World of Guns: 9th Advance

WE GOT NEWBIES. HOO-FUCKING-RAY.

RANK: ADMIRAL

DAY 17

CASH: 11,096,250

Tyler woke on the morning of the fourth day in his bunk in the command car of Black Death. He smiled as Rey was happily snuggled up against him with her head on his shoulder and his arm around her back. Selena was on her other side and had a hand on Rey's lovely heart shaped ass and a finger in a soft spot. The soldier smiled as he kissed his favorite blonde awake and she smiled.

"I love you too. And let's get her."

The pair rolled the sleeping Selena on her back and spread her long legs. Rey kissed her lovingly while Tyler slid into her and started thrusting while she moaned into Rey's mouth at the wakeup sex. The older blonde wasn't allowed to make a noise as she orgasmed and got flooded before Rey let her lips go.

"Now EAT."

"Yes mistress!"

Rey straddled her face and Tyler kept up the thrusting as he kissed Rey and Selena fed on her ever tasty slit. The trio got another round of orgasms and floods before laughing.

"We're addicts."

Tyler chuckled as Selena cleaned him off in her mouth.

"I love you two."

The lovers cleaned up in the shower before getting dressed and returning to the cab. Tyler smiled as he worked the levers and gauges of the train while Rey shoveled coal.

"I love you, Rey."

She smiled happily at that as she closed the doors to the firebox.

"I love you too, Gore."

Selena was with Wisp in the first 105mm car so the pair were alone in the cab of the train as they rattled through the grasslands they had grown so tired of. Rey looked through the windshield and smirked.

"Starting city sighted. We'll be picking up rookies so be hot, ladies."

They laughed at that one as Tyler blew the whistle at a set of tanks patrolling a section of road to their right. Instantly the line of four Mark Vs stopped dead. Their spotters got out with scopes in hand, and had white faces as the identity of the Black Death was confirmed. Tyler laughed as the tanks took off on their patrol.

"They shit themselves."

The pink eyed blonde smirked as she watched.

"Code brown. FULL ALERT."

"I fucking love you."

Tyler slowed the train from the cruising speed of 55 miles an hour to 10 as they entered the starting city at West Side station. Then he brought the mighty machine to a full stop at the platform with the command car and engine lined up perfectly. The ever brazen man blew the train's whistle hard and long and it echoed off the buildings around them as he let off steam from the boiler. The players in the area all turned to look at the unusually potent whistle before an instant feeling of utter shock went through the masses as they recognized the train, AND the man kissing the two beautiful blondes in the cab. Tyler chuckled as he sat on the steps leading into the cab.

"And now we wait. I do hope they're punctual."

Rey and Selena sat either side of him as Wisp and her girls looked the train over for wear and resupply. Tyler pulled a flask from his own open front vest and took a deep swig of the ever ice cold whiskey inside before lighting up a cigarette. Selena smirked.

"You could not look more like a Vietnam stereotype if you TRIED."

"Ha. When we get to those floors, I'll go Rambo."

Rey had a dreamy look in her eye now.

"Do it NOW."

"Of course my love."

She shivered at the feeling and hugged him hard as Selena lit her own cig up chuckling.

"Lovey dovey bastards."

"Feeling left out?"

"fuck off."

"Sure. Turn around and bend over."

Rey slapped him laughing at THAT cocky reply.

"NO. bad jackass. Fucking HILARIOUS jackass."

Selena just sighed.

"Great. I upgraded from talking sextoy, to living Real Doll."

Tyler kissed her.

"Better?"

"Ugh."

Rey kissed her.

"How bout now?"

"Much."

"So that's how it is? Ha. Okay."

The friends laughed at his tone as Wisp came over.

"we got a refill on water. 25k. Coal tender's still nearly full."

"Thanks Wisp. The tender's got the capacity for a thousand miles before we need to refill. Kicker is it's still stock."

Rey looked at him now.

"we still need to get that better funnel. And a more efficient firebox."

He pulled a notebook now.

"And a more efficient boiler and increase it's capacity. Selena?"

"I'd say higher quality bunks in the command car. It's great but it kinda hurts on longer runs."

"I'll also increase coupler strength and ammo capacity in the front guns. Hm."

He got off the train and went to the large drive wheels and looked at the draw rods and wheels themselves.

"Draw rods are still shining, and the wheels too. Brakes we can upgrade."

Rey smiled.

"Can we use her on the snow floor?"

"We'd need a plow and those can be bought on-floor. But I don't see why not. I'd suggest we use Iron Steed since it's FROM a winter region."

Selena nodded as she looked the engine over from a distance.

"It was originally a Russian myth, right?"

"I THINK SO? If not Russian, Ukraine."

"So by default it's built for harsh winters. We'll need to see how it is before we really make a choice on work."

"True. At a base though we'll need to level her up. Oh. We can buy warships too at port."

Rey smiled as he rejoined her.

"Dapple too weak?"

"For the type of work we'll be doing it is. She's more of an auxiliary support at best."

Selena crossed her arms as she considered the options.

"You're right about her. Same time? She DOES check off a number of the boxes we need RIGHT NOW. Fast, easily sailed, easily maintained, rookie skill level , and potent enough for training. We don't really have the hands for a larger vessel at the moment."

He frowned at that.

"You've a point. Hm. We can do a few more single ship hunts and see what her upgrades look like. For a start we should see about the bunks and halls. If we got attacked and speed was important, I'm just too damned big for those halls."

Rey nodded as she brushed her long blonde hair out of her face.

"Even I have a hard time sometimes and I'm like half your size. And I tried sleeping in one of the other bunks and nearly fell out of the think. Like we have ZERO room whatsoever aboard her."

Selena rubbed her back.

"and even the captain's bed is a struggle at the best of times. For ONE person."

Tyler wrote the notes in his book.

"we'll pick our new girls up and go from there. I think we might have to put some harder work into Dapple just to get her useful to our needs. Same time? She IS only the first ship we've owned."

wisp came over and leaned on the coal tender.

"What about the Zeppelin, Gore? She's got all the boxes checked off."

"The blimp doesn't have the firepower needed to sink capital ships, Wisp. A good idea, but it doesn't have the power we need."

"Ah. Hm. Maybe a light cruisier would work better? They're used for both escorts and assaulting bigger vessels. Right now Dapple just isn't really viable for hard sea warfare. My guess is she's more of a coastal raider."

"Huh. Now that you say that, Wisp? It DOES explain her size and why we found her in a river. 100mm and 30mm guns aren't the arms of an antiship warship, they're used for coastal heavy support fire and indirect fire like mortars. Even the smaller ships use 105mm for their heavier battles."

Selena looked at him.

"We could test her proficiency in a land assault, Tyler. Since Italica IS a coastal country we can do some seaside support fire missions."

"OR support the land troops on an invasion of a lesser isle in the Nazerik supply line. Those usually pay more and all we'd need to do is lob shells. Good call Shadow. We'll do some support missions aboard ships once we get back. We'll launch out of the city we're to capture and go from there."

Rey looked at the deserted rail platform now.

"and WHERE are our new girls, Gore? Shouldn't they be here by now?"

He shrugged.

"No clue, Rey. We'll sit tight for the day and see if they show up. If not, well, we tried!"

Wisp looked at the city.

"Oh there's a QM over there."

Her and her girls went to the platform Quartermaster for some heavy shopping since the man had everything in one place every other store sold. Tyler looked his BAR's pamphlet over as they waited and he smirked as he noticed something.

"I can upgrade the firing pin and trigger systems as a whole. It'll increase rate of fire, accuracy, and give me a nice feeling hair trigger. I will be right back ladies."

They chuckled as he walked over to the QM and bought a mass of upgrade parts for his BAR, carcano, 1887, M1911, and a better vest with more ammo pouches on the flaps for 100k even before returning to the train. He sat against a wall in the train's cab with Rey snuggled beside him as he got to work repairing and upgrading his various weapons. His BAR he replaced the barrel for a lighter, longer blue thing that increased accuracy, the firing system to a higher tension and firing one with a red receiver, the box was increased from 40 rounds to 60 rounds while the butt plate was rubberized for a m ore comfortable feel in hand. The handguards and grip were upgraded to a better feeling white material made from the bones of the whale they'd killed. ALL the guns got the same treatment outside the carcano which merely got a higher quality bone white furniture upgrade. Tyler smiled as he set the junk parts aside and hefted the improved BAR.

"I freakin love this thing."

Rey smiled as he kissed her.

"I love you too. And that DOES look mean."

Tyler looked at the platform now and spotted a familiar shade of red hair.

"Oh. We got a hit."

The girls all looked to see Emma, the British actress, approaching the black train with a look of confused confusion on her face. Her outfit being a pair of heeled combat boots with skin tight black pants and a loose fitting tanktop of blue. Her fire colored hair hung to her lower back and was still curly while her green eyes were gleaming. On her narrow back was her large military issue duffel bag and over her shoulder was her Krag-Jorgensen bolt action rifle. She was looking at the black train curiously and tyler waved at her.

"Yo ginger, over here."

She smirked at the callout and walked over to the cab.

"My NAME ingame, is HERMIONE. I'm Hermione1991."

"Ha. Alright Hermione. Ya got your practice in?"

The actress nodded as she climbed aboard the train to stand by the soldier.

"I did get SOME practice in. But I'm afraid I am not a good shot."

"Hm. Lemme see. Hit that sign up there."

He pointed out a sign atop the train station roof. Maybe 50 yards from them and Hermione blinked.

"Are you mad? There are PEOPLE over there!"

"Don't miss then. And you'll be beaming people at longer ranges an that toots."

"Wot?"

He smirked at her disbelief.

"Did you SERIOUSLY expect us to CARRY you through this game, Hermione? Come on. You're gonna be on the line with us. And ya GONNA be beaming people. Or GET beamed."

She had a look of horror on her face now.

"You didn't say a word about KILLING PEOPLE!"

"what the fuck did you THINK we were going to be doing, Hermione? Seriously?"

"I…..I…..I thought I would be an escort. Someone that is GUIDED through this hell."

He patted the shaken redhead with a smirk.

"Happy to burst your bubble, toots, butta you're gonna be fightin with us. BESIDE us. You joined the RAZGRIZ Squad, little Emma. And, HOW did we reach floor two, while the rest a these dingdongs are still dicking around on floor 1?"

She looked at him with huge green eyes and seemed about to go into a full-blown panic attack….only for the unyielding man to slap her in the face. Hard.

"YOU are not ALLOWED to flip out. Not in MY crew. You are a soldier now. ACT like it."

The slap made her jump, but it DID force her raging emotions back under control.

"You are a monster."

"Ha. You say that. Yet. I'mma let you in on a little detail."

she had a look of disdain on her face now.

"Speak."

"Ha. Okay. If the other players, ALL of the other players, have been BEHIND my lines, WHO am I shooting at?"

The redhead blinked at this and her flame red brows furrowed as she sifted through the riddle.

"If all of the other players are behind your line, who are you shooting at? The players in front?"

"How can I shoot the players in front, if all of them are behind me?"

Now nursing a throbbing headache, Hermione continued the fight.

"If all the other players are behind you, and NOT a ONE is in front of you, then who were those soldiers you're talking about?"

"Does the term, NPC mean anything to you?"

She'd gritted her teeth now in pain.

"NPC? I know it means Nonplayer controlled…..OH MY GOD."

it clicked and she looked at him in utter shock.

"So I will be shooting at computers?"

"THAT took you WAAAAY too freakin long to figure out. But yeah."

She deflated from utter relief.

"Oh you BASTARD. I can do that much. If they're NOT real people, and just AI I can handle the carnage."

"Now shoot the sign dammit."

She gulped and lifted her rifle to aim at the bright yellow railroad sign. Tyler smiled as he saw her stance.

"Okay. First off. Spread your legs to shoulder width apart. Like this."

He moved her slender legs a fraction in either direction before turning her feet to a more stable position.

"Level out your core and lean into the but of your rifle."

The skilled sniper moved up her frame making the needed adjustments before patted her belly, making her squeak, and reaching her arms.

"Lower that chicken wing, grip the hand guard like you want to strangle it, same with the grip, lean your head over the stock,"

He brushed her long red hair aside and her wobble was fixed.

"Now pulled the bolt back. Slide it forward. Do it in one smooth motion before setting the sign into the middle of the hooded front sight. Take a breath in, let it out slowly, and squeeze the trigger."

The redhead obeyed to the letter and the gun went off. The sign sparked from a clean hit on the upper edge and Hermione was all smiles at her hit.

"I hit it!"

"rechamber."

She pulled the bolt back with a frantic feel at the command and the thing got stuck.

"Blast."

"I got it."

He took her rifle and removed her entire bolt assembly and reslotted it for her.

"Ah. I see the problem. You haven't lubed the gun up right. Here."

Rey chuckled as Tyler made Hermione field strip her rifle and lube it before rebuilding it.

"he did the exact same thing to me, Hermione. You never forget the first day in GORE'S camp."

Hermione smiled as she reloaded her rifle.

"I can see I am going to be VERY busy. Now the train?"

Tyler smirked.

"Her name's Gliepnir to us. Black Death to the NPCs. Scary beast isn't she?"

"VERY. Where did you get it?"

"I found her in a cave."

"He did. I was there."

"My word. You have the lucky of the devil."

"He;s done it like four times."

"There's a reason he's got a cargo car and crane car, Emma."

"That guy I shit you not found a tank in an underground bunker off a RUMOR. And he walked to it like he knew it was there."

Hermione, AKA Emma, chuckled as the girls rattled off examples of his luck.

"We should play cards."

"He'd leave you naked, Emma. FIRST GAME."

"Uh-oh."

Selena chuckled as she looked at the nervous lady.

"we have our own warship. Once we lose sight of other people, clothing optional. And I DO mean optional."

Tyler chuckled as he looked at the now SCARED lady.

"We spent a solid four days buck assed naked on the seas. We kinda do as we please."

Rey licked her lips.

"And we ARE having another orgy when we return to Dapple."

"Oh fuck yes. This time let's use creams and oils."

Both blondes shivered with lusty smirks.

"I am IN."

"Me too!"

Wisp jumped down from the coal tender with a smirk.

"So are we. And we found some creams and other stuff at that QM. Yeah. We are going to have one HELL of a party, ladies and Gore."

Tyler chuckled as he looked at the dirty blonde.

"All clear, Wisp?"

"A few idiots were hitting on Britbitch22. But she shattered their jaws. She found a set of spiked knuckles and LOVES them freakin things."

"She's irish. Makes sense."

"I heard that."

"love you too, Bitch."

"fuck you. I will hit you in the balls with me spikes."

The friends laughed at her irritation as Hermione sighed dejectedly.

"Goreleech, and all of the legendary Razgriz squad, are hopeless, depraved, psychotic, SEX ADDICTS. Oooh this is going to be a NIGHTMARE."

"Like you won't have fun too."

"I am in a VERY happy relationship thank you very much."

"What's her name?"

She smirked dangerously now at Tyler's dry question.

"HIS name is-"

"Harry potter?"

"FUCK YOU! No! Paul."

"Sucky name."

"totally."

"Lame."

Wisp chuckled as she patted the fuming redhead.

"I've read a few articles on em. Guy's a wanna be Prince Charming. Yeah he is SO fake."

Tyler shrugged as he cleaned his 1887 with a cloth.

"Most Hollywood natives are, Wisp. Emma? You DO know your feed got turned off as soon as you stepped on my train, right?"

She blinked and so did the rest of the girls.

"What?"

"Did you?"

"Say?"

Tyler looked at Rey curiously.

"remember back at Tragonia? When Selena told us they wanted to turn our live feeds in the hospitals into TV shows?"

"Oooooh. That's RIGHT! Sorry. I forgot that was a thing."

Selena smiled ruefully.

"I did as well. Been a while."

The soldier blonde explained to Wisp and her stunned friends as Tyler looked at the shocked Emma.

"Yeah. We refused on the grounds of suicide and the people backed off, Emma. Since I AM the fighting force, they really can't fuck with us."

She sighed.

"I have a contract. It's why I came to you in the first place."

"I can fix that REAL quick."

He took his radio out and pulled up Bridget. The brunette advisor smiled as she appeared.

"How can I help?"

"Emma's live feed. TURN IT OFF."

She blinked.

"Um. I can't."

He chuckled and pulled his revolver. Selena smirked as he loaded a single bullet into the chamber.

"Do it, or we play Russian Roulette, Bridget. That guy will happily kill HER and HIMSELF to make sure this happens. So. Unless you want the entirety of the player base's spirits broken, TURN. HER FEED. OFF. TURN ALL THEIR FEEDS OFF."

Emma was horrified by the turn of events as Tyler spun the cylinder and Bridget was seen RACING from view.

"Are you out of your MIND?"

"OUR pain, will NEVER be their amusement, Emma. EVER."

She shuddered at the steel in his and Rey's eyes and voices as they said the line at the same exact time in the exact same manner.

"God help me."

Tyler looked at the screen as Bridget came back with a relieved expression.

"They're off, Tyler. Those bastards played a fast one with their contracts. Seems the TV companies still haven't given up on the broadcasts of the feeds. Well. I put in a few phone calls to a few people and the idea was completely shutdown under fear of treason. The feeds are OFF and are STAYING off. But. There is a caveat."

"That is?"

She smiled.

"The president requested that the feeds be turned on for pivotal moments ingame. Like the battle for Tragonia for example. Just to show the world the progress being made."

Tyler removed the gun barrel from his chin.

"we still hold the off switches?"

"Of course."

"Sure. That much I'll allow."

Emma looked at him.

"what off switches?"

"You got your radio?"

"m. I think so."

She pulled her walkie talkie out and he turned the dial to radio silence.

"And there. Your feed is OFF."

"It is that simple?"

"Sure. Since it's me an all."

The redhead deflated from utter relief at this confirmation.

"Oh thank fucking god. Ugh. Okay. Call me Emma please."

"Tired a the goodie two shoes witch thing?"

"You have no idea. My manager wanted me to pick the outfit that CLOSEST resembled my robe from the movies. Little witch goes to war. I HATED that idea, but you know."

"Snakes. Why are they always snakes?"

"I loved that movie."

"Oddly enough? I've never seen it. Been on my list for YEARS though."

Rey chuckled as she sat on the edge of the cab.

"My thing was Jurassic Park."

"Love you too, Rey."

"Yay!"

Emma smiled at the exchange as she sat beside the blonde.

"I can feel it. You two are lucky."

Tyler smiled as he patted her.

"And YOU'RE free."

"I….huh."

Her green eyes flashed at that point.

"You're right. I am. Weird."

"One a the reasons I fucking love this game. This is MY life. And it is MY story."

The girls smiled at that one, Emma included. Tyler smiled as well before looking at Bridget.

"So the others are?"

"All are in game and are moving to you."

"Thanks bridget."

"Sure."

"Enjoy the shows and….toys!"

she just killed the call with a smirk and Emma looked at him concerned.

"Tyler?"

"Bridget's fond of lots a things out there. And enjoys watching lots a things in here."

"I think that is all I WANT to know."

"Smart."

He blew the whistle hard again and set off another mass of nerves at the reminder WHO was in the city. Selena smirked.

"Nice powerplay."

"I own this fucking town. I can kill like half barehanded."

Emma looked around at the lounging group with a distinct I-am-out-of-place expression. Tyler smiled.

"Find a spot you think is comfy and relax."

"Um. Okay."

She sat by the steps into the cab and crossed her slender legs, still feeling a fish out of water and Tyler tossed her a beer from his bag.

"Um."

"Drink it. You'll feel better."

The redhead sighed but complied with the order and the beer vanished.

"Better?"

"Much actually. Thank you."

"It's called liquid courage for a reason."

She smiled at that one as Tyler spotted some golden hair in the crowd on the head of a tall, slender lady looking around as if lost.

"I got eyes on our third blonde. Yo Goldilocks. Over here."

She looked over indignantly to see tyler waving from the train and sighed with relief at the unmistakable jackass. She walked over as the group looked her over. She was a few inches taller then Tyler at a solid 6 foot 1 inches tall with back length curly blonde hair and sky blue eyes set into a tear drop shaped face. Her skin was sun kissed and smooth while her bust was large in her tight fitting tank top. Her lips were blood red and she wore tight fitting jeans with boots that showed off her curvaceous ass and toned legs. When she spoke it was with a warm breath.

"Are you Tyler? Or Goreleech?"

Tyler smiled.

"In the horror! You are?"

"Out there you know me as Taylor McIntyre. In HERE you can call me Sky."

"we'll use either or. This is Rey, my number 1 blonde, Selena, number 2 blonde, Emma, first redhead, and that's all for here."

Rey laughed at the introduction.

"idiot. Nice to meet you, Taylor."

The tall blonde smirked.

"I am NOT your third blonde, Tyler."

"You're only two years older an me."

"Huh?"

"what she said?"

He passed his ID over and the two new girls blinked. Emma especially.

"He is TWICE my size, and only a year older. Scary."

Taylor nodded wide eyed.

"Yeah. Scary."

He chuckled as he noted her weapon was a model 1873 Springfield carbine and on her back was her duffel.

"You got my rules?"

The tall blonde nodded gravely.

"I did. And I agreed. So you want me to take my shirt off now or later?"

"Later. Less gawkers."

She slumped as Rey slugged her boyfriend with a smirk.

"Idiot."

"Like YOU'RE not gonna?"

"Besides the fucking point."

Taylor sighed before Emma smiled understandingly.

"I see we will need to just get used to it, Taylor."

"Yeah. Oh my head."

Tyler shrugged as the long limbed blonde settled in the cab.

"You'll have fun. We're kinda good at it."

The singer sighed again before looking at the train.

"So the train."

"Her name's Gleipnir. And you an Emma'll be trained on how to drive her."

They nodded and Emma smiled.

"Will we sleep aboard train?"

Selena smiled at the redhead.

"we will, Em. That command car can hold up to 20 comfortably. And since me an Rey usually pile on THAT guy, we got two extra bunks."

Rey was resting her head on Tyler's shoulder with a happy smile as he stroked her long blonde hair lovingly. Taylor whistled at the scene.

"Wow. I can feel it from here."

"Yeah they're in deep."

Tyler chuckled as he looked at them.

"enjoy."

Taylor pulled a notebook from her bag and started writing something in it. The soldier laughed.

"You DO know you're gonna have to share that, right?"

She smirked.

"I figured. And I have a guitar."

"Cool. We got live shows now."

They laughed at the double meaning before Wisp came over.

"Hey Gore. All clear at the caboose."

"No curious idiots?"

"Plenty. But that 105 has everyone on edge."

"Good. Once the others show up we'll roll out."

She nodded and headed back to the turret as Taylor chuckled.

"YOU run a tight ship."

"we HAVE a ship actually."

"really?"

Tyler nodded.

"A light frigate. Problem is the thing is just too damned small for what we need. So we're gonna upgrade to a full cruisier once we find one we LIKE."

Emma smiled.

"I love the sea."

Rey smirked at the redhead.

"You'll love it aboard OUR ship, Emma. It's basically a giant party boat with things that go boom."

Taylor smirked as she remembered his age.

"I'm curious now."

Tyler kissed her. Like full on KISSED her. Rey and Selena busted up laughing at the CLEAR powerplay while Emma had a dumbfounded expression at this sudden attack. The soldier madeout with the sexy singer loving her soft lips before he pulled back with a smirk as she gasped for breath.

"So about that curiosity."

Taylor had a flushed face now and Emma looked RIGHT at Rey. Who smirked.

"we're ALL players. And remember I am his number 1 blonde."

She GULPED! Taylor smirked as her brain restarted.

"Oh this is going to be FUN. And it is so refreshing to see a guy actually go for it."

Selena kissed him now as Rey chuckled.

"He;d fuck us all in the ass RIGHT NOW if we let him. Guy does NOT care."

That made the tall blonde smile.

"I think I can handle that. Anything I should know NOW ladies?"

Selena smirked as she looked at her.

"lasts for hours, makes a MESS every time, is an ADDICT, and is GOOD at it."

She shivered at the images while Tyler spotted a pale complexion with black hair.

"Got eyes on our pretend scrapper. Yo! Blackbird!"

Paige looked RIGHT at him with a mildly irritated expression as he waved and walked over. The wrestler's attire was a tight fitting leather corset of black that left the top of her large melons exposed along with a decent portion of her belly. For pants she had opted for booty shorts that showed her extremely pale skin off as well as her long legs. On her feet were high combat boots while on her back was her Fedorov rifle and duffel bag.

"My NAME ingame is PAIGE."

"I got your attention didn't I?"

She smirked and he noted her long, straight black hair had blue highlights.

"I CAN kick your ass now."

Tyler smirked and rose to his feet.

"Let's see it you can, Blackbird."

Rey smirked.

"100 bucks says he drops her in the first ten seconds."

The entire train put counter bets he'd get wrecked and Tyler cracked his neck and knuckles as Paige struck a tai boxing stance.

"Bring it Blackbird."

"WHY are you calling me that?"

"It sounds cool."

She had a new look of irritation as rey snapped her fingers…..and Tyler moved like greased lightning, The experienced soldier rushed the defending girl and she threw a punch he slammed aside with a forearm before he clapped her over the ears with both hands, grabbed her corset, slammed his head off hers, tripped her with a well placed foot, and pinned her all in the span of 5 seconds. His knife was hovering over her startled blue eye and he smiled.

"I kill people for a living, Blackbird. YOU just PRETEND to."

"Pay up!"

tyler chuckled as Rey made close to 4k off that before he looked at the humbled lady under his weight.

"Ya got a long way to go, Blackbird, before you can throw hands with ME."

He let off her and lifted the muscular girl to her feet with a halfhearted tug on her arm. Paige smiled sheepishly.

"Okay. Sorry."

"You'll get there. Alright."

He let her to the train cab and Taylor waved.

"Nice to see you again Paige."

"Taylor? Emma? Ha. I guess you guys got roped into this too."

The redheaded Emma smiled ruefully as Paige leaned on a wall.

"Signing up with Goreleech seemed the safest way to survive in here."

Paige sighed as Tyler lit up a cig.

"Bum me too jackass. Thanks. You're not wrong Emma. I've seen a few recordings. Gore's hardcore and the real deal. We'll be fine provided we pull our weight."

Tyler chuckled at that one as he looked out at the platform.

"So we got three. We're missing two more."

Selena shrugged as she sharpened her bayonet.

"we got nowhere else to be."

"That's true….oh my radio."

He took the thing out and Bridget appeared.

"what up, Bridget?"

She smiled.

"I received another request to sign on by another celebrity."

"Oh this oughta be good. What's her name?"

A hulking image appeared beside her and EVERYONE blinked at the 7 foot six frame and Austrian accent.

"MY name is Arnold."

The man was massive. Standing a full head taller then Tyler with broad shoulders and fair skin. He ad a square head and bright blue eyes and was clad in a leather jacket as he spoke in a deep boom.

"And I am looking to assist as best I can."

Tyler whistled.

"Jesus. We got the damn terminator in our crew. Sure, Arnie, we got space for one more. You dive now we're at west Side station."

"I appreciate the aid. And I am not deadweight."

"We got a crane thank god. And a train."

He chuckled before getting serious again.

"And I agree to your rules. So long as you hear mine."

"Sure."

The big man nodded.

"I am NOT some mindless killer or a servant. I ask for the respect you show Selena."

"Sure. Just be aware I expect you to listen when I say something. I know this game."

"I understand. Are separate quarters available?"

"Not at the moment. It's kind of a problem we're facing since even I have a hard time fitting in some of our places. We ARE working on it though."

"I see. I ask as I am happily married. And my wife wished to watch my actions ingame."

"I get it. We'll figure it out."

"And finally. I ask to NOT have to watch your….antics."

"Sure. We're addicts, but you don't have to watch. Oh. Add a clause to add more if you need to."

"Smart. I will be diving in ten minutes."

"Look for the long black train."

The man left and Tyler whistled as he looked at a stunned Rey.

"I did NOT see that coming. Who's next? NEO?"

Bridget smiled.

"Actually?"

EVERYONE looked at her now and the advisor nodded to the door as another man walked in. This one was Tyler's height with a slender built and narrow face. He had black hair and brown eyes while got up in a full black suit. His voice was a hard tenor.

"My name is Johnny. And I'd like to ask your help ingame, Tyler."

"HOLY SHIT. Sure. West Side Station. Long black train."

Johnny smirked.

"I will be there. And MY gun?"

"YOU? Grab a SMIL carbine."

"I have one. I'll be there."

He left and Tyler looked at Selena. Who was ALSO shocked.

"we just had the terminator and Jon Wick join us. Oh we are gonna have SO much fucking fun."

The blonde soldier smirked.

"fuck YEAH we are. Dual 1887s for Arnie?"

"Dual 1887s for Arnie. Oh this is gonna be great. No more recruits for the next few weeks, Bridget."

"Understood. And I got an autograph!"

"We're running with the real deals."

"fuck."

The screen died and Tyler looked at Rey.

"NO getting cozy with the new guy."

She kissed him as the ladies laughed.

"I love you too, Gore."

Taylor whistled.

"So this train just got a lot more interesting."

Paige smirked as she finished her cig.

"Johnny's a trained shooter too. So isn't Arnie. Since they did all their own stunts."

Tyler smiled.

"Plus the languages they speak? Arnie's fluent in Austrian so when we hit floor three he can translate for us. Since that one's basically an Austrian forest mirrored in Germany's size."

Emma looked at him.

"How do you know the next floor is like, Tyler? Are you a dev?"

"no. I had a buddy in the beta test that was also a skilled dataminer. I got intel up to the floor ten. And that's where WWII starts. After that I don't NEED any help since I'm a big WWII buff."

"Lucky. And that explains how you seem to know just what to do in here."

"I'm a hardcore war gamer and RPG buff."

"There's the other piece. And your skills with guns?"

He sighed now and looked away.

"I'm from Berlin New Hampshire."

She, Taylor, and Paige all blinked.

"Oh my god."

"That explains so much."

"Yeah."

Tyler hugged Rey now and she smiled as she kissed him.

"Better?"

He kissed her.

"Much."

Selena smiled as he suppressed his dark memories again.

"So we'll need a bigger boat for SURE now."

Tyler chuckled at that one.

"Oh hell yeah. It'll be cramped for the time being but we'll figure it out."

"Hey, Tyler, there's a kid runnin towards the train."

The soldier looked as a kid in green fatigues came over.

"Uh-oh. Runner."

The kid reached the train and saluted.

"Admiral Goreleech, Sir! I have an urgent report from the front sir!"

"Gon on kid."

"Sir! As of 12:00 hours this day, the Allied port at Huelit was attacked by a surprise assault from an enemy fleet! I regret to report Dapple has been sunk! Candice and Lily are safe aboard the Iron Steed!"

"Is the ship able to be refloated?"

"No sir! She was blown clean in half by an enemy torpedo in her magazines and her frame just doesn't have it in her! Her wreckage is being retrieved as we speak, Sir! End of report sir!"

Tyler sighed at the setback but gave the runner an extra 5k.

"Thanks Kid. I got it from here."

"Yes sir!"

He saluted and ran off as the soldier rubbed his eyes.

"THAT explains it. Dapple was a one off ship. Extremely powerful, but cotton tough."

Selena crossed her arms now as she settled by the coal tender.

"So we lost our ONE ship. What do we do now?"

"Hm. Now we get creative. Dapple's pamphlet just went blank. Yeah we lost her. Okay."

He settled against the wall and accessed his internal archive.

"Okay. We'll go for a destroyer this time."

Wisp came over the back of the coal tender now.

"we heard. So a destroyer?"

"Yup. Only question is if we buy her outright or pirate her from a fleet?"

The dirty blonde crossed her arms as she considered their options.

"I'd say buy. Just so we can get right to work and not have to pour resources into repairs."

Rey looked at him.

"DO we have enough to buy a destroyer, Gore?"

He shrugged.

"if not, we'll do some grinding with our current gear so we CAN afford it. We got the hands for a few large scale assaults now with either our trains or our tanks. And since there's a few cities left under enemy control, we can take them ourselves."

Selena looked at Emma, Paige, and Taylor now.

"That might be a good idea, Tyler. We have 7 new soldiers to train and kit out so we could make good use of the practice."

"You've a point Shadow. Plus if we use the trains, we can get them leveled for the next floor. OR we can use the Zeppelin and planes for a hard air assault. THAT could be fun."

Emma smiled.

"I've always wanted to fly in an airship. Sadly their not really the safest option."

Rey smirked.

"Let's put some work into our tanks, Tyler. Since we'd use them more then the trains overall."

"Oh my god. You, me, Selena, and Wisp in Big Bertha, Sister666, sister222, Britbitch22, and two more in the white elephant, the rest spread between the remaining tanks? We'd have a full battalion in just tanks. Oh we are doing that."

Wisp smirked.

"we'll divvy up the hardware when we got back to the city. I for one want to do a full air assault."

They smiled excitedly as Tyler spotted another blonde with pink highlighted hair looking around the station.

"Got our rocker blonde. Yo! Rocker barbie!"

Rey, Selena, and Taylor all snorted at the callout as the new blonde looked over with a dark expression and Tyler waved.

"Over here toots."

She walked over and Tyler looked her over. She was half a head shorter then him with a slender, almost petite frame and white skin. Her hair was bleached blonde with pink highlights that hung to her waist. Her eyes were a lovely shade of green and her rack large on her frame. She wore a croptop of blue with denim booty shorts and combat boots. On her back was a trench gun 1889 shotgun and her duffel bag. When she spoke it was a higher, melodious tenor.

"Call me a barbie one more time an I'll shoot you."

"Sure thing Shadow."

She smirked.

"I know that one. And I will break your jaw."

"Ha. Avril, right?"

"Ingame I'm Avy. Tyler?"

"In the mess!"

"Hey."

"Love you too, Rey."

"Yay!"

Avy smiled at her joy before noting the other celebs.

"So, he's THAT kinda safety blanket. I'm not useless."

Tyler chuckled as he looked her over.

"finally. Someone that'll fit in here without issue."

Selena snorted.

"Jackass."

Avy sat by the firebox of the train now.

"So, what's the death sentence?"

"we're waiting on three more. Once they get here I'll lay out our tasks for the next few days."

"Sure. And we DO get our room beds, right?"

"Bunks in the command car, but shouldn't be an issue."

"Privacy?"

"well. Again. Depends on what you're used to. Single shower if you need know."

Taylor smirked.

"No doubling?"

"Ha. We DO, but it's mutual."

There was a small deflate from relief among the new girls and Tyler chuckled as he looked at them.

"We're sex addicted horndogs. But we get the nod BEFORE the dirty comes out."

Selena smirked.

"And if we have more men in the squad now, Tyler,"

"We'll set my room to the party room. Wherever it is."

"And a few other places for those that play. Say a part of the deck aboard ships."

"That works. Train we'll use the cargo cars."

"And the planes we'll see."

Tyler nodded before looking at Avy.

"So you know how to shoot that thing?"

She smiled as she held her trench gun.

"Not REALLY, but it's a shotgun so not that complicated."

"Smart. Hm. I think I'll set you up as another medic, Avy."

"how involved is it?"

"Just stick em with the needle and they revive. Even if they got blown to bits, just find the head and jab em in the eye."

"I can do that."

Taylor looked over.

"me?"

"YOU I'll make a support riflewoman. Basically you back us up with clean shots while I lead the formation with whatever."

Emma smiled.

"I will be a medic."

"sure. More medics we have the better. Paige I'll set up as assault gunner."

The goth looked at him.

"And my kit?"

"Grenades, launchers, antitank kit, heavy rifles. You get the idea. Since you're strong enough to keep up, I'll train ya how to run like me."

Rey smirked.

"And how to THINK like you."

Taylor looked at her.

"Rey?"

"Improvise. THAT is HIS watchword. Tyler never has a set in stone plan. EVER. His way is to have a few guidelines and make it up as he goes. Hasn't failed yet."

Avy chuckled.

"Jack would be proud."

Taylor sighed.

"So our legendary leader is insane."

Tyler chuckled.

"Well thank heaven for that then. Cause other wise this'd probably never work."

Emma looked at him mildly impressed.

"I HEARD Jack say that. You do impressions?"

"Welll, me beauty, ya best start believing in ghost stories. For you see, tonight? YOU'RE in one!"

The actress clapped at the gravely voice and speech pattern.

"That was great. Have you ever acted before, Tyler?"

"A few times in the wars back up north. Some jobs required me to blend. Ya I kinda got good at it."

Avy sighed.

"I did a concert on the top of MT Washington for some freakin charity thing once and we had to have full on MARINES guarding us since the wars extended to the peak. Like I had to be driven to the summit in a freakin Blackhawk. I learned it was because of just how DANGEROUS that regions was."

Tyler blinked.

"Wait a minute. How many years ago was this, Avy?"

"2?"

"HA. I was there."

"No shit?"

"Yeah. Remember that psychopath your head of security hired from the locals as a deterrent for the town? You remember. The one that you would up sleeping with that night?"

She JUMPED!

"THAT was YOU?"

"Hiya Avi!"

"HOLY SHIT. How did I not recognize you, Tyler? You only look the exact same!"

The soldier chuckled as the bleach blonde sat beside him now.

"You're still really bad with faces, Avy. So. Looks like you're running with ME again."

"Tyler?"

He kissed Rey as she spoke in a cold voice.

"Avy's an exgirlfriend. We dated for the week she was in the area since I was the local monster they hired as a bodyguard."

"EX-girlfriend?"

"Yeah. Oh come on, Rey. I love you."

she smiled at that. And snuggled against him.

"I'm surprised you banged Avril, but not really. So any other exes I should know of?"

"a bunch actually. I was kind of a playboy at one time. Most were either you, Emma, Selena, or Paige's body types but with differing rack sizes."

"Any in particular to watch out for?"

"Hm. Casy. She was a psychopath dirty blonde with blue eyes and double Gs. NATURAL double gs. And my GOD are they hard and awesome. She hit like a truck and was your height, Avy."

Rey whistled.

"Whydah break up?"

"She raped a woman on a job since she was also hired a lot and found she loved how girls tasted. So she became a lesbian."

"Um. Okay."

"Yeah most of the stories in my town aren't nice."

She smiled at that as Avy lit a cigarette.

"Tyler's hometown is a legend for a reason. But, it IS a nice town if you want to live by no rules but your own."

Emma picked up on something.

"Tyler? Have you,"

"I have done everything you can possibly do to another human being to hurt them. For money."

"Oh."

He shrugged at her worry as he spotted another batch of flaming red hair by the platform.

"Eyes on our scarlet letter. Hey yo Spiderbite!"

The woman looked over with a sultry smirk as Taylor chuckled.

"How many a those do you have?"

"Plenty, Leg queen."

"Oh crap."

The new redhead walked over as Tyler looked her over. She was half a head shorter then him with short curly flame red hair and pale skin. Her eyes were green and her bust was large in her tight fitting corset of black leather. Her pants were low rider black booty shorts and she wore heeled boots. On her back was her duffel bag and on her hip was an MP14 submachinegun. She smirked at the lounging group and her voice was a sultry breath.

"So you're the legendary Goreleech? I'm Scarlett Horanson. Ingame jus called me Natashia."

"Sure thing, Nattie."

"Oh crap. So. Now what?"

"We got two more coming before we roll out. So for the time being relax and enjoy the fact you're in here."

She smirked knowingly and looked at Rey, the girlfriend.

"Anything I oughta know now?"

The pink eyed blonde smiled sweetly.

"We're fun. And you're sexy!"

"HA."

Natti sat beside Selena and the blonde soldier smiled.

"So you're a submachine gunner, Natti?"

"I prefer smaller guns since I like staying mobile."

Tyler reached into HIS duffel bag.

"MP14's a decent bullet hose, Natti, but for our shit it's just a waste of ammo. Here."

He tossed her a ZK-48 submachine gun with a 40 round side mounted mag.

"That thing shoots 9mm and has a decent fire rate. Plus the range is surprisingly decent."

She looked down the sights on the angular gun.

"I like it. I can keep it?"

"Sure. Sell the MP14 since that thing is famous for jammings. And it's not worth the grind to fix it."

He passed her the pamphlet for the gun and she looked the thing over.

"So this is how I upgrade?"

"No that's by hand. EVERYTHING in here is done by hand. You need to go to the quartermaster, buy the parts, take the gun apart, replace the part in question, and rebuild your gun."

Emma looked at him wide eyed.

"The detail is THAT indepth?"

"Check it."

He pulled his BAR out now and proceeded to take the entire gun apart right there in the cab of the train. The new girls watched as he reduced it to mere parts, then proceeded to put it back together again. Paige whistled once he reloaded the rifle.

"scary. And the train?"

"1 to 1 detail presentation. You'll see what that means once we roll out since you ARE going to learn to drive it."

Taylor's blue eyes lit up like lights at that.

"I've always wanted to drive a steam train!"

"Now you're gonna get to. Same with the planes, ships, and tanks."

Avy smiled widely.

"I want to drive a tiger tank."

"When we get there. But we got a few iconics laying around for ya to fiddle with."

Natti looked at him.

"Zeppelin?"

"A pure WHITE Zeppelin."

"wow."

Tyler looked over at the platform and noted a 7 foot mountain of a man walking along the platform towards the train.

"Hey big man, over here!"

The ladies looked over and gasped as Arnie approached the train. The older man looking decades younger with smooth skin and garbed in a open tac vest and green fatigues. He had his duffel bag on his back and his chosen MG18 machinegun that Tyler lifted an eyebrow at.

"Support gunner."

Arnie smirked as he stood beside the train.

"I see I am last to arrive. A pleasure ladies."

Taylor whistled.

"we got the god damned terminator. An honor, Sir."

Tyler stood tall now as he shook the big man;'s hand.

"We got one more coming, Arnie. These are Rey, my number 1 blonde, Selena, number 2 blonde. Rest they can figure it out."

There was a sound of various clicks and he looked to see the five girls all fondling their guns with a smirk. Avy saying it.

"I'm the third. And DON'T make me mad."

"HA. Sure thing Ava."

"Prick."

Rey smiled as she looked at the amused actor.

"Nice to meet you, Arnie. We're insane."

"I have heard. Now who is our final?"

Tyler looked at the platform and noted a slender man in a black outfit being followed by a mass of groupies approaching the train.

"Right there. Over here Johnny!"

The actresses and singers were stunned as Johnny shook Tyler's hand as well.

"I was afraid I got left behind. I landed from the helicopter and was instantly swarmed. So. Ingame I'm Neo."

Arnie smirked.

"Ingame my name is John. What is our current task?"

Tyler noted the mass of people now gathered around his train.

"NOW I deal with the groupies. Wisp."

"Locked and loaded!"

Tyler blew the whistle on the train before jumping onto the roof of the train with his 1887 in hand as he faced the expectant masses of other players.

"Only time I'm gonna say this. GET LOST."

He flipped the shotgun in hand as the 105mm cannons on the train panned to aim at the deck and the reaction was instant. Thousands of people all turned and fled from the station as they realized just WHO was standing atop the train, and remembered WHY he was so feared. Tyler chuckled as the last left and hopped from the roof.

"I hate groupies. Okay. Everyone report to the command car. We gotta lot to go over."

The entire squad went into the car and tyler passed the bill around for the city taking.

"5,000,000 per head payout. Kills net you an extra 10 bucks. It's a two day train ride to the city and the battle will be wrapped up in a mere four hours. Are you with me so far?"

Neo frowned as he looked at the description.

"We're to ride the train straight into the city? That's a suicide mission."

"Nah. Not for Gliepnir. She's a level 5 armoured train on floor one worked by US. Me, Rey, Selena, Wisp and her girls can handle this job alone WITHOUT the train. Since it's just a straightforward rampage. Alls you gotta do is stick your guns out the slots in the machinegun cars and beam any idiot NOT in our army's colors. Easy kills, easy experience, easy blood. Any questions?"

Taylor frowned.

"Civilians?"

"Not in that city. They've fled a while ago. City was declared a militarized town and so no mercy is to be shown to any we find within."

Natti smirked.

"Airforce?"

"WHAT airforce? My crew an I already killed every bird they had. But we got an antiair car by the caboose just in case some idiot didn't get the memo."

John nodded as he passed the bill back.

"Our role?"

"Watch and learn. All a you will be trained on driving Gliepnir, our tanks, planes, and the ship we'll be picking up. When not on the lines, I want you to learn your guns. Everything is by hand. Maintaining your gun, UPGRADING your gun, cleaning your gun, you get the idea. If any of you have never handled a firearm before buddy up with the others in the crew and do strip drills. If you need ammo speak up. I alone am sitting on close to 12mil cash so we can hook you up."

Emma smiled.

"Food?"

"Train's stocked. Sadly it's all in-era food with a few oddballs for refresh. Higher we go in the floors, more modern the food gets."

"That sounds fun."

"Oh it'll be intense. Now. An update."

They gathered around as Tyler leaned on a wall.

"Our light frigate, Dapple, was sunk in a surprise assault on the port while we were down here. We lost her as she had been blown clean in half by a torpedo. Seems she was just a flash in the pan type ship."

Wisp crossed her arms now.

"Now you say that, it DOES explain why she was so lightly armored and armed. She wasn't SUPPOSED to be useful and was more a gimmick."

"A troll."

"Exactly. She wasn't able to be refloated?"

"no. And her pamphlet burned up. All our OTHER finds are legitimate finds. So looks like we got one troll."

Paige looked over now.

"So barnfinds are a thing."

Rey smirked.

"And NO ONE is better at finding them then Tyler. And I do mean NO ONE. Our train is a barnfind and we were close to 600 feet off the ground when he spotted her rails in the dirt."

Neo chuckled as he looked at the soldier.

"So we're led by a loot finder. Perfect. So our quarters?"

"There's bunks in the walls of the car. Sadly we're kinda limited on space for the time being."

Rey looked at the train's diagram on a wall.

"And looks like we can't upgrade the command car just yet either. After this mission we can, but still."

John looked at the bunks set near the rear of the car.

"I have fit into smaller bunks."

Tyler smirked.

"Oh. And fair warning? We play a lot. And I do mean a LOT. So once we get our new ship we'll set up a few areas."

Avy licked her lips as she eyed his frame.

"It's been too long, Tyler."

"You are going to have to share with Rey and Selena. And Wisp. Annnd her girls."

"Oh this is gonna be good."

Neo smirked as John sighed.

"Active teenagers and kids. I can see the lawsuits now."

"I will on the OPPOSITE side of the train."

Tyler took a swig from his flask as Rey chuckled.

"In here it don't matter. Rules are very different since we ARE fighting for our lives. Plus since Tyler's here we can basically to as we please."

Selena nodded as she lit another cig.

"Pretty much. Since Tyler IS the fighting force's backbone, he's next to untouchable. For anyone."

Paige looked at him with a lifted eyebrow.

"So. We rolling out?"

He chuckled.

"Alright. Neo and john up in the cab. You'll get trained first. Selena. Rey. Wisp. Grab a girl each and drill em on your guns. Everyone else? You know what to do."

They smirked and Avy eyed Rey's busty figure.

"Dibs."

"bitch. Please. WE need to CHAT."

Tyler chuckled as he led the other two men to the cab while the girls all went to work. Neo smirked.

"And thank you for the rescue."

"Few things are more dangerous then a ladies' council, Neo. Wind up on the wrong side, and you are FUCKED."

John chuckled at that one as tyler dropped from the coal tender into the cab.

"My wife would love that one. Now. My task?"

"grab that shovel. You too, Neo. I'll get her steam up."

The trio of men had the gauges green in a matter of minutes as Wisp and the girls conducted their pre-rollout checks. Then the radio blipped.

"All clear!"

"Gleipnir is MOVING out people!"

He blew the whistle and the train pulled out of the station. John smiled as they got moving.

"Now this is fun."

"Wait'll the fireworks start."

Neo noted the various cars on the line.

"What's the flatbeds for?"

"In case we find something useful. Like say a tank or a truck or whatever."

"Ah. So now what?"

"Keep watch. Once we're out of the city we'll be more or less set, but right now we got close to several million people that don't like me."

John looked at the smaller teenager now as he worked the levers.

"The Battle for Tragonia."

"Yup."

Neo lit his own cigarette now.

"Some of my friends lost family to that massacre, Tyler."

"They shoulda gotten off their ass and pulled their weight."

John threw another shovelful of coal in the firebox.

"Do you not feel sympathy for the families you destroyed, Tyler?"

"nope. Most of their problems stemmed from their families, John. People nowadays raise victims and sheep good for nothing more then meat to the grinder. You get punished for defending yourself. And that stems from the base of our society. So. I made a choice."

Neo sighed at that cold reply.

"And you still sleep soundly?"

Tyler nodded as he kept an eye out the windshield.

"I do. i made my choice. And I played my part in that battle."

John nodded as he understood something.

"you had nothing to lose with the choice. All YOUR friends were beside you in the sky. So you kept everyone you loved. And sacrificed millions. For what? What was the desired outcome?"

The soldier smirked.

"Prove my point. And get us some proper help. I agree with what the devs are going for here. As I kinda think I KNOW what they're going for here. And look. We're on floor two and have millions of new soldiers being funneled into the war. We'll reach higher floors without much issue. And the only things lost were the weak and useless."

Neo blew a smoke ring.

"And what ARE the devs going for, Tyler? In your own words?"

"They're seeking to remind people what happens when we lose our fighting strength. And what happens when people refuse to stand up for themselves. Once the will to fight is lost, people become ripe for conquering and that in turn creates horrors like the holocaust."

John sighed.

"war is never the answer. Violence should never be a first resort."

"Humanity just isn't capable of that, John. At our core? We're monsters. Throw as paint and pretty words on it as you want, but at the end of the day every human being is a monster pretending to be something we're not. Strip away the shine and societal norms, and you have creatures that will happily subject their own kind to horrors not even demons would commit."

The black haired Neo sighed deeply at that nihilistic view.

"Humans are better then you think, Tyler. There is good in people."

"Ha. No they're not. They're just better at denying their own nature. Why do you think we have sayings like nice guys finish last and only the good die young? If people were as good as you claim, then shouldn't there be far less evil in the world?"

John leaned on the wall.

"I have heard of your upbringing, Tyler. in the context of your life, your viewpoint makes perfect sense. Yet, not everyone is an evil monster. Is Rey a monster?"

"She is. She's more like me then even she realizes. It's one of the reasons we click so freakin well. Her evil is softer the mine, but it's there. And every kill she makes in here draws more and more of it out. Selena too. Hers is more pointed since she was trained as a soldier."

Neo sighed as Tyler spoke in a calm, level tone while keeping an eye on the tracks ahead.

"You are a truly tragic soul, Tyler. and so jaded at 15 years. But. Back to the violence? An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

"Not the WHOLE world, Neo. Just the ones that don't LEARN. Once it sinks in that HEY, that guy can and WILL fuck me up, crime would drop substantially since the true villains would be dead already."

John sighed at that.

"And the ones that are merely misguided?"

"Are granted the solace of the ever lasting grave. If you make your choice, LIVE with it. And until you commit the deed, you DO have a choice. They can force the gun into your hand, put the gun to someone's head, and tell you to pull the trigger. But. End a the day? Up to YOU if you pull that trigger. OR turn the gun on those that gave it to you."

Neo looked at him.

"if they kill you for disobeying?"

"There are fates worse then death."

John and Neo both looked out at the passing city at that dark saying.

"You have a point."

"And a true one. I see we have differing ways of seeing the world."

Tyler smiled as he noted the tunnel ahead.

"That's fine. We all see the world differently. It's only when you try to force your own ways down people's throats we got a problem."

john looked at him.

"Did you not do that same with the battle?"

"No. all I did was speed up the inevitable. What you don't seem to realize was that was GOING to happen, REGARDLESS of anything I or we did. The way the game works is the enemy would keep trying to push us back, and if I had not held the lines as I did, and we got pushed back to the starting city? They would've still died anyway."

Neo looked back at the city.

"And if they had been given time?"

"It still wouldn't have mattered. Sooner or later, they would have been forced into a large scale battle. And the casualties would have been great. And make no mistake. There is going to be another. Once the kids from the higher population countries arrive? The deaths are going to skyrocket. And there is not a damned thing we can do to stop it."

John lit his own cigarette now.

"And where will you be, Tyler? In the sky out of reach?"

"Not sure. I'll probably be five lines up. I go wherever the fighting's thickest or where I can have the most fun."

Neo frowned.

"So why weren't you on the ground in Tragonia during the attack?"

"Because I an Rey had been on a mission already. We'd taken my monowing out for a change a pace and the battle started as we were in the air. Plus we captured the White Zeppelin that fight so landing wouldn't have made much sense since we had such a freakin power position with the runway on the blimp itself."

John frowned.

"So you were caught unexpectedly. I see. I owe you an apology as I was under the impression you fled from the frontlines to soar in the sky. Out of reach of most of the enemy soldiers."

"Sure. I like flying since it's a 1-1 ratio of realism. Though, I prefer sniping and being in the thick of it."

Neo chuckled at that.

"So you're a sniper."

"Yup. Carcano rifle. Iron sights."

"wow."

Tyler smiled as he trained the pair on the train's controls while they cruised through the city. Though once they left the tunnel and were pointed out to the grassland he nodded.

"Alright. Wisp, Selena."

The dirty blonde replied on the train radio.

"I got Emma in turret one."

"I have Natti in turret two."

"Neo to Wisp, and John to Selena. I'll get you two trained on the 105s. Natti and Emma to the engine."

John looked at Tyler before he went to the designated car.

"I hope the next massacre you choose a better option."

The teenager chuckled at that one as the big man headed out. That guy is intense. A few minutes later Natti and Emma climbed over the back of the coal car and joined the soldier in the cab. The redheaded Natti smirked as he passed her a shovel.

"Now I'm a railroad worker. Ha."

Emma was loving the feel of the wind in her hair as Tyler kept an eye out on the rails ahead.

"This feels nice."

"Must be nice to actually USE the real thing for once."

She smirked at the nudge.

"I DID use the real thing for the movies. But I was never in the engine."

Natti looked at him now.

"So what now?"

"Pay attention. Since you'll be up here driving her for a bit."

The redheaded actress nodded as they pulled out of the city.

"exiting city. Increasing speed to 50."

Wisp's voice was heard on the radio.

"Roger increase to 50. All clear."

Emma chuckled as the train picked up speed.

"You guys are tight."

"Should see us when we get serious, Emma."

"I will expect to be amazed."

Tyler smirked at her teasing tone.

"Well then. I think we can arrange that."

Natti looked out the windshield of the train.

"So we're assaulting a city with an armoured train?"

"Yup. You'll be in one a the machinegun cars and Rey will be with me."

Emma looked at him now.

"Me?"

"Same. Your role will be to drop an idiot NOT in our army's colors and keep any idiot from getting too close."

"I see. You?"

"I'll drive with Rey up here as my fire tender and security."

she nodded and Tyler smiled as the starting city vanished into the background.

"And heads on a swivel. Ya see anything interesting speak up and we'll check it out. Most a the floor hasn't been explored so there could be ANYTHING out here."

The recruits spent the next few hours learning how to drive the train and handle the 105mm cannons on the cars before Tyler cycled his latest pair for Avy and Paige. The blonde punkrocker smirked as she leaned on a wall in the cab while they cruised through some hills now.

"So I spoke to that hot girlfriend a yours, Tyler."

"The terms?"

"Cocky prick. I'm your third blonde. Missed your crazy ass."

He kissed her warmly and she smiled.

"Missed you too, Avy."

Paige chuckled as she shoveled more coal into the firebox.

"So you wound up with a harem of blondes. Lucky man."

"Interested?"

"In your dreams."

"So you want to fuck me in my sleep? Weird fetish but you do you."

Avy laughed at the turnaround as Paige had a new look of murder on her face s the train rattled on.

"I hate you."

He chuckled and peered out the windshield again.

"Hm? Heads up I have eyes on a town. Decreasing to 20."

Selena's voice was heard as the train slowed down.

"That town's not showing up on the map, Tyler. I think it's new."

He smirked.

"Load the guns ladies and the others. We got an unknown town ahead."

Paige smirked as she loaded her Fedorov.

"Target practice?"

He pulled a pair of binoculars and looked at the town.

"I doubt it. I'm not seeing ANY signs of life in there. Alright. You two head to the machinegun car. Rey."

"Coming!"

Paige smirked thinner.

"I'm not helpless."

"You're a rookie. So for the time being you're in the armoured car. Once ya got some experience we'll see about putting you in the open."

Avy had already climbed back into the command car as Paige glared at the soldier.

"I can help-"

There was a click and the bone white colt appeared like magic in her face as Tyler glared at her.

"NOT. YET. Get off that high horse and stop acting like a badass. YOU have NEVER killed a person nor even fought in a REAL. FIGHT. Until you have, I will NOT put MY life in your hands unless I absolutely have to. Now. We have a job to do, and I gave you an order. FOLLOW IT. Or I find us another goth."

Paige was stunned by the turn of events and then Rey came swinging into the cab.

"You're still here? Lady, MOVE. I need the shovel. Go back up Selena."

Paige obeyed on reflex as her mind processed the fact she'd just looked death in the face. Rey kissed her boyfriend and he patted her fondly before they went into their roles. Tyler was eyeing the town while Rey worked the coal.

"hm. We're approaching the station in town. Still no movement."

"roger no movement. Are we stopping?"

"Hm. Yes. There's a water tower there and we need to top off the boiler."

The train clanked into the station before stopping. Tyler stepped off the train with his BAR in hand and noted the state of the plateform.

"I'm thinking the town's abandoned, ladies and others. That deck has some serious dust on it."

Rey had climbed onto the water tower and was looking into the tank.

"There's water in here, Gore. If the town was abandoned, why'd there be water?"

"It's collected when it rains."

"Ah. Smart. So how do we play it?"

He frowned. Then smiled.

"Selena keep watch. Me, Rey, John, Taylor, and Wisp will search the town. Rest a you pull security around the train."

The named gathered around him and the hulking John had his MG18 in his hands.

"what are we looking for?"

"Any reasons why the town died, loot, intel, and anything we can use. And to make sure we're not sitting in the middle of a trap."

Taylor had borrowed a ZK-38 from Sister222 and seemed really nervous as Tyler pulled the charging handle on his BAR back.

"Alright. Heads on a swivel. You get shot, yell."

Rey smirked as she hefted her trench gun.

"Idiot. YOU'RE the one that usually gets shot."

"Um. Yet you got beamed too."

"It was ONE time! YOU'VE been shot four times."

"Love you too. Barbie."

"I have a shotgun and it is LOADED. Prick."

The soldier chuckled as he kicked the door in on the station and found it deserted. John noted the blatant dare.

"So you HAVE taken wounds, Tyler."

"I was alone out here for most a the first floor, John. Rey joined me after a week or so. And I cleared three trench lines alone and captured an enemy railyard alone. That yard alone had 3,000 men, two armoured trains, and 40 tanks. I got hit three times. But I STILL got it done."

Taylor looked at him in shock as thye moved along the main street of the small town heading for the mayor's home.

"HOW did you do it?"

He sighed.

"I used a pair of swords and some stealth skills from another videogame to basically assassinate close to 1500 people. Then I used a heavy machinegun to mow them down once I had them lined up. It took me four hours to do it too."

Rey shivered.

"I've seen the way he does those types of missions. He's like a ghost. You see him coming you're dead already."

John looked at Tyler with new eyes.

"are you saying you were alone on the frontlines?"

"With the exception of NPCs, I was. Rey and Wisp's crews were on different lines while I had moved mine three ahead."

"I owe you another apology. I see I was fed misinformation. I was led to believe you DID have support but merely chose to go alone."

Tyler chuckled as he noted a large barn to the right.

"To a POINT they're right. I DID choose to go alone as I hadn't found any players to squad up with yet since the game had JUST started. I like to learn the mechanics of any game I play my way before I branch out to the player base. By the time the logout problems had been found I was the only play on my section of trenchline. And once the truth came out, those NOT already on a line just slammed their doors and hid in their rooms. Or went on a bender in the city."

John looked at Rey and she nodded.

"Tyler had cleared two full lines by the time my first squad had reached our FIRST. And he STILL had to help us take it as he'd flown his plane out as a change of pace. Was how we met."

Wisp smirked.

"And when we met, he saved our lives with Rey in his gunner's seat. By the time WE'D reached our line, he and her had taken three lines and however many depots, railyards, and airfields they had. Then he swoops in, helps us take our line, and flies off in to the distance like some kinda western movie star. I kinda fell there an then."

Taylor smiled as her eyes flashed and she wrote something down in her notebook. John sighed as he looked at the soldier.

"It seems the media has been trying to paint you as a heartless killing machine. You ARE, but there is so much more to you then they report. Why I believed them is beyond me."

Tyler shrugged as he eyed the barn.

"no biggee. And I want to take a look at that barn. Some reason? It's bothering me."

Rey smirked.

"Another artillery truck?"

"Actually? I'm thinking APC for some reason."

Wisp chuckled.

"I'll go out on a limb here and say something TOTALLY fucking bizarre."

"Place your bets people!"

Taylor and John placed bets as Tyler walked over to the barn and threw the doors wide open. And they were rewards for their curiosity with a SIG 33 Self-propelled gun sitting on it's tracks. Tyler tilted his head at the odd thing with it's open top and side plating that served as armor.

"Now THERE'S an odd sight. We just found a world war 2 tank, kinda, on the WWI floor."

John was looking the thing over skeptically.

"Is it really worthy of being called a tank, Tyler?"

"It's more field artillery and a self propelled gun at best. But we'll be able to use it. If only as an extra piece of artillery."

Wisp walked over to the cannon now.

"Looks like the cannons' been downgraded. Usually it's got a 150mm howitzer. This just has a mere 50."

"Hm. That's odd. Okay. Let's find the pamphlet and see what we're dealing with."

Taylor looked the thing over curiously as the friends searched the barn.

"So we find sone random town and find a random tank. Videogame. Go with it."

John was in the upper level of the barn when he found the owner.

"Up, here, Tyler."

The group gathered on the upper floor and Tyler noted the dead farmer with the hole in his head and a revolver in his hand. The gun being a le Mat grapeshot revolver complete with third barrel. Rey was giving him the puppy eyes and he chuckled as he passed it to her.

"Here, Rey."

"Yay! I love you!"

"Yeah, yeah. Love you too."

John chuckled at the exchange.

"My wife has done the same thing to me."

"She's lucky I love her much as I do. It's why she can get away with this crap."

The bigger man just smiled and said nothing further. Taylor smirked as she saw Rey looking the gun over.

"Shameless."

"eat me."

"Wow."

Wisp just chuckled at Rey's retort while Tyler found the pamphlet for the tank.

"Rey's a shameless girl when it comes to that loverboy there. And they get so freakin lovey dovey at times it's a little cringey."

"I love you, Rey."

"I love you too, Gore."

John smiled at the warm exchange.

"Good kids. Now. The pamphlet reveal any details?"

Tyler sighed as he looked at the fine print.

"Yeah. That thing's another troll find. Get this. It's level? 4. With THAT kinda armament. A 50mm cannon can BARELY pierce 5mm of armor at a direct impact. Plus the engine and belt system have severe flaws too due to some sabotage."

Wisp crossed her arms now.

"Leave it?"

"Part a me WANTS to, Wisp, but at the same time? Ite IS a level four by default. So I can repair and outright replace most of the faulty hardware. And it IS a WWII tank so if we put the work in it NOW, we can use it LATER."

Rey smiled.

"you thought the same thing for Dapple. And look what happened? We got ONE mission out of her before she sank. And to be perfectly honest we got LUCKY with that. You really want to take the chance?"

He smiled at the logic.

"You've a point, Rey. We'll still take it and sell it to the tank master. Easy payout."

John nodded as he looked at the vehicle in question.

"That seems the best option. I for one do not like the way we are exposed on the hull there."

"To be FAIR? It WASN'T designed to be a tank killer or get into ACTUAL combat, John. It's just a field gun with a shield."

Tyler then looked around the room now.

"And now that I think on it? I feel like we're missing something here. Like-ah. There."

He walked over to a large poster on a wall and Taylor frowned as she looked at the faded thing.

"It's just a flag?"

"Is it? Rey?"

The experienced blonde smiled as she saw the CLEAR treasure map hidden in the flag's threads.

"There's a treasure map hidden in the threads of the flag."

John blinked.

"Are we to go after it?"

"Oh absolutely. We found Dapple off just such a map. And this one is leading us towards…..a mountain. Hm. I wonder if it's another blimp?"

Wisp set her map out beside the flag now.

"that mountain range is on our way. My guess it's a mere hour walk from this part of the line here."

"Same drill as last time."

"That tank as transport?"

"If I feel I can trust it once we drive it a bit."

"Got it. The town?"

"Was a loot town. We got the loot. Let's get back to Gleipnir."

The group returned to the tank and Tyler climbed atop the thing and found the driver's controls. John helped guide the tank out once the thing fired up and the girls all took up guide spots on the sides since Tyler's vision was rather obstructed. Selena laughed as they returned with a tank.

"Another oddball?"

Tyler smiled as he took the crane controls on the cargo car.

"Another troll. We're selling it and we found a treasure map."

"Of course you did. Okay. Neo, John, help me guide the straps."

The crew worked together to load the tank onto the flatbed and strap it down. Neo came over once the thing was secure.

"So we're going treasure hunting next."

"Yup. You, Rey, Paige, Selena, and Natti are coming for the hunt."

"Gotchya."

The soldier had the train moving as Wisp poked her head over the coal car.

"The refill cost 34k."

"Thanks Wisp. Anything else?"

"Nah. The girls wanna do some flatbed tanning, but that's all."

"Go for it."

"Will do!"

Neo chuckled as the dirty blonde left.

"Must be nice having all those girls to yourself, Tyler."

"Oh you have NO idea. We have fun. Plus we're all really good friends too."

Selena dropped into the cab now and got a warm kiss off the soldier.

"I looked the SIG over. Bad news."

"Sabotage?"

"Yup. And they replaced the rounds with faulty shells. We try to fire the thing it'll explode. John said you wanted to sell it?"

"Since that seemed the most we could use it for."

"I don't think we'll get a lot, but then again we DID get it for free."

Tyler looked ahead through the windshield of the train and smirked as the mountain came into view.

"We'll see what we can get. And the mountain is in sight ladies and Paige. Load up."