Play@YSDC

Z-Day + 1 - 7:00 AM Central Time - Brooks High School, Omaha, Nebraska
In the cafeteria-
The students, faculty, staff, and visitors at Brooks High School were all finishing their breakfast in the cafeteria, with a few exceptions. Kyle Rogers was still locked up in the security office, guarded by Jerry Law, and Chester Johnson was on lookout and EMP device maintenance duty on the roof. Dawn had just broken on a new day. Last night, Stephanie Bridges and Elijah Smith had completed the second EMP device. It was now loaded onto the old school bus, which Donald Woodridge and a few others had managed to get working again and to reinforce by welding steel plates to it. Last night they had also held a dance to celebrate in the gymnasium. The lovely Dr. Liz Somerville, looking amazing in a black strapless dress, had danced with Chester Johnson by the romantic candlelight, while Stephanie and Adam Donnelly had grown closer. Teresa Vazquez had gotten fancy clothes from the wardrobe for the occasion, and Stephanie had selected a fetching turquoise dress that she was wearing again this morning.

"Everything is all ready to go," she said, addressing the assembled people as Detective Gretchen Ehrlich and Special Agent John Lake returned. They had three men with them. Two of them were police SWAT officers: Jerome Hooper and Samuel Kensington. They were decked out in full tactical gear, with Kevlar body armor and helmets obscuring their features. Jerome bore an M16, while Samuel toted an MP5 submachine gun. The other man was a civilian, Jimmy Kowalski, who had spent the previous night at the police station. "Oh, hello! Welcome back, and help yourselves to some grub. Is there any news about Erica?"

"I'm sorry, but we don't know anything more," said Gretchen. "We do have an idea of where she might be, though. Actually, that's part of why we're here. We were also hoping that Officer Kate Wheeler had returned."

Rachel Cohen shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said. "There's no trace of her or any of the people who went with her. I can't help but feel responsible. Erica was with me when she was taken hostage, and I didn't go with Kate to try to rescue her."

"It's not your fault, Rachel. Your job is to protect the scientists. If you had opened fire on those punks, Erica might have been killed. Now there's a chance we might save her. The Marley family has a warehouse about a mile north of the school, and we think that might be where they've holed up with Erica. We think that Officer Wheeler tracked them down, but something went very wrong. We still hold out hope that she's alive too. After we leave here, we're going to check it out. We're looking for volunteers to come with us."

Rachel looked torn. "I'd like to, but I do need to protect the scientists..."

"I understand. I know that most of the people capable of volunteering already went with Officer Wheeler yesterday."

"Most of us won't be staying here much longer," said Principal Lawrence Adler. "We've got the old school bus working again, and we have a second EMP device aboard along with food and supplies. We're planning to evacuate everyone who wants to go to Warren Air Force Base, over 400 miles to the west. At least one person will need to stay behind to look after the first EMP device, and I think it would be more secure if it were transferred to your precinct. We'd also like to turn Kyle Rogers over to your custody."

"Sure. We can do all that after we return...if we return."

"Could someone draw us a map of the area and any changes to the area to help with this mission?" asks Kensington, scratching his chin. "Anyone get a glimpse inside the building to know what the lay out may have been?"

In the cafeteria-
"I'm Becky Clarke, the bus driver," said an obese woman with a shotgun. "I know the city very well, and I can draw you a map. I'll just need the address of the warehouse." Gretchen told her, and she started to sketch the streets of the neighborhood on a napkin with a pen borrowed from one of the teachers. "I'd be glad to come with. Those brats need to pay."

"Unfortuantely," said the principal, "none of us have ever been to this warehouse. The only people who might have never returned. We don't know everything that's changed around here in the past day, but expect a lot of wrecks blocking the roads. It won't be a problem if you're on foot."

Kowalski finishes his coffee and stands up and paces the cafeteria. "I have nothing better to do and those captives will need all help they can get. I´m on." He looks at Liz Somerville. "Hon, save a last dance for me?" He winks at her and adjusts his jacket, zipping it shut.

Donald said to the principal, "My place of duty is here... but somehow I don't think I'm going to be seeing any overtime. So I plan on making this trip to the base. If the military still exists, they'll be able to help better protect us from the zombies, and other oddities wandering about these days." He added as an afterthought, "Besides that, if that old bus breaks down on the way, ya'll need me there to help fix it."

In the cafeteria-
"Looks like you're going to have a full dance card, Liz," said Stephanie.

Liz laughed sweetly. "I don't even know if we'll be here when you guys get back," she said. "We really ought to hit the road as soon as possible. We need to get to Warren Air Force Base before it gets dark, and it's a very long trip."

"Thank you, Donald," said Principal Adler. "Becky, I appreciate that you want to help them, but we need you too, to drive the bus."

"Oh, all right," said Becky.

"A small, tactical team is our best bet anyway," says Kensington thoughtfully. "The last thing we want is people to be stepping in front of each other. However, is there anyone who's a particularly good shot who can come along? I'd prefer a four-man team, or rather, two two-man teams, if I can."

Jerome says gruffly "If none of you know how to fight, would rather go with Kensington here only, if only of the small but appreciated virtue of not screwing things up. but still come on people. if no one else wants to bring the hurt to the Jamaicans, I do. we werent exacly writing love letters back and forth before.....this, and now that the ******* world is set to burn the fact that they choose now to grab our woman and shoot at us pisses me off"

In the cafeteria-
"We've already got a four man team if you count me as a man," said Detective Gretchen Ehrlich, smirking. "I may not be SWAT, but I'm cool under fire and I can hold my own - as long as some MIB isn't using freaky Jedi powers on me, that is. We could use some more help, though."

"I'm doing a little better today," said Special Agent John Lake. "I'm nowhere near 100 percent after whatever they did to me, but I'll manage. I'm a great shot with a pistol, and I got a new piece back at the precinct. I've had rifle training too, but they were fresh out of those."

Megan Petrovich came forward. "I'm a National Guard reservist," she said. "I did a tour in Iraq. I was in the motor pool, but I've had combat training. I'm a good marksman with a rifle, but I can use a handgun and a knife too. I'm not too shabby in unarmed combat either. I'll come with you. I don't have any weapons, but I wouldn't say no if someone gave me one."

Alvin Drummond also rose and saluted. The bedraggled old man didn't look like much, but he did carry himself like a soldier. "Sir!" he bellowed. "Private Alvin Drummond reporting for duty, sir! I've been in country for years kicking Charlie's ass, and I'm ready to do it again. I have awards for marksmanship with both rifle and pistol, and I've been trained as a machine gunner. I'll need to requisition new weapons, sir, but I'll help you rescue those hostages from the VC."

Officer Jerome Hooper,Your training ability takes two hours to use, and the plan is to go immediately. You can give someone pointers on the way, but that won't translate into a skill increase in time.

OOC,Anyone may roll Psychology. The base skill is 5%.

Jerome looks at each one of them, trying to descerm who would be the best to bring alon (roll phsyco)

Psychology - succeeds!,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3214289/]Psychology (9%) (1d100=4)[/url] If he keeps this up, he might be able to get a better paying job as a psychiatrist.

Donald just listened to the others speak, quietly keeping in mind their supposed strengths. He didn't have any army experience himself, but everyone needed a grease monkey, even the military.

Donald rose and said, "With all due respect to whomever is selecting this task force... I think perhaps it's better if we keep the private here," he motioned towards Alvin "back here in the home base to protect our headquarters from the Viet Cong."

Samuel smiles. "Welcome aboard Megan. I agree with Donald. We don't want to leave the base unprotected. Who knows what might happen?" He means it sincerely enough. The last thing he wants is to turn around and find everyone dead.

OOC: Do we have any guns to hand out? If not, do we know of a gun shop nearby where we could 'requisiton' some?