Re: Episode Two - Part 2 - The Hard Row
Crowboy looked a bit shamefaced at the rebuke by the Knight, but nodded as though he understood and did as asked. Everyone else loaded up and The Dog rolled out.
It didn't take long to get back to the broken bridge. The crew of the strange truck were forced to deal with a few more of the stinking waterlogged dead that sloshed down the road. But without numbers, they were easy, stinking pickings for the Dogs. When they reached the bridgehead The Dog's bright lights cut through the darkness back and revealed a scene of ongoing carnage, unbelievably pungent carnage.
Without the truck to attract their attention, the mass of stinkers had crawled from the water onto the opposite shore. On this shore they had been met by a steady hammering firing line from the force with the vehicles on the other side. The pop pop of the carefully aimed fire of small arms was accented by a deeper, metallic TUUUNG sound. The heavy metal bolts plowing disgusting lanes into the dead tide. Some of the dead seem to be steaming and smoking, the grass near them scorched and smoldering as well. The dead were being driven back to the water by the force.
The additional firepower that the Dogs brought back put paid to the small horde of drowned dead. But obviously a heavy price was paid in ammunition at the very least.
Between the CB and signals from the militia group with the Dog, it was verified that the force across the water was the rest of the response force from Lockesburg. Most of the taken had been rescued. There were some casualties. Martin is revealed to be in pretty critical way. Dean is with the Lockesburgers.
An observation squad is left at the river to watch for any more risings. The rest of the force, the Dogs, the hostages, the wounded, the tired, the weary, the beatdown... all pull back to the walls of Lockesburg for what little is left of the night.
There is grim joy that the raiders have been dealt two severe blows. The first raiders stopped cold at the Harrison stead. The second group taken apart at the Bear Creek bridge. Hell, seemed like the wanderers even managed to bring down what might just be their leader. There were losses. Wounded. Some of the Whitten folk were gone on to whatever's next. A few of the militia too while stopping the waterlogged dead.
Never rains, but it pours.
But Lockesburg seemed to be awful grateful for the wanderers and treated them a damn sight kinder than before. Not bad folk. Just cautious. But after fighting that hard for them, the Dogs are basically family. Martin got taken off with the rest of the injured to be tended to by their medicos as best they could. The sight of the Templar revealed gets no small amount of reverential awe and whispered wonderings. They really do exist... Like the stories...
No rest of the wicked though.
McKellar is convening a meeting to plan what to do next about the rest of the raiders and their camp up on De Queen Lake. And the people-eating reactor in the middle of it all. The wanderers were, of course, invited. Hoped for really. Its obvious that the town and the militia want them to help, but don't feel able to ask. McKellar... well.... he's a tough nut. Won't beg. But likely, secretly, hopes too.
For any that go to the meeting...
McKellar lays out what is known. About the reactor. About how the two raiders forces they'd smashed weren't the sum total. They were still out there. Possibly leaderless. Probably very angry. And with their hateful, hungry eyes set firmly on the resistant Lockesburg.
McKellar also makes it clear, "I mean to end it. I can't leave them assholes sitting there while they figure out what they're gonna do next. If'n I have the right of it, They're gonna be disorganized right now. Right now is the time to end it. No waitin'."