Naming a town Battle Mountain, and other bad ideas Feb. 17, 2094
It's been awhile since I mad an entry, but nothing was happening, and then SO MUCH happened that I didn't have time. Right now we're walking through a... oh crap BZZZT!!!

Sorry we were ambushed by... but I'll get to that. Hope I didn't break this damn thing when I dropped it!
Anyway, I guess it all started on Feb. 14th. Valentine's Day if you can believe that! I was doing a stint on a convoy heading around Nevada. Not The Convoy, just A convoy. I got the job in Wendover, over heard them while I was picking up some mail. This guy, "Willie" Pete Glasser was looking for guards and I had some mail going that way so I figured, "why not?"
There were a bunch of drivers and guards, but as it turned out only a few of them would be important in the long run, sadly.
Mason's a Law Dog, got some type of weird half-and-half badge, I'll try to scan a picture of it some time. He seems like a good guy, he's a little cold, but then who isn't these days? He's also a dead good shot and pretty mean with a knife. Definitely a good guy to have covering your (or my) back. There's something weird about him though... he's quick, sometimes too quick. And the veins on his arms! If there were any left in the world I'd swear he was on steroids!
Next comes Crash. He's got a real name, but so far we're all just calling him Crash. He drove a van in the convoy (that's scary, with a name like "Crash"), and he's a damn good driver too. He walks with a limp and has a couple wicked scars that speak to him having been through a lot, but so far he isn't talking about it (no matter how much I pry).
Finally there's Rolo, she's... different. She's tall, thin and bald as an eagle! At first I thought maybe she had gotten a case of the glows like me. But it turns out she's a syker. Never thought I'd meet one of those. She's a pretty good fighter, but she's WAY too anxious to start a scuffle and she has NO concept of ammo conservation. That woman burns through bullets like there's no tomorrow. I figure she'll learn some day, I just hope it's not the day she's covering me! In the meantime anyone who wants to find us can just follow the trail of shell casings.
So we're all part of this convoy. We went from Wendover, NV to Elko and spent the night there trading and talking. We left in the morning and headed to Battle Mountain. I knew as soon as I heard the name that is was going to be trouble, honestly.
We got there in the late afternoon and what we saw was not good. The town was burned down, bodies were scattered everywhere and there were a lot of spent casings. No matter how long I live in the wastes I'll never get used to seeing that sort of thing. At least I hope I won't.
The place was looted and abandoned, there were no survivors. We took care of the bodies and made camp in the cleanest building we could find. The others wanted to set watches but I told them not to bother. I guess they believed me (trusting souls) 'cause we all slept through the night with no problem.
We left Battle Mountain the next morning in silence. We'd checked out the ruins and there really wasn't anything worth saving. We headed south towards Austin, if nothing else we could at least warn them.
We were just cresting a hill when a missile came out of nowhere and hit the rig in front of me. Even if I'd been in the rig, there wouldn't have been any time to warn Willie (he was driving it).
I lost the lead car (a cute little sporty number) in the explosion of the rig's engine. Crash slammed on the breaks and swerved to the right around the rig (I was in the van with him). I never really saw the jeep behind us again.
Then the ambushers attacked. Two cars peeled off the hills to either side of the road and converged on us.
The whole fight is really a blur, all I remember is that one car hit the jeep, probably killing everyone instantly. Crash weaved in between that car and a truck, I tried to slow them down with a a shotgun blast, but didn't have much effect. By the time we got around the rig the front half of the fight was a mess. The sports car had turned around and had crashed into the rig (boom) One of the ambusher's was flipping over and on fire (Rolo claimed that one) and another of the ambusher's cars was peeling away.
We found Mason moving away from the wreck of the rig and stopped to pick him up. I asked where the others were. He said that Rolo had jumped out of the sports car before it crashed and burned. When I asked about Willie he just looked back at the burning rig and shook his head. I pulled up, out of the window and looked for Rolo. I didn't see her, but I saw a weird "shimmer" on the ground. I called out to Rolo and she "coalesced" where the shimmer was. I wondered if she had a stealth-field like me? At any rate she jumped in the back after protesting that "we could tak'em." When I said "okay" and told Crash to leave her, her tune changed and she hunkered down in the back. I think she was posturing to us?!? It's pretty scary that someone that insecure is running around the wastes with an assault rifle and the ability to burn people's brains out with a thought.
Crash took off with a half-dozen reaiders in tow. We hauled-ass to Austin and made it inside the walls. The gangers stopped short of the town, they were probably waiting for their buddies to show.
We were met by several guns and the town leader named Marsha. After convincing them we weren't raiders they relaxed and said that the gangers were the "Dust Devils." They had been causing trouble for some time, but the townies looked really surprised when we told them that Battle Mountain had been wiped out.
Marsha confided in us (after some talking) that they had a tunnel out and that they had found an old military truck 25 miles away that could carry them all out. Seeing as how we had brought the gang right to their door, we couldn't exactly refuse to help them now.
Rolo started yelling (she never talks in a normal tone) about going out and killing all the gangers. Again she shut the hell up when I told the town to un-block the gate and let her out.
The townies gave us a little food and water and some spare ammo (probably all they could spare) and we headed for the tunnel shortly after nightfall.
The tunnel came up right next to where some of the Dust Devil's had parked for the night. Yet again Rolo wanted to pick a fight. We (Mason and I) pointed out that that would give away the location of the tunnel entrance and give the gangers easy-access to the town.
We snuck past the gangers without incident.
And that was the start of our 25 mile trek across the desert. It was around noon that the monotony was broken by another ambush. Some trogs jumped us in a canyon. None of us were really surprised, except for Rolo who was busy talking about herself again.
The trogs moved in on all of us, but we were able to make short work of them. Crash blew several large holes in his from point-blank range. Mason pulled out a wicked-big knife and took his down with a couple quick jabs, almost punching right through the thing's body. And I pulled out Alex's sword and made do as best I could. I figured none of this bunch were templars so it would be safe to show the sword. Luckily the trogs weren't very skilled (though insanely strong) and were never able to hit me.
Then there was Rolo... She never did recover from being surprised and was trying to shoot the trog with her rifle, which wasn't working. Both Mason and I moved in to help. I missed, but Mason jabbed that knife right through the thing's back, probably severed it's spine. Ugh! After that Rolo was real quiet for awhile.
It was during the fight that I dropped this recorder thing. Luckily I don't think I broke it. Anyway we've got about 10 more miles of walking and my throats getting real dry so I'm gonna stop talking now.

Another town bites the Dust (Devil)
Feb. 18, 2094
Well there's no good news to report. As of right now we're on the road back to Battle Mountain. Everyone in Austin is dead, and I want revenge!
We got to the military truck in the middle of a blasted military supply depot of some kind (long dead). Mason and Crash started working on the truck (the engine needed a lot of work) right away. After making sure there wasn't anything waiting for us I did a little scavenging (Rolo dived right into the rubble, as usual). We both came up gold! Rolo found a beat-up flak vest (bitch!) while I found an old SA pistol.
The pistol had a clip in it with half regular bullets and half some type of teflon coated bullets. I'm not very good with pistols and Mason had been complaining about not having a decent backup gun, so I gave it too him (he looked really surprised, but thanked me).
A few hours later we started the slow drive back to Austin. We got there that night. We snuck up on the town, but when we got inside it was Battle Moutain all over again. There was one extra touch, the Dust Devils had tied Marsha to a wheel and had slowly rolled her over a fire until she was charred black.
I tried not to puke and asked Rolo to put her out of her misery (Marsha, not Rolo), but she refused. For once the cold-hearted psychopath's whimsy paid off. Marsha was still breathing, barely, and said that the Dust Devils had attacked during the night and taken some of the townsfolk north. Just then she died (thankfully) and we were ambushed, again.
The fight was short and bloody. Crash, Rolo and Mason blew away the ambushers in short order. I pretty much kept my head down (and took a hit in the guts for my trouble). After the fight I patched everyone up as best I could. Mason gathered up the ganger's guns and divied them up. They were in piss-poor shape, but I got a scattergun out of the deal so I can't complain too much (if I do my guts'll probably open up again).
We were ready to take off for Battle Mountain right then, but we had no food or water and hadn't slept in about 36 hours, so we were forced to camp for the night.
I went foraging (not fun at night, in a desert) and came back with a lizard and a snake. Not much, but It would have to keep us all going for awhile. The others had been busy too. They had taken care of the bodies (burned'em, no time or energy to bury them) and had used the truck (Crash's van was gone, which he was NOT happy about) to clear the well and get us some water.
We headed out early the next morning. I'm riding up front with Crash while Mason's riding in the back to keep an eye out for any tail gaters. Rolo's sitting on the floor in the back meditating or something. We're heading north, back to Battle Mountain. I still don't like that name. I'll get back to you in a day or two.

Sykers and other bad ways to use your head
Feb. 20, 2094
We never made it back to Battle Mountain. Just before the town we came up on yet another still-warm battle site. Feels like we've been two steps behind ever since we started this trip, and it's really PISSING ME OFF!!!
There were a lot of Dust Devil bodies and a couple townsfolk. Another gang? What was really weird were that there were five large blast craters spread out over the battle-field. We also found Crash's van, apparently untouched.
While Crash and Mason checked out the van for traps I walked the battle trying to figure out what happened. I found tracks coming from and going to the north. The Devils had come in from the south. It looked like about 15 people came from the north, but only ten had headed back that way dragging somethings or someones. The hostages? Seeing this I thought I had it licked. I went back to the others and told them it looked like Black Hats. I'd heard that they have chips in their heads that let them use their guns and that blew up when they died. That meshed with the tracks and the five craters.
Meanwhile Mason and Crash had checked out the van and said it was safe. They found most of the hostages inside too! Only four weren't accounted for. And the hostages in the van said that they were taken captive to the north.
We gave the refugees that army truck and Crash gladly took his van back. We told them to head east to Elko and to hole up there until we came back with news about the others. With our new enemy's tracks guiding us (looking around the Dust Devils weren't going to be a threat to anyone for a good long while) we headed north as fast as we could in Crash's van. The going was slow (Crash's van wasn't built for off-roading) but late in the afternoon we crested a hill and saw what we figured was the Black Hat's base.
The base was about 60 yds. by 40 yds. with a laboratory looking building (bio-hazard signs), a barracks, some type of office or command building and a metal hanger. At each corner of the base there was a guard tower and spaced around the base's fence small "things" on posts. It was too far to make them out.
We scouted the base for awhile, but didn't see any sign of any activity at all. The tracks did lead right into the bast though, so we decided to take a closer look. I volunteered and Rolo, with her usual gusto... said okay.
I clicked on my stealth-field (which gave the othere quite a surprise and headed down). The next bit was really creepy. As I got closer I saw the "things" on the posts were actually heads. This was bad, but I've seen worse and could handle it okay. What I wasn't ready for was when the heads turned to look at me and started screaming. I hate to say it but I lost it then and there, and booked it back up the hill towards the others.
A couple "guards" and some more "guys" from inside the barracks came up behind me. I took up a position behind a boulder on the far side of the hill near Crash and tried to steady my aim as best I could. I was still shaking real bad. Rolo threw a grenade that she had squirreled away and blew the crap out of a couple of them. Mason just took out his pistol and knife and waited.
None of us were ready for what came over the hill though. The soldiers were all nasty and emaciated looking and they had their weapons actually grafted to their arms?!? A couple had guns, but a couple others just had wicked swords and axes popping out where their hands should be.
We all controlled our revulsion and shot, stabbed and blasted the monsters back to whatever hell they had come from. After the fight the others were going to scavenge the bodies, but I pointed out that Black Hats exploded when they died (I think) and we still didn't know what these guys were, so we all backed off. No boom though.
I wasn't willing to go right down the hill again, not thinking it was too smart to make the same mistake twice... but Rolo was more than willing to try! Sure enought, down the hill, screaming dead-heads and more freaky zombie soldiers charging up the hill. We waited for Rolo to come running back up the hill, but she just stood there staring at the sceaming heads. I think she might have wet herself.
Mason yelled something to the effect of "God damnit!" and ran down the hill. I followed closely behind. Mason grabbed her and started running back up the hill. I popped a slug in my shotgun and tried to blow the latest zombie's leg off, but I missed of course. Sometimes I think I should just throw the shells on the ground and stomp on'em. It'd be quicker.
Mason turned at the top of the hill and popped the thing in the head (from twice as far away too) just as it pulled a cord and snapped the safety on what looked like a pack full of explosives. The thing fell on the ground and exploded leaving a five foot crater. Guess we knew where those craters back by Battle Mountain came from.
Rolo was pretty pissed at this point so she started throwing these beams of energy from her head at the guards in the towers. They moved to attack us, but she had the range on them and managed to pop a couple before they got close enough to be a threat. I could tell it had drained her though, her bald head was damp with beads of sweat. No more zombies came charging up though. Either they were all dead (right...) or they had wised up and were hiding. That's a scary thought, zombies that can learn. Hell, zombies! That's pretty freaking scary right there. I mean, what the hell?
We finally decided to try going in through the front gate figuring that maybe the heads wouldn't scream if we went in through the proper channels. It worked and although the heads turned to watch us go in (ewww...) they didn't scream.
We snuck in and I checked out the barracks while the others checked the office. Unfortunately another zombie saw me and six came charging out of the barracks. I signaled "six" to the others just before turning on my field and drawing Alex's sword. We got through the fight okay and a minute later six more zombies were dead and we weren't much the worse for wear.
Afterwards I moved to the lab but the others wanted to check the hangar. I ask you (whoever gets this after I'm dead) where would hostages be kept? The hangar, or the lab? Anyway, I didn't get very far into the lab before gun fire erupted outside. "God, not again!" I thought and headed back out.
The scene I ran up to was almost comical. Crash was under cover, but Mason and Rolo were being chased around the compound by two mini-cars wtih crazy brains in jars driving them?!? I moved up to get a better look, but just then a humvee with a robotic machinegun on the back started opening up. Mason disappeared around the hangar with a car in hot pursuit, another car was turning around in the hangar, the humvee was blazing away at everything in sight and a mini-bulldozer was trying to run over Rolo.
We all quickly realized that blowing up the zombie-brain drivers was the key. We all started plugging away (Crash was pretty incredible) and after much flying lead and diving-dodges the vehicles were twisted shambles scattered around the compound. The bottom of the humvee even caught on fire. Except for the 'dozer. It was last seen tearing off over a hill with a chunk of fence caught in it's blade and it's brains leaking out (literally). As it disappeared over the hill we could still hear the dying cackles of it's crazy loud-speaker voice. It's going to take a long time to forget that sound.
But we didn't get away un-scathed. Rolo took a nasty shot to the head and Mason got clipped in the leg. I could patch up Mason's leg okay, but I couldn't do much for Rolo. We decided to take her back to the van to let her try and work her mojo on herself. We other three headed back down to look for the hostages.

Chewing gum and morphin Feb. 23, 2094
You know it's funny how much you miss the little things. After the bombs came that is. I was talking to Mason about what he missed the moset... The usual stuff came up, family, friends, a normal life. Then he said something that surprised me, "noise." He said that before Judgement Day everyone was always trying to get some "peace and quiet" now it seems that sometimes all there is is quiet (peace is a different story). It's not the big noises you miss. Traffic jams, horns blaring, boom boxes, neighbors yelling. These we can all do with out (and if your neighbor starts yelling these days you should probably grab your gun and check it out). No, it's the little sounds that you miss. Birds chirping at 6am on a saturday, the sounf of the AC coming on in your apartment, the radio playing on a lonely stretch of highway reminding you that someone else is out there, that there's someone else trying just as hard to keep out the lonely silence. He said that's one of the things he misses the most.
Me? I really miss chewing gum.

We dropped Rolo off and headed down to the base. We decided to be a little more systematic in the search this time (and stick together) and started with the office. Of course tehre wasn't anything or anyone in there. About the only thing we found of any interest were three old textbooks on biomechanics, biology and chemistry. I decided to take them, never know if they might come in handy. If nothing else I can trade them or give them to a school or something. Besides, flipping through the chemistry book brought back a lot of memories. I had to stifle a sniffle while I was reading it. God I feel stupid admitting that!
After a quick check to make sure that nothign had hid in the hanger or barracks we headed over to the lab.
The front area was a secretary and reception area. Nothign much there but a few old magazines. I went ahead and grabbed them too, when Crash and Mason looked at me funny I just shrugged and pointed out that it's nice to have something to read while passing the hours on the highway.
We moved further back thorugh a conference room and some offices not really finding much but abandoned office furniture and smashed science equipment. We came into one office that was still fairly intact with a desk in the the back. The chair behind the desk had its back to us. Everyone's warning bells went off at once.
I went left, Mason hooked right and Crash stayed in the middle. Sure enough the chair turned around with some type of zombie scientist complete with lab coat! He jumped at me. We all unloaded into him, but it barely slowed him down. He punched me in the face if you can believe that. Luckily he lacked in strength what he had in stamina and just gave me a bloody nose. The next set of whacks took the bad doctor down.
We were about to step into the hall when we heard a "click-clack" sound from teh halls. We all recognized the sound of the action on a gun being worked, but I didn't realize what it was in time. Mason actually grabbed me and pulled me back in before I stepped into the hall. Way too quick for a normal human...
We tossed one of our torches down there (it was pitch black in the lab and we didn't have a flashlight) to see what there was to see. But it didn't travel very far and we couldn't see anything in the gloom. Not wanting to push our luck we dodged back down the hallway the way we'd come. No shots followed us though.
We took a long way around that hallway moving along the outer wall of the lab. We came around a corner to a "t" intersection and tried to decide which way to go. The decisions was made for us though by the spray of heavy machinegun fire that erupted from the north hallway. We all dove into the east hallway and no one was hit.
Peeking around the corner we could just make out a gun nest being manned by two more soldier-zombies. I still had the two moltavs from Austin and figured we might be able to clear them out with one. I throw like a girl though (literally) so Crash did the heaving. He came up short though and the bottle crashed (heh) into the sand bags of the nest. The splash did hit the zombies thoug and lit them up real nice. This was good until the fiery zombies charged us in hand-to-hand! One attacked me and another attacked Mason. They were tough, and the fact tat they were on fire as well didn't help, but between the three of us we were able to take them down. After putting out the couple of small fires that had caught on us we were going to check the machinegun, but just then the fire must have caught the ammo 'cause there was an explosion of gunfire like I'd never heard. Well dove for cover again and by the time the gunfire stopped there wasn't anything left of the ammo and the gun was thoroughly trashed. But one of the zombies had had a LAW rocket on him, so at least we got that.
We continued past the nest figuring there had to be something worth protecting behind it. All we found were more offices and smashed labs though. We found a set of restrooms and, after checking to make sure tehy were both clear (the mens room was much cleaner than the ladies room, guess there weren't any zombie chicks, but they why would zombies need bathrooms?) I decided to make a pitstop.
I lifted up the seat on the toilet and a zombie-head in there strted screaming obscenities at me?!? Scared the piss out of me, but at least I didn't have to use the bathroom anymore. One shotgun shell shut it up and pretty much ruined the stall (I least I didn't miss). The others came rushing in after the blast. I just yelled at them that they were perverts and left. Hey, I thought it was funny.
We explored a little further not really finding anything of note. An office, a garage (empty), a lab (trashed), a man dissecting a ganger, a... wait a minute!
We had found the Emperor of these zombie Storm Troopers. He was some type of wack-job who got his jollies by spending his spare time killing and re-wiring people.
Seriously, we looked in the room and saw:
- a half dozen zombie soldiers, some guns, saw cleavers
- this guy in a lab coat sitting behind a counter wiring stuff into a dead Dust Devil
- the four hostages chained to the wall in a corner
- robot and human parts scattered all over the tables and floor
- and one seriously evil-looking automaton (Darth Vader?)
I fell back around the corner and tried to get the LAW rocket open. Meanwhile the zombies all moved up on the doorwaythat Mason and Crash were blocking. The automaton must have seen the LAW I was carrying and tagged me as a high threat becasue it shot THROUGH the wall I was cowering behind, trying to nail me. Luckily he must not have seen me sit down because his shots all went high. Tiling and chewed up masonry rained down me like a dust storm, blocking my vision and breathing and making me fumble with the rocket-launcher.
Mason and Crash fought bitterly with the zombies up close and personnal. Vader sputed something about "target acquired" and fired a grenade at us. Fortunately it came up short and mostly just damaged teh zombies. It must have realized it wasn't doing any good (or evil) because it then closed with Mason and Crash.
I got the LAW up and ready to fire, but then I was in trouble. The hostages were so close I didn't think I could hit the automaton without hurting them, but at the same time I didn't think we could destroy the automaton without using the LAW... In the end my decision was made for me when the automaton closed in while I hesitated. So I slung the LAW over my shoulder and pulled out Alex's sword.
The three of us worked our way through the zombies, but Vader was right up behind wating for us. Mason and Crash took him on, but I thought that maybe if we killed the mad scientist the automaton would stop (or at least come after me giving the others time to free the hostages and run for it).
My plan worked too well. I charged the Emperor and took a swing, cutting into his shoulder. He screamed for the automaton (he called it Pinnochio) to come help him. The next thing I remember is PAIN! That and the crunch of bone as "Pinnochio" smashed my to bits.
I must have blacked out, 'cause when I came to Crash was lying on the floor, clutching his bleeding guts and Mason had just freed the hostages. I saw the scientist standing over me grinning so I did the only thing I could, I rammed three feet of razor sharp steel through his stomach. That wiped the grin off his face, that and the .45 slug Mason buried in his skull, spraying me with blood.
The robot just stopped and started cradling the scientist in his arms. I would sware it was almost crying for him. I yelled for Mason to grab Crash and I dragged myself out of the room. Just as I got out the automaton "came-to" and started looking for a target. I tried to muster something cinematic to say, but the best I could come up with was "see you in hell" as I blew the crap out of it with the LAW.
That was pretty much the end. The LAW took out about a third of the lab and none of us were in any shape to check the rest so we got back to the van and took off. I patched up Crash's guts, at least he won't bleed to death and Mason's set my leg as best he could (boy that was fun). Crash actually had an old leg brace that I have on now, BUT GOD DAMN, IT HURTS!!!
Zanthum!
What?
Zanthum gum. That's the stuff that makes chewing gum chewy I think.
Great so now if we can just find some we'll be rich. That's Mason talking by the way. Does he sound funny to you too?
I think it was the name of a plant. Probably all got blown to hell when the bombs dropped
Great.
You know what else I really miss?
What?
Morphin.

Female Pattern Baldness March 1, 2094
Let's see, where did I leave off...
We spent a week in Elko healing up. My leg needed time to set and Mason's guts were hanging out of him all funny. I took the time to heal up abut also did some teaching at the local school (such as it was). We were all doing odd jobs to pay for our stay (the army truck would only carry us so far). We also took the timeto do some trading. I exchanged a bunch of the crappy ganger's guns and my old bottle of whiskey for a sawed-off over-under and a huge-ass maglite and some batteries. No more walking around with torches, damn it!
I also took this opportunity to do a little worrying. My hairs starting to really fall out now. I don't know what hit me, but I don't feel sick at all. I don't have any sores or anything and the hair on the rest of me is... well it's not...
Jeez! I can't even talk about this stuff to a damn tape recorder without turning red! Let's just say that I'll have to keep bikini waxing. Just my luck, I get hit with a case of th glows and I still have to shave my legs. What the hell is up with that?!?
Anyway, we're heading up to a town called Winnemucca. The town elders in Elko say that they usually hear from Winnemucca every month or so and they're two weeks over due, so we agreed to see what was up. Looks like it's gonna be a couple days drive.
Unfortunately, not everyone came along. Mason pulled me aside and said that his close brush with death made him think that there was some business he had to attend to down south. Just in case he didn't make it back one of these days. He took off later that night and left me to tell the others. Crash looked slightly sad, Rolo just shrugged.

Old Habits Die Hard March 3, 2094
You know, as much as I dislike the Templars for some of their beliefs, sometimes even I have to admit that their on point. Some towns just aren't worth saving and some people trully are scum. There are times when you just have to come to the conclusion that it's just better to move on and cut your loses. Luckily most of the towns I've come across aren't like that. I hope that doesn't change.
We were asked by the Council in Elko to check on Winnemucca like I said. Well when we got to the town it looked abandoned for the most part. The only signs of activity were some vehicles parked in front of an old grocery store.
Crash parked the van out of sight and I snuck up with my field on while Crash and Rolo covered me. I just got to the front door before all hell broke lose. A couple gangers with a mix of guns and crossbows came charging out of the store and at the same time a couple more jumped Crash and Rolo from inside the building they were using for cover.
The two at the store spotted me (field must have flickered or something) and opened up. Luckily they weren't very good shots and I was able to blow one away before stumbling inside. There I saw that a couple more gangers were holding the town's people hostage. They ordered me to freeze, but then their buddy from outside came in and fired at me again. That left me with little choice but to dodge and the two terrorists (that what they were) proceeded to open up into the helpless hostages.
I honestly don't like killing people. Monsters, trogs, and no zombies I can blow away without a second thought. But when it comes to people i still hesitate before I pull the trigger. But there wasn't any hesitation when it came to these bastards!
I got my back to some cover and emptied my shotgun into one of them one-handed (I don't know how I managed that one). At the same time I threw an un-lit moltave over the other, figuring that he had enough brains not to fire a gun while soaked in gas. It worked and I charged into him, knocking his would-be hostage aside. Swords, knives and clubs went flying as I guess I kicked, punched and bit him to death. By the time all was said and done the ganger's head and face were little more than ameaty pulp and the others had cleared out a hlaf-dozen or so outside. One had gotten away though and sped off to northward.
I tended to the wounded as best as I could while Rolo and Crash got their story. Mosr Dust Devils. They had moved in a few days ago and then a bunch took off to the north. It didn't take a genius to figure out that that runner was gong to be coming back with his buddies.
We took stock of what we had for people and weapons. We scrounged some ammo off the dead gangers and the townies had a couple old guns squirreled away, but looking at the townies themselves it was easy to tell that they weren't up for a fight. In fact, they would probably be more of a liability than a help. After some discussion we decided to pile them in the truck (left by the Devils) and have them take off while the three of us fortified the town and held up the gang. Not the best plan, be we only had about an hour to think (my battle-strategy under pressure isn't the greatest).
We holed up in the supermarket with Crash and Rolo at the back and me hiding up front with my field on.
The gang showed up right on time, and there were a lot of them! About four cars, a hlaf-dozen bikes and about 30 gangers all told. A small group moved in to the supermarket and walked right past me! Thanks Marcus, wherever you are. Rolo and Crash opened up on them and between the three of us that bunched never made it outside.
The rest of the battle is a blur of fire and violence. All I remember is that they came in waves through the front and back. Crash and Rolo escaped out the back (as planned) and I went through the front. The plan was that I would jump on a bike we had stashed and meet up with them in the van outside of town. Unfortunately on my way out I ran into the gang's leader, this giant psycho with a huge double-bladed axe. I fought him as best as I could, but even with my field I was fighting a losing battle.
He finally knocked the sword out of my hand and slammed me to the ground. I thought I was gonna bite it (I guess "I thought I was done-for" sounds cooler, but anyway) when Crash came tearing around the corner and rammed into the leader, smashing him up against the battle-damaged super market. What was left after Crash backed up was definitely dead.
I jumped on on of the ganger's bikes and we all took off west. Rolo gave the gangers a few parting shots as we hauled-ass out of there.
You wanna hear something really funny? As I took the corner and reved it west I actually used my turn signal. How silly is that?
We camped out a good 1/4 mile off the road and kept watches as best we could. We were all hurt and pretty haggared though, so the next morning we all woke up together. I took the bike into town to scout, but the place was long deserted. The town and bodies had been picked clean and the buzzards were already moving in to look for any leftovers. I didn't have the stomach to join them in their scavenging.
We made the long trip back to Wendover where we found the townies, safe and sound. We offered to escort them back to their town, but no one was willing to go, fearing retribution from the remaining Dust Devils. Instead tehy decided to stay in Wendover, again their vehicle buying them into the community.
At the end of the day we were up a two motorcycles and 15+ dead gangers, but down a town. I would call that a pyrrhic victory at best.
I'm starting to wonder if this little group is doing any good out here. It seems like with each passing week we lost another town to the gangs and the monsters and a more few innocents don't make it home. I keep telling myself that this would all be happening (and probably be a lot worse) without us, but... still, even if we knew we weren't making any kind of difference I think we'd keep trying. It's like that turn signal back in Winnecmucca, of me trying to teach the kids in Wendover. I guess old habits die hard.

Form vs. Function March 10, 2094
I was approached by a man named Clive. Evidently he and his "crew" were planning a salvage run up north and they were looking for some extra fire power to bring along. I negotiated with them and wound up getting a pretty good deal for us.
I did some checking and it turned out Clive was part of the town council of Wendover. He had made it obvious that he didn't want to invite us along, and I found out that the rest of the council had made him. With that knowledge I went back to the others with the offer.
Rolo immediately started spouting off about how she should get the lion's share of the ammo and salvage because she was more useful in a fight?!? I replied that maybe I should start charging every time I had to bandage her up or maybe Crash should start charging her gas money. I added that maybe if she didn't have such a habit of pissing her ammo away she wouldn't need more than her share.
I tried to calm down then (I was getting a little hot at this point) and said, "Look, we're a team. We rely on each other and we all do our part for the the group. I'm not going to screw you over, but at the same time I'm not gong to let you have more than your fair share. If you can't deal with that then as far as I'm concerned you can take that second bike and ride out of here and everything is square."
Crash was noticeably silent throughout the encounter.
You know, I thought Rolo and I had actually come to some type of understanding in that instant. She got really quiet and agreed that we'd work it out.
We left it at that and went to meet our new employers. Clive and eight others were there waiting for us. They were a mix of men and women all with guns and pretty weel decked out with salvage tools.
We headed out shortly after dawn, us in the van and the salvage team in the old army truck we had given to the town.
The first couple days were pretty pointless. We traveled north on what could be called a road only on the best of days (which this wasn't) so the going was slow.
After awhile we finally came to our first sight of some possible gain from the expedition. We came across an old abandoned Exxon gas station. Our hearts fell through as we searched the place. Other than a few half-empty cans of motor oil there was nothing worth salvaging.
Despite the depressing mood of the place we decided to camp there for the night. Rather than go into the difficult process of explaining why we didn't need to set up watched I just took my turn. There were enough of us that the watches were short anyway.
Turned out that my watch was the interesting one anyway. I was guarding the garage area while Rolo was cahking out the shelves and watching the waiting room where everyone was bedded down. I think she was scavenging around when it happended (she was pissed that we hadn't found anything).
I got that familiar feeling just as this... thing burst out of the ground under my feet! It looked vaguely human, but only just. It's mouth was full of slimy tentacles and it had a figure that would put an anorexic super-model to shame. I'd heard of these things, wormlings. If you've seen them before you know what they look like. If you haven't... then consider yourself lucky.
All this went through my mind as two shells of 16 guage shot went through its mind. Another one was breaking in through the back and I heard the long staccato (love that word) of Rolo blowing her wad. But I couldn't worry about that as another shoed up on the roof above me.
I just managed to get Alex's sword out before it landed on me. There was a short, bloody fightm but in the end it was at my feet, dissolving in its own bile and I was pull off my rapidly distengrating jacket, not much the worse for wear.
The last one by me had just cleared the windo when I opened up with my regular shotgun. Two blasts scared it off and it bolted out the window before I could finish it off. Rolo had killed the last one and no was seriously hurt, luckily, I couldn't resist a smart-ass remark:
"That's 3-to-1 Rolo, you owe me a hundred bucks."
She ignored me.
The next morning we moved on further north. Clive was getting more and more surly as this whole trip was looking less and less profitable. Then we ren into some luck, or so we thought. We found a sign to the side of the "highway" that read "Six Flags Over Nevada, 15 miles". Clive perked up immediately and decied that was the place to head.
We traveled as quickly as we could and made it there in short time, but it looked like we weren't alone. An old tour bus was parked out front. We scouted it out, but it appeared to be abandoned (curious). We moved inside and found food, water and some salvage, apparently abandoned (curiouser). We took some supplies and decided to head into the park to investigate. When we got in the front section, we found it had been picked clean (Great America Land, or something like that), but there were no people moving around (most curious of all).
We split into two teams: Rolo, Crash, me and a couple of the scavenging team members headed into some type of woodsee land and the others headed into a water park area. We didn't find much at first, a few scarps and some old clothes was about it. One of the scavies, a big dumb ox named "Hawes", decided to try out a weight guessing machine. He got on the scale and turned to say "This stupid things off by 10 lbs!"
Just as he finished the sentence a scythe blad shot out and cut off the top of his head! I'd never have the stomach to check, but I'll bet that chunk weighed exactly 10 lbs. We were all too shocked to do anything and only stared as Hawes's body quivered and spurted blood for a second before dropping to the ground.
Gunshots from across the park broke us out of our shock and we raced over to see what was happening. When we got there all we found was a blood smear on the ground. No signs of the salvage team...
We started fanning out to search. Then I stopped and pointed down the lane, "Guys? Am I losing it, or is that Wile E. Coyote walking towards us?"
Sure enough Wile E. (or an automaton in coyote's clothing) moved up towards us. After what just happened to Hawes we all tensed, ready to blow it away. But it just stopped a short distance from us and held of a series of sign boards (just like in those old classic cartoons). The signs explained that we were guests (i.e. prisoners) of the park and that to get out or get our friends back we had to play the games and ride the rides. Ten tickets to get someone back, 30 tickets to get out of the park. Again we were all too dazed and confused to stop it as it picked up its signs and walked away.
 Not knowing what else to do we continued searching and scavenging the park, figuring that if we didn't find the rest of the group we might at least find some of these tickets.
The first place we ran into was a wild west shooting gallery, you know the kind where you shoot a target with a light gun and the piano player's hat flies in the air? Except this piano player shot back! There were five auotmatons, all dressed as various wild west characters. Naturally, a gun-fight ensued. Bullets were exchanged but the automatons were moving in closer. Rolo decided to end the fight with on of her brain powers, I think she calls it "arson". Theat ended the fight, but as we found out, each automaton had a ticket on it. Those got destroyed too.
That was just the first thing Rolo cost us.
We moved on and the next encounter was with a bunch of damn ninjas! They had one of the scavies in some type of giant catapult and were going to fire her across the park. Crash and Rolo opened up onthe robo-ninjas (luckily none of these automatons were as tough as the garden variety). Meanwhile I blew out the bands of the catapult (some of the robo-ninjas were still setting uer up to launch).
Luckily they were able to destroy all the ninjas and I was able to cut the cords before they could fire the woman. We had rescued our first hostage and it didn't even cost us any "tickets", we even got some off the ninjas.
we had several more "encounters", psychotic bumper cars, demented carnival hawkers, and roller coasters that wouldn't quit. We collected tickets as best we could, we didn't know what else to do. We used some to free another hostage and were relieved that other than bumps and bruises he was okay. But he couldn't tell us where he'd be kept.
We tried different tactics to find the rest, we rode the monorail to look around the park, but it collapsed almost taking us with it. We rode a few rides, which trid to kill us and we spread out trying to find where the hostages were released from (which just didn't work).
We found what was left of the tour bus group. Looked like they gouth it when a spider ride they were on "let them go". The pod they were in was crashed in some bushes. At least their ammo and tickets went to good use. We freed another hostage but lost a couple in fights (we tried our best, but the automatons seemed to be gunning for them no matter what we did). We fought Looney Tunes characters in a laser shooting theatre and pirates on a Jolly Roger.
By this point we were getting tired of playing by the park's rules and losting companions in the process. We decided to spread out all over the park (we had some electric cars that we had ripped the control boxes out of) and then offer to buy another hostage back. Hopefully one of us would get an idea of where they were coming from.
The next part's a bit sketchy as I wasn't there. Evidently an electric car pulled up to Rolo with another hostage and she got the bright idea NOT to pay it and instead rip out the control box on the car. This evidently pissed off the park (big surprise) because by the time we all got back together the stupd grin on Rolo's face had been wiped off by the tremors we were feeling.
A giant (robotic) T-rex broke through teh brush and started chasing us. I guess it was the Park's way of punishing transgressors. We all took off as fast as we could in our electric cars. But the monster was faster.
We came up on the monorail under pass and I got an idea. Somehow I managed to jump off the car without breaking my neck and planted a grenade at the base of the monorail pillar. I timed it fairly well and the explosion caused the pillar to partially collapse on the dino. But that barely slowed it down. A fight ensued with Rolo trying to shoot out its eyes and me somehow climbing up its back and trying to pour a moltav into its electronics. None of this worked very well, but then I got another idea. I managed to get Rolo to turn her car around in-between dodges and head back the way we came.
We had snagged a compressed air tank earlier, and I figured if I could get the dino to bite down on that...
We made it back to the tank (barely) and again I somehow managed to jump off the car without killing myself. I got the dino to attack me and jumped out of the way (incredibly) just before it bit down on me and thing pulled up with the tank stuck in it teeth.
I took aim, and with an almost cinematic soliloque ("When you get to hell, tell them Cassidy sent you.") I shot the tank and blew the thing's head off.
When the smoke cleared the dino-bot was destroyed, but another hostage was dead. Rolo actually came up and tried to compliment me on my "fine work". I couldn't take her any more so I punched her in the face and told her, "You killed that woman Rolo. You." I think she was too stunned to say anything as I walked away.
We, I, had had enough with this park. We camped in an abandoned petting zoo and the next morning we were going to get the last few tickets we needed, get Clive, and get the hell out of the Park.
I didn't say anything to anyone that night or the next day. Partially becaue I was mad at Rolo, but also because I'd come to an undeniable conclusion.
I was, I am, a syker.
I don't how to deal with this. I have so many thoughts racing around my head I can't deal with them all. I kept replaying the fight with the dino over and over again. No one could dodge it like that, or climb up its back with it flailing around. No one without help anyway. Supernatural help. That combined with my unnatural baldness leads to only one conclusion.
So now what? Am I going to end up like Rolo? Slightly crazy and a little too bloodthirsty? With all the energy coursing around her, around my, head is that the inevitable result? Too many questions to lay them all out here.
The next morning we broke campe and fought in just enough battles to get the tickets we needed. We freed Clive and made for the exit. There was an automaton thre to clooect the 30 tickets, but indicated that only one of us could leave (30 tickets PER PERSON).
A small gate opened up so we loaded Marcy (the worst of the scavies) in an electric car with s much of our equipment as possible then we followed her to the gate and we all tried to jump through together.
The automaton moved to stop us but everyone got through except me and Rolo (naturally).
I managed to jam my gun in the gate before it could close all the way and then Rolo and I fought off the automaton (which was blocking us) and jumped through the gate just before it slammed shut. I ran, but Rolo turned to look as a veritable hoard of robots glared at us from the gates. Eveidently the robots, for whatever reason, couldn't move past the edge of the Park.
The hoard parted and, believe it or not, The Joker stepped forward and waved at us with a big grin on his face. Rolo took a pot-shot at him, but missed and The Joker disappeared back into the crowd.
Exhausted and depressed despite our large amount of salvage we made the long trip back to Wendover. We told the town what had happened and sat down to do some trading. I don't know about the others, but I picked up a some ammo (as payment, the town made good) and a slightly used black armored-duster. Tan would have been preferable, but at least black will always be in style. Besides I didn't feel up to haggling. I also traded in my boots for a pair of comfortable sneakers. Function over form in that case.
I guess that about sums up my life right about now. As I finish this journal I'm in the process of shaving my head. No sense looking like I've got the glows if my hairs never going to grow back anyway. Heh, Crash, Rolo and me, and Crash is the only one with a full head of hair. That's messed up. I'm also ditching a lot of the useless crap I've collected over the past year. Alex would be proud, he used to always get on me about being such a pack rat.

The Truth about Sykers and Dogs March 14, 2094
It's been awhile since I mad an entry, but nothing       I spent a few days out in the wastes. Getting my thoughts together and mostly hunting for food. I was finaly ready to face the world again after that. I headed back into to find Crash and Rolo, but first I made a stop in the local bar for a drink. While I was drinking I overheard two guys talking.
      From what I picked up there was a town called Cougan's Bluff that was under siege by a road gang calling itself the Hell Hounds. Evidently the Hell Hounds were led by a syker calling himself "Wrath", big scary guy in a black trench coat and motorcycle helmet. Even more interesting, the town was being protected by ANOTHER syker! Finally the guys mentioned that after tehy lost so many on our expedition they couldn't afford to send any aid.
      That tore it. The town needed help and this might be my only shot at meeting another syker, and getting some questions answered. I thought about asking Crash to come along, but this was something I needed to do along. Rolo was right out. I couldn't trust her not to get any innocents killed in the crossfire.
      Before I knew it I was on my bike and heading northeast to Cougan's Bluff. I ditched my bike in a gully a couple miles from where I figured the town was and hoofed it the rest of the way.
      I found the town, still under siege. As far as locations go Cougan's Bluff was pretty good. The town was built up against a meas at the entrance of an old copper mine. The town used the mine to make income and trade with Wendover and other towns (I found this out later, I'm psychic... oh wait, I guess I am!) The front was blocked by the usual wrecked cars and boulders.
      The Hell Hounds were doing the old circle-and-wait with an occasional pot shot to keep the townies scared. I decided to wait until nightfall and sneak into the town. This proved surprisingly easy as I slipped past the gangers and the guards alike and scaled the wall. Admittedly my field probably helped some.
      After some tense introductions I met the town leader (Grayson, older guy) and the syker I had heard about. Her name was Maria, I think she was Southern Italian, maybe Hispanic. I told them I was alone, but wanted to help. Maria revealed that Wrath was after some vials of a drug called Axor. Evidently it makes us sykers "get our groove on" better. Whatever that meant.
      After discussing our options (or lack there of) I offered to search the copper mine for a back exit while Maria stayed to defend the town. Hey, it was the best I could come up with.
      I entered the mine slowly, wary of a cave-in. I figured the best was to keep from getting lost was to follow the right wall. It worked, I never got lost at least.
      Moving further in I started getting the feeling I was being watched. I kept catching movement out of the corner of my eye, but I never saw anything for sure.
      I put my back to the wall for protection as I felt the... things, closing in around me. But then I got that familiar feeling and pulled away from the wall. Just then a wormling burst through it! Another came at me from the side and what ensued was a nasty brawl.
      Several grueling minutes later I was the one left standing (obviously, or you wouldn't be listening to this). I'd managed to blow the guts out of onw with my sawed-off (love that gun!) and cut the head off the other. There was more movement coming down the tunnel togh and I had taken a lot of minor hits. So I hauled-ass back out of the cave, giving the wormlings a couple parting shots.
      I got out of one fight only to land in another. The gangers had evidently made there big push and had broken down the gates of the town. Now fighting had broken out all over town.
      I didn't have time to catch my breath as two Hell Hounds shot at and then charged me. I dodged to the side and blew one away before he got to close. The other got up close and personalso I gutted him with Alex's sword. I shot another one off a woman, but about that time an explosion wracked one of the buildings, and Maria went flying, landing hard and not moving.
      I saw Wrath walk into the building and I charged after him. He had gone in the building where the Axon was stored, naturally. I rolled into the building and took a shot at him, but it bounced off his duseter. He just turned on me and I could feel the temperature start to rise around me. I jumped back out of the building just as a huge fireball erupted inside.
      I avoided the worst of the burns but had to stop-drop-and-roll to put myself out. Wrath on the other hand just walked right through the fire?!?
      He announced that they were leaving and other than a couple idiots who were a little to in the moment, the whole gang up and left. As he walked away I drew a bead on the box under his arm.
      Then I stopped. If I shot that box up, what would happen? Wrath would most likely destroy the town in a fit of rage. In the end it was the a hard thing for me to do, but I let him walk away without a shot. It was the only way I could spare the rest of the town.
      I knocked out one ganger that was still raping and pillaging and went to check on Maria, but she was too fart gone. All she could do was give her emblem to me (a wan over a stary sky) and tell that the Axor wasn't important enough to go after.
      "No, But your life is. I'll avenge you Maria." Was all I could think to say.
      Like a good survivor (makes me sick!) I searched her body. I took her gun and a book titled "Psychic Warrior Handbook US Army". It was an instruction manual on how to be a better syker if you can believe that! It even had instructions on how to develope new powers.
      After seeing to Maria's body and offering to try and clear the mine out (and being rejected), I headed back to Wendover.
      I lweft Cougan's Bluff with a lot. Sure the rifle will come in handy and the book is worth ten times its weight in gold. But I also left with a lot of answers.
      Maria, and even Wrath, showed me that sykers come in all varieties. They can be just as good or bad as anyone else and their actions and how they user their powers are their, my! choice.
      I also realized that those gangers were nothing more than animals, dogs following their alpha-male's orders. Until now I always hated killing people. Now I realized that some people deserve to die. Some are nothing more than a cancer that has to be cut out of this world by any means.
      Finally I left Cougan's Bluff with a vow. I would see Wrath dead and every last Hell Hound with him. He's on his way to Junkyard, that much the townies could tell me. So no matter how long it takes, that's where I'm going too.