Ashes

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Apelatia

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Nelx's immediate reaction was to glare at Sergeant Harrigan; she felt like walking up to him and knocking him out, but knew that probably was not the best idea if she wanted to stay in the Colonel's favour. After that though, she managed to keep her face mostly passive, as the Colonel explained about his current health, and then about their possible destination, a rumor which they had heard from survivors soon after the fall that a 'little piece of civilisation' had been set up at either Brize or Wyton... Nelx contemplated for a few seconds once the man had concluded his speech. She knew that RAF Brize Norton was in Oxfordshire, but the location of Wyton eluded her memory. Either way, it would be better to ask now and display a slight lack of knowledge than to lead the group into the Scottish Highlands later, in search of the place... In her usual sarcastic tone, Nelk spoke again. "Sir, I have but two questions... Firstly, I know where RAF Brize Norton is, but the location of 'Wyton' eludes my memory. I have never been involved with any division of our combat forces after all... Secondly, how is it that I will be able to maintain authority over people such as that hooligan, Finnegan? I highly doubt that he will agree to my being leader of the group..." Her part said, Nelx awaited the response. In truth, she was quite worried that Finnegan would try to hurt her in some way... Not that she would tell anyone that though.
 

DeletedUser28032

“Wyton…not sure, wrong colour jackets if you know what I mean” The Colonel replied with a chuckle before giving the question some thought “Wyton…Wyton…Cambridge springs to mind but I couldn’t be sure, Harrigan do you know where it is?” the sergeant pausing for all of a few seconds before replying “Somewhere outside Cambridge though it’ll be on a map if it comes to it” he said with a dismissive shrug as if to say that the location of an RAF base was not his problem to deal with “Well there you go it’s a start anyway, as for Finnegan…that…that is something you’ll have to figure out for yourself” the Colonel said with a sigh. He knew Finnegan would be a problem, the only thorn in an otherwise straight forward plan. The Irishman and his crew held enough power to make Nelx’s command either very easy or next to impossible depending on their mood and motives “Finnegan is many things but he ain’t a fool and he’ll quickly realise that going it alone is a good way to get himself killed so he’ll tag along if only until he finds something more to his liking just make sure you have a group of good people around you to act as your lieutenants and back you up should things go south…Hell Finnegan may even respond well to being one of them, it’s up to you how you handle it; you’re bright and the only person with leadership experience hence why we picked you, but if you think it’s too much for you to handle I can always offer the position to someone like Caitlyn” better to choose the right person now rather than have them wrest control from Nelx further down the line where its more liable to be done at the barrel of a gun the Colonel silently added as he waited for Nelx to respond, no doubt with sarcasm which was a personality trait that got more than a few peoples backs up and would do little to improve her relationship with Finnegan “Well if you’re still up for it I’ll make the announcement shortly but other than that you’ll need to start organising things, as I said you all need to be out of here as soon as possible” whilst you still have the chance to leave here at all.

Donald agreed to Caitlyn’s terms rather reluctantly, confident that his wife Sally would be more than capable of dealing with the former police woman should she have a funny turn.
It was as she was leaving Donald’s office with Mouse in tow; the girl happily chattering away in Spanish that Finnegan and his crew chose that moment to round the corner “Scully you’re alive! You owe me a drink Dante” Finn announced with a huge grin on his face “some of us thought you’d finally punched your ticket but obviously you’re tougher than the average pig” he continued prompting a few chuckles of derisive laughter and a torrent of abuse from Mouse as she tried to stick up for her friend prompting another burst of laughter in response “cool it Minnie we’re only playing, see you around Scully and watch out for those bike chains I hear they can jump out at you unexpectedly” with his parting shot said the group of ash smeared thugs took their leave laughing as they went, no doubt on the lookout for another victim “you ok?” Mouse asked in cautious English once they were out of earshot clearly not confident in speaking the language “Don’t listen they’re…Idiota…we go see Sally yes?”

Depending on which way Max turned after descending the concrete stairs into the bunker it would have been possible for him to have caught the tail end of the exchange between Finnegan and Caitlyn. Alternately it was just as likely that he’d have completely missed it all and saw nobody as he went down a deserted dimly lit corridor, Either way when he finally arrived at the Colonel’s office he would find the door closed and with the sound of voices deep in discussion coming from within.
 

DeletedUser31931

Max turned down the corridors nearing the infirmary and heard the tail-end of Finnegan's conversation with Caitlyn, gritting his teeth he ignored the brute, he'd always been a brute and nothing Max ever said or did was going to change that, the only thing that the two men had in common was their physical ability, although Max was certainly more agile and precise than the brute, the first a side effect of the boxing and the second a side effect of being a mechanic. Carrying on he arrived at the Colonel's office and hearing the sounds of discussion with the door closed he firmly knocked on the door, preferring to make his presence known rather than just attempt to barge straight into the Colonel's office, after-all that would merely just reflect worse on him.
 

Deleted User - 819397

Fortunately the makeshift doctor saw reason and agreed that Caitlyn could leave. She left slowly, head pounding with every step, but not so bad that she couldn't bear it. Mouse tagged along, holding a rather one-sided conversation in Spanish…which Caitlyn still didn't understand a word of. She didn't say anything though, simply because this way she didn't have to pay attention through the headache.

Unfortunately this only worked up until Finnegan and his crew popped up. Apparently her state of living or not had been the subject of a bet, and the fact she'd survived was amusing to the brute. Mouse jumped to her defense, only causing more laughter amongst the group, who fortunately chose to leave. The former policewoman simply glared as they walked away, not dignifying anything said with a response. Mouse asked if she was ok, that they were just idiots. "I'm fine, Mouse…it'll take more than that neanderthal to faze me…thanks for defending me though, I appreciate it." Smiling slightly, she continued walking towards the kitchens at the same slow pace, the incident already behind her, discounted as being drawn from the petty mind of a petty man.
 

DeletedUser28032

As soon as Max knocked on the door all conversation within the room ceased and it was only after several moments of awkward silence that the door was finally opened by Mickey, the young man making an obvious effort to block what was going on within from view “oh hey Max...erm...it’s not a good time at the moment; the Colonel’s in a meeting...If it’s important I can pass him a message if you like?” the young man offered obviously not used to having to perform such tasks which considering he was a student wasn’t all that surprising.

Despite the zeal with which she’d launched her verbal assault upon Finn and his cronies Mouse was visibly relieved to see them leave. When Caitlyn thanked her for standing up for her Mouse offered the former police woman a small smile before replying “They probably just beat us both up” the girl said giving a nervous laugh as she said it. She was only half joking with her comment as although Finn and James were “Honourable” enough not to beat up girls or so they claimed she wasn’t too sure about some of the others, Finn had a knack of attracting a certain kind of scum, Scum that had an unfortunate knack of being able to stay alive in a world that was out to kill them all.

The pair of them managed to walk the rest of the way unmolested by any of the other residents; many of whom were busy performing whatever tasks they had been allocated to keep the bunker running. As they entered the kitchen Sally rolled her eyes upon seeing more helpers arriving “Let me guess you’re here to help?” she said already knowing the answer to her question though it didn’t stop Mouse from reply “No, Caitlyn quiere ayudarle estoya quí sólo paraver
“Mouse darling what have I told you about speaking Spanish? Only Mickey and the Colonel can speak Spanish and your English will never improve if you don’t use it...Now try again” Mouse shifted uncomfortably under Sally’s stern if caring gaze as she received yet another reprimand concerning her choice of language “Caitlyn want to help, I want to...see?
“I think you mean watch darling”
“Si! Watch”
“Very good…Now get a broom and start sweeping” Sally replied killing the look of triumph on the young girls face; the smile on her own face only appearing once Mouse had walked off grumbling “Caitlyn you can help me and Clara dish up though you look like death warmed up, are you feeling OK?”
 
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Deleted User - 819397

Fortunately after Finn the rest of the trip to the kitchen was relatively painless for Caitlyn, though her head was still pounding. She smiled slightly as Sally handled Mouse deftly, refusing to allow her to speak Spanish. Personally the former policewoman didn't mind it when Mouse chose to use her native tongue...she knew not everyone in the bunker could understand it, and if it was truly important she had to use English, but aside from that, what was the harm? However, she did acknowledge the fact that the younger girl needed to get better at the language they all shared, if not for their sake than her own.

After sending Mouse off to sweep, Sally asked Caitlyn to help her and Clara prepare the meal they'd been making. Moving slowly and stiffly so as not to move her head more than absolutely necessary, she joined the other woman and began to replicate what they were doing. Ever the observant one, Sally asked if she was ok, mentioning that she looked effectively like a zombie. "I'm fine...likely have a concussion, but I'm alive so I can't complain. When Clara, Mouse, Patrick, and I grabbed the produce for today we got set on by ghouls on the way back. One decided to get a little too friendly with me. Max stepped in and stopped them from..." she trailed off, deciding not to get too graphic...in her line of work she'd been accustomed to giving full detailed reports, gore included, and she tended to forget most people didn't want to hear that kind of thing. She was simply glad she remembered...wasn't a good idea to have someone dealing with food sicking up...
 

Apelatia

Well-Known Member
Nelx smiled condescendingly as the Colonel joked about Wyton being a non-army base, but rather a base belonging to a different aspect of the Biritish defense ministry. His answer however implied the base to be somewhere near Cambridge. That was a start at least. She knew where Cambridge was, so that wouldn't be too much of a problem for her to handle. After all, they were bound to find someone that could give them directions to the place once they were near enough. She listened intently to his musings about the problem that was Finnegan; Nelx digested his words slowly. She would need to get Finnegan on her side somehow... That though might not be too much of a problem. The real issue would be keeping him as an ally. As the Colonel mentioned the possibility of bringing Caitlyn in as a replacement for Nelx, the woman stiffened, before replying, "I'll be able to handle the problem, Colonel. There will be a way to make him follow my lead. Perhaps I'll take your advice, and keep him as one of my deputies... Hmmm..." Nelx spiraled into deep thought, as she began to construct a plan to keep Finnegan in check. "I will do it, Colonel. Though...I wish that you were coming with us, if only for your knowledge to shine through like a beacon to guide us on our way..." The strange compliment coming through in such a sarcastic voice that almost sounded as if she was mocking the elder man, but having known Nelx for enough years, he would know that the voice that was used did not necessarily represent the true feelings of the woman.

Soon enough, there came a knock on the door, and Nelx froze in place, suddenly worried that Finnegan had decided to intrude on the meeting. As Mickey went to open the door, Nelx steeled herself against any insults or attempted seduction that might come her way. Fortunately for Nelx, the incomer turned out to be Max. She felt nothing towards the bodybuilder - he was neither a friend nor a foe. Staring at the doorway in a bored fashion, she waited to hear what he had to say...
 

DeletedUser28032

“Send him in Mickey!” the Colonel announced in an exasperated tone of voice; breaking the awkward silence that had sprung up between the two men, the bodybuilder either unwilling to pass a message or simply too flummoxed at having found Mickey at the door “...Ok well I think we’re finished here, Nelx I’ll leave you with the task of organising our exodus; pick your lieutenants, gather supplies and then leave this place as soon as you are able to. Sergeant Harrigan I want you and Jim to find out what surprises we can leave for out hooded friends” the true meaning of the Colonels words clear to all within the room.
With his order delivered the two soldiers promptly saluted before then filing their way past both Mickey and Max before heading on their way down the corridor “Before you go Nelx I have a personal request for you, if you can tolerate any more of my shining wisdom” he said a perfectly deadpan voice; deciding to take her previous statement as a compliment though like most things that came out of the girls mouth it was hard to tell what she truly meant “...Not everyone is going to leave of that I am certain, it’s an old human tradition as old as time itself that no matter how dire or suicidal the circumstances are that there will always invariably be someone who will refuse to leave...under no circumstances is that person to be Mouse...are we understood” he stated in a growl capable of reducing even the most hardened of combat veterans to quivering wrecks “...lie to her, drug her, beat her over the head and stuff her in a sack. I don’t care how you do it but she leaves this place or so help me god I will hunt you down and give you a slow and painful death that only vilest of the Spanish Inquisition could dream of...now with that out of the way I will leave you to your preparations and just in case I don’t get the chance to do so later I wish you the best of luck” he said, his voice and mood changing from murderous threats to his normal congenial self so quickly that Nelx would have been forgiven in believing that it had never happened; the Colonel warmly shaking her by the hand before then ushering both her and Mickey out into the corridor before then beckoning Max to join him “So...what’s the plan then Nelx?” Mickey asked quietly once the door to the Colonel’s office had closed, the young man interested to see how Nelx would react to her new found if highly tenuous power.

Working as she went Sally listened to Caitlyn’s tale of how they had been ambushed on the way back from the greenhouses, raising a hand in order to stop the former police woman when it appeared she was about to launch into full graphic detail, not that she was bothered by blood but more due to the fact that she didn’t want Jenny; wherever she’d gotten to, to be hearing things like this “well I am glad to hear that you’re alright...relatively speaking, I always thought that Max was a nice young man...now let’s get this food into bowls and onto the table”
 

Apelatia

Well-Known Member
As Max didn't seem inclined to say anything, the Colonel summoned him into the room before dismissing the meeting, advising her to gather supplies and appoint lieutenants, before leaving promptly. Nelx inclined her head towards the elder man, and prepared to leave herself, but was stopped in her tracks when the Colonel said that he had a personal favour to ask of her. Interested, Nelx looked at the man curiously, even more interested to hear his words, especially when he took her previous compliment as just that, rather than an insult. Her face however, slowly degraded into a scowl as the Colonel warned that under no circumstances was Mouse, the young Spanish girl, to remain behind, as some were likely to insist on staying behind... It seemed that the Colonel's orders were never going to end... When would she officially gain charge of the project? To make things worse, he ended on a threat that he would find her and kill her if the young girl stayed behind. Nelx struggled to hold back a sharp-edged response, and was about to speak aggressively back to the man when he shook her hand, the fake smile spreading across her face as he shook her hand. "My thanks to you, Colonel. We will miss your shining wisdom on our...journey." Nelx commented in her usual tone.

Mickey then inquired as to their plan of action, the question that Nelx had been expecting. However, she had not yet formulated a complete strategy for their exit. It seemed that now she was in it for the long run, and that she would be making the best of her new role. Adopting her Manager Nelx persona, of course with the usual tone added in, she responded, "The plan... Ahhhh yes... Well, we will need food, and a quantity of personal supplies that we can carry without too much of a problem, and I believe that a select few of us that are responsible enough to do so should carry weapons of some sort if we are unfortunate enough to come across this mysterious foe that abounds somewhere in the mirk of this winter..." Her voice trailing off slightly towards the end, Nelx had a small, but relatively significant decision to make right then. Was Mickey reliable and trustworthy? The Colonel had certainly thought enough of him to send him on a scouting mission alone... Her mind made up, Nelx spoke again in a quiet, sarcastic voice, "Mickey, as you were present to hear the Colonel's advice and guidance, I would think it best if you acted as one of my deputies. That is, if you would be willing? I need someone that I can rely on and quite possibly depend upon to support my decisions whatever the circumstances. Would you be willing?" This last question was posed with a voice that suggested that he would, or he would not be happy with the consequences... It would be plain to those gathered how Nelx's authoritative demeanor had allowed her to maintain control in her previous setting. Once Mickey had responded, Nelx continued, "I will need two more deputies. One, it seems, must be the one that we spoke of for certain reasons, and the other..." Here, she trailed off, unsure as to who would be best suited for the role. Perhaps Mickey or even Max would be able to advise...?
 
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DeletedUser28032

“Me!? You’re kidding right? Like anybody would take me seriously as a leader...besides I figured you’d want me out scouting a route for us” Mickey replied clearly uncomfortable with the idea of being given any kind of authority over the others “...I mean if you really want me to do it...I suppose I could give it a go but...surely there must be someone better suited for the job than me?” He continued as they walked down the corridor; the beginnings of a plan already seeming to have formed in Nelx’s head as she listed some of the things they would be needing for their exodus from the only place of safety they had all known for the last five years “Food and water is easy enough to get a hold of, it’s just organising people to gather it all, as for weapons...that kind of depends on what you mean...I mean most people have something but if you’re on about raiding the armoury for some serious hardware then you’ll have to talk very nicely to Sergeant Harrigan” something that Mickey doubted Nelx would be capable of doing as she seemed incapable of speaking without smothering her words with biting sarcasm. Some people got it and just understood that it was just her personality and that nothing was meant to offend, others like the sergeant reacted exceedingly badly to anything she said. Though one thing was for sure she didn’t get how dangerous the Pale Ones were though perhaps it was for best that she didn’t know how dangerous they were? That way at least she would be able to think clearly and concentrate on other matters, let someone else concentrate on the Pale Ones and making sure that the Bunker dwellers stayed beyond their insidious grasp.
Thankfully Mickey found his attention being drawn away from the horrifying proposition of coming face to face with the Pales Ones by Nelx addressing the issue of choosing the rest of her deputies; sullenly accepting that Finn would have to be one of them though as far as Mickey saw it, it was better to give Finn power now rather than have him take it later on “Kind of depends what you’re after I suppose...either Caitlyn or Max would probably be good for keeping Finn in line, Patrick’s pretty smart if only in certain areas, Meanwhile James O’Reilly has got people skills and charm in abundance, which let’s face it Nelx you kind of lack... the only downside is that he’s one of Finn’s boys so...” the other Irishman was nowhere near as bad as Finn, in fact if you caught him alone then he was a really nice guy but with Finn he was liable to just back everything the other guy said, he could be wrong admittedly but he doubted it.
 

DeletedUser31931

Max stood there, slightly taken aback, as it appeared he had wandered into some sort of secret meeting. He couldn't see who was in there, Mickey was keeping the door closed so that he could only see Mickey's face but he could hear voices. The voices of the Colonel and Nelx to be precise. His brain began to function and as he got his mouth back into gear the Colonel decided to call him in, well at least he could now ask what all of that was about, they should not be keeping secrets from him. He could take care of himself but he needed to be told the truth to do that and this might give him the opportunity to find out what that was. As he heard the Colonel's speech about Mouse, he figured out what was going on and then ran through the options why before settling on one. As he was motioned in he stepped inside he shut the door behind him before saying, "I've fixed the windmill, so we shouldn't get any problems there, but I guess that won't really be important now, will it sir?" He paused for a second, and then before waiting for a response, continued. "Is it the water system? It's either that or the heating, isn't it, we don't have the parts to fix either and they're both not supposed to have even lasted this long." And then another thought came into his mind, one of the people he had seen, "There is something you may, however, want to know sir. When I was up the windmill I saw... people. You couldn't give them any sort of description, they wore sweatshirts, the hoods drawn to cover their faces and they were crouched in the smoke... like ghosts, there were two of them, watching Finnegan and the others, and then they vanished." With his reports given, he waited for the Colonels' response, he would figure out what was going on though; that was for certain.
 

Apelatia

Well-Known Member
Mickey's response to her suggestion wasn't exactly what she had hoped for, and as such she sighed outwardly, expressing his dissatisfaction. "You don't seem to understand, Mickey. A deputy can have more than one role to play. I would not give you a task which would not extract your talents and use them to the best possible. To put it simply, in my mind, a deputy is one who would act as part of an inner council to held me make decisions. Those suited to enforcing those decisions would be given that responsibility, and those suited to...other roles would be given other roles. Casting Mickey one of her 'customary' winks, which tended to leave the receiver wondering if anything was meant by it (though nothing ever was...), Nelx continued walking whilst listening to the young man speak, her face souring as he insulted her communication skills, and souring further as he suggested drafting Caitlyn in for a position as a deputy. Stopping abruptly, Nelx crossed her arms and looked sternly at Mickey, before addressing him in a normal voice. "Mickey, you will need to understand something, dear. I am not stupid, and I am more capable than I imagine you'd believe. I am also quit capable of communicating in a silly, cheesy fashion when I deem it necessary. I'll forget that particular comment on this occasion, and continue as before." Her stern look disappearing almost as quickly as it had arrived, Nelx reverted to her sarcastic tone. "However...I do agree with you. Sergeant...Harrison is not keen on me, so someone else will need to talk to him. As for the weapons, we should prepare for this...mission fully. I don't want people dying under my watch, so while we don't want to give weapons to those who might...abuse them, we should equip ourselves properly in case these mysterious people of the night decide to pay us a visit..."

As Mickey then proceeded to finish listing people that could be suitable for the final deputy role, Nelx interjected. "No. Caitlyn will not do. I would rather have Finnegan in control over me than that devious one be in my inner circle." Nelx frowned, considering the choices that lay before her. "Perhaps Patrick... Max is all meat and no brain. James would be influenced too much by Finnegan, so Patrick it must be. Right, let me hear anything else you have to say, then would you do me the great honour of talking to the Sergeant? While you go about that, I will speak to Patrick. We can reconvene outside the kitchen, and then together we can speak to Finnegan. Do I have your full support, Mickey?" This last statement was said once again in a stern tone, with Nelx gazing intensely at the younger man stood before her.

 

DeletedUser13682

“Thank you, Donald,” Patrick responded, before departing across the hall. “I can’t keep you down Caitlyn, but be careful. Don’t want your concussion to get worse.” Patrick entered the restroom, which appeared to have not been used for quite a long time. He didn’t know if the sink would work without trying it. Patrick turned the tap on; the water refusing to flow out at first. Then, it suddenly sputtered to life, issuing forth a brownish liquid that slowly lost most of its colour. It was probably not safe to drink, but Patrick only needed it to clean his weapons. He spent some time scrubbing off the drying blood and other fluids. After that task was done, he dried them off and put the weapons back into their sheaths. It was time to return to his space and wash himself up. As he was grabbing a bit of water from his canteen, he passed by Nelx and Mickey, who were talking about… something. “Thank you again for saving me back there, Mickey,” Patrick said, stopping for a moment. Just after saying that, he noticed the very stern glance Nelx was giving the man. “Oh, sorry. We’ll talk later, over a nice sherry.” The last part was, of course, a lie. Nobody had seen a good sherry since nuclear winter.
 

DeletedUser28032

"Then why don't you?" Mickey replied in a tone of voice just short of being considered insubordinate as Nelx insisted that she did posses people skills in a way that strongly suggested that she didn't. Dismissing any further rebellious thoughts from his mind he listened as Nelx chose Patrick to be one of her lieutenants, discarding the others with an attitude nearing contempt before asking if she had his support "The Colonel seems to think that you're the right person for the job and I trust him...good enough?" he stated just as Patrick made an appearance "Now I'll go and see if sergeant Harrigan is willing to part with any of his hardware...Patrick Nelx here wishes to speak with you" he said nodding his head towards the woman in question before departing in the direction of the armoury not entirely sure how to achieve what was asked of him.

Steepling his fingers the Colonel gave Max a critical look from where he was sat behind his desk "so you managed to get all that from a few seconds of overheard conversation? My, my one would be forgiven in thinking you'd been eavesdropping for far longer" he said with half a smile on his face capable of confusing the issue over whether he was joking or delivering a mild reprimand "…but anyway you are quite right, there has been a catastrophic failure with the water system which when compounded by the arrival of an old and very dangerous enemy means that you must all leave...I'll be making an official announcement over the evening meal, though if what you say about these...figures… is correct then time is truly of the essence, pack your things Max and tell Nelx what you saw she'll need to be apprised of these things if she is to lead you all to safety"

With both Mouse and Caitlyn conscripted into helping her Sally brought the evening meal into what had become the main dining hall; the large square room laid out with long steel legged tables and chairs reminiscent of a school cafeteria, though very few of them were used these days.
It had been decided very quickly that the bunker leadership would control all of the food in order to not only prevent infighting but to ensure that everyone got at least one meal a day and of an equal proportion. So far the system had worked wonderfully.
Laying out the bowls of stew and still warm bread people started to arrive in dribs and drabs as the smell of food wafted through the bunker. Although she had no formal qualifications to prove as much; Sally was a good cook and her food was simple but filling; the former dinner lady managing to make meals from the meagre supplies scavenged and grown by the bunker. She even managed to make the ancient C-rat's taste good which was a miracle in itself.
 

DeletedUser28032

(Forgive the double post but I got tired of waiting)

The aroma of warm stew and fresh bread drifted up invitingly to where Tim sat huddled against the wall. The former accountant turned post apocalyptic survivor doing his best to stay out of the biting wind and frozen ash falling from the sky as he kept watch. Not that there was anything to see out in the darkness; the nights sky as black as pitch with not even starlight to illuminate the empty parkland surrounding the bunker.
It was as he was checking his watch for what had to be the tenth time in so many seconds that he heard the clinking of metal on concrete. Turning his head he watched in puzzlement as the coin bounced down the stairs before coming to rest on the landing below. It was almost novel to see a piece of old currency as most people had abandoned it within days of the ash falling preferring instead to deal in more practical items such as food and medicine.
He was half tempted to go down and pick up the errant piece of change and keep it as a memento of days gone by, the accountant never once wondering where it had come from, right up until the point when the gunshot tore off the top of his head.

Moving through the near full dining hall Mickey made his was over to where Nelx was sat and placed a small but rather heavy parcel wrapped with an old tea towel onto the table “it took a bit of doing but he finally agreed to let us have these “he said quietly to Nelx as he pealed back a corner of the parcel to reveal a pair of large automatic handguns “...Browning Hi-power’s, there’s only one magazine in each but they should put a decent hole in anything they hit, speaking of which he only let us have them under the agreement that we didn’t blab about having them and gave them to someone competent...Not Finn” both Mickey and Mark had had no doubts about whether or not the Irishman knew how to use a gun but agreed that trusting him with one was like trusting a convicted arsonist with matches and petrol.
Covering over the weapons with the cloth he pushes them across the table to Nelx before asking in a more conversational tone of voice “So Nelx have you asked Patrick whether or not he wants to...” the question was cut off by the sound of a gunshot. Every head in the room turned to face the sound of the noise instinctively; panic beginning to ripple through the room as yet more shots followed by the sound of running feet could be heard. The door burst open, slamming loudly against the door with enough force to crack the plaster as a rather out of breath Sergeant Harrigan barrelled into the room “Colonel! They’re here!” he shouted tossing one of the SA-80’s he carried to the aging officer who was already halfway across the room by this time “Nelx! Get these people out of here now! Use the back way...Harrigan with me!” the Colonel bellowed across the room before disappearing down the corridor with a gun in his hand and a determined look in his eye. Whoever was out there was going to suffer.
 

DeletedUser31931

Max resented the statement, but he saw the Colonel had a point. "I do the maintenance... Sir. I tend to notice these things." The Colonel had now confirmed his suspicions about what was going on. It was time for dinner now, so he took the Colonel's orders as an excuse to leave, stating he would go and do as requested. He went back to his room and knew he probably couldn't pack everything... He had a backpack though, so he put a couple of changes of clothes inside, along with a book on various large and complex machines that had been one of the things that had kept his sanity going. He also put two weights into the bag, just something to do whilst they were walking in order to keep his arm strength up. All of his repairing kit was already in the belt around his waist, but he knew of one last thing he wanted. Heading over to the engineering area, he picked up a sledgehammer and slid it down his back, through the supporting loop he'd made for it. It's position would give him quick and easy access in a fight, and clearly demonstrated what he had. He also picked up a switch-knife and pocketed it... vowing not to use it unless the need was truly dire. He'd dealt with knives before... and he was not going to go back to them again, not without a very good reason.

He made his way into the canteen, the sledgehammer earned him a few odd looks, but most people probably attributed to a repair job or something. He was just about to get some food when the first gunshot happened. Max knew all to well what a gunshot sounded like... but as it happened panic rippled across the canteen. The Colonel bellowed that Nelx needed to get them out of here through the back way and Max was already sprinting, he opened the door and shouted "Come on people! You heard the Colonel, through here!" The back way was a small series of tunnels that lead out some fifty odd metres from the Bunker before surfacing. Max knew because he'd spent a lot of time studying the plans in the early days, he now knew them like the back of his hand.
 

Apelatia

Well-Known Member
Nelx sat silently at a table, slowly devouring the tasty stew that was the meal for this particular evening. The knowledge that it would probably be their last night at the bunker was both sweet and sour to her. It would be difficult to say that she had enjoyed her time here, but the fact that if not for the bunker, she might have fallen a long time ago, instilled inside her a sense of appreciation for the place. She had been forced to confide in Sally as to their current circumstances in order to procure the necessary food for the trip which was to be to either Brize Norton or the other base - she had forgotten the name... That alone had convinced her that Brize Norton was possibly the better place to travel to first. She had stored the food away in a small, unused cupboard just off the main hall so that it could be easily accessed once the time came for them to depart. She had asked to talk to Patrick after the meal, so that she would be able to get on with and finish the preparations in good time before the dinner bell rang. These thoughts, combined with the whole issue of their departure, had set her on edge, and she jumped slightly when Mickey placed a parcel on the table in front of her. From his explanation, it seemed that he had managed to obtain two guns, with the promise that they would place them in the hands of someone trustworthy and competent; he specifically removed Finn from the list. Mickey then passed the weapons, encased in the cloth to her; she placed them beside her meal.

It was as Mickey began to speak again that a loud gunshot sounded from the entrance o the bunker, quickly followed by a spread of panic throughout the room. The Sergeant than burst in with two guns, one of which he tossed to the Colonel, the other he kept himself, before the two of them headed out, with the Colonel shouting to Nelx to get everyone out of the bunker via the back entrance. Already on edge, Nelx immediately jumped to her feet, quickly after Max who was guiding the people toward the back entrance. "Quick everyone! Follow Max now! We need to get out of here. Caitlyn, get Sally out of the kitchen quickly, then go!" Nelx shouted at the top of her voice to the former detective. Snatching the package from the table, Nelx quickly spoke to Mickey. "We need to get the food and meager supplies that I collected from the cupboard over there..." Nelx pointed with a finger to a cupboard attached to the dining hall about twenty metres away from their current position. "Quick, help me!" Sprinting over to the cupboard, Nelx pulled the door open and removed one of the three relatively heavy bags packed with supplies, before slinging it over her shoulder. Hopefully, Mickey would be able to carry the other two. With the weapons under her left arm, Nelx then ran towards the back entrance, through which the remainder of the bunker's residents-no-more were filing. One last look to ensure that the room was now empty besides her and Mickey, she allowed the young man to close the door behind him, before rapidly following the other people. Now was the start of a new adventure for them... Whether or not it would turn out for the best they would have to see...
 

DeletedUser28032

“Ok everyone just head for the exit and try and stay calm” Mickey shouted adding his voice to those of Nelx and Max as people started to hurriedly get up from the tables. Meanwhile down the corridor behind them the sound of automatic fire could be heard as whatever was trying to get in ran into the soldiers defending the corridor “Mouse go and fetch our packs!” Mickey shouted after the Spanish girl as he helped Nelx with the bags of food. Even without the official announcement promised by the Colonel, word that they were all leaving and very soon had passed quickly amongst the bunker residents prompting several to have their bags packed and ready although not even the most paranoid had envisaged this particular kind of exodus.
After going through the dining halls rear set of double doors the group of terrified residents would have to pass through one of the bedroom area’s allowing some to hastily grab their belongings before reaching the narrow corridor that would lead them to the steel door and ladder that would take them all up to the surface.
“Mickey, here are your things!” Mouse spoke as she handed Mickey his backpack and bow; the young man pausing long enough to thrust one of the heavy bags of food into JP’s hands before retrieving his possessions, noting with a touch of relief that Mouse was similarly equipped. With his bow firmly gripped in his hand he heads for the ladder and his way out into the ash covered landscape beyond.

It had been in amongst the confusion of people running around grabbing things and the raging gun battle only a few feet behind them that Nelx suddenly felt herself being pushed against a nearby wall; a large burly arm pinning her in place “What the hell is going on Baywatch! And what is this I’ve been hearing about you leading us all to the land of milk and honey?” Finn snarled his face mere inches away from her own “Now you start talking Baywatch because it’s just you, me, Pope and whoever is shooting the hell out of the Colonel...there is no one here to save you so start talking”
 

Deleted User - 819397

Dinner was going well enough, with the food doing something to help Caitlyn's headache, though it didn't abate it entirely. Then gunshots went off, and the place went to hell. The noise brought the pain straight back to her temples, and the former policewoman reasoned that it was a good thing in that moment she felt bad, else she'd wind up lashing out at the populace to get them in line. For whatever reason, Nelx took charge in getting them moving, and gave her the order to get Sally and get out. Not wanting to point out that she was in the better position to be doing that as it'd waste time, she rose and headed for the kitchens as quickly as her pounding head would allow. Upon entering she gestured to the kindly woman, adding, "So everything's gone to hell and back here, we're vacating the premises, we need to leave immediately." Her tone wasn't bored, but matter-of-fact, her training allowing her to keep calm in the rather frightening situation. She'd follow Sally out and get after the rest of the group.
 

Apelatia

Well-Known Member
Nelx hurried through the door and down the corridor after the others, losing Mickey somewhere amongst the mad rush to collect everyone's belongings and reach the open air. Having very little space to carry very much, Nelx was forced to place the firearms into the bag that she had placed ready on her sleeping area, before shifting the bag onto her other shoulder. At this point, she was one of very few left in the space, as everyone else was filing out. Nelx ensured that everyone was still moving before making her own way to follow the others. Before she could reach the next corridor however, Nelx found herself being pushed roughly against the wall of the space, with a muscled arm clamping her in place. Nelx stared sullenly into the face of Finnegan. Had she chosen to resist, she doubted that she would have been able to make much of a mark, as although she had done self-defense training as part of her previous job as a manager, Finnegan was a member of the Army, as as such it would have been futile to have attempted to escape him. As it was, Nelx resigned herself to listen to his demands, as he finished off with a threat.

Inhaling deeply, Nelx put on a normal tone before speaking coolly to the ruffian. "The water supply for the bunker has become contaminated, and we are forced to evacuate the bunker entirely. The Colonel and Sergeant Harrison were insistent on staying behind, so they appointed me as leader of the residents in the bunker to lead us to somewhere safe to live." Nelx adjusted the bag on her shoulder, glancing quickly back the way that she had come, worried that the intruders would be upon them if Finnegan didn't release her soon. "I'm not sure how threats are going to serve you well here, Finnegan. I was actually thinking of asking you to act as one of my deputies to ensure that everything works out as planned, but if you're going to resort to violence to get answers out of people, then maybe you won't fit the bill..." Passing him a sneaky wink, she continued calmly, "Now, let me go, or you'll end up just as dead as you're threatening that I will be." Calm as she appeared, her insides were rolling with fear at the incoming foes and she dearly wanted to be out of the area as quickly as possible...
 
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