With Jaune and Nolan:
The two of them walked to the garage of the bandit base. Since the vehicles needed to be able to get out of the base quickly the garages were located at the entrances and exits of the camp. The one they were at was the main entrance. As they entered the garage they could hear the sound of hammers, blowtorches, drills and all sorts of tools being at work. The sight of the bandit's creating and modifying their cars and buggies could be seen. They can hear other bandits yelling at others for supplies.
"OI! Yuri! I need more metal panels for the buggy!"
"Can someone bring me more screws?"
"Hey this one still needs fuel! I asked for that shit an hour ago!"
Nolan and Jaune walked around looking for someone who looked to be in charge. They wouldn't find them right away as one of the bandits called them out. "Yo, what are doing in here? Never seen you before!"
Jaune and Nolan turn to their left to see a bandit with a welders mask on approaching them. He also had on overalls which were dirty and greasy from working on the vehicles. He stops in front of them but doesn't remove the mask. "Well? You're not part of the mechanics team so why are you here?"
"We're here to get keys to a couple vehicles," Jaune said. "Junkrat wants us to guard around the base during the celebration."
"Really? Ah that's gotta suck. So, what kind of vehicles you need?"
"Do you have one that can hold nine people?" Nolan asked. "We're asking for our entire squad."
"Well, the van we used during the raid on Picaro is still broken but I have a custom truck that can carry six people, one of which is a gunner. I can also lend a buggy that can carry four people. Will that be okay?"
"That would be perfect," Jaune answered.
"All right, I'll get you the keys and you can look at them."
Jaune and Nolan nod and the bandit walks away. When they made sure no one was in earshot they began discussing again in a low whisper.
"Nolan, you any good at driving?" Jaune asked.
"I've done a little bit yeah," Nolan said. "What about you?"
"No, not really. I don't even think i'll be able to help you guys during the escape." Nolan turned to Jaune and raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"I uh… I get motion sickness…" There is a beat and then Nolan's eyes go wide. He then sighs.
"Well, at least you warned me about it. Should we bring a bucket for you?" Nolan had a smug smile while Jaune let out out a fake laugh. The bandit comes back and tossed the keys at Jaune and Noloan. Both of them catch one and he motions with his head for them to follow him. Nolan and Jaune do just that.
After walking around the garages for a little bit, they are met with their vehicles. "All right, you can check them out," The bandit said. He points back into another section of the garage. "I have to get back to work, don't break anything before you set off, I don't want even more work."
"All right, thanks for it," Jaune said the bandit nodded and left the two of them.
"Let's check out the truck first," Nolan said. Jaune agreed and they go over to it. The first thing they noticed was the small turret that laid on the roof of the car. It also had tires with spikes sticking out from the rims and the body had a bunch of metal plates on it for extra armor. Nolan tried to unlock it with his key first, which proved to be ineffective. So Jaune used his and unlocked the driver door. Jaune looks inside to see the armrest of the car has been removed. He also noticed the roof window had been removed, obviously to make room for the turret that lay on top of it. Nolan hops in the back and stands to be in the gunner's position.
Nolan got a good look and saw how they placed the turret. They added a circular ring on the top of the car to make it so the turret could spin in a 360 degree angle, while giving the gunner full control over it as well. Nolan opened the bullet holder for the turret and took a look inside the lid. It said it could at max two hundred rounds. Knowing they would need to get a few more than two hundred rounds, Nolan made a mental note about grabbing a few extra cases for the turret.
Jaune meanwhile looked around the car inside and out for and made a mental note of each thing. While he may not know a lot about cars, he knows he needs to make sure there would be enough room for a few people, and room for their supplies and weapons. While the seats were relatively the same, there wasn't enough for six people. So Jaune opened the back of the truck. There was no seat there but it had room to fit another human in there. The thing was, there were no seat belts, restraints or anything. So Jaune decided he had to make one.
Luckily they were in a garage with the right tools needed. Jaune looked around for rope, bungee cords, anything that could keep someone securely in place. Meanwhile, Nolan got out of the truck and saw Jaune walk around looking for something.
"What'cha doing Jaune?" Nolan asked the blonde.
"While the truck can hold six people, the sixth person isn't exactly the safest, especially with what I'm planning. I'm looking for stuff that could keep them in place."
"What exactly are you planning?"
"I…" a group of bandits came walking by talking so Jaune had to make it sound like they weren't escaping. "I want to have the back opened during patrol so we can have someone watching our backs while we patrol. Not to mention have the extra firepower."
Nolan understood what Jaune wanted but didn't think it was a good idea. "Jaune I think we need to keep the back closed. We already have a turret do we really need another one that puts the person in the back in unnecessary risk?" Jaune thought about it.
"You're right, we probably need more defense then
Both continued doing their job. Nolan saw the buggy and had to admit one thing about the bandits they know how to salvage and create stuff from junk. The buggy didn't have a turret like the truck, but it was just as reinforced as the truck. No to mention the rear chairs were faced backwards for them to keep an eye on the back. All in all it was a pretty nice vehicle.
Nolan gets in the driver's seat of the buggy and starts it up. He looks at the fuel to realize they even fueled it up. Basically other than the truck's backseat everything was pretty much got out of the buggy and then pocketed the keys.
Just as he got out he saw Jaune exit the van and closed the back door. He wipes his hands off of each other and looks to Nolan. "Ready to get the gear?"
"Yeah, is the seatbelt installed?"
"Yep, we're good to go."
"All right, let's get our shit."
The two leave the garage, and walk to the armory. Along the way they hear some of the bandits talking about what they would want to do to the girls. It made both of them a little nausea how much details some of them went into. And with the sun going down any minute they knew their time was running out.
They reached the armory building and looked at it. the place was wide and long and had two stories. "Must be a lot of weapons in there," Jaune commented.
"This place is like a town," Nolan said. "Of course they'd have a big arsenal."
"Yeah it's a town full of rapist and murderers. An utopia if I ever heard of one," Jaune said sarcastically. As the two walked in the building Nolan gave Jaune a weird look, a look that didn't go unnoticed. "What?"
"Did you just say 'an utopia'?"
"Well yeah isn't that how it's supposed to go?"
"I mean in the technical sense you're right but I'm pretty sure it's 'a utopia,' not 'an utopia.'"
"Are we seriously going to have this discussion as we're trying to get weapons?"
"Hey you said it not me, so you're looking to save your own ass."
As the two continued to bicker they entered the armory and continued searching for their weapons. They entered a room and saw that it was only assault rifles and shotguns in the room but they decided to search it just be safe. Throughout the entire time they continued to argue.
"What, did you learn that from your mother or something?" Nolan said jokingly. Jaune picking up the sarcasm in his voice pretended to be offended. He did the stereotypical hand on chest movement.
"You leave my mother out of this!"
When they realized that their weapons weren't in there they went to the next room. Again, no weapons. However the conversation somehow shifted to who would win in a fight, an ursa or a beowolf… somehow.
"I'm telling you an Ursa's strength is what's going to keep it alive!" Nolan said.
"But beowolves travel in packs, giving the significant advantage over loner Ursas."
"Dickhead! We're talking about a one-on-one here! Besides Ursa travel in packs too!"
The two continue arguing until a female bandit with a shotgun came around the corner. "Oi what you doing here?" she asked.
The two continued arguing for a few seconds before Jaune held up a finger in Nolan's face. He then turns to the bandit and began speaking. "Yeah we're looking for the new prisoners' weapon. We heard they were huntsmen and just want see the weird hybrid crap they have."
"Why?"
"We want to see if we can use them during patrol."
"Right now?"
"No during the celebration. We got stuck with it."
"Ouch, that's harsh." The bandit looked at them and gained a lecherous smile. "Besides the celebration's a push over anyway right?" Jaune raised an eyebrow to this. The tone of her voice changed drastically in a matter of seconds. After growing up in a house full of women, Jaune knew that signifies something either very horrible or very good. Mostly horrible since he was the one that got hurt after his sisters had that tone change.
"How about I join the two of you on patrol?" She said in a flirtatiously manner. "I can make sure you guys don't miss anything from celebration." She leans a little closer to them, particularly Jaune. "And I mean, anything."
"Uh… I… uh…" Was all Jaune could sputter out. His face had grown very red from blushing. Thankfully Nolan had his back.
"As much fun as that would be," he said. "Eric said he'd chop our nuts off if he caught us fucking other bandits again." The bandit groaned.
"He's such a killjoy," She said. "Ah well, if you ever change your mind just keep this in mind."
"Keep what―" Jaune was cut off by the bandit force kissing Jaune. She stops after a second and tells them where their weapons were. She then walks by them, slapping Jaune's ass as she passed by. Jaune and Nolan process what happened. Once they did they each had something to say. "Why is every bandit horny?"
"Why is every girl bandit horny for you?!" Nolan said.
"You can't blame me for that!" the two walk to where the bandit told them their weapons were being held.
"I can and I will."
"Why would you even want them to have… to do it with you in the first place?"
"Do I want it to happen? No, but I also don't want to be ignored because you're around!"
"You think I like that!? Have you seen me? I can't talk in situations like that!"
"Yeah you were a real lady killer."
Jaune growled at the sarcasm that was in Nolan's voice. "Don't start with the nicknames, I've had too many of them back at Beacon." They reached the door that held their weapons. A guard with a shotgun stopped them.
"Where do you think you're going?" the guard asked.
"Junkrat wanted us to get the shape shifting hunter weapons for some reason," Nolan said.
"Why?"
"Do we look like the type of people who know why?" Jaune asked. "We're just doing what we're told.
"All right," the guard said with his hands up. "Don't have to be a dick about it." the guard unlocks the door and lets them enter. When they do it's a room filled with not only their own weapons,, but a bunch of others too. Unconventional ones at that.
There was a minigun sitting in the middle of the room with a belt of bullets over to the side of it. Next to it appeared to be a flamethrower and a very creepy gas mask. Next to that was butterfly knife with a ski mask. Next to that was a billiard ball tied onto what looked like a piece of weaved rope. Nolan goes over and starts swinging the billiard ball around.
"Hey Jaune, think I should keep this one?" Nolan said as he swung it. Jaune chuckled as Nolan began doing flashier moves. However Nolan accidently lossed his grip and it flew across the room and hit Jaune right in the groin. Nolan put his hands to his mouth as Jaune's pupils shrunk. Jaune grabs his parts and falls to his knees.
"I think I'll keep my normal gear."
"Yeah... I agree," Jaune moaned out. As Jaune recovered from the surprise attack, Nolan began taking everything they needed. Nolan grabbed his baton and strapped it on his right hip, grabbed Octavia's sword and put it on his left hip, and Roy's sawblades on his wrists. He was going to grab Gwen's gear but realized it wouldn't be that easy as she had a bunch of little knives. He exits the room to find a bag for all of her knives.
Once Jaune recovered, he began to take the rest of their weapons. Jaune had his sword on his left hip, Nebula's sword/crossbow on his right hip in sword form, Brawnz's gauntlets on his wrists, May's sniper strapped over his left shoulder, and Dew's spear strapped over his right shoulder.
Nolan returned with a large ammo bag and began packing Gwen's knives into the pack. Jaune goes over and helps him pack. Once they were packed they exited the room."Okay, anything else we need?" Jaune asked.
"We need ammo for the turret on the truck," Nolan said. "Also some food and water for the road." The two walk around the building, occasionally peaking into a room to see if it was an ammo room. They found a room filled with grenades and what looked to be C4. They took a few dust grenades just be safe. Eventually they find the ammo room and enter it.
The room had a bunch of crates in it filled with bullets both dust and regular ones. As they began packing the turret ammo, Nolan grabbed a couple of sniper magazines for May. This prompted Jane to see if there were any Crossbow bolts for Nebula. As they packed Jaune had a question. "Do we even know where this camp is located?"
"No, so I guess getting a map would help."
"Assuming these guys know how to make one." Nolan frowned a little at the comment.
"Hey bandits can be pretty crafty you know," he said.
"I'm not denying that, but most of these guys don't have maps so others can't find their camp right?"
"Yeah, I guess."
Once they were sure that they had everything they zipped up the ammo bag and began to leave the building. Once they did, Jaune asked Nolan a question.
"Should we put this stuff in the buggy and truck or hang onto it?"
Nolan was going to answer until he saw bandits running around. They heard them screaming something but couldn't quite make it out. Jaune and Nolan run over and stop a couple of bandits and ask what's going on.
"A couple of prisoners escape," one said. "So Eric's doing a public execution."
"Oh man I can't wait to see the brutality of this one!" the other bandit said. The two continue running with Nolan and Jaune behind them. They see a crowd gathering but they also see Brawnz and Roy with a bunch of guards with blunt and sharp weapons surrounding them on what looked like a stage. Jaune and Nolan look at each other.
"This can't be good," Jaune said.
"Gee, no shit!" Nolan said. "What do we do?"
Jaune paced around for a minute thinking of a plan. When he finally got one he snapped his fingers. "I got it."
"What?"
"Just follow me!"
Jaune runs back to the armory with Nolan behind him.
With Roy and Brawnz:
The two students of Shade had their hands zip tied behind them. They could easily break out of them, but with the guards circling them and the crowd that was gathering, breaking out would be a death sentence. Brawnz looks around the crowd hoping to see Jaune and/or Nolan anywhere. However the crowd is so dense he can't find the two of them anywhere. At this rate they would soon be dead.
"Brawnz," Roy whispered. "What do we do?"
"I'm thinking, I'm thinking," Brawnz said. While the two could probably take out the guards around them, the crowd definitely had weapons on them. Brawnz's only thing he could think of was keep talking so they wouldn't die. Basically stall until a real plan popped in his head.
Eric walks in front of the two students and puts his hand up to calm down the crowd and everyone slowly got quieter. Brawnz looked at Eric to see a small smile creep on his face seeing the power he had over the bandits. That was when Brawnz got an idea.
"Roy, follow my lead," He said to his friend. Roy nodded his head and waited for Brawnz to make his move.
"Now," Eric said as he began to pace around. "I know that we promised a celebration later today and I promise you that it will still happen. However it seems these two here didn't want a party!" The crowd boos at Brawnz and Roy. "They thought they would steal our property that we rightfully stole! Because they were their 'friends' or 'it was the right thing to do.'" Again more boos. "And what's even better, is that they thought they could sneak them from right under our noses."
Eric takes out a revolver and begins loading it. He turns to Roy and Brawnz and crouches down in front of them. "Is there anything our friends here have to say?"
"We were idiots thinking we would get passed you," Brawnz said. This caused Eric to take a step back.
"Weird, most peoples' last words insult me."
"Why would we?" Roy asked, seeing where Brawnz was going. "We underestimated you. If anything this is basically karma biting us in the ass."
Eric smiles and stands up. "I like you two, you seem… mature compared to some of our other prisoners. And that's saying something seeing as how one of our last prisoners was a 54 year old man. He begged and begged after trying to escape, crying and pissing everywhere. But you two? You accept it like men. I like that… no I respect that!" Eric pauses for a moment before point the gun at Brawnz head. "Well, if it wasn't for the fact that you were trying too hard." Eric motions up with the gun. Brawnz feels a bandit go to him and lift him to his feet. Eric walks over and puts the gun right into Brawnz's face.
"How stupid do you think I am? I'm smarter than you, and I don't like it when some boy thinks he's smarter than me." Eric points the gun right into Brawnz's shin. "So I'm going to take my time with you two."
A gunshot is is fired from the gun and a sharp pain shot through Brawnz right leg. He lets out a yell and grabs his leg. Meanwhile Roy yelled out for his leader and friend. He broke free from the zip ties and tried to attack Eric only to be pistol whipped. he falls to the floor and feels Eric's hand cover his face.
"Let's see how you like this," Eric said in a menacing voice. Eric's aura surrounds his hand. However Roy kicked Eric in the stomach causing the bandit to get off of him, dropping the revolver in the process. Roy takes the gun and shoots Eric in the head. He then turns to his friend.
"Brawnz lets..." He discovers that Brawnz is nowhere to be seen. In fact, there seems to be no one around. Even Eric's body disappeared. All of a sudden Roy felt something itch on the skin of his arm. He scratches it as he continues looking on. However as the itch doesn't go away he looks at to reveal a lump moving around in his skin. Roy slams down on the lump but it does nothing as it seemed to have moved around in his arm some more. that was when he felt another one on his other arm. another lump is there causing not only an itching feeling but actual pain.
Roy begins to scream as more and more lump appeared out of nowhere. finally one decided to burst out of the skin to reveal a beetle. The beetle flies away into a fire that was starting to surround Roy. he looks in fear as the fire grows closer and closer. he tried to move but it was as if his legs were glued to the ground. Roy began shaking with fear and let out a terrified scream.
Some of the bandits watch and laugh as Roy screams and Brawnz trembles in pain, while others just stare in shock. Brawnz was about to get up and attack Eric but Eric put a boot in Brawnz face. However one of the guards stepped in.
"Eric enough lets end this," He said. Eric looked at the bandit as if he was crazy.
"Why? They could have escaped!" Eric explained. "We could have lost our home because of them it seems fair to me that they be punished."
"Punishment is quick and to the point. This? I don't even know what this is! Why go through the hassle of torturing?"
"Because I want them to go to hell, screaming for mercy, as their punishment. And if there is an afterlife, they'll remember who put them there." The guard doesn't say anything, and then turns around. "Just like how the men will remember this."
The guard begins to turn around. "What are you talking ab-" Two gunshots are heard and the bandit falls to the ground. Eric was pointing a revolver at the bandit's body. He holsters it and goes over to the body and stomps the bandit's head in. After he is done he clears his throat. "How's that for an idiot? Making me waste the aura piercing bullet on your dumb ass…" the other bandits stare in a quiet horror to see how Eric had no remorse for doing what he did. He then turns to the rest of the guards. "Anyone else want to end up like him? No? Then shut up and follow my directions."
Brawnz continued to grip his leg and put pressure on the bullet wound, while Roy kept screaming in fear and agony. However an explosion is heard and everyone looks to where it came from. Smoke is coming from a building until another explosion goes off. Metal wood and ash fall from the sky. "Was that the armory?!" someone yells the crowd begins to panic. Eric however, scowls and grabs Brawnz by the collar.
"What did you do?!" he said. He places his hand on Brawnz's face. "Tell the truth! Or I'll make you experience your worst nightmare!"
All of a sudden there was a blinding light and what sounded like a gun going off. Brawnz ears began to ring and he covers them. Roy stopped screaming and covered his ears as well. It seemed his mind was snapped out of the nightmare it was enduring. Just as they recovered there was another blinding light and deafening sound causing everyone nearby to be disoriented. After a few seconds everything became clear or foggy in this case.
Smoke was surrounding everyone on the stage, not to mention some of it made them cough. Brawnz looks around to find the bandits panic as smoke grenades filled the area. Roy got up kicked Eric off the stage. He then helps Brawnz, who leans on Roy for support.
"What's happening?!" Brawnz asked.
"I don't know! I think it's Jaune and Nolan!"
A group of explosions is heard from all around, the screams of bandits can also be heard. Roy and Brawnz try to navigate in the smoke but don't get so far as a familiar taste of a gas enters their systems. Both of them fall to the ground coughing. They could feel themselves slip into unconsciousness. They notice a few bandits beside them have already succumbed to the gas.
As both of them gasp for air that isn't filled with gas and smoke, an unpleasant thought goes through their heads: Jaune and Nolan ditched them. Brawnz and Roy look at each other and know they're thinking about the same thing. Their vision begins to blur and darkens.
All of a sudden they both feel something strap around their heads and onto their faces. All of a sudden fresh air is coming into their systems. Jaune goes in front of Brawnz and Nolan goes in front Roy and helps them. They see that the two of them have gas masks on and realized that's what they put on their faces.
"Are you guys okay?" Jaune asks.
"I got shot in the leg what do you think?" Brawnz asked. Jaune notices the wound on Brawnz's leg. He lets Brawnz hang onto him as they began running through the smoke and gas with the gas masks over their faces.
"Where are we heading?" Roy asked.
"Eric's shack! We're getting the girls and getting the fuck out of here!" Nolan said. None of them stopped moving at any second. Debris from the armory kept falling and the sound of the explosions the two made can still be heard.
They reached the shack and entered it. Nolan slams the door behind them and holds his back against it. Meanwhile Jaune slowly put Brawnz on the couch that Eric had. Everyone takes a minute to catch their breath.
"So… now what?" Roy asked.
To be continued.
Beta Reader: TheShadowOfZama