IC-OMAHA-Another Fine Mess(Everyone else)

[ImpInTraining]

As Donald continued to run for the construction area, he had a thought occur to him.

EMP question,I'm no expert by any means, but doesn't an EMP only effect active circuitry? Meaning, anything that was shut off would still be operational. It's not like that stuff that happened during War of the Worlds where everyone's car was hosed. It might have only happen to the vehicles that were running at the time. Of course... I could be wrong. In which case, just ignore this rant. :)

[Tabs]

[OOC: Idea 80% (1d100=54)]

Rachel:
"Thanks. But which ever way we look at it, the whole 'prisoner' saga has been a screw-up."

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,An EMP renders all electronic circuitry useless, whether it's running at the time or not. Semiconductors (such as computer chips) and transistors are ruined. Vacuum tubes, however, are only temporarily disrupted. The Soviets were mocked for continuing to use vacuum tube technology once transistors were readily availble during the Cold War, but this is the reason why they did. In the event of a nuclear war, their vacuum tubes would continue to function even after being exposed to an EMP as a result of a nuclear detonation. The EMP device on the roof uses vacuum tubes so that it does not fry itself. The only way to protect circuitry is to shield it, such as with the Faraday cage [b]Stephanie[/b] made by wrapping the laptops completely in aluminum foil. This prevents the pulse from reaching the electronics within.

Donald Woodridge and Rachel Cohen,Both [b]Donald[/b] and [b]Rachel[/b] realized that some detective work would be in order here. To figure out where the young punks were going, their best bet was to talk to people who knew them best and try to figure out where they might head. Some of those people were already outside with them.

[ImpInTraining]

ooc,Ok... I stand corrected. I was going by some silly movie I saw some time ago - where they shut off a helicopter a split second before the EMP, and then turned it back on afterwards. - BTW, is it safe to assume that Donald knows they aren't on school property anymore?

Donald continued running toward the construction site until someone mentions to him that it was pointless or he sees other people coming back toward the school proper.

[Tabs]

Rachel:
"There must be a hideout for the punks to go to," she says thinking aloud, "to find out where they have gone let's ask their school friends." Throwing out the question: "Does anyone have a clue where Darnell and the others have gone?"

[kabukiman]

-I doubt they had run to their houses, it would be hard to explain the hostage...

[Mr. Handy]

In the security office-
Dr. Hausmann kept working. She was now almost halfway done treating the worse of Kyle's two wounds.

In the lobby-
Dr. Saunders went down the north hall.

In the east hall, ground floor-
Stephanie walked with Michiko into the cafeteria.

In the east stairwell, ground floor-
Emily and Tiny made their way back outside with Emilio.

In the cafeteria-
Vice Principal Sharon Kaplan looked around the cafeteria at the long rows of tables. "Okay," she said. "We'll arrange seating as follows. The scientists will sit in the row of tables closest to the kitchen. Faculty and staff will be in the next row, students in the third row, and other visitors to the school in the fourth row.

"Dinner should be done in a minute or two," said Laura Shelley. "I can already smell it." Indeed, the pleasant odor of spicy food drifted in through the open door to the kithcen, where Amelia was no doubt still at work.

Stephanie and Michiko entered the cafeteria from the hallway.

In the nurse's office-
"Okay," said Liz as she continued treating John Lee.

"I would like to meet your friends and talk to them," he said.

"Of course. You'll have plenty of time to get to know them over dinner. They still probably won't be done serving by the time we get there. Just give us a couple of minutes to finish up. You'll still need to get plenty of rest and stay off of your feet, but within a week you should be good as new."

Southeast of the school-
Emily, Tiny, and Emilio emerged from the stairwell and made their way back outside. Everyone seemed to be gathering in the construction area to the north.

"First we're going to need more people," said Emily. "There are too many for just the two of us. We also need to know where those assholes went with the car. Tiny's a good bloodhound, maybe he can sniff them out."

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

On the roof-
Adam Donnelly happened to look back to the west. "Hey, everyone!" he called to the people on the east side of the school. "I can see that Tariq, Ali, and Lori are back! Alvin and Murray are with them, and so are a pretty blonde and a couple of Middle Eastern-looking men. I don't recognize them."

In the construction area-
Donald caught up with the principal and the others who were gathered outside the school.

"You're right, Jerry," said Kate. "I don't think they'll go to their homes. It's possible that their relatives won't be there, but they couldn't be sure of it. Lisa, Doug's your brother. Do you have any idea where he might have gone?"

"How do I know you won't kill him if you find him?" asked Lisa.

"Doug's not the one who killed Chuck Lubachek. Darnell and Roy did that. I'm hoping your brother will cooperate. Then maybe we can make a deal with him."

Lisa hesitated, but nodded after a little thought. "Well...there is a warehouse our dad owns. Doug has the keys, since he sometimes works there after school or on weekends. It's about a mile to the northwest. They might have gone there."

"Thank you, Lisa. It sounds like an ideal place to hide out. What's the address?"

Lisa shook her head. "You have to take me with you. I'll show you the way. It'll take a while to get there on foot. I don't have a bike, and we don't have a working car."

"All right, but you'll have to do exactly as I say so I can keep you safe. Who else wants to come with us?" She noticed Kelly's anxiety. "Are you okay, Kelly? Is there something you want to talk about? Why do you think they won't kill Erica?"

"It's Roy," said Kelly. "He...he can get very aggressive with girls, if you know what I mean."

OOC,Everyone, roll Listen.

[Dave Syrinx]

Amilio hear nothing more than the chatter of the conversation at the construction area, barely making out every other word. By the sound of it they are discussing a place to go. "I believe we have some volunteers, over there. We´d better get the guns from Chuck´s stash, before we go."

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,You can hear that conversation just fine. The Listen roll was for something else.

[Dave Syrinx]

Spoiler:

I know, just wanted to put something down.

[ImpInTraining]

Donald stopped running, putting his hands on his knees and panting as he listened to the others talking. He didn't hear anything else though. Inbetween breaths, he struggles out, "Alright... since they're off the school property, they're not my problem. I'm headin' back inside where it's somewhat safer... gonna make sure our doors are all locked."

[Tabs]

[OOC: Listen 27% (1d100=40)]

Rachel:
"Sounds to me like a real 'nest of vipers', it'll take serious manpower to get in there and find Erica. Maybe we could strike a bargain, but what could we trade?"

[Dave Syrinx]

"Yeah! What do you say, Emily? What do we have to trade to get the hostage out? We can repay them for murdering Chuck, later, when they live up the goods we offer..." Emilio asks his ex-boss´ mother.

[Tabs]

Rachel:
"Emilio, everyone, is there something we have that they would want?
"You know, I just thought, can we threaten them? - I have a crazy idea of the EMP device in the back of a pick-up truck, parked outside the gang's hideout; a warning: 'Let Erica go, or we shut you down!'"

[Dave Syrinx]

Emilio glances around with uncertainty, "Eh, yes - but I´d rather not actually give it to them... What I figgure is that we have a stash of illegal firearms to bargain with. Or rather, we could use those to free the hostage through superior fire power. Walking there, armed to the teeth could swing in either direction, though. Either they shoot the hostage or they´ll give up. If we offer the guns, and give them reasons for swapping the guns for the hostage we´d stand a better chance. Whatever else we have to bargain with is medical equipment which I´d like to keep to ourselves. Being as it is the merchandise belongs to the Lubacheck´s so I guess it will be a financial deal between the town and Emily in the wake of all this."

[Tabs]

Rachel:
"Kate, what do you think about bargaining for Erica with weapons?"

[Dave Syrinx]

"No ammo, of course...", Emilio adds.

[Mr. Handy]

In the security office-
Dr. Hausmann continued treating Kyle.

In the north hall, ground floor-
Dr. Saunders went through the door to the stairwell.

In the construction area-
Donald headed for the nearest door, which led into the cafeteria. As he passed inside, he noticed that it had been left propped open. Declan followed him in.

"I don't know about trading them guns," said Kate as she led Rachel, Lisa, Principal Adler, Miguel, LaTanya, Jerry Law, Ron Moore, and Kelly south. "Those thugs have already proved that they can't be trusted, when they took Erica with them. What guarantee would we have that they'd let her go, when they didn't before? Even if we didn't give them any bullets with the guns, who's to say they couldn't get bullets from some other source? It's too dangerous. It's bad enough they have one gun, but to give them more would put even more people in danger. Bringing the EMP device isn't an option either. That thing needs to be kept safe and operational, or the whole city is sunk. We can't risk it falling into their hands or getting damaged in a firefight."

In the kitchen-
Amelia Delacroix lifted her spoon out of the huge pot of gumbo and tasted it. Smiling to herself, she nodded. It was done. "Dinner's on!" she called through the broken door leading to the cafeteria. "Everyone take your seats!"

In the cafeteria-
Donald Woodridge and Declan McLeod walked into the cafeteria through the fire exit in the east wall.

"Dr. Hausmann and Kyle are in the security office!" Stephanie called back. "They'll need some dinner sent to them, and some needs to be sent up to the roof for Dr. Saunders!"

"What about the other prisoner?" asked Amelia.

"Nobody told you? He's...he's dead. Darnell and his friends killed him. They almost killed Kyle too. And then they took my friend Erica hostage and escaped with her." Stephanie slid down into her seat. "I'm the only one at this table now. Everyone else is doing something important."

"You've already done more than enough," said Vice Principal Sharon Kaplan, sitting at one of the second row tables. "Some of your friends will be here in a few minutes." Laura sat next to her, leaving a seat for the principal at the head of the table.

Becky, Chester, Julianne, Megan, and Enrico sat at another table in the second row. "Over here, Donald," said Becky, waving. "It's dinner time."

Teresa, Sunny, Elijah, and Diana chose a table in the third row. "Hey, Michiko, come sit with us," said Diana.

Lucy Armstrong sat at a table in the fourth row, sighing.

In the nurse's office-
"Almost done," said Liz. "Soon we'll be able to get something to eat. Some food will do you good, and the cook is excellent."

"i can't wait," said John Lee. "I'm starving. I haven't eaten since breakfast."

On the roof-
Adam Donelly waved to the new arrivals.

Southeast of the school-
Kate, Rachel, and their entourage walked some distance behind Emily, heading for the large hole in the fence.

"You're right, they can't be trusted," said Emily Lubachek. "They have to answer for what they've done, and I'm not trading anything of mine to them! They murdered my son and they have to go down! I don't give a damn about Erica, I just want their heads! We are going to need plenty of firepower. Doug's family is a Jamaican drug dealing gang that's been causing trouble in this neighborhood lately. You can be sure they're armed to the teeth, and any survivors from the gang will probably be using that warehouse as a hideout." She looked at Lisa with a mercenary glint in her eye. "Hmm...if you want to trade them something for Erica, how about Lisa? I'm sure Doug's family wants her back. If they turn over Erica and the killers, we'll let her go with them. I'm not letting them have those guns, but anyone who's coming with us is welcome to borrow what they need. I get them all back when this is over, though! Whoever's with me, follow me!" She pulled Tiny through the hole in the fence, leaving the school grounds and following Emilio.

Rachel Cohen,That Listen roll did succeed, thanks to your +15 bonus. You heard [b]Tariq[/b] and the others walking closer on the south side of the school. They are now visible in the street, not far from the hole in the fence.

Tariq led his group past the south side of the school, arriving near the large hole in the fence in time to see Emily, Emilio, and Tiny leaving through it, heading for the auto body shop across the street. With him were Erin Halloran, his son Ali on his bicycle, Alvin, Murray, Lori Desmond, Rashad Sadiq, and Samir Hossein. They got there in time to hear the exchange that had been taking place inside the fence.

"What's going on?" asked Lori. "Did I hear right that Chuck's been murdered?"

"Yeah!" snarled Emily. "Come with me, and we'll avenge his death together."

[ImpInTraining]

Starting with the cafeteria door, Donald began to make sure that all possible entrances to the school were secured. He shut the door and made sure it was locked to the outside.

[Dave Syrinx]

Watching both ways before crossing the street, Emilio walks over to the garage. He´s about to pull the door open and take a quick step back to cover the entrance with the shotgun. Before doing that he waits for the others to cross the street.