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Post by Basil on Apr 29, 2010 6:36:33 GMT -5
"Free stalkers, veterans and hunters..."
Balalaïka ignored the message being broadcast by the speaker and walked through a small building patrolled by a rather grumpy stalker who told her to clear out. After hastily exiting the building, she found herself in the heart of Duty controlled Rostok. Dramatic classical music was being played in a building marked "arena", and the entrance to Duty's HQ was also visible nearby.
As Balalaïka stepped forward, she heard someone call for her from the entrance to Duty's headquarters.
"-Oi, you! You the sniper chick from the checkpoint?", said one the Dutiers guarding the entrance.
"-Y...yes."
"-Voronin wants to see you", said the guard. Balalaïka hesitantly went to the entrance and was let past by the guard who waved her over to the left. There she found a small door with a flight of stairs leading downwards. After going down said stairs, she arrived in a large room in which several Dutiers were lounging around.
"-Come here, stalker", said a harsh voice close by. Balalaïka went over to the man who had spoken and who she guessed was Duty's leader Voronin. "So, my men at the Garbage said you were pretty good with a sniper rifle. We don't have many good snipers in Duty, so your arrival in Rostok coincided perfectly with a little job we need done..."
"-Er...what kind of job?", asked Balalaïka uncertainly. Voronin was rather imposing.
"-Well, ever heard of Freedom?". Balalaïka nodded at that. Who in the Zone hadn't heard of Freedom? "Good. Well, Duty and Freedom aren't exactly friendly, and they're in control of the area North of us, the Army Warehouses. They recently got a change in leadership as their old leader, Seth, died up North. The two new leaders are loners nobody had ever heard of before they were put in charge of Freedom."
"-So what do I do?"
"-We want you to take Freedom's Commandant out, and their leader if you can. But our main target is the Commandant."
Balalaïka thought about the offer for a moment. Voronin was asking her to shoot a couple of people she had never met, that was no trouble, but those two people were also rather high profile, and Balalaïka did not want to draw attention to herself.
"You'll be paid 200 000 rubles", said Voronin, sensing her hesitation.
Now THAT was something. With that much money, she could get proper gear and settle down in the Zone properly. She looked up at the Duty leader and said she would take the job.
"Ah, good", said Voronin before taking two pictures out. Both were quick pencil sketches and represented a woman with what appeared to be snake-like eyes and a man with short hair and a somehwhat worn expression.
"The woman goes by the name of Adder. Apparently she has some kind of mutation that enables her to see in the dark, and she is our main obstacle to crushing Freedom in the Army Warehouses. She is at the head of some kind of elite group called "Penumbra" who operate mostly at night. They were founded only recently, but from what I've heard, they're tough customers and slaughtered a group of bandits who were trying to get Freedom to pay a tribute or something. "That woman is your main target. She's Penumbra's driving force, and if she is killed, Penumbra will probably collapse or be considerably weakened. Your secondary target is Maginot, a Frenchman from what I've heard. I don't know much about him otherwise. "You will be given ammunition for your rifle. You can move out whenever you wish, but the sooner you do so the better. If you fail, Duty will deny all involvement and you will be on your own. Good luck, stalker.
Balalaïka left Duty's HQ in a daze...if she managed to take out that Adder person, she would be pretty well off, but the prospect of Duty leaving her to rot should she fail was not appealing in the least.
Might as well try...
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Post by blackpapermoon on May 2, 2010 20:13:41 GMT -5
Ferret entered and then walked down the steps and into a room that was converted into a bar and was over crowed by stalkers. The bar itself was warm and inviting, the air was full of various conversations and smelled of some kind of soup or stew. The scent of the cooking food only served to remind the Bandit of his empty belly and pockets. To try to kill the sensation he whet to get his smokes only to remember that he had given them to the female stalker, Balalaïka.
Moving to the back of the bar keeping a low profile as he did. He could only hope that someone did not of a sudden feel the need to look at their PDA’s contact section other wise both he and the Asian Bandit would be screwed. To a Loner or Dutyer Rostok would be a safe haven, but for a Bandit it was like playing with fire on thin ice.
He felt like a small child, he was so confuse. As soon as they got of there he would have to ask the other just what they where doing in the North and why did the have to come here to the bar. So Ferret kept to himself and avoided making any eye contact, as he waited on Meph like a small child.
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Post by Διμι on May 3, 2010 23:03:38 GMT -5
Meph did a quick, surreptitious examination of the room he was in. Most of the stalkers inside were too drunk, or seemed too benign to be of any importance, but nevertheless, several figures caught his eye. Two were situated in the corner, talking, both wearing curious face masks; one painted black, the other with a simple red 'x' across it. As soon as he stepped in, two more stalkers in similar attire, one quite fat, the other having only four fingers on each arm, stepped across the threshold and made their way over to the corner where the other two were situated.
Definitely not loners, Meph thought, unless those bastards are getting more and more extravagant with every passing day. Sparing no more attention to the group, he went over to the barkeep and settled himself on a stool, ordering himself and Ferret a drink. "Stay here, and try not to attract too much unneeded attention" he told the bandit, "I'll make this quick". He turned to the Barkeep.
"Barkeep," he began cautiously "I'm in need of information. I know there has been a certain woman stalker in the vicinity lately, green eyes, short hair, average height. She couldn't have come by without having been seen." the bandit put down his glass on the table.
The man behind the bar looked at him curiously, as if sizing the diminutive stalker up in a manner that had little to do with size. "I don't know why you're after this chick, but I'm not the one to run after for info. Snitch could help you, but he isn't here at the moment. In any case, for information like that, you'd have to pay up a nice lump of ca-" the Barkeep was interrupted in mid-sentence as a scraggly drunk leant over the counter, rambling.
"Woman? Green eyes? Yah, old Patchouli's seen those good folks, helped him out of a wicked scrape, they did!" the loner began to spill, earning a scowl from Barkeep. Meph instantly tightened, carefully taking in every word.
"Where are they now, do you know?" he asked, the drunk Patchouli swaying before him. The man took another swig of vodka, teetering dangerously.
"Oh, yah, they went North, North it was." he breathed "everyone but them came back, and now the Dutiers are rumoring there to be some new leaders in Freedom up north in the warehouses, they be sending men, snipers up there to take 'em out." the drunk swayed even more "ehh, all the good folks never get a break in this world, and they was some nice folks..." he didn't say another word, instead falling off his stool with a loud crash.
Meph smiled at the Barkeep "seems like your patrons know more than you do" he said "you'd better pull him up and get him sobered up. Maybe he'll be your next Snitch" the bandit laid down several notes to cover his expenses, and turned for the exit, beckoning for Ferret to follow. "We're done here", he muttered as they exited the Bar into the alleys of Rostok. Dutiers were patrolling right and left, considerably unnerving the bandit. Quick as he was, he was unlikely to make a quick getaway even with his boosted reflexes if the guards were alerted to his presence. Not to mention that the slower bandit beside him wouldn't stand a chance against the Dutiers.
"Let's get out of this place," he said finally "too many people around here, who knows who might pick us up". The two bandits headed in the direction of the west barricade, where the passage north to the warehouses Patchouli had told them about was rumored to be located.
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Post by Basil on May 4, 2010 5:34:08 GMT -5
"So, why are you asking all these questions anyway?"
Balalaïka stood at the crossroads in North Rostok. To her left was the gate leading to the Wild Territory, and right in front of her was the road that went to the Army Warehouses. Next to her stood a stalker whom she had met at the crossroads. He had been returning from the North, and Balalaïka asked him about her target. The loner had been happy to oblige.
Apparently the Commandant was a mutant in charge of a squad of merciless killers who all roamed the Army Warehouses at night. The loner had also said the Commandant was secretly affiliated with the Monolith and was holding Svoboda under the Monolith's evil hypnotic yoke. Balalaïka was not sure wether all that was true, but it was enough to make her hesitate about going North. Maybe it would be best to go back to Voronin and turn the job down...
No, think about the money!
"-Um, I just heard about Freedom's leadership change down at the bar and I was curious..."
"-Going North?"
"-Yep."
"-What for?"; asked the loner. He was far too nosy for his own good. "-For a look around", said Balalaïka flatly. She then started to walk North, hoping the stuff the loner had told her was just fancy stories made up around a camp fire.
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Post by Karcentric on May 4, 2010 10:32:33 GMT -5
Schwarz was watching the short stalker who had stopped in the middle of the room for a second getting his bearing on the room, he was looking at him and El before turning observing two more stalkers that had just arrived, Dark followed by 4 they were wearing their masks until they got to the table. Dark instantly said "See that little chap trying to blend in by the bar?" Nodding his head in the direction of a stalker Schwarz had not noticed before. "What about him? Seen him before?" Dark turned looking at Ferret before turning back, "Oh I've seen him before, last I heard he was looking in Agroprom Research Institute for some stash, he's a bandit, pretty sneaky one too." He said quietly. "I think that other guy who came in before me is with him, looks familiar."
Schwarz watched the timid man leave with the other man who had been talking to barkeep looking to El, "Shadow 'em, pull ya hood up and tuck your hair in, he probably saw ya mask too keep it up for now if they engage pull back, follow em far enough to know for sure where their going, head back here once you figure it out, we'll tell Duty when we leave that two bandits just passed through." El nodded, "How do you know that other guy was a bandit?" he asked. "I don't, but I'm happy to assume he is. Now go." Schwarz said pushing El before he turned to his other two companions, "Did you get those hooves?" He said asked 4 who was settling down relaxing, with a smile he held a bag with two hooves in it, "Got you this as well." 4 said unwrapping the fleshes eye laying it on the table. Schwarz chuckled before re-wrapping it, "Very good, take it to barkeep, ask him what that well armed chap wanted to know, and sell those bits. Oh this is yours. And for you too." He said chucking both men a bundle containing 850ru.
4 pushed through the crowd stopping at the bar waiting for barkeep to notice him, "What'll be stalker? You need a drink? Something to eat? Or you looking for some work?" He said smiling slinging his towel over his shoulder. "Well Mr barkeep, let's first of all deal with my business. I hear you want some hooves? Well I happen to have a couple, freshly taken, and I found this too." He said placing the bag on the counter and unwrapping the eye carefully. The barkeep smiled "The call for these finished a while ago all I can offer you 400ru for them, I was however looking one of these." He said pointing to the eye "I'll give you 1000ru for it, plus a couple of medikits and anti-rads. Deal?" 4 nodded wrapping the eye and pushed it and the hooves across to barkeep, while barkeep dropped 1400ru and the medical supplies on the counter. "Anything else?" He asked, "Yeah, who was that little fella, well armed what did he want, if I may inquire?" 4 asked, barkeep considered for a moment before answering, "He was looking for a stalker, one that had been in here before "Good hunting stalker."
4 flicked a false salute before going back to the table. Flicking 500ru to Schwarz, pocketing 500 for himself and handing 400 to Dark. "Get rid of those damn guns you picked up, not gonna do you any good stashing them." Dark went over to the bar. Dark sells 2x 2 x PM Makarov, MP5 Gaining 1,800ru
Schwarz gains 500ru El gains 0 Dark gains 2200ru 4 gains 500ru, anti-rads
CHECK
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Post by blackpapermoon on May 5, 2010 7:17:58 GMT -5
As Ferret waited for the Asian to finish up with the barkeep he looked at the bottle of Vodka that he had been given. Although he was thirsty and in need of a stiff drink, he felt that he should save it for another time. Stowing the bottle in his bag along with the 4 medkits, 3 bandages, 2 boxes of ammo that he had looted from the loners at the Scrapyard and his damaged leather jacket.
As he zipped up his bag he looked up, the young rookie felt like some one was watching him. Perhaps not but he knew he should be carefully. Back when he worked as a drug runner in Kiev he learn quickly to listen to what his gut told him, and right now it was telling him that he could be in very real danger.
The Bandit breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he and Meph left Rostok and now walked along the road leading to the Army warehouses. From what he could guess the time was about noon or so and the land was cool, misty and smelled of ozone. All sighs that it was going to rain in the near future. The whole time he could not shake the feeling that some one was following them.
“Meph,” he said “I want to know what we’re after up here, we got someone tailing us.”
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Post by Διμι on May 5, 2010 22:28:24 GMT -5
Meph glanced about. No one could be seen in the vicinity, and neither could he hear anything, but anyone would have to be a fool to disregard intuition in the Zone. "Keep moving," he whispered quietly, without answering Ferret's question. The two bandits were walking by the last of the decimated, rusty warehouses on the northern outskirts of Rostok. As they passed the last of the structures, Leon leaned over to his companion. "Left", he whispered curtly, pulling him around the corner and stopping. In the second that they stood still, he could hear the footsteps of someone following them halt to a sudden stop. "Keep walking, and make another left as you get to the end of the wall. Stop there, and come out as soon as you hear me speak." he whispered in Ferret's ear, and slowly crept over to the half-open, rusted door of the warehouse beside him, and quietly sneaked inside. The other bandit kept walking, his boots making regular scuffling sounds along the asphalt road. Meph could hear the footsteps of their pursuer resume, and presently saw a shadow slowly extend across the dark road as the man peeked around the corner. From his position, he could see Ferret turn the corner of the warehouse. The man following them crept out from his position, assuming Meph had turned the corner before Ferret did. Hook, line, and sinker... thought the assassin as the stalker passed right by the door without as much as a look inside. The Asian caught a glimpse of a hooded leather jacket, as well as an SVT-40 rifle in the man's hands. Then Meph made his move. Quiet as a snork on the prowl, his small, gray form crept out of the open door. The bandit drew a Beretta, aiming it square into the man's back. "Don't move," he said quietly "and put the gun down, you won't have the time to bring a barrel that long around before I put half a dozen rounds into you." he saw Ferret walk out from around the corner, his own gun at the ready. Their follower was pinned. "Gun down!" Meph roared, stepping back quickly and checking the road behind them before turning to the stalker again as the latter lowered the SVT. No one was moving from the direction of Rostok, and Ferret was still holding the man at gunpoint. "Search him!" he told the other bandit. Ferret quickly rifled through the places likely to conceal a weapon. The examination turned up a PSS, a tiny, but deadly gun. Meph was beginning to hear voices approaching from the direction they had just left. It was time to deal with his annoyance, and make a hasty escape. He glanced first at his guns, then his blades, then at Ferret. "Now turn around," Meph said quietly, and the stalker did so. Still aiming his Beretta, the Asian nodded to Ferret as the man turned his back on the other bandit. With a loud crack, Ferret clubbed the stalker on the back of his head with the butt of his rifle, and the man crumpled to the ground. Meph frowned. "Let's go." he said "this guy no doubt has pals around here that'll go looking for him." The Asian quickly dragged the unconscious stalker inside the warehouse, checking the man's PDA along the way. He found a single message, addressed to a "Schwarz", which read: Schwarz, a group just left AW heading for RF, they are the guys that broke in to the armory, 3 of em were pretty bent when they left. Gonna come and share what I've found... Meph put the PDA and weapons beside the snoring man before stepping out, and breaking into a swift run down the road to the army warehouses. "Let's go! We've got to speed up, or we're bloodsucker food!" he yelled to Ferret, who followed.
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Post by blackpapermoon on May 9, 2010 22:28:55 GMT -5
With out a moment hesitation Ferret followed Meph, as both Bandits legged it down the road. As they ran light drops of rain patter softly to the ground. The Rookie found that he having work so much harder to keep up with the Asian stalker. At first he did not understand his legs where longer the other mans but that seemed to make no difference at all, but the he came to realizes that the gray clad bandit must have had some kind of elector artifact on his belt.
“What did that guy want,” asked Ferret catching his breathe, “was he a Merc or something?”
They where now in the army warehouses, seeking shelter on the old farmstead close to the freedom base. Unbeknownst to the two men they where going to have an encounter with a familiar face.
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Post by Karcentric on May 10, 2010 1:19:39 GMT -5
Head throbbing El sat up holding the lump on the back of his head. Those bloody bandits. He thought looking about, his PDA and rifle we're laying nearby. Checking through his PDA he found he hadn't been robbed. The screen was on the last message he'd sent. A strange cry from an unknown creature startled El. Standing up head still spinning, he grabbed the rifle slinging it over his back the sounds in the old warehouses weren't welcoming and they were becoming more frequent. Jogging slowly so he could get away from the strange sounds. I swear something was scoping the area looking for something to eat. He thought, only a short amount of time had passed while he had been unconscious but he knew the others would probably be worried. Slowing to a walking pace after a short distance away from the warehouses he saw the northern Duty barricade ahead. He saw Schwarz arguing with the guard at the barricade.
"Did two stalkers pass this way recently? One was pretty well armed, he had an M16, carried two blades, you happen to see someone like that?" Schwarz asked the guard at the northern barricade, "I might have seen him, why should I care?" Schwarz pulled his mask up smiling, "Cos he was a bandit sweetheart, and so was his friend. You might want to check next time, which way did he go?" The guard looked annoyed "He went that way, towards Freedom's base probably; Bandits aren't too welcome up that way anymore, not with the new leader calling the shots." Schwarz nodded taking in the info, “Did you see another guy leave about 10 minutes later?” He asked. The guard was looking annoyed at being questioned, “Look it’s my job to check people who enter Rostok, not leave.” Schwarz was about to say something when movement up the road caught his attention, turning to see his companion trudging towards them. Schwarz smiled at the guard before walking to El.
"Where the hell have you been?" Schwarz asked jokingly. "Well it seems out friends a moving towards the Army Warehouses, however they left me sleeping for a bit. Gave me one hell of a headache however." El replied lighting a cigarette, so do we take the other two and follow or do we wait some more?" He said looking to Schwarz who was thinking through which plan was the best for his team.
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Post by Διμι on May 10, 2010 17:04:25 GMT -5
"A mercenary," Meph replied "not one of the main circle of the organization, just some kind of gun for hire. I'll have to deliver a little message to my higher-ups to phone up their command as far as their faction members following me around goes." The assassin glanced outside. The rain was beginning to intensify, and it was slowly getting dark, the walls of the Freedom-controlled military base looming ominously ahead. The bandit checked the surrounding hills for movement. When he saw none, he slowly began to re-kindle the fire inside the old barn left by the previous group of stalkers.
"Rostok isn't safe anymore," he continued "not that it ever was for our kind, but I have no doubt that little mercenary had some friends over there to tip the authorities off on exactly who we are." he paused "I suppose I ought to explain to you why I came here in the first place." the bandit looked outside again, eying the Freedom guard towers in the distance. "I signed up to assassinate a Freedomer," he said finally "a woman who now apparently holds a substantial position within the faction. Many of my friends in the Big Land are behind bars because of her, and whether or not what we bandits do is bad, we take care of our own." he looked at Ferret "help me in this, and my bosses will reward us both. Substantially. And I'm certain whatever it is you're in the Zone for, a little cash wouldn't hurt." the Asian smiled.
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Post by Basil on May 11, 2010 12:40:45 GMT -5
"Fuck it's cold."
Balalaïka had arrived at the Army Warehouses right before it started to pour down with rain. The downpour was limiting visibility a fair deal, so she decided to stop in a small bus stop by the side of the road. Up on the hill she could see the grey expanse of the warehouses' perimeter wall as well as the tall, grey structures of the sentry towers, who were probably manned by snipers.
Shivering slightly she took some bread and diet sausage (100% soy apparently) and made herself a quick sandwich. The taste of the sausage was rather horrendous. She wondered if Freedom was charitable enough to house a covert assassin...they didn't know who she was after all.
She suddenly saw a small, flickering light up on the hill in what she assumed was a building of sorts. She hadn't really seen anything up there apart from the warehouse walls. The warm, flickering light could only be a fire, albeit a small one, and fire meant company, warmth and maybe better food and a safe place to rest. After some debate, she grabbed her rifle and backpack and cautiously went up the slope, the rain battering against her anorak's hood and quickly getting her hair and neck wet.
Still fresh from her unpleasant encounter in the Garbage, she carefully scanned the old farmstead with her SVD's scope and saw nothing suspicious, mostly due to the driving rain and the fact the unknown stalker party were behind the walls of the old farmstead. She cautiously approached the building, her SVD at the ready, and quietly went through the door, her approach covered by the noise of the falling rain outside.
What she saw as she entered was reassuring enough: two stalkers sitting around a fire and talking. Seemed safe. But then recognition dawned...one of the stalkers was short and of Asian ancestry, and the other was young and all too recognisable.
They were the bandits from the Garbage.
"You...", she hissed, aiming her SVD at the Asian bandit and slowly beginning to back out. She knew she was at a disadvantage in the building's cramped confines with her sniper rifle. Its size and slow firing rate made sure of that. But the rifle's presence in her hands was comforting and gave her courage. Instead of the imploring, confused and terrified rookie she'd been in the Garbage, she looked more confident and aggressive.
Hopefully the two bandits wouldn't try to mug her...she'd definitely lose if they did. But what were they doing up in Freedom territory? And why were they wearing Sunrise suits?
"Not the best time to move out", said one of the loners. Maginot nodded. "True, but we must move out as soon and as quickly as possible", he said.
The skies had opened up and were dropping a great quantity of rain, rain that formed puddles in certain parts of Freedom's base and in potholes in the road leading off to the Red Forest East and West. The small expedition was comprised of Maginot, Adder, five members of Penumbra, a trio of loners with Freedom sympathies, Sokol, and the three exo-skeleton bomb carriers appointed earlier.
Maginot had left a friend and adviser of his in charge, with instructions to keep the use of illegal substances in check and to have a vigilant eye on Freedom's territory around the warehouses. Adder's Penumbra members were all equipped with the same kind of gear as their leader, only said leader wasn't wearing a set of night-vision goggles. The loners had volunteered right after their arrival in the warehouses. They had come from the West of the Red Forest and had been friends of Freedom for a while despite their desire to remain independent of said faction.
"-Okay, let's move out, comrades", said Maginot before leaving the warehouse's entrance, briefly saluting the exoskeleton-wearing guard (who was stone sober), "keep off that Mary Jane and booze while I'm away eh? Freedom needs a clear head."
The expedition headed down the road, going past a few abandoned and rusting trucks, APCs and one Russian MBT whose cannon had been ripped off by an anomaly at some point in time. A few minutes later they were at the Barrier. Maginot tutted as he saw several Freedomers passing around the all too familiar shape of a joint. They hastily threw it away when they saw Maginot approach them with an annoyed and severe glare.
"What did I tell you idiots about this shit? Don't do it while you're on duty! You can relax back at the base when you're not on guard or patrol. The Monolithians won't be so coy as to give you a good target when they attack."
With that, Maginot confiscated two bottles of vodka and a small bag of marijuana from the Freedomers before giving them to one man who was heading back to base. He was against drugs and alcohol, but didn't deprive his comrades of them entirely.
After a quick inspection of the Barrier's defences and defenders, the group headed off into the sinister realm of the Red Forest, walking past a few heads impaled on rusty metal spikes and the rotting bodies of Monolith fanatics.
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Post by blackpapermoon on May 11, 2010 19:25:06 GMT -5
Money in the zone meant better weapons and suits. Money meant he could carve out a nice keep for himself and make his stay in the Zone more a enjoyable one. However there was more to this then the cash, it was also for the cause. Bandits always looked after one another. No matter the circumstance, you always helped you brother and he would take care of you if the need arises.
“I like I said before I don’t got any thing to loses,” said the rookie, “I’m will to do anything. Even if that means killing a woman in Freedom.”
“You”
The soon realized that he said this at the wrong time.
“Balalaïka,” said Ferret having remembered her name as he got moving in front of Meph who she currently was aiming at. He held no doubts that she would fire at him, be he may still be able to convince her not too.
“Balalaïka, put down the gun,” he said, “We aren’t going to hurt you and we don’t want no trouble.”
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Post by Basil on May 13, 2010 4:51:41 GMT -5
“Balalaïka, put down the gun”, said the rookie bandit, “We aren’t going to hurt you and we don’t want no trouble.”
Balalaïka continued to back out, her SVD still pointed at the wannabe Robin Hood who stood in front of her. She backed out through the door, out into the rain again, the heavy drops falling heavily onto her anorak's already soggy hood and shoulders. The young bandit didn't worry her much, he was a fool, but the Asian one was dangerous. He could easily spring out and kill her.
"So, Robin Hood, what are you and your Asian pal doing up North in Freedom territory? Robbing the rich to give to the poor?", she asked sarcastically, never lowering her rifle.
--------------------------------------------------
"Ever read Heart of Darkness?"
Adder turned to look at Maginot. The Frenchman mystified her sometimes with references to books or films she had never heard of (the only films she had seen were Die Hard, Waterworld and Battleship Potemkin), but despite that, she was constantly learning new things from being in his company.
"-No."
"-It goes like this: a man journeys up the river Congo in search of someone else called Kurtz, who vanished in the jungle. Said man travels up the river, all the while seeing more and more surreal and nightmarish things, until he finds Kurtz, who is insane and has been terrorising a local tribe. This path reminds me of that."
Branches twisted by the effects of radiation hung over the group like sinister beams. The path leading through this part of the Red Forest went mostly through a narrow ravine of sorts. On the rocky facade of the ravine some stalker whose mind was being eaten away by the Scorcher had scrawled the following words: "When consciousness ends, there is only emptiness..."
Maginot stopped and looked at the sketchy words scribbled in charcoal on the rock. Who had written them? And why? Was he or she describing the Scorcher's effects? Or was it just the hallucinations of a dying brain? Maybe they would never know.
Up ahead lay a small guardhouse around which were planted the same rusted spikes adorned with severed heads, most of them shriveled and rotten to the bone by the passage of time. A rusty steel drum sat on the other side of the small building, and still contained warm ashes. Someone had stayed here recently.
"Keep your eyes peeled", said Maginot as he scanned the area around them, "Monolithians could be nearby."
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Post by Karcentric on May 13, 2010 5:08:06 GMT -5
Schwarz thought it through, "I'll go ahead, but first I'm gonna need to go back to the bar and borrow some money for you and the other two, grab a better vest maybe a better shooter too." He said looking at the two SMGs he had. "I want something a bit showy. Come on." Walking back to the bar Schwarz thought about what 4 had said he the brief description he'd given, I remember that stalker now, rescued that loner with the french guy. Shrugging his shoulders he followed El down the steps into the bar.
El and 4 both gave Schwarz 3000ru each and Dark gave Schwarz 4000ru. "Thank you, I'll pay you all back later." Schwarz said before going to Barkeep buying a Merc vest, Bren gun and a Colt Anaconda. Handing over the combined total as well as 5000ru of his own. Slinging the light machine gun to his back and attaching the Colt to his right thigh. Pulling the heavy mask down over his face, he left for the Army Warehouses walking at a brisk pace to try and make up the ground and get out of the ever thickening rain.
El loses 3000ru 4 loses 3000ru Dark loses 4000ru Schwarz loses 5000ru, gains Mercenary Vest, Bren gun, Colt Anaconda.
[CHECK]
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Post by Διμι on May 13, 2010 18:45:22 GMT -5
Meph swore as he dropped the can of Tushenka in surprise, spilling its contents onto the ground beneath. Instead of lifting his head to face his assailant, he looked down in a sort of disappointment at the perfectly good cooked meat on the ground beneath. He pulled a second can from his pack and clawed it open with the blade of his knife before closing it and putting it next to the fire to heat up.
"So, Robin Hood, what are you and your Asian pal doing up North in Freedom territory? Robbing the rich to give to the poor?" asked the female loner. She was still aiming the SVD directly at Ferret. Meph had little doubt that if the gun actually fired, the bullet would land straight into his head after making its way through Ferret.
"You've got quite the nerve barging in alone on us again," Meph responded "brandishing a gun and asking questions like that, no less. Any more but your naivete, and I'd have thought you were some sort of FSB spy after me. But unfortunately those guys don't make nearly as much noise." the Asian picked up the hot can near the flames, the heat sifting through his gloves, and tentatively stabbed a piece of beef inside with his knife before putting it in his mouth. It had warmed sufficiently. "Besides," he continued with his mouth full "good dinner can't hurry itself. Settle down, have a bite, and maybe I'll be too full to make another fillet out of you afterwards." taking another piece of beef, the bandit pushed the warm can towards the two stalkers.
The troop marched through the dark forest path obscured by the overhanging branches above, a familiar poem crept unnervingly to the top of Sokol's mind.
Мы, ведомые слепыми, Мы, поющие глухим, Всё равно пойдём за ними. Всё равно не будем с Hим. Обесточенные жилы, Обескровленные вены. Всё равно... отыщем силы И сломаем злые стены.
We, led by the blind, We, who sing to the deaf, Will, regardless, persevere and follow them. Will, regardless, not be with Him. Empty insides, Desanguinated veins. We will still find our strength And break down the evil walls.
We're walking into oblivion, the Freedomer thought suddenly, we are few, and God knows what's going to be waiting for us at the Scorcher by the time we get there... He looked around the group, all seemed determined to complete their task, and marched on solemnly through the gloomy forest. The exoskeleton clad stalkers bore their explosive burden patiently and silently.
The sniper was roused from his musings as Maginot spoke from ahead. "Keep your eyes peeled, Monolithians could be nearby." the Freedom leader said cautiously, eying the guard emplacement ahead. The heavily armored Freedomers keeping back, the squad approached the house in near silence. Faint wisps of smoke rose from the dead fire, and footprints were clearly visible in the dirt, leading deeper into the Forest.
"There were stalkers here, most likely Monolith zealots," Sokol noted, "but they pulled back into the forest for some reason. All the better for us, let's keep going, maybe they headed back towards Limansk and Pripyat to back their folks up over there. If we're lucky, we've got a clean break towards the Scorcher, provided it's still turned off."
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