Chapter 77: Way of the Warrior.
"And it's up good job people now let's check in to see if we can raise Seven and the others," Raymond said as the radio pulser clunked into place at that top of the tower and the dishes all began to align themselves.
After such a long period of inactivity and exposure to the harsh elements, he had been worried that the relay would be inoperable leaving them cut off from the others, but as it turned out that other than a few feral Ghouls that they'd cleared out pretty quickly the tower itself was in a remarkable condition which now thanks to Cho and Spectre was fully online, or at least he hoped it was.
"Gold two to Gold one are you receiving us over?" Spectre said into the radio handset before releasing the PTT to let the replay come through if there was one.
Now Seven's team was the only one not actually carrying a handset as their radio was built into Seven's power armour which incidentally also made it the most powerful set of all of them due to the armour having a built-in booster unit and far more powerful ariel than the handheld sets that they had, so all they could hope was that Seven was actually in his armour and not in a bush with Visa somewhere.
Though Raymond did know one little trick that Seven's armour had that he himself might not even know about as Timothy had taken great pleasure in telling him about it before they had set off if it received a Radio call and its occupant wasn't inside the armour would actually begin to flash its headlamp on and off to alert it's wearer to an incoming broadcast which he thought was hilarious as it conjured up images of it shining a high powered torch on him and Visa essentially catching them in the act.
But as it turned out they didn't have to wait long for a reply, "Gold one to last call sign check in over," Seven's voice came through the handset which made Raymond smile as not only had it worked but he had indeed been outside of his armour when the radio went off.
"It's Gold two checking in and letting you know we got the local radio relay working down here so we have comms, also reporting that we have made an interesting discovery oh and tell Visa we apologise for dragging her man back into his tin suit and out of her arms, I can practically feel her pacing from here, over," Cho said with a giggle as they all knew about the power armour trick as Raymond had kinda let it slip while they'd been walking.
"Wait how did you...you all knew my armour did that when I wasn't in it didn't you? Over," Seven's voice said and they all broke down into a fit of giggles as they imagined the angry Claw pacing around him.
"Someone in Gold one kinda let it slip to us but refuse to name any names, over," Cho said stifling a giggle as she spoke.
"Well I'll let you explain it to her when we get back as right now I have a rather unamused looking Claw girl pacing around me, so what's this discovery you mentioned? Over," Seven asked.
"We believe we have located a splinter group of the Greasers from DC down here apparently they are called the Roaming Ronin and we are going to try and make contact before we proceed on with our mission over," Cho explained.
When Seven's voice came back it had lost its edge of irritation and was now curious, "Wow they walked a long way to get all the way down there ok roger that then, keep us in the loop and let us know how it goes, tell your leader that I have faith in his abilities to pull this off as I can feel him fretting from here, Gold one over and out," Seven said and all of his team looked up at him making him sigh, Seven seriously was an astute one.
"Roger that Gold one and don't worry we got his back Gold Two over and out," Cho said making Raymond smile and chuckle as he noticed Lia moving close to him and he felt the large claw-tipped hand on his shoulder.
"See? Seven has faith in you as do we," she said and he smiled at her gratefully.
"Alright then people let's get this show on the road then shall we?" he said and with that, the group gathered up and headed down towards the ruins.
En route, Raymond had wondered how they were supposed to find both Riss and Runs in this place as they were both masters of the shadows and expert trackers, but as it turned out there was no need to as one of the pair was waiting for them on the outskirts.
"Ahh good you are back, come I'm will guide you to where glorious wife awaits us, now be careful, is many traps here, tread where I tread and only where I's treads," Runs said as he emerged from the shadows making them all jump as not one of them had seen him hiding among the shadows of the buildings.
It turned out that the Ronin were very meticulous about their security as they found numerous traps that ranged from landmines through to simple can chain noise maker traps absolutely everywhere along their route through.
But finally, they reached what appeared to be a rather well-hidden bunker in the basement of what appeared to be a book store towards the centre of the ruins, there they met up with Riss who was waiting for them.
After she embraced her husband lovingly she turned to the rest of the group, "I have scouted the place and they are indeed insssside, I count twelve mutantssss all heavily armed sssso we sssshould be cautioussss," she reported.
"Good job Riss, well alright here's the plan, these guys are gonna be pretty cautious, to say the least, but they all know me so it's best if I handle the introductions so you guys wait here while I go and speak to them and if it goes well I'll bring them up," Raymond said and instantly he saw Lia begging to twitch.
"I do not like the thought of you going in there alone I should go with you in case there is a problem," she said and Raymond shook his head.
"I appreciate the offer, Lia, I do and in any other circumstance I would not hesitate to have you backing me up but not here, these are my people and misunderstandings need to be avoided and without any offence being offered here Claws appearing out of the shadows in amongst your group who are not used to good Claws can cause them real fast," he said making the big Claw girl huff in annoyance.
But she had told him that she would follow his lead and believed in him so he kinda had her on her word of honour here, if she refused she would essentially be saying she really didn't have faith in him as a leader and was merely saying kind words to make him feel better.
But as he guessed he already knew in his heart Lia was a woman of honour who believed in keeping your word, so begrudgingly she nodded and acquiesced to his plan, so with a deep breath Raymond turned and headed for the doorway to the stairs that led down into the basement.
The stairway was rather narrow and most definitely not made with super mutants in mind when it was constructed given how bloody tight it was, he pretty much had to turn sideways to squeeze down it, but eventually, he made it to the bottom and instantly saw where his brothers were hold up.
On the opposite side of the room was a section of the wall that had been slid back like a door that was obviously made to disguise the short tunnel that led down to the bunker beyond it, but even from here, he could see the glow of fires used to light the place as well as the smell of cooking coming from down the tunnel.
Keeping his eyes peeled for a trap he moved slowly trying to make sure he kept his weapons holstered and shouldered so as to appear non-threatening, but it appeared that the Ronin were not as clueless about his approach as he originally thought because no sooner had he stepped into the tunnel than the door closed behind him with a thump and dead ahead of him the second door that led into the bunker ahead of him slammed shut as well plunging him into darkness.
Raymond's heart was going a million miles a second as he spun on the spot after he fired up his torch trying to see a way out but there was none, he was trapped!
Around him, he heard slots in the walls sliding open with soft metallic grinding noises, "If I was you I'd put the weapons down big guy," a voice that Raymond instantly recognised as Jack Hemming who was the leader of the Ronin said.
Raymond rapidly racked his brain for the right thing to say and that's when it clicked, "Truth is like the sun, you can block it out for a while but it ain't going away," he said and instantly there was dead silence from all those watching him.
"Animals don't hate and we're supposed to be better than them," the voice he recognised as jack replied giving the Greaser countersign and instantly all the lights in the tunnel snapped on nearly blinding Raymond.
"Holy fucking shit! Raymond is that you lad!?" Jack exclaimed and now Raymond could see the little metal firing slits set into the wall around him.
"Aye, it's my jack long time no see," Raymond said feeling his heart slowing down to a much more normal beat, suddenly he was very glad he hadn't brought Lia in here with him or right now there might have been a hell of a firefight with an angry Claw bounding around like a pinball in a box.
The inner door slid open and an absolutely massive male mutant strapped out into the open with a massive grin plastered all over his surprisingly handsome face, to Raymond's surprise he seemed to be dressed in what looked like Samurai armour or at least a close approximation of it given that it was made out of scrap metal.
The massive man strode forwards and threw his humongous arms around Raymond and lifted him in a bear hug off his feet, now he was really glad he didn't bring Lia as Claws get real territorial when people touch someone that sees them as theirs.
"Fucking hell it's so good to see you laddie, but what in the name of fuck are you doing all the way down here?" jack said placing him back down on his feet.
"It's a real long story but I'd be happy to tell you but first I kinda have a bit of an odd request," Raymond said and Jack cocked his head making both his braided beard and his tightly wound top knot hairdo shimmy.
"Well then out with it?" he said in his deep gravely voice.
"My friends are outside, I told them I'd come in here and handle the introductions between us so there were no misunderstandings but I don't want to leave them waiting out there as well err one of them is a Deathclaw and they aren't exactly known for their patience, so I'd kinda like to bring them down so you can meet them and visa versa if that's alright," Raymond said.
Jack's trimmed but still bushy eyebrows shot up and now he looked really curious, "You got a tame Deathclaw with you? Now this I gotta see, aye bring them in any friend of yours is a friend of ours," Jack said gesturing for someone hidden behind the wall to open the outer door which slid open moments later.
"Oh tame is the furthest thing in the world from what she is but you understand when you meet her," Raymond said with a smile and a chuckle.
When he reemerged from the basement Lia was on him before the rest of the group had even realised he was there, the big Claw girl gripped him and proceeded to begin turning him all while examining him closely.
"Are you hurt Raymond? Did they harm you? If they have tell me now and I will show them exactly what happens to anyone who harms a Claw's prey!" she demanded moving around him so quickly that she kinda reminded him of an oversized snake trying to wind itself around him.
"I'm all good Lia no harm done not a scratch see?' he said turning on the spot and holding his arms out to the side but she didn't seem convinced until she had personally checked pretty much every inch of him for herself, or maybe it was just an excuse to manhandle him, either way, once she was satisfied she stepped back and nodded her horned head approvingly.
"Good I am glad it would have been a shame to have to shred potential new allies," she said.
"Well fuck me sideways with a yardstick you weren't fucking kidding lad," a voice said from the doorway behind him and Raymond turned to see Jack leaning on the door frame, for such a big guy dressed in heavy metal armour he moved like a fucking phantom.
Lia snarled and flicked out her claws dropping into a combat stance but Raymond placed a placating hand on her broad shoulder and she glanced at him, "Easy big girl, this is Jack Hemmington the leader of the Roaming Ronin, he's a friend, Jack these are my people," Raymond said gesturing first to Jack and then to his group but before he could even blink both Spectre and Cho were at Jack's sides looking up at him.
"Good to meet you I'm Cho," Cho said holding out her hand to him and Jack looked taken aback but she took it and shook it enveloping her hand in his massive one.
"And I'm Spectre," Spectre said doing the same and also getting a handshake.
"Well err good to meet you, lassies, so why don't you come inside and make yourselves comfortable, I get the feeling we have a lot to talk about," Jack said glancing at Raymond for an explanation but all he got back in return was a look that said 'Welcome to my world,'
The group trooped down into the bunker which once everyone was inside the Ronin sealed up, it turned out they'd been aware of the team tracking them to the place so they had made ready for a fight and the group were impressed but the arrangement of both armour and handmade weapons laid about.
It seemed the Ronin really had taken their name to heart having designed their armour to look like that of the Samurai of old and even their weapons had that kind of flavour, every single one of them had a collection of swords and even large bows that had been hand made from scrap metal but turned into both beautiful and lethal weapons of war.
The two groups sat in the lounge area of the bunker looking at one another with both Raymond and Jack in the centre facing each other over a low table that forced them both to kneel on cushions.
"Can I offer you some sake lad? Found it in a Japanese a week ago, Jerry there has been trying to learn how to brew the stuff and he's getting better I must say though it's a little hard with rice being so hard to find," Jack said lifting a clay bottle up and placing down two dish-like cups.
"Thank you," Raymond said nodding his accent.
Jack poured them both a shot and pushed Raymond's towards him before taking his own and the pair saluted the other with the dish before necking it in one, the powerful alcohol burned Raymond's throat on the way down but it did warm him which was nice.
"So lad you gonna tell us how you got teamed up with a walking talking Deathclaw and Nightstalker or do we have to guess?" Jack asked and Raymond grinned as he felt Lia growl behind him.
"First of all please call her by her name which is Lia and call them Claws," he said and jack raised an eyebrow but nodded his head before looking up at her over Raymond's shoulder.
"Sorry didn't mean no offence big lass," he said and Lia let out a huff.
"Very well, apology accepted as you show honour by apologizing," she said.
With that Raymond began to tell the Ronin his tale and all of them listened intently as he told of them of Seven and what he was doing and the people he had gathered to him, before he was even halfway through all of them were on the edge of their seats and cushions.
"Well I gotta say this laddie that's a hell of an adventure you got yourself wrapped up in there and boy I gotta say this but damn is it good to see that we aren't the only ones out here fighting to show people that not all non-humans are mindless animals, this Seven guys sounds like someone I'd really like to meet, sounds like a hell of a swell guy," Jack said nodding approvingly.
"Aye he is one of a kind he really is, he's the kind of leader we really needed if I'm honest, leads from the front and stands tall and true no matter what we face, he's always the one right at the front ready to meet the challenge, you'd like him," Raymond said.
Jack nodded approvingly, "Aye sounds like it and this Visa lass too, a human and a Claw now that's a twist to the tale I never saw coming but I gotta say it kinda makes me happy in a way because if a guy can look at a girl like her and see nothing but beautiful then it means that there are minds out there that are open to new possibilities and that is seriously good news for all of us," Jack said.
"Hey, you don't have to worry about a thing big green trust this girl when she says you are not hard on the eyes at all and any girl who says differently is either lying to herself or is just not interested in men because from where I'm sitting all I see is a whole lotta man wrapped up in a pretty green package," Cho said making Jack's bushy eyebrows shoot up in surprise and the tinge of a deep green blush peek out from behind his facial hair.
"W-Well I err thank you miss," he said very obviously flustered and that made Raymond smile because Jack was as about unflappable as a man came so to see him so completely taken off guard by the candour of the young human woman was actually quite heartwarming.
"Don't you sweat it big green trust me when I say this little group of yours is a feast for the eyes of a human girl who prefers the more exotic things in life and do you know what for the first time in my life I actually feel fully comfortable saying something like that and you can than both these good people here and the rest of this crazy group that Seven has put together for it, they are good people and believe me when I say I know bad ones when I see them, I escaped Paradise Falls," Cho said and that really got Jack's attention.
The big male Super Mutant's features instantly darkened into a scowl that would have sent anyone it was intended for running for the hills, "Those slave-taking cunts again eh?" he said and Cho and Spectre nodded.
"Yup them but here's the beautiful kicker, I got to be there when Seven and his people who are now my people turned that place and the people into rubble, he went full-on Dark Angel and fucking levelled the place like a living nuclear bomb it was fucking glorious to see but even before that I got to see all these different people of all these different races fighting for us and the slaves they were currently holding simply because they felt it was the right thing to do because they fully believed that no sentient being regardless of who or what they are belongs in chains, so I got to watch her incredible brethren cutting through those fuckers like living bulldozers and since then our number has grown and our diversity along with it because more and more see who we are and what we stand for, something new," Cho said proudly.
"In the time we have spent with them we have seen these people do incredible things all guided the simple want of two things, to be free and to make things better for ordinary people regardless of who or what they are, they are ideals that they live and breathe i mean look at this group, we have a Seven leading from the front a human man with psyonic powers who is madly in love with a Claw girl who loves him back so fierce that I simply dare any one to look at him with malice in her presence, then you have Gregory and Ven a bisexual Claw and a gay human man who found love together, we have Riss and Runs here a Nightstalker girl married to a human boys, in one of our other groups we have an Arachnakai boy who is basically a half human half spider who is in love with Wisp who is a non-coporeal girl living inside a synthetic body and the list goes on hell look at Lia there, she's a Claw girl who is crushing so hard on Raymond there that she's one step off licking his bloody footprints," Spectre said making both Lian and Raymond's heads snap round do fast that Lia's horns whistled through the air.
"I would not lick his footprints! Why would I do such a thing when I could lick his legs or his chest or his face?" Lia said proudly and Raymond felt himself flush so deeply as he felt the eyes of every single one of the Ronin including Jack fall on him.
"I rest my case," Spectre said with an evil grin.
"So wait she's chasing him and you are not together?" Jack asked.
"It's err a new thing I'm still kinda figuring things out," Raymond said quickly but Lia growled.
"I am hunting him and when the time is truly right I will strike and then I will have my succulent prey!" Lia growled with such fierce determination in her voice that it sent a shiver down Raymond's spine but not an unpleasant one.
"Well damn you guys seriously do not hold back do you?' Jack said in amazement glancing between the human girls and Lia curiously.
"A proud and noble Claw never holds back," Lia said proudly puffing out her chest.
"If there is something that being a member of this group has taught me since becoming a member of it it's that there is no shame in being yourself whoever that might be, in our wake this group has opened hearts and minds to new possibilities, we are healing the wastes one place at a time," Cho said happily.
"Hell right now we have four teams operating in various areas of Boston trying to make contact with various groups of non-humans we've heard of, right now Seven is in Nukaworld looking for a new breed of Claw that he might be able to sway to our side," Spectre said.
Jack and the rest of the Ronin seemed completely stunned by what they had just heard and indeed what they were seeing live before their eyes, "So that's what happened to me and indeed us so what about you?" Raymond said with a grin at Jack.
"Honestly nothing near as crazy as all this but yeah we did have quite an adventure since we left the Greasers and made our way here," Jack said.
"Well go on you've heard our tale now it's your turn," Raymond said gesturing to his old friend with his large hand.
Jack took a deep breath and then nodded, "Well after we left the Greasers we began our journey down here, we were just so pissed off with DC we wanted to see if there was a new place for people like us in this world, a place where we could just be live our lives without having the Brotherhood up our ass because of the way we look and possibly a place that wasn't so soured by the bad blood fostered by our 'normal' super mutant brethren that we might be able to just fit in, but alas it seems our big green brethren got here ahead of us and fucked that idea up something chronic, but that having been said we did do a lot better down here than we ever did in DC," Jack said and Raymond cocked his head curiously.
"How so?" he asked.
"Well for one the people down here are a bit more trusting and while yeah we got shot at on sight quite a lot we were able to actually make some contacts in the area after we helped a caravan out of the shit, they were headed to Diamond city and promised to put in a good word for us with the people there which they did, they even spread the word to some of the settlements controlled by the Minutemen," Jack said.
"Minutemen? who are they?" Cho asked.
"They are some kind of local militia that work together to protect their homes, they run out of the castle far south of here right down on the coast, in fact, it was them that gave our first break into the mercenary game," Jack said proudly.
"So you are mercenaries now? Raymond asked and Jack nodded happily.
"Yup and not the unscrupulous type like the fucking Gunners either, we operate in small teams protecting things like caravans and the odd settlement, we even do recovery jobs for some of them if their shit gets stolen or people taken, mainly by either they can't handle or super mutant groups, so if they have a big job they call us," Jack said.
"How do you manage that with only twelve of you?' Raymond asked.
"Simple most jobs only really require at most four of us, even taking on our less than eloquent breathern, most of the time when they are involved we are simply able to walk right into their camps because the stupid fuckers don't pay us any mind coz we look like them, so they ignore us, well right up until we set off one of their suicide guys when he's stood right in the middle of their group," jack said with a telling chuckle that a few of them echoed behind him.
'That sounds like a story in itself right there," Raymond said and Jac shot him a grin.
"That was Mark and Taka right there, in fact, it was Taka that came up with the idea for our armour and weapons, his whole family honours their Japanese heritage and they taught him how to do a lot of old-world traditional shit like sword making, these big fuckers ain't just for show they are made using traditional metal folding techniques and they are as strong as it comes, they'll cleave right through a Mirelurk queen's shell but that's another story, anyway so they were in a camp looking for a missing farmer who got snatched and Taka is wandering around Mark spots one of their suiciders sat by a fire and he's got like three of those mini-nukes strapped to his belt, he also notices that over three-quarters of their group are sat with him so he gestures for Taka to take cover and as he does he tosses a grenade right next to his arse, a whole lot of them are in orbit right now," Jack said making half of his team roar with laughter.
"So did they find the farmer?' Cho asked and Jack nodded.
"Yup got him out of there and right back to his family, made a lot of friends in the Minutemen that day and they been good friends of ours ever since, if they need or help they put out a call for the Roaming Ronin on their Radio Freedom and we send someone down to pick up the job," Jack said with a smile.
"Seems like you guys and us got a lot in common then, changing people's perceptions of us one good deed at a time," Raymond said and Jack nodded.
"Yeah ain't gonna lie and say it has been or will be easy but a lot fewer people shoot at us on sight these days, there's a lot of bad blood between humans and super mutants and with good reason, that's kinda one of the reasons we wear this armour it so that ordinary people can recognise us at a distance over regular mutants, so they don't have to second guess themselves when they shoot," he said.
"Smart, give them something they can know and recognise as a symbol of good," Raymond said and Jack nodded.
"Yup that's the idea and thanks to Taka we can't get more obvious than a bunch of oversized Samurai walking about with heavy weapons and giant swords," he said with a chuckle.
That's when Jack's demeanour changed to a more curious one, "So what are you folks actually doing in these parts anyway because as very happy as I am not only to see you again brother and to meet your team I don't believe you came all this way just to find us again," he said.
Raymond nodded, "Yeah we are here investigating a report we managed to get our hands of an Avian people living down here who were getting into some trouble with the Brotherhood so we decided to check it out and see if we could either lend a hand or maybe even broker a peace of some kind," Raymond explained.
Jack blew out a huge sigh and nodded, "Yeah I've heard of them and those guys really are a handful, not bad people from what I can understand but really set in their ways and not too much of a fan of outsiders, especially of the human variety but then given all the shit they have had from both people trying to muscle in on their lands and now the Brotherhood trying to basically wipe them out because they don't look like them can't say I blame them, we've had quite a few run-ins with both of them," Jack said.
"The Avians and the Brotherhood?" Raymond asked curiously and Jack nodded.
"The Avians call themselves the Children of the Sky and you gotta love the irony of them being the easier of the two groups to deal with, the Brotherhood are a fucking nightmare, they simply refuse to even acknowledge the fact that not all mutants are mindless idiots who kill everything in sight, to them we are nothing more than another pest to be eradicated in their Great Cleansing' of the wastes," Jack said doing quotation fingers around great cleansing.
"Let me guess if you're not human then you don't get to live," Cho said in a very bitter and nasty-sounding voice.
"Got it in one missy, fuckers don't really care that we are no different from them really to them we are not human and that makes us abominations and perversions of life and therefore not worthy of the lives we have," Jack said bitterly.
"So how did you get them to leave you alone?' Raymond asked and Jack looked at him darkly.
"Sent them some of their paladins back stripped of their armour and weapons with a nice little note that said if they ever came near our people again the next ones would not be breathing," he said.
"Glad you left them alive," Raymond said blowing out a held breath.
"We wanted to prove a couple of points with that message, the most prominent one being that we are not animals and that we are just as smart as they are, it was quite a simple message really, leave us alone and we leave you alone, don't and there will be consequences," Jack said.
"Regrettably sometimes it's the only language people like that understand," Raymond said and Jack nodded in agreement.
"Yeah well it worked they've kept their distance from us since then, but not from everyone else it seems, we heard that they were trying to move into the Avian territory about two weeks ago and from what we hear things are not going to so well for them but the Brotherhood is nothing if not stubborn as a Claw with a hangover, no offence," Jack said glancing at Lia at the end.
"None taken my kind never give in easily though I confess I do not know what this hangover of which you speak is though I have no doubt I would conquer it," Lia said proudly and Jack roared with laughter making Lia growl and swish her tail.
"Sorry not laughing at you just trying to picture that image in my head, FYI a hangover is the blinding headache you get when you drink too much alcohol," he explained and Lia eased up.
"I once saw my matriarch get inebriated from consuming some fermented fruit, it was rather funny at the time but not so much the next day, she snarled at anything that moved, she even tore a tree out of the ground and threw it into a ravine because in her words 'the tail lifting birds were singing too loudly,'" she said thoughtfully making Jack and all of the group burst out in laughter.
"I rest my case," Jack said with a grin.
"So drunken Claws aside what's the score between them right now?" Raymond asked and Jack shrugged his huge shoulders.
"Not good that's for sure, the Avians really don't hold back if you invade their territory, they will warn you once but after that, the gloves seriously come off, from what we've been hearing on the wind from both the Minutemen and various others the Brotherhood are losing both weapons and people at a rate of knots and this is making them even more aggressive which is not good for all of us because they are taking out this loss of face and pride on everyone else around them, they are like the proverbial child that loses a game of football only to take their ball home, which while you might think oh great they are going to pull out that believe it or not would be a seriously bad thing because right now they are the only thing keeping both the Raiders and the Institute synths in check, they are the only ones with the numbers, the gear and the training to keep those fuckers in check so without them shit will really hit the fan big time around here," Jack said.
Raymond sighed heavily and he glanced at his people, "Sounds like we seriously got our work cut out for us then," he said and Jack nodded.
"Yeah not a task I envy you of laddie, but what I will say is if you need the helo in accomplishing it I and my Ronin are at your disposal," he said and Raymond's head snapped up.
"Seriously? You want to help us?" he said and Jack nodded.
"Yeah because the first words out of your mouth were that you wanted to make a peace here for them, normally I'd have scoffed at that idea but looking at you people I just get the feeling that if anyone could pull such crazy shit off it's you guys and we want in, this could be the chance we been looking for to show both the Brotherhood tin loonies and everyone else who we really are and what we can do so more work for me and my boys plus new friends too, so you can count us in laddie," Jack said and Raymond got to his feet and offered him a large hand to shake.
"Then I accept, welcome to the team," he said as Jack took it and shook it.
"Great then it's a deal, well now you guys look tired grab yourselves a some space and get some rest, we'll go over the particulars in the morning right now I think we've all earned some rest don't you?" Jack said and Raymond nodded in agreement before they all moved through to the sleeping quarters of the bunker, this was going far better than he'd ever anticipated all he had to do now was keep this momentum up and hope that fate didn't have any curve balls planned for them.