Play@YSDC

Z-Day - 2:13 PM Central Time - Airfield 10 miles SW of Kearney, Nebraska
The Nebraska State Police Bell Jet Ranger flew in low over the airfield from the west. It slowed as it approached, hovering over the helipad twenty yards west of the control tower. Erica Spears gradually descended, landing gently on the pad, directly facing the tower. She turned off the engine and looked out of the cockpit at the two men who had emerged from the tower's wide open front entrance as the rotors gradually wound down. Bob Larkin could also see them quite well from the co-pilot's seat, and he could still see the sniper up on the tower's roof, who was watching them right back.

In the rear bench seat, Stephanie Bridges sat in the middle still typing rapidly on the laptop. On her left Dr. Brigetta Hausmann sat, her arm in a sling, looking out the window. Trooper Bo Richards sat on Stephanie's right, watching out the other window with his shotgun in his lap.

The men from the control tower wore National Guard uniforms and helmets. Julio Alvarez was a young Hispanic man who toted an M-4 and had a white armband with a red cross on his sleeve. The other, taller man was Harry Flynn. He wore a flight suit over his uniform. A rabbit's foot hung on a chain around his neck. He carried no rifle, but had a pistol on his belt.

Bob quickly gets out of the chopper to greet both men. Even his loose fitting orange flightsuit can't hide his broad and impressive shoulders. Both his pistols are visibly holstered on his belt, making no effort to hide them.

-Hi there! I'm Flynn and this is Alvarez. Hope you didn't have any trouble?

Alverez smiled and waved at the group inside the helicopter.

Bo opened his door and stepped out of the helicopter as well, standing beside Bob. The big Nebraska State Trooper cut an imposing figure. "I'm Trooper Bo Richards, Nebraska State Police," he said. "Nice to meet you guys. We were told you'd have some fuel for us." He looked Flynn and Alvarez over, but couldn't get much of an impression of them.

Stephanie looked up as she typed on the laptop. She smiled back at Alvarez and waved briefly with one hand before returning her attention fully to her work. "I don't really know these guys," she said, "but they seem friendly enough. I think we're going to be all right." Dr. Hausmann merely shrugged.

"I'm not sure," said Erica Spears. "I want to believe they've got our best interests at heart, but I've been burned before."

(Bob, roll Psychology to try to get an impression of Flynn and Alvarez. The base skill level is 5%. Flynn and Alvarez, you may roll Psychology as well to get an impression of the helicopter group. Also, everyone roll Spot Hidden, with a -5% penalty for Flynn and Alvarez due to your helmets.)

Alvarez looked at the people in the helicopter and tried to determine thier motives. He got the impression that they wanted to simply reful and move on quickly. He thought he saw that they had seen enough violence for today and did not want anymore. He figured that they were tired of what they had seen today. He also saw that most of the group trusted him and Flynn but that the pilot seemed suspcious since she did not like strangers. Alvarez also looked around the area in case some of those creatures came back. However he did not see anything to be alarmed about.

Flynn wasn't very worried about the group, only about the creatures.

Alverez said, "Well it looks like you guys are in a hurry. It will take 4 of us to move the fuel barrels from where they are stored to this helipad. Flynn and I can help but we will need two strong man, like you two." He said this pointing at Bob and Bo.

"No biggie. I'll have those barrels moved in no time." Bob answers as he read both men like an open book.

Near the tower-
Bo nodded. "Yes, let's go," he said. "Lead the way, guys." He and Bob followed Alvarez and Flynn to the east. The passed around the tower on the south side and kept going east, walking past the makeshift defensive barrier of stacked bodies that had been visible from the air. A line of six warehouses stood about fifty yards east of the tower. The southernmost one was due east of the tower, and the northernmost one was almost adjacent to the easternmost of the row of five hangars. A flatbed truck was parked in the gap between the first two warehouses on the south, facing west.

At the helicopter-
Stephanie saved her progress so far and continued working. "I've been at it exactly two hours now," she said. "Another two and I'll have finished. If I'm not done by the time we reach Omaha, I'll probably only need a few minutes to finish up."

"Well, it'll take about twenty minutes to refuel once they get back," said Erica. "The flight to Omaha will take another ninety."

Dr. Hausmann nodded. "I just hope we get there in time," she said.

"The sneaky bugger, northwest corner of the hanger, what is he hiding from?" Bob asks as he follows both men "We won't bite."

Near the tower-
"I spotted him too," said Bo, shrugging. "Not sure why he didn't want to be seen, but I guess he must have been afraid."

At the helicopter-
Dr. Hausmann was too distracted to notice anything, but Stephanie saw some movement. "I thought I saw a guy there," she said, "at the back of that big hangar, left side."

Erica Spears took a look. "Yeah, I see him."

(occ-Can I roll spot hidden again to see who they are talking about?)

Alvarez turned in surprise and said, "I am sorry i did not see anyone and i have no idea whom you are talking bout. As far as I know the only ones that should be near this area are you all and my group from the National Guard, and our air traffic controller whom you spoke to on the way here."

"A black man, civilian, looked pretty old." Bob says.

(occ-does Alvarez have a radio and if so can he radio this information to his CO or at least to the sniper?)

Alvarez got onto his radio and said, "Cpl and company, be aware that there has been sighted a black man near the northwest corner of the hanger. It looks like he is hiding from something or someone. Just thought you all might wish to know that. This is Alvarez, out."

(Erica Spears, Dr. Hausmann, and Stephanie are moving to this thread: Fly Girls

The others remain in the current thread.)

Outside Warehouse 1-
The voice of Simone Dawkins came over the radio: "Dawkins here. I can't see that location from up here. The hangar itself is blocking my view."

Gardner's voice came on next: "This is Gardner. I'm heading outside now, and I'll keep an eye out for him. It's probably the doc. Thanks for the heads up."

The four men reached the doors to Warehouse 1. The building was about fifteen feet high and had only one entrance, a pair of sliding doors on the west side. A length of chain had been looped through the door handles and a sturdy padlock held it in place. The door itself also had its own lock, though that one looked rather flimsy. Flynn had the keys to the warehouse as well as to the flatbed truck. A short distance to the north was Warehouse 2, which looked identical to the first one. To the south was open ground.

Alvarez said, "Flynn, you want to give me the keys to the flatbed truck so I can get it started and begin to back it toward these doors to make it easier to load the fuel barrals?

-Sure, but be quick, i'm hungry and i won't return to eat something.

Alvarez smiled and said, "Bob and Bo, could you all stand to have a beer or two. We have some in the barracks and it won't take that long to get it over here. I can go get it in the flatbed and we can have a beer while we put the barrels in the truck. What do you say?"

-Yea, seems good to me.

"Thanks, but I'm on duty," said Bo. "And unless I'm mistaken, so are you two. Besides, we're on a tight schedule. Let's just get this warehouse open so we can get the fuel on the truck and back to the chopper. We're going to need two barrels. I wouldn't turn down something to eat, but first let's get the fuel back to the chopper and start it pumping."

-Ok, your the boss. Say, what news do you have of outside here?

-Let's go to the warehouse.

"Walking dead, general carnage, humans turning on eachother,..." Bob replies sorrowfully.

Outside Warehouse 1-
"It's a mess, no two ways about it," said Bo as Harry Flynn unlocked the padlock. "Warren AFB was still functioning last I heard, and there are people holding on in Omaha, where we're going. Diego Garcia is still active, too. Several cities in Asia have gone nuclear, mainly due to countries nuking their own cities, or asking someone else to do it for them if they don't have nukes. Hasn't happened here yet, thank God. It's a foolish thing to do, since it'll just kill off the survivors and increase the dead's numbers. The dead will only be destroyed if they're close to ground zero, otherwise the radiation does nothing to them. I don't understand a lot of this, but Stephanie worked it all out and warned Warren and Diego Garcia not to use nukes."

Flynn unchained the warehouse doors while Alvarez got the truck started. Bo pulled the sliding doors open and peered inside. The warehouse went back about ten yards, and the ceiling was fifteen feet high. The building was mostly empty, but there were still several dozen barrels of jet fuel filling the rear third of it. High up on the north and south walls were long rectangular windows. Sunlight streamed in, primarily through the southern window as Warehouse 2 kept the north side in shade.

-It really seems a bad movie. Ok, go get the fuel, i'm going to help Alvarez to bring the truck inside.

Bob waits outside the door as the man leaves.

Outside Warehouse 1-
Bo stood beside Bob and watched Flynn walk towards the truck.

(Everyone roll Listen. Flynn and Alvarez have a -5% penalty to this roll due to their helmets.)

Alvarez leans out of the cab of the flatbed and says, "Hey you two civilans, the fuel ain't going to get itself to the door you know. You two go get the fuel and bring it up. And Flynn I need you to go back to the door and guide me backing up this beast. Where you are standing now will not help me as I do not want to crash into the doors and I can't see otherwise so get back to the doors. You civilans still there, move men move!"
He paused to listen to the still air around the field for a minute. But all he heard was his voice echoing around the field and the sound of the truck engine which was loud.

Didn't her a thing.

Alvarez sighed and gestered to Flynn to move back to the door so he could back up the flatbed.

Flynn is going to the door happy, since he won't have to make the hard work.

Bob eyes the man for a moment, making clear he doesn't take too well to being bossed around. He also gestures Bo to stay at the door as he goes inside, as paranoia takes the upperhand. The bodybuilder is not about to get lured into a building and locked in, just so the national guard can steal a helicopter. The USAF security guys already tried and failed miserably...

OCC: listen (1d100=81)

In Warehouse 1-
Bob made his way into the warehouse. He reached the rear section where the fuel barrels were stored. He was strong enough to move one by himself.

Outside Warehouse 1-
Bo nodded and stood outside the door while Bob went inside, standing to one side to give the truck room to back up. He held his shotgun steady as he waited attentively, and his sharp hearing picked up something. He looked suspiciously at Flynn and Alvarez. "Let's get the fuel out here and loaded fast," he said.

Flynn and Alvarez heard Gardner's voice over the radio: "Flynn, Alvarez, you guys have been gone a long time. Is there any problem?"

Flynn is smiling happily by seing other doing the hard work.

Alvarez sighed and got on his radio, "Yes sir, uh Bob is inside the warehouse moving the fuel as per ordered but Bo refuses to go inside to help so it will take a bit longer then we thought to get the fuel back to the truck. I figure 10 minutes more. We will get there, I know that you want these civilians on thier way safely."
He then got out of the truck and walked back towards the warehouse door. "Listen up civilian, I do not appreciate being kept out here as long as we have been out. I would like to be inside where it is nice and warm and where creatures cannot get me to bite and kill me. The longer I am out here with you two the more I am afriad I will not make it back to my girlfriend. So get off your ass, stop pointing that gun at me, and move to help your friend. Please? However he saw that he had failed to persuade Bo toward his point of view and feared that it would come to gunplay.

Alvarex pulled out of his pocket a picture of his girlfriend and said to Bo, "See this pretty young thing is who I want to get back to. What do you think about her. Ain't she purty?" While he was doing this he had managed to move in front of Bo to get his attention.

Bob tips over the barrel and rolls it outside, intending to let the three men outside actually load the barrel. While they do that, he'll go fetch another.

(Persuade has a base skill of 15%, not 25%, but it was a bad failure either way.)

Outside Warehouse 1-
Bo took the barrel from Bob and loaded it onto the flatbed truck while Bob went back inside. He glared at Alvarez with deepening suspicion. "Why are you so keen for me to go inside the warehouse anyway? And would you care to explain why I heard the helicopter's engine start up and then shut down just now?" He kept his shotgun ready, but did not point it directly at anyone.

In Warehouse 1-
Bob made his way back inside the warehouse to fetch the second barrel.

Alvarez said, "Listen boy. Flynn and I just recievied communication from our commander. He has captured the girls at the chopper. Now this could go easy or it could go hard. The easy way is for you to walk your butt inside the warhouse. If you do not, well Gardner will kill one of the girls and also Dawkins has your head in her crosshairs and she will kill you too. So boy, what are you going to do?" He then pointed his M-4 at Bo's mid section and said, "Flynn cover me please."

Outside Warehouse 1-
"Son of a bitch!" growled Bo. He looked up at the roof of the tower and saw that the sniper indeed had his head in her sights. "You assholes don't understand what you're doing! Those women are the only hope this world has left. You may think you're going to save your lives by stealing our helicopter, but you're only dooming yourselves. Unless they get to Omaha, everyone is done for. It won't matter what you do or where you go. And if anything, anything happens to any of the women, there won't be a place on Earth where you'll be safe from me either." I can't take a chance on Stephanie or the others dying, thought Bo, and I won't be able to do them any good if I'm dead. He stepped backwards carefully into the warehouse, breathing a little easier once he was sure he was out of the sniper's line of sight. "Please, think about what you're doing."

"Have mercy on them Lord, for they know not what they do..." Bob mumbles loudly as he stands in the doorway, with both guns drawn (the Beretta aimed at the fuel barrel and the 1911 aimed at Flynn)

"How exactly is your sniper buddy going to kill two people at once?" He says "You're mouthing off pretty badly for someone standing next to a rig loaded with a vat of aviation fuel, son. At least me or Bo will live long enough to shoot that nice barrel. I figure we've got about 80% chance of igniting it and all of us with it, if it comes to it. In short, you picked the wrong people to gamble with."

"Considering that your buddy here is perhaps the only thing close to resembling a pilot you have on hand, it would perhaps buy the remainder of our group something to bargain with, don't you think? I figure that'd give the remained of our group the time to talk some sense into you national guard fellows..." He says to Alvarez, while pointing one of his guns at Flynn.

"As for you doubting my word on this, I'm dead confident that the scientists that are traveling with us carry information of vital importance to stopping these living dead. So yes, I'd be willing to give up my life for this -and burn with the two of you- simply because this means my family might have a tiny bit more chance of surviving this Hell if our scientists make it through to Omaha." Bob explains "You should also know we're not quite intimidated by a bunch of weekend warriors as we just squared off with a whole detachment of USAF Security Forces that tried the same gambit as you did, and failed miserably."

"They had snipers too, of which was one armed with an M82 .50cal. And they had several SAW support weapons and a shitload of underslung grenade launchers. Now, we got them to a stalemate and they let us go, after a whole bunch of them kicked the bucket due to being focused on a goddamn chopper instead of covering their ass from the threat at hand." He goes on casually "With the death of their commanding officer, appearantly someone with more brains got in power and recognised that we had potentially the only information that could save their lives in the long run and that we had to get to Omaha."

"So, either you remember the goddamn oath you swore when you enlisted and help us try to save what remains of our countrymen by convincing your C.O. that he's making the same goddamn mistake as the USAF. Or we square off, here and now, go out in a blaze of sheer uselessness, rather than the blaze of glory you probably always invisioned."

"I'll shoot the barrel and the stickjockey first, for good measure." He says with a grin "I've always been a sucker for pyrotechnics."

"It's been a pleasure serving with you, Bo." He adds with a nod to his friend.

(First of all if it comes to a fight who would get to fire first and second of all how would Bo or Bob know all about the firefight on the hotel balcony and everyone's death when thier characters had left already?) Can you please answer me these questions Mr. Handy then I will post my characters reaction?

(If it comes to a gunfight, whoever decides to fire first gets the first shot. After that, everyone else goes in descending Dex order. Flynn has 17 Dex, so he'd go first. Then Bo and Bob go, since they both have 13 Dex. Alvarez goes last at 9 Dex. After everyone has taken their first shot, those using pistols that fire twice per round get their second shots, also in descending Dex order. Normally Dawkins would go first, since she has 18 Dex, but she can't see Bo or Bob while they're standing inside the warehouse.

Bo and Bob don't know about the shootout at the motel. They do know that McCain removed Captain Lereux from command. I think Bob is simply lying by saying Lereux and others were killed. He exaggerated about the number of SAW gunners as well - there were only two, and one died shortly after the USAF arrived. Likewise, there were only two M203 grenade launchers. Of course, Flynn and Alvarez have no way of knowing this.)

In Warehouse 1-
"Likewise," said Bo, aiming his shotgun at the barrel of jet fuel on the back of the truck. "I suggest you two listen to reason. Then we can all get out of this alive and save the world to boot. What do you say?"

(Bo is inside the warehouse now but Bob is still outside I think pointing his gun at Flynn and the avation fuel so Dawkins can still take the shot there. Am I right? or am I misreading the posts cause it sounds like to me that Bob stated he was standing outside.)

Alvarez said, "Listen, frankly I am a weekend warrior like you said. I am studying to be a doctor and I have a girlfriend back at home. I do not know what Flynn will do but if I could get a ride on that helicopter so that I can live to see my girl in Omaha then I will help you take back the chopper. What do you say?" He still kept his M-4 aimed at Bob however just in case.

"You have a deal," said Bo. "You made the right call. If you help us, I'll give you my seat on the chopper and you can go with the others to Omaha. You have my word. With your aid we can do this. You and Flynn can get close to Gardner and that sniper without arousing suspicion. If we tried to approach directly, she'd just shoot us, and it would also put the women at risk. If you pretend to lock us in but leave the door unlocked, she won't suspect anything different and we can slip out when she's not looking. We'll close it most of the way from the inside but leave it open a little so we can still see and shoot out." He looked to Flynn. "Are you on board too?"

"We'll need more than that, Bo... If you let them go, we loose our bargaining power." Bob warns "How do we even know if he even has a girlfriend at all?"

"But even if this is true, there is no guarantee we'll be able to refuel and get off the ground with our crew..." he muses "Though I hope you understand, as a doctor, that this undead threat will not be vanquished by firepower, but by science. So it is in your best interest to help us."

"Why does your C.O. want the chopper?" he asks to Alvarez, but is still not letting his guns down.

Alvarez said, "well first of all my CO wants the chopper to get his men which includes me and Flynn the hell off this base and to someplace safer. Second of all as I was showing you here is a picture of me and my girlfriend and third of all I think that the best way to go about this is have one of you stay here like you said with the door looking like it is closed and locked. The other one can come with us in the truck with the fuel and I can say that you wanted to be with the girls when you found out that the shit had hit the fan. Then when Gardner lets his guard down we can get the drop on him. What do you say, do you like that plan?"

"It's risky," said Bo. "If they see one of us carrying weapons they'll know something's up, and even bringing one of us back would raise their suspicions - I don't think Gardner will like it one bit. What if Flynn were to stay here while you went back with the truck? He could say he thought he detected something moving near the warehouse and wanted to stay here to check it out. That way we'll have a guarantee that you won't double-cross us. It's dangerous sending you alone against two people - those aren't any more, right? - but you'll have surprise on your side. If you can deal with the sniper first, or at least distract her attention, then the three of us could run for the tower at that point. I have a girl, too. I only met her today, but I'm willing to die to protect her. She's one of the women Gardner is holding hostage, and she's as brilliant as she is beautiful. Flynn, what do you think? Are you in?"

Alvarez said, "Whats the matter, don't you trust me? I will tell you what, I will give you my M-4 for now and get it back later."

"Gardner would wonder where it's gone," said Bo. "We can't take a chance on making him suspicious, or he might harm the girls. Besides, you might end up needing it."

Alvarez paused for a minute to think things through. He tried to come up with some idea of what to do now. His mind brightned with an excellent idea of how to keep both Bob and Bo happy as well as Gardner. He walked up to Bo and Bob and said, "Listen, the longer we take to decide what to do, the harder it is going to be to fool Cpl Gardner. He is not stupid. So I suggest we do it this way. You both walk into that warehouse right now. I will pretend to lock the doors but kept them unchained. Then I will get on the radio and distract Dawkins by saying I see something in the distance in another direction making her look away. Flynn and I will head back to the chopper in the truck, and you can then make a run for it and meet us there. What do you say?" He then stared at Flynn trying hard to read him and figure out where he would stand and if he would go along with this plan especailly since he had not been offered a seat on the plane. However the situation was too fluid to get a good read and he just had to take his best guess.

-Seems a good plan. But we must be quick, or the captain may be suspicious.

OOC: Sorry for the delay, i had a busy weekend.

Alvarez said, "Well then lets go." He gestered largely with his M-4 toward the warehouse doors so that Dawkins would see it through her sight and it would look like the civilians were being locked up.

(No problem, kabukiman. By the way, Gardner is just a corporal, not a captain.)
At Warehouse 1-
Bo slid the warehouse doors most of the way shut while Bob kept his eyes on the two National Guardsman. Flynn stood outside the doors and looped the chain through the handles for the sake of appearance, though he left the lock off. Alvarez got in the cab of the truck and drove it back to the helipad.

(Julio Alvarez is moving to this thread: Prisoners. Mr Zombie killer, you should stop reading this thread at this point.

Everyone else remains in the current thread.)

OOC: Sorry for the mistake.

Flynn makes a happy look, just in case he is seen by Gardner or anyone else.

(Don't worry about it.)
At Warehouse 1-
Bo watched the sniper carefully through the opening in the doors. "She just turned to look the other way," he reported. "I'm not sure how long it'll be before she turns back."

"This is Gardner," came the corporal's voice over Flynn's radio. "We're fueling up the chopper now, and we'll be taking off in approximately twenty minutes. Dawkins, keep your eyes to the east."

-20 minutes? Ok, any other instruction?

At Warehouse 1-
"Roger that," Dawkins replied over the radio. "You expecting trouble from the warehouse, sir?"

Gardner spoke over the airwaves next: "Quite possibly, Dawkins. Can't be too careful. Flynn, I've sent Alvarez over to Warehouse 2 to get another barrel of fuel and lock up a couple of the girls. Go over and help him when he gets there."

"Sniper's looking this way again," said Bo as he watched Dawkins through the narrow opening in the doors.

(Everyone roll Listen.)

Bob is still very ill at ease at how things are going, and tries to find anything helpful lying around. Something that could make a smokescreen if needed for instance, while not being an outrageous fire hazard.

OCC: Listen (1d100=65)

Flynn doesn't hear anything.

At Warehouse 1-
Dawkins spoke over the radio: "We've got nine infected inbound! Moving from the east to our position. Distance is approximately one mile and closing quickly. I have a clear line of fire, but it's a long shot. Please advise."

"Your call, Dawkins," replied Gardner. "You may fire when ready. Alvarez and Flynn, since you're heading out to the warehouses anyway, once you're done at Warehouse 2 I want you both to head to the east side of the warehouses if there are any left and shoot the infected as they come. If they get too close, fall back to the truck and use it to lead them away so Dawkins can safely kill them."

"Roger that, sir," said Dawkins. "I estimate we have about 6 minutes before these rotbags reach the tower. I'll try and slow them down, but I suggest we get this bird fueled up and airborne as fast as we can. With all due respect, I don't think we have time to dilly dally in the tower, sir." A rifle shot rang out from the tower's roof, followed by another shortly afterwards.

"Her rifle barrel is almost horizontal," said Bo as he continued to watch the sniper. "Whatever she's shooting at must be pretty far away. Still, she could stop at any second and look down here again, so maybe we shouldn't make a run for the tower just yet."

Alvarez came on the radio next: "Dawkins, I am taking the girls with me. I need to go get some more ammo inside the tower. I will leave them outside the tower in your sightline. Shoot to wound if they try to run."

"Did you hear that?" Bo asked Bob. "Sounds like a car. It's coming from the north, slowly. Now it's stopping, right behind this warehouse."

Suddenly, a fire alarm began to ring. It was coming from the tower.

(Everyone roll Spot Hidden and Listen. Flynn, remember that your helmet gives you a -5% penalty to both rolls.)

Bob: Spot Hidden and Listen (1d100=71, 1d100=28)

Flynn sees well but doesn't hear anything.

At warehouse 1-
As more rifle shots rang out from the tower roof, Bob heard a woman's voice coming from behind the warehouse: "I see eight infected people about a mile east and closing fast! There's also a dead one a ways back." She paused. "Damn that sniper's good to be hitting them from this far out. She fired five shots so far, killing three and wounding a fourth! There's only six left, and one is lagging behind. At this rate there won't be any left to keep her distracted long. If we're going to rush the tower it's now or never. We've got less ground to cover from here, but she could see us if she looks down. Alternatively I could drive us back to the hangar and we can come at the tower from the north, but she might finish shooting before we reach it."

"What the fuck is going on down there?" Flynn heard Dawkins bark over the radio. "Do we have a fire in the tower? Cause it really doesn't make my job any easier to have my firing platform burning under me. I've taken 3 targets down and injured another, but we still have 5 very pissed off corpses closing on us rapidly."

Bob thought he saw movement coming from the fire escape on the east side of the tower, but he couldn't be sure. Harry Flynn got a better view, however. The door to the fire escape on the second floor opened briefly, and he saw Kathryn McCoy standing in the doorframe. She was carrying a fire extinguisher and a laptop computer, and her blouse was unbuttoned. She looked around and seemed to see him, then ducked back inside and let the door close.

Gardner spoke on the radio next: "Sounds like Kathryn is trying to fly the coop. I'm on my way to check the fire escape now. Flynn, let me know if you see her from your position. Alvarez, cover the stairs to make sure she doesn't get out that way. Take her alive if you can."

Then Flynn saw the door to the fire escape on the fourth floor open. Gardner was visible on the other side, standing behind the female helicopter pilot with his pistol in one hand. She had on an olive green tank top, but was no longer wearing her flight helmet or jacket. Her arms were behind her back.

-Ok,i heard you.
Flynn then tells to Bo and Bod the instructions he received.

"And so more players enter the game..." Bob remarks.

"While this could turn out to our advantage, this could also totally screw up our plan." he says "Do we try to use this or do we try to make contact with those behind?"

At Warehouse 1-
Flynn saw Gardner pull Erica back inside the tower and let the fire escape door swing shut.

"Fire escape was clear," Gardner reported on the radio. "Alvarez, guard the stairs at the second floor landing and make sure she doesn't get past you." He paused. "Ah, good, you've found her, Alvarez! Bring her upstairs so she can shut off that goddamn fire alarm."

"We definitely need to coordinate with these folks," said Bo. "If we don't work together, people will get killed. That sniper looked down at the warehouse while she reloaded, so I wouldn't try to make a break for it. Alvarez hasn't done his job yet - if he even intends to. I'll head to the back of the warehouse and call out to-" He was interrupted by the sound of the car pulling out and speeding away to the north.

-Just hope that Alvarez makes his job quickly.

At Warehouse 1-
"Well, maybe Alvarez is responsible for that fire alarm," said Bo, "but that sniper is still shooting at the creatures to the east for now. If she takes them all out, she may look in another direction. The problem is, if she can't get them all, they'll be able to attack us. We're going to have to make a break for it sooner or later."

Flynn heard Gardner's voice on the radio again: "Nice work, Alvarez, I've got her. Go back down and take the other girls to the warehouse. The sooner you get that second barrel, the sooner we can get out of here."

-Corporal, how are the things?-He says to the radio.

At Warehouse 1-
"What is our status down there?" asked Dawkins over the radio just as Flynn was about to speak. "These bastards are not getting any happier and are getting much, much closer. In a few moments they will be at the warehouses and then to the chopper and the tower and we have not properly fueled the chopper."

"Sarge, are you able to see me somehow cause I am wanting to speak to you person to person please," said Alvarez next.

"I'm further up the stairwell, Alvarez," replied Gardner. "I couldn't see you, but I did manage to hear you over that deafening alarm. No time to talk now, but I'll see you after the enemy is dealt with and you've brought back the fuel. New plan: when you get down to the first floor, go out the back door, back up Flynn, and shoot those things before they arrive. I'm bringing our guests up to the roof so I can fire too. I think we can stop the infected before they do too much damage. The first barrel should be more than halfway loaded by now. If we have to we can take off without the second one, but we wouldn't have enough range to get all the way to Warren AFB."

From where Harry Flynn stood, he saw a police cruiser with Nebraska State Police markings emerge from the west side of the big hangar north of the tower. It sped south towards the tower. In a few seconds it would arrive at the base of the tower and the building would block his line of sight.

Flynn explains that to Bo and Bob.
-Maybe it's ou chance now!

At Warehouse 1-
The police car vanished behind the tower on the west side.

"Okay, let's go for it!" said Bo. He unwrapped the chain from around the handles and pulled the doors open. "Come on, Bob!" He followed Flynn across the open ground towards the tower.

As they ran, Flynn heard Dawkins speak on the radio: "We've got a police cruiser inbound! 20 yards from the tower. It's full of armed folks from the hangar and I am guessing they are not coming over for lunch."

At about the same time Alvarez sighed and said: ""Yes sir. I am going to go get that second barrel of fuel now."

Finally, Gardner replied: "You've got to stop them, Alvarez! Hold them off!"

Flynn ran as fast as he could.

"Get on the radio and get the sniper on our side." Bob says while running with both pistols drawn.

East of the tower-
Flynn led the way to the tower, with Bo and Bob not far behind. They ran across the open ground quickly. A few more rifle shots rang out, and the fire alarm sounded louder as they approached.

(Everyone roll Listen. This roll is at half of your skill due to the noise of the fire alarm. Flynn also has a -5% penalty from his helmet which is applied after his skill is halved. Since the base skill is 25% and half of this is 12.5%, this becomes 7.5% after the penalty. You need less than or equal to your effective skill to succeed, so he would need a 7 or less. Bob does not have a helmet, so he just takes half of his skill. With a 52% skill, this means he needs a 26 or less.)

Flynn only cares about getting to safety.

Despite the stress and adrenaline, or perhaps just because of it, Bob is entirely on top of the game.

OCC: Listen (1d100=1)

East of the tower-
Harry Flynn reached the rear door of the tower, which stood invitingly open, having been smashed in by ghouls hours ago. Bo and Bob were close behind. Bob was able to make out every word being spoken within the tower.

"Listen, there are zombie creatures coming toward this very building as we speak," he heard Alvarez say. "My pistol, knife, and grenades are all holstered in my belt. You have weapons pointed at me. You can see my hands. I put down my M-4 in good faith despite this being a millitary base and you being a civilian. You will be able to see me going for my pistol and will be able to blow me away before I had a chance to raise it. So I am keeping those weapons on me so I can fight the creatures. You have a problem with it then tough luck because as I stated before you are trespassing on military ground and I have every right to arrest you instead." He then paused. "Do you want to talk to my corporal? He is so proud of kidnapping the girls that he will most likely tell you himself. Here is my radio, I can call him up if you want."

"And give away the fact that we're here?" said the same woman who had been behind the warehouse earlier. "Surprise is the only advantage we've got. Look, maybe you're telling the truth, but maybe you're not. But you're in no position to negotiate here. If you really want to save those women, you'll cooperate with us fully." She paused and lowered her voice. "You hear that? Sounds like three sets of running footsteps, coming from the back of the tower."

Bob also heard three pairs of running footsteps behind him, coming from the area around the warehouses.

-Shit, this is getting worst and worst. Let's hide!

"The soldier is right, woman, he's on our civilian side!" Bob yells attempting to make himself heard within the tower as well, also hoping for the sniper to hear him "There is no need for us to fight eachother."

"And we've got:"

"INCOMING!" he yells, twice as loud.

East of the tower-
"Inside, fast!" said Bo, running for the door. "We can use the doorway as a bottleneck."

Bob follows Bo's advice and makes a break for the doorway.

(I'm going to assume that Flynn goes inside with Bo and Bob, since he had spoken earlier about finding a place to hide and this is the sensible thing to do. If you'd rather stay outside with ravenous zombies, just let me know. )

Flynn led the way indoors, followed by Bo and Bob.

(Everyone is moving to this thread: Storming the Castle. You may read the earlier posts in that thread if you wish, but you are not required to.)