IC-Wake Up Call(various)

[aine]

"Tsk, they all crooks, owners of diner. They bring trouble to truck stop; it all their fault." Mrs Foo nods and heads back to make more tea. "Maybe I have biscuits for growing boys!"

[Mr. Handy]

9:33:24 AM
In the motel lobby-
"And candy from the vending machines!" added Bobby as he helped Ellen barricade the front door. "Dad promised us candy!"

Mr. Foo spoke to his wife in Mandarin.

Mr. and Ms. Foo,"[b]Mrs. Lathan[/b] has already done an excellent job, thank you, dear," he said. "It will take me weeks to get back to full strength, but I will live."

"The people I heard from were far away and needed help themselves," he said in English as he rose to his feet with Cathy's help. "I can try to reach Warren Air Force Base, only forty or so miles to the west. If anyone is close enough and has resources to help us, it would be them." He staggered through the door to his private room. "The stairways are all outside, as is our storage where you might find rope, but don't go out there. I don't think it's safe just yet." As if to accentuate his point, there was a massive explosion coming from somewhere outside, followed almost immediately by another one!

Tony Lathan,The explosions had come from the area outside the diner - the gas pumps to be precise.

[Silver Priest]

"Thank you, ma'am? "Tony says. "What do you say, boys?"

"Getting the air force's help sounds good. I'm sure they can get things under control again. I think we shoul--" The explosion cuts him off. "That sounded like the gas pumps!"

[Mr. Handy]

9:33:36 AM
In the motel lobby-
"Thank you, ma'am," echoed Bobby as he helped Ellen with the barricade. Scotty was still staring slack-jawed.

In the private room-
Mr. Foo slid into the chair and slipped the headphones on over his ears. Then he adjusted the control panel. "Warren Air Force Base, do you read me?" he said into the microphone. "Over."

[Silver Priest]

Scotty, manners," Tony snapped, but when he sees his son continue to stand there with a distant stare in his eyes, he grows concerned. "Hey, uh, Cath. I think Scotty's in shock or something. He must have realized what just happened. Could you look him over?"

He looks to help the other with the barricade.

[Mr. Handy]

9:34 AM
In the motel lobby-
"Scotty, what's wrong?" asked Cathy, worried. He didn't respond. All she could do was hug him.

With Tony's help, the barricade of the front door was complete. "There's also the back door," said Ellen. "Maybe we should do something about that too."

OOC,[b]Cathy[/b]'s Psychoanalysis roll (1% base skill) to bring [b]Scotty[/b] around: [dice]0[/dice]

In the private room-

Mr. Foo,"This is [b]Major Andrews[/b] at Warren Air Force Base," replied a man's voice. "Who is this? How did you get on this network? This is supposed to be a secure connection." "My name is [b]Mr. Foo[/b]," replied [b]Mr. Foo[/b]. "I am a former CIA operative - although nobody is truly 'former' in my line of work - operating a listening post in southwestern Nebraska." "This is the first we've been able to communicate with anyone outside in almost an hour. All satellite communications have been down." "While my post does have a satellite dish, it also is connected to an underground cable network. That must be how we're talking."

[Silver Priest]

Tony frowns. In some ways he wished his son still thought this was all just a game. At least then he wouldn't be terrified. He wished he could do something, but his wife was always better at this sort of thing, so he leaves it to her, as he had done so many times before while he had gone off to work while she raised the kids. This trip had been meant to bring them together closer as a family; In some, unfortunate, ways he supposed it had.

"A great idea," he tells Ellen. "Frankly I say we barricade both ways in as much as we can. Throw every spare piece of furniture at them. Hopefully Mr.Foo can get through to the air force. I'm sure they'll send help. It's better we wait for them than go outside; if those dead things don't attack us, whoever is doing the shooting might. In here, we have food and shelter, not to mention protection."

[aine]

Mrs Foo comes back with a tray of cups of green tea for everyone. There are also some matcha tea kitkats on a plate.
"Here is tea, oh my, that big barricade." She looks a little miffed at the use of all her furniture but she says nothing about it.
"You want Kitkat?" She proffers the plate to Scotty who doesn't respond.
"This boy not all here. You come sit down." And she pulls his arm to lead him to a chair.

[Mr. Handy]

9:35 AM
In the motel lobby-
Ellen and Bobby barricaded the back door just as thoroughly as they had the front. "Yeah," said Ellen, "we'd probably never see them coming through the tall grass out back. Of course, these barricades won't hold forever if they try to get inside, but at least they'll buy us some time and give us some warning. I hope the Air Force can help."

Ms, Foo set down the tea tray on the counter, where those who wanted anything could help themselves. She led Scotty to a chair and sat him down. Then he blinked and came around.

In the private room-

Mr. Foo,"Are you able to find out what's happening in the rest of the world with your equipment?" asked [b]Major Andrews[/b]. "Indeed I can," said [b]Mr. Foo[/b]. "It's not exactly standard protocol, but I can relay intelligence to you. However, my position is not secure, and that's where you might be of assistance to keep this post running." "What is your location? What defenses do you have?" "I'm at a motel I own across from a truck stop called the T-Bone. It's located between Sidney and Potter on I-80. There's a huge satellite dish on the roof that should help you see it from the air. I'm armed with an MP-5 with nearly a thousand rounds of ammo, and I'm very good with it. I also have a sword and martial arts skills. However, I am getting on in years, and I'm also wounded from a sniper's bullet." "A sniper?" "Yes. The truck stop was besieged by a group of heavily armed neo-Nazis called the Prairie Militia Society. They planted explosives at the gas pumps. I took action and took out the one with the detonator to stop them from blowing it up, but their sniper shot me before I could take him out as well. Someone else killed him, or I'd probably be dead now. The skinheads appear to have retreated, but they managed to detonate the explosives anyway. You can see the blown gas pumps from the air too, I'm sure. They took hostages as well." "Is there anyone else with you?" "Yes, my wife is here. She has my pistol, but she's not as capable a shooter as I am. [b]Ellen Cody[/b], the maid, is here too, as are a family of four who are staying at the motel. They're barricading the entrances, but our position is very tenuous. We need immediate assistance." [spoiler][b]Mr. Foo[/b]'s Persuade roll (66% skill) to convince [b]Major Andrews[/b] to send help: [dice]0[/dice][/spoiler]

[Silver Priest]

Tony scratches his head, deep in thought. "Well, are they smart enough to try and get inside? It's why I think we shut all the lights or things that would attract their attention off, and, to quote Mr. Fudd, 'Be vwewy, vwewy quiet." He does the accent. Or attempts to. " Maybe we can all go hide with Mr. Foo in his room and barricade that door. That way, even if they get in they won't know where we are. Unless they can smell us." He frowns, the thought having just occurred to him.

He sees Scotty blink and forces a smile on his face. "Hey there, champ! How are you feeling. You spaced out for a bit there, but it's okay. We're all safe." He picks up one of the kitkats and bites into it. "Ah, very... nice ma'am," He says, though the look on his face reveals it's not a snack he's accustomed to. He reaches into his wallet and pulls out a twenty. "Hey Bobby, why don't you go grab some snacks from the machines? None of us have had breakfast yet, after all."

[aine]

"Ahh, you better now, boy!" Mrs Foo cackles and pats him on the shoulder. "Growing boys eat proper food, not this rubbish!" She scolds Tony and wags a finger at him. "I make Chinese bleckfast. You help!" She points at Mrs Latham. Then she turns and heads back to her own little kitchen.

[Mr. Handy]

9:36 AM
In the motel lobby-
"Thanks, Dad!" called Bobby, running off to the vending machines and buying as much candy as he could.

"I'm not the world's best cook," said Cathy, following Ms. Foo, "but I'll help if I can."

"No, that would be Charlie," said Ellen. "I hope he's okay."

"Thanks," said Scotty around the kitkats with which he had already stuffed his mouth.

In the private room-

Mr. Foo,"That's not going to happen," said [b]Major Andrews[/b]. "We've got our own problems to worry about. Hordes of infected from Cheyenne are constantly trying to breach our perimeter, and we're lucky we've managed to hold it so far. We've already lost one helicopter this morning, and we can't afford to take risks. Besides, I don't even know if you are who you say you are. Any intelligence you can provide about what's going on in the world will be useful - if it's accurate." "Just a minute," said [b]Mr. Foo[/b].

Mr. Foo took off the headphones and called out to those in the lobby. "I've spoken to a Major Andrews at Warren Air Force Base," he said, "but he's not willing to send any help. He says they have enough problems of their own, and I don't think he even believes my story. It does sound rather implausible."

[Silver Priest]

"Whatta do you mean he's not willing to send help?" Tony says. "I'm an American citizen! The government damn well come down here and help us! Let me talk to him." He demands.

[aine]

"Oh dear! Husband not happy; he shouty shouty!" Mrs Foo exclaims as she hears Tony down the corridor. She turns the heat on under a huge pan of stock.

"Chop this!" She puts a bundle of greens in front of Cathy and then starts rummaging around a cupboard for various dried ingredients, muttering to herself in Mandarin.

[Mr. Handy]

9:37 AM
In the motel lobby-
Mr. Foo gestured for Tony to enter, and Tony joined him in the private room.

Bobby took his armfuls of candy over to Scotty, and the two of them began to pig out on it.

In the kitchen-
Cathy began chopping vegetables, not sure why she was doing what she was told other than that she needed to feel busy doing something.

In the private room-
Mr. Foo disconnected his headset as Tony entered the room. "Major Andrews," he said into the microphone, "this is Mr. Tony Lathan, a guest at my motel. He, his wife, and their two children are some of the people in danger here." He passed the microphone to Tony.

"Mr. Lathan," said a man's voice from the speakers.

OOC,[b]Tony[/b], please roll your choice of Fast Talk or Persuade, in addition to making your speech. Persuade takes more time and has a lower chance of success for you, though it will also make sure he stays convinced permanently if you succeed, unless someone else uses Persuade on him successfully to counter it. A success on Fast Talk may wear off after a while.

[Silver Priest]

"Pleased to hear your voice, Major," Tony says. "Things have been a bit crazy here. First those skinheads held us up in the truckstop across the road, then one of them turned feral after being shot. My son had to shoot it seven or eight times to put him down for good. Anyway, I'm Tony Latham, I'm an insurance salesman from Akron, Ohio. 'Rubber Capital of the World'!

"Listen, Major, me, my wife and my two young boys are trapped here in Mr. Foo's motel given all the craziness happening outside, and we're sure appreciate a rescue. Mr. Foo is also injured pretty bad and could use some medical attention. Thankfully my wife patched him up. Cathy used to be a doctor,and I'm sure she could look any of your men over that might need it. More to the point, we're Americans; we're supposed to be able to rely on our government. Please send us help ASAP, or as soon as possible. It's been such a crazy morning, and if more of those rabies victims show up I fear for my wife and kids safety. Please don't leave us to die!"

Tony Fast talk 60%,Opting for fast talk now. [dice]0[/dice] So cruel. Perhaps a bonus due to Tony's folksy nature? Maybe the major's in the market for insurance? :oops:

[Mr. Handy]

In the private room-
"I'd like to help you, Mr. Lathan," replied Major Andrews, "but we have our hands full ourselves. Our base is under siege, and we can't send anyone out there to deplete our defenses and possibly get infected without a real good reason. Whoever goes out there, it would be a one way trip for them. The intel Mr. Foo can provide about the world situation is important, but I don't know if I can justify it to my superiors."

OOC,There is a way you can get a bonus and make it succeed, but you'll have to figure it out for yourself. Keep talking. You may roll Idea for some help there.

[Silver Priest]

Idea 70%,[dice]0[/dice]

Tony pales slightly when he hears that even the air force are having problems; apparently this wasn't just a local issue. He racks his brain but comes up with no further ideas, but continues to try and beg for help.

"Look Major, I understand that you're probably juggling the world right now, but our position is pretty precarious. We've barricaded ourselves in the motel but if a large group of skinheads or these rabies victims try to get in here, we'll be sitting ducks. Mr. Foo can't give you any information if he's dead, and if we don't get some help out here, I'm not sure how long we can hold out if we attract more attention. "

[aine]

"You slo mo? You chop like this." Mrs Foo takes the knife from Cathy's hand and uses her 80 plus years of experience in the kitchen she slices the cabbage with blinding speed. She throws the cabbage into the soup with noodles and says,
"Bowls in cupboard, spoons in drawer." As she totters down the corridor to the reception.

[Mr. Handy]

9:38 AM
In the kitchen-
"Uh huh," Cathy said blankly, going over to the cupboard.

Cathy Lathan,[b]Cathy[/b] took the bottle of Valium out of her purse once [b]Ms. Foo[/b] had left the room, slipped a pill from it, and dry swallowed it. Then she stashed the bottle back in her purse.

In the motel lobby-
"Everything okay?" Ellen asked Ms. Foo when she had returned from the kitchen. The boys continued to eat.

OOC,[b]Ms. Foo[/b], please roll Spot Hidden. The base chance is 25%.

In the private room-
"You're right, sir," said the major. "Mr. Foo can't give us intel if he's dead. Okay, I'll run this up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes. I can't promise they will, and even if they do, it's going to take some time to organize and deploy our people, but I'll try my best. In the meantime, you'll need to look to your own defenses and hold your position at all costs. Mr. Foo, I need you to monitor the world situation and provide me with the raw data. I have to go talk to the Operations Officer about getting you some help, so I'll be gone for a few minutes, so gather what information you can before I return. We've been in the dark too long already."

"Understood, Major," said Mr. Foo, "though I am our best defender, even wounded as I am. I can't do both at once."