Tyler stood up from his lean on the wall, and stepped about the small area that was the shop.  He looked at Elise, and then to Nathaniel.  He listened to the man's advice, somewhat annoyed by the man's words of so called wisdom.  No matter, he thought, as he squashed the judgment he had begun to pass on Nathaniel.  The man did not know him any better than Tyler knew him, so Tyler gave him the benefit of the doubt.  Tyler was a big boy, and had been through plenty.  As long as he himself knew it, and was confident in himself, he would be okay.

"Name's Tyler," he said as he looked out into the darkness of the mall.  Tyler checked his watch.  It was around a quarter after Eleven, and he would need to be making radio contact with those Canadian weirdos soon.  He wasn't too sure of them at the moment, but his dad didn't seem to mind them any more than the next paranoid Vietnam vet.

Tyler smiled when he thought of his dad, and what they had been through; suddenly the mission, and the side tracking escapade at hand brought Tyler back into focus.  He brought the slung 2 quart canteen up, unscrewed the top, and brought it to his lips.  After a healthy swig, he put it back to its place around his arm.

"I think I'll be moving along, if you don't mind," he said in a distant tone, his mind clearly somewhere else", gotta see what I can see in this place."

He checked that his knife was close at hand, and his CAR-15 on SAFE, at low ready, and began heading toward the doorway that would lead him out into the depths and darkness of the mall.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:13, Sat 23 Aug 2008.

"Well Mister Tyler, well met!"

Nathaniel stood and made a waving off gesture that Tyler caught from the corner of his eye as he passed by.

"If you're asking my permission to come in, by all means it's granted. Don't touch anything, don't take anything. Ask permission before entering anyone's space."

Grabbing the lantern he followed the other man, not too close, but within easy sight.

"I think I'll tag along, if you don't mind. See you don't get yourself into trouble. Easy to get lost, under here."

As they moved out of the foyer and into the mall proper, Tyler could see a couple people moving in the darkness and hear someone coughing, echoing off the tile floors and glass storefronts. A few small lights, candles or maybe a lamp by the look of it, burned a ways off in the darkness. There was no natural light, either the mall went underground at this point or the structure of office buildings above didn't allow it.

Behind him outside, the engine noises rose to a crescendo that might have been painful had he been located nearby, then diminished.

---

At this point, Andy had suited up. Kelsey was scanning the local channels, but getting no joy on any intercept.

They saw the main group pass to the north, and now the sound passed away, going to the east. There was still a pair of bikers watching them from a block away, to the north, looking uncomfortable in the pouring rain.

Dr. Pang and the paramedic came over to the van. The Doctor addressed Andy (being the ranking NCo), "Well, Corporal, what's the plan? You do your thing here, we take one of the mounties and see if there's anyone over at the Bay? Or wait until you give the all-clear here at the drains? We're in no big rush here."
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:21, Sun 24 Aug 2008.

Tyler took his hands off his weapon, and let it hang free so as not to be overly threatening.  He nodded, and smiled at Nathaniel.

"Sure thing, man," he said kindly", I don't want to be wearing a black hat in the place...just passing through, seeing what I can see...maybe make a friend or two...who knows."

Tyler continued talking as the man followed him, noting that he was not next to him, but instead in somewhat of a submissive stance behind him.  Tyler chuckled and turned to meet the man's face with his own.

"Like I was saying, though," he said, slowing down to allow the man to catch up and be at his side.

"What other sort of things are down here?" he asked", anyone around here of importance?  Anyone friendly enough to hang with?  Anybody?"

Tyler slowly rubbed an area near the hand guards of his CAR-15 that had too much CLP on it.

In reply to Tyler Gabriel Hope (msg #41):

Nathaniel caught up a bit.

"Frankly, people just kind of live down here, and they mind their own business. Some people live down here because they don't want to meet new people, you understand?"

"There are better places to go if you're looking for people. Clubs, the market."

"If you're looking to meet people there's Brandie's of course. Anything you want you can get there. Girls, booze, uptown, downtown, you name it. The Hells are always lookin' to hire people. There's the Penthouse over on, ah, Seymour, also got girls and a good kitchen. There's the market on Granville Island, but that's on Sunday. I could take you to see Shepherd, good guy, knows everyone."

Tyler could see the mall was stripped here, not really damaged, but that at one time a lot of people had lived in close proximity. There were still blankets strung up in the empty storefronts, but the spaces were long empty.

He saw a mall map on a board. It was a big place, over three city blocks long, one "underground" level, one street level, and two of three blocks also had an upper level. There were connecting tunnels to a smaller complex across the street about a block away.

"I dunno Tyler, you someone people want to meet? Why not tell me a little about yourself, where you from, what you doing here."

He chuckled, to show he wasn't being unfriendly. Tyler got the impression Nathaniel was kind of a doorman of sorts, there to check out people wanting access.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:16, Sun 24 Aug 2008.

"Mac, I think we should bug out of this place.  Those bikers obviously own it and we are sticking out like a two penny nail in a piece of plywood.  A foot recon makes more sense of this place, and I dare say foot and loaded, those boys mean business.. or we wait on the turret of the car, but I wouldn't rule out those folks have anti-tank"

Tyler looked over at him, and gave a slight smile.

"I am nobody really...just a guy trying to see some things before I head back to my little house on the water...sucks really...I was...well...I am a Soldier in the US Army...sort of on a hiatus at the moment...helping my dad get along with life back at our place up north."

He looked down at the floor as the two men walked, then scanned the area, still hoping for something of interest.  The few places Nathaniel mentioned made Tyler's ears perk up.  Booze, broads, people, entertainment...it sounded pretty good.

"Brandie's, you said?" he asked quite suddenly.

"Where is this Brandie's place?  I could use a good meal...MRE's over the last few weeks have really started pissing me off...you know?"

Tyler stopped in the middle of his stride, and it got him thinking.  His food supply could last him years upon years, it seemed.

"Different subject here altogether, but...how are you and your fellow people here holding up with food, Nathaniel?"

At the mention of food and MREs, Nathaniel studied him thoughtfully. Then he laughed at the mention of Brandie's.

"Yeah, Brandie's is a couple blocks west from here, towards the park. On Dunsmuir and Howe."

"We do okay for food, like I said, we grow our own. Every once in a while, we trade fresh food to some guys over by the Park, get some food like MREs in return. Yanks, survivalists."

Now it was Tyler's turn to be a little surprised. He knew his dad traded with a guy in the city named "Shepherd", mostly MREs and occasionally ammunition, in exchange for fresh food and salvaged goods. He met Shepherd on shore, never brought him over to the Island.

Tyler saw there were a few figures approaching in the darkness, from deeper in the mall. They were still a ways off, but seemed to be coming towards them.

Tyler now brought it upon himself to do something good for his fellow man.  Before he left here, he mused, he would give Nathanial a token of his appreciation for being so hospitable.

"I think I will go check this Brandie's place out after this, Nathaniel," he declared.

Tyler looked onward into the darkness, and saw several figures coming toward them.  Instinctively, Tyler brought his hands away from his weapon, and put them on his hips, trying not to show any more force than he was already showing.

"Nathanial?" he said, queuing the Caribbean man to say or do something about the people coming toward them.

He lifted his lantern to cast more light. They could see the faces of the approaching men, who didn't seem to be armed.

"Huh. Don't worry, I know them. Stay here, just be a sec."

He went over to talk to the men, who conferred with him. He soon came back.

"They say there's some cops outside in the street, plus an ambulance and HAZMAT van. These friends of yours?"

Tyler watched the men speak, then brought his attention to Nathaniel as he came back.

"HAZMAT?  Ambulance?  Cops...um," Tyler said in a fractal way as he heard the words.

"Perhaps...who knows."

He checked his watch.  It was half past Eleven.  He may as well try to contact his Canadian counterparts to see where they were.  Quickly, he moved away from Nathaniel, bringing the radio up, and switched the channel.

"Gimme a sec, my friend," he said, bringing up his pointer finger to Nathaniel.  "I am about to find out."

Tyler adjusted the volume, and pressed the PTT button on the radio transmitter.

"Net call, net call, this is Dropkick Wun Seven Tree.  Radio check, over."

Andy got out of the van and busied himself taking samples of the drain water, he made it look as convincing as he could, shaking his head and tutting, and leaving chalk marks at some of them.

He felt the buzzing of his radio and flicked channels, "Howdy Dropkick Wun Seven Three, reading you loud and clear. How's it going?"

Tyler reared his head in a bit of disgust, and smiled at Nathaniel.

"Amateurs," he muttered.

He keyed the mike again, and continued.

"Last calling station, this is Dropkick 173.  Be advised, I do not have a positive on your location or callsign.  Last calling station, identify yourself, over."

Nathaniel stepped back and conferred with his friends, giving Tyler some privacy.

This message was deleted by the player at 15:11, Sun 24 Aug 2008.

This message was deleted by the player at 15:15, Sun 24 Aug 2008.

In reply to helbent4 (msg #51):

Clarke heard Tyler reply to Andy.  She was still waiting for a response as well. "Green one this is green six.  Say again, need SITREP, over."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:00, Sun 24 Aug 2008.

*Kelsey, a little flustered, picks up the radio*
"Green Six, this is Green one, Contact from Sierra element, stand by"

*She switches radios*

"Go ahead Dropkick, this is Green one.  Loud and clear."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:15, Sun 24 Aug 2008.

*Kelsey shakes her head at Mac, gives him an evil look*
"Got it now Mac, How's it going.. Howdy?"  *She laughs*

Tyler listened for an acknowledgment, and finally heard his queue.

"Green One, Dropkick 173.  What is your current AO? Over."

Tyler frowned when he checked his watch.  He moved to Nathaniel, and outstretched his right hand.

"My friend, it was good meeting you," he said, nodding to the folks he was interrupting.

"I hope to see you soon."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:02, Sun 24 Aug 2008.

Nathaniel nodded in a friendly way.

"Cool, man. Good meetin' you, Tyler!"

"The closest exit to those guys is just down there, on the left. Go down that passage past some stores, up a short flight of stairs. Exit is under some plywood on the right side of the door."

"If you're with the government, just make sure they don't forget us, again!"

Following his directions, Tyler found himself on the west side of Granville, about a half-block down from Dunsmuir and the waiting vehicles.

It was still raining hard, although he was under the building overhang.

Parked just up the street was a police car, a red HAZMAT van, an ambulance and a news van of some kind, all idling and not abandoned.

Checking the storm sewer drain in the intersection, Andy sweated under the white bunnysuit's filter mask. Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone in US-style camouflage BDUs and armed with a CAR-15 emerge from behind a plywood sheet boarding up an exit onto street level. He recognised Tyler, Ed's son, whom he'd met and made friends with last night.

(Kelsey is talking to Green six on another freq, she would not have given the survivalists access to the milnet)



"Dropkick 173, Green 1 element is on the peninsula.  Over."

"Green 1, Dropkick.  I am currently near zero three vehicles
BREAK
One ambulance, two vans
BREAK
Zero one personnel in HAZMAT suit nearby.  This at all ringing bells? over."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:49, Sun 24 Aug 2008.

*Kelsey laughs a little and shakes her head*
"Dropkick 137, you have victor on green 1 element, hotel alpha zulu mike alpha tango is actual, that bunny is Green Too Tree"

Tyler quickly took off the earpiece.

"173 OUT," he said simply before clicking off the radio.

Tyler took a knee, checked his watch, took a drink of water out of his two quart, and stood, walking in a direct route down the street toward the HAZMAT van, weapon at the low ready.

Just in case.

As he rounded the first vehicle, and came to the HAZMAT van's cab, he smiled at the man in the suit, and looked into the cab.

"Sup sup?" he asked simply, bringing his stance to that of a less tactical one.

Kelsey motions to Tyler, popping the side door to the HAZMAT van partway.

"Come on in and don't drip on my gear Tyler, good to see you.  Be careful we have a couple  watching us, but I doubt they can see much in all this rain"

Kelsey's back there, dressed in her normal battle dress, raingear over it, it was still coming down outside like they needed to build an ark outside.  She seems unassuming, girl next door cute, a ready open smile, hair back in a ponytail.  The van's interior as he looks is rather well rigged with radios and directional gear, as well as more toys, a weapons rack for holding the standard Colts nearby, hers in it at the moment.

"So what do we owe the honor of the visit?"