Ignavus : City of Blood

Act 6 : A Swift Stowaway

The quartet rolls on straight towards the north by their strained-up feet down below. Gads Gilmore’s device speaks of twenty more kilometers they required to traverse. For that reason, they now strides forward to look around the perimeter, attempting to scavenge upon many automobiles that goes stranded on the road.

“It’s no use. We’ve broken them cars and none of them manual. That’s really suck, for the electricity to come off somehow.”

John Straverman kicks a pebble on the street in slight disappointment,” I suppose this is future-life issues, huh. You can do nothing without those sizzling and buzzing current under the tires, now we can’t do nothing if it’s turned off.” He pouted.

Marks of shattered glass window spread across near-lifeless main street of Neatol. In comparison to their first day of arrival, the residential areas has been vacate of playful residents around. There are still streams of escapees who goes directly to Neatol’s main entrance bridge. Clueless and afraid, most of them barges away from their previous enjoyment and attempting to find a stowaway, yet the quartet know of the horrifying truth they may find across the edge.

Shanice listened to her subordinate’s complaint in serene expression,” Don’t worry, we’ll get our ride soon.”assured the woman towards his concern. Instead of supporting her notions, however, the black-haired man furrows both eyebrows instead.

“For real? You’re not trying to emphasize something out, aren’t you?” John’s perception narrowed,”We’re on survival. Please, no funny business in whatever you’ve trying to convince us on doing.” Said the man to support his caution. Before John Straverman could flare another thought, however, Shanice draws his attention to the gigantic man besides her.

“He’s the man for this. Gads, are there junkyards for us to spot a manual car?”

Gads Gilmore was oblivious on their rattle. He was looking after the small screen this entire time, peeping over unidentified edges on the map and going on an adventure to disclose the fog of unknown objects hidden in the dark,” Pardon me, what?” asked the bearded man towards his sister, which then approached him close and whispered on his left ear subsequently,”Ah, I remember two of them around here. One is a stone’s throw from our current location. We just have to run two more kilometers on our recent track, and the other one settled a little swing to the west of here.” he muttered in joy.

“That’s your answer. Let’s try the first one before us then swing by to the left as my man recommend, okay?”

After their brief debate, the curly-haired woman continues on observing their surroundings in keen-eyed fashion. She watches painful countenance of innocent bystanders across the other end of the road. In silence, she mourned. No one would be saved despite their prompt to reach the main gate. Its sole bridge to cross the river was already demolished by the huge cloud of flame yesterday. Law enforcers of Axeport city might have been on their own verdict to solve already, gathering themselves into united nest of blue-armored officer instead of helping people on the passageway.

~krucuk-krucuk~

“I’m apologize. It’s really improper, but my belly couldn’t be muffled up in some ways.”

Elisa Straverman flustered. She was walking in noiseless tact after the quizzable brawl against police-like intruders at the barn. No wonder, the blonde-haired woman was the person who deemed responsible for tending his bullet wounds. All but naught for her distressed motion due to the sudden storm that disembarked at their last shelter. It makes her unable to sleep well by the course of daunting phantom presented along the way, brought her to panic whenever an unknown force of wind occurs.

Instead of yelling towards the blonde-haired woman, Shanice nodded towards her guilt. The leader immediately ease off her weighing hesitation and muttered,”I’m on the same boat as you, Elisa. Let’s have a bit of sweets somewhere.” She said in following to the rustling sound of her digestive organ.

Indeed, their stomach were growling for a substantial amount of nourishment intake. This time around, they have no sustenance left in their backpack for instant remedy. The barn’s immense stock has been depleted since two hours before and leaving them all with nothing but edible container in their possession. They still wonder of so much food stock found inside the barn that day. Despite its life-sized structure of a functional livestock shed, there were no trace of such emergence in the first place. The little man has stored no suction cups for milking the nutrient out of his cattle. Let it be manual or automatic, either of them were nowhere to be found.

“Ah, I see one!”

Suddenly, John Straverman yelled towards an incredulous sightings behind the red brick enclosure. The black-haired man hailed across one of the most renowned convenience store in Axeport city.” Aldo Meridic himself owned the majority of shares for PangaeaMart, as it resembles the new mega-continent’s spirit and unity,“Watch out, John. Should be a group ruling inside. We have to take a sneak peek first.” Said the curly-haired woman before his mentions.

“But Aldo Meridic-“

Shanice skipped his insinuation with one forefinger across the lips,”Shut your mouth. No rules based on his speech, remember? There must be somebody out here who pays no interest over 20 billions of dollars. They want to live, admit that and move on with that silly thought of yours.”

Her brief logic successfully dimmed the intellectual mind away of its pursuer. John Straverman shook himself steadily before then putting either hands on the temple,”My mind started to blurt wild things without permission. Must be caused of fatigue. Sorry, Shanice. ” He mumbled towards Shanice before bowing down slightly afterwards.

“Don’t mention it. You have to keep your sense in this kind of warfare, John. Memorised that into your mind.”

John Straverman nodded against his actions. After that, the black-haired man drives himself close to the bearded man’s position. He took a preview into the screen one time before being halted by Gads’ burly arms in immediate fashion,” What are you doing man? Stay back.” Warned the man in mild fury,” You should have some rest. I’ll take care of whatever’s inside that store.”

~clack-clack~

Gads Gilmore equipped his silenced pistol and immediately rushing under the line of sight before the red brick fence. Shanice traced such intention and quickly take a stance on his rear, adequately-prepared with heavy-loaded submachine gun dampened by a long-tube of suppressor at the front,”I’m out of smokes. Have you got some?” asked her towards the bearded man, which addressing himself with a brief shake onto his head straight after,”Nah, I’ve bear no more. We have to tip-toe ourselves in some ways.”

“Oh well. Guess we better put them two as support or we’ll get damned in seconds.”

Shanice gestured a gentle nod towards the black-haired man. Looking upon their recurring advance, John Straverman notices her call, thus his immediate rush into warfare at once,”Wait for my next cue. Gads, give him your drones, please.” Muttered the woman in hushed-up voice. Gads Gilmore was seemingly perturbed by her casual signals towards his end, but being powerless to confront her at the most, so the man tossed a foldable screen into John’s lap for him to use,” Don’t be rash on my baby! You’re lack of briefing, but it’s quite easy to manage. It’s automatic and your role is to give us a heads-up against any enemies behind the wall.” Explained the man thoroughly.

Before his brief details, the black-haired man tilted his head in curiosity,”Merely picking noses for you guys, huh? Neat. I’m in.” Replied John almost instantly against the bearded man’s instruction. Gads Gilmore himself felt a little bit anxious, but happened to have no other choice on the verge of their assault,” If you catch that, I’ll be going. Watch our back, do ya?” two fingers crossed against his stern-looking eyes to indicate severe results that may appear.

“Roger that. I’ll guard your back like it’s my sister to begin with.”

~tap-tap-tap~

John Straverman withdraws back to safety besides his wife. Elisa awaited him near the abandoned house of Neatol. It piqued her interest to roam around the contour of the house. Dimly-painted with nuances of black and white, mounded up by numerous incision of various unintelligible motifs and scribbled patterns across the rim. Neighboring houses also colored in similar manner to the one they have resided. Should be provided by the local municipalities of Neatol for them to be developed identical amongst each other.

“What’s that, babe? Gads handed them down to you?”

Elisa Straverman posed a query once her husband shown up. Her blue-adorned irises goes widened upon John’s arrival, greatly reduced her own nervousness despite a pistol in both hands, especially during brief standby under the roof.

“Yeah, they wanted to storm out PangaeaMart for us both.” Said John in response. His vision collides against the screen panel and overviewing their opportunity that arrives. He can capture six moving circles inside the convenience store. One stationed behind the cashier desk and drives motionless this time around. Two members stood side-by-side, seemingly have a heated conversation in front of the juice fountain of PangaeaMart as their circles vibrate heavily against each other.

”I’ll hover to the next three.”

Mumbled the black-haired man to himself as he slides the real-mapping projection slightly to the west. Their circles gathered before a fire pit outdoors, nestled close to the round-like structure at the center whose inner side emits red-flame pattern on the planning board,”This is quite cutting-edge for surveillance mission, really. How’s this man making the program from scratch?” Commented John Straverman in amazement.

Meanwhile, his wife comprehends the scheme in rather puzzled nature. She followed the five person’s track on the map mindlessly, thinking of no persisting strategy they might do to oppose their advance,”What did this mean for you, babe?” asked her mid-way on his quick-witted inspection throughout the board’s landscape. She draws her finger towards several members of the group who settled outside,”Why there’s no activity from them? I think they’re dead.” She suggested subsequently.

“No baby, if I click on the interface, they are breathing fine and well.” Said the black-haired man with composure. He ticks onto the two stranded circles near the entrance wall for displaying their status to his wife. At once, specified informations regarding their current condition goes exhibited on the upper area of the screen,”Look at that, the man has low sugar level in his veins. How intricate this application is, actually?”

As the blonde-haired woman goes forth on questioning another, John Straverman stopped her by his left palm up front,”Please guard my six, honey. I’m gonna inform their precise position to our teammates at the frontline.” He tasked Elisa to do as demanded. However, the rolling eyes situated rather-diversed opinion on her behalf.

“I don’t get anything you said, John. Please speak in fluent English to continue further.” She mocked. Despite her ridicule, however, the black-haired man was already concentrated himself before the screening board and leaning in focus towards the screen,”Test-test. Is this radio on?”

Two little seconds later, a bold tone of voice emerged from the other end,”Yup. Smooth as ever. How’s the tango?”

“Three bogeys are shot-able and nestling inside the building. Three others choose to chill outside around a firepit.” John Straverman concluded his presentation by a little hum on the throat,”You can move if you’re ready. I proposed Gads to take three enemies outside. You’ve carried a shotgun, haven't you?”

“You’re not my leader, but I’ll take it to Shanice. Wonder what’s her thought about that.”