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| Dead Men Walking | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 28 2014, 02:20 AM (70,847 Views) | |
| DoctorYerishi | Nov 27 2015, 05:03 AM Post #3436 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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Eli let out a protracted sigh. He spared a glance down the street, at the still faraway rotter. He counted himself lucky that was the only clear and present threat. He reminded himself that could change with every passing second. Standing here arguing was not an option. So what is? he asked himself. He knew from her tone and her expression that she had made a decision. He knew what that kind of decision looked and sounded like. He had made it enough times himself. He understood better than anybody. He couldn’t talk, reason, or bully her out of it. He could tie her up, maybe, and bring her to Elko in the trunk… but was that a solution? He didn’t think so. He couldn’t bring her to Brandon and Willow just to have her leave them again and get herself killed. That would be the most painful path for everybody. He shook his head. Damnit, damnit, damnit, he thought. Am I making a huge mistake? “Fine,” he said. “Move over.” He pulled open the door and waited for her to slide over to the passenger’s side. Damnit, he thought once again. “Let’s go kill Lowell.” * * * Daylight. Gregory welcomed it with a sigh of relief. He had failed to get any sleep. None of his crew had, except maybe Jesse, as oblivious as he was. Everyone but him knew the Ghosts were most dangerous in the darkness. The faithful’s best defence was vigilance. If they stayed alert and spotted them first, their chances were much better. But if they slipped and failed to see them coming, the consequences would be severe. Gregory guessed that his brothers on the impeding train found that out the hard way. It was a bitter lesson. It made Gregory grit his teeth and flex his trigger finger. Gregory tried to rise above getting angry or scared, but the memory of his dead brothers in those train compartments brought both out of him. He was spared from reflecting on it any longer by the appearance of Brother Luis at his guard station. “There are vehicles approaching,” Luis reported. Gregory’s heartbeat sped up. “Ghosts?” He didn’t think they would make a move in the light of day, but ultimately, they were unpredictable. That’s what made them so dangerous. Luis shook his head, settling him down a little. “I don’t think so,” Luis said. “The cars are from the depot.” “Reinforcements?” Gregory dared to hope. But how did they know? “We can’t see who’s driving,” Luis said. “Who else?” Gregory asked, putting his doubt aside. “Send up a flare – let our brothers know we require their assistance.” * * * Hank watched through Emmett’s binoculars as a flare lit up the morning sky. The sight confused him. It was coming from the train – the train, the one he saw in the depot yesterday, the one that must have taken off with Willow and his family on board. The convoy had been Idaho for a couple hours when they saw it approaching on the flat horizon. They had followed the tracks west towards Mountain Home, thanks to the information Brandon was able to extract from Leonora while they still had her. Soon after, they came to a stop – because for some reason, whether it was good or bad, so had the train. It remained there, unmoving, only a little more than halfway along the tracks to its destination. And now they were throwing up a flare. Why? It was confusing. Hank didn’t know whether to be relieved or even more worried. “I think they saw us,” Andy said. He had stepped out of his car to conference with Brandon and the others. That’s why they had stopped – to discuss the unexpected situation, and hopefully work out a plan of attack. “That’s definitely them,” Hank added. “That’s the train I saw in the depot yesterday. I recognise the colour scheme.” He put the binoculars down to watch the flare fizzle out with his own eyes. Once it had, he turned to Brandon – the much younger man whose direction he had somehow come to rely on. “What now?” he asked. |
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| Strompy | Nov 27 2015, 08:07 AM Post #3437 |
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More posts, more Busey.
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Maybe it was a burst blood vessel in his eye or something but Brandon could swear he was literally seeing red. All his weariness and pain had built up to boiling point and he gripped the binoculars in his hands with white knuckles. His jaw flexed as if to bite down and tear the throat out of his enemy. He hadn't hated anyone quite this powerfully before, not even Cory. It was hate that didn't come from anger but from fear, which seemed souch more powerful. He wanted to rip the eyes from their heads. Pull their intestines out for them to see. Crush their feet and make them crawl back where they came from. He cracked his neck and breathed out uneasily. If he indulged in his hate he might do something very stupid and right now he needed to think clearly. From what he could see they were dug in. They sent up a flare and one even waved. Brandon looked back at their cars. "They think we're from the depot." he reasoned with a hint of amusement. "We've got the drop on them. From here we could probably take out one or two, but there's no telling how many they have on there and they have the advantage. If they think we're theirs then they don't know what's happened. So they don't know Leonora has escaped even if she somehow miraculously made it back to the depot. The way I see it we should try for the bluff. The element of surprise isn't as valuable here as it was before so we won't be losing much." he said scratching his unwashed scruff. Just then he noticed another figure come out next to the one that fired the flare. He couldn't make out fine details but he saw enough to know who it was. Gregory. He was probably smiling. Brandon's whole head turned red and his brain was a mess of violence now tgat he could attach a face to them. He hurried to the back of the sedan and pulled out the Ruger. Using the side mirror of the car as a rest he lined the man up. He could blow his head off with relative ease from there. Greg probably had a radio and they were most certainly in range now. With his free hand he brought his radio up. "No need to send up a flare, I can see you just fine, Greg." Brandon said the name as if it were bile he coughed up, that one word loaded with so much hatred Brandon surprised himself with the sheer malice of it. "Don't move." he growled the only warning he was going to give. |
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| DoctorYerishi | Nov 27 2015, 03:34 PM Post #3438 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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Gregory stood outside the train car, squinting at the three cars in the distance. He definitely recognized them from the vehicle bay back at the depot. He had spent enough time there, and even served on the repair team at one point. He was familiar with their fleet. But why are they just sitting there? he wondered. Then the radio on his hip crackled to life, and he had his answer. It wasn’t Ghosts, but it was the next worse thing. Gregory took a deep breath before responding. * * * Hank observed Brandon nervously. He just hoped he knew what he was doing. “Hello, friend,” Greg’s voice responded over the radio. “Should I assume this is not you coming to join us after all?” Before Brandon could answer, Hank leaned closer to Brandon’s shoulder. “These guys wouldn’t know we kidnapped Leonora in the first place,” he corrected him, and then had an idea. “But I think you’re right about the bluff. We had to escape somehow, so it would follow that we had her.” He looked around the assembled group. His eyes settled on the only woman in their midst. He frowned as he looked at her. “Maybe Emily could…” He trailed off – he didn’t know how to suggest to someone else that they put their life in harm’s way like that. Andy did, though. He picked up where Hank was going with that. “Shit, that could work,” he said. “Emily, you got any more handcuffs on you? You could put ‘em on but not lock ‘em. And you can wear a bag over your head. Leonora’s got a good foot on you, height-wise, but if we keep you in the car and drive you up they’re not going to know the difference sitting down.” Andy turned to Brandon next. “We can get close, get the drop on ‘em that way,” he suggested. “What do you think?” |
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| Strompy | Nov 27 2015, 04:04 PM Post #3439 |
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More posts, more Busey.
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"We'll keep it up our sleeve. It's a good idea." Brandon assured him He brought the radio up again. "We have Leonora. We want our people. You release them to us and we'll leave her at a safe location where she can wait for your people to pick her up. By the time any of your people arrive my people and I will be miles and miles away, just like we wanted from the start. Every gets what they want and nobody else has to die." Brandon said secretly hoping Gregory would try to defy him. |
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| DoctorYerishi | Nov 27 2015, 04:06 PM Post #3440 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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Hank waited anxiously for Greg’s reply. It took a minute. “You… you don’t,” he said, but he sounded rattled. “I don’t believe you.” |
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| Strompy | Nov 27 2015, 04:20 PM Post #3441 |
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More posts, more Busey.
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"We broke into her office back at the depot. I shot her in the shoulder, but she's alive. With her as a hostage we drove out of the depot in the RV, we told them not to follow us but we knew they would so we set up a trap. The guy with the bald head, beard and scratchy voice, what was his name? He was the first one to die. We took their cars and now we're here. Are you satisfied?" Brandon asked. |
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| DoctorYerishi | Nov 27 2015, 04:47 PM Post #3442 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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Gregory choked on his anger. He gripped the radio so hard his knuckles turned white. He stared hard at the cars in the distance. “Am I…” he started to reply but stopped. He had to hold back a scream. His voice was shaky with rage. “Tell me – do I sound satisfied?” |
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| Strompy | Nov 27 2015, 04:48 PM Post #3443 |
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More posts, more Busey.
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"The man next to you, what's his name?" Brandon asked. |
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| DoctorYerishi | Nov 27 2015, 04:53 PM Post #3444 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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Gregory’s eyes went from narrowed in anger to narrowed in confusion. He turned to the man on his right, who had followed him outside the train car. They exchanged wary glances. “Luis,” he said into the radio, sounding just as agitated. “What does that matter?” * * * Hank cocked his head at Brandon’s question. He looked over the younger man’s shoulder at Andy – who was standing on the other side of him, also listening in. Andy looked back and shrugged. |
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| Strompy | Nov 27 2015, 05:15 PM Post #3445 |
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More posts, more Busey.
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"Luis. You're in charge now." Brandon informed him before putting the radio down and peering down the scope. He steadied his breathing and squeezed the trigger, sending a large bullet flying through Gregory's head. "Are you satisfied, Luis?" Brandon asked over the radio. |
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| DoctorYerishi | Nov 27 2015, 05:33 PM Post #3446 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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Hank blinked at the gunshot. He hurriedly raised his binoculars, just in time to get a glimpse of Gregory’s body on the ground. It wasn’t hard to look at. Gregory was a bastard. They had saved his life, and in return he had led them into a pit of snakes and had kidnapped his family. He deserved to die. He kept watching, though, and saw Gregory’s companion rush to his side to help him. Then saw three more men appear, noticed the weapons in their hands. BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG! A hail of bullets answered Brandon’s question. Hank flinched from shock, and then remembered to get down. BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG! He heard a clank as one hit the fender of the sedan. Most others seemed to be going wide. They clearly didn’t have the scope, or at least not the aim, that Brandon did. They were reacting wildly out of anger. Hank quickly crawled around the wheel of the sedan, hoping it would make better cover. “Andy!” he yelled, looking around for his friend, who hadn’t followed him. “Get down!” He peered out behind the wheel and saw the big man on the ground, face down. “Andy, over here!” Hank called Andy groaned back. That was when Hank saw the holes in his back, and his heart dropped into his stomach. |
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| Strompy | Nov 27 2015, 06:07 PM Post #3447 |
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More posts, more Busey.
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For the first time Brandon felt truly good about killing somebody. He got the feeling Gregory wasn't going to go for the bluff, and if he was honest with himself he didn't want him to. A part of him, a substantial part, wanted to kill all of these men and after so much pain and fear and weariness he simply didn't have enough left in the tank to keep caring about that. He grinned as Gregory hit the ground. And grinned as they came out gunning. So they didn't want to leave it at one dead, no problem. What was one more fight? He pulled back the bolt and then slid it back into place again, taking barely a couple seconds to find another target. He let off another round, punching right through the man's center of mass. It hit something very vital because he staggered only two steps before collapsing. Brandon rapidly ejected the spent casing and loaded another. His next target was the man's friend who stopped the try and drag him to whatever cover he could find. Mercilessly he fired on him and he too dropped. He was aware of them returning fire but did nothing to try and avoid it. He was done being scared because of these people. He was going to kill them all and make them afraid. "Brandon!" Emily voice rang out next to him and he was snapped out of his trance. He moved back and took cover behind the convertible. That's when he noticed Andy lying face down. Shit. "Connor, you stay back! Stay in cover." he yelled reflexively. The last thing he needed to be worried about now was Connor as well. The magnitude of his failure hit him like a train. He leaped forward to grab the man by the shirt and helped drag him back behind cover. Emily fired off a burst at the third gunner, winging him at least, Brandon couldn't be sure as he was now focused on something else. Andy was bad. Without urgent medical attention he was definitely dead. "He needs Annie. Right now." he said, but didn't dare to allow himself to feel that hope that maybe he hadn't just killed Andy. |
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| DoctorYerishi | Nov 27 2015, 07:03 PM Post #3448 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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Once again, Andy found himself wondering if this is what his grandfather felt. His father made it back from Vietnam, but his grandfather never returned from Italy. He was part of the 141st Regiment and had been cut down in the Battle of Monte Cassino. Was he scared? Andy wasn’t. Andy was just surprised. Maybe scared would come later. He gathered the remnants of his strength and crawled after Brandon into cover behind Brandon’s convertible – the skinny kid would have had no chance of dragging him without his help. “Andy, are you…?” Hank yelled, even though the gunfire had come to a sudden stop. “I’m here, boss,” he grunted. He didn’t say he was okay. That would have been a lie. “You need to…” he looked up at Brandon, and started to plead. “You need to save Riley and the kids. Please… don’t let anything happen to them.” * * * Annie heard gunfire. First a lot of it, then none at all. It was enough to jolt her from her drowsiness and make her sit up straight, and probably enough to stir Willow from her delirium. Are these the ghosts Willow overheard Gregory talk about? she wondered. And is that a good thing or a bad thing? “What do you think is going on out there?” Ruby asked – she was sitting up straight too, her fear spelled out on her face. “I don’t know,” Annie answered. She stood up and positioned herself beside where she knew the door would open. She decided that the next time bad people tried to enter – whether it was Gregory, or whoever he was afraid of – she was going to fight back. Edited by DoctorYerishi, Jul 6 2018, 09:18 AM.
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| Strompy | Nov 27 2015, 07:41 PM Post #3449 |
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More posts, more Busey.
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"I promise. I promise." Brandon said urgently, with as much pleading in his own voice as Andy. Don't die. was the unspoken plea. Emily did what little she could do to slow the bleeding, and was rapidly soiling her clothes with Andy's blood. He didn't have much time at all. Brandon stood up full of clear purpose and claimed one of the AKMs from the sedan. Without any further explanation he took the driver's seat of the rearmost convertible and revved the engine. He didn't know if they had more men inside, he knew there was Luis at least, for whatever reason going in blind didn't really bother him this time. It just couldn't end like this, he couldn't be responsible for losing somebody again. Not this time. He tore off toward the train, rapidly closing the distance. The man Emily winged before stood up with his weapon drawn. Brandon loosely pointed the AKM in his direction and opened fire. None of the shots connected but it was enough to drive the man away. He limped towards the side of the train and managed to reach the ladder when Brandon collided with him lightly as he skidded to a stop. The man was thrown from his perch, likely with a broken leg and maybe a rib from the landing. With a purposeful gait Brandon made his way over to the man as he reached for his gun. With his good leg he stepped on the man's back, and pointed the AKM up against the side of his head. "Where are they!?" he barked at him. |
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| DoctorYerishi | Nov 27 2015, 08:03 PM Post #3450 |
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Dude, wake up! We've got a world to save.
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Connor didn’t ask permission – he didn’t even tell Brandon he was doing it. He just slipped into the back of the convertible before Brandon could take off. It was his mom in there too, he reasoned. He had every right. He didn’t move after Brandon collided with the man and came to a stop. He just raised his rifle, using the driver’s seat for leverage, and watched his back. He heard the injured man’s reply. “The last cart,” he said, his voice strained from pain and fear. “Just – please, don’t.” * * * Hank was only mildly aware of Brandon taking off. He was more concerned with his friend – no, not his friend, his brother. He used the distraction to quickly crawl over and join him and Emily behind the convertible. He examined the damage. It was bad. His back was soaked and getting wetter. It looked like he took more than one bullet. Hank couldn’t tell how many. “Brandon’s gonna get ‘em back,” Andy said. “They’re gonna be okay.” “I know,” Hank said, as he leaned over him, trying to help with applying pressure. “So are you,” he said. “You’re gonna be okay too.” Andy shook his head slightly. Hank saw, but chose to pretend he didn’t. |
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