ICC- Kilrick Salvage Chapter 2- On the Road to NYC

Status
Not open for further replies.
"Rama, First floor of the building. Clear it."
I yelled out. Then to the others, "Flares will work."

The house shook with the pounding of .50 Cal shells flying through the ground floor. I looked at the creature that had attacked.

Dirty, hairy, humanoid, about 4 feet tall, like a man but less evolved. Toes and fingers like claws, very strong. Ugly. Lots of teeth. I looked it over as I reloaded the single barrel with a star shell.

The firing stopped nearly as fast as it began. Good fire control. "Clear!" Called out Rama.

"Check fire folks," I said pistol in one hand and single barrel, "Shoot what you can see, don't want to plug any friendlies."

Eric tossed down a flare down the stairs, and away we went.
 
Rama nodded. Though these days, one found it hard to even trust 'friendlies'. The Desert Eagle was in one hand, and Stryfe was a good shot with it. He could knock the eye out of a bird.

Well he used to do that as a kid.
 
OCC- I hate to interrupt ICC with OCC but what the fuck. Prudence is MIA and I am getting tired of waiting for her. She will either post by Saturday or we will have to resolve this situation. Folks, pay attention to what's going on. I know the thread has been sleepy but review if you have to.

ICC-

The flare bounced out the room and we moved, the woman in tow. Down the stairs and out.

If there were maggots down there, the monsters had left. But where had they gotten to.

As wel moved out I saw the others by the the truck. Wolf looked out. "Whose that?"

"SOmeone who got happy with a shotgun. How's the woman?"

Wolf shrugged. "She bled a lot. The bullet is out, but she's weak. IF we are careful she can make it."

But this was no place where we would be careful.

"Alright, let's get out of here. This place makes my skin crawl. Where the hell is Edden."

Edden was gone.

Rama was still standing behind the .50 mount and shrugged. He had been busy firing shells into the house.

Wolf pointed down the street. "She was down there on that corner, watching to see what might come out from behind ya. Then it looked like she saw something and went to investigate."

Gunny chambered a round in the shotgun we had gotten from the woman. "Fucking things jumped me in there. What will they do a woman alone?"

"Reik, get us there."

-----------------

Edden had tried to work the manhole cover, but it wasn't coming.

Inside he heard the child. "Mommy, Mommy. Help me. I'm scared."

"Don't worry, I'm coming for ya. Just be quiet." Said Edden. She had heard the others and figured they had found maggots. But the sound had only hastened her drive to get the child free.

Abandoning the manhole cover she went back to the sewar opening. "Are you still there."

"Won't you help me?" Spoke the child. Edden thought it was a girl.

"I'm trying. Do you think you could reach my hand? Maybe I could pull you out."
 
I looked around. Edden was trying to get to the child, I felt Maggots watching us. We had to act quickly or they got us. I didn't like the situation.

-"It's pretty dangerous here. Gally, we're giong for the parts, but we need someone to cover us from behind while searching. I would prefer us to go all together, but we have to take those Tinkers, too. Who is going with us two?"

-"And helps us get the hell out of here" - I said to myself silently.
 
Reik was getting the truck going giving me a chance to look at the parts. From a quick glance it looked like we had gotten what we needed from both shops.

Now we just needed the radiator from the junkyard and we'd be set.

And that worried me, because if we were getting harrassed by maggots in the town, than the crew in the Junkyard were also running into resistance.

I looked over at the two women. THe one who had been shot was unconscious. Probably better that way. The other one hadn't spoken since we found her and was sitting next to her.

"Where are the others?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Don't know. I heard the shooting and ran for it. The others, could be anywhere."

I was going to speak again, but Reik got the truck going and I had to grab something to hang on.

As we pulled around I could see Edden was bent over a sewer drain.
 
Rama had a feeling they were being watched. "I can feel their hungry eyes on my flesh. They may try to make a dash for us." Rama was anxious to unload more .50 caliber death upon the hungry hoards.

"C'mon, kiddo, grab my hand!" Edden tried to reach for the child, she could feel the same eyes boring holes through her kevlar vest.
 
OCC- ok this is going to slow. If you have comments or thoughts about what needs to change, post on the OCC.

Rama, please get in touch with Prudence if you can. She's holding us up and I am tempted to let her get eaten.

ICC-
Reik had the truck going and we were approaching Edden pretty quick, but I wasn't sure if we would be able to do it in time.

I glanced at the sky. The sun was beginning to set. We had time, a couple of hours. Enough to get to the Junkyard and go. I was starting to worry about Jake and the others. The number of Maggots had grown and they had become more fearless in the daylight. I remembered how dangerous and quick they could be in the dark.

Edden was still trying to reach in for the child. She could hear the child repeat. "Mommy, Mommy, help me, I'm scared. Help me."

Edden was now on her back, one arm deep into the sewer, stretching in. Her eyes focused, probing the dark for the child. "Reach for me. I'll pull you up. Can you reach me?" She asked.

But the child only said, "I'm scared."

Something about the voice sounded odd, like it had been repeated, exactly. And the thought made her realize something else, the voice sounded mechanical.

At that moment Edden looked up and saw the feet and legs of a small boy on the sidewalk in front of her. She looked up the legs, over the waist and torso to the face a child looking down on her. The child was dirty, certainly, but looked otherwise healthy as it looked at her with curiousity.

"Watcha ya doin' lady?" Asked the child.

"Who are you?" Asked Edden.

"Bobby. So, whatcha doin?'" the kid seemed to ignore the truck that was pulling up near Edden.

"I'm trying to help your baby sister." Said Edden.

"I ain't got no baby sister, miss." Said the boy, shaking his head. "And I heard them boogie men getting Margie. That ain't my sister. Ain't nothin' down there but them boogie men."

Edden didn't have time to realize the trap.

Suddenly she felt a strong tug as a number of sharp clawed hands grabbed her arm and pulled her in.

OCC- Edden has been yanked into the sewar and is probably more in than she wishes, but she's not yet totally in. It's up to you guys and Prudence whether she gets eaten or not.
 
“NO!!”

Edden screamed, followed by a loud cry by the little boy.

“FUCK!” - I yelled, jumping out of the truck.

I grabbed Edden’s hand. Rama jumped out of the truck, rifle ready. Kilrick followed.

“SHIT, IT’S PULLING ME DOWN!”

”I got you! Rama, kill the fucker!

Rama shoved his AK-47 in the sewer and started bursting away. There was a loud shriek and it let Edden go. I pulled her up, her arm was in a really bad shape, all covered in blood.

Rama picked Edden up and got her in the truck, Kilrick grabbed the kid, who was still crying loudly.

I could hear more sounds and screams under the sewer. There were more of them, and angry.

“START THE TRUCK” - I yelled, taking the pin out of two grenades, throwing them into the sewer. - “FIRE IN THE HOLE! MOVE MOVE MOVE!!” - I said while jumping into the truck. A few seconds later a loud explosion made the ground around the sewer hole open and scatter around, the debris hitting the truck.

“Bloody hell! How are you?” - I asked Edden.

“My arm hurts! A lot! The mother-fucker fooled me, made me think it was one of the kids!”

“Well, the sod is all blown up now, don’t worry about that!” - I told her, while looking at the wound. It was nasty, the critter cut her up badly, and we had no idea what the level of radiation she received from it.
I started to patch her up, first disinfecting the wound, then sewing her up, then injected with some radiation and poison neutralizers. Now it was time to see the reactions of her organism to it. No stimpacks, at least not yet.

“Kilrick” - said Edden, looking at her right arm, all in bandages, after I had finished the job – “let’s get the hell out of here!”
 
"Reik, back to the Junkyard. Gally, you can manage the .50. Wolf?" I said. "Wolf?"

Wolf was near where the wounded woman was lieing down, but I couldn't see what he was doing, his body in the way.

THere was a pool of blood growing under the woman.

Then Wolf started cursing.

Reik kept his attention on the road, but Gally had trouble keeping focused. Finnaly Wolf shook his head. "Her wounds, they must have broke open or something, and with all the blood she lost earlier... She's dead."

The other woman, the one from the auto shop was sitting in the corner, watching. Watching the way a cornered animal watches the wolves as they circle around.

"I'll kill you!" Screamed the little boy, who withdrew a switchblade from God knows where. He had made two steps when I snatched him up and pulled him away.

"Wolf, take care of Prudence."
 
OOC: thanks for the save, was ill for the week that's why I was away.

IC:
Edden grabbed her bleeding arm and was trembling from both rage, she drew her beretta and made sure it was loaded. "I'll be damned if they eat me again," Her voice was rigid with rage.

The she saw Wolf and softened a bit, "Thanks..." She murmured, her hand still shaking with rage. Going on a limb was something Edden didn't do often, and being duped made it even worse.
 
In the truck-

Reik was moving the truck and Gally was watching. The Maggots were smarter than we gave them credit for. They had tried to trap us twice, already and we had been fast. I had little reason to think they wouldn't try again.

All the same, they let us through the town, over the old stone bridge, and out. The town was behind us, and we could see a plume of smoke from where we had lit the fire. Ahead was the junkyard, and something was smoking there as well.

That was enough to worry me. Aaron, Jake, Deed and Jasmin were in the junkyard somewhere. Probably so were the Maggots.

The boy was still looking at the woman and it looked like he wanted to kill her. I had taken the knife out of his hand and was holding him close.

"Ain't right. Ain't right." He said, and I could tell he was on the verge of tears. Tinkers are a tough lot. Going from town to town with only their kin. They're tight, and I knew this one was feeling the lose of his grandma and two siblings.

"Easy kid. There's nothing you can do for them now." I said, trying to sound gentle.

Prudence was watching the kid. Perhaps she was wondering why the kid hadn't warned her earlier. Perhaps she was thinking about how it would feel to have a dozen maggots clawing away at her body, pulling away the limbs as she screamed, knowing she was trapped down in the sewers with no one to save her. It had been a close one.

"Angie killed them I know it. Momma said she would cause only trouble. Is a plague is what she is." Said the boy.

"Angie?" I asked.

"Her." Said the boy. Meaning the woman who sat in the corner watching the rest of us.

The boy was looking at the other woman, lieing still in a pool of blood. Wolf was looking at the wound that had opened up. He was talking to know one in particular and the words streamed out in deluge of twisted emotions, including guilt. "Maybe it was the motion of the truck that did it. All the commotion and movement. We needed to keep her stabilized to heal. If we had been steady for 24 hours she should have healed. Lost a lot of blood sure, but with those stitches she could have pulled through. If we hadn't moved... but so much blood lost."

THe others were watching him silently. Rama was bandaging Prudence's arms but listening to Wolf. Finally he said. "You did your best."

"Yeah." I nodded, "We had to move and risk it. Too many hostiles. We came damn near losing one of our own." Looking to Prudence.

She nodded. Wolf stopped talking and sat down, his back against the bed of the truck. "This is so fucked."

"Yeah. Everything is fucked. But remember, were here for a reason. All this is extra. Stay focused and watch each other's backs. Take care of your own." My eyes moved to each person. "We need to secure the rest of the team, and then out. Stay sharp, we ain't out of it yet."

The others grew quiet.

"What's your name kid?" Asked Rohan.

"Bobby. That's my grandma there. Margie and Meg are dead. Cause that Fucking Bitch." He said, finishing his introductions with a snarl. Then he said, "Don't know about Momma or Elroy, my brother."

The woman watched him.

Bobby was telling it how he saw it, but that didn't make it truth. I didn't know the whole story but I had an idea. Tinkers move from place to place, picking up items of interest along the way. They're salvagers and repair people. Some call them gypseys and most don't trust them. They lie and cheat and steal, because it's a matter of survival and they don't care about anyone else but kin. But kin they take care of.

I watched the girl. She was a good looking piece of flesh. A slave? Someone to sell and pawn off and in the meantime, a source of distraction for the men?

Sometimes in passing through they pick up people, and like objects, sell them as they need. It wasn't unusual for a Tinker to have a few wives and multiple children. Sometimes the children bred amongst each other, sometimes with terrible consequences. They just don't know better. It was possible that one of the men had picked up the girl and was using her for fun. The other woman would naturally hate her, and the children would feed off that hate. The men might fight over use of the woman and that might be why it came to gunfire. But it was also possible the woman had manipulated the fight to happen, and now had to get rid of the rest, because certainly they would seek revenge.

Gally drew back the bolt on the .50 as we came around a curve in the road. "Kilrick, we're here."

I put the child down and gave him to Wolf, telling Wolf, "keep an eye on him, don't let him out of your sight and keep these two seperate."

I looked up.

The road led to a gate, above which was an old rusty sign that still read "Hobart's Auto Recycle Center." There was a fence that went around the yard and behind it piles of cars piled upon each other. The road went past the gate and turned past a pile of cars and tires. No dogs, no rats, nothing. The Maggots had eaten them all.

Reik brought the truck to a stop in front of the gate. "Alright, let's get it done."
 
In the Junkyard.

Aaron had twisted his leg in the fall, but with time it would feel better.

Jasmin and the other woman had gone down into the basement, using flares for illumination. It wasn't enough and they could hear the Maggots moving in the basement areas where the light didn't shine. If they looked into the corners they could see the red light reflect from their eyes.

Aaron moved towards the stairs, made a few steps and collapsed. But Jasmin was there and quickly tried to help him up. Aaron was a big guy, but Jasmin's muscular upper body was used to more difficult strains. She got under one of his shoulders, put her arm around him and started moving to the stairs.

The other woman had reached the bottom and had a pump action shotgun out. "Go up. I'll follow behind, make sure they won't be comin. Don't worry, take care your man."

A Maggot began to growl from a corner. The woman turned and fired a blast into the corner. Whether she got the Maggot or not, Jasmin couldn't tell, but it made no more sound. She needed no encouragement to quickly move up the stairs.

On the top landing, Jasmin quickly went around, carefully testing each step. The floor was weak, old boards rotten with age, and the combined weight of her and Aaron could easily have brough both back into the basement.

Finally she got around to the front and carried Aaron out, setting him down on the floor and turning back to the house.

The other woman had gotten to the stop and was using a flare to set the building afire. It didn't take much to get the building burning. Already smoke billowed out of the basement.

Jasmin found an old board and lit it, using it as a torch to help light the building up.

If anything it might signal to the others that there was trouble. Aaron was using his rifle as a cane to help get away from the building to the garage where Jake and Deeds had found a truck. Next to them was a little boy.

Licks of fire were dancing in the sky as the woman finally stepped out of the building to stand next to Jasmin.

"Thanks for your help." Said Jasmin.

"Saw your man was in trouble, is all. Wouldn't want one of those boogies eaten my man."

"Aaron's not my man." Said Jasmin, "But thanks."

"Is alright." Said the woman, "Not your man? My man's dead. Just today."

"Maggots?" Asked Jasmin.

"Not exactly." Said the woman. The boy came running from where the other men were watching and hugged the woman around the legs. The woman smiled and ruffled his hair. "Name's Clara, this here is Elroy."

"Jasmin." Said Jasmin, holding out a hand.

"I am assuming you won't be doing us an injustice, as I just helped you with your kinfolk." Said Clara.

"No, we appreciate your help."

"Jus the same. There's another woman in town, I think she's wounded. My sister. ANother woman too, but she ain't worth spit and if you want to leave her to these boogie man, ain't no skin off my hide if you get my meaning." Said Clara.

"We have people in town. Perhaps they are helping her." Said Jasmin.

"Yep, maybe so. Two men I reckon, but they's dead cause they couldn't keep their peckers where they don't belong. Some little ones run off all sorts. I fear for their wellbeing." Said Clara. Both women were watching the blaze. "But I figure they might all be dead too. Fool idea to come here, I told them, but don't they listen to no woman, nope."

"What brought you here?" Asked Jasmin.

"Boy Elroy. He's scampered off. Saw Margie go down into the sewer before I could stop her. Bobby disappeared but I figured he ain't so foolish and would either look after his grandma or come out after me. But Elroy might get himself into trouble. Gunfire scared him."

Inside the fire came the schrill of a scream, then another and a third.

"Looks like we got us a nest of boogie men roastin'" Said Clara, and a smile creased her dirty face.

---
At the garage, Deeds and Jake had heard the gunfire and seen the fire go up. They had gotten out from under the truck when Jasmin had gotten out the door, hauling out the injured Aaron.

Then she had turned and gone back in. Jake had taken a step to the house to help, but Deeds had said, "She's fine. I know Jasmin, she can take care of herself and we need that part."

Jake, never a friend of Deeds had been tempted to mouth off, but the man was right. They were here for the part, and both Aaron and Jasmin seemed ok.

Before he had turned back he had seen the other woman leave the building and watched as Elroy had ran out to hug her. His mother perhaps.

He looked up at the sky, and then noticed that there was a plume of smoke coming up from Maggotville.

"Alright, we almost got the part. Let's finish this off before it gets dark." Said Jake, grabbing his sprocket set and getting back under the vehicle they had found.

Deeds watched for a moment longer, noticing that Aaron was approaching, limping but he seemed alright. Then he turned to assist Jake.

None of the men noticed the quick movements in the junkyard or the eyes that observed them.
 
"Anyone have any grenades?" Edden asked, she wanted to get back at those bastards. No one carves her flesh and gets away with it. No one.

She had finished loading the Tacitcal shotgun with flachette shells and her beretta was loaded with fresh clips. A couple molotov cocktails. It was her way of simmering down. Bloody murder was on the brain and beneath the short hair, Edden was far from cool headed.

In her own way, she like a berserker: killing and burning anything down.

The wound was rapped up. No need for stiches, and besides, she takes pride in her scars.
 
After 5 minutes of working the part, Jake and Deeds had gotten it free, and as Deeds was in the better position, he started yanking it away, but it wouldn't budge. Jake, who was smarter than a squatter, got angry.
"Bloody hell, you can't be that useless can you? I've never seen a bloke as dumb as you! And let me tell you, i've been round the block a few times." Said Jake.
"Well, MATE, if you think you can do better, then do it!" Yelled Deeds.
"For one, don't call me mate, i'm not your fucking mate. And two, ok." Said Jake, and with that, he gripped the part just right, and yanked it out, clean as a whistle. Then he started laughing, as what set him off was the look of disbelief on Deeds's face. They almost did not catch the scream of Jasmin.
Aaron spun around, as well as he could, with his gun at the ready.
hurriedly, Deeds and Jake, got out, Jake putting the part in his backpack, and from his waist, he drew 2 .50 caliber desert eagles, with 40 clip extended rounds. He knew one round would most likely put one of those ugly bastards away. Deeds drew out his combat shotgun.
"I hope you've got fletched shots in that." Said Jake.
"Ya." Said Deeds, trying to not let his anger take the better of him, and punch Jake. Now was not the time.

They ran out of the shop, guns at the ready. Jake looked up as the sky and saw that there were dark clouds gathering around the sun, blocking off alot of light. Jake's eyes quickly became adjusted to the change in light, and saw a thing smaller than an average man, about 5 ft, covered in rags, leap up at Jasmin. As it lept, Jasmin was bringing around her gun, but she wouldn't make it in time. Deeds did not fire, he knew he would most likely hit Jasmin.
Jake just relied on his training, and fired both guns at once. One thing not many people knew about him, but killrick knew, and that was that jake was ambidextrous(sp?), both shots hit their mark, and the little bugger that had been half a meter away from tearing the shit out of Jasmin, flew right out of the way, with one bullet in the head, and one in the chest.
"QUICK, DRAW YOUR WEAPONS!" Shouted Jake. Things had skipped a few notches, from bad, to a whole sewrage facility hitting one fucking big fan. The buggers were coming in at all angles.

OOC: Sorry I have not been here in a while. But I've gotten back into it, and looked forward to posting regulary.
 
“You’re a doctor, right?” The kid asked me, anger across his face.

“Yes, I’m sort of a doctor.” I answered.

“Well, why didn’t you save grandma?” He asked, shouting.

“I tried, kid, I tried…”

“You should’ve tried harder!” He screamed, while punching me in the chest. “I’ll kill ya, bitch!” He shouted to the woman across the truck.

I grabbed the kid and forced him to sit down.

But maybe the kid was right; maybe I really should’ve tried harder. I remembered how nervous I was… long time since I operated on someone…

Shit happens! Like Rama said, I did my best, bugger! Now I should focus on the mission, clear my head and focus!
And yet…

I rolled me a smoke, light it on and reached for the whiskey flask…
But I stopped. I stopped just before taking a sip. I started to look at the flask.
…Booze.
The shit had been the sole purpose of my life for the past 5 or 6 years. I crossed the wasteland just looking for more booze. I even got on this bloody quest ‘cause the money for the liquor was running out.
I shoved the flask back into my jacket. Maybe I would have a drink later… but not now. No, not now.


I laid back and started to think about the others… Should’ve said to Kilrick I wasn’t going to stay in the sodding truck... but Kilrick’s a smart ol’ wanker. He knew I needed some time to clear my head.
And Edden. I cared for the girl. More then I should’ve, probably, if I knew what was good for me.
Too bad I didn’t.
 
OCC- Gruug- remember, Maggots usually don't come out in the light.

ICC-
Rama has used a pair of cutters to break through the lock, and he, Rohan, and I got the gate opened while Prudence watched for trouble.

The gate had swung open when we heard the scream, then the gunfire.

"In the truck, everyone." I said.

Reik pulled up through the gate and the others climbed on. I pulled myself up and pointed my 40mm up into the air, pulled the trigger and sent up a star shell.
 
I ran to the bike as fast as I could.

-"Don't wait for me!" - I shouted.

The Maggots were running against me when I reached it. I was hoping I would make it run at once. I had to take the risk - we couldn't afford losing something that can save one's ass.

It worked! But a maggot got me when accelerating. It slowed me down enough to make others get me. I panicked, but quickly realised I have a knife attached to my belt.
The adrenaline was making my fingers shake - it became hard to get the knife out. Finally I swung and cut the damn thing, almost falling down with the bike. I looked back - they got the exhaust pipe. "It was an expendable detail anyway"

The truck was about fifty meters ahead. It was killing Maggots like a hammer. It was safe to hide behind it.

Now it was clear that we're going to the Junkyard.
 
Edden gave the kid a hard look and then turned to Wolf. "Hey, any booze for me?" She gave him a smile, that even a drunk man could have recognized as a genuine smile.

Wolf offered her the bottle. "Cheers."

She took a chug and whiped the excess fluid from her lips and then turned her sites to the insulent child. "Now," She began, "you called me somethin' back there. What was it."
 
As they drove through the gate Gally reached for his pocket flask. It was empty. He shook it in front of him and looked at Wolf (who had just gotten his bottle back from Edden) with a sad, beckoning smile.

"Have some to share buddy?", Gally asked.
"Wont make it better. I know, believe me."
"Heh. There's a time for everything, and this ain't the time for ol' Gally to give up the booze. If you don't want a shaking wreck to tow along through those blasted critters anyway."

Wolf shrugged and passed the bottle with a sigh. Gally accepted it and took a few grateful chugs, handing it over again just as they heard more shots and whailings of critters.

As the truck rounded a ruin, the shop came in to view. The situation looked grim indeed. Jake, Deeds and Jasmine stood back to back, firing continually at a throng of maggots encircling them. The horde were held back, and many fell from well placed shots, but only to be replaced by others. It was only a matter of time before the critters would overwhelm the three in the middle.

"Step on it!", Killrick shouted.

And in we went.
 
Billy looked at Edden as if seeing her for the first time.

"Don't be a fool." He said. Considering that the kid had to be no more than 10 years old, it showed quite a bit of courage.

The girl who was in the corner looked at Edden. "Don't mind him, he don't know any manners, being a tinker's son."

"Better a Tinker's son than a Tinker's whore, Bitch." Said the boy. "And I'll kill you for what ya did to m' kin."

It was pretty clear that the boy had been talking to the woman and not to her.

The woman continued, "Isn't my fault your daddy thougth your momma wasn't good enough in fuckin for him. It isn't my fault your granddaddy wanted to fuck me too. And it sure wasn't my fault that they killed each other to fuck me."

Kilrick who had reloaded his 40mm with cannister, looked at the two. "This isn't the time. You'll both shut up or I'll leave you both wiht the maggots."
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top