Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

1. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

   #41

   A cold rain drove the trio and their captive into shelter. Inside, D'Shannon started a fire in a long abandoned fireplace after blacking out the windows with battered drapes and the ruins of clothing found rotting in drawers. The raider groaned, and after several hours actually regained consciousness. By this point, the interior of the home, leaks included, was fairly warm. D'Shannon unwrapped the scarf from around her neck, and took off her thick wool hat, and goggles. Her skin was the color of cocoa, or at least those who who had seen cocoa would think that. Under the hat, her hair was thick and frizzy.
   
   "D'Shannon?" the raider mumbled in surprise, looking at her.
   
   "Shut up Bobby, unless you have something nice or useful to say," She said.

2. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

   #42

   Eric's eyes flashed in the firelight and narrowed almost imperceptibly.  "You know this man?,"  he asked D'Shannon pointedly.

3. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

   #43

   "Yeah, I do. I also knew the two guys with him, the two I shot." D'Shannon said just as pointedly back at him. "I used to run with the raiders, did some horrible shit with them, and then I got out. I've been either on the run or hiding from these assholes." She pushed up the sleeve of her battered shirt, her arm was covered with crude tattoos, the sort that marked her as a raider.
   
   "I didn't mind taking what I needed to get by, its tough out here. But they really got going on that Raider badass mentality, kill for no reason other than terror, steal everything and burn the rest. You know, the sort of stuff that gets the Arco-soldiers sent out with their laser rifles to toast a few asses. I don't get off on killing, and when they saw I didn't want to torture prisoners, or play cheerleader for their rape parties, well that just made me one of the victims in their eyes. I killed a few, stole a bike and rode like hell. Bike broke down, and I walked. Seems word gets out fast when a Raider Princess goes rogue and steals the boss's prize pistol and gacks a few of his favorite goons."
   
   "So here I am two months later, so how's it going to be Freeman?" she asked.

4. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

   #44

   Idly stroking the bowstaff that lay across his legs, Eric regarded her for a long moment with thinly-veiled contempt.  So the nigger was violent and had a history in crime -- big surprise.  If he weren't so utterly alone, he might have attempted to kill her now before she had the chance to betray him or hurt other innocent people. 
   
   Glancing over at Eva, Eric gave an internal shake of his head.  He had no idea what history she had with D'Shannon, but wasn't willing to bet that she'd take his side if it came to blows.  Half-breeds were unpredictable, and there was something. . . off . . . about her.  Not for the first time, Eric wished fervently that one of his brothers had come with him so that he wouldn't be forced to lower himself to this level in order to carry out his self-appointed duty.
   
   Rearranging his features into what he hoped was nonchalance, Eric nodded slowly at D'Shannon.  "People can change, I suppose, and you've already proven that you're not above killing your former . . . associates.  If you will help me gather information on them and can restrict your violent tendencies to dispatching more of them, we'll be able to work together."

5. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

   #45

   As a brook swollen with recent rain, a stream of emotion bubbled up between Eric and D'Shannon, and Eva was more than glad to observe the subtle interaction, how their gazes met, the pause and guarded tone of the settler, and the cautious expecting approach of the ex-raider. 'As if he was scouting a scene of crime, where the villain may still linger, dagger poised to strike - and her, with the trepidation and cautious optimism of a timid maiden, though rough and jaded she may be.'
   
   Luckily, Westerners usually expected guarded expressions from Asians, otherwise her absent-minded  smile may have come across as vacant, juvenile, all sorts of wrong.
   
   "I dare say, you will get along nicely. And, while I am so daring and brazen: why not just track the bandits, and alert  the Arcology to the location of their lair? Gunships blazing, they will swoop in; that might be better, albeit less satysfying than playing Robin Hood and picking them off one by one."

6. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

   #46

   Eric turned to regard Eva doubtfully.  "I'm willing to give it a try.  As long as the scum are taken care of I don't care how it's done.  But from what she said earlier -- " Eric nodded in D'Shannon's direction "--  the Arcology may not be up to it."

7. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

   #47

   "Well then - if the Arco-boys and the occasional Arco-girl are not up to it, we will have to" she switched to a slightly more juvenile pattern of speech. "As I said, I owe you one - so if you want my aid in your vengeance, I am game."

8. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

   #48

   "There are some new settlements around Port Huron, the Arco is backing it." D'Shannon said. "That might be why they are too busy to worry about a bunch of trash and raiders killing each other. I was thinking of heading out that way. There is work, and it's far enough away from Old Detroit the chain gangs and city-raiders aren't an issue. If you want vengeance, head for Old Detroit, or New Detroit. I'm done with murder." she said

9. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

   #49

   "Neither am I thrilled by the prospect - and, truth be said, I would be more useful helping you at home than hunting criminals in the wilderness. Still, it's your call, mister Eric."
   
   She stood there, expectantly, perchance a little too stiffly, eyes fixed on him.

10. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #50

    "In the case of these vermin, it's not murder.  It's justice."  Eric eyed the two women contemplatively.  "And I'm not going anywhere until I have some more answers from our friend Bobby."
    
    Striding over to where the beleaguered raider lay trussed up on the floor like a pig ready for slaughter, Eric crouched down to examine the prisoner.  Looking into the man's face, Eric's anger flared up again hotly, and he had to take a few moments to remind himself that breaking the man's jaw would help no one.
    
    "You awake yet, Bobby?  I've got some questions about your buddies 'Hal' and 'Kevin' that you'd better answer."

11. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #51

    (OOC: Think our prisoner might have fallen asleep?)

12. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #52

    Bobby did finally wake up, and if times were different he would have struggled. He would have killed the man, taken his time killing D'Shannon, but not before doing all those things to her that he had wanted to do. The last one, the little cute one, well if she was lucky he might let her live. A medic was a valuable person to have. Most raiders could expect a bullet to put them out of their misery if they had a bad enough injury.
    
    He glared at the Euro-trash wanna be. "What?'

13. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #53

    Eric had not been looking forward to the interrogation, and found it just as distasteful as he'd feared.  Though he had killed countless animals and even several men in his lifetime, he had always made it as quick and painless as possible.  Torture was utterly foreign to him.
    
    Looking into the raider's eyes, however, he knew he'd have to at least try bluffing his way through this to get what he needed.  Working to look as intimidating as possible, Eric drew one of his hunting knives from it's place at his belt and flicked it open.  Twirling it slowly between his fingers, he continued: "The last time we talked, you told me about a couple buddies who helped you mess up my hold.  'Hal' and 'Kevin' I believe.  I'm very interested in finding those two, and you're going to help me."
    
    "If you don't want your situation to become considerably worse, tell me: where do you think they've gone, and how many men were with them?"

14. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #54

    "You think my situation could get considerably worse?" Bobby asked, "What are you going to do? Read me some of your European Supremacist schtick? That's the worst thing you wanna-be's can do. Put away the knife before you hurt yourself."
    
    "I won't tell you where Hal and Kevin's bands are, you should get D'Shannon to take you to where they are." Bobby laughs. He turns and looks at Eva, dipping his head, "Thank you for the patching up."

15. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #55

    "Where I built, I think Eric will tear down. So, please tell him, do not waste my work" Eva replied to the raider's amused gratitude.
    "This is idiotic anyway - stealing, I understand, but where is the point in burning and killing? If you had not been an idiot, Bobby, you'd not have gotten your buddies killed, yourself shot, and an angry man waving a knife at your face. So. Get both your points of IQ together and answer him, if you want a slim chance at any future, best one where you're no longer an idiot."
    
    Angry, Eva stood up, and walked off, mad at herself for the breach of protocol. She reflected on her emotional state, but it had grown so complicated with the years that she no longer could fully and with complete fidelity assess its every aspect.

16. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #56

    Inwardly, Eric wanted to stand up and applaud.  The girl had spunk, that's for sure, and hearing Eva read him the riot act was almost therapeutic.  He hoped that she wouldn't be too upset when he ended up killing Bobby, but it was becoming increasingly complicated to let him live.
    
    What choice did he have, though?  Working with D'Shannon was a possibility that he didn't really want to consider; he could never be sure that she was telling the truth for one, or that she wouldn't step in to save her old comrades.  And yet . . . which was worse?  Torture that could last for days and allow the trail to grow increasingly cold, or working with a darkie?
    
    With reluctance, Eric turned to look at D'Shannon.  "If I kill him, will you be able to tell me what I need to know?"

17. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #57

    "She'll lie to you," Bobby said, then he laughed. "She's cold as a snake and I wouldn't trust her. She iced two guys she knew in cold blood. What is a racist jerk-off like you, to her?"

18. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #58

    Eric pulled out his revolver and calmly pressed it to Bobby's temples.  "That may be, but she doesn't have the blood of my family on her hands.  And that is quite enough out of you for now.  If you speak another word without my explicit permission, my finger may just 'slip'."
    
    Turning back to D'Shannon expectantly, Eric raised his eyebrows.  "Well, D'Shannon?"

19. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #59

    "I'll tell you where to find them, but I'm not going with you. If they see me again they will kill me, or do worse," D'Shannon said. "We part ways, I going to Pontiac. The gate in might be closed, but there is a slum city there, and the arco-troopers do keep the peace, Eva, you should come with me and leave Eric to his business of revenge."

20. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #60

    Eva just shrugged: "Going back to the Arcology could be dangerous for me, if some unsavoury individuals are still around."
    
    She was certain were more than one, a group likely, some perchance in positions of power. While time had passed, evil usually lingered.
    Once she had a method of gathering intel from the Arco, she could perchance ... remember who were, and move against them effectively. Vengeance, in fact was a protective mechanism - those who know you are capable of it will be less inclined to move against persons you value; it is easier to wage war if your homeland is secure.
    
    In that way, she understood Eric; likewise could she empathize with his notion of justice - halting the raiders might not bring back the humans she loved, but it might save others.
    
    "Eric may need my help, and I am indebted; that is no light thing, D'Shannon."

21. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #61

    "If that is how you feel," D'Shannon said. She walked over to Bobby's motorcycle, a decrepid and beaten machine and started rummaging through his bag. A few minutes later she produced an equally battered map.
    
    She spread the map out in front of Eric, it was ancient, from before the Resource Wars. "Hal's a traveler, he runs a big motorpool down out of Cement City, here," she tapped the map. It was well south of where they were (Flint ruins). "He has some sort of hydroponic ethanol plant going on. Raider buggies, raider bikes, all that. If you raid at a distance, you've got to be pals with Hal. He sells ethanol by the barrel. $200 Arco-bucks gets you a 20 gallon barrel, but a good looking woman will get you a 55 gallon drum."
    
    "Kevin runs out of Port Huron, runs ethanol boats up and down the lakes and rivers, black market trade and all that. He runs all of Port Huron, and he is more interested in tobacco, drugs, and top line weapons, like arco-laser rifles and that sort of thing."

22. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #62

    Eric gazed into D'Shannon's dark brown eyes for a long moment, but could find no deception there.  Nodding abruptly, he turned to Eva and said, "Sorry for having you waste your time on healing this scum.  Turns out that he wasn't needed after all."  And with that he pulled the trigger on his old S&W, putting two slugs into Bobby's brain before the startled raider could draw breath to protest.  It was just like putting down a rabid dog; there was no pleasure in it, but leaving the raider alive was not an option.
    
    Wiping the blood spatter off his gun with the cloth on Bobby's shirt, he nodded to D'Shannon.  "Thanks for all of your help."

23. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #63

    "Maybe I'll see you around," D'Shannon said. "I've got room for a second rider, if you don't know how to ride a motorcycle," she said to Eva.

24. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #64

    "Oh come off it already.  How many times does the lady have to tell you that she's not interested in hitching a ride with you?"
    
    Eric began to pull items out of his trail bag, doing a quick inventory of their supplies as he waited for Eva's response.  She seemed to be dithering, but he hoped she would come with him after all.

25. Re: Pontiac (Post-Apocalyptic Arco)

    #65

    "I treasure your offer, D'Shannon - but the Arcology uprooted me once, way back..."
    [Time data and connecting links missing. Attempt restore? y/n?]
    [Y, for the bazillion-th time]
    
    "So, Eric, you got me along for better or worse. I neither eat much, nor do I get sick easily, and am generally low maintenance."
    To liven up her dry statement, she tapped a more youthful vein of speech.
    "I do have quite the mouth on me, so watch out!"
    
    "One more thing to do" she realized, tied a chain around a support, and pulled it out; then another. The roof, in bad disrepair, collapsed - covering the entrance to the cellar. "Just in case we come by once more, there's still lots of useful stuff down there."
    
    "So, see you, raider princess. Walk the path of moderation, for it is easy to fall off the fringe."
    

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