The Badlands: Part 8 -- - - - V O X -

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Date Posted: 16:17:22 09/02/99 Thu
Author: Maveric
Subject: The Badlands: Part 8

***
Red was on the 114 again. The Coupe was bearing down on him just like before, except this time it looked about three times larger. Red levelled his gun at it and fired. The car went up in flames and oily smoke. Red continued down the road, feeling smug. He twirled the .357 like a gunslinger. Then he looked in the rear view mirror. The Coupe was back, this time with even larger guns and it was gaining on him. One of the turreted cannons swivelled to aim directly at the Circlet. Without thinking, Red lunged out the door going into a roll. He stood up, unscathed and brushed the dust off. He looked around. His car had vanished. He started to walk down the highway when he heard a terrible noise behind him. He wheeled around. The Coupe was just twelve feet from him, just sitting there. He could see the two phantom drivers, bloody and messed up like that last time he saw them. They grinned at Red from behind the windshield. Red took a step back and the Coupe revved it's engine. He turned and started to bolt when one of the huge Gatling guns on the Coupe's roof began to spin and make a whirring noise. Red didn't look back, even when the whirring changed to the barking sound of the gun unloading it's rounds at high speeds. Red felt a hot piercing pain in his chest and began to fall the ground as the whole world dissolved into a white flash.

Red's sleep was shattered and he bounded out of the cot in alarm. His hand went to where shots had hit him but there was nothing. No blood or anything. Red's mind was racing in confusion and he was drenched in sweat. The whole ranch house was rumbling. Still in a haze he ran to the window and peered out to see what the commotion was. Very much to his surprise, a helicopter was landing on the pad in the back of the house. He had to blink a couple of times to make sure it wasn't part of his dream. He sat back down on the cot and looked at his watch. It read 11:42. Red shoved both his shoes on and started down the wooden steps.

Red could hear voices coming from one of the rooms downstairs so he headed toward them. He passed trough a small corridor and came into a kitchen like area. Murphy, along with Romeo Dare and a couple of other vigilantes were gathered around a large table with a map spread out. All of the men's faces showed grave concern. All Red could catch was the tail end of their conversation. "--and you're sure of this Hell Toupee?" asked Romeo. "Yup. They packed up what's left of their gang and headed south for Brownfield. I got some areal shots of the convoy with the chopper..." The floor under Red's feet creaked.

Everyone looked up to see Red standing in the doorway. "Bad news" Murphy said to Red while pointing at the map. "Lead Sled is gonna set up shop down in Brownfield. Seems he cut a deal with Playboy. Lead unloaded some of his drug money for some cars an' guns. We don't have to worry yet. He shouldn't be back up an' runnin' for a month." Hell Toupee began to roll the map back up and stuff it back into a tube. "For now we can relax" Toupee said. "Hey Romeo, I'm going for a run into New Mexico. You wanna come with?" Romeo sat down at the table and waved his hand. "Nah, Hell. I'm going to stick around here for a while. Besides, your flying makes me sick." Hell Toupee chuckled and said his goodbyes. He went out the door and jumped in his helicopter. He hit the starter and the rotors began to spin. Soon he was airborne and out of sight.

Murphy looked at his watch. "Spitfire should be back soon. He went on over to the Mondo Burger to pick up some take-out." Red nodded and began to walk towards the door. "If you guys don't mind, I think I'll step out for a smoke" he said. Red stood on the porch and leaned against the house. At this hour of the day the sun was blazing and the place looked a lot different than it did in the morning. He took a couple of quick puffs off the cigarette. Even though this place was supposed to be a safe heaven, Red still couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched. It was a creepy sensation, but he just blew it off. He crushed the butt of the cigarette under his shoe and went back into the house.

If Red had chanced to look up at that moment, he might have seen the glint of sunlight off of a pair of binoculars. He would have know that it's wasn't just a feeling. A mile away, a dozen cars were lined, poised of an attack. The creeper that was spying on Red in the AMZ stood next the leader of the Raider Vandals. "Good job" the head Vandal said, patting his fellow gang member on the back. "We get to avenge our brothers' deaths and put the AVG out of business in this area for good." He turned and raised his hand to the rest of the gang. "Check your cars and guns. We attack with everything in one hour." The AMZ spy interrupted the Vandal Raider. "Just one thing, leave the guy in the Clydesdale to me. I want Flak Driver all to myself. The leader nodded in agreement. The AMZ driver grinned. He crossed in front of his car, running his hand along the new red, white and blue paint job. He sat down behind the wheel and kicked back. "Just sixty minutes, Murphy--" he thought to himself, looking in the direction of the ranch. "--and old Patriot gets his revenge."
***

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What can I say other than... -- Apollyon, 21:04:05 09/06/99 Mon