Plotlogs
The Witch The Liger And The Big Top Sr Selina 240703
In the verdant wilds of Zambia, a covert team from Haven ventured toward a secretive scientific compound under the guise of darkness. Their mission: to uncover the twisted experiments hidden within. The compound, protected by a fence and guarded by a supernaturally swift man, seemed ordinary yet was brimming with unspeakable secrets, hinted at by the unnatural menagerie it concealed.
The team, comprising Trevor, Calista, Freya, and Dean, initially sought to infiltrate the compound discreetly. Still, their plan quickly unraveled as they encountered the compound's formidable defenses. Their presence triggered the release of grotesque, chimeric creatures—a testament to the horrific experiments taking place within. Among these monstrosities was an immense man with an elephant's head, capable of tossing a truck with ease, a chilling display of the compound's sinister capabilities.
As the team grappled with the decision to advance or retreat, they found themselves in a dire standoff. Freya, demonstrating remarkable agility and resolve, attempted to distract and disable the compound's defenses, while Trevor provided overwatch, his rifle barking in the night. Calista, armed with a tranquilizer pistol, and Dean, with his brawn and supernatural abilities, rounded out the team's desperate resistance.
The elephant-man, a symbol of the compound's perverse science, pursued them relentlessly. The situation reached a crescendo as Calista's tranquilizer dart finally found its mark, felling the beast and granting the team a moment's reprieve. Yet, even as the elephant-man lay defeated, the compound's alarm continued to blare—a harbinger of further dangers lurking within.
Confronted with the overwhelming odds and the realization of their inadequate preparation, the team made the harrowing decision to retreat. Their escape was not just from the immediate threat but also from the ethical quandary posed by the experiments they uncovered. The chimera's escape into the wild marked a haunting conclusion to their mission, leaving the team to ponder the ramifications of what they had witnessed.
As they retreated into the night, the team's resolve was tested but unbroken. They carried with them not just the scars of battle but a renewed determination to confront the darkness they had glimpsed within the compound's walls. The mission was a sobering reminder of the price of ignorance and the indispensable value of preparedness in the face of unspeakable evils.
And so, the team returned to Haven, battered but undeterred, their failed infiltration serving as a grim prelude to a larger battle that loomed on the horizon. The fight against the compound's horrors was far from over, but for now, survival was victory enough. The wilderness reclaimed its silence, but the echoes of the night's terror lingered, a somber testament to the indomitable spirit of those who dared to challenge the shadows.
(The Witch, the Liger, and the Big Top(SRSelina):SRSelina)
[Tue Jul 2 2024]
On a Scientific Experimentation Compound in Zambia
The compound in Zambia, nestled amid verdant landscapes, stands discreetly with its unassuming appearance. Encircled by a modest chain-link fence topped with barbed wire, the perimeter is marked by a sturdy metal gate. This entrance, manned by a lone guard, opens to a gravel path that winds its way to the main building.
The structure itself is a single-story, rectangular edifice made of beige concrete. Large, reflective windows line the walls, providing ample natural light while maintaining privacy for the activities within. The roof, a simple flat design, supports several solar panels, a testament to the compound's commitment to sustainable energy.
A satellite dish and a couple of radio antennas protrude from the roof, indicating the presence of advanced communication systems. In the corner of the compound, a weather station stands, its instruments silently monitoring the atmospheric conditions.
The entire compound is surrounded by tall trees, providing both shade and a natural barrier from prying eyes. Despite its ordinary facade, the place hums with activity, hinting at the cutting-edge scientific experiments taking place inside.
It is afternoon, about 70F(21C) degrees,
[OOC: Welcome to The Dragon's Heart Ruby. I will be your Storyrunner for the evening, and I just want to make a special mention that I love seeing when people use Think, Recall, Feel, Internal, and Attempt to try to do things (please do NOT worry about spamming me, I can scroll). I will try to go slow enough to allow each person to do one decent post per 'round.' If you slide into some Banter, I may stay quiet for a bit, if it is appropriate. If you see a message in all this color, that is a private message, directly to you, which you may act upon, and others may not know any information from it. If you're ready, let us begin...]
Once the team arrives a short distance from the compound, Michelo Chulo steps out of some shadows to address the team. "Welcome to Zambia. You're here for that, right?" he asks, gesturing to the scientific compound down the road a ways. "I cannot tell you much, none of my agents have managed to get in, as we did not want to alert them. It is also nightmare shielded, so," he trails off as if that explains everything without him needing to state it. "Any questions that I might be able to answer before you get to it?" he asks the group, prepared to slip back into the shadows and let everyone get to it.
[Also, apologies, I forgot to edit the name for the plot. This is actually: The Witch, the Liger, and the Big Top...]
Trevor watches the man, from behind his sunglasses, Michelo step out from the shadows. He shifts his posture, relaxing at the brief introduction, resting his hands atop the rifle slung to his front. "Yeah," Trevor replies, nodding at the rest of the gathered Havenites, as if for confirmation from the rest.
"Is there anything YOU can tell us, that you think we'd need to know? Any useful information any of your agents have gathered?"
"Obvious exits? Entrances? Who do they admit? Is it badge only? Biosecurity?" Calista chimes in, standing close to Trevor and looking more the part of a tourist.
Freya lags behind the rest of the group looking rather jetlagged and sleepy. Her heavily eyelashed teal eyes are heavy lidded and she shows her jetlag by yawning, showing off perfectly white teeth with rather large cuspids. In one hand, she carries a rather heavy looking, rather large backpack but she doesn't seem to be affected by the weight of it. Seeing that Trevor and Calista is handling the questioning, she siddles closer to someone so that she can achieve of a bit of skin contact, even if it's just a hand. "How much firepower and what's their usual fighting style?" She finally tosses out to add to the pile of questions after another yawn.
Freya lags behind the rest of the group looking rather jetlagged and sleepy. Her heavily eyelashed teal eyes are heavy lidded and she shows her jetlag by yawning, showing off perfectly white teeth with rather large cuspids. In one hand, she carries a rather heavy looking, rather large backpack but she doesn't seem to be affected by the weight of it. Seeing that Trevor and Calista is handling the questioning, she siddles closer to Dean so that she can achieve of a bit of skin contact, even if it's just a hand. "How much firepower and what's their usual fighting style?" She finally tosses out to add to the pile of questions after another yawn.
Having arrived with Freya, Dean opts to remain relatively quiet, for now. He's beside her, watching through that impassive mask of a reflective visor that shows the image of the facility beyond the short scope of a distance that they've stopped. Without any expression to go with his regular posture, Dean appears all the more ferocious and aggressive with the way he carries himself like he's about to lunge ahead at any given moment. For now, he is contained, and he doesn't move where he is, merely opts to get rid of his gloves first, tugs them off of his hands and stows them away in the bag at his side. Followed shortly after by his helmet, with a knuckle under it, thumb hooked to help pull it off. A slight shake of his head leaves his hair in disarray. The motorcycle helmet is hung upon the side of his satchel too, at a buckle made specifically for it. Thereafter, he simply stares ahead from behind Freya, allowing her to hold his hand, but his attention is split, in inspection of their target from afar, past the man that brought them here.
"Not a lot. Mysterious rumors, a bunch of animals taken in down the road, food transport trucks suggesting personnel stay on sight, which suggests lower levels," Michelo tells Trevor first before nodding to Calista. "Usually only their trucks get in that we have seen. Main personnel door there, with a loading dock," he says while motioning toward the front of the compound. "We could not say how many are in there, but none of the animals come out. Occasionally, there's a personnel exchange, but it seems to be a monthly thing that is not going to occur any time soon," Michelo concludes for his answers to the questions. He waits patiently in case there are more questions, but he seems ready to head off and leave the enterprising crew to handle the compound without much further adieu.
Down the way, a truck is arriving at the gate. There is a brief exchange between the driver and the security guard at the gate. The gate opens, the truck drives in and then backs up to the loading dock to start unloading something.
"If we knew how often those trucks came... taking out the gate security could put everyone on alert if it's a busy through way and it's discovered fast... but if they're few and far between..." Calista is just musing out loud now because, well, breaking into high security compounds isn't her bread and butter.
Trevor grunts out a reply towards Michelo, his questions answered, and it would seem he has no more for the man.
Trevor drops to a knee, watching the truck pull up to the location. Then, some thought runs through his brain, and he shoulders his rifle - removing his sunglasses, and closing his left eye to look through the scope towards the truck, hoping with all hope that he can manage to make out what his normal eyes can't see.
Blue eyes the colour of glaciers stare towards the complex, trying to see if they can discern anything else happening. "Are there anymore trucks that are supposed to arrive today?" She asks softly before turning to look at her companions, "I guess I'm just wondering if we use force or subterfuge... That's alot of guards and security. If there's any transportation trucks transporting animals we could highjack them..." Her calm voice is soft and holds a strong Australian accent. There is a curious look given to Trevor as he takes out his rifle scope to look through it and Freya flashes Calista a warm reassuring smile. "Or you could look all innocent and pretend you found an animal wondering in the woods...." She tells the other woman. "You have a good day? Sorry I slept all the way here... The jet lag is unreal." There's another yawn and a stretch upwards, that pops a few vertebrae and muscles and takes Dean's hand up along for the ride before she drops her hands again.
Calista nods to Freya. "That's what I was trying to determine as well," she says with some quiet appreciation. "I think subterfuge is best of course, but, if I take out the guard with a dart and there's a truck five minutes later, we're screwed," she muses some more.
Breaking into high security compounds may be Dean's thing, and while he opts to keep his silence, offers no questions, really, to the man that brought them here, those green eyes flit over at Trevor, then at Calista and his fingers squeeze tightly on the hand of her that she's slipped into his. When his attention is forward-facing once more, it narrows upon the truck that pulls through, and he breaks his silence with a modulated tone. "That's two, isn't it?" He mirrors Freya's question in a half-affirmative tone, "The trucks seem pretty common." Something brews there, and he proposes the notion with a sideway look cast at the forest, cutting through to the road that the trucks would presumably come through. "We could hike back some and commandeer one, yes but if they want identification.." His hand is taken for a high ride with Freya's stretching, "That could work," He agrees to the other suggestion. "You two could find... a pair of hurt animals to take inside, and we'll create a distraction when we're inside." Or at least, he will?
"I... had thought about the truck thing too," Calista begins hesitantly. "But the identification part is what I really wanted to know. Our contact was no help there." She sighs in frustration before adding, "But it does sound like our better bet with the most cover story. Though it involves putting you two at some considerable risk being treated like captors."
Lowering the rifle a moment, Trevor speaks from the corner of his mouth, his attention remaining on what exactly is in front of him. "Look at the trees," he says, "If we tranq one of the guards, we can just drag him out here, and hide him in the brush. That doesn't really seem like an issue," he nods then, a little, "But there was a small exchange there, so, either they know each other, or, some sort of identification process."
Calista says "I was hoping to pass as unnoticed as possible but... I'm not so sure we can."
Freya runs her fingers through her hair, "Is it just the one guard you see?" Freya asks Trevor as the man continues to peer through his scope, "I could distract him while the 3 of you enter... And then you could distract him from inside while Dean or I sneak in after? I think Dean is a bit better to sneaking...." She purses her lower lip slightly and gnaws it with her teeth. "No doubt they have CCTV though and security guards monitoring...." Her head shifts this way and that as she thinks.
"I wouldn't worry about putting us at risk." Dean comments dryly, looks down at Freya from behind her one more time, then as Trevor said, looks over at the trees. His eyes narrow in their luster, reflective of the far-off lights of the compound from afar to pierce the veil of darkness easily as if its daytime. "We're overthinking." His jaw shifts in a manner that only tells his teeth aren't a correct fit for his mouth, more evident when he speaks, elongated, lethal canids, yet with a tone still modulated towards others. "We commandeer a truck, you put me in the back as your captive animal - He drives," Dean nods over at Trevor, "You two distract," Another upnod, this time towards the girls. "We just trance the guard until we pass through, we should have at least one person apt enough at hypnotism, no? And when inside, all of you can pretend you're necessary to restrain me all the way to wherever they want to take me."
"Oh I almost forgot. It was nice to meet you yesterday Trevor. I didn't peg you as Calista's boyfriend I'm afraid. But it's good to see she has a strong man looking after her." Freya lifts her teal eyes to Calista and then turns back to Dean at his plan. "That's not a terrible idea.." She murmurs, "I'd have to be the driver I guess... So I can do the trancing..."
Calista defers to Dean with a small nod of her head. "You're right, I'm only used go working within the scope of human capabilities," she allows and looks back to Trevor. "You good with this plan?"
Trevor finally lowers the rifle, standing, "Yeah, I just see the one," he replies back to Freya, answering that question. Glancing over to Calista, Trevor then nods, "Sure," he mentions towards Dean. "Seems fine enough to me, she can drive. That's fine," a thumb is sent Freya's way. "If she can.. you know, trance or whatever."
Then he blinks, "Did anyone bring bolt cutters? We could just fucking cut the fence?" It's a suggestion, offered up, in case someone had a tool or some ability of some sort that would work on that. But, then, he waves a hand in the way at Calista's question, and nods. "Seems fine enough to me."
Then before there's any other movement, before they get into the possible thick of things, "Likewise, Miss," he says to Freya, "Nice to meet you as well." And then Trevor sidles up next to Calista, bumping her with a shoulder.
Calista smiles at Trevor warmly, putting a hand gently to his bicep in a momentary anchoring. "Freya and Dean," she adds sheepishly as a more formal introduction wasn't made while she gestures to the pair for Trevor's sake. "And Freya and Dean, this is Trevor. Shall we go truck hunting?" A little grin is offered then with an adventurous glint to her eye.
"I think you have it from here," Michelo says to the group before he steps behind a tree and disappears. The driver gets out of the truck and goes to the personnel door to swipe a card and get in the door. He disappears into the building, and the loading door can be heard opening. Without any information about the schedules, as obviously Chulo does not have and/or did not provide, this may be the best opportunity for the team to make it in. Obviously they would need to move out and manage to get past the gate. That puts the four up against one guard to get the gate open, then they have to get in through the loading dock door.
The distance is not that far, most of the team could get there within a few minutes. But odds are, it will alert any other security in the building. But the more time they spend out here, they more time they may be missing out on this opportunity. Though they could also wait for the truck to leave and take out the guard quickly to avoid him alerting others. Of course, there are some camears on the building, so it is unlikely they will make it to the building undetected. Or, if someone has bolt cutters, they can try to find a way to get in without that. But odds are, the people inside will learn of their involvement as soon as they get to the fence.
"Again there might be CCTV and even if we sneak past the door, there might be internal monitoring. It would be better if we make people think we're supposed to be there." Her head turns towards Dean and she gives his hand a gentle squeeze as she tilts her head, "Lets backtrack and find a truck. One of us could lie by the road pretending we're injured and maybe have escaped from the facility so that they would stop and take a look? While the rest of us take them out?" She turns fully towards Dean and then moves in towards the man, rubbing her cheek against his chest for just a moment before pulling back, "You wanna do the taking out or pretending to be injured?" Freya asks the raven haired man infront of her.
"Better this way, last place to look for an intruder is among the staff, if we pretend to be them." Dean tells Trevor, mirrors what Freya has said, and while they smooth out the kinks, his attention is cast out. Freya's hand is lifted to his lips while she rubs into him, the back of it kissed, and he's breaking away. "I'll help beat up the truck - you save your strength, need you to get in the guard's head." His shoulders tense first, then he rolls one, pops and cracks tired joints. He doesn't linger at all for the introduction, he's storming off and away towards the woods to cut through. It doesn't look like he intends to play the sick puppy on the road, more like he intends to put one to a screeching halt some fair distance at an opportune cut-off away from direct line of sight from the gates -- by standing directly on the road when he gets there. He does make one last comment, though, towards Trevor and Calista. "I'm going to stop the truck, I hope you're a good shot with a rifle, before they start yelling."
As Dean and Freya discuss who does the pretending, or the injuring, Trevor slings his ruck off his back, then begins to rummage around inside of it, pulling out a cylindrical shaped object. He brings it to the front of the rifle, where he begins to tighten onto the barrel. It would like to be a suppressor of some sort.
With the suppressor firmly and properly attached, Trevor lets out a grunt as Dean stalks away. So, Trevor drops to his stomach, a proned stance to follow Dean with the scope, making sure there's cover for him, in case things go awry.
reaches out to grab Dean's arm as he makes to walk away. "No let me do that." She assures him, "People are more likely to stop for women. And they'll be more off guard because I'm a weak woman." There is a feral smile that bares her fangs. "I just need someone to carry my backpack with my armour until afterwards." The backpack is dropped to the middle of the floor and Freya turns to stalk towards the road instead.
Freya reaches out to grab Dean's arm as he makes to walk away. "No let me do that." She assures him, "People are more likely to stop for women. And they'll be more off guard because I'm a weak woman." There is a feral smile that bares her fangs. "I just need someone to carry my backpack with my armour until afterwards." The backpack is dropped to the middle of the floor and Freya turns to stalk towards the road instead.
Freya oopes as it accidentally went to stash apparently? How do we fix that? (ooc)
Nevermind you can access stash here apparently Freya didn't realize (ooc)
Dean did not like that - it is obvious in the fold of his expression, the smallest of frowns and knit brows. But, Freya is given the option to lead ahead anyway. He follows still, close by at her heels just into the edge of the forest to the road where he can take a vantage point behind a tree, crouch into the shadows in silent wait to let her attempt to stop the car by her means. Green eyes, in their kept glow piercing the dark, persistently follow every action of her while Trevor sets her rifle to the ground in preparation.
Dean did not like that - it is obvious in the fold of his expression, the smallest of frowns and knit brows. But, Freya is given the option to lead ahead anyway. He follows still, close by at her heels just into the edge of the forest to the road where he can take a vantage point behind a tree, crouch into the shadows in silent wait to let her attempt to stop the car by her means. Green eyes, in their kept glow piercing the dark, persistently follow every action of her while Trevor sets his* rifle to the ground in preparation as well.
"I'll take the backpack," Calista says easily enough, the only one without a job apparently. She reaches out to take it and stays out of Trevor's way.
Freya flashes Dean a greatful smile as he lets her lead. Already her hands are busy, tussling up her hair, tugging at the laces of her corset to make it look more askew. The leather looks painted on already but she tugs her neckline lower, flashing more of the top of her breasts and while dean stops by the edge of the road, she doesn't. She walks onto the middle of the road and starts to hug herself as she walks, in her heels, slowly down the center of the incoming road, her shoulders hunched, her hair falling over her face as she tries to give the appearance of a lone, vulnerable woman abandoned on the road.
Trevor scans the road with the rifle scope, checking Freya's left, and right, just keeping overwatch for the moment.
For a fair bit of time, nothing happens on the road, despite Freya's tussled and appealing show to try to get the attention of a driver. Over an hour could go by before anything else happens in the compound, and no trucks seem to be coming down the road. The one in the compound is being emptied of whatever is in it, and does not seem to be leaving any time soon.
While it might work in movies that people only need to stand by a road to hitch hike for like 10 minutes, in real life, it is rarely actually a thing. In fact, many people outright would never pick up a hitchhiker at all, and in the real world, people have so little kindness left to give with such prosperity of evil and corruption.
So as that plan starts falling apart, how would everyone like to proceed?
Freya only gives 15 minutes before not finding anything on the road to bite. She shakes her head as she returns to the others, "Alright. New plan. I'm going to go down and distract the guard. Then trance him. You guys sneak in, see if you can find some uniforms."
Trevor grunts at the lack of truck, staying in that prone position to scan the compound. "Still looks to be about the one guard out front," Trevor says, his voice low. "I can cover from here? In case something happens?"
Freya nods at Trevor and glances over at Dean, "I'll be fine okay? Don't worry. Women's wiles and everything. You'll have roughly 5 minutes to get in once I trance the guard." She looks around to make sure everyone is onboard with the new plan.
affords only a slight, slow shake of his head. "So much for subtle." If only they had a fae - maybe their luck would've been better, but alas. While Trevor is set to cover, and Freya tells the rest of their new plans, he doesn't return to the group immediately. Remains on the fringes, pacing, thinking - and failing. someone gets a distracted nod her way, but Dean otherwise leaves the decision to others. "It seems like they're going to know we're there either way, unless we turn invisible. I say we storm in. What's the worst that could happen?" Stupider words probably have never been said around these parts.
affords only a slight, slow shake of his head. "So much for subtle." If only they had a fae - maybe their luck would've been better, but alas. While Trevor is set to cover, and Freya tells the rest of their new plans, he doesn't return to the group immediately. Remains on the fringes, pacing, thinking - and failing. Freya gets a distracted nod her way, but Dean otherwise leaves the decision to others. "It seems like they're going to know we're there either way, unless we turn invisible. I say we storm in. What's the worst that could happen?" Stupider words probably have never been said around these parts.
"Okay, no," Calista finally cuts in with an opinion on this one. "We need to use the loading bay as a way in. Doors are as literally open as they're going to be for us right now." She gestures to Freya. "We need to get past the guard but leave him standing, and us with some kind of legitimate reason to be in. Maybe he can give it to us through some... persuasion?" Eyebrows are lifted at Freya.
Calista says "I would love to be able to walk in like we belong, so that we're not screwed before we even get in those walls."
Calista says "Just tell those unloading that we were sent to hurry things along, I don't know. Anything. But let's catch it before they're done. Freya, you sure you want to approach alone?"
Trevor grunts a reply out at both Freya and Dean, and rolls onto his side - slightly to watch Calista speak. "That's probably the smartest play, I don't think storming a compound is going to help. We have no idea what's inside. How many guards." He lifts a hand, gesturing, "Just because there's ONE guard out there that we can see, doesn't mean the rest aren't hiding somewhere?" That hand moves around, gesturing to the woods. "For all we know, there's a fucking Q-R-F, waiting in the woods behind us."
"If anything happens, we'll be pretty far before we can get to her. Let's all go together, I'll play along with whatever you decide on this." Dean relays to Calista, then, with a short, almost begrudging low growl of acceptance, agrees with Trevor on the possibly incredible amount of guards. "We've spent a lot of time here, so let's go before they pull that truck out of there and the gates are shut." Should such a decision be made, Dean would, no doubt, follow close on the heels of everyone to enact.
Calista nods to Trevor while remaining thoughtful. "So, purposeful... non guilty movements for as much as we can manage, yeah?" She hikes the backpack on her shoulders up higher. "I've got some non lethal, quiet options if we need."
Dean already carries himself guilt-free.
Freya nods slightly, "Alright we'll... I'll try." She casts another skeptical look at everyone's clothing and reaches out to relieve Calista of her own backpack, slinging it over her shoulder. "Armor up I guess. And then follow me. Look like you've been running a long time." She quickly pulls out her own armour from her backpack, shoving it over her head. The leather armour is stained with blood and she purses her lips as she looks down at it for a moment before shaking her head. Her own rifle is thrown over her shoulder and she hefts the backpack in a quick motion. "Okay ready? Lets run." She starts out of the treeline at a human pace, making sure Calista and Trevor can keep up while adding on some extra panting. "Hey!" She calls out to the guard as they start they way down, "Help! There's a creature out in the woods!"
Trevor lets out a grunt, and begins to run, keeping pace behind Calista - almost as if he's sort of herding her.
Calista gets herded like the 'baad' little infiltrator she's turning out to be, and runs along following Freya's lead - though without the rifle, but decidedly better footwear for the occasion.
Dean doesn't seem to have armor *or* weaponry of any note or value, but he's there for the ride, tagging along with the rest of them to their possible demise. His pace is kept in check just the same to stick close to the group, as opposed to storming up ahead and through.
There is plenty of time for the team to take a stroll around the woods of Zambia, but the compound is alone in the middle of nowhere. The wind blows through those many trees creating a gentle rustling noise. Then Freya goes walking up to the guard shack as the others follow. The guard does not immediately notice them, but when Freya calls out, he waves and talks into his radio. He does not come out of the guard shack, and he dies not seem inclined to help with any creatures. He is tall, muscular, black, and dressed in jungle camouflage. He gets out his rifle and aims it at Freya. "Stop right there, you are not authorized to be in this territory. This is a restricted area. You are tresspassing," he calls out toward the group coming up on him.
[OOC: This may also be a good point for a 10 minute break for everyone if they need it. Be back at 2010!]
Trevor as the gun is leveled at the group, and Freya in particular, Trevor steps forward a little, reaching down to tap Calista on the wrist.
Freya tries to catch the eye of the guard before he can even go for his radio as soon as he glances at them. She had waited until they were close enough before calling out anyways. She attempts to put him into a trance and then adds on her instructions. "We are hunters running from something that might have escaped from your facility. Invite us in for our protection and then go investigate the woods to check if it is one of the facilities creatures. Think of the fame you would get if you managed to get the creature back yourself. You'd actually be able to date that other guard you liked."
The guard laughs and opens fire, shooting toward the group as a whole. He presses a button on the inside after the burst fire to try to get everyone to duck. The gate opens slightly, stops, and he slips inside, hitting a remote to close the gate. Once inside the fence, he makes a supernatural sprint toward the personnel door, crossing the distance in a second before slapping his access card against the door. "They're here! They're here!" he calls madly into the door when it clicks open and he pulls it further ajar. He disappears into the building and the door shuts behind him.
For those keeping track, that is at least one supernatural guard that is now in the building which is now also likely on high alert.
And then the delivery truck is forcefully pushed somehow from behind hard enough to send it skidding forward through the fence, despite the wheels not turning in the process. Standing in the loading bay door is the first real obstacle to getting into the building: a seven foot tall, massively muscular man with an ... elephant head? Yes, an elephant head. Complete with large ears, tusks, and apparently enough strength to shove the delivery truck thirty yards and still have the momentum to crash through the fence! [Elephant man has higher reflexes than everyone else, but everyone else is even, so you all act at the same initiative.]
"Fuck me dead." Freya mutters as she skids on the soil and shifts to the side, trying to dodge the scattered gunfire. Hopefully given the guard's busy distracted by trying to press buttons and such the gunfire isn't to accurate. Her teal eyes track to the truck as it's pushed from behind and an eyebrow lifts at the obscene elephant headed man. There's still a closed gate between them and the elephant and the guard shack makes for perfect cover so she ducks behind the walls of it and pulls her rifle from her shoulder. Ducking around the shack she takes a ranged shot at elephant man.
Unlike Freya, who works on a purpose, and unlike Trevor, who's busy with Calista. Dean doesn't seem like he has anything to do or impart here. He remains that stern force of power close on Freya's heels, chasing at her back - with sights trained on the guard and a readiness to lunge in her place should that bullet is fired at all. And it is - Dean ducks low to avoid the gunfire, but doesn't do anything else, given that the bullets, warning shots really, didn't crack through someone's skull, yet. The spectacle of the vehicle being shown out of the gates draws his attention, enough that for him to veer off the path, and start charging for cover with Freya instead, while the gate between them and the broken fence remains for now. "They said 'infiltrate' right? Did we get the mission details wrong?" He seems slightly disbelieving, if not baffled. "This isn't a stealth mission, this is a damn assault."
Trevor isn't nearly as graceful as skidding. No. Trevor just DROPS, like a rock, tugging Calista along with him to hit the dirt as the gunfire rings out. Once that all seems done, he lifts his head a moment, trying to see what the new threat is.
"Oh fuck me," he mutters. Really? An ELEPHANT?" He groans, well, there's no more point in being quiet, so, that suppressor that was attached? Yeah. That's coming off, Trevor unscrews it, sliding it into a pocket of his vest. "I don't know if-" he stops himself then, cutting off to level his rifle at the STRONG ELEPHANT man. (Fix)"
Trevor isn't nearly as graceful as skidding. No. Trevor just DROPS, like a rock, tugging Calista along with him to hit the dirt as the gunfire rings out. Once that all seems done, he lifts his head a moment, trying to see what the new threat is.
"Oh fuck me," he mutters. Really? An ELEPHANT? He groans, well, there's no more point in being quiet, so, that suppressor that was attached? Yeah. That's coming off, Trevor unscrews it, sliding it into a pocket of his vest. "I don't know if-" he stops himself then, cutting off to level his rifle at the STRONG ELEPHANT man. (Double fix)
Okay, so, the man yelled "They're here!" like they were expected or something. Calista is already poised to drop to the ground when that rifle gets pointed at them and Trevor's tap at her wrist turns into a tug.
The shots go wide, as it seems was intended and then the truck comes flying through the fence. Calista is still on the ground while Freya and Dean take cover behind the shack. She takes a look at Trevor and ticks her head. "Let's not be any more the open target than we need to be." Keeping low, she makes her way to where the pair are taking cover and starts yanking anything that might help her out of her pack. But whatever that is, it's not for going up against elephant men who could use her as a personal toothpick. She commiserates with Dean then. "It certainly seems that way," she mutters through clenched teeth.
Trevor follows behind Calista, heeding her advice to take cover next to the others.
Freya ducks back behind the shack wether or not her shot fires true. She throws her backpack out somewhere safe - it is unlikley she's going to be using the remaining thing in her backpack today it seems and checks her rifle, reloading it. "Not only expected but prepared for apparently..." She grumbles under her breath as she tries duck down low and peek at the elephant again.
Freya was not wearing her helmet this whole time
Shots get fired toward the elephant man, but he is on the mood around the time when they are dispensed in his direction. He lets out a trumpeted battle cry with his trunk and charges toward the opening in the fence to try to get around it and get toward the team, likely in an attempt to trample them, skewer them, or just pummel them. As he gets close to the truck, he grabs a tire and throws it in a way as to shatter it through the guard shack at around chest height. Thankfully, people near it were ducked down a bit.
Somewhere in the compound, an alarm starts sounding. There will probably be some additional forces, either outside, or once they get inside, there will be more opponents to fight along the way. Also, if elephant man's any indication, there are definitely some unethical experiments happening in this compound that the team may need to check out soon.
"You know what?" Calista yells as the tire comes crashing through and she hits the ground. "We've got all the fucking intel I think we can get today!" She's mad. Obviously. Because she's cursing - for those that know her well enough. "We do NOT have the upper hand here." She gives a furtive look to Trevor then, trying to gauge his feelings on their chances right now.
As the top of the gurd shack explodes into splinters, Dean gives all the others that have taken shelter behind it. His eyes track over at the tire that flew through, and back. "Well," He leans aside, glances aat the raging elephant. "I don't think we were going to infiltrate anything." Deadpan as ever, in agreement to Calista. "A bunch of.. Zambians.. weren't going to think our pasty asses are actually one of them." In their relative, fleeting safety, Dean pans back to others, ducks back in and brushes off some shack detritus from his shoulder. "It probably isn't that fast, and its big. I'm open to retreating back in the forest and pathing the fuck out of here."
Freya ducks some more as the tire shatters the window of the guard shack, growling low in her throat as she glares incrediously at the elephant man. "This contact grossly misled us about the mission. We're going to need more man power if we're going to fight all those soldiers unless they're pansies. Fuck that shit." She nods towards Calista and Dean's assessments, "That might be for the best if we can't do shit." Then she's grabbing her backpack and slinging it onto her back.
Trevor glances to the gate, watching the elephant man get closer in his angry attempt at skewering, trampling, and pummeling of the Havenites. "Yeah, I'm fucking with you," he shifts then, dropping to a knee to let out a burst at the man in an attempt to slow it down. "Let's get the fuck outta dodge."
Trevor turns then, to Freya, who's got a gun. "You know how to bound? Or are we just straight bolting?"
Freya says "Bound? "
Freya blinks confusedly at Trevor, seeming not familiar with the word.
Trevor grunts, "It's a military tactic," he hurriedly explains, "No time to teach, let's just move."
"I can princess carry you and run faster than you can while you shoot over my suggestion?" Freya suggests, trying to be helpful.
"I can princess carry you and run faster than you can while you shoot over my shoulder*?" Freya suggests, trying to be helpful.
Calista looks distressed, her eyes on the distance where they need to go, but then a quick look back at the elephant man with a very good arm and perhaps others with ranged weapons. She's poised to move whenever the group decides - apparently she's not keen on shooting off like a singular pheasant ripe for the hunting.
Trevor lets out a soft exhale. "You have a gun," he states as if that makes perfect sense in reply to being princess carried. "We really don't have time to discuss this," the man urges. "We need to LEAVE."
The hopes that the elephant man is slow are dashed as he crosses from the truck to the guard shack to start whaling with fists against Freya and Dean to try to knock them down and batter them a bit, but he misses Freya when she ducks for her bag. Soon though, he is swinging and kicking at them again.
Some of the chaos probably keeps everyone's attention off the loading dock door. And that's where a stamped starts. Only, none of the animals involved are ... normal. Notable examples include a literal chimera, blends of cats and dogs, one strange shark with legs (possibly the scariest thing ever), an alligator with a human leg-thickness scorpion tail, and a giraffe covered in porcupine spikes.
Freya growls as the elephant man gets close and would certainly retreat as he makes his way forward. Her nose twitches at the exotic smell of all those strange beings start stampeding down the driveway. She doesn't bother shifting as the elephant is swinging at Dean, she just grabs Calista, tosses her over her shoulder and RUNS for it towards the forest.
Trevor and Calista are both probably the slowest, and, Calista got a massively large headstart. So, Trevor BOLTS after them. Dean can handle himself, right? He seems like someone who's got something up his sleeve. Sorry Dean
Trevor isn't as fast, no, but he sure is putting in the effort.
Calista looked pretty torn between booking it from the elephant man and the stampeded and staying to potentially taze his ass, like a mad fool, but she gets thrown like a frilly sack of potatoes onto Freya's shoulder and VOILA the choice is made for her by her dear friend. She does however, scream "TREVOR!" As they (hopefully) make distance - as if Trevor needed any reminding that he's in deep shit and she's concerned about it.
While they converse, Dean is attentive, silent. The elephant man charging towards them alerts his already awaiting senses before the behemoth is even upon them, and Dean urges Freya to move with a nudge of his hand on her shoulder. While the rest of the guard shack is destroyed, Dean is propelling forward in an attempt to catch onto Trevor who's already fleeing, drag him along in faster pace practically down the way they came towards the forest. Just as Freya, he'd easily pick the scents and sounds - it is night, they are nocturnal, and certainly more beasts than proper human. They are nonetheless very mortal, and they aren't going to sit there and play hero or warrior to get someone a diseased, oversized cat.
As soon as they make it into the treeline, Freya hurriedly switches Calista from her shoulder to a princess carry. Not to be romantic or anything but so the other woman has line of sight over her own shoulder. "Do you know how to shoot?" She yells as she continues their retreat, sprinting deeper into the forest once she's glanced back to reassure herself that the men are following.
"I can try to tranq anything that gets close enough to us," Calista tells Freya hurriedly, the pistol still in hand. "But I don't know what kinds of chemicals these things have in their bodies and if it'll even work."
Dean does exactly that - and Trevor is shifted right up and over his shoulder, to serve as the man's running bipod. It isn't a smooth ride, its a struggle for survival - and he's a muted sprinter there, full of expletives and growls, snarling something unkind under his breath about getting away with it if it wasn't for those meddling guards.
"Alright. Try not to tranq my boyfriend." There is time for teasing and running away from a stampede of strange chimera'd animals is surely it. It certainly doesn't stop the Aussie as she jumps and leaps through the forest as if it's her own home, 4 inch heels or no heels. "How far do we need to get? Are they following?" Freya shouts out, Calista's weight not seeming to slow her down at all.
There's a thing most parents try to teach their children. 'You shouldn't run with scissors.' Did anyone ever teach Trevor not to shoot over an angry, snarling, expletive filled man's shoulder while Dean is running for both their lives? No? Nobody did? Well, someone should have, because, Trevor's aim is off. It's a very difficult task, especially for a human. But, well, he tries. Just rattling off bullets - trying his best to keep the gun from recoiling against Dean, and to keep the loud 'bang' of a gun going off right in his ears.
Trevor's shots may or may not hit, but his target is mostly the elephant man, that's the closest one.
"Which one's your boyfriend?" Calista teases, despite the gravity of their situation. "When Dean stops cursing is probably a good measure of when we're far enough," she wagers as they attempt to put enough distance between them and the experiments. "Hopefully they don't want to be seen by civilization... though I don't know how far THAT is."
The shark with legs has four legs, like Shark Dog, and it is also really fast. The animals do not attack the team or the guards. Nope, they are FREEEEEE! And happy to flee into the woods and reek havoc on the ecosystem. There cannot possibly be any unintended consequences with unleashing those into the wild.
Elephant man tries to chase down Freya and Calista, leaving Dean and Trevor behind, perhaps thinking it will be easier to take down the women instead of the men, especially with the casual exchange of the fact the two on shoulders have a relationship. He does not quite catch up to them though, since Freya is a little faster than him, but he has shown some resourcefulness in finding things to launch at the team.
No other guards seem to be coming out of the compound. That could be troubling if the team had a chance to think about it. Unfortunately, bullets thus far that might have hit the elephant man in the exchange to this point have all encountered some form of barrier before making contact, and he is still mostly intact.
Trevor scans the fleeing animals, well, scans them as much as he can. Is there a liger somewhere in the mix? Maybe, just maybe, they can catch one, if, ONLY IF, they can escape the elephant man.
"Shit," Trevor exclaims, trying awkwardly to reload. Though, he doesn't continue to fire at the elephant man, since that just seems like a waste of ammunition.
What's particularly troubling, is that elephant man headed straight for Freya and Calista, who is -not- stopping or being stopped.
So, despite the lack of success from Trevor, Calista gives it a try, pulling out her tranquilizer pistol to aim at the lumbering animal-man to maybe slow him down.
"I can hear him behind me." Freya growls as she carries Calista, turning to glance over her shoulder at the not quite as fast but still hellafast elephant. "Did anyone see a liger in the bunch that fled?" Never let it be said that Freya forgot about the mission parameters for a moment while all the chaos was happening. She tries to keep still and not jump while Calista is aiming over her shoulder to fire the shot and then growls without waiting to see it's success. "I might need to shift Calista." She says in a low, rumbling voice, "There's a boulder up ahead." It was large, easily taller than two men stacked ontop of each other, "I'm going to drop you as soon as we get behind it okay?"
Whether Trevor hits his mark or not is not Dean's concern, he's busy. He skip over like a gazelle through the tangled roots and branches, and evidently gets lost in the treeline. It is no obstacle for Freya to find him, of course, while they carry their respective wards. Lovers separated, for now. "We need to get some distance!" He calls out, as severely serious as ever - and not at all out of breath. His pace is a perfect match to his counterpart, in strength and speed, "Keep going into the thicker parts, he'll slow trying to go through the trees!" His mission therein is clear -- even if he does erupt in an abrupt chuckle, at the sight of a very speedy gonzales shark scampering on all fours off to his side and into the distance. Be free, little man -- And back to seriousness, when he realizes he's not the one being chased, he skips behind a tree with Trevor, "On me!" The call out is simple, and while he does wait there, now, on guard and alert, he holds one hand forward, and starts drawing a circle with his palm with the other like a Dr. Strange crossover with a werewolf, where mist begins to gather in a swirl of a growing Path.
"Fuck nevermind." Freya changes her mind and dashes over towards Dean, carrying Calista in her arms.
Perhaps that perfect stillness now while Dean works could give Trevor hanging on his furry bipod that's like an unmoveable wall the opportunity to crack some properly aimed shots and lay down cover fire for Freya and Calista.
Yup, Trevor was already aiming. There's.. well, some sort of magical fucking barrier on the elephant though. So, Trevor takes aim, and begins to pop off shots. Rounds go at the creature's head, then the torso, then the legs. Anywhere, everywhere.
Click.
Well shit, he has emptied an entire magazine in an attempt to break this barrier.
Trevor reaches down, patting at his vest. Gloved hands find a magazine from the pouch, and expertly he reloads, the empty magazine dropping from the rifle and Trevor rattles off more shots. They're aimed as well as he can from the weird Dean bipod.
Freya really hopes Calista's boyfriend has good aim as she makes a mad dash towards them while being chased by a rampaging elephant. The woman's silver hair is flying out behind her, mixing with the someone who is still in a princess carry and her feet move deftly over the forest floor, ducking and weaving around obsticles as she rapidly comes upon the two men.
Freya really hopes Calista's boyfriend has good aim as she makes a mad dash towards them while being chased by a rampaging elephant. The woman's silver hair is flying out behind her, mixing with the brunette who is still in a princess carry and her feet move deftly over the forest floor, ducking and weaving around obsticles as she rapidly comes upon the two men.
Sadly, there are no ligers in the animals dispersing into the surrounding wilderness, so that objective is likely not going to get filled as everyone seems to be running away from the compound. The elephant man seems intent on chasing Freya and Calista, right up until the tranq dart lodges into those bulging, pulsing pecks. And then he gets shot from the other side by Trevor. He falls over and ends up flat on the ground.
The alarm inside the compound is still sounding, and the team will need to make a decision, right now: Continue forward to investigate further or consider this enough of an investigation to carry back and possibly return with more firepower later?
[OOC: The SR leaves it up to the team, feel free to vote it out. But this is the four hour mark where I would normally end things, so...]
Freya turns her head to look over her shoulder at the thudding of the elephant hitting the ground, "Shit Calista why didn't you do that earlier!" She laughs as she stops by the two men and gently lets Calista down onto the ground. Her head turns this way and that as she scents the air around them. "I think there was some pretty dodgy intel.... "
And with the votes tallied, everyone elects to get the hell out of Dodge and live to fight another day. Especially smart, given the lack of Sanctuary in situations like this. And thus, the team splits up and heads back to Haven, a little worse for wear, but also much better informed about the situation. [OOC: Please hang on while the SR handles some administrative tasks, and then if anyone needs Awards, we can handle that.]
The team, comprising Trevor, Calista, Freya, and Dean, initially sought to infiltrate the compound discreetly. Still, their plan quickly unraveled as they encountered the compound's formidable defenses. Their presence triggered the release of grotesque, chimeric creatures—a testament to the horrific experiments taking place within. Among these monstrosities was an immense man with an elephant's head, capable of tossing a truck with ease, a chilling display of the compound's sinister capabilities.
As the team grappled with the decision to advance or retreat, they found themselves in a dire standoff. Freya, demonstrating remarkable agility and resolve, attempted to distract and disable the compound's defenses, while Trevor provided overwatch, his rifle barking in the night. Calista, armed with a tranquilizer pistol, and Dean, with his brawn and supernatural abilities, rounded out the team's desperate resistance.
The elephant-man, a symbol of the compound's perverse science, pursued them relentlessly. The situation reached a crescendo as Calista's tranquilizer dart finally found its mark, felling the beast and granting the team a moment's reprieve. Yet, even as the elephant-man lay defeated, the compound's alarm continued to blare—a harbinger of further dangers lurking within.
Confronted with the overwhelming odds and the realization of their inadequate preparation, the team made the harrowing decision to retreat. Their escape was not just from the immediate threat but also from the ethical quandary posed by the experiments they uncovered. The chimera's escape into the wild marked a haunting conclusion to their mission, leaving the team to ponder the ramifications of what they had witnessed.
As they retreated into the night, the team's resolve was tested but unbroken. They carried with them not just the scars of battle but a renewed determination to confront the darkness they had glimpsed within the compound's walls. The mission was a sobering reminder of the price of ignorance and the indispensable value of preparedness in the face of unspeakable evils.
And so, the team returned to Haven, battered but undeterred, their failed infiltration serving as a grim prelude to a larger battle that loomed on the horizon. The fight against the compound's horrors was far from over, but for now, survival was victory enough. The wilderness reclaimed its silence, but the echoes of the night's terror lingered, a somber testament to the indomitable spirit of those who dared to challenge the shadows.
(The Witch, the Liger, and the Big Top(SRSelina):SRSelina)
[Tue Jul 2 2024]
On a Scientific Experimentation Compound in Zambia
The compound in Zambia, nestled amid verdant landscapes, stands discreetly with its unassuming appearance. Encircled by a modest chain-link fence topped with barbed wire, the perimeter is marked by a sturdy metal gate. This entrance, manned by a lone guard, opens to a gravel path that winds its way to the main building.
The structure itself is a single-story, rectangular edifice made of beige concrete. Large, reflective windows line the walls, providing ample natural light while maintaining privacy for the activities within. The roof, a simple flat design, supports several solar panels, a testament to the compound's commitment to sustainable energy.
A satellite dish and a couple of radio antennas protrude from the roof, indicating the presence of advanced communication systems. In the corner of the compound, a weather station stands, its instruments silently monitoring the atmospheric conditions.
The entire compound is surrounded by tall trees, providing both shade and a natural barrier from prying eyes. Despite its ordinary facade, the place hums with activity, hinting at the cutting-edge scientific experiments taking place inside.
It is afternoon, about 70F(21C) degrees,
[OOC: Welcome to The Dragon's Heart Ruby. I will be your Storyrunner for the evening, and I just want to make a special mention that I love seeing when people use Think, Recall, Feel, Internal, and Attempt to try to do things (please do NOT worry about spamming me, I can scroll). I will try to go slow enough to allow each person to do one decent post per 'round.' If you slide into some Banter, I may stay quiet for a bit, if it is appropriate. If you see a message in all this color, that is a private message, directly to you, which you may act upon, and others may not know any information from it. If you're ready, let us begin...]
Once the team arrives a short distance from the compound, Michelo Chulo steps out of some shadows to address the team. "Welcome to Zambia. You're here for that, right?" he asks, gesturing to the scientific compound down the road a ways. "I cannot tell you much, none of my agents have managed to get in, as we did not want to alert them. It is also nightmare shielded, so," he trails off as if that explains everything without him needing to state it. "Any questions that I might be able to answer before you get to it?" he asks the group, prepared to slip back into the shadows and let everyone get to it.
[Also, apologies, I forgot to edit the name for the plot. This is actually: The Witch, the Liger, and the Big Top...]
Trevor watches the man, from behind his sunglasses, Michelo step out from the shadows. He shifts his posture, relaxing at the brief introduction, resting his hands atop the rifle slung to his front. "Yeah," Trevor replies, nodding at the rest of the gathered Havenites, as if for confirmation from the rest.
"Is there anything YOU can tell us, that you think we'd need to know? Any useful information any of your agents have gathered?"
"Obvious exits? Entrances? Who do they admit? Is it badge only? Biosecurity?" Calista chimes in, standing close to Trevor and looking more the part of a tourist.
Freya lags behind the rest of the group looking rather jetlagged and sleepy. Her heavily eyelashed teal eyes are heavy lidded and she shows her jetlag by yawning, showing off perfectly white teeth with rather large cuspids. In one hand, she carries a rather heavy looking, rather large backpack but she doesn't seem to be affected by the weight of it. Seeing that Trevor and Calista is handling the questioning, she siddles closer to someone so that she can achieve of a bit of skin contact, even if it's just a hand. "How much firepower and what's their usual fighting style?" She finally tosses out to add to the pile of questions after another yawn.
Freya lags behind the rest of the group looking rather jetlagged and sleepy. Her heavily eyelashed teal eyes are heavy lidded and she shows her jetlag by yawning, showing off perfectly white teeth with rather large cuspids. In one hand, she carries a rather heavy looking, rather large backpack but she doesn't seem to be affected by the weight of it. Seeing that Trevor and Calista is handling the questioning, she siddles closer to Dean so that she can achieve of a bit of skin contact, even if it's just a hand. "How much firepower and what's their usual fighting style?" She finally tosses out to add to the pile of questions after another yawn.
Having arrived with Freya, Dean opts to remain relatively quiet, for now. He's beside her, watching through that impassive mask of a reflective visor that shows the image of the facility beyond the short scope of a distance that they've stopped. Without any expression to go with his regular posture, Dean appears all the more ferocious and aggressive with the way he carries himself like he's about to lunge ahead at any given moment. For now, he is contained, and he doesn't move where he is, merely opts to get rid of his gloves first, tugs them off of his hands and stows them away in the bag at his side. Followed shortly after by his helmet, with a knuckle under it, thumb hooked to help pull it off. A slight shake of his head leaves his hair in disarray. The motorcycle helmet is hung upon the side of his satchel too, at a buckle made specifically for it. Thereafter, he simply stares ahead from behind Freya, allowing her to hold his hand, but his attention is split, in inspection of their target from afar, past the man that brought them here.
"Not a lot. Mysterious rumors, a bunch of animals taken in down the road, food transport trucks suggesting personnel stay on sight, which suggests lower levels," Michelo tells Trevor first before nodding to Calista. "Usually only their trucks get in that we have seen. Main personnel door there, with a loading dock," he says while motioning toward the front of the compound. "We could not say how many are in there, but none of the animals come out. Occasionally, there's a personnel exchange, but it seems to be a monthly thing that is not going to occur any time soon," Michelo concludes for his answers to the questions. He waits patiently in case there are more questions, but he seems ready to head off and leave the enterprising crew to handle the compound without much further adieu.
Down the way, a truck is arriving at the gate. There is a brief exchange between the driver and the security guard at the gate. The gate opens, the truck drives in and then backs up to the loading dock to start unloading something.
"If we knew how often those trucks came... taking out the gate security could put everyone on alert if it's a busy through way and it's discovered fast... but if they're few and far between..." Calista is just musing out loud now because, well, breaking into high security compounds isn't her bread and butter.
Trevor grunts out a reply towards Michelo, his questions answered, and it would seem he has no more for the man.
Trevor drops to a knee, watching the truck pull up to the location. Then, some thought runs through his brain, and he shoulders his rifle - removing his sunglasses, and closing his left eye to look through the scope towards the truck, hoping with all hope that he can manage to make out what his normal eyes can't see.
Blue eyes the colour of glaciers stare towards the complex, trying to see if they can discern anything else happening. "Are there anymore trucks that are supposed to arrive today?" She asks softly before turning to look at her companions, "I guess I'm just wondering if we use force or subterfuge... That's alot of guards and security. If there's any transportation trucks transporting animals we could highjack them..." Her calm voice is soft and holds a strong Australian accent. There is a curious look given to Trevor as he takes out his rifle scope to look through it and Freya flashes Calista a warm reassuring smile. "Or you could look all innocent and pretend you found an animal wondering in the woods...." She tells the other woman. "You have a good day? Sorry I slept all the way here... The jet lag is unreal." There's another yawn and a stretch upwards, that pops a few vertebrae and muscles and takes Dean's hand up along for the ride before she drops her hands again.
Calista nods to Freya. "That's what I was trying to determine as well," she says with some quiet appreciation. "I think subterfuge is best of course, but, if I take out the guard with a dart and there's a truck five minutes later, we're screwed," she muses some more.
Breaking into high security compounds may be Dean's thing, and while he opts to keep his silence, offers no questions, really, to the man that brought them here, those green eyes flit over at Trevor, then at Calista and his fingers squeeze tightly on the hand of her that she's slipped into his. When his attention is forward-facing once more, it narrows upon the truck that pulls through, and he breaks his silence with a modulated tone. "That's two, isn't it?" He mirrors Freya's question in a half-affirmative tone, "The trucks seem pretty common." Something brews there, and he proposes the notion with a sideway look cast at the forest, cutting through to the road that the trucks would presumably come through. "We could hike back some and commandeer one, yes but if they want identification.." His hand is taken for a high ride with Freya's stretching, "That could work," He agrees to the other suggestion. "You two could find... a pair of hurt animals to take inside, and we'll create a distraction when we're inside." Or at least, he will?
"I... had thought about the truck thing too," Calista begins hesitantly. "But the identification part is what I really wanted to know. Our contact was no help there." She sighs in frustration before adding, "But it does sound like our better bet with the most cover story. Though it involves putting you two at some considerable risk being treated like captors."
Lowering the rifle a moment, Trevor speaks from the corner of his mouth, his attention remaining on what exactly is in front of him. "Look at the trees," he says, "If we tranq one of the guards, we can just drag him out here, and hide him in the brush. That doesn't really seem like an issue," he nods then, a little, "But there was a small exchange there, so, either they know each other, or, some sort of identification process."
Calista says "I was hoping to pass as unnoticed as possible but... I'm not so sure we can."
Freya runs her fingers through her hair, "Is it just the one guard you see?" Freya asks Trevor as the man continues to peer through his scope, "I could distract him while the 3 of you enter... And then you could distract him from inside while Dean or I sneak in after? I think Dean is a bit better to sneaking...." She purses her lower lip slightly and gnaws it with her teeth. "No doubt they have CCTV though and security guards monitoring...." Her head shifts this way and that as she thinks.
"I wouldn't worry about putting us at risk." Dean comments dryly, looks down at Freya from behind her one more time, then as Trevor said, looks over at the trees. His eyes narrow in their luster, reflective of the far-off lights of the compound from afar to pierce the veil of darkness easily as if its daytime. "We're overthinking." His jaw shifts in a manner that only tells his teeth aren't a correct fit for his mouth, more evident when he speaks, elongated, lethal canids, yet with a tone still modulated towards others. "We commandeer a truck, you put me in the back as your captive animal - He drives," Dean nods over at Trevor, "You two distract," Another upnod, this time towards the girls. "We just trance the guard until we pass through, we should have at least one person apt enough at hypnotism, no? And when inside, all of you can pretend you're necessary to restrain me all the way to wherever they want to take me."
"Oh I almost forgot. It was nice to meet you yesterday Trevor. I didn't peg you as Calista's boyfriend I'm afraid. But it's good to see she has a strong man looking after her." Freya lifts her teal eyes to Calista and then turns back to Dean at his plan. "That's not a terrible idea.." She murmurs, "I'd have to be the driver I guess... So I can do the trancing..."
Calista defers to Dean with a small nod of her head. "You're right, I'm only used go working within the scope of human capabilities," she allows and looks back to Trevor. "You good with this plan?"
Trevor finally lowers the rifle, standing, "Yeah, I just see the one," he replies back to Freya, answering that question. Glancing over to Calista, Trevor then nods, "Sure," he mentions towards Dean. "Seems fine enough to me, she can drive. That's fine," a thumb is sent Freya's way. "If she can.. you know, trance or whatever."
Then he blinks, "Did anyone bring bolt cutters? We could just fucking cut the fence?" It's a suggestion, offered up, in case someone had a tool or some ability of some sort that would work on that. But, then, he waves a hand in the way at Calista's question, and nods. "Seems fine enough to me."
Then before there's any other movement, before they get into the possible thick of things, "Likewise, Miss," he says to Freya, "Nice to meet you as well." And then Trevor sidles up next to Calista, bumping her with a shoulder.
Calista smiles at Trevor warmly, putting a hand gently to his bicep in a momentary anchoring. "Freya and Dean," she adds sheepishly as a more formal introduction wasn't made while she gestures to the pair for Trevor's sake. "And Freya and Dean, this is Trevor. Shall we go truck hunting?" A little grin is offered then with an adventurous glint to her eye.
"I think you have it from here," Michelo says to the group before he steps behind a tree and disappears. The driver gets out of the truck and goes to the personnel door to swipe a card and get in the door. He disappears into the building, and the loading door can be heard opening. Without any information about the schedules, as obviously Chulo does not have and/or did not provide, this may be the best opportunity for the team to make it in. Obviously they would need to move out and manage to get past the gate. That puts the four up against one guard to get the gate open, then they have to get in through the loading dock door.
The distance is not that far, most of the team could get there within a few minutes. But odds are, it will alert any other security in the building. But the more time they spend out here, they more time they may be missing out on this opportunity. Though they could also wait for the truck to leave and take out the guard quickly to avoid him alerting others. Of course, there are some camears on the building, so it is unlikely they will make it to the building undetected. Or, if someone has bolt cutters, they can try to find a way to get in without that. But odds are, the people inside will learn of their involvement as soon as they get to the fence.
"Again there might be CCTV and even if we sneak past the door, there might be internal monitoring. It would be better if we make people think we're supposed to be there." Her head turns towards Dean and she gives his hand a gentle squeeze as she tilts her head, "Lets backtrack and find a truck. One of us could lie by the road pretending we're injured and maybe have escaped from the facility so that they would stop and take a look? While the rest of us take them out?" She turns fully towards Dean and then moves in towards the man, rubbing her cheek against his chest for just a moment before pulling back, "You wanna do the taking out or pretending to be injured?" Freya asks the raven haired man infront of her.
"Better this way, last place to look for an intruder is among the staff, if we pretend to be them." Dean tells Trevor, mirrors what Freya has said, and while they smooth out the kinks, his attention is cast out. Freya's hand is lifted to his lips while she rubs into him, the back of it kissed, and he's breaking away. "I'll help beat up the truck - you save your strength, need you to get in the guard's head." His shoulders tense first, then he rolls one, pops and cracks tired joints. He doesn't linger at all for the introduction, he's storming off and away towards the woods to cut through. It doesn't look like he intends to play the sick puppy on the road, more like he intends to put one to a screeching halt some fair distance at an opportune cut-off away from direct line of sight from the gates -- by standing directly on the road when he gets there. He does make one last comment, though, towards Trevor and Calista. "I'm going to stop the truck, I hope you're a good shot with a rifle, before they start yelling."
As Dean and Freya discuss who does the pretending, or the injuring, Trevor slings his ruck off his back, then begins to rummage around inside of it, pulling out a cylindrical shaped object. He brings it to the front of the rifle, where he begins to tighten onto the barrel. It would like to be a suppressor of some sort.
With the suppressor firmly and properly attached, Trevor lets out a grunt as Dean stalks away. So, Trevor drops to his stomach, a proned stance to follow Dean with the scope, making sure there's cover for him, in case things go awry.
reaches out to grab Dean's arm as he makes to walk away. "No let me do that." She assures him, "People are more likely to stop for women. And they'll be more off guard because I'm a weak woman." There is a feral smile that bares her fangs. "I just need someone to carry my backpack with my armour until afterwards." The backpack is dropped to the middle of the floor and Freya turns to stalk towards the road instead.
Freya reaches out to grab Dean's arm as he makes to walk away. "No let me do that." She assures him, "People are more likely to stop for women. And they'll be more off guard because I'm a weak woman." There is a feral smile that bares her fangs. "I just need someone to carry my backpack with my armour until afterwards." The backpack is dropped to the middle of the floor and Freya turns to stalk towards the road instead.
Freya oopes as it accidentally went to stash apparently? How do we fix that? (ooc)
Nevermind you can access stash here apparently Freya didn't realize (ooc)
Dean did not like that - it is obvious in the fold of his expression, the smallest of frowns and knit brows. But, Freya is given the option to lead ahead anyway. He follows still, close by at her heels just into the edge of the forest to the road where he can take a vantage point behind a tree, crouch into the shadows in silent wait to let her attempt to stop the car by her means. Green eyes, in their kept glow piercing the dark, persistently follow every action of her while Trevor sets her rifle to the ground in preparation.
Dean did not like that - it is obvious in the fold of his expression, the smallest of frowns and knit brows. But, Freya is given the option to lead ahead anyway. He follows still, close by at her heels just into the edge of the forest to the road where he can take a vantage point behind a tree, crouch into the shadows in silent wait to let her attempt to stop the car by her means. Green eyes, in their kept glow piercing the dark, persistently follow every action of her while Trevor sets his* rifle to the ground in preparation as well.
"I'll take the backpack," Calista says easily enough, the only one without a job apparently. She reaches out to take it and stays out of Trevor's way.
Freya flashes Dean a greatful smile as he lets her lead. Already her hands are busy, tussling up her hair, tugging at the laces of her corset to make it look more askew. The leather looks painted on already but she tugs her neckline lower, flashing more of the top of her breasts and while dean stops by the edge of the road, she doesn't. She walks onto the middle of the road and starts to hug herself as she walks, in her heels, slowly down the center of the incoming road, her shoulders hunched, her hair falling over her face as she tries to give the appearance of a lone, vulnerable woman abandoned on the road.
Trevor scans the road with the rifle scope, checking Freya's left, and right, just keeping overwatch for the moment.
For a fair bit of time, nothing happens on the road, despite Freya's tussled and appealing show to try to get the attention of a driver. Over an hour could go by before anything else happens in the compound, and no trucks seem to be coming down the road. The one in the compound is being emptied of whatever is in it, and does not seem to be leaving any time soon.
While it might work in movies that people only need to stand by a road to hitch hike for like 10 minutes, in real life, it is rarely actually a thing. In fact, many people outright would never pick up a hitchhiker at all, and in the real world, people have so little kindness left to give with such prosperity of evil and corruption.
So as that plan starts falling apart, how would everyone like to proceed?
Freya only gives 15 minutes before not finding anything on the road to bite. She shakes her head as she returns to the others, "Alright. New plan. I'm going to go down and distract the guard. Then trance him. You guys sneak in, see if you can find some uniforms."
Trevor grunts at the lack of truck, staying in that prone position to scan the compound. "Still looks to be about the one guard out front," Trevor says, his voice low. "I can cover from here? In case something happens?"
Freya nods at Trevor and glances over at Dean, "I'll be fine okay? Don't worry. Women's wiles and everything. You'll have roughly 5 minutes to get in once I trance the guard." She looks around to make sure everyone is onboard with the new plan.
affords only a slight, slow shake of his head. "So much for subtle." If only they had a fae - maybe their luck would've been better, but alas. While Trevor is set to cover, and Freya tells the rest of their new plans, he doesn't return to the group immediately. Remains on the fringes, pacing, thinking - and failing. someone gets a distracted nod her way, but Dean otherwise leaves the decision to others. "It seems like they're going to know we're there either way, unless we turn invisible. I say we storm in. What's the worst that could happen?" Stupider words probably have never been said around these parts.
affords only a slight, slow shake of his head. "So much for subtle." If only they had a fae - maybe their luck would've been better, but alas. While Trevor is set to cover, and Freya tells the rest of their new plans, he doesn't return to the group immediately. Remains on the fringes, pacing, thinking - and failing. Freya gets a distracted nod her way, but Dean otherwise leaves the decision to others. "It seems like they're going to know we're there either way, unless we turn invisible. I say we storm in. What's the worst that could happen?" Stupider words probably have never been said around these parts.
"Okay, no," Calista finally cuts in with an opinion on this one. "We need to use the loading bay as a way in. Doors are as literally open as they're going to be for us right now." She gestures to Freya. "We need to get past the guard but leave him standing, and us with some kind of legitimate reason to be in. Maybe he can give it to us through some... persuasion?" Eyebrows are lifted at Freya.
Calista says "I would love to be able to walk in like we belong, so that we're not screwed before we even get in those walls."
Calista says "Just tell those unloading that we were sent to hurry things along, I don't know. Anything. But let's catch it before they're done. Freya, you sure you want to approach alone?"
Trevor grunts a reply out at both Freya and Dean, and rolls onto his side - slightly to watch Calista speak. "That's probably the smartest play, I don't think storming a compound is going to help. We have no idea what's inside. How many guards." He lifts a hand, gesturing, "Just because there's ONE guard out there that we can see, doesn't mean the rest aren't hiding somewhere?" That hand moves around, gesturing to the woods. "For all we know, there's a fucking Q-R-F, waiting in the woods behind us."
"If anything happens, we'll be pretty far before we can get to her. Let's all go together, I'll play along with whatever you decide on this." Dean relays to Calista, then, with a short, almost begrudging low growl of acceptance, agrees with Trevor on the possibly incredible amount of guards. "We've spent a lot of time here, so let's go before they pull that truck out of there and the gates are shut." Should such a decision be made, Dean would, no doubt, follow close on the heels of everyone to enact.
Calista nods to Trevor while remaining thoughtful. "So, purposeful... non guilty movements for as much as we can manage, yeah?" She hikes the backpack on her shoulders up higher. "I've got some non lethal, quiet options if we need."
Dean already carries himself guilt-free.
Freya nods slightly, "Alright we'll... I'll try." She casts another skeptical look at everyone's clothing and reaches out to relieve Calista of her own backpack, slinging it over her shoulder. "Armor up I guess. And then follow me. Look like you've been running a long time." She quickly pulls out her own armour from her backpack, shoving it over her head. The leather armour is stained with blood and she purses her lips as she looks down at it for a moment before shaking her head. Her own rifle is thrown over her shoulder and she hefts the backpack in a quick motion. "Okay ready? Lets run." She starts out of the treeline at a human pace, making sure Calista and Trevor can keep up while adding on some extra panting. "Hey!" She calls out to the guard as they start they way down, "Help! There's a creature out in the woods!"
Trevor lets out a grunt, and begins to run, keeping pace behind Calista - almost as if he's sort of herding her.
Calista gets herded like the 'baad' little infiltrator she's turning out to be, and runs along following Freya's lead - though without the rifle, but decidedly better footwear for the occasion.
Dean doesn't seem to have armor *or* weaponry of any note or value, but he's there for the ride, tagging along with the rest of them to their possible demise. His pace is kept in check just the same to stick close to the group, as opposed to storming up ahead and through.
There is plenty of time for the team to take a stroll around the woods of Zambia, but the compound is alone in the middle of nowhere. The wind blows through those many trees creating a gentle rustling noise. Then Freya goes walking up to the guard shack as the others follow. The guard does not immediately notice them, but when Freya calls out, he waves and talks into his radio. He does not come out of the guard shack, and he dies not seem inclined to help with any creatures. He is tall, muscular, black, and dressed in jungle camouflage. He gets out his rifle and aims it at Freya. "Stop right there, you are not authorized to be in this territory. This is a restricted area. You are tresspassing," he calls out toward the group coming up on him.
[OOC: This may also be a good point for a 10 minute break for everyone if they need it. Be back at 2010!]
Trevor as the gun is leveled at the group, and Freya in particular, Trevor steps forward a little, reaching down to tap Calista on the wrist.
Freya tries to catch the eye of the guard before he can even go for his radio as soon as he glances at them. She had waited until they were close enough before calling out anyways. She attempts to put him into a trance and then adds on her instructions. "We are hunters running from something that might have escaped from your facility. Invite us in for our protection and then go investigate the woods to check if it is one of the facilities creatures. Think of the fame you would get if you managed to get the creature back yourself. You'd actually be able to date that other guard you liked."
The guard laughs and opens fire, shooting toward the group as a whole. He presses a button on the inside after the burst fire to try to get everyone to duck. The gate opens slightly, stops, and he slips inside, hitting a remote to close the gate. Once inside the fence, he makes a supernatural sprint toward the personnel door, crossing the distance in a second before slapping his access card against the door. "They're here! They're here!" he calls madly into the door when it clicks open and he pulls it further ajar. He disappears into the building and the door shuts behind him.
For those keeping track, that is at least one supernatural guard that is now in the building which is now also likely on high alert.
And then the delivery truck is forcefully pushed somehow from behind hard enough to send it skidding forward through the fence, despite the wheels not turning in the process. Standing in the loading bay door is the first real obstacle to getting into the building: a seven foot tall, massively muscular man with an ... elephant head? Yes, an elephant head. Complete with large ears, tusks, and apparently enough strength to shove the delivery truck thirty yards and still have the momentum to crash through the fence! [Elephant man has higher reflexes than everyone else, but everyone else is even, so you all act at the same initiative.]
"Fuck me dead." Freya mutters as she skids on the soil and shifts to the side, trying to dodge the scattered gunfire. Hopefully given the guard's busy distracted by trying to press buttons and such the gunfire isn't to accurate. Her teal eyes track to the truck as it's pushed from behind and an eyebrow lifts at the obscene elephant headed man. There's still a closed gate between them and the elephant and the guard shack makes for perfect cover so she ducks behind the walls of it and pulls her rifle from her shoulder. Ducking around the shack she takes a ranged shot at elephant man.
Unlike Freya, who works on a purpose, and unlike Trevor, who's busy with Calista. Dean doesn't seem like he has anything to do or impart here. He remains that stern force of power close on Freya's heels, chasing at her back - with sights trained on the guard and a readiness to lunge in her place should that bullet is fired at all. And it is - Dean ducks low to avoid the gunfire, but doesn't do anything else, given that the bullets, warning shots really, didn't crack through someone's skull, yet. The spectacle of the vehicle being shown out of the gates draws his attention, enough that for him to veer off the path, and start charging for cover with Freya instead, while the gate between them and the broken fence remains for now. "They said 'infiltrate' right? Did we get the mission details wrong?" He seems slightly disbelieving, if not baffled. "This isn't a stealth mission, this is a damn assault."
Trevor isn't nearly as graceful as skidding. No. Trevor just DROPS, like a rock, tugging Calista along with him to hit the dirt as the gunfire rings out. Once that all seems done, he lifts his head a moment, trying to see what the new threat is.
"Oh fuck me," he mutters. Really? An ELEPHANT?" He groans, well, there's no more point in being quiet, so, that suppressor that was attached? Yeah. That's coming off, Trevor unscrews it, sliding it into a pocket of his vest. "I don't know if-" he stops himself then, cutting off to level his rifle at the STRONG ELEPHANT man. (Fix)"
Trevor isn't nearly as graceful as skidding. No. Trevor just DROPS, like a rock, tugging Calista along with him to hit the dirt as the gunfire rings out. Once that all seems done, he lifts his head a moment, trying to see what the new threat is.
"Oh fuck me," he mutters. Really? An ELEPHANT? He groans, well, there's no more point in being quiet, so, that suppressor that was attached? Yeah. That's coming off, Trevor unscrews it, sliding it into a pocket of his vest. "I don't know if-" he stops himself then, cutting off to level his rifle at the STRONG ELEPHANT man. (Double fix)
Okay, so, the man yelled "They're here!" like they were expected or something. Calista is already poised to drop to the ground when that rifle gets pointed at them and Trevor's tap at her wrist turns into a tug.
The shots go wide, as it seems was intended and then the truck comes flying through the fence. Calista is still on the ground while Freya and Dean take cover behind the shack. She takes a look at Trevor and ticks her head. "Let's not be any more the open target than we need to be." Keeping low, she makes her way to where the pair are taking cover and starts yanking anything that might help her out of her pack. But whatever that is, it's not for going up against elephant men who could use her as a personal toothpick. She commiserates with Dean then. "It certainly seems that way," she mutters through clenched teeth.
Trevor follows behind Calista, heeding her advice to take cover next to the others.
Freya ducks back behind the shack wether or not her shot fires true. She throws her backpack out somewhere safe - it is unlikley she's going to be using the remaining thing in her backpack today it seems and checks her rifle, reloading it. "Not only expected but prepared for apparently..." She grumbles under her breath as she tries duck down low and peek at the elephant again.
Freya was not wearing her helmet this whole time
Shots get fired toward the elephant man, but he is on the mood around the time when they are dispensed in his direction. He lets out a trumpeted battle cry with his trunk and charges toward the opening in the fence to try to get around it and get toward the team, likely in an attempt to trample them, skewer them, or just pummel them. As he gets close to the truck, he grabs a tire and throws it in a way as to shatter it through the guard shack at around chest height. Thankfully, people near it were ducked down a bit.
Somewhere in the compound, an alarm starts sounding. There will probably be some additional forces, either outside, or once they get inside, there will be more opponents to fight along the way. Also, if elephant man's any indication, there are definitely some unethical experiments happening in this compound that the team may need to check out soon.
"You know what?" Calista yells as the tire comes crashing through and she hits the ground. "We've got all the fucking intel I think we can get today!" She's mad. Obviously. Because she's cursing - for those that know her well enough. "We do NOT have the upper hand here." She gives a furtive look to Trevor then, trying to gauge his feelings on their chances right now.
As the top of the gurd shack explodes into splinters, Dean gives all the others that have taken shelter behind it. His eyes track over at the tire that flew through, and back. "Well," He leans aside, glances aat the raging elephant. "I don't think we were going to infiltrate anything." Deadpan as ever, in agreement to Calista. "A bunch of.. Zambians.. weren't going to think our pasty asses are actually one of them." In their relative, fleeting safety, Dean pans back to others, ducks back in and brushes off some shack detritus from his shoulder. "It probably isn't that fast, and its big. I'm open to retreating back in the forest and pathing the fuck out of here."
Freya ducks some more as the tire shatters the window of the guard shack, growling low in her throat as she glares incrediously at the elephant man. "This contact grossly misled us about the mission. We're going to need more man power if we're going to fight all those soldiers unless they're pansies. Fuck that shit." She nods towards Calista and Dean's assessments, "That might be for the best if we can't do shit." Then she's grabbing her backpack and slinging it onto her back.
Trevor glances to the gate, watching the elephant man get closer in his angry attempt at skewering, trampling, and pummeling of the Havenites. "Yeah, I'm fucking with you," he shifts then, dropping to a knee to let out a burst at the man in an attempt to slow it down. "Let's get the fuck outta dodge."
Trevor turns then, to Freya, who's got a gun. "You know how to bound? Or are we just straight bolting?"
Freya says "Bound? "
Freya blinks confusedly at Trevor, seeming not familiar with the word.
Trevor grunts, "It's a military tactic," he hurriedly explains, "No time to teach, let's just move."
"I can princess carry you and run faster than you can while you shoot over my suggestion?" Freya suggests, trying to be helpful.
"I can princess carry you and run faster than you can while you shoot over my shoulder*?" Freya suggests, trying to be helpful.
Calista looks distressed, her eyes on the distance where they need to go, but then a quick look back at the elephant man with a very good arm and perhaps others with ranged weapons. She's poised to move whenever the group decides - apparently she's not keen on shooting off like a singular pheasant ripe for the hunting.
Trevor lets out a soft exhale. "You have a gun," he states as if that makes perfect sense in reply to being princess carried. "We really don't have time to discuss this," the man urges. "We need to LEAVE."
The hopes that the elephant man is slow are dashed as he crosses from the truck to the guard shack to start whaling with fists against Freya and Dean to try to knock them down and batter them a bit, but he misses Freya when she ducks for her bag. Soon though, he is swinging and kicking at them again.
Some of the chaos probably keeps everyone's attention off the loading dock door. And that's where a stamped starts. Only, none of the animals involved are ... normal. Notable examples include a literal chimera, blends of cats and dogs, one strange shark with legs (possibly the scariest thing ever), an alligator with a human leg-thickness scorpion tail, and a giraffe covered in porcupine spikes.
Freya growls as the elephant man gets close and would certainly retreat as he makes his way forward. Her nose twitches at the exotic smell of all those strange beings start stampeding down the driveway. She doesn't bother shifting as the elephant is swinging at Dean, she just grabs Calista, tosses her over her shoulder and RUNS for it towards the forest.
Trevor and Calista are both probably the slowest, and, Calista got a massively large headstart. So, Trevor BOLTS after them. Dean can handle himself, right? He seems like someone who's got something up his sleeve. Sorry Dean
Trevor isn't as fast, no, but he sure is putting in the effort.
Calista looked pretty torn between booking it from the elephant man and the stampeded and staying to potentially taze his ass, like a mad fool, but she gets thrown like a frilly sack of potatoes onto Freya's shoulder and VOILA the choice is made for her by her dear friend. She does however, scream "TREVOR!" As they (hopefully) make distance - as if Trevor needed any reminding that he's in deep shit and she's concerned about it.
While they converse, Dean is attentive, silent. The elephant man charging towards them alerts his already awaiting senses before the behemoth is even upon them, and Dean urges Freya to move with a nudge of his hand on her shoulder. While the rest of the guard shack is destroyed, Dean is propelling forward in an attempt to catch onto Trevor who's already fleeing, drag him along in faster pace practically down the way they came towards the forest. Just as Freya, he'd easily pick the scents and sounds - it is night, they are nocturnal, and certainly more beasts than proper human. They are nonetheless very mortal, and they aren't going to sit there and play hero or warrior to get someone a diseased, oversized cat.
As soon as they make it into the treeline, Freya hurriedly switches Calista from her shoulder to a princess carry. Not to be romantic or anything but so the other woman has line of sight over her own shoulder. "Do you know how to shoot?" She yells as she continues their retreat, sprinting deeper into the forest once she's glanced back to reassure herself that the men are following.
"I can try to tranq anything that gets close enough to us," Calista tells Freya hurriedly, the pistol still in hand. "But I don't know what kinds of chemicals these things have in their bodies and if it'll even work."
Dean does exactly that - and Trevor is shifted right up and over his shoulder, to serve as the man's running bipod. It isn't a smooth ride, its a struggle for survival - and he's a muted sprinter there, full of expletives and growls, snarling something unkind under his breath about getting away with it if it wasn't for those meddling guards.
"Alright. Try not to tranq my boyfriend." There is time for teasing and running away from a stampede of strange chimera'd animals is surely it. It certainly doesn't stop the Aussie as she jumps and leaps through the forest as if it's her own home, 4 inch heels or no heels. "How far do we need to get? Are they following?" Freya shouts out, Calista's weight not seeming to slow her down at all.
There's a thing most parents try to teach their children. 'You shouldn't run with scissors.' Did anyone ever teach Trevor not to shoot over an angry, snarling, expletive filled man's shoulder while Dean is running for both their lives? No? Nobody did? Well, someone should have, because, Trevor's aim is off. It's a very difficult task, especially for a human. But, well, he tries. Just rattling off bullets - trying his best to keep the gun from recoiling against Dean, and to keep the loud 'bang' of a gun going off right in his ears.
Trevor's shots may or may not hit, but his target is mostly the elephant man, that's the closest one.
"Which one's your boyfriend?" Calista teases, despite the gravity of their situation. "When Dean stops cursing is probably a good measure of when we're far enough," she wagers as they attempt to put enough distance between them and the experiments. "Hopefully they don't want to be seen by civilization... though I don't know how far THAT is."
The shark with legs has four legs, like Shark Dog, and it is also really fast. The animals do not attack the team or the guards. Nope, they are FREEEEEE! And happy to flee into the woods and reek havoc on the ecosystem. There cannot possibly be any unintended consequences with unleashing those into the wild.
Elephant man tries to chase down Freya and Calista, leaving Dean and Trevor behind, perhaps thinking it will be easier to take down the women instead of the men, especially with the casual exchange of the fact the two on shoulders have a relationship. He does not quite catch up to them though, since Freya is a little faster than him, but he has shown some resourcefulness in finding things to launch at the team.
No other guards seem to be coming out of the compound. That could be troubling if the team had a chance to think about it. Unfortunately, bullets thus far that might have hit the elephant man in the exchange to this point have all encountered some form of barrier before making contact, and he is still mostly intact.
Trevor scans the fleeing animals, well, scans them as much as he can. Is there a liger somewhere in the mix? Maybe, just maybe, they can catch one, if, ONLY IF, they can escape the elephant man.
"Shit," Trevor exclaims, trying awkwardly to reload. Though, he doesn't continue to fire at the elephant man, since that just seems like a waste of ammunition.
What's particularly troubling, is that elephant man headed straight for Freya and Calista, who is -not- stopping or being stopped.
So, despite the lack of success from Trevor, Calista gives it a try, pulling out her tranquilizer pistol to aim at the lumbering animal-man to maybe slow him down.
"I can hear him behind me." Freya growls as she carries Calista, turning to glance over her shoulder at the not quite as fast but still hellafast elephant. "Did anyone see a liger in the bunch that fled?" Never let it be said that Freya forgot about the mission parameters for a moment while all the chaos was happening. She tries to keep still and not jump while Calista is aiming over her shoulder to fire the shot and then growls without waiting to see it's success. "I might need to shift Calista." She says in a low, rumbling voice, "There's a boulder up ahead." It was large, easily taller than two men stacked ontop of each other, "I'm going to drop you as soon as we get behind it okay?"
Whether Trevor hits his mark or not is not Dean's concern, he's busy. He skip over like a gazelle through the tangled roots and branches, and evidently gets lost in the treeline. It is no obstacle for Freya to find him, of course, while they carry their respective wards. Lovers separated, for now. "We need to get some distance!" He calls out, as severely serious as ever - and not at all out of breath. His pace is a perfect match to his counterpart, in strength and speed, "Keep going into the thicker parts, he'll slow trying to go through the trees!" His mission therein is clear -- even if he does erupt in an abrupt chuckle, at the sight of a very speedy gonzales shark scampering on all fours off to his side and into the distance. Be free, little man -- And back to seriousness, when he realizes he's not the one being chased, he skips behind a tree with Trevor, "On me!" The call out is simple, and while he does wait there, now, on guard and alert, he holds one hand forward, and starts drawing a circle with his palm with the other like a Dr. Strange crossover with a werewolf, where mist begins to gather in a swirl of a growing Path.
"Fuck nevermind." Freya changes her mind and dashes over towards Dean, carrying Calista in her arms.
Perhaps that perfect stillness now while Dean works could give Trevor hanging on his furry bipod that's like an unmoveable wall the opportunity to crack some properly aimed shots and lay down cover fire for Freya and Calista.
Yup, Trevor was already aiming. There's.. well, some sort of magical fucking barrier on the elephant though. So, Trevor takes aim, and begins to pop off shots. Rounds go at the creature's head, then the torso, then the legs. Anywhere, everywhere.
Click.
Well shit, he has emptied an entire magazine in an attempt to break this barrier.
Trevor reaches down, patting at his vest. Gloved hands find a magazine from the pouch, and expertly he reloads, the empty magazine dropping from the rifle and Trevor rattles off more shots. They're aimed as well as he can from the weird Dean bipod.
Freya really hopes Calista's boyfriend has good aim as she makes a mad dash towards them while being chased by a rampaging elephant. The woman's silver hair is flying out behind her, mixing with the someone who is still in a princess carry and her feet move deftly over the forest floor, ducking and weaving around obsticles as she rapidly comes upon the two men.
Freya really hopes Calista's boyfriend has good aim as she makes a mad dash towards them while being chased by a rampaging elephant. The woman's silver hair is flying out behind her, mixing with the brunette who is still in a princess carry and her feet move deftly over the forest floor, ducking and weaving around obsticles as she rapidly comes upon the two men.
Sadly, there are no ligers in the animals dispersing into the surrounding wilderness, so that objective is likely not going to get filled as everyone seems to be running away from the compound. The elephant man seems intent on chasing Freya and Calista, right up until the tranq dart lodges into those bulging, pulsing pecks. And then he gets shot from the other side by Trevor. He falls over and ends up flat on the ground.
The alarm inside the compound is still sounding, and the team will need to make a decision, right now: Continue forward to investigate further or consider this enough of an investigation to carry back and possibly return with more firepower later?
[OOC: The SR leaves it up to the team, feel free to vote it out. But this is the four hour mark where I would normally end things, so...]
Freya turns her head to look over her shoulder at the thudding of the elephant hitting the ground, "Shit Calista why didn't you do that earlier!" She laughs as she stops by the two men and gently lets Calista down onto the ground. Her head turns this way and that as she scents the air around them. "I think there was some pretty dodgy intel.... "
And with the votes tallied, everyone elects to get the hell out of Dodge and live to fight another day. Especially smart, given the lack of Sanctuary in situations like this. And thus, the team splits up and heads back to Haven, a little worse for wear, but also much better informed about the situation. [OOC: Please hang on while the SR handles some administrative tasks, and then if anyone needs Awards, we can handle that.]