JACKAL

Welcome to Hell on Wheels

Just as Orville had finished bandaging Sakhari's ribcage, Morales, Ross, and Low had returned. Low had been carrying two jerry cans filled with gasoline in both hands and Morales and Rod were carrying a long wooden crate presumably filled with ammunition. Orville had turned to face his fellow crewmen upon hearing their footsteps. 'How am I gonna explain this?' He wondered. 

"Gawd dammit Freddie. Helping the monster?" Morales exclaimed. The term "monster" had irked a growl from Sakhari sensing it was a discriminatory term. "I've always had the biggest heart of the pack." Orville responded trying not to sound nervous as hard as that may be. The nervous sweat on his face was like the steam on boiled ham. "That may be...but have you considered what Simmons might say or do should he'd catch you in this act?" Ross had spoken in a "have you learnt your lesson" voice.

"I'd throttle him." Speak of the Devil: Simmons had approached the crew. At this time Sakhari had long since put on her mask, meaning Orville was the only one to have seen her face. All five crewmen were now standing by their tank. Moving past Orville treating the beast's wounds, the JACKAL crew decided to address the bigger question: What were they going to do about the monster they had picked up? "So what are we gonna do with IT?" Simmons had addressed.

"From what I got out of a talk with her, maybe she could serve a third pair of eyes. Me and Low can always need another pair in combat." Orville had suggested before trailing off and looking away. "Christ Orville, does it have you under its spell?" Simmons had asked not being pleased with Orville's sudden friendliness towards Sakhari. "With all due respect, lieutenant, I don't see how we'd bop it off without raising questions. Need we mention it could have easily bopped off Frederickson before." Ross had spoken, bringing up a valid point to back up Orville's suggestion. Simmons turned to Low to hear his thought on the female beast. "We've had a guardian angel watch over us for what? Two years now? Who knows how long until our nummer comes up?" He said.

"It ain't been no angel. We've had each other. The monster could be one more mouth to feed but I'll take whatever help we can get in this war." Morales had said sharing his thoughts on Sakhari. Simmons pulled a long face. Personally he'd want to just kill the female being as if nothing happened but he decided he'd let his crew decide this even though he usually made the decision himself and his word being final. "Fuck me...Alright. It can stay. But if it tries to pull a fast one it's a dead fuck." Simmons sighed. "Welcome to Hell on Wheels."

Simmons left again presumably to his tent or to jaw with Gray and Sullivan. Morales and Ross began to unload the ammuniton crates and resupply the ammunition load for JACKAL. Two brass shells were encased in straw. The black tips had indicated these were Armor Piercing (AP) rounds. Once Morales had climbed aboard the engime deck, Ross had carefully handed him the shell and Morales carefully entered the tank to place it neatly in the storage underneath the turret basket. Low had began to dump the fuel from the jerry can into the first of JACKAL's two fuel tanks. Presuming he was still assigned his task before the arguement, Orville turned to Sakhari who had been standing there, not fully understanding what had just happened. "Should I proceed?" He asked.

Sakhari had cocked her head. "Is there anywhere quiet? I don't favor loud noises." She asked. Orville began to pack up the equipment he brought and store it all in his bag. "Follow me to my tent." Orville had said as he waved his hand. "Can you walk?" He asked.

"Yes." Sakhari had said standing up straight. She then followed Orville back to his tent. It hadn't been a minute or two before they were at the tent. The tent was Sakhari's height. There was a folding bed with a blanket and a foot locker at the foot of the bed. It wasn't much but it was home outside of the tank. Orville had dropped his pistol belt to the ground next to the mast of the tent. He hung his jacket and hat on the mast and with one long sigh he had plopped down on his bed. Under his Jacket Orville had worn green crossback suspenders along with a olive green belt. His hair was brunette and greased, though it looked more of a chocolate brown with the dirt he contracted throughout the years. Revealing herself with the witchcraft that made her invisible, Sakhari had entered Orville's tent.