The papers detail the following in a missive to a Oberlieutenant Heinrich Van Schtiffel.
The rest of it goes on to describe what appears to be a way to activate these men and women through a series of mind altering phenomena. The last page has scribbles in Russian all over it. They seem to indicate some sort of sound generator and the specifications thereof.
"Some sort of crude cipher perhaps?" She muses over the cryptic numbers, as Smith reads the missive. "As much as I'd like to know everything about what's going on, the standing order is to find the rest of the labcoats. No maps, no clues point that direction. The aerial recon didn't pick up this hidden area..."
She pulls out the recon map and marks this spot on there, to help ascertain and conjecture what else may be in the area.
ie: if this place is getting its power from somewhere nearby, we may conjecture a similar situation with the other labcoats locations.
Smith says, "Hmm, the documents are old and in German and well, talk about mind control and placing moles to start an insurgency."
He throws the papers in his rucksack and says, "We got a lot more tracks and its hard to estimate how many people are down here. Keep your eyes peeled and we might could complete this mission."
Awareness/Notice
Sneak
Tracking
He follows the tracks trying to keep a low profile and not to attract any undue attention
Going back to where the first scientist was found, you continue out of that room and back further down the corridor. It doesn't take long before a rotten smell assaults your noses. Going further, despite your own body's rejections, you come to a room that must have been used as a prison of some kind, considering the bars that cordon off certain areas in the room. Within these bars, the source of the smell is obvious.
Bodies. It is difficult to tell how many might be here, due to the varying states of decay, but it has definitely been at least a month for the newest.
Trying to not let this scene be all that you can see, you notice that there are speakers wired throughout the ceiling. The wires lead back to the corridor and continue further on. Other than that, you don't see much else in this room.
Razor chokes down the little bit of vomit that comes up at the smell and sight of the decay around him. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.
God that's awful. Smith, I am thinking about cutting those wires. Tell me it's a bad idea. My hunch is there was some kind of experiments done to these poor people. I am not thinking I want to be next. Either we should cut the wires or go deaf by stopping up our ears.
Razor gets out his switchblade and moves towards the wires.
Smith says, "Rayz, lets leave that till the egress. We still have the element of surprise and they may be able to tell the wires would be cut."
Awareness/Notice
Sneak
Tracking
As he moves further into the complex following the wires.
Natalie responds in kind with Razor, and apprehensively takes the rear in this expedition.
It isn't much longer until you find the source of the wires. You feel it more before you hear it. A rumbling in the ground verified by the sound of a generator running. The wires are attached to a rather large sound system. There are several data reels and sound recording devices and a few shelves full of folders, paperwork and other materiel. In the center of this room sits a pedestal with a device on it. It looks very similar to an old phonograph, but without the bell. There is an LP sized record on it.
Every once in a while, the lights flicker in here and the generator 'hiccups'. This is where the trail in the dust on the floor ends. The corridor continues on however.
Not wasting any intelligence Smith starts to stuff the tapes in his rucksack and glances at some files to see if he picks up any info. If it is above his head he puts it in his rucksack as well.
"Let's grab the stuff, we could sift through it later."
Natalie moves out of the corridor's LOS and aims her shotgun at the area just in case they're discovered.
Readied Action: Shoot at first hostile seen from her vantage point.
After stuffing things in his rucksack, he moves towards the hallway not yet explored, AK in hand and whispers, "Charlie Mike" and moves into the point position to move forward.
Awareness/Notice
Sneak
Tracking
The corridor ahead leads to a room that looks like it used to be a storage room, considering all the crates that have been destroyed and picked through. The packaging looks like it must have been medicine and food supplies. All of which is empty and gone. The corridor ends here.
"A dead end. I don't think a place like this'd double down on a second secret passage."
The only thing that Natalie can ascertain is that whoever dug into these supplies was very desperate. There is no delicacy to any of the torn and shredded packages. It almost looks as if an animal got into them.
Smith says, "Ok, I think we should go back and interrogate the doctor and sift through the documents. Maybe, at the Red Crescent camp there is a computer or something, what do you guys think?"
"I'm not following what happened here. So everyone grabbed everything they could, but they left the labcoat. I'm no security specialist but I didn't hear any alarms go off when we entered the area. It's as if they abandoned it. So why'd he stay behind?"
Have you heard the man? I am not sure he has it all together upstairs anymore. Maybe that's why they left him; maybe that's why he stayed. Hard to say. But I agree with Smith Doc Scrambled Brain is only clue left.
The unconscious scientist is beginning to stir...
Natalie muses, "A kind word or two is not going to get this guy back on his feet...mentally." She sniffs, "You know what I mean. I doubt we're going to get much out of him. So if that's a dead end, now what?"
"Who...who are you people?", the scientist starts to mutter as he comes to. He looks somewhat alarmed, but not really surprised to see you.
Before the doc wakes up, Smith says, "Well we have all of these documents to sift through, there is bound to be some leads in this crap."
Smith steps forward to the man and says, "Megic, you'r alright. My companions and I are here to rescue you. You seem to be hungry."
Smith then goes into his pack and hands the man a Red Crescent version of a C-ration and opens it with his P-38 can opener and hands him a spoon.
Natalie looks at the documents, then to the doctor. The look of disdain from thinking about research is visible. She approaches the labcoat, helping follow Timothy's lead here. "Hey, you feeling any better? You were in a pretty bad state at first. Can you tell us your name?"
Her tone may be a tad condescending to the scientist, but this isn't her standard quarry.
The scientist takes the spoon and food, apprehensively at first, then as if he hadn't eaten in days. After a few bites, he manages, "Mmmrph... Doctor Pavil Arlovsky, Soviet Archaeological Survey Unit. Mmmrrphh.. My.. my experiments? Did you find them? The specimens? The notes?"
You notice he starts to appear agitated again, as he eats, he starts to put his face closer to the rations and his eyes dart between you.
"We found some items, but I do not know if they're yours." She holds out a few of the papers found warily, then jerks them back if he lunges for them.
"We want the others. Where are the other scientists? Tell us what you know, and you'll get your precious work back."
Intimidate
The scientists looks as if you had punched him. He shakes his head and you can see his eyes are bloodshot. At first he doesn't say anything, but then he lets out a bloodcurdling scream and charges at you!
Razor seeing the crazied bloodshot eyes of the scientist was on edge before the man made his scream and lunge towards Natalie. As soon at the scientist let out his scream Razor burst into action. He charged head on to meet the scientist and bowl the man over.
(full action; move action)
Wish to be Subdual.
Sensing the scientist's crazed action moments before it happens, Razor steps into the way of the man's Natalie-directed wrath and runs into a brick wall of feral anger, sending Razor sprawled to the ground. The mad scientist pounces on him, wailing at his face.
Nat is taken aback by the temper tantrum, flatfooted for the moment. "Wow, really?"
Smith says, "Boocooo dinky dao" in disbelief and then slams the Doctor from behind with the back of his rifle.
Smith's weapon hits the scientist in the back of the head, hard. The blow would have knocked down a normal man, but this one's feral instincts allow him to ignore the blow.
Natalie tosses the papers she's holding aside, back and away from the doc. If he wanted them, he was going to have to lunge past her and that'd be an easy opening.
She sizes him up, then lashes out with a solid elbow at his head, a knee moves up into his gut immediately afterwards
Pummel
for
If he is out cold, Smith will tie him up, so he can no longer attack.
If not he will hit him again with his rifle hitting for
Natalie's assault catches the scientist by surprise, not so much because he wasn't paying attention, but more because he was focused on his prey on the floor, Razor. Momentarily distracted, it allows Razor a chance to retaliate.
Razor can smell the foul breath of the raving scientist on top of him. The crazed man had landed some weak jabs to Razor's jaw and right eye.
Macomb remembering that this man is their only lead right now resists the urge to use his switchblade to open the man's throat. Instead he seeks he wrestles with the man to gain an advantage by tying up the man's arms.
Busy paying attention to Natalie's fists and feet of fury, the scientist is too distracted to notice Razor's arms snaking their way around him and he suddenly finds himself grappled and held down tight. He struggles, but is unable to get free.
Smith attacks again with his rifle, this time hitting the scientist right on the temple, and this time, he is down. While a small trickle of blood starts from the side of his head, he is still breathing, now heavy in Razor's grasp.
Smith says, "Let's didi before whomever's complex this is shows up or figures out we've been here." He then ties up the man's hands and throws him over his right shoulder while using the sling of the AK to keep the barrel steady as he makes his way out of the cavern with the AK on full auto.
Once Smith has the unconscious scientist tied up. Razor stands up and dusts himself off. Rubbing a thumb over his cheek where the scientist landed a blow. That bugger is stronger than he looks. I agree Smith we got everything of use here let's head out. Razor puts away his switchblade and draws out his PPK before following Smith towards the entrance of the cavern.
Natalie frowns, "Fine, but do we have any other leads to go on, or are we just going to start wandering around in the woods aimlessly?"
As you arrive at the entrance, you notice that the sun is on it's way to the highest point in the sky. Staying out here much longer wouldn't be best.
Notice
Natalie starts thumbing through the papers, seeing what she can glean from them.
Razor emerges from the hidden shelter and glances around adjusting to the light differences of outdoors.