Z-Day - 6:58 PM Mountain Time - Unknown location In the van-
The four women locked in the back of the van continued their hellish ride into the unknown. It was too dark inside the van to see anything, and there was no way of knowing whether it was still light outside or not. The van rolled onwards at the same speed, carrying them to a terrible fate. As agonizing as the journey was, things would undoubtedly get far worse when it stopped.
Raquel Orozco had been able to do nothing but cry the whole time. Her best friend Alicia Vargas was dead. Zoe Gallagher had accidentally shot and killed her when Jeff was holding her hostage, but Raquel didn't blame the other woman. Alicia had told her to shoot and not to surrender, after all. She knew it was Jeff's fault, but she also blamed herself. She had talked Alicia into helping her and Lara escape from their cells, against Alicia's better judgment. Alicia had said she didn't want to die, but perhaps she was better off now than the rest of them. They had been recaptured anyway, which made her death seem meaningless.
Zoe Gallagher lay uncomfortably on the floor of the van, her arms still handcuffed behind her back. Raquel wore handcuffs too, though Zoe had previously picked the lock so she could slip them off any time she wanted. Unfortunately, Zoe was unable to reach the lock on her own handcuffs, and none of the other women knew how to pick locks. Zoe knew that Jeff's brother Mutt was furious that she and Lara Voronova had killed him, and she was certain that tonight they would both pay for it.
Lara was utterly terrified. It was she who had fired the bullet that had killed Jeff, and she knew she would bear the brunt of Mutt's vengeance. He had only just begun to torture her when they were forced to flee from the PMS compound, and she still couldn't believe the horrors that had driven them out. She kept her fears suppressed by clinging to her hate of the skinheads for what they had done to her and her friends.
The fourth woman, Katarina Iliescu, was little more than a girl. She couldn't have been older than eighteen, yet she had a wisdom beyond her years. The others didn't know how she managed to stay in control of herself or how she was able to manipulate the men so easily, but even so, the Romanian beauty was not doing so well. Her situation seemed just as dire, and the craving in the pit of her stomach would not go away.
Zoe has been dozing in the back of the van, she begins to focus and again apologises to Raquel, "I'm sorry for what I did to Alicia - I know you have forgiven me, but I can't forgive myself; her death will haunt me for all of the short time I have left to my life." Zoe begins to cry.
In the van-
"Don't say that," said Lara. "We're not dead yet. If more of them get eaten, we might have a chance. Even if there's nothing we can do, Mutt might spare your life. I'm the one who killed Jeff. He'll kill me for certain when he's done with me, but I'm sure he'll take his time." She paused in thought as the van trundled along the bumpy road. "God, what can we do?"
In the van-
After another minute or so, the van started to slow down. It pulled to the right a little and gradually came to a halt.
Zoe Gallagher,[b]Zoe[/b] realized that it might be possible for her to slip her handcuffed arms over her legs so she could get them in front of her. They would still be handcuffed together, but at least she'd be able to use them more easily and could punch someone. However, the skinheads would probably notice that she had done it if they opened the door and looked inside. Once her hands were free, she might be able to try to break into the door's inner workings and tinker with the locking mechanism once it was exposed, but it would be difficult work and would make noise. For that matter, the skinheads in the front of the van might be able to hear her talking, so telling her plans to the others could tip them off.
If more than one skinhead came to open the van's door, it would be very dangerous to try anything. If only one was there, it would still be risky, but at least the four of them would have a chance if they worked together. Getting separated from the other women would be dangerous. If the skinheads tried to take her off somewhere by herself, she would be hard pressed to stop them once they got her alone.
If you want to try to get your arms in front of you now, roll DEX x 2.
OOC,I'm still waiting for Idea rolls for [b]Raquel[/b] and [b]Katarina[/b]. Go ahead and make them when you're ready to post. I'll make them for you in the next update if you still haven't.
Zoe's caution was well placed, for she heard footsteps approaching the van's door. The door slid open, and she saw Mutt and Ghost standing outside with their assault rifles ready. Though the light was just starting to fade, it was still bright enough to cause the women to squint after their time in the darkness. The two men stood in a dirt road, and beyond them was flat, lightly wooded ground that seemed to continue forever.
"Okay, ladies," said Mutt. "We're stopping for the night. Katarina, come on out. The rest of you girls stay put."
Katarina Iliescu,[b]Katarina[/b] realized that the skinheads in the front of the van might be able to hear her talking, so telling her plans to the others could tip them off. She knew she had to continue to use her wiles to manipulate the men in order to save herself and her friends. If she maintained her cover, she just might stand a chance of pulling something off tonight. They had to sleep sometime. Though they'd be sure to take shifts, there would be fewer to contend with at any one time.
Lara Voronova,[b]Lara[/b] realized that the skinheads in the front of the van might be able to hear her talking, so telling her plans to the others could tip them off. If more than one skinhead came to open the van's door, it would be very dangerous to try anything. If only one was there, it would still be risky, but at least the four of them would have a chance if they worked together. Getting separated from the other women would be dangerous. If the skinheads tried to take her off somewhere by herself, she would be hard pressed to stop them once they got her alone. The one thing she had going for her was that [b]Mutt[/b] wanted to take care of her personally. Maybe should could use that to get close to him. Even if she died, she might be able to take him with her.
In the van-
"Don't fret," said Ghost, "we're not gonna let anything happen to you."
"I didn't see anything out there," said Mutt. "If you're afraid there is something and you don't want to attract its attention, just keep your voices down and you'll be fine."
Katarina slid forward and climbed out of the van, where Mutt took her by the arm.
"Just relax, Zoe," said Ghost as he slid the door shut. "I'll be back for you after we get settled in." The lock clicked shut, leaving the other three women trapped in darkness. Footsteps began walking away towards the front of the van.
Katarina Iliescu,As [b]Mutt[/b] and [b]Ghost[/b] escorted her around the front of the van, [b]Katarina[/b] could see the pickup truck parked a short distance ahead, and nearby to the west was an unusual, large rock formation that pointed up into the sky that was just starting to darken. About thirty yards east of the road was an elevated ranger station. [b]Doc[/b] was helping [b]Sally[/b] out of the truck, and [b]Deadeye[/b] was helping [b]Nitro[/b] head towards them.
"You be a good girl," [b]Mutt[/b] whispered in her ear as he pulled her along. "Not a word about the girls in the van, understand? I'd hate for anyone to get hurt."
[b]Katarina[/b] nodded.
OOC,[b]Katarina[/b] is moving to the following thread. Please stop reading the current thread at this point. Everyone else remains in the current thread and should roll Listen.
Zoe sighs, "Those scum have taken Katarina." Then in a grim voice, "Maybe our execution will not be too soon, the rats need to hole up first, there might be a chance for revenge."
OOC,Zoe will attempt to loop her legs through her arms, so that her hands are in front; DEX x2?
OOC,That's right, DEX x 2. Go ahead and roll. If Invisible Castle is still down, there's no need to wait for it to come back up. You can use an alternative roller or real dice.
Raquel Orozco,[b]Raquel[/b] could hear the men and [b]Katarina[/b] walking past the front of the van. She heard [b]Mutt[/b] whisper: "You be a good girl. Not a word about the girls in the van, understand? I'd hate for anyone to get hurt." They then receded into the distance. It was extremely hard to hear what was going on outside. The van must have been at least partially soundproofed.
Lara Voronova,[b]Lara[/b] could hear the men and [b]Katarina[/b] walking past the front of the van. They then receded into the distance. It was extremely hard to hear what was going on outside. The van must have been at least partially soundproofed.
"Keep trying," said Lara softly. "They're gone now, but I don't know how long before they come back. They won't kill Katarina. Maybe she can help us from the outside."
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], you may try another DEX x 2 roll to get your arms around your legs and in front of you.
In the van-
"I will help," said Raquel. She removed her own cuffs and crawled over, feeling her way in the dark, then lent Zoe a hand. "The hard part is getting your arms past your rear. Then you can slide them under your legs." Even with her help, Zoe knew that everything depended on her own coordination.
In the van-
Even with Raquel's help, Zoe wasn't making much progress.
"I can't stand it in here," said Lara. "We've got to get out before they come back."
OOC,Rolling 1d6 is not the same. That would give you a 33 1/3% chance, not a 28% chance. If you had rolled a 5, it would not be certain whether it was a success or a failure. Since you didn't, I'll take it this time, but from now on please roll 1d100. If Invisible Castle goes down again and you don't have a d10, you can use any other online dice roller.
[b]Zoe[/b], you may try another DEX x 2 roll.
In the van-
Again, Zoe realized that she was trying to hard. Once she relaxed her muscles, she easily slipped her arms under her legs and around them, so that they were now in front of her.
OOC,Thanks to the critical success, that took almost no time at all. [b]Zoe[/b], you can act again this turn. If you want to try to break into the door's inner workings to access the locking mechanism, you'll need to roll Mechanical Repair. Because of the complete darkness, you'll be working by touch alone and must roll at half skill. This makes it 32.5%, so you'll need a 32 or less to succeed. If you fail, you just waste a turn. If you succeed, it will take multiple turns to get to the locking mechanism - and then you'll have to actually pick the lock once you do. If you fail, go ahead and make a second attempt, as I've already updated the other thread.
In the van- Zoe was unable to find a weak spot where she could access the interior of the van's door. It was as tightly sealed as it had been when she had initially been abducted by the skinheads and locked in here. She had failed to get out then. If only she had managed it, then she would have been spared all of the trauma she had endured lately. With her mounting panic, she was unable to concentrate enough to make any headway.
"Please, you have to keep trying, Zoe!" begged Lara, her voice full of despair. "You're our only hope."
OOC,Ouch, those would have failed even if it hadn't been dark! [b]Zoe[/b], you may try again now.
In the van- Zoe was unable to find any way to access the internal workings of the door. Whoever designed this mobile prison had done a very thorough job. She strained, feeling around for some sort of gap, but all she accomplished was to accidentally cause the handcuffs to tighten further and bite into her wrists, making these delicate operations even more difficult.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], your effective Mechanical Repair skill is now halved, in addition to being halved from the darkness. This means that you're at one quarter skill, so you'll need a 16 or less to succeed. Go ahead and roll again.
In the van- Zoe was still unable to make any progress. The door might as well have been a wall, and it seemed completely flush with the rest of the van. Raquel began to sob softly.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], you may try again, still with a 16% chance.
"Bear up, Racquel. It seems we are gonna have to make a break for it when this damn door is opened. If we escape, everyone run in different directions - one of us will get away!"
In the van-
"Run? Alone?" said Raquel softly with a shudder. "I...I can't..."
"Wait," said Lara. "What if we take the van? Zoe, if you can get the door open, I'm sure you can hotwire the van. Then we can all get out of here fast, and together. It's getting darker, so if there's nobody nearby they might not see us. If they do, we may have to run anyway, but I hope not."
If only the roll was not halved....,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2292913/]16% (1d100=31)[/url]
"It is just that I seriously doubt I can open the door.
"All of us making a mad rush to escape does seem pathetic; however, once we are below ground in a cell our chances are nil. Better to die trying to get away than an eternity of abuse."
In the van-
"I know," said Raquel, "but I don't want to be alone, in the dark night. I just hope we can stay together."
"So do I," said Lara. "Don't give up. We must succeed. We can't let them have us again."
Zoe couldn't yet find a weak spot, but she was at least getting used to the tighter handcuffs now.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], you no longer have the penalty for your earlier critical failure, only the penalty for the darkness. You can try again now, with a 32% chance.
In the van- Zoe thought maybe she was getting closer to finding a weakness in the van's structure, but in the dark she couldn't be sure.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], you may try another roll. This roll is based on Mechanical Repair, not on Locksmith. You're just trying to get at the locking mechanism for now, which will take a few minutes even after you succeed. Once you've exposed the lock, then you'll need to make a Locksmith roll.
Also, roll Listen (at full skill).
Mr. Handy/OOC,[quote="Mr. Handy"][b]Zoe[/b], you may try another roll. This roll is based on Mechanical Repair, not on Locksmith. You're just trying to get at the locking mechanism for now, which will take a few minutes even after you succeed. Once you've exposed the lock, then you'll need to make a Locksmith roll.[/quote]
You've gotta watch me: I tend to do things from memory and get stuff muddled.
I just looked at Zoe's skills and Mechanical Repair is 65%; a few posts ago Zoe rolled 31% - for some unknown reason I thought 16% was required... Or is it half due to the cuffs and half again due to the darkness?
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2301471/]Listen 40% (1d100=58)[/url]
OOC,That's right, it was halved twice at that point. After that roll, the 1/2 skill penalty for the cuffs went away, so now it's only halved once, and you need 32%. Go ahead and make your roll.
In the van- Zoe finally found a weak spot, a seam between the door and the floor of the van, after she pried the edge of the carpeting loose. She started to work at it with her hands, hoping to gain access to the locking mechanism within the door.
A series of muffled gunshots began, which all of the women could hear.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], it will take you five turns to expose the lock. This includes the turn that just ended, and the current turn if you wish to continue. Let me know whether or not you keep working.
The van started moving again, slowly and for a short distance. It turned slightly to the left at first, and then it turned around, driving a short distance before coming to a stop again. Three more gunshots rang out, making a total of eight shots in all, before there was only silence.
In the van-
"No!" hissed Lara. "We need them to leave us alone."
"He's leaving," whispered Raquel. "Quick, Zoe, get us out of here."
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], if you want to resume trying to access the lock, it will take four more turns, including this one. There is no need to roll Mechanical Repair again, as you succeeded earlier and merely suspended your work.
OOC,It's not yet time for [b]Zoe[/b] to roll Locksmith, but I'll hold that roll for her for when it is time. It succeeds, even with the half skill penalty for darkness, so you will get that lock open, but it's going to take a few turns. It will be two more turns until you can reach the lock, and a third turn to actually pick it. I'll let you know what happens when the time comes.
In the van-
It took Zoe a few minutes to pry open the panel enough to gain access to the lock with her cuffed hands, but she managed it. Once she felt around the locking mechanism, even in total darkness, it was a simple matter for her to trip it. Once the lock was disengaged, she easily slid the door open and was rewarded with a view of the outside and the chill evening air blowing in.
The light was fading fast now, the sky turning purple as the twilight deepened. The sun had set recently. Beyond the open door, some twenty yards or so distant, were some light woods stretching off into the distance. It looked similar to the view they had seen when the door was last opened, when Katarina had been taken out, but there were subtle differences. The van had, after all, been moved since then. The van was stopped on a dirt road. There also seemed to be another light source, coming from behind the van, but there was no way to make out what it was without looking around either the back or front of the van.
Lara eased herself out of the van, looking around. "I knew you could do it," she whispered. "Now we have to find those scumbags and kill them."
Raquel shook her head. "We can't, Lara," she hissed. "They have guns, and we don't. They'll just get us again. We need to get out of here. Zoe, can you hotwire van?"
OOC,All Spot Hidden rolls when looking more than 5 yards away (unless there's a light source shining on where you're looking) are at 1/3 skill due to the darkness, and visibility is limited. [b]Zoe[/b], if you want to try to hotwire the van, you'll need to first gain access to the steering column in the cab of the van. If you want to pick the lock on the passenger side door (right near the door you just opened), roll Locksmith. If you want to smash the window, roll Fist/Punch instead. If you "miss" in that case, it simply means you didn't do enough damage to break the window. These skill rolls are not penalized, as the darkness is no longer complete. Also, you can go ahead and roll Idea before you do anything else. If you succeed, you should wait for me to give you the results before you take any action. If you fail, you can go ahead and do whatever you like.
In the van- Zoe realized that the van was in darkness, so if she wanted to sneak a peek at what was on the other side of it there wasn't as much risk of being seen, but there was still a chance. The skinheads had to be around somewhere, and it would be best not to attract their attention. Making noise would be the most likely way that could happen, and breaking a window to get at the steering column would do that. Picking the lock would be silent. Of course, if she did manage to hotwire the van, there was no way to stop the engine from making noise, but at least at that point they could all get out of there quickly.
Outside the van-
Before Zoe even went anywhere, she noticed an unusual, tall rock formation in the distance, beyond the woods on this side of the van. Zoe moved to the front of the van and cautiously peeked out over the hood. Some ten yards beyond the dirt road was a small, elevated ranger station. Lights were on inside, which was why she was able to see it and make out some details. She also noticed a green pickup truck parked near the stairs leading up to the station itself. Deadeye, Ghost, and Katarina were on the roof, and an unfamiliar man in a ranger uniform was walking around the elevated balcony. The station had windows all around at waist height, and she was able to see Mutt, Nitro, Doc, Sally, and a petite woman in a ranger's uniform through them, inside the station. The male ranger started down the stairs, a pistol in one hand and a flashlight in the other.
Then there was a sudden flurry of activity at the station. Ghost ran to the back of the roof, where he grabbed a rope that had been secured to an antenna that led down at an angle behind the station. He slid down it, disappearing from sight. Mutt and Nitro rushed outside. Mutt ran down the stairs and caught up with the ranger, his M-16 in his hands, while Nitro moved to the corner of the balcony with his M-16 at the ready. Doc picked up Sally and carried her up a ladder that led through a trapdoor to the roof. Zoe was unable to hear anything any of them were saying. The ranger and Mutt started running towards the van. Had someone seen her?
Raquel took off her handcuffs and left them in the van, then slid out and joined her friends. "What are you waiting for you?" she whispered to Zoe. "We have to get the van started!"
"How can we just leave Katarina?" asked Lara, leaning against the side of the van.
"There's nothing we can do for her," said Raquel. "Doc and Sally will have to protect her."
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], roll Know to identify the formation. You may attempt to get into the cab of the van, or you may do something else,
Outside the van- Lara and Raquel didn't hesitate. They bolted for the woods after Zoe, and all three of them soon reached the edge of the foliage.
In the woods- Lara began to pull ahead of Zoe, desperate in her desire to escape. Raquel was lagging a little behind, but all three of them made it past the edge of the trees. They weren't that dense, but combined with the darkness they would hopefully serve to mask their flight.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], roll Spot Hidden at 1/3 skill and Listen at full skill. Also, roll Navigate to try to figure out which direction you're heading, and roll Hide to see how well hidden you are as you flee. The base skill for Hide is 10%.
In the woods-
If anyone was giving chase, Zoe could neither see nor hear any sign of it. She ran on blindly through the darkening woods, not sure where she was or where she was going, only wanting to get as far away as possible. Lara slowed down to allow Zoe to keep pace, and both of them had to slow down further so that Raquel could keep up.
In the woods- Zoe, Lara, and Raquel raced blindly through the woods. Ahead of them in the near distance a tall wooden fence came into view. It was about six feet high, with vertical wooden posts spaced every ten feet or so and some long beams of wood stretching horizontally between them. The fence continued to the left and the right as far as they could see, which admittedly wasn't far. Beyond the fence, a vast open field was visible. Any trees that had been on the other side of the fence had to have been cleared, as the woodland ended there.
"Now what?" asked Raquel, trying to catch her breath.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], if you want to attempt to climb the fence, roll Climb. Note that [b]Lara[/b] and [b]Raquel[/b] would also need to succeed in order to get over it. Failure won't get you hurt, unless you fail critically. You may head left or right without rolling anything.
In the woods- Zoe, Lara, and Raquel turned right and followed the fence at a run. The ground was hard, and since they were barefoot the going was slower and more painful. The wind put an extra chill into their bones since they wore nothing but skimpy lingerie. It was only a little past sunset, and it would surely get colder still as the night wore on. After a minute, the women could see that the fence came to an end a short distance ahead, where a narrow dirt road stretched to the left and right.
The women didn't see or hear the truck until it was practically on top of them. The headlights bathed them in bright light all of a sudden, and they were caught in them. Blinking, their adjusting vision gradually made out Mutt behind the wheel of the skinheads' white pickup truck, and Ghost was in the shotgun seat. The truck was heading through the woods to the road.
In the woods- Lara let out a stifled gasp and threw herself flat on the ground, and Raquel followed suit. Zoe also ducked low. The pickup truck rolled past them on their right not ten yards away, and it looked like they hadn't been seen after all. Raquelwas perfectly quiet. Lara was fairly silent too, but not perfectly, and Zoewas also not used to sneaking around.
"Me neither," said Mutt as the truck drove past the women again. "Must've just been some dumb animal that got spooked by us and ran off." The truck continued past them, away from the road.
Lara exhaled with relief when the truck was out of sight, only just realizing that she'd been holding her breath. "They almost got us," she said.
"But they didn't," said Raquel, regaining her feet. "Let's get out of here before they come back again."
The three women reached the dirt road and turned right, which Zoe expected would put them on a course heading back towards the ranger station they had seen earlier. They couldn't see it or its lights from this far away, and it would be a little while before they made it that far. There were woods bordering the road on both sides.
OOC,The road is actually a dirt road, not paved. It's more of a track than a real road. It's actually narrower than the dirt road on which the van was parked.
On the road-
"Okay, let's keep going," said Lara. She, Zoe, and Raquel kept moving down the track. The walk was long and difficult, and it was a while before they saw any features of significance. Ahead of them they could make out a point where the track they were on branched off back and to the left, forming about a 30 degree angle. The track also continued straight ahead, back towards the ranger station. On the left side of the narrow road they were on, past the branch, was a small two-story house. This was not the ranger station Zoe had seen from behind the van, and no lights were visible.
Outside the house-
"Da," said Lara, shivering. "So cold. Hungry too, and thirsty."
Raquel nodded and followed along. Zoe could feel her own stomach rumbling. None of them had had anything to eat or drink since lunchtime. The three women reached the front door of the house. Lara tried it, but it was locked.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], if you want to try to pick the lock, roll Locksmith. If you want to try to force the door open instead, you'll need to roll on the Resistance Table: your STR against the door's STR of 10. This gives you a 65% chance. Whatever you decide to do, also roll Listen.
Outside the house-
All three women could hear gunshots echoing through the night, coming from further ahead and to the right side of the track, in the direction that they believed the ranger station lay. Zoe could also hear what sounded like a vehicle starting up coming from that direction as well. In addition, she heard another vehicle coming from behind them along the track. It was still some distance off, but it was getting closer.
Zoe fiddled with the lock and soon had the front door open. Inside she could dimly see a living room, but it was too dark to make out many details, and it was getting darker still outside. At least the air in the house was warm. She could vaguely make out furniture in the living room, as well as a few other exits. A staircase against the left wall led upwards and to the rear of the house. There was a door in the left wall, beneath the staircase. Another was in the middle of the back wall, and a third was in the middle of the right wall. All of the interior doors were closed. The lights in the house were all off, but there were light switches near the door.
OOC,If you want to spend a turn searching the living room, roll Spot Hidden at 1/4 skill if you want to leave the lights off, or at full skill if you turn them on. You may try one of the doors or go upstairs, but not if you also search the room.
Since it is getting darker, all Spot Hidden rolls looking into areas that are not illuminated are at 1/4 skill.
In the living room-
The three women hustled inside, and Zoe closed and locked the door behind them just in time. The sound of the vehicle that had been behind them was now audible to all of them as it approached the house - and went by. Zoe could still hear gunfire in the distance ahead, but it wasn't getting any closer.
Lara breathed out another sigh of relief. "Okay, let's go," she said, leading the way upstairs with Zoe in tow.
Raquel examined the three doors leading out of the living room further into the house, all of which looked identical. She paused for a moment before finally settling on the door at the back of the room, which to her delight led to the kitchen.
In the kitchen- Raquel entered the darkened kitchen and looked around. The room was fairly small, with interior doors leading both left and right and a back door on the opposite wall that went outside. There was no table in the kitchen, just a counter with a sink, a microwave, a stove, a refrigerator, and several cabinets and drawers. There must be food here, she thought eagerly, heading for the fridge.
In the upstairs hall- Lara and Zoe climbed the stairs, which reached a landing at the rear left corner of the house that went around the corner to the right. The hallway leading away from the top of the stairs had three closed doors, two of which were on the right wall. The third door was at the very back.
In the upstairs hall- Zoe pushed the door open. A small bedroom was on the other side. It was hard to see within in the darkness, but a little moonlight and starlight came in through the window at the back of the room. It was clearly a child's bedroom, with a race car bed, a toy box, a dresser, and a small closet in one corner. The child was probably male, but she couldn't be sure - she also had a love of fast cars, after all. She and Lara couldn't see much else with the lights off.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], if you want to search the room, roll Spot Hidden. This roll is at 1/4 skill unless you turn the lights on. You may instead try going somewhere else.
In the kitchen- Raquel opened up the fridge, and the little light inside it came on. She licked her lips at the sight of the food and drink inside. She snatched a can of beer, popped it open, and greedily downed the whole thing.
In the upstairs hall- Lara nodded and shrugged. "Nichevo," she said, then added a translation into English. "Nothing." She went with Zoe to the next door, the second one on the right. Opening it, she saw a small, dark bathroom. What little light there was came through a skylight in the ceiling. In the dimness, the women could make out a toilet, a sink, and a shower stall. "Ahh! I need to go so bad. And a shower!" She wrapped her arms around herself. "So dirty..."
OOC,As always, if you want to search the room, you'll need a Spot Hidden roll (at 1/4 skill if you don't turn on the lights), and you are free to do other things instead.
In the kitchen- Raquel opened the freezer next and squealed with delight when she found a mostly full half-gallon container of chocolate fudge ice cream. She took it out and placed it on the counter, washed her hands quickly in the sink, and then started poking through the drawers to look for a spoon. Many of the drawers had been left open and were empty, and she couldn't find anything of use, especially in the darkness.
"Go ahead, Lara, I'll search the next room. Just be aware of lights - they will be a beacon to anyone outside. If you do get any hot water out of the shower let me know - its my turn after, give me a shout when you're done."
Zoe is looking for an adult's bedroom and wardrobes/cupboards and inside jumpers, pants, shirts, socks, anything.
In the upstairs hall-
"Spasebo," said Lara, ducking into the bathroom and closing the door. Zoe continued to the end of the hall and tried the only remaining door up there. On the other side was a larger bedroom which probably had what she sought.
In the bathroom- Lara pulled down her panties, sat down on the toilet, and relieved herself. "Ahhhh..." she sighed, being glad that she no longer had to hold it in.
In the master bedroom-
The bedroom in which Zoe found herself had three windows, one at the back and one on each of the left and right walls. A queen-sized bed took up much of the room at the back, and she could make out nightstands, a dresser, a small TV, and a closet in the dim moonlight that filtered through the windows. There were more than likely clothes to be found here, so she set about searching the room.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], roll Spot Hidden (at 1/4 skill if you don't turn the lights on). Even if you fail this roll, you'll still probably find something.
In the kitchen- Raquel opened up the container of ice cream. Without a spoon to hand, she began simply eating it out of the carton with her mouth. She was so hungry that she didn't hesitate or take any more time to continue searching. It tasted so good after the months she had spent eating crummy old military rations while a prisoner, but she had to slow down when she got an ice cream headache from eating it too fast.
"Can't see a thing." Zoe blunders around, opening cupboards and pulling out the contents, chucking everything on the bed in order to sort through the stuff.
In the bathroom- Lara finished with the toilet, flushed, and washed her hands. Then she stripped off her underwear, got in the shower, closed the glass door behind her and turned it on. She leaned back and closed her eyes as steaming hot water poured over her.
In the master bedroom-
There were no cupboards, but Zoe looked through the dresser drawers and the closet. To her surprise, they had already been mostly picked clean. She did find a red strapless gown hanging in the closet, as well as a matching pair of uncomfortable-looking high heeled shoes. They looked like they would fit her well. They'd be a little tight on Raquel and a little loose on Lara, but they could get away with wearing them. There were also a few articles of men's clothing, but they were much too oversized for any of them to wear.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], roll Idea to think of why most of the clothes might be missing. If you want to search the room again, you'll have to turn on the lights to have any chance of finding anything you missed. If you do that, roll Spot Hidden.
In the kitchen- Raquel continued to gorge herself on ice cream.
Zoe considers the dress and shoes: "Now, instead of looking like I've come off a porn film set, I'll look like a prostitute." She shrugs resignedly and puts on the items. She continues talking to herself: "I guess the occupants of the house have already taken any useful items."
In the bedroom- Zoe realized that her hunch was most likely correct. The family that lived in this house had packed its things and left, taking most of the clothes with it. The clothes they had left that she found were probably the least useful for surviving in a hostile world, hence why they hadn't been taken. The gown was actually quite elegant, and it turned out to be a good thing that it was strapless. It would have been impossible to put on a top with sleeves or straps with her hands cuffed together. She was easily able to slip it on and to put on the shoes. The high heels were awkward, but it occurred to her that she could easily break off the heels and turn them into flat shoes.
In the bedroom- Zoe grabbed a blanket from the bed and returned to the bathroom, opening the door to let herself in.
In the bathroom-
When Zoe entered, she could see Lara's silhouette through the steamed-up glass door as she washed herself. "Ohh..." moaned Lara, "it feels like I just got in. Give me a minute to rinse off." It would take Zoe a little time to undress again anyway.
The distant sounds of gunfire finally stopped.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], roll Listen, at half skill due to the nearby running water.
"No don't stop Lara, go ahead and take your time, I'm going downstairs to the kitchen - I'll save you some food."
Slinging the blanket over her shoulder Zoe will head for the stairs.
In the bathroom-
"Thank you," said Lara. She leaned back against the wall of the shower stall and sighed, letting the water wash over her body, oblivious to everything else.
Zoe left the bathroom and headed back down to the living room.
In the living room- Zoe carefully made her way downstairs, her heels clacking on the wooden steps. It was still barely light enough for her to descend with no difficulty as long as she was careful, but once it got darker it would no longer be an easy matter to attempt it without light. The living room was exactly as she had left it, except that the door opposite the front door was now open. Apparently Raquel had gone that way.
In the kitchen- Raquel jumped when Zoe entered. "Don't scare me like that!" she said, her mouth full of ice cream and her hand on her chest. "I didn't even hear you coming. Yeah, there's more food in the fridge. Drinks too." She looked at the ice cream carton and then at her feet, embarrassed. "I, uh, got a craving. I couldn't find any spoons or anything. It's too dark to see much." She looked up at Zoe. "Oh, that's a nice dress! Any more clothes upstairs?"
Zoe laughs: "You piglet Raquel! Gimme some ice cream." She puts her hand in the carton and scoops out a dollop of ice cream - Zoe immediately sucks on her fingers: "God! I need this."
"Sorry, no more clothes - you'll have to grab a blanket off one of the beds. Oh, and the shower upstairs is working."
Zoe will check out the fridge: "Anything else edible, Raquel?"
In the kitchen-
"Not that I could find, except in the fridge," said Raquel, shrugging. "I'll go look around upstairs." She left Zoe with the ice cream and went back through the open door into the living room.
Zoe opened the fridge, and the little light bulb inside came on, bathing the room with a dim glow, contrasting with the now near-complete darkness just outside the windows. Inside the fridge she found beer, soda, and juice to drink, as well as bread, eggs, and cheese.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], roll Listen (at full skill this time).
From now on, Spot Hidden rolls are at 1/5 skill when looking into areas that are not lit.
Zoe pops the ring on a soda can and gnaws at the cheese, eating noisily and dribbling soda down her chin - she no longer cares about the niceties of eating.
In the kitchen-
The food and drink tasted wonderful to Zoe. It was not only the first thing she'd had since lunch, it was much better than what she'd been fed during her long ordeal as a prisoner. It was almost enough to distract her from her surroundings - almost, but not quite. She could barely make out the sound of a vehicle approaching, coming from behind and to the left of the small house. It slowed down and came to a stop not far away, on the left side of the house.
In the living room- Raquel felt her way across the room towards where she remembered seeing the stairs and carefully groped her way up them.
In the upstairs hall- Raquel stopped suddenly at the top of the stairs, her heart in her throat. She had heard the sound too.
In the kitchen-
As Zoe left the kitchen, she heard footsteps slowly approaching the back door, crunching in the dirt. Whoever it was was trying not to be heard but wasn't good enough at it.
In the living room- Zoe rushed in from the kitchen and moved to the base of the stairs, where she called up to the others. As she did, she noticed another pair of footsteps coming towards the front door, barely audible. They stopped right outside.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], if you decide to go upstairs without turning the lights on, you'll need to roll DEX x 5. Failure won't hurt you (unless it's a critical failure), but you won't make any progress up the stairs this turn if you fail.
In the upstairs hall- Raquel gasped and ducked into the bathroom, panic causing her heart to race faster.
In the bathroom-
"Lara, Lara!" said Raquel as she burst in.
Lara opened the shower door and poked her head out. "What is it?" she asked.
"I heard something coming. Car or truck. It stopped outside!"
Lara shut off the water and got out of the shower. "What do we do?" She grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it around her body hastily.
In the living room- Zoe slipped as she tried to climb the stairs, her high heel falling short of one of the steps, but she clutched the rail to keep herself from falling. The sound of crunching wood came from the kitchen. A second later, the front door's knob rattled. Then a similar noise came from the front door as it was forced inwards, revealing a big man standing in the doorway.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], roll Spot Hidden at 1/5 skill to see more details about the man. If you want to keep trying to get upstairs, roll DEX x 5 again.
In the bathroom-
Her panic rising when she heard the doors being cracked open downstairs, Lara ran out into the hallway. Raquel followed, equally terrified.
Zoe shouts, her voice rising in desperation: "They've found us, downstairs doors blocked, jump, run away!"
Ignoring the stairs she will try to get away through another room and window.
In the living room-
The only windows in the living room were on either side of the front door, and Zoe couldn't get to them without getting past the man who had just broken in. The door leading back to the kitchen was likewise out of the question. That left the doors on the left and right, and the one on the left was closer, being directly below the staircase, so she ran over to it, threw it open, and darted inside.
Zoe couldn't see a thing in the small room in which she found herself - that is, until the living room lights came on. She blinked with the sudden illumination. The small room was actually a landing at the top of a set of stairs leading down to a completely dark basement, running directly below the staircase heading upstairs. An unlit light bulb was overhead, and a switch was on the wall. Running footsteps were getting closer.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], if you want to go downstairs without turning on the light, roll DEX x 5. If you fail, roll Jump. You can be hurt by an ordinary failure in this instance. If you turn on the light first, you don't need to roll anything.
In the upstairs hall-
"Bozhemoi," gasped Lara, looking around in panic. Unsure where to go, she ran into the kid's room she and Zoe had found earlier. Raquel hastily followed her.
OOC,You can close the door easily enough, but it doesn't have a lock. Roll Idea to see if you can come up with a way to block it. Also, roll Spot Hidden (at full skill) to see what you notice when you get down there.
OOC,I went ahead and rolled Idea for you to keep things moving since you've already stated your intentions for this turn.
In the basement- Zoerealized that she could take off her shoes and wedge them under the door to block it, so she did so. It wouldn't hold long, but it was better than nothing. She then ran barefoot down the stairs. The light switch had turned on not only the overhead light bulb, but also fluorescent lights in the ceiling of the basement. The room was full of piles of junk scattered all over the place, mostly large cardboard boxes that were falling apart. There was another light switch on the wall near the bottom of the stairs. There were no other exits. She realized with a sinking heart that she was trapped.
"Zoe went in there," came Mutt's voice from upstairs. "Go get her. I'll go up and find her girlfriends." His footsteps raced further upwards.
"With pleasure," said Ghost from above. His footsteps approached the basement door.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], roll Spot Hidden.
In the child's bedroom- Lara and Raquel struggled with the only window in the room. At first it wouldn't open, but then Lara realized that it was locked and undid the latch. The women opened the window, letting in the cold night air, as heavy footsteps raced up the stairs.
In the basement- Zoe poked around through the basement. Behind a tall stack of boxes in one corner she found a work bench. A toolbox was below it, and stacked on top of the bench were a few two-by-fours. She would need both hands to wield one, but it would make an effective club.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], if you want to take a two-by-four, it counts as a Large Club and does 1d8+db damage. Roll Idea.
In the child's bedroom-
Raquel Orozco and Lara Vornova,[b]Lara[/b] scrambled out of the window, her heart nearly stopping from fright. She [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2397380/]skillfully clung to the windowsill[/url] as [b]Mutt[/b] rushed into the bedroom, his pistol drawn. [b]Raquel[/b] froze in horror and swallowed as he flicked on the lights and rushed over to her, holding her at gunpoint. Glancing out the window, he saw [b]Lara[/b] trying to make her way down. "[b]Lara[/b], get your hot little ass back inside!" he barked. "Or [b]Raquel[/b] is going to suffer for it!"
In the basement- Zoe ducked behind a stack of boxes, goosebumps running down her back as she heard heavy boots tramping down the stairs. She couldn't see Ghost, but hopefully he couldn't see her either. "Come on out, Zoe darling," he said. "Look, I know you're down here, there's no use hiding. I'm not going to hurt you. Mutt wants to, but I can talk him into sparing your life - as long as you start cooperating now."
In the child's bedroom-
Raquel Orozco and Lara Voronova,"Save yourself, [b]Lara[/b]!" pleaded [b]Raquel[/b]. "He won't kill me."
[b]Lara[/b] clung to the ledge, uncertain what to do. [b]Mutt[/b] might not kill [b]Raquel[/b], but she knew from personal experience that he could do things a whole lot worse to her. Still, [b]Lara[/b] couldn't bear to suffer the fate he had in store for her. [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2401301/]She continued climbing to the ground[/url].
Growling angrily, [b]Mutt[/b] took out a pair of handcuffs and cuffed [b]Raquel[/b] to the radiator. Then he climbed out the window himself in pursuit of [b]Lara[/b], [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2401303/]easily keeping his grip[/url].
"Ghost, you've always been good to me, but Mutt is a madman. If I come out of my hiding place, nice and easy, and don't cause you any trouble; you'll protect me from him, won't you?"
Zoe will step out, hands up. But only half way, so part of her is concealed by the boxes, she's still holding the two-by-four so Ghost can not see it. "You promise?"
[OOC, How far away is Ghost from where Zoe is standing?]
In the basement-
With her hands cuffed together, Zoe could not hold onto the two-by-four and conceal it behind the boxes while still raising her hands, but she leaned the wooden board against the pile of boxes so she could grab it quickly. When she emerged, she saw Ghost standing at the bottom of the stairs, some twelve feet away. He had his AK-47 strapped to his back and held a pistol in one hand, though he did not point it at her. She remembered that he had frequently taken advantage of her, though he had never been rough about it like some of the others.
"I promise, Zoe," he said. "You've always been my favorite. Look, I know you only ran because you were scared of Mutt, but I'll make sure he doesn't kill you. It's Lara he's really mad at. She's the one who fired the shot that killed Jeff. Come on, let's go upstairs."
Lara Voronova,[b]In front of the house-[/b]
[b]Lara[/b] hit the ground running, adrenalin and fear coursing through her veins. She was alone, defenseless, and naked except for her towel, and the night wind chilled her bones. Unsure where she was or where to go, she [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2403756/]ran straight ahead[/url], crossing the dirt track and darting into the woods. Behind her, [b]Mutt[/b] reached the ground.
Raquel Orozco,[b]In the child's bedroom-[/b]
Whimpering, [b]Raquel[/b] pulled at the handcuffs. There was no way to break the metal links, but maybe if she pulled hard enough, she could break off the radiator bar to which she was cuffed. Unfortunately, [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2403757/]she wasn't strong enough[/url].
"Alright, I trust you." Zoe walks over to Ghost.
Quietly: "Hey, is there a way we can escape? Get away from all this horror? I'd be your girl - willingly."
In the basement- Ghost put his free arm around Zoe's waist and started to guide her back upstairs. "That is one sexy dress you found," he said, admiring her. He whispered in her ear. "That's a real tempting offer. I do have keys to the van...but Mutt is a dangerous man to cross. I'm not sure that's such a good idea. We'll be all right once we get where we're going."
In the living room-
When Ghost and Zoe emerged from the basement, Zoe could see that living room was now lit. Both the basement door and the front door had been smashed open. The kitchen door remained open, and the lights were on in there as well. The door opposite the basement door remained closed. Ghost steered Zoe towards the stairs leading to the upper floor.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], roll Persuade to convince [b]Ghost[/b] to run off with you. Also, roll Listen.
Lara Voronova,[b]In the woods-[/b]
[b]Lara[/b] ran into the woods, not daring to look back, not caring where she was going. She just had to get as far away from that place - and [b]Mutt[/b] - as she could. The ground hurt her bare feet, but she ignored the pain and forced herself to go on.
Raquel Orozco,[b]Raquel[/b] strained at the radiator with both hands, but [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2405722/]it was hopeless[/url].
Even as she said the words to Ghost, she knew they did not sound right: no doubt, it was because she'd rather be beating the man's brains with the two-by-four. Wait and hope, wait and hope.
In the living room- Ghost ushered Zoe up the stairs to the hallway.
In the upstairs hall- Ghostpaused in the hall, cocking an ear. He let go of Zoe and pulled out his radio. "Mutt, you going somewhere?" he asked.
"You can speak freely," said Nitro. "Those rangers went on patrol in their pickup, so you may run into them out there."
"Just chasing down Lara," said Mutt. "Raquel is already secured."
"All right. I've got Zoe right here. Over and out." He put the radio back on his belt and put his arm around Zoe again. As he walked Zoe down the hall, she could see that the door to the child's bedroom was open and the lights were on inside. The window at the back of the room was open, and Raquel was handcuffed to a radiator below the window.
Raquel Orozco,[b]Raquel[/b] also heard the sound of a vehicle starting up, coming from the left side of the house. It drove past the front of the house and away.
Lara Voronova,[b]Lara[/b] is moving to the thread linked below. Please stop reading the current thread.
[url=http://www.callofcthulhu.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=160&t=2266]Damsel in Distress[/url]
In the upstairs hall-
"No, no trouble," said Ghost, escorting Zoe down the hall. "We're getting along with them just fine." He glanced into the bathroom before leading her past it and through the door at the end of the hall.
In the master bedroom- Ghost pulled Zoe into the bedroom, turned on the light switch with his elbow, and closed the door behind him with his foot. With the lights on, Zoe could now see that what she had taken for a pile of blankets in the darkness lying on the bed was in fact more clothes. Apparently the owners of the house had had the same idea she had and dumped all of the clothes there before choosing what they wanted to take and leaving the rest.
"I have a feeling Mutt's going to be busy with Lara for a while," said Ghost, "even after he catches her. That gives us plenty of time to get reacquainted." He turned her around to face him, looking her over and licking his lips.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], roll Listen.
In the child's bedroom-
Raquel Orozco,[b]Raquel[/b] began to sob again when she heard [b]Ghost[/b] take [b]Zoe[/b] away. [i]He's going to rape her, I know it,[/i] she thought sorrowfully. With renewed determination, she tugged at the metal radiator bar [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2416276/]to no avail[/url].
"My God! That's all you guys think about." Smiling Zoe hooks a finger over her dress strap as if to pull it down. "Oh, these handcuffs - I can't do anything," she says, fumbling.
Raquel Orozco,[b]Raquel[/b] tugged and tugged, but [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2421988/]the metal bar of the radiator held firmly[/url]. She wept in despair, unable to save either [b]Zoe[/b] or herself from their horrible fate.
In the master bedroom- Zoe could hear Raquel weeping from down the hall. The poor woman sounded completely distraught.
"Well, I haven't had any all day," said Ghost. He pulled Zoe close and kissed her passionately, then eased her over to the bed. With one hand, he swept the pile of clothes off of its surface and onto the floor. "Unfortunately, I don't have the key to those bracelets. Mutt's got it. Maybe when he gets back I can remove them. He'll probably want them for Lara anyway. In the meantime, I'll be happy to help you take off your dress."
OOC,That would be a Kick roll. It's a 25% base chance, and it does 1d6 damage (plus your damage bonus of 1d4). You have a better chance with a Punch, though that only does 1d3+db damage. However, a Punch can also be a knockout attack if you declare it as such (indicate this in the Note section on Invisible Castle). If you roll high enough damage, you have a small chance of knocking him out instantly, though the damage would be reduced to 1/3 normal in that case. If he is not knocked out, he would still take full damage. A Kick cannot knock him out in that way, though it does do more damage. If you hit and roll high for damage, even if it's not a knockout attempt, he'll have to roll CON x 5 to stay conscious.
OOC,Good hit! That's 1d3+1d4, not 1d3+4. Reroll that 1d4 and add it to the 2 you already rolled on the 1d3 to get your damage, so you should get a result from 3 to 6. If this was a knockout attempt, you have a 5% chance to knock him out if you do 5 damage or a 10% chance if you do 6 damage. You can roll 1d100 to see if you KO him.
You should also roll 1d20 for a hit location.
Raquel Orozco,[b]Raquel[/b] continued to [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2424856/]struggle uselessly[/url].
"Leave her alone!" shouted Raquel, though she knew there was nothing she could do for Zoe.
In the master bedroom- Zoe unleashed all of her pent-up rage and swung her cuffed fists at Ghost. She was trying to clock him on the head, but she ended up hitting his right arm instead.
"Yow!" he shouted, staggering back a couple of steps. He pulled his pistol out and pointed it at Zoe. "What's the matter with you?! I'm the only one who can save your life, remember? Otherwise Mutt's going to torture and kill you once he's finished with Lara. Is that what you want? You'll be nice to me if you know what's good for you. Now get undressed and get in bed."
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], if you try to hit him again, he will get a shot off before you can do so.
OOC,There are three windows in the bedroom: one at the front of the house (on the right side of the room), one at the side (at the rear of the room), and one at the back (on the left side of the room). The windows are just panes of glass. Each one is actually two panes of glass, an upper pane and a lower pane. When the windows are opened, the lower pane is raised and is adjacent to the upper pane. Currently, all of the windows are closed. If you want to attempt something involving one of the windows, make sure you specify which one. Once you post, I can go ahead and update.
In the master bedroom- Ghost rushed to intercept Zoe as she ran for the window, jamming his pistol back in its holster and easily catching up to her. He grabbed her about the waist and held her back from the window.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], you should roll Grapple to try to parry his Grapple. The base skill is 25%. If that fails, you may either roll Dodge to try to avoid him or you may counterattack with an unarmed combat roll (if you're punching, make sure you declare if it's a knockout attempt). If you hit him, you'll force him to release you, but you won't be able to jump out the window yet. He may have a chance to defend himself. Roll damage as normal just in case. If it's a knockout attempt, roll 1d100 to see if you knock him out. Your chance is equal to 5 times the damage you would cause in this case, so if you cause 6 damage, you have a 30% chance to knock him out.
If you successfully parry or dodge, you jump through the window. In that case, give me a Luck roll and a Jump roll.
In the master bedroom-
Unfortunately, Zoe moved too slowly to escape from Ghost. After her brief taste of freedom, what was about to happen to her was unbearable even though she had endured it many times. She had been desperate enough to resort to trying to fling herself through an upstairs window to escape her fate, but it was all for naught.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], you can no longer move your arms and legs while [b]Ghost[/b] has you pinned. If you want to attack, you may either use a Head Butt or a Bite attack. Both attacks have a 10% base chance. A Head Butt does 1d4+db damage, and it may be used as a knockout attempt. If so, your chance of knocking him out is equal to 5 times the damage you cause. A successful hit will not cause him to release you unless you knock him out, however. A successful Bite does no damage, but it might get him off of you. If you succeed with a Bite, roll on the Resistance Table for your POW against his POW of 11. This gives you a 50-50 chance - but there's only a 10% chance of that!
In the child's bedroom- Raquel continued to sob as she heard what was happening down the hall, but she was helpless to do anything for Zoe.
Raquel Orozco,[b]Raquel[/b] suddenly turned as [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2432256/]she heard a sound outside the window[/url]. Craning her neck, she gasped in surprise when she saw a man in a ranger's uniform at the window. She [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2432260/]kept tugging at the radiator in vain[/url].
In the master bedroom- Ghost pressed Zoe down on the bed, holding her with his weight and with one arm. With the other, he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his fly. His hand trembling with excitement, he hiked her dress nearly all the way up to her waist, fondling her leg along the way. Zoe felt overwhelming hopelessness and despair, recalling her earlier assault by Jeff. She had been saved in the nick of time then, but now it seemed that there was absolutely no chance of rescue.
Then she heard something that gave her a faint glimmer of hope. Footsteps came from the direction of the other bedroom, where Raquel had been handcuffed, but they were too heavy to be her walking around. They sounded like they were made by someone wearing boots, and they were getting closer. Strangely, she hadn't heard anyone enter the house. Ghostseemed to hear them too. as he turned his head for a second. "Guess Mutt's back," he said. Then he reached for Zoe's panties. If she were going to stop him, it would have to be now.
OOC,[b]Zoe[/b], if you want to attack [b]Ghost[/b], you may use any unarmed attack skill at this time. However, a successful hit will not in and of itself break his grip on you - to do that, you'd need to knock him out or kill him. Also, his guard is now up, so he would get a chance to parry and dodge even if you do succeed.
In the child's bedroom-
Raquel Orozco,The ranger climbed quietly in through the window. "Don't be afraid," he whispered to [b]Raquel[/b]. "I am here to help. We found [b]Lara[/b] in the woods and she led us here. I have to leave you here for a bit so I can try and take care of [b]Ghost[/b] before he can hurt the other girl. Can you stay quiet?"
[b]Raquel[/b] nodded. "He took [b]Zoe[/b] down the hall, to the right," she whispered back. "Hurry, save her!"
