ZRP-2: Chapter 4, Backtracking

Eve was taken back by the hug...but she accepted and returned it.
"As long as you are always there for me when I need a friend...then I'll always forgive you..."

Hibiki, hearing the warning, drew her sword. She really didn't want to break up the two.
She really didn't.

(Andrew)

=I take out the rifle and look down the scope. The distance was going to be a guess=

From where I'm at, about eight miles out...from where you're at...

=I put down a pang of primal fear=

Your guess is as good as mine.

(James)
=I sighed over the walkie=
"Dude, if they're that far away, then we're fine. Look, just get over to where we are, because you're the one carrying the fuel we need to get this truck moving."

(Andrew)

=I nod, turning the ATV in the direction of the warehouse district=

Alright...give me a minute to get over there.

=I then hit the accelerator, making sure I got over there as soon as possible=

(Sam)
"Don't worry. I'll be here, always."
=Still, I stood up and walked over to stand with James and Hibiki. The more eyes on watch, the better=

(James)
"Just don't get a speeding ticket man."

(Andrew)

Don't worry...I don't think that'll happen.

=I watch the road, wary for any bandits hiding in surrounding area=

Those guys are more dangerous than the walkers...but just as deadly...

Eve then ran after Sam and hugged her tightly from behind, burying her face in Sam's back.
"I don't know. I just had to do this." She said softly as Hibiki smiled slightly ans ruffled her hair.

(James)
=I kinda grinned, then waved to Hibiki=
"Keep an eye out for Andrew or anymore walkers, I'm going to check for key's. Failing that.....I'll have to hotwire the truck. Sam, check the tank, see if there's any inside."

(Sam)
=While I was caught off guard by the hug, I nodded at James, worming my way out to go and walk to the gas tank=
"Uh, how do I check how much fuel is inside?"

Eve produced and arrow.
"Check how wet the arrow is." She said. "The level on the arrow corresdonds with the tank."

(Sam)
"Thanks Eve."
=I took the arrow, and inserted it down the tank. When I took it out, it was wet about halfway, so it was probably half full=

"We got maybe a half tank."

Eve nodded, then took the gasoline-soaked arrow ans wrapped it in a handkerchief from her bag.
Then she checked he lighter was ok.
Seeing the flame, she flicked it off and grinned.
Pyromaniac, pyromaniac.

(James)
=I opened the door, finding a bit of a mess inside. Looks like whoever this truck once belonged to had been a bit of a slob. Clearing away some of the clutter, I searched every possible place. Glove box, those little shade things on the ceiling, no keys. So, I did the next best thing: I got under the wheel, turned onto my back, and stuck my knife into a crack in the plastic below. I managed to get the plastic casing off, exposing dozens of wires. Just had to trust my skills at hot wiring=

(Andrew)

=I come to the warehouse district a minute later=

Let's just hope they found that truck...

=I speed the ATV just a bit, keeping my eyes open for anything and anyone=

(James)
=I swear to God, I thought I had the right wires. One second I was twisting wires together, trying to start the car, the next the fucking alarm went off. The truck started making a high pitched noise, the sound deafening. Hell, even the damn lights were flashing=
"Well.....at least the battery still has some juice."

(Sam)
=I covered my ears, glaring daggers at James=
"Turn it off. Turn it the fuck off!"

(Andrew)

=And, almost like a beacon, I hear the blaring of a car alarm cut through the ever-pervasive silence=

Well...just follow the noise, then...

=I then head towards the noise, hoping I was in time=

Before Hibiki could run over, Eve yanked James back, scooted under, and turned the alarm off, and started the Uhaul. She stood back up.
"So. Lets let the Shepherd-trained socially awkward archer hotwire from now on." She said bluntly. "Andrew in five, four, three..."

(Andrew)

=I head on over to the truck with the ATV, a little over a 17 gallons gathered from the venture=

Should do the trick...

=I come to a halt beside the truck, letting the ATV's engine idle=

Come and get it.

(James)
=Dusting myself off, I scowled at the girl=
"I was about to do that before you pulled me out Eve. And about time Andrew. But, looks like we may not need the fuel; the tank is half full on the truck, so it should be enough to get back to the compound"

"Not fast enough if it was still going before I pulled you back." Eve said. "Now get your head in the game. We have to move before the walkers find us."
Hibiki frowned but sighed. "She's right. We gotta get moving."

(James)
"My hands were on the wires Eve. Hell, I could have electrocuted myself."
=But, it was pointless to argue. The alarm was over, and we had a truck to move=

"Just move over. I'll drive, you get the candy. Sam, keep an eye on her."

(Sam)
"Got it James. Let's go Eve."

Eve shrugged and Imbed into the back.
No one trusted her still.
No one really understood her anyways.
She sat down and hide behind candy as Hibiki climbed into the passenger seat.

(James)
=It wasn't that I didn't trust Eve, far from it. But I wasn't sure about her driving skills, and now wasn't the time to test them out. Climbing into the driver's seat, I buckled up=
"Okay, let's see if this old truck can move."

=I then put the pedal to the metal, and the truck jerked forward=

(Sam)
=I sat against the wall of the inside of the truck, staring at Eve casually. And maybe the candy as well, as it shook from the movement of the truck=

Eve crawled over and laid down, pillowing her head in Sam's lap.
"Do you trust me?"

(Sam)
=Smiling, I looked down at her, one of my fingers curling in her hair=
"Always."

(James)
=I had to hope that Andrew was behind us, because I wasn't going to stop for anything. We soon left the warehouse district, heading down the streets back for the compound. Everything looked fine....until the walkers came out to play=
"Uh oh...Hibiki, get on the walkie and tell Sam and Eve to close their door. Have Andrew move ahead, on a different route and we'll meet him back at the compound."

Eve smiled softly, snuggling closer.
"Who knew my dream of cuddling with you amidst a candy wonderland would come true -"
The walkie crackled. "Close the door and hang onto your panties girls. We got walkers."

(Sam)
=Dammit, I didn't want to ruin the moment or force Eve to move her head, but walkers took priority. Standing up (and more or less tossing Eve off me) I struggled to gain my balance as the truck was in motion, and slowly made my way to the door. I pulled down on the little strap hanging from the door, and soon the door came crashing down. We were safely inside....and also in pitch black=
"Uh, did that dream also include us being in the dark?"

(James)
=The group itself wasn't quite a horde. There were maybe 20, 25 at best. But it was ramming through them that would be difficult=
"Hold onto your butts!"

=Then I accelerated, and we more or less rammed right into the group. There was a clunking sound, as they hit the front bumper and got dragged beneath us. We bounced around as we drove over their bodies, but some still clung to us=

"No. Yes. Maybe. Secret." She said as a mountain of candy buried her.

Hibiki cursed. "Andrew. Whatever melee you got, ddaw it. Play some polo with the freeloaders on our truck."

(Sam)
=So, stumbling around in the darkness of a moving truck with a mountain of candy inside and a girl flailing around? Yeah, fun times. Until you lose balance and fall down. Which is what happened to me. I landed with an 'oof' and found my face pressed against something fairly rough, yet warm at the same time. It almost felt like...=
"Oh gohd..."

=The words came out smothered, since my face was more or less plastered into Eve's crotch, the rough sensation being her cargo shorts=

Eve's face went redder the. The candy around her.
"Th-that w-wasn't h-h-how I-I-I d-dreamed I-it." She stuttered, frozen with shock and unable to control her mind.

Hibiki hung on.
"Sir, I am excercising my right to taking your license away for reckless endangerment of my life."

(James)
=I laughed maniacally=
"License, what license?"

=We got through the crowd, continuing onward=

(Sam)
=I tried to get back up. God I did. But the damn truck was shaking so much, I couldn't really stand up. Everytime I tried, I fell back down, my face going back into, you guessed it. I decided to just roll over, the back of my head still in the same place though=
"Fuckin hell!"

Hibiki blinked.
"Oh dear."

Eve whimpered slightly, afraid to move and somehow worsen their situation.
Why world.
Why not her breasts? She at least could have hugged Sam then.

(Sam)
"Okay Eve, I'm going to try and shimmy my way up and out of your crotch."
=It struck me at how weird that sounded, and how I did not really give a fuck. In any case, I sorta pushed with my feet, and shimmed up Eve's body.....now, normally this would have been the part where I'd get the cameras and make a fortune, but now really wasn't the time. It ended when I could feel....her breasts against my back, and I was sure her face was right behind my head. So, I flipped over, and off her=

"So uh.....this more like your dream now?"

(James)
=Once clear of the walkers, I grabbed my walkie and hailed Sam and Eve=
"Sam, Eve, you guys okay?"

"No. You didn't flip off me in the dream. And the rest you can guess..." she reeeeaallly wanted to hide in their closet now.

Hibiki sighed. "Candy and each other.. They gotta be ok."

(James)
=I put the walkie down=
"Yeah, I guess."

(Sam)
"Well, if you want we can cuddle in the pile of candy."
=I couldn't help it. My voice started shaking with laughter, and I did my best, I really did. But my voice sounded like I had swallowed a few gallons of laughter=

"Roll around in the candy pile, all alone in the dark! I can finally have my dream of rolling naked in candy!"
=And then the laughter came, and I abandoned trying to contain it. Laughter reverberated in the interior of the truck, and it felt so good=

"My dream had us rling naked in a nice warm bed." Eve replied. "And I accept your offer of cuddling now. But uh. Where are you?"
Then the laughing. She honestly couldn't help it.
She started laughing as well.

(James)
=Maybe it was my imagination, but I could have sworn I heard....=
"Uh, Hibiki? Do you hear laughter?"

(Sam)
=Hearing her laugh set off another attack of giggles, and I practically rolled to her voice, candy wrappers making that crackling sound beneath me, until I actually rolled onto her=
"Well.....isn't this a sweet moment?"

Eve smiled softly, wrapping her arms around Sam.
"Is this what friends normally do?"

"Yeah. Um. It's a little girl amidst candy and Sam. What did you expect, the fearful cries of the coming apocalypse?"

(Sam)
=Even though it was dark and she wouldn't see, I smiled at her=
"This is what friends having a very good time do, yes. Especially on a sugar rush."

(James)
"No, but I was expecting the OM NOM NOM NOM NOM sounds."

Eve smiled a bit brighter.
"Please don't let go?"

Hibiki cracked up. "Only on 4chan."

(Sam)
=Before I could speak, another bump in the road, or something, caused the truck to jump, and by extension me. My face went up, and then down....right into Eve's. My lips pressed down on something, but I wasn't sure if it was her eye or her lips. I pulled back though, still holding her=
"Accident, complete accident"

(James)
"Ah, those were the days."
=We got back within sight of the compound=

"Can we do that again?" Eve asked.

"I need a massage. My back is kinked up now."

(James)
"Well, I'll be happy to oblige you when we get back Hibiki."
=We soon passed through the gate, and there were a few guards waiting for us inside=

(Sam)
=I blushed a little=
"Maybe. We'll have to wait and see."

=Neither of us really said anything about getting up=

Eve gently pulled Sam's head down, gently touching her forehead to Sam's.
She didn't say anything.
Eve didn't think she had to.

"If the massage sucks, then you're on your own as I find someone to get these kinks out." Hibiki said.

(James)
"Aww, I'm hurt honey. I mean, we did get married."
=Climbing out, I walked over to the rear of the truck, opening the door to the cargo section, and got one helluva surprise=

(Sam)
=I was silent, the sensation of her forehead, cool and maybe slightly damp, a pleasant sensation. The moment was ruined though, when the doors were opened, and I heard a choking sound. I turned my head to see James standing there, trying not to laugh=

(James)
=Oh man, did I want to laugh at this=
"You want me to leave a lantern in here, give you two some alone time?"

"Yes." Eve said immediately. "Or...we go to our room..."
She was so dead.

Hibiki stayed respectfully quiet.

(James)
=Grinning, I stepped aside=
"Well, nice to see you two back together....I think."

(Sam)
=Climbing off of Eve, I shot James a look that could whither plants and cause small animals to die=
"James, we're not together."

=Then I cast a different glance at Eve, this one with the opposite effect of the first=
"Not yet anyway..."

=Then I jumped down=

If Eve was Scooby-Doo, she would have turned into a rocket, and shot into the sky to explode into fireworks.
She was happy.
And so, after stuffing her pockets and pack with candy, she scooted out after Sam.
"I want the candy held in a room for me."

Hibiki chuckled a bit, then cast a sideways glance at Sam, her look saying "we need to talk."

(Sam)
=I saw the look Hibiki gave me, and whispered to her=
"Give me some time, okay?"

=Then I walked for the hotel=

(James)
"I'll see what I can do Eve, but our priority is getting the truck into position."
=More guards came by, some of them even holding tools=

Hibiki caught up with Sam.
"Just promise me. You won't get her hopes up and just end up crushing her again."

Eve looked crestfallen. "Please daddy?"

(Sam)
"I promise Hibiki. This time...it's going to be different."

(James)
=I sighed, and then motioned for two of the guards to gather up the candy. They looked perplexed by the order, but in the end they agreed. Getting some bags together, they stuffed the candy inside. I still found it odd that they, grown men and soldiers, were stuffing candy into sacks....for a little girl=