The Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse, Group 4, Scene 2
The Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse
Group 4, Scene 2
copyright 2010 comidacomida
"So... what'cha doin' in this part a the world?" Jeff asked of Tommy, who had just folded his overcoat down to avoid keep as much of his fur off of the rubbish pile as possible.
"Scenery change." the fox responded, looking back at the young husky, "Things weren't going so well back in America so I decided to get away from it all and come out here for awhile."
"Things end up working out better here?" Andy inquired.
"You know... they did for the first few months... but then some zombies started showing up and... well... you know the rest." he grinned.
"Well, I like your accent." the German shephard next to him stated, "It's sexy." he said the last part with a soft, baritone rumble to his voice.
"Um... thanks?" the fox responded, one ear falling to the side, the other remaining standing.
Steve just laughed in response and gave him a light punch to the shoulder, "Relax, Yank... regardless of what you hear across the pond, not all of us Brits drop our pants at the first sign of a handsome fox."
"Some expect dinner first?" Tommy offered a verbal jab back, using the opportunity to fight away some of the blush. That got a laugh from most of the people in the lorry's rubbish bin.
"Andy told Sam the way to the relay station, right?" Jeff asked James, glancing across to the paramedic, who was still fiddling with his medical supply case.
"Like I said the last three times, yes." the older husky responded, "And Dezzi knows the way too-- that's why he's up there guiding him."
"And I figured it's because he didn't like the smell of rotting rubbish." Steve countered.
"That too, probably." Andy offered with a smirk, speaking up quickly to forestall any further verbal exchange between the shepherd and the sergeant; nobody missed a tension between them, and everyone was eager to see it stalled.
"Well... I 'ope we get there soon... I really gotta pee." Jeff noted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Shoulda thought a that before we left, kid." Steve spoke up neutrally.
"Will you quit callin me kid? I'm almost 18." the young husky noted with disdain.
"Sorry, ki-- guv... didn't mean it as an insult." the German shepherd offered amiably.
"And stop bein' such a knob... my brother's a good cop." Jeff pressed.
The comment made Steve laugh heartily, and he added, "Well... you got quite a bit of fire in ya... good on ya." he calmed and held out a paw to the young dog, "Alright... you and me can be chums, and I'll stop gnawin' on your brother's hide." Jeff looked at the paw, then to the shepherd's earnest expression, and reached out and shook on it.
"So... tell me somethin' then, mate," the shepherd leaned forward, looking to Jeff, "how come you and your brother sound so different? Sounds like you got yourself some south-end in your voice, and he sounds high-class Queen's English... except for some occasional slang." he winked.
"It's a long story." James spoke up, cutting his younger brother off.
"Well... we have time... Sergeant." Steve responded in a courteous, though tense tone.
"How about a little about yourself, if you're so eager to get to know everyone." James offered, "Like what you do for a living. You seem to be good with kids--" he narrowed his eyes, "deal with them a lot? Deal TO them a lot? You push? What? Weed? Charlie?... Worse?" the older husky pressed.
"Hey... everyone's gotta earn his crust somehow." the shepherd responded, "and no... I don't deal, if that's what you're gettin at... least... not for a long time now."
"Yea... I've heard all that old cack before." James scowled.
"Relax, James," Jeff said to his older brother, "We're all on the same side right now anyway."
"Right. Like the boy says, Sergeant... we're all on the same side. And..." Steve added, "I meant it... been outta that game for a long time now. You can only get done over so many times before it stops bein' worth the dosh."
"It's never worth it." James stated, his voice edging on a growl, "No amount of wedge is worth spreading that kind of disease around the streets."
"Usually the street does a fine job of spreading disease on its own." Steve responded in a casual tone, "But I'm not arguing-- like I said... I'm done with it."
Their discussion would have likely continued for quite some time had the lorrie not come to a stop. Everyone in the back was just starting to wonder why when they heard the doors on the cab up front open. "Guess we're here." Andy noted, securing his medical kit. Everyone stayed put until the back of the rubbish bin opened and Dezzi's lupine head appeared, "We're parked a block over... the relay station's up ahead... there's light."
The group slowly piled out of the rubbish bin and took a few minutes to stretch, groan, pop their joints, and just appreciate the fresh air. Andy took the time to take off his over shirt and wave it a few times in the night air before putting it back on; Thomas did the same with his big overcoat. Sam was waiting beside the cab of the lorrie and waved everybody over once they had taken the time they needed.
"Alright... while we were on our way over, we kept an eye out for any more of those things..." Sam began.
"Got one with the grill." Dezzi added with a smirk, "Not a good idea to stare down a lorrie when you're on foot."
"They're still all over town, but things've gone quiet." the raccoon finished.
"Alright," noted Andy, "Well let's take a peek inside the facility and see what there is to see." he moved around to the other side of the lorrie.
"Weird that they 'ave power on an' nothin' else does." Jeff spoke up.
"It's the central relay for the power coming into Ratherbig." James spoke up.
"Seems pretty stupid to have a single off switch for all the city's power." Dezzi said, "Aren't there any back-up systems for rerouting? I mean... if this hub fell then the entire city's power goes down? Even the cheapest piece of slag we sell over at the electronics store has some kind of surge protector."
"I didn't design it." James shrugged, "Just read a briefing about it when Argus came to town and did a security review."
"Argus... now there's a piece of shite." Steve crossed his arms.
"Got a problem with protecting people from terrorists?" the sergeant questioned the German shepherd.
"Anyone who gives up a little freedom for the sake of security soon finds that he has neither." Steve countered, "Winston Churchill said that."
"So... about the relay station..." Sam quickly stepped in, "You mean this station goes out and the power to all of Ratherbig goes with it?"
"No... no..." James stated, "See... that's the strange thing... there ARE back up systems if something happens to this building. The only thing is, it's possible to break the connection to the city power grid if the operator disconnects it. That has to be done on purpose."
"Or the computer system lost-the-plot." Steve pointed out, "Gotta love modern technology."
"They're manual switches... for emergency override." James corrected.
"So... you think someone turned off the city's power on purpose?" Dezzi questioned.
"Dunno." the sergeant shrugged, "but what I DO know is that we should be able to trip the switches and get everything running again."
"Manually." Sam questioned.
"Right." James confirmed.
"In there?" the raccoon pointed to the compound.
"That's the idea." the husky nodded.
"Lumme... sounds like a party." the raccoon said with a deep breath.
"Looks like it's going to be a big one..." Thomas confirmed, pointing to the compound. He was directing the group's attention to a collection of bloody, beaten furs kneeling over what appeared to be a small pile of bodies, "if not a party... then a buffet."
"Gawd... are they... eating them?" Jeff asked, taking a step back.
"That's what zombies do... or that's how the story goes." Dezzi noted.
"Got another bunch up in the window..." James pointed out, motioning with his muzzle to several silhouettes moving amdist the lighted interior.
"They could be living people trapped inside..." Sam offered optimistically. One of the shadows shifted, facing the window so the group could see light shining through a large open hole about where its abdomen would be, "or not." the raccoon added quickly.
"So six in the courtyard... and I counted at least three inside..." James spoke up, "there are a few ways we can do this..."
"Hold up a minute, mate." Sam spoke up, "That's a lot of Zombies, and only YOU have a gun."
"We also have Tommy's foxy furry feet of fatal fury." Steve pointed out with mock enthusiasm.
"Right." James nodded, "It'd be best to have someone stay with the lorrie anyway, so Jeff, we'll have you stay here--"
"'ey!" the young husky interjected.
"And--" Jame spoke over him, forestalling any argument, "We'll need someone else to stay with him."
"I will." Sam volunteered.
"Heh... feel safer in the cab of a lorrie, do ya?" Steve questioned.
"I can drive it." Sam pointed out, "just remember how you got outta the last mess."
"I don't need to stay be'ind, and I don't need a pupsitter." Jeff interjected indignantly.
"You're not staying behind...." James said, "you're... look-out, and Sam is our getaway driver in case anything goes wrong." the older husky offered with a sense of forced enthusiasm.
"But I wanna be in there with you, James." the objection came out almost as a whine.
"I know ya do... but we need ya here, Jeff." James rested a paw on the younger husky's shoulder.
"You'll have Sam here... he already said he'd stay." Jeff objected.
"He's staying because of you AND the lorrie... not just the lorrie." the older brother reinforced.
"It's just that--" Jeff paused, deflating quickly in his fiery objections, "I just... I wanna help, James. I don't want anything to 'appen to you like it did to Anabelle."
The Sergeant stiffened at that, and paused, looking to his little brother. He put his other paw on Jeff's opposite shoulder, "Nothing will. I'll keep safe."
"Promise?" Jeff asked.
"That's kinda an empty promise, Jeff." Thomas spoke up, "But we'll all TRY."
"Promise?" Jeff repeated, looking at James after a numb glance to Thomas.
James squeezed both of Jeff's shoulders, "Yea, mate... I promise."
Jeff stepped forward and gave his older brother a hug, "Okay... Sam an' I'll make sure the lorrie stays put, an' keep it ready for a quick sprint outta 'ere."
"Brilliant." the older husky responded with a half-smile.
"Listen..." Andy spoke up, drawing the attention from the rest of the group, "There are only so many ways this is gonna turn out in our favor."
"What about sending the guy with the gun in first?" Steve offered.
"I was thinking more of the big-scale." the paramedic said, interrupting the argument before it began, "Like the best way to get this done."
"I don't know about everyone else, but I'm not too caught up with operating a power relay station." Dezzi noted.
"There's probably a control manual inside." Thomas offered, "At least... we can hope."
"It should be pretty basic." James spoke up, "Several switches, and they should all be marked."
"'Should' isn't too reassuring, Sergeant." Steve stated.
"Listen..." Andy interposed himself between the two, "Whatever's going on with you two, knock it off." The husky and the wolf paused at that, "I mean it. If you two want to go at each other's throats, then be my guest, but not when my life is on the line... or his," he pointed to Dezzi, "or his," he pointed to Thomas, "or theirs." he pointed to the lorry where Sam was helping Jeff up into the cab.
"Right." Steve murmured, tail curling slightly.
"Cheers." James noted, ears drooping slightly.
"Okay... now we have to think about this intelligently, and without other distractions..." he glanced at the Sergeant and the German shepherd again, then back to the group as a whole, "Now... how can we get in?"
"Most power stations need cooling, right? That's gotta take a bloody lot of water... and probably some connection with the main lines in the city." Dezzi offered, "What about seeing if we can come up into the station from below? Probably not a lot of the wankers down there."
"Not my idea of a good time." Steve said, crossing his arms, "We can just take the front gate... doesn't even look like it's locked. If any of those things come our way we'll just put em down."
"Avoiding any kind of fight is the best way to win one." Tommy interjected.
"Says the guy who could jump-kick a feral elephant in the bollocks." Steve countered.
"Just because someone CAN do something doesn't mean they SHOULD." Tommy corrected, "and I REALLY wouldn't want to make an elephant mad."
"Heh... he'd probably be too busy coughin' em up." the shepherd said with a grin and a wag.
"Focus please." Andy called everyone's attention back to the matter at hand.
"Well... we could use the truck again... break our way inside." Thomas offered.
"I think the 'truck' can only do that so many times, Tommy." Steve said, imitating the way the fox said the word, "eventually it'll stop running altogether."
"Well..." Andy said, tapping his muzzle with a finger, "It IS a thought..."
<End Scene>
It's that time again, Apoc-Fur-Lypse fans! Group 4 will continue their attempts at survival, and have elected to go to the University but thanks to Andy's knowledge of the city, a stop off at one of the power hubs will be the first goal.
Here is a behind-the-scenes look at the breakdown of the action for this scene.
The group must choose the best path to the power station.
**Survival (11) to get to the station without event.
Sam 6 + trait of 6 = 12 SUCCESS
Dezzi 8 + trait of 6 = 14 SUCCESS
James 1 + trait of 6 = 7 FAILURE
Steve 3 + trait of 4 = 7 FAILURE
Andy 9 + trait of 7 = 16 FAILURE
Thomas 1 + trait of 8 = 9 FAILURE**
Andy provides some pointers for getting to the power station and Dezzi guides Sam there.
The group does a quick scout-out for any zombies behind the power station fence.
**Awareness (12) to look for trouble.
Sam 6 + trait of 5 = 10 FAILURE
Dezzi 9 + trait of 3 = 4 FAILURE
James 7 + trait of 6 = 12 SUCCESS
Steve 5 + trait of 6 = 11 FAILURE
Andy 4 + trait of 3 = 7 FAILURE
Thomas 8 + trait of 9 = 17 SUCCESS**
There are a few zombies visible within the gate and inside the building.
The power plant does not seem like a very safe place to travel.
**Tenacity (9) to volunteer to "stay with the truck"
Sam 8 + trait of 3 = 11 SUCCESS
Dezzi 2 + trait of 5 = 7 FAILURE
James 2 + trait of 0 = 2 FAILURE
Steve 0 + trait of 2 = 2 FAILURE
Andy 6 + trait of 0 = 6 FAILURE
Thomas 6 + trait of 2 = 2 FAILURE**
Sam will stay with Jeff in the truck.
Determine the group's next unofficial leader.
**Influence roll, highest wins. Andy gains +1 for being leader this scene.
Sam 5 + trait of 2 = 7
Dezzi 6 + trait of 7 = 13
James 2 + trait of 6 = 8
Steve 7 + trait of 2 = 9
Andy 9 + trait of 4 = 13+1
Thomas 5 + trait of 2 = 7**
Andy is the unofficial leader again.
Each character involved in this chapter now loses 1 Plot Point for successfully surviving without a Harrowing Event taking place.
Non-contributing readers, you may vote for your MVP to regain their lost plot point. Anyone who does not have a character involved in this story arc may vote. You may vote by personality, contribution, style, personal preference, or any method you like to make sure your preferred survivor continues to fight another day. The winner of last scene was Tommy-- apparently snapping the neck on a zombie is worth big points from the crowd. Congrats, Tommy!
Contributing readers please choose the next direction for the group. Remember: the group is ultimately going to head for the university. The ad hoc leader gets 2 votes while everyone else gets 1.
Option 1: Enter through the front gate.
Option 2: Try to find an access grate from the sewer.
Option 3: Use the lorry to bust through the fence and into a building.
Congratulations, Group 4 on surviving the 2nd chapter!