The Lotion In The Basket

[Electric Revenge]

*It's slow going as I sit there as we drive through the desert. I can't help but fidget in my seat every time we have to stop and Max stands out in each intersection, no doubt trying to follow the tracks that must have been left behind. I'm finding myself keeping occupied with various things, keeping my mind off of how much my body is hurting. Playing with the beads of the rosary wrapped around my wrist, or the strings of beads hanging from the hilts of my katanas, I can't stop making noise. I don't know if it's annoying; no one has told me outright. I wouldn't care anyway at this point. All I know is that my katana is going to end up in one of those bastards' guts before the day is done.*

[Max Griffiths]

*I start directing us down smaller roads, off the main highway. To some extent this makes my task easier; the tracks I'm following are almost the only ones I encounter. On the other hand, there are a lot more turnoffs here, so I have to check a lot more ground. This area was fairly populous before the wars, with many small lanes and long driveways weaving off through the desert. Many of them are only visibly now as a gap between the sage brush. I know the killjoys are impatient, but it's not just the road I'm scanning. There's nothing stopping my quarries from taking their captive off road on foot, assuming we'd keep following the tire tracks. I would do something along those lines, myself, assuming I could spare someone to drive the car.*

[Funhouse Gear]

*Finally - /finally/ - we pull into a small town. It's far removed and nearly decimated, which makes it less noticeable from a distance but also limits the number of possible hiding places. Unless the location is as well hidden as the buried plane, that is, but I doubt that... the gang had to have known we'd try to follow them. They wouldn't risk losing such a good safehouse. I cruise slowly along the main road, bumping over the uneven pavement.*

*Out here in the Zones we don't have to worry about rain often, but a good dust storm would be just as damaging to the tracks Max is following - and just such a storm is apparently starting to pick up. Just our luck.*

[Max Griffiths]

*The wind increases steadily as the minutes pass, and eventually I signal for the killjoy to pull the van over. I need to be on the ground; it's impossible to see details through the glass, obscured by the dust in the air. I put my drac mask back on before getting out of the car; it makes breathing significantly easier. When I pick up the tire tracks again I start following them down the road. I hear the rumble of the motor behind me, and know the van's shadowing my progress. We make a couple more turns, but by the second I've entirely lost the tracks. Loose sand is blowing across the road in uneven gusts, wiping the record clean. I have nothing to work with.*

*I wait for the van to pull up next to me, then open my door just wide enough to speak through the gap* We'll have to search from here. They're likely nearby; there are no other access roads to the town, and no settlements past the borders.

[Funhouse Gear]

All right. *I'm still not used to how verbose Max has become, but the more info the better. I park the van at the side of the road, then pull down my goggles and tie my bandana over my nose and mouth* You heard him - let's head out. Stay within range; we don't want to get separated and ambushed.

*I close the door quickly as I get out, not wanting to let too much dust blow inside. Waiting until I see the other two climb out as well, I follow Max's lead when he starts off down the street, presumably in the most likely direction*

[Electric Revenge]

*My bandanna is pulled up over my mouth before we even stop and my goggles are on over my eyes in seconds as the van doors open. My ankle is at least cooperating at the moment, but I can't tell if it's the adrenaline coursing through my veins now, or if sitting in the van has helped at all. The wind is vicious and the sand stings against my exposed skin. I have to zip up my jacket as we make our way up the street.

*The storm is getting worse the further up the road we walk. At this rate, I don't think we'll make it much farther in this storm without finding shelter, or Arson, whichever comes first.* Do you think we should split up? *I have to shout over the wind.* We aren't going to get far if we stay as a group. This town isn't that big.

[Poison Shot]

*The sand is being kicked up more than usual, I raise my goggles from my neck and places them over my eyes; catching some of my hair beneath them. I raise my bandana and take Electric's side. If we do split up She'll need me at her side. The others will be more of a team for tracking and taking them on.*

If we do split up, we should set up a perimeter. Gear max and red can go in and do the invasive work while me and 'Lec stay out somewhere at a higher altitude where her injuries won't get in the way, and we can cover you.

[redhavoc]

*I nod and move to the awkward middle space between Gear and Max, gun out and adrenalin pumping. I hold my t-shirt over my nose and mouth, gun in my other hand. We move out to the first building, a grocery store or something. Down the street is a large building and I see the words 'SCHOOL' on the sign next to it. Well, actually I see the word "SCH-".*

*I tug on Max's jacket, indicating we should check the largest building first. My eyes burn from the wind-whipped sand and I squint even more, but nothing seems to help*

[Funhouse Gear]

*I nod to Poison and Electric, though I doubt they can see me well.* You know what you're doing - go to it! We'll radio if there's trouble. Be careful!

[Max Griffiths]

*I look down at Red, inclining my head when she indicates the old school. It was my first choice as well; large and easy to remember, many hiding places and seondary exits, one of the only stable buildings left in the area. It's the perfect killjoy stop off, at least for temporary shelter. It has a rather imposing stone facade as well, which adds to the drama of the scene in a way only a killjoy would appreciate.*

*Red stays at my side as I approach the building, and the killjoy isn't one to be left behind either. I don't know where the other two are, and I don't bother looking for them. The targets are bound to have set a sentry of some kind, and I'd prefer to see him before he sees us.*

[Poison Shot]

*Me and 'Lec get back to the van to grab some equipment, if we're going to be the snipers we're gonna need them*

We're going to need some ranged weapons. And some snipers.
*I crack open the back end of the van and dig in a bag of weapons and things of use. I toss sarah a pair of goggles.*
You be look out. Find any strays or something suspicious, report it to Gear.

*I grab two ranged bolt action rifles. A little old and worn but perfectly good for the situation. Just the range needed for this location. I attach some scopes onto them to make it a bit easier and make sure to grab a couple of boxes of shells as well as a pair of blasters in case we get into some trouble closer to our center. I toss them to 'lec.*

Let's find the highest tower and get to the top so we can keep an eye out.
*I grab the radio from Sarah, Gear and them have already gone out of sight*

*rb* I'm heading up top. What's the highest point here ya think?

[Funhouse Gear]

*I barely hear Poison over the whistling of the wind, and angle myself when I answer so the flying sand doesn't swamp my radio*

*rb* The school, probably. I mean look around, two thirds of the buildings are razed. Just do what you can with what you have.

*I look back up at the school, taking a second to calm myself down. She's in there, she has to be. And it's only been, what, an hour or so? They can't have done much in that amount of time...*

[Electric Revenge]

*I quickly follow Poison, fumbling a bit with the sniper rifle in the ever-increasing sandstorm. I haven't used a sniper in a long, long time; I was always much better in close combat situations. But I understand the group's concern over my ankle. Though at the moment, it's the farthest thing from my mind.*

*I finally catch up to Poison, who's surveying to see where we can take perch. With the storm, anything far away is not going to work. We barely can hear Gear's response over the wind, but I have to agree with him on where we can set up.*

*I shout over the wind, hoping Poison hears me.* I'm going to follow your lead. But we need to make sure these guys don't leave with Arson. Are we shooting to kill, or just to incapacitate?*

[Poison Shot]

*I smile crookedly as I climb onto a latter on the side of the tallest building I can find*
Three strikes 'Lec. Take me out. I don't normally condone lethal shots but this time its personal.

*I get to the top and help 'Lec up so that she doesnt fumble on her ankle and fall back. From the top of the building we can see everything. For the most part at least. The dust being kicked up is rather fierce and I'm glad my goggles are with me. I press a small button on the side rim and the lenses light up.*

*I yell over to 'Lec so she can hera me*
God I love these goggles! With this storm I wont be able to use the normal survey mode that can do a ton, but its still got a thermal mode that can sense the heat of anyone in it. Only thing is... I cant exactly distinguish who's heat it is. Only shows me size and location. Better keep an eye out still Sarah!

[redhavoc]

((Ok, let's switch over to p.3 of 'They Could Care Less' and work our rescuing magic. We'll figure out where to run from there))