The Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse, Group 5, Scene 6
The Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse
Group 5, Scene 6
copyright 2010 comidacomida
Cadence shuffled along the walkway leading from the road to the double-door entrance of the
Azure Dynamics building. Ty moved beside her, short, purposeful steps to keep pace as his eyes
continued to search for any sign of movement... of danger... of zombies. As the two stopped in
front of the door, Ty hazarded a quiet question, "Do you think the card reader still works?"
Cadence slid her key card across the code box. She didn't bother looking at the reader,
instead, her eyes were solely on Ty, "If it doesn't then it will complicate things." The wolf's
ears went up and he looked at the monkey. He was just about to open his muzzle to speak when a
green light on the reader flashed and issued a soft 'ding'. The door popped open a few
centimeters as the lock disengaged.
"No need to worry about it until it becomes a problem." Cadence pointed out, and pushed the door
inward.
"Says the lady who keeps complaining that she's short on time." Ty grumbled.
"I'm concerned more for your benefit than my own," the macaque explained, "thus I would
appreciate it if you would limit your sarcastic wit, Tyler."
"It's Ty... just Ty." the wolf scowled, having little else in the way of a comeback.
"Young man, NOBODY names their child 'just Ty'..." Cadence responded, entering into a
sterile-looking entryway. A receptionist's desk sat unattended with a collection of paperwork
neatly filed within two bins, one clearly labeled 'IN', and the other neatly identified as
'OUT'. Ty couldn't help but notice that there was what appeared to be an errant, dried red
thumb print on the top 'OUT' paper. The phone was off of the receiver but there was no sound
coming from the ear piece, "So you must be Tyler." the monkey reasoned, pulling the wolf's
attention back to her.
"Well I'm plain old Ty, thanks..." the nursing student noted, paw absently wringing the handle
of his first aid kit as his ears slowly lowered. He managed to avoid an unseemly whine as he
gazed into the well-lit hall. The spotless walls were a neutral gray tone, providing an almost
misleading sense of calm and quiet... misleading, because at the second intersection the whole
right wall was streaked and spattered with red and there appeared to be bloody drag marks along
the floor. In an almost eerie contrast, The floor within the entryway was spotless. Ty looked
to Cadence, who hadn't retorted. "Cadence?" he asked. She continued to stand beside the
doorway, staring, ignoring him as the flashback took complete hold of her.
* * * * * *
Cadence hadn't been able to run for four years but it didn't stop her from trying. The sounds
of exclamations of surprise and alarm from back down the hall didn't slow her in the least. She
ignored the blood dribbling down the side of her head and the constant gasps from other
scientists as she hurriedly hobbled her way past them; thankfully, they were all too stunned to
try and stop her, but more than one shouted after her that she needed medical attention. She
scoffed at them-- stupid morons, all of them.
The monkey managed to get to the main hall and took a left, making her way toward the exit; two
guards were already there to meet her. She slowed to a stop as the two pulled guns. She smiled
to herself at the thought. Glancing to her watch, Cadence looked back to them. It was 11:12am.
"Good morning, gentlemen." she offered casually.
"Dr VanHousen," said the one on the right, a cat, "We're going to have to ask you to turn around
and put your paws behind your head." They obviously were not interested in small talk.
"Dear boy... I am a monkey... we refer to them as hands, thank you very much." she explained,
taking a step closer to them.
"Dr VanHousen," the wolf on the left spoke up, "Stop now."
Cadence took another step forward, "I have some very pressing business to attend to, and not
a lot of time in which to complete it."
"I won't ask again." the wolf spoke, his voice half snarl. He took a step forward, flipping the
safety off of his gun.
"You wouldn't shoot a defenseless old monkey, would you?" she asked, leaning against a wall as
she lowered her head, breathing heavily, "I'm already tired from walking down the hall... you
can't possibly think that guns are needed, do you?" she stuck a hand into her lab coat pocket.
"Paws where we can see em!" the cat spoke up, gun shaking in his grasp.
Cadence sighed, "Carter!" she yelled, "I know you're listening!" she paused, sensing a camera
above and to the right; she could tell it was focusing in on her. She turned to regard it,
"Carter... I thought this was a high quality operation... where do you get these children?" she
motioned toward the guards.
*BLAM! BLAM!* the gunshots echoed through the hallway as the cat's finger jumped against the
trigger, startled by the monkey's motion. The guard immediately dropped his gun, "Oh GOD!" he
exclaimed.
Cadence, still leaning against the wall, glanced down at the two rapidly-growing red spots in
her blouse. She calmly wrapped her lab coat tighter around herself and looked up at the guards,
"This went wrong in so many ways..." her hand came out of her lab coat pocket and the taser's
electrodes shot out of their casing, striking the wolf in either shoulder. He acted as if to
howl, but nothing other than a hoarse gurgle escaped him.
The cat stood in the entryway, eyes wide as he did little more than stare. Cadence casually
walked the distance toward him and stopped scarcely a meter away. She leaned forward, "Boo."
The cat turned, and ran screaming out of the front doors. Cadence glanced to the wolf on the
ground, and leaned down, setting the still active taser on the ground, "You should be fine...
assuming someone is along in the next two minutes to turn this off... otherwise you'll receive
some permanent nervous system damage."
As she knelt, the monkey picked up both guns. Scowling disdainfully at them, she tossed them
into the waste bin beside the desk. Taking a moment to readjust her lab coat, Cadence paused,
looking at the receptionist's piles of paperwork; she scowled at the messy work area. Although
the monkey never even so much as exchanged two words with the receptionist, Dr VanHousen knew
that they wouldn't get along; the beaver was so disorganized.
The monkey quickly separated the papers and placed them in their corresponding baskets, "Took an
early lunch, no doubt." she scowled, and glanced back to the wolf, who had managed to somehow
whimper, still convulsing from the constant stream of electricity, "I hope you've brought a
spare pair of trousers." she casually commented, not missing the fact that the wolf's body had
evacuated. With nothing else to be said, but a lot more to be done, Cadence left Azure
Dynamics, fully expecting to never return.
* * * * * *
"Dr VanHousen?!?" Ty demanded.
"Yes? What is it?" Cadence questioned scornfully, "There's no need to shout."
"What was that about?" the wolf demanded.
"What was what about?" the monkey replied, obviously a bad liar.
"Your condition is accelerating, isn't it?" Ty asked.
"Do you want me to take the time to answer that?" she countered.
"Whatever..." the wolf scowled, "Which way?"
"Down the hall... and to the right." Cadence motioned.
The wolf's ears lowered slightly, "You don't mean in the same direction as the blood, do you?"
"Nothing worth doing is easy, Tyler." the doctor noted.
"It's Ty." the nursing student challenged.
"'Whatever'." Cadence responded, using the same tone as he had, "But, before we go, you'll
probably want to check the rubbish." Ty opened his muzzle to speak up, but Cadence silenced him
with a stern gaze. The wolf obediently moved to the waste bin and stopped, staring down in
surprise.
"There's... there's guns here..." Ty noted.
"Why, so there are!" Cadence noted with mock surprise, "I suppose it's our lucky day!"
"How did you---?"
"I must be psychic." the monkey spoke before Ty could get the full question out, "Now come
along, boy... we're lingering in the threshold." and she limped her way down the hall.
"Would it kill you to give me some answers?" the wolf demanded, sticking the guns into his belt
as he walked after her.
"Probably not, no." the doctor confirmed.
"well, if I'm going to be any help to you at all, don't you think maybe it's time to start
talking?" Ty suggested.
"You're going to become one too." Cadence said abruptly.
"What?"
"You were wondering about how people animate... you were talking about it on the roof of the
mall." the monkey turned to look at him, "If you die, you are going to become one too."
"I... when did... I...." the wolf made several false starts, "HOW?!?"
"This laboratory is the epicenter of it all. Anything anywhere near it that dies will rise up
again... the only thing to prevent it is to remove the brain's ability to function, either
through massive trauma, or via a disconnection from the rest of the body's nervous system."
Ty paused for a moment, "So... if I die--"
"WHEN you die." Cadence corrected, limping down the hall again.
"...then I'm going to become a... a.... a zombie?" he asked, following.
"If this laboratory isn't stopped.... yes." she nodded.
"How?" Ty asked.
"By canceling the experiment." Cadence replied, "It's still running, you know."
"No... I mean... how am I going to become a zombie?" the wolf asked.
"By dying." Cadence answered.
"That's not what I meant!" Ty bit each word as it came out, careful to not yell like he wanted
to.
"Then perhaps you'd best phrase your question better in the future." she shrugged, "Anyway... we
have arrived." Cadence stopped in front of a large metal door clearly labeled in stencil: LAB 3.
"Lab 3?" Ty questioned.
"Lab 3." Cadence responded.
"What's in there?" he inquired.
"You'll see." she answered, and opened the door, pausing as she took in the familiar scene.
Cadence was overcome again.
* * * * * *
"No! I won't stand for it!" Dr Leibowitz exclaimed, slamming his paw down on the work bench.
Cadence had always thought the lion was too blinded by his own sense of righteousness to
accomplish any real work; she felt vindicated at knowing that she had been right-- vindicated
and annoyed.
"Dr Leibowitz, need I remind you that what we are doing here--" she began, but he quickly
interrupted.
"What we're doing here is an affront to nature and an abomination in the eyes of god!" he
shouted.
"Dr Leibowitz... I hardly thought you to be the god-fearing type..." the monkey smiled shrewdly,
tenting her hands as she rested her chin on them, "Tell me... when was the last time you even
went to church?"
"WE'RE KILLING PEOPLE!!!" the lion roared.
"There is a distinct difference between what we do and what you're implying we do, Doctor." she
said coolly, "Aren't you being just a little melodramatic?"
"It's OUR research!" Dr Leibowitz countered.
"Ours, and several dozen other scientists." she explained, "We're doing our jobs, Doctor."
"And so were the people running the concentration camps in Nazi Germany." the lion snarled.
"Ah... and now we get to the heart of the matter..." she acknowledged, sitting back in her
chair, "I distinctly recall you telling the project lead that your... ehm... 'tattoo' wouldn't
affect your work."
The lion protectively laid a paw across his arm where his internment camp tattoo would have been
visible if not for his lab coat, "Don't change the subject, Cadence."
"I'm not... Heinrich." she stood, switching to first names only once he did, "I'm talking about
your ability to contribute to a project that will change the face of the earth... a project that
will save countless lives."
"Are you insane?" The lion demanded, "We're going to hand this 'project' over as a weapon to the
world's governments so they can release hell on earth."
"I didn't know that the Jews believed in hell... I thought that was a Christian invention." the
monkey retorted.
"Those people in that testing room..." he motioned through the wall, "they're being tortured...
and killed." the lion began pacing, "This isn't right, Cadence... and you know it."
"I'm just starting to wonder if you're thinking clearly, Henrich, or if you are too preoccupied
to do any good here in the lab." Cadence began sifting through her lab notes, "I understand if
you're having second thoughts, but just keep in mind that we are in charge of electricity...
waves... fields... nothing more. Our task is to make certain that what is going on here is
happening for a purpose... to give MEANING to whatever they're doing to those poor people."
despite her best effort, her tone held no empathy in it-- she realized that the lion wouldn't
buy it... she didn't even buy it herself.
"Dr VanHousen, what we're doing is wrong." the lion spoke with an air of finality, "I'm
resigning."
Cadence sighed, still flipping through her paperwork, "I don't have time to talk you out of it,
Heinrich... if you're walking out, you're walking out... but as long as I'm still here the
project will continue, with, or without you."
"I know." she heard the lion speak but she was too preoccupied to see him reach for the shock
paddles. As she lay on the ground, staring up through the haze of pain that clouded her vision,
she saw the lion kneel over her, shock paddles still in his paws. He lay them against her
chest... then... blackness.
* * * * * *
"It looks like an office." Ty noted, pushing in past the monkey as she stood unmoving in the
doorway, "A really messed up office." the wolf gazed around at the room, which looked like it
had been subjected to gale-force winds.
"It's progressing." she spoke quietly.
The wolf turned, "Are you sure?" he asked, then paused as Cadence leveled her gaze at him, not
even needing to say anything, "Alright... um... let me think..." he paused for only a moment,
"CPR!" he suggested.
"Now you're being downright daft." she rolled her eyes.
"No! It might help!" he insisted, "I mean... if we can get your blood flowing more regularly
then it should hold off brain death, right?"
"You are the one with the medical background, not I." she admitted, "but do you plan on doing
CPR on me for the rest of your natural life?" she affixed him an even more critical gaze, "And,
unless you forget, I AM a venerable aged woman... if you get carried away you will probably
break something."
Ty paused, "I hadn't thought of that..." but he did not relent, "But... even if I did, it's not
like it would kill you... right?"
Cadence rolled her eyes, "Moving along..." she walked into the room, "What we need is here."
"What IS it we need?" Ty asked, turning around to face her.
"The cause of all of this." she explained, "There are notes, and findings... binders and
directions." she moved to a desk and slowly took a seat, "With the right plan, we should be able
to stop it."
The wolf paused, turning to look at Cadence, then gazing around the room, "So... you mean that
the key to stopping this thing is in this office?"
The monkey smiled, "My boy... I think you are finally beginning to understand."
<END SCENE>
It's that time again, Apoc-Fur-Lypse fans! Group 5 has been whittled down to a mere two characters and they are just about to step foot into Azure Dynamics, the apparent epicenter of this event. Will they make it? Let's find out: Here is a behind-the-scenes look at the breakdown of the action for this scene.
Does Cadence's key card still work?
Average of Luck rolls, Target Number of 10.
Cadence 8 + trait of 7 = 15
Ty 4 + trait of 4 = 8
Average of 11.5 SUCCESS
Cadence's access is still active.
Will the two have to face any zombies?
Zombies appear on a roll of 8 or less.
Roll is 9.
Interestingly enough, no zombies.
Do they encounter any survivors?
Average of Luck rolls, Target Number of 10.
Cadence 5 + trait of 7 = 12
Ty 1 + trait of 4 = 5
Average of 8.5 FAILURE
The group does not find any survivors... yet.
Are they able to locate anything of interest?
Awareness or Ingenuity (12) to be successful in their search.
Cadence 7 + trait of 9 = 16 SUCCESS
Ty 8 + trait of 7 = 15 SUCCESS
The group finds 'the lab' and 'some equipment'.
Just how much will Cadence reveal?
Cadence rolls Tenacity vs Ty's roll of Tenacity. Highest roll wins.
Cadence 6 + trait of 6 = 12
Ty 7 + trait of 8 = 15
Cadence decides to reveal everything-- well... ALMOST everything. (muahahaha)
Who decides on the next course of action?
Influence or Tenacity. Highest roll wins.
Cadence 1 + trait of 6 = 7
Ty 2 + trait of 8 = 10
Ty is going to have to decide what happens next.
Each character involved in this chapter now loses 2 Plot Point for successfully surviving without a Harrowing Event taking place.
With only two characters left, no plot points may be given. They'll have to be able to make due on their own. It's scary to think that one more Harrowing Event might mean the end of this Group... if it even takes THAT much. They've survived one chapter this way... we'll have to see if they can manage more.
Since Ty is the leader, he chooses what happens next:
Option 1: Ty has a gun... he can FORCE Cadence to reveal everything!
Option 2: Help Cadence search the office and look for what she needs.
Option 3: Ty can look for other suvivors who might be able to help.
Option 4: Find something... ANYTHING that could take down the building with one big boom.
Option 5: Spend/Waste time trying to get more flashbacks out of Cadence-- they might help!
Plot Point Opportuntity:
Half-Time
The Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse will resolve by or before the tenth scene, which means we are either at the half-way point, or past it. As such, you are faced with a sudden-death Plot Point challenge. The Plot Points for this chapter must be sent to me via private message (DO NOT POST IT HERE BECAUSE THESE BIDS ARE SECRET!). Any contributing reader may spend a Plot Point.
The group that spends the most Plot Points will regain the points they spent AND receive a bonus plot point each-- but if the group does not win then the Plot Points spent are lost. The group with the lowest number of Plot Points used will automatically suffer a Harrowing Event in chapter 7... or an Apoc-Fur-Lypse Apocalypse if they were already slated to have a Harrowing Event. Hint: that's bad.
Ty can spend a plot point to get more information out of Cadence with 100% chance of success.
Congratulations to Group 5 for successfully infiltrating Azure Dynamics. Let's hope this riskymove turns out for the best. Good luck!