The time is 0900, as they pull into still quite town of Contempt. Pulling up outside the gas station, they are greeted by an old timer who heard them coming a mile away, the name “Bill” embroidered on his overalls. The old timer with unkempt wispy greying hair with grease trails running through it, as well as sweaty smudged grease dripping down into the wash sink he had been using when they pulled up.
“Ahh, do these old eye deceive me? They've returned!” Squinting against the sun, while drying his hands.
“Pardon? We have never been here before, how could we return?” Alice retorts, rather off put by his remark.
“Arr... Not you Missy, the Car's. Ol' Regi said they may show up again. O'course I'd remember them all, after all I basically rebuilt each of them. That one in particular was rather fun.” Bill says while pointing to Corin's jeep, as he walks over with now cleaner hands, towards the one that Harper just got out of. “Still never thought I'd see them again.”
“So you know Regi then?” Scott steps in, a bit suspicious of the old man, while Alice's initial anger dissipates as she is distracted when she looks at her compass.
“Only in passing, a good customer he is. It's been about a year since I've seen him. That bunch like to rough it out here occasionally, said it brings them closer to their roots. Prepper's the bunch of them, but they're paying, and paying well.” Bill starts to reminisce while looking over the jeep, basically ignoring their gazes altogether.
“Doesn't look like you get a lot of people through here, yet we could use some breakfast. What'd you recommend?” Mike asks.
“Nothing. Nothing's open until noon, dining wise. You could always grab some food here.” Bill almost mechanically answers, still looking over the Jeep. A slight chuckle escapes like he's remembering something.
Harper becomes a bit off put, at the responses while she helps Corin out of the Jeep. She not exactly sure why, but Harper is becoming a bit fidgety, something isn't sitting right with her at the moment. “Well we don't have much time to spare, right Scott? Lets just grabs some stuff and head off.”
Scott looks at Harper, nods. “Yeah Doug, Sheryl and Claudia would probably be best they have a better understanding of what we'll need on the long hike.”
As the three head into the store, Harper wheels Corin over who is looking a bit off put, “Ah one sec, if we're going off the beaten hiking track, what the fuck am I going to do? Are you going to carry me?” She emphasizes.
Bill finally looks over the group, “Well, I heard about you too.” Not even taking a second glance at Scott and Alice as he rushes past them heading into the garage, “I have a special order for you, from Regi.” Shouting as he heads to the back of the garage.
An engine starts, revving and soon after a modified ATV appears, hooning and doing donuts while kicking up dust around the group, much to the delight of the kids. Before coming to a stop in front of Corin being sheltered by Harper.
“Young Miss, this is something Ol' Regi had me whip up. Custom order, it'll fit up to 3 adults or 4 without the wheelchair.” Bill smiles.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“Somehow I think Regi is looking out for me way too much.” Corin replies to Bill's gesture.
“W-whell he did let slip, something about a 'cutie on wheels'. Don't know exactly what he meant by that, because he was often bragging about the classic 1950's Ford Thunderbird he was rebuilding. Maybe he wasn't talkin' about the car hey?” Bill nudging Corin while winking at Harper, who feels even more uncomfortable now. Corin goes red in the face.
Dananel steps forward, “Do you have any more of these?” While inspecting the ATV, impressed with the design and modified mechanical engineering that has gone into it.
“None as modified as this. Besides the other 4 can only hold upto 3 adults.” Bill nods.
“This could shorten our trip quite a bit Scott. How about it?” Dananel looks over to Scott, while Jordan fist pumps slyly.
Lindsey whole heartedly nodding her head at the remark, “Anything to get this trip over with quicker.”
This sentiment is mirrored by the whole group, even the kids want a go. However Sheryl was pregnant, and their tracks may be able to be followed if they race through.
Scott though resigns to the groups will, “It'll make the journey easier, but we can not rush through it. Understand. How much for the other 4?” he says while turning to Bill.
“Well,” Bill starts to consider the request, “just leave me the cars as collateral, and we'll trade. You'll get your cars back when I get the ATV's back, if their damaged though I'll be taking that Jeep back.”
“Well we are going to be doing a long term training session, you may not see them for over a year or so.” Scott replies, “They may get damaged through overuse or accident.”
“It's all good youngster, the youngin's go off roading and trekking through these woods and ranges all the time. Regi's family once tried to create an Off-road race track a long time ago, yet these have been sitting idle there for almost a decade. They were great teaching aides and for tinkering wit', but those vehicles are better.” Bill nods towards the cars, that they came in.
“Done we'll take them then.” Dananel decides to cut off the discussion, “Let's get everything loaded up on the ATV's and get going.”
Harper can't help but feel a sense of recognition, or déjà vu here, something is familiar but she can't quite put her finger on it. Still no one other than his old man had shown themselves in this town maybe that was it. Even so the other three emerged with some food rations and other essentials, there must be other people here.
**-***-***-**
They had passed an abandoned and run down dirt race track, that seemed like it could have been an attraction or theme like park, a long time ago. Weaving through the woods, taking the occasional rest breaks among the clearings between trees. It probably looked rather wholesome to a few.
As it is nearing 1500 hours, Alice exclaims “We're in the centre, finally!” She had been glancing at the compass, the whole time which she discovered was not pointing north. It was as if it was being affected by a magnetic field.
The compass needle was now spinning in circles furiously. “We're almost there Alice, there is a cave ahead. That is the end of the trail, marked on the map.” Scott calls over her shoulder to Alice who is driving the ATV, he had been giving her directions from the map. However it wasn't really needed the last couple of hours, Alice realized she just had to follow the compass.
The group enters the cave, which is large enough to comfortable house them all. There is even some cave art and graffiti over the walls. It was while they were trying to work out what to do next that Harper was hit with a realization, Game Logic. The whole encounter in the town and now she was drawn to the walls, looking at the art and graffiti for any clues. And there was a one clue, a traditional painting of the mythical creature. the thunderbird, from legends. And there was an indentation where it's chest was. Is this why she felt something was off with that creepy old guy?
Harper calls out to the group, “Guy's remember what that creepy old bloke said about the Ford Thunderbird? Take a look at this.”
It doesn't take long for Alice to realize that the compass she found in her S-Pack, when opened would actually fit the hole in the chest of the Thunderbird. Scott distracted while talking with Jordan on how to setup camp, noticed Alice intentions far too late. Alice opens the compass and presses it straight into the hole after which she gets tackled by Scott to the ground as a large gust of wind spills out from a crack in the wall, as it begins to move and open up.
A voice they all recognize as Regi's sounds, “Refuge 37, activated. Please enter, bring all belongings and vehicles onto the pad." As light spills into the cave washing over the group, as Alice shoves Scott off the top of her.
“What the fuck was that for Scott?” she looks to him.
“If it was trapped, you wouldn't be saying that.” Scott replies casually while picking himself up off the ground and offering a hand to Alice.
“Maybe so, but it wasn't was it. Where is the trust, this whole journey is basically based on trust.” Alice grunts as she lifts herself up of the ground, before heading for the ATV.
“Alright everyone to the pad!” Claudia who had been rather quite the whole trip instructed the kids.
They all follow suit, though reluctantly Scott does as well. “It'd be easier to kill or silence us all now, crushing us under the mountain...” He grumbled, and entered last.
After everyone had entered, the doors closed. A few more beats later, the whole cave in front seemed to collapse with a resonating explosion that was felt on the pad. There was no escaping now.