“Come on Kobra! You take for-fucking-ever! Let’s go! Death said he’s got some important things to tell us, now move! Undelay! Undelay! Move it!” Party herded his much less motivated brother out of his room. Jet and I stood out in the dark hallway, slightly laughing as Kobra finally came out only half dressed and far from ready for today’s move.

We walked silently down the dark hallway, and through the main entrance of our small camp. Heading out to the burning desert to walk over to where Dr. Death-Defying hid away for is usual radio casts. As usual Grace was outside playing with some of the other Killjoys. Sneaking past her to get inside; that’s called mission impossible. This time, however, was different. She just looked at us, a sad puppy dog face plastered on her. She just waved and went back to playing.

“Guess Doc talked to her already.” My guess was as good as any, made it easier for a sad and long goodbye. Saving us the trouble of getting a crowbar and having to pry her off one of our legs. We walked into Doc’s little shack of a building. He was sitting in his chair, hunched over his desk like always. Just because the battle for Battery City was over, doesn’t mean it was time to slack off. Everyone was still at work, some more than others.

“About time you four got here.”

“Sorry, some of us weren’t so motivated to wake up on the first go.” Party replied glaring over at Kobra who just shrugged it off with a yawn.

“Actually surprised you all showed up. Anyways, down to business. I hope you are all ready for the trip ahead of you. Your Trans AM is being taken care of as we speak. So it comes down to just you four. Your ray-guns won’t serve as much help as they did. Not as much as these will.” Doc threw a gun towards Party who caught it without hesitation, as did the rest of us. It was still a ray-gun but defiantly different from our smaller models. It seemed like a cross between a Ruger MK III and GSG G522. It had more of GSG body and weight, but the barrel of the MK and feel of one. All and all it had a kick and delivered a strong punch.

“Thanks for new gun Doc, but I feel like there’s something else you have for us.” Kobra pointed out, toying with the new gun a bit.

“Yes, well. The trip shouldn’t take you four more than two days. As long as you keep going straight threw. Avoid, and I mean this, avoid all this area around the Strip.” Doc pulled out a map, pointing and circling a large area around the Las Vegas Strip. “You guys enter this area; there isn’t much hope for a full return. This marks the battle ground; this is the enemy’s territory. Stay out of it.”

“I thought we were going to New Vegas though? How are we supposed to get there if we can’t enter it Death?” Party pointed out grabbing the map from Doc, studying it to great detail. “It’s the New Vegas project. You all know the Old Strip right?”

“The one with the giant roof light show thing, right?”

“That’s it. That’s where you four are heading. Take this rout here.” Doc pointed to the map again, highlighting an old rout. “This rout will take you straight to their first gate. The guards really shouldn’t bother you all that much, but if they do, just answer truthfully. And Party, don’t give them any of that sass you’re known for. Alright?” Party nodded in agreement, not really paying much attention to what Doc was saying, but more to the red zones on the map. All the x’s and checkmarks, with the green and red zones, a black circle and squiggly lines taking up most of the space.

“Past these gates it should be pretty straight forward. Now I’ve got some things to show you four.” Doc said reaching down to the bag set by his desk, pulling out a black binder. “These battles are like nothing you’ve seen before. Most of which you’ve only ever imagined could happen on some deranged world. This is a new breed of combat; you need to know what to look out for. Here, look through these real quick.” I was handed the binder, as everyone shuffled closer to me. It was filled with old photos, well they looked older. There were pictures of Killjoys, and different cars and weapons. Then there were some of weird machines, creatures, people that didn’t look like they should still be alive, and then there were just shadows of objects that couldn’t be fully seen.

“Okay, cool cars, and I think I recognize some of these Killjoys, but… what about these things. This can’t be real Doc, they just can’t be.” I pointed at a section in the binder as I spoke. These things couldn’t be real. No way in hell could these creatures exist. Maybe the robot machine tank looking things, but not the animals, I guess that’s what they were supposed to be. Plus some of the Killjoys, they looked dead, like living dead. Decaying, rotting, just a real gross look to them, giant cuts that looked like they never would heal. Yet they were standing and talking in the photos. Living, like nothing was wrong with them.

“This is what I’m talking about Ghoul. These things do exist, and it’s important you know what you are dealing with. Some of these ‘things’ aren’t meant to be taken lightly. Got it?” We all nodded slowly. “Good, now look. Some of these Killjoys, yes you should remember from years ago. This group here,” Doc pulled out a picture of some Killjoys standing together in front of a Cadillac Escalade, “they were from this area. Some of my finest before you four showed up. Revolver, Ty, Hallow, and Z-A.”

Revolver was a girl no older than twenty-five in the picture presented to us. She was wearing a mask, rather similar to Party’s, and do to the quality of the photo, her facial feature were hard to make out. She had dark red hair with black tips; she wore a black t-shirt with red and black striped sleeves. On top of that she had a sleeveless, mid torso, black leather vest on. It was quite playing besides the loose straps that hung off the sides and two blue revolver pistols on each side. She was wearing skinny jeans, her belt held a few rounds of bullets, and on her waste sat two revolvers. Old combat boots, that looked like they were from WWII, were loosely tied up, and on the side of one sat a knife.

Ty was a different story. She wore a tight ripped top, which only covered her breasts. Leaving her stomach completely exposed, showing a few faded scars. She had short shorts on, and thigh high black and white socks, which were mostly covered by her boots. She was sporting a full teeth smile with her eyes squeezed shut. It looked like she had some form of weapon on her back, but all that was seeable was a few spikes sticking out from over her shoulders and under her arms. She had jet black hair, which looked to be braided at the bangs, then pulled back into a ponytail. She didn’t look that much younger than Revolver though, maybe a year or two at the most.

Hallow was the shortest out of the group, and his appearance seemed to match that of Halloween type of feel. Probably why he’s called Hallow. Anyways, he had short black hair, which was dyed purple on the shaven sides. His eyes were lined in red, with a black cross going over his left eye, and an x over his right. He was wearing what looked to be a bulletproof vest, a black shirt on underneath. There were some defiant dents in the vest, and what looked to be like some burn marks. He was wearing black jeans that were ripped up at the knees showing a grey plaid pattern underneath. Hallow wore some basic black work boots, which had defiantly seen better days. He looked to be about twenty-three maybe older. Defiantly the shortest out of the group though.

Next to Hallow and last in the photo was this guy called Z-A. He was defiantly the tallest and thinnest out of the group. Undeniably a punk rocker though. His hair was black with green tips; it was all styled up into a messy set of Liberty Spikes. He had what looked to be hazel eyes, sporting a cheeky grin, with one eyebrow arched. He was wearing a cut noose like it was a tie. Out of everyone his look was more relaxed. A simple dark purple shirt that had the sleeves cut off and the sides torn down. He was wearing dark blue, almost black, skinny jeans, with a studded belt, and a square belt buckle. He wore basic Vans Convers, with pink shoe laces. If anything he reminded me of our old friend James Euringer, better known as Jimmy Urine.

“Alright, well, these creatures here, they’re called Werevamons.” Doc continued, getting weird stares from all of us, as our attention was switched from the friendly group photo, to a beast that was pulling at the ropes around its neck and mouth.

“Were-who’s what’s? What the hell are they!?”

“Getting to that Kobra. First off they’re called Werevamons, ‘were’ like in werewolf, ‘va’ like in vampire, and ‘mons’ like demons; Were-va-mons, Werevamons. You’ll hear plenty about them so don’t worry about pronunciation. For the time being, just call them Hybrids, everyone will know what you’re talking about.”

Kobra crossed his arms over his chest, swaying slightly side to side, “Doesn’t explain what it is…”

“Would you just shut it?!” Party smacked the back of Kobra’s head getting a whine in protest from his younger brother, but silence soon to follow.

“They’re a hybrid. A mistake actually, but soon became a very powerful and useful animal in the warfare. They’re created by a perfect mixture of vampire and werewolf genes transmitted into a purebred mustang. You may not believe me now, but once you get out there, you’ll see.” Doc finished before handing the picture over to us. We couldn’t fully believe him, but yet there was no proof that he was lying.

The photo was dark and looked like it had been through hell and made it back by just. Of what could be made out, the thing was Satan’s spouse no doubt. They were built for combat, vey muscular, giant animals. They had the basic build of horse, four long legs, a horse like neck, a very short mohawk like mane, and a tail that didn’t turn to hair until about half way down. The head was way different from any animal though. It was built out, long kind of like a horse’s, but defiantly had the look of a dog’s. Maybe that of a Great Dane? What was really noticeable though was the brow build on the animal. Everything lined up to where an eye should have been, but it wasn’t there. At first I thought it just had its eyes closed, but then I realized there were no eyelids or anything. Just a blank space where an eye should be. Its jaw stretched far back into the skull, which made the bottom jaw square out over the beginning of the neck. Its neck held another odd feature, what looked to be gills. Three slashes on it neck; skin slightly folded over, but still remained open enough to see the red marks.

“Um, Doc…what’s going on with this thing? It’s just supposed to be a weird crossbred isn’t it? What’s with the extra features, and lack of features here?” I pointed at the gills on the things neck, I didn’t even notice that the whole thing did look quite weird put together, but it all fit. Everything matched, even to the claws that were propped out on the giant paws.

“It’s another way for it to breathe, and see. As you’ve probably noticed, it’s lacking eyes. To make up for that every other sense has been enhanced, even added on. They rely on their ability to smell, and taste, to make up for their lack of sight. The scents they pick up will actually form a picture of the objects around them. Like the vampires and werewolves. Over all their senses, smell and taste is the strongest, so be it for these Hybrids. This horn here,” Doc pointed to the rhino looking horn coming from its chest, “this is an extra breathing track. They can only exhale from it, but it clears their lungs from any dust, smoke, water, anything that may have gotten in.”

“Ahuh…” The whole thing was a bit much too really take in. This assignment was a bit much too really take in now. It went from a suicide mission, to a tease, and to now where it’s more along the lines of what the actual fuck is going on here!

“All in all, you shouldn’t have many problems. Avoid the heavy machines, keep off the big guns, and you all should be just fine to get there. I don’t know how long they will need your services, however. Just try to behave, get along with them, everything should be fine.” Doc finished up, putting the pictures back in the binder, and closing it back up. His mood seemed to change with these final words of great Dr. Death-Defying wisdom. He really didn’t want to send us off, like he knew something bad was going to happen. If he had something else to tell us, he would have said it, wouldn’t he?

We stood there, silent for a moment. It was turning into a real bitter sweet moment. An awkward stage in our little outer quest, I guess. “Well, guess this is goodbye Death. You stop by the zone every once in a while, yeah? Just be sure to see us. Nothing really left to be done here.” Party spoke up, looking up at Doc who was staring at the ground. He quietly sighed before looking up, and nodding. Giving us a slight smile to follow.

We all said our slight goodbyes, some more quite at first, but all stated and shown nonetheless. Nobody wants to be sent off for these types of missions, this one precisely. “Keep us posted on Battery City! Let us know if you find anything that would strike our fancy!” Kobra yelled over shoulder before setting his stuff in the car and climbing in. There were a few Killjoys out, most of which had no clue that they may never see us again, and vice versa.

“When you guys get settled, ask for a man called Saw. Don’t judge a book by its cover boys. Those men and women out there…they’ve changed. Find Saw, he’ll get you all set up. That group I showed you, become friends with them. You’ll need it. Now come on! You’re gonna fall behind, get going!” Doc tapped the front of the Trans Am, before Party started the engine.

One, two, three…Lock and loaded. Goodbye home, hello to the unknown and unwelcoming.

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Notes

I'm sorry but these chapters filled with detail are kinda important, in a way. Get it out of the way now, espcially the Werevamons cuz they're a big part of the story.