ZRP-2: Chapter 5: Pariah's Warning

(Andrew)

=I nod, turning the ATV around and hitting the accelerator=

Copy that.

=I grin at the prospect, my sister hanging on as I gunned the ATV's engine=

I dash to the bathroom and practically rip my bandages off. The blood had already reached my eye and is now dripping off my face.
I take off my shirt and wipe it off. Good thing this isn't shirt I like. Well, out of the like, four shirts I have. Anyway.
I turn on the water, cup my hands under it and drench my face with it. I turn it back off and re-wrap my bandages.

(Allie)

I think and shake my head.

"I shoot things and save the talking to the others.."

(James)
"I figured. Cooper did want the listof people knowing this to be by small. Okay, first things first: a Shepherd agent managed to infiltrate the compound and deliver a warning. They're building a small army to come and take us out, and the way the message was delivered.....made it sound soon. So, we're improving the defenses we have. And, after this I need an excellent pair of eyes on the highest point in town, and keeping an eye out for that army. You up for it?"

(Allie)

I nod.

"You got it, this shouldn't be to hard."

(James)
"Cool. Alright then, lets go inside, check on the gear."
=I opened the door and led us inside, towards the armory=

"So, guessing its been quiet from your perch, Ace?"

Hibiki giggled.
"Maybe I should find a bikini then."
She fell silent as James talked with Ace.

Eve looked around. "Where are we going?"

(Sam)
"Well, looks like the armory if we're following them. Come on."

Eve kept pace. She was quiet.
Her mind though, was a whirl of activity.

(Sam)
"Aren't you normally a chatter box, Eve?"

(Andrew)

=I get to where Cooper wanted me=

Anyone ask for an extra pair of hands here?

=I yelled it so that it could be heard over the racket=

*Soldier*
"Yeah. Just grab a hammer, one of those metal sheets, and get to work. We need to make this wall thicker than it used to be."

(Allie)

I enter behind them.

"Yeah, not much to be seen. everything's calm for now."

(James)
"Guess that's a good thing then. At least we have some breathing room today."
=We entered the armory, and I Lexus over to the table with the sniper rifles and equipment=

"Now....I don't know the first thing about rifles myself, especially the ones meant for snipers. So I'm not going to be much help checking on these. Think you can spare some pointers?"

(Allie)

"Go for the bolt actions, Automatic are okay, but tend to have less range and power. And you want to check out these scopes. If they don't reach 1000 yards or have bad verticals then they're pretty much useless. I would also clean and inspect all of them, especially the bolts, a jam in a hunting rifle would take minutes to fix. Metal and fiber ones are easier but still a jam is a jam."

I walk around inspecting the stash.

"I dunno..."
Eve shrugged. "I guess I chatterboxed myself out."

(James)
"Got it."
=I went to work checking on the rifles, carefully and slowly disassembling one=

(Sam)
"Huh. That's a first."
=We entered the armory, and instead of walking to James and his group, I walked over to the shotguns=

(Andrew)

=I nod=

Will do.

=I look to Sarah=

Just watch my back here would you?

=She sighs, but nods in understanding=

At least their not after us...at least not yet...

=I then get a hammer and a metal sheet and start going to work=

Eve gravitated to the bows, carefully testing each one, then testing them by firing arrows into targets. All hit their bullseye, so Eve put the bows down and retrieved the arrows, and began to sharpen them.
She eyed the handguns next.

Hibiki cleaned the assault rifles.

I look at myself in the mirror. It's been awhile, quiet awhile, since I've seen my face. I now have scrappy facial hair everywhere.
Long, shaggy hair that's beginning to reach down to my shoulders. And I hate to say it, but I do have some pimples.
Hey, I'm 15. I'm surprised my face isn't covered in them. Anyway, the point is I haven't been keeping up with maintenance.

(James)
=After three minutes, I had the gun reassembled and sitting on the table. Normally I'd be faster with pistols or shotguns, but rifles like this were not my forte=
"We're going to be here a while, aren't we?"

Eve already was re-assembling the first handgun.
"You are daddy."

Hibiki was already cleaning another AR.
"You needed to learn sometime."

(James)
"Whoa, when did you get here Eve? You too Sam?"

(Sam)
"Oh we just picked a blind spot of yours James. Honestly, you really should learn to pick up on tails better."

Eve giggled, reassembling a pistol and picking up another.

Hibiki rolled her eyes. "Really James?"

(James)
"What, I'm painfully oblivious. It's who I am."

(Sam)
"It sure is....."

"But we love him." Eve quipped.

Hibiki smiled and cleaned the rifle before reassembling it.

(James)
"Of course.the one guy against three girls always loses...."
=I grumbled as I went back to disassembling and reassembling rifles.i got faster, once I learned what was what=

Hibiki laughed.
"You don't win against your wife. Ever."

(James)
"You never know. One day I'll beat you."

"In your dreams." Hibiki said cheerfulcheerfully.

(Allie)

I look over my shoulder at James from where I'm working.

"She's right you know."

"If only there was a barber in town... or a pair of scissors and a razor."

I say to the person in the mirror before turning around and leaving. Then I just sit on the bed. I'll get food later...

(James)
=My arms fell to my sides, an audible thump of impact as they slapped against my thighs=
"Is every woman here against me?"

(Sam)
"Petty much."

"I'm not a woman per say so mostly yes. You alao have most of the kids here against you." Eve said before giggling.

Hibiki smirked. "Yep."

"Well. Maybe I should get a shirt on, I don't exactly have six pack."

I chuckle to myself as I stand and go look inside my coat. Finding my Fire Emblem graphic T. I shrug as I take it and put it on, finding that it still fits.

"No chance of getting blood on it..."

(Sarah)

=I sat in the passenger seat of the ATV, letting my brother do the heavy lifting=

Working like that...he reminds me so much of father...

=I let a small smile appear on my face=

Now...if only I had some more weaponry besides this rifle...

=I sit on the thought until Andrew was finished=

(James)
=I was finally able to finish with my rifles, setting them in a row on the table. I doubted they would fail, since I didn't go into too much detail when I broke them down then put them back=
"Okay, so that's done. And we've also established I am in a battle of the sexes."

(Sam)
"It's not that fun being on the receiving end huh?"

(James)
"Honestly that statement would hit me more if Hibiki had said it."

"He recieves more them me sometimes. And I like being on the bottom."
Deadpan the entire time, Hibiki finishes cleaning the knives on a table as Eve is sitting down by Sam.

Eve hae finished her jobs, then sat on the ground by the table after telling Sam, moreso to avoid Sam freaking out.

(James)
=My face went red, though I kinda had it coming I suppose=
"Wow just put that out there why don't ya?"

(Sam)
"James, I think as a rule she has to. How else are you going to notice?"

(James)
"You calling me blind, Sam?"

(Sam)
"No. Just calling you a guy. Not blind, just oblivious."

"I was calling him lazy." Hibiki continued, nonchalant.

Eve giggled softly. But otherwisd refraimed from talking.

(James)
=Turning to Hibiki, I frowned at her=
"Okay I'd hardly call myself lazy. There just.....isn't a lot to dogs all."

(Sam)
=Holding a bag full of ammo clips, I walked over to James and tossed them into his arms=
"And now, you can spend your free time organizing the ammo clips."

(James)
"Oh you are enjoying this aren't you?"

(Sam)
=I grinned at him=
"Hmm, I kinda am."

(Andrew)

=I hammer the metal into place, the sweat coming like a heavy rain=

Goddamn...I don't know if this will work...

=I continue to hammer the metal sheets, my mind consumed by the work=

Eve giggled.
"She's having the time of her life."

Hibiki smilee, walming over to give James a kiss. "Teasing you babe."

(James)
"Yes, both of you are."
=I shook my head, but it wasn't enough to hide the grin on my face=

"Guess it beats the alternative."
=I sat at a bench and took out a few clips=

(Sam)
"What's the alternative?"

(James)
"Waiting in patient anxiety for the Shepherd attack."

"I would rather anticipate an attack then experience one." Eve said.

Hibiki sighed, startinv to clean her katana.

Mira just slept.

(James)
"Well yeah, but not a lot of people can deal with stress, especially the stress just knowing about this attack can bring. It's the same for people who hate getting shots. The pain of the needle isn't what gets them so much as knowing it's coming and watching it inch closer and closer to your skin."
=Yes I spoke from experience. I hate getting shots=

"True."
Hibiki sat down beside Eve, then pulled the girl onto her lap. She softly nuzzled her daughter's cheek.
"Hey honey..."
"Hi mommy..." eve snuggled, enveloped by Hibiki's arms.
"But I have my most tried and true form of stress relief right here."

Hibiki smiled, kissing Eve's head before resting her cheek against Eve'a temple.

(James)
=I was too busy organizing clips to pay attention to everything else, so I didn't really comment=

(Sam)
=A part of me looked at Hiiki and Eve with a sort of longing, mostly for me to be rubbing my cheek with Eve. But I shook my head and walked back to the shotguns, checking on what we had=

Eve looked up at Sam and smiled, shyly. She was a bit embarassed, apparently, being seen coddled by her mother in front of her one day girlfriend.

Maybe... maybe I should talk to Jennifer now? Yes, no... maybe? Ugh. Why can't I be confident? I survived the bloody Zombie Apocalypse for cryin' out loud!

*Sigh*