Play@YSDC

Z-Day - 2:41 PM Central Time - Airfield 10 miles SW of Kearney, Nebraska
At the helicopter-
Lucy Armstrong disconnected the fuel pump from the now empty barrel and put it away. The rotors were moving much faster now, and the helicopter was now ready to take off at any time.

"You two should stand near the empty seats on the right side of the helicopter," said Dr. Hausmann to Dr. Bernard Smith and Lucy. "If we have to take off in a hurry, you should get in. No sense leaving you behind. Bob, you should be in the pilot's seat, just in case." She and Stephanie Bridges strapped themselves in.

(Bob, roll Spot Hidden.)

Knowing how vulnerable they are, Bob keeps an eye out for trouble of any kind.

At the helicopter-
Bob saw no movement outside the tower, but when he looked into the lobby less than a minute after Flynn and Alvarez had gone downstairs, he saw Corporal Gardner emerge from the stairwell just behind Erica and a beautiful blonde in an air traffic controller's uniform, presumably Kathryn. Both women had duct tape over their mouths and had their arms taped together behind their backs, and he was holding them at gunpoint with his M-16. Kathryn had blood on her blouse, but she did not appear to be injured. They started moving quickly towards the front door.

Stephanie didn't see them, as she was too busy typing. Dr. Hausmann failed to notice them as well. Lucy was also too distracted, and so was Dr. Smith.

"The corporal!" Bob grunts angrily pointing to the man.

He readies for take-off, if the man and the hostages were to come his way.

At the helicopter-
Stephanie shivered, glancing nervously out the window as she typed. Lucy and Dr. Smith did not need to be told twice. Lucy slid her steel pipe onto the floor near the back seat, then got in the co-pilot's seat, moving aside Erica's flight helmet and jacket. Bernard sat down in the right rear seat next to Stephanie. They closed their doors and strapped themselves in.

"Bob, get us out of here!" called Dr. Hausmann. "Schnell!"

Bob hastily finished strapping his own harness on and performing his pre-flight check. Everything was okay, but the fuel gauge read that the tank was only 2/3 full. This was just enough to each Omaha, and they would be on fumes when they arrived. He knew he would need to fly as straight a route as possible to conserve fuel, and that a detour of even a mile or two or hovering for a minute would run the risk of not leaving enough fuel to get all the way there. When he looked back at the tower, he saw that Gardner was moving the two women very swiftly across the lobby. They would be outside within seconds.

(You don't need to roll Pilot Helicopter or anything else if you want to take off; that's just for dangerous in-flight maneuvers or landing.)

"Have to wait for it..." Bob explains "If I take her up now, we won't be able to land again to pick up the others -if they make it- without endangering our flight to the city. We'll already be running on fumes."

"If I take her up now, we're not coming back down." he asserts as he weighs the gambit. Surely, someone of the others are still at the tower and could shoot the corporal, enabling the others to rejoin the chopper? But is it worth the risk of waiting longer if you're not quite sure?

In his mind, he's already preparing the take-off manoeuver. He plans on taking off and immediately auto-rotating the back of the helicopter towards the corporal, in an attempt to shield the passengers from bullets fired in anger.

(The helicopter is currently facing the front door to the east, by the way, since that's the direction it was flying in when it landed.)

At the helicopter-
Gardner moved his hostages forward to the front door, standing just inside it and aiming his M-16 at Kathryn's back. "Shut down that chopper now!" he called. "Then throw out your weapons and step out with your hands up! If you take off, she dies!" There was nobody else visible in the lobby or anywhere around.

"We can't do what he says," said Dr. Hausmann. "If we do, we're all done for."

Lucy nodded. "Kathryn's got to be in on it, anyway. Maybe he'd still shoot her, but if she's helping him, so what?"

"She could be innocent, you know," said Stephanie. "And even if she's not, what about Erica?"

"There's nothing we can do for her," said Dr. Smith. "If we comply, he'll have seven hostages instead of two. It's up to the others."

Thousands of thoughts were streaming through Bob's mind. The corporal's intent was clear. He'd shoot the girl if they took off. With that additional futile death he could live. But what if the man turned full auto on the chopper as it took off. Sure, standard issue USAF 5.56x45mm has pretty bad penetration power, even less likely to penetrate an object than a 9mm pistol bullet. But what if it broke through the windshield anyway and hit him? What if it hit the instruments? What if he had succesfully turned the chopper around and it hit the fuel tank? What if he hit the hindrotor's hydraulics? What if the rifle was loaded with heavier piercing M855 instead of M193?

There were several pilots present, but only one helicopter. Could he really just take off and risk it? Or would he take the gambit, exit, and 'surrender' in the hope that the others came outside in time to shoot the man in the fucking face?

Bob searched for signs of the others, in the hope to validate one course of action over the other.
spot hidden (1d100=46)

At the helicopter-
Bob still couldn't see anyone else. He did notice a rope tied to the radar mast on the tower's roof. It was not dangling down as if it had been used by the sniper to descend, but was still coiled up at the western edge of the roof. He couldn't see her, but she might still be up there and simply well-concealed. If she was up there, she would be unable to see the base of the tower, though she'd have a good view of the helicopter. It was also possible that she was no longer up there.

At the helicopter-
Gardner held up his left hand and showed his wristwatch as he shouted something, then gripped the M-16 in both hands and pressed the barrel to the back of Kathryn's skull. Clearly his patience was running out.

Bob could see no movement in or around the tower at first. Erica made eye contact with him, then looked up at the sky. She nodded slowly, tears in her eyes. Then the sniper emerged from a place of concealment on the western edge of the roof, leaned over the edge, and peered down. Since Gardner and his hostages were standing just inside the lobby, she couldn't see them from her position.

(Bob, roll Listen if you want to hear what he said.)

Bob shakes a subtle no to Erica, as he tells the others to remain inside. He leaves the helicopter idling in lowest rpm and exits the helicopter. He places his Beretta on the deck and waits next to the chopper, with his hands in the air.

listen (1d100=9)

At the helicopter-
When Bob stepped out of the helicopter, he heard the sound of footsteps on the wall of the tower far above, heading downwards. It sounded like the sniper was climbing down the side of the tower.

"This is a mistake, Bob," said Dr. Hausmann. "We should have taken off when we had the chance."

"No, he's right," said Stephanie. "We can't just leave Erica here with that pig."

Lucy and Dr. Smith remained seated and watched the scene carefully.

"Everyone step out of the helicopter and throw down your weapons!" ordered Gardner. "Then move well away from it! Now!"

"They aren't going anywhere." Bob yells over the low whir of the rotors "The only place this helicopter will take you is Omaha. The scientists need to get there, to stop this undead shit. You can hitch a ride, but you don't get to choose the destination."

At the helicopter-
"This isn't a negotiation!" called Gardner. "You're in no position to make demands, and don't even think about trying to get back in the helicopter or going for your gun. If you try anything, someone's going to die."

"Please!" shouted Stephanie as she typed on the laptop. "I told you before how vital it is that we reach Omaha. My earlier offer still stands. We won't tell anyone there what you've done. You...you can even sit next to me if you like."

"Nice try, blondie! You're trying to lead me into a trap, and it won't work! Now everyone get out of the chopper and throw down your weapons! You've got thirty seconds!"

Bob could still hear the footsteps far above on the outside of the tower wall. They were getting closer, but it would take far more than thirty seconds for them to reach bottom.

"Might I inquire then who you intend to have to fly this thing?" Bob says loudly over the low whir of the rotors "We're all dead meat if we don't get this information to Omaha, so if I kick the bucket here or get gnawed up by some undead after I run out of ammo, it's all the fucking same to me."

"Look, you want out? Ok, we offered you an opportunity. Grab it..." Bob argues "Before you do something you'll regret."

At the helicopter-
"I don't believe for a second that you can stop what's going on," said Gardner. "You're just trying to save your own necks. Erica here is going to fly the chopper for me. Now you have five seconds left. Four. Three."

"Erica?" Bob asks loudly over the low whir of the rotors "I suspect you have only a tiny chance of her willing to cooperate if you plug me and the passengers of the helicopter full of holes, my friend. You know how stubborn women get. And she's an especially willful specimen at that."

At the helicopter-
"Oh, she'll cooperate," said Gardner. "She knows what will happen if she doesn't. And your time's up." He suddenly jerked the barrel of his rifle to the right so that it was pointing directly at Bob and fired over Kathryn's shoulder. The bullet headed right for him.

(Bob, roll Dodge if you don't want to get shot. If you roll, you won't get to attack this round, but you can still ready a weapon and/or move - just let me know what exactly you're doing. If you don't successfully dodge, roll Con x 5, as it's highly likely the damage will be enough to require this.)

Eventhough Bob was warned and thus prepared to move, a man of his bulk has trouble getting out of the path of a speeding bullet. When he sees the flash, he strafes and reaches for the 1911 tucked in behind his back, but would he still be standing at that point?

OCC:
damn it, i was hopin' you'd call a dex roll when the fighting started to see who reacted first.
hell, i'd expected Erica to kick him in the crown jewels as well.
Con 16 x 5 (1d100=58)
if he survives, you'll still need to give me some info about locations so i can decide if he shoots back or not.

(Gardner has better Dex than Bob, 16 compared to 13, so he'd likely go first even under normal circumstances. When you consider that Bob did not have a weapon in his hand and Gardner had his rifle ready, there was no way to outdraw him. And yes, Erica will try to kick him in the nuts, but readied guns go before hand-to-hand combat. Bad luck, I'm afraid. The bullet hit him in the head and did 10+ damage, so that's an automatic kill. At least he won't go zombie.)

At the helicopter-
The bullet struck Bob between the eyes and he fell, slain almost instantly. His last conscious thought was that he should have taken off when he had the chance.

"Mmm!" shouted Erica through the duct tape covering her mouth. She kept her wits about her and tried to kck Gardner in the groin, but she just barely missed.

"Everyone get out and drop your weapons NOW!" yelled Gardner. "Otherwise, someone else will die!" He began to twitch and lose control. He knew he had nothing left to lose at this point, and there was no telling what he'd do.

"Bob!" cried Stephanie, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "Now we really can't take off without Erica." She pressed the button to save her work as the other passengers opened their doors and climbed out. Then she closed the laptop, followed Dr. Hausmann outside, and handed it to her. She placed her Grease gun down on the tarmac, though she kept Erica's Beretta hidden in her holster under her lab coat. He doesn't know I have it, she thought, and he's already searched me before. If the worst happens, it's all I've got to defend myself. On the other side of the chopper, Lucy put down her M-16 and Dr. Smith laid down his Ruger P-85 beside it.

Dr. Hausmann knelt over Bob and took his pulse with her good hand. "I'm sorry, Stephanie," she said. "He's gone." The doctor broke down crying, but only briefly. Stephanie remained steadfast as always. Dr. Smith, though saddened, did not give in to despair. Lucy was deeply affected, shuddering in terror.

At the helicopter-
Suddenly Dawkins swung down from higher up on the outside of the tower wall and through the shattered tower doors on a rope and harness as she drew her pistol. Gardner instinctively opened up on Dawkins with a three round burst that was deadly accurate. All three bullets hit her: one in the right arm, one in the chest, and one in the gut. They cut through her body armor like it wasn't even there. She was dead before she hit the ground, landing flat on her back in the doorway.

As shocked as Erica was, she still retained her faculties. She seemed to hear something, and she made a hasty decision. After having seen Gardner slaughter five tough, well-armed people without breaking a sweat, she didn't feel there was any hope of defeating him even if anyone else came to their aid. Gambling that he wouldn't kill her because he still needed her to fly the helicopter, she made her move. She nudged Kathryn and inclined her head towards the stairwell door, then took off in the opposite direction. She ran out the front door, around the police car, and across the tarmac as fast as her legs would carry her towards the chopper.

Gardner didn't hear a thing, but reacted quickly. "Get your ass back here!" he shouted, moving to grab Kathryn by the arm and pull her outside. She had no clue how he might react to any further resistance or attempts to escape on her part.

Dr. Smith gaped in shock at a second murder so soon after the first. His mind withdrew within itself, but he was able to act without thinking. "Grab your stuff and get aboard!" he called as he ran forward to meet Erica, taking out his scalpel. "We don't have a chance against him, we have to get out of here!"

Lucy nodded, shocked further by Gardner's brutality. She shook with fright, snatched up the M-16, and dived into the co-pilot's seat, closing the door behind her. She looked over the controls. While she knew how to service a helicopter, she didn't really know how to fly one. She easily found the proper controls to get the rotors spinning faster, and learned a bit about piloting helicopters in the process.

(Due to her critical success and her experience with aircraft, Lucy now has 10% skill in Pilot Helicopter.)

Stephanie kept her trademark cool. She recovered her Grease gun and the laptop, then slid into the rear bench seat and over to the middle. Dr. Hausmann did not panic either. She grabbed Bob's Beretta off the ground and got into the rear left seat beside her assistant. "Yes, we must leave once Erica gets here! It's our last chance!"

"But what about Kathryn?" asked Stephanie as she reached across and pulled the door shut.

"If we stay, we will all die - or worse! We must think of the greater good, Stephanie. The world needs saving!"

"I know, but I don't like the thought of leaving her behind."

"Well, I'm not giving up my seat for her," said Lucy.