Descent

Chapter 4

The Louisiana Highwaymen headquarters was bustling as usual. After that storm that had just hit, they had multiple scouting parties returning, each one being various goods and materials from settlements that were forced to abandon to other areas for safety. Word was spreading quickly of a downed helicopter that scavenger group Echo had come across. Fortune seemed to be in the Highwaymen's favor: the pilot of the chopper had also survived which meant they now add a welcome addition to their fleet and did not have to worry about training.

Everyone else was ecstatic but for Dayana "Dove" King, it just meant she had another aircraft to fix on top of all of her other duties. Her mother, Ramona King, worked her tirelessly. They were short on girls in the brothel and in their live performances which meant ethanol and other supplies were not coming in abundance as usual, and now that they were essentially at war with every other Highwayman splinter group, it meant vehicles were being lost as a faster rate then they could be replaced. Suffice to say, things were stressful around here, and Dove was not sure just how much more she could take, let alone the people outside these walls; without the proper supplies that they needed to survive, let alone continue working, there would either be a riot or a massacre on their hands that they could not afford to have.

Dove appeared to have already been beaten by her mother in terms of checking on their newest prisoner. Her mother's back was turned to her as she approached, essentially blocking her view. She could however see two other Highwaymen occupying his cell, doing what they did best: beating information out of any prisoners that came through here. Hearing her daughter's approach, Ramona "Raven" King turned around, a dissatisfied look on her face. Her mother was an intimidatingly beautiful woman. She easily dwarfed her more petite daughter, standing tall and proud, brown eyes that could tear you to shreds easily if she willed it so.

"Took you long enough." her mother huffed.

"Apologies mother, I was finishing entertaining a patron." Dove spoke sheepishly, adjusting her disarrayed clothing.

What she would not give to talk back to her mother, for just once in her life. She knew as soon as she did though, her mother would have no qualms about feeding her to her babies, as did to her cousins, Mickey and Lou.

"Well finish them off a little faster next time." her mother huffed as she turned back around facing the prisoner's cage, "I have a new job for you."

Dove mocked her mother by moving her mouth obnoxiously but quickly stopped as she came around Raven's side, seeing the prisoner for herself. She stopped dead in her tracks. Her mother snapped her fingers, calling off her goons. The two Highwaymen left the cage, leaving the found helicopter groaning in pain on the floor. His glasses were smashed to oblivion, and his face marred with bruising and various cuts, dry blood creeping down from his hairline. Roger Cadoret looked just as she had remembered. The last image she had of him was sitting in Prosperity. He had just offered her some sort of french pastry as Mai, her parents and Thomas Rush were going to go on a scavenging run, just before Dove betrayed them to the Twins.

She wanted to withdraw into herself. To just get sucked into a vortex, something so that she would not have to face one of the many people she had sold out. Roger slowly picked himself back up, leaning against the bars furthest away from them. If he recognized her, he made no such gesture. He spat out a wad of blood as he glared at the two silently.

"I want you and our newest guest to get that helicopter we scavenged back in tip top shape." her mother declared, "The storm may have scared off the rats for now..." she sneered, referring to the rival Highwaymen, "...but they'll be back soon enough."

Dove wanted to throw up right then and there, knowing there was no way out of this situation. Roger would never cooperate. He would not listen to her, not after what she did..and because of that, because of his foreseeable insubordination, he would be executed. Footsteps approaching from behind them, fast paced, hurried. Raven and Dove turned to see a third Highwayman, now standing at attention.