CHAPTER 15.
Mordecai woke with a start. He rubbed his eyes, then jumped up. He was in his bed. His bed? He looked around the room in the little light there was. The girl was gone, and he was in his own bed? He must have drifted off too. Perhaps Lillith or Maya had moved the girl? Perhaps he just couldn't remember that part if he was tired? He frequently realized he had gaps in his memory. But he usually associated that with booze.
As Mordecai swung his legs over the edge of the bed, he heard voices. They were coming from the control room. He opened his bedroom door, and blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the artificial light. As he walked into the control room, the first thing he saw was the young Siren, standing with her back to him, talking to Angels image above the map. On her shoulder, was his bird! The little turn-cloak he thought bitterly. Then shrugged it off. Junior had good taste, he admitted.
Montayva felt his presence before he entered the room, and turned to greet him.
'Sleep well?' She inquired.
'Er, guess so?' He shrugged again.
'Well, you could have told us she had woken up!' Lillith scolded, her arms crossed over her chest.
'Well, she wouldn't let me leave!' Mordecai said in defense. "then, er, I guess I fell asleep'
'It is true, I asked him to stay' Montayva told the other two women, who each gave her a look that said "why on earth would you do that?"
'Anyway...' Lillith continued 'We have just heard from Axton. Seems there's been some new developments' Mordecai stepped forward and leaned against the table.
'Yeah?'
'Axton has sent through an ECHO they found last night. Angel has been doing some digging also' Lillith let Angel continue the briefing.
'It seems that Duraph has managed to acquire more troops. They are travelling towards Friendship Gulag as we speak. So far I have identified three sources. Two trains, arriving in Lynchwood and the Tundra.' The areas on the map highlighted themselves as she spoke. 'The other a ship, coming in from the southern shelf. In order to take this guy down, you will first need to obliterate his supplies' Angel said ominously.
'Well thats easy. I'll take the Tundra' Mordecai shrugged.
'Yeah like you just did in the Dust?' Lillith said in a mocking tone.
'Hey! We took em out didnt we?'
'Yeah, and nearly got Montayva killed!' Lillith added.
'That was my own doing.' The younger siren added to the hunters defence
'Sure kid' Lillith backed down 'But cant say i'ld want you watching my back anytime soon' She shot venemously at Mordecai.
'God-dam Lillith is it your time of the month of something?' Mordecai wasn't one to back out of a fight.
'You are lucky its not! Who knows what I would do to you otherwise' She huffed.
'How bout we split up into the same groups we were in before. That seemed to work.' Maya suggested.
'I would suggest placing more troops at the Southern shelf. The ship seems to carry the greatest number of recruits.' Angel informed.
'Well, Mordecai, you know the Tundra well, is that true?' Montayva asked, when he nodded she continued.
'Perhaps Mordecai and I can head there. The two of you can dicide who will take the Southern shelf, and take the two extra troops' Montayva suggested.
'I like it' Lillith said 'Except that you have paired yourself with this epic failure of a protector over here' Lillith pointed towards the disgruntled Mordecai.
'What makes you think I'm the one that needs protection?' Montayva smirked. Maya chuckled as the girl was beggining to come out of her shell.
'True' Lillith shrugged 'Fine then. Sounds like a plan.' And the four set to planning with Angel.
Maya, Axton and Willy where standing at the station in Lynchwood. Lillith had taken the remainder of the crew to Southern shelf.
'I can just blow the track away' Willy shrugged, smiling at the memory of his efforts in the Dust.
'Yeah, pops, that sounds good to me.' Axton nodded.
'Can you set the explosives, but wait to detonate them untill the train has stopped completely. We want the wipe as many out as possible in one hit' Maya asked the explosives expert.
'Sure can, Missy Willy smiled. 'Lets get down there and take a look' Willy had no sooner lept onto the tracks when they heard the distant screech of a psycho.
'Arrrrrrgh! I'm gonna eat you when I'm done!' Came its distant wailing.
'Pops! Take cover!' The pet name Axton had first used as an insult, had stuck to the older soldier.
'Got it covered kiddo' He said as he aimed his sub-machine gun down the tracks, waiting for the psycho to come into veiw. Maya pulled out her revolver, and positioned herself behind some stacked crates.
The psycho came running into view wielding an ax. Willy held his finger to the trigger, and a short burst of bullets quickly took care of the crazed killer. Though it had barely hit the deck, when three more psychos came running from around various corners.
'Strip the flesh, salt the woooound!' The team of Vault hunters showered them with bullets. They weren't a challenge to the experienced crew.
'Well now, lets get those explosives set!' Axton jumped down with Willy once the coast was clear.
'Sure thing son' The older man agreed, and the pair set to the task as Maya kept a watchful eye out.
'You guys done yet?' The trains approaching!' She called down to them
'Righto Miss, just wrapping up now' Willy unrolled the wire, up off the track, and a considerable distance away from the anticipated destruction zone.
The rumbling in the distance grew closer, and Maya, Willy and Axton crouched behind a barricade, taking cover. Willy held the detonator loosely in his hand.
'Wait for my signal' Maya instructed him, holding her palm up towards him. Willy's thumb hovered over the red button as the train rumbled into the station. 'Wait...' Maya urged as the train came to a complete stop 'Wait...' She said again as the heavy metals doors of the carriages screeched open.
'NOW!' She yelled just as the first nomad was about to step onto the platform. Willys thumb pressed down, and the three crouched, covering their heads with their arms.
KA-BOOOM, BOOOM, BOOOM. The roar of the three bombs was deafening as they exploded one after the other. Screeches and wails could be heard coming from the flaming wreckage. Three sets of eyes peered over the edge of the barricade cautiously.
'Cooooool!' Maya said in awe at the sight of where a train once sat. Nothing but shards of scrap metal and flaming heaps of rubble remained.
A flaming bandit went running across the platform. Maya stood and popped a round into his chest, finishing him off sympathetically.
"well that just seemed too easy' Axton folded his arms as he veiwed the wreckage.
'C'mon guys' Maya led them 'Lets loot'
