EOTC: Life as a Lawman

[Chaser1]

"Tormenting Ret isn't what I call 'hanging out with friends'. Hughe," Reg says with disdain. He's never understood what was Hughe's beef with Ret. As the other four wheeler pulls up, Reggie grins and waves to the newcomers. "Hey guys, long time no see."

Jinaan hops off in one smooth move, staring at Hughe like a cat watching a mouse, "Everything okay here?"

Hughe smirks, crossing his arms, "Yeah, I was just seeing if Deputy Harper here would allow me to tag along with my friends to Lake Crenshaw." He nods to Reggie, "With you guys as my witnesses, I swear I won't even say a word to Ret... Or touch the whining pansy bookworm." He stifles a laugh, "There I got it out of my system."

Ryan shoots him another sharp look, "Yeah, that's how it starts, asshole. Then you..."

Hughe cuts him off, "Hey Jack! You going too? You could show me how you got so freakishly strong!"

Ret stays quiet as Ryan answers with, "Oh I would love if he did!"

Jinaan adds, "Or he doesn't go or I thump him."

"Like to see you try. Round two will be much different than last time," he throws his hand up and sighs, "Listen I didn't want to start any trouble. I seriously just want to hang out with friends... and you guys are the closest thing I have as friends. Please?"

[Norgarth]

Much as Reggie hates to admit it, Hughe may be right on that last bit. There were only so many kids in our age group even before the zombies. Nowadays, there's not a lot of people for Hughe to hang with.

Looking at Jack and Jinaan he says, "Oh, I should catch you two up on recent events. The Pecos Raiders hit Drive City, so far we've gotten two survivors arriving, separately, so Dad's on high alert. The Doc asked me to grab a few guys and swing up to Lake Crenshaw to get more medical supplies in case of more. And to top things off, the South Line was acting up today, though it seems to have calmed again."

[billtheripper]

Jack calmly dismounts from the ATV while listening to the bantering and muttering under his breath "some things never change at least", a very small smile playing across the corners of his lips.

He looks at Hughe when addressed and replies "I don't have anywhere I need to be so I'm up to help out, though I doubt I could teach you that in this short of a trip, how about you come help me at the ranch some time Hughe and I'll see what I can do to help you with that, but the cost is you have to let me help you work on your personality too"

After hearing Reg's update Jack looks over to Jinaan "How about you? want to come along? it'll be like old times, hopefully the boring ones...."

Jack trails off trying not to remember the exciting times they all went through together, as his face clouds over he shakes his head and forces a smile onto it before remembering that he hasn't had a chance to greet everyone yet oO I must have spent way too much time away if I'm forgetting my manners this much Oo "that said, morning everyone, how are you? sorry for forgetting my manners there for a bit"

ooc: hullo all! glad to be back. and norgath: shut up Baka! its not like I like him or anything like that!! lmao

[Chaser1]

OOC: Backing up to include missed bits

Hughe cuts him off, "Hey Jack! You going too? You could show me how you got so freakishly strong!"

Jack swings off the ATV with the kind of calm that suggests he’s already accepted the chaos unfolding in front of him. He listens to the bickering, muttering under his breath, “Some things never change,” a tiny smirk tugging at his mouth. Then he answers Hughe with the tone of a man offering a deal he knows will hurt later, “I’ve got nowhere to be, so sure, I’ll help. But I doubt I can teach you anything in the five minutes this trip will take. How about you come help me at the ranch sometime? I’ll teach you what I can… but the price is you letting me fix your personality while we’re at it.”

Hughe shrugs like that’s perfectly reasonable. Ret stays quiet as Ryan answers with, "Oh I would love if he did!"

Jinaan adds, "Or he doesn't go or I thump him."

"Like to see you try. Round two will be much different than last time," he throws his hand up and sighs, "Listen I didn't want to start any trouble. I seriously just want to hang out with friends... and you guys are the closest thing I have as friends. Please?"

Much as Reggie hates to admit it, Hughe may be right on that last bit. There were only so many kids in our age group even before the zombies. Nowadays, there's not a lot of people for Hughe to hang with.

Looking at Jack and Jinaan he says, "Oh, I should catch you two up on recent events. The Pecos Raiders hit Drive City, so far we've gotten two survivors arriving, separately, so Dad's on high alert. The Doc asked me to grab a few guys and swing up to Lake Crenshaw to get more medical supplies in case of more. And to top things off, the South Line was acting up today, though it seems to have calmed again."

Jack nudges Jinaan. “You in? Like old times. Preferably the boring ones…” He trails off, remembering the not boring ones. His face darkens, then he shakes it off and forces a smile. He realizes he hasn’t greeted anyone yet. oO(I’ve been gone too long if I’m forgetting basic manners)Oo followed with, “Morning, everyone. How are you? Sorry, my brain’s rusty.”

Jinaan waves him off. “Nah… I dunno. I think I’ll hit the saloon and drown the bad juju.”

Ryan snorts. “As usual.”

Jinaan whips around, suddenly inches from Ryan’s face, “And let’s not talk about things you know nothing about! Unless you want a lesson," in a loud, yet sinister voice. Ryan’s expression contorts into a Picasso painting of confusion and fear. Even Hughe looks startled by the abrupt mood swing.

Ret ignores all of it and hugs Jack tightly without warning, “I missed you. You don’t come around much.”

“Gayyyy!” Hughe blurts, brain fully disengaged.

Jinaan stops mid‑stride, trying to leave, “And what if he is? Got a problem?”

“He better not hug me,” Hughe fires back, half defensive, half poking at Ret.

“It’s not gay to miss my friend, jerk!” Ret snaps.

“Be safe, guys,” Jinaan mutters, continuing toward the pub, choosing to ignore his former adversary.

Suddenly Al pokes his head out of the Sheriff’s office. “Hey! What’s the holdup? What if more refugees show up? Move!”

Hughe practically vibrates with excitement, like a kid who found out everyone is going to the carnival, “So? I could give someone a ride on the back. Can I come?”

[Norgarth]

Reggie considers the situation. If they are gonna be using the two Four-Wheelers, a horse will only slow things down. "Ok, Lemme stable Apple at the sheriff's, then we can go. I'll ride with Hughe, Ret can ride with Jack, Ryan can ride in whichever he likes."

As Reggie leads Apple over to the Sheriff's office, he asks Al, "You mind getting Apple here into the stable? She's already had her snack for the day so don't let her con you into giving her another one."

either way, after dropping off Apple (and grabbing his gear from the saddlebags) he'll jog over to Hughe's vehicle and climb in the passenger seat, putting his pack in the back and his various larger guns in the foot well. "Let's roll out."

[billtheripper]

Jack startles slightly at the hug before timidly returning it. "I missed you too Ret but I had a lot of working to do and even more thinking"

After a brief moment Jack will wave after Jinaan and climb onto his ATV waiting for Ret to get on and then following Reg and Hughes lead for heading out

[Chaser1]

Jack jumps slightly at the hug before timidly returning it with a sideways one, "I missed you too Ret but I had a lot of working to do and even more thinking"

“Gayyyy!” Hughe blurts, brain fully disengaged.

Jinaan stops mid‑stride, trying to leave, “And what if he is? Got a problem?”

“He better not hug me,” Hughe fires back, half defensive, half poking at Ret.

“It’s not gay to miss my friend, jerk!” Ret snaps.

“Be safe, guys,” Jinaan mutters, continuing toward the pub, choosing to ignore his former adversary.

Suddenly Al pokes his head out of the Sheriff’s office. “Hey! What’s the holdup? What if more refugees show up? Move!”

Hughe practically vibrates with excitement, like a kid who found out everyone is going to the carnival, “So? I could give someone a ride on the back. Can I come?”

Reggie considers the situation. If they're gonna be using the two Four-Wheelers, a horse will only slow things down. "Ok, Lemme stable Apple at the sheriff's, then we can go. I'll ride with Hughe, Ret can ride with Jack, Ryan can ride in whichever he likes."

Ryan frowns like a man who’s just been told the roller coaster only has one seat left. “I guess I’ll try and squeeze on with Ret and Jack.” Hughe frowns back, offended that anyone would dare sit somewhere that isn’t HIS four‑wheeler.

Meanwhile, Reggie leads Apple toward the Sheriff’s office, patting her neck like he’s escorting royalty. “Al, can you get Apple into the stable? She's already had her snack today, so don’t let her con you into another one.”

Al winks with the confidence of a man who absolutely will be conned. “Sure thing!” He takes the halter, leans close to Apple, and whispers, “I’ll sneak ya one. No worries.” Apple nudges him excitedly. Full betrayal mode activated. Al peeks back at Reggie with a smirk that practically shouts, 'I am absolutely lying to you', “Doh, my bad. Now he’s excited. Now I gotta give him one.”

He grabs gear from his saddlebags, then climbs into the passenger seat of Hughe’s shiny new four‑wheeler, tossing his pack into the back and wedging several large guns into the foot well like this is perfectly normal. “Let’s roll out.”

Jack waves after Jinaan, who weakly waves back, then climbs onto his ATV, waiting for Ret. Ret sighs dramatically, like he’s starring in a soap opera. “You guys go on ahead. I’ll wait here.” He waves at Jack. “Good to see you again," and heads back up the library steps.

“Heck ya!” Ryan excitedly hops in beside Jack, “Yeah! Gun it!”

Both off‑road vehicles roar to life, spraying gravel everywhere like they’re trying to seed the newest gravel forest. Hughe’s reckless driving immediately has Reggie’s butthole puckering tight enough to crack diamonds, while Jack does his best to keep up without dying. “WOOOO!” Hughe shouts, taking his eyes off the uneven terrain, (because who needs safety?) to grin at Reggie. “Thanks for letting me come! This is going to be UNFORGETTABLE!”

Reggie glances back. Jack is behind them, doing his best impression of a man trying to survive a tornado while riding a shopping cart. Reggie remembers, oO(Oh right, Hughe and Ryan spent most of the zombie invasion using four‑wheelers to lure zombies around. Of course he drives like a caffeinated stuntman)Oo

Behind them, Ryan shouts over the mufflers, “You need me to drive this thing, Jack! You’re too slow!”

OOC: No ATV or Automobile piloting skill... Jack can still drive, but not recklessly fast like Hughe, without wrecking or flipping.

[billtheripper]

Shrugging at Ryan's remark Jack will try to get the other two's attention and yell out "hold up a second, Ryan wants to drive" before stopping and swapping places. As Ryan climbs into the driver seat Jack will warn him not to wreck it.

Assuming Ryan takes off like Hughe has been driving Jack will hold on tight and grit his teeth, not enjoying the ride at all but appreciating the need to hurry enough to endure it.

[Chaser1]

Jack shrugs, then hollers at Reggie and Hughe with the desperation of a man trying to stop a stampede, “Hold up a second! Ryan wants to drive!” He hops off, letting Ryan slide into the driver’s seat as Jack climbs into the passenger side, just in time to notice Hughe has absolutely zero intention of slowing down… assuming he even heard anything over his engine’s war cry.

Ryan floors it. The front tires lift like the four‑wheeler is trying to achieve flight, and Jack reaches up and clamps onto the roll bars, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to breathe through them like a stressed-out accordion. Hughe and Reggie are already specks on the horizon, so Ryan decides the only logical solution is even more speed.

They hit a small hill. The four‑wheeler launches skyward like it’s auditioning for a stunt show, then slams back down hard enough to rattle their ancestors. In their rush, neither Ryan nor Jack remembered to strap in. The result: both of them bonk their heads on the roll bars, then bounce back into their seats like disgruntled ragdolls. Jack sees stars, the usual silvery black vision speck, before shaking himself back into reality. Miraculously, Ryan kept control.

Up ahead, Hughe continues gleefully launching over hills, occasionally peeking back at the chaos behind him. He laughs, leaning toward Reggie with the smugness of a man who just witnessed slapstick gold. “Haha! They almost ate shit!”

[billtheripper]

oO(owfuckshitthathurt! weregoingtodiebeforeweevengetthere)Oo Jacks thoughts just run in circles while he recovers from hitting his head, Once he is able to shake off the mild daze he lets go of the roll bar with one hand and tries to fasten his seatbelt, the other hand white knuckling on the roll bar trying to keep himself steady.

If he is able to get his seatbelt fastened and thinks he will be able to reach well enough to fasten Ryans he will yell to Ryan and let him know what he wants to do before he starts and wait for approval. "If you're going to drive like that you should at least put on your seatbelt! I'll buckle you in just keep this thing as steady as you can okay?"