Trinity

The Menace Lives On

Over the next week, Ten and Spider basically let them do whatever and would interject when needed. Them asking questions was the best way to learn in Ten's eyes. She took to showing them various plants and what they could be used for when Ja asked about medicine.

As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was enjoying the company of the Recombinants. Sure they were murderers but... technically she was as well, anyone involved in the war was. Eventually she latched on to Lyle, she was so right about them getting along when she first saw him. 

Ten and Lyle had been riffing off of each other for the past couple hours. Constant sarcastic remarks and comebacks, consistently one upping each other every single time. Everyone seemed to be enjoying it, Lyle was getting riled up and she was just still going with a smirk plastered on her face. Reminded them of old times. He hadn't really been listening for a bit but he tuned back in. Sounded like they were just talking now.

"So... what you were just a fuck boi?" Ten asked Lyle, very amused. How in the world did they start talking about that?

They were in fact, not just talking, she was making ammo, loading it up, and getting ready to fire.

"Wasn't a fuck boi, I just had shit taste in women."

"Sounds less like you had shit taste in women and more like you let your dick do all the thinking. You ended up with a bunch of women who were after the same thing as you, sex. And that makes you a fuck boi."

"Damn, alright. Way to just hammer home on that. Wait, how do you even know what a fuck boi is?"

"Grew up with humans and Norm. I'm this close to asking you out just so you can experience some fucking quality." Lyle looked like she had just dumped ice cold water all over him. She burst out into a cackle and continued walking as he stopped in shock. Lyle turned to Quaritch for help.

That's all you. He signed to him, hell he was amused at this now too. It was like old times. He was less okay with her essentially propositioning Lyle, but it appeared to be a joke.

Hopefully.

He'd prefer to not have to kill his Lieutenant.

"Second bet." She called out to Spider and he waited. "Get them to eat actual food."

"You do that and I'll count it as winning two bets."

"So, what would it take for you to let me go get us some real food instead of that shit you've been forcing me to watch you eat?" Ten asked after they had traveled for a few hours.

"It's not shit, it's fine."

"That sounds like something someone would say if they weren't getting the right nutrients because they were too stubborn to realize the RDA doesn't give a shit about them." Her eyes rolled at Lyle's angry expression.

"Look, you can get angry at me all you want. They don't view you as people, you're tools to them and you're letting them use you out of some ridiculous notion of loyalty that they're not owed."

"That's enough." Quaritch finally interrupted their conversation and she sighed. Nothing was going to get through to them.

"Alright," she raised her hands in surrender. "You wanna be RDA cucks, be RDA cucks."

Ten yoinked her bow and arrows from Lopez's back and began to ascend into the trees before they could react.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Quaritch called out to her in irritation.

"You've got a tracker, use it." 

=-=

An hour later she returned carrying a hexapede over her shoulders. Coming up on a clearing with a decent sized lake, they decided to set up. Over the past week they had only slept in the trees one other time. Their location in the forest changed how they needed to prepare and they were more familiar with what was needed.

Ten set the animal on the ground and walked over to Quaritch. She took his knife without him even realizing and smirked. Sure, she had hers but... they still didn't know that. Knife in hand she skinned and gutted the animal, laying it on large leaves when the hide was removed.

The Recoms built a fire and Spider showed them how to cook the meat. Long sticks shoved through the meat and then set around the fire in a cone shape, essentially skewers. Ten went to the lake to clean up and leave the remains where other animals could easily access them.

They seemed hesitant to eat the meat, except for Wainfleet. He was already sick of the MREs, and had a feeling the Menace was right; their new bodies had different nutritional needs the RDA wasn't providing them.

Also, she was a damn good cook back then. She made you something one time? That shit would taste just like that the next time she made it. According to her, autism can be useful sometimes, he remembers her saying that and making them laugh.

He shrugged his shoulders at the other's reluctance and took a bite. Which quickly became others, it was delicious, the Menace hadn't changed. Not one bit.

"Like I said, real food." Ten returned and Spider handed her a portion as they sat around the campfire. "This counts as two." He rolls his eyes but nods. 2-0.

"Also, here's your knife."

Blade between two fingers, she held it out to Quaritch as he looked at her mildly shocked. He glanced down to the clip where it should have been and sure enough, it was empty.

"And before you get pissy, I cleaned and resharpened it. Us savages do know some etiquette." The Colonel sat there slightly stunned, snorts and muffled laughter echoed into the forest around them at her words and his response.