How angry can you get?

Nani glared at Mr. Sniper. He was doing exactly what she'd just made clear she didn't want to do, but in their current situation it really was the only option. The young lady leaned down to pick up her bowl of pork and beans, checked behind her one last time, and then opened the car door and seated herself inside. As much as she didn't trust these people, she knew that with how armed the three of them were, any back-stabbing wouldn't be tolerated. They'd all made it very clear that they weren't afraid of these two men and one of them had even tossed his weapon down. At the thought of this, she drew a deep breath and felt herself relax a little, despite the ever-nearing group of mindless infected. "I suppose this is our only option, come on DJ," she said to her companion in an attempt to calm his nerves about the situation.

As she waited for them to get the fuck in the car, she saw this moment as an opportunity to do what she'd been wanting to do. She took the foil off of the bowl and began to chow down on some beans. "Anyone want some? Cold, but good," she said. This was a total reflection of her personality. They were being chased by enough infected to take down an entire town, but all she was concerned with was her appetite. Driven by her stomach, she'd always been that way.
 
The would-be bandit holding the sword slowly lowers it onto the floor as I jump down from the treeline; a “gesture of good faith”, apparently. As the vanguard of the infected horde begins its march down the path towards us I glance at the guy.
“You're probably gonna need that in a second, friend. Not much good on the floor.” The driver has finally stowed the Uzi, if not the attitude, and is calling for us all to get in their beat-up old junker of a truck.

This seems like a stupid move, given that just a minute ago these two were trying to rob us. But we're running out of options, and the other (DJ, I think?) does have a bag full of explosives after all. Dude seems crazy enough to threaten to blow us all to hell if they try anything.

Great.

I'm in a truck full of daylight robbers, lunatics and a girl who's only apocalyptic concern is her next meal. Not exactly ideal.

Sighing, I swing myself over and into the back of the truck, positioning myself so I can watch the rear and also draw my sidearm on the driver if it should come to that. “Alright, guys, let's make ourselves scarce shall we?”

I'm reminded of that old saying we had back in Kandahar.

Be polite. Be professional.

Have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
 
The idea of my good gesture was for them told hold my weapon, not leave it on the floor. Who are these people!? Last good gesture I show, honestly.
*He jumps over the side of the truck, keeping good distance from the guy.*
Best to keep away from the double barrel of death, and the pump action in his hands.
*Picking up his sword he turns back to the truck.*
 
*This is the fourth time that idiot has forgotten his sword, i'm beginning to think I need to get him one of those straps they use with wii controllers*. I look back over my seat to check everybody has made it in, turning around I see the oh so familiar sight of reluctant guests gripping their belongings tightly as they stare out the windows, anything to avoid eye contact...*except you 'Ace' is seems that no matter how much I try to pull the wool over your eyes, you remain ever so cautious*. I shift up into 4th and begin tearing through the darkness, "We won't last long on this much gas, somebody grab the map from the glove compartment."
*We need gas and finding a real road gives us a better chance of making it to 'the city', this long after the outbreak, the only survivors left in the cities were the well armed, well supplied lot and now I had three extra pair of hands to carry all those goods away, once their previous owners have no further need for them.* I chuckle to myself though I doubt it goes unnoticed.
 
*He hops into the back of the truck barely making it in before 'He' floors it. After watching the zombies disappear into the darkness he turns to.....*
As fond of the title 'Super bandit bro's' as I am, I don't like the idea of not having something to call our new guests. Too soon for me to feel comfortable returning the word friend, even if it was just out of spite.
"Jean, my name is Jean, I prefer that to Luigi but whatever makes you feel comfortable."
Well aware that a name alone wont ease this tension, but it at least makes communicating easier.
*Looking through his peripherals occasionally, He holds his stare eagerly awaiting a response.*
Doesn't seem like much talking is going on inside.
 
Nani was so busy stuffing her face that she failed to catch the hint. She swallowed and cleared her throat. "My name is Nani, this is DJ," she said, pointing towards her silent companion. "It's nice to meet you, Jean." By now her bowl was empty, so she went into her pack, withdrew a rag and began to wipe it clean. "So where did you guys come from? It's been months since I've seen someone, now all the sudden I'm running into new people everywhere I turn. Funny how that works," she muttered while wiping the sides of the bowl. She placed it in her bag once all remnants of her food were gone. Reaching her arm out, she rolled down the window and tossed the dirty rag out into the breeze. Taking in a deep breath of fresh air, she sat back and took this moment to relax. It's not that these people had earned her trust, she knew she could send them both straight to hell in a moments notice if they back stabbed her, and she felt that she was in control of her circumstances now. It was a nice feeling, not being in danger.
 
DJ had removed the map and was unfolding it, "Pass it here" I insisted, he relinquished, placing it over the steering wheel I studied the area we were in hoping to find a way off this dirt track and onto the highway but first we needed gas. The dim glow from the headlight made it just bearable reading. My concentration lapsed as the left front wheel dipped into a small pothole, the entire truck bounced, the two on the back floating for an instant before crashing down again *Whoops*. I spotted a fork in the road up ahead and came to a halt. "The map says the city is thata' way about 16 miles but I don't think, we've got the gas to make it that far" I point left as I tell them, the back window open now so the two in the back can hear me, "but there is a gas station just a mile or so up there" I point down the road leading straight ahead, farmland either side, *a real creepy scene*.
"It's off the road a bit looks to be the halfway point between us and some shithole littl' town, unlikely it's fucking empty but we're not the ones with a tendency to attracting hordes, think you can control yourselves?"
 
*Re-adjusting, He pokes his head through the window.*
"Nice to meet you Nani, DJ."
*nodding his head to each of them.*
"What the fuck was that back there? Give the map to someone else, I want to stay on this vehicle thanks."
*Sits back as he was, continuing to survey the surroundings as they made their way up the road.*
A gas station. A little cliche, but a perfect place to look for fuel and/or supplies. Bound to be occupied.
*He looks down at his sword.*
 
Cast your mind back to the early days of this fucktastrophe, if you would. It's not a subject for thought any of us still drawing breath are fond of; a lot of painful memories and swirling emotions, intermixed and punctuated with screaming terror and panic. But sometimes you need to force yourself, for whatever reason.

Gas stations were one of the first places that got swamped by panic buyers and looters during the early stages, alongside camping supply stores and supermarkets. They had a resource people sorely needed to get the fuck out of dodge, after all, and all anyone at that stage was thinking about was putting as much distance as possible between them and the reanimated things that were eating their way through civilisation.

As such, you're as likely to find a diamond-encrusted needle in a haystack as you are to score some gas at a gas station these days.

But the sun is beginning it's descent, a hazy brown growth in the sky filtered through all the shit in the air from government arsenals launched in desperation during the final days of civilisation. Soon it's going to be dark. I don't think people remembered just how fucking pitch-black the nights are back when all this started; we had street-lights and car headlamps and the infrastructure to ensure these luxuries stuck about. Such luxuries made us all lazy, complacent; hell, I shudder to think how many poor bastards got caught off-guard and swarmed because they didn't realise that you really cannot see shit once the sun sets. No moon these days, after all, given that the damn thing isn't powerful enough to punch through the smog that now chokes our atmosphere.

We need a place to hole up in, at least until morning. And whilst a gas station isn't exactly ideal it'll have to do.

I mean, hell, I'm stuck in a car with a punch of strangers, two or more of which may well be out to kill me and take my stuff. Nothing about this fucking situation is ideal.

The others are busy making introductions. That's one formality I'll pass on. These days it's best to keep the survivors you meet at a certain... emotional distance, I've found. It's a wise move, given that half an hour from now any one of us could be having our guts torn out and eaten by a mob of subhuman monsters. Still, good to put some names to faces at least. If they all get killed and I have time to bury them, at least I know what the fuck to put on their graves now.

I watch the road go by for a moment and inhale heavily. The air is damp, musty; never a good sign.
“Gonna want to step on it, friend,” I observe to the driver, “daylight's wasting, and I think I smell rain in the air. Should keep us hidden from that horde, but it's gonna be a bitch to drive in.”
 
"Fret not 'Ace' I have driven through worse conditions than we got comin' tonight". Right at the start of this thing, after the higher ups decided proper course of action was to blow the world to kingdom come, the climate got fucked up, Jean and I were in Florida when the biggest storm I'd ever seen hit the coast, as if the living dead didn't make things manic enough. This particular tropical storm lasted four days and it just so happened we were on the run from some very unhappy survivalists whose storm bunker, we had 'relieved' of supplies. *Driving in a storm like that, where your car has about as much likelihood of steering straight as flying into an adjacent vehicle. But hey when you drive like your on the 'Highway to Hell' normally why should it matter when it becomes a situational requirement, still can't say i'd do it again*. He was right about the light though, gas wasn't are only issue the battery was bound to be low as well *and no headlights make night time driving considerably less fun*.
I take one last glance down at the map and speed up....we get to the T junction as the last flickers of molten orange slip beyond the horizon, "There it is" not a pretty place but at least it looks quiet. I pull up just alongside the gas station turning off the headlight as we get close.....the car drifts to a stop as I turn the keys. *Shit, stiffs.......*
 
The vehicle came to a stop and Nani jumped out, scanning the area. It didn't occur to her right away that this wasn't a great idea, it took her realizing that this place seemed to be home to someone else. The young woman's heart threatened to rip out of her chest as she got back into the car as silently as possible. "Err, guys, we're not alone here," she said, panic thick in her voice. She lifted an arm to point at the establishment, which had a campfire a little ways away. Nani was brave when it came to most things, but coming in contact with other human beings before being able to ensure they're not a threat? That was one thing that scared the shit out of her, as it would anybody in the world they lived in. She'd mostly stuck to the outside since the infection spread, staying out of towns at all costs.

"Now, I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume you'd like to kill whoever is here and take their things," she began, "However... I'm not particularly fond of that idea unless they try to kill us. That also brings to mind the fact that we'd have to interact with them for them to try to kill us... and I'm not going to make that call. What do you want to do?" This question was directed at everybody. Her fear blocked her judgment in this case, which was why she looked to them to make a decision. Survival was the top priority in her life, she couldn't ignore that. Whatever was inside the establishment, they probably needed, but she didn't want to cross any of her companions by stating so without knowing first that they shared the thought.
 
Having already spotted the campfire, I didn't need to listen to the conversation going on inside.
*He raised his hand to his brow, resting his ring and pinky finger on the bridge of his nose. Releasing a long sigh.*
Here I am wishing that we had turned up and it had been zombies, the kind of politics to explain whatever happened then would have been a piece of cake. I feel like an expensive lawyer, trying to keep a serial killer from confessing, Hes about to make a fucking press conference.
*He hears the girl shut her door, quietly and sinks into his shoulders as another door creeps open.*
"Jesus Christ."
 
“What do we have here, then...”

Hauling myself out of the truck and placing my rifle down on the truck, I peer through the scope to try and get a decent look of what we're dealing with here. The light's starting to dim pretty rapidly, but that fire makes it a bit easier to count heads.

Group of four by the fire, older men with that haunted look etched onto their faces and clothes that hang from emaciated bodies, the sorts of body-shapes you expect to see in a pre-war advert for some aid charity rather than in the middle of what was once one of the most prosperous countries on Earth. They're cooking something over the fire, fuck knows what, and I can make out a rifle sitting next to one of them.

Fifth figure up on top of the gas station roof. Spotter armed with another rifle, this one scoped. It's a wonder she hasn't seen us, but then she's probably keeping an eye for infected rather than beat-up old trucks. Signs of further movement inside the gas station, but too dark to confirm numbers.

“I count five for sure,” I inform the others as I look up from my scope, “four by the fire and one spotter on the roof. Could be more inside, but fuck knows with this gloom. Don't look too hostile, but you never can tell with folks these days.” I flash Jean and the dude who keeps calling me Ace a pointed look during that last sentence.

Trust issues?

Yeah, you could say that. But I'm still breathing, so I guess a dose of paranoia isn't bad for you in this day and age.
 
*Perfect here I was about to set up a plan to take down some mindless drones, when my day just gets infinitely better, humans. People always were my strong suit*, I see Nani's look its the same look most poor sods have when meeting another group of survivors a mix of anxiety and fear, not me, my expression could only be explained as a grin from ear to ear. I walk silently towards the door of the gas station checking around for any unliving antagonists, *coast is clear*. Approaching the door, I reach back into my trousers and pull out a modest little piece, Tokarev TT; *stole it from some Russian mobster way back, some hotshot trying to bribe or extort his way through this hell on earth*. I enter in through the door, there sitting in front of me four scavengers, no need for a second glance or chance to set my moral compass. Bang Bang.....first two down, the third reaches back for a rifle not quick enough..Bang, one more not armed running through the back door, I give chase. He makes it as far as the fence..Bang not a great shot in the dark, he is still squirming on the floor. I walk over to end his suffering, *it's attracting noise*.......1 step to far, I hear a shot and a metallic ring, look to my left to see a dent in the sheet metal of the garage....could have been my head, I dive for cover. *Shit, got so excited, I tuned everything out, his warning went in one ear and out the other*.
"Just to think, one guy took down all of your chums while you sat on the roof, like a tosser" I taunt, its not gonna help my cause but at least it keeps their attention, *Jean, could really use some help here pal*.
 
"Hey, 'Friend' Can you see which wall the ladder is on up to the roof?"
*He takes his shoes off, and socks, leaving them in the back.*
Hurrying as the sound of the spotter firing gets my attention.
"Quickly ? Which wall ?"
A sense of urgency in his voice.
 
Nani blinked from inside the vehicle, slightly confused at the sudden wholesome slaughter of most of the inhabitants inside. Well, that's one way to do it, I guess, She thought, opening her door and stepping out. She went into her pack and retrieved her pistol. These men were fond of heavier arms, but she chose to keep it simple. She'd always made it by just fine that way. Stepping quietly, she followed far behind the others, eyes on the spotter. The darkness of what was now a very late evening kept her hidden from the person atop the roof, which she was thankful for after hearing gunshots. As she rounded the gas station, she found a dumpster up against the wall. Not too high, but that didn't mean it was an easy climb for her. She reached the roof and was pleased to find the spotter aiming the complete opposite direction from her. A slow, silent stroll and BANG! BANG! BANG! The spotter dropped dead, blood flowing onto the ground. "Pity," Nani said with a chuckle.

A quick search of the body revealed a note written in what appeared to be Spanish, but she wasn't sure for the lack of light, as the campfire wasn't close enough to help that much. Well, I'm sure fucked here, wish I'd actually passed that class, she complained to herself, walking back the way she came and jumping down from the roof. As she made her way back towards the area that she'd seen them branch off, she ran right into someone... or something. "Fucking...Oh." It was just Jean. "Can you read spanish? I found this note on the spotter's body, it's got a map drawn on it, as well. No fucking idea what it says, though." She handed it over, hoping he or someone in their little group had some idea how to read it.
 
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So much for my plan of creeping up behind her and not killing her. I didn't take this girl as the sort to kill survivors on a whim, slightly taken back at this turn of events. Was she smiling?
*He looked at her with a face mixed with fear, and disappointment.*
"A little, let me see."
'Puede usted siempre encontrar el camino de vuelta.'
"It means something like, May you find your way back. I'm guessing the cross is where you would find the person who wrote this."
*He handed her back the paper, and walked back towards the truck.*
I cant believe it, maybe I am being naive? Why is she like him. Is killing another living human that easy, I cant even begin to imagine.
*Arriving back at the truck, He put his footwear back on. Reaching into his bag pulling out two small boxes, A cigarette out of one, A match out the other.*
As I watched the smoke disperse into the air I wonder, What just happened?
 
As I lie they waiting for Jean to give me an opening I see Nani creep up around the side of the building...A barrage of shots and a collapsing corpse, hits the ground, head first imploding on impact, *Shit I did not expect that, of all the people to act. Not just act but take a life, I seriously need to reevaluate this girl, not quite the conscientious push over I pegged her for*. She picks something off the body and walks back around the front.
"Well, well, well...guess you didn't want to share the female attention," *I hope this doesn't come off as bitching better clarify "seriously though, thanks, not so bad after all" I turn to Jean
"Looks like we found ourselves a 'Black Widow', oh and before I forget" I give him a playful punch on the arm, "next time don't let me walk off before checking the roof".
"Anyways, looks like a vacancy has just opened up here, suitable place to camp as long as we avoid the bodies" *even i'm repulsed by the idea of sleeping next to freshly killed hobos but hey, not like we have much of a choice now*. I pull a stick of gum out of my pocket and place it between my teeth, I walk back to the car chewing as I go. *Time to see, if 'Ace' and DJ have adjusted to my way of thinking, doubtful.*
"Listen 'Ace', I sure do get the whole, emotionally detached thing, I mean hell, I practically live by it. I get it, I really do, but we gotta stop with the 'friend'. I'll call you 'Ace' and you can call me 'Rocky', that good with you? Now that's cleared up, let's sleep. Jean you take the first shift on watch".
 
"Hey, don't look at me like that. I don't kill until one of my companions, or me, is threatened. Spotter was shooting at you guys, so I took action, you could've been dead if I hadn't, I'm not a monster so don't fucking look at me like that," she said to Jean as she put her pistol away, frowning. She could feel his disapproval staring her right in the face, and for some reason that ate away at her. With a sigh, she shook off the thought and headed over to the campfire the survivors had started, seating herself right next to it. The heat warmed her bones and allowed her to stop shivering. "So do we follow the map?" She asked, this question aimed at Sniper. He'd had all great ideas so far, so his opinion was one she valued a little more than the others.
 
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*He sat in the back of the truck, looking up, smoking.*
I should really try harder to hide what I'm thinking, She read me like a book. Its not that I didn't want to save 'him' and I can see why she acted the way she did, I mean hell the spotter was shooting. Maybe I am the one who is being irrational?
*He sighs and flicks his cigarette butt. Rubbing his arm.*
"Yeah Yeah, I'm all over it."
Who could sleep after that, not me.