It's the end of the world as we know it...and I feel fine.

The Ammo Shop inferno managed to attract half the city in its explosive wake. Rather...what was left of the city. The virus spread from one end of the city to the other, leaving its taint on not only the humans but the vampires and werewolves. Only a handful had escaped its grasped and currently they ran at a break neck speed to get to ground zero where, unbeknownst to them the cure was rapidly taking shape.

Everyone left in the city - uninfected and salivating infected turned from the smoldering fires downtown and refocused their sight on another fireball lighting up the evening sky.

Duibne Industries was on fire.

*************

To all those left in the city - this is the exit thread. The storyline will continue on and if you choose to involve yourself in the mayhem, I will happily include you.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR:

Several members have been infected. Several had made their way towards the industrial district to Duibne Industries. Vampire, human and werewolf will set aside any differences in hopes of finding the answer to this night's terror and a vaccine/cure.

The ground floor of Duibne is now on fire, but there is a small pocket that anyone can move through to get inside DI before it is completely inundated with smoke and debris. You can go up or down - either way both areas are not completely secured or free of infected.

Plan your exit AND CURE (if infected) here.

Simon Huntington 15 years ago
'I'm here!! I'm at the production lab. Nova did it! Nova found a cure! We're coming with the delivery system. It'll cure and inoculate - well Nova's not sure about that but she's hoping it will.'

Simon sighed with relief. Now all they had to figure out was the damage control. There was a noise out in the hallway that caught his attention. The smell of rotting flesh was still mingling with the smell of the dead bodies but nothing more than usual - no reason to panic, he wagered. Simon turned his attention back the computer and scanned the floor, clearing a path to the security room.

'Ok,' Simon mumbled out loud. 'I've cleared the path to the security room on this level, we'll be able to...' he cleared his throat and covered his nose. 'Christ the smell is overwhelming, we need to get out of here...Ellis?'

Looking back at this moment, Simon was embarrassed that he was stupid enough to let his guard down, even around Ellis. She could take her revenge on him at any moment - back turned during a virus outbreak or even on the corner - however when he turned to protect his back and face her, once again wiping at his nose, he had zero time to react to the bared fangs of two zombie vampires lunging at him.
Uninfected 15 years ago
Rounding the corner to the security room located on upper level five, Tacharan Mercs encountered the swarm of zombies heading from the opposite direction. The men fired a barrage of cure bullets in the direction of the mob, downing the group instantly. As half the group stood guard, the commander radioed to the lone gunman.

'Stand down inside the room, we're coming in.'

The commander Merc entered his security code and pushed open the door. Dropping a pack on the ground he addressed both the male and female. 'Weapons with the cure, supplies and access codes to take you back out of the building. No fucking snooping around - you won't be able to get anywhere but out. Everyone is shoot on sight but the cure will knock out the target. There are self injectors if you get bit. Inject yourselves immediately or we'll put you down ourselves on sight. Stay in communication on this frequency.'

The commander nodded to the couple and then backed out of the room. Time to take Miss Hedley to the sub levels.
Amberelle DeEspionne 15 years ago
When her cousin dissapeared Amberelle looked around at the writhing zombies against the glass and swallowed hard. Suddenly she felt alone. Acutely, achingly, terrifyingly alone. Where had Ellis gone? What was keeping Simon? The door was open so she stepped through it then turned to look for a few moments until she found the close button and sealed it behind her. There. At least when the glass gave way those zombies wouldn't be right on their tail.

Turning around to look down the quiet, dim hallway she swallowed nervously and bit her lip. Her hand squeezed tight on her sword as she lowered the radio volume to minimal again and pulled out her gun. Her feet made nothing more than a whisper of sound as she creeped down, looking cautiously into each doorway before inching forward.

Her mouth was dry and her heartrate erratic as she wondered what had possessed her to send Celeste away. No, she'd had to. To save a life. That was important. 'But what about mine?' she wailed to herself. Chin up. She was a big girl and she'd come through this, she was a De'Espionne. Besides there was a cure so she just had to hold on and not get eaten. If the Fate's were kind then she had two very good reasons to keep moving waiting for her back at the Manor.
Zombie Horde 15 years ago
They rushed down the hallways, screeching until the smell of the clean flesh was so strong that it nearly stopped them in their tracks. A group of five zombies that moved as one slowed their pace as they padded barefoot and mangled through the laboratories. The were released suddenly and in a frenzy they poured out into the hallways, searching for the sweet scent. Quietly rounding the corner they spied the blond down the long hallway, just passed a T junction. With break neck speed they raced to her, howling and screeching for her blood.
Steven 15 years ago
"Good enough for me," Steve said, walking to the pack. He drew out what looked like an HK-5 machine pistol, a bag of clips, and a plastic card. He gave the short-haired woman a two-fingered salute, then ran down the hall, shooting any zombie he found that looked like it was still alive. It was a damn good time to go.

He got to the second floor, then jumped out a window to the ground. He moved off into the city. He would rendezvous with Commander Shaw, explain the cover story, and then head home to hold his position. He had had enough bullshit for one lifetime.


(Steven out)
Ellis Duban 15 years ago
'Move, Ellis.'

Ellis' eyes were wide and she bit back another sob as she watched Simon tear ferociously at the door, his now blood shot eyes glaring at her as she lay crumbled on the ground.

'MOVE, ELLIS.' She reached again for her gun and the cold steel of it reminded her that surviving this mess was the only choice she had now. 'FUCKING MOVE!' She gripped the gun and started to back away. Forcing herself to tear her eyes away from Simon, she got up and sprinted away, down the hallway. She made it fifty feet when she heard the door finally break off its hinges and the scurry of feet and screaming filled the hallway.

A security door loomed as she turned another corner and she put the last bit of her vampire strength into her sprint, trying to reach the door before they reached her. Her hand slammed the panel as she passed through the doorway and she turned her head, raising her gun. One of the other zombies had moved in front of Simon and she took a chance, shooting at its head as she ran. It fell to the floor as she turned another corner but Simon and the second made it through but just barely.

The hallway opened up into another security laboratory and the path split off in two directions. Ellis cut right with Simon close behind her but the other zombie cut left. She had to stay ahead of Simon as she pounded her legs toward the other side of the lab. Simon was gaining ground, still healthier than she had been, and as she turned the other corner, slammed her hand on the panel as she passed through the exit door, successfully closing the door just a hair passed Simon but slamming shut on the zombie, severing it in half.

They were finally on the other side, near the security panel. Her best chance was to make it to the room where the door was much heavier to protect against intrusion. Maybe it would hold against Simon but not for long. There were also the elevators...maybe, just maybe she could make it to those since they were right before the security room.

The hallway opened back up into office space and she cut around the desks as Simon jumped up on the office desks and cut a path straight to her. She could see his reflection in the glass walls just as she pushed herself through them, shattering it. They spilled onto the ground, Simon's fangs just missing her face and she got her hands up under his chin and a knee in his chest. Pushing as hard as she could, she lifted him off her and back several feet. Reaching for her gun that had fallen out of her hand, she slid on the floor, getting up to round another corner.

The elevators!

She threw herself at the panel but it merely beeped at her in error. 'FUCK! NO!' Ellis spun around and Simon's hands came up and pinned her against the wall by her throat, lifting her off the ground. The gun was still in her right hand as her left came up to scratch at his hand. Her eyes caught his and her struggle faded.

There was nothing left of Simon in those blood shot eyes. As his hands closed around her throat, cutting off her oxygen she raised her gun and put the barrel in between his eyes. Her hand trembled as his glare remained bloodthirsty. Her finger pulled back on the trigger slightly, feeling the tension, imagining the firing pin poised over the bullet, ready to put it in between his eyes, blowing out the back end of his head doing god knows what kind of damage. Her eyes began to bulge and despite the pain, she began to cry knowing she couldn't do it. She couldn't put that bullet in his head, saving herself.

Suddenly he brought his face closer till it was nearly touching hers, his skin already emitting the sickening infected stench when he pulled back and threw her against the opposite wall. Phased she pulled herself to sitting position. He was playing with his food, she thought to herself when he came at her again, grabbing her throat and leaning down on top of her. Now he wasted no time and with ferocious hunger, bit into her face.
Uninfected 15 years ago
The Mercs moved through the upper levels, cleaning out the infected and putting down those beyond the cure when they happened upon a woman - someone who had once been very beautiful, the Commander thought as it bared its fangs at him. Blond hair matted with blood and once soft skin that was now covered with dark black blood.

The Mercs fired their cure bullets at her, immediately knocking her out. They called for another stretcher to move the cured female to the triage set up on one of the cleared floors and then later to the medical facilities within DI for observation. The Commander knelt down next to her and moved some of the hair out of her face.


'Nighty night, ma'am.'
Carol 15 years ago
Carol stood by the elevators waiting on the rest of the Mercs as they swept the entire floor of zombies, injecting them with the cure. As soon as the Commander returned, Carol stepped back into the elevator, impatiently waving him in.

'Let's go. Let's go. Right now, right now.'

Checking his hand held he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.


'What are you doing?'

His forehead crinkled and then suddenly he broke out into a run.
'We have eyes back online - it's the sub level crew. They found Simon and Ellis.'

'Oh good! Are they ok?' Carol's exuberance deflated when the Commander refused to look her in the eye. Instead he put his hand out, stopping the doors and signaling for more Mercs to come with them, until there were ten in the elevator. Carol looked around at the taller men, all readying their weapons. The doors closed and they descended to sub level 1.

The red digital read out dropped below zero to minus one and the men readied their weapons as the elevator came to a stop and the doors quietly opened.
Simon Huntington 15 years ago
Simon didn't even feel his hand break as he put it through the door, all he knew was that clean flesh was on the other side and he had to have it. He pushed the other zombies away greedily, wanting to get to the woman first. The virus over took him immediately once the other zombies attacked him, tearing the flesh from his chest and arms, transmitting it instantly. He felt stronger, quicker and hungrier - all he knew was that he had to eat that clean flesh and nothing would stop him.

The three of them began to pound the door when she fell out of reach. Pushing and shoving until it fell away from its sliding hinges and fell to the ground. They were running after her the second they cleared the door. Simon kept his eyes on her, ignoring the other two zombies as one by one they fell. He didn't even try to dodge the bullet that took the first one and would never know how close he came to falling victim to the second one's fate - sliced in half, down the middle. No, there was only one thing on his mind.

To eat.

His surroundings were a blur to him, his eyes never leaving her. Through the lab offices he lunged over the desks, knocking them to the side. His fangs pulsated as he closed in - so close, so sweet till finally she stopped and he was on her.

He picked her up by her throat and looked at her clean flesh, his fangs aching to tear her apart when she looked at him. Clear, watery green eyes looked back and a spark of recognition passed over him, like a ghost. Simon leaned in close to the clean flesh and tried to recall why those eyes reminded him of something...something lost. Even when the barrel of the gun touched his hot skin, he still tried to remember, but the hunger was overwhelming him and he threw her back against the opposite wall.

This time he was on her quickly and when he sank his teeth into her flesh, she screamed a horrible, high pitched wail that cut him to the core but it could not deter the hunger and he tore a chunk of her cheek away.

Ding.

The elevator doors opened and more clean flesh scent wafted in. He looked up at the flesh coming out and the hunger welled up again in him. He looked back down at the female and immediately her skin tainted, no longer filling his nostrils with the clean flesh scent. Dropping her Simon stood and took a step toward the men when a woman stepped out in front with something in her hand.

There was a sharp pain in his forehead and then...suddenly everything blurred. Simon fell down on one knee and then face forward onto the ground into a sea of nothing.


(Simon out)
Ellis Duban 15 years ago
Ellis felt Simon pull a chunk of her face away but couldn't bring herself to look, she could only scream as the pain enveloped her and then suddenly her skin was hot. Her fangs pulsed painfully in her mouth and the hunger in her stomach ripped through her like a scorching fire. She laid there on her back as Simon stepped away. The smell of clean flesh filled her nostrils and Ellis sat up, looking over at the elevators. The scent made her mouth water - it was clean and pure. The man...his name escaped her now, fell to the floor in front of her. She climbed over his body and lunged at the clean flesh when a sharp pain hit her in the chest.

Looking down she saw a small metal object protruding from her chest. Then...there was nothing.

(Ellis Out)
Carol 15 years ago
Carol pushed past the Mercs and saw Simon and Ellis on the floor. He was...eating...her. Carol raised her gun as Simon took notice of them and did not hesitate for one second to shoot him in the forehead and then Ellis in the chest. They both slumped to the ground. Carol walked over and knelt down beside them, Ellis on top of Simon, both unconscious.

'Is the cure being distributed outside DI?'

'Already done, Miss Hedley,' the Commander replied.

'Alright - take them down to Nova, she'll know what to do.'

Quickly the Mercs picked up Simon and Ellis, carrying them back into the elevator. The rest of the Mercs fanned out into the level, clearing the infected. Carol stood just as the main lights were restored to the level. She stepped back into the elevator and let the doors slide closed.

(Carol out)
Amberelle DeEspionne 15 years ago
They were bearing down on her fast, too fast. Amberelle had barely had time to register them when they were around her. Her blade flashed even as she fired. One fell, his throat blown out and tainted blood pouring across the floor as he gurgled and thrashed. A second one's arm fell to the ground even as her foot connected with his throat, sending him flying backwards. It was a blessing for her that they were shoving each other, jockying for the position to take her down. It gave her more room to manuver as she furiously sliced and kicked them away. But they were fast.

Oh god.. she gasped as one of them's fangs barely missed her face. Her gun smashed across the side of his head and the blonde scrambled away. The other three were all around her, all over her yanking and shoving. She screamed, pure terror filled, high pitched, mindless noise as their fetid breath assaulted her nose.

Then her brain kicked in and the mouths snapped into air as her form shimmered and shifted in between them. A small golden cat darted down the hallway at a dead run while they looked around in confusion. One of them roared as he caught sight of movement and turned to give chase. The other two quickly followed suit.

Amberelle rounded the corner and stumbled slightly as she resumed her human shape, but she kept running as fast as she could, agilely sliding around corners and slapping the close buttons as she passed them. The elevators were not too far ahead if her sense of direction was right, which she seriously doubted in this maze of a complex, but she the rounded another turn and saw a group of armed men making their way towards her she felt relief even as they raised their weapons.


No wait! she screamed and dropped to her knees in a slide, their shots passing over her to take down the ones giving chase. One of the men roughtly hauled her up to her feet and they looked her over before nodding that she was clean. Amby dropped her katana and tried to calm her shaking as she leaned against the wall. Tears stung her eyes as the adrenaline from before slowly worked from her system. Taking the gun one of the mercs offered and listening numbly as she went over the principles of the cure's release, the Creole could only watch as they moved on to continue sweeping the floor.

The radio on her belt crackled. Amber, are you there? Answer damn it.

The Anantya snatched it up and laughed. Celeste? Where are you?

Upstairs.. the lobby. Your precious little human took off. But he's safe and sound. A slight pause. Where are you? Are you ok?

Oui. I'm OK.. Some guards came through with this gun.. Celeste cut her off. Oui, I met a few of them, I have one myself. Get your ass up to here and let's go home.

Home... Golden eyes closed briefly and she pictured it. Not even Heaven had ever sounded as good as the Manor did right now. Oui, I'm on my way up.

((Amberelle and Celeste out))
Fallon 15 years ago
Amidst a lot of noise she continued on her quest, becoming more frantic, yet weaker as time passed. Just when she was fairly certain there was food ahead, she would round the corner, and find nothing but more like her, or dead.

Sounds of gunfire didn't stop her, locked doors didn't stop her, at one point even a solid wall stopped being a barrier when she shoved a huge iron statue toward it, and it fell against the drywall, breaking through enough to allow her to dig the rest of the way, and crawl through. She was oblivious to the nails digging into her flesh, as well as the torn wooden shards that tore at her skin. With all that was going on around her, it probably wasn't unusual that the bullet she took through her thigh was similarly unfelt. One thing the bullet did too, was propel her into the corner of the wall, where she struck her head with such force as to be completely knocked out.

Fallon was incredibly lucky that day. Lucky that she hadn't been infected for too long, lucky to have somehow found her way to Duibne, and lucky that the bullet stopped her instead of killing her. Her final stroke of good fortune came when someone of true compassion found her, and saw a reason to try saving her, rather that dispatch her like so many of the other infected rabble.

Recovery would take some time. The physical injuries were bad, but there was a lot of emotional pain that would also require attending to.

But Fallon was lucky...and in some respects always had been. Or in her mind, she would decidedly see things that way.


(Fallon Out)