I gazed over the edge of the cliff, surveying the land spread before me. A lake, warped and shining, glittered at the edge of my sight. trailing off the lake's main body, the Henbane River twined its length around the hills and valleys of Hope County. Faint trails of smoke rose here and there, betraying the locations of Cultists, likely burning the bodies of those that refused to join their movement, Eden's Gate. At the peak of the highest hill, more of a small mountain really, stood the statue of Joseph Seed, overseeing the wanton destruction in his name. How I'd like to drive a plane right through that mound of concrete, topple it on his followers, show them he is no god.
I inhaled, chasing the thoughts away with the breath of clear mountain air. Up here, on a rocky cliff ledge north of the Henbane River region, the air was pure and cold, untainted by the sinister green fog known as the Bliss. I relished every taste I could get, knowing I had to head back down to the County Jail, the current makeshift headquarters of our small resistance; the jail was right on the Henbane River, and the air there was always a little thicker.
With a sigh, I turned from the magnificent view and toward the path leading down the mountain, strewn with flower petals and speckled with blood. Though the petals were of the Bliss flowers, the constant blowing of the mountain winds had long since bleached them of their toxic fragrance. Good thing, too; just a whiff of that scent was enough to disorient any regular person, prolonged exposure bringing headaches and hallucinations. The longer you stayed in the Bliss, the harder it was to get out.
"Come on, Dep!" my current help, Liz Crawford called from farther down the path. "Daylight's wastin', and I dont like the idea of getting caught in the dark with them Peggie fuckers."
With a final glance, I jogged after her. I tapped my sidearm, a reflex at the mention of Peggies. Reassured it was still there, I lengthened my stride, determined to reach the blacktop before night fell.
After several minuted of silent walking, Liz spoke up. "I just can't thank you enough for all the help you've been, Deputy."
Inwardly, I grimaced, bracing for the endless torrent of thanks and praise. It seemed wherever I went, strangers would recognize me and couldn't help themselves; they just had to make sure I knew how grateful they were for helping out at the prison, or liberating Falls End.
"I thought for sure the Angels would take the prison," Liz continued. "but then you showed up, with Grace Armstrong too! And you sure did a hell of a job kicking their sorry asses."
I lifted an eyebrow. "You were there? At the prison?"
She nodded. "Yup! Took out five of those fucked-up Angels myself. Plus around a dozen cultists who had brains." she sure seemed proud of it, picking up her chin and puffing her chest.
I nodded, not sure what to say. It seemed cruel to tell her those were pretty sad numbers; Id lost count in my first three days of being in Hope County. Raising my eyes from the path in front of my feet, movement caught my eye.
Without thinking, I crouched, my .45 already in my grasp. It took Liz two full seconds to follow suit, her semi-automatic trained on the three figures about fifty yards downhill. If I had been with Jess or Grace, they probably would have noticed the threat before me β and made a lot less noise while they were at it.
I crept around the wide trunk of the tree I was behind, trying to get a bead on the figures. As I suspected, it was two cultists and a prisoner; a woman, her dark hair straggling from its bun to trail on her shoulders. I waited, my knees folded, as they walked leisurely past. As the last man passed me, I sprang up. His neck snapped like a dead branch. The second cultist kept walking, only stopping when Liz β curse her β burst from her cover in front of him with a cry. He shoved his prisoner to her knees. "Sinner!" he screamed, raising his own semi-automatic. My pistol kicked, the sound like a small peal of thunder. The Peggie collapsed, a neat hole in the back of his skull.
I glared at Liz, then checked on the woman. Her eyes were wide, her breath coming in shallow gasps. I untied her hands. As she pushed herself to her feet, her legs trembled. Liz tried to give her a hand up, but she flinched away as if electrocuted. The woman stared at us, then at the dead bodies on the ground, horror dawning on her pale, bruised face. "Oh Godβ¦" She took off into the woods, screaming. "Somebody help me! Anybody!"
"Damn, what's her deal?"
I shrugged. "Some of 'em are like that." I stopped to check the bodies for useful items; I found $20 between them and a few odds and ends I could use for crafting my explosives. Pocketing the loot, I continued on down the mountain, Liz at my side.
As we walked in silence, I recalled how she had handled the situation back there. She could have gotten the hostage killed, and myself. If it had been Grace, or Jess, it would have been silent the entire time. I gritted my teeth. Soon, we'd reach the blacktop, I could commandeer a vehicle, and we would be back at the jail in time for nightfall. I'd sell the deer skins id gathered in the past two days, say goodbye to Liz Crawford and march my happy ass back to the pizza bar.
8-bit Pizza Bar, where Grace, Jess and several of my other friends all camped out. plus my dog, Boomer, and Peaches, the cougar who'd do just about anything you asked her to for a bit of freeze-dried bait. I wonder if Nick will be there, or if he'll be out flying, or with Kim and Carmina.
Shouts and gunfire reached my ears. Tensing, I reached for my pistol again. Liz had started forward, looking alertly ahead for the source of the commotion. I heaved a small sigh. Here we go againβ¦
I followed my gun for hire, hoping to stop the conflict with as few bullets as possible β ammo was expensive as fuck these days.
