Pilot: Corran Horne (X Wing Book Series, and more)
Tech: Henry Deacon (Eureka, TV series)
Recon: Preddie (A Predator from the Predator Franchise)
Martial Artist: Raizo (Ninja Assasin, Movie)
Ghouls just wanna have fun
“I don’t like the idea of using this ship,” Corran muttered as he finished packing his backpack. Henry did not look up from his work as he answered, “A Predator ship is perfect for this kind of infiltration mission.” Corran rubbed his eyes; the ship’s interior lighting was not friendly to human vision. “I just don’t trust him, he is flaky… Remember the crap he pulled during that gladiator thing?” Henry rubbed his temples, “You have a point, but for whatever reason I think he will come through this time. He seems to like us in a weird passive aggressive kind of fashion.” Corran grumbled as he cinched up his gear, “Great, thanks, that fills me with all sorts of confidence…”
As the ship broke through the clouds the scene which greeted them on the monitors did little to lift the Correllean’s spirit, the city below looked war torn and in utter chaos. “I did not realize Raccoon City was a soccer town.” Henry rolled his eyes, “Not funny, there is an outbreak here and we need to help if we can. But our first priority is to find Raizo and second to collect intel on what is happening here.” The ship banked and descended toward an opulent suburb that seemed almost untouched by the firestorm of panic and violence that raged downtown. The cloaked vessel landed in a small park near the home that Raizo was supposed to be visiting.
Raizo answered the door and smiled at his two friends, “Hey guys thanks for coming, what’s with the suits?” Henry spoke through the small speaker mounted on the Biohazard suit, “Well you never got around to telling us just what ‘kind’ of outbreak it was before the line went dead. So I figured it was best to play it safe.” Raizo nodded, “Oh sorry about that, it doesn’t seem to be airborne. Come on in Gramps brewed up some tea if you want some.” After disrobing from the suits they sat around the dinner table and went over what little information Raizo and his Grandfather had been gathered. Henry set his notes and the remote control down, “This doesn’t make any sense, the news reports contradict each other. And the information you gathered from hacking the Umbrella Corps Net doesn’t wash with any of the reports either.” Corran stirred his hot tea, “It is all a bunch of misinformation and misdirection.” Raizo teetered his chair on two legs, “I am sorry, how can we get real information for you to act on?”
The computer screen in the den changed from the screen saver to the image of a mans face, “Perhaps I can help!” All eyes swung to look at the smiling face on the computer screen. “I am Dr. Cornelius, I was on the board of directors for the project which went awry and caused this disaster. At least I was until I was removed for protesting its repurposing as a Military Bio Warfare project.” Henry looked skeptical, “Why do you want to help us? And why should we trust you?” “My Daughter was supposed to be evacuated before the lockdown but something happened, she is still in the city.” Corran caught on, “So we help to get your Daughter safely out and you what? Give us information?” “Not just any information,” he leaned closer to the camera, “I can help you to formulate a cure for the plague which is sweeping through the city.” Henry gave in, “Fine I’ll bite. Gentlemen eat and gear up while I chat with the Doctor here and try to find out what we are up against.”
A half hour later Henry walked out of the den abjectly scowling at a computer tablet, Corran asked him, “Well what are we dealing with?” Henry looked up, “The Cliff’s Notes version?” Corran shook his head, “Even shorter if you can do it,… ummm like the Sean’s Notes version.” Henry shrugged, “Fine, uh. Flesh eating mutating undead.” “Frak me!” “Zombies?” “Frakking Zombies?” Henry sighed, “The more clinical term would be ‘Infected’…” A voice from the tablet spoke up, “Speaking of infected, your ship seems to be swarming with them. Not sure why, but it seems to attract them for some unknown reason.” Henry rubbed his nose in thought, “Hmmm, radiation? A harmonic the field gives off? Or a low frequency sound? Perhaps we could use that to our advantage, use the ship to lure them away from us?” Corran groaned, “So now we have to go on foot? Not good… Especially with Gramps slowing us OW!” The strike was so fast Corran never saw it coming. Raizo smiled, “Grampa is a Ninja, he will not ‘slow us down’; he will be an asset.” Corran rubbed his shoulder, “Fine whatever, just keep your smelly old relative away from-OW stop it!” He was now rubbing his other shoulder as he glared at the ridiculously spry old man.
Moments later the Predator began using his ship to play ‘pied piper’ and slowly lure all of the infected in the nearby area away, the remaining team members looked at a map and started to plot their route to the school where the little girl was apparently held up. Raizo shook his head slowly and pointed to a place on the map, “This is very bad, the only two streets not barricaded up that lead north to the school from here pass by the cemetery.” The Corellean scratched his head, “So? I thought this stuff just animated newly dead, or mutated the living that get bit.” The voice from the tablet enlightened the others, “The cemetery is close to the biggest breach from the underground facility and downwind of the initial explosion, it is conceivable that the cultures and exotic compounds that were carried aloft from the blast may have seeped into the soil and reanimated the bodies there. The pure T-Virus strains that they would have been exposed to are far more potent than anything a mere 2nd or 5th generation infected could pass on to a victim.” Corran rubbed his chin, “OK it is now official, THIS SUCKS!”
Raizo was agitated, “No; you don’t fully understand, this in not just an ordinary cemetery. There is a very large plot in it which is owned by my union.” Henry spit up some of his tea, “Ah, wait a minute… You don’t mean your Ninja Union do you?” The Grandfather smiled, “It is a very nice plot, it is the reason my wife and I moved to this city, so we could be buried there and be… together.” Corran looked around, “Speaking of which, where is your wife?” The Grandfather pointed to the cemetery on the map. Henry and Corran uttered in unison, “Oh.” Raizo sighed, “It is why I came to visit, she was just buried yesterday.” Corran shook his head in disbelief, “Ninja Zombies, this just gets better and better…” Henry blinked and rubbed his eyes, “Uh, just how big is this plot?” The old man smiled, “It is very big, a great many of my old friends are there.” Corran groaned, “Yeah well, you may be seeing some of them real soon. I don’t suppose they were buried with their weapons?” The old man’s smile widened, “But of course, it is tradition.” Corran glared at Raizo, “Your union sucks!” The young ninja shrugged, “Hey, they have great medical, and Ninjas need good medical if you know what I mean…” Corran was about to rebut when a loud series of knocks at the front door stopped everyone dead in their tracks.
The doctor’s voice coming from an upturned tablet broke the silence, “Uh, expecting someone?” A sarcastic and sultry female voice spoke from the other side of the door, “Honey, I’m hooooommmeeee!” Raizo’s jaw dropped, “Grandma?” The old man did not seem happy, “Shit!” Henry looked worried, “I take it they did not always get along…” Raizo cocked his head to one side, “Nnnnot so much.” “Great.”
End of Part One
