2066
| | Jan/Feb 2066 |
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Getting Lorna's corpse out proved to be more difficult and smelly than she first thought, but Brooke grit her teeth and ignored the smell. The worst part was that the bullets and shrapnel had cut Lorna's lower body into several pieces, and Roger had to circle behind the car to quietly retch while Brooke gathered up the bigger pieces of Lorna's legs and bundled them into the tent. Brooke's stomach rose in rebellion a few times, but she just clenched her jaw tighter, swallowed, and kept working. Mellie was so deep-asleep that she didn't stir when they bundled Lorna into Wolf's hard plastic back seat. Roger rummaged in Wolf's boot and hauled out two more canteens that sloshed, and tossed one to Brooke. The water within was warm and brackish, but it was the best water that Brooke had ever tasted. She couldn't wait to get back to Somerset and bathe. "Let's head back to the convoy." Roger started to slide into the driver's seat, then stopped. "You drive, Brooke. I'll take Kestrel." "Uh, sure." She circled the car and slid into the driver's seat. She'd had basic driving lessons in Somerset, so she could drive salvaged cars back to town without incident. When Brooke started Wolf's engine, Mellie started bolt upright and reached for a weapon that wasn't there. Then she bent over and put her head between her knees. "Oh, gods," she moaned. "How long was I out? Where's Lorna?" "Not long, and she's in the back seat," Brooke replied, focusing on turning Wolf around. As she hit the top of the ridge, she grabbed the water bottle off her belt and handed it over. "Drink up. I think the heat got to you." "Not thirsty," Mellie slurred and tried to give the water back. Brooke didn't take a hand off the wheel, just let Mellie wave the bottle at her as Wolf rolled down the slope. "Not being thirsty's a bad sign. I know you weren't drinking the whole time you were sitting there. Don't pretend you don't know, you taught me this, out on the pastures at lambing time." "You're a horrid bitch, you know that?" Mellie asked deadpan as she uncapped the bottle and took a deep swig. "I had a good teacher. Take smaller sips or you'll get sick..." Brooke steered the Phoenix toward a gathering on the rear edge of the convoy, where the rest of the Recon squadron had parked in a square while Brooke had been searching Motorhomes. As they parked, the first thing they saw was Tran in conversation with a woman wearing the uniform of the Gray Riders and a bearded man wearing a flowing white coat. The survivors of Recon had gathered in a circle some distance away to watch the conversation. Brooke parked Wolf in an empty space and climbed out, her hips and knees protesting the movement after all the abuse she'd put on them today. I'll rest you when we get back to town, she told her legs as she limped toward the others. Several faces were missing from among them - Stephen Flock, the quiet but friendly Jose Elson, the Gray Riders, and most of all, Orth and her driver 'Dynamite' Brown. Brooke missed them like she had missed her teeth as a small child, probing the empty space where something familiar had once been. Two of the Scavengers were missing, leaving their leader as the only non-Legion ganger in the circle, but both their cars were in the square, so Brooke assumed they hadn't taken any losses. Slowly, Mellie came up behind her to join the circle. She accepted a round of quiet condolences with a grimace and a stiff nod. "Did anyone else see that white Osprey?" Brooke asked. Once conversation fell into an uneasy silence. "Osprey?" Mellie glanced aside at Brooke and scrubbed at the dried blood on her face. Flakes of blood sprinkled off and fell at her feet. "Is that what it was? I... I didn't get a good look." "A white Osprey?" asked the Raging Scavenger leader who'd introduced herself as Kelly Lebow. "I didn't get a good look at it either, but it sounds like the White Knight. There can't be two such Slaver lords. Only a great war leader would have an Osprey. He was accompanied by Buccaneers, which fits the profile." "Who is he? Where does he come from?" Mellie asked. Lebow shrugged. "We don't know. We only know that he's male, and he's a mutant - six fingers on each hand, and so pale as to be almost albino, but he doesn't burn in sunlight. And that, we only know from prisoner interrogations down in Badlands." She looked around at the circle. She had everyone's attention but Tran, who was engrossed in her quiet conversation. "He appeared about four years ago, with that Osprey painted that way, at the head of a small band of muscles attacking the Sarsfield-Badlands trade route. He picked targets well: expensive cars being moved north for sale. With only a handful of escorts and their speed to see them safe. A year after his first strikes, he launched his first major raids on minor settlements and nomad groups around Badlands Truckstop. That's when the Scavengers heard about him - we've fought...... Slavers around Badlands." "Do you think we can find him?" Mellie pressed, her hands clenching and releasing each other behind her back, an old sign, Brooke recalled, of her trying to control her temper. Lebow shrugged. "Perhaps. If he put together this expedition, he may go from town to town in the South over the next few months, looking for easy targets to rebuild his fortunes. It may be your best opportunity to catch him. But I recommend bringing quite a few friends. Hunting him hasn't worked out well before." "What happened?" Brooke asked hastily, forestalling Mellie's angry outburst. "The battle of the Petrified Forest." Lebow shrugged. Beside Brooke, Mellie took a deep breath. "A band of bounty-hunters out of Badlands set up an ambush, with a decoy convoy and chased the Knight and his retinue into a dead forest. And the Knight turned on them. Killed half the hunters there, and left bounty-hunter cars scattered for most of a mile. Two Buzzers died in that forest, and the half-million-dollar reward on his head is still unclaimed." "Half a million..." Mellie waved off the fantastic amount, then stiffened. "Doesn't matter." "If you choose to pursue him, I wish you best of luck," Lebow said, watching Mellie through narrowed eyes. "Hanlin, Criddle, what the hell is that in the back of Wolf?" Tran had broken off her conversation, and the man in the white coat was walking off toward the caravans. The Gray Rider woman was watching curiously from the edge of the parking formation. Tran stalked up to the circle and stopped right in front of Brooke and Roger. "Or rather, who was it? Taking a trophy?" "Sergeant Welt," Brooke responded, straightening her back against the nerves dancing in her stomach. "The Gray Riders had collected her partner, but left her. Since she had saved my life - and Mellie's - from the White Knight, it seemed wrong to leave her there." After a moment facing Tran's hard brown eyes, Brooke felt compelled to add, "If the Gray Riders want her back, I'd be happy to hand her over." Tran's mouth compressed into a thin line, and the Scavenger turned her back and walked back to her own car, away from the confrontation. After a moment of eye contact, Brooke dropped her eyes away from Tran's. "It was my doing, Ma'am." Abruptly, Tran wheeled to face the Gray Rider and demanded, "Lieutenant Dolliger, do you want your Sergeant Welt's body back?" The Gray Rider stepped closer to Wolf and glanced down at the blue-wrapped bundle in the back seat. "Had she survived, Welt," she pronounced the name with a grimace of distaste, "would have been dishonorably discharged from the Gray Riders, for conduct unbecoming a warrior. As such, she is no longer a member of the Gray Riders. You do with her what you will." Brooke caught the first hint of movement out of the corner of her eye, and grabbed the collar of Mellie's coat before she lunged at the Gray Rider. "You cowardly, no-good piece of -" She screamed, and began to fight against Brooke's grip, before more restraining hands fell on her arms and shoulders and held her back. She fell silent but for the breath whistling through her bared teeth. "Lieutenant, would you be so kind as to report back to the Colonel? Please tender my best regards." Tran bowed slightly to the Gray Rider. "I suggest, Miss Tran, that you place more restraint upon your people," Dolliger said as she turned away, toward the other end of the convoy, where Iron Duke was protecting a crew clearing the spikes from the roadway. Tran looked at Mellie and shook her head, then walked toward the edge of the parking square after the Gray Rider, who turned around and walked slowly. No, sauntered - back toward her. Mellie shook off the restraining hands and rubbed at the blood on her face. "Brooke, can you get me some water?" Brooke nodded, and walked after Tran to Wolf. She found Mellie's water bottle quickly, but while she was rummaging for her own, she heard quiet words pass between the two women. She froze, kneeling beside the Phoenix, to listen in. "What is it?" "Is that how you treat your fighters?" "That's how we treat degenerates. We remove them. We actually have discipline, unlike some jumped-up militias I could name." A long silence. "Lieutenant..." "If this is some half-hearted love-everybody preaching, just leave off. I know what's right and wrong." "No, not that. I was about to say, if you'd left my lover to rot like that, I'd rip out your guts and feed them to a razor worm. While you watched. That's all." "I'll make allowances for emotions running high, but I expect an apology for that when we get back to town, Commander." "Subcommander, Lieutenant. Joel Quick, back in Somerset, is now Commander of the Legion." "Well, he'll be hearing from us later. Good-day." Footsteps receded into the distance. Brooke exhaled a tense breath and stood up, only to come face-to-face with Tran, who'd somehow come around the Phoenix without making a sound. "Criddle?" She rasped. "Yes, Ma'am?" Brooke stood straight as her aching legs would allow. "I don't mind you eaves-dropping, but I expect you to keep what you hear to yourself. That's all." "Yes, Ma'am!" Brooke saluted, realized she was holding a water bottle to her forehead, then flushed painfully. Attempting to salvage her dignity, Brooke turned around and marched the water bottle to Mellie, who pulled a cloth off her belt and started to clean her face. "What was that about?" Brooke just shook her head. Tran walked into the circle next to her and waved at the convoy. "Hanlin, Sines, stay with our cars." Tran sighed, and went on more gently, "And Sines, you start thinking about your woman's arrangements. See if you can get in touch with Quick in Somerset and relay a report, and get the ball rolling on funerals. Everyone, head in and grab some loot. They've assigned us five cars, and I grabbed one already." Brooke nodded and started to follow Devil toward the convoy, but Tran stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Criddle, you're coming with me." "Yes, Ma'am." Brooke turned and followed Tran toward the rear of the convoy.
 Paul O`Connor of The Renigade Angels died at Somerset Rally Circuit. Benjamin Johnson of L.C.R. died at Somerset Arena. Gary Muff of SwordStroke Enterprises died at Road to Elmsfield. Jesse `Old West` Jaimes of finger3 died at Under a Bloody Red Sky. Andy `Bum Bum` Peterson of Brassicas died at Scattered Hills: Bridge Out. Arnold `Fire Fire` Sisk of Brassicas died at Scattered Hills: Bridge Out. Dana Chittenden of Nightelves died at Once Upon a Town. Margaret Ingrassia of The F-Bombs died at Shantyville. Lorraine `The Champ` Grove of Rollovers died at Gates of Somerset. `Comrade` Amanda Espinoza of Special Circumstances died at Sandy. Krista `Mankiller` Battle of The Flying Circus died at Gates of Somerset. Jennifer `Runner` Fitzwater of L.C.R. died at Once Upon a Town. Norma Tsosie of Clan Hammer died at Gates of Elmsfield. Margaret Schuetz of Revelations died at Gates of Gateway Truckstop. William Atherton of Raging Death died at Highway to Hell. `Stand Back` Dick Spray of finger3 died at Highway to Hell. Gary `the` Cunningham of Rollovers died at Road to Somerset. Tammy `Jammy` Smith of Rollovers died at Road to Somerset. Woodrow Wilson of Raging Death died at Highway to Hell. Brandon Cogdell of Raging Death died at Highway to Hell. Howard Taff of Raging Death died at Highway to Hell. Richard Digregorio of Raging Death died at Once Upon a Town. Phillip `Cain` Abel of sunset samurai died at Pathway to Darkness. Willa Martinsen of The F-Bombs died at Gates of Somerset. Ruby Frazier of Clan Hammer died at Lost Trail: Dead River. Ashlee Simpson of SwordStroke Enterprises died at Never Plains: Sand Storm. Mary Runyon of b52s died at Road to Elmsfield. `Lust` Mary Moore of b52s died at Road to Elmsfield. Enrique Jackson of b52s died at Road to Elmsfield. Phillip `Agent` Johnson of Flaming Engines died at Once Upon a Town. Mary Kelly of King of Clubs died at Gates of Badlands Truckstop. Ronald `Uppor` Downey of Rollovers died at Somerset`s Junkyard, Race Track 1. Marvin `?...Is that a` Waller of Rollovers died at Somerset Rally Circuit. Marnie Walden of Krashed and Burnt died at Gates of Gateway Truckstop. Andra Michael of b52s died at Pathway to Darkness. `Sloth` Jessie Robinson of b52s died at Pathway to Darkness. Andrew McCray of Revelations died at Snowy River Pass. `Dame` Bobbi Hoskins of Road Templars died at Gates of Somerset. Mona `Big Mama` Brown of Blood and Iron died at Gates of Texan. Chad `Wilky` Haynes of The Ansome Cousin Jacks died at Highway to Hell. George `squallyass` Rodriguez of The Ansome Cousin Jacks died at Highway to Hell. `Ummin ` Carl Coffield of The Ansome Cousin Jacks died at Highway to Hell. Sara Powell of DireWolf died at Somerset`s Junkyard, Race Track 1. Antonio Mercado of Electric Dave died at Sandy. Shawn `Horizon` Marts of Brassicas died at Gates of Gateway Truckstop. Eileen `Eggscalibre` Alloway of Brassicas died at Gates of Gateway Truckstop. Steven Neal of Roams Runners died at Once Upon a Town. Anita `Ferrari` Guerrero of Scarzams Dragoons died at Somerset Arena. George `The Hog` Harley of Scarzams Dragoons died at Somerset Arena. George `Bucket Seat` Decaro of Paceys Raiders died at Blown With the Wind. `DARTH KAHLESS` David Nilles of KLINGON GIRL SCOUTS died at Once Upon a Town. `BULLETCROCH` Matthew Leahy of KLINGON GIRL SCOUTS died at Once Upon a Town. Veronica Black of Electric Dave died at Scattered Grounds. Lorraine Huang of Axis of Weevils died at Outback of Nowhere. Jason Powell of Axis of Weevils died at Outback of Nowhere. Charles Wood of Kodiacs died at Outback of Nowhere. Denise `Wigglestick` Martina of Cestus Dei died at Interstate Mythos. Robert Cumberbatch of L.C.R. died at Gates of Somerset. Michael Espiritu of Renshai died at Gates of Somerset. Alfred `Henting` Starkweather of The Ansome Cousin Jacks died at Road to Morgan. Tyler `Fight Club` Durden of The Flying Circus died at Gates of Somerset. Brent Hinds of The Flying Circus died at Gates of Somerset. Victor Brown of Roams Runners died at Gates of Somerset. `Scouter` Joann Barkley of Project 43 died at Lonesome Highway. Randall Guillory of Produce_Vendors died at Forever Yellow Skies. Cornelius Cornelius of Pax Romana died at Northern Speedway. `Morning` Glory Swanson of Freewheel Burning died at Road to Gateway Truck Stop. Rufus `Sniper` Snow of Project 43 died at Gates of Somerset. `Blind` George Collins of The F-Bombs died at Shantyville. Walter Keene of Splurs Scroungers died at Once Upon a Town. Leland Burnam of Lobotomizers died at Lost Trail: Dead River. Linda King of Holy Mutant Death Squad died at Forever Yellow Skies. Martha Bright of RedMage died at Somerset Rally Circuit. `Not as Bad` Leroy Watson of finger3 died at Gates of Somerset. Abby Rhodes of The Darkside died at Gates of Elmsfield. `Rock `n Roll` Robert Wheeler of The Tronophiles died at Once Upon a Town. Beth `Mincemeat` Pate of The Tronophiles died at Once Upon a Town. George `GiveMeTheNite` Benson of The Tronophiles died at Once Upon a Town. John `Ain`t Got` Nunn of The Tronophiles died at Once Upon a Town. Ronald Hong of Paceys Raiders died at Gates of Gateway Truckstop. Monica `Curse` Curcio of Raging Scavengers died at Road to Gateway Truck Stop. Grady `Grenade Boy` Buie of Raging Scavengers died at Road to Gateway Truck Stop. Allen Ervin of Lobotomizers died at Under a Bloody Red Sky. Dennis Beasley of The F-Bombs died at Sandy. Shirley Dempsey of MainForcePatrol died at Road to Somerset. `whatever` Stephen Chavez of finger3 died at Dead man`s Road. Bambi `Not a Fish` Fears of finger3 died at Dead man`s Road. Warren Harding of Raging Death died at Northern Farm Land. Franklin Roosevelt of Raging Death died at Northern Farm Land. Timothy Garcia of Raging Death died at Northern Farm Land. Glen Salerno of Paceys Raiders died at Via Rupta. Carlo `Flash` Gordon of Paceys Raiders died at Via Rupta. Robin Herman of Frontline Assembly died at Once Upon a Town. Rosemary McElwain of Raging Death died at Gates of Somerset. Eric Hansen of The Pikers died at Gates of Somerset. Michael Foos of The Pikers died at Gates of Somerset. John Kennedy of Raging Death died at Gates of Somerset. `Chief Scout` Patricia Alessi of Bad Baby Bunnies died at Interstate Mythos. Terry Lewis of Long Beaux died at Highway to Hell. Jennifer Quayle of Long Beaux died at Highway to Hell. Tom `Tommy Gun` Tufts of Project 43 died at Northern Farm Land. Rocky Swim of Awefense Racing died at Blown With the Wind. Carson Savage of Awefense Racing died at Blown With the Wind. Angela Johnson of Awefense Racing died at Blown With the Wind. Annette Weaver of The Darkside died at Somerset Dirt Racing Track. Crystal Skinner of The Darkside died at Somerset Dirt Racing Track. Seth Lheureux of Endurance died at Double Down Arena. Norris Gray of Rabid died at Highway to Hell. Bryan Black of Awefense Racing died at Road to Somerset. `Sir` Cory Rash of Road Templars died at Gates of Somerset. `Sir` Matthew Brewer of Road Templars died at Gates of Somerset. Carla Brown of Road Templars died at Gates of Somerset. `Sir` Lloyd Carter of Road Templars died at Gates of Somerset. Kathleen Dupree of Road Templars died at Gates of Somerset. `Dame` Jennie Hyland of Road Templars died at Gates of Somerset. `Dame` Ana James of Road Templars died at Gates of Somerset. `Dame` Britney Flores of Road Templars died at Gates of Somerset. Jessie Adams of The Wolfhounds died at Gates of Somerset. Donald `Don` Johnson of Clarinbridge Crushers died at Somerset Super Speedway. Francis `Firepower` Bush of Brassicas died at Blown With the Wind.  This list shows just who has been winning the most lucrative prizes on the circuits and arenas of Evan, during the past month. 1. Nemesys: $447384. |