NationStates Jolt Archive

Mark had remained on the bus, shotguns were not the best weapon for ranged combat, but he was ready for if they got close. He resolved to find a longer range weapon as soon as possible.

"Ready and waiting." he said to Damien

Stan looked around, and noticed that most of the zombies were dead, only a few stragglers being picked off by Alina. Looking back up at the bus, he yelled over the din of the gunfire, "Wait! There's mountains of goodies in that mining warehouse, maybe even something to beef up the bus' defenses with. I saw a crate marked 'Laser', and I think its talking about a mining laser, which would be a good addition to the front of the bus."

"Great, I grabbed some computer equiptment, we can use those to control it." Sloan called, running over the remaining zombies.

Sighing, Mark stepped off of the bus and began walking towards Stan, ignoring the few zombies getting shot around him. One did try and attack him, it lunged from his side. Without looking he raised his sawn-off and shot it point blank, the zombie's head exploded from the force and Mark couldn't help but smile, he had always wanted to do that.

As he appproached Stan he said "Let's go take a look then."

Stan looked around, and noticed that most of the zombies were dead, only a few stragglers being picked off by Alina. Looking back up at the bus, he yelled over the din of the gunfire, "Wait! There's mountains of goodies in that mining warehouse, maybe even something to beef up the bus' defenses with. I saw a crate marked 'Laser', and I think its talking about a mining laser, which would be a good addition to the front of the bus."

Damien's eyes lit up.

"Mining...Laser?"

He turned off the bus, grabbed his axe, and stepped off.

"Well then, what are we waiting for, let's go get it."

Stan pointed to the Mining Warehouse, and then led the way. Stepping over the thresh hold, the sound ofthe generator humming away reassured Stan, and he proceeded into the space. Looking at Mark, he pointed to the case that held the explosives. "I brought dynamite back, but I think there's some other more modern less volatile explosive in there. See what you can get out of there."

Then, he walked a little ways down a middle aisle. There on the second shelf was a large crate. It was six feet long, two feet wide, and two feet tall. On the side was a label that read "Regen Corp. Model ML6 Mk2 Mining Laser". Looking at the large smithy, Stan asked, "You think you can carry that by yourself?"

Mark walked over to the box and very carefully began taking things out, explosives wern't his area of specialty, especially mining explosives, but he seperated the differently explosives, after a few minutes he had two piles, one of dynamite, which he was keeping as far away from as he could, and a pile consisting of several metal containers labelled 'RDX'.

He picked one up and carried it over to where Stan and Damien had gone. "Is this the stuff you want? theres a small pile of it over there."

Stan pointed to the Mining Warehouse, and then led the way. Stepping over the thresh hold, the sound ofthe generator humming away reassured Stan, and he proceeded into the space. Looking at Mark, he pointed to the case that held the explosives. "I brought dynamite back, but I think there's some other more modern less volatile explosive in there. See what you can get out of there."

Then, he walked a little ways down a middle aisle. There on the second shelf was a large crate. It was six feet long, two feet wide, and two feet tall. On the side was a label that read "Regen Corp. Model ML6 Mk2 Mining Laser". Looking at the large smithy, Stan asked, "You think you can carry that by yourself?"

"I can't carry it, but If I could get some kind of cart or forklift..." Damien drifted off, looking for a forklift. Looking around, he spotted one.

Wary, he looked for a way to turn off the incessent beeping they tended to give off. Lacking a way, he shrugged and turned it on.

He drove it forward, and picked up the crate.

"Let's get back."

Mark walked over to the box and very carefully began taking things out, explosives wern't his area of specialty, especially mining explosives, but he seperated the differently explosives, after a few minutes he had two piles, one of dynamite, which he was keeping as far away from as he could, and a pile consisting of several metal containers labelled 'RDX'.

He picked one up and carried it over to where Stan and Damien had gone. "Is this the stuff you want? theres a small pile of it over there."

Walking through the door, Father O'Betts looked at the metal containers and said, "That's the stuff we want. RDX is used in the production of military arms, it's odd that they have it in a mining warehouse."

Walking over to the pile, he picked up two of the small rectangular boxes and carried them back to the bus.

Meanwhile, Stan was riding on the side of the forklift as Damien guided it out of the warehouse. He called back to Mark, "Grab a couple more boxes of that stuff, then come on back and we can get back to the Church for the radio equipment. Then," he looked at Damien, "We can be on our way."

Mark shrugged and walked back to the box, he found a flat piece of wood and stacked 8 of the boxes on it and followed the others back to the bus. Glad to hear they would be on their way.

"Where do you want these?"

Kara had headed to the back of the bus hoping it had a bathroom as otherwise there would be problems both in the short term and the fact that they'd be on the road for a while and stopping whenever needed might lead to problems.

Damien drove the forklift over to the bus, annoyed by the constant beeping. However, so far there where no blips of hunger that meant that a runner was nearby, so he ignored it.

Reaching the bus he thought outloud, "You know, a crane and ladder would be really nice about now. Make it easier to mount this thing."

Stan shrugged, "Yeah, but I imagine that we can do it with brute force. THere certainly are enough of us to lift the thing I imagine."

Auron stayed back and let all of the military people handle the explosives. He never had any formal training as such in demolitions, and wasn't a fan of them in the first place, so he stood back and let the experts do their work. He didn't want to bungle anything and accidentally set something off, but if they really needed his help, he'd help out.

He ran his hand over his scar, sighing as he dropped his arm to pick up his coat. He fished out a glasses case and put on another pair of sunglasses, and wrapped the left side of his coat/robe back over him, attaching the belt and letting his arm hang out. Auron took a drink of the sake in the just off to his side and leaned back on a tree, still holding his sword in his right hand.

Seeing everyone get on the bus, though, he walked over and up the stairs into the bus and retook his position near the back with his daughter, Yuna, across from him.

Alina stepped off the bus, and looked at the old priest. Usually, she had too much respect for a man-of-the-cloth to protrude into his past, but she thought something was amiss.

"Father," she said quietly, "May I talk to you in private. I have sins I wish to get off my chest. It has been far too long since I last made confession."

She glanced at Damien, who knew instantly what she was doing. He had spotted it too. The defences at the church, the radio, his amazing aim, even when using a pistol. He knew what she suspeccted, but had felt it was best to let him tell them if he wished.

==Somewhere in central St. Louis==

Mitchel stared out the window, looking north. He had been barricaded in this seventh-floor hotel room for sixteen days now, and he was contemplating jumping. He had been living in the police station for months previously, along with the six other surviving members of the several hundred man strong St. Louis Police Department. Twenty-one days ago, the police radio had recieved a transmission from a group of fifty survivors in eastern Kansas who had gained control of an airport and intended to head to the coast, gain control of a ship, stockpile it with supplies, and locate either an isolated island or an offshore oil rig where they wouldn't have to worry about zombies. The plan had seemed completely impossible to Mitchel, and so, when the other cops had loaded up a semi and two squad cars to head west, Mitchel had stayed. Better to stay here where food, water, shelter, and other life-essential supplies such as ammo were readily availible than end up stuck in the middle of nowhere with no chance of rescue. He had stayed in the station for less than a day before he started searching for somewhere easier for one man to defend. He had been searching the hotel kitchen for supplies when he had heard a telltale moaning. Chased by the decaying horde, he had ran up the stairs to the nearest available shelter - a hotel room. He had closed and locked the door, and pushed the bed up against it. The creatures outside - Mitchel could not bring himself to think of them as people - had battered the door for two whole days before something else caught their attention and they had left. Mitchel had darted out of the room to gather his supplies from his car and had retrieved all of it by the time the zombies noticed him again. He had had ample time to rebarricade the door before they arrived again. Now, his food supply was depleted and he was waiting to die, one way or the other. After sitting for hours, he decided to venture out. He had to eat. He loaded his shotgun and pulled the bed away from the door. Opening the door slowly, he snuck out into the hallway. He stealthed his way to the lobby. He saw nothing, but he knew he wasn't safe. There had been hundreds of guests and employees in the hotel, and most of them were intent on eating him. He managed to make it to the kitchen before the wandering horde noticed him. The mob roared, and charged toward the narrow doorway which had once allowed waiters access to the hotel restaurant. He fired and fired, blowing emaciated corpses back nearly a dozen feet with each shot. He expended the six shells he had loaded in less than a minute, and switched to his pistol. He dropped four shambling monsters before running out of ammo. He fumbled with another clip, and then dropped it. "Sh*t" he shouted, quickly stooping to pick it up while the zombies were momentarily distracted by the meat of their dead comrades. As he finished loading the clip, he heard the loud clatter of automatic weapons fire. Zombies started to fall, and the ones that weren't dropped turned and ran towards the source of the gunfire, a short, squat man in an olive drab biohazard suit, holding an assault rifle. He continued to rake the mob with bullets, firing from the hip. The gun didn't jump much - it seemed that the man was keeping the gun steady by shoving the butt into his gut. It was all over in two minutes - the twenty or so zombies that had attacked Mitchel had been annihiliated, although that had much to do with the combination of buckshot and a narrow doorway. The man walked over to Mitchel and peered at him through the helmet visor. "The gunfire will have attracted more of them. We need to leave." Mitchel nodded. "We can take my car," he said, "but I'll need to pack first." The man nodded agreement. "I'll cover you," he said. His "cover" was a bit different from what you might expect - he threw a grenade out the window, hoping to distract the horde with the sound (they were drawn to sound). Within minutes there were hundreds of them milling about, groaning and trying to eat each other (this wasn't what the man had intended; he was trying to draw the zombies out of the hotel, not bring more to the hotel). By that time, Mitchel had moved all of his supplies back to the Volswagen. The man used up his last remaining block of plastic explosive to rig the lobby to explode, and squeezed into the cramped yellow Beetle's passenger seat. As the vehicle putterd down the street in the general direction of the Old Courthouse, the man detonated the explosives, which would distract the zombies from the fleeing car. The two men sped off, leaving a writhing mass of nightmare in their wake.

(OOC: this is the first of two introductions I will write for my characters, showing what they are doing before you arrive in St. Louis. The next one will deal with my other character.)

Alina stepped off the bus, and looked at the old priest. Usually, she had too much respect for a man-of-the-cloth to protrude into his past, but she thought something was amiss.

"Father," she said quietly, "May I talk to you in private. I have sins I wish to get off my chest. It has been far too long since I last made confession."

She glanced at Damien, who knew instantly what she was doing. He had spotted it too. The defences at the church, the radio, his amazing aim, even when using a pistol. He knew what she suspeccted, but had felt it was best to let him tell them if he wished.

The priest smiled, and nodded, "Certainly my child, although this truly is a poor place for a confession." He indicated two seats towards the middle of the bus. They were a good deal seperated from where the others were sitting.

The priest smiled, and nodded, "Certainly my child, although this truly is a poor place for a confession." He indicated two seats towards the middle of the bus. They were a good deal seperated from where the others were sitting.

"Thank you father." Alina followed him to the back. "Father, I have killed. The Uniform I am wearing broadcasts this. While I know it was honorable to kill one evil man to prevent the deaths of many innocents, I do not want to risk it. I want to meet St. Michael with my hands clean of blood. Though I do suspect that you know what I am talking about. Don't you Father?"

After finishing her buisness in the bus's facilities. As she walked down the aisle, she blinked before blanching as she dashed forward. Grabbing the stick of dynamite that Stan had set down on the run she bounced through the door. Hurling the stick as hard as she could, it was sent flying before exploding in mid air a few seconds after she threw the stick.

After it exploded she slumped against the side of the bus in relief.

"Thank you father." Alina followed him to the back. "Father, I have killed. The Uniform I am wearing broadcasts this. While I know it was honorable to kill one evil man to prevent the deaths of many innocents, I do not want to risk it. I want to meet St. Michael with my hands clean of blood. Though I do suspect that you know what I am talking about. Don't you Father?"

The Priest raised one eyebrow. "Indeed. I know Saint Michael, Patron Saint of the Airborne. I've said more than a few prayers to him myself. HALO jumping usually inspires pleas and bargains with one's deity. I probably should have been more foreward with you. I was in the military once too. Colonel Charles O'Betts, US Army Special Forces Retired, at your service."

The Priest raised one eyebrow. "Indeed. I know Saint Michael, Patron Saint of the Airborne. I've said more than a few prayers to him myself. HALO jumping usually inspires pleas and bargains with one's deity. I probably should have been more foreward with you. I was in the military once too. Colonel Charles O'Betts, US Army Special Forces Retired, at your service."

"Much more so than that, patron of all soldiers. And ruler of God's army. Already my father has gone up to meet him. Even today he feasts in St. Michael's mead hall with Patton, Washington, John Paul Jones, and of course Hugh de Payns. It is good to meet you Colonel."

(OOC: that description of Heaven by her is based on a dream I once had. All the greatest warriors feasting in a Germanic Mead Hall in a place resembling the Black Forest during the late ICe Ages. Hosted by St, Michael and his glorious army. Man, I hope that is where I go.)

OOC: Valhalla much? :)

"Much more so than that, patron of all soldiers. And ruler of God's army. Already my father has gone up to meet him. Even today he feasts in St. Michael's mead hall with Patton, Washington, John Paul Jones, and of course Hugh de Payns. It is good to meet you Colonel."

The Priest smiled. "That's good. It's not the response I usually received though, most people spat at me for what they perceived to be my actions. It made me feel there was a stain on my soul. That's why I went to Seminary and then became a priest. Now I do God's work instead of the Devil's."

Aidan looked back and decided not to interfere. His turn for absolution would come later. Instead, he stepped outside and preparred his mind for thew welding that would come very soon.

"Hey guys, need any help?"

The Priest smiled. "That's good. It's not the response I usually received though, most people spat at me for what they perceived to be my actions. It made me feel there was a stain on my soul. That's why I went to Seminary and then became a priest. Now I do God's work instead of the Devil's."

"I would never curse another soldeir, even one who choose the easy training of the Army Special Forces." She sobered up. "Though yesd, I do know what you feel. That stain sits on my heart as well. especially after things I did in Somalia."

She looked up at him, her eyes showing earnestness.

"That is why I ask your forgiveness as In Personae Christo. Please father, remove that stain from my heart."

The Priest sighed, "I offer only spiritual absolution. Your past, I can not heal the hurt with one confession."

Stan stood behind the bus, watching for any activity in the distance along the road. The lights from the warehouse afforded him a false sense of security as he looked down the way they had come. Off in the distance, he heard the shriek of an undead as it fell upon some sort of prey. Unsettled by the inhuman noise, he stepped back around to the front of the bus, he tapped Damien on the shoulder.

"What do you say we stow this thing in the luggage area until we get back to the church. Then we can attach it with the security of Alina in the bell tower watching our asses."

Auron came up behind Stan when he joined Damien. "I heard a scream." He was moving his sword on his back a little bit, as he held it in his right hand, resting his arm on his shoulder. He also had his sunglasses down further on his nose, but he turned his left side away from them, into the shadows, as to cover up the scar over his eye.

Stan stood behind the bus, watching for any activity in the distance along the road. The lights from the warehouse afforded him a false sense of security as he looked down the way they had come. Off in the distance, he heard the shriek of an undead as it fell upon some sort of prey. Unsettled by the inhuman noise, he stepped back around to the front of the bus, he tapped Damien on the shoulder.

"What do you say we stow this thing in the luggage area until we get back to the church. Then we can attach it with the security of Alina in the bell tower watching our asses."

Damien looked at Auron, "For once I agree with you."

He slipped his hand down to the axe on his belt, and drove the forklift to the bus, and loaded it in.

"Curse his Godawful beeping" he muttered as he backit up, reaching out with his mind for the hunger that marked the undead.

Damien looked at Auron, "For once I agree with you."

He slipped his hand down to the axe on his belt, and drove the forklift to the bus, and loaded it in.

"Curse his Godawful beeping" he muttered as he backit up, reaching out with his mind for the hunger that marked the undead.

Damien sensed that the ghoul was not close, but still wanted to bew rid of it anyway.

"Let's get back on the bus. If we get to the church, we will have a more secured position to work from as we start uparmoring the bus."

Damien abandoned the forklift and returned to the bus, turning it over and putting it in gear.

Percy awoke from his long sleep. He heard the ruckus and ran out with his shot gun and looked around. He asked "What happened?"

Percy awoke from his long sleep. He heard the ruckus and ran out with his shot gun and looked around. He asked "What happened?"

OOC: we aren't even back at the church yet

Damien shifted the bus into gear and drove down the road toward the church. He kept his mind expanded outward to search for any signs of nearby ghouls.

Percy felt stupid.... he just sat on the bus and waited.

OOC: TLO, if you're RPing the direction, you're going to have to put more than that down. Most of us can't do a whole flipping lot when we're sitting on a bus.

When they arrived at the church, Alina stepped out, tensed and wary. She beat the path up to the bellfrey and set up, ready for any and all ghouls in the area. Damien stepped out, and looked around, trying to spot any nearby ghouls.

OOC: sorry guys, been really busy. But now I will be able to participate more.

OOC: sorry guys, been really busy. But now I will be able to participate more.

OOC: It's fine, we all have our life to handle. Well, most. :D I'll try and get a post up tonight. Hopefully. Although, due to how I'm RPing my character, there isn't a whole lot to do. :)

Mark had left the explosives in the same place the priest had put his. He had then taken an empty seat and decided to catch up on some sleep, it had been a while since he had slept properly.

Parking next to the church, Sloan looked over his looted hardware and software. Finding everything being to satisfaction, he hopped outof the DAF tractor, and entered the church, swinging his swordstick under his arm.

Aidan stepped off the bus and looked around.

He walked over to a tree, and climbed up it.

Standing in the leaves of the tree, he stopped and looked down as one, two, three ghouls shambled by.

Shoot, my gun is still on the bus. wait a sec, I can still alert every one.

Climbing up, he broke off three branches and tossed them into the air, cathing them on fire as he did so. Hopefully Alina would see it and interpret it as three ghouls.

However, as he climbed, he missed the other fifteen ghouls who walked beneath the tree.

Aidan stepped off the bus and looked around.

He walked over to a tree, and climbed up it.

Standing in the leaves of the tree, he stopped and looked down as one, two, three ghouls shambled by.

Shoot, my gun is still on the bus. wait a sec, I can still alert every one.

Climbing up, he broke off three branches and tossed them into the air, cathing them on fire as he did so. Hopefully Alina would see it and interpret it as three ghouls.

However, as he climbed, he missed the other fifteen ghouls who walked beneath the tree.

Alina watched the branches go up and set her sites for the clearing beneath the tree.

As the first three arrived, she fired at them, taking them out. However, as the other fifteen heard the gunshots, they broke into a run.

<We have incoming, Fifteen ghouls heading straight for us. Get ready.> she btroadcast to the group.

She fired four more hots before her clip wnet dry, and she had to place a new one in.

Auron stepped off the bus with his daughter, thinking there would be safety. When Auron saw the three firey sticks up in the air, he figured trouble was afoot, and grabbed his sword from his back. "Yuna, stay here." His daughter stayed near the bus as Auron walked closer to the treeline, meeting up with Alina.

He saw Alina take three of them down, and braced himself when the other fifteen came rushing at them. Hmph.

Behind him, his daughter, Yuna, came up behind him with her staff at the ready. Auron shot his head around. "I told you to stay at the bus!" Yuna sighed and braced herself.

"I have to practice somehow." Auron shook his head at his seventeen year old daughter.

"Get back there!"

As Alina reloaded, three of the monstrosities lunged at them. Auron realized that from his current position, he couldn't stop them from hitting Yuna, so he tried somehing he hasn't done for quite some time.

Auron squatted down and shot himself into the air, doing a front flip over his daughter, and coming down, both hands on his sword, slicing the middle zombie in half. Since the one on the left was closer, he spun his sword around in his left hand so he was holding the sword with the blade coming from the bottom. From there, he took a massive swing, coming up from the bottom, decapitating the ghoul on the left, and as the blade reached the apex of the half-circle, he spun the sword in the air to put it back to normal position, and removed everything from the zombie's shoulders up from the body, watching it drop limp.

The zombies saw Auron slaughter their counterparts, and started moving towards them. Auron readied himself with his sword, while Yuna did something behind him.

Yuna started what seemed like ritualistic dancing, spinning some, waving her staff around, all in a fluid and almost trance-like motion. After about fifteen seconds of it, her eyes closed, her hair flowing with the twirls she made, Yuna raised her staff hight up into the air, which was now populated by dark storm clouds. She seemed to float a little, and as two of the zombies were about to lunge at Auron, she snapped her staff down in the direction of the ghouls, and lightning shot down from the sky and struck most of the zombies, but also hit some of the trees in the forest. When the lightning hit the ground, Yuna doubled over and dropped to one knee. She tried to look up, but the entire world just kept spinning and spinning....

Auron looked back just in time to see his daughter pass out and collapse onto the ground. "Yuna!" He rushed over to his unconcious daughter, putting his sword on his back and picking her up, running back to the bus, the surviving zombies chasing after him.

Auron stepped off the bus with his daughter, thinking there would be safety. When Auron saw the three firey sticks up in the air, he figured trouble was afoot, and grabbed his sword from his back. "Yuna, stay here." His daughter stayed near the bus as Auron walked closer to the treeline, meeting up with Alina.

He saw Alina take three of them down, and braced himself behind and to the right of Alina when the other fifteen came rushing at them. Hmph.

As Alina reloaded, three of the monstrosities lunged at them. Auron realized that from his current position, he couldn't stop them from hitting Alina, so he tried somehing he hasn't done for quite some time.

Auron squatted down and shot himself into the air, doing a front flip over Alina, and coming down, both hands on his sword, slicing the middle zombie in half. Since the one on the left was closer, he spun his sword around in his left hand so he was holding the sword with the blade coming from the bottom. From there, he took a massive swing, coming up from the bottom, decapitating the ghoul on the left, and as the blade reached the apex of the half-circle, he spun the sword in the air to put it back to normal position, and removed everything from the zombie's shoulders up from the body, watching it drop limp. Auron turned to Alina.

"I think a gun works better."

OOC: I threw them up into the air because Alina is in the Bellfrey, aka the steeple.

IC:
Aidan quickly patted himself down, looking for anything he could use, when he felt them, his quiver.

Pulling out arrows, he waited and dropped the arrows down onto the zombies. As it hit the goo of their brains, it burst into flame.

Aidan knew that he might start a fire, but he was more concerned about killing the ghouls.

OOC: I threw them up into the air because Alina is in the Bellfrey, aka the steeple.

Oooooh....shit. *goes and edits*

Alina finished loading the bolt action and returned to firing. Below, Damien had snapped his Winchester to his shoulder, and fired shot after shot at the ghouls.

After several more minutes of the slaughter, the Creeps were all dead. Stan walked slowly back to the bus,and was met by Father O'Betts carrying some of the radio equipment up into the vehicle. Stan climbing into the bus saw that the Father had created a makeshift radio listening station at the back of the bus. Looking around for the seat where he had left his small bag, he found it and sat down.

Janine walked up from the back of the bus, were she had been helping her uncle, and sat down next to him.

Leaning over, she said in a quiet voice, "Are you feeling okay? You've been really withdrawn since that child creep pounced at us."

Stan looked over and shook his head, managing a weak smile, "It's nothing, don't worry about it. I'm just a little shaken, that's all."

Giving him a knowing look, Janine said, "Alright, we'll talk about it when you're ready."

Suddenly the bus jolted into motion as Alina bounded up the stairs, and Damien depressed the accelerator.

Father O'Betts smiled and shouted up from the back of the bus, "Finally, on the road again!"

Mark had returned to his seat after the zombs were dealt with.
To anyody who was paying attention he asked "Are we on the road for good now? or is there another pitstop to pick stuff up before we finally leave this town?"

Aidan put on his Leather Jacket and helmet. He walked over to his motorcycle and started stowing his stuff. He kicked it into gear and yelled at Alina, "Hey, Alina, send me the directions as we go so I can be out front!"

OOC: I'll post this for TLO so that it doesn't bog down the game

IC
Alina nodded as she got on the bus beside Damien.

She opened up the map and started to plan the route they would be taking.

Damien started up the engine once everyone who wasn't driving something else was aboard, and drove off to follow Aidan as his wife gave them directions.

"No, I don't have another stash of the same magnitute." Kara replied to the question about picking up more supplies. So unless anyone else has some other supplies they need, we should likely head out."

"I vaguely remember someone mentioning picking up a few things from a weapon store, that may be more important now that we have used some of ammo in this fight, keeping a supply in the bus may be useful." Mark replied turning sideways in his seat and leaning against the window to be able to look round the bus at people; "But, there are probably a lot of gun shops on the roads we will travel. So we have a choice, stock up now, or leave it till later, roll the dice or play it safe, the choice is yours."

Ic: A large man walked beside what seemed like a large tank. "Janet, did you find anything?" He yelled. A female voice cam from one side of the bus. "No, I didn't. Get Jay on the radio." Jack (for that was the man's name) clicked on a small radio. "Hey Jay, find anything wrong with the computer?" A reply came back. "No, everything seems to be fine. It has to be something with the Bus." Jack sighed. "I guess you're right." He clicked the radio off. "Janet, got anything" he yelled. "Yeah, we got four cut electrical cables, a broken fuel line, and four slashed tires. It must have been from those damn zombies we had a while ago." "Damn." He swore to himself. "Alright, let's get on it." He pulled some tools out when he heard a low humming. A car! He thought. "Jay, fire a flare." He radioed. A turret turned and a flare, bright and red came out. He waited, hoping.

"I vaguely remember someone mentioning picking up a few things from a weapon store, that may be more important now that we have used some of ammo in this fight, keeping a supply in the bus may be useful." Mark replied turning sideways in his seat and leaning against the window to be able to look round the bus at people; "But, there are probably a lot of gun shops on the roads we will travel. So we have a choice, stock up now, or leave it till later, roll the dice or play it safe, the choice is yours."

OOC: TAP here. For some reason I am stuck logged on as my Brother's account and we can't get it to log him out. So, for a little while I will be posting under NN's account, but in a quote box. Sorry for any confusion this generates


"Yeah, that was me. However, the Gunstore and Hunting supply store is on our way to the Highway, so we should be able to stop there on our way out of town." Aidan looked at the others through his helmet's visor. "It shouldn't take to long."

Father O'Betts walked up from where he had been sitting in the back of the bus. "We should stay off the highways for a while, they're still clogged with traffic from those who died while trying to escape the city. They didn't make it too far though, we should be able to pick it back up in a few miles."

The miles rolled by as the pleasant back country almost managed to hide the hell waiting beyond the amber colored hills. Still, the rising smoke on the horizon revealed the true situation, a result of the fires still burning in what had once been the greatest Metropolis in the Western world.

As Father O'Betts was about to return to his seat by the radio, a flare shot up down the road. Pointing, he said "Look at that! Slow down, Damien."

Father O'Betts walked up from where he had been sitting in the back of the bus. "We should stay off the highways for a while, they're still clogged with traffic from those who died while trying to escape the city. They didn't make it too far though, we should be able to pick it back up in a few miles."

The miles rolled by as the pleasant back country almost managed to hide the hell waiting beyond the amber colored hills. Still, the rising smoke on the horizon revealed the true situation, a result of the fires still burning in what had once been the greatest Metropolis in the Western world.

As Father O'Betts was about to return to his seat by the radio, a flare shot up down the road. Pointing, he said "Look at that! Slow down, Damien."

OOC: see the OOC page for details as to why I am stuck logged in as this :p

Aidan shook his head as Alina communicated to him what the good father had said, "Sorry father, forgot we had something other than a bunch of bikes. I have been able to get around easily using my motorcyle because I can slip between the cars."

"whoah" Aidan said as the flare went up, "I am going to investigate. Will keep in contact."

Alina communicated to the rest of the group what Aidan said.

As the flare went up, she pushed her mind to try a directional scan in that direction. With Aidan going to investigate, it would help him stay in contact with the rest of the group.

Damien slowed down, also scanning in that direction.

"This is Damien Jaeger to the launcher of the flare, please respond over. A member of our group on a Harley is heading you way, name of Aidan O'Mara. Please do not shoot him. over."

Turning to the Father he said, "Try to raise them on other frequencies, the more people we have trying to raise them, the better."

Father O'Betts nodded, and returned to the back of the bus to his make shift Radio station, and began transmitting a morse code hail over a number of frequencies that modulated from one to the other as the message completed.

Stan looked around to see why they'd stopped and then turned to Janine hoping that somehow she knew more than he did. Before he had a chance to open his mouth, she said, "They're saying something about a flare. Maybe there are more survivors?"

Stan nodded, slightly unsettled by the fact that she had answered his unvoiced question.

Stan then stood up from his window seat and shouted up, "Hey Alina, why don't you cover him from the roof of the bus?"

"A flare?" Kara enquired of Stan. "Don't you mean another bus?"

Why she asked the second question, she didn't know, but it seemed appropriate, and she was pretty sure that they were soon to meet three more survivors, as unlikely as that sounded.

Father O'Betts nodded, and returned to the back of the bus to his make shift Radio station, and began transmitting a morse code hail over a number of frequencies that modulated from one to the other as the message completed.

Stan looked around to see why they'd stopped and then turned to Janine hoping that somehow she knew more than he did. Before he had a chance to open his mouth, she said, "They're saying something about a flare. Maybe there are more survivors?"

Stan nodded, slightly unsettled by the fact that she had answered his unvoiced question.

Stan then stood up from his window seat and shouted up, "Hey Alina, why don't you cover him from the roof of the bus?"

IC: TLO
"Will do." Alina said. She grabbed her bolt action and made her way to the hatch in the middle of the bus. "Father, could you give me a lift?"

Damien slowed down very gradually, and followed Aidan at a distance.

IC: TAP

Aidan roared down the road till he got to an area a little ways from the bus.

"wow, that is what a bus should look like."

Aidan took off his helmet and revved his bike twice to gain the other group's attention.

"Hey guys, how are you doing!?"

"Will do." Alina said. She grabbed her bolt action and made her way to the hatch in the middle of the bus. "Father, could you give me a lift?"

Damien slowed down very gradually, and followed Aidan at a distance.

Father O'Betts smiled and then stood and walked to the hatch. "Certainly, my dear," he said interlocking his fingers and preparing to give her a leg up.

Father O'Betts smiled and then stood and walked to the hatch. "Certainly, my dear," he said interlocking his fingers and preparing to give her a leg up.

IC: TLO

Alina put her foot on his interlocked hands and stepped up. For a breif second she wobbled before she grabbed onto the hatch. She opened it up and pushed it off, where it fell off the bus.

She hauled herself up and looked down at the priest, "Thanks father." laying down, she pulled out her rifle and extended the bipod, hopefully it would help her to stabilise.

thinking, she pulled out a length of rope and tied it around herself, tossing it down she asked, "Could some one tie that off?"

Mark saw the flare and almost swore under his breath, instead he just mumbled; "Thats a sure way to tempt fate, show everyone and everything around where you are." He sighed and made sure his gus were loaded and he had enough ammo, just in case.

Alina put her foot on his interlocked hands and stepped up. For a breif second she wobbled before she grabbed onto the hatch. She opened it up and pushed it off, where it fell off the bus.

She hauled herself up and looked down at the priest, "Thanks father." laying down, she pulled out her rifle and extended the bipod, hopefully it would help her to stabilise.

thinking, she pulled out a length of rope and tied it around herself, tossing it down she asked, "Could some one tie that off?"

Father O'Betts grabbed the dangling rope, and tied it firmly to a strut that supported one of the chairs. "There you go," he said up to Alina.

Stan had wandered to the front of the bus, and was absent-mindedly flipping the safety on his .45 on and off. Thinking about it, he left it safe, and put in back loosely in its holster. Leaning over to Damien he said, "Get up there. If they had wanted to hurt us, they would have done it already. They could have annihilated this bus from a mile away with the fire power on their... vehicle."

How Stan knew this was a mystery to even him, but he felt as though he seen the "bus" that they were approaching. It was like deja vu, only he was sure he'd never seen it before.

IC: Jay was bombarded by a storm of hailing signals. On all frequencies he broadcasted. "Shut that stuff off! One person talking! On one channel. Don't worry, we'll hear it."

Janet and Jack had turned to the man. Janet looked back to her work while Jack approached the man. "I'm doin' good. Hey', what's your name?" He asked the man.

IC: Jay was bombarded by a storm of hailing signals. On all frequencies he broadcasted. "Shut that stuff off! One person talking! On one channel. Don't worry, we'll hear it."

Janet and Jack had turned to the man. Janet looked back to her work while Jack approached the man. "I'm doin' good. Hey', what's your name?" He asked the man.

OOC: yeah, we got the log out function to work

IC
"Name's Aidan O'Mara, Survivalist and Heir. I am with that other bus over there, we have a woman who claims that by heading to San Fran we can stop the Ghouls. Figured it was worth a shot, and hey, I might like it more now with out all the people."

IC: Jay was bombarded by a storm of hailing signals. On all frequencies he broadcasted. "Shut that stuff off! One person talking! On one channel. Don't worry, we'll hear it."

Janet and Jack had turned to the man. Janet looked back to her work while Jack approached the man. "I'm doin' good. Hey', what's your name?" He asked the man.

"sorry, this is Damien Jaeger, please comeback, over,"

DAmien looked back and did a cut off motion with his hand to the other radio operator.

Father O'Betts looked up just in time to see Damien's hand signal, and quickly shut off his hails. "Would you like to do the talking, or should I?" he asked his companion in the front seat.

"Name's Aidan O'Mara, Survivalist and Heir. I am with that other bus over there, we have a woman who claims that by heading to San Fran we can stop the Ghouls. Figured it was worth a shot, and hey, I might like it more now with out all the people."

"My name's Jack Bradley, and I helped build this thing. You know, we don't have anything to do really, so we can tag along to San Fran and help out if you want." He offered. "I'm done!" Janet yelled from the otherside of the bus. She walked over toward Aiden and said "Hi, I'm Janet."

"sorry, this is Damien Jaeger, please comeback, over,"


"This is Jay Bradley, what's your current position, over." Jay said into the radio well triangulating their position using the computer.

"My name's Jack Bradley, and I helped build this thing. You know, we don't have anything to do really, so we can tag along to San Fran and help out if you want." He offered. "I'm done!" Janet yelled from the otherside of the bus. She walked over toward Aiden and said "Hi, I'm Janet."




"This is Jay Bradley, what's your current position, over." Jay said into the radio well triangulating their position using the computer.

"That would be great, that bus of yours would be a great help. Come on, our bus is back this way. I'll lead you there."

Aidan turned his bike around and gunned it toward the less awesome bus that Damien was driving.

Janet and Jack hopped into the Bus and started it up. The gears started to grind and the four cumbustion engines started up. The treads started to move and they followed Damien at a slow pace.

OOC: Whoops! I forgot about this.

Auron didn't bother to get off the bus when they stopped, he was more concerned about his seventeen-year-old daughter in the seat beside him who was now just waking up. She ajusted her current position, loosening her clothing a bit to let in more air. Slipping off her shoes, she stretched out over both seats, rubbing her temples a bit. Auron looked over towards her.

"You shouldn't have done that if you knew you this would happen." Yuna looked up to her father and sighed.

"It wasn't much, I didn't think I'd pass out." Auron sighed and layed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's best that you simply practice and meditate until you are stronger before you engage. I don't want that to happen again." She simply nodded and laid her head back down, closing her eyes to rest. Auron shook his head and looked up at the bus, seeing it filled up once more, and began to meditate.

(OOC: I've been gone a while. I'll look through the thread to see what I missed, but first I must ask, where are you now? Did I miss the St. Louis scene?)

OOC: Nope, we're on the road though, so we'll be in St. Louis in a few days. In the mean time, your survival posts for your two chars were great. Keep it up.

OOC: Sorry guys, had a big Service Project today, and forgot to mention it. Will post more tomorrow

IC
Aidan gunned the bike and rode back to the bus.

"Hey guys, you have to see this!"

OOC: can't seem to log off here to post as TLO, sorry

IC
Damien answered, "just follow the guy with the bike, he is with us."

Damien stopped the bus, so that they wouldn't be seen as threatening.

Alina detatched the rope, and stood up, waving at the new guys.

Damien opened the doors and stepped off, waving to. Though he smiled, he also did his best to passively scan their minds. Though he wasn't very good. Everynow and then, what would have been the equivalent of Active Sonar slipped in with his passive scans, which registered as a serious itch in the Hypothalmus Gland.

Jack stopped the Bus and came out, smiling. He felt and itch on the back of his neck. He ignored it and he waved at the man and the girl. "How's everyone doing?" He asked in a loud voice, unsure of what to do.

Stan stepped down out of the bus, followed by Janine and Father O'Betts. He looked over the other man before nodding to himself and extending his hand. "My name's Stanley, Stanley Hargrove. We're doing pretty well, but," he indicated the technofortress on wheels that was the "bus", "...not as well as you, it would seem."

Father O'Betts extended his hand as well, and then said, "Enough with the formalities, we need to be getting on down the road. Are you going to come with us?"

Kara had dozed off as the bus stopped and was snoring slightly as she curled up in the bus chair, the arm of the chair bending into a psuedo pillow, something beyond physical strength to do.

Stan stepped down out of the bus, followed by Janine and Father O'Betts. He looked over the other man before nodding to himself and extending his hand. "My name's Stanley, Stanley Hargrove. We're doing pretty well, but," he indicated the technofortress on wheels that was the "bus", "...not as well as you, it would seem."

Father O'Betts extended his hand as well, and then said, "Enough with the formalities, we need to be getting on down the road. Are you going to come with us?"

Jack shook Stan's and the Father's hands. He turned to Stan first. "Yeah. Janet's a mechanic, I'm a electrician, and Jay, who is still in there, is a computer technician. Most of the parts we got from a military base. There were a few choppers there, but we never got the chance to get one." He then turned to Father O'Betts. "Yes, we will. Where's the first stop?" He asked.

Jack shook Stan's and the Father's hands. He turned to Stan first. "Yeah. Janet's a mechanic, I'm a electrician, and Jay, who is still in there, is a computer technician. Most of the parts we got from a military base. There were a few choppers there, but we never got the chance to get one." He then turned to Father O'Betts. "Yes, we will. Where's the first stop?" He asked.

<Errie, followed by Cleveland, to Indianapolis, to Cincinnati, to Columbia MO, to St. Louis, KC, Fort Leavenworth, Topeka, Salina, Denver, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, Carson City, Sacramento, and finally San Francisco.>

Though Damien's mouth didn't move, all could hear him in their mind.

Stan shook his head at the voice that spoke somewhere past his ears in the hearing process. Shivering a little, he said, "That's still creepy to me, and I've already gotten a chance to know the guy. That's the itinerary. We'll be skirting the major cities, except for St. Louis which we have to pass directly through to cross the Miss, and of course San Fran."

==Beneath the Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO==

Steven Parks awoke with a start. There had been a loud crash of some kind from the main section of the visitor's center. He looked to his left. The cop was still snoring away some ten feet from Parks' current position. Parks slid out of his sleeping bag and picked up his rifle from the mound of gear neatly arranged in the center of the museum. The dim glow from the few operating lights did little more than add texture to the darkness. It was a wonder that any of them were working at all - apparently, someone had rigged a makeshift generator out of car batteries and copious amounts of wire, although why was a mystery. Not willing to trust the dim illumination, Parks attached a flashlight to his rifle and crept into the atrium.

No one could creep quite like Steven Parks. He remained unnoticed by the creature in the atrium until he was almost on top of it. The thing that had once been a human being was hideously mangled. Its face had been smashed by some tremendous blow, rendering it blind and incapable of smelling. It relied entirely on touch and hearing to fumble its way around the world in search of sustenence.

At least, it had relied on touch and hearing.

The gunshot rang out throughout the complex. The four other people in the building were jolted awake. Mitchel, who had been technically awake anyway (in the same way that a braindead individual hooked up to life support is technically alive), was the first to actually do anything about it. Within seconds he had jumped to his feet and grabbed his pistol and a flashlight. Immediately he ran into the atrium, praying that whatever had happened, it was over. He was relieved to see that his prayers were answered. Captain Parks was standing over the dead body of what had once been one of St. Louis's finest, a SWAT officer judging by the remnants of uniform the still clung to the emaciated corpse. The two of them reluctantly and solemnly carried the stinking thing outside and set about to the task of reconstructing the barricade that the creature had spent hours trying to smash through. Using detritus gathered from around the area, an arc welder, and several hours, they successfully build a rather sophisticated barrier which not only would likely stop the ghouls which stalked the city, but had three firing slits to make sure that they never had to find out if it would hold, and could even be opened to allow people in or out.

Mitchel slumped to the ground, exhausted. The construction of the barricade had required four tense, terrifying hours out in the open. The fact that they had survived was downright miraculous. He was glad the little Army doctor from Georgia had showed up, because he sure as hell would never have been able to make a barricade like that.

Steven Parks was a soldier only by default. He had just recently completed med school, and after completing an officer training course had recieved an immediate commission to Captain because of his outstanding marks. He had been assigned to biosafety level 4 work at USAMRIID, and had had the job only four months when the outbreak happened. Late in the outbreak, when USAMRIID was running dangerously short on staff, he had been sent as part of a team of fifteen men and women - the last remaining BSL-4 personnel alive - to attempt to locate some kind of a cure. Although they followed every safety precaution to the letter, it was only a matter of time before someone slipped up. After three weeks of fruitless searching, someone accidentally left the airlock to the Portable Hermetically Sealed Living Space (basically a controlled-environment tent) open overnight. Parks had been the only one of their number immune to the disease. That had been twenty-four days ago. Since then, he had wandered the streets of St. Louis, searching for a cure, helping where he could, and, above all, surviving.

EDIT (OOC: My dad lives in Columbia [in real life, not in the RP], so I know a bit about the town's layout, as well as a few important landmarks. When you pass through there, if you could stop by Wren Wood Drive to pick up supplies or something, I could work a few things from RL into the RP)

Auron's eyes snapped open. Cheyenne? Hmm, it's been awhile. He noticed a few other live beings around, breathing a sigh of relief that more could be found. He closed his eyes again, but his mind kept wandering back to Cheyenne, and what he knew waited for him there....

Auron's eyes snapped open. Cheyenne? Hmm, it's been awhile. He noticed a few other live beings around, breathing a sigh of relief that more could be found. He closed his eyes again, but his mind kept wandering back to Cheyenne, and what he knew waited for him there....

Damien jumped a litle as Auron's thoughts went from dormant to active. It seemed they had been triggered by the word "Cheyenne." Damien nodded to Alina, who attempted a direct connect to Auron.

<Auron, this is Alina, sorry to intrude, but your sudden awakening caught Damien and I by surprise. What is signifigant about Cheyenne?>

Stan nodded a little to himself, and shuffled his feet a little, not quite sure how to end the conversation. Deciding to just skip formalities he said, "Alright, let's get a move on then."

He, the Father, and Janine stepped back onto the bus. As he passed Damien, he said, "Let's go. See if you can give them detailed instructions, and then they can take post with their... fortress."

Stan nodded a little to himself, and shuffled his feet a little, not quite sure how to end the conversation. Deciding to just skip formalities he said, "Alright, let's get a move on then."

He, the Father, and Janine stepped back onto the bus. As he passed Damien, he said, "Let's go. See if you can give them detailed instructions, and then they can take post with their... fortress."

"Gotcha," Damien said.

<Okay guys, take post behind us, Aidan is going to be riding in front. My wife will be broadcasting Directions to both you and Aidan, so follow her lead.>

Aidan nodded to the bus and gunned his bike, taking off in front of the tour bus, which followed behind him.

Jack nodded and thought <Gotcha.> He climbed back into the Bus, waited for Janet to get on, and took off after the touring bus.

Auron sensed the probe of Alina, and initially blocked her out, annoyed that she would attempt to get into his mind. But sensing that she meant no harm, he allowed her connection to continue, and listened to what she had to say. He smirked at her question.

I'm not quite sure if I can tell you yet, Auron telepathically replied. Not that I have to worry about being hunted. I'm just wondering if you REALLY want to know.

Auron, however, clearly sending the message that he didn't want to talk about it at the moment, began to slow his mind and body once more, meditating.

Auron sensed the probe of Alina, and initially blocked her out, annoyed that she would attempt to get into his mind. But sensing that she meant no harm, he allowed her connection to continue, and listened to what she had to say. He smirked at her question.

I'm not quite sure if I can tell you yet, Auron telepathically replied. Not that I have to worry about being hunted. I'm just wondering if you REALLY want to know.

Auron, however, clearly sending the message that he didn't want to talk about it at the moment, began to slow his mind and body once more, meditating.

<I understand> Alina said, backing out of his mind again.

OOC: Regenius, let us know if anything interesting happens on our way to the next stop.

Kara woke to find the bus moving, and her sitting in a chair that looked like it had been molded just for her, one that was quite different than the one she'd gone to sleep in and thus let out a rather piercing shriek.

Kara woke to find the bus moving, and her sitting in a chair that looked like it had been molded just for her, one that was quite different than the one she'd gone to sleep in and thus let out a rather piercing shriek.

Even outside the bus, Aidan could hear the scream. surprised, he started to woble on the bike and wqas forced to jump clear and into the gulleys along the side of the road.

Damien wanted to throw his hands up to his temples, trying to block out both the scream and the fear radiating off of the girl.

As he fought the wheel and hit the brakes, Alina moved backwards, trying to reach Kara. <Kara, it's okay, it's okay, you don't need to be scared, it's okay, it's okay!> Even her mind had to shout to be heard against the screameing.

However, as she did do, she also sent over images of Puppies, the Dawn, running water, all trying to stimulate the pleasure centers in Kara's mind to just stop the scream.

Kara squirmed out of the chair, wide-eyed at the fact that it was radically different from what it had been, and she could see no way it had gotten that way. "The ch..ch..ch..chair, what happened to it?" She asked, still on the verge of hysteria.

Kara squirmed out of the chair, wide-eyed at the fact that it was radically different from what it had been, and she could see no way it had gotten that way. "The ch..ch..ch..chair, what happened to it?" She asked, still on the verge of hysteria.

Alina knelt beside her, and said soothingly, "You must have reshaped it. Aidan told me about how you caused that zombie to go flying over into the ocean. You must have reshaped it into a form that was more comfortable. I kind of wish I could do it as well."

"But that's impossible." She insisted, shaking her head as she couldn't accept the concept of telekenisis as a viable ability, it was too much like science fiction for her.

"But that's impossible." She insisted, shaking her head as she couldn't accept the concept of telekenisis as a viable ability, it was too much like science fiction for her.

"Well you did," Alina said. <Let's keep moving toward Erie, I want to get to the highway as soon as possible.> she told Damine, as she looked forward to see Adian getting back on his bike while rubbing his backside, which he had injured in his leap from his bike.

Aidan gunned the bike, and Damien followed as they took off back down the road.

"Here, try this," Alina rumaged around in her pack till she found a locket that she had hidden there for safe keeping, "This is light, concentrate on it and see if you can't make it move upwards just a little."

When Jack heard the scream, he stopped the Bus and picked up a rather large knife and went out the door. Jay was already there with a basterd sword. "What happened?" He asked Jay. " I don't know." Jay replied. They run up to the other bus and knocked on the door. "What happened?" Jack yelled.

When Jack heard the scream, he stopped the Bus and picked up a rather large knife and went out the door. Jay was already there with a basterd sword. "What happened?" He asked Jay. " I don't know." Jay replied. They run up to the other bus and knocked on the door. "What happened?" Jack yelled.

<Calm down, it's okay.> Damien called via his mind as he got the bus moving again, <One of the girls on our bus woke up to find she had acidently used her TK abilities to mold the chair to her body. She still has trouble believeing she can do it.>

<Ok.> Jack thought. He mentioned to Jay and the walked back to the Bus. They started it up and continued on their way.

Mark had been dozing through the introductions, he awoke to hear the scream and instantly stood up and looked over, Kira seemed to be panicking, he was tempted to try and calm her down but she seemed jumpy around guys. He heard a clatter at his feet and looked down to see he had torn the armchair of the chair he had been sitting in as her jumped up. He glanced around hoping that nobody had noticed and then tapped it gingerly under the chair. He didn't think he should be able to do that, he would have to investigate this later.

He watched as Aline tried to calm her down and then moved slowly closer to see what she was trying to do.

Kara shook her head no at the request, before deciding to humour her her silly request. Looking at the locket, she concentrate on it and when she opened her eyes again, precisely nothing had happened. "There you see, it can't be done." She said as if that proved everything.

Kara shook her head no at the request, before deciding to humour her her silly request. Looking at the locket, she concentrate on it and when she opened her eyes again, precisely nothing had happened. "There you see, it can't be done." She said as if that proved everything.

Alina glanced at the locket in disapointment.

"Well, I have seen you do it. I will leave this," she said pulling out a box with an oragami crane in it, "with you, if you want to keep trying, just pull this out and concentrate on it. You may eventually be able to pull out your powers at will."

Alina stood up and walked back up to where she had been sitting. She glanced at Damien, who shrugged back at her.

<We tried.> Damien said

<I know, I just wish there was more we could do to help her develope it.> Alina said, slightly crestfallen.

<Well, she has the crane, who knows, maybe she will be able to lift it.> Damien responded.

Alina didn't respond, but rather glanced back at the young girl with a look that said much, if you could actually read any of the mixed up emotions on her face.

She just looked at the crane before fishing out a book and began reading it, rather than attempting to do the impossible, at least as it stood in her mind.

Mark shook his head as he watched Kira's reaction, he couldn't help but remember something he had heard a long time before, Nothing is impossible, only highly improbable.

He sat near her and said, "How many times will you prove that what you think is impossible is not as impossible as you think before you actually believe it?"

"The next time will be the first." She replied as she looked up for a second as she continued to read her book.

ooc: It's Kara, not Kira

Mark shrugged, some people refused to believe what there eyes tell them. He decided to take a differant tack. "So, how do you explain the chair changing shape? The warmth of your personality bending it?"

ooc: sorry, i'll keep that in mind.

"It was defective and degrade in the time since it stopped getting a decent mechanic to service it and from being exposed to the elements and all that." She replied

Mark could see this was going nowhere, "Ok, i'll your word for it" he said, then turning away he added, "Its a shame though, it could be quite a useful ability." He returned to his seat and sat down thinking.

He went to use to rest his arm on the arm rest and cut himself on the metal that was left after he had torn it off earlier, cursing he lifted him arm to his mouth to lick the wound.

"You really should put a bandage on that." She commented without looking up from her book, a second before he put his arm on the arm rest and cut himself.

Mark looked back at Kara and tried to sigh while still icking his arm, all this psychic stuff was starting to get on his nerves and the last thing he needed was a cut on the arm that was hurting like hell. He winced as a spike of pain struck his arm and then to his great relief the pain vanished.

Reaching into his pocket with his other hand he grabbed a tissue and used it to wipe the blood away, then to his great surprise he saw that the cut had vanished, there was a line of pale white flesh where the cut should have been but it had apparently healed, he looked at the blood covered tissue then back and his arm. He shook his head. Things were starting to get weird.

He was tempted to make some snide remark back at Kara about not needing a bandage or pressing the psychic angle again, but his head had started to spin so he slumped back in his chair and closed his eyes, waiting for the world to stop spinning.

Yunalesca opened her eyes after a few hours of napping, tilting her head back to watch the skyline. This, however, did nothing to cure her boredom, so she stretched a little and sat up, putting her slippers back on. She looked around the bus a little, not really noticing anything significant. She looked to her father, seeing him meditate. That's all he ever does, anymore. She sighed, leaning her head against the window, watching with only half-interest the scenery go by.

She was seventeen, she was supposed to be in her last years of high school, enjoying the senior year, dating a guy who actually mattered, dancing at prom, hanging with friends...

Then all this happened, Yuna thought, her mind just as gloomy as outside. Yunalesca felt a strong bond to Auron, but at the same time none at all. Yuna wasn't actually Auron's daughter by blood. Her father and Auron were good friends, and when the virus hit, Lieutenant General Daniel Braskon was in charge of quarentining the major facilities and installations that needed to be secured from the virus. Unfortunately, when he was inspecting the sites around the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Centre, a riot began to break out from the panic that the virus made. Obviously, the citizenry didn't take too kindly to the military closing off possible safe-havens, so they started protesting outside the perimeter set up, but then they charged forward....



"Sir, they're starting to charge!" The young seargant turned around to General Braskon in desperation. All around him, chaos was descending on the world, and here, the citizens they were sworn to protect were now charging them. The military units were all armoured with the new enviro-suits in order to protect them from the virus, which they had no idea about, other than its affects. The rioters began throwing rocks at the soldiers. However, chaos only watched over the situation...

Until a little later, when Chaos entered the battle personally. A shot rang out from the rioters, hitting a soldier. The General knew there was only one option at this point. There were things in the Complex that had to be saved.

"Weapons free!" There was obvious hesitation, but eventually the soldiers did as they were ordered, and opened fire on the group of rioters.

"General, get back inside!" General Braskon nodded, and started to turn around when he was clipped by a knife in the leg. He went down on one knee from the sudden shock, and he looked up to see a bloodied rioter stare him in the eyes. General Braskon went for an uppercut, making contact at the adam's apple. The rioter was stunned, giving a nearby soldier to rip apart his chest with 5.56 automatic fire, the rioter's blood showering the soldiers.

The General limped back inside the complex, being quickly stripped of his armour and literally tossed into the chemical showers, and sent to the medical bay, behind the quarentine Red Zone.

It was later found out that the rioter that attacked the General was infected, and all who came into contact with him were also quarentined -- this included Auron and Yuna, who were watching the scene from up top.

Braskon's immune system was unnaturally strong, however, and nearly defeated the virus. Auron and Yuna were allowed to see him, afterwards.

A few days later, the doctors and nurses began getting sick, as did Yuna and Auron. Braskon's symptoms suddenly reappeared, and he was nearly dead when the incident occured.

Yuna and Auron, both showing the same genetic anomalies as Braskon, both recovered completely from the illness, which was found to have mutated within Braskon to become airbourne. Within a few more days, virtually the entire facility was infected, leaving Auron and Yuna without much hope.

A few weeks into the incident, Yunalesca was sitting on her bed when Auron barged into the room.

"Come on, we need to go, now!" Yuna was scared, but she came along anyways. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the tunnels, the fire shooting across the hallway.

Yuna later found out that Auron planted explosives in all of the hallways, along with anything that burned, in order to prevent the odd sightings he was witnessing from reoccuring.

They finally made it out, running out to the airfield where one of Auron's friends was waiting for them with a helicoptor. As they took off, they could see a massive fireball burst out of the tunnel to enter the base.....



Yuna began to cry a little, but when she turned around to lean against the side of the bus, Auron was there, holding her close, trying to comfort his adopted daughter.

OOC: Basically, that was just Yuna re-living that moment in her head. Anyone with telepathy could have also read and "experienced" it. Anyone without, well, your loss. :P

And no, Regenius, this isn't what we talked about, just setting up for some of it.

Janine had a blank stare and a horrified look on her face as Stan looked over. Quietly, he said "Janine?"

When she didn't respond, he shook her a little and repeated her name, this time a little louder.

Blinking, she shook a little and then looked around. Seeing Stanley, she suddenly grabbed hold of him and began crying into his shoulder.

Looking around confused and cught off guard Stan slowly reached around and put his arms around her and patted her lightly on the back as she continued crying. In a low voice, he asked, "What's wrong?"

In between sobs, she said, "I... just saw... something terrible."

Looking around, Stanley saw nothing but the woods, and signs for the highway entrance ramp. Confused again he asked, "What was it?"

Shaking her head in his chest, she said, "No, I don't... want to talk... about it."

Patting her on the back again, he whispered, "Alright, we'll talk about it later."

Holding her tightly, he looked back out the window. They were finally crawling up the on ramp. Cresting the hill, the bus rolled to a stop. All four lanes were empty. There were several skeletal frames from the few cars that made it out this far, but they'd been torn to pieces in the months since. Beside them lay the bodies of their owners, they had long since been picked clean by the marauding creeps, and were mostly the ghostly white of a bare skeleton.

The Father looked up from where he was sitting in the back, and then bowed his head and crossed himself. "God rest their souls..." he muttered to himself as the bus started off again on its journey to St. Louis.

Alina had volunteered for the job of passive scanning because Damien was driving. Now, she wished she hadn't.

"My god, they fired on civillians!" she said in a hushed voice.

As the dream went on, she eventually tore herself from the connection, just as the others began to turn.

Alina drew herself inwards, focusing on maintaining a weak link with Aidan and the guys driving the second bus so that they could keep the order of the ride.

As she read, Kara's mind occasionally returned to the paper crane. Every so often when it did so the crane would flutter as if a light breeze, though she was so engrossed in the novel that it didn't register.

Aidan continued to roar down the road, keeping an eye out for any zombies.

OOC: will edit this post with whatever Reg wants us to encounter when he tells us.

(OOC: bumpity bump-bump BOING!)

Mark opened his eyes, the last thing he remembered was cutting himself and the world spinning. He sat up and looked at where his arm had been cut, there was a white line, but nothing else.

Shaking his head he realized that his throat was as dry as a crypt and he was very thirsty, standing up and grabbing hold of one of the seats to stabalise himself he rasped "Where did we put the drinks?"

Jay opened up a radio channel. "Hey, why are we going to San Fran? What's there?"

Jay opened up a radio channel. "Hey, why are we going to San Fran? What's there?"

Damien answered on the radio, "Hey Jay, just a sec,"

turning he motioned for the young scientist to come forward, "It's for you."

Janine walked forward and took the small receiver that Damien offered. Lifting it to her mouth, she sighed, weary and not quite prepared to tell of her own less than perfect past. Taking in her breath, she pressed the button and began to tell her story.

*****

"...and so that's why we have to go to San Francisco. So that we might put an end to this," she concluded motioning her hand around to the surroundings for the benefit of no one in particular.

Janine walked forward and took the small receiver that Damien offered. Lifting it to her mouth, she sighed, weary and not quite prepared to tell of her own less than perfect past. Taking in her breath, she pressed the button and began to tell her story.

*****

"...and so that's why we have to go to San Francisco. So that we might put an end to this," she concluded motioning her hand around to the surroundings for the benefit of no one in particular.

Jay furrowed his eyebrows. "Will the cure affect the virus in the air? Over." He said into the radio.

Auron was monitoring the conversation on the radio, listening intently. While he couldn't pick up the actual signal, he could hear Janine from the bus, and pick up Jay's thoughts, connecting them to form the coherent conversation. He ensured that neither would pick up on his monitoring, however. Auron himself was a little more powerful than he let on....

What an idiot. Auron would have grunted, but that would have involved showing through his masking of increased mental activity. Cures, of course, do not attack the virus in the air or on something, they aid the immune system to destroy it. He should know about viruses, Auron thought. He IS a human, after all.

Jay felt an itch at the back of his neck. Damnit. he thought, and began building mental walls to block whoever was probing him out.

Jay furrowed his eyebrows. "Will the cure affect the virus in the air? Over." He said into the radio.

Damien heard the response over the radio, and thought back. "It is a retrovirus right? That would mean that it should affect any and all viral...well not cells but ...all traces of the virus, right?"

He turned to Janine as he asked that, hoping for a nod to the affirmative.

Janine nodded, affirming that the virus would be entirely wiped out.

"Alrighty then. Over." Said Jay. He went back to playing Elder Scrolls VII:Hircine's Rule.

The ride was relatively uneventful, the only major problems were finding gas stations that still had working pumps, and paths through the motionless congestion on the highway. Before many of the people on the bus realized it, they had pulled up on the outskirts of St. Louis.

(OOC: Northeastern outskirts of the city, right? From Illinois?)

(ooc: yea)

OOC: Sweet, let's see what happens

IC: Aidan looked out at the city scape before him as the bus lumbered up brehind him. His motorcycle idled between his legs, and his visor was up.

The Poplar Street Bridge stretched out before him, passing into the city.

As the bus caught up, he revved his bike, and gunned his way into the city, praying for all he was worth that nothing sat in the cars on that bridge.

Aidan felt a strange vibration that was different from the one his bike usually sent up.

He pulled over and stopped his bike. Turning it off, he could hear it coming from the center of the city.

"What the...?" Aidan restarted his bike and drove forward, concerned that something could happen, he started to meditate slightly, focusing on the itch in his hypothalmus, along with the fire he could feel contained within. Should anything happen, he wanted to be ready.

Father O'Betts looked up from his radio equipment where he had been fiddling with the frequencies, and shouted forward to Damien, "Stop the bus! I'm getting a distress signal."

Father O'Betts looked up from his radio equipment where he had been fiddling with the frequencies, and shouted forward to Damien, "Stop the bus! I'm getting a distress signal."

DAmien hit the breaks, maybe a little to hard. He was forced forward as the negative G's hit him. Luckily, it wasn't too bad.

"Where is the call coming from?" Alina asked.

Father O'Betts was scrambling around now, looking for a map. Papers were literally flying through the air before he found the one he needed, and laid it out on a makeshift Table he had made between two seat. Pencil and compass in hand, he set about triangulating the position of the transmitter.

Meanwhile, however, he was still listening to the message. Slowly, he lifted his head up, and looked back at the rest of the bus. "They're saying something about a large mass of the zombies forming near the bridge. It's like they're being drawn there, they say."

In a few more moments, he had finished his calculations. "If my math is right, they're somewhere near the Gateway Arch."

Father O'Betts was scrambling around now, looking for a map. Papers were literally flying through the air before he found the one he needed, and laid it out on a makeshift Table he had made between two seat. Pencil and compass in hand, he set about triangulating the position of the transmitter.

Meanwhile, however, he was still listening to the message. Slowly, he lifted his head up, and looked back at the rest of the bus. "They're saying something about a large mass of the zombies forming near the bridge. It's like they're being drawn there, they say."

In a few more moments, he had finished his calculations. "If my math is right, they're somewhere near the Gateway Arch."

<Aidan, did you get that, large mass of Zombies forming near you, be ready for combat.> Alina sent the message as she got out of the bus with her Rifle, and aimed down the bridge. Sure enough, there was the mass of zombies.

"Send them a message, let them know that we are on the Poplar Street Bridge, and ask them if they can fire into the mob from their locations." Damine said as he also left the bus, Winchester in hand.

Aidan had stopped his motorcycle as soon as he saw the ghouls, and was laying on top of a van, M-1 aimed and ready. Farther back, Damien took up position, and knelt down to ensure a better firing position.

<Ready.> the two pshycics told Aidan, who responded by exciting the molecules of the zombie in the center of the mass, exciting them instantly to the level necessary to create a small blaze.

Aidan fired as soon as the tounges of flame could be seen, and listened as the reports of both Damien and Alina's weapons echoed towards him. Aidan and Alina knocked out their targets with a shot to the head, while Damien's hit one in the leg and sent it down, sprawling into several more.

Steven and Mitchel had been sitting attentively at Mitchel's ham radio set when the rumbling began. Soon after, the transmission from the people on the bridge arrived. "We'll do what we can," Mitchel said into the radio. He grabbed his shotgun. Parks was already armed and suited up. Mitchel told the young lady camped out with them to monitor the radio, and the two men opened the door in their barricade. They climbed the stairs to ground level, and immediately saw the horde. They were surprised but gratified to see that several of the ghouls were apparently aflame. The two of them hung back, staying in the shadow of the Arch to avoid being seen by the horde. Steven raised his rifle to his face, took careful aim, and fired.

Time seemed to stop for Steven. He could feel the round he had just fired, he could see it slowly lancing through the air. He could see that it would be a clean miss. But, somewhere, in the back of his mind, he imagined he could reach out, so that he was just brushing it with the tips of his fingers, and push it down a little bit.

The round hit the zombie he had been aiming at squarely between the eyes. It collapsed, and was immediately fell upon by the other zombies. Mitchel gaped in astonishment. Steven stood perfectly still for a second, now positive that he was going completely insane. He hadn't really nudged the bullet, he told himself. It had just been a really lucky shot. He took aim and fired again. Another emaciated corpse fell to the ground. He had been told that the human mind does strange things to cope with terror; maybe these hallucinations were one of them. Besides, it wasn't like they were hurting anything; they apparently took place instantly. He fired a third time, and a third zombie fell, with a hole drilled perfectly in its forehead.

No matter how accurate Steven was, one man dropping ghouls one at a time would barely make a dent in the horde's numbers. Mitchel prepared to execute a slightly different method of crowd control. Before becoming a police officer, Mitchel had expressed interest in a career in engineering, and had spent many summers building a variety of trebuchets and catapults and assorted spring-loaded replicas of medieval siege weapons. This hobby was finally paying off as Mitchel prepared the two and a half foot tall trebuchet he had wheeled out with him. It was built out of various junk gathered from the visitor's center and the Arch itself, and was securely welded to a cargo dolly. Mitchel loaded it with a tried-and-true improvised weapon: a Molotov cocktail, in this case an IBC Root Beer bottle filled with gasoline and kerosene with a bit of torn shirt stuck in the bottleneck. He lit the shirt, and pulled the trebuchet's arm back. After adjusting his aim slightly, he let go, sending the bottle tumbling end over end towards the mob....

The zombies were falling, but the effort simply wasn't enough to make a dent in their numbers. There were thousands in the streets near the bridge, just milling around, not paying much attention to their comrades falling except to eat the corpses. The gunshots didn't seem to phase them. It was as though they were waiting for something. That was when the rumbling started again. It seemed to be coming from the center of the mass where occaisonally a sickly green spray of the zombie blood shot into the air.

The occupants of the bus and the Visitors center were left to wonder what the hell was going on as the angle didn't allow them to see into the center of the mass.

Jay heard the firing, and rapidly typed a "fire" command into the computer. A loud screeching sound came from the top of the Bus. "SHIT!" Jay yelled. "What?" Janet asked, running up to him. "The damn missiles are stuck! Go fix 'em!" Jay said. Janet nodded and climbed up a ladder to the rooftop. Jack grabbed a rifle and went out the door, running up and firing at the zombies. He picked two grenades out of a string and threw them. One landed harmlessly, a dud, the other fell near the periphery of the zombie crowd.

Kara was starting to feel decidedly useless as she watched the others fight the Infected. Sure she'd provided the wagon train with a heck of a lot of victuals, but beside that she might have not been present for all the good she was doing.

To take her mind off her feelings of uselessness, she looked at the paper crane and began trying to get it to move.

The zombies were falling, but the effort simply wasn't enough to make a dent in their numbers. There were thousands in the streets near the bridge, just milling around, not paying much attention to their comrades falling except to eat the corpses. The gunshots didn't seem to phase them. It was as though they were waiting for something. That was when the rumbling started again. It seemed to be coming from the center of the mass where occaisonally a sickly green spray of the zombie blood shot into the air.

The occupants of the bus and the Visitors center were left to wonder what the hell was going on as the angle didn't allow them to see into the center of the mass.

Aidan's firing slowed as he saw that they weren't stirring towards the gun shots.

"Cease firing!" Aidan yelled, "Let's see what's going on!"

Hearing him, Alina saw a ladder nearby, and began climbing. Halfway up, she was able to see, something standing in the middle of the group.

She mentally connected it so that all could see the strange thing.

OOC: If you are religous, please pray for Steve Irwin.

OOc: What is it? Can I blow it up? Can I PLEEEEEEASE blow it up?

OOc: What is it? Can I blow it up? Can I PLEEEEEEASE blow it up?

OOC: up to regenius

IC:
Alina looked down at the strange zombie in the center. She reached out with her mind and felt that alongside the mind numbing hunger, was something else, a spark of intellegence.

"My god" she said briefly, as she stared down at the strange zombie in the center.

As though it felt her intrusion into its mind, the zombie turned it's massive body, and looked at Alina. With a roar, it gestured towards her, and the others stupid zombies began shuffling and running in her direction. They were slowed though because of the gratuitous amounts of blood that now filled the streets, and were also hampered by the bottlenecking of the street which the bus was on before it dumped onto the bridge.

It was evident that the zombies were no longer in control of their own actions, as several were running stupidly into power poles, and parked cars, and were not attempting to find any way around. It was as though the one massive zombie in the center were exercising some sort of control over all of them.

As though it felt her intrusion into its mind, the zombie turned it's massive body, and looked at Alina. With a roar, it gestured towards her, and the others stupid zombies began shuffling and running in her direction. They were slowed though because of the gratuitous amounts of blood that now filled the streets, and were also hampered by the bottlenecking of the street which the bus was on before it dumped onto the bridge.

It was evident that the zombies were no longer in control of their own actions, as several were running stupidly into power poles, and parked cars, and were not attempting to find any way around. It was as though the one massive zombie in the center were exercising some sort of control over all of them.

Alina thanked god she had climbed up the ladder, and then climbed higher. Using a rope, she wrapped a rope around her waist and tied it off. She then tied it to one of the ladder wrungs, and leaned forward.

Working the bolt, she chambered a new round, and fired at the leader.

At the same time, she tried to find a way in, seeking inwards as much as possible.

Damien moved off to the side, and fired his Winchester until he was out of rounds. Rather than taking the time to reload, he drew out his axe, and started swinging it around, gaining momentum.

Aidan was out of reach of those on the ground, and took the oppurtunity to focus, turning inwards and at the same time, reaching out. He started lighting zombies on fire, pushing himself to the fullest.

His main target was the leader, doing his best to try and light the thing on fire. He strained himself, doing his best to try and start a fire within the zombie, the same way he always does.

When he saw it wasn't working, he pulled out his quiver, and started throwing the arrows, letting his Fire of Nathos solution catch the regular zombies on fire.

He then ran and headed for the bus. All of his M-1 rifle ammo was inside the bus. He grabbed his radio, and turned it on, shouting out through the headset as he ran to the bus.

"Kara, try and throw that thing halfway through one of the rocky mountains!"

"Jay, does that bus you own have anything useful against that thing?"

"It's impossible." She replied as even with her focusing and concentrating, the crane hadn't budge more than a faint breeze, say from an open window, could account for.

As she said that, she began began twitching and behaving physically as if she'd stepped on an exposed wire connected to the bus's battery.

"It's impossible." She replied as even with her focusing and concentrating, the crane hadn't budge more than a faint breeze, say from an open window, could account for.

As she said that, she began began twitching and behaving physically as if she'd stepped on an exposed wire connected to the bus's battery.

Aidan stepped up into the bus as she began to spasm. "Shoot." Aidan ran up to her, a look of concern on his face. "She might be having a seisue, stuff cloth in her mouth, we don't want her to bite down on her own tounge."

Janine ran over, and stuck a small piece of the arm from Kara chair in Kara's mouth to keep her from swallowing her tongue.

Stan looked around, and then down at the floor, where he saw more than he should have. It was as though he could see through the floor, to the mining explosives in the cargo compartment. Looking around, he said, "I could try to make an IED. A-anybody got a lightbulb and some PVC?"

Meanwhile, the zombie's rushed forwards as the gargantuan one waded amongst his flock. Laughing a loud, low, inhuman laugh, he said, "Foolish Creature, your weapons cannot harm me. (ooc: I'm the Juggernaut, bitch!)"

"Argh. Agh. Foo." Kara said as she spat out the stuff put in her mouth. "What'd you do that for?" She asked in a most certainly pissed tone.

Janine ran over, and stuck a small piece of the arm from Kara chair in Kara's mouth to keep her from swallowing her tongue.

Stan looked around, and then down at the floor, where he saw more than he should have. It was as though he could see through the floor, to the mining explosives in the cargo compartment. Looking around, he said, "I could try to make an IED. A-anybody got a lightbulb and some PVC?"

Meanwhile, the zombie's rushed forwards as the gargantuan one waded amongst his flock. Laughing a loud, low, inhuman laugh, he said, "Foolish Creature, your weapons cannot harm me. (ooc: I'm the Juggernaut, bitch!)"

Damien started swinging against the hordes, connecting with their bodies and hacking away. Bites broke teeth against his fine mesh chain. Damien slowly made his way backwards, trying to avoid being surrounded.

"Argh. Agh. Foo." Kara said as she spat out the stuff put in her mouth. "What'd you do that for?" She asked in a most certainly pissed tone.

"Sorry, we were convinced you were having a seisure."

"I've never had a seizure in my life." She replied, "Nor is there any history of it on either side of my family."

"Argh. Agh. Foo." Kara said as she spat out the stuff put in her mouth. "What'd you do that for?" She asked in a most certainly pissed tone.

Janine became instantly defensive, "Fine, bitch, next time I won't try to save your life."

"You think shoving something like that in a person's mouth is saving thier life?" She snapped back as her prior dislike of Janine re-surfaced in an instant.

"You think shoving something like that in a person's mouth is saving thier life?" She snapped back as her prior dislike of Janine re-surfaced in an instant.

Janine was fuming, "You were about to swallow your fucking tongue!"

Stan quickly jumped in between them. "This is no time to be fighting each other guys. Remember the hoarde running towards us? We need to use our anger on them, ok?"

"No I wasn't you idiot. My tongue was plastered to the roof of my mouth." She replied with a scowl that was originally directed at Janine and then at Stan as he interfered.

She didn't know what it was, but it had sort of felt like a combination of touching one of those funny spheres with electricity in them, a souped up joy-buzzer and a static shock all rolled into one with partial paralysis thrown in.

Janine was fuming, "You were about to swallow your fucking tongue!"

Stan quickly jumped in between them. "This is no time to be fighting each other guys. Remember the hoarde running towards us? We need to use our anger on them, ok?"

"Agreed." Aidan rummaged around in his pack till he found what he was looking for, a rifle grenade, the only one he knew of still in existence for the M-1. He placed it on and climbed up to the roof of the bus. He gauged the distance and fired.

The moment it was gone, he knew he would miss his target, but that he would still damage the massive horde.

Meanwhile, Damien continued to back up, hacking away with all his might.

Alina and Aidan saw he was over whelmed, and turned their rifles on the zombies trying to surround Damien, knocking them down, two by two.

Mitchel sent his last Molotov cocktail skyward. He considered rushing forward with his shotgun, but immediately discarded the idea as the most idiotic thing ever to be thought by a human mind. Steven was steadily pumping rounds into the approaching horde, but whatever strangeness he had been experiencing had long since worn off and he was missing too frequently for comfort. Mitchel knew that ithe people on the bridge were in serious trouble indeed. How he knew this, he didn't know, but he could sense it. He swore, loudly, at his inability to damage the creatures milling about to the south.

As the strained "Fuck!" left his mouth, a great surge of water heaved up out of the river and roiled and foamed its way towards the horde. It lost much of its momentum covering the distance to the mob, but it still retained enough strength to sweep several of the ghouls off their feet before retreating back into the river.

Unlike the survivors aboard the bus, neither of the men from the Arch believed in magic or ESP. They explained the inexplicable events taking place in a slightly different manner - they were both sincerely convinced that they had gone completely insane.

Mitchel sent his last Molotov cocktail skyward. He considered rushing forward with his shotgun, but immediately discarded the idea as the most idiotic thing ever to be thought by a human mind. Steven was steadily pumping rounds into the approaching horde, but whatever strangeness he had been experiencing had long since worn off and he was missing too frequently for comfort. Mitchel knew that ithe people on the bridge were in serious trouble indeed. How he knew this, he didn't know, but he could sense it. He swore, loudly, at his inability to damage the creatures milling about to the south.

As the strained "Fuck!" left his mouth, a great surge of water heaved up out of the river and roiled and foamed its way towards the horde. It lost much of its momentum covering the distance to the mob, but it still retained enough strength to sweep several of the ghouls off their feet before retreating back into the river.

Unlike the survivors aboard the bus, neither of the men from the Arch believed in magic or ESP. They explained the inexplicable events taking place in a slightly different manner - they were both sincerely convinced that they had gone completely insane.

Alina held on tight as the wave crested toward her. Damien lept for a car, and braced against it, hoping hew wouldn't be swept off the bridge. Aidan jumped down into the bus with a cry of, "incoming, everyone grab hold of something."

After the wave had passed over, Damien stood up, sputtered against water in his mouth, and shouted with his mind, <Who the F****** H*** just did that, you almost knocked me off the bridge.>

Angered, he went around and decapitated all the zombies who were now to immobile to stand up, muttering under his breath the entire time.

OOC: Just so you know, you just made a blacksmith into your enemy, if he figures out who did it. Whatever you do, don't lay claim to it.

Auron, at the time, was nowhere to be found. When the bus stopped, he slipped out a window and headed off, without anyone noticing.

If one looked on top of the Arch, however, if one looked very closely, they might have been able to see a man holding a sword, overlooking the arena, coatrobe fluttering in the wind....

OOC: I need SOME sort of excuse for not posting.

"Jay, does that bus you own have anything useful against that thing?"

Jay responded in a calm orderly manner. "NO! We had missiles..." Janet popped down out of the hatch smiled, and gave him a thumbs up. Down. Whatever. Jay smiled. "And we do again. Permission to fire? Is everone out of there?"

OOc: Regenius? Can I fire? Please?

ooc: yes, but it probably won't hurt him. You have to read posts clearly and think hard on how to beat him using the environment...

OOc: I know that, but my characters don't.
Ic: Several missiles came out of the launcher and exploded right next to the Juggernaught. Seeing as that didn't hurt him, Jay exploded in fury, the only emotion he had known since the outbreak. He walked right out of the Bus. He went into a blind rage. He pulled out his basterd sword, and went swinging it around, chopping at any zombies. Then, a car exploded near him. He paid it no mind. Cars turned on, exploded, and moved around. One went gunning right at the Juggernaught, but it slowed down before it hit him. Jay noticed that the bridge had high arches on it. He smiled. He looked at the zombie horde, crowed under one arch. He smiled. He radioed back to the Bus. "Janet, I want you to fire at that arch the zombies are crowded under. We should have two missiles left."...

OOc: There are arches on the bridge, right? I didn't see anything about arches, so I assmued there was, correct me if I'm wrong.

(OOC: It's been a few weeks since the last time I was in St. Louis, but I don't think there are arches on that particular bridge. There are quite a lot of crumbly abandoned buildings, though [including one with a really cool looking advertisement on the wall for Switzer's Brand Licorice Candy, which went out of business forty-odd years ago].)

OOc: So there are crumbly buildings?

OOc: I know that, but my characters don't.
Ic: Several missiles came out of the launcher and exploded right next to the Juggernaught. Seeing as that didn't hurt him, Jay exploded in fury, the only emotion he had known since the outbreak. He walked right out of the Bus. He went into a blind rage. He pulled out his basterd sword, and went swinging it around, chopping at any zombies. Then, a car exploded near him. He paid it no mind. Cars turned on, exploded, and moved around. One went gunning right at the Juggernaught, but it slowed down before it hit him. Jay noticed that the bridge had high arches on it. He smiled. He looked at the zombie horde, crowed under one arch. He smiled. He radioed back to the Bus. "Janet, I want you to fire at that arch the zombies are crowded under. We should have two missiles left."...

OOc: There are arches on the bridge, right? I didn't see anything about arches, so I assmued there was, correct me if I'm wrong.

Aidan started to freak out as the cars blew up all around the bus. Damien was freaking out even more though, as the van he had braced against started to move. Watching Jay, he rushed to the man's side, and started to hack away with his splitting axe.

Aidan and Alina started to assist with covering fire. Pulling out his .22 rimfire rifle, he turned to Kara, "Take this, aim for the heads, it will penetrate and bounce around a bit."

She just shook her head before speaking in a tone somewhat stranger than her normal voice, "No good. No good."

She just shook her head before speaking in a tone somewhat stranger than her normal voice, "No good. No good."

"No good? Why, even if it doesn't kill that thing out there, it might keep himdistracted."

OOC: I think I have an idea. Let's try drowning it. Knock it into the water and see if it can get back out.

She just shook her head and in her normal voice replied, "I can't, don't know how."

She just shook her head and in her normal voice replied, "I can't, don't know how."

Aidan looked at her in shock when she said she didn't know how to fire a weapon.

"Here, bring the bolt up and back, place the round in the chamber, place the butt against your shoulder, sight down the barrel, and pull the trigger."

Aidan demonstrated, and sent the bullet down to bounce off the big brain ghoul, "Now you try."

OOC: what about burning him from the inside out? Is his brain fire proof? Can I melt it by heating his mind?

(Come on guys... think environment... I like drowning. Not exactly what I had in mind, but it could work. Just need to figure out how to get him over the edge.)

The Zombie Master laughed as he picked up a section of concrete from a nearby building, and hurled it at the bus. The stone smashed into the front, destroying the windshield, and spraying those inside with shards of glass.

The zombie laughed again, mercilessly, "I will destroy you all and feed you to my children." As he said children, he gestured to the swarm of zombies milling around him, and attacking the others.

Kara gingerly took the gun, her eyes widening as the enlarged Infected hefted and threw the boulder. As it struck the bus, she shrieked and turned away. The flying shards of glass seemed to strike an invisible circular barrier that had a diameter of eight feet centered on her.

Aiming the gun, she pulled the trigger and fell back on her butt as the weapon jerked up and to the side striking a transformer. She knew how to use a gyrojet, but it was recoiless and was better at long ranges than closer ones.

(Come on guys... think environment... I like drowning. Not exactly what I had in mind, but it could work. Just need to figure out how to get him over the edge.)

The Zombie Master laughed as he picked up a section of concrete from a nearby building, and hurled it at the bus. The stone smashed into the front, destroying the windshield, and spraying those inside with shards of glass.

The zombie laughed again, mercilessly, "I will destroy you all and feed you to my children." As he said children, he gestured to the swarm of zombies milling around him, and attacking the others.

OOC: I have an idea

Aidan became very angry after the monster ghoul threw the rock. So much so, that he started to lose control. What little he had caused him to focus on the zombie and the ground around it, quickening the molecules, heating up the section of the bridge. The asphalt especially began to catch fire.

OOC: melt through the bridge and send him dropping to the river. GAE send a missile at the thing agian, see if you can't help blow a hole through.

OOc: So there are crumbly buildings?

(OOC: yes)

Janet looked in dismay. She had two rockets left. "Jay, I am going to try something." She typed in a FIRE command on the computer. The rocket fired out and struck the ground at the Juggernaught's feet. Chunks of asphalt and iron went everywhere, striking zombies in every direction.

[QUOTE=The American Privateer]Aidan started to freak out as the cars blew up all around the bus. Damien was freaking out even more though, as the van he had braced against started to move. Watching Jay, he rushed to the man's side, and started to hack away with his splitting axe.
QUOTE] Jay looked at Damien, then turned away. He screamed, and stabbed a zombie in the eye. He breathed heavily. He sheathed the sword and pulled out a knife, a very large one. He started slashing zombies just trying to keep them of off him.

Mark had been in the bus all this time, survival instinct had driven him to stay in the bus and wonder about the suicidal people running out to confront the swarm.

He eventually gathered his wits and started to make a move towards the door but thats when a large slab of concrete slammed into the front of the bus, he was showered with shards of glass, many slashing him across the face, he had managed to close his eye in time and did his best to shield them, but it did not stop him from getting several cuts on his eye lids and around his eyes.

He emerged from the bus battered and bleeding, but his fear had been drowned out by pain and the pain drowned out by anger. Now he wanted revenge. His guns were slung over his back but they were forgotten, he charged the zombies swinging his pool cue like a mace, leaving considerable dents in their heads, his anger seeming to give him unnatural strength and ferocity.

OOC: sorry i've not posted in a fair while, been busy.

The missile left a large crater in the bridge, from which, a large hand emerged, and then another, and then slowly the huge zombie was back in view, and stil trudging slowly on towards the bus.

Meanwhile, Father O'Betts was in shock at poor thinking he was witnessing. "We have to cross that bridge! Don't blow it up!"

The missile left a large crater in the bridge, from which, a large hand emerged, and then another, and then slowly the huge zombie was back in view, and stil trudging slowly on towards the bus.

Meanwhile, Father O'Betts was in shock at poor thinking he was witnessing. "We have to cross that bridge! Don't blow it up!"

Jay turned and screamed. "It won't fucking matter, if we don't kill that thing!"

OOc: I have an idea.

Ic: Jay's mind went blank and he dropped to the ground. A large van that had been sitting on the street went hurtling full throttle at the thing. Several other cars started moving too.

OOC: What's the layout of this place? I dunno what to do. Again, apologies for abcense, hopefully, I can get a real post up tomorrow.

The Zombie laughed, as it slid forward on the blood soaked ground. Lowering its shoulder, it knocked the first van into the air, were it sailed off into the river. The next car he grabbed by the front, sliding back nearly ten feet as he slowed it to a stop, then he picked it up and threw it off the bridge as well, severing the power lines as it did. The power lines dangled and sparked whenever they touched.

The zombie was nearly to the van now, and was simply toying with its occupants. Apparently the man who he once was had been a sadist.

Kara tried to fire the gun again and like her first shot, it went wild thought didn't knock her back on her ass. The round clipped a powerline and sent it whipping around as the formerly tightly strung wire had one of it's connections snapped.

ooc: She's firing a .22 Rimfire Rifle... they have literally no kick...

ooc: She's firing a .22 Rimfire Rifle... they have literally no kick...

ooc: She has no skill with any weapon that has any kind of recoil, nor is she that good a shot under any circumstances.

ooc: The first time I ever fired a gun, I was 11 and weighed around 80lbs. It was a .22 Rimfire. It has no kick, I swear.

ooc: The first time I ever fired a gun, I was 11 and weighed around 80lbs. It was a .22 Rimfire. It has no kick, I swear.
ooc: It has less kick than a paint-ball gun?

ooc: About equal... maybe...

ooc: About equal... maybe...
ooc: Paintball guns have kick, especially if you don't know how to properly hold one. Now back to IC, k?

Auron looked down at the approaching superzombie and grunted in satisfaction. So this is what can happen. He positioned himself in a way that he could get to the bridge in the quickest manner, and began his hop across town.

If one was watching, they would be able to see Auron jumping from building to building, making distances that would normally be impossible for a human. The virus had interesting affects on him, though, because he was up close and personal with it.

Auron hopped from building to building, making his way to the superzombie, his sword at the ready. He was analyzing the situation as he was running and jumping, so as to not lose his adrenaline or momentum. If I pick up speed, I can probably clear that gap and hit the bridge. He started running a lot faster and, coming up on the bridge, made one final leap....

And landed just short of his target, causing him to slip and almost fall. However, he jammed his sword into the metal under and behind him, giving him an extra step so as to regain his balance. He did a forward flip onto his initial target and landed safely, looking down at the superzombie.

Auron jumped from the top of the bridge down onto the ground below, stopping himself every once in awhile so as to not die upon contact with the bridge. When he landed, he pulled out a gas tank from a nearby car and threw it at the zombie. When it almost hit the monster, Auron whipped out a USP .45 he picked up from one of the bodies he encountered and shot at the gas tank, causing it to explode and shower the zombie with shrapnel and burning fumes. THat'll get it's attention.

Auron looked behind him, and noticed the electrical wires that were disconnected fell into the river, which could be deduced not only by the wires sparking in the water, but by the dead fish floating on the surface. He smirked and looked over at the zombie, beginning to taunt it.

"G'evenin' son, why don't you come over here and give your daddy a hug?"

The Zombie laughed, as it slid forward on the blood soaked ground. Lowering its shoulder, it knocked the first van into the air, were it sailed off into the river. The next car he grabbed by the front, sliding back nearly ten feet as he slowed it to a stop, then he picked it up and threw it off the bridge as well, severing the power lines as it did. The power lines dangled and sparked whenever they touched.

The zombie was nearly to the van now, and was simply toying with its occupants. Apparently the man who he once was had been a sadist.

OOc: I've got nothin.

Aidan shifted his focus as the being moved.

If I can just get him stuck! He thought.

Jay looked hurriedly. "Aiden, heat the concrete enough so that his feet sink in, and then we can push the wires over!" Jay yelled, while hacking away at several more zombies.

Jay looked hurriedly. "Aiden, heat the concrete enough so that his feet sink in, and then we can push the wires over!" Jay yelled, while hacking away at several more zombies.

WHat do you think I'm doing. Aidan thought angrily.

As his anger flared, the flame started to wither.

No, I have to focus.

He started to meditate, focusing more and more on the concrete, raising the temp more and more.

Mark had been slamming his 'staff' into zombie after zombie until eventually it snapped, he then used the two parts as maces until they too snapped. Panting and bathed in blood and gore he began to calm down and think rationally.

He saw the sparking electricity, as had the rest. He couldn't imagine how electricity would still be being produced without people to have been managing it for the last 6 months, but in this instance it was conveniant.

Mark saw a damaged metal railing nearby, if he could tear a large enough section, or enough little bits off, they might be able to use it to bridge the gap between electricity and the monstrosity.

"Guys, the metal railings, try and use it as a conductor." Mark said as he grabbed a car door which had been smashed off that was on the floor and using it as a block, rammed headlong into the zombies that stood in his way.

He saw the sparking electricity, as had the rest. He couldn't imagine how electricity would still be being produced without people to have been managing it for the last 6 months, but in this instance it was conveniant.

OOC: It's a magical element that appears randomly called plotdivicium.

Mark had been slamming his 'staff' into zombie after zombie until eventually it snapped, he then used the two parts as maces until they too snapped. Panting and bathed in blood and gore he began to calm down and think rationally.

He saw the sparking electricity, as had the rest. He couldn't imagine how electricity would still be being produced without people to have been managing it for the last 6 months, but in this instance it was conveniant.

Mark saw a damaged metal railing nearby, if he could tear a large enough section, or enough little bits off, they might be able to use it to bridge the gap between electricity and the monstrosity.

"Guys, the metal railings, try and use it as a conductor." Mark said as he grabbed a car door which had been smashed off that was on the floor and using it as a block, rammed headlong into the zombies that stood in his way.

Aidan had finally gotten the cement to a somewhat liquid state.

Damien grabbed a pair of insulated gloves from his bag, and pulled them on. Running over to the rail, he stuck it into the cement at an angle that brought it into contact with the zombie and rushed back with a length of rope to tie the power line to the rail, and create a giant electric spike.

Jay looked in interest at Damien's ineffective method. He looked at the cable, and a huge line of electricity shocked from the line to the bar.

Bump.

Jay looked in interest at Damien's ineffective method. He looked at the cable, and a huge line of electricity shocked from the line to the bar.

Is this wrong? Should I delete it? Is that why nobody is posting?

Is this wrong? Should I delete it? Is that why nobody is posting?

OOC: I'm waiting for Regenius, since there's nothing really to do until the Zombie, which is RPed by Regenius, does something.

Oh.