Mike pov
Mike Oxeall and Mary Anne walked through the empty plaza, they had been sent on a scouting mission for their settlement, while the main team investigated the smoke.
As they walked a figure could be seen messing with a door. Mary, tapped Mike's shoulder, pointed at the figure and spoke. “Hey look a survivor”
“be on your toes, if they survived that long alone, they’re clearly dangerous.” Mike responded
”I’m going to call out to them” Mary said clearly not paying heed to Mike’s warning.
As Mary started moving towards the figure, Mike could be heard saying “YeS miKe, I ShOuLd bE cAReFuL, leTs NOt AppRoACh ThE myStErIouS fIgURe”
But, Mary just got closer to the figure, and shouted “hey you, we can help you” like the idiot she is. It's a wonder how she survived this long.
Upon hearing her words, the figure acted like a cat when it sees a vacuum cleaner by running away and leaving behind an object by the door.
Against better judgement, Mary went towards the object to get a better look at it. It was a pipe bomb.
Mike who couldn't tell what the object was from the distance was still sarcastically imitating Mary “Oh Boy I sUre Don’T wAnt To AppRoaCH tHe ObJecT thEy Le-“ BOOM “oh shit!” And that was all it took for Mike to go ”fuck this, I’m getting out of here” and run back to base.
At least mary found out the source of the ticking sound
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Mal pov
BOOM
”that was awfully fast” Mal commented as they continued to run away. After getting far enough away and taking a breather, mal returned to their hideout and their hypothesis was right, a message appeared:
Attention the next step has been taken along the path of the fallen past. The regulators have begun to dislike you, and the enforcers are interested in your actions. Administrator039-A has left a message, your crimes have been listed below.
loading 39%
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
loading 87%
loaded depositing message ”how do you turn this thing on- oh… you did that on purpose, and I’m not a loser” message over.
loading crime list loaded showing
sector052.crime_division.
hello, you have committed
fuck that I’m not writing all this shit down I QUIT
-Gary
That is all. Thank you for your time
As the message closed, Mal was feeling pretty smart right now, they were right about the path and that admin guy IS a loser. But what was that about the regulators and enforcers, what or who the fuck are those names. Mal figured they would find out later. For now they got some shut eye, they had a big day tomorrow.
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Friday
Mal decided that today was the day to check out on of the old warehouses from their past job, they weren’t even sure if it was still there, but it was worth a check .
Making their way out to the local theater, Mal stepped through the service entrance and to the basement. Going to a locked crate and putting the combination: 3621734, the crate opened to reveal a ladder leading down wards.
Climbing down, Mal surveyed the room, they had hit jackpot. Gun racks, stacks of money, shelves of ammo, plastic explosives, redsnow, a drug developed in 2048 that took over the black market by storm. and more. mal wasted no time placing the explosives in a duffel bag, and grabbing a .308 Fukdier hunting rifle from one of the gun racks and slinging it onto their back.
Mal’s looting spree was cut short by the sound of a chamber round coming from behind them. And a “hold it” Turning around they saw an older man in their 60s brandishing a shotgun.
The man paused a bit looking Mal up and down, before lowering his gun “holy shit, stikbug, I thought you was dead”
Mal had zero clue who this dude was, or how he knew Mal's nickname.