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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 Another beautiful day in the corpse of the world. The mushrooms were blooming wild in the cities while humanity slowly dragged itself onward a a little longer. I'd found a shady spot to keep the sun off while I kept an eye out for work. It was pretty slow today - the heat had everyone miserable enough that nobody had the energy to start trouble. It would pick up soon enough, though. When Autumn rolls in everybody starts scrambling to secure themselves for the winter, and that means hiring legbreakers and bravos like myself. Until then I had to settle for what I could find, and what I could find was Lace. "Until you can make it worth my while, it's not my problem. I'm not a charity." I crossed my arms and glanced down at Lace as his shoulders slumped. Lace had gotten himself deep in debt with one of the local bravos, Frog. The dress, makeup, and black eye he was sporting made it pretty obvious how he was paying that debt off. He was an alright kid, and I felt bad for the abuse he had to deal with. But if I made an exception for him, everyone else would want one too. And gratitude alone didn't put food on my plate.
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Apr 27, 2014 20:48
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 Frog was small time. He was mean, talked big, and could do some seriously unpleasant things with a crowbar. In the end though, he was ten pounds of poo poo in a five pound bag. The only thing poo poo is good for is fertilizer. I gave Frog a bored look. "No. Now kindly gently caress off." The glances over the shoulder? Offering double up front like that with no haggling? Everything about him was tripping warning bells in my head. Either Perry shut him down hard over something and this was his petty revenge or he was working an angle. If revenge, I'd likely never see the payout. If an angle, probably trying to set me up. Everyone wants to be the person that nailed my rear end to a barn door, and the Sorority would be only too happy to provide the nails if one of their own got whacked and somebody just happened to pin my name to it. You just can't expect honor from people these days. I glanced over at Juck and her crew as they swindled the out-of-towners. There was a chance Frog was working under someone else's orders. Opening salvo to a play against the Sorority, maybe. If so, odds were Juck might have an idea who. Provided Frog heeds her warning, she's going to swagger on over and see what's happening with everyone's favorite Chopper. Otherwise, things are liable to get unpleasant most ricky tick.
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Apr 29, 2014 13:52
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 The grip on my blade tightened. Frog was five seconds away from acquiring several new and interesting orifices when Big Mike came hustling up, trying to catch his breath. I relaxed a bit and flashed him a smile. "Hey. Take it easy, old timer." I offered him my canteen, then glanced back at Frog. "I might be. We're just finishing up a bit of business and then we can talk." I paused, considering. "You know, Frog. If what you say is true that's pretty serious. I can't very well take anyone's money over it. Community service and all that." Turning away, I faced the main drag of the farm and cupped my hands around my mouth. "YO. PERRY. GET YOUR BEHIND OUT HERE GIRL, WE NEED TO TALK. IMMEDIATELY." There was no menace behind my words, but I didn't typically call anyone out if something wasn't about to go down. I planted the sheath of my sword in the dirt and waited patiently. The adrenaline was starting to kick in and all my senses were focused on Frog, ready to take him apart if he tried anything funny.
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Apr 30, 2014 02:44
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 Dumb bastard. He throws an accusation like that at my feet and he thinks I'm just going to accept it without question? I may be a murderer, but I'm not a psycho killer. It was a fine line, but a line nonetheless. It wasn't my problem if nobody else could or would make the distinction. As he turned to run, my gun flew out of the holster. The hammer cocking was as loud as a funeral bell. "You're scared of her. Fine. But be more afraid of me. If there's any truth to what you say, now you get to lay out your evidence and see justice done." Go Aggro. (roll +cool) 2d6+3=8
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May 1, 2014 18:25
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 The gunshot echoed across the ranch as a bloody hole blossomed out of Frog's back. He stumbled, then collapsed. I held the gun on him, waiting for a twitch, then holstered it. I'd probably just made some enemies, and public opinion was going to go against me, but whatever. I wasn't in this business to make friends. As Perry walked out of the shed, I cocked my head towards Frog. "He wanted you dead, and wouldn't take no for an answer. You owe me one. Sorry about the interruption." I held her gaze for a moment. If she really was some kind of serial killer, she had to realize why Frog had asked me to deal with her. So she had a choice. Try to tie up loose ends and deal with me - no small task - or take this as a sign and clean up her act. Assuming she was sane enough to even be able to make that decision. Big Mike: Angel Eyes sounds wholly bored with the proceedings. On the one hand, that kind of person might not be the sort you want hanging around. On the other hand, you have proof positive that she can and will deal with whoever you need her to protect you from. Just uh, listen to her when she says "No".
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May 1, 2014 20:13
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 "Don't mention it." I nodded at Perry, and turned back to Mike as he looked over Frog's body. I offered him a hand back to his feet and stood awkwardly as he spoke. "...Uh." I blushed a bit. Mike's words were a little sappy for my tastes, but I appreciated the gesture. It was just too bad he was expecting such grand things from me of all people. "Yeah, I can do that. And since you're hiring me on and asked as much, the weapons won't come out until you say so. As for payment. If you can look over my respirator I'll call it even. Make sure it's still in good order, maybe swap out the filters? With this latest bloom I want to be certain it's not going to crap out on me." I was about to offer a handshake to seal the deal when a very angry individual interposed herself between us and started shrieking at me. "If Taye's rifle hasn't gotten their attention by now, I think we're fine. As for your friend, that lump over there asked me to kill her. You should be thanking me right now." I leaned in close, speaking barely above a whisper. "Seems to me you might want to inquire of her just why Frog asked me to, and I quote, "name my price" for that bit of work. Might want to keep your popgun handy when you do it." I gave her a pleasant smile and straightened back up.
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May 2, 2014 02:40
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I didn't break Faustina's finger when she poked at my chest. That was my good deed for the day. "For a doctor, you are really high strung." I pulled off my hat and lazily fanned myself with the brim. "Sure, I didn't have to kill him. You think that would have been the end of it? He'd have come after me after humiliating him like that, and he might have gotten lucky. I can't let that happen. Someone else is carrying my death warrant, and I intend to give her a fair shot at me. So unless you intend to kill me, you have nothing to worry about." "As for your other concerns, I've accepted Mike's offer. That means I see it through, and I adhere to the spirit as well as the letter of a contract. So no, I won't be stabbing anyone in the back ten seconds after the job is over if that's what you're thinking. Besides, I come back alone and that's my reputation shot all to hell."
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May 2, 2014 11:10
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 "A whole hot mess of nasty bitches after my rear end? Is that a threat or a proposition? I could stand to let off some steam, and I'm pretty good with my tongue." As I sauntered after the two, I reloaded the spent round. Wouldn't do to be short a bullet if things turned dicey down the road. About that time, an ear splitting roar approached, with Juck up front looking ready to take someone's head off. I swung the cylinder closed and holstered the pistol at the same time she hopped off the bike and stuck a streetsweeper under Taco's nose. A glance over at Mike, and he made a motion to play it cool. That worked for me. I didn't have any beef with Juck. I crossed my arms and waited to see where this was going.
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May 3, 2014 03:11
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 Quick as a whip, I was all business. No sign of my earlier irritation or the calculated smart-rear end routine remained. "Hey, Angel Eyes, this ain't what you signed up for precisely, but you wanna switch that job to getting me out of this things alive?" I gave a silent nod to Mike, keeping my eyes on Juck and Faustina all the while. My revolver hadn't come out, but the sword was in position for a draw if either made a move against Mike. Shardix fucked around with this message at 08:07 on May 4, 2014 |
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May 4, 2014 07:09
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 The alarm had gone up. Might be Faustina had a point about excessive gunfire after all. My eyes flicked up towards the distant trees, making out the dim shapes shuffling towards us. On instinct I pulled the respirator out of my satchel and strapped it on, making sure everything was nice and snug. "Whatever you want to do Mike, I've got your back until this mess is resolved. Just do me a favor and decide quickly." Glancing over at Juck, I held her gaze for a beat. "Yeah, you could say we got into some poo poo. And that's all I have to say on the matter. Suffice that even if I weren't on the clock, that's not a grave I plan on digging just yet." I tried my best to keep my tone neutral. Truth was, the poo poo me and Karen had been through had nothing to do with trying to kill each other. I'd come up from the south a few years back, and moseyed right into the Dog Soldier's territory. My attitude and their notorious lack of humor nearly got me killed before a pack of shrooms showed up to crash the party. The Cheyenne lost a couple men, and if Karen hadn't literally hauled one of them off of me and snapped its spine, I probably would have joined them. The two of us and little Newport managed to get back to civilization, light on ammo but whole. And, well. Something about surviving a near death experience tends to make bad first impressions turn into good second ones. I wouldn't go near so far as to say I'm welcome in their neck of the woods, but Karen and I have a good relationship. It helps that we don't see each other very often. Keeps us from pissing each other off enough that we forget we're more or less on the same side. In any case, she filled me in on the what's what and who's who around here, which helped immensely in getting on my feet. It also occurred to us that given the local factionalism, it might not be a bad idea for us to keep our relationship on the down low. Maybe even play up the idea that we had bad blood between us. I could stay a freelancer and occasionally (and surreptitiously) provide muscle, she could avoid associating too much with an outsider but keep me fed when things got lean. It's worked out pretty well so far. The basic point is, I wasn't putting a bullet in Karen Blackwolf's head on Juck's behalf anytime soon. Lucky for Juck, that went both ways. No loving way am I sticking my nose in the middle of the Newport business. I barely knew her, but I do know this: no situation on this earth gets uglier then when someone's lover is involved.
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May 4, 2014 14:03
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 Sliding into the passenger seat, I tossed my blade onto the dashboard and rolled the window down. As the truck start moving I kept my eyes sharp and a hand on my gun. I cast a glance out the back window at Juck as she yelled at Faustina. That woman had some serious anger issues. Why did everyone have to take things so damned personally all the time? I wanted to say something to Mike along those lines. About what a mess that had turned into- -But those words would be pretty obviously hollow, coming from me. I decided to just keep my mouth shut and focus on the moment.
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May 6, 2014 03:13
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I glanced out the window at the desperate people trying to flag us down. Curt. Fisheyes. J...Janine? Jacky? J something. Lace, too. drat it. Lace wasn't the sort who could really survive without someone watching out for him, and I'd whacked Frog. Which kind of made him my responsibility now. "Hey Mike. It's your truck, you make the decisions. But if you keep going, I don't want to hear any more of that 'bright future' or 'good neighbor' poo poo." I looked over at the old man. Normally he had a pretty affable air about him, but with that helmet the human element was entirely lost.
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May 6, 2014 11:08
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 As the truck skidded to a halt, I popped the door and stepped out. The world slowed down as everything came into focus. The crunch of gravel under my boots. The low rumble of the truck's engine. The shouts and screams and gunshots. And behind it all, the high pitched keening wail of the infected. Everyone knows why they should fear the things. Their speed. Their mindless, crushing strength. Their primitive pack tactics. But the worst thing about them was that noise. It wasn't some bestial screeching or the low moan of the old Hollywood undead. It was a raw, terrified wail that made you wonder just how much of a person still survived in that husk. When you got down to it, that was what truly made them terrifying. The possibility that when the spores took you over you would still be in there, trapped and helpless and mad. Ask anyone what Hell sounds like, and they'll tell you it's the sound of an infected. I took in the situation. We had time. Not much, but we should be able to scrape by. The gate would be a problem, but one thing at a time. I drew my revolver, ready to pop any of the shrooms that came too close to us or the stragglers. "Haul your butts! Pile in the back!" I flicked my eyes over to Lace. "Front seat, Lace! Pronto!" Why are you even doing this? You had a clean getaway. I wanted to tell myself it was the right thing to do. That these people would owe me some pretty big favors when we were in the clear. That was bullshit. I loved this. Throwing my life into the wind and coming out on top, riding the adrenaline high all the way. Being alive and proving to the world that it didn't have what it takes to bring me down. It was the precise opposite of being suicidal while looking exactly like it.
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May 7, 2014 05:06
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I popped the door and smashed one of the horde's vanguard in the face as Mike slowed the truck. Grabbing my blade from the dash, I slid back out and apprised the situation. Biggest horde I had seen in a while and I didn't have nearly enough bullets for it. Even just the bunch in the immediate area was pushing it, and they could close the gap faster then I could reload. C'est la vie. "Lace." I slammed the door shut and stuck my head in the window. "Give me your hand." He gave me a confused look, but obeyed. I grabbed his wrist and slapped my revolver into his palm. "It'll kick like a mule so hold it with both hands. And don't miss." If Ben had anything to say about that, I didn't hear it. I turned away and drew my sword. In a blink I was sprinting headlong towards our exit, lopping off any grasping hands and opening the stomachs of the shrooms in my way. I didn't have the time to actually kill them, but that should slow them down. As I came up to the front of the gate, I wound up face to face with one as it clumsily attempted to climb over the obstruction. Despite the years that had gone by, some tattered rags remained on its form. Judging by the veil over the face and the ratty, mud-caked train, some poor woman had had the shittiest wedding in history. Coming in low, I rose up with a pommel smash to the jaw. As she reeled back, I whipped the blade out and sent her head arcing backwards. The body continued to climb for a few brief seconds before realizing it was dead, then collapsed into a heap. As quick as they could run, the infected were not so hot in the reflexes department. They were having trouble pinpointing where I'd ended up, and some seemed more interested in the truck. Taking that brief opportunity, I hopped the fence and hauled on it with everything I had. It resisted, briefly, before it finally began to give with an almighty shriek. Act Under Fire. (roll +cool) 2d6+4=10 +1 from Mike knowing what he's doing. Thanks, Mike!
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May 9, 2014 01:42
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 ...poo poo. The rocket loomed like God's own angry erection. I was about to bail out when Mike swerved the truck and threw me back into Lace. Grabbing the door, I hauled myself upright. "Am I killing someone right now or are we still letting Juck sort it out?" My voice had a slight sense of urgency to it.
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May 10, 2014 05:34
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=2/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00  I let go of Lace and peeled myself off of the door. I had to give the old man credit, he was a terror behind the wheel. Unfortunately, us passengers were likely to wind up eating the dash if he kept it up. "Alright, Mike. You hired me to keep you safe. Karen is going to turn us into dog food just for being here, and knowing her, "We were just giving Juck a ride" is not going to fly. I can keep them busy long enough for you to get out of here, but I won't say no to a better plan." I was hunkered down in my seat as I spoke, sweeping my gaze across the area. I should have paid more attention on the approach; this was a good spot for an ambush and I'd been oblivious. Ah well. We hadn't exploded yet so there was time to fix that mistake. Read A Sitch. (roll +sharp) 2d6+1=7 What should I be on the lookout for?
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May 10, 2014 23:22
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=2/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I let myself out, slinging my blade over my shoulder. Thankfully nobody was opening fire just yet, but that wouldn't last long. I pointed a finger at the ghillie suit aiming at the truck as I walked. I didn't even say anything, just let him know I knew he was there. If he had an ounce of sense, he'd point that rifle somewhere else. Leaning over the bed of the pickup, I banged on the side to get the tangled mess' attention. "Ride's over, ladies. Piss off."
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May 11, 2014 02:54
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=2/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 Bullets buried themselves into the truck around me as Karen's troops unloaded on my position. Wrong move, jackasses. We could have settled this like civilized people, but no. You had to let your vendetta get the better of you and now people are going to die. I unholstered my revolver and moved up to the front window. "Get out of here, I'll catch up later. Don't argue." My voice was ice cold, and I was not in the mood to debate the matter. I was still following orders, keeping him safe. More than that, though, the Dog Soldiers had opened fire on me. That made them dead men. A glance in the window showed me Lace hunched down, arms over his head. Next to him, my own Guardian Angel of Death. She had that cheshire cat smile and a cigarette hanging from her lips, one arm draped over Lace's back as she flashed me a thumbs up. A pool of vermin scurried about her feet, a few cockroaches climbing up the door and falling out the window. Mike and Lace payed no mind whatsoever; no surprise there. Just my brain problems cropping up again. Visions of Death. (roll +weird) 2d6+1=7 Lace isn't dying here. My hallucination says so. I turned back to the ghillie suit and prepared to get unpleasant.
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May 11, 2014 07:03
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=3/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 As Mike sped away, I let off a shot at the sniper in the tree. I didn't expect to hit anything, but a .50 caliber bullet tends to keep heads down. Pivoting, I let off another couple shots at the ghillie suit I'd pointed out earlier. As the rounds impacted, the combination of him hitting the deck and the clouds of dirt kicked up gave me the opportunity I needed. Sprinting towards the tree line, someone else opened up with an AK and chewed up the blacktop behind me. Crap, make that two someones. I slid into the undergrowth and put my back to a tree just as they got their lead on me. In near unison the firing stopped, and I took the opportunity to snake my way deeper out of sight. I had to give them credit. They were well coordinated. Hadn't seen proper intersecting lines of fire since Juarez. Now that had been a goddamned mess. Three months dodging the cartels and the Federales, you almost look forward to something as simple as the shrooms. Almost. Continuing my belly crawl, I began making my way towards where I thought one of those assault rifles had been firing at me from. The one downside to a weapon like that; hard as hell to bring it to bear effectively when someone is on top of you with a blade. I permitted myself a grim smile. Act Under Fire. (roll +cool) 2d6+3=14 Angel Eyes is preoccupied and her ears are probably ringing a bit, so it's unlikely she's aware that Juck has reinforcements incoming.
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May 11, 2014 18:05
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=4/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 Huh. I didn't expect Juck's posse to be that on the ball. On the one hand the retreat ended my hopes of putting the boot to Karen. On the other hand, it meant Juck wasn't meeting her maker just yet. And we both had a score to settle with the Dog Soldiers now. I might not have been their target, but shooting around me was as good as shooting at me. That sort of thing was not going to go unanswered. From the shadows, I saw a straggler humping her way to the rendezvous and not paying attention to her surroundings. If she was going to make it this easy, it would be a waste to not take advantage. As she hustled by my position, I stepped out and poleaxed in the gut with my sheathed blade. That took the wind out of her sails nicely. As she collapsed to a knee, I put the barrel of my gun to her forehead. "No noise. No sudden moves. Cross your ankles, drop the gun, and hand over your knife. Hilt first, thank you." I kept my voice low but clear, just in case. Go Aggro. (roll +cool) 2d6+3=10 Pretty simple. Do as I say or get shot in the head.
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May 13, 2014 05:02
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=5/5 = Moonlighting | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 Leaning my sword against a tree, I took her weapon and slung it over my shoulder. The knife I tossed to the side. The woman looked up at me, not quite panicking but definitely aware of the danger she was in. "Relax. I'm not going to kill you. I'm also not going to hand you over to those nutjobs on the bikes. Given what I imagine Juck's mood is right now, I can't bring myself to be that cruel. Rather, I want you to give Blackwolf a message. Then you are free to go." My prisoner let out an unsteady breath. I could easily imagine the thoughts going through her head. I'd had my own reprieve from death once, and you never quite forget that blind silent joy. "The villainy you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction." "What?" Right. Nobody read Shakespeare anymore. "What I mean is, your boss shot a rocket at me and two innocent people. People I happen to like. When I tried to get what I assume were your actual targets out of the truck so we could leave you all to butcher one another in peace, you opened fire on me again. I think you can understand how that would put me in a foul mood. And while I had no issue with Karen prior to this, it is not healthy in my profession to give people second chances to kill you. So. Tell her I will be watching, and waiting, and that she has no one but herself to blame for whatever happens next." "A...alright. I'll tell her." "Good. Wait there until I'm gone." I moved away, keeping my weapon trained on her, and tossed her rifle strap over a low hanging tree branch. She could jump up and retrieve it, but it would give me enough time to disappear. As I returned I picked up my blade again. "You'll want to be quick. All this noise is bound to draw infected. Hopefully we won't meet again." With that, I vanished into the trees and made my way back towards the road. I reloaded and holstered my revolver, quietly hoping that Juck and her crew would be less trigger happy than the Dog Soldiers.
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May 13, 2014 16:46
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I moseyed on up to the crowd, careful not to walk into a bike. None of them had seen a detailing shop in nearly twenty years, but their riders still took scratches as a personal affront. Not that I could give them much crap for it; muss up my clothes or lay hands on my weapons without permission and you get the same. There were a few furtive looks in my direction, but I didn't pay much heed. Catching sight of Mike's truck I made my way over. Partridge was walking away while Mike climbed back into the drivers seat. I gave him a smile, and headed up to the passenger door and peered into the window. "Good to see you two are still in one piece. What's the plan?"
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May 15, 2014 11:50
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 "I think I'll take you up on that. Want to have a talk with Juck when she wakes up anyway." I glanced at the bed and the extremely messed up people taking a breather in it. "I'll keep things clear in the back. Not much point to saving them if a shroom climbs in and starts chowing down." Hauling myself up I took a seat on the wheel well, taking care not to stick a boot in someone's face. "poo poo. You people look like a wad of chewed gum."
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May 16, 2014 15:35
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I leaned back, resting my arms on the rail as Mike and Faustina chatted. I couldn't shake this odd feeling of deja vu. Someone gave me trouble and I handled it. I set off to find Juck, found Mike instead. Faustina shows up, and now I have to deal with infected. It's like I'd just done this half an hour ago. I let out a hoarse, quiet laugh to the sky. I'd been spending too much time on my own recently. Starting to go a little stir crazy. Glancing back down, I gave Juck a brief once over. She was messed up, but nothing she couldn't bounce back from. I'd hate to be Blackwolf when she got back on her feet. If Juck was anything like me, this setback would just make her that much meaner. "How you doing, Juck? I have to admit. That stunt back there with Blackwolf was impressive, if not particularly effective. You should get a sidecar for your bike. You know, to carry your enormous balls."
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May 18, 2014 03:10
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I lazily slid my eyes towards Faustina as she caught my attention. An amusing woman. Ready to have at it when she thought I was threatening Perry, shy as a wedding night virgin when she needed my help. Had to wonder which was closer to the real Faustina. "Things are up in the air at the moment, but I'll tell you what. If this," I waved in a general way at the assembled maniacs and the ranch in the distance, "works out, and no paradigm-shattering revelations occur in the meantime, I'll take you up on the offer. In return, you help out my boy Lace. His feet are all messed up." I turned away, looking up at the sky for a moment. I loved watching the sky. Day or night, sunny or stormy. In spite of all the horror the world had seen since mankind had first started walking upright, the sky was still clear and beautiful. It has no memory and it doesn't judge. It just is. Like me. I returned my attention to the good doctor. I was feeling saucy and magnanimous, so why not up the stakes? "Add some makeup and that fancy soap of yours as well, and I'll make it worth your while." I held up a gloved finger. "One wish, and it's yours."
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May 18, 2014 19:24
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 The sudden eruption of silence snapped me out of my casual mood like a gunshot. The infected never got quiet. Ever. "Mike..." I needn't have bothered. He caught on to the situation as quick as I did. Turning, I grabbed Trudy under the arms and hauled her into the truck. Not the most graceful of entrances but I didn't think she'd mind. Crouching down, I steadied myself against any sudden movement and banged on the roof. "We're good back here. Go." He didn't need to be told twice.
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May 20, 2014 20:02
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 People have this idea that I'm a super classy lady, and they're right, but they might change their mind if they knew where I slept. In the cold months, when the infected calm down and there's no risk of blooms, I find a defensible place in a city. Ideally something tall, with not too many stairwells that need blocking off. Roof access is a must, always. Hunt down a store or home that hasn't been completely ransacked, find some comforters and pillows, bam. You're in business. Uh, just make sure it's still sealed in the plastic case. Not a great idea to stick your face on a pillow that's been sitting exposed to elements for who even knows how long. Anyway. Warm blankets and a stockpile of food, and you're pretty well set. Only the most desperate sorts go raiding or looking for trouble in the winter. Summertime, though? Take my advice: stay the hell out of the cities. Even if you're willing to deal with the infected, a bloom can take you by surprise and then you're finished. It'll be a no-mans land for a couple weeks at least, and the spores will be thick enough to completely choke your respirator. Using a bandanna or something instead? Forget it, you'll turn within a week. So what do you do when the cities are a no-go and all of the good spots are already inhabited? You find a tank farm. They'll be a good ways outside city limits. Most of them have been sucked dry at this point so there's not much risk of some band of assholes (Juck) coming by and bothering you. They're tall, so you can stay out of reach of the infected. And they're flat, so you have somewhere to lay down at night. Just take out the steps leading up, toss a rope over the side, and you're set. Provided you can climb a rope, anyway. Problem being, there are no oil silos anywhere around here. So I make do by sleeping on a billboard along the freeway. It's cramped, it's overly visible, and I don't like the implied threat from God that's printed on it.  Lucky for me, it looks like I'm working with the sorority now. At the very least that means a bed. I'll want to pick up a couple things, but that can wait until we're free and clear from this ugly situation.
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May 21, 2014 12:28
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 Moonlighting. (roll +cool) 2d6+3=12 Paying Gig: Brokering Deals. The Sorority needs bullets, and the people at Jefferson have them. Obligation Gig: Seeking Answers. This thing with Perry needs to be looked in to. Another night gone, another day come. Time passed as it does in the summer heat. Slowly and with a grudge. The Sorority had been politely ignoring me except when necessary, and that suited me just fine. I didn't need small talk to keep on eye on who was coming and going. After a few days proved that nobody was quite up to making a raid, I took it upon myself to handle the ammunition problem. The campus was nice enough, but I get antsy when I'm stuck in one place for too long. The sooner they could be back to properly defending themselves, the sooner my job was done. A quick chat with Knowles, and I was on my way to Jefferson with offerings of their bio-diesel and a beat up arc welder someone had found in a rusted out van. It wasn't much, but combined with my own professional dealings with the ironmongers, I figured it would work as a starting point. Admittedly anyone could have done this job, but some of the sorority sisters had notorious tempers which wouldn't help in negotiations. That combined with the vague rumors about something going on with the Ironworks scroungers, and it just seemed best to keep a polite distance between the two groups for now. Besides, everyone knows I don't pick sides so it keeps things from getting too heated. Justice owns the foundry, and he's half-hinged at best. Runs the place like his own feudal kingdom, complete with a consort, "knights", and a jester. Demands that everyone refer to him as "my lord" this and "your grace" that. Another reason a lot of people hate dealing with him. In any case, he deemed the tribute acceptable and I walked out with a few cases of ammo and a vague promise that he would hear future appeals for trade or alliance. All in all, a nice guy. So long as you obey the rules. --- All of which leads me to now. That scene a few days back with Perry had been bothering me, and while nobody has precisely said anything, I know it bothers plenty of other people as well. Perry in particular. So with the ammunition problem solved for the time being, I've taken it upon myself to find some answers. Frog might have had an idea, but he's beyond talking. What acquaintances of his that are still around sure as hell weren't going to want to have a sit down, so that left me with very few options. Option one was the abandoned gas station just on the outskirts of Little Town. Frog had fortified the place over the years, and if he had been smart enough to leave something behind regarding the Perry situation it would be here. Hopefully. I had eased passed some alarm wires, and there had been no sign of infected. Inside, the place was mostly stripped bare. Windows boarded up, and the shelves thrown up against them and bolted down. A rack of dusty sunglasses and yellowing maps was all that remained in the front area. The office was about what you'd expect. Stained mattress in the corner and detritus strewn about the floor. What a pig. As I stepped into the room, the toe of my boot caught a small book and sent it skidding across the floor. Picking it up, I flipped it open and glanced it over. A journal, written in the most atrocious handwriting I had ever seen. From the look of things, it was mostly dates and reminders. "Git guds from Inky, Sat.", "Sharif ofering work clearing farms in week." Typical boring nonsense. I flipped to the the last few pages to see if I could find anything useful. In short, Angel Eyes is hunting for clues.
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May 25, 2014 20:12
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Angel Eyes Barter=2 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 poo poo. As I skimmed through the journal, more and more of Frog...Dan's real personality showed through. His feelings, hopes, dreams...He was almost reasonable. I had to remind myself that his artistic skills or whatever was going on in his head didn't absolve him of how he treated Lace. You do what you have to do to survive, but there was a line. Being pointlessly cruel to people was firmly across that that line. Nevertheless, he gave me something more to go on with Perry. Out of respect for the man he could have been, I'd see it through. Tucking the journal away in my satchel, I started to let myself out when I saw a figure letting himself casually onto the property. I froze in the office door, watching carefully. Natural movements so it wasn't an infected. Masculine gait...shotgun, beard, army jacket. That had to be Clancy. I let out a soft breath as I throttled back down to neutral. He was one of the folks we generally considered to be a member of Little Town. He was kind of a hermit, but like Big Mike he'd been around basically forever so he was put in with all the other folks who had some roots here. Consequently he wasn't going to be thrilled to see me. Little Town saw me and those like me as parasites, and I couldn't reasonably argue against that. I make my living on conflict, and that's the last thing the folks around here had an interest in. Still, Clancy wasn't the kind of guy to just shoot someone. Be polite and don't given him unwarranted sass and things would be just fine. "Hey Clancy. It's Angel Eyes. I'm in the back. Hold fire, yeah?" I poked my head out and saw him stepping into the door, shotgun at the ready. I stepped out, hands visible and empty. "If you're looking for Frog, he's not here. Got himself killed at the K-Scratch the other day." "Hnh." His hard eyes scanned my face before slowly lowering the weapon. "So why are you here?" I forced myself into a relaxed posture. "Checking up on something. It seems he was on the trail of a killer and I'm picking up where he left off. Pretty sure it's a woman. Freaky green eyes." I hesitated. "Apparently they glow in light. Like a cat." I felt kind of foolish saying it, but I'd trust what Frog had to say. From his expression, Clancy seemed to be considering my words. If he thought it was bullshit, he wasn't letting it show.
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Jun 1, 2014 20:37
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Angel Eyes Barter=3 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 "You're right. I'm not really the type for bullshitting. Frog is dead because I didn't like him. Nothing more complicated than that." I leaned against a wall, arms crossed as I gazed at the ceiling. "Thing is, whether Frog was confusing reality for hallucinations is kind of irrelevant. There are people dying and nobody knows who or what is behind it. Men with their blood drained out and organs rearranged. If it's related to what Frog was talking about, he's the only one who had any idea who was behind it. Now it's down to me. And while people may think of me as a leech, it's in my best interest to ensure the host doesn't die on me." I straightened up, brushing a bit of nonexistent dust from my shoulder. "Help yourself to whatever you can find here. Maybe that medication is tucked away somewhere. Otherwise, I'm staying up at the college for the time being. I'll ask Faustina about it for you. Compared to the crap she's had to deal with lately, something as mundane as gout might be a welcome relief." I glanced past him out the door, measuring the light. "I need to get moving. Plenty more work to do today. Just keep what I said in mind, would you? You don't have to believe it. I'm not sure I do yet. On the other hand, twenty years ago nobody would have believed a fungus was going to destroy modern civilization." I gave Clancy a polite nod as I stepped by him and let myself out. It was a ways to Big Mike's garage, and after that, finding Deacon and his congregation. There were all sorts of rumors about them and most of them not very reassuring. They had ways of knowing things that nobody should know. Ways that sounded uncomfortably similar to the things Frog had mentioned in his journal. Seeing the future? I wasn't prepared to accept the notion on it's face, but I had seen some goddamned weird poo poo in my life. Not all of it easily explained away or attributable to brain problems. Sometimes you just have to let go of your assumptions and follow your instincts. Just now remembered to add the 1-barter from Moonlighting.
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Jun 3, 2014 04:02
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Angel Eyes Barter=3 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 "Hey Angel! You walk all the way up here?" I swaggered up the drive, watching Thibodeau and his pals out of the corner of my eye. "Yeah. Never got around to learning how to drive." I pulled out my canteen and took a long pull as Mike kept going. "Might have to make that a couple favors and me owing you a big one, but we'll see. What's up?" I stayed casual, all smiles and pleasantries, but Mike definitely had my attention. I didn't know him well enough to say if that comment about loving Jefferson over was really just a joke or not. I kind of hoped it was, because I had no interest in burying whatever was left of Mike when Justice was done with him.
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Jun 7, 2014 02:44
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Angel Eyes Barter=3 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I nodded as he explained the idea, unconsciously flicking a braid back over my shoulder. "That's awfully kind of you, Mike." In the back of my head, though, I was pretty sure he was working up to a pretty big favor in return. "I won't say no. Could prove useful. If nothing else it would be a good proof of concept, like you say. Just don't feel like you need to drop everything and make it a priority." I glanced back over to the Jefferson crew as I considered my next words. Nah, can't see why they would give a crap. "On the topic of Deacon...you've got a good sense of people. I'm planning on having a talk with him soon and I was wondering if you had some advice on how to approach it. Him and his followers kind of gives me the willies, but it's important." I paused. "Uh, that's actual talking. Not 'I'm going to point a gun at him' talking. Just to clarify."
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Jun 7, 2014 03:39
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Angel Eyes Barter=3 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 "Heading into the city this soon after a bloom? At your age? You're a crazy man. Sign me up." I gave Mike a smile before turning my attention towards Juck. I was curious what her angle was in all this. Yeah, everybody needs clean water to drink. But I wouldn't do this for free, and I had no reason to think she was any different. I'd have to catch her by herself later and see what was on her mind. Maybe cut myself a little slice of the pie she was cooking up.
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Jun 11, 2014 15:23
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Angel Eyes Barter=3 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 Juck posted:"If we actually decided to go through with this plan -- and I'm using the word 'plan' here in possibly the loosest of senses -- you can be drat sure I'll be going in with a full gang. Quick and quiet is all well and good as long as nothing goes tits up, but I can't possibly imagine how you'd think we could go into the heart of the City, rip off a goddamn aquarium, and get out without drawing heat. And it has been my personal experience that heat is best dealt with using a pack of evil, violent bastards with guns." I threw my head back and laughed. "Your pack of mutts would get eaten alive. Have you done work in a city before? Your bikes? Useless. Your guns? loving useless. You survive in there by by being quiet and being quick. Can't do either with twenty mouthbreathing retards trailing behind you. This is, of course, disregarding the fact that even if it worked? Half of them are going to inhale so many spores I'll be slicing truffles off their face before we're out of the city limits." I took a long sip from my canteen, just to wrench the knife a little. "But hey, you're the big bad wolf out here. Go ahead and make a suicide run with your crew. I'll strip your corpses and tell Blackwolf where to scrape up your body." Read A Person. (roll +sharp) 2d6+1=7 Angel Eyes is watching Juck as she speaks. How Juck responds will be a pretty big factor in determining how our relationship goes from here. 1-hold, which I will hang on to for now.
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Jun 13, 2014 05:41
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Angel Eyes Barter=3 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I considered the situation. Might be time to do something unexpected. What does Juck wish Angel Eyes would do?
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Jun 14, 2014 20:46
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Angel Eyes Barter=3 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 "You've got some huge loving balls to talk to me like that." I turned and walked a few paces away, planting my sword sheath into the dirt. A few quick motions and I undid the buckle on my shoulder holster and let it likewise drop to the ground. To be honest, I wasn't annoyed in the least by Juck's attitude. I liked that she was willing to bite back. Too few people out here willing to do that. "Let's settle this properly, then. Haven't had an old fashioned dust up in a long time." I turned back to Juck and flashed her a smile, raising my fists. "You impress me, and we'll do this how you like." Help/Interfere. (roll +Hx) 2d6+1=9 Angel Eyes is going to intentionally take it easy if you go along with this. She's got way less to lose then Juck does, and she really doesn't want to make an enemy of her. Take +1 now.
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Jun 14, 2014 23:49
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Angel Eyes Barter=3 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I might have intended to go easy on her, but the way Juck slipped right past my defenses and laid me out rendered that kind of a moot point. drat, but that lady was quick. Juck posted:"Stay the gently caress down, bitch, if you know what's good for you." I waved a hand at her as I regained my bearings. I'd cracked my skull going down and things were still spinning a bit. "No, no. I'm good with staying here for the time being." I ran my tongue over my teeth, making sure they were all accounted for. I don't mind taking my lumps, but if she'd busted up my teeth I'd have had to get vicious. Yeah, all accounted for. I could take my loss in stride. After a moment I groaned and sat up, resting my arms on my knees. I flashed a grin up at the woman. "Looks like we'll do this your way. Still, I think you should talk it over with Mike. It's his idea, and he's way smarter then we are. For all I know he's already got a plan." Things were still a bit fuzzy as I rested. "Now, you're free to say you took my down. But do me a favor and don't go bragging too much. I've got my pride, you know." I glanced over at her crew, then over to the quiet folks from the campus, then back to Juck. "By the way. You seeing anybody right now?" Yeah, Juck fairly well impressed her.
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Jun 18, 2014 00:17
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Angel Eyes Barter=3 | Exp=0/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I let Juck help haul me back to my feet. Looks like I may have read her correctly. Possessed of an excess of aggression that needs venting every now and again - a lot like me. "Huh. We'll see. I'm not big on sharing, personally." A glance at T-Loin. "You bray like an rear end." He stopped, about to say something. "Your boss earned my respect, not you. Stuff it." Mike rejoined us while I put my gear back on. I was still a bit wobbly, but the routine helped clear my head. While Mike laid out his idea, I nodded occasionally in agreement. It was a solid plan, and unlike my own suggestion it had a backup if the infiltration went bad. Planning never was my strong suit. I preferred to go with my instincts and deal with problems as they arose. I didn't doubt that was going to be a contributing factor to the almost certain fact that I would never live to be Mike's age. "I can go with that. Everyone gets a part to play." I stretched and hefted my blade back over my shoulder. "Juck here was nice enough not to severely injure anything but my dignity, so I'm good to go whenever we want to do this. The sooner the better, but I have some errands of my own to finish up today."
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Jun 19, 2014 02:55
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Angel Eyes Barter=3 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 I shifted my weight slightly, bringing my weapon to bear. In one smooth, practiced movement the blade flashed out. The buckle of T-Loin's belt clinked to the ground as his pants sagged down his legs. I resheathed the sword and gestured towards my gun. "You can either be quiet and let the adults talk, or you can keep mouthing off in which case I pull this out and shoot you in the balls. I'll have a good laugh watching Faustina try to fix it." Go Aggro. (roll +cool) 2d6+3=9
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Jun 22, 2014 03:53
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Angel Eyes Barter=3 | Exp=1/5 | Harm=0:00 | Fatigue=0:00 "I'll be honest. It's generally my preference to fly solo. That way if things go tits up there's nobody to blame but myself. Now, I understand I'll need some extra hands moving these things, so help from Juck," I gave her a nod. "will be necessary. But if you don't absolutely believe that you must be present, I'd feel better if you sat this out. You're an important part of the community, and if this doesn't pan out everyone is going to need your help getting a plan B together." I gave him a shrug. "It's your call though."
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Jun 27, 2014 23:44
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