Play@YSDC

Z-Day - 4:13 PM Central Time - Brooks High School, Omaha, Nebraska
In the special projects lab-
The science lab on the second floor of Brooks High had been co-opted for the special space communications project that NASA was running at Brooks High. Dr. Helene Saunders, a communications specialist from NASA, was in charge of the project, having arranged it with science teacher Chester Johsnon. Some aspects of the project were classified, but NASA had planned to make the results public eventually. The communications equipment which dominated the lab used the satellite dish on the school's roof to communicate with both the space shuttle currently in orbit and the International Space Station. It used advanced technology that allowed a direct link to be established without having to go through a satellite, which is why it was still able to function. The satellite network hadn't worked since early in the morning. The equipment that dominated the lab was also able to connect to an old Cold War network that worked through underground and undersea cables, which remained functional as well. It was because of this special apparatus that the CDC had decided to set up its Crisis Response Center at Brooks High.

Assisting Dr. Saunders and Chester Johnson on this project were four of the school's brightest students, all of whom were in the room. There was Michiko Watanabe, an exchange student from Japan, as well as three younger pupils: Elijah Smith, Diana Forester, and Ali al-Tikriti. Two scientists from the CDC were in the portion of the lab not taken up by the communications array: a bald middle-aged man from India named Dr. Edward Singh and his younger colleague, the lovely Dr. Liz Somerville. They were running a simulation on a laptop to try to predict the rate of the spread of infection. Also from the CDC was the tough-looking Rachel Cohen. She was no scientist, but was in charge of security and was there to protect the scientists. She stood inside the only door to the room standing guard, but she was still attentive to the scientists' conversation.

Just then, there was an incoming transmission from the communications apparatus: "This is Trooper Erica Spears of the Nebraska State Police in NSP Seven-Eight-Romeo calling the CDC Crisis Response Center in Omaha. Our ETA is five minutes. Do you copy? Over." Adam Donnelly had last spoken to her about 40 minutes ago, but he was currently on the roof to guide the helicopter in for a landing. He was also keeping an eye on the school's surroundings and standing by with an EMP generator. The chopper was carrying two more scientists, Dr. Brigetta Hausmann and her assistant Stephanie Bridges. Adam had spoken to Stephanie before too, and electrifying the fence and setting up the EMP generator had been her ideas. Without that fence, they would all be dead by now. With Adam absent, Dr. Saunders was monitoring the airwaves and it would be her job to reply.

Dr Edward Singh: Dr Singh looked up from the laptop, his frown of concentration quickly replaced with a frown of impatience. Clearing his throat, he eyed the people near the communication array. "Well? Is any one going to 'copy that'?"

As much as Dr Singh wanted to answer the message himself (he'd always liked the radio operators in the old war movies), he wanted to concentrate on the laptop simulation - he'd just entered some novel variables, and they were giving some rather distressing - and seemingly accurate - results.

His fingers twitched at the keyboard, an urge to scoop some semblance of understanding from the muddy goop of their collective situation.

Rachel Cohen:
"What is it Dr Singh? Describe what you have to a interested lay-person."

Mr Handy,To judge Dr Singh's response I'll use my Psychology Skill, do I ask you first or just do it and see what happens?

Michiko is preparing something for the others eat.

Rachel Cohen:
"Any noodles?" Michiko, "Harah! am I hungry."

Dr Edward Singh:
Ignoring (or not hearing) Ms Cohen's query, he clears his throat and speaks a bit louder: "Dr Saunders, I trust your N.A.S.A. doctorate included working simple communications equipment?! Every second counts and I, that is - we need Dr Hausmann's data!"

Looking back to the laptop in irritation, Dr Singh taps a few more keys, changing some more variables and grumbles: A run of rash criticism regarding some of his work on microbiological life in extreme climates (linking the discovery of anaerobic bacteria that lives on geothermal radiation at the bottom of the sea to possible life on Mars), his ex-wife trying to weasel more alimony from him, corpses returning from death to devour the living. He doesn't need some dopey star-gazer post-grad to cause the helicopter to crash-land in the midst of the living dead...

Hmm.. He could do with some noodles, though.

Rachel Cohen
No answer? Ben zonah. A civil enquiry deserves a response, oh well, he may want to hear my Uzi later if these walking meat hunks get inquisitive!

[sub]Rachel peers through the door and lifts her nose (a fraction).[/sub]

-I'm sorry, all we have for now is bread and meat to make some sandwich. The real food is for latter. I will help you as soon as I finish.

Elijah slowly approaches Dr Edward Singh "Is there anything I could do to help sir?" He knew that the answer was probably a no but he had to offer. He needed a task to keep his mind from wondering.

Rachel Cohen

She checks her kit and carefully looks around - security IS her business.

OOC,Well done Kabukiman, I followed the link for Image Shack

OOC,Yes, [b]Dr. Saunders[/b] is an NPC, not currently played by anyone. You can see which characters are being played and by whom in the Character Sheets thread. During almost all weekdays I'm unable to post except in the evenings, which is why the long delay.

Rachel Cohen,Yes, you can go ahead and roll Psychology. I'll let you know the results in another of these spoiler tags. Nice picture, by the way! I've already updated the Character Sheets thread with it.

In the special projects lab-
Dr. Saunders made her way over to the communications gear and took up the microphone, ignoring Dr. Singh's jab. "This is Dr. Helene Saunders," she said. "I read you. We're glad you're finally almost here. Over."

"What's been going on at your end?" asked Erica.

"And where's Adam Donnelly?" piped in another woman's voice that the people in the room recognized as belonging to Stephanie Bridges. "Why isn't he talking to us now?"

"He's fine," said Dr. Saunders. "He's up on the roof right now to guide you in. Look for a circle of road flares; that's your landing pad. He's also got the EMP generator ready for after you finish your part. Things have been pretty peaceful here. I just hope it lasts."

"So do I. I'm about 20 or 25 minutes from finishing my work."

"Good to hear!"

"My father said earlier that dinner would be served at five," said Ali al-Tikriti. "Amelia is making a huge production out of it."

"That's great, I'm starved!" said Dr. Liz Somerville. "And I love an elegant dinner. Too bad I left my evening gowns at home."

"I bet my friend Teresa Vazquez can fix you up with something," said Diana Forester. "She's made all sorts of costumes for school plays."

"Really? I'll have to look into that later." Dr. Somerville looked back at the door. "Don't mind Dr. Singh, Rachel, he gets like that sometimes when he's hard at work - and when isn't he? Anyway, we're running a simulation trying to predict how quickly the outbreak will spread, based on what Stephanie and the U.S. Air Force people told us earlier today. It's not looking good. Every city is already affected. If this keeps up there won't be much left of civilization in a few days. But once she and Dr. Hausmann get here we'll have a real chance to at least stop its spread. And if Stephanie is right about electromagnetic pulses disabling the animated corpses, we've got a real weapon we can use against them. She was right about the electric fence."

Peering out the door, Rachel saw that the corridor was deserted.

Chester Johnson smiled at Elijah. "If you want something to do, would you like to go up on the roof and guide the scientists down here when they arrive?" he asked. "Mr. Donnelly is already there, but he has to stay up there with the EMP generator. You can get up to the roof by the rear stairwell, just out the door and to the right."

The fluorescent lights overhead flickered briefly. They had done that several times before, when the dead touched the electric fence. It was getting more frequent as time went by.

Elijah replies with forced enthusiasticly "I would be happy to!" He makes his way out of the room and starts making his way to the roof. While he would have preferred staying in the room and helping the scientists all ready there he knew that his teacher was right. Besides it was better than standing around asking when dinner would be ready.

Rachel Cohen


Mr Handy

-I have finished them. We will all work and think better with some food, so who want's a sandwich?

Rachel Cohen

"I'll have one, thanks Michiko. We all must eat and store up energy, if these ........things get inside the school God knows when we'll eat next."

-Well, now anyone needs my help?

Chester


Chester takes a sandwich from the table.

"Thanks for the food, Michiko. I'm starving."

He smiles at the thoughtful student and proceeds to attack his sandwich. Mid-chew, an idea occurs to him.

"Michiko, maybe we should look around for some food and water that we can pack with us in case we need to make a hasty getaway. Can you give me a hand?"

Mr. Handy,Adam was communicating earlier in the science lab with the helicopter. He mentioned the fact that there is a gap in the electrified fence...that should cause folks some concern. He also said that aliens were involved with the rise of the dead. Can I assume that these items were overheard by others in the room?

She bows slightly and then says:
-Yes, I will go imediatly. Thank you for letting me help.
After some time thinking she says:
-It must be food easy and ready to eat. Canned food is probably the best; some juice too and fruits.

Chester


Chester nods graciously to Michiko.

"Great. Now, under normal circumstances, we don't keep food in the lab. The cafeteria is the most likely place to score some provisions. We'll have to head over there.

Thinking out loud, Chester muses:
"Of course, we're going to need something to carry the food in. Backpacks should do nicely."

Chester addresses everyone:
"Michiko and I are taking a quick run to the cafeteria for food and supplies to carry with us in case we need to make a...strategic withdrawl. We could use a couple backpacks or something. Can any of you guys provide one?"

Rachel Cohen

"Good thinking Chester. Here, I've got a large sports bag that contained my kit, take it. Oh and you two, take care."

Chester


Takes the bag from Rachel and makes a mental estimation of its capacity.

"Yeah, this should do the trick- just the right size to hold a decent stock. Thanks Rachel. Keep an eye on things while I'm gone, will you?"

Chester winks at Rachel.

"Ok, folks. We're off to get some provisions for the road. I promise to bring at least some junk food back!"

Chester flashes a grin to lighten the mood. He says to Michiko:

"Let's get a move on and get back quick. I've got a feeling things may get hectic pretty soon."

After slinging the empty bag slung over his shoulder, Chester exits the classroom and heads toward the cafeteria.

Chester Johnson,Not everyone was in the room during those conversations. They all know about the gap in the fence, but that has long since been barricaded. One thing [b]Adam[/b] has been doing while on the roof is keeping an eye on the barricade to make sure zombies aren't destroying it ([b]Rachel[/b] has plugged more than a few that made it to the barricade without touching the electric fence). They also know about [b]Stephanie[/b]'s ideas about the electric fence and the EMP generator, since [b]Adam[/b] has previously implemented them. Most of them do not know about the aliens. Only [b]Dr. Saunders[/b] and the CDC people heard those parts, but [b]Chester[/b] and the students were not in the lab at the time.)

OOC,This is not a major update, so anyone leaving the room won't get any farther until I post one. You may continue talking to each other, of course. Those going out the door are still within earshot of those in the room, so people in one group can still talk to people in the other. The map isn't up yet and won't be until this weekend, but the cafeteria is on the ground floor and can be reached by the same stairwell that [b]Elijah[/b] is heading for, the one nearest to the lab. The other stairwells have been barricaded as a precaution in case the school is breached.

In the special projects lab-
"Thank you, Michiko, I'll take half a sandwich," said Dr. Liz Somerville. "I don't want to fill up too much before dinner, and I've got to watch my figure, but this will take the edge off my hunger."

"Here, you can take my backpack," said Diana Forester. "Just let me get my books and stuff out first." She emptied her backpack onto a clear table and handed it to Michiko.

"I left my backpack in my locker," said Ali al-Tikriti, "but I'm sure you can find some milk crates in the kitchen to carry the food and drinks."

Michiko takes Forester bag.
-Can I make a sugestion Chester-san? After we gather those supplies, could we look for any place in the fence where those creatures aren't packed? So if we need to retreat, we can know where to go.

Rachel Cohen

Addresses everyone in the lab:
"These are both good ideas, which has got my brain ticking. Ever heard of Andy McNab, the SAS and their five 'P's?, 'Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance'; if we are not careful we'll resemble a dog's dinner! Now anyone else got ideas?, I'm thinking WEAPONS. I've got my handgun and the Uzi here; can anyone use a machine gun?"
To Chester:
"Does the school have any sporting rifles?, and when you get to the cafeteria see if you can also grab some knives."

Chester,Rachel returns your wink, frostily, as only a woman can.

Chester


"That's what we've got Adam for, Michiko. He's up on the roof, scanning the perimeter. He's got a radio and I'm sure he'll let us know if he sees something important. Still, I suppose we could take the occasional look out the windows on our way to the cafeteria."

Chester turns back to Rachel and smirks.

"Now, I've not heard of any Andy McNab, but the 'Five Ps' sound like a good rule of thumb to me. Yes, we do need weapons, but only those of us who can use 'em. Otherwise, they're a liability. I've never used a machine gun before, but I'm a fair shot with a rifle. Unfortunately, we don't have a rifle team here, so we can't count on that for weapons."

OOC,Edited to remove rifle team weapon cache. Thanks for the rules clarification, Mr. Handy.

Dr Edward Singh:

Looking up from his computer at the mention of preparation, he runs a hand across his bald pate. "Yes, I think we should look to preparing ourselves somewhat, especially as things might get more interesting once Dr Hausmman gets here. Ms Cohen is rather handy with weapons, but I'm afraid I'm not that great a warrior. I'd be wasted on the front-line, anyway, and likely to hit someone friendly."

Noticing the sandwiches, Dr Singh heads over to the table and helps himself to a couple. "Mmm - thank you for the food, er, Michiko. We should pool our resources, good thinking Mr Johnson. Might I also suggest we find some form of radio or other portable communication? From my simulation studies, isolated cells of organisms tend to, er, become infected soonest. It would also make it easier to coordinate searches and the like."

He turns to look at Dr Somerville. He frowns as if upset at her, and says in half-mock anger; "Dr Somerville! I hardly believe it is appropriate to concentrate on trivial matters, like ball-gowns and dancing, right now!" After many years of working together, Dr Singh's was faintly amused - and slightly envious - of Dr Somerville's ability to juggle fun and work. So, his bossy, condescending outbursts at such moments had overtime become like a ritual to them, and Dr Singh enjoyed the half-serious barbs they would fling at each other.

Though, Dr Singh thought to himself, I'm not entirely sure we'll be around long enough to hold a formal dinner. Even with Dr Hausmman's data, I might not be able to... No, best not to think of that. They need me - I can't think like that. I'm the only one who can stop this, I can't risk getting close to one of those organisms.

In the special projects lab-
"There are several knives in the cafeteria kitchen," called Ali as Chester and Michiko left the room. "My father will know where to find them."

"Adam Donnelly and I both have walkie-talkies," said Dr. Saunders. "I believe the security guard down in the lobby has one too, and that policewoman might as well."

Dr. Somerville smiled at Dr. Singh's barb as she took a bite from her half-sandwich and watched him work over his shoulder. "Oh, I don't know, Dr. Singh," she said. "You might look rather dapper in a tuxedo. You should get out more, let your hair down - so to speak."

Diana tried to stifle a goofy grin at the scientists' exchange.

"Who else is there from the CDC?" asked the voice of Stephanie Bridges from the speakers.

"Only a few of them made it in," answered Dr. Saunders. "We've got two scientists: Dr. Edward Singh and Dr. Liz Somerville, and there's also Rachel Cohen in charge of security. She really knows what she's doing."

"I'm glad they're okay," continued Stephanie. "We can sure use their expertise, and they're both brilliant. Nobody works harder than Dr. Singh, not even me. And Liz is a wonderful friend. It'll be great to see and work with her again."

"There's a science teacher named Chester Johnson and some of his students who are helping out too."

"I can see Omaha from here," said Erica Spears from the other end of the line. "We should be coming in for a landing in just a few minutes."

"You don't know how much of a relief that is for all of us here. I don't know how much longer we can hold out."

While they were talking, the lights flickered again and went out. This had happened before once nearly an hour ago, but they had come back on almost immediately. As the seconds passed, they realized that this time they were staying out. Fortunately it was still daylight for a few more hours, so visibility wasn't a problem, but now there was no power to the electric fence. The generator in the basement, which could be reached by the north stairwell, had to have failed.

In the north stairwell, upper floor-
Elijah Smith led the way until the stairwell at the north end of the hall. A flight of stairs led up to the roof, and another led down to the ground floor, where the cafeteria could be found. Below that, they continued down to the basement. There was also a fire exit on the landing leading to a fire escape. Chester Johnson and Michiko Watanabe entered a few seconds after him. Just as they did, the lights flickered and went out.

Chester


Chester feels a sudden pang of fright as the lights flicker off. He stops in place, preparing himself for the electricity not to return...

Seconds pass. The lights remain off.

"They're not coming back this time." He thinks.

He addresses Elijah and Michiko:

"Uhh...kids...we need to reconsider our priorities here. Our defenses are down, which means those zombies are going to plow through that fence. The LAST place we should be is at ground level. I suggest you two head up to the roof and stay with Mr. Donnelly. The higher you are, the safer you are. I'm heading back to the lab to figure out with the others what to do next."

"I think your right sir but we can't wait up there forever. The scientists will need to work in the lab and besides if we go to the roof we will be trapped."

Rachel Cohen

The power did not come back on; Rachel's heart sank as she contemplated the consequences. Momentarily she daydreamed of her niece, Annalise, in Tel Aviv last summer, and Rachel's birthday present to her: The Girl's Book - How To Be The Best At Everything; how they had laughed at the chapter How to Cope If Zombies Attack.
"Auntie Rachel, it says here, 'If you find yourself in the middle of a crowd of the walking dead, pretend to be one of them. Tilt your head to one side, dribble and moan'."
The involuntary smile died on Rachel's lips, if only it were so simple.

Speaking to everyone:
"The generator, can it be fixed, and in time to stop a Zombie attack?"

Dr Edward Singh

"Let my hair down?" he unconsciously rubs a hand across his bald pate. Speaking to Dr Somerville; "The last time I was in a tuxedo was at that party celebrating the acceptance of your thesis! But don't let my age fool you, indeed I still can strike a dash-". The flickering lights didn't interrupt Dr Singh, but the sudden persistent darkness did.

He replies to Rachel's question as if directly addressed; "Oh dear. I guess the generator just has run out of fuel. Although, I suppose that the organisms may have managed to pull down the fence - I wonder if they've something other than instinctual awareness?" Ignoring the immediate peril - the extremely capable Rachel could direct them if needed, or easily one of the less-busy people there - Dr Singh bent back to the laptop.

Quietly, to himself or Dr Somerville, he says; "Maybe some form of hive intelligence? Retention of pre-infection memories and skills? Hmm..."

Rachel Cohen

To Dr Singh:
"The fence gone!, so there is no point fixing the generator in the basement. Must we stay here in the lab, do you need more time at these computers? This sounds very serious to me and demands action."

Rachel slings the Uzi's strap over her shoulder and checks the ammo, also that her Desert Eagle handgun is ready, she listens and also looks carefully out of the door.

OOC,Sorry about all these questions. You and I, Tangerine, are we the only PCs in the lab? Edit: I just checked and I think we are.

Chester


Chester's mind races to seek a solution. He doesn't quite know how to cope with an as-yet unseen horror surrounding him from all sides.

"Is this really happening?"

The whole situation seems so surreal to him.

"Don't they always say that in zombie movies?"

Still surreal.

"What do I do with these kids? Where will they be the safest?" He thinks. "In all those zombie movies, what do the people do?"

A contemplative pause.

"Mostly, they die."

To the students:

"Ok, listen to me, kids. Until we can block off every stairwell leading to this floor of the building, we're in danger. At least the roof has only one door to block. That's why I'm saying it's the safest place to be. Additionally, that helicopter will be here soon and it'll be bringing more weapons, I presume. I know you want to help, but please listen to me. Go up to the roof."

He eyes them intently, waiting for a positive reaction.

-Yes, Chester-San. Could I sugest that we close the doors? The.. creatures don't seem very inteligent, and that may give us some time.

Chester


"It can't hurt to close these doors...Ok, I'm heading back to the lab. Go wait up on the roof for now. We'll still be in touch via the walkie-talkies."

Chester opens the door back into the hallway and walks back to the lab.

In the north stairwell-
Michiko and Elijah went up to the roof, while Chester Johnson returned to the hall.

OOC,[b]Michiko[/b] and [b]Elijah[/b] are moving to the thread linked below. Start reading at the linked post, but do not read any of the posts before it. Everyone else remains in the current thread.

All Along the Watchtower

In the north hall, second floor-
As Chester entered the lab, he caught sight of Megan Petrovich leading a crowd of teachers and students into the intersection to the south, coming from the classrooms down the west hall.

In the special projects lab-
"I've seen no evidence to indicate any intelligence, collective or otherwise," said Dr. Somerville. "The dead operate on a purely instinctual level, animalistic almost. They get in each other's way a lot, which they would not do with a hive mind."

"And we do need that generator fixed," said Dr. Saunders. "Without the power, not only will the fence not be able to keep them out, but we won't be able to transmit. We need electricity or all is lost!"

Chester entered just as Dr. Saunders's walkie-talkie squawked to life with Officer Kate Wheeler's voice: "10-59, Code Three! Adam One responding to large party of ghouls, northwest fence. Firing weapon, 10-81, over!"

Dr. Saunders spoke into the battery-powered hand radio herself: "Adam, the generator in the basement is down! It must be repaired ASAP!"

Dr Singh:

Responding to Dr Somerville, Dr Singh sighs again. "You're probably right - although some animals are capable of rudimentary cunning - some large colonies bacteria can operate seemingly like a multicellular organism - chemical signals, and the like. I'm just at a loss - I need Dr Hausmann's data to continue, and this simulation has shown me all that it can, I think."

He closed the laptop. As Officer Wheeler's voice came through on the walkie-talkie he rubbed his head again - definitely a sign of nervousness. "Hmm. I have no idea what she said, except that she confirmed my guess about the organisms attacking the fence... Was she talking about the security guard Adam? Is he out there with her?"

Rachel Cohen

"Dr Saunders, you need the generator? Okay, I'd go and fix it, my role is to protect you scientists and maybe this can be best achieved by seeing to the generator. I'm at a loss with the technical detail!, just tell me what practical job you want done."

In the special projects lab-
"Chester!" called Megan Petrovich from down the hall. "I think the gennie's down. Can you tell me anything?"

"I think Adam One is just Officer Wheeler's unit designation," said Dr. Saunders. "Adam Donnelly is up on the roof, and he's the most qualified among us to repair the generator. Rachel, your skills would best be used taking out the ghouls. The fence is strong and should hold for a while, but if any get through we'll need you to pick them off before they reach the building. You might best accomplish that from the roof, which will give you a wider field of vision."

"They do seem to operate in packs like animals," said Dr. Liz Somerville, "but they lack coordination and the cunning that even the simplest animal possesses. They seem driven by nothing more than raw hunger, but they only eat the flesh of living human beings. They never feed on each other, nor do they seem to eat animals. In order to determine precisely how the pathogen causes this, we will need Dr. Hausmann's data - and enough time to study them."

Rachel Cohen

"Yes Dr Saunders, the ghouls need to be dealt with if they get through the fence. I'll go up to the roof immediately. I can also sub for Adam Donnelly, he can go to the basement and fix the generator?"

[sub]With the prospect of positive action Rachel is visibly less tense.[/sub]

Chester:


To Megan:

"Megan! Yeah, maybe it blew a fuse or something. I'm not sure. Come on into the lab so we can figure out what to do next."

He dashes into the lab.

Announcing to the room:

"Miss me? I sent the kids up to the roof after the lights went out. I figured that was the safest spot for the moment. What are we doing now? I figure we need to turtle up here and figure out how to fix that generator. Did I hear someone say Adam can fix it?"

A million thoughts run through his head. He tries to prioritize and separate them out...

"And what about the people on the ground floor? With all those windows and doors, they're going to be really vulnerable. Maybe we should get everyone up here and block the stairwells off?"

In the science lab-
"Rachel, make sure nobody activates the EMP generator on the roof!" called Dr. Saunders as Rachel Cohen left the room. "It will fry the circuitry and prevent us from using the communications gear or powering the fence once Adam fixes the generator in the basement. We'll let you know when it's time to use it!"

OOC,[b]Rachel[/b] is moving to the thread linked below. Please stop reading the current thread at this point, and do not read any posts in the new thread above the one in the link. Everyone else remains in the current thread.

All Along the Watchtower

"Do we have to go to the roof too?" asked Diana. "I want to stay here and see what you're working on, maybe help if I can."

"My father is downstairs," said Ali. "I'd like to go down and try to find him."

"Yes, Adam can fix the generator," said Dr. Liz Somerville. "He's a whiz with anything electrical. I just hope we're back up and running in time."

From Dr. Saunders's walkie-talkie came the voice of Adam Donnelly: "Helene, this is Adam. I've got my toolkit up here. I'll head down to the generator, but I'm not sure exactly where it is. Someone will need to take my lookout post up here. I also wouldn't mind some backup when I go to the basement. Over."

"Rachel Cohen is on her way up to the roof to take your place," replied Dr. Saunders on the radio. "I don't know if anyone else in the lab can help you with the generator, but maybe you'll see someone on the way down. The stairs from the roof go all the way down to the basement, where the generator is. I believe it's the first door on the right. If you see anyone else on your way down, either bring them with if they can help, or send them upstairs if they can't." She removed her finger from the talk button. "The stairs at the southwest and southeast corners are already blocked. That just leaves the north stairs, just down the hall from us. We can't block it off until everyone is upstairs and accounted for, but yes, that's an excellent idea. I just don't want to trap Adam down there."

Dr Singh:

In a slightly anxious voice - "Just a thought - Dr Hausmann and her team will be arriving very shortly - what about their landing area? We must secure it to ensure the data is safe. The team, too!"

Chester


"Hmm...I'd help the guy if I knew anything about fixing generators. I hope he gets that thing running and gets the hell back up here."

To Singh:
"Where are they planning to land, anyway? Did I hear something about on the roof? If that's the case, it's secure. If not..."

He considers Dr. Saunders's comments over the radio.

"Dr. Saunders, it's not just Adam we need to worry about down there. I think the admin staff as well as some other folks, including students, are still on the lower floors. We need to get them to safety. Has anyone even spoken with those folks in a while? Maybe we can call down to the principal's office at least?"

In the special projects lab-
"Agreed!" called Megan as she entered the lab. "We should move fast, before our position is compromised further!"

"My father is downstairs," said Ali, "in the cafeteria."

"Yes, they're landing on the roof," said Dr. Helene Saunders. "The security guard has a radio. He can get everyone upstairs." Before she could call out, Rachel spoke on the radio: "Dr. Saunders, Rachel Cohen here, we have a major disaster on the stairwell and I need help. Adam Donnelly has cracked-up and I believe requires specialist attention; what about Dr. Liz Somerville, could she do something to bring Adam to his senses?"

"I'm on it!" said Dr. Somerville, already out the door and heading for the stairs.

"Yes, that's a good idea," replied Dr. Saunders. "She's on her way. Jerry Law, if you can hear me, I need you to start moving anyone who can't help with the generator upstairs, where it's safer."

OOC,[b]Dr. Liz Somerville[/b] is moving to the thread linked below, and her player (if there ever is one) should stop reading the current thread at this point and should not read any of the new thread above the linked post. All others remain in the current thread.

Arrival

Megan Petrovich

"I'm handy with machinery, I might see if I can help out with the generator, or ferry people upstairs." Megan jogs after Liz.

OOC,Everyone is moving to the thread linked below:

The Gathering