ZRP-2: Brave New World

Brook looked at Andrew and then at Abel, realizing why he would be mad because cars were extremely valuable int his time and he owned a Jeep, the ultimate apocalypse vehicle. "We'll take good care of it, Andrew." She said. She walked over to the Jeep and got into the passenger seat.

=I holler=

You better be!

=I smile, looking around the cab, and finding an old CD=

Hot damn...this guy has some good taste in music

(James)
=Once all our seat belts were secure, Hibiki started the car, and led us out of the town, the bus 'gates' pulling back for us as we took off down the road=
"Okay, so it's probably going to be a few hours before we reach St. Louis, maybe more if we have to take the back roads."

(Sam)
"We've got the fuel for it though, so we should be fine."

Abel looked over to brook and smiled a bit. Then looked at the other guy in the car.
"Don't believe we've met? I'm Abel, or Buckeye, either or."

=I start the truck, the engine rumbling to life=

Good girl...still got some life left in ya...

=I pop in the CD, hearing Rolling Stones' 'Sympathy For the Devil' croon out of what's left of the speakers=

Damn good music...and damned appropriate

=I then relax in my seat, but my mind focused=

"Tyler or Seth."

This should be fun, a car full of strangers. At least I think they're strangers.

"Can I just call you Buck?"

Abel let out a short laugh.
"Sure, whatever."
He turned the key, and the Jeep roared to life.

(James)
"Good."
=I sat back in my seat, relaxing. Before the outbreak, I would have turned the radio on, maybe listened to some tunes. But all the radio stations were gone, and there were no CD's. At least the air conditioning worked=

Abel set his shotgun to the side by his leg, and handed his sword to Tyler, so that he might put it somewhere in the back. Abel drove the Jeep behind James' and Andrew's vehicles. Making sure to mimic their steering.

Brook took this trip as a good time to meditate. Because they might end up in a firefight somehow, she wanted to be mentally prepared for it.

I look at his sword for a moment before shoving it underneath the seat. I relax against the seat. Just taking the time to think things over.

Eve flopped over, resting her head in Sam's lap. The cat relocated to her side.

Hibiki drove pretty fast, keeping up a good pace. "Hmm...Wonder how this'll go..."

Miranda sung along for the Hell of it.

=I keep an eye on the Dodge Charger in front of me, a smile forming on my lips=

Well...Thank god for Mick Jagger...and a damn good guitar...

=I watch the Charger in front of me keeping up a decent pace=

Hot damn...Hibiki is showing me up...I'm impressed...

=I continue driving, hearing Mick Jagger crooning and Miranda singing as the truck rumbled along, me smiling as they did=

Let's just hope it doesn't get any worse...

(James)
"With luck, it will go smoothly. Just drive over there, grab some supplies, try and get people on our side, then head back."

(Sam)
=Having Eve place her head on my lap was unexpected, especially as far as safety went. Still, I stroked her hair gently=

Hibiki grinned. "And hopefully a hot bath. I could use one."

Eve relaxed, the stroking causing her to curl up closer.

(James)
"Yeah well, if they have any hot water, chances are it's for the real fat cats. Doubt they'll spare any for us."

(Sam)
"Still, nice hot shower?"
=I couldn't help but make a small moan of pleasure at the thought=

"What I wouldn't give for one of those again."

Hibiki sighed. "And they don't have a map of all Shepherd camps in the immediate area."

Eve sighed. "And they don't have a reason not to help, besides lazyness."

=I hear a noise in the engine, and sigh=

Goddammit...

=I wait a few seconds and the engine starts to sound normal=

Now I'm wondering if they'll have a mechanic there...

=I grumble a bit as I continue driving=

(James)
=I shuffled in my seat nervously. Hibiki was wrong about one detail, and I figured I might as well tell her=
"Hibiki, not in the immediate area. All over the country. That map had a legend on it, that showed which were the small camps, and which were the major encampments. Their permanent bases."

=Talking to Eve now=
"And the employers may not have a reason to fight, but I'm sure their soldiers are itching for a fight."

The car ride was pretty quiet. Brook seemed to be... Away? she looked to be meditating or something. Tyler wasn't saying much in the back seat. Abel just kept following the other vehicles. He decided to turn the radio on, and search though the stations. He didn't really expect to find any station with anything playing on it, but he hadn't checked a radio in the past two years. As he expected, all the stations were dead silent.

Hibiki was silent.

Eve yawned. "And which has my secret stash of ice cream, I hope."

(James)
=I chuckled=
"I don't think ice cream was listed on the map Eve. Anyway, a map like that, yeah, will definitely be one hell of a bargaining chip."

"Only fools would ignore it. If a coordinated force could hit them from all sides, they'd be finished." Eve added. "There has to be enough to do the job."

Brook exited meditation and turned to Abel. "How long have we been driving?" She asked, looking around out of the jeep at the environment around them.

(James)
"Oh I don't doubt it, but even then we wouldn't have a big sweeping army or anything."
=As the conversation carried on, the distance between us and the lockdown town only increased as drove on and on. There were abandoned cars here and there on the road, but for the most part the road was clear=

Abel thought for a moment.
"Thirty, maybe forty minutes..."

She nodded and sighed. "I always hated long trips.." She looked down at her rifle in her hands and started to examine it.

Abel nodded in agreement. Then looked at the rifle Brook was holding.

"M14 huh? How does that work for you?"

"Love it. Probably the best weapon I've ever owned or even shot." She said with a smile. "How about your shotgun? How do you like it?"

He looked over to the shotgun to his side.
"What can I say? It's a shotgun. But I'm still alive and kicking, so it must be good enough."
Abel smirked at the last few words.

She nodded. "Good description of it. What about your sword? Why carry that? It's slow, heavy and if you get cornered you're dead.."

"Well... It was on hand when all this started. Plus, at times I can swing that thing pretty damn fast."
Abel paused a moment then decided to add a little brag in there.
"I held off a horde with that sword and my pistol."

(James)
=We sat in silence after that. Conversation topics were never my strongest suit, and I don't think anyone would have been interested in a game=
"Guess it won't be hard to miss St. Louis though. Big giant arch and everything...."

"Guess not." Hibiki said.

Eve rolled a bit to look up at Sam. "You're quiet."

=I continue to drive, silently lamenting at the state of the truck's engine=

Come on...come on...hold it together, dammit

=I then get a childish grin on my face=

Well...at least I get to go to St. Louis...

=I once again silently lament the state of the engine as we drive along=

"Interesting.. I guess when one is skilled with the broadsword, one can swing it fast.." She spoke and looked back at Tyler. "What about you back there? What weapons do you have and why?"

(Sam)
=Looking down at Eve, I put on an apologetic look=
"Sorry, just distracted I guess."

Eve reached up to poke Sam's cheek. "Smile. You look better smiling."

(Sam)
"Keep poking my cheek and you'll definitely get me to smile."
=That and it tickled a little. It made me grin=

(James)
"Hey Hibiki, if I poke you in the cheek will I get you to smile?"

"No. Only hungry. And your finger looks like it tastes like chicken."

Eve giggled. "More."

(James)
=I grinned=
"So I do taste good?"

(Sam)
"Okay, you two keep that kind of talk to yourselves, in your own room. Damn."

"Don't know. Not gonna find out James."
She grinned.

Eve sighed. "Grownups..."

(Sam)
=Grunting in agreement with Eve=
"Lovers....."

(James)
"Oh hey now. One day you will find someone who will make you act goofy in public."

(Sam)
Yeah, and then I found out they weren't interested.

Hibiki laughed

Eve reached for Sam's free hand. "I'll help you find someone!"

=I feel my eyes lower=

Damn this road...it's making me sleepy

=I then look out in front and vaguely spot something familiar=

HOT DAMN! WE'RE NEAR ST. LOUIS!

=I beam as I press down on the accelerator=

(Sam)
"Thanks Eve.....but it's not going to be easy to find someone. All the good ones seems to be taken. Kinda like the old world really: All the good ones are either taken, or gay."
=I eyed James suspiciously=

"Hey James, anything you want to share with the Charger?"

(James)
"Nooope."

I look down from viewing the clouds and look at... Brook right?

"I have a M9 pistol. Pretty basic. I've keep it because I can whip it out pretty fast. I have an axe. Recently got that... oh and a rifle too."

Eve sighs. "Well, I'm here. We can be alone together!" She said, sticking her tongue out at Sam.

Hibiki accelerated. "Almost there."

Mira sighed. "Shut up Andy, the dead might rise at your screams. Ohwait....

Felix wrote:

I look down from viewing the clouds and look at... Brook right?

"I have a M9 pistol. Pretty basic. I've keep it because I can whip it out pretty fast. I have an axe. Recently got that... oh and a rifle too."

"That's a good setup. Nothing too heavy, easy reloading weapons and a reliable axe." She nodded and then turned around in her seat to face him better. "I'm Brook. In case you didn't know or forgot."

(James)
=As we drew closer to St. Louis, I could already see in the distance a sight I had seen many times before in post cards and on The Travel channel. The big giant arch was visible on the horizon, like a gateway from some science fiction movie. Nearing the city though, I felt my blood run cold as I saw the all too familiar sight of smoke pillars=
"Oh no."

(Sam)
"What? What is it?"
=Then I saw the smoke=

"Oh shit."