[M] Outbreak Genesis IC

[SikstaSlathalin]

Zeke chuckled around the rim of his beer can as everything he said was summarily dismissed and replaced with talks of raiding military bases, flying whirly birds, and lots of important sounding but empty military jargon. Even in his inhibited state Zeke could see this group watched too many movies and thought they could hold off a giant military base by themselves with only a handful of trained fighters to their names and even less supplies and essentials.

As soon as they staked their claim on that mountain base they'd be the biggest damn target to not only deaders, but every other survivor group still kicking around out there and it was almost guaranteed they wouldn't all be peaceful refugees looking for help. The human condition would dictate that the world of Mad Max would be more plausible to how things would pan out once they got themselves set up. Marauders, Raiders, and people too desperate for diplomacy would come out in droves once things settled down a bit. And military bases are fine and dandy, but unless you have enough bodies with enough technical know-how front and center most of it will go to waste and fall into disrepair. Going after bunkers and bases are stuff you do once you already have a homebase set up you don't go right for the biggest fruit on the tree as soon as you leave the house.

But he let it all slide as more talking heads popped into the room acting like they knew what they were doing. He had his kit and the Ragged Lady and a surefire safe haven down south to make for, this group didn't need him at least until they tried to plant crops or get some livestock. No one looked to be well versed in any aspect of farming, Ranger Rick military types mostly. All aviator glasses, cigarettes, and overly complicated military surplus rifles that would fall apart in a few years. Cracking open the last can in his twenty four pack he looked out the window as the sound of gunfire was heard. The man let out a low manic cackle and pulled himself up off his gear. "Those fools gunna die unless one y'all go get'em." Taking a long sip of his beer Zeke looked around as the only response to the shots were the Chopper Jockey and the Limey grabbing an old man with a flamethrower, two strippers, and some piggies to mount a kind of defense and distraction for the fifty strong horde. Zeke grabbed his pistol and swore placing his beer into the empty coffee cup of the woman who had he had heard was named Andi DuPre. "Here girly hold my beer...burps...daddy needs to go to work." After checking that his mag was full he grabbed a pair of grenades off one of the guards and left at a staggering run from the police station.

The small group of survivors had attracted at least half of the horde to their little hideout. But they didn't have the bullets to take them all. Luckily the mad cowboy did have an idea. Picking up speed and stability the Southern man jumped into one of the precincts SUVs and fired the big toy to life after finding the keys had been left in the ignition. He let out a cackle at the thought of the cops giving him a ticket for a DUI after this. But he was sure the court would find him not guilty if this plan worked. Letting off a few shots of his own he roared from the precinct parking lot and plowed through the center of the horde being thankful for the bullet proof glass of the SUV, they would help keep the Zombies from getting in. He mowed down a whole line of the deaders before he broke free letting off a few more shots to make sure as many of them were following him as possible. Swerving and smashing more deaders he soon made his way to the gas station. The vehicle squealed to a stop and Zeke quickly pulled the pins out of the two grenades and jumped from the truck before they blew. The horde was quick to swarm around him, but the luck of the Anarchist was with him as he slid into a storm drain and scuttled down the pipe a little as the grenades blew taking the gas station and the horde with them. It wasn't the best place to hide in an explosion like that and chances were good he might have an entire street cave in around him, but hey...at least it looked cool.

[Highland Sniper]

Kodis watched as the SUV drove right through the hoard before remembering that he wasn't out of the woods yet.
A zombie was getting too close for comfort, so he popped off two more shots. It wasn't much longer till the gas station blew up and Kodis was knocked off the war he was standing on top of as derbies flew from the now demolished station, hitting other cars, and likely to cause other secondary explosions.

His head rang, though he wasn't entirely sure if it was from the blast, or hitting his head on the pavement. Though it could have been both. He felt something warm run down the side of his head. He got up and looked around at the flames from the still burning gas. He new he would have to get away from the next few explosions. He got up and looked around again to see a good chunk of the hoard gone, but the behemoth was still standing it seemed.
He began to hobble away from the fires and the cars and away from the behemoth as best he could.
He looked down to find a piece of metal sticking out of his right leg.
"Help!" He called as he continued to hobble. He looked back to make sure he wasn't being followed by any zombies and get going. "I need help!"

[ColtenBarg]

His weapons were clean and everyone seemed to have some idea of the road ahead, so Neeko packed another lip and took a seat to relax for as long as he could. There wouldn't be much downtime in the hectic days ahead, so why not take advantage now? Within a minute, he heard the shots. Nothing can ever be easy, can it? He thought to himself.

Many of the people around him sprung into action, thinking the life of a couple was worth more than the life of the many people inside the station, but that really didn't matter at this point. Neeko rose from the chair, chambered a round in his MPX, and went to try and help where he could. There was a rather large amount of walkers converging on their location, but nothing a few well-trained soldiers couldn't take care of. The old man with the flamethrower seemed to have things under control, so Neeko moved to support the cops and the man alongside them.

Among the group of walkers in front of them were a few unusual looking ones, certainly more dangerous than the rest. One got dropped by the other man, whilst the rest moved towards them. It's time to get western. Thought Neeko, as he raised his weapon and began firing off single shots towards the heads of the things in front of him, dropping multiple walkers and one of the hunters. Next thing he knew there was an SUV hauling tail through the hoard, and who else driving it besides the drunk hick. After plowing through walkers, he saw the man jump out and slip into a drain.

Then came the explosions. First the vehicle, then the pumps. It was deafening. Neeko hadn't been so disoriented in a long time. After somewhat gaining his bearings, he could see that although extremely reckless, the plan was effective. At least temporarily. An explosion that loud would attract every zed within 5 miles, and bring plenty of death with them. On top of that issue, the massive thing was still alive. If they didn't take care of that and get moving ASAP, none of them would survive the night.

[omgLYNX]

Bryce slid his pistol into his holster and turned around, dropping to one knee as he shoulder his rifle and began firing, each round fired signified by a loud click, and walkers started falling, either from being shot in the leg or tripping over walkers that had already been shot. Bryce slung the rifle over his shoulder, turning the other way and began running across the cars, having found his next spot.
He eventually reached his target, a Sprinter van. He jumped off the hood of a car, then placed his foot against the back door handle of the Sprinter, and used it to move himself to the roof of the van. Not a solution by any means, but it would by him some time, he was out of reach of most of them, but his attention turned to the Behemoth as he pulled the rifle off his should and readied it, his red dot falling onto the shape of the Behemoth, then he began firing rapidly at the monster.

[Rayne7]

Hearing the shots, Salem gripped his rifle and started moving towards the doors. Seeing the others already reacting, he cursed as the station blew up. Dinner bell was ringing louder by the minute. Shouldering his rifle, he focused on the hunters and the walkers closest, putting two rounds into the head of a hunter leaping towards one of the others and then transitioning to a walker sprinting at him five feet away. The combined fire of the survivors and the explosion had already killed a fair number of the infected, but more was coming.

A sudden unearthly scream came from somewhere nearby, louder and more raw than any scream he'd ever heard. It was gut-wrenching and chilling to hear. Turning towards the sound he saw a female infected suddenly lunge at him and fired instinctively as her chest came into contact with his muzzle. blowing holes through her sternum and out her back. Her body dropped, and he put the last round of the magazine into her head and reloaded.

The loud roar and a the sound of a car being knocked onto it's side announced the presence of a second Behemoth, and as the survivors looked a second horde arrived, much larger than the first and with well over a dozen hunters. The smoke and the flames were serving as a beacon to the infected in the city, alerting them to their prey. Several howls and screams could be heard, as still more were coming.

Grimm noticed as one of the newcomers on a van put effective fire on the half-toasted enraged Behemoth, the center of it's skull blossoming with a pink mist as it fell to the ground. Salem started to cover their approach to the Precinct.

"We gotta evacuate! Go through the Precinct to the back parking lot where the helo and other Vehicles are!" he shouted at the others.

[Highland Sniper]

As more shots rang out and unearthly screams could be heard, Kodis continued to hobble as he screamed for help, adding "MEDIC!" to the mix. He hobbled to the line as fast he could, turning to fire at the closest zombies when they seemed to be on top of him. The blood from his leg had already reached his feet by this point, and more was slowly oozing from the side of his head. Someone shouted something, but it was hard to hear considering he felt sick to his stomachache, had just taken a blow to the head somewhere and had a large piece of shrapnel in his leg, he was probably in shock. The Gunshots and screams didn't help matters.

He continued to approach the line and as people finally began to notice him, he raised his trigger hand and said "Don't shoot! I'm a survivor. I need help!"
He slowly continued his approach, though it seemed like he swayed a bit. his vision certainly was getting smaller.
He cursed before saying "Blacking out. I'm blacking out." he cursed again.

[Fox Xalian]

The situation changed suddenly, Miles was used to this as both a former combat medic and a firefighter. He knew he was born for this. "Maisie, get everyone back into the building! Salem is right, we need to get out of here now!" he shouted, handing his rifle to a young girl who ran out with his medic jumpbag after seeing the injured man almost collapsing from blood loss. "Remember what I taught you" he said to the girl as she aimed at a zombie, pulling the trigger and slowly moving backwards.

Miles moved up, the girl and Maisie covering his approach. He opened the bag as he knelt beside the man. "What's your name, sir?" he asked as he grabbed some roller gauze, looking over the patient's injuries. Head bleed, that needs to be controlled...fairly large piece of metal penetrating his leg, looks to be an arterial graze he thought. He used the roller gauze to wrap the head wound, stemming the bleeding there, before moving to the leg wound. He wrapped roller gauze around the piece of metal, the bleeding slowed by this. As the clamshell was brought from his helicopter by a nurse inside he got a read on the PT's vitals, mostly checking for breathing and pulse.

Once the stretcher was brought in he broke it in half, slid one half under the left side of the patient, and other half under the right side and secured the two halves together, carefully securing the man to the board before him and the nurse moved towards the precinct, they would go straight through the building to the parking lot where the helicopter was sitting.

Maisie started ordering everyone to fall back, some would move while others would provide overwatch, then they would move while the ones they were overwatch for would provide overwatch. On and on until most everyone was back inside, all except those who rushed out from the meeting, as well as Harold and the twins, and a couple of SWAT guys near them, handing MP7s to the twins.

And then the tables turned once more, a zombie with enough mental faculties to still fire a gun aimed a pistol and fired twice, one bullet hit the tank of Harold's flamethrower, fuel coming out of the tank and into the path of the flame Harold was putting onto the new Behemoth and, almost in slow motion from Harold's point of view, the fire traveled up the stream of fuel, into the tank, causing an explosion. 2 seconds. In two seconds, possibly their best weapon was destroyed, Harold lay dead and the twins were gravely wounded. The twins apologized to each other for failing before firing from their prone positions into the horde. The SWAT members were over run, being torn apart by hunters, the horde quickly pushing the last of the survivors back into the precinct.

"Everyone who was coming to the base, get to the parking lot! Some in the heli, others grab either a couple of police cruisers or whatever civilian vehicles we can find, we need to bug out!" Maisie ordered, taking Miles' rifle as she carried it out to said helicopter. She stowed his weapon as she watched him find a viable vein, tapping it and inserting an IV, hanging a 1000mL bag of saline for fluid replenishment.

[Highland Sniper]

"Kodis, uh... sir." He said, his head was swimming and his vision wan't getting any better as his head and leg were wrapped. He gave little resistance besides his own slurred words as he felt a gentle push to lay him down and the stretcher was put under him. That dark ring was getting tighter on his vision. Everything blurred, but it was odd that it didn't get any worse. Everything moved and jerked as his vision remained obscured by floating discs. Everything lost it's color and all sound lost meaning as it was too muffled and burred in ringing and explosion from gunshots.

He was jostled into the helicopter and was stuck with an IV. His head slowly sung to see what was going on, his thoughts were fuzzy, danger seemed distant. He wondered if it was whatever was in the IV, or if it was just his head. "I've never been in a hospital." He slurred. "Is this what it's like?"
He blinked and slowly looked over at the man who patched him up. "Give it to me straight doc. Will I ever fly again?" Why where they flying? What was he running from again? Where were his guns? Did he even have guns?
everything seemed numb.

[bluemoon]

Things began happening quickly around Andi, her hand lowering before she had a chance to shake the elderly gentleman’s, several members of the group running out of the precinct to aid whomever was firing off their weapons. Even the drunken cowboy answered the call, his half-empty beer can deposited in her seat haphazardly as she twisted to grab up her backpack and tire iron. She mumbled an apology to the grizzled senior then turned away, her attention drawn to the commotion beyond the door. Without further hesitation, she ran for the exit, nearly losing her balance when the floor beneath her shifted, lifting slightly before it dropped back down following an explosion.

“What the...?” slipped from her lips, the man who had been leading the conversation earlier moving past her towards the door, another gun lost to the fight outside. His shouted command did little to temper the fear that was building in her. They were no longer safe. It was time to go.

Feeling the push of the other survivors heading deeper into the precinct towards the back lot, she scrambled to get her gun from its shoulder holster and follow them. Her ammunition had been replenished when she reached the police station yesterday, but there was precious little against so large a horde. Still, she would have felt safer moving into the field of the infected rather than following the other civilians, so many of them unarmed and unprepared for what might happen next.

Once in the back lot, Andi stood her ground, her feet planted apart as the first of the infected managed to get past the armed men and women out front. She hesitated before lifting her Glock...if not for the angry snarl, the afflicted teenager would have appeared normal...at least at first glance. Her gait was a bit off, a thin line of blood oozing down the front of her pale blue slacks the only indication worthy of note. She was barely deterred by the injury, no sign of pain registering on her face. When Andi’s bullet struck her mid-chest, her body flinched, the shoulder kicking back, but little else. Andi's aim lifted, the next round leaving a gouge along the girl’s hairline. Curses poured out of the teacher’s mouth as she fired a third time, the girl finally dropping, the hole just above her eye the final count.

----------------------

Zeke was well on his way before more of a horde converged on the flames and explosions. The Doomsayer peeked out storm grates watching the zombies swarming the area and the rest of the humans in the precinct beginning to panic and run for their vehicles. Letting out a low cackle he eyed the way back home and began looking for a grate or manhole cover he could pop out of. "Y'all are welcome." They would've been arguing and bitching about making a plan till the zombie cows came home and ate their faces. Now whatever the plan was they'd have a cover to drive away under and no surprise zombie hordes would stop them if all the zombies were gathered around the gas station and with any luck maybe the fire would reach the under ground fuel tanks soon and level even more of the horde.

He was sure the Ranger Ricks and uppity G-men in the group would give him shit for doing what he did. But those two idiots that thought shooting would end up any differently would be just as at fault. But they sure as shit didn't have the bullets to end that horde so a mad escape would likely have been the only option anyway. But because everyone needed someone to blame it would fall on him despite making the biggest dent in the horde they could in a single swing.

Whistling merrily the Southern man power walked through the sewers kicking through whatever blockages got in his way until he figured he was close enough to the precinct. Kicking shit off his boots he climbed the metal rungs that led him back to the surface. Pushing the heavy metal disk up he tossed it aside and popped up in the motor pool of the precinct. A bunch of the survivors were already rushing towards whatever vehicle they could find. Zeke said it once and he'll say it again. "We ain't got the movers for these shakers." Lifting himself out of the hole he quickly turned to see the woman he left in charge of his beer shooting some zombie chick girl taking a whole three shots to do it. "Hmm remind me to show you some proper shooting skills when I get back. Here go warm the car." He pulled the keys to his jeep off his belt and tossed them to Andi. "She's the uparmored gray Jeep Cherokee over yonder." Just then he heard another explosion and some orders from around the front of the building telling everyone to retreat. Zeke laughed moving back into the building, all his gear was still there, including his bow and the second twenty four pack he liberated from his own fridge before he made his way here.

A scoff met the cowboy's back as he entered the police station, Andi stooping to grab up the keys from the ground where they had fallen. "I can shoot fine," she said louder than needed. "Might help if the target wasn't so damn resilient." With a huff, she turned away, scanning the lot for the mentioned vehicle. It only took her a moment to locate it, her steps taking her there double-time. It started up on the first try, the young woman looking over the lot nervously. "Don't take all day cowboy...the clock is ticking," she said under her breath.

Who would've thought stinking like a sewer would come in handy when you were trying to back into a building in the middle of evacuation. People jumped over chairs and tables as he came through he let them have the right of way when on steps, but mostly he just walked through whistling to himself as he returned to the little war room. It was empty, what with everyone being gone, so he quickly stripped out of his shit water covered clothes and tossed them away before he cracked open an abandoned jug of water and dumped it over his head to give a quick cleaning before putting on clean clothes and grabbing his pack, bow, and beer, his hat being the last thing he grabbed before he followed the last of the survivors outside. "I can fit three more people in my jeep!" He shouted to whoever before moving to the Ragged Lady and tossing his pack and bow into the back of the jeep. He went around to the drivers side, putting the beer in Andi's lap. "A'ight I'm back hop over girly. The Ragged Lady may start up quick, but it takes a...tender tried hand to really get her motor runnin'. " He cackled lightly looking up to see if anyone was taking his offer for three seats.

"Really? ...but no argument here," she said, her brow lifting as she scooted over, taking the beer with her. Her belt was securely fastened as she waited on the man to get inside, already doubting her decision to be his passenger. Getting in with the drunkest member of the party was not in her best interest, but she wasn't switching now. Her chances were in question no matter her choice...she might as well ride with someone who might be crazy enough to keep her alive. At least he had changed his clothes...the odor that had been wafting off him enough to gag a maggot.

Just as Zeke got himself buckled in the backdoors pulled open and three people clambered into the back of the jeep, one was a male cop with his arm in a sling and the other two were a mom and her daughter. Zeke gave them a smile and a wink. "Buckle up y'all we gonna have to drive hard an' fast to get outta here." He then turned to Andi and smiled. "So our fearless leaders decide on a plan of escape while I was gone?"

"I think they settled on checking out the Cheyenne base...but I wasn't really paying too close attention. That was before everything started going to sh...crap...I mean." She swiveled in her seat and smiled apologetically to the young mother before continuing. "They were talking about flying out there and sending in ground troops...not sure if the plans changed."

Moving the case of beer to the floor between her feet, she gave the man a once over, similar to how she looked at a student who had broken the rules a few too many times. "Was that you that caused the explosion? You seem the type...a trouble maker."

Zeke simply gave Andi a roguish smile and a wink before he put the Ragged Lady into drive, cackling madly and flooring it out of the precinct, mowing down a couple more Zombies that had gotten in his way before he turned towards the military base. No one would be fool enough to try and organize a convoy for an escape like this, so he didn't even bother to look back and see if the others were following. Until they found a home base and decided on a cool team name for the surviving group, it was every man for themselves, as far as this mad man was concerned. Him, Andi, and the three passengers could all flee South and join the Edge family Doomsday Cult if this Air Force base idea went belly up.

Coming back to himself slightly he glanced back at the passengers...all looked equal parts scared and angry. With a big smile Zeke held his hand over his mouth and made the sounds of an intercom in a plan coming on. Altering his voice he spoke in the stereotypical low slow voice a captain on a plane used for announcements. "Hello everyone this is your Captain Zeke Edge. I thank you for picking Edge Airlines for all your zombie escaping needs. Sadly there will be no inflight movie, but we have a whole box of MREs behind Mr. Cop for your complimentary inflight meal. I don't remember what is left, but I do know there is no tuna surprise." He made a buzzing sound and went back to cackling to himself as he drove the jeep through the last few stragglers of the horde.

Laughing despite herself, Andi punched Zeke lightly on the arm. "You really are effing crazy...you know that?"

[Alura]

As soon as the shots rang through the streets close at hand, people inside the precinct started to move. Becky rose from her lean against the desk and backed toward a wall hesitantly. Scared people were dangerous people. Most started to crush for the back exits and she craned her neck around looking for the old timer who had traded her a beer. Not seeing him in the chaos, she scooped up her pack and slung it onto her back, making her way with the current of the human horde. She ducked away from the press as she made it to the back cells, eyes meeting Kitty's where she stood wanly at the edge of her cage. It might almost seem she was safer there, but if things went bad - and they probably would, all things considered - she couldn't just leave the other woman there.

She stilled her own anxiety and cracked a broad grin. "Babes, relax. Too many fans and not enough tickets to the show, you know how it is."

Rubbing her hands together, the pilot showed front and back to the other woman as if she were beginning a magic trick.

"Time to see if I still have the touch."

"Be careful, Becks!" Kitty warned, smiling a little though fear was still mirrored in her sleepless eyes. She was worried about her son, of course. What mother wouldn't be?

Shouldering through the door one of the coppers had vanished through earlier with one last grin flashed to the other woman, Becky slipped in and shut the door. The uniform from before was standing by one of the filing cabinets as she entered, and curiously didn't bother to turn.

"A-hem." She cleared her throat expectantly. He didn't move. "Excuse me, Sir, don't mean to bother but you still have someone locked up in... the..."

Trailing off, she noticed a sort of heave to the man's shoulders and his hand tamped down on the cabinet as if he were leaning on it for support. Or angry. Leaning slightly to get a better view in profile, she noticed he looked a bit peaky. No... not quite that.

"Are you alright there, Sugar?" She asked as cheerfully as she could muster, rocking on her feet nervously.

When he began to turn to answer her, she knew it was no use speaking to him any further. With a yelp she launched herself towards the door, losing a few moments scrabbling with the handle before she went screaming down the corridor towards the crush of people as if a pack of wolves were on her heels. Most of the people had already shoved their way outside into the open, but one of the survivors in the pack looked over in time to lift a shotgun. Eyes flaring wide, Becky dropped back and slid forward just before the gun reported. Two shots and the uniform was no longer a threat. Blinking and blowing out a shaky breath with her hand on her heart, Becky climbed to her feet and gave an appreciative nod and a murmured 'thank you' as her flannel-shirted saviour passed through the exit.

Her ears rang and she shook her head to try to clear it, but she bounded back down the hall to pluck the key card from the poor dead man's belt with a quip about the vice arrest ‘not being the only one with nine lives’ and buzzed out Kitty. Pulling her along, she nudged the other woman’s chin to keep her from looking behind and ushered her out after the crowd. When they hit the lot, she moved for the bird, half-dragging the other woman until Kitty pushed against her arms and shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

"No, I'm sorry. No. I-I'm afraid of heights. I'm afraid of flying, I-I need to find him, my boy."

"Kitty, look at me. Look, Kitty, shh, it's okay. It's okay, Sugar. Kitty, we have to go. Kitty, we have to go for right now."

Body checking the other woman as gently as possible, she tried to coerce the now sobbing woman towards the helicopter. In her flailing, Kitty's elbow connected with Becky's nose and sent her staggering back bleeding. Apologising while still sobbing, Kitty looked flighty.

"Oh, Kitty... I'm so sorry."

Kitty looked at Becky pitifully as she stood holding her nose with her right hand, pretty brown eyes wild.

Becky drew back her fist and leaned into a left cross. The terrified woman crumpled to the ground and Becky flexed her face, wiping blood with the back of her hand with a soft groan before bending to grab under Kitty's shoulders and shuffle towards the helicopter with her.

*******

Reggie shuffled to one side and watched Andi collect her things and head off after the firebrand. He scratched his head and slid his knit cap forward a bit again, before looking lively and collecting his own things. He saw Salem move towards the doors as he re-entered the pen, and rested a palm on one of the half-wall partitions as the noise of the explosion outside seemed to raise the volume on the shrieking and screaming that was punctuated by gunfire. He stepped outside just in time to hear the unearthly screams of the infected that lunged for the younger man. As Salem finished reloading, Reggie moved off from him, using the cover Salem laid down to make a beeline for his van, rifle at the ready.

It seemed like the infected were coming out of the woodwork, but though he heard the predatory stalking around the vehicles, he managed to make it to his van without incident. They must've been too attracted to the movement and chaos to worry much about him. Whatever the reason, he didn't spend too long looking that particular gift horse in the mouth. Turning his key, he let out a breath when the motor kicked and the engine rumbled to life.

That had attracted some attention. An infected came careening for the side of his van and he slammed his foot on the gas, fishtailing slightly in his turn to bat the thing away from his vehicle. Some of the contents of the van shifted behind him. With a squeal of tires that he was a bit impressed with on his old tub of a service van, he navigated quickly outside the ring of vehicles to where Bryce was perched on a Sprinter and lowered the window just enough to yell, "Climb aboard, Son! Time to go!"

His rifle laid across the steering wheel in one hand. Not the safest of options in most cases, but the readiest here perhaps. If he could pick up the kid here, he would try to snag up Salem or meet him in the back lot where the rest were gathering if it seemed safe enough. He certainly had never thought city life would be like this!