Glen's Story

Madeline was not sure how she felt about most people in the settlement. And she was sure there opinion on her was somewhat the same. So it was mildly surprising to have Sollas come talk to her. Taking a bite from her apple she formulated a reply in her head, each one seemed rather rude... And each time she thought she'd settled on a way to say hello that did not make her sound like she'd been raised by wolves Granny Marble's harsh scolding returned to her head... - MADELINE! You've been here a whole year and you've barely made a friend try sounding decent would you, little scavenger! - Re-thinking her hello a final time Madeline finally settled on one... And then LuCiaN showed up. Letting out a long exhale of breath Madeline wondered why she'd even revealed she could talk? She could have probably kept up the lie she was mute for allot longer then she had. But no after several months of pure silence she'd gone and blown it by saying one sarcastic comment and revealing she could talk all along. It would have been best to leave her in the city.

Tilting her head slightly to look at LuCian Madeline blinked. "G'morning Lucy... I'm enjoying it I guess." Madeline took another bite from her apple and eyed the core of what was left. "I'm done breakfast. So il be leaving now!" Dammit! Did she have to sound so harsh??? Her good-morning had been decent but noooo she just had to go and sound like she could bite off LuCiaN's head! A-class way to make friends Madeline. Sitting up Madeline threw her apple core into a compost bin in one of the nearby houses, her precision and throwing arm was impressive and the apple landed where it was suppose too. With a small victorious smirk Madeline stood and stretched cracking her wrist and neck as she thought about what to do next. If Lucy and Sollas did not need her help Granny Marble might want to do some cleaning... But being cooped up on a day like this would really drive her insane.

Deciding to wander around Madeline headed toward the town exit where the odd passerby could be found. It was rare people came by lately but she could always hope something more interesting then cleaning laundry or picking apples dropped by in the form of a visitor. Of course if it was some dangerous idiot she might be able to get her frustration out by leaving them a few bruises. As she neared the town's small exit that was partially hidden by trees when, she heard the sound of... Was that a truck? Those things did not run anymore? Or at least not many of them. Madeline watched with a suspicious angry glare as some motor revving moron blazed by and jumped out of his vehicle. He pointed a gun at her and Madeline froze her eyes narrowing into a sharp glare as she swatted the barrel out of her face her eyes telling him that she was NOT having any of this. He wasn't the first of his kind to come by waving a gun and causing a fuss, and generally you got those types of idiots to leave by answering there questions, letting them know they had no business and letting them go there way.

Glen woke up in the ATS he so politely stole from an old military base inside the city, looked out the window and thought to himself, "Would be a nice day if I wasn't in the fucking city still." He started up the ats, and headed for the border. Ran into a few stragglers on the way, but he let the tires take care of them. He enjoyed driving, it was the only thing that really cleared his head. He was headed for another abandoned outpost, about 17 miles east of the city. Before his squad died, they heard word of a settlement a few miles from the outpost, and he was secretly planning to stash some goods and bring them to it, but since he was alone, there was no need to be secretive. He was 6 miles from the outpost when he saw it. What looked like a calm, quiet little town. "Well look what we fuckin got here boys". He figured the town would be running amok with them, glitches. "Little pit stop for fun wont kill me, or maybe it will, who the fuck knows.". He had developed a habit of talking to himself, which made sense, he had been riding solo for about 6 weeks now.

Glen pulled into the town, stopped the ATS sideways in the middle of the road, grabbed his Marxsys, and hopped out the drivers side. He noticed a girl walking towards him, about 16. He figured she was a survivor considering she didnt look infected, but put his gun to her head all the same. She immediately rolled her eyes and swatted the barrel out of her face. He didn't know how to react, so he holstered it. "Who the fuck are you and why are you still alive?"

"I'm Madeline, and I'm alive because Im not infected you moron, we're all alive because we're not infected."

"What?"

This response had stunned Glen somewhat, since the Task force he was a part of, was told the only surviving members of society were infected, and the only safe house was the masons underground temple in the heart of the forest.

"I said, I'm not infected, and nobody in this town is. Why are you here?"

" I came here to kill glitches, figured I'd have a field day before hitting the old military outpost about 6 miles east of here. But hell, you got people, I could use people"

"I'm not the one to ask, and can you please put that gun away, your going to scare people."

"Oh, right." Glen tossed the marxsys in the ATS, on the passenger side seat.

"Talk to Soll, Blue hair, he might be able to help you".

Glen thought for a minute, still somewhat baffled that 1. A teenage girl just called him a moron,
and 2. That people were, well, that people were alive.
He was a 33rd degree, a title that, even on masonic papers, didn't exist. And they had the audacity to keep something like that from him. "My squad were the only fucking reason master Jorgés was still alive. That fuckin moron and his "No guns in the safe room" policy. Glitches found us, and we had swords. FUCKING SWORDS. Oh well, couple heads rolling around like that, bastard can burn in glitch-hood for all i give a fuck." Was exactly what went through Glen's mind.

He hopped back in the ATS, and started looking for some character named Soll and his hopefully outstanding blue hair.

Madeline watched with particular disdain as Glen drove into town. She did not like this guy... She did not like him ONE BIT. Narrowing her eyes into a sharp cat like glare she balled her hands into fists and headed back into town. She could beat Glen if she took the round-bout shortcut through the trees and thorn bushes. It was not particularly painful as Madeline was use to pain but the annoying sting only drove her to move faster and get back to the center of town sooner.

When she got back Madeline was pleased to find Sollas and LuCiaN still talking where she'd left them. She jogged to stand in front of the pair her legs stinging with the scratchy feeling of thorns. "There's a man with a gun coming into town... I don't know what he wants... But I told him to look for Sollas... After the moron shoved a gun barrel in my FACE!" She let out an annoyed growl and continued. "I don't like him. And I SUGGEST... We prepare." Madeline was never one to sound urgent but she tried to make it clear that the new comer was not one to be trusted in her opinion. And if the defensive way she stood did not give that away she was sure the sharp glare she cast to the road as she heard the rumble of an engine sure gave it away.

[[OOC: Wakey wakey everyone~ ]]

Glen was rather suprised at the way Soll had greeted him, considering he put a gun in that girls face. He hopped out of the ATS, and was met by a swinging battleaxe and one simple sentence.

"Well, I didn't know if she was human, and I need your help. And a piece of advice, swing your axe on a 45% angle, that way I can't dodge."

Lucian seemed to have calmed down enough for him to move. Glen waived Soll over, so the two could have some privacy. Lucian followed, Glen didn't mind. Except he couldn't think of what to say.

He pondered for a moment, and decided to be straight with him.

"Look, I need your help. I'm planning on raiding the old military outpost about 6 miles east of here. I'll let you keep a quarter the take, I'll take what I need, the rest will be shared with the town. Then, I'll be on my way" Glen was hoping that he didn't take the latter part seriously, sleeping in the back of the ATS was getting quite uncomfortable. It had been weeks since he'd seen a warm bed and a good meal.

He had the blueprints of the outpost, and from what he'd seen in the old shipping reports, there would be about 2 months worth of food, various small arms and ammunition, and a small amount of medical equipment. He kept this from Soll, he didn't know enough about him to trust him with the real reason he was going there. It had been a testing facility. An evolutionary virus, from what he had gathered from other outposts and bases. Based on the paper, it looked like this could be the facility that started the glitch. And, he hoped, could be the place where an immunity could be found. This, in truth, was his mission. He was now his own master, and he was going to find a way to end it, or die trying. He was getting old, creaky, not quite as spry as he once was. He knew, that in the back of his mind, if Soll didn't agree to this, tomorrow would most likely be his last day.

Assessing Waterproof status.....Done LuCiaN
Analyzing voice tone...Target: Madeline.........No lie detected...
Checking bioscans........One living form present....
Weapon scans..............Threat: Moderate........
Augmenting Shields.............Done
Initiating Battle Protocol.....................Done...

---

As Sollas had complained about laundry, which was normal for him. She understood engineers didn't wanna drop things to do such rudimentary tasks such as cleaning. Thus LuCiaN was the one whom cleaned, and cooked, and took out the trash, and all that sort, needless to say, Sollas would probably end up in a mountain of trash if she wasn't around- yet something interrupted her, someone saying the few key words that activates her defense protocol,

'There's a man with a gun coming into town... I don't know what he wants... But I told him to look for Sollas... After the moron shoved a gun barrel in my FACE!'

LuCiaN, before Sollas could even speak, had her battle protocol ready, and by convenience she noticed the man, she charged, not listening to the suggestions Sollas had made, her battle ax was forming into her hand as she moved. Before much in a response could be made, she swung, stopping a few inches from the man's head, and spoke,

"Give me two reasons that I should not end you here." she asked, with a minute tone of aggression.

Glen wondered for a moment about Soll's offer.

"Sure, you guys have booze here?" Glen asked, hoping to god that the answer was yes. After all, what did he have to loose.

Glen hopped in the back of the ATS, changed into a more casual, less bloody outfit, stashed his weapons, grabbed the blueprints for the outpost, along with the reports he had gathered, and hopped back out. The shirt he had on showed off his tattoos. Each stroke had a very deep, and complex meaning that Glen had never shared with anyone.



Soll looked surprised at the amount of information Glen had gathered about the outpost.

"Alright, lets go"

Soll, Lucian, and Glen made their way to the local bar, and sat at a booth in the far back. The bar was old, and smelled of cedar oil, cigarettes, and whiskey. The booth they had sat in was uneven, with an old cedar plank table. The table was stained with several cigarette burns, and a few spilled drinks. All and all, it felt, cozy, like it was somewhere you wanted to be at the end of the night. A kind of place, that even when it was around, was sparsely populated.

"Alright, here's what I know. The stationed was manned with about 13 guards before the glitch. It's most likely abandoned now, but we both know we're going to run into some of those glitches, so be ready. Now, there's an armory and a medical station on the main floor, and a storeroom in the basement, where the food is kept. We have three enrty points. One along the west wall, one along the east, and one right next to the main door in the front. If we open that, we're dead. Automated security will activate when that's opened without a keycard. You two are going to watch the ATS, and kill any stragglers. Me, I'll get in there and do the dirty work. Now, in the top section was a testing area for something known as a "Forced Evolutionary Virus". Something that, changed people. From the information I've gathered, this FEV could be the cause of the glitch. I'm not sure, but once we get the food, medicine and weapons, you two will be heading back to town. Here, this is called a pager. Our unit's tech made two of them before he died. I'll let you know if I survive the top floor."

Madeline hated people. But she hated even more being out of the loop. More so when the loop included a man with a gun blazing into town. So despite not being allowed per-say in the local bar Madeline found another way to listen in. By climping onto the roof of the bar she was able to wait and no one had the gall or authority to get her down so she was left alone up there to listen in on what she could, from the conversation happening seemingly without her.

Cease order received............LuCiaN
Standing down.........
Initiating Civilized Protocol...............Done...
Analyzing Routine 3 minute scans...........
Anomaly detected..........Anomaly upon roof...
Scanning map......Map of Fortification Match...

---

"This fort should be different..."

---

As LuCiaN analyzed the map with ease, she looked up at the man with her cold red eyes before speaking, "The map you have is a basic map that they give each soldier. It shows the layout of the fortification, but does not tell where defensive positions are. I am immune to most of the traps and the glitches cannot harm me. I shall go." Her words were about as lifeless as her body was. Luci knew that she could withstand most anything in the way of bullets and cannon fire, though there was one problem, her protocol says that Sollas must be protected at all costs, that, and she had doubts that Sollas would even let the poor android do that type of mission. Though she knew that any gasses or lack of air had no sort of phasing to her either, she looked at the two men, before speaking to the woman on the roof,

"Madeline, I know you are up there. You can come down now. Sollas and Glen should know by now too." she said, now looking at the results of the scan, Luci was one of the few people whom could, or rather, would be ballsy enough to tell Madeline what to do. Though her Ax did make it hard for the waiters around her, they did stick out like wings.

Glen was surprised at how easy they were convinced. He knew what would be waiting there, and was also fully aware that without lucian, this would have been a suicide mission, and it still would be once he got to the top floor. Food, ammo, weapons, and medical would be a breeze, glitches might be deadly, but their not hard to put down. Now, what would be waiting at the top floor, would most likely not be human, or not fully human, anyway. Lucian had looked at the mad he brought, but she hadn't seen the shipping reports, heard the soldiers last words, or rather, last screams, on their holotags. Whatever was up there was death, and Glen wasn't sure he'd be coming out of this one alive.

Sure, when they accidentaly set off automated security in the Northern outpost, he made it out, along with the rest of the squad, except Church. When they got swarmed during a recon mission, armed with nothing but three muskrats and two ballistic knives, they made it out. But this, this time, he just wasn't so sure. His mind wandered, wondering how Soll and Lucian would fare in the outpost. He didn't want to upset them, but he had to give them something safe.

"Alright, the ATS has a 40cal machine gun on top, packed with 400 uranium rounds. You two, will stay with the ATS, and nomatter what you hear, do not, i repeat DO NOT come inside the outpost. And as per what you're thinking, the things that are in there, their not human, not anymore. They were experiments. Victims of a forced evolutionary virus, something made to, boost, human adaptability, improve gene structure, essentially a super soldier syrum. The results, catastrophic. It's right on these pages, for the most part" Glen showed them the science logbook, from a "Doctor Atom"

Lucian put her eyes to it.

Analyzing name: Doctor Atom...........No Match Found... LuCiaN
Scanning ATS Characteristics.............Done
Analyzing weaponry................
Thrusters......Ready to deploy...
Extended arms...........Ready to Deploy....
Small caliber weaponry.............2000 rounds ready.......

---

"I can handle anything that could come near...."

---

LuCiaN looked at Glen, and spoke, hostility could be told from her voice, "You are not going in alone. I shall accompany you. Unless you wish to die." she snapped, Sollas had given her a personality, well not too much, but she slowly grew one from her experiences with people, that hostile tone, was from Madeline, but none the less was something she picked up. LuCi then spoke to Sollas, not as hostile, but still with the tone Madeline would give him,

"What do you mean by 'If we get out Alive'? You should rephrase that Sollas, I do believe you mean 'when we make it back alive.' Instead of being so hard." she replied, needless to say, what confidence LuCi had in her programming had shown, something from Sollas there. But needless to say, LuCiaN would ensure Sollas and Madeline would make it back, though Glen was a Different story.

Madeline would never admit she was slightly flattered by Sollas words but she could not help the small swell of pride she got from having it recognized that she was strong. Silently listening as the negotiations continued Madeline could not help but give a smirk when Luci snapped, if she kept practicing she might get as good as herself one day. When Madeline finally spoke it was in order to agree with LuCian. "Yeah Sollas, aren't you suppose to be Mr.Sunny your gonna have me there of course were gonna make it back... How do you think I survived in the big city? Because the answer isn't rolling over and playing dead." Although it had worked once to convince a Glitch she was dead but... She wasn't gonna bring that up. Crossing her legs Madeline observed everyone sitting around her, she was happy to get out of town but she wasn't very comfortable with the idea of going along with Glen, she did not trust him in anyway but she supposed she would have to set aside her trust issues and keep in mind that under the circumstance he did turn out to be crazy she'd just kill him or leave him to be Glitch food. A gruesome thought by all means but for the sake of survival a necessary one. Realizing that she was glaring in the older mans general direction she put on a face of plain boredom and diverted her attention to the bar entrance.

Sollas leaned back and took another gulp of his drink “Do we have a deal?”

"Deal. Just don't get yourselves hurt." He was speaking to Madeline more than anyone else, he didn't want to see her get hurt, she was too young in his opinion.

"Let's go, grab what you'll need, and meet my by the ATS in 30."

Glen, Madeline, Soll, and Lucian piled in the ATS, and made their way to the outpost. It was a nice drive, the forest was thick with vegetation. If it wasn't the end of the world, Glen would have drove in this forest all day. He was a relaxed driver for the most part, but he still kept an eye out for any stragglers. Then he saw it, the outpost.



"Get on the 40!" He barked towards the back.

Processing ATS information.......Done LuCiaN
Analyzing Short distance Radar.......
Movement detected...........Source: Glitch...
Preparing Combat protocol...........Done
Initiating Anit-Glich countermeasures..........Done
Ready to engage in combat......

---

"Must I engage in combat?"

---

LuCiaN looked at Sollas, "Sollas. Are you sure you can handle that weapon...?" she asked remembering the time he was test firing one of her guns, and she ended up unintentionally backhanding him like one of those kung-fu movies. Needless to say, the weapon took him off guard, and Sollas had a real great contusion from it. Though pulling up to the base was something that LuCi had noticed, and then a 'Ping!' happened. Motion tracker picked up something, it wasn't a great motion tracker, but it functioned well with her combat. Yet there was another 'Ping!' and soon the noise became rapid. LuCiaN jumped through the hatch Stollas had opened and prepared her Ax, and began to combat the cluster of Glitches that came by hearing the ATS.

"Sollas! There is another pack of Glitches to the left flank of the ATS. Fire at your will." she said before cutting down three glitched, before noticing something, something was on her, a glitch, thinking she was human, had began to try and make a meal of her neck. As she watched, she smirked and spoke,

"Not much of a meal there. Is there?" she asked, hinting some sarcasm, someone was picking up on Madeline's lessons of sarcasm. She took the Glitched's head off, and continued her slaughter of Glitches.

((Mrgrgrgr... Me and coding errors...))

Madeline rolled her eyes ignoring Sollas, she supposed she should be... Flattered really but she could and had handled herself thus far he need not worry on her. As for readiness well Madeline took no time zipping by her home to grab her favorite machete and handgun, she was also sure Glen had a few weapons hanging around the tank he called a home. Jumping in the back with Sollas Madeline admired the scenery until the outpost came into view and with the outpost came another view, Glitches. Of course they'd been eying the ATS for awhile now probably being the weaker kind they were probably hopping to catch a bite by swarming.

Madeline shot Glen and Sollas a glance as she felt the adrenaline begin to pump. "You heard the lady Sollas cover the left I've got the right side, Glen... Try not to loose your head." And with that Madeline took her side and began firing, for the Glitches that came over it was easy to knock them off and away but for the ones still at a running distance a well aimed bullet to the eye was all it took to make them disperse, hopefully giving LuCiaN some room to work her violent magic.