And so they entered New Reno, the sky scrapers rising tall above them as their feet touched the warm cracked pavement roads. New Brunswick had nothing on this as gangsters headed around the crazy ninteen twenties city.
Greg, the greeter, hung out near the entrance, his standard hip hop outfit and golden chains around him.
Dracos
"Hey, Mister!" Leets called to the man by the entrance. "We're new here. Do you know where we can find a place for our friends to rest?" He gestured to Jan, who was still unconscious as Clyde supported him.
"Ah, yeah, shits man. I can hook you up with all kinds of stuff if you be getting the right stuff, ya? Gots the greens to make things move?"
Dracos
"Yeah, how much are you talking about?" Leets asked, hiding his suspicion for the moment.
"Eight, cuz I don't recognizin' ya."
Dracos
Leets reached into his pack, quickly counting the amount specified before handing over eight dollars.
"okay, okay, greg gonna hook you up. Youse be wantin' to get something abouts the hospital or just a place to sort of slip away? Any of the families have an interest in him?"
Dracos
"Just an inn or something similar will do. We've been having a rough few days lately."
"And I'm not sure myself," Leets admitted, though he vaguely remembered Jan saying he wasn't looking forward to New Reno when they first started out.
"eah, the cheap one's easy. Phily side." He rattled off some directions.
Dracos
Leets nodded, memorizing the directions. The group then headed off to the inn on Phily side.
It didn't take too long before the arrived at the hotel. it was kinda junky but it was a place to stay. There was a young guy smoking out behind the counter and joking around with a few friends.
Dracos
"How much for a room?" Clyde asked curtly, not really liking the look of the place but not seeing much alternative, either.
Silently following the group, Ryder continued to be completely melancholy about everything... everything since he ran. He fled, he bravely ran away from a fight, something that deep down inside, he knew was wrong.
Of course, what he didn't remember is that inside of him, beyond all the memory wipes and rebirths, was the l337 Commander of COR, Ryder Angel Hakubi. The same man who split a planet in half, took down an empire, murdered thousands and thousands, led armies into battle, and destroyed armies dedicated to the purity of Cat single-handedly. That Ryder never ran from a fight...
He also didn't know that within him was another Ryder, a crazed loon with the same guitar on his back, that would fight against enemies that the mind couldn't fathom. Tentacled Purple Demons, Perverted Evil Tuxedo-clad Men, Cute Cuddly Armies of Evil, and much much more. That Ryder would never run away from a fight. He would fight, no matter the consequences and then drink a cappuchino after.
Still, Ryder had one more life left in him... and this one, he ran. He fled from a fight that both of those past lives wouldn't have sweat at. While he didn't know any of this, he still felt it. He felt the internal sting at running away... and it didn't feel good.
Neither did running into a wall, which temporarily snapped him out of his deep thought... "Oww! Why didn't anyone tell me there was a wall there!"
Leets watched their strange companion. "Because we didn't think you really would walk into the wall."
"Sorry... was lost in thought." Ryder muttered as he rubbed his nose and looked around at the surroundings for really, the first time. Sure, he had glanced about and thought that it was nifty, if not really weird, but overall, he had his mind elsewhere.
Still, now that he had a better look at the place... He smiled a bit. "This isn't just really nifty... This is super-cool nifty."
Clyde:
"Twenty a night. Per room." The guy blew smoke towards him.
Dracos
Passing Jan over to Leets for a moment, Clyde pulls the indicated amount out of his pocket and hands it to the man. "One room will probably do for now, thank you."
"Sure sure. Third on the right."
Heading out there, they found themselves in a pretty chintzy room. It was livable, but not too much else. Had two beds though.
Dracos
Leets deposited the taller Jan awkwardly on the bed, then helped him settle in a comfortable position. "You and Ryder can argue over the bed," Leets said, taking his stuff to a corner across from the door and sitting. He droned off to sleep in moments.
Collapsing into the beds, they have a reasonable nights sleep.
The sound of noisy music waking them up around tenish.
Dracos
Darx:
It'd been a long trip, but you stepped into New Reno that morning. A hipster was watching the entrance, grooving a bit to a nearby stereo.
Dracos
Leets yawned, stretching to get the blood flowing as he woke up. "This whole town must be full of night owls," he mumbled, listening to the music blaring outside. He checked to see if Jan was awake yet.
Darx gives a soft "Hmph" and turns to the hipster.
"Tell me....where is this place?"
Jan was blearily staring at the ceiling. "So, we survived, it seems."
"We got lucky," was Leets noncommital response. "Think you can walk, Smith?"
Darx:
"Yo, Yo, you here new in this place? This be new reno. Biggest city around. Gonna be heading around? Gotta ask the Greg. Kapache? I show you where things are at... but you got to have the greens."
Dracos
"Not for a bit longer, I'm afraid. It took too much out of me to maintain that form for as long as I had."
"Greg? The Greens?"
He narrows his eyes, a smirk on his face.
"Mind explaining yourself a bit?"
"Greens, moola, cash, coinage, funds, got it?"
Dracos
Leets sighed, though didn't look surprised. "Do you know where or how we're going to get those passports to Vault City then?"
"What in blazes is that racket, anyway?" Clyde grumbled, stretching as he sat up on the edge of his bed.
Leets smiled wryly towards Clyde. "It's music. 100-years after your time."
"Money?" He lets his hand slide to his sword hilt, a grin forming on his face. "I believe I will not be needing any money, wouldn't you agree?"
"So technology advances at the cost of good taste?" The professor stood and stretched. "I'm not sure if that's a fair trade or not."
He headed over to see Jan. "Thanks for all the help with the wolves. Somehow I doubt any of us would have made it out of there without you."
"Woah, woah, gonna be pullin' dat kind of stunt, you gonna be getting killed real soon. And not going to be threaten' Greg." He backed off.
Dracos
"Don't worry about it. And you three need to check in with 'Honest' Sal to get us passports into Vault City. He's down by the docks, but be careful not to run into the Crimson Tears down there. They usually like wearing red bandanas and all of 'em have small tatoos below their eyes like a tear."
Darx thinks for a moment, grinning all the while. Hmph, pathetic lowlifes. A little show of force and their cowardice shows itself.
He draws his sword fully and idly twirls it by his side, taking a step towards the hipster.
"So.....Greg, is it? I think you'll be showing me around town, don't you? It would be in the best interest of both of us." He grins wider, his wings slowly flapping themselves.
"Dude, you're wacked." He pulled out a gun, pointing it at him. "Back off before I cap you one."
Dracos
"All right. You rest for now, Smith. I'll go get us those passports."
Leets paused by the door, glancing at the others. "Anyone want to join me or would you rather take care of our guide?"
"Sorry about all this. Just didn't expect ravenous monsters on the way." Jan raised a hand in apology to the rest of the group. "I have to show you all something when you come back too."
A loud laugh erupts from Darx.
"You dare threaten me? And with such a pathetic weapon?"
He takes a step back, extending his wings to their full twelve foot span staring wickedly at Greg.
"Go ahead and fire, if you think you've got it in you.."
He raises his sword and takes two more steps back.
"But if you miss...you will regret it....keheheh..."
"What the hell, craze newcomer." He blasted two shots and ran.
Darx got the interesting sensation that occurs when two bullets enter his left wing, passing through in a decisively painful manner.
Dracos
Replying softly from the corner, Ryder mentioned, "Yeah... I'll go with you. I need the air anyway."
Ryder stood up, and cracked his neck... and it was loud. Like, loud enough for everyone to hear it.
Leets blanched at the noise. "You sure? You don't sound like you're up for it."
Embarassedly looking around at the room, Ryder mentioned, "It was the first time I've gotten a chance to do that since I got here."
Stretching out a bit, Ryder waited for Leets.
Darx blinks, wincing a bit as he sheathes his sword, folding his wing down to get a look at the wound.
"Curses...that damn fool, I thought for sure he'd not fire. Alas, I was mistaken."
He gives a look around town and hums...
"It's not that bad a wound....I need to patch it up, though, else the feathers won't grow back straight...damnit."
Darx:
Town was not the term that came to mind standing on the broken pavement before the sprawling metropolitan. He had clearly gotten attention though, though no one was getting near him at the moment. He could feel himself being watched.
Dracos
"I hate cities this large..."
He sighs inwardly and begins to walk through the town, looking for any places that might be of use to him, bars, places to stay, things like that.
"I think I'll wait here for the moment," Clyde proffered. "This place looks about as bad as New York City, and I've only been there twice on business. I'd most likely end up in your way for such a meeting."
Pity he scared away that greeter. He might've been helpful. One things for sure. Los vegas had nothing on this hive of scum and villianry. Anyhow, there were casinos, places of ill repute, alleyways, man, this place was a mess... He spotted something a while in that kinda looked like a hotel. Cheap place though.
Dracos
"All right. Come on then, Ryder."
Outside, he realized he had no clue where they might place docks in a desert.
Leets:
You see that strange guy from before. The one who almost got into the fight in New Brunswick, sort of walking down the street. Seems to be dripping a bit of blood behind him too.
Dracos
Darx heads towards the hotel, one wing folded, but the shot one still extended.
Leets blinked, noticing the winged stranger from before. "Hey, are you all right?" he asked, noticing the bloody wing.
Darx gives a soft hiss..
"What does it look like? My wing has two holes in it and I'm dripping blood everywhere. Of course I'm not all right."
"Sorry, forgot not all of us have been shot in the wing before," Leets grumbled and led the injured swordsman inside. "You can rest in our room if you want."
Darx follows him, then brushes him aside when they reach the room.
"I need something to stop my blood loss..."
Leets wordlessly handed over a roll of bandages from his pack. "I don't have any experiences with wings, sorry."
He sighs and takes the bandages. "Useless...."
He begins to apply them to his wings, pausing every few moments to realign and pull out various feathers.
"When I find that no good lowlife....he's as good as dead.."
"Wow. What the hell happened to you?" Jan propped himself up from his bed, using the wall to help keep him upright as he looked at the winged man. "You could be a bit more thankful to the kid, though. Hardly anyone helps anyone else in this city."
Darx continues fixing himself up as he speaks.
"Some punk shot me as I was coming into the city. I tried intimidating him, but he's obviously totally fearless or a complete fool."
Pause, plucks a feather.
"In any case, once I'm rested, I'm hunting him down and paying him back."
"What's your name anyway? We seem to keep crossing your path wherever we go." Jan quirked his head at the man. "Besides, you should watch yourself in this city, it's ruled by four crime families, if you make too much trouble they could pay you a special visit."
"The name.....is Darx."
He gives Jan a wary glance as he finishes up.
"Darx Vandar Umbris, formally of the Blood Crescent Alunites of the Moonstrike Empire. And you are?"
"Jan Smith. A simple negotiator." Jan smiled, suddenly tossing him a plastic covered bar. "Here, have a ratio. It takes remarkably well for what it is. You don't look like you've had a bite to eat for a while."
He looked to the others. "In fact, it'd be best if we all ate and recovered our strength from the wolves last night. I can join you after a meal."
Jan tossed the others some ration bars too.
Ryder caught the bar and smirked, munching it about halfway... and then he suddenly goes over to Darx.
"Uh... I really don't know why, but I think I know how to fix this... I need medical tape though. Anyone got some..."
"Catch." Jan tossed him said tape from his bag.
Darx looks at the ration then throws it back.
"No thanks. I prefer something a bit.....lighter."
"Like what?" Jan asked between bites of his ration bar. "It's pretty convenient 'cuz it has all the rations most people need."
He flicks his good wing, then slowly turns his gaze towards the window, and the crescent moon hanging in the sky.
"Don't worry about it....I can't handle it myself. I don't need to feed too often, anyway."
"Anyway, you've ever heard of wolves that can heal themselves from crushing amounts of damage?" Jan asked the winged swordsman. "Or you, Ryder. You two are about the only ones that I'd wager may know something."
Blink.
"Never have I heard of such a thing. Why do you ask?"
"We probably would've been in and out of this town by now if we hadn't run into some on the way here. The things were nigh invunerable. Pits and such couldn't keep them contained for long because they seemed to be able to phase through the ground. Other times they'd tear through rock like it was nothing."
Jan sighed at the memories of last night. Shaking his head, he continued. "Even crushing blows were healed in minutes like it was nothing. How did we get out of that predictament, anyway?" He addressed the others.
"We climbed up a tree and waited them out." Leets shrugged, finishing his rations. "They apparently got bored of us."
"You didn't fight them like I did. Those wolves don't get bored with whatever steps into their territory. Anyway, before they moved in, apparently there was a slaughter in that town. Probably some bandits, because there were clear signs of hurried raiding going on." Jan frowned, scratching his chin in thought.
"On top of that, I found plenty of corpses that the wolves had gone through inside a house. Which is strange in itself, since the only way in was by opening the doors themselves. No other entrances made themselves apparent to me."
"What are you saying then? You mean that this isn't normal behavior for wolves around here?" Leets asked nervously. "Do you suppose they'd actually follow us here from their territory?"
"Those weren't normal wolves at all. I think they might be after this." Jan pulled out the crystal from his pack. "When I first found it in that main house, they went nuts and tore out of the pit. On top of that, they mostly went after me."
Leets leaned to get a closer look at the object. "You say they were after this thing?" he asked dubiously. "Doesn't look like anything special."
"Well, it has a box inside of it. Maybe something inside the box was the reason there was that massacre in the first place. Must be pretty valuable."
"Have you tried opening it yet?"
"Crystal is covering it completely. Doesn't look like there's any hinges or anything like that where I could open it. And it just seems...weird to try and use brute force on it. Like I shouldn't try it." Jan passed the crystal over to Leets for inspection, pausing a second.
"Be careful, it's really cold to the touch." He passed it over with that warning.
Leets nodded, warily taking the crystal into his hands to inspect closely.
The crystal is wrapped around a purple box, sealing it within. It sort of cold to the touch. But not too bad.
Dracos
"It's like it's frozen inside of it. The cavern I found it in was sort of like this too. Eerily frozen."
Darx hums, staring at the crystal.
"Cavern? What cavern?"
"There was a cavern underneath a town on the way here. Got access to it from a storage closet of all things."
"It certainly doesn't feel like ice though," Leets frowned, almost tempted to think of it as a normal lock that he could break. He could almost feel the familiar tingle racing across his skin.
"Hum, interesting." And with that, the Alunite closed his eyes in thought.
Well, it wasn't a lock, so it didn't break. The electricity fading away in it.
Dracos
Leets returned the crystal to Jan as soon as the tingling stopped. "By the way, where are the docks at?" he asked, remembering their earlier predicament.
"Hang a right three streets over, then go down a block."
Leets nodded and prepared to leave again. "And what does Sal look like?"
"Sal is fourtish. He's partially balding and tends to hang out with a couple of thugs for safety around the docks. He's a bit wide around the center and tends to dress in jackets and jeans."
Darx opens one eye.
"Docks? In this place?"
"I think it's better for you to not to ask," Leets muttered and left on his errand again.
He headed out on the streets, the city kind of quiet at this daylight hour.
Dracos
"I guess this place isn't as bad as we thought it was." Leets gazed at the peaceful looking town as he walked in the direction Jan indicated.
He passed a number of thugs on the way, following the directions as he got to..the docks?
Well, they were sort of docks for values of land locked former docks where drug dealers were making their early morning trades.
Dracos
Leets glanced around for a person matching the description of Sal as he tried to avoid the attention of the more dangerous looking thugs at the docks.
On the edge of the docks, he was there. Hanging out and talking with some people.
Dracos
Leets approached the end of the docks, stopping just out of sight so he wouldn't be disturbing whatever business Sal was conducting.
After a bit the folks left, Sal hanging out for a few minutes by himself with only a few big fellas around him.
Dracos
Leets approached Sal carefully, trying to appear nonthreatening to the large bodyguards. "Excuse me, but are you the one they call 'Honest' Sal?" he asked cautiously.
Darx turns to Jan.
"So...why don't you tell me about yourself?"
"huh, what?" Two shotguns were pointing in Leets direction, from the guards. "Sheesh, kid, where the heck did you come from? Yeah, they call me that."
Dracos
Leets sweated, staring down the barrels of the guns. "S-sorry. I'll make a little more noise next time," he joked, failing to ease his nervousness. "Jan Smith said you'd be able to help us."
"Been living here for the last couple of years." Jan easily responded to the winged man, even as he eyed Ryder fixing up Darx's wing. "Ever since my world ended. I pretty much help keep the peace between people in this new world we seem to be stuck in."
"Jan, huh? What's he up to?"
Dracos
"He's resting off some injuries at the moment." Leets answered honestly, still waiting for the guns to drop.
"Huh. Injuries huh? Thought Jan tried to stay out of that kind of stuff." With a gesture the guns came down. "Who are you kid?"
Dracos
"People just call me Leets," he said, extending a hand politely. "As for Jan, well, they didn't really give us much choice in the matter.
"Hmph, you're not doing too good a job, it seems..."
He lets his gaze fall to his injured wing.
"I'm hardly the law. I just handle problems within my scope. Besides, in this town you can't be slinging your sword. People here should just be left alone, since they have twitchy trigger fingers."
"Of course... it seems as though you didn't get the memo, right? Y'know, the whole gangster thing in this place and everything. 'Ell, I'm surprised that we're not all in pinstripe suits by now..." Ryder badly joked as he sat in the corner.
The man didn't take the hand, pondering the kid as he lit up a smoke. "Anyhow, what you looking for?"
Dracos
Le sigh.
"Methinks someone needs to clean the slime out of this town."
"We need about four passports to Vault City." Leets took back his hand and after a moment's thought, he added. "Actually, better make that five, please."
"Vault City huh? That's... not easy to come by. Expensive one might say. They don't tend to like our sort around there, if you know what I mean."
Dracos
"How expensive exactly?" Leets asked warily, unsure if it was in their current budget.
"Dunno. It'd be at least two hundred a piece, up front. With more later depending on how it goes."
Dracos
Leets blanched at the estimated price. "I don't suppose we can earn a discount?" he asked hopefully.
Ryder shrugged as he continued to do little in the corner.
"From what I've seen, the city IS slime Darx... the best way to clean it up would just to annihilate it."
"Heh, sounds good to me." The Alunite grinned.
"Wipe out this place and start completely anew."
He laughed. "You don't got the money? Maybe...we could make some arrangements."
Dracos
Somewhere, deep in Ryder's fractured psyche, he really liked the way Darx was thinking. Then again, that part of his psyche happened to split a planet in half, so maybe Ryder shouldn't listen to them.
On the surface, Ryder nodded... "That's all well and good, and really sounds like fun if they piss us off, but otherwise, it's a waste of energy..."
"Hmm, true. Though if we get bored later on, I see no problem in playfully hunting a few of them down, do you?"
"Nope, that sounds pretty good to me... Never did like secret organizations. They always end up mucking around with me..."
"Heh, I think I like you, Ryder."
"I only have enough for myself here," Leets tried to clarify, though his interest was peaked.
"Still, $200 each is a bit steep... Just what kind of arrangements do you mean?"
'Sal' eyed him. "I could cut a bit off, but each of you would owe me a personal favor. got it?"
Dracos
"I'll have to talk to the others before they agree to that," Leets said, eyeing Sal cautiously. "Not that I'd mind owing a favor if it means I can save a little something for myself."
"Still, maybe you should specify what kind of favors the others might agree to?"
"it'd be a small one. Don't know yet. But when I call it in..." He trailed off meaningfully.
Dracos
Clyde eyed the two plotting destruction rather dubiously. "And what exactly would that accomplish, other than aggravating the locals even further? While I'm not exactly sanguine about this place either, I'd rather not go out of my way to make a nuisance of myself, and since we're traveling together, I'd appreciate it if you'd do the same."
"Alright then, I'll tell the others of your offer and come back later with their answer."
Ryder turned and pointed dramatically to Clyde.
"You! Stop confusing the situation with logic!"
"Tonight. Head back here around ten tonight." Sal sort of offhandedly said in a manner that didn't broke disagreement. "I want an answer then."
Dracos
Leets nodded and hurried back to the hotel.
Leets headed back, passing a number of young men dressed in red jackets with skull marks on them as he moved towards the hotel.
Dracos
Leets spared the gang a momentary glance and continued on his way.
Continuing on, he arrived in front of his hotel.
Dracos
Leets hurried to their room to pass the message.
"Guys, I got good news and I got bad news."
Jan looked up from where he was about to join Clyde in berating the two rather manic men from speaking their murderous intent so loudly. "Welcome back. What happened?"
"Well, I met up with Sal and asked him about those passports."
"He says he's going to charge us $200 each, plus whatever extra fines he can think up, but he's willing to give us discounts if we owe him favors," he said the last part a bit hesitantly. "He didn't say what kind though."
"He also said he wants our answer by 10'o'clock tonight."
"How did he word the part of the extra fines? Did he say 'depending on the situation' or did he come out and say that he'd fine us extra?"
"He said he'd charge more later depending on how things go."
"Right. Well, let's go in with the image of being competent and on the up and up. We can't owe Sal favors, he's the type that'd get you into ten kinds of hell if you let yourself be run over."
"You're going to be the one to tell him that, right, Mister Negotiator?" Leets looked disturbed at the thought of sharing that particular opinion. "They seem like the kind to shoot the messanger."
"I know how to handle him, don't worry. We'll just rest up until it's time and we'll go talk to him. At any rate, we have more than enough for two hundred a passport, but I'll haggle it down a bit for you all."
And so they hung around the hotel until it was nearly ten, the alarm Jan had set earlier going off telling them it was about time for them to head out and meet with Sal.
The town, as they could see from the window, had really livened up. A few hookers could be seen hawking their wares right on the corner.
Dracos
"Seems it's time to go," Clyde said softly, seeming rather unsure about heading out into the urban wilderness. "I just hope we don't run into any trouble on the way."
Darx gives that creepy grin again, testing his injured wing.
"Bah, let trouble come. If trouble troubles us, then we'll trouble them."
Pause.
"Okay, that was lame."
"Watch what you say, you two," Leets smiled a bit at Darx's attempt at humor. "It'll be better for all of us not to tempt fate like the last time," reminding them of those wolves.
"Hmph, if I had been there, those wolves would have been easily taken care of."
Leets rolled his eyes skyward, deciding to humor the swordsman. "Whatever you say then, Mister Darx."
The party left their hotel and headed for the docks.
"Don't call me mister. If you have to give me a title, I prefer Lord."
Heading over to the docks, they were briefly stopped by a collection of the red skull gang. "Where do you think you're going?"
Dracos
Darx instinctivly slides his hand to his sword hilt, stepping forward and speaking softly.
"Where we are going is of no consequence to you. I must ask you step aside and let us pass.."
Ryder boredly looked up at the conflaguration of gang members in front of the party.
"Let me guess... we just rolled into yer turf and now we gonna pay if we don't pay a fine, right?"
"First off, normally, you'd be correct. But ain't nobody headin' to the docks tonight."
Dracos
"Oh? Knowing gang techniques like I do, and truth be told, I don't, I'll guess that there's some big deal involving girls, drugs, blood, or any combo of the three."
"maybe, maybe not. Gonna make something of it girly?"
Dracos
Darx gives a cackle as he extends his wings, wincing a little as he opens the injured one.
"And why, pray tell, can we not visit the docks?"
"None of yus business." A big one spat.
Dracos
Leets pulled on Darx's sleeeve. "hey, maybe we should try and find a different route."
Dracos
"Let's leave, these gentlemen obviously have some important business." Jan drew the attention of the others. Turning, he gestured for the others to follow him away.
Ryder shrugged and turned to head in whatever direction Jan was gonna take them...
BUT FIRST...
"Oh, and by the way... This 'girl' doesn't have to rely on Playboy to see a girl naked..."
The gang members promptly started laughing at Ryder.
Dracos
"Now now..." Jan forced a smile as he made sure to grab Ryder's arm so he couldn't go back. "Gotta pay more attention, man. When you were zoning out there were a few ladies of the night wandering around. Joke probably would've pissed them off otherwise, though."
He led the group off three streets over, into a side alley to get away from the crowds.
With a smirk, Ryder replied to Jan, "Meh, you're right... gotta pay attention more often when I plan on making sarcastic jokes."
"We could have taken them," Darx mutters, a trifle annoyed at getting pulled away from the gang.
"You do know that you've given them a reason to try and beat the hell out of you when they have free time, right?" Jan asked the winged man. "You have to realize that things are just different here. You can't go in picking a fight because they could kill you through sheer numbers. These are the worst kind of scum you can imagine, and they don't play fair." He sighed, shaking his head in aggravation.
"Anyways, this route is blocked off. Shall we try to sneak in? We can try the back alleys, but those are kind of dangerous. Who knows what's lurking in there. Or over the roofs? If we try that, it'll probably be best if we limit the number of people going to two or three."
"I prefer not to be swiss cheesed, so roofs get my vote."
"Yeah... the roofs sound pretty darned good if you ask me..."
He grumbles, glancing from each member of the rooftop group to the next.
"I suppose that means I'm stuck down here, hmph."
"The path of least resistance definitely has my vote," Clyde replies, frowning at Darx. "Although that comment about the docks does have me somewhat worried. Any idea what might be going on, Mr. Smith?"
"No idea. That's why I think it's for the best if you and Darx stayed behind, though."
"I have no problem with that," Clyde replied. "As long as I have somewhere out of the way to wait. I doubt I'd be of much use to you at the negotiations in any case."
"The rooftops aren't that tough to navigate around here. If you'd like, you two can come along with us."
Ryder sighs... "Hey, how about we get up to the rooftops and then we'll decide what to do, ok?"
"Let's go. Follow me, everyone." Jan started towards where he remembered some ladders were leading up to the roof.
Darx nods and slowly climbs his way up, eager to be back in the open air.
Ryder smirked at Jan as he stopped...
"Y'know what, I'll meet you all up there..." Ryder mentioned before he flickered out of their vision.
And so they got onto the roof, the clouds dark in the early night sky above them. The moon slowly providing some light in the neon lit metropolis.
Dracos
He started leading the way to the docks so they could get this whole affair out of their way.
Eventually, the group found Ryder leaning against a chimney, smirking at them...
"Taking the hard way, ne?"
He extends his wings to their full wingspan and grins widely, looking upwards.
"Ahhh.....it feels wonderful to be back up high. ^__^"
The sound of thunder could be heard above them as they climbed down into the docks areas, the place near barren.
Except for a handful of men.
Sal was there. Looking a bit fearful as he talked with a large bald man in fine well tailored white suit. Gold rings upon his fingers of one hand. Broad a bit around center. His back was turned to them as he was holding a private discussion with Sal. Something important by the grim look on Sal's face and the sweat on his brow. Sal's normal thugs were hanging back. Staying out of the way.
Behind the man in white, to his back and a little to the left was strong looking fellow in a top notch black armani suit, perfectly tailored. His hands were at his side and shades covering his eyes as he surveyed the territory. He had combed black hair and powerful build. A sense of authority sort of exuded from him as he stood there.
Hanging back a bit further, scouting and guarding the back of the little meet were three others. Two men and a woman. Similarly dressed in fine suits. One was playing a bit with a pipe, joking a little in the backdrop, seemingly relaxed.
To Jan, there was little question of who these were. He'd never met them of course. But he'd heard the rumors. The Turks. The personal bodyguards of none other than the kingpin, the most powerful man in the city. Each rumored to be a brutal and merciless killer. Efficient, cold, and capable.
For luck, they hadn't seemed to have noticed them yet...or perhaps they did, and just weren't moving. It would probably be hard to tell.
Dracos
Ryder pulled Leets over and whispered in his ear.
"Hey, go in there and find out what's going on..."
"No...hang back. We don't want to mess with these people, they're so well trained that they'd spot the kid, regardless." Jan hurriedly whispered as he pulled the group back, looking genuinely flustered.
"Well well, this is going to be fuuuuun...." He grins, his hand resting on the hilt of his trusty sword, as usual.
Ryder frowned a bit and whispered back to Jan. "Alright, whatever man..."
"Do you know what's going on, Smith?" Leets asked, watching Sal talking to refinely dressed larger man.
Jan made a sharp cutting gesture, biding the younger fellow to stay silent as he hurriedly continued leading them away from the meeting. He had a serious frown on his face as he'd glance back at the criminals every once in a while as he got them away.
Time passed as they tried to stay out of view.
The conversation going on for minute after minute, sweat building on Jan's brow.
Finally the kingpin turned, preparing to walk away. The man next to him stopped him for a second, whispering something in his ear. The kingpin pondered, rubbing his chin and laughing as Sal stood there, stiff in his boots. Jan saw it then. Kingpin's famous lucky charm. Around his neck was a long gold chain with a medallion in it that head a single glowing golden stone carved in a precise pattern. Familiar, even though it'd been months since Jan had last seen the like. The lion from before wore a similar stone about his neck. He started walking off, towards the main exit. The Turks about him, covering him. The black haired one standing just behind him and to the left.
Dracos
'What the...' Jan's eyes narrowed at the sight of the charm.
The kingpin continued off as it slowly began to rain, the figures disappearing into the city. Sal left by himself.
Dracos
Suddenly, the group heard the faint faint sounds of air flickering... and Ryder disappeared.
"Now, we can talk." Jan breathed out a sigh of relief as he waited the appropriate amount of time before he turned towards the others. "...where'd Ryder go?"
"Vanished again, it seems."
Out of the corner of Jan's eye, he could see a figure flicker into existance a bit down the ways... but that couldn't be Ryder, could it?
"He's... uhm... over there. I think," Leets pointed unsurely at the figure in hiding.
"Man should be a stage magician or something." Jan grumbled as he wandered over to fetch the spikey haired person. "C'mon, Leets. Hold the fort for a bit, guys."
Leets followed cautiously, feeling that this was a very bad idea from the beginning. "Should have just paid the man and gotten it over with," he muttered to himself.
Time passed as they stood there...
Dracos
"We'd be owing him favors we shouldn't be doing for him. It'll just take a second to round up Ryder then we'll get things done with Sal. Besides, this works out a bit better for us since it'll give the Kingpin and his cronies a bit more time to move further away from us." Jan frowned in thought after they returned and started making their way back to Sal with a quiet Ryder.
Sal blinked, spotting them, his eyes seeming tired and at first wild. "You? Wh...oh, I see, I see. It's time isn't it. See you're still doing well Jan. So, how's this going to be?"
Dracos
"Better than you're looking, that's for sure." Jan easily answered back. "Anyway, we're looking for passports, like this boy here was asking about earlier. I"m not naive enough to owe you favors, but surely we can get our heads together and figure out a reasonable price for them..."
He paused a second. "Hey, do you know where an inventor type might be able to pick up spare parts, or maybe some form of side arm to defend himself? I know someone who's might be interested in something like that."
"Reasonable huh? I quoted the kid a figure earlier. Did you bring that? And one business at a time. You know how I work."
Dracos
"Yeah, yeah. Well, we'll pay. Isn't proper to try and negotiate once things have been settled." He handed the man over his dues. "We aren't going to take your gracious offer of that discount, though." He smirked.
Sal pondered, handing half the money back and then waving what he was holding. "This is the front. The back will be twice this. In three days time. Here."
Dracos
"Will we meet here on the third day? Or do you want to pick a comfier place next time?" He curiously asked as he pocketed the money.
"We'll complete the deal here." Sal nodded.
Dracos
"Time?"
Sal looked up at the sky, it slowly raining down on them. "Eight. Pm. I should have them by then."
Dracos
"And about that side arm I was talking about earlier..." Jan really wished he had brought an umbrella along.
"Hmm, you need to talk to hum. The wrights could help you out there. Their home is at the east edge of town, in the big manison with the garden." Sal responded after a moments thought. "I don't want to know what for though and I didn't send you."
Dracos
"Right. Thanks for the help, Sal." Jan nodded to the man, turning and making his way out of the docks, pausing for a moment. "Hey, Sal...take care of yourself now."
He continued leading the others out of the docks.
Follows Jan away, annoyed at the falling rain..
And so they headed back to the inn, getting a meal on the way, a night's sleep, dry clothes, and so it was that sunlight greeted them as they stepped out on the morn.
Dracos
And so they made their way across town, navigating the streets as they headed to the eastmost part of the city, finding a large garden there surrounding a big mansion. They didn't get far before two men in gray suits came out and stood in their way. "Your business?"
Dracos
Leets gave an uncertain smile at the imposing guards. "Yeah, we're associates of Mister Jan Smith and we're here to meet the Wrights?"
They looked around blinking and getting into a defensive stance as Leets seemed to appear towards the front of the group talking. "What the heck? where'd you come from?"
Dracos
"Hm..." Jan frowned as he noticed how the guard's eyes seemed to clear over as he came out of his musings. "Excuse him, he tends to blend into the crowd too well. My name's Jan Smith." He made his way up to them and offered them a business card.
"I've been told that the Wrights could help me with a problem a friend of mine has been having with personal protection?"
"We do deal in personal protection, if one has the money, Mr. Jan Smith. Come inside. But..." He looked over them. "Your weapons stay here. Family policy."
Dracos
Jan, Leets, and Cylde quickly made their way into the mansion, the other two deciding to stay out rather than give up their weapons. "Please try not to get into trouble." The negotiator pleaded before he entered the mansion last.
They saw maybe twenty people as they were lead through the house, most of them looking well, like family to each other. Leading through they eventually were brought into a large study, two men guarding the doors as an older man worked behind a large desk, looking up.
He had well trimmed hair, streaks of gray going along it. His face was warm, grandfatherly one might say, even if his eyes were perceptive and sharp. He was dressed in a casual suit. Fancy, but not overly formal. The jacket was behind him along the chair. "I don't recognize any of you. What business do they have with us?"
One of the men leading them stepped forward. "Honored grandfather, a Mr. Jan wishes to talk with you about acquiring some personal protection for a friend of his."
"Is, that so..." The older man looked over them tapping his fingers together. "What kind of protection are you looking for?"
Dracos
Darx takes seat outside, closes his eyes in silent meditation, his sword lying close by, his wings folded, awaiting the group's return.
"Sir, I've heard that the Wright family offers the highest quality in side arms, and can't afford to take anything but the best with us into the desert for protection as we journey to Vault City." Jan lowered his head in respect to the head of the clan, as he started furiously working his brain for this meeting.
"Vault City?" The old man rose. "Your name is Jan Smith? What of your two companions?"
Dracos
"I mostly go by Leets, Mister Wright," he answered politely.
"And the professor here is Clyde Hornsby."
The man nodded walking with slow strides around his desk. He wasn't that tall, maybe a couple of inches over five feet. "And for what do you go to Vault City?" He asked, briefly curious.
Dracos
"We were hired to get replacement parts for New Brunswick's water filters."
"Mmm." The man brushed his short beard. "Well, you certainly came to the right place. Though such things are not without...cost."
Dracos
"I figured as much, sir." Jan easily nodded in response as he waited for a spot to jump in.
"You would. You look like a smart young lad." The older gentleman paused a moment.
Dracos
"Beggin' your pardon, Sir, but I'm kind of curious. For a person of your kind of status, you certainly don't look like you'd fit in this city," Leets commented.
"Not to be rude, of course," he added hastily.
"And why do you think that, Leets?" The man turned, his eyes burrowing into him. "The family has always been here."
Dracos
Jan blinked. "So your family has been around since when people first started arriving in the wasteland?"
"You just seem... nicer then some of the people we've seen so far is all."
He eyed the two of them. "You seem pretty interested in the family for a man who wants to acquire some fire power. The wright family has been here for seventy years. Since my great grandfather Bernard came to New Reno."
Dracos
"It was a moment of curiousity about how this world was before I got here, really. Some of our fellow travelers seem to have arrived here through very odd circumstances, and it's made me think about this world. My apologies if we came off sounding interogative."
"You are forgiven. Hum, you seem to not be very flush with cash. Maybe we could work out a deal." He considered, taping his chin.
Dracos
"What would this deal be, sir?" Jan curiously asked, even as he casually took a glance about.
The study was nice. Lots of fine books on the shelves.
The man brushed his chin once and it was decided. He walked over pulling out a rough map. Rolling it out on the table he pointed at a marked spot a bit to the north. "Now, there is a little raider group that tends to hang out around here. They've been a bit of a nuisance of late and well, we don't take kindly to that. I'm a compassionate man though, so, I'd like a few good men to take a message from me to them and then return here."
Dracos
"And what would the message be?"
"Just a little letter of warning. You know? Letting them know where they stand."
Dracos
"What are they called, or look like?"
Outside, Ryder grunted, looking rather annoyed as he continued to use his guitar as a makeshift umbrella against the rain.
"Darx, this sucks... This thing is really freakin' heavy"
Darx opens one eye, miffed at having his mediatation interupted.
"Then put it down. A little rain never hurt anyone."
"Trust me my friend... the rain does everything to hurt me..."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"There's a reason I bolted as soon as it started to rain earlier... I had to get away, fix myself up before the others could see me like I was..."
"Like you really are?" The Alunite opens his other eye, a soft grin forming.
"Do tell....what are you, really? I can tell there's something....special....about you..."
"Special... special really doesn't describe me well enough." Ryder said flatly.
"It's like this... imagine if you knew inside that you were more than what you are. Like there's something behind the scenes of your soul emoting on you..."
"Interesting.....go on, my friend. Tell me everything..."
"I'm fairly sure that who you see before you isn't the whole of my being... I know that in my past, I've died at least twice, maybe three times. And yet, memories are nonexistant for me. I don't know what or who I was back in those lives... only emotions seem to be what's left."
"Interesting...so you think the other pieces of you may be out there somewhere?"
"Maybe, maybe not... I just know that I'm not what I was meant to be... or maybe I am, I'm not sure, all I have to go by is feelings."
He closes his eyes again.
"Feelings can be a tricky thing, my friend. Don't let them lead you down the wrong path.."
"That's why I don't let them lead me very far... Most of the time, I just enjoy what I have. Then, of course, I get curveballed and it decides to rain..."
>_>
"You still haven't explained what exactly the problem with rain is."
Ryder sighed... he always hated this part of this conversation...
"Words... mean nothing to what I could instead just show, ne? So, just open your eyes and get it over with..."
Darx does just that, opening his eyes and looking.
Ryder sighs big time...
"Now, what you're about to witness may or may not cause you to burst out into spontaneous laughter. If you feel the urge to do such a thing, go ahead, it's no worse than what I've heard in the past."
And with a quick motion, Ryder slung the guitar over his shoulder, his form blurring for just a second before refocusing into a much smaller frame. Gone was the midnight blue hair, replaced by an ice green color instead, though conspicuously, the red bangs remained intact, albiet a little smaller.
Nothing seemed to fit right on this new form, which was expected because of the loss of muscle mass and height, and the addition of mass in the chest, hips, and butt. His shirt was still tight, but not exactly in the way that perhaps one would have wished.
Also gone was any trace of masculinity in Ryder's frame, though, that could be expected since Ryder, without warning, had turned into a girl...
A wide grin slowly crosses over Darx's face as he tries to stifle a laugh.
"In all the years I've lived, all the sights I've seen, I have never seen anything quite like that, my friend."
He smirks.
"At the very least, you make a cute female, for a human that is."
"Oh screw you man... I thought you'd be able to appriciate weirdness on this sort of level."
"Hmph, of course I appreciate it. One would rather travel with a team of cute females rather than this group of misfits."
"I don't know Darxie... the fact that you'd be surrounded by a team of cute females that would never want to screw you might be worse than not having any at all..."
"Ha, so true, sadly."
And with that-and another glance over the girl-he closes his eyes again.
Ryda casusally leaned against the wall, slinging her guitar over her shoulder and plucking a few strings, not loudly enough to bother Darx though.
Jan:
"Good, to hear we're in agreement." He smiled. "They call themselves simply raiders. They tend to move about nomadically in that area. You'll know them when you see them."
Dracos
"Right. I'll see about delivering the message to them, then. If they resist or try to attack us, what would you like done, though? Or will your men handle it in that case?"
"No, no, you're just gonna bring a message and then come back with their response. If they try something? Get yourselves out of there. Of course, I know how these things go and if something were to...happen? It wouldn't be a problem. Just come back here when you're done."
Dracos
"I'll try and make it that nothing happens. C'mon, guys." Jan rose and bid the others to do so. "Thank you for your time, sir."
"Hey, hey, I didn't give you the letter yet. Gregio, take these good gentleman to the lounge and give them some equipment."
The younger man, gregio, gestured for them to follow him, leading into a large lounge.
Dracos
They followed into the room after the friendly enough looking goon, Jan guessed.
"I'll be a moment."
He headed out.
Returning a little while later with a case. "Come on, grandfather wants to talk to you."
He turned and lead back to the study, Mr. Wright behind the desk. "Here." The old man handed Jan a sealed envelope. "Make sure it arrives safely. Sergio will give you the guns when you are off the mansion."
Dracos
"Fair enough." Jan nodded with a pleasant smile as he took the envelope and placed it into a pocket inside his suit. "Don't worry, I'll make sure it gets there. Rest assured."
"Good. I thought you looked like a smart boy." He smiled and Gregio lead them out.
"Now, let's see."
He opened the case and pulled out a long rifle, roughly three-fourth's his height, single barreled. He handed it to Clyde.
For the others, he pulled out two pistols, six shooter types. "And for you. Know how to use 'em, right?"
Dracos
"I never actually used one before," Leets admitted, looking embarrassed. "Smith would probably make better use of it then I would."
He conceded the weapon to the older man.
"Fairly well. For now, I'll take these two, then." Jan took them. He looked over at Leets. "I'll teach you how to shoot afterwards."
"Well enough." Gregio went back inside.
Jan could see the other two waiting nearby...Well, assuming some girl was now wearing Ryder's clothes.
Dracos
Leets paused midstep, turning his gaze from the medatative Darx and the girl in rain soaked, oversized clothing. "Do you need a lecture about picking up strays now, Darx?"
"And why is she wearing Ryder's clothes anyway?' Leets asked frowning. "Don't tell me he's gone streaking in the rain..."
Jan felt a headache approach at nice speeds as he put the twin revolvers away. Any urge of wanting to play with them and twirling them around his fingers bleed out of him that moment. "What's going on here? I think it's time we all ...talked. Things are just getting too strange for my liking. Follow me, everyone."
He started leading them to an out of the way locale.
They set up at a small cafe a little away from the wright family home, the five of them sitting down with food.
Dracos
"Right, then. Leets, I think it's time we really talked about that ability of yours. Lady, you're Ryder, right? I doubt he'd be streaking around...or give up that guitar that' he's been constantly clutching at. So, if you're him, why don't you tell me what you were talking about last night before you vanished. About Leets."
"Well, I think he has some kind of don't notice me thing going on. Causes people's eyes to slip off him if they're not looking for him."
Dracos
Leets stared blankly, processing the conversation before him. "You know how nuts that sounds, Smith? Isn't it just a case of people not paying attention to their surroundings?" he tried to rationalize.
"Well, let's ask Ryder over here, then. When we met up with him again, he was staring directly at our group." He turned to look at Ryder. "Did you see him show up?"
"Not until he spoke up."
Dracos
"But... wait, what about when we ran Greg? He didn't seem to have trouble seeing me. Doesn't that mess up your theory then?" Leets questioned.
"The wolves would too, but they weren't normal. And neither was Greg." He reminded Leets. "Look at how many people seem to just...jolt awake whenever you remind them of your existence. The guards at the Wrights, most recently. You can't deny something is off if all these people don't notice you until you suddenly make your prescence known."
Leets frowned and slumped in his seat, unable to counter that point. "What's your point then, Smith?" He grumbled. "This is Wasteland, right? Does it really matter that some of us aren't normal?"
"That's an easy question. Now that you know, you can begin to actively use it. Do you have any other abilities that we should know? I'd rather not be surprised in what my team mates are capable of."
"I suppose that depends," Leets shrugged. "Have any locks you don't mind being broken?"
"You've always had these powers? Or were they a more recent thing?" Jan asked curiously. "I mean, you didn't even know you had that hiding in plain sight power."
"Somebody Elses Problem Field." Ryda piped up.
"Yeah, that." The negotiator blinked at the term.
"The bending metal and electonics is one thing I was always able to do," Leets shrugged and took off his hat when they noticed his eyes glowed an eerie green light. The air around him seemed to increase its charge of static electricity and Leets hair almost seemed to stand on end. He replaced his hat, ending the demonstration. "It's usually not as noticible when I wear this."
"Don't know about the 'Someone Else's Problem' thing, but that does accurately describe how people ignored me back home.
"Hm. Well, regardless, this might turn out useful here in the Wastelands. Like you've said Leets, everything here has gotten turned upside down so it isn't that shocking to me, at least. Although, this does help give me a frame of reference as to why you were being chased when you arrived..by soldiers, right?" Jan leaned back in a pensive posture, hands steepled before him in thought. He looked at Leets curiously.
"They wanted your power for themselves, most likely."
"Doesn't explain why they saw me though," he muttered, leaning in his chair. "Bloody bastards should have minded their own business."
"If they were after you like that, that only means one thing. They knew what you could do, maybe you were one of them, even. I know a lot of people would want someone like you on their side."
Leets blanched at the very suggestion. "Guess it's best I lost my memories then if I turned out to be working with those guys."
Ryda nodded from the other side of the table...
"Yeah, I'll say you're good for us... that's why I wanted you to go in there. They wouldn't have noticed you, since you're not anyone's problem except ours..."
Leets glanced over to the girl again. "Not that I'm going to question your sanity any further, but - Are you SURE that she's Ryder?"
"I's a hunch, really. Looks like she could be Ryder's sister. That, and she's wearing his clothes, and using his stuff with the same fervor Ryder clung to it."
"So he... she... uhm... Ryder comes from a world where people can change their gender?" Leets questioned doubtfully.
Darx shakes his head, trying not to laugh as the group as they stare at Ryda.
"Um, just a curse really." Ryder answered. "Water based. Don't really like to talk about it much."
Dracos
"At least it's not very inconvenient then."
"And what of you, Mister Smith?" Leets turned his gaze towards their guide. "What's with your giant robot impression?"
"Giant robot?" Jan blinked. "Huh. Never thought about it that way. Anyway, it's another version of me, let's put it. I got it when my world ended."
Darx blinks.
"Giant...robot? He can become a golem of sorts?"
"Something like that, yes. I am the golem, in many ways. And it is me."
Darx hmmms....."Very, very interesting....tell me, how did your world end?"
"One minute everything was fine. Then I got shot and died. Woke up again, and the world had been rotted away to nothing."
"Well, that was anticlimatic."
Darx cackles.
"It should have ended with a war, like mine."
"It probably did. No one was left alive when I woke up...except a lion." He frowned.
"A lion? That's it? What kind of crap happened to your world? No clues at all?"
"None. Besides it being decayed and self destructing in my wake. The oddest thing is that the lion had a stone around its neck that the Kingpin has as well."
"Interesting....perhaps the Kingpin is somehow linked to your world's end..."
"Hm. Probably not, since this was way after the fact. I think the gem the Kingpin has is really important, though. Gives me feelings just like that tower south of New Reno."
"Curious..."
Darx reaches into his sleeve and pulls out a small watch. "When my world came to pieces, an old man ending up giving me this watch.....seen it before?"
"Looks like a really expensive looking... joke watch," Leets frowned, noticing the extra hour on it.
"Speaking of time, don't we have a job we need to finish?" Leets reminded as he rose from his seat. "We don't want Mister Wright to get impatient of us now, do we?"
"Besides, if the Raiders are nomadic, then we'll need all the time we have just to find them."
Darx tucks the watch away.
"If it wasn't for this cursed injury, I could easily head upwards and take a look around for them. A pity, we'll have to do it on foot."
Another sigh.
"Shall we be off, then?"
Ryder nodded. "Yes, let's."
and so the group headed north, out of the town.
It took nearly a full day's journey before they saw it, a large camp, maybe fifty or sixty people in total, in the distance.
Dracos
Darx looks the camp.
"Hmm....fifty of them, five of us....I could probably dismisses ten of them, leaving forty for you guys..."
"Or we could just deliver the message like we're supposed to," Leets coughed politely, eyeing the winged sociapath warily.
"I'm sizing this up for when things turn nasty. Do you honesty think things will go as planned?"
"They're nomads, and in my experience, can not be trusted."
"And I'm just saying if we go in expecting the worse, then the worse will definately happen," Leets retorted. "Just don't go in ready to gut them like pigs and maybe we'll be able to get this done without a massacre."
"I always expect the worse, it's how I've managed to stay alive."
"Fine. Just don't go scaring them too early then," Leets sighed as the group made their way towards the nomads' camp.
"Don't worry, I'm not an idiot."
He follows.
Heading in, they were stopped at the edge of the camp. "Who goes there?"
A couple of rowdy looking young men eyed them.
Dracos
"Jan Smith. I've come to deliver a message to you from Mr. Wright of New Reno." He stepped up.
"I don't know any mr. wright." One of them snickered.
Dracos
Darx takes a sniff and mutters just loud enough to be heard.
"This man reeks of something awful...is it his natural scent, or does he use some sort of lotion to apply it?"
Jan had a flicker of amusement bubble inside him, even as he was all business as he walked up to the hoard. "This is a message from the head of the Wright Family of New Reno. It would be in your best interest to take a look at it, sir."
One of the older ones glared. "A message huh? You know what they say about the barer of bad news, right?" He was a big fellow as he smirked at Jan.
Dracos
"Don't think I have, no." He calmly handed the message to them.
Darx sniffs again, continuing.
"It's always amusing to watch brainless brutes try to be intimidating."
Those who heard Darx quickly were getting hostile, watching the proceedings.
"Humph. Let's head inside. Kaj will handle this." He tossed the letter back and lead into one of the larger tents.
Dracos
"Calm down, Darx." Jan commanded as he caught the letter and led the group after the man.
Leading in, they found themselves facing a tall man with black hair, muscular with a scar on his right cheek, dressed in black pants and with a gun strapped to his back and side. "Hmph, what is it?"
Dracos
"I've brought you a message from the Wright Family of New Reno." Jan held it out to the nomad.
He took it and looked Jan over first, his eyes chilling as he looked for any signs of weakness. "And why should we care what the wright family says? You don't look like you come from them." He hadn't yet opened it.
Dracos
Darx is obviously annoyed and distrusting of this man, but is trying his best not to show it.
The only sign of it is a slight ruffling of his wings.
"Like Jan said... we're not in the Wright family... we're just the ones delivering their mail." Ryda said from the back of the group.
"Heh, messanger boys... " He snorted derisively. He opened the letter, reading it and leaning back. Slowly he started to laugh. "You guys are kiddin' right?"
Dracos
"Do we look like we're kidding?" Darx rests his hand on his sword hilt, slowly letting his wings open.
The man raised an eyebrow. "A sword? Hmm, and wings too... probably pretty dangerous. But do you really think you can take on a whole camp of us?" He was pretty cool watching.
Dracos
Ryda sighed and lowered her hand to her gun...
"I have a feeling that the message is not very good..."
A laugh.
"I might not be able to take out all of you....but that's what my friends here are for."
"No. Back off you two." Jan ordered to the two twitchy fighters. "We don't have any problems with them." He nodded at the man. "Now that we delivered that message for them, we'll be out of your hair now."
Darx flutters his wings again.
"Fine.....but I'm covering our rear as we get out of here."
"Have a good day, sir." Jan gave a slight nod to Darx, even as he concealed the action by holding a hand up in salute to the head nomad as they pulled back. The negotiator kept an eye open as well in case of trickery.
The man gestured as they moved to leave. Darx spotting someone following them outside the tent, drawing another of those explosive guns.
Dracos
Darx hisses just low enough for the party to hear...
"We're being followed by one guy......and I don't think he'll be the only one. I say we take them by surprise and quickly hit them, catch them off-guard, then make a break for it afterwards."
Olguin:
"Leets, go behind that tent their leader is at. If they start sending more of them after us, use the gas tank you have and the matches in your supply pack. It'll cause a small bang that'll draw their attention, then Ryder, Cylde, and I can shoot them while you get out. Don't do it unless they send more men. Or if they look like they're about to shoot." Jan whispered to the youth.
Leets nodded and snuck around to the back of the tent they exited, making sure to keep the party in sight. "Sure hope there's some truth to my supposed trick," he muttered softly to himself.
The guy lined up Ryda in his sights as Leets moved, preparing to take her out.
Dracos
Leets set the gas tank behind the tent and, using a torn bandage as a fuse. He quietly lit the makeshift bomb and quickly slipped away from the upcoming explosion.
A few things happened at once.
The explosion went off from leets bomb, gathering attention and more importantly, throwing off the gunners aim, so Ryder only took a bullet through the shoulder instead of through the head.
The tent they came out on caught on fire as the folks inside started rushing out.
Dracos
As soon as the explosion goes off, Darx quickly spreads his wings and closes his eyes, chanting softly. As his wings begin to glow with a greyishblue light, the fires suddenly seem to instantly grow, encompassing most of the camp and tents in it's hellish glow.
Darx gives a chuckle. "That should keep them distracted for quite a while."
He folds his wings and turns, making a mad dash to escape from the camp, swinging his blade at anyone that dares get in his way.
Leets rejoined the group as they fleed.
Shouting a stream of English profanities that doesn't seem right for her, Ryda frowned and reached across her body for her gun.
"You assraping fucking sucktarding stupid bitches messed up my shooting arm! DIE DIE DIE DIE!"
And with that, Ryda aimed and fired a series of rapid fire shots at the bandits.
A few shots rang out as the four fleed, brushing around them as they got out of the camp.
Meanwhile...
Ryda stood there trying to fight them off with her gun, a few shots knocking three off their feet, even if the majority missed as another bullet passed through her side. The situation really looked kind of dire.
Dracos
"Damned girl....I should just leave her..."
Darx hesitates for a moment, then sighs shaking his head.
"She got into the mess, it'll be her fault if she perishes."
Wincing at the shot at her side, Ryda frowned as she turned and saw nobody helping her.
"They are getting bitchslapped for this... oh yes, they are getting bitchslapped indeed..."
Ryda quickly holstered her gun and teleported back towards the party...
Ryder found himself a little beside them as they dashed by, hurrying along away from the fire trap.
Dracos
A grin.
"Nice you see you made it, pretty eyes."
Ryda, running with them, gave Darx the finger...
"Gee, why didn't you do something like help me."
"Gee, why didn't you do something like run away, like we planned?"
"If I remember, the plan was for us to shoot at them..."
"To shoot, not to stand there and be killed."
"Quit arguing you two. We still have one last thing to do," Leets reminded the bickering duo. "Mister Wright wanted their response and I think what we had to do back there pretty much says what they think of Mister Wright's message."
"First things first, let's get you patched up." Jan waved for them to go into hiding as he dug out the medical supplies.
Ryda quickly ran over to Jan's side...
And then doubled over in pain.
"Fucking bastards, I should kill each and every one of them..."
Leets blanched as Ryder's own impatience worsen her wound. "Just calm down, will ya? Not like we're going anywhere."
Jan started treating the girl. "Doesn't look that bad from what I can eyeball, but you're going to have to rest at the hotel for the next few days we're in New Reno."
Ryda muttered a really nasty swear that resembled saying, "I hope that those fuckrashes all choke on pretzels and die." Obviously, it was alot worse than that though...
Regardless, speaking in a normal tone, she added, "I'm always getting stuck in bed, aren't I? First the water, now this..."
"Well, the problem the first time was understandable. But you have to remember that this isn't like the comic books and cartoons, you can't stand still during a firefight or whenever. You have to keep moving. Anyway, I think at best you won't be able to do any heavy lifting for a while, since the bullets went right through you." Jan dusted his hands as he rose from tending to her.
"We'll see tomorrow depending on how you're doing."
"Yeah... but it's hard enough to shoot this thing right handed, worse to shoot left... imagine trying to shoot while running away."
Ryda then uses her left arm to pull out the gun and toss it over to Jan.
It flew a small distance before it landed in the negotiator's hands, causing him to grunt at the unexpected weight and drop it in the ground.
"Wow...y'know, let's all take a break. I think it's about time you reveal a bit about yourself. At least tell us what you're capable of. We figured out Leets, but well...I'd like to find out what you can do as we go back to the Wrights."
He started walking, taking a moment to grunt as he lifted Ryder's gun up with both hands and carry it with him as he nodded for them to follow.
And so they began to talk in the desert where it was hot?
Dracos
Darx follows, the heat finally starting to get to him, his movements seeming more sluggish.
"Gre.....cursed sun.."
And lo carrying on, they arrived the next day at the wright mansion, taking only a quick break to clean themselves up before they headed over there.
The same two from before were standing out by the gates.
Dracos
"We've come to report the results of the errand Mr. Wright sent us on." Jan told the guards.
"Ah, good, good, standard procedure though. Weapons, hand 'em over."
Dracos
Jan passed over the group's weapons.
Storing them, they lead back to the lounge where the group was forced to wait a bit for Mr. Wright to be ready for them.
Afterwards, one came in. "Mr. Jan. Our honored grandfather would like to speak with you now."
Dracos
"Okay. Lead the way, then." Jan rose and guided their group after the guard.
The man blinked a second before leading the whole group into the office.
Mr. Wright sat at his desk, looking over them. "More of you this time?" He asked warmly.
Dracos
"These two wanted to hang outside last time, but they're part of our group nonetheless." Jan faintly shrugged a bit. "We've come to report what happened after we left the message to the nomads."
"Good, good. How'd it go?"
Dracos
"They tried to shoot her in the head afterwards." He pointed to Ryda, who still looked a bit under the weather.
"Pity, pity, I was hoping that they'd be amiable to polite resolution. Unfortunate." He nodded.
Pondering a moment. "Well, it was a job well done. You guys can keep the guns. Now, what's this I hear about you heading to... Vault City?"
Dracos
"We have to go pick up spare parts for New Brunswick's water filter."
"Would you be adverse to doing a favor for us?"
Dracos
"It depends on whether or not it's along our way. I'm trying to ease the people in my group into the wasteland, and I don't want them getting their hands too messy either." Jan politely responded.
"I see. Well," He rubbed his forehead. "We don't do that much business around these parts and like any good businessman, I'm always keeping an eye open for new ventures. So, I was wondering if you could like, drop the word a bit around there, maybe keep your eyes open for someone who'd be interested in a partnership."
Dracos
"Sure thing. I'll talk to the mayor of New Brunswick when we bring back the parts he requested for the filter too. I might be able to use it for some leverage." He smirked. "Seems to me that New Brunswick could use an armed peace keeping force with how far it is away from everything. Not to mention that odd Tower standing between them and us."
He smiled. "I knew you were a smart fellow. Next time you're in town, drop by and tell me how it goes."
Dracos
"Of course. Have a good day, sir."
Darx sits out side, like last time, in silent meditation.
And lo was Jan and crew lead outside where Darx was waiting.
Dracos
"Well, where to now?" He asked the group. "Guys getting hungry? Or should we resupply while we still have some free time. Sal is going to meet us tomorrow at eight pm, and we don't have anything else to do until then."
"Let's just restock. We can grab a bite to eat on the way if we have enough money left."
"Hm, not hungry, and I've all the equipment I need." He grins and pats his sword hilt.
Jan lead the way to a nearby place he knew would hook them up with some more supplies.
Jan is soon able to locate a supplier who, after a negociation of funds, is convinced to part with plentiful supplies for the rest of the trip.
The group is now near the hotel should they care to call it quits instead of exploring the town.
Dracos
Jan lead the group so they could call it quits for the day, buying some cheap grub on the way so they wouldn't starve.
And so they awoke the next morning in the inn. They frittered away the day before heading out to see sal.
He was waiting at the docks where he normally conducted business.
Dracos
Leets scouted the docks, using his own experience and exploring places he considered as possible hiding places to see if there was anyone suspicious other then Sal's own men.
Leets found several of the normal druggies and hanger outs, but nothing like last time.
Dracos
Leets rejoined the group, smiling in relief. "No goons with guns today, thankfully," he reported to Jan.
"Great. Let's go, it's almost time." Jan nodded as he lead the way to meet Sal.
"Ah, good. On time. Got the rest of the fee?"
Dracos
Jan held up the amount requested, spreading it so he could see every hundred clearly. "You got the passports?"
"Yeah...and something better if you've got the cash for it."
Dracos
"Like what?" Jan perked and eyebrow in consideration.
"I got one vault suit. Someone could get into the inner city with this. Didn't come cheap though."
Dracos
"And what is a Vault Suit anyway?" Leets asked cautiously. "You can't expect us to pay for something if we don't know what it is."
"Vault City comes from a vault. It's one of their uniforms, hard to get as they don't exactly part with them."
Dracos
"Hm. I've heard something about that before. How much?"
"three hundred. Not a cent less. It's the only one I've got."
Dracos
"Deal. You have it on you?"
He pulled out a suitcase and put it down, placing five passports on it. "Here you go. Money first?"
Dracos
"Well, show me the uniform first." He added in more hundreds for the uniform and clearly demonstrated them to Sal.
He opened the suitcase revealing an old blue stretchy suit with some numbers on it, a one size fits all type outfit.
Dracos
"Great. Thanks for all the help, Sal." He placed the money in an envelope and passed it over to the man.
"No problem. Good luck."
Dracos
Taking the suitcase and passports from the man, he gestured for the others to follow after. It was time they booked it from New Reno.
And so they left...
Dracos
New thread.