STATE ZERO | Hired Guns

[cl0ud]

"Well boss, I'm sure as hell bruised, but it ain't gon' keep me out the fight," William Hansen says. He has bandages around his leg that are soaked with blood, but he's stable. He'll be troubled to run in the future, though.

"I'm good if Will's good," Walter says breathily. He still had pieces of the bullet in his stomach, but he's ready to set out and take on the world at your beck and call.

All inventory has been accounted for.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Jacob was troubled by the fact that Grant still had bullet fragments in him.

"Dr Martinez! Can you get these bullet fragments out of Walter, for a price perhaps?"

 

[cl0ud]

"It should be a simpler surgery. The one-time fee of $300 should cover the surgery and my time," Dr. Martinez says.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Jacob chuckles, amazed by how expensive all this bullshit was. Of course it was warranted and important since the health of their operatives was very important, but Bento had always been greedy and cheap with the company's wealth.

He turns to Grant and asks him to answer honestly whether or not he NEEDS that operation.

 

[cl0ud]

"Boss, I could be walking around headless and I'll still be ready for a fight. We're tough as nails, you know that," Walter says, although, this may just be him feigning strength so you'll hold him in higher regards, lulling you into a false sense of bravado.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Jacob decides to take the man's word for it, and pats him on the shoulder. "Right then. I'll be saving my $300, Dr. Martinez. Just make sure my $1000 was worth spending; I'll be back when Mr. Hidgon has recovered."

With that, the group takes off, headed toward Fitzhugh for their next contract. While on the way, Jacob and his advisors converse in the reinforced SUV. Jacob states that fulfillment of their ranks after their losses at the Battle of Sarcoxie was paramount, and they needed to recruit new mercenaries. He asked for ideas on how to do that with absolute certainty that they weren't hiring random dumbasses.

 

[cl0ud]

"Well, boss, there's always The Hub in Comstock. Hundreds, if not thousands, mercenaries, war lords, and criminals traverse through their every day. We're sure as hell gonna find some damn fine mercenaries there, but they'll be expensive. If you're looking for the cheaper alternative, there's always going into survivor settlements like Fitzhugh, Eagle Rock, etcetera, and recruiting wanderlust colonists, but they're more likely to be inexperienced. Although, they'll be significantly cheaper if not free," Yu suggests.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Jacob thinks about the recruitment ideas. He decides to turn to Yu and Tusing. "When we get to Fitzhug, collect up to five people who show interest; no more than that. We'll fill our ranks with the men of the hub after we finish our business in Western Atlano. For now, we need bodies."

"Also in Fitzhugh, we will be selling some guns. Hansen, you come with me to scout out weapons vendors in the town."

"After we finish all that, we will make contact with our contractor."

 

[cl0ud]

The travel to Fitzhugh takes a few hours and you arrive in the early hours of the morning. Your group decides to set up a tent city just outside of Fitzhugh to rest.

Your Group Consumes
(13) Rations
(26) Water
(1) Alcohol
(5) Fuel
​

Your group stirs in the afternoon. After you and your retinue make breakfast, you head into town. Yu and Tusing head out to feel for new recruits, trying to fulfill their quota of five new recruits. William Hansen accompanies you to the marketplace in Fitzhugh. It's small, only consisting of a few shops, but the weapon shop is sizable enough.

Haman's Worthy Wares
​

Item	Amount	Value
9mm Pistol	6	$68
Assault Pistol	3	$82.50
Revolver	1	$90
Uzi	2	$180
SMG	3	$225
Assault Rifle	5	$407.50
Carbine	15	$184
Pump Shotgun	2	$308.70
9mm Round	61	$0.32
7.62mm Round	380	$1.60
12 Gauge Shell	247	$1.15
12 Gauge Slug	113	$1.28
Firebomb	17	$36

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Jacob walks through Fitzhugh purposefully, looking for someone to unload some loot to and make some money. The Sarcoxie doctor having been so expensive, he was looking for a way to fatten back up his wallet. Maybe selling to these vendors would help that effort; maybe the fragmentation grenades and handgun that the company was going to get after helping out this Fitzhugh merchant would help, too. Maybe the company could rob someone on the road, or ambush a group of soldiers, leave no witnesses so that there would be no reinforcements coming, just a dead silent walkie-talkie. But first, sure, he’d trade.


After looking through his inventory, this is what Bento decides to do. First of all, he slips Hansen a $100 bill and tells him to find someone with .357 ammunition and buy a lot of it.


Turning to the vendor, he decides that he will hold onto…

• 1x Pump Shotgun
• 2x Uzis
• 1x Double-Barrel Shotgun
• 1x Bowie Knife
• 1x Revolver
• 1x 9mm Pistol
• 1x Machine Pistol
• 1x Magnum
• 1x Combat Rifle
• 1x Bull Pup Rifle
• 1x Assault Rifle
• 1x Heavy Assault Rifle
• 1x Assault Shotgun

Then, he will sell…

• 1x Bull Pup rifle, $415 or 4 firebombs
• 1x Assault Rifle, $395.50 or 3 firebombs
• 1x Tactical Rifle, $310 or 2 firebombs
• 2x Pump Shotguns, $285.75
• 4x Uzis, $150 or 1 firebomb
• 2x Tactical Carbines, $300 or 2 firebomb
• 1x Baseball bat w/ nails, $30
• 1x Heavy assault rifle, $580 OR 7 firebombs,
• 1x Revolver, $50

And finally, he will buy...

• 1x SMG, $225

 

[cl0ud]

The vendor gives you 15 firebombs in exchange for a Bull Pup Rifle, a Heavy Assault Rifle, and two Tactical Carbines. He also gives you the SMG in return for $225. Hansen reports that he traded with one of the quartermasters and bought some of their .357 rounds, 80 to be precise, for $40.80.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

After trading with the vendor, Bento straps the SMG horizontally to the small of his back, it being his third weapon meant for closer range in which a higher fire rate is mor important.

He then heads back into town with Hansen and stashes the firebombs within the vehicle, and he leaves William there under orders to issue bombs to the following people whenever they show up at the truck. All unassigned firebombs would be left stashed.

Bento - 2x Firebombs
Yu - 1x Firebombs
Hansen - 1x Firebomb
Tusing - 1x Firebomb

Mauro - 2x Firebombs
Cooper - 1x Firebombs

Atnip - 2x Firebombs
Yount - 1x Firebomb
Harris - 1x Firebomb
Grant - 1x Firebomb

After listing out who gets what, Bento goes and meets with Yu and Tusing, to find out about how the recruitment is going.

 

[cl0ud]

The firebombs are distributed appropriately throughout your group.
After traversing the town for a few minutes, you find Yu and Tusing with another member, "Recruiting is slow, but it's going. This is Calvin Cadwallader. He doesn't have any experience, but he's eager to learn, and he's joined up out of his lust for adventure, as well," Tusing reports.

♂ Calvin Cadwallader | Civilian | 9mm Pistol [03/12] |

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Bento immediately orders for Calvin to go and obtain a combat rifle and a bowie knife for himself out of the convoy, before standing at rigid attention in guard of the trucks until Jacob decides that he may rest. He is to hold his rifle at his shoulder cradled by his right hand, and have his left down by his side, eyes front. Speak to no one.

After that, Bento tells Yu to continue recruiting, and he himself looks around town for an empty armor rig to put those body armor plates to use.

 

[cl0ud]

Calvin arms himself with a combat rifle and a bowie knife.

You look around the town but you can't find anyone with a rig to put your plates in.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

After his looking, Bento looks for Bobbie Ramos, his merchant friend here in Fitzhugh, to discuss the contract.

 

[cl0ud]

You walk towards the stables, where you see oxen being tied up to a series of carriages, as well as small box truck. The box truck is being filled up with canned foods, water, salted meats, preserved jams, and dried fruits. You also spot a few gun crates being loaded into the back. Inside of the carriage are clothes, pots and pans, a few cans of fuel, and another gun crate, significantly larger than the others.

Bobbie wears a gray ripped hoodie over a tattered, green t-shirt. Dirt and stains populate themselves on her clothes, but it works well enough against the elements. Her jeans have seen a better life as well. They're black with holes in them but overall they are in good condition, compared to the rest of her clothes. Her boots are about the best thing she owns. The bulkiness of the toe box identifies that they're steel-toed boots. The worst damage are some scuffs on the toe, but they're in good shape. She wears a beanie on her head and a scarf around her neck and face, pulled up to her nose.

Bobbie herself has darting brown eyes and chestnut colored hair that escapes the beanie just a bit. Although, her face is old and wrinkled, either from the stress of living in a wasteland or from moving such precious cargo against a bandit-ridden landscape.

When she speaks, her voice is hoarse, as if she just got finished yelling at someone, "Ah. You must be the mercenary. Thank you for coming. It's a fairly simple mission, you escort me and my caravan to Fowlerville just down the road and on the beach. My main concern is crossing the bridge and when we go past Renova. The bridge has become significantly more dangerous recently. PLF skiffs have been running along that way to conduct sea raids. There's also the occasional band of hooligans that have been robbing some of my merchant pals. We should be ready in a little bit. Any questions?"

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Bento nods to Bobbie. "Me and my men will get you there safe, miss. As long as we are paid what is due, you have nothing to worry about. Nobody on the road is a match for us," Jacob stated. In his head, he plotted against Ms. Ramos. As he and her spoke, Jacob actively looked around himself to identify how many and how well armed the men who were to be traveling with the caravan not including the mercenaries were. He figured that they had a lot more than just a few fragmentation grenades, and judging off of what he saw around him in terms of them having a way to defend themselves against the mercenaries that would be escorting them.

 

[cl0ud]

As you look around, you see seven armed men. Pump shotguns, assault shotguns, assault rifles, carbines, and uzis accompanied by assault pistols, 9mm, and machine pistols. A few of them have bandoleers with grenades, spare shotgun shells, and ammo pouches. A multitude of them have backpacks. Most of them are wearing rudimentary armor that won't do well against rifle bullets, but could slow down some handgun bullets and definitely fight off against slashing and bludgeoning attacks.

"Yeah, that's what they all say," Bobbie says, holding a ledger in her hand as she makes marks and writes in values, keeping track of her wares and expenses.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Jacob bites his lip and decides it wasn't worth the potential bloodbath or possible risking of their vehicles to try and jump the trader and his guards. He would rather just get them to Fowlerville and get their explosive payment.

So, until Bobbie and her caravan is ready, Bento will help Yu recruit locals who are looking for an opportunity to travel. Then, when Ramos is ready, they will depart to the road in their large convoy.

The reinforced SUV will be driving behind the carriages and truck.

To the left and right of the SUV will be two operatives on the dirtbike and the ATV.

To the left and right of the carriages and box truck will be the second dirtbike and the sedan.

In front of the carriages and box truck will be the hatchback.

 

[cl0ud]

You manage to recruit another civilian from Fitzhugh before you and the rest of the caravan set out. Ramos sends out one of her caravan guards to find you and the rest of your crew when they're ready to set out on the road to Fowlerville. Letting Ramos know of the caravan formation beforehand, your armored escort gets her to Fowlerville over the course of a few hours. There were times when the caravan got nervous, especially when it came to crossing the bridge where a trio of PLF soldiers were seen along the riverbank cooking breakfast, but overall it went without a hitch.

You arrive the next day in Fowlerville. Ramos reimburses you for the fuel spent on the trip and then provides you with the loot she promised you. She also gives you a lock box with a key. Inside, you find an additional $500 Atlani dollars and an old gold wristwatch.

Your Group Consumes
(15) Rations
(30) Water
(1) Alcohol
​

♂ Wyatt Davis | Civilian | Unarmed |
Your inventory has been updated.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Throughout the Fitzhugh-Fowlerville Escort, Jacob will have Wyatt armed with a double-barrel shotgun and a revolver, and have him and Calvin join Flacko in Squad 4, as it had suddenly been emptied.

Following the easy and rewarding contract, Jacob decides to kill some time before headed to Sandy Springs. The group will pull over, and form a ring with their vehicles for a bit of a fight club. Once everyone is situated and stationary, Bento will put down his weapons and call upon the two new recruits.

"It's time to find out whether or not you two are just a pair of pussies. I don't know what type of man Fitzhugh breeds, but we're about to find out. So come at me, fuckers!" Jacob shouts, putting his fists up and demanding that Cadawaller and Davis fight him. Bento would fight aggressively, punishing every time that one of the recruits would leave themselves open, while also moving efficiently and taking shots when needed to open up a counterpunch.

How better to judge a man's character than by beating the shit out of him?

 

[cl0ud]

You and your mercenaries form a ring of vehicles on the outskirts of Fowlerville. While some of the other mercenaries tend to setting up tents for the night, others have gathered around the vehicles to places bets on how long each recruit will last. Wyatt Davis appears to be eager to test his mettle in front of his peers, while Calvin Cadawaller's face is stony and expressionless.

Wyatt charges at you first, his fist raised over his head while Calvin stays back a bit, in a fighting stance, but moreover pacing around you compared to Wyatt's blunt offense.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Jacob makes a speedy sidestep to the left, away from Calvin's circling and Wyatt's charge, and delivers a snapping body kick to the right side of Wyatt's torso, hopefully outranging Wyatt's blow toward his head and hitting him first. He follows up with several more kicks, peppering the legs, looking to punish Wyatt for coming at him so quickly by making it so he would be forced to be slower. During his assault on Wyatt's legs, Bento tries to keep his guard up and parry any punches coming his way.

 

[cl0ud]

You thrust a kick towards Wyatt, who's caught off guard but has quick reactions, stepping back from the foot as it heads toward his torso. Wyatt manages to land a punch, knocking you in the jaw with his right fist. Just as Wyatt comes in for another punch, you're able to dodge it and uppercut him. With your attention focused on Wyatt, Calvin was able to sneak up behind you and put you in a chokehold.