ZRP-2: Chapter 4, Backtracking

Once the elevator reached the bottom floor and I walked out. I realize I forgot my shoes but oh well. Don't need to go far.
I exit the building and immediantly I notice the air isn't as stuffy. I revere in this for a moment before heading off to the Arch.

(Andrew)

=I nod in agreement=

Right.

=I give a half smile=

But don't hesitate to call me if you need reinforcements.

(James)
=I nodded back, and went for the car (that's basically what it was) and climbed into the drivers seat=
"Okay, here's how it's going to go down: Eve, Sam, you ride with us and we'll drop you at the rendezvous point. Ace, you're free to join but your drop off point is going to be somewhere else. All good?"

Eve nodded.
"Yes."

Hibiki climbed in. "Let's go."

(Andrew)

=I sit down with Sarah, sort of at a loss of what to do. I mean, the last time we were together, we were just kids=

Well...this is certainly awkward...

Well...what do want to do now?

(Sarah)

=I smile at Andrew, my mind admiring how much he matured from when I last saw him=

Well...I thought we'd just spend some time together, y'know. Nothing special.

=I give him a slight kiss on the cheek=

(Andrew)

=I turn red from the kiss, and I couldn't help but grin=

Well...it's going to be interesting introducing her to Mira...

(James)
=Once everyone was in the car, I waved a hand out the window, signaling the guards to open the gates for us. Once open, we were on our way out=
"Okay Sam, Eve- The two of you are going to be paired with two more scouts, Max and Rick. Four of you are going to be scouting ovr by the west side of what Cooper believes to be the Raider compound. Ace, you're on the East side."

(Allie)

I nod from wherever I'm sitting.

"We have any communications? Radios?"

(James)
"Just some basic walkies. They should be in the glove box, so Hibiki, when we drop them off hand them out."

(Allie)

I lean back nodding.

"That should work, though careful what you say unless we know no one's listening to our chanel. Or we could use Navajo code."

(Sarah)

=I leaned my head on his shoulder=

So, anything special you want tell me about?

=I grin childishly=

(Andrew)

=I turn red for a minute, wondering how I would tell her=

Wow...that was fast...

Well...ummmmm...how do I say this...?

=I then feel my mouth move fast than my brain=

You have a sister-in-law.

(Sarah)

=I do my best not to hide my reaction, but I was surprised=

Really...when can I meet her?

=I was well, excited. But I was also a bit nervous, wondering how she would treat me=

(Andrew)

=I smile=

In due time.

=I grab her shoulder and pull her to me=

Besides...I'd like to just sit here and catch up.

Hibiki turned around.
"Do I look like a Navajo? Nevermind Grandpa made me learn the fucking language incase Japan waged war on America again, but how many people right now actually know Navajo?"
Eve raised her hand. "I wanted to after watching Wind Talkers with my first mommy."

(Allie)

I smile.

"Even though its not used anymore, I took the time to learn it, mainly from boredom."

(Sam)
"Well good for you Ace. But in the meantime, we're going to have to use good ol' fashioned English."

Once I finally got there I take a seat where I always have. I begin to think about... I'm not going to lie, last night.
But honestly there isn't much to think about so it was off to recent events. Moving an entire town, that's just awesome.
Made me wonder though, did James need help with anything? I mean, I still have to make up for leaving him forever ago.

Hibiki nodded. "English. And I think we should send the two with Ace. Sending four one way and one the other doesn't make sense." She frowned.

(James)
"Ace has got her own team. Well, just the one guy actually, but he's got experience."
=We reached the first drop off, a couple blocks south of what we believed to be the Raider compound=

"Sam, Eve: good luck."

(Sam)
=Opening the door, I stepped out=
"See you on the other side James."

(Allie)

I give sam a wave, then turn to the others.

"So who am I working with?"

Perhaps I should pay him a visit? Or maybe that Sheriff guy? Would he be the ex-sheriff now? No get back on track. See if James needs anything.

I stand up and go back to the apartments. He might be here and if he isn't I still need my shoes.

(James)
"Ace, you're being paired with...."
=I did my best to remember the name and some of the details attached=

"Dexter. I hear he used to be in the army, some kind of recon marine or something, I don't know. All I know is that he's a good scout, and good with rifle so the two of you should get along fine."

(Allie)

I nod.

"Understood. "

(James)
=The next drop point for Ace was almost a mile north of where we dropped Sam and Eve. Dexter was waiting on a rooftop, waving his hands at us. I stopped the car, and waited for Ace to get out=
"Good luck."

(Sam)
=Eve and I walked down the block, and then down an alley. Now, James didn't really leave any info on where Max and Rick were (bless his heart, a scavenger hunt) so for the most part we were walking blind=
"Max! Rick!"

(Allie)

I Step out, closing the door and giving the roof a knock to show all good. I look up at Dex and wave.

*Dex*
=He waved down at her, gesturing for her to come up=
"Buildings clear, come on up."

(James)
=Once it became clear that Ace was in good hands, I turned the car around and headed back in the direction of Sam and Eve. Well, close to it anyway,since we were just backing them up=

(Sam)
=Someone rounded the corner, a man in his thirties by the look of it. Blond hair, pale skin, and green eyes, I stopped and raised my weapon=

*Rick*
=He stopped, holding his hands out, palms up=
"Whoa whoa whoa, I'm Rick. Friendly."

(Allie)

I nod.

"Is there a ladder? Or stairs?"

*Dex*
"Fire escape, round the corner in the alley."

(Sam)
"Don't surprise us like that next time. I'm Sam, this is Eve."
=I gestured at Eve, who for the most part seemed to be stoic=

*Rick*
"Cool. Listen, Max is waiting down that way, so lets get moving."

"Hi." Eve said calmly.
She had her bow nocked and ai.ed at the guy's knee, but relaxed.

Hibiki frowned. C
"Let's hope Max and Rick know to identify themselves before the bullets y..."

(James)
"I'm sure they're competent enough to know that."
=I parked the car midway to the drop point, and we got out. It was going to be a bit of a walk=

(Sam)
"Lead the way."
=We followed as Rick led us down the alley, and we found Max waiting by the corner. He was maybe five, six years older than me, and looked bored=

*Max*
"Finally, was wondering when you'd show up."

(Allie)

James said I was east of their base which means thry were west. I join Dex on the roof and look tp the west.

"See anything?"

*Dex*
"Nothing from this position. We may have to go deeper into their territory. For now, the block seems to be clear so that gives us some room to move around. You go first, I'll cover you."

(Sam)
"Yeah well, now we're here. What's the word?"

*Max*
"I spotted some of the raiders on patrol, mostly keeping to the streets. But there should be a way around them, if we keep to the back alleys."

(Sam)
"Alright then, let's move."

(Andrew)

=I just sit there, feeling somewhat awkward=

Well...we've never had a sibling bonding moment since we were kids...so we're WAAAAAAY out of practice...

=Then Sarah gives me a nudge on the shoulder, breaking me out of my reverie=

(Sarah)

Sooooo...are we just going to sit here? Because even I'm getting a little tired of sitting here.

=I give Andrew a bit of a look=

(Andrew)

=I then get up and grab the wheelchair, wheeling it over to Sarah=

C'mon, let me help you up.

=I then grab her hand, helping her up into the wheelchair. She then sits down and looks at me with a childish grin=

Alright...let's introduce you to your sister-in-law.

=She looks at me in quiet triumph as I wheel her back to the hotel=

(Sam)
=We followed Max down the alley, and at the end had to crouch down behind some cars. The street looked empty, until Max made a pointing gesture, aimed at the corner down the street; I saw a raider, or a least their silhouette, standing behind the glass of some kind of store=
"I see him. Got a route?"

*Max*
"Stay low, and cross the street to the next car. The guy can't see us from this angle."
=Before giving us time to respond, he immediately did this weird little crouched run across the street. Following by example, we crossed the street the same way. Thankfully, there was no alert=

(Allie)

"I'll get to end of the street and give an all clear, whistle if anything goes wrong."

I climb down and jog down the street quietly. It seemed empty, not even any walkers were about. I frown and wait the raise my hand motioning for him to come. I scan the roads and buildings while covering him.

*Dex*
=Packing up his rifle, he swiftly climbed down the fire escape, and jogged down the street towards Ace=
"Okay, our job is to check the outside of their base, see if there are any weak points. Here's what we do know though: they're based around the end of Mallinckrodt Street, and don't ask me to say it again because I spent the past hour working on how to say it, and I still know I fucked up. Best we know, it's an old factory and manufacturing area, so there's probably been a lot of machinery they can use to build defenses."

(Allie)

I nod.

"Right. Lead the way, Ill keep a look out om our backs."

*Dex*
=Nodding, he moved forward, counting on Ace to watch his back. He switched from his rifle to an smg, sweeping it in front of him when he reached the next corner. It went that way for at least three blocks before he held up a hand, signaling Ace to stop=
"We got company. Move to cover, now."

(Allie)

I nod and roll under a truck, pulling out my pistol.

*Dex*
=He wound up going back into the alley they had exited, and hid behind a trash dump. Ignoring the smell, he had his smg readied. Just as that happened, the group of raiders rounded the corner. Five in total, two were armed with firearms while the other three wielded melee weapons; pipes, fire axes, or even baseball bats with barbed wire wrapped around the end. They walked down the street, heads turning as they looked for any sign of intruders=

(Sam)
=We were getting close to the Raider base, at least that was what Rick had said. It sure felt like it, considering the number of patrols we had to avoid. Three times, I wound up under a car, and once I had to hide in a dumpster. The smell of two years worth of uncollected garbage now clung to my clothes, and everyone gave me a wide berth=

(Allie)

I didn't move and lowered my breath untill I couldn't hear it hardly. The patrol walked by, I could see their legs. I glance over to the alley where dex was and waited.

*Dex*
=Peeking his head out just enough to see Ace, he shook his head. The message was clear: Let them pass.=

I made it back to my room- Jennifer's apartment I should say and creep in. I need my shoes and I don't want to wake her.

(Allie)

I nod and wait as they keep walking down then turn onto another road. I slide out from under the truck and brush myself off.

Eve had hidden behind the dumpster.
She had some girly instincts, after all.

And, she really didn't want to, but giving Sam a wide berth...Ok, fine.
"Sam?" She whispered towards her. "I've decided to give you some space."
She's going to so kill me.

(Sam)
=If looks could kill, then the glare I shot Eve could have withered plants and made small animals die. But I held my tongue, not willing to get in a shouting match with her and alert the whole goddamn neighborhood=
"Shut up."

=I said that though, in a very low, tired voice=

*Dex*
"Okay, that's the first patrol I've seen so far. Let's stick to the alleys for now."

(Allie)

I nod and walk over.

"It will take longer, but okay.

*Dex*
"Yeah well we have all day. We can afford to wait a little longer."
=They walked in silence from there,weaving through the alleys. Finding a decent spot to stop, he pulled out his walkie=

"Hey, Rick? What's your status?"

*Rick*
=He held up a hand for the group to stop. Easy enough since they had barely moved. Finding cover in an alley, he took the walkie and held it close=
"This is Rick. What's the word Dex?"

*Dex*
"Light patrols where we are. You?"

*Rick*
"Damn, you lucked out. We've got a lot of patrols here, and they look armed for bear."

*Dex*
"Shit. Well, keep your heads down and see what you can dig up. If all else fails get out of there."

*Rick*
"Will do."

Eve tightned her grip on her bow, staying silent.
Armed to the teeth.
Lovely.

(Sam)
"I guess this means we need to hide in more shit?"
=I hoped to god the answer was no=

*Rick*
"Doubt it. But stay cautious people. No telling what may be around the next corner."

(Sam)
=I got as close as I could to Eve=
"How you doing?"

(Allie)

I follow behind quietly, not making a sound.

Eve winkled her nose
"I'm ok. You?"

(Sam)
"Other than the fact that's need a shower? I'm good."

(James)
=Hibiki and I had to avoid a few patrols by raiders. I was a little surprised by the lack of walkers though I guessed the raiders were to thank for that. Seemed a bit if a waste though, since they lost decent guard dogs=

*Dex*
=There was a decent spot Ace and I could get a view from, a large three story building that had a good view. There weren't that many tall buildings in this part of the neighborhood so the view would be unobstructed=
"Ace, cover me from down here while I move up the fire escape and secure the roof. I'll signal you to climb up."