IC-SWORD-Family Reunion(Lara/Bells/Sven/Tricia)

[SSior.27]

Caitlin thought she could empathize with Jake, but really she had no idea what was really going through his head as she contemplated what all this had meant, possibly damning a person who came asking for help only to be left behind. It gave herQuite a mental jar.

Sanity Loss (1d4=2)

[Mr. Handy]

Jake Bell,You're free to draw your own conclusions based on your observations. A successful roll might have revealed more.

Outside the barn-
Lara couldn't help but be affected. The simiarity to her own ordeal shook her. Tricia had been taken off in a pickup truck screaming for help - for her help - but nobody could do anything for her. It was just like when Nitro and Deadeye had abducted her. Nobody was able to rescue her from them either. If the zombies hadn't come, they'd still have her, and she'd be in the same situation as Tricia. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't even think about Clyde.

Sven shook as he realized what would happen to Tricia. The knowledge that he could just walk away and leave her went against everything he thought he knew about himself.

Mary tried to convince herself that she was doing the right thing for her family, but it didn't quite work. She burst into tears, shaken to the core. "What's happening to us?" she wept. "What's happening to the world?"

Clyde felt disgusted with himself, and it wrenched his heart, but he felt he had to respect his father's decision, even if he disagreed with it. But he did have to think about Veronica and the others. "I'll go get the the Civic," he grumbled, heading off to where the car was stuck in the mud.

Veronica had no problem with herself. Part of her was even glad Tricia was gone, though she didn't know why. She had been the first to advocate writing her off. She felt just the slightest twinge of guilt, but she shrugged it off.

[Pickman37]

Jake held Mary even tighter...

"I don't know, dear. But what more could we do? There's rumoured to be upwards of a hundred of them and we do not have the manpower, or even firepower, for that matter. And to stay here is just to wait for them to come back and pick us off one at a time..."

Jake felt the burden of silence from the others beginning to weigh down on him and decided he need not explain his reasoning any further. He released his hold upon Mary.

"Well, if there's nothing more to be said, I'm going to help Clyde get that car out of the muck..."

He pauses, waiting for anyone to speak, then makes his way to the car...

[Mr. Handy]

Outside the barn-
Mary nodded, drying her tears with her sleeve, and waited for Jake and Clyde with the others.

West of the house-
Clyde got behind the wheel of the Civic and turned the key, restarting the engine. He looked up when he saw his father arrive.

[Dave Syrinx]

Listening to the others, Lara is brought back to the motel. The room, the smell... The jump from the stairwell and the flight from there. Now, Tricia was in the same dilemma -live or die. And it´s nothing she can do to help. What can she do here but help this family? Not much. She blinks and shakes her head and starts walking down to the gates as she hears the Civic´s engine roar to life.

She clutches the 9mm in her right hand as to confirm she is awake.

[SSior.27]

Caitlin makes back to the truck, her dad's truck, one of the only things she had left of him. In the lull after the close encounter with the skin-heads, she was again slipping to a remorseful recollection of events. She had to get something done, and getting the truck ready might just help. She checked for the keys as she approached the vehicle.

[Pickman37]

OOC,Changing my thought and speaking font to a blue/red scheme for easier record-keeping between my characters. Sorry for any inconvenience.

"Clyde, you rock the Civic back and forth while I push!" Jake yelled to his boy as he approached the vehicle. He planned to ask him about his behaviour towards the waitress once they got the car out...

I don't know what that boy's deal is but since she arrived, his attitude has been somethin else....

Jake took position behind the Civic when he noticed Lara walking slowly towards the gate...

Awww, what now? What is it with these young kids? Jake pulled his John Deere cap off and wiped the sweat from his brow before starting to push...What is she doing? A rescue? How!? On foot? She should have spoke her piece back at the front of the house! Damn!....These kids! Always right but no way to go about getting it done. Well, anyways, we'll get this vehicle out then go see what plan she has in mind. She won't get too far on foot by then...

Jake makes eye contact with Clyde in the rear view mirror and waits for the car to move forward so he can begin pushing...

[Mr. Handy]

Inside the gates-
Lara reached the front gates quickly. They were still barred, but it would be a simple matter to remove the bar from the inside and open them. The road beyond, which went east and west, was deserted.

Sven followed her and stood beside her. "Hey, you okay?" he asked.

Outside the barn-
Caitlin saw that the keys were still in the ignition of her pickup truck - for it was hers now. She got behind the wheel and started it up. The motor purred like a kitten.

West of the house-
Clyde nodded and shifted to first gear. He pressed down on the gas pedal, but he couldn't quite get the car free. Its wheels spun, splashing mud all over Jake's overalls as he tried to help.

OOC,Not a problem.

[Dave Syrinx]

"Yes, I am fine. But that girl is not, she is in problems. And I cannot help it. I am the same. Lost. Damaged." She attempts a smile at her friend. "Thought it best to spot visitors before they spot us. That is why I stay here. Are we staying or leaving? I float away on my thoughts before..." She tilts her head and listens to the Civic trying to get free.

Having been a person who is upfront and positive, Lara now is more withdrawn and careful. That´s not to say she is careful. Not by a long shot.

[Mr. Handy]

Inside the gates-
"I wish I could do something for her," said Sven. "I wish I could do something for you. I've...I've been so empty ever since Clara...Yeah, I think we're leaving. They're just getting the car out of the mud."

Outside the barn-
Caitlin continued to wait in her truck. Mary and Veronica got in the other pickup truck and started it up.

West of the house-
"Sorry, Pa!" called Clyde. He kept trying to free the Civic, and the wheels kept churning. Finally, the car leapt free. "Did it! Hop in and I'll spin you back to the barn."

[Pickman37]

"Good job, son!"

Jake hops into the Civic with Clyde when he notices Sven now at the gate with Lara.

"Clyde, maybe we should find out if they want a ride back to the barn as well." Jake nods his head in the direction of the two. "Hopefully they've made a decision."

[Dave Syrinx]

Lara smiles at Sven and says. "We go back and see if they want to move." She offers Sven a hand and starts walking back up to the barn.

When arriving to the barn she asks. "We ready to go? I not know where, but the bad men will come back for more. I think that´s true. I nor want to be next. Not again..."

[Mr. Handy]

Outside the barn-
Sven gave Lara's hand a gentle squeeze as they walked back to the barn where the others waited. Clyde and Jake reached the barn at the same time that they got there.

"Are we all ready to leave?" asked Mary.

[SSior.27]

Caitlin pokes her head out the truck window and looks for the others in their progress. She raises a not-too-enthusiastic thumbs-up.

[Pickman37]

Jake nods to Mary, speaking to her but loud enough for the others to hear...

"Yes. I'm thinking that we best leave now before the skinheads re-appear. We were ready to go before they showed and we would be best served getting on before they come again..." Jake pauses a second then continues addressing the group as a whole...

"I would like to have given these vehicles the once over before leaving but I don't think we have time. We'll go east and hopefully find a garage on the way or even in Flaxville, where we can check things over but we should be gettin a move-on..."

Jake can feel the adrenaline flowing and is anxious. "We should travel with the Civic in the middle between the two trucks. Since we are limited by our lack of long-range firearms, I want one gun in each truck. Clyde, you're a better shot than me and your .30-06 has longer range so I need you to ride in the back truck to cover our backside. I'll ride in the front truck with my carbine.

Jake pauses again to consider Tricia...

Should I say something. I feel like the bad guy.... He clenches his fists. No! That damned fool ran away. I have a duty to protect my family and the ones that have came under our protection. May God have mercy on us all and her...

Jake closes his eyes for a few seconds then grips his rifle, prepared to climb into the lead truck...

"Let's get rolling everyone!"

He tries not to glance at the family ranch that he spent years building and is about to leave, but he does. He shakes his head and carries on...

[Mr. Handy]

Outside the barn-
Mary slid over to the middle seat of her truck and let Clyde get behind the wheel, while Veronica remained in the shotgun seat. Lara and Jake got into Caitlin's truck, and Sven got into the Civic.

OOC,Everyone, please roll Spot Hidden. The base skill is 25%. Please let me know who is sitting in which seats in [b]Cailtin[/b]'s truck.

[SSior.27]

As Caitlin waited for Jake and Lara to get into the truck, she kept her eyes open. She thought she saw something of import.

OOC,Invisible Castle was kind today.

[Mr. Handy]

Cailtin Bell,Glancing out the window, [b]Caitlin[/b] saw a helicopter in the distance approaching from the south. It hovered over a point a few miles to the southwest and then descended.

[SSior.27]

Caitlin follows the object as it disappears behind the trees. Turning to Jake she asks, "What's over there, to the... southwest, I think it is? I think a helicopter of some sort just landed."

[Dave Syrinx]

Lara takes a seat between Caitlin and Jake. She looks in the direction Caitlin pointed out but can´t catch a glimpse of it before it´s gone. "Maybe military?"