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Dead Men Walking
Topic Started: Nov 28 2014, 02:20 AM (70,855 Views)
DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Andy Hatfield had to wonder if this is how his father and his grandfather felt – running towards gunfire instead of running away. When the time came, did their fear harden into an icy calm as well? When they had the enemy in their sights, did they know exactly what they had to do? Did they hesitate for longer than a second? Andy figured they probably didn’t.

BOOM!

And neither did he.

Clack-clack –

BOOM!

Two of Leonora’s hitmen had somehow made it inside the hotel, and were on the verge of getting a drop on Brandon and Emily. Andy ended up getting the drop on them. When he blew away the first one, the second one turned around, confused, and Andy blew him away too.

The return gunfire subsided. Still, Andy pumped the shotgun again as he ran over to Brandon, who was bent over – maybe in pain, Andy didn’t know.

He tried helping the younger man back to his feet.

“Shit,” he said, noticing all the new blotches of red on his clothing. “Maybe we should get you some help.”

* * *

Hank didn’t know whether to be relieved or concerned that the shooting had seemingly stopped. All he could do was hope for the best as he kept leading the way down the street.

Then he heard footfalls, rapid ones, going in another direction – someone was running. Hank turned and caught a glimpse of whom. It was one of Leonora’s men. He thought he saw the same one approaching down the street earlier.

So it was definitely relief, then. Brandon, Emily and Andy had won their battle, and now Leonora’s man was running away.

BANG! BANG!

The shots startled him. Hank stopped in place and ducked, until he realized a second later they had come from behind him. He turned to see Connor had stopped as well and was aiming his Browning up the street. He turned again to see the runner in that direction, but he was no longer running. He had taken two in the side and was rolling over in pain.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
Antonio worried that this was something that he should be concerned about; Connor's ability to take a life at a moment's notice would have been concerning for any kid his age before all of this. Because of the way the world was now though, did that make it okay? Was it something to be concerned about or just a necessary adaptation to survive?

This would be the part where Brandon told him it was a good shot. Antonio could not bring himself to say those words.

"Let's keep going." He rallied Hank. "Before more of them get here."
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Strompy
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Brandon let himself slide down the wall when Andy emerged from the hallway. He came back at just the right time to save their asses. Andy was right, he needed to stop the bleeding before he was completely useless.

"Yeah. Is there a first aid kit in the RV?" he asked as he finally managed to load a new magazine.

"They're running!" Emily reported with relief.

She fired a few token shots after them, just to help them on their way.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Andy thought about Brandon’s question for a second, in between being relieved by Emily’s news. Eventually, he nodded.

“Yeah, we have something like that,” he said. “Maybe you should head that way. Me an’ Emily can take the fight to that bitch Leonora.”

As the words came out, he wasn’t sure if they were true. He knew how to use a gun, and was a veteran of bar fights, but the bodies in front of him represented only the second and third men he had ever killed – and the first he didn’t even remember doing.

He thought like that for half-a-second, then mentally chastised himself. Fuck that, he thought. This is for Riley and the kids. I can do anything.

He put on a confident face. “We’ll get her,” he promised. “But what do you want to do with him?”

He gestured at Patrick’s body – he was still fast asleep on the ground outside the hotel, where Andy had dropped him in his rush to get away.
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Strompy
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Brandon shook his head.

"I can keep it together a little longer. I'll patch myself up once we're all in the RV with Leonora." Brandon said as he got back to his feet wearily.

This was almost done. He could mske it a little longer, at least he hoped. As for what to do about Patrick, that took some thought. If they had both him and Leonora he could use them against each other to get whatever information he needed if they weren't feeling talkative. If he threatenedLeonora then Patrick might tell him whatever he wanted to know. If he thrwatened Patrick then maybe Leonora would. The alternative was something he hoped hhe'd never have to even flirt with again. He might have to hurt somebody for the information. Leonora was the more valuable of the two though, and they couldn't afford to cart Patrick around.

Wordlessly Brandon drew Willow's knife, approached Patrick and slit his throat.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Andy winced when he saw what Brandon was doing. He didn’t disagree with the action, though. The priest had a point earlier, when he described how dangerous Patrick was. Andy had seen him a little in action, and saw the number he did on Antonio. It was probably for the best that he never woke up.

“Damn,” he said, just because he felt like he had to, not out of any actual dismay.

He looked down at his shotgun, then dug into his pockets for the extra shells. He reloaded, and as soon as it was full up again, he looked forward.

“Okay,” he said. “Let’s go.”

* * *

“There it is,” Hank said, pointing.

He sounded relieved, because he was. There were no guards in the immediate vicinity, so they would be able to retake their property without any more incident. At least, no incident right away. Once Brandon and the others grabbed Leonora, he assumed that would change.

He retrieved a set of keys from his pocket – he had several among his things, and Leonora’s men had only taken one to move the RV here.

“Get in,” he instructed once he turned the lock.

He looked left and right as Connor and Antonio did as he asked. Still no sign of trouble.

Hank hopped in himself, closing the door behind him. The interior was unchanged from yesterday. It would have felt like home, except his sister and his children weren’t there. So it felt achingly empty instead.

He took his customary seat behind the wheel and started it up. The engine howled as it came to life, and he thought it was a safe bet that if no one was here now, they would be soon. The rumble of the big vehicle was just a little too loud to ignore.

He remembered Brandon’s plan – move it, make it look like they left, but don’t leave. It was easier said than done, but he had to try.

“Here we go… he muttered softly. “Good luck guys.”

He started driving.

* * *

It’s gone!” Leonora learned over the radio.

More bad news. The Bishop wasn’t going to be happy with any of this, or with her for letting it happen. The thought of disappointing him was almost as crushing as the thought of her children dying.

“They can’t have gone far,” Leonora said back. “And they couldn’t have left too long ago. Follow them. Find them.”

She was surprised they left at all, considering how many of their friends and family Leonora’s men had collected. She had thought and hoped that would be enough to keep them here, just long enough to be properly handled. She must have overestimated their loyalty to one another.

Yes, Mother,” one of the Brothers accepted the order, and that was the end of the exchange.

Leonora sighed heavily and sunk into her chair. She massaged her face with both hands.

There were a few men standing guard outside her office. A few more scouring the depot, looking everywhere but the hotel in case one or more of the lost souls they were dealing with was hiding out. The rest were now heading out after the ones that left in the Kelly’s motorcoach.

It was a mess. The biggest one she had ever made.

Forgive me, Lord, Leonora thought. But… fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.
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Make-7-Up-Yours
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Is that so?
It was a short reprieve, but Antonio gladly accepted it. After dropping his bags and the Ruger Gunsite, he slumped into one of the seats by the kitchen. The RV seemed so much roomier than it was the last time he was here. It was kind of depressing. And he wished he could say something to young Connor.

"Your counsel is always solid, Antonio. You have a lot of life experience and I think that makes you a good role model to troubled teens and adults." Father Jacobson's nose was scrunched up in the way it always did when he was concerned. "Working as our representative on a college is different than working in a church. You have been a faithful man of God for ten years now, but I don't know if you can really... connect to kids in the way that we need. You're a good man, but you come across as... removed. It is off putting to many."

"What do you mean?" Antonio asked.

He and the older priest that had mentored him for over a decade sat across from each other at a large wooden table. Antonio's request to transfer halfway across the country to fill an opening for a religious adviser in Iowa State rested on the table between them.

"Don't be coy." The older priest sighed. "You know exactly what the issue is. You smile, you listen, and you have a strong moral compass. By all means you should be perfect for this opening. But we've had this talk before; you lack warmth. People don't feel like they can relate to you. And that is the most important thing when dealing with teens and young adults."


Antonio grimaced as Jacobson's words echoed in his head. His mouth still hurt. He could feel his cheek starting to swell and taste blood still lingering in his mouth. Yet the physical pain from having one of his molars punched out was nowhere near the emotional turmoil he had been finding himself in recently. And the past fifteen minutes had done very little to help with that.

"How are you holding up, Connor?" Antonio asked the young man anyway.
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Strompy
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"Bleeding has slowed down. It's starting to clot." Brandon informed them as they crept their way through the streets.

"Or maybe you're just running out of blood." Emily replied half-jokingly.

"We're almost done anyway. That's the office. All this gunfire... she's gonna have protection." he mused.

"With the guys that have gone out, the ones still searching around here and the ones they've already lost there can't be many in there." Emily chimed in.

"Can't just shoot our way in. They know the layout, they'll have better positioning. Need to play it quiet maybe even pick one or two off before they know we're there. We'll find our way around back. When we get there I'll lead with the machete, you two keep those guns out, if you're spotted don't worry so much about being quiet." Brandon said as he slung his carbine and took the machete from Emily.

"Would work better if they were paying attention to something else." Emily suggested and Brandon understood what she meant.

"You'll be okay?" he asked.

"Probably." she answered truthfully to which he nodded.

It was the best answer she could give without being dishonest.

"Andy, you know the way." Brandon said, prompting him to lead on.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
“I mean, kind of,” Andy said, frowning. “Last time I came through the front.”

He looked around him, at a hallway he hadn’t seen the last time he was here. He swallowed a nervous breath. His grandfather had been behind enemy lines once. Again, Andy wondered how close their experiences would match up.

“This way… I think,” he said.

He crouched and walked forward, taking a right at the end of the hallway, thinking that was the direction of Leonora’s office.

He stopped suddenly and pinned his back where it was. Around the next corner, he had caught a glimpse of several guards camped out – buff young men, like most of Leonora’s contingent.

Where did they even get all these guys? he thought with dismay and frustration.

He waited a second for the sound of movement but didn’t hear any. He assumed they hadn’t caught a glimpse back. He turned to Brandon and scratched at his beard.

“Didn’t Emily say something about a distraction?”

* * *

Connor anxiously tapped his thumb against the handle of his pistol. He thought mostly about his mom, and only a little about the guy he shot down minutes ago.

When Antonio asked his question, Connor glanced up at him, then back down to the gun.

“My mom’s missing,” he said. “So not that good.”
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Strompy
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As if in answer to Andy somewhere outside gunfire started ringing out again. The sound of bullets impacting with the walls and shattered glass followed as Emily sprayed a few rounds at the building. She didn't hit anything but that was never the point. The guards retaliated and the exchange lasted a few moments before Brandon could distinguish that the sound of Emily's fire was beginning to move away and then faded entirely. There were urgent exchanges over the radio and eventually one of the guards volunteered to stay behind while the others gave chase.

They were gone only a few moments when Brandon made his move. While the guard's back was turned he surged at him. The man turned in time to give a surprised gasp as Brandon swung the blade with both hands overhead, wedging the blade neatly down the middle of his head. For a sickening moment he stood there, his nerves firing aimlessly and then collapsed.

That's five in one day. A new record. Brandon thought bitterly as he withdrew the blade with his off-hand.

He nodded again to Andy and drew Eli's Supergrade from his belt.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Leonora could hear the gunfire and shattering glass from her office. The sound was unmistakable, as was the realization – the realization that she were under attack. It seemed hard to believe, but the evidence was hard to deny.

She reached into her desk, where she had her small handgun, her Sig Sauer P238, stashed. There was a time when she thought Martin was silly for insisting she have it. After all, this was her own office, in her own base of operations. There were walls and dozens of trained and capable guards between her and anything that might think of causing her harm. What did she have to worry about?

Yet Martin insisted, so she placated him. She was grateful for his protectiveness now. And relieved that she had sent him away, because now he was out of the line of fire.

The door to her office opened and she looked up in alarm. She forgot to draw the gun at the same time. She wasn’t an experienced shooter. The Bishop didn’t insist on firearms training for the women like he did the men.

Fortunately, it was just Brother Seth – a tall, lean, dark-haired young man with patchy stubble. He was there to report what she already knew.

“Someone’s shooting at the building,” he reported. “We don’t know…”

“It’s them,” Leonora interrupted. “Our wayward guests. They didn’t truly escape. Not all of them, anyway. We were deceived.”

Brother Seth frowned seriously. His gaze flickered down to Leonora’s hand, then back to her face.

“Stay down, Mother,” he said. “Don’t open the door for anyone that doesn’t know the password.”

It was rare that any one of her children would dare to give her an order, but desperate times, Leonora supposed. She didn’t chastise him. She simply nodded.

“Very well,” she said.

He closed the door and resumed guard outside. It was just him and Brother Victor in her reception area now. Perhaps they were all that was standing between her and her attackers. Perhaps…

POP!

Leonora was stunned by the sound, and even more so by the thump that followed. It sounded like a body hitting the floor. She’d heard that sound before, enough times to recognize what it meant.

POP! POP! POP!

She thought she recognized that sound too. It filled her with dread.

She ducked behind her desk, her pistol at the ready. She had no idea how it had to come to this.

* * *

Andy nodded back and led the way past the bodies. He kept his shotgun raised and ready as they approached the reception area. He flinched when he heard the tell-tale sounds of suppressed gunfire coming from nearby.

He kept going, though. Hank was counting on him. Riley and the kids were counting on him. There was no going back without them.

When he arrived in the room outside Leonora’s office, his jaw hung open. It was bloody.

Two of Leonora’s guards lay dead and bleeding, one face down on the ground, the other slumped against the closed office door. There was a pool accumulating under the one on the floor. The door, meanwhile, looked like it had been splashed with red paint.

Then there was Emmett – he was kneeling over the corpse of the one on the floor, digging through his pocket with one hand, holding a pistol with the other. He was bloody too. His leather coat was unzipped and his shirt was wet with it. At least some of it was probably his own.

Andy picked up his jaw and let out a breath. He must have breathed louder than he meant to, because it caused Emmett – still crouched – to spin around and aim the pistol at his face.

When Emmett saw who it was, he lowered the weapon and sat down. One of his hands clutched his stomach. The other – the one with the pistol – gestured towards the office door decorated with the dead guard.

“She’s in there,” Emmett said simply. “She took Willow.”
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Strompy
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Brandon was only somewhat relieved to hear that news. It meant that Willow wasn't dead which was his most terrible fear, but it came with the knowledge that she was definitely in their hands now. He was also immensely relieved to see that Emmett was still amongst the living, he could practically kiss the man. He seemed to have picked up his own fresh wounds, but they'd see to those soon enough.

"They've taken Annie too, and Hank's family. Antonio, Hank and Connor are in the RV, keeping these goons chasing their tails while we grab Leonora. Emily just diverted some of their guys but I don't know where she is now. Noah and Alma busted Lowell out and Lowell shot Nolan dead. Kelsey has gone after Lowell and Eli has gone after Kelsey. We're going to meet up with him in Nevada." Brandon summarised for Emmett.

Brandon approached the door to Leonora's office while Emmett processed the information. It was all the time anyone could spare in the middle of crisis. If it were Brandon in that office he'd have a gun trained on the door. Leonora didn't seem like the fighting type, more like somebody who gets others to fight for them, given their preference for jacked up convict types she and this Bishop guy seemed pretty good at it. Still, there were a lot of guns around here. He disdainfully pushed the corpse leaning against the door over with his foot and the stood to the side of it. He rapped the barrel of his pistol on the door three times.

"Out. Now." he said firmly.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Leonora stayed crouched behind her desk, and kept her pistol aimed at the door, where Brandon was knocking. She recognized his voice, but had no intention of doing what he asked.

“You’re too late,” she said. “Your friends are gone.”
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Strompy
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"I know. But you're still here." he pointed out with a hint of satisfaction.

"Those girl scouts you sent after me said you wanted to talk. Come out and we'll talk about how you can save the lives of what's left of your men." he repeated the order.
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DoctorYerishi
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
Andy stood up from tending to Emmett – not that there was a lot he did, or could do – when Leonora said they were ’gone’. He remembered vaguely hearing a train depart the station earlier. Was that what she meant? Were Riley and the kids on that train?

“You’ve planted the seeds of your own annihilation, don’t you know that?” Leonora yelled through the door separating them. “Can’t you see? Or are you blind? You can send me to my reward, or you can try, but no matter what, my children will send you to your damnation. You have sealed your fates now, and your friends’ fates.”
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