Shadowrunning (Dropped)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Unpleasant Discoveries

The watch proceeded smoothly with no hint of an attack or anything to harm the farm. Tree’s spike pit, which he had dug after she had gone to sleep, lay completely empty when the morning light touched it. She didn’t quite see the purpose of him having constructed it, but he did love his traps and explosions and she wasn’t going to deny him the pleasure of using his talents.

She left the walls once the sun was fully up and went to rouse the others. Johnny wanted to talk to them about the task at hand. When they all were dressed and presentable, they proceeded to the farmhouse where he invited them to sit and eat breakfast with him.

Only once meal was finished did he place a medium sized metal box on the table and lay out a piece of paper.

“This is a forensics kit. It’ll identify blood and such. Gather evidence and input in here. Make sure to bring it back in one piece. It ain’t cheap.” He began sketching on the paper. “Here’s the river and farm where we are. Up here,” he marked a spot, “is the first site of interest and further along here,” he marked another spot, “is the second site. Check both for human remains and try to figure out where that arm came from. Understand?”

They nodded. Firefly flicked her eyes over the map trying to calculate distances and how long it would take them to walk there. It would be a good day’s trip to visit both sites but it was doable.

“One last thing.” Johnny looked them in the eyes in turn. “Don’t, if you value your personal safety, go into the plastic jungle. It’s across the river and plain dangerous. More hunters than beasts prowl those domes.”

“Sounds like fun,” joked Bobby. He winked at the man. “Don’t worry. We’re not crazy enough to cross the river unless we’re well paid to do so. Shall we go?”

“Tree is ready.” And the troll proceeded to demonstrate his readiness by picking up his weapons and walking out the door.

“I guess that seals it,” said Firefly. “We should be back by nightfall.”

* * * * *

The snow they trudged through showed no sign of their excursion the day before to check the barbed wire due to fresh snow having fallen in the night. It slowed their progress but the farmers had lent them snow equipment. The depth their feet plunged varied with the locations they hiked through. Some places had very little snow due to trees and the grass poked through in green spikes. In other places the snow covered rubble and abandoned buildings. In those places Firefly had to watch out where she put her feet so that she didn’t turn her ankle on a hidden chunk of concrete or rock.

When midmorning was approaching noon though, they arrived at the first site. A large building opened onto a clearing. The door stood intact and closed, but there were huge holes in the walls. It looked like the victim of bombs or rocket launchers. No other place afforded cover to hidden things, so they proceeded towards the building.

Tree approached the door and began jamming his large index finger repeatedly against the dark touch screen. Nothing happened. Tree growled and started ramming the screen even harder so that cracks appeared on its surface.

Firefly laughed. “Silly Tree. Look. Come this way.” She led the way to a huge gaping hole a few yards from the door. “We can go in through here.”

Tree glanced between the door and hole several times before heaving a sigh and following Firefly and Bobby through the hole.

Inside five bodies lay in the dim light. Firefly saw no heat from them. They were long dead. More holes in the walls of the structure revealed a brewery. Firefly climbed further into the building into the brewery itself and found the remains of a camp.