Racing the Storm

Pterano · **Reply #260 on:** June 16, 2014, 10:32:33 PM

Tony was about even with the trio, struggling to keep up his pace. "God! I'm so not in shape for this!" he bemoaned, noting how difficult it was to keep going. "Hey Vergil! I don't suppose you could like... levitate me up there, right?" Tony asked, grimacing as he battled to hold on.

"Sorry! Not really!" Vergil called back down. "I still need to carry your weight mentally the whole time... not something I can sustain for prolonged periods!"

"Dammit!" Tony cursed under his breath. That would've been way too easy. Looking over at Marita, he decided to try and make conversation to keep him distracted from the climb. "So Marita... you uh... you used to be a stripper, right? And I know you like... are with Marie and Rose... but like... do you like guys at all, or not really?" he asked, grunting again as he pulled himself up a bit further, moving onto a small outcropping of rocks which gave him a foothold. Of all the things to distract himself with... but the ferret supposed there were worse things to be distracted by whilst climbing a practically sheer cliff face. But still... why he was thinking of Marita in this moment was a bit strange, but he'd just roll with it... the words were out of his mouth after all, and there were no take-backs.

Nick22 · **Reply #261 on:** June 16, 2014, 11:10:45 PM

An Interesting set of questions Tony. To answer your first question, no I was never a stripper, that was Rose' Marita said as she kept climbing.' We both had drug addictions, but went about sustaining our habits in different ways. She sold her body, I sold my talents with computers. As for guys, well I've had relationships with guys before, in high school and college, but I've found my relationships with girls to be.. well more fulfilling, in an emotional sense. In the strictest sense, I'm bisexual, with preference towards women. So I don't hate guys, if that's what you are thinking. And Tony, if you're wondering about that kiss the girls and I gave Anne, fret not, it was just a friendly goodbye kiss, nothing more than that. We're not involved with her in anyway, other that the fact shes a roommate of ours and is a friend. " Marita continued as she kept climbing up. she was approaching the halfway point "So you can rest easy on that score, and I promise I wont kiss Anne like that again."

Pterano · **Reply #262 on:** June 16, 2014, 11:22:45 PM

"Oh uh... well no, actually..." Tony responded, trying to keep pace with the girls. "The thing with Anne... I dunno if I have a chance with her or not. She didn't really seem... well I dunno. Maybe when I go back I could ask her again but... actually I was asking out of interest for you." Tony admitted now quickly, wondering just what he was saying. "Thought had just crossed my mind really... an innocent little flight of fancy, I guess." he stated nervously, sweating profusely from the heat, humidity, and exertion he was subjecting his body to.

He tried to laugh it off or act like it wasn't a big deal. He guessed the mind could do strange things when it wasn't sure how much longer it had to live. "So just thought I'd ask is all..." he stammered, wrestling with the rock face as he got higher. Vergil was clearer now, and getting closer in his vision.

Nick22 · **Reply #263 on:** June 16, 2014, 11:46:21 PM

"Are you interested in me Tony?" Marita's face soon had a smirk on it.. ' Well, if you're asking me out, Sure, I'll give you a shot. Pick out a place to eat and dinner time and I'll mark it on my calender. First things first though, we need to finish climbing.. looking down from heights isnt good for the appetite " She said as she kept climbing. Marita was slightly ahead of Tony now, which Marie and Rose a bit behind him. it was probably another 25-30 feet to the top now.

Pterano · **Reply #264 on:** June 16, 2014, 11:57:07 PM

"Oh! Well uh... sure!" Tony responded with some enthusiasm, or at least as much as he could muster climbing up a near vertical face of rocks. "I uh... how about after the waypoint, before our flight back?" he suggested, straining a bit as he suddenly felt his legs slip. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, fighting to hold on. Closing his eyes, he waited for the dizzying sensation of vertigo to pass, and stared back up the cliff with determination.

"Dammit... not getting stuck on this mountain!" he snarled, and began hoisting himself up paw over paw. "I hear La Paz is nice generally all year..." he said with trepidation evident in his voice. But he was only a few feet away now, and with a last cry, he pulled himself up and over the ledge, Vergil grabbing hold and tugging him up the last few feet. "Thanks!" Tony breathed, rolling over onto his back and gazing at the sky as he placed a worn paw on his belly, stomach rising and falling as he caught his breath.

Serris · **Reply #265 on:** June 17, 2014, 12:04:02 AM

Soren was sweating profusely as he hauled himself up the cliff face. He wasn't totally out of shape but he wasn't used to this degree of vigorous exercise. Luckily, being a Human and thus of Simian heritage, he didn't find it as hard as he thought it would be.

"Hey Tony, you get a weird feeling about Mariah?" he said as he clung to a small handhold in the cliff face. "Like she's not who she says she is?" Being an augmentworker, he knew that the woman's augments were a bit overbuilt for simple jungle adventuring. Especially how he saw her effortlessly lift the folded flying frame with one arm.

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Marion noticed that the group was out of sight. Double-checking to make sure no one else was around, she retrieved a lockpick from a compartment in her left arm. Heading over to the trunk of Tony's rover, she got to work picking the lock.

Nick22 · **Reply #266 on:** June 17, 2014, 12:09:31 AM

Sure, thats fine. Never been to La Paz, or Sucre for that matter. ' Marita said as she finished her climb, just before Tony finished his. Rose and Marie climbed up a few minutes later, but were worn from the long climb and needed a couple minutes to recuperate.. ok' we've made it..' Marie said, wiping the sweat from her brow.. ' How far until the waypoint?' She asked.

Pterano · **Reply #267 on:** June 17, 2014, 12:18:32 AM

"Cool!" Tony responded to Marita breathlessly. "Me neither... uh... yeah! Totally!" he replied to Soren now. "I don't trust her at all! Way too convenient and she had some pretty sweet augments for a clueless tourist. I don't think... I left anything in the Rover that'd give us away though..."

"The really important thing is this." Vergil stated, pulling the locator out of his pouch now. "It shows us directly to the waypoint, which at this point is..." He fiddled with it, adjusting the resolution and studying the distance on the screen. "Half a mile in that direction!" He gestured with his hand, chopping it downward and straight out in the direction they needed to head. "But let's wait till we have everyone, shall we?" he suggested, looking down the cliff side to see if he could spot Axel and Lily and especially Triste, who was foremost in his mind right now.

"Well... I don't think I have anything in my luggage aside from clothes and guns... and she's welcome to either, though I might have something to say about that when I get back down... hoo!" he sighed as he rolled over and tried to push himself up to standing. "OK... time to... do this..." he said with reluctance, groaning as he got to his feet. "Ugggh! That was... a workout." he confessed, shaking his head here and brushing his paws off on his pants.

Serris · **Reply #268 on:** June 17, 2014, 12:44:33 AM

Soren hauled himself up to a small ledge and took a seat to rest and recover. He nodded. "We need to get rid of her."

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Marion popped open the Rover's trunk and dug through the cargo. "Clothes, hiking supplies...just a bunch of...hello!" She retrieved a 12-gauge automatic shotgun. She smiled. Maybe these guys were government operatives.

bushwacked · **Reply #269 on:** June 17, 2014, 06:20:32 AM

Axel kept putting one hand above the other, reaching up to grip handholds in the rock and pull himself higher. He resolutely kept his eyes above chest level, the wind starting to buffet his hair into his face distractingly. The climb wasn't as hard as he'd thought it was going to be... but he'd still feel a lot better when there was actual ground beneath him, rather than the small, narrow ledges that he was precariously pushing his feet into. Axel raised his eyes and saw that the top of the cliff was getting close. Ahead a short distance, he could see Triste almost up and over. "We're almost there!" he called across to Lily, picking up speed. He felt a small sprinkling of dust and dirt shower his head, then a small pebble bonked him between the eyes and he yelped. "Hey! Watch it!"

"Sorry!" From above, Triste could see she'd arrived at the peak. Reaching up, she clasped the edge of the cliff and pulled herself over with both hands. Standing up and brushing herself down, she leaned back over the edge, grasped the spike and yanked it out. Turning back to the rest of the group that had already arrived, Triste nodded. "That went well." Removing her gear, she made her way over and leaned next to the others as they recovered. "I suppose it'd be too naive to hope the rest of this goes just as easily."

From behind, Axel's faltering voice drifted up. "We're there! Afterburners engaged!" One hand came over, then the other, and the rat heaved himself into view. Shaking his hair out of his eyes, he looked up at the others and grinned. "We did it! I feel like I could conquer a mountain!" He looked back over the edge, and instantly looked unsettled again. "But not right now..." Flattening himself on his stomach, he reached down and stretched a hand out for Lily.

Pterano · **Reply #270 on:** June 17, 2014, 03:22:08 PM

"Get rid of her, eh? Well then we can always dump her with the next motorist that wanders by, and she can be someone else's problem." Tony suggested, straightening up and looking back down the cliff. "Heh... she's going through our stuff... looks like you were right, Soren." Tony nodded. "Anyway, let's get Lily up here and press on. We got a waypoint to find."

"Right... here..." Vergil reached down, and began hauling up Lily's rope, straining a bit as he wasn't terribly physically strong, but he used his mental abilities to provide short lifts to her, making it easier for her to reach the top and reduce the strain on himself. Finally, Axel was able to get her the rest of the way up, and they were good to go. "Let's bring the ropes up with us, so we can't be followed all that easily... though I'm not sure of course what her capabilities are." Vergil stated, yanking the piton out of the cliff and beginning to pull his rope up.

Tony started doing the same with his as well. "Look, if she somehow still manages to follow us, we deal with her then, all right? No need worrying about it if it won't happen just yet."

"Right... well let's press on. We have a bit of a hike through the jungle, and then we'll be there. I imagine we'll start seeing some ruins before long." Vergil commented, slinging the rope over his shoulder. Taking point, he held the navigator out in front of him, starting to follow it as they entered the thick jungle on top of the mountain now. Insects buzzed around them, and the cry of birds could be heard in numerous trees. Vegetation crunched under his feet as he walked, and he noticed by now the sun was sinking as late afternoon wore on. It would be evening or perhaps even after dark by the time they arrived... hopefully that wouldn't complicate matters. "Lovely stroll through the jungle, eh?" Vergil asked, slapping a mosquito on his neck and killing it with a satisfying splat. He didn't have to worry about picking up any diseases down here: the Federation had provided vaccinations for all of them before departure.

Serris · **Reply #271 on:** June 17, 2014, 05:14:59 PM

Soren followed. A quick yank on the rope and the piton came free. He placed it back in the gun and tucked the launcher back into its holster. "All I can safely say is that we can assume that her strength and stamina are significantly above Baseline levels. Also, judging from what I saw of her arms, she might have tools in them."

He swore as a mosquito landed on him. He flicked it off before it did anything. Sighing, he sprayed himself with more insect repellant.

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Marion sighed as dusk approached. All she found were some weapons and usual travelling gear.

"Mace. This is Marion," she said into her throat mike. "The group I'm with is quite heavily armed but there is nothing that suggests they're government or corporate operatives. Right now, all I know is that they ascended a mountain that I'm currently at the foot of. What are my orders? Over."

yeswonderful · **Reply #272 on:** June 17, 2014, 10:16:54 PM

"Well, they're an exuberant bunch."

In the dense undergrowth several hundred yards from the top of the cliff, a dark form crouched. Sweat rolled down Kaien's back and insects buzzed about her face, but she remained still, watching and listening. She had heard the voices of the group filtering up from the bottom of the cliff, and then watched as each hauled themselves over the precipice. The woman continued to watch as they moved away from her, their conversation fading into the forest. One word, however, caught her attention as they left the cliffside.

Ruins.

So, that was their purpose.

"How interesting," she murmured to herself. Kaien unfolded herself from a crouch and made her way through the jungle behind them.

"Lovely evening for a jaunt, isn't it?" she called nonchalantly, a hand on one of the shoulder straps of her pack. Her jacket was open, and a pistol could be seen clearly at her hip, her augmented right hand resting upon the grip of the weapon. Over her left shoulder an energy blade handle protruded. Her expression was that of light amusement, her body posture seemingly relaxed despite being faced with the heavily-armed group in front of her.

Serris · **Reply #273 on:** June 17, 2014, 11:04:46 PM

Soren scowled. He kept his hand near his piton gun. While it lacked the range of his rifle, the hardened metal harpoon it fired was just as deadly as a bullet. "I suppose it is a nice evening for a walk. So what brings you here?"

Pterano · **Reply #274 on:** June 17, 2014, 11:15:15 PM

"Yeah well... we'll deal with her when we get back down. I agree though... she seems more heavily augmented than normal." Vergil gave a nod here. A noise came from behind them now however, and a voice to match. Whirling around, Vergil went for his blade, but didn't draw it just yet, his hand only hovering near it as he gazed upon the newcomer.

Tony had to admit, Kaien had caught him by surprise, and he jumped a bit at the voice, spinning around as well with his paw shooting down to the pistol he'd brought along strapped to his side. "Jeez... a lovely jaunt you say?" he asked, noting the temperature was starting to drop as the sun set. They may be in the jungle, but they were still on top of a mountain, and night could bring rather chilly temperatures up here.

Another one Vergil thought to himself, eyes narrowed a bit here. "Ahem... and you are?" he asked. "What brings you to the top of such a remote peak?" he asked at just about the same time Soren did. Somehow, he thought he already knew her response though. He tapped a finger on his blade, ready to draw it if necessary, but noticed she was rather relaxed, and hostile action was not likely to follow given her posture.

Mace heard Marion's query, and sighed a bit here. "No... I suspect rummaging through their belongings wouldn't confirm their status as government agents. If they do work for the Federation, they'd be much too careful to leave IDs lying around after all. I take it you didn't worm your way into their good graces, then? I can't say I expected you would though, given your augments. Hmmm... have to earn their trust somehow... but before that... is it possible for you to ID their attackers? Did you pick up anything useful about them?" he asked here.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #275 on:** June 18, 2014, 12:06:11 AM

Lily staggered to her feet, panting heavily. "Thanks..." she groaned.

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"Hey. Turn around."

While Marion was talking and searching, a motley gang of five had crept out of the woods and had an array of handheld rifles and shotguns aimed at her. Their leader, a heavily scarred female fox, pointed an unwavering pistol aimed perfectly between her eyes.

"We're claiming these vehicles and everything in them. You have one chance to turn and walk away, or lock yourself in a trunk and we'll ditch you somewhere. Do I make myself clear?"

Emilena had made it clear to her gang members; if the stranger did anything that they merited to void her one chance, they had the right to fire without waiting for approval. Flora in particular seemed yearning to take that opportunity.

bushwacked · **Reply #276 on:** June 18, 2014, 06:13:24 AM

"Lovely?! That's what you call this?!" Axel stood slouching at the edge of the group, his face twisted in discontent. After only a few paces into the jungle, the oppressive humidity had started to work its way through his clothes, making him feel sluggish, and in an attempt to keep cool he'd taken off his shirt and tied it around his waist. Unfortunately, this had made him an even easier target for the bugs flitting around, and he'd spent most of the time cursing and slapping his body with disgust.

The rat fixed a glum expression on Kaien and shook his head. "Lovely... lovely isn't the word..." He felt a tickle, and out of the corner of his eye Axel saw a spider scuttle into view on his shoulder. His face twitched.

Triste folded her arms and stared back at the woman, her expression not changing at the cries and slaps coming from Axel behind her. Eyes narrowing as she focused on the pistol and energy blade, Triste nodded at Vergil's question. She's not here for a 'jaunt' through the jungle... "Have you been following us?"

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"Yeah, bitch. Take a fucking hike," Rio reiterated, waving a small pistol towards Marion with one hand. The other was clasped around a blue ice lolly, which he was licking with satisfaction. Still pointing the gun, the boy turned to look up at Nairda and popped the ice lolly out of his mouth. "Can't we just lock her ass in the trunk anyway?" he asked. His tongue had taken on the same colour as the sugary treat.

Nick22 · **Reply #277 on:** June 18, 2014, 08:42:36 AM

a lovely hike is not what i would call this.' Marita said looking at the newcomer. " We have business of our own to attend to, so you are free to go on your way." Marita was not keen on adding another to the group.

Serris · **Reply #278 on:** June 18, 2014, 02:09:29 PM

Marion frowned. There was no way she'd be able to take on all of them and come out unscathed. She decided to cut her losses.

"Fine, you win." She picked up her compacted flying frame and walked away from the vehicles. Routing around a large tree, she looked up at the high mountain and sighed. A climb would be too slow but at the same time, if she flew, her cover was blown. Making sure there was no one around, she unpacked her flying frame and donned it.

The metallic wings unfolded and the engines spooled up with a quiet cough. The woman then began to slowly rise into the humid air.

--------------

Soren looked over the woman. He didn't recognize the Augment nor could he tell what class of augments she had. Regardless, despite the weapons she carried, she seemed to be harmless.

"We're a bit pressed for time," he said. "So pardon us for not wanting to chat. The sun was already below the horizon and only the faintest slivers of light could still be seen.

yeswonderful · **Reply #279 on:** June 18, 2014, 09:02:13 PM

Kaien did not attempt to suppress a chuckle at the reaction of the group. Ranging from surprise to discontent, they responded to her appearance on the trail behind them. She shrugged and tilted her head to the side thoughtfully.

"I heard you come over the cliff. Seems an odd place, this jungle, to go for a group foray." She motioned to their weapons. "Even more odd to be loaded down as you are. It's not often I see anyone here, much less those such as yourselves. So, as a wanderer, currently of these parts," her tone darkened, and her eyes narrowed in the slightest, "perhaps it's best that I inquire as to why you are here."