ICC- Kilrick Salvage Chapter 2- On the Road to NYC

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welsh

Junkmaster
We spent most of the morning packing and getting our gear together in the big rig. There was plenty of space, and that worked well. In addition to the plasma, weapons, food and medical supplies, we would need it to haul down the wind mill in Maggotville.

The vehicle, half diesel semi and half deuce and half, was powered by plasma sells and a converter someone had come up with. It was a mutant hybrid of a vehicle, built to survive the wastes and haul cargo. How Remington and TJ had found it, I had no idea. But it didn't matter. We had some rock I wanted to dump, and TJ and Remington needed to find a new high.

I was a bit disappointed. For one, the rock was still a commodity and we could have used it to buy other supplies, although Jake had made a good deal. Had Remmington or TJ stuck, we wouldn't have had to trade. I was also disappointed that they wouldn't be joining, but perhaps they could catch up.

Jake was under the hood checking out the mechanics. He had some experience with boats and other rigs so he could figure out what went where. He had made the trade so perhaps it was best that he drove.

I tried to keep busy with the .50 Cal mount. The weapon needed cleaning. Behind me Deeds and Jasmin were loading up their gear and that of the science types. There was a lot of gear. To much. We would never be able to carry it all.

I could feel Maddy Stowe's glare into my back. Perhaps she had thought I wasn't going to take the job, though why she wouldn't want me on the job was a mystery.

What ever was bothering her, she didn't speak about it. And for that I was pleased. I was thinking about the trip.

The distinctive clank and whirl of Spengler's Crawler, a big box on a pair of tracks, moved past. It was strong and strudy and could get past obstacles our rig couldn't. Like us he had mounted weapons on the vehicle in case of any action. Privately I wondered where he was going for medical supplies. If he had the drugs my snitches would have told me. But they had mentioned nothing.

I watched the crawler move through the mud of the vil. He was getting a head start, but the crawler was slow and sucked on plasma the way some brahma calves suckle a nipple. Like us, he would use the rig to get close and then he would adandon it to slip into New York quietly.

I saw Rama coming down with another man. Good, the group was getting together.

I called down to Rama, "Good that you got here. We need to get the rest of the crew together. Where the others?"

But he shrugged.

The new man made his introduction, and I shook his hand quick, telling him that we'd do introductions as soon as we hit the road, and to help out.

"What's the deal?" He asked.

"New York, we share the spoils, and you get paid a bonus. I'll let the Major fill in."

The Major was overseeing the packing, and I was happy to keep him busy. But the Major preferred to ignore the new man. One of the others told him to hustle in and help out.

One by one the crew came in, like cats that had been out all night and were just creeping in, sleepy and exhausted from the night's activities. Finally we had enough people. Those that didn't make it wouldn't get paid. It was that simple.

At mid-day, Jake turned the key and the rig roared to life with impatient aggression. Like me, it wanted to eat the road. "Alright, let's get out of here."

"Maggotville?"

"Ya." I said. Then turned back to the others. "Alright, so who is new?"
 
*Vehicle Depot, The Vil*

As the others arrived, Eric instantly picked up some new faces.

"The more the merrier. Might as well have some extra firepower along in case jackasses or some radioactive monstrosity considers us easy pickings.

Kilrick by now had finished conversing with the strangers and was busy cleaning up the ma deuce on top of the truck.

"Might as well speak to him now".

And so Eric stepped outside and lightly tapped Kilrick's leg.

"What do you want?," gruffed the old veteran.

"Hey boss, do you know anyone by the name of Spengler or Major?
 
"Alright, so who is new?"

The man was obviously one who wouldn’t beat around the bushes… even when we first met the first thing he told me was where we were going and what we would get in return… no crap! You like it, good! You don’t? You get the bloody out!

So I helped to carry the stuff… and looking around. Mostly gun-men but also a couple of people that didn’t quite fit the picture, pencil-pushers, probably had something to do with the job…

Then we left!

And here I am. God, I’m back to the life I was living way back! So much time, so many things have happened since… and still, the rush of blood, the tickling you get when you drive off into some sodding adventure… God, it feels great!

“Richard C. Wolf at your orders…” I said

“I’m Kilrick!” he replied “Welcome aboard. So, why are you here and what can you do?”

“Pleasure! I’m an old arse, I know, but I know how to punch someone’s brains in or my favourite, to blow a bloody crouch off with a shotgun… still I could use better weapons, if we ran into some.
Yet what I do best is healing, I’m a field doctor, can heal anything from a gun-shot wound to a radioactive fever, and got the stuff for it in my bag…
Anyway, can you clear out some things now? Like, what is it we’re doing in New York and exactly how much we’re getting for it? And what the hell’s Maggotville?”
 
I looked at Eric. "Spengler is technically our competition. He's after the same thing we are and if he gets it first, he gets the prize. He's also going down with two grunts and two eggheads, probably in that crawler that just went past."

The crawler had left big tracks in the soft muddy earth, but by now we couldn't even hear it. Privately, I wished Spengler the best of luck. We were competitors, sure, but it was friendly and I didn't want him to fall to any ill will.

"The Major, he's the head honcho in these parts. The military commander, and the one who calls a shot for the Greens. He's also the man we are techncially working for. But be grateful he's not comin with, cause he can be a real prick."

I said it loud enough that the Deeds and Jasmin heard, but if they disagreed, they kept it to themselves.

I looked over at Jasmin, but she seemed to be checking out Prudence. Interesting.

I turned to Wolf, "What's in New York. Don't know. They didn't tell me that much but I am guessing we are to help these four escorts find something important. Our interest is money. $10K a head and $130K for the job split even for everyone who comes home."

Rama looked up. "They renegotiated?"

"After I walked out." I said.

Jake laughed. "It was Kilrick or Spengler, and Kilrick has a better record."

Stowe was also caught by surprise. "So it's money you want, that's it?" I could tell she was pissed off.

"Money pays the bills and this is business." I said.

Maybe I should have said more, but I didn't quite know what to make of her yet.

"So Maggotville?" Asked Wolf.

"We won't go in tonight, but will camp out some clicks away. I would like to recon it before it gets too dark. There's a wind turbine generator still working there. I want to bring it down and move it. Then we are going to trade it for some pharmaceuticals for the trip."

"That isn't what you are getting paid for." Said Deeds.

"We only get paid if we live, and I don't want to die of radiation poison in Big Apple." I replied. "So yes, it's part of the job."

"Don't like maggots." Chimed in Jasmin.

I knew what she meant.

"If we go in during the day it shouldn't be a problem." I said.
 
Jake tried to concentrate on driving, but it was hard, having two of the most annoying people going with you for a month long trip. And the fact the Killrick was a good man, who Jake would die for if it came to it, because, jake knew it was the same for killrick.
After a particulary nasty little jibe, Jake prodded Killrick so that he could whisper to him.
"Want me to just pop the bloke and the sheila come savo?" Jake asked.
 
"Chill." I told Jake. "Keep your eyes on the road. We need to get to Maggotville a few hours shy of night, and then find a place outside to crash."

"So what's in Maggotville that's so important?"

"Maggots that would bite your head off." Said Jasmin, under her breath.

"We are going for a wind turbine. I aim to see if it's still operable and then to bring it down, then trade it for the pharmaceuticals we'lll need for New York. But first we need to see if the damn thing works, and then if we can bring it down. I'd like to do it in a day."

"And the maggots?" Asked Rama.

"Never seen them. Don't want to either."

"The Maggots own the town at night." Said Deeds, who had been quiet so far.

"Lost a squad in there a couple of months ago." Followed Jasmin.

A squad of heavily armed, combat armor grunts. Tough motherfuckers, combat vets, who had been in the shit.
 
"So what are these maggots?" Asked Dr. Franklin. Stowe was sitting next to him and was trying not to listen.

"No idea." I said.

"None?" Asked Franklin, bewildered.

"Kilrick was part of the group that went in afterwards." Said Jasmin, "I was there. We never saw them. Just what they left behind. Virtually wiped out an entire squad."

"They were suprised." I said. "Had they been warned it wouldn't have happened. Bad intel."

"Bad night that was. Bad everything." Said Jake. He'd also been there.

We had been asked to do a salvage job and went in after the assault squad, with the idea that it was hot territory and the grunts were to secure the site while we did the salvage. The security group had gone in under cover of darkness. The first signs of trouble were the weapon discharges from the town below, and a desperate message calling for rescue, that they were in trouble. Of course we went in.

"So you don't know anything about them?" Asked Franklin.

"No, not exactly." I responded. "We know, for instance, that they generally live underground. We know that they walk on two legs and are pretty fast, judging by the tracks, and that they are not that tall, but we're not to sure. And they hunt in packs."

"That's not very much." Said Franklin.

"Nope, and they come out at night." Said Jasmin.

"Never killed any?" Asked Rama.

"We think a few were killed a few but they collect their dead. We saw blood trails leading to some tunnels underground, but we were not there to pursue, just to salvage." Said Jasmin.

I didn't want to add more, because it was a personal matter for Jasmin. We had found Jasmin, the only survivor, at the end of a deadend street, hidden with a dumpster that had been turned over so that it could be hit only from one direction. There was a lot of spent shells in the dumpster and a lot of blood in the alley, but we found no bodies. No bodies of the rest of the squad either.

"Still got the job done though." Said Jake.

"We'll be fine as long as we don't stay after dark." I said.
 
[OCC] Switching to 1st person mode. [/OCC]

I went to the junkyard the next day at the morning. I wasn't in hurry, so I wanted to pass the night safely - on the road. The junkyard was quite big, no living creatures, only rusted metal. All the machines, brass and buildings remains were lying around something that's gone now. There was a gate, if you can say that, in the north "wall". In fact it was a crashed building with a tunnel through which you could go inside.

I stopped in the center of the field. There was no signs of anything what could be central part of the junkyard. I started to look for some evidence, but I quickly reminded what was I here for.

After two hours of searching I found 2 motors of which one was too small and the other was buried under a car. Fortunately, there were a lot of metal poles. I took one, easily lifted the car and put a rock on the second end of it. I took another, smaller pole and tried to detach the motor from the device it was attached to.

Suddenly I heard a continuous creak just behind my back. I jumped and turned around as quick as I could when the pole I used to lift the car broke. "Good I wasn't under the car" - I thought. I had to find another way to grab the motor.

I jumped in the pile of junk to look around. Fortunately, there were some tools lying on the car's floor. I took some pliers and tried to crack the screws which hold the floor, but they were too hard. After some time in an attack of fury I tried to lift the car with my own hands. I lifted it only a bit, but enough to get under it and take the dang motor. So I took a box from the car and put it under. I had the pliersa, so I took the motor quite easily and the only problem now was how to take it to the bike without dying of exhaustion.

"I'll roll it down, who cares?"

As I thought, I did. When it was just at the bike, I tensed and threw the motor to the back seat container.

Happy of success I started the bike.
 
We drove down the dust road past the side that said "Warning Maggots."

We were within their territory, and although it was believed that the maggots stayed in the town itself, one never could be too sure.

I looked at the sky, searching for the sun. It was still afternoon. The sun was dieing, but we had time for what we needed to do.

Jake was driving, said quietly, "What do you think?"

"We need to be quick." I said.

Jake drove up the back of the hill that overlooked the town which had been renamed Maggotville. When he got to the overlook, he stopped.

It was small little town. A rail line cut through, part of it. A number of streams ran through it, bisected by some old bridges. But mostly it was just rows of streets and houses over low rolling hills, a tidy town square in the middle. There had been a prison and a hospital there once. But there were no signs of life. Nothing, not a dog, not a cockroach, not a rat, moved in that town. It was as dead as a graveyard. Not even a bird would fly over it.

To the side, a tower against fallow fields, a wind turbine stood. It was old but it had been coated with some kind of insulant that kept it rust free. The blades continued to turn in their clockwise motion.

"That's it." I said. Looking again at the sky. "Ok, we have a few hours. Let's be fast. I want to check out the turbine. Stay together. Don't go anywhere dark. Don't disappear. You won't see them but they'll no you're there. We're going to get a fast look at the turbine and then get out. I want to be out of here before darkness falls."

The others nodded.

"Lock and Load." said Wolf. The others smiled.

Jake let the engine roar and took us through town to the turbine.

OOC- Ok, we will probably take a look and leave, and then Rohan will make his entry, his bike will sputter out and we will have to decide whether to get him or not. I would prefer if we didn't see the maggots yet.
 
“Bugger me, sure don’t like this...”

And I truly did not, something felt strange ‘bout the place, maybe it was the alcohol and nicotine deficiency in my veins, but something about that place felt really damn strange!

“Oy, Kilrick, this is a straight bloody recon, ey? Get near it, have a look at it, then come back for camping, right?” I asked.

“That is the plan, yes” answered Kilrick.

“Sure hope so… anyways, and ‘bout that “lock and load” stuff while back at the truck, it seems has you guys have a lot more to load then I have, so, if we ran across some extra fire-power, let me know mate…ok?”

Kilrick nodded and we kept going.

At this point we were right next to the sodding generator. Jake stopped the truck and we came out, Jake stayed in there smoking. Hope we wouldn’t need a get-away driver…

It all seemed really calm, nothing happened yet, but the place still felt odd, and I could bet that I saw something move in the corner of my eye… probably paranoia, first time in the field with a team after so much time can do this to a person…

“Let’s get this bleeding thing over with. Lead on boss!”
 
Edden kept her hand on the Pump action M3 shotgun. "I guess its too late to say I don't like this place, huh?." Edden asked Kilrick, though it was a rhetorical question that needn't be answered.

Rama didn't say anything, following Kilrick's lead. He naturally kept a distance from Remington and TJ. Still pondering if they could be trusted. Then again, Stryfe had doubts of surviving New York. The first time, he barely got out alive. A second time may prove fatal. Though that memeory is faded, time spawns new things. The three that were sent with them - Stryfe didn't trust them at all.

Of course, Stryfe wasn't on this gig for personalities, it was more for profit. Edden came for the fun of it, and well, perhaps becaue she could get to bust a couple skulls in the process.

A blur passed.

"I have movement, Ten yards." Rama Stryfe leveled the AK-47 in the direction of the blur. "Do the maggots move this fast?"
 
*Maggotville*

As the group arrived, Eric noticed apprehension from some of the members.

"I wonder what type of critter could make these hardasses worry?"

As if sensing his question, Kilrick quickly responded.

"If your smart, you won't underestimate the creatures here. The monsters are fast, vicious and numerous to boot."

Eric responded, "I don't care what the hell they are. I have not and will not ever underestimate an opponent whether they are human or animal. All we need to do is get them within sniping range and slow them down a bit. Once that happens, I can provide fire support with this baby (motions to his M24)".
 
"I have movement, Ten yards." Yelled Stryfe while pointing his AK-47. "Do the maggots move this fast?"

“Weapons ready!” Commanded Kilrick. “Whatever it is, I’m not taking any chances!”

While they spoke the blur approached us and it became clearer to what it was.

“Bollocks! That’s no maggot! That’s a motorcycle!” I said

So I said, it came closer and we could see a man riding an old motorcycle.

“I have him on firing distance!” Said the Asian man, Eric Chang. “Just say the word and he’s down!”

Well in a sudden the machine starts to brake down with a loud noise, it slides uncontrollably and the driver falls off it.

In a few minutes it would be completely dark…
 
Jake was still looking over the vehicle, Deeds and Jasmin having taken covering position. I kept looking at the sky.

The sun was getting lower and the darker it became, the more dangerous.

"Everybody stay sharp. Don't slip into any dark spaces, no shadows." I said.

I noticed that the motorcycle had broken down close to the town square. Had this been another job, I would have gone for it as salvage. A quick pick up and sell.

But there was little time now. Stay focused on the job, and right now the job was the turbine and not the bike.

Despite myself I watched what was happening below. The guy had been thrown hard and at first I thought he had broken his neck or had knocked himself unconscious. But he started to move, slowly. The throw had hurt him, but he got to his feet and hobbled over to the bike.

Jake was talking about the bolts. "We'll need to spray these down, and it's a good thing we brought the torch. We can shut down the gears here by....." I let him go on, my attention now on the biker.

The guy was up and trying to get his motorcycle going. But whatever had gone wrong had killed the engine. He kept hitting the throttle but it wasn't working.

He had a choice- either abandon the bike and maybe he could get out alive. Or he could keep trying. Maybe the bike would turn over and he could get out. If it didn't he was a dead man.

Difficult choice.

I was getting impatient. Jasmin and Deeds were getting nervous too. Stowe and Franklin were already back in the truck, both of them chambering rounds in the assault rifles they had brought.

"Jake, time?"

"Well, you want this done in a day, right? I think...."

I chambered a round in the shotgun.

"Yeah, we could do this in a day. Sure, no problem." Said Jake.

"Let's get the fuck out of here."

Eric looked over, "What about him?"

Meaning the biker. He was still trying to work the engine without success.

I looked at the sun. It was setting.
 
I stopped trying to get the bike moving. Damn traders, they even can't upgrade it well. After I came back they sent me here, so I am. Now I have to talk with this guys who are staring at me - they are well armed, they have a car - they make good customers.

Good that Bob gave my rifle back. But it won't help me, I have no chances to run away now. Besides, maybe they can do anything with the machine. The rifle was attached to the seat. "It makes no difference if I get killed in fight or not".
I grabbed the handles and walked towards the man who was looking at me since I fell down.

- "Hello, I'm Rohan. Put that weapons away, it's not too comfortable being on target of all of you. I'm here to hold you a bit for my friends who want to trade for supplies"

- "Kilrick, nice to meet you" - he lowered his weapon - "If they hurry, they might catch us. We're not staying here any longer than we have to. This is Maggotville"

- "Yeah, so what's the point?" - I had no idea what he meant

- "Never heard of Maggots? If I were you, I'd get out of here at once. They come out after dawn"

- "So it's too late". In fact, the sun was under the horizon and the only lights were stars and a torch behind Kilrick. I didn't believe about the Maggots, but it's always better to play stupid and take advantages of it.

- "I think you should stay here until it's safely again. But first, give me your rifle, just for security"

- "Sure, take it", I said, but I was thinking "Again. What do you people want from me?!?"

I gave him the rifle.

- "Take your time" - he said.

I came to bike and started to mess with the broken motor.
 
I was already regretting this. I looked over the rifle quickly. It was clean and chambered with a round. Good.

I looked again at the sun. just dipping over the horizon.

We should not have come down here to rescue this guy. We should have left him. Not our concern, not our job.

I am not getting paid for this.

I turned to the others, "Take his bike and throw it in the truck."

Rohan was caught suprised, "Hey wait a minute, that's my...."

"And if he resists take him too."

Deeds might be ruthless psychotic, but one had to admire his efficient and decisive ruthlessness. He and Deeds picked up Rohan and carried him into the truck.

"What the fuck, that's my bike. YOu can't.." Rohan was saying.

"He can and he will" Said Deeds.

"But he's stealing my bike." Said Rohan, "Motherfucker is stealing my bike."

"I'm not stealing your bike." I said. "Let's go, let's go." I said to the others. "Rama, how's the .50."

Rama had taken a position before the .50 cal. "Nothing yet."

"Yeah but soon." Whispered Jasmin, then to Rohan. "If he wanted to steal your bike he wouldn't be taking you with him, but could find your bones here tomorrow."

As soon as everyone was in, I told Jake, "Let's go Jake."

The truck kicked into life and roared down the road. Jasmin fired a star shell into the darkening sky for illumination and Jake had the lights on high. We didn't need either for driving, but it helped keep the monsters away.
 
“Well, that worked out better then I expected… “

I lay down in the truck and started to roll a ciggie with some tobacco I bought before.
I like them better this way and taste a whole lot better then those soled out there, made by who-knows-who, probably filled with all kind of poisons!

“So, what are we going to do with this bloke here?” I asked Kilrick

“Let’s first get far away from Maggotville. Then we talk!”

“That’s fine by me, but he doesn’t look that much happy about it, probably cause the way you dragged him and his bloody motorcycle into the truck…”
 
Jake was enjoying driving this monster, though it was not that fast, the sheer size of it made up for it, he admired it. And he was fucking stupid, because something the size of a child came zooming right across the road, and jake hit it, and the truck started shaking.
"Oh fuck" Said Jake.
"My sentiments exactly" Said Killrick.
 
"Don't mean to sound like a cunt or anythin'... but can we go... I'm gettin' a feeling the abyss is staring at us." Edden looked at the shadows and they seemed to be stirring a bit in the distance.

Her shotgun was ready.

The sound of the shuttering vehicle wasn't a help either.

"Damn."[.color]
 
"Problem boss." Said Jake.

Jake hadn't been moving very fast, spending much of his effort trying to avoid the debris in the street, potholes and other obstacles. So when I looked up to see what he meant, I could anticipate what would happen next.

Up ahead they had rolled out a car into the middle of the road. Big enough to block us in.

"Shit." I said.

occ- OK, I will leave it to you folks how this ends up.
 
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