Author Topic: No rest for the weary [DragonSong] (Read 6792 times)

Marjorie · « **Reply #20 on:** October 19, 2019, 04:41:01 pm »

"That's not what I meant," he said vaguely before letting that bit of the conversation go silent.

"Do you know how many were on horseback? Or how many horses they had?"

His gaze moved swiftly from where he was looking at the ground to where Ava was suddenly, frantically digging in the dusty sand.

A feather. See... this is why she needed to fucking tell him things. To him it was just a gods damned feather, he'd seen it when he dismounted, but ignored it, thinking it unimportant. What if the stupid woman hadn't noticed it?

He snatched the feather out of his fingers and examined it. This feather had been plucked, from a live body not long ago. He imagined the girl's kidnapper wasn't letting her keep pets. So... so she had fucking feathers. His gaze narrowed on Ava as he handed the thing back to her. "This is why you need to tell me shit," he said, getting back on his horse, "I didn't think it was important, and if you hadn't seen it we would never know we were going the right direction."

He nodded ahead. "Let's go."

DragonSong · « **Reply #21 on:** October 19, 2019, 04:58:40 pm »

Ava took the feather back in silence, quickly mounting up and setting off after him. She tucked the feather into her saddlebag as her horse trotted along, giving a quick toss of her head, almost playful.

Poor thing had no idea.

“There were at least eight on horseback, maybe more. It was—a lot was happening, I couldn’t get a really good count on them,” she finally murmured after a few moments.

A few moments longer, then she exhaled sharply. “I didn’t tell you because I don’t know if someone sent you,” she muttered eventually. “I didn’t realize—I should have, I should have known she’d think of something like this. But I didn’t tell you because...other people might be after her too. And for all I knew, you’re one of them.”

She was pretty sure that wasn’t true by now, but it had been a fear. He’d seemed genuinely surprised by the feather though, not to mention pissed with her for keeping Val’s secret.

Marjorie · « **Reply #22 on:** October 19, 2019, 05:16:43 pm »

"One person, alone, fucking me, of all people?" Raf laughed, but not really at her. "Look, I get it... I'm about as shady as they come, but whoever's after your girl, if they want to get threw the bandits to her - they'd send a hell of a lot more than just one of me."

He looked at her pointedly then. "Who exactly is after her. Seems they scare you more than these horse thieves. Should I be expecting more trouble than half a dozen or so bandits?"

DragonSong · « **Reply #23 on:** October 19, 2019, 05:34:25 pm »

“I—I don’t know.” Her expression had gone a little distant, eyes almost hazy. “I wish I did, honestly I do. As awful as it sounds, as awful as it feels to say...I hope the bandits are the worst we’ll be dealing with.”

If Molly—If Mother was really coming after Val...there was nothing she could do to stop her.

“And before you ask—“ because of the four people she’d spoken to about her worry for Val, all of them had— “No, it’s not Val’s father I’m worried about coming after her.”

Marjorie · « **Reply #24 on:** October 19, 2019, 06:35:33 pm »

At least that was an honest answer. "It doesn't sound awful," if you had to choose between two evils, anyone would choose the lesser of the two.

Now that caused Raf shake his head. "To be honest," he said, "I wouldn't have asked. It's my experience that if fathers abandon their kids, they don't come back looking later." If they even knew they fucking existed.

They moved on at a steady clip until the son was high up overhead. Raf took two of their water rations in that time, and only one sip out of his flask. They were only maybe two miles out from the hills, where the terrain was less powered sand and more rocky, more craggy. That was better. More cover. He found them a nice shaded spot behind an outcropping of large rocks to make camp. He tied up the horses and gave each of them a water ration. "Eat and hydrate," he said, "then get some rest. I won't be able to sleep anyway, so I'll keep watch. We're leaving everything behind when we move in. We'll leave about sunset."

Raf followed his own advice. He hydrated, he ate a little. He took a sip from his flask. He used just the tiniest bit of water to dampen around his neck and the top of his head under his head wrap. Then he found a good spot to keep watch from.

DragonSong · « **Reply #25 on:** October 19, 2019, 06:44:22 pm »

Ava nodded, that strange distance still behind her eyes, but she didn't say anything else as they continued to ride. By the time they finally stopped, the heat was beating down on them, brutal; she was sure she'd be absolutely toasted by the time the sun set, and if she'd had any spare space in her brain she might have been a bit worried about it.

As it was, she just double checked the horses' ties and gave Raf another nod when he told her to rest. She was exhausted--she wasn't built for this, wasn't trained to be out here in the heat and sun with rationed water and no real idea of where they were going.

But it was for Val, so she'd do it. She'd die doing it, if that's what it took.

Grabbing one of the saddlebags, she tossed it on the ground and lay down, resting her head on it as a makeshift pillow as she tried to just breathe, take stock of her body and their surroundings, tried to figure out what would happen next.

"...He didn't abandon her."

The words were out of her mouth before she'd made the conscious decision to speak. Well...shit.

But it was out there now, no taking it back.

With a quiet sigh, Ava turned onto her side and muttered, "He doesn't exist. Val has no father."

Marjorie · « **Reply #26 on:** October 19, 2019, 06:55:23 pm »

Raf raised an eyebrow at Ava, not sure what had prompted that confession. Test tube baby then. Not that he was one to judge. "I'm the last person's gonna be judging anyone," was all he said on the matter.

He sat out there scanning the distance while Ava dozed. Once sunset was starting to approach, he moved away from their camp, quietly, and scouted out the area further ahead. He was gone maybe thirty minutes before he headed back to their camp with a good idea where to go next.

DragonSong · « **Reply #27 on:** October 19, 2019, 07:05:31 pm »

Ava didn't really sleep. She couldn't. But she tried to rest as best she could, keeping in the shade and popping another hydration pouch when she needed it.

She knew when Raf left though, and sat up quickly, looking off in the direction he'd gone.

He's scouting. He'll come back.

She had to repeat it to herself over a dozen times in the intervening minutes, and by the time he returned she'd watered the horses again, untied them, and was repacking and situating the saddlebags. She glanced around when she heard footsteps and raised an eyebrow questioningly, but didn't say anything.

Honestly by this point her throat was so dry she wasn't sure she wanted to risk talking.

Marjorie · « **Reply #28 on:** October 19, 2019, 07:25:46 pm »

Raf popped another hydration ration when he got back, then stuffed two unopened packs into his pocket. "In case the kid needs them," he said, then he took another sip from his flask.

"There's lights up there," Raf said. He drew in the sand with his fingers. They were smart. They'er set up at the end of a box canyon, that would make a frontal assault suicide. But we're here for an extraction. I'm not concerned with assaulting the place. We're going to come up an over this ridge here to the west. Best I can tell, that's where their generator is. If we can cut out the generator we'll cause a nice distraction. Hopefully we can get in and out before they realize your girl is missing. We'll take the horses in on foot and leave then at the bottom of the canyon, here, so we can get to them quickly."[/b]

Raf moved over to the horse he'd been riding earlier then, and pulled off his duffel bag. He pulled out several things. "Put this on and adjust the straps so it fits right." It was a helmet, old, outdated by about two decades, military style, it had a pair of goggles that flipped down over the eyes. "It's night vision. Tech's older than dirt, but it works..." He flipped them down over her eyes and lifted a hand to the switch, and flicked it on, so she'd know how to do it. He pulled a second identical helmet out of the same bag. "I've got some charges too. Can you handle a rifle."

DragonSong · « **Reply #29 on:** October 19, 2019, 07:37:13 pm »

Oh gods. Okay, they were really doing this.

Okay.

Ava held perfectly still as he fitted the helmet on her head, soaking in his words as she committed the plan to memory. She would not allow any mistakes on her part to get her daughter hurt, or worse.

Flicking the goggles back up, she shook her head slowly. "No. I can use a handgun for self-defense, but I never learned how to shoot a rifle. I'm a medic, it's not exactly required teaching in med school."

Marjorie · « **Reply #30 on:** October 19, 2019, 08:28:27 pm »

"Alright," Raf said, "that's fine. Are you ready to go?"

They walked the horses over to where they were going to leave them, and tied them off to some rocks. Then Raf led Ava around and up the side of the ridge that would lead them to the bandit's camp. There were a couple smaller buildings, but the main building looked to be the only one with power.

"I'm going to climb up and over, and drop a rope down to help you up," Raf said in hushed tones, "once we're over stay quiet and stay close to me, and keep your head on a swivel."

Raf went up and over then. He took his time to keep himself quiet and once he was up at the top he dropped the rope down to her and pulled it around behind his waste to brace against her weight.

DragonSong · « **Reply #31 on:** October 20, 2019, 09:56:05 am »

Ava nodded. What else could she do? She didn't know if she really was ready, but she had to be.

She watched Raf climb up and over the ridge, shifting her weight anxiously from foot to foot as she waited for him to drop the rope. Once he had she snatched it up quickly and set to climbing herself.

She wasn't nearly as quick or surefooted, but she made it. Eventually. Panting lightly, she managed to get one arm up over the top and had to pause for a moment, trying to catch her breath, before she could pull herself the rest of the way up, shakily.

Marjorie · « **Reply #32 on:** October 20, 2019, 09:51:46 pm »

Raf took her hand when she was ready and helped pull her over the lip of the ridge. “Stay here, catch your breath,” he whispered, “I’ll be right back.” He wanted to scout ahead a little. He moved off toward the sound of the generator, but kept out of sight. He set some charges on the thing. It was overkill, but he wanted the distraction. He was about to head back but a movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He flattened himself to the ground behind the generator.

Just one guy, probably a guard, walked by. Raf waited until he had passed him the rushed him from behind, pulling his knife off his belt, he grabbed the guy from behind and cut his throat clean threw keeping a hand over his mouth until he went limp then dragged the body back to his previous hiding spot behind the generator. When he returned to Ava his left arm was soaked in blood and his right pant leg head a smear where he’d wiped his knife off. “Don’t worry it’s not mine,” he said, “Stay close, keep your head down, and stay quiet,” he said, then started moving toward the camp.

Raf held the detonator in one hand and looked over his shoulder at Ava and held up three fingers, two, one. Then there was an explosion and all the lights in the camp went dark. There were shouts and yelling and people running toward the generator. Raf flopped down his night vision and switched it on and tapped Ava on the shoulder before he stared moving quickly. He was headed toward the back of the main building. Smart money said they’d keep the girl there if she was important.

DragonSong · « **Reply #33 on:** October 21, 2019, 09:49:13 am »

She took his hand gratefully and allowed him to pull her up and over, leaning heavily against the near wall and just giving him another quick, silent nod when he told her to catch her breath.

They'd found them. They'd actually found them.

Of course the hardest part of all this was still to come, but dear gods every law enforcement officer she'd spoken to since Val had been taken had told her that even this was a long shot. She had to cover her face with her hands and swallow back a few harsh, ragged sobs as she waited for Raf to return.

When he did her eyes shot wide open, and it was a good thing the first words out of his mouth were to assure her that it wasn't his blood, because she was already reaching for the emergency med kit strapped to her hip.

She bit her lip, nodding to show she understood, and instead changed the trajectory of her hand to grasp the pistol he'd given her, drawing it carefully, as he held up the detonator.

Once the lights were out she followed his lead, flipping down the goggles and hurrying after him as they curved around to the back of the building. From the sound of footsteps and shouting, she guessed at least a dozen of the bandits were heading for the generator--she didn't remember much more than that being involved in the raid, so surely most of their forces would be out of the building.

Her eyes scanned their surroundings, hyper-aware and alert for every detail. Suddenly she stopped, reaching out to grab Raf's arm, and pointed to the ground just in front of what looked like a small storage shed tucked away behind the main building.

Another feather lay on the ground, the pale cream color nearly shining in the darkness as she flipped her goggles up and started running for the shed.

Marjorie · « **Reply #34 on:** October 21, 2019, 08:27:30 pm »

Of course they'd fucking found them. Raf was a son-of-a-bitch, but he wasn't stupid. This was the kind of place, child abductions aside, that he might even be found, these days. Besides that, he liked picking fights and pissing off dangerous people. It was the spice of life.

Raf saw the feather. Same as the last one. Had to be the girl. That thought was confirmed by Ava recklessly rushing toward the shed near the feather. He kept a pace with her, and of course the door was locked. He kicked it in, hoping the sound of the fire burning around the generator and the yells of the bandits would drown out the sound.

Something felt wrong though. This had been really too easy.

DragonSong · « **Reply #35 on:** October 22, 2019, 09:55:07 am »

If there was any doubt, any suspicion that this had been too easy in Ava's mind, it was drowned out with a blinding combination of desperation and relief.

"Val? Val, are you in here?" She had enough sense not to raise her voice louder than a harsh whisper, but it took a lot of effort, and she was practically shaking as she peered around the inside of what appeared to be some sort of storage shed.

Please, she has to be here. She has to be. Please, please...

"M-Mama?"

A harsh sob caught in Ava's throat and she whirled toward the tiny voice, searching the darkness.

Valkyrie was curled up in a far corner of the shed, thin knees drawn toward her chest, pale blonde curls ragged and lank, spilling around a dirt and tear stained face, but miraculously she appeared almost entirely unharmed.

Ava ran to her, dropping the gun she held as she collapsed to her knees beside her daughter and drew her into her arms, gulping harsh, heavy breaths in an effort not to burst into open weeping.

"Mama, don't--!"

She froze, Val's tiny hand pressing against the center of her chest, holding her back. She looked her over, confused, mind spinning. "Val, baby, it's okay, I'm gonna take you home..."

Her voice trailed off as Val let her legs fall slightly, revealing the device tied over her chest by some sort of makeshift vest. Ava's blood ran cold, all color draining from her face, eyes trained on the tiny, blinking red dot in the center.

She looked back at Raf over her shoulder. "She--she's strapped."

Marjorie · « **Reply #36 on:** October 22, 2019, 12:52:02 pm »

"Fuck," Raf said in a harsh whisper. He picked up the carelessly dropped weapon and thrust it back into Ava's hands. "This weapon is your life," he said, "and hers too. Guard the door and let me have a look at this." He'd had some very basic demolition training in the service, but he was no expert.

He knew it had been too easy.

Still, he supposed, some knowledge was better than none. He knew just enough to be a fucking danger to all of them. Maybe he really was going to die here, a sad disappointment to the lot of them. "Kill anyone who comes threw the door."

"Hey there Val," Raf said, his voice uncharacteristicall y soft and calm as he knelt down beside the girl. "I'm Raf," he pulled the flask from his pants pocket and took a couple gulps to calm his nerves, "Why don't we see if we can get this thing off of you, huh?

"Did they tell you anything about it?" As he spoke to her, he was reaching into a different pocket, and pulled out a multi tool.

"It's ok, if you don't know anything about it, but anything they might have said could be helpful." He started just by looking the thing over, moving a few external parts for a better look, without actually disturbing it too much.

DragonSong · « **Reply #37 on:** October 22, 2019, 01:09:04 pm »

Ava's hands were shaking as he shoved the gun back into her grip, but she managed to curl her fingers around it and give a brief, jerky nod, getting to her feet.

"I'm gonna be right by the door, okay, baby?" she murmured to Val, leaning in to carefully press a kiss to the top of her head. "This man is going to help you, alright? You can trust him."

She pulled away from her, exerting an enormous effort of will to do so, and shot Raf a quick look that was somewhere between desperate panic and fierce, blinding rage. "Help her."

She wasn't sure herself if the words were a plea or a command as she took a guard position just inside the door.

"Th-they said it'll go off if I take it off," Val answered Raf, staring up at him with wide silvery eyes. They were suspiciously bright with the threat of tears, but she pouted her bottom lip and clenched her jaw, clearly working to hold them back. "He said he'd know if I even tried and he'd d-do it anyway..."

Marjorie · « **Reply #38 on:** October 22, 2019, 02:14:01 pm »

"Ok, that's good," Raf said, "really helpful." He was looking for a raido transmitter and any other sensors. There was a radio transmitter. Which meant remote detonation was possible, and the wires were threaded threw the fasteners which meant taking off the vest wouldn't be possible... but looking at it, there were no kinds of sensors that would tell them if they were messing with it. So that was a plus.

"I can see," he said, "we can't just take it off, but there's no way for them to know if we're messing with it. Ok, so that's a good thing."

He looked at the wires and traced them back to the detonator. "Don't touch that one," he muttered to himself under his breath, identifying one that would instantly trigger detonation. He ruled out two others also, which left him with two option.

Fuck. He didn't say it because he didn't want the girl strapped to a bomb to panic while he had said bomb in his hands.

"Alright, Val," he said quietly, "take a deep breath and be real still. I'm going to cut this wire on three, then we're going to get this thing off of you, ok."

As she was taking her deep breath he held his own and cut the wire.

Nothing. The light went dark. He'd cut the power and not tripped anything. Thank whatever fucking forces were out there in the universe protecting them tonight.

"Ok, now the easy part. I'm going to cut these wires so we can get this off of you. Then we're home free. Ok. You're doing really well. He cut the next three wires quickly and then got the thing off of her, and set it gingerly in the corner.

His hand shook. He took another drink.

"Ok, can you walk? We'll have to move move quickly, so if you can't keep up let us know," he pulled a water ration out of his pocket. "Take this, it'll help your strength."

He glanced at Ava. "This is how we do this: Val stay between me and you're mom. Put your hand right here," he put her hand on the back of my shoulder, "that's how I'll know where you are. Don't take your hand off my shoulder, ok?

"When I move, you move. You stay close and you do what I tell you, and we'll be just fine." That was a bold faced lie. They still had a couple miles to hike to the horses... and then miles to Reckless. Even there, they probably wouldn't be safe - maybe leaving would be best. He looked at Ava. "Are we going to Reckless or the docks?" The docs were closer by miles, and he'd prefer a swift exit. "I'll get you both off this rock, if that's what you want."

DragonSong · « **Reply #39 on:** October 22, 2019, 02:28:25 pm »

Val whimpered quietly, but stubbornly refused to cry as he worked at the vest. Ava felt her heart in her throat, barely able to keep her eyes on the door as she listened to them behind her, waiting, waiting...

He cut the wire, and nothing happened.

Ava felt her knees threaten to buckle, but she managed to hold herself steady long enough for him to get the vest off Val before she ran to her daughter and scooped her up in her arms, holding her tight against her chest.

Val was crying softly into her mother's shoulder, but she took the water ration that Raf offered her and placed it on her tongue, hiccuping quietly. Meeting the merc's eyes over her daughter's head, her own eyes glistening as she swallowed down a sob, Ava mouthed, Thank you.

"I don't think she can walk," the medic whispered. "It's fine, I'll carry her. We have to get moving."

His question gave her pause, a hesitation she wasn't sure they could afford. But she didn't know the answer. "I..."

She looked down at Val, who was trembling like a leaf in a gale as she clung to her. Edanith's frontier was supposed to be safe, far away from the fancy gadgets and large cities that Molly so adored. But...but still this had happened.

She let out a sharp breath. "The docks."

It didn't have to be forever. But she needed a new plan.