The City

A lone patroll car rolled slowly through the city. Maeve drove with Roland beside her, "So what do you suggest?" She asked her companion, "Should we go looking for supplies or survivors first?"

"Debatable. I think we should go looking for supplies, and hopefully we will run into a few survivors that don't want to shoot us." Roland had his rifle pistol grip in his hand as he sat in the car. he was watching for movement outside to react to. or dangers to call out.

Maeve nodded, not taking her eyes off the road. It felt good to have a partner again, even if it might be temporary. She figured a soldier could watch her back at least as well as a fellow officer, she just hoped it didn't come to that. "What areas have you already searched?" She asked

"I have cleaned out the shops around my neighborhood in the suburbs. I was thinking we need to keep our ammo stocked, and get some more medical supplies to trade with the hospital. there is a medical supply warehouse near the airport... anything there is better than nothing." Roland was squinted at a car thinking he saw movement. "cat." he muttered as a black cat ran under a car and peered out with green eyes. "As for ammo. We live in america. So gun shops are a good place to start, and they may have notes on the ware houses the hold there ammo in the areas for the big chains... if they haven't been looted yet. your choice." 

Maeve nodded thoughtfully, "Ammo, then medical supplies?" She suggested. It sounded like a logical progression

"There's a pawn and gun near here... can't remember the name, but if I know the street. Take a right up here." He pointed to the next open road. Then looked a Maeve. "If you want... we can just go to the hospital and see if your folks are there." Roland pointed out remembering last nights conversation.

Maeve shook her head, "I'd rather have supplies when we get to the hospital," She said, "Whether my parents are there or not, it'll be a good idea. Plus, I think I know where my parents are, as long as they made it there in time.

"I can agree with that..." Roland said with a smile then he asked as they rounded the corner. "You have a lot of faith in your parents making it?" He hopped this was not crossing a line. He just wanted to talk to Maeve

"I'm not sure." Maeve admitted, "But if they did then they're safe." If the Xiox had found the sanctuary then they would probably have wiped it out and left. She doubted that the 'bugs' as the humans tended to call them, would waist their time hunting down every individual Vulara after taking the sanctuary and the emperor.

As the car approached the front of the center Roland spoke up. "Let's take it slow through the lot, and go straight to the front door. I'll get out and check the door and see if we can get in the front or need to go around the back. Work for you?" Roland thought this was the best plan as it would give Maeve time if he got tagged to move off.

Maeve nodded, "Sounds good." She enteted the lot, eyes alert as thwy pulled toward the pawn shop

Roland waited as they drove through the lot and watched closly as the passed car after car. His nerves building with each car. He was ready for this. It would be a hard fight if someone was using the pawn shop as a hideout or base. They would be sighting them in now. Just waiting to take shot. "If I get tagged... pull off and go to the hospital." He said as they were closing the last of there drive.

Maeve thought to herself that she wasn't going anywhere without at least trying to get him out of there but said nothibg as she watched the shop windows. She saw no signs of barricading, but that didn't nessicarily mean anything.

---

Once out of the tunnels Reeves took a deep breath of air and allowed himself a second to enjoy the sunshine before they set off for the Nick's Gun and Pawn. It wouldn't take long and with the sunlight filling the ruined streets he doubted they would see any bugs. "Eva, what can you tell me about the streets and buildings around Nick's? I'm interested in anywhere high to check the area before we move in." Reeves then smiled to Cassie, "Once we check the surround you watch my back while I make sure there is no redundant alarm system. Then we break in and see what we can find."

Eva glanced around, blinking rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the light. She sighed softly as the sun beat down on them. It was nice to be out in the open again. "It's it giant shopping center. There are a ton of little shops surrounding each other with side walks everywhere. The closest building that's taller than it is about three blocks away. Behind the shopping center are houses. Lots of them."

Cassie graced Reeves with another one of her pretty smiles and nodded once at his instructions. "Sounds good to me," she said, staying beside him and close. She was on alert though, the M4 cocked and ready in her hands, pointed at the ground in low ready. "If the only other buildings around are other stores and houses, you may not be able to get up high enough... unless one of the stores is high enough." she mumbled, contemplating their options. "Or if there's a cell or radio tower on top of one of them..."

Dryan stared at Casma as she grew alert and began mumbling about their options. How did she know all of this? He sighed and looked forwards again, not really sure what to say.

"Then we approach carefully and keep our eyes open then we all head around back and check the rear, then we enter." Reeves said changing his original plan. He glanced at everyone, making sure they understood more than likely there would be no way inside back there. He just wanted to make sure that no bugs were waiting or an owner who was hold up inside with a shotgun or worse. Once everything set in they headed out moving along the wrecks of cars in the parking lot making their way to the pawn shop.

"There's the clock tower that sits in the middle of the shopping area that would probably work well for checking things out. Also all the shops have back doors for emergency exits. So there's a door in front and in back but I'm not sure which will be easier to get in through." Eva removed her gun from her waistband and glanced around. She moved to Dryan's side and gave his arm a reassuring squeeze as they moved along. She was pretty proud of him right now.

Dryan glanced down at Eva and gave a weak smile. He wasn't used to being in a team like this. He was the leader. He gave orders and others fulfilled them. Though normally none of his orders would have involved collecting weapons. "I'll be ok.." He whispered finally to Eva then looked ahead to Reeves again, waiting for anymore instructions.

Casma could hear Dryan speaking to Eva behind her and she glanced back at them very briefly. "We're getting farther from the entrance to the haven and deeper into the city, now, so we should probably stop talking unless we absolutely have to." she said to the group as a whole. "We don't want to alert any lurking roaches." She smiled at Reeves as she used his nickname for the Xiox.

Dryan looked between Reeves and Casma, noticing her smile to the human. He frowned lightly and looked away. Dryan may have started to feel more relaxed about a few things but he was still very protective of Casma so he intended on having a chat with Reeves to see what his intentions were with his sister. For it was obvious something was happening between the pair.

As they got within sight of the building Reeves noticed a cop car rolling through the lot towards the building. "This is what I was concerned about, looks like someone else is interested in our armoury. Everyone pull your weapons, but no threats we'll try negotiation before violence. If you have to take cover move into the cars, that'll be the best place to shoot from." he said moving towards Nick's and hoping this wasn't going to get nasty.

Movement caught Maeve's eye, "I've got four individuals, three o'clock. They're armed, looks like they have the same idea we do."

"Oh shit..." Roland looked out the window and was getting ready to speak up when Maeve called it out. "Stop here." Something about the members of the group looked familiar. Had he seen them before? If he had and they went dead that was a good sign, but when people get desperate they find themselves doing strange things... like killing over a few bullets on a shelf. "I'm gonna talk to them. Maybe we can find a middle ground before this gets bad..." Roland then made a quick check on his SCAR, and told Maeve. "keep us from getting flanked" he got out staying low behind an abandoned car just shy of a full stop. He made sure to kick the door shut quickly as he got out to the contact side. "That's far enough! We can talk right here! I'd hate to have to shoot someone I could just talk to for trying to improve their position to much!" Roland yelled across the lot at the group. He was looking through two layers of auto glass at them. He had his SCAR at low ready safety off. He was scanning for anyone trying to move closer or get to an angle on his cover. He might have to remind at least one to back off before this was over. No matter how he cut it though. If triggers were pulled this would be a shitty fight. They were out numbered, but by the looks of it they had more training and experience.

"You human friendly?" Reeves called out after hearing the man's voice. "We were attacked a couple days ago and are looking to improve our defense. How about we show a little trust and come out face to face and talk." he hoped they would be amenable to a deal. Looking back at the others he motioned for weapons down but not away, he lowered his and came out where Roland and he could see each other. "My name is Reeves, I'm USMC and got three people with me, perhaps we can work together." he hoped the other man wouldn't fire and they could work something out.

As Roland got out, Maeve put the car in park and got out, standing between the car and the open door, using it as cover as she watched for additional movement and listened to the conversation. She was hopeful when the stranger said he was a marine, he looked the part, but that didn't necessarily mean anything.

"I hope you don't mind." Roland stood with his rifle at rest, and a grin on his face. "You have us outgunned. I'm not putting down my rifle." Roland looked at the group. Rag tag wasn't quite the right word for them. They followed orders and hand signals after all. They might have been peepers. "I'm willing to talk it out for now. Though I just have to ask first... would you mind kindly just leaving and letting us take what we need and I'll let you take all the guns and the rest of what I don't take? I am honestly just here for black powder, primers and leds. I'm also not gonna lie... I'm taking all his empty brass too. All the preloaded stuff you can have it. Rangers honor." He had a feeling that was not gonna fly today.

Reeves smirked a second, "Counter offer, you and I go inside military co-op see what is inside and we make sure both sides leave with what they need for bug destruction. I got eighty-some-odd people praying I come back with enough to outfit a small militia." He leaned against the car, "Who knows, maybe we can set up an agreement for mutual backup and supplies. If this all goes well, Uncle Sam would be proud of the best two branches of his military." If the ranger had any inklings like Reeves did they knew this place might be a hidden goldmine.

Casma stayed hidden against the broken down pickup truck she had chosen to hide behind, the M4 poised atop the hood of the truck. She kept her aim focused down the barrel of the gun through the scope at Roland, but kept her finger off the trigger and tried to look relaxed. She wasn't going to shoot him, she was just listening. "Reeves..." she hissed, "I think they should both go inside, with you and me. We'll be evenly matched, then." she suggested quietly. "Dryan and Eva can stand watch for any bugs."

"You mean leave my one out here with your three?" Roland called. "No sir I think we will both go in with you and one of yours, and you can leave the other two posted up at the other end of the lot." He then lowered his voice for Maeve. "We can take the car up there. They seem more interested in making friends than shooting people. They have a group weighting too... this might be what I've been looking for." Roland was a bit on edge waiting for the Marines response to his counter to his counter.

"You aren't concerned about your car?" Reeves asked, "I mean if that's what will make you agreeable to this then fine." He looked at the ranger and really hoped they would not have to go hand-to-hand, but he would have Cassie there and he wouldn't risk her. "Dan you and Eva post up over there and keep a look out, I assume they can come running to tell us if the bugs are coming right?" He glanced at the cop car, it would be nice to move stuff back to the haven, but impractical because they would have nowhere to hide it.

Maeve was concerned about her car, it heald everything she owned. But Roland was right, these people could very well be what they were looking for. They seemed well enough organized and they had vets, that seemed like a great thing for a group under the circumstances. Besides, she had the keys

Eva glanced at Dryan and nodded her head. "Yeah we can handle that." Slipping of her duffle bag and back pack she handed them both over to Reeves. "Fill them up with whatever supplies you can." She held her pistol more relaxed in her hand as she glanced over at the other two, giving them a once over before nudging Dryan. "Come on then."

Dryan had been looking back and forth quickly as each person spoke before looking at Eva and nodding, though honestly he felt confused by it all. He glanced at Casma then looked at Reeves."Don't take your eyes off of her.." He warned him before turning and following after Eva to keep watch.

"No problem." Reeves called after and took the opportunity to give Cassie a pat on the behind as she walked past. "So, Ranger do you and your friend have names or do I call you Ranger and Officer?" he asked watching the cop prepare to move the patrol car away then rejoin them to go inside. He reached into his duffel and pulled out a halligan tool and sledgehammer and smiled to himself, "If there are any bugs nearby we will probably see them soon, this will make a little racket."

"Roland." Roland responded and pulled out a lock picking kit. "We would be here all day trying to open the shop up with that. It has a secuity roller behind the glass." He didn't seem to fear the two as he came closer with Maeve. He didn't need to. The four would have taken them out in a fight before getting this far. At the vary least they would have forced the withdraw.

"Maeve." The woman said as she approached. She wore jeans and a jacket, with a police badge on her belt. She looked at the four with interest as Reeves prepared to get the shop open.

"I'm cassie," she offered with a bright, confident smile, the M4 back down at low ready. Her muscles ached from holding the larger weapon, but hot adrenaline kept her going. "That's Dryan and Eva." She nodded at them each in turn, pointing them out. She stood back from Reeves and Roland, beside Maeve, and kept her eyes and ears open. "Let's just get this done in a hurry."

Reeves put the tools back in the bag, "It works for the Fire Dept. some of those are hard to pick." He glanced over at Cassie and gave her a wink, so far this was working out and she was doing well. "So, how long have you guy's been out and about by yourselves? I was doing the solo thing until I ran into Dan and Cassie and figured it they had a safe place to cast my lot in with them."

Maeve looked startled when she said Dryan's name. She had never heard of a human with that name... Did some Vulara name their children after the emperor? She looked over at the man and then forced herself to go back to looking and listening for movement, "I just met Roland yesterday, he bailed me out of a tough spot. Before that I was just kind of scavenging and helping what survivors I could."

Roland shook his head listening to the conversation. He didn't respond to the group, but instead took to unlocking the front door. It took him under a minute to open the lock on the glass door. and he opened it up so it propped open, and got down on his knees as he started to work on the steel roller door. "I know we can't clear the place out. So I want to be able to re-lock the door." Roland pointed out to Reeves. this door was only a bit tricky, and it was going to take a little longer than the glass door. "How is your group faring so far?" Roland asked to the group. 

"Very well," Cassie said, but she didn't seem to elaborate. She knew better than to share too much information with strangers. There was too much threat out there already; not that she was threatened by Roland or Maeve. She looked at the other female and gave her a smooth, confident smile. She could feel her--a sister. She gave her a wink and her smile widened as she adjusted her grip on her gun. "Let's get in there, boys. We're wasting daylight."

"Well, Princess." Reeves teased, "If unless you have the key in yer back pocket..." He watched the area around them waiting for a bug to rear it's head or someone else to show up. "So what is your next stop after this?" he asked Roland hoping to get a little information about others in the area other than roaches. Possibly even work up some sort of trades for supplies and such.

Maeve looked at Cassie again and suddenly realized she was like her. She turned her body so it was angled away from the men trying to get the shop open, "Are the others... like us too?" She asked quietly, looking in particular at the man she had called Dryan. Was he their emperor himself? Though she found that a bit far-fetched.

"Don't be in such a hurry..." Roland said to Cassie. "When you move to fast mistakes happen." He said with a spare pick in his mouth. "Shit..." Roland whispered under his breath. It was gonna break his pick... or come open when he used the fulcrum to turn the lock... it was time to find out. "Shit... shit.. shit. Shit" the lock opened and Roland let out a releaved sigh as he removed his pick. "Fuck that was close." He added as he returned his kit to its bag. Then put his hand in the door as he use the wall for cover. "Jarhead? You want to go first?" He asked waiting to lift the roller. For as quiet as he was with the picks the group had been a bit loud as the spoke, and that might have been bad if the owner or a less than friendly group was on the other side.

Cassie rolled her eyes at Reeves and his having called her 'princess'. She kept her eyes open, even though she knew Eva and Dryan were keeping watch. She instead looked at Maeve, deciding to address her question. She gave her a wink and a smile in response, then the slightest nod of her head. Reeves and Roland were human and even though Reeves knew about Cassie and Dryan, she wasn't sure how Roland would react to that information, so she tried to keep her response discreet. "Go ahead, Reeves, I've got your back." she said to him after pulling her eyes from Maeve's.

Reeves nodded to Cassie, "I'm going in and left, you head right and we'll call clear and you two can come in." He shouldered his M110 and took out his pistol and took position to head inside. "Here goes nothing." he said before heading inside and turning left to check the store.

Casma flicked off the safety on the M4 with a flutter of her thumb and nodded at Roland and Maeve in a small farewell before falling into the store with Reeves. She went in and right, like he instructed, and raised her weapon as she moved, looking around and taking a few steps. She checked around a row of shelves and called, "Clear," just loud enough for him to hear. The shop was eerily still, quiet, and devoid of life.

Reeves looked at his side and sighed putting his pistol away, "Clear, but stay out that way Cas and if you can find one I need a tarp and some duct tape, maybe even a shovel." On the other side of the counter was Nick, at least he assumed it was Nick. The man had several deep bug slashes and looked like he died of blood loss after locking the store up, until he heard the scratching in the office area behind counter. Quietly he moved behind the counter and made his way to the door and listened. Sure enough he could hear a drone inside, hissing and scratching trying to find a way out by the states of Nick it had been without food or water for at least two or three weeks. It was just enough time to weaken it or make it very dangerous, so Reeves readied himself and turned the knob waiting for the creature to charge out and meet his pistol face first.

Roland rolled in left center and turned into the building a bit before Reeves. "Clear center left." He then moved to meet Reeves at the counter and saw nick. "Oh my. Poor bastard didn't have any medical supplies to stop that kinda-" he then heard the scratching. "Shit." He waited for the door and knew reeves could handle himself. "Crush the bug, jarhead we got work to do."

Casma was already behind Reeves, the M4 aimed at the door, her finger on the cage of the trigger, blue eyes pointed down the sights. "I've got your back." she told him a calm voice. She wanted to ask Maeve or Roland to take aim as well, but she also didn't want them involved if it meant they could get hurt. This Xiox sounded weak, judging by the sounds on the door, but a cornered bug could be dangerous.

Once Reeves opened the door the drone attempted to push out only to have Reeves catch it by the neck. Stuck in the side of it's neck was a boot knife, a sign that Nick had escaped by injuring the creature and then locking it inside. Slamming it against the wall he pulled out the knife and inserted back where the brainstem was and watched as the bug quit moving and fell limp to the floor. "Alright, now that the fun is over let's get the tarps and get the bodies out of here. NIck we bury and the bug we let rot. Then we go through this place with a fine tooth comb, I have doubts that Nick here didn't have a fully stocked shelter in this place with everything he might need to hold out."

Maeve entered the building with the others, her movements those of a well diciplined officer. She took up a position behind Reeves and watched with sharp eyes as he dispatched the drone. With the bug dead she began looking around the shop, "Looks like some camping gear over here." She said, looking at one shelf. He had mentioned tarps.

Casma lowered the M4 only once she was sure the Xiox was dead--when it stopped twitching. She looked at Reeves and then around the shop and said, "how about you boys take care of the bodies? Maeve and I will start gathering supplies and searching the place for anything else Nick might have stored away."

Reeves picked up the roach and started dragging it out the door, "Army, I'd check Nick's pockets for any keys before you bring him out. I'll come back in and get a shovel and between us both we can knock out the grave digging." As he went outside he found a wrecked car and discarded the corpse inside and waved to Dan and Eva letting them know everything was okay.

Roland checked Nick's pockets after carefully checking to make sure old Nick didn't trap his own body. He didn't know the man to well in life, but he knew that he would have wanted to get even with anyone or anything that wronged him. Roland found keys to the all the gun racks, the gun safes, the office, and who knew what else clipped to his belt. He was holding a note and started reading it after getting the rest of his gear off him including the Colt Python on his right hip. As he read the note he shook his head in disbelief. He looked up at Maeve. "You should see this." He then looked to Casma. "You and Reeves to." Archer pointed out.

Maeve came over carrying a tarp from the camping section. She set it on the counter and peered at the note Roland was holding, "What's it say?"

Reeves came back in and went over to the others to see what was going on. Roland had a piece of paper in his hand he thought it was probably a last note or something. Soldiers wrote them in case they died and wanted their family to get some closure, he had written a couple and they were back in the bunker in his footlocker. "Go ahead and read it, we are burning daylight here." he said looking at some of the other cases.

Casma didn't move in as close as the others. She stayed near the door and kept an eye out on the street outside, the M4 down low again. "I'm listening," she told the group from where she stood. "What is it?" Reeves made a point: they were losing daylight to get things taken care of.

"If you're reading this I have a request to make, and it's going to be important as it will be my last request. Take this note to my wife. She is in our cabin in the woods." Roland wondered if more than Nick's wife was there. Or if his wife would need somewhere to go now that Nick was dead.

"Well, now we have a choice to make. Either bury Nick outside or try to take the body to his wife to bury out near the cabin. Not to mention offer her or anyone else out there protection here in the city or leave them out there. Either way we need to get through everything here and get it moved out to our locations." Reeves moved past Roland and Nick and into the office to see what he might find in there.

"I have a couple body bags in the trunk." Maeve offered as she returned to exploring the shop

"You really want to risk taking his body into the woods to find his wife, who may or may not be dead? Even if we had a way to transport his body in a way that wouldn't slow us down and leave at least two of us defenseless, we don't know if that cabin is swarmed with Xiox." Casks explained to the group with a frown. "The whole thing seems too risky."

"We need to do something, it separates us from them. I won't risk this operation or any of our people, any chance your people have a way to cremate him so we can take his ashes to his wife at least?" Reeves answered after looking around some of the cases. They had his dog tags and the note of course and he spied an american flag and something to use as an impromptu urn, considering the state of the world it should work out well. "Besides his remains probably won't slow us down as much as the rest of the stuff we take out of here, but a vehicle might help speed things along quite a bit."

Roland went to the windows and looked at the parking lot. Most of the cars were in decent shape but a Jeep fought his eye. It was lifted a bit and set up for rock crawling and off roading. It had an American flag painted on the hood and a USMC egal glob and anchor. He then looked at the keys in his hand and saw the brand matched with a globe and anchor. "Reeves. You think we can get nicks Jeep running? The girls can take the ammo back to your base with the black and white, and you and I can go to the woods and give Nick's wife his remains." Roland wondered if they could pull this off.

Maeve nodded, "That could work." It would also give her a chance to talk to Cassie and maybe find out if her parents were alive

Reeves took a look, "Well, roaches never were much for vehicles so if she still has gas it might work. Cassie we need to run everything past Dan too." He turned and motioned to Cassie to join him so they could discuss this new split up, "Roland you trust us enough to have the others come back so we can fill them in?"

Casma moved to Reeves with long strides that closed the space quickly but still seemed aloof and easy. She rejoined his side and kept her voice low, "I don't like this plan, Reeves..." she whispered honestly, "what if there's a nest there? You and this new one wouldn't be able to handle a whole nest by yourselves, even if you were packing miles of weaponry. You're too valuable to us... Too important to-" me "- the survivors to risk yourself like that. You're the only one we have to train us to fight."

Roland nodded to Reeves and told him. "If you wanted to kill us it would have happened." He then watched the hushed exchange between the two.

He smiled at her, "Feeling is mutual, we'll be okay if it looks too rough we'll fall back, bury Nick ourselves and come back to the bunker. This could be a good thing if they want to stay with us then the training will be easier and more hands to defend us. If you are still concerned then I will make you a promise." he said pulling his dog tags over his head and putting them in her hand, "I won't fall without these and I'll be back to collect them, if you let me." Even with the audience of new faces he leaned down and gave her a kiss to seal the promise he just made her.

Maeve watched the hushed conversation, she could easily imagine what was being said. She went back to grabing a few things that looked useful, the chance to talk to some of her own race would be nice and she could warn them that Roland didn't know of their existence yet while he and Reeves were gone.

Casma accepted the kiss and his dogtags with a small whimper. She clutched the dogtags tightly in her hand, and when the kiss ended she said, "You better be back for these, or I'll find you and kill you myself." She stepped back from him and looped the string of the tags around her own neck, tucking the medallions into her cleavage under her shirt. She rested a hand on his chest though, just wanting to touch him again, then sighed and looked at Roland and Maeve. "Alright. Reeves and Roland will take Nick's ashes to his wife in the woods. Maeve, you'll come back with me, Dan and Eva with all of the supplies. The guys will take just enough to defend themselves with... just in case."

"I'll go get started on the Jeep. You guys pack out what ya need. Then I'll get what I need before we split up." Roland then moved to Maeve and placed a soft hand in her shoulder. With a whisper he said. "Don't go getting yourself shot in the head again... I'm gonna be a bit farther away this time." He was being a bit playful. Maybe even flirting a bit.

"Hopefully my backup is better this time." Maeve countered with a smirk. She liked Roland so far and it felt surprisingly good to be flirted with under the circumstances. At least she thought he was flirting. She would have to feel that out a bit more when he got back, "You two watch each other's backs." She said to the veterans.

Reeves had opened the jeep up and checked to see how much gas was left, three quarters of a tank. Hopefully it was enough to get out to the cabin and back. "You driving or am I?" he called to Roland as he watched the interplay between him and the cop. He hoped this trip would be over soon, they needed to prepare defenses and start training and he didn't want to make Casma worry about him. 

Casma watched Maeve and Roland say their departing goodbyes and glanced at Reeves once more. She had already said her goodbye to him, but it somehow didn't feel like enough. She would worry about him until he stepped back through the doors to their safe haven. She turned to gather the supplies she and Maeve would take back with Dan and Eva, and began slinging the bag over her shoulder. "I'll go let Dan and Eva know the plan." she said, heading for the door.

Maeve gathered what she could as well and followed Casma, "Hey," she spoke to Cas in a hushed tone, "That Reeves guy isn't one of us, is he? But the others are? Does Reeves know?" She asked.

Casma glanced at Maeve and waited until they were outside before responding, but she still kept her voice hushed as well. "He knows what I and my people are. He is good." she promised gently. "What about Roland? Does he know what you are? Have you told him? Shown him your true face?"

Maeve shook her head, "I just met him yesterday. He seems good, but I didnt feel like alone his home under ground was the best place to break news like that to a human I hardly knew." She admitted, "We should probably tell him when they return though." She said.

"It might be best," Casma nodded in agreement. "We need all the allies we can get in this war against the Xiox and the humans are... resilient and valiant. They may prove invaluable in their efforts for self preservation." she said with a small laugh. She looked up and ahead as they grew farther from the entrance to the weapons shop and closer to where Dryan and Eva were positioned. She let out a small whistle. "Guys, over here," she called.

Maeve nodded her agreement, "Veterans would probably make the best allies we could ask for." She stood quietly, watching the other two approach

Dryan motioned for Eva to follow him then turned and headed towards Casma and Maeve. "Is everything ok? Where are the others?" He asked with a small frown as he glanced around for Reeves and Roland.

Casma waved her hand at them both and then gave them a soft smile. "We found remains of the shop owner inside... He was killed by a Xiox, but he managed to cripple it mortally. He died fighting, and so Reeves and Roland want to deliver his ashes to whatever family the shop owner might have. He left a note detailing where they are. Reeves and Roland are going to take some weapons and ammo, and a car, and do this errand before coming back to the haven. We're taking the supplies, ammunition, and weapons we found back."



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