epidemiology | EVENT ★ A-LICKY BOOM BOOM DOWN

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EVENT ★ A-LICKY BOOM BOOM DOWN

WELCOME TO WOODHURST

Arrival in Woodhurst goes largely unnoticed by its occupants. Characters will find themselves scattered into the city in inconspicuous places: stepping out of public restrooms that were previously empty, in the middle of a revolving door, appearing from overlooked service doorways and unoccupied retail break rooms. Arrivals -- with cloaking devices already active for those who need them -- will get barely a second look.

ALASTAIR researchers and networkers will have already secured housing -- whether that be a motel, apartment, home, etc. -- for Team Audentes as well as credentials for those whose jobs require them, but it is up to the team themselves to weave together their various cover stories and find their way to their new jobs. Luckily, most of the citizens of Woodhurst have more on their mind than usual, and won't be too interested in their new neighbors and coworkers.

WEEK 1

There's been a sickness spreading lately. Everyone has noticed it. People sometimes pause to murmur together in worried, furtive tones, the one of them with a cough looking especially distressed. Largely, though, people are doing their best to keep up life as normal. This concerning turn of events will probably blow over just fine, and rent still needs to be paid. Still, little signs here and there (the grocery stores are having trouble keeping bottled water and non perishables in stock) speak to the unease that can be felt in the city.

Audentes has about a week to get comfortable. Snow falls now and then, never too much, but somehow always just enough to delay the buses of the public transit system. Historic downtown Woodhurst is picturesque in the light wintery sprinkle, and sometimes the buses even make their schedules there. Things are a little quiet in the business district, as many have opted to work from home until this all sorts itself out. The housing and suburban areas have a little more of a buzz of activity than usual; neighbors talk to each other for the first time in months to see if there's any news or updates, friends check in and visit with one another.

Signs of any actual infected are rare, to the point where it may be easy to forget that's why ALASTAIR is here. But if you're lucky (?), you may run into someone staggering down a snowy street who doesn't look very well. They could just be hungover, but what's with those dark, prominent veins on their face...?

Seven days into their stay in town, things suddenly pick up.

WEEK 2

Woodhurst is quarantined. Local TV and radio stations broadcast nothing but this fact and follow up information for a solid 24 hours. And if TV and radio isn't your bag, it's also broadcast over loud speakers for 8 hours straight during the first day. The news of it is impossible to miss, but the gist of it is simple: no one may enter or leave Woodhurst, and all citizens must be off the streets by 10 PM.

Also impossible to miss are the blockades and barricades that have suddenly and swiftly been set up at every road leading out of Woodhurst, no matter how major or minor. They are guarded by military in dark uniforms, visibly armed. Local law enforcement is called in to help, and any Audentes members posing as police officers may find themselves face-to-face with angry, terrified citizens as they take their frustrations out. Panic spikes. Some stores, usually grocery stores, report looting, and one or two riots even break out near the barricades. The military seems to have been instructed to stop people non-lethally, but will use violence in turn if it is used against them. They do not answer any questions put to them by citizens wanting to get to their families on the other side of the border and demanding to know why they can't, and keep their expressions carefully neutral.

Still, not everyone is peaceable about it -- a terrified, haggard-looking mother tightly grips her screaming child's hand as she argues with a policeman. Her older son is apparently in Wakefield, and she needs to get to him immediately. Her shouting and her child's wailing is starting to agitate the crowd and the other policeman alike, a noticeable tension rising in the air.

The hospitals experience a sharp uptick in activity, admitting those who were hurt in the first initial panicky rushes and serving many who fretfully complain of the symptoms of the spreading sickness. Even those with nothing more than the common cold have rushed in, not wanting to listen when the hospital staff explains to them that the symptoms are nothing alike.

david tilton;

For the most part, Woodhurst doesn't look infected. Tempers are flaring, but that seems natural considering the circumstances. Even the fights that break out can be chalked up to scared citizens vying for the limited resources within the quarantined area. Once in a while, erratic behavior can be spotted, though. A man runs down the street at top speeds with nothing pursuing him, his eyes wide and wild, only to vanish down a side street. A thrashing woman at the hospital is sedated and restrained, and the sounds she's making don't sound like words as she's wheeled quickly away.

On the evening of the first day, the mayor makes a statement on behalf of the city, urging citizens not to panic. She claims they have everything under control, that life can continue as normal save for a few restrictions, and that the quarantine is simply a precaution. Of course, various news outlets have taken the story and run with it, looking for the scoop. A few conspiracy theorists even try to spread their thoughts, handing out nonsensical pamphlets on the street and frightening people who are uneducated on the Bristol virus.

Woodhurst is doing its best, though. After the first two days of initial panic after the quarantine descends, its sturdy citizens make a noble attempt to continue life as usual. About 25% of the population stays indoors, but the other 75% of it can still be seen going about their business, most of them with the concession of flu masks (or bandanas, t-shirts, or whatever else is on hand; supplies are tough to come by sometimes). The situation isn't great, but life marches on.

And, after all, surely things will blow over sooner or later.

OOC NOTES

Welcome to the new mission! Infection sign-ups are now closed for current players, but all characters accepted after January 28th will still have the opportunity to sign up. The offical locations page is now up. Please read it carefully! Some locations had to be tweaked to properly fit the setting. The Bounty Board will be available with the next log. Keep an eye out!

REMINDER: The infected population are not undead! We have used "zombie" as a shorthand description on the calendar, but please keep in mind that infected persons are alive, just sick.

For more information on the mission, please check the dossier and the January/February calendars. Since this log is coming up so late in the month, threads from this log can be used for either January or February AC, with the stipulation that you still cannot use the same thread for both months.

Questions about Woodhurst can be submitted to this thread. Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ. You may submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( even though Sakura has some found some other teammates to spend the majority of the mission with, that doesn't mean Graham will see much less of her. no, spending time with the girl is important to him, and even if it means picking her up on occasion for some time together he will happily do so. besides, there's a lot to Woodhurst that isn't horrible, at least not to start. why not take advantage?

like a local bookstore, which for the most part they have roamed alone, yet when he finds exactly what he has been looking for he can't help but bring it over to show her. ) Think this will be enough? ( it proclaims to be "1000 Fun Word Search Puzzles" on the cover. it is possible only the guy without a heart will think that word searches are any fun, yet he seems pleased to have found it. his hand-made ones were one thing, yet this would make the process much simpler.

he hands her the book to inspect, and glances at the shelf she was admiring. ) See anything you like?

[This setting so far, illness with zombies aside, seems the most normal of all so far of the worlds they have been to on missions. Sakura can't help but want to take advantage of it at least while exploring her first few days here for the most part. Which is why she easily agrees to wander with Graham's supervision this time, meandering as she skims the spines of the books for their titles on the shelves.]

Hm? Oh! 1000 is a lot! I'm sure that will keep us going for a while at least!

[So she is pleased with the find, of course. She smiles, clasping her fingertips together before turning to the shelf when he asks. It's got some novels, along with the manga, though rarer at this time to find. The one she seems particularly interested in is 'Alice in Wonderland'. She has some English classes at least, back home.]

Ah, this one? But I'm not sure if I'll know enough English to read it through. I'm still learning it back home and I haven't really had class since coming with ALASTAIR.

Alice in Wonderland. ( he frowns a moment at the end of the title. he's no rightly clue who Alice is, at least, not from the perspective of the Huntsman. he's well aware she's a fictional character, though he's not exactly an expert in her supposed story either. he knows Wonderland, though he's never been. he's heard a little too much about it, in fact, from a certain queen.

he shakes it off, though. it's not the point at the moment. Sakura is likely not interested in the realities of Wonderland, and Graham would not be the one to tell them to her, anyway. she's a girl interested in a story, and that is a better thing to concern himself with. ) I don't believe I've ever read that one. I could read it with you, if you like. ( despite the fact Sieglinde had him in a remedial english class, Graham was perfectly capable of reading and writing. it was really his handwriting that needed work. )

Y-yes. Ah, you'd help me? If you haven't read it, maybe together we can manage.

[She just recognizes the name from one of the recruits she's befriended. It's likely not going to be the only book that gets her attention, but even so. She's curious. And figures if they both work on it, that gives her an excuse to catch up with him when they meet up to read it together.]

( it is fairly natural for fairytales to captivate the imagination. he's not offended, though it might be a bit more uncomfortable if Sakura decided she wanted to read Snow White instead. as it was, Alice in Wonderland is pretty easy to agree to. perhaps, just maybe, he'd even be willing to tell her what he knew of the place. if only because he suspected Sakura might like to hear it. )

A book of crosswords, and Alice in Wonderland. Is there anything else you think you'd like?

( after that, they'd have to start heading back. there was only so much exploration they could get away with, now that they were in Woodhurst. Sakura was a minor, it was expected she'd be at home with her guardians at a certain hour. )

Anything else? Um, I think this would do for now. I'm not sure how long we'll be here. But I think this book and the crosswords will take us a while anyway.

[So enough to keep her occupied, mostly. Which is the main thing. She's still not quite always thinking more long term for whatever might not be available on other missions, but she figures they usually at least have the basics covered anyway.]

If not, we'll be able to stop again.

( hopefully. as a member of the police force of Woodhurst, he is aware of the unrest in the city. unrest that is growing deeper and deeper as the days go by. they might come to a point that it is no longer even safe for them to take small visits to the mall to pick up books, which is a discouraging thought.

he doesn't mention his quiet concerns to Sakura, though. she seemed to take inordinate amount of responsibility on herself for such a young girl — he didn't intend to make it worse if he didn't have to. )

Right! We can come back to get another book before we head back to headquarters if we finish these.

[Part of her might be aware by now how crazy things can get during missions, but that is why she's making the most of this. The first few days, first week or so, while she can explore and get supplies or things like this simply to keep herself entertained.]

Good idea. Perhaps I'll snag a few.

( he really does seem to enjoy crosswords, having a stockpile might do him well. There's no telling how long it will be before they go to another modern place for a mission, after all — and while he has proven capable of making them himself, they're less of a struggle to complete that way.

he puts his selections on the counter for the cashier and waits for Sakura to do the same. Once they're paid for they're out the door, heading back toward the squad car. across the street is a grocery store, and it's hard to miss the fact it's a hive of activity. People coming and going with massive amounts of food. )

Mm, I might come back myself to see if there's others I might want too. But these will do for me -- for both of us, for now at least.

[So for now, she seems content, taking her choice up and paying at the counter. Sakura's quick enough to follow Graham and keep up as they make their way to his car, but she pauses at seeing everyone across the street.]

Is something wrong?

[Sure, those stores are often crowded, but....this seems a bit much? Everyone seems a bit rushed for her to be entirely comfortable, somehow.]

( true enough, she could always come back later. one can at least hope it'll still be an option as the months go on. it's hard to know how the scope of this virus is going to run. Graham can vaguely remember the panic in the forest when an especially angry sickness cut through villages and towns — he hopes that modern times will help them deal with the virus a little more reasonably.

he pauses when she does, spotting the ruffled people and bustling activity at the grocery store. was anything wrong? he hesitated as he considered his answer. ) I think they're trying to prepare for the worst, is all. ( have food for their families if they ended up needing to stay in their houses. it was a common reaction in times of uncertainty. )

You think so? I suppose, if they blocked the town off to stop the virus spreading....it could end up people needing to stay back home.

[Graham's guess isn't a bad one, of course. She expects that, given his age and comparative wisdom and experience in most anything in comparison to herself. Still, she's not sure she's comfortable in such harried chaos in the crowds from the store exiting.]

( he doesn't have a heart, and yet even he can feel the slight edge of panic and unrest in the people moving a little quicker than they need to, the drawn looks on faces. he frowns, and settles a hand on Sakura's back. )

Let's get you home, ( he suggests gently, trying to redirect her back toward the squad car. they can't do much to stop the nervous energy, other than focus on the mission and hopefully resolve the issue of virus. that was likely all that could quiet the public unrest that was slowly escalating. )

R-right.

[It doesn't seem like the crowds are quite panicked because of someone being infected in the supermarket or anything at least. So she lets him direct her to the car, nodding that they should probably go. Sakura isn't sure they could do anything from their end about this panicked buying or anything just yet.]

( it's not a very good comfort, the slight squeeze to her palm. maybe the words will help. ) this is what we are here for, Sakura. We're going to help them.

( he has no distinct proof those words are true — he was possibly more doubtful than he'd let on to Sakura. for her though, he'd put his best foot forward, and his best hopes too. honestly trying to make those words reality to protect her made him work even harder at their missions. he wants to protect her, try to make any world she is in a little safer. )

Like the other missions. ALASTAIR wouldn't send us here if they didn't figure we could help.

[Or so she tries to tell herself. She's been through a lot, culminating in getting shot during the last mission. But somehow she still has yet to really break down, to lose that optimism and hope. Wanting to believe that they would always figure it out and get through.]

( well, that he can't quite manage to believe. he doesn't have any faith in ALASTAIR. they have an objective, yet he isn't confident that helping people is necessarily always it. they want to maintain timelines... sometimes disposing of people in the way of that were means to an end for the organization.

that's not something he'll say to Sakura, though. )

There's time to do something, still. I believe that.

( hopefully Audentes could come together and help the people of Woodhurst that so direly needed it. he didn't have it in him to believe in ALASTAIR, yet there were enough of his team that he trusted that he could start to believe in them. )

Edited 2017-02-20 06:52 (UTC)

I hope so. ALASTAIR wouldn't have sent us if it was too late for us to do something to help here.

[Or so she wants to believe. Even after everything she's experienced on their missions, Sakura still hasn't lost that optimism in spite of it all. Hasn't lost her innate belief in the good in others. Somehow.

That's what she tries to focus on as she goes to open the door to the passenger side of his car at least.]

( for her sake, he hopes that's true. all they can do is work their hardest. all missions had some value of success, and he'd been on more than a year's worth of them, now. if they gave up before they started they'd certainly fail. )

Let's get you home, ( he suggests, opening the door to the squad car for her. there wasn't long any of them could be shielded from the devastating effects of Bristol, but as long as he could he would try to shield Sakura from the worst of it. )

Y-yeah. Sure.

[She nods, turning her attention back to him and the car when he opens her door to help her in. At the least, she'd know Graham should be alright at his 'home' here, but even then she can't help worrying given his job here and all.

Driving, it doesn't take long to drop her off though, and she thanks him, ensuring she has her things from his car before giving a wave and heading inside.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT ★ A-LICKY BOOM BOOM DOWN

SAKURA 🎀

aw the little bow it is adorable.

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wrap on yours?

Sure!