Kirk approached Jericho. "Did you have to be so brutal?" he asked, looking at the tormented raider. Lucy scoffed in disbelief. "Are you joking? I think you of all people know that they are monsters." she stated in frustration. "You're right. I just thought we could show some mercy when possible." Kirk said. He did lose himself with the rifle beating. Something in him was dangerous, and he didn't like it. "Kid, these motherfuckers are animals, rapid dogs. They got no humanity left... most of em. You of all people should know that by now. That anger you have toward them, don't let that go. It will keep you alive, especially against these bastards." Jericho said. Kirk pondered on these words as he walked over to the weapon that shot flames. "What the hell kinda weapon is that?" Kirk asked, looking at it. "It's called a Flamer, and we are damn lucky that idiot didn't know how to use it properly." he answered, kicking it. "Should we take it? Could be useful." Kirk asked, picking it up. It was heavier than it looked. "Fuck no, it will slow us down and isn't meant to be lugged around." he snarled. Jericho looked around at the dead raiders and then back at Kirk. "So, guess you are worth a damn after all." Jericho said to Kirk, looking at the blood on him. Kirk scoffed, then stared at the victims, hung around the underpass. "I'm going to cut them down." he stated, walking toward one. Jericho grabbed his shoulder. "No point, kid, you'll just waste time and energy." he said calmly. Kirk wanted to argue, but a part of him understood. He then noticed Jerichos' burnt arm.
"Your arm. The burns, let me take a look at it." Kirk said, motioning for it. "I'm not a bitch, boy. Leave me be." he said walking past him. "Let's split up and see what they had on em." Jericho said starting to loot a dead raider. Kirk and Lucy followed his lead. Kirk went up to the lookout and examine the rifle the raider used. It was similar in make with his hunting rifle. 'Simms said to always take parts of weapons if possible to repair my own if needed.' Kirk thought and started dismantling it. The raider also had some ammo for his rifle and stored it away. When they finished looting, they gathered back together. "Lucy let me take a look at your hand and face." Kirk said pulling out his first aid kit. "You're a medic?" she asked sitting down in front of him. "Yeah, in training, but I can handle these no problem." he said examining her wounds. He stitched and bandaged her cuts then turned to Jericho who was looking over his burns. "Listen man, I get you are tough but don't be stupid. We need you at your best. Let me see your arm." Kirk stated sternly. "...Fine." Jericho said holding out his arm. Kirk administered some balm and wrapped it tightly. "Let's eat then finish this stupid trip." Jericho ordered. Lucy and Kirk grimaced and looked around at the dead bodies. "Oh for fucks sake, toughen up." Jericho said eating his food.
The rest of the trip was smooth. However, when they approached the entrance to Arefu, they smelled something awful. "Oh my God!" Lucy said, covering her mouth. A bunch of creatures laid dead and decaying in a field next to the ramp up to town. As they got closer, Kirk noticed they had two heads each. "What are these things?" Kirk asked, trying not to gag. "Brahmin. Livestock." Jericho answered. Chunks of flesh were missing from each one Kirk noticed. They made their way up the ramp passing unmanned guard posts. "Where is everyone? There are usually guards stationed here." Lucy asked out loud. They were about halfway up until Jericho halted the group. "DON"T FUCKIN MOVE!" he yelled staring at the ground. Lucy and Kirk listened but were confused. "Fuck me Jericho, what the hell is it?" Lucy asked startled. "Mines." he said pointing at a disc half covered up. "Mines?! They would only set this up if they were desperate. Caravans or traders wouldn't be able to come up with these defenses." Lucy stated worried. "What do we do?" Kirk asked looking around frantically. "Move slowly and only step on solid concrete. Do not step on any trash or piece of rubble." he said moving forward but stopped. "Fuck... didn't that crazy lady want you to defuse one and bring it back?" he asked. Kirk was shocked he remembered or even brought it up. "Yeah, but that's only part of it, she wants me to go to Minefield still too." Kirk answered still watching the ground in fear. 'Teach him how to survive out there, Jericho. Nothing is gonna stop him from venturing out there to find his father. Might as well help him, he has helped us greatly.' Simms words played in his head. Jericho sighed. "Well here, you might as well fuckin learn how to defuse one, when you do go to that hell hole." Jericho said kneeling down and motioning for Kirk to come to him. Kirk kneeled down next to him.
"Do you see that black knob on top?" Jericho asked, after gently removing the rubbish off of the mine. "Yes." Kirk answered. "You need to twist that counterclockwise to disarm it. Any amount of significant pressure on the whole mine will blow it turning you into bits. The red light means it's armed, ready to fuckin blow up." Jericho explained. "Now pay the fuck attention, cause what I am about to show you, should only be done if you don't have any other options in getting around it" he said slowly. Jericho pushed down on the knob and quickly twisted it counter-clockwise until the light turned green. "There it's disarmed when the light is green." he said picking it up. "That's it? That seems super simple." Kirk said confused. "It's harder than it looks idiot, you gotta be quick when turning it counter-clockwise without putting pressure on any other psrt if the mind." Jericho said moving on. They made their way up the ramp avoiding the mines until they heard a person shouting at them. "DON"T COME ANY CLOSER! I AM ARMED!" he shouted shooting some bullets in the air.
"I know that voice..." Lucy said, walking forward with her arms raised. "KING! IT'S ME LUCY WEST! DON'T SHOOT!" she yelled. "Lucy?! Damn girl! Get up here quickly!" he yelled frantically. They ran up and met an old man. He looked like he hadn't slept for days. "King, what is going on? Why do you have mines set up all up the ramp? Where is everyone?" she asked frantically. "Lucy, dear girl, you came back at a terrible time! We are under attack from a gang called the Family!" he cried, trembling. 'This man is about to collapse from exhaustion, and his nerves were shot.' Kirk thought, pulling out some water. "Here, drink this." Kirk said, handing him the canteen. The man drank it while Kirk pulled up a nearby chair. "Have a seat, please, and take some deep breaths." he continued placing him in the seat. King took some breaths and nodded. Kirk nodded at Lucy. "Start from the beginning." she said. Evan King went on to tell them about the Family. How it started a few weeks ago, and they wore down their defenses with constant harassment. "I sent out our men in desperation to find them and wipe them out days ago. They never returned..." King told them sadly.
"Were you aware of the raider gangs nearby? Your men may have run into them." Jericho stated lighting a cigarette. "We knew about the raiders, but they never came near us. My men should've easily been able to handle some raiders..." King answered hopelessly. "I need to check on my family." Lucy said, walking off. "Could you guys check on my people? See how they are faring?" King asked. "Sure. Jericho, let's go." Kirk said, walking off. "Don't order me around, boy. But I will..." he said, annoyed. Kirk checked on a few residents before coming across a woman who seemed stunned when she opened the door. "Is their something on my face?" Kirk asked, scratching it. "N-No, just wasn't expecting a stranger." she replied. "Oh, well, are you okay? Evan King is wondering how everyone is holding up." Kirk explained. Like everyone else, she told him King was unreliable, and they had no faith in him. Scared of this Family and not sure what to do. Kirk left with her saying to come by again. He noticed it had been a while since Lucy left to check on her family. He went to the last house beside Kings and figured it might be her families house. When he approached the door, he heard crying.
Kirk knocked on the door. "Lucy? Everything okay?" he asked, worried. She didn't answer, but she was definitely crying. He opened the door to a horror scene. Lucy was on her knees in front of two corpses. The smell was unbearable. Lucy was sobbing uncontrollably. 'They must be her family. She shouldn't be looking at this.' Kirk thought and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. She whipped around and grabbed onto him, crying into his chest. He held her tight, trying to console her with pressure. He looked at the corpses, getting flashes of dismembered bodies again. He noticed something odd about their wounds, but he would have to take a closer look. "Hey, there you idiots are, what is the- oh damn." Jericho said, seeing the site. "Jericho, take her out of here and let King know what has happened." Kirk said, standing up with Lucy. Jericho took Lucy out of the house and turned back to Kirk. "What are you gonna do?" he asked. "I am gonna examine the bodies. There is something off about them." Kirk answered, taking out his medical kit. Jericho grunted and left with Lucy to inform King.
Kirk laid both bodies down next to each other. A man and a woman. He knelt down and examined them. Chunks of flesh were missing all over the bodies. Torn off, though, not cut off. No blade wounds or gun shots. Light bruising but not deep enough to cause internal damage. They struggled against their assailant, it seemed. Kirk grabbed some forceps and pulled out a fingernail from one of the wounds. The victims still had their fingernails , though, so this was from their attacker. Kirk then looked around the house. Bloody smears were everywhere but no flesh from the bodies. 'That leaves only one answer... these poor people were eaten.' Kirk thought disgusted. He then noticed writing on the wall. In blood, the words The Family was written. 'This Family is dangerous. We need to be careful.' he thought. He draped a blanket over the bodies and left. Kirk approached King and his comrades talking. Lucy seemed to have calmed down a bit. She looked up at him with puffy eyes. "D-did you... find out anything?" she asked, tearing up again.
Kirk explained his findings to them. Lucy started crying again and saying no over and over. "Fuckin monsters, I knew their was something fucked up about them!" King yelled. Jericho grunted looking out in the distance toward where the raiders are. "This explains why the raiders are terrified of them. They're fuckin cannibals." Jericho said leaning against the concrete. "Wait, Lucy your brother... I only found an older man and woman in there. I assumed they're your parents. Your brother could still be alive!" Kirk said with hope. Lucy did not look hopeful however, more horrified really. "Y-yeah. Maybe he's with a neighbor..." she said. "Not possible. The houses I checked only had their own families in them. Kid?" Jericho asked, looking to Kirk. "All mine were single households." he answered disheartened. "Those monsters probably took him! Bastards!" King cried, slamming his fists on the barrier. "Enough! It has been a long day. Let's get some damn rest." Jericho ordered approaching King. "You got a place for travelers to rest in this shithole?" he asked King. "Yes, I'll show you." he answered, motioning them to follow them. "Hold up." Kirk said. "Let us take over watch for you, King. You and Lucy get some rest." he suggested looking at Jericho to confirm. Jericho grunted and nodded. "Three hour shifts, kid. You start since it was your damn idea." he said.
Kirk took position where King was but closer to the edge so he had a better field of view of the area. As he settled in his mind went to Lucy. He had noticed Lucy being strange, but it could be grief. Still, it was strange enough to take notice. His mind wandered back to the raiders they took out. How he brutalized the one raider that got the jump on him. 'I did it for survival. My life was on the line.' he reassured himself. 'No, you liked it.' a stray thought said. Kirk shook it out, ignoring it. He looked out across the wasteland. In the distance, he could see the raider gang at the field. They seemed to be partying. Kirk began to think on Jerichos words about how to treat raiders. 'Is he right? Is there really no hope for them?' He then had flashes of his torture and bodies of victims again. Kirk looked back to the raider field and found himself wanting to see if he could land a shot on one of them from where he was.