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Post by AceTheMercenary on Oct 24, 2013 22:57:59 GMT -6
C 3 2 1.
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Post by Slayer_22 on Oct 25, 2013 5:20:47 GMT -6
c. 2, 3, 1, from front to back.
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Post by Rai Chiller on Oct 25, 2013 19:59:25 GMT -6
C 3 2 1
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Post by Tbone110 The Amurican Bastard on Oct 26, 2013 14:30:40 GMT -6
"Before we go any further, I think we need to consider the order we're traveling in. Jessie, I think it might be best if you stay behind me, followed by Lauren with Lara watching the rear." Trent suggests to the group, though he knows current company is much more capable than his previous entourage. Still, better safe than sorry. I don't want to lose anyone this close to being home free. "If you think it will help." Jessie falls into line behind Trent though she sounds apathetic to his plan. "I think this is for the best." Lara complies with his suggestion, motioning for Lauren to take her place in the middle. "If you say so." Lauren seems to have the same attitude as Jessie though her overall mood is more attentive. "Alright, I'll go over the same things I did with the others. We'll stick to the streets for the easiest path to navigate." He begins, but omits divulging Jessie as the reason for not utilizing the rooftops this time. No need to signal her out, it's hard enough to just walk in heels and a skirt like that. "We're going to stay low and quiet, no need to draw extra attention to ourselves." Trent gives them a bit of general advice on how they'll be advancing. He is answered by nods from the three women, signaling their readiness to move out. He returns the gesture before leading the way again. The streets seem to be clear this time as they don't see any signs of life or otherwise several blocks. Trent thinks they might even have a chance to remain undisturbed, but the undead have other plans. As the proceed past a pitch black alley, a cacophony of assorted moans alerts them to a nearby zombie presence. "Whoa." Trent raises his hand to halt the others, but Jessie doesn't see his hand shoot up in the darkness. She stumbles into Trent and drops her crowbar. He tries to catch the falling tool, but it slips through his grasp just a bit too late. Its impact seems to be amplified by the utter silence around them, sounding like as loud as an air siren in Trent's ears. The moans stop shortly after it falls, confirming Trent's worst fears. "Fuck, get up! Those moans are coming from the alley!" He recovers the crowbar and shoves into Jessie's hands while helping her to her feet. "Damn!" Lara curses as the zombies begin to flood onto the sidewalk, only feet away from their position. "Come on!" Trent grabs Jessie by the elbow and pulls her forward, narrowly avoiding the clawed swipe of a zombie. He prepares to enter the fray to assist the Crofts, but they have it completely under control. Showing no signs of fear, Lauren deftly weaves through the throng of ghouls. She ducks under a rogue zombie's arms, shoving it to the ground with her shoulder. She slams her heel into its face to propel herself forward, causing two other zombies to smash into one another in a failed attempt to grab her. An average weight zombie places itself in her path, but Lauren pistol whips it out of her way. It staggers into another undead fiend, the duo collapsing to the ground in a tangle of mindless limbs. She emerges next to Trent and Jessie unscathed, amazing Trent with an agility that rivals his own. Lara follows suit, juking past zombies as if they were passersby in a crowd. She keeps her handgun holstered to avoid the temptation to use it, knowing they must keep their position concealed from other threats that might be around. Lara takes an opportunity to hip toss a zombie to the ground, snapping its neck with a vicious stomp afterward. She spins around the last zombie in her path, using its own momentum to send it railing back into the crowd. Trent is summarily stunned by the proficiency of the sisters, having severely underestimated them before. "Alright, I guess we can proceed." Is all he managed to utter after the dazzling scene. Lara and Lauren wink to one another, this being far from the first time they've stupefied a man. Jessie, on the other hand, begins to feel somewhat inadequate by comparison, though she keeps it hidden. The zombies begin pursuing the group, forcing them to drop their stealthy advances. Trent keeps a grip on Jessie's elbow to ensure she doesn't fall behind. Lauren and Lara keep pace but take care not to get too far ahead. It appears as if they'll make it back to the warehouse at this rate, but another horde of zombies crosses their path. Trent recognizes a few faces in the crowd as the same one that he encountered on the first trip. "Christ, we're going to have to fight our way through. Damn it all, take these." He quickly retrieves his baseball bat and climbing ax from his pack and disperses them to Lara and Lauren respectively. "We still don't want to use any guns, those are a last resort only." Trent remains adamant on the usage of firearms, believing they will only bring more trouble. "Get ready." He orders as the two pronged attack begins. Jessie clings anxiously to her crowbar while Lara and Lauren stand proudly at one another's side. Trent brandishes his knife, holding onto the memento of his grandfather's for strength. He lashes out at a zombie's throat once it is within range, drawing first blood. The battle to clear a path to the warehouse beings. ________________________________________ Cynthia walks the floor of the warehouse one last time before grabbing a folding chair from a pile of supplies. Isabela is currently taking stock of everything Trent has, wanting to find out for herself exactly what they have to look forward to. Always on the move, aren't you, Isabela? She chuckles at how little her cousin has changed over the years. From their youth in Brazil to Cynthia's immigration to the US when she turned eighteen, she has always remembered Isabela as being headstrong. Of the two, Cynthia has possibly been more outspoken, but Isabela was the one who was the first to actually act. This brings to mind an incident when Cynthia was only six years old and Isabela ten. There was a group of boys that used to make fun of Cynthia as a young girl before she matured. She had something of an awkward growth in her childhood, being much smaller than everyone else. They used to tease her about her short height, but she would always have a clever comeback waiting. One day they decided not to tolerate her smart mouth and threatened to teach her a lesson until Isabela happened along. She told the boys to move along before she beat them into the ground. Little did they know her father had taught her how to defend herself since the day she could walk. It didn't hurt that Carlito was keeping watch from a distance though. Oh Carlito...Cynthia recalls the horrible incident of Willamette upon thinking of her deceased cousin. Isabela hasn't been the same since then, lacking the once beaming smile she had before Santa Cabeza. She constantly maintains a tough exterior, but Cynthia knows how much she aches within. She wishes someone else could help to lessen her burden, but Isabela refuses to let anyone as close as her cousin. Perhaps one of these days someone will come along and help her.The only person that has even seemed possible of doing this is Rachel, and they've only known her for such a short time. But then again, they've forged something of a bond in all the trails they've endured to this point. Cynthia chuckles at the thought of their blonde savior, how brave she has been as well as how selfless Rachel is. Cynthia doesn't even know how many times she's already saved both her's and Isabela's lives. Rachel certainly is something else. She looks up at Rachel as she surveys the warehouse from the second floor, hiding her eyes behind her mane of golden hair. At that moment Cynthia begins to feel a bit flustered upon looking at her. Rachel catches her watching, flashing her a warm smile and a friendly wave. Cynthia nervously waves back and averts her gaze, her cheeks burning for some odd reason. Well now, I wasn't expecting something like this to happen. I'm not sure if Isabela would approve or if Rachel even thinks that way, but there's no harm in entertaining the possibility. She doesn't know what to think of this sudden realization, but it feels good to her. Cynthia resumes her sheepish watching as they await the arrival of the others. __________________________________ (So nobody is confused, this next segment is being told from Excella's perspective) "So here we are." Rachel says to Excella in a condescending voice, her handgun pointed squarely at the Italian woman's head. Rachel guided Excella to the catwalk and into the sole office on the second floor where they'd have some privacy immediately after Trent left. "Indeed we are. So Phenotrans is here too I see. No doubt prepping for a new influx of Zombrex." Excella arrogantly states, possessing complete knowledge of her competitor's operations. "You know about that, do you? I can't say I'm surprised." Rachel retorts coldly, keeping her tone stoic to hide any sign of weakness. "Yes and I can imagine that you aren't too pleased with the circumstances. Let's drop the formalities. I recognize that woman down there as Isabela Keyes, the one who created the zombrex. No doubt you have been tasked with bringing her in, correct?" Excella surmises Rachel's entire mission within moments, shocking the blonde woman with her deductive skills. She wasn't expecting this, was she? Perhaps I can use this to my advantage."I've got to give you credit, you deserve your reputation as a shrew, I mean shrewd, businesswoman." Rachel tries to insult Excella, but it only serves to instill her with more confidence. "And I recall the first time we met, you were nothing more than Marian's lapdog. How is she doing, by the way? I can't imagine you're in her good graces if you've been given such a monumental task." Excella laughs aloud at Rachel's predicament, piecing together her current situation bit by bit. She begins to recall the first time she met Rachel, it was an insignificant introduction, but they became acquainted nonetheless. Excella had been visiting Phenotrans headquarters on behalf of Tricell to negotiate the release of a new drug that had more than medicinal possibilities. Rachel was Marian Mallard's secretary at the time. They only spoke briefly, but Excella noted Rachel's face in case they ever crossed paths again. It would seem fate intended us to meet here. "She's still as bitchy as ever, but that's not important right now. I want to know exactly what you're doing in the city." Rachel demands of the executive, believing herself to be operating from a position of power. "I think you have more important things to worry about, no? Now this might seem rather out of the blue, but bear with me here, will you? I can tell by how familiar you are with Isabela that you have no intention of betraying her unless your life depends on it. Which, if I know Marian, it does. Correct me if I'm wrong." Excella abruptly speculates on Rachel's true dilemma. Her stunned reaction tells her everything she needs to know. "Th-that has nothing to do with what we're talking about." Rachel begins to stutter, feeling overwhelmed as she loses control of the interrogation. "I believe you are wrong. It has everything to do with what we're talking about. What would you say if I told you I could offer a way out? Tricell is as powerful as Phenotrans, and I as Marian. If you can get me out of the city and out of the custody of that dreadful DHS agent, I can guarantee you safety from Phenotrans as well as a....service fee for your trouble to the tune of $500,000." Excella unleashes her gambit, knowing Rachel has no other option. "Of course, I would require a few simple stipulations. I would like a bullet placed in that haughty agent's head when the opportunity presents itself. That the removal of these cuffs is all I request. Very reasonable, don't you think?" She finishes. "Actually, you don't have to be so heartless in her death. You can arrange it to appear as an accident, that way you can save face in front of your friends." Excella cruelly states, removing any power Rachel might have had left. "You bitch." Rachel simply replies with a slap to Excella's face, accompanying it with a stunned silence. "I suspected you might react as such. Don't worry, I don't expect an answer immediately. But know that this deal only stays on the table as long I am feeling charitable. You might want to give it some consideration." Excella laughs cruelly at Rachel as she leaves the room in a stupor to reflect on everything that was said. That went better than expected. Now to simply wait.________________________ Rachel fumes over what happened in the office, admonishing herself for losing control like that. God, she's as insufferable as Marian. No wonder they both ended up so high on the ladder. Rachel allows her hair fall in front of her eyes, shielding her worries from the world. She catches Cynthia watching her from below as she leans against the rail. She maintains a calm facade by flashing a fake smile and wave in her direction. It's all going to hell and there's nothing I can do about it. If I don't hand Isabela over to Phenotrans, I'll have to live out the rest of my days with an eye over my shoulder the rest of my life. I can't just turn her over to them though, they'd keep her prisoner for the rest of her life to exploit her not to mention what they'd do to Cynthia. On the other hand, Excella just offered me a way out and enough money to live out my days comfortably. But I can't kill Jessie in cold blood, I'd be no better than those her or Marian.Rachel hangs her head in frustration as she racks her brain for a solution, but she is unable to come up with anything. She'll simply have to keep going like she has, masquerading as a timely arrival into Isabela and Cynthia's life. __________________________ Trent punches a zombie in the jaw with his knife's knuckle dusters, cracking the bone and leaving it far fewer teeth. He then jams the blade up through the bottom of its chin, impaling its brain. He throws the zombie aside to advance further in the direction of the warehouse. Behind him, Jessie cracks a zombie across the temple with her crowbar, knocking it down. She steps back to avoid its still flailing arms only to find her self in another's grasp. "Get off me!" She exclaims, unable to get land a blow on the zombie. It begins dragging her away, but Lara intervenes by cracking it across the back of the skull. It releases Jessie as it stumbles to the side. Lara pushes her forward before another zombie can lay its hands on her. "You've got to watch all around you." Lara advises Jessie, hoping to make her more aware of her surroundings. "I'm trying!" Jessie barks in response, feeling even more like a burden than before. "Lauren, come on!" She shoots back to her sister, who is currently freeing her ax from the skull of a deceased zombie. "On my way!" She rushes to follow them after recovering her weapon. "We're almost there, just a little further!" Trent points ahead to the warehouse, its fence standing as a welcoming sight. He bowls over a skinny zombie to reach the lock, fumbling for his key all the while. He finally grabs it from around his neck, jamming it into the lock before opening it. He slides the gate to the side while fighting back a trio of zombies. One of them manages to catch him off guard and chomp at his wrist, but it merely tastes steel. Trent laughs at the zombie's stupidity before uppercutting it away, sending it straight to the ground. Lara, Jessie, and Lauren finally reach the gate in short order, allowing Trent to close it once and for all. He strings the chain through the fence and closes the lock on it, ending yet another excursion into the city. "Holy shit." He blurts as the zombies claw ineffectually at the fence. "We made it." Lara pants before breaking out into celebration. "We made it!" Lauren echoes, the two of them embracing warmly while jumping for joy. "Let's not do that again." Jessie says, her face red from exertion. "How about we go inside then?" Trent wastes no time in guiding them to the building, wanting nothing more than to grab a snack and take a long nap. "Welcome to my humble abode." He waves his arms in an exaggerated fashion after opening the shutter door. The three of them marvel just as the others did at the sanctuary, but he doesn't stick around to admire their reactions. He retrieves an apple from his stash and a bottle of water, finishing the small meal in a matter of seconds. Now, for the first time in hours, Trent finds himself truly in a safe place with new companions. I wonder if I should get to know some of them now that we're safe and sound.Trent Reddick Health: 99% Fatigue: 28% Current time: 11:15 p.m. Inventory: 100%, .45 Handgun (9/0), Taser (100%), Pair of brass knuckles (100%), Trench knife (99%) Trent's Approval: Rachel Zane: 55% Acquaintance Excella Gionne: 20% Fellow Survivor (This doesn't mean that Excella hates Trent, she just has no opinion on him outside of the fact he is useful.) Jessie McCarney: 55% Acquaintance Isabela Keyes: 55% Acquaintance Cynthia Velasquez: 55% Acquaintance Lara Croft: 55% Acquaintance Lauren Croft: 55% Acquaintance Now choose who Trent will be talking to (You can choose up to three of them) A) Find Rachel and ask her how she's doing, Trent is curious as to how the de facto leader of everyone is holding up. (+2% approval) B) Look for Excella and offer her a snack or something, Trent has no idea why she's being detained but he could at least be a polite host. (+2% approval) C) See what Jessie is up to, she seems to be down about something even though they're back. Maybe he can cheer her up somehow. (+4% approval) D) Ask Isabela how the warehouse looks so far, Trent caught her inspecting it on the way in and she might have some ideas on how to improve the place. (+5% approval) E) Check on Cynthia, she seems to be doing a lot better than before plus Trent is curious as to how she's coping. (+5% approval) F) Lara looks like she is brooding, maybe Trent can ask her what is on her mind. (+2% approval) G) Lauren is examining his supplies, Trent might be able to strike up a conversation with her while recounting everything he has in stock. (+2% approval) Rachel Zane Health: 70%, Bruise along midsection Fatigue: 36% Current time: 11:15 p.m. Inventory: 9mm handgun (3/13), Pair of batteries, Mission Datapad, Swiss army knife, Heavy maglight (80% battery, 95% durability), Sawn off shotgun (2/0) Rachel's approval: Trent Reddick: 55% Acquaintance Isabela Keyes: 78% Good Friend Cynthia Velasquez: 75% Good Friend Jessie McCarney: 70% Possible Friend and Familiar Face Excella Gionne: 50% Prisoner and Prospective Ally Lara Croft: 60% Acquaintance Lauren Croft: 60% Acquaintance Lastly, I need to know who Rachel is going to be interacting with (Once again, you may choose up to three of them) H) Trent just returned, maybe Rachel should strike up a conversation with him and thank him for taking everyone in. (+2% approval) I) Isabela is cataloging their supplies, perhaps Rachel could offer her a hand. (+5% approval) J) Cynthia keeps staring at Rachel, maybe she has something she wants to talk about. (+8% approval) K) Find out where Jessie is and see how she's doing, Rachel can finally ask her if they've met somewhere before. (+7% approval) L) Return to Excella and get more details on the deal, Rachel doesn't know whether she's going to accept yet but at least she can slap Excella again if the opportunity presents itself. ( ) M) Ask Lara how she's doing, Rachel really hasn't had a chance to talk to her yet but she looks like she could use some company. (+4% approval) O) Lauren is standing by herself, she appears as if she could use someone to talk to. (+4% approval)
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Post by BastionCon on Oct 26, 2013 17:46:56 GMT -6
Finally a nice peaceful vote, eh? This isn't a trick is it? I'm going to operate in good faith here. A, F, and G for Trent. J, K, and I for Rachel.
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Post by AceTheMercenary on Oct 27, 2013 1:47:20 GMT -6
C F and G for Trent; J I and K for Rachel.
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Post by Rai Chiller on Oct 27, 2013 12:40:27 GMT -6
Trent: A G F
Rachel: H I J
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Post by Veta on Oct 28, 2013 13:41:51 GMT -6
Looking good so far. I'll be Trent's wingman and pick out A, C, and D.
H, I, J for the girl.
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Post by Slayer_22 on Oct 30, 2013 15:53:16 GMT -6
a, c, d, j, k, m.
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Post by Tbone110 The Amurican Bastard on Oct 31, 2013 1:05:48 GMT -6
So in case anyone is wondering what the inside of the warehouse looks like, here's a general picture of it: www.sykesville.net/scans/south%20branch%20park/inside%20south.jpgJust imagine the ceiling being high enough for a catwalk and various piles of stuff lying around. The first person to cross Trent's mind is Rachel, a good a person as any to start with. Now where is she? Trent scans the warehouse for Rachel, spying her overlooking the building on the second floor. He readjusts his pack to a more comfortable position before heading up to join her. The clanging of his backpack gives him second thoughts about lugging the equipment around, maybe he could be comfortable just this once. He removes the pack and sets it beside a roll of barbed wire, feeling oddly naked with out it. I'd been wearing that thing so long it felt like a part of me. His shoulders actually feel much better without the extra weight. I'll have to be careful not to get used to this again.Everyone else works to keep themselves occupied, but Trent can see how tired all the women are. It is getting pretty late, I'd prefer to turn in soon myself. I need to catalog how much food we have exactly. He jogs steadily up the stairs to the catwalk, keeping a hand on the rail. "Hey, how are things up here?" He calls to Rachel in an attempt to get her attention. "Oh, looks pretty solid to me." She replies, remaining leaned against the rail. Perhaps it was the urgency with which they acted earlier, but Trent only now notices how attractive Rachel. Her form fitting leather suit accentuates her curves while the way in which she leaves it unzipped shows off a generous amount of cleavage. The most striking feature of her, in his opinion, is her luscious head of hair. He's never seen anyone with such thick waves, not to mention its golden luster. She keeps her eyes concealed behind it, rendering Trent unable to properly read her facial expressions. "So what's your opinion on the place? I like to think I've done a decent job here." Trent starts the conversation on a light note, no need to be grim and depressing all the time. "I'd say you've done more than that. This place is practically a fortress. How'd you get all these weapons and supplies in here?" Rachel inquires. "Well, it was a slow going process, no doubt about that. It was hard to grab more than a few things by myself so it took more than a few trips to get all the weapons and food in here. Heh, it's a little embarrassing, but I actually started stockpiling all the building materials before the outbreak started. Ever since it became common knowledge that zombies are real, I've made it a hobby of mine to prepare for the worst. It started as a simple way to pass the time, but I didn't think it'd actually come to this." Trent sighs at how he was sometimes ridiculed for his obsession, having downplayed its extent to Rachel, but he ended up having the last laugh. A bit bittersweet to tell you the truth. I didn't think this would ever actually happen."I hate to say it, but I think we're going to have to cut this short. I have something I need to discuss with Isabela." Rachel regrets to inform Trent. "Oh yeah, no problem. I need to see about arranging sleeping accommodations for everyone anyway." He leaves her to her own business, a bit saddened they weren't able to speak more as she seeks out Isabela. Oh well, I wonder what Lara is up to now.Trent finds the older Croft brooding on the second floor near the office entrance. "Hey there Lara, something on your mind?" He asks her, her eyes locking with his after she raises her head. "There's just something bothering me about all this. The outbreak started so suddenly, it was almost like a coordinated effort. All the zombies were allegedly to be locked up in the arena of Fortune City, there weren't supposed to be anymore in the rest of the city." Lara voices her thoughts to Trent, raising a valid concern. "Ya know, that's a good point. I was so consumed with preparing I hadn't really considered that. But who the hell would want to cause an outbreak throughout the entire city? The news said CURE was responsible for what happened in Fortune City." He repeats the most perplexing question, trying to make sense of this new mystery. "Whoever or whatever it is, they must have something at stake here. I don't know if we'll find out, but it's something to consider." Lara seemingly shrugs off the enigma for now, no sense in concerning herself with things beyond her control. "This situation almost reminds me of a dig a few years ago in Peru. Lauren and I were investigating Inca ruins whose occupants had disappeared without a trace. They'd inhabited the region for generations before suddenly vanishing, leaving behind no clues as to their whereabouts. We never did discover what happened to them, but it was a fascinating experience nonetheless. I suppose you could say I have a penchant for the unexplained." Lara quips, the of them sharing a laugh at her story. "That sounds like a hell of a trip. I'm going to hazard a guess here that you two are archaeologists?" Trent asks. "You would be correct in that regard. I've always been enamored with ancient civilizations and how their people lived, their socioeconomic structure, everything. It's a bit of an obsession, really." Lara gushes about her profession, temporarily forgetting their problems. "You're not the only one with an obsession. That's what led me to create this place." Trent says as he sweeps his arms across the length of the warehouse. "Though I'd say that worked out for the best. Hopefully we'll be here for a while." Lara responds, appreciating the lengths Trent has gone to for survival. "So where's your sister at? I thought I'd give her an introductory tour of the facilities." He asks Lara as their conversation draws to a close. "I think I saw her checking your supplies below us somewhere. Be careful around her though, I'll be watching." Lara says with a sweet smile, though the comment makes Trent a bit nervous. I'll have to take that under advisement then.With that, Trent leaves the older of the Crofts to her own devices, retreating to the first floor yet again. Once there, he spies Lauren cleaning the climbing ax he'd given her. "So how are you settling in?" Trent asks of the young woman, shoving his hands into his pockets as he arrives at her side. "Just fine, glad to finally be off the streets so I don't have to constantly watch my back." She replies, setting down a washcloth after wiping away the last of the blood. She beams at Trent while holding the climbing ax in her hands. "That tool suits you. I'd even wager that you've used it before judging from how you fought those zombies." He suggests, remembering how effective Lauren was in combat with the weapon. "Well, I've used it a little. Lara and I like to go rock climbing as a bit of an activity from time to time. Though that is the first I've ever used one of these as a weapon. It's surprisingly effective." She rises to her feet and swings the ax in a horizontal line across her chest, demonstrating its proper usage against the zombie menace. "I have a bit of a request. You don't mind if I hold onto this, do you? I know you don't have very many of them, I checked for myself, but I'd see it as a favor if I could." Lauren requests sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes at Trent. He tries to maintain a stoic expression, but his willpower quickly depleted by her lovely face. How in the hell can I say not to this face? Trent grumbles under his breath, but says aloud, "Sure, it suits you anyway." Lauren bursts into cheer while clapping her hands, thanking Trent with a gratuitous hug. "Thank you so much, I'll put it to good use." She beams widely at him before fastening it to her pants, the ax sitting perfectly within a loop on her waist. Lauren suddenly yawns despite her energetic demeanor, a combination of constant exertion and the late hours finally catching up to her. "That sounds like a pretty good idea to be honest. It feels like I've been awake for a few days straight." Trent's own exhaustion has finally caught up with him, cutting yet another of his conversations short. "Give me a few minutes and I'll get everything ready for everyone to go to sleep." Trent waves farewell to Lauren as he begins digging out various blankets and cots for all the women, hoping he'll have enough of both to accommodate everyone. _____________________ Rachel finds Isabela creating a list on a clipboard, most likely taking stock of all the supplies Trent has stored in the warehouse. "Whatcha up to, Isabela?" Rachel asks lightheartedly, feeling somewhat ashamed after reflecting on her mission earlier. "Oh, hello Rachel. Just jotting down everything we have at our disposal. I must admit, Trent quite an impressive selection of weapons here. My only concern is food and water. We have enough for maybe two days here with our current population, nowhere near enough for long term habitation." Isabela voices her concern to Rachel. "We'll probably make a supply run tomorrow then, we've got the manpower for it. I just don't know who will be going." Rachel retorts, planning ahead for the next day. "You look like you have something else on your mind though. I'm here if you want to talk." Rachel asks sincerely, placing a friendly hand on Isabela's tired shoulder. "Thanks. It's not the supplies that really have me in a fluster though. It's the fact we're in this situation in the first place." Isabela says, perplexing Rachel with her statement. "What do you mean?" She asks, her interest piqued. "Well, it's a bit of a long story. I'm sure you've heard of Willamette? Well...I was there. I developed the first dose of zombrex for a man named Frank West." Isabela reveals a bit of personal history. Rachel's eyes grow wide, finally realizing exactly why Phenotrans is so intent on retrieving the Latina. "You were at Willamette? I-I didn't know that." She tries to mask her astonishment as best she can. "Yes, and I could've developed a cure for the virus then and there if the damn United States government hadn't apprehended me. They kept me in custody for an entire year, interrogating me about my brother. He-he was the cause of the outbreak. Carlito had good intentions, but he lost his way." Isabela continues with her story. "After I was finally released, I tried to engineer a cure for the general public as the virus became more widespread, but I was stopped by corporations such as Phenotrans and Tricell. If it weren't for their intervention, I could have created a vaccine years ago." Isabela completes her story, reaffirming Rachel's realization. She can create a cure, that's why they want her. They'll put her to work on manufacturing a vaccine or something only they can control. All to turn over a goddamn profit. "I'm sorry, you probably didn't want to listen to me ramble." Isabela manages a weak chuckle before wiping away a solitary tear. "There's nothing to be sorry about. Thanks for telling me, it means a lot." Rachel shares a supple moment with Isabela, feeling as though they are truly becoming friends. "Rachel, it's my turn to thank you. You've saved Cynthia and myself numerous times with no concern for your own safety. Fuck, you even went into that creature's lair to find me while ensuring Cynthia's safety. I still can't believe you just stumbled into her apartment like you did, but it must have been meant to happen." Isabela takes the opportunity to hug Rachel tightly after the heart to heart moment. "Yeah, it must have been meant to be." Rachel mutters softly, her guilt stifling her breath all the while. If only I could tell her the truth."Sorry, I think I just need some time alone." Isabela sniffles as she wipes away more tears, leaving Rachel to collect herself. God damn it! What the fuck am I doing here? If I turn her over to Phenotrans, I'll be the most despicable bastard in human history. Rachel pushes the dilemma from her mind once again, there's still nothing she can do about it at the moment. As she pushes her hair aside, she catches a glimpse of Cynthia waving at her. Maybe a chat with Cynthia can at least take my mind off it a little."Hey Cynthia, did you see any of that?" Rachel asks as she takes a seat next to the woman. "Yeah, what was it all about?" She inquires, wondering what could've upset her cousin so much. "She told me about Willamette and her brother Carlito. I can't imagine what she went through there." Rachel says, unable to imagine the burden Isabela must be carrying. "Carlito deserved better, but he brought it on himself. As much as I loved him, he changed after my aunt and uncle died, but that's a story for another time. How are you settling in?" Cynthia steers the chat toward a lighter subject. "Good, I think we've finally found a safe place." Rachel smiles at her companion. "A very safe place. You know, this is the first opportunity we've ever had to actually sit and talk. It's a nice change of pace, wouldn't you say?" Cynthia says softly while flashing Rachel a tender smile. "It really is. I could get used to this." Rachel replies as Cynthia scoots her chair closer. "We could continue this chat in a private place." Cynthia says tactfully, placing a hand on the table close to Rachel's. "A private place? Why's that?" Rachel asks innocently. "Oh, I just think it'd give us an opportunity to get to know one another better. You're...unlike any person I've met before, Rachel." Cynthia's intentions soon become clear as she flashes Rachel a promiscuous wink. "OH! Get to know each other better? I uh, I-don't you think it's a little too soon? Not that I don't appreciate it-what I meant to say is-you're a beautiful woman....I'm making a fool out of myself, aren't I?" Rachel laughs at how flustered Cynthia was able to make her. "I happen to think it's very cute." Cynthia makes the bold move of clasping Rachel's hand, squeezing it as she moves her chair directly next to the blonde woman. "Cute and yet sincere." Cynthia whispers into her ear before resting her head on Rachel's shoulder. She allows the Latina to stay there for a time, simply enjoying the moment. "Cynthia, as much as I'm enjoying this, I need to get going I still need to find Jessie and discuss the matter of Excella with her." Rachel is sad to push away Cynthia's head, but she still needs to do one more thing before retiring for the night. "It's okay, we can continue this another night." Cynthia flashes Rachel yet another mischievous wink before rising from her seat and sauntering away. Well, that was unexpected. Unexpected, but pleasant. I didn't know Cynthia preferred women, though I'm not so sure myself. Maybe I can talk to her about it again later.Rachel seeks out the DHS agent for a few minutes before finding her standing outside of the office where Rachel interrogated Excella. She catches sight of Excella napping on a full sized bed within the office. "Since when do prisoners get the VIP treatment?" Rachel questions why Excella has such lavish boarding given the circumstances. "Because it's the best place I can keep an eye on her. I already discussed it with Trent. Believe me, I'm not happy about it either, but she'll give me hell if I did otherwise." Jessie offers her best answer, just as upset as Rachel at having to pamper the Italian woman. "Don't worry about it, it's none of my concern. I was just curious about something. H-have we met before?" Rachel finally asks the question that has been nagging at the back of her mind since she rescued the blonde agent. "I don't think so, but I've been wondering the same thing. You remind me of a person I knew a long time ago. Her name was Rachel Foley, we grew up together for a while in a foster home." Jessie chuckles at the thought of her foster sister, failing to notice the stunned reaction on Rachel's face. "Foley? That was my last name before I was adopted by the Zane family. Wait, JESSICA?!" Rachel exclaims as yet another realization dawns on her. "Rachel?! Oh my god, it is you!" Both of the women realize who the other is now, a foster sister each had thought they'd never see again. "Whatever happened to you after the Spencer's? I was taken in by Linda and Jeff McCarney." Jessie inquires about her foster sister. "I drifted from home to home until I was adopted by George and Vanessa Zane." Rachel replies before taking Jessie's hands, they squeal with glee in tandem. Rachel proceeds to give Jessie the most powerful hug she can muster, the other woman doing the same. "I can't believe it's really you." Rachel exclaims. Try as she might, she is unable to choke back a stream of tears as they fall down her face. Jessie does the same as they share a touching moment of sisterly love. "Oh my god Jess, we've got so much to catch up on!" Rachel says while still hugging Jessie. "I know, I know! Where do we even start?" She replies, unable to decide from years of experience. "How about we start in the morning? I hate to say it, but it's been a hell of a day." Jessie yawns as the day's events finally catch up to her. "I think that's a good idea, I'm getting pretty tired myself. Let's go see what Trent has for everyone." The two foster sisters hold one another's hands as they reminisce about their childhood together. ___________________________ "Okay, I've got enough cots and blankets for everyone. All the pillows I have are up in the office, but Excella's there so we'll have to do without. Take your pick and choose a place around here somewhere." Trent lays out the cots and blankets in a line, allowing the women to choose for themselves. It doesn't take long for them to disappear, leaving him with a thin, light blue cot and a piece of fabric that can barely be classified as a blanket. Time to turn in for the night.Trent selects a place next to the door in order to keep an ear out for anything afoot outside. He lays out his cot and blanket before cutting power to the already dim lights, draping the interior of the warehouse in complete darkness. Various chatter echoes throughout as everyone converses one last time before sleeping. Trent lets the peaceful air of the building fall over, drifting away to sleep.... Several hours later... Dawn breaks outside, shafts of sunlight shining in through a line of windows along the ceiling. A beam flashes directly into Trent's eyes, awakening him from his slumber. "Wha-oh." He mutters under his breath, groggy from waking up so abruptly. He sits up while wiping the sleep from his eyes, yawning all the while. Made it through another day. Trent stands up and stretches his arms, loosening himself up for the day. He begins to proceed to the shower for his daily ritual before remembering the other tenants. "Damn, don't want to wake anyone up. Guess I'll just lay out breakfast instead." Trent says to himself. He start seeking out items for breakfast before feeling the ground rumble beneath this feet. "What the hell?" He states, knowing the rumbling originated from outside. Shit, should I head out there by myself to check it out or wake someone up to accompany me?Trent Reddick Health: 99% Fatigue: 0% Current time: 7:15 a.m. Inventory: 100%, Nothing Trent's Approval: Rachel Zane: 57% Acquaintance Excella Gionne: 20% Fellow Survivor (This doesn't mean that Excella hates Trent, she just has no opinion on him outside of the fact he is useful.) Jessie McCarney: 55% Acquaintance Isabela Keyes: 55% Acquaintance Cynthia Velasquez: 55% Acquaintance Lara Croft: 57% Acquaintance Lauren Croft: 57% Acquaintance A) Wake up the nearest person and ask whoever it is to follow him outside, he might as well take advantage of the safety in numbers they now have. B) Head outside by himself, Trent will put on his pack and investigate solo as he is accustomed to. C) Try to look outside without opening the door, Trent can head to the second floor to try and peek out of a window.
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Post by AceTheMercenary on Oct 31, 2013 1:40:28 GMT -6
Hmm. I think I will go with A.
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Post by BastionCon on Oct 31, 2013 18:23:54 GMT -6
A seems prudent in this situation.
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Post by Tbone110 The Amurican Bastard on Oct 31, 2013 22:55:09 GMT -6
I think I'd better take some back up. Might as well take advantage of our numbers now. Trent seeks out the nearest person asleep, who just happens to be Lauren. "Hey, Lauren. Can I get you to help me with something?" He gently shakes the young woman's shoulder until she comes to. "Um, sure. What is it?" She rises quickly though still in a daze. "I thought I heard something outside and I'm going to check it out. I figured I could get someone to help me out." He explains, feeling somewhat ashamed of waking her up. "Oh, well no problem. Do we need anything?" She asks, knowing full well how important it is to have a weapon at all times now. "Yeah, that'd be best. Grab what you can and I'll wait by the door." Trent replies before retrieving his own pack. He replaces the climbing ax he gave Lauren with a yellow and silver one, stowing it in his belt. Finally, he grabs a new crowbar as well, completing his standard arsenal. Feels good to be armed again, I felt lost without my pack.
He only has to wait a short while for Lauren to return, armed with a compound bow and quiver of arrows. Huh, I'd forgotten I grabbed a bow. "I think this will come in handy. I'm a pretty good shot with it." Lauren says while tapping the bow, making sure the quiver is securely strapped across her chest. "It suits you. Okay, I'll crack the door a few inches so you can tell me what you see out there." Trent says, grabbing the rolling chain of the shutter. "Got it." Lauren drops to her knees, keeping her eyes level with the ground. Trent cracks the shutter a few inches without making a sound. "Oh shit, someone's being chased by a...it looks like a giant snake!" Lauren exclaims in a hushed voice, motioning Trent to rapidly open the door. He forgoes silence and pulls down with his entire body, swiftly opening the door.
Leaving the rest of the women inside, Trent and Lauren rush out of the warehouse to assist the survivor. Once outside, Trent can see he is an African American wearing a bright yellow shirt and gray khakis. "He's coming this way and bringing that thing straight toward us!" Trent shouts anxiously, contemplating leaving the gate shut so he can't bring the snake into the perimeter. "Don't just stand there, open up the gate! We can't leave him to die." Lauren calls out, wondering why Trent is just standing there. "Fuck, alright." He concedes to her demand, rushing toward the gate. He quickly unlatches the lock and swings it open, calling out to the man, "Over here! Come on!"
He pumps his arms and runs faster than before, never looking back as the snake keeps up its pursuit. "Don't let it bite you, it's got a powerful venom." He informs Trent and Lauren as he enters through the gate. Trent pulls it shut, but the snake merely rams through it as if were nothing. It rears back at this point, displaying its massive size. It towers above the three people, brandishing its equally massive fangs as it hisses. The snake is covered in green, flaking scales and large tumors, a gruesome sight to behold. "There's no use fighting it, you'd need a small army to take this thing out." The man advises against facing the creature. "I can at least make it think twice about coming here." Lauren says as she nocks an arrow, taking aim at the serpent's face. It shoots out a forked tongue several times, getting a feel for the area and its prey. Lauren takes the opportunity to fire the arrow at its eye, releasing as it tilts its head downward. The arrow pierces its iris, blood gushing forth from the wound. The snake screeches, an inhuman sound to behold. It thrashes about violently, tearing down more sections of the fence with its terrible size. The snake suddenly retreats in the direction it came from, slithering away to recover momentarily.
"We have to get out of here, it'll be back and it's going to be pissed." The man orders out of nowhere. "Get out of here? No way, we can take it if it comes back." Trent argues, but he knows full well they stand no chance against the gargantuan reptile. "Trent, I hate to say it, but he's right. We don't stand a chance against it, and it'd be signing our own death warrants if we tried to fight." Lauren retorts, seeing the pained expression on his face. "But-but the was to ride out the outbreak in the warehouse. I spent all that time stocking up for this very situation, now you want me to give it all up?" He responds in turn, reflecting on all the work he put into the warehouse. "Look, I'm sure you busted your ass for this place, but it's pointless to keep arguing. I'm heading out, but you're welcome to join me." The man states, prepared to leave behind the two people who just saved his life.
"Wait. I know where we can go. There's a manhole around the back of the building, we can escape into the sewers." Trent reveals, having devised an escape plan should his sanctuary ever fall. "We'll need to wake the others, we don't have much time." Lauren says before running back into the warehouse to warn her sister. "We can use your help. We've got a lot of people warn and not very long to do it." Trent requests the man's help, taking any assistance he can get at this point. "Sure, just point me where to go." He replies, acknowledging Trent's dilemma with a nod. He guides the man into the warehouse, precious time ticking away by the second.
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"Come on, everyone wake up! We have to get out of here!" Rachel wakes up to someone sin her direction. "What's with the revelry?" Rachel asks aloud as she stumbles to her feet. "Long story short, a giant is on its way here so we need to get out before it comes back." Lauren replies as she shakes Jessie awake, heading into the office once the other blonde woman stands. "Oh shit! Come on Jess." Rachel repeats what Lauren said, causing Jessie's eyes to widen. "I need to get Excella then." Jessie enters the office with Lauren, emerging shortly after with both women. "What is your problem? I was sleeping." Excella snaps at everyone around her, unaccustomed to such a rude awakening. "The problem is you're dead weight at this point without us. We're saving your life here so try to show a little gratitude." Rachel barks in response to Excella's attitude. "Enough you two, we're leaving." Jessie breaks up the engagement, dragging Excella along by the elbow. Rachel follows closely behind while Lauren brings up the rear.
Upon setting foot on the first floor, Rachel realizes just how desperate the situation is. Everyone is scrambling to gather as many supplies as they can carry, eager to depart before the threat arrives. It figures we only lasted one night here. At least were able to sleep through the entire night. "Jess, take Excella to the door, I'll help load up." Rachel sends her foster sister away with their prisoner, knowing Jessie will have to secure Excella rather than carry anything. Isabela and Cynthia cram food and water into the duffle bag that carries their medicine, failing to address Rachel as she walks by. The Crofts are doing the same, though they seem to be gather weapons instead. She spies Trent running alongside a man she's never seen before. He must have showed up this morning while I was asleep. Rachel fetches her handgun and flashlight, having left them on the table she and Cynthia chatted at the night before.
A flash of steel out of the corner of her eye catches her attention next. Sitting on a crate as though it were meant for her is an aged but deadly cavalry saber, its blade beckoning her to take it. Rachel takes it by the hilt, testing its weight to determine if it will be of use. The saber is carefully balanced to allow just about anyone to use it, the perfect weapon for the time being. Rachel takes the blade and its scabbard, fastening them to her belt should the need to use it arise.
She joins everyone else at the door, noticing the look of surprise on Jessie's face. "Brad, you're alive!" She says to the newest member of their entourage. "Jessie, it's you! And you have Excella, excellent work. We can celebrate later though, now we need to get moving." Brad wisely cuts their reunion short though Jessie is a little hurt by his reaction. So this is the partner she told me about. He's got a solid head on his shoulders and he doesn't looks half bad to boot. "Everybody's here, good. We're heading into the sewer through the manhole out back. I've got a few flashlights, but that's it. It's going to be dark and damp down there so we'll need to stick close together." Trent's explanation is concise, ending with his passing out two additional flashlights. He gives one to Lara and another to Isabela, noting that Rachel possesses one of her own.
They follow him to the manhole cover, which requires the use of his crowbar to open. They try to decide who will proceed down first, but a distant hiss dashes any hope of planning. Trent drops down first, shining his light up to signal it's safe. Isabela is next, followed by Cynthia, Lara, Lauren, and Jessie. Excella argues against climbing down, but Rachel merely pushes her into the hole and directly into Trent's arms. That felt good. Rachel is the last one down, closing the manhole to cover their tracks in the meantime. She steps into ankle high water, pulling her nose shut tight upon noticing the terrible smell. I can already tell this is going to suck. "I've never been down here so it's as new to me as all of you." Trent reveals, never having had the time to come down into the sewers. The tunnel they entered is long and cavernous, much larger than one would suspect of such a town. Aged bricks make up the foundation of the walls, a canal of green, mucky water running between two raised concrete slabs. Damn, this place looks nothing like I thought it would. We'll have to be careful down here.
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Trent takes the lead as they navigate the dark corridors, not having the slightest idea which way they need to go. What in the hell is up with these sewers? They look like something out of a movie. The group proceeds in total silence as they travel through chamber after chamber of grates and sewer water. Trent curses their horrible luck before stopping in his tracks after hearing something echo throughout the sewer. "Did anyone else hear that?" He asks the group as a whole. "Yeah, I couldn't tell where it was coming from though." Isabela is the one to reply. He shines his light around the tunnel but doesn't find anything out of the ordinary. The sound echoes again, but it is still indistinguishable. "There it was again." He states, stopping everyone so he can pinpoint exactly what it is. Upon hearing it a third time, he is able to deduce it as a loud croak.
"A croak? Oh shit, that can only mean one thing." Rachel explains her theory to the group of it being a frog similar to the one that ate Maria. Trent tries to ask more about the subject, but he is stopped by someone screaming. Isabela flashes her light into the center of the group, where a fleshy tongue has latched onto Cynthia's foot. "Get it off me!" She screams as the tongue begins dragging her into the water. Rachel is the first to react, slashing its tongue with her saber. It takes two strokes of the blade to dismember it, what is left of the appendage retreating beneath the water. "There's no telling how many are down here!" Jessie cries, her head darting back and forth to look for more of the oversized amphibians. She finds what she is looking for behind Rachel, pointing out the threat with a loud scream.
Rachel pivots in time to avoid its tongue but falls to the ground. Jessie helps her up only to be pushed aside by Brad, who opens fire on the frog. It croaks angrily before retreating into the water, all of the bullets missing their mark. “They’re fast. Sorry about that Jessie, I thought I had it.” Brad observes, apologizing for bowling over his partner previously. “It’s okay.” She replies, dusting off her skirt. “We need to keep moving before more of them show up.” Trent tries to advise, but he is about to find out it is far too late for that.
He takes a step forward only for two more frogs to burst out of the water. One of them collides with his torso, sending him crashing into the wall. Almost as if it were an ambush, another two emerge behind the group, effectively trapping them. All hell soon breaks loose, a desperate battle of survival unfolding between the survivors and the creatures. Isabela tries to shield Cynthia from a frog’s assault, but the two of them are dragged into the water along with the amphibian.
“Lauren, look out!” Lara calls out to her sister, pulling out back to avoid becoming a creature’s meal. She slashes at one of the frogs with a katana she brought along, being the first to injure of the monsters. She rejoices briefly, but another frog catches her off guard. It launches itself at her with its potent hind legs, soaring toward her like a bullet. It strikes her in the side, causing her to drop her weapon. The two of them slide across the concrete, carried forward by its slimy coat.
“Lara!” Lauren races forward to help her sister, but fails to notice the frog behind her. It whips out its tongue, making contact with the middle of her back. “Waah!” She screams as she feels her feet begin to slide backward. Lauren drives her climbing ax into the ground to by herself time, but it won’t last for long. Lara contends with her own problems in the meantime, holding the frog’s jaw back with her bare hands. She tries to hold it at bay long enough to escape, but the creature proves too powerful. It clamps its mouth onto her head, causing her screams to become muffled as she pounds it relentlessly with her fists. It begins slowly slurping her into its gullet, already swallowing her to her shoulders in a matter of seconds.
As all this unfolds, Trent fights his own enemy. The light brown frog misses his foot and receives a quite a shock in return. He jams his taser into the frog’s eye, electrocuting its entire head. The frog surges with a few thousand volts of electricity before perishing, its body charred and smoking. Trent turns his attention to the others to find the Crofts locked in a heated battle of survival. He eyes Rachel and Brad back in the distance, but they are too far away to help. Damn it, I only have time to help one of them. Trent finds himself forced to choose between the sisters, who can he save in time?
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Further down the tunnel, Rachel, Brad, Jessie, and Excella have been forced away from the others by a trio of amphibians. "Get away from me you slimy mongrels!" Excella shouts, kicking a frog that gets too close in the eye. It counters with a swipe of its front leg, which has uncharacteristically long claws. She staggers back, avoiding the claws but hitting the wall and trapping herself. Jessie intervenes at that point, pushing Excella to the side so the frog attacks her instead. She cowers behind her hands, awaiting the inevitable. Rachel has other plans for her foster sister however, firing at the hostile with the last three bullets of her magazine. The slam into its side, blood pouring from the bullet holes. Angered but injured, it retreats back into the waterway, leaving two more of them to deal with.
Brad struggles to beat back a green frog, but it disarms with its tongue. It swallows the gun and seeks to make him its next meal. The black DHS agent rolls to the side, but his enemy continues tracking his movements. The frog catches him in the process of rolling again, leaping forward with a powerful headbutt. Brad rolls against his will toward the edge of the walkway, leaping to his feet despite the pain. He stares down his nemesis but is unable to attack due to being unarmed.
On the other hand, Jessie and Excella are completely helpless against another encroaching beast, the last frog begins hopping toward them with a line of drool streaming down its chin. It lashes out a pink tongue at Jessie, catching her ankle. It begins reeling her in, creating a situation where Rachel is forced to choose who to help.
Rachel Zane
Health: 85%, Bruise along midsection that is beginning to heal
Fatigue: 0%
Current time: 7:45 a.m.
Inventory: 9mm handgun (0/13), Pair of batteries, Mission Datapad, Heavy maglight (80% battery, 95% durability), Calvary Saber (99%)
A) Intervene in Brad's battle, Rachel just met the man but he seems to be a decent fellow plus he doesn't stand a chance against the amphibian.
B) Cut Jessie free once again, Rachel will never be able to live with herself if something happens to her foster sister.
Trent Reddick
Health: 99%
Fatigue: 0%
Current time: 7:45 a.m.
Inventory: 100%, .45 Handgun (9/0), Taser (75%), Pair of brass knuckles (100%), Trench knife (99%), Crowbar (100%), Climbing ax (100%), Machete (100%)
C) Rush toward Lara and pull her free, Trent can slice at the frog with his machete in order to make it release the older Croft, he'll doom the woman to a living hell if he doesn't save her now.
D) Slice the frog's tongue off of Lauren, she can't anchor herself for long and the frog will devour her in no time at all, a fate worse than death.
Choose wisely...
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Post by Veta on Oct 31, 2013 23:01:53 GMT -6
B and C.
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Post by AceTheMercenary on Oct 31, 2013 23:41:59 GMT -6
B and D.
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Post by BastionCon on Oct 31, 2013 23:43:26 GMT -6
Eric, you are a right bastard. I honestly can't make a simple choice for the second situation so I'm just going to say B and C. Damn you to hell
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2013 22:45:34 GMT -6
This seems to be quite a desperate situation the characters are in. Truthfully, I see B and D as the best options. To me, Lauren seems to be better armed than her sister and might be able to assist in rescuing her afterward, if that's a possibility.
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Post by Tbone110 The Amurican Bastard on Nov 4, 2013 17:09:50 GMT -6
I flipped a coin to determine which choice would win, and the outcome was B and D.
Faced with a most difficult of situations, Trent reacts the most logical way: assisting the closer of the sisters. Brandishing his machete, he rushes forward and slices at the frog's tongue with all his. The blade cleaves through the soft flesh in a single stroke, lopping the tongue in half. "Whoa!" Lauren gasps, carried forward by the sudden loss of the force pulling her back. She grabs her climbing to hold herself upright, rightfully startled by her unexpected rescue. "Trent?" She asks without looking over her shoulder, unaware that her sister is still in peril. "Right here, I cut you free. The damn thing fled into the water though." He tells the younger Croft, repeatedly gripping his building anxiety. "Lara! Oh my god, we have to help her!" Lauren suddenly exclaims, catching sight her sister's body slowly being devoured. Shit, there might still be time to save her!
Both of them waste little time in sprinting across the walkway toward Lara only to have their progress impeded by the emergence of yet another frog. "Motherfucker how many of these things are there!" Trent curses, beginning to feel angry than anxious. These bastards keep getting in the way, there's no telling how many more of them could be down here! Lauren becomes the target once again, the amphibian avoiding Trent for some odd reason. It whips its tongue at her head, only for Lauren to dodge roll to the right. "Here, take this. I'll get Lara." Trent passes off his handgun to the woman, arming her with double the firepower. He leaves her to her own devices, confident Lauren can dispatch of the frog in a fair battle.
The frog ignores him once more as he passes by, his eyes fixated solely on Lara. The frog seems to be having a difficult time with its meal as Lara struggles valiantly to escape. It still hasn't managed to gulp her down past the shoulders, but sooner or later she will tire and the frog will have its meal without further intervention. As the creature rears its head back once again, Trent joins the fray. He wraps his arms around Lara's thighs and digs his feet into the ground, halting her progress down the frog's throat. Her words are muffled and inaudible, but Trent wagers they are somewhere along the line of, "Get me out of here!" Goddamn, this thing is strong. She's not even budging. Despite his best efforts, Trent finds himself locked in a stalemate with the frog, Lara trapped between the two of them.
I've got an idea, but I don't know if it will work. Adjusting his footing, Trent plants his right foot behind his left, bracing for a final pull. He releases Lara's left thigh, electing to grab the waistline of her shorts instead. He then quickly grabs for the tail of her shirt with his other arm, leaving her legs to flap about freely. The extra motion of her legs thrashing seemingly gives them the advantage as Lara's head slowly but surely begins to emerge. Unfortunately, Trent has overestimated the integrity of the fabric as it begins tearing, just when victory appeared imminent. Lara's shirt rips first, tearing at both shoulders to come off completely. Her short follow shortly (pun intended), ripping off completely to reveal her black undergarments. It would be quite an attractive sight if not for the horror Lara is enduring. In that moment, he realizes absurdity of the spectacle before him. Lara's limbs thrashing frantically about, her gloved hands pounding at the frog while her boots fly helplessly through the air on her feet. Despite that she is slipping away, he has time to admire how tone her body is. After that, Trent flies backward from losing his grip, both pieces of clothing in hand. The frog takes the opportunity to rear back and swallow Lara to her waist in one fluid motion, hopping past Trent with its prey still dangling out.
Lauren is still preoccupied, only catching sight of the slimy vertebrate as it escapes into the darkness. The sight of her sister's possible demise ignites her fury, leaving little chance for her opponent's survival. She unloads the last of Trent's handgun into into its face, firing rapidly from a kneeling position. She holsters the firearm to utilize her bow next, nocking an arrow in one fluid motion. She releases the projectile just as the beast croaks in pain, striking it in the back of the throat. Trent didn't know a frog could gag until that moment, its death throes inhuman to say the least. It bleeds out in short time, leaving Lauren the unpleasant task of digging her arrow out of its corpse. "Lauren, I'm sorry, I almost had her out but there was a...complication." Trent explains, displaying her sister's torn tank top and shorts. "Don't give up yet, there's still a chance to save her, but we have to follow that frog." Lauren states, gesturing for him to follow her.
"What about the others?" He quickly retorts, pointing back down the sewer chamber. "We can come back and find them, now LET'S GO." Lauren replies, enunciating her last two words to show she will not wait any longer. Damn it, I guess we'll have to come back for them. Trent casts one last, wary glance over his shoulder, catching sight of Rachel fighting her own battle. He tears his vision away however, setting off after Lauren as she rounds the corner in pursuit of her sister. Trent take the time to retrieve Lara's katana and its sheath, believing they might come in handy in the future.
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At the other end of the chamber, Rachel comes to a decision of her own. Caring for her foster sister more than anyone, she charges Jessie's assailant with her blade. It is unable to defend itself as Rachel stabs it through the eye, gouging through its flesh. The blade penetrates its skull at that point, slicing clear through its brain and finally emerging through the other eye. Such a wound kills it instantly, the body falling limp as does its tongue. Jessie breaths a sigh of relief upon halting, remaining seated on the ground to gather her bearings. Rachel comes to her side and cuts her free, helping her to her feet as well. "T-thanks sis. I thought I was a goner." Jessie hugs Rachel gratefully, mirroring the days of their childhood when Rachel would bail them out of trouble. Heh, just like old times. "I'm just glad you're safe, I couldn't live with myself if anything ever happened to you." Rachel tells her, being truthful for what she feels if the first time in quite a while.
"This is all very touching, but what about the matter of escaping this place?" Excella chimes in, breaking up the emotional moment. "Where's Brad? He needs to come with us." Jessie replies before catching sight of something that nearly causes her to break down into tears....
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"Bring you slimy toad, I've got your number right here." Brad braces himself for a conflict with his opponent, confident in his ability to fend it off for a time. He allows the frog to make the first move. It predictable whips out its tongue, a maneuver Brad dodges quite easily. It tries this two more times in tandem, failing to even touch the man. A smirk begins forming on Brad's face, pleased with his efforts so far. The amphibian has other plans though, turning its back on the uncooperative meal. It prepares to leap into the water, leaving everyone behind. Brad races forward to engage it once again, but finds his foot slide out from under him.
Almost as if fate performed a cruel prank, he looks down to see a banana peel slide out from under his foot. He staggers forward, carried by nothing but his momentum. He tries to brace himself for the fall, but his arms are useless considering particular angle at which he is falling. A sickening crack erupts from his neck, which collides with the edge of the walkway. Brad's body twitches a moment before becoming immobile, his eyes glazing over as his life passes before them. It all ends in that moment, the DHS agent brought down in such an anticlimactic fashion; his 50 year old life span concluded by a banana peel and an unlucky day.
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"Brad, it can't be." Jessie hovers over her partner's corpse, clutching his yellow shirt she had accused of being tacky so many times before. All their trials, all the missions they had endured seemed so pointless now, the fragility of life truly brought to her eyes. "Jessie, I'm so sorry." Rachel tells her while placing a sympathetic hand on her sister's shoulder. "I-I never even told him how I felt about him." Jessie reveals, having harbored an admiration that blossomed into what might have been considered love over the years. "I won't even try to say I know how you feel." Rachel states truthfully, never having formed such a bond herself. "We've been through so much together only for him to die like this. He didn't deserve it." Jessie can't fight back the tears any longer, sobbing uncontrollably before her sister's eyes.
"I am....sorry for your loss, but there are pressing concerns at hand." Excella says a few feet away, actual emotion seeming to enter her voice. "Just shut up, bitch! We wouldn't even have to be here if it weren't for you!" Jessie suddenly barks, turning all her frustration and sadness into anger toward her prisoner. "I would urge you to proceed no further." Excella advises calmly, adopting a stoic expression as Jessie approaches. "And I'd urge you to shut the hell up!" Jessie lashes out at current object of her rage only to be held back by Rachel. "Jess, Jess! Bickering with Excella won't solve anything. Now you and Brad both knew the risks that would be involved in this job, you wouldn't have come otherwise." Rachel acts as the voice of reason. "Rachel, you don't know how long we've been after her, all the lives she's destroyed. She's the one who deserved to die, not Brad!" Jessie wails before attempting to charge forward one more time only to be halted yet again.
"Jessie! That's enough! I don't want to have to do this, but I'll drag you out of here if need be. We've been separated from all the others if you hadn't noticed. We need to find them and get out of these sewers as soon as possible. You can take out your frustration on me later if you want to." Rachel offers the blonde agent an ultimatum, either gain control now or face restraint and force at the hand of her sister. Jessie remains silent for several moments, dropping her gaze to the ground while balling her hands into fists. "You're right. I let my anger get the best of me, something I've been trained NOT to do." Jessie says after taking a deep breath. "You sure you're okay?" Rachel asks just to be sure. "Yeah, I'm better now. Come on, I saw Cynthia and Isabela head this way." She informs the others, walking past Rachel to take a place by Excella's side. Excella watches her carefully for any signs of aggression, keeping her hands primed to react. Rachel allows Jessie to lead them while bringing up the rear, watching out for anymore attacks by their amphibious enemies.
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"Cynthia! Where are you!" Isabela shouts while wading through the almost chest deep water. She and her cousin had been swept away from the group by a lone frog. They'd battled for several minutes against it in the water while at a massive disadvantage. Isabela suffered a few cut from the frog's talons while Cynthia lost her shirt and nearly her life to the frog's maw. Her hatchet had proved sufficient to ward it off, but she and Cynthia became separated in the process. Cynthia had been chased off by the frog, its croaks the only trail Isabela has to follow. She tries shouting again but is met with the monotone of the frog.
She climbs out of the water onto a ledge, deducing she can move faster on land. The chamber extends for a time before splitting apart three ways, offering two possible paths to proceed. She listens closely to the echoes and simply chooses the one that the croaks seem to be coming from. Hold on Cynthia, I'm on my way. She crosses through the sewage water to the other side of the chamber, sprinting down her chosen path. In the darkness, Isabela fails to notice vines beginning to line the walls. She keeps her light trained on the ground directly in front of her, watching out for any obstacles that might be awaiting.
Her destination finally lies ahead, a large annex that possess paths to four other sewer passages. She sees Cynthia looking about frantically before calling to her, "Cynthia! I'm over here!" Rather than the joyous reaction she was expecting, Cynthia yells to Isabela to stay back. "Don't come any closer Isabela, please!" She attempts to warn her cousin of the impending danger above. "What do you mean?" Isabela asks as she enters the chamber.
At that moment, a large vine with a strange implement at its tip that can only be described like an octopus's suction cup whips down at her. The suction cup attaches to Isabela's face and begins doing something unspeakable to the Latina. Her body shudders at it is slowly drawn into the vine, the plant encasing her head while sucking the breath from her. Isabela drops her hatchet as the life drains from her body; she will soon fall unconscious if something isn't done. Cynthia bites her lip as it is her time to step up. For the sake of her cousin, Cynthia leaps into action. She literally leaps up and grabs onto Isabela's legs, dragging them down with their combined weight. The vine is unable to sustain the two of them, releasing its victim shortly thereafter. "Isabela, speak to me. Are you okay?" Cynthia asks while cradling her cousin's head. "Y-yeah, I'm fine." Isabela manages to utter, but coughs somewhat violently, a yellow liquid emerging from her mouth. "It started shoving something down my throat." Isabela shivers at the thought of what she just endured.
"It's okay now, but those things are all around here. I only barely avoided it when I stumbled in here." Cynthia explains, telling Isabela to point at the ceiling with her flashlight. Sure enough, more vines dots the top of the chamber, numbering five total, not counting the one directly above them, that Isabela can see. "How are we going to get out of here? Their blocking all the passages." Isabela voices her worries, but that is the least of their concerns. A pool of water rests in the center of the chamber; the water stirring as something within begins to emerge. Both women clasp their hands over their mouths as a large, bipedal, frog-like creature steps onto out. It's skin is pure blue and coated with a layer of slime not unlike the frogs they encountered previously. It has no eyes and two small slits for a nose, the most distinguishable feature being its gaping maw. Its limbs are long and webbed, each foot and hand carrying four rounded digits. Standing up straight, it seems to be about six feet tall, inching just slightly above Cynthia and Isabela. Though it has no eyes, faces them directly, most likely smelling their rancid clothes.
"It knows we're here." Cynthia gulps, shuddering as the cold air of the chamber cuts through her exposed skin. "I'll hold it off, you get out of here." Isabela states, rising shakily to her feet. "No way, you're in condition to fight. Our best bet is to run and try to find the others." Cynthia counters, she won't let her cousin risk her life yet again. "We don't know how fast it is, and there's still the matter of getting past those things on the ceiling. You have to live Cynthia, you're all I have left." Isabela pleads with her to flee, ready to give her life for the last family member she has left. "I'm sorry Isabela, that's not going to happen." Cynthia states with finality, grabbing her cousin's hand and refusing to let go. Just as it seems they must fight, they hear a familiar voice shout from within a passage nearby....
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"Come on, I thought I heard them up ahead!" Jessie calls back to Rachel and Excella, guiding them toward an annex chamber. "Jess, slow down a little." Rachel suggests, but Jessie keeps pressing forward, throwing caution to the wind. "We need not deal with this if you would merely accept my offer." Excella gleefully whispers into Rachel's ear, back to her old self after the brief display of emotion before. "Never going to happen." Rachel tells her, possibly ending any hope they might ever have of negotiating. She's crazy if she thinks I'd ever consider that deal again, especially since Jessie is practically my sister!
"It's them! They-aaagghh!" Jessie screams in horror as a vine attacks her from the ceiling. Rachel drags Excella along at a quicker pace, determined to let nothing happen to Jessie. As they enter the chamber, Rachel pushes Excella to grab the other woman. She pulls Jessie back from the vine, placing her beside Excella. "Isabela! Cynthia! Have any info on this thing?" Rachel calls out, quickly adopting a combat stance to fight the creature encroaching upon the two women. "We don't know anything yet, it only appeared a few minutes ago." Isabela replies, shielding Cynthia as the thing draws ever closer.
Rachel has begun attempting to sneak up on it, only taking her eyes off Jessie and Excella for a moment. This is it all it takes for the situation to fall apart like it has so many times before. Excella is unaware there are more vines hanging from the ceiling, unintentionally wandering beneath one. It bolts toward the woman, latching onto her face and repeating the same process Isabela endured. "Excella!" Jessie attempts to react to her peril, but an old foe has pursued them to the chamber. A frog's tongue once again takes hold of her, this time directly on her rear end. Jessie squeals from the sudden shock of the frog fondling her, falling to the ground as it reels her in. She claws at the slick stone, but it does nothing to halt her progress toward its gullet.
Directly in front of Rachel, the creature suddenly leaps forward, somehow possessing the same capabilities of the frogs. It knocks Isabela aside to take hold of Cynthia, its massive hands pinning her arms to her sides. It effortlessly lifts her up and shoves her into its mouth, dropping its hands once she is within. Her stomach rests on its lower lip as she struggles to escape, the creature slowly slurping her down in the meantime. Isabela has been knocked under the vine once again, which repeats its actions. Isabela pounds its with her fists, but they are powerless against the plant. Once more, Rachel finds multiple lives in her hands, only the choice is a bit more complicated than before. FUCK, I can't leave Jessie but Isabela and Cynthia are both in trouble too!
Rachel Zane
Health: 85%, Bruise along midsection that is beginning to heal
Fatigue: 0%
Entourage: Isabela Keyes: 68%, Flashlight (80%) Cynthia Velasquez: 82%, Nothing Excella Gionne: 90%, Nothing Jessie McCarney: 84%, Nothing
Current time: 8:05 a.m.
Inventory: 9mm handgun (0/13), Pair of batteries, Mission Datapad, Heavy maglight (80% battery, 95% durability), Calvary Saber (99%)
First, I'll need you to choose which duo Rachel will be assisting first (After choosing the first duo, I'll need you to choose who Rachel will assist first out of the pair):
A) Run back to aid Excella and Jessie, Rachel can't leave her sister to die and Excella doesn't have long before the vine engulfs her.
(If you choose A first, who will Rachel help first of the two?)
1) Jessie, it won't be long before the frog reels her in and possibly runs off with a full belly. (90% if chosen first, 80% if chosen second, 68% if chosen third, 58% if chosen last)
2) Excella, she is already under assault by the vine and Rachel might not be able to reach her if she waits too long (85% if chosen first, 75% if chosen second, 63% if chosen third, 49% if chosen last)
B) Rush forward to help Isabela and Cynthia, both won't last long if Rachel doesn't intervene
(Same deal here:)
3) Cynthia, Rachel is still curious to know what will unfold between the two of them and this new threat appears to be even more dangerous than the frogs (80% if chosen first, 70% if chosen second, 62% if chosen third, 50% if chosen last)
4) Isabela, she already seems to be weakened and the vine has already engulfed her to her throat (75% if chosen first, 63% if chosen second, 53% if chosen third, 42% if chosen last)
So basically for the choice, first state the later, then the order of the characters, the second letter, and the order of those characters.
Percentages lined out for convenience:
Jessie: 90% if chosen first, 80% if chosen second, 68% if chosen third, 58% if chosen last
Excella: 85% if chosen first, 75% if chosen second, 63% if chosen third, 49% if chosen last
Isabela: 80% if chosen first, 70% if chosen second, 62% if chosen third, 50% if chosen last
Cynthia: 75% if chosen first, 63% if chosen second, 53% if chosen third, 42% if chosen last
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Post by AceTheMercenary on Nov 4, 2013 17:46:05 GMT -6
B 4 3, then A 2 1.
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Post by Rai Chiller on Nov 4, 2013 18:50:56 GMT -6
B 4 3 A 2 1
It's only logical, dawg.
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Post by BastionCon on Nov 4, 2013 21:58:08 GMT -6
....go to hell Eric, that's where you belong. I give up, you just seemes so determined to kill someone so LET'S DO IT. My vote is the same as Ace and Rai's.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2013 10:03:42 GMT -6
Um, I have a question if I'm allowed to ask this. Do these sort of situations often present themselves? Because I find this a very difficult choice and I don't know if I want to take everyone's lives into my hands. Though this probably won't matter, A 1, 2, and B 4, 3 are my preferences.
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Post by Tbone110 The Amurican Bastard on Nov 23, 2013 13:56:23 GMT -6
"Just hold on Jessie, I'll be over there as soon as I can!" Rachel shouts back to her sister, praying she will be able to fend for herself just long enough to survive. "And I've got a little something for you!" Rachel bellows while charging the creature with her blade in hand. It ignores her in favor of continuing to devour Cynthia, who has been swallowed up to her waist by this point. The beast rears back to allow her slide down its throat completely, but Rachel has other plans. She stabs it through its stomach, her sword piercing its flesh albeit with some difficulty. Rachel twists the blade to inflict maximum damage, shredding its internal organs to pieces. It spits out Cynthia almost instantly, lashing out with a long fist Rachel narrowly avoids. Cynthia pants on the ground, wiping the thing's saliva from her face before retrieving Isabela's hatchet. "Keep it busy Rachel, I'll try to help Isabela!" Cynthia calls once out of range of the fight, receiving a swift nod in response from Rachel. Rachel rips her sword from Gamma's midsection, blood spurting from both sides of the wound. It sprays crimson as it twists around to face her, it pace becoming more sluggish by the second. Whereas it moved almost contemplatively before, its movements are far more aggressive now, a signal of its desperation. Rachel takes the opportunity to quickly reload her handgun and blast its face with two shots, one hammering its nostrils while the other grazes the top of its head. The shots serve only to enrage the beast, but the damage has taken its toll. The Hunter drops to the ground, wheezing breaths escaping its maw. It paws ineffectually at the ground, still trying to battle despite being near death. "I'll finish it for you." Rachel spits on the creature before stabbing it through the head, surprised that she suffered nary a wound from the fight. That might've turned out differently if it wasn't distracted by Cynthia...Nearby, Cynthia struggles to free her cousin. The vine has a much more powerful grip that before, engulfing the woman to her chest in little time. She has a difficult time devising a way to free Isabela until Rachel makes her way to her side. "Hold her feet, I'll try to climb up and cut her free." Rachel immediately commands after dispatching of her opponent. "Okay, I'll hold on as long as I can." Cynthia replies, passing off the hatchet while she grips both of Isabela's legs. The dangling Latina barely moves as the life is sucked out of her, holding onto consciousness by a thread. Rachel wraps her arms around Isabela's legs and pulls herself up, apologizing profusely after accidentally kicking Cynthia on top of the head. Cynthia doesn't reply though, silenced by her determination to save her cousin. The vine feels leathery to the touch as Rachel reaches Isabela's waist, not exactly the way one would expect a plant to feel. What is this thing? She dispels the thought for the time being, instead redoubling her efforts to free her friend. Upon reaching Isabela's head, Rachel hears only labored breathing through the plant, Isabela's body suddenly going limp. "Hurry! I don't she has much longer left!" Cynthia shouts from below, eyes growing wide as the plant pulls her cousin ever higher. "Here we go! Look out below!" Rachel warns before hacking at the area of the vine above Isabela's head. The vine withstands three solid blows, but a fourth is enough to cleave through it. Expecting the fall but still taken by surprise, Rachel lets out a brief scream as they plummet to the ground. Cynthia tries to catch Isabela but ends up breaking her fall with her entire body. Rachel, on the other hand, tucks herself into a ball as she lands, dispersing the impact into the ground. "Whoa, you okay?" She asks Cynthia as she helps her up. "Yeah, just glad to see Isabela is okay." She replies, quickly beginning the task of freeing her cousin. "Here, use this. I have to help Jessie and Excella." She hands the hatchet off to Cynthia before sprinting across the chamber, hoping against hope she'll be able to make it to the others in time. The chamber seems to have grown in length as she races toward the others, though Rachel knows it is merely the anxiety playing tricks on her. Jessie continues to claw toward freedom, holding her own against the reeling of the frog. This allows Rachel to turn her full attention toward Excella. She has been engulfed to her waist and continues to rise. Her limbs dangle limply, telling Rachel she must have been rendered unconscious. Damn, this is going to us down considerably. Excella's feet are too high in the air for Rachel to grab, leaving only one option available to the Phenotrans agent. She aims above Excella's head in the darkness of the sewer, squinting both her eyes to find her target. Rachel gulps once before firing her first shot, missing the vine by only a hair. She readjusts her aim before firing again. The bullet strikes its mark this time, piercing the center of Excella's assailant. Air rushes out of the vine's new holes along with a yellowish liquid that begins to flow all over the unconscious woman. Rachel punctuates the second shot with two more, rending the vine until it remains handing by merely a thread. The plant rips in short order, sending Excella plummeting to the Earth below. "Got ya!" Rachel exclaims, just barely catching her target before she hits the ground. She places Excella on the cold, stone floor, slicing open the top of the plant holding her so she'll be able to breath. She must leave her lying there though, turning her attention to Jessie next. Unfortunately for her, Jessie has already reached the frog's mouth and in the process of being folded over chest to leg, almost akin to a taco. "Jessie!" Rachel shouts loudly, racing toward her sister and the predator. "Aaaggghh!" Jessie screams in pain as she disappears into the amphibian's gullet, shoes and all. Rachel's eyes grow wide with fright, is she too late to save her sister? No way! I'm not too late. I'll just have to dissect that thing to get her out. She clutches her blade with a trembling hand, just barely able to control both her fear and anger. I'm coming Jess, just hold on!Adrenaline surges through Rachel's veins as she chases the frog into the sewer tunnels, leaving everyone behind for the time being. She's confident that Isabela and Cynthia will be able to look after themselves as well as Excella, Rachel can only focus on one thing at the moment. "Get back here!" She calls after the hopping menace. It remains only a few feet in front of her, weighted down by its meal. Rachel can only imagine the terror her sister is experiencing, serving to enrage her further. Before it can reach a waterway, Rachel is able to catch up to the frog and tackle it from behind. She fastens her grip on its slimy skin, digging in with her nails to avoiding slipping off. A loud croak signals its displeasure, but it remains grounded after attempting to leap due to its additional weight. "Time to get to work." Rachel mutters before plunging her saber into its back, being careful not to skewer it too deeply for fear of harming Jessie. The creature bleeds crimson as Rachel hacks away from atop it, fighting for survival to no avail. It dies after a surprisingly short amount of time, this specimen being much less resilient than its brethren. Don't worry Jess, I'll have you out of there in no time. After slaying her foe, Rachel sets about the gruesome task of carving a way to her sister. Her sword slices through the beast's flesh at a steady pace, but Rachel estimates it will a while at this pace. She can see Jessie squirming within its stomach, indentions in the shape of hands and feet pressing outward to escape. "Jessie, I don't know if you can hear me, but I need you to move back. I don't want to hurt while I'm cutting my way through." Rachel says loudly while pressing her head against the frog's corpse. She has no way of knowing if Jessie heard her, but the disappearance of the indentions alleviates her concern. Working double time, she jams the saber in as far as she is willing to before forcing the blade forward, creating a large gash along the frog's underbelly. This does the trick as Jessie's slime coated, coughing form stumbles out onto the ground. "Jess!" Rachel exclaims while dropping to hug her sister. Jessie coughs up a light green fluid, a bit of the frog's digestive juices no doubt. "Ugh, bleh! I can't get the taste out of my mouth." Jessie murmurs, a bit shaken up from the ordeal but none the worse for wear. I almost lost her again. When we do get to Fortune City, I won't be letting her out of my sight again."Oh my god Rachel, it was horrible in that thing! I can't imagine what it'd be like to be in there any longer." Jessie shudders at the thought of her former imprisonment, short as it was. "Don't worry, you're safe now." Rachel gives the DHS agent a reassuring hug, slightly regretting the action due to her slimy coating however. "Come on, let's get back to the others. We still need to find Trent, Lauren, and Lara as well." Rachel states, looking the tunnel over while wondering how much longer they're going to be down there. ______________ (For the rest of the update to make sense, you'll need to read Ace's own update)"There's Lara! And more survivors!" Lauren blurts as she and Trent see a foreign yet familiar scene unfold before them. Another group of people are facing a losing battle as their numbers become scattered and placed in peril, harkening back what Trent faced previously. "Lara! We're coming!" Lauren shouts, rushing forward to aid her sister without watching the waters. Seemingly capitalizing on her distraction, another frog leaps onto the walkway directly in front of her. As if coordinating their assault, a brown colored amphibian places itself between Trent and Lauren, separating the two of them. "I've got this one! You take care of the other one." Trent calls as he studies the familiar foe for a second time. You're not going to eat anyone this time, you slimy bastards."You picked the wrong time to get in my way." Lauren states viciously as she draws her bow, seeking to finish the battle quickly. Her foe responds with a predictable whip of its tongue, a maneuver she evades by clambering to the right. An arrow releases from her bow in response, sailing toward the underbelly of the frog. A gout of blood spurts where the arrow strikes, but the frog is too focused on the task at hand to react. It lashes out twice more with its tongue, both missing their mark as Lauren learns the movements of her foe. "Lauren, take this!" Trent yells from behind her. A metallic scraping rings out as he kicks Lara's katana across the floor, offering her a much more suitable weapon for such close quarters. "Now let's finish this." Lauren flips the blade in her hand, getting a feel for the weapon before wielding it. Her assailants powerful legs propel it toward her after realizing it will take more to bring her down. She counters charging forward and sliding back down across the ground. Lauren drives her blade into its underbelly as it soars above her, nearly dissecting the creature from the bottom. Its intestines fall out onto the cold stone as it lands, its legs continuing to move it forward due to sheer muscle memory. The frog lets out a dying croak before falling into the water, a sparse few air bubbles signaling its demise. "These things aren't so tough if they don't catch us by surprise." Lauren observes as Trent finishes his own battle. Trent's own adversary proves to be a wily match, pressing him further back with each passing moment. Looks like this one's going to be a bit tougher than I'd anticipated. The air in the sewer is noxious to inhale, stifling Trent's attempts to catch his breath. He's never done well in enclosed spaces, much rather preferring the open skies where his parkour skills serve him best. Just as Lauren had done, he proves to be a difficult target for the amphibian, but the brown frog is much faster than its brethren Lauren faced. "I've still got my taser, I just need to get close enough to use it." Trent mutters under his breath, measuring the frog for its next attack. A quick plan suddenly comes to mind, compelling him to take up a position near the wall. Trent leans against the stone with one hand, practically beckoning his enemy to strike. The frog takes the bait however, lashing out once more. Its tongue misses Trent and instead sticks to the wall, the environment turned against it. Trent sprints toward the creature and jams his taser into its eye, sending thousands of volts surging through its body. Several seconds later, the life leaves its body as nothing but a charred corpse remains. "Phew, another bites the dust." Trent prods its lifeless body just to make sure, satisfied at its lack of movement. He then joins Lauren in assisting her sister once again. "Lara, we're here." Lauren tells the older Croft just as she climbs out of the frog's mouth. "I'm fine Lauren, don't worry about me." Lara replies nonchalantly, acting as though being devoured by the frog was everyday business. "Uh Lara, glad to see you're alright." Trent chimes in, feeling a bit awkward after failing to rescue her before and now staring down her barely clothed form. "It wasn't the most pleasant experience, but I'm none the worse for wear." Lara puts up a brave front, but Trent suspects this is merely a show for her sister. She's a tough one, I'll give her that. "I almost thought I'd lost you..." Lauren says to Lara, her sentence trailing off at the thought of losing her sibling. "It'll take more than an overgrown amphibian to take me down." Lara chuckles genuinely, perhaps the tough demeanor isn't a facade after all. "Eyes front and center, Trent." Lara shoots past Lauren, calling him out. "Whoa! I wasn't staring. I have better taste than that." He replies, glad the dark tunnel is able to hide his flustered face. "It's pretty cold down here. Take my jacket." Trent offers, feeling guilty after having stripped her of her clothes. He removes his pack and takes off his hoodie. "Very kind of you." Lara takes the top without a second thought, sliding it over her bra but still a bit turned off by the lack of pants. "I don't have anything else. Sorry." Trent apologizes. "It's okay, this will do for now, but where is everyone else?" Lara replies, asking about the status of the rest of their group. "Last I saw, Rachel was helping Jessie out of a bind. We don't know where they are." He tells her, keeping the story short as another battle unfolds beyond them. "We'll have to search for them later, for now I think we'd best introduce ourselves to this new group." Lauren suggests, turning their attention to the new faces further down the tunnel. "Let's get to it then." Trent leads the two women toward this new group, hoping they'll be able to count them as allies in the face of everything that's happened. _______________________________ "Come on, we have to keep moving." Rachel orders the rest of the women. Jessie supports Excella's unconscious from the left while Rachel shoulders her from the right. Cynthia and Isabela travel behind them, but their pace is slowing, tired from constant exertion. They are currently fleeing from a horde of frogs that chased them out of the annex. "I think we've lost them, we can take a break." Rachel acquiesces to their silent request, clued in by everyone's constant shortness of breath. "Thanks, I didn't think I'd last much longer." Isabela admits, resting her back against the wall and sliding to the ground with her hands on her knees. "My feet are killing me." Cynthia adds, taking a seat next to Isabela to massage her blisters. Rachel and Jessie slowly place Excella on the ground, making sure to not place her anywhere near the water. "How long have we been down here anyway?" Jessie asks, having lost track of time. "No telling, I haven't even bothered to keep track." Rachel grimly replies while plotting out their course. "It feels like it's been hours, but I don't believe we've been down here that long." Isabela says, joining in the conversation. "I'm just ready to get out of here. The stench is beginning to become unbearable." Cynthia closes her nose as a rather powerful aroma, more so than usual thus far in the sewer, permeates the air. "It's coming from the water." Rachel deduces the source of the stench and approaches the waterway to investigate. Floating in the water is the dissected corpse of a frog, its intestines littering the water around it. "Check this out. This had to have been done by a person." Rachel calls the others to the water so they can see. "You're right, it must be the others!" Jessie exclaims, her mood brightened by such a fortunate prospect. "They have to be close. Looks like we're cutting this break short. Up and at 'em." Rachel and Jessie retrieve Excella once again as Cynthia and Isabela follow hand in hand, hoping their luck might have turned around for once. We have to be close, we just have to be._________________________________________ The shelter stands as a true sanctuary in Rachel's eyes. After nearly an entire day of trudging through hell, they've finally made it to safety. Trent's warehouse only served as a temporary reprieve, but the shelter of Fortune City truly seems impregnable. It feels weird to not be expecting mortal danger around every corner. Odd how it's possible to become accustomed to such things. Rachel explores the halls near the vent to get a learn the layout of the area, feeling slightly restless within the confines of the shelter. "Are you alright, Rachel? You're looking a bit antsy." Cynthia's voice enters Rachel's ears, causing the blonde woman to nearly jump out of her suit. "Whoa! Cynthia, sorry. You scared the hell out of me." Rachel chuckles anxiously, her nerves getting the better of her for some odd reason. "Oh! I'm so sorry, it wasn't my intention heh." Cynthia can't help but burst out into laughter at her friend's plight. "Ha ha, laugh it up now. See what happens the next time you're in trouble." Rachel quips, poking fun at Cynthia's tendency to encounter peril. They share a hearty laugh at the joke before stepping into a room littered with crates and wooden pallets. "I think we've finally hit the jackpot. This place is as close to impenetrable as we're going to find. Nothing's getting through that door." Rachel continues the conversation before realizing they've found themselves alone. "I was honestly starting to believe it wouldn't happen. When that vine or whatever it was had Isabela before, I nearly lost it. But there you were once again, saving both of us from certain death. Rachel, I think it's safe to say that....I think I'm falling for you." Cynthia very suddenly divulges, steering the conversation in a completely different direction than Rachel envisioned. "Falling for me?" She asks in disbelief, taken aback by the Latina woman's admittance. "You heard me. How could I not fall for such a beautiful creature who appeared out of nowhere? You've saved me and the only family I have left more times than I can count. It's very difficult not to admire such a feat." Cynthia utters seductively before sauntering across the room toward Rachel, her luscious hips swaying with every step. Cynthia unbuttons the top of the blouse she'd acquired, its blue fabric already strained by her ample chest. "Cynthia, this is a bit sudden, don't you think? Not that I don't appreciate it." Rachel raises her hands in protest albeit very weakly. "Maybe, but given the circumstances, I think earned the right to have a little fun. Nothing serious of course. Yet." Cynthia has backed Rachel into a corner by this point, both hands on her hips. "Would Isabela approve of this?" The Phenotrans agent asks in an attempt to dissuade the vixen. "She doesn't have to know. It can be our. Little. Secret." Cynthia places a hand on Rachel's shoulder and leans to whisper this, caressing the black leather of her suit. "Your hair is so beautiful, just like the rest of you." Cynthia compliments the object of her desire once more, taking a thick lock of her golden mane in hand. "Cynthia..." Rachel mutters weakly, the last of her reserves of willpower fading rapidly. I haven't done anything like this since college, but she's right here....Cynthia's lips are only inches from Rachel's, the two of them about to embrace just as someone enters the room. "Ooops! Wrong room." A feminine states meekly, embarrassed beyond belief about stumbling upon the scene. She slams the door quickly, but the moment has been ruined. "Well, I wasn't expecting that." Cynthia merely laughs at what happened, flicking Rachel's chin playfully with her left hand. "We'll resume this later. I'm going to go find out who our friend was." Cynthia leaves to pursue their interceptor, amused her reaction. Rachel is merely left to stand in disbelief, contemplating what she will do immediately following that intimate scene. _______________________________ "What do you think?" Lara emerges from the restroom wearing a light blue shirt, the front of which is tied into a bow to expose her navel, and brown short shorts. (Here's a quick pic of Lara's new outfit: fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/232/d/c/tomb_raider_outfit_by_xxximnotokayxxx-d477mbf.png ) "As modest as ever." Lauren jests, commenting on her sister's choice of attire. "No sense in being shy, dear sister. We are Crofts after all." Lara snidely replies, maintaining a facade of superiority before bursting into laughter alongside Lauren. "Excellent taste." Trent offers a thumbs up to Lara, smirking at the banter between the two sisters. Glad to see everyone's settling in. We all deserve a break after what we just went through. Their laughter soon lets way to a friendly silence, all of them content with one another's company for now. "I didn't say it before, but thank you, Trent. For saving Lauren and looking after her." Lara tells the unsuspecting man. "Oh, don't worry about it. I just did what any decent person would've done." He replies, modestly deflecting her gratitude. "She's right, thank you." Lauren genuinely adds, flashing a bright smile his way. "Come on you two, you're going to make me blush." He chuckles, doing his damnedest to keep his cheeks from flushing. "Too late! Your face is as red as a beet." Lara lets out a hearty chortle at his expense, but Trent knows it is all in good fun. "Well ladies, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to have a look around." He warns them of his impending departure. "Okay, but don't be a stranger. You've made a friend in the Crofts." Lauren tells him, the two Crofts waving farewell as he leaves them to their business. Alright, where can I get a bite to eat around here? Trent glances at the massive metal door in front of the surveillance room as he walks by, measuring its strength with his own eyes. "This is pretty damn sturdy, I think we're in good hands here." He says to himself while rapping on the door with a knuckle. He makes note of a woman with red hair and an intense expression talking to a man wearing a Fortune City Security jacket in the adjacent room, his gray hair disheveled as if his hands had been constantly run through it. Wonder what has those two in such a fuss? Curious, but it's none of my business. He leaves the sight behind, waving a greeting to Jack as he passes him in the hall. Frank follows close behind, the two appearing to be quite the pair of chums. Trent smirks at his loner ways with that thought, but it's just the way he is. He spies a pretty Asian face standing in front of the vents as he rounds the corner, pulling his attention from the growling of his stomach. "Thinking of heading out?" He shoots from atop the stairs, leaning over the rail to get comfortable. "I'm considering it, but...." The raven haired woman bites her lip, seemingly hesitant to divulge her intentions. "You don't need any help, do you?" Trent's words roll off his tongue without even realizing it. God damn it! Why the fuck am I suddenly such a sucker for a pretty face?! "Well, now that you mention it. I have a meeting with a source of mine, but I'm not keen on heading out by myself after what happened in the sewer. You're Trent, right? I was with Jack down there, but you didn't get my name. Rebecca Chang, Channel Six Action News reporter at your service." The Asian woman cocks her hips while staring up at Trent directly in the eye. It takes him a moment, but he recalls her face now. Looks like she's got on a few clothes this time. Rebecca has opted to wear a diamond patterned black skirt that stops just above her knees while possessing a slit that runs high along the front of the left leg. Her blouse is cream colored and collared, unbuttoned at the chest to reveal a fair amount of cleavage. "Rebecca, huh? Since we're doing formal introductions, Trent Reddick's the name. If you really do need help, I'm up for lending a hand." Trent relinquishes any hopes of brushing past the conversation, sighing inwardly while seeing his offer through should Rebecca accept. "I might take you up on that here in a short while, I'm none too eager to go back out there just yet." Rebecca replies, shuddering at the thought of leaving the shelter for some reason. "Did something happen? I mean you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." He tells her, not wanting to seem as if he is prying. "It's not something I want to talk about right now." Rebecca retorts, her thoughts remaining her own for the time being. "Fair enough. Well, I'm here if you ever want to talk." Trent politely states before leaving the reporter to continue pondering the vent and what entering it would mean. She must have been through some shit, no doubt about it.It doesn't take long for Trent to find the break room and inhale a bag of chips along with a sandwich and bottle of water. "Aaah, that hit the spot." He rubs his content belly after the meal, placing his feet on the table as he leans back in his seat. Looks like I've got some time to kill, wonder what I should do with it?Trent Reddick Health: 99% Fatigue: 0% Current time: 9:30 a.m. Inventory: 100%, .45 Handgun (9/0), Taser (50%), Pair of brass knuckles (100%), Trench knife (99%), Crowbar (100%), Climbing ax (100%), Machete (100%) Trent's Approval: Rachel Zane: 61% Possible friend Excella Gionne: 20% Fellow Survivor Jessie McCarney: 60% Acquaintance Isabela Keyes: 60% Acquaintance Cynthia Velasquez: 60% Acquaintance Lara Croft: 74% Friend Lauren Croft: 70% Friend (You can choose up to two choices for Trent:) A) Return to Lara and Lauren to see what they're up to, Trent rather enjoys their company but he also has been meaning to ask one of the two of them about self defense lessons. It's high time Trent truly learned how to fight. (+4% approval with both women) B) Seek out Rachel and ask her how she is, Trent is curious about what she and the others ran into in the sewer, they can also discuss their plans for the immediate future. (+3% approval) C) Jessie looked as if she could use some company the last time Trent saw her, she took Excella to the infirmary. Trent has been wondering what her story is with Excella anyway. (+5% approval) D) Isabela was examining some medical equipment, maybe she could use some help with her work. Plus Trent has a question concerning an idea for a weapon, she's the only with the expertise to answer it. (+4% approval) E) Search for Cynthia and chat her up, Trent has barely said more than two words to the woman. She'd probably be a good source of conversation and might even have something to say about everything that's happened so far. (+3% approval) Rachel Zane Health: 85%, Bruise along midsection that is beginning to heal Fatigue: 0% Current time: 9:30 a.m. Inventory: 9mm handgun (8/0), Pair of batteries, Mission Datapad, Heavy maglight (80% battery, 95% durability), Calvary Saber (98%) Rachel's approval: Trent Reddick: 65% Possible Friend Isabela Keyes: 88% Best Zombie Slaying Friend Cynthia Velasquez: 93% Romantic Interest Jessie McCarney: 100% Foster Sister Excella Gionne: 55% Prisoner and Prospective Ally Lara Croft: 63% Acquaintance Lauren Croft: 63% Acquaintance (Can choose up to two for Rachel:) F) Look for Cynthia again, Rachel wouldn't mind having more alone time with her, and she can't help but feel an attraction to her compatriot. She just doesn't know how Isabela would react to news about the two of them. (+7% approval) G) Rachel hasn't had a chance to talk to Isabela yet, she might as well use this opportunity to ask how she's doing. She seems like she had something on her mind she may want to discuss as well. (+4% approval) H) Find Jessie and discuss their plans for holding Excella, Rachel won't be completely comfortable until she knows the arrangements for holding the executive. Jessie also took Brad's death pretty hard, maybe Rachel should talk to her about it before she does something foolish. (+4% approval with Execella, and a rational discussion with Jessie) I) She hasn't seen Trent around, now might be a good time to find him and discuss what their plans are for the time being. Though the shelter looks like a permanent sanctuary, they need a contingency plan should it somehow fall. (+4% approval) J) Rachel saw Lara and Lauren near the restrooms, maybe she should pay them a visit and find out how they're settling in. It'd be nice for her to get to know them a little better as well. (+4% approval with both Crofts)
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Post by AceTheMercenary on Nov 23, 2013 14:14:20 GMT -6
E, D, H and finally J.
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Post by BastionCon on Nov 23, 2013 15:42:10 GMT -6
Excellent! They all survived as well. With things so calm, I think I'll say A,D, and F, G.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2013 16:03:38 GMT -6
Wow, we were extremely fortunate that everyone survived both encounters. My choices this time around will A, D, G, and I.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2013 15:49:42 GMT -6
A very pleasant read thus far, Tbone110. My choices shall be A and D for Trent, and H and J for Rachel.
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Post by Tbone110 The Amurican Bastard on Dec 26, 2013 12:16:36 GMT -6
Might as well head back to hang with Lara and Lauren, I shouldn't deprive them of my company. Trent exits the break room feeling fairly decent, his hunger placated for the moment. He seeks out the companionship of the Crofts once more, taking Lauren up on her offer to not be a stranger. "Now where are those two?" He whispers under his breath, sticking his hands into the pockets of his returned windbreaker. It was rather disgusting after Lara returned it, what with her having been covered in stomach fluids, but he was fortunate enough the shelter actually had cleaning supplies in stock. The air in the shelter is slightly stuffy for some reason, but Trent merely chalks it up to the minimalist design of the place. The sisters are no longer in the restrooms, but he was expecting as much. Hmm, wonder where they could've gone?
It takes several minutes of searching for him to find the room they've taken up residence in. "Looks like you two are making yourselves at home." Trent remarks upon entering the room, noticing Lara's disassembled guns on a bench and Lauren's various tools sprawled across a table. "We might as well take advantage of this place while we're here. It's been a good while since I've cleaned my guns anyway." Lara replies while wiping down the barrels of her firearms. "I just wish we had some way to contact the outside world. I know the standard procedure with outbreaks is to quarantine the entire city, but has it spread any further?" Lauren states the question that has been plaguing her for a while now, sighing heavily at the notion of their isolation.
"We'll just have to make the best of what we've got. I'm sure we can scrounge up a laptop around here and try to rig up some kind of communications network. It wouldn't be the first time we've had to do something like that." Lara comforts her sister with reassuring words. "If we can't find one in here, there's all of Fortune City to check. There are dozens of stores out there we can 'borrow' from if need be." Trent adds, taking a seat near Lara to join in the conversation. "Alright, that sounds good. It's not anyone will mind us taking some liberties anyway." Lauren jokes, her countenance shifting to a more lighthearted smile.
"So what do you two think of this place? Aside from the muggy air, I think we'll be able to ride out the outbreak in here. Nothing short of the Hulk is going to get through those doors." Trent asks while taking a seat near Lara. "It's more than good enough in my opinion, we don't have to worry about zombies, giant creatures, or god forsaken frogs here. It's sad to think that it took the Las Vegas outbreak for these shelters to be constructed, but a lot of lives have been saved because of them." Lara replies first, a somewhat grim thought but a realistic one nonetheless. "I think we'll be just fine here, as Lara said, no zombies or horrific creatures to worry about in here. Our only problems now until evacuation are rationing food and finding ways to pass the time." Lauren says next.
"Speaking of ways to pass the time, I've got an idea. I could use a few pointers in self defense, and you two ladies definitely know how to handle yourselves. Would either of you care to give me a few pointers?" Trent requests as the idea pops into his head. "Sure, why not? I think I saw a few mats in another room. We could bring them in here and make this place into an informal dojo." Lara declares cheerfully, delaying her cleaning project to help Trent. "We can show you a few moves." Lauren winks playfully at Trent as they head out to retrieve the practice mats.
They return with three 3 by 6 foot mats and spread them across the floor of the room after clearing everything out of the way. This leaves them with ample room to practice just about any maneuver, leaving Trent somewhat excited for the first time in a while. This is going to be good. Maybe I can get them to show me how to karate chop a zombie while we're at it. "Let's take off our shoes, we don't want to tear the mats up while we're practicing." Lara suggests, already unlacing her boots before the others. "Sure thing." Trent replies, slipping off his shoes and pack. Lauren does the same, leaving her boots by the rest of her equipment.
Occupying the same room as two beautiful women, Trent can't help but notice Lara's slender, toned legs and the curvature of her buttocks in her shorts. Feeling a rapid rising in his pants, he makes a sudden request, "I think it'd be better if you showed me some moves before I try any, I learn better by watching." Lara rubs her chin while contemplating his request before replying, "Okay, I think we can do that. Lauren, what do you think we should show him first?" The younger Croft sifts through several techniques in her mind before deciding on a standard hip toss. "I think a hip toss would be a good place to start, it's easy to execute but could save his life if a zombie grabs him from behind." Lauren says, presenting the first skill Trent will be learning.
"As good a place to start as any. Okay, the first thing you'll want to do when executing a hip toss is to keep your right foot forward, or left if left handed. Have a strong grip on the opponent's right elbow and start in a hug grip. Then pull the opponent towards you and place your right hand on the opponent's back. Pull with your right hand and step back. Pivot your hip upwards and exert force as you throw. The key is to throw the opponent off balance." Lara offers a detailed explanation before demonstrating the technique on Lauren, who mimics the movements of a zombie for authenticity. She effortlessly flips Lauren over her hip. slamming her gently onto the mat. "And that is a standard hip toss. It will be much more difficult against an actual zombie of course, but you can practice on me. Come over here and try it out." Lara offers to be his instructor as well, leaving Lauren to recover to her feet and move aside.
"Alright, just go easy on me. I'm still new at this." He jokes while standing in front of Lara, who merely smirks mischievously. Damn, what have I gotten myself into? "First you need to know what it feels like to be tossed. I want you to come at me and try to take me down. Don't worry about hurting me, I can take care of myself." Lara orders, motioning for Trent to charge with a wag of her finger. He can't help but gulp at the prospect of facing Lara down, he's seen firsthand how adept she is at close range combat. "Here goes nothing." He mutters before charging headlong at the archaeologist. Trent sprints with a hand pulled back before realizing his feet have left the ground.
Lara uses his momentum to easily flip him over her hip and smashes him against the mat. The impact knocks Trent's breath out of him but leaves him with a wonderful view as Lara locks eyes with him, her chest only inches from his chin. Her eyes are a stunning golden brown at this angle, matching the color of her hair as her braid dangles across his forehead. He's noticed she was attractive before, but only now does Trent realize just how striking her features are.
"And that is how to handle a man who has no idea what he is doing. You're very light for man, you know that?" Lara teases Trent's skinny form while pinning his arms to the ground. "And you're pretty damn tough for a woman, did you know that? I wasn't expecting you to just sweep me off my feet like that." Trent retorts, rather enjoying the exchange of banter. "Very astute of you. Now stand up and try to do the same thing to me." Lara finally releases his hands, allowing him to stand up while she takes a few steps back.
"I'll shamble at you from behind so try to toss me. Be careful though, you have to always remember to safety when practicing." Her instructions are strict for the moment, but completely reasonable given the circumstances. "Got it. Whenever you're ready." Trent turns his back to face the smirking Lauren. He returns the expression as Lara silently approaches him, adopting the mannerisms of a silent zombie apparently. The touch of her gloved hands prompts him to react. He slides his right foot forward before grabbing her right elbow with his left hand. Trent proceeds to hug her hip, grabbing the top of her shorts for a grip. He finishes the maneuver by stepping back and exerting the force to lift her. Trent holds back so the toss is gentle, Lara landing with a small thud.
"How was that?" He asks after kneeling over her, repeating the position she had him trapped in. "Very good, you're a quick study. Just remember that you'll need to keep fighting after you take someone down." Lara demonstrates this statement by slipping her hands free and wrapping her legs around his right arm, taking Trent down into an arm bar. "Shit! Didn't see that coming." He says before tapping out with his free hand. "They never do. You need to keep your guard up at all times so you can be prepared for anything." Lara offers one last bit of advice before freeing him, leaving Trent's arm just a bit worse for wear. These two mean business, I'll definitely need to stay on their good side.
"Nice job, I wasn't expecting you to get it on your first try." Lauren remarks after the session is over. She walks across the room to shake Trent's hand though she inadvertently grabs his sore arm. "Thanks, I honestly didn't expect to either." He grimaces while shaking her hand, but the pain quickly subsides. "You could've gone a bit easier on him Lara, you weren't that rough with me." Lauren observes after seeing his pain. "Oh Trent's tough, he'll be just fine. I had to pay him back after ripping my clothes off after all." Lara winks mischievously once again, warranting a friendly glare from the man.
"Don't mind Lara, she has something of a wild streak in her. Sit down so I can take a look at your shoulder." Lauren orders Trent, who obliges by taking a seat on a bench. Lauren lifts his shirt over his right shoulder, lightly stroking his arm where Lara applied most of the pressure. "This might sting just a bit." Lauren says as she pops his shoulder without warning. "Whoa!" Trent exclaims at the unexpected action, but a quick rotation of his arm reveals it is as good as new. "Wow, it feels better than ever. Where'd you learn how to do that?" Trent asks in amazement of Lauren's still. "Lara and I had a very active childhood. With as rough as we were, you pick up a few things after falling out of enough trees." Lauren states while laughing at a fond memory.
"You two are really close. I wish I could say the same thing about my brother and I." Trent says somberly, somewhat jealous of the strong bond between the two sisters. "Well, it isn't always easy. Lara tends to make things difficult from time to time, but I couldn't imagine living without her. She's looked after me for as long as I can remember, and I've done the same for her. I try to keep her out of too much trouble, but she drags me along for most of our adventures. I have to admit life would be dull without her. I didn't know you had a brother though, he's not in the city, is he?" Lauren questions, a hint of concern in her voice.
"No, no, luckily he's away on vacation right now. He owns a garage here in the city, but he went out of town a few days ago. We really don't talk much anymore. I don't know when it happened, but we just sort of drifted apart a few years ago. I'm kind of the black sheep of the family, Tony was always better at sports and more social. I tended to be a bit more....rebellious as well." Trent explains briefly, leaving the details of his exploits vague for another time.
"You know, it's never too late to start doing things with him again. You're brothers, even something as simple as getting lunch together could be the start to something better." Lauren suggests kindly, placing a comforting hand on Trent's shoulder as he gazes at the ground. "Thanks, that sounds like a good idea. Amazing how it takes something like a zombie outbreak for a person to reevaluate his priorities." Trent bemoans the time he has lost with his brother, but he realizes Lauren has a point. I'm going to do some things differently when we make it out of here. I guess it's a good thing I decided to take everyone in yesterday, I'd be missing out if I hadn't.
"But enough about me, we can talk about the trouble I used to get into later. What about you and Lara? She told me the two of you have been on digs around the world before, anything exciting to tell there?" Trent asks of Lauren. "Ha! There's plenty of stories to tell there. Lara! Trent asked about some of the digs we've been on, which one would you like to tell him about first?" Lauren calls across the room to her sister. "How about the time we went to Rio to investigate a possible Aztec discovery?" Lara replies just as she finishes cleaning her guns.
"Oh, Carnival! Now that was a day to remember. Come over here and help me tell the story." Lauren requests Lara's assistance, wanting to give the best presentation possible. "Of course, I wouldn't miss an opportunity to tell about the time you stripped to your underwear and went dancing through the streets." Lara bursts out laughing at the thought. "Um, we can leave that part out, he he." Lauren chuckles nervously, her cheeks turning as red as Trent's previously sore shoulder. "I've got to hear this." He says, his curiosity piqued. "We'll have to start further back than that. Make yourself comfortable, this is a long one." Lara warns, prompting Trent to sprawl out on one of the mats. I can't wait to hear this.
"So a few years ago Lara and I were invited on an archaeological study near Rio where a local professor supposedly stumbled upon an Aztec temple in the rain forest outside the city. We knew it was probably a hoax because there has never been any evidence to support the Aztecs ever living in that part of South America, but we knew Carnival was going to happen while we would be in the area so we went anyway. It was February eleventh if I recall correctly." Lauren kicks off the story, regaling Trent with a bit of archaeological trivia. "We arrived in Rio on the tenth, but Carnival started the next day." Lara reminds her, preparing to tell the next portion of the story.
"We tried to go to the site of the supposed temple the same day we arrived, but lo and behold it turned out the entire thing was a hoax perpetuated by the professor to gain publicity for a new novel. I wasn't surprised in the least, but it did give us an excellent excuse for a vacation. Lauren had barely turned 21 the month before so she was a tad excited." Lara winks at Lauren and Trent, serving only to engross him further.
"Yes, yes, I was ready to party. Carnival started bright and early with a magnificent parade marching by outside our hotel. I wish you could have seen it Trent, the costumes and floats were absolutely stunning. They were so colorful and inventive, you've never seen such beauty just gallivanting through the street. Lara and I watched from the balcony as the dancers swept by with plumes of lustrous feathers while the musicians played uproarious melodies all the while." Lauren becomes slightly mystified by her own explanation, the parade obviously holds a very special place in her heart.
"And that was just the beginning. After we left the hotel, we took a tour of a part of the forest nearby. This was my favorite part. Our tour guide took us to the nest grounds of all the exotic birds of the area and blew a whistle he'd been carrying. The canopy came alive with the a menagerie of colors. Imagine the most beautiful display of color you've ever seen, and it wouldn't be able to compare with this. Parrots, toucans, and dozens of other species circled overhead. A few of the parrots with glistening red feathers actually weaved around our group and swept through my hair, it was truly nature at its most serene." Lara has done the same as her sister, recalling a scene that one would have to have been there to truly appreciate.
"Sorry, we got a little sidetracked. After the parade and tour, we took in the local sights and tried some Rio cuisine. The food was delicious, people were flocking through the streets practically giving dishes away at some parts of the day. That was about the time I may have started drinking a bit too much." Lauren reveals she had started drinking early in the day, causing Trent to stifle a laugh. "Besides the dishes, the men were something to behold as well. They were as scantily clad as the women." Lara revels at the memory for a slight moment. "More than a few of the men thought they could just touch whatever they pleased though, Lara had to knock some sense into most of them." Lauren laughs as she recollects Lara thrashing the poor fools.
"Yes, well they deserved it. I'm rather lenient when it comes to admiring a person at times, but it's something else entirely when they start getting handsy. That was the only bad part of the day though, the rest more than made up for it. It was about ten at night when we were singing along with a band in a bar when Lauren finally had one too many. She actually climbed onto the stage and started shaking her ass. I believed Americans call it 'twerking'. It wasn't long before she ripped off her shirt and pants and threw them at the nearest slack jawed local. She rushed out of the bar at that point wanting to join in another parade marching by. I had to chase after her for an hour before she passed out. I ended up carrying her for half an hour back to the hotel in nothing but her bra and panties." Lara can't contain her laughter any longer, falling to the ground clutching her side at the expense of her sister's dignity.
"You weren't so contained yourself, Lara! Didn't you end up sleeping with two different men that day?" Lauren is completely flustered but attempts to embarrass her sister. "Wh-what are you talking about? I did no such thing." Lauren's statement shuts Lara up, garnering a cursory glance from Trent. "Oh don't be coy, you had just as much to drink as I did, if not more. You just have a higher tolerance, but at one point in the day you were so drunk you grabbed an oiled down man and dragged him into the nearest washroom. You came out smelling like dirty sex a few minutes later, and he had the goofiest expression on his face." Lauren crosses her arms triumphantly, returning her sister's gesture by soon collapsing in a fit of laughter. "Okay, I think that's enough of this story." Lara promptly ends the tale, but Trent has heard more than enough. Oh my god, that was one of the greatest things I've ever heard.
"I'm-I'm sorry, but that story was incredible." Trent clutches his side in pain, having been convulsing with laughter throughout the entire story. "My god, I'm never going to live that down." Lara buries her face in her palm to hide her shame, but Trent can tell she is beaming all the while. "Damn, this has been fun ladies, but sadly it's time for me to depart once again. I need to find Isabela and discuss something with her. The next time we talk it'll be my turn to tell a story." Trent says as he stands up though still clutching his side.
"I didn't think it was possible to have this much fun in a zombie apocalypse. The next time you come around I'll show you how to properly use a combination." Lara tells Trent, sending him off by playfully slugging his arm. "I'll see you around, tell us if you need anything." Lauren says next, offering him a quick, friendly hug for the road. "Catch you two later." Trent calls out as he finally leaves the room, a bit sad the work out session and story time is finally over. Man I"m glad I went back there, that was honestly the best time I've had in a while. Even before the outbreak.
Trent skulks the halls of the shelter once more to seek out the scientific Latina. Think I saw her back by the infirmary. He turns in the other direction to find the clinic. It lies just beyond the vent system, a door adorned with a medical cross signaling its location. Trent enters precariously should she be occupied at the moment, not wanting to interrupt anything important. "How's it going, Isabela?" Trent asks, beginning his first true conversation with the woman. "Oh, hello Trent. Nothing much at the moment, just running a few tests to pass the time. I can't do very much with these limited tools." Isabela gestures at the meager set up of the clinic, designed more for small scale care rather than the experiments she wishes to conduct. "Yeah, they pretty much had the necessities in mind and not much else when constructing this place. So what kind of tests are you running? I wouldn't have pegged you as the scientist type." Trent replies, pleasantly surprised to learn of Isabela's possible profession. "Scientist might be stretching it, but I do have knowledge in the medical field. I was once a researcher for...." Isabela trails off for some unknown reason, her gaze dropping straight to the ground.
"So uh Keyes is your last name, is it? That name sounds so familiar. I can't quite place my finger on where I've heard it before." Trent quickly states in an attempt to change the subject. Isabela draws in a long breath before sighing heavily and saying, "I suppose it's time you learned the truth, Trent. You've earned it after offering us a place to stay. Indeed, my last name is Keyes. My brother was Carlito Keyes, the man who started the Willamette Outbreak." Isabela drops a revelation on Trent out of the blue, dreading his expected response. "Your brother started the original outbreak?! Man, that's a hell of a bomb to drop. That had to have been tough to endure." Trent replies sympathetically, not feeling the least bit of spite toward Isabela. "Yes, sometimes it's hard to simply get out bed each day. With Carlito gone, Cynthia is the last family I have left. I'd do anything to protect her." Isabela smiles a bit brightly, having expected a vile reaction to the news. Damn, I had no idea Isabela was at the heart of Willamette. She's also related to Cynthia, that makes a hell of a lot more sense.
"So you're related to Cynthia? Are the two of you sisters or cousins?" Trent asks, unsure of the relation. "We're cousins by way of my aunt Selena, Cynthia's mother and my father's sister. She and her husband perished along with mine at Santa Cabeza..." Isabela says, trailing off once again. "Damn, you haven't had an easy life. You've gone through hell to get here, haven't you?" Trent asks, now seeing Isabela a completely different light. After going through all that I'm surprised she can still get out of bed in the morning. Woman's tough, I'll definitely give her that much. "More than you know." Isabela wipes away her tears with the same determined smile she always wears, prompting Trent to acknowledge her fortitude with a nod. "I've actually got a question for you, if you don't mind my asking. Do you know much about electronics?" Trent asks her, changing the subject to something to much more constructive. "I'm fairly sufficient with them, I studied a bit of engineering while acquiring my medical degree." She says. "I actually have an idea with these bracers here. Do you think it'd be possible to hook up some kind of power source to them? Say something electrical?" Trent suggests, unsure if such a thing would even be possible.
"Hmm, with the right materials and equipment, it just might be." Isabela replies after giving the idea some thought. "You'll just need something to conduct and distribute the voltage if you want to use them as weapons." She ponders aloud, tapping her chin as she devises possible conductors. "Will these work?" Trent pulls out his brass knuckles, thinking they might be what she requires. "Those are perfect! The brass will serve as conductor for the electrcity and they're already designed as weapons. I really think we can pull this off. Let me write down a list of everything I'll need, you'll probably be able to find everything in Fortune City if you head back out there." Isabela states as she scribbles away on a notepad. "Here you go, just bring them to me whenever you get the chance and we can get started." She rips the list off and hands it to Trent. He folds it up and places it in his pocket for safekeeping. "Heh, I'm almost tempted to head back out there already just so I can find everything. Thanks for this Isabela, you have no idea how much it's going to help. And listen, if you ever want to talk about ya know...anything, just let me know. I'm willing to listen to anything you have to say." Trent tells her as he leaves the infirmary. Damn, I'm eager to round up everything on this list so Isabela can make these new gloves!
Trent tries to contain his excitement at the prospect of such an exotic weapon, but a timely bump into Rebecca may give him an excuse to head back out into the mall. "Whoa Rebecca! What's the rush?" He asks as she brushs past his shoulder, heading in the direction of the vents. "I need to head out to meet my source, but I-uh I think it'd be a good idea to have some help. I tried to find Frank but he's passed out in the lounge. I only have an hour to reach them!" Her speech is frantic and rather unlike her from what Trent has gathered so far. She looks like she might be ready to do something crazy, maybe I should help her out?
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Tempted as she is to track down Cynthia, Rachel instead elects to find Jessie and see how she is doing. She took Brad's death pretty hard, I better ask her how she's holding up. She doesn't know where exactly Jessie is in the shelter, but finding her should be a simple enough task. "Let's see, she'd want somewhere to hold Excella while being able to keep an eye on her. She'd need a large enough room for that." Rachel thinks aloud, investigating each room she passes for sign of her sister. She sees Lara and Lauren going about their business in a room that looks like a sort of workout area, mats sprawled across the length of the room. Hmm, I might stop by after I'm done with Jessie. I could use a good workout that doesn't involve someone nearly dying.
Rachel's search eventually leads her to a part of the shelter that appears to be in disarray and far from the more populated entrance. She spies Jessie standing over a detained Excella who has been handcuffed to an old, nonfunctional radiator. A bit old school, but it works. Jessie is reprimanding Excella for something, but she is unable to hear anything outside the room. Rachel enters with a swift knock, startling her sister in the midst of her monologue. "Hey Jess." Rachel says shortly, gently closing the door behind her. "Rachel! Would it kill you to knock before you enter?" She replies, her tone unusually hostile. "Oh, sorry. I didn't even think about it, I'll be sure to knock from now on though." Rachel replies, embarrassed for making Jessie look a fool in front of Excella.
"Oh sibling camaraderie, isn't it simply grand? If we can dispense with the pleasantries, I must insist you end this foolish imprisonment. I already said that I will accompany you willingly from this point on, I have information that you will find most valuable." Excella says in her obnoxiously posh voice, her Italian accent seemingly stronger than ever. "You'll have to be more forthcoming than that, Ms. Gionne. You're wanted for suspected treason and numerous other crimes against the State, it's going to take more than a little 'information' to help your case." Jessie responds matter-of-factly, maintaining her own dignified air in Brad's absence. "A little 'information' you say? What if I told you this information pertained to the attack on Fortune City, the very place we are standing? As well as a figure your government has been chasing for over a decade?" Excella states haughtily, a smirk adorning her face despite her uncomfortable position.
"Who is it then? Tell me and I'll make sure nothing...unpleasant happens to you." Jessie snarls, lowering her face to eye level with Excella's. "Ms. McCarney, I know you are grief stricken and this is an attempt to act out, but I would advise you recompose yourself and ask me later. I might hate to say it, but I am beginning to grow a bit of fond of your ineptitude." Excella simply laughs in response to Jessie's weak threat. "Jess, it might be a good idea to back off now." Rachel decides to intervene at this point, pulling Jessie back by the shoulder. "Oh my god, this bitch is infuriating!" Jessie snaps under her breath as Excella's icy gaze pierces her back.
"Don't let her get to you, I hate to say it, but she has the upper hand right now. I don't know what you must be going through, having just lost Brad and all, but I'm here for you, you know that don't you?" Rachel brushes aside a thicket of hair to lock eyes with Jessie who has the same unsure yet compassionate smile as always. "I-I know. I know..." Jessie finally loses her composure at the thought of Brad's untimely death, allowing herself to begin grieving instead of bottling up her emotions as she tried previously. Rachel guides her out of the room for a bit of privacy, keeping an arm wrapped around her shoulders for support.
They discuss Brad's passing for close to an hour until Jessie's tears relent. "Th-thanks for this, Rach. I don't know what I was thinking in there, I was planning on doing something really stupid at some point." Jessie confesses to her sister. "I'm here for you whenever you need, Jess. Just promise me you'll talk to me in the future before you try anything so rash, deal?" Rachel extends her arm for a sisterly handshake. "Heh, deal." Jessie shakes just as they did as children, fond memories swelling within Rachel's mind. "I think I should find a better place to hold Excella. This far away from everyone else isn't exactly the most secure place in case anything happens. I'll move her somwhere close to the vents." Jessie reveals as she leaves Rachel behind. Glad we had this talk, Jessie. Now I need to stretch my legs, can't be getting too comfortable around here.
Rachel returns to the Crofts' training area, happy to see both women still occupying the area. "Oh hello Rachel, how are you doing?" Lauren asks as she enters the room, the younger Croft busy tinkering with a pile of scrap electronics. "Oh I just saw the mats and figured I could get a work out in. Can't have myself getting soft just because we've found this place." Rachel replies as she begins stretching, taking off her boots as well. "Well you're just in time. We recently gave Trent a work out and I'm more than happy to do the same for you. How about a lesson in self defense?" Lara chimes into the conversation after setting down a magazine. "Definitely, what sort of lesson do you have in mind?" Rachel asks. "Oh, just a simple maneuver I'm sure you'll have no trouble with. Judging from what I've seen of your fighting, we should try a simple combination. Step over here if you please." Lara instructs after some thought.
"No problem." Rachel obliges her instructor, curious as to what she'll be learning. "Lauren, would you mind assisting?" Lara requests of her sister. "Anytime, sis." Lauren beams and bounces to her feet, kicking her own boots off before rushing to Lara's side. "I'm going to demonstrate a simple one-two jab followed by a side kick for posterity. Now the key to this is proper stance. Anyone can simply throw two consecutive punches, but you'll need to use your entire body for maximum efficiency. Pivot your hips when you strike, this will give you extra momentum if you can manage it. Don't forget to lean into your punches either, putting more weight behind the blows allows for more striking force and therefore more damage. Observe." Lara and Lauren bow to one another before Lauren adopts a defensive stance.
Lara steps forward and delivers an uncoordinated set of jabs, barely causing Lauren to flinch. "That is the result of simple street fighting. Here is what a properly executed punch is capable of." Lara explains before they reset their positions. This time she skips forward and uses the proper form to execute the jobs, nearly knocking Lauren onto the floor. "Ow, I can definitely tell the difference." The younger Croft moans as she rubs her battered arms. "Sorry, I wanted to be sure she could tell the difference." Lara apologizes, chuckling at her own tendency to get carried away. The rest of the session plays out smoothly until Rachel is comfortable in her ability to use the combination.
"There, this should in come in handy if you every find yourself without a weapon." Lara says cheerfully while wiping a bead of sweat away. "Yeah, I'll keep practicing so I've got it down pat." Rachel replies breathlessly, the workout having taken its toll on her. Those two are barely even breaking a sweat! Either I'm that out of shape or they're just freakishly fit. She is willing to bet on the latter in that case, having more than noticed the tone bodies of both of the Crofts. Her soiree with Cynthia has ignited a bit of repressed longings, much to her dismay. "Is something wrong, Rachel?" Lauren asks after catching her staring at Lara's bent over form. "Oh haha, nothing like that. I'm just glad to be in the company of friends." Rachel quickly plays off the almost awkward exchange, beating a hasty retreat from the room. Now that that's out of the way, I think I'll find a nice quiet room to take a nap....
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Trent Reddick
Health: 99%
Fatigue: 13%
Current time: 10:10 a.m.
Inventory: 100%, .45 Handgun (9/0), Taser (50%), Pair of brass knuckles (100%), Trench knife (99%), Crowbar (100%), Climbing ax (100%), Machete (100%), Isabela's plans for power gloves
Trent's Approval:
Rachel Zane: 61% Possible friend
Excella Gionne: 20% Fellow Survivor
Jessie McCarney: 60% Acquaintance
Isabela Keyes: 66% Friend
Cynthia Velasquez: 60% Acquaintance
Lara Croft: 78% Friend/ Prospective Romantic Interest
Lauren Croft: 74% Friend
Rebecca Chang: 60% Acquaintance
A) Offer to accompany Rebecca, venturing out into Fortune City alone is dangerous, reckless, and nearly asking for a death sentence. Trent can just go along to keep an eye on Rebecca plus he is actually interested in finding out who her sources are, maybe they have an idea of what caused the outbreak in the city. (+8% approval with Rebecca, 80% of Rebecca's safety)
B) Allow Rebecca to venture out by herself, Trent just got to the shelter so it's too early to face the zombie horde again. He's sure Rebecca can fend for herself, it's only zombies they have to worry about that he knows of. (40% chance of Rebecca's safety)
If you choose A, should Trent ask anyone else to accompany them (Can choose up to two: )
1) Lara, she wasn't very busy the last time Trent saw her and he's sure she wouldn't mind lending a hand. She can also handle herself and offer excellent back up. (+1% approval, will have more chances for gaining approval if she comes along, +15% to Rebecca's safety rate)
2) Lauren, she did say Trent could ask for anything and she seemed more sensitive to such matters than her sister. She's just as capable as Lara now and would be a great addition to the excursion. (+1% approval, will have more chances for gaining approval if she comes along, +15% to Rebecca's safety rate)
3) Isabela, she seemed like she wanted to get out of the shelter for a bit plus she can help Trent look for parts for the weapon while they're out. She is able to handle herself in a crisis and might be good to have along. (+1% approval, will have more chances for gaining approval if she comes along, +8% to Rebecca's safety rate)
4) Cynthia, Trent really hasn't spoken with her much, but she might like to head out into the City to see the sights if Trent keeps an eye on her. He doesn't know how she'd fare in combat but she can watch his back at least. (+1% approval, will have more chances for gaining approval if she comes along, +4% to Rebecca's safety rate)
5) Jessie, she looks as though she wants to get out of the shelter for a while and Trent can take this opportunity to get to know her a little better. Being a DHS agent Trent is sure she can handler herself in a fight and watch out for them. (+4% approval, will have more chances for gaining approval if she comes along, +5% to Rebecca's safety rate)
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Post by BastionCon on Dec 28, 2013 2:29:50 GMT -6
Weeeellll, I think it might be prudent to take a risk this time. I'm going to vote for A, 4, & 5. Jessie really seems like she wants to prove herself, and the only way she's going to become more proficient is to venture out more.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2013 12:34:07 GMT -6
I think that's being a bit too brash, BastionCon. I want to go with A, 2, 5. A much more safe choice. I hate to put Jessie at risk like this, but we aren't going to foster much character growth by keeping her sheltered, pardon the pun.
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