The Hand that Feeds: First Blood (IC Thread)

[Eddie Nash]

Born and raised in the tough streets of Anselmo's Vorton Estate. Frank Stragg excelled in physical endeavours and went on to join the Marines. With a successful track record his reasons for retirement from the armed forces are unknown but the scars of battle both physical and psychological still remain and with the world around him descending into chaos he can only trust himself and his trigger finger to ensure he doesn't become lunch.

CHRIS WILLIAMS is FRANK STRAGG



As quick with his tongue as he is on his feet, Ruaidhri Aetio is a B-list actor who was on the verge of making his break-through into the spotlight. Returning to his home town of Anselmo to promote his newest movie, Aetio's going to have to do more than just stage-fight to survive the zombie apocalypse. Will the serious risk of death be enough to knock this egocentric actor off his pedestal or will he rise to the challenge and take on the role in front of his toughest crowd yet?

GALEN RONAN is RUAIDHRI AETIO



Simple brilliance is what many would describe legendary rocket scientist Dr. William Ray as being. With Ivy League degrees in both Physics and Chemistry his sheer intellectual brilliance is unmatched in his social circles. Not just intelligent though, his practicality and use of the environment to further his own ends makes him far more dangerous than one would hope. Dr. Ray's career was spent trying to advance the lives of the people of this great nation but with the apocalypse striking there may not be a world left for him.

KURT NOBLE is WILLIAM RAY



Smart and sexy, Quinne Blaskó puts the “stori” back into historical anthropology. Wise and world-weary, she is blunt and can make tough decisions that others refuse to make yet she is compassionate to the people she cares about. Skilled with a firearm this Anselmo native is ready to tackle anyone to avoid certain death. Her cold, scientific nature could either be an asset or an issue depending on the situation but one thing is for certain, zombie hunting never did quite look so good.

AURELIA ZOMBIE is QUINNE BLASKÓ



Young and talented, Brandon Thomas Noble has a diploma in modern engineering and knows how to use it. Skilled with his hands, the axiom of “If it ain't broke, don't fix it” doesn't apply to Brandon as he'll upgrade the most arbitrary of contraptions to suit his own ends. However, he is somewhat of a joker, is extremely arrogant can not take anything seriously. Though he is skilled he maybe his own worst enemy as his reckless attitude could spell disaster for his group.

SILENCE is BRANDON THOMAS NOBLE

[Eddie Nash]

When the outbreak happened, people blew their tops. Within hours mass zombies were roaming the streets looking for a snack and not much later after that the military swept in securing checkpoints all across the city. The Moxley Motel which is in a rather rough neighbourhood just west of the downtown area in an inner-city is one of those checkpoints. All the beds have been taken from this large complex and stuffed into the rooms of one floor on this three-floor motel and as a result six people are crammed into about thirty rooms. The National Guard have sealed all exits and have troops stationed all around the area so as to kill any would-be diners at this motel.

The five of you, Stragg, Aetio, Blaskó, Noble and Ray are all in the same room with a sixth person, a dreadlocked youth by the name of Aaron who seems less than sane. In his sleep he is known to mutter about conspiracy theories and how the government have arranged this entire set-up but refuses to comment on such babblings while awake. Lying on a bed each, you have been at this motel for two weeks and with the national guard starting to lose hope in containing the outbreak the next plan is evacuation. A week ago a helicopter was promised and now the day has arrived. There is a knock on the door and a large man dressed in black National Guard uniform cradling a rifle pokes his head through the door.

“Alright people. Evacuation day. We've just got word from base that the helicopter's ETA will be thirty minutes. Pack your personal possessions and make any phone calls you might need to. Dr. Ray, we have attempted to communicate with your company and no word has been reached so you will be evacuated along with everyone else. Good day.”

You have thirty minutes left in the hotel room, what do you do?

[Chris Williams]

Frank Stragg is going to search the room...


Now roll me a winner! >_>

[Eddie Nash]

After some degree of rifling around the room you find $100 dollars stashed behind your bedside cabinet.

[Silence]

Noble stretches out on the bed and winces at a catch in his back.

"Man we've been here for two weeks and he has to interrupt my sleep now?"

He gets out of bed and walks into the attached kitchenette to make a pot of coffee.

"Anybody else want some?"

[Chris Williams]

Stragg: "Hell yeah, that'll do it.... You know, we've been here two weeks and I don't even think I know your name. I'm Frank, by the way. Frank Stragg."

[Eddie Nash]

"NO! I don't want any of your filthy black sewage! That stuff kills you, y'know? Just like the National Guard will once they ship us somewhere quiet. They don't care about us, they're just maintaining the peace!" hissed Aaron as he curled up into a ball and put in his headphones to listen to Pink Floyd. He didn't look too well, it had to be said.

[Silence]

Brandon sipped at his fresh cup of coffee and rolled his eyes at the crazy kid in the corner.

"Yup, and after they murder us they're going to use our bodies for their evil experiments. They're going to chop us up just cause they can. And in the end no one will ever know THAT SOYLENT GREEN IS MADE OF PEOPLE!"

Brandon sets his cup down and pantomimes fainting.

[Eddie Nash]

"You're just a rotten sheep like everyone else! You'll be like pigs to the slaughter, ALL OF YOU! First chance I get I'mma make a break for it. Out into the city free while you all die horribly! HA!" roared Aaron before burying his head into the pillow. God help the kid, he was only 19 and he was horribly messed up. His skin was bleach white and his hair was matted and greasy. Though it wasn't because there was no shower, he just refused to use it much to the chagrin of the others.

[Kirk Noble]

William snickered, listening to the droning of the others in the room.

"All you have to do is threaten an apocalypse, and the welfare babies just swallow it up like the anarchaic Neanderthals they are."

William ignores the socialization, and picks up his usually ignored cell phone, noting its obvious defects. It hasn't been known to work on many occasions. Williams hits dial, and types in the only phone number of any importance to him, waiting to see if it works...

[Silence]

Brandon bleats like a sheep as he pulls himself off the ground. Grabbing his coffee he moves to the balcony, watching the fires burn in the formerly great city. He turns and leans against the railing and raises his cup to Stagg.

"Brandon Noble"

[Chris Williams]

Stragg: "You heard anything about this clusterfuck we're all in, Noble? Outside of the bullshit excuses they're saying, I mean..."

Stragg's eyes seem to be sizing Noble up and down, wondering if he could be trusted...

[Silence]

"Same old same old. Anarchy in the streets. People run Amok. The dead rising."

[Eddie Nash]

(OOC: I'm going to bed. Any die rolls I'll run tomorrow morning.)

William's phone rings, indication that it'll work for the time being but whether they pick up is another matter. On the third dial, the person on the other end picks up.

"Hello?"

[Chris Williams]

Stragg begins rummaging through the kitchen, seemingly searching for something...

Stragg: "Knives. I've never been this long without one with me. You always need a knife in the military. Something big, preferably, although a small one will do for now. If I find a few, do you want one Noble? I'd recommend it... you never know what the fuck will happen out there...."

[Eddie Nash]

Stragg finds plenty of bread knives but only one knife worth stabbing into someone's head. It's a large kitchen knife made from stainless steel, razor sharp and in great condition. The fact he found this at a motel is baffling.

[Chris Williams]

Stragg: "Well, looks like you're outta luck, only one beauty in here, and I'm strapping it to my leg."

[Eddie Nash]

Finally, thirty minutes later the guard returns. He knocks heavily on the door before barging his way in anyway.

"Alright. Evacuation has arrived. Time to go."

You all stand up and head for the door where immediately you enter a corridor and follow the National Guard guy. Aaron who's still tweaking trails back a bit behind the rest of the group. Finally he eventually leads you out onto a balcony over looking an open central courtyard section in the middle of the hotel. There's people everywhere and as you can see a space has been cleared for a helicopter to land.

The large chinook helicopter sits in wait as people are loaded in slowly. However given the size of the helicopter and the amount of people rushing to get in it's unlikely that the five of you will make it on.

"There's a lot of people who made it here, so undoubtedly once the helicopter has got them to safety which'll take somewhere within the region of an hour they'll be straight back to get us." explained the guard as you all walk down towards the throng of people.