[b]Forty |[i]The Conquering Heroes Return[/i]| Old Man's Corner[/b]

The march home had gone worse than expected, a few spirited dissenters had managed to grab hold of Twenty-Six's sawed off and blow a hole in her back, if it were't for the quick work of Seventeen and Twenty-Seven it might have led into a full incursion in the middle of the wastes. So, by the end of the long march home, having barely stopped for any rest or sleep, 7 of the new "family" (4 Male, 2 Female and a Child)  had died either to infection, exposure, or to "corrective" measures. All-in-all 30 new recruits for Mr. Big's family in exchange for the death of 1 of his current siblings, pretty good.

They returned to Old Man's Corner battered, tired but proud and off loaded the newbies to the stockades. Mr. Big must have been mighty appreciative, he allowed Forty and his siblings to bathe and were given an extra serving in their evening meal. Forty could die happy now and wouldn't think the day wouldn't get any better, until he received word that Mr. Big wanted to personally meet him and his siblings that accompanied him. His eyes grew wide, and he went to gather the others who were similarly excited at the news. 

"Ah, Forty mah' boy, y'all did a mighty fine job out there, shame what happened to Twenty-Six, but those things happen."

Forty and his siblings nodded in agreement.

"Now, as you now, the Guild Master sends his regards, but he has just informed me to keep you kiddies in alert."

Inquisitive glances appeared throughout the Small faces.

"He has requisitioned 'heavier' equipment for us if we provide the patrol detail, and since I know my 'employees' are the more devoted and hardiest of the whole collective, I know y'all will do this simple task with utmost diligence and concentration. And regarding your most stellar performance Forty, I'll entrust to you leadership of this endeavor to you as Senior Employees in batch 1 are currently indisposed right now."

[i]Golly[/i], Forty thought, he, a mere batch 4 Small member, was given a task suited for the batch 1 Senior Employees. He vigorously nodded his head.

"Good boy, you'll take the 8 others you have right now and pick through 12 others from batch 2 and under, to assist you in this security detail, the ignoramuses from Liberty City don't take kindly to the Guild Master's and my beliefs and will surely come in force, so be ready, y'all be the glorious vanguards of Old Man's Corner."

[b]"On it"[/b] They all shouted in unison.