Marty Richards stands her ground firmly as she argues her reasons for going against William Daniels wishes on his current plan. She has heard the stories about raiders and the brutality of what they will do to any outside their ranks, especially women, to her none of this matters. These raiders have friends of hers, people who are family to her committing unspeakable acts with them. If there is a chance to save any of them, she refuses to simply drive a supply truck back to Oasis.
"Little girl, this is no time to think like a hero. If I can get two of you set up after fighting small groups of infected, I can't have someone these piece of shit excuses for humans will rip to shreds before they get serious. I need people I won't..." William's words are cut short as the young lady begins her tirade again, pointing out his own plan in her defense.
"You need a reliable shooter watching your back when shit hits the fan, right? All three of these guys will tell you that's me. I get the gist of what happens if they reach me, which is why they won't. But don't you dare get all noble protecting the girl from the bogeyman, those are my people in there.... not yours. I'm not scared of what's in there." Marty stands attempting an eye to eye stare down that lead to what passes as a smile on his face.
"I feel no pain from any attack, no emotions to speak of, but I am as close to afraid as I can be, so if you were smart, you would be. Fine Miss Richards... you are in, but remember that once this goes down, neither Matthew here or myself can help you. If you don't get to the truck before he has your people loaded inside you are on your own. I will be too busy covering his exit to help you. One last chance to go home now." William stares down into the small woman's dark blue eyes and for the briefest of seconds, he sees a darkness in her soul that feels a fragment of his own. He realizes in that moment he will need her more than the tall, lanky boy who will be driving the escape vehicle.
Once they have helped the two going back to Oasis get on the road with the supply truck, the three begin their quick trek down the hill and along the route William worked to clear before dawn approaches. Upon reaching the desolate area that was Fenton, the three watch as they carefully move along a few stragglers who seem to take zero notice of the two humans among them. Passing through them to a clearer area, William points ahead to the huge military truck parked another two blocks from them.
"I have to give you props sir, the lotion and perfume camouflage worked like a charm. How did you ever figure this out?" Matthew speaks softly with amazement at the man he feared before they left Oasis. Like so many others behind those walls, he considered this man a monstrosity and nothing to be trusted.
"While I am not 100% like them, I can't smell either of you until you speak," William pauses to draw the icepick on his chest and quickly planting it through the eye and deep into the skull of the straggler that had caught a whiff of Matthew's tongue. Letting the body fall to the ground after yanking his icepick out, William continues, "So let's keep it to a minimum, okay? This masking you two continues the perfect success rate."
"And how many times have you used this?" Marty leans in whispering softly barely opening her mouth heeding his words.
"Counting you two, once. I wasn't sure how well it would work, which is why I tried to clear this area with a distraction." William reaches the truck first, reaching into the back pulling out a PSG-1 and an RPG handing them to Marty. The two want to begin screaming at this man they trusted who gambled with their lives on a hunch as William continues by handing Marty a small ammo bag with two rockets and five clips for the sniper rifle.
"What kind of distraction? And where did you get these weapons out here if raiders have been stripping the area?" Matthew's question is met with a glare that quickly tells him the answer is one he may not like.
"Now, once more. Son, you will sit here in this truck until the signal comes. Start the truck and head straight up the hill towards the gates of their camp. By the time you get there, ramming the gate will be a breeze. I've left you a few pistols and semi-automatic weapons in the front seat.... do NOT use them until you have your people in this truck and on the way back. If you have to kill something before the signal, sharp weapons only and drive them deep." William walks down the street to the left quickly drawing attention to his distractions.... three raiders he spoke of that were camped out ready to take them out when they showed up to rescue their people. Infected gather around the three men, each strung to an old light pole barely out of reach of the things that are ready to feed. William walks to each pulling his knife and slightly slicing a leg on each before returning to the truck. Each raider's muffled screams as he slices begin to make the two young companions feel pity for people intent on killing them.
"I thought you..... well, the blood on you was there's so....." Marty begins questioning as she looks at the man seeing a glimpse at the beast inside who would consider this acceptable to do, no matter what the three men are.
"They were more valuable as bait than a meal. I did take a sample, but only what I cut off to make enough blood flow the keep our friends oblivious to dear Matthew here." William reaches into the back of the truck grabbing another small bag for himself before motioning Marty to join him reminding Matthew to wait for the signal.
"And what is the signal?" Matthew's words force William to stop and turn for a moment.
"Not sure how bright it will be, but it will be loud. It will take us about fourty-five minutes to set up and be ready. Keep your eye on your watch and if you begin feeling too guilty about those three down there, cut their ropes that are tied to the buildings behind them."
As the two trek up to the camp staying to the shadows, William keeps an eye out for stragglers while running through Marty's park of the plan once more. She listens intently, the entire time wondering if he is mad or genius.
"The fire escape I'm taking you too leads to the second floor. No infected are up there, but are on the floor below, corralled to be used as entertainment and target practice. The farthest window is where I need you. I will have to prep a few things before making my move and giving you the signal to fire, one rocket on the back wall at ground level with the other on the wall just north of the gate. Don't hit the gate or the ground or that truck may get stuck or the area flooded by infected before he can get your people. After firing the two rocket, start picking off anything around the cages they hold your friends and a few other in. Make it clear for him to get in, release and load and get your ass down there to catch your ride." Reaching the fire escape as he makes Marty run through her part one more time, she quickly asks about him in all this.
"What about you getting out?"
"Your blast on the back wall after my part will leave a majority of raiders pinned in with me and my own army. Now remember, get to your ride and don't look back. If I get out of this, I will see you in a few days, but you do not stick around and try to help me.... understand?" His look is stern and quickly prompts her to nod her head before she begins her climb, pausing for one last question.
"William, I have to know something. What did you do before all this? You seem smart and quite badass rolled into one, so what were you?" Her question doesn't bring the feelings associated with the smile, but the urge to smile knowing the answer forces it to come as he walks back towards her.
"Middle management for a chain grocery. You get smart dealing with unruly people," his smile fades away before answering the rest of her question, "Badass came after all this and not a story I'm very proud of. Make every shot count." William turns and begin around the building that the camp wall is attached to as Marty moves into position.
Prepping the RPG and setting it aside, Marty takes aim with the scope adjusting the sights as she looks around to find William, who remains out of sight for the first ten minutes until the sight of a raider on the opposite wall falling outward gains her attention. She watches as the man moves along the walkway along the wall picking off raider guards quickly with an occasional knife to the neck or a crossbow bolt if sneaking is not an option. Coming around her side removing every guard along the wall and out of sight for a moment, she gains sight of him again as he walks along the grounds inside the wall as the raiders begins closing in on him as he walks to the center of the camp where the larger man, standing nearly a foot taller than the rest meets him in the center. She watches as words are exchanged she cannot hear until William raises his hand with a small detonator and his thumb on the trigger. Marty grins as she quickly sits the PSG-1 aside and quickly raises the RPG pointing to the back wall to the back of the camp.
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