Chapter 42-1 Chasing Ghosts

[Duffusmonkey]

I think it is the Mallers because Puck has been injured but not bitten.

Puck says "Call the Doc" and asks for a pickup. Puck has made a huge deal about Datu being dead already. he even Snubbed Datu once in this episode. If Puck was bitten he would call in a warning but he wouldn't ask for a doctor, its too out of character for him.

The jail is the perfect fall back for the Mallers, it would be the easiest and quickest building to secure. Duria's pride would never let him use the jail but Scratch is focused on what ever helps her achieve her goals. The remaining Mallers would hate but Scratch but know that she is their best hope for survival .

I think the Fort Irwin soldiers hit a booby trap that Tardust make and Puck was the only one not blown to bits. That kind of death would also probably be the most effective at shaking Michael up after his tours overseas.

[Duffusmonkey]

Did Datu seem just a bit more aggressive than normal? He evin kicks the mill. I guess that's just another sign of him turning. Tommy went aggro as well.

Yes he did, I almost expected him to scare one of the Fort Irwin soldiers to death.

[Eviebae]

Puck requests pick-up and only asks for a Doc. Everyone else is dead; so that tells me that whatever happened is over, and he is pretty sure it's not dangerous for his rescuers to come get him. He's near the jail, but did he make it there and was on his way back with intel??

I was amazed how people seemed to fall into familiar patterns around Datu--going so far as planning for future tasks for him to do. Even if keeping busy can keep him from focusing on his demise, I'd have thought it would have been hard for everyone else to do.

On a personal note, can anyone explain that "bonding through ragging on each other" behavior? I mean, how does constantly pissing each other off help them bond? Is it really all in fun--or do they sorta mean it? How are you supposed to know when it's serious? Is it just letting each other let off steam? I believe it's authentic because KC has been around that kind of thing a lot; I just don't "get it."

[TacticalJHP]

Crazy.. I had a bad feeling about the Jail when it came up in their conversation. Now they are all dead except Puck For now.
I would really have liked to see Puck be there till the bitter end. Maybe he still will.
I could see the Mallers Taking up stock in the jail for protection. But like mentioned. I have a hard time believing the Mallers could take out Puck and Crew. But then again if they had it setup right for an Ambush..
But my money would be on Ink and Company..

There was two points of interest about the jail:
1. There is a link to Ink there.
2. There are weapons there they may need.

The first reason is slight reason for the attack to be done by zombies. I don't believe it was Randy, and it was not a planned ambush in any way. If it was a zombie attack, I expect to see another little one dead, a Behemoth, or a MASSIVE crowd of regulars. Let's face it, these guys became fairly good at killing zombies for a few regulars to kill even with all the joking around they do with each other.

Second point, since the Mallers may have been in the jail, and known about the secure area and weapons it possesses, it may be a perfect Base of Operations for them. R&B never once mentioned that they had searched there for them. the campfires and shootout that they had may have been with search parties and patrols looking for supplies. And if the Mallers see a gun truck coming, as i assume they have lookouts as before, they would be able to set ambushes up quickly to dispatch the soldiers suspecting zombies and not gunfire, steal their weapons and supplies, and even the gun truck. The Mallers then are more of a threat then they were 4 months ago.


We shall see next week what happened.


Oh, BTW....I think Burt ans Riley are hiding shit about their 4 months they were gone.

[TacticalJHP]

On a personal note, can anyone explain that "bonding through ragging on each other" behavior? I mean, how does constantly pissing each other off help them bond? Is it really all in fun--or do they sorta mean it? How are you supposed to know when it's serious? Is it just letting each other let off steam? I believe it's authentic because KC has been around that kind of thing a lot; I just don't "get it."

It is all in good fun. You don't really mean it, but then you kinda do, but you would beat the living hell out of some asshole on the street for saying the same thing about your buddy that you both laughed about ten minutes ago.

The reason is, he/she is your friend and understands that as your friend, you can joke about anything, talk about anything, and laugh about anything. It is a BOND that some don't really ever experience, but when you do, it is almost impossible to describe in words to those who have never felt it.

But, when the time comes, each and every one of those guys joking around would do everything they could to save the other guy. EVERYTHING. Because of that bond, that love of one another that is unspoken, but passed through some crude, off-color jokes that is shared among friends.

That love is stronger than anything else.

[Eviebae]

I wonder if the zomboids are just going to burn out and fizzle--they'll all get cancer or something and die off.

TacticalJHP--I kinda get it, I'm just so deadly earnest that I'd never joke like that with someone. You can tell it does hurt their feelings but they laugh it off. I guess they know you see their stuff, but still like them? It's like not liking strawberries, incomprehensible to me.

[Litmaster]

On a personal note, can anyone explain that "bonding through ragging on each other" behavior? I mean, how does constantly pissing each other off help them bond? Is it really all in fun--or do they sorta mean it? How are you supposed to know when it's serious? Is it just letting each other let off steam? I believe it's authentic because KC has been around that kind of thing a lot; I just don't "get it."

Well, I was in the military for four years, and that kind of thing was pretty much par for the course. You can't really bond with a guy unless you talk about his mother first...

[7oddisdead]

I think tactical hit the nail on the head with his assessment. To me, that's what's its like to be or have "brothers". I know everything he said is exactly how we are(myself and the three brothers). One of us fuck up we will call each other out on it. But someone else messes with one of us. There's hell to pay.

and we DO mean everything we say to each other.

[scbubba]

What an episode! I was kinda expecting a little anticlimactic Burt return when we didn't start off the episode with him.

I gotta say, from the point Puck & Co radioed in while returning from Ink's house all the way through when they left for the jail, I was TENSE! I kept expecting something bad to happen. Datu getting aggro, Puck playing with the Mata gun, Vic and Puck verbally sparring, then hooking up & unhooking the gun. I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Then..... Nothing. Relief to hear the call from Kelly.

The conference quarrel was awesome. It had a real rhythm to it and felt as natural as several I've been a part of IRL...

When the radio page started going off, my stomach dropped. All the anxiety from the earlier scene came rushing back at the sound of Puck's voice. Dead? Oh crap, they can't really be dead can they? FFFFFUUUUUUU.......

Kc, I'm gonna go ahead and say that this was one of he best, IMO. Setup has been perfect and you have toyed with us from cliffhanger to cliffhanger and from each red herring to each wild goose chase. And here I am, all strung out again needing a WA fix. "Hook it to my veins!!!!"

I'm of 2 minds on the matter of Puck & Friends.

1) Zombies at the jail. Definitely plausible. Ink would be familiar with it and it would probably offer many of the comforts for post apocalyptic zombie living. But Puck being injuredby zombies and calling for pickup? Doesn't seem like something he would do. Zombie wounds are usually either fatal or turning. Can't see Puck calling in if he thought he was turning. But, when tour life is on the line, logical thinking can disappear in a hurry. My thought here is that, if the jail is a zombie place, Puck got badly injured in a mata gun failure.

2) jail as Mallers hangout. Very plausible. Some or all of the remaining Mallers would probably be familiar with it and if stardust is still around, a set of booby traps could have taken out the soldiers, gun truck & all. Burt's reference about the radios not necessarily being secure worked as a rationale for being out of touch but may have also served to set up a Maller ambush.

I think the Mallers were involved here more than zombies. Although, it could have been both....

Damn thus is gonna be a long week...

[Witch_Doctor]

Gee, since nobody likes me hear, I need an ego boost...

We have this ( ).... Maybe we can turn it into this (o) and reduce the amount of power required

Lol

WOW! Just wow, man.