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Post by Ridge on Jul 13, 2015 22:03:17 GMT
"Man, you had to bring a sour apple with you when you're sour enough?"
"Take a seat,""Riding in his car costs a few batteries or smokes. The box is for something else."
Dietrich's gaze landed on her, but he didn't move until a few minutes later. He didn't want to be here, not when someone else was controlling the train. But he had wanted to come along. Reminding himself of that he sat down beside her, keeping his gaze trained on the other wall.
"Will you stop complaining and cough up the information, yeah?"
"Always so short, Gray. You need to liven up a bit." "What do you want first?"
"Give me the exchange rankings."
"Cigarettes are still at the top of the wants, batteries are third. Matches, lighters, and gas is all tied for second."
"What about the news inside the cities?"
"Stay away from Locheshead. You thought the before routes were awful, now they're inaccessible. They've placed guards on each suspected route and have started snuffing out the black market. If you're going to trade, go to New Chicago or one of the cities along the tracks. That, or go to Camp Cod or Fort Wynn. Word has it they're looking for inhabitants too, and will pay well for work."
"I'm not looking for a place to settle,"
"I'm just passing on the information as you asked."
Dietrich listened, putting his bag in front of him. As he searched through it, he flinched as the door shut loudly- hand clutching the bag strap. His shoulders grew tense a moment as his mouth twitched.
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Post by Dresden on Jul 13, 2015 22:40:37 GMT
Dres snorted. "What about damage reports?"
"The plague is tearing through the southern parts of the cities, and many have set up quarantine zones. Again, food is becoming more scarce, and finding clean water is the hardest damn thing to do. Fires are ravaging the south and west, rumored to be rising gangs looking for control. Riots have broken out again in the Bad Apple, and Locheshead is on the brink of losing control over its people."
She nodded, taking in the details. When the train started, she asked, "Who's conducting the train this time?"
"Adam," Tobe replied. "He's been the same conductor for a couple of years now, surprisingly."
"And he's still letting you conduct your business?"
He shrugged. "Like you, he's pays me for information." Tobe grinned. "That's what us info brokers are for. We get paid by everyone all over the place and are nearly untouchable by the military because they use us, too. Maybe you should've considered being a broker instead of a smuggler, Gray."
She hissed at him, "I fail to trust you and your kind enough to be part of your brethren."
"And yet you pay me all the same." Dres glared at him, eyes sharp as daggers. "But it's okay. I like you, and I've no reason to betray you. You pay me better than most, which is shocking because of your age and standing. That, and I don't want to taste your knife like others have before."
Her jaw ticked and she looked away. "Where's the best place for business?"
"Right now? New Chicago."
"How many stops until we're within range?"
"Twenty. I'll be on until the fifteenth."
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Post by Ridge on Jul 13, 2015 23:04:25 GMT
"What about damage reports?"
"The plague is tearing through the southern parts of the cities, and many have set up quarantine zones. Again, food is becoming more scarce, and finding clean water is the hardest damn thing to do. Fires are ravaging the south and west, rumored to be rising gangs looking for control. Riots have broken out again in the Bad Apple, and Locheshead is on the brink of losing control over its people."
"Who's conducting the train this time?"
"Adam," "He's been the same conductor for a couple of years now, surprisingly."
Dietrich's head shot up at the name and something flickered across his gaze. Adam? Why did that name sound familiar. Once it clicked he laughed out loud before getting to his feet.
"And he's still letting you conduct your business?"
"Like you, he's pays me for information." Tobe grinned. "That's what us info brokers are for. We get paid by everyone all over the place and are nearly untouchable by the military because they use us, too. Maybe you should've considered being a broker instead of a smuggler, Gray."
"I fail to trust you and your kind enough to be part of your brethren."
"And yet you pay me all the same."
Dietrich listened a moment longer before he walked to the door and opened it just a crack. He was done hearing of payments and such, he had no interest in either of those things. Peeking his head out, he peered around before spotting the object in question. After a moment he stepped out further before jumping off. Only he didn't jump off, instead he jumped sideways and grabbed a rounded piece of medal sticking out before moving alongside of the train to a ladder.
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Post by Dresden on Jul 13, 2015 23:23:34 GMT
Dres's head shot up at Dietrich's laugh and as he stood and went to the door. "Oi, where are you--" Mouth clamping shut as he disappeared outside, she grumbled and pulled her pack to her side and laid down, using it as a pillow. "Whatever."
Tobe chuckled a little. "Seems you were left behind, Gray."
"I don't have any fucks to give about it. He can do what he wants, I don't care," she snarled at the man, rolling and facing the wall. "Get me before you get off."
Giving a mock salute, he smiled. "Aye aye, captain."
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Post by Ridge on Jul 13, 2015 23:47:35 GMT
Dietrich made his way down to the ladder, climbing up upon reaching it. Once he was on top of the train he began walking forward in the direction of the front.
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Post by Dresden on Jul 13, 2015 23:55:26 GMT
Tobe watched Dres for a while, who rested facing the wall, though when she coughed a little, he spoke again. "How are you holding up?"
"I don't want to talk about it," she murmured. "How do you know anyway?"
"Informants trade information." When she tensed, Tobe added quickly, "that's all that she knew. Nothing more."
"Was it Emo?"
"Yeah, she was concerned."
"Stop lying through your damned teeth," she snapped lowly, but didn't face him.
Tobe sighed, "Okay, no, she's ready to ring your neck for abandoning the field."
"I told her I put myself before others."
"She's a nut job, Gray. She's going to act that way."
It was silent a long moment. "What do you know?" she murmured.
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Post by Ridge on Jul 14, 2015 0:12:10 GMT
Once he made it to the front, he opened the hatch above the engine. Without even thinking he dropped down, where he knew a pile of unused coal would be located.
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Post by Dresden on Jul 14, 2015 0:19:28 GMT
"Only that you've kept it pretty well hidden despite all the sweeps," Tobe remarked. "However, that's to be expected from the elusive D-Gray the Nomad."
"Stop calling me that."
"Then what else am I to call you?" He stretched his hands out. "No one knows your actual name, where you're from, how someone your age has become a notorious smuggler by name but a ghost by face. There's few choices to call you-- Gray, D, or D-Gray."
Dres murmured, curling a little under her clothes. "Let's keep it that way."
Tobe leaned forward on his hands that rested on his knees as he sat criss-cross, making a face. "You're one of the most contradictory and closed up person I've ever met, kid."
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Post by Ridge on Jul 14, 2015 0:26:04 GMT
Dietrich climbed off the pile and made his way through to where the conductor would be. "Is anyone there?"
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Post by Dresden on Jul 14, 2015 0:37:13 GMT
"Good," she murmured, trailing off into a light sleep, and Tobe remained quiet and sighed, shaking his head.
"Is anyone there?"
Adam had himself pulled up, dropping down a moment later behind Dietrich, a hand behind his back. He was a little lanky and looked young, but his appearance was deceiving. "What are you doing up here?"
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Post by Ridge on Jul 14, 2015 0:44:08 GMT
"What are you doing up here?"
Dietrich stilled hearing someone fall behind him. Not even bothering to turn around he spoke with an amused tone. "I have authorization to be back here. Now why don't you put whatever it is your holding away and then we'll talk. He was glad that Adam hadn't truly seen him in years, otherwise it wouldn't be as fun. Sure he may have seen pictures of him, but those were so old it didn't matter.
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Post by Dresden on Jul 14, 2015 0:46:28 GMT
"I have authorization to be back here. Now why don't you put whatever it is your holding away and then we'll talk."
"Who gave you that authority?" he ventured, eyes sharp. "And I'm holding nothing, you know." He pulled his hand out from behind his back, palm empty.
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Post by Ridge on Jul 14, 2015 1:01:55 GMT
"Who gave you that authority?" "And I'm holding nothing, you know."
"I did. " Dietrich snorted, turning around with a pointed glare. "Son, I taught you that trick when you were a youngin'. Although I didn't expect you to become the conductor of this old gal. "
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Post by Dresden on Jul 14, 2015 1:26:48 GMT
"I did. Son, I taught you that trick when you were a youngin'. Although I didn't expect you to become the conductor of this old gal. "
His eyes widened a little, blinking away his surprise and shock, quickly reaching back and closing the knife he had slipped just inside his belt and place it in his pocket. "W-what? It's you....? What-- when--how--" he struggled to form his words.
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Post by Ridge on Jul 14, 2015 1:36:50 GMT
"W-what? It's you....? What-- when--how--"
Dietrich watched his expression, grinning in response to it. "Damn it boy, what did I tell you about the questions?" he pulled him into a headlock before hitting him on the head just hard enough to feel it. "That's for trying to sneak up on me."
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