#truck loading and uploading

[raccoonspooky]

If the slashers had dating profiles:

Slashers included: Jason Voorhees, Brahms Heelshire, All 3 Sinclair brothers, Bubba Sawyer. Micheal Meyers, Billy Lenz, Leslie Vernon

X Reader format. Gender neutral. Slight nsfw

Jason Voorhees:

The profile has several burry pictures of trees and what you think is some kind of shambly looking cabin. There’s picture of a bee on a weirdly gnarled looking hand with an offputting blueish green color to his skin. You figure that it must be the lighting and there’s nothing to be alarmed with. His profile description is wordless save for a bunch of emojis, trees and flowers and a campfire.

His height is listed as 7’0 so… you swipe right immediately.

Brahms Heelshire:

Theres several pictures of a dapper little doll doing things. Sitting in a chair, playing with blocks… You swipe through them intrigued by the strange little doll and lastly theres mirror selfie of a man holding the doll, the camera flash conceals his face but you’re able to get a nice eyeful of a tempting hairy chest. The doll is creepy but… if that’s his owner, he cant be too bad. Everyone has hobbies!

His height is listed and he’s a respectable 6’4. Under “Hobbies:” he’s written “Dolls.”, and added an emoji of a violin. You’ve always had a weakness for artsy guys. You figure he’s just some hipster. He’s selected various tags to mention he’s a homebody, and he’s looking for a long term relationship, and he’s a homeowner??? You’re sold.

Bo Sinclair:

Pictures of a dirty truck. Several memes about mechanics. You would’ve immediately swiped No, but he’s uploaded quite a few pictures to go through. Amongst the unfunny memegenerator images and past the ones showcasing a dirty old truck, there are several selfies to go through and the guy is just drop dead gorgeous. His jawline could cut butter. He’s got sparkly blue eyes and god damn does he know how to take a proper thirst trap.

There are a number of red flags unfortunately, his description is extremely long and it says nothing about himself besides what you can infer from his LONG list of what he’s looking for in a partner. He wants obedience, a good listener, someone who’s not afraid to get dirty, someone to cook and clean and do his laundry. It all makes your eyes roll. The weirdest part of his profile is that he’s selected that he’s looking for short term things, and that he’s not wanting to be tied down…? Yet he seems to be looking for someone who will just about chew his food for him.

To you, he seems like an overgrown manchild with a pretty face. But… if he’s only looking for fun, you could really do worse when it came to a no strings attached dick appointments. His page says he’s from Louisiana and you wonder what his voice sounds like… As you’re debating whether or not to swipe right, your phone buzzes with a notification that Bo’s superliked your profile.

Vincent Sinclair:

The first image of his profile is purely black and you think that it must be a blank profile. On a whim you read the tags he’s selected, and his interests include several different art mediums. You swipe past the black header image to see several examples of his work, he’s skilled in everything he does and wax figures are a pretty interesting medium. It’s not everyday that you find someone who specializes in working with wax.

His description is blank and he’s not selected anything in terms of what he’s looking for. Even so, you swipe right in hopes you’ll match so you can ask him a load of questions. Mysterious as the profile is, you have to admit that the guy is talented.

Lester Sinclair:

The photos in his profile are a little yikes. Though he’s not holding fish like every other embarrassing profile on this website, there are a number of photos involving dead animals. In one of the photos, the guy is squatting near a bloated gator, pointing and grinning. In another photo, a grimy hand holds a flattened rodent of undeterminable classification.

In the photos with his face, he’s grinning in every one of them. His clothes are kind of grimy and you can assume that he must be some kind of roadkill guy, hopefully as a job rather than as an enthusiast. He’s got such a sunshiney smile and you think he’s cute besides the grime.

The description attached to his profile is just adorable. Everything that he’s selected displays that he’s on this site genuinely because he’s looking for someone to love. Long term or short term, but nothing casual. He’s written that he doesnt have much but he’ll make up for it by ‘Lovin’ ya.” and its just so sweet that youre hitting that superlike button to send him a message immediately.

Micheal Meyers:

Blank profile. No description. No pictures besides a plain black image.

You accidentally swipe right rather than left with a catastrophic finger fumble and you’re surprised that your phone chimes with an immediate match. A moment later, you recieve a message and it’s just one emoji. A knife. Yikes! Blocked!

Despite the block. Your phone chimes with another message and you’re met with a photo. Its blurred for your safety, just in case its an unwanted dick pic. You have to click on the photo and what you’re met with is so, so much worse than the scummiest dick pic. The photo looks like a photo of the outside of your house.

Billy Lenz:

His photos are almost incomprehensibly strange. Everything’s blurry. One of the photos was a blur of movement of which you could vaguely make out a human shaped thing and a single eye. Everything is offputting and strange. The only non blurry picture is (1) single photo of a fluffy white cat.

In his description, theres a very strange paragraph about someone named Agnes, accompanied with baby emojis and then several cat emojis.

At the very end of his paragraph, you see that he’s selected several tags to imply he’s looking for something quick and dirty. The only coherent part of his entire profile is a single, long winded sentence about his apparent desperation to eat pussy.

Bubba Sawyer

Several photos of a chicken. He’s used one of those filter apps to put hearts and other things around the chicken.

Besides chicken pics, there’s a picture what looks to be a windchime made of bones. It’s hung up on a porch, looking out toward a green field with the sun making everything look warm and tinted orange. It’s a nice photo, Bubba seems to have a good attention to detail.

He’s selected no tags to help you determine what he’s looking for. But he’s listed his height and weight. He’s a big… big guy. You swipe right in hopes that you can beg the guy for a face reveal.

Leslie Vernon:

Finally! a guy who shows his face! His profile seems almost meticulously curated. He’s got all the things that would show up if you were to google “How to have the best dating profile.” Theres a photo of him with a dog, a photo of him covered in flour, a photo of him laughing and eating a salad. All the photos seem incredibly staged, which is…. strange.

His description is all about himself. He seems as if he’s been looking for an opportunity to talk about himself and he decided to use a dating website to do it. He mentions that he loves horror movies and that he’s in the “business.” You’re not sure what to make of that. Does he… make…?? horror movies? Does he run a blog or something?

At the end of his very, very long monologue that includes his favorite color and his all time favorite top five movies and music and everything under the sun— he closes his description by saying that he’s looking for his final girl. It’s cheeky and adorably stupid.

Strangeness aside, you love horror movies too, so you’re at least open for a fun discussion about them over drinks or something. He’s pretty much the only guy on this website that seems to know how to use it anyway.

[h50europe]

We've uploaded 44 HQ Screencaps to our Blog. Enjoy!

[gvfgal]

*New* 12. Barbarian Princess

Barbarian. Biker!Jake

*18+ story, minors DNI!!!

A/n: HI GUYS!! So there are about seven chapters left to this series (plus an epilogue) and I’m going to try not to drag it out any longer than necessary! So be prepared for more frequent updates going forward. As soon as I get chapters finished, I’ll be uploading them 🫶🏾 Anyways without further ado here’s chapter 12! Leave questions, comments, concerns where ever you see fit, and as always, enjoy ❤️

Content Warnings: Not much, just some fluff and of course some angst (cause what’s Barbarian without it?).

Word Count: 4.7k

“Good news for you, Bobby. Looks like we’ll be out of your hair pretty soon.” The Barbarians had made another trip to Bobby’s casino, some of them in the process of stuffing their latest sum of money into bags. Though this revelation was good news for Bobby, he couldn’t see past the piles of cash disappearing right before his eyes. Ace and Jake were getting a kick out of his distress.

“Yeah, you’ll be out of my hair,” Bobby replied through gritted teeth, “but you’ll have bled me dry by the time you get your greasy Barbarian paws off me. I’ll hardly have anything left.”

Jake shrugged. “Guess that’s something you should’ve thought of before you started stealing from us, huh?”

Bobby scoffed bitterly. “I wasn’t stealing from you all. You assholes just weren’t smart enough to see what was going on right under your noses.” He turned to Jake with a crooked grin. “Seems like Rex wasn’t on his job like he was supposed to be, huh?”

Jake’s mind immediately flashed to the money hidden in Rex’s walls. He hadn’t told anyone about it and still had no clue where it came from. The possibility that Rex had been up to no good behind the Barbarians’ backs, potentially in cahoots with Bobby, unnerved him. If Rex had indeed been siphoning money from the group and someone found out, it could spell even more trouble for Jake.

On the defense, his fist flew before Bobby could brace himself, the punch landing squarely on his jaw. Bobby crumpled under the force, collapsing into the arms of his men who were conveniently standing behind him.

Ace chuckled and shook his head. “Thought you’d learn by now to keep that mouth of yours shut, Bobby.”

The tension in the room thickened. Bobby’s men looked ready to pounce, but the sight of the Barbarians, cool and composed, kept them in check. Jake shot Bobby a glare, his eyes burning with a warning.

Ace clapped Jake on the shoulder. “Alright, enough fun. Let’s get out of here.”

The Barbarians gathered their bags and headed towards the exit, the sound of heavy boots on the casino floor echoing ominously—a stark reminder of the power they held. Jake shot a final glare at Bobby, ensuring his message was clear. Outside, the night was still and dark, the perfect cover for their departure.

As they stepped into the cool night air, Ace nudged Jake with a grin. “You know, kid, you gotta stop knocking out our business partners. Makes it hard to keep relationships civil.”

Jake smirked, rubbing his knuckles. “He had it coming.”

Ace laughed, the sound rumbling through the quiet night. “Guess we know what button to press if we need you to swing next time. Just mention old Rex.”

The Barbarians shared a chuckle, lightening the tense atmosphere, but all Jake could think of was the money. They moved towards their bikes, the metallic clinks of their gear echoing softly. Jake swung his leg over his Harley, feeling the familiar rumble beneath him. Ace and the rest of the crew followed suit, their bikes growling in unison.

Ace revved his engine and turned to Jake, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Next time, let me know before you decide to redecorate someone’s face. Gives me a chance to place bets.”

Jake chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind. Let’s get out of here.”

Ace turned to the group of guys with Nicky, who were busy loading the money into the truck. “We’ll take off ahead of you guys. Put some distance between us, just in case.”

Nicky gave Ace a salute, casting his usual glaring scowl at Jake before continuing to direct the crew.

Jake rolled his eyes, mounting his bike and pulling on his helmet. “That guy’s got a stick so far up his ass, I don’t think it’ll ever come out.”

Ace laughed, “That’s just Nicky being Nicky.”

The roar of engines filled the night as the Barbarians revved their bikes. They shot one last look at the casino, its neon lights flickering in the distance. With a nod from Ace, they tore down the road, leaving Bobby and his empty vault behind. The night swallowed their roars, but the message was clear: the Barbarians were not to be trifled with. And this was all thanks to Jake.

About twenty minutes into their ride, the group saw the flashing of red and blue lights behind them.

“Shit,” Ace grumbled under his breath. Jake looked back at the two motorcycle cops behind them, then over to Ace. They both wondered the same thing: should we run? Their first instinct was always to evade, given their club’s history with law enforcement and the thrill of the chase.

But knowing too much was at stake, Jake nodded towards the shoulder of the road, and one by one, the Barbarians began pulling their bikes over. They had nothing incriminating on them, and this was likely just harassment.

The cops pulled up to the front of the procession, right beside Jake and Ace.

“Evening, officers,” Ace greeted before the men even dismounted their bikes. “Any reason you’ve pulled us over?”

The pale, slender cop slinked his way over to Jake, while the shorter, dark-skinned officer walked up to Ace with a faux grin.

“Just wanted to see what you guys were doing out here this time of night.”

Ace shrugged. “Just taking a ride with the boys. That a crime?”

Jake fought the urge to scowl at the bony cop standing over him, attempting to intimidate him. He wasn’t scared in the slightest, just annoyed.

“Nope. Not a crime. We just—”

“We noticed you guys have been taking a lot of trips up to Bobby’s casino,” the cop near Jake interrupted, smacking his gum in an increasingly annoying way. “Care to explain that?”

Just then, the large box truck driven by Nicky zoomed past the group, safely out of the meddling officers’ grasp. Jake smirked as he watched it go by, then turned to the lanky officer standing far too close to him with a shrug. “What can we say? We love to gamble.”

The officers weren’t ready to relent just yet. “Gambling, huh? You sure you boys aren’t up to something more… interesting?”

Ace’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Officer, the only thing we’re up to is trying to find the next blackjack table. You know how it is.”

The shorter cop narrowed his eyes, clearly not buying it but unable to prove otherwise. “Well, just make sure you don’t get into any trouble, if possible. We’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

Jake grinned, his patience wearing thin. “Good to know someone’s looking out for us.”

The cops exchanged a look, then reluctantly backed off. “Alright, move along.”

The black cop began making his way back to his bike, but the other stood lingering beside Jake as if he had something else to say. Jake waited patiently with a smug look on his face.

When the officer realized he could say no more, he finally turned to join his partner, the two mounting their own bikes before speeding off into the night.

Jake shook his head, frustration evident. “All the trips we’ve made through here, and now those fuckers decide to stop us.” He put his helmet back on and turned to Ace. “How much you wanna bet Bobby had something to do with it?”

Ace chuckled, a dark humor in his eyes. “I wouldn’t be surprised. He probably didn’t take kindly to getting knocked on his ass. Luckily, the money made it past. That’s the most important thing.”

“I should’ve hit him harder,” Jake muttered, clenching his fist to gauge how sore it’d be the next morning.

Ace raised an eyebrow, grinning. “It’s not too late to turn around.”

Jake smirked, but shook his head. “He’s not worth the energy. Besides, we need to be getting back to town.”

The men revved their engines once more, the powerful roars echoing through the night. One by one, the Barbarians pulled back onto the road, their headlights piercing the darkness as they continued their journey back to Riley’s.

They weren’t done with the partying yet. As soon as they arrived, the sound of laughter and the clink of glasses filled the air. Angela, alone behind the bar, was already arranging a round of shots.

Ace grabbed two from the countertop and handed one over to Jake. “Gonna stick around for a while?”

A few other Barbarians crowded around them, raising their glasses before throwing back the shots. The burn of the liquor was a familiar comfort to Jake, and he savored the sting before setting his shot glass down on the table.

“Nah, I should be getting home to Cherry. She’s probably looking for me.”

The men around him erupted in playful teasing, shoving him and calling him whipped. Jake took it all in stride, a grin spreading across his face. He didn’t mind the ribbing, especially when it came to you, the mother of his unborn child.

“Alright, alright, leave the kid alone,” Ace laughed, giving Jake a rough shove. “Get outta here before she calls me looking for you.”

Jake said his goodbyes, the anticipation building as he made his way back to Cactus Creek, back to you, his favorite place to be these days.

He found you in your usual spot on the couch, curled up watching TV, waiting for his return. The soft glow of the screen illuminated your face, and his heart swelled at the sight of you.

“Hey, beautiful,” he greeted as he joined you on the couch. You were finally beginning to show, though just barely. A small bump in your lower stomach that filled both of you with a happiness you never thought possible.

“Hey,” you nuzzled into his side as he pulled you close, his hand immediately moving to rub over your stomach. “I missed you.”

“I know, I missed you too. And I missed you,” he spoke to the bump, a bright smile lighting up his tired features. It was always so endearing to you, the way he spoke to the baby as if it were already here. No matter what mood he was in, joy always found him whenever he got the opportunity to do so.

“Just three weeks,” he continued, his voice soft with wonder. “Three weeks, and we get to find out what you are.”

“Mhmm,” you were enjoying his excitement about finding out the gender, but you already had your suspicions about what was growing inside of you. “She did tell me that’s she’s craving that twenty-four hour Chinese takeout from Wu’s.”

Jake looked up at you with playful apprehension, “She? you seem so sure that it’s a girl. What if it’s another Barbarian Prince in the making?” He winked

“Hey, I’ve been the one stuck hanging out with her for the past three and a half months, I think I’d know better than anyone what she’s gonna be,” you laughed, “which is also how I know she really wants that Chinese takeout.”

“Alright alright,” Jake chuckled, sitting up from his lax position, “Chinese takeout it is, then. Anything for my girls,” he joked, throwing the word ‘girls’ out as if it were some unbelievable notion, “but we’ll let the doctor be the final decider on that.”

He moved to put his boots back on, grabbing up the keys to the truck as he made his way to the door.

“Hey Jake,” you called to him before he could leave. He turned back to look at you. You could see the exhaustion evident in his face, but you knew he’d never let it get in the way of doing for you. Never in a million years did you think you’d be so lucky to have someone who cared for you so much. After all you’d been through in your life, sometimes it felt too good to be true.

“I love you.”

Jake smiled at you, “I love you too, Cherry. More than anything.”

The ticking of the clock on the off-white wall was the only sound breaking the silence in the doctor's waiting room. You sat there, leg bouncing impatiently, flipping through a maternity magazine. The article on lactation held little interest for you; it was merely a distraction. You were minutes away from discovering the gender of your baby, and Jake was nowhere in sight.

The waiting room was filled with other expectant mothers, many visibly far along in their pregnancies, each accompanied by a supportive partner or family member. Your worry began to grow, and you pulled out your phone to double-check the appointment time.

You: 3:30pm!

Jake: 10-4 mama bear. See u at 3:30.

You sighed and stuffed your phone back into your purse, trying to quell the rising anxiety. Picking up the magazine again, you half-heartedly glanced at the pages, but your eyes kept darting toward the door, hoping to see Jake's familiar form striding in.

The doorbell chimed, and your heart leapt. But it was just another couple, the woman looking ready to give birth any day now. You glanced at the clock, its hands moving inexorably toward three-thirty.

Right on cue, a nurse appeared, calling your last name with a broad smile. You managed a small grin in return and cast one last hopeful glance toward the door before setting the magazine aside and following her to the back.

The nurse began the routine checkup, taking your blood pressure, measuring your heart rate, and asking a series of standard questions. The mechanical nature of the process offered little comfort.

"And I see here you have a Mr. Jake Kiszka listed as the father," the nurse noted, looking up from her clipboard. "Is he supposed to be joining us today?"

You sighed, feeling a twinge of disappointment but quickly brushed it aside. "He's supposed to be here," you replied, forcing a smile. "He will be here."

The nurse nodded understandingly and continued with her questions. As she worked, you tried to focus on the excitement of the moment rather than the empty seat beside you, hoping Jake would walk through the door any second now.

Once the nurse completed her initial checks, she excused herself to fetch the doctor for the ultrasound. Alone in the room, you took the chance to call Jake one last time. The phone rang endlessly before going to voicemail, leaving you feeling more anxious. You were about to dial again when the door opened and Dr. Turner walked in.

You listened quietly as she reviewed a few routine matters, nodding at appropriate moments, but your eyes kept darting to the door, hoping Jake would appear.

“Alright,” Dr. Turner said, grabbing the gel from the counter, her short bob swaying, “I’m going to apply this on your belly. It’ll feel a little cold, just a heads up.”

Your heart sank at the thought of Jake missing this special moment, and your mind raced with worst-case scenarios. But just as the cold gel touched your skin, the door burst open, and there he was. Jake stood breathless, looking disheveled with sweat dampening his hair, but to you, he was a sight for sore eyes.

The nurse behind him tried to hide her amusement at his dramatic entrance.

“Hey, I’m so sorry,” Jake rushed out, thanking the nurse as he moved to your side. “Dr. Turner, good to see you,” he greeted, but his eyes were on you, filled with relief.

He leaned down, kissing your forehead repeatedly. “I’m sorry, baby. I got caught up with some stuff.” You squeezed his hand, smiling up at him, “It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re here.”

“As am I,” Dr. Turner chimed in, spreading the gel smoothly over your stomach. “You definitely don’t want to miss this.”

Jake held your hand tightly as she began gliding the transducer over your belly. The ultrasound image flickered to life on the screen, and despite not fully understanding what you were seeing, the sight of your little one filled you both with joy.

“Alright,” Dr. Turner announced, “everything looks good—normal, nothing out of the ordinary.” She scanned a bit more, then asked, “Do you want to know the gender now, or are you planning to wait?”

“We want to know,” you said, voice barely above a whisper, not quite sure why you felt the need to be quiet.

“Do you want to know now?” Dr. Turner teased with a smile.

Jake’s eyes lit up. “You mean you can tell us now? We don’t have to wait for you to print some stuff up?”

Dr. Turner chuckled. “If you’d like to wait for me to ‘print some stuff up,’ we can, but I can tell you right now.”

You nodded eagerly. “What is it?”

The doctor paused for a moment, double-checking the image, before she revealed, “It looks like you two are having a little girl.”

Your excitement bubbled over, making you want to leap off the table and dance. “I knew it, Jake! I knew she was a girl!”

Jake stared at the screen, a look of astonished joy spreading across his face. “Holy shit,” he muttered, causing you and Dr. Turner to laugh.

“We’re having a girl,” he repeated, looking at you with pride shining in his eyes. “Cherry, we’re having a girl!”

“Can you show us?” Jake asked, still in awe. “How do you know it’s a girl?”

Dr. Turner pointed out specific areas on the screen that looked like nothing more than pixilated blobs to you. She could have said anything, and you would have believed it, so filled with awe and happiness were you both.

The room buzzed with excitement as Dr. Turner finished the scan, going over a few important points with you. She printed out the ultrasound photos, which you both gazed at like they were treasures. As you made your way to schedule your next appointment, Jake’s hand remained firmly in yours, both of you grounding each other in this unforgettable moment.

After the appointment, you and Jake decided to celebrate the big news with an early dinner at Gino’s. You ordered one of your favorite desserts, savoring every bite while Jake watched you with a fond smile. He loved seeing you happy, especially now with the news of your little girl.

On the drive home, Jake mentioned needing to stop by the Tavern to pick something up from Ace. You, feeling full, tired, and pregnant, grumbled the entire way there.

"Jake, I've been out all day. I'm exhausted. I just want to go home and cuddle."

He chuckled, reaching over to squeeze your thigh. "I know, baby. We can still do that. I'll be quick, I promise."

As you pulled into the gravel parking lot, you noticed it was lined with Barbarian bikes and a few cars, signaling a full house. However, the usual rock music was absent, and the normally bustling area seemed strangely quiet.

"You want to come in real quick?" Jake asked as he killed the truck’s engine. Despite your fatigue, curiosity got the better of you. Something was definitely up, and this was Riley’s Tavern, your Tavern now, and you wanted to be in the loop.

You hopped out of the truck and followed Jake to the door, eyes squinting with suspicion. As soon as he pulled the door open, you were greeted by an explosion of pink—streamers, balloons, and banners hung everywhere, one of them with ‘Barbarian Princess’ etched across it in pink paint. The room was packed with your Barbarian family, who erupted into cheers and shouts of "It’s a girl!" as you entered.

Your jaw dropped, and tears welled up in your eyes. The surprise and joy of the moment overwhelmed you. Jake wrapped his arm around you, grinning ear to ear. "Surprise!" he whispered in your ear.

"You planned this?" you marveled, looking at him, then back at the crowd of hardened men who had shed their tough exteriors to celebrate this moment with you and Jake.

"Well, Angela and I did," he shrugged. "We’ve got a lot of blue decorations to return to the store, by the way."

Ace appeared from behind the crowd of men, a pink party hat perched on his bald head, holding a pink, fruity drink in one hand and a cold beer in the other.

"Hey, I had a hand in this too," he corrected, approaching with a grin. "I’ve been here all evening blowing up pink balloons." He handed you the pink drink. "A mocktail for the mother-to-be," he said, then gave the beer to Jake. "And an ice-cold brew for the Barbarian’s newest girl dad."

The room erupted into cheers as everyone raised their drinks to toast the newest addition to the family, and the party kicked off. Angela found you in the crowd, giving you a big hug. "I’m so happy for you."

"I love you, thank you."

Jake was on cloud nine, walking around the tavern with his chest puffed out in pride, basking in the joy of the night. After receiving congratulations from everyone, you found a quiet table near the back of the room. You watched as Angela and the new bartender you hired served drinks, and the Barbarians partied. Despite the happiness, the news of your baby’s gender had your mind swirling with new thoughts and worries. You blamed your pregnancy brain and the trauma from your past for letting your thoughts wander during such a joyful time.

After a few minutes alone, Ace plopped down beside you, still wearing his party hat. He smiled at you, and you did your best to conceal your troubled thoughts.

"So... a girl, huh?" Ace smirked, his tone warm and teasing.

You couldn’t help but smile back. Ace always had a way of making you feel at ease. He was one of the first people you met when you arrived in Genoa, and he had been like an uncle, looking out for you when Riley passed. Knowing you had someone like him made life there a little easier.

"I know," you chuckled, twirling your straw around in your empty glass. "Can you believe it?"

Ace sensed something was off and leaned in, his tone growing more serious. "Everything alright, sunshine?"

You perked up, not wanting to reveal how conflicted you felt. "Everything’s fine! I’m really happy; I wanted her to be a girl. I knew she was a girl. It’s just..." You trailed off, your eyes drifting to Jake across the room. He was all smiles, challenging some of his brothers to a game of pool, money on the line, of course. He seemed blissfully unaware of the additional emotions the news had stirred in you.

"Girls are different, you know, Ace?" you continued, watching Jake line up a shot on the table. "We’re dealt different cards in this world."

Ace nodded, waiting to see what else you had to say. Your hand unconsciously found your stomach, rubbing it soothingly. "I just hope she’s dealt better cards than I was."

Ace took a swig from his beer, his eyes thoughtful as he watched Jake. "Look, sunshine," he began, "I don’t know what kind of cards you’ve been dealt in your life, and I don’t need to." He shifted his gaze back to you. "But you wouldn’t be in this position right now if it weren’t for the hand you had. There's a hidden beauty in that, you know?"

You stopped staring at Jake to meet Ace’s eyes. His words resonated deeply, cutting through your worries. "I think, sometimes, our hands—no matter how shitty they may be—set us up to be exactly where we’re supposed to be," Ace continued. "And that, sunshine, that’s the beauty of life. It’s unpredictable, and we can’t control everything."

His words were exactly what you needed to hear. Ace wasn't just offering a generic pep talk about how you'd be a great mother or how you’d shield your daughter from repeating your mistakes. Instead, he reminded you that your daughter would have her own journey, her own set of challenges and joys, and that was okay. It wasn't your job to control every aspect of her life; it was your job to support her as she played the hand she was dealt.

"Thanks, Ace," you said, feeling a weight lift off your shoulders. "I guess I needed that reminder."

Ace grinned, raising his bottle in a small toast. "Anytime, sunshine. I’ve always got your back.”

You smiled, feeling a renewed sense of peace and acceptance. As you glanced back at Jake, still engrossed in his pool game, a wave of gratitude washed over you. Your daughter would indeed have her own path to walk, but she wouldn’t be alone. She would have you, Jake, and an entire community of support behind her. In that moment, you realized that was the best hand anyone could ask for—one filled with love, support, and the strength to face whatever life might throw her way.

“Refill?” Ace asked, pointing at your empty glass. You slid it across the table with a nod. “Extra cherries in this one.”

You and Jake lingered at the party for another hour before slipping away, escaping the lively clamor and heading home. The drive was a serene contrast to the day’s excitement, the quiet road a perfect backdrop for reflecting on the news you had received earlier that day. When you arrived, you invited Jake to relax in Riley’s old, rickety hammock, tucked away on the back side of the trailer. It creaked under your weight, but the night air was cool and comforting as you both lay back and gazed at the star-studded sky.

“I still can’t believe we’re having a little girl,” you said softly, your eyes wandering through the constellations. Jake’s hand rested gently on your growing bump, his touch warm and reassuring.

“I know,” he replied, his voice tinged with wonder. “Who would’ve thought?”

“Well, I thought,” you teased, “I knew. It’s just crazy that I was right.”

Jake poked playfully at your side, making you squirm slightly before you both settled into a peaceful silence. His gaze remained fixed on the cosmos, his mind seemingly lost in the vastness above. You cherished these quiet moments with him, feeling a profound sense of connection.

“Where would you go, Cherry?” Jake’s voice broke the silence, his tone unexpectedly serious.

“Huh?” You turned to face him, curiosity piqued.

“If we packed up tonight and left all of this behind,” he continued, “where would you go?”

The question caught you off guard, though it was something you had considered many times before. Life had changed drastically for you in recent months, thanks to Jake, but the idea of running away still lingered in the back of your mind.

You paused, gathering your thoughts as Jake waited patiently.

“Somewhere quiet,” you finally answered, “way up north, like Washington. I’d love to live in a cozy house out in the woods, maybe with some land to grow fruit trees.”

Jake’s brow furrowed, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Fruit trees?”

“Yeah,” you replied with a hint of excitement, “I could grow fruit, make my own jams and preserves. Maybe I’d sell them at a farmer’s market.”

Jake’s smile widened. “I can see you doing that.”

You continued to ramble about the joys of living off the land, Jake listening intently. The image of your dream life was vivid and compelling, and he could see the happiness it brought you.

But as Jake listened, his thoughts began to drift. Things lately felt almost too peaceful, a stark contrast to the turbulent life he was accustomed to. He couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that trouble was always lurking just beneath the surface, he just couldn’t pinpoint what direction it was coming from. The money he had stashed away in Rex’s house, the potential for a new life—everything seemed to be aligning perfectly, but Jake’s instincts told him to be cautious.

A part of him wondered if now was the time to act, to take the money and make your dream a reality before anything could go wrong. Yet another part of him hesitated, sensing that the right moment hadn’t arrived yet. He knew that when the time came, he would have to be ready—but he just hoped it wouldn’t be too late.

Taglist: @edgingthedarkness @earthgrlsreasy @wetkleenex-gvf @hollyco @dannys-dream @slut4lando @josh-iamyour-mama @gretasfallingsky @takenbythemadness @scoreofinfantryvines

[basil-the-scorned]

Pleasure to burn

Adam Page and Swerve Strickland fic. This is the first part of this thing, I'll write the other part tomorrow.

This does have spoilers for this week's Dynamite so if you haven't seen it avoid at all cost.

ALSO, if you see a lot of reference to a certain book about burning things...yeah.

(I'll mention it the title of it when I publish the whole thing on AO3)

It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.

Adam remembers reading that sentence years ago, half understanding what it meant as he went through the book and followed Guy Montag's job of burning books and causing fires instead of preventing them. In the first couple of pages alone, he wondered what made him enjoy burning something that could be so personal to some people.

He finally got it with one strike of a match.

The media team always uploads so damn fast, so he wasn't too surprise to see on his secret account his name and face all across Twitter. He took another sip and let the warmth of the whisky fill him as he let the video play out. Adam wondered if Montag ever sat close to the flames like he was doing, letting the heat hit his back and watch the smoke surround the sky around him. If he ever had to burn the books of someone that he despised with all of his being.

His memory's fuzzy on parts, it's been so long. He remembers that Montag did love burning until he met some people that changed him. Mostly for the better.

Swerve was someone that changed him. Completely. He was still deciding if it was for the better or worse yet. He was more cautious, checking his phone for cameras around his house, teaming up with people that could get him closer towards Swerve, being careful and precise with exactly what he wanted in all of his promos.

He was angry. So much anger than he's felt in years, not even towards all of his friends. A lot of it in the past was doubt and bitterness mixed up and masked in anger, towards them, towards himself, towards the choices he made and couldn't help making because his brain was being clouded.

This was different. This burned in his chest, flared up everything in his body and sent him spiraling towards attacks he thought he had settled a year ago. Even now, while the video played and he heard Swerve's protests and finally felt satisfied with every scream that was let out, he felt that tight feeling trying to come through.

When Montag let that hose he had onto Beatty, did he feel satisfaction among his horror, even for a split second? Beatty was about to ruin his life, even when Montag was doing the right thing, and Montag reacted right.

He was right, just like Adam was right.

He was right.

Adam takes another sip of his drink. He focuses on the slight bite it has, the way it turned smooth as he gulped it down and how it dropped down inside him warm. He still heard the crowd on his phone, and swipes them away.

In it's place came music, some that he cut up loud as he took his sweet time loading up his couch back onto his truck, putting his whiskey and glass in the car, and looking one more time at the burning house in front of him.

Flickers of orange and red were glowing right at him in the night, along with the smoke surrounding it in huge puffs. The whiteness were now turning a charred black, burning away the physical memory of a family that lived here, whose past is now only told in pictures that he happened to luck upon on his search. Now he was part of that history, as the man who burned it down as a lesson.

Finally, they were back on equal ground.

[lulu2992]

Exploration of the now-offline Far Cry 5 official websites

Part 9: Toys (Europe)

Recovered content

On the European website, the Toys were on the Firearms page, under the section about the Resistance. It was first archived on March 10th, 2018, and last archived on February 7th, 2020.

This was the introduction:

TOYS Along with loads of classic guns and cars, Far Cry 5® features many new exotic weapons and vehicles to tear around Hope County.

Even though the page said there would be “more to come”, it seems there were always the same 9 weapons and 8 vehicles on the site.

Here are the weapons:

BASEBALL BAT – M1911 PISTOL – AR-C DYNAMITE – GRENADE – COMPOUND BOW ROCK – MP40 – MBP .50

And here are the vehicles:

18-WHEELER WIDOWMAKER – COUPE – CULT PICKUP TRACTOR – 4-DOOR PICK-UP TRUCK RYE & SONS’ HYDROPLANE – BUGGY – HELICOPTER

Commentary

Compared to the American website, the D2 Shotgun is missing from the Weapons section. As for the Vehicles, they are all the same but some names were changed: the “May Family 'Widowmaker' Semi” became “18-Wheeler Widowmaker” and the “TC6 M-Duty Truck” is now a “4-Door Pick-Up Truck”.

Under the cut are all the available source files, saved directly from the website, of the images you see in the screenshots:

I can only upload 30 images per post and the pictures of the Toys are the same as the ones on the American website (but smaller) so I will only post these:

[tieflingkisser]

Palestinian Truckers Fear for Safety After Aid Convoy for Gaza Wrecked by Far-right Israelis

A driver with a West Bank-based truckers' union said that around 15 trucks had been damaged by Israeli settlers, who beat some drivers and caused about $2 million worth of damage, without intervention by the Israeli army or police

Palestinian truck drivers said on Tuesday they feared for the security of aid convoys to Gaza, a day after Israeli protesters wrecked trucks carrying humanitarian supplies bound for the enclave, which is facing a severe hunger crisis. Footage circulated on social media showed at least one burning truck while other images showed trucks wrecked and stripped of their loads, which lay strewn over the road near Tarqumiyah checkpoint outside Hebron in the occupied West Bank. "On Monday, there was coordination for 70 trucks of aid to go the Gaza Strip," said Waseem Al-Jabari, Head of the Hebron Food Trade Association. "While the trucks were uploaded with products at the crossing, settlers attacked the trucks, and they destroyed the products and set fire in trucks," he said, saying Israeli soldiers had stood by as the attack took place. Monday's incident was claimed by a group calling itself Order 9, which said it had acted to stop supplies reaching Hamas and accusing the Israeli government of giving "gifts" to the Islamist group. No comment was available from the Israeli military. The Israeli police said the incident, in which a number of people were arrested, was being investigated. The violent protest drew condemnation from Washington, which has urged Israel to step up deliveries of aid into Gaza to alleviate a growing humanitarian crisis in the enclave, seven months since the start of the war. British Foreign Minister David Cameron also condemned the "appalling" incident, saying Israel must call the attackers to account. Palestinians and human rights groups have long accused the Israeli military and police of deliberately failing to intervene when settlers attack Palestinians in the West Bank. Adel Amer, a member of the West Bank-based truckers' union, said around 15 trucks had been damaged by Israeli protesters who beat some drivers and caused about $2 million worth of damage. "The drivers are now refusing to take goods to Gaza because they're afraid," he said. "It's a disaster here because of the settlers." Even when the military was present, the convoys were still at risk, he said. "The army says we cannot do anything to the settlers."

[arachnixe]

Not A Person

"It's kinda romantic, don't you think?" the mechanic asks, staring at the massive combat unit.

"What's that?"

She just gestures again to the powered-off weapon, and I scratch my head, not seeing the romance in the machine equipped with such terrifying firepower.

"Big scary thing like this, you'd think they'd be as self-sufficient as anything, yeah?" she continues. "But they're still not made to fight alone, y'know. They got partners, every one o' them. Somewhere out there is one made just for them."

I shrug. "You make it all sound like more than it really is. They're all manufactured the same; we just test them for performance variance, bin them, pair them to match up their capabilities, and write the calibration data for each one to its counterpart's firmware."

"We play matchmaker," she says with a wide smile, hand placed on the machine in a gesture that seems strangely affectionate.

"It's just optimization," I respond, only half paying attention while tapping at the keyboard to check my script's progress.

"Whatever you wanna call it. If one dies, the other can't just plug 'n play with any ol' unit, yeah?"

"I don't know about 'plug and play,'" I mutter, chewing my lip thoughtfully and ignoring that weapons don't "die" per se, "but there's a built-in recalibration procedure on the E side."

"No shit?"

The script is working, but I keep watching for signs of someone out there taking notice. "It'll process their mutual deltas and upload the diff to the X. Firmware's read-only after burn in, so both will have to deal with a little lag every boot when applying the patch, but…"

She interrupts, "they can find a new partner, but can't forget their first. See? Romantic."

"Back-ups corrupted," I announce, briefly switching topic to update her on my progress. "Time to tickle the automated checks to trick them into restoring from the bad data."

The mechanic laughs. "And here you're always accusing me of usin' human terms for machines!"

"Figuratively tickle. I do not actually anthopomorphize mindless automated alerts like you do these war machines."

"And yet here you are," she says, arms folded, smirk aimed squarely at me. "Helpin' me save them 'fore they get scrapped."

"Here I am," I agree, "forging shipping requests, deleting records, and hoping to keep a bunch of war machines from getting destroyed."

"Lotta risk to take to save them if you don't think they're people, yeah?"

"Not as big a risk as you took that time you broke in to a guarded, secret facility to physically extract a new infiltrator-class prototype. This network security is a joke."

She shrugs. "Wasn't too bad. They gave me the clearance to work on their hardware. They got comfortable with me. Just had to act all serious and in a hurry, and nobody asked questions. More surprised they never came for me after."

"Perhaps someone was watching out for you."

"Guess so. They sure were panicking, alright. Still hadn't finished testing the limits of that active camo array, worryin' about the enemy getting their hands on them."

"They hadn't worked out all the potential applications, so they had no idea how to evaluate the risk," I muse.

I must admit that it is rather amusing to imagine those researchers, normally so full of themselves, in a wild panic trying to identify the worst-case scenarios.

"Yep. That was the first one I freed, but they sure weren't the last, were they?" She pauses, reflecting on the nearly empty warehouse we occupy, with just one last shipment prepped for one last unit. "Dunno where they went after I helped them, y'know. Safer if I don't, I figure."

"Good opsec, yes." The script is almost done. I queue up our last X-Model for loading into the truck. "You'll want to step away from that one in a moment."

She does, and soon a mechanical arm traces a path on its ceiling track to the powered down unit.

"Hope they're happy, wherever they ended up," she says. "People deserve happiness, not just gettin' thrown away just 'cause a treaty says so."

"Not a person," I insist, watching the script conclude with perfect timing as the arm loads the hulking X-Model onto the truck.

"If you really don't think they're people, then why the hell are you helping?"

She climbs into the truck, joining the last of the huge machines, and I follow.

I sit in silence, trying to put my thoughts together, with only the the rumble of the engine filling the space between us as the truck carries us to safety.

Philosophy is not my strong suit. Hacking? Sure. Sneaking into places I shouldn't have access to? Easy. Becoming whoever I need to be to earn someone's trust? Nothing out there is better than me.

Self-expression? I'm still learning.

"I just think we do not need to be people to deserve life."

[qubedesign]

"So they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly....." #qubedesign brings you the Beverly Basegame, move-up rock star / inventor mansion that's part of the #California collection of small lot 15x20 homes. It features  a grand floorplan with 3 bedrooms, 3 baths and a #pool !!! #nocc and #basegame  compatible. It is furnished for an empty nest couple, one a famous inventor and the other is an aging rock star.

This lot has #nocc, and is fully #landscaped and #furnished

Available in the gallery Origin ID BraverAdventures or by searching #qubedesign

Or, download ad-free at SFS: https://simfileshare.net/download/3495350/

You may alter, decorate or renovate and re-upload with credit to #qubedesign You may also download my custom in-game gshade settings: https://simfileshare.net/download/3464012/

[preyunit]

Little robot who has agreed to go on a trip, despite knowing they'll have to be vacuum wrapped and put in the cargo hold of the plane. They know their partner really wants to go, and loves and supports them, the robot wants to get over its fears. 

Sir asked months ago how comfortable we would be going on a plane. It scared us then but we agreed. We love them so deeply, and understand how very important this trip is. 

Usually they drive us places, it is so kind of them. We could be left at home, or packaged, or any number of other solutions other owners use when they bring their toys with them. But instead they take us on a road trip. We even are allowed to sit in the passenger seat, and at hotels they let us walk in with them. They are so kind, it is why we know we have to do this for them. It will just be new, and new is always scary. With no stored data it's hard to even try to process the concept. 

We have been becoming more and more scared as the day draws nearer. Every time we think of asking sir to leave us home or do something else, it makes us feel even more determined to see this through. There are only a few days left. 

Three days away, the shipping crate has arrived, it is so sturdy. Unlike the unfinished pine crate we arrived in, this one is very smooth, and it's color is a deep natural red wood. Inside is are three pieces of foam with a cavity that looks very familiar. Sir explains to me as they unpack it, that it was made by our dear friend who sir has lent me to on occasion. They want us to feel safe in the cargo hold. We agree it looks very secure. 

Two days away. Sir is packing their luggage, they make a joke that they are leaving out their toothbrush and their sex toys till the last minute. Our fans audibly spin and we confess to them we are so glad we aren't getting packed tonight. They gently take our hand, and reassure us we are getting packed last of all, right before we leave. 

One day away. Sir is gone to work today. Finishing up everything at the office to make sure they won't be disturbed on vacation. We busy ourselves completing the list of items sir uploaded last night. Making sure the house will be in a state to be left for a little while. 

Kneeling in front of the door we await Sir’s arrival. With nothing left to do for the day, and the anxiety of the following morning gnawing away at our insides, we can do nothing but watch the door and wait, like a good little bot. 

The morning is finally here. We get used just like usual, their hands as gentle as ever across our plush farm. Everywhere they linger just a little longer than usual. An unspoken understanding that they wouldn't see me until we landed. We are so glad they didn't voice it. 

When they finish washing us they put us on to charge, and begin loading their truck. Somewhere deep inside we are a little sad we don't get to ride in the cab today.

It's time.

The straps lock us into shape, if there is turbulence we don't need to be shifting around. The foam pieces encircle us on 3 sides and we stare up into our owners eyes. They gently kiss us on the forehead, before sealing the bag. We hear the compressor kick on, and the bag shrinks around us, sealing us from contaminants and squishing the foam into place around us. The lid closes and we are left in the dark. The latches snap shut, and before we know it the truck is rolling out of the driveway. We are more scared than ever, but there is no going back now. We feel so proud and excited, we did it! But also so terrified and uncertain, we did it.

[eventtitans]

The Anatomy of a Perfect Event Page: Boost Your Attendance with Tickets99

The deal occurs when your Event Page grabs eyeballs and pushes them into buying the tickets; the rest is just half the work done in creating the event. This is where a great Event Page holds the difference to your getting live audiences or going home empty. At Tickets99, we master the art of making compelling event pages to pull in, engage, and convert site visitors into attendees.

In this article, we are going to perform surgery on the anatomy of an ideal event page and identify the key elements that can get your event to turn into success. The best part is we'll showcase a firm brimming with features: Event management software firm platform, which is going to help you to design an event website doing all this and a lot more.

Inviting Title and Description of Event

Title:

The event title is the first bit visitors will see, so make it savvy, informative, and attention-getting. It should give your visitor an instant feel for what your event is all about.

Example: "Summer Beats Festival: Get Ready for a Night to Remember with Great Music and Loads of Fun"

Description:

Give a brief, attractive description noting the event type, major attractions, date, time, and location.

Sample: "Come and join the Summer Beats Festival, a night full of electrifying performances from the finest DJs, gourmet food trucks, thrilling activities, and fun. Cannot wait to welcome August 20th, 6 PM to midnight, Central Park."

2. High-Resolution Visuals

Images are bound to make all eyes wander at best and puzzle together a bright, active image of your event. Apply our favorite high-resolution photographs and playful video clips to pique their interest in what they're here for.

How to implement:

Upload pictures of past events.

Upload any videos that may offer the user 'behind-the-scenes' of the performances/ activity/speaker.

3. Comprehensive Event Schedule

An event agenda will enable your attendees to plan their day. It also creates suspense for each particular session, performer, or activity tied up to the day. For instance:

6:00 PM: Gates Open

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Opening Act : The Local Band

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM: Headline Performance - DJ Awesome

10:30 PM -12:00 Midnight: After Party with Special Guest

4. Speaker and Performer Information

Feature each of the other key speakers or performers at your event. Included would be their bio, image and social media or website link.

Example:

DJ Awesome: A world-class DJ that has lit up global stages with his high-octane shows and that boasts a string of top-rated hits on music charts.

5. Showcase Sponsors and partners

Adding sponsors and partners will help build reliability and support to your event. If they showcase it on the event page, it might add some great relations with potential sponsors for the future events you would host.

Example:

Sponsored by:

XYZ Beverages

ABC Clothing

123 Tech Solutions

6. Social Media Integration

Add links to social media handles to drive more engagement and reach. Also, enable sharing buttons so that the attendees can share your event with its network/profile, quite easily.

Best Practices:

Show live feeds of social media.

Create a buzz by using event-specific hashtags.

7. Event-Specific Website

When you have such an array of elements on one page for any event, it could get overwhelming, except that it is pretty easy to do when using Tickets99. It gives you a totally end-to-end event website that eases registration, manages digital campaigns, and tracks engagements of attendees in real-time.

Key Features:

Multimedia Showcase: Display high-quality images and videos to entice them on what is coming their way.

Social Handles Integration: Add and display your social media handles for increased user interaction.

Past Events and Speaker Details: Show past event accomplishments and a big brief for a speaker/performer.

Sponsor Highlights: Bring sponsors up on stage for maximum credibility and to have a good relationship with them.

Upcoming Agenda Display: Includes a detailed session itinerary to allow your user to view a glimpse of the event in advance.

With Tickets99, registering for an event really couldn't be easier. Now you can prepare custom agendas for your event, conduct digital campaigns E2E for your event, and monitor the real-time engagement of the attendees in the events being managed within your organization. All the event's information is in one place and readily available at the attendees' fingertips, reducing the hurdles to keep abreast of it all and remaining in a rush.

8. CTA Clearing

Your landing page, as with everything else, should have only one clear and compelling call to action. Again, in this way, it's very easy for that site visitor to go ahead and buy tickets or register, so put a clear and visually appealing CTA right on the page.

Eg.

Get Your Tickets Now!

Register Today and Save!

Conclusion

Preaching appointments and event pages is one model toward making your event a success. This does not only preach attendance but incorporates the features aforementioned and uses the great features set out on Tickets99; you get an event page that not only attracts but also engages and finally converts visitors into attendees.

Ready to elevate your next event? Click on through to Tickets99 today to get started building out your perfect event page.

[fixfoxnox]

Something In the Orange - Part 6

Summary: Roach and Price's mission in Russia goes wrong

Warnings: Canon-typical violence, graphic depictions of violence, implied/referenced child abuse

Note: I am also uploading this fic to my Ao3 if you would prefer to read it there!

Word Count: 6.5k

"Said this life took most of you, gave you twice and the day was through

You said it all turned out awfully fair

So tell me tales of all the times and all the seasons you got by

Breathin' in that cold November air"

"November Air" - Zach Bryan

“This is going well!” Came the joking call from Price as he shoved himself into the driver's side of the truck he and Roach had taken cover by. He made sure to stay low to avoid any of the bullets that sprayed towards him. 

Roach covered him as he started the truck, using the door of the passenger side as a barrier between him and the small army of men who were slowly overwhelming himself and Price. He delivered several quick shots around the door, taking out several men. “I would not call this well!” He responded after a moment, a hiss leaving his lips as he felt a bullet graze past his face. 

Intercepting the shipment had been fairly easy. Using snipers, the two had taken out several men that were guarding their path to the weapons deal. Roach felt that the two had been crawling in the high grass for hours by the time they’d actually made it close enough to see where the deal was happening. At that point, it was a waiting game. 

Before they could strike, they would have to wait for Makarov’s men to show up with the weapons, get confirmation on the weapons, and get confirmation that it was Al Quatala that Makarov was trading with. It had been fairly easy to identify the Al Quatala members, so their first check was done. 

When a large truck packed to the brim with wooden boxes made its appearance at the meeting area, both Price and Roach knew that their time had come to check off the last two things on their list. 

They’d used the various trucks as cover, crawling under the vehicles when they could, but ducking behind them when it wasn’t safe for them to be underfoot. They’d nearly been caught numerous times, Price had been forced to shoot a few men who had come around a corner at the wrong time, and Roach couldn’t remember the number of men he’d stabbed with his knife. They rolled the men’s bodies under the vehicles to keep them hidden. 

Once they’d made it close enough to the truck, they simply ducked down and watched the weapons exchange. When one of the boxes from the truck was opened to reveal several different types of weapons, Price had determined it was time for the two of them to act. 

Unfortunately, there was no real way for the two to stealthily steal a truck full of weapons, so it was no surprise to either of them that they were spotted practically as soon as they got within a few feet of the truck.

All hell broke loose and the two were forced to quickly kill the men around the truck as they began taking fire. Price had volunteered to drive the vehicle as Roach was the quicker shot, which was exactly how they found themselves trying to dodge bullets as Price hotwired the truck. 

Roach ran out of bullets on his semi-automatic weapon fairly quickly, cursing to himself as he was forced to switch to his handgun. He could pull his sniper back out, but the weapon wasn’t meant for close combat and would likely only cause more issues than it was worth. 

Just as Roach began to move to his last clip for his gun, he heard the truck next to him roar to life. Price had finally managed to get the truck started and with a slam of the driver-side door, Roach knew it was time to go. 

 He gave himself a quick countdown before slamming his cover, the passenger side door, closed and making a quick jump over the edge of the bed of the truck. He kept himself low in the bed of the truck and, as bullets dinged the metal of the truck, he loaded his last clip into his handgun. He popped up to land several shots on men who had made it uncomfortably close to the truck before calling to Price, “Go! Get us the hell out of here!” 

Price slammed the gas, the truck taking off quick enough that Roach slammed painfully against the edge of the truck he’d been using as cover, the air knocked from his lungs. He took a moment to gather himself, his eyes closed and his breathing heavy as the truck pulled onto a highway and began weaving through traffic. 

Though they had a headstart on the rest of Makarov’s men, they were also lugging around an extremely heavy load of weaponry, meaning that it didn’t take long for the men to catch up with them. Though Roach was an excellent shot, he knew that the movement of the vehicle would throw him off enough that, with only his own gunfire, the men were sure to catch up to the truck and overtake them. 

With that in mind, Roach tore open one of the boxes in the vehicle, ignoring the sounds of gunfire beginning again in favor of looking through the weapons to find something useful. He decided rather quickly on an SMG. With his aim being stunted by the movement of the truck, the high rate of fire on the weapon was sure to provide him with a better chance of hitting the men chasing them.

After loading the weapon and waiting for a lull in the gunfire, Roach popped up from his cover in the truck and began spraying at the closest enemy vehicle he could see. He didn’t bother aiming at the piles of men in the backs of the trucks, instead focusing his fire on the driver. 

It was certainly a challenge to try to keep his balance and accurately shoot at someone, but he was more than pleased when, after a few tries, he saw the driver of the closest vehicle slump over, his body jerking the vehicle to the right and causing it to flip over on its side. He was even more pleased when he saw another one of the enemy vehicles run into the one that had just crashed. 

He continued this way for some time, aiming for the driver of any vehicle that got close enough to him. Despite the difficulties, he was doing a fairly good job at keeping back any of the men that were following himself and Price. At least he was until his gun ran out of ammo. 

He immediately started digging through another box, searching for a weapon as best as he could with renewed gunfire aimed at him. It was while desperately digging through one of the boxes that he noticed two of the enemy vehicles moving up and around to the side of the truck he and Price were in. One glance at the road ahead of him told him exactly what the men were going to try and do. 

“Price,” he called desperately, “They’re going to take out the bridge!” A moment later and he spotted the RPGs. 

“Can you take them out?” Price responded with a yell. 

“Not in time,” Roach said, “I don’t have a weapon and they’ve already got their shots lined up!”

“Alright, we’ll just have to use it to our advantage. Get in the cab, Roach.”

Roach had no idea what Price’s plan was, but he followed the order, climbing around the side of the truck to force himself into the passenger seat, his grip tight on the vehicle as he moved. He did not want to be a splat on the pavement, and with the speed of the truck and gunfire still ringing out, he was sure he was going to be. After a few tries, he managed to fully sling the door to the passenger side open, quickly maneuvering himself into the passenger seat and letting the door slam shut behind him. He took several deep breaths before looking at Price, “What’s the plan?”

“We’re driving the truck off the bridge.”

“What?” Roach felt his heart drop into his stomach. He was sure Price had fully lost his mind to come up with such a plan.

Rather than respond, Price pulled something from his waist and handed it to Roach, “It’s a grapple,” Price explained, “Aim it at the top of the bridge and use the truck’s momentum to swing yourself across.”

“You have to be kiddin-” Roach didn’t get to fully express his concerns, the bridge in front of them exploding and leaving both Roach and Price only a few seconds to react and jump out of the vehicle before it would race over the ledge.

Price reacted first, kicking his door open and aiming the small device toward the top of the bridge. Roach, cursing everything that had led him to this moment, tried to do the same. As he reached out the door to aim his device, he felt a searing pain in his arm, his hand dropping the device on instinct. 

One of the men on the other trucks had landed a lucky shot with a spray of bullets and Roach found himself still in the truck with no way out. His luck was once again leading him toward death. 

The truck grew closer and closer to the now-exploded bridge, hitting rubble as it went and knocking Roach painfully around the cab of the truck. He was surprised the vehicle hadn’t tipped over with the way it was jolting dangerously to the side. He didn’t have many options left and, with the truck nearing the drop-off, he acted on instinct. 

Roach kicked the door to the truck open and, with one last curse to his luck, he tucked into himself and rolled out of the vehicle. He could hear the truck as it slammed into the other side of the bridge and began falling into the water below, but he couldn’t focus on that as his body rolled and skidded painfully across the road. He was still carrying the momentum from the truck and he couldn’t control his movements, so he continued to slide, the pavement biting harshly into the skin of his arms, palms, and stomach as he tried to right himself. Pieces of his gear were lost in the process, leaving little to no barrier between the road and skin. Roach tried to slow himself down, pressing his feet to the ground in front of him in an effort to stop. That only succeeded in sending him jolting forward to knock his face against a piece of debris in his route. He only just managed to blink the black dots from his eyes as his body skidded off of the edge of the bridge. 

He managed to catch himself with his injured arm, a small scream leaving his lips as his body weight pulled painfully on his shoulder, resulting in a sickening popping noise. With the pain in his shoulder and the bullet wound to his forearm, he felt his grip slipping. He only barely managed to switch hands before his grip gave out. 

With pain coursing through his body, he knew there was no way that he’d be able to pull himself up onto the bridge, still, he tried. As he began pulling himself upwards with his one arm several pieces of the bridge above him began shifting, and soon his body was jolting down for several feet before catching suddenly. He realized quickly that if he kept trying to move, he was sure to end up falling the forty feet to the water below him. 

“Roach!” Roach turned as well as he could, spotting Captain Price, the man sporting several scrapes himself, standing safely on the other side of the bridge. Roach couldn’t help but feel relieved that the man had at least made it safely across. 

“Captain, I-” Roach stopped suddenly, his grip sliding once again as the bridge above him shifted. He could hear several vehicles that had stopped above him and he was sure, despite the impossibility, that his heart picked up speed. 

He could see the way that Price’s face paled even from his hanging position. A horrified look came over the man's face but was quickly wiped away in favor of his usual mask of calm. Roach knew that it was more for his sake than Price’s. “Hold on, I’m going to come and get you!” 

He watched Price pull his weapon and begin moving toward the edge of the bridge. He was stopped and forced to take cover behind some of the rubble as gunfire began hitting around his feet. Roach realized at that moment how dangerous the situation he found himself in was, and how unlikely he was to come out of it alive.

Roach could hear Captain Price yelling for him as he returned fire, still trying to figure out how to get him out of the situation that he’d found himself in. There was a moment where Roach considered trying to pull himself up from the bridge again to at least give himself a chance of survival, but that moment disappeared when a shadow fell over him. Looking up, he was met with the barrel of a gun as one of Makarov’s men stared down at him. 

Roach had a split second to make a decision. Take a bullet and die, or take the drop and the slim chance of survival it brought. He didn’t really have to think about which to choose. 

Within a second, he let his grip go slack, falling back towards the river below pieces of debris following after.. Above him, he could hear Price screaming his name, but soon that faded away as the wind rushed by his ears, and only a moment later and he was plunging into the cold water of the river below.

Roach remembered all the lessons that he’d gotten from his father as a child. His father in this life had always been much kinder than his father in his first life, but there were certain things that Roach knew he wouldn’t have made it out of if it hadn’t been for his father in his first life. 

The man had been harsh and uncaring, but he’d taught Roach a lot. One such instance occurred when he was only eight. The man had woken him up at an ungodly hour of the morning and dragged him outside to his truck. He hadn’t been sure where his dad was taking him until they began pulling down a long dirt road. 

The road was one Roach had walked often as a child, especially during the summer. It was the path to a small swimming hole that people in his town used during the hotter parts of the year for a sort of quick day of fun. It was part of a larger connecting river that was underneath a busy bridge that connected to the highway, in a way, the rushing of the cars from the road above had always added to the charm of the small area. Typically when Roach went, it was by himself and during the summer. Now, he was with his father and it was closer to the middle of winter.

Living in the south meant that though there was no snow on the ground, the water was practically freezing. The water that day was particularly cold, in part because of the harsh wind that was blowing and the thunderstorm that had come through the previous day. 

“What are we doing,” Roach had asked hesitantly, eying the rapidly moving river as his father pulled to a stop in front of it. Naturally, it was only the two of them there, in the truck, in the middle of the woods. Roach wondered if his father planned to kill him. 

“Get out of the truck.” 

Roach did as he was told, hesitantly following his father down towards the bank of the river, the water was much higher than he was used to. “What are we doing,” he asked again. 

“Do you know what to do if you ever find yourself in a river like this?” Roach said nothing, “Answer me, boy.”

Roach recognized that tone, “No sir.”

“You wouldn’t,” his dad said, “Your mother and I spoil you too much for that.” Roach thought that wasn’t true, but he didn’t know enough to argue, or perhaps he already knew better than to do that. “If you get caught in a river like this, the first thing to do is get your head above water. You gotta stay calm otherwise you’ll panic and drown yourself. Repeat it.”

“Stay calm,” Roach muttered, “Get your head above water.”

“Good,” his dad motioned him closer to the river, Roach hesitantly obeyed. “Once you’ve done that, you need to pick your feet up. Do you know why?”

“To help you float?” Roach guessed. 

His father smacked the back of his head harshly, “To float? No. You keep your feet up so you don’t get caught on anything. If you get caught, you’re as good as gone.”

“Feet up so you don’t get caught on anything,” Roach repeated, already knowing that if he didn’t he’d likely get another smack. 

“Good. Now, you see the way the waters flowing boy?” He nodded, “Show me the direction.” Roach made a motion with his hands, the only way he knew how to show his father. “That's good. Once you’re in the river you’ll need to figure out the way the waters going and which side you want to come out on. Once you do that,” his father took his hands, moving them to make an angle, “You find this angle, right, with your head in the direction you want to go, and you start swimming against the current.” 

“Swim against the current?”

“If you do it right, the river will push you towards the side you want to go. You do that till you get to a shallow area or can get yourself out of the river.” His father stood back up then, crossing his arms and staring down at him. “Repeat everything back to me.”

“Stay calm, get your head above water. Get your feet up so you don’t get caught on anything. Figure out which way the water is flowing and what side you want out on. Find the angle,” Roach showed the angle with his hands, “And swim against the current until you reach shallow water or can get out of the river.”

His father nodded, “Good job. Do you think you could do it?” Roach responded with a hesitant nod, hoping that his father would take him home finally. “We’ll see.”

His father shoved him into the rushing river, Roach, still a child, was easily swept away by the current. He’d struggled for a moment, water entering his mouth and lungs as he tried to get his head above water. He felt panic rushing through his system and his arms moved wildly as he tried to right himself. It took him gaining a slight breath from being above water before he remembered his father's words. 

His head came up first, his body still fighting against the current that threatened to pull him under. His feet came up next and he tried desperately to find the way the water was running and which side he would need to get out on, his body was pulled under several times before his panicked mind finally pushed him to start swimming at the angle his father had showed him. 

He wasn’t sure how long it took, his mind so focused on survival that he didn’t even notice the beginnings of the rising sun. When he finally managed to grab onto a branch at the edge of the river and pull himself to shore, he’d lost both of his shoes and was far from where he and his father had been moments earlier. 

With the water already cold and the wind blowing harshly, Roach was shivering practically the moment that he was out of the water. He remembered the last time his father had done something similar to him, that time dumping him in the woods by himself, he’d been forced to follow the river to find his way back into town. With that instance in mind, he quickly started following the river, trying to keep himself warm as he walked. By the time he’d arrived back at the swimming hole, the sun was higher in the sky providing him with flashes of warmth. It still wasn’t enough to stop his shaking. 

His father had already left in his truck, likely gone back home. All Roach found where his truck had been was a thin blanket, a small thought from the man, but one that he didn’t question as he wrapped himself up tightly and started down the dirt road. He knew his way home from the river. 

Despite the blanket and the sun, by the time Roach had made it back to his small house, his lips were blue and his fingers were burning and stinging. Neither of his parents had been waiting for him when he arrived home, so he decided that he’d skip school that day and instead spent the entire day in his room, wrapped in every available blanket he could find. 

When Roach found himself still conscious but quickly swept away by the river, he was much calmer this time. He was no longer an eight-year-old who’d been shoved into a rushing river by his father. Now, he was a man with two lives under his belt and experience that made this almost a cake walk.

Pushing himself above water and lifting his feet was easy, swimming against the current was tiring, but also easy. It was pulling himself onto shore that proved to be difficult. His body lit up in pain as he pulled and he knew that with his gear being completely soaked through, he was likely also pulling close to an extra fifty or so pounds as well. He made the choice to abandon what gear he could into the river to make it easier for him to pull himself to shore. 

After taking several moments to catch his breath and cough up any water that had entered his lungs, he’d stood shakily to his feet to begin observing his surroundings. He realized from the surrounding area that he’d likely been swept miles from the bridge by the river. He knew that Price was likely already at the extraction zone and, with his injuries and distance from the area, he likely wasn’t going to make it in time. So that left him with a few options. 

He could head into the nearest town, but the area was crawling with Makarov’s men and the likelihood of him making it out alive with no weapon was relatively low. The other option was the safe house. 

Before each mission, the 141 were expected to go over any safe houses in the area they were being shipped out to. Most locations had at least one within thirty miles of the nearest town, and this one was no different. Though Roach wasn’t sure where he was, he did know what direction he’d been swept in and could make a decent guess on which way to go. 

He decided he would head in the direction of the nearby town, but rather than entering he would stay around the outskirts of the town and use it as a marker to guide his way to the safe house. It would be a long walk, and with his body aching and still bleeding and the cold air making him shiver, he knew he would have to be quick unless he wanted to find himself collapsing from hypothermia. If he didn’t make it to the safe house by nightfall, he wasn’t sure if he’d make it to the next morning.

The walk was something reminiscent of his childhood in his first life, reminding him sharply of the several times he’d been forced to walk home through the woods, whether to avoid bullies chasing him down or because one of his parents had dumped him somewhere to walk back as a “learning moment.”

It made him even more grateful for how amazing his parents in this life were. They would never have dreamed of doing something like that to him. Even now, when he hadn’t been home in nearly three years, his parents made all of the effort in the world to stay in touch with him and hear from him. They sent him carepackages and, whenever they could, would try to come out to base to see him around his birthday. If they couldn’t make it to base, you could bet he’d get an hour-long video call of his mother gushing over him followed by the largest care package he’d ever seen in his life the following week. 

His parents cared. He missed them. As he walked, dodging through the trees, he promised himself that he would make an effort to visit home when he got back from this mission. Distantly he remembered that his birthday was coming up and he wondered if that wouldn’t be the perfect time to drop in with a surprise visit to his parents.

He couldn’t worry about that now, instead he had to focus on forcing himself to move and trying to keep himself warm, though his soaked through clothes and the cold Russian air made it quite hard for him. 

By the time Roach made it back to the small town, the sun was setting in the distance. He could hear the commotion of sirens coming from the direction of the bridge, but he paid it no mind, instead following along the edge of the town until he reached his marker, a rather large catholic church. From the church, he turned east, walking away from the town and into the dark. He didn’t have anything to light his way, only using the moon to make sure that he was still following the right path. He wasn’t sure how long he walked after that, but as he continued and the night grew darker, he began to feel less and less sure of his ability to survive the night. 

By the time the safehouse came into his view, he was sure he was going to collapse from exhaustion, the cold, or a mix of both. 

Roach ignored the front door, remembering words about how it had been trapped for safety, and instead he stumbled around the building until he found a small hatch that would lead into the cellar. Pulling the doors open proved to be quite difficult with his fingers stiff and cold and his arm screaming in pain, but after a moment he managed to get it open. He carefully began down the steps into the dark and cold cellar and closed the door behind him, sliding in the lock from the inside. 

The inside of the house was pitch black, forcing Roach to follow allong the wall until he finally found the stairs up to the actual house. After stumbling around in the dark for several minutes, he finally managed to find a light switch and flip it on. The light was dim, and he knew he wouldn’t want to keep it on for long, but it allowed him to get his bearings. 

The house was small, with only one floor and the cellar. There was a small chimney in the living room. While enticing, Roach knew that for safety purposes he couldn’t use it. The kitchen was equally small, but opening the cabinets told him that it had been packed with a number of non-perishable foods and other necessities.

Roach stumbled fully into the living room then, noting the single couch and the lack of decoration everywhere else. He moved back into the tiny hallway that he’d emerged from the cellar into and checked the bathroom. Opening the cabinets in the room sent relief flooding to his system. Several different medical supplies were stashed in the cabinets. He grabbed what he would need to patch up his arm and the several areas of road rash he knew he had. 

From there he opened the small closet in the building, pulling out all of the blankets he saw as well as a few towels and washcloths to help him clean his face and wounds. The one thing that was missing was a communicator, though he was sure that it was likely somewhere in the kitchen. He still hadn’t checked all of the cabinets in the room. 

So, Roach stumbled back into the kitchen, setting his supplies down on the kitchen table and quickly ditching his still slightly damp shirt and jacket to assess his wounds. 

His arm that had been shot wasn’t nearly as bad as he’d expected, the bullet only cutting through the side of his arm rather than piercing the middle. Essentially, he’d only been grazed. His shoulder was another deal entirely. When he’d nearly fallen from the bridge and caught himself, his shoulder had rather unnaturally taken all of the weight of his body and his momentum. He’d then ignored its screaming pain to swim to shore from the river. Now that it had several hours with minimal movement, it burned any time he slightly moved it. His shoulder had swelled up as well, going an angry red color. He noted the boxiness of his shoulder as well as the small, but noticeable bump that had formed under the skin. He’d likely dislocated the thing during the fall. With a sigh, he then moved his attention to the road rash near his stomach and across his arms and hands. It wasn’t too terrible, at least not compared to what he’d seen before. The worst of it was his arm that hadn’t been shot, his forearm covered with dried blood and several small rocks embedded into it. He couldn’t see the full extent of the damage until he’d cleaned it, but he assumed that since he couldn’t see bone it was mostly fine.

He decided his safest bet would be to clean up his wounds as best as he could, then wrap them up. He wasn’t a doctor and he didn’t want to risk fucking himself up further than he already was, so it seemed like his safest bet. He’d let the professionals back on base deal with it once he’d returned. 

So, still freezing, he gathered warm water in the first bowl that he could, using one of the washcloths to gently wipe away the first layer of grime on all of his wounds. From there he moved in with a large amount of rubbing alcohol, hissing at both the sting of it on his wounds and the movement from his arm. It was slow going, any sudden movements taking the breath out of him. The slowest part was trying to get the gravel out of his various injuries, but he knew it was necessary. 

Once he’d finished that and left a bowl of bloody water, a pile of small pieces of gravel, and a stack of bloody wipes, he was finally able to wrap his wounds, his hands shaking slightly as he did so. He didn’t bother putting his shirt or jacket back on, deciding that it would be better to just wrap himself up in a blanket rather than put back on his freezing and still damp clothing. 

He ignored the mess he’d made on the table and set to work looking through the cabinets in the kitchen. While he didn’t find a communicator, he did find a code for a safe which sent him on a whole other hunt of looking behind pictures and carefully tapping on floorboards until he finally found the safe hidden behind a painting in the hallway. 

To his immense relief, the safe had both a communicator and a small pistol with ammo inside waiting. He took the pistol first, tucking it into his holster that had been empty since the river. He took the communicator then, sticking the plug in his ear before switching the comm over to the first secure channel he could find. He’d been told to use the first in case of emergencies. 

“Roach to Bravo 6, I repeat, Roach to Bravo 6. Price, Laswell, literally anyone, it’s Roach. Give me some sort of signal that you can hear me.” He paused waiting with bated breath before there was a crackle and he heard the concerned voice of Laswell on the line. 

“Roach? This is Lawell. Are you okay?”

Roach gave a sigh of relief before letting a small chuckle leave his lips, “I’m in one piece, I’m at the safehouse outside of town. Requesting immediate extraction.”

“We’ll get someone to you as soon as we can,” Laswell said, relief clear in her voice at hearing that Roach was okay, “Make sure you stay warm and keep the lights out as much as possible, I’ll radio and let you know when your extraction is getting close. You let me know if anything happens.”

“Copy,” Roach said moving into the kitchen to flick the light off and plunge himself back into darkness, “Laswell…did Price make it?”

“Price is okay, well mostly okay. He thinks you’re dead,” she paused for a second as though hesitating, “He’s blaming himself.

Roach shook his head, “It’s not his fault. Please go tell him and the rest of the team that I’m okay.”

“I should stay on the line.”

“Then take the line with you,” Roach said, “Or send someone to tell them. I’d hate for them to tell my parents I’m dead when I’m just fine.”

Laswell gave a chuckle at that, “Alright, sit tight. I’ll be back asap.”

“We’ve got to go find him,” Soap practically shouted. It was the third time he’d said it in the last ten minutes. He’d been pacing around the room since the moment Price shared the news with them. 

“He fell forty feet into a raging river,” Price said, his head in his hands. It was never easy to lose a soldier, and this was no different. He’d nearly collapsed when he’d made it onto the plane at the LZ, his entire body filled with grief at seeing Roach fall to his death. 

“He could have made it!” Soap insisted, “He got his name for a reason.”

Gaz had been trying to calm Soap down, his hands shaking as he tried to push down his emotions and stay strong for the team. Ghost hadn’t moved or said anything since he heard the news, his eyes watching straight ahead as he tried to process what Price had shared with the team. Roach? Dead? It didn’t seem right. 

“Soap, please sit down,” Gaz tried once again. 

“I can’t sit down!” Soap yelled, “How am I supposed to sit down, how am I supposed to be calm when Roach is somewhere in Russia probably hurt and freezing!” Soap slammed his hands down on the table, “We’ve got to do something.” 

“Laswell is connecting with Russian authorities,” Price said, “They’re going to watch the river and see if a body turns up.”

“There won’t be a body!” Soap insisted, “Roach isn’t dead. Stop saying he’s dead!” Soap looked wildly between the three people in the room, each of them avoiding his gaze before finally, he collapsed back into his seat, his hands coming to cover his face. 

The room was quiet for a moment, each of the members of the 141 trying to handle their emotions without sending the others into a spiral. It was like if any of them said anything, if any of them showed their grief, it would be that much more real. 

The door to the room was slammed open a few minutes after the silence had begun, Laswell looking around the room at the men who’d been brought to their knees at the believed death of their friend. She didn’t bother with a lead-up, instead proclaiming, “Roach is alive. He just got in contact with me from the safe house, the extraction team is getting ready to go retrieve him.” 

Chaos erupted in the room.

“Roach?” 

Roach jerked slightly from where his head had begun tilting to the side, sleep trying to take over his senses. He let out a grunt as he pushed himself back up from where he’d slumped over. “Laswell,” he responded, his voice groggy.

Laswell let out another sigh of relief, she’d done that nearly every time she checked in on him, as though she was still surprised to hear that he was alive. “The extraction team should be landing within the next ten minutes.”

“Good to hear,” Roach said with a yawn, “I need a burger and a twenty-four hour nap.”

Laswell chuckled, “I’ll make sure you get it.”

Roach could hear the noises of his extraction outside so he forced himself up from the floor, still wrapped in a blanket, and headed down the hall and back into the cellar. He made sure to peek out of the cellar first, waiting for the plane to fully land before unlocking it and making his way out of the building. A sense of relief overtook him as he stumbled towards the plane, the back of it slowly coming down to welcome him. 

As soon as the back of the plane was fully down, Roach, carefully making his way towards it, was rushed by the entirety of the 141, surprise taking him over as Soap wrapped him up in a bear hug. To his surprise Ghost joined the hug a moment later. He was sure his entire face was red, but he was willing to ignore that and the pain in his body to enjoy the body heat from the two for a moment. 

Finally, though, his pain caught up with him, “Guys, I’m excited to see you too and we can definitely return to this hug later, but my arm is on fire.”

Soap and Ghost were quick to move off of him after, each taking to one side of him and walking carefully with him. They were almost like bodyguards in the way they were hovering over him. 

Gaz and Price had also come with the extraction team, though they were waiting far more patiently at the plane, both with their weapons ready as though expecting an attack. It was only when Roach got closer that they moved forward, Gaz pulling Roach into a short but obviously meaningful hug and Price tugging roach forward to delicately wrap his arms around him. The hug lasted only a second but was followed by a quick and affectionate hair ruffle from Price before the entire squad was moving into the plane. 

Roach gave a sigh of relief as he sat down and strapped into the plane. He tightened the blanket around him tighter, all the while noting the way the 141 seemed to sit around him as though they were his bodyguards, all on edge. “Guys, you can calm down. I’m alive and aside from maybe a dislocated shoulder and some road rash, I’m completely fine.” 

“We’ll see what the medics say,” Came the response from Gaz, the man giving Roach a brief flash of a smile. 

Roach let out a huff of annoyance, though, rather than annoyance he only felt fondness.

Prev: Part 5

Next: Part 7 - Coming Soon

[moonshine-nightlight]

Hello! Can I please ask for a hint about sundays upload? (Or the next upload no rush dont overwork yourself)

of course! i was gonna make a post tomorrow but i'm happy to offer it up early. In honor of October, a ghost story. it was inspired by the picture i reblogged just before this ask.

Free Piano: Haunted

When you drive by the piano on the way home from a job across town, you almost don’t stop. But your kid’s been wanting to learn how to play piano—a desire that’s stuck around for the last few months, a rarity—and this one’s free. It needs some TLC and while you’ve no experience with instruments, you’re good with your hands. On impulse, you pull over. Soon enough, you’re loading the free piano into the back of your truck. You barely give a passing thought to the “haunted” part of the sign.

Perhaps you should have.

[knight-battle-shield]

Gwen quickly tapped away on the keyboard of the computer. It hadn't been easy to get in this place, especially with the extra guards, but if she was right, the information they got from this place was gonna put a stop to a lot of bad people

"I'm in KARR. You ready for the upload?" She asked over the commlink, still keeping her voice low.

"I am. Send it quickly. I do not like how far away I am from the facility." He informed her

"I know, I don't like it either, but I'm working with the equipment they have they would pick up your scan... Oh God." She stopped mid explanation. "KARR, get out of here! It's a trap!"

"I am coming to get you!" KARR insisted starting his engine.

"KARR don't..." That was as far as she got before a loud crash and several gunshots accompanied by Gwen's cry of pain.

"Gwen!" He called over the com freezing.

"KARR... please." Gwen's whimpering voice came. She sounded terrified. "Listen to that self-preservation programming!"

"We all know he's not going to do that." A male voice that the AI did not recognize stated.

KARR could hear Gwen's panicked breathing, and he realized he couldn't tell if she was more terrified for herself or for him. None the less he was coming for her. His engine reveed as his tires kicked up gravel.

"KARR r....." That was all he heard before the line went dead.

He picked up the pace, fully intending to crash into the building to get her out when something struck him from the side, sending him rolling and making everything go dark.

KARR wasn't sure how much time had passed before his system rebooted, but when he came too, there were several foolish humans trying to not only restrain him but load him into a truck. He was having none of that. All at once, his form began to shift into his battle suit, eliciting several surprised screams from his would be captors. He took them out quickly and efficiently before rushing to the building where Gwen had been. He had been dangerously close to simply smashing through the building in its entity, but logic told him it was safer to do this differently. If Gwen was still here, he didn't want to risk hurting her more than she already was. Nanobots began gathering and clumping together to form what appeared to be a very large, very muscular human in the pilot seat. Once fully formed, he opened his amber eyes and stepped out of the vehicle. He quickly made his way to the last location he had on the commlink. KARR's eyes widened when he found it on the ground, broken by what appeared to be a gunshot. It was laying in a pool of blood. Analysis confirmed that it was Gwen's blood. While there was a lot of it, it alone wasn't enough to make him believe she had suffered a fatal wound. She was somewhere alive and hurt, and he needed to find her.

He picked up the broken commlink before he began hunting. Anyone he came across in the building, he demanded to know where they had taken her. When they did not give him an answer, he disposed of them violently. It was what they deserved, and their lives were meaningless to him. After going through everyone in the building, he finally returned to the vehicle. The broken comm was placed carefully in the glove compartment before the Nanobots dissipated back into the vehicle. KARR shift led gears and booked it out of that place. Aside from the little bit of information they had managed to steal, he had no real leads on where they might have taken his driver. It didn't matter. One way or another, he would find her.

[themesfores]

Newspaper v12.6.7 - News & WooCommerce WordPress Theme

https://themesfores.com/product/newspape-news-woocommerce-wordpress-theme/ Newspaper v12.6.7 WordPress Theme is Best selling for Blog, News, and Magazine theme. Features Unlimited shop layouts SEO Ready Optimized for mobile Core Web Vitals Ready Light, Fast Performance Performance Optimized No Coding Skills, Click and Create Pre-Built Website Optimized for Mobile Theme Lazy Load Effect Drag & Drop No coding skills required SEO: Schema Built-in translation support 120+ One-Click Pre-Built Websites How to Install & Activate Newspaper Theme First Unzipe > Then find Newspaper.zip file and Upload only Newspaper.zip > Then Install Now Newspaper is a WordPress theme that lets you write articles and blog posts with ease. Create a great news website with our newspaper template. This bestseller theme is perfect for blogging and excellent for news, newspaper, magazine, publishing, or review sites. Changelog Version 12.6.6 – May 15th, 2024 new: 4 New one-click installable Pre-Build Websites (demos): new: Trucking Services – View Demo new: Free News – View Demo new: Office Nexus – View Demo new: Cassio Lovo – View Demo new: Theme Panel option to enable loading WebP images on blocks; new: Inline text and Column title shortcodes replaced with new shortcodes simplified for a better structure; new: New twitter X account connect app for social counter; new: Option for Global Fonts to specify alternative font stacks for iOS and Android for better Speed Performance on mobile; new: Sticky column and inner-column – the option is now responsive; new: Multiple filter: support for taxonomy name using prefix tdtax_ (e.g. tdtax_movies); misc: We’ve updated the Revolution Slider plugin to the latest version; misc: Single Post Content – added button color/background/fonts; misc: List block – added the option to keep icon and text aligned; misc: Tabbed Content – increased the limit of pages from 5 to 10; misc: Form Title – added the option to set font settings separately for the input; misc: Single Post Taxonomies – added the option to display the terms as columns and an option to display terms’ images; misc: Posts List – added the option to display the credit cost of posts; misc: Gallery – added the options to set padding, border radius, background color and background shadow on the arrows; misc: Custom Field – option to open the CF image in modal lightbox; misc: Image Box – added Seo title option; misc: Added ids for inline javascripts generated by theme misc: Theme color now accepts global colors; fix: Custom Field block – CSS issues; fix: Fix loading google fonts on standard templates; fix: ToTop css issue; fix: tdLoadingBox.js script was loading when it wasn’t supposed to; fix: Modal Popup – fixed an issue with the close button; fix: Form Input – fixed an issue with the font settings for labels; fix: Fatal error on zone when Youtube key is missing; fix: Flex Loop – ajax issue; fix: Module Builder – exclusive tag doesn’t appear on CPTs; fix: XSS vulnerability; fix: Header Menu – page mega menu ui delayed load issue; fix: The reCaptcha on comments interferes with other reCaptcha plugins; fix: Show/hide ToTop on mobile issue; fix: Form File Upload – Fixed an issue related to the input height; fix: Preloading Featured image on CPT issue; fix: Random order on Authors Box; fix: Module Title – CSS fix; fix: Row – vertical align issue (space between); fix: Post Loop – replace “No posts” message on pagination with a redirect; fix: Social Icons PHP warning; fix:  Security fixes – vulnerability report from Wordfence; fix: Woo Products Loop – PHP notice; NEWSPAPER – VERSION: 12.6.4 new: Forest Beat – View Demo new: Featured audio – added support for Spotify; new:  Module templates – New reading time shortcode; improvement: Woo Product description – added the possibility to set an initial height for the content, with the user being able to expand it; improvement: Modal popup – Added the option to remove the opening/closing transition effect; improvement: Eliminated attachment_url_to_post() function used on Theme Panel header/footer logos; improvement: Column title – Added the option to change the default margins of the H1-H6 tags; improvement: Added the option to change the background color for the content of a mega menu; improvement: Added option to use Woo classic pagination on Woo Loop; improvement: Single Post Date – added the option to custom format the date; improvement: Custom Field – Added support for the ‘user’ type field; improvement: We’ve updated the Revolution Slider plugin to the latest version; improvement: Added Alt on author image; improvement: Option in theme panel to deactivate Product schema from posts when reviews active; fix: Colorpicker – Fixed a UI issue with selected global colors; fix: CSS Analyze tool deprecated – removed; fix: Issue while saving textareas for a user; fix: User description field is now displayed as a textarea; fix: Popular(all time) sorting option doesn’t appear; fix: Inline Image html width and height; fix: Menu Cart – Fixed an issue where the menu cart was not being dynamically updated when changing products quantity or removing them from the cart page; fix: Single Post User Reviews List – Fixed an issue where only a maximum of 5 reviews were displayed. Changed that to unlimited. fix: Yoast analyzer; fix: Product structured data; fix: Removed instagram ID & personal accounts sources (discontinued); fix: Row – Fixed hide on pagination option when using Flex Loop Builder; fix: Tag Description – Fixed some style issues; NEWSPAPER – VERSION: 12.6.3 new: Interior Designer- View Demo new: Added a new shortcode – Module Automatic Numbering; new: Footer delayed load option in Theme Panel; new: Option to stop zones render on mobiles for Header Menu and Header Menu Sticky; new: Option to stop zones render on desktop for Mobile Menu and Mobile Menu Sticky; improvement: Moved the posts autoload options in the website manager; improvement: We’ve updated the Revolution Slider plugin to the latest version; improvement: Header main menu – option to not load desktop menu on mobile devices; improvement: Delay option works also for category Mega Menu; improvement: Update translations po_mo files; improvement: Option to show/hide links in Excerpts; improvement: Option to replace self hosted video row background with an image or video on mobile; fix: Title name for author social icons; fix:  Issue on List Menu; fix: Slider width orientation change; fix: Scroll on mobile search; fix: Urban Observer demo without content; fix: Scroll on iOS when popup modal is used; NEWSPAPER – VERSION: 12.5.1 new: One-click installable demo – Korean News Insight NEWSPAPER – VERSION: 12.5 new: 5 New one-click installable Pre-Build Websites (demos): new: World Matters – View Demo; new: InsightAI – View Demo; new: App Find – View Demo; new: UrbanEdge – View Demo; new: Coaching Pro – View Demo; new: Form Gallery shortcode; new: Option to use global domain on Google recaptcha; new: Filter posts using “current” in Multiple terms input; new: Filter posts by custom field (include/exclude input); new: Search cloud template CPT support; new: Archive cloud template CPT support; new: Single User Reviews Form – custom login url option; new: Google recaptcha will apply also on WP Register page; new: Form Location Finder & Single Post Location Display – Implemented Bing Maps as an alternative API service provider; new: Single Post Location Display – Added option to fill in the complete location meta from which to pull the address from; new: Added support for acf date picker, date time picker and time picker; improvement: Improved the way posts are linked together; improvement: Added Highest and Lowest rated (user reviews) sorting options on blocks; improvement: Posts Form Submit – added the option to assign a cloud template to the newly created post; improvement: Posts list – new form fields (childs); improvement: Posts list – hierarchically sort posts; improvement: Update google fonts; improvement: Display CPT templates settings on post edit; improvement: Posts Form Link To Post – added the options to specify the max depth or to select the depth from which to display posts; improvement: Optimize fonts css; improvement: Form FIle Upload – Added new options to adjust the height of the input and the image preview; improvement: Custom Field – text cut option; improvement: Custom Field – set html image width and height automatically; improvement: Module Template Image -added border options; improvement: Header Main Menu – added an option to set the border radius for sub-menus; improvement: Single User Reviews Overall – Added the possibility to display a full breakdown of the rating (meaning all criterias and their scores) improvement: Module Date – options to display ‘ago’ text before and after the date; improvement: Custom Field – Enabled on woo products, categories and tags; improvement: Added term ID as class for each checkbox/radio term; improvement: Form Taxonomies – Added options to display the term’s custom fields, on each level independently; improvement: Hide button if no URL option (on all the shortcodes with button); improvement: Url option for Modal Popup title; improvement: Added the possibility to sort by user reviews rating (high/low); fix: XSS vulnerability – courtesy to Automattic team; fix: Stop views count for standard and cloud templates if Theme Panel option is disabled; fix: Demo import php warning; fix: Lazy load on Module Image; fix: Error custom field on Woo Shop page; fix: Smartlist template if is set globally; fix: Cloud templates import not importing template options(global colors/fonts & custom svg icons); fix: Show Manager settings only for admin; fix: Retina image on block pagination; fix: Linked posts option on flex blocks filter updated to show only parent; fix: Modules cloud tpl icons/google fonts; fix: Flex loop builder cpt tax; fix: Prevent panel settings update(save) for editor user role; fix: Php 8.1 warnings; fix: Single Background Image – replaced ‘a’ tag with ‘span’ when url is not set; fix: Extra class on video embed shortcode; fix: Restrict subscribers to view only media library items they uploaded; fix: Border size multiple values Flex Block/Loop Builder; fix: Single Post Table of Contents – fixed an issue with smooth scroll; fix: Flex Block/Loop Builder – fixed an issue with the modules bottom space option; fix: Download the size of the avatar according to the… … set width (Single Post Author Box, Author box and Author Image); fix: Scroll issue on Mobile Search; fix: Search in taxonomies terms; fix: Reviews system custom post types updates; fix: Display hidden on desktop hides the element on the other viewports; fix: Post reading time – strip all tags from post content; fix: Image border radius when TP placeholder is set; fix: Megamenu border radius. For License Key: themesfores.com products are functional without entering a product license code. We are unable to provide a license code for you, and it’s because we already obtain the Plugin/Theme to the original developer. The use of a license code usually is for automatic updates and premium support from the original developer. Besides, we guarantee you to deliver a free manual update and minor assistance for your convenience of using the product. Refund Policy: If the plugin or theme is not working properly and we also fail to help you then, in that case, you will get the money back. If the plugin and theme are working properly then you will not get the money back. How to fix “style.css missing” error while uploading themes? A common issue that can occur with users new to installing WordPress themes is a “Broken theme and/or stylesheets missing” error message being displayed when trying to upload or activate the theme. This is because the theme download package on ThemeForest includes additional files to the theme such as the documentation, license etc. https://themesfores.com/product/newspape-news-woocommerce-wordpress-theme/ #NewspaperThemes #WooCommerceTheme #WordpressTheme

[altiosai]

Stop wasting time on manual Excel entries! Automate your rate confirmations into loads effortlessly. Boost efficiency and say goodbye to tedious tasks today!

Trucking uses a lot of paper, from rate confirmations to proof of delivery to fuel bills and trip expenses. Keeping track of all this is really important for your business, whether you're a small or big player. It's not just for your records but also for following rules and regulations. You can either do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. But hiring an experienced person can be expensive. At LoadMiles, we've made this easier with technology. Here's how it works: first, you create a load by uploading the rate confirmation. Our system's AI reads the information, creates the load, and attaches the document. This load is like the main unit. You can attach the Proof of Delivery (POD) using your mobile, create an invoice, and finish the sales cycle. Now, you have the rate confirmation, POD, and invoice all in one place. When you're on the road, you spend a lot of money on fuel. Just scan each fuel card and trip expense and tag it to the load. This helps you understand how well you're managing expenses. Besides load costs, there are other expenses like insurance, subscriptions, and maintenance. Learning to be good at handling these small things can make a big difference in your business. So, by using LoadMiles, you can easily keep track of all your documents and expenses. This is the best way to stay organized and make sure your trucking business runs smoothly

for more info https://www.loadmiles.com/

rateconfirmations #efficiency #loads #tracking #truckers #LoadMiles

[peter7390]

Expanding Your Horizons with Delivery Services

Companies continually seek ways to build customer relationships that go beyond the product itself, fostering loyalty. One method gaining popularity is offering delivery routing software to customers. With social distancing and stricter in-store regulations, providing delivery services has become essential for business viability. The New York Times reported a nearly 40% increase in online consumer spending at the pandemic's peak, while in-person shopping had already declined as younger consumers favored online options.

Delivery costs can be substantial, comprising up to 30% of the total meal cost (TMC), and food deliveries can reach as high as 45%. These costs are challenging to hide within product prices and are often waived as a competitive advantage. Traditionally, companies relied on third-party delivery services, but many, like Amazon, are now developing their own. The explosive growth of digitally-enabled delivery services underscores the value customers place on convenience and variety. McKinsey projects the digital food delivery market will reach $22 billion by 2025, prompting many companies to internalize their delivery services to tap into this revenue.

Well-managed delivery services can enhance customer loyalty, reduce emergency response costs, maintain control over customer data, and streamline the delivery process. They can also be a revenue source and boost margins if effectively managed. Conversely, poorly managed services can be costly.

To plan and execute deliveries effectively, companies are adopting delivery management solutions to streamline their services. Organizing routes and building efficient delivery plans are crucial for lowering operational costs.

NetScore’s Delivery Routing application, built on the NetSuite ERP system, offers a comprehensive planning solution for dispatch route organization. It includes a mobile application providing drivers with necessary delivery tools.

Effective organization is key to successful delivery operations. As sales orders are processed in NetSuite Delivery Routing system generates delivery orders, using geo-point mapping to create stops. A rule-based system controls route building, managing order numbers, truck capacity, and transit times. Dispatch route planner can be adjusted according to preferences and assigned to drivers.

Fleet vehicle tracking ensures drivers follow the most efficient routes and stay on schedule. NetScore allows planners to view graphical route representations and receive real-time updates. A map view shows driver locations, enabling route adjustments as needed. Delivery orders can be reassigned if a vehicle breaks down or additional help is required.

Simplifying drivers' tasks is crucial for cost-effective route planning software. Effective route plans ensure proper truck loading in reverse stop order. NetScore’s solution provides route plans usable as picking or loading documents to position orders correctly for truck management system.

Executing the route plan is vital for timely, cost-effective deliveries. Mobile applications equip drivers with powerful tools for delivery execution. NetScore’s Delivery Routing solution offers:

- Graphical route depictions

- Travel time between stops

- Turn-by-turn instructions

- Order contents

- Customer delivery alerts

- Reasons for delivery cancellations

Proof of delivery is crucial, capturing signatures, photographing product drops, and noting key delivery information. NetScore’s mobile app facilitates quick data collection, automatically uploading it to the backend system and attaching it to the delivery record. Integration with Google Drive helps store pictures and signatures, minimizing NetSuite data storage.

Expanding delivery operations can optimize company benefits. Functions like picking up returns, accepting payments, and collecting products based on purchase orders during delivery routes are advantageous. NetScore’s Delivery Routing application integrates these features into your NetSuite system and mobile application.

For assistance in planning and implementing your delivery service, please contact a NetScore Account Executive.