View source for Trail Of Tears: The Rescue Chapter 3

The engine revving on the overpass above goes unnoticed by some, as they gradually are finding more and more of the people attacking them.  Taggart, and Rihko both letting the curse overtake their shapes, while Darkwyrm's dealing with another wrapped around his leg.  Solixis and Haley having blown the brains out of a dog, each of the fallen, have a tendril sprouting from their corpse, the dog from it's chest, and the woman knifed in the neck, has it sprouding from the knifewound.
 
Darkwyrm takes one look at the thing sprouting out of his dispatched victim's neck and hastily rolls off of it. He utters a curse and tries to whip his leg away from the childlike infected grasping his leg, following through with a kick at its head with his other foot.
.
Foxheart finds nothing of interest in the car and escapes from the pool before it can do any further harm, going for Darkwyrm's assailant with a sword drawn, trying to cut the grasping arm off in as clean a cut as possible.
 
Rihko clenches her jaw as she snarls out an uninteligible string of what-may-have-been-words, watching the mess unfolding around her. She tries to keep herself under control, but between the action, the chaos, and her attention being drawn to so many threats... she can't quite manage.  The kitsune calls her wisp to her and sends the ball of ethereal fire flying towards the hummer, to cremate whatever remained of the things Cygnus had ran over, and then her body shakes and begins 
expanding, her Beast working its way through the cracks in her inner defenses and taking hold.
 
Taggart growls and lashes his head about, crimson and green eyes taking in the threats about as he watches his group trying to contend with them all.  His nostrils flare and he lets out a howl, tail shifting about uneasily behind his muscular form as his muscles clench and prepare to spring.  An engine revving catches his attention, however, his ears flicking as his attention is taken skyward.  He adjusts his foot slightly and prepares himself to pounce...
 
Cygnus grips the steering wheel and gear shift tight as the humvee bounces over the two victims unlucky enough to get in the way. Tires spin and the engine revs as the truck bounces towards the median. Gears are shifted. Brakes and throttle are worked in unison. Steering is spun like a childs toy... all in the attempt to regain control of the vehicle and keep it in the fight.
 
The glow at the nekomata's tails once more regains the appearance of fire as she draws a flame into her her hand. She fuels it from within, the glow brightening before she hurls it at the former dog. No sooner has she loosed the fireball than she has to regain her grip on the humvee's turret to prevent herself from falling off in the manuevering.
 
The engine begins to teeter over the edge above, heading directly for the bus.  However, the axle snags on the siderail, the car halting it's progress, the metal creeks and the great beast prepared to strike it leaps up the wall nearing the vehicle as it sways.  Below, the duo of Solixis and Cygnus are heated by fire, deep purple flames eating the corpses flattened below it.  Darkwyrm's kick knocks the child's head astray, a look of pain crossing her face for a moment, just as Foxheart's blade slices clean through her arm, her blood gushing out, greyish filaments snaked within the fluid.
 
Taggart growls as the vehicle catches, claws digging into the concrete of the wall deep to keep him from falling too far into gravity's embrace.  His muscles tighten and then his grip looses, launching the large Cursed toward the hanging car in an attempt to wrap his large and bestial arms around the front.  Muscles surge with power to give him the extra oomph needed to carry him through, whipping the vehicle free and carrying both it and himself further from the bus stopped below.
 
Darkwyrm shakes his leg a few times to dislodge the dismembered limb before springing to his feet. He growls at the childlike thing and winds up his leg before thrusting it forward at the thing's head in a punt-kick.

Foxheart gives Darkwyrm a shove as she herself attempts to disengage, trying not to get her clothes or fur soiled by the child's blood just in case, surveying the surroundings to look for someone else to help.
 
Rihko gives herself a shake, and then she growls; the large kitsune-beast shoves her way past Foxheart and Darkwyrm, fur crackling and bristling with raw, furious, barely contained power. She slams her massive fists into the spore-carrier corpse as fire surges along her arms and electricty crackling across her paws, putting herself between the thing and the idiots.
 
Solixis holds onto the weapon tightly, groaning in pain from the bumpy ride. "Cygnus, Get us some control here! I'm not really able to use guns here, and my fire is a little too short range for these speeds!" She tries to shout to the lapine driver.
 
Cygnus holds on tight and lets out a blood curdling lapine scream as the truck spins around. There's a loud thunk and a little bounce, leaving the vehicle facing the opposite direction and a large thin bruise on the rabbit's forehead... and from what it seems like, it also leaves an unfortunate fungus zombie thing hurtling away from the vehicle.
 
Darkwyrm's foot swings, and is about to impact the dazed child in the head when a massive twisted kitsune leaps and shoves him out of the way, knocking him to the ground.  Foxheart was in the process of protecting herself from the bloodsplatter when she's equally pushed back, though a little more prepared she uses the momentum to carry her toward the bus.  Above the them, the wolf, leaps, lifting the entire vehicle over his head, and landing on the ground with it above his head, though stumbling a bit under its weight.  The kitsune's already immolating the two corpses by her, flames eating at the two bodies the flames hungrily consume, the tendrils on the first body twisting and slashing about on fire.  The dog's body still in flames from the nekomata.  Each of the bodies is now aflame except for the man in the car Taggart is carrying.
 
Darkwyrm falls to the ground with a grunt and another growl, seieng as he'd just gotten back on his feet. "Hey now, RUDE!", he snaps at Rihko before pushing himself back to his feet again.
 
Foxheart stumbles to her paws, eyes widened in shock from Rihko barging in. She looks at the hulking weresune form again, jaw open and trembling, the kitsune cleaning the sword with a small flame and stumbles onto the bus, very shaken.
 
Rihko hunches her shoulders and turns her head to look at Darkwyrm, ears pinned back and teeth bared.  She growls, a low rumbling underscore to her obvious irritation, and then slaps the road between her and Darkwyrm with one of her palms.  Her tails lash, and then her head is swivelling, ears perking up as she scans for further threats.
 
Solixis sighs in relief as the car comes to a halt. She looks back towards the earlier fray, not quite able to make another fireball just yet, and certainly not able to throw one that far if she could. "Thanks for stopping Cyg. Let's regroup and try to figure out what's going on. I don't like this infection, not sure if I'll be able to stomach it if it comes to that."
 
Taggart lets the vehicle drop down with a heavy slam in front of him, peering with hatred in his gaze at the man sitting inside.  The Beast sniffs at the air a few times, then growls again and gnashes his teeth, digitigrade legs coiling behind him.  Then, he promptly launches himself through the windshield with a speed and ferocity that few can possess, teeth chomping and claws slashing into the tendril infected thing.  It is eerie in that he is the only one making any noise while he devours the man inside.

There doesn't appear to be anything else ready to ambush, either the creatures are learning, or simply exhausted their supply of fresh bodies.  The remaining man is slowly devoured by the werewolf, as his jaws clamp around the man's neck, tendrils reach out pushing at Taggart's nostrils and jaws, the things pushing at his flesh and then the curse fights back, the tendrils turning black and falling apart, as the monster chews at the flesh in his jaws barely even noticing their attack.  Soon he's eaten most of the flesh, by then, his senses returning.
 
Cygnus sits for a moment, regaining her bearings as her mind recovers from the attention it gave the steering wheel. She keeps the truck at a safe distance, her head swiveling about to see if she needs to keep moving.
 
Rihko continues to hunch in the middle of the street, seething, watching the streets around them and glancing at the burning bodies.  Finally she turns, and nods towards the door of the bus.
 
Darkwyrm holds out his hand over parts of his coat that were spattered with drops of blood. A hot beam of light arcs from his palm, searing away the infected genetic material and leaving his armor clean. He glances towards the jeep as he starts making his way towards the bus to assess damage.
 
Taggart slowly extricates his large body from the wreckage and mess of the car, licking at his chops while his large, padded feet thump on the ground.  He swings his gaze around and sniffs a few times, then makes his way over to his mate, bumping the top of his head into her side gently before he slowly pads a perimeter.
 
Rihko growls softly, then grunts.  She bumps her head against Taggart, then nods towards the bus again, tails slowly writhing behind her.

The mess is cleared for a moment, the last of the corpses burnt to ash, except for the one inside Taggart's stomach.  Silence returned, the large overpass and side walls give a very claustrophobic and exposed feel, a bad place to be for certain.  No one seems to be sick, no face full of pollen, or obvious injuries.
 
Rihko finishes her brief survey of the area, then growls and makes her way back onto the bus, stomping harder than she needs to.  Her wisp fades away, the driving force recalled and the flames left to burn out on their own as the hulking kitsunebeast curls up on one of the front seats of the bus, glaring at everyone else.
 
Taggart stalks about the wreckage and slaughter a bit before making his way to the bus.  The large wolfman sniffs about and waits at the doors, letting everyone else clamber aboard before he does.
 
Foxheart sits sulkily on the bus, having left the fight prematurely. She keeps her arms folded, cleaning her gleaming sword over and over distractedly. She avoids looking at either werebeast.
 
Darkwyrm raises a brow at Rihko's rather flamboyant display of anger. He grunts and shoots a glare at Taggart before cleaning his blade and resheathing it. He starts walking back towards the bus to see about getting it moving again.
 
Taggart flinches and lets out a low growl, crackling of bones and muscles spasming and contracting as his fur sheds away.  The wolf slowly becomes man again, breathing and panting after the painful change in form.  He winces and rolls his shoulders, bare-feet slapping up the steps and into the bus to find some pants to tug on before he sits in the driver seat of the bus, honking the horn a few times.
 
Cygnus sits a nice distance away from the others as she lets the truck idle. She cocks her ears up and blinks at the bus before looking towards her passengers. A couple of hand gestures are given towards the bus to question if they're okay and ready.
 
The quietness is all the worse, with the large skyscraping buildings surrounding either side of the interstate. Six lanes each way, running through the heart of Dallas.  Their goal, a specific hospital, last signs of Rihko's brother Tatsu.
 
Solixis looks over the scene, cursing under her breath for her bruised ribs. She looks to Cygnus and Haley. "You girls feeling all right? I'm going to need to soak for a long time when we get home."
 
Taggart starts up the bus after everyone has climbed aboard their respective vehicles, leading the way down the six lanes toward the hospital.
 
Rihko remains quiet, her tails wrapped around her and her ears stiff as she watches the rest of the group, then lets her attention shift to the city outside the windows as they begin moving.
 
Darkwyrm remains standing, too impatient to sit down, and wary of sudden stops. He doesn't appear too excited about Rihko's sudden change in demeanor, largely due to her cursed status.
 
The radio on the bus grows staticky, a male voice on it for a fraction of a moment.  One Rihko recognizes.  "Get out, run far away.  Don't trust anyone, especially if they look sick."  and then it pulses off, like its cycling frequencies.
 
Foxheart remembers something and draws a silk pouch hanging from her neck and peers inside. She realizes that the paper slip inside has burnt to ashes. She mutters a prayer, though its disturbed by the radio. Standing up, she moves closer to the front of the bus to listen to Rihko.
 
Cygnus gives a thumbs up, and the disturbingly calm Haley gives one as well. Cyg rolls her eyes and bumps her head against the steering wheel before letting her rather bemused gaze settle on the bus. Gears are shifted and the radio is turned up, having caught the transmission as well.
 
Taggart frowns gently and turns up the radio, setting the radio to try 
to fix in on the source frequency.
 
Rihko perks her ears at the radio, head turning to stare as she listens intently.  She shifts her weight, growls quietly, then turns her attention back out the window.  Her paws flex, her long designed-to-rend-flesh claws rubbing against eachother.
 
Taggart glances at his mate's recognition, then nods, "Hopefully... it's broadcastin' from tha hospital, then."  The Irishman pushes his bangs back over his scalp and from his eyes, keeping the bus from going too fast so that he can avoid debris and other possible ambushes from overpasses.
 
Darkwyrm grows quiet when the radio flickers on and rubs his chin as he listens to the voice speak. "Hmm. Little late for that warning, I believe.", he murmurs, shaking his head slightly.
 
The dial spins, until the voice picks up again and then is gone to the next.  The same message on repeat it seems. Cycling through frequencies.  The range isn't very good though, close by, within a couple miles at best.
 
Taggart mumbles softly, "Prolly automated... set up ta repeat and scan channels.  Pretty common in these sorts of situations, really. Always too late, really.  More for advance warning during outbreaks." Taggart nods a bit as his theory is proven.
 
Solixis sighs and keeps her eyes on the alleys, looking for potential ambush sites, nervous about this weird infection. "Um, Cyg, can you be a little less reckless next time?"
 
Foxheart closes her eyes and zones out. Nothing to add or comment, cause she'll be following orders anyway. She leans back on her seat and sighs, the novelty of the city scenery wearing out.
 
Cygnus sticks her tongue out lightly and gives a thumbs up, watching the surroundings as best she can.
 
Taggart glances back to his mate, frowning softly before he clears his throat and gets on the radio to the hummer.  "Any of you try ta pinpoint that signal?  I'm guessin' tha hospital, but, I'd like ta be sure."
 
The highway swerves, thankfully largely empty of abandoned vehicles, only the occasional, looking more recent. There's signs for the university medical center nearby, the upramp heading onto streets running under the fifty story buildings.
 
Cygnus perks her ears slightly as Taggart calls over, to which she prods Haley into the task. It doesnt take long before she radios back with an affirmative.
 
Solixis frowns, not really able to help with electronics and short-range signals.
 
Rihko shifts her weight again, ears going back; she shrugs, rolling her shoulders, and the motion continues into a slow rise from her seat.  Her tails uncoil from around her, lashing out behind her and then flicking and slowly twisting, writhing, and she moves towards the back of the bus.  On the way there she snags her bag, then stops a little further on.  If anyone watches her, she glares at them until they look away, then focuses on working her way back into a different shape.  It takes her a bit, and then she begins digging through her bag for clothes.
 
Darkwyrm seems to lose a lot of the tenseness he had when he sees Rihko shift back to a more natural shape. He even lets out a subtle sigh of relief and quickly goes about watching the road ahead to avoid eye contact.
 
Taggart glances back in the mirror at Rihko and smirks, sucking on a canine tooth before looking back to the road.  He follows the signs to the medical center, keeping his attention upon side-routes and the many new ways to which they could be ambushed from.  The Irishman clears his throat just a bit, "Dark... it'd be best iffun ya jus' got used ta it."  His green eyes remain on the task ahead, however.
 
Foxheart turns to Darkwyrm with a faint smile. "Focus on the eye candy at the end of the shifting." She notions to Rihko with a finger. "Optimism."

A few different streets, though the place still seems eerily still and quiet.  Empty of eyes, no attacks.  No clear place to ambush from either here.  About ten blocks away from the medical complex, the skyscrapers ending, now smaller university structures.
 
Darkwyrm shoots a glance at Taggert and curls a lip momentarily in a mock snarl. "Dunno how you live with yourself with what you've done.", he quietly says before grinning at Fox's comment and shooting a quick eyeshot towards the back. He takes a few steps back away from the front of the bus and moves towards where he was sitting to access his pack.
 
Solixis blinks. "Reminds me of Cleveland when I toured for college... hospitals clustered around a university, pretty cool, if a little imposing." Clear she's only talking to Cygnus and Haley, not really expecting a response.
 
Taggart eyetwitches as the comments float to the front of the bus, his neck twitching and the muscles of his shoulders tensing and spasming visibly beneath his bare skin.
 
Rihko pads her way back up to the front, gently settling her hand on Taggart's shoulder.  Her ear twitches.  "I am in a happy relationship with a good man who loves me.  I have a wonderful home, and a safe place to sleep at night.  I have interesting days, and boring days, in a proper ratio," she says, tone even.  "I'm rather happy with my life."  She continues staring out the front of the bus, expressionless, eyes cold.
 
Foxheart looks at Taggart's reaction and frowns. "He just does, Darkwyrm. Not by choice, by need. Rihko knows best why, after all, takes one to know one." She's still distracted, moving to the back to sit closer to Rihko. "A home that I'd like to return to in one piece. If it gets dangerous, will you pull us all out, Rihko?" Her eyes glimmer faintly as she asks.
 
The main medical center, a large complex of assorted buildings.  A single domed structure in the center draws the eyes immediately, broken and twisted, the dome cracked, a large stalk blooming from it, the fungal stalks moving gradually skyward. and out from it.  The largest building Tag recognizes, memories striking him.
 
Taggart swallows gently, but the spasming calms as Rihko rests her hand upon his shoulder.  His head tilts and nuzzles his cheek upon the tops of her paw-fingers, before he raises back up and focuses on the buildings.  Eyes squint as they find recognition in the structures, his tongue running gently up and down one of his enlarged canine teeth.
 
Darkwyrm looks out the windoe just in time to see the large building with huge fungal growth. "Well that's no good.", he growls.
 
Solixis shudders. "Of course this would be the spot where the infection is centered... how in the world is it getting enough moisture for all the growth..." She shudders as a horrible possibility dawns on her. "Oh, please no." She fights her own bile.
 
"Maybe," Rihko answers.  "Depending on how hard you are trying to get yourself killed, and how much danger it puts me in."  She's an honest girl, after all.  "I'd be willing to burn this whole city to the ground to get Tatsu to abandon it, but I think he'd be a bit upset at that extreme."  Her tails slowly wave back and forth behind her.  "Hrm.  That doesn't look promising.  Why pick the hospital with this here?" ... "I hope it didn't come after..."
 
Taggart frowns gently, "I'd guess... it came after.  Bet it had ta do with that cure fer feralism 'er wutever.  Medical research. Doubt it were malicious ta begin with iffun it were centered'ere. But then... ya never know when it comes ta humanity."
 
Foxheart frowns. "Taggart, you said the radio is an automated broadcast. Sure you want to...investigate the place? For all you know Tatsu used the facility and moved on. Doesn't make sense for him to stay...here." She winces at the fungal growths.
 
"Hmph.", Dark says. "At the very least, we'll have a bit of fun lookin' through th' place. Bound t'be all sorts of useful equipment layin' around even if he's not there."
 
Taggart raises his eyebrows and glances back at Foxheart.  "And where would ya suggest we go next, then?  Orite... no bloody clue. Don't sappose he mighta left a note 'er summat... ya know... tellin' us where he might've been headin' next or where ta regroup in there 'er anythin' like that at all?"  The sarcasm is thick.
 
Cygnus rubs her forehead quietly and rolls her eyes before letting her paw clutch her necklaces as the giant stalk looms in the distance.
 
Solixis keeps rotating the turret, keeping an eye out for sudden dangers, not liking the quiet. She wonders when the bus will radio them with plans for next move.
 
Rihko pats Taggart's shoulder again, then slips her paws into her jacket's pockets, tails still slowly swishing back and forth.  She leans her hips against Taggart's seat to brace herself against the bus' movement, and looks over the hospital's campus.
 
Foxheart snarls under her breath and swears in Japanese. "Don't blame me if we have to set you on fire again later, yeah?" She replies caustically, slinging her alpha strike around her shoulder.
 
Darkwyrm turns his head towards Rihko and gives a skeptical look. "Well, you know your brother best, where d'ya think he'd be hidin' in a hospital, if at all, eh?"
 
Taggart clears his throat and points out at the large building, "That's where they did most of the treatments when things went rough... woulda been where Tatsu an'tha lass went first.  Dunno if they relocated from that point'er not.  I doubt they woulda went toward that large mushroom, then."  He scowls at the giant fungus, shaking his head.  "Wonder if Sori managed ta think about packin' gasmasks..."
 
There's enough facegear or makeshift things to be able to outfit everyone.  Should offer at least some protection against the spore filled area.
 
"That would have been fortunate, although there are a lot of different faces for them to have to fit," Rihko points out.  She nods at the large building, as well. "Most defensible building, one with the best fire lanes and avenues of approach. That's what I would look for in a zombie apocalypse," she points out, tone flat.  "Let's have a look."
 
Solixis taps Cygnus on the shoulder. "Ask the bus what we're supposed to do? I'm getting antsy and if we're planning I'd at least like to hear 
the details before we set the plan in motion."
 
Taggart has the radio on so people can hear.
 
The bus pulls up between the emergency ward and the main building, there's an overhead closed walkway between the two, and below entrances to either that can be pulled right up next to.
 
Foxheart grabs a gas mask for herself, taking a few more from the back and settling them on a seat. "Gear up and let's go already. Time's awasting." She grumbles, a bit muffled by the mask.
 
Darkwyrm rummages through his pack some more and pulls out a few grenades and stashes them into his pockets. "Might as well bring the room clearers this time around.", he says.
 
Solixis heads over to the bus. "If you got gas masks for all of us, I think Haley, Cyg and I might need them." She shrugs, still debating if she can use Oka-sama's power to overcome the infection if need be.
 
Rihko shoulders her own satchel, fingers slowly stroking the design on the outside of it, then picks up one of the filters that looks like it could fit over the end of her muzzle and steps off of the bus.  Her ears twitch and perk and she turns her head this way and that, looking around, before she heads up to the door of the emergency ward, eyes scanning for signs, signifiers, or notes.
 
Taggart pulls the bus up to the entrance and parks, shutting off the engine.  Standing, he moves back to his own pack and debates method.  "Only problem with bein' able ta shift inta a big, ton of wolf-muscle and meat... ya lose all yer gear."  He opts for control and pulls on fresh clothing, tugging a new tac-vest on while taking up his AUG and shotgun.
 
Cygnus coasts in quietly, keeping close to the bus "You two /may/ want grab gas masks. I'm pretty sure I saw them in the compartment back there." She crackles, her paw fumbling at the walkie's tuning slightly. She perks up seeing Soli already out of the truck before shrugging and hopping out as well, moving to the back seat to grab a bit more of her armament.
 
Solixis gets three of the masks, hands one to Cygnus anyways. "Don't be a hero, Cygnus. If you forget to not breathe, I'd rather a backup plan." She straps her own filter on, her eyes protected by the visor and eyeshield of her armor. She picks up Bardiche and hefts the heavy weapon onto her shoulder, standing before the entrance with the others.
 
Old papers are posted on nearly every entrance, hand scrawled warnings that say Quarantine in bright red.  It's sort of a joke at this point, especially noted by the cracked glass upper frame of the medical center's sliding doorway.
 
Rihko looks the entrance over, and the door, head moving up and down.  Then the kitsune turns, and makes her way to the other door, that of the hospital proper.  She repeats her slow inspection, filing away observations in quiet contemplation.
 
Taggart pulls a gasmask down over his face as he steps from the bus and then brings his AUG up to a ready position.  He glances around the group and checks the radio, making sure people can hear and speak through the masks.  "Everyone comin' t'rough, then?"
 
Darkwyrm hops off the bus and moves in a jog to catch up with the rest of the group. He wipes away some of the dust and grime covering the glass and peers inside.
 
Cygnus nods and flats her ears "I have a feeling coughing that shit up now would be a bad idea, being so close to that stalk..." She says, looking like an awkward ventriloquist at this point as she stashes the gas-mask.
 
Foxheart follows after, railgun slung to her back as her other sword is drawn. She observes the crack on the sliding door and decides to bash at the glass with the hilt of her sword, hoping to shatter it.
 
Rihko licks at her teeth, and then her ears twitch at the sound of Foxheart's ruckus; she half turns, and looks over her shoulder at the other kitsune.  "Wrong door," she points out.  "It's this one. They bolted it."  She turns back to the door and politely knocks on it, knuckle rapping on glass.
 
The knock is loud, echoing throughout the area. The unnatural silence adds to the large impact it has.  At first nothing happens, but one of the big stalks sticking out of the building twitches at the noise, curling very slightly in the group's direction.
 
(At the very edge of hearing, there's a faint sound of a motor, an engine of some sort.  Another vehicle in the city! And it seems to be getting louder gradually, though still a ways off).
 
Taggart looks about at the knock as well, blinking at the very small reaction from the fungus.  He just shakes his head, but pauses at the sound of a motor.  "Rihko... kin' ya scan tha radios fer that vehicle?"  He frowns gently behind his mask and looks about a bit more, raising his AUG scope to get a better view into the surrounding buildings.
 
Solixis winces, not liking the idea of sapient fungi, especially not sapient fungi and certainly not mobile malevolent sapient fungi. The mere fact that it could visibly turn to face them in such a short period screams wrong and fucked up to her mind.
 
Darkwyrm's ears perk up at the sound of a motor approaching. "We got somethin' incoming, folks.", he says. "Dunno if it's friend r' foe, but yeah. Vehicle incomin'." HE hand comes to rest on the pommel of his blade, more out of reflex than anything.
 
Taggart can see through one of the windows in one of the other medical research facilities, that there are bodies lined up, each fruiting, layed and piled up.  There's twitching and movement, eyes staring hollowly, but nothing capable of actual movement.  It almost looks like they were dumped there.
 
The silence makes Foxheart cringe. "Well. Nothing seems to be there, at least. Unless it's an ambush predator hiding inside." She turns to look where the others are looking and shrugs. "Burn the damn thing if you have to." Her wisp pops out from behind her tails at the mention of burning, buzzing happily and drifting around the kitsune. She walks to the door that Rihko mentioned, though not opening it just yet.
 
Rihko slips her blade from its sheath and eyes the door a moment. "The infected ones can still operate vehicles, remember," she says, voice calm.  "Let's at least get out of sight before anyone else shows up, just in case."  She raises her blade, then jams it forward between the hospital's doors, aiming at the bolt.
 
The bolt screeches, metal on metal, and then the join on the other end cracks and the attachment falls off. The sliding door opens allowing the group to peer inside.  This area for patients to be pushed out to vehicles, a few administration desks lay knocked over and papers fallen all about, the place looks almost like a war scene, people fleeing every direction they could, there are scratchmarks in fingernails on the glass even.
 
Taggart glances over his shoulder to the sound of the engine, but moves up to the newly opened door with rifle raised.  He scans for targets and then moves in, "Welp... come on, then."
 
There still appears to be power in the building of note, overhead lights keep the place in an eerily bright light, stark contrast with the equipment of the facility.
 
Rihko pushes the doors open and slips a few steps into the room, sliding her knife away.  Then she pulls a mic out of her bag and settles it around her neck, tapping her com unit to synch up and start scanning.  "Hello?" she asks the dead air.  "Can anyone read me?  Hello?"  She waits for a slow count of ten, then moves to the next station, repeating the call, fishing for signs of life.
 
Darkwyrm slips inside the doors and, just for safety, pulls the doors shut once everyone is inside.. assuming they stay shut.
 
Foxheart studies her surroundings carefully, the kitsune on guard as she raises both her swords. "This is madness. No. This is a terrible, terrible scene." She frowns at the bright light, a paw touching the scratches on the glass.
 
Haley stands with her arms folded, seemingly indifferent to everything
 
Rihko's voice finally syncs with the place's equipment and her voice echo's over the intercom, throughout the building.  There's a pause, and a crash, an individual sound of something falling, faint, about halfway through the building.  It's the only response so far.
 
Solixis pads into the building a few steps behind Rihko, glancing nervously. "It's kinda like a twisted version of Pompeii... They saw it happening, and could do nothing." She shivers. "Horrible. Worst way to go."
 
Taggart frowns at the sound and other lack of sounds, shaking his head.  He pauses after they enter, letting everyone else into the room before he gives a grunt and a growl, sliding the doors shut and then bending the bolt back into place.
 
Foxheart perks her ears at the sound of the crash, the kitsune's trigger-nerves snapping as she starts towards the direction of the source of the sound, wisp trailing behind.
 
Darkwyrm frowns and takes a step back from the door. "I had it taken care of, but whatever.", he says, scowling slightly at Taggart's display.

Rihko pauses a moment, raising her gaze to the room's ceiling, and then scans the corners of the room, looking for the building's intercom 
speakers.  After a moment, she continues on the intercom. "Attention, residents," she continues, tone calm and even, "today's lunch will be grilled portabello mushrooms in brown gravy.  There is a white Ford explorer in the parking lot, license plate KXCD one seven seven three with the lights on.  Tatsu, you are required at the main entry.  Further, this complex is scheduled to be incinerated."  She pauses, and a small grin touches her lips for the first time since entering the city.  "Also, there will be grief counseling and mandatory cake."  Her tails swish and sway, and then she moves on to the next radio channel, until she knows she will get no responses.
 
Cygnus holds her rifle to her shoulder, keeping it lowered of course for some sort of group safety, that is until Rihko manages to dial 911. Rifle goes back up, finger spins a dial on the side and a pair of tubes glow with the surge of life. Her voice crackles forth on her walkie "Nothing we can do about it now... Let's just hope that crash wasn't coming for us, eh?"
 
Sensitive ears can hear a soft groaning, and movement, and then a short time later another voice comes over the hospital intercom.  "Rihko, what the hell are you doing here?  And why did you have to put the amp up so loud you nitwit?"
 
Cygnus turns and smirks, her lips curling "Rihko, you do /know/ that the cake is a lie, right?"
 
Solixis stifles a giggle at Rihko's comment, freezing as she hears the intercom respond, fire leaping to her tails. "Wait, this guy knows Rihko's voice?"
 
Haley can't keep a straight face and smiles wide
 
Foxheart stops dead to listen to the voice, slightly ahead of the group in the corridor.
 
Taggart glances to Darkwyrm, "Course ya did."  He doesn't say anything further, his voice crackling oddly through the mask, though a snicker bounces off the empty halls at his mate's announcement. His green eyes continue to look into doorways, checking for targets or mushrooms, moving ahead just a bit, though still within range of the rest of the group.
 
Further words, "Five corridors down, room B 182."
 
Rihko nods her head and immediately sets off down the hallway, steps moving with purpose, eyes scanning the hallway for the right turn, and anyone else that might be moving.  "Come on," she calls back to the group.
 
Solixis looks over to the hospital's layout map by the entrance, checking for distance. She tries to do a quick estimate of how many rooms are between here and their destination, and if they need to move up a floor.
 
Haley follows, keeping a hand on her sword now, it glows in it's sheath in response.
 
Taggart follows after Rihko, his boots hitting a bit harder and faster upon the floor as he picks up his pace to match hers.  His eyes still scan for threats, barrel of his rifle aimed toward doorways and hallways while clearing corners.
 
Solixis guards the rear, making sure that they aren't being followed, keeping her senses alert for dangers. "I hope we can get in, grab him and get out. I don't like this fungus."
 
Darkwyrm pulls out his dagger and holds it in his hand as he follows Rihko, taking up part of the rear of the group. He watches each of the doors they pass warily, ready to counter should anything burst through one of them.
 
Cygnus trots along, keeping close to Rihko. Eyes scan about and ears twitch this way and that, all the while her finger rests on the trigger guard.
 
The corridors are pretty easy to navigate and wide, hospital carts the only thing to avoid, broken glass and vials litering the place but not impeding.  Door after door, patients rooms that have been locked, but are empty now.  Then they get to the area labeled with dangerous toxins and infectious diseases, sealed glass rooms and the like.
 
Foxheart pokes Rihko. "Ask him which room he's in? Surely it's safe enough to go there of Tatsu is hiding there?" She sees the empty rooms and secures her gas mask just in case.
 
They reach the room, locked, a passcode on the door, but the glass is unobstructed.  A man sits inside, a whole bunch of science equipment strewn about the patient room.  Different shapes of fungus sprouting from containers.  The man's very gaunt, looking sickly, his veins black and blue littered around his body. He looks like he hasn't slept in ages.  Despite that, he waves at his sister, and says. 
"Unless you're like me, I wouldn't recommend coming in here." over the intercom.
 
Rihko knows, in the back of her mind, that any true adventurer would be each and every room, looking for valuable genetic material, lost viral weapons, potential clues, or, perhaps, the Sacred Petri Dish of Ozzymandias.  However, the kitsune is focused and intent, her attention not swayed by the myriad of potential treasures waiting to tempt her.  She keeps going down the hospital hallway, towards the indicated room, focusing a moment to make sure her nanites were running at optimal levels, protecting her bare feet from the glass she was walking over.  "He did say, room B 182."  She comes to an abrupt halt, though, and 
blinks at the sight inside the room.  She stands there a long, long moment, staring, then raises a paw and sets it against the glass.  Then, her head slumps forward and bumps the glass.  "Fuck, Tatsu," she says.  "What did you do? What happened??"
 
Darkwyrm lets Rihko occupy the glass of the door, but keeps his ears open to listen to the conversation. Meanwhile, he scouts around a little bit, checking the adjacent rooms for anything interesting.
 
Solixis mirrors Darkwyrm's activities in the other direction along the same hallway, weapon primed.
 
The intercom bleeds a moment, and he says, "Sorry sis, I... I tried coming north but apparently it followed me.  And took someone I care about."  He looks infected, but seems in full control of himself.  His movements in control, no jerkiness like most of the infected.  He still seems animated despite.  He then says, "I'm getting close though, I think..."
 
Taggart holds position by his mate, keeping watch down the corridors, frowning as the group splinters just a bit.  "Clear the adjacent rooms, but don't go far... don't want ta have ta come find ya, iffun ya get inta trouble."
 
Haley follows Sol, watching her back, her sword out and pulsing.
 
Foxheart winces at Tatsu's form and pulls her wisp into her paw. "He's infected, Rihko. You should be ready for the worst." The kitsune winces and makes her way to the room opposite, scanning for dangers.
 
Rihko sighs again.  Her paw slides down the glass, her small fox-claws slowly scratching at the surface, and then her hand reaches out for Taggart.  She gives her mate a little squeeze, holding on to him for comfort as she looks back up at her brother, her tails swishing.  "It's good to see you, brother.  Even though you look like shit.  The people..." she trails off.  "They don't die.  The nanites keep them alive, frozen husks.  You..." she trails off, and gives Taggart another 
squeeze.  "I have fire.  Are there... any loose ends you need me to clean up?"
 
Cygnus stares into the room, a bit of sadness showing as she lets her rifle rest up on her shoulder. Her radio crackles but otherwise stays silent.

Darkwyrm opens room after room, each with their own stories, long since cleaned out of patients, there's still medical supplies, and research notes on various more normal infections, and notes on the nanite outbreak in the area and its effect on patients.  Solixis stumbling behind bumps into Darkwyrm, and the two startled, crack into a gurney.
 
Tatsu says, "No, no.  I'm immune.  The rest, the rest lose their minds before it progresses this far.  There's something about me that will fix this.  I can fix them."  he's shouting now.
 
Taggart frowns softly behind his mask at the squeezings from his mate, his hand coming away from his rifle to squeeze her own in sympathy.  His head jerks in the direction of the loud clatter, "God dammit... wut's goin' on out there?  Report back."
 
Solixis jumps at the sound, catching herself on the wall. "Sorry, Taggart. Doors directly opposite each other, backed into Darkwyrm, hit a gurney." She calls back, gingerly padding back to the group.
 
"Ack! Watch where you're steppin, kitty!", Dark says, pushing the gurney away and brushing himself off. He starts rifling through notes, seeming to have taken an interest in them.
 
Rihko frowns at her brother, and her ear twitches.  "Alright."  She pauses, and bumps her head against the glass again.  "Alright..." she looks back up.  "Swear to me, Tatsu, family's honor.  That you know what you are doing.  Because, so help me, I'll find a way to nuke this city if it claims you."
 
Haley stands by Sol and Darkwyrm and lets out a low chuckle
 
Solixis winces. "Sorry, Dark. I've just been a little antsy and I trusted the hallway more than I trusted the room. And Haley, this isn't funny. I don't know what this fungus reacts to, but it knows we are here."
 
Darkwyrm bends down and picks up a small something. He turns it over in his hand and inpects it for a few moments before pocketing it. "Hm.", is all he says. "Nothin' in th' notes detailing the fungi.", he murmurs.
 
Taggart looks to his mate quietly and carefully, "Rihko... love... if there's somethin' about him that kin' fix them... but he don't know wut it is..."  He shakes his head, then returns to giving her paw comfort while keeping an eye on the hallways.
 
Tatsu says, "I... I think I do."  looking about, "You... you know that big thing out there?  I'm sure you saw it, sis.  She... she's inside it.  I have to get her back, I promised her."
 
Foxheart returns to Rihko's side and stays quiet to listen.
 
Rihko slowly nods her head.  "I understand..." she says, ears dropping flat, voice pained.  The rest of her posture, though, fills with determination.  "How can I help?  And are you expecting visitors?  Something is out there, driving closer."  She pauses, wanting to talk, to catch up, to listen to her brother's story and tell him everything about her own life... but time was limited, and this was important to him.  So, it became important to her.
 
Cygnus rubs her forehead and rolls her neck, causing a few cracks to sound forth.
 
Tatsu shakes his head, "They are still spreading.  Whatever it is, knows enough about our brains to mimic basic actions, like walking, and driving.  But this one seems only interested in new paths to spread.  Hasn't sent anything after me in weeks."  He shows the petri dishes to them.  These are all born from my blood.  None of them are blooming in the same fashion, and none of them look like that stuff at all.  But there's patterns.  I wish I had paid more attention in genetics classes."
 
Darkwyrm exits the room and peers at the group at the door again before trying another room, trying to find one with a window that might show whoever is approaching in the vehicle, while, of course, keeping his eyes peeled for more clues as how to best combat the fungus infections, besides fire.
 
Solixis shivers. "Sorry about that, Darkwyrm. I've just been getting scenes from Pompeii etched into my mind." She returns to searching as well, making sure to keep her distance from the Jackal to prevent further disruptions.
 
Taggart growls gently, "Where's Eithne when ya need'er?"  The man calls through the door, "Explain it, Tatsu... yer infected, but yer infection ain't werkin' tha same way.  How's it bloomin'?  Wut's it doin'?  Details."
 
Rihko peers at Tatsu's dishes for a moment, then waves at the others.  "Hey.  Infection specialists?" she asks.  She peers through the glass, trying to make out some details, thinking about the possible indications.  "We..." she trails off.  "Well.  Might be able to save you, if you want, but what do you have in mind? Letting whatever grows out of you have a go at that stalk out there?" she asks, frowning.
 
Solixis earperks. "Not a Specialist, per se, but I can identify form and function pretty quickly off of a given sample." She pads back to the door, curious.
 
Foxheart winces as she looks through the glass, whispering to Rihko with a frown, then looking back at the infected human. "If we blast the mushroom apart? Would that fix the spread?"
 
Tatsu is peppered with questions.  "Look, I'm sorry.  I'm not an expert.  I've just been running from this, ever since it started down in San Antonio.  It spread north to Austin before I got there... then I woke up from this awful hangover with... her, and detailed instructions from Rihko.  I have no idea how you managed that sis."  he sighs, and continues, "We fled north, this time beating it, had time to warn them.  But people didn't listen! They insisted it was okay, and that the nanites would protect them, keep them perfect and healthy and fight off disease." He looks down, "It just made things worse.  This thing usually kills them, but in here, in here they are still alive, suffering while that stuff has complete control over them.  It's even started to mutate some of their flesh, I'm worried its going to evolve."  He looks back at his sister, and then to Taggart.  "I tell myself it's about getting her free, but really, what's the use in running if it's just going to keep spreading?"
 
Solixis pokes Rihko gently, trying to get in on the conversation. "Tatsu, I'm a friend of Rihko's. Is there any chance you could share your notes? Perhaps putting two minds to this might be better than just one." She stands at the door, tails waving nervously.
 
Darkwyrm finds nothing in the next room he searches, and no clear view of anything important outside either. He lets out a low growl of frustration at his failure to find anything explicitely useful.
 
"Through what?  It's all in here.  Giving them to you, will just expose you all.  If you want to help, you'll have to come inside and hope you're smart enough to figure this out before it starts." his eyes focusing on the Nekomata.  "Oh, and sis, why are you all animals anyways?"
 
Rihko nods her head, mind working as she fits more observations together with ideas and potential solutions.  "I've... got an infection, Tatsu, that is very good at dealing with other infections."  Her paw gives Taggart another little squeeze.  "If you want to fight, brother, to live, Taggart might be willing to spread it."  Her ears twitch.  "We can stop this thing.  Keep it from spreading.  Shut down the San Antonio bubble, cut off its power, and it'll at least go dormant, and at best, die off.  Maybe we could find out what happened and change the programming, once it's offline."  She pauses, and her tails twitch, then she gives Tatsu a little grin.  "Long story.  Short version, the bubble out in Fairhaven programmed the nanites to do this."

Taggart mumbles a bit, "You get mushrooms, we get animals.  Go figure."  The man sighs and growls gently, "We're wastin' time."
 
Taggart blinks as words sink in, "Wut?"
 
Outside, that growing sound of approaching vehicle has been getting steadily louder, after a long pause.  Dark can see something in the distance, an approaching vehicle clocking at full speed, straight for the building.
 
Solixis gulps, looking to Rihko. "Don't hospitals usually have haz-mat suits for quarantine jobs? Or am I being too hopeful here? I'm willing to risk myself to help though, if you all will let me." She looks to her teammates, the question in her eyes.


[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:Crystala Events]][[Category:Trail of Tears]]