Aberrant: Dead Rising - Chapter 11e: Plans for the Future

[Amarant]

Walker looked around at the area that Jules had recommended and seemed to consider. After a moment his head swiveled in her direction and he said, "Should do fine. Hope we don't need it, though."

He honestly wasn't looking forward to what was coming. He hoped it did turn into nothing more than a simple discussion, but he feared it would end badly. And he'd seen what the RUS was capable of firsthand. He knew how ugly things could get, and how quickly.

Underneath his coat, Walker flexed his taloned fingers and waited.

[Stargaizer]

Draygo took his time observing the buildings around the area. Some he just looked at, the others he actually ran his hand across, and sticking his talon into some bullet holes. After having made a complete circuit, he came back to the group, noting that Dylan didn't seem to be too worried about the possibility that they could be waiting for an ambush.

In his low and rumbling voice he announced, "The buildings don't look very sound. There's been a lot of fighting here and it's taken it's toll on the buildings. I think our best bet would be to stay close to the western edge of the plaza. Looks best to me."

As the time for the 'meeting' approached, Draygo scanned the area and as many of the building windows as he could, in IR, UV and telescopicly, to see if he could see any signs of treachery.

Click to reveal..

(Draygo): Per + Awareness (1st Mega)

(12:09:22) ChatBot: (Draygo) rolls 7d10 and gets 4,3,5,1,1,3,7.

(12:09:31) (Draygo): 1 sux

[Dawn OOC]

A rumble rang out in the distance and the four turned toward the noise. A high-pitched squeal soon joined the rumble, and anyone who had seen a military show or war movie knew this sound: the rumble of a moving tank.

It rounded the corner with a roar, its treads crunching over the sidewalk before stopping. There was a moment in which the echoes of the engine's forward momentum were all that could be heard; then the hatch on the machine popped open and a man climbed out.

He was dressed in a field uniform, and three stars glowed on his shoulders. He walked toward them, his posture and bearing confident. A single firearm rode in its holster on his right hip. "Greetings. I am General Wilson." He smiled and offered his hand as an invitation for anyone to start the introductions.

[Dylan Harvey]

Dylan hopped up eagerly and walked over. Shaking the General's hand he smiled. "It is a pleasure sir, I was just reading a bit about you and you do seem the kind of man this world needs right now. Name is Dylan Harvey and let me start out by apologizing. Had we known the Pentagon was still inhabited we would have sent a letter or e-mail, or something before showing up and picking the lock."

[Dawn OOC]

"I see. Well, it had the side effect of letting us see what you can do, young man," the General said. He was smiling; being friendly and out-going seemed to come easily to him. He also didn't seem to be nervous about meeting a group with three super-powerful people in it who didn't seem to like him all that much. He stepped past Dylan to look at the other three. "And you good folks are?" He offered his hand for someone to take.

[Stargaizer]

Draygo watched Dylan. Sent him an email? This isn't college; Facebook is dead... of course, it would've been nice to know someone was here before we just showed up here... and I guess it would've been polite to announce our intentions...

He watched the General and Dylan talk. He watched the tank, he glanced at Walker and Jules. He tried to see if there were any further, discernible heat sources in the tank (besides the engine, of course).

When the General approached and held out his hand, Draygo simply rumbled "Draygo" and flexed his taloned hands, making no motion to shake. He then pulled back his lip in something that could just as easily be a half smile or a snarl. Time would tell which would be more appropriate.

Click to reveal..

(Draygo): Using IR to scan tank

(00:02:14) (Draygo): per + awareness, 1st mega

(00:02:33) ChatBot: (Draygo) rolls 7d10 and gets 8,1,3,8,8,6,10.

(00:02:57) (Draygo): re-roll 10 (observant)

(00:03:03) ChatBot: (Draygo) rolls 1d10 and gets 5.

(00:03:11) (Draygo): 5sux

[z-Jules WhiteElk]

Jules had been quietly watching the general, wondering if she should be annoyed or amused by the tank. She was pretty sure that if he'd meant to intimidate them, it was a laughable threat. She was willing to bet that Draygo was more than able to tear it apart with those claws and Walker... well, she didn't know exactly what he could do - no one did - but she trusted that he was very good at it. His results spoke for themselves. As for herself, she knew a tank could kill her really, really quickly. If the general really wanted to talk, he wouldn't kill her just yet.

When the general offered his hand, Jules hesitated and then shook it. Just because she'd shoot him in the head if he gave her a reason was no excuse to be rude. "Julia WhiteElk," she told him, leaving it at that. When he released her hand, she put it back on the rifle, leaving it pointed down. Just because he was playing nice was no excuse to start relaxing.

She didn't look at Walker, but she wondered if he was going to play nice or if he was mention something about Rolf. She'd already decided she didn't blame him either way, and if he wanted to start something, she'd back it - to a point. Morgan didn't send her out here to start a war.

[Amarant]

Walker wasn't planning on starting anything if he could avoid it, but if the RUS wanted to start something he'd sure as hell end it real quick, that was for sure. Like Jules and Draygo, Walker had observed the tank as it had approached as well. It made him edgy - because it was a tank - but he had to admit that it was a great way to 'level the playing field', all things considered, and from a purely military perspective he had to respect that. If it fired on them now, it was a reasonably safe bet that he and Draygo would survive, but even with his enhanced reflexes and speed and Draygo's obvious durability, Walker wasn't at all sure they would be able to get both Dylan and Jules out of the line of fire in time.

But once the general got out and approached them Walker's edginess began to subside - a little. The tank couldn't very well fire on them now.

When the general came to him Walker remained so still it was like looking at a life-sized photograph of a creepy guy in sunglasses and a trench coat, but the RUS man could tell that this 'photograph' had eyes behind those shades and they were watching him. Finally, Walker extended one hand, the fingers still capped with carapace-black needle-sharp points, and said simply, "Walker", in his dry rasping whisper.

[Dawn OOC]

There was a moment of hesitation before the general took his hand. The shake was far shorter than it had been with Jules or Dylan and he was careful to avoid the finger-points. "Nice to meet you all," the general said, taking a step back and digging out a cigar.

He paused with the cigar cutter in-hand. "Can I offer you folks one?" he asked. Those who took a cigar found them to be a nice American blend, nothing too fancy.

"So, I know that you came looking for something, but didn't seem inclined to come inside to ask for it," the general said, cigar smoke rising around him in a gentle haze. "Can I ask what exactly you folks want and what you have against us?"

[Dylan Harvey]

Dylan cleared his throat. "Well, General we came so that I could retrieve the codes needed to take control of the full satellite network. I am trying to fix it so that we have constant internet capability and communication potential where we currently live. Now that I know there are people here I can easily make sure we both get that if I could just get the codes.

As to the apparent feelings of the RUS it seems that your organization destroyed a enclave and even went as far as to imprison people from it. Do you have some explanation for why that was done?" Dylan locked eyes with the man and tried to detect any hint of a lie.

[Dawn OOC]

"I see," the general said, taking a puff on his cigar. He was quiet for a moment. "I'd need more information about what enclave, where and why," he finally said. "Then I might, depending on what it was."

"It was Rolf, in Oklahoma," Jules said, her voice excessively unfriendly.

The general winced. "Oh, that clusterf-" He glanced at Jules quickly and adjusted, "Big mess. Well, alright. Happens I know about that one. Hard to forget." He blew another plume of gray smoke and said, "We had a team of scientists working on the Zombie virus. They were attempting to find the source of the damned thing. One night, all of them pulled up stakes and took off, taking all of our research with them. We sent Capt. Mousmein and his team to retrieve our data. Their orders were to bring everyone back to us. We wanted to have a conversation with those scientists who had seen fit to take our information and run off with it. It was never meant to be a invasion. Mousmein took things too far. He's rogue. We've been looking for him, but Oklahoma is a bit out of our safe range."

He looked at Walker and added, "Your description matches one of an enhanced person wrongfully captured by Mousemein. Am I speaking to the same person?"

[Amarant]

Walker didn't think he believed this man just yet. He was former military himself, he knew the lifestyle, the mentality, the 'flavor' of operations in such an environment. And to him, the invasion of Roff and the subsequent capture of himself and many of the scientists had all the 'flavors' of a sanctioned op, not a rogue one. He might turn out to be wrong about this, but he didn't think so, and so Walker fully intended to watch this general very carefully for the time being.

And since it was obvious that he'd been made and his 'disguise' wasn't really necessary any longer...

Walker continued to stare silently and motionlessly at the general for a second or two, and then one clawed hand launched itself at - what seemed to the others watching to be - a dangerous and threatening speed, only to stop just as suddenly with three of his lethally-tipped fingers grasping the frame of his sunglasses. So sudden and bizarre had his movements been that, by contrast, when he smoothly removed the sunglasses from his face in an entirely normal motion it seemed almost unnatural.

The pretense of normality that the sunglasses presented to the world gone, Walker regarded the RUS man with his carapace-black eyes.

In his dry whispering voice, he answered, "Yes".

[Dawn OOC]

"I know that apologies aren't good enough. You have them anyway," General Wilson said, almost meeting Walker's eyes. His gaze settled high on Walker's cheek before shying back to his cigar. "That was a mess from the moment Mousmein was put in charge. He's looking for a place called Fox's - seems he has a grudge with someone there. If you folks know that enclave, you might pass on that they might have a problem in the area."

"Will do," Jules said, "if we run into them."

"Right." He paused, looking at them all. He seemed to be drawing himself together before he said, "As for the codes... I'm sorry, son, but I can't give those to you. It's a matter of national security. Now, if you're interested in communication, I'd be happy to put some of my men on taking over one of the cell phone satellites. We could work out a direct communication line with your group, if you are all interested." He glanced at Jules and Walker. "But you might not be interested in full disclosure, hmm?"

[Stargaizer]

Draygo, in the role of bodyguard, didn't have a whole lot to say or do for the moment. So, he just stood there, eyes scanning the entire area and ears listening to everything that was said.

It was interesting to learn what he was learning, about Walker and what he and the other people at Fox's had gone through before he showed up. It was also interesting to find out that the RUS was coming after Fox's... when they got back he might have to do some areal recon.

Of course, the fact that they weren't going to be able to get the codes peacefully did throw a wrench into the works, but Draygo figured that he'd wait until Dylan reacted before he did anything.

[Dylan Harvey]

"National security?" Dylan looked almost dumb struck then just kind of chuckled. "Your kidding right, there kinda needs to be a nation for that. I think the majority of the population turning to zombies changes things general. We have just as much right to those satellites as you do, I might even argue a bit more seeing as I know what can really be done with them in this kind of situation. I doubt anyone you have working with you has half the brains or half the creativity I do for this stuff."

He looked from Draygo, to Walker, and finally to Jules. After a moment he turned back to the General. "I need at least three satellites. I need a network that can connect from coast to coast to access all the servers I need, any way we could negotiate that?"

[Dawn OOC]

"As I said before, we'll happily help you repurpose civilian communication satellites,” the general said firmly. “In fact, having communication across the country is a hellova good start.

“Let me explain something,” he added, holding his cigar between his thumb and two front fingers. He rolled it lightly back and forth, his eyes darting from them to the plume rising from his cigar. “We are the R.U.S. That ‘R’ doesn’t stand for Relinquished. We aren’t the Resigned United States. We’re the Reclaimed United States. I know that we don’t have much now, but we’re getting stronger. More and more territory is being returned to us. It’s a long process. It may be impossible, but someone has to try to restore our nation’s greatness.”

He looked at each of them before continuing. “I’d like your help. Yours and your enclave. We need people – strong, smart, fast, tough people – to do this. I would like to talk to you folks about saving the world from zombies.”

Click to reveal..

Feel free to converse as you will. With luck, I’ll be online again soon.

[Dylan Harvey]

When it seemed clear no one else was going to say anything Dylan nodded. He decided it was best to give a basic response and let the General assume his opinion.

"It seems a noble goal and one that deserves discussion. Why don't we take care of getting the codes I need for the three civvie sats. After that give us a chance to return to our enclave and get the system set up. When we decide what we want to do we can contact you and discuss matters further. Sound good?" He looked at both the General and Jules.

[Dawn OOC]

"First, we need to work out what kind of relationship we're going to have with your enclave," the general said, looking at them closely. Another plume of smoke ascended into the sky as he added, "I'd rather not help people who are going to turn around and bite my ass."

"We just want to be left alone," Jules said pointedly.

"Truces are fine," Wilson said, his voice speculative. "I'd prefer for you folks to join us. We'll move you closer to us, if you want to the protection. We'll also leave you where you are, come out and get Mousmein and clean up our mess. I'm open to the possibilities."

"You want us to just trust you?" Jules asked

"No, but I'd like the chance to earn it," he told them.

[Dylan Harvey]

"Tell you what, you want a chance to earn our trust? Why don't we just start with the three satellites? Our current relationship is one of caution at best General. We are not looking for trouble and right now we don't know if we can trust you as friends. Let us discuss the matter, and look in to what you said. You deal with your rogue people and that will go a long way to helping us see the truth of your claims. Once we decide to contact you I know right where to send a message to."

Dylan was growing notably more suspicious. He wanted to get those codes and get back to the refuge. Again he wished there was someone in their group who could communicate telepathically. They were far enough away from the compound that it would take time to get people here on foot but they spent long enough talking they could get surrounded.

[Dawn OOC]

The general's eyebrows rose. "I'm not going to start earning your trust by giving you access to tools that can screw us," he said softly. That soft tone was hard as iron and just as immutable. "I know you folks have access to rapid transport, so why don't you head back home and talk it over with your people.

"In the meantime, if you find sign of Mousmein, you can email me here," he said, extending a card to Dylan. "If taking him out and cleaning up our mess is part of what we have to do to prove our sincerity, we'll be happy to do it."

He paused and added, "If your leader wants to communicate with me, he can feel free to use that address, too. I'd be happy to start talks and get some information flowing between everyone."

[Stargaizer]

Draygo honestly felt like putting a lightning bolt through this snake oil salesman's heart. Not that he would, without cause or a green light from his group, but he wanted to. First this guy said that he'd help them repurpose civilian satellites, then when Dylan asked him to do just that to start earning trust, he backed out.

Draygo wasn't liking the smell this meeting was starting to give off at all. Things were spiraling downwards, and they were headed down quick.

The only outward sign of his discomfort that Draygo let show was when he re-checked the surroundings for snipers or other hostiles.

Click to reveal..

scanning the windows and surrounding area for bad guys

(Draygo): perception + awareness (first dice mega)

(09:14:26) ChatBot: (Draygo) rolls 8d10 and gets 5,6,1,7,8,8,8,9.

5sux @ std diff, 4@ diff 8

[z-Jules WhiteElk]

"Dylan, are you done?" Jules asked, her voice sharp. She knew that the young man was sure to be disappointed by the outcome. "Because if we are, I'd like to G-T-F-O."

She was nervous, facing a tank out here in the open. She wanted to shoulder her rifle like she craved good food; it was almost a basic need at this point. Things hadn't gone as the kid had wanted; now it was time to change tactics or get the hell out of here. Personally, she preferred the latter.

[Dylan Harvey]

Dylan already decided he had had enough of this schmuck. "Ya Jules, I'm done." He tossed the general's card down on the ground. "Trust me, if we want to contact you I know how. As to your "restored" American way of life you seem to have forgotten there was good reason the military did not have the final say on things like diplomatic agreements. Lets get the hell out of here." With that he turned and walked back to his laptops and started packing up. He almost prayed the General would make a move on him. The three supers with him would love the excuse to tear the man apart. He was already forming a new plan, and this time it would also involve sending a message to these criminals. They seemed to think that information could be free to them and no one else, they were wrong.

[Dawn OOC]

"And the civilians always forget that in time of war, the military does have more weight," the general replied. "They also forget that the Commander in Chief always has the final say." He watched them for a moment, then climbed back toward the tank.

The only warning was the whistle of something falling from above. Two shadows on the ground were rapidly becoming larger. With a lifetime of military training, Wilson didn't hesitate to throw himself under the tank, huddling against the treads.

Click to reveal..

Surprise round. Take a single action or move. You can save yourself or someone else. You can also attempt to intercept one of the falling objects, if you wish.

Any questions, just ask.

[Stargaizer]

Draygo, having already been on the alert for danger, was ready to act once the incoming whatever had been announced and Wilson threw himself under the tank.

In his estimation, there were two people who needed his protection, but only one of them had he specifically come to protect. So, rising to his full height, and spreading his wings, he rushed and hunched over Dylan and his equipment.

In little more than a moment's time, Dylan found himself in a cave lined with hard, armored scales and leathery wings.

[Amarant]

Walker not only saw the growing shadows on the ground, he also felt the air being compressed and pushed out of the way by the plummeting forms above them. Taking an instant to look upwards, Walker was surprised to see what looked like two zombies hurtling towards them. From this distance he couldn't make out many details, but the closer of the two looked like it had something strapped to its chest.

Turning his attention back to the people he was here to protect, Walker immediately saw that Dylan was taken care of, so he focused on Jules.

Who was a different case than Dylan entirely. Jules was, Walker knew, a "super". A super who had experience in hostile situations like this, and a super who was currently carrying a loaded rifle. So Walker wasn't so much interested in "protecting" her (since it was up for debate just how much protecting she actually needed), as he was interested in making sure she could put both her experience and her loaded weapon to good use.

And so, with a speed that was blinding, Walker reached out with four inhumanly powerful arms and grabbed Jules under the shoulders and around the waist, bent at the knees, and then he leaped. The leap carried them both high into the air, despite the shallow angle of their trajectory, and deposited them solidly on the roof of the nearby bank. As high and far as he'd just jumped, Walker could've jumped much further, but though Jules was a super, her rifle wasn't and it wouldn't do her or them much good from a kilometer out.

Letting go of the Native American beauty, Walker rasped quickly to her, "Cover us", and then began to vanish before her eyes, but before he'd completed faded Jules heard him add, "and be careful". And then he was gone.

[z-Jules WhiteElk]

Jules barely had time to realize the danger before she was scooped up by the most unlikely guardian angel ever: John Walker. She couldn't stop the yelp that she let loose as he jumped. She felt like one of her children as Walker bore her to the top of a building. When he put her down, she spun to stare at him, startled, only to watch him fade.

"You too," she murmured to nothing, echoing his last whisper, not sure he was around to even hear it. Then she was down to business, dropping to her stomach on the top of the building and aiming at the group below.

[Dawn OOC]

The two forms hit the ground and exploded. The first landed in front of the tank, nearly a direct 'hit' on where the general had been standing. It meant that he actually had little cover from the explosion.

The second one landed to the right of the tank, but still not that far off target. It also exploded nicely, but that red cloud that spread away from both sites wasn't fire; it was a red mist of blood and body parts.

Click to reveal..

Damage on the General (not that you care): 4 sux, 4 Lethal Damage

1d10=5, 1d10=3, 1d10=8, 1d10=4, 1d10=8, 1d10=7, 1d10=9, 1d10=2

Damage on Draygo: 1 sux, 1 Lethal Damage

1d10=10

Draygo and Dylan heard the explosions, though Dylan heard it muffled by feet of dragonic hide and mass. The actual force of the explosion lifted the Draygo ball and threw him back, coating him in zombie gore.

After he'd deposited Jules, Walker was able to see the form landing nimbly on the office building across the plaza. It appeared to be the source of the falling zombies, unless zombies were flying around with explosives strapped to them on their own. With James' build, he looked more than capable of carrying two grown humans and dropping them with precision.

Combat Map

[Amarant]

Now invisible, Walker "relaxed" the "muscle" that held his body in check and immediately took on the lethally-nightmarish shape that was his true form. All unseen he turned and assessed what was now most definitely a battlefield, immediately spotting the newcomer across the plaza.

Walker didn't hesitate and immediately launched himself over the plaza, directly at their unknown assailant. Sunlight streamed unimpeded through his monstrous and many-limbed body as he hurtled through the air over the heads of Draygo and Dylan and towards his unwitting victim (or at least he was hoping his intended victim was unwitting). Despite his massive size, when Walker landed firmly on the building's rooftop he struck with no more force than would a medium-sized dog, though the lethal blow he aimed at his enemy's torso would - if it landed - strike with considerably more force than that.

Click to reveal.. (Walker's Attack Rolls)

Multitasking Roll (1st die a mega): (16:15:02) ChatBot: (Centimane) rolls 6d10 and gets 5,7,9,8,8,1. 4 successes.

Declared Actions: Activating Invisibility, Activating Feather Foot (reflexive), 1 Ambush Attack, 1 Defense. Penalties are -1, -2, -2. (Claws were already active before start of combat.)

Invisibility Roll (1st die a mega): (16:18:37) ChatBot: (Centimane) rolls 7d10 and gets 5,7,7,10,2,3,9. 4 successes. 4+3=7 successes total.

Ambush Stealth Roll (1st 2 dice are megas): (16:20:24) ChatBot: (Centimane) rolls 12d10 and gets 9,8,7,9,8,4,5,5,8,5,3,5. 6 successes total. Adding successes from Inviz roll, 4+6=10 successes on Ambush roll. If victim rolls fewer successes, he may not defend, if the same number, he may defend but no more, if more successes, he may act normally.

Ambush Attack Roll (1st 2 dice are megas): (16:21:53) ChatBot: (Centimane) rolls 20d10 and gets 2,5,3,8,2,4,7,5,2,4,5,8,1,2,9,2,​8,8,6,6. 6 successes total.

Damage Roll: (16:24:13) ChatBot: (Centimane) rolls 14d10 and gets 5,5,9,7,5,10,2,1,8,3,4,8,2,7. 6 successes total. 6+[25]=31 Lethal damage.

Defense Roll (1st 2 dice are megas): (16:25:38) ChatBot: (Centimane) rolls 10d10 and gets 10,10,3,9,2,2,5,2,10,9. 9 successes total.

Q: -5 | W: -0 | H: -0

[Dawn OOC]

The man was fairly normal looking, save for his heavily muscled exterior. He was even what woman might find attractive - or he was before Walker opened him up like a can of tuna. The black claws cut through his clothing and flesh alike.

But when it was done, the bloody mess was still on his feet.

Click to reveal..

Still up, pretty badly injured

Q: -3 | W: -0 | H: Bx Bx Hx Ix Wx Mx Mx

This is the way I'd like to have Quantum, Willpower and Health indicated. The x's mean Lethal, / would be Bruised and Agg would be *. I think this is a good way to show what's going on without me showing all my cards - or the PCs having to show all, either.

Click to reveal..

Jules' Perc + Awareness: 1 sux, failure

1d10=5, 1d10=5, 1d10=1, 1d10=3, 1d10=4, 1d10=2, 1d10=3, 1d10=9, 1d10=4

Q-Bolt Attack: 7 sux, 9 bashing

Quicky's status:

Q: -4 | W: -0 | H: Unhurt

Walker felt the changes in the air, but was too busy dealing with Mr. Non-Dying to warn Jules. Jules herself didn't see the man that eased around the air conditioner unit. His skin the same color as the metal unit as he peered slowly over the edge. He cleared his head and shoulders and extended his hand at Jules. A burst of wind flowed from his hand to slam into her. She made a noise and went limp, her rifle slipping over the edge of the building.

The tank popped open and a soldier surged out. He bravely hopped off the top and grabbed the General, trying to pull him back into the tank. The blood-covered general seemed to be fighting him, trying to stop him from doing so.

Jules was incapacated... Dylan is next. You have until 7/7 7 pm CST.

[Dylan Harvey]

Dylan kept him self as calm as he could. As long as he was enclosed he listened. When he finally got a chance to see he looked around and took in. Like a quick flash camera his eyes darted all over and he put his brain to work analyzing all that data. He couldn't fire a gun, or use much of any weapon. If he had prepared for this for the past couple months he could have probably built some batman like gizmos that could have come in handy. He really should have things like that laying around, but now was the time to let his fastest and strongest gizmo work.

Click to reveal..

Split Action: Analyze Weakness -2, Int+Analysis -3

Analyze Weakness: 3 mega, 5 int (-2)

Mega:(00:16:54) ChatBot: (Dylan) rolls 3d10 and gets 10,4,2. (3 sux)

Int:(00:21:28) ChatBot: (Dylan) rolls 3d10 and gets 8,5,9. (2 sux)

Int + Analysis: 3 mega, 5 int, 5 AW (-3)

Mega: (00:22:43) ChatBot: (Dylan) rolls 3d10 and gets 4,2,9. (2 sux)

Int:(00:23:24) ChatBot: (Dylan) rolls 2d10 and gets 4,8.(1 sux)

AW: (00:24:48) ChatBot: (Dylan) rolls 5d10 and gets 8,2,8,1,10. (3 sux)

Total: 6 sux

[Dawn OOC]

Dylan saw instantly that those were two separate groups. Three, his brain provided with wry exactness, if you count us. The RUS and someone else, someone who likely had a grudge against the RUS.

The slowly settling cloud of exploded zombies told him that their intention had been to kill - and not necessarily quickly. There was little burn damage around the site and he saw shrapnel around. Shrapnel wouldn’t pierce a tank, but they were not airtight, and there was a fine mist of Z-virus floating around in the air. More coated all the surfaces; Dylan even had some on himself, though he was unconcerned about infection.

He heard the sounds of someone fighting on the roof of the building behind the tank, as well as someone on the bank behind them. The rifle clattering to the ground told him that Jules wasn’t faring well in her fight.

They had to have at least one super, one who could jump like James and carry two zombies. That would be the best and quietest way to get the zombies into place, so long as the person could drop them with accuracy. Another person needed to disarm Jules, which implied another super. But Dylan would want more people, were he directing this fight; they were probably in route, either creeping forward or using vehicles to close suddenly. Arm them with guns and you’d have a decent chance of killing the soldiers. If you failed, there was still the chance that the Z would sicken and kill them anyway.

The objective was questionable. Dylan wondered if this were an attack of opportunity on the general or something more far reaching. He just didn’t know enough about these people and their motives; he was sure that this was aimed at the RUS, since he was sure this wasn’t a group that the Refuge had pissed off. Part of him wondered if Walker hadn’t attacked and just let them have the RUS, if they would have attacked his people at all. No way to know that now.

For now, disengaging seemed the best course of action unless Draygo, Walker and Jules could quickly neutralize the opposing forces. Dylan hoped they were wise enough to leave one alive for questioning. There were too many variables that he didn’t know here.

[Stargaizer]

So much happened, and it all happened so quickly that Draygo had trouble registering it all. First Walker whisked Jules away, then the zombies exploded… and that stung… then something landed on the top of the building to Draygo’s right and Jules’ gun clattered off the top of the building to his left.

Then, to top it all off, Draygo heard engines coming from behind the building in front of him, and screams coming from the tank behind him. There was just too much to deal with all at once. He had to act, but spraying lighting everywhere probably wasn’t the best idea… and there weren’t any combatants left where he could get to them quickly.

With the RUS behind them, baddies on the top of the buildings to the left and right, and unknown probable hostiles coming towards their front, they were getting surrounded very quickly. It was time to do something about that. Fighting enemies that surrounded you meant that you were already backed into a corner; if you could somehow get them in front of you, or on just two sides of you, then you at least had somewhere to move to… plus your attention could be more focused.

So, Draygo turned around, and focusing as much as he could, with a great heave, he picked up the tank and swung it around, narrowly missing the dried remains of a once beautiful fountain. He released it so that it careened into the northern side of the 12 story office building. The building had already suffered structural damage, and that, combined with neglect and the careening mass of a M1 Abrahams tank spelled the final destruction of the building. With a creak of over stressed steel and the cracking and popping of breaking concrete, the office building started its journey to its final resting place between where it was and the tech company building.

Click to reveal..

M1 Abrahams tank = 68 tons according to Dawn

MStr 1 = 1 ton

+6qp = 64 tons

(Draygo): str + might

(21:49:49) ChatBot: (Draygo) rolls 5d10 and gets 5,6,6,6,7.

(21:49:53) (Draygo): 1sux

(21:50:01) (Draygo): +20% lifting capacity

Total lifting = 76.8 tons

Q: -6 | W: -0 | H: Bx

Oh, and I forgot to mention, Draygo is relatively sure that the tank will protect its' occupants from the falling building... just so you know that he's not a heartless bastard.

[Dawn OOC]

The man facing Walker, held shaking hands to his gut. His face had gotten white, but now as his superior body superseded the shock of Walker’s blow, it started to go red – with anger. Suddenly, the radio on his belt cracked to life. “Taylor, get out of there! Quint, get the girl!”

The big guy scowled but bent his knees – and the building rumbled and shook. With a look of alarm, the man – presumably Taylor – leapt away, heading away from the mess. In midair, he turned back and extended one hand back to the still invisible Walker, displaying a single middle finger in a final salute.

Cries and shouts came from the corridor between the tech building and the beleaguered office building. Now the others could hear the zipping noises of small engine vehicles. The roars of the bikes and four-wheelers rose and fell as their drivers tried – in vain – to avoid the chunks of building.

From the corridor between the bank and the tech building, two three-wheelers and two four-wheelers roared into the open. Their riders drove into the area but seemed confused, as if not sure how to act without their other halves or with the fact that they were facing a tank-tossing half-dragon. Their radios crackled again, but no one could hear them from the distances they were at. One plucky fellow snapped off a shot, aiming for the dragon-guy. The bullet hit, but bounced off Draygo’s scales without leaving so much as a bruise.

END OF ROUND

Walker, you’re up, you have until 7/8, 7 pm CST

[Amarant]

Walker let the unknown assailant (Taylor?) go. He didn't want to, and what was more, didn't have to - he was all but certain that he could keep pace with the much smaller, much more wounded man. But the sound of Jules' rifle clattering to the ground, several stories below where he'd last left her, was still ringing in what currently passed for his ears. So, against his nature, he let the asshole go and turned back the way he'd come.

Still invisible, Walker's many legs bunched underneath him and then catapulted him into the air, his momentum easily carrying him across the courtyard below and back to where he'd left Jules while his many lidless eyes scanned the rooftop for signs of Jules and what had happened to her.

Click to reveal.. (Walker's Dice Rolls)

Awareness Roll (1st die a mega): (18:01:49) ChatBot: (Centimane) rolls 9d10 and gets 9,7,4,7,4,6,2,3,7. 5 successes total.

Quantum Leap: Automatic, 1qp spent.

Walker's Status:

Q: -6 | W: -0 | H: -0

Jules lay near the edge of the roof, almost exactly where he'd left her. She was clearly unconscious; he could see a massive bruise spreading from under her tank top. It looked like she'd been hit with something pretty large from behind, but he didn't see - or sense - anything or anyone else.

Landing softly next to Jules, Walker took a moment to reassure himself that she was (relatively speaking) alright, and then turned his attention back to the surrounding violence.

[Dawn OOC]

Quint froze for a second; something was wrong. Not only had there been an odd breeze, but his 'spidey-sense', that odd feeling that crept down his spine when danger was around, had just warned him that he was in danger.

Sprawled on the roof next to the girl, he wondered what it could be. He couldn't see anything, but that didn't mean a damned thing. Time to act fast.

Walker didn't see the man on the roof until he moved. When he moved, it was with a speed Walker had seen in himself and a few others. He rolled to his feet, scooped Jules up and was gone in a burst of speed the like Walker had never seen before.

Click to reveal..

Quint burnt for Multitasking to stand, grab Jules and move.

Quint's status:

Q: -9 | W: -0 | H: Unhurt

The general rose unsteadily, covered in blood. The soldier who had crawled out to help him tossed the General a sidearm and turned to fire at one of the riders on the four-wheeler. The handgun caught the man in the side and threw him sideways off the bike.

Click to reveal..

Dex : Firearms: 2 sux

Damage: 1 sux

Damage from road rash: 2 sux, Total of 3 Lethal damage

Dylan is up next, you have until 7/12 at 7 CST

[Dylan Harvey]

Dylan kept looking around, trying desperately to think of a plan. It was too late for either him self or Draygo to do anything to help Jules. Either Walker could handle this Quint guy or he couldn't. If he couldn't then the boy and his dragon would probably just get in the way. Dylan wasn't quite to the point he wanted to help the General out just yet. Every side in every fight had their story and Dylan didn't know these other guys. Then Dylan thought about the three wheelers.

"Draygo, I am going to find some cover and contact Fox. Why don't you go grab a guy off one of the vehicles so we can have a chat with him after this." With that Dylan made his way to the best looking "shady" spot.

[Stargaizer]

Draygo watched as the General winged one of the guys speeding towards them. He figured it was time to show him how it was done.

Draygo heard Dylan say that he wanted one alive, but he figured that someone should still be alive after the dust settled... well, alive (long) enough to answer some questions anyways.

Now, Draygo wasn't always this bloodthirsty; but he figured that it was too much of a coincidence that these guys showed up just after they got zombie-bombed from the sky... plus they popped off a shot at him. But mostly it was because he figured they were with the zombie bombers.

So, he bent over, opened his mouth, and released the fury inside him. Lightning lept out of his mouth and raced to the guys on the three wheelers, arcing from guy to guy, racing all over the metal parts of their vehicles and taking chips out of the nearby building walls.

Click to reveal..

(Draygo): dex + qb to hit

(21:35:42) ChatBot: (Draygo) rolls 5d10 and gets 9,6,4,3,9.

(21:35:53) (Draygo): 2sux (hit, hopefully)

(21:36:13) (Draygo): dmg

(21:36:56) (Draygo): [qx2]+prx4 L (first guy)

(21:37:04) ChatBot: (Draygo) rolls 4d10 and gets 10,5,3,1.

(21:37:33) (Draygo): [2]+1=3L to the first guy

(21:38:28) (Draygo): [qx2]+prx4-2 L (second guy)

(21:38:35) ChatBot: (Draygo) rolls 2d10 and gets 3,10.

(21:38:58) (Draygo): [2]+1=3L second guy

That is unless a 10 for dmg counts as 2, which I don't think it does, but if it does it's 4L for each guy.

[Dawn OOC]

Dylan realized that the fountain that they were close to was pretty "shady"; the walls would offer him some protection and its sunken basin would let him sit upright, more or less. The fountain's center piece would offer him protection from the other side, as well.

Draygo watched with satisfaction as two more four-wheelers roared to a stop, their inhabitants temporarily losing control of their vehicles. Draygo knew that was temporary shock and that the people would be able to act again soon.

The one unhurt guy stared around wildly at the carnage and the utter failure of their plan before whipping his handbars around and gunning it for the path between the Tech Building and the Bank. The small vehicle gained speed with relative ease and he shot between the buildings.

Click to reveal..

Alrighty, the guy is going to get away unless someone has been holding an action (which I think might only be Dylan). Alternately, Walker could take him out on his turn, if Walker wishes.

Walker, you're up - please post by the 21st at 7 CST

[Amarant]

Walker had tried to follow after whatever it was that had taken Jules, but only for the first half a second, or so. After that it had become obvious that he had no hope of succeeding and had turned his focus on matters at hand, looking for something he could turn to their advantage. Down below, Draygo and the RUS soldiers were doing a fine job of mopping up their attackers - so fine a job, in fact, that he was a little concerned there would be no one left to question. But then the last attacker still on his ATV whipped his vehicle around and tried to escape.

Which was exactly the kind of opportunity Walker had been looking for.

Many-jointed legs more than three meters long carried his monstrous and invisible form across the roof at a speed that, while nowhere near as incredible as that of Jules' abductor, would have been terrifying had anyone been able to see it. Walker reached the alley that their attacker was attempting to flee through, and simply stepped over the edge and continued down the building's vertical face as easily as he had across its horizontal top. As the last of his body was passing over the roof's edge he attached a gout of silk to the brick and mortar making up the structure and gave it a quick tug with one of many arms, ensuring that it was secure.

Assured that his line was secure and would hold him, Walker's legs released their grip on the wall's surface so that all eight of his hideous limbs could stretch outwards for balance as he plummeted almost nine stories straight down. The spider-silk snapped taught behind him as four arms snapped downwards below him, two snapping up the escaping driver and two snapping up the ATV the driver had been attempting to escape on.

The driver was lifted by invisible arms longer than he was tall and stronger than steel girders, brought inexorably closer to invisible chelicerae that he couldn't see, though he could certainly hear the ominous and disturbingly inhuman clacking sound that his captor was making with them. Walker no longer breathed, except when keeping up pretenses, but speaking still required the inflow and outflow of air in order for sounds to be made, so though the zombie-bomb-dropping would-be escapee still couldn't see anything, he could feel the icy breath of something - something huge and unseen - on his face. The smell as the unnaturally cool breath washed over him was the smell of dead things.

"Talk or die", Walker rasped at his captive, getting straight to the point, "Where is your rendezvous point?"

Click to reveal.. (Walker's Actions)

Declaring 3 actions, total. Laying the silk-line, grabbing the driver and grabbing his ATV. Grabbing the driver is an Ambush attack (unless you say different, Dawn).

Stealth Roll (1st 2 dice Megas): (00:55:37) ChatBot: (Centimane) rolls 12d10 and gets 7,5,1,7,3,2,6,5,1,1,5,2. 2 successes, plus the 7 successes on his Inviz roll. 9 successes, total.

Laying Spider-Silk Line: I don't even know if this should require a roll, but I'm still counting it against his actions for determining penalties (so -4 dice taken from next action, and -5 taken from action after that).

Ambush Hold Attack (1st 2 dice Megas): (01:00:28) ChatBot: (Centimane) rolls 16d10 and gets 8,6,1,10,2,9,6,3,3,8,6,9,4,9,8,2​. 8 successes, total. This is a Hold attack, so no damage - if it's successful then the driver is immobilized in Walker's hands.

Grab at ATV (1st 2 dice Megas): (01:02:24) ChatBot: (Centimane) rolls 6d10 and gets 9,6,4,3,8,3. 3 successes, total.