Play@YSDC

Z-Day - 5:00 PM Mountain Time - Prairie Militia Society Compound
In the cell block-
Two rows of four small rooms, six by nine feet each, lined both sides of the hallway. The only exit from each small room, which apparently had originally been built for storage, was a metal door that was very sturdy and very locked. There were no windows or holes in the doors, so it was impossible to see out into the hall. The rooms were still used for storage, but now they stored women. Six of the eight cells were occupied, one woman in each cell. The only furniture was a stained mattress on the floor, and each cell's only other feature was a bucket that passed as a toilet. The cells were hellholes, and each prisoner had known only unbearable torment within them. All of the women wore lingerie, the only clothes their captors allowed them to have. When they had been locked in the cages on the surface, they had been left naked, and it had gotten very cold at night. At least there was heat in these underground cells, but in some ways being kept down here was even worse.

Today had started out like any other day, but soon it became evident that something was happening. There had been a lot of foot traffic in the hallway, but the women had no clue as to the cause of all the activity. Throughout the day there had been occasional mild earth tremors, the cause of which was unknown, but they had caused no damage. The last one had been just several minutes ago. It was a relief that none of the skinheads had taken them so far today, but they couldn't help but worry about what might be keeping them so busy - or what would happen when they no longer were. Hitch had brought them breakfast and lunch on schedule, and they ate better down here than they had up on the surface too, which wasn't saying much. Nobody knew exactly what time it was, but dinner would probably be soon. It was impossible to tell whether it was day or night down here, and meals were the only way to measure the passage of time.

The rearmost two cells on the right were currently vacant, but they had previously been occupied by Kerry Pierce and her friend Debbie. Both women had managed to escape a few days ago when one of their cells had been left unlocked. Whether they had managed to escape from the compound itself, or were still hiding, or were dead was a mystery. No further escape attempts had been possible since then, as the skinheads had stepped up security after that. Since then, nothing out of the ordinary had happened until today. In the second cell on the right, Zoe Gallagher paced restlessly back and forth like a caged tiger. In the cell next to hers was the beautiful Mexican lifeguard, Alicia Vargas, who lay on her mattress and sobbed quietly. It was possible for those in adjacent cells to hear and talk to each other through the walls, and if they raised their voices they could also talk to those on the other side of the hall. There was also the chance that their jailers could overhear them, so they needed to be careful what they said.

On the left side of the hall, across from Alicia's room, was her friend Raquel Orozco. Both women had come from Tijuana together, and both had been enslaved together. Raquel sat on her mattress, staring into space with her hands on her stomach and wishing she were anywhere else. In the next cell was Katarina Iliescu, a model from eastern Europe with unparalleled beauty. She lay on her back, gazing at the ceiling. The third cell on the left contained Russian student Lara Voronova. She sat huddled on her mattress, her knees pressed up against her chest and her arms wrapped around her folded legs. She rocked slowly back and forth, as if in a trance. The last cell on the left held Mei Ling, a singer from China, who was lying on her mattress and humming to herself.

Mei Ling

The tune on her mind was 'Free Bird', which was ironic considering her current plight, but it did help to block thought about Hörst Jägermeister and his cronies.

OOC,I made a mistake in the PM I sent you. [b]Horst[/b] does not have an umlaut over the O in his first name.

In the cell block-
Suddenly, there was another tremor, this one stronger than any of the earlier ones. It still wasn't enough to do any damage, but the cells did tremble a little. It seemed to be coming from some distance below.

Alicia sat bolt upright. "Que pasa?!" she cried.

"No sé," answered Raquel.

"Bozhemoi!" choked out Lara.

OOC,Roll Listen.

Mei Ling

The tremor put a halt to Mei's humming of Free Bird. She heard the others exclaim; Mei sat still and quiet wondering what was happening.

Mei Ling

It was beyond explanation but something awesome was happening. Mei Ling shifted the mattress to the door and crouched behind it for protection against God knows what. "Hey you girls," she called out, "be prepared, we may have a chance to get out this shit hole!"

In the cell block-
Running footsteps got closer, and soon everyone could hear them in the hall outside the cells. "Get that thought out of your heads right now, girls," came the creepy, German-accented voice of Hitch. "Nobody is going anywhere."

Mei Ling

Depression and fear combined at Hitch's words. She thought, "My big mouth spoke too soon. Damn them all to hell."

In the cell block-
Suddenly, there was a massive explosion from below, coming from the same place as the earlier sounds. The cell block shook a little, but there was no damage. Hitch's footsteps continued down the hall and past the cells. "Mutt, what's happening down there?" said his voice, receding into the distance.

OOC,Roll Listen again.

Mei Ling

She had been right, but what was going on? Mei listened.

In the cell block-
Mei Ling didn't hear anything at first, but then she heard Hitch returning, his footsteps slower this time.

"What's going on?" called Zoe.

"Don't worry your pretty little heads, darlings," he answered, jangling his keys. "Everything is under control now. It's getting close to dinnertime, ja? I have your food here, and one of you lucky girls is going to star in tonight's feature presentation. Who wants to be in the movie?"

Mei Ling

There was absolutely no way Mei would perform tonight but she - no, all the girls - had to escape; if she could entice Hitch to her cell and then execute a kick to the groin........ "Hey boy, I'm getting a taste for your flicks. Choose me!" She was angry, but hoped the pervert Hitch would take the bait.

Mr Handy,Tabs can't handle any erm unpleasantness; if the situation doesn't work out can any subsequent sexual scene fade to black? Gratuitous violence is okay though ;) .

In the cell block-
"Ja, you're always a good performer," said Hitch. Mei Ling heard him walk up to her cell's door and then the rattling of his keys in the lock. The door opened to reveal Hitch standing on the other side. The ugly, shaven-headed pervert had on the same uniform he always did: khaki pants and a white tank top, with a backpack on his back. Attached to his utility belt were a holstered pistol, a taser, and the bullwhip he always carried. She shuddered at the memories of what he had done with them, hoping he'd never get the chance again. "This way, liebchen." He stepped aside and motioned for her to enter the hall.

Mei Ling,Yes, of course I'll fade to black if that happens, though gratuitous violence is far more likely. Even though the Fast Talk roll failed, [b]Hitch[/b] still went for it - he always appreciates volunteers. If you want to try to kick him now, make a Kick roll. The way Martial Arts works is that you use just one roll for your attack. If it is more than the appropriate unarmed attack skill - Fist/Punch, Kick, etc. - then you missed. If it is more than your Martial Arts skill, but less than or equal to your attack skill, then you do normal damage. If you get less than or equal to both, you roll double damage dice. In that case, both skills would get checked for potential improvement at the end of the chapter. Since you have 50% in Martial Arts and Kick (as well as Fist/Punch), any hit will also be a Martial Arts success. If your Kick roll succeeds, roll 2d6 for damage (Fist/Punch would do only 2d3). Keep in mind that [b]Hitch[/b] gets chances to parry and/or dodge your attack, so even if you succeed, you won't necessarily connect.

Mei Ling

Steeling herself Mei then let fly with a kick. 性交!

In the cell block-
Hitch twisted aside, and Mei Ling's kick went wide. "You little bitch!" he snarled, pulling out the taser. He pressed a button on it, and a blue crackle of electricity jumped between the contacts. He shoved it into her chest, and she fell backwards onto the mattress, leaving her very stunned and in pain as the electricity coursed through her body. "No dinner for you tonight - and now thanks to you everyone else is going to have to wait a while. You've been a very bad girl, and I'll be back to punish you later." With that, he slammed and locked her cell door.

Hitch walked down the hall a short distance and stopped outside another cell, which he unlocked. "Get up, Katarina, my love," he said. "You're going to be a star tonight. The camera loves you." Meekly, the girl stood and exited her cell, which he locked behind her. "See, you know how to behave. If you're nice to me, I'll be nice to you. You have always been my favorite." He locked the cell door and put an arm around Katarina's waist, guiding her up the hall and into the guard room.

OOC,[b]Katarina[/b] is moving to the thread linked below. Her player, if there ever is one, will stop reading the current thread at this point. Everyone else remains in the current thread.

Horror Movie

"Mei Ling, are you okay?" called Zoe. Mei Ling lay on her mattress, slowly recovering from the shock, but she was still unable to speak or move. "That's it, I'm getting out of this cage and I'm going to save Katarina from that sicko." She took out the little pieces of plastic she had broken off from the plastic forks that had been included with previous meals and began to tinker with her cell door's lock. She had it open in short order. "Got it!" She peeked out carefully into the hallway, which was deserted, and stepped out. "I'll be back real soon, ladies. Once I get those keys off of Hitch, I can let you all out."

Mei Ling finally had control of her muscles back and was able to function once again.

Mei Ling

Her failure was a bitter pill, it only increased her hatred for everyone in the PMS. Zoe had managed to get out of her cell with a plastic fork, intelligence and not physical force was the answer; however she would love to get hold of a gun.

In the cell block-
"Zoe, wait!" called Lara Voronova. "Don't go alone! Please, get me out first. I help!"

"I'm sorry, Lara, there's no time," said Zoe, her feet already retreating up the hall. "I can't let him hurt Katarina again." Within seconds she was gone.

OOC,[b]Zoe Gallagher[/b] is moving to the thread linked below. Her player, if there ever is one, should stop reading the current thread at this point and start reading the new thread at the linked post (but not the post above that). Everyone else remains in the current thread. [b]Mei Ling[/b], roll Idea.

Horror Movie

Mei Ling

Mei waited in the cell, longing for Zoe's return.

In the cell block-
As Mei Ling lay on her mattress, the springs squeaked. She realized that the mattress was in pretty bad shape, and it should be a simple matter to pry off one of the springs. The end of a spring could be used as a lockpick in a pinch.

Mei Ling,If you want to try this, make a Locksmith roll. Remember that your Locksmith skill is really 26%, as you have had some training in that area.

Mei Ling

Ripping the fabric of her mattress Mei seized a loose spring, she attempted to pick the lock.

In the cell block-
Mei Ling managed to pick the lock and opened the door. Peeking out into the hall, she saw that it was clear in both directions. As she emerged, she heard Katarina cry "Zoe, run!" off in the distance. Her voice had come from the right, in the direction of the guard room and, ultimately, the way out of this place. Mei Ling had no idea what was in the opposite direction.

Mei Ling

She wants to free all the prisoners. Mei decides the cell keys are her best bet so she turns right toward the guard room.

OOC,There is nobody around to see you at the moment, but as it turns out Sneak is the skill you roll to avoid being heard, so you did it right. Unfortunately, that was a critical failure. You would roll Hide to keep from being seen, and it so happens that you have 45% in both skills.

In the cell block-
"Please, don't leave me in here," pleaded Lara as Mei Ling passed her cell and went into the guard room.

In the guard room-
Mei Ling had seen this room before on numerous occasions: when she had initially been brought underground, and when Hitch had brought her through it on the way to make his disgusting movies. There was a hall directly ahead on the opposite side of the guard room that went past some doors on its way toward the entrance, which was currently empty. A closed door to the left led to Hitch's studio. A red light bulb above the door was lit, indicating that he was filming. There was a desk near the hall leading back to the cell block, where Hitch would typically sit while on guard duty. An ashtray on its surface was overflowing with cigarette butts, and several magazines were splayed on top of the desk. Most of them were porn, but there was also an issue of Variety. Mei Ling was not used to moving around freely after her long confinement, and in her haste she bumped hard against the desk as she went past it, causing a loud thump.

OOC,[b]Mei Ling[/b], roll Listen.

Mei Ling

Variety magazine! Mei was intrigued and consequently lost her focus on the task at hand. After the loud thump she paused, fearing discovery.

In the guard room-
Mei Ling could hear everything there was to hear in the movie studio, and soon her fears were confirmed. As she entered the guard room, she heard Katarina's voice call: "Please, Hitch, no hurt Zoe!"

"Don't worry, my sweet," she heard Hitch reply beyond the door. "I'm not going to do anything to her that won't heal. But she must be punished." After a pause, he continued. "Sweet dreams, my dear Zoe. You won't enjoy it so much when you awaken."

When Mei Ling bumped against the desk, she heard Hitch speak again: "I'll have you later. First I'd better check on your friends and make sure none of them are running around loose too, ja?" Booted footsteps approached the door to the movie studio from the other side!

Mei Ling

Mei checked out the desk for a heavy object, - the ashtray?, in order to bash Hitch upon the head. Next she flattened herself against the studio wall and waited for Hitch to emerge through the door.

In the guard room-
Mei Ling snatched up the desk lamp, yanking out the plug as she hurried to the wall beside the door to the movie studio and flattened herself against it. Her heart was in her throat as the footsteps got closer...closer...The red light bulb went out, and finally the door opened.

Hitch stepped into the guard room, completely oblivious to her presence. He started walking toward the hall to the cell block, leaving the door open behind him.

Mei Ling,The desk lamp you have counts as a small club. It does 1d6 damage and can be wielded in one hand, and the base skill is 25%. Your kicks do 2d6 damage with Marital Arts, but they can be parried by someone without a weapon. The lamp can only be parried by a weapon, not by unarmed attacks. Likewise, it can be used to try to parry a weapon attack, even from the taser. You may parry and attack once each in the same round. You can also parry and dodge, and you may dodge each attack once even if you are attacked multiple times, but you cannot both attack and dodge in the same round. You can attempt a knockout attack with the lamp (or with a punch). If it fails, he would still take full damage. It is highly unlikely to succeed at this point, as he is not injured yet. If you choose to attack [b]Hitch[/b] now, you have complete surprise. He will not be able to act in the first round in any way, so he does not get a chance to parry or dodge your first attack. He also will not get an attack of his own. If you do that, you'll probably want to kick. Also, your DEX is higher than his, so you would go first in the second round too, if he's still capable of fighting, but don't roll your second round's attack yet. If you hit, roll 1d20 to determine the hit location on the Melee Hit Location table in the Rules and Guidelines thread, and roll damage as well. You may instead hold still and wait for him to leave, in which case he will not notice you. Alternatively, you can try to slip off into the studio or down the hallway leading back toward the surface. If you move away, roll Sneak.

Mei Ling

Mei decides to kick. 喂ya。 丢失!

In the guard room-
Unfortunately, Mei Ling mistimed her kick and Hitch hesitated at the wrong time, causing her foot to flash past him. He whirled around in shock. "You!" he snarled.

Mei Ling,It's your turn to act again, but now he knows you're there and can defend himself. If you want to flee, you can either run into the movie studio, down the hall to the cell block, or up the hall toward the entrance. If you want to attack him, go ahead and roll. If you hit, roll for hit location and damage, but remember that he does have the opportunity to parry and/or dodge, so you might not actually hit him. You should also make a Parry roll with the desk lamp in case he scores a hit on you, rolling against your skill in the weapon (25% for Small Club).

Mei Ling

Hitch had to be beaten, third time lucky? 笨蛋.

In the guard room-
Hitch reacted too slowly to block Mei Ling's devastating kick at his right leg, and he slipped when he tried to move out of the way. Her foot impacted his right thigh, and there was the satisfying crunch of bone breaking. "Scheisse!" screamed Hitch, collapsing to the floor and writhing in agony. The pain was too intense, and he blacked out.

OOC,Nice one! :D [b]Hitch[/b] is down and out with just a single kick.

Mei Ling

She searched Hitch for anything useful, and any clothing that she could wear.

Mr Handy,If Hitch is wearing his pistol, Mei will shoot him in the head; without any hesitation.

In the guard room-
Hitch wore khaki pants and a white tank top, but his clothes would be very big on her and his boots certainly wouldn't fit. They also reeked of him. Mei Ling knew that there were various costumes in the movie studio, and some of them were her size. Hitch was wearing an adjustable utility belt that would fit her. It did have his Ruger P-85 in a holster, fully loaded with a 15-round magazine, and an additional 13 magazines in various pouches on the belt. His belt also had the infamous taser and bullwhip, a walkie-talkie, and a ring of eight keys. He had on a backpack. When she opened it up and looked inside, she saw half a dozen MREs, a bottle of chloroform, a damp cloth that also smelled of choloform, and a few syringes containing an unknown substance.

Mei Ling,Before you shoot him, roll Idea. If you fail, go ahead and make a Handgun roll. Your skill is normally 60%, but since the range is point blank this is doubled to 120%. You'll only miss on a Malfunction (98 or higher with this gun), and you'll get an impale on 24 or less. Assuming you hit, you do 1d10 damage (2d10 on an impale). Let me know what you're taking and how you're carrying it. If you really want his clothes, it'll take an additional round to put them on.

Mei Ling

Mr Handy,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1920860/]idea[/url]

Hitch's clothes stank, in her excitement over the brief combat she had forgotten his repugnant smell. She attatched his belt round her waist and stuffed everything else into his backpack.

Mei Ling

Without any hesitation she places the pistol under Hitch's chin and pulls the trigger. The bullet went into his head.
Mei goes through the studio door.

In the guard room-
Mei Ling slipped on the belt and backpack, then drew the pistol and pressed the barrel under Hitch's chin. She squeezed the trigger, sending a bullet through his jaw. The shot echoed loudly in the room. Then the walkie-talkie on her belt crackled, and a man's voice spoke: "Hitch, what was that shot?" He paused for a second. "Hitch?! Guys, we've got a shot fired and Hitch ain't responding."

Another man's voice, sounding similar to the first, answered: "Check it out, Jeff, I'm on my way up."

OOC,There's a limit to what you can do in a single round, and it took all of last round to loot and shoot [b]Hitch[/b]. You may now enter the movie studio if you wish, but first roll Spot Hidden and Listen. If both rolls fail, you won't get any further information and you can go ahead and act right away. Otherwise, I'll let you know what you observe and you can make your decision based on that. The bullwhip has a base skill of only 5%. The taser uses your Fist/Punch skill, which has a base level of 50%. It causes no damage, but if you hit it will stun your target for 1d6 rounds. It only has a limited number of uses before its battery runs out.

Mei Ling

Her revenge on Hitch had made Mei careless, she must stop her haste and think.

In the guard room-
Mei Ling had heard running footsteps on the radio, but she noticed an odd reverberation effect. Then she realized that she could still hear them after the radio went silent. They were coming from the direction of the hallway leading to the entrance. While they were still a bit distant, they were getting closer!

OOC,Now you may enter the movie studio if you still wish to do so.

Mei Ling

Mei enters the studio.

Mr Handy,Her plan (subject to what she sees in the studio) will be to leave the door open, stand inside the studio with Hitch's body visible to herself and shoot anyone coming down the hallway; hopefully they will stop to check the body!

OOC,[b]Mei Ling[/b] is moving to the thread linked below. Please stop reading the current thread at this point, and don't read any posts in the new thread above the one pointed to by the link. All other characters remain in the current thread.

Horror Movie

In the cell block-
Raquel Orozco gasped and hugged herself. "Oh, no!" she moaned. "Who get shot?"

Alicia Vargas didn't speak. All that came from her cell was sobbing.

"No..." croaked Lara Voronova.

In the cell block-
The women in the cells could only listen in horror as another pistol shot rang out, followed by the crack of a rifle. Then they heard Katarina scream briefly before she wailed in despair.

"Someone dead," said Raquel, hanging her head.

"We're all dead..." mumbled Lara, rocking back and forth unsteadily.

Alicia just kept crying.

In the cell block-
There was silence for a minute, but it was broken by another rifle shot, making the captives wince.

In the cell block-
A second rifle shot rang out, followed by silence. Lara began to hyperventilate.

Footsteps approached from the rear of the facility, and a skinhead's voice spoke as he walked past the cells: "Calm down, girls. Everything is under control here. Just behave yourselves, and that won't have to happen to you."

"Por favor, let us out!" begged Raquel.

"We've told you before. If you stay cooperative, we'll let you go eventually. Just do as you're told and you'll be fine." The skinhead walked on and was soon gone.

In the cell block-
"Mein Gott, it hurts!" cried Hitch from the guard room. "My leg! That bitch!"

Alicia forced out a laugh between her sobs, but Raquel frowned. "I wish he was muerto," she muttered.

Lara just shook at the sound of her tormentor's furious voice.

OOC,Ah, I think I did something wrong. My apologies. I mistakenly typed 100 instead of 1d100. The old link to the roll is below just in case. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1933176/

Raquel Orozco sighed and repostioned herself so she could sit cross legged on the mattress. With a swift and fluid motion she brushed the hair out of her eyes in an attempt to think of some way of escape. Anywhere on earth was better than this hellhole she decided as her hands absent mindedly rubbed her stomach once more. She had given up long ago on the false promises of her keepers. She now desperately treid to think of a plan.

"Alicia!" she said to her friend in the other cell in Spanish, "Do you have any ideas on how to escape.

In the cell block-
Alicia stared at the ceiling as she lay on her back weeping, but she was too distraught to think of anything. "No sé," she choked out.

Raquel looked around her small cell for any possible way out of her plight. Trying to make a move while there were still skinheads nearby would be risky, so it might pay to wait until they left. The door was made of metal and locked, and she had no idea how to pick a lock. It would only open when the guards opened it to bring her dinner - or to try to have her for dessert. Trying to fight even one of them alone would be very dangerous and unlikely to succeed, as Mei Ling had illustrated earlier during her first failed attempt to escape.

Then she chanced to look up and saw the ventilation grate in the ceiling. It was ten feet above her head and would be an extremely tight squeeze even if she could get up there. Alicia would probably be better able to make it. It might be possible to climb up by stretching herself across the width of the cell, keeping her hands pressed against one wall and her feet against the other, then walking herself up to the ceiling. The mattress would probably break her fall if she lost her footing and she wasn't too far up when it happened. Getting the grate open would require a little force and one free hand or foot, and there was a risk of falling when trying that. Again, Alicia was more athletic and would be better at it.

Raquel Orozco,What [b]Alicia[/b] said is Spanish for "I don't know." Roll Listen, trying to get less than or equal to your score on 1d100. If you want to attempt the climb now yourself, make a Climb roll. The base skill level is 40% since it's not listed on your character sheet. Failure will not cause injury unless it's a critical failure - 96 or higher. Even then, you'd get a Jump roll to try to avoid the damage. The base level for Jump is 25%.

Raquel paused for a moment as she considered her options. She called to Alicia again and crossed her fingers.

"Alicia, do you have a ventilation shaft in your cell?" she said in spanish, "If so, can you crawl into it? You might be able to escape through it."


While the ventilation shaft was a viable option for her, she worried about some affects in may have later on. She looked down at herself. She would be happier if she could think of another means of escape. There was also he problem of getting stuck in there or accidentally alerting the guards if she fell.

If they noticed her failure then they would be sure to check the other cells and it may doom Alicia if she had a shaft in her cell as well. Raquel sat back onto her bed with a sigh. She needed to think of another way to escape.

In the cell block-
Alicia blinked away her tears as she stared at the ceiling of her cell, then replied to Raquel in Spanish.

Alicia Vargas and Raquel Orozco,"Yes," said [b]Alicia[/b] in Spanish. "I see one in the ceiling, but I don't know if I should try. It might be dangerous."

Raquel heard nothing nearby. Her surroundings seemed completely quiet. As she thought, she considered possible ways out of her cell, and she could only come up with two: the locked door and the ventilation shaft. However, if Alicia could climb into the shaft above her own cell, it had to connect to the one above Raquel's. It would be a lot easier for Raquel - and Lara for that matter - to climb up into the shaft if Alicia were to open the gratings from the inside and then help them up.

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], roll Fast Talk if you want to try to convince [b]Alicia[/b] to try the climb.

"Alicia..." she said but she could think of no way to convince her.


Raquel stood up and began to pace in her cell.

"Please think about it." she finally said in Spanish

In the cell block-
Alicia sniffled and then continued speaking in Spanish.

Alicia Vargas and Raquel Orozco,"I'm sorry, [b]Raquel[/b]," she said, gazing at the grating above her. "I want to, but I'm scared. I don't want to die."

"Shh!" hissed Lara. "I hear someone coming."

OOC,Can we please assume that unless stated otherwise that Raquel is speaking Spanish. I find it rather annoying to have to type "in Spanish" at at the end of all the dialouge.

"Alicia," she said as quickly and as quietly as she could while still allowing her friend to hear her, "I know you are frightened... and I am too."

She took a gulp for air and gave a nervous giggle. She desperately hoped that whoever was coming would not hear her mutterings through the cell. Panic would soon absorb her.

"You may be our only hope of escape and we all need you." she felt dizzy "please, please try, once the guard leaves. Please. I beg you."

In the cell block-
Alicia whispered a few words back in Spanish.

Alicia Vargas and Raquel Orozco,"Okay," [b]Alicia[/b] whispered. "I will try, [b]Raquel[/b]."

Alicia stood up and took a few deep breaths, trying to gather her courage. A few seconds later, there were footsteps in the hall outside the cells. "Hitch should be right through here," said an unfamiliar male voice.

Raquel felt her heart flutter in her chest. She moved from her place and toward the cell door, in an attempt to see who was there.

In the cell block-
Though the door was solid metal, Raquel was able to peek through the narrow gap between the door and the frame.

Raquel Orozco,[b]Raquel[/b] saw two people moving through the hall outside the cells coming from the back of the hall and moving toward the guard room. One of them was a skinhead, but he didn't look familiar and he wore blue scrubs instead of the usual outfits that were the closest thing the PMS had to uniforms. He had a 9mm pistol in a holster on his belt. The other was a woman, one that she had never seen before. She was stunningly beautiful with blonde, shoulder-length hair, and she wore a pair of khaki shorts like the skinheads wore with a short-sleeved top from a set of scrubs. She also had a broken left leg in a cast, and she was using a pair of mahogany canes as crutches. She wore a utility belt with a pair of .45 automatics, one on each hip. [b]Raquel[/b] had never seen or heard of any female members of the PMS, though if there were any they'd have no reason to visit her cell. She did have a full head of hair, unlike the men.

Raquel sat against the wall and waited.

OOC,I apologize for the very short length. It is just that I do not know what to do right now. I know what I want to do, but there seem to be very few options left.

In the cell block-

Raquel Orozco,[b]Raquel[/b] saw the woman look around and then grab the man's arm and pull him to a stop. "[b]Doc[/b], I knew you would never condone anything like this," she said. "I just knew it. You're too gentle of a soul. I don't think things will change with [b]Mutt[/b] at the helm. I've seen the way he looks at me. He looks me up and down like a piece of meat. Not like the way you look at me; kindly and lovingly." She stared into his eyes and leaned into him as she said the last sentence. [b]Doc[/b] put his arms comfortingly around her, gazing into her eyes. "I do love you, [b]Sally[/b]," he said. "I thought I'd never find a woman who could make me feel the way you do." He kissed her quickly on the lips. "I wish we had more time to be alone together, but we have to help [b]Hitch[/b] first. [b]Mutt[/b]'s probably with him in the next room. We'll talk more about this later, when we have some privacy." He took her arm and walked out of the corridor with her.

Alicia Vargas and Lara Voronova,An unfamiliar woman's voice said: "[b]Doc[/b], I knew you would never condone anything like this. I just knew it. You're too gentle of a soul. I don't think things will change with [b]Mutt[/b] at the helm. I've seen the way he looks at me. He looks me up and down like a piece of meat. Not like the way you look at me; kindly and lovingly." "I do love you, [b]Sally[/b]," said [b]Doc[/b]. "I thought I'd never find a woman who could make me feel the way you do." There was a brief pause. "I wish we had more time to be alone together, but we have to help [b]Hitch[/b] first. [b]Mutt[/b]'s probably with him in the next room. We'll talk more about this later, when we have some privacy." Their footsteps receded into the distance as they walked into the guard room.

Alicia waited until the sounds ceased. Then she spit on both of her hands and lay across the width of the cell. Pressing the soles of her feet against one wall and the palms of her hands against the other, she tried to walk her way up but couldn't get anywhere yet.

OOC,That's okay. I was in the middle of updating again anyway. Roll Listen to see if you can hear what's going on in the next room.

Raquel listened intently to her friend's progress.

"Do not give up." she whispered more to herself than anyone.

In the cell block-
Alicia was able to hear every word in the other room, unlike Lara, who wasn't paying attention and just sat scrunched up with her arms around her legs and her face pressed against her knees.

Alicia Vargas and Raquel Orozco,In the guard room, both women heard [b]Sally[/b] say "Nice to meet you, [b]Katarina[/b]." After a pause, she spoke again. "[b]Hitch[/b] is a big guy. Can the two of you look to see if you can get a stretcher or something to carry old [b]Hitch[/b] here to the med lab? With my leg all broken up, I am not going to be able to help [b]Doc[/b] move him." "I wouldn't dream of making you carry him," said a skinhead. He was the same one who had passed through the cell block before [b]Doc[/b] and [b]Sally[/b] had arrived. "I'll help [b]Doc[/b] lug him down to the medical lab." "I'll go get something from the mess hall," said another skinhead with a similar-sounding voice. "I hope we be friends, [b]Sally[/b]," said [b]Katarina[/b]. "Okay, that's the best we can do here," said [b]Doc[/b]. "Once [b]Jeff[/b] gets back with the stretcher we can bring him down to the lab."

Alicia took a deep breath before trying once more to climb the walls. She was doing better this time, but she still slid back down.

Raquel's felt the framiliar feeling of panic rise up again. She hoped that Alicia would not be heard she truelly did. She did not want to think of the consequences if she was discovered.

The more she listened to the conversation the more confused she became. It was only after a few moments that she realized that the one woman was Katrina. her stomach did a flip. Raquel could barely understand what they were saying. One thing was certain however, one had been called Sally. She continued listening.

OOC,Don't worry about it, it's hard for me to keep all the information straight.

In the cell block-

Alicia Vargas and Raquel Orozco,The people in the guard room continued to speak. "Yes, I would like to get to know you as well, [b]Katarina[/b]," said [b]Sally[/b]. "It would be great to have another female to chat with while we all weather the storm down here." "Yes, I like that too," said [b]Katarina[/b]. "Is nice to meet you too, [b]Doc[/b]. You so handsome. How come you never visit me?" [b]Doc[/b] cleared his throat. "I, ah, didn't think it would be appropriate," he said. "Well, I would like for you to come see me sometime." She paused. "What wrong? You no think I'm beautiful?" "No, you're very beautiful, [b]Katarina[/b]. It's just that I'm spoken for." "Too bad. You ever change your mind, I be there." "Here we go," said the skinhead who had said he was going to the mess hall, evidently [b]Jeff[/b]. "[b]Doc[/b], give me a hand here."

Alicia cried, feeling completely helpless. For years she had worked as a lifeguard, watching out for others and occasionally rescuing them when they were in danger, but nothing could have prepared her for the situation in which she found herself. Now her best friend Raquel was counting on her to save her, and Alicia didn't know if she could do it. Still, she kept trying. Step by step, one hand or foot at a time, she walked herself up the wall. I'm doing it! she thought triumphantly. Soon she was near the ceiling, and the grating leading to the ventilation shaft was only inches away.

Raquel's heart thumped in her chest now. The sounds of struggle had temporarily vanished in her friend's cell. She was not sure whether this was a sign of success or of tragic failure. While still focusing on the people she tuned her ears to her friend. The suspense would kill her.

In the cell block-
Alicia looked at the grating above her. It was old and rusty, and it wouldn't take much force to dislodge it, but it would require her to take one of her limbs away from the wall, and it might make some noise. She took a deep breath and put all of her weight on her left foot, then quickly removed her right leg from the wall and jabbed at the grate with her knee. Unfortunately, she started to slip down and her knee came up short. She quickly pressed her leg back against the wall and managed to keep herself from falling. She paused and tried to calm herself down.

Alicia Vargas and Raquel Orozco,Both women could hear [b]Hitch[/b] groan in the other room. "Okay, let's get him to the lab," said [b]Doc[/b]. "I can come too?" asked [b]Katarina[/b]. "Sure," said one of the skinheads. "I'm always pleased with your company." Footsteps began to approach.

"Alicia," she said through the wall, "Hush. They are coming."

She froze in her place, unable to look away.

In the cell block-
Alicia froze, paralyzed. Her breath caught in her throat as she lay suspended across the width of her cell just below the ceiling, her hands and feet all that kept her from falling.

Raquel peered through the tiny gap between her cell door and the frame.

Raquel Orozco,She saw [b]Doc[/b] walk backwards past her cell carrying one end of a small table. The table's legs were folded up beneath it, and [b]Hitch[/b] lay on top of it, his right leg obviously broken and his jaw bandaged. A big skinhead held the other end of the table, and behind him came [b]Sally[/b] and [b]Katarina[/b]. [b]Katarina[/b] held [b]Sally[/b]'s arm and helped her walk, as did the two mahogany canes [b]Sally[/b] used as crutches. [b]Katarina[/b] was wearing a gorgeous little black dress, one that [b]Raquel[/b] remembered seeing on one the costume racks in [b]Hitch[/b]'s movie studio. Bringing up the rear was another huge skinhead who looked much like the one carrying the table.

"So, Katarina," said Sally, "how long have you been down here with everyone? You seem to have an accent that I cannot place, where is it from?"

"I from Romania," said Katarina. "I been here several months. Up top at first, then I move down here. Where you from, Sally?"

"Wow, Romania is a very long ways off. Sounds exciting."

"Is beautiful country. Is funny, but I always thought America would be more exciting when I live in Romania."

"The rest of you go on ahead," said the skinhead at the back of the group that started walking through the hall outside, whose voice the women recognized as that of Jeff. "I'll stay up here and keep an eye on things."

OOC,Pentadragon, you haven't posted yet, but I've seen you logged in a few times. Since your character doesn't have much to do at the moment, I went ahead and moved things forward.

In the cell block-
Alicia's palms were getting sweaty, and she slipped down another inch, but she managed to hold on tight and keep from falling any further. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and tried to control her breathing, praying for everyone in the hall to go away quickly before she lost her grip.

"That's right, you said there was storm," said Katarina, her voice trailing off as she walked away. "They said there lots of tornadoes in these parts. Is that what happen?"

"Yeah, that's right," said the big skinhead who was helping to carry Hitch. "It's a tornado. Nothing to worry your pretty little head about, Katarina. We're all perfectly safe from it down here."

The footsteps receded into the distance, but there was still one pair walking around in the hall outside. "How are you ladies doing?" asked Jeff's voice. "Each of you say something so I know you're okay."

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], roll Listen.

OOC,I apologize for the lack of posting here.

Raquel said as loud as she dared through the wall, "I'm sorry Alicia. Please try to hang in there, I know you can do it."


She listened intently.

OOC,No need to apologize! You've been posting at least once per day, which is far more often than required (and some players post far less frequently). You're not holding anything up, and like I said, your character hasn't had a whole lot to do. Hopefully that will change before too long.

Raquel could still hear Katarina's voice in the distance.

Raquel Orozco,"So, [b]Sally[/b], tell me about you," said [b]Katarina[/b]. "Where you from?"

Raquel continued listening. She prayed that Alicia would be able to get into the ventilation shaft. If worse came to worse and the skinheads suspected something was wrong, she would make as much noise as possible in an attempt to distract them and allow Alicia not to be caught.


She hoped in would not have to come to that.

In the cell block-
Raquel could barely hear Sally speaking in the next room as her voice trailed away.

Raquel Orozco,"I'm from these parts, actually, but I don't really call any place home just yet," said [b]Sally[/b]. "I'm a nurse and I've been traveling around for a while, working in various hospitals as I see the nation. I was coming back to this area to settle down when the tornadoes hit. I was lucky enough to meet up with these guys and they let me weather the storm down here." "I happy you here, [b]Sally[/b]," said [b]Katarina[/b]. "Is good to talk to you. You break leg in storm?"

Alicia replied to Raquel in Spanish. Though her muscles were getting sore, she held her place and strengthened her resolve.

Alicia Vargas and Raquel Orozco,"Thank you, [b]Raquel[/b]," said [b]Alicia[/b]. "I'm still hanging on."

"Lara, you in there?" asked Jeff.

"Nyet," Lara spat back.

Jeff chuckled. "That's what I love about you, Lara. Well, that and your smoking hot body." He turned around and walked back into the guard room.

In the cell block-
Alicia carefully inched her way back up to recover the height she had lost until she was once again within striking distance of the grating.

"Dammit!" shouted Jeff from the guard room. "Deadeye and Ghost, sorry to interrupt your dinner, but I need you in the guard room now!"

Once more Alicia precariously balanced herself using both arms and one leg and quickly slammed her knee at the grating, but she was just an inch short. She returned her foot to the wall and easily stayed in place. I can do it, she thought. One more try.

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], roll Listen.

Rawuel listened intentently

In the cell block-
Alicia was too focused on trying to get the grating open to pay much attention, but Lara heard what was going on in the guard room.

Raquel Orozco and Lara Voronova,Both women heard running footsteps in the far distance that soon reached the guard room. "What's up, [b]Jeff[/b]?" asked a skinhead. "We've got a loose filly, [b]Ghost[/b]," replied [b]Jeff[/b]. "I had left [b]Zoe[/b] unconscious and tied up in the studio, but I just checked and she's gone. She couldn't have gotten far. I was only in the cell block for a couple minutes, but it's possible she slipped past into the hall you just came from. Could she have gotten past you?" "I reckon she might've," said another skinhead, this one with a Kentucky drawl. "We couldn't rightly see out the door from where we was sitting in the mess." "Understood, [b]Deadeye[/b]. She won't get out the exit. [b]Spike[/b]'s got that covered. So here's what we're going to do. [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1963379/][b]Ghost[/b][/url], you're with me. We're going to search the studio and make sure she's not in there first. [b]Deadeye[/b], you wait for us in the guard room and keep an eye on the hall leading out. If you spot her, give a yell. Once we're done in the studio, the three of us will proceed toward the exit and search every room systematically. We'll get [b]Zoe[/b] back...and when we do, we're going to have some fun with her." Sickening laughs came from the skinheads. Two pairs of footsteps walked off. "Yoohoo, [b]Zoe[/b]," said [b]Jeff[/b] as his voice trailed away. "Come out, come out, wherever you are..."

Alicia launched another kick at the grating, This time her foot connected, and it dropped open, dangling from the ceiling from one side. Alicia was able to rapidly press her leg against the cell wall and held steady. Freedom was within her grasp!

"Jeff, I just heard a noise!" shouted a skinhead from the guard room who had a Kentucky accent. "It sounded like it came from Alicia's cell!"

"We'll check it out when we're done in the studio, Deadeye!" Jeff called back. "Alicia can wait. She ain't going nowhere!"

Raquel feverishly pushed herself against the cell door in an attempt to hear better. If she heard footsteps approaching, she would need to act.

In the cell block-
Alicia reached out with one arm this time and grabbed the edge of the vent shaft. Before she could lose her grip, she reached up with her other arm and held on tight, dangling from the opening. She managed to haul herself inside. The vent was narrow, and it only went in one direction - toward the cell block corridor. She tried to crawl down it, but it was just a little too tight for her and she got stuck. She took another deep breath and managed to wriggle through. The vent intersected a longer vent running parallel to and above the hall. Alicia continued straight ahead until she was over her friend Raquel's cell, looking down into it through its own grating.

As Raquel listened at her cell door, she heard Jeff shout "Gotcha!" in the distance. Then she heard Alicia's voice from above, hissing "Psst! Raquel!" Looking up, Raquel saw her best friend's face in the grating. She was smiling for the first time since they'd been abducted. She whispered some more in Spanish.

Raquel Orozco,"Hang on, [b]Raquel[/b]," [b]Alicia[/b] said. "I'll have the grating open soon, and then I'll help you climb up."

Raquel jumped up and was about to yell when she saw Alicia. She felt relief wash over herself and whispered,

"You scared me. I thought that you'ld been caught."

Now she smiled. She could not help herself. In just a few moments they would be free! She was so happy. Raquel walked over to the opposite wall but tried to keep listening. She was prepared to catch the grating should it fall.

In the cell block-
Alicia grasped the grating with both hands. Now that she was above it, it was easier for her to force it open. She put her shoulder into it and easily dislodged it, but not without noise. Then she rotated it diagonally to pull it through the opening and placed it down inside the shaft. She reached through with her arms and beckoned Raquel with her finger.

"Now I heard a noise from Raquel's cell!" called Deadeye from the guard room. His footsteps began to get closer.

"Hurry!" whispered Alicia.

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], you may attempt to climb up to the hole in the ceiling by walking yourself up the wall if you make a Climb roll. The base skill is 40%. If you succeed, no further rolls are necessary to get inside the shaft now that [b]Alicia[/b] has opened the grating. Failure will not cause injury; it will just cost you a round as you fail to make progress. A critical failure will result in falling from high up and getting hurt unless you succeed at a Jump roll - the base skill for that is 25%.

Raquel swore. She had been hoping that the grating could be removed without alerting the skinheads. She had hoped to escape without arousing suspicion. She hoped she was not screwed.

She tried to walk up the wall as fast as possible. She might have been able to make it had she not been panicking. She slipped halfway up the wall and fell in a heap on the floor. Her heart pounded feverishly in her chest. She needed time. She needed time!

In the cell block-
Raquel could feel the panic rising in her chest as the skinhead's footsteps entered the hall outside her cell and stopped right at her door. She could hear the jangling of keys. Alicia held her breath.

"Raquel, what's going on in there?" asked Deadeye.

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], if you want to tell him anything in response, roll Fast Talk to see if he believes you. You may make another Climb attempt now, and you may do both.

Raquel could have sworn that time stopped. She desperately tried to think of something to say. She was so terrified that she could not remember a single English phrase.

She silently made shooing motions to her friend in an attempt to tell her to get out of sight until the skinhead left. If anyone got caugth it would be her. Things would go very very badly if she was caught. Things like dying. yes, it was best to avoid that. She tried to smile.

In the most ear pleasing voice she could manage she spoke through the door, "Estoy muy bien. Funcioné en la puerta e hizo un sonido. Soy muy torpe."

She gave a fake high pitched giggle in an attempt to convice him further.

"Estoy bien."

OOC,I apologize, I am awful when it comes to writing in Spanish myself so I used babelfish.

OOC,Don't worry about it. You don't normally need to roll against your English skill in order to communicate, as long as you keep it simple.

In the cell block-
Alicia crawled backwards through the vent shaft, out of sight.

"Whatever," said Deadeye. "Alicia, darlin', how you doin'?" He paused for a repsonse. "Alicia?"

Alicia trembled in the vent, knowing that she had to get back to the opening leading to her cell before she could reply to keep him from getting suspicious. She backed around the corner to her left, then crawled around the corner to her right and forward as quickly as she could to get back there. She could hear him inserting the key in the lock, and she barely got there in time. Sticking her head through the hole in the vent shaft, she called "No hablo ingles!"

Deadeye pulled his key out of the lock and laughed. "Yeah, that's right. Lara, sweetheart, what's cookin'?" The only answer he got was a muffled sob from her cell. "Well, I'm gonna get a bite to eat. See you girls later." He walked away, back into the guard room.

Alicia breathed a sigh of relief and pulled herself back into the vent shaft.

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], you may make another Climb roll now if you wish.

Raquel breathed a sigh of relief and returned to attempting to climb the wall as silently as possible. Her heart was still beating hard in her chest and she fell to the floor only a quarter of the way up the wall. She needed to concentrate.

In the cell block-
Deadeye's footsteps retreated into the distance and soon could no longer be heard. Alicia crawled back to the long vent shaft running atop the cell block hallway. She hissed something in Spanish, her voice carrying through the vent and into Raquel's cell.

Alicia Vargas and Raquel Orozco,"I'm going to go open [b]Lara[/b]'s grate," whispered [b]Alicia[/b]. "I'll be back for you, [b]Raquel[/b]. Keep trying to climb."

Alicia wriggled through the long shaft, turning aside into the branching shaft that went over Lara's cell. She looked through the grating and saw Lara sitting huddled on her mattress, weeping. "Lara," she whispered. "I'm going to get you out of here."

Lara looked up in surprise. "You speak English?" she asked.

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], you may make another Climb roll.

Raquel tried to focus now. If she could just concentrate it would be very simple. The noise around her seemed to slip away. Every distraction needed to be meaningless. She managed to climb into the vent with ease.

In the cell block-
Alicia tried to force open the grate in the ceiling of Lara's cell, but it was stuck due to decades of rust. "Yes, I speak English," she whispered back. "Give me a minute and I'll have this open. Then you can climb up here."

"How?" asked Lara, bewildered.

"Lie across the width of your cell and press your hands and feet to the walls tightly. Then walk up. I'll help you once I get this thing open."

Raquel hauled herself into the vent shaft above her own cell. Its confines were very narrow, and her size was proving to be a disadvantage as she tried to crawl through it to the longer shaft running above the corridor outside the cell block.

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], roll SIZ x 5 to squeeze through the vent shaft. You want to fail this roll, or you will get stuck. If you get stuck, roll DEX x 3 to try to free yourself.

It was not long before Raquel realized that the vents were much too small. She had managed to push herself some of the way through, but now she lay stuck in the vent. She tried several times to free herself, and met each with failure. It was good she did not have claustrophobia.

She hoped that Alicia would check on her soon. She needed help.

In the cell block-
"I don't know if I can do it," said Lara.

"I didn't think I could either, but I managed it," said Alicia. "And I had to stay motionless up there for a few minutes while the guards went through. You'll be able to get out right away, and I'll help you up. I just need to get this damn grille open first."

"I will try." Lara spread herself out across her cell and tried to walk herself up the walls, but she kept sliding back down. "It's no good, I can't do it."

"Keep trying." Alicia grunted and strained, and this time she managed to force it open. She placed the vent cover on the floor of the shaft, out of the way.

Raquel almost managed to fit through the vent, but she was just a little too tall and couldn't get around the corner. With a little effort, she could probably free herself.

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], roll DEX x 3 again to get unstuck.

Raquel squirmed around in the vent. She tried several times to free herself before finally succeeding.

In the cell block-
Lara tried one more time to scale the wall, and this time she made it to the top. With Alicia's help, she hauled herself into the vent shaft. "I did it!" she said triumphantly. "My name should be Lara Croft."

"Follow me," said Alicia. "I'll go see how Raquel is doing." She crawled backwards until she reached the main shaft running above the hallway. She gave Raquel a smile when she saw her. "Lara just got out of her cell. Now what do we do?"

"We need guns," said Lara from further back in the shaft as she tried to squeeze through. "First we find guns, then we kill those bastards."

"I want them dead too, but we've got to get out of here. We can't leave the other girls behind, though. I know Katarina went that way with Sally and the men." She pointed back down the shaft, in the direction of the rear of the place. "But Zoe and Mei Ling went the other way, toward the exit. They never came back, and we heard the shooting earlier...I'm worried about them. Raquel, which way should we go?"

The vent shaft had another grating set into the floor, this one above the corridor, which appeared empty from up here. The shaft itself ran parallel to the hall.

Raquel considered the options. They could go after Katrina and Sally, however they were probably surrounded by the skinheads. If they made too much noise in the vents, they were sure to hear and then, well, things would end very badly for everyone involved. If they pursued Zoe and Mei Ling they may have less men to worry about. While none of the prisoners knew how many guards there were, most of them should have gone with Katarina and Sally right? The problem with that way was the gunshots. Nothing increases paranoia like a few gunshots.


Raquel gulped and looked at the two others. She smiled weakly at them before speaking in Spanish to Sally.

"We need to be quiet. If we are not careful we will be caught." she said, "I think we should go after Mei Ling and Zoe. It seems like a long enough time has passed since, the gunshot so maybe there will be few people there. Also, I am scared for Mei Ling and Zoe. If they are dead..."

She shook her head. She hated them. She hated them all. If Raquel got the opportunity she would burn this place to the ground before she left.

"We have to find out what happened to them and do it silently. Later, we will go after Sally and Katarina."

In the ventilation ducts-
"Yes, you're right," whispered Alicia. "We have to find Zoe and Mei Ling first."

Lara tried to squeeze her way through the shaft, but it was just too narrow. She tried to wriggle loose, but couldn't make much headway. "You two go ahead," she said softly. "Every second might count. I'll catch up with you."

Raquel led the way through the duct, Alicia following behind her. It was dark and claustrophobic in here, but some light filtered in through the occasional grating in the floor of the shaft. Soon the two friends reached an intersection. The shaft continued straight ahead toward the exit, but it also branched off to the left. Looking through a grating, they could see the guard room oustide the cell block beneath them. It appeared to be deserted. The left branch of the duct had to lead to the movie studio.

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], roll Listen.

Raquel listened.

In the ventilation ducts-
Raquel could hear the sound of running water carrying through the shaft from the branch on the left. She also heard a couple of voices talking, but she couldn't quite make out what they were saying over the sound of the water. One voice belonged to Jeff, and the other was Zoe's!

Alicia heard the sound too and pointed to the left.

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], roll Sneak if you want to head in that direction. Even if you fail, you still might not be heard.

In the ventilation ducts-
Lara finally squirmed loose and crawled into the main shaft, following Raquel and Alicia.

Further ahead, Alicia crawled up behind Raquel. The shaft was far too narrow to get past her. "Raquel, we have to save Zoe!" she whispered urgently.

OOC,I'm taking over [b]Raquel[/b] temporarily as an NPC. Pentadragon, when you return, you can take her over again. I wouldn't normally do this, but you've been gone for over a week and it's not fair to [b]Zoe[/b] to have her just sit there doing nothing.

In the ventilation ducts-
Lara made her way down the shaft toward the other two women. Raquel nodded to Alicia and crawled down the duct on her left. She tried to be quiet, but her bare knees and elbows clanged against the metal. Alicia followed her, worry all over her face. Ahead the shaft came to a dead end, but there was another grating in the floor. As they neared it, the sound of running water stopped and they heard Jeff say: "All right, Zoe, come to bed." Alicia let a soft gasp at the thought of her friend's plight.

After a few more seconds of squirming, Raquel and Alicia reached the grating. They couldn't see anyone directly beneath it, but they recognized the floor of the movie studio. Then Jeff spoke again somewhere in the big studio below: "Did you hear that?"

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], if you want to open the grating, there is no need to roll STR this time. With [b]Alicia[/b]'s help, the two of you can do it automatically. However, it may make noise. Make another Sneak roll if you try it.

In the venitlation ducts-
Alicia tried to reach past Raquel for the grating, but her friend shook her head and placed a hand over hers, raising her other hand with the palm forward to indicate that she should wait. Alicia began to cry silently, knowing what must be happening to Zoe below and wishing she could help her. Lara caught up with them.

"No, Jeff," said Zoe from the room underneath the shaft, "I didn't hear anything. What was it?"

"Probably just rats," answered Jeff after a pause.

In the ventilation ducts-
"Ugh, rats!" said Zoe from somewhere below.

Now that Jeff no longer seemed to be suspicious of the noise, Raquel nodded to Alicia. While Lara waited behind them, the two women pried the grating loose from the floor of the duct, doing so as quietly as they could. They managed to get it loose and placed it down softly next to the opening into the movie studio.

"At last you're mine, Zoe," said Jeff. Then there was the creak of bedsprings. Alicia and Raquel looked at each other knowingly. Tears spilled from Alicia's eyes, but she didn't dare make a sound. He's going to rape her! she thinks. We only have seconds to stop him!

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], if you want to drop through the opening, roll Jump to avoid getting hurt when you land on the floor of the room below. The base skill is 25%.

In the ventilation ducts-
Alicia didn't hesitate. She slid her legs through the opening, followed by the rest of her. She dangled by her hands and let go, falling to the movie studio below. Raquel and Lara heard her land with a thump. Looking through the hole, Raquel saw her friend lying on the floor in considerable pain.

"Get the hell off her, you pig!" snarled Alicia through gritted teeth.

OOC,[b]Alicia Vargas[/b] is moving to the following thread. Her player, if there ever is one, should stop reading the current thread at this point. [b]Raquel[/b] and [b]Lara[/b] remain in the current thread.

Final Jeopardy

In the ventilation ducts-
"Aaaargh!" gasped Zoe from the room below.

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you, Alicia?" said Jeff.

"Leave her alone!" shouted Alicia. "Take me instead!"

"A tempting offer. But who says I have to choose?"

Raquel and Lara could see Jeff, clad only in boxer shorts, rush Alicia through the opening in the floor. Before Alicia could regain her feet, he was on top of her. He seized her roughly as he pressed her into the ground.

"No!" screamed Alicia. She tried to fight him off, but he was just too strong for her, and she couldn't slip free either. He had her pinned beneath him.

OOC,[b]Raquel[/b], if you want to drop down, roll Jump to avoid being hurt (the base skill is 25%). You may also try to land on [b]Jeff[/b] and hurt him on your way down. To do this, also roll Kick.

In the venitlation ducts-
Raquel couldn't bear to see what Jeff was doing to Alicia. She lowered herself through the opening and dropped into the studio, trying to land on Jeff. Lara squirmed through the hole a few seconds later.

OOC,Everyone is moving to the thread linked below. Do not read the posts before the one in the link.

Final Jeopardy