Ch 12: Smoke on the Horizon

        "Time's up Tim. You still don't know what the numbers mean, do you?"
         "Look, I'm doing the best I can! It isn't my fault that Justin only knows it, and like heck he'll tell us!"                      
          "The numbers Tim! The numbers! We have to figure it out, or the world is doomed without it!"                        
           "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH-"

Tim
        "GAH?!" I violently get up and scream at the top of my lungs. The moonlight glimmers and gives a dim light, illuminating the area. A groan is heard from ear, with a shuffling heard in the other. Slightly scared and still drowsy, I make a clean break for the outer exit. I can see two wagons to the back, one lit up and a shadow in it. The other is almost pitch black, save for something like a candlelight. Out of the first crawls Anna, who looks at me regretfully. "Well, least it isn't That." She shakes her head and puts a hand on her forehead. "What's the matter? Why'd you wake us up?" I snap my head to the other wagon, with Esther popping out; her hair down from her usual pigtails, revealing it to be pretty long. "T-tim? What the feather is going on this late at night?" She asks, wiping her eyes to wake herself up. "I had a baaaad dream." I motion with my hands to make dramatic effects. Esther grips her blanket closer and covers her face in fear with it, leaving only her eyes and fingertips to be seen. "G-go on..." She's still pretty timid when put on the spot. But I digress, if I even knew what that word meant. Might as well tell them, no real foreboding, danger, or foreboding danger from it. "It's the CCC." The mere mentioning of that word makes Esther gasp and Anna roll her eyes. "Hear me out! They weren't trying to kill me! There was explosions and lens flares, so I couldn't get much of a surrounding view, but they WERE trying to help. Something about Justin's numbers! They needed it, or else the world was doomed! BOOM! Just like that!" I pretend to make an explosion with my arms, complete with sound effects. A few minutes , I stare down at Esther. "Haven't you been hunting for them in France for the past five years?" She lowers the blanket slowly, revealing a worried face. "That's such a strong word... searching is more like it." "Est, I know you're not one for violence, but you can tell us. We're your best friends!" Anna crosses her arms and nods, which provokes Esther to give in. "I've been shipping them back to the farm, confiscating their weapons along the way." I think about this for a second, straightening my answer out to be as reasonable as possible. "Why to the farm? I thought you were the only one there."

HA! I'm smarter than I thought. I smile to myself and pump a fist in the air. Victory!

       "Tim." I hear Anna's voice through my closed eyes. "The BuckStars near us helps out. Like heck will there be any CCC revolt with May and Co. around." With that remark, I put my hand down and slump to my feet. "Well, the main problem is that SOME might be still around! You should know, this is easy for you Est!" She nods her head to us, smiles, and turns her back towards us. She shuffles around her wagon for something, finally return with something that looks similar to a calculator. "My G-P-S tells me that all I've rounded up are still there. Ya better thank Anna for her old job!" My jaw drops in disbelief as Anna smugly smiles. "I know my coworkers well. They know how to turn a profit." She gracefully comments. I dramatically look towards Anna and throw my open hands out in front of her, waving them in her face like I'm an insane madman. "How are they gonna reason with THEM?! They're freaking talking vigilante mafia chickens! Do you expect them to NOT do anything suspicious?! On Justin's luck that word hasn't gotten out about them yet!"

-Meanwhile-

          They enter single file in a line. The workers in front notice, each one of them beaming a smile. "Back for more coffee, guys?" Or info?" The leader struts up to the front, for his small size. "Both please, but no rush." "You guys sure are a bit of an odd bunch, bit I can't complain, friends of friends and all." The leader nods in unison with her. "Yep. By the way, bring those in the back once they are done." "We've been doing business with you for a while now. What are you planning?" "Just settling some old scores." A voice booms from the back room, silencing the mild banter. "Coming Out!" A trio of workers walk out, each with two trays of refreshments. The leader turn to the counter. "May I, May?" "You May, May." The exchange completed, the leader walks over to the three. "Junebug, been a while." "You too, chief." The rest of the line continues along, picking out drinks along the way. "August, how's it been?" The second server bows gracefully. "The same as always, you being the exception." The leader smiles, then leads on the the third servant. She herself stares off into the distance until signaled to attention.

"Golden Ivy."

        She stands there, fazed by the strange sight. A moment of recollection passes between the two.

      "You guys."

        "Golden Ivy, long time no see."

          "Indeed! But why are you interested in me? You've been dining here for quite a while. No offense to you guys, all of you are great."

            "NoprobnonetakenIdon'tminddoesn'toffendmejustcold-"

              "Calm down! We have business to settle."

               "Yeah... what do you want from me?"

                "It has begun."

                 "Are you sure?"

                  "Talk To you Later."

                   "A-Ack! So it really is back?!"

                    "Last scouts report that they're already on the move. With special Cargo."
                      "I'll be there soon!"

     She waves at her coworkers, puts the tray down to the ground, and runs fro the back room. The two leaders of both factions turn to each other. 

         "Back to odd jobs. *sigh* I can't blame her."

           "She's one of our finest though. I hope that we can find a way to compen-"

             "We can hold the fort. Don't worry about it."

     A voice screams from the back.

             "I'm coming! Wait up!"

                  A dreadful silence fills the establishment.

     "I suppose our business here is done?"

      "Then we shall be off. May I, May?"

         "You May, May."

           "Eggcelent. The games are afoot, and this one is the most dangerous one yet."

Tim

       "WAKE UP! WAKE UP TIM!"

         "-GAH!"

       I wake up suddenly, the sunrise keeping light in my eyes. Waking up, I see a disgruntled Esther, and hear shots in the distance. "Déjà vu?" I ask. She puts her head down, ashamed of me, before perking her head up at the sound of cannons. The orange light of dawn makes it hard to get a good glimpse around me. "What's going on?" I sleepily ask, seeing That in front of me, guarding Anna's wagon. "Bandits. They're firing on us." BANG! BANG! "Justin and the rest are fending them off. I needed to get Esther's help for your sake, though. You've been asleepin' like a bump on a log, as Esther put it." BANG! The next shot rings out, panicking Esther and causing her to scream. She puts her hands on her head in caution before helping me up. "Had to be the CCC, huh..." I say softly to myself. "Gosh darnit Justin's luck." I look to my feet and bend down, reclaiming my hidden sword. Justin found it acceptable enough to bring a melee weapon, considering how everyone else would be using guns. Well, in reality, it was hidden away in a place nobody would've looked at. Hidden away in my Milly Bays™ pillowcase! I mean, who doesn't hide a sword under their pillow? I stand up once again, and start making my way to the other wagons, Esther's voice in the distance.
"Ididn'tsaytheCCCwerebehindthis!"

       They aren't? Huh, well I'll believe it when I see it. I rush up to the front of our convoy, noting a large amount of beaten-up wagons following by. Guess that's the bandits. At the helm, I spot Justin and the others taking turns firing off. "Tim! Glad you're here!" He exclaims. "The real deal starts now. I've got a few guns in the pile over there. Take one, and HOLD THE LINE!" I pick up a random one from the stock and regroup with the others at the front. Constant fire is heard, along with bloodcurdling screams. "Infighting? I thought they'd be more coordinated..." TG shouts, bringing up a good point, before a hole is ripped in the side of the wagon covers. Explosions rattle both us and our animals, making the ride shaky and Esther's screaming. Justin takes a peak out in front, fires a few warning shots, then returns to cover. "I... might need some help." I can tell from this one sentence that he likely missed. A gunsmith, who can't hit a tree in a forest if he tried. Anna probably judged the same way, and stares harshly at him. "Still a bad shot?" "Not my fault! Why not help?! We finally have everyone together now anyways!" Anna readies her bow and arrow, then responds. "I think I will." She then "shoots" a glance at TG, who looks back with a serious expression. "I've got your flank." He says. In almost perfect unison, the two get up and exchange blows. More shouts of pain are heard, with the pair crouching back below. "Good work!" He says. "Pssh, I did most of the work!" Anna rebuts. "Nuh-uh. I at least did half of it." "I could've handled it by myself!" "Not without me watching your back!" "Could have!" "Could not!" Could have!" "Could not!" "Could not!" "Yeah, you could not!" I let go of my gun and let it fall to the floor, shaking my head. "I can't work like this. Just split up, would ya?" TG hesitates to look at me, but accepts my proposal. "I'll help the back. Hope you're fine by yourself." "I can handle myself, thank you very much!" Anna comments back. I watch TG slither off to the other wagons, leaving us three to defend the front line. "Esther's not gonna be happy about this..." Justin says while blind firing. "Hey, are you going to the back, or helping out now?!" Anna shouts at me. "Already on it!" I reply, swiftly picking up my gun and peaking out.

The first one always hit the hardest.

          Zip, Fwoosh, Zing. Swish, Zoom, Wzzt. The sounds repeat over and over as the firefight continues. I immediately take a hit to the chest, yet stand strong and get a few shots in as payback. Amazingly, the rest of the division stays relatively safe, save for a few strays. The rest of the bullets whiz past me harmlessly as I continue my fatal wounds on the marauders. It's hard to get a good view of any of them in the action, but I make out a few minor details. About three or four on each wagon. Each one wears sunglasses, along with a bandanna covering their faces. Cliche if I haven't seen it. They all wear distinctively different attire though, as to distinguish each and every person in the bunch.

        "They're losing ground!" Justin screeches. I feel relived after hearing this, and continue working. The thought of being able to fend off so many is an amazing feeling, and would've been better if it was the CCC. Not it by a mile, but it's still something. The shots continue going, and my shots keep going, and the adrenaline in my body keeps on going, yet the good can't keep going.

A second stray bullet, unbound by the laws of luck.

BANG! BANG! "Where's the gosh darn hitmarkers when you need them?" BANG! BANG!

All the uphill struggle, until then.

"Pushing them back, just keep going!"

"Got another one! Or at least I'm pretty sure I got another one!"

Only did I, only did we all realize it too late.

"Piece of cake! This couldn- " BANG! BLZZZZZZT!

"-KYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

       A high-pitched scream almost shatters my eardrums. Stunned by this, I freeze up, unable to move a limb. Justin tackles me to the ground as more bullets continue to fly past. "GET DOWN, IDIOT!" He commands. I only move my eyes, seeing blurs of red and green obscuring my upside down vision. The colors stumble and fall, before being obscured by Justin's head. I feel my shoulders being dragged as he tries to prop me up against the wagon wall. "They've got an endless supply of manpower and guns. Not good considering the spread of bullets, even if we've been lucky enough to only be hit twice..." He surveys the area around him with his head, and gasps halfway through. "ANNA DOWN! I REPEAT, ANNA DOWN!"

     I look over with the remaining strength that I have saved. The colors reform before me. Anna lays on the ground, the handle to her weapon bloody and beside her. My jaw starts to drop as I continue watching the horrific sight. She winces in pain while gripping her right hip, a contrast of red in the outfit of green. "D-dang... h-had...ungh..." Her mutters are barely audible, and are mostly obscured with the cries of pain and battle. I feel my muscles regain their strength as tears flow from my eyes.

        I couldn't save her, Charlie, or anyone to be specific.
         The one thing I could actually beat Justin at, and I can't do it.

          Two people possibly dead, and I've done nothing.
           Done nothing but become a walking joke for Justin.

            I can't let this go on.

             I won't let this continue.

      I grab my gun and furiously get up, a spark of hope ignited in the darkness. I blink continuously, trying to get the stream of tears out of my mind. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THISSSSSS!!!" I shout, anger and sadness mixing in both my mind and actions. My fingers move in an intricate fashion, handling the gun with precise dexterity and raising the sights to my eyes. My first rage-filled shots silence the air, a dance of death waiting for anyone to tango with. Click, boom, cha-chink, reload. Click, boom, cha-chink, reload. Click, boom cha-chink, reload. The endless cycle repeats once more, and the waves of enemies keep on approaching. Dirt flies in my face, bullets graze my hair, and I can't even hear myself in all the action. My mouth puckers at the sight, and my ears tune out any other sound. I feel out of body, like my soul has left, and I can only go through the motions.

"Is this truly being a hero? Forgoing my senses and sanity for this?" I silently say to myself, witnessing the power and sacrifices made to do this.

      I continue trying to ponder this as I unconsciously keep my stance and keep firing, my mouth not moving one bit. One stray bullet hits, yet I feel no pain. I see sweat dripping down on my face as I turn to shoot my attacker, yet don't feel anything. Another man to the right fires off, pinning my shoulder and making me flinch. I fire right back, knocking him off his feet. Another hits in the chest, and I don't even reel back. I just aim my gun back, and fire. Another one down.

"What has become of me?" I think once more, drawing my mental attention away from the fight. My physical attention span stays concentrated on the battle, still holding the front for as long as possible while Justin gets Esther to tend to Anna.

"I want to be the hero. The one that makes the difference, unlike Justin."
    Another wagon pops right up next to us, with the whole crew laying all that they've got onto me. I take it all without losing my ground, taking every second that I get to exact my revenge on our assailants. Two more wagons show up to crash the party. I can't hold forever. They fire on me as one cohesive unit, peppering me with spray after spray.

        I stand motionless, dropping the gun after taking so many hits. My last inch of strength gives out on me, causing me to fall back onto the wagon. I can't move my mouth to utter a cry, and can't move with the little energy that I have. The noise all around me fills in the time, as screams and shots continue to go on. I feel nothing but the cold floor of the wagon, as my ears too steadily give out on me. My eyes are the last reserves I have, but only in a matter of seconds would they close with regret.

My eyes opened for the last time that day.