epidemiology | EVENT ★ I PREDICT A RIOT

EVENT ★ I PREDICT A RIOT

I WANNA START A FIGHT

RIOTS

In the time between the quarantine and now, the virus has spread unnaturally rapidly, with the amount of the population infected estimated to be around 1.5% or approximately 3,750 people. Understandably, the panic has increased considerably. People who were taking the virus seriously before have begun to work themselves up into a frenzy, and even those who were calm are beginning to get anxious.

An infected teacher went on a violent rampage at the local elementary school yesterday, leading the school board to close all Woodhurst schools for the rest of the week while the entire staff is studied for symptoms. There’s no test for the Bristol virus, however, so it’s impossible to tell for sure. This, of course, worries the parents. The unrest starts with a protest at the school, calling for schools to be closed indefinitely until the quarantine is over for the safety of the children, but it doesn’t stop there.

Unrest turns to rioting before long; the majority of the riot is focused at city hall, where citizens are demanding answers, but there’s also mayhem at stores as the people of Woodhurst loot them, stocking up for what some assume is an impending apocalypse. Those who don’t believe this have locked themselves up in their homes not for protection from the infected but the rioters. Suffice it to say, most of the citizens out on the streets are of the slightly unstable variety, although some just found themselves caught up in the riots and became worked up by the crowd.

Local police forces -- including ALASTAIR agents posing as police officers -- have been dispatched to deal with the rioters at city hall. Rioters who attempt to leave the city are taken care of by officers sent by the federal government to enforce the quarantine.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

It might be a good idea to see what supplies can be found at the supermarkets, although you run the risk of getting attacked by a violent looter. The police won’t necessarily turn away anyone trying to keep order at city hall, but any supernatural powers will only incite the already violent crowd, so it’s recommended characters keep from utilizing their powers if they want to stay in one piece. Then, of course, there’s always the option to protect innocents who happen to be stuck out on the streets in the middle of the riots.

While the entirety of the police force is focused at the quarantine borders and outside city hall, now is possibly one of the only chances to get full access to buildings in the city. There are still some workers who haven’t been sent home and some of the buildings are locked up, but there are few police officers that can be spared to go check out a simple break-in.

Now is the time to search the city, if you're feeling brave. If you’re really ballsy, you can even try to slip in through the back door of city hall and go through their records. The only important building in town that’s not able to be searched is the hospital, which is incredibly busy due to the high number of people injured in the riots and traffic accidents.

Of course, just because rioters aren’t around doesn’t mean you’ll be left alone. There’s always a chance you’ll find yourself alone in a building with someone very hungry. Willing to take the chance?

Submit all CYOA choices to this thread.

OOC NOTES

The Bounty Board is now open! If you are looking for ways to get involved in this mission's optional objective, this is a good place to start. We’d also like to remind everyone that ALASTAIR does not invent cover stories for characters -- that’s all them! The only jobs they’ll help with getting are in the police force and government; everything else is up to characters to interview for.

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

[It only mostly sounds like bullshit—a whole new burgeoning society of self-sacrificing (or self-interested) infected down into the sewers. But rumors come from somewhere, so it might be worth looking into, if even just for the chance of pinning down a not-zombie for a better set of fluid samples for the more scientific parts of the crew.

He'd come by on a motorbike (don't ask where it came from, officer,) and he's still leaning against it while he waits for Lucina to meet him by the entrance to the underground. The helmet—one visorless red thing that had come with him from Oska—serves more than one purpose in this case. Wouldn't hurt to have some access to night-vision down there. Doubly wouldn't hurt to have some extra barrier from the biohazards.

He pins the mask under an arm and checks the charge on his light sources while he waits for Lucina to show. Once she's close enough, by way of a "hello"—]

Ready to go meet the Morlocks?

[That's going to fly over her head, definitely. But, y'know.]

[ The undead ( or in this case, the infected ) aren't supposed to be self-sacrificial.

Which is exactly what's wrong about the bounty she receives, and while they may not be more than rumors she can't just ... not check. Probably a result of her extremely shounen protag upbringing, or something. The mission hits too close to home, and while they're fundamentally different she can't help but wonder what it'd be like if the Risen were to be aware of their condition.

Perhaps it'd just make killing them harder.

She's off duty when she shows up — it's probably not a good idea to have a police officer walk around the sewers, and a ski bag on a police officer's shoulder is probably weird ( it's weird now, but minor details ). Only instead of skis it holds her Falchion and a pistol from work. And a flash light, let's say Jason was smart and told Lucina to bring one, since she wouldn't have otherwise. ]

Morlocks? [ Yep. She pauses, blinks at the "greeting", and then nods. That's probably the right response. ] ... I'm not sure if meeting them is the term I'd like to use, but... yes. I'm ready.

Edited 2017-02-16 00:07 (UTC)

[It's a nice story on paper. Really tugs at the heartstrings, y'know? The sympathetic b-movie monster. Only it's no movie, and there's no real evidence that they're playing to the script at all. People aren't often that altruistic, certainly not when push comes to shove. (Monsters even less.) And even giving them the benefit of the doubt on all good intentions, sequestering themselves underground now while they're still sane enough to do so won't stop them from crawling their way topside later.

And there's sure as hell something going on in the sewers, if the chatter on the streets and the ALASTAIR comms is anything to go by.

He stands up straight and cocks a brow at her bag—it takes him about two seconds of deliberation to work out the big ticket item. So much for maintaining cover.]

Yeah, I can see that. [They met up at a sewer entrance, by the runoff, so he stoops to open the grating so they can duck inside. Not that he can fault her much for being prepared, but—] Feeling nervous?

[ Lucina grew up under optimistic, kind parents who believed in the good of all those they met — yet she's also seen the destruction people can cause.

If they were altruistic, kind people before they were infected, there's no guarantee they still are.

But anyway. No one expects people to be holding medieval swords inside ski bags, it's a great cover. And she's not going anywhere as an ALASTAIR agent without a weapon she knows how to use ( no offense, his lessons are probably fantastic, but nothing can beat the comfort of holding a sword ). Sewers are dangerous places, aren't they? ] ... Perhaps a bit. [ Time to start their adventure, from what it looks like — despite her words though, she decides to slip inside first. ]

... I've heard there were alligator sightings in some sewer systems. [ Zombies are fine, but alligators are probably dangerous. ] Do you know anything about those?

Edited (spams your inbox with edits gomen) 2017-02-16 02:21 (UTC)

[His lessons are probably terrible—he's a quick study by nature, himself, which doesn't help a lot with developing a teacher's disposition. After swinging open the door to the tunnel, he turns to look at her oddly, like he's trying to decide if this is her version of a deadpan joke.]

Gotham's got more of a Killer Croc problem than a gator problem.

[The way he says it implies that there's something particularly funny about this. He gestures into the tunnel while he stands to grab his supplies off his bike.]

Don't worry, I think we're a little far north for that.

[Even, y'know, theoretically. Gators are cold blooded, bud, and it's winter.]

Edited (typos.) 2017-02-16 02:47 (UTC)

[ Look at least he's teaching her

Also number one rule on Lucina is that unless the joke is really weird she's probably not joking. ] Killer Croc?

[ Does he actually have a crocodile problem instead ( what's the difference— )?? How did it earn that name??? So many questions, but she's learned that the more questions she asks the more she ends up earning in return. Maybe one day ( these are going to add up ). ]

That's a relief. [ Briefly her expression melts into relief, edges of her lips curling upwards. All of that disappears once Jason's up at the tunnel with his stuff, though. ] Shall we, then?

[Next up after she finishes her shooting lessons: a primer in deadpan humor. She'd probably be good at it if she tried.

If she doesn't ask any one of those many (understandable) questions, he's not keen to elaborate, and she moves on quickly enough. He spins his mask in his hands before pinning it under an arm and reaching for the anglehead flashlight in his jacket pocket so he can turn it on.]

Ladies first.

[He'll even hold the door open for her and everything, what a gentleman. Once they're in it swings shut, but he doesn't go for a latch. Better to keep their exit options as clear as possible, just in case.]

[ Assuming she's going to be good at humor at all, that's a tall order.

There he goes, ignoring her questions again. But then it's another piece of information from Jason's home, which means she's not going to push. Yet. One day, probably ( not ). ]

Thank you. [ Deadpan humor or actual gratitude, who knows. She steps through easily enough, though, rummaging for a flashlight of her own as she begins to walk. This isn't in the correct order but yolo. ]

Did you have a particular system in mind? For scouting?

[That wasn't a question that was an echo. He's evasive as a reflex, you're going to need to be a little more direct. (or, y'know, not.)

Down to business. It's not a bad question. Since they're starting from square one—]

The sewers are laid out in a grid from here over to the water treatment plant. Anyone who'd be staying inside is probably doing it near one of these runoffs for easy access to the surface. Anything they leave behind will be swept down toward us with the flow of the water.

[Assuming they catch wind of anything at all, they just need to follow it "upstream," so to speak. That said—]

I can't say I've ever had to go zombie hunting before. I'm open to suggestions if you've got them.

[Not that they're really zombies, but, y'know. Is he joking or not, it's hard to tell.]

Close to run offs... [ So the closer they are to some kind of surface, the more likely ( at least in theory ) they are to finding... something. ]

Usually, the ... zombies came to us. [ Because the Risen were following orders from Grima, and Grima wanted nothing more than the people who could stop him to die. Probably. It's probably supposed to be a sad story only Lucina says it like she'd say any other sentence, which means it's... deadpan.

Is it a joke or is she serious, it's hard to tell. Only unlike Jason, she's definitely serious. ] If they are anything like the ones I have seen... they should not be difficult to outsmart, at least strategically. [ In terms of combat, that's probably another story entirely. ]

[He says "zombies" ironically, because it's easier shorthand than "Bristol victims" or "infected people." But he's aware it does run the risk of conflating the reality of things with the letter of the term. (That these people are not dead, nor are they monsters or even murderers, necessarily. (Yet.) They are sick. How long will they be able to have the luxury of making a distinction?)

He wasn't really expecting an answer to that one. Luckily, nearly a year on the crew and a lifetime in a bullshit comics universe beforehand does help to mitigate one's ability to be shocked by casual admittance of off-the-wall claims. He still gives her a critical look while she goes on to describe her experience. (Bullshit comics universe or not, he is a Gothamite. And Batman doesn't raise no suckers.)

Leading, after a beat—]

Here I had you pegged as more of a Xena: Warrior Princess than a World War Z type.

[To be fair, he'd never asked. She's not going to understand either of these references, but it's an invitation to elaborate, if she's inclined. If the dark tunnel ahead of them is any indication, they've got a lot of walking ahead.]

[ Conflict is a short way of putting it — they're still innocent people, friends in some cases. Yet she's seen what friendship can turn to, what families can turn to with a flip of a metaphorical switch. It's hard not to react violently to it ( or to bring a sword in a ski bag, in this case ). Just necessary precautions, she wouldn't swing her sword without talking, but...

Well. Jason continues to say things that make very little sense to her. She pauses, eyebrows furrowing as she tries to parse together what he said. Warrior princess, world wars... Well, the gist is there. ]

It's not the same as the ones we'll encountered here. The dead in my home ... they could not stay the dead.

... It was a dragon. [ Because this story can't get any weirder. ] The fell dragon that sought to destroy the lands, raising armies of the undead — aptly, we called them the Risen. The more we lost, the more powerful they became. [ There is a lot of walking ahead of them. Might as well tell her story. ]

As terrible as it is to say, it was easier to kill them, knowing that they're dead. [ She fixes her hold on the bag, before continuing — ] Here... [ She doesn't need to finish the sentence. ]

[Could not stay dead, well, join the club. Inappropriate times for gallows humor aside, he's obligingly quiet while she gets the exposition out. Doesn't call her out on how weird it is. Doesn't even ask her for elaboration, just yet. Because he can put two and two together into a bad enough time that he won't start prying where it isn't helpful. Can't much blame her for coming armed.

Instead, he picks up where she trailed off. Here—]

Can't really run a bunch of civvies through just because they're starting to get sick in the head.

[He won't argue that. To a point. It would be easier if they could, but he's not quite ruthless enough for a scorch the earth policy yet. That said—]

How far does the insanity defense go? Alive or not, sounds like you know better than most what the worst case scenario is going to look like.

[When do you shift your priorities?]

... That's one way to put it. [ As always, the gist is there. They are the innocent, after all, not soldiers some of the Risen were. Though, at the same time, members of Audentes becoming infected would probably have a similar enough impact. ]

It depends how far the effects of the virus go, I suppose. And whether or not a cure could be found. [ At the mention of a worst case scenario, there's a pause to her step, before her expression shifts to a humorless smile. ] I would rather not see this world become like mine.

... But that's why we're here — to make sure the worst case scenario can be avoided.

Through whatever means necessary?

[If a cure isn't in the cards. Ever, or in time to make a difference. It's as conversational as it is pointed for the sake of the hypothetical argument. Like he's feeling her out for the sake of feeling her out. Even after that little revelation, he can't say he knows her well enough to know where her priorities lie and where her lines are drawn. Lucina's proven herself pretty dependable when it comes to taking out Bad Guys. He's sure she'll do what she has to if she had someone to protect. But raising a blade against a teammate? Given her shounen outbursts from the other day, he's a little more dubious.

It's all theoretical, anyway, of course.]

That's our mission, is it not?

[ Her answer comes quickly, because there isn't much to think about. She's been desperate enough before, and now that her world is safe — well, she has nothing else to lose.

( Of course, this is all hypothetical, and chances are when faced against her teammate all of this will crumble to bits — or if she has to, she'll do it kicking and screaming. But for now, she can live believing that she's objective oriented enough. ) ]

[He shrugs loosely.]

Only if you're a by-the-books kinda girl.

[Technically, they don't need to do much of anything ALASTAIR tells them to. There are no consequences, really, no policing what the team does besides pass or fail an objective as a whole. Jason takes the missions on a case by case basis, himself. If what he does lines up with ALASTAIR's priorities, that's just good luck for ALASTAIR.]

You do everything an interdimensional calculator tells you to?

We were recruited. [ She doesn't think about the calculator, or what following orders from an unknown thing makes her. It's not that different from listening to Robin, anyway. ] But more importantly, I believe what we're trying to do here — saving timelines — is a noble cause. Why would I not lend my strength where I can?

[ It's not like Lucina has much to lose either — her world is saved, everyone's alive and well at home. In some ways, ALASTAIR showing up was a good thing. ]

Recruited is a pretty generous way to put it.

[That makes it sound like it was intentional, not to mention recruiting (as opposed to conscripting) is usually voluntary. Which isn't what ALASTAIR's been feeding them at all. And you can't really dispute that they aren't exactly a handpicked crack team.]

I don't know about you, but most of us were picked up out of time and space by accident and tossed into a team full of other saps to earn our way out because HR can't afford the temporal cab fare to do it pro bono.

[Sure, there's other teams and other people that are apparently volunteers, career recruits. So maybe she was. But this particular team is almost exclusively temporal driftwood. Even if it's all true and there's not big recruitment conspiracy going on, company loyalty is harder to form from that.]

Personally, I like to avoid basing all my decisions on other people's agendas.

[Does that mean he's working toward different ends than she is? Not necessarily. Not yet. But all ALASTAIR's got to back its claims of moral high ground with what their calculations mean on a cosmic scale are...claims. So forgive him if he'll take the heroically battling entropy thing with a grain of salt and narrow his focus to what's actually in front of him.

Speaking of what's in front of him, the path forks, and the light catches on something in the distance.]

I was the same. [ In case he was wondering — temporal driftwood has a nice ring to it, let's go with that. ] Still, it is some ... form of recruitment, despite it being far from convention. [ Does "accidental recruitment" count as recruitment, join us in this lively debate at 7. ]

Then I suppose I've been lucky, to have my own morals line so closely with theirs. [ Or the interpretation she's been making, so far. After a brief silence, she adds. ] ... And yours, from the looks of it. [ As in, thanks for not totally screwing up their missions so far, Jason.

But anyway — the fork has her slow to a stop, body leaning one way then the next to see just what's up ahead. It takes her a bit to notice the light ( unlike some people, she doesn't have night vision ), but when she does, her hand raises to point to it. ] Should we go see what that is?

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EVENT ★ I PREDICT A RIOT

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