Story Market Day

ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
In the Workshop


Bekka spoke first. “You about ready? What do you still need?”

Emilia knew beyond a shadow of doubt Bekka had to hear her conversation with Angelique just outside the room and didn’t know what to say right away. She fumbled around trying to find something to say. While she was trying to find her voice, Bekka spoke again.

“I know you have your pistol, the little carbine thing but what are you carrying for a rifle type?”

“The stubby AR with the collapsing stock Paige put together for Mom and me.”

Emilia was glad for some direct questions. It was easier to talk that way.

“Good. Figure between it, on you and in your bail out bag, about seven magazines should be more than enough. If we get into a firefight, a whole bunch of us screwed up. Speaking of which, if something like that happens, stick with me and we will get through it. If you and I get separated and any of the others are around, Angelique is the other best option. Now, lets get you set and squared away in the Subaru so we can get some food and sleep.”

Emilia still wasn’t quite sure what else to say again.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to hang you out to dry. Ask questions when you need to, but we do need to get a move on, so we get some rest.” Bekka said as she turned to the cabinets on the wall.

What followed was at least an hour of gear fitting and a run down of all the switches, radio reference cards, the maps, emergency equipment, and a hundred other details in the Subaru with Bekka. It was all no nonsense, ‘here’s where this is, this is how it work’, and “if I ask you to do this, here’s what I need you to do, and stow this here so you can grab it for this’ sort of stuff. It was a lot to learn but Emilia thought she caught everything Bekka was throwing at her.


Later

Well, that went better than she figured it was going to Emilia thought as she went upstairs to get some sleep.

It could have gone better thought Bekka as Emilia walked up the stairs.

“I swear I won’t let it happen again!” Bekka said to no one but herself.
 
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ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Out on the Grounds


Kara and Paige walked in silence mostly, Kara’s arm around Paige’s shoulder. Bit by bit Paige talked.
“It isn’t fair, Damnit!”

“I know. God! Do I know.” Was Kara’s hollow reply.

“What am I going to do? Everything leads me back to the darkness of being without him!”

At this statement from Paige, Kara pulled them both to a stop.

“Look down”

“What?” Paige was obviously confused now.

“Look down”

When Kara saw Paige was looking down, “Take a step.” Kara took a slow stride forward, practically forcing Paige to mimic her or fall over.

“And another” Kara repeated it, dragging Paige with her again.

“You put one foot in front of another. You move forward, on day, or one hour, or one minute, or one step at a time. The other options aren’t worth it. I know, I’ve tried most of them and almost didn’t survive it. You still have people who love you and care for you to help when the days are bad. Don’t underestimate the value of that.” The started walking again.

“I don’t…I can’t…It feels like the pain is going to swallow me up at every turn, every reminder. I don’t know how you live with it. How long did it take for the pain to fade for you?” Paige looked up at Kara, waiting, hoping for an answer.

“I don’t know, I’ll tell you when I get there.” Kara hissed.

Paige almost stumbled at the realization as Kara continued.

“I have to focus on everything I did get to have with him. He lives in my heart and my memories. One day, if I can do enough right to balance the scales, I will get to see him again at Valhalla in Heaven. I have a lot of work ahead of me to get there though.”

“I’m sure he can’t wait to see you again too.”

“I hope so. Sometimes I’m afraid he won’t approve or like what all I have become since he left. I have a long way to get back to who he was in love with. Great! Here I was, coming out here to help you and I’m the one spiraling into a funk!”

“I’m sure he still loves you”

“I don’t know. I’m a lot different now. The bubbly energetic girl he knew, I don’t recognize her in the mirror anymore and haven’t in a long time.”

“He still loves you! I know it!”

Kara looked over at Paige’s adamant statement, delivered with the strength of conviction and certainty.

“How can you? You never even knew him!”

“He told me.”


By the Pond


Haltingly Paige told Kara about her fevered dream or vision or out of body experience. She hadn’t told anyone about it. Not Sabine, Not Andrea. No one. Now it just seemed right to tell Kara.

The two of them sat on the rock down by the pond as Paige told Kara about seeing Henrik again, and of seeing Christian. When she described him, she was so exact, she could see most of the doubt in her mind left.

With what she described as a near death experience and glimpse of the afterlife to come, both faces were wet with tears, Paige’s with the memory and Kara with some sort of conformation of what was to come.

When Paige passed on Christian’s message about being proud of her and missing her, Kara broke down in sobs. The two sat for a long time holding each other on Kara’s rock down by the water.

As it got dark, Paige realized how long they have been gone.

“We should go back up. The guys will be worried, and the Vs will be calling soon.”

“Why don’t we go over to the Training building instead. We can take the radio call there and I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready for that many people right now. Kara countered.

Paige was thinking on it when Kara sweetened the deal.

“I’ll make us some dinner. I think we have the stuff for one of my specialties in the kitchen down here.”

“Sold. We can go back up after dinner and the radio call.”

Both got stiffly to their feet and started walking to the training building, both feeling better than when they first walked out of the house.
 
ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Odina’s


The focus now was prioritizing what was left. They had five of them here now. Worst case and things went shitty fast, the plan was the three rovers were ready and aimed towards the exit, along with Terry Suburban. With those in hand, everyone was looking ae how many more loads to go.

Garen and Zed finished organizing the rest of the workbench tools and supplies and moved out to join Jesse and Doug, who evidently finally had found the back fence of the seemingly endless piles.

“Hey guys, come across the Ark while you were going through things?” Garen called out.

“Very ****en funny. So glad you guys could join us” was Jesse’s sarcastic reply.

“So, where we at?”

“Well, I just got finished labeling the IBC tanks so now we know the transmission fluid from the engine oil from the gas and the diesel. If Zed can get that old forklift working, we could put them on the trailer Kara is supposed to bring back down.”

“Sure, I’ll give it a go. Are we going to try and take the forklift too?” Zed asked as he headed towards the small forklift off to one side.

“I wasn’t planning for it. We have one up at the house already and it’s probably in better shape. I do want to scoop all the spare propane cylinders he had for it though.” Garen answered. He looked around. “Where’s Doug?”

Jesse grinned and pointed. “He’s in the corner over there with something special for you that he found.”

“What?” The grin made Garen suspicious.

“Don’t worry, you will like it.” Jesse said cryptically.
 
ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Garen walked over to where Jesse pointed him to. Doug was standing in front of a carport with two big shapes under tarps.

“So, Garen, what did you say Ezekiel did for a living?”

“Cars and surplus sales, why” Garen asked tentatively.

“Help me with the tarp. Grab the other side. We can pull it forward.”

Garen was still confused but he did as Doug asked and pulled. Under the tarp was a truck…but a truck like nothing he had seen. It was hard to identify what type of truck this even was.

The thing was beyond flat black. It was the kind of black that seemed to suck the light in from around it and never let it go. He couldn’t make out the lines, could barely see parts of the outline it was so black, they blended together. The windows had limo tint to complete the blackness.

There was a massive brush guard or cow deflector on the front. There were a whole string of auxiliary lights across the bumper area, all with black lenses. It made the thing look like some sort of demonic spider, staring out from half a dozen eyes. The whole thing sat on massive off-road wheels shod in what must be two or three thousand dollars’ worth of offroad tires. Whatever this thing was built for, Garen knew at a glance it meant business.

“OK, Doug. I give. What is it?”

“Looks like Old Man Ezekiel got a couple trucks from a DEA auction down in New Mexico according to the binder on the front seat.”

“And?”

“I used to see these type when I was working down there. The smugglers load them up and sneak across the border.”

“Well, since you know all about them, want to give be the nickel tour instead of me just staring at you like an idiot?”

“Ok, Garen. The smugglers get the big 4x4 trucks, paint them black, rip out all the lights and shit, mod the drivetrains to make massive power and really fast. They load them up with whatever they are smuggling, usually drugs, sometimes guns, then they cross the border at one of the private ranches. They do a bunch of shit to keep the ranchers from seeing them and calling in the Border Patrol. Sometimes they would do the same on Park land. It was working with the Border guys I found out and saw them. If we got close and tried to catch them, they just hammered the gas and aimed at anything in their way they had to so they could get away. Our Tahoe’s and shit couldn’t have a prayer of catching them cross country. Not with their power, speed and range.“

Doug pointed to the front of the truck. “They run IR lights and goggles, the brushguard is welded with extra bracing directly to the frame. If you look underneath, there’s probably anywhere from two to four mufflers all in a row and an oversized fuel tank. Our only hope was to call in a helicopter before we lost them.”

“Shit! And you say there are two of them? Are the keys in them? Have you already started them up?” Garen was excited now.

“I just found them a few minutes ago. Yes the keys are there, but I haven’t tried them yet. I want to wait till the morning when Paige gets back She’s the diesel savant. The smugglers cut, crimp, bypass or just rip shit out and I don’t want to blow something up without a check-up first.”

“Makes sense.” Garen said, only halfway listening as she started walking around the truck, trying to see more. One of the first things he noticed was it’s a four-door cab.”

“Any idea why they used four door models?”

‘Four guys load and unload quicker than two and it gives them more lookouts.” Garen opened up the back door and was startled at what he found. The back seats had been replaced and modified. They now sat deeper in, facing straight out the window. And the door was heavier than he expected. He looked at the door itself and saw a large sheet of steel or ceramic ballistic plate on the door. The first thought that came to Garen’s mind was ‘gunner’s position’ since it reminded him of the gunners position in the Blackhawks.

Garen looked over at Doug and pointed at the changed seats. “Is this normal too?”

“We usually only saw things like that for vehicles operating inside Mexico according to the briefings I got but that was years ago.”

When he looked under the truck, he saw multiple mufflers welded end to end, just like Doug predicted. He also saw load springs that looked like they belonged on a dump truck, not a passenger vehicle.

The bed of the truck looked like something out of a C-130, with cargo rollers and tie-down rails. This thing was made to haul freight fast and quiet, regardless of who or what might try to stop them.

“OK, Doug. Let’s get the cover off the other one and see if he got a matching pair. I definitely want these to go with us.”
 
ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The Training Building


Paige and Kara were sitting at the table upstairs recovering from dinner. Kara had introduced Paige to her now famous Loco Moco. Both weren’t sure what to say now. Paige was still coming to grips with actually telling someone about her fever-induced hallucinations. She knew they felt real to her, but she figured the others would say she imagined it all.

Kara believed her. Evidently, she had too many details about how Christian looked, how he talked, even how he stood that she couldn’t have pulled from thin air. That meant being with Henrik there was real too! God! She still missed him so much, and to hear Kara talk, she probably would just as much until the day she died.

“I know Sabine and Andrea love me, but I don’t know how I would have made it without you, Zed and Jesse.” Paige said, looking into her coffee cup as Kara topped it off from the pot they had on the table.

“Anything you need, just tell me. I’ll do whatever I can to help you. We all will.” Kara meant it. Paige had given her the gift of hope. It was priceless to her.

Kara was sitting and doodling on a piece of paper as they talked. She realized she was drawing something she hadn’t done in years. It was a small, stylized Jester’s head. Christian was her wandering minstrel, the one who could always make her laugh, her Baladin in French. That was her nickname for him. When Paige told her that, she knew it had to be real.

The radio on the counter made noise. Kara went over to answer it when she heard they were calling for ‘Sprout’.

“It’s for you.” She said as she handed the mic to Paige.

“Sprout, this is V squared.” Veronica’s voice came over the speaker

“V Squared, this is Sprout. Hope all is well on that end.” Paige was happy to hear Veronica’s voice It would be good to have them here.

“As well as can be expected. Hopefully we will be there in a couple of days. We can’t wait to see all you guys!” was Veronica’s reply.

Paige knew she had to get them over to Bekka so she could set up the next step. Lay it out quick and concise, she told herself.

“I look forward to you guys getting here as well. We are going to bring you to a central point we can sort and organize the next steps from while we work on your medical patients.”

“Sounds good. So where are we going and how do we link up?” Veronica sounded a little confused and anxious to Paige. She wondered what was going on at their end. Well, they will be here soon enough and everything would be better, not that things were bad right now, all things considered.

“For all those sort of details, I’m going to hand you off to one of the planners around here while I get ready to come out and get you.” Paige knew Bekka should already be sitting by the radio by now, with all the traffic back and forth, she’s had plenty of warning.

“ATC, Sprout. V Squared is ready for link up instructions.”

Bekka was obviously ready. As soon as Paige called, her distinctive voice came over the airwaves.

“V Squared, ATC. I will be giving you the radio instructions for the planned formation. I will give you map co-ordinates. To decipher them, from the first number, subtract the Julian day of Sprout’s proposal. For the second number add the Julian day of Sprout’s marriage ceremony. Copy?”

At hearing the instructions, Paige squinted her eyes shut, fighting back the wave of sorrow. Deep breaths, she told herself. She felt Kara’s arm around her now as they stood at the radio listening.

“Understood, ready to copy”

Bekka’s instructions were as clear and concise as several hours planning and composing could make them.

“When you get to the location, pull in behind the place Doc said you were worried about her potato salad would be criticized.’

“Got it.” Veronica’s tone didn’t sound as sure as her words.

“You will be met by someone you recognize. If something goes wrong and they are unavailable, we will contact you on your vehicle radios. We will be close. Questions?”

Paige and Kara waited, hanging on the radio, worried some new problem or wrinkle was going to pop up. The only question Veronica came back with made sense and didn’t set off any danger signals.

“When should we meet you there?”

“As soon as you can. When you get there, we will head out and lead you the rest of the way.”
 
ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
In the Garage Before Dawn


Bekka looked at everyone before they got into the vehicles. They were all geared up and prepared to get moving. Allyson and Heidi looked ready to run a full-fledged deep penetration scouting mission. Between the cans of fuel, packs, rolled-up camo netting and the MG3 on the hood, they looked right out of the pictures from a 2003 push into Iraq.

This was not the first mission these two had done together. They were a good team in the race to pick up Angelique and Zed. They worked well together but Allyson told Bekka she was picking up a different vibe from Heidi this time. Allyson could feel the intensity radiating off of her like a heat lamp in the aquarium she used to keep her lizard in. Heidi seemed more focused than a fat kid on a free donut. Allyson didn’t think it was possible but Heidi reached a new level of intensity and focus. She wondered if she was going to be able to keep up with her this time. Bekka knew those two would be ok together on the trip.

Emilia looked ready, but Bekka could see the nervous undercurrent beneath the outer facade. They just spent twenty minutes shuffling the gear in the front around again until both were satisfied they could get to everything they thought they would need by feel. Bekka had needed to bail out of vehicles before and survive on the ground with only what she carried more than once and her latest time with Olivia reminded her of all the things she had to get right. She made sure to pass these lessons to Emilia. She wasn’t going to make those mistakes again.

Bekka took a long look at Sabine. She was more of a question for this trip than Emilia. She was held together with duct tape and prayer on top of being pregnant, but she was the best choice to treat these medical patients. Besides, they had to, or wanted to at least, take someone who knew the people coming in, and would be recognized by them. She extracted a useless promise from Sabine to avoid heavy lifting or strenuous combat, but if it came to that, everything was out the window anyway. Sabine wasn’t even taking a long gun of any kind. She had a sidearm and what she called her ‘oh shit’ pistol if things got screwed.

Angelique stood there with her looking at everyone else’s preps, just like Bekka taught her. Bekka thought it looked a little odd to see Angelique without her bolt gun. Instead, she had her 10mm Subgun and plenty of magazines. She remembered their talk earlier where she laid out what she really needed from her on this trip.

Angelique was the second medic. She was Sabine’s arms and legs for anything Sabine needed lifted, moved, picked up or whatever. This was an opportunity for her to get a lot more experience with complex medical problems. All of this was the public plan. Bekka told her the other half in private.

Angelique was to be stuck to Sabine’s hip as much as possible. She was to be Sabine’s bodyguard. Her protector. If anything went completely to shit, she was Sabine’s evasion partner as well. When Bekka explained this, Angelique was a little taken back.

“Wait, why me?”

“You are the best choice here for the medical angle, and the person I trust most out of all of us, Garen and Kara included, to be able to do this. You have the skills and the knowledge, and I know you won’t quit.”

It was the best way she could tell her what she was really thinking. The fact was the kid didn’t know what she couldn’t do. She would stop at nothing to get the job done. The older you get, the more you start to know your limitations. The kid was good, too. Bekka remembered when she was like that. The limitations showed up over the years and it took her many years to get even close to where Angelique already was.

Bekka looked into the shocked face of Angelique as she gave her the reasoning behind her choice. Angelique could do nothing but nod hearing how much confidence Bekka had in her and the responsibility that came with it.

Bekka could see Angelique was also beginning to realize what carrying Zed out of the forest meant. She heard second hand what Heidi talked to her about after the Zed carry and she was right. Angelique set her own benchmark and now she’s starting to realize what it meant.

“OK, Kara will have the gate open for us, let’s go.” Bekka said. It’s now or never were the were the thoughts going through her minds.

As they went by, Kara waved. “Have fun storming the Castle boys”
 
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ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
At the House After the Group Left


Andrea was in the kitchen when Kara came back in from closing the gate.

“Paige sleeping in?” ?” Kara asked, not seeing her out here.

“Yeah, she was still tired after your ‘walkabout’ last night.” Andrea said as she clattered pans in the kitchen.

“Good! How do you want to do this? Dueling Pistols? Bowie knives? A good old-fashioned hair-pulling claws out girl fight? We can move the table and do it right here.” Kara said in a forceful tone that snapped Andrea’s head around.

“What the **** are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about you acting like a jealous high school brat whenever I’m around. You obviously have a problem with me and Sabine being friends. Shit! She’s basically my sister, from her own declaration. I was going to marry her brother and from everything I learned about her from him, he really wanted us to be friends. She and I share a bond because of him. I don’t know what bullshit you think is going on, but I’m not trying to steal your girlfriend, Damnit!”

“What about Paige!” Andrea practically screamed.

“What about Paige? I saw a friend in need and Sabine thought I might be able to help.”

“I’m her best friend! I should be the one helping her!”

“You’re right, you should be, but you’re too close. You knew him too and lost him at the same time. All of this is still fresh for all of you. Besides, your loss is different than hers.”

“What the **** do you mean by that?”

‘She lost the person that completes her, that she was going to spend the rest of her life with. I’ve been there, all five stages of the giraffe. I’ve tried ignoring the pain, I’ve been so angry I’ve hated Christian with every fiber of my being for dying and leaving me behind. I’ve tried to drown it in booze, obliterate it with drugs, anything to make the pain go away. Have you ever been where you can’t feel anything? Or where you are willing to do anything to feel different that how you feel now!”

Kara took a breath. This was something that needed done but she didn’t want to lose control of…

“Bekka and Garen are my oldest friends. Shit, for the longest time, my only friends. They were there the day I lost Christian. They were the only reason I lived past that day. They knew him some, but not like I did. We hadn’t told them yet. They had no idea of the special side of him only I and his sister saw.”

“Sabine is the first person in forever I can talk with about him and really feel a hint of the warmth, the memory of happiness I had with him. Not Garen. Not Bekka. I think it has helped Sabine as well. You acting like a jealous five-year-old does nothing but hurt Sabine and you.”

“I can live with you hating me for whatever ****ed up reason you have concocted in your head, but you need to keep it there and not let it out to Sabine or Paige because if you do, you will lose them. As for Paige, if talking to me keeps her arms from looking like mine trying to see if she can still feel,” Kara held up both her arms, showing the fine network of scars all across her inner forearms, “or spending hours staring at a single bullet wondering if she could join him or if it’s just blackness beyond, weighing the option since she’s still without him anyway…Well, maybe you should sit back and let it be.”

Kara lowered her arms. “So, knives, guns, or a straight up ass kicking.”

“I…”

Paige’s voice from the hallway cut her off. “None of the above. I’ll take care of this.” Paige stepped up to a now crying Andrea and wrapped her up in her arms. “Sssh, I know, it will be ok.”

Kara pulled her sleeves back down and headed for the stairs. She knew Angelique’s room was empty right now and she needed a nap.
 
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Griz3752

Griz3752

Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Cohickman said:
Ultimately the STRONG bond between them all will ripe out Souls when one of the group dies. But to suffer great loss is to have had great love.
Click to expand...
^^^^^^
Philosophical but absolutely true too. Not sure if we're really wired to remember the trivial . . . .
 
ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Angelique’s Room


Kara hadn’t been up long enough to need a nap, but letting some of what she said out loud to Andrea took a lot out of her. Admitting to herself all the self-destructive things she did in her frustration, her depression, her despair was hard enough and took years to put in its place.

After the talk she had with Paige last night, it was like a huge weight had been lifted from her heart. Her words she said, shouted, screamed, and lamented all these years weren’t empty gestures or hollow hopes. She truly had a hope of seeing Christian again, if she stayed on the right side of things and didn’t lose her focus and commitment. She knew she had a lot of work to do to balance the scales to make up for all the things she had done after Christian died, but she could do it. She had to.

She didn’t know exactly how she was going to help Paige but she sure as hell was going to do everything she could to try. She needed to keep her from that deep pit of helpless anguish Kara lived in for so long.

She could smell Angeliques shampoo on her pillow as she laid down. She knew Paige would come get her when she was ready. Strawberry filled her nose as she slipped off to sleep. The first sleep without drugs or nightmares in so long she didn’t know.
 
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Lake Lili

Lake Lili

Veteran Member
CCG - Bright Blessings on you and the Missus for Yule and for the year to come. My thanks to you both for the enormous amount of effort you have put into telling this tale.
Lili
 
ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The Guest Room


Paige steered a sobbing Andrea into the guest room they were using. She sat them on the bed.

“Am I that horrible of a person?” Andrea sobbed into Paige's shoulder.

“No, you’re not horrible.”

“Yes, I am!”

“Ok. Sometimes you are, but aren’t we all? Hell, think about. Haven’t we all been a bitch goddess from hell at some point? Every friendship, every relationship, goes through this. You just got bitch slapped by one of the best and it hurts bad. But I am here.” Paige turned and twisted Andrea to look at her.

“Look at me. Listen to me. You love Sabine. Sabine loves you. I love you. We are not trying to replace you. Period. You think Kara could replace you? Nobody can replace you. You are special sometimes short bus helmet on the head special. Kara is not a replacement. She is an addition.

Paige stopped wiping away the tears mainly to make sure Andrea was listening, and hoped she was actually hearing her. Right now, she was only getting sobby pity party eyes.

“Just like us Kara has a past with Sabine. They have pieces each one needs to fill in empty parts of their life. It will help Sabine in the long run.” Again, she stopped.

“Andrea, we all need each other. I can’t do this without you or Sabine. Don’t abandon me or try to drive us away. I couldn’t take it. And Sabine may seem strong but remember when you first met her? There is a fragile part of her and crack it with your lack of trust in her and she will run. You will never see her again. If you do not start trusting her, you will lose her. Is that what you want? She loves you. Remember that. Believe in yourself. You got her to follow you home with a smile and a kind word. She must trust you even when she doesn’t trust anyone else. Don’t make her regret it.”

“Why is everyone picking on me?” Andrea sobbed.

Paige knew her all too well and had seen too many times the games she was trying to play. She was NOT going to let Andrea start this, not today. She didn’t want to hurt her friend since Kara had already done a good enough job of it. The problem was, if she let Andrea do it now, she would manipulate them for now until the cows came home or Kara kicked her ass.

“You haven’t heard a thing I’ve said! Kara’s right. Wipe those crocodile tears from your eyes and grow up. We have work to do.” Paige said as turned walking away in frustration.
 
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R

Raymond

Contributing Member
Thanks for all your hard work and wisdom. I depend on seeing this story each week.
God bless you and your family. Have a wonderful Christmas!
 
L

Landcruiser

Contributing Member
In the end no one is indispensable. When we as individuals begin to think we are the only (or even an...) important player on the board we can be quickly humbled and or replaced.

Botez gambit...sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
 
ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
On the Road to the Pick-Up


They decided on a bounding overwatch style of movement. This kept both vehicles out of a kill zone at one time. It might be overkill but Bekka wasn’t taking chances with no backup on tap right now. They were about an hour into their trip when Allyson and Heidi spotted a possible problem.

Rather than spend a lot of time on the radio, Bekka moved up to Allyson’s position and stopped instead of traveling past them.

“What do we have?” Bekka asked Heidi.

Looks like a roadblock, but it’s been there for long enough and has enough tracks going around it, I can’t tell if its still active, just left in place as a chokepoint or abandoned and empty.”

Bekka thought of the map, calculated the detour times and routes.

“Three, maybe four hours.”

“So do we give up four hours or do we roll the dice push and forward, or, and here’s a twist, let me do some recon and find out.” Heidi’s voice had a different kind of emotion than what most would expect but it made sense to Bekka. It was excitement. Like a racehorse hearing a crowd, Heidi couldn’t help it and neither could Bekka.

Bekka knew this but she had been here before more than once. She knew she had to think through this and pick the right path.

“Sending you down alone isn’t right.”

“You got someone to send with me? And you better not say…”

Bekka turned to the back seat.

“Angelique, I know it wasn’t on your dance card, but care to back Heidi up on a little look-see?”

“Sure.” She looked out the window at Heidi. “Quick and quiet, loop around and look from behind?”

“Yup.” Heidi answered as she climbed out of the Hyena.

Moments later the pair disappeared into the trees.
 
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