It had been a little over three months since that satellite exploded in orbit and ceded the atmosphere with radiation that caused the dead to come back to some semblance of life. Since that time the responsibility, and later the willingness, to combat the undead hordes fell to law enforcement. Few remained. Many departments, agencies, and task forces had been completely wiped out.

Struggling to find family, friends, resources, or simply a safe place to lay their head for a night. Kayla Redding and Zack Mathews had ended up as part of a group of nomadic survivors on their way to a supposed refugee sanctuary in Mobile, Alabama. Their circuitous route took them too close to Chattanooga, Tennessee and a horde of tens of thousands of migrating undead.

After a rolling ten day fight with the undead the group was broken into three parties scattered over about twenty miles of the hilly, forested terrain of northwestern Georgia just east of a town called Ringgold, Georgia. There, finally getting clear of the hordes of undead, the groups began using portable C.B. radios to try and coordinate their groups into linking up again. Then terror struck in the form of a local group of survivors made up of heavily armed teens and former Army infantrymen.

The ambush was overwhelming. The marauding survivors were armed to the teeth with real firepower; rifles, sub machine guns, and machine guns scavenged from a local WWII and militaria  museum. It was appalling. People died before they even realized there was a fight. Kayla was taken aback, years working murder cases involving children in sex slavery, gang warfare, and terrorism was bad enough, but now she was literally fighting for her life by killing teenagers.

Zach was equally shocked, but along a slightly different line, most these kids weren't that much younger than he was. He easily could've been an older brother to any of them. It was a terrible situation. In the end he simply did what had to be done to survive and hoped the consequences to his sanity would be something he could live with.

They escaped, kayla and Zach made it out, there where several others who survived as well. But the others had fled in different directions trying to escape as well. The pair of former cops wound up traveling all day an night to ensure that they weren't being followed before they came across a broad, five lane highway. The roadside sign said US 41. The area was built up with many roadside houses, a aging flee market, several strip malls, and a few stand alone service stations and shops.

Of all places, they slept in a boxy recreational vehicle that had broken down sometime long ago. There were scattered cars along the roadway. Many of the shops had been looted, or burned, or both. The R.V. was clean and still had cushions in the beds. And nights in Georgia in the summer were warm, often hot. But sleep came easy to the duo that night.

This night was shaping up to be most difficult of Kayla’s life and as she tucked Dani into bed she thought for a moment about how it all began.

---

Kayla turned down the television as soon as she heard her cell phone ring.  Zack had gotten her message and was on his way over and he had even stopped for coffee.  Kayla chuckled slightly knowing the rookie knew his place; she had taught him well.  They were finally scheduled to work their first night shift together, but there was something she needed to get off her chest first.  So she headed back across the living room of her modest apartment and turned to the kid sitting at the kitchen table, "How's it going, baby girl?" Kayla asked her as she sat down in the chair beside her.

She shrugged.  Sometimes she never said much.

"Whatcha drawin'?" Kayla asked her, looking at the yellow paper on the table with some lines and scribbles drawn across it.

"The city," she said, not looking up, just staring at her paper, working on it slowly with a crayon.

"Looks good," Kayla told her as she reached out to pluck one of her little braids.

The girl grabbed it and turned to Kayla with a big smile.  "MOMMY!" she said.

"What?" Kayla asked her.

"I'm trying to color."

"I noticed."   Kayla plucked the braid again.

This time Dani swatted at her hand, "I'm going to color you if you don't stop, Mommy," she said, turning towards the older woman with a big grin and a crayon grasped in her hand.

"All right, you win girl.” Kayla held up her hands in surrender; another ring of the phone, Zack was on his way up.  “Do you think you could color in your room for a minute, there is someone I want you to meet."

Dani giggled and nodded, jabbing the crayon playfully at her mother as she stood up with her crayons and darted off to her room, her little ringlet curls bouncing as she turned to leave.

Kayla gulped as she heard a knock on the door, the moment of truth. She blinked and looked down the small hallway towards Dani’s room with a smile once last time.  She composed herself and moved to the door. Tugging at her shirt, making sure her uniform and badge were perfect, she pulled it open, with a bright smile on her face.  There was a twinge of hope in her eyes. Zack didn’t seem like most other men, ya he was young, but maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't be like the others.

The door opened and Zack looked at her, he felt that he may have been slightly early, given the hurried nature of her hair-grooming but Kayla had that sort of timeless, slightly wild beauty and he knew she looked good no matter she did.  “I brought coffee,”   He smiled and after much indecision and awkwardness about greeting his superior, he gave her the cup

“Thanks for the coffee Rook,” she said with a smile taking the offered cup “I might just make a cop out of you yet.”  Rook, short for Rookie was something they called all new officers.  The nickname was almost a right of passage.  “Ready for your first night shift?”

Zack practically ignored the older woman and looked past her as he saw the figure of a young girl standing behind Kayla. He kneeled down to her level and smiled at her, trying his best to sound friendly without being too patronizing.  “And who might you be?”

Danielle had snuck out of her room and was standing next to her mother, her hands clasped neatly in front of her. She watched as Kayla flung open the door. She was acting strange. She hadn't seen her mother so frantic about something in a long time. The look on her face, she looked really happy and...worried.  She looked at the man as he came in and moved down to her level. She blinked and smiled demurely.  “You dress like mom, only not as much shiny stuff.” She spoke matter of factly, highlighting the numerous ribbons and devices that adorned Kayla’s uniform.

“Zack, this is Dani…”  Kayla moved to the side as Zack spotted her daughter. This would be interesting.  She was slightly uncomfortable, she really wanted…needed… this to go well… “…my daughter.”

For Zack the whole thing was a bit unsettling at first, as he had never seen Kayla wear any sort of wedding ring, or even mention a husband or daughter.   Luckily, Dani had a long mental list of questions she wanted to ask him and conversation flowed like two people who’d known each other for a long time.  Soon he relaxed and let his mind absorb all of Dani’s words until after what seemed like an eternity, the young girl’s baby sitter arrived.

“She’s quite a talker isn’t she?” Kayla quipped as she shit the door to her apartment behind them. “Once she gets to know you, she goes non-stop.”

“Yeah, I noticed that.” Zack responded.


“Let’s go Rook, this shift isn’t going to start itself.” Kayla teased the young man as Zack walked around their patrol taking inventory before hoping in the drivers’ seat.  “I know what you’re thinking.  No I’ve never been married.  Turns out most men don’t want to date female cops.  I guess we intimidate their manhood or something.”

That made him laugh “I mean…” he could totally see himself not being the only man intimidated by Kayla.

“And those that do, well let’s just say most of them are only after one thing.  Believe it or not I used to be rather lascivious, that’s I how ended up with Dani.  I was really worried when I found out, balancing a promising career with a kid.  Besides what would my partners think?  But Captain, he helped me keep it quiet.  Let me consult on cases from home as I began to show and he told everyone I was working an undercover assignment.  A small price to pay to protect his star detective.”  Kayla couldn’t be certain who Dani’s father was it could have been any number of former lovers. “He’s pretty much the only other one at the prescient that knows, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Well you don’t have to worry about me spilling it…hell I don’t know the first thing about kids.”

Kayla smiled at him with a beautiful look in her eyes, “well if you want, I can teach you.  Dani is easy, if you play, or sing, or dance with her you are a friend for life." She had been quite unprepared for motherhood herself, and never been the teacher but perhaps this was the time for her to teach Zack about something besides just being a cop.  “Because it doesn’t take the detective in me to see that she likes you.  She doesn't like most men.”


"How man have you..."

Her eyes snapped wide when she heard him start to ask the question. Oh Sweet Lord, did he really think that was a good idea to ask a superior officer, or any woman for that matter? Was he really that naïve? She had to shut this down now.  "Don't even go there Rook..."

to be continued...

This message was last edited by the player at 05:27, Sun 21 Mar 2021.

On patrol that night Zack was amazed by what he saw. Parts of Atlanta were becoming a ghost town. His own prescient was able to barely muster a quarter of the number of officers required for a normal shift, and as soon as things started getting worse the department had gone from the standard 9 hour shifts to 12 hours, 7 days a week.  He hadn’t had a day off in nearly two weeks.  The parking lot at the neighborhood grocery store was barren, just days earlier it had been the sight of a brutal riot after the store manager had sold out the last of his grocery inventory.  That night he’d spent hours standing the line next to Kayla dodging the Molotov cocktails, bricks and actual human excrement that was hurled at them until a federal task force was finally able to get the crowd to disperse.

Tonight there were just a few would-be patrons seated in their cars, most of them elderly retirees. Zack assumed that they waited there in desperate hopes of seeing an approaching delivery truck.

Most of county sheriff’s department had quietly left town last week, on pretense of helping the more rural areas outside the city.  Most of the deputies just quickly got in their vechiles and drove out of town and left a considerable quantity of gear behind in their haste.

Finally, closer to downtown they drove by the police department’s headquarters building. He counted only five cars and SUVs there. “Sweet Jesus,” Zack muttered to himself. “Where did everyone go?” Zack had heard that there were desertions, but since he was new to the force he hadn’t realized the extent of the problem.

Suddenly in the seat next to him Kayla shouted, “No!” and slammed her fist on the dashboard.

The morning was a hot one. Kayla awoke early, left Zack sleeping and crept through the RV checking the area around them. She didn't see much in the way of wandering undead. That was good. There weren't any signs of people either. the little stash of water and food left on a nearby parked car with a sign reading 'this is to help' was still there. so, no one had passed by. She sighed.

There was a sudden booming echo. It was an explosion to the west. It wasn't a big boom, but it was enough to be heard for miles, maybe up to twenty miles. Explosions had a way of displacing air violently creating disproportionately loud reports. Still, it was close enough to walk to. And a bomb meant people. People who could be in trouble.

The beginning...continued

“We can’t just take with her us, in all this.”

“You don’t think I know that.  Don’t you dare tell me how to raise my daughter.”  They had rushed over to pick up Dani in the middle of their shift after Kayla had gotten the frantic text message.  Seems the father of the Dani’s sitter had fallen ill and she could no longer look after the girl.  “I can’t ask you to leave shift, but I sure as shit can’t forget my daughter.”  Kayla admired the young man’s optimism but she knew there wasn’t anything they could do.  They had received 157 new calls for service in the last hour alone, the requests were piling up twice as fast as they could clear them, tonight they had less than a dozen officers left on patrol for an area normally staffed by over 50.  At this rate, by tomorrow Zack would be the only one left.  “Look just take us to my place and if you want to go back out there I won’t stop you.”

A queasy feeling gripped her stomach as they drew closer to her apartment. They’d already passed several boarded up and burnt out buildings, had the looting made it to her apartment too?  Would she even have a safe place to take Dani to?

AS they rounded the corner, see could that a few of the front glass windows had been busted out, and occasional splatters of blood  coated some of the glass that lied strewn about on the stairs leading to the upper floors.  The doors to several units were swinging freely in the night air as Zack brought the vehicle to a stop.  “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me….You think you can watch her for a bit. Maybe I can see if there is anything left.” For the first time she could remember the grizzled homicide detective looked scared.

Dani looked at Zack smiled and smiled big, "Stay.  Stay Pway wif me.”

“Just ten minutes, please.” Kayla just looked helplessly at him.  "I'm going to go see if I can get some of her things and my things.. Then I'll figure something out.  Ten minutes, please rook..."

“Do you want me to go with you, we could get more stuff, or would you rather I stay with her.”

"Stay with my baby... she is what matters." Kayla looked at him, "And I don't trust many people with her." She told him.  "Thanks Zack." she leaned over the center console and impulsively hugged him for a moment, nothing more than a friendly hug but she couldn't help but notice his body was hard and muscular.

She made her way to her apartment. Inside she went into her bedroom first and changed. She quickly put on jeans and a white shirt that clung to her curves and tucked into the jeans. She put on tennis shoes and then packed a few things, some pajamas and a few personal toiletries. She went to Dani's room and did the same, using one suitcase and then grabbing Dani's favorite pillow and blanket and then moving back to take it to vehicle. She gave the first bag to Zack and smiled, "I'm going to go grab whatever food I can..."

She went back and this time she packed a box of goods and a bag of food from her freezer along with some other snack things she used for Dani.  She heard an explosion outside and screaming and she decided it was time to get moving. She didn't bother locking up her apartment and made her way back with the box and the bag. She was good at carrying a lot of things at once. She set the items in the vehicle and took a seat  "Ok....."

“You know, it might be a little cramped, but ya'll could stay at my place, assuming its still standing.  Just for a little bit, just until you know what’s going on.” Zack lived in the smallest unit in his building, a small one bedroom one bathroom apartment that he could barely afford. Kayla's place was no doubt larger, more familiar for her and the child and no doubt more comfortable but hopefully his place hadn't been ransacked.

---

Last night in the RV had been an unexpected but welcome respite from everything that had happened over the past few months.  Between the barricades and the walls, Atlanta was hardly recognizable by the time they'd left, they'd been lucky to get out when they did.  Then the traveling and the fighting...so much fighting...

Luckily Dani had gone to sleep with out too much trouble, as she closed the door to the RV's bedroom to allow the girl to sleep she couldn't help but be happy her little girl had a real mattress to sleep on.  The rest of the evening had been a surprise...

She and Zack shared a bottle of 18 year old scotch she'd salvaged out of her apartment back in Atlanta. Her captain had given to it her as a gift when she'd made detective, one of the youngest in department history.  They'd gotten halfway through it before the clothes came off.  Over the past couple months she'd become like a mother to the young cop, and Zack for his part had become the closest thing to father Dani had ever had.  Still, last night was the first time in months she'd felt like a woman, and for Zack she suspected perhaps the first time he'd ever feel like a man.  Part of her wished they'd mad love under different circumstances.

She had woken up on the sofa in the main room of the RV that also doubled as the kitchen still wrapped in Zack's arms. After getting dressed and being certain Dani was still asleep she had decided to let younger man sleep as she snuck out of the RV to search the surrounding area.  She had just stumbled on the abandoned car and the goods left inside when she heard the boom.  Immediately her attention went to the two people still inside the RV, Zack and Dani.

Last night had been nothing short of incredible, he'd forgotten all about everything that happened thanks to a couple memorable hours with Kayla Redding, THE Kayla Redding.  A woman whose incredible talents were surpassed only by her beauty, a woman who was a great mother and an incredible friend and mentor.  Of all the women it had been her..

For a moment it had seemed almost too surreal, but the booming echo had stirred Zack from his sleep and reminded him just how real everything was.  He hoped to feel Kayla in his arms but she wasn't there.

"Mommy?" Dani rubbed at her eyes calling for Kayla above the startling noise.

'Oh God...Dani' Zack thought to himself as he shot out of bed, grabbed his gun belt and equipment and ran towards the little girl's voice.  "Dani.." he cried out "its okay."

"Mista Zack?"

"It'd okay girl, I'm here." He scooped the girl into his arms and headed towards the door of the RV.  Hopefully Kayla was close by and hadn't gotten herself into trouble.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:55, Tue 30 Mar 2021.

As soon as she heard the sound Detective Redding went to work.  She immediately ducked behind the nearest suitable cover and worked to determine not only where the sound may have come from, it had appeared to be a good distance away, but in this strange new world sudden loud noises almost always meant trouble, it just depended on how long, and that meant they would likely have to get moving.  Once she knew she was safe from any immediate threat she drew her Glock pistol and began making her way back towards the RV.

Checking their map it became apparent that the blast most likely originated in a city around eight miles away. The city of Dalton, Georgia looked to a large town more than a city. Judging by the map scale Kayla, put it at 40,000 or so. So, plenty of opportunities to encounter the undead.

"Momma?"

"She's right outside, why don't you go get your things sweetie." Zack patted Dani on the back and then ushered her off towards the bedroom at the back of the trailer.  Unsure of when, or if they would return to the RV, Zack set about hastily packing whatever he thought be useful into whatever space they could spare, he immediately set about throwing whatever stuff he could into their bags, Kayla's, his, random things from the RV, it didn't matter there would be time to sort through it all later.

He flung open the door for Kayla as she got closer, "we heard it too.  Dani's in the back.  I'll grab whatever I can," he burst out before the detective could even speak.  He'd barely managed to throw on a pair of jeans after waking up before the noise came and still hadn't put on a shirt as Kayla came barging through the door.  "Cruiser, or are we going to try this thing?" he asked as he continued to frantically pack whatever belongings he could.  Their Police interceptor SUV had served them well since leaving Atlanta and still seemed to be running well, but the prospect of the comforts offered by the RV weren't lost on him either.  Then again neither of them had any idea if it would even run.

The sound of engines drew their attention.

Up ahead at the intersection of the state highways several people riding four-wheeled ATVs sped past. The last in line suddenly let off of the accelerator as the helmeted face looked in their direction. A moment later Kayla and Zach could hear the other machines power down. It was obvious the riders where coming back.

"Riders.  Several of them.  We have to go." Kayla said as she darted into the SUV, she had managed to look in their direction, but she still wasn't sure how many riders there were in total or if they were armed.  Wearing nothing but jeans with his muscular chest and arms bare, Kayla was forced to look briefly at her younger companion. Under a different set of  circumstances she might have centered her attention on the young man for a bit longer. Sure he was a dozen years her junior but she still appreciate a good looking man she saw one, unfortunately right now she gave little more than a quick glance as she turned her attentions towards the back of the RV.

"Momma?" she heard Dani cry as she headed straight for the RV's bedroom and wrapped an arm around her daughter as she scooped her up into one arm, her other hand not far from her pistol.

"Move your ass Rookie.  Lets go."  She had no nidea who these people were, or what they wanted, but regardless she wasn't willing to bet that they were friendly.  The choice was to either run in their vehicle, or make a stand here in the RV.  Getting caught out in the open during an assault was not a good idea.

The ATVs slowed down. The riders stopping along the abandoned vehicles and checking gas tanks looking for any fuel to scavenge. They were still distant, maybe one hundred fifty yards or so. The riders dismounted and went vehicle to vehicle gathering what gas they could find.

Surprisingly, the riders all looked to be teenagers. Most were male, but two were girls looking to be between fifteen and eighteen. They wore old OD green or camo uniforms and field jackets making Kayla think of old war museums about World War II, the Korean War, and Viet Nam her father and uncles used to visit. They were all armed with older style weapons, most common to the World War II, such as submachine guns, pistols, and semi automatic rifles.

The fact that the group seemed to be dismounting and going vehicle by vehicle meant they had a little bit of time, but Kayla's words of urgency weren't lost on the young officer.  They'd started out as partners, they were supposed to be nothing more than co-workers but somehow in his mind Kayla had always seemed like something so much more...and now there was literally nothing he wouldn't do to protect the gorgeous woman and her young daughter.

The way he saw it they had two choices stand their ground, perhaps park their SUV close enough to the RV so as to limit access to both and fight if necessary, or salvage what they could, hop in the SUV and flee...yet again. "Put your vest on," Zack said pleading with the older detective, "and take mine for Dani." they'd both had their vests in the patrol cruiser when they fled Atlanta. He grabbed the department issue H&K patrol rifle and chambered a round from the magazine as the threw the sling over his shoulder.  Neither option was particularly appealing.

The riders seemed to stop and gathered around a singe vehicle. Carefully opening the doors the riders stepped away and waited. A large undead man tried to climb out of the vehicle to the passenger side. As if on queue the riders on the other side grabbed its legs and drug backwards and facing down back into the car. A rider from the passenger side quickly stepped forward and slammed a hatchet into the back of the thing's head.

"Christ, they're just kids."

"So were the last ones," Kayla pulled Dani tighter into her arms, she couldn't imagine her little growing up and having to go through what these kids were.

She had put on her vest and for a moment was going to insist Zack to the same with his, but he wanted her to use it shield Dani, and she was fairly certain arguing with him would just slow them down, and time wasn't something they had of right now.  "Mista Zack clothes too big" Dani chuckled as Kayla tucked in between the plates of protective armor as best she could.

The riders seemed very methodical, in their search and were still a ways off gathered around a single vehicle.  Kayla was tired of running. All the violence didn't help, but she had Dani, and that meant she didn't have much of a choice.  She wondered if she would have given up already without her.  She felt like she should know exactly what to do. Dani was too young to notice, but Zack seemed to expect that of her. Christ the young man was only 24 years old, 12 years her junior and barely out of college he should have out chasing girls and getting laid every chance he could, which with the way he looked she figured wouldn't be hard.  Instead he'd end up with her, and all this shit had forced him to become the best man, and best, albeit reluctant father figure for Dani she'd ever met.

Whatever, she could think about all that shit later.  She was all but out the door before she finished her train of thought.  Kayla bee lined it to the cruiser, carrying Dani along with her.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:46, Tue 20 Apr 2021.

The teens seemed more interested in the cars. Then it dawned on Kayla. They were looking for something specific in the cars other than fuel. Her guess was keys. But, then, why not hot wire a car?

Odd, so odd. Her instincts as a top notch detective were telling her something more than simple car liberation was afoot. Looking at Zach, he seemed to sense something was up as well. But the look on the young man's face showed he was not as sure as Kayla was.

Kayla had gotten Dani safely into their vehicle, but now instead of getting in the SUV as well.  Zack watched as the detective studied the group; using the vehicle as cover as her eyes darted back and forth between each of teenagers, studying them and how they interacted with each vehicle.  Zack had been singular in his focus, concerned only with the gorgeous detective’s safety, clearly she had picked up on something he had missed.  He moved from the RV closer to woman hoping they could figure this out together.

"Bingo!" A tall teen shouted. She was wearing a Viet-Nam war era tiger-striped field jacket with designer jeans and a pink-trimmed Mossy-Oak camo cap. Hanging from her trim waist was what looked like an old P-38 9mm pistol of WW2 vintage and she had an M1 carbine slung across her back. "I found one!"

The others gathered around and similarly equipped and armed with what looked like vintage arms and equipment. They must have gotten into an museum or surplus warehouse somewhere. One of the boys was carrying a modern hunting rifle, however, with a high power scope. Most likely used for hunting deer and the like. But, it could prove super deadly at this range.

"Hot damn!" Another boy shouted and dug into the floorboard of the car the girl had shouted from. When he stood up he was holding a car seat, one to fit a baby.

That took Kayle and Zack by surprise. The last either had expected was that. A bottle of booze, a portable stereo, or even some food. But a car seat for an infant!

"I'll strap it down to my quadrunner." The boy said as he trotted back their ATVs.

"Come on, let's check the RV." Another girl said. "I need more girl-stuff."

She made a face, the other girl gave a knowing look of support. Even the apocalypse wasn't enough to drown out the pain and aggravation of a woman's monthly cycle. Nodding without realizing, Kayla sympathized with girls. But, they would have to make a decision on what to do. The kids were close enough to be at the RV in minutes at a lazy pace.

"Zack, watch Dani, and keep an eye out." Kayla brought Dani back to RV to be with Zack.  She just hoped she was making the right decision.  Perhaps as a woman, and a mother, she could at least talk to them.  She was tired of running, and more importantly she was tired if fighting, especially kids.

Was that was taken care of, she opened the hard-sided black hard sided Pelican case made out of Polypropylene copolymer that contained among other equipment her ballistic vest and Heckler & Koch 416 patrol rifle.  After double checking the security of her plates and vest, she quickly loaded the rifle with a 30 round magazine and set it next to her.  “Just in case,” She certainly wasn’t going to openly attack a group of children, but at least she wouldn’t have to fishing for if things got to that point.   She didn’t want to fight, but she wasn't going to be caught off guard like last time.

The pair of girls were approaching the RV. They were waling and talking, it was as if they were walking down to the corner mart for a box of tampons. Not walking amid abandoned cars during the apocalypse. As they got closer Kayla began to make out their conversation.

"..yeah, but I don't really like him." the shorter girl was saying. To Kayla she looked like she was 15 year old red-headed teen going on 30 year wannabe with her overly dark eye shadow and camo bandana tied around her hair. "He's strong and all, but he's really gross. He talks about anal sex all the time. That's just not right."

"True that." the other girl was saying. They drew closer allowing Kayla spy them through the windshield of a nearby car. "I watched him the other day during the fight. He spent more time watching Mitzi's ass than shooting at those people in the church."

They both laughed. Then they came into view a few yards away. Realization his Kayla like a pile bricks from a rooftop; they were not playing. The girls had their hair covered with camo cloth. Probably cut from cam t-shirts. They wore camo on their bodies in patches to break up their outline. They cane dark pigment on the shining highlights of their face. They were made up to blend into the terrain like soldiers.

Zack still wasn't sure what Kayla was up to, but he would back her up however he could.  Once he knew Dani was somewhere safe, he moved to a better position where he could see what was going on, as well as cover Kayla.

The girls talked their way past Kayla and went over to the R.V. as they talked about a boy named Luke and two men that they called the 'Twins' who seemed to be in charge. Once they got to the R.V. they went inside cautiously, pistols at the ready and flashlights out.

with Kayla still outside the RV, Zack was the only thing, or person, between these girls and Dani.  Luckily the small narrow doorway, and cramped interior of the RV meant he had a significant advantage in terms of position. The girl's would have to enter one at a time through the narrow doorway and then turn a sharp corner towards the short hallway that lead the back of the SUV and the multiple narrow entries while facing a controlled string of fire from his 5.56 patrol rifle which would be absolutely devastating at such extremely close range.  Just as the door opened he flicked the rifle's safety to the fire position and waited until the moment was right.

Apparently their hesitation to quickly flee had backfired; and now Zack, a dozen years her junior, was trapped inside an RV with her daughter and two armed assailants rapidly closing in.   When they were on the force she had been responsible for training and looking out for him; and even though their relationship had become much more intimate last night that motherly instinct was impossible for her to shake, when it came to both Zack and Dani.  She knew Zack was willing to fight, and die, for Dani if it came it, and Kayla would fight like hell for him too.

She didn't like the idea that it was a couple of young women, girls really, but the two people inside that RV meant more to her than anyone.  Luckily for her, they hadn't even noticed her as they passed by.  She took up a defense position using the abandoned cars as cover, one where she could easily defend both the entrance to the RV as well as keep an eye on anyone else further down the road.  Unfortunately for the two girls threatening her young daughter it meant that if Zack knew what he was doing they would be caught in a devastating crossfire from two patrol rifles. Still Kayla was a resourceful woman and hoped it wouldn't come to that, she didn't like the idea of violence especially around Dani.  It wasn't coincidence that she had been one of the most talented and decorated detectives in the department back before all this shit started.  She was beautiful, charismatic, and a very shrewd interrogator and negotiator she'd literally lost count of how many times that had given her advantage when dealing with suspects, so many of them had given up or confessed without even realizing it.  Kayla hoped she still had a couple tricks left up her sleeve before the shooting had to start.  "Ladies, I suggest you turn around and go back to your friends." She shouted her presence now revealed. "My family and I would simply like to leave and mean you no harm."

"Oh, shit, you startled me." One of the girls said. "Sorry, we need some things, you know pads, tampons, liners. If have some to trade we would be glad to."

The girl said as she slowly stepped back a step to look towards Kayla. She had her hands in plain view, and away from her weapons, but she perfectly blocked the other girl from Kayla's view from shoulders down so Kayla had no way telling what the other girl mey be reaching for or holding.

"Yeah, sorry to enter your, ah, home here." The other girl stammered. "We didn't realize anyone was still here. We'll trade you ammo, water, or gas for some any tampons and pads you'll part with."

The first girl gave her a crooked smile, "Yeah, you know end of the world but a girl still has to deal with being a girl. Go figure."

If anyone could sympathize with a couple of young girls it was Kayla, stuck in the middle of all this shit with a daughter and still very much a woman.  Still, after everything they’d been though she couldn’t let her guard down just yet. Her beauty and charisma might have been a great gift, but the one talent she relied on more than any other was her incredible knack for reading people and situations. So often she seemed to know what someone was going to say or do before they even did it.  She’d didn’t have a lot to offer these girls but if she could help them she would but first she had know their intentions were true and not some ruse so she took just a moment to scrutinize both of them, and what they were or were not doing.

The seemed true to their words but not to their actions. There were others near, teens armed and ready to fight, and Kayla had seen first hand how teens could be as ruthless as the most hardened prison lifer. The girl in the back was not simply standing there making idle conversation about the difficulties of womanhood. She was preparing, Kayla could feel it.

Inside the RV Zack could hear everything through the thin walls, and from the tone in Kayla's voice he could tell something was afoot.  He remembered the day she first taught him about learning to read your partner's cues.  He had only been on the job a couple days, and she had caught him staring at her chest.


She could have had him kicked off the force barely a week into the job, instead she had taken a different approach and the lesson stuck.  Now Zack waited for her to determine their next move, the teenagers unaware to his presence.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:11, Fri 14 May 2021.

Zach felt a tug at his sleeve. Looking down at the girl, Danni pointed at something across the RV from them. Following the finger pointer Zack was taken aback when he realized that there was a half open cabinet in the tiny bathroom across the RV from them. Inside the door was a tall, narrow shaving mirror that looked down the hallway at the girl standing just inside the RV's side door. She was standing very close the girl in front of her, blocking her actions from Kayla.

As Kayla was speaking, Zack could see the girl very carefully slide an old German P-38 9mm pistol from a holster at her hip. Ass if some sort of queue that she was ready, the girl casually patted her friend on the butt. Zack knew that if the girl were to looked back she would surely see the mirror, and his reflection in it.

Zack smiled at Dani as he felt the tug and gave the girl a thumb's up, the universal symbol of approval before making a sweeping motion with this hand and pointing to the bedroom towards the back of the RV encouraging the girl to go back and hide.  He followed that by putting his hands over his ears, a gesture he'd heard Kayla tell the little girl was called "earmuffs"  until now that gesture had usually been followed by Kayla yelling at Zack with some choice words not suitable for children.  This time it was different, he wanted Dani to go hide and cover her ears because things were about to get loud and scary.

The loud report of a patrol rifle chambered in 5.56 was bad enough; when fired inside an enclosed space and combined with the shorter 11.5 and 14.5 inch barrels typical among issued patrol rifles the sound and overpressure would be incredibly startling for the unprepared.

Once he knew the girl had done as instructed Zack quickly flipped the rifle's safety to fire position and squeezed the trigger.  His shot was aimed towards the girl standing beside the other holding the pistol.  He didn't want to hurt either of them, let alone kill anyone but there was no way he would let them harm Kayla.  Hopefully it would give the older woman the advantage she needed.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:33, Fri 14 May 2021.

Kayla could tell something was off about these girls and while she hadn't expect a shot ring to ring out from the RV when it did.  Still as soon as she heard the rifle's tell tale snap she moved to better cover.  She sure hoped Zack had seen something she hadn't, after all they were just fucking kids. "Last chance ladies," she shouted, "drop the weapons and let us talk.  We can help you."  She really hoping they could be reasoned with.

(OOC: I agree. Violence and perversion towards children is never a good thing. I think you handled it a alright.)

The shot took all of the females by surprise. The shot girl fell screaming and clutching her arm. The pistol fell to the floor with a clank. Kayla jumped at the unexpected shot despite herself. The other teen dropped to her knees reflexively and covered her head with her hands. Danni gave a yelp and shut her eyes tightly.

The other teens stopped their search and looked towards the RV. Kayla was blocked from them by the cars see stood behind. But they could see the teen on her knees just in doorway of the RV.

"Come on!" A tall boy shouted and began trotting towards the RV. Four other teens followed after him.

Kayla caught the glint of metal off of the dropped pistol as she ducked behind cover, Zack had seen the pistol, she had not.  Now she suddenly knew why the young rookie had fired the shot, he had done so to save her life.  Her position afforded her a position where she could see both the two girls and the four advancing teens without having to compromise her position, which meant that for the moment she still had an advantage. Zack had only fired  single shot, so with the chaos they were almost certainly still trying to figure out where it had come from.

The girl had been struck be in the arm, which meant she could still be helped if everyone acted fast, but first Kayla had to know that she, and her family, where safe.  She hated to admit it, but somehow in all of this Zack had become family, and as the matriarch she was responsible.  If she played her cards rights she help the teens and take care of Dani of Zack.

"Ladies," Kayla spoke "tell your friends to put down their weapons, all of them, and we can help you."  She did everything she could to sound as soothing and comforting as she could under the circumstances.  "I can help your with you girl problems, take care of your wound, all of it."  To let them know she was serious she pulled a tourniquet and supplies from her belt.  She would help them, but they had to be willing.  "But I have to know my family will be safe first."  She spoke in a way she hoped the girls would understand, the same manner in which members of the fairer sex spoke to each other when they desperately wanted to confide in one another.  It had been the better part of two decades since she had been a teenager herself but she hoped they understood.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:54, Tue 18 May 2021.

Zack hated to pull the trigger, but the idea of losing Kayla was unacceptable to him.  This whole fucked-up crazy world had taken a lot from both of them, but as long as he was still breathing, he wasn't about to let it take her.  He could hear Kayla talking to the girls, trying to help everyone come out of this the best way they possible could.  Months ago back at the precinct he never would figured Kayla Redding as the type of person who cared deeply for others, but in the past few months he had come to learn the her reputation as a gorgeous, ball-busting tough-as-nails detective was nothing more than a façade she put up to protect herself.  In fact the more he learned about Kayla the more beautiful she became, inside and out.

While the sound of his rifle had been deafening for a split second, it had the added benefit of vibrating the walls of the RV just enough so his reflection, or that of Kayla, was no longer visible in the small mirror hanging from the door.  This meant he could better move to assist Kayla or cover the four teens now advancing from the distance as necessary, without exposing his position.

"Kerry! Hey Kerry, are you ok?" The leading boy called out from about thirty yards away. He was trotting forward now. He had a rifle slung over his back and a short spear made from a sapling with a knife strapped to its end in his hand. "Who shot. Was it Marcie? I told you not to trust that bitch!"

The other boys began trotting to keep pace. One of them seemed amused by the situation of one girl shooting another out of jealousy.

Sitting on the floor of the RV and gripping her bleeding arm the girl who Zack had shot was crying when she yelled in rage "Fuck you, John Bannon! I'm shot, Kerry is fine!"

The other girl sat on the step with her hands held up in front of her chest. She looked worried, like she had just stepped into a bear trap. She looked towards the approaching boys.

"Stop! Stop there!" Kerry shouted at them. "Somebody lives in this thing. They thought we were robbing them. Kerry pulled her pistol and someone inside shot her. There is another one right here in front of us too. A woman, she seems ok."

(OOC: Need a perception roll for Kayla, something about the scene is a little off to her.)

05:54, Today: Kayla Redding rolled 10 using 3d4+2 with rolls of 2,3,3.  Perception reroll.

In reply to Kayla Redding (msg # 36):

(OOC:kayla has a sinking feeling that the way the girl is talking to the approaching boys is off, like she is implying more trouble than is seen. it sort of feels like she telling the boys that kayla and zack are 'ok' to demonstrate that they are threat.)

Kayla waited for a moment because she was starting to think.  She was worried she had read the situation wrong, and that the kids might see this whole situation as nothing more than a ruse.  She worried that these kids might think of themselves like all teenagers did, indestructible, and would make everything a lot worse.  Kayla thought about abandoning her strategy and offering the kids whatever they were after.  But it would mean she'd given up.  Her heart fluttered, feeling like a lump in her chest. She was so close to resolving this without any more bloodshed, she hated to let the opportunity slip away. So she steadied herself.  Redding got tough and decided to push her game to the brink.

Without another word, she rose and closed on the two girls.  She turned and took measured steps towards the door of the RV, hoping that with each footfall the reality of the situation would finally hit the teens.  Kayla had no problem being tough, but couldn’t abide being mean.
Between the car and the RV Kayla had second thoughts. Not about her feelings regarding the teens, but about the myriad of ways this whole situation was screwing with her life. She snuck a look at the girl as one of them clenched her arm in wounded silence.   She put her hand on her pistol, paused as long as she could get away with and then shouted.  “HEY!” As everyone turned to look at her Kayla was standing over the two girls.  “HEY!” She shouted again. “EVERYONE BACK OFF!”

20:24, Today: Kayla Redding rolled 12 using 3d4+2 with rolls of 2,4,4.  Eloquence.

The kids reacted like someone through on the emergency brakes. The boys stumbled to a halt, hands reached for pistols or slung rifles and one boy held his spear out from him cautiously.

"Don't do anything stupid, lady." The lead boy said, trying to sound intimidating, but he had been caught off guard by Kayla's sudden ploy. He looked around for a heartbeat and then turned his face towards the others. "Chill, fellas, chill."

(OOC: sorry for the TJ post. It was meant to be a GM post, TJ was an older character I ran as an NPC for bit.)

It took more than just a pretty face, a killer body and great boobs to become the most decorated female detective in history, and Kayla Redding had done it in one of the roughest cities in America.  Over time she had learned when to push hard, and when to wait, and how to expertly threaten and intimidate.  The sight of guns and a numerically superior force, kids or not, was usually enough to make most people panic and flee.  Kayla had gained enough experience through hard knocks to know there was a certain threshold of resistance that when used properly often worked.  "Oh no," she said watching the boys fumble for their weapons.  "Stupid would be not stopping right there and putting down your weapons so we can all work this out and help your friend over here.  The next one won't hit an arm."  She looked briefly towards the girl with the bleeding arm to add emphasis.  "Last chance."

18:19, Today: Kayla Redding rolled 12 using 3d4+2 with rolls of 3,4,3.  Eloquence .
This message was last edited by the player at 02:01, Tue 25 May 2021.

Zack tried to get a better look at the scene unfolding outside the RV, but they almost saw him so he stayed back, positioning himself so that he was hidden but could see their reflection in the vanity mirror in the RV.

Zack simply watched her, waiting.  Zack smiled and thought to himself ‘she always wins these types of contests boys, trust me, I know’

"She's bleeding." The uninjured girl shouted unexpectedly. "It's bad. Back off so we can leave. Call Doctor Reyes, tell her we are on our way."

Kayla shot a sidelong glance at the girls. It was true, the girl's arm was bleeding a lot. It was possible that the bullet had severed her radial artery. She would be dead soon without help now.

"Look, lady, let them go and we will back off." One of the boys in the back yelled. He was holding up empty hands and backing up. "Come on, guys, that's my girl. Back off, for her."

The others seemed to think it over then one by one they, too, raised empty hands and began walking backwards towards their ATVs.

"I know she's hurt, we can help her." Pleading with the boys once last time to not try anything stupid Once she noticed the boys putting down their weapon's and stepping back she shouted.  "Zack, Tourniquet," and waited for the young man to toss her one from the trauma kit inside the RV.

Once she knew everyone was safe she stepped toward the injured girl and spoke clearly and honestly to her.  "Whatever you do, do not under any circumstances take it off."  She turned her gaze towards the other girl with her, "do not let her fucking take it off, understand?  Your doctor will know what to do."  She shouted at the other girl, now was the time to be serious.  Once she had done that she took the tourniquet and placed over the girl's arm a couple inches above the wound, and pulled it tight...really tight.  Now the pain would start.  "This is going to hurt like hell, but it might just save your life."  Kayla needed to let the girl know that was about to happen would be quite painful, but it was important to let them know what to expect.  She also hoped it would help establish more trust between everyone. Once that was done Kayla twisted the windlass rod until the bleeding stopped before securing the windlass back in place.

08:27, Today: Kayla Redding rolled 11 using 3d4+2.  Eloquence

(OOC: no sweat, and thanks for the heads up, good job, too)

His presence having been revealed, Zack pulled a tourniquet from their department issue mass trauma kit and tossed it out the door of the RV towards Kayla.  Once he knew she had the girl's bleeding under control, he slowly stepped out.  Not wishing to create anymore tension between the groups, he help his rifle held in a non-threating manner.  With the muzzle at a low ready pointed at the ground he could be ready to shoot in no time, but he also avoided pointing the gun at anyone else.

'Christ they're just kids' he thought to himself as he surveyed the group.  The truth was he was closer to the teens' age then he was to Kayla's.  For a moment it made him wonder what sort of future a little girl like Dani had growing up in the world like this.  At least the young child still had her mother, and a hell of a mother at that. Then he felt a tug at his pant leg, Dani had followed him out of the RV and was standing behind him, looking to him for protection just like a girl would her father. Here he was at twenty-four, barely a man himself, and thrust into being some sort of father figure.

The whole moment just reinforced what Zack had thought all along; that he was responsible for making sure Kayla remained at her daughter's side no matter what.  It no longer matter how unprepared he felt, this was simply something at which he could not fail.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:14, Mon 31 May 2021.

"Fuck, Fuck, Fuck," The wounded girl chanted as Zack applied the tourniquet. Her friend sat their watching, goggle-eyed and awe struck. She seemed to be drawn to the young former cop in a way that made her scrutiny unsettling.

"Hey, is she ok?" The boy yelled down to them.

"Yeah, there's a cute guy here." The girl watching shouted back. "He's putting on a tourniquet on her."

The boys kept their distance and didn't try to hide from view. Kayla was glad for that, but it made her think. Why such honesty now? They were ready to act with subterfuge before. They must be a very close knit group. No, a unit. They were a unit. Someone had trained them, kept them together long enough for a bond of interdependence to form. Most likely one of those rogue military units.

Kayla sighed. This didn't bode well. They would have to find a way through this area and find it soon. She didn't relish the idea of fighting these kids to survive.

While everything seemed to have calmed down for the moment, Kayla's eyes went back and forth not only between both groups of teens, but continued to look around as well.  For people that were not only armed but also seemingly willing to take what they wanted by force, teens or not, something just seemed off.  She would help them if she could, but her first priority was to Dani and Zack.


"Sorry ladies, he's taken." It was meant more a playful joke,  as Kayla was hardly worried about Zack running off with some teenage girl.  Given that it had been two decades since she was the girls' age she knew there might be a generational issue, but she was trying to connect with the girl on some deeper level, and if there was one thing she remembered about being a teenage girl it was the unwritten rule that once you expressed interest in someone other girls were expected to back off.


It certainly seemed like an odd thing to say, and something she definitely didn't give any thought too.  She never would have considered her and Zack to be an item.  Up until recently he was nothing more than a coworker and the latest name on the ever growing list of horny male cops hoping to hook up with the hot detective.  He was also her rookie trainee which meant that he was absolutely off limits, regardless of how good looking he was; and he was rather good looking.  But the world had changed and after last night, granted Zack had been a bit clumsy, there was little doubt in her mind that they were a couple.

"Look, you two are pretty good at this stuff, you know." The girl said as she held her friend's hand. The girl with the tourniquet looked wan, pale in a way that didn't bode well. "I need to get her to Corporal Martin. Why don't you come with us. Captain Larkin is old, like you, and good looking. You would make a good couple."

The girl smiled cheerily. As she rose she helped her friend to her feet. Neither of them made a move to retrieve their weapons. The wounded girl was quietly sobbing. She seemed hardened, accepting that this was life now. It made Kayla worry about Dani.

As the girls stepped from the RV and began the slow walk back to were the boys waited the uninjured girl looked at Kayla and gave her a thin smile.

"You know if you like gals we have a few of those working for us." She said, trying to seem friendly but her disdain was there. "The Captain says everyone is useful, even if they're gay. You could find an older gal to settle down with, Miss Collins maybe, anyway you are still welcome to come meet the Captain."

"Well we do work well as a team," Kayla said with a slight smirk towards Zack.  A couple months she would have had her doubts, he hadn't seemed that different than any of the other rookies; wet behind the ears and more interested in her tits than her teaching but the last few months had actually been a pleasant surprise and the kid listened well.

"As for this Capt Larkin fellow, my friend her might consider me spoken for." Kayla teased, trying to make it sound casual and jokingly. "But thanks for the offer, I will take it under advisement.” She wasn't seriously considering the offer but that didn't mean she still couldn't be polite, Zack had been the best thing to happen to her and Dani in a long time and turning her back on him now wasn't right.  Not to mention the whole 'old' comment, she might have seemed old to them, but she was only 36.

Kayla stepped away from the girls and towards the RV slightly, "You," she said to the group of guys, "get her to move.  She needs a doctor.  "I'm gonna see if I have anything to help them with their girl problems real quick."  She motioned for the other girl to stay put,

Kayla went through the RV, to avoid giving away too much information about their resources, and scrounge up some feminine hygiene products from its little bathroom. There wasn't much, but she could always just tell them that it was a good-sized part of what she had left. Owing to how well equipped these kids were, especially as part as an overall organization of militant survivors, Kayla was sure that they had access to a lot of this stuff. This was just the excuse they used to avoid getting shot in the head.

As stepped inside the RV Zack kept a watchful eye on the group, wondering if they were in fact going to move the wounded girl to get her closer to medical aid.  For a moment hw couldn't but chuckle on the inside as the girl called Kayla and even perhaps misjudged her sexuality. "I'm sure she is getting you some supplies, you really should get her some help," Zack said trying hold back his emotions.  This whole end of the world thing had thought him it was best not to form emotional attachments aside from Kayla.  Kids were the one exception, Dani had really grown on him, but he had done what he thought was necessary in the moment.

Kayla quickly searched the RV for some hygiene products for the girls, before it donned on her that she still had some left in her bag.  She thought the girls' half-hearted plea, they certainly seemed well supplied and for a moment she closed her eyes and visualized Dani in her mind, growing up with a belly full of food every night, but there was a special bond that held her, Dani and Zack together these past few months.  In some ways they had become like a small family and despite the brief daydream Kayla knew they couldn't accept the offer.

The kids seemed content to go about their own business. But, their quick flight from the area with the wounded girl wasn't without suspicion. The last of the ATVs was pulling away, with the lead boy on it, but stopped at the intersection a hundred yards down the road and seemed to signal to someone that Kayla couldn't see. Well, in all honesty she would not have left someone unobserved to her rear as well. Especially after that someone had shot one their own.

Kayla waited until the kids had left, noting how they seemed to signal to something or someone she couldn't then quickly began springing into action.  Recalling both the either explosion, and the fact that the kids mentioned they were part of some larger she suspected something was afoot, but she didn't intend to stick around and find out what.  Dani was still clinging to Zack's leg, staying behind the adults just as she had been taught, as Kayla scooped the girl into her arms.  After everything that had happened most days Kayla felt a lot older than 36, and since she wasn't getting any younger sometimes picking her daughter seemed to be getting harder and harder, but right now she needed to be a mother for just a moment.

She quickly got ready to leave, Zack and her having learned early on being ready to move on a moments notice was a vital part to staying alive.  "Lets go rookie, we got to get a move on!" she turned to the young officer.  "Like now."

Kayla slid in behind the wheel of the RV and turned the key. There was a slight grumble then the repetitive click of the starter with a low battery. Zack was quick to pull the interceptor up and attache the jumper cables. She waited several minutes and tired again. After several chugs and a funny whirring noise the V8 came to life. The radio in the RV came to life blaring Wayne Newton's greatest hits loudly.

It was depressing to think that even at the end of the world people couldn't just get along.  She’d thought she’d be used to death by now.  What was a couple of lives against the millions lost at the end of the world. But somehow this was different.  Which each passing day this seemed less like something ripped from the pages of a science fiction novel, and more like something people did to each other.  The hordes of undead were easy enough to handle and explain to Dani in a manner simply enough for her to understand; but this was different this was people hurting each other and they couldn’t stop.

Violence against their fellow man seemed like mankind’s answer for everything, and people got lost in it. She had gotten lost in it, and all she wanted was for it to stop.  She wanted just one night where she could close her eyes and not be afraid of what was on the other side. Afraid for her daughter.

Dani ran into the RV when she saw Zack transferring everything from the interceptor over to the RV, and was tentatively peering through the open door when Kayla loaded a couple bags into the RV. At the first sight of her mom, Dani ran and jumped into her arms.  “You did good listening to Zack baby.”  Kayla sat on the small sofa comforting Dani; she held her and stroked her hair for a moment. “We’re going to be leaving, so why don’t you watch one of your shows,” Kayla said pulling her old cell phone from her pocket and placing a pair of earbuds in the girl’s ear.  The signal and died a long time, but they’d managed to keep it charged all this time with the ports in the interceptor.  She had no idea how many times her daughter watched the handful of cartoons she’d downloaded before the collapse, certainly too many to count, but Dani never complained about watching them again.

“Wif mista Zack?”

None of this had been what she’d expected, just a couple months she’d been given the young rookie as a partner and, like so many others in the department before him, he’d almost as interested in trying to get into her pants as he did about learning his new job; now he was only thing she and Dani had from the old world. “Yes sweetie with Zack.”  Then she set Dani back down on the couch and climbed into the passenger seat next to Zack, she decided she would let the young rookie drive to start.

The young cop quickly heaved the last of the gear into the compartment of the RV.  With a heavy heart he looked at the SUV that had served them so well.  They department vechicle had been all they had when they fled but Zack figured the small RV would serve them better.  At least this way Kayla and Dani could have some small degree of privacy, in some manner of speaking it was as close to a home as someone could hope for anymore.

Zack quickly hauled his fit frame up into the unfamiliar confines of the RV’s driver seat, and with Kayla’s urging quickly drove off.  The group of kids and the earlier explosion loomed large in both their minds and trying to literally put the scene in his rear view mirror, Zack steered them away into the distance as they speed away in the RV.  Both he and Kayla watched constantly behind them  until they were sure they were safe.

(OOC: seems really good so far, feel free to just use one post for all of the characters you represent. If you need to post separate threads that is up to you. It hasn't been an issue for me so far. Thanks for the details and the though put into the posts.)

Kayla could see that the young cop, not much more than a kid, was still out of his league.  Up until a few months ago the biggest problem he’d probably ever faced was dealing with her constant rejection every time he asked her out at the end of a shift.  Being the most junior kid in their precinct certainly had not prepared him for any of this, and he’d be stuck with the scars of shooting that teenage girl forever.  It may have been necessary, but Kayla knew that didn’t make it any less painful.  The undead were easy, but now they were having to shoot their fellow man, and that never got easy. “Look Rookie, about earlier..”

"I don’t want to talk about it okay…”

”I know, but you did the right thing.  Dani and I are still alive because of you.”

“Ya well from the sounds of things you would have been just as safe if you’d have gone with them so..”

Was he seriously jealous that another man might actually be interested in her?  For a brief moment she wanted to scold the young man for not believing in her, but her years as a detective had taught her a lot about people and she knew Zack hadn’t really meant what he just said.  Zack was clearly trying to cope with everything, and the fact that he was scared and jealous made even it harder.  “That was never going to happen…Dani would never forgive me.”

"Dani?” Zack asked, not sure what the girl had to do with any of this.

“Yes, Dani” Kayla turned her head towards her daughter listening to some animated cartoon through headphones for the umpteenth time this week.  “That little girl is crazy about you.  She’s seen a lot of men come and go in my life, but she’s never taken a shine to any of them like she has you.”

Zack was either naïve, or curious, and continued asking about Kayla’s numerous partners. “How many have you….”

Kayla responded before he could finish, "None of your business Rookie. But enough…It’s how I ended up with her."  She left it at that and Zack knew better than to push his luck.

They drove in silence for another mile or two so before Zack changed roads and turned them in a different direction.

Kayla was currently flipping a pen in her hand as she thought through a few things. "We could probably use a list of things to look for when we get the chance.  Aside from the obvious stuff you know."  Looking over at Zack she chewed on her lower lip for a few moments as she considered what they might need:

• duct tape
• battery chargers
• spare batteries
• box of M&Ms for Dani
• shaving cream and razors
• lighter fluid
• small sealable containers
• box of condoms

For the past weeks they had become the closest thing either one of them had to a family and their last conversation had clearly created rift between them.  “Alright, since you were the one that brought it up, I have a question for you.  I mean you don’t have to answer.”  She glanced at the young man sitting beside her before she finally continued, “last night, was that that your first time?”

The young testosterone fueled male in him wanted to play it off, act like it wasn’t true but he knew Kayla would see right through his bullshit “that bad, huh?" He groaned.

“I didn't say that.”  Kayla already knew the answer so she decided not to press the issue.“It’s okay Zack it’s not like I’m going to tell anyone in the department. Hell there’s probably no one left to tell anyway. It’s just you, me and the open road out here.”  What Zack may have lacked in some areas he more than made up by being honest and loyal, plus he seemed to genuinely care about Dani and for Kayla that was the only thing that mattered.   “Besides, being your first...I’m flattered.  Seriously…Thank you”  She leaned across the console and gave him a lingering peck on the cheek, “…for everything.”  She wondered what the others in prescient would think if they could see the rookie now...
This message was last edited by the player at 02:13, Thu 08 July 2021.

The RV had a smooth ride and whomever the previous owner was hadn't cheaped out. The RV had powerful V8 engine, onboard water tank for 150 gallons, a shower, a toilet, kitchenette, a gas powered generator, full wet bar with ice maker, a freezer that had a small pile of paper wrapped venison cutlets, and an entertainment center complete with stereo and DVD player.

It must have cost a fortune. Too bad the former owner had been a little too liberally minded. True to the bumper sticker of 'ban guns, stop crime', the RV didn't possess the first firearm, bullet, or even some type of bow. Curiously, there was the meat in the freezer. Maybe the former owner was a good trapper.

Dani took all of ten minutes to figure out the television, stereo, CD player, remote controls for all three, and locate the stacks of CDs and DVDs. Soon enough the opening lines of Disney's Frozen were playing toward the middle of the RV. Kayla was relieved to find several cases of bottled water. Judging by the contents of the bar it was just enough.

After several minutes, Zack began getting a feel for the big machine. The RV was similar to driving Vice Squads Paddy Wagons, short buses, that they had used to make mass arrests of prostitutes, rioters, or rumbling sports fans. He rolled along, the sounds of various 80s pop-rock bands playing from a CD in the little stereo in the dashboard. He kept an eye for undead. The big vehicle could easily roll over a handful, but a real horde would probably bring the RV to a halt.

He approached another intersection. The signs read Chatsworth 14 ( with an arrow pointing east), I-75N six (with and arrow pointing northwest), I75S 19 (with and arrow pointing east), and he noticed across the intersection the highway he traveling, highway 41, became Glenwood Avenue.

"Which way?" He asked over his shoulder.

They rolled southeast. The bypass was reasonably clear. The RV kept up an average speed of 30 mph. It still used more gas than Zack would have thought possible. When the came state highway 52 they made the turn towards Chatsworth. The highway was clear, completely clear. Zack opened up the V8 a bit listening to the engine thrum as the big vehicle rolled along at 60 mph. He sort of missed the SUV, but the RV at least gave them room to sleep without sitting in the same seat they had been driving in.

As they approached Chatsworth signs where placed along the side of the road. Military Intervention Zone ahead, all traffic divert to Alternate US 52 in 3 miles, in 2.5 miles, in 2 miles, in 1.5 miles, in 1 miles.... Zack made a quick decision and diverted to alternate US 52 as advised. Following the signs he soon found himself skirting through the outskirts of the small town and transferred onto highway 411, headed south. He sighed, but the piles of nearly burnt corpses, rotting mounds of former humanity, and hundreds of undead trapped in concrete barricades and cordons of heavy trucks he was sure he made the right decision.

The town was dead. Literally.

Shrugging, looking in the mirror to spy on Kayla and Dani as they made lunch he kept the vehicle rolling back southwest. Highway 411 was very clear. They passed the occasional breakdown or military checkpoint, both of which had long since been abandoned, but as they neared an upcoming checkpoint the way ahead was blocked by the backs of what seemed to be hundreds, if not thousands, of slowly shambling undead.

Cutting the wheel and accelerating through a right turn onto an old two lane, Zack eked by the trailing undead to their surprise and sped away. The compass read northwest. A sign he drove past said highway 75 in 18 miles, Calhoun, Ga in 24 miles, and and the Chief Van House Historical Site in 26 miles. He sighed. Well, at least they were away from undead hordes, explosions, and militant teenyboppers.

Zack threaded the RV through the remaining undead roaming along Highway 411 as they continued towards highway 75.  Kayla was sitting up front next to him in the passenger taking scenery along the road.  There will still pockets of undead but their numbers seemed to diminish the further they traveled away from the large horde.

Zack had managed to swerve the RV around the large group of undead at the last minute, doing his best to avoid colliding with them.  Even though the RV was bigger than their SUV, if enough got stuck underneath they would have been forced to stop.  The SUV was more nimble and offered better ground clearance, but the RV offered more space and even a few small creature comforts of home.  Those things made Dani and Kayla happy, and if they were happy so was he; after all there were worse ways to spend the apocalypse then traveling with a stunning redhead.

(OOC: pick up there as you like, no hurry, just bringing the lawdog duo into range of the others. thanks for working with me to do so. looking forward to what may come.)

A young cop in the prime of his life and a hardened detective turned single mother; they were far from the perfect team, but for the past few months they hadn't done too bad all things considered. The mother in Kayla hated not having a plan, but despite nearly empty roads, with Zack taking care to avoid the abandoned cars, trucks, and gatherings of walkers, the trip would take much longer than usual.  Taking care to avoid the likely chaos that had taken place in Dalton, they initially traveled southwest along highway 411 before being forced to turn Northwest which, as bet she could figure put them somewhere between Chatsworth Calhoun.  It wasn’t a perfect plan and it was rife with unknown variables, something she hated, but at least it was plan and for the moment her motherly instinct was satisfied.

The sun was setting when Zack found a nice secluded spot to pull into. A tall barn near a two story farmhouse. It offered good concealment from the road unless someone drove up the driveway and circled the house. The air was fresh and there weren't signs of undead inside the house. It was almost perfect. Almost.

A row of sixteen graves. All dug and filled in recent weeks. A sign that something had gone terribly wrong here recently. It was both heartbreaking and terrifying. Zack sighed. Kayla resigned herself to accepting their new reality for what it was. Dani just wanted dinner.

Dani’s safety was not something Kayla trusted just anyone with, but she knew Zack would do his best to keep them all safe; so with the RV concealed out of sight, and seemingly safe, for the night Kayla had a brief moment to focus on herself.  She walked into the shower and washed her hair and even shaved her bits and legs, taking care to conserve as much water as possible.  It had been a few days since they had been able to shower and as Kayla stepped from the shower and stared in the mirror, she looked almost twenty-five again. Ok, thirty.  The last few months had been hard and at her age they certainly weren’t going to get any easier.

Kayla finger combed her wet hair and throw on some clothes including a very short pair of nylon shorts and a tank top without bra.  She hadn’t worn the top since finding it in an abandoned clothing store over a month ago for one simple reason; it was rather low cut and at least one size too small, but one couldn’t be too picky when scavenging to survive.

She then gave Zack some privacy and allowed the young rookie an opportunity to clean up while she prepared some of the food they had found in the RV.  She was a fantastic cook, and it would be a real treat, and just the thing they needed after the last few days. With her little makeshift family all inside the RV Kayla closed and locked the outer door before she sat down around the RVs small table.

Kayla smiled at Zack and once he sat, she pushed Dani's plate close to the child and the little girl grinned as she took her first bite.  "Ummmmmmm good mommy." Dani's little voice piped after the first bite.

Kayla chuckled, "Well... thank you baby." she ate a bite and looked to Zack.  Leaning forward to make sure he could see a good deal of cleavage she cleaned a bit from her daughter's mouth and cleaned up a tiny spill.  Kayla chuckled, "The joy of children." she looked on her daughter with such love and devotion.

“Moar mommy?”

Zack knew they had to be careful and ration their food and giving Dani more to eat could create an unexpected burden on their supplies, but instead of letting Kayla try to explain why a little girl could not have more to eat he slid the rest of his plate towards the young girl.  Over the past few months he had come to learn that the little Dani could be quite the voracious eater.

Kayla had to smile and then a blush stained her cheeks. "Thank you Zack." she looked at him with that pretty blush.  Just a year or two out of college and fresh to force, Zack needed all the calories he could eat, she wasn't used to men doing things for her daughter.  There had been a lot of men in her life since Dani was born and most of them saw the girl as nothing more than an obstacle they had to overcome to get in her pants, but somehow Zack was different.

Her eyes smiled at him.  He could have just walked out on the job like so many of their colleagues had done, but he saw the danger and helped them. It wasn’t just helping her fight off the undead or marauding lunatics, even as nomadic survivors her years as a detective told her things would have been different if she had been a woman traveling on her own. Zack didn’t have to stay but he did.  She reached over and took his hand a moment, squeezing.

Dani looked at him, "Fank You" she offered; her mouth full of food behind a toothy little smile.

“Would you mind cleaning up?” Kayla looked at him.  "I'll bath Dani and get her to sleep.  Maybe we can find something good in the wet bar when I get back.” She gave him a wicked smile then rose, scooped Dani into her arms and took her to the bathroom, leaving Zack to clean up and secure the RV for the night.

As she walked into the bedroom to put Dani to sleep she realized she had never discussed sleeping arrangements with Zack, although it made sense that Kayla and her daughter would get the bedroom, leaving Zack to sleep on the RV’s small pull-out sofa bed.

Dani did not go to sleep easily, it had been a nerve-wracking day and the little girl had insisted her mother snuggle with her for awhile leaving Kayla to rest her hand on her daughter's back. She truly loved her daughter. It was easy to see she was utterly devoted and begged the question if there had ever been a man in her life would she have been as devoted to him.  She fell asleep like that.  She dreamed of a young man with lean muscles and kind eyes. Zack, and her dreams got racy.

Kayla woke sometime later, and it struck her she had promised the young man a drink. She padded out to the RVs small living area. Her hair was mussed from sleep and her full breasts pushed against the fabric of her very fitted tank top.

Why was this so damnably complicated? He was so young and inexperienced; but he had potential and was a fast learner, she knew she could teach him and she revealed in that.  He was also a very caring person and she needed that in her life now more than ever.

The small sofa-bed would be cramped but she knew they both needed a good night’s sleep.  "Move over rookie," Kayla ordered and after removing her tank top and placing it on the ground she climbed in next to him, spooning him. She fell asleep again and had to admit it felt safer with Zack laying next to her. She wondered briefly why that was, what was about this younger man that made her feel so safe, and her detective brain was already picking it apart and trying to get to the reality.  She slept so well that her body had curled even closer to his.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:18, Fri 30 July 2021.

“Kayla?” Surprise overtook Zack for a moment.  She was breathing in even soft breaths. It raised and lowered her breasts in a gentle slow pattern. She was beautiful, her body in the skintight clothing showed that she was in good shape, not really any fat on her but the full firm breasts. Her body was actually better than most younger women half her age.  It took him a moment to collect himself when she slid into the bed next to him, Kayla’s arms wrapping around his waist gently.

He would dose peacefully for a few languid moments at a time, but the thought of Kayla next to him, and the feel of her against his back pulled him from his slumber again and again. He spent much of the night silently watching the RV door and glancing out the windows onto the open farm land outside just in case.  He was surprisingly relaxed and alert as morning approached.

He crawled out of bed, letting Kayla and Dani sleep as he sat on the steps to the RV, checking the area around them.   He wanted to know more about this place, a two-story farmhouse, a tall barn.  Was it safe?  Would it be safe for Dani? He could almost see himself starting a new life here with Kayla and Dani, at the very least using it as a place to lay low for a few days.  But like almost everything over the past three months…everything but Kayla…it seemed almost too good to be true.  The row of graves a harsh reminder of their reality, a series of false promises and uncertainty.

(OOC: roll Perception for Zack please.)

A faint odor came along with a pleasant breeze. It was familiar but not troubling. But, there was something to in. In the back of his mind he knew that smell. He just couldn't place it.

Zack Matthews rolled 7 using 3d4.  Perception.

It was on the tip of his tongue. He knew that smell. Like that day when he escorted the SWAT guys into those project apartments. It was a meth lab raid. It had been a clean entry but one of the bad guys had discharged a shotgun into the concrete floor out of panic. The ricocheting shot had struck a senior SWAT officer in the thigh, severed his femoral artery.

Later, as they cleared the civilians away he was helping catalogue the evidence. It was in a spice rack that held stuff some of the gang who ran the lab has used to seize woman for sex trafficking purposes. It struck him like a ton bricks.

It was chloroform. An old and devious trick. Someone was seeding the breeze with chloroform. No doubt trying to keep them asleep. But, why?

Chloroform, it seemed odd and rather ineffective.  He knew enough from the boys over in narcotics that chloroform didn't always work like in the movies and took large amounts of continued exposure to be effective, thankfully that meant that if he acted fast they still had time.  Zack quickly pulled his shirt over his head and ran back into the RV, locking the door behind him.  His dream of starting a new life here with Kayla and Dani might have temporarily come crashing down, but his resolve to protect them remained resolute.  As the morning light spilled into the small RV Zack saw Kayla’s half naked body under the thin sheet, there was no denying how beautiful she was, but there would hopefully be time to reflect on that later.

He quickly ran his now discarded T-shirt under running water from the RV’s sink, a little trick they had been taught as part of their counter-terrorism training.  Ever since 9/11 the Atlanta Police Department, like all major cities, had spent resources preparing and training its officers for an unplanned terrorist event.  One of the scenarios that nobody like to talk about was the use of chemical or biological agents by radicalized non-state actors, and one of the most common agents was Chlorine gas, which given the name Zack assumed was a similar yet much more deadly compound than chloroform.  The water would help to absorb some of the airborne particles, it wasn’t the best solution, but with any luck should by them some time.

With his makeshift filter in place, Zack quickly grabbed the tank-top Kayla had discarded next to the sleeper sofa the night before and ran it under water as well.  “Hey, wake up.”  He whispered in the older detective’s ear, shaking her gently.

The next morning Kayla was awakened by Zack.  What had happened, she remembered putting Dani to sleep than not much else after that, she had promised Zack a drink, and perhaps something more.  She remembered falling asleep in his strong arms, but couldn’t remember anything else happenin;, given that she was only half naked, she assumed nothing had.  “I’ll say one thing,” Kayla quipped, looking at Zack.  “I could used to waking up to this.”  Her eyes moved slowly over his face, down to his bare chest, “You look good in the morning.”

“Wake Up! Wake Up!” Zack exclaimed. “Something is wrong.  We need to go!”

“What? What is it?” Kayla mumbled.

“Chloroform! Come On! Come On!” Zack shouted, tossing Kayla’s now water soaked tank top to the woman. “Go get Dani,” he said tossing Kayla a clean dish rag he had covered in water.

Startled, Kayla rose immediately.  Wiping the sleep from her eyes she immediately covered her face and went to go wake her daughter.

There was the sound of crashing glass just outside the RV.

A moment later a thick gray mist was forming near the front of the vehicle. They would have to stay clear of the front of the RV until the gas cleared. There was the sound of feet on gravel, but it was a fast moving sound like someone trotting around. Or several people trotting around.

Though they couldn't see anyone outside the RV, they could hear the movement. And the occasional whispered phrases.

"They may be out already."

"Can we slip in through a window."

"What if they are raiders?"

"Are we just going to kill them?"

"I hope they have beer in there."
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:12, Sat 14 Aug 2021.

His initial plan had been to drive off, but with the front of the RV more of a danger than a resource, Zack quickly huddled in the back of the RV with Kayla and Dani, so the two of them could formulate plan while they all covered their mouths and noses with wet shirts.  Unsure of if they could escape through a window Zack looked around while quickly formulating a plan.  "Get the fuck back, we don't want to hurt you," It may have been brash and fool-hearty given he had no idea what they were up against, but he sure as shit as wasn't to just sit here. Hopefully his impetuous and reckless display of defiance would catch their unknown assailants off guard.

15:37, Today: Zack Matthews rolled 8 using 3d4+1.  Serendipity.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:42, Mon 23 Aug 2021.

"Hold this to this tight to your face sweetie" Kayla said holding a water soaked T-shirt against Dani's face.  Once she was certain the little girl knew what to do, she went back to holding her own wet tank-top against her face, giving her a moment to both retrieve her own side-arm and help Zack formulate a plan.  Given that she was still topless she wasn't exactly in the best position for a fire-fight, but right now she had more important things to worry about then her own half-naked state. "Maybe they just want some beer," she mumbled to Zack having overheard their hushed phrases.

"We aren't raiders, we were just looking for a place to sleep for the night."  She shouted back, hoping whomever was outside could hear her through the walls of the RV.  "if we wanted to steal your shit do you really think we would have waited all night, and skipped the cover to darkness to it?  You can't be that stupid" Over the past few months she had come to learn that survival was a lot like interrogating some suspect in a high-profile crime.  Both were forms of high-stakes business negation, and just like in business whichever party blinked first usually ended up negotiating from the position of weakness.  Thankfully, interrogation, and people, were two things Kayla understood very well!  "And yes we have beer. Leave us be and we might even be inclined to share some.  It be would be a damn shame to shoot some strangers over a couple cans of beer."  She also knew it never hurt to extend the olive branch on occasion.


15:46, Today: Kayla Redding rolled 12 using 3d4+2.  Eloquence .

"Hey they can hear us!" A man said.

"Shut up, Fred." Another man said immediately. "Listen, inside the RV, we." He stammered incoherently for a moment and seemed to be at a loss for words. "Shit, look, we have been holed up here a for a week now. We like this place. I'm leaving a guard to watch the RV, just make sure we can trust you."

He didn't wait for a reply. Low voices and some swearing followed. And then, "And sorry about that gas. It was all we had besides pistols and we didn't want to come in shooting if you were survivors like us. We can talk more in the morning."

Something didn't add up, if they were sorry about the gas why would they just up and leave? Causing someone a great deal of difficulty, apologizing and then just walking away didn't seem like normal behavior, besides why let on that you were armed.  She couldn't help but wonder if these people were trying to conceal something more nefarious, or if they were just borderline incompetent.  Confusion wrinkled her brow, she sat up off the floor and remembered she was still topless, her tank top having served as a makeshift filter for the gas.   She sat up, holding the make shift filter tight to her nose and mouth. She looked around the RV to see if she could she signs of anyone moving around outside.

She certainly would not be ungrateful for any help their supposed benefactors might be willing to offer, but she still couldn't understand why anyone would have taken the time, effort and supplies to do what they did only to apologize and walk away. It would have been easier to rob them at this point. She scratched her read hair in consideration.  Kayla called out to anyone outside the RV on the chance the person left behind was still in ear shot. "Any chance you can do anything about this gas. We're not going kill you." She waited a moment.  She held Dani close to her wondering at the strange circumstances of their predicament.  It was weird, even for the end times.

(OoC: 17:34, Today: Kayla Redding rolled 13 using 3d4+2.  Perception reroll.)

(OoC: Today: Kayla Redding rolled 10 using 3d4+2.  Eloquence reroll)

Kayla caught a glimpse out a side window and saw one of their assailants. He looked to be around forty or so, thin but not in particularly athletic shape, he had pale skin and bushy brown hair. The man was wearing golf shoes, khaki slacks, one of those blue 'scrubs' type shirts, and generic holster holding a small framed revolver. He intuition said doctor, but chloroform said no. Then it hit her, he was a dentist.

Chloroform was used in mixing 'laughing gas' compounds used to anesthetize dental patients. Khakis and generic holster, to her, said he was not an overpaid medical professional. The scrubs made her think he came from a hospital setting, probably before he could afford his own practice. Forties and thin, he worked too much to get much exercise, hence the golf shoes. And then there was the small frame revolver, he would have had enough experience by now to know he would want a higher capacity and faster reloading automatic pistol, but he still carried the little revolver. So, it was his from before. Keeping it made her think he was good with it, good enough not to part with for something less familiar.

To keep herself and the young rookie from getting swept away in a current of panic, Kayla clung to her training. Fright wouldn’t get either of them out of this alive, flight wasn't an option, and without knowing everyone's true intentions fight would have to wait. They needed to be opportunistic and aggressive, but also cautious. Kayla pushed her fear away and focused on action. She repeated silently to herself: Observe. Orient. Decide. Act.

Her hand on her holstered Glock, Kayla kept her eyes on assailants outside as best she could.  "Stay with Dani no matter what," she told Zack, wanting the rookie to focus on her young her daughter regardless of whatever happened.

"Any chance you can do anything about this gas. We're not going to hurt you." She shouted to the scrub clad man she knew was outside the RV, waiting briefly for a response before continuing.  "I have a little girl in here." If he was in fact in the medical profession at one time, perhaps pulling on the heart strings a little bit would help her cause.

"Ma'am, the days of sympathy and understanding are over." A an said. "If you are still here in the light of day we can talk. Stay in the vehicle until then. Don't make us take action. Please, just be patient."

With that the people seemed to edge away from the RV and slip around the farmhouse. She was left to assume that they had set up living quarters inside.

Something about the stranger's commands didn't make sense, he said they would take later if they were still around, but then also asked them to stay inside the RV or risk violence.  She didn't either option, but she wanted to know more before she decided what to do.

Kayla Redding rolled 12 using 3d4+2.  Perception reroll.

The more she mulled it over she could only come to two conclusions. The first, and the one that made the most since was that the people outside were very frightened and lacked the necessary skills to be confident of an outcome of fight. The second, and the more worrisome of the conclusions, was that the people outside were tweeking on the same gas that they had used against the RV.

Shutting down her motherly instinct was impossible for Kayla. Over the past few months she had gone from decorated detective to over-protective mother responsible for the safety of both her daughter and young partner, and she had seen up close and personal what some people were capable of. So when they told her to stay put in the RV as it filled with some strange gas, she gasped once, then stepped toward the door to fling it open as she stepped outside.

She knew Zack would look after Dani, the young cop was too enamored with her not too.  Later, if they both made it out of here, she'd make sure she thanked him in that way only she could. For now though, she tried one last time to negotiate, but alsomade ready to defend herself and her makeshift family to the end. No way these guys were taking taking them that easy.

Her many years as detective had given Kayla a knack for reading people, especially men; she could tell when they bluffing, or pretending to be macho, and she hoped this was the former.  “Look just do something about this gas and we’ll be on our way.”  Kayla had a look about her that she was serious, but also one that silently said ‘I’ll fight if I have to...’

22:47, Today: Kayla Redding rolled 10 using 3d4+2.  Eloquence reroll

There was a debate of hushed voices not far from the RV. A trio of people, a man and two women, seemed to be berating each other over something not related to the RV. Then, out of nowhere, the man just yells 'Fine!'. Stomping off the women were left to stare in his wake. He reappeared minutes later with a fan and long extension cord.

Waling over the RV, the man unceremoniously opened the side door near the pooling gas and placed the fan on the ground facing away. He then plugged the fan into the cord and looked around the front of the RV.

"Hit it, Charlie." The man called. A generator started in the house a moment later and the fan whirled to life. Kayla could feel the air flow from the window near her into the RV as air, and the gas, was drawn out the side door.

"Best we can do." the man grumbled as he walked away. He past the other women and said. "And you two can sleep somewhere else tonight. I don't want you in my room."

The morning sound was eerily silent. The only sounds were the rhythmic thumping of the generator and the light whirring of the fan blades,  as it whisked a breeze over RV.

With the fan blowing the gas away from the RV, Kayla cautiously stepped closer to the other women.  The whole gas thing was a bit weird, but the fact that they hadn't immediately tried to kill them was a pleasing prospect, at least for the moment.  Slowly stepping closer Kayla carefully addressed the women, "Hi, I am Kayla," she said, "thanks for helping get rid of that gas."  She was curious as to the women and their whole situation, but was reluctant to push them too aggressively for information at the moment, so she continued checking around for anything unusual while talking to the women!

Zack stayed in the RV, obviously keeping an eye out for the safety of the gorgeous older detective.

OoC: Not sure what, if any rolls Kayla might have needed so I made a couple.  Feel free to disregard if they aren't necessary.
09:16, Today: Kayla Redding rolled 10 using 3d4+2.  Perception
09:16, Today: Kayla Redding rolled 12 using 3d4+2.  Eloquence

The woman roamed off to find a place to sleep leaving Kayla to wonder about their situation for a while. Sleep finally called to her. Curling up to an AR15 in a chair with a sheet for cover she slept until the sun came through the window in front of her and lit up her eyelids.

The morning was a grand, bright affair. Birds chirped. The sky was cloud free. The air was fresh and free of the smell of death and decay. Zack was sitting in a corner of the bed where Dani slept half in and half out of the covers. He had a pillow tucked under his arms and chin to hold him upright. To anyone peeking into the night dark RV he would have seemed awake and on watch.

There wasn't anyone outside. There was a faint odor of smoke and seared meat coming from the farmhouse. It smelled of sausage. Her stomach growled reminding her of just how light their diet had been in recent months. Somewhere in the distance a dog barked. It sounded like it was in the treeline to the east of the farm, maybe two hundred yards away. She watched for a moment, just be sure a horde of undead didn't come shambling along.

Life was so strange now.