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The Exclusion Zone (S.T.A.L.K.E.R.)

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@Sushi @PanzerWaffles

It took every ounce of self-control for Felix to not facepalm then and there. Client side problems would have been an easy fix, but a lack of bandwidth in the network couldn't really be solved by one man, especially not by one without any sort of equipment whatsoever. "Well, unfortunately I won't be able to completely fix the problem today, but rest assured that we'll be expanding our infrastructure to accommodate the bandwidth needs of the Zone in the upcoming months." Felix said in an apologetic tone. "In the meantime, I'll go check on the equipment we currently have here and see if I can alleviate at least some of the issues you're having."

He wasn't actually going to go check on the node. Unless the thing was literally attached to the side of the bunker, he wasn't going to find it without a map. The best he could do was call his supervisor and hope for a response in the near future. Felix excused himself from the now crowded bunker and made his way back up to the surface to make a call… which went straight to voicemail.

You need to get a secretary already…

"Heinz, this is Felix. I've got a customer here in Cordon complaining about bandwidth issues. Could you send me a map of node locations and a copy of usage statistics for the past couple weeks? Also, if you haven't already seen the email, please send me the combination to the box you left me at the embassy. I'll be waiting on your reply."

Felix hung up with a sigh. He'd thought that things would get a little more exciting now that they were in the Zone. At least back in Kiev he could count on random kidnappings to add some excitement to his day.
 
@Wizard_Marshall @PanzerWaffles @Sushi

Val followed Rachel down in to Sidorovich's Bunker. Passing down the halls to the main room with the man opposite her, she chose to let Rachel do the talking while she eyed their would-be employer. While he and Felix chose to talk about their network issues, she took in things about the man. She could tell that though he may look fat, he was more what she would call insulated. His beady eyes that were sunken in his face, though they seemed to be looking at Felix, she had the feeling that they were looking through him and judging them each in turn. When Rachel pointed out the jobs that would be quickest to take she chose that time to speak up. "I'll work with Rachel on those, always good to work together." She said with a nod.

Shortly after this she heard the punk rocker wannabe outside the bunker coming in, and shortly after when she heard Felix excuse herself, Val decided she would wait till she and Rachel were along before talking some more. After all they had business of their own to talk about.
 
@Druby
"Spa"​
_____The researcher's brow furrowed. "It is not that I worry about you, stalker. It is that confidence helps when you are asking about a delicate procedure in the field," he chided. "But very well. nobody else has offered to help me." He tapped the gauntlet of his orange pressure-suit a few tmes and a screen blinked to life, showing a map of the zone with a scatter of blinking dots. "The garbage— we lost a field team there. They have protective suits like my own. If the bandits didn't get to them, I would appreciate it if you could recover them, or their PDAs worst come to worst. If you must pay the bandits, I can offset your costs with a stipend... I'll call my contacts and see about your Doctor Harridan in the meanwhile. And do be careful," he said. "This Zone is a treacherous place."
​

_____Around the same time, Issac noticed the other stalkers in his group marching down the steps into Sidorovich's bunker just a stone's throw away.


_____"And who are you?" Sid grumbled, as the colorful merc sauntered into his sale. His annoyance was mixed; the new arrivals were as much a source of potential glee as consternation for him. Business had clearly been slow lately. He eyed the auto dangling on her sling and rummaged through several paper-wrapped packages behind him. "Working together?" He slid two boxes of ammunition, olive-drab with "NATO SMG" markings plastered across their sides. "This is all I have right now. Come back for more later. That's 2000 Roubles, by the way. Or pay in Euros, I don't care." He counted the bills and took the fresh goods behind the counter, sniffing one of the cans after popping the top. He briefly scratched down a paper receipt of the transaction and pressed it into Dexter's hand, sending him away with his new gun and ammunition. Fresh coffee beans rattled in a can as he poured them into an old hand-grinder, waving the two aside as the blond stalkers approached. " And you two with the dog, looking for a job, eh?"
​

_____"My boy talked to the army commander a few days ago and never got back here. It's not that long of walk between the checkpoint... so he got lost, or dead, likely. If you want to find my shipment, I lost his signal around the Carpark. You might have to shoot a few dogs or a zombie if you are unlucky... or lucky, if you like to sell mutant bits to the ecologists! Either way, go West from there— that's toward the checkpoint, by the way, and look for a few boxes with Russian writing on them. My delivery punk was wearing a red tracksuit, had a Kalash. About the same height as you," he said to Rachel. "As for the other job... Burbridge will be grateful if you can help out that new kid in town. Should be camped out by the Grain Elevator. A little bit stupid, that place is leakier than old pantyhose when it rains... but whatever. Good luck to you."

_____Sidorovich looked pointedly to Felix as he left his voicemail, though the old man didn't seem to be concerned until Rachel and Valkyrie took their leave. "That's what I was expecting..." he sighed. "You explain that to Duty for me, eh? They like you young stalkers more than an old man like me." Sid glanced over at his boiling water, then his watch. " He beckoned with a finger, leaning over the table. "...since you are the tech-support around here, mind telling me how the hell to use this thing? One of the new boys gave it as a gift."
​
 
_____Teijo lifted his sunglasses. "I might very well be." He turned to Keiko with a small bow. "Please excuse me, Tanto-sama. Please stay by Wolf for now, I'll be back momentarily." He strode over to the policeman, offering a quick, spare nod before turning to the stranger. "We'll be buying them both... additionally, we need some new clothes. I need something generic, with a hood, like those Ukrainian boys wear."

_____"Generic? Man, look at your duds!" the salesman laughed. "Three piece suit that's black as night, shiny shoes and designer shades. What could you possibly need that for? Hey, tell you what, you can cruise with my boys—"

_____Teijo gave a small, brief shake of the head, one a father would use to silence his children. "I'm flattered, but no. I'll leave my reasons to your imagination, but I insist. New clothes. Simple ones. How much?" he said stiffly.

_____"Uhhh..." The kid eyeballed his merchandise. "300 Euros...? He said, shrinking like Teijo was about to strike him across the face.

_____The Japanese muscle smiled. "Why don't I give you 350? Call it tip for keeping quiet." He smoothly produced a roll of bills and clapped it into the man's hand, retrieving the guns and sending him on his way with a shove. "Leave them with Wolf. Tomorrow. Same time. And tell me, salesman— what do they call you?"

_____The boy had stumbled a few steps away, smoothing out the wrinkles on his shirt with a quickly souring grin. "Me? Nothing. They don't call me anything," he grumbled. "I'm just your get-it-done guy. You don't trust me? Fine! I'll have your stuff... you and some samples for your friend who likes to test fire my merch!" He jammed his hands into his pockets and made down the road, toward the edge of the village. That left Teijo with two fistfuls of guns, a lighter wallet and the policeman. He offered the Tokarev pistol and its extra magazine butt-first to Nick.

_____"This is yours. Forgive my rudeness, Bloodhound," Teijo said somberly. "His particular attitude bothered me. I would avoid his kind if I were you. He reeks of misfortune."
 
​
_____Sidorivch's "free car" was back by the campfire, inside the large shed that Wolf was perpetually near. It was right by Nick, Teijo and Keiko as they finished their transaction. As the door creaked open, they were faced with the diminutive hatchback. It was a white Lada Niva, the ubiquitous Soviet-era automobile that had been left behind by the dozens after the 1986 disaster. This one didn't set off a Geiger counter, fortunately. It had two doors and a hatch, the rear having long ago been plucked dry, and enough seating to hold four, maybe five in a pinch. The seats were a cheap leatherette that was torn in places and showed yellow foam, most of the metal inside could have used some rustoleum and sandpaper. But there wasn't anything growing inside and the engine block, while caked with dust and rusted in places, seemed intact enough.

​

_____Four speeds, a locking differential, adjustable transfer case and clean glass. No rear brake pads, and the tires were long ago worn bald. Some of the radiator hosing was rotted, and the headlights were so caked over with dust the bulbs were no longer visible. "That thing?" Wolf said incredulously. "No battery. One of the rookies stole it a few weeks ago, Sidorovich is too cheap to shell out the cash and fix it up. If you want it, you can take it. It's just taking up valuable space where there aren't anomalies and mutants."

_____He eyed his phone. "You could probably find a Car Battery from that bandit house, if you're willing to pay. Those bandits cleaned out some army trucks last week, they've been enjoying the electricity."
 
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PanzerWaffles said:
Soon her partner, the obnoxious yet professional American, stepped into the bunker. With dismay, she saw a portion of their rations be laid out in exchange for what looked like a bolt action of some kind.

She grabbed Dexter by the arm firmly and looked him square in the eye.

"Since you are willing to so generously use your own rations to barter with, I'd suggest taking the man's offer. It's quite reasonable." She then leaned in and looked at the fat man behind the counter. Being warm was alien to her, but being professional on a corporate level wasn't.
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Dexter looked at his Dutch partner and gave a shrug. "Unlike some places I've been we can buy food here - or hunt for it if we want to be risky. I figure trading food for a proper weapon is a good bargain you know?" Dexter took his purchase before heading out of the Bunker. "I'll meet you by the Niva I guess."

The car was two steps remove from being a pile of rust but that was far enough to mean it actually worked. Testament to Soviet engineering really. "You know -" Dexter started as his colleagues showed up. "I think I saw one of this take an RPG to the roof and keep going once in Somaliland. Not going to help us get the battery but at least we can fix it." He pulled his phone and pulled up a map of the area. "So are we going to barter for the batteries or something more direct?"
 
@DB_Explorer @Sushi

"You mean find one?" Nick said, ducking his head under the hood for a closer inspection of the engine. Dexter's Somaliland anecdote was enough to perk Nick's ears. A trip to a country essentially a warzone could reveal much about his associate, but it was the Niva's relevance to their current situation that pulled at his thoughts. Something that sturdy was worth more than its weight in gasoline. Nick stood. "If the bandits are using it like that they won't give it up without a hefty price. Electricity's a luxury here, and I'm not trading work or favors with their kind just for one battery."

"You said they took it from army trucks," he asked the man eyeing his phone, Wolf, Nick assumed. "There anymore lying around?"
 
@Sushi

"Sure thing. It's an iPhone so it's fairly easy to—oh mein Gott!" Felix's jaw dropped in horror. Instead of the bright, clean interface he was expecting, Felix was greeted with something that looked like Internet Explorer on grandma's computer. The background was a flat black, the icons were busier than a Japanese train station, and the phone ran like it had as many infections as a cheap hooker. Actually, the hooker would probably be cleaner than the phone. One look at the system information tab was all Felix needed to confirm his suspicions. "Yeeeaaaahhh, I'm doing a factory reset on this."

As the phone was purging itself of the poorly crafted backdoor, Felix looked back up at a confused Sidorovich. "So someone flashed a modified ROM onto the phone and included several backdoors into key programs and possibly the OS itself. The modifications themselves don't appear to be hardware based, but I'll know for certain when the reset completes." Felix explained, though judging by the blank stare Sidorovich was giving him, he wasn't really understanding any of what Felix was saying. "Someone put a virus on your phone that lets them see anything and everything you're doing. You should probably change your passwords right now."

The Apple logo flashed across the screen, signaling the completion of the reset. Everything appeared to be back to normal. At the very least the horrible UI was gone.
 
@DB_Explorer @Zeitgeist Blue @Kensai @AKuz @DerPoltergeist
_____"No, but..." Wolf grimaced. "One of the rookies mentioned powering an auto with a spark." After seeing the blank look on their faces, he continued. "One of the artefacts? Pretty common, looks like a small glass ball with lightning inside it... they think you can power the Niva with one or two of those. Crazy if you ask me, but I've seen weirder things. I have a spare if you can give it back when you're done, stalker."
 
Yurihime Himeyuri said:
@Wizard_Marshall @PanzerWaffles @Sushi
When Rachel pointed out the jobs that would be quickest to take she chose that time to speak up. "I'll work with Rachel on those, always good to work together." She said with a nod.
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Rachel returned the gesture. She was glad they were on the same page.

Sushi said:
_____"My boy talked to the army commander a few days ago and never got back here. It's not that long of walk between the checkpoint... so he got lost, or dead, likely. If you want to find my shipment, I lost his signal around the Carpark. You might have to shoot a few dogs or a zombie if you are unlucky... or lucky, if you like to sell mutant bits to the ecologists! Either way, go West from there— that's toward the checkpoint, by the way, and look for a few boxes with Russian writing on them. My delivery punk was wearing a red tracksuit, had a Kalash. About the same height as you," he said to Rachel. "As for the other job... Burbridge will be grateful if you can help out that new kid in town. Should be camped out by the Grain Elevator. A little bit stupid, that place is leakier than old pantyhose when it rains... but whatever. Good luck to you."
​
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"We'll handle the shipment, and if we come across the kid, we'll send him your way." After collecting the details on their jobs, Rachel left the bunker with Val and Geralt. Sid didn't have any gear she was interested in, at least not enough to spend the last of her cash right now.

"You wanted to talk about something?" Rachel asked, heading towards the Grain Elevator. SInce she didn't know who was watching, nowhere seemed safe. Talking as they moved seemed the least risky, but Rachel walked slowly in case Val wanted to duck into somewhere private.
 
@DerPoltergeist @Yurihime Himeyuri @Wizard_Marshall
_____"Is that so?" Sidorovich said, like small talk over a chessboard. He placed the phone on the table like a particularly unpleasant brand of venomous snake and sighed. "Well, then. You helped me dodge a bullet. I'll help you out. If you drop by the Pig Pen, tell Beard you helped Sid, and well.. he'll reward you. Now, don't tell him a word about this, you hear? Or anybody else," he said, his tone still even, but eyes keen and sharp.

_____"I have a job for you. Why don't you take this 'gift' back to Wild Napr, he's probably still in the pen, but if you run late, check the Garbage? If he causes you any trouble, well..." Sid stood up without warning and disappeared into the bowels of his bunker. Music continued to pump from the tinny speaker of a television by his desk, an upbeat shanty in a language he vaguely recognized as local. Felix heard the rustle of wax paper as Sid's footsteps announced his return. A heavy black shape thumped onto the desk. Felix recognized it as a product of his own country, a sleek package of stamped steel and plastic that bore many, many scratches and powder burns. It was weighed down by a full magazine and bundled up with a red-dot sight that looked far too new on such a battered old gun. It was barely as long as his forearm, but heavier than most mid-tower rigs he had built.
​

_____"Well... you know. If he needs convincing. I'm sure someone can give you some old clothing so you can act like a proper stalker... just be sure to get rid of it after, okay?" He gave the company technician a hearty clap on the back and sent him on his way. "You never know what these stalkers do to girls running off all by themselves... crazy Ukranian kids."

_____As Felix left the bunker with his new toy under his company jacket, jingling upon its sling, he saw the shapes of Rachel and Valkyrie fast marching down the road out of town, in the same direction as the "Pig Pen" that Sidorovich had mentioned. They were still close enough for him to catch up at a steady jog. His phone buzzed once, an email alert. Attached was a list of usage stats and a simple map with a marker and a dotted line. There was a Maintenance Tunnel about a mile from the town that started from under a bridge marked "NODE."

Felix,

As a field technician for ZM Telecommunications and Infrastructure, you are a valuable member of a growing industry leader. We appreciate your patience and hard work in the [Chernobyl Exclusion Zone]. Attached are today's instructions:

  1. Get in touch with fellow field agent [Willow M.], and [Martin L.], last seen in ["Cordon"].
  2. Find a suitable location for a [Construction Team]. It should be at least 50x50m of clear, and most importantly safe ground!
  3. Conduct routine maintenance at the [Major Chernobyl Node]

We hope you have a safe and eventful stay!
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@Zeitgeist Blue @Kensai @AKuz @DerPoltergeist

Dexter shrugged. "Well as long as you think using a more or less magical artifact to power a car is worth it, I don't see why not." The researcher looked over the Niva. "Though I figure we should fix everything else on the vic before we go off to find one.... and perhaps make sure everyone has a gun and you know... a radiation meter."
 
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@Sushi @DerPoltergeist

With a press of the fob in her hand, the Merc auto locked behind the blonde as she strolled towards the village. There was talk of an old car that was free, could it be fixed. Talon had her doubts about that, but had none about the object the German techie attempted to hide under their jacket. A submachine gun. H und K. MP-5 Kurz. I know that gun like the back of my hand.

With a smile, she slid off her Fleck jacket and and approached the German.

"Hallo! You look like you could use a jacket on your errand. Wouldn't want anyone seeing more than they need to, eh?"
 
@PanzerWaffles @DerPoltergeist @Kensai @DB_Explorer @Zeitgeist Blue @Yurihime Himeyuri @Wizard_Marshall
_____"Gun, yes, radiation meter, probably, but no artefact detector...?" Wolf glanced between the men with a deepening frown. "Somehow I feel like you new guys are pros, but a bit out of your depth... what the hell, I don't have much to do today, I can get my tools and see what we can do. It's the least I can do for not shooting one of the rookies overnight," he said dryly. "Fox, give a brother a hand here."
​

_____Wolf leaned his Kalash against the wall before flipping a bank of light switches. The "stash" was more of a barn, a hoarder's paradise filled with stacks of army ration crates, bits of scrap and a small mountain of bolts. Everything had some rust, save for a single red cabinet stocked with all sorts of tools, metric and imperial. Wolf rummaged through a locker for the artifact in question; another glass ball nearly identical to what Journalist had carried earlier. He gingerly deposited it in Dexter's hands. "Be careful with that. You will need it... oh, and try not to stand on carpet, as well."

_____The Niva wasn't far from the doors, and a few tugs on the parking brake got the thing dislodged enough to roll backwards into the work space. Fox, another one of the anomaly-suit clad veterans, was quick to help, sliding under the the diminutive vehicle and clicking on his head-lamp for a brief inspection. He hooked a crayon-yellow hydraulic press with his foot and towed it over, sliding out and cranking the business end. Metal creaked as the off-white Niva rose into the air, the tires drooping by a foot or more when it finally left the ground. He started with a breaker bar about as long as a Kalashnikov, levering his entire weight into the shining metal rod until the lug came lose with a brittle pop. "This is going to take a while," he muttered.

_____Wolf shrugged. "Got a date with bandits? I don't remember your repair business going very well.."

_____[/COLOR"Ouch, bro!"

_____The veteran stalker turned from his friend back to the new arrivals. "I think we can patch the tires and do a brake job, but I am no good with electronics... maybe one of yours is able to do so?"
 
@Sushi

Issac walks off from the astronaut-suited man, breathing out a sigh as he looks around. Well... He had a lead now. Or, at least someone looking for a lead, so long as he helped him out with this job of his. A fair enough trade, all he needed to do was to go look for some guys who may or may not be dead. He sincerely hoped that they were still alive and kicking, since rooting through their bodies seemed a bit impersonal and irreverent but if it was absolutely necessary, he supposed.

As he ponders to himself what exactly happens next, he watches as the other stalkers that he'd come in with move around town, coming and going from a bunker, or clustered around a campfire with what looked like an older veteran. He tilted his head at that actually. Most everyone seemed to be clustered around Wolf there. Something important? They seemed to be clustered outside a barn of some sort. He wondered for a moment if he should go take a look at what they were all doing, but in the end decided that they could wait. The single lead he had didn't seem all that confident to him. Perhaps there was someone else here who could help? He thought back again to Journalist... The woman had seemed rather well connected... If it was her job to bring in new stalkers all the time, then she had to know quite a few people at least. The issue was, of course, she was still resting and likely wouldn't be awake for some time. Waking her up probably wasn't a good way to get on her good side either.

He glanced off towards the bunker to the side. He'd seen people walking in and out of there... Following his gut, he headed down into the bunker, giving a low whistle as he peeked in and looked around. Place was surprisingly homey for a rundown old hunk of concrete... He walked slowly up to the man behind the counter, glancing at the various guns and items behind him. A store? The man probably treated with a lot of other stalkers. Maybe he could help too? "Hey... Uh... Excuse me. Sorry, but I'm looking for someone named Harridan. Probably goes by Doctor Harridan or something... You wouldn't happen to know anything, would you?"
 
@Druby
_____"What? There are more of you?" Sidorovich peered at the newcomer. "No more free guns, but what is it? Harridan?" The old man kicked back in his chair, resting his head on his interlaced fingers. "Harridan... now that is a name I haven't heard in years! This is a long time ago, before most of you stalkers even heard of the Zone. If I'm thinking the right one, I never met him, but he always sent a few military boys to collect his supplies. Mostly these computers, top-shelf, American and Japanese made and some electronics I didn't recognize. He didn't speak a word of Russian, as I recall. Strange how he sent Russian soldiers then, eh?"

_____Sid straightened out at his desk, a soft chuckle accompanying the hum of his computer. "Oops, let you in on a secret, didn't I? Well, common knowledge around these parts— Russian soldiers came by many times, after the wall came down, after the second disaster. Sometimes in Ukrainian uniforms! Those were the good days, driving my own trucks and paying bribes out of pocket. But that was ages ago, why do you ask?"
 
@Sushi

Issac blinked at that. "Wait, you've actually heard of him!?" He asks in surprise, his hands falling onto the counter as he leans forwards in anticipation and interest. "What was he doing with the supplies? Where did the soldiers take them? Ah-" He cuts himself off there, pulling himself back and clearing his throat politely as he turns away slightly embarrassed and tries to quickly compose himself.

"Er... I'm sorry for that... The man is my father... I came here looking for him..." He says finally after a moment. He blinks, and quickly goes to add on, "We were never particularly close or anything, just, uh... Just want to find out what happened to him. Closure, I guess. Anything you know would help."
 
@Druby @DerPoltergeist
_____"I guessed as much," Sid said gruffly. "Not everyone comes here to gather artifacts, your kind of stalker looking for someone or something that went missing, that's not too uncommon. Even pet dogs or classmates they saw in a picture in the Zone, apparently. Like I say, it's none of my business, what you want to do or why you are here. But I can tell you those were government soldiers, and a lone stalker doesn't fool around with them lightly. After all... it's not the good old days of the Soviet Union... the motherland hates the Ukrainians, the Ukrainians hate the Russians, anyone caught between is mince meat." His brow furrowed as he considered the 'right' answer to the young man's plight. "Look, it's nothing personal. It's safer if I don't know exactly where they are going.

_____"The government stopped development here when the last reactor shut down, back in 2000 and when that strange energy blast struck the new sarcophagus, supposedly left the interior of the zone entirely. Then again... I can tell you their helicopters make regular trips to the center of the Zone, and frequently never return... your father may be one of the outsiders the government hired to examine the Zone's issues over the years. I'll be honest, your chances of finding him are slim at best, but if I learn of this Harridan doctor I'll be sure to let you know." Sidorovich rummaged around his pocket for a moment.

_____"... after that technician girl gives me back my phone!"
 
@Sushi

"Ah... Technician girl...?" Issac asks in confusion. Did he mean Felix? "Well... If I see them, I'll be sure to pass along that you want your phone back, but, er... Well, either way, I'll be headed to Garbage for a bit for a job, and I'll be back after that, so perhaps you'll have your phone back by then. If you do, you'll find me as Notekeeper." Issac gives a small, but genuine, smile at the man. "Thank you again for your help. Truly. You've given me the best lead I've gotten here."

He turns to leave, mind now wandering towards the Russian military that Sidorovich spoke about. "Center of the Zone, huh...? Guess I'll be here for a lot longer than I thought I'd be..."
 
Sushi said:
​
@AKuz
_____"What is Clear Sky, eh?" Rebel rubbed the patch on his uniform sleeve in thought. "We're a whole bunch of experienced stalkers trying to do the right thing, I guess! Haha, that's probably what Duty or Freedom would say too, right? Maybe even the military... you don't look like you're from around here, so I'll explain." Rebel dropped his hood and mask, blinking once as he got a waft of roasting meat. "Damn, you don't smell that every day! C'mon, we'll see what it is."

_____Like most of the stalkers, he was in his early twenties. He was wiry and narrow, with a chin like an arrowhead behind a neatly trimmed beard. He had a kid's green eyes. Maybe the Zone didn't bother him, or he did a very good job of hiding. As Rebel poked around, hopeful of a sample, he turned and smiled to his new friend. "It's funny, but you know, good food can be bad luck! Usually means one of the big stalker gangs wants to go start shit! You have the Duty bros who want to destroy all the weird shit in the Zone, and Freedom trying to stop them and share everything with the outside world. They're a bunch of ex-military jocks bored out of their minds.

_____"Us, Clear Sky? I guess we just want to know what makes the Zone tick before shooting up a bunch of rookies like Duty or Freedom. So you don't usually see us around. Our base is far, far away." He paused, glancing over that the Asian man in his suit and his pacing friend with the handouts. "Not one of the big factions, but nobody screws with us, you know what I mean? Not worth it. We're too smart and too well-trained. Clear Sky has been here longer than anyone can remember. Every now and then some new guy nobody knows about... like, say, Nimble comes by or gets recruited and goes through our initiation. He knows a shitton of people, you know? So it's a big kick in the pants for some of the big stalker factions here."

_____Rebel rubbed at his eyes. "I don't mean to pry or anything, but what do you want him for?"
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L'Esprite narrows her eyebrows into an annoyed "V" on her forhead, "No you don't" she takes a breath, "Pardonne-Moi." she tries to visibly relax into a friendly smile, "I am looking for someone. A friend"
 
@AKuz
_____Rebel frowned, folding his hands in front of his chest. "Ah! You know, I came for the same reason... good friend... brother actually. Still haven't found him," he sighed, now not quite as cheery. "So I feel you there. If Sidorovich doesn't know where they went, Nimble probably does. He helped me for a while. You know, they tell us not to help people outside of Clear Sky too much, I mean sure if a bro is bleeding out you give him your bandage, but no 'favors,' you get what I mean?" He took up his cloth mask and tugged it back over his mouth. "So this is going to be off the books. I think Nimble has some big business going on at the Flea Market tonight... I'll meet you there, maybe 2200 Hours? That's in the Garbage..."
​

_____He swung a small green bag off his shoulder, removed a few magazines and handed it to his new friend. "Well, I don't have an extra shooter, but you can take these if you need to protect yourself. Those bandits... they're not all bad, but they will fleece you down for money, so I'd say stash your Euros and shit before you go through the checkpoint to the Garbage. Just message me if you have any trouble." Inside the bag was a handful of olive-green fragmentation grenades, smoke grenades and flares. "... hopefully, no trouble. But good to be prepared, no?"
 
@Sushi @Yurihime Himeyuri @Wizard_Marshall @PanzerWaffles

"Trouble? What do you mean by tr—"

Before Felix could finish his sentence, Sidorovich dropped a fully loaded machinegun onto the table on front of him. Oh. That kind of trouble. Felix thanked Sidorovich and scurried out of the bunker with his new gun. He'd seen it used in movies and video games, but he never thought he'd ever actually get to see one in real life let alone be able to pick one up and use it… okay, maybe he shouldn't be so anxious to shoot it. After all, he didn't actually know how the thing worked. He knew that pulling the trigger would make bullets come out, but what were the S, E, and F markings on the side? Why does the stock have hinges? Why were people jumping out of the way and yelling at him as he walked by? Google would probably have the answer to most of those questions. As Felix pulled out his phone to search for answers, he got an email notification.

Felix,

As a field technician for ZM Telecommunications and Infrastructure, you are a valuable member of a growing industry leader. We appreciate your patience and hard work in the [Chernobyl Exclusion Zone]. Attached are today's instructions:

  1. Get in touch with fellow field agent [Willow M.], and [Martin L.], last seen in ["Cordon"].
  2. Find a suitable location for a [Construction Team]. It should be at least 50x50m of clear, and most importantly safe ground!
  3. Conduct routine maintenance at the [Major Chernobyl Node]

We hope you have a safe and eventful stay!
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"Still no code…" Felix grumbled. He was toying with the idea of just shooting the box open when he suddenly found himself wrapped in a jacket. He looked up from his phone to the smiling face of Talon. "Servus. Thanks for the jacket?" Felix replied, reciprocating the smile. He didn't really understand what she meant by "seeing more than they need to." As far as he could tell, most people walked around with their guns out anyway. "Anyway, what's up?"
 
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@PanzerWaffles @DerPoltergeist @Kensai @DB_Explorer @Zeitgeist Blue @Yurihime Himeyuri @Wizard_Marshall
_____Some things in life were harder than they sounded. The Niva was quite the opposite. They could probably taken it apart without any tools at all, for its flimsiness also meant it was rudimentary to take apart. Since the stalkers already had their masks for the anomalies, they washed off the brake dust with once-used water and left it in brightly-colored yellow drums. The Ecologists collected the waste for disposal every few weeks, so why not? There were enough dead and decaying Ladas around the zone that finding new pads wasn't difficult, and the mysterious woman in the biker outfit threw them on it what seemed like seconds. Fox hummed under his breath as he worked on the headlights and checked the ignition— even had a voltmeter for such occasions. "Reminds me of my German, E34 you know? Fucking German electronics die all the time. Got lots of practice doing this..."

_____About half an hour had passed when they swept up all the rust, the brake dust, dried leaves and taped, expoxied or welded any of the gaps in the body. The glass was clean, the headlights worked. Now came the surgery.

_____"You want an old fucker like me to do what with a spark?" Fox frowned with a face like well-worn parchment.

_____"Don't give me that," Wolf said evently. "We're less than five years apart now. Like you said, you make a battery for the Niva. Easy, right? 'Even a rookie could do it,' you said?"

_____"Did I really say that?"

_____"You did! Quit bullshitting, man. You're grinning like a fool."

_____"Fine, fine," the older stalker said, seeming much too jovial for a man handling a ball that was supposed to contain a lightning storm. They had a box about the same size as a typical car battery, with a metal-and-lead-lining and a rubberized shell. It was open at the top, with two cup-like bits of shined metal the ball fell into. He looked to Dexter, Nick and Sera in turn. "You ever 'activate' one of these artefacts? No? They are all a bit different. Sparks, well... same way you would shock yourself upon a carpet. Need to build up a charge.

_____"Anybody want to try it? It's good experience!"
 
@Sushi

"Alright, give it here."

Nick held up a hand, glove black with grime and months old dust. They'd done good time tuning the Niva to serviceable standards. None of it looked like it would fall off at the barest hump on the road, and the inside upholstery was scrubbed clean of the worst rubbish. There was only one last thing left before they could christen their car.

When he held the Spark, Nick found it oddly dormant. For all the electricity it could bring, the potential for it was still there. Still, it felt like a weighted ball that rested on the palm of his hand. He held it gingerly and in full view of his companions, turned it slowly before looking up at Fox.

"What do I have to be cautious about when I activate it?"
 
@Sushi @DerPoltergeist

Talon stood back after draping the jacket over the shoulders of the techie. The fact this particular person was from the Fatherland meant she could converse in her preferred language, and she swapped her tongue to pristine German. She didn't speak loud, but she spoke clearly.

"I can already tell you're a computer geek and not a commando, and I mean that in the warmest way possible." She smiled. "Say, how about I give you a run down on your new toy? I can't teach you the real cool stuff just yet, but I can show you enough so you don't die right away."
 
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