The Adventure Begins...

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Friends are the strongest group known to man and most animals...which is exactly where our story starts, with a group of friends, three women and three men. A group of six of the best friends anyone could find. It was especially rare now that the world was covered in the living dead. Friends had fallen apart, eaten each other, families devouring children, neightbors at each other's throat...literally. Not everyone had fallen, though most people had abandoned their loved ones. It didn't take long for this group to secure the collage where they all attended, nor did it take them long to stock it with enough to survive for a long time. They'd lived there, stealing abandodned vechiles for gas, for parts and to move large things such as beds, smaller vehicles...for several months, but things were about to change...

Ava had just done a "woman supply" run on her motor cycle with her duel set of .45's. She ran inside the secured doors, her helmet still on. "Everyone! Meeting! I have news!" She called out, running down the halls. "Meet me in the caf!" She ran into the office and grabbed the mic for the loud speaker. "Everyone meet me in the cafiteria for a meeting, I have news!" She skidded out of the room and ran to the caf, taking out her helmet off finally and dropping it. She ran into the caf and sat down, inhaling the scent of the food cooking in the kitchen. She waited for everyone, her heart racing.

Benjy peeked out from the kitchen door. He put the things he was cooking on low so they wouldn't burn, then took off his oven mits and rushed out to the caf. "News? Any new survivors?" He asked, taking a seat next to her. Like always, his trusty mallet was attatched to his belt. He glanced at it and whispered. "Hush you, she's guna speak."

Casey came from a room somewhere off to the left, bouncing a baseball in her hand. Sitting on one of the tables, she stopped bouncing the ball and looked at Ava. "I'm thinking she brought me home a pepsi." She smiled. "Mm... pepsi."

Jaren looked up from across the room, he had been listening to his favourite Judas Priest song (One Shot at Glory) when Ava came in looking like she had just raced against Donovan Bailey...and won... "something tells me it's bigger than your next caffine fix Casey" he said with a small smirk.

Elliot walked into the caf, blinking tiredly. "What's up Boss Lady?" He yawned softly and ran a hand through his badly faded and sleep mused hair as he flopped into a random chair. "Has reality finally come back from vacation?"

Scar shifted her attention from the scope of her riffle. She was sitting atop one of the worn cafeteria tables maintaining her artillery. She kept her mouth closed, tinkering with a stray bolt off her magnum that desperately needed replacing. Somehow, she doubted any of the comments were correct thus far.

"No, no, now everyone settle down. While I was out picking up the usual women's things, pads, tampons, you know...I came across another living human. He was getting some coffee as though he had all the time in the world. He told me something amazing, off the coast of California...at the opposite end of the country... there is a large island where survivors are gathering, the zombies can't get to it! There's a safe zone, a-an untouched promised land!" She slammed the heavy bag from off her back onto the table, and pulled out a map, grabbed a marker from the bag and circled the area where it was.

Benjy jolted forward and stared at her, his mallet swinging and hitting the table. "WHAT!? Are you serious?!" He blinked in a slight realization and suspicion. "Wait a second.. Why was that guy just out there getting friggen coffee? Wasn't he armed or something?" he looked down at his mallet. "Sorry, it was shocking news.." the male whispered and patted the mallet gently.

Casey finished sneering at Jaren and then looked at Ava. "I agree with Benjy. It seems a little strange that some guy was just out getting coffee without being armed or even alarmed OR wanting to take shelter with another human being." She shrugged. "Although, I guess all people are different.

Jaren nodded in agreement "I'm all for hearing such good news but not when the source is so suspect" he stated, leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees "if this guy was so sure of this information why wasn't he all geared up and heading to this 'safe zone' as well?"

Elliot nodded, all drowsiness forgotten as he leaned forward thoughtfully. "I agree with Jaren. Why stick around here if there actually is a safe zone? And why was the guy acting 'normal' when the world's gone to hell? I'm not sure it's worth crossing over fifteen hundred miles of zombie infested no-man's land just to chase a rumor from an unknown and possibly hostile source. Yeah we aren't truly safe here, but it's better than nothing when we have no idea what condition the rest of the country is in." He looked extremely uneasy as he thought about all of the factors they could be facing.

Scar cocked her magnum. "Suspicious, yes. I think if this were a trap he would have gone about it differently. Eventually, we will have to move from here. Why not now while we aren't sick from starvation and still right in the head?"

Ava nodded. "The man also said his group were just passing through, they had to come back into the mainlands to get someone they contacted on the radio...He was so sure of himself, so unafraid of the zombies otu there, then against he got into a virtual mobile army base when he left, but I think it's an idea..." She relaxed a bit in her seat, pulling out her cigarettes and lighter, lighting a cigarette. "I did grab smokes for anyone who requested by the way as well as a few sodas...." She exhaled her smoke slowly into the air. "I'm open to ideas, we need a list of things we will need and a game plan..."

"If by different you mean a complete psycho then yes. Yes he is different." Benjy looked suddenly shocked and looked down at the mallet on his hip. "You hush your face. I am not psychotic." He muttered below his breath and glanced at Ava. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Perhaps we should find a way to contact them? Maybe they will answer and we can talk this out with them? I mean, if anything, they are all deranged and going to die anyway, so we stay here."

Casey took a pack of cigarettes from Ava and lit one with a lighter from her pocket. Her eyes traced to each of them as they spoke. "I agree with Scar. The longer we linger here the faster we end up dead. I say we move even if there is no golden land." She exhales a cloud of smoke and begins to stand. "We need to raid."

Jaren closed his eyes as he thought about their alternatives "both sound good, if we need to relocate best we do it now while we're not a burden to each other, but it would be wise to confirm the information first, so we don't end up in the heart of darkness as it were"

Elliot sighed softly. "If we're going to be relocating we should stock up on our supplies. We should make sure to stock up before leaving. Regardless of whether or not this stuff is true we'll have over fifteen hundred miles of zombie filled wasteland to cross and no clue what supplies we'll find along the way." He ran a hand through his hair and glared at the wall.

"Perhaps we should make a list of things we need and split up? It would be faster. Ava and one other could go find that man and speak with him, some could go gather food and some could go gather weapons, yes?" Scar suggested, ever the tattical thinker "It would be easier to gather things in smaller groups."

Ava nodded. "I agree with Scar, but we all need to get some rest for tonight, then we can make up our lists tomorrow, I'm going to run back to the store and see if that guy is still around, everyone else, hit the showers and beds..." She put out her cigarette and walked towards the door.

"I took a shower earlier, Ava. Can I come with you?" Benjy got up. He meeped. "My spinach puffs! I forgot! Stay there." he told the red head and ran into the kitchen, turning off the stove and the oven and covering up the food so it wouldn't go bad. He walked back out. "They didn't burn. Anyway, Can I come with you? I wana see if there is anywhere that still has Cheetos..."

Casey watched Ava stand and move, and then she stood herself. "Ah old mattress on the floor... you call my name." She stuck the cigarette in her mouth and caught her arm around Scar's shoulders as she began to walk away. "What do you say we start our raiding a little early? I'm feeling cooped up."

Jaren got to his feet and grabbed his katana, sliding it int the loop at his pant's hip, he went to follow Ava without saying a word, he wanted to see this informant for himself and make sure their unofficial leader stayed safe.

Elliot got up and wandered out of the caf, intent on a shower before going back to bed. He wanted to be well rested before the raids the next day.

"I was having the same thought" Scar said "Where shall we begin?" She clicked the clip of her magnum.

Ava looked at Benjy and blinked a few times. "Sure I suppose you can come with me if you'd like..." She found her helmet and put it on. "Go get a helmet from the storage..." She told him.

"Squee." Benjy smiled bright and went to the storage closet, grabbing a helmet. He also grabbed his smith and wesson revolver and extra bullets, then walked back over to her. "Alright. Got it all."

Casey picked up her baseball bat from where she'd left it leaning in the hallway and swung it over her shoulder. "I was thinking the nearest cost-co." She showed her teeth in a full grin. "What do you say?"

Jaren pulled out the keys to his motorcycle and smirked at them "lets roll" he said calmly, he'd been itching to head out anyway, he'd spent most of the day inside and wanted a change of scenery so he intended to go with Ava and the others on this little 'fact finding' mission.

Elliot sighed softly as he showered. He made a mental list of everything he could think of that they would need to leave. He really didn't want to leave their compound even though he knew the others were right.

"Sounds effective enough. I suppose the army surplus store has been picked clean anyway." Scar gave an easy shrug. "Are we going on foot?" She asked, turning to view her companion. She didn't see a need to tell the others where they were headed. The pair of them would do fine on their own.

Ava looks at Jaren and cocks a brow. "I take it you are following us then?" She replies, taking Benjy's hand like a mother would a child and pulls him gently towards the door. "Remember to hold onto me tight, we don't need you falling off if I have to pop up the front tire again like you did last time..." She leads him to her motorcycle, sliding her helmet on and mounting it, holding it steady for him.

Benjymin chuckled softly and held her hand. He loved having Ava as a companion. She helped him stay sane after his brother died. He briefly remembered falling off the motorcycle and gave a toothy grin. "I won't fall. And you coulda gave me a warning, missy." He put on his helmet and hopped onto the bike, sliding his arms around her waist. He looked back at Jaren. "I'll be surprised if you can keep up with this one... She's a speed demon." he gave him a thumbs up.

"I suppose. Might as well not waste the gas." Casey began walking outside, grabbing her jacket and tying her knee high army boots before walking outside. She looked at Scar. "So how do you feel about this 'promised land'. Seems like a far fetched idea to me."

Jaren gave Ava a wry smile as he moved over to his bike, revving the motor and donning his helmet he gave to Ava a thumbs up letting her know he was ready to go.

Elliot finished his shower, which wasn't anything like the showers he used to take, and put the cleanest of his outfits on. He was still listing everything they would need in his head.

"As good an idea as any, I suppose. We will lose moral soon. Hope is always necessary, don't you think? I do think that this being a trap is an incredible possibility, though..." She frowned slightly as the two headed out onto the street. "But I think the lot of us can handle it."

Ava revved her motorcycle and peeled out to the street, turning around the corner at high speeds, headed for down town. it wasn't hard for her to weave in and out of zombies, it was almost like she was born to do it. Once in the heart of down town she turned off to the right, headed south. It wasn't long before she stopped in front of a convienance store. She looked around. "I don't see him anywhere!" She called through her helmet and over the engine.

Benjy clung to her. Though he loved motorcycles, she was a speed demon on one. He looked up once they stopped. "Damn! Oh well. Let's get a few bags of Cheetos." He bounced cutely and glared at the mallet on his hip. "I am not a fat ass!"

"Well, we can only hope." Casey said, a bit of a sigh in her voice. She pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her pocket and plucked a cigarette out of the beaten pack, shoving it into her mouth and the box back into her pocket. With a flick of her lighter, she lights the cigarette and inhales, keeping the baseball bat over her shoulder. "I just hope they haven't gotten to Cost-Co yet."

Jaren remained silent as he slowed to a stop next to Ava, he was continuously watching the shadows for signs of movement, the last thing they needed was to be ambushed and outnumbered with no way out.

Elliot sighed softly and stretched.