You all return to the van without harassment.
The professor begins going through the technical documents onboard the van. He seems to understand them much better than you, and marvels at the work of Ashley's father.
"Can you direct us to your house? We'll take a break there.
And can you explain about the disease? I looked though those documents before but I didn't understand a lot of it. Intelligence can only go so far without a background in genetic engineering."
He directs Stojan to his house.
It's a small house, quite homely, in need of repair.
"Well, it is caused by neither virus nor bacteria, but a creature of some sort; it began as a microscopic creature, but it has grown exponentially."
"Did you find anything abut the origin of creature?
What was its name under Hardcorp?
Why was Hardcorp using a creature that replaces its host's tissue with its own to try to develop a cure for death?"
"This was just a stepping stone; the attempt was to create a creature which would replicate human tissue. Clearly, in that regard, this was a failure; however, those working on this project were clearly excited by the discovery, as it brought them one step closer.
"I haven't found any name. It was created in an underground Hardcorp lab; it says it was in their Deepwater building. That isn't far from here; twenty minutes driving, or so. Perhaps we could find more information there."
"We'll consider going there later.
How are they acting as a coordinated unit without vocalizing?
Why haven't we seen infected animals?"
bump time!
bump this!
bump that!
bump you!
"They are all the same creature," he responds to you. "Different parts of the same body."
You did see an infected bird; are you asking this question anyway?
Yes, I'm also wondering why we haven't seen them up to that point.
"Does the creature have any predators in nature?"
"Animals likely are affected the same way as humans are; there aren't any animals outside in the daytime because they are afraid of the light, for some reason."
"It hurts them," Ashley informs him. "The ultraviolent light or something like that."
"Quite."
"Absolutely not. The creature was created in a laboratory; I would be quite shocked if there were any natural predators of it."
"Do you have any ideas about what we should do?
I think we need to make a mobile lab to try to cure the disease or kill the disease.
And organize the uninfected to protect them and the lab."
Bradford answers you, "If possible, curing the disease should be our first priority. We have no evidence that there are any other survivors than the four of us, but that isn't enough to determine our best course as unleashing some sort of mutagenic virus. We'll need to try to come up with a method for removing the creature for its host; perhaps, I would say, examining Hardcorp's laboratory in Deepwater would be the next logical step."
"Ok, Let's examine the lab.
The question is, Who is coming in with me?"
Bradford says, "I wouldn't miss it."
Stojan says, "A plunge into the heart of enemy territory? Count me in."
Ashley says, "You guys are crazy. But, there's no way I'm waiting by myself."
"Professor Bradford, have you used a firearm before?"
"No, I've never even held one of the beastly things. I've always practiced non-violence."
"Well, non-violence isn't going to help against these things.
It would ease my mind if you learned how to use one.
It's just for your self-defense and defending others.
Stojan, What firearm would you recommend for Professor Bradford?"
Stojan glances the professor up and down.
"How about a bb gun?" He makes a motion like he's firing one, grinning.
"In all seriousness, I don't think he should fire anything with more recoil than a .22 rifle."
"Ok, Let's pike one up from a sporting goods store."
"The nearest one I know of is at least 45 minutes away.. probably, if there weren't any traffic and we could take major roads. I'm not sure how to get there without taking major roads," Stojan answers you.
"How far away is the Deepwater lab and which direction is it?"
Deepwater is about five to ten minutes from where you are now by car taking the back roads. Finding the building will be the more time consuming part, as no one hereknows exactly where it is; Bradford explains that it's in a large industrial complex with several other buildings.
What is the current time
"Let's just go to Deepwater now. We'll get the .22 rifle later."
We'll be lenient and say it's ten thirty in the morning.
You arrive in Deepwater and turn down the road into the industrial complex; a sign near the road says "DuPont: Chambers Works".
During the drive, the professor states that he's suprised that electric power has lasted this long without anyone running the plant. "Any day now, we'll be without electricity."
"Thankfully," Stojan says, "The car makes it's own electricity, and we spend most of our time in here."
"True," the professor responds, "But I doubt sleeping in the van will become a particularly feasible plan if this lasts into the winter. Nights without heat can be fatal, especially if one is exposed to wetness."
"We'll figure that out if it happens," Stojan responds.
Ashley is quiet.
"What's going on Ashley?"
We'll continue searching.
She starts in suprise. "Nothin."
What's your intuition?
It's 2@4.
doublepost
Right.
§
Ashley says, "Wait! Wasn't that it?"
Stojan pulls a K-turn and drives back; you see it this time, a small building with the word "HARDcorp" on a small sign in front of it.
When we stop, I get out of the van with my sword.
Does the pump-action shotgun have a strap to help carry it?
No; it belonged under the counter at the gun shop and was intended as a final anti-theft measurement.
You walk inside and find a counter and a single door. Opening the door, you find concrete stairs leading down.
You take the stairs down, and come to a T-junction. The hallway goes left and right about five feet each direction and turns to form what could be the beginning of a square, presuming it turns again after that turn; the left path turns left again and the right path right. It is lined with doors.
No, that would be the sawed off shotgun I got from the gun store.
I was talking about the double barreled pump-action shotgun I got from the armory.
I'm going down the right path opening the doors one at a time and looking into the room.
Yeah, that one's got a strap.
You open the first door and see one of the humanlike creatures standing there.
It charges you.
I go into Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu and attack with
2@10 Ryu Kan Sen (Dragon Wind-up Flash) B7@3 base weapon RS/2' .
Your bias is 7@, yes? Your bra for bod?
My BRA is 2@5 strength.
My MSV is 2@5.
30 14 25 25 -20 = 74
55, believe that's effective 65 at least with style, but let me get the specs for your sword?
§
"Ryu Kan Sen!" You kiai as you've been taught to release the full energy of the strike, lunging towards the enemy and twisting your body with a sideways slash at the last instant.
§
Need the specs, yeah.