OOM: Jungle

[latino_menace]

Ramon and Mary Anne have sorted out a cover story for why she's there and where she came from. Roxas...is harder, given that he's so obviously not...normal. For the moment, Ramon has decided to go with, once the inevitable questions come from his men, 'mind your own business.' It's always worked in the past and he can't imagine they'll suddenly have become less afraid of him. Esteban might be more of a problem but fuck it, he can't put this off any longer.

As soon as the trio exit Milliways, they're thrust right back into a hive of activity. Six men surround them, all heavily armed. He gave Roxas and Mary Anne a P90 each before they left the bar so at least they fit in in that regard. Everyone's running for the door of the run-down saloon, getting stared at by the few other patrons. Outside, there are shouts of 'vamonos, vamonos!' from the remaining two men in his guard - and clearly, in the sky, the sound of a whole bunch of choppers bearing down fast. On the single road into town, dozens of lights can be seen - military vechicles, all of them. Ramon swears under his breath and heads for the nearest Range Rover.

'Get in,' he says, shortly, to Mary Anne and Roxas. He completely ignores the bewildered looks from his cousin and the others until the two of them are in the car, then he turns to one of the men who is loading things frantically into the trunk.

'Give me that case you took from me.'

The man hesitates - it's already packed - but a look from his boss silences his objection and he digs it out again. Ramon takes it and gets into the vehicle, banging the back of the headrest in front of him.

'Lets get out of here then.'

The engine guns and they turn in the road, heading for the track that takes them into the wall of trees that loom ominously in front of them. It's pitch black in there and once more, he's reminded of how much he really doesn't want to be here.

Comments

[latino_menace]

'Jesus Christ.'

Ramon jumps, not having heard him return. He'd tell him not to creep around but that's kind of what they need right now and besides, he's listening.

'So they're close. If we try and speed up, they'll hear us for sure.'

He glances at Mary Anne.

'Somewhere to defend ourselves. Right now. And Roxas, kill the light around us, it'll be seen.'

But even as he says the words, a shot rings out just ahead of them and there's a startled yell and the unmistakable sound of someone hitting the dirt. Suddenly, everything becomes a hell of a lot more loud, with their team firing into the darkness and yelling to each other, and the noise in the forest of men closing in on them.

[song_tra_bong]

"Son of a bitch!"

Mary Anne dives and takes cover at the base of a tree. It's the scrawniest damn thing she's seen since she got here, but it'll do for cover in the dark. She spends a handful of seconds listening--(where are they coming from where would you be going if this were you)--before leaning out and opening fire.

[lockitwithkeys.livejournal.com]

Roxas does as requested and kills all of the light in the area - until it's dark enough that he can't see either. He's never heard a firearm like the ones from Earth and so stays standing while everyone else takes cover.

The monotone and empty voice of the Nobody asks "Do you want me to kill them?"

It's good to be sure about these things. Somebodies get loud when you kill the wrong Somebodies.

[latino_menace]

Ramon doesn't answer for a moment, not until his AK-47 is out of ammo and he's reloading in a hurry.

'Fucking yeah, kill them, you idiot! That's what you're here for!'

Jesus, what is with this kid.

[lockitwithkeys.livejournal.com]

He's an idiot. Computers and Roxas - they do what you tell them and only what you tell them. Once he's got the direct order he's gone.

There aren't even noises. His path is marked by gunfire simply stopping where he moves. It's less than thirty seconds before he's standing next to Ramon admitting "I got all that I could find."

Three guns still rattle towards them out of the darkness. No more than that.

[latino_menace]

'It'll do.'

He likes the odds a lot better now. It appears that his men do too, as they're emerging from behind their various cover (still staying low) and looking around to see what happened.

'Mary Anne, can you go find the rest? If I let that lot loose, they'll never find each other again and probably all break their legs or something.'

Gun reloaded, he starts moving towards the man who got shot first. He can't see who it was from here.

'Roxas, go back the way we came and see if any more getting close.'

[song_tra_bong]

She nods, slinging her rifle.

"Sure thing."

With a knife in each hand, she slips further out into the dark.

[lockitwithkeys.livejournal.com]

He nods and disappears into the darkness again while Mary Anne performs her part.

He'll be back when called in or when he's comfortable that the Somebodies are not in danger.

[latino_menace]

Ramon trusts that they'll do their jobs and walks up to the man down. It's Felipe and he's hit in the chest - probably not mortally but he definitely needs a hospital and right now.

He squats down next to him, handgun hanging loosely in his hand, looking at the mans face. Felipe was there when Ramon shot Hector and there's no hope in his eyes.

'I'm sorry, Felipe. But we can't help you and I can't leave you for the Americans to find.'

He knows too much and Ramon's willing to bet he'd swap information for medical treatment. So he stands and Felipe nods once, white-faced and resigned. It's over quickly, a shot to the heart, and afterwards Ramon looks to the faces of the others. But he can't see them in the dark.

'We'll stay here until she gets back otherwise we might lose her.'

Silence.

'Who is she?'

It's Esteban and his voice is carefully polite. Very carefully. Ramon considers for a moment, then lights a cigarette.

'She's a friend. She kills for me and that's all you need to know.'

No one says anything else.

[song_tra_bong]

One of the guns in the dark goes silent.


And a second.


And a third.


When Mary Anne comes back, there is blood on her face that doesn't belong to her. She scrubs it off with the back of her hand.

"Way's clear."

[latino_menace]

Everyone's watching her wipe that blood away and Ramon's the only one not surprised. He has a small smile on his face whereas the others are silenced by the sight. He nods at her (good job) and tells the others to take Felipe's pack off him and share the stuff out.

'See anywhere that might be alright to spend the rest of the night?'

Directed at Mary Anne, obviously.

[song_tra_bong]

She nods.

"Not far at all. Decent cover; with watches posted, we shouldn't get snuck up on."

[latino_menace]

That fuck for that. He nods and jerks his head at the men sitting down and waiting and looking pretty pissed off), indicating they need to move on.

'Come on, amigos. Not far.'

They stand without complaint and Ramon once more gets Mary Anne to take the lead. He trusts Roxas will find them, though its harder now without his light to help them.

'Vamonos, all of you.'

He is so ready to quit for the night.