"Tim, I'd like to keep the folks that are healthy and would just ride anyway walking up with Jenna until we clear this mess.

In reply to Daniel Black Feather (msg # 419):

Capt'n nods

Yes Sir... shotgun... Roger that

Kim polices his gear and grabs the dagger from the floor of the Scout. Holds it up to Dylan.

"Heirloom for the kids"

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 422):

"Understood, keep it tight though. These guys seem to have a thing for the simple traps and barriers so keep an eye out for pits, stakes and the like."

In reply to Tim Charles White (msg # 424):

Jenna decided to leave the little trailer for the tryke in one of the larger vehicles.  She took up lead position and awaited orders to move out.

In reply to Jenna 'Tallfeather' Bartram (msg # 425):

The dismounted element led by Jimmy cleared the roadblock area. They noted a large amount of wood debris and severed tree trunks, although it looked like what was left would be easy to move. There were also some iron Caltrops spread around that would need to be policed up, lest the damage vehicle tires. All Project vehicles had steel-belted run-flats but it was still best not to chew them up to begin with.

Jimmy will have his people rotate through policing up caltrops and moving impediments as they can, helping them with it, of course.

He will direct Jenna to provide security, please.

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 427):

Jenna nodded and took up overwatch.

The dismounts cleared the roadblock area, making sure no one stayed behind to ambush them as they tried to traverse the area. Many of the Caltrops were picked up and discarded out of the way.

Swiftly, the MPVs (Morrow Project Vehicles) were brought up, the debris cleared from the trail and then they were through. Everyone mounted up, ready to continue the journey.

"One of the native teams have a spot I can ride and keep an eye out, or does Limey want me back in the Ranger's ass?"

Jimmy knew there were a few people hurt, and he wants to make sure things are covered.

"If you need replacements for injured, now is the time."

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 430):

Capt'n Kim looks at the watch....

Ponders if we have time to get to a safe area before nightfall.  Not being sure....


"Hey Dylan... we got enough time or we make a stop at the fisherman's family residence. Might have intel as well, Watcha think"

Jenna was mounted up on the ATV.  She looked at Jimmy and grinned wickedly. "You wanna ride bitch with me, Carson?  I'm game if you are.

In reply to Captain Ly Cong Kim (msg # 431):

Dylan nodded. "Yeah, I think we should. Daniel?"

In reply to Dylan Richard Sinclar (msg # 433):

The Trucker-Amerind looked over. "Yeah, it's a good idea. Those folks traded at our Project outpost. We're gonna be late as it is, but we have few enough friends around here as it is."

He opened the door and waved to get Tim's attention. "I think Kim's got a good idea. There's a family of fishermen west of here in the ruins of Bellingham. They are friends of the Project and trade every once in a while. Let's swing by and check 'em out when we get to the Open Road."

Technically, as the local Project liaison Daniel probably outranked Tim in some sense. But the Project was not really a military organisation, and Tim was still the leader of his own team so it was doubtful if Daniel could throw his weight around too much. Therefore he worded this as more of a request.

Jimmy eyes the ATV skeptically.

"Looks like a wild ride to me Tallfeather."

Jenna's grin got even broader.

"Wild? Kid, it's a tryke. Not exactly a tricked out hog, nodamine? 'Sides, if you want tame you chose the wrong career path.

The small convoy backtracked down the trail hacked out from the forest. As they wound through the thick trees, around and over hills, through and alongside streams, the light began to fade. The tracks of their attackers preceded them. They were obviously running too hard to consider stopping to set up another ambush.

By the time they reached the Open Road the light was beginning to fade. They had about 45 minutes of daylight left. This wasn't too inconvenient as they could travel by night-vision but looking around was easier even in the wan light.

A column of grey smoke rose up in the air to the west, in the rough direction of the waterfront of what used to be Bellingham. Now, like most of Washington's ruins, the buildings and roads of the city were completely swallowed by the forest. There was a trail heading west towards the waterfront that looked like it could accommodate vehicles. Jenna could see many hoofprints in the mud following this trail.

In reply to Project Director (msg # 437):

Daniel studied the smoke.

"Huh. The fire looks a little close to be the waterfront. But there's nothing in the forest there except for ruins. An old college, I think.

"Tim, if you like, you can leave the wounded guy with us. I'll stay here with Windigo and the Scout, plus Dylan and Filat. You take the rest in the Ranger, go check out the family of fisherpeople on the waterfront? Or we can continue on to Maryville."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:12, Wed 15 Feb 2017.

In reply to Daniel Black Feather (msg # 438):

"Yes, yes lets do that. We will go and check out the family and see if they can add some detail to whats going on." He keyed the button on the side of his radio "All call signs, Limey. We are stopping momentary to facilitate a prisoner transfer and then we will continue alone to the target. Close security perimeter, please. Out."

Tim provides over watch with the MG as the prisoner is moved and the dismounts then return to the Ranger.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:21, Wed 15 Feb 2017.

Jimmy pats Tallfeather on the shoulder, then dismounts the trike and heads back to the ranger.

"That was fun, thanks."

"Any time, sugar," Tallfeather drawled. She took out the shottie, dismounted the tryke and took up overwatch while the wounded man was transferred.

In reply to Jenna 'Tallfeather' Bartram (msg # 441):

In a few minutes the wounded man was transferred. Alice also volunteered to stay behind and care for him. "He's still hanging in there. Barely. Be quick if you want him to make it!"

Jenna noticed that the freshest tracks, laid down within the hour, all led north along the Open Road. The hoofprints going west into the forest, the direction they were heading, were older, perhaps hours and even days older.

Jenna pointed to the tracks."Look at this. These tracks are fresh.  They're headed to the Open Road."

In reply to Jenna 'Tallfeather' Bartram (msg # 443):

There were actually some blood trails (drops) going north along the Open Road.

If you had to guess, the tracks indicate this group did something earlier at the location of the fire, then after they encountered you, they fled north along the Open Road. Which is good as you will eventually be heading south.

The vehicles made it down the forest trail to near where the fire was burning. The ruins of Bellingham were completely swallowed by the forest, which was quite normal for the Pacific Northwest. As far as you can tell, this was the site of a Western Washington University campus. A semi-circle of forested hills sat around a clearing. Tunnels had been dug down into these hills. Brick and concrete among the tailings suggested this semi-circle of hills were collapsed school buildings.

In the clearing someone had piled up salvaged books and scientific equipment, no doubt dragged up from under the tree-covered hillocks that once were college buildings, then set on fire. There was a hastily taken-down campsite for around thirty to forty, indicating whoever the vandals were they stayed here for a while to carry out their work of eradicating the knowledge of the past. The fire was mostly out, but still smouldered. But what knowledge, and why?

The trail to the waterfront led past the clearing. A few old hoofprints led down it, but they at least a day old.

Jimmy looks astonished, then angry.

"We ought to hunt these fuckers down like mad dogs."

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 445):

Jenna shook her head. "Maybe someday.  But for now, we need to get somewhere we can bed down for the night.  My mission was NOT to take on every badass haunting the wilds. It was to bring you lot back to base."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 06:14, Mon 20 Feb 2017.