[EVENT POST] I FEEL STUPID, AND CONTAGIOUS.

[dishearten]

CHARACTERS: Open to all!
DATE: 3/11-3/12, ICly
WARNINGS: Zombie attacks? Violence? Shopping???
SUMMARY: Lockdown at the mall! Grab your CDs and your soft pretzel, it's about to get bad.

LET'S GO TO THE MALL LOCKDOWN Business has been rough for Woodhurst Shopping Center ever since riots and unrest about the Bristol Virus have shunned most to their homes. Perhaps ill-advisedly, in attempts to draw a few more customers back into the polished halls of the grandest shopping experience Woodhurst has to offer, a weekend of big sales, great bargains, and fun family activities was widely advertised in the Woodhurst Watch. There was even a scheduled public concert, performed by the University Choir. The turnout was smaller than hoped, yet the air was quite optimistic. Shoppers enjoyed the day of activities and fun, and the sense of security was bolstered by the increased security detail. There was even some members of the press on hand to document this return to normality in a troubled time. Everything was going well, until a scene broke out in the food court. Security tried to quietly remove members of the choir that suddenly seemed to snap, plowing into one of the food stands and starting to feed on raw meat. However, a good handful of them escaped instant confinement, and while many of the visitors fled the mall as soon as they could, soon Police Detail arrived and put the entire building on lockdown. Nobody in and nobody out until the situation was resolved. 18:00 TO 23:00 HOURS Anyone unlucky enough to be trapped in the mall is left to their own devices, with very little knowledge to go on. This includes many civilians, as well as a small number of Audentes agents. This also includes a small number of infected, more than just the university choir. There's a voice over the loudspeaker imploring people to hide in stores, barricade doors, and stay put until help arrives. The majority of the infected seem to linger in the Food Court especially. Bad news for anyone trapped and starting to get hungry as the hours pass by, without any obvious assistance from the outside. The members of ALASTAIR have a choice, help protect or just do their best to avoid the infected themselves. Characters can get into the Security Office for a camera feed on what is happening in the mall, and potentially use it as a base of operations to work from. 00:00 TO 02:00 HOURS It becomes apparent that the number of infected in the mall are somehow increasing, despite the lockdown. It means that those that have squirreled away into stores and outlets are growing less and less safe as infected numbers multiply and they begin attacking barricades. To make matters worse, anyone that hasn't found cover will find the infected extremely reactive, and willing to give chase around the mall. The security feed indicates the infected seem to be coming in from the Parking Garage. Investigation will reveal a sewer outlet on the bottom floor. Characters will have to decide whether they should utilize the tunnel as a means of escape, or if sealing it off would ultimately leave the remaining hours of lockdown a little less violent. 04:00 TO 09:00 HOURS It's been an agonizing 12 hours, and with surprisingly little aide from the outside. With time to make preparations and put plans in place, now it's time to end this lockdown once and for all. Audentes is tasked with neutralizing the remaining infected as well as escorting any remaining civilians to safety, by any means they decide on. It is up to Audentes to decide how the end of this event plays out, be it removing or otherwise drawing away the lingering infected, or putting them down once and for all. There are plenty of civilians that have been bitten and attacked, leaving the question in the air as to whether they are infected as well. What should be done with those that could be bringing the virus back to their families? The team is going to have to decide on the answer to that.

Comments

graham cracker ➳ ota/in lockdown

[dishearten]

18:00 - 23:00

[dishearten]

FOODCOURT FRENZY. LOCKDOWN.

( considering the state of Woodhurst, they should have been expecting something to go wrong. it had almost been a flash of normality, people milling around the halls and enjoying the festivities — even the man without a heart had managed to notice the positive air in the atmosphere, and it had all collapsed so quickly.

he was in the foodcourt to pick up a snack for Emma before they left (she'd been oddly insistent on having a cinnabon and a pretzel, so he was waiting for one while she wandered off to collect the other) when madness breaks out. he can't tell exactly what the cause is but he is certainly present to see the mall security fall apart, and a group of individuals dressed smartly in black-and-white rush away from the scene, causing more damage as they go if they can at all manage it.

using the badge he's still wearing, he manages to collect a small crowd of civilians, and the panic is rising — they're locking the doors, why won't they let us out? — and while he has a few listening to him, he can't keep the crowd pacified without a solution forever. )

You— ( yes, you, he recognizes you as more than just a civilian lost in the mall. ) We've got to get these people somewhere safe. Any ideas?

WITH THE LIGHTS OUT, IT'S LESS DANGEROUS.

( with his civilians safely squirreled away, for now, he moves on to trying to find a few answers. it seems their report is true, the mall is locked from the inside, and he can't seem to find anyway to open the incredibly heavy security gates. the only way might be in the security office, which explains why it is his next objective.

he's armed with little, just a bat he lifted from a sporting goods store. so far the halls are achingly empty, but there's no telling what is behind every corner. he keeps his bat in hand, though luckily, the first person he comes across doesn't seem to be infected. he breathes out, not quite relieved, but his posture softens slightly. ) Are you all right? ( things have gotten bad, and fast.... it seems fair to ask. )

NETWORK OPTION. OTA.
TEXT. | UN: huntsman

( it's an hour or so after lockdown, and Graham has been rather busy until now. he still is, frankly, but he'll pause for a moment to let the team know the situation at hand. )

there's a situation at the shopping center. infected attack, a great number of us are locked inside. we need to figure out if there's another way out of this place, the numbers of infected are higher than I've seen since we arrived here.

if you're trapped in the mall and have any means to help me get into the security office, speak up. I think the cameras could help us. even if you can't, we'd be better off knowing how many of us are here in the lockdown.

focus on the civilians for now. there's so many of them, and a great deal injured. if you can help with that, or have an idea of the best place to send injured, please speak up.

( last, but not least... )

Emma, check in as soon as you can. ( PERSONAL SHOUT OUTS DON'T MEAN A DAMN THING. NOBODY CAN ASK. )

WILDCARD.

HIT IT! I'm game for anything.

text: un: swan

[sheriffing]

[ by the time Emma has gotten some of the injured civilians to a reasonably secure location inside the mall, she realizes it's been over an hour since she and Graham were separated. it's a relief to get a response from him on the network, yet she feels guilty for being the reason they were separated in the first place. ]

Graham, tell me you're okay.

[ first thing's first, then they need to get a look at the cameras. ]

I found first-aid kits in the sporting goods store on the second floor. I slid what I could under some doors around here to manage the injured, but they need more than that.

[ in theory, those roll-up doors are good at keeping the infected out, but that's not what's happening here. people who've been bitten are going into hiding, too.]

[dishearten]

I'm fine.

( this isn't his first run with frightened crowds and it isn't even his first brush with late stage infected. "fine" doesn't really promise a lot, yet he's clearly well enough to respond. )

are there any more first aid kits? I left a few wounded with not enough supplies to go around.

[sheriffing]

Try to stay that way.

[ or she will actually scold him whenever all of this is over. as if any of this chaos ever actually ends. ]

I can go back for more.

[dishearten]

I intend to, Emma. I promise.

where is it? I can meet you there.

( because believe or not, she's not the only one worried here. he'd like to know she's all right, with his own eyes, and not from a short message. )

LIGHTS OUT

[keeper]

[ With the security cameras still running, she doesn't risk summoning her Keyblade to test on any of the locks. But she keeps her spells on standby, an invisible thrum of magic through her fingertips and across the lacrosse stick she'd also hoisted from the same store. (Must have just missed Graham.)

Indeed, a short while passes before she stumbles across the similarly-armed recruit, and a mirroring, quiet huff of tension passes through her. ]

I'm fine, thank you. [ If he checks he'll notice no visible signs of injury on her, and she gives him a quick survey as well. (She can patch up any physical damage he might have incurred in the chaos at the Food Court.) ] ...And yourself?

[dishearten]

( he's got a bump by an eyebrow, but otherwise he doesn't seem much worse for the wear. it might be that he just isn't showing any signs of any injuries he might have — that tends to happen when you're heartless. he even stops to genuinely evaluate her question, because it's not so easy as simply feeling where he's sore. he has to think through everything that's happened and try to guess if he was damaged during. obviously, that's a bit more time consuming than simply feeling a pain. )

I think so. ( if he's not, well, he'll likely figure it out sooner or later. it's a bit rare to see civilians roaming the halls, so he has to assume the girl isn't one. that might be a leap of an assumption, but he'll tread carefully until he's sure. )

I'm looking for the security office. Have you seen any signs? There might be a way to get the barricades open if we can find it.

[keeper]

(( lmk if this is okay!! i have no idea how a mall actually functions asdlkfjdslkjf ))

[ She can sense his hesitation, and it's more than understandable given the circumstances. (How many ways can a weekend and mission be blasted to crazy and back... Plenty, it seems.) ]

My name is Aqua. I'm with the team.

[ She sounds like a Pokemon trainer with that introduction, but honestly it's the best she can come up with. Vague enough an eavesdropper can't construe much from her words, but hopefully he catches her 'drift'. (See, she's slowly learning her slang...!)

As for security... ]

...I saw an officer entering a door on the first floor, though I'm not sure where it leads. [ The basement...? A mystery?? Also that means they have to make it one level down. However, ] Both the escalators and elevators are out of service, I'm afraid.

[ They can take the back stairs, or try and Die Hard down the elevator shaft... ]

Looks good to me!!! 👌🏼

[dishearten]

( the team. vague, yes, though also clear enough for him to understand immediately. he nods, not answering with words but his expression was clear. Pokémon team, or Audentes team, either was good enough for him. it meant he could breathe a little easier, though even in the midst of madness there was only so open they could be.

it was easier to work with another member of ALASTAIR, however, that was undeniable.

he's no better knowledgeable about the location of the security room than she is. if she saw an officer heading that way, it's as good a clue as any. ) Stairs suit, though we could walk down the escalators too, depending on how crowded the area is. Back stairs might be emptier.

text; un: sai

[daimeinashi]

i can get you into the security room

[dishearten]

how exactly?

( ONLY WITH THIS TEAM DOES HE FEEL THE NEED TO ASK, because breaking the door down is not what he has in mind. )

[daimeinashi]

in a way that will not draw further attention after the fact, rest assured

[just takin' a wild stab at ur reason for asking here.....and normally he'd just give you a straight answer but he doesn't like to advertise the more specific tricks up his sleeve on the public network.]

Lights Out

[aspearation]

[ This isn't what Undyne expected when she came to work, but here she is, trapped in the mall. At least she's got Dogberry by her side, and as she comes to a juncture, she sees him stop and his ears perk up. The man who comes around the corner is fully armed and Undyne has to fight the urge to draw a spear in her own defense. She doesn't know who he even is yet, and she's trying her best to keep her cover.

She's given it away a few times, at least, but not in front of anyone who can't be said to be suffering from trauma anyway. Unfortunate, but for everyone's good. ]

Yeah. I'm fine. Where you headed? You shouldn't travel alone.

[dishearten]

( he probably shouldn't be wandering alone, yet Graham often was willing to take a risk when it came to his own health. he could seem a bit like a threat with the bat raised, but when Undyne draws nearer he does let it drop. and there's a flash of a badge at his hip, too, if being a member of the police department soothes any.

it has soothed at least a few civilians so far. he'll never be sure he deserves the trust, but he does what he can to make sure he doesn't abuse it. )

Trying to find the security office. ( his attention does land on Dogberry, a line in his brow that is the only hint of concern he can easily show to see an animal in the halls. he's glad that Brother and Sunny aren't here, he doesn't want to see what might happen if they were overwhelmed. he's tempted to offer some sort of reassurance to the dog, yet that'd be awfully strange to a civilian. he can't quite tell if he's dealing with one. )

[aspearation]

[ Dogberry is a good dog, and a tough one at that. He was on a special dog mission before coming to Woodhurst. He gives a tentative sniff then goes back to panting, still alert but not at all bothered by this newcomer. That's enough for Undyne to give him a pass. ]

Well, you found the right mo-- uh, person for the job.

[ She's lost her fake-badge, but tugs at her sleeve to show off the patch from the security company contracted by the mall. ]

We're gonna have to get the keys back first though.

text; un: hemlock

[unholey]

What sort of locks are we talking about? Are you looking for a key, or are they electronic? With regards to the security office.

If all of these shops are complying with safety laws (note: they probably aren't) first aid kits should be found somewhere in each of them.

[dishearten]

it looks like a keycard of sorts. like you'd see at a hotel room.

I don't know much about them, can we break into something like that?

[unholey]

Wow. That's kind of depressing. No, given the time period, that's really depressing.

Yeah that's no big deal. Where are you? Are you already there?

text; un: harmonia

[digiorno]

I can help get into the security office*. I imagine I can do it faster than a lot of people can, unless there are very arcane security measures in place.

*By breaking the door down, which takes about 30 seconds for me.

[dishearten]

breaking it down would be a last resort if we can help it.

if there's no way to lift the gates inside we could still use the room as a defensive point. it has only one entrance and the door is reinforced. we could keep the worst injured there if it remains secure.

[digiorno]

True.

I'm good with locks, but I know someone who's better.

text; un: OHNO

[nextlineis]

i can't help with the door, but i can help finding some place safe for the injured

any idea where most of the infected are hanging about?

[dishearten]

food court, at least for now. likely the hunger pushing them there.

if they manage to deplete those sources, though, I suspect they'll move on. we'll need to have our plans together by then.

[nextlineis]

so we should think about getting people as far away from the food court as possible

i don't think a department store would be the best choice

[Too much ground to cover and have to keep secure. One of the smaller shops could work though.]