ZRP-2: Chapter 5: Pariah's Warning

(James)
"Maybe, but I'm not sure that will accomplish anything. It looks more like the attacks, and the camps, are coming from everywhere but the east, and therefore over the bridges. Besides.....I wouldn't be surprised if they were rigged to blow."

(Sam)
=Getting to the wall was exhausting, the heavy weapon putting a lot of strain on my arms. But we managed to get to the second north wall, and onto the top ledge where I set up the gun. It looked like a Romero film out there, swarms of walkers everywhere in the street=

"I figured. But. My plan is to have the compound go quiet...then have people cause a massive rucus at the Shepherds camps. Draw the walkers right onto their heads."
Hibiki smirked.

(James)
"Doubt they'd get close. Besides, we still have no idea where the camps are, or when they'll actually attack. It would be a waste of personnel that we sorely need here."

"Yeah well. Send a small team. We just need to dvert their attention to tye Shepherds. It cannot be hard to find a small army." Hibiki retorted.

(James)
"Sure. And if they're already on the move? Or not even in one spot? If I were the Shepherdsm I wouldn't have all our forces centered in one spot, that's too big a target. Better to have them divided and set up to attack from all directions."

Where where where? The Hotel maybe? The garden? The garden!

I make my way past the people and run towards the garden.

"Stop fucming arguing with me! If even one of the enemy positions was taken, if they are I. Fact divided, oh omnipotent one, then it relieves the pressure. Can't you for once listen to the fucking cop who's dad was in the military!"
Hibiki looked through her scope. "At the vey least, we can know which way tyey are coming from. U less you can pull that answer from your ass Omnipotent One."

Abel began to whistle a small tune, beneath the moans and groans of the undead at the bottom of the wall.

"They can't have thought they could just drive vans right through these defenses, could they?"

(James)
=I blinked at her=
"Geez looeze Hibiki. Calm the fuck down would ya?"

=Omnipotent one? My feelings were hurt but this wasnt really the time to actually voice something so trivial=
"Look, as much said like to send someone out, we're still boxed in. The only way out is the bridge and it would be miles of travel before reaching anywhere they could cross the river. So I hate to tell you, but it doesn't really look like that will happen."

"Boats. Just need scouts with explosives. And for all we know, your idiot friend Pariah decided to get overzealous and keep his men together. We do not know. But we need to know, because flying blind will get us killed. "

Eve frowned. "Sam...that seemed too easy..."

(James)
=Of all things, just her saying "your idiot friend Pariah," made me snap at her just as badly as she had snapped at me=
"He is no friend of mine, you gung-ho stubborn trigger happy idiot. We only have one boat, according to Cooper, so sending out more that we don't have is not going to happen. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you can deal with the fact that all we are right now, is blind. Pure, and simple. The only scouting we are going to get, is the recon team up in the buildings above us looking in all directions."

=It was almost comical really. Here we were, having an argument and nearly tearing each others throats out, while we were under assault (granted a very poor one at the moment) and holding off zombies on the other side of the wall. Some of them probably looked at us with expressions that said "Uh hello, we're over here."=

(Sam)
"Calm before the storm maybe. That or lulling us into false security."

Hibiki would have beaten the shit out of James then and there, if not for impending doom.
"Then if we meet in Heaven, you're buying the drinks and paying the property taxes. I might even lie out by the pool in a bikini in return."
Joking to keep from showing James the wonders of freefalling, Hibiki scanned the area.

Eve moved closer to Sam, clutching her sleeve and pressing her forehead against her shoulder.
Sam could feel the poor girl trembling, the initial adrenaline rush currently waring off.

(James)
=I narrowed my eyes at her=
"Not now, but later. We'll talk. For now.....sorry."

=Then I calmly went back to surveying the street, zombies moaning aimlessly=

(Sam)
"It doesn't make sense. Why aren't the Shepherds attacking now?"

"I'm sorry too." Hibiki said softly.

Eve whimpered. "Why do you think I am shaking?"

(Sam)
"Because it's getting cold? I don't know."

(James)
=There was a sound, I turned my head to the left, and saw Book standing there, a gun in hand=
"Book? What are you doing here?"

(Book)
"Lending a hand son. Sounds like you had the right idea, not firing yet on the walkers. You'd be wasting ammo. And Hibiki, if I know them they'll be in at least two, maybe three separate camps, somewhere hidden or out of the way so that walkers don't come sniffing."

(James)
=Today seemed to be full of me blinking, because I did it again=
"And how do you know that? Wait, let me guess, you'll tell me later?"

(Book)
"Something like that. And if I'm right, we have 24 hours before they actually attack us. They'll be hoping to have drained us of ammo by then."

"So then. Feasible to try and set off some bombs dueing the night to draw the walkers right down their throats while they aleep?" Hibiki askee.

Eve shook her head. "I'm scared Sam."

(Book)
"If you can find them and get close enough. But considering how far away they could be, and the amount of time it would take to find them while also avoiding every walker coming down here......you'd have better odds of standing your ground in an area you know and have the home advantage in."

(Sam)
"Then swallow the fear. No place for it here. Get brave, and do it fast."

"And surrounded by zombies." Hibiki added sourly.

Eve clung tighter.
"Aren't you suppose to say I am too, then swallow the fear and get brave? And add some sort of promise to manipulate me and have a doublemeaning?"

(Andrew)

=I was just uneasy having the walkers there at our doorstep, and not shooting at them=

I'd just want to put a bullet in one of them just to shut 'em up...

=I sighed. It sure as hell beat the alternative=

Abel shook his leg, while sat down on the floor with his back against the wall. He held his shotgun in his hand, between his outstretched legs, save for one which was slightly bent. He dug through his pockets and found a half-smoked cigar. He bit down on it, as he searched for a lighter.

"Got a light?"

One of the Elite's nodded and displayed box of matches in his hand. He tossed it to Abel, who lit a match, then his cigar and passed the box back to the soldier.

"Thanks."

Abel filled the back of his mouth with smoke that had a hint of grape, then exhaled.

(Allie)

I had been out in the train yard with Dex, keeping a eye as they worked, when I heard sounds of gunfire drifting over I climbed to a cargo crane and looked around. I raised my rifle spotting the trucks and the horde of zombies.

"Holy shit.."

I pull out my walkie talkie and radio.

"Ace to Dex, theres a horde and some shepherds outside the walls. Copy."

*Dex*
"Yeah you didn't know? It was all over the radio earlier. Cooper wants me and the boys to stay put though, work on the trains and get them mobile. As for the assault, all I know is that it's just walkers right now. They haven't spotted any Shepherds short of a bunch of vans on a suicide run."

(Ace)

I shrug and keep looking.

"I'll keep my walkie on, and wait for any news."

*Dex*
"Same here. For now, just try and keep an eye out though I'm guessing Cooper will be wanting at least one of us down there. Heard over the walkie they had a team of spotters on the roof of a tower, checking for anything coming. I know some of the people they'd have to use....and they're still not us."

When I arrive I find that there's nobody, nobody I can see. But I might as well try.

"Jennifer! Are you there?!"

No answer. Disappointed, I turn and run towards the apartments to check again. About halfway there, I smell the stench of death.

Zombies... where?

(Book)
"Yes well the walkers are a double edged sword. And while we lost the chance of directing them at a target, we can still use them. Let them be the moat to the Shepherds invading army."

(James)
=I grinned at Hibiki=
"You know, I always wanted to defend a castle with a moat when I was a kid. Finally get to live that dream......sans the damsel in distress."

(Sam)
"Now doesn't really seem the time. Now can you let go, I need you on ammo for this thing."

(Jenny)

I heard the distance nose of gun fire and had jumped out of the river throwing on my clothes and pulling out my pistol, I start to run towards and spot Tyler. I stop and wave my arm.

"Tyler!"

I run up and stop looking back at the walls.

"Whats going on?"

"You're alive... and wet?"

I look her over, seeing that she's wet obviously but has her pistol. That's good.

"Nevermind that, I was about to go found out. I can smell the Undead. We should go find whose in charge. Or James..."

(Jenny)

I raise an eyebrow and nod.

"Alright that sounds good, there's some folks on the walls. Lets check there."

"Alright. Follow me."

I sprint over to the nearest latter and climb up. I tap the shoulder of the nearest soldier.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Eve looked a bit crestfallen, but quickly ran off to find more ammo.

Hibiki sighed. "I guess so..."

*Soldier*
"You don't know? The shepherds are attacking, and they lured walkers to do their dirty work. So grab a weapon and find a spot, we're in for a long night."

(Sam)
"Don't look so glum Eve. Not to sound cold, but there's no room for it right now."

(James)
=I got back on the walkie=
"Everyone listen up. We have reason to believe that the real attack will be within the next 24 hours, so that gives us some slack. Right now we just have walkers so its no reason to be on the wall, at least not all a once. Everyone take shifts, either for food, bathroom, or rest. Hibiki, suggestions on how long between shifts?"

Eve looked behind her.
"I'll glue to you later. Happy?"
She resumed running.

Hibiki sighed. "Four hours. No more."

(Sam)
"Good enough."

(James)
"Four hours between shifts people. However, recon team up top, we need you to stay where you are. Sorry. We'll send someone up with food and water, but you're either finding a toilet in there or pissing or taking a shit on some walkers."

Eve smiled to herself, and ran into the stadium.
Picking up what she was allowed, she ran back to Sam to hand over the ammo

Hibiki nodded. "Stay frosty."

(Jenny)

I grab a rifle and tap Tyler on the shoulder, motioning over to a empty spot.

"Com'on."

I lean against the wall and look out.

(Allie)

I click open my walkie.

"What do I do?"

(James)
"Oh hey Ace, good to hear from you. Well, I'd ask you to join us but as I understand it you're a bit far away. But we could certainly use a sniper here."

(Sam)
"By the way......when I said help me with the ammo, I meant help me with the ammo we brought along."
=I smiled=

"Would have said something, but it was too funny."

Eve looked at Sam.
"...."
Eve refused to look, talk, or acknowledge Sam besides helping her with the ammo.

Hibiki moved closer. "Ace. Get up high and try and spot any Shpherds. Dont leave the trains undefended but try and give us any intel you can."

(Sam)
=Chuckling, I went back to looking down the sights of the gun=

(James)
"I wasn't aware there were high points in a train yard."

"She can move across the street. There was a high building there." Hibiki pointed out.

Eve helped silently...and angrily.

(James)
"Tall enough for her to get a good view? The highest I saw was some factory thing the raiders set up shop in. Maybe eight stories, but that's it."

"It is better then nothing. Hell, she might see something. Any attempt is better then none." Hibiki retorted. "Will you stop arguing? I'm the cop, remember?"

I go to grab a rifle myself but hesitate. I haven't ever shot a rifle, I'm the guy with the pistols. At least I think of myself as that guy.

Guess it's time to break that picture...

I grab a rifle (I think) and take the spot next to Jenny.

"I heard that guy's radio, four hour shifts. Four hours off."

(James)
"Yeah, you're the cop. Not the soldier."
=I smiled at her all the same=

"But I'll always trust your judgement. And in this case I agree."

"I grew up listening to pap's war stories. Crazy bastard took over more islanss then a redneck married their cousins...which wasn't common."
Hibiki looked down. "Do we get our four hours?"

Eve remeained angrily quiet.

(James)
"If you want to rest, be my guest. But I'm the one who was barking orders. Might as well stay."

"Was planning on spensing four hours with you...so I'll stay."
Hibiki sighed softly, stretching.

(Jenny)

I smile.

"Well thats 4 hours with you. Hope you have something interesting to talk about."

(Ace)

"I'm ontop of a cargo crane, I think thats as high as I can get."

(James)
=I responded to Ace first=
"That'll have to do Ace. Keep us posted."

=Then, blushing already, I looked to my wife=
"Heh, well hope I didn't mess up any plans."

"Nope. You're good." Hibiki said, deadpan.