Paradise Falls

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

The door opens on the Capital Wasteland, its rolling scrubby landscape peeling away in every direction. Off to the east, the huddle of reinforced walls can be seen. "This is as close as we can get to Paradise Falls without being seen," Ellen says. "This would be the best place to start from... welcome to the Wasteland, by the way."

Comments

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

A normal person would get worried at the look on Fiona's face. Unfortunately, pretty much everyone Eulogy ever deals with thinks that kind of expression is normal, and so he only nods and presents her with an electronic box perhaps fourteen inches across. "An excellent choice," he says. "If there's anything else I can do to make your purchase a smooth one, please, do let me know."

[justcallmefee]

She hefts it, squinting for a moment. "What's the range on this thing, anyway?"

It's good information to have, she thinks.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Eulogy chuckles at the question and dips one hand into his suit pocket; what he extracts is a bit of cardboard with a number on it. "I don't think we need anyone else knowing this, do you?" he says, with a knowing nod towards the children.

[justcallmefee]

She eyes the number and nods back, hefting the transmitter on one hip with her offhand. The kids get another once over before she turns back to the man in the impeccable red suit.

"I have to say, it's been a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Jones. I assume the box is my receipt?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"And anyone who says otherwise- well, they can take it up with me personally," says Eulogy with a smile. "Thank you for your business, ma'am. It's been a fruitful transaction."

[justcallmefee]

You have no idea, Fiona thinks.

She just gives him a broad wink, and waves her charges in behind her.

"Stay close," she says with a growl. "I just washed my hair and I don't fancy picking bits of you out of it."

She doesn't wait for anyone to give their leave, she just starts walking, again, one hand free if she needs to go for her gun.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Yes'm," murmur the children in chorus, scrambling to follow Fiona as quickly as they can. The older one keeps his head down; the younger two... well, anywhere has to be better than this, so they're keeping their eyes on Fiona's back as closely as they can.

[justcallmefee]

"Almost done," she murmurs, as soon as they're out of ear shot of the guards.

"You're doing great."

Grouse is too occupied with something else to even notice them leaving, and she doesn't even acknowledge the other guard. She brushes her hair back and in the gesture, thumbs the throat mic on.

"Are you still in the clear? We're coming out."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"We're fine. We've moved a little further up the road- I thought I saw Crazy Wolfgang coming and I figured I'd better get out of line of sight in case anyone came out to trade with him."

[justcallmefee]

"Roger that."

She keeps her game face on until they're way out of sight of the gates, barely slowing to let the kids keep up. The moment they're in the clear, she turns to the oldest and gives him a thumbs up, keeping the sign close to her body in case they're still being watched.

"Okay, not that much farther and then I can get these damned things off you, okay?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

The two smaller ones get wide-eyed with surprise; the older boy offers a tentative smile. "Thank you, ma'am," he says. "You're not bad, for a mungo."

[justcallmefee]

"Yeah? Well, keep it to yourself, okay? I have a reputation to uphold. My name is Fiona, and we're catching up to Ellen. I think she has some news for you guys."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

He nods. "I'm Squirrel," he says. "This is Penny, and this is Sammy. Who's Ellen?"

[justcallmefee]

"Hi Squirrel. Sammy. Penny. She's out of Vault 101? You may not of heard of her. But she's the reason I'm here, so you can trust her, okay?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Oh, her," says Penny suddenly. "Three Dog talks about her on the radio a lot. All the mungos in town call her 'that bitch'."

[justcallmefee]

"Which would be why she needed me to go in and get you guys."

Fiona's estimation of Ellen just took more than a few ticks upward.

"Well, come on. Let's get going. The sooner we get back to her and my tools, the sooner I can get those collars off you."

She's already starting to twitch, wondering about how long the power source on the transmitter will last, and if there's anything else in the area that might set off the devices.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Fortunately, the power source is an old but serviceable fission battery (it's probably best Fiona doesn't know that), and there aren't any transmitters or sources of interference to be found. Ellen and the others, such as the little group may be, are waiting out of sight around behind the shed that provided the door to Milliways. "Hi there," she says with a small wave. "Is everybody okay?"

[justcallmefee]

"Looks like, not for lack of me imagining smashing that Eulogy Jones guy in the face. What a smug son of a bitch."

She's going for her bag, and her tools.

"Penny, come here." It's just about the crudest device she's ever seen, and she's seen a lot. It takes her less than thirty seconds to disarm it and get it off the kid. "Sammy, you're next."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"We'll take care of that," Ellen says. "Moon Shadow's going to keep these three company while we take care of Mr. Jones and the rest of the town. And get the mungo prisoners out, too," she adds.

[justcallmefee]

Fi looks up at Ellen with a mad grin of approval.

"I like the way you think. There's a gauntlet at the entrance. A kill corridor between two guard outposts. After that, there's a broad central courtyard, several shops, a big sign pointing your way to Eulogy's pad, and beyond that, the slave pens."

"Done. Right, come here, Squirrel. Last one."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"I told Mayor Maccready I'd make sure that Little Lamplight didn't have to worry about the slavers any more," Ellen says. "I'd like to make sure that means any more ever."

[justcallmefee]

"Glory Hallelujah, put your hands on the radio. That sounds like a perfect solution if I heard one."

"There. Done."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen nods. "We'll work things out," she says very calmly. "One way or another. Everybody okay here? Anybody need something to eat? I brought supplies."

[justcallmefee]

She smiles, kicking back and finding her canteen. A long drink of water and just watching the kids get taken care of does her soul good. Good day's work, she thinks.