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Post by <> MetaWulf <> on Jul 19, 2015 17:42:52 GMT -5
Late-vening - Ruined Factory, D.C.
"Yeah." the mercenary replied to Rusty's sentiment, rolling onto her side. Shea fought sleep for a few minutes, listening to the sound of her own breathing and the echoes of the ruins surrounding them. Tomorrow would not be easy for either of them. After that... there was a lot of caps in her future. Her mind wandered aimlessly as she fell asleep.
- Nowhere -
Shea-Victoria walked alone among dark ruins, horrified and unable to find her companion.
"Holden!" the girl cried out, clutching the revolver with shaking hands. "Please!"
Only the howling wind replied.
"Please! Don't leave me here!" she pleaded, losing her footing and stumbling over a pile of debris. Dust whirled around the ancient streets of Harrisburg. The sky was dark, with a glow beyond that could have only been fires. The dead city was a torched skeleton of it's former glory. Staggering down an empty street as dust and ash rained like snow, Shea found her path end in a great pit. Dark shadows moved all around the ruins. Creatures from the void populated the dead city while the winds howled into a crescendo.
"You left me to die." Holden's voice replied.
- - - - - - - - -
Day Two
Early Morning - Ruined Factory, D.C.
Shea awoke quickly, the dream fading with each passing moment of consciousness. Her back felt damp. She often sweat during nightmares. Grunting as she rose from the couch, she began a series os awkward stretches and twists that often followed sleeping on small couches. Adjusting her shorts and her shirt, which had somehow twisted up around her body in her sleep, and walked to her gear stiffly. The lantern had been turned off in the night. Only the faint blue light of the Quantum illuminated the office, like an atomic mood-light.
The mercenary situated her belongings in the gloom, finally calling to Rusty on the other couch.
"Rise n' shine, merc." she said in as serious a tone as possible. "Time to get movin'. Gather yer things and see tah disarming the traps." the woman said as she equipped the makeshift armor over her right arm. After securing the armor and snatching her jacket, Shea made her way across the room to the shade. Putting the glove on her left hand, she shoved the lever as quietly as possible in the blue gloom.
It responded with a weak squeal of protest before opening the ancient shutters and allowing her to observe the factory floor. Light had just began to peek through several cracks and damages in the room. Nothing moved below them.
"I'll carry the case as far as the metro to conserved your energy a bit. Once we go underground, I'm gonna need you to carry it. I'll need to be able to move around in close quarters..." The woman did not go into detail. Her size limited her to grapples-throws and kicks in close quarters situations, so to effectively fight she needed as little weight on her back as possible. The mercenary had be forced to go hand-to-hand with ghouls a few times in the past. It was unpleasant, but they weren't very coordinated. Shea-Victoria picked up the case, closed the clasps, and buckled it to the rig usually reserved for the DKS rifle. Moving to the door, she placed a boot on the desk and gave it a heavy shove from the side. It was dislodges from it's edged position, falling to the floor louder than Shea had expected. With a quiet shrug she nodded towards the door. "Ready?" she asked, throwing the rifle over her shoulder. She would wait for him to disarm his traps and ready himself before leaving the ruined factory. As it doors swung closed and the pair resumed their pilgrimage, something moved in the darkness of the machinery. |
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Post by Zelus on Jul 20, 2015 8:46:30 GMT -5
Day Two
Early Morning - Ruined Factory, D.C. Dreamless for the first time in a while, Rusty awoke with a brief sigh. He curled up a bit more, before stretching out on the couch, his legs awkwardly pushed against the arm and then slipped over the top. “Fu-fuuuuck,” was all that Rusty was able to get out as he opened his eye. “Morning…” he rasped a bit, feeling somewhat dehydrated. Pushing himself to roll over, he looked at her getting ready and then sighed deeply. No lie-ins anymore, he supposed. “Right, need to get up.” He told himself rising to his feet. His hair was absolutely everywhere and there a look of utter sleepiness in his eye. It took him a moment to realise what was going on, when she lifted the lever. Rusty immediately winced heavily as the shutters opened, the noise giving him the utmost annoyance in his tired state. He shot it a look, seeing the light it brought. It wasn’t much, but it was proof that it was morning. Sluggishly, Rusty grabbed a water bottle from his back and took a long drink. Once he was done, he shoved it back in his satchel and started doing up the buttons on his shirt that had come undone during the night. The jacket came on next, quickly being fastened up too. Straightening his hair with his hands, he then picked up his satchel with the guns attached and placed it on his shoulder. Before picking up his CAR, he stuffed the lantern and the battery in his satchel. He gave her a tired but conscious smile as she said she’d take the case for him, at least for a while. “Fair enough, Shea. Thanks.” Eventually he’d become a pack mule again, but for now, he was to have free movement. Shame those cart things he saw occasionally were so loud… if that was useable they could just throw it all in that and take turns pushing it along. It wasn’t an option and that was more in line with what a scavenger would do. Instead he’d have to suffer until they got to those traders. Rusty would’ve quickly moved to get rid of the desk for Shea, but once he saw her shove it aside with her foot, he just have a sort of snort. That was certainly one way to deal with the obstacle. He didn’t wait once it was out of the way though; he quickly slipped next to her. After pulling the door open for her, he let her past and then followed suit, leaving the office camp behind. Soon enough they were out in the hall where his mines lay. “Won’t take long.” He affirmed with a nod, before placing his satchel and his gun against the wall. Within a few minutes, Rusty had disarmed the frag mines and stowed them away, again showing off one of the few things he was a genuine expert in. He was efficient and confident in his abilities with explosives, moreso than anything else. Still, he seemed to have something of a dislike towards them. He was soon ready though and looked to her once he was done. “Let’s get out of here.” Soon enough they were back on the outside of the factory and were on their way towards the metro station. -----
Somewhere, D.C. Ruins Having gotten back onto the large road they had been on the night before, they had headed south towards their ultimate destination, some metro Rusty didn’t know the name of. He wasn’t looking forward to it, though the appeal of the idea was growing. The weight of the guns he had taken was growing, or at least it seemed to be. He’d be soon glad to get rid of them. Rusty had been quiet along the journey, still waking up, though he did keep his eye wandering. When they got some distance, he noticed a plume of smoke rising for the night before and Rusty sighed a bit in relief. He realised the smoke was coming from the camp he had seen being set up by the mutants, and it was now larger and darker. They were burning something now, and from what Rusty had seen of mutant camps that means they were getting ready to cook something. “Huh, good thing we didn’t go that way after all. Probably would’ve ended up on that fire” Rusty said quietly, using his thumb to point backwards over his shoulder. With a bit of a yawn, he continued to walk, almost wishing to have a radio on him or something. He hadn’t heard a radio in a while, might’ve been some interesting news on it or something. If nothing else there was always a tune he could listen to. It might’ve taken his mind off what Shea was carrying. It was too early to bring up what they were going to do with such a device. Since Shea hadn’t immediately agreed to his plan to destroy it she obviously had another plan for it. Just what exactly would that be? She didn’t really want to sell it, did she? She was a merc he supposed. They were out to make profit, even the rangers were out there to make money. He didn’t know if he wanted money from such a device though… not unless… Rusty scratched at his hair in thought. Maybe he could live with himself if he knew the collar was going to do some good. How would such an object ever do any good though…? |
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Post by <> MetaWulf <> on Jul 20, 2015 22:30:30 GMT -5
Somewhere in the Southern Ruins, D.C.
Rusty had disarmed his mineswith dexterity, and soon they were making their way towards the metros. The sun had only been up for a few minutes. Ravens cawed obnoxiously from the rooftops. As they moved from the parking lot to the main road, Shea couldn't help but feel like they were being watched. She kept them in cover as best as possible while heading south-west. Seeing nothing for the next half hour, she then let her guard down a bit. Focus on the road ahead. Muties could be anywhere.
Shea and Rusty continued down the "wide road", sticking close to the ruins. He had learned her walk quickly, moving at a brisk pace but not swiftly enough to exert excess noise or energy. They had been walking for hours, and the mercenary felt the weigh of the case increasing. The kid obviously wanted her to ditch the case. Make it disappear and absolve them of their involvement. Potential buyers floated in and out of her thoughts as she continued to walk the ruined concrete. The mercenary was leaning towards the caps, but still mulled over the dark implications of the device.
The ancient power lines swung lazily as they passed by, awaiting power that would likely never be restored. Shea gave a look back to Rusty as they walked, giving him a nod before focusing on their path. Time traveling was often spent thinking, especially with the less trained. No doubt he was wondering what she wanted with the case. More than likely he was on to the woman in some way, able to sense the beast that lurked beneath the lean woman. Was it too soon?
The briefcase, the DKS rifle, and all her gear weighed the small-framed woman down. She had been working out a steady sweat, and Shea was grateful Yao-Guai did not enter the city. They would have been able to track her with little problem. Only a single Nuka-Cola remained among her stash of hydration. The Quantum wasn't an option. The soft drink's rarity would reserve the glowing bottle for some special occasion. The vagabond woman removed the battered, sleeveless jacket and stuffed it into her pack before continuing on through a scorched courtyard.
They finally stopped at a rusted bus that had careened into a plaza centuries ago. Leaning against the rusted transit vehicle and producing a cigarette, Shea motioned for Rusty to stop with her. Leaving the cigarette dangling from her lip, the woman produced the bottle of Nuka-Cola. A dry wind cut through the skeletal ruins of D.C., somehow strengthening Shea's thirst.
"Hopefully we can find some water or cola." Shea said absently, popping the cap from her bottle and shoving it into her pocket. Offering her companion a drink beforehand, she then finished off the bottle. Jerking her head to free her eye from her own matted hair, Shea glanced to Rusty while smoking. The pair had become covered in dust at this point, and the stuff clung to them as they perspired.
"Watch my back. Imma climb on this thing an' take a look at tha metro station." The mercenary said, finishing the cigarette and flicking it away. Dropping her gear on the dirty asphalt, the woman scurried up the rotting bus with little effort. Sitting indian-style on the roof, Shea-Victoria leveled the sniper rifle and gazed across the ruins.
The wind blew through the streets again, sending dust and radioactive particles throughout the ruins. Shea decided the breeze was welcome in the midday heat as she searched the metro station's parking lot from her scope. Two men walked across the lot in the distance, talking among themselves. Shea studied them carefully before calling down to the young man.
"Alright, I see two... no... three raider types shufflin' round the station. They're pretty well armed... Wander over and see what they're doin' or should I dust 'em now and save us tha trouble?" The mercenary ask nonchalantly, training her cross-hairs on a man holding an assault rifle.
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Post by Zelus on Jul 22, 2015 8:11:42 GMT -5
Rusty quietly came to a halt next to Shea as she found them at an old bus. He gave a small sigh in relief before he walked over and lowered himself down to sit on the steps of the bus leading inside. Rusty glanced up at her and gave her a nod when she spoke about finding supplies. “Hopefully… We could try in one of the metro carts… So long as you can deal with the ghouls, I might be able to jimmy one of them open with my crowbar. Should be able to get inside. There might be some stuff left in there still from before the war. Never seen too many of them open so who knows what’s inside?” He suggested, attempting to wipe away some of the dust from his cheek. He always got incredibly dirty when the winds picked up.
Once offered the cola, Rusty took it and drunk just enough to be polite. When he was done he handed it back to her and rose to his feet. He thought they were going to start moving again, but instead he was surprised by the agile Shea telling him she’d climb up onto the bus. With an interested smirk, he watched her go up. “Uh, okay.” He chuckled, looking around the street. Failing to see anything he started an attempt to brush the dust off his clothes. At this rate, he figured he’d need to by a clean set of clothes, at least to change into whilst he cleaned the ones he was wearing. That’d take longer than was necessary anyhow. To be honest, Rusty just wanted a few days to be clean and safe, maybe even relax a little. It was a shame they’d have to skip staying in Rivet City.
Stepping back a bit, Rusty looked up at her watching her use the rifle to look in the distance to see what was before them, smart plan, Rusty guessed, even if it did leave her a little exposed up there. He took notice of the environment around her and gave a brief look of concern. She would at least be safe from most critters, which was a positive at the very least. There weren’t too many critters in the city though, just the odd giant ant, a fair few radroaches and molerats. Nothing really to be frightened of.
When news from Shea came, announcing two raider looking guys in front of them, Rusty attempted to peek around the bus to get a look. They were a little far off for him to actually see, even if he could see, what was to say they were actually raiders. Rusty was a bit conflicted upon what she suggested. If she smoked ‘em and they found out those were good guys later, Rusty would at least feel bad. On the other hand they might turn out to be good guys and Rusty could unload some stuff. He pondered for a second.
“I’ll go see what they’re doing… You can stay here; cover me if you like… Once I get a better look at them. Keep me in your sights. If I rustle my hair, it means they’re good guys…. If I put an arm behind my back, they’re raiders and you can shoot… Though if they see me they might start shooting so uh… yeah. Shoot ‘em if that happens.” Rusty told, not waiting for an answer, and mustering up some courage. He immediately jogged off into the middle of the road, hopping over the concrete partition and following it along. If he had to go to these guys and risk them shooting him, he might as well give himself some limited protection. He kept his rifle drawn though as he moved closer in the direction of the so called raiders. Once he got closer to them he got a better look and he gripped his hand on his rifle subtly. “Hey, guys. Don’t suppose you could help a fella out could ya?” He asked, giving his best attempt at a cool voice. He made sure to maintain cover between him and them all the while ready to drop down at a moment’s notice and ready to fire. |
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Post by <> MetaWulf <> on Jul 23, 2015 18:39:37 GMT -5
Bell Plaza Ruins, D.C.
Shea's position on the bus had changed. No sooner than Rusty had departed, the vagabond had thrown her jacket onto the vehicle's roof. Laying down herself, the woman's exposed stomach was now protected from the hot, gritty, rusty metal roof. The rifle butt was snugged into her modified pauldron, ready to absorb most of the recoil and keep the ancient weapon stable. Resting her left elbow on the roof, Shea used her left hand to support the weapon as far away from her shoulder as possible. The sight was fairly stable now, but also obstructed by rotting cars, a semi-truck, and a partially collapsed building down near the metro station.
A cold blue eye gazed through the impressive scope, trailing ahead of Rusty as he neared the metro station and finding the pockets in her sight-line. As the wind kicked up yet again, the scope rubber eye-cushion prevented hair or debris from entering her immediate sight. Wind might make this tricky. Dust says it's blowing south-east. Trail north-west. The woman began a type of mental checklist, calming herself further and making certain her condition was optimal is the strangers turned aggressive. Shea's gut told her they might, given the weapons and gear.
...And that's he's a lone, young guy totin' an easy snatch. His gear... Should have told him to leave some if his gear. ...Careful, kid.
Ruined Metro Entrance, D.C.
Nearly a half-mile away, the young man began to close the distance across the street and to the parking area. The station's entrance had endured the apocalypse fairly well, with only six areas missing from it's ornate roof. The sloping steps feeding into the wide staircase leading underground showed similar cracks and weathering. A barrel stood near main stairwell, a fire blazing despite the midday heat.
A man holding a american-made assault rifle noticed Rusty's approach first, rising from his leaning post. The .223 chambered rifle moved but did not rise as the man took a few steps forward and whistled loudly. He then proceeded to smile at Rusty, displaying a mouth full of rotten teeth. A second man approached, this one in his early thirties. Bumping past the older guy, the leather armored second took a moment to adjust his dirty goggles and spit on the earth.
And from the stairwell walked a third. This man carried a combat shotgun and wore damaged leather armor. Ascending the last of the broken steps, he joined his two companions under the edge of the subway's court entrance. A cigarette hung from his lips, the smoke quickly disappearing into the dusty wind.
“Hey, guys. Don’t suppose you could help a fella out could ya?”
The man with the shotgun gave Rusty a thorough analysis before laughing. His companions quickly joined with a chuckle and a snicker before a fourth man appeared from the stairwell in a light jog. As he neared, this man stood back from the group. In his right hand was a strange looking gun, one that glowed with the neon fury of radiation in cartridge form. It was a plasma pistol, and it seemed to be rather clean.
"What ah yah doin' ot 'ere all 'lone? How're ya even 'live?" The man with the rotten teeth said in a strained tone before chuckling again. The idea that Rusty was not only alive in the central ruins but traveling alone and loaded with gear seemed somehow amazing and hilarious to the grungy old man. "What yah g-"
"Shut yer trap, Harold." spat the man with the energy pistol, his boots making a dull tap as he approached Rusty. The man wearing goggles snickered. Harold's face became sheepish for a moment, then turned to a twisted scowl. The wind kicked up again as the fourth man's obsidian mustache danced. The man with the shotgun remained quiet and stoic.
"Now... what seems tah be tha trouble, boy?" said the weathered man with the long mustache.
Bell Plaza Ruins, D.C.
Shea-Victoria watched the interaction through the sniper scope, her breathing slow and calm. Four of 'em. AR-91 rifle, Hobo. Police Riot Shotgun, Meathead. 308 or 762 hunting rifle, Four-eyes. Military Plasma Pistol? ...McQueen. What's that ass-bag doin' out here? Shea examined McQueen's weapon for a moment, thinking of how quickly she could fire versus how quickly he could raise and shoot Rusty. She would undoubtly drop him, but the woman feared there wouldn't be enough time to finish off all three of his goons before one of them could shoot Rusty. Shit. He better hit some cover fuckin' quick if I start shooting...
...What are you saying to 'em, kid?
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Post by Zelus on Jul 24, 2015 10:54:35 GMT -5
Ruined Metro Entrance, D.C. Rusty ‘s boots came to a heavy halt as he got close enough to the guys before him. He was close to hold a conversation, but he had maintained his distance to enable him to duck or move quickly just in case something bad was to occur. His eye traced the environment around him, somewhat impressed at how intact this area was. Looking up at the roof, he gathered the place would be a pretty decent shelter if it ever rained. Not that it did all that much. He kind of wanted it to now that he thought about it. He then noticed the stairwell leading down, and knew that was their destination. Even from his current position it looked ominous as all hell. What exactly lay beneath? Immediately he was faced with a grungy looking guy with bad teeth and an assault rifle in his hands. He almost seemed too look at Rusty with predator smile, making the kid want to step back a bit. He didn’t, instead he stood his ground, looking at the second guy. Where did these guys even come from? They looked kind of creepy. It was almost like they were only a few levels up from raiders in terms of humanity. Something told Rusty that wasn’t entirely too far from the truth. He flexed his fingers, ready to send Shea his message and then drop to the ground. It’d only take him a couple of seconds to grab a grenade, pull the pin and lob it over the barricade. Rusty didn’t know if that was going to be even necessary. They didn’t strike him as raiders. If they were wearing black he probably could’ve mistook them for Talon Company, but they probably weren’t gonna start shooting like a bunch of crazy assholes. Suddenly a third man appeared, walking up the stairwell and Rusty watched him as he got close. Rusty couldn’t help but notice the guy’s armour was in desperate need of repair. Rusty knew he could’ve fixed that with some leather, no problem. It was something they did back home all the time. Still, the man gave him the once over and chuckled. Rusty’s eyebrow rose a bit; clearly they thought he was a joke. To be fair to them, Rusty couldn’t blame them for thinking that. He was just some dumb kid, rolling up to them with a bunch of guns on his back. In hindsight, he probably should’ve left them on the bus, out of sight. But it was too late to second guess his actions, plus at least it helped him look like a helpless lone wasteland kid who didn’t really know what he was doing. Which he really didn’t, he was just, making this crap up as he went along and hoped it worked out. Plus with Shea watching his back, he felt quite confident. It was an odd but good feeling. When a fourth guy appeared, Rusty gave a half-hearted grin in an attempt to hide the fact that he was suddenly intimidated. ‘Fuck, how many of these guys are there?!’ he thought, looking over the fourth. He eyed his gun somewhat. It was probably the first time he’d ever seen a plasma weapon, and one of the first times he’d ever seen an energy weapon too. He hadn’t come across them that often, so he wondered how this guy had gotten his hands on it. Rusty looked quickly over at the man with the rotted teeth with an embarrassed look. “Well uh… rather good with my rifle I-suppose.” He told merging the last two words together. He rubbed the back of his neck nonchalantly. As the man started asking him again, Rusty got suspicious, glancing at the guy’s hand. He had a good idea where the guy was going and what he wanted. So Rusty just took a more cautious stance. “Oh, I’m just looking for some directions. ‘cause I’m a bit lost. Been trying to get outta the city for days and the muties cut off my usual route out of the city.” Rusty explained with partial truth. “Can’t exactly read though, so I was just wondering if this station was anywhere close to the way to Rivet City?”He hadn’t given a sign to Shea either way. In fact he was a little nervous now. Four of them against him? He knew Shea could probably get one of them, but that’d still leave the other three. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea after all. Still he didn’t really have a choice either way now. He hoped Shea wouldn’t jump the gun, not knowing if she would or not. Still… these guys didn’t exactly seem like good guys, though he guessed only time would tell. |
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Post by <> MetaWulf <> on Jul 27, 2015 21:30:53 GMT -5
Ruined Metro Entrance, D.C.
“Oh, I’m just looking for some directions. ‘cause I’m a bit lost. Been trying to get outta the city for days and the muties cut off my usual route out of the city.” Rusty explained with partial truth. “Can’t exactly read though, so I was just wondering if this station was anywhere close to the way to Rivet City?” McQueen chuckled, running his fingers over his mustache. The other men exchanged glances, signifying something impossible for Rusty to know for sure. They moved slowly, stepping apart. A cold stare came from Harold. He spat on the concrete, leaving a yellow substance behind. The guy holding the shotgun took a few steps towards the concrete barrier.
"Awful resourceful of ya, to be in tha condition yer in. Why don't ya jus come on over here, boy. You ain't a threat to us, Ah'll show ya tha way tah Rivet City. Could use a lad with some guff and a gun." McQueen said, taking a single step towards Rusty. A look flashed across his eyes. The young man would be unfamiliar with this look. Shea would have know the look right away. Many times, she had been the one who wore it.
The haggard mercenary continued, his unkept mustache swaying in the dusty breeze. "Why dont ya jus' come on-"
A few yards from McQueen, Harold's face, or the most of it, disintegrated into gore as his body fell limpy to the dusty concrete. Moments after his death, the echo of the rifle crackled across the river of rotting cars. As the muscled man with the shotgun raised it hesitantly in Rusty's direction he suddenly stopped, wheezed, and fell backwards. Concrete chips blew outward from the wall. Blood oozed from his chest. The soundwave from the second shot followed quickly down the road.
"Sniper!" McQueen rasped, more out of realization than warning. The guy with the goggles crouched and spun north, searching for Shea's position through his busted scope. McQueen turned to and raised the plasma pistol to the young man on the other side of the barrier. "Shoot tha fuckin' sniper, Danny!" McQueen hissed as he focused on the Rusty. The look had returned to his face.
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Post by Zelus on Jul 28, 2015 11:18:27 GMT -5
As the guy armed with a shotgun stepped towards him, Rusty glanced over the group. The look they’d given each other beforehand had put Rusty immediately on edge. It didn’t seem like a friendly move; in fact it sounded the opposite. It wasn’t entirely aggressive either, it was… something else. Rusty wasn’t able to place it, though his hand did itch a bit. There was a feeling in his gut that made him feel just unsafe.
“Uh yeah… you kinda have to be resourceful in this kind of world.” Rusty responded looking between them. “But I think I’m all good travelling by myself… Thanks for the offer though.” Then the guy took a step towards him and Rusty instinctively took a step back. He glanced to the cover, knowing something was about to go badly wrong for all parties… At least that’s what he thought. He was getting ready to throw himself behind cover. There was a sense of fear growing within him. Fighting mutants was one thing; he could tell what they were going to do once they saw him. These… these guys were like nothing he’d ever come across. They were like a looming shadow bringing darkness over him.
“A-again, I think I’m g-“ Rusty tried to interject, before suddenly Harold went down. Rusty’s eye widened in panic. Why had Shea shot without him giving the signal?! Rusty stood staring at McQueen, gulping just slightly. Rusty then heard the shot, barely seconds after, and that was confirmation. His sight might not’ve been perfect, but his hearing definitely was. Knowing where Shea was according to his position, it couldn’t have come from anywhere else.
Then the second of the guys suddenly went down, the shotgun guy to be exact. Rusty couldn’t help but feel a little safer with that guy down. Still now he was staring at the remains of the group. Rusty’s realising the attention was off him for a moment, slow and steadily reached around his back with his left hand, and slipped it into the semi-open satchel. Carefully he found what he wanted, one of the grenades he had acquired in the day before. Casually he reached back to his assault rifle and stuck the ring on the pin onto his right thumb. He waited for a moment to see the look on McQueen’s face. There it was the look he had on his face before. Rusty knew what it was now. It was the look of a predator, which meant this guy was a monster and as such Rusty knew just what to do. Carefully he edged the pin out of it’s slot, arming the grenade. Rusty’s heart seemed to slam against his ribs as he counted to two. With one quick flick of the wrist, Rusty flung the grenade at McQueen directly. Not waiting any longer than a second, Rusty threw himself to the ground, and in shelter behind the concrete divider.
Once on the floor, Rusty readied his rifle in preparation for dealing with the last remaining member of McQueen’s group, which was provided the grenade went off as expected. Hell, the guy might’ve even gotten caught in the blast. Only time would tell.
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Post by <> MetaWulf <> on Jul 28, 2015 19:09:59 GMT -5
Ruined Metro Entrance, D.C.
An explosion rocked the nearby cars and sent dust in all directions. McQueen was torn apart by the blast, his right arm sailing through the air and landing somewhere on the other side of the concrete barrier. The area in which he had stood moments ago became a large stain of crimson. Shingles fell from the large overhang. The energy cells detonated as well, adding a crackling hiss to the boom. One of the ancient pillars supporting the sun-bleached roof split, a crack snaking it's way to the top of the structure. Smoke and dust formed a fog around the metro entrance as chunks of concrete and rust rained lightly from the sky. Disturbed by the vibrations, a nearby house's dilapidated roof began to cave in slowly.
"Boss!?" Danny hollered, rising painfully to his feet. The blast had knocked him to the dirty concrete, and the man left a trail of blood droplets behind while he searched through the dust. "Boss!?" he called again, limping through the dust. The damaged pillar released a groan, but continued supporting the roof. "McQueen, where the f-"
Danny stood before the lower half of his former employer, his own blood dripping into a larger pool below him. Coughing in the dust, he hobbled over the legs and found Harold's AR-91.
"What the fuck..." he said to himself quietly. As another breeze kicked up, some of the dust was carried further into the city. "Come out, kid!" he suddenly cried, sending a barrage of rounds into the concrete barrier and a rotting semi-trailer. The rifle's repeated cracking echoed loudly down the Wide Road. Divets formed in the concrete barrier as dust shot outward, exposing the ancient re bar skeleton within.
As the weapon ceased firing, the man grungy man adjusted his goggles. Blood had soaked through his left pant-leg, so when Danny began to limps towards the barrier he left a trail of smeared blood down the broken landing.
"Come out now and I'll make it quick..."
Bell Plaza Ruins, D.C. The roof of the bus was vacant, and the gear inside the door had vanished. Dust blew through the old transit vehicle with a hollow sound as one a shadow passed by the windows. The sounds of battle were echoing across the ruins now, calling unknown opportunists and alerting a few ghouls crouched inside the break room of the parking garage. Eventually heavy foot-steps circled the thing, then stopped near the front wheels and in the direction of the metro station. |
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Post by Zelus on Jul 29, 2015 4:39:19 GMT -5
Ruined Metro Entrance, D.C. Rusty flinched rather visibly as the grenade went off, feeling the vibration of the explosion as it hit the divider. As soon as he realised it was over and there was the sound of something landing near him, Rusty looked up and over at it. There on the concrete before him sat McQueen’s arm. With wide eyes, Rusty scrambled back, gasping a bit as dust began to settle around him. Spluttering Rusty sat up in the cloud , turning quickly as he heard something heavy fall nearby. What the hell had he done? Rusty coughed a bit, putting his arm over his mouth to shield his lungs a bit. More noise could be heard as stuff from the roof fell down around him, making him wince a bit. He’d caused an awful lot of noise in all of five seconds. He’d also caused a lot of damage, though Rusty was really unaware of just how much he’d done. After gathering himself, Rusty picked up his assault rifle and checked it over. Somehow he’d dropped it in the fight, but it seemed to be fine. The Chinese Assault Rifle was durable if nothing else. He coughed a bit more, hoping for the dust to settle, but given the areas unique shelter, that wasn’t likely to happen unless the wind changed direction. Still it gave him some cover from the asshole that was now talking. Rusty cursed slightly under his breath. So that guy had survived? That was just what he needed. Using his jacket, Rusty took a deep breath, and shifted a bit onto all fours and crawled a bit away from his known position, hoping he wouldn’t be heard. He stopped for a moment as he heard the pillar groan slightly. Sooner or later that was going to collapse, even Rusty knew that. Rusty didn’t exactly want to be around when that happened. Shea hadn’t shot the guy, meaning Rusty had blocked her shot. Realising his mistake, he grumbled internally, before coming to a brief halt at the edge of the divider. Now the guy was looking for him, shooting up the divider where Rusty had been. He was incredibly glad he’d moved as the bullets repeatedly hit the divider. Making sure not to be seen, Rusty went prone and crawled in the dirt. Soon the guy threatened him, and Rusty gave a slight sad sigh. He’d caused this… or he guessed Shea kinda did but these guys. It almost felt like they wanted all of his stuff and him anyway. What they wanted with him, he didn’t exactly know. What he did know was that he wasn’t going to give himself up. Instead, he turned towards the sound of the guy’s voice and very carefully crawled to the side. Minimising the exposure to the guy’s rifle, Rusty lined up his shot. Without saying a word, Rusty rested the gun on the concrete, aimed up. It was now or never, he nodded, and then fired a short burst up at the guy’s torso. Always fire at the biggest target, his mother had said, don’t try to be a hero and go for headshots. So that’s what he did. Of course the overly loud assault rifle echoed down the streets alerting a running Shea to his status. |
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Post by <> MetaWulf <> on Aug 1, 2015 14:20:55 GMT -5
"The Wide Road", D.C. Ruins
Shea's boots hammered across the dirty pavement as her gear, rifle, and the briefcase bounced along. Dodging and juking around rotting vehicles with a dexterity only gained through experience, the woman pushed herself towards the metro station. I only got two of 'em. Sloppy. Shouldn't have let the kid go on ahead like that. Wasn't ready to negotiate with mercs.
Assault rifle fire echoed across the ruins again, this time from Rusty's rifle. He's not dead yet. Hopefully he dropped 'em. The thought was relieving, but Rusty's life was still no doubt in danger. And then there was the firefight itself, which the mercenary knew would attract unwanted attention. Sweat rand down her back and rushed from her pores, soaking her clothes as the woman pushed on in the midday sun.
Rushing past a wrecked parking garage, hisses and a howl followed the mercenary's passing. Zombies. The term had stuck since childhood.
Despite the burning in her legs and the bouncing weight of her gear and the prize, she ran even faster. Rounding a bus, the young woman narrowly missed being slashed open by a twisted bumper. Her breath came in labored huffs. The dusty entrance to the metro station grew larger as Shea approached it, vaulting up the hood of a Corvega pulling the DKS rifle from under her shoulder. Wiping the sweat from her eye, she leveled the weapon again and looked through the scope. Nothing.
Dropping from the trunk of the vehicle, she continued her way to the metro. Could be a few more of them lurkin around. The though kept her alert as she ran.
Ruined Metro Enterance, D.C.
The burst from Rusty's assault rifle found the man's torso, sending him spinning backwards and down to the steps. His weapon smashed the concrete and fired a single round into the roof. Danny groaned loudly and arched his back, writhing down the steps. Crimson began leaking down the cracks in the concrete. Removing his goggles with his left arm, the dirty man tossed the away angrily. He howled in pain.
He gurgled as his left hand administered a feudal attempt at slowing his own bleeding. Blood leaked and frothed from his chest, making breathing and speaking obviously near impossible. The rounds had been enough to pass through his rib-cage, pierce his lung, and exited. He was as good as dead out in the ruins of D.C with no doctors within a day's travel.
Around the dying man spanned a scene of violence and death. Corpses, gore, and blood mixed with dirt and debris stretched across the entrance. The pillar released another grumble, sending dust and more shingles raining onto the steps below. Danny groaned and coughed, flailing for his lost weapon. Even if he was able to grab the rifle, the man would not be able to shoot it in his present state.
Shea jogged across the parking lot and towards the metro stations grand entrance. The winds blew across the dirty streets, but were not enough to clear the area of the smoke and dusty created by the scuffle. She could make out Rusty now standing near the concrete barriers, looking in the direction of the gruesome scene. As she approached, the mercenary shouldered the DKS loosely. Her breath was further labored.
"Kid... you shot? You hurt? Couldn't see through tha dust." She hissed as she closed the distance between herself and the barriers. Shea surveyed Rusty and the entrance behind him, noting the support pillar that had been badly damaged by the grenade. The roof could collapse at any moment, or so Shea supposed.
"The Wide Road", D.C. Ruins
Maybe there were more humans? It sounded like it. Heavy footsteps made their way down the road, moving around the ruined cars much less swiftly than the lean woman had. The human had gained a deal of ground ahead of them, but she would be caught regardless. Humans always got tired. Such fragile, weak things they were.
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Post by Zelus on Aug 1, 2015 15:19:24 GMT -5
Ruined Metro Entrance, D.C. Rusty lay limp in the street for what seemed a good while. He watched as the man he shot fell back down the staircase. Rusty, breathed a bit deeply, still panicked and full of adrenalin. Suddenly the gun let off around, and Rusty flinched a bit. Somehow he thought he’d missed someone and they’d gotten the drop on him. He kept his eye closed for a moment, before realising he was still alive and then looked around. Wherever the shot had gone, Rusty wasn’t aware of it. Rusty breathed a sigh of relief resting his head on his arm for a second, before slowly getting up to his feet. By now the dust had settled around him mostly. Looking down he was covered mostly with dirt having lain down and crawled through it. He needed a change of clothes and to get clean… though that was very unlikely to happen any time soon. Instead he decided to brush most of it off with his hand, patting himself down as he went. It was then he heard gurgling from the staircase and he grimaced a bit. That guy was still alive?! Rusty, looked around a bit cautiously, before talking a tentative step in his direction. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was going to do, but he knew he had to look. After another step, Rusty found he couldn’t go no further. Instead, Rusty stepped back and leaned against the concrete barricade and rubbed his brow, smearing it with dirt. Maybe he should end it? Show some mercy... would they have done the same for him? Would they have even wasted a bullet? Probably not... he didn't want to make more noise either, plus he was running out of bullets. Eventually he decided not to waste the bullet, he felt bad for even considering it, but he had little choice. Rusty grimaced and ducked a bit as more shingles rained. It wouldn’t be long before the entire thing came crashing down. He wouldn’t be surprise if it didn’t block the entrance to the metro. If nothing else something would fall down, given how it grumbled and shuddered, it clearly had some weight above it. Rusty then noticed for the first time what he and Shea had actually done. With wide eyes he almost fell back over the barricade. Shea had gunned down two of them, but he had practically exploded a man. It almost looked like an actual skirmish had rolled through an area. Who knew what someone might think, had they came through once he and Shea had gone…? Speak of the devil, as they say, Rusty thought turning to look at her as he heard her approach. “I’m fine… Completely fine.” He said, getting up from the barrier and walking over to her. “I took the guys out before they laid a finger on me.” He then reached down and grabbed up the briefcase from her. “Let me grab that, we agreed that I’d take it from here… But uh… we should probably get out of here. I don’t like the sound of that pillar and uh… I made all that noise and…” Rusty trailed off, embarrassed. For a moment he looked at her, and then turned a bit. “Let’s… just get out of here okay, I don’t wanna look at all this anymore.” It was clear on Rusty’s face that he felt a little ill, but he was sucking it up, trying to bury it. He hated that he had to do it, but they left him with little choice... or Shea did, he wasn’t entirely sure. It happened so quickly and he had to defend himself. He honestly didn’t want to think about it, just wanted to put it behind him and work on a way forward... at least until he was able to comprehend what they had done. |
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Post by <> MetaWulf <> on Aug 2, 2015 13:01:36 GMT -5
Ruined Metro Entrance, D.C. “I’m fine… Completely fine.” He said, getting up from the barrier and walking over to her. “I took the guys out before they laid a finger on me.”
"Good." she replied while surveying the area and catching her breath. The young man had disposed of the two mercenaries fairly quickly, albeit with little in the form of damage control. In didn't bother Shea much, as a part of the woman enjoyed excessive damage. For now she would let the subject go, content with the fact that his virgin hands were now tainted with the blood of other men. Don't worry, it grows on you. She thought absently.
“Let me grab that, we agreed that I’d take it from here… But uh… we should probably get out of here. I don’t like the sound of that pillar and uh… I made all that noise and…” Rusty trailed off, embarrassed. For a moment he looked at her, and then turned a bit. “Let’s… just get out of here okay, I don’t wanna look at all this anymore.”
"Yeah." the mercenary replied, catching a glimpse of Rusty's pale face. "Let me just..." Shea trailed off as she crouched and searched the body of Meat-Head. Pocketing a pack of cigarettes and some ammunition, the woman scaveneged what she could from the other corpses. Rising again and adjusting her grip, the vagabond slung the rifle over her shoulder. Pulling the revolver from her under-arm holster, the woman check the drum before spinning it theatrically. The dust kicked up in the wind once again, sending her blond hair scattering and her eye squinting to Rusty.
"Okay, les' move. If they had any buddies, they'll be here any minute." she said above the dull wind, walking briskly towards the staircase. The rifle bounced off her pack as the woman took the stairs in two's. Her entire body was now covered in dust, the grey-brown soot sticking to her sweat soaked limbs. As they found the landing and passed the broken pillar, Shea glanced back at Rusty.
"You take tha lead down there, I'll watch our backs and our sides. I'll tell ya where to go, you-" The mercenary stopped mid-speech, her eyes focusing on something behind Rusty. "Run." she said, turning and moving swiftly down the staircase. Their footsteps echoed down the concrete stairwell to the subway as a shrill wine began to hum from the parking lot.
The minigun began spewing 5mm round across the enterance to the metro, sending blasts of dust and shrapnel in all directions. Ricochets bounced and spun in all directions. Some rounds bounced down the stairwell, one of which narrowly missed Shea and buried it'self in front of the doors. More dust followed the pair down the staircase, along with a few bouncing chunks of dry cement.
Shea-Victoria shouldered through the door, wreaking it open as she rolled across the floor and found her feat. Her balance lost, the woman stumbled and nearly fell again. As Rusty made his way through the broken door, as snap echoed over the gunfire. The inner stairwell rumbled violently as the support collum above the exterior entrance gave way. The immense weight of the concrete and steel roof leaned forward slowly, crushing the broken pillar beneath it. Ancient rebar was pulled free from the structure's central joints as random chunks of the concrete and pillar shot across the parking lot. With one final groan, it fell. The grand structure at the end of the Wide Road collapsed completely, sealing the metro closed with a violent cloud of rising dust.
Unknown Metro Station, D.C. Ruins
As Shea stood on the bottom of the staircase, the woman looked up to Rusty and the cave-in. The mercenary was covered in dirt and dust, as well as a little blood. Still, she was smiling. Shea began to chuckled as she watched Rusty make his way down the stairs and to the metro stations ancient plaza beneath the earth. Lines of seat and debris covered the broken tiles of the floor. Dust had been disturbed by the rust of air, revealing a few gleaming chrome strips along the stations walls.
"Hah. That was nuts!" The mercenary said, giving his shoulder a slap with her free hand. "Couldn't have planned it better myself." she added, nodding towards the plaza. "Come on, Rusty. We're making good time."
The woman seemed oddly pleased with the turn of events as she directed him to their tunnel. Unconcerned with her minor injures from the entrance, Shea quieted down and regained her composure. The tunnels would be as dangerous as upper D.C., but they were a test for the mind and the reflexes. Eyeing Rusty to judge his own composure, she nodded for him to assume the lead with a motion from her revolver and a smirk.
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Post by Zelus on Aug 2, 2015 14:43:21 GMT -5
Ruined Metro Entrance, D.C.
Rusty gave her a bit of a nod in the response to her saying it was good he was unharmed. He was thankful to have not been touched. If nothing else he had that. Having given her a glance over, it was clear she was as dirty as him now, maybe even more so to an extent. He was glad that they probably weren’t going anywhere clean any time soon. As he did look into her eye a bit, he caught sight of something he didn’t really expect. Was she pleased with what he had done? Was it pride? Or was she just glad he was alive? Rusty scratched at the back of his head. Fumbling with the briefcase, Rusty stood patiently as she went off towards one of the bodies. “Wha-uh yeah sure.” Though he didn’t sound like it, he was a little annoyed with her, as he immediately wanted to leave. Instead she robbed from the corpse keeping him in the scene. He breathed a small quiet sigh, which immediately turned to a cough as he caught the taste of dust in the air. He covered his mouth with his sleeve, before looking over at her once she stood up again. With a nod, Rusty followed after her towards the staircase. The briefcase sat in his left hand, whilst his assault rifle sat on his right, held on by the strap around his neck. He held it firmly on his hip with his right hand, making sure that it didn’t bounce too heavily against his hip bone. “Let’s hope those guys don’t have any… They were frightening enough as it was.” As they got close to the broken pillar, Rusty’s eyes swished from Shea to it, looking up at the crack. He gave a short surprised sound as if to ask ‘did I really do that?’ He then looked up a then turned back to the metro entrance. As he received his new ‘orders’ from Shea, Rusty nodded to her. She was keeping him in front to cover his behind again. It worked last time so why would now be any different? Of course she’d be directing him all the way. She was half way done talking when she stared past Rusty or through him. Rusty’s eyes widened as he saw the look on her face. “Huuuh?” he whispered going to turn around. She then told him to run, and that’s just what he did. He gave her a moment of absolute unquestioning trust and just headed down the stairs. As he got to the foot of them, his foot slipped on the puddle of blood from one of the assholes from earlier, causing him to momentarily lose his balance. He quickly grabbed the handrail to steady himself, releasing the rifle for a moment, letting it swing freely. It bashed against the wall, and then whacked him in the hip, which he let out a slight ‘oomfth’ at. He continued regardless, heading into the metro. Rusty soon found himself ducking as bullets rained down in the air above them, smashing into concrete and causing some flakes of it to shoot off in all directions. He knew that sound all too well. A minigun, favoured by the Super Mutants, they had the strength to car such a heavy machine around and use it like the average joe would a hunting rifle. “Shit, shit, shit,” was basically all the guy could muster as he got to the base of the stairs. How had they missed some minigun toting maniac? Then again, Rusty was too busy trying to distract himself from the scene, whilst Shea was busy catching her breath. Just another mistake he made probably. Leaving a bloody footprint, Rusty came shooting through the doors immediately after her. His breathing panicked, but he was okay. He found himself soon propped up against an ancient nukacola machine. All of a sudden, there was a rather loud shout from outside of the door. Rusty turned quickly, a look of shock on his face. Then there was a rumble and everything seemed to fall down in the street above. “Holy Brahmindung-that just-” Rusty trailed off as a cloud of dust shot into the metro. Unknown Metro Station, D.C. Ruins Now that they were inside, Rusty pushed himself up from the decrepit machine and then followed Shea down the steps. He patted himself off as he went down, shooting a look at the door. No one was going to follow them now. It’d take them a while to figure out a new way of getting to them. Hell, if Shea was right, whoever it was that was after them now had to make their way the long way around. That meant dealing with a camp of mutants. They were in the clear… at least with that party. Now they just had to deal with the ghouls of the metro. As Rusty caught her smile, he shook his head a bit, giving her a short laugh in response. “Yeah… Yeah it was.” He grinned as she slapped his back, moving two steps forward quickly in surprise. He shook his head a bit. “Sometimes the best things aren’t planned…” he muttered, thankful for the barricade his ‘handiwork’ had provided. “Phew, alright.” He nodded, panting a bit as he calmed down. He quietly began moving off towards the plaza, making sure to remember her previous instructions. He was taking the front, though he made sure to keep her in his peripheral vision, as he noticed she was looking directly at him. He seemed almost at ease now as he walked through; the collapsing roof had provided a much needed distraction. He looked alert though, as if every sound and movement was going to be noticed. Whilst they walked through the plaza, Rusty made sure to take the space in. He didn’t really know what to expect. A cramped tunnel perhaps? More of a cave in? Instead the majority of the plaza seemed intact, if a little worn and dusty. In fact, to Rusty he thought it would’ve made for an awesome shelter. If it wasn’t for the hundreds-if not thousands of ghouls that lived in the metro, Rusty could’ve seen whole communities making places like this into a thriving home. It probably never got wet down there; it was high enough to light a fire without the whole place becoming smoky. All in all, it seemed like a grand, spacious shelter. Maybe it wouldn’t be so creepy afterall? The question rattled in his head, before he realised, he had questions for Shea. “Hey uh…” Rusty trailed off. “What did you see back there? I didn’t get a chance to even steal a glance… though I’d guess mutants right…?” he asked closing the gap between them so they wouldn’t have to be so loud. |
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Post by <> MetaWulf <> on Aug 2, 2015 18:30:48 GMT -5
Metro Tunnels, D.C. Ruins
The vagabond was quick to search the Nuka-Cola machine before they left, cursing to find it empty. "Sonuvabitch."
“Hey uh…” Rusty trailed off. “What did you see back there? I didn’t get a chance to even steal a glance… though I’d guess mutants right…?” he asked closing the gap between them so they wouldn’t have to be so loud.
"Yeah, muties. I caught a glimpse of the one in front, coming across the parking lot. " she said quietly and distantly.
Shea walked quietly down the tracks, careful not to trip over the rails and debris.
"Tha damn things are usually loaded with armor-piercing rounds. Unless you got a suit of Power Armor in your bag, we wouldn't have stood a chance. You saw what it did up there." The woman continued as they walked, referring to the minigun. "Best to wait 'till tha ammo is empty, then shoot while tha fucker is fumbling to reload a new box."
As they passed the corpses of two dead ghouls, Shea kept the hunting shotgun trained on them. Shot within the last month. They continued on, with Shea eventually giving the young man a general break-down on each weapon they had gathered. She explained their strengths and their weaknesses, which situations they shined in and which they would fail in. As their pace became more relaxed and the conversation constant, the mercenary realized she was giving Rusty a verbal lesson in small arms. The thought amused her, but worried a part of her as well. The fact that he had shown no mercy to the dying man caused the woman to smile.
"Just a couple more hours before we see tha river. We're still makin' good time." They walked quietly for a while, with Shea-Victoria finding herself staring the conversations. It was unlike her, but it seemed to help Rusty relax.
"A gun-hand has to decide what weapons feel right, Rusty. If I were you, though, I'd be using tha riot gun." Shea said, pausing and nodding towards the drum-magazine weapon hanging from his gear. "Holds a lot of ammo, shoots twelve gauge rounds. Probably full of a buncha-buckshot right now, the stuff has a wide spread so yah don't need to worry about aim much. That, and when you let 'em git close it's a one-shot-kill. Torso or head. Messy, but great in these tunnels. Up to you." she concluded before continuing down the tracks with Rusty and explaining how the riot shotgun was meant to be operated.
The mercenary herself had decided to use the hunting shotgun taken from the Meat-Head. It didn't hold as many rounds as Rusty's riot shotgun, but it was more accurate, had less recoil, and was just as deadly. As they traveled through the gloom and the flickering lights of the tunnels, Shea-Victoria nodded to Rusty's left. Leaving the fork in the tracks, they walked deeper underground. An hour passed without incident.
Running her dirty fingers across a poster, Shea gave it a brief glance. Tenpenny Tower was displayed in the rusty poster-casing. Fuck Tenpenny.
The blond woman continued following Rusty closely through the tunnels. Her legs were aching again from the weight of her gear and the length of their journey until now. Luckily, they had seen nothing in the form of real danger thus far. They passed a radroach munching quietly on a ghoul's corpse, and Shea quickly stomped it to hell. Giving Rusty a sheepish grin as she wiped her boot across the concrete, they moved on again.
"That's a maintenance room. Might be some useful stuff in there." the vagabond said quietly to Rusty. Despite the cool, stale air in the subway, sweat still ran down her dirty forehead. Stopping outside the door, Shea removed her gear and sat it down against the damp concrete wall. Trying the handle, it would not open. "Locked." She concluded, stepping back and holding the shotgun from her hip lazily. The barrel pointed in the general direction of they tunnel behind them.
"Why don't you try yer stuff, Ace?" the woman said, smirking at Rusty.
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