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Chapter 4: Road Trip
Kokobiel was woken up suddenly by a message playing through the PSA system, in his tiredness he didn't understand what the announcement said before it finally went off. Kokobiel sat up in his bunk as he threw off the blankets. He found his journal sitting on the nearby nightstand. Soon he got out of the bed, Tom hadn't returned to the room, he went to the door as he found the hallway with people moving through it all going down the hallway. Kokobiel joined them as he made his way down the hallway, looking around he couldn't find Morgan or Tom. Soon the hallway filtered out into a large room: some tables spread out, boxes laying around, a few work benches, a makeshift jail cell, a small podium, spare tires and a pool table in the corner. People shuffled in as they found anywhere they could sit, a few people chose to stand, there were roughly thirty-to-thirty-five people in total in this room. Kokobiel spotted Tom sitting on some boxes as he crept his way over to him before surprising him.
"What do you think this is about?" Kokobiel asked Tom. He jumped in suprise as Kokobiel spoke to him.
"Fucking hell dude, give me some warning!" Tom barked at Kokobiel, who gave a smirk. Tom sighed as he relaxed back, rubbing his temples in annoyance.
"Maybe if you actually paid attention to your surroundings you would have noticed me," Kokobiel said as he sat down next to Tom before leaning over his shoulder to see the podium. Tom knew Kokobiel didn't care if he was in his personal space though he was okay with this and if he had to he could just jab him in the side. Soon Duncan walked up to the podium with a few papers as he straightened them out before setting them on the podium. There was much better lighting in this room and easier to tell what Duncan looked like, he seemed to be on the older side and was a deep maroon with patches of gray. Duncan cleared his throat before speaking.
"Today is supply day, we all know how that goes, so on today's list of goes is Dingo, Morgan, Rykard, Kokobiel, Sam, and Carly. Please report to the motorpool. There will also be a small scouting party to the Sampi region, volunteers are welcome. Everyone else who can work will be helping unpack boxes and help with record keeping. Please report up here if you wish to be a part of the scouting party," Duncan said as he set down the papers on the podium. Several people started murmuring to each other as people ushered around.
"Didn't you grow up in Sampi?" Kokobiel asked as he stood up.
"Yes I did, but it's not exactly the place I would like to be," Tom said.
"Oh c'mon, it can't be that bad. I'm sure getting the cold would be good for you, especially since you complain about the heat so much," Kokobiel replied back as he looked around the room trying to spot someone he could follow to the motorpool.
"I don't complain that much, plus I would like to relax, we travel too much to begin with also how the hell do they have a motorpool in this cave, no vehicle could fit through that entrance!?" Tom said as he stood up to follow Kokobiel.
"I don't know dude, but maybe it could be fun, see old friends possibly," Kokobiel said back as he spotted Morgan before he started dragging Tom over towards him.
"Morgan, dude, convince your brother to go to Sampi on that scouting party," Kokobiel called out as he slung Tom over to him. Morgan sighed as he pinched the inbetween of his eyes.
"I wouldn't want to go either, but I do believe that you should go with them. Maybe you could see Scarlet. I'm sure she misses you even if she gets upset at you," Morgan said.
"Fine, I'll go but you owe me now," Tom said as he looked up to Kokobiel with annoyance.
"I'll make sure to get you something nice while I'm at that supply run," Kokobiel replied back as he gave a cocky smirk. Tom rolled his eyes as he went over to the podium.
"I think I did a good deed, that deserves something," Kokobiel said as he looked over to Morgan, smirking.
"Yeah sure, I gotta go find Dingo, help me look for her," Morgan said bluntly as he took a camera from his pocket.
Kokobiel let out a huff as he turned around to look above the crowd, spotting Dingo in a back corner speaking to another chupa.
"She's far back in that corner over there," Kokobiel said as he pointed in the direction of the corner.
Morgan moved quickly as he grabbed Kokobiel by the shirt, dragging him along towards Dingo. He only let go when they finally got to her when he handed over a camera to the person she was talking to.
"Send this out to HQ. I forgot I had it from my latest mission," Morgan said to the chupa as he handed over the camera, Dingo smacked him in the back of the head as he did so.
"Do you not remember anything when it's most important, like your brain is so big but you're so fucking dumb," Dingo said.
"Oh go fuck yourself, I have taken enough blows to the head for you, cut me some slack." Morgan barked back.
"Oh you've caused the same headaches with all yer nagging. I should drag you back to the back alley I found you in," Dingo said as she folded her arms, letting out a huff.
"Did I like, get dragged into a lover's quarrel?" Kokobiel asked as he stood there. Both snapped to him as they stared at him like he was stupid but also annoyed with him.
"I regret saying anything," Kokobiel said.
Dingo jabbed him in the gut as Morgan jabbed him in the side.
"I don't need a reason to argue with him, let alone some 'lover's quarrel.' now get to the carpool," Dingo barked at Kokobiel.
"You as well, you overgrown bunnylops," Dingo barked at Morgan as she huffed and went off.
Morgan let out a sigh as he turned to Kokobiel and patted his back.
"You okay?" Morgan asked him.
"No thanks to you, but I'll be fine. I've had worse," Kokobiel said as he stood back up straight as he rubbed his side. Morgan didn't look at him as he stood back up straight. He seemed embarrassed by what he did, or at least regretted it somewhat. Kokobiel couldn't exactly tell with the expression on his face, it was almost blank other than his right eye twitching.
"So where's the motor pool?" Kokobiel asked Morgan, Morgan snapped out of his daze as he returned to reality.
"Oh it's all the way down the second hallway. I'll just lead you over to it," Morgan said as he began to guide Kokobiel to the motor pool. It was a short walk before they entered a decently large room with a small motor pool: two vans and a motorbike. Kokobiel made a look around the large room as he saw the far side wall rigged with gears and belts.
"What's going on with that wall?" Kokobiel asked Morgan. Morgan looked over to the wall he was talking about before realizing what he was talking about.
"Oh that wall opens. We've been working on it for the past year or two, finished it a while ago," Morgan said as he went up to one of the vans and opened the back.
"We? As you and others built it?" Kokobiel asked.
"Yeah, I mostly did the wiring and a few of the blueprints. Everything else was a small crew of people," Morgan said back.
Someone slapped Kokobiel on the back before he turned around, raising his hands in defense.
"Woah there buddy, wasn't trying to startle you. I just need you to help me lug a box," Dingo said as she stepped back from him. Kokobiel let out a sigh before he lowered his hands.
"Sure, whatcha need moved?" Kokobiel asked.
Dingo turned around as she went over to a long box as she went to one side.
"Get the other side and help me bring it to the van," Dingo said as she grabbed the box on the end she was standing at. Kokobiel grabbed the other hand as they both lifted before making their way to the van. They slid in the large box as Dingo then made her way to the front of the van before she got in the drivers side.
"What's in the box?" Kokobiel asked Morgan.
"Nothing. That box is just stupid heavy, but it's also great for smuggling things through checkpoints because of the fake bottom," Morgan said. Kokobiel was surprised a box was so heavy with nothing to be in it. Another chupa passed by the two as he went to the passenger side of the van, the chupa then got in the van.
"That felt a bit rude," Kokobiel said as he hopped into the back of the van.
"Oh, sorry about that. That's Rykard. He's mute. Usually he'll give a wave or a smile, but he's in a mood today," Morgan said as he joined Kokobiel in the back of the van.
"Well now I feel like an asshole," Kokobiel said, mostly to himself. Morgan chuckled as he laid back against the van wall before two more chupas got into the van. One sat down and the other shut the van doors before sitting.
The one that sat first was a deep purple with a mane that was blue with white spots, a slim build but this wasn't easy to tell with the large jacket they had on. Morgan turned his head towards her before he spoke.
"Glad to have you with us Sam. I'm sure your boyfriend is going to love seeing you," Morgan said as he leaned his head back, the smile visible even with his mask on.
"Yer a bastard, ya know that, right?" Sam shot back with a hint of annoyance.
"Of course he does, that's why he does it," the other chupa said as he sat down. Kokobiel assumed that was Carly. He expected them to be a woman from the name, but it was a guy. It was a bad assumption of Kokobiel.
"Y'all act like you're any better. I have seen the 'pranks' you play on each other," Morgan said back. Kokobiel chuckled to himself as the van started up and it began moving. It was slow as they waited behind another van, before slowly started moving forward before they began driving into a tunnel.
"Hold on, I have to do something for the fun of it," Morgan said as he popped open one of the van doors. He anchored himself with his metal arm on the door as he leaned out. The van in front of them turned to the right, Morgan flipped them off as he leaned out further.
"Don't get lost, dingleberries!" Morgan had yelled, but they most likely didn't hear him. He then swung back into the van, bringing the door with him and shutting it.
Morgan was laughing lightly to himself as he sat back down.
"What was that all about?" Carly asked.
"My brother is in there. Hopefully he saw me. Probably didn't hear me though," Morgan replied back, Carly looked at him in confusion.
"You have a very strange relationship with your brother," Carly said.
"It's perfectly normal. Could be worse, I could have shot him," Morgan said, giving an odd smirk. Carly's jaw hung a little low before he shut it and shook his head. The road was bumpy as they traveled along it, and this was a main path from a back road. Kokobiel tried to lay back, but that wasn't exactly comfortable, especially with nothing to sit on. He looked over to Morgan to find him messing with the wires of his arm before taking it off.
"Hey, can you tie my sleeve?" Morgan asked Kokobiel as he crouched over to Kokobiel leaning against the box.
"Sure," Kokobiel said as he leaned forward towards Morgan as he tied his sleeve. His arm went from his shoulder to above the elbow, Past that, was nothing there.
"Why do you have to do this?" Kokobiel asked.
"There's a checkpoint on this road, and hiding my arm makes it a lot easier. I mean it has a built-in gun so," Morgan replied back as he leaned back on the box and sat back down.
"That makes sense to take it off. Does it ever get uncomfortable?" Kokobiel asked.
"Sometimes. It gets a bit itchy if I keep it on for a few days. I do have to change out the sleeves every once in a while," Morgan said as he placed his arm on the box. Kokobiel thought before he leaned on the box as well, looking at Morgan. Kokobiel didn't exactly know what to make of him. He was strange, to say the least, but he was entertaining. He enjoyed it; it had been a long while since he'd enjoyed something.
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