章 1: living room wars!
I was focused on the model in front of me, an Eldar Farseer she was your normal run of the mill model, singing spear and shrunken pistol in both hands and her standard armor. I was already done with all the regular coating and trim and I was about to finish up her detail work. With a stroke of my fine tipped brush the last highlight of her soul stone that was emblazoned crimson red on her chest piece was complete and with it so was she. Her Ulthwe colors were bright and yet aged the way I liked, I placed here infront of the war host that was assembled on one of my many tables I had.
A sense of pride filled me as I gazed at my weeks worth of work on display. An entire Eldar warhost consisting of five thousand models was in full paint and kit, the entire thing had set me back on income by a larger margin then I wanted. But I would easily make it up with the commission I finished a month earlier, ten thousand points worth of Terynids all painted amd ready to sent back to its owner. A full month was spent on that one army and by gods on this earth it was worth the money, especially since the owner chose my highest quality option for painting.
"I better get this commission back to the post office so I can get the check cleared." I said to no one but my self while I check my watch. It was 2:30 pm on friday and the post office closed at 3:30 pm here in my town. With a little haist I stacked the cardboard box's on a dolly I owned and secured them with bungee cord, before dragging them up the ramp of my basement out into my parking spot of my house.
With little ceremony I stacked them in the back of my azure blue dodge caliber's trunk, and wheeled my dolly back to the basement. With that I secured the storm doors and turned to look at my little workshop, I had six total tables for display and playing. One work bench with all my tools and paints, with box's from both commissions and online orders of kits stacked neatly in order next to it. The stairs and trash bin were in the middle of the basement with the latter under it. On my tables were my personal army's I played with, starting with my newest was my five thousand model army of ulthwe eldar lead by my freshly painted Farseer.
Next was my pride and join my custom chapter of space marines, the Emperor's Truth, all one thousand space marines were accounted for including there chapter master Angelus. They were Royal Purple with gold trim like the Emperor's children legion before turning traitor in the lore. Each company was fully fleshed out in terms of war gear and vehicle's, plus I even painted chapter serfs and extra servortors for the tech marines.
Next was my sisters of battle army which could use some love, they were small only at seven hundred and fifty models. The majority were infantry and specialized units, they had there transport rhinos as well as some organ artillery. They were lead by my most recent addition the Canones Seritia, accompanied by her Hospitialers.
Fourth on my list were my favorite to paint, the Guard. They were my largest and my first army, standing at over two full regiments of cadina shock troops. I had a full infantry regiment standing at five thousand models, mostly made up of fully companys of Guards men. At least four thousand were basic Guard, with over nine hundred being heavy weapons teams. Lastly they had over one hundred kassirkren storm troopers with full kit, that were lead by none other then general Creed himself.
The other half of the my guard army was all vehicles, one thousand chimera transport vehicles in all patters. Over two thousand leamon russ tanks of all patters I could get my hands on, over five hundred sentinels with five hundred basiliks artillery pieces. Finally I have two hundred and fifty hydra flack pieces, with two hundred and fifty manticors. Four hundred valkyrie gunship models were all stored on shelves mounted on the walls behind the Guard table with over forty tank commanders and ten supper heavy tanks that were all patters of the bane blade.
This army would be a wet dream to have to any warhammer forty thousand fan, and I had earned it by winning the national torment. I had a choice of cash and a trophy or the same equivalent in terms of models and kits. I chose the latter and spent a full six months putting them all together and painting each model, this army helped me get my painting service underway. This same list helped me win an apocalypse bet I made with my Local game store owner, my guard against his chaos undivided army. In winning I become a partner and now get of twenty five percent of any item ordered through him, he also promotes my painting service to those that dont have to time to put there army's together and paint them up.
In all its a steady gig that has allowed me to have my house and get tax breaks, who knew a hobby could be so lucrative. Finally my last army is a mechanicum expedition, it was only getting off the ground at a measly hundred and fifty models. I had the arch magos model painted but not named, and with him came a full cohort of skitarii rangers and rust stalkers. I had a full group of doom crawlers and a put load of combat servators. The rest were tech priest engine sears that I would use to aid my guard army.
I passed my new elder army to get to stairs and work my way up to my first floor, yet I felt like something moved in my peripheral vision. I stopped and eyed the place I felt movement from, it was only my warhost army though. The farseer had some how got nocked on its back, "huh" I let out of my self a confused sound. I walked back down the stairs and place her upright again, " I must of bumped the table in my haist." I murmured to my self writting it off as nothing of importance.
Swiftly turning around I bounded up the stairs to meet my first floor, the door to the basement was located in the short hallway that connect my kitchen to my living room, besides it was the stairs leading to my second floor which had all the bedrooms. There was a small storage closet and a half bathroom as well. I turned on my right foot heading for my kitchen, I was grabbing my keys and wallet. My kitchen is medium size with an island in its middle, a full chrome fridge and oven with a glass stove top. Microwave next to the double sink, the cabinets were all made of a pine painted mahogany brown. Off to my left was the dinning room with a full ornate table and china cabinet. There was also a sliding glass door that led to my yard, there two entrances to my house, a side one in the kitchen that led to a small deck and then the stair case to my drive way. And then the front door witch was for greeting guests and such.
I pocked my wallet and grabbed my keys of the hook next to my side door, before exiting I made sure to get phone of the charger that was on a small part of the granite counter top. With said items in had I exited my home and swiftly descended to my car, with a flick of the handle and turn of the key it hummed to life and was ready to deliver me to were I need to go.
I backed out of my gravel drive way down the slope of a small him which my home was on, before coming to my street. With a quick turn of the wheel I was on the street facing forward and already on my way to the post office, it took ten minutes to get to town and only five to the post office on the other side. As the time dwindled away and traffic lights were stopped at and then passed through A sight cought my eye as I whiteness a police car parked outside the same LGS I was a partner of. The owner Pete was talking to one officer while I saw another one go inside, I slowed down and turned into the parking lot of the strip mail this store was apart of.
I found a spot and parked my car, turning it off and got out and over heard the officer ask if there have been robberies before. " No sir, not with that lock I got on there." Pete answered with pride, you see pete aside from being a massive nerd with a business degree also was a lock and key fanatic. Speaking of the man I could see his tall lanky self standing over the hood of his ford F one fifty, he was easily six five with messy black hair and a full on go tee. He always had a graphic tee shirt on under his over shirt and brown cargo pants with black combat boots. He was white as hell to almost translucent, that didn't change his personality though, the pore tired officer was in full uniform and was also white with short cropped brown hair.
" Is anything missing you know about sir?" The officer asked, his town sounded bored but you couldn't blame him, it was just an adult hobby store. Before pete could answer the other officer stepped out of the shop and shook his head in confusion, "Register and safe are all there Rick, hell the shelves are all full to." Intoned the black partner to Rick.
"Well that makes no sense, why did you call us here if nothing is missing?" Rick question pete, " Oh something is missing alright, my whole chaos space marine army is missing from its display case" petes claim shocked me a little. The officer noticed me approaching and eyed me for a moment.
"And you would be?" His question was left open for me to answer.
"Allen sir, Pete's business partner." My explanation was short and sweet.
He again looked at me before redirecting his attention to pete, "sir since this was a personal item if you wish to open an investigation you can come to the department and file out a proper stole property inquiry." His statement was rehearsed to a Tee and came out like a damn skitarii drone.
With no further explanation the officers left Pete and I to our own devices, speaking of my partner was quietly cursing the gods for his luck.
" File a inquiry my white behind, they cant tell when something worth more then there damn pension is stolen." Pete ranted, and to his credit he had a point. His army was roughly ten thousand points, which to any hard core fan was years of work to acquire.
" So what happened Pete?" My question was straight to the point, I wanted to know everything so I could take account for damages.
"This morning when I opened the shop I noticed that the front door was unlocked, so fearing the worst I rushed in to check inventory." So far this was all normal, Pete open his store at one PM monday through saturday. He always came early though for inventory, ordering more merchandise and of course take time to paint his own terrain.
"Everything was fine to the point were I was thinking that I forgot to lock up from last nights torny, then when I got to the back and my display case was empty, bare boned." This is when I really payed attention. The store always had local torments for the new players, the game area was in the back of the store with eight tables and shelves of play mats with a full selection of terrain painted by Pete.
In the center was Pete's joy, his massive army of Chaos marines and allies. Every one who played there knew that he would only bring them out on special occasions, and never the full army. I was one of the few exceptions given our bet and all, for Pete is more of a collector then an active player. My mind went into over drive brain storming what could have happened, an average thief would have no clue as to the value of the army its self. Which left only those that played here as our only potential suspects, even then the number of people who would be willing to take on such a task as to break in and steal only that army came to zero. Most players only had one maybe two army's and they would only be enough for you basic game setups, there four total people who had the funds and time to play with such a large army, my self, Pete, David, and Marian.
" I just dont get it man, its not like they just got up and walked away some one had to take them." Pete lamented with a tired look in his hazel eyes.
While the thought of them coming alive and walking them selves out the front door was highly amusing, in reality it was impossible they were just plastic. This still left me with who would be petty enough to break in and steal the whole army, they had to have some form of lock picking skill because only my self and Pete had keys.
" Hey Pete its going to be alright, who or what ever did this knew what they were after which makes it easier for us to figure it out. We will get your army back, and if we don't I can help you get started on a new one I will even paint them all." While I said this I clapped him on his should which was funny because he was six five and five ten, my army was formed a thirty degree angle just to comfort him.
He perked up at my offer to paint all of his replacement army, " Shoot if it is you painting it I almost feel thankful to the nit whit that took em." And like that he was in good spirits again.
"Why dont you get the store ready for the day, I have ship this commission out then I can be over. I will even run a paining class today for the guys." My offer was mostly genuine in the fact that I would help the new players get into the hobby, it was also to see If I could pick up a dew new commissions from the wealthier ones seeing as they had better things to do then sit down and paint there army. I am a real money hound when it comes down to it.
"Thats right you had that tyranid swarm to put together, how much are you getting for that anyway?" Pete said while he was gathering stuff from his trucks back bed.
" Close to six thousand, it was six thousand models all painted to my best quality and also magnetized." I answered while walking back to my car.
"Shit man that is good dough." Pete exclaimed while almost stumbling into his own shop. "Yep that's why I get payed the bug bucks." I through that reply out as I closed my door after getting in and turning the key to my vehicle.
With little else to say I pulled out of my spot and drove back on the street with my destination being the post office, Checking the time I had thirty two minutes left be for they closed. With a push of the gas petal I was reaching the speed limit of thirty five miles per hour and make my travel time fives minutes tops.
The town passed by my window as I drove through it, it was one of those up and coming towns trying to become a city. It had all the places you would want from shopping to restaurants, barber shops and the salons. Pete's shop was the only LGS in town making it the save heaven for all those who are nerdy, Geeky, and of course Dorky.
I past the court house and then the police station, before finally spotting my destination. The United states postal service, it was a small version of most of there offices proper for the amount of people that lived here. Turning the wheel I cruised into the parking lot pulling a one eight turn and back up to the front door, with a perfect parking job I cut the engine and was ready to get put.
How ever the sound of something moving caught my ear. Pausing my move to exit my car I looked twords my truck and waited, for two minutes I pealed my ears for what could have made that shuffling sound.
Nothing.. Not a single sound other then the wind out side. Curious I climbed out of the drivers side and open up my trunk, the three box's met my sight as I ran through the possibilities of what could have happened.
Reaching into my pocket I pulled out my fathers flip knife that got passed to me as a eighteenth birthday present, with the sharpened point I open the box's one at a time. Puting my knife away I combed through them gently to see if maybe one of the limbs at come off, the bigger models had multiple limbs that could be swapped out for different weapon load outs.
After five minutes of looking I found what had happened, the hive tyrant the biggest model in the second box had one of its talons stuck in the side of the box. "Must've came loose when I turned around to back in" I reasoned to my self.
Grabbing the talon I snapped it back in place and repacked all the box's. Stacking them up then pick up the stack and slowly back up till my back met the push door, with a little effort I pushed open the door and made my way inside.
Turning on my left heel I spin around and walked up to the counter and gently placed the box's down.
"Another one hu?" A older voice asked from behind the counter. I looked around and spotted the post man, his name was Jonathan and he was a good friend. He served with my grandfather in the navy and damn did he look like him to, short cut faded hair, sharp green eyes, and enough wrinkles to made a sharpé proud. He stood at a good hight for his age to being sixty three and be five seven, his uniform was clean and pressed making it look brand new. 'Once a navy man always a navy man' my grandfather always said, old Jonathan definitely gave that impression.
Smiling I answered "You got it Jon, this one is a little fragile so be careful." Jonathan smiled and laughed. "Arnt they all fragile Allen? Hell half the time I have to wrap the damned things in buble wrap." His joke made me chuckle.
"Fair enough, regardless have a good night man." I left the counter while waving good by. Jonathan had already known the address of were my packages came from, seeing as they always wrote there return address.
Once out side I climbed into my car started back to home, I was making stake tonight for my self and I have been marinating it for a full day now. I made sure to stop and check on Pete and the store, to my delight my T'au army had come in and, great thanks to Pete, we loaded the kits into my truck. With a wave I left and headed home, I pulled up to my drive way and got the storm doors opened to my basement to load up my dolly.
Rolling it up the incline to my basement I loaded all eighty kits worth of T'au. With delight I hauled back down closing the storm doors and placed the stack next to my work bench, I looked at the remaining commissions I had on my clip board and noticed they were all full build and paint ones. I let out a sigh of annoyance, this ment I would have go back tomorrow to get the kits I need for these armies and put them together and paint them. Most of them were specialty units, like named characters or even monstrous creatures that required a lot of detail work.
I put the clip board back and moved to head upstairs to get comfortable, and get my stake ready for my movie night. I turned around and headed for the stairs.
How ever I stopped half way there when I noticed something that I never thought could happen. I scanned to my right and saw three empty tables.. Were once stood my armies now stood nothing.
My mind froze as it processed what I was looking at. "Whaa?" Escaped my mouth as it hung open in disbelief, I looked to my left and say the same as the other tables.. Empty. The shelves were baron, the tables were vacant and not a single model was seen.
Pete was now not the only one with missing armies. What ever happened to him happened to me as well.
Before I could focus on this a sound brought my sense to high alert, it was a load 'crash' like glass breaking. My body acted before my brain and moved to cabinet that was hidden underneath the stairs, I opened it and took one of my many weapons I owned out and loaded it. The weapon of choice was my M-nine taurus, it had fifteen rounds a magazine and alread one in the chamber. I grabbed the spare mag's and rushed up the stairs.
Who ever took my armies and Pete's was still here, and they were about to learn the hard way not to steel from a nerd who could shoot. As I ascended the steps more noise could be herd, it sounded like weapons fire from a video game with explosions mixed in.
I opened the door and cleared left to right, no one but now the sound was clearer, it was coming from my living room. I slowly crept down the short hallway and stopped at the door frame before stepping in and aimed my hand gun at the source of the racket.
For the first time in my life I was shell shocked, for in the far right wall were my movie and game case was stood a circle of rhinos letting loose bolter rounds from there heavy bolter's mounted to the roof of the vehicle. The heavy incinerators were releasing streams of fire and mixed in amongst the vehicles stood one inch tall women clad on power armor, they wielded bolters, flamers, meltas, chain swords, grenades were thrown and the organ based artillery was firing in all directions. Standing on the lowest shelf that had been blasted to hell by small explosives stood the Canones of my sister's of battle army sing a hymn to the Emporer as she fired her bolt pistol, all the sisters sung in step to her as a battle rhythm could be seen amongst them.
There enemy they face were chaos demons with cultists and demon engines as support, they surged forward trying to get into melee with the sisters. I recognized the color scheme of the chaos forces, it was Pete's clashing colors of pink, red, blue, and green. He always loved chaos undivided and half his army was painted like so.
Before the filter that connected my mouth and brain could stop the thought that registered in my mind my mouth had already taken the initiative to say it out load.
"What.. The.. Fuck.?"
As soon as those words left my mouth the battlefield that was my living room froze, in one single motion all the tiny beings looked up in my direction. And like how I was shocked so to were they shocked to see a titian of a man standing before them hold the largest weapon they have ever bore witness to.
It was at that moment when I realized the mistake I had just made.. I had announced my presence to a bunch of crazy cultist and vial demons that hunger for the souls of mortals. While also shocking the sisters of battle to the core of there faith.
While the silence rained. One word reverberated in my mind
'... Shit.'
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