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Dead Men Walking
Topic Started: Nov 28 2014, 02:20 AM (70,962 Views)
DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Eli caught the magazine, and took one last glance back at the van, at Annie awkwardly holding a shotgun.

“A few times,” he finally responded to Emily, not caring how curt it came off.

He started walking, and his eyes started scanning the area quickly and efficiently. He spotted a few rotters in the distance, made a mental note of their location, and kept looking. He was getting pretty decent at this kind of thing.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
Willow sank into her seat as Brandon went to rejoin the others and advance. She had needed that kind of reassurance. Her insecurity had hit pretty full force there.

"He must be a good kisser to get you that relaxed, Willow." Jen teased. "But seriously, I guess we don't need to have that talk anymore, huh?"

"By the way, thanks for the backup back there." Now that the guys were gone, she could talk a little more freely. "And I think you're right. I'm good now. Got all worked up for nothing."

"Well I coulda told you that." Jen reminded her. "Hell, I think I did."

Willow reached around the driver's seat and stuck her fist out; "Stop talking while you're ahead, okay?"

Jen smirked and bumped her fist into Willow's. "Deal. It's good to have you back. You're pretty badass when your head is in the game. Not as badass as me, of course, but pretty close. But just because we're on backup duty here doesn't mean we can take it easy yet."

Willow glanced out the driver's side window. Everyone was heading down Second Avenue already. They were going slowly and methodically; they were leaving nothing to chance. A few rotters were heading in the direction of the gunshots. Willow eased the van forward a little bit so she could get a better look down the street to see what was ahead of them.

There weren't many rotters in their immediate area, but a tall one-story brick building down the street a little less than a half mile away seemed to host a small horde of them that had been previously obscured by the buildings. At least thirty of them, but it was difficult to make out an exact number from this distance. They were all facing something that she could see from the street and lumbering towards it. The gunfire sounded like it was coming from that area too.
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Strompy
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More posts, more Busey.
The horde down the street gave away the location of their shooter. This far out there was little danger to them from that person. The only concern was the rotters along the way. Considering the horde building up ahead of them though they might not be able to afford to take things as carefully as Brandon would like.

"Let's pick up the pace." he said to the others before breaking into a light jog.

As they began to catch up to a rotter in front of him he held his carbine by the barrel and drew his knife. It turn it's head to look at the sound of there approached too late ashe drove the sizable blade into its brain. No sense in wasting the ammo and giving themselves away just yet. They need the element of surprise get a strong upper handon whoever was shooting, and the ammo if this person had friends and was foolish enough to try their luck in a fight.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
Before the apocalypse that had been foretold in Revelations had come to pass, Father Antonio Mendez had never believed that he could be a man with the potential to kill. The biggest thing he had killed before all of this was a cockroach. But when they were the minions of Satan, the job became a little easier to cope with. He did not understand God's reasoning for giving this holy mission to him, but he did understand that he was good at it.

BANG!

Click-click.


The buckshot from Antonio's Model 1987 Winchester shotgun peppered the face of the nearest fallen. It fell onto another dead fallen that Antonio had redeemed just moments ago. The place he found himself in was called Vine Tavern and Eatery. The large windows up front had already been shattered weeks ago, so this was a decidedly poor location to make a stand. No matter how many he killed, there always seemed to be more of the fallen tumbling through these shattered windows and into the restaurant itself; their dead eyes were set on Antonio as he stood behind the bar with his shotgun at the ready. No matter how many fallen he killed, there were more taking their place. Although he loathed to abandon those fallen who needed to be redeemed, he did not bring enough bullets to redeem them all.

BANG!

Click-click.


The sound of another redeemed fallen.

Antonio glanced to the side door that had served as an exit during the time that the restaurant had operated properly. Satan had sent four of his mindless fallen to guard it. To ensure he would not escape. That would not be anywhere near enough. Antonio vaulted over the bar as more of the fallen poured in through the front entrance and made his way towards the smaller exit.

BANG!

Click-click.

BANG!

Click-click.


Two more redeemed. That had been the last round in the weapon's 5-round magazine. He didn't have time to reload it just yet. He pushed through the door and brought the butt of the shotgun down like a hammer on the first fallen to lunge for him. It would not be enough to redeem it, but he did drive it away. He sidestepped the second and slammed the butt of his weapon into the side of its head as well. He regretted that he could not redeem these souls as well. He ran towards the street; Second Avenue.

As he entered the street, he could see the size of the horde that had been assaulting him. A large number of fallen, many of them still pushing their way in through the front of the restaurant he had been in only moments ago. He turned his gaze westward and noted another fifteen or so of the fallen making their way towards him. Beyond those fallen, he could see others like him. Others that had survived the apocalypse. But were they agents of God or agents of Satan? Antonio could not know for sure. But there were a lot of them and a lot of the fallen. He was in the open and with nowhere to run. If God had decreed that his mission ended today, then so be it. He would redeem as many as he could before he left this world. He jumped into the bed of a pickup truck that had been abandoned in the street. He ejected the magazine of his shotgun and swapped it with a new one from his bag, reciting Psalm 22:19 as he did.

"But you, O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me."
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
As Annie struggled to get a comfortable grip on the shotgun, she half-listened to Jen and Willow’s conversation with amusement. After all the grim happenings, she was glad they were still capable of that kind of camaraderie. She had been glad for Jen’s help after the car crash, and for her bravery in the underground lab as well – but she was even more glad for the positivity she could bring. It was nice to see her making friends.

Annie was worried for the others, but the thought was a welcome distraction. It even made her lips start to curl into a slight smile at the thought – though they curled the other way when she glimpsed Connor and Kelsey. They were both quiet, with Kelsey looking defeated and Connor looking uncomfortable. Jen’s positivity could only take them so far.

* * *

Eli stopped in place when the shooter revealed himself. He was barely visible behind a crowd of rotters swarming a local pub. He became more visible when he made his way into the bed of a nearby pickup truck, and Eli could make out the long weapon in his hands – the source of all the concerning gunshots, presumably.

Beside him, Emmett was quick to aim his borrowed rifle and look down the scope.

“Adult man,” Emmett reported instantly. “He’s older. Wearing a cassock. Wielding a shotgun.”

“A cassock?” Eli squinted as he raised his assault rifle. All he could see of the man’s outfit was black.

“Priest clothes,” Emmett clarified.

“Oh,” Eli said. Learning that didn’t make him any less tense.

“He’s about to be surrounded,” Emmett reported again.

Eli didn’t immediately respond. He had an idea what the group was going to want to do – especially after it had presumably worked out so well with Emily. But what were the chances it would go so well twice?

“Fuck,” Eli said.
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Strompy
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More posts, more Busey.
Dude was in trouble alright. Emily wasn't a religious sort, most religious sorts had a disproportionate problem with her. Even so something about the idea of abandoning a priest in need didn't sit well with her. Abandoning anyone like that felt wrong but that would be just a little worse somehow. He was only one guy, she didn't see how much of a threat he could be, at least he deserved, as another human being, not to die like this.

"Fuck it." Emily declared as she took the shot.

POW!

The bullet tore though the cranium of a rotter wearing a high-vis jacket. It dropped sideways and disappeared in the crowd of other rotters. Brandon was quick to follow her lead. He brought his C8 to bear and switched it back to semi automatic, and began picking off rotters at the back of the mob.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
As the sounds of new gunfire erupted, Father Antonio closed his eyes and prepared for his death. But it did not come. Not yet at least. Instead, nearby fallen were redeemed and fell to their knees as death once again took hold of the human shells they inhabited. These newcomers were not like the some of the others, they walked a more righteous path. Indeed, Antonio realized God was not calling him to heaven today; it appeared that there was still more work for him to do down here today. God had sent him saviors.

"He sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever. Holy and awesome is His name!"

Antonio called to heaven as he raised his shotgun and redeemed yet another fallen that was nearby. The fallen near the back of the pack started to turn and lumber towards Antonio's saviors. But with their numbers and firepower, he knew they would be safe. He could not aid them; not yet at least. The fallen had surrounded the truck bed he had taken refuge in, and while it was too high for them to get into, it also meant he could not get down until these forsaken demons were properly taken care of.

Click-click.

* * * * *

Willow kept herself ready. The van was still parked at the intersection, out of range of whatever could happen. But she could floor it at a moment's notice if need be.

The roar of their weapons, however, unsurprisingly drew attention in towards the others. A few smaller groups of rotters that had been to either side of the road started closing in on them as well. No more than fifteen right now, but she knew there were more on the way. In fact, she could see even more crawling out of the wood works now. Shambling from the open doors of buildings and crawling out of the overgrown weeds. In fact, some of the ones coming from the weeds were already dangerously close to her friends.

"You got some on your six!" Willow barked into the radio as loudly as she could and hoped they heard her or at least noticed.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
“Fuck,” Eli repeated, as the gunfire started up.

BANGBANGBANG!

He had no choice now. He didn’t want it to come to this, but Emily had forced his hand. He raised his rifle and joined in.

When Willow’s voice piped over the radio, he spun around. He saw the rotters she mentioned coming from a distance. He lined his front sight with the rear sight, took a breath, and fired at them now.

BANGBANGBANG!

Nearby, Emmett had joined in the mayhem – as calm and centred as always, even in the midst of chaos. He started spending Willow’s rounds methodically, achieving a headshot with each one.
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Strompy
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More posts, more Busey.
He heard Willow loud and clear over the radio on his belt. He took it in hand and pressed the button down.

"Start bringing that van up, we're gonna make an opening for this guy!" Brandon declared over the radio.

He replaced the radio and brought his carbine back up, turning it on the rotters standing between them and the priest specifically. Several shots later and the rotters had started to thin, being split between the priest and them. There were more coming from the distance, and they would continue to come in greater numbers the longer they kept this fight up.

Emily turned her attention to the rotters threatening their flanks. She shouldered the rifle and drew her pistol, firing it with professional control. Every report was another creep downed.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
Willow didn't need to be told twice. With the rotters closing in, she shifted the van into drive and went for it. After all, she had stayed behind for something like this specifically. She still didn't know what was going on with that guy, but it looked like both parties were warding off the rotters instead of each other, so there was probably no immediate concern. Probably.

"I hope you guys are ready, were going in hot." Willow told Annie and Jen as she started towards everyone.

"Never a dull day with you guys." Jen mused.

* * * * *

Antonio knew an opening when he saw one. His saviors had cleared a path through the fallen that he could take. It was a sign if he had ever seen one. Antonio jumped from the bed of the truck. He sprained his ankle on the landing, but he grit his teeth and pushed through this trial. The window would be open only briefly and he had endured worse than a sprained ankle in his time.

BANG!

He squeezed another shot from his shotgun as he landed; he hit the fallen in the chest. It stumbled away from him, its risen shell still still writhing as it hit the ground after being blown back. 'Alive' was a word that Father Antonio hesitated to use when describing these unholy beasts. No living being would be able to survive the punishment these things could endure. As if anyone needed further evidence of their hellish origins.

Without an ounce of hesitation, he made his way towards his saviors. In an attempt to not alarm them, he lowered his weapon with one hand and raised his other in the air accordingly. Although he did mean them no harm and they were his saviors, he understood they truly did have no reason to trust him yet. He was not going to give them any reason to doubt him and his intentions. Thankfully there had been enough space created that after breaking through the lines of fallen surrounding him, he was able to safely make such a motion without being beset.

Around the same time Antonio started getting close, a van came pulling up beside his rescuers. It was being driven by a pink-haired white woman while an African-American woman with frizzy hair opened the side door and gave covering fire with some sort of submachine gun.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Eli grimaced as the fight continued and the van pulled up. At least the priest – if he was one – was making a show of being non-threatening. It didn’t make Eli resent the situation any less, though. Unnecessary fights like this were exactly how people got bit. They needed to worry less about being heroes and worry more about finding Nolan, then getting the cure where it needed to go.

BANGBANGBANGBANG!

Eli took down three rotters in one volley – maybe four, he couldn’t tell if that last one was a proper headshot or not. By the time his magazine ran out, Willow had pulled up in the van and the priest was close.

Eli looked from one to the other. “Get in!” he yelled, urgently waving the man over.

Around them, the rotters continued to converge. If this kept up, they’d get dangerously close. As close as they did after the bridge collapse, or as close as they were in the elevator. He couldn’t let that happen.

Eli took a few steps towards the priest. This close, he could tell more about him – he was tan, for example, likely Hispanic. He had a mustache and goatee combo that was remarkably well maintained considering the apocalypse, and black hair he must have trimmed fairly recently.

When he was within reaching distance, Eli surged forward suddenly and grabbed the barrel of his weapon. He jerked it back, swiping it from his grip. Before he could field an objection, he used his other hand to pull the priest forward towards the car.

“Get in!” he repeated forcefully.

Eli then turned to the others – including Brandon and Emily, as well as Emmett, who was still calmly firing away.

“You guys too!” he shouted.

Emmett turned to him, frowned just the slightest bit, then nodded begrudgingly. He lowered the rifle and circled around the car, heading back for the passenger’s seat.

Eli, meanwhile, tossed the shotgun to the roof of the minivan. He then ejected the magazine on his rifle and replaced it with the spare Brandon had tossed him earlier. He did it quickly and with only a couple quick glances at his fingers. Just another thing he wished he never had to get good at, but he had.

BANGBANGBANG!

He started providing covering fire for the others.

“Go!” he ordered again, when there was a lull in the gunfire.

When the last of them were inside, Eli shoved the door shut with his elbow. The rotters were close now. A few were even pounding on the windows on the opposite side of the car.

Eli let his rifle go limp on its strap, then leapt up and onto the roof of the minivan. He landed with a grunt, then sprawled himself out. He secured the priest’s shotgun under his chest as he gripped the railings on the roof, the ones there to secure luggage carriers.

He made a fist and pounded on the roof.

“Go! Go! Go!” he repeated what was becoming one of his most oft-used words, sounding more urgent with each uttering.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
Willow didn't think twice about that either; she spun the van around and took a u-turn right back down the way they had come. There were rotters closing in quick and no time to really contemplate the little things. Like a random catholic priest being inside the van with them. As she retreated down the street, leaving the rotters shambling down the street in a futile attempt to catch up, she slowed down a little to give Eli a little breathing room up top.

"Whoo, nice extraction." Jen smirked as she fell back into her seat. "Just like a movie. But with less explosions."

She didn't seem at all disturbed by their newcomer. Willow suspected it was because Jen hadn't really experienced any of the bad people outside the walls yet. The attack on Flint was one thing, that was a lion leaping for its prey. She hadn't seen one stalking and waiting to strike. Willow was uncomfortable. In the span of an hour they had already picked up two strays and brought them into the van. With the injured and children. People were unpredictable. She glanced in the rear view; this new priest and Emily were both in the very back with Brandon.

The priest performed the sign of the cross with his right hand, outlining a cross between his head, chest, and shoulders; "I do not know who you people are, but you have my thanks. May God bless you for helping His servant in his time of need."

"You're welcome... I think." Willow hesitantly responded.

She pulled the van into a stop back at the intersection of First and Second. The rotters were now a good half mile behind them. It would take them a while to get this far; they had enough time to determine whether this priest was a friend or foe.

"Get out." Willow commanded bluntly, flashing her FNP so he could see it.

"I'm sorry?" The priest furled his brow in genuine confusion.

"We're asking the questions here. Get out." She hissed.

She hadn't thought there would ever be a time where she would get so defensive around someone for merely existing. Yet here she was doing exactly that. The world had made them this way.

"Very well." The priest complied and exited the vehicle, where Eli was waiting.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Eli’s fingers ached from how tight he had been holding onto the railing. Every second of the journey, he had been afraid his grip would loosen and he would come tumbling off. At first, he feared the crowd of rotters that would have been waiting for him. Soon after, he just feared the impact.

The van coming to a stop came as a great relief, and he had only rarely been happier to plant his feet back on solid ground.

No sooner did he do that, though, than the priest re-emerged from the van – held at gunpoint by Willow. Eli was surprised to see that. The young lady had earlier proven to be one of the most eager to step in and save what turned out to be Emily. She clearly still wanted to believe in humanity.

The priest, however, was a man. Emily was a woman. The gender difference probably meant a lot in Willow’s head, whether she knew it or not.

Speaking of Emily… Eli thought, even though technically nobody was. He had only just gotten through this whole song and dance with her, and here he was again. He was already getting tired of this – which was just another reason to avoid strangers from now on.

Eli didn’t draw his pistol, but he did make a show of resting his hand on his holster as he faced the priest. With his other hand, he wagged his finger, motioning him away from the van.

“A’ight, padre, let’s move this along,” Eli said as he strafed in parallel with him. “You know what I’m gonna ask, so go ahead.”

Nearby, Emmett emerged from the passenger seat. He turned and watched them over the hood of the van.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
"Dude, Willow. Really?" Jen stepped out of the van and chided Willow.

Eli had already taken over and was talking to the priest nearby. Willow had since lowered, but not holstered, her weapon and stared at the two of them like a hawk.

"What?" Willow furled her brow and broke her gaze. "We let him into your van in the middle of a gunfight. We don't know who he is or what he is capable of. If he had meant us harm, he was in the perfect position to do it. This isn't like Emily; Brandon doesn't know this guy. He is a complete mystery."

"Yeah, but you didn't need to go all RoboCop on him." Jen sighed. "That kind of behavior is just gonna get people defensive."

"It's also gonna leave us vulnerable." Willow paused and looked at the ground with a reminiscent look on her face. "Look, I get you haven't been out here as long as we have, but... it's not as trusting a place as you may think. I want to believe we're better. Hell, I still do despite all of this. But I'm not taking any unnecessary risks either. If waving a gun around is enough to deter him from making a move and killing one of us, then I will do it every time. I don't want to lose anyone else."

Jen frowned. Willow had sure seemed defensive when the priest was in the van with them, but perhaps that attitude had a little fear built into it. She couldn't blame her for being afraid. Jen had heard the stories of what had happened before. Maybe Jen would have reacted similarly had she been in Willow's shoes this whole time.

"I suppose." Jen shrugged and glanced over to see how Eli and the priest were doing.

* * * * *

Antonio understood what was going on from the beginning. Had these people meant him harm, he would already be dead. This was a trial. They wanted to assure that he was indeed the man he claimed to be. They were wary. They must have gone through many trials of their own to make it to this point.

"You wish to know who I am. That is understandable." He started carefully; despite his robust appearance, his voice was gentle and controlled. "I am Father Antonio Mendez. I am a simple priest and man of God just as I was before the Apocalypse was unleashed upon us. My story is long and I am sure you do not wish to hear the details now -- but I assure you that this is no deceit. As you noticed, I have 'acquired' a few new trade skills. Where I once fought the forces of evil with holy word and scripture, I have taken a more proactive approach in light of recent events."

Antonio bowed and performed another sign of the cross across his chest.

"May God bless you and watch over you for the aid you have given me today."

After finishing, Antonio adopted a more natural stance once again.
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Strompy
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More posts, more Busey.
Brandon was a little giddy from the adrenaline. They'd gone in an pulled a man out of a really bad situation and done it quickly and without any casualties. Emily sat next to him and fidgeted restlessly. She gave him a look of self-satisfaction. Just like old times, stepping in for others with Brandon right behind her. They exchanged a knowing grin.

Emily climbed out of the van and stretched, to help get rid of the nervous energy left over from the fight rather than use her muscles. While they had a moment it seemed like a decent opportunity to share some words with her new if temporary travel buddies. The pink haired girl and the black chick; Willow and Jen, Brandon said their names were. She made her way to the other two young women.

"Willow, and Jen right? Thanks for the getaway back there, it was starting to look kind of dicey." she said replacing the magazine in her pistol.

The priest was having words with the bald guy, Eli, just out of hearing range. He was making the sign of the cross again. Guy was grateful to be alive clearly. She knew the feeling.

"I know he's a priest and all, and it's to be expected, but does the God talk weird anybody else out?" she asked under her breath.

...

Inside the car Brandon leaned forward and poked his head over the middle seats. He didn't like that the kids were pulled into the middle of that back there but he trusted everyone to look out for their safety above all. He also felt they made the right choice getting the priest out,even ignoring the ethical concerns of the situation. He could have information that could help find Kelsey's missing brother.

"How're you guys holding up here?" he asked, mostly interested to hear Kelsey's response.
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