[IC] The Few and The Far (Dizzy & Crim)

[Master Crim]

Josh had to think quick and find a way to either sort things out or distract him so he wouldn't hurt Jinny. The man was halfway to where Jinny was by the time Josh spoke up. "Wait, sir." He stood holding his hand at about shoulder hight. "Please you have to understand that we mean no harm." He cringed on the inside. He hated trusting people who he knows nothing about. "Please put the gun a way. There are a lot of sketchy guys out there, and we just want help." 'And we are going to get it one way or another' he thought to himself as he wated fo the man's reaction. He didn't want to fight him, but will do what he has to in order to get away.

[Mistress Dizzy]

The man stalled, turning to Joshua with a dangerous look. "What do you mean 'we'?" He put the safety back on the gun, but still, left it leveled at Josh's chest. It would be an easy thing to shoot Joshua dead from where he was standing. "Get to tellin' the truth, now." His semi-good nature from before was evaporated.

Jinny huddled in the bush, quivering and trying not to panic. She was scared and not at all sure what to do. She missed her knife, she didn't know how to fight, she had no idea what to do. A tiny whimper escaped her lips.

[Master Crim]

" 'we' me and a passenger are just trying to get through The town. We ran into some trouble and didn't know if we could trust you." Josh confessed. He knew that he could lie again but that would make it harder to gain this man's trust if he wanted to. "We want to help with your truck and hopefully get a ride if possible." He waited for a response and did his best not to move as he spoke, all the while hoping that Jinny was staying safe and not getting any silly ideas in her head.

[Mistress Dizzy]

"I ain't sure you can." The man's eyes were narrowed, and he slowly started to approach the bushes again. The injured man hadn't stopped him until he started approaching, which meant he had a partner in hiding. Probably someone with a weapon. "I give you a ride, then you and your partner jump me halfway there and leave me dead on the side of the road? No thank you."

Jinny covered her face with her hands, trying not to make any noise at all. BUt she was terrified, it was all she could do to keep listening to Mr. Josh.

[Master Crim]

Josh had precious little time to act now as this unwilling man was getting closer and closer to Jinny. He cut the act and stood quick and silent drawing his knife as he walked swiftly to the man with the same silence as before. He was ready to do what was needing done and this man made it clear that the only way he and Jinny coyld get the truck was over his dead body. Josh was olny three feet away when he said darkly "This could have ended a oot cleaner." Then went to cut the mans throat.

[Mistress Dizzy]

Jinny saw what was about to happen, and she couldn't help it. She panicked. "DON'T!" She burst from the bush, hands outstretched, as if she could somehow stop what was about to happen. "Don't hurt him, Mr. Josh!"

The man stopped short, but didn't have time to turn around before Josh's knife was at his throat. Then he saw Jinny bursting out of the bushes, and obvious shock flashed across his face. Immediately, he stopped pointing the gun in her direction. "...y-you're just a kid!"

[Master Crim]

Josh stopped himself before killing the man only giving a very small cut on the man's throat but not taking the knife away. Why did I stop? he thought for less than a second. "Yes, this kid is my passenger and would appreciate it if you could give us a ride." He looked to Jinny then back to the man. "I had no intention of killing you until you wanted to find her. All we want is a safe ride out in your truck then you can drop us off at anytime." Josh's voice had a tone of impatience to it from all the acting he had to do to only end up threatening the man, which he would have done in the first place. "Now, you are going to put the gun away and I will put my knife away then we can start this over like normal people. Okay?"

[Mistress Dizzy]

Jinny stood with her hands outstretched, holding stock-still, as if moving could somehow detonate the tense scene in front of her. Even though she was trying not to be scared, a tiny whimper slid from her mouth.

The man looked at Jinny for several seconds, before he lowered his weapon completely and put the safety back on. "Shit. I could've shot you, little girl, you know that?" He sounded angry, but his face was more worried than anything.

"I'm sorry." The words popped out quite immediately, but Jinny realized she meant it. This guy seemed like he would have been very sad if he'd hurt her.

[Master Crim]

Joshua, following in suit with the man, put his knife back in it's sheath, but didn't buckle it. "Well," He said stepping out, his head starting to throb again now that the adrenalin was wearing off. "Just back a little ways we ran into a man who didn't want to shoot her for less... honorable reasons." Josh was standing with Jinny behind him and out to his right. "But, I sense you are not that kind of man, so hows about that ride?" The sun was past noon at about the 1 or 2 position and Josh didn't want to be in this town come evening.

[Mistress Dizzy]

The man frowned at Josh's story, muttering 'fucking perverts' as he put the gun into the makeshift holster at his belt. "Yeah, let's go. I'd rather not be travelin' in the dark." He looked at them for a few moments, as if noting something.

Jinny was halfway hiding behind Josh now, and while her face was less scared, her hands were opening and closing and fingers wiggling in obvious nervousness. In a rare show of childishness (for her, anyway) she grabbed Josh's hand with her own small and shaking one. Her hand only fit around three of his fingers.

The man grunted slightly, and gestured for them to follow. He picked up the rest of his tools and stowed them, before sliding into the front seat of the truck.

[Master Crim]

Josh felt Jinny's hand grasp his fingers and looked back at her, then knelt down cupping her hand in both his as the man walked back to his truck. "Thanks for stopping me." he whispered then looked around to locate his bow finding it stashed under the car the were next to. He let go of her hand and grabbed his bow then followed them man to the truck making sure Jinny was following. "Is it going to need a push?"

[Mistress Dizzy]

The man nodded as he gathered his tools and climbed into the cab. "Some days it's good. Today ain't one of them. You push, I'll start."

Jinny wandered up as well, looking up at the vehicle. "What should I do? Do I push?"

The man turned his lips up in the vague semblance of a smile. "Hate to say it, kid, but I don't think you could push a tire, let alone a whole truck. If it's ok with your friend there- you get up in the front here with me."

Jinny looked to Josh, silently asking if it was okay. She did want to help, and it was a bit frustrating that she couldn't.

[Master Crim]

Josh walked up deside the truck while the man was talking, and was about to go give it a push when he offered for Jinny to ride in the cab with him. Josh thought for a moment but really didn't know or trust this guy enough to be comfortable with that situation. He looked down and saw her pleading eyes. "How about you ride in the back," he said to Jinny then looked up at the man. "It's not that I don't trust you, but you'd probably feel the same in my position" Josh knew the man ment well and was probably a nice guy, but they had only just met and their trust was hanging on only on fact: they didn't kill each other.

[Mistress Dizzy]

The man gave Josh a steady look, before nodding in agreement. "Fair enough." He shut the door and waited to put on the ignition.

Jinny nodded, and went to the back of the truck. She lifted one foot and settled it on the tire. Then she swung herself over the side of the truck, and she sat down in the back. Then she gave Josh an energetic thumbs up. "I'm ready to go!"

[Master Crim]

After the short interchange with the man as Jinny was hoping into the truck Josh thought they ought to know names if they were going to travel. "The name's Josh." He said following behind Jinny to the back of the truck and placing his hands on the tailgate of the truck. "And who might I thank for the ride?"

[Mistress Dizzy]

The man leaned out the window. "Richard." He said briefly.

Jinny looked between them, and not wanting to be left out, she spoke up. "I'm Jinny."

The man chuckled, very faintly, but it was there. "Alright then, Josh and Jinny. I don't expect trouble, but just in case- I hope you two know how to handle yourselves." It sounded like he was speaking more to Jinny than Josh. Josh had already held a gun on him, but... the little girl was an unknown factor.

[Master Crim]

"Thanks, Richard." Josh said after Jinny introduced herself. "And don't worry I'm sure we wont hold you down." He then braced himself and started to push. "Let's get this rolling." He didn't want to be around much longer 'cause the longer they were there the more he felt like they were being watched.

[Mistress Dizzy]

Richard nodded, and got ready. Once the wheels got rolling steadily, he turned the ignition. The car coughed and rumbled a few times, before the engine turned over and revved to life. "Alright! Let's get moving!" He leaned over and opened the door for Josh. "Strap in, kid!"

Jinny settled down in the back of the truck, grinning brightly. "Come on, Mr. Josh!"

[Master Crim]

"I am going to ride back here if thats okay." Josh said climbing into the bed of the truck with Jinny. "Cant really shoot a bow from inside a truck." Josh wanted to be able to act quickly should the need arise to shoot something. As he satdown next to Jinny he gave her a quick smile that reminded him he had been hit by a batt. The pain was slight and stingy but didn't get much worse.

[Mistress Dizzy]

Jinny grinned back, and shifted slightly so she was nearer to him. She looked tired- it had already been quite an eventful day. The rumbling of the engine was somehow soothing to her. "Mr. Josh? Is there a weapon I can use? From back here, I mean... so I can help if we get in trouble?" She yawned and blinked a few times. "I wanna help."

Richard kept an eye on his passengers with the rear view mirror, briefly glancing back at them before focusing on the road ahead. He wondered what the story was. It would be surprising if they were related, but Josh had certainly been willing to kill him for just getting too near the girl. He was obviously still wary. Not that Richard could blame him- too many things could happen to a kid out in the wasteland, especially a girl.