Making their way down the stairs to the courtyard they saw there were two Royal Army Land Rovers parked there. Simon recognised them as a Defender 110 and a longer Defender 130 HCPU (High Capacity Pick Up). The smaller one had a completely enclosed 4-door cab and a MAG machinegun mounted on a ring in the roof hatch (in the middle of the rear row of seats). The other larger Land Rover had a 2-door enclosed cab with a longer low-sided pickup bed featuring wood benches down each side. 5 passengers could sit on each bench, facing each other, with a couple crouched down in between. Both were push-button starters.

As they came out both the inner gate and outer gate began rolling open with a click and rattle.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:37, Mon 03 Aug 2020.

"Better get a wiggle on, they are opening the gates already," said Simon.

"Who wants to drive the 130?" He jumped into the driving seat of the smaller Landrover and started it.

"All aboard for the Skylark!"

"I'll drive," Sara volunteered, heading for the second vehicle.

Pierce slung his rifle over his shoulder and clambered up to man the turret gun. He grabbed and pulled the charge handle to make certain it was ready to fire then slapped the roof indicating his readiness.

Steven followed the others as they made their way to the vehicles. Taking a seat he removed his handgun from its holster before getting in.


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In reply to Steven Wall (msg # 35):

Wilton will file into the 130.

Sakura slides into the 110.  She isn't looking very happy at the moment in general.  She can shoot, if the situation is desperate, though.

Simon headed towards the opening gate.

Sara fired up the 130, which was very loud, and waved for Ralph to get in the back.  Once he was in, she followed the other vehicle toward the gate.

OOC: Stuffing Ralph in the back as he hasn't checked in for a few weeks.  Ralph in the back, Sara driving with Wilton riding shotgun riflegun in the front passenger seat.

With Sakura and Ralph settled in to the 110 they started up. AB checked his ammunition supply; there was a full belt in the MAG plus two ammo boxes with another belt each secured to the roof of the Land Rover.

The gates finished opening. They rolled out from the courtyard onto Norton Way. 2 blocks ahead was the intersection to Blandford Rd. There, they would turn left.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/...64187193505&z=19

Ralph checked his weapons and his camera, moving to a window where he could keep a watch out as the 110 took off.

The two vehicles turned left onto Blandford.

At first the street appeared deserted. Far down they could see the stranded coach, door left open. Both sides of Blandford were brick row houses.

Close by, on the left side of the street, someone started to push open the grimy glass door of a kebab shop.

Ralph brought his weapon around and called out.  "Movement on the left!"

In reply to Ralph Brown (msg # 43):

The Land Rover had metal screens instead of windows, allowing him to fire out if he wanted. Ralph would have time for a couple shots, considering their leisurely 30 km/h pace. He could see it was a woman, dressed in a stained apron. Moving in the jerky uncoordinated way of the late-stage infected. Blood had poured from a gaping wound in the side of her neck down the front of her blouse, coagulated and turning black. A few flies buzzed out from the now-open door, more circled her.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:44, Tue 15 Sept 2020.

Steven held his fire as they moved through the town. Unless they were going to impede their progress or were a direct threat.


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In reply to Steven Wall (msg # 45):

With no one wanting to draw attention by firing shots in the street, they pulled up at the wrecked coach. Behind it was the stalled dumper truck. They couldn't see anyone anywhere around outside.

Close by, somewhere down the street they were on, probably on the right, there was the sound of a gunshot, then a few more. Still, they could see no one. But the front doors of the brick row houses on either side for several blocks were starting to be fumbled open, and there was motion as curtains were disturbed.

Elsewhere in the city they could automatic weapons fire and the booming of a small-calibre autocannon. It sounded like things were still hot over by the bridge.

The young bloodied woman they'd bypassed was now out of the kebab shoppe and had stumbled into the street. She was about 3-4 blocks back, about 300m. She was not a direct threat but began lurching towards them.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/...GxjG&usp=sharing

Ralph did not take the shot as they drove by but hopped out as the cars came to a halt.  "Hello!" he called out looking around.  "Let's check the coach first and then head down the way the people seemed to have headed.  Cover me someone."  Ralph will head toward the coach making sure he has back up.  He'll stop to pick up the stuffed animal left on the ground.

"Be careful," said Simon.

He stayed in the driving seat, keeping a sharp lookout.

Sara brought the second truck to a stop about twenty meters behind the other vehicle.  She kept an eye out for trouble.

In reply to Ralph Brown (msg # 47):

There was no answer to Ralph's call.

They quickly entered the coach and determined it was empty. They had obviously left in a hurry, which makes sense given what they'd seen.

Outside, a couple doors on each side of the street were starting to be clumsily pulled open.

Ralph called out. "All empty, there are zombies coming out down the street.  Let's get out of here and continue down on their path."  He trotted back to the vehicle.

In reply to Ralph Brown (msg # 51):

So far there were only three figures staggering towards them, a teenaged girl in a blood-stained school uniform, one obese male with a bite taken out of his neck and (ugh) a naked old man wearing only a hat, but with no obvious trauma.

"Which way?" asked Simon, putting the jeep in gear.

Steven held his fire until the last minute unless something closer appeared. The objective of their little foray seemed to be missing.

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This message was last edited by the player at 20:01, Fri 23 Oct 2020.

In reply to Steven Wall (msg # 54):

Suddenly, fatso on the north side of the street's head was struck by a bullet coming from the southeast. It was a suppressed round, leaving a small entry hole in front and spraying bone, brain matter out the back as it exited. He sat down, then flopped over. There was no supersonic crack but they could hear a muffled gunshot echoing off the buildings as (presumably) the rifle's suppressor directed the sound of the shot out to the sides.

They got a call on the radio. The sniper position at the gate behind them reported they had them in sight.

"Be advised, we seen the occupants buggered off back up Blandford road to the northwest. At least a couple blocks before we lost track of 'em. Better get moving, yeah?"