Chapter One: ‘And the dead shall walk the earth’

[Mr. Handy]

The news strikes Pedro like a fastball in the gut. "Maybe he left the bridge before this happened," he says, grasping at any hope. "Where's the girl? She'd know what happened to him."

[DrPeterson]

Jonathan can't help but smile at his daughter's comment. He takes a marker from his bag and writes a quick message on the door.

"Taking Mary to the life rafts. JM"

He takes a quick look at the emergency plan on the inside of the door and then takes Mary's hand and leads her out towards the closest life raft.


"I can imagine I don't smell much better.", he smiles at his daughter and kneels in front of her.
"Now listen carefully, you must do exactly as I say and when I say, all right darling? No talking back, this is very important."

He starts walking with more even strides than before, unsure if his new strength comes from seeing his daughter alive and well or from some darker source.

And Mary, if we see any more of those monsters, don't scream and don't run until I tell you to. Just try to stay calm and act like them.

[kabukiman]

-Does anyone want one of the weapons of the box? It should be better than using others things.

[Mr. Pear]

"Let's hope he did.. If not... I feel sorry for your loss man..."
He sighs and pauses for a second that feels like an hour. Finally he can take a short rest without feeling like hunted game. Doing so, he can already feel his heartbeat drop a notch.
He combs his hair to one side with his hand before going on.
"If you want to ask the girl, I put her in that lifeboat over there. But please, be gentle with her... Although she seems unharmed, she's been put through horrors much too grave for her age."
He turns to her father.
"You might want to go with him."

[Mr. Handy]

"Thanks," says Pedro, looking through the box to see what weapons are available. A long gun would be best, since it could double as a club at close range. If it contains any nightsticks, he'll take one of those. Then he heads over to the lifeboat when Ricky is ready.

[Garrett]

If there's a pistol in the box Ricky abandons his rifle and takes that instead.
Ricky immediately perks up at mention of his daughter, he had been refusing to think about what might have happened to her in all this chaos and was enormously relieved to hear that it had worked out. As soon as the words of her location left the photographers mouth Ricky sprinted in the direction of the lifeboat, determined to find a way to get it in the water and get away from this god forsaken ship.

[kabukiman]

Marcello will take a pistol and a rifle to use as a melee weapon.

[Priest]

OOC:
Within the box were four 9mm Glock automatics each with three magazines, Sorry no riot sticks or rifles.
The Automatic rifles you have 'liberated' are the ubiquitos 9mm H&K MP5s beloved by special forces and the British police. Of these you are in possession of two with only the magazines they had with them when you found them. It is possible that the body of the deceased soldier several yards form you along the deck, where Luke got his, is carrying extra clips.

[Priest]

Outside, Deck 3: Pedro, Ricky, Marcello, Gabriella and Luke
Pedro and Ricky rush to the lifeboat which Luke had said Katie was in. At first there is no movement from within the unmoving lifeboat, then a small quavering voice comes from the secure interior, “Daddy is that you?”

From the closed door up to the bridge comes an ever increasing thumping.

Marcello takes the last pistol from the box and drops the empty container to the deck, as he does so, Luke, who is standing close by…
OOC: Luke please roll a d10 + Per (4) + Notice (2) target 11

***************************************

Jonathan, Deck 5.
A quick study of the ‘in emergencies’ notice shows that the quickest route to the lifeboats is to turn to you right into the corridor , climb the bow stairs to deck 3 and exit to the outside lifeboat part of Deck 3. Of course you remember these from your brief visit to the bridge earlier. However you know that these, bow, stairs where the ones you were using before and they were blocked by the enterprising Italian and his extinghuisher The other alternative is to use the stern stairs to gain access to deck 3, the plan also shows lifeboats to the port side of deck 3. These are highlighted as these are the lifeboat stations for you part of the ship.
The corridor in both directions seems clear, and you encounter no problem as you move towards the stern stairwell. As you say you are feeling newly invigorated, in fact you are starting to feel stronger and fitter than ever before in your life.

[Mr. Handy]

Pedro takes back the MP5 now that Ricky no longer wants it. He joins him at the lifeboat, but he lets him speak to his daughter first.

OOC,An MP5 is technically classified as a submachine gun, though it's a large one. I've referred to it as an assault rifle's little brother.

[Mr. Pear]

Still recovering after one hell of a night, Luke is caught off guard leaning against the wall.

[kabukiman]

Marcello will get a extinguisher as soon as he find one as melee weapon.

[DrPeterson]

This almost going too well. Jonathan stopped for a moment and looked ten year old daughter in the eyes.

If you carry Papa's bag, I'll carry you, darling.

His regained strength was either a very good or very bad sign, so he had to get Mary to the life boats as fast as he could.
Jonathan put the strap of the laptop bag over her shoulder, picked up the girl and made for the exit with ever bolder strides.

[Priest]

Outside, Deck 3: Pedro, Ricky, Marcello, Gabriella and Luke.

Gabriella is the first to notice the newcomers, withholding a scream of surprise she just points. Just inside one of the broken windows to the restaurant stand two silent figures, both female, one a child who keeps looking about her, eyes wide with fear.
“Mr, please” the older female dressed in a filth covered overall that marks her as crew, is looking directly at Luke.
“We wait but my husband no come. When noise stops in main restaurant area we come out”
How the hell they got so close to you without being noticed…

*************************************

Jonathan, Decks 5 – 3.
As you begin to climb the stars toward the lifeboats of deck 3, you are aware of the almost total silence that suddenly exists within the ship. Other than the ominous creaking and popping sounds that seem to indicate a big problem for the ship, there are no sounds to indicate the presence of any infected, which seems odd as they have never been loathe to make noises before.
You move steadily upward eventually reaching deck 3. Just a few more yards now down the corridor and out onto the deck. At least that was the idea.
Standing in total silence and blocking the corridor near where you remember the door to the outside is, is an enormous gathering of the infected. It seems as if they are waiting, but waiting for what.
The corridor that runs to the bows has two branches the starboard one is blocked by this strange, silent gathering which leaves the port one, which also, as you know from the notice, gives access to some lifeboats.

[DrPeterson]

Somewhere deep inside Jonathan Moore wells the urge to just go and stand with the crowd of silent watchers, but feeling the weight of his daughter on his arm, he stays focused on his goal. He locks eyes with her, his expression telling her to be very quiet and moves into the free corridor.

He can't help but look back for an instant, however, fearing to find any familiar faces in the crowd.

Jonathan looks,Per 2+ Notice 2= 1d10+4. If he gets his "mysterious" modifier for it, then I'd appreciate you being so kind as to add it to the result. 13! [url]http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4205693/[/url]

[Priest]

Stairwell Deck 3, Jonathan.
Several of the silent group look vaguely familiar, but none particulary so. However given the limited light and your distance its hard to be sure, there is one female standing with her back to you that for some reason awakens memories. Something about her hair, and the remnants of a flowing red dress.
Slowly as if responding to some unheard call she begins to turn towards you... At that moment Mary whispers in your ear, "Daddy we need to go - now"

[DrPeterson]

Jonathan is mesmerised by the dramatic colour of the dress and the familiarity of the silhouette. He whispers under his breath:

No, it cannot be...

Mary's voice makes him snap to and he, albeit reluctantly, starts moving again.

[Garrett]

"Katie! Oh thank God!" Ricky says out of breath as he pulls his daughter out of the boat and into a tight hug. "Daddy wh-" She stutters out before he cuts her off.
"Not now sweetheart, daddy has to figure out how to get this boat in the water." He says as he begins tugging on the ropes and such that are holding his salvation in place, completely ignoring the others around him.

[Mr. Handy]

Pedro gives Marcello his fire extinguisher now that he has the MP5. He smiles at the girl. "Hi, Katie, I'm Pedro," he says. "My brother Hector was on the bridge with you. Do you know what happened to him?"

[kabukiman]

Marcello says:
-We need to get out of here. We are safe for the moment, but we don't know for how long.