Sea of the Dead [Dead End - d20 Zombie Apocalypse]

[Thump]

"Yes, I'm still here... here, why don't you talk to someone else?"

She then lowers the phone, and then turns to the others.

"Can someone ELSE talk to this man? I'm in no state to do so."

[moomoo]

Francois sees that Viola seems to be a bit irritated about something. He takes over the telephone and asks:
Yes, is zere a problem?

[Erasmas]

Francois takes the phone and catches the tail-end of the voice speaking, though it is quiet... as if the person was not speaking directly into the receiver.

"... the phone to somebody else."

When the Frenchman resumes the conversation, the other man replies to him. "You mean... aside from over half the people onboard going crazy and trying to eat the rest of us?! No... other than that, everything is just fine. Look; our group is held up and safe for the time being. Gina thinks that we should tell you where we are and have our groups... combine. But I want to know that I can trust all of you before I tell you anything about where we are. If that's too much to ask, then perhaps it's just better for all of us to stay separated."

[moomoo]

Francois takes a deep breath, luckily stress resistancy and remaining calm was a good quality of most chefs of big kitchens:
Okay, just stay calm sir, I am Francois, I am... uh, was the chef on zis ship before zis happened. My friends and me got stuck in the freezer when zis.. zing broke out and now we are trying to get somewhere more safe. I don't know how we can make you trust us, but if you could help us in any way, it would be much appreciated.

[Erasmas]

"Calm?! Who the...", the voice started in but was cut off by conversation on the other end of the line. The phone sounded like it was passed off again.

"Coo coo ca choo, everybody... let's all just take a pill and let it simmer."

This voice, you recognized. It belonged to a man from California that worked as one of the 'Adventure Consultants' that helped the guests along the onboard obstacle course. You knew him best because on the last voyage, he managed to convince you to let him use the kitchen after hours to make a batch of marijuana brownies, which you may or may not have helped with. His name, was Dalton Brody... but everyone that knew him called him Chase (both because of his thrill-seeking nature and because he was fond of women).

His West Coast drawl continued, "Now, let's see what magic the Chase Man can work, shall we?" He cleared his throat; whether he was aware that everything he had said so far was already heard, it was impossible to tell. "Attention, other people... my name is Chase and I am a crew member aboard this ship, the most beautiful Persephone. How may I be of assistance?"

[moomoo]

Francois smiles when he hears this familiar voice on the line. This already seemed a lot better then the hotheaded person before.
Chase, zis is Francois, how are you doing?
He adds, answering his question of being of assistance:
Are you in ze security room, if so, you can see where these zings are, no?

[Erasmas]

Chase erupts in joyous laughter.

"Chunky Monkey?!?! You survived?! How awesome is that, bro!"

He had taken to calling you that and, although you knew it was because of your weight, you had also come to realize that Chase had absolutely no intentions of it being hurtful and it had almost become... endearing, in a way. Plus... you knew that it was also his favorite flavor of ice cream.

"Righteous. And ix-nay on Security, big man... it's total bummersville down there. We tried that last night and some of us got kinda scratched up. We're on the bridge right now..."

You can hear the upset of someone else nearby Chase on the other end.

"Chill... chill... take it down a notch, Cochise. It's cool... I know Chunky Monkey and he's good peoples."

[GunnDancer]

Victor can only catch bits and peices of the conversation, both eyebrows raising at the name "Chunky Monkey", but he only shakes his head, turning away from Francois to keep an eye on the entry way leading to this area. As he does so, he glances from Jim, to Mason, and then to Viola. Blake still weighed on him heavily and he was determined that no one else would meet that fate if he could help it.

[Erasmas]

As the phone conversation continued, all of you suddenly hear a loud crash, almost like splintering wood, followed by a blood-chilling scream. And then it was quiet once more. It sounded quite some distance off, further forward on the ship.

[moomoo]

Look Chase, we were trying to get to the bridge as well. Can you tell me which route is the safest?
After the crash
Merde, you guys saw what happened?

[Erasmas]

Chase makes a sound not unlike air escaping from a balloon, "Sheesh, bro... from the Sun & Sea? You probably wanna go through the Kitchen on Deck 9, through the pantry, to the service..."

When you ask your new question, he pauses.

"What happened to who, Chunky Monkey?", there is a brief silence. "They're sayin' that you guys are solo a mano, Big Kahuna... no bozos around you guys."

[moomoo]

Breathing heavily, Francois continued:
Ok... ok, so the kitchen on deck 9, through the pantry,..
There was a bit of an urge in his voice, since he doesn't feel really safe here anymore

[razorback]

Jim continues to stand on lookout as the conversation regarding their survival carries on in the background.
Man, oh, man he thinks to himself What the hell is going on here? How can this be happening?
No that he's had a few moments to calm down and reflect on what has happened, he realizes how bad the situation is and is dwelling on what is happening to the 'others'.

[Erasmas]

"Exactly... Kitchen on Deck 9, where you guys are currently hangin' out, through the pantry, and to the service elevator. Then down to Deck 8 and you're just a hop, skip, and a jump away, bro. You do have to go past a lot of state rooms to get there, so watch your backside, French Toast. Oh, and dude, could you grab a bottle of vino on your way through the pantry? I think it might help smooth things over for me with that little hottie you got there with you. I mean, you aren't hooking up with the kitten on crutches, are you?"

The rest of you heard nothing more from the outburst of commotion from a few seconds before.

"What? Oh... oh, hey, Chunky Monkey. I am being informed that you have some of the creep-a-zoids coming up on you from the stern, so you might wanna skedaddle, dude."

[moomoo]

Ok..., thank you Chase, I will make sure to bring you the finest French wine I can find. See you later.
Francois ends the conversation and turns to the group:
We need to move, zey are coming... We can get at the bridge via the kitchen, through the pantry so we can take the service elevator to Deck 8.

[GunnDancer]

Upon hearing that more were heading their way Victor let out a quiet sigh.

:"Perfect... At least we got a limited reprieve. Alright Francois, you know best. As they say in Scotland, Lead on MacDuff."

Adjusting his satchel and checking the straps on his shield, he gives himself a cursory look over. Satisfied, he unsheathes his "sword" and swings it with a flourish. Victor wouldn't be caught unaware this time.

[Thump]

Viola gives a small smirk at the rotisserie spit that Victor now brandishes as a makeshift rapier.

"I'd guess then that your rapier makes you happy?"

She stands up, and slowly spins the cleaver by the hole in its handle, catching it by the blunt edge with now practiced ease, which was what most people would guess be what she was doing when they had downtime.

"So, Francois. Who was that you were talking to?"

[GunnDancer]

Smirking a little, Victor rolls his eyes at Viola.

"Yeah yeah... I've heard all the jokes about a man and his sword before. Can't walk ten feet in the Olympic Village without hearing one."

[moomoo]

That was Chase, he works.. or worked here on the ship too. He is a friend of mine.
Francois says as he starts making his way back to the kitchen.

[Erasmas]

"Right... let's do this.", Mason added as he lead the way with Francois. The two of them open both of the double doors leading into the Final Prep Station, outside of the actual kitchen... this was the part that the guests were supposed to be able to see. It was a decent-sized space, about fifteen feet or so deep at the wall were the doors were; and it tapered wider, ultimately ending in a back wall that was probably around forty five feet across. There were two other doors in that back wall, both of which led into the actual kitchen here on Deck 9. The staircase that granted access to the kitchen upstairs (where the deep freezer was), was situated on the other side of the wall, between the two doors that you could now see.

The Prep Room appeared to be empty, though there was a massive pool of blood in front of the rightmost butcher's block.

Spoiler

Show

[moomoo]

Wow, zis looks ugly. We better watch out from zis part on.
Francois says as he moves to the doors that lead to the kitchen.

[Thump]

"Riiight... keep on moving, people."

Viola is a bit grossed out at the scene, but she keeps following Francois, listening for anything out of the ordinary.

[GunnDancer]

"Whoa... hold up guys!"

Victors voice is hardly above a whisper now as he points to the bloody foot prints on the floor.

"We may not be alone in here..."

[razorback]

Jim nods towards Victor and then mimes someone turning down the volume on a radio to the others.

Squatting down, he looks down underneath anything that might hide one of the creepers before proceeding slowly ahead.

[Erasmas]

You push forward slowly, as a unit, following the gory footprints to the left door. Opening it, you find yourselves in the Kitchen Proper... similar in many ways to the one that you knew was up the bloodied stairs right beside you. Stepping over the mess at the bottom of the stairs - leftover from your battle last night, where Yasmine had fallen down them - you see that there are five additional exits from this room beside the two doors from the Prep Room. Two single doors lead back out into the Buffet eating area, one single door is marked as "The Trattoria" and another as "Happy Valley", and a set of double swinging doors leads (you are told by Francois) into the Pantry.

[GunnDancer]

Victor quirks his head to the side, listening intently. His eyes dart about as he struggles to take it all in. This would be a bad place for zombies to show up and if it were a horror movie that is exactly what would happen with everyone running through a different door... Stop it! It's not a movie! This is real life! he thinks to himself.

Trying to slow his racing heart, he adjusts his grip on the spit-now-sword and raises his shield in front of him. Normally his arm free arm would be kept behind his back and out of the way, but now he was depending on that arm to keep him shielded. The rotissiere spit is raised so the point is clear of the shield and time seems to slow in anticipation as he waits for the groups next move.

[moomoo]

Francois looks around in this once familiar kitchen. He immediately sees the doors leading to the pantry and makes the others aware of them.
No time to loose, I will go peek in there to see if there is any danger. Can you guys hold my back?
he whispers to the others.

[razorback]

As Jim feels the tension mount, feeling that 'something is about to happen' butterfly-in-his-stomach moment, he is suddenly stops, perplexed.
"Huh?" is all that comes out as he stands straighter, not ever realizing he was in a slouching stance.
"Hold your back?!?!?" And then it dawns on him what the french man is saying as he replies, shaking his head "Yes... yes, we'll watch your back."

[Thump]

"We will."

Viola stands near the door, keeping an eye out for anything that could be dangerous.

Hold his back... nice choice of words there. Not like I could anyways...

[Erasmas]

The French chef slowly moves his way towards the double swinging doors, being careful not to make too much noise. He reaches out and barely pushes the door on the right open... just enough to get a peek inside the room. He sees all of the shelving, which dominates the room and is jam-packed with foodstuffs. Francois knows, however, that there is both a service elevator and a small staircase leading into the kitchen office at the back of the room. Likewise, there are two more doors in here, one leading into the Trattoria and the other leading into Happy Valley.

However, he sees no sign of anyone in the room... and it is eerily quiet.