Following the android war in the former mining town of Knysna, a huge relocation effort is launched. Following the post-war clean-up, a traveling volunteer explores the post-war area, picking up and scavenging on whatever he can while making a sort of profit and cleaning up along the way.

Relocation

Turning along a side street, a green Volkswagen Scirocco R makes its way along the pavement, idling for a bit while crawling along the war-torn area. With the wheels crunching against the littered pavement, the driver had all kinds of debris to deal with during the post-war cleanup. And so far, some progress is being made in the cleaning effort.

Driving the Viper Green Metallic sport compact is Mike Frederick, a muscular brown lion. Originally from Kenya, Mike had traveled to South Africa as part of a sightseeing tour. But following what happened with the massive Glitch event and the androids going wild, the lion is one of several volunteers that stayed behind to assist with the cleanup effort.

Almost immediately, Mike grows spooked at having to speed up and swerve away to avoid patches of glass littering the concrete to the point where he has to drive on the wrong side of the road (oncoming traffic is in the right lane). But the glass isn't the only thing he's worried about.

Dozens of shells, charred remains, and destroyed buildings line the streets, with very few structures remaining standing or still in service. The old mining town is likely going to be closed for good but the residents living in this small town were safely evacuated to a new mining town.

Along the way, Mike switches back to incoming lanes and resumes his drive. And after turning onto a big highway does he witness the colossal damage from the post-war aftermath. Distraught, the lion shakes his head while muttering, "Dear God! So much carnage! Man, I wish I had a truck for this. To think, so many lives lost and yet, no explanation yet from the government for what accounted. This whole thing is really– HEY!!!"

A passing Ford SVT F-150 Raptor in Shadow Black body paint blows by Mike at high speed, nearly turning the Volkswagen Scirocco R into scrap metal. As a result, Mike blades his horn at the zooming pickup to express his anger at the driver. However, the black pickup keeps right on going, ignoring the angry lion. Sighing to himself, Mike switches gear and expresses, "I hope I can find a junkyard or something to unload all this stuff. I can't seem to catch a break around here."

Running down the highway, Mike stops upon seeing another destroyed vehicle on the right side of the road (literally), which appears to be the charred remains of a second-generation Volkswagen Scirocco. But there appears to be nothing of value on it, just the frame itself.

The curious lion exits his car to inspect the roadside wreck when he notices a box inside the wreck. After grabbing this and inspecting it, Mike tosses the box I to his car while scratching his head in wonder, pondering, "Awkward. Who would leave a box of some sort inside of an abandoned vehicle??"

~~~~~

On the road again, Mike observes a former intersection which used to be a busy part of the former town. But now, it's just dead, leading the lion to remark, "There's nothing scarier than war and the damage it can do - especially on a scale as horrible as this."

Following this, Mike finally comes across a junkyard in hopes of selling the old car parts he picked up for cash. But off to the side of the junkyard is a Ford Ranger Wildtrak in Cool White body paint. Were these mysterious drivers rival factions or lone wolves looking to make a profit?

When Mike turns in and sells the items he picked up off the road, the lion leaves the junkyard. Sure enough, a pair of specks appear behind him. Only does Mike catch on seconds later that he accelerates, swerves onto the oncoming shoulder, and slams on his brakes, letting the trucks sail past him. There are not one but two Wildtrak Rangers, and it looks as though they have Mike as their target.

Raising a hand up from his steering wheel in question, Mike gestures to the trucks and comments, "You would think a police station is nearby! And I'm not even close to one! I can't risk running myself off the road on account of these two!"

Seeing these two ahead of him, Mike keeps his distance in hopes of avoiding a chase or attempted robbery. However, this isn't the case when the lion driver comes across an intersection littered with ugly patchwork, debris, and rough, grooved indents. This makes it tricky for Mike to navigate through but the trucks ahead of him have little to no trouble with the messy road. The lion later disappears along another route in search of a gas station or something where he can sell off what he picked up.

Along the way, Mike spots a strange-looking vehicle, making his green eyes widen in consideration. The strange car has a large rear wing matching the Performance Red body paint of the car - said vehicle in question is a Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R! And with blue police lights flashing from the windows, this is a foreign unmarked police car. Standing by such a car is another lion and he is waving to the incoming Scirocco!

Pulling up behind the red Mustang, Mike becomes apprehensive when the lion officer approaches him after flagging him down. Only when Mike rolls down his window does the officer reason, "So glad I found someone who can help out! Me and another officer are stranded! Mind giving us a lift?"

Seeing the lion officer's face causes Mike to light up in recognition where he grows suspicious, "Oh, Lyndon?? You're a police officer now?? Who put you up to this?"

Surprised at being found out and recognized instantly, Lyndon steps closer to the car and in a hushed whisper, he leans forward in Mike's ear, "Disregard what I just said and keep doing what you're doing. Truck drivers are no joke. I need your assistance in rescuing another officer."

"Is he injured or stranded?" Mike whispered back, inquisitive.

"Well Officer Dubois was ambushed by a group of renegades, so it's a combination of both. He's in the next town over." Lyndon observes Mike's eyes widening in worry, to which the brown lion assumes, "Really? Must have been pretty bad. Is it urgent?"

"He's still alive but with the war taking a massive toll on our resources, we've had to rely on some outside help. To an extent, his injuries aren't that bad. Just stranded." Lyndon mentioned.

"I'm not even finished cleaning up around this old town. But since it's urgent, I suppose you can ride along with me." Mike grumbled. He was disappointed at first but he later relaxed and mellowed out. But then he realizes, "Hang on just a second! Why are you asking for a ride when you have one right in front of you?"

Caught and busted for his motive, Lyndon sheepishly rubs his mane while admitting, "Because I would feel alone with no backup in case of an ambush. It's really weird, if you ask me." He turns serious once again once Mike kills the engine to his Scirocco and steps out to lean against the car, where Lyndon warns, "Those truck drivers are no joke. And with these renegades looking for an easy fix, we can't afford to get lost out in the middle of nowhere. Mike, I'm willing to tag along with you, even if it means riding your bumper."

Picking up on Lyndon's request, Mike also warns in rebuttal, "Lyndon, I was about to warn you about the same thing. Since this war, I've seen three pickups and almost became a casualty. They're getting more aggressive too. Listen Lyndon - to be on the safe side, we should travel separately but on the same path. That way, we'll have more protection."

"As much as I would like to accept, that's something that shouldn't be taken lightly. Numbers aren't everything, Lyndon. Plus, unlike you, I'm not armed with a weapon in case of a robbery." Mike misses the chilling smile taking place on Lyndon's face but once he notices, the brown lion experiences an icy shiver tangling his spine. Realizing what he's getting at, Mike shakes his head. "Lyndon, you're crazy and aggressive. You're not suggesting we snatch a tractor-trailer, are you?"

"Nope. And those types of trucks aren't what I was talking about anyway. Mike, I've seen your fights, your bouts, and your matches on public broadcasting. And with a fighting style like yours, who needs guns when you have your natural weapons with you?" Out comes the claws for emphasis, where Lyndon retracts them.

Mike folds his arms and retorts, "Lyndon, I'm a beginner in martial arts. You're an expert in Taekwondo and Karate. We have different fighting abilities and yet you're more aggressive on the fighting side. I never use my claws unless I have to."

"My point exactly. So enough talking - let's go!" Lyndon walks back to his unmarked Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R when he freezes from hearing a rumbling engine approaching in the distance behind him and Mike. The brown lion whirls around to see what's coming; from recognizing the engine noise, Mike comments, "Sounds like a Turbo Diesel. Could that be an International LoneStar??"

Lyndon also whirls around and what appears throws both lions into silence - A giant International LoneStar in Burgundy body paint charging down the road hauling a 53" trailer full of scrap material. The big rig itself has white racing stripes running down the middle as well as a 73" sleeper cabin. The rumbling / gurgling noise coming from the truck is the engine itself - a 14.9L Turbo Diesel Cummins X15 Inline-6.

Watching the tractor-trailer barrel past them, the two lions give each other a cautionary glance, signaling to each other to watch their backs. Finally after drawing an exasperated breath, Lyndon declares, "Alright Mike, I'll be trailing you for now. If anyone tries to attack you, I'll be right behind you as backup."

"We should stay close and try not to separate from each other. There's still a lot of cleaning up to do around here. But hey, the more hands, the better!" Mike suggested.

Satisfied, Lyndon salutes Mike and marches back to his unmarked Mustang while Mike climbs back into his Scirocco R, ready to make the cross-country trip to reach the new mining town and rescue the fallen officer along the way.

~~~~~

Mike Frederick and Lyndon Taymour are mine! Second chapter in collaboration with  Thabz!