epidemiology | closed.

[She hears about it through the radios while on a patrol one day - We have a situation down at Woodhurst East Elementary, requesting backup - and arrives to find three cars all parked around the perimeter and half a down officers - plus more cityfolk in the form of worried parents - prowling about outside the school building. The full story's leaked in bits and pieces as she slips through the crowd, of a teacher taking matters into her own hands to protect her students from infected.

Riza isn't the only officer on the scene of course, but as it turns out, neither is she the only ALASTAIR agent there as well. Not too far away is a familiar face, Widowmaker, standing idle by the far barricade. Unobtrusively, Riza makes her way over.]

Need something?

[The weak winter sunlight glints off her badge; if it's a way in Widowmaker needs, Riza might be able to provide.]

[News -- it seemed -- spread like wildfire; an overheard conversation was what had brought her here, listening casually to the mismatched chatter of officers and gathered parents and other civilians alike. No one's quite noticed her yet and just as she's deciding how best to slip through the barricade, her attention is seized by Riza's appearance.

She looks over to her, her usual stoicism chasing mild surprise and tension from her face and shoulders as she turns to better face the other woman. Seeing the badge she's almost certain that Riza is here for the same reason she is.]

Perhaps. [A hand raises in a half gesture.] Are you going inside, by any chance?

[She shifts, enough for the dim winter light to glint dully off the badge at her waist. There haven't been many perks since joining the local police force, but near-guaranteed entry to any location certainly is one of them.]

I need to assess the situation inside, determine how many infected there are and what the risk to the children still inside is.

[So, yes, she will be going inside, though less for her 'job' as an officer and more for her duties as a member of ALASTAIR. And since it would be nice to have some insider backup, she adds over the magitek:]

If you wait by the door, I'll find a way to get you inside.

[Presuming, of course, that's why Widowmaker's here to begin with.]

[There's a role to play here, a random university teacher and a police officer. She draws concern for the students, the other teachers -- her expression shifting from a familiarity to something else as another officer draws closer by them.

And she nods, frowning.]

Be careful in there.

[Her attention flicks to the aforementioned door before cutting back to the other woman a moment as she steps away slowly, aiming to make herself as invisible as possible.]

I'll see you inside, then.

[A barely perceptible nod is the only reply given before Riza slides off, chin lifting back up as her shoulders square and she steps towards the building, shedding any traces of ALASTAIR and tugging on her persona of Woodhurst police officer.

She unlocks the door, steps inside, closes the door behind her—but for anyone sharp enough to hear, there's no click behind her as the door closes. It stays open by a bare sliver, unlocked and accessible for anyone with enough interest to get inside.

Not that Riza lingers in the hallway for too long, but her steps as she traverses down the third grade hallway are slow. Methodical. Easy enough to catch up to, if someone really cared to.]

[She half watches from where she moves through the crowd of concerned bystanders again, slipping underneath the radar of most of the other officers there as she waits for Riza to make her way inside.

When she does, Widowmaker is only a few feet away from the door, easily catching the lack of sound. It's then she breaks from the crowd and slips by to follow the other woman inside. It's her the shuts the door fully, one hand held against it to keep it as quiet as possible.

Thankfully, Widow is quick to catch up to her apparent partner for this foray, stepping up beside her in relative silence. A few seconds later she speaks, low enough so only Riza would really hear:]

So, how do you want to handle this?

Edited 2017-03-22 19:03 (UTC)

[It's not long before there are footsteps behind; barely audible, a skill that had no doubt come with her title of Widowmaker, but still present in the otherwise empty hallways.

She's about to answer when a loud thud echoes around one corner - a body slamming against a locker if she had to guess. Well, so much for hoping things might've settled down. There's a groan, then another thud. From the sounds of things, there's not all that much time to waste.]

Whatever involves minimizing any damage done to the children still inside the classrooms.

[Ideally, something that also involves the lowest fatality count if possible, but her job is to protect, which occasionally means killing. She'd be a hypocrite to forbid death of any sort.]

[Her attention jumps immediately to the noise, muscles tensing as she readied herself for the potential for someone to come around the corner. For the moment there's no foreseeable danger, but as soon as they come around the corner -- or whoever is there does -- all bets were off.

She nods once in reply to Riza, considering. Her only weapon was herself, currently, the rifle she normally carried stored elsewhere due to their need to blend in. Though she assumed, being a police officer, Riza would be armed.

In truth she would rather avoid having any fatalities, but like the other woman she knew sometimes it wasn't an option.]

Alright. We can bait infected into other areas if need be, perhaps including our friend around the corner.

[Ordinarily, running the job of pet collector wouldn't be high on Riza's list of Things That Need to be Done ASAP but in Woodhurst, where the bite of an escaped animal might mean a future of slow-onset insanity and cannibalism, animal quarantine is a little higher up on the priority list than it might be elsewhere.

She shakes a few crinkles out of the paper list she'd been given, one finger tracing down the row of animal descriptions until it stops on their next target.]

Dottie. A two year old brown and white Holland Lop. [The words mean nothing to her, but conveniently there's a fuzzy black and white image, which she's careful to show to Nami.] I think that's her, right there.

[With a point to a nearby bush; between the branches and leaves peek a small body, covered in brown and white fur.]

[ at least this is better than the sewers, Nami thinks wryly as her day is suddenly commandeered by her friend with a list of animals that need to be caught. regardless, it's not a bad deal, especially as it lets her help without having to deal with the riots, the hospital, all of it. catching animals is... nice, and current company makes it even more so.

she taps her cheek as Riza reads out the description, faintly wondering what a Holland Lop is before she glances at the picture... and what about that is either holland or lop? hm, maybe the ears... ]

Yes, you're probably right. We'll have to be careful not to spook her...

[ under the bush, Dottie's tail twitches, as if in agreement. ]

[The ears, possibly, could be considered quite loppy (whatever that means). As for Holland....well, they can save their European geography lessons for after they nab their runaway bunny.

But first, there's the problem of how to catch her.]

I've never owned a rabbit. [Can't imagine what fun it would be to own something so fragile for a pet, but to each his or her own she supposes.] Do they also come out at the promise of food?

[There are a few crumbled dog biscuits lining the pocket of her jacket. Not exactly top quality rabbit food, but it's all she's got. (Hayate will just have to wait a little longer for his next treat.)]

Mm, neither have I...

[ really, Nami has never owned any pets, and though a bunny like that sure is cute... wouldn't it be incredibly easily killed as well? seems like a hazard more than anything else, that. ]

It's worth trying. Though... do they eat biscuits? I thought bunnies like carrots. I have a half-bunny friend back home, and she loves carrots!

[ but considering they don't have carrots, biscuits... will just have to do. ]

A half-bunny friend?

[Riza echoes the words, surprised still even after all her time with ALASTAIR. (To be fair, the members of Audentes have slotted fairly neatly into humanoid, robotic, and something completely out of the norm, and there's something strange about trying to consider the logistics of how a half-bunny friend would even come to be. Definitely not worth thinking about.)

But back to the problem currently in their hare (get it—)]

Carrots and other vegetables, I think. You don't happen to have any vegetables on you, do you, or see any around?

[The looting's gotten pretty heavy in past days; there's bits and pieces of goods littering the once clean streets of Woodhurst.]

Mm, that's right! Well, she's a bunny, but she also looks sort of like a human... they're the native people of an island called Zou! Animals that look somewhat like humans and can speak. Her name is Carrot!

[ it makes sense in context, maybe... back to the matter at hand, though! she taps her cheek and tries to think of something that might work. ]

Hm, I don't have any vegetables... I have a granola bar, though!

[ it's almost the same, right?? ]

[A granola bar......that's not even close to a vegetable?? On par with dog biscuits if she's honest, though maybe granola would be more appealing to a rabbit. Riza gives a thoughtful hum, then nods her head.]

What if you crumbled it into a trail towards us? The rabbit might follow it then.

[It's not the greatest of ideas, to be sure, but better than nothing. Though if Nami's got a better idea, then she's all ears.]

[ shhhh, it's close enough... or is it?? they will see! since it turns out Nami has no better idea at the moment, and they really have to try something before Dottie decides to just abandon this particular bush for another. ]

Right! Let's try that. It might even work... work, work!!

[ she actually folds her hands as though in prayer before taking the granola bar and starting to break little pieces of it off, throwing them close to the bush, then a little closer to where they're standing, then right to their feet. ]

[With the plan launched into motion, Riza takes a step back to crouch behind a nearby brick corner. Better only only of them's up close; less risk of them scaring Dottie away. (Too, she notes the pseudo-prayer Nami sends up to whatever faceless deity might be watching. Riza might not have a religious bone in her body, but they do need all the luck they can muster up right now.)

Once the makeshift breadcrumb trail's made, it's time to wait. And wait. And wait some more. But their virtuous patience is rewarded when, finally, Dottie's nose twitches once, then twice, and then she's cautiously hopping out of her hiding place to nudge at the granola crumbs on the ground.

Soon—!]

[ really, Nami isn't even sure what gods there are she should pray for — the immovability of science is what she believes in above all else... but she's seen the gesture done before and maybe it'll help!! who knows.

it's good they're both patient, because all that waiting might get old otherwise... it very nearly does, but then! yes, they are blessed, Dottie hops once, hops twice, and stops right there in the middle of the street.

smiling, Nami turns and flashes Riza a smile and a thumbs-up... except then she pauses.

wait — how exactly are they supposed to catch this bunny again? should she just bounce and hope she catches the bunny before it bolts?? maybe... ]

[The unspoken question's a good one, understanding - and a brief flicker of despair - flashing through Riza's eyes as the message is passed through a slight head tilt towards the rabbit, a helpless shrug up and down of Nami's shoulders.

They're two smart, bright women, surely they can figure something out. Two smart women with nothing to their names but errant pieces of food, the clothes on their back, and a stray plastic bag Riza had stuffed into her pocket from days earlier.

Not exactly a scene to inspire confidence.

Luckily (??) right then there's the sound of barking, an oversized dog bounding towards Dottie from across the way, looking very large and threatening from the small rabbit's point of view. Dottie bolts—right towards Riza and Nami without a care in the world.]

—Quick!

[Grab the rabbit? Shrug off their jacket to try and trap Dottie inside? Whatever it is, they've only got about ten seconds to prep and get going.]

[ for someone who likes plans, likes knowing what to do and when and how, Nami has been through many disappointments — mainly because the team she usually works with, the team that is a crew more than anything else, often tends to throw all caution and plans to the wind.

(well, to be fair, it's their Captain who does that... the rest follow, as you are meant to do.)

still — perhaps there's some good in that, constantly being thrust into situations she has to get out of using nothing but her brain and spur-of-the-moment inspiration. the dog barks, its paws hitting the ground one-two-three-four, and poor Dottie runs for her life.

there's never been a quicker disrobing as happens right then, with Nami shrugging off her leather jacket, swinging it in her hand so that when Dottie jumps next, it is straight to the arm of her jacket. ] Gotcha!!

[ she wraps it into a neat bundle — now... there's just the small matter of the dog still running at them at full speed. ]

[Ah, never fear Nami, rabbits might be out of Riza's comfort zone but she knows exactly what to do with dogs and other canine relatives.

As soon as Nami bundles Dottie up tight, Riza steps forward, her whole demeanor shifting from tense and undecided to confident and assertive. Her shoulders even out, her chin tilts upward, and when she speaks it's in a voice that rings out surprisingly loud and clear.]

Stop right there.

[The lack of deference has the dog stumbling, slowing but not stopping just yet. There's no collar or leash around its neck - a stray, or a rebellious pet that'd wriggled free - but the lack of identification doesn't stop her. She repeats herself, louder this time.]

I said stop.

[And this time the dog does in fact stop, though it stays some feet away, watching both Nami and Riza warily. First things first:]

How's Dottie doing?

[ it's easy enough for her, to trust Riza to handle the dog — she's seen her with her own canine companion often enough to know she has what it takes to handle this. instead, Nami focuses on Dottie, containing the bundle that tries to kick at her once or twice before settling down. ]

She's alright... I think she's calming down, now. [ hopefully it's that and not poor Dottie simply resigning to her fate as a jacket bundle... ]

Well — that went alright! One down!

[Poor Dottie....snatched so abruptly from her freedom and forced to endure jacket confinement and the menacing threat of overly large dogs. Hopefully this'll be all over for her soon.

Riza's own animal ward is also calming, growls shifting into whines finally shifting into silence as the dog stops dancing about and finally stills. It's rewarded with a quick scratch behind the ears before Riza turns to her list to scan through the names and descriptions.]

Two down, actually - it looks like this one's also part of the group that ran off.

[Two down and....well, too many to go. Will this ever end?]

How about we return these two to the shelter first before we head out looking for the rest?

[Before poor Nami overwhelms herself with bunnies.]

Oh!

[ that's definitely good news — two at once, maybe this won't take forever after all... or maybe it will. ]

Yes, that is a good idea... I don't think Dottie wants me to carry her around all evening like this! [ as evidenced by the way the bundle suddenly tries to kick at her. Nami sighs but manages a smile at Riza nonetheless. ]

Let's go! The quicker we take them back, the quicker we can find the rest of the escaped animals!

closed.

WIDOWMAKER - HOT ZONE FOR TEACHER

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oh my god how did ten days pass

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NAMI - THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY

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we can wrap here or you can add one more, whichever you like!

wraps uvu