Simply Survive

Well, now that she knew it was an official offer, Summer would definitely give it some serious thought, especially since Fixer had been straight up and polite about it. She could respect that in other people and the way the three members communicated with each other....yes, she could get used to that. Hmm...

Pale blue eyes glanced at sunglasses before looking away and Summer chuckled just a little, scanning their surroundings even though she knew there wasn't any danger nearby - not yet - because habits learned for survival were useful even if they weren't needed for a fraction of time. "If I concentrate hard enough, sure, but only in the span of a six-foot room....or at least that's what I'd estimate. And yeah, heartbeats are different. Creeper's are slower, Leapers are faster, Trackers are the same as Leapers, but they have this...skip in their rate that's distinguishable and Behemoths....might as well be dancing to a drum beat. I don't tend to go by heartbeats, though. Not very reliable when you're in a swarm, but breathing, growls, words and movements, I can pick those up easily."

Was she talking too much? Hmm....no, she was answering questions, factual ones. No personal information as of yet. She was fine.

"My nose works better than my ears, though, and can tell me a lot more. So, this Legion....what do you all stand for?"
 
"Hmm, well as a merc outfit we generally do shit that other people dont want to do. Thats how we make our money, you see. But a lot of us still have morals and seeing suffering people is frowned upon in the groups that operate out here. Many of us just like to thin the numbers of any hostile threat to attempt to make the world a better place, I suppose."

He thought on the topic for a minute before continuing.

"Also, we try to push as many people as we can towards the Legion so they can get proper training in defense and have a home. We have several branches that operate all across the States, though contact with them is very limited. Being a courier in these days can be very dangerous, as one could imagine."

He was satisfied with his answer and nodded more to himself than anyone. He heard a rumble in the distance and looked to the west.

"There is a storm coming. Can you tell what the rain smells like from here? I have learned through countless, and often painful, experiences that acid rain smells like a match doused in water and if it doesnt smell like normal rain, its probably radioactive."

(I actually checked to see if they have any specific smells and neither Acid nor Radioactive have any distinguishing scents, though pollutants affect the way Acid rain smells)
 
Summer find herself actually a bit intrigued by Fixer's Legion and capturing her interest when it came to groups was hard. He was on the right track, but she wasn't about to tell him that as of yet. Still, to have a purpose this world, no matter how futile that purpose might be....might be nice. And more training, she could use that, but a home? She was highly doubtful that any place at this point could be considered 'home', at least not to Summer.

She didn't respond to his information, determined to truly think on it before she made a committing decision, but she didn't really have to say anything as the world as they knew it was full of distractions and one presented itself now. Pale blue eyes looked west and Summer stopped walking, tilting her head up and opening her mouth, looking for all the world like a cat with a particularly potent scent in its nose.

The auburn-haired female's eyes dilated with concentration and she frowned, shaking her head, finally speaking. "Rain is harder to pick up scent-wise, but you're right; acid rain does have a burnt-like smell, but the best way to identify it is to listen for sizzling. I don't smell or hear that, though, so my best guess, judging by the thick tang of....eh, I guess you could say it smells...or tastes of metal and....chemicals, it's radioactive."

Summer looked back at Fixer than, a brow raising. "How far is that rendezvous point?"
 
Fixer looked back to Delta, to which was responded with a shake of the head.

"Too far to get there by rainfall. It might be best to seek shelter now lest we find ourselves trapped out in the rain growing another arm...though that might be interesting..."

Fixer looked around for a small but easily defensible location and made his way towards it, turning on his mounted mag light. He took a position by the door and slowly proceeded inside, clearing the small three roomed structure before allowing anyone inside. He and the two other mercs barricaded the building as best as they could.

"Luckily, that radiation never lasts long so long as we avoid the pools and that it burns the scent of anything that following."

Fixer took his leave from the group and began to scour the building for anything worth of salvage as there was nothing better to do while he waited for the rad storm to pass.
 
Ah, yes, the scents all being wiped away. Summer liked rad storms and even acid storms to a degree for that reason alone....just as she hated them for that reason, too. It all depended on her goals at that point. If she was tracking then storms were a curse, but at a time like this...well, having one scent overwhelming everything else, it was relieving for a little while...even if the scent in question was odd to say the least.

Opting to not stay and chit-chat, Summer left the group as well, but didn't purposely follow Fixer, heading into the opposite room from him. Her pale blue eyes swept over the scattered items, looking for anything useful and she came to the conclusion that this place had been a salon in the past. Summer crouched, seeing a glint of something red and she swept the dust away, picking it up carefully. An amused smile twitched at her lips.

Fingernail polish. Cherryblossom red.

Faint memories stirred at her mind and the auburn-haired woman dropped the container, standing swiftly and leaving it behind. Like she wanted to leave the memories. A quick scour of the room revealed nothing of worth or usefulness and Summer headed back out into the main room. She went to what used to be a window, now boarded and barricaded either by groups that had passed through or even when this had all begun and leaned against the wall, arms crossed as she looked out through gaps in the wood at the pouring rain. It gave off a shimmering hue of red and oil-like rainbow colors when it hit the ground and Summer instantly saw blood instead.

That's what they'd been reduced to; huddled bodies in a small room, escaping the violent world that no longer wanted them, that would rather soak up their life than support it.


((We can time-skip if you'd like. :) ))
 
(Sure, I dun see why not unless we want to RP the entire length of the storm [Six hours later...] Lol)

Fixer waited a short time after the rain had stopped for the ambient radiation to go down. It was either getting late already or the clouds are obscuring the sun and judging by the time on his chrono...both.

"We need to double time it to the RV point if we want to make it by nightfall."

Fixer took point again and motioned for Scout to be spotter again.

"I never got to say that your hearing would come in handy for a medic too, if that is something you could see yourself doing. We dont have enough of them, never will I think."

He looked back to Delta and made a hand signal and got one in return.

"We will be there in little under half an hour if we move fast."
 
"You really are determined that I say yes, aren't you?" Summer shot back, not really expecting a response as she followed Fixer. She had to give the man credit; he was persistent, but also logical about it, respectful and it was probably the only reason she hadn't told him to shut up yet. Hmm...might be why she wasn't adverse to being spotter with him again, too. Normally she didn't like being around people so much, especially not the same face for most of the day.

Interesting.

As she scented and listened for danger, Summer addressed Fixer's point. "I could see myself doing it, with training. I can detect infections, poisons, the virus in a person's system with smell and knowing how fast a heart-rate is or how slow, breathing patterns, it all comes in handy. However, I don't have a great deal of talent in healing arts. Always willing to learn, though." she admitted, pausing, head tilting for a moment before she moved on again.

They were setting a fast pace, but Summer was in good shape - most people were even if they weren't fighters per say - and she kept up with Fixer just fine. It helped that their strides were pretty evenly matched, too.

As the time grew later and the RV point grew closer - or so she assumed - Summer started to hear more, scents once again coming into her nose past the radiation's smell. Yeah, they were getting close. She could now detect more people and the auburn-haired woman addressed her companion once more. "Say I did have interest in joining your Legion...what would I have to do?"
 
Fixer smirked to himself.

"All you would have to do is ask. They would perform a physical battery of what you can do and a test of your mental strength, meaning see how smart you are. Unless you had a preferred placement, they would then use the tests to determine where you would be best suited."

He lowered his voice and continued.

"And seeing as you are rather good at hearing and smelling, that implies something has changed you. You dont have to worry about that with the Legion. So long as you arent shooting allies or eating their faces, no one really cares. We have a couple people with similar advantages in our outfit."

He continued on walking and smiled to himself at the outpost looming in the distance. The outpost was housed in a small motel with makeshift walls of car shells, making a solid steel wall in some places. There are three guard towers and they are manned 24/7. There are barbed wire barricades all over the place and reinforced lips to discourage scaling foes.

"Welcome to Mo-Town."
 
"Well, that's good news. I am well aware that people...altered are not all that common, but the last military group wanted to use me as a guinea pig. I wasn't really into that." Summer confided with a bite of anger in her voice, but she said nothing more about it as the motel came into view. All it took was one deep sniff for Summer to sneeze in an explosive sound and she wiped at her nose with a disgruntled sound, eyes watering at the myriad of smells that assaulted her, all very different from the last. It was different than the undead. They all pretty much smelled the same - not pleasant, but uniform - but humans did not. They all had unique scents, musk and having to deal with so many at once was initially overwhelming.

The female brought black cloth up over her mouth and nose to help filter some of it out for now and while the sounds were numerous as well, they were better received.

"Well, you've successfully convinced me to at least give this place a try. It's impressive."

She looked back over at the man she'd spent most the day with and smiled a little, the expression unseen behind her makeshift mask, but her pale blue eyes just a bit less jagged than normal. "Who knows, we might actually see each other occasionally."

After all, she really had no idea where she'd be placed. Summer had little doubt that she'd get in, though.
 
"Well, I could just as easily request your assignment to this outfit if I desired." He said with an almost reassuring tone.

He approached the large, steel doors and pressed a button on an intercom unit.

"Blackridge, ID# 431-J5k. RV Patrol, Civs in tow. Possible RK." He spoke into the box with short and official tones and waited for the affirmation chirp of the system and stepped back. The engines of the doors spooled up and slowly chugged their way open and the group was greeted by several armed men, all dressed similarly and armed with rifles.

A woman stepped forward and looked at Fixer then over the group following him.

"KIA's?"

"Niner, ID# SK4-318. Scorch, ID# 1F5-916. Behemoth rage swarm."

"Affirmative. Injuries?"

"None."

"Salvage?"

"None."

"Alright, get inside and relax for a bit. I will get word from HQ within the next couple days."

The woman walked off and they let the group inside and closed the doors. Inside the compound, its just as impressive as the outside. There are gantries everywhere, spanning the length of the walls. The courtyard had several stalls, most of which were empty but two had merchants of a sort occupying them. One of the rooms on the first floor had a big, red cross on it with a white circle around it and two rooms over, there was a sign that had the word "Mess" written on it. There was a large, round machine that looked rusted and old sitting in the west side of the compound and upon closer inspection, appears to be a water purification system. In a ramshack building next to it, there appears to be a community shower with a sign that says, "Dont ask for heat."

Sev and Delta wander off to the showers, already stripping off their armor and gear.

"Alright," Fixer says as he turns to the group, "From here on out, you have free reign of the compound. Dont attempt anything stupid or you will be shot. That is promise. You can leave as you see fit or you can talk to the XO if you wish to join."

Fixer turns to Scout, "My name is Targas Blackridge." He says as he extends his hand.

"Most people here call me Fixer, best salvage repairman this side of the city. Now I dont suppose you would like to speak with the XO about the Legion now?"
 
Well, Summer was officially impressed. This Legion had done well for themselves and if she was going to join, she had to admit this wouldn't be a bad place to actually 'settle' and perhaps start forming some cautious attachments. Very cautious. This place was better than a lot she'd seen and the auburn-haired woman found herself already being able to see something of a future here. It was strange, thinking like that, but no matter how one tries to shut down that part of the mind, it always manages to find a way to come back, get around obstacles.

She was pretty sure people had called it 'hope' in the latter days before this all began.

The female lowers the black cloth from her face and breathes carefully through her mouth before she extends her hand back to the male, her grip strong and sure as she shakes his hand. "Summer Michaelson. I think you can probably guess why I am called Scout and I would be fine speaking with your XO now. It's not like I have much else to do."

"Wait, you're staying, Scout?" Arrow is watching her and Summer looks back at the other woman and nods sharply. "I've gone as far as I'm willing with you guys." There is no regret, no apology in her tone and Dozer sets his hand on Arrow's shoulder and merely nods back. "Then we wish you safety and happiness." The three depart then and Summer knows they won't stay here. This isn't their kind of environment and in the end, that might kill them, but maybe they will be lucky. Maybe.

Pale blue eyes return to Targas. "Shall we?"
 
"We shall."

Targas leads her to the front office and opens the door, leading her inside.

"Commander Williams? This is Summer Michaelson, codenamed 'Scout.' She has remarkable talents in tracking and martial combat."

The woman turned around and faced the two, her face as stoic as ever. She is bout six foot and of a lithe but muscular build. She has cropped, blonde hair in a tight bun. Her face is pleasant enough but bears a large scar down the right side from brow to chin and her right eye is milky white.

"So, tell me Scout, what brings you here following that lout?"

Her tone was serious but betrayed a hint of joking, even a commander needs to loosen up every now and again.
 
She hadn't been expecting a woman, but Summer wasn't fazed by such a thing and adapted quickly. She dipped her head in a respectful way to the Commander, but her stance was solid, confident and her voice the same when she answered. "I came here with my own group, helped your men during a swarm attack and followed 'em back here. On the way, Fixer said I might consider joining and after hearing him out I didn't see a reason not to give it a try."

Summer glanced at Targas then and the next words that come out of her mouth were pretty unprofessional, but they were spurred by the slight hint of joviality in William's tone. And the fact that the auburn-haired female didn't really care what these people thought of her or not. She didn't have to stay if there were going to be problems and that was the beauty of situations like these.

"Besides, I kinda liked staring at his backside."

Summer shrugged just a bit and her pale blue eyes danced with the beginning of mischief.
 
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Both the commander and Targas chuckled at that last comment.

"Well you have some humor, and thats hard to find in this day and age. I dont see why not to give you a chance, especially if this lout is vouching for you. Tell you what, Ill tell you what will be required and what will happen and you can take the night to rest on it."

She walked around the desk and sat in a chair, lighting up a cigarette.

"I dont know what he told you but around here, to get in, you have to pass a series of tests. We used to have these tests in physical form but the technology to make them is long since lost to us. First you will go through a rigorous, physical test to see how strong you are and what you are good at. Then we will run you through an IQ test and a mental placement test to see where you are in terms of intelligence. Based off of those results, we will either place you in a specific job or outfit but if you choose, you can decide all that. Once you decide, or we place you, you will be trained in whatever field that you are in."

"If you make the cut, you will be issued a bunk, a uniform of a sorts and gear to fit your job. After your training, you will go out with your unit and do whatever jobs are assigned. Its rather simple in the end: You work and you get paid and have a place to stay, someplace safer than most. Now, Ill let you digest that for the evening and if you have any questions you can ask them now or later, it doesnt matter to me."
 
Summer was glad for the chuckles as it meant her brand of humor wouldn't be entirely out of place here and that was a point in this place's favor. She listened carefully to Williams carefully, but found the woman was just as blunt and straight-up as Targas was and there was really nothing hidden, nothing that needed explanation and she merely shook her head. "No, I think you've about covered all of it. Sounds like a fair trial so I guess I'll see whoever is going to assess me tomorrow."

She'd already made up her mind and another night wasn't going to change it. Summer thanked the Commander for her time before leaving the office. Targas had said they were free to come and go as they pleased and she didn't have question. Summer didn't see a reason to stay and whether the male was going to follow her or now, she was intent on getting to know her surroundings....and maybe showering.

Mmm, a shower sounded good.

Right, first thing first; finding some place to stand and sort through all these smells...
 
Targas stayed inside and talked to the Commander about the events that happened earlier in the day before leaving the office. It felt good to be back in the base and looked for around for Summer. He spent a few minutes looking but decided she was some place in refuge, getting used to the place. He went into the mess hall to find Delta and Sev eating and told them to point her to him if they saw her. They nodded and went back to eating their peaches and cream.

He made his way out into the courtyard and went to his workshop, turning the "Closed" sign to "Open" and sat down behind his work station. Within moments, he already had several weapons and armors needing repair and set out for a long night of fixing.
 
She'd found a quiet corner, tucked away, and had chosen to sit and simply close her eyes, lids flickering as she started to filter. It was a lot harder than one might think. Summer had been dealing with this for six years now. She didn't know HOW she'd gotten the strain of the virus that she had. She didn't know why she hadn't died and she had no idea why, over time, the abilities she possess were only getting better, stronger. She'd only had fangs for two years now and those had seemed to come in almost overnight.

The woman had learned to control what she could do though, to sort through everything, to make sense of it and that's what she did now. Each scent was categorized, remembered and Summer placed different sounds to activities, now able to better ignore the less important ones. In a place like this, with all the different people and smells, activities and knowing she could take her time, Summer was done about an hour after she'd started, feeling a great deal more stable about her environment and MUCH better able to perceive what was a threat and what wasn't.

She headed to the showers then and cleaned up. It felt good to be clean again and after dressing in the spare clothes she had in her pack - simple jeans, torn in some areas and stained, with a dark green but faded tank-top - and running a brush through her damp hair, willing to let it dry in the night heat, she headed to the mess hall. After grabbing something to eat, she thanked Delta and Sev for directing her to Targas and followed their instructions.

The woman wasn't sure WHY she wanted to find the male, but perhaps it was just because he was familiar. It wasn't all that hard to find him and Summer set her pack down, jacket slung over the bag and found a seat on the good 'ol hard-packed dirt, leaning against the wall as she started to eat, watching both her surroundings, the people passing by and Targas himself.

"So this is what you do when you're not killing Behemoths?"
 
"M'hmm." He nodded.

"You will be bunked in room 16B with Kilborn. Hes a sort of commando but a good man at his core. He will be the one who will be testing you tomorrow."

Targas said as he was working on reassembling Echo's SPAS-12, a process that took a little under thirty seconds and setting it aside.

"Its been a while since we have had fresh blood, so dont be surprised when you get picked on by some of the older of the rookies. The senior officers and veterans wont give you any trouble and if they do and Im not sitting in this area, my bunk is over there." He points to room 13A as he begins cleaning another merc's Colt .45 with his eyes closed.

"Ill be honest, I had mixed feelings about suggesting you should join but in the end, I think you will fit in. Thats all I really needed to talk to you about right now. If you have any questions or have anything you want to talk about it, Ill be here until...oh-two-hundred." He looked up at her with that look of "do you understand all I have said?" (That look is really hard to describe, actually...)
 
"Yeah, I understand." Summer replied to his look, understanding it perfectly well and she looked out over the courtyard for a long moment before standing and dusting her jeans off. "Thanks for the advice and for...well, for your approval in the end, I suppose. I can handle myself, though, and if people think I'm easy prey just 'cause I'm new, I guess they'll be unpleasantly surprised." She flashed a fanged grin before picking up her pack.

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

Sure, he'd offered to talk, but Summer didn't know him from a hole in the wall and she wasn't about to spill her guts to a stranger....and she really didn't have anything impersonal to talk about right now. She decided the best option was to go to bed since she'd apparently be doing some grueling training tomorrow and Summer found her way to the room she'd been assigned at some point.

She entered the room and took the side of the room not occupied, setting her stuff on the floor out of the way and then simply collapsing on to the old mattress and semi-clean blanket. She didn't care about the smell or the dirt or the environment. Having a bed was heaven and Summer drifted off to sleep rather quickly.

(Morning time-skip?)
 
(Yus, time skip I think. And sorry, was eating dinner.)

During the night....

Targas awoke with a start with a cold sweat. He looked around the room and found his bunkmate still sleeping but what woke him? His mind was racing and the room began to fill with the red symbols from that artifact that he found, their mass of shapes and meaningless strings disoriented him. He looked around and tried to focus on what the letters were trying to form, if anything but gave up as it just intensified his headache.

He got up and stepped outside, where the air was brisk and the letters were gone, to clear his head. After a moment outside, he went back in to find the letters gone. He sighed to himself and crawled back into bed, though it did little to help.

-------------------------

Targas woke up a few hours later, nightmares plaguing it all the while. He began to distance himself for the day, shrugging everyone off and just focusing on his work as a Fix It Felix.
 
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