas little girl."
Catherine opened the door but was stopped by Brewster...
Brewster: "And just WHERE do you think YOU'RE going?"
Catherine: "I'm going to tell them I am interested."
Brewster became menacing: "OVER-MY-DEAD-BODY!!"
Catherine tried to exit once more but was prevented as Brewster auto-locked the door:
"You CAN'T stop me...." she claimed as she struggled with the door.
Brewster watched the pathetic display continue for a few more seconds before Catherine spoke up once more in frustration:
"Open the d@mn door!"
The ex-cop simply shook her head....
"Open the door or I'll shoot out the glass." threatened Cathy as she drew her Seburo M-5 BoBson.
Brewster: "I thought you were some sort of Master Mechanic? That's deuling safety glass....you'd need a fifty to penetrate it!"
Catherine then chambered a round.
Brewster: "You fire that thing in here, you'll make us both deaf providing the ricochet doesn't kill you first....and if it doesn't, I WILL!"
Looking the ex-State trooper dead in the eye, she pointed the sidearm at the window and raised an eyebrow.
Brewster: "You're bluffing."
Catherine: "I still OWE you for leaving me behind at the state line."
Brewster: "You wouldn't."
Catherine: "I would even take a life to save my sister."
After a moment of silence Brewster cursed and got out of the car herself, leaving cathy locked in the car, and proceeded to approach the two church members after discarding her Gong & holster while muttering:
"You OWE me...."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Rebecca and Mee-Chan had slightly better luck.
After being dropped off by Brewster, the two had made their way to an associate of the Paladin....just not the one she had ORIGINALLY mentioned.
Brewster: "This place is too big for me to be limping around all day...so, I'm going to get us some wheels."
The Jumper cautioned her that he hadn't enough currency on him to secure any sort of vehicle but the Paladin assured him that "Brody" owed her a favor and it wouldn't be a problem.
This was only partially correct.
Brody Gains was the ex-boyfriend who had originally introduced Rebecca to Damion...and he'd been quite bitter about the break-up but she was certain he was over it by now.
Once more, this was only partially correct.
His garage had fallen upon hard times in her absence and the evidence of this was all too obvious as the pair approached the "The Yard".
Brodies pair of guard dogs did not bark upon seeing her but seemed most upset by Mee-Chan's presence however a whistle from her was sufficient to silence them both into cowering compliance.
The first to greet them was Brodies old business partner.
Wicked Lester was happy to see her but his nervous demeanor made Knowledge uncertain as to the outcome of reuniting Brody and Becca.
He didn't have to wait long for his answer.
Lester: "You shouldn't have come...."
She ressured him she only needed some temporary transportation and once done, wouldn't return, as per his request.
Lester: "You need to get outta Dodge before Brody finds out you're here."
Familiar voice from behind: "Too late..."
Brody approached with a handful of his buddies (few that they were) but already Mee-Chan could tell things were about to get ugly. Rebecca continued to stroke the "puppies" as if unaware of his approach.
Rebecca: "How are you?"
Brody: "Like YOU care?"
He then whistled for the dogs to return to his side but they remained by the Paladin and whimpered in submission as she rubbed their bellies:
"Traitors...."
Brody then turned to Knowledge: "Who the f'k is this?"
North: "Y'know, I was just leaving-"
The Jumper stammered as he took notice that some of Brodies friends now stood between him and the exit.
Brody: "I don't think so."
Mee-Chan sighed as he turned around to face Gains...
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
North: "This isn't gonna get ugly is it?"
Lester mumbled: "It's already ugly."
Rebecca stood up abruptly as the biggest of Brodies accomplises approached.
This startled everyone (except Brody and Mee-Chan) and hands were placed upon weapons in unison.
Lester began to step away cautiously...
Lester: "I HATE being right all the time."
North: "I know how you feel."
Rebecca: "There's no need for this...had I known you were this upset I wouldn't have come."
Brody: "Who's this....Damion's replacement?"
Largest Thug: "He looks familiar-"
Rebecca: "He should....Craig's Creek....Battle of Waycross....The Halpern Eco-Cat....Team Darkread....The Swords of Texas, ringing any bells yet?"
The smaller of the ruffians began to back-up towards Brody upon hearing this but the largest remained.
Brody: "Is that supposed to scare us?"
Lester: "I'M scared."
Brody backhanded Lester for speaking but this obviously did not sit well with Rebecca as she limped towards the largest of Brodies goons with dark intent in her eyes.
Largest Thug: "You don't frighten me little girl."
Rebecca had the scalpel against his throat before his hand had even reached his pistol:
"'Bout now?"
The remaining ruffians readied their shotguns but Knowledge outdrew them and took aim at Brody:
"Drop the gats or I turn this little reunion into Gunfight at the O.K. Corral."
Gains began to laugh even as he stared down the barrel of the .660 Nitro Express revolver:
"You haven't changed a bit Becca..."
He then motioned for the goons to back off but only half of them complied including the largest who still had Becca holding a blade to his throat.
Largest Thug: "Uhhh...Boss?"
Rebecca: "THIS....is over."
Gains stopped laughing and became serious once more as he kept his eyes locked on Knowledge:
Brody: "Fine....what do you want?"
Rebecca: "Wheels....set me up with some and I'll pay you double....you know I'm good for it."
Brody scowled: "That's it?"
Rebecca: "That's it...." she replied as she looked thoughtfully at the scalpel "....maybe a pistol."
Gains and Knowledge still stared at each other as The Jumper kept his weapon trained on his face:
Brody: "No deal."
Knowledge cocked the revolver causing a laser targeting dot to appear on Gains forehead and bathing his face in a soft green glow.
He could feel his top lip begin to quiver in anticipation.
Rebecca gently rested her hand upon the .660's ventilated barrel and eased Mee-Chan's aim...
Rebecca: "Damion has been killed....so, have all the others-"
Brody: "So, what's that to me?"
Knowledge (infuriated by the remark, especially after being the one who performed the mercy killing of Damion) went to take aim again but was prevented once more by Brewster.
Rebecca: "I'm GOING to find who did it and I'm GOING to kill them....but I NEED wheels....name your price."
Brody: "You....I want YOU."
Mee-Chan growled as he cocked the Earthshaker once more but he was quickly overidden by the Paladin.
Brody: "Funny, you always did attract the "emotional" ones."
North: "Oh yeah? What does that say about YOU joy boy?"
Brody: "You always kept your word, Becca....swear to me you'll do this and you can take any ride I have right here and now but when it's over...YOU come back to ME...THAT'S the deal, take it or leave it!"
She looked at The Jumper and "guided" him in returning his pistol to the holster, then turned to Brody and cleared her throat:
"Deal..."
She could feel Mee-Chan's grip tense up again as he gritted his teeth but she kept her hand firmly on the holster flap to prevent his Earthshaker from making another unscheduled appearance.
"...now call 'em off."
He smiled and the situation seemed to immediately de-escalate.
Brody still kept his eyes upon Knowledge, as he had from the moment he drew his sidearm, and said:
"Lester can show you what's hot and what's not....but "hero" here, he goes RIGHT now or the deal's off."
Rebecca began to move Knowledge towards the gate above his protests...
North: "Catherine HAS money....we can GO someplace else."
Rebecca: "This is the best way....we'll get a vehicle that works and there's no paper trail to be followed....besides, I like to do things for myself. Just wait outside....I won't be long."
She closed the gate behind him and went to choose her new ride, leaving The Jumper alone with his own thoughts.
In all the comotion, neither of them took notice of the "Cruxifix of the New Dawn" that Brody had been wearing under his shirt...
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Brewster managed to keep the bile from bubbling up her throat as she talked with the church posters about the New Dawn that they ASSURED her was here!
She managed to feign interest in their plight and after only 5 minutes had gained enough trust to discover that they would be holding a ceremony for new parishoners in an older part of the city not two days from now and encouraged her to attend.
Brewster said she would look forward to it and was told to return here where she would be met by others and brought to the secret location.
The ex-trooper was quite familiar with religious cults and her families mormon background provided enough flavor to make her performance to the church posters believable enough that they gave her a stylized cruxifix that would identify her to the ones who would lead her there.
As she turned to leave, she could feel her skin crawl, disgusted at her "undercover" work but she managed to hide it until the pair had left, leaving Brewster free to return to the Grand National and Catherine without being noticed.
Beulla thought to herself that she had felt cleaner when she worked with the vice squad as a decoy prostitute.
She sat down beside the anxious Miss Calaveri and shuddered...
Brewster: "I need a bath."
Cathy: "WELL!?!"
Brewster: "Two days from now, they'll be holding a meeting for the next to be fleeced in an "undisclosed" location."
Cathy: "Will Kirstie be there!?!"
Brewster: "I have no idea, they didn't trust me enough but I do know it will be held in an older section of the city....presumably because there's far less security measures concentrated there."
Catherine was overcome with emotion and hugged Brewster as hard as she could.
Brewster: "Whoa, whoa....o-okay....you can let me go now."
Cathy: "I take back every nasty thing I ever said about you."
Brewster: "That's nice....WAIT, like what?!"
The mechanic returned to her seat and inquired:
Cathy: "So, what's the plan...a "stakeout"...I've never been on a stakeout before!"
Beulla started the car and began to pull away.
Brewster: "I need a drink."
Cathy: "I wonder how the others are making as much progress as we are?!"
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Mee-Chan had been pacing for about fifteen minutes in the front of "The Yard" under the watchful eye of the largest of Brodies thugs, a hairy-backed mountain of a man who went by the name of "Grover".
He was still rubbing his throat from where Rebecca had held the scalpel to it as he watched The Jumper pace in a small circle.
Gadbois: "You don't look like a hero to me...you look all soft and pretty."
Knowledge ignored him and continued to pace.
Gadbois: "You look like the kinda girl I would make toss my salad in the joint."
The Jumper paused for a moment but resumed pacing without uttering a word.
Gadbois: "LOOK AT ME WHEN I TALK AT YOU, BOY!"
In an instant, he had drawn his Bowie and hurtled it at Grovers face with the intention of scaring him...(never once thinking he would actually strike him through the chain link fence he leaned on)...but an unexpected critical hit (Kudos Phil, REALLY!) sees the blades point pass through the links enough to strike and split the thugs nose.
Well, Grover was startled alright!
He slid open the gate and was about to charge at him when the sound of motorcycle began to roar behind him.
Rebecca hit the brakes and fishtailed the cycle into the back of Grovers legs, which knocked the unsuspecting giant flat on his keister.
Rebecca: "Have I come at a bad time?"
Gadbois: "LOOK AT WHAT HE DID TO MY FACE!?!"
He tried to get up but the Paladin put her boot to his chest ensuring he stayed put...
Rebecca: "From the looks of things you should just be thankful that fence was there or we wouldn't be having this conversation."
Gains returned to the front to see what had transpired in his absence...
Brody: "Problem?"
Becca removed her foot from Grovers chest and allowed the big mook to stand...
Rebecca: "No problem."
Gadbois: "LOOK AT WHAT HE DID TO MY FACE!!!"
Brody winced for a second: "W-well...it's not THAT bad..."
Gadbois: "THIS ISN'T OVER "HERO" I SWEAR IT!!!"
Brody: "SHADDUP and go inside....and get Charlie to look at that, you're bleeding all over the place you big stupid f'k."
The mountain of flesh stormed away but before he left, he paused by the knife (still stuck in the fence) and with an effortless twist snapped the blade from the hilt and tossed it at Knowledges feet.
North: "Not ANOTHER one...I lose more knives that way."
Gains smiled as looked to Mee-Chan again but addressed Rebecca...
Brody: "You better keep this one on a short leash, girl....he's a WILD one."
Rebecca also glanced at The Jumper with an exasperated expression while tossed a helmet at Knowledge and inquired:
"You finished?"
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Knowledge and Brody just kept staring at each other, Brody with a mocking smirk and Mee-Chan devoid of all expression save intense burning dislike that was clearly evidenced in his gaze. The smile disappeared from Brodies face as he uttered:
"Yeah, a VERY short leash."
Rebecca repeated her question to the Jumper with a sence of urgency in her voice.
After an uncomfortable silence that seemed to stretch on for an eternity (despite lasting only 10 seconds) he began to step off...
Brody: "You're trading up darling....this one takes orders better than Damion."
This brought Knowledge to a dead stop.
Rebecca: "ENOUGH,YOU shut th' F'K up...." (then turned towards Knowledge and continued) "....and YOU get the F'K in the "B1TCH SEAT"..."
Mee-Chan raised an eyebrow towards her as if she had just crossed over the line.
She then added in a whisper only he could hear:
"...please."
The Jumper grudgingly did as he was asked but not before he looked towards Brody and spat at his feet.
As the two rode off on the modified Outlander, Brody mused to himself as he could hear Grover screaming in the back over the sound of barking dogs, standing in a pool of the man-mountains blood:
"This new friend of Rebecca's is going to be a SERIOUS problem...."
The Paladin waited until they had nearly reached their destination and then pulled over.
Rebecca: "You're REALLY not helping here!"
North: "I'm sorry but....your boyfriend....is a SERIOUS @$$hole."
Rebecca: "Granted....but the people we are going to see NOW won't TOLERATE that sort of monkey business."
North: "I understand."
Rebecca: "I'm SERIOUS....if you can't keep it under control you're going to wait by the bike while I go in."
North: "I SAID, I understand...it won't happen again."
She paused for a moment (as if counting to 10 in her head) then continued...
Rebecca: "Look....I get it....he's a d1ckhead....TRUST ME, no one knows that BETTER than me....but I want you to PROMISE me you won't act a fool in front of him or these people again."
North: "I promise."
Rebecca: "And ONE more thing....he's NOT my boyfriend and NEITHER are YOU....I don't need ANYBODIES protection, got it?!"
North: "That's why I wanted you on the team in the first place."
Rebecca: "Just don't make me regret being saved."
(Greg REALLY likes Becca and is DYING to introduce his new character so he can try and sleep with her.)
(Phil wants another chance to mess up Grover's complexion and I assure him he will get it.)
(Mike is doing just fine....but NOW we are out of Doritos!)
TO BE CONTINUED...
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
The Brotherhood compound in KC-1 was located near the cities south perimetre.
Unlike other Brotherhood locations, it lacked any sign of visible defence except a parking lot filled with armed 18-wheelers (even though weapons are deactivated by computer when within city limits) which tends to be enough to discourage even the most diehard of thieves and miscreants.
They were the true masters of the roads. Few vehicles could withstand the firepower of such rigs and yet the damage from raider attacks seemed to scar each and every vehicle present.
As they approached, Knowledge could make out a few consealed security cameras that kept the compound under constant surveillance.
The parking lot reminded him of a pod of whales that bore injuries from battles long fought and won. He also began to wonder if the new Hard Suits would be able to sustain prolonged operations in the badlands. Not even these monsters of the highways are safe from predation, so what hope would these new designer armor suits have?
Rebecca came to a stop outside the main entrance.
The guards present didn't seem to be too pleased with a bikers arrival until the Paladin removed her helmet, at which point the gate was opened without even a single question being asked of them.
Mee-Chan was quite familiar with the ways of Brotherhood and even though his exposure to them was relatively minimal, he could already tell the Errant Knight had not exagerated...she was indeed regarded as a friend.
She parked the Outlander by the main bunker and reminded The Jumper of his promise to her one final time.
They had barely dismounted when a booming voice came from behind them....
"JEWEL!!!"
A massive balding trucker who had, what looked like, a massive white "clown wig" of a beard glued to his chin that was so large, his mouth couldn't be seen when he spoke, made his way towards & embraced her in a hug that literally swept the Paladin off her feet.
Rebecca: "E-easy, EASY....broken stuff!"
Gus: "It's SO good to see you....when we recieved word about Damion, we thought you were dead....how did you manage to escape?"
Rebecca: "I guess I have a guardian angel."
The massive trucker spun towards Knowledge and stepped towards him with the smile wiped from his face.
North almost believed he was about to be attacked again but he stayed true to his word and remained still as the towering individual stood before him.
His giant hand extended outwards towards him suddenly (which made the uncertain Knowledge flinch) as he continued...
Gus: "I just want to give my thanks for saving our Jewel....ANY friend of hers is a friend of the Brotherhood....names Gus, Gus Foley, pleased to meet ya!"
Knowledge let out an uneasy laugh and returned the the gesture.
Gus: "This one seems a might skittish."
Rebecca: "Yeah, well....we just had a run in with Brody, so...."
Gus: "Oh NO....not HIM again."
She had expected Knowledge to elaborate further (something she particularly dreaded) and was ready to cut him off in mid-sentence should he start to speak but he remained silent and simply shrugged.
Rebecca: "Forget about him....he's old news."
Gus: "Did Grover give you any trouble?"
Mee-Chan was about to speak but was quickly cut off by the Paladin...
Rebecca: "Not me per-se....but he was a bit rude to my friend though."
Gus: "What happened?"
Miss Ayers looked at the Jumper who suddenly snapped back to reality...("Is it MY turn to speak now?")
North: "He broke my knife."
Rebecca: "Yeah, well....you DID break his face so you're even."
Gus broke out into a fit of laughter: "THIS little guy broke Grover's face?!"
Once more, Knowldge simply shrugged and nodded.
Gus: "I HAVE to buy you a drink...." bellowed the trucker who wrapped one tree trunk sized arm around The Jumper and the other around the Paladin.
Rebecca: "This isn't exactly a social call-"
She said as she tried to hide the fact that this simple gesture was causing her undue discomfort due to her injuries.
Gus: "NONSENCE....there's ALWAYS time for Mister Danials!"
The Jumper smiled and managed to groan out a reply from Gus's crushing embrace:
"I LIKE this guy."
TO BE CONTINUED...
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Both trucker and biker talked about old times and drank toasts to Damion and the fallen.
They cursed the name of Brody Gains and raised glasses to "Jewel's" mysterious benefactor.
Every Brotherhood member that passed lingered to give their regards and pay their respects to the Paladin.
Mee-Chan thought to himself that If only Brewster could see this she wouldn't be so hard on the Errant Knight.
Despite her apparent "dishonor", this didn't deter every second trucker who passed by from offering her a anchor position in their respective convoys.
She would thank them graciously but maintained she had some personal matters to attend to before considering a return to the roads.
They had just passed the halfway point of the "forty pounder" when the true reason for the visit came to the forefront.
Gus: "R.N.C....they have been all over The Brotherhood since we started to lose convoys nearly a month ago. How are YOU mixed up in this?"
Rebecca: "I'm still alive."
Gus: "You think R.N.C. has something to do with these attacks?"
The Paladin looked towards Mee-Chan to see if he would speak again but he motioned to the Knight as if to say: "Ladies first."
Rebecca: "I'm not sure yet but it's starting to look that way."
Gus: "Messing with the Nomads or the Lost One's is one thing Jewel....but R.N.C., are you TRYING to get yourself killed?"
She gulped down another shot of sour mash and continued...
Rebecca: "One way or another, I am GOING to get to the bottom of this. I owe it to Damion and the others. I owe it to MYSELF."
Gus: "What can I do?"
Becca smiled, stood up (after a fashion, as she was injured AND tipsy) and kissed Gus's bald head...
Rebecca: "I only need some information."
Gus: "Anything...just name it."
Rebecca: "I need to know if there are any attack survivors I can talk to."
Gus frowned: "R.N.C. was pretty slick, anyone I have heard about was snatched up by them shortly after the attacks."
North: "Feds too, right?"
Gus: "Yeah....never seen those two so cozy before....you think it related?"
North: : "It CAN'T be a coinsedence."
Gus: "What do you intend to do?"
Rebecca: "I'm gonna burn it all down...."
Mee-Chan raised his glass to the Paladin but Gus was still a bit shocked by her admission.
Gus: "You're going to get yourself killed...do you really believe that's what Damion would've wanted for you?"
Rebecca: "Damion doesn't "want" anything Foley....because he's dead."
Gus: "Wasn't it YOU who told me that you never do anything that originates from a "dark place"....it's the ONLY thing that separates us from the savages out there that did the killing?"
Rebecca: "I'm not convinced bikers had anything to do with this at all."
Gus: "So, the Feds are lying about cycle gangs being the culprits?"
Rebecca: "You ever seen one of these attacks?"
Gus: "No...but from what you've told me...neither have you."
North: "True....but we've witnessed the aftermath and I can promise you, it WASN'T bikers."
The Brotherhood member looked at Knowledge and then to Rebecca who nodded in agreement with what The Jumper had claimed...
Gus: "How long will you stay?"
Rebecca: "Till it's done."
Gus: "Alright....stay in touch....I'll put out some "feelers" and see if anyone on the grapevine can help."
Rebecca: "Keep this quiet....if R.N.C. even catches a whiff of what we're up to...it's game over."
Gus:"You're as crazy as you ever were, girl and I love you for it!"
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-