[Desert Wolf]

Hello, figured I’d put this up. This is a co-op story with my GF, we wrote the parts for our respective chars, (not ingame chars though)


"Hold still darn it!" Issac Kesh whispered to no one in particular. Issac sighed and looked down the scope of his Scar-H. His target, a young man dressed in raider’s rags and a red bandana, was running around a Blade Dancer camp issuing orders to his subordinates, getting them ready for the next raid on a caravan probably. His name as Jak Gerish, he was a known cut-throat and a high ranking officer in the Blade Dancers. Issac's mission was simple: Take out Jak. How he did it was unnecessary, his client just wanted Jak dead. Issac blinked, brushing away the sand that threatened to blind him. The wind was really a concern, there was a slight north easterly breeze, but the sand was light and very fine, so it picked up easily. Sandstorms out in this desert where dangerous, the sand was known to purée the soft tissue off a man's bones. Issac's vantage point was on a dune half a mile south of the camp, and was elevated about 20 feet above the camps 30 feet ramshackle walls. His weapon was a Scar-H with a 4x scope. It chambered 7.62 x 51mm, and could be converted to shoot the smaller 5.56 x 45 but Issac preferred the larger round.
Issac sighed again, irritated. How much energy did this moron have? He'd been running around for hours shouting orders and he hadn't stopped for a break yet. Issac shook his head and focused, his quarry had to run out of steam soon. After a few more minutes, Issac had a stroke of luck, Jak tripped over a small crate that one of the gunmen had left out. Issac altered his aim to account for wind-age, and distance, and took the shot before anyone had time to react. Jak was dead before the gunman had time to stand up from his position next to the crate. Issac didn't wait to see what happened next. He picked up the shell and deposited it to his pants pocket, picked up his gun, put the covers on the scope, and fell backwards down the dune. Sliding on his back, he was able to see the expanse of the Mohave Desert out before him. It rolled out before him like a sand colored carpet that had been laid down poorly. Dunes rose and fell like ripples in a pond. His keen eyes picked out a single, almost perfectly camouflaged, figure laying prone at the base of the dune. Kat was waiting for him.

Katalia Huntsmen had heard the shot. She knew Issac would be here soon, the sound of someone sliding down a dune confirmed what she already knew. Katalia moved into a crouching position when Issac was half way down his rapid decent. She watched as Issac reached the bottom of the dune and somersaulted to his feet and winked at her.
"Told you it would take one shot." He said smugly. Kat rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.
"I was nervous there for a second, I figured you needed the entire mag to take him down." She said jokingly. Issac pulled a mock hurt face at that statement.
"Hey! I'm not that bad of a shot. Last time was a mistake, I shot the guy in his foot instead of his knee, and that was out 400 yards!" His mock indignant tone made Kat chuckle. She looked Issac in the eye. His eyes where a light glacier blue, if she started to long she feared she would be able to look away. His hair was brown and parted down the middle and was relatively short. She sighed and looked away. Sometimes she regretted their no-romance agreement. To him they where pack-mates, wolves that traveled and hunted together. Sometimes she was glad that they had agreed not to delve into each other’s private matters to much, but she appreciated his advice when he knew something was eating at her.
"So, we heading back home or to the client first?" She asked somewhat impatiently. It was unlike him to stay more than 7 seconds onsite after the job was done. Issac blinked as if regaining his focus.
"We'll head to the client first, we need food for the next few days until we find new job. Otherwise we won’t eat till tomorrow." Issac looked at the sun as it approached the horizon meaningfully. Kat nodded in agreement, and they headed south to the small settlement of Mumford, the trek would take all night to make it on foot, but they didn't have bikes yet, as they didn't have the money to purchase one. So they set off, not knowing the significance of this job, and what it said about the pair's skills, and who had been watching the entire time.

Roland Gresh leaned back in his chair. He sat at before a long Table with 5 men on the left and right sides and one man at the other side. They were dressed in black trench coats, pants and boots. Some wore Black fingerless gloves, others wore plain black gloves. And every single one, had on a pair of black sunglasses. Roland looked around at his companions during the silence that followed. He had seen Issac's display of patience, luck, and skill. Issac has sat there, not moving a muscle for over 4 hours. And when the opportunity presented itself, he took a shot that had defied even the imagination of the greatest minds of his organization. His report had shocked his superiors into a stunned silence. Suddenly the man at the other side of the table spoke, his voice carried a tone of someone who's orders where usually followed.
"Issac Kesh? You're sure? This is the name of the man who killed Hoplite?" said Harold Ettermine, after several silent moments.
"Yes Sir. Issac Kesh and Katalia Huntsmen. Two local Mercenaries and roamers near Mumford. I witnessed Issac Kesh set up and wait for four hours before taking a shot that killed Hoplite before he hit the ground." Roland restated the end portion of his report. Again this brought shocked silence.
Harold spoke again.
"Bring them here; we may need them for The Beginning of Spring." Roland fell backwards and hit his head on the door handle. He struggled to get up.
"Sir? You don't mean-" Harold cut him off saying:
"What is spring without wolves?"

That's all for now we'll add more later on but for now, tell us what you thought, we look forward to reading your replies.

This post has been edited by Desert Wolf: 04 July 2012 - 12:04 AM

[Desert Wolf]

What, does no one read this? is the 1300 views just curios people who turn away after reading a paragraph? we wont post another part unless people we think people will like it.

[InfamousG]

Desert Wolf, on 01 June 2012 - 09:36 AM, said:

What, does no one read this? is the 1300 views just curios people who turn away after reading a paragraph? we wont post another part unless people we think people will like it.

Spelling Errors everywhere That is all.

[Michael Inferno]

cool story

[Desert Wolf]

Aight sorry for the long wait, we both had internships. Here’s part 2.

Issac splashed water on his face; it ran down his neck and onto his black tank top. He shook his head, flinging drops everywhere around him. His hair fell down in front of his eyes. He peered through the spaces between the wet strands at Kat. They were finishing their morning routine as they usually did, with a sparring match. And as usual, they couldn't break each other’s guard. He calmed himself down, making sure to breathe deeply. He narrowed his eyes as he started at Kat, she was slightly shorter than him, her hair was red and pulled back into a pony tail. Her eyes where a clear emerald green, and her face as sharp. She was toned, their dailies routines made sure they were both in top form for whatever happened. His eyes rested on her clone collar, a reminder of a past that haunted him. They had been mercenaries before the Shiva virus hit. He remembered his past, but Kat was lucky. She had had issues with her clone not syncing with her collar correctly, so she lost her memories when she died on their last mission together. The scientists had warned that changing the DNA slightly to accommodate the change they had bought. They had bought an upgrade on smell and hearing, although slight, still enough to make the clones possibly unstable and be incompatible with the collars. In this Issac saw Kat as the lucky one. He remembered everything, even Kat's screams as she died. That was his most vivid memory. He had made a mistake, a fatal one. And Kat paid for it, and he didn't, not for several years. Thing was, he wasn't supposed to make mistakes. He was supposed to be the best. Operation Black Stone's training had drilled his training into him; He couldn't forget it, no matter how hard he tried. Thinking about Kat from the past made him remember something, a move he had pulled off once against her, so Issac decided to try it. Issac tensed, ready to attack.

Kat looked Issac in the eye. His blue eyes where glowing slightly, an effect of the changes Issac had told her. When Issac focused on an opponent, his eyes glowed a Desert-Sand Gold. Her eyes did the same, just hers glowed an Arctic-Blizzard Blue. The colors seemed to reinforce their code names. Issac had tried to tell her about their past once, but she had cut him off saying she didn't care. But something inside her had wanted to remember. He had introduced the 'pact' then. They worked together, they lived together in this warehouse where they had woken up, but they where to not get nosy when it came to personal business, nor where they allowed to make any romantic advances. Anyone who broke this pack was thrown out and shot on sight if they returned to the warehouse. She had accepted the pact at first, she still followed it, but the more time she spent around Issac, the more something deep within her mental consciousness, something as trying to break free. She couldn't make it out; it was close to love, loyalty, and hate. This shocked her at first, why would she love and hate this man who helped her live? She wasn't sure, wasn't sure she wanted to know. Issac was attractive; he was tall, handsome, and well muscled. But something in his eyes seemed to pierce through her. She could see a deep conviction in his eyes, like a guilty man who hadn't paid enough for his crimes, and he knew it. Kat noticed a slight movement in Issac's stance. He was tensing, getting ready to attack. She readied herself just in time and Issac leapt forward with mind blurring speed. His fist shot forward like a bullet from a high powered rifle. She barely dodged it and countered with her own left hook. But he grabbed her wrist before she knew what was happening, she slammed her skull against the concrete floor hard enough to knock her out. Kat sunk into blackness wondering why he would attack her like that. Like a spear, her emotions rose to the surface, and all faded to black.

Issac jumped back to dodge the kick that was aimed at his temple with microns to spare. Something was wrong, Kat's eyes where blazing blood red instead of their normal white blue. She stood their poised to strike. Anger roiled off her in waves, as if her anger was a monsoon, and Issac was a pedestrian with no umbrella. he hadn't intended to cause her harm, but he guessed that Kat wasn't trained enough for that type for counter. It didn't take Issac long to figure out what was wrong. It took him the same about to time for Kat's blood red eyes to tear up and for her tears to start running down her face. This was Katalia Huntsmen, daughter of General Dmitri Huntsmen of Operation Black Stone. This was Arctic Wolf, his partner all those years ago. She was back, and she was not going to forgive him. Kat's memories had surfaced, to haunt him in the worst way. Sorrow and loss slammed into him like gale force winds. He couldn't fight back the tears, he had one of the best bearings in the world, but in the face of this phantom of his past, he was nothing but a vulnerable target. Arctic Wolf opened her mouth and spoke, her voice cut through him with barbed edges.
"Desert Wolf. I see you haven't changed much over these past 200 years." Issac cringed as the familiar clarity rung though his skull like a thousand needles, he smiled weakly.
"Hello Arctic Wolf. You know how it is right? I'm a clone now." He pointed at his collar, then at hers. "And you are too." Arctic smiled wryly at his attempt at humor.
"So it would seem." She stretched her right arm. "I'm glad to see you've been keeping this version of me in shape. After all, I am your only pack mate." Arctic said staring intently into his eyes with her blood red ones. Issac nodded.
"It's my responsibility. After what happened, I had no choice." Arctic's lips quirked.
"Yes, after what happened. That was tragic, wasn't it? If I didn't know better, I'd think you wanted me to die." Arctic's words cut Issac deep.
"I never wanted that to happen. But you don't understand my words right now, you only understand my fists. Just as you always have, as you always will." Issac replied as he tightened his fists, and tensed his body, he drove his body to heights that he had reached before, but only on missions before Arctic had died. Adrenaline flooded his veins, driving his physical abilities to their absolute max. Arctic tilted her head to the left a bit and smiled at him sadistically, her own body tensing.
"Oh Desert, you always understand me. You always know what I want, you even knew I loved you, but right now I'm alien to you." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. Desert Wolf narrowed his eyes; he could feel her anger, and her hate. He knew what to say.
"No, I understand you. I spent over 5 years of my life living with you, fighting alongside you. We where more than comrades. I never defeated you, and you never defeated me. I know why you’re standing here. You hate me for my mistake, for taking away your chance to make up to your father. I took away your one chance for redemption. I know what I did, and I regret my mistake, more then you know." His voice was empty of emotion, but sharp enough to anger her to action. Arctic didn't respond with words. Instead, Issac dodged her right fist as it blasted through where his head had been a micron of a second before. Issac responded with his own uppercut, which she dodged. She grabbed his wrist and swung him in an arc over her shoulder. Issac somersaulted and landed on his feet. He returned her grip with his own and drew her past him. He placed his open palm above her elbow and folded her face to the ground. Arctic fell flat on her face and with her hand that was still death gripped to Issac's wrist, yanked him next to her. Issac knew how to fall, he caught himself with a relaxed knee. He stared at her right into her eyes. This wasn't a real fight, but it was enough to remind him of himself, and who he was supposed to be. He grinned at Arctic.
"Thanks Arctic. I needed that." Arctic smiled at him. Her voice was devoid of anger or hate.
"You’re welcome Desert." She smiled at him. "I’m glad I could remind you that you aren't some normal human, but that you are the best of Operation Blackstone, that you are the best my father trained. If you ever forget it again, I will kill you, as promised." The Desert Wolf stood up and helped Arctic stand. Arctic looked him in the eye. "Issac, you know that my memories are suppressed. Should I remember, know this, I may, honestly try to kill you.' Issac nodded.
"I know you'll try, but remember, we have a perfect record of no wins or losses. We tried to kill each other, to sharpen each other. If we failed, then the other was strong enough to survive alone, and the weak one was killed, for we are not a burden to our comrades." Arctic flicked her collar, and Issac gave her a look. Arctic smiled,
"Yeah we didn't kill each other. Figured I'd warn you." She turned her head sideways again and smiled genuinely. “Issac, take care of this version of me, she is growing her own affection for you. That may keep my memories suppressed. I trust you will make your choice." Issac looked at Katalia, she meant more to him then she realized.
"Arctic, I will make my choice, and thank you for trusting me after all this time, and after my mistake. I know you haven't forgiven me yet, but as time passes, I will find out how to earn that forgiveness." Arctic nodded,
"Now if you don't mind, you have a visitor, and he's armed." The red died down in her eyes and her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell to her knees. Arctic was gone, submerged deep within Kat's consciousness. Issac sighed; he had a small idea of what to do. But now he had to deal with this intruder. Arctic had taken up his full attention that he didn't notice the armed tall male approach his home. He was a Traveler, marked by his trench coat and the handgun at his side. Issac sighed, he had hated the mafia in the past, and he still hated them. Issac steeled himself for what lay ahead. Kat lay on the floor behind him, she could wait, and she needed to have a break after what Arctic had put her body through. Issac turned and talked out the doors, to deal with their little pests, and set in motion a long train of events that he didn't know where it would lead.

This post has been edited by Desert Wolf: 04 July 2012 - 12:02 AM

[Desert Wolf]

Issac walked out into the sun and sands of the Mojave Desert. The sun beat down like a blacksmith swinging his hammer with complete focus on his project, and the sands where as unforgiving as usual. Issac spotted the traveler's presence about 50 feet to the left, and two more presences about the same distance to the right and dead in front. Issac didn't need his eyes to spot the ragtag group. He sighed,
"Get up, Traveler. You don't want to play games with me; you can't handle my rough play-style. And your friends can show themselves as well, I'm getting tempted to hunt." No one responded, nor did they move. Issac drew his right pistol, a M1911 A1 he's had since the beginning of his Mercenary career, he'd named it "Dente Lupis." Issac aimed next to the presence of their leader, adjusted his aim to next to the traveler's left ear, and pulled the trigger. And before anyone could flinch, he shot next to his target's right ear. The Traveler and his companions shot up, guns dawn and, in Issac's artisan point of view, they were bringing their weapons to bear, quickly for untrained mercs. Issac drew his other pistol, a Five-Seven caliber pistol he'd named "Dominus de Venatu," so quickly that his 'visitors' didn't see the movement. Issac aimed Dente Lupis at the Traveler's right pistol, and Dominus de Venatu at the head of the man on the left, and pulled the triggers of both of his guns at once. Then he changed his stance, dropping down onto his right knee he aimed Dente Lupis at the Traveler's left pistol, and aimed Dominus de Venatu at the right knee of the guy dead ahead, and pulled the triggers again, then turned to face the Traveler with both guns aimed at the Traveler's head. The entire engagement happened so fast that the first guy didn't even have time to get half way to the ground. The second man dropped to the ground and let go of his rifle, and grabbed his right knee. The traveler found himself holding air, and that made him sweat more than he had been when he was hiding in the sand. Issac sighed.
"I warned you. I said to show yourselves, and you didn't and look what happened. Your nice guns are broken and you’re down one bodyguard. I swear, thugs these days thugs are stupid! At least before the Fall they at least responded to provocation." Issac shook his head. "Look at me, being rude to my guests. So, what’s a Traveler like yourself doing coming here to my humble abode?" The Traveler was so shocked by the events of the past few seconds that he didn't register that Issac had spoken for several seconds. Issac's next movements brought him into reality again, Issac stood up and holstered Dominus de Venatu, and kept Dente Lupis aimed at the space between the Traveler's eyes. The Traveler inhaled deeply, forcing his body to relax. He raised his hands in a sign of surrender. A sound to Issac's left and the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end made a decision for him. Issac dropped just in time as the guy he's shot in the knee shot at him. The bullet passed through here his chest had been less than a split second before. Issac then redrew Dominus de Venatu, and without looking, fired one shot that passed through the last bodyguards cranial cavity. The bodyguard was dead before he could blink. Issac stood and shook his head. He could see the Traveler's shock and fear on his face. Issac's stare didn't break as he holstered Dominus again walked over to his unfortunate visitor, with Dente Lupis still aimed between the Traveler's eyes. Issac was growing displeased at the Traveler's lack of identifying himself. "You got a name? Or are you like them? More willing to die before you get the point?" He motioned to the dead bodies of the bodyguards with Dente Lupis. "Speak Traveler! Before I send you to your boss, in a body bag!" the Traveler go the point and stammered out a reply.
"I-I-I’m sorry sir! My name is Hector Verus. I work for Roland Gresh. I was sent here to give you a message. My boss has a job proposition for you. He'd like to meet you in Mumford, near the Judge's Church. He said that if you don't come, that he'll hire more guns and 'Send you to your momma's in hell half a ton heavier.'" Issac sighed for the fourth time that day; this was getting way to troublesome Issac shook his head.
"I'll let you live Hector, but you'll have to deliver a message for me to your boss. Tell him: 'Not even a prized hound can bring in the Desert Wolf and that when the Wolf pack hunts, it never fails to find food.' Now go Hector, Life is short." Hector's face grew pale. Issac had just signed Hector's death warrant. Hector stood and nodded strait faced, the fear in his eyes gone, and replaced by a look of a man how was heading to his doom. Hector nodded to Issac.
"Thank you for your time, I wish you a good day." Issac nodded.
"Thank you hector, it’s been well over 200 years since someone said that to me." Hector nodded, acknowledging Issac's words, then turned and walked away. Issac sighed yet again. Today was getting to be more trouble than it was worth.

Kat's mind was flooded with emotion. Emotion and memories of a past she had forgotten. Flashes of rage, hate, sorrow and loss shot through her consciousness like a .50 caliber machine gun, cutting her thoughts into ribbons. Images flashed like lightning in her mind’s eye. Images of Issac, of herself, of a man who had the warmest embrace, an embrace that had been there for her from the beginning of her life. The emotions and memories where disjointed, and dis coordinated. Memories of a childhood and of adulthood flashed through her mind intermittently. To her it was a dream, the memories and emotions had no tie to her sense of self. But a part of her knew that they where hers. That she had experienced them. Kat struggle with the emotional pain, she didn't want it, she rejected it. She forced it out of her mind through sheer willpower. With the emotions went the memories, and she was left alone in her mind again. She could sense a presence there with her. She called out in her mind to the presence, but received no response. She could feel rage and sorrow emanate from it. The existence in her mind scared and confused her. She didn't know what do about it, she didn't know where to begin. The presence faded and she rose through a sea of unconsciousness. Kat registered immense pain throughout her muscles. She tried to stand but she couldn't move. She let out a low moan of pain, as she tried to flex her legs. The door opened and Issac entered. He carried a bowl of soup with a spoon lying over the top, she could smell the broth. Issac shook his head.
"You wouldn't believe what happened earlier." The sound of Kat's stomach growling at the aspect of food cut him off. Issac smiled as blood rushed to Kat's face. Issac picked up the spoon and laded a little of the soup into her mouth. She swallowed quickly, the broth was warm and slipped down her esophagus smoothly. She opened her mouth and spoke.
"What happened? Why am I so weak?" Issac sighed yet again. He really needed a metal for today. He would have won a gold medal for Olympic sighing. He gave her a censored version of what happened, cutting out the part about Arctic talking to him. Just saying that she had attacked him with strength she wasn't used to, and she had torn her muscles all over her body. Kat sighed, and caught a look in Issac eye.
"Careful there, you don't want to catch my sighing bug, I can’t seem to stop today." Kat chuckled at that remark. She relaxed her back muscles to be more comfortable. Issac explained what had happened between him and the Traveler, Hector Verus. Kat got a nostalgic feeling she couldn't explain, it felt like something was starting, something big. And that they were about to embark on a very epic journey. Kat felt that she could not foresee what paths she would come across, and what choices she would make, nor could she estimate the impact that would have on their future. She and Issac would stay together, but where they would end up, she didn't know, but the fact that she would remain by Issac’s side seemed to assure her. She steeled herself for what lay ahead, one spoonful of broth at a time.

This post has been edited by Desert Wolf: 04 July 2012 - 12:06 AM

[Desert Wolf]

aight then we'll see what comes first, 15k views, my next part, or a comment saying i need to post more.

[Desert Wolf]

having a hard time figuring how to start the next part. still looking forward to the non appearing and non asked for replies