Jessica stands, giving Sarah a hint of a jealous look, then heads outside. She stares in the direction of the highway for a moment, then turns to watch the others exit the diner. "Who's got the ride?"
Captain drank her lemonade and considered the reports while the others talked. Once it started winding down she finished her drink and picked up her phone. She would unlock it again once in the car. Captain went to pay for her drink with slightly more than appropriate gratuity.
Once outside, Captain looked around before approaching her vehicle. It looked like would likely fit everyone uncomfortably.
As you filed out to the carpark a lumbering man in a police uniform is crossing the road. He glances at you all, taking in your appearances from Captain Rose's suit to Kavax'Kaotl...appearence.
He changes course and approaches. "Hey there folks. What'cha all doing in town today?"
Kavax makes sure to settle his bill before leaving, but otherwise stays quiet. He'd talk more once he was someplace that wouldn't attract too much attention.
As the police officer changed directions towards them, Captain quickly unlocked the gruesome images from her phone and locked in a standard accounting business report. Long with lots of numbers and charts and jargon. Standard protocol.
She nodded as he got close, standing at ease - well, military at ease which probably looked quite tense to most. "Having a meal and a break before heading up the road for business."
As the officer approaches, Jessica jams her fingers into the pockets of her skinny jeans and tries to look like the high schooler she used to be.
There doesn't seem to be anything dangerous at the moment. Unless you arouse the officers' suspicion.
"Buisness, huh?" The officer nodded. "Well, you folks must have heard the problems we've been having? I get wanting to go in a convoy, but you might just want to avoid the roads anyway. Take a longer route around. Better late than never, right?"
He glanced at Rose's vehicle and your eclectic appearance. "Or maybe you folks already know a little something about that?"
Carlos tries to move the subject away, "Oh we heard but only in passing in the diner there." Nodding his head to Gina's he continues, "Do you have any other routes?" He does his best to look thoughtful while trying to fish for answers in reverse, a tactic commonly employed by those who deal with various devils, fey and spirits. " Honestly, now I'm thankful for both the advice and the cheesecake, and they weren't kidding when it was the best." I hope his small town love works in that diner or something, because this can get pretty bad pretty quick.
Cheshire sighs and lets the others do the talking. For some reason he was often accused of making situations like this worse. It wasn't his fault if most people didn't appreciate his feline charms.
The officer nodded. "Sure. Just head towards the woods first, then dog leg when you head up. Should avoid the problem" He looked at you all for a moment longer. "Shame. I was kinda hoping you were the folks who were coming when I reached out to the radio. But if you were to travel that road, for whatever reason, avoid the old Henderson farmstead near Vestige. That's where it started, we think." The officer turned and headed into the diner again.
"He reached out over the radio? Could it have been our mysterious voice or someone else? Does anyone actually know how Kara functions, if she's even real?" He shakes his head and mutters something in Spanish, "A mystery for another day." He looks back at the walking officer, "Captain?" He lets the question hang, not wanting to reveal her employers and hoping she understood the subtext. He didn't know their hierarchy, if they accepted calls... but the more he thought about it the more he realized he knew nothing about them.
"Seems like we have a target though. Any qualms about hitting the Henderson farm?"
Jessica shrugs and shakes her head no. "I've got nothing better to do."
Captain nodded in consideration as she unlocked and checked her phone, making a few notes as she did.
After a moment, she responded, "Heading up there to see if it matches the intel so far would fit with the protocol. Anyone riding with me sits in back -- and avoids touching the equipment." she said before she unlocked the vehicle and sat in the driver's seat. The back would typically sit three awkwardly, five at a tight squeeze into the rear space with the sizeable cage. The other front seat was taken by a two large briefcases and other equipment placed just as Captain liked. She finished the typical protocols while waiting to see who if any would ride in the strange armoured vehicle with a large cage, tinted windows, and minimal comforts before heading up towards Henderson farm...
Jessica sighs. "If it's too tight a squeeze, you could give me a phone and call me when you get there. Then I can join you," she says to Carlos.
Thankfully the Captain's vehicle is capable of fitting you all without anyone ending up in someone else's lap or the cage. Unless they wanted to.
The road is easy and simple to find and follow, and relatively well maintained. It also lacks any other traffic. After maybe twenty minutes there is a very worn out for 'Vestige', although it clearly hadn't been replaced for a very long time.
This road was less well maintained, but someone had been keeping it repaired. A couple of miles down the road it splits off, a sign saying 'Henderson' on it. The road continues, but it's disrepair increased noticeably after this point.
Cheshire reduces the crowding in the back of the van by the simple expedient of turning into a cat--once out of view of any mundanes, of course.
Present company excepted.
Kavax… couldn't really fit comfortably in the vehicle, but that was hardly a new experience for him. Sitting in backed chairs was always a trouble, what with the short tail and vestigial wings (if only he'd still had functional ones. Flying was so much easier). That and having to pull his sword off his back to avoid sitting on it.
In short, the ride was rather uncomfortable for him and whoever had to sit next to him. Maybe next time he'd just sit in the cage; the indignity might be worth the roomier space.
Captain pulls in behind the Henderson sign. While keeping the road clear, she felt there was no use wasting time attempting to hide the vehicle if the police wanted someone to look into it and this seemed a better location to leave from if things went wrong than risking that patchwork road.
She unlocked her phone, scrolling through the intel for something related this location, "This seems the starting point" she said, glancing out the window to see if there was anything, combined with the intel of course, that give signs of where to go next. She made no move to leave the vehicle yet.
Jessica steps out of the vehicle, preferring to be outside. She pulls off her oversized hoodie sweatshirt revealing that she was wearing ancient, pseudo Greek-style breastplate. The hoodie suddenly fades away in her hands. Then she does the same with her baggy sweat pants, exposing her greaves protecting her legs. Her pants similarly fade away, but then in her hands is a armored skirt that she affixes around her waist to protect her thighs.
She turns to the others. "Ready?
Carlos sits in the cramped truck, only now noticing how unfeasible carrying around weapons and magical trinkets can be. "You know, it would be much easier Chesir---" And it seems like in that solitary moment he read his mind, "Thanks."
The rest of the drive seemed uneventful, though he tried to strike up a conversation with Kavax, "So mighty nice sword you have there... where or when is it from exactly?" The expert looks at it trying to figure it out but has no luck once the truck starts bouncing.
---
Eventually the truck stops and his head flies forward. "Out we go I guess." Hopping out of the truck, it almost looks like deja vu from the bus earlier; Carlos making a mental note in case it was an omen.
Seeing Jessica transform makes him somewhat jealous as he starts to unzip his duffel and grab his items, "Just a bit," He struggles to throw the jersey over his head, it getting caught in the combat knife on his hip and harness underneath, "Some of us don't have that---" With a heave it comes off and a clattering of his glasses hit the floor, "Ability." Picking up the glasses and slinging the shotgun over his back he continues, "Not using that drying spell again." It certainly wasn't the cheesecake.
Kavax was actually pleased that someone had taken an interest in his weapon.
"Hmm? Oh. It's an authentic Zhanmadao, Song dynasty. Bit over a thousand years old now, hard to find many in good condition these days. Takes a fair bit of work keeping it maintained."
The blade is long, clearly meant to be wielded two-handed, though Kavax's bulk makes it seem almost more like a single-handed weapon.
---
Kavax'Kaotl is happy to exit the vehicle (which noticeably rises a bit on its suspension as he leaves). He spends a couple moments stretching, and puts his blade at a more easily drawn position on his hip, rather than the hidden location on his back.
"Yeah, I'm ready. Should we move on to this farm, or sniff around here first?"
Carlos has seen stranger things than a mint condition blade from a dynasty long-past but he keeps prodding Kavax with questions, keenly curious about him, "Seems about the right size for you, I sure as heck can't wield that. Why'd you choose such an exotic blade anyway?"
As Carlos and Kavax discuss swords, Jessica's hand twitches and her own appears. Hers is a straight, double-edged blade with a wide tang and a hilt long enough for it to be wielded two-handed. She'd never had any interest in weapons in her mortal life, the most dangerous thing she'd ever possessed being a tube of pepper spray. Now, she could summon a flaming sword at will and wield it with frightening grace and power.
Jessica quickly decides not to bother with a game of "I'll show you mine if you show me yours," so her sword disappears into the mysterious place where it and other small possessions go whenever she wills it to happen.
She clasps her hands behind her back and waits for the Captain to exit her vehicle.
Kavax scratched at his chin a little, thinking.
"Hmmm... Felt a little familiar, I guess? Like I already knew how to use it, or maybe I'd seen it before. Got a fondness for old things, anyhow. That, and it is about the right size, which can be hard to find."
Cheshire remains in cat form as he jumps out of the van. He saunters a little ways away from the group, sits down on the ground, and starts grooming one of his paws.
After everyone else had left the vehicle, Captain prepared her equipment. Shotgun in sling, large knife in belt holster mostly hidden by her blazer, and checked the equipment in the briefcase before closing that back up and bringing it with her. Once satisfied, she left the car and followed vehicle resecurement procedures.
When she was finished, Captain joined the others, briefcase in one hand, phone in the other, looking more ready to walk into a high corporate office meeting than find monsters - except for the shotgun and that her briefcase was mostly filled with a sniper rifle and ammo. Captain didn't really pay much attention to the talk of swords or much beyond looking down the dilapidated road and comparing what she could see with the background of the photos. "These attacks don't seem to have happened too far from the road, finding signs of it may enable tracking."
Sarah taps on her standard, utilitarian shotgun. "Yeah, yeah, impressive swords and whatever, let's go." Sarah considers tucking the shotgun back under her coat, but it seems somewhat superfluous at this point.
The approach to the farm is a simple dirt road, but compacted and well maintained. A padlocked gate bars the way, but it's easy to climb. Of note is the sign next to it - 'The Henderson Family Farm. Four generations of taking no crap. Salesmen will be considered trespassers, and shot.'
Beyond the gate is a simple farm complex - a large main house, what seemed to be a second small house off to one side, a massive barn and several outhouses and sheds and a number of coops and pens, and even a stable.
Beyond the farm, down a hill, can be seen the remains of an old town - Vestige, one presumed.
The farm itself is eerily empty. Chicken coops are silent, and there are no animals to be seen.
Cheshire carefully pads forward, alert for anything out of the ordinary.
"Let me go first, kittens. You'll spoil the scents if you start clomping about in front of me," he says, with a dismissive flick of his tail.
He starts sniffing around, searching for things other Hunters would miss due to their inexperience with olfactory clues.
Kavax stood slightly awkwardly, letting others go first. He wasn't always the best at investigating things. Still there were some things he could try. He tended to be more in tune to the mystical... and had a better grasp than many on how a monster thinks. Sometimes.
Kavax'Kaotl looked out beyond the farm, considering things. This place wouldn't make a good lair. Where would he go if he were looking for a lair near here?
Kavax finnds tracks in the dirt - fain, barely visible and only somewhat human. They seem to be bare but clawed, leading both onto the farm and out, onto the road. It's difficult to say which are the most recent...but since you didn't see them as you drove in, it would suggest what you're looking for is either at the farm or the town.
"Hmmm? There's tracks here. Look kind of human-ish, but with claws. Looks like whatever we're looking for has been along this road before. Might be hiding somewhere in the farm or the town."
Kavax waved to the other hunters, in case a better tracker wanted to take a look.
Carlos looks at Kavax, shocked that he was able to tell such a thing, then again he did the same thing with a photo. "Good to know my senses aren't entirely off about the claws Kavax. You think its possibly hiding out in the farm?" The self-proclaimed curandero takes a seat and tries out a new spell, "Cover me, I'm not sure how long this will take." Opening his nearly deflated duffel bag he pulls out some water, an egg and some dry-pressed flowers. "Hope this works."
He fixes his shades and digs a small hole in front of him, then breaking the cap of the water with his teeth pours it into it. The way he sits cross legged nearly looks like a child playing at the beach but then he swallows the flowers in a methodical manner before cracking the egg into the hole, revealing deep red yolk that has the faint smell of blood.
Moving his hands through the quickly dissolving murk a picture starts to form. A smirk comes across Carlos' face and he gets up. "I think I did it. The spirits are strong here."
Jessica remains silent and wanders the perimeter of the group while they do their investigation. She still wasn't very well-versed in this monster-hunting business, having previously had no idea that monsters even existed until she became one. When Carlos says he thinks he did it, her attention snaps over to him and she watches intently.
The spell flickers across several images as it focuses onto the location Carlos wants to focus on - the main Farmhouse. The inside is a hideous mess. Decades of items of sentiment - the peoples lives - are scattered, smashed and destroyed. There is no obvious sign of anything, and police tape covering the door suggest the police have already checked here. At least, not until the spell flickers beneath the house, into a second part of the basement that seems to be hidden. Inside several creatures sleep in the detritus of there last meal. It is...not pretty, and neither are they. Gaunt, pale and clawed, the creatures are obviously Ghouls. One in particular - larger, closer to muscular, and wearing a long white beard.
That one turns and looks, almost as though it senses something, and glimmering yellows eyes flash in the dark basement. Then it looks towards a small window where the suns fading rays can be seen.
"Good news. I found our targets and what they are. Bad news, they may have found me." He looks over his shoulder toward the sun, "Almost certain of it actually."
Carlos half lifts his glasses and wipes his eyes, "Ghouls. They're living in some squalor down below the house, and there is most certainly something bigger with them. Has yellow eyes a large build like Kavax oer here and a ragged beard. He's the one that sensed me." He looks apologetic to the group and starts filling in the hole with his foot before gathering up his things into his bag. Slinging it over his shoulder and swapping it with the shotgun he gives an unseen wink, "Órale! Let's go!"
Cheshire changes form again--this time into a hybrid of cat and man, the closest he has to a 'combat' form.
"Lovely. Claw to claw with nasty, diseased undead. Just what I was hoping for," he snarks. "I don't like the sound of the bigger one. Charging in without a plan probably isn't our best option."
"I'd prefer to fight outside. We've got more ranged weapons than they do, and people always complain when I set the place on fire when fighting indoors."
Kavax tries to think about if he knows anything about ghouls, or whatever the super-ghoul is. He couldn't usually remember much, but had always had good instincts for destruction and harm, so perhaps he could recall any vulnerabilities.
He also advances toward the front of their group, suspecting he is one of the tougher melee combatants.
At 'Ghouls', Captain was kneeling and opening her briefcase, quickly putting together her sniper rifle. She also switched into thicker leather gloves.
Captain nodded at Kavax'Kaotl "Ranged would be best. With likely infectious entities, the standard protocol is to avoid contact and neutralize from a distance. An advantageous spot should be found before we lose much more light..."
Kavax knows that with many of the undead, Ghouls included, fire is the best solution. They could regenerate from many other wounds.
The Captain locates a perch atop of the sheds, but it's exposed. It would provide a good line of sight but would, in turn, be easy to see if the monsters counter attacked and easy enough for them to climb up.
"Infectious?" Jessica asks. Can I be infected? Oh, my G-- Oh, aren't I monster enough?
She watches the farm house closely, hand twitching and ready to call forth her sword. "Uh, how many did you see?"
"Make sure to burn them. Undead tend to get back up again otherwise, though bullets and such may put them down temporarily. I've got plenty of fire, but I don't know about the rest of you. And if there's a bunch of them we might want to try to take them out a few at a time... though they're unlikely to be cooperative about that."
Jessica blinks in near disbelief when Kavax tells them what to use against the ghouls. "Fire, you say."
With that, her sword appears in her hands, and it erupts into flame.
"Saw several of them plus the big jefe. Not sure what to expect down there truth be told." He starts to see the Captain eye the perch, "Watch your flank, are the rest of us going in?" The shock of the flaming sword takes him back to when he first met her, but he is glad that the glasses bounce some of the glare off, It makes me look super cool.
He slings the shotgun back and grabs his magic bag in hand, hoping the blessed salt can deal enough harm to them.
After her moment of panic, Jessica felt that her unique...condition meant it was unlikely she could be infected. And Kavax had a similar suspicion. Rose, Carlos, Sarah and perhaps Cheshire were not so lucky. But magic would probably be able to remove the infection, and there was time before it turned someone.
Carlos was pretty sure he hadn't seen them all, but there were six of the things plus the big one in the basement. A normal weapon would be enough to put the monsters down, it would simply not be enough to keep them down.
Sarah unloaded her shotgun and loaded in some 'special' shells her grandfather showed her how to make. Not always reliable, but should hopefully burn these things, or at least hurt them a little more.
Captain nodded to Carlos. While it didn't fit all the best practice protocols for the situation, it was the best in a bad situation. Maybe the coming darkness would be more useful as cover than it was a potential threat.
She went to shed roof and set up herself up and helped anyone else who joined her to shoot or fireball from that distance while she waited for ghouls to come her way.
"It'd be nice to lure them out. Any of you particularly good at looking vulnerable and tasty?" He eyes Kavax'Kaotl. "Or just light the place on fire and let that drive them out."
The suns last light slowly drained across the horizon, leaving the dimmer twilight engulfing the farmhouse. From within, there was a howl and a scream.
Jessica gives Cheshire a look when the scream issues forth. "I suppose you'd like for me to switch my sword for my pom-poms?"