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Doctadeth wrote:Don acted quickly, heedless of the gun pointed at the man's head. swinging the butt of his shotgun hard into the temple of the prisoner, whom fell as though pole-axed.

Michael slung his rifle and rushed downstairs, pulling out his M1911 as he did so. It had been a while since he'd used a pistol like this, but he was sure in case of combat he'd be fine. As he rushed out the front door, Michael was greeted by the sight of Lillian, Jeff, and Stranger, as well as two new men and the bandit from earlier.

"I knew I should have shot you when I had the chance." Michael said to the bandit's unconscious form.

Don stows his shotgun, and butterfly knife and slinks off into the darkness again.

Alexander sat up, his vision still a little blurry.
He saw the bandit laying facedown in the mud and he saw the man he saved slink off into the darkness.
He looked up and saw that there was a lot more people standing by the door, including a girl.
Alexander slowly pushed himself up onto his feet, wincing at the sharp pain in his shoulder

The rain was still pouring heavily as the people met up. The bandit was lying there on the ground, next to another man that Jeff did not recognize. jeff racked the slide of his handgun, aiming it at the bandit. " I'm gonna kill him here, " Jeff told the others. But Stranger stopped him, saying he was defenceless. " No, I won't do it, I won't wait around for him to kill us." yelled Jeff. " We will leave him here, the rain will hide our tracks," said Stranger. Jeff agreed, and the group decided what to do, as there was still another unconcious person, and the other man had snuck off.

Stranger decided, against everyone else's wishes, to let Alex tag along... For now. Stranger was fairly confident in his judge of character, and Alex seemed like he would be ok to travel with. Plus he just couldn't leave him there to die.

As the group made off in the rain, Stranger thought what their next action would be. The rain would not mask them for long. They would probably just end up in another firefight with the masked men if they continued on their planned route. They had to go where no one would follow them.

As they walked on into the night, the scenery was changing and Jeff had noticed. "Hey Stranger. We need to turn around." Stranger didn't stop walking. "Why is that?" "Because we are headed into the damn swamp." "I am aware. We need to take a path that would throw others off of us. Who in his right mind would go right through this thing?"

Don slunk along in the darkness, just far enough behind that he could cover the group, but far enough that none of them could see him. He heard the conversation, and shook his head in disbelief.

"Fething swamps." Michael muttered. "They're always wet. And hot. Can't shoot worth a damn in 'em. Probably a bunch of nasty beasties in there waiting to munch on us."

"Guys, thank you for not leaving me behind with that guy but, I'm just going to slow you down, im wounded. Just leave me here and I'll recover my strength and head off." Alexander said to the group, but looking at the lad who was called Stranger

"What's wrong anyway?" asked Lilian, he didn't appear to be limping.

With a roar of hatred and fury, Charles gets to his feet, jagged knife in hand as he survays the nearby terrain. No sign of anything, the rain obscured obscured all.

The scope on Aaron's .308 was dialed in perfect for the range the three strangers were now standing at and he had no doubt he could inflict maximum damage before any of them could react. But as Aaron laid there in the tall grass of the marshlands they all found themselves in he relaxed his trigger finger ever so slightly not really wanting to harm the people in front of him unduly. From what he could tell through the scope they seemed to be assessing the wounds of one of the group members and the poor guy they were looking at seemed beat. Suddenly from behind the small group of strangers Aaron saw movement in the brush and a large man with a wicked looking cleaver rushed out at them brandishing the weapon in a manner as to inflict instant death upon anyone it struck. With a practiced ease Aaron sighted the back of the crazed bushmans skull and squeezed of a single round and the effects were instantaneous blowing skull fragments and grey matter of the man all over the poor woman of the group who was about to receive the wicked cleaver in the spine. After a second to make sure the crazed bastard was down for good Aaron stood up and raised his rifle over his head signaling the group that he was there and it was him that shot that crazy bastard.

(Lets just say that wwasent robots character...)

"Don't worry Alex. Lillian here can tend to you if anything happens. Plus it should only take us a day to get through the swamp anyways... Its not really that bad. Thereare just rumors that scare people from trekking through here." Jeff rolled his eyes. "sure. Rumors..."

Stranger hit the mud along with the rest of the group. He was about to start unloading with his M16 when he say the sniper raise his rifle in the distance, motinoning for them to come towards him. Stranger raised his eyebrow and then saw Lillian. Damn, what a mess, Stranger thought. He rummaged through his pack for a moment and tossed her a rag, which she then began using to wipe the gore off of her. "You guys stay here... Ill go talk to him. If anything happens to me, run." Stranger pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Jeff. "Here's the map. This should help you get through the Congaree swamp if anything happens to me."

Stranger slogged off in the direction of the sniper, who had a smile on his face. "Uh... Thank you for helping us back there. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Jeff took the map from Stranger. He knew how to read a map and this would be easy. " Be ready for anything," he told the group, " ready to run." He adjusted the stock of his rifle, flipping the safety off his gun and into single shot. He shifted in his location, the knee deep water could have contained anything. The conversation seemed to be going well, they were talking with no sign of aggression. Jeff heard a splash, turning around and seeing two eyes peering from the top of the water. This swamp was full of gators.

A gunshot. Interesting. With a chuckle, he turns in the sound's general direction, he knew not if it was them, someone else, or a trick of his mind, the sound had been barely audible. Turning his knife in hand, he begins the long walk.

Stranger stood in the rain speaking to Aaron. "So what brings you-" KAAA THUNK! "What was that?" Aaron looked around nervously. "Mortars!" Stranger screamed, "Hit the dirt!" Both groups dove into the muddy water.

To Strangers right the earth exploded, sending mud and dexaying plant matter everywhere. He yelled back to the other group. "Make for the treeline!" Stranger motioned for Aaron to follow him as both groups went towards the trees, but both traveling in opposite directions. Another explosion to Stranger's right. A piece of shrapnel flew into Stranger's arm. "F***k!" When they hit the tree line Aaron helped access Stranger's wounds, explosions still booming in the distance. "You are lucky its only a flesh wound... Hey whats that over there?" "Wha- AHHH!" "Sorry." Aaron said, wiping the blood from his hands. "I had to get that piece of metal out. Put pressure on that." "Yeah yeah, I know the drill." The other group was nowhere to be seen.

As the explosions continued in the clearing behind them Aaron pulled stranger along deeper into the wooded cluster to take better cover. After a moment of running he directed Stranger into a small depression in the ground that looked similar to a WW2 foxhole and dove in right behind him. Aaron began to laugh aloud as the mortars in the clearing behind them continued to explode and after a moment turned towards Stranger with a smile on his face. "The name is Aaron Somerset and its a pleasure to meet you'" Stated Aaron while extending his hand to Stranger. They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries then Aaron pulled a large silver flask from his right BDU pocket and uncorked it then poured some of the contents onto Strangers wound. "OUCH.....That F*****G stings" exclaimed Stranger. Then Aaron tipped some of the contents into his own mouth and seemed to relish it " Here have a nip" said Aaron extending the flask to Stranger.

The group of three ran through the marsh, the explosions dying behind them, getting farther and farther away. They stopped for a breather when the morters were faint. " Who would fire mortars at us!?" shouted Micheal, out of breath. " I don't know," answered Jeff, walking onto a small patch of land. He wuicly surveyed the area, Stranger no where to be seen. " Stranger!!" the group yelled, but no answer." Where do we go now?" asked Lillian. Jeff pulled out the map, taking a quick look at it. " Well...we head for the coast. If Stranger's alive that's where he will go."

" You there!" said a voice behind him. The group spun around, seeing a man with a rusty machete. " Drop your weapons and supplies, and no gets hurt." More people appeared around them, armed with rusty wapons and makeshift clubs. " Swamp people," mumbled Micheal. " Why don't you drop yours?" said Jeff. The man just chuckled, motioning for some people to remove the groups gear. A man approached Jeff from behind. In a flash, Jeff spun around, hitting the man with the butt of his rifle.

Lilian gripped the handle of her blade an in a quick flash of silver the two swamp people near her fell. "I'm tired, covered in blood and muddy swamp water" she flicked the rapier's blade clean and held it up in front of her. Her sliver hair stained with a few fragments of someone's head, or arm or whatever. "So piss off, I haven't the patience left for this".

"gak." Michael muttered as the swamp people emerged all around him. "First I get shot at by douchebags with mortars, now I'm about to be robbed by a bunch of rednecks."

But he wasn't about to give up without a fight. As the swamp people approached, his hand tightened around the grip of his M1911, ready to shoot the first hillbilly that tried to touch him. But suddenly, Jeff lashed out with the butt of his rifle and caught one of them in the chin. This was all Michael needed to start firing. Pulling the pistol out from waistline of his fatigues, Michael snapped two shots off at the closest redneck. They impacted in his chest, spraying blood across the undergrowth and sending his body tumbling down.

Michael quickly readjusted his aim and fired three more shots, taking down two other rednecks. He aimed at another one and fired, but the shots went wide and hit the gnarled trunk of an ancient tree. But just as quickly another redneck was running at him, crude club in hand. As he tried to shoot again and take down the angry hillbilly, the pistol's hammer slammed down on an empty mag.

"Well feth." was all Michael managed to say before he was tackled to the ground. The hillbilly raised the club up in the air, preparing to bring it down on Michael's neck. But just in time, Michael's hand darted up and grabbed onto the wrist of the hand holding the club. With a monumental effort, Michael managed to heave the redneck off from on top of him. Before the hillbilly could get back up, Michael rolled over next to him and pinned him down. Though the hillbilly was wiry and strong, Michael was taller and heavier. He managed to pin the squirming redneck down in place long enough to grab a nearby rock and brain him to death with it.

"If you must get hit by their weapons" Lilian stepped to the side to avoid a swinging club. "It's pretty obvious" she thrust the sword into the attackers shoulder, dropping the club. "That it should be the clubs" she ducked under a horizontal swing from a machete in a bowing manner, the end blade slicing the torso of her attacker; not enough to kill him, just glance. She then struck him in the chin with the hilt as she stood up, swung around and plunged the blade into the shoulder of this new foe. She had to rely on her speed to win this, but at least it seemed to be a straight up fight without being shot at for once.

Jeff pulled the kukri out of his belt, along with another large knife. He began fighting off the guys with the machetes, blocking their swings and then stabbing them. Two men rushed him, Jeff blocked both of their attacks with his blades, only to have the knife knocked away. He kicked one man back, throwing his kukri and impaling one of them in the chest. He grabbed the other man by the wrist and throat, knocking him down in the process. With all his might Jeff choked the man while holding him underwater, the muddy brown liquid pulling the life out of the man. Picking up his blades, there was only one guy left, the man who spoke first, the Head Honcho. But the man wasn't much of a fighter, choosing to run. Jeff threw his kukri at the man, hitting him in the back of the knee, forcing the man to fall in the muck. " Well, where do you think your going you little gak?" said Jeff as the group approached the wounded man.

Stranger smiled and took a swig of the bitter drink. "Thank you." Stranger looked around as the realization struck him. "Damn! Where have they gone?" It was getting dark too. "Ah you've lost your friends I see. I can help you. We can be on the other side of the Congaree by morning if you want." "That would be preferable." Stranger was hoping they would be alright without. It was his fault they were in this mess anyways. "We should wait for our eyes to adjust to the dark first. We don't want to attract any attention. Especially when there is someone with a mortar out there." Stranger suggested. "Of course... Who would even have a mortar anyways?" "Probably some junkie who managed to kill some poor grunt in the army." Aaron nodded silently.

After the two cleaned their weapons, they set off into the swamp. "We shouldent be in the muck for long." Aaron assured Stranger. "I know where some trails are. This should be a cakewalk. "I sure hope so."

"I'll ask again, which way did they go?"

"That way, I swear I'm telling the truth."

The man's speech can out with difficulty, his boot was pressed to the swamp man's neck afterall, and Charles did have to break his legs to stop him running.

"Thank you for being so cooperative."

He chuckles quietly, before stabbing the man in the back of the neck, his twitching stopping in moments. Crouching down, he plucks a rusty machete from the man's body, it never hurt to have an extra knife.

Don crept through the swamp, he had heard the whining of the mortars, and had found cover before they landed. The others had wandered off somewhere, and he didn't know where they were. Lost, he wandered the swamp for awhile, hoping to find a trail.

"Well as much fun as killing a bunch of freaky mud men was, what do we do this poor soul?" Alexander asked as the group came around the wounded leader of the Mud Men
Alexander made sure the scarf around his wrist was secure, before reloading his two revolvers.

As Don finally despaired of seeing anyone alive, he heard the faint voice of Alexander from ahead of him, But hidden in front of him was also a mud-covered man aiming at something ahead. Don dropped the knife into his palm and threw it into the figure's back, who coughed and fell noisily to the floor.

"Good thing we managed to take 'em all down, I thought this was gonna turn into the plot of Deliverance for a minute." Michael said as he waltzed over to where Jeff had the injured redneck pinned down. Blood was streaming from the wound on the back of his knee where Jeff's kukri had struck.

With an easy movement, Micahel ejected the empty magazine from his M1911 and replaced. Looking at Jeff, he asked, "So, what exactly do you think we can get from interrogating a backwards, gak-kicking hillbilly?"

With a gurgle, another hillbilly slumps to the ground, his throat cut open with a flick of his jagged knife. Plucking up the man's sniper, he presses his eye to the scope, the group from earlier were within his sights, the mud-man was likely about to take a shot at one of them. Damn, he should had waited back for a minute then. Muttering quietly, he aims the sniper rifle, he had never used one of these before, he was likely a very bad shot. Well, practice makes perfect.

The crosshairs hovering pretty near the man with the M1911, he pulls the trigger.

A shot wizzed by Micheals head, hitting a tree behind him. The group smacked the ground, looking in the direction of the shot. " Micheal, cover me, I'm going to meet our new friend." said Jeff. " With pleasure," replied Micheal. Micheal looked down the sight of his scope, seeing the new man. " It's the Bandit." Jeff took off, barreling through the muck while Micheal kept the bandit under cover. Within 15 seconds he had reached the man, jumping over a fallen log and tackling the Bandit before he could make another shot. The bandit kicked Jeff off of him, pulling his knife and charging. Jeff blocked his stab, punching the man, bending his wrist so the knife fell in the water. Jeff took a punch to the mouth, responding with headbutt. They engaged in a short fist fight before the rest of the group arrived, Alexander dragging the redneck behind him. The Bandit was thrown to the ground, now outnumbered. Jeff threw the redneck next to the bandit pulling the kukri out from his knee. " Now both of you, talk!!"