[Snowpocalypse] After-Dinner Mint (L 2.1, S 2.1)

Rich

To Silica:

The fish was maybe a bit warm for your tastes? Or do you like cooked food? I'm thinking it would be weird for you, right? One-Footed, Nosepick and Squirrel dig in their food, eating on top of a drop cloth put over their work table. Lots of fun rock music plays the whole time, and Squirrel cooked the food in an electric oven, put some spices on it. Water all around, of course, since it's so abundant.

One-Footed was pretty quiet, sat near you, asked how you were, checking in, that's about it. Squirrel carried the conversation, asked about the travel, how Nose and One-Footed were, if you would be interested in doing some more work with them. How was that?

Once you're done eating, Squirrel gets the pair of kids working on some chores, then they're heading out to do some mining. That's when some folks come knocking. A couple guys, Seatbelt and Beef Carpaccio. Which one tried to get a thing going with you and how did that work out? Also, Lemma the Savvyhead is with them.


To Lemma:

You head out with Seatbelt and meet up with another scruffy thief, Beef Carpaccio, who is, well, "beefy". Beef seems to be the muscle of the group. He's more fat than muscle, but at least he looks warm? You all head to Underlake to meet some guy named Squirrel. Seatbelt tells you they have some great little miners there, and it should be easy peasy to get under Soldier Field.

By the way, this is Seatbelt:


This is Beef Carpaccio:


This music is playing:


There are three kids here with Squirrel:
This is Squirrel:


The kids are Nosepick:


and One-Footed:


Also, Silica is here. She was eating with them, it seems.

What do you do?

scott

Silica

Fish is allright, but yeah I don't like food too hot so I let it sit a couple minutes. Fish is one of the things that's good uncooked if it's quality, and I do like that. Pretty sure that used to be a thing a long time ago. It's too warm in here but I wear the coat most of the time, taking it off to sit and eat though.

Squirrel offers me more work, kind of. "Yeah, sure... I'll do some work but I'm freelance, right? I'm good with that." Feels good to know I did good out on the lake, even with our little fuck ups.

The music is awesome, I mean, if I stay here it might be just for that. It really helps me unwind. Hadden's bullshit got me all pissed, especially that it happened in front of K2 and One Footed. K2 is fucking lucky Hadden was there, I was gonna rip her apart... and now One-footed is'nt really talking to me. I looked like a little cunt letting Hadden talk to me that way... I'm not surprised if she doesn't know what to say. I don't either.

---

And I'm not happy to see those guys show up, especially that asshole Beef. I remember him, years ago before I was on the ice he was at our place getting patched up after a fight and he was checking me out the whole time... I fucking heard him offer my father a fistful of dried fruit for an hour with me. He nearly took it too but they ended up almost fighting over something and the deal never happened. Bastard hassled me for a couple years off and on. Not happy to see him.

Lemma is all right, she's pretty straight up. I hope she'll keep those fuckers in line.

---

But right now is right now, and I gotta say something, "hey... uh... One-Footed? Squirrel asked if we wanna work together again... whaddya think?"

Transcriptase

So, this is the crew, huh? It seems a little ragtag. On the ride over, I sat with my knees and elbows pulled in to avoid too much contact with Beef. But the tunnels on the way in were dug by people who knew what they were doing.

Silica? I'm a little surprised, but I'm glad to see her inside, and happy, and maybe with some work. I worry about that kid, in a helpless kind of way.

I pull up a chair and skip the pleasantries. "So, I hear you've got a project that could use my help. Walk me through the plan?"

Rich

To Silica:

One-Footed nods in response to your question. She says quietly while Lemma addresses Squirrel, "Weze a good team. Even asshole Nose, too." She offers a quirky upturned mouth, barely visible.

To Lemma:

Squirrel chuckles in surprise. "Well, hey, sure, why not? I didn't know if Seatbelt would pull through or not."

Seatbelt cuts in with, "Fucken A right I did. She's my cuz."

To Both:

Squirrel hops up from his office chair with no back and changes tapes on the radio to this:


He walks over to pull some maps out from under a work table covered in fish guts, the kind of work table most folks wouldn't look twice at. "Nose, move all the fish off the table!"

Nose does, and Squirrel comes over to lay down some maps and floorplans with scribbles and circles drawn on them. "So here's the deal, and Silica, you listen up, you're running with my Tunnel Rats here." He looks at everyone to ensure their attention. And because it's all dramatic. "We're gonna steal the gennie from the Soldier Boys."

scott

Silica

Hey MC, real quick. What do I know about the Soldier Boys?

Rich

The Soldier Boys are the men and women who run in and out of Soldier Field. Its more of a gang hangout than a proper hold. It's a big gang.

scott

Silica

'That's fucking insane...' is what I want to say. But One footed is right here and well... he kinda called me out and so I just look at him, nibbling my lip a bit like I do, nod and say, "yeah." Like this isn't that big a deal... right...

I glance over at Lemma and the fuckers she's brought. Ok that makes sense... a fixer and some muscle to haul the thing. I try not to look nervous.

Second day on the job and... this is the deal?

"Ok, so... whaddya need me to do?"

Transcriptase

I let out a long, low whistle. "Well, at least you're not aiming low."

I take in the plans for a few seconds. "Okay, this much is straightforward. I know you can manage a good solid tunnel." I mark off a span with my fingers. "But here's where it gets tricky, near the end." A tap. "I assume you're planning to collapse this bit behind you, to cover your tracks. That's good. But you've got to balance that with being able to stand up to wheeling the gennie through, and being able to dig the last couple hundred feet fast and quiet."

I stop to think for a few seconds. Squirrel probably takes this as a cue that I'm done talking and starts to say something, but I cut right in without regard for where he is. I slash a couple new marks on the map.

"Deflect the main tunnel a few degrees, so we end up here instead of there. We'll do the cave-in there, where we can set it up in advance and contain it. Don't want a repeat of that whole mess just because you got greedy."

Two new slashes.

"Then we come in from this side, angled up sharp so we cover the ground fast. As a bonus, it will look like you came in from a different direction to anyone who doesn't look too hard."

scott

Silica

Lemma steps up. Good, seems like someone knows what they're fucking talking about. hell yes we need to cover our tracks here... our? Fuck no... they need to cover their tracks. I'm just freelance here.

"Lemma leadin' this thing?" I ask, looking at her, though I'm really asking Squirrel.

Rich

Seatbelt is all leaning over the maps with you Lemma, following along, making all kinds of approving noises. When you mention the revised tunnel collapse, even Beef gives a "hell yeah".

When you finish off, the second time, Seatbelt exclaims, "See? I told you! My cuz is a fucking genuis!" Beef nods, and Squirrel nods and agrees, too.

To your question, Silica, Squirrel says, "Lemma's the brains. You care for the Rats, and yourself. You're there to clear the way and scout. If a fight breaks out, run like hell home."

scott

Silica

Ok, I get it. I nod, "dont hafta tell me twice." I stand near enough to hear, but I'm not going to make big decisions here unless I hear something obviously stupid. So far not.

Rich

To Lemma:

Squirrel looks at you, Lemma, then Beef and Seatbelt. "I'm just the guy who sets this up. Too old to be crawlin around. Any equipment you need, Lemma?"

Transcriptase

"Well, let me take a look at whatever you're using to dig with. Might be able to make that go smoother. Then... the collapse would be easier if I had some explosives. A blasting cap and detonator would be best, but I can make it work with, say, a grenade."

Rich

To Lemma:

Squirrel smirks, "Oh yeah, we have splosives. Lost most of them in the mess a bit ago, but I... squirreled some away." He chuckles, "Oh yeah! I went there! Anyhoo, I have some plastic splosives you can use, with detonators, they're yours. And a dolly fer Beef there."

Anything else for you two in this scene?

scott

Don't think so.

Transcriptase

Nope.

Rich

--END SCENE--