Where the Furry Wicked Hide - Babylon - SAFE HAVEN
There had be a safe and neutral place for the werewolves - the vampires had House of Pain, Club Eternity and Duibne. It was only fair since the infection paid no mind to which species it decided to infect.
Babylon was made completely out of concrete and brick with one entrance in and one emergency exit out - both easily accessible but more importantly easy to barricade and this what the wolves inside did. The dancers and staff had been moved back to the Hell section of Babylon while the wolves set up a defenses along the perimeter - but most of this was in vain and they knew it. They had food and water, at least but who knew how long this would last.
The doors vibrated from the horde of zombies attacking the barricade but the wolves knew a distraction when they heard it. They looked to the ceiling and then to each other - it would be only a matter of time.
INSIDE THE CLUB - [COLOR=Red]UNINFECTED[/COLOR]
OUTSIDE THE CLUB - [COLOR=Red]INFECTED[/COLOR]
Sighing, just sitting and staring at the bar with growing annoyance the Creole finally stood slowly and popped her neck to the right then the left. If there was a fight brewing then she needed to know what she was up against and what they had at their disposal. Several of the working girls and even a few of the regulars recognized the young woman who wove her way slowly through them, eyes focused ahead and not paying any attention to them. She was petitte and so quite used to looking up at some people but the literal mountain of man that stood in the doorway to Heaven, where all of the planning was taking place apparently from the murmers that could be made out, almost made the Anantya pause. Instead her icy blue eyes just seemed to take on even more of an inner fire and she lifted heavily kholed eyes to meet his gaze cooly. Resting one hand on her leather clad hip, the vampire gave him a humorless smile with a hint of fang showing.
Out of the way meat head, I want to know what's going on.
A slow sigh and he just jerked his chin at the tiny woman, grunting and indicating for her to go back to the others. Her annoyance rose even higher, and Cel felt her lip twitch. She spun on one heel, apparently to return but let herself do a full 360 and proceeded to plant two hands in his chest and send him back against the doorframe with a bone jarring thud.
I said, I want to know what's going on. To her credit her voice remained cool and emotionless but right now the thought of ripping into his neck sounded incredibly appealing. After all a fight was brewing and she really should feed and get her strength. 'Better to use one of the useless ones who won't be any help in a fight,' she thought, restraining herself.
They had corralled the occupants of the club to the back section of the building and the weres had taken control, trying to make the best out of a seriously fucked up situation when a lone woman had broken from the crowd and approached him.
He looked down at her with his single good eye and then looked back at Brig who turned at the sound of her question. Hammer would not waste his time explaining anything to the female - regardless of how confident she appeared to be. Nodding to Brig, he'd let his cousin explain the situation.
'The city appears to be over run by what looks like, although I could be wrong, the undead.' Brig thought to himself for a moment; it did sound as stupid as it he thought it did. What other choice did he have? Looking down again he fell back into his authoritative Commander demeanor.
'So ma'am - unless you can help us figure out how to stay alive, we'd really like for you to sit down.' He smiled and added, 'Please.'
If someone.. doesn't start explaining.. just HOW you intend... for a bunch of primarily drunk or half naked humans to fight off a city of flesh eating zombies... Well then I am going to just walk out of here and leave you all to the slaughter.
Her fist tightened and the leather of her glove creaked from the strain. Her teeth ground together and her fangs pulsed in her mouth as she sneered at the one who'd spoken. Cel's eyes blazed as she struggled not to start yelling at the idiotic men. Where were the weapons? Where was the escape route? Who would be the sacrificial decoys? There had to be something decided. Soon. Yes she could just become etheral and watch the carnage that ensued but some tiny part of her actually, not that she would ever admit it, liked a few of the people who worked here.
Who the hell is considering themselves in charge around here anyways? Because yes, I can help.. but if you don't stop pissing me off I am going to be the one you have to worry about, not those things outside.
Brig stepped away from Hammer and the woman and clasped his big hands behind his back. If she wanted to know what was going on, he'd be happy to show her. 'Come with me.'
Without waiting he walked away from the back section of the Club and towards the front doors. There were, in fact, only a good half dozen weres in the vicinity, the rest being human. Then the thought occurred to him that the female might not be a helpless human. How funny would that be, he thought. As he approached the door, he stepped as close as he possibly could, just on the other side of the barricade they had put up. The entire door shuddered, threatening to break down with each force. They were out there and they were gaining strength by the sounds of it. He turned and looked at the female.
'My name is Brian Jameson, you may call me Brig.' He nodded towards the doors. 'There is only one other way in or out. The back doors are barricaded now as well although there is the roof top which undoubtedly has some sort of ventilation - some access panel that eventually they will find. We are trapped. You are welcomed to go out there, but I'd have to say that would be an extreme waste.'
He gave her a half sad smile. 'Those are our options, our immediate options. No one is 'in charge', my cousin just likes to act like he is, however we do have brethren here that we'd like to protect, as well as the innocent patrons here tonight. I, for one, would like to live. So your suggestions are definitely welcomed.'
Yeah there's a couple people here I wouldn't want to seen eaten alive. I'm Celeste.. Celeste De'Espionne. She paused a moment, eyeing Brig then the man he's motioned to as his cousin. Quietly she spoke a word that she would never have dared tell a perfect stranger before, but on the slim chance these people were also kindred or at least those knowledgeable she had to check. Anantya.. Her tone was part statement and part question, testing their reactions carefully.
At a slight rising in the screams out side her crystal eyes flicked that way for a brief second. Flipping her coat back some she drew out the Desert Eagle she kept hidden and popped the clip, making sure it was full. Looking around slowly she assessed each person in the room with them, then she turned her attention to the ceiling.
So do we have any weapons?
With a smile he brought his hands forward and entwined his fingers, pointing his thumbs in her direction. 'It would appear that you are one of our weapons.' Again he nodded over to his cousin. 'That is Iov Hammerthynn, our Beta. I am his cousin and security commander. You and I seem to have quite a bit more than we thought we'd have in common.'
Quid pro quo, he thought. Meh, why not? One ally was as good as another.
Quirking one pierced eyebrow upwards she gave Brig a blank look. Your.. Beta? What, are you two kissing cousins or something? She snorted at her own joke. Somehow it just wasn't as funny as it might normally have been with all the impending death and carnage. Trying not to grind her teeth too much, Cel walked over to a table and hopped up on it, swinging her feet and letting the chunky soles of her combat boots thud softly against the leg. She needed to think and she needed a clear head.
Maybe, just maybe they would have a chance. If the option was to stay here until the entire city was a mass of moaning hungry zombies all beating on the doors for one last meal or try to get to safety she knew the sooner they made a break for it the better. But that required a plan. ANd a lot more intel of what was going on out there.
It all depended on if help was on the way or not. And if they could get weapons. Lots and lots of weapons. A faint buzz broke her train of thought and she pulled the cellphone from her hip, opening the text message from her cousin. It made her wince.
Zombies all around. Streets not safe. With two Tach ancients so am OK ATM. Geting weaps now. Love you - A
Celeste scowled at the screen. What the hell was she doing with Tacharans, and not their own clan? Ehh.. better she was anywhere but at Heolfor tonight the Creole thought, remembering just who had arrived in town. Shaking away those thoughts since they did nothing positive at the moment she looked over at Brig. She'd decided to ignore the ugly one until he had the courtesy to actually address her. Shoving the phone back into her beltclip she grabbed her cigarette case and pulled a clove out, lighting it while her mind raced through the scenarios. One long drag slowly exhaled later, she spoke.
So just how many non humans can we count on here? And has anyone checked the TV for news on what the fuck is going on out there? Maybe CNN or something? Blue eyes looked from face to face for an answer.
'Well - there are about a half dozen of us here, but we're not in contact with the rest. The cell phone and land lines are overloaded. Local broadcasting stations are off line and the other stations keep fading in and out. Whatever is going on is probably contained, at least that's what we're hoping.'
Brig suspected the worst as he was trained to do. It appeared to be an infection spreading at an incredible rate and within days the entire city will be over run and under the infection's affect, he wagered. They had to get out - how, he wasn't sure. Babylon wasn't really 'safe', just isolated. He considered their only option.
'If they haven't figured out about the roof access yet, then that's our only way out.'
Standing, she stretched her arms faintly and resecured her gun at her back. Time was wasting and they needed a plan for where they would be going once they left here. Plus someone still needed to verify the roof was secure. And weapons, they still needed weapons. Frowning, annoyed, Cel knew there was only one person who had a chance doing that. Her.
Alright I will make sure the roof is secure. You, she looked at Brig, get your guys to figure out just where you ridiculously oversized men will actually fit to get out. And someone please come up with a plan as to where the fuck we are going to go.. if there's anyplace left safe in this city.
Walking over to the bar she nimbly climbed up onto the tall counter and began pulling down a couple of the ceiling tiles. There seemed to be enough room for her to fit in rather easily. Once she was out of sight of the lot of them she could easily become etheral and slide up onto the roof. However until they chose to share just who they were and reciprocate the risk she'd taken, at least a little, she wasn't about to show them any more.
You people are so damn lucky I don't just leave your asses here, she muttered.
'Boy, she's angry.' Hammerthynn raised an eyebrow but did not comment. 'She's also a vampire.' To this he finally received a response from his cousin which equated to a huff and Hammerthynn touching his beard in deep thought.. Brig shrugged it off and continued.
'Calm down, Hammer. When you fly off the handle and get all emotional like that, you're very difficult to talk to. In any case, we have no one to trust at the moment - why not trust her? If she stays and helps, that's fine - if she leaves, well then we didn't really trust her in the first place and we were banking on her leaving so it is really a win win situation when you think about it.'
Hammer blinked his single eye at him.
'Your outrageous objections are duly noted.'
Moving along slowly, she squeaked and slid till she was near one of the ducts and studied it a moment. Your typical large round metal industrial system. Still nothing big enough for the men below, but good for an average person. Noting it she closed her eyes and exhaled slowly before transforming to ether and standing, raising up through the club's roof. She rose slightly until she was even with the roof's surface and slid along it to the edge slowly, eyeing for any movement. It was dark and shadowy but seemed to be without any occupants.
Crouching down at the ledge she stared, open mouthed in horror at the scene on the streets below her. The sheer carnage was enough to leave her speechless and her blue eyes were wide with shock. The mass of bodies flinging themselves at the club's doors and pounding on them was enough to make her head spin and then as she looked back and forth up the street at the figures darting here and there punctuated by an occasional scream somewhere down the Strip, Celeste felt genuinely helpless.
Across the street Club Eternity seemed to be just as barricaded with several forms vainly tring to gain acess to its interior as well. The thought of abandoning these people to their fate and seeing if kindred were safe and secure just yards away weighed on her mind and she thought long and hard before shaking her head in disgust at herself. She had told Brig she would see if the roof was secure, and a De'Espionne kept their word even to a mortal or whatever the hell he might be.
Stepping back, she returned to her physical body before blending into the shadows around her and began to check the entire roof for access points and entrance/exit points.
Stuffing her cell in the backpocket of her jeans she walked over to the two men and the angry looking woman who was leaving to what appeared the roof.. what the hell was she anyway? and where was Zeke... omg ZEKE!!
"Ummm excuse me? where is she going? And hi i'm Alyshia you might have heard of me.. or not I'm a friend of Ezekiels.. you know umm big guy drives a truck yes that's him, umm yeah sorry rambling, anything I can do and yes I look small and about 16 i'm not people always think i'm fragile but i can kick butt! and btw i'm like you are just not in your pack if you know what i mean and yes i will shut up now"
Her icy blue eyes turned South, down the Strip. The Anantya knew this area very well, she frequented Babylon almost every night so the neighborhood around it was familair hunting grounds. The Creole weighed her options. There was a small pawn shop a block away, tucked off the Strip, or a large sporting goods store about the same distance on the main drag. Considering the quantity of weaponry she wanted to aquire she dismissed the first. Too unreliable as to what she could find. While the larger store could have a few wandering nasties, Celeste just shrugged off the threat. She'd be staying intangible or blended so it didn't concern her.
Getting a running start, the vampire lept off the rooftop and went from blended to etheral as she fell. Half gliding, half running towards her goal Cel was focused, doing her best to ignore the zombies as she moved down the street.
As he jumped over a fence he was suddenly blind sided. He was knocked across the alley and up against a wall. Shaking the blinding lights away from his eyes he stood quickly to face whatever it was - being what he was he had an advantage and now that fear was coupled with pain and rage, it made forcing his luck that much easier on this young soul.
In the shadows he could see a lone figure standing. With every ounce of control the uninfected bared his teeth and let the change come over him. Long fangs painfully ripped out of his changing mandible and he tore his shirt as his back bowed back and his legs bent in their awkward canine shape. The figure just stood, watching the uninfected - waiting - and within seconds the uninfected growled with werewolf ferocity and took a confident step forward.
He was not expecting the figure to match his confident step and come out of the shadows; the skin on its face already beginning to decompose and covered with blood that was most certainly not its own. Nor was he expecting the glint of very nasty looking evil vampire fangs, especially as it moved with liquid speed and easily overpowered the young werewolf.
Werewolves - 0
Zombies - 14,987
Suddenly the usually colorful smells were tainted with reds - some brighter than others, successfully leading him to where more clean flesh would be. Quickly, with renewed strength, the werewolf stood and followed the bright reds through the alley and found the others moving down the strip. There were humans nearby; they could all smell the clean flesh and the collective moved quickly towards the scent, bringing them to a huge gathering outside the club district of the strip.
The werewolf looked up and through the thick haze of red saw the words small and inconspicuous sign - Babylon. There were more familiar smells inside the club - human and not quite human. Cautiously the werewolf moved away from the collective and looked up at the roof tops that were still free of them.
But not for long.
She had let herself fall into a working mentality. Her training as a De'Espionne had hardened the Anantya and taught her time and again to find her limits and push them. Celeste's focus was on goals and accomplishing them. Her inner voice clicked them off, cataloging and surveying as she moved stealthily along. Some time later she would wonder at the ability she had of blocking out even the most horrific sights and staying on target, but for now the vampire just did not let the zombie hoard's carnage filter through into her thought process.
Less than fifteen minutes from when she climbed into the ceiling of Club Babylon Celeste was running back up on the exterior at a steady clip. The frenzied masses circling the building still made her stomach tighten into knots but she steeled her resolve and began walking through them, a ghost sliding through the masses of wailing dead flesh.
The time for secrets and carefully dancing around the truth was passed, she decided. If they didn't want to trust her with their story then fine. The Creole was past caring who knew at least some of what she could do. If they survived then the ramifications could, and would, be dealt with as required. The primary objective was survival. That meant expediency and full disclosure.
Pushing off, she rose up, floating softly back up to the roof level and walked the surface one more time, with an even more critical eye. Their time for action was close, the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up and she could feel the tension coiling in her. Her instincts told her the rotting stench below would soon find a way here no matter what they did, so it was time to be ready.
((waiting to drop down into the club for Iov / Brig and Ally's convo))
Larry Stroms calmly picked up his radio and cleared his voice.
'RESIDENTS OF NACHTON - THIS IS THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL WITH AN UPDATED WARNING. THE CDC HAS NACHTON QUARATINED FOR THE DURATION OF THE UNKNOWN VIRUS AFFECTING THE POPULACE. THE CDC RECOMMENDS YOU STAY IN DOORS AND DO NOT ATTEMPT TO GO OUTSIDE.' Larry clicked off the radio and looked at his partner.
'Ryan.'
Ryan gave Larry a side glance and swallowed. 'Yeah, I know.'
'No, Ryan.'
'I know.'
'No...Ryan,' Larry said calmly.
Ryan turned and looked at him. 'If you're choosing this moment to confess some unfucking dying love for me, I'm really going to be pissed off.'
Larry paused and then cleared his throat.
'ATTENTION ALL NACHTON RESIDENTS...'
'Young lady,' Hammerthynn stepped away from the others and spoke softly to her. 'I don't care really who you are, what you are or with whom in my family you associate with. I do care that you keep it to yourself.' He tried hard to control the growl in his voice and the sneer that was undoubtedly on his face.
Moving with Hammer as his cousin warned the blond child, he gave a guarded look at their surroundings, searching for Celeste. As Hammer finished, Brig added, 'The situation is unknown for the moment, but we will definitely call on you if it gets worse, not that I'm sure we'd have to if it gets to that...point...'
The static of the television behind the bar caught Brig's attention as the local news reported an update to the situation.
'...reporting high in the sky this Halloween night. The streets of Nachton have been infested with could only be described as the living dead. 'Reports are coming in that ground zero seems to be originating from Duibne Industries - Nachton's crown jewel medical research facility. Is it an illegal genetic experiment gone wrong or an unfortunate accident?'
Brig sneered and looked at his cousin who shared his enthusiasm. The cause of the outbreak did not surprise the weres in the very least.
'The Center for Disease Control has reported that the entire city of Nachton has been closed off, effectively isolating this aggressive virus. All residents of Nachton are to stay indoors, barricade their homes and do not attempt to search for loved ones. These zombies are unusually fast, aggressive and violent. Nachton Police Department, its Immediate Response Swat Team and Duibne Industries Security force has been dispatched to contain affected areas and protect the uncontaminated.'
'John, what the fuck?'
Brig watched with slowly widening eyes as the reporter was attacked and killed live on camera. Reaching up he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to wipe away the cold sweat that hard formed there. Fear reared its ugly head in the pit of his stomach and werewolf or not, a fate worse than death was suddenly far worse than death itself.
Leaning close to his cousin, Brig whispered, 'We need to get out of here. Right now.'