freedomliveson

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

Ryken listened intently, his face betraying no emotion as Cameron wrapped up her story and made the request. Silence permeated the room for a few moments before Ryken responded:
"We'll have to convene with the rest of the Council." He snorted, then added:
"What's left of it, anyhow." He looked back at the shopkeepers once more, shaking his head before his eyes locked onto Cameron's, attempting to gauge the sincerity in her eyes. The box obviously gave some weight to her story and so did the attackers, but would she cause more trouble? Justin obviously believed in her, otherwise he wouldn't have brought her here. In any case, he couldn't decide just yet.
"Maybe the Lord brought you here for something we don't know about yet." He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, commenting:
"You need to get that treated. The medical staff we have should be tending to the wounded at the hospital. Come with me, I'll show you where it is. From there, you rest and meet us at dusk at the same location you broke us out of. We'll hopefully have the place cleaned up enough for a private audience with the Council." He turned around, walking out of the shop, then paused, looking to Cameron as he told her:
"Your eyes are sincere. I hope that reflects what's inside your heart."

___________

"No, that can't be what happens! We can't just stay put! What if they attack again?" June Mansfried, one of two women on the Council, sat back in the folding chair, arms folded across her chest as she looked around the room at the other participants in the meeting. There were seven chairs set up, two of which were occupied by June and Wynne Carter, both of whom were dedicated protectors of Omega and had served in the militia and medical fields of the colony, respectively.
"You of all people should know what's out there, June. Nothing but raiders, crumbling ruins and a basic lack of resources. We were blessed to get what we did, you know that. Where are we going to find something like this?" In another chair sat Ryken, next to him were Justin and Cameron. They had found the fourth and final Council member, Lao Johnson, with two bullets in his stomach and a knife jutting out of his chest.
"Before we start talking about relocating..." Wynne sat forward, her green eyes sweeping the room before looking at Cameron.
"We need to find out what they came for."
"We already explained this." Ryken then added:
"But that is a reasonable request, seeing as we need to know what's inside." The meeting at dusk had started with yet another request for Cameron to tell her story along with an account from Justin. Once completed, they had been debated for the past twenty minutes how to handle the remnants of their once proud settlement.
"Cameron, please remove your box and place it in the center of the room." Ryken requested. They had asked her to show it to them once before, but Ryken wanted it in the open for a longer period of time.
"The lock that was on the side...I think I've seen that before on a couple of other lockboxes." June commented, hand on chin before her eyes widened.
"Yeah, yeah, that's it! When we went down to Philadelphia to investigate those flashes over the radio." Wynne looked to June and responded:
"Right, I do remember that you all came back with lockboxes in a similar design. Those boxes were government issue, had pieces of purification equipment and medicinal formulas that really helped us. It was a shame that the research facility that SOS'ed us was wrecked beyond repair. If only..." Wynne then looked to Cameron.
"Please, give us the box. If it has what we think it does, then..." She trailed off as Justin turned to Cameron, whispering:
"Did you know about this?"

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

Sorry about the typo! Yeesh that was bad.

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

The smirk was returned by Justin, looking down at the shotgun and readying another bullet into the chamber before telling her:
"That was amazing." He looked over at Michael, nodding at Cameron.
"What'd I tell you? She'd get the job done." Michael lifted the goggles off of his eyes as he let out a nervous laugh.
"I didn't...well..."
"Michael, in the heat of the moment, didn't think the 'strange girl with the big backpack' would be able to infiltrate a major firezone and get things under control. I, however, managed to keep my cool."
"Oh right, like shouting obscenities every time-"
"Justin!" One of the men in the group that came with Cameron emerged, his more salt than pepper hair fringed with blood.
"Commander Ryken, sir! Didn't see you there with all the others."
"Too busy bantering with others, as is the norm." Ryken clapped Justin on the shoulder, a genuine smile forming.
"It's good to see you alive, sir."
"The same for you boys. I didn't think we were going to survive that, even with the protocols in place." Ryken's worn face looked around at the shop, a profound sadness growing deeper in his stance as he saw the bodies of the shopkeepers.
"How many dead?"
"Don't know, sir." Michael responded. One of the other men in the group suggested:
"Sir, should we look for survivors?"
"Yes...yes that's our number one priority. Round up the survivors and push out any of the remaining forces. Make sure their equipment is intact. We'll need it." He turned to Justin, telling him:
"You go with them. Meet us back at command at dusk."
"Yes sir." With a nod to Cameron, Justin walked out of the store, shotgun in hand and split up with the rest of the group. Ryken placed a gentle hand on Cameron's arm, telling her:
"First, thank you. Without your help, we wouldn't have made it. Those attackers were...vicious. We were outgunned and outmanned, but with you in the fold, we got a chance to pick up the pieces. I can't thank you enough for that." His hand left her arm as he continued:
"I do have to ask why you're here. Are you a straggler seeking refuge? A friend of Justin's that I haven't met? Or something else more insidious? I can't help but think that your presence here and our recent attack aren't coincidence. Forgive me for the bluntness, but I've been at my post too long to believe in coincidence. You came here for a specific reason and I need to know what that is along with who those attackers were."

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

Loved it! :D

Will get back to you today :)

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

The carnage wasn't just isolated to the main road leading north. Dodging between hole in the wall(literally and figuratively) shops and homes made up of wood and brick seemed to be coated in chaos. Blood trails and bodies were the norm, accompanied by occasionally having to kill an intruder who came along their path. What bothered Justin about this new group of assailants weren't necessarily the attack itself, but how SMUG they were about it. Their gleaming armor, the shiny weapons, the braggadocio that accompanied their every movement was sickening. Even in death, they seemed to mock their killer, their faces contorted almost in the form of a twisted grin. Justin's anger rose with every step.

They found themselves in an alley between two large brick buildings, said buildings forming a part of the perimeter of the square around central command, which was the ground floor of a skyscraper that stood in the center of the oval shaped settlement. Outside the entrance were the armored thugs, their assault rifles churning out as much as they could, hiding behind makeshift shields consisting of old barrels and a couple of working jeeps that command had stationed outside the entrance. It was then that Justin felt Cameron's hand on his arm for a brief moment, when the gunfire had ceased, and told him that she would be there to help. The scout turning back to nod his thanks, telling her:
"We'll need all the help we can get at th-" More gunfire was issued at the building, prompting Michael to ask:
"So, what do we do?!"
"You're asking ME?! You were the one who brought us here, I thought YOU had a plan!"
"I did! It was getting you here! The rest I thought you could fill in!" With a roll of the eyes, Justin checked the clip of his pistol.
"Alright, here's what we'll do: you and I get inside the building here, deliver some potshots and draw their attention away from the building. Cameron..." He turned to her, a look of disappointment crossing his face.
"You're going to have to find a way inside command. There's an armory inside with one of the only shotguns I've ever seen in my life. With that, you can help liberate the command post. Hopefully with us distracting the forces out here, we can buy enough time for you guys to strike hard." He blew out a sigh.
"Here we go." Michael and Justin crouched as low as they could, running out of the alley and swung into the abandoned store, stepping over Leonard and Cindy, the shopkeepers, and stationed themselves behind two wooden desks that had once served as display locales for shop items. Michael popped out of cover first and shot a burst at one of the interlopers, who returned fire.
"This had better work!" Michael grumbled aloud, prompting Justin to shoot him an icy glare.

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

They were about a quarter of a mile off from Omega's main base of operations when Cameron told him she needed a minute, Justin grumbling inwardly. They needed to MOVE! They couldn't stay put while his entire world was being set ablaze by these mysterious interlopers. She walked into an old apartment building and he followed suit, finding a room before she spoke about the box she carried. Justin turned to face her just as she threw it, catching it with his forearms and causing a resounding smack, mild pain jolting him. Upon explanation, his eyes narrowed.
"Supposed to have a key? Cameron, they sent you to parts unknown with no definitive destination and just said that 'someone' was supposed to have all your answers?!" He let out a scoffing laugh, planting himself against a wall as he looked over the box.
"This is...this is nuts. Absolutely bonkers. Insane...and you took this without asking ANY questions?" It was then that he remembered that her entire village had been torched and that more than likely there was no time for instructions. His expression softened.
"I'm sorry, it's just...this is so strange, you know? Doesn't sit well with me." He ran his fingers over the sides and under the box, feeling a small keyhole on the back. He examined it briefly, running a fingernail through the indentation.
"Oddly shaped. I haven't seen a lock like this before...of course, I haven't seen many locks at all. The end of the world tends to make existing locks rather fragile." He walked to Cameron and gave her the box back, telling her:
"We'll figure it out. We have to. Not just for your people, but for mine as well." He could hear the sounds of gunfire even through the thick walls of the building, prompting a grimace.
"For now, though, we need to make sure that there are people left in Omega to help us out." He opened the apartment door as he continued:
"When we get to the security checkpoints, there should be additional help, but while we don't have it, cover my back. I'm out of ammo and can't fight those armored guys hand to hand." He took a sharp breath in.

"Here we go."

____

Chaos.
Utter and total chaos.

The cement walls that served as the natural border between the settlement and the outside world was pockmarked with burns and bullet holes, some of it already crumbled onto the ground. The checkpoints that Justin had referred to were towers that stood about ten feet above the ground made of wood and cloth, but those had fallen to the ground, the bodies of Omega's frontline security strewn about, blood pooling underneath them. Justin walked to a body, spotting the guard's pistol and taking it before spotting a man in the same armor as their pursuers coming out of the entrance to the settlement with a wooden chest under his arm. Justin delivered three shots to the man's skull, the armored body thunking to the ground heavily. They moved to the entrance, the main road through Omega littered with bodies and weapons both from the armored attackers and the defenders of Omega along with debris and scattered-

"JUSTIN!" From their right, a young man garbed in a leather duster and goggles emerged, assault rifle in hand.
"Michael! What on EARTH is going on?"
"Caught these guys coming, but couldn't stop them! They breached the walls and we've been trying to push them out ever since!"
"What are they after?"
"Dunno, but they're being held off hard by central command. We can flank them, help command out!" Justin nodded, looking to Cameron with a somber smile.
"Looks like you get to be the hunter after all."

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

Before Justin could issue a command, he saw them come around the corner and instantly reached for the gun that he had placed in the side pocket on his pack, withdrawing it just as they began their march towards them. There were three of them, all of whom had various pieces of what looked like armor covering parts of their bodies, yet they all had chestpieces covering their upper half. Gleaming black assault rifles were gripped tightly, pointed forward. Two women and a man, the triage wearing expressions of grim seriousness as they got closer. Bianca shrieked in alarm as she sprinted past Justin and Cameron, the other girl following suit, leaving the two to fend for themselves. Justin took a quick glance around, noting the ruins of a townhouse to their right.
"Get up the stairs and into the house. Now." He hissed, muscles springing into action as he hopped over the remnants of a steel fence, bullets beginning to hail on their location as he sprinted up the crumbling stairs and through the doorway, planting his right shoulder against the wall before extending his left arm and firing a few potshots as return fire. The bullets stopped coming after a few moments, a woman's voice breaking the brief silence:
"We know of what you carry! Bring it to us and there will not have to be anymore bloodshed!"
"Ooooooh no!" Justin fired off another blind shot before shouting:
"You tell us exactly who you people are and why on earth you decided to pick a fight with one of the most powerful settlements on the East Coast?!" A laugh echoed through the street.
"Powerful?! Please! Your little excuse of a village couldn't stand up to us for longer than a few minutes. We've torn it to shreds and will do the same to you if you don't hand over the steel box!"
"You know, we have a TON of steel boxes back at the camp! You can have any of those! It's on me!" A burst of assault rifle fire made Justin jump back slightly.
"We don't have to hurt you! Just hand over the box and you can both piddle along in your meager existence!"
"Piddle?" A heavy clinking sound could be heard as the armored wordsmiths made their way to Cameron and Justin's hiding place, Justin checked the clip in his pistol and cursed silently. He looked back, finding that the back of the house had fallen apart, leaving them an escape route.
"Come on! Move!" He ran, jumping down from the house onto what would have been the yard, a cacophony of assault rifle fire descending upon them.

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

Sorry if that seemed a bit off...was struggling there. Will make it up to you!

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

"Hope you're going to be ok with getting an abbreviated one. A state of emergency hasn't been called since before I was born." Justin sat up, then quickly realized that he was undressed.
"Sorry about this, but I gotta change." He sprang out of the cot and as quickly as he could strode over to his cargo shorts, which were somewhat dry. His shirt, on the other hand, was still a damp rag and was beginning to reek. Buttoning his shorts, Justin made his way over to the cabinet with the fire blankets, hoping that he could find...
"Yes!" One last solid white t-shirt was stuffed in the upper right corner of the cabinet where the fire blankets had been, Justin greedily grabbing it and placing it on him, breathing out a sigh.
"Sometimes it's just the feel of something clean on your skin to get you feeling like the world isn't going to fall apart." He walked to his pack, getting things in order as he told Cameron:
"Grab a couple of the rations. The stuff in it should last us until we get to Omega...unless we get side-tracked." Placing the pack in its normal spot, he rose.
"Let's move."

The trek towards Uptown was faster than plodding through the ruins of Downtown, seeing as Midtown had been largely unscathed by the chaos for reasons unbeknownst to those who were born into the world. Times Square, the Empire State Building, Broadway, all of it stood as a memorial to the past. Justin pointed out the occasional landmark as they darted down the maze of streets that he had committed to memory. They had just passed 101st street, the sun having almost reached its fullest peak before Justin stopped.
"Something's not right..." They stood in the middle of a city block, the remnants of old townhomes flanking them to their left and right.
"Normally we would've been hailed on the walkie by now..." He walked forward a bit before a scream of agony filled the air. His eyes widened as another scream came from just up ahead. Rounding the corner in front of them were two girls, one of them recognized by Justin.
"Bianca?!" The girls sprinted faster until reaching the duo, one of them standing across from Justin, her hands on her knees.
"Bianca, what..."
"They're...all..."
"All what?" She rose, her eyes filled with fear.
"All getting killed, that's what!" The other said, Justin now realizing that this was one of the newer girls...Josephine? Something like that.
"Slow down, tell us what happened."
"There was...an alert over the intercom and then people just started shooting and we got out and now they're..." Justin heard a fierce roar echoing from a couple blocks away.
"That's them!"

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

"Yeah...yeah, of course. Wasn't going to let someone starve out there, you know? It's a rough world. If we're going to make it a better one, might as well start somewhere." He saw her close her eyes, her body visibly beginning to relax.
"That's a good idea. Think I'll follow your example." He rose, undoing the button on his cargo shorts before grimacing. Justin bent down, looking to make sure that her eyes were COMPLETELY closed before he stripped himself completely. It wasn't like he could leave the saferoom and give away their location, but he certainly didn't want to scare her, especially after what she had said about an "incident in the woods with a woman". He connected the dots pretty quickly, seeing as he had heard stories about women being treated in terrible, inhumane ways. In fact, he had found a couple of female corpses a few weeks ago with shackles around their wrists and neck. Mundus had told him they would take care of it, which comforted the scout. People like that deserved to be brought to justice.

As quietly as he could, Justin peeled off his cargo shorts, quietly thanking the divine that his undershorts hadn't gotten soaked in the downpour. He placed both items of wet clothing under the bulbs to hopefully dry before securing another one of the fire blankets from the same shelf Cameron had helped herself to. Laying down on the cot, his eyes briefly caught a glimpse of the metal box Cameron so fiercely guarded. Whatever personal effects were located in there, they must have had a ton of sentimental value for her to lug it from Baltimore all the way up here. Maybe she would let him see what was in someda-

"...tin...wher...you?" He nearly tripped over himself as he got off the cot, grumbling about terrible timing before rummaging through his pack and finding the blue walkie talkie shoved at the bottom. He withdrew it just as the crackling voice said:

"...Jus...hav..to...bac...Ome..."

He held down the upper button on the side and spoke into it:
"Justin calling in from Safehouse D52, repeat request." Silence for a few moments before crackling:
"Have to...ple...can...t...do...it...al..." He couldn't tell who it was, which was maddening.
"Please, repeat!"
"Jus...back...he..." Silence again, this time longer.
"Identify and repeat!" Nothing. Justin took the walkie and placed it next to the cot, hoping that whoever had chimed in would repeat specific instructions. There was no way he was going to risk going out there again without a clear set of directives.
"I'll pray for you." He mumbled as he closed his eyes and-

"Justin! JUSTIN! Report in!" The thunderous voice came over the walkie, Justin roused from his sleep rather quickly as he extended his arm, grabbing the device after the third try.
"Justin here, what's going on? I got a..."
"Get yourself back here now! Mundus just declared a state of emergency." Well that's not good.
"Wait, for what reason?"
"Explain later, just get back here!"
"But..." The line went dead.

Fantastic.