>>5388641[2/???]
While you progress through the city and scan your surroundings for opportunities, you tune your radio. For some reason, you've been listening to the Law remnants faction at the almost total exclusion of everyone else, so you choose to continue with that.
>RADIO INTERLUDE SELECTED:>Law Enforcement Chatter"-fucking butchered here! We need reinforcements, NOW!"
"That's a negative." It's the same gruff voice from before. "We're completely pulling out of LA. The general order came out a while ago. If you're stuck south of the Santa Ana River, you're out of luck. A large group just made their way out of the Pomona region and are probably around the mountains by now. It was a complete pull-out."
"Pomona?" you remark. "That was north of us." You recall the fork in the path where you chose to go along the southern route just earlier (although with how things feel like in this hellish escape, it might as well have been months to you.)
"Last I heard that group was north of the 210," the voice on the radio continues. "Apparently, they didn't encounter much resistance. Local Cartel forces were busy ransacking the industrial zones to the south and didn't bother them much." It sounds like he's talking about where you're at. "Whatever you do, don't go south towards more Cartel and don't go East. The Revolutionaries will slaughter you. We've been hearing horror stories from out there. For the love of God, just move fu- freaking north! You do NOT want to be stuck when- look, just drop everything you're doing and head out as fast as you can. It might already be too late." The tone sounds strangely resigned for someone trying to rally the men in what should nominally be just a temporary setback.
"I-, err, we'll do it. But can't we go East? To the Banning Pa-"
"The Banning Pass is a deathtrap. The group stationed there- all we've heard is static. They're probably all dead. The approach is apocalyptic from what we've heard. Land mines, snipers, stories that don't even sound real. You're better off trying to cut a path to God-damned Mexico through Camp Pendleton! Make a break for the northern mountains, NOW!"
"Yes sir!" You hear some unintelligible yelling before that guy's feed cuts off completely.
"Sounds like we should've gone for the northern or middle route instead of keeping south," Jill comments. "But it's in the past now."
"You know, I think that-"
You're interrupted by the radio continuing. You'd think the radio interlude would be done, but it looks like you've caught the gruff guy in charge on a hot mic.
"Fucking hell." It's faint, but intelligible if you turn the volume up. "Fetch me some of the hooch... yep, the cheap stuff... no, this shithole of a country -we- don't deserve any better..." You can't make out half of what he's saying, much less the other half of the conversation. "I think those fools believe there's anything left to save... exactly, the mayor, the cops... with a government like this, who needs enemies?"
