Hellfire

[Orbit]

The van drove across the barren desert, kicking up a massive dust cloud behind it as the engine rumbled steadily. Hunter sat in the passenger seat, his M4 resting in his lap as he held onto the handlebar above. Buster, the one driving, had his shotgun stuck between his seat and the center console while Mila was in the back carrying her own assortment of weapons as well. It was safe to say they were armed for this little salvage enter. Buster was a slightly overweight man, carrying a thick beard and usually having a cigar always in his mouth. It was more muscle than fat and the myriad of tattoos that covered his arms hid it well enough. He was the leader of their scavenger team, which all in all was the three of them in this van. There were other teams but they had their own routes they had to take.

Buster took a sharp turn between some sand dunes, abruptly finding a cracked road with dead plant life covering it. He checked the rearview mirror before glancing to both Hunter and Mila, "Scouts told us of an old abandoned gas station a few miles out. They say it been left untouched." Hunter glanced slowly at Buster before back out to the road, "It's not a good sign when something out here hasn't been combed over already." Buster gave out a hearty laugh, "You were always suspicious. Would you rather be checking out the local junkyards like we always do for hours upon hours?" Hunter went silent at that one and Buster just let out a victory chuckle to himself as he continued on the gas.

The further they drove out the further they went away from Oasis and that meant fewer patrols which also meant less protection. Thankfully the van itself was also suited for the situation, having armored plates welded to the side, bars covering the windows, ramming bars, and barbed wire also residing on the roof of the vehicle. It wasn't geared out like the security vehicles but it at least provided some protection and they would need it from the creatures out there. After a few silent minutes, the gas station came into view, it being the only building on the side of the road. It was almost completely brown, rust eating through it as pieces of the sign and the name of the station was littered all over the ground. Buster parked the van a couple of hundred feet in front of the building, keeping a safe distance.

Carcasses of cars littered the lot and Buster looked at them before eventually sighing, "Well this is it." He undid his seatbelt before turning in his seat, facing both Hunter and Mila, "Alright you both know the drill, I'll check the cars outside and see if they have any parts. You both check inside and make sure we have no crawlies eating our treasure." Both him and Hunter glanced back at the station at the same time as something would come out but all that happened was a piece sheet metal blowing in the wind.

 

[Sreeya]

Mila was skeptical of this trip, but even she couldn’t deny that rations had grown scarce. Those that were sent out to scavenge or scout had to go further and further away from Oasis, and it had everyone nervous. Many of the people that left never came back, and the terror made it so that food and supplies ran low from no one volunteering to go out.

She had her own reason for joining the efforts. Years back, she wouldn't have come out here even for money. Oasis was raided and she had been helpless back then. She had been shot in the face by one of the raiders, taken advantage of and left for dead. She laid there for hours before anyone could help, broken, mangled and lying in a pool of her own despair. She looked up to the sky with her one good eye and made a promise to find that same man - the face she could never forget. She would find him one day and cut him up bit by bit and make him watch.

Mila had an eyepatch nowadays, and it hid the side of her face that still had the scars. People said it was a miracle she lived, but she believed it was her hatred that kept her alive. That simple goal of finding that shitstain was what drove her to join these scouting missions. More visits off base meant more chances of running into raiders. She lived for it now. She taught herself how to fight, and she was just as good with one eye as any other meathead with a weapon.

She was lost in her thoughts when the men spoke, and she remained silent. The sound of the engine as they traveled over the barren, flat lands was almost soothing. She could see the dust, already smell the sweat that lined all their skins under the scorching sun. Out here she felt alive, and she was mentally and physically so far removed from that helpless girl years back.

Mila privately couldn’t disagree with Hunter's apprehension, though she said nothing. She hopped off the back, preferring her assortment of melee weapons. She had on her a modern day morning star, a thin saw and an assortment of knives. Mila liked to be up close and personal when she fought.

The gas station looked eerily untouched, and even the door was intact. The glass hadn’t been broken, and it simply looked dusty. Mila looked around, not spotting any movement as far as she could see. She left the others to do their thing as she walked around the building. Despite her reputation, she wasn’t quick to barge in. She needed to look in to see what was going on. Mila pressed her face against the glass window, not spotting anything directly.

“Looks pretty clean to me,” She called out, walking around to try the front door. Curiously, it was locked, which raised some alarms in her mind. Without hesitating, she stepped back and kicked the door in.

Mila remained in the doorway, still wary. This felt too good to be true.

 

[Orbit]

It was another salvage run but this was the first time that Hunter would be partaking one with Mila. Her reputation was well known for being shoot first then ask questions later and it went directly against how Hunter liked to do things. It was a mystery how they would work together but they would find out either painfully or smoothly. When Mila exited the car, he gave Buster a glance who just gave him a smile in return before ushering him out. Hunter stepped out of the vehicle, casually holding his M4 in his hand. He wore a backward cap, sunglasses, and a dirty tan bandanna that covered his mouth and pretty much hid his face. He wasn't trying to hide from anybody it was just to protect his face from the blazing sun, preferring not to feel it bearing down on him. Hunter wore a black tank top with a military vest over it, it having some pouches that carried magazines for his weapon. It was found on some previous salvage runs and he could never replace the utility of it. He wore the mark of a scavenger with a single strap backpack across his back, it secured tightly and filled with precious treasures. Like Buster, he also had a labyrinth of tattoos going down both of his arms, his most iconic one being the tattered American flag that stretched down his entire right forearm.

Hunter now lifted his M4 to hold it in both hands, having it slightly raised as he approached behind Mila and glanced around. Buster was busy walking between all the dead cars, searching for long left fuel or parts that could be of use. He always preferred to be outside and let Hunter and whatever random they had do the cleanup job. Mila called out that it looked clean before checking the door and finding it locked before she kicked the doors open with some of the glass shattering and falling to the ground. Mila would quickly find her left arm grabbed by Hunter's gloved hand, "Please, let's at least be quiet before we clear it." He let go of her arm before slowly stepping forward, his rifle now fully raised as he stared through the site and turned on the flashlight on the side rail of it. Hunter swung his rifle slowly and at a tilted angle, light peeping through the cracks in the shelves and through the webs of some spiders.

There were empty and rusted cans on the floor but he saw the ones that Mila found, unopened ones that lined the shelves. It's been a long time since he had seen a stocked location like this and it instantly made him suspicious. Hunter turned off the flashlight on his rifle before sliding his backpack off of him and handing it over to Mila and speaking quietly, "Pack the food, make sure it's actually edible." Hunter went forward once more, stepping over cans and glass quietly as a cat and showing off his skillset. He took his time, peering around corners with his rifle before reaching the back of the store, moving through it quickly and precisely. There were more cans that littered the floor, all of them peeled open and leading towards the shadows. Hunter slowly raised his rifle before shining his flashlight, finding a pack of skeletons stuffed by the door, some appearing to have their ribs completely torn open while others appeared to have their skulls bashed in. One of the skeletons was stuck in between a swinging grey door, the small window broken and only revealing darkness behind it.

Hunter slowly reached to the small radio on the strap of his vest, clicking it on as he spoke to Buster outside, "How are you doing out there?" The radio clicked back on after a few seconds, "Got some fuel and found some good parts, gonna take me a few minutes to tear them out." Hunter clicked on the radio once more before saying softly, "Start the van." Buster didn't respond then, knowing well to heed Hunter's words when he told him something. They had been on multiple runs and having a level of trust built between them. Hunter stepped towards the door, his sights trained on it as he clicked on the radio for Mila, "Do you have everything packed?"

 

[Sreeya]

Mila had low tolerance for most things. Very bottom on the list was being touched unexpectedly. She had dealt with trauma in Oasis, and it had made it difficult for her to get close to anyone. That went double for anyone touching her. So when a complete knob like Hunter, with his ridiculous American flag and stupid hat grabbed her arm, she about lost it. Mila yanked her arm from his grip, turning to regard him, “Why don’t you go deep throat a bald eagle and keep your f*cking hands off me, ya damn cockroach.”

She was in a bad mood to begin with, and now it was only exacerbated by this know-it-all. Mila scowled as he handed her the backpack, and she had half a mind to toss it, “You ain’t our boss, quit giving orders,” Though she ended up doing what he had asked. She opened up a pack or two of food, and was surprised to see everything in good condition. The hairs on the back of her neck perked up, and she was still uncomfortable at how perfect everything was.

Mila looked up to see Hunter easily maneuvering around, slinking around silent as a cat, “Pussy,” She grumbled in a whisper under her breath. She could never understand those quiet, silent types that sneaked around everywhere. Mila had already finished packing up the goods and walked over closer to Hunter to see what had his panties in a knot. He stood still, fixated on something, and she walked up towards him, “What? Find some Playboy to take hom- What the..” Her eyes fell on the skeletons, surveying the way the ribs were completely torn apart.

Not even moments after Hunter had commed Buster, there was a thump that resounded. Mila quickly grabbed her morning star, though she couldn’t see anything. There was another soft thump, and she realized it was coming from the ceiling. She looked up for the first time, seeing long cracks and a black rot that cascaded throughout the entire top. Milo had dealt with raiders, but something told her this was no raider.

“...Shit,” She said quietly, “Now I gotta die next to your honky ass?”

 

[Orbit]

Hunter heard Mila step behind him, certainly not minding her steps as she started to ask a question before spotting the skeletons by the door. That's when the sound of scurrying in the ceiling above them happened, making his rifle snap up towards it as the light shone through the cracks. Hunter slowly moved his rifle back and forth, shining the light through more of the cracks as it went silent once more. Hunter breathed calmly as she asked whether she was going to die with him or not. He glanced over at her and he couldn't help himself before quietly saying, "When something is left untouched, there is always a reason." Hunter gazed back to the ceiling, shining the light once more and finding nothing. With it now silent, he nodded his head towards the front door while keeping his gaze on the grey one, "Start heading towards the van, we have what we want." Hunter would wait for Mila to start heading towards the door before following behind her, his rifle remaining in the direction of the bodies.

But the moment they started walking they could hear a creak from the door, instantly making Hunter drop to a knee in a crouched position, taking cover behind a shelf. Hunter raised a hand before turning on a laser on the other side of his rifle, a red dot now appearing on the door. "Mila, take the backpack to the van. Run." She was ready to fight but it wasn't time for that. They had the food and they couldn't risk losing it. But when Hunter told her to run the door creaked louder and he didn't hesitate this time, immediately standing before firing multiple times into the door, the bullets able to easily penetrate. The door swung back from the bullets going through but that's when something let out a guttural scream, something leaping out from behind the door as it swung back the other way. Hunter tried to fire at it as it leaped through the air but it was too fast, tackling Hunter as he fell back with it and crashed into a shelf-case and knocked it over. Buster immediately came through both their radios, "What the f*ck is going on?!" Mila would be able to hear another shot from Hunter's rifle as a creature let out a loud snarl, "Stalker's nest!"

If Mila was running toward the door she would suddenly hear creaking in the ceiling again before certain parts of it came out, two stalkers dropping right between her and the door. Stalkers were the scourge in the desert, their heads were practically just a skull their eyes just pits of darkness. The rest of their body was just rotten flesh and patches of black hair typically, making them something horrendous to look at. They were able to run on all fours like dogs while also being able to stand on two feet and sometimes be taller than a human. That's what made them so dangerous. One of the stalkers in front of Mila stood on its hind legs, sinking it's large claws into a nearby shelf to support itself as it opened its mouth, letting out some sort of inhuman cackling. The other remained on its four legs, slowly crawling closer to Mila.

Hunter was still tangled with his stalker, having his rifle shoved in its mouth as it tried to claw at him. Needing a quick plan of action, he shot out his leg, kicking the stalker's out from under it and making it fall completely on top of Hunter. He quickly slammed his elbow into the side of the creature's head, making it let out a yelp before rolling off Hunter. Quickly getting up, Hunter slammed his boot on the creature's head before firing two bullets into its body and killing it instantly. Reaching for his radio afterward, "Buster pull up the van now!" Hunter ran around the corner and faced back towards the door, it now completely open as he could hear multiple animalistic sounds erupting from it. He shone his light directly in the darkness, lighting up a group of five stalkers directly in the backroom and making them fall over; trying to climb over each other to crawl back into the darkness. Hunter started to unload into the creatures, spurts of blood splashing against the wall as they started to let out painful wailing.

 

[Sreeya]

As he repeated the words he had said earlier, she had no quip or rebuttal. It wasn’t often she felt fear, and she almost never did anymore with Raiders. This was something different - this was rancid. She could smell the stench already, and it made the hairs on her skin curl. It was something she had smelled before, but a very long time ago. During that salvaging trip, she and only one other person had survived.

When Hunter suggested for her to start heading to the van, she cast a sideways glance at him. She didn’t give it a second thought, slinging the backpack over her shoulder and bolting into a run. She planted a hand on one of the shelves, easily vaulting above it to quickly make her way towards the door. If Hunter wanted to play hero, she would let him. This wasn’t no movie, and he could be Captain f*cking America all he god damned pleased. No one would even remember him for dying here.

Nyx could hear the gunshots behind her, along with the stalker that broke through. She was almost to the door when the ceiling in front of her collapsed, two of the disgusting and ugly creatures landing with a sick thud in front of her. Nyx had no choice but to engage, and she drew out her morning star, whirling it around to slam directly into the face of one of the creatures. She drew out the hand saw in the other hand, slashing the serrated teeth into the side of the creature. It squealed as the blade cut easily into its flesh. She drew back and slammed down again, hacking into it repeatedly till its head was almost entirely dislodged. The creature wobbled around and collapsed, dead.

That was when the other one jumped at her, tackling her to the ground. There was a bit of a struggle, but Nyx was able to jam the serrated blade into its open mouth, yanking and ensuring that its insides were cut up horribly as she drew the blade back. The warm blood splattered all over her, and the smell was unbearable. She shoved the creature aside, quickly getting to her feet and grabbing the backpack to rush out the door. She could already hear more of the creatures lurking behind her.

Nyx saw Buster out front, his face displaying his clear horror. She launched herself into the vehicle, “DRIVE!” He remained unmoving. She gritted her teeth, “What the f*ck is wrong with you?!”

“I AIN’T LEAVIN’ HIM! YOU CAN WALK IF YOU WANT! I AIN’T LEAVIN’ HIM!”

She had the quick thought of killing him right there and then to take the vehicle for herself. Nyx began to raise her blade to discreetly do the deed.

 

[Orbit]

Hunter pelted a few more rounds into the backroom, hearing the squelches as they found their targets in the rotten meat of the stalkers. They continued to let out squeals, staying away from the cone of his flashlight as they preferred to hunt at night. When all the creatures in the backroom backed up enough that they couldn't be seen, Hunter glanced to his right and found the two dead bodies of the previous stalkers that Nyx took care of.

Buster outside had his gaze locked on the gas-station, still able to hear the shots as his hand gripped onto the handle of his double-barrel. Nyx's blade was getting closer to him without him noticing but that's when the front doors of the building flew open, Hunter walking backward as he continued firing into the darkness. They could hear the screeches of the stalkers inside, one of them trying to turn before slamming into a shelf, jumping onto the base of one of the broken windows and ready to launch itself again at Hunter. But that's when Buster went into action, pulling out the double-barrel from the makeshift holster before the weapon steady with one arm and firing into the stalker that was threatening to come outside. The creature was simply blown away by the power of the blast, a massive gush of blood erupting from it before it flew back into the store with a crash. "Now Hunter!"

The man didn't waste a second, spinning on a heel before sprinting to the van and jumping through the passenger window. Hunter's feet were still sticking out of the window as he aimed his rifle again at the store when they heard even more scuffling. "Drive! Drive! Drive!" Buster didn't need more encouragement and hit the gas, the van letting out a squeal and kicking up some dust before it peeled out of the parking lot and onto the main road. Hunter didn't move from his position, just letting out a sigh of relief as he dropped his rifle against his stomach and let his feet rest out of the window. He elbowed Buster, "Nice driving." Then he looked back toward Nyx, "How much food did we manage to pick up?" This was a lucky haul, they normally only found parts that they could trade in for food or just fix their cars but that was about it.

While Hunter and Nyx would be counting Buster would just be shaking his head, "We ain't ever have a nest out this close to us." It was true, usually, they had to go a few more miles out of their border before they ran into stalkers, the animals preferring no man's land than making a nest in an abandoned gas station. Hunter finally pulled his feet in with a grunt, sitting like a normal human being before looking back towards Buster, "That means something is driving them closer to us." Buster just scoffed, "You know what no man land like, only those things populate it." Hunter just remained silent before finally taking off his cap, revealing disheveled black hair, "From what we know."