In media res - INCURSION (All players in Team Bravo)

[Mr. Handy]

"The guy in the Lamborghini was wearing a gas mask," says Larsen. "That might have kept him alive. It's not unreasonable to think that the Directors might have taken precautions against the Red Queen's extermination techniques."

[Samuraiante]

Hale looks at Crawford "We got our orders lets go Crawford, don't worry ill take the lead" and smiles. Hale holding her MP5 ready takes the lead.

[Dave Syrinx]

Leading the way down the stairs Hale comes first to the next landing, wider than the previous. It is empty except for a floor cleaning cart, along with assorted mops, detergents, toilet paper, etc.
The landing has a set of double doors (closed) which, as known by the maps of the building, lead directly to the commercial area on the second floor of the mall. In addition, emergency stairs continue to go downwards.
Crawford, in firing position, watches her companion cover the stairs leading down. Through reinforced windows in the double doors Hale can see the dead resting all across the floor of the shopping area. It all looks as normal, except for the people on the ground.

Weiss is about to pass Collins and Nohman as he looks down at the progress of the two point women.

BANG! Nohman´s .50 echoes in the closed compartments of the stairs. The .50 is smoking and the wall where Jenkins used to be is a pulp of red and goo. The head had burst like a ripe melon. Through the comms, Nohman hisses, "We will access the shopping area´s second floor through the double doors down there. In attack formation. Once inside, Collins will determine if there´s any biological hazard in the environment and Hale will track the exact position of our two objectives. Should she fail finding a solid beacon, we´ll head straight down to the location we got earlier. The entry point from the subway system. Team, MOVE!"

The pack of cigarettes is all covered with back-splash from the wall.

The watches read 117.

[Iggy_Pop]

C.L. moves down behind Crawford, flicking the safety off on his .50 pistol and scanning the surrounding area.

[Mr. Handy]

Larsen moves out on command, not wishing to get on the bad side of the brutal new team leader. He continues to monitor the surveillance cameras on his laptop for any sign of movement.

[Dave Syrinx]

Larsen´s monitor shows activity in the parking garage again. The sports car comes driving into the mall, but it´s all shot up and the wind shield is completely ridden with webbed cracks. The driver, still wearing a gas mask exits the car after having stopped by the stairwell. He gets out quickly and escapes into the door of the stairs. Those stairs are located on the opposite side of the mall from here.

Other than that, all is quiet.
When C.L. gets close to the double doors, the locking mechanism goes from red to green. The proximity of his access card triggered the lock to open. Also an automatic door opening device swing the two doors open. A surge of water a couple of inches deep pour out into the stair landing. Soft music comes from hidden speakers just outside the doors. Along with the water comes papers, toys and paper mugs. You gaze out to a large hall, well lit, clear tile, like the rest of the building, with stores everywhere, all with security blinds lowered.
Besides the musical thread of the center that is echoing unnaturally the only sound are your steps in the shallow water.

Then there are the bodies. Everywhere. Some alone, others in groups, all scattered around the area, so you have to move you around them. You try to avoid looking directly into their open eyes, trying not to think that only hours ago they were men, women, children, families, all innocents who thought this day would be just like any other.

But the worst is the smell. The stench of death, blood, vomit, shit and piss from all these people, who died in convulsions and excruciating pain. The mask may protect you from biohazardous agents, but does nothing to stop the stench that fills your nostrils and even your mind.

Hale and Crawford walk up beside C.L. and stare past him.
Nohman, Larsen, Weiss and Collins come down to the landing. Weiss being the last, checking the stairs above them for movement. Collins continue halfway down the stairs to the first floor and waits there, securing that angle.

To all: Sanity checks!

Spoiler:

You may be used to dead people, but this is more than the norm. People get killed as collateral, sure. But these are civilians and kids. The stench is terrible. The SAN check is at 0/1d6. If you roll below your current SAN your good. If you roll higher than your SAN roll 1d6. If the result is five or six, your character will have to remove his or her mask and vomit. A result of one through four will result in nausea but nothing more. No need to roll IDEA for this one. Good luck! All characters are obliged to roll this sanity check.

[Mr. Handy]

Larsen feels queasy when he sees the corpses piled up, but only slightly. He reports what he saw on the laptop: "The guards outside shot up the Lamborghini, all right. The driver survived and made it back into the garage. He got out of the car and went into the stairwell on the opposite side of the mall."

[Iggy_Pop]

C.L. looks upon the scene in the mall, feeling off about the situation but not sick.

[Samuraiante]

Hale stares at all of the dead bodies and feels uneasy but pulls herself together from the smell. After getting a hold of herself she gazes down at her tracker hoping to get a better fix on the targets.

[shanaz]

Crawford feels off, almost to the extent of vomiting, but manages to hold it in.

[ImpInTraining]

Collins is overwhelmed with the sensation of death all around him. It nearly brought his breakfast up... but he straightens and regains composure although he looks a bit pale. "I don't expect there's any reason to check for survivors here," he says through his mask.

Using his weapon, he turns on the light (if it wasn't already) and starts shining it at the faces of the corpses all around one-by-one checking for any reaction but expecting none. He stops checking after 4 or 5.

San fail,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2811527/]Sanity (45%) (1d100=53)[/url]

Lost 3,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2811528/]Sanity loss (1d6=3)[/url]

[Dave Syrinx]

The stench from the opened doors to the mall reach, , Weiss up the stairs He keeps his mask on and decides to ignore the helicopter and follow the others in to the mall.

Nohamn kicks on the remains of Jenkins and walks to the others, only shrugging at the others´ discomfort. "What´s the hold up, ladies?"

[Dave Syrinx]

Saying that, Nohman removes his mask and looks at the mayhem in the mall. He starts to move past the bodies in the puddles of water. "Team, let´s get down to the first floor!"

Collins moves the virus scanner sensor around and waits for the device to process the results.


ImpInTraining:

Spoiler:

It does so after a while and the analysis is conclusive: There is no trace of biohazardous agents in the environment. No traceof the neurotoxin that has caused the slaughter, and therefore it is safe to remove the anti-pollution masks. The team leader took a chance removing the mask before the analysis was done.

As a doctor, Collins can assume the following about the vital signs of both directors.
Both have survived the effects of the neurotoxin (remember that, since the directors of Umbrella high level, both have biological countermeasures that are able to make them survive this type of biological agents). Neurotoxin may not have killed them, but may have been affected in some unexpected way, hence the odd vital signs. Had they been in an ICU ward, they´d be hooked up to all kinds of machines. The fact that they have a pulse indicate that their situation is abnormal.

Crawford moves forward further into the mall and is followed by C.L. the process of avoiding stepping on the dead is delicate but as in all battles casualties are expected. They move expertly onwards. C.L. eager to get his load off of his back and planted somewhere in the basement, to safely destroy this modern age tomb. Crawford
can´t drop the fact that Nohman shot that janitor´s head off. A quick count of ammunition and the dead present reveals that they have no chance to finish all off in the same fashion.

Hale tries again to get a good signal from the directors. They are still indicated to be at the approximate location as before. She scans the area ahead, the closed store fronts, the escalators and balcony walkways. While she controls the whole area, something calls the attention of Larsen, who warns her with a gesture.

"Someone is up!" There´s a movement on the first floor, and you can all see it through the balcony. It´s a young girl.

The girl, slender and with long blond hair is standing, leaning on the railing, her head between her crossed arms and moving slightly. She wears dark jeans and a sleeveless shirt. She appears to be about to faint and looks out of breath.

[Iggy_Pop]

C.L. raises his pistol ready to fire, aiming slightly off target to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

"Contact" muttered C.L. through the comms "Course of action Nohman?"

[Dave Syrinx]

"Approach and test the subject. If contanimated we´ll dospose of it." Nohman says and fastens his mask to the harness of his suit. He lights a ciggarette and exhales smoke to get rid of the stench of death.

[Iggy_Pop]

"Ten-four" responded C.L. smirking as there would surely be an opportunity for a joke soon.

[ImpInTraining]

Collins tilted his head at Nohman's rash action... hadn't he just got done telling them not very long ago that they should keep their masks on? At the very least, until it's declared safe. He shook his head and lowered the scanner, "All clear guys." With that said, he removed his own mask and shot Nohman a disapproving glance. Then he quickly stored his mask where he could get to it quickly when he needed it in the future. "Keep your masks handy. Though it is safe now, the Red Queen may attempt the neurotoxin gas again in effort to get rid of us. Worked pretty well the first time."

With the report of activity, Collins glanced up at the girl. "She must have been holed up in a closet or somewhere safe from the neurotoxins," he suggests as he moves to approach. He keeps his weapon at the ready, but not pointed at the girl. She doesn't seem like a threat to him. "Out of breath, and pale... natural fight or flight response. She may be in shock too. As our secondary objective, we should try to escort her to safety," he reminds.

As he moves to close the distance, he calls to her trying his best to win her confidence, "Little girl, we're here to help you. What's your name?"

[Dave Syrinx]

"Remind me not to come and buy here." Weiss comments at the mall of dread. "I might set up shop, though. Great store protection system..." He moves up behind Nohman still with his mask on. To his boss he hisses, "What the fuck. Keep the mask on till the site is cleared! How am I supposed to cover you if you keep up this cowboy crap?"

Collins and C.L. approach the girl, intent on helping her.
ImpInTraining:

Spoiler:

Your part scientific question How did the girl survive? Well, it's rare but sometimes there are people who for genetic reasons are more resistant to certain biohazardous agents, or perhaps they are taking medication of some kind which has protected them, or a vaccine. Other times, it's just luck, something without explanation.

Nohman holsters his .50 and readies his MP5 behind the point group.

You can see how the girl has suffered what looks like a nosebleed, and she also seems to have vomited. She is pale, sweaty and her eyes are unfocused. She relies on the railing as if dizzy and tries to wipe her sweaty face with a handkerchief. Apparently she has not noticed your presence and can´t hear you at this stage.

Nohman´s free hand touches his neatly shaven chin while watching the girl. Then he shouts at Collins and C.L. , realizing that they are about to try to get the girl to talk.

"No. .. " he begins hesitantly. "We have to take care of the directors first. We will go directly to the first floor in search of Dr. Sanchez. Leave her!"

All players:

Spoiler:

The girl is standing below one of two escalators, by taking the closest you will pass the girl without spilling time having to help her. The time spent to aid her will possibly make the odds for Sanchez lower. You could split up, though. Leaving a few to aid the girl as the others head on to save the first director...

[ImpInTraining]

Collins knew the girl should be rescued. But he also realized that in her state she could be dead weight slowing them down and becoming a detriment to their mission success. He was torn between the ethics of a medic, and his duties to his job. "Damn..." he muttered, then looked over at C.L., "We'll pick her up on the way back out. She'll probably be safer here if the Red Queen starts defending against us anyway." He said it more to convince himself than his fellow team member.

Oblidging what was quickly proving to be a heartless team leader, Collins nodded to Nohman obeyfully. He said over the radio unit, "These directors... they're not likely to be fully healthy. Judging by their vitals, their body is under stress... which seems to indicate the neurotoxins probably had some effect on them though whatever precautions they had taken kept them alive. Hard to say what exactly, but ill or not... they should be taken back. The corporation will definitely want to know the effects of their precautions."

Looking to Nohman, he asked, "What way now, boss?"

[Mr. Handy]

"I suppose it's for the best," Larsen says to Collins as he follows along. He makes sure his mask remains on. It may restrict his vision, but it could save his life. "She may have seen other survivors, perhaps even the Directors. If someone does stay with her, that would be a good thing to ask her."