Darkest Before Dawn

Along the Lonesome Road

Maddie stood on top of a rocky hill and looked ahead. There was a town that had a roller coaster around a hotel. She was still dressed in her outfit from the night before and still had on her face paint which was beginning to wear off. She had a small messenger bag that strapped over her shoulder and around her waist. Maddie went down the hill and jogged towards the town. Upon entering the town, she saw it was damaged from bullets and explosions and there were dead bodies on the street and leaning against the buildings. To the left of her was the Bison Steve Hotel and to the right was the Vickie and Vance casino. There was also a building up ahead with a large sign on top which read "MOJAVE."

The inside was deserted and appeared to be an office for postal service. There was trash and debris littered everywhere and what appeared to be a few shotgun blasts on the walls. A speck of blood was on the counter and there was a note pinned by a knife. It read "LEAVE NOW!" Maddie was not bothered by the grim warning and turned on the radio in hopes of getting news around the wasteland but instead the song "Big Iron" by Marty Robbins was playing. She went to the back of the building where there was a storage room and further down the hallway was a bedroom. Then, she saw what appeared to be parts of an android in a small closet. There was an arm, a torso, and a synth component. Maddie had seen these before and had wondered if the bodies in the street were humans or androids.

Maddie ran out of the building. As soon as she got outside, she saw four mercenaries. One of them was a young woman with short spiky hair holding an assault rifle. She was not wearing a shirt, only military pants and combat boots. She had a pair of Outcasts stickers attached to her breasts and looked to be in athletic shape. The other three also had assault rifles. Maddie hid behind the building. She knew they were the same gang that was after Dawn. Then, she saw more Outcasts come out of the Vikki and Vance casino. Maddie quickly scaled the building and hid on the rooftop behind the "MOJAVE" sign. She saw Rowan surrounded by the Outcasts. Then, the young woman walked down the street with the mercenaries and met with him. He pointed for her to head into the Bison Steve Hotel. Maddie had thought the worst that Dawn might be held captive by them. Rowan and three of his mercenaries walked down the street and headed towards the road. The mercenaries remained outside, each of them armed. Maddie only had her knife, dagger, and katanas. The three mercenaries spread out across the street and guarded the small town. Maddie had to take them out silently.

As a mercenary moved to the side of the building, Maddie scaled down and jumped on top of him. She snapped his neck and dragged his body behind a dumpster. There were two more by the Vikki and Vance casino. She ran to the side of the casino and jumped up on the platform where the Vikki and Vance sign was. The two mercenaries were standing right next to each other.

"Man, she's got a hell of rack man," one mercenary said.

"I wonder why she's always shirtless."

"You complaining about that?"

"No, I just wish I could spend some alone time with her."

"Yeah, good luck. If Rowan finds out-"

"Hey, it just a dream of mine okay."

Then, Maddie jumped down onto them; grabbing the back of their heads and shoving them down. With one quick motion, Maddie stabbed one mercenary and used her boot knife to slice the other one's throat. She decided to try and look in the Vikki and Vance casino. She walked in and saw the damaged casino. Slot machines were turned over, and there were bullet holes and burn marks on the walls and carpet. There was a black car on display behind a velvet rope with numerous bullet holes, shattered glass, and flat tires. She followed a blood trail that led behind the cashier counter. It had a cage in front and there was an older man sitting in a chair. The door was locked. With one hard side kick, the door flung open. The old man looked up at her. He was bruised and bloody.