Spring RTS Engine

Souless are wierd.

I thought everyone knew that...

They are! Seems (at this point) that all cetures in the Silt are formed of Soulless, clumping together. Also the Soulless them selves can go up your nose and suck out your brains!

Butt hen I thought everyone knew this to... hell how did I jump to that conclusion when your the one writing the story?!?!?

aGorm

Good! It means that you are keeping on top of things, aGorm.

Everyone LOVE'S Pornographic playing cards!


Roosevelt City. Whatever it had been before the Impact has long been lost. Now what remained was the second largest city in Utah. Walls surrounded the city, linked by twenty skyscraper tips. The city itself actually boosted a entire regiment of Conjures who cycle in and out of the city, moving out to ply their trade. Houses, made of Hard Silt, stood on stilts, stood on each other and some were on the ground floor. A bazaar stretched through the middle of the city, in a street called the Main Row. The North Gate and the South gate were at the edges of bazaar, and that was were April parked her snowmobile.

├óÔé¼┼ôAll right├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôI spent ten years trying to get the hell out of here, and now I'm back├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked around, praying to God, Buddha, Allah, The Reborn and the Internet that she would not recognize anyone in the streets. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Morticians are easy to find├óÔé¼┬Ø she pointed to the plumes of black smoke ├óÔé¼┼ôThey work at the Crematorium├óÔé¼┬Ø. Arnold gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't they have recycling vats?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOf course they do├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut the Morticians are a death cult. They believe that fire cleanses the Soul and if someone buys off the right people they get thrown into the Crematorium, rather then the Recyclers├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôThats...grotesque├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôA waste├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut what are you going to do?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Arnold nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôSo I go in there to get my hands fixed├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou and Winchester├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLady, I├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester started to say. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, pointing at his face. The burns had not healed fully, and now were beginning to show sines of Silt rot ├óÔé¼┼ôYou need to get the rot cut out of your face, or you'll have to lose the face├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester frowned, then winced. He and Arnold set off ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø April said to the kids ├óÔé¼┼ôLets find a hotel room├óÔé¼┬Ø.

They found the hotel easily enough. It was the large, three story building to the left of the main gait that said ├óÔé¼┼ôHoel├óÔé¼┬Ø in gigantic neon letters. April managed to spot the burnt out and crushed T in between the over sized O and E. ├óÔé¼┼ôFancy├óÔé¼┬Ø She muttered, tossing a coin to a parker. The parker caught the coin and grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks mam!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, wheeling the Snowmobile into a secure locker room. The parkers never stole anything. If they did their bosses would cut their balls off, at least in this town. April had seen it before, and it was one of the few things that made her throw up.

April walked into the hotel, Luke and Mathew gibbering to each other in their own language as they followed her in. April looked around. The inside of the room was rather cramped, with a single desk made of the same material of the floor. A woman sat behind the desk, reading a porn magazine. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. The woman turned the page in her magazine ├óÔé¼┼ôWow├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is so a hologram├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked again louder. The woman put the magazine down and bent under the desk. She pulled out a small portable fan and set it on the desk. She plugged it into the wall, were a very old power socket was bolted about half way above the floor. The fan buzzed to life and the woman put her feet back up and started reading the porno again.

├óÔé¼┼ôHello!├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, almost shouting over the noise the fan was making. The woman flipped a page and turned the magazine on its side, letting a fold out slide down. It unfolded several times, and the woman had to raise the magazine up until it was over her head. ├óÔé¼┼ôWow├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôWow...how did they do that├óÔé¼┬Ø. April pulled out Phil ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't actually hit her├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered. Phil giggled ├óÔé¼┼ôIts been a while├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. April pulled the trigger again and again. The fold out fell in half, revealing the woman's face, frozen in a half terrified, half shocked expression.

The other half of the fold out slid down until it hit the floor. April holstered her pistol ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have a open room├óÔé¼┬Ø. The woman nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôLast door on your left, first floor├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôTen dollars├óÔé¼┬Ø. April pulled out seven dollars ├óÔé¼┼ôSeven├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôTen├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman replied. April pulled Phil out ├óÔé¼┼ôSeven├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats robbery, that is├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôAt least I'm paying├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, dropping the coins on the desk. The woman pocketed them and flipped the page on her porno.

├óÔé¼┼ôThat was awesome!├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said as April opened the door to their new room. It was small. Rather small. Five cots, each one set into a cubby hole in the wall, with a hole in the middle of the room. Each cot had a pillow and a blanket. The hole smelt horrendous, more like...piss. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôI forgot just how bad this place was├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that the potty?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew asked, leaning over the hole. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôIgnore it for now├óÔé¼┬Ø she turned around and looked up and down the hall way outside of the room ├óÔé¼┼ôNow you two lock this door├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd stay here to either I or Winchester come back├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat should we be doing in here?├óÔé¼┬Ø. April turned around an pulled her backpack off. She opened it and rummaged through ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought I saw Gars pack a deck of cards in here before I stole the mobile├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, pulling out the cards ├óÔé¼┼ôHere you go├óÔé¼┬Ø she tossed them to Luke. Luke caught it and worked the rubber band off as April closed the door and locked it. Luke spread the cards out and stared flipping them over. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey Mathew!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said in their own language ├óÔé¼┼ôCome here and look at this!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mathew walked over to the cards and picked one up. His eyes widened ├óÔé¼┼ôWow├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd this one too!├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said, picking up another card. ├óÔé¼┼ôThose are huge!├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo thats what they look like without shirts├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew muttered. He looked at Luke ├óÔé¼┼ôI wonder how April looks without her shirt on├óÔé¼┬Ø. Luke grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have a crush on her!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI do not!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew snapped, tossing the card to the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis one looks a little like April├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke mused ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you want to see it, Matheeeeew├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mathew stuck his tong out at his brother ├óÔé¼┼ôKnock it off├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôMathew and April sitting in a tree!├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke started to sing ├óÔé¼┼ôK-I-S-S-I-N├óÔé¼┬Ø. He was about to say G, but Mathew tackled him. The two rolled over on the floor and the cards were scattered all over the floor.

April walked down the hall. She had at least one problem under lock and key. Then the door to the room shuddered, bending slightly as a body struck it fast and hard. April shrugged, hoping the kids didn't kill each other. Mathew panted, laying on his back and looking at the celling. Luke sat on the cot, panting as well. Mathew picked up the offending card ├óÔé¼┼ôHey├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, sitting up ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right! This dose look like April├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April walked into the Main Row, shoving her way through the crowds. ├óÔé¼┼ôPhil├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah?├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep an eye out├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôFor anyone and anything...and what's your rotational capability's?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can fire in a one hundred and eighty degree hemisphere around my barrel├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo just pick a target and pull the trigger. If I'm even slightly facing the target then I'm going to hit├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight, right├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't let your head get to big├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't have a head├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil pointed out.

├óÔé¼┼ôRight, Right├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered. She continued to shove her way down the Main way. After a while, she found the stall she was looking for. Cortez's Guns and Things. April shoved her way into the stall and found herself in a quite area that contrasted loudly with the noise outside. April looked around at the walls of guns. The place was not a Hard Silt building, but rather blankets draped over poles. It was easy to set up, and easy to take down. The wall of gun effect was created by racks of the aforementioned guns. Below the guns was the ammo, contained in cardboard box's.

├óÔé¼┼ôYour piece├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said in a very thick Spanish accent. April looked up. Cortez was sitting in a fold out chair, fanning himself with a large fan made of two metal sticks and some old newspaper. ├óÔé¼┼ôExcuses me?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour gun, senorita, your fucking gun!├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf that piece went off in here, half the main way would go up!├óÔé¼┬Ø. April pulled Phil out slowly and put him in a cardboard box labeled ├óÔé¼┼ôGuns and other extraneous shit go in here├óÔé¼┬Ø. April put Phil in there. ├óÔé¼┼ôExtraneous shit?├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil whispered ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell!├óÔé¼┬Ø. April coughed warningly. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have shit in your lungs, senorita, or do you want to give me plague!├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez snapped, sitting up.

├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have bullets, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you think, senorita, that these box's are for decoration?├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez asked ├óÔé¼┼ôBuen dios, por qu├â┬® sufro a tontos├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need bullets for a Winchester rifle and a class 43-2 Double A Zed 9 Smart Gun. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh Oh!├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know my full name?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ô├é┬íMierda santa!├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez dropped the fan ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have a smart gun? A fucking SMART GUN!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot so loud├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, picking up Phil ├óÔé¼┼ôBut he's low on ammo and I need more├óÔé¼┬Ø. Cortez got up, ran past April and slid the door closed ├óÔé¼┼ôCome with me├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, Spanish accent gone completely.

They walked behind the stall, through the rip in the fabric. Cortez opened a hidden door in the Silt and he and April began to descend. Cortez had spared no expense in his illegal case. Starting with the N.E.T blocker, a small sphere that slowly wafted about the room. It hummed softly. If the N.E.T looked at the area that projected around the blocker, it would just see blankness. Now April was impressed. The guns upstairs were unimpressive. Simple rifles, automatics, and pistols. The bullets were a little more interesting, as guns were cheap. Bullets were expensive.

But the secret stash was impressive beyond what April had thought possible. She had heard that Cortez had been the man to see about guns, illegal guns as well, but she had not expected this. ├óÔé¼┼ôHoly god├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that what I think?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a French made Neutron Bomb. If a barony could scrounge up enough money to buy this baby, I would be set for life├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah and a large part of Utah would be quite dead├óÔé¼┬Ø April snapped, her eyes roving over the high powered energy rifles that were resting on the other side of the wall. Then she spotted the ammo.

├óÔé¼┼ôAha├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered, walking over to the bullets. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow much would about five clips of these cost?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFive thousand├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said. April dropped the clip of ammo ├óÔé¼┼ôThats robbery├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôI get these bullets from N.E.T traitors├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts not cheap├óÔé¼┬Ø. April picked up the clip ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about just one?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOne thousand├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow much fore some Winchester rounds?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAbout a hundred for twenty ├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said. April groaned ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you have anything under fifty dollars?├óÔé¼┬Ø


├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôGet out, and please come again when your not dirt poor├óÔé¼┬Ø. April walked back to the hotel. ├óÔé¼┼ôBah!├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho needs ammo?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou do├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôOr your a very fancy club├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow don't you dare├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said. ├óÔé¼┼ôOr what?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. Then an arm reached out of a alleyway and pulled her in.

Winchester stroked his half goatee. The plasma had burned half of it away, and now it was starting to come back. It still looked uneven for his tastes. He looked around the Crematorium. The building was the third largest in Roosevelt City. It was built like a ancient cathedral, with massive chimneys at the end. A huge pit, with a smattering of corpses, was smoldering below the chimneys. Morticians slowly paraded around the massive chamber, wearing long black robes that obscured their faces. They chanted a slow Gregorian chant.

Arnold was talking quietly to one of the priests, who was wearing black robes with a white border. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are your Sins, Child?├óÔé¼┬Ø The priest asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't need a confessional├óÔé¼┬Ø Arthur said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need your services├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôVery well├óÔé¼┬Ø the Priest said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you need a reconnection?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Arthur said, holding his hands up ├óÔé¼┼ôMy hands are useless├óÔé¼┬Ø. The priest looked over the hands ├óÔé¼┼ôVery well, this is a easy task. Will you commit a sum of money to our cause?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWinchester├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôMoney├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester had no money, but he did have his signet ring.

├óÔé¼┼ôWill this do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester proffered his ring. The priest slid his hand out of his robes and took the ring. ├óÔé¼┼ôVery nice├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis will be a excellent donation├óÔé¼┬Ø the priest looked at Winchester. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are touched by a darkness├óÔé¼┬Ø the priest said. Winchester bristled ├óÔé¼┼ôSome would say the same of those who burn their corpses├óÔé¼┬Ø. The priest withdrew his hand quickly, pocketing the ring ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have touched the Apparatus of Viscus, have you not?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester's hand went to his sword ├óÔé¼┼ôYou dare!├óÔé¼┬Ø He growled.

├óÔé¼┼ôA Knight of the Nine who is impure├óÔé¼┬Ø The priest said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is the...Apparatus of Viscus?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe is implying that I am a mutant├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôA impure genetic monstrosity!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The priest looked up, light showing only the lower part of his face. He grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôI only say what I see with my Powers├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWinchester├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we drop this till he fixes my hands?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The priest, not turning from Winchester, snapped his fingers. A purple light flashed around Arnold's hands and he felt feeling rush into them. ├óÔé¼┼ôAwesome!├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said wiggling his fingers experimentally.

Winchester was about to draw his sword. Then he heard gun shots in the city. ├óÔé¼┼ôI recognize those shots├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said, sliding his sword into the sheath. ├óÔé¼┼ôApril├óÔé¼┬Ø he said to Arnold.

Whats this? Emotions?


├óÔé¼┼ôWell, i bet you think your the hot shit, don't you Eugene├óÔé¼┬Ø the man snarled. His arm had grabbed April around the neck, then after dragging her into the quite and dark alleyway, he had shoved her face first into the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôEugene?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. Then she recognized the voice. ├óÔé¼┼ôCliff?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe one and only├óÔé¼┬Ø Clifford said, pressing his gun into April's back ├óÔé¼┼ôI bet you still think your so smart├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI got away, didn't I?├óÔé¼┬Ø April snarled. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, you got away├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôAnd guess what├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour supporters├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about them?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou...know?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said ├óÔé¼┼ôElizabeth, Ember and Lissy├óÔé¼┬Ø he pressed the gun in deeper to April's back. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey tried to kill me the next day. It was really, quite sad├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø April said softly, the blood draining out of her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I had to kill them├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø April said again. ├óÔé¼┼ôVery sad├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said.

He spun April around and leered at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou look like hell├óÔé¼┬Ø April spat. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats what losing my four top whores dose to you├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy business has limped along for three months with no customers, other the the Chinaman├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou deserve it├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat I don't Eugene├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff's gun hand remained steady, but his other hand dropped down ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I think you owe me something├óÔé¼┬Ø he undid his fly. ├óÔé¼┼ôBefore you do that├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou should know something├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff asked. His sweaty hands reached for April's pants. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have a new friend├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh a big, burly man, who will beat me black and blue├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think not. You don't have friends├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis man is a great shot├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. Cliff nodded, fingers fumbling on April's belt buckle. April slowly reached down for Phil. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said, jerking her pants down ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can't fool me that easily├óÔé¼┬Ø. April put on a brave face, but she was terrified. Cliff's hand slowly moved behind her tight to her buttocks. She grabbed for Phil, managed to get to the trigger.

Cliff grabbed for April's arm, but Phil fired. The bullet shot through the leather holster. Cliff jerked away from April, his teeth straining as he grabbed at his crotch. Blood streamed between his fingers. April pulled her pants up, hatred boiling in her. ├óÔé¼┼ôHis name is Phil├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, pulling Phil fully out of her holster. Cliff opened his mouth and let out a loud groan of pain ├óÔé¼┼ôYou...bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, yeah├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. She pulled the trigger. Phil went clicked. ├óÔé¼┼ôUmm...I'm out├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said.

April slowly holstered Phil. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôOver the last three months I've learned some things├óÔé¼┬Ø. Cliff kicked away from her, pushing away with his feet. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I've made some new friends├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. She kicked him in the stomach ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I still know that I can't let scum like you live├óÔé¼┬Ø she kicked him again. ├óÔé¼┼ôApril!├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said. April kicked Cliff again and again. ├óÔé¼┼ôAPRIL!├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil shouted at the top of his electronic lungs. April stopped beating Cliff, her arms splayed out over the wall. Cliff had curled up into a fetal position. ├óÔé¼┼ôEnough├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've been programed with the bill of Rights. And this is not sanctioned under those rights├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April sobbed openly, pressing her forehead against the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe killed them├óÔé¼┬Ø she gasped. Cliff started to crawl away. April closed her eyes and whipped her tears away. Cliff rolled onto his back, still gasping in pain. He saw his pistol and grabbed it, aimed it at April. He grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôLast laughs mine├óÔé¼┬Ø he grunted. Then his wrist exploded. Winchester cocked his winchester, sending the spent casing flying off. Cliff gaped, clutching the bloody stump of his hand, blood spurting out of it intermittently. The severed hand still clutched the pistol. ├óÔé¼┼ôFair Lady├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester ├óÔé¼┼ôI suggest we leave├óÔé¼┬Ø. April nodded, whipping her face again.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened out there?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid something happen?├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke asked, looking at April. April's face was drained of color, aside from her eyes, which were red from crying. She sniffled ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust...a bad memory├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBull├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said. ├óÔé¼┼ôFair lady├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhoever this man is, he has wronged you. I must put it right this...injustice!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat we should stop fucking around in my past!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She stood up, getting off the cot. ├óÔé¼┼ôApril├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo to hell!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted, walking out of the room and slamming the door.

April walked through the Main row for hours. She lost track of time, drinking from a bottle of cheap vegetable alcohol, wandering and remembering events that had gone on long before. She remembered her father. She remembered Cliff's establishment. She remembered it all. As the Main Row closed, night falling, April found herself standing near the middle of the Main row. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam├óÔé¼┬Ø A police officer said. April turned and saw a rather pudgy man walking towards her ├óÔé¼┼ôBe careful tonight, mam├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôThere's a Soulless bloom that exploded five miles west of here. Its going to float over the city. If your not careful, they'll get you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck off├óÔé¼┬Ø April snapped ├óÔé¼┼ôSoulless don't scare me!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The police officer turned away. April drank from the bottle again, but found it was empty. She threw it into a nearby wall.

The next hour was a burr of stairs, and alleyways. She found herself standing on top of a building. It was taller then the hotel, but shorter then the Crematorium. April felt the wind pull her closer to the edge. She raised her hands up to her sides and thought about it. She had always thought that...after she could come back and help those who had helped her. Now her friends were dead. A Soulless danced in front of her face. April looked to the west and saw a cloud of Soulless slowly drifting over the city. Soulless blooms were rare and beautiful things.

April sat down on the ledge of building and watched the Soulless drift in front of her. Then she got up and walked down the stairs at the side of the building. April looked back up to her former vantage point. Now she recognized the building. April laughed. It was her father's church. April walked inside, almost laughing at the irony. She slowly walked down the Silt pews, looking straight forward at the alter. A priest was reading the Book of Mormon.

April walked behind the priest. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø April said softly. Thought there was no one else in the church, she still felt like she was trespassing, breaking someone's concentration. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø the priest said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow can I he...l...p├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off slowly. The Preist slowly pulled out glasses and slid them onto his face. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood...god├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered ├óÔé¼┼ôEugene Whittaker├óÔé¼┬Ø. April grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôO'Mally?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, looking at the priest, his face suddenly surfacing in her memory's. ├óÔé¼┼ôEugene├óÔé¼┬Ø The priest said, hugging April ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've come back to us├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't mean to├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't really want to come to this city. It was an accident├óÔé¼┬Ø. O'Mally smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôYour the same little girl, aren't you? Going off to find adventures├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot all of my adventures have been good ones├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôHows father?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. O'Mally's face darkened ├óÔé¼┼ôAfter he fell...He was never whole again├óÔé¼┬Ø. April looked away ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't understand├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou blame me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't blame anyone├óÔé¼┬Ø O'Mally said ├óÔé¼┼ôI just...don't understand why you did it. Your father never did├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April turned half away from the priest ├óÔé¼┼ôHe did├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I think it was a mistake to come in here├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts never a mistake to look for meaning...or for a purpose├óÔé¼┬Ø O'Mally said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour father still lives about ten blocks from here├óÔé¼┬Ø. April opened her mouth to say something. Then she reconsidered ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd my name├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIsn't Eugene anymore├óÔé¼┬Ø she looked over her shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôIts April├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôApril!├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said, running up to her as she opened the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI..needed to go├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts all right├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said ├óÔé¼┼ôMathew, Winchester and Arnold went shopping for food├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd they forced you to stay behind?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said ├óÔé¼┼ôI volunteered to stay behind in case you came├óÔé¼┬Ø. April hugged the teenager close ├óÔé¼┼ôThank you Luke├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou probably don't understand how much that means to me├óÔé¼┬Ø. Luke hugged her back and April took that moment to just enjoy having someone who cared.

Clifford gasped, flexing his new hand. It was metallic, smooth, and deadly. He sand his fingers into the wall and pulled out a clump of Hard Stilt out effortlessly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHer new name is April. April, no last name├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAny thing else you can├óÔé¼┬Ø Short said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAbout her new friends?├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall finished. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's got a man...a man with a winchester rifle. And a smart gun├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall asked, sitting forward, shock playing across his wax like features. ├óÔé¼┼ôSure?├óÔé¼┬Ø Short finished. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Clif said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe damn thing...blew my balls off through the holster├óÔé¼┬Ø he grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôBut who needs those?├óÔé¼┬Ø he flexed his hand again ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen you have this?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Short said. He looked at Tall ├óÔé¼┼ôShe might have value├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôRelax the tax restrictions├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is a good idea├óÔé¼┬Ø Short said, looking at Cliff ├óÔé¼┼ôSearch for her. Bring her to us├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOr you will die├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall said. Cliff looked at his new hand ├óÔé¼┼ôYou really├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't need to threaten. That whore cost me my job...my balls and my hand├óÔé¼┬Ø he grinned savagely ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd love to make her pay├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Clifford stood and walked out of the IRS building, almost laughing at this new opportunity. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you think what├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think├óÔé¼┬Ø Short said, grinning lightly ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe has managed to get hold on a Smart gun├óÔé¼┬Ø he continued. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe could do it again├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe might have a tool├óÔé¼┬Ø Short agreed ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we should make sure that tool is not├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamaged├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall finished. ├óÔé¼┼ôSend a watcher├óÔé¼┬Ø Short said. Tall nodded and looked at the wall.

The wall, made of Hard Silt, suddenly cracked. A arm shot out of it, followed by more and more of a body until a creature stood, caked in Silt. The creature shook itself and the Silt fell to the floor. It was a sexless thing, with a skinny, smooth body. Its face was neutral, with cats eyes and slits for ears. It stood in the pile of Silt, concentrating. The Silt formed up and moved around its body, covering it with a makeshift clothing. Of sorts. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am at your command├óÔé¼┬Ø the Watcher said.

├óÔé¼┼ôFollow├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe servant├óÔé¼┬Ø Short finished ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd if he damages a woman named April├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall said. ├óÔé¼┼ôKill him├óÔé¼┬Ø Short said.

Nice! hope to see more soon

Is that all you have to say? Nice!

Bah! My spirit is broken! I will never write another episode.

Just kidding

Stranger and Stranger still. Will this conspiracy ever be uncovered? Will our characters ever find a moment of happiness? Will the kids ever actually contribute to the adventure?

A new character (I like adding on characters) and some new events make our heroines life even more complicated and annoying.
The Watcher is and the Watcher was. The Watcher is what is going to be and is what has gone before. The Watcher simply, in one word, exists. Until it is given a mission. Then it moves from the simplicity of existence into the frenzy of the mission and the pleasure of the watching. It was born in the mind and dreams of someone, now long dead, at the moment of the impact. And it had waited for three centuries to be used for anything beyond simple assassinations. Don't ask how it knew this mission would be different. It just did.

Now it snuck through crowds the way most people walk through air. People, when they saw it, found that their eyes slipped off of it, and their memory's seemed to not take hold. It wore clothes, in case something or someone was Watching the Watcher deeper then most humans did so. Three security cameras came close. A ghost in infrared scan, a blurred image. A whisperer, nothing more. The human operators, floating miles above the surface of the planet, dismissed the blip as a mistake. A few told their superiors that there might be something magical in the N.E.T city of Roosevelt.

The Watcher tailed its target for a few more minuets. Clifford was a simple man. Easy to understand, even to a creature as inhuman and uncaring as the Watcher. Cliff made sure to extort money out of several shopkeepers before starting to look for his target. And in turn the Watcher began to learn about its target. Then Cliff vanished for a moment. It was an unsettling moment in the Watchers long life. Never before had it lost track of something.

It was a simple thing really. Someone walked in front of the Watcher for a split second, obscuring the Watcher's view of its target. For three century's the Watcher had never lost sight of a target. Even when they were doing the best they could to avoid its sight. Now it had missed sight of someone purely by accident. It took a split second to consider this event. Then it resumed its track, slipping through he smoke of humanity. This mission would be different.

April looked at the others. A failed revolutionary. A mad knight. Two N.E.T brats and a talking pistol. She looked at her feet and then back to her friends. She realized something last night. No matter how much trouble these people brought to her, she would now miss them. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know this is going to sound crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut at first I thought this city was going to be were I finally got to dump you out of my lap├óÔé¼┬Ø April grinned wretchedly.

Luke opened his mouth to say something. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I find that...├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want to see you go├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm touched├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm serious├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut there is something else I wanted to talk about├óÔé¼┬Ø she looked out the very small window of the room, light streaming through it. ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is something wrong going on├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt all started with the destruction of Apple Berry. The N.E.T has killed an entire town off. Why I don't know. But I intend to find out├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI stand with my lady├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said immediately. He was followed by Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow? No wait, better question, why?├óÔé¼┬Ø. April looked away ├óÔé¼┼ôI learned that last night my old friends died. I was...in a bad fix a long while ago. I had three friends and they risked everything to get me out. I promised I would come back and help them├óÔé¼┬Ø. April stood and paced around the room ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was three months ago├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd they had thought I had abandoned them. So they took matters into their own hands and where killed├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew muttered. April grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôIts not your fault. Its mine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI waited till I was strong enough. But that was just a stupid...coward├óÔé¼┬Ø she looked down ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd my friends payed for it. Now we have all seen something. Something big. If we just stick our heads in the sand people are going to die├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôI did that once and people died! Now my dad might have been...but he taught me that you do not repeat mistakes├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Arnold gaped at her ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't believe it├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are the last person I expected to say that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked ├óÔé¼┼ôYou thought I was a heartless rouge who only cared about herself?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Arnold started to say something, choked it off. April grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôI try to be heartless├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut its hard work you know├óÔé¼┬Ø. Luke grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do we do first?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. April frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we should get some allies├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôJesus holy crawling shit!├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôYou better not be fucking me around, senorita!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCortez there are kids around├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep a lid on the language├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are...insane!├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôAn entire village? Only someone with my entire inventory could do that. And they'd have to be crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd that is why we need to find out how and why, and if the N.E.T is involved├óÔé¼┬Ø. Cortez sighed, running fingers through his hair. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome with me├óÔé¼┬Ø He said finally ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd if you are bullshitting me, I'm going to tell the IRS, the Nobles and the N.E.T├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Cortez led the group down into his secret stash. Luke and Mathew burst into awed gasps when they saw the high tech weapons. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou want information on the N.E.T's movements?├óÔé¼┬Ø he walked to a wall and slid aside a secret wall panel, revealing a computer. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow do you get power for that without the N.E.T noticing?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSimple├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said, pressing the on button ├óÔé¼┼ôI draw it for 'recreational' uses and reroute it through three different buildings, run it through a scrambler, dissipate it, recompile it then plug it in├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez grinned, showing yellow teeth.

The computer's windows logo vanished ├óÔé¼┼ôAha!├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez clapped his hands. He started to type, his fingers flying over the key-board. Several of the buttons were missing, but that didn't seem to be a problem for Cortez. Screens appeared and vanished as Cortez brought up data and dropped it. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, no no no no├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôno!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He stopped typing ├óÔé¼┼ôThe N.E.T has brought a info lock down├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell dose that mean?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked. Cortez turned and sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôHow to explain?├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered.

├óÔé¼┼ôThe Net, the big thing, not the corporation, is Basically a fiberoptic power transfer. It was made to be the ultimate entertainment. Anyone with a neural uplink up could just wish something, and zip, it appears. Then there was the Impact and├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez was cut off when April waved her hand ├óÔé¼┼ôEnough of the history lesson├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat dose this have to do with army movements?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Cortez banged his head against the wall ├óÔé¼┼ôThe N.E.T doesn't move army's like noblemen or even the IRS. They don't need helicopters or marching or anything else. Each of their soldiers has a damn neural uplink! They just think where they want to be and then they are├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April fished around in her backpack ├óÔé¼┼ôYou mean like one of these?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked tossing the net link she had salvaged from the N.E.T soldier a week ago. It seemed more like a year. Cortez looked over the netlink and gaped. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is a net uplink├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez put the clunky thing down. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut this thing wasn't in the guys head├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôright this...this is a non implant device. Its useful for three uses. Its used for...for a low ranking N.E.T officer who doesn't rank a implant job├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôso how do we use it?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôRub it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôActually├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou do. You need a genetic match with the user and then the A.I comes on and you ask it for something├óÔé¼┬Ø. April looked at Luke. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou said your father was the N.E.T official on that bus├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said ├óÔé¼┼ôNot that he was much of a dad. He was never around, till we had to move and├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, yeah├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, grabbing Luke's hand and pressing it onto the netlink.

The link bleeped, then started to vibrate. It vibrated faster and faster and faster, until it almost fell off the table. Then it opened, splitting down its four sides like a flower. The middle section shot up and expanded, forming a radar dish. The dish then started to rotate. It rotated faster and faster and faster. April, Cortez, Luke, Mathew and Arnold all started to take a step back. Winchester stood his ground, slowly sliding his sword out of his sheath. The dish spun till it was a blur, getting faster and faster.

Then the entire thing stopped. Suddenly, and completely. The Dish was not moving. Winchester slowly slid the sword into his sheath. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell that was a waste of time├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, frowning. ├óÔé¼┼ôIndeed it was├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice said from behind her. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhoa!├óÔé¼┬Ø April shouted, spinning around. Everyone turned to look at the new stranger in their midst.

The stranger was very tall. Incredibly tall. About seven foot seven, at first estimates. He wore a large cloak, lurid green and was almost morbidly obese. The cloak strained, his fat pressing against it. The cloak itself was held closed by no less then three belts, each one wrapped at a slightly off angle to the others. The stranger also wore shoe's that curved upwards, ending in points that curled almost above the man's feet. The man had a turbine sitting on top of his plump head, and he constantly seemed to grin. Smoke trailed out of the top of the turbine, and it was blue.

├óÔé¼┼ôHello...mmmmmmmmmmm...I am the Artificial Intelligence of the Net uplink unit four three, five nine. Mmmmmmmm yes├óÔé¼┬Ø The A.I said. His voice was incredibly squeaky and high pitched, with a touch of a Persian accent. April looked at him, shock written over her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho...what?├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said, groping for words. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The A.I said, his eye twitching from one person to the next ├óÔé¼┼ôGood by├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Then with a clap he vanished into the netlink. The netlink snapped closed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhoever designed the wish granting A.I obviously had too much time on his hands├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do we do with it, now?├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI feel that using the tool of the enemy is the best way to bring the enemy down on us├óÔé¼┬Ø. Cortez opened his mouth to say something, but then his computer bleeped. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait a second├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, reading data off of the screen of his computer. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've got a customer out front├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Cliff drummed his gloved fingers on one of the guns. He admired guns. But he only had six bullets in his entire armory. He had a rather large assortment of knives and a single sword, but he was not practiced in any of the arts of martial combat. He usually relied on brute force to carry him through battles. If you could call the few fights he had been through 'battles'. The first ten stores he had searched had no knowledge of any April other then the month. The sweaty, greasy man who ran the shop walked into the store ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you want, what do you want?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôI am looking for a girl├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said. ├óÔé¼┼ôA girl├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is a brothel down the road├óÔé¼┬Ø he grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôWith many nice girls for men such as you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not looking for just any girl├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm looking for a girl named April├óÔé¼┬Ø. Cortez's eyes flittered left and right quickly, as he gaged the values and possible pit-falls of what he said next. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow much will it cost you?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Cliff smiled, pulling out a large bag. The emblem of the IRS was sketched on the side ├óÔé¼┼ôHow much do you want?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Cortez grinned.

├óÔé¼┼ôWho was the customer?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked as Cortez walked back into the cache. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo one├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôSome fu-├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at the kids and changed his adjective ├óÔé¼┼ôIdiot├óÔé¼┬Ø. April nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôSo the N.E.T has blanked there movements here├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut to cover there tracks they need to cover their energy. To cover their energy they need to not use it. You can't blank the power it requires for transportation├óÔé¼┬Ø. April blinked slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôThen why...can't you├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause they didn't use there normal mode of transport├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd anything that makes the N.E.T not waste electricity like theres no Tomorrow is big. Really big. They don't want anyone to know about this├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April looked at the others. The kids looked bored, but Arnold and Winchester both bore face's of contemplation and worry. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do we do now?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've hit a dead end├óÔé¼┬Ø. April sighed slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go home├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThink about it a bit├óÔé¼┬Ø. As they all moved to leave Cortez coughed. ├óÔé¼┼ôEh?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked, looking back over her shoulder. Cortez sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôMoney├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis job costs about five hundred credits├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôElectricity is not free. Neither is information├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April looked at him for a moment. Then she looked at the others. Then she looked back to Cortez. Then she lurched forward, grabbing the net link, turned and shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôRUN!├óÔé¼┬Ø. They all ran out of the building as fast as they could. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome back!├óÔé¼┬Ø Cortez shouted, running after them. They all ran out of the secret stash, but April had to the smarts to slam the door as she went out. Cortez smashed into the door at full tilt, and fell down the stairs, back into his stash. He groaned, feeling his head tenderly and shouted obscenity's at the closed door.

The group sat in their hotel room, looking glum. ├óÔé¼┼ôThere go's your crusade against the N.E.T├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up├óÔé¼┬Ø April snapped, crossing her arms ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't expect them to be so good at covering their tracks├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then there was a knock on the door. April got up and walked to the door. Winchester followed her, hand placed on the sword. April looked at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust in case, lady├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said. April nodded, opening the door.

A man stood outside in the hallway. He was dressed in a long trench coat, wearing a large hat. He pulled the hat off, holding it from the brim. April stood there dumbly for a second. The man was incredibly hansom. She closed her mouth, feeling rather stupid and started thinking about asking him who he was and why he was here. But the man started, opening his mouth to say something. Then he saw the April was about to say something and stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôYou first├óÔé¼┬Ø he said meekly. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, no├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou first├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.

He coughed, blinking a few times. Then he felt his pulse for a few moments and sighed in relife. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy name is Jeremiah, but you should call me Jess. And...uh├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked around, pursed his lips, the leaned in conspiratorially ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are investigating the N.E.T and the town of Apple Berry?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess asked. April, ignoring his proximity, nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm also investigating them├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said, leaning in ever further ├óÔé¼┼ôI was there├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. Jess held up his hat to hide them from anyone who could be watching ├óÔé¼┼ôApple Berry├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said.

This is not a double post. This is...err...

Uh... Nevermind...

waaaaant moooooore

indeed

You ask, and I deliver!

Jess woke up and the first thing he noticed was a headache. A pounding, splitting headache. He gasped, and that made his head hurt even more. He rolled out of bed, making his head throb, and hit the floor. He was naked and sweating, clammy and cold. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, standing up and running into his bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror and rummaged around until he found his medical scanner. He scanned himself. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh no├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôOh no!├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at the readings ├óÔé¼┼ôMy adrenaline's through the roof! My heart rates up...oh no!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

He slammed the scanner down ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to die├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats wrong love?├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice asked from behind him. Jess turned around, his heat jackhammering in his chest. A woman was in his bed, smoking slowly. She was naked, blanket covering her lower body. Jess felt his face, gaping at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were more eager last night├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said, grinning. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe didn't├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe did├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman said ├óÔé¼┼ôA lot├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess looked at the celling, groaning ├óÔé¼┼ôDid you ever get checked?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôFor...├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôFor...STD!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet out!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess almost shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôGet out right now!├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed to the door. The woman shrugged ├óÔé¼┼ôI hat fun├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, grabbing her clothes and sliding them on. She walked out the door and walked into the streets of Apple Berry. Jess panted and started to pull on his own clothes. He sat down on the bed and cupped his head in his hands, trying to remember what he had done.

He remembered walking into a bar. Then nothing. Grinning at a not at all unattractive woman. Nothing. Her assurances that the needle would make him feel good. Nothing. His slurred voice saying ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat would be the harm?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then nothing again. Then groping around in bed, feeling her skin against his. Jess groaned ├óÔé¼┼ôHow could I have been so stupid?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked the air. First he had had something to drink. Something alcoholic. Then he had drugs. Then he had had sex.

Jess grabbed his favorite hat and pulled it on. Maybe he could walk it out. It had been proved by medical science that the Silt had killed most harmful bacteria. It was more dangerous inside the building then out. He walked into the streets, pacing slowly around till he got to the edge of his block. The town was very small, un-walled, so he slipped into the Silt, enjoying the feel of it through his shoe's.

Jess walked through the darkness. There were a few Soulless out and about. He loved Soulless. They would kill him, but he still loved their brightness. Unlike germs, you could see and kill Soulless if need be. Jess looked around. Then he saw a bright blue light flare around him. He looked at his shadow, stretched to an impossible degree. He spun around in time to get a shock wave in the face.

Jess woke up in the morning. He jerked up, Silt sliding off his form. Jess struggled to his feet and looked around. He was still outside of Apple Berry. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôShould be dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked around. It was dawn, so there was no color in his surroundings. Other then the Soulless. The Soulless floated around him, not making hostile or non-hostile move to him. Anyone undefended in the Wastes, with Soulless around, would not wake up. At least they shouldn't.

Jess started to struggle to the town. He arrived and found that the place was intact. Well. Mostly intact. Half the buildings had been under construction, but most of the buildings had only been lit on fire. But there were corpses everywhere. He knelt next to a corpse of a young man. He looked at the body, looked at the bullet wounds. The wounds had been caused well after death, the blood exploding out because of the impact of the bullet, not because of any bleeding. Jess looked around and saw that each corpse had been artfully arranged so they looked slain by bullets and gun fire. Then Jess noticed he was touching a dead corpse and he jerked back, shoving his shirt over his face to filter out the air.

Then he heard a loud sound, like a engine. Jess looked around and ran for cover. He looked around a corner as strangers rode into the town. Their leader, a woman, seemed to be in shock. Jess gulped. He was a new comer in this town, but he knew that no one deserved to die like this. Specially not these people, in this town. So he conspired to follow them. Then he was shocked. They were burying the corpses, without proper sanitation gear. Obviously these people, whatever their intentions, were suicidally stupid.

A few days later and he was standing looking at the woman, close. He was almost cross eyed, looking at her. She was so...beautiful. Then he forced himself to concentrate on what she was saying. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome in├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman was saying ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd my name is April├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess was rather dishearten to see the two other men here. And the kids. He was sure that one of them would have already struck up a conversation with April. What a wonderful, glorious name.

├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Winchester├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, gesturing to the big, scary looking man with the sword and rifle. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow do you do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess asked, wanting to be polite. The man smiled softly, taking Jess's hand and shaking it mightily. Winchester's left hand was gloved, Jess noticed, and very very strong. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd this is Arnold├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. Jess groaned inwardly. Arnold looked to be just the type to immediately grab April's attention. Flashy, bright, probably well bred. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd these are Luke and Mathew├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, showing Jess to the kids. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a nice hat mister├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThank you Mathew├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said, handing him the hat ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy don't you hold it for a while?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Luke took the hat, looking a little perplexed. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo tell us your story├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd what information you have about this├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôIsn't this a little unwise? I mean to take a complete stranger in at his word. What if he's working for the N.E.T├óÔé¼┬Ø. April smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôIts very simple├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf he turns out to be a bad gun, Phil shoots him├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess looked around. He couldn't see another person in the room.

├óÔé¼┼ôWho's Phil?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am├óÔé¼┬Ø Someone said. Jess looked around, trying to pinpoint were the voice had come from. ├óÔé¼┼ôMe! Down here! On the woman's thigh!├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil shouted. Jess looked down and saw the pistol. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour Phil?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSlow one, aren't you?├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil snapped. ├óÔé¼┼ôUh├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo. Its just that...uh...├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at April ├óÔé¼┼ôhe can talk right?├óÔé¼┬Ø. April nodded slowly, an odd look on her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said, sitting down on the cot, next to April ├óÔé¼┼ôI moved into Apple Berry about├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at the celling ├óÔé¼┼ôThree...no four weeks ago├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere from?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. Jess jumped, looking at her ├óÔé¼┼ôSLC├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was it like!├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHot, smelly and mean, Mathew├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd so I moved outwards, to the Easterly Provence├óÔé¼┬Ø.

He continued with his story, editing out the woman he had slept with. He didn't want April to think he was a skirt chaser. When he was done April sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats all well an interesting├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut how dose that help us? Other then putting more mystery's on top of the first one's?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said, thinking furiously at what to say next ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said again. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh great├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know someone├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho knows a lot about the N.E.T├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho?├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd they better be connected to the N.E.T, not just a hacker. We tried a hacker already├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôOh he's connected├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's a man named Sebastian. He lives in SLC and he makes deals with the N.E.T all the time. He owes me a favor, a rather large one actually. I think if we asked him, he could tell us more about whats going on├óÔé¼┬Ø. April sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôFirst Roosevelt├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôNow SLC├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. She looked at her pack ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø she sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to worry about supplies├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI have my own supplies├óÔé¼┬Ø Jes said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats great├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut see the suplies we have are almost out├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we lost our playing cards├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats too bad, Luke├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I have my own playing cards right here├óÔé¼┬Ø he pulled out a deck of cards from one of his big pockets. Mathew brightened, grabbing the cards. Then his face fell ├óÔé¼┼ôAww man, Gars's was better├óÔé¼┬Ø he moaned, throwing them back to Jess. Jess frowned. His cards were fine.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo we need to buy more water, some more food. We still don't have ammo├óÔé¼┬Ø April was ticking off things they needed ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd the mobile is almost out of gas├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester stood ├óÔé¼┼ôI have an answer to those problems├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôFollow me├óÔé¼┬Ø. He then walked out of the room. April watched him go for a second, then flipped the flap of her back pack close and walked after him. Jess made a move to follow, but April stuck her head back in ├óÔé¼┼ôYou stay here├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd Arnold, keep an eye on him, just in case├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess looked at Arnold. Arnold rolled his eyes and went to sleep on his cot.

├óÔé¼┼ôDamn damn├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is wrong, my lady?├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester asked, looking over his shoulder at April. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just I see a hansom man and immediately lose my common sense for a few minuets├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester stopped, looking at April. He was smiling broadly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou like him├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...yes├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. She couldn't lie about it. At least not to Winchester. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôhe seemed like a good match├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Then he started walking again. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait!├óÔé¼┬Ø April snapped ├óÔé¼┼ôI like him, but I'm not like...no├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you dare try to be a matchmaker├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, my lady├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you dare!├óÔé¼┬Ø April hissed. ├óÔé¼┼ôOf course, my lady├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said, grinning. April made a face, but kept following him. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh we have made it!├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Bank!├óÔé¼┬Ø. They stopped, and April looked at the building. It looked like a normal house. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is not the bank, Winchester├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is the bank├óÔé¼┬Ø she jabbed her finger across the city to a largish building.

Winchester shrugged, pointed up, above the door frame, and then walked into the house. April squinted at what he had pointed at. It was the same symbol on his left glove. A nine. April followed Winchester into the building. The insides of the building where very surprising. All gleaming metal and smooth walls. The outside looked like Hard Silt, but this was steel or some other heavy metal. A single computer was set into the wall. Unlike Cortez's computer it was very very old. The screen was green and the entire thing ticked and toked. Some tubes stuck out of the side.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is this place?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked, her voice quiet. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt is one of the Nine safe houses├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am a knight, fair lady├óÔé¼┬Ø. April blanched. He had talked about being a member of the Knights of the Nine. She had never really believed it. Till now. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo your actually part of the Nine?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôFor real?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester looked over his shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôOf course├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôFor real. Where did you think I got this sword? Or this vest? Or this gun?├óÔé¼┬Ø he hefted his winchester rifle. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood point├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said' Its time to draw out some funds├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April and Winchester walked back to the hotel, April holding the thousand coins in her back pack. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think Jess is smitten by your charms, my lady├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome off it├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, grinning. AS they were passing the ally way were she had been attacked, April stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôApril?├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester asked. April was looking down the ally, impassively. ├óÔé¼┼ôLady?├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester asked ├óÔé¼┼ôSomething wrong?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Then she sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester sighed, patting her on the shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôThis time I am here to protect you, my lady├óÔé¼┬Ø. April laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know I keep telling you to call me April├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat you do, my lady├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said, his eyes glinting.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell, well well├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice said, from the ally. April jumped, looking back there. A form detached from the darkness. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf it isn't the queen bitch herself├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said, walking into the light of the streets, holding a pistol. April looked around. There was no one else around, other then a single pedestrian who was walking around the corner, heading away from them. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd her lap dog├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said, waving the pistol around. ├óÔé¼┼ôCur!├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester growled, drawing his sword in a flash ├óÔé¼┼ôYou dare insult my lady!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

He moved in front of April, who was looking at Cliff with a mixture of hatred and horror in her eyes. He was wearing the expression he had...when he had come to punish her. ├óÔé¼┼ôStand aside, you old fool├óÔé¼┬Ø Cliff said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm just here for the girl├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNever!├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou leave, and never come back! Or I will have your head from your body├óÔé¼┬Ø. Cliff laughed, a high pitched one that sounded almost hysterical ├óÔé¼┼ôI remember you├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou took my hand!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He raised his pistol, reading it to fire.

Winchester brought his sword around in a loop and the pistol fell in half, gunpowder spilling from bullets sliced in twain. Cliff threw his pistol aside and charged at Winchester. Winchester swung his sword, to decapitate the mad man. Cliff brought his...gloved right hand up, to block the sword. Winchester's eyes widened. That was the hand he had removed. The sword met the gloved hand with a loud clang and it. Stopped. Winchester grunted, trying to push through. The glove fell aside, cut down the middle, revealing cold metal.

Winchester brought his sword back and around, pushing off Cliff's hand. He came around to the other side, but Cliff blocked again, pushing the sword aside. It flew from Winchester's hand and embedded itself in the wall. Cliff punched Winchester in the face with his infernal hand. Winchester went sprawling, blood streaming down his face. April looked at him, then spun around, pulling out Phil. Then she remembered she had no ammo for him. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop├óÔé¼┬Ø She shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôOr I'll shoot!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Cliff laughed, looking at his bloodied claw, ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'd have shot already if you had fucking bullets for you fucking gun!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He grabbed Phil and crumpled the gun in his metallic hand. Phil let out a truncated yelp, then fell to the ground. April looked at Phil, feeling a pang of sadness. Then Cliff was on her. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey said not to kill you├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, metallic claw pressing her against the wall, holding her by her neck ├óÔé¼┼ôBut they said nothing about having some fun first├óÔé¼┬Ø his human hand, sweaty and rough, slowly slid down the front of her shirt. ├óÔé¼┼ôCliff├óÔé¼┬Ø April gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are a sick fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø She spat in his eye.

Something in Cliff snapped and his grip tightened ├óÔé¼┼ôWho's sick now!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, Squeezing hard. April's eyes bugged, her face turning purple for lack of air. Cliff laughed, feeling freer then he had ever had before, squeezing harder. Then he looked down at the large blade sticking through his heart. He laughed again, letting April's neck slide out of his metallic hand. April lay on the floor, gasping for air. Cliff sank to his knee's, laughing hysterically until he died.

April looked up. She was one of the few people to ever see The Watcher. It slid its blade out of Cliff's corpse, and that blade shimmered, and vanished. Then The Watcher looked at April. ├óÔé¼┼ôThank you├óÔé¼┬Ø April croaked, her neck sore beyond belief. The Watcher then grabbed her and with a quick cuff on the back of the head, rendered her unconscious.

You better write more soon ^_^

Right.

Well.

Its short. But I'm tired, and its late. And the Next episode will be REALLY long!

I mean REALLY long!

I mean it, I do.



Blankness. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere am I?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Silence. Something, around her writs. She tried to move them, but nothing happened. Then suddenly the blankness vanished, and April could see. She looked around. She was sitting in a completely bare room. It was silvery metal, with nothing else. The light didn't seem to be coming from any where. She looked at her seat. It was a massive metal thing, with metal restrains on her wrists, forcing them onto the armrests.

April strained at the armrests, but nothing happened. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôLet me out of here!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Nothing. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø April shouted again ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe just saved your life├óÔé¼┬Ø A man's voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd possibly other things, and yet you only greet us with hostility├óÔé¼┬Ø. The voice was British, but unlike Winchester's deep accent, it was more like a fakey British accent. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you weren't hostile, you wouldn't lock me up!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The restraints slid away, sliding into the chair. April felt her wrists and tried to get up. Then she noticed her feet were restrained too.

The door opened. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø A slightly balding man said, walking into the room ├óÔé¼┼ôWe would like to offer you a job├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôA job, Ms Whittigar├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are a tax evader. We missed you three times now, once in SLC, one in Roosevelt City and now in....a town that no longer exists├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man snapped his fingers and a chair snapped into existence, a flash of light surrounding it as it appeared. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, sitting down ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have come into possession of two Old Tech artifacts. A Smart gun and a Net Link├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow you probably have no idea how valuable those things are├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf we could have just one it could tip the balance├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBalance?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. The man sighed, pulling a folder out of his suit ├óÔé¼┼ôYou probably don't know this either. But the government is on the verge of civil war├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man looked at the folder ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd this is what your job entails├óÔé¼┬Ø. April gulped.

├óÔé¼┼ôThe IRS is no longer what you think it is├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was once a way of collecting tax's, and on the surface we keep it that way. Its a good front. But...the N.E.T has control of all the Old Tech on the planet. But Old Tech is not the only power├óÔé¼┬Ø the man sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have seen Soulless. Have you see anything else?├óÔé¼┬Ø. April nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôA Silt Strider├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôA...something called...a Drya something├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôTwo deadly creatures, to be sure. But there are more. Much more├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April was getting intrigued ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Soulless are the only ones that are seen commonly. The others, the Stenches, the Others, the Watchers, all of those are on the edges of the humanity, like scavengers├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we at the IRS are trying to bring some of the more friendly ones in. The world has changed. And to survive, don't you think Humanity needs allies?├óÔé¼┬Ø. April thought about it. Then she nodded. Not that she cared, but it was always a good idea to agree with your captors. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are also calling together mages and Conjurers. Trying to get the new breed of humanity together, so we can create a new world. Old Tech needs to be left in the past, were it belongs├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo now we├óÔé¼┬Ø the man continued ├óÔé¼┼ôNeed to bring down the N.E.T├óÔé¼┬Ø. April brightened. This sounded like something she wanted to hear. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe want the infiltrate the N.E.T and find out what they are doing. Its not on the level, and its not good for Earth, and if we find it out we can stop it├óÔé¼┬Ø. April nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI saw something├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôAt the town Apple Berry├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man smiled broadly ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy don't you just...tell me what that is?├óÔé¼┬Ø

Winchester said up, the grin on his face more from pain then any joy. He looked around first. It was night time, a good long time after he had been knocked down by that...that monster. He stood up slowly, looking up. Soulless drifted over the city. They were blooming again. Winchester shook himself. Soulless bloomed only once in a blue moon. ├óÔé¼┼ôWin...chester├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice said from the ground. Winchester looked down and picked up the crumpled piece of plastic and metal. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe got away├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts not your fault├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts mine├óÔé¼┬Ø. Phil laughed tinnily ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...the bastard got it├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Winchester looked up and saw Clifford's corpse in the shadows. He knelt over it and spat onto its lifeless face. A massive hole stabbed through the man's heart, leaving a bloody pulp on the ground, dried and caked with time. Winchester rolled Cliff over and pulled the glove off his left hand. It was metallic, skeletal and obviously cybernetic. Winchester grabbed the wrist and jerked the hand off. He took it in his right hand and crushed the offending thing.

├óÔé¼┼ôHe got April├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said, walking into the hotel room. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø The newcomer, Jess, sat up. The others looked shocked as well, but Winchester could tell that Jess cared the most. ├óÔé¼┼ôClifford├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester spat ├óÔé¼┼ôHe has a new hand, and is completely insane. And fortunately very dead├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester dropped the clump of metal and plastic that had once been Cliff's hand. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôClifford's hand. It looked high tech├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut look├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Winchester jerked the bits and pieces apart and in the center was a clump of glowing green specks. Soulless. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell!├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold almost shouted, jumping back. Winchester's eyes darted to him, then back to the Soulless. ├óÔé¼┼ôThese are magical├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôA way to power a construct of iron and plastic. Its not technology, its magic├óÔé¼┬Ø. Luke reached forward to touch the Soulless, but Winchester slapped his hand away ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd deadly├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo what does this mean?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess asked. Winchester sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôIt means that someone who has a lot of magic on their sides. Enough to out do Old Tech. My sword couldn't cut it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen how did it get so mangled?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess asked. Winchester looked at him, eyes filled with something akin to deep pain. His knuckles tightened on his right glove, making the material stretch loudly.

├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said. Then he noticed something ├óÔé¼┼ôHey look!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know that symbol!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He reached in and picked up a bit of metal from the rest of the metal. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis...this is the IRS Symbol├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø April said walking into the room ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd guess who we get to work for├óÔé¼┬Ø she threw a a black shirt at Jess, who caught it and looked at it. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've been recruited├óÔé¼┬Ø April said.

Then everyone started talking at once.

this will be interesting...

I don't know who is better the IRS ot the N.E.T.

Zoombie wrote:Also the Soulless them selves can go up your nose and suck out your brains!

I did that to a guy once...but then he sneezed...

Blood and brains all over the carpet...

Peeping toms are hillarious!


April looked around the gleaming room. Everything in the IRSHQ gleamed. The outsides were probably hard Silt, like the entire city, but the interior were some kind of metal. A cage in the middle of the room held two women, both nude from the waist up. Then she noticed the impossibly small fishnets over their chests. April bridled, looking at her new employer. ├óÔé¼┼ôThese are our two best warriors├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôS-0332 and S-0333├óÔé¼┬Ø.

S-0332 bowed slightly to April. ├óÔé¼┼ôS-0332?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked, looking at her employer. ├óÔé¼┼ôSpecimen number├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe all abandoned human names. It makes us harder to track by the N.E.T├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo I need a number too?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour not a magical, your not a tax collector. Your a freelancer├óÔé¼┬Ø his mouth quirked into a slight smile ├óÔé¼┼ôand as such you are not important enough to be nameless├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow I wanted you to meat 33 and 32, because they are going to be your contacts with the IRS. 33 is a teleshifter, able to connect mind's together. She will be connected to you every hour on the hour. If you need me, just think it and we will be connected├óÔé¼┬Ø. April opened her mouth to say something, but her Employer barreled on ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd 32 is a Brander. She can mark you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMark me?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked, feeling queezy. She hated needles. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø her Employer said ├óÔé¼┼ôshe will put the IRS mark on a body part of your choice, then if you need magical assistance, touch the mark and it will tell 32 to send you something├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSomething?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôAmmo, money, nanobots. Anything smaller then a palm├óÔé¼┬Ø her Employer said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo...does 32 need...needles?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø her Employer said, looking confused ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is not a tattoo. This is a magical mark. 32 puts her hand on your body and the mark is transferred├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd like it over my belly button. Anywhere else is hard to reach or...embarrassing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôVery well├óÔé¼┬Ø her Employer said, nodding to 32.

Then there was a blur of motion and 32 moved away, sliding her hand out from under April's shirt. April blinked and stepped back, a little to late. ├óÔé¼┼ôWow├óÔé¼┬Ø She murmured. The two women seemed to barely move, breathing lightly and standing perfectly still. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are as good with the blade as they are with magic├óÔé¼┬Ø her employer said ├óÔé¼┼ôBoth versed in basic flame magic, to add to there innate...talents├óÔé¼┬Ø. April nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow to get your new uniform├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April looked at the shirt, oohing softly. It was a silky smooth, black with white on the sides, and skin tight. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a Silt Suit├óÔé¼┬Ø he employer said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts able to walk over the Silt easily, move through it easily, and in general works well. Its also camouflaged├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôcamouflaged?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôTouch it├óÔé¼┬Ø her employer said. April reached forward and touched the material. It suddenly turned the same color as the wall behind it. ├óÔé¼┼ôHoly shit!├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat technology is this?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts not a technology├óÔé¼┬Ø her employer said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a magical suit, powered by some Soulless powder in the back. April looked around and spotted several more lockers in the room ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôAre there about...three more of these?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Then everyone started talking at once. April let Winchester demand information, Arnold gibber about 'blood sucking tax men' and Jess stare at her for a few seconds. She actually didn't mind Jess staring, but the others were getting very annoying. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up!├óÔé¼┬Ø She shouted. To her surprise, everyone did. Jess kept staring though. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've learned some new things├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut what I said yesterday is still valid. We need allies├óÔé¼┬Ø she tapped her Silt Suit, smiling as it seemed to vanish in her hand ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd the IRS is a powerful ally├óÔé¼┬Ø.

As April explained about the new situation, patiently showing her mark, and telling about their job, the Watcher watched. It's master, now her master too, had sent it to watch them. It's master did not trust April, or any of her little group. But he did think they would do the job. It was the Watchers job to make sure the job was done the way it's master wanted. So now it watched, blending into the crowds below the hotel with the ease of the air itself. Then someone brushed into it.

The Watcher was shocked, rotted to it's spot for a few moments. Something, someone, had touched it without it wanting the person too. Then someone else bumped into it, this time the person looking at the form he had run into with a mild look of irritation. The Watcher leaped up to a safer vantage point, atop a nearby building. It knelt down, hoping to hide. Nothing could be completely invisible in the open, but if anyone could get close it would be the Watcher.

April finished, saying ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd thats how it is├óÔé¼┬Ø. Everyone was quite. ├óÔé¼┼ôI like it├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said. Winchester looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôIt is indeed a daring and...valorous plan├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's also absolutely insane├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf he doesn't want to go, can I?├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Everyone said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke asked, shooting a nasty look at Mathew, who had also chipped in with the 'no's. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen, Arnold├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe plan will work├óÔé¼┬Ø she shook her head slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôbut if you don't want to go the IRS will hold you in their HQ till the plans over├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold objected ├óÔé¼┼ôI never said I wouldn't go├óÔé¼┬Ø he crossed his arms ├óÔé¼┼ôI just thought it was a crazy plan├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, yeah├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to change. Everyone out├óÔé¼┬Ø. The others left, filing into the hall way. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm also going to change├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said. ├óÔé¼┼ôMe too├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said, feeling at the camouflaged suit with wonder. Luke sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we get to stay here and rot├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. Jess had also left, without saying anything. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, Yeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, pressing his eyeball against a crack in the door.

├óÔé¼┼ôWe never get to do anything├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke moaned, walking around and around, staring at his feet. Mathew gasped as April slid her shirt off. Luke banged his head against the wall in frustration, still looking at his feet. ├óÔé¼┼ôNever├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said. Mathew's jaw was hanging open as April pulled her pants off. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you even listening too me?├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke asked, looking up. Then he gaped for a moment. Then he ran up and jerked the door open. Mathew tumbled forward, his support suddenly vanishing. ├óÔé¼┼ôApril! April! Mathew was spying on you!├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke shouted.

April looked at them, face beat red. ├óÔé¼┼ôGET OUT!├óÔé¼┬Ø She shouted, covering herself while kicking at the two kids. She slammed the door and locked it. ├óÔé¼┼ôKids├óÔé¼┬Ø She muttered, walking back to the room. Luke pressed his eye ball to the door, standing on Mathews back. April leaned over, back to the door, and picked up the Silt suit. Mathew was looking through the door, under the crack at the bottom of the door, and had stopped complaining about Luke standing on his back.

The N.E.T only lived in two places. The sky and above the sky. But they did sometimes have to go down to the earth. Angle Point was one of these places. A massive 'tendril' of the Net touched down at Angle point, a single thread of hyperdiamond connecting the Net to the rest of the earth. Angle point actually went straight through to the other side of the world, spiking out of a volcano. In the center of the planet was the N.E.T's power. Geothermal had long been exhaustedly, the center of the Earth left dead and dull. Now it was a single massive clump of reactors. Anti-matter, fusion, and other, more exotic, sources of energy.


From the ground Angle Point looked like a massive, upside down, needle. It was silver, and visible from miles away. It took three days to get to it from Roosevelt City, and that was with the wonder full Stilt Suits. April was in love. Wearing the suit made the Silt feel like air, so marching on it for hours and hours felt like wafting over clouds. It was glorious. She almost didn't like stopping, but then sleeping was as easy as burrowing into the Silt and pulling the hood up and over your face. It even stopped Soulless, as the Soulless powder ground into the material of the suit made the little bastards think you were a clump of Soulless.

The fact that the suit showed her curves nicely was another bonus. So April never took the thing off. Jess also seemed to like the suit, but Winchester and Arnold actually hated the things. Winchester simply grumbled about how the suit was not 'manly' enough. Arnold just said it itched. April also noticed that Jess looked at her often enough, while they marched. April did not mind in the slightest. Now they were looking at the Angle point, taken up by the massiveness of the thing.

And now they were going to rob it.

I command you all to play Expand and Exterminate! Its a great mod, thats why!

I also command you to play Expand and Exterminate ON Wastes! Thats right, a map that is made after this very stoy! And I didn't have to lift a finger, or wheedle or complain or anything. And even better its a great map! Perfect metal distribution. Maybe at a later date it will have some fetures. But its still great!





├óÔé¼┼ôWhere am I?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo your awake├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice said. Phil couldn't see anything. It was a very disturbing experience, for a computer. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I can't see, damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice said ├óÔé¼┼ô44, we need some visual stimuli. He's on a loop├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then, in the blackness, there was a single point of light. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right, Phil├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôFocus on the light. We are repairing your frame and It might take a while├óÔé¼┬Ø. Phil stared at the light. ├óÔé¼┼ôPump him more visual stimuli, keep him occupied├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't need an insane computer.

It seemed to take forever, to Phil. He watched seventeen movies, each one from a different era of humankind, some so old as to be in-comprehensive, in dialects of English that were so old that he couldn't even understand them. But then it ended, and his visual hook ups activated, giving him a normal vision. He could see a balding man working on his broken frame, fixing it. A woman, completely bald, was using her fingers to mold a glowing green orb into a new shape. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere am I?├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil asked.

The balding man looked at his camera ├óÔé¼┼ôA workshop├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôNow do you want a heavy combat pistol frame, or do you want to be transferred to a rifle?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPistol, please├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said, looking around, glad to see again ├óÔé¼┼ôRifles are so snooty├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôdo you want explosive or smart rounds?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSmart├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said ├óÔé¼┼ôexplosive are a little to nondiscriminatory for me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about the capacity for both?├óÔé¼┬Ø the man asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThis frame can handle more├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan I be automatic?├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil asked ├óÔé¼┼ôSometimes you need a lot of bullets, fast├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo its Explosive and Smart?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSounds good├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôRemember, no heroics, and no screw ups├óÔé¼┬Ø. The others nodded. April looked up over the largish drift of Silt that hid them from view. Angles Point was in the middle of a large stretch of open terrain between two cites from the World that Was. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo these suits will work against infrared?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôMagic and technology don't mix├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôA device for detecting technology wont work on magic├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess shrugged. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow activate your cammo├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd lets head out├óÔé¼┬Ø.

They slowly walked to the camp at the base of Angle Point. It was fenced, with some infrared cameras and automatic guns. April was very relieved with they got to the fence and the guns hadn't even noticed. April looked at the others and gestured to Winchester. Winchester slid out some wire cutters and slowly placed the wire cutter over the cables of the fence. Then he waited till April, Jess and Arnold were far far away. Then he cut it. The cable snaked away, and an alarm started to screech. Winchester jerked back, the wire cutting his arm as it left. The suit's material held, though, and all he was left with was a nasty welt. ├óÔé¼┼ôSTOP!├óÔé¼┬Ø a N.E.T soldier shouted, running out of the base of the Angles Point.

Literally running out. They walked through the wall, the wall slurping slightly as they went through. Each was armed with N.E.T armor, witch looked like light green cloth. But April had been briefed. When anything dangerous got near it, the material would poof up and harden. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry, officers├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said, raising his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôTurn off your cammo!├óÔé¼┬Ø One of the soldiers shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester reached to tap his suit, turning off the cammo. Then he dropped and April, Arnold and Jess opened fire.

The guns given them by the IRS were magical, just like the rest of their gear. The front of the carved wood sticks, activated by touching a symbol on the side, exploded. Fire balls ripped out of them and shot straight for the N.E.T soldiers. The soldier's suits expanded to stop the fire, but the fireballs just ripped straight through them. The three soldiers fell to the ground, each with a smoldering hole somewhere on their body's.

├óÔé¼┼ôLets go!├óÔé¼┬Ø April shouted. They all started to run. They ran to the wall, and April stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnyone have an ideas? I expected to be a door├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know, fair lady├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôI used to work with these guys├óÔé¼┬Ø. He walked back to the three corpses and rummaged around. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, pulling a dog tag off one of the soldiers. Then he threw it into the wall of Angles Point. The dog tags stuck. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow we can go├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, walking into the wall. April shrugged and followed him. Winchester went after her without hesitation. Jess was always leery of walking into walls.

├óÔé¼┼ôAh hell├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered, and jumped into the wall, grabbing the dog tags on his way in. Then the N.E.T reinforcements arrived, brandishing their guns. Jess looked around inside Angle Point. He was awed. The interior was massive and open, a huge column shooting up and up, spreading out wards and upwards. It was impossibly huge. Jess stood stalk still, staring up, mouth hanging open. Then he noticed no one else was around him. ├óÔé¼┼ôApril?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked, looking around. Then his clothes jerked up and he felt himself getting dragged up and up. Jess shouted, air whipping past his face as he shot up the tube.

Then he landed, coughing. ├óÔé¼┼ôJess?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. Jess was on his hands and knees, coughing, his lungs on fire. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm all right├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said, looking around. The first thing he saw was April. He lingered on her face and body longer then would normally polite, but then looked away. Winchester and Arnold were sitting, looking around at the room. Then the room penetrated into Jess's mind. It...well not a room exactly. It was just a white space that stretched away to infinity. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere are we?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôA holding cell├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe were caught in a grav lift. I hate those fucking things├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThis cell is a generated hologram. If we walk far enough then we hit the interference├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShould we?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe interference is set up to kill you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess jerked his hand back ├óÔé¼┼ôSo when do we get out?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. The whiteness vanished, and they saw the real room they were in. It was a simple, gray, room with a single door. A green light flickered on over the door ├óÔé¼┼ôCongratulations├óÔé¼┬Ø a computer voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have passed our genetic scan, Jeremiah├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôJess?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have no idea├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said. Then April grabbed him ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah and I'm a man├óÔé¼┬Ø she snarled, slamming Jess into the wall. Jess was absolutely terrified. April was furious, teeth showing in a grimace of anger. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you!├óÔé¼┬Ø April shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôWHO!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She banged him against the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said, not sure anymore. ├óÔé¼┼ôApril!├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said, pulling April off. Jess slid to the floor ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess repeated ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôListen├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôApril you have to stop beating people├óÔé¼┬Ø. April sighed, running her fingers through her hair, trying to keep her anger under control. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing is what it seems├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôNot you, not me, not Phil even. Nothing├óÔé¼┬Ø. Arnold sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIf it makes you feel better, I am really not with the N.E.T anymore├óÔé¼┬Ø. April's face broke into a grin. Jess stood slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø he said again. April looked at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll believe you...for now├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Jess nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI think├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't even believe myself for now├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôThere are only twenty three people manning this facility. Twenty now. They can't detect us, but its only going to be so long till they find us, searching the floors. So lets head to the center. The computer core should be there├óÔé¼┬Ø. The others nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep your boom sticks ready├óÔé¼┬Ø April said.

Jess walked in the middle, were everyone could keep an eye on him. He still had his boom stick, but he carefully aimed it at the floor. His vision was swimming, heart pounding in his ears. He was in shock, mostly, shock about what the computer had said. Then he noticed something. The floor was shaking more. Every step they took down the hall way, the massive, round hallway, the floor shook more. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we are getting close├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you feel it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Winchester pulled his sword out, light flashing on the blade. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop!├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice shouted, a soldier from the N.E.T turning around a bend in the corner, reaching for a gun. Winchester leaped forward, kicking off the wall and spinning around. His sword went through the man's neck and his head fell away, blood spurting for a moment. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester shouted, running with his bloodied sword. They all ran down the corridor, rushing to their target.

Jess would later wonder exactly how any of them had survived. He would decided, on that later night, that it was because God had a sense of humor.

sweet!

Yeah I know, its a great map.