Shrugging Richard looks at Marcus.Cowboys
"There is for sure a perfectly correct explanation! I mean any major disaster we would have noticed. Or do you think that your lower classes have suddenly risen and declared an anarchic state. Maybe just a major traffic accident or flooding. Your cable system is also not state of the art here!"
Marcus smiles then he looks to Ranger Greg, "Well I guess we are hoofing it to the resort and Mr Harrison is taking point down that long dark path to the resort because he feels nothing is wrong with the world like it was in the 1950s. Although, I am still willing to use my satellite phone to make calls and/or use the Internet on the tail gate where there is less tree cover for satellite coverage."
No girlfriend, huh. I can't imagine why.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Yael can't help the small incredulous smile from creeping across her face. Despite speaking English pretty fluently, she still needs to pause while trying to frame her words in a somewhat diplomatic manner.
Um... I am not sure what type of demeanor you're talking about? But I was not in any way suggesting we steal the car. And since Rabies McHomeboy had his head bashed in with an oar, I'm thinking if there are "hostiles", a bomb is not...um... shall we say... particularly likely? Something strange is going on, but yeah, um, stealing a car and s@%@.... can we just, um, not? Please?
She glances at her cell phone and holds it up trying to get a signal.
I'm on board with Edwin, we should probably try to figure out what is going on. I guess the hotel might have reception, but if there's some new bird flu I'd rather check the the internet or the radio first before heading into a large group of sick people. I'm fine either way though, just want to get moving.
Marcus smiles back at Yael and then sighs ... "Fine, we don't have to steAL the truck but it will still be a better place to use the satellite phone on the tail gate due to the less tree coverage in the middle of parking lot unless Edwin wants to lead us down that long and dark path to the resort?"
Marcus makes a face, obviously thinking of something he missed, "Darn it, I knew I forgot something! To pack my hand cranked powered emergency radio! Mental note, not to forget again if there is an again."
Hearing the word birds flew Richard smiles. "Well that wouldn´t be bad. Chances of survival are pretty good for healthy people. The ratio of survival for people between 20 and 39, with proper medication of Tamiflu is 97%"
"If it makes Itchy Finger happy." Edwin clearly tilts his head to Marcus, "I'll lead the way down the dark path he's so jumpy about. Just make sure you put the damn safety on so you don't go shooting me in the back.."
He hadn't talked to Marcus much on the wilderness trip, mostly by choice. He reminded him of a co-worker that once worked in the same manufacturing factory as him. He was a bright young man who believed he was smarter than all of the mechanic staff that had 10+ years of experience on him, just because he had a fancy degree that said he was. Honestly, both him and Marcus were probably good kids at heart, but there was only so much condescending remarks he could take. Well...worse comes to worse, Marcus was probably the a@&%@~! they needed if his paranoia wasn't actually just paranoia. But what were the chances of that?
Yael laughs at the German pharmacist's joke, appreciating the brevity, but is still undecided whether going to the resort is the best idea.
I think going to the hotel is a fine idea, I'm just not sure what sort of welcome we are going to get there when our grungy group shows up strapped and reporting a dead body. If we do go, maybe Marcus can set up the radio outside with someone when we go in?
John stands a little outside the circle of bad mood, trying to bat the smog away before he got infected. His friend Brian caught on and made gagging actions. They laughed but needed to offer an opinion. He hated it when people argued with employees just because things went wrong so he was tempted to vote for the walk out of spite. But there was potentially a murderer around so that was out. He wasn't about to walk 1.5 miles at night with a MAG light. "I vote resort and not adding more crimes to tonight's list," he says from the back. They also didn't need to steal a car. Or borrow or rent or any other justifying words like that.
Marcus was probably the a#&+*!+ they needed if his paranoia wasn't actually just paranoia.
"Both of my safeties are already on, pops. I know you think I was born in the same year as you, when the Model T was a family car, but I assure you, I was not." Marcus looks down to make sure but it was already on safe and his finger is straight along the lower receiver. He was drilled about gun safety during class by the former Navy SEALS instructors that it is almost second nature for him. Hence, why he had to look down. Marcus knows Glocks have two safeties, one being the normal firing pin block, the second is on the trigger so both the normal safety has to be off and the trigger has to be depressed before the handgun will fire.
"I agree - let's not commit breaking and entering, and theft. Right now, the only crime we are definitively aware of is the murder of that poor man, and that was nothing to do with us. Let's try to contact the authorities, so they can sort it out."
He then moves to follow the others to the resort.
Marcus shrugs being democratically out voted by peers in self-denial that something is horribly wrong but the group is correct about stealing the pick-up. Until it can be proven the stuff has truly hit the fan, it is stealing and not surviving. He follows Ranger Greg with the light but in the middle of the path with his gun (on safe) at his side as instructed.
As the group discusses their plan on how to proceed their voices carry off into the night. It is remarkable quiet for being only a few thousand feet away from a large resort and lodge.
Schmitty and Brian follow JoJo's lead and grab an oar as well.
Arlo pulls out an all purpose knife he had brought along for the trip and Piper is staying very close to her husband and pretty much keeping it together.
With a plan of action decided upon the group begins to walk across the parking lot towards the access road.
"Not normal for a resort to be this quiet, right?" Edwin observes.
Using his flashlight to illuminate the north Richard speaks."Hei, who is there?"
As Richard shibest his light into the woods to the North Greg Argo and Pipers all turn their hands inot that direction at one time.
Piper stampers Did you all hear that too?
Greg nods his head slowly and his headlamp to the light flooding in that direction but it is Arlo who first sees the movement and calls out.
Who goes there? Show yourself. We are armed and dangerous do not think us easy prey. You best reveal yourself.
Thirty seconds after this the light from the group reveals a single figure emerging from the woods. The man is about 5'-9" and hunched over. He stumbles out of the woods towards the group mumbling something incoherent.
"Mate, are you okay?"
JoJo does his best impression of a statue and waits for someone more experienced to handle this. The one time his gun is 1.5 miles away he runs across a crazy, murder hobo. Awesome. He keeps the light on the target and the oar in front of him to ward off the stranger.
Like the retired Navy Seals and Force Recon Marines had taught him in his civilian handgun and rifle tactical classes, Marcus quickly moves into position, transforms into the Weaver stance, if there is no light shining or there are huge shadows on the island, he quickly shines the handgun tactical light on the island to secure it by pressing the button on the lower receiver then let's the button go to turn off the tactical light, then holds his pistol at the ready towards the person stumbling out of the forest (muzzle down towards the ground but pointed in the general direction of the target), he takes the weapon off safe (1st safety off), but keeps a straight trigger finger (trigger safety still engaged), and the laser sight off. "He sounds sick?! Be careful!" The military instructors also warned him not to be fixated on one target but to check your flanks and your 6 (rear) at all times to analyze your threat and engage from highest priority to lowest and/or take cover then process the priorities. From Yael's experience in the IDF, her further observation of Marcus tells her that he is not ignorant in firearm usage nor small arm tactics but more like has no real life combat experience, the adrenaline high that comes from it, and the lack of experience to efficiently control it which could be the cause of his rash decision of stealing the truck and some of his other actions.
While Edwin was a curmudgeon, he was no fool. As the unknown stumbles towards them, Edwin cautiously readies his duffel in one hand. It wouldn't do much damage if any, but a good enough swing would knock most on their ass.
"Keep your distance." he warns to the unknown.
Marcus' adrenaline wants to drop the shambling person but he knows what kind of negative experiences that will bring. Instead he suggests ...
"If he continues to walk towards, I say we make haste down the access road that way he does not expose us to whatever he has and we don't have to ki ... I mean injure him because he is too sick to listen to our orders to halt and wants medical care."
The lone figures trips over a log as it stumbled towards the gathering of people. It struggles for a bit on the ground flailing its arms before pushing itself up right again.
The man's eyes in the light of JoJo's flashlight appear completely white. The figure has crossed the threshhold of the forest and is now walking towards the group quite quickly across the parking lot.
Arlo positions himself between the stranger and his wife Piper protectively. He looks to his right and sees Greg's tension on his face and looks to his left and sees Marcus has his gun out and ready.
Piper takes a further step back away from the stranger.
"I think he's blind," JoJo says, shining the light right in the man's eyes. They didn't respond at all. "And really sick. Or drunk." The way he stumbled about reminded him of some guys back at college. He felt a little bad for the guy but he couldn't quell a since of unease about this either. "I like Marcus' idea. Let's just leave him and call the cops." JoJo begins moving to the back of the group and down the trail.
Tension mounting, Marcus moves 5' step above Arlo and right of Geoffrey.
"Ranger Greg, I will engage if we do not leave up the access road now or he stops coming towards us!"
He points the gun at the "hobo" clicks on both the laser sight, tactical light, and places his finger on the trigger.
"HALT AND TURN AWAY, WE DO NOT HAVE THE MEDICAL EXPERTISE TO HEAL YOU! YOU WILL BE FIRED UPON IF YOU DO NOT TURN AWAY!"
Marcus will now fire if the sick man takes another (3) steps and the group does not move quickly up the access road. Sweat pours down Marcus' face, his gut screams pull the trigger, his wanting to please the crowd tells him not to.
What in the bloody hell is that?
As soon as Greg shouts out, Yael starts calmly screwing the suppressor onto the barrel of her weapon. She creeps along perpendicular to creature's path, passing behind the group and scanning the eastern part of the parking lot quickly, verifying that the most immediate threat was in front of the group.
Yael shoots to the side of the approaching person. The sharp metallic clank, a bit louder than a hand clap, emitted from the gun's action still cuts through the otherwise quiet night.
That was your only warning shot. If you don't explain yourself before approaching further, the next shot will be aimed at you.
"I think he's blind," JoJo says, shining the light right in the man's eyes. They didn't respond at all.
... at first. Then after what seemed a long second a pinpoint of blazing red appeared and grew rapidly to about the size of a dilated pupil. Once the pupil reached it full size chaos seemed to reign for a bit as several things happened very quickly.
The person to the North growled and charged forward. Marcus and Yael both fired shots at it. At the same time there was blood curdling scream from the South.Those who turned around in time catch a glimpse of Piper diving to the ground and crawling under the abandoned truck. Two more people emerged from the South wooded area of the parking lot. Their eyes also appear white with a red pupil when a light is directed at them. They also begin to rapid close on the group.
"MORE MURDER HOBOS!" Jonathan cries in fright. He turned to head in the opposite direction of stranger one and heard something from the side. Stranger 2 and 3 had arrived and JoJo was officially done. He starts to move south and away but stops at the truck. "Come on lady. We gotta go." He stops at the back of the truck, keeping it between him and stranger danger 2 and 3.
Maybe its just Marcus keeping him on edge, but Edwin is already primed for action, his old muscles pull. Unfortunately, he doesn't have an oar with him. Instead, he spends his action looking around for another makeshift weapon and, if finding none, pulls out the industrial flashlight from his duffel (the one almost as long as a forearm and could probably crack a skull or two).
"Was in drei gottes Namen ist hier los. Geoffrey, look at their eyes! Must be some kind of drug"
Geoffrey looks a little shaken.
"What the Hell is wrong with them?! Come on - let's get out of here!"
-4=11
He shoots to kill the sick person who continues to advance on the group after order to halt, "WHOOSH ... WHIZZZ ... THAK!" is all that can be heard during the whole firing process of Marcus' handgun. Since Marcus' and Yael's weapons are not too loud, he hears the commotion behind him.
He looks over his shoulder looking for the reason of the commotion and to check the road behind him is free from obstruction to give him room to shoot again if the advancing sick person has not been killed or severely injured without little or no exposure. As looks, he sees (2) sick people coming up on Yael before she has the chance to see herself like all trained IDF soldiers are taught in Krav Maga and basic training, "MISS DAHAN, SICKOS ON YOUR SIX!"
Initiative Order
Edwin 19
Geoffrey 17
JoJo 13
Richard 6
Yael 3
Marcus 3
NPC (Greg and company) 3
North Sicko 3
South Sicko2 1
South Sicko1 0
"Woa, that drug is potent! He did not even flinch!" Richard will watch and use his flashlight to give the others a better view!
Post in Progress
The sicko to the North takes a shot from Marcus straight into the chest. The shot was aimed true at the man's heart but the man didn't fall in fact he charged forward and reached for Arlo Canterbury. Arlo slashed at the Sicko with his knife but untrained in knife fighting he miss judged his distance and missed completely. Greg tried to swing at the man with the butt of his shotgun and missed as well. Luckily Marcus was there as well.
The two sickos from the woods to the south broke into a run wild red eyes gleaming in the moonlight. One charged towards Yael's back but luckily she heard Marcus's warning in time to turn around and brace for impact.
The other sicko ran towards Richard who was shining his flashlight across the parking lot. Richard's flashlight revealed the sicko as he closed the final few feet and reached out with his hands to grab the German by his shoulders.
Yael spins around and attempts to stop the sicko's advance with a pistol whip.
Without thinking, Marcus swings at the sicko to knock him out but the sicko lounges for Arlo as Marcus swings, and only catches air. On some level, Marcus is elated because he does not know what disease the sicko has and how contagious it is.
"Don't kill them; we don't want to have to deal with murder/manslaughter charges..."
Geoffrey'd voice trails off, and he blanches when he sees that being shot through the heart doesn't drop one of these people.
No drug could prevent that for being a kill-shot! What the Hell is going on around here?!
Marcus yells to Geoffery, "Maybe in New Bloomberg York but not in this state!"
Having nothing but a flashlight bashes the enemy with the flashlight
Having nothing but a flashlight bashes the enemy with the flashlight
But suffice to say that Richard and Yael interrupt the grab attempt by the sicko on them and manage to do slight damage. Richard your flashlight since it caused damage has a 50% chance of breaking.
It is a frantic few seconds for a few of the recent campers. Arlo barely dodges a raking hand from the Sicko to the Northern end of the parking lot. The man still has grabbed his shirt but Arlo jumped back before the hands could close around his body and do any damage to him.
Elsewhere in the parking lot Yael wheeled around in time to slam the butt of her Desert Eagle into the nose of the Sicko engaged with her. The man stumbled back from the blow with clearly a broken nose but the expected blood didn't pour out.
A few feet west of Yael the shattering of Richard's flashlight on the third assailants face could be heard. The woman staggered back a step with her cheekbone visible where the flashlight struck and tore away flesh. Richard's flashlight was in pieces that scattered across the lot.
Arlo sliced at the man's arm and Greg slammed the butt of his shotgun into the back of the man's head. The man slumped to the ground motionless.
ROUND 2 BEGINS
Take it and swing it with all your might at a brick wall a few times. That is different than even running it over. just trying to follow the game mechanics here. Which include a -4 to attack modifier and a chance of breaking.
JoJo was torn between helping and running. Running was beginning to win. He just witnessed a man get shot and not die. Even the old man's flashlight broke on their face. He doubted an oar would do much good. He tries one more time to get the woman out from under the truck then decides this is too much. "S%*#. S~$!, S$#!, S$&!."
He walks up behind the one assaulting Richard and takes a shot.
Initiative Order
Edwin 19
Geoffrey 17
JoJo 13 Swing and a miss
Richard 6
Yael 3
Marcus 3
NPC (Greg and company) 3
North Sicko 3
South Sicko2 1 -3hp
South Sicko1 0 -2hp
so everyone make a post.
Coming to a decision, Geoffrey unlimbers his rifle, and takes a shot at the 'Sicko' in melee with Yael.
Having seen a number of horror movies in his time, the grotesque wound this Sicko's could handle didn't bother him too much. But it did remind him of the zombie craze a few years back. Unfortunately, he couldn't remember much else beyond that name.
Coming to a decision, Geoffrey unlimbers his rifle, and takes a shot at the 'Sicko' in melee with Yael.
Two quick things.
1. Geoffrey would have a -4 modifier for firing into melee. I understand missing this because the only place I see it in the SRD is under the Feat Precise Shot which negates.2. Geoffrey still hit but you know number 1 for next time.
Also I play this the same as the hitting cover rule meaning that if you miss you want to miss by alot. The rule is that if the attack would have hit without the modifier than you hit the cover or in this case the person in melee with the target. Firing into melee very dangerous. As it is Geoffrey was lucky and hit his target for 11 damage enough to take it out but very close to nearly taking out Yael. So close in fact I had to check the range of the gun when I saw how far away he was. He's well within the 90' range of the weapon and good thing because that -2 modifier would have made the difference.
Edwin uses his duffel as a sort of cushion and attempts to ram into Yael's attacker, throwing it on the ground if possible, or at least pushing it away.