♖ 5 | ⊗ 3

[vengefulagent]

[While Wash is happy to have his memories intact, he sure as hell isn't happy about being stuck on the Plane again. At least this time, he has a full set of gear on him, even a couple of extra clips. Never can be too careful these days, not when something like the Machine is in his life. He has a couple MREs to get him through the first couple of days, as well, but he knows that will not be the case for everyone. He doesn't even know how the others are doing elsewhere.

What he does know, though, is that not everyone is armed and trained as he is, and there could be people in trouble--or worse.

Hefting his rifle in his hand, he clears his throat, then flicks on the loudspeaker in his helmet.]

Attention please! If you don't know who I am by now, I'm Agent Washington. I don't know what's going on here like the rest of you, and I don't know how long we're going to be here, so we need to gather supplies and establish a base of some sorts until things improve and we can go home again.

I'm looking for able-bodied volunteers to go out there with me to gather things we will need like food, water, maybe even some bedding if a couple of you are up for checking out the hot springs hotel out there, but be careful. Something's in the water and there's a lot of it. Bring any kind of light source and weapon you can get your hand on. It just might be the thing that saves your life.

If you stay here, see what you can find for things to sleep on, and see if there's any leftover food in the concession stand or elsewhere in the building. Be extra careful if you go around here on your own. And don't leave the building if you don't have to, and if you absolutely must, don't go alone.

So. If you want to come with me, gear up now and meet me over there by the front entrance. I'm leaving in two minutes. [He'd leave now, but he'd rather wait to make sure everyone who wants to come gets out so they can travel in a group. With his little speech made, he switches off the loudspeaker and turns to wander over to the door.]

~*~*~*~*~*~

[Elsewhere, North is inside the door of the library, looking out at the Plane beyond. He's quiet as he watches the various gages and read-outs in his helmet. He doesn't see anything wrong except for the water. Everything reads the same as it did before--and that's what bothers him. He's short a fifth of a clip from taking out the creatures that showed up out there, and he doesn't know how many more are there or where.

After another moment of checking his trackers, he turns and looks around the library. He can't be the only one who wants to go out.]

Hey, we're going to need some supplies soon, so I'm going out there. If anyone wants to come with me, you're more than welcome to. Safety in numbers. Just be prepared to run if things get too hairy out there.


[ooc: Have a joint Wash and North entry! I've put Wash in the theatre and North in the library, so please be sure to let me know which one you want to interact with!]

Comments

[vengeance_driven]

Does this thing happen a lot... Which ones are you two? [Niko's only seen Doc. He knows the armored outfit. These are two new spacemen.]

I am not quite so armored, but I don't want to be stuck out with no back-up. I'll go with you.

[He has a feeling a bulletproof vest isn't going to cut it.]

[vengefulagent]

Um...I take it you've seen someone else dressed in armor like mine. I'm Agent Washington. [He shoulders his rifle, offering his hand to Niko.] There are a couple others of us around here, but I haven't seen them. They must be somewhere else around here.

But anyway, no, this doesn't happen often. When something does though? It's never good. You're better off sticking with me.

[vengeance_driven]

He wanted to watch a movie with me and fix me with orange juice. I was thinking Republican Space Ranger at first? But too nice.

[Maybe a little crazy, but nice.

This guy might be, too. But he's here for the moment, and he needs to stick close to other people. Niko takes his hand and shakes it.] Agent Belgrade. Otherwise known as Niko Bellic. You see anything strange?

[vengefulagent]

[Slowly] ...Fix you...with orange juice. Yeah... You met Doc. [Short pause.] I'm sorry. [He's not sure about the republican part. ...Or the ranger part for that matter, but at least the "space" part can be assumed as close.]

[He does raise an eyebrow at the "Agent Belgrade" thing, but he just decides it's easier not to question it.] Yeah, I saw something on my way here. They were pale, and tall--much taller than both of us. And fast. I think I took one or two out, but I don't know where their bodies are now. What about you, uh, Niko?

[vengeance_driven]

Fast, huh? [Niko peers out into the dark.] I've not seen, but two sets of eyes are better, yes? Is there something I can use for a light?

[vengefulagent]

Agreed. I could do it on my own, but it's just that much safer with someone watching your back. But um... [He frowns, glancing around him.] I...don't have an extra light or anything. Just what I have in my helmet, and I'm lucky to have even that. Maybe there's a light or something around here that you can take with us.

[Of course, there's always taking the chance and having Niko walk right in front of him so he stays in the light, but he isn't too keen on the idea of potentially endangering someone like that.]

[vengeance_driven]

Booze. Lighter. A big stick? We can fix this problem. [Hey, he can do this like a proper barbarian.] But it means we'll have to make it to the bar. And ah... [He unstraps a gun from his back.] I'll hold out for that long.

[Even if sometimes he didn't want to, being murdered by some nocturnal horror was not his preferred way to go.]

[most_feared]

[Kay's lurking outside the library with a very sizable gun, watching into the darkness. But he doesn't have the gun for the firing capacity. It has a light on the end. A bright one. He's shining it off out there, and he's pretty sure sometimes he catches a skitter of something out of the way of the beam.

This doesn't bode well. He stays in the light of the door, watching down the site.]

[betrayedtwin]

[North's been watching him move for some time now, but the man seems capable so he's merely there in case he needs any kind of help. He doesn't recognize the gun either, but he trusts it can do the job otherwise the man wouldn't have it. But then something about the man's movements change and North takes that as his cue to step outside for a bit. He flicks on his helmet lights, two lights shining brightly from both sides his helmet and lighting up anything that he happens to be looking at, and heads on out.]

So, how's the weather out here? Does it look like rain? [North hopes the man will understand his metaphorical questions. He slowly glances in the opposite direction to see if there's anything else lurking out there, meanwhile keeping an eye on his motion trackers.]

[most_feared]

Storm clouds on the horizon.

[He says it flatly as he stares straight down the barrel, but purposefully turns the light quick. A foot of something (maybe a foot?) steps out of the way.

Or it jerks out of the way.

It's still pretty far, away from the light of the library. The gun has a good light on it.] Welp.

[betrayedtwin]

[The thing is fast, almost too fast for his trackers to catch. For him, it seems like a glitch of some kind, but he knows that isn't true. His helmet's in perfect working order. Anything less and he wouldn't be the efficient soldier that he is.]

Looks like the storm's arrived.

[He presses a hand back on the door to make sure it's closed as he doesn't want to risk anything getting in, then he checks to make sure the safety's off on his gun. He turns his head, catching a glimpse at a pale, white hand before it disappears.] What are these things...? [It's making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end (or they would be if he wasn't in his suit.)]

[most_feared]

They don't like light. [That's all Kay could tell. He didn't have all of his equipment on him, either. No way to be sure.]

There are a bunch of 'em I think. Either avoidin' us or lookin' for a chance to slip closer.

[To demonstrate, he quickly moves the gun one way, and then the other.]

[betrayedtwin]

[North watches the blips on tracker blink into life again, two dots daring to move in closer but still staying back with the movement of the light.] Kinda remind me of sharks...

[He steps closer to Kay.] Want to see what happens if we bait them a little more? I can shut off my light and see if they'll come at us from this side.

NORTH

[spiritofadventure]

[Castor has been tending to the task of lighting the library's many torches, lanterns and contained candles, but at North's declaration, she quickly joins him, lantern in hand. Staying cooped up, even for just a day so far, has been driving her nuts.]

If it's supplies we're after, we'll need something to carry them in.

[A beat, as she looks from him to herself and back] Especially with full hands.

[betrayedtwin]

[He nods. He knows he doesn't have much by way of bags or knapsacks on him, only a minimal amount of space he'll have if he leaves any ammo there--and he's not looking to do that.]

Agreed. If you have a spare shirt or can borrow one from someone, we can start there. We'll have to find some tablecloths or boxes in the other buildings. Are you up for the extra trip?

[spiritofadventure]

Hang on a second... Here, hold this.

[She stuffs the lantern into North's free hand, and unties something from around her waist - a large cloth that looked like a half-skirt, but turns out to be a cloak.]

I'm sure we could stuff this full - make a bindle out of it if we had to.

[betrayedtwin]

[He smiles behind his helmet.] Looks good! I've got a back-up weapon, so we can use rifle here to help carry that bundle.

[He falls silent for a moment, catching a glimpse of something in his trackers--but only that: a glimpse.] Hmm... [He turns to her.] How fast can you run?

[spiritofadventure]

Handy.

Run? Well, I'm not a distance runner, but I'm pretty good in a footrace, why?

[A beat, and she looks past him, out into the blackness] Did you see something out there?

[betrayedtwin]

[His voice is calm as it ever is, even though he can feel the adrenaline beginning to pump like crazy in anticipation of this.] It was very brief. They don't show up that well on my thermals. [He frowns, really not liking the situation.]

But I asked if you can run fast because my trackers are having a hard time picking them up. When even they are having a difficult time sensing something, then that means whatever is out there is fast, faster than I can run. [Probably faster than Carolina, and she's the quickest of them all.] If we sprint, we should be okay as long we stay together and keep our lights on.

Do you still want to come with me knowing all that?

[docinawall]

[it's just as Wash is finishing his message that Doc comes barreling into the theatre] Save me!

[vengefulagent]

[Luckily, Wash is far away enough from the doors that when Doc does come screaming into the theatre, he isn't hit by the medic. Still, he jumps out of the way, exclaiming when he pretty much runs headlong into him.] Whoa! [He immediately recovers and brings his rifle up, stepping past Doc and aiming into the darkness. But he sees nothing. That...doesn't sit well with him.] Okay, you should be safe in here, Doc. Are you okay?

[The man's armor should help, but if it doesn't, that...doesn't particularly bode well for the rest of them.]

[docinawall]

[Doc is just going to cower in this corner over here, Wash]

Are you sure? There was a thing out there! Can you see it? Is it following?

[vengefulagent]

[He heads right over to Doc after he's sure nothing followed him in and...well, he had a feeling Doc wasn't that good of a soldier, but he didn't really think he'd...react like that.] Um...it's okay. You'll be fine. [He awkwardly reaches down and pats Doc on the shoulder.] Nothing's coming in here. For some reason.

[docinawall]

[meet the simulation trooper even the Red Army rejected!]

[when Wash pats his shoulder, Doc looks up at him, the expression behind his visor one of wonder]

Uh. Did you just protect me? [he hefts his scanner] Yeah, thanks? But maybe I should scan you for injuries. Or mental instability.

[vengefulagent]

[Wash just sighs and pulls back, deciding not to bait the man with any ideas that he's mentally unstable.] You're welcome, Doc. Now, do you think you can tell me what happened?