                RETRIBUTION

PART 15 BY THE CHOIR BOYZ TEAM.....................


It wasn't long before a Mutoid neared the pit, possibly
searching for items that he could scavenge.  Bane silently
neared the Mutoid from his blind side, and shoved the creature
down into the pit.  Again, Bane worked his way to the bottom
and found his recent victim near death.  Bane expedited the
process.  He removed the armor and weapons from his prey and
donned Eliminator in his spoils of battle.  Since there was an
outside chance that he may be resurrected, Bane did not want
the other recruits to see Eliminator in his present state.
Even dead, he should have the appearance of a warrior.  Bane
would carry his friend to the Complex, and pray that the
resurrection process would be successful.  Then he saw the toe
tag.......and whispered....."Hawk"....

Mass hysteria spread when Eliminator's body was delivered to
the Complex.  Another squadron leader had been killed and the
newer recruits were questioning there own allegiances.  Many
considered the odds and contemplated joining up with Hawk.
Perhaps if they catered to him, they would survive a little
longer.  This sort of mind frame had Osprey and Scarecrow
grasping for straws.  They needed a means to keep the recruits
unified and confident.  They needed something now.

At first sunlight, Scarecrow left the Complex without saying a
word to anyone.  His squadron still had a base constructed in
a secluded are on level 3 where aerial scans and other
equipment were plentiful.  Black Widow had done well to keep
the base in top order.  Once he arrived at the base, "The
Rose", he activated his trikorder and scanned for landmines
and thumpers.  The area was clear.  The day's heat was even
more intense due to the recent nuclear assaults, but Scarecrow
was determined to strike a blow, even if only a symbolic one.
He entered "The Rose" and filled his back pack with medpacks
and rations.  He secured a fresh Xendrix and Herculean and
started his search of all five levels of the Warzone Terrain.

The west end of level 1 was fairly wide open.  No one would
consider making camp there unless they were inexperienced or
powerful enough to thwart any attack.  Scarecrow tried to
set his mind to Hawk's way of thinking.  Hawk may be "looking"
for another confrontation and camp out in the open in the hope
that someone would wander into his camp.  Scarecrow was right.
As he neared the camp, Hawk appeared to be sleeping.  Hawk was
a "night prowler" and was getting a much needed rest,
Afterall, he had been busy the past few days.  Scarecrow
slowly entered the camp and crept closer and closer towards
Hawk's back pack which was merely a few feet away from the
slumbering target.  The back pack was partially open and
Scarecrow saw two medpacks, with a total of eleven usages.
Hawk was not totally unscathed by the blast that he had
orchestrated earlier, his rads were at 43%.  If Scarecrow was
to be an intricate part of any plans that he and the other
squadron leaders had formed, it was important that he survive
this confrontation.  He did not dare attack, nor did he wish
to awaken Hawk by attempting to steal Hawks supplies.  He knew
that Hawk was fatigued and that he had a long journey facing
him to get to his base on level 4.  Perhaps Nukem would come
in handy, and raise Hawk's radiation level to a deadly count.
If he survived Nukem, he would have to use all his medpacks to
get his rads to an acceptable level.  Then he would have to
face the long journey to his base at less that full strength.
The barren Supply Room would be no help, even if Hawk could
gain entry to the Complex.  Scarecrow inched closer to Hawk,
and placed the thumper in the ground.

                                Michael Willis
                                Cleve Sanders

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