"I wasn't much for traveling south of the Old Mason-Dixon Line, but I'm pretty sure this wasn't here before the Last War. SO do any of you have a good feeling about this? Because I for one don't." Chricton says into the group's tacnet.

Brother Edgar didn't really seem to like the look of any of this either.  Especially when you add the fact that they were driving into an ambush.  Since everyone else seemed to be feeling the same, he decided to try for humor.  Cut the tension a bit.  Clicking the radio handset, he offered, "It's not that bad."  He paused a beat, then added, "I'm not saying I'm gonna build a summer home here, but the trees are quite lovely."  Another pause. "Over?"

 "Nah it's the mosquitoes that make me not want to build a summer home here." Chricton chimes in and chuckles a little in spite of himself.

The strange thing was, it looked like there was at least a town here. But for some crazy reason these graffiti-scrawled ruins looked like they predated the Last War, but were not actually ancient. In other words, they were decades old, not centuries. A bullet-riddled sign and plaque read:


They soon reached an area with massive parking lots once made for Confederate families and tourists seeking enjoy God's gift of nature through loud motorised water sports and firearms. Such was once the joys on offer in the Atchafalaya Nature Preserve and Water Park! Off to one side were once stands and shops that sold the finest in military-grade hunting firearms and bow and ammunition, on the other side were dealerships for power boat and jet-ski manufacturers from all over the Confederacy. Sadly, all were long-looted and burned.

All around them now were kudzu and Spanish-moss-draped swamps, which were swallowing everything: parking lots, ruins, burned out stores.

They could all see plumes from a semi's exhaust stacks belching into the skies about a quarter-mile ahead just over the trees and ruined stands.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:37, Wed 10 Apr 2019.

In reply to The Marshall (msg # 354):

Jane kept on the lookout

"So guys, they gotta be close. Do we just keep going and hope we get lucky? Or try and do some scouting around first? Either way we gotta decide soon!"

  "Need to catch them soon. Somehow they either know we are here or they are having to slow down a lot." Chricton says.

In reply to Tech. Sgt. Airen Crichton (msg # 356):

With the debris, wreckage and odd abandoned vehicle strewn across the mostly flooded parking lots it was obvious the prey had to slow down considerably, as they were driving a rig. They could clearly see tracks in the mud and pools of water and the occasional blockage was pushed or rammed out of the way.

Peter shook his head. Decisions. It seemed like he had to make a lot of those over the years. Some good, some bad. He frowned and shook his head. Over the radio he said, "I saw we push on and catch up to them. Trying to scout just gives them more time to keep moving." Pause. "Any objections?"

Brother Edgar clicked the radio again, "I have no objections.  Haste seems prudent.  Oddly.  I do have hope and faith in our endeavor, though.  If that is any help.  Over."

In reply to Brother Edgar (msg # 359):

"I say either way, we need a plan. They have my husband, Jerry, remember? So if we roll in without a plan to take them out quick they are gonna waste him!"

Marcela seemed excited and grateful that they would soon be in a position to rescue her husband but was also concerned that the people they were chasing had no concern for life and therefore would just as soon kill their hostage if surprised!

  "If we could get ahead of them it would be different. Would that be possible without them seeing of course? Stress that last part." he asks. Fully believing the answer to be hell no.

Brother Edgar looked to Marcela with hearfelt sympathy for her plight, "We have not forgotten Jerry and we will do everything in our power to save him.  My companions are quite good at....taking out opposition quickly.  As for me, I will stay with you.  You and I will make it our mission to find Jerry as fast as may be during the engagement.  What power the Glow has granted to me, I will put to his rescue and your safety.    "  He said it firmly, calmly.  He meant every word and hoped that his offer might help ease her worry.

In reply to Tech. Sgt. Airen Crichton (msg # 361):

"Sure, I understand. It would be great if we could get in front of them but that's hard to do with one route we know of. We could try to go through the swamp but somehow I doubt that will be quicker!

"The only think in the direction they are going is more swamp. And the  Mississippi River, of course. Which don't make sense as that rig or the cars it's carrying won't float! At least not without some help!"

It was clear that at this pace they would be catching up to the rig towing the car carrier very soon. Like, within a minute unless they slowed down.

Peter, hearing the discussion, realizing the validity of not having a plan...and combined with his own natural cautious nature...began to slow down the technical. He frowned in thought for a long moment. "Well. We could continue to tail them and hope we are not noticed until they stop for the night...which hopefully they will but who knows. Then sneak up on them once we see their camp arrangement. But there are risks of course."

He continued. "We could attempt to run them off the road or shoot out their tires, but that too has risks and a chance of failing." He glanced towards Brother Edgar. "Unless Brother Edgar has something that can stop them or damage the vehicles?"

Brother Edgar looked a bit apologetic as he keyed the radio, "The only way I have to stop the vehicles would leave very little of the vehicles left.  Over."

In reply to Brother Edgar (msg # 365):

Slowing, Marcela waved Peter down.

"I don't think I should be in the lead. If they see a vehicle from the town they just leveled they'll automatically think something is up.

"As well, no more talking on the radio. Any closer and they will start to pick our radio traffic up, if they haven't already.

"Peter, I know you wanted to keep it slow and steady. Catch up to them when they stop. If that's what you want, then fine. Basically, we just go in all guns blazing? I'm going to try and go around the side, try find my husband along with any other hostages."

In reply to Marcela Perez Villanova (msg # 366):

It looked like there was a way to get in front of their prey. As they had at least a rig, they were stuck to the main road through the overgrown ruins. But this had once been Confederate parkland and there were hiking and ATV trails all through the forest. They could take a side trail off to the right and take a short cut down the Port Allen Locks trail. With luck they would be able to cut them off and ambush them!

Marshall's Note: If you want to try this then make a Driving check.

Peter thought about the situation, thought over their options. He didn't like making a decision for the group, but he wanted the best odds possible, the best positions possible, for when they actually ended up making their move against the other 'convoy'.

So he frowned, but then nodded to himself. He called quietly over the radio, "Follow me. I have an idea."

He took a turn and what he hoped would end up being a shortcut to their quarry.

In reply to Peter Firecrow (msg # 368):

Turning right in a spray of mud and pooled dirty water, Peter rammed through a wood barricade at a trailhead in a spray of splinters. They barreled down the old overgrown ATV trail, through mud bogs, over vegetation and around fallen trees. Everyone was thrown back and forth as they charged down the overgrown trail. Forest dwellers like rodents, rabbits and a couple different herds of deer stampeded out of their way!

In the lead, Peter drove like a demon! Marcela tried to keep up but while she was a decent driver her skill and reflexes just weren't up to his. After a couple close calls she finally lost it in a corner and skidded out out in a stream bed. The humvee stalled out in the engine-deep water, trapped in mud, wrapped in wreaths of kudzu vines and Spanish moss.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:51, Fri 24 May 2019.

In reply to The Marshall (msg # 369):

As they were following Peter it wasn't clear if he knew they were stopped.

"Shit! I don't want to use the radio to tell Peter, maybe it's best if he continues on without us?"

She tried restarting the engine. It didn't work but she kept trying.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:13, Fri 24 May 2019.

Trask looked at the surroundings from his place in the bed of the humvee. "Well I think we are stuck... Let's see if I can help." He will hop out of the vehicle and walk to some dry ground, then he adds "Throw me the tow rope and I'll try and pull us out."


-

Smoker rummaged around for the tow rope and passed it to Trask.

"How much can you pull?" he asked, sizing up nearby trees with a view to establishing a pulley system to maximise the force applied to the humvee.

In reply to Smoker Nix (msg # 372):

"Guess we will find out." Trask makes a couple of changes to systems with a flick of his eye on the HUD in his helmet, then with the tow rope over his shoulder he makes a few short pulls to get the Humvee rocking, before a harder tug to hopefully get it moving out of the muck.


-
This message was last edited by the player at 04:45, Sat 25 May 2019.

Brother Edgar did not really have much to help out in this particular situation.  If Trask's power armor could not do the job, his own meager strength would not be much help.  As long as the humvee was not flooding, he would stay inside it with Marcela.  If it was, he would recommend they exit and make their way to the bank carefully.  Either way, he would keep his eye on the surroundings while the attempt to free the vehicle was made.

"If you cannot move it with a direct tug, Trask, I'll try and set up a pulley system to amplify your strength," said Smoker, watching the proceedings.