A Call To Scavenge With ICYSTORM

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He slowly swan through the depths of his mind. The sound a voice slowly drawing him closer and closer to the woman he so desperately needed to see. His hands reaching out. He was close. He could almost see her face but hands wrapped around her and pulled her from his sight. The gloved and painted hands of the bandits he despised. It could have been anyone but he knew it was them. His hatred boiled over as he awoke screaming, his hands gripped into fists. He pitched over and began to cough up water. His pale grey eyes shut again as his face contorted as he finished coughing. His white skin was even paler due to the cold water with a few wrinkles that were hard to notice from a distance. After the coughing finished, He slowly began to look around and noticed that the sound of ran had stopped. The flow of water had slowed as well. Just a flash flood He thought. His body was drained of energy and he moved sluggishly but he could stand. He felt his limbs move beneath him as he stood, not truly in control of it. He was still dazed and confused but he couldn't stop. He was going to do what needed to be done. It was a time for vengeance. He slowed after few steps and collapsed. He coughed up again and realized he did have to rest for a bit. He finally remembered that he wasn't alone. "You want to earn your way back in? I'll tell you how." He could do the leg work but he didn't truly need the whole story.
 
Seth had wrung all the water out of his shirt and hung it on a broken piece of wall, not that it would dry very well in an tunnel, but it was better than nothing. He could have done the same with his jeans and boxers, given his companion something to look at and take his mind off of whatever problems the guy might have, but he decided against it. If he needed to get out of there quickly, then he would rather have some clothes on.

Sitting down and closing his eyes, it was not but a minute later when Simon screamed, and he shot to his feet. His tense body relaxed as he watched Simon cough up water. Well, at least the guy was awake, although he wasn't doing to well. Seth made no move to help when Simon stood, took a few steps, and collapsed. Instead he cracked his neck and waited to see what his companion would do.

He expected the guy to rest or try again, what he did not expect was the words that came out of his mouth. What kind of dumb question was that? "You look like shit. But yes, I need to get back in. Tell me." Simon had his full attention, something that was not easy to do unless you were a woman or the friend he would die to get back to.

~~~~~~~

"You now have scavenger status." Jasper turned to face Adrian. "The guards are going to question you, so tell them you are an apprentice under a man named Simon. He left earlier and you need to meet up with him. Any other questions they ask, just make something up." He turned away, going back to what he was doing before Adrian showed up.

Taking that as a cue, Adrian left the same way he came in and made his way to the closest gate, the southern gate. As he walked he played through different scenarios in his head, and by the time he reached the gate he felt pretty confident that he could answer whatever the guard threw at him.

He stopped, facing the guard, blue eyes calm and confident. "I need to meet up with my mentor, Simon. He already left but told me I was to meet up with him as soon as I got the chance."
 
"Its important you understand." He said softly as he coughed up the last of the water. Between the pain in his skull and the ache in his chest, he knew was alive but he was far from well. "We need to know what they are doing. Its time for a change in the relations between the cities and the bandits." He eased himself back onto his feet. Looking up as he eased his pack off. "If you can get into their camp, maybe learn enough about them, it wouldn't be so dangerous to try and negotiate." He was in too much pain to smile but he knew that would give him away. Negotiations would take place after they repaid them in full. "We need to know where there defenses are. Its too risky to negotiate with the war like bands but, if it is lightly defended, they may be more peaceful. Maybe even willing to deal. We just need to know what we are dealing with." He said as he pulled the bag around and looked at Seth. He slowly reached in and pulled out a small note pad and pencil. "Just jot it all down. You will find me to a building east of their camp at the end of a T junction. To reach their camp," He pointed back down the way they had come. "Station 3. It will be the first one you reach. You will come out on 8th street, follow it north." His head eased back as his eyes shut. If forced he may have woken back up but for now, his body had no energy to keep itself moving any longer.

The Sergeant had very little to do today. In fact, since the exile, He hadn't had a single person looking to exit out. However, the boy was a shock. "Why didn't you leave with him?" He said as he scanned the kids chip. "Better yet, why would he want a kid with him with what he is going to do." He didn't elaborate on that point either. "Did he at least tell you where to meet him?" He asked, the look on his face said that a wrong answer would have consequences. However, it wasn't impossible that Simon would mentor. Simon might have felt he needed to pass it on, after what his own mentor had done for him, it was what was right.
 
Seth forced himself not to roll his eyes when Simon began to speak. He would decide what was important, not let anyone else do it for him. With that annoyance past him, he managed to listen to the rest of what Simon had to say. So he was to find some bandits that live around here, hang around with them for a bit, and then come back and tell what he heard and saw. That sounded easy enough, and it seemed for a good enough cause. It was always better when people worked together, especially if those people really were friendly, unlike the bandits they had ran into earlier. He was good at making himself seem like part of the crowd, like he belonged and didn't have ulterior motives.

Walking over, he leaned down and took the pen and pad from the now sleeping man. He would write down what he could, not that it would be legible, but he would remember everything so he would trust his memory more than words written on paper. Not wanting to waste another second, he started back the way they had come, glad that he wouldn't have to worry about another wave of water.

It took awhile, but he eventually reached Station 3 and exited out onto 8th street and had to pause. The next instruction was to head north, but he should have asked which way that was. Taking another glance at the sign, he noticed an N at the end of one of the streets names, so he followed the direction of the sign and could only hope that he was heading in the right direction. It seemed he was, because it was not too long until he came upon two people. This had to be the place he was looking for.

~~~~~~~~~

Adrian kept on a poker face, never taking his eyes off of the guard. He was glad he did not have to answer the first two questions, because his answers could have given him away depending on how much the guard new, which seemed to be quite a bit. The third question he did not hesitate to answer. "Of course. I am suppose to meet him at one of his safe places. I hope you understand, although I am sure you already know, I am not to speak of the exact location. It is the nearest city." He became somewhat thoughtful, if not a bit confused. "If my memory serves me right then it is west."
 
"South." The Sergeant said with a nod. It was strange timing but one of his Privates slapped in a new mag and cycled the action, loading a round and shouldering his rifle. The Sergeant decided to take advantage of the very threatening noise. He leaned in close and brought the kids attention back to him. "I would highly recommend, that on your return, you make sure that Simon is with you. Otherwise, someone may think that you lied to city officials." He pushed a large button and watched the door open and allowed the kid to exit. "Take care." Was all he said as the door began to shut.

The guards watched Seth's approach. A few came out of the woodwork behind him as well. The larger of the two didn't even speak as he grabbed his arm. It was unbreakable as he pulled out a city scanner and ran it up and down his wrist but it didn't beep once. He released him as the rest lowered their weapons. His voice actually sounded apologetic. "We gotta be careful around here. Too many city folk break in here and try to mess up our little slice of paradise." The second guard chimed in now. "You are welcome to come in but behave. We don't mind a little rowdiness but be respectful." The slowly looked him over again. "Since you were likely recently tossed out, a few of the shops will set you up with a few things to drink and eat. And if you are feeling lonely, try the saloon up the street." With that they stepped out of the way and waved him up the street as the guards slunk back into the shadows.

Simon slept on for hours. By the time he awoke, it was dark in the tunnel and on the surface. He kept his light off as he worked his way back through the tunnel. He closed in on the storage area. Turning on his light as he dug out a very large rife from his pack. It was a very long gun, measuring close to five feet and weighing in at twenty some pounds with the scope and full mag. A treacherous weapon. It would only serve one purpose. He grabbed a pack of ammo and headed back through the tunnel. Pausing to cough along the way. Water still hounded his chest, but he would not stop.
 
Adrian said nothing as the guard spoke and then opened the door. Now he knew which way to go, and now he had two people to find. His brother and this Simon character, or at least he had to find the latter if he wanted to get back into the city. He did want that, so now this was going to be more difficult than he thought. Threatening a kid, that seemed low. As the door opened, he gave the guard a look that had been given to another official earlier today. His eyes were the same dark blue and held the same cold look that his brother had given the commandment right before Seth had been ordered to be thrown out. The look held for a few seconds before he turned and walked past the gate.

His feet were starting to hurt after a few hours of walking south. Adrian had stopped a few times to rest and take a small drink of water. He had been hoping to see the city by now, but there was nothing yet so he continued with his journey, figuring out a plan for sleeping if he didn't make it by the time the sun set. Luckily after another hour he saw the sights of the city and not long after found himself stepping between the buildings. By the tame he made it into the city it was dark, but at least he would have a place to sleep, even if it was on a hard floor. He only had to find somewhere that was safe, so he stepped farther into the city, looking around for a promising building.

~~~~~~

Seth stayed still as the man grabbed him and scanned his arm. He kept his body relaxed, but he was prepared if anything happened. Nothing did except for his arm being released and given an apology. These people seemed far different than the previous bandits he had run into with Simon. These ones he could understand where they were coming from. It was all a matter of respect, and so long as he was given some respect, then he would give them the respect they wanted.

"Thanks." Seth flashed them a friendly grin before heading in the direction they were waving him towards. Deciding to eat later, he marked the saloon as his first stop. Once he had satisfied those urges then he would eat something and take a walk around and try to learn what he could for Simon. He would do more looking around tomorrow before going to find Simon, so long as he felt he had enough information for him to get back into the walled city.
 
The walking was truly the roughest part. He had suffered a great deal in his past travels but this was his first near drowning. He had made it out off the subway. His surroundings were a narrow street bordered by several tall buildings with little left on the inside except rubble. He doubled over in pain as he began hacking up water without stopping for several minutes. His chest finally felt clear when it was over. Simon stood slowly through it all he was still alive. The surroundings provided ample cover as he leaped into a near by building and proceeded to circle around the outer edges of the city. It was a quiet moonlit night and the shifting shadows made his small size and darting movements all that much harder to see. He carried on darting and moving. Massive rifle cradled in his arms til something made him stop in his tracks.

A child shouldn't be here He thought. His eyes glowed just a bit as the watched the child move through the ruins. Even the bandits keep their children in this late at night. Was his second thought as he placed the massive beast on the ground and unsling his main rifle. He slipped the scope back on the rifle. He slowly raised the rifle and sighted in on the boy, His finger off the trigger. A second sound made him stop as an engine grew louder and pulled upon the kid and second one came in from the other direction. The poor kid was boxed in as they blocked off the streets and 8 men got out and two stayed behind to man the machine guns. Simon chambered a round and moved his finger from the guard to the trigger. He slowly exhaled as he sighted the closest to the child. He was a ghost with the finger of god in his hands.

The man was proud and walked tall as he closed on the child. His mind not even aware as the crosshairs formed up on the side of his head. "Looks like a spy is wandering around our fair city." He said as he sighted down his rifle. "Think we should leave him to the buzards?" he asked as another one chimed in. "Could sell him. Quite a few sick fucks would pay for the privilege." The third was quieter and much more in control as he pulled out his knife. "Could simply ransom him back for food and medicine from the city." A few nodded with his sentiment but none of them eased up. They weren't ready to believe that this child was anything but a threat. That was their mistake and they would not even get a chance to see what was coming for them. A reapers blade hugged their throats.
 
Adrian could feel exhaustion taking hold of right to the bone, his head slowly turning but having a hard time taking in everything around him. After walking all day, his mind was joining his body in wanting to shut down. From what he could register there were plenty of buildings in all states of decay, but what he was after was somewhere he would not have to sleep on the main floor but would also not have any above floor collapse on him. Wouldn't that be bad luck: crushed inside a collapsed building. He would rather like to avoid that happening, so he was being careful in which building he chose, especially since his thought process wasn't up to par.

His eyes wandered over to a promising looking building, but it was just then he heard a sound growing nearer, the sound of an engine. He looked around the immediate area, and before he had to chance to run for it he was surrounded. Adrenaline pumped through him, waking him up as a group of men surrounded him. His heart rate and blood pressure increased, his pupils dilated, and the air passages to his lungs expanded. The fight-or-flight response had kicked in, although he didn't think he would get the chance to do either of those things.

The sentence spoken from the man who was watching him through a rifle caused Adrian's blood to turn cold. Death was not something he was ready for, but at least would be quick and preferable to the next idea someone spoke. He would rather not become some strangers fuck toy. There were other reasons people would buy him, but that was the one that stuck in his mind the most. The third spoken idea was better than the first two, and thankfully some of the group agreed with it. He wasn't fine being returned to the city, but it was probably the best he could get. It wasn't but a moment later that he learned none of the three would be happening.

One second he was staring at the man with the rifle, and the next he was splattered in blood as the person he had been looking at dropped to the ground. His eyes widened, but not planning on waiting around any longer, he took off and darted into the nearest building. If people followed him, then so be it, but there was no way he was staying where he could got shot by some unseen adversary. With his eyes already used to the dark, he noticed that part of the building had fallen in. Since no one had followed him yet, he ran over and hid amidst the rubble, his smaller body allowing him to squeeze into a small space hidden from view.
 
The first shot was spot on. His mouth twitching as if it was ready to smile. The machine gunners were to busy staring at the fallen man to move. Two more shots and the big guns were empty and worthless. The last seven panicked as they realized what was happening but they couldn't identify where he was. The ruins were swallowing the sound of gunfire and even in the dark, his muzzle flash would be hard to see. A few more rounds and soon there was only 4. They cowered in cover, popping up to pepper the are with rounds, unable to find him. And with another round, there was only three. One stood his hands raised and his rifle on the ground. His eyes close to tears. Simon line up the shot. No bandit had given mercy in the past, no bandit should be showed mercy now. He thought. His eye alight behind the scope as he sighted in. Hesitating just a moment too long. His shot was foiled as the third speaker dove and knocked his compatriot to the ground. Diving for the far truck and taking cover beyond his reach. The last one ran for it. He didn't make it far. However, as the truck started, Simon knew the rest of his quarry would flee back to the city. They would come hunting for him.

He allowed himself a moment of guilt but, it quickly passed as he grabbed the 50. and proceeded to walk towards the boy atleast, the last place he had seen him. He moved slow, rifles slung, pistol at the ready. "Hey boy, unless you want to be the one they exact their revenge upon, you should come with me." He said it just loud enough to be heard inside." He didn't plan on staying long though.
 
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The hiding spot was not very comfortable, and Adrian ended up having to adjust how he was, popping out for a second to remove the backpack from his shoulders and instead hold it against his chest. Crouching back down, he was now not only more comfortable but could access a weapon. Listening intently, it was hard to hear anything except for the pounding of his own heart, but as he zipped open the bag, the noise seemed to echo throughout the whole building. He decided it was best to move quickly so he could go back to hiding in silence, so he grabbed a knife out of his bag and shut it again, wincing at the sound. It felt nice to have a weapon in his hand, though, even if it would not do much against a gun.

He was not sure how long he had been hiding when a voice spoke to him. It didn't sound like whoever it was was in the building, but he could not be sure. The voice did not sound like from one of the men who had spoken earlier, but there had been many who had not spoken. There was also the person who had shot the man in front of him, and while the person had saved him, that did not mean the person had good intentions. Although if he stayed where he was, someone was bound to find him eventually. Best to face whatever awaited him head on.

Standing up, he slung the bag over his shoulders, stepped away from the hiding spot, and approached the door-less entrance. Adrian stayed far back from the entrance so he was partially hidden in the shadows as he faced the outside, knife hidden in his hand that hung next to his leg. "Why should I trust you?" Enough light shone on his face to reveal the same dark blue eyes of his brother, fear evident in his gaze.
 
"Because as far as I can tell, I am the first person who hasn't offered to sell you into slavery or kill you." It was a poor answer but he didn't feel like fighting with this kid. It was time to get moving. The sound of a few more engines mad him nervous. They weren't close but they would have heard the shots and would none the less be interested. He was still quiet as he moved in. He could tell the boy was too deep in the building for him to reach. He paused and looked at the array of bodies near him. He usually didn't steal from the dead but this time he spotted something worth taking. He grabbed a pistol belt with a small handgun nestled inside of it and dropped it by the entrance. "If you wish to get out of here alive, I would take that with you. If you wish to make it home alive, I'd hurry up and follow me after you grab it. If you wish to meet the after life, I'd stay here." He spoke soft but knew he would be heard. He holstered his pistol as he shouldered his rifle and moved quietly down the street, disappearing as the sun fell and night began to overtake the city.
 
Adrian narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at the response. That was true, if the guy wanted he could have easily come into the building and tried to take him by force, threatening him all the while. That did not mean he could be trusted, though. The guy could easily be trying to trick him to make things easier. And then the guy moved closer, and Adrian nearly darted back into his hiding spot, out of reach. The only thing that stopped him was the man stopping before getting too close, then turn away and grab something off one of the dead bodies. Curiosity now heightened, he stood tense and ready to flee, but watched closely to see what was going on.

His head tilted slightly when the stranger set the pistol down at the entrance, and he completely had rethink this through. He had not been planning on going with anyone, not until he found found Simon at least, but now he had to change that plan. Stepping towards the entrance, Adrian picked up the pistol and followed, always staying a few feet behind, far enough so he could fire off a shot if the man made any sudden movements towards him.
 
Navigating in the dark is not the easiest thing to do in the world. Without pinpricks of light to guide your path, most humans simply wait for the darkness to pass. However, hunters never stop. Simon moved quickly and silently across the rubble strewn streets of this city, his eyes searching the darkness for signs of movements. Their were bandits that were just as skilled as he at stalking the night. He could hear the heavy breathing of the kid behind him and knew that he would need rest before they made it to his destination. "Follow me to the right." He whispered. He could no longer hear the engines but that didn't mean that they were safe. He hugged the wall and moved slowly forward until he found a relatively intact building. It was a short brick store with large windows and a glass window that ran along the front. A small crackle of glass was heard as he walked in through the shattered door. His Eyes scanning left and right. A handful of bare shelves were the only things left standing. He kept his pace slow as he moved to the back. His eyes spotting a door to a back room. He opened it slowly and moved in with caution, his rifle raised. It was nothing but an empty room with no windows and a small desk and chair. He waved for the lad to get in there. He shut the door slowly and struck a flare to toss in the corner. "The names Simon" He said quietly as he sat at the desk. The low hiss of the flare burning in the corner was the only other sound.
 
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Adrian quickly grew wore out, after having done all that walking to get to this city and then the run in with the group of people, it was all becoming too much for him. Thankfully the man he was following realized this, and he did as the man requested, following the sounds of the man's voice and footsteps. He felt along the wall, and relief coursed through him as they soon entered a building. Not long after, he flopped down onto the floor of the room as the guy he was with sat at the desk, although the flare was bright on his eyes and took him a few minutes to get used to. In the meantime, he ran through what was just spoken, thanking the heavens for the luck he was having since he had no doubt this was the Simon he was looking for.

The few minutes of quiet were nice, but he kept the gun close since there was no way to know if this Simon was a good character, or if he had ulterior motives for helping him. "Adrian. I'm looking for my brother." And I was looking for you. He decided to keep that information to himself for now, wanting to learn what kind of man he was dealing with before revealing too much. "You seem like you get around, so maybe you have seen him. His name is Seth." Adrian removed the bag from his shoulders so he could sit more comfortably, hugging his bag to his chest, the gun resting next to him.
 
His eyes narrowed slightly. It was a very weird coincidence but considering so few people from the cities were out in the wastes it wasn't that odd that he would run into someone who was looking for someone else that he had met out here. But some things were simply were however, he was still concerned. You never knew what they might be after and how that would effect you. "I have met him. He is supposed to meet up with me further ahead." He said it slowly and softly, allowing Adrian time to absorb it all.
 
"You don't have to talk to me like that. I can understand you just fine and don't need special attention to take in what you are saying." Adrian gave a small frown as he watched Simon over his bag. He hated when people treated him differently, as if he could not register or understand what was being said, but at least there was hope about finding his brother, which was not something he ever would have guessed. "Will you let me come with you to meet him?" He still wasn't so sure about this guy or the fact that luck seemed to so easily be on his side. Where was the kicker that send him on his ass while life laughed at him? There was always a kicker, especially when things were going so well.
 
Simon tilted his head. It was always hard dealing with people that he didn't know. It appeared he had offended the kid but that hadn't been the intended outcome. "Well, if you wouldn't have gotten so winded, we would have been there by now." It was a harsh statement but, it wasn't the harshest thing that he was going to learn. "You need to gain stamina if you have any intentions of surviving out here. You might also want to learn how to shoot. The slow and the unarmed never last long out here." He said as the flare hissed. It would provide light a little while longer and once his eyes had adjusted back to the dark, they would forge on.

Every city had one are that was called the Warden District. Completely sealed and loaded with military equipment, it was the heart and soul of their operations. People heard sounds from it all the time so the sudden sounds of engines roaring to life was far from unusual. However, this time, they left with a purpose and a task that would leave much sorrow for those they would fall upon.
 
The frown on Adrian's face twisted down even more as he listened to Simon speak, his blue eyes hardening. "I've been on my feet all day. I think my stamina is fine." Just because he needed a break, and one after such a terrifying experience, didn't mean shit. After having that much adrenaline shooting through the body, anyone would have needed to sit down not long after. "And I don't intend to be out here for long. I just want to meet my brother and ask him some questions." Later he would reveal that he needed Simon to help him get back in, and if the guy refused then he would think of something. There was always a way. "My brother has not been out of the city long. Are you sure you can trust him to meet up with you?" All he knew about Seth was that the guy was good at running away and not returning and a few other random things that he heard Drustan say that were not important at this time.
 
"He should." Is all he cared to elaborate on that subject as he stepped out the door into the night. The winds were slowly beginning to rise up to a howl as they swept through the city. It was otherwise quiet in the rubble strewn streets of the city with his target standing defiantly in the distance. He watched the tower and was pleased to see that it wasn't guarded as he closed in. He quickened his pace as he walked through the shattered front entrance. His eyes were checking the corners as he opened the stairwell and began to climb. He didn't pay close attention to his tag along now. His thoughts drifted as he wondered is Seth actually would attend. However, he didn't know if he could trust him to. It would be too bad if he stayed in the camp. He stopped his climb around the fiftieth floor and set his rifles down and slowly moved a bit of debris and set up a camo net over the guns. The time was drawing near.
 
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Slinging his back over his shoulders and gun in hand, Adrian got to his feet and followed Simon out of the building, failing to not feel annoyed at the way this guy acted, as he knew best and expected people to realize that, just because he knew the streets. A little courtesy would be nice, such as letting him know it was time to leave. Or at least have a little patience and give him a chance to get up so he didn't have to run to catch up.

He looked up when they reached the tall building, and taking a deep breath, he did his best to keep up with Simon as the guy entered and began to climb the stairs. He did good at first, but began to slow down a little under halfway to the goal. And of course Simon wasn't paying attention and kept up a steady pace. Deciding not to even bother, Adrian slowed to a pace he could handle but was still puffing for breath once he reached the floor the older male was on, knowing when to stop only because he could hear the other guy moving around. Holding back a glare, he sat down on ground and closed his eyes, keeping his ears open in case Simon tried to come near him.

~~~

The sun was starting to rise so Seth decided to head east so he could find Simon. The saloon ended up being a no go since as soon as he got there he felt a pain in his chest, missing his friend from the city. Losing Drustan made him realize how much he cared for the guy, so he had turned around and instead decided on food.

The people in the bandit camp were friendly and more than willing to help him out, something he had rarely experienced in the city. They let him eat his fill (which wasn't much since he never ate much) and let him take some water with him. The bottle of water he stuffed into one of his lower jean pockets and spent the rest of his time wandering around and talking with individuals. He was already starting to miss the camp, but as nice as the place was, he still had to get back into the city.

The sky was getting bright when he found the T-junction he guessed Simon was talking about, the only problem being he had no idea which building to meet the guy in. Shrugging and deciding waiting would be his best option, he sat down against one of the buildings across from the tallest one in the area.
 
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