The way back...

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

Seth opened the back door, thankfully clear due to the blocking shrubs. They took the trip down the stairs slowly since they were as yet invisible.
When they got out on to 9th, it was not the case. Seth and Thierry broke right, and tried to draw the zombies towards them, rather than the slower group. Davin cracked a Northface-Fleece wearing zombie in the face, and it spun around comically.

Dr. Bebe-
"Just the slightest change in cranial pressure."


Davin-
"What?!"


Dr. Bebe-
"It doesn't take much."

Her high heels sounded like horse hooves - KLOK KLOK. (Anyone with a good memory would recall any high-heels sounded this way, not just ones on Amazonian beauties.) She walked quickly, but could not manage a jog in the five inch spikes.
The slower group had to slow themselves considerably to stay near her. Zombies wouldn't have been able to keep pace, but some were coming from angles that let them get close. Too close!

Davin-
"Oh my god! It's Stewart from ops. Damn... You were always such a nice kid."


Bebe-
"Does that even look like Stewart any more? Just do it."


Davin-
"Shut up lady!"

Davin clonked the zombie on the head with the blunt end of the fire-ax until it fell. He rolled the body over with his foot as they passed.

Seth and Thierry fell back, meeting them at the end of 9th. A few corpses lined the sidewalks like sandbags.

Seth-
Just two more blocks!

Thierry and Seth had to run around madly now, this way and that, trying to get zombies before they got too close. People got to see Thierry's soccer skills on display, side tackles and the like. Seth had gotten on the wrong side of a juicy zombie and had blood dripping off his chin and running down the side of his head by the time they neared the building.

(PLAYERS-- describe your characters zombie-fu here, and any conversation you might like to have and we'll edit it in.)

[Suyoi]

"Davin, stop insulting the doctor!"

Davin-
"So sorry to have spoken above my caste."

Dr. Victor kept close to the larger physician, though not because he was slow himself weighted down with the precious cargo. Even though her youth was showing, and her doctorate was hanging on some wall somewhere, he decided against attempting to gently rap the unliving in the head. The flashlight cudgel wasn't exactly a soft-blow styled weapon. Besides, with everyone else, he hardly had to do more than utter a 'Oh my word' and someone else had taken the initiative.

"Come on, boys, don't fail us now. We're almost there!"

His attempts at encouragement was more in line with a drill sergeant than a cheerleader. Huffing and puffing occurred faster than the last time. He did manage to shove one hipster-esque man away, the sight of his beard covered in bodily fluids making the doctor mutter, "Clean thy face."

"You're- doing fine- Dr. Melange- Keep up- the pace, now- so we- don't have- time- shit..."

Dr. Bebe-
"Dr. Victor, it's okay... I believe you gentlemen have it well in hand. Ooh, that's a nasty one. Watch out."

The doctor realized he couldn't formulate a decent quip and just began helping Dr. Melange across more treacherous terrain, and other debris in the road. He could feel his grip slipping on the bag. His hands ached, his mild arthritis suddenly flaring up; it always was at the most inopportune time with which he was reminded of his true age. He kept himself on his feet, however, fearing the view of Dr. Melange standing over him in such an inappropriate skirt.

The doctor wheezily laughed the remaining way back to the building.

[DKender]

Alex never understood how women kept their balance in prodigiously high heels. Dr. Bebe was making better time than he'd predicted, though she still slowed them down. He found his gaze drawn to her legs, which really were something else. Yeesh, how tall was she? Alex looked away quickly, hopefully before she noticed his rude attention.

Too late! He got the wink again!

Dr. Bebe-
"Watch your back, big fella."

During the trip back, he moved between Dr. Melange and Dr. Victor as they traveled (an easy feat, since they stuck together like doctory birds of a feather), taking swings at any zombies that ventured too close. The act became somewhat routine, and this bothered him. He'd never played violent video games (unless Wii boxing could be considered "violent"). Why, then, didn't Alex cringe at the sight of his metal pipe connecting with heads? Best not to worry about it ...

Jeez, did Davin recognize somebody? Aw, he sure did. Alex considered murmuring rushed last rites over the young man's corpse, but last rites were for the living, and he wasn't qualified to do a priest's job, anyway. He realized that Doctor Victor was being encouraging, a pleasant surprise. As the man's breathing became labored, however, Alex frowned with concern. "Yeah, yeah, we're almost there, all right," he encouraged.

Kenny-
"Boo-YA!"
Kenny was outside for some reason! He helped distract and destroy zombies for the last leg of the journey, and then disappeared.

[Thy Dungyeon Maestyr]

They came in via the "tunnel of cars" Seth had devised. Anyone fit to climb over hoods and roofs did so (most zombies lacked the dexterity to follow), and others got into a car, closed the door behind them, left it locking the door behind them, did the same to the next car in sequence, and so on. The zombies could open doors, but couldn't figure out how to unlock them.

They entered the alley before Abdul's crew was finished working and before Micah's team returned with the booze and food, heading to their rooms or the comm center before the scene described in post 191 of the 6th floor thread.

Use the remainder of this thread to describe what your characters do in the time leading up to that part of the evening.

[Thy Dungyeon Maestyr]

After a short breather in the garage, people began to disperse to wherever they wished. Davin hadn't been enjoying the company and was quick to jet upstairs.

Thierry-
"You need any help, Dr. Victor? I can carry that bag for you."

Seth kept a pace with Dr. Bebe as they went upstairs.

Dr. Bebe-
"That was exciting. Good to be indoors, but oh for an elevator..."


Seth-
"Yeah, unfortunately most of our business is on the sixth floor. Once you're here, I don't think you'll have to do too many outdoor trips, though the clinic will be on the first floor. Sorry about that."


Dr. Bebe-
"First floor you say? No, that's actually ideal. Are there any abandoned apartments up here that still have furnishings, perhaps?"


Seth-
"Oh yes of course, we've been trying to arrange roommates for people because of the..." He paused for a moment. "Dr. Melange I hope you'll understand but I didn't want to say some things in front of the group, I thought they might take it the wrong way. We've seen some things that aren't explainable by science, at least as far as we can tell. We've heard of ghosts that can kill by touch. That's why we have the roommate situation."


Dr. Bebe-
"Now that is exciting. Has anyone here seen them?"


Seth-
Yes, actually, Dr, Victor and his group are the ones who told us about them. We haven't seen them in this building. We have a reason to believe that they have to enter the building physically like anything else, so if the building's secure, they won't get in. But we don't honestly know.


Dr. Bebe-
"So roommates to take turns sleeping or watching out for the grim reaper? Eerie! And if they can be seen then they are indeed a physical phenomenon. This is what I'm most excited about at the end of it all. In the last four centuries, scholarly people have tried in vain to find a way to measure the ineffable - the weight of the soul, that sort of thing. Now that it is appearing to us as a physical phenomenon, we finally can measure it. I intend to."


Seth-
"I'll have to give you the full briefing when we get a chance, give you all the information we have on different creatures. I'm sure, as you know, these special 'beings' are much more dangerous than your typical sluggish zombie out there, so do be careful."


Dr. Bebe-
"I will be."

They finished walking upstairs and Seth took her to Marie's room. He dropped her off there, and went to Stevie's room to clean up.

Dr. Bebe-
"Ms. Oshiro! How is your health?"


Marie-
"Dr. Melange, I'm surprised... I'm fine, but worried about my feet. I assume you've met Dr. Victor. He helped me with that. Now it's just a matter of sitting and waiting."


Dr. Bebe-
"Good, good ... Let's talk about rooms..."

[Suyoi]

The doctor turned red from embarrassment, and also from being winded. That one mustachioued man shouting such an inappropriate and out of date phrase also made him feel even more sheepish; would Dr. Melange take the current company so close to heart as a pure representation of himself?

The cars were easy enough for him to climb over, though it took a couple tries to get onto the first vehicle. It was like an obstacle course built by the American Gladiators with far dire consequences of failure. Still, he was pleased not to have the roof become dented with his pressure as much as how Dr. Melange made the cars jostle with hers.

"Right. I'm..."

The doctor leaped from the last car with a heavy thud. He murmured an inappropriate word or two, dusting himself off as though he simply slipped.

"As I said, I'm going to head to my room. There- there is going to be a little bit of an inventory I suppose, but for the time being, I'll just lock them up somewhere safe. Alex, take this for your use, since you won't stop crooning over it. In any event, Dr. Melange, welcome... and... oh boy."

The good doctor leaned a little heavily on the car. He bent half-way down, his breath finally being as labored as he feared it would be. The sweat held his hair close like a cap. He felt a ton of bricks slammed into his chest, the air not being sweet enough. He held his breath and straightened, fighting the urge to pass out. His eyes felt warm, and were probably reddened. Why in front of everybody? Why can't it just be once I made it upstairs?

"I'm fine. Just... need to breathe for a moment. Excuse me. Alex, I will need... to talk to you later, please..."

Thierry-
"You need any help, Dr. Victor? I can carry that bag for you."

After a few more moments, pushing away any physical contact or additional concern, the doctor moved to the building's stairwell. The red face was worn as a mask of shame; hadn't he been a runner years ago?

Thierry-
"He's OK..." Thierry let the doctor keep his dignity.

[DKender]

"Any time, Doctor," Alex said, after Dr. V asked to speak to him. "Catch me during the party, maybe. Uhm, I'll probably hang out with everyone near the beginning, and then move to a secret place for Nat's celebration, so find me early. Hey, and thanks for this ..." He held up the EpiPen. Alex hoped Dr. Victor didn't feel bad about missing Nat's super secret party. Alex would have invited him, but the doctor obviously scared Nat and angered Sarah. Frankly, Alex was pretty spooked by Mr. Lector, too.

Alex will spend the day preparing for Nat's party. He will scour the apartment complex and their supply stockpile (with permission), looking for presents that a shy barista might like. He figures anything artsy or refined will do the trick like, uh, those French posters that cafes hang on their walls or books about photographers ... that kind of stuff ... why are guys so hard to shop for? He will also search for old newspaper and fold some three-cornered hats, because every party needs silly hats. His attempts to put hats on the dogs inevitably fail.

[Thy Dungyeon Maestyr]

With those amusing hijinks, I declare this thread finished! To the 6th floor and/or individual rooms! Huzzah!