Crossing Paths

Audie cringed and hunkered down as the shooting started, holding her breath and hoping for the best. There was movement outside, and shadows flickered past the windows, but her plan, such as it was, worked for the moment...

Rave and Angel grinned as the truck returned, letting the others take care of it. Their main concern was the ambulance. Moving up the on either side of the cab, then yanked the doors open, ready to shoot. But they got a surprise when they found themselves looking at each other across the empty seats.

"What th' hell?" Rave frowned, then nodded his head toward the back and started that way.

Listening, Audie took a chance that they had moved, and now crawled back into the cab, whispering to Arnie as she passed the storage cabinet, "Just hang on, it'll be fine..." If they didn't die!

Seeing Rachael make a u turn Jack said; "Now what the hell is that all about?" He muttered, applying the brake gently. The temperature was dropping and that meant ice on the roads.

"Don't know." Skye shrugged, alert now. "Maybe they didn't want to get near us?"

"Something's not right, but we need to take care, I don't want to slide off the road. Maybe you better have a gun ready, I mean, just in case." Jack didn't want to alarm Skye, but, precaution was better than surprise. He made sure his automatic was close to hand, and slowly accelerated again.

"Sure, all right." She grabbed the pistol from the console and gripped it tightly, careful to keep her finger off the trigger...for now.

A moment later, the tail lights on Max's truck disappeared around the corner and she tensed. It was only another few seconds before they turned the corner as well, headed into chaos!

Max's truck was off the road at an odd angle, partly in a ditch, and just ahead of that was another truck, its doors open. Flashes of light, accompanied by sharp cracks indicated shooting, and before she hunkered down in the seat, Skye noticed several other vehicles, including an ambulance...

"Sure, all right." She grabbed the pistol from the console and gripped it tightly, careful to keep her finger off the trigger...for now.

A moment later, the tail lights on Max's truck disappeared around the corner and she tensed. It was only another few seconds before they turned the corner as well, headed into chaos!

"Aw hell! This isn't good!" Jack said as he let off the gas to avoid the same fate as Max, and, to be able to stop without losing control.

[/i]Max's truck was off the road at an odd angle, partly in a ditch, and just ahead of that was another truck, its doors open. Flashes of light, accompanied by sharp cracks indicated shooting, and before she hunkered down in the seat, Skye noticed several other vehicles, including an ambulance...[/i]

Jack managed to stop the truck without losing control on the slick pavement, killing the headlights. "Well, we're gonna have to lend support. Damn, I knew this was coming but not so fast." Leaning between the seats, he grabbed the M-4 and a bandolier of magazines. He paused looking at Skye. "Can you do this?" He paused. "Look, we have to support the others these are the bad guys and the want whatever we have. Not gonna be pleasant!" He reached up and popped the cover on his dome light as two bullets struck the front of the truck in succession. "Out!" He ordered as the bulb came free. He opened his door and rolled out.

The screeching of tires, the sight of a truck going into the ditch. Rachel felt her heart leap into her throat. What else is going to happen, she wished she hadn't thought that as others came in to open fire. Their attention was taken by the arrival of another vehicle, opening fire on them. Rachel took the chance to roll out from under the truck,crawling forward then going up to one knee firing several more rounds towards Sharpe.

Sharpe ducked down, moving away from the ambulance, wanting to get a better shot at the woman who was in the truck. He crouched low crossing in front of the ambulance, he will leave Rave and Angel to deal with the driver of the Ambulance. He was right at the passenger side, popping up and taking a shot at Rachel. There was flash of flame when the rifle fired. At the same time another shot was fired towards Rachel catching her in a crossfire. Rachel felt something pluck at the sleeve of her coat, she gasped out, dropping back to the ground and rolling to another position. The ground was icy cold, she could see her breath in the faint light cast by the headlights of the truck. She was regreting having left the truck lights on, they were both beneficial but also a hinderance too.

A puff of dirt hit close to Rachel then another one and she had to keep rolling away from the truck, with bullets just barely missing her. One was rather close sending up a smattering of dirt which got into her eyes. Rachel's eyes watered, she had to stop to wipe the dirt out of her eyes. She heard the crunch of gravel next to her, "Hold still..." was the next thing she heard. She did the opposite rolling towards the person instead of away, the shot hitting a scant inch from her.She had left the shotgun behind, wiping the dirt out of her eyes. Pop pop pop three more barely missing her, she stopped her roll against the leg of her assailant.

Ol' Durham thought he had the woman right where he wanted,he had control of the situation. He moved his angle to where he'd have a direct bead on her...

Jack managed to stop the truck without losing control on the slick pavement, killing the headlights. "Well, we're gonna have to lend support. Damn, I knew this was coming but not so fast." Leaning between the seats, he grabbed the M-4 and a bandolier of magazines.

"Support to who?" Skye asked, quickly snapping a leash on Chump's collar, then tying the dog to the seat so he wouldn't get out. She glanced out the window, feeling her heart skip at all the gunfire. How were they supposed to know who the 'good guys' were?

He paused looking at Skye. "Can you do this?" He paused.

"Yeah, I think so." She grabbed the pistol, clutching it tightly as she slid down in the seat, fighting back the fear that threatened to engulf her. Her mouth had gone dry and she could barely breathe.

"Look, we have to support the others these are the bad guys and the want whatever we have. Not gonna be pleasant!" He reached up and popped the cover on his dome light as two bullets struck the front of the truck in succession.

Skye shrieked and drew her knees up, sliding to the floor beside Chump. She couldn't do this...she was paralyzed with fear...

"Out!" He ordered as the bulb came free. He opened his door and rolled out.

Hesitating, Skye sucked in a sharp breath, willing herself to move, for all the good that did. But when a bullet smashed through the windshield, that clenched it for her and she popped open the door and rolled to the ground, then scrambled under the truck.

There was no doubt that trouble was here as the gunfire started, and there was no doubt that Rachael had come back for them. That gave Audie some grim satisfaction, but then, she was worried for her new friend. It was clear they were outnumbered and she would have to do something to help, or Rachael was going to be in real trouble.

Shifting to her knees in the front seat, she turned to face the back doors, aiming her pistol there and waiting. "It's all right," she murmured softly for Arnie's benefit, then she held her breath and waited.

Outside the ambulance, Rave and Angel stopped at the back doors, nodding silently to each other. Slowly, Rave reached for the handle then pulled...

Nothing happened.

Well, not nothing. The door didn't open, it was locked, but a salvo of gunfire sent him and Angel stumbling back as they were showered with glass. Another shot and he yelped in pain as a bullet seared his arm. "Goddam!" he growled, falling to the ground, clutching his arm.

Inside, Audie fired another round, swung out the cylinder of the revolver, ejected the rounds, then dropped in a speed-loader. That done, she popped open the cabinet that Arnie was hiding in and grabbed the girl's wrist. "Come on!" she hissed.

A second later, they jumped out of the passenger's door, then dashed for the relative safety of a ditch.

Look, we have to support the others these are the bad guys and the want whatever we have. Not gonna be pleasant!" He reached up and popped the cover on his dome light as two bullets struck the front of the truck in succession.

Skye shrieked and drew her knees up, sliding to the floor beside Chump. She couldn't do this...she was paralyzed with fear...

"Out!" He ordered as the bulb came free. He opened his door and rolled out.

Hesitating, Skye sucked in a sharp breath, willing herself to move, for all the good that did. But when a bullet smashed through the windshield, that clenched it for her and she popped open the door and rolled to the ground, then scrambled under the truck.

He flipped the lens cover off of the scope and looked toward the firing, there were too many vehicles to ferret out who all were the bad guys, he's have to scope it before firing. "Skye, if you can't do this, just stay down!" He ordered. "Keep a gun close in case this goes badly." He spoke as he looked through the scope at the action to decipher who was who and to get a target.

Rachel's vision cleared, her eyes following upwards to where she saw the gun pointed right at her. The cold hard look in the guy's eyes told Rachel that he wasn't above shooting her right where she lay. She thought hard and fast wondering just how she was going to get out of this.

Durham was distracted by the gunfire coming from the ambulance and the curse that Rave uttered.Seeing her chance, Rachel kicked upwards, her boot connecting with Durham's wrist, knocking the gun from his grasp, the gun hit the dirt it firing off a shot, the bullet being sent off in a random direction.

Durham let out a howl grabbing his wrist, for her kick stung like crazy.He tried to stomp on her, Rachel rolling out of the way and to her knees She reached to where her gun lay nestled in the small of her back, quickly drawing it and shooting Durhamm, in the chest.

One of the others who had been shooting at the truck Jack had driven in, turned his attention towards Rachel who had her back turned to him.He brought up his shotgun aiming, and ready to shoot.

One of the others who had been shooting at the truck Jack had driven in, turned his attention towards Rachel who had her back turned to him. He brought up his shotgun aiming, and ready to shoot.

Man on woman? Easy . . . a three round burst aimed at center mass. The lead slammed into the man with the shotgun and his body jerked three times as the gun fell from his dead fingers, clattering on the hard packed dirt as his lifeless body dropped beside it.

Jack, rifle raised, looking through the sight, moved toward the vehicles prepared to shoot anything that appeared hostile. "You alright?" He shouted without looking away from his field of fire.

Clutching the gun, Skye huddled down against Jack's truck, covering her ears, her eyes squeezed shut. But after a moment, she took a breath and crawled forward to look around the front of the truck. Several feet ahead was Mac's truck, and behind them was Sarah. Taking a chance, she ran for Mac's truck, that was resting in a ditch at an odd angle.

Relieved that she made it there safely, she pulled open the passenger door and crawled in. "Mac?" Huddling in the seat, she reached over, her hand trembling, to check on the man. He wasn't responding to her, but he was breathing, and it was hard to tell yet if the accident had injured him or if he'd been shot.

Pushing Arnie ahead of her, Audie dove into a ditch, knowing that someone was hard on their heels. Her intention was to roll and shoot at whoever was after them, but in falling, her side slammed into a rock and she gasped, dropping the pistol.

Despite the pain, she scrambled to her hands and knees, groping in the darkness for the gun, but it was too late...

"Gawdam bitch shot me!" Standing on the edge of the ditch, Rave looked down at the girls, a shotgun pointed at them and Angel beside him. "I think I owe you."

But as he raised the gun, there was a snarling from the far side of the ditch and an instant later two dogs leaped over the gap and attacked!

Cursing, Rave fired the gun, but the shot went wild, then he used the stock to knock away one of the dogs.

"Come on!" he shouted to Angel, "this ain't worth it!" He turned and ran for the car. The others could follow if they wanted to, but he was done with this.

OFF:
Figured I'd use Mac's puppies!

Relieved that she made it there safely, she pulled open the passenger door and crawled in. "Mac?" Huddling in the seat, she reached over, her hand trembling, to check on the man. He wasn't responding to her, but he was breathing, and it was hard to tell yet if the accident had injured him or if he'd been shot.

Jack made his way quickly to Mac's truck. "He alright Skye?" He asked quickly, still looking toward the place where the shooting had come from. Taking no chances. "Need to figure out who was who over there. Looked like women being attacked. Hope to hell I killed the right one!"

(OOC: Sorry about not posting until now, have had some ill kids to tend to)

Jack, rifle raised, looking through the sight, moved toward the vehicles prepared to shoot anything that appeared hostile. "You alright?" He shouted without looking away from his field of fire.
The echo of the shot from behind Rachel,and the sound of a body hitting the frozen ground, momentarily made her freeze in one spot. She barely registered someone asking if she was alright. She barely registered the attack of someone's dogs. The tall blonde finally moved, after what seemed to her an eternity. There might be another, Rachel wasn't certain, carefully getting up from her knees.

"I'm alright, but there might be another shooter around here!" Rachel called out to the stranger that had called out to her.

The shooter that she was talking about, was Sharpe. He was tempted to take a shot at the tall blonde, but seeing how Angel and Rave took off and two of his people already down, Sharpe decided that he'd cut his losses and fade away into the dark. There will be another day, he'll find the people who had messed up his operations and get his revenge.

Looking about, hearing the silence of the night, Rachel crept over to the Ambulance, "Audie, Arnie? Are you there? Are you alright?"

Rachel noticed the opened passenger door, she looked inside didn't see anyone there. Where was Audie and Arnie?

"Audie, Arnie where are you?" she called out, trying to pierce the darkness.

Jack, rifle raised, looking through the sight, moved toward the vehicles prepared to shoot anything that appeared hostile. "You alright?" He shouted without looking away from his field of fire.

The echo of the shot from behind Rachel,and the sound of a body hitting the frozen ground, momentarily made her freeze in one spot. She barely registered someone asking if she was alright. She barely registered the attack of someone's dogs. The tall blonde finally moved, after what seemed to her an eternity. There might be another, Rachel wasn't certain, carefully getting up from her knees.

"I'm alright, but there might be another shooter around here!" Rachel called out to the stranger that had called out to her.

"Jack, Jack Burton. Have a couple friends back there. I'll watch for the shooter, but it's quiet, believe they've had enough." He said as he looked through the scope sweeping the area. He wished for night vision but would have to settle for the scope. He saw some movement, but it was going away from them, and in a hurry.

The shooter that she was talking about, was Sharpe. He was tempted to take a shot at the tall blonde, but seeing how Angel and Rave took off and two of his people already down, Sharpe decided that he'd cut his losses and fade away into the dark. There will be another day, he'll find the people who had messed up his operations and get his revenge.

Looking about, hearing the silence of the night, Rachel crept over to the Ambulance, "Audie, Arnie? Are you there? Are you alright?"

Rachel noticed the opened passenger door, she looked inside didn't see anyone there. Where was Audie and Arnie?

"Audie, Arnie where are you?" she called out, trying to pierce the darkness.

"I'll be back, have to check on Skye. I think whoever it is is gone." Jack said and moved quickly back to Mac's truck "Skye? He alright?"

Skye jumped slightly as Jack got into the truck, glad for the darkness that helped hide her fear. "He's breathing," she murmured, shrugging. "He has a pulse, I think he just hit his head, but it's hard to tell here. It's all right now, right?" She could hear Chump, in Jack's truck, starting to whine and yip.

"They're women?" she asked. "Guess if they aren't shooting at us, it's all right?" She wasn't cut out for this, she knew, but she could at least help take care of Mac. "Where's the dogs?"

It was quiet now, relatively, except for the occasional low growls from one of the dogs that were seemingly standing watch...at least they weren't attacking. Audie finally moved, shifting around to face Arnie, her hand advantageously coming to rest on the pistol she had dropped.

"Are you okay?" she asked in a whisper, her answer a hitching sob. Seemed the kid's tough exterior wasn't so tough after all. "Hey, it's okay, we made it, right?" she tired to console the girl who just started crying harder.

Then Rachael was calling and Audie stood. "We're here, we're fine." As she was replying the dogs trotted over to Arnie and nuzzled her, letting out low whines that seemed to calm her. "Who else is here?" she asked as she nodded to the vehicles behind Rachael's truck. "They help?"

"He's breathing," she murmured, shrugging. "He has a pulse, I think he just hit his head, but it's hard to tell here. It's all right now, right?" She could hear Chump, in Jack's truck, starting to whine and yip.

"Good, good, glad it's not more serious." Jack said, relieved that Mac was alright, or nearly so. "I think what we have is women over there. The one I shot was a man, but whoever they were, they were after the women."

"They're women?" she asked. "Guess if they aren't shooting at us, it's all right?" She wasn't cut out for this, she knew, but she could at least help take care of Mac. "Where's the dogs?"

"From the sound of it there's three, and Mac's dogs jumped into the fray, but they'll be back. I'm sure of that." He wasn't really, but he didn't think that they would run off, they seemed far better trained than that. "Have to wait for some light to see what damage was done to this truck. Hopefully not much."

"They are friendlies." Rachel responded,"The guy who saved me his name is Jack Burton. Someone by the name of Skye is with him. He's gone to check on the others."

Rachel felt bone weary, and was feeling the cold now, thing wern't finished right yet.

"One or two of their vehicles had gone off the road, might be some injuries."

Rachel moved to go collect the weapons, the one she had dropped and the weapons from the others. Then she walked over to where Jack and Skye were at.

"Hey, thank you for the save. I'm Rachel and my two friends near the ambulance are Arnie and Audie." introducing herself."I owe you my life." she said, a wave of relief washing over her.

Rachel moved to go collect the weapons, the one she had dropped and the weapons from the others. Then she walked over to where Jack and Skye were at.

"Hey, thank you for the save. I'm Rachel and my two friends near the ambulance are Arnie and Audie." introducing herself."I owe you my life." she said, a wave of relief washing over her.

"Jack, Jack Burton and the girl over at the truck is Skye, fella inside is Max." Jack said extending his hand. "Glad we happened along. Knew we'd see this sort of thing, just didn't think it would be this soon." He looked in the direction the attackers had gone, then back to Rachel. "Probably be a good idea to get away from here before they decide to come back with friends, if they have any."

"I'll get the rig," Audie said when Rachael mentioned that someone was injured. She trotted back to the ambulance, Arnie right behind her. As she climbed into the driver's seat, the girl crawled into the passenger seat, then silently buckled herself in and drew her knees up to her chest.

"We'll be fine," Audie tried to assure her as she started to slowly manipulate the rig out of the ditch. "We're not too far from home, we can get something to eat, a bath," she grinned, "some hot chocolate...how does that sound?" There was no answer.

The window had a couple bullet holes in it, but the laminated glass had held without shattering, although there was some glare around the holes. After a bit of maneuvering, she freed the ambulance from the ditch and drove it closer to the truck with the wounded man, then got out, leaving Arnie inside.

"Looks like the dogs belong to you guys?" Audie asked as she headed for the wrecked pick-up. The dogs that had helped them were milling around, letting out occasional whines. She climbed into the cab and smiled at the young woman there, who seemed uncomfortable, if not downright scared. "Hi, I'm Audie...I'm a paramedic. Whacha got?"

"This is Max." Skye smiled unsteadily, backing away from the man. "He's moving a little but he hasn't talked to me."

"All right...good job. Can you ask the others to bring the gurney over here?" She then explained how to get the gurney out of the holder, once they dug it out of all the equipment. Then she started to examine the man more thoroughly.

Skye climbed out of the truck, her legs a little wobbly, both from kneeling in the truck for so long and from her nerves. Her hands trembled as she moved over by Rachael and Jack. "Um...we need to get the bed out of the ambulance," she muttered, then she looked up at Jack and whispered, "I'm sorry..."

Skye climbed out of the truck, her legs a little wobbly, both from kneeling in the truck for so long and from her nerves. Her hands trembled as she moved over by Rachael and Jack. "Um...we need to get the bed out of the ambulance," she muttered, then she looked up at Jack and whispered, "I'm sorry..."

Jack half turned to look at her. "Sorry? You've nothing to be sorry for Skye, nothing at all. How does Max look?" He understood fear, understood it very well. Sometimes you have it, like he did his first time under fire, and sometime you get past it, much like he had, some don't. For some it takes longer, if at all. It was just the nature of things. Something else he had learned. Courage could be slow in coming at times.

"That woman says she's a paramedic," Skye told him, "she says she thinks he'll live." Taking a breath, she managed a weak smile. "I sure hope so, he's a nice man." Then she leaned against the truck. "I'm ready to rest for a while...just...stop. I know we can't but...it's a nice thought."

[i]"I'm ready to rest for a while...just...stop. I know we can't but...it's a nice thought."i/i]

"We can rest here for a bit, I doubt they'll be back, but I wouldn't want to test fate for too long." Jack said, half believing what he'd just said. Chances were that the bad guys would look for an easier target, but he couldn't be certain. "We need to find someplace to hole up, what with this weather and all."