"Maybe it's the lure of Sin City..." Stompy suggested. He'd never been, and he really didn't want to go now, what with the zombie threat and all, though he understood the pit stop would be needed to refuel and rearm.

"Hey Gremlin, ready to upgrade our transport?" Bradley put his hands behind is head and stretched as he turned away to look for anything that could be welded on.

A few hours later Gremlin had finished adding onto their vehicle, he slid the welding mask up off his face, "Gremlin has finished our chariot, bandits will flee at the sight of this machine..."

Everything was ready for departure, the group got ready to give Rob a proper send off before they set off for vegas...

OOC: I skipped ahead to the funeral, I havn't decided what exactly has been done to our transport either so you can think of something cool, heh...

All of A sudden, nothing happened.

Sorry about the lack of updates, next plot hole should be coming up tomorrow.

Johnny sat awaiting a decision. he did not like the idea of going into vegas. It was big, crowded at the best of times and was either under the control of bandits and perhaps zombies were around. Johnny didn't seem particularly fond of the idea of either. Bracing himself he stood up and walked over towards the freshly welded convey. The trucks had been upgraded by gremlin, with parts from the base. Tank traps had been cut up and welded onto the front, facing downwards, as if to sweep anything they drove into, under the carriage of the machine. On the sides, the weak metal that had covered it was gone, and it was now reinforced with solid steel bars, checkerplate steel covered the reinforcing, it gleamed in the light. Johnny also noticed that the vehicle's were fitted with extra supplies from the jeeps, fuel bottles were lined up on one side, whilst mechanical equipment was stacked upon the other.

"Looks like we are all set, I still don't even know why we need to go into vegas, well... I don't know why we need to STOP in vegas? Shouldn't we stop for nothing?" Johnny said hopping into one of the scouting positions of the trucks, hoisting the rifle scope out of his bag, he slung the rifle over a shoulder and placed the scope on it. This time he may need to also shoot something, not just look at it.

"Are we moving out or what?"

My sniper/ninja/shadow imaginery out of place killer will have trouble getting to Vagas... Maybe he could dig his way underground... Anyways, I guess he will not really see you there in the next few years.

Several days passed since the radio broadcast until the group finally finished the preparations for leaving. Rob and Maeror had since been buried and small headstones were erected in their honor. Two trucks from the motor pool were hauled out into the parking lot while they were loaded with everything required for the journey. One more was wheeled out and the few survivors piled in.

Gremlin stood at the guardhouse and raised his crude gate. The convoy rolled through and onto the blocked streets. The machines seemed too old to work and black plumes of smoke escaped their exhausts. As the last truck passed, Gremlin swung out and hopped aboard.

The small caravan rolled down through the state with minimal trouble. Every mile or so, a group of humanoid shapes would be spotted out in the distance but soon disappeared as the trucks drove on. The main problem was traffic. Despite being abandoned nearly a year ago, the cars on the interstate blocked the road. Often, the cars were formed into barricades trying to discourage traffic through infected areas.

One such barricade appeared to be manned buy other survivors. The men and women at the roadblock regarded the newcomers with suspicion. One of them seemed to reach for a radio as she gestured to another. Two watchmen came out from around the pile of cars and raised their rifles. Johnny stood up from the back of a truck and raised his hands in a friendly gesture. The rifles cracked and Johnny dropped to the bed, one of his fingers blown off at the knuckle.

The convoy tried to turn about but gunfire slashed all but three of the tires. Galt and Al dropped out from one of the cabs and ran to the back. Rain tried to shelter Johnny behind a crate on the back while they checked his wound. Patrick and Brad returned fire from the shelter of the trucks. When the shooting seemed to die down, Galt and Patrick stepped out towards the wrecks.

The bodies on the ground appeared to have modified military fatigues. Emblems bearing the letters "N.A.H." seemed to be crudely sewn on the shoulders. It was clear this was a Hegemon checkpoint. Galt had inadvertently led his people straight into a trap.

As Galt rounded the cars, something whirled around and fired. Galt screamed as the bullet cracked through his jaw. Fragments of bone and teeth clattered on the ground as Galt crumpled under another shot. He fell backwards as the shooter continued firing into the crowd. Patrick tried to raise his rifle but another shot tore through his ribs. The shooter stepped out from the barricade, one hand clutching a wound on his thigh. He kicked Patrick aside and turned to the group. Laura caught him in the cheek with a bolt and Rain rushed to the other two but was too late. Patrick's lung was punctured and Galt did not appear to be in any condition to save. Shocked and stranded, the group stood on that cluttered road in the Nevada desert trying to think abut their next move.

-------------------------------------------

Alright, Patrick died from lack of posts and I decided to off myself as well. Now you've got to decide what you're going to do.

"Shit!" Rain opened his medicle bag and grabbed a few instruments out. Looking at Galt, he knew there was no way he could save him. Even if he could somehow stop his bleeding, having he wouldn't last long without a jaw. Crotched down next to Patrick who was starting to go into shock.

"Patrick! Listen to me. Can you squeeze my finger? Come on!" Patricks arm was limp, blood starting to pump through the hole. Red bubbles were foaming out as well, not a good sign. This meant the lungs had begun to leak.

The group watched on as Rain went to work on the wounded man. Rain barked orders at the others which they quickly jumped onto. After half an hour Rain lent back and looked at the sky. Noone said a word but knew what happened.

"The bullet punctured his left lung. I tried to stop the bleeding but it filled too fast. I did all I could but he'll drown in his own blood. I'd say he has a few more minutes left. I gave him some morphine to help speed up the bloodflow and help stop the pain a bit."

Rain walked past the crowed to the back leaving his gear by Patrick. He put his hands on his head and watched the sun.

* I have been reading this thred for a while now and finaly got of my lazy arse and decided ti sign up,
1. would i be right in asuming that this is based loosly on the Zombie survival guide.
2. This is not a drop in thing, (i know but im just reasuring myself).
3. That i am somekind of selfrithous prick if i were to asume that i would be allowed to join in?
4. As i loosely know the story i would be glad to help to continue it for people who were absent if i wernt able to join in.
5. Im SO sorry for interupting.

what he said ^_^

Sorry, signups closed 27 pages ago.

i thought so nvm but consider me for the next one pliz mate (even thought your not my mate),
i am a renoud author within my school and was just hopeing, Thanks for the confimation but what about my other questions ? (Zombie Survival Guide)

Oh and ive just realised if you leet me join then it would be unfair on ohter who want to join sorry i even brought it up.
Ps. sorry again for interupting

"He's dead! They're dead!" Laura exclaimed. "They're... they're dead, and Galt... What the hell are we going to do? What the fuck are we going to do!?" She put the base of her hands on her temples and bore her teeth to the heavens. She ran her palms along her hair and exhaled deeply. "Johnny's alright, right Rain? Anybody else hurt? Al, are you okay?" She rushed over to Al and went to put her hand on his shoulder but saw the bolt in her hand, dripping blood. She tossed it away like a leper's glove and started crying.

OOC: Alotak, I sincerely don't mean to be rude, but would your writing improve if you were in a RP? Bad spelling physically hurts many here on The Escapist forums.

he he well i would not be typing while trying to play Total war when alt tabbing but i apreciate the note im not offended by the comment, ps, WILL SOMBODY PLEASE ANSWER MY ZOMBIE SURVIAL GUIDE QUESTION, sorry.

OOC: Probably based on the guide.

"I'm fine." He felt confused- Al wasn't used to people asking for his say in things. Nonetheless, it felt great to have physical contact with another human being again. He squeezed Laura's hand before commenting, "We're still alive. We just need to not lose sight of our humanity."

He ran over to Johnny and began administering first aid to his bleeding hand. 'Thank goodness I got the First Aid merit badge,' he thought. "Alright people, we need a plan and we need a new leader, stat." He paused before adding, "And how the hell did the NGE know where we were?"

Laura smiled at Al and then followed him over to Johnny. "Have some water, Johnny," she said lifting a a bottle to his lips. Hearing Al, she replied, "Who? The shooters? I don't think they were after us. Although this doesn't seem like an important roadway or anything; there were already so many roadblocks... Maybe they're defending something important?" She took a breath. "As if dead people coming back to life and eating people wasn't enough."

Nah, this isnt based on the Zombie Survival Guide. In that, their werent any zombie animals. I'll take Johnny's finger getting blown off as his punishment for including them. =P

Johnny swore as he felt as if his hand had been hit with the force of a brick being hurled at it, falling to the ground, he looked at his left hand, one finger was missing and had been blown clean off. Gritting his teeth Johnny swore at his own stupidity. "Thanks Al... It hurts like a bastard... Yeah i'll be fine." Johnny said waving off Al, after he had finshed bandaging his hand. Johnny could see rain walking away. "Someone go get Rain, it's not safe."

OOC- Assuming there are still shooters in the blockade, or did they all vanish or what?

Johnny looked over the edge of the truck. A bullet pinged off of the ground nearby. A warning shot for those to keep their distance.

"What the hell do you want?!" Johnny yelled over the top of the truck, his voice cracking slightly.

"We want you to leave. Get lost, this is hegmon Territory. Be gone." Said a voice.

"We can't you've punctured the tires and we have wounded, Even if we do leave, it won't be done in a hurry. Let me talk to everyone about it, Give us time."

"You have until sunset. Then we will exectue you one by one until you leave or you are all dead."

Johnny didn't even dignify the man with a response. What a bastard....

"What do we do guys, there's more of us... I think... 5... 8..9... We've got man power, but you saw what happened, they killed Galt and patrick. I'm no soldier, I don't know how to fight. What the hell do we do...?"

Occ- Sorry for hijacking the story. If something is wrong, say the blockadeers are dead, then i'll alter the story to make more sense.

Upon hearing the shot, Stompy ducked behind whatever cover he could.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Stompy screamed, shocked at the sudden gunfire.

After the fight had died down, he tried to find out if anyone was injured, and could use assistance. Following the rest of the survivors, he found Purple frantically trying to save Patrick, and Galt lying motionless on the ground. "Shit..." he muttered.

"Why the fuck would they ambush us?" asked Stompy to the crowd. "We're just a buncha' survivors, we don't even have anything valuable. We're nothin' but small fry, why risk men, and waste bullets and time?" Stompy couldn't understand the attacker's motive(s), and was shocked to find 2 of the group dead.

"We need to move out. Guys, they're dead. Leave them. We need to get out of here, and fast. Don't we have spare tires to replace the ones that popped?" Stompy asked around, trying to move the convoy, possibly getting out of danger.

"They attacked us because they control it now... Galt led us straight into a trap without knowing... It was not his fault and he paid for it with his life." Johnny said to stompy.

"We need to move, we only have a few hours judging by the sun. But which way do we go...? We can't take the trucks, unless we just so happen across tires in the cars around us that match, or that we could use...." Johnny pondered.

"Gremlin, Do you think you could cut the axle off of a car and weld one side to the tire or the trucks axle or something, Even if we move slowly, we need to move..."said Johnny, taking control because of the panic that had ensued.

"Sorry for speaking as if I have Authority, but I see no one else with suggestions and I particularly like living... We are running out of time..."

"We are running out of time, Pie. And, no disrespect, but I think Galt woulda' wanted us to live. So, can I help with the refitting of the spare tires?" responded Stompy, twitching from the stress now.

OOC: Pie, I think the blockaders were all dead, actually.

"Titty biscuits sums this up, Gremlin thinks." called Gremlin, as he sat on the trucks, legs dangling over the side. "Two dead." he sighed "And one our leader, too. This does not bode well."

He nodded to Pie "Gremlin could perhaps do rudimentary repairs, yes. But they would be nothing more than that. Gremlin is afraid to say that frankly, we need new vehicles." He jumped to the ground. "Supply check! Stompy, check food and water, how much do we have? Anyone know this area? If not, find me a map! We need a nearby area where we can nick some new rides, methinks!"

OOC: Hey Pie, remember when Galt said: "When the shooting seemed to die down, Galt and Patrick stepped out towards the wrecks. The bodies on the ground... etc?"

Laura looked over at Gremlin. "It's a desert, you can pretty much see all there is I'm afraid."

Gremlin grinned "Point." he shook his head. "Ok, that perhaps was not fully thought through. Well, it remains that we need a map to find the closest place where we might find vehicles, be it forward or back, and cobbling together a means of getting there from what we have, I suppose. The main problem is we're likely to need to travel a fair distance for it. I'm not sure how well we can fix what we have up."

OOC: Well... seems like I really missed a lot since my last post on this thread. Sorry for leaving the story like I did, when I came back on the 28th and saw the size of the thread, I assumed I had been killed off at some point due to my minimal plot significance. In the future I'll actually check the story before assuming something like that.

But at least Galt found a good way to kill me off that did not involve something along the lines of me being eaten by a zombie that I was trying to cure.

EDITED:
Killion pushed aside his feelings about the deaths, there were things that needed doing. Survival was still more important than grieving.
"This is a well fortified blockade, they've obviously been here a while. They'll have supplies and some kind of vehicle around here somewhere. I'm just worried that there may be reinforcements nearby, they would have had a radio. We need to get moving ASAP, but I'm no longer sure we should continue on this road. North may be a better option. I... We need a leader. I'm certainly not qualified, so I vote that we make Gremlin our leader. Even though he's a little... Cracked... He's still the best choice."

OOC- You know, if we're gonna say Dane's dead, we should actually kill him off. He has connections to people, the characters will evolve differently in the event of his death. He's not someone who can just go missing without anyone noticing.

Al agreed for the most part. "Cracked, yes. But he IS surprisingly wise..." He rubbed his chin before tossing caution into the wind. "What the hell. I'll throw my hat into the ring, if only to give everyone a choice."

ok i understand sorry for intrupting ^_^'

After listening to Johnny sob a bit Rain remembered to stitch him up. He was to rapped up in his attempt to save Patrick he almost forgot about everyone else.

"Sorry, let me get onto that. I think I may have some stiches in here if not I'll have to glue it and wrap it up in bandages. It's a bit barberic but still practical. This may sting because I'm starting to run low on morphine but atleast you can still feel pain right?"

Rain got to work on Johnny's fingers. He listened in onto the conversation the rest were having. When Rain had finished Johnny he truned to the group.

"You want to make Gremlin the leader?! As far as I can see he's a drunk with a missing leg! He's a nice guy and wise but you also needs intellegents for all of this! We're being shot at and attacked by the dead! There was a killer but thanks to everyone's bloodfrenzies that's sorted out. We're in the middle of a fucking desert! We had to move all the way over here for a reason I can't seem to make out! And now you want to make Gremlin our leader!"

Rain claps.

"Congratulations everyone, I don't know how much more worse this can even get!"

"Well I was gonna suggest Rain, but since he's a right prick, I vote for Al," Laura said. "Anyway, we can choose someone as we go check out their supplies. I want to get moving before the sun rises too high and I'm not prepared to go on foot."

Rain looked at Laura.

"Do we even know what kind of situation we're dealing with. Galt was a gun nut and had enough weapons to keep everyone going but now he's dead we have nothing! Why did we come here anyway? Straight to the centre of all this chaos. Should we have tried to catch a boat or something? Get away from all this. It's a bit late now. Sand is all that surrounds us. That and a thousand hungry jaws."

"How about we fuck this leader business, and focus on getting our asses outta' here!" Stompy exclaimed at the crowd. Geez, there's more to worry about then who's leads the group right now, thought Stompy as he went over to check the supplies.

He walked through the vehicles in the convoy, inspecting each of them for food and water. He noted what's left, and came back to the group.

"Right, sorted who's playing leader for the moment?" he asked generally. "Gremlin, we have just enough supplies to last us about a week or so, and that's not counting the exercise some of us'll have to go through trying to find new vehicles. If it's mass exodus, I can safely say that we'll be dead, all of us, in a matter of a few days. So, we better decide what to do, or we won't have enough supplies to do anything but wait to die" Stompy reported grimly. Someone better choose, and quick, he thought.

Rain sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"... I don't care anymore."

He paused for a bit.

"Come on. One of these cars used as a road block should work."