Wrapped up Atomic Highway Storyline

Tonight we wrapped up our test run Atomic Highway story line.

As our characters screamed back to the 'stead ready to make heads roll they encountered a sole figure sitting on a motorcycle. Dak told Dinah to pull the charging handle on the M4. Turns out that the guy on the motorcycle wasn't an enemy. He was a settlement council member looking for help. He told the bounty hunter and the scavenger that there is unrest in the 'stead but not enough muscle to do anything about it - that the leader of the 'stead is the real strong man in the region. He went on saying that the settlement was established with a legitimate council but has since turned into a cult that has taken on the mission to repopulate the world. He tells them that in the nearby hills there is an old limestone mine converted over to a brood pen. He also tells them that they were sent to the bartertown so that they could be separated so that Dinah could be abducted and forced into the program.

The PCs sneak into the mine where they are stunned to see the extent of the "brood mare" operation. It is immense and sophisticated with midwives and honest to goodness doctors. From the outside it looked like it would be a dank and dirty operation reflecting the minds of those who thought it up. Originally the plan was to crack some skulls and break it up. Dak balked because he wasn't going to shoot old women and they both were unprepared to kill real doctors when living in a world with far too few. So they egressed out of the mine and back to their car to come up with another idea.

They came up with a new plan. Dak was going to use a disguise and an Optimus Prime voice changer that Dinah found a while back. He was going to take Dinah to the cult leader's compound within the settlement as a female prisoner to exchange for a bounty. That would work right? Dak saw something like that in a movie once. But after working out the odds of surviving the plan it was ditched for one that better stacked the odds in their favor.

Their new contact disclosed that the head of the 'stead goes to the bartertown every other day with his entourage of 11 body guards. They travel in two vehicles. An old F-150 goes in the lead as "troop carrier" and an old BMW of unknown model follows. Mr. cult leader rides in the passenger seat of the car.

So, the PCs sneak into the settlement at night right past the posted sentries. Dinah sabotages the thermostat on the beamer so that it will break down.

The roll for the task came up 4 successes! They knew exactly how far the car would travel before being forced to stop.

Dak and Dinah had already scouted possible sniper positions earlier in the day based on a set of estimates that Dinah put together. The plan was coming together. They easily sneak back out of the settlement and to position along the highway.

Just as planned, early in the morning, the two vehicles appear on the dusty highway, steam pouring out from under the hood of the car. It sputters to a stop while the F-150 continues down the road a ways without realizing.

Dak takes a deep breath. It's going to be a tough shot. It's distant and the target is behind cover. There is only a small window of opportunity. Literally. He squeezes the trigger but misses. By now the F-150 is backing up as fast as it can. A second shot is taken but to no avail.

The dice were against me!

The F-150 brakes to a rough stop with men tumbling out of the back fumbling into a security perimeter. Dak takes another breath and flips the rifle to burst. The old man cult leader panics, throws open his door and tries to climb onto the back of the pickup. "He's crazy", the bounty hunter whispers to himself as he exhales and pulls the trigger with his breath. This time luck's on his side and the cult leader twitches in a death throw. His body is roughly hoisted to the bed of the truck as it lurches out of granny gear and into second.

Behind Dak, Dinah stands and fires a whistling signal flare. From her vantage, beneath the rising morning sun she can see the settlement and from the compound rising wisps of smoke. Then flames.

The bounty hunter and the scavenger grab their gear and slide down the obverse side of the hill down to their car and again they're back on the Atomic Highway.