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[FURY] Casino Run (August 2.1, Dog 2.1, SeaTac 2.1)
August, Dog, and SeaTac,
At the crack of dawn, or thereabouts, the Arrows woke to head down I-5 to Casino Row. It’s a place SeaTac knows well from his time with The Unit. Over time, some things change of course, while others remain the same wretchedness they always were.
There are bands of raiders that waylay travelers to and from the city, one big one’s called the Tax Patrol. Supposedly if you pay their tax, they let you go on. But the tax is high and fortunately the Arrows have been quick enough to dodge their traps… so far. Each big rain washes out roads and throws banks of mud across others, so the route’s never quite sure. Linger exposed too long in one place and some creature that survives out in the muck and the wet and the red may happen to find you. Or worse.
Since you’re following SeaTac’s lead, he’ll make the move. If you want to help, say how you’re doing it and roll.
When you head south out of SafeCo, roll+Hard. On a hit, choose which troubles are true. On a 7-9, choose two. On a 10+, choose only one and take +1 forward to deal with it.
there are stormclouds on the horizon, bloodrain is coming
finding a path through the wastes to find this place took longer than expected, you burned through 1-barter worth of supplies and your gang has the tag -hungry until you can feed them
while riding south, you ran into a group of raiders - they weren’t able to catch up to the Arrows, but they fired off a couple lucky shots. Choose who took 1-Harm AP, and be advised, they are going to be waiting when you come back
On a miss, they’re all true.
Dog, last time you broke through the Tax Patrol’s trap, who did you run down into the mud on your way past? Why do you hope she didn’t make it?
August, Drumma’s been acting weird all day today, sort of stand-offish, flying high and only coming down when you stop to call him down or offer food. What does that normally mean?
SeaTac, who does Dog you have you riding with? Which member of the Unit has been talking to you on this trip?
Let’s see how this move turns out, then we’ll have you come upon Lucky 38.
All of this for some dice and cards.
At the crack of dawn, or thereabouts, the Arrows woke to head down I-5 to Casino Row. It’s a place SeaTac knows well from his time with The Unit. Over time, some things change of course, while others remain the same wretchedness they always were.
There are bands of raiders that waylay travelers to and from the city, one big one’s called the Tax Patrol. Supposedly if you pay their tax, they let you go on. But the tax is high and fortunately the Arrows have been quick enough to dodge their traps… so far. Each big rain washes out roads and throws banks of mud across others, so the route’s never quite sure. Linger exposed too long in one place and some creature that survives out in the muck and the wet and the red may happen to find you. Or worse.
Since you’re following SeaTac’s lead, he’ll make the move. If you want to help, say how you’re doing it and roll.
When you head south out of SafeCo, roll+Hard. On a hit, choose which troubles are true. On a 7-9, choose two. On a 10+, choose only one and take +1 forward to deal with it.
there are stormclouds on the horizon, bloodrain is coming
finding a path through the wastes to find this place took longer than expected, you burned through 1-barter worth of supplies and your gang has the tag -hungry until you can feed them
while riding south, you ran into a group of raiders - they weren’t able to catch up to the Arrows, but they fired off a couple lucky shots. Choose who took 1-Harm AP, and be advised, they are going to be waiting when you come back
On a miss, they’re all true.
Dog, last time you broke through the Tax Patrol’s trap, who did you run down into the mud on your way past? Why do you hope she didn’t make it?
August, Drumma’s been acting weird all day today, sort of stand-offish, flying high and only coming down when you stop to call him down or offer food. What does that normally mean?
SeaTac, who does Dog you have you riding with? Which member of the Unit has been talking to you on this trip?
Let’s see how this move turns out, then we’ll have you come upon Lucky 38.
All of this for some dice and cards.
Comments
I been riding behind Dog, not a problem. She's better on these things than I will ever be, but her skill lets me keep my skills engaged. I've got the rifle out, not that I can snipe from the back of an H-Bike, but it's my best choice, without takin time for the scope or whatever. Picked off a rain-tainted moose, a MOOSE, I tell you, but ain't seen much else. It's quiet. One-Eye keeps whisperin "too quiet" in my ear, but he's dead, and even Sarge used to say he was paranoid.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 1, 5. Total: 9)
Last time Drumma pulled this was after some of Pike's folks got handsy trying to pull some feathers out of her. She'll usually forgive the world after a few days of being above it all.
My ride is pretty smooth, bike fixed up nice with my own two hands and a whole lot of advice from Tin-Girl.
My spot is behind SeaTac and Dog, beside Rainey and Belka. In the middle where I can't get into trouble (except that never really stops me). Something on the horizon looks a little funny. Dust cloud? Raiders?
I signal to Dog, have her elbow SeaTac in the side.
Help SeaTac
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 5, 4. Total: 10)
Yeah, soak the Tax Patrol, last time we busted one of their traps up they had some girl with the shiny tech, working a machine on the ground that sucked at the H-bikes. Pulled them in towards it and down towards the ground. I put bulletholes in that thing but if it shows up again I'ma be mad, it could make our less seasoned riders drink dirt.
August gives me a message and I look over, prod SeaTac. Flood. Some feral pack of rotters, isn't it? And they're ridin'. I hate it when the mad ones ride.
OOC: That's a full success, so only one of the options comes true.
We're gliding (it's a little surreal to me... the Unit preferred wheels to... whatever this is) south, and One-Eye's whisperin "Too quiet" and I'm twitchy. Need to get that tadpole out of my head, but still he's there. "Too quiet, too quiet, too quiet." The moose comes and goes. Tryin to charge us, but I put a bullet in its brain. So busy lookin for wildlife, though, that the raiders get their shots. I hear a grunt from behind, a musical grunt, and know it was August. Pull out my magnum and take care of the closer combatants. In the end, we make it through, but the pretty lady is hurt. Why'n hell is she here, anyway?
All,
It's a muggy afternoon as you're all heading into Lucky 38. The place is worn, but it isn't decimated, isn't destroyed. A thin layer of dust covers tables and chairs. There are clay poker chips with "38" in worn gold foil on them on tables along with playing cards that are no more than tatters now. There are double-doors deeper into the casino, as well as doors to the men and women's bathroom.
An occasional wind whistles through a half-open window. Cujo is walking in, eyes darting about, her knife in one hand, a magnum in the other. The rest of the Arrows are wary.
Dog, who did you leave outside with the bikes on watch?
what do you do?
When we get to the casino, I have Belka pry the bullet out of my shoulder and do up a quick bandage. It smarts like anything, but so long as I don't move my left arm over my head, it shouldn't slow me down.
I'm more splashed off about my sleek little leather biking jacket than I am about the bullet. I leave it knotted around my handlebars instead of putting it back on.
As soon as Cujo says it's clear, I'm in there checking the place out, seeing what's what. Looking for signs of habitation. Old fires, recent debris. Checking the graffiti on the walls. Seeing what seems thoroughly trashed and what still might be useful.
I watch Belka clean August up. Looks like it sucks but if it's kept clean and dry it should be okay. Wish it'd come to me, people get weird about August getting hurt and like, getting hurt is my job. I think of how it'll put August off of her stories with big motion in 'em. Soak it, I'm in a bad mood.
Soak it. I send Belka out to watch the bikes, along with Zeus who won't like the walking and climbing and shit.
I go in with Cujo, weapons out, sniff the air and look for signs. Drag spots. Food scraps. Pots of water. Weapon shine.
All,
It seems to me like one of you is Reading a Sitch here. Whoever dares, rolls!
Reading the sitch.
(Rolled: 2d6. Rolls: 4, 3. Total: 7)
This is a highlight for me, so I'll be advancing as well and taking the Battlebabe move Perfect Instincts.
What should I be on the lookout for?
All,
The place is dusty and dull, but it doesn't look like it's been raided hard. Good sign if you're looking for scavenge. Good call, SeaTac.
Not raided hard, but there's signs. The bars of the casino cage have been broken out, and you can practically hear the echoes of panicking people in the days of the fall running through the place with armfuls of useless cash. The carpet is torn up near the cage, tables which look once-broken have been repaired and set carefully back in place... what? Repaired? When?
August sees it first, those double doors to the high rollers room are pristine, leather and brass accents still holding polish. Glass panes clean of the rusty red crusty grit that covers every pane of glass to the street.
Someone has been taking care of the place, that room is their lair.
(August, you should watch out for someone watching you from hiding. You can feel it in your gut. Someone claims this place, maintains it. Probably doesn't care for visitors come to raid the casino... yeah. That's you.)
::Act dumb:: I signal small and tight to Dog and Cujo plus any other Arrows that can see, ::But there's someone else here, I can feel it. Maybe the ceiling?::
"Looks empty," I say aloud, voice pitched to carry. I scan the high places, the dark corners, the nooks and crannies, for shiny eyes or a quiver of movement.
::Maybe we can draw them out?:: Not sure how to clue in SeaTac without giving the game away.
I step further into the middle of the room and do a little eye-catching spin, one hand palming the short, sharp length of a throwing knife. The movement tugs at my shoulder wound, but I hide the grimace of pain.
I agree. Looks empty. "So, where do you think the good stuff will be?" I head toward the high roller's room. Shiny equals jingle, yeah?
Let's see..those little open doors with the people on em are only ever rotty and gross, no scavenge and bad to settle in. I guess clean water used to pour into them bowls-in-a-row, like whenever you liked, as much as you needed. They're the most annoying things I ever see on a scavenge or in a hold.
Usually good stuff's in the back where it's boring. Everyone peels on the shiny, but my best hauls come from the brown boxes where the grey walls are.
"Hah, dunno. Prob'ly where everyone who had to suck mud to make the place shiny did all their stuff." I stride over to this glossy box thing with a pull handle on it, half as tall as me. I put a boot on it and push. "What the muck was this thing?" I wanna see it fall and break.
My hands are full and they're staying that way.
All,
Dog foot-shoves a one-armed bandit, which makes a wood-scraping groan before it falls a couple feet to the floor. Glass breaks and coins spill out of it. A mix of shiny silver bits with sideways heads and birds on them, strewn on a threadbare stretch of carpet near a ruined outlet.
Sounder pats her Louisville Slugger and strides in all loud like thunder, "Well, soak me and call me Bonny, I'm going to tear all the nice flash off all the the shinies!" Sounder follows SeaTac to the double-doors.
SeaTac, those double doors are closed, and barred. They can't be locked since it looks like they should just swing in for you. But they don't budge when you push on them. Or when Sounder does, if you were hanging back.
August, you feel eyes on you, the way you feel them when you're on stage. You aren't sure exactly where, but there are lots of dark places above you, vents and slats and hidden recesses behind the tops of columns.
::I think they're in the ceiling:: I signal again more forcefully to Dog, while SeaTac and Sounder try the door, but still discretely. ::You have anything to smoke them out?::
Little nod for August. I toe around the little silver bits. "I need more light in here, who's got them flares?"
::Whatever smokes please::
Rolled Fucking Thieves below for my 5th XP.
Dog,
Why don't you roll fucking thieves to see if they have a flare or somesuch?
Fucking Thieves Roll; (Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 5, 4. Total: 11)
Dog,
Chance steps out from behind Ace, pulling a couple road flares from her little satchel. "Dog, I got some flares. And this." She grins as she reaches in with her left hand to pull out a green canister like this:
August,
You catch movement at the gap above the double doors, like someone is in a perch above it, maybe fifteen feet up. There might be more, but you saw a pair of eyes, for sure. Brown ones, olive-colored nose, dark brows.
SeaTac,
Sounder's taking her bat to the doors, like she thinks she can huff and puff and beat the door down. The doors bend in an inch or so, the sound behind it isn't so thick like maybe there's a bunch of stuff behind it.
What do you do?
I see the flash of eyes but I hold steady -- don't want to be a'murderin' anyone yet. If they move, might try and pin their hand to the wall with a knife though.
I sidle up to Chance, ask her silently for the canister. Signal to Dog to get SeaTac away from the doors.
I let out a throaty chuckle. Chance finds the fun stuff. Gun goes back in the holster. I knock the cap off a flare and brush the end fierce on a rail and it makes hot light and smoke. Smells bitter and sour, real mean.
I make myself visible to SeaTac, tap on his side before breathing next to his ear. "Eyes on the ceiling. Step back."
"Real good find, Chance." I hold the flare over me and give Chance the nod to throw it.
I turn when I hear the hiss of the flare and see the light, so it's easy enough to continue, casual-like, back toward the center of the room, tapping Sounder to let her know and hoping she'll keep it cool, as well.
If Dog's playin it cagey, there must be a reason, so I leave my shotgun slung for now. Matter of a second to have it in firin position, anyway.
All,
The flare sparks to life in the room, spraying bright bluish light all over. The big columns cast oddly colored shadows on the walls and you hear movement, scurrying above. That, and Sounder beating on the doors.
August,
Chance makes a pantomime of pulling the ring, like she's showing you how it works, then tosses you the canister.
I don't wait, just heft the canister to test the weight and lob it overhead. If it flies true, should send our hidden friends scurrying out like blind ants from a hole in the ground.
August,
It looks like you're attacking someone. A smoke grenade does S-Harm. If you hit true, they're disoriented or stunned.
Attack someone.
(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 6, 6. Total: 14)
All,
August takes the canister from Chance and tosses it, a trail of hissing smoke marking the trail up to, and arcing right through the narrow slit a couple feet above the doors.
A cry of surprise, then Foomph!
Whoever they are, they did NOT expect that smoke bomb to go off in their faces! A sudden panic, and from the sound of it someone, at least, has fallen from their perch onto the ground beyond those doors. From above you all hear the sound of thin metal crinking and cries of panic.
A moment later you hear a voice cry out from beyond the doors, ”Father! Father, come quick! I need you!” Whoever fell past those doors may be hurt and is crying for help.
Sounder is right there, and turns to glance at you, SeaTac, with a mocking little grin at the frankly pathetic cries from the clumsy would-be-ambusher. She’ll have the door open in moments.
Smoke begins to pour through vents around and beyond the door. The clear glass turns gray as the high rollers room and everyone in it are bathed in thick vapor. But there’s this feeling in the air that SeaTac feels even more than most. A hollow, still feeling and it feels like something is about to happen. This isn’t over yet, is it?
Dog, the Arrows are ready for trouble, soon as Sounder gets that door open Cujo will lead the rush in there to bust heads of whoever they find inside.
At least for a moment, you have the initiative. Swift violence will be easy, right? If violence is the answer.
What do you do?
"Heh!" What a shot!
::Hold tight:: I sign to the Arrows as I step up to help Sounder break in with my machete. I get a deep breath in before the door breaks and the smoke gets free.
"Every soaking rando in here, come out empty handed! You stay dry we'll leave you dry!"
Before the smoke gets thin enough to see through I duck low and feel around where I heard the fall and the voice; I'm after an arm or a leg. If I find one? First I'll hold, then I'll yank.
As things start to happen, that hollow, pregnant moment of anticipation takes hold in my gut. I swing the shotgun around to bear, ready to finish if someone else starts, but holdin fire for now.
Sometimes, moments like this, they're more about instinct than anythin else. I unfocus my eyes a little, the weird shadows from the flare and the smoke in my nose and eyes and the voice of One-Eye in my ear tellin me to shoot while Sarge says wait wait look for advantage.
Dog,
Sounds like you're Going Aggro here? If so, let's see dice.
SeaTac,
Are you Opening your Brain? Let's see it.
Opening my Brain
(Rolled: 2d6+0. Rolls: 2, 1. Total: 3)
Marking XP, Rolling Aggro; (Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 3, 6. Total: 11)
August
That throw was aces, August, and your companions here are taking the initiative you bought them.
What are you doing during the brief shouting and while Dog goes rushing into the smoke?
I'm following orders, like the rest of the Arrows, waiting to see if these folks do what they're told. If they don't and we gotta get them wet, I'll be be there with the rest of them too.
Dog and August,
You get a sign off before the smoke swallows up Cujo and Laika. Laika grabs Cujo's arm to keep close. A glance over to Hachiko and you see her grab Ace's belt from behind, watching over her. This isn't the Arrow's first rodeo in the dark.
Dog,
Targeting the noises from the person who fell, you move quick like a spear and grab a skinny ankle, feel a shoe on the foot and hear a squeak. The little one tries desperately to crawl away, yank their foot from you, so you give them a solid yank. As the smoke swallows up everyone around you, you see a kid, maybe eleven years old, wearing big goggles, their eyes wide with fear, ”Father! Help me, Father!”
A gruff voice calls out, ”MollyMoon! What the hell? Damn raiders, let 'em go!” He’s lost in the smoke, coughing, moving forward quick. August, you can hear him coming right up on you. He might be armed, maybe not, he sounds panicked.
What do you do?
Well, if this ain't soggy. I scoop up the kid, 'cause she's like as not to get stepped on if I leave her. "I ain't gonna hurt you." I tell her low and quick. It's true. I wouldn't drop on a little one unless they were gonna drop on my crew, and I'd never really feel right about it. I know what I am, and that ain't it.
"I'ma let her go when the smoke is gone and I see your empty hands!" I hear this guy stepping fast and I don't like it.
SeaTac,
Smoke. The bane of a sniper. Take away your sight and what do you have? Bullets flying blind. That’s not you, is it? There’s shouting, cries of a little girl in distress in there. She’s hurt… hurt because you’re here. Because you brought everyone here.
You try to clear your vision like you do sometimes… but the smoke. You just can’t get past it.
If something happens to her, isn’t it kind of your fault?
SeaTac, when’s the last time you couldn’t see clear and hit the wrong target? Does it still get to you?
What do you do?
Building to building in an old industrial park, lookin for them cannibals that've been takin people. Not OUR people, but still, some things gotta be dealt with, right? Signs and rumors led us here, and this here's the last of the buildings, some kinda old machine shop, looks like, all rusty hulks and concrete floors and sun comin in through them tiny windows high up in the wall.
Pile of wood off in a corner, bits of old palettes and what-not, and the smell doesn't register until one of the Tooth-Sharps pokes his head through a door and tosses a bottle with a flaming rag stuffed in onto the pile and it catches like hell, black smoke suddenly billowing and a rush of hostiles from seems like everywhere. I'm young, I panic and let loose with my shotgun toward a sound in the thickest of the smoke, sounds like a round being chambered.
We took 'em in the end, cleaned 'em out, but that sound? Was a metal door being opened, some of their "cattle" trying to escape in the confusion. The woman in front took my shot high in the chest, died probably before she hit the floor. So there's that. It was quick, at least, and she'da died anyway if we hadn't come. That's what Sarge said, anyway, after he reamed me out to "teach me a lesson." I've taken lots of lives, before and since, and regret ain't much of a thing for me. But still. I dream it sometimes. The click of the door, the boom of my shot, the quickly ended scream, echoed by the others behind her.
What do I do? I wait, and I listen. Least, that's my intention.
Sounds like Dog has the kid. Her old man won't see reason, stay bloody put. Is there nobody else?
When I hear him stomping closer, I crouch and kick a leg out, try to put his face on the floor. I'm not above sitting on the fool until the smoke clears.
August,
He trips over your leg, his shin banging into you hard. It'll probably bruise you, but he takes the worst of it. He lands hard, the wind whoofs out of his lungs and his yelling stops short. He's still awake, groaning in pain.
Dog,
Like a kit, the girl freezes when you talk low in her ear. Her hair is greasy from lack of washing and the leather of her cap and her goggles smell like grease and sweat. She's thin, but her teeth aren't bad, and she looks more like she hasn't grown into her body than malnourished. "Puh-please. Don't got anything."
You hear some fighting in the smoke, Dog. You recognize Cujo's snarls from many times before. It's all smoke and confusion. Sounds like soft talk, no guns, yet. Hard to tell if these guys are ignoring you or if one of yours started something, but it's a fight now.
SeaTac,
You and Sounder are deeper in this place than the others. Smokes coming in fast, but you can see a foot or so around. Sounder puts her hand on your left forearm, just a touch. That's when something about four foot high comes in and slashes Sounder's gut. Sounder turns with it, then brings the bat up, swatting the thing with ratty dark hair. The short one tumbles off into the smoke.
Sounder raises her bat two-handed up in the air like some old-school samurai and moves into the smoke, following the form. You hear a whump as Sounder strikes once. She draws back, fast and hard to strike again.
What do you do?
Smoke and the glare of the flare and the boom of a shotgun blast from years ago and the tears in my eyes from the smoke, of course it's the smoke and a small form that's got to be a kid, maybe no more than eight or nine. I shout "No!" and lunge forward to grab Sounder's bat, stop it from falling rip it out of her hands put myself in front of it whatever it takes.
SeaTac,
Let's see you Act Under Fire here, SeaTac.
Act Under Fire (+1 XP)
(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 3, 1. Total: 6)
I trust my Arrows. If I told them to hold tight, they're fighting for a reason. Something's not right. SeaTac almost sounds panicked, it's not like him.
MollyMoon comes with me close and tight as I make a big guess - I know where SeaTac was when we got in here and about what his stride is [s'a lot like mine if we're making the side-by-side]..I try to get in close to him and throw in my hand where it's useful, see what the flood is going on in here.
Rolling Hx to Assist; (Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 5, 2. Total: 10)
Guy hits the ground and I'm on top of his back, knee digging into his spin and the hand on my not-hurt side is putting knife at his throat.
"Tell all your people to stand the flood down!" I shout right into his ear, and I cut him just enough let him know I mean business. My voice has a harsh vibrato that I usually don't hear in it.
Dog and SeaTac,
Sounder's swing comes overhead, and SeaTac, you're trying to grab it, but the bat swings through your fingers, you feel one, maybe two bend at an ugly angle. ((0-Harm)
But Dog's there, all the sudden, moving through the smoke like a ghost, a kid in tow. She bumps Sounder aside, knocking the slugger away, it falls to the carpet, rolls away. Sounder staggers back, but she saw you, Dog. She knows something's off, you wouldn't stop her for nothing, right?
August,
"Father", or whoever, he feels that prick, and realizes you could've cut him deep. He calls out, "Hey! Stop fightin'! They got me! They got your Father, soak it!"
The sounds of scuffle die off, you hear someone take off through a door at a dead run, like they saw an exit and took it. Otherwise, the situation's settled, for now. Just a few coughs, the groans of a couple who are worse for weat.
What do you do?
Right bloody call.
The smoke is proving troublesome...
Father got any weapons on him that I can tell? Any Arrows near me for back up?
I keep the knife where it is, but I tilt his face to the side and get close enough to see his eyes. "Oh dear, Father." I say, overly conversationally, "What are we going to do with all this mess? Dog asked you, fair and square, to stay dry, but you couldn't listen, could you?" I sigh. "We're here now though. I wonder what happens next. You have any ideas? Any good ones?"
SeaTac,
Here's your harm Move, sir:
(Rolled: 2d6. Rolls: 1, 3. Total: 4)
All,
The smoke is dissipating. You can see for a few feet now. The Arrows are moving the bathroom thugs up against a wall, sort of gently.
August,
"Father" has an ice pick in his loose-fitting pants, a .38 shoved in the waistband of those same pants. Tin Girl's there to back you up, watching close, a crowbar in her hand.
"She had MollyMoon, stranger." Father says as his breath returns. He's got a bit knot on his forehead where he hit the floor. "I..." he begins dejectedly. "I figger you'll take what little we got. Aint much. Aint much at all. Just don't hurt them."
Dog,
Sound looks at you, confused, "What the what, Dog?" She reaches down to her gut, which is bleeding. "A--hole cut me."
Flood.
I take the ice pick and the .38 and slide them well away from Father, then get to my feet. "Stay down," I say.
I'm kinda mad at the whole thing now. "We're not bloody murderers. We're just looking for some old-timey poker chips, cards that ain't moldy, sodden wrecks. You have any of that, do you? Or know where some is? Maybe you give us that and we forget this whole thing." I pause, looking at Tin Girl for a second opinion since Dog and SeaTac aren't right there. "Well, it's not my call, but if none of your lot have cut us up too bad, we might be able to do that."
"Sorry girl, you got it right. Arrows, sound off!" Whoever's got a hand on Cujo or Ace knows to call out for them.
I listen close to this soaker who's gotten my girls hurt. Might have to wet him. I put off that choice while I stalk over, see what I can see. That sound is me growlin'. I need to hear all the names that's here. See who's against the wall. Keep an eye on SeaTac.
"You got to have more sense, Father. Talk sense to me."
Dog and SeaTac,
This is MollyMoon (or would be, if she was cleaned up):
And this, is A-Hole, who is slowly getting up from the ground. She's super short, but no, not a kid:
August,
"We got decks! And chips, lots and lots!" Father answers. "What do you want them for? Come in here, waving guns around, hurting my people. It's bad stuff."
"Shut your wet bloody facehole," I say absently. I need to wait on this, gotta see what the damage was. I flick my eyes between Father and the high rollers room, waiting for word.
All,
"Father" shuts his facehole.
The Arrows count off as the smoke clears (literally). Nobody died. Sounder got cut, Hachiko was punched in the eye, but she clubbed the guy four times back, he's drooling and out on the floor. The other three are shoaved against a wall, with Cujo and Laika watching them, weapons out.
What do you do?
Good to hear. I set MollyMoon back down on her feet, squat down where Father is. "You ain't seen bad stuff. We'll take all of your decks. And your chips. Straight up, those are ours now. Take us to them."
I figure if an Arrow sees something she likes that can get talked about. "Everybody else stay put." I tell this crew of squatters, while I motion to Father to get up and I stand.
All,
Father stands up, slow, cautious. "These decks and chips. Got any food for trade? You aint gonna just take 'em, right?" He keeps his eyes down, not challenging.
"Father, you alright?" MollyMoon says, her concern for him now that you aren't threatening her, Dog.
Nobody's really hurt. That's good. Well, good enough, for now.
"You didn't hear Dog, did you? Straight up, those are ours now. " My Dog impression is pretty good at this point. "No bargaining. You give 'em up and maybe that's all we take."
"Your Father's fine," I say, circling around MollyMoon, enough aways from Father that hopefully she can speak freely. "Why don't you tell us about your piece of pie here, eh? You pay tribute to the Tax Patrol, maybe? Someone else?"
I'm watching her face for the little twitches that can give things away. She's in that especially terrible age. When they eat as much as if they were grown but haven't had enough sense knocked into them to trust further than you can throw 'em.
"And what about your Father here? He treat you okay?"
Read a person. (and marking exp)
(Rolled: 2d6. Rolls: 6, 2. Total: 8)
All,
Father doesn't push any more. Dog, he'll lead you to the back room, where that girl is that cut Sounder. Sounder, by the way, really wants to take a whack at the girl. Several whacks. Laika is following you back here, to keep an eye out. Chance is slipping by, too.
This high roller's room is posh, if a bit waterlogged. Got felt-covered tables and rolling areas and a big wheel table thing, old ruined displays on the walls, a bar, too.
SeaTac, what are you up to?
"So, ah, Dog," Father says cautiously as he pulls some keys out of his pants slowly, showing them to you. "Decks and chips. That's all, yeah? Need dice? We got dice, not much, but some." He's reaching for a rotting panting, to pull it off the wall and get behind it.
August,
MollyMoon watches Father, mostly using his meekness as a guide. She answers, "We're a family, sort of. Not much to go around, but we ducked in here a while back. Tax Patrol must've already combed it over because they only come around every week or so, and we hide. My big brothers, they think they can fight for us. They're... stupid." She glances over at them, none of them look anything alike. One of the "brothers" is as dark-skinned as you, August.
I follow behind Dog, givin some heft to the authority she's established with Father. Shotgun's still out, but up on my shoulder, not directly threatenin anyone at the moment. "Yeah, we'll take the dice, too." Val's got some weird thing about dice, but we can trade 'em elsewhere if Val don't want 'em.
"You're not all blood kin," I say, not a question. "How long you been in with this lot?" I lean against a busted slot machine.
"And why stick it out here, instead of heading a bit north? Take up with a hold? It ain't all peaches and cream, but you don't have to hide in the ceiling any time something big and mean rides in."
I nod at August as she gets the right of this. I listen to the talk a bit, but mostly I'm watching Father. I reach up to take the painting down myself, out to the side of it.
I set it down to the side, against the wall; it's not gonna hide anything or anybody. "Cards, chips and dice." This guy needs help pointin' forward so he don't do something dumb.
If I don't see those in here I'm gonna be mad. I let August do the soft talk. She's right, these people are treadin' water out here. If they're gonna beg us for food, they'll be easy prey when Tax Patrol finally catches them out.
What's the dumbest souvenir thing in arm's reach here?
Dog and SeaTac,
"Okay. Okay." Father says, moving out of your way, Dog. Behind the picture is a metal locker. Looks like Father has a key. He carefully opens it up, and inside is completely dry, with a block of plastic-wrapped boxes, and there is a small case of dice along with a box of chips. Father removes each one of them slow and careful.
Junk around here? Take your pick:
- Rhinestone Souvenir Lighter with Lucky 38 on it
- Lucky 38 Gingerbread Man Metal Christmas Ornament
- Blue Lucky 38 Piggy Bank
Sounder punches your arm, SeaTac, "Whoah, big guy. You hit the soaking jackpot!" She laughs and puts the bat on her shoulder.
SeaTac, that A-Hole, the one who cut Sounder and got bat beaned for it, you get the feeling she's going to try and pull something. She's waiting for Dog to fuss with the safe.
What do you do?
August,
MollyMoon watches you. It's like maybe she didn't want to look at you and now, she can't stop. There's this weird little nervous grin on her face. She's early teens, tops. Maybe younger? "Father... he found me when my mom died. We were north. Things are froze, but there's no food. Worse than here. We been together for.." She pauses to think. "Six years? Maybe. We stay on the fringe, last three holds were awful. You... you gotta hold?"
Feel those prickles between my shoulderblades, the trouble-sense. I let the shotgun drop on its sling, like I'm not payin attention anymore, then turn toward A-Hole, drawin my machete in the same motion. Not sure if her knife's still out as I turn, but I don't care. "Try it and lose a hand." Voice flat. A promise.
SeaTac,
I think you're Going Aggro, right? If you mean her Harm, I want to see dice.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 1, 5. Total: 9)
SeaTac,
She looks at you for a moment, trying to see if you're up for it. This gets Sounder's attention, but the Arrow sees you've got your thing working. The short girl with the bloodied face sinks back, "Fine. Whatever. Rotting thieves."
Spending my hold. What do you wish I'd do, MollyMoon?
"Yeah," I say offhand. "This one's decent. SafeCo. And even if it weren't, there's other ones not half-bad nearby." Look around. "Lot better than this place." Whetting her appetite.
August,
"How," MollyMoon asks quietly, eyes still watching your every move. "How far away is it?"
She wants to go somewhere sage, but she won't abandon Father.
That gingerbread man ornament is mine now. Yoink. I look side-wise at A-Hole, then over to Sounder, then just grin big and clap a hand on Father's shoulder. The ornament gets hooked on my jacket.
"Looks good." I stack the dice and chips and pick them up with one arm. "You get the rest, Father, help me load it."
All,
Father grabs whatever you don't get, Dog, carries it behind you with minor grumbles. On your way out to the bikes, you see Cujo glaring at the three men against the wall. She's itching to beat on them, but they haven't give her an excuse.
When you get outside, Dog, Zeus peers at you, then Father, not saying anything, but curious who this is.
"Yo, Zeus. Found us some squatters, had us a tussle. Where's Belka?"
"Where do you even find food here? We ain't got enough for your family to trade for real. Especially if there's a storm." I say to him as we get stuff lashed down.
Dog,
"She walked around the back, she'll be back." She seems unimpressed with Father.
"There's no food." Father says nervously. "None. We're moving. Got to keep moving, you know?" He finishes loading what you had him carry, stands there like he's not sure what else to do.
SeaTac,
After Dog and Father leave, Sounder looks over at you, then at A-Hole.
"Let's take care of this one, yeah?" She hefts the bat. "One less mouth to feed." A-Hole narrows her eyes, getting ready for a fight.
What do you do?
"Hm. On foot?" I wave Father back inside and start to follow. "What do you have besides the cards and such on offer?"
I step between Sounder and A-Hole. "It's over, Sounder. We got what we wanted, and you gave as good as you got. Let it drop."
Dog,
Zeus sucks her teeth, "On foot. Said she wanted to stretch her legs. I got the horses, Dog."
Father replies, nerves taking hold of his voice, "We... we got nothin'. We had some food, ate it. We're moving on."
SeaTac,
Sounder makes a "Pfft" noise, but she doesn't attack. "Soak this. I'm leaving." She starts walking out.
I follow Sounder with my eyes, give A-Hole a hard look, then step out into the main room. Not caring who hears, I say to August, "Okay, listen, pretty girl. I got lotsa skillz, and most of them are tailored to applying force in a measured manner, appropriate to the situation. We..." I gesture around to indicate the Arrows and August both. "...gonna work together again, you got to talk to me. You got intel and I don't, and I'm right here? That's just splashing rotten."
"Real close," I say to MollyMoon. "We just biked a couple hours from there to get here,"
When SeaTac rolls up, I look him right in the eyes, pull away from the kid.
"You know my bloody name," I say, when he finishes with his little speech. "It's August. Don't call me anything else, okay?" I wait for some sort of acknowledgement, but keep going either way.
"You're right though," I saw. "Not smart. I was thinking that the whole time." I shake my head, locs everywhere. "Like if I could choose backup for sumptin', that weren't there Arrows, wouldn't it be the guy everyone in the flooding hold knows can wet a bloody thread through a needle?" I laugh, then shrug.
"But I panicked. Didn't want to give away the game. Stupid I know. Not a good move." Self-deprecating, not facetious at all. Looking away.
"When we get back, what do you say to letting me teach you how to talk with your hands?" I gauge his reaction. "Next time we end up in a badger's den, would be best to be able to tell you the badger is in residence." Does SeaTac know what a badger is? I'm not sure I do, really. I think it's like a bear, but bigger and with a grey stripe on its head.
Manipulating SeaTac.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 4, 5. Total: 12)
I don't smirk. Not quite. "Miss August, I would be honored to be your student. And I'll buy you a drink, as well, once we get back. But first, show me how you say 'There's a splashing threat here, don't tell anyone.'" I'm actually being serious. Looking for some start-up to the learning.
Lands, this Father guy is thick as mud. Even I picked up on August tryin' to sell this lot on a ride into SafeCo. "Okay Zeus, we're leaving soon."
As I pass by a huff-puffin' Sounder I touch her arm. "Belka's takin' a walk around the back of this place. Find her, get her help patchin' you up. If you wanna go early take her with you."
Seems like I've walked into the tail end of something. I hold Father up here and ask him. "Do you have rides to move on with?"
Dog,
Sounder grumbles, "Moist, Dog. Shoulda let me whack that twee thing in there. I owe her one." She stomps around the building looking for Belka, your sort of medic.
Father waits for Sounder to leave before he admits, "Our rides are at the end of our legs." He points to his feet. It would take days to walk to SafeCo.
August and SeaTac,
After Dog, Sounder and Tin Girl head out, Cujo signs to the rest to "wrap it up". Wrapping it up means the Arrows do a quick once over and snag whatever looks choice and nearby (They are, after all, frakking thieves). Looks like most of them are heading out, Cujo and Laika hanging back to watch the three thugs until Dog says it's go time.
What do you do?
I laugh. "Deal." I run my hands through the motions, then show SeaTac the rough version you can do with one hand. As he repeats the gesture, I use my hands to reposition his larger fingers. I note the strength in them, the callouses.
"There."
When Cujo gestures, I repeat the command aloud for SeaTac. I snag Father's .38 from the floor, but I leave the ice pick.
Before I head out to the bikes, I untie one of the bright blue feathers from my hair, a nice one Drumma dropped from her crest. I press it in MollyMoon's fist. "If things go pear-shaped and red here, ditch your brothers and make it up to SafeCo. Ask around for August."
I thank August when she finishes teaching me the signs, then look around. I'm not much for souvenirs, really, so I just drift outside. This wasn't a bad haul - Valentine should be happy.
I'll walk on up to Dog and Father, stand close but not too close.
Dog,
Belka and Sounder come back around. Belka pulls Sounder over to her h-bike and works on patching her up, fussing at her for being careless, which Sounder grouses about, telling the whole damn story.
SeaTac comes out, with most of the Arrows. Cujo's inside with a couple more, waiting for what to do with these people.
"That's it. Cards, dice and chips." Father says with finality. He looks at you but doesn't ask aloud if this is over.
August
Molly Moon nods, you know she will mark those words. She may not show up tomorrow, but given half a chance, she's going to go to SafeCo, look for you.
SeaTac,
As you're headed out, you see Father waiting for permission to go on with his miserable life. Laika walks up beside you.
"You're fast, SeaTac." She says it like she's stating a fact, not buttering you up. "My boy will learn from you. He's tough. Still needs to learn his limitations. And not die from the learning. I think you'll do him well." She gives a half-smile, then asks, "Dog's bike's loaded. You wanna ride back with me?" She nods over towards her h-bike.
All,
The Arrows are mounting up, for the most part. Just waiting for word that it's all good and done.
What do you do?
I nod at Laika's words. "Been mostly alone for a while. Strange to find that I'm actually lookin forward to puttin your boy through his paces. And yeah, I'd appreciate the ride." One thing about ridin with the Arrows. It's not what you'd call a sacrifice, holdin on to a pretty woman with the wind in your hair, is it?
I watch the Arrows wrap it up. I run a few thoughts through my head and chill beside Cujo.
If it rains and we have to camp, what then? If we take these soakers with us and they can't make up their debt to the gang in a month of SafeCo living, what then? Tax Patrol rolls up and we're plus six bodies on the bikes and nope, nope, nope. Plus they fought us and worked me up mad.
::We're done, let's move. Eyes on our backs, crew.::
"We're set, Father. Arrows, get moving." Cujo and I will be the last to leave together.
All,
The Arrows mount up and ride off together, Zeus' leading the three groundbikes that pull up the rear.
Dog,
Cujo sees you looking at Father, MollyMoon and the others. She signs quick, ::Right call.:: Then she claps your back, grins once, real quick and signs one-handed as she mounts up, ::Off your tits now.::
August
MollyMoon watches you go, never taking her eyes off you. She doesn't wave, but you can feel the ache in her eyes of being left behind. To her, you're this creature of legend that flew in from nowhere and showed her what it could be like. Not scrimping, not scrabbling. You have her a slice of hope today.
SeaTac,
Laika mounts up, the waits for you to join her. She doesn't seem skittish at all when you put arms around her. The feel of her leathers, her supple body underneath. Not a sacrifice at all.
--End Scene--