Ash - Cael

[Laraqua]

The helicopter engine hums. Above, black storm clouds roil with flickers of lightning lighting up the sky. There is a dim light, patches of sky that allow some light through. The helicopter idles on the hospital rooftop, the searchlights lighting up the gloomy rooftop and the ash particles that float about, obscuring vision at a distance of about fifty yards. The co-pilot watches the surroundings tensely. Things had gotten real quietly after the nurse and the suited man had come and taken away the other cop to come and get them a payload of children.

When the pilots had first brought the helicopter to the hospital, their spotlights had illuminated a boy in one of the windows, shortly before the wall collapsed - though the child had not fallen. It's been about three or four minutes since the other officer left but it feels longer.

[Andrew]

Cael looks to his co-pilot and says, "Hey Stephen, why don't you see if you can get Officer Jacobs on the radio again. I'm sure it was just interference that blocked the signal before. It's been an awfully long time to be out of radio contact, we have to know what's going on. He better not make me get out there with Rachel (his rifle's name) and blast holes into anything." Cael tried to smile but it came out more as a grimace, it was this damn ash that was making things so much worse than it needed to be.

As Stephen tried to radio Officer Jacobs, Cael leaned on the dash looking out into the sky, hoping for a brief let up with all this ash. However his thoughts drifted to what the nurse had said, Things? What in the hell could she have possible meant by that? Either he was hearing things or he should really pay better attention to what was being said. With the radio going off in one ear, the engines roaring and people shouting it was any wonder he could hear anything at all.

[Laraqua]

Stephen attempts to make the call but all he gets is an odd crackling sound. It isn't surprising. The radio has been acting up for awhile. One of the few places they'd managed to contact with any reliability was the local police station. Everything else ... quiet. The military base they flew around - taking great care not to fly over it, the fuel pumps they got more juice from, everywhere else.

[Andrew]

Cael sighed and shook his head, he didn't want to take off but he didn't like sitting here either. He took off his helmet and ran a hand through his short auburn hair trying to decide whether or not to get out and scout ahead for the others. "Stephen, hold the fort down, I'm going to go for a look." At that he moved to a panel and unlocked it and drew out his rifle.

"Now if I'm not back in ten minutes... come and rescue me! I'm not kidding! You come and save my ass!" Cael stated, a look of seriousness on his face. At that he jumped out of the chopper and moved towards the stairwell and turned on the flashlight mounted on the weapon.

[Laraqua]

"Wait, what are you nuts?" Stephen shouts. "One by one they all go down into that place? Look, if he's not back in a few minutes we go and get a LOT of cops to come help us. I ain't sitting in this shit heap alone."

If Cael continues on, Stephen merely cusses at him.

[Andrew]

Cael stops and considers Stephen's logic for a moment. As copilot he could easily fly back on his own if he needed to and the people down inside the building might need the extra hand, plus firepower. "Stephen, radio for back up now, don't wait. If you can't get through then take off. Just make sure you come back! We'll need an evac for sure, I don't expect to walk out whatever's left of the frontdoors. One of the reasons I'm going is I have better training than Officer Jacobs, if something is down there they stand a better chance with me there, I have to help them."

At that Cael heads off into the hospital.

[Laraqua]

Andrew comes face to face with a blood-spattered eight-year-old girl who holds the roof top door open.

[Andrew]

Cael stops dead in his tracks and stares at the girl for a moment. Then he shakes his head, grabs the girls wrist and runs back to the chopper and puts her in. Once she's secure he heads back.

[trixie]

Dahlia furrows her brow at Cael. "Well helloooooo to you too!" she says, wrenching her wrist away. " But nobody drags me anywhere without my permission." She stops dead in her tracks on the roof before he's tried to move her, and peers out into the darkness of the roof.

"Who the heck are you?" She asks him.

[Andrew]

When the girl wrests her wrist back Cael doesn't try to grab her again. Instead he says, "I'm Cael O'Reily, I'm one of the pilots of that helicopter, I'm a policeman. Let me get you on that bird and my copilot can take you to the police station while I'm down there looking for the others... You did see another police man with a lady dressed like a nurse and another man didn't you?"

[trixie]

"Huh???" It takes Dahlia a moment to register what Cael is talking about. After all she's seen today, she's feeling a bit hazy.

"Um....I don't think I know what you're talking about. I've been on the 1st floor....um......we could really use your help down there cuz all the kids that are down there.....they um....." Dahlia trails off blankly. How could she possibly describe what happened to her, without sounding slightly loony?

"They're.....all wet? And um.....they....well you probably wouldn't believe me....." Dahlia stands there fidgeting, looking nervously at the helicopter, and then back to Cael. "C'mon." she grabs his hand to lead him into the staircase.

[Andrew]

Cael was about to object, if he could at least get this little girl to safety he'd at least saved one child but it was the way she spoke that made him hesitate and realized he needed to follow her. "Take hold of my elbow and stand behind me, just direct me where to go." Cael instructed waiting to make sure she was protected, "By the way what's your name kid?" Cael asks.

[trixie]

"Dahlia, my name's Dahlia." she answers him. "So you're a police officer? Like....um.....a good guy?" She asks him this warily, looking him up and down, then as quick as she says it, dismisses her own question and takes his elbow. She goes ahead of him, however, ignoring his order to walk behind."There's been weird stuff going on, Cael. Like, reaaaaaaallly weird!" she says, and starts down the stairs. "First there was this metal thingy that ripped kids apart..." Dahlia shudders as she scampers down the stairs, "it had huge big metal arms and there's lots of blood and guts in the children's ward right now." She stops midstep on the stairs and turns around. "It's not pretty, by the way. Have you got a weak stomach?"

[Andrew]

"Well Dahlia I'm glad you found me and yes, I am a good guy. If I wasn't my mum would whomp the wholly hell outta me. She's Irish and has the stereotypical temper of Irish women. So don't worry kid, as long as I'm around I'll look after ya. To answer if I have a weak stomach, no on that, me mum's Irish." Cael smiled broadly and concluded, "and she's a stereotypical Irish cook."

Cael frowned a bit as Dahlia led the way but he figured he could push her behind him fast enough if he need to. "So how did you get to be here? Were you sick or visiting someone who was?"

[trixie]

"Mmm....I had my gall bladder out two days ago, " Dahlia replies, "And by the way...I love your accent!" She smiles, amidst her blood spattered face, and flashes a coy look, then continues down the stairs. " Well anyways, I'm glad to hear you're not going to woof your cookies, cuz it's pretty gross down here. After that wiry thing ripped apart some of the kids, we were trying to pull out the other kids and get them out to safety. But then.....well it's just that......they got kinda wet. Like for no reason. And I don't think it's safe down there, but....um...."

Dahlia trails off thoughtfully. "Say, how many bullets you got in that gun?" she changes the subject very matter of factly, pausing again on the stairs down. "Like, is it one of them fancy things that you don't have to put more bullets into all the time? Not that I KNOW for sure that you'd hafta use it...but um......well you might want to be ready anyways." Dahlia stands with her hand on her hip, very know-it-all like. Inside, she shakes with adrenaline. It's just like those movies I watched at Samantha's sleepover....'cept now I'm in it!

[Andrew]

Cael squats down so he's eye to eye with Dahlia the look on his face is very concerned. He wasn't sure what wiry thing she was talking about or what she meant by, "they got kinda wet." What he did know was that this kid was covered in blood, someone else's for that matter and he still hadn't heard back from his officer and that nurse that showed up. "Hey listen Flower..." Cael's mother used to call his sister that, that was before her young and untimely demise. "What's the chance I could get ya to wait in the bird? Sounds like you've been through Hell already. All I need to know is what floor the kids are on."

He knew that she wouldn't take the offer but he had to try. No kid this young should ever have this much courage and strength. He smiled to himself and thought, 'When this one grows up, she's going to be one tough S.O.B.' Then a little voice in the back of his head piped in, 'Assuming she does grow up.'

Cael aimed his weapon down the stairs and squeezed the trigger slightly to activate the flashlight, looking ahead of them the way seemed clear. "Unfortunately this is just a standard HK UFC, great weapon against the normal baddies out there but I'm not so sure how it'll fair up against wiry things. My pistol is a HK MK23 but again, not sure how well it'll fair. Anyway, let's get going, we have quite a mission before us, terminate all hostiles and rescue the good guys, sounds like a good time." Cael finished with a smile, at that he stood up and started to head down the stairs.

[trixie]

Cael squats down so he's eye to eye with Dahlia the look on his face is very concerned. He wasn't sure what wiry thing she was talking about or what she meant by, "they got kinda wet." What he did know was that this kid was covered in blood, someone else's for that matter and he still hadn't heard back from his officer and that nurse that showed up. "Hey listen Flower..." Cael's mother used to call his sister that, that was before her young and untimely demise. "What's the chance I could get ya to wait in the bird? Sounds like you've been through Hell already. All I need to know is what floor the kids are on."

Dahlia shakes her head. "Nope. I don't think I even WANT to go in the helicopter. I mean, maybe.....but um....d'you know Joel? HE said that it'll crash to the ground cuz of all the ash in the sky. Are you sure it's gonna be safe??"

He knew that she wouldn't take the offer but he had to try. No kid this young should ever have this much courage and strength. He smiled to himself and thought, 'When this one grows up, she's going to be one tough S.O.B.' Then a little voice in the back of his head piped in, 'Assuming she does grow up.'

Cael aimed his weapon down the stairs and squeezed the trigger slightly to activate the flashlight, looking ahead of them the way seemed clear. "Unfortunately this is just a standard HK UFC, great weapon against the normal baddies out there but I'm not so sure how it'll fair up against wiry things. My pistol is a HK MK23 but again, not sure how well it'll fair. Anyway, let's get going, we have quite a mission before us, terminate all hostiles and rescue the good guys, sounds like a good time." Cael finished with a smile, at that he stood up and started to head down the stairs.

Dahlia pipes up, "Um.....I forgot to say that the wiry thing is gone. Now it's OUTSIDE....so um.....that's another thing about the helicopter that I'm scared about. Anyways the only weird thing in the children's ward right now is that the kids are dressed like olden times and they're all wet. OH....but then there was this crazy nurse too...."Dahlia laughs nervously....."and....um....." Dahlia trails off, then wrinkles up her nose. "Is this making any sense to you? Maybe you should just come see yourself." This time she goes behind Cael, following him down the staircase.

[Andrew]

"No, I don't know Joel but I do know he's wrong. I mean I flew here in the helicopter and I didn't crash, right? Sure it makes it harder to see but it isn't any worse than a hard rain or thick fog and with my instrument panel telling almost everything I need to know, I honestly barely even have to look out the window." Cael said with a reassuring smile. "Besides, one of the best damn copilots in the world in sitting in there. You know he was in the Army as a pilot, used to fly into war zones with people shooting at him. You'd be safer with him than you would be with me. You've gone through a lot today, I just want to make sure you'll be alright."

[trixie]

Dahlia wrinkles her nose again, trying hard to remember Joel's words, "Well he said that the ash could get inside the helicopter. And that then it would crash. But I don't remember why. Like inside the engine I think? But the big wiry monster went out the window, and it's probably still out there. It could grab hold of the helicopter really easy, y'know. Like one smack from it's arm and Jill's legs were in pieces....it was really gross what it did to the kids too. But I hope it's not still out there, cuz if I could get away from the hospital....well I just might. 'Cept my mum won't know where to find me then....." Dahlia gets quiet then and walks down the stairs in silence.

"Do you think there's people still alive outside there? Like if you were in your house....d'you think you could survive?"

[Andrew]

Cael winced as Dahlia mentioned the girl getting her legs ripped off. It was bad enough for adults to die in such a fashion but for children it was inexcusable. "The chopper will be fine, I promise. When we get back it'll still be there, she's a tough old bird." Cael looked around as they descended the stairs and wished he was in a different place. He wasn't a coward by any means and he was a pretty good 'above and beyond' kind of guy. However he wasn't so sure he was ready to see a bunch of dead children and he could feel the dread settling into his bones. 'No matter what, Flower has to survive.' He thought to himself.

"I don't know if I could survive if I was at home. It would depend on a few things, who was around me, what items were available, who was I being attacked by and so forth. However I'm sure there's a lot of people still alive." Cael said trying to sound reassuring.

OOC: I need a quick debriefing on what's happened. I'm not sure if Cael knows about anything other than the strange Ash or if reports of monsters have been widely reported. So far I'm playing him as if he knows nothing and this hospital thing is some sort of freak disaster. In his mind he thinks the girl is telling the truth from her point of view but the wiry thing was a snapped cable that lashed out or something of the like.