In reply to Feldwebel Laurin Knapp (msg # 733):

Buck had the two SUVs pull into the parking lot. He dismounted, looking at the HQ's blast doors and the mall's breached entrance.

"I suspected this is where they'd go. There is an entrance to Sub Level Two at the other end of that shopping mall. It's a pretty long underground area, but I know a shortcut that will take us almost to where that entrance is. Once down into Sub Level Two ya'all are on your own. That area's pretty nasty, it was an industrial zone. Folks used to dump garbage and even toxic waste there before the war when the city pretty much abandoned that part of the Down Below.

"Ya'all got two choices. Ya'all can mount up here and we take you to near the entrance to Sub Level Two. Or you can proceed here on foot, track them through the mall. Or some combination."

In reply to Feldwebel Laurin Knapp (msg # 733):

Jane hung back a bit after the claymore was disarmed.  She knew that it could have been just a "toy" as some of them were called.  Distraction others might call it.  "Look to see if it has it's brother by him.  They like to put them far enough apart to make you think you're safe but close enough to catch you unguarded."

In reply to Jane Guin (msg # 735):

The Pioneer shook her head.

"No. It looks like they were in too much of a hurry to set decoys."

Peter watched Jane walk away to discuss the trap that was found. He then listened to Buck and thought for a moment. He shrugged his shoulders slightly. "I would personally vote to go to the entrance near to Sub Level Two and try to catch up or intercept them possibly."

In reply to Peter Firecrow (msg # 737):

Buck took in the shrug without comment.

"Well now, you're the only buckaroo that's bothered to put in his vote. Everyone mount up then, we're going back the way we came, then down a different access tunnel."

In reply to Buck Masterson (msg # 738):

Slinging her G22 across her chest where she would have easy access to it, Laurin climbed aboard the lead SUV. "Ready. Colonel, you coming?"

The Colonel had uncharacteristically ignored the discussion about which way to take. Actually he had never taken his eyes of the mall entrance. Though it wasn't visible under armour and ghillie suit, cold sweat had broken out all over his body and he felt frozen to the spot.

"Was? A yes. Wouldn't want to go through there. Oh no. Could be bad things in therer. Better to go around. Much better.

Schaeffer was quite obviously rattled.

In Jason's former line of work he was trained to watch close comrades for unusual behavior. Schaeffer may not have visibly shaken, but his hesitation was noticible. One of two possibilities passed through Jason's mind as he watched Schaeffer. First was influenced by manitous. Second he was scared. Neither seemeed likely so Jason silently pondered a third option which was why he missed the question of which way to go.
   "I hope we don't lose them or lose time taking this other way. That is my singular concern."
This message was last updated by the GM at 21:10, Tue 20 Oct 2015.

Rowan steps up beside her love, "easy love, you only feel what all feel down here, come lead us on she prompts".
"Together we are one, strong and true"

Trusk follows the others once they move off again. He was hoping the idea was to cut the enemy off once they had traversed through the mall, he did not like the idea of fighting through the second level.

In reply to Jason Sinclair (msg # 741):

Buck took his cigar out of his mouth and spat. "It's a safe bet, if they're going for the deep underground complex. They could be anywhere, even just inside the mall. But bear in mind, they got several hours of a head start on us. Wasting time isn't our biggest worry.

"After all, mister tin can (Trask) has to keep up with us and we don't want to run into any ambushes. So we'll be at a sedate pace.

"Trask, you got sensors on that thing? Want to take point?"

In reply to Buck Masterson (msg # 744):

"Radars down, though I have the heart beat sensor so I should be good. Yea I'm your huckleberry." Trask moves forward and after an initial scan starts moving down the route Buck pointed out.

In reply to Increase Trask (msg # 745):

They mounted up again and, after pulling U-Turns in the underground car park, headed back the way they came. Trask was moved up into the lead to take point, guided by radio.

After re-entering the Interstate tunnel, they travelled a few blocks down the long, empty chamber. Then took another exit, this time sloping further down and around in a spiral ramp. The exit ramp debouched into a long narrow tunnel that looked like it was lined with empty boarded-up shops, ending in another parkade.

Search roll from Trask.

As they moved forward, Jane kept getting that itchy feeling.  She hated that feeling.  It was the feeling of "you're walking into an ambush" or something similar.  But then in her way of life, that feeling cropped up on a regular basis.

Jane kept her eyes peeled for that ambush or whatever to occur.  It always did...sooner or later.

Trask keeps moving along the road watching the sensors flicker in front of his face. The thermal seems to be back to normal and operating correctly, though for how long he could not tell.

Increase Trask rolled 8 using 3d8, keeping the highest dice only with rolls of 8,5,7.

Peter let himself relax for just a few moments while they were all turning around to get going again. He knew that he wouldn't have another opportunity likely where he wouldn't have to be on 'high alert' for a while. Once they got close to their destination, he tuned his senses up once more and began looking around for an ambush just like Jane was doing. But he kept silent for the moment.

Jason waited for the last transport to be turned around and climbed on. It wasn't cowardice, but rather the knowledge that someone needed to be rearguard. As they were leaving he saw something in the shadows glint. It was just the claymore. He hoped it was paranoia that made him worry. He trusted the group that he had fallen in with. They had passed the Test of Worth in Boise when they helped with Modeen. He missed that vato Trejo from time to time. Simon would be ok. Between Jason, the posse, and Evanor he had no doubts. Add in the trust that he was given by the Templar's Librarian and success was all but guaranteed. So he smiled and relaxed as much as anyone could in his position. Whistling the Texas Ranger anthem.

Smoker was still huddled up, but looking around as they went. He didn't like dark enclosed spaces anyway, which didn't help.

Thermal didn't seem to be picking up anything. Still, Trask couldn't shake the feeling of being watched from the shadowy alcoves and cross-tunnels that intersected their route at odd intervals.

The convoy travelled a few minutes on the Interstate, then took another off-ramp tunnel. They travelled slowly so that Trask could keep up.

All the while, Buck grumbled about how they should have seen some Moorlocks by now. Still, there were no ambushes, no other booby traps.

The off-ramp led to a maintenance access tunnel under the shopping mall, 4 lanes wide, running down between two docks. Garbage compactors lined one side, while loading bays (shutters down) lined the others, all about 6 feet above the level of the road. At the end the tunnel opened out into a parking and loading area large enough for semi-tractors to turn around in.

Surrounding this wide open chamber were more loading docks raised 6 feet up, several garbage dumpsters, and a half dozen abandoned container trailers still backed up to the loading docks.

Search checks from everyone, please.

The Colonel was still shaken. At least he'd been able to aoid another flashback. The mall...there were too mayn bad memories connected with malls. He tried to take his mind of those by concentrating on doing his job.

To the right of the large, open chamber was a series of loading docks, 6 feet up. Ladders provided access from the street/tunnel level to the platform. There were five abandoned box trailers, still backed up to the docks. Behind the docks were several metal roll-up doors, some still open and leading into blackness.

To the left were more raised platforms, but lined with dumpsters and large garbage compactors every 10 feet. Again, the only easy way up were small metal ladders set into the concrete. One trailer was backed up as if it was abandoned in the act of unloading garbage.

Directly ahead were more (empty) docks, and several ramps leading up to the loading bay level. More doors and tunnels lead out from the area.

It was completely dark in the empty space, the walls and every surface covered with graffiti save for the surface, which was littered with paper and plastic bits of trash. The only lights were the banks attached to their SUVs.

Buck pointed to the far right exit tunnel. "That's where we're going."





                                  Exit Tunnels

                   |  |        |   |        |   |         |  |
                  _|  |________|   |________|   |_________|  |
                 |       Platform 6 feet above "street"      |
                 |       __ ____    _________    ___ ___     |
                 |   [] |  "    |  |         |  |   "   |    O
                 |   [] |       |__|         |__|       |    [
                 |   [] |         \          /          =    [
                 |      =         Ramps up to     [TTTT]|    [
                 |   [] |           Platform            |    O
                 |      =                               =    [
                 |   [] |[TTTT]                         |    [
                 |      =                         [TTTT]|    O
                 |   [] |     Turn around               =    [
                 |   [] |        area             [TTTT]|    [
                 |      =      T                  [TTTT]|    O
                 |   [] |                         [TTTT]|    [
                 |   [] =        S                      =    [
                 |   [] |                               |    [
                 |______=____  S   _____________________=____[
                             |    |
                             |    |
                             |    |

   |____|
   0   10 Yards

  " = : Ladders
  S   : SUV
  T   : Trask
 []   : Dumpster/grabage compactor
[TTTT]: Trailer, no tractor
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:15, Thu 05 Nov 2015.

Peter half wanted to grumble at the slow rate, but knowing the reason behind it and how useful the machine might prove if they caught up to the Combine, he kept silent about it and tried to push the thoughts away. WHEN not if. He needed to stay positive. When they caught up to the Combine.

This place had probably already been well looted, but that didn't stop the Ravenite in Peter from wondering what might still be able to be scavenged and salvaged in the areas leading off from the loading bays. He shook his head, the thought broken by the sound of Buck's voice interrupting, a welcome relief.

"So this is the end of the line with the vehicle and where we have to start walking once more it looks like?" He looked around. "Does this seem like a good place for an ambush or booby trap to anyone else?"

Trask watched the red triangles flicker across the screen in front of his face. They blinked on and off as the thermal tried to gain a lock and failed only to pick up the signature seconds latter. He flicks the intercom with a blink of his eye"Hold on up I've got thermal up on the platforms and behind the trailers, it's hard to make out, but chalk up at least a dozen."

He readied his weapon and waited for the thermal to give him something better to go on.

Smoker called out "There's something moving in the open bay doors to the right!"

He got ready to jump down nevertheless.

"Get out of the vehicles and spread out. Buck, cut the lights untill I tell you to light the exits up with everything you've got."
The Colonel jumped from the SUV and rife at the ready moved to the right, to take cover behind one of the trailers and to see if he could get up some of the stairs to get into a flanking position.