Wastelands Ch. 01-02

As they walk inside, a door closes behind them. It's made of clear glass but when it closes, then the once clear glass goes opaque, giving them a privacy Julia had not thought they would have. With this new sense of privacy, they begin to undress, finding another one of those tubs their captors used as dirty laundry, and put their clothes in it. As they are getting undressed however, they start to hear music come from a speaker somewhere in the bathroom. The music seems to be a mix of Lo-Fi and Synthwave, a very calming music that she hadn't heard in a very long while. Most of the music in her camp was old rock or metal. And it was the same list of songs over and over again, it got very boring very fast. So far, this has been a nice reprieve from the harsh lifestyle she and Katya had been living since the world fell apart.

Once the girls finished helping each other shower, which the cool water was a very thankful change to the occasional hot water shower they used to have back at camp, they found a set of clothes each on the sinks, just as Gabriel had said he would provide. The clothes were almost identical. A plain army green shirt, khaki pants with a belt if needed, khaki socks, and boots. As well as a pair of boxers. Better than going commando like they have for the past couple years since they either ran out of clean underwear or it was "lost" somehow from their belongings.

After getting dressed, the two women headed out of the bathroom and into the main area where they saw Matthew and Anthony doing general cleaning and maintenance on their equipment. That's when they heard the change of music and a clattering of pots and pans coming from the kitchen behind them.

Chapter II

"Sonne" by Rammstein started pumping through the speakers. As Juila and Katya looked behind them, they saw Gabriel cutting up vibrant looking vegetables into chunks and throwing them into a skillet, sizzling as they impact. He had two large pots sitting on the stove in front of them, both seeming to be cooking away as steam rose out from under their lids. She didn't know what was in them, but the smells coming from the kitchen were making her mouth water and stomach grumble.

She felt Katya turn and move away from her side, drawing her attention in her friend's direction. She followed as the two women found places at the table and watched the fiasco in the kitchen. Then her mind started to wander.

After the collapse of the world, she found herself moving with a group of nomads, mainly taking shelter under larger cliff faces, taking refuge from the sun during its highest and hottest points. Eventually she ended up in a small settlement made up of around a measly 30 people. Life was hard, but it was quiet. Using unfamiliar machines to either trap the moisture that clung to the mylar tarps hanging over head of the walkways and buildings, or to dig into the ground for water creating a well. It was peaceful.

Then a band of roving maniacs barreled into the settlement.

Made up of a collection of people driven mad by either the heat or their own failing augments. Giving them the colloquial name of 'Psychos'. Notorious for laying waste to smaller encampments and kidnaping those that didn't fight back or who were too weak to. More often than not, people surrendered after the initial attack and let themselves be taken with the hopes they would either be quickly forgotten by the Psychos or traded to another settlement and set free, which was a somewhat common occurrence.

The settlement had sustained heavy losses, with a majority of the occupants being taken, and a handful of them hiding or dead. Julia was amongst the few that hid and survived, her lithe frame allowing her to easily hide amongst the burning wreckage. After gathering the rest of the survivors, they started to rebuild. Tripling in size within a year and being able to fortify themselves enough to deter any further attacks.

A couple of years later is when Katya showed up. She had been traveling for the better part of a year with a small group of people. They hadn't intended to stay permanently, but after a short battle that left Katya seriously injured with the burn she now carries the scar of, they decided to stay and pursue more stable lives. Eventually though, the two women decided to leave with a few others to start trying to establish some sort of trade and alliances with other settlements out there. After the whole fiasco with Katya and her lover, she was more than happy to go.

It hadn't been more than a couple of months that they had been traveling when three out of the four people that tagged along with them decided what they were doing was suicide and ended up heading back. Leaving their last travel companion, Daniel, to follow along with the ladies. To make up for their small party, the three of them decided to steal and ambush similar sized groups in order to gather supplies and goods to survive off of and trade with. This is what prompted their ambush of their current captors.

They found the run down gas station and, after not being able to get inside, discovered it to still have a few inhabitants. They studied them for a few days and came up with a plan; Julia and her Serqet were to take them from surprise while Katya and Daniel flanked from behind. The biggest hitch was that they didn't know Gabriel and his crew were that heavily armed, nor did they know their targets were augmented as much as they were. And She definitely didn't expect what happened to her when she fought Gabriel to happen. She didn't even know Daniel's apparent distaste for visibly augmented people. It all just went tits up and now she and her best friend are bound to some stranger that seems to know them, even though she doesnt recognize any of them. And his friends don't seem to recognize her either.

***********

CLANK! CLANK! CLANK! PSSHH!

The sudden heavy footfalls and front door closing snapped Julia out of her day dream and caused her to look pensively at the doorway.

"For fucks sake! What's got the old man in a funk now," said a feminine voice from the front hall. A second later, a hulking metal female figure came stomping into the common area with a large augmented dog at her side. This woman looked like a female Iron Man! Was it human?

"Hey Lex!" Without even looking up from his book, Matthew gently waved to the armoured female figure. "How was your hunt?"

"Fine, though there wasn't much. Got you boys a present." The large figure clanked over the bunk next to Gabriel's and just stopped facing the wall. With a loud hiss of air, the back of the figure opened up and shifted to the sides. A well built but extremely beautiful young woman stepped out and turned to face the group. She was about 5'4", but her ripped body showed very clearly beneath her skin tight beige bodysuit. Snow white hair in a faux hawk framed an elegant pale face with piercing steel gray eyes.

"Who are the fresh meat that have that scared little kid look in their eyes," the woman, that Matthew referred to as Lex, called out to the two guys sitting at their bunks while eyeing the two ladies up.

"We caught them trying to ambush us when we got back. Boss made a deal with them and I guess they're here to stay for a bit," Anthony replied.

"Well, let me get my girl put up and then I'll hand out what I found. The old man will have to wait until he's done to get his." With that, Lex walked back out of the room with an unusually large German Shepherd following behind, returning a few minutes later carrying a heavy duffle bag. She approached the two men and handed them something, then went to the locker next to her armoured suit, grabbed some clothes, then headed to the showers.

Everyone got settled down on their bunks doing various activities while they waited for Gabriel to finish in the kitchen. After an hour or so of different songs playing softly throughout the abode, the man himself finally appeared carrying a large steaming pot with six large wooden bowls from the kitchen and sat them around the table, while the group silently pulled up a chair and started serving themselves. The pot contained what looked like a delicious mix of brown rice, beans, and some sort of meat chunks. Both Julia and Katya looked at each other with wide, hungry eyes as they watched Gabriel come between them and fill their bowls.

"Don't ask questions about where we got this stuff or what's in it," Gsbriel said while serving them. "If you stay with us long enough, you'll learn some things by watching us and if we decide to teach you."

When Lex asked him about the two women, he recounted the evening's events involving them. Once he got to the part where Julia got injured, he gave Lex a knowing look. She simply nodded in understanding and went back to eating. At the end of the meal, Gabriel went back into the kitchen and brought back a cup for everyone half filled with some sort of clear liquid. Gin! It was gin!

'How in the hell did he have gin,' she thought to herself. The most anyone had in terms of alcohol was shitty fermented cactus and medical alcohol.

"Alright," Gabriel spoke in her and her friend's direction. "I think it's time we talked about specifics regarding our agreement, ladies. First, you are not slaves. I don't own you, but you do listen to me no matter what. If you want to leave, you can, but only after a week and if I decide we can trust you. If I can't trust you, then I'll have to kill you. simple as that." He looked at both of them unblinking with his glowing violet eyes with a very stern look, making it very clear their survivability here was mostly dependent on them and how they conducted themselves.

"Second," he continued, "You are not to leave this place unless I give you permission and you're accompanied by one of us each. This lasts until you've proven we can trust you not to try and backstab us or betray us. Third, you must understand that none of us will ask something of you that is out of your capabilities nor something you are truly against doing unless it's necessary to the group's survival. That being said, you are expected to do everything in your power to look after every member of the team, but not if it puts you in fatal danger. We can patch you up if you get injured and we're more than willing to, but if you go and get gutted, well I'm not wasting my time trying to put you back together. One final thing, once you've gained our trust, you'll be able to act with full autonomy as long as you inform at least two of us what you're doing and where. This trust also will give you access to our resources and whatever training we can give you. Do you understand everything?"

The two ladies looked at each other, then looked back at him and nodded in acceptance.

"Very well. Remember, just ask us if you need anything. And you report directly to me," he says. Then turning to the rest, "I'm sure I don't have to remind you how to treat people. But so long as they are under my protection, we will all do what we can to make sure they will survive. Hopefully they end up just as much of a member of the team as you all are. Understood everyone?"

"Yes, Captain!" They all say in unison giving him a relaxed salute.

"Good," he says as he stands, stretching. "I'm going to go put the girls on their leashes and then take a shower before bed." As he says this, Julia feels Katya shiver and cower next to her. Gabriel gives her a questioning look and then his eyes go wide with realization. "Oh no! Sorry, not you two, my pups. Ashe and Bella, they're my dogs. I would never put a collar on a human unless I was gonna drag them behind me and I intended to kill them that way." With that, he turns and walks out to the main entrance and disappears. Julia looks over to Lex, noticing the woman watching Gabriel leave. She had a glint in her eyes, it looked like a combination of longing and lust. Lex biting her lip while watching him was only confirmation of this. Seeming to sense Julia's gaze upon her, Lex snaps her head to meet her eyes and smirks.

"What? A girl can dream can't she," Lex says giggling. "I don't believe we were properly introduced. My name is Alexi, but the boys call me Lex. What about you two?"

"Julia, and my friend is Katya. Is he normally like that? Making deals like this?"

Lex looks back at the doorway where Gabriel disappeared into and spoke, "Since I've been around him, no. I'm the only other person besides you two I know of that he's made a deal like this with. Although the circumstances were different with me. He saved me from a very nasty group of people, worse than Psychos, and made a similar deal with me." She looked back at the two women once more. "But, he's always been fair and kind. I'm happy I agreed to it. Now I'm practically part of the family. I suggest you two do what you can to earn our trust because it really pays off. I mean hell, he spent a shit ton of resources on getting me that armour over there. And from what Matt tells me, he had to do some pretty dangerous stuff to get him that sick cannon he carries."

"You got that right!" Matthew called out from behind them from his bunk, somehow leaving the table without Julia noticing it, and sported a shit eating grin. "He took a job from someone to get it. Almost died killing a Crawler trying to finish the job too. He told me that if I lost or broke the damn thing, he'd take my right eye to make up for it," he said, chuckling and shaking his head.

Lex spoke up now. "You see, the boss cares about his crew. He still believes in the old saying 'no man left behind'. And he will do everything he can to prevent any of us from dying," she says, now in a whisper loud enough only for Julia to hear. Her words were accompanied by a knowing look, eyes looking down at the bandage around her neck.

"Oh," Julia says softly, looking down at her hands in her lap. "I see. does that mean you know..." her voice trailing off, giving Lex a questioning look. The large woman only nodded in response. They both looked over to the doorway to see two large dogs padding into the room, both heavily augmented but still resembling black furred rottweiler-pitbull mixes. Gabriel enters once more, following behind his 'girls'.

"There's water in the kitchen if you need it, but I've filled a canteen for you both. They're hanging on your bunks which are over there," he says, pointing to two bunks opposite his and Lex's. "I'm going to take a shower and then hit the sack, feel free to stay up as long as you want. But I suggest you get some sleep because we gotta move shop tomorrow. And we still have to take care of your friend too." He grabs some clothes from his locker and then heads to the showers, his dogs taking up sleeping spots on a mat on either side at the foot of his bed.

Julia and her friend make their way over to the bunk at the end and sit down, drawing the curtain behind them, blocking them from Matt's sight, and the one at the foot of the bed blocking them from the other three's sight. Julia takes Katya's hand and gives it a gente squeeze.

"Hey, you ok," she asks.

"I guess. It's just all so weird, you know? I mean, they seem like nice people, but I don't know how to feel about it. And I can't believe how Daniel reacted!"

"Yeah, I guess he doesnt like augs or something. I guess his reaction was probably because of all the things that happen with the Psychos and stuff, but I just didn't know!" Julia sighs, giving her friend a gentle side hug. "I guess we'll see what the next week holds for us. Who knows, maybe it will all work out. Lex definitely seems happy with her deal with him."

"Ok, Jewls. I trust you. And maybe you're right." Katya gives Julia's hand a squeeze back and looks up at her. "Where do you think they're going? He said they were moving tomorrow." Julia just shakes her head and shrugs.

Gabriel comes out of the shower room, however he's only dressed in a pair of loose gym shorts, no shirt. Katya nudges her friend and gives a mischievous grin.

"Don't tell me you've got the hots for him already, girl! You just met him," she says teasingly.

Julia blushes and looks down at the ground. "It's not that, at least I dont think it is. Don't get me wrong, he's a bit of a hunk, but I don't think that's it. When he fought me, there was a grace and speed he had that I've never seen someone possess. It was like fighting a panther! And I don't think I could have hurt him anyways, his skin was as tough as steel itself," she said, shaking her head.

"Well duh! He's got super augs! Wouldn't surprise me if he could punch a boulder. And you're right, he is a bit of a hunk. And his friends aren't bad either, even that woman Lex."

"I'm gonna go talk to him. You can take this bed. Get some rest and I'll see you in the morning, kay?"

"Okay, night," Katya replies softly before taking her shoes off and getting into her bed. Julia makes her way over to where Gabriel is at the table, gathering up the aftermath of their meal. As she approaches, one of the dogs closest to them starts to growl threateningly and stares at her.

"Nein, Ashe, unten Mädchen!" Snapping his fingers and pointing at the dog, eyeing her down like her alpha. The dog quiets down and lowers her head, but keeps her eyes fixed on Julia. "Sorry about that," he apologizes. "My girls are pretty protective."

"It's okay," she replies, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Want some help with that?"

He smiles and nods his head. "Sure. Take the pot and follow me." He grabs the bowls and utensils and heads to the kitchen. After following him and his instructions on what to do with the pot, Julia turns to face him and puts a hand on his metal arm.

"I just wanna say, thank you for not killing us. I know you had to kill Daniel, but at least you gave him a choice. It seems he took the third option instead, sadly."

Gabriel gives her a somber smile and nods his head before speaking. "I'm sorry about that. We try not to kill unless we are attacked. And even if I didn't recognize you, I could tell you weren't Psychos or worse. So I would have offered to let you go anyways. Too many people are dying because of itchy trigger fingers nowadays."

"What do you mean you recognized me? I don't think I've met you before," she asks, very confused.

"It doesn't matter. It was a long time ago, and like I said, I look very different."

"Ok. Well, you said earlier we were moving. where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there. Certain things are need to know. I can tell you we're heading east though. into the swamps."

"Ugh, damn. I was hoping I didn't have to go back there anytime soon."

"What do you mean," he asked, giving an inquisitive look.

"I used to live in Louisiana before the collapse. The weather sucked and it cost me a lot of time and money to get the humidity to stop fucking with my hair every day."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Get some sleep, blondie. We've got a long trip ahead of us." He started toward the doorway when she stopped him, gently holding his arm. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She couldn't help but not meet his gaze as she spoke.

"Tell me how we can earn our trust. Lex spoke to us briefly about how she ended up with you guys, and, well... we wanna give it a chance before we make a decision about leaving." She started subconsciously biting her lip nervously. He sighed and took a slight step back slowly, shaking his head. She looked up at him nervously, but this time it was he who didn't meet her gaze.

"Just... follow my orders and you'll be fine. Not to mention safe. I've been doing this kind of traveling for over half my life. Trust in me, and I'll start trusting in you two. Good night." And with that, he made his way to his bunk. She couldn't help but watch him go before catching Katya's questioning look. Julia just gave an exhausted 'I don't know' look, then headed to her bed to sleep.