《Road of The Convict》
Beyond These Walls
Miles Tenham had spent four years as a convict inside Arkansas Penitentiary and Re-Education. The world around him consisted of concrete-walls and constant shouting of his inmates. This was the only world Miles would care for, as it was the only world he was going to have. Tenham had a past as a violent member of a criminal organization. He had a reputation for doing terrible things to people who crossed him. Lucky for him, nobody had seen any potential threat in him, as the years in this prison was moving on.
Miles saw nothing to it. He kept to himself in his cell most of the times. Spent time with as few inmates as possible. Like a caged lonewolf. Knowing the outside was not his world anymore.
Recently, rumors had flied by. Stories of some kind of assault in Washington came just as he arrived the first time four years ago. Miles didn¡¯t care too much about the life outside his cell. But whispers could be heard. The guards was going more and more silent as for what was happening. And the mails from outside the prison was getting fewer and fewer. Some even claimed that the guards refused to give the prisoners full access to what was happening to the world outside.
One day, two years ago, the guards started to arm themselves with heavier gear. This really got the rumors going. One of the prisoners was Jacobs. Just like Miles, he was spending the rest of his life here. For similar crimes. He knew that something was going on. That the president was involved with Avalon.
Miles had heard of Avalon. The religious group of fanatics that recently grew into powerful numbers. All over the globe, they posed as a threat. Nobody really knew what they wanted.
And then, all went silent! Not a single word was uttered to the inmates. All news in the prison was selected and edited to their own benefits. Jacobs had his theory that the outside was so bad by now. So bad they didn¡¯t want the inmates to know. Miles started to think. Maybe it was the best world for him, safe in these concrete walls. Protected by armed guards from whatever madness was out there.
The fateful night had come. Through the small cracks of the barred windows, the sky lied dark and gloomy. Not a single cloud, not a single star on the skyline. All was very silent.
Miles lied restless in his bunk bed. His mind was at unease. This silence got to him, as it never was this quiet. But the silence was broken by someone slowly walking over the floor, with the faint echoes of his hardened shoes. The door slid open and it was an older guard, Wally. He looked at Miles Tenham with a pale face. Hushing him as he slowly walked up to the inmate.
Miles was told by Wally that the others was outside on the courtyard, waiting for a transportation. The prison was been evacuated. Miles had no idea how the guards could act in such a silent maneuver, but Jacobs and Miles was the only one left.
Wally walked with Miles down the corridor in haste. The silence got Miles worried. Nothing was as it seemed. The fact that Miles hands and legs was free was a sign that everything outside had gone beyond bad. Wally refused to answer Miles questions. Maybe because he did not know the answer. It was clear that Wally was just doing his job. Following his orders.
They came to a crossing heading through a security gate on the back of the facility. Wally came to a halt and Miles could see the three figures up ahead. Wally dragged Miles to cover behind a pillar. The three figures were well-built and armed with assault rifles. It was a gut feeling in Miles, telling him that these were not ordinary guards.
In the cover of the shadows, Wally pulled out his trustworthy handgun. An old and simple piece that would never stand a chance against whoever was luring in the dark. He pulled Miles down to the floor and they both started to crawl to the exit.
All signs in the building was black. Miles understood now, why the darkness was so odd. It was a total blackout. Even the security scanner by the gate was dead. As they crawled closer to the exit, a yelling could be heard. One of the shadowed character had spotted Miles and aimed at him with the rifle.
¡°In the name of AVALON!¡± the character yelled and was just about to open fire. Yelling could be heard from the outside and gunfire got the armed guards attention. He turned his weapon at the gate and a buss, made for prison extraction, crashed through the gate in a mist of dust and dirt. All three shadowed Avalon guards opened fire at the buss, shredding it with bullets.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
Wally pulled Miles up to his feet and both sprinted far away from the scene as armed prisoners entered through the gate, shooting at the Avalon guards with all types of weapons. Miles could not believe his eyes of this warfare.
Wally told Miles that the guards of the prison had heard radio-communications on an upcoming attack on the prison. The whole area was evacuating. But they had miscalculated the assault from Avalon.
Wally reached for his radio for contact. But nobody was there to answer. Just static, broken up with a few selected words. They arrived at the diner of the prison. Wally managed to find his keys for the emergency exit and unlocked the door. Miles saw the sprinkled tears in Wally¡¯s eyes. The old man was terrified, but for some reason he refused to leave Miles alone. The door opened with ease and they stepped outside.
The giant headlights over the courtyard turned on like the flip of a switch just as Wally and Miles came running outside the walls of the prison. The air was cold, shivering. But the sound consisted of something more than just the endless gunfire. A helicopter was hovering above them with a terrible presence.
Miles was worried, just before he understood that it was there to assist them just about to land. Wally looked around and screamed in panic. Miles turned to see it, hiding in the shadow beyond the headlights.
A metallic hulking beast. A mechanic creation on two legs, shaped like a humanoid. Instead of hands it held blades and it had only one eye, glowing red. This thing looked as if it had been standing guard outside the prison. Waiting for a chance to show it¡¯s might. And now it had the time to shine. This giant was just about as big as the helicopter.
The chopper had seen the beast and opened fire with automatic machine guns. But the metallic monster leaped up in the sky with ease, landing with a simple chop of it¡¯s blade. Cutting the chopper down in one take. The chopper crashed into the ground, knocking one of the headlights down and causing a fire to smolder around it. Dust and dirt flew like a cloud over the ground as Jacobs came running over the ground from the shadows. Both Miles and Wally were stunned, frozen by fear, but Jacobs grasped hold of Miles arm and managed to drag him. Miles came to his senses and started to run along his former inmate.
Miles fumbled above his own feet and fell. The metallic beast ran after him, ignoring Wally, still stunned by the look of the death machine. Miles rolled over the ground, avoiding a heavy thump of the machines blade that hit the ground in massive force.
As it struggled to pull out the blade from the ground, Wally ran up to it from behind, holding his trusty handgun. He fired two shots into the back of the robots protective panels.
Miles saw his chance and started to run towards Jacobs, escaping the monsters might. But the giant robot made another jump and landed in front of them. Blocking their path.
It swings it¡¯s blade at Jacobs, who manages to skip to the side, avoiding impact from the giant blade.
Miles stared into the red eye of the robot and let unfiltered rage fill up his mind. Years of hate boiled up as he took charge, running towards the beast made of mechanic metal. In one solid push, he manages of all his might, to knock the beast of it¡¯s balance. Straight into the wall of a small hut made out of bricks.
Exposed wires started to fly up from the bend metal. And the eye had a huge crack in it, flickering as it tried to sustain energy. The robot was a stubborn beast. But not immortal. Miles muscles was burning of the pain after the massive body ram.
Wally ran up, gun blasting at the giant, now fighting to get up. It swings it¡¯s blade against Wally, in a desperate attempt to injure. But Wally was out of reach from the heavy tank. Jacobs rush up to pull in one of the exposed wires, but the beast sees the upcoming threat and kicks Jacobs so he flies back into another wall. Jacobs falls flat on the ground, not moving.
The giant robot get back in it¡¯s feet, not knowing that Miles has climbed up it¡¯s back. Miles is trying to pull out the wires of the things back, but the robot shakes him off. In the shake he swings his arm around, knocking the gun out of Wallys hand.
The twin-bladed menace was over. In pure exhaustion, Miles Tenham kneeled on the ground. His mind was like a furious volcano. He was, somehow¡despite all of this. Alive. Miles turned his head to the prison. What path should he take? What life should he live? His mind got clearer once he heard the moaning. Wally rolled over on his back, wiggling like a worm in pain. The dark stains of blood told Miles that the old prison guard was injured.
Miles walked over to the friendly man who had helped him. Wally wanted Miles to go. To save himself and leave. That the world inside the cell was not his anymore. But Miles knew otherwise. He could not leave Wally to his own fate. Not like this.
Miles wrapped a piece of cloth from his own arm around the bloody hand of Wally. Helped the man up on his feet.
They both walked over to the crushed body of Jacobs. There was nothing anyone could do to him. And if they stayed at the prison, they would have zero chance of survival. All the both of them could do, was to walk. Into the night and the unknown.
So Miles and Wally took their steps away from the yard. Into the freedom of the night. Not knowing what life would come next....
Survivors
They had been on foot for about a whole year since Arkansas. Former convict Miles Tenham and prison guard Wally had stuck together through rain and mud. Never to leave the others side. But all the effort of the year had taken it¡¯s toll. Miles had fallen ill. Not a decent meal or decent bed for such a long time was painful for his mind and body.
The older guard, Wally, had tried to keep the hopes up for both of them.
Avalon had made war on everyone and everything they could touch in America. To find a decent communication with anyone was damn near impossible. Miles and Wally wondered through a world made in chaos and fear. And none of them knew how far this madness had gone. Empty streets and cities. Cars that was drifting away from the two strangers. Some few encounters with wild animals. This world had changed dark for them. But at the very least they kept fighting together. Survivors of this new unknown.
Miles had no known relatives. At least nobody who cared for him during his time in jail. But Wally had friends and family somewhere. People who had run for their lives. Taken off without a word in terror. They had examined Wally¡¯s residence without much of luck. No sign of where his wife and teenage child might have gone to. And not a word from them for one entire year.
One day, Miles dared to ask Wally what had happened. It would appear that Avalon, a cult gone mad with manpower and weapons, had taken over. It started in the White House. A raid was made from civilians who were in outrage that the president was an Avalon supporter. He had to flee his power, but in revenge Avalon struck nearly anything without a cause of reason. Like anarchists. They used a special type of robot, never known to man until the war started. Hammers had exactly the same system and coding, but differs in variation and power. Wally believed that the monster they had to fight in the courtyard in Arkansas Prison was one of these robots.
Miles decided not to ask any more about Avalon or this war that doomed everyone. The less he knew the better. All they could do was keep on living. Just like his time in prison.
Miles and Wally came to a rural town. The name of this place was unknown to them both. In fact they didn¡¯t quite know where they were at all. The place was mostly deserted. Some scavengers here and there, but the duo decided to leave them be. One could never know who to trust.
A small hotel became their temporary housing for a few days. It was here that Wally found the dead tenant. The electronic part of the tenants exposed brain told Wally that this was a cyborg. Half-man-half-robot. Clutched in his hand was an old revolver. Something he had used on himself.
Wally gave it as a gift to Miles, as this happened to be Miles birthday. Celebrating 40 years. Hell of a gift.
In order to help Miles, who was getting worse by every day, they had to work something out. Somewhere safe to stay. Eventually, they found a small police station in a town called Twiggy, located in the state of Kansas. The town had not been helpful in assisting the two strangers. And the hotels and hospitals were maxed out of obvious reasons. They were not alone in needing help. So for a while, this station had to do.
The place was nearly untouched and it was clear that it was only recently shut down. A note on the desk said that if anyone needed help, there was a service telephone out in the back. It also said something about a helping hand out in the docks by a boat.
Wally opened the door to a nearby garage. An old rusty police car was left in the spot. A possible way out for the duo if need be.
Miles walked through the rooms in the place and saw no cause of alarm. It was neat and pristine. He decided to rest in one of the holding cells. But kept a key on his pocket, so he could open it from the inside. He locked himself in, thinking it could stop any possible intruders.
As he laid on the slob, he fought to keep his emotions aside. But they crept up like crawlers out of the locked door of his brain. Creeping thoughts on death and pain. On this bizarre universe he entered once he came out of the jail cell. Wally had stood by his side all this time. It meant something. Something small.
He did not care much of his own worth. He was a convict. Living the rest of his life in a cell. But Wally who just did his job. He was older, kinder. A man who needed protection in this madness.
Miles felt his eyelids getting heavier and heavier. At last he could embrace the dark. Fall asleep.
Wally decided to stay up for a little while. Walking around the station and figuring out where all things were.
The weapon-cabinet was empty. And no ammunition was found. However, leaning towards the wall was an old rifle. As old as they could be. Loaded with a few rounds. It was something to keep.
The old security guard found a room with a new equipment. Most likely the newest before the station shut down.
It was a 500 X radio. A communication device that ran on holographic censoring. Able to project a holographic image of the receiver.
He had hopes that he could find out where his family was.
Wally sat down to temper with the old radio for a small while when something got his attention. A rattling little noise from down below. Carefully pressing his ear at the cold marble-floor, he was sure to hear something move down below.
Wally found the door leading down to the cellar. A room he had fail to find earlier. Must be his tired state that was too exhausted to know the layout of the facility. Wally traversed down the stairs, rifle laying comfortably in his hand.
A hallway, divided into four visible rooms. But the area was dark, as if the power inside was dead. Wally took cover to the shadow of the wall as he saw the younger woman in the chair. Tied up from behind and two men stood above her. They wore black cloaks with an insignia on the back. Similar to the Avalon men who raided the prison in Arkansas.
The woman was interrogated by these two Avalons. Asking about a nearby boat. She was beaten, but her skin looked different. It was like brown rocks. Crackled skin. Hardened.
Wally had never seen a mutant before. Most of them died of young age. The few survivors was usually seen like pests by humans. Freaks.
Wally turned to the staircase and wandered up, backing as slowly as he could. As he backed up, he saw two other figures walking out of a room. Most certainly company of the Avalon guards. One of them had a sword, reflecting the light from upstairs into it¡¯s blade.
Miles woke up by the rattling in the jail cell. When he saw Wally¡¯s face through the metallic bars, he though, just for a moment that he was in Arkansas. In a jail cell where he belonged. When he remembered, like the thunder from a clear sky. And the look on Wally¡¯s face said it all.
Wally explained about the woman in the cellar and these men. Miles was thinking that the best to do was to leave it be. But then he saw the rifle that Wally kept clutched in his hands. In his hazy state, Miles understood. He understood that Wally wanted to do something good again. Like when he decided to stand by the escaped mans side on a journey to nowhere on a land gone to hell by war. Miles nodded and opened the jail cell, revolver drawn out.
The sound came from the entrance of the station. It was a loud bang and it was obvious that they had an unwanted visitor. Wally and Miles stood frozen, guns aimed at the origin of the noise. Wally took a few steps to the reception. And Miles, reluctantly, followed his steps. He was so tired, so hazy. He could barely hold the rusty revolver straight.
A fast shadow came from the room, in a great speed and knocked Wally on his back in a fast motion. It punched Miles in the trout with a fast punch of the elbow. Miles rolled over to his back on the ground and nearly saw the face when it pressed a barefoot feet on his chest, in heavy power. He was stuck like in a vise.
The incredible power came from a young woman. About 20 years old. She wore a white jumpsuit and a handmade bandanna. A fighting expert straight from a comic book. With red eyes of rage she lowered her fingers over Miles eyes, just about to press them out of his socket. Terrified, he screamed!This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.
An Avalon dressed man, armed with a uzi, came running from behind the woman. She turned and saw the figure aiming his gun at her, in a bloody rage. The bullets flied over her head, only hitting the wall behind her. She dropped her footing of Miles, who rolled over to Wally, looking into the eyes of the confused man. The strong woman made a fast punch at the mercenary with the uzi, decking his face into the floor in one straight move. She knew her moves for sure.
Miles helped Wally up to his feet as they saw the uzi guy lying on the floor in pain. They explained to her about the lady down the cellar. The fighter called herself Cortia and explained that Avalon had her boss, Emma Gale, captive.
It was obvious that she did not trust the people in front of her and was ready to do them in the way she did to the uzi guy.
Miles grasped Cortia by the shoulder and tossed her aside in a fast motion. Another Avalon guy was running up to them. This was the guy with the sword. Miles kicked the guy in the ribs, so hard that he fell back by the impressive thrust, hitting the floor in a painful landing. Cortia screamed as she saw the uzi- guy aiming at her for another try to make her taste blood. The rattling gun fired a stream of bullets. Two of them got Cortia in the shoulder and she fell back, yelling at the massive pain surging through her body. Wally aimed with the rifle towards the uzi man in retaliation and fires a shot that penetrate through the mans chest.
Miles dived over the Avalon with the sword, landing with his knee over the guys neck. The Avalon grabbed his sword and smiles as he tried to swing it over Miles. Miles saw the move coming and leaned back, landing on his ass, all defense less as the swordsman stood up, blade raised.
A slender-looking robot made all of steel came in through the door to the police station, holding a long sniper in his hands. The robot aimed at the man with the sword, who fell to the ground, avoiding a penetrating shot that nearly got Miles in the head.
The sword man, filled with marvelous rage, used his momentum to rush towards the sniper, sword raised in his hands. The robot blocked the assault with the sword, using nothing but his sniper. And knocked the handle into the face of the sword man with such a gushing might, that his face erupted into a fountain of blood.
The sword man collapsed on the ground, dead on impact.
The robot explained himself as DeadEye. The injured lady was Cortia. They were survivors from different areas. Coming together just like Miles and Wally had, during different situations.
The leader was Emma Gale. A bright young woman who owed a ship in the harbor. She had recently had a falling out with Avalon, who had taken her to the cellar of this police station.
Miles knew that they had no choice but to assist in aiding these people. With Cortia, lying injured on the floor and one Avalon guard, armed with a uzi, barely alive. Miles and Wally could not walk away from this. Miles gave Wally the order to kill the Avalon man who still was alive. And to tend for Cortia and keep her safe. Miles and DeadEye was ready to head down to hunt the two remaining Avalon guards. And save a woman in trouble.
The cellar was silent. Too silent. DeadEye scanned with his sight, but in vain. Miles understood that whatever service the robot once had, he was old. An old, outdated robot and a former convict trying to save a kidnapped victim. Sounded like the odds was far from in their favor.
The girl was sitting on the chair, visibly tired and injured. Miles could tell that she had been tied there for quite some time. Hours, maybe even days. The girl, apparently named Emma Gale, nodded to one of the rooms. Her eyes focused on DeadEye, as she hoped he would understand her. He did, turning his face slowly at the open room to the left. The door was closed, but DeadEye broke in with a massive kick with his leg, breaking it open in the loudest bang of the room.
Miles sighed at the old robot, knowing he just gave away their position in an obvious ambush.
One of the Avalon guards, a tall figure with thick beard, stood just behind the door as it flew up. The guy swung an axe at DeadEye, scratching his guts of steel.
Miles saw something in the corner of his eye and turned around just in time to see the second guard jump out from another room, holding a bat. The bat hit Miles in the gut, decking him to his knees. Miles drew his gun in a fast motion, while coughing trying to find air. The shot echoed in the room, nearly deafening them all, as the bullet penetrated the neck of the guy. Blood gushing out to the wall behind him like a fountain.
DeadEye was struggling to avoid the axe from his enemy. Swinging through the air and nearly hitting him a few times. In a vain attempt, DeadEye crouched, and fired the sniper without taking aim. The shot got the axed man in the leg. He threw the axe at the robot sniper in a desperate move. The axe drilled it¡¯s way into the head of DeadEye, getting stuck in the skull.
DeadEye fell flat on his back, shaking heavily as he struggled to remain alive.
The bearded man left the room and limped into the hallway to stop the other intruders. First he saw the blood on the walls of his Avalon partner, lying on the ground, fighting to breathe. Then he saw Miles, assisting in getting Emma Gale free from her captivity by untying her wrists from the chair.
Emma burst out from the chair, running to the bearded Avalon man and tackled him to the nasty concrete floor. A wooded bat swung around, knocking Emma in the head. The bat shattered at it broke on her unnaturally strong skin. Pieces dropping all over the bearded mans face as he observed in fear. She took a choke hold of him.
Miles took aim with help of the chair to stabilize his arm. He fired and shot the Avalon with the shattered bat, straight in the head. Clean execution. The target sailed down to the floor as if his soul fought not to leave his body.
Miles saw from afar as Emma Gale strangled the life out of the bearded man. Choking him with every rage of her body and mind. It triggered memories to Miles. Of rage and hate. The very things that drove him to his life in a cell.
Emma was fast in getting into the room where the robot friend was. DeadEye was lying on the floor, his eyes shifting in colors and various metallic plates moving back and forth. Shifting as it was trying to find air to cool down it¡¯s heat. The robot was really fighting. Soon it became aware, head tilting up to see her. Still with the axe stuck in his head.
¡°I am sorry, Miss Gale. I simply can not fight it.¡±
Smoke poured out of the hole of his skull. His head froze in motion, before tilting down. DeadEye was no longer functioning. Emma was moved to tears by this. Something Miles had never seen anyone act around a robot before. Yet again she was a mutant. And mutants was mostly frowned upon.
He got out of the room, giving her space to grieve her dead friend.
Wally was sitting upstairs, struggling to stabilize the injured warrior Cortia. She was breathing heavily as he gently cared for her wounds with some simple materials he had found in the communication room. Wally knew she was going to be okay. Even if she lied there, moaning in pain.
Same could not be said for the Avalon soldier who was in his last breaths. His chest moved up and down and blood poured out of his mouth as his lungs tried to find a way to get air pumping into his body.
Wally had lost his caring for anyone of Avalon. Hearing tales as he and Miles had gone around for such a long time. He knew these bastards did all this. Caused all this mayhem. Them and their killer-robots could go to hell for all he cared for.
The Avalon soldier drew his last breath, eyes staring at the ceiling in terror.
The four survivors of this event was tired. As they walked away from the massacre they left in the station. But according to Emma, the harbor with the ship, was close.
She had been a worker on board when the war came. The ship was on shore to be fixed for an engine problem. She was left to guard it as the captain and his men joined the fight against Avalon. And they never came back. In fact, the harbor is mostly left alone now. Apart from some hobos and a few guards.
Among the homeless she found the incredibly violent girl, Cortia. She had kept her safe on board. As for company and for helping out for a safe place to sleep. Eventually another ship came by. Most inhabitants were sick. Cortia and Emma could not help them, as most of them past away during a week. But one they managed to save.
A former council-man named Lambert. He had fled an assault performed by his closest man. A man he trusted who turned out to be an insider from Avalon. But Lambert had a helping hand in form of an old combat-robot, named DeadEye.
They had all stayed at the ship for quite some time. Nearly six months together. Helping out in order to try to fix the parts of the boat. But the constant words of Avalon and Hammer got to them. They were scared, as resources grew slim. Emma discovered that a nearby mall was under control by Avalon. During a job to break in, Emma was captured. Luckily she had taken down five guards by her own, before they took her for transport to the police station.
Miles and Wally never had any idea that this encounter would cause them to stay together. But that was how fate took it. Cortia, Miles, Wally and Emma came to the ship in the harbor. And while the war out in the nation grew strong, they had to remain stronger.
On the ship, they met the elderly man named Lambert. A man with calm manners was necessary to keep morale going. They all grieved DeadEyes passing and had a proper funeral for his body. Nobody knew what to do next. Where to go or how to get there. All they had was a ship. And sometimes you must use what you have to get somewhere.
Out the Waters
The ship had seen better days. While it was a big transporter, they kept it in minimum to visitors. Some few had been in the old ship. Usually merchants, some temporary workers. But nobody stayed except the crew.
Emma Gale was no captain. In fact, her old work there was as a repairman. It¡¯s was obvious that she did not like the old crew. Never spoke much about them. It was never easy for a mutant to live among humans, robots r cyborgs. Mutants were outcasts. But fate had given her the power of the ship. And nobody of the crew questioned that.
Cortia was her second in command. A stubborn and unstable girl who kept to herself. A young lady on the age about 20. With incredible fighting skills, she tried to teach the others on board. Mostly in vain, due to her lack of interest in taking it one step at the time. She liked the captain a lot. And looked up to Emma as if it was her sister.
The older, chubbier man was a former politician of some sort. Lambert was there just by chance. But his people skills had helped them with the people in the town. Getting them some hints and help during their long stay in the harbor, while they tried to repair the ship.
Lambert had a bodyguard robot called DeadEye. He was an old model armed with a sniper of an unknown origin. DeadEye was, sadly, no longer with the crew.
The crew had two newcomers.
An old prison guard named Wally. Kind with all people on the ship. Never having any trouble helping out, even if his energy was limited.
And then it was Miles. A former convict who kept to himself. But Miles had a good friendship with Wally. One where they didn¡¯t need to speak to understand another. Miles did not know it, but the younger Cortia had recently found Miles very interesting. Almost taken a liking for him. Miles did not, however, see any reason to care much about anyone more than them been walking bodies of flesh. Emma was not to pleased about his sinister view on the people around him. A man without a soul.
These people had come together by chance. And by chance they should travel, once the ship was ready to leave. Wally had been responsible for communications. Trying to find out where in the world they could go. Who could take on a team of such variations?
The time on the old ship was getting the worse of them all.The cold corridors and the empty rooms messed with their minds. Cortia had sometimes claimed to have seen shadows where nobody was. It was clear that they were getting cabin fever. But the ship was the only rescue they had.
They only left the ship for various smaller tasks. Keeping out of trouble by staying in town. It was all work for them. Around the clock.
Emma had an idea of crafting the ships weaker points into stronger positions. This meant to craft and modify it to become a warship if need be. Emma and Cortia worked in the nearby hospital. Helped out in town where-ever they could to get Red Dollars or trade for new equipment. They both benefited the anonymous town to become a greater beacon for travelers.
The ship slowly got machine-guns installed on the hull. And a strong powerhouse shield to guard it from possible attacks. Emma named the nameless ship to the Behemoth Survivor.
But not all was as it seemed on the ship. Lambert had ideas to start using the ship as a traveling sales operation. He was in the midst of tuning in on different channels with other harbors to find out whatever items they might need. This was not appreciated by Emma. She saw this as his way to go behind her back! That he tried to take her home away from her! The sudden burst of rage out of Emma Gales mouth got Lambert spooked. He started to see her as a madman. And without DeadEye to protect him, he started to question where his alliance lied. Cortia was in a tight friendship with Emma. And if she tried to get rid of him somehow, Lambert would be gone without a trace.
There was one cold night. December. Snow gently falling from the sky to the hull of the ship. Miles sat out on an old wooden chair, freezing during the night watch. Even if the town was good to them, there could always be danger in the shadows.
Miles turned around where he sat, as he heard a strange noise. A man stood not to far away from him, a gun aimed at him as he sat on the chair. The man was a tall figure with a scar over his right eye, where a red light was glowing in the dark. A genetic implant that replaced the mans eye.
Miles tried to talk gently to the stranger, understanding that he could be a ton of things. An Avalon agent. A homeless person.
As the man took a few steps out from the shadows, Miles understood. By the dress code and the tattoo on the mans right arm. An Avalon soldier.
The man claimed to be one of the actual brothers to the guys the Survivors had killed in the police station long ago. Miles could not fathom how long this man had planned an assault. An act of revenge on his fallen comrades. But something told him that this was not an act from Avalon. But an act from a man driven by hate. There was a chance that the fellow was alone.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Miles slowly rose up from his cold chair, hugging the thick coat he had around him and tried to talk it out to the man in front of him. Talking about how war has changed men to wild beasts. That another kill would change nothing.
The man lowered his gun. And his head in shame. Miles saw in the mans face. Saw the scars of emotional abuse. Years of pain and suffering. It reminded Miles of his own past. The violence that came to haunt his dreams. And now was a reality again.
The guard yelled a scream of pain. Tears rolling down his human eye. He then proceeded to raise the gun, but not towards the man in front of him. But to his real enemy. He put the gun in his own mouth. Miles watched without saying anything. Without reacting. As the man pulled the trigger and fell down to the cold floor.
The next week on the Behemoth Survivor was different than before. The shore was very silent. The town itself had gotten more quiet than usually. Everybody knew about the man who killed himself on the ship. He used to be a local. A man with psychological trauma who had, for no known reason, joined the sect called Avalon. The last time he lived in town, he had no prosthetic robotic eye. Last time he was in town, he was a shy and mellow person. And now he was dead.
The town folks had a vote in the town hall how to proceed with the event on Behemoth Survivor. The drama that had occurred in this scared community. Emma Gale herself was there, observing in silence.
It was clear that the community wanted the ship to leave the harbor. They were tired of the drama. Even if the crew had helped the town survive. Emma Gale knew it was about time to see where the ship would travel to.
It was understandable for the crew that their time in Kansas was over. But they had to come to an agreement what the ship could do with the new modifications. Where to travel, who to assist. Behemoth Survivor was not made to lay in yet another harbor without a cause of reason. And Emma did not want to part from the old vessel.
Lambert was still active in trying to convince the team. To travel to places that needed aid in various forms. Like a rag-tag team of both merchandise and protections. He had the help from Wally to pin-point various locations that could be of use. Emma understood that it was the only call they could make. And they got along that she would be the captain and power behind the wheel.
Lambert would be part owner of the newly founded organization. Trying to locate costumers, merchandise of various form. Cortia would be the trainer for possible recruits. And a powerful asset in various solo-missions.
As for Miles and Wally, they were never fully part of the crew. And their future on the ship was still not set in stone. But they were given open opportunities to assist. Miles was clear with one thing. He did not share the passion for this project as they did. Miles Tenham had enough of the death and violent nature around him. It would appear that the ghost of his past. Whatever past it was. Still hunted him like a black dog in the night.
As for Wally. He was not getting any younger. Via the radio he found a location that would suit him. And they were ready to open up their arms for him. A village in Montana that was run by a peaceful religious group called Magnus Army. There was an old airplane that could pick him up in Nebraska.
In the remaining years of the war, the ship called Behemoth Survivor went all over where it was possible to travel. From state to state. From friend to enemy. The ship was no massive success in it¡¯s delivery. But the opportunities was strong enough for the crew to sustain in the dark times.
The ongoing war got the official name The Silver War. Then came The Event. That was the fine word to explain that a massive assault destroyed all of Nevada. Rendering the entire state in decay with radiation. Hard calls had to be made. And this dismantled the former nation of United States of America. Every state should now be it¡¯s own micro nation. Starting with the land of Washington.
Times changed rapidly since that. New nations rose, with new powers and politics. The climate was rough in this new world. Everything on the face of the planet was re-made. A new counter was made. They called the days after The Event Year One. As a sign of rebirth on earth.
It was during this time that Behemoth Survivor became a huge success all over the new nations. Still large on the open seas, harbors and lakes. Anywhere it could be, it went.
Year 2 after The Event, Lambert died of a heart-attack. It was the day after he turned 72 years old.
Year 5. Emma Gale retired from her job as a captain and went to live in North Mountains, what used to be North Dakota and Minnesota.
Cortia never left her position on Behemoth Survivor.
As for Miles and Wally? The outsiders.
Miles Tenham lived on as a hermit in Quavera. A nation formed by what used to be New Mexico and Texas. The nation was run by former gangsters and gangs. They were given a second chance and made true power a good standard in Miles eyes. He saw people ready to fight for the people against judgment. Quavera had very low crime-ratings.
Miles lived on a mountain-side by himself with a few dogs and animals to tend for. He did not care much for the politics or people around him. But he liked to hear about the travels of the ship called Behemoth Survivor. He did, however, not have any contact left with his friend Wally.
Wally never got to his destination as he had hoped. He got sick before boarding the plane to Montana. Stayed four months in a local hospital. And died of cancer.
And here we end our travels with Wally, Miles and Behemoth Survivor. Who knows what else we will encounter in this dark, strange, new life.