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Post by Winters on Aug 26, 2011 22:17:18 GMT -5
As Arc walked down the road, the sun had started to set, but it was still plenty bright out. The cool breeze was a nice feeling, North winds made working outside that much easier. They didnt have to worry about dehydration as much as in Nevada, or even the midwest itself, and the infection was clearly not as severe. He could hear animals in the woods, living animals, still fresh for hunting if needed. Something like that was rare in Raccoon City, it was surprising they didnt come across anybody driving on the road yet. The majority of the highway had been cleared off, nobody parked anywhere, they all had time to get away. Even close to the city, the cars werent so piled up.
"We went our separate ways, I couldnt control myself. Already killed one of them, wouldve eventually strangled them all to death if I stayed with them any longer. Besides, they didnt need any help, I think they were more willing to help me. Not long after leaving them, I started having flashbacks of that German Doctor, I had to stay on the move. He tried to send mercenaries to kill me, but they didnt last very long. I knew how strong I really was, I think he just wanted to prove something. I couldnt take it any longer, I knew that he knew about the Checkpoint, ive seen one of his men snooping around one night. Didnt want to worry anybody, so I kept it to myself. He was part of that assault, the man I interrogated in the woods? Shouldnt have ever left that place, but I had too many other places O needed to be..."
When they got to the gas station, the smell of oil, and then gasoline, filled his nostrils. It was in fresh supply, which was a good sign, had they needed any. But it was also a problem, because it meant that people were here recently, fresh spills gave that away pretty quickly. "...Watch yourself, somebody was here recently."
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Post by NotAvailable on Aug 29, 2011 13:19:01 GMT -5
Anna had quickly locked eyes on Arc and stopped walking in mid-step when Arc revealed the assault on the checkpoint to be the German man's doing. They'd lost three good civilians and a month of painful recuperation on her part, to that bastard. Still, he knew of the Checkpoint and Crowley knew about the Checkpoint. It was a lingering thought in her mind but now that it was definitely certain, it was beginning to weigh down on her more than it did before.
"If that German bastard lays one finger on my family's head, I will f*ck his world up," she said bitterly as she'd scowled. The very idea of Richard or Aryn...James of her parents being stuck in the crossfire, it boiled in her blood.
The smell of gasoline had suddenly wafted into her face and as a result, she'd covered her nose and mouth as did the teen boy behind them. Spilt gas was a problem as strong as this was and the quantity of it exposed, any spark at all would send them up in flames.
"Ah sh*t, I think we should turn around and leave. This is too f*cking risky. Like asking for us to die.
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Post by Winters on Aug 29, 2011 23:32:01 GMT -5
"Then ill check it out, you start walking back with the kid." Without really caring whether or not that followed him, Arc went on toward the gas station, opening up the door and pushing himself inside. Nobody was in there, the place was clear, but they could be back anytime soon. The amount of useful supplies was a sure sign that somebody was using the place as a safe house, taking anything would be selfish. But there was something he eyed on the counter, a fairly compact sawn-off shotgun, two shells already loaded. Twelve gauge, meaning more wouldnt be too hard to track down. Nobody would know this was missing, and if they did, they three would be gone before they realized somebody was messing around.
Arc moved out of the building with the shotgun in hand, resting it on his shoulder. He felt a little more at home a place like this, far away from the city, nature all around him. A person could get used to this, being away from the crowds, all the population. Maybe after his business was all taken care of, he could officially retire from the BSAA, and live off the land up here in the great north. But for now, that was a long shot away, there was much, much more personal matters to tend to.
Thinking about the attack, it couldnt have been the German. He wouldve known better, he was just a scientist. Killing the innocent wasnt his reputation, in fact, he was a good man at heart. Maybe it was all part of the brainwashing program, but something about him meant good, no harm to anybody. "I dont think he was any part of it, when I interrogated the stalker, he didnt know anything about the attack. He knew I was going to rip his head off if he didnt talk, he didnt know anything, it was just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But if the German Doctor got mixed in with the wrong crowd, then thats something to be worried about..."
Not to seem like he was defending the man, but Arc knew the truth was there, hidden away in his memories. Each and every night he slept, more and more would come back to him. For now, they just needed to get back to the Checkpoint, and see how things were going. Arc was more confident that he would be calm around the place.
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Post by NotAvailable on Aug 30, 2011 0:42:04 GMT -5
Anna had been grumbling under her breath while she escorted Jack back onto the road, awaiting their friend. After a short time, Arc emerged from the gas station, toting a shotgun. He'd been going on about how unlikely it was for the damn Nazi to have caused that gunfight a couple of months back. She'd uncrossed her arms and squinted an eye at Arc, worried of whether or not he was making excuses. Or maybe it was some weird effect of brain washing.
She'd scoffed. That was a silly possibility but then again, so was the idea of Super Humans existing. Either way, now was not the time to make accusations of lose trust. Arc was one of her closest and most trusted friends and allies.
"I don't give a damn who did it, they're all f*ckin' dead now, so it's fine. Besides, they all looked more or less like mercenaries. Probably just some rogues."
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Post by Winters on Aug 30, 2011 2:14:34 GMT -5
Jack listened to the two of them speaking, not really sure whether or not he should ask about it. They were much older, and obviously had a lot of experiences, but from what he could piece together, their camp had been attacked by people wanting the superhuman dead. There were very bad people out there in the world, but the worst of them only want what you have, and it seemed like it was a full on attack to so much a robbery. Still, he didnt get between them, just listen. However, the sound of Arcs voice seemed like he was confused, unsure about what the truth really was. It was like he was keeping something from Anna, but even he himself didnt know what that was.
"Yeah, your right... Cant change that..." Arc spoke. Before feeling too much remorse, which wouldve been a pretty bad lie to himself, he heard the sound of a chopper in the distance. It was far, far off in the distance though, Anna nor Jack could hear it. Only him and his wolf like senses. If it was Halbred's chopper, it was early, but that would mean they could get a head start for the checkpoint. "Anna, a choppers coming, moving in fast..." He didnt want to to shake things off, but this needed to be addressed to her, just in case it wasnt Halbred. The three of them made it quickly back to the car on the side of the highway, making sure that if it was their evacuation, they would be found easily.
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Post by NotAvailable on Aug 30, 2011 15:32:33 GMT -5
Anna glanced back at Arc then upward at the sky, squinting her eyes and shielding them with her hand. She scanned back and fourth across the sky, as far as her eyes could see but hadn't noticed anything. After a moment or so she could make out a dark fleck over the horizon. It was moving pretty fast.
"Oh I see it..." she trailed off, before taking the rifle off her back and checking it's clip. She didn't have much ammunition and her handgun was completely out. Hopefully Hal had something on him.... but if it wasn't Hal, well, she'd have to make the remaining ammunition count. "Jack, get behind the squad car until I say to come out. Better safe than sorry," she began, her eyes never tearing off of the flec that had gotten closer and closer. "Arc, can you sense anything else...a scent or... anything that faintly reminds you of Hal?"
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Post by Winters on Aug 31, 2011 4:37:57 GMT -5
As the chopper got closer and closer, Arc tried to pin point something that was famillier to him. It didnt look to be anything that would have mounted guns, it was for transport, which meant that it was most likely their evacuation. When it drew closer, Arc could smell the faint scent of of machinery he was used to, it was Halbred, no doubt about it. By the time it had been above them, the bird hovered in spot for a few seconds before finally landing not far in front of the car on the highway. The blades didnt stop spinning though, which was a good indication that they were either on a strict time schedual, or something worse was afoot.
Jumping into the chopper, Arc held the door open, and extended his arm to help Anna inside if she wanted it. Things were quieter on the inside, and Halbred instantly spoke out to him. "Its been awhile, Griff, how are you doing?" Once everybody was inside and the door was shut, the feeling of safety finally came over Jack. This was the first time he was in a helicopter since the outbreak, but they always gave him a sense of serenity. He didnt really question where they were going, it wasnt like it mattered anyways. "Good, Halbred. Not just coping anymore, working through the virus. I hope you still have those shot with you, though."
Once the chopper had began rising up into the air, Halbred spoke out to Arc, responding. "Actually, I dont. Doctor said he had to switch them with an updated serum. Should be at the Checkpoint now, he said he would drop them off when I told him I was going to get you. The one you had before last four to six hours. Well, the stuff hes got back at the Checkpoint lasts three times as long. We can make it back by midnight if we leave there now... Wait, whos the kid?" Hal didnt even notice the child among them until the chopper was already in the air. It was the first time in awhile that he seen somebody his age. But Halbred knew that in the hands of Anna and Arc, theres nobody safer he could be with.
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Post by NotAvailable on Sept 1, 2011 2:59:40 GMT -5
Anna took Arc's hand and climbed up into the chopper with relative ease. She'd, in return, helped Jack up before listening in on Arc and Hal's conversation. When he said, ''checkpoint'', she'd assumed they'd meant a very different once considering Arc would have told her if it was Trinity or not. He didn't seem worried so she was a little more relaxed. Before long, she'd smirked at Hal, slapping a hand on his shoulder.
"Hal! It's been awhile, how've you been?" she asked, grateful that he'd came all this way to get them and take them home. In honesty, she was ecstatic. She was finally going back to the Checkpoint....it'd been two months since she left but it felt almost like a year. She'd be able to reunite with her family...with Richard and Aryn...It was almost like a dream that she was closer to reaching now more than ever.
"What Checkpoint are we heading to, tonight? Trinity...? Or somewhere outside?" she asked. "And on that note, you gotta any ammo or weapons stashed in here, somewhere? I'd feel more comfortable with something deadly in my hands...
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Post by Winters on Sept 1, 2011 19:58:37 GMT -5
"Do you really need to ask? Were going where you need to go, Anna..." The checkpoint was suppose to be a safe place, and after all of the memories that were surfaced, Arc began to realize that anybody that had been around him in the last year had been in danger. The fact that he couldnt even pinpoint the moment he was infected had been startling to him, it wasnt right not having memory of your life changing before your eyes. People are suppose to either remember their hardships, or bury them deep in the backs of their minds. But Arc didnt have a choice in the matter, he didnt know why he became what he had become, or when, just that he had changed.
Snapping back into reality, Hal motioned for the controls, and Arc stepped in to pilot the chopper for him. Halbred climbed to the back, passing by the kid. He wanted to ask about him, but hes never really had any experience with kids, little long a young teenager. Trying not to make eye contact, he undrew a tarp from across a crate, and then opened it up to reveal some of the standard issue BSAA weapons that he still kept in the back. "Umm, just make sure you return it, because when I do go back to HQ, I dont want to have to lie to them agin. Okay?"
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Post by NotAvailable on Sept 2, 2011 1:19:25 GMT -5
Anna looked over the B.S.A.A. weapon caches, smiling ear to ear. She'd crouched down next to them, looking over the weapons. Grabbing at one of the sidearms, she'd looked over at Jack and then back up at Hal.
"Much appreciated, Hal. Don't worry, I'll return them when we're safe and sound at the Checkpoint. I'm sure my personal weapons are hanging around there, somewhere. Anyway, this is Jack, he's a real good kid," the agent told Hal, smiling again. "Jack, this is Hal, Arc's good friend and progressively becoming one of my best friends," she finished with a laugh.
The sidearms were HQ's standard Beretta 92's. They were good handguns but she'd missed her old Colt. Their secondary weapon choice was the SIG556 Carbine. Looking them over, she'd holstered two of the sidearms in her holsters, took a couple of mags and slung the rifle over her shoulder. The older weapons she'd acquired from the airport had been practically torn apart, so she'd left them in place of her newly acquired ones for now.
She watched Hal ackwardly start up conversation with the kid. She'd taken the chance to carefuly wander on over to where Arc was, grabbing at the back of his seat, to keep herself steady.
"You feeling alright?" she asked, concerned.
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Post by Winters on Sept 2, 2011 2:43:55 GMT -5
The moment Anna had went back up to the pilots seat with Arc, things in the back had gotten a little unsettling. Halbred looked at the kid, who Anna introduced him as Jack, and thought that it might be a little good idea to get to know him a little more. But before really saying much, he noticed the handgun in his sweater pocket, and then seemed a little bit worried. He only looked to be about thirteen, maybe fourteen years old, shouldnt really be holding a gun what so ever. "When I was your age, the kids usually carried slingshots. Thats a serious gun you have right there, who taught you to shoot?" The odds of him just picking it up and using it were pretty slim, given his age, but maybe it wasnt the right question to be asking.
When Jack reached for it, he pulled it out, looking it over. "My papa gave this to me, told me how to fire. I never use it though, only when I need to. Its loud, and usually brings the undead around..." While the kid had been messing around with it, Halbred noticed the safety was off the gun, and quickly grabbed with, flicking it into place. He didnt blame the kid for not remembering, but it was always a good idea to keep the safety one, especially in an aircraft. "...Im the same way, actually. I would rather be up in the air, or just run by them. But sometimes, there isnt much of a choice, right?" The kid actually reminded him of the way he was, he was very smart. Anybody can pull the trigger, kill the zombies, but it takes a smart survivor to know when to run, avoid a dangerous situation.
~
"No..." Arc spoke out in a fairly negative tone, but he couldnt lie. Nothing had worked out for him ever since he changed. He was constantly getting people killed, either from his own doing or putting Anna in the position to do so. She cared about family, and returning to them, she always had something left to fight so. But Arc never had anything to fight for after 1998, aside from just staying alive, that is. Something was going to go wrong again soon, things always went wrong when he was around. Going back to the Checkpoint was for Anna, she needed to go back to her family, the people she cared about. Arc wasnt going to stay, there wasnt a place for him there, and he would end up just putting more people in danger.
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Post by NotAvailable on Sept 2, 2011 3:35:01 GMT -5
Anna seated herself beside Arc's passenger side, co pilot side, whatever. She'd brought her hands onto her knees and looked down at them as they began to tremble in anxiety. It was a nervous tick she had and was normally ignored. She wanted to ask him what was wrong but she already had an idea. He felt like it was all his fault that things were turning into a massive, complicated, cluster f*ck. She knew how that felt.... Afterall, Richard and Aryn were bystanders in Crowley's sights.
Well, Aryn's story was even more complicated and heavily involved in the mess between herself and the Tricell Merc. She'd spent hours beating herself up about drawing attention to the little girl's... condition. Maybe this was something Arc should sort of know, to let him know she felt the same but in another situation.
"I know you're blaming yourself about everything that goes wrong with me, you and a few of your other close friends. You feel like a burden and you're hurt, but angry about it. You feel a little helpless...you don't want anyone you care about to get swept up in your grief, right?" she began, looking at the side of his face. He kept his eyes set on the overall view before them. The flesh colored mountains and evergreens had began to disappear into city scapes.
She, however, kept her sights on her friend. "I know you probably think it's 'different' for me, but I do know how you feel. My daughter died because I was too stubborn to take help from Tricell awhile ago...ya know, before she succumbed to her cancer. I put my son in constant danger although he was completely ignorant to it as he grew up.... I constantly put Richard and Aryn into harm's way, I make them worry, I cause hurt to them..." she began.
"Crowley and I have been butting heads for years now and she's always wanted the same thing from me. My head and Aryn," she explained, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Aryn's immune to the virus. She's not some test subject though, she'd just... immune. A little while after I joined the B.S.A.A. I was informed of 'immune' subjects being raked up and swept away to God knows where, by Tricell. Most don't ever come back and others come back abominations... Aryn was bitten on the leg a few years back before the big outbreak and...and Rich and I were prepared to lock ourselves up in a room and wait for her to turn.... she never did. The thing is, prior to her being bitten, I had ran into Crowley. She witnessed the zombie bite on Aryn. Recently, she found Aryn alive. Ever since then, she's been relentless. I don't know why she's so damn bent on getting to her, to hurt me or, I dunno, personal gain is all I can think of. So far, I've kept her busy... ya know, it's become a stupid game of hide and seek now....it's careless. Stupid. But it keeps Richard and Aryn safe....It keeps James safe...they're all the matter. I mean, besides you, since I know you're always gonna be coming and going in and out of our lives, I know you're strong and you can take care of yourselves..." she stopped and scratched her cheek, sheepishly, before chuckling. "Rich can too, I know, both of you are grown men with experience, but, you all are all I've got left. Without y'all.... I'm as good as dead," she finished.
There was an air of silence in the chopper between all four survivors. Anna was never an emotional person but it was something that needed to be said. Richard wasn't with her for her to spill her heart to, atleast not right now. Arc was like family. She was comfortable enough to atleast explain this to him. Hopefully let him know that she knew what it felt like for him right now. It was a constant battle inside of her.
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Post by Winters on Sept 2, 2011 15:42:54 GMT -5
Arc heard the part about Aryn, and then more and more memories came back to him. He didnt let it cloud his judgement, but they popped up sporadically, every now and then the pieces of the puzzle came together. There was a reason the German man had experimented on him, maybe he was immune to the virus just as Aryn was? A memory from a long time ago resurfaced, one that Anna would most definitely remember. It was when Arc had gotten bit, everything after that night was a complete blur, he couldnt remember a single thing. That had to be the starting point of it all, but how did his experimentation come into all of this? He had a feeling it was only a matter of time before he seen the doctor again, and this time he would get all of the answers.
Still staying quiet, like he always did, Arc kept his hand steady as the chopper glided above the trees. He listened to Anna speaking, but never understood who people bothered trying to make him feel better. He knew that Anna only meant to make him feel better, but it wasnt working this time, it usually did, but not this time. He really wasnt in a mad mood or anything, he was depressed, or beating himself up over anything. When Arc said he caused them all pain and suffering, that was the truth, he could pinpoint the times where it was his fault, where he was a failure. Now with Anna talking about Crowley, and that name did ring a bell somewhere deep inside of his mind, a light was turned on. The only thing it did was open his eyes to the other dangers in their lives, and most of all, put another name on his own personal hit list of business, trash to take out.
[Arc, Anna, Jack, and Halbred now in Checkpoint Trinity aka Lake Trinity, Stoneville]
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