Devil's Tower

Who: Grey & Poe and eventually Jax
What: Grey goes sneaking around Jackal territory and gets caught in more ways than one
When: Tuesday mid-morning
Where: Jackal Territory, on a path to the Vance Copper Mines
Rating: R let's just go with R


Grey was sitting at the kitchen table early Tuesday morning, as the whole 'family' was gathered in the main rooms to eat breakfast. It was a tradition that usually brought Grey some feeling of security and peace, but today his mind was anything but settled. Yesterday he had received an invitation to a meeting of the Tribal Leaders by the Jackals. He was apprehensive about it to say the least and had tried to push all of his doubts out of his mind, but then Sox had told him something odd.

Sox had been one of the many local kids who's parents had not had the burial that Grey's had. They had died when most of the adults had and as such their burial had been a mass one into the Vance Copper Mines. It hadn't been nice, but at the time it had been the last resort when bodies were piling up around the city. So like many, Sox had always grieved for his parents at the Mines. According to Sox, he had gone down like he had every month when there was peace to grieve, but had stopped just inside of the forest's edge. What he had told Grey was the he had caught sight of a full guard around the Mines.

That was in no way normal, and it just didn't sit right with Grey; just like nothing had since the Jackals had come to Sundance. After Grey had finished his chores that morning, he had taken off into the city and toward the Mines. Something was really bugging him about the whole thing, and since this Jax character was playing the 'peace' card Grey didn't think he was likely to harm a Tribal Leader the day before such an important meeting. It was a risk, but Grey had never really been known for his levelheadedness.

That lack of focus when it came to being careful was likely the reason the Grey found his feet falling through the earth as he was walking down the path outside of the city toward the mines.

As his head hit the ground, all Grey could think was 'get your knife out' and it was the first thing he did after quickly scrambling back onto his feet. There was a pang in his knee, where the force of the impact had obviously jammed something, but that;s not where Grey's focus was. No his eyes were darting around the bottom and top of the pit he had found himself in.

When he found himself alone, he hugged the edges waiting with baited breathe for round two, but round two didn't come. After half an hour Grey started to yell for help.

WHO: Ratchet, Jax, NPC mechanic, NPC guards
WHAT: A little punishment
WHERE: The power plant (and perhaps somewhere else, depending on Jax's method of punishment)
WHEN: Evening
RATING: ...depends on the extent of the violence.
STATUS: Incomplete // Closed

( Oh there would be blood )

Who: Jax and Danni
Where: The Lodge
When: Late afternoon
Why: Jax likes to mess with his play things mwauha

Jax couldn't care less if Danni starved herself to death, but he wanted to keep her around a little longer. He made up a plate of flat bread and some vegetables to take to her. For what he'd heard, she hadn't been eating lately. He was somewhat certain that there were things about the Lion territory that she could tell him; things that he would certainly find out on his own - it would just take longer.

Aside from her lack of appetite, he'd been surprised at how well she'd taken to being under house arrest. She hadn't attempted an escape, there hadn't even been a scuffle with the guards after they'd let her have her freedom in the house. He'd perhaps been cruel to murder her dearest friends right before her eyes, but that was just the way the world worked in Jax's mind. Kill or be killed.

With the plate in one hand he knocked on her bedroom door, but he didn't wait for her to say he could enter. He turned the knob and stepped right in. "Danni, I brought this is for you."

Who: Lawliss and Jax
Where: Jackals Lodge
When: Afternoon
Why: Discussing the upcoming meeting

Lawliss stretched his back, listening to the bones crack as he moved. That sound alone made him feel old. Waiting for Jax did too and Lawliss was one of the few who would dare to comment on it to his face.

Jax’s decision to include Lawliss as his back up for this leaders meeting seemed a weird thing, tactically speaking. It was normal really, for Lawliss to have his back; it was part of what made him useful to his tribe. He was also slightly more approachable than Jax and willing to act as a go between if the request was reasonable, but by being visible he would likely be raised above the level of a simple mercenary in the eyes of the tribal leaders of this new territory. It would make blending in for recon all the more difficult.

However, Lawliss knew what he was there for, to make sure Jax remained on a controlled level and if needs be to put the fear of God into the other leaders. As soon as Jax told him what the meeting was about anyway.

Lawliss smiled to himself, from mercenary to trusted enforcer, he muttered his thoughts under his breath. “I should ask for a raise.”

Who: Jax and invited leaders/associates (Wolf, Grey, Jed, Sensei, Hawk and Kestral)
Where: Waffle House on Highway 14 at the intersection of Wolf and TF territory
When: Sunset
Why: Because deception is fun!

It had been difficult to decide on a location for the meeting. Jax wanted something that was at once neutral for everyone, but at the same time, compromising on his part. He wanted to show the other tribes that he was not afraid to be around them with no weapons. It was a demonstration in sincerity, even though in truth there was not an ounce of sincerity about the whole thing. In the end he chose the Waffle House on the highway because it was in a kind of no-man's land, but also sandwiched right between Wolf and Twin Feather turf.

In his letter he'd specified that each leader only bring one companion and that everyone came without weapons. The first specification he'd honored by choosing to only bring Lawliss along with him. Lawliss was always good at keeping Jax in check and he was the best person to have on your side should the need for close hand to hand combat arise. However, when it came to the second specification Jax broke his own rules. He always had his switch blade with him no matter what and so even as he sat on the bar of the Waffle House awaiting the other leaders, it was tucked safely inside his boot.

Thankfully enough of the lightbulbs still worked in the restaurant for them to see by. It was only a matter of time before the first leader would arrive. Jax wasn't nervous, he was trained extensively for this sort of thing. "Lawliss, my friend, are you ready?"


((OOC: Tag to Lawliss first, and then anyone can jump in as they see fit!))

WHO: Sumi and Jax
WHAT: A near death experience and an epiphany
WHERE: Along the Belle Fourche River between the Jackal Lodge and the Winter Camp
WHEN: Late afternoon
RATING: TBD
STATUS: Incomplete // Closed

( It was a wonderful day for a swim )

Identical letters delivered to all the tribe leaders on Sunday by the same messenger who delivered the first letters.

( Dear Friend... )

WHO: Sumi and Jax
WHAT: She's doing what she normally does (namely not much) and he comes across her
WHERE: The Lodge
WHEN: Late afternoon
RATING: PG, perhaps?
STATUS: Incomplete // Closed

Saturdays for Sumi were exactly the same as every other day. The same as Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, etc. Mainly because she didn't do much like the others in the tribe. Having been raised like she was, she really hadn't ever done an actual honest day's work. Cooking, cleaning and sewing didn't count. She'd thought that once she became a part of the Jackals that work would be entirely inevitable. And yet, for some reason, Jax didn't make her work. She didn't quite understand it, but she was entirely grateful for it. Goodness knows that she wouldn't be entirely useful at all. So, even amongst the Jackals, Sumi was still the princess that she had always been. Nothing different than normal, save for the fact that she was no longer among the family that had sheltered her and brought her up since her birth. Although, there was no doubting that the Jackals had just as much capacity to do horrible things as the Naotaka family ever had.

That morning she'd done the exact same thing as normal. She kept some semblance of a routine that she'd had before the virus. Of course, now things were a bit more limited than they had been in the past. So, Sumi spent most of her time that morning reading a book. Something that she'd taken from her father's library when she was a little girl. Oddly enough, it was a book about the family that her entire family had been descended from. Valiant and loyal samurai of an emperor of Japan. Hence the symbol that her family had always been known by. The kanji for the word 'samurai'. Every member of the Naotaka family had it tattooed on them and Sumi was no exception.

Sitting by one of the large windows of the lodge, Sumi was curled up on the windowsill and intently reading her book. She caught the scowls that some of the others gave her as they passed and it made her smirk to herself. Not all of them could possibly be treated like a princess.

Who: Jed and Jax
When: Wednesday morning
Where: River Runner camp
Why: The men meet

The news that Gypsy was dead did not shock most, but for Jed it had been like a shot to the heart, never once had she ever seemed vulnerable but after hearing about what happened, he realised how wrong he had been.  To think of her in that trap, alone, starving, sad, confused and knowing she was going to die was enough to make Jed's eyes spring with fresh tears, tears he daren't shed in public.  Not even Silver had seen him cry though she knew he would, him and Gypsy had been through too much together for him to not feel one inch the quivering wreck he was afraid he might become.  And now with her gone he had become leader of a tribe he sometimes resented.  Sure he was all for free living but it hadn't been his idea, it had been hers, it didn't seem right to take over what she had built when he had been so laxed in helping.  But here he was the new runner leader, receiving messages from a strange new boss man taking up residence in the ML territory...one more spoilt kids ass for him to kiss, just what he needed.

What he really wanted to do was hole up with his girlfriend, hold her as tight to him as he could and thank god that she was still around.  In a way he was glad Gypsy hadn't tried to leave, that would have told him that she was unhappy, and even if no one knew it all Jed wanted to do was make Gypsy happy, afterall he owed his freedom to her, his life even.  He was eternally in her debt even long after she was gone.  Alongside his sadness lay his guilt, why hadn;'t he realised sooner, why hadn't he figured out she would never leave without her sister, why hadn't he done more?!  Why was she dead, why was she gone!  It looked like they hated one another but there was no one Jed had ever loved more.

So now he walked by the river, having abandoned his deck long ago and leaving Silver sound asleep in bed, his head still clouded full of all the million things he had to do and all the things he had to discuss with this Jax guy the thought of going back to sleep was tempting.

Who: Peri & Jax
Where: The Winter Camp
When: Tuesday Morning
Why: Peri goes to mourn a friend, Jax goes to decide how much the Camp is worth

Walking back into the camp where she had spent more than a few winters since the virus was bittersweet. This was her and her tribe's winter home after all and though they were not the wealthiest tribe, they certainly were the tribe that enjoyed their time the most no matter where they were and how tough things got. There were many memories that could make her laugh until she cried, but now there was a lurking unseen memory haunting the Winter Camp and she knew she needed to make her peace with it.

When Gypsy had gone missing, Peri knew she was dead. It was cut and dry because if Gypsy had wanted to leave she would have taken Silver, and if she had been captured there would have been word... demands. She had been able to accept that Gypsy was dead, it had hurt, but what Peri had not taken into consideration was how Gypsy might have died. It had been the worst case scenario of how she could have; slowly, painfully, and alone. Nothing could change it, or make it right, but that hadn't helped Peri.

During the war many things had changed, least of all Shepard had left. It had been a sad departure, but one that likely had gone far better than it could have; it had been clean and simple with a quiet sadness, but nothing more. Since then Peri had been trying to find not only her own footing, but her tribes'. They had lost Moe, but thankfully a younger member had picked up the business and was keeping them in a good trading position. They had gained as new leader, who so far was doing well, but would be tested with the new Lions... or Jackals now technically having the Winter Camp. That hadn't stopped Peri from 'trespassing' this morning, but then again Peri was never worried about her own safety and now no one was around to worry for her.

Taking a deep breath she walked into the forest. Her heart was pounding out of her chest and her eyes were watering at the mere idea of where she was headed. She knew where the bear trap was, she always had as she had helped set it on many occasions.

Who: Jax and Junk
Where: The Jackal Mountain Lion Lodge
When: Monday morning
Why: Because he has to start somewhere!

He couldn't believe that he'd been stupid enough to trust Straight and Saint with the task of killing Libby. Normally, he preferred to do his dirty work himself, but he thought that the task would be a good way to test how far the two ex-ML's would be willing to go for him. He shouldn't have trusted them so much, and had more of his men overseeing the situation. At least he had the satisfaction of knowing that the disloyalty had managed to get Straight killed. He'd had Straight's body thrown in the same place that all of the MLs and other take-over casualties had been: the open pit of the Vance Copper Mine. From what Jax knew of the area, the mine had already been used as a mass grave for virus victims and the occasional drifter that got in the way of the Mountain Lions.

He knew that if he had any chance of convincing the other tribes that he’d done them all a favor by wiping out the Mountain Lions that he’d have to be more careful. His original plan had been to kill Libby and for Jax himself to carry her body to Wolf, claiming that the Mountain Lions had gotten to her before he could save her. Of course, now that Libby and Saint were gone, that idea was out of the question. He sat down at Azrael’s desk and found some paper and a pen. It was time to send some kind of word to the leaders of the other tribes.

As much as he wanted to simply go in and finish the job that the Mountain Lions had started, his forces were not strong enough. The incident in New Haven had really given his resources a blow that would take months, at the very least, to recover. He was lucky to have Reina around to help him hold back his irrational urges. So as he sat there writing the letters he did his best to sound what his comrades would call, civil.

( “....” )

He folded the letters and stacked them at the corner of the desk, then leaned back in the chair to look around. Azrael had had things pretty good around here, he thought. The difference between himself and Azrael, Jax thought, was that he wasn’t so easily weakened by a grudge - and he always followed through on his threats.

He sighed and let his eyes close for a moment. The preparations for the take-over and the actual take over of the tribe had gone as smoothly as possible. Yet, the amount of work that they did and still had to do to restore the Mountain Lion property and power plant was a daunting task. The worst part about it was how little of his original followers he had with him. It would take lots of time to build up the force that he’d once had, and until he had more people like them, he felt like he had to be everywhere at once. Sitting there in the office was the first moment he’d had alone since they entered Sundance to take over.

Letters delivered to three tribe leaders on Monday around noon. The letters are delivered by three unfamiliar messengers who refuse to answer questions; they simply drop off the letters and then leave.

( Letter addressed to Wolf )

( Letter addressed to Jed )

( Letter addressed to Hawk and Kestral )

***OOC: Although Jax did not write to the Carrion, once Wolf makes the deal with them that they can remain autonomous, Wolf will certainly share the letter with Sensei and bring Sensei to any future leader meetings, etc. Also, Wolf will take the letter to Grey and see what he thinks.