RP: Taking It Back Rosa's Hop-Joint

[Lamb]

Midnight, south-side Funky City. Rosa's Hop-Joint was the name of the place, and Rosa had kept it open in spite of the NMX chaos. There weren't very many customers in the dank, dark bar and the whole place reeked of cigarettes. Still, it was the only safe place for a drink for miles, and it made for a nice hideaway among the tension of the post-bombings Funky City.

One man sat at the bar, holding onto a glass of whiskey as if it were his last DA, staring endlessly into the bottles on the shelf behind the counter in front of him.

The door swung open, and in strode a filthy, bedraggled figure, covered in soot and dirt. He wore a heavy old fireman's coat, grey with the accumulated dirt of months, and his eyes were hidden behind a thick pair of round welding goggles.

The titular Rosa, the bar's aging owner, appeared from the back room with a shocked expression. Her gaze wavered from the already present customer to the new arrival before she settled on which one to speak to first.

"Come on in, Sugar, we're always open," She provided, a warm smile starting to ply across her features, "And apparently Lowry here's already helped himself to the bar." The solitary man at the bar, upon closer inspection dressed in the clothes of a businessman, only grunted in acknowledgement.

The man in the door walked up to the bar, glancing uneasily from side to side. Then he pushed his goggles up to his forehead, and stretched out his hand with a grin. "The name's Serge," he said.

"I'm Rosa," Rosa replied, returning his outstretched hand with a bowl full of water and a bar of soap instead of a handshake. Lowry chuckled and added, "Heh, she did the same thing to me first time I came in here."

"Thanks," said Serge, downing the bowl of water with a gulp. "Water's been hard to come by where I've been." Then he bit into the soap. The gag was almost immediate.

Rosa rolled her eyes and produced a bottle of gin and a bowl of peanuts next. "That was for cleanin' with, honey. You can keep the soap."

"Cleaning? Oh, right. That. Sorry."

"Funny soundin' word, aint it?" Lowry quipped, plucking a cigarette from his breast pocket. "Cleanin'."

"Oh Lowry, you hush." said Rosa, playfully swatting at his hand, "The man's obviously been through some shit."

"Not much," said Serge, though his eyes darkened. "Not much at all." Then he started into his gin.

A knock at the front door rattled through the bar before a man came in with a crate of some kind of not-so-fine booze came rolling in with a rather chipper smile. "Heya Rosa," the man with the shaved head and missing molar said. Apparently he was expected, or he thought he was at least. "How's the business today?" He looked Serge's way. "Gotta newbie, I see! Dandy, dandy. Hope you know how to down the stuff!"

He kept chatting as he walked toward the back.

"Well, hey there, handy-man!" Rosa brightened immediately, "Yessir, I got myself two whole customers now, almost competing with the Mishu prison camp up the road, ain't I? Sure is dandy."

"Not a dandy at all, actually," retorted Serge. "I'm afraid my coat's been out of fashion for quite some time."

"I'll say." Lowry quipped again. Ever the smartass. Still, the middle-aged businessman leaned over with another cigarette, "Wanna burn a *** over it, pal?"

Serge immediately snapped into Safety Serge mode. "I'm afraid not, pal. Unattended cigarettes are a leading cause of ebrbrbrbrbrbrbr house fires."

Lowry looked back at Serge bemusedly. "I ain't meaning to leave it unattended."

Handy, which was his nickname, came back out from the back and slipped behind the bar to Rosa, holding a bottle of what he had to deliver. It was clear with no labeling — home-brewed. "Got my best for ya, Rosa, mah best! Raspberry rum, with spices and even a little of that stuff ... what do they call it? I had the help get it. Oh yeah, the Warm-you-up! The Mishhu use it on the prisoners; best part about being one, I hear. Try it, try it! Only the best for you, Rosa, the best!"

Rosa was quick to burst the cap on the bottle and sample some of the conconction. A few seconds into her first gulp, the woman made a stiff gagging sound and pressed the bottle back into his hands. "Sugar, that warm-ya-up has warmed it up a little too much. What ya want me to pay for this stuff?"

"Ohhhhh, no charge, no charge, dear Rosa, not a penny for what's not perfect," Handy glumly said, then looked over at the two at the bar. "Say, give them a go, would ya? The boys here, they might sample a fancy, surely now, a sample! Lift that winter chill right out of ya."

"Sure." Rosa replied, looking over nervously at the two prospective ginea pigs before pouring two glasses and placing it right in front of them.

Serge was hesitant, but after mulling it over a bit he decided it was worth a try. "I'll give it a go," he said. He inhaled, and his mind was flooded with data detailing the exact chemical makeup of the beverage. It appeared to be technically fit for consumption, and so he gulped it down quickly.

Lowry downed his immediately. "It's beautiful, Handy. 6DA a glass, tops."

"6 DA a glass?! A glass, Rosa, did ya hear that? 6 DA! A sum for princes and generals! 3 DA a glass then Rosa, 3 DA and not a bit more. I might make a little less on it, just a bit, but if I didn't sell it I wouldn't get to see you Rosa, you burning angel of the bar! Not a week would be complete without seeing you Rosa, not a one!"

"Hold your horses, sugar." Rosa held out two fingers, ignoring the come on and going straight for business, "The other gentleman has yet to rate the beverage, honey. Lowry aint got any feelin' left in his throat anyhow."

"Oh," Handy said, glum again, but patient enough.

"Feels like a chemical burn," mused Serge. "Exactly my kind of drink. 4DA."

"Cain't much argue with popular consensus. 5 DA a glass then, Handy, and a bowl of chicken wings, as usual." Rosa submitted. She didn't understand why the men wanted the drink, but they were currently her only customers, so she had to get something they'd like.

Handy, all smiles with only one tooth missing, wheeled his dolly out to get more. "5 DA! 5 DA! I'll be eating like a king, a king! All because of Rosa, the angel of the bar, the best of them, the best!" The door clicked shut behind him, his continuing come-on not pausing for a moment as the sound of bottles and crates muddled in.

"Another glass then, for me and my new buddy Serge!" Lowry said exitedly, "We're your testers!"

"7 DA, each, sweetie."

"Seven?! You're payin' five for it, an' only cuz we told you too!"

"I gotta eat too, sugar."

"You sneaky bitch. I woulda lowballed him if I'd known you was gonna backstab me like that."

Rosa proferred another eye roll at Lowry's expense before pouring the requested drinks and moving on to Serge. "So, Serge... I seen you got that coat on, and you like talkin' about fires and shit. You some kind of firefighter or arsonist or somethin'?"

"Of a kind. I was with the fire department up until the attacks, but they ordered my brigade to fall back and work on containing the blaze, rather than save any of the survivors in the buildings. So I took sick leave on grounds of mental anguish, and I've been scouting the ruins for a few weeks now."

"Fancy story, partner." Lowry commented. Smoke wafted from under the brim of a fedora he'd stamped onto his head. "It's been a pain in the ass gettin' around town since that shit came down on us. My wife got ate by zombies last month. I feel your pain."

"That's rough, buddy," Serge replied.

Then, Lowry stood and donned a kahki trenchcoat and a pistol holster before heading for the door. As he walked, Lowry shook his head. "I ain't worried about it. Bitch never took care of the kids when they was around anyway. I'm out, Rosa. Give Handy my regards when he comes back in, eh?" And with that, he was gone, leaving the door to softly close behind him. Rosa sighed and began wiping down his spot on the bar.

"He's had it rough, too, I guess." She mused. "But you gotta tell me, sugar. What's out there? You find anybody in the rubble? You hook up with the resistance members or anythin'?"

Serge frowned in confusion. But before he could speak--

Handy rolled back in with four more cases of the stuff stacked high on the dolly. "Rosa! Rosa darlin', a name, a name, I must have a name for this fiesty brew of mine? Can I finally name one after you? It's such a treat; 6 DA a glass! All the fire and spirit of the burning angel, you see? How about that! Burning Angel! It's fantastic, isn't it? Fantastic!" He wheeled straight back.

Rosa giggled at Handy. A bemused smirk was beggining to cross her face. "Lowry said g'bye, sweetie. I was askin' Serge here if he'd hooked up with the resistance yet. You seen any of them wanderin' around out there on your way in, Handy?"

Handy shouted from the back. "Rabble-rousers! Troublemakers! I hate the squids as any red-blooded man should, but I'm a brewer, not a bomber! Let the young men fight! I don't see any of them around and I don't intend to unless they want my spirits!"

"So there's a resistance movement, I gather?" Serge was deep in thought. "Sounds like I jumped the gun. Any word on their location?"

"Sure as shit, they come in here." Rosa replied. She took a napkin from the bar and began jotting directions down with a marker, "You wanna find 'em, you find a man named Alex Foster. Word on the streets, he runs the whole thing. He came in here a while back, following around a funny old man. Real quiet type, and shady, too. You wanna find him, you go to the west side docks."

Rosa stopped writing for a moment and looked over at Handy. "Money's in the register, sweetie. I trust ya."

Then, she turned her attention back to Serge. "They's offerin' organized resistance, if that's your style. You go to the dock number I put down on this here napkin, find a submarine and I reckon jus' knock. They'll see to ya, so long as you ain't Mishu."

Serge chuckled a bit. "I doubt it. Last time I checked, I was conspicuously lacking in tentacles."

"You ain't seen Mister Brown, yet, have ya?"

"Hmm?"

"Mister Brown, they call him. He's one of us, Nepleslian. ID-Sol, real plain-lookin'. Except... He's on their side. They make clones of him and send 'em out. I can't much say where they make the clones at, but it's a right pain in my ass. Lost two customers in an ambush last week."

Handy by then had wheeled out of the back. He nodded at the instructions, then went to the till. As always, he took one DA less than agreed upon — his own way of tipping the burning angel herself. The stuff rarely took more than 1 DA to make anyway, and it never hurt to see Rosa smile. He tipped his head to her and, without waiting for a reply, saw himself out to his truck.

"Drive safe Handy!" Rosa called out to the man, a tender smile playing at her lips. She looked back at Serge. "You gonna try and find them? The resistance, that is?"

"I think I'll give it a shot. At the very least, I can help them out when they're in over their heads."

"You might wanna do that then, sugar, they're always in over their heads." In the distance, muffled gunshots could be heard, followed by hurried voices. Rosa's hands wandered nervously under the bar.

"That them?" inquired the ragged fireman.

"Hell no, not around these parts, anyhow." said Rosa. She grew more nervous after the gunshots stopped and the hurried voices faded. "I hope they were going the other way."

As if to answer her fears, the door burst open and Lowry staggered in, clutching a pistol in one hand, blood streaming down his neck and over his collar and tie. He slamned the door behind him and locked it before approaching the bar. Rosa, meanwhile, was putting up the shotgun she nearly used to render Lowry swiss cheese. She pulled at Lowry's collar to look at his wound.

"Just a graze." said the former businessman, reaching for the bottle of Burning Angel on the bar left behind by Handy.

"Let me look at it," said Serge, suddenly businesslike. "I have emergency medical training."

Lowry shrugged and pulled back his collar to reveal the wound, a rather deep graze which had barely missed his jugular artery.

"Yeah, you're probably gonna want stitches," assessed Serge. With a grin of mock-cruelty, he added "To the pain."

"Rosa, you got anything to suture this with? And let me get this drink down, to, if Doctor Serge, here's gonna operate on me I don't wanna be sober."

Rosa shook her head. "I ain't got nothin' like that here, honey."

"Well, the stitches might not be necessary, and it would probably be a really cool scar," said Serge. "But that's just a 'might'. You can't know for sure. Infection's a bitch."

Outside, there was a shout, a *PLOONT!* sound, and a howl of victory that sounded much like Handy. Unintelligable words followed a loud explosion, then, in a clear voice: "THAT'LL TEACH YA TO STAY OFF THE STOOP, YA RAVIN' YOUNG CUNTS! OFF WITH YEH!"

Rosa's eyes fluttered. Lowry's turned slightly towards the door. "Guess he ran 'em off, eh, Rosa?"

"I'll unlock the door. Serge, honey, free drink if you do what you can for Lowry's little cut, there." Rosa emerged from behind the bar and moved for the door, unlocking the bolt and sticking her head out into the night. She clutched the bar shotgun tight in her arms. "Ya'llright out there, Handy?!"

A shout from the darkness was packed with glee. "RAN'EM OFF I DID, ROSA, RAN THEM OFF FOR THE BURNING ANGEL! I'M A HOLY PALADIN, AIN'T I? GUNS DON'T BEAT GRENADES, DO THEY NOW?! THE BEST I AM, THE BEST INDEED!"

More gunfire detracted off the surfaces from where the shouting came from. Near where Rosa was looking, there was a bright flash, briefly illuminating a bald man firing an RPG toward the gunfire. Something exploded several hundred meters down the road, then a series of blasts roared down the urban canyon. They looked like gas tanks, from the exploding cars being hurled into the air.

"Sounds like I'm gonna have another patient if you don't take cover," said Serge, who had produced a needle, sterilized it with a lighter, and gotten to work on Lowry's wound.

"Keep your mind on one patient at a time, pal." Lowry grunted, deep in the throes of suture.

Rosa kept quiet, and poked the barrel of the shotgun out the door. There was a slight movement in the shadows. The barrel followed it for nearly three feet before Rosa pulled the trigger, and placed a slug dead into the center of the darkened mass. "Dirty sonofabitch. Handy! You got any medical supplies up there? Lowry's got himself a little scrape."

"The firefight that broke out today between Paragon and the squids apparently leveled my building, Rosie." Lowry spoke through the pain, not even noticed whether Handy had replied yet, "Reckon I'd best stay the night."

"GOT ME A KIT IN THE TRUCK, SURELY DO! A LITTLE COVER FOR THE COOKER OF CANDY BOOZE?" An audible click came from Handy's position, then footsteps that sounded like his noisy cowboy boots. Flashes of gunfire popped down the road as Handy ran for his truck. Rosa let loose a few slugs from her shotgun towards the offending bursts, silencing them for the moment.

"I'm done with Lowry for now," said Serge hurriedly. "Your cheapest booze. Gas. Rag. Now."

Lowry slid the bottle of Burning Angel over to Serge with a cocktail napkin. He stammered through the cloud of pain, "This's 'lldoo, partner...Make it quickie?"

Handy took a minute or so, but soon he was just outside the doorway next to Rosa, clutching a loaded RPG in one hand and a battered, steel-box medical kit in the other. He also had found time to throw on a tan leather duster and his cowboy hat, which had a noticable chunk taken out of the brim on the right side. "Murderous young cunts they are, Rosa, murderous," he mumbled.

"Aye." Rosa peeled the door open for Handy to come in.

Serge dashed to the door, pushed his goggles back on, and made a rather rushed Molotov cocktail. He took a moment to pinpoint the location of the attackers' panicked whispers, then lit it up and tossed it in a neat arc. Several bodies lit up across the street and threw themselves on the ground. "Problem solved," said Serge with a vicious smile.

Rosa looked the fireman up and down. With a shrug, she reached for Handy's RPG to hand it on the coatrack along with her shotgun. "I reckon so. Well, come on in out of the cold, then. Both of ya, settle down at the bar fer a minute. Let's get Lowry looked after and then split up fer the night at least. I'm gonna be shuttin' out the lights in case they come back."

"I'll pay for that one," said Serge. "Wouldn't want to take advantage of your hospitality."

Rosa shook her head and closed the door behind them. "Don't worry about it, Sugar. Got a whole crate of the suckers in the back. Fresh from the brewery." She smiled gently at Handy.

Handy was by the door even after Rosa closed it. Relieved of his RPG and medical kit, he held a very old-looking revolver, something that seemed to go with the rest of the goofy outfit he had on. "Damn right you are, and by all the Gods of Yamatai does my Burning Angel BURN," he said with a very big grin — almost lecherous, perhaps. "Just as it ought to. They dare n't touch the bar now, inviting hell fire as they did." The brewer stuck his revolver, hammer cocked, into his crossdraw holster and moseyed to the bar, his toothy smile catching whatever ambient light remained.

"It's like I told you about that 'warm-ya-up', Handy, innit?" Rosa joked and plied open the steel box next to Lowry, who'd since degenerated to a low muttering.

"The best stuff," Handy said as he went to the firefighter and clapped him on the shoulder. "And a case of it will be coming your way, fireman! Wicked thoughts on your part, wicked as they come and effective as needed!"

"Much obliged," said Serge with a nod. "I might patrol this area for a few more days before I set out."

"Keep'em off the goddamn stoop," Handy said, popping open the cork on a blue, salt-pitted bottle of some other concoction he had snatched from under the bar. "The Hop here is the only thing inside 20 square miles worth a damn, and she's worth a might bit more than that. Nevermind Rosa."

Rosa looked up from dressing Lowry's wound at the mention of her name. "Whassat? Oh, yeah! This place is all most've us in the neighborhood's got left." She confirmed Handy's statement. She looked towards Serge inquisitively, pulling Lowry's dressing tight with an idle hand, "Why don't you tell those resistance boys we're still out here when you run into them, sugar?"

"Will do," said Serge. "I'd hate to let anything else happen to this place."

"Doc'a'Serge'sh a pickle." Lowry muttered in response. Rosa pulled one of the drunken man's arms around her shoulder and dragged him to a nearby couch before covering him in his trenchcoat up to the chest and lowering his hat over his eyes.

"G'night, Lowry dear." She said, slipping his bar fee out of his breast pocket. "Breakfast in the mornin'."

Rosa then moved back behind the bar and switched off the neon sign outside before sitting down between Serge and Handy with her own drink. "Well boys, looks like it's closin' time."

Handy already had taken his last call for alcohol, it appeared, having taken a swig of the contents in the blue bottle and replaced the cork. "You sure now, Rosa? Fireman and I here could sleep in the truck outside, watch the stoop for ya. Don't trust those murderous cunts to not come back, thirsty for blood instead of booze."

"It'll be better fer everyone if we split up. Groups look suspicious, and so do open businesses in the middle of the night." came Rosa's retort. The woman downed her drink in one movement. "Besides, there ain't room enough here for y'all to sleep and that truck is just askin' for it sittin' out on the curb like that."

"Well, it's been a long night," yawned Serge. "I'd better get going now. I should be able to find a place to sleep somewhere on this street."

"Maybe you oughta go with Handy, like he offered before." Rosa suggested.

"That'll do as well, I suppose."

"As ye wish, Rosa," Handy said, patting Serge on the shoulder. "Let's be on our way then, Fireman. You stay with me tonight, and on the 'morrow there'll be fried bird strips and beans if yah have to leave in a hurry. Otherwise, we grace the Hop again with our filthy selves! HAH!" He thumped the bar with his hand, then turned and headed for the door to collect his RPG. "Out the back, Rosa?"

"Yessir, Handy. You boys take care..."

Serge waved goodnight as he left the bar. "Goodnight!" he called, rather redundantly. It had been a good night, he thought. In his opinion, the night had been good. There was no doubt in his mind that it was, indeed, a good night."Good for this night," he thought. Serge couldn't help being satisfied with the quality of the night. It was a damn good night.

"Oh, and Handy..." Rosa started, returning Serge's wave good night.

Handy stopped and turned, RPG over his shoulder and a hand stuck in the pocket of his duster. "Something you be requirin'?"

"Naw, sugar." Rosa started to beam as she lit a long, slender cigarillo, "Just wanted to tell ya how handsome ya look in your duster and your stetson, sweetie."

 

[Lamb]

Re: [Pre-Game] Rosa's Hop-Joint (Massive Update!)

Another dark night on the south-west side of Funky City. Rosa's Hop Joint was open again, despite the chaos that was filling the city. Soft gunfire from a distant Paragon operation could be heard echoing through the dimly lit streets. Inside the bar, the owner sat at one of the stools, writing expenses and accounts on a datapad. Her live-in customer, Lowry sat slumped over on a nearby couch with a shotgun wrapped in his arms like a teddy-bear. The bar was quiet.


A man dressed all in worn black clothes with a black cowboy hat pulled low over his eyes stepped into the bar and took a look at his surrondings. His eyes went almost instantly to the man holding the shotgun. 'Older model, holds five or six shells in the gun.' Caffran thought to himself.

"Don't mind him, sugar." Rosa spoke from her paperwork without even turning back to look at the man, "He's just a little homesick. Come sit down, I'll getcha a drink in a bit."

Caffran looked at the owner and smiled a cocky grin at the woman. "Don't mind if I do. Nepleslian wiskey if you've got it."

Rosa stood from her stool and moved around behind the bar, giving Lowry a quick nudge as she passed. The man stirred and rolled over, his shotgun drifting over to his shoulder. She pulled a bottle of clear liquid from behind the bar and sat it between her and the new arrival. It obviously wasn't whisky.

"This's all we got, honey. NMX raids, and whatnot." She said, pouring a short glass for him, "My Handy-man Handy brews it in his basement."

Caffran reach out and took the glass with his left hand and took a sniff of it before holding it up. "Cheers." He said and downed it. It burned like lit lighter fluid. "Smooth." He smiled.

"Well, first drink's always free in the Hop. Smooth or not." She smiled at him knowingly, "So then, why don't you tell Miss Rosa what brings you out in this mess, hmm? What's your name, stranger?"

Caffran looked at his empty glass a moment before answering. "The fighting what else?" He took another look around the room, pay close attention to details like escape routs and places to take cover. "Names Caffran Canterbury, friends call me Caff."

"Well, Calf, it's a pleasure to meetcha." She extended a hand. Lowry stirred again on the couch, this time sitting up entirely and placing the shotgun next to him. He approached the bar and took a seet next to Caffran.

"You been out there in the fighting?" he asked, bleary eyes still wary. Caffran regarded the man a moment and sort of eased hisself to one side so that he could easally reach the revolver that was tucked into his waistband.

"A scrap here and there." Caff replyed mildly.

"Tough shit, I guess." Lowry mused. Rosa poured him a drink with a sideways look on her face.

"Nothing any Nepleslian couldn't handle." Caff replyed with a smile as he pushed his empty drink forward with his left hand and asked for a another.

Rosa smiled at the sentiment of Nepleslianess. Lowry frowned. Another drink made its way into the glass and Rosa reported, "Everything's six DA from here on out."

"Six DA hu?" Caffran reached into his pocket, again with his left hand, and pulled out 12 DA. "One for me and one for out friend here. I hate to drink alone."

"Y'hear that, Lowry, Calf here just bought you a drink?" Rosa chided, slipping two glasses forward, "Thank the nice man."

Lowry kept quiet but put a pack of cigarettes on the table between them, slipping one out for himself and another to offer Caffran.

Caff reached for the offered smoke and stuck in in his mouth. Rosa kindly lit both men's cigarettes with a ginger smile.

Door opened again as anothre figure quickly walked in. Looking outside for a while before closing the doors again. It appeared to be rather tall woman in coat with stetson on her head. She held revolver in her hand and duffel bag hanged over her shoulders. She looked over the people and as she holstered her gun.

At the sound Caff's right hand moved towards the revolver in his belt but stopped in a few inches shy. He took in the newcomer, knowting that the stetson looked like a 4 or 5 X, good quality, and that the revolver had the look of much use, yet well cared for.

"Welcome to the Hop." Rosa ignored the gun and greeted cheerily, "Come on in and sit down. The first drink's always free."

"Howdy!" Girl greeted everyone else. She took down her hat and long hazelnut coloured hair tied in pony-tail could be seen. "Help me! I am sober!" She then said as she walked to the bar. She put her duffel bag against the bar and thud could be heard, noting that it was quite heavy. A full glass of 'lighter-fluid' appeared in front of her almost immediately. Rosa was quick on her feet tonight.

"Howdy." Caff answered in kind. He noted the sound the bag made when it fell. 'Sounds like ammo.' Caff thought to himself. "Where you coming from ma'am?"

Girl raised her hand, with one finger pointing to the ceiling givin a signal to wait. She then slowly took the glass offered to her, smelled it with her eyes closed. She looked much more happy now.

"Mmm alcohol!" She said, her tone making sure that she was really delighted. She then drink it all in one big gulp. She did not seem to be fazed by strength of the girl. "Oh godly mana this is. I had no drink in days!" She mentioned, puttin the glass in front of herself again.


Caff drew on his cigarette. He usally didn't smoke them. He prefered cigars or a pipe, but hadn't wanted to seem rude to refuse it. Caff took out another 6 DA and tossed it on the counter. "Then have another one on me." He said with a charming smile.

"Genlteman, eh?" Lowry finally spoke up, flicking ashes all over the bar. Rosa swatted at his hand and wiped away at them before adding, "Maybe you oughta be more of a gentleman, you lay-about."

She took the opportunity to extend another hand to the newcomer, and introduce herself. "I'm Rosa, and thissere's Lowry and our newest customer, Calf." She pointed to the two men one-by-one while her free hand poured yet another drink.

"Don't mind if I do!" Girl said as she waited for another round. "Well name's Alice. I used to be merc but with stupid Paragon around not much for me to do, then wander and seek open bars. This is first I found in days. Yer do not happen to have a bottle of beer stowed somewhere Miss Rosa do you?" She finished her introdicing with question.

"Me Ma may have been a Marine, but she still taught me my manners." said Caff. He was half through with his cig but was growing tired of it so he set in on the ashtray.

"Nothin' here but the stuff my Handy-man brings me." Rosa informed darkly, "Calls it Flamin' Angel or somethin'."

"Itsa moonshine! It does not need a name!" Alice said with smile. "It tasted great though. I was lucky to stumble here. Beter then gettin run over by paragon tank or raped by some ID-Sol bastard."

"So both o' yous was out in the fightin', then?" Lowry asked, scooting his chair closer to them, "Either of you see anybody? Like, a real person? Resistance members?"

Caff scowled, he hadn't seen a whole lot of people, alive anyway, these last few days. And the place was becoming increaingly crowlded with NMX bastards. "Resistance members? Anyone who is alive aught to be resisting these scum who are trying to take are world from us." Caff said darkly.

"Sorry only met paragoons and yer do not want to get near those." Alice explained and shook her head. "There are civvies scattered all over the plave of course but those are just scared or looking for their own. No resistance. Heard few mobsters are tryin' to put something together though."

Caff perked up at that. "You don't say? That sounds more like it. I'm surprised every Nepleslian isn't fighting like a Nepleslian!"

"Some of us ain't made for resistance, sugar." Rosa said, a slight frown playing at he face. "But I had met the man who the mobsters was puttin' in charge of it all. He come in here a while back, spying on some old man. Said his name was Alex Fester or somethin'. Gave me an address to some dock on the West Side and told me to send anybody who wants organized revolt his way."

Caff was quite for a moment, thinking it over. It cetainly sounded better than him just sneaking around trying to survive. His Uncle had taught him well and every day Caff blessed that old bastard for what he taught him.

"I also hear that Lucas Jackson is in town. Big Id-Sol. It is name you hear as a merc. You might want to look for him if you want to kick some ass." She told Calf and drank her glass again. She then pulled 50 DAs put them in front of herself. "Keep pouring lass! Well me I am staying here for a while. I plan to get stoned and then maybe look for way of this mudball. Not like I wil get hired anytime soon. If any NMX bastard gets in me way I will deall with them swiftly. Boom baby!"

He laughed. A big Id-Sol? Caff enjoyed a fight as much as the next Nepleslian but he wasn't stupid. But then again... He glanced down at Alice's bag. "What you carrying there lass? Shoes?"

"Among other things," Alice replied and looked him in the eyes. "Extra pair of boots is handy when you cannot drive, because some stupid NMX asshole can shoot your hover right of the skies. But I got guns and clothes in it. Everything girl needs these days." She said and pat-patted her duffel.

The smile on Caff's face grew. "What sort of guns?"

Alice turned to Caff on he stool, leaning against the bar. "Well aren't we curious?" She said, then took out pair of ciggaretes out of her breast pocket and lighted one. "Well I got TV Remote, Styrling Silver Special, Mancannon, Tiger's tears and Origin 10mm. Oh and ori laser pistol."

"I'm always curious about guns." Caffran said with sly smile. "You interested in selling a few."

"Nah, you're just trying to get in her pants." Lowry interejected, "Don't pretend you care like that, Mister Gentleman." It was hard to tell whether he was joking or not.

"Aaah sex....." Alice said almost sadly. "Well that is another thing I did no have for a long time. Stupid NMX."

"Hey, me an' Caff can help you out with that, I bet!" Lowry added another quip and chuckled.

Caffran gave Lowry a look that said to mind his manners if he didn't want trouble then returned his attention to Alice. "Mind if I take a look at those?" He asked pointing at the bag.

Alice looked at Lowry and gave him a little devilish smile. She then turned back to Caff. "Sure have a look." She said and started pulling her pistols out of the bag. Most of them looked used and but well handled.

Caffran picked up the styrling silver special first and held it out at arms lenght. He slid the rail back and listend to the clack it made when released. With a quick twist the gun was in peices on the bar. Caff reached into his jacket pocket and took out a small cloth and tiny bottle of cleaner.

"Whoah, Doctor Cantebury here's goin' to town on your gun, lady." Lowry spoke again. Rosa talked over him.

"You some kinda gunsmith 'er somethin'?" She asked.

"Dr. Canterbury is my father. Best cutter on Nesplenia." Caff said without looking up. He had taken out a small file and was fileing away at one of the pieces. "Before hell broak lose I was a weapon tester and designer for Nepleslian Arms and Munitions."

"Hey it is not nice to clean lady's tools on the first date!" Alice said as Caff took her gun apart. She knew he did only basic checks done and cleaning, but it was still HER gun.

Rosa looked nervously between them. "Now, don't make a big fuss, you two." she said, "But you shoulda asked permission, Calf."

Caff smiled at everyones unease. "This thing jams a lot doesn't it? Corrosion and hard use can do that, even with constant cleaning." Caff had finished filing and had added a little bit of cleaner to the piece before putting it back together.

"No," Alice replied with a scowl. "It does not jamm at all. I can take care of my pistols. I make living by shooting peopel with them!" She then took the gun back from him, pulled the slide back and checked it, before inserting full mag in again.

"And I make my living makeing guns so you can shoot people with them." Caff retorted with a smile. "Anyway, that isn't what I want. How much for the TV remote?"

Alice reached into her bag and pulled gun in disscussion out. She let har hand slide around it almost as if she was petting it, like it would be dear friend. Before she answered she looked at Rosa first.

"You got room I could rent for a night?" She asked, while she opened the TV Remore and pulled two shells out, hadning it to Caff to check it out. It was in very good state as all the other guns.

"Only if you don't mind sharin' a bed with me or Lowry." Rosa replied, frowning over at Lowry, who nearly foamed at the mouth at the idea. "Or maybe just me."

"Depends..." said Alice looking Rosa in the eyes. "Would we do more then just sleeping?"

Rosa held up two hands in protest. "Ain't nothin' like that, sugar. I ain't had nothin' goin' on near my tuchus for so long I might be gatherin' dust down there."

Caff took the gun and broke it with one hand, listening to the sound it made. He again reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out two shells of his own and loaded it weapon. He balanced it for weight and then quickly ejected the shells.

"Aww that is a shame though." Alice replied. "I bet we would not get bored." Her eyes were looking a little lower then Rosa's eyes at the moment.

"Well, maybe you oughta sleep with Lowry then." Rosa said incredulously, an odd look shot Lowry's way. The man himself looked absolutely interested, smiling coyly at both of them.

"Not bad." Caff comminted, "How much you want for it?"

"Shame," Alice replied ignoring Lowry and turning her attention to Caff. "Well it is used so I cannot ask for full price. It gots iron-sights though and is very good. So yer give me 250 DAs and room to sleep and we have ourselves a deal. Oh and yer be in that room too!" She said and winked at the man.

"Ya'll are a rowdy bunch, tonight." Rosa said, pouring a drink for herself and pulling up her own stool.

Caff stood up from the bar and stepped back, taking a cigar from his jacket pocket. "Let me think about it a momet." He said with a matching devilish smile. "Its way to warm in here at the momet to make any dission like this."

"Well let me help yer with the thinking," she said and stood up too. She took her coat of and he could finally see her lean and athletic body. Tight t-shirt on her body, showing her rather large chest.

"Lowry, dear, go into the kitchen and throw some of those BBQ wings in the oven, sugar." Rosa said, michevious grin plying at her face.

"Aw, not while they're about to do wierd stuff, Rosa, c'mon." He protested. Rosa waved his bar tab at him, and soon Lowry was grumbling and shuffling away. Rosa herself went back to her drink.

Caff smiled as he lit the cigar with a match. He loved Nepleslian women. As beautifull as they were deadly. He blew out a smoke ring biding his time. He didn't trust her, good looking or not, he didn't really trust anyone these days. He had had to many one-night-stands in the past that in the morning had stollen his wallet. Luckaly, he wasn't carrying his waltet right now.

Alice looked him in the eyes and watching his face. He seemed to be thinking. She could not make his mind for him, but he seemed like an okay guy. SHe was also risking a lot by this. Who really knows what he is?

"Well? The price won't change. I want to spend night with nice guy or girl and you seem like it." She said to him, leaning on the bar.

Caff grinned and carefully put out his cigar and put it away for later. He stepped up close to Alice and put an arm around her waist. "Deal." He said as he kissed her.

So he was romantic. That was nice. She smiled just before he kissed her, before he put on hand on the back of his head and returned the kiss. It was passionate and felt good. She pulled back and smiled again.

"Well this is nice, looks like I won't be bored." She said to him. "let's drink some more firt though!" She added pointing to the 50 DA credit chit before Rosa.

"No, you'll be in good company tonight." Caff said as he gently pushed her towards the bedroom.

"Hey forget that crap." Caff added as he pulled out a large flask from his jacket pocket. "I've got some of the good stuff here and if your nice I'll share it with you."

"Oh, just take all of Rosa's business and run off to her bedroom with a stranger." Rosa said. Her voice wasn't angry or spiteful, but rather amused at Caffran's assumption that her room was free for him to use without even asking for permission. She produced a cigarillo and lit up, moving back around behind the bar.

Alice lit another ciggarete before showin Caffran her palm. It was a gesture showing that she won't drink from his flask.

"You do not spend much time in pubs do you?" She asked him with bemused voice. "You do not brink alcohol in bar, it is not polite." She then looked to Rosa. "Will you have a drink with us?" She asked.

"No I usally get thrown out before now." Caff answered sadly as he returned the flask to his pocket. A motherly smile crossed Rosa's features as she strode about the bar to gather some glasses with fresh ice in them. She even filled one for Lowry, should he choose to return.

"Maybe I'll give you lovebirds my room for a little while if you charm me with a drink." She said, slipping the glasses between them. A wicked grin crawled across her face. Lowry took it upon himself to return with the requested bowl of chicken-wings at this point.

"Or you can join us there!" Alice tried it again with a cheerful smile, raising her glass.

Caff gave Alice a sideways look. "I usally fly solo in bed." He then smiled at Rosa and said, "You can just put it on a bill and I'll pay in the morning. And don't worry, Caffran Canterbury always pays his bills."

"Uh, what'd I miss?" Lowry asked, seeing Rosa's wicked grin and distinctly remembering having recently been forced to clean out the stockroom over sneaking drinks.

"Caffram Cannerberry is trying to kick old Rosa out of her bedroom for the night, Lowry." Rosa informed her live-in customer, a hand crooking towards her waist. Lowry perked up at this.

Caffran put a hand on his chest, an expresson of hurt on his face. "Dear Rosa, I wouldn't dream of 'kicking you out'. Renting it out for a fair price is something diffrent wouldn't you say?"

"You can sleep in my bed, Rosa." Lowry suggested, with a hungry look about him.

"Great, it's settled then. You can sleep on the couch while the lovebirds shack up in your room." She replied cheerily. Then, she turned her attention back to Caffran "That'll set you back 225 DA, of course. Breakfast in the mornin'."

With his arm still around Alice, Caff smiled and said, "225DA sounds like a small price to pay for a fun night."

"Well evening is still young. Let's drink, talk and rejoice!" Alice said, putting her glass in the air. "A TOAST!" She said, waiting for the others. "Death to NMX fuckers!"

"I'll drink to that." Caff said, raising his own glass.

Rosa and Lowry joined is as well, the latter grunting appreciatively of the idea. Rosa herself smiled and drove the point home, "And to a free Green Nepleslia, too!"

"I'll drink to that too!" Yelled Caff as he downed his drink.

With the toast taken care of, Rosa plucked one of the chicken wings from her bowl and pried a tendril of the meat between two fingers while the sounds of the firefight picked up outside. It sounded like Paragon was winning.

"Anyhow, either of you kids thinkin' of lookin' up Mister Fester an' the resistance?" She asked, focusing on her freshly baked bird.

Caff listend to the sound of the gunfire outside. Sounded like it had picked up a notch or two. If it kept up, he might not a chance to use that room. "I might be. An organized resistance sounds a lot better than what I've been doing, which hasn't been much more than just staying alive."

"That's what the last feller come in here said... Lowry, what was his name? Sarge?" Rosa nudged Lowry, who was still staring forlornly at the couch.

"Close enough." He mumbled.

"Well not me. Sorry but this girl rides solo." Alice said, pat-patting revolver in holster on her belt. "I am merc, unless they pay well you won't see me there. But do not worry, I am nepleslian. I will kill every NMX bastard I see."

"Your not riding solo tonight I hope." Caff asked.

"Well I hope not!" Alice said and laughed out loud. "Hey Rosa, do you need bodyguard and bouncer? I will find some room nearby? I also accept foor and alcohol as payment." She said and laughed again.

"Sugar, I got me a handy-man who keeps the whipper-snappers off the stoop sellin' my liquor and a half-drunk wash-out sleepin' on my couch. I couldn't afford to keep you unless you worked for sweat and tears." Rosa informed her darkly. She left out the part about not even liking chicken as she bit into another one of the wings.

"You said that this Mister Fester is leading the resistance." Caff paused, He had temporary forget about his drink, and his date, and was doing some sereous thinking about this reistince.

"Well I am not afraid of helping out." Alice replied and shrugged. "Not like I can get anywhere from here." She said and smiled.

Rosa looked between the two of them, and then over to Lowry. He was signalling with his eyes for her to take Alice's offer. She was still thinking about Caffran, though. Alex had told her to be on the lookout for talented people who wanted to fight.

"Calf, I'm gonna give you an address. You pick up an' go to it in the mornin', y'hear?" She started, already jotting something onto a cocktail napkin, "It's a dock. There's s'posed to be a submarine parked there. If you ain't got tennacles, supposedly they won't shoot. That's where you're supposed to go if you want to join the 'cause' they got brewin'." She turned her attention to Alice. "And you. Go into the back and bring out a case of liquor. Can you make molotovs, sugar?"

Caff took the from Rosa and looked it over. He pulled a throwing knife out from behind his jacket collor and began to spin it around in his fingers as he stared at the napkin. He wasn't even aware that he was doing it. A nervis habit, he couldn't sit still very long and had to be fiddling with something at all times. "Why wait till morning?" he said more to himself than to anyone else.

"Sure," Alice replied, stood up and went for the liquor. She seemed to walk straight, completely unphased by the all the alcohol she drank recently.

"They move around at night to avoid attention. Mister Brown is out there, after all." Rosa said, pouring herself another drink.

Caff looked up from his thougths, surprised for a moment. "Hu? Oh. Mister Brown doesn't scare me. I can handle myself." As if to emphesis this, his knife slipped from his hand and fell point down on his other hand. "Feth!" He exclaimed as he stuck he wounded hand into his mouth.

"Careful!" Said Alice returning with the box of bottles filled with clear liquid. "You will need that hand tonight," She said playfully, setting the box on one of the tables.

"I'm guessin' you don't know who Mister Brown is," Lowry said, returning Caffran's knife to him, "He ain't one guy. He's a bunch of guys. You can handle yourself all you want, but six big ID-sol bruisers who all have the same idea can corner you in an alley and tear you a new asshole in seconds flat. They collect corpses and take them somewhere. Nobody knows where. They don't give a shit about Nepleslia-- they even wear NMX uniforms in public." Lowry pulled his collar aside to reveal a deep cut healing on his neck, as if to explain, 'They don't play around'.

"Or rape you..." mentioned Alice from her table. She seemed little distant at the mome

Caff took back his knife and put it away. "I know who they are. Had a run in with them a few nights back. Got away, but lost most of what I had at the time. A bunch of proto-type plasma weapons I had from Nepleslian Arms and Munitions where I was working when they first showed up." Caff banged his fist on the table. "5 Fethen new plasma weapons and I didn't even get a chance to find out how good they worked on those basterds!"

"Point is," Rosa took over again, "That big ole' submarine makes an appealing target, so they move it at night."

Caffran sighed. "Well then I might as well make the most of it." He took another drink and looked at Alice. The smile returned to his face. "Guess it ain't a total loss. I've still got the company of a beautifull lady tonight."

"We should all be so lucky." Lowry quipped, moving to the couch to inspect his shotgun. Rosa's instruction to Alice to make molotovs had piqued his fear that something was about to happen.

Alice fished out single bottle and sighed. She took out the cork in it and smelled.

"You know what?" She mentioned, not really paying attention to conversation. "It is always such a waste to make molotovs...."

 

[Lamb]

Re: [Pre-Game] Rosa's Hop-Joint

The way the dark of night had fallen over Rosa's Hop Joint was of a curious nature that evening. The typical distant gunfire had given way to the soft buzz of flourescent lights a few weeks past their prime. As the sun fell on the secluded alley bar on the south end of Funky City, the air seemed to thicken with the threat of imminent rain-- the clouds growling their affirmation in greying rumbles that drew nearer and nearer until the night was pitch black and they couldn't be seen one way or the other.

Inside, the bar's namesake Rosa was on her knees in front of a splintered wooden box covered with dials and tubes; poking at its electric intestines with a frustrated sideways look on her face. Nearby, her live-in customer Lowry sat hunched over the bar as if she were still behind it; clutching tight his drink and boring a steady glare into the wall.

Before Lowry had a chance to have the wall give up in its staring contest, the doors to the bar opened. A woman clad in a black old styled duster a set of tinted aviator glasses, and a matching hat to the duster walked in. She took a quiet moment looking around the bar before a smile crossed her face, raising her hand up and pulling off the glasses , putting them in her coat pocket. " Heh, good place to stumble upon.. looks like rain." She mutters to herself, sitting down at the bar, choosing the stool nearist to any doorway that may lead to a stock room, or any closer adjacent room. " Evening " she says with a nod

As if insulted by her seating position halfway across the bar, Lowry returned her greeting with a gruff, "What? Do I smell bad or somethin'?"

Rosa didn't look up from her work at first, asking the wires, "What's that, Lowry-dear?"

Lowry cocked his head to Rosa and barked, "New customer."

With a start, Rosa whipped around from her place on the floor to eye the newcomer. "Oh, I see! Sorry honey," She reassured the newcomer as she stood and skittered behind the bar to grasp at the bottles, "I didn't notice ya there. Name's Rosa, and this sorry-lookin' sod here is Lowry. What'll you have?"

The woman took off her hat, shaking out her ponytail. "Judging by whats going on out there, I think its likely a better question to ask, what do you have?". She completly ignored Lowry's gruff comment for the moment, seemingly not taking notice of him. She put her hat down on the bar. " Though if you gave me a choice, I would like a whiskey on the rocks"

Rosa lifted a bottle to illustrate her only possible selection-- only to find it empty. She frowned at the empty bottle and set it down on the bar. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Lowry before calling over her shoulder, "Alice, sugar-pie, while you're in the basement bringin' up those tools I asked for, could you bring me a couple more bottles of the only liquor we have?"

From the bowels of the pub could be heard a female voice. "Yar!" It said and soon after several clinks and clanks could be heard. Then the sound of a crash and a gun being fired. Then quiet, closely followed by steps. From the doors next to the bar came a woman. She was quite tall, long hazelnut-coloured hair reaching up to middle of her back. She wore a simple checkered shirt, cargo pants and combat boots. In her lips hung a smoking cigarette and she also held a large smoking revolver in her hand, which she holstered. In her other hand she had two bottles of clear liquid.

"Here yer go lass," Woman said and put the bottles on the bar. "There was a rat in the cellar again. Bloody thing."

When the shot had rang out, the newcomer's hand had gently moved its way into her coat, resting on what would obviously be the handle of a pistol. She held it for a moment watching for everyone else's reactions. When the woman showed up with the smoking pistol, and then gave the explination she relaxed, moving her hand back to the bar counter " There must not be much of the rat left." She muttered, left hand now moving to a pocket and pulling out a small black ashtray, resting it on the bar.

"Depends on how much Alice had to drink." Lowry quipped through lighting a cigarette.

"Oh, Lowry, you hush." Rosa swatted at his hand as she made her way to the two bottles brought to her. Satisfied with the errand, she held one up to the newcomer. "These, sugar, are home-made by my handy man Handy-- Fire Angel er somethin' he calls it. Anyhow, it ain't whiskey and I'm pretty sure it's part petroleum-- but I think it's better n' goin' thirsty... uh, Girl, what did you say your name was?"

"Adele" She she said, eyeing the drink with obvious doubt. " I guess you're right... you said your handyman made it?" She took a moment to eye the room, the state of its repair, and to consider exactly what would trigger a handyman to start brewing something fit for human consumption ".. well, yes, you are right. How much will this adventure cost me? And I assume other people have had it and have lived to tell the tale?" she said the last part dryly as she adjusted herself on her seat, opening up her coat for comfort. She was wearing a simple white dress shirt, black vest, and matching black pants under. A Zen Armraments 45 was on easy display.

The brunette with the large revolver just laughed and took one of the bottles and a shot glass, pouring it full. She then proceeded to pick it up and drink it all in one swig. Her face showed that it was strong stuff. "See," she said then looking at the newcomer. "It's okay. Tastes great too!"

Lowry emptied his glass as well, holding the empty up with a grunt to show a similar notion. Rosa smiled at them, her advertisers, and added, "First one's always free at the Hop Joint. After that, six de-yay a glass, honey."

The new arrival paused a moment, making sure the other two stayed on their feet before she took up her own glass, and downed it back. After a brief moment she coughed a few times, not quite expecting just how strong it was . She raised a hand to her mouth as she coughed, covering it up " It is.. definitely unique, I will give it that. Another, if you would. I will also cover these two brave soul's fist drink. " She took a moment to clear her throat afterwords. Lowry smiled and reached instinctively for the bottle; even though he'd already helped himself to the bottom half of the previous one. Rosa snatched it from him and poured it into three glasses with a sour look on her face.

Adele looked to the woman with the large gun a moment, as Lowry and Rose played with the bottle" I dont believe I heard you introduce yourself.. Alice, was it?"

"Well," the lady with the gun responded, pouring herself another glass, but not drinking it right away. "Yer did not hear me introduce myself, because I did not. Anyway. Yar, I am Alice. I help out Rosa with things around here." She explained and then proceeded back to the doors, going down into the cellar. "Be back in a jiffy," could be heard as she descended into the land of the rats.

"And she sleeps with people, too, if you buy a gun from her." Lowry added as he watched her leave over his glass with hungry eyes.

Adele looked over to Lowry in a moment of disbelief as he made the comment , wighing his words paired with that stare. She gave her head a bit of a shake, and looks back to Rosa " It seems you have a lot of hand people about, the secret to this place running with everything going on?" She took up her own drink, but didnt pound it back this time, sipping.

"Hmm?" Rosa started, looking up from some of the parts to the box she'd been working on before Adele came in. After the words registered, she responded more eagerly, "Oh, naw, it ain't like that. Handy was always my handyman before the bombs. Alice, back there, she's new in the neighboorhood. Rentin' out the upstairs room in exchange for liquor and meat."

Lowry shook his head a little and stated his own purpose, grand as it was. "And I'm the good for nothin' drunk who sleeps on the couch."

Adele smirked, a hand reaching into the same pocket that held the ashtray and pulling out a cigerette " It must be the wit and charm that allows you such a life in the middle of a war, I can see why she keeps you around" Putting the ciggerette in her mouth, she made to pull out a lighter and grumbles. She looked to Rosa" Got a light?"

Steps could be heard as Alice was on her way back up. She emerged with a grin, carrying large toolbox. "Ah don't be like that Lowry," she said still grinning. "Yer not good for nothing, yer good for making fun off." She finished with laugh and carried the toolbox to Rosa. "Here yer go hun," Her delivery was finished with that. She then just fished in her pocket, before taking a classical petrol lighter and tossing it towards Adele.

Adele caught the lighter, looking it over a moment with a nod as she lit up the cigerette, taking a deep drag, and letting it rest in the ashtray. She then blew out the smoke, towards Lowry , the smirk not leaving her face, encouraged by Alice's comments

Rosa had by this point grasped the toolbox and rushed it over to her waiting patient in the corner. A wide grin began to form on her face as she stripped a wire here and crossed another there. Meanwhile, Lowry was staring through the smoke at Adele.

"Adele." He said purposefully, "You see what I have to deal with here, this Alice? And now you're gonna blow smoke at me. That's nice of you, but I got my own cigarette, lady."

The smirk left Adele's face as he said it, she met his eyes a moment and inclined her head slightly in understanding, some sort of quiet respect earned. She turns to face Alice and tosses the lighter back to her " Thanks" She said. Then turned back and finished off her drink in one fluid motion. "From the sound of it most of you have been here from the beginning of the war. I just waundered into this neighborhood.. is it any better here ? More pockets of people such as this bar still standing?"

Alice caught her lighter and pocketed it, before making her way behind the bar. She took her glass and sipped a little of the gun-cleaner fluid called drink. "Well I am around here only for couple of days actually," she said, looking at the girl, obviously checking her out. She was tiny, but still carried a piece. But who does not these days. "This neighborhood is slightly better than the ohters, but yer still have to be careful. In the day you can see folks around, but at night you better hide. Mr. Brown stalks the streets then. Oh there are stilll paragoons who will just shoot your and rob yer if yer lucky."

" Mr Brown?.. One guy scares everyone off the streets?..Must be a hell of a nutjob to do that around here.. " she said, looking thoughtful about the whole thing. She took up her cigerette again, taking another drag. This time harmlessly blowing the smoke into the air

"He's one guy, but they made a lot of him." Came Lowry, smoke trailing every word, "He likes to travel in packs of four. Hell, last night I swear I saw six of the motherfuckers si-"

"Got it!" Rosa interjected cheerily before bounding up to survey her now-completed work. The wooden box she'd been tinkering with all night was closed up now, a soft blue light glowing in the trim around the edges. Rose poked at her chin for just a moment before poking one of the many buttons on the face of the monolithian antique. Almost immediately, the loudest possible music filled the room-- drowning out everything. "Shit! Shit! What the hell is this!?"

Adele jumped a bit as the music started playing, the last thing she expected. It seems to take a moment for her to clue in exactly where it was comeing from " Turn that thing off! " she tried to shout above the music , urgency in her voice.

"I don't know how!" Rosa shouted back, pressing every button with furious panic in her eyes. The box seemed to show no intention of changing its tone.

Adele stood, removing her coat in its entirty now. Strapped to the inside back of it was her Na-W/P-08 v3. She quickly picked up the weapon, ripping off the heavy duct tape that was keeping it in place and loading a mag. She eyed the box as she did so, obviously intending to shut it up for good.. The box seemed indignant, continuing its raucous music as a challenge-- almost seeming to say, 'Go ahead, bitch. Do it.'

"By Feth," Alice said the phrase learned from her last lover. Suddenly and surprisingly she leapt over the bar, landing in frotn of Adele. Seemingly not intersted in the gun, being loaded and readied to fire, she pointed single finger right into the girls face. "Put. The gun. Down." She said word after word.

Adele obviously couldnt believe what she was being told" Get out of the way you fool! This thing is going to bring hell down on us if we dont shut it up soon! I for one would like to live the night!" She didn't pull the trigger, and lowered it.. slightly, just enough so that Alice could tell she didn't intend to pull the trigger on her to get to the music that was slowly bringing them all to their potential doom.

Pop!

The silence that came upon the room at that moment was louder than the music-- leading the collective eyes of the room to Lowry, who stood over the machine holding a power cable dangling in his hand. He looked back at the two women who were bickering moments before like they were from another world before handing the end of the cable to an upset looking Rosa and resuming his seat.

"Now put the gun away before yer hurt yourself." Alice said as she turned back towards the girl. "Yer think if yer started firing that it would bring about ten thousands more attention then playing music? Save ammo for when will really need it." She then took her glass and finished, it walking to Lowry and sitting next to him. She took out her pack of smokes and offered one to him. She would not get to hear compliment, but he would at least get free ***.

Even though Alice had no way of knowing it, she shook her head at the chiding , looking as if to say something in retort. " Its silenced" she said simply , knowing the gun would have not made even close to the racket that the music box was playing. ".. and I had thought the plug had been checked, or I never would have drawn it" She looked towards the door then, a bit nervous even though the music stopped playing . She looked at the people who shared the bar with her at the moment, and simply opted for the last option that came to her, sitting down again.

"... One more for the road." she muttered, just loud enough to be heard

"Good song." Lowry said wistfully, claiming his cigarette prize and scooting a bit closer to Alice. Rosa pouted for a minute and then dropped the cable over the top of the ancient juke-box. Lowry went on, "Reminds me of my ex-wife... or maybe her sister."

"So, uh, Allday..." Rosa tried to revive the air of witty playfulness from before by showing a kindhearted interest in Adele. "You, uh, you... Oh, do you fight the insurgency? Are you with the Revolutionaries? The Resistance?"

"She's a hitwoman more likely," Alice stepped in, pouring herself another glass. "Resistance thugs, does not carry silenced SMG, that are often goverment issued, strapped to her back." It was plain reasoning, it also made Alice watch the girl.

Adele didnt respond right away, she was obviously somewhat in her own little world , but Rosa's banter snapped her out of it a bit "Adele." She intoned , almost a practiced thing to being called 'Allday'. She looked to Alice and shakes her head" No, I am not a hitwoman. If I was, would I be here, in a bar, having acted quite the fool and almost shot up a jukebox of all things?" a bit of the dry amusment left her voice, it wasn't hard to guess she was angry with herself

Alice turned her heard to Adele. "I have never said yer a good hitwoman," she said and grinned, raising her glass towards Adele.

Adele couldnt help but regain a bit of her smirk at the statment " Truth be told, I am somewhat here to help out , is it where, but I am rather new to the area and getting my bearings. " She looked to Rosa " And I must admit, I know little about the resistance. Would you be so kind as to fill me in?"

"Looks like we got another one." Lowry muttered, referring to the other two recent walk-ins Rosa had informed of the Resistance. Rosa ignored the comment and poured herself a drink before pulling her hair out of the tail tied in a bun on the back of her head.

"Sugar, there must be some sort of thing the Resistance leader knew about-- him coming in here like he did and tellin' me all about it like he did. Every single customer come through this door with the exception of Miss Alice has run off to join them or asked questions about 'em. I'll fill ya in, sweetie." Rosa made an exposition out of it, preforming her well-practiced routine of jotting down the address of a city dock on a cocktail napkin. "This feller, Alex Fester, he come in here and tell me all about it. He's the one in charge, see. His name was Fester, wasn't it, Lowry?"

"Close enough." Came the reply.

"So this Fester character," Rosa went on, "He tells me that if anybody comes in here asking about joining up-- I send 'em his way. They're keeping congress in an old submarine, parked at a dock. Word is, it's on the East Side these days, at this dock. You want to fall in with 'em, you head that way and be peacable-like. So long as you ain't got tentacles or Mister Brown type features-- they won't blow you to kingdom come."

Alice snickered. "And hope won't meet tentacled or be made to blow some Mister Brown on the way."

During the explination, Adele quietly pushed some more money onto the table, gestureing to Lowry , Alice, Rosa and herself.. the next round was on her for the story.

".. You make this sound like you have said it quite a few times. How many people have you sent their way by now?"

"Three this week, plus two the week before that. Well, you'd be the third this week." Rosa supplemented, "And it's all since that Fester fellow slipped in here followin' around some old guy. It's like he know ya'll was coming here or something."

" Well it wouldnt be that hard to guess, how many other even semi popular places are thre in the area? Let alone ones you can get something to drink in... even if its questionably a drink to begin with. It stands to reason if he leaves a message with you .. well everyone wants a place to be, something to do, and if you can do more then survive all the better. " She was starting to get ahold of herself. The Jukebox had been a mistake but not one she could find herself holding onto for long. " At the moment though, I think I will take a bit of time before I make the trip, get used to the area. Maybe make you some money in the process."

Rosa started to smile and say something motherly and reassuring like she usually does, when the sound of pounding boots and hurried voices echoed from outside. Her smile faded quickly, almost as quickly as the shotgun came up from behind the bar and panned the door.

"Quiet down a second, ya'll."

"Lowry get in the cellar," Alice whispered and drew her Hand Cannon. She slowly turned around towards the doors. She slid behind the doorframe, leading towards the back of the bar. At least some cover for her as she peeked out her gun ready.

Adele took up her SMG; carefuly bringing it up and taking aim at the door. Even as she did so she slipped off the bar stool, very slowly edging her way to the door frame she was so careful to choose out, any cover was good cover.

"Fuck that stupid cellar." Lowry whispered back harshly, waving his HHG and bouncing over the bar to stand next to Rosa. "I'm stayin' right here with Rosa. Bitter end, an' all that shit."

Outside the voices grew louder. Six men in immaculate white uniforms gathered at the stoop of the Hop Joint, clutching a variety of weapons. Behind them, in the street, a buggy sat with two more waiting inside, its turret panning the alleyway the bar rested in.

The men waited a moment, conferring with each other. Some had rifles; one carried a pistol. The pair in the buggy, with its heavy machine gun, kept watch, but they kept their gaze close to the concrete floor of the urban jungle.

They never looked up. The pair in the buggy never would.

Inside the bar, Rosa and the others heard a thump, distant but recognizable — a rocket-propelled grenade. For a brief second there was silence, but the bar's occupants imagined as the Browns outside turned their heads to the sound. One was heard muttering, "What the fuck now —"

BKOOOOOM!

The Browns outside stopped hearing shit as soon as the grenade blasted into the buggy and made its gas tank burst into a massive ball of fire and revenge. They scattered from the doorway to Rosa's, seeking cover in the alley's many pieces of debris, with one of them suddenly smashing into the door of the bar to try and get in somehow.

Another less loud boom could be hear as first silhoute of Id-Sol appeared in the doorway. Alice pulled the trigger of her large single action revolver, sending out a solitary fifty-caliber bullet. It flew its way and crashed right into man's chest, with enough power to stop him mid-stride and send him to the ground. Lorath indeed knew how to make a powerful handgun.

"Come on, ladies!" Lowry shouted, hopping the bar, "Let's chase 'em off!" Rosa kept her place with the shotgun, but looked to Alice and Adele expectantly-- too old to route the foes that didn't come to her.

"Damned fool" Adele muttered, pulling herself from her door frame and moving in a slow controlled fashon after Lowry. Her eye never left the red-dotted scope on the rail of her weapon, her finger on the trigger ready to mow down any other Brown that makes his way towards the door. Seeing that the Brown's were in fact, ID-Sol, her finger flipped on the mass driver for her weapon incase she needed more stopping power. " Dont rush them, move slowly, we dont know their numbers or where the RPG came from"

"Crazy bugger gonna gets himself killed." Alice muttered as she left her cover and rushed to catch up with Lowry, her thumb rotating the cylinder and preparing her gun to fire again.

Lowry fired a blast from his HHG into an ID-Sol cowering in the light of the burning buggy and shouted, "It's that magnificent bastard, Handy! He's the one with the-" A fist emerged from the shadow and collided with Lowry's jaw, instantly grounding him.

As soon as Adele saw Lowry go down she turned her weapon on the Brown, aiming for his chest and letting the kickback carry her rounds up his torso as she squeezed the trigger, three rounds, pop , pop, pop fired off into the night air. Her reward was a stumbling corpse colliding into her while the sounds of others scuffled about in the shadow, coming closer.

Adele had little option but fall down under the weight of the large man. dropping her weapon in the confused scramble as she hit the ground . She heard there where more, she had to get free! She fought with the body, slowly forcing it off of her as quickly as her small frame would allow, her cybernetic right arm doing most of the work.

Alice did not wait up, two of her allies were down for the count. One had his lights punched, while other was busy being crushed by dead body. Alice ran over Lowry's sleeping body, scooping his HHG by her left hands, she sommersaulted for nearest cover, her eyes looking for next target. As she landed the HHG aimed she fired two rounds.

The three remaining ID-Sol's forms became apparent as the bar's patrons adjusted to the light of the fire. Adele was left alone in favor of Alice-- the more current threat who'd just killed another ID-Sol. Two of the three rushed her at full speed with arms outstretched. The third seemed to fade into the darkness as if suddenly recalled to another plane.

As quickly as she could, Adele pushed the corpse off of herself, reaching for her weapon once more. She managed to get it trained just as the one Brown seemed to vanish infront of her, not a good sign. She focused for a moment, letting her eyes adjust from normal vision to infrered, seeing if she can track his movements and put him down before he becomes a bigger issue. Unfortunately, the wily ID-Sol seemed to have fled the alley before she could switch, in an undetermined direction. One thing was certain-- he wasn't an immediate threat.

"Eeek," Went Alice like a pro when two ID-Sol started rushing at her. She fired blindly at the one who was closer with her hand-cannon while, her left hand twisted the HHG in it. She now held it in a way that she could use the stock as a baton, making sure not to hold the barrell itself, which usaully was quite hot after the gun had been fired a few times.

As soon as she could, Adele turned her weapon on the Browns, hopefully beating at least one of them before they could get close enough to Alice where shooting into the tangle of them would be as dangerous to her ally as her enemies. She took aim on the one the largest distance from her and once more opened fire , two bursts aimed at his back.

Perhaps it was the power of friendship, teamwork, or some cheesy-sounding Yamataian word (Nakama). Somehow, though, the shots seemed to work together; with Alice and Adele simultaneously emptying the alleyway of life. After the echo of the shots passed, the only sound remaining was that of the crackling fire.

Adele made her way over to Alice, not lowering her weapon. She took a few moments to be damned sure no more enemies are in the area before speaking" .. Good shot, handywoman"

"Fuck this I need a drink." Alice said, HHG turned in fire-ready positiong in her hand again. She aimed at Id-Sols heads and fired a singe round in each of them.

Adele did nothing to stop her. She was no medic , but she knew enough to find out just how bad that punch had leveled Lowry, she made her way over, kneeling by the man and giving him a quick once over. He elicited a moan, but otherwise seemed still.

Once Id-Sols were finished Alice went back in, walking by Adele and Lowry, dropping the HHG on the man's chest.

Awaiting Alice in the bar was the one that got away. Not the handsome Caffran Cantebury, mind you, but rather the ID-Sol that had eluded them in the alley before. It would've been a simple matter to shoot him, if it weren't for the fact that he held Rosa in front of him like a middle-aged barkeep shield; with her shotgun held out like a pistol in his other hand.

"Drop it, bitch." He commanded. His gargantuan arm was across Rosa's face, ready to snap her neck like a twig.

"Easy mate," Alice responded, her gun being set on the ground. "How about a drink?" She moved one step closer, leaving her gun effectively behind. "Hey how about a hostage swap? My friend has one of yer buds alive outside. You let Rosa go and we let both of you go. That fair eh?"

"Not important." Brown barked, "Tell the other little bitch to drop her shit, too, or this hag gets blunted... Now!"

Adele swore under her breath when she heard the voice. Looking over to Alice remaining in the door it wasnt to hard to guess what was going on. She tried to use the much larger woman as cover, pulling off her holster for her pistol, she took the weapon, sliding it in the back of her pants, hopefuly within reach when she needed it. She then stood, approached the door with her SMG, seeing how this would play out.

"Drop it." The command came a second time. As if to underline his text, Mister Brown stepped forward, squeezing Rosa a bit harder. Her feet lifted off of the ground by a few inches and her face began to redden as the massive arm covering her mouth started to overlap her nose as well. "You do not want me to repeat myself, do you, c***?'

Adele looked as if she wasnt in fact going to drop it a moment, meeting Mister Brown's eyes before she reluctantly followed the command, lowering the weapon and putting it on the ground with a kneel, careful to keep her back straight , then stood again " So what happens now?" she says, taking a step back and placing herself infront of Alice , the gun now obvious to her as well

"Okay guns are away. Yer leave now or yer want us to start french-kissing or something?" Alice asked and grinned at Mr. Brow. She was not really scared, not for herself. She did care for Rosa though.

Mister Brown's face contorted into a wicked devil's grin at the suggestion. He let out a guffaw and relaxed his grip on Rosa just enough for her to take a desperate breath through her nose. "If I wasn't in such a hurry, I'd make you do terrible things to her, since you're such a little whore. Right now? I can't fuck around with you. Just step aside, let me through. When I make it to the end of the alley, your precious little bar-bat can come running back to you."

With this plan in mind, Brown shuffled forward with the shotgun held high, keeping it painted over both of the women in the door way.

Alice stepped aside making sure she was on other side of the door frame then Adele.

Adele moved carefuly around Mr Brown as he approached, careful not to let the much larger man see behind her, and to attempt to give Alice as much access to the gun as possible , very doubtful that he would keep to his part of this plan.

Brown kept his back to the door and watched both of them carefully as he started his escape, slowly backing into the mouth of the street with the flames of the burning buggy at his back. Rosa started kicking and shouting muffled protests into his elbow the closer they got to the road. Mister Brown whispered softly to her, "Now, now, calm down. It's not gonna be so bad-- you look like you ain't had none in a while. I bet your shit's so fucking tight."

Rosa wiggled and squirmed in his grip. He continued, "Yeah, I know what you need. I promise to fuck you slow, you need all the time you can get."

As the Id-Sol started paying attention to Rosa, Alice sprung to action. She suddenly and very swiftly jumped forward landing on Lowry and grabbing his HHG, laying on his chest. She knew that the gun still held two rounds. From down low she could not pull a body or head shot. Not to mention she could hit Rosa that way. She aimed at something else, under Rosa's wiggling feet was big muscly ankle and calf. Perfect place for last two shots in the HHG. Bang! Bang!

The second Alice jumped by it was apparent to Adele that she had not seen the gun. All attempts at subtly now failed, she reached for it herself, drawing it in a swift motion, hoping Alice's noise was enough to have Mr Brown focus on her, rather then the seemingly non threatning Adele , and aiming for the man's head. She squeesed the trigger hoping she was in time.

As the blasts rocked his ankles, the lumbering giant fell backwards, right on his ass, holding Rosa tight all the screaming way down. "Son of a fucking bitch!" He screamed into the night, "You fucking dykes want to do it the hard way!"

He could shout in relative safety, now that he was grounded, Rosa's struggling form provided more than adequate cover for him. "You fucking dirty, rotten, foul-tainted whores want to see your friend die right here, just to put a man on his back!? Fine! Watch the bitch choke!"

The shotgun that had been held high the entire time waved side to side in the shadows of the flames, only slightly obscuring the beefy arm flexing around Rosa's neck. Her mouth and nose were fully exposed to the night air, but none could be gathered by her ever tighter throat. Mister Brown's wicked grin was still plastered on his face inspite of his wounds, and he called to them, "You like this? Huh!? Do you like watching this?"

Alice decided. She jumped to her feet, started moving towards the man. He only had one shot with his pump-action shotgun. If he will miss Alice can punch some sense in his balls, if not Adele can come closer and shoot him. It seemed as worthy risk to Alice. She hoped, she wouldn't get shot, but in reality it would not be the first time.

Mister Brown levelled the shotgun with Alice's approaching form, beckoning her in with his hesitation. At the final crucial moment, his finger wrapped tight around the trigger and tensed up to fire the damning blast.

"Nooooo, you won't do that," a voice said behind the Brown. An old voice, one bolstered by years of alcohol abuse yet strained at the same moment. Rocks inside a blender, maybe.

"You won't be doin' that at all, ya dogloving miserable muckhumper."

The Brown angled his head around to look at the voice behind him down the alley — and forever looked on as a glittering arrow pierced his head right between the eyes, slipping out the back, a slicing arrowhead with several sharp barbs gleaming with blood. He went slack from Rosa's form and became a pile of flesh on the ground.

Handy, holding his loaded RPG, plodded forward with a smile, while another shadowed form suddenly ran forward past him, shouting.

"AUNTY ROSA!" the teenage girl shouted, running up to her with her bow now around her chest and shoulder. "Aunty Rosa! Are you alright?"

"Destiny, shhhhh," Handy said down the alley as he kept walking toward the group. "Never know if more are around. Rosa's the Angel of this damned whole area. She's not about to die from one of those worthless bastards, no, not for all the DA in Davis' vault."

The old man tipped his cap to Alice and the new girl, Adele. "Top of the evening to ya both, ladies. A fine night for fire and righteous brimstone? I must say yes."

Adele eyed the man a moment before lowering her gun, not quite sure exactly where this man came from , but he was obviously a friendly. ".. Not what I would consider a fine night, but it went as well as could be execpted. " I dont believe I heard your name?"

Alice just shook her head and sighed, finished her run against the Id-Sol. She was pretty damn sure, that if these two would not show up, she would get shot in the chest. Which would hurt, and leave a nasty scar. Though knowing Rosa, all that was loaded in it might have been salt round.

"Hey lass," Alice said, unwrapping the big hand off Rosa and helping her on her feet. "Care for a drink? Or maybe a hug?"

Rosa didn't respond immediately, coughing a great deal with her newly opened lungs. She glanced around her, to Hand and Destiny, Alice and Lowry (Who had begun to stir at this point), to Adele. After a moment to catch her breath, she said weakly, "That dirty bastard thought he was gonna have a good time with old Rosa..." She sputtered a bit and grabbed Alice's hand to get to her feet. "His littly guy would have to be made of solid-gold wristwatches for me to even let him get near my tuchus... Is, uh, Are Lowry and Allday okay?"

Adele left comforting Rosa to Alice, it wasnt her place. She took a moment to move near Lowery, picking up her holster and making sure that he was still on the mend. Then, she stood once more, gathering up her equipment and checking it for damages.

"Lowry just got his light punched out," Alice sait, she put her hand on Rosa's should trying to be a little more comforting. Rosa might be tough as nail, but situation like shooks with everyone. "More importantly, are yer okay?"

"Destiny, sugar." Rosa ignored Alice's question, "Go get some ice for Lowry's head, sweetie, would you? Poor thing thinks he's a movie hero."

The young girl shook her neon green-and-pink-haired head with the same determination she'd loosed the arrow and shuffled off into the bar. Rosa peered around behind her before approaching Lowry and Adele.

"How's he look, Allday?"

Adele looked to Rosa as she spoke up" I am not much of a medic, but as far as I can tell he will be fine. Might have a hell of a headache , and I wont envy the black eye that follows" She slides her pistol into the holster." You should go and sit, I will bring the hero in after."

Alice walked to Lowry and grabbed his legs. "Let's get him on the couch. Allday." She said and snickered.

Adele shook her head and chukled softly at the nickname the first she had ever had. She moves to the other side of Lowry, picking him up by the arms and helping Alice take him in

Once the two women move Lowry into the bar and on the couch, Adele streached " Will more of them show up? Or do they work as seperate individual units?"

"No one knows, but I think since grandpa blew up their buggy, they had no time to call for help. Good shot by the way." She said and nodded the older man's way. She then moved toward the younger girl with bow. "Hi," she said slightly timidly.

The girl turned to look back at Alice. She was tall and young, all legs and sinew, wearing stretchy black pants, a tight white t-shirt and a black leather jacket. Her shoes were running shoes, but she'd spray-painted them a lightning blue. Her pouty lips were colored with a hazy mixture of the same blend as her short, razor-cut hair, which looked like a diagonal gradient — how it came to be dyed that way was anyone's guess but her's.

"Hi!" she chirped. "You're Alice, right? Grandpa mentioned you. I'm Destiny."

Alice smiled back at her. "I sure am, nice to meet you Destiny." Were the word Alice let out first. "Good thing you came when you did. Nice shooting." Using a bow was not easy and Alice knew that. She never used one before, but she heard about it and looked into it. A Steathly weapon and accurate too, but the user had to be skilled. It was a hard weapon to master.

"Thanks!" Destiny chirped again, arms behind her back as she rocked from her toes to her heels. "I've practiced since I was little. Momma and Grandpa taught me. Grandpa's told me about those Browns before.

"What fucks, huh?" she burbled, like a happy little water fountain spewing foul poison.

"Yeah they are real bastards." Alice said, she had few run-ins with them in past and will most likely have more in future. "I was stupid enough to only have one gun at me. Gonna carry my little killer in my undies from now on or something." She grinned and picked up her Hand Cannon, giving it quick check before holstering it.

"Grandpa always says to carry extra arms!" Destiny's hands suddenly appeared palm-up toward Alice, but with a pair of blued derringers in them, barrels pointed toward each other.

"That sure is handy," she said, fairly interested in small guns. "What caliber is that?" She asked with a smile. "Care for a drink by the way?" She added a question, poiting to the bar with her thumb.

"I'm too young for alcohol, but if there's a root beer, I'll have one, please!" She flicked her hands, and the weapons vanished. "They're Twenty-Two Long Rifle!"

"LR you say?" Alice asked as she studied what was behind the bar with a frown. "That can ruin someones day quite easily if you know where to hit. And something tels me you do know that and also are capable of hitting the places." Frown got even worse. "Darn, I am afraid all there is is a moonshine and ... water. If you are brave enough to call it water. I can heat you some chicken wings though."

"No root beer? Oh no, Grandpa must not have hid it in the right place. Is there any of that sugary alcohol stuff that comes in beat-up bottles and tastes like lemonade? I don't drink alcohol except that, but don't tell Grandpa, OK?" Destiny rubbed the back of her neck and laughed. "I get really drunk off that stuff! Hahahaha!"

'I'll check the cellar, there is al ot of bottles there." Alice said with smile. Easily drunk eh? In Alice's head smal little devil started to laugh. "And don't worry I will be silent as a grave. Yer grandpa seems to have other worries anyway. Plus you deserve a reward." The tall mercernary encouragedthe younger girl as she headed down to find sweety-lemonade stuff. Corrupting them when they were young was always fun.

"OK!" Destiny said before turning about and seeing the others.

"Adele." Lowry groaned from the couch. His eyes fluttered open and wandered to the bar's newest customer.

Adele turned around to face Lowry " Yeah? and stay laying down. If you got a concussion from that punch you took moving around to quickly wouldnt be a good thing"

"Yeah, yeah." He snapped. If one could snap slowly and groggily, that is, "Hey, about earlier..." Lowry squinted in the fuzzy light. "You did me a favor and shit. Thanks and shit... And shit."

She figured this is what accounted for well, the best thanks a man like Lowry was likely to give she noded once to him "Next time just... be more careful. I have a feeling that the people here would become a mess if you went and got yourself killed. " The words came akward from her, obviously something shes not accustomed to giving

"Doubt it." Lowry suggested, closing his eyes again, "And, uh, can I ask for one more favor?"

" I am listening, Lowry " she said, finishing her visual inspection of her SMG, and standing with it at rest at her side.

"How about..." Lowry's cracked lips twisted into as mischevious of a grin he could manage, "How's about you give old Lowry a 'get-well' kiss?"

Adele rolled her eyes with a smirk. "It's amazing what a concussion will make people say isnt it? Otherwise, I would hate to have to rough up an injured man."

"Don't bother." Rosa steamrolled her way up to Lowry with Handy close in tow, being dragged by the sleeve to get him 'out of the cold'. She stopped at Lowry and stared him down. "You don't deserve a kiss from a damn bullfrog right now, you no-good, drunken airbag. What the hell happened to your 'stay with Rosa' and 'bitter end' message? You left me standin' in that bar so Mister Brown could get his dirty paws on me, you mop-head."

"Now, Rosa, Angel, sun of the day! Don't blame the man for his imbibing of your delicious spirits. He's just not the snuff you need." Handy winked at Lowry as he was pulled along, tipping his cowboy hat and adjusting his RPG over his shoulder.

"And you, y'old coot!" Rosa tugged Handy's sleeve to pull him down to here eye-level, "Cain't you just learn to use a rifle, or do I gotta house train you to stop leaving blowed up shit in my alley-way? Handy, his big meaty hands were squeezin' at my honkers in here. If he hadn't had a big old stack of crates and pallets and blowed up buddies to hide behind, I woulda smacked him a new one. You watch your suggestions, Mister."

Adele could only smirk, watching the follout . Rosa's 'wrath' something to avoid in the future. She made her way for her coat, taking a moment to replace her SMG, hidden once more in it, secureing it, then placed it back on, brushing it out for comfort

"A rifle's for young men with spry legs to do all the runnin' to check on what they likely missed from all those yards away!" Handy cried through a smile full of teeth. "Scavengers, they'll be by for the hulk soon enough, now. But I do declare my apologies for the debris, and how that horsehaving puddle of dung mauled you. Destiny saw to him. Only proper way to handle his sort. Hell's got a stock for him, and so many instruments of fire to ream his very soul with, you betcha, you betcha."

Rosa planted her hands on her hips and leaned back, as if recoiling from some powerful stench. She then turned in a huff and walked back over to her juke-box, what had been the night's project. It sat there looking innocently back at her with its unlit diodes and dangling power cable. Rosa sat down in front of it and pried open the service door to remove the small card containing the song that had ruined her night, as well as everyone else's. She frowned down at the tiny card between her fingers and curled up her knees in front of her.

Adele made her way over, curosity apparent. She had a unlit cigerette in her hand that was momentarily forgotten. " What do you plan to do with it, Rosa?"

Rosa shook her head. "I ain't rightly sure. I hate to throw it away after Lowry worked so hard to drag it in here today, an' I spent all afternoon fixin' it up. "

Adele"...keep it, learn to adjust the volume and use it. Sometimes it is better to learn, and master our mistakes then simply tossing them aside. " she smirked a bit" Just dont let me hear it again"

"I don't think I'll ever need to hear that song again as long as I live, sugar." Rosa said, turning the tiny card in the light.

As the two by the bar started to get into what many would consider trouble. Adele spoke" If that is the case, I will give you the cost of a drink for it. A pretty good deal I would say."

Rosa shrugged and leaned her head against the front of the juke-box cabinet. "Take it."

Alice meanwhile emerged from the cellar with two bottles, which were slightly different than regular angel drink. "Took me some searching and sniffing, but I found it." Alice said with wide grinning smile of success. She put a glass and one of the bottles in front of Destiny on the bar-counter.

Adele takes the card when offered it. Carefuly slipping it into her jacket pocket "You may also want to watch your bar. It sounds like there is a profit to be made"

Rosa snapped to attention almost immediately and hovered up to the bar, making sure to retrieve Handy first. Once there, she stood behind Alice with a fire building in her eyes, like she'd just caught the mercenary with her hand in a cooky jar. She cleared her throat.

Handy looked at Rosa, then Alice, then Destiny. Then back at Rosa, then at Alice again, then finally noticed the bottle. He turned on Destiny: "Destiny Baker Polisher! What's this here now that she's got for yer, eh? Tarnation girl, I told you to stay away from the spirits! Last time you came home on the stuff you didn't know sideways from blue!"

Destiny gulped and pointed at Alice. "She was just trying to get me something to drink, Grandpa!"

"No nevermind about any of that," he snapped back, and grabbed the girl by the shoulders, turning her about face. "You march on home if that's how yer gonna be, hear — "

"Oh, shut yer can, Handyman." Rosa snapped, snatching the bottle from Alice, "One ain't gonna hurt her." She narrowed her eyes between the two girls before uttering the last word. "One."

Alice just opened her mouth, but she was saved by Rosa. Good timing, Alice was not sure she could convince that old coot. Rosa was on watch too, though. Well it seemed like seducing Destiny will be long term goal.

"Just one of course. Who do you think I am?" Alice asked very innocently. "The second is for me obviously. Also I think it is better if you two stay here for the night. It won't be very safe outside now. Right Rosa?" Alice said and opened her bottle of sweety horribleness. Her eyebrows wiggled just slightly at Rosa, something only grown woman could notice.

Rosa frowned hard. She knew exactly what Alice was up to before the wiggling even began. "It ain't safe out there at all. So they will have to stay. Allday, too. She can sleep in your bedroom. Handy and little Destiny can sleep in my room. You and me, Alice-dear, are gonna make bedrolls in the rathouse downstairs."

Alice kept her poker face, looking straight into Rosa's eyes. "Sure I'll grab my sleeping bag from upstairs later on." She smiled and drink the sweety drink. Keeping the poker face was suddenly much harder. "Tastes great," she said happily, while her mind wanted a real alcohol a lot.

Adele blinked. " You are sure?.. I would hate to put you out.." She muttered, not quite sure as she was about to make her exit.

Rosa held a finger to Adele, and kept her focus on Alice. "You can go and get that sleeping bag now, darling. It'll make it easier on your gracious host, Rosa, if you get hers too."

"There is a big duffel bag there too. Grab me my Silver Special from it. Be careful it is loaded." Alice said, her eyes still locked with Rosa's and cheerful smile on her mouth.

Adele mutters" I left my duffle just outside around the corner.. I will grab it and.. I guess make my way upstairs. Do you have a bottle I can borrow for the evening, Rosa? Empty, that is"

Destiny just watched, having snatched up her bottle. Handy looked on with a wary eye, then gaped and stammered as Destiny tipped the bottle back and drained all 16 ounces inside 16 seconds — just shy of matching her age. She then put the bottle on the table and smiled wide, saying, "Whew! Sweet bottles are so tasty ... "

Rosa's pointing finger wandered over the bar where the empty bottle she'd come across at the beggining of the night lay. She still fixated on Alice. It was as if they'd somehow been able to communicate telepathically.

Adele quietly made her way outside to retrieve the duffle which held most of the wordly posessions, it would only take a few moments .

She steped back into the bar , stopping where she sat orrginaly to pick up her hat and the empty bottle " How much is breakfast if you offer it Rosa?"

The silence shared between Rosa and Alice was long enough for the respective messages to be conveyed between them. Rose knew Alice would still try. Alice knew that Rosa was capable of murder over the honor of the tiny archer next to them. Rosa broke her glare to finally adress Adele openly. "Breakfast is free every morning here, honey. So long as you like chicken. Chicken's all we got. And rats, if Lowry's in a creative mood."

Alice used the chance too. Since battle of the wills ended in the draw, she turned her head to Destiny. "You should come by more often D. I will look for some root-beer next time I will head out. There is no reason, we cannot get some." She said with friendly smile aimed at the girl.

"I bet Aunty Rosa's out," Destiny said, sober for the moment. "I'll ask Grandpa to brew more."

"Anything to keep her off the spirits," Handy mumbled to no one in particular. He wanted a cigarillo. Badly.

"I am perfectly fine with chicken. I would hate to see his creative moods wasted on something like breakfast. Good night" She says as she made her way upstairs , fumbling around until she found what would likely be the correct room, assuming its full of bottles. She shook her head a bit, taking the bottle she had borrowed, she closed the door behind her, then set it on the door handle, a few moments spent to balance it correctly and make sure the window is tightly locked. She used a bit of her now private time to clean her weapons. Write a page of her journal then see to some well earned sleep.

"Oh I plan to get more stuff to this place. Be helpful you know." Alice said, keeping her smile. "I might not look it, but I know how to get stuff. There are bound to be several bottles of root beer around."

"But Grandpa's is the best," Destiny said, licking her lips, which caught the dim light and gleamed green and pink. "He puts in this honey that he has, that comes from actual bees. Real bees! And he adds in this root stuff that's all spicy. It makes your tongue tickle."

Alice looked at Handy with interest. He sure was Handyman she was told about. "How about this then, you gvie me list of stuff you need to make it, and I will keep look out for things you need."

"That sounds mighty fine!" Rosa cheered, "I'd love to have some more of Handy's good sasparilla stuff. Sure beats that old 'warm-ya-up' Hot-Wing Angel stuff."

"WHAT?!" Handy fell with his back to the bar, grasping it as if he'd been kicked in the nuts. "Rosa! The Fire of the Alley, the Light of the World! My Burning Angel ... it doesn't suit your britches? You're joshin' me. Ain't ye? Tell me yer joshin'. It's made for you! All of my passion for you, in a bottle! Each crafted with the care of an atom bomb, guaranteed to be twice as hot! Don't stomp my heart that way, Rosa! Give me another chance. Another way into the graces of those eyes of yours that threat'n to strike me down where ah stand!"

Rosa took on a weak, yet mischeivious smile, and gathered Alice by the sleeve to usher her towards the cellar stairs. A long cigarillo wormed its way out of her pocket as she guided the horny mercenary away from the delicous multi-colored jailbait. "I really hate you right now, you know that?" Mercenary whispered teasingly to the bar owner.

"She's just a girl." Rosa whispered back, harshly.

Then, as she mounted the stairs, knowing full well exactly what she was doing; Rosa flashed Handy her favorite cheeky smile and said one last thing before guiding Alice down the stairs in front of her.

"Breakfast in the mornin', Handy-dear."

Handy looked as relieved as a man who was just told his anniversary present to his wife of 50 years was just lovely, and that he'd be rewarded later. He let out a heavy sigh and tugged his crinkled, chapped lips into a slow smile, parted at one end of his mouth to show his yellowed, but whole, teeth.

"Right as rain, Rosa. Right as the rain." As the woman took up to her room, Handy looked at his granddaughter.

"She's the angel of this world, Destiny," the old man said. "The angel."

Destiny bobbed her head. "Aunty's the best. See you in the mornin', Grandpa." She leaned forward and kissed the old man's sun-roughened and whiskered cheek, and she bounded up the stairs.

"Goodnight child," he said with a proud smile, then went about to clean up as much as he could. As Handy made his leave to survey the damage outside, Lowry shifted on the couch and turned inward on the cushion, a low sound coming from his chest. It was heard by no one, but if they'd been around anyone could've picked it out instantly.

He was humming the song from the juke box.

 

[Lamb]

Re: [Pre-Game] Rosa's Hop-Joint

The basement of The Hop Joint was easily the largest room in the building, as its dimensions matched that of the building itself. Its simple tile floor and brick walls were somewhat unappealing on first glance, but in the easy light of a single hanging bulb, the warm tones in the wall and floor come to fruition. Then, with the application of two simple bedrolls in a cubicle constructed of boxes; it became a homely zone of comfort-- akin to a dark, squalid studio apartment. Rosa had retreated to another section of the basement, with boxes between herself and Alice, to change into her night-gown.

"Now, Alice, I know what you're planning to do with that little girl." Rosa called over the boxes, her voice echoing slightly in the underkeep of the bar, "An' it ain't exactly wholesome-- but it ain't exactly wrong, either."

Alice starting setting up her nest. Old matress and her sleeping bag. She herself had no night gown so her underwear will have to do. "I don't plan to do anything with her." Alice responded, her voice sounding a little worried. "Ah mean at first ah got over myself and planned to sleep with her tonight, but that was stupid. I just plan to get to know her now I think."

"Well, just you remember how young the little thing is." Rosa cautioned, still from the safety of the boxes. "She don't know sex from love yet, I think."

"If she even knows what sex is yet," Alice responded taking her sleeping bag from its packaging. "I mean.... Rosa I am not an idiot. I can get drunk and do some stupid things, but I hope yer belive me if I say that I wouldn't take advantage of Destiny. I would lie if ah said she did not catch my eye though." Alice sighed and started undressing slowly.

"Sugar, I don't know who to believe and who's full of malarkey anymore." Rosa emerged from her hiding spot behind the boxes, clad in a simple white satin dress. Her hair, which had spent all of its time bound up in a tail (Minus her bangs) behind her head, was now flowing freely over her shoulders. She ran her hands through it while she went on, lecturing, "But whether you're honest or not-- it's fair either way to warn you. Handy will shove that grenade laungher of his so far up your bum you'll be spittin' shrapnel and eatin' butter for three weeks."

Alice laughed as she tossed her pants and shirt over one of the boxes. She was now clad only in simple sport bra and undies. Rosa could now see her body. Athletic with defined muscles, but also lot of scars. Cuts, slashes and some who were distinctive marks of gun wounds. Alice sighed and looked at Rosa. "I got into quite a pickle eh? A girl protected by the biggest gentlemen on Nepleslia had to catch mah fancy."

Rosa shrugged and pushed the blankets around on the floor a bit with her feet before settling down on one side. She looked up at Alice with a sort of easy smile, motherly almost. "Sugar, if you do right by her; Handy will l turn on a dime for you. If you do her wrong-- well, you already heard about the shrapnel and butter... Just be patient, be good, and don't let Handy hear about you draggin' anymore smart-talkin' gentlement upstairs. Specially if they try to act all high-falootin' and touch on your guns 'afore buyin' you dinner, y'hear?"

Alice sat on her matress, resting her chin on her palm. Her eyes looked at Rosa. "Rosa...." she started, but paused for several seconds. "I am little confused. When I got her and hooked up with Caffran, I was still invincible. Like nothing could happen. This all will blow over and everything will be fine and nothing will stop me from moving on, being mercenary again. Fact is, now I don't think I want to do that anymore. I am bloody tired. I am way over thirty and I think it is time I looks for some stupid stability in my life. Does that sound crazy to you?"

"I don't know, honey." Rosa flipped over onto her back and gazed to the cieling. "I never really moved around much when I was younger. And I ain't much older than you. But I'll tell you this much. I been runnin' this Hop Joint just about twenty years now... I wouldn't trade that for anythin' anywhere else in the galaxy. Except maybe another Hop Joint that ain't smack in the middle of a major bad-guy zone."

"Yeah...." Alice responded and lighted a 'good night' cigarette making sure to blow the smoke away from Rosa. "Some peace would be actually nice. Anyway. Ah want to get to know Destiny better, maybe even get into relationship. Ah'm not some bloody perver though, I know that the girl is young and probable not very experienced. Feth, that sounds dumb."

"Y'know, I been wonderin'." Rosa ignored most of the stuff Alice said and went right for the last bit. "I hear it all the damn time, nowadays. What the feth is a feth, anyhow?"

"I have no idea," Alice responded with shrug and blowed out some smoke. "Caffran was saying it all the time. After yer hear it half a night it gets stuck. Say, have yer heard anything about him? Ah don't plan to fuck him again, but that does not mean Ah'm not worried about him."

Rosa sat up in bed and looked around nervously. "Well..." She glanced at the stairs and lowered her voice. "You cain't tell Lowry this... But; do you remember me tellin' you about Aleck Fester?"

"Yer mean that Alex Foster guy that leads the so called resistance?" Alice asked, looking at Rosa. She wondered what Rosa had on heart right now. Was Caffran dead? That would be sad. Caffran was nice guy and gentleman, not mention he was not bad in the sack either.

"The very same. It turns out... Well, this is all top-secret stuff, dear. Lowry would have a fit and leave if he found out and I don't want him sleepin' on the street." Rosa leaned in close to Alice and slipped a communicator from the depths of her cleavage. "It turns out that Old Rosa is not all what she seems, honey. I been in contact with that young man. I kinda keep him up-to-date on what's going on around these parts. An' in exchange, he tells me where his lil' boat is every morning and what's going on in other parts o' town."

Alice looked at Rosa and smirked. She shook her head little. "Rosa, yer talking to someone who is in merceneray bussiness for years. You might mess up his name on purpose and say you har things, but it is quite funny that you also always know where to find the man and that every time someone from around here who is looking for him ends at your place. By the way. What is Lowry's real name? Lawrence? Laurel?"

"Shoot, sugar, don't give me too much credit." Rosa said with a frown, "I didn't know his name weren't Fester... As for Lowry-dear... It's, eh... I'm pretty sure it's actually Lowry. Yeah, Lowry Dill, I think... Wait, what's Mister Fester's name? Fisker? Fuster?"

"Ah well," Alice sait putting the cigarette out and putting it aside her makeshift bed to pick the butt in the morning. "I'll let you play the game. It's not my bussiness anyway." Her words flew as she put her legs into the sleeping bag. She then smiled and finally sounded little like her old self when she said: "Care to tuck me in?"

Rosa looked a little confused at first. She really wanted to know the Resistance leader's name, now. Still, she wanted to be nice, so she decided to settle in next to Alice. "Sure, honey. I'll tuck ya in. You wanna hear a story? Maybe you like Rosa should sing you a song?"

"Sure," Alice chirped and giggled. "Ah bet yer have a great voice. Maybe a lullaby? After this evening we could use some peace and quiet." Alice then sighed as her own eyes got glued to the ceiling. "Shit Rosa ahm sorry. Ah messed up today. Yer keeping me here to make yer safe and ah fucked up horribly." Alice'S stress came back ot her voice, as if she was loosing whatever integrity she was holding up to now.

"Quiet now, girl." Rosa snapped softly, placing her index finger up to Alice's mouth. "You'll start to sound like Lowry used to. You jest hush and let the past be the past. We're all okay enough-- even if we wasn't, you cain't do anythin' about it now, sweetheart. An' I sure as shit cain't sing you a lullaby if you're yammerin' on about bein' knocked on your tuchus by a juke-box."

Alice quitened down, she looked at Rosa. Smile was not at her face, but at least distress was away. "Okay Rosa," she just said and kept looking into older woman's eyes.

"There's a nice girl." Rosa smiled and put her arms around Alice's shoulders. "Now, you gotta promise not to make fun of me-- I ain't sang for no one sober in years."

"Ah think there is still enough alcohol in my veins from all the angel I had today," Alice joked and chuckled. She set herself on her bed and closed her eyes, waiting for her good night song. Rosa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The walls seemed to lean in as she leaned her head back to utter the song; which she sang softly to the sides of their cubicle of shipping crates in the basement.

"♫Oh, on the endless stars,
Where we all make our home,♪
There is one bright star,
♪Shining all alone~

She's filled with fire and filled with love,
And all the settlers who settle near her,
Are always proud to see her,♫
When she shines above~

So rest your eyes,
And lie down your head,
♪This star of ours,
Is our only home,♫
Until the day we're dead."

When Rosa looked at Alice, she could notice that the younger woman was already sleeping. Her eyes and lips closed, eyelids shimmering sligthly as she apparently dreamed. Expression on her face finally suggesting that some sort of peace came to her. Rosa smiled in spite of herself and leaned in to deliver a soft kiss to Alice's forehead before standing and purposefully striding to the stairs. She still had one more thing to do before anyone could sing her off to sleep.

-----

Rosa emerged into the bar from the darkness below still holding a soft smile on her lips. She crossed to the bar and slid out the shotgun from its wooden home. Then, with her face changing to one of determination, she emptied the magazine tube and started pushing in flechette shells. Lowry stirred on the couch at the other end of the room. Rosa frowned over at him before chambering a shell with a wince.

"R'sa?" He groaned, reaching out for something, "Are you'se sings songs schtuff?"

"Shh, now, go back to sleep, Lowry-honey. I was just gettin' a glass of water before bed."

"Wanner? Hmm? Mmm. Okay."

With Lowry back to his slumbering, Rosa ascended the stairs to Alice's room-- where she'd assigned Adele for the night. There, at the door, Rosa knocked twice, softly so as not to wake Handy and Destiny next door.

Adele was a light sleeper. Years of training and a few bad assigments had assured that. Hearing a knock at her door at an unexpectedly late time though, was a realtively new one. She sat up and reached under her pillow, pulled out her pistol and quietly made her way to the door. She pulled the bottle from the handle " Whos there?.." She muttered, attempting to make her voice sound more groggy then it was.

"Rosa. Come outside. We're goin' for a walk, hon."

'Rosa?' Adele mouthed to herself. This was unexpected ".. Sure, one moment while I get dressed.." she muttered through the door, taking a few moments to pull on her clothing, her holster and take her jacket over her shoulders. She turned on her heel, opening the door . " I did not know you enjoyed..midnight strolls"

Rosa rolled her eyes at the comment and swung the shotgun over her shoulder so she could gesture down to her night-gown with her free hand, as if to say, 'I've never walked anywhere in my life.' After her illustration, Rosa kept a simple beckoning motion and turned to the stairs, leading the way to the front room where Lowry tossed on the couch.

Adele followed Rosa like a ghost. Footsteps quietly measured to not wake the rest of The Hop Joint's occupents, Lowry included. The act itself was not even meditated by her, just simple practice. She let Rosa lead the way all the way out , waiting for the door to close before speaking again" I am lead to believe this is not common practice for you Rosa"

"You have no idea how glad I am that it is not." Rosa replied. Her voice seemed to have taken a remorseful tone in the moonlight. She pulled up a bent lawnchair and a charred shipping crate for the two of them to sit on before walking to the end of the alley to peer around for any passing NMX patrols. It was, after all, their hour. Then, she returned and took her seat on the crate, staring pensively into the moonlight. "Allday, sweetie?"

Adele was obviously not comfortable with all of this. There were a lot of new variables put into the situation, but she would have to adapt. Taking one more look around herself for patrols, she sat across from Rosa on the lawnchair " Yes Rosa?" she said quietly, measureing the other woman.

"Allday, why don't you tell me who you work for?" Rosa tried at first, her hand tracing along the shape of the pump on the shotgun. "Real easy, no lies, and if it's somethin' the others might not like-- you can leave before they wake up. I won't say a word about it."

Adele sat back a moment at the question. She let silence rule the air for a few moments as she considered. " Rosa , what makes you think that I work for anyone? You said yourself, you have seen a great many people come and go, and you lead me to believe a great detail of them have some experience such as I. After all, you sent them to the resistance"

Rosa shook her head and laid the shotgun across her lap. "That's the thing, sweetie. I seen 'em come and go. Each and every one of 'em came out of some neighboorhood or another. They was all filthy, hungry. They all knew what was goin' on around here. You ain't. You're clean. Askin' questions. Now I gotta ask you a question, Miss Allday."

The shotgun slid up slowly; wandering over Adele's torso.

"An' you gotta be honest with ole' Rosa, cuz she's gonna let you go if you work for the wrong person." Rosa warned, "And she's gonna let you stay if you work for the right one, y'hear?"

Adele's mood changed almost automaticly when the shotgun was raised with obvious intent. The slight smile she was wearing left, now replaced with one that sharedvery little mirth. She eyed the weapon a moment " I have to say Rosa, I did not think you had it in you. It makes one wonder what you have seen to feel so ... protective" She chose the last word carefuly. " Is this your subtle way of asking me, if I have squid in my diet?"

"It was an attempt to ask nicely rather or not you had some squid in your pocketbook, dear." Rosa poked the shotgun forward a bit, crossing one leg over the other, "But you wouldn't come right out with it-- And now you've gone and made Miss Rosa look mean as hell, haven't you?"

Adele" I have a pack of Cigerette's in my pocket, right. Do you mind if I pull one out?"

Rosa's only response was to take her hand off the foregrip of the gun and pluck a cigarillo from behind her ear. It landed at Adele's feet, followed soon by a box of matches that had been hidden somewhere beneath Rosa's bosom.

Adele calmly reached forward, as if she had nothing in the world to be concerned about. She took up the cigarillo and a match. She struck the match aginst t the box, lighting it and took a drag " Rosa, dear. " she said flatly leaving it in the side of her mouth " If you are this insistant, we will have to set a few ground rules then. I am willing to tell you, and only you, simply beacuse it will only be a secret for so long. But until that point, I really cannot allow others to know you must realise. No, I will not be angry. No I will not throw a fit, but the matter will have to be.. corrected if we cross this line. Do you understand?"

"I understand you can try whatever you want if you feel betrayed; just the same way I can tug on this here trigger if it sounds like you're lying to me." Rosa provided; in an attempt to point out that she was just as much at the mercy of Adele's trust as Adele was at hers.

Adele sighed , then shook her head a bit at the comment. Some people just never would learn there are some questions you do not ask. She took another drag, blowing the smoke into the cool night air " I work for the goverment, Rosa. Our goverment. It is my job to listen to people, to learn, and to properly process what I hear in ways that will make life easier for everyone. " she smirked a bit. This may be a bit of self dellusion she realised, but it was all true even if the civillians would never understand it.

Rosa's shotgun drooped slightly; a good sign for Adele. Rosa herself kept a firm face and asked with no hesitation, "You gonna strike a deal with the rebels?"

Adele raised an eyebrow at the question " If it were not for the gun, Rosa. I would ask what else you did short of sell drink. At this point; you would have a hard time convincing me it was only that."

Rosa smiled. She leaned back on the shipping crate slightly and switched her legs to cross the other. "Honey." She said, with all the charm in the world bubbling in her voice, "You sure as shit cain't run a bar if all you do is sell drinks."

Adele nodded in response " I am going to speak with them. We do have business to discuss but I am not there to make any sort of deal. They need what I represent , and if their little rebellion has any sort of chance at being something more then a few poster boys and girls that slowly get picked off, they are going to have to accept why I am there, and for what reasons"

Rosa stood from her crate and smoothed down the satin gown with one hand, slinging the shotgun onto her shoulder in the other. She walked back towards the bar with a smile on here face, and almost singing, said, "Honey, you might not call it a deal-- but I seen a pimp in another daddy's whorehouse before; and what they did was a deal. You best bring your level-head when you go into that there bordello... You might find yourself holdin' the wrong cards at the table, y'hear?"

Adele watched her turn her back and walk away. Her right hand itched, she almost did it, she almost drew her weapon. It was something about Rosa though that stopped her. This may not be the biggest secret the woman knows. " That will not be a problem... Rosa, you never answered your own question." She said, standing and brushing herself off.

"Oh, about doin' more than sellin' drinks?" Rosa replied, her hand already on the door handle.

"No, that is a given at this point. Do I walk into the night? Or do I get to see what a chicken breakfast is?" She said making her way as well towards The Hop Joint, after all she would need to get her gear at the very least.

Rosa smiled again as she pulled the door open, a breeze of stale cigarette air wafting into the alley. She looked Adele up and down for a moment before pointing into the darkness at the end of the alleyway and suggesting, "Why don't you ask him?"

In the darkness ahead, there was a tiny blue LED bobbing slightly at head-level. Just as Rosa closed the door behind her, Adele could hear a low, plain voice ask,

"Perhaps you should sit back down for a moment, Agent White?"

 

[Lamb]

Re: [Pre-Game] Rosa's Hop-Joint

"Perhaps you should sit back down for a moment, Agent White?" The voice cut through the darkness; monotoned and yet somehow commanding in it's nature, and the blue LED moved forward, revealing itself to be an ocular implant attached to a tall man in a simple peacoat and slacks. Adele would recognize this man as Alex Foster, the person she'd been sent to make contact with.

" When did she tell you?" Adele said, moving to sit down once more on the lawnchair. She reached into her left pocket, pulling out the ashtray she was using in The Hop Joint earlier in the evening, setting it down and tapping the ashes from her cigarillo in. She wordlessly gestured across to the box Rosa was using a moment before , obviously encouraging Alex to sit with her.

"She did not have to. Your shuttle lit up my sensors like a flare in the submarine." Alex replied. He didn't sit, instead wiping a single gloved finger across the top of the box and examining the gathered grime with a look of bored curiosity. "I have been tracking your movements ever since; and truly Rosa was expecting you as per my warning."

" I was not aware I was worth such a interest" she muttered .She took a moment to look Alex over, confirming his description with what she read in her dossier. "This does explain a few things I must admit. Though I must admit a bit of disappointment, tsk tsk Mr Foster, you have been in places your eyes were not meant to be"

Alex cocked an eyebrow at this. "I was very curious indeed when a ship entered the atmosphere without being shot down by the orbital defense emplacements. I have... had an interest in them for some time." Alex peered around the alleyway with his cybernetic eye as he spoke, panning over the smoldering embers of the combat that'd occurred just an hour ago. Finally, his eye leveled with Adele and uttered a few clicks-- the sound of a tiny shutter clicking inside of it.

" I am going to assume" she said quietly, standing and brushing herself off " That between the little interview you had Rosa put me through, and you using my last name, you have some concept of why I am here Mr Foster." During her stand Adele had left the Cigarillo in her ashtray, now looking somewhat face to face with the man. "and, by your appearance. Have some interest"

"I know who you are." Alex corrected her, meeting her gaze, "And I have an extremely educated guess as to your purpose. I want you to help me, and I'm certain that you're supposed to do that in either case."

She paused a moment at his words, a brief moment of slight surprise passing behind her eyes, before once more being replaced by a somewhat impassive stare. " To some degree. Assuming of course, you understand my purpose for being here. That, and of course, I represent the government in regards to finding you a better degree of formalized funding"

"You will fight with me and my team. You will disguise your identity. You will provide me unrestricted access to the IPG database." Alex seemed to run over her explanation, skipping straight to his own expectations, "And everything else you do is of your own volition, so long as my efforts are unhampered."

" Your efforts are what I am here to help. In return, you will provide me access to your time table. You will make me aware of any surprises you have in store for any missions you send me on, even if you do not feel inclined to tell the rest of your team. You will allow me access to transmit logs to the IPG in regards to our operational readiness and progress during my stay with you." She responded in much the same manner as Alex, straight and to the point." and I will want appropriate quarters" She added the last point without the prior conviction of her earlier statements.

Alex drifted towards the mouth of the alley with his hands clenched behind his back and gazed up at the darkened sky. He glanced over his shoulder in such an incidental fashion at Adele.

"If we were to share quarters, do you think that people would 'get ideas'?" He asked; his tone now taking on the prodding curiosity of a child.

"They would, it would shift any attention off of you, for the moment, and onto me and how I came to be in such a position.At least, with my understanding of who is currently under your command" She picked up the Cigarillo one last time , took a drag on it to finish it, and placed the butt back in the ashtray " So it depends, what sort of ideas do you want to have them make?"

"And as to ears. The ears, like a Nekovalkyrja has." Alex continued, ignoring the question, "Do you feel that the choice of Elven ears over feline ears somehow is an indications of one's sexual preferences?"

Adele looked at the man in silence for a few moments " I would yes, they do offer indications. Most attractions to parts of the body do, if they come natural or not is not part of the equation, at least anymore"

"And do you think that one of the choices suggests homosexuality?" Alex turned back to Adele, his finger on his chin and his eyes still on the sky.

"No, but I would think that both of the choices suggest a form of deviance. One that is encouraged in our, and many other societies. One I would think is played on perhaps a bit to often" Adele said, curious at the line of questioning

"Hmm..." Alex tapped his chin and muttered, "Then I wonder why Alexis Arms was so angry... Was it a sexual tension? No, she's far too young to be attracted to me. Perhaps she was stressed..." Alex began pacing the alleyway as he mumbled to himself. Eventually he stopped and turned to Adele again, suddenly addressing her again. "If I were to make you angry enough to strike me, how would you prefer me to apologize to you? What gift would suit a young woman? Do you enjoy animals?"

Adele crossed her arms at her waist " I find apologies a touch pointless in most cases. It suggests a guilty soul, but there are far to many that throw it around as if it is the solution to life's problems, resetting an emotional relationship with a few simple words. I find actions to be a more preferable way to achieve that goal. I can only assume based on this conversion that this is all in the past, and you are at the point you wish to calm someone, but don't understand , or are looking for ideas, to begin to do so. Given where we are, and the environment you find yourself in, an action would be much simpler, and more effective then most gifts. If you have a romantic interest, something like an unspoken date, or walking into a dinner, no matter how meager. You have to appeal to their interest, without outright hoping to allow another item, or person, to simply correct it. To do something unexpected the person would appreciate, rather then hope an item can mend. My work does not leave me the time for animals"

"What an entirely useless, misinformed, and disappointing response." Alex replied to the speech with a scowl forming. "No mathematical basis. Very little logic. These social games will be the death of me yet, trying to maintain morale."

"Alex, you enter a firefight with logic, you move people with math . You do not appeal to the average persons senses with them. Trying to do so , and if the person you are with understands you are attempting to do it, tends to inspire malice . There simply is no control in this situation you present me with. Consider it micromanagement, if you wish"

"Perhaps a small dog..." Alex murmured. It was obvious that he was distracted from the more important matter at hand. Or rather, he felt as though he'd already sorted it out.

"That seems to be a larger cost in resources then the gain it would bring you, and her Mr Foster" She returned to the more formal way to address him somewhat curious as why to the man was distracted to such a degree" I assume you are having morale problems amongst your grouping?"

"She's a passionate young woman who wants to fight with us. There is a large probability that her presence on the battlefield will inspire the lower ranks to be more efficient soldiers and more willing to take the necessary risks to win battles." Alex explained. He looked at his dirty finger again and wiped at it with his thumb. "And I seem to have offended her, somehow. Or so I have come to believe."

"You mentioned you hit her. I would suspect that would cause a bit of animosity between the two of you.You wish to rise her to a point where her actions inspire those watching, that her passions are their passions and so the odds are a bit more in your favor by it? If that is the case, I would put forth that you are looking at this from the entirely wrong viewpoint"Adele watched him. Now curious of what would be the response

"I never laid a finger on her, except to drag her from an explosion a month ago. No, she struck me. Something to do with her being in her undergarments. More social nonsense, I can assure you."

"Then work with what you have. This social nonsense could be a catalyst if used properly. You want to rebuild this relationship that has been damaged. Do it in such a way that it puts her in the position you wish for her to fill. Perhaps , if you feel she has the qualifications, put her in charge of some more simple tasks to lead others. It shows confidence in her she may not feel you have"

"Yes, I think that a small dog will suit this situation." Alex mused, moving back to the shadows. As if remembering that he'd left the stove on back at home, he whipped around back to Adele, and said, "Oh yes, a car will arrive here for you tomorrow morning around eleven. It will bring you to me. For now, stay here with Miss Skelton and Mister Dell."

" Your driver, who will he or she be told they are picking up? You made it clear you wish for who I am to remain quiet for the moment." playing a role was something Adele was rather used to, best have the proper personality prepared.

Alex disappeared into the shadows and soon the whine of an airbike engine filled the alleyway. Just slightly louder than the engine noise, Alex's voice cut in from the shadow.

"They will be told to pick up Adele. Nothing other than that. Just Adele."