ZRP-2: Chapter 5: Pariah's Warning

(James)
"Okay, how much longer are we going to do this? Ace, how you doing on your end?"

(Ace)

I look up with a cigar in my mouth.

"What? Oh right!"

She looks over her stack.

"Most of these look good, i'm setting aside those that need major cleaning or scope realignment. Other than that these look good."

(James)
=I blinked ather=
"Where the hell did you get a cigar?"

(Ace)

I take a puff and blow a smoke ring.

"This old thing? I carry a but load with me, most are a little stale but old habits die hard. Picked it up from the Indians up north."

(James)
"I thought the term was Native Americans. Eh, whatever."
=My work with the clips was finally done, and I left the ammo standing in neat rows=

(Ace)

I shrug and walk over to James, Hibiki and the girls.

"You girls (and James), finding anything good?"

(James)
"Other than some armor piercing ammo and......I think they're called claymores or something, some kind of explosive."
=In all honesty, I was kinda giving them a wide berth. Bullets and stuff I was fine with. Explosives that could rip people apart and leave nothing but mulch? Yeah......definitely not my thing=

! Ve took a look.
"Yeah. Claymores." She shugged. "Just your average all american antipersonal explosives. Ya'know?"
She stretched and sat back down as Hibiki sheathed her sword.

(James)
=That just made me take another step away from them, to which I heard an ambushed chuckle=

(Sam)
"Honestly James, you are such a pansy. They're not going to blow if they aren't armed."

"I wouldnt drop it anyways." Eve said.

Bored, the girl stood up and just ran around, arms outstretchedike a plane. She just ran in circles lazily, acting...like a child.

(Ace)

I look uncertainly at eve.

"Umm... Anyways."

She turns to the claymores.

"I call dibs, they never let me handles explosives in the core. I've allways wanted to though."

(James)
=I looked away from Eve who, lets face it, was making one helluva bizarre scene=
"Were you trained to handle explosives?"

Eve came in for a landing.
"I was."

(Sam)
"That doesn't encourage me at all for some reason."
=Mostly because the words "explosive breakup," came to mind=

(James)
"Okay seriously, I'm starting to think Jonah taught you too much."

"He didn't teach me how to be me. Only how to survive, escape, evade, and uh...blow shit up, as he put it..."
She shrugged.

Eve then looked at Sam. "Afraid I'll blow up people who look at you funny?"

(Sam)
"No I'm afraid you'll blow me up at some point."

(James)
"Still.....way too much stuff to have taught you."

"Father was arrogant. He wanted me to be his star agent. He just made his own worst enemy."
Eve looked at Sam. "I already makd you blow up, so I doubt I can do worse."

(Sam)
"Trust me Eve, the's always worse."

(James)
"Moving on from explosives......we should probably use the claymores and any other explosives we have, set a trap near the points of entry for when the Shepherds arrive."

(Ace)

"Aww..."

I hang my head saddly.

(Jenny)

I surface my head up from the river. After some short thoughts I decided I needed a good bath or the closest thing I could get. I use some sand to rub dirt off and dunk back under.

(James)
=I turned to face Ace=
"Something wrong Ace?"

(Ace)

"Oh you know. Every girl wants the chance to blow shit up.."

Its true.

(James)
"Well, looks like you're chance will come. Grab some guards, and have the, help set up the explosives around the entry points."

(Ace)

I grin and nod.

"Alright! Blow some shit up!"

(James)
=Ace had this crazy look in her eye. Probably just enthusiasm about blowing up stuff=
"Okay, move fast Ace. No telling when the Shepherds are going to hit."

After a few more yes's and no's and maybe's I finally decide to talk to Jennifer. The last thought being "Man up, you're just saying you're alive."
...and hopefully she'll forget you didn't bring her, but I didn't say that part. Anyway. I gather whatever courage I have and go to her door, knocking twice.

Eve shrugged. "If I'm going to blow something up, it'll be the Pariah." She said with some conviction.

Hibiki smiled up at her daughter.

(James)
=I did my best to ignore that statement. Eve sure as hell wasnt going to be the one to punch his ticket. And it wasn't because I had a personal beef with Mikey. It was because I honestly believed that he was too dangerous for anyone, and that if anyone was going toe to toe with him, it was me=

Eve sat back down on Hibiki's lap, again pulled into her embrace.
She snuggled against her mother quietly, just zoning out.

(Sam)
=I saw the look James face, or at least the way he held himself. I walked over to him, keeping my voice low=
"I've seen that look on your face before James. That was the same look you had when we rescued you from Jonah."

(James)
=A harsh retort nearly flew out of me, but I held back. With a sigh, I felt my shoulders sag a little as I started walking away from Hibiki and Eve. She followed=
"Pariah....who he really is, is my problem. My own demon to deal with."

(Sam)
"So.....you intend to deal with him alone? Even when you have an army and a family behind you?"

(James)
"I've lost one family already to him. Not going to risk another."

Left alone, Hibiki nuzzled Eve hair absently, zoning out as she just...relaxed, finally.

Even moreso after the sex. Though she was sure she had a bruise somewhere. That chair hurt.

(Sam)
"Yeah well now you have a family of ass kickers. And you know who he is, what to expect. So instead of hiding what you know, share it with us, and help us kill him for you."

(James)
"I won't stand by, and simply help you kill my brother. If you must help, then fine, but everything else...."

(Sam)
"You are way too old fashioned James."
=With that, she walked away and over to the shotguns=

(James)
"Heh.....maybe I am."
=I walked over to Hibiki, and reached out a hand for her, fingers combing through her hair=

"Hey."

Hibiki stopped nuzzling, murmuring with pleasure. It was evident she liked the gesture.
"Hey."

(Andrew)

=I look to Sarah from my work for a moment=

Hey sis...how long do you think we'll last?

=I give a thin smile at the statement=

(Sarah)

=I prop my legs on the ATV's dash=

I give us...less than two days...

=I wear a deadpan expression=

(Andrew)

=I frown slightly=

Pessimist...

=I sigh=

(Sarah)

=I shake my head=

Not a pessimist, just a realist.

=I longed to have a knife to defend myself again=

(James)
"I hate this. Just waiting."
=Sitting here in preparation for the inevitable attack, even if it was with the ones I loved. I hated it. I longed for it all to be over=

"One ends upnlonging for the waiting, in the end."

(James)
"Maybe you. But not me."
=I sat down next to her and Eve=

"Past two years.....all I've done is spend my life waiting. Living in fear of the day the walkers, or some maniac, would kill me. And now here we are, in a safe haven, and we're still under threat of attack."

Eve crawled over to James' lap and snuggled into his chest.
"Stop trying to fight all your battles on your own then daddy. We don't depend on you for protection. We depend on you for leadership. And love."
Eve smiled. "And it's them who are under threat. Because...they fight for an ideal that can be manipulated...you....we...fight for family. Nothing less."

(James)
=My arms wrapped around my daughter, gently hugging her close=
"I know. But everything I thought I'd never lose, I have. So that makes me afraid for you, and you Hibiki."

"Mommy charged into a building like Rambo. I don't think you have to worry."
Eve hugged James tightly. "And I have Sam. She's the equivalent of the lady with the shotgu. Who always saves the day. Dont worry about us. Worry about you..."

(James)
"Heh, well I've always put others before myself."

(Sam)
"And that's what I find annoying about you sometimes James."

Eve just fell silent as Hibiki laid her head on James' shoulder.
"You can join the family Sam. Just. Not on my lap." Hibiki added jokingly, amiling up at Sam.

(Sam)
"I'm good of here actually. Let you three have a family moment."
=Besides, I actually did have to check on one of the shotguns=

(James)
"So.....we should probably head out soon. Get the explosives set up."

Eve slipped out of James' hug and stood up.
"I wanna learn more about shotguns."

Hibiki stood up. "I'll go tune my motorcycle."

(James)
=I suddenly felt very naked without Hibiki and Eve near me. Standing up, I walked over to Hibiki=
"You know how to tune a bike?"

(Sam)
"Thought I already taught you about shotguns?"

"James, I was building my own motorcycle in my garage. Yes I can tune a bike."
Hibiki rolled her eyes.

Eve blushed. "No...just firing....not much else."

(Sam)
"Well, might as well teach you how to disassemble a shotgun and put it back together."
=I started to break down one of the guns, slowly showing her what to do=

(James)
"Sorry. Kinda forgot."
=I sat next to her, watching her work=

I knock again but still no response. I back up a little.

Dude, she can do other things then wait around you...

"But where is she?"

Eve does as shown, following slowly but keeping up.

Hibiki nods, then resumes tuning the bike, throwing her shirt to the side without any sort of shame.
"James, can you hand me the that?" She pointed to some weird tool. "If you're done staring."

(James)
=As soon as I stopped drooling, I reached for the tool and handed it to her=
"This is going to be very difficult for me, you know that right?"

(Sam)
"Good Eve, now try and put it back together."

"You can stare back at the room." She smirked, tweaking something before using her wrench again.

Eve started to put the shotgun back together.
Or tried. She accidently tried putting something where it shouldnt. Twice.