Zombie survival contest

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

trappedslider

Oct 18, 2008 16:28:39		With Halloween around the corner and with the Uncon event having been a smash hit I think its time for another contest to be held. Its another make a character contest. This theme is going to be Zombies. Make a character that can be a Last Man Standing type for a Zombie crisis. The zombies that the character encounters are non magical G.A. Romero type zombies. Equipment that you chose for your character can be from any book up to a pl 6 must have the book it is taken from in () things. and if they have a fortress,you can also describe the gear there too. GEAR IS ONLY TO BE FROM ANY OF THE D20 MODERN LINE. All character creation items are to be taken from the Core Rule book.Contest runs from now thru the 31st. Winners will be chosen 2 to 3 days afterward.


Rules:

1.System used will be point buy 28 points
2. Only the core book is to be used
3 Character level will be 10

Characters submitted will be judged on a scale from 0 to 25, with points coming from three categories.

  • Originality (0-5):

  • Fluff (0-10): Each entry should describe the character (IE bobby started on the path back when blah blah..sue got her gear from her grandma blah blah)

  • Balance and Role Fulfillment (0-10): Each entry should clearly state the character’s intended role and his or her stats should support that role.


The entry with the most points at the end of the day wins. Tie breakers, if any, will be the three categories, in order


Clarifications

How many times can I enter?

[indent]You can submit as many entries as you'd like. (When the time comes, please separate them into separate posts.) However, when it comes time to determine the winner (and especially if multiple winners are allowed), only your best entry will be used.[/indent]

What about pictures? Can I include them?

[indent]Pictures of your character are perfectly acceptable to include in your entry. If the picture is your own work, it will be reflected favorably in the "Fluff" category. Moreover, if it's your own rendition of your own character design, it'll also be reflected favorably in the "Originality" category. You can certainly use someone else's picture as an inspiration, but due credit to the artist should be given, and you shouldn't expect any bonus points for having one. Pictures of your character should be considered a nice-to-have and certainly not a requirement.[/indent]

Submit your characters here
#2

Master_Vega

Oct 18, 2008 19:35:07 		Are you setting any form of standard TU/wealth? I ask because a fortress would be rather expensive, even before arming it.
#3

trappedslider

Oct 18, 2008 20:25:35
Are you setting any form of standard TU/wealth? I ask because a fortress would be rather expensive, even before arming it.

your not thinking outside the box....I would plan to take over a small store or something and improve on defenses there....and per rules on wealth as has been mentioned before in a BP article
#4

Master_Vega

Oct 18, 2008 20:52:10
your not thinking outside the box....I would plan to take over a small store or something and improve on defenses there....and per rules on wealth as has been mentioned before in a BP article

*shrugs* In my group's games, all of your current possessions, except those handed out by the GM, are subtracted from your wealth bonus (or TU if that's what's being used) to balance things out amongst the party. It makes story abuse a whole lot harder.

But this is your contest. I'm certainly not going to abuse your rulings, but I thought I'd bring it up as a concern.
#5

trappedslider

Oct 18, 2008 20:58:44
*shrugs* In my group's games, all of your current possessions, except those handed out by the GM, are subtracted from your wealth bonus (or TU if that's what's being used) to balance things out amongst the party. It makes story abuse a whole lot harder.

But this is your contest. I'm certainly not going to abuse your rulings, but I thought I'd bring it up as a concern.

Using Wealth...its 24 hours after the initial mass panic as seen in the movie "Dawn Of the Dead (78 or 04) thats the time frame we're going with for the out break...and if i find your "hide out" to be a bit much ignore it
#6

penchant

Oct 21, 2008 14:13:04 		I don't see a separate submission thread for this one (like there was in the UnCon contest) so I hereby present my first entry in the Zombie-thon.



Samuel Moses (Smart Hero 3/Tough Hero 2/ Techie 5); CR 10
Medium-size human; HD 8d6+2d10+10; hp 49
Initiative +2; Speed 30ft;
Defense 20, touch 18, flat-footed 18 (+2 dex, +6 class, +2 armor)
BAB +4; Grap+6
Attack 3d6 Flame Thrower or +7 Shotgun (2d8 damage)

Alignment: Good
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7
Action Points 11, Reputation +2, Wealth
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 10
Occupation: Athlete (class skills: Tumble, Climb/ Feat: Brawl)
Skills: Computer Use +10, Craft (mech) +17, Craft (Stru) +10, Craft (Elec) +15, Demolitions +12, Disable Device +13, Drive +9, Hide +4, Intimidate +2, Knowledge (Behavioral Science) +8, Knowledge (Tactics) +8, Knowledge (Theology) +8, Listen +3, Repair +15, Search +8, Spot +13, Tumble +8
Feats: Alertness, Brawl, Builder, Dodge, Mobility, Endurance, Gearhead, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Run, Simple Weapons Proficiency
Talents: Plan, Exploit Weakness, Damage Reduction 1/-, Jury Rig +2, Extreme Machine, Build Robot, Master Craft (Mechanical)
Possessions: +1 Masterwork Sawed-off Shotgun, Bandolier for shells, Masterwork Flame thrower (for hardness and hitpoints), Goodyear All Weather Armor (equivalent to Leather), Rebuilt Suburban (runs on diesel or vegetable oil), Guardian Angel (observer robot)


Description: Samuel Moses is stocky and hardened. The greek symbol Omega stands out on his upper right arm from a college fraternity brand, the pale scar standing starkly against his ebony skin. Though he is less than in playing shape, he still retains much of the bulk he put on while playing college football. Piercing eyes hide a bright mind and apt creativity. It is will that drives him beyond where other men would give up.

Story: Samuel Moses was one of four children in a family that did not have a college degree to its name. Early on, when brothers were playing football or basketball, Sam was reading or studying. However a poor neighborhood is not the place for a bookworm to grow up. Reluctantly, Sam shelved his books and love of old clocks and TV sets for a more active life. He began to excel in sports once he applied himself he managed to make a name for himself as a high school football running back.

Through a football scholarship, Sam Moses realized a long forgotten dream to go to college. After three years of dedication to the team, he switched from the standard Bachelor's in Psychology to an Engineering Degree. In five years he got a degree in Psychology and was well on his way towards a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

However while in school he found a new love, that of education. Forgoing the remainder of his Engineering, he completed an education degree and began working at Clarksdale High School. He was a teaching allstar as the school's shop teacher, football and soccer coach and even taught drafting and industrial trades.

But that's all gone now.


"Its been a few days since Hell posted a no vacancy sign. Those that die... don't stay dead for long. They come back like on some unholy errand seeking out the living to finish the Devil's work. Judgement day has come an gone... and I am still here. I don't know what sin I committed that gave me this, but I can only trust that God has passed sentence on me... or trying my soul now.

I buried my wife... twice. My students... well some of them lived for a while. I tried to help them, but they were too slow and couldn't cope. Jim Coolidge took his own life but the poor soul didn't do it right. I had to finish the job when he came for me.

I will survive, if you can call it that, through force of will. No matter what I just can't lay down and let the devil do his work. They don't like light too much, not that it hurts them just that they are less active during the day. I'm building my house in the middle of the football stadium. The wide flat ground will give me enough of a no man's land to see them coming. I've got most of the school's shop tools out here and the school's generator. It'll be more than enough to keep the shack running.

The initial wave is thinning out now and I can foray out into the town. I am running low on supplies. My computers, my cameras, my machines... they are all I have. I haven't seen a breather for at least a day. Maybe... well maybe its time I go see if there is anyone out there I can help save... or who can save me. By His Will, maybe I can yet be redeemed."

Special Equipment:

Goodyear All Weather Armor is gear patterned after his football pads but made from recycled tires. Moses knows that the ability to run is what keeps you alive when the zombies come, so anything heavier just wouldn't work.

As a techie Moses has built and rebuilt two very special weapons. A flame thrower that is more resistant to the puncturing that can spell doom for a wielder and his shotgun that has been lovingly cut down from a sporting gun. You know, for close encounters.

Sam Moses' most recent creation is his Guardian Angel, which is a (Tiny) remote control car fitted with optics. Its offroad knobby wheels and gas engine allows it to maneuver deftly through rubble and its motion sensors and camera give him the ability and confidence to venture out into the world. When travelling the robot is strapped to the top of his old Suburban where its eyes work even when the gas engine is not running. Its primary function is as a lookout and has +10 to spot with Moses taking 20 on the Computer Use check to achieve it. It was going to show at the State Industrial Technology Fair, but it will serve a more worthy role now.

Balance and Role:

Samuel Moses is a support character for a larger party like many techies. Unlike most techies his levels of tough hero and balanced stats make him much more survivable in the coming Zombie Apocolypse. His weapon choice allows for fire support and his mobiliy lets him move and aid the party as needed. Repairing and improvising tech is vital in a Zombie game and allows a party to survive, not just one game but through a zombie themed campaign. Moses is in it for the long haul. Of course he can just as well adventure alone.
#7

nobodez_here

Oct 23, 2008 18:36:46 		Willaim "Liam" Riven (Fast Hero 2/Smart Hero 2/Techie 4/Tough Hero 2): CR 10;
Medium-size human; HD 6d6+2d8+2d10+20; hp 64; MAS 14;
Init +2; Spd 35 ft. (x5 Run);
Defense 24, touch 21, flat-footed 22 (+9 class, +3 equipment, +2 Dex);
BAB +5; Grap +5;
Atk +9 ranged (2d10, Vera) or +8 ranged (2d6, Glock 17) or +7 ranged (2d8, Barretta M3P) or +5 melee (1d6, Machete) or +5 melee (1d6, Metal Baton);
Full Atk+9 ranged (2d10, Vera) or +8 ranged (2d6, Glock 17) or +7 ranged (2d8, Barretta M3P) or +5 melee (1d6, Machete) or +5 melee (1d6, Metal Baton);
FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.;
AL Self, Others;
SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6;
AP 10; Rep +2; Wealth +0;
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 12.
Occupation: White Collar (skills: Computer Use, Diplomacy).
Skills: Computer Use +21, Craft (electronic) +15, Craft (mechanical) +20, Diplomacy +12, Disable Device +12, Drive +17, Knowledge (popular culture) +14, Knowledge (technology) +12, Navigate +7, Profession +11, Read/Write Language (English, Spanish), Repair +14, Search +9, Speak Language (English, Spanish), Survival +6.
Feats Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (light), Builder: Craft (electronic) and Craft (mechanical), Defensive Martial Arts, Endurance, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Run, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Vehicle Expert, Weapon Focus (Remington 700).
Possessions: Vera (Mastercraft +1 Remington 700), 7.62mm ammunition (20), Licensed Firearms License, Glock 17, 9mm amunition (50), Barretta M3P, 10-gauge buckshot (10), box magazine (Glock 17), box magazine (Barretta M3P), hip holster, MacBook Pro (luxury upgraded notebook computer), notebook computer (2), digital camera (5), iPhone (luxury cell phone), basic walkie-talkie (10), professional walkie-talkie (4), metal detector (2), car opening kit, duct tape (10 grey, 2 black, 2 pink, 2 green), deluxe electrical tool kit, deluxe mechanical tool kit, first aid kit (4), keyboard instrument (2), lockpick set, multipurpose tool (5), binoculars (2), rangefinding binoculars (2), electro-optical binoculars, compass, fire extinguisher (4), penlight (10), standard flashlight (10), battery flood (10), GPS receiver (2), portable stove, rope (300 ft.), sleeping bag (3), 2-person tent, trail rations (12), Dodge Caravan, batteries (20, various sizes), battery charger (4), book (10, Zombie Survival Guide, World War Z among them), can opener, cigarette lighter (4), electrical generator, toiletries kit (2), casual clothes, extra fuel tank.

Description
Liam stands 6'1", and weighs 230 pounds, with long brown hair pulled back, brown eyes behind stylish frams, and about two days of growth on his beard, though his goatee which is much older than that has not grown out of it's previously neatly trimmed state. He wears jeans, comfortable sneakers, and a black hoodie over a black good t-shirt. Although a large man, he moves gracefully from a few years of Aikido. Before the Zom-pocalypse he works rather successfully as a manager at a Radio Shack, and as such, he has a nice black mini-van, which he used when camping or hauling his stuff to and from gaming conventions, and had a nice house, in which he stored a rather large library of sci-fi, fantasy, and gaming books, as well as quite a few DIY robots. Now, his van looks a bit like the Ecto 1, with a large gas tank on the roof, a police light bar, as well as a bunch of flood lights strapped on, though all of the work is new, it looks well done, and with great care. Inside, the van is full of supplies, mostly technology, as well as a large water tank, as he's removed the back seat to make room. He's looted a cop car that was attacked by Zeds, taking the vest, as well as the weapons, and the light bar, from there.

East-bound on West-bound I-70, outside of Denver, CO, Day 2
"It's a tough world out there. I don't know why, but two days ago, well, you know, the fit hit the shan as they say, and all hell broke loose," said Liam to his passenger as they carefully drove down the highway, swerving around the dead cars that littered the tarmac, the passenger getting tense as Liam drove the wrong way.
"Who knew that being a geek would ever prove useful, you know, when it came to life and death?" he continued, calmly navigating the hazardous roadway. He then reached over with his left hand to his passenger, "The name's Liam, well, really it's William, William Riven. But I've gone by Liam since '98, after Liam Kincaid on Earth: Final Conflict." His passenger shook his hand, but didn't say anything.
"The silent type, well, no bother. You know, if only the end of the world had been that cool, aliens and whatnot, but no, we get the prescient genius of George Romero and Max Brooks," said Liam as he patted the white, soft-cover, and well-worn book sliding across his dashboard.

"But, then, you already know about all that, so I'll get down to brass tacks. Where I was." Liam paused to sigh, "You know, three days ago, if I said that, I would have been talking about Nine Eleven, you know? And My parents used the phrase when talking about JFK. But, I guess that's a different world."

Liam paused for a minute, as he carefully drove up an on-ramp and then back down the off-ramp to avoid an overpass.

"I was at work, as you'd expect for a Tuesday. I had the closing shift, from noon to nine, most of it standing in front of the TVs watching CNN and G4, waiting for a customer, and playing with the DVR. Oh how I long for that simpler time. You never know how well you've got it until it's gone." He then checked his GPS, which by now he'd programmed to ignore him driving the wrong way.

"Okay, well, we've got a bit more time before we get far enough out of the city to camp for the night, so I'll continue my story. So, there I was, standing, watching the news, when the reports starting coming in. Took my a good fifteen minutes to realize what was happening, and I was lucky. Most people didn't get started panicking for a good hour. So, I turned of the cameras, you know, just in case of a false alarm, and then began gathering my supplies." He pointed to the GPS, "GPS, of course," he then pointed to the devices charging in the cup holders, "Two-way radios, CB, laptops," he said, pointing to each in turn.

"Plus a whole load of other stuff, lots of batteries, stuff I'll use as barter in a week or two, when most people realize that civilization is falling away. I've even got a few R/C cars, though I think I grabbed those mostly as something to do at night, but I might be able to put a camera on there. So, I grabbed all of it, and realized I had only about half my supplies. But now the panic had begun. So, I decided to go home, grab what I could from there, and wait a day or two to get the final bits."

Liam then shook his head and sighed, "How wrong I was. I didn't realize that the Wal-Mart, the K-Mart, anywhere with food, clothes, and guns, would become Zed central. People panic, and with the limited access in those places, I'd be limited to just my hunting rifle and my wits."

"Oh, and sorry about the undressing bit. The Zeds spread by injury, so I had to make sure you were clean. But nice undies, good, practical choice."

The silence drug on for a few minutes, as the faint tones of the Beatles could be heard drifting out of the van's speakers. "So," Liam finally broke the silence, "what's your story?"

Role
Liam is a techie, and as such, is in the support role, with his advantageous proximity to a Radio Shack on Day 0, being the manager, he was able to get lots of supplies, at least, technology, before fleeing Denver. Unfortunately, unlike some others, he didn't have the opportunity to procure any more weapons since then, relying on the mobility granted by his van and his wits, to survive.
#8

brokenoakleys

Oct 27, 2008 15:15:23 		Neat contest!

What do you mean by 'Romero' zombies?
#9

trappedslider

Oct 27, 2008 17:55:28
Neat contest!

What do you mean by 'Romero' zombies?

1978 Dawn of the dead type Zombies..slow, shambling.. etc...
#10

shinobi_guyver

Oct 27, 2008 17:57:12
Neat contest!

What do you mean by 'Romero' zombies?


See: Night of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Land of the Dead, as well as Diary of the Dead.

Having not seen them myself, I can't say more than that. :\
#11

trappedslider

Oct 27, 2008 17:58:51

See: Night of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Land of the Dead, as well as Diary of the Dead.

Having not seen them myself, I can't say more than that. :\

Well,I do not like how the zombies "evolved" in Land of the dead and i still haven't seen dairy of the dead >.< but yeah you got the gist of it...
#12

nobodez_here

Oct 28, 2008 14:03:53 		Rebecka "Becka" Simms

East-bound on West-bound I-70, outside of Denver, CO, Day 2
Becka shrugged, sighed, and then glanced sideways at the van's driver. Three hours ago he was pointing a rifle at her and demanding that she strip down to show she didn't have any injuries. She damn near killed him then, but she thought better of it, since he did have the sense to ask, rather than just blindly accept that she was safe. That foresight might come in handy in this brave new world. Even now, fully clothed, she felt a little exposed, a little vulnerable, but as the two of them drove further out from Denver, those feelings faded away, replaced by the dim awareness that for the first time in two days, she felt safe.

"The name's Becka," she said, keeping her conflicting emotions out of her voice. "I wasn't as lucky as you. We didn't find out about the outbreak until it was too late. The roads were already clogged, the President had declared a state of Emergency, and the UN had gathered for a special session in New York." She smirked, "Richard and I were so focused, well, we just ignored the phone calls, and then, once the phone calls stopped, we just, you know, kept going."

"Richard?" asked Liam. The road had cleared now, both sides, and the Van had sped up to about sixty.

"My boyfriend. We met at work, we're both EMTs, fell in love. Tuesday was out one day off together, our special day of the week." She paused, and looked longingly out the window. "We could have done something, but we were too busy enjoying each other's company. By the time we were done, so was the world."

"And what became of Richard?" asked Liam, focused on the empty road ahead. "I mean, if it's not too much to ask."

Becka sniffed, "No, no. I'm going to have to come to terms with it eventually. Once we found out what was happening, we called in, well, tried to. By then the phones were all dead. So, we decided to watch the TV. You work emergencies enough and you know that if you're not in a position to help, it's best to stay put. That's when we first got a glimpse of one of the zombies. Or Zeds as you call them." She shook her head, "Why Zed?"

Liam chuckled, "That's what they were called in the book World War Z. A name to call the enemy, like Charlie in Vietnam. Plus, I think it's better psychologically than zombie, or maybe I'm just a geek."

Becka chuckled, "Oh, you're a geek alright. Who else would were a shirt that said 'RULE 1: PILLAGE THEN BURN'? What's that from, anyway?"

"Webcomic, but, you were talking about you and Richard. The radio's shot in this thing, so I haven't heard anything since I left work. What happened after the initial panic?"

"More panic. The zombies, the infection spread by injury. Two hours or so, and then zombie. Once someone got infected, if they weren't killed in under a minute, they turned into a zombie. That's how long it takes to fully circulate blood. Once the infection entered the bloodstream, any part of the body it touched, was doomed. Any inclosed space, shopping malls, Wal-marts, hotels, schools, offices, once a zombie got in, everyone was dead and walking eventually."

"Two hours? Well, let makes things easier, though, I'm sorry about that whole stripping thing. If I had known about the timeline I wouldn't have had you do it. Since, you know, I had been tailing you for at least that long."

"S'all right. You didn't know, and anyway, you were being smart. Better safe than sorry," smiled Becka. She looked out the window again, by now the music had switched to Led Zeppelin. "By Yesterday morning the power had gone out, and the radio and TV had stopped broadcasting. The phones were still dead, so Richard and I decided to go out."

"We got about three miles before a pack found us. They drug Richard out of the passenger side, but I was able to get away." She sobbed softly, "I ran. Richard, I'm so sorry, but I had to run."

Liam drove on in uncomfortable silence. Finally, he slowed down, and took an on-ramp to exit the Interstate. "Where we going?" asked Becka.

"Somewhere safe."

Role
Becka is a medic, but she's also an excellent driver, and not a half bad shot. If circumstances had been different, she wouldn't have needed Liam's help, but now that they're together, their chances of survival both went up, Liam because of Becka's medical experience, and Becka because of Liam's scrounging skills.
#13

nobodez_here

Oct 29, 2008 0:01:39 		Sidney Jones

Corner of 32nd and Buckley, Aurora CO, Day 3

Sidney had seen the van going east on the wrong side of I-70 the night before, and now she was seeing it pull into the Shell station across the intersection from her hotel. She was staying here, at the Comfort Inn, while her flight was delayed, it being one of the cheapest motels near the airport. When the outbreak started she stayed put, eventually taking over all of the hotel by noon on Wednesday when the manager finally called it quits and headed for the hills. She doubted he had gotten further than a few miles before a pack had gotten him.

She cared that so many people had needlessly died, and then joined the ranks of the enemy, but there was nothing she could say or do to save them. Instead, she focused on herself. She was weaponless, at least in the conventional sense, though she had made some handy improvised weapons in the day and a half she had a run of the place.

"So," she said to herself as she peered through her binoculars, "why come back into town?" She had made a habit of noting every vehicle that came into Denver since the outbreak, and then seeing if they left. Only about a dozen or so went in a came out, and only this one had came back again.

"Gas, but there are many other gas stations, some easier to get to than this one," she continued to ask to nobody in particular. She then looked around. her hotel was the tallest building for half a mile, and most of the surrounding area was parking lot for the airport. "Supplies then. There's probably a dozen or more minivans just like yours in that lot, all with gas, batteries, and fresh tires. Good idea. Wish I had thought of it."

She then watched at the van stopped. Then, suddenly, she had to blink, as she was looking almost directly into one of the spotlights mounted on the top of the van. The shady portions of the canopy at the Shell station, as well as most of the interior of the station proper were now fully illuminated. "Another smart move. The enemy can't sneak up on you. You are a smart ba***rd, aren't you?"

She was beginning to feel lonely as the driver and passenger exited the van. The driver was a woman, probably late twenties, about Sidney's age, with short cut brown hair. Sidney wasn't sure, but she guessed by the way the woman carried herself the near buzz cut wasn't her normal hair, as she swept back a non-existent stand. The woman pulled a shotgun, an M3P if Sidney had to guess, from the dash, and slung it over her shoulder. "Not your usual gas-run accessory then. Looks police issue too."

The man was younger, mid twenties, his long brown hair tied at the nape of his neck. Although large, probably six foot tall and at least two hundred pounds, he didn't lumber like a fat man would. And the way he swept the area outside the van with his rifle meant he had had it for a few days at least, maybe even before the outbreak. He wasn't military, that was for sure, but he probably had played a few first person shooters and knew to keep his gun ready in case he needed it. He then opened the side door on the van and pulled out what looked to be a garden hose and a sump pump. He screwed one end of the hose up to the large metal tank on the roof of the van with one hand, and kept an eye on the station as he did so. "Takes longer, but you only have the one set of eyes. Okay, so we've got a scavenger and a rookie. Plus, looks like they've got pair of longarms, not that that'll do much in his hands, but I'm sure I can find a much better use for it."

She watched as the man then jogged across the station's lot and then stopped at one of the metal covers. "Ah, who needs pumps when you've got a pump? Smart man. Well, that covers it." She then stood up, and grabbed her bags. One was the duffle bag she had when she arrived Tuesday morning, the other was full of robes, towels, soap, shampoo, and toilet paper, as well as a couple hundred bucks she found in one of the room safes. Not that the cash would help her any, at least not until the outbreak was quelled, if and when. Until then, it didn't add much.

She had made up the second bag during the day yesterday, knowing that she only had a few more days until the meager offers at the hotel ran out or went bad, and she'd have to find some more. She had noticed a few shopping centers from the windows of her hotel, and hoped the outbreak hadn't made all of them enemy territory.

She made it to the intersection before the woman noticed her. "Don't shoot," shouted Sidney as she dropped her loot and raised her hands. "I'm safe."

The woman had fumbled getting the shotgun off her shoulder, but then brought it up into a ready position with a bit more grace. "Stay there."

Sidney stood on the center of the intersection for another minute, her hands held above her head, as the man quickly reeled the hose and pump back to the van and disconnected the tank. Another minute, and they pulled out of the station, the man now aiming at her as the woman drove. They pulled up next to her.

"Name?" he asked, raising his weapon slightly. Sidney let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Sergeant Jones."

The man raised he eyebrows, "So, Sergeant Jones, what brings you out of your nice, safe, hotel over there?" He pointed at the Comfort Inn with the rifle. She noticed the safety was one, and she relaxed.

"You. Both of you really. I saw you go into town yesterday morning, and then leave again last night. Then, you came back this morning, and as luck would have it, came to my neck of the woods. So, I felt luck smiling upon me, and decided to chance it. You didn't look like a couple of crazies."

"Ah," he said, pulling the rifle back into the van. "Well, we're not crazy, at least, not any more crazy than the times." He pressed a button on the inside of the door, and the side door slid open, "Get in."

Sidney smiled, and tossed both her bags into the cramped space, then climbed in. The van was moving once again before she could close the door and sit down. "So," she asked as she found just enough room to sit down. "who are you two?"

"I'm Liam," said the man, turning around in his seat. "And our driver is Becka." He then stuck out his hand for a shake. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

"So," Liam asked, getting re-seated and looking at her in the rear-view mirror, "what service?"

"Marines. Just got back from Iraq."

"Any chance you brought your rifle along?" asked Becka as she turned onto the highway.

"No such luck. Just got out last week, was headed home when the outbreak hit."

"From Denver?" Liam asked.

"No, Cheyenne. Flight was supposed to leave Tuesday night, well, it was supposed to leave Monday night, but got cancelled because it wasn't full enough. Would have taken a bus, but they offered a few night, and who can turn down a free night in a hotel?"

They all chuckled. "So," asked Liam, "What did you do?"

"Scout sniper."

Liam promptly handed his rifle back to Sidney, "You take care of her."

Role
Sidney is a heavy hitter, from two feet to a quarter mile, if it needs to go down, she's your woman. In addition, she's another set of eyes, and not that bad of a cook, and a much better scrounger than Becka.
#14

trappedslider

Nov 06, 2008 15:57:23 		penchant was the winner and at some point will be getting a CT that says something about zombies...