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| Dead Men Walking | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 28 2014, 02:20 AM (70,918 Views) | |
| Make-7-Up-Yours | Aug 13 2015, 05:02 AM Post #2371 |
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Is that so?
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As the convoy turned itself around, Jen hopped off her bike and walked towards the edge of the freeway overlooking the edge of the city and ducked behind the railing. She then rose the visor on her helmet and pulled Emmett's binoculars out from under her jacket. The big man was injured, so she had held onto them to use for situations like this. She peered through the lenses and scanned everything she could see. This was not a city of high rises; it was a city that was built very close to the ground. The tallest buildings were no higher than two stories -- save for one large building in the distance on the other side of a bridge that crossed over some old railroad tracks. She couldn't tell what it was though. Could have been a prison, a school, or maybe even a local distribution center. She set her sights there first, but it looked pretty still. She slowly scanned her sights across the city. There were a lot more quiet buildings but also only a handful of rotters roaming through the streets. Try as she might, she couldn't see any explicit signs of human activity recently. After a minute or two of searching, she tucked the binoculars away and headed back toward everyone else. "Yo, guys." Jen approached the now reoriented van. "This part of the city at least looks pretty clear. And I didn't see anything weird on the basins either. I don't think we're actually being watched." "If only those slopes off the sides of the freeway were a little less steep." Willow complained. "We could just avoid this dilemma all together." Jen smirked and playfully punched Willow on the shoulder; "No whining, Wilma. Oh damn, Whining Wilma, I like it. Or Whining Willo-oof!" Willow jabbed her elbow into Jen's chest. The 'oof' was really more for dramatic effect -- Willow had not elbowed her very hard, she was either really weak or just playing around like Jen had been. Though Willow had a smile on her now, so she suspected it was the latter. Even Willow could probably elbow harder than that. Right? |
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| Strompy | Aug 13 2015, 04:52 PM Post #2372 |
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More posts, more Busey.
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Brandon rubbed his face as he thought about what they were about to do. Their encounter with Wendy had been another in a long line of reasons to worry. This time at least they had some forewarning. "Alright. If we're gonna do it, then let's do it. We've been given a warning this time at least. We're not getting robbed again, bandits are cowards, we start shooting and they'll back off. Keep your guns handy. All of you." Brandon warned. |
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| DoctorYerishi | Aug 13 2015, 07:06 PM Post #2373 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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Eli shook his head at Brandon’s warning. Of course, he kept his own hand on his holster, but he continued gripping the steering wheel and turning around with the other. “We’re not gonna do it,” he decided out loud. “No offence, Jen, but you ain’t exactly trained in counter-surveillance. And bandits are stupid and unpredictable, is what they are. Last thing I’m gonna count on, after all we been through, is people having the correct fight or flight instincts.” He looked at Jen directly. “Tell Jimmy and the padre,” he ordered. “We’re adding 200 miles to our trip.” |
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| Make-7-Up-Yours | Aug 13 2015, 11:17 PM Post #2374 |
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Is that so?
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"No offense taken." Jen assured Eli with a nod as she went to relay Eli's orders to everyone else. Willow glanced at the map and her first thought was 'do we have enough gas to make it to the next town?' Thankfully, she already knew the answer was yes. They had stopped about thirty minutes ago for a gas and bathroom break, so their tanks and bladders were both pretty well off. They had enough to make it down to Colorado at least, which was where the next town labelled on the map was. Since they could no longer take the I-80 due west straight into Salt Lake City, they needed to go the next fastest way: take a small freeway a few miles back due south all the way into Colorado and onto the 40, which they could then take west and skirt though northeastern Utah. It was a hell of a detour, but Willow was not itching for another fight right now. She needed at least one day for herself here -- sitting in a car was doing wonders for her back and leg. And her anemia. "Sorry babe." Willow consoled Brandon with a sympathetic smile and a shrug. "I think the best fight for us now is the fight we can avoid. I'm with Eli, I'd rather not place my faith in bandits running away when we shoot back at them." * * * * * Willow's eyes focused on the digital clock on the dashboard of the van. 4:02 PM It had been about two hours since the group turned back from Rock Springs. Currently they were heading southbound on a small, 2-lane freeway. But after turning south, they hadn't seen anything, save for one abandoned car off the side of the road with a rotter still buckled into the front seat. While the dry, desert-like landscape remained, the basins of Wyoming had since disappeared and been replaced by hills and rocky outcroppings. But the feeling of isolation remained as strong as ever. "It's kinda nice." Willow decided to break the silence and comment. "Having no rotters around, I mean. I bet places like this could have communities that were so isolated from the rest of the world that rotters never really took over. They probably wouldn't even need walls." |
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| DoctorYerishi | Aug 14 2015, 01:51 AM Post #2375 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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"Wasn't a lack of walls that brought down the camp at Mount Kisco," Eli reminded Willow as he drove. Taking the long way around had left a bad taste in his mouth, and his attitude wasn't any better for it. He didn't like the idea of backing down from a threat -- especially just a potential one. But he liked the idea of putting the group at risk even less, so he kept his pride swallowed. He found it in himself to summon a shrug -- to at least give Willow that. "But maybe you're right," he said. "Could be some communities are out there." |
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| Make-7-Up-Yours | Aug 14 2015, 02:22 AM Post #2376 |
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Is that so?
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"Mount Kisco was different though." Willow countered Eli's argument. It felt like it was only a memory now after everything they had been through, but Mount Kisco was where all this started. Weren't many of them left from that long ago. She suddenly hoped that Andre and the others were still doing okay back there. If she survived this, she was going to go back there and see for herself. "We had over a hundred people crammed into an undersized country club. And half of them were in the 'care room' for pneumonia or whatever. The way things were there... it was only a matter of time before something like that happened." Willow frowned as she recalled that night; the rotters were rampaging through the club while everyone had slept. "A community out here wouldn't have that problem." Willow shrugged as she finished. Eli was about as good at conversation as he always had been. The van rolled by a small dirt road and over a bridge that crossed a filthy looking river. The water was stained various shades of brown from what Willow hoped was mud and dirt. As they finished crossing the bridge and turned a slight corner, something caught Willow's eye. Up ahead, by the side of the road closest the river, a car was pulled over. It was an old dark green sedan. But more surprising than that was what was with the car. People. At least two of them. One man stood outside the passenger side door and was exchanging words with another man who was working away underneath the hood. |
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| DoctorYerishi | Aug 14 2015, 04:43 AM Post #2377 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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Eli saw the people on the road and his breath got caught in his throat. He knew it was messed up. The sight of living people – it shouldn’t elicit that kind of reaction. But it did. “Eli!” Annie’s voice came first. “I see them,” Eli responded, sucking in that breath, finally. He wanted to keep going – to zoom past the pair of them, before they had any chance to wave them down. He started to press his foot on the peddle. “We have to stop,” Annie said. Eli shook his head. “Naw, we really…” Don’t, he started to say, but Annie cut him off before he could even make the ‘d’ sound. “We’re in the middle of nowhere!” she snapped. “If their car is broken down, they could get stranded out here and die of dehydration.” Eli sighed, pressing his foot down, but on the brakes instead. He turned around in his seat to face Annie, intending to argue her out of her stance. She snapped some more words at him before he could. “There are two of them, and a dozen of us, and we’re armed to the teeth!” she said. “Look around – there’s nowhere for them to have friends to hide.” Eli didn’t look away from Annie. He didn’t have to. From making the approach, he knew she was right. His face didn’t soften. “If they’re in trouble, we can help,” she added. Her face wasn’t softening either. “And if we don’t help, we could be killing them. And we’re not killing anybody else. Not for no reason. I won’t let you.” Eli’s frown intensified. “You won’t let me?” Annie stared right back at him, not giving an inch. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. A spike of anger shot through Eli’s veins, but he didn’t move. In the back of his mind, he knew she was right – about basically everything. It didn’t make him want to admit it, and it didn’t even make him want to offer help, but it was enough to make him realize this wasn’t a battle he needed to fight. He turned away. “Willow,” he said, as he looked forward at the others. “Get your rifle. Cover me. I’ll talk to them.” He didn’t look back to see Annie’s expression. Instead, he turned the keys in the ignition and hopped out the car. |
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| Strompy | Aug 14 2015, 09:52 AM Post #2378 |
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More posts, more Busey.
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"I'm coming too." Brandon declared. If there wee more of them nearby Brandon would be added deterrent. He doubted these people were some kind of trap, they were in the middle of nowhere it just wouldn't make sense. That didn't mean they weren't a threat of course. He was glad this hadn't come to an argument, Eli would have found himself with very few allies in that fight. Brandon would have sided with Annie immediately. "Guns ready." he reminded the others, giving Annie a nod of thanks. This is what set them apart from people like Wendy. They helped Emily without knowing her, they helped Antonio, they went out of their way to find a man who was most likely dead. If they had been like Wendy and her people they would have let them all die rather than put themselves at risk for somebody else. This group gave people the benefit of the doubt, but guardedly now. "What was that about? You know she's right." Brandon asked as he caught up with Eli, his carbine in his hands but lowered. |
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| Make-7-Up-Yours | Aug 14 2015, 02:20 PM Post #2379 |
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Is that so?
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"Come on, Travis. We've been here for hours." "Shut up, Pabs." Travis retorted from under the hood of the car. "Just because you keep saying that doesn't mean I'm gonna figure this out any faster. Unless you're ready to stop talking and fix it yourself." "Hell no." "Yeah, didn't think so." Pablo crossed his arms and sighed heavily. This whole thing was really ending up to be a bust. Sure, Pablo wasn't exactly happy with the way things were back home either, but at least they had food. And working cars. But now that they pulled this stunt, they couldn't go back. Ever since that new guy swooped in and took over, things had been pretty fucked up. But at least they were alive. Pablo was already on edge; the longer they stuck around here, the more likely they were to be found out. Travis probably knew it too. So when he heard the sound of something behind him, and turned to see a small convoy of vehicles, he could practically feel the blood drain from his face. There was nowhere he could hide and they were completely unarmed. There was only one thing he could do. He raised his arms into the air and moved away from the car and towards the two men making their approach, making sure to move somewhat slowly. They were armed, but he figured his best chance was to talk himself out of it before Travis knew what was going on. "I swear to God, it was all Travis' idea!" He pleaded with the armed men. "He talked me into this escape, but I was against it the whole time! He-" He stopped himself. He finally noticed the cars. They weren't marked. Even their now broken down sedan had a red stripe roughly spray painted down the center of the car to mark it. "Er... you guys... aren't from Green River... are you?" Pablo realized his mistake; maybe he could still talk his way out of it. "Shit, this is awkward. Look, we don't have anything, okay?" |
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| DoctorYerishi | Aug 14 2015, 02:51 PM Post #2380 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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“I stopped, didn’t I?” Eli shot back to Brandon, a little annoyed at the question. “An’ keep that thing pointed at the ground ‘till I say otherwise. Follow my lead.” The pair of men at the cars noticed their approach, and one of them made the smart first step of raising his hands. “Good, ‘cause we don’t want anything, ‘cept for you to keep your hands where they are,” Eli shouted back. His own hand was on his hip, the threat clear. “Any sudden moves an’ we’re gonna have a problem, okay?” He gave that a moment to sink in. It felt like it did – the two men, Travis and whoever else – didn’t do anything that gave Eli a reason to react. If they had, Eli would have jumped on it. “Okay,” he repeated, in a different tone. “So what’s Green River?” |
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| Make-7-Up-Yours | Aug 14 2015, 03:20 PM Post #2381 |
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Is that so?
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Why do they want to know about Green River? Pablo wished he could ask that question. But, considering the nature of the situation, he didn't feel like he could. "Dude, Pabs!? Fucking really? You were trying to sell me out!?" Travis, a light-skinned man with thin blonde hair, finally caught wind of what was going on. He had his grease-stained arms up as well, but didn't move far from the car. He was glaring angrily at Pablo. "Is this really the time to be arguing about that!?" Pablo tried to shut him up. "Well we're probably dead now anyway, so I figured I'd let you know you're a fucking idiot first." Travis retorted venomously. "You were gonna sell me and my wife out just to save your own ass? I thought you were my friend!" "We can have this argument later! After we know if they are gonna kill us or not!" "Might be too late then." "Shut it, Travis." From the corner of his eye, he could see Travis scowl, but he ultimately didn't say anything more. Pablo cleared his throat and turned his attention back to the guys holding them up. They looked less than amused at the exchange that had just taken place, which only served to make Pablo even more uncomfortable. She kept his arms raised, but couldn't help from shifting uncomfortably in place. "So, uhh... to answer your question, Green River is a city. Few hours northwest, just past Rock Springs? You can't miss it, freeway goes right through it. Anyway, probably best you avoid it. Under new management now, and the new guy is kind of a dick. That is why we stole one of his cars. And left. Without him knowing." Pablo gulped. "I might have thought you were his goons. Tracking us down. To kill us and bring back the broken car and food we stole." "Don't tell them we have food, you moron!" |
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| Strompy | Aug 14 2015, 05:23 PM Post #2382 |
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More posts, more Busey.
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"We already said we don't want your shit. Your wife in the car? Can she please come out with her hands up? We've haven't had a lot of good dealings with people lately." Brandon said patiently. "Also he's right, you're an asshole." he added. |
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| Make-7-Up-Yours | Aug 14 2015, 05:43 PM Post #2383 |
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Is that so?
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"Damn right you're an asshole, Pablo!" Travis added unhelpfully. "I think he was talking to you!" Pablo glanced over his shoulder to retort to Travis before turning back to face the two people in front of him. He exhaled sharply and ground his teeth together. Today was just shaping up to be a giant nightmare. These people said they didn't want to steal their stuff or hurt them. Pablo wasn't sure he believed them, but it didn't really matter. They were gonna do what they were gonna do. Maybe if he cooperated, they could get out of this in one piece. "Uhh... about that..." Pablo lowered his voice so that Travis couldn't hear him. "His wife is not actually here. She's... dead. Has been for weeks. Travis just... didn't take it well. He is convinced that she is still alive and has conversations with her. All the time." He also still claimed to have sex with her. Though Pablo had no interest in finding out how that worked. "No, honey, it's nothing to worry about. I was talking to Pablo." Travis reassured his 'wife' in a gentler voice than he had used prior. "No, don't come out! It's not good for the baby if you move around too much. Once these guys leave, we'll be free to keep going." "And I rest my case." Pablo sighed. |
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| Strompy | Aug 14 2015, 06:07 PM Post #2384 |
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More posts, more Busey.
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"Eeeee..." Brandon vocalized uncomfortably. "I was talking to you, Pablo, just so you know. Anyway what can you tell us about the people at Green River? They hostile to travelers or just deserters? Do they stay put mostly or do they go out to scavenge and if so how far do they usually go? They have traps set up? What was so bad there that you had to leave? Stuff like that." he asked, prompting them to find more questions for themselves to answer The more information they had on these people the easier time they'd have of passing through the area without a confrontation. |
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| DoctorYerishi | Aug 14 2015, 06:07 PM Post #2385 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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Eli narrowed his eyes. So they were nuts. Transparently nuts, even, which he supposed was preferable. Better they knew about it upfront. Also good that they knew about this Green River place, and the bad guy that was apparently in charge. They were definitely going to take the advice of this Pabs guy and bypass it. “Uh huh,” Eli added after Brandon's run of questions. “Well we’re not anybody’s goons, like we said. So keep calm. What I said about sudden moves still applies.” He frowned out of one corner of his mouth. Now was the part where they had to offer help, he supposed. Annie had insisted on it, and even Brandon was backing her up. “An' when you're done answering my friend, go ahead and tell us what’s the problem here?” |
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7:28 PM Jul 10