Jazz's Gang

**Jazz's Gang** were a short-lived group of civilian apocalypse-survivors located in the city of Treetown, West Coast. As the name suggests, the crew was unofficially led by charismatic bot and Treetown native, Jazz Smith. They appeared in ***Clown Force Apocalypse 3**,* as one of the protagonist groups.

The group formed in the days leading up the Apocalypse, in early May of 2174, during a time when a deadly virus began sweeping across the state, turning humans and other races into undead creatures. Society in many towns in the state collapsed, including in Treetown, and the majority of citizens had fled the city southwards. Jazz was among the few who decided to stay in the city and take advantage of the lawlessness; he formed the crew during a street riot with his cousin Reece Smith , friend Declan "Juicebox" Kang, and several others.

After coming into contact with an American J.A.C.K.D.A.W platoon, the gang accompanied them on long voyage across the country to Cad City in seek of refuge abroad, and they ultimately dissolved after they were split up in the chaos during the Second Coming of Vastuvius, the catastrophic event that marked the beginning of the Apocalypse.

## Background

Before the crew had formed, several of the members had already been acquainted at some point in time.

Reece Smith was the first cousin of Jazz, the two had grown up together in the poorer side of Treetown. Unlike Jazz, Reece was less quick & cunning and was fairly reserved in comparison, but was nonetheless tough and possibly even sturdier than Jazz himself. Jazz was somewhat well-known in his area as a smart yet reckless petty criminal and part-time drug dealer, aswell as an avid womanizer and a fighter. Several flashbacks show how Jazz lived his life, constantly engaging in illegal activity such as scamming and other get-rich-quick schemes. Before the virus hit, Jazz had never killed anyone - but Reece had done 2 years for man-slaughter and had only been released for a year by the time the crew was formed. Jazz was often wanted by the Treetown P.D and had been arrested several times in his life, but he had always managed to weasel his way out of it. The cousins were close in their teenage years, but by 2174 they had drifted and trusted each other less - mainly due to Reece's incarceration and Jazz's reckless, hedonistic ways.

Jazz had met the older and wiser Declan "Juicebox" Kang at an eating contest in the nearby town of Plandary a year and a half prior; the two had become close friends since. In many ways, Juicebox was the polar opposite of Smith - with the former being a sensible and hardworking blue-collar bot who stayed mostly stayed clear of crime and run-ins with the law. Jazz was often in Plandary with Juicebox, and had occasionally gotten the two into trouble on nights out. Jazz would start fights in clubs, either purposely or not, and the night would sometimes end in the two escaping the scene. In many ways, Juicebox was to Jazz like what Reece had been to him years before.

Reece and Juicebox were also friendly, but Reece had become somewhat reclusive in the year he was free and did not engage with his friends as much as he used to. Although Juicebox had largely taken his spot as Jazz's closest ally, Reece did not appear to be jealous of him in any way and respected him, further hinting at the fact Reece had grown tired of Jazz's antics. (something Juicebox would also grow tired of later on)

Jazz, Reece and Juicebox had all known female member of the group Rosalía beforehand. She was originally from the same block as Jazz and had grown up with him for a time, but had moved away when she was 15. She hinted that she had taken his virginity when they were kids - something Jazz denied. Nonetheless, she had returned to Treetown in '73 and began to work in a bar - occasionally having casual sex with Jazz, Reece and other friends of the two. Like Jazz, she was somewhat of a hedonist and a con-woman, something Jazz was attracted to. Juicebox once joked to Jazz that "She's the only girl who's ever saw past your bullshit". By the time of the outbreak, Jazz and Rosalía were seeing each other occasionally, but the former claimed there were no feelings or commitment involved in the affair.

Juicebox and Rosalía had also become friends during the year, and they had also indeed had sex a few times - something that Jazz was unaware of. When Jazz discovered this during a heated argument with Juicebox, he physically attacked the latter, alluding to the fact Jazz did in fact have feelings for Rosalía.

The deranged and brutish muscle of the group, Christopher 666, had not known any of the other members before he met Jazz, Reece and Juicebox in a chaotic riot on the streets of Treetown. He had escaped from the nearby Lakeside Correctional Facility in a massive prison break that had occurred a few days prior and fled west, eventually laying low in the town. Christopher stated that his surname was indeed "666", something he adopted in his time with a Satanic cult years before. Clearly psychopathic, he was charged with two counts of first degree murder and was serving a life sentence, he himself claims the killings were "sacrificial". When Jazz discovered him looting a jewelry store amidst the riot, he invited him to run with him - to which he accepted.

Friends Oscar and Sainter were both from the nearby town of Buttstock and had not known any of the other members before coming across the crew at the Treetown Sherriff's Office. Both well-off college students, they were away with friends for the weekend in Treetown when the virus started causing major issues in the state; the flat in which they were staying was looted during the riot and many of their friends were murdered. The two escaped the attack and ended up at the station. Other members of the group included Mr. Kensington, an elderly human who had been an associate of Jazz beforehand, Adam, a human friend of Jazz and Juicebox who was killed early on and Ellie, his girlfriend who was also killed soon after him.