Ninja's Place

Now down to 2 vehicles the team didn't do much sight seeing, and stuck to the route to Ninja's apartment. These particular apartments weren't in that bad of a location considering the circumstances. It was on the edge of a neighborhood, but had large fields on either side that were undeveloped. The gates were wide open when the team drove in. The main concern was residents that had turned. The team made several laps around the complex to draw them out. Using a combination of vehicles and small arms fire about 15 residents were exterminated. They noticed a few white sheets hanging on balconies which probably meant people were holding out inside. Unfortunately they didn't have the luxury of playing "save the day". It had almost cost one life today.

The cars were parked on the grass directly beneath the balcony of Ninja's apartment, and backed in for a quick getaway as usual. (Rule #2 - Exit Strategy) Money was the first one out of the car, and jumped on Clark's roof to provide cover if needed. Since Ninja was by far the largest of the three he assumed the duty of pack mule, not that he liked it. Waffles loaded him up with about 100 pounds of food, water, and ammo. He gave Waffles the .45 for the time being and they headed up the stairs with Money on point, Ninja in the middle, and Waffles covering from behind. Just as Uncle Money crested the top of the second floor breezeway he yelled "contact". There was a zombie missing both legs from the knees down having lunch about 15 feet from the staircase. Money ran up and gave it a round in the head, making an awful mess with the shotgun. Waffles did well and covered the upper staircase that Money and Ninja now had their backs to. Ninja didn't like being weighed down and not having a gun so he ushered Money to get back on point. His mind had only been on one thing since leaving Target. Now that the team was only a few seconds away from his door his patience was getting thin. Money quickly reloaded his spent shell and resumed ascending the stairs. It was all clear and Ninja had the keys at the ready. He turned the deadbolt and the team hurried inside, securing the door behind them. Ninja started shedding off the gear he had been carrying and the siblings did a quick sweep of the apartment just in case. After a few seconds they returned to Ninja in the living room. A shared smile and sigh of relief showed up for the first time that day.

They all sat on the couch enjoying a few minutes of relaxation in silence. They were all thinking the same thing, but didn't have to say it out loud. Something as simple as a 5 mile drive made them feel like they had accomplished something. Nothing wrong with a little confidence booster. Ninja's overactive brain wouldn't let him sit idle for long. He had something else in mind. First thing was first. Guns. Ninja went to the bedroom closet and started removing items. He had:

• 1 pump-action shotgun (different gauge than Money's double barrel) with about 80 shells
  
• 1 hunting rifle with a scope, 20 rounds of ammo
• 1 pistol, .40 cal. 300 rounds of ammo

He also dug up an old set of 2 way radios used for hunting, but also worked great in a car. He set all of these down on the living room floor and a box of gun cleaning equipment. Ninja directed Money to remove the plug from the shotgun (to increase the magazine size from 3 to 7 rounds) and asked Waffles to start cleaning the weapons they had been using. As they did this Ninja finally got a chance to get to what he had been craving. He went into the kitchen and made the best pot of coffee he would ever have. Neither Money or Waffles liked coffee, but they gladly accepted a cup and simply enjoyed it for what it was- A little bit of normality. They didn't have any trouble disregarding the fact that the living room floor was now covered in weapons and ammo. (It looked like a redneck showing off his gun collection for the daughter's new boyfriend) After all, this would be normal from now on and it was just accepted as a new way of life.

Pit Stop

The next day was used trying to figure out what they should do. They needed a more secure and isolated location. Uncle Money was a little partial to staying at his parents house, but he knew that was just because he had always felt safe there. Waffles and Ninja didn't need much time to convince him they needed to move. They spent a lot of time trying to decide where to go but didn't have any truly great ideas. Supermarkets were probably still to dangerous and they didn't have enough firepower for a major takeover of a large store. Ninja's place would provide them with more guns, but he lived in an apartment which was a little risky. Despite the potential for getting cornered on the 3rd floor the team decided to go for it.

They took the night to plan out the route, using 4 lane roads or larger as much as possible. Using these roads there was less chance of having the route blocked by abandoned vehicles. They also made another rule:

11. Always travel with at least two vehicles.

If one had an issue it could be left behind. Walking through a zombie infested post apocalyptic suburbia wasn't exactly the type of R&R any of them had in mind.

The house was buttoned up tight so it could be used again if necessary and the team quietly loaded all of their supplies in the back of Ninja's Chevy. They drove out slowly, Waffles in the lead, followed by Ninja, Money and his Mustang in the rear. It wasn't a long drive, maybe 5 miles, but plenty could go wrong. They made the main road without an issue and bypassed the gas station they had visited yesterday. This road had a set of train tracks running parallel on the West side, with businesses on the East. There were numerous stores and restaurants along this road, including a few of major interest. The Super-Target was first and most important place they came to. Waffles was the first to notice the smoke pillars of burning cars coming from the parking lot. Their view was obscured by restaurants and they did not have a direct line of sight to the front of the store. The would need to enter the parking lot if they wanted a closer look. Waffles stopped and they all pulled up side by side. With a tilt of the head she signaled the other two and received a solemn nod from each. They pulled in single file with their guns ready. After about 40 yards they had a clear view of the store front, which was a very popular place. A small army of undead was gathered at the entrance, about 200, massed together. Ninja rolled down his window and could hear muffled gunfire coming from the crowd ahead. It was sporadic gun fire, which in all likelihood meant the people inside had limited ammo He pulled alongside Waffles and signaled Money to do the same, and all shared a look of disgust. They wanted to help, but didn't have enough firepower to do much. Uncle Money was particularly angry at the situation. With a rifle he could at least take a few out from distance. As they sat there for a minute trying to figure something out their carelessness caught up with them. Two zombies were at a full sprint towards the group and no one noticed, eyes fixed on the crowd ahead. The creatures jumped on top of Halle's roof and Money had little time to react. He had the shotgun and quickly dispatched the cheerleader despite the tight quarters of his Mustang, but missed the second, firing about a foot wide to the right. Waffles was the only one with a chance to help but couldn't get an angle for a clean shot. With the sound of the shotgun blasts the crowd in front of Target turned on the trio and in about 30 seconds things would get very bad. The second creature was now on Money's roof and trying to rip through the hole created by the shotgun blasts. He gave his sister a quick look, put his car in first gear, pounded the gas, and dumped the clutch. The Mustang smoked and screamed for a few seconds and then the back tires gripped. The car jumped forward, in turn the rather fat zombie flipped over on top of Money's roof, which collapsed under his weight rolling the zombie up like a taco in the back seat. Ninja and Waffles watched as Money did a b-line for the crowd dead ahead. The Mustang plunged into the group, center mass. It made it 1/2 way through before the impact began to slow the car. Money managed to take out 25 or 30 of them, but as the dead piled up in front of the car it strained to push their weight. Eventually they went under the car, but this lifted the front wheels off the ground and the car came to a stop about 20 yards past the group. Money had just enough time to get 2 shells from his pocket and reload the double barrel before the baddies were on him. Just as he drew on his first target near the rear of his car 3 shots rang out from behind him and dropped the zombie. He looked to his 8 o'clock and 2 men from the store front had emerged to provide cover fire. Money reacted quickly and jumped over the windshield and opened up some distance between him and the car. As he neared the men by the store they had run out of ammo and were returning to safety. The new residents of Target waved him inside, which he had little choice but to follow. Money was at a full sprint 30 feet from the door when something made him look over his shoulder. He had heard the exhaust from Ninja's truck banging away and closing fast. As the sound grew louder the scene was like something out of a Jerry Bruckheimer film. In what seemed like slow motion Ninja came blowing through the crowd with zombies flying in every direction. Waffles emerged a second later plowing through the remaining crowd in the same manner. They went on either side of the Mustang, barley missing the abandoned car. Money sprang into action as the second wave of adrenaline hit. He dropped the nearest two zombies and turned right, opening into a full sprint once again. Ninja closed fast and mowed down the zombies giving chase to his friend. He pulled up next to Money, who tossed his shotgun in the back and lunged for the side of the truck. He grabbed the side of the bed but couldn't pull him self up. He slid down the side until his hands met the tailgate, where he finally got a solid grip. Just as he managed to get one foot on the rear bumper Ninja saw him struggling and tapped the brakes. Uncle Money did a full flip over the tailgate and landed on his back, his fall cushioned by duffel bags and cases of beer. (They hadn't had any practice robbing banks, but under the circumstances Uncle Money having a sore back was a price worth paying) It didn't hurt for the time being, he was just glad to be where he was. After a moment Money sat up and gave Waffles a thumbs up while he reloaded his shotgun. Waffles pulled Clark alongside Ninja and he waved her past. They circled around back to the main road and headed for Ninja's apartment. There was no need to consider any more side trips. The trio was all starting to think alike which was a good sign. They would all need to be on the same page from this point forward.

Course of Action

They sat around after taking inventory trying to figure out what to do. Each one had ideas of what they wanted to do since anything they could think of was now at their disposal. Ninja wanted a Ferrari, Money wanted to steal a plane, and Waffles wanted a pizza. Unfortunately these ideas would have to wait. They knew that rational and practical thinking was the way to go, at least for now. They decided to take all of the vehicles and run to the QT gas station a few blocks away. If things went south safety wasn't far away. The plan was to hit the pumps and fill up first, and then go inside and scope it out. Ninja pulled up first and jumped in the bed of his truck to stand guard while Money and Waffles gassed up. There were plenty of cars littering the roads, but no undead to speak of. The trio was able to fill up without an issue. After lining up their vehicles for a fast getaway (just in case) the siblings (Waffles and Money) proceeded inside while Ninja stayed on guard duty in the parking lot. As they entered the front door they stayed side by side, first looking forward and then each covering their respective sides to the left and right. The only noise they heard was the hum of the refrigeration units that lined the store. Money looked over the counter and found the store clerk dead. He followed rule #6 and gave him a round in the head. The noise from the shot alerted an old biker in the back that looked like he had been run over, but Waffles was ready and dispatched him with 4 shots from her pistol. They cleared the rest of the store together and didn't encounter any more baddies. Money stepped outside and gave Ninja the thumbs up for the all clear. A minute later Waffles came out with a case of water and four frozen pizzas. She got what she wanted after all. Money took a few minutes longer but came out with a dolly loaded with several cases of beer. It was good thinking on his part. They only had two beers left back at the house. Ninja was very pleased to see that he and Uncle Money were on the same page. They loaded everything in the back. Ninja said "hang on a sec" and ran inside. He came out with 5 cartons of smokes and a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper. The other two just smiled and laughed but Ninja was now a happy camper. They were just about to roll out when Money noted an overturned FedEx truck across the street. In all likelihood it would be a waste of time, but the team decided to risk it. Uncle Money took a post on top the wrecked truck while Waffles and Ninja tore into the boxes like 4 year old kids on Christmas morning. After digging through about 30 boxes there wasn't much to show for their effort. Ninja had found a nice set of binoculars. Waffles dug up 2 flashlights and a Dallas Cowboys jersey (#41). She also discovered a box of high dollar yo-yo's. Ninja figured anything that had any entertainment value was worth hanging on to. As they cleared out Uncle Money saw the jersey and stole it from his sister in a full sprint back to his car. Waffles was not happy and looked to Ninja for assistance. He just shook his head. He wasn't about to get involved in a sibling rivalry. As he got back in his truck he let a smile creep across his face and shook his head again, and said "Cowboys fans" under his breath "just not the brightest ones out there".

The team returned back to the house. Their minds all planning out what was to come next. They knew they wouldn't stay here long, but if they were going to go somewhere else the needed more protection.

Phase One

As you can probably imagine we were a little freaked out about what had just occurred. As you would expect our initial response was to load up the vehicles and collect friends and loved ones. Money and I were ready to roll but Waffles wouldn't let us go. She was always the voice of reason, and she was usually right. We have all seen the zombie movies over the past. Waffles convinced us that going out (especially at night) was a very bad idea. Our best course of action was to lock up and hold out for a few days. We first called our loved ones and told them to stay inside at all costs and eventually we would come for them. Afterward we realized we needed some rules before we bothered with supplies and transportation. After all, everyone and their dog would be trying to use Super-Target as a means for supplies. During the initial outbreak those that thought outside of the box would be the survivors. (Cowards would live too, but they wouldn't last long) We sat down and hammered out our first basic rules as a team. Following these would be the backbone of our survival.

1. Stick together. You'll live longer.
2. Have an exit strategy at all times. When things go shitty getting stuck in a corner is not an option.
3. Always have a weapon. This one is kind of a given.
4. Communicate when in a fight. Going lone wolf is just a bad idea.
5. Don't trust anyone.
   
6. Double tap or decapitation. This way they don't get back up.
7. Knives never need reloading. Learn how to use one.
8. Zombies are stupid. Get creative.
9. Never sleep in a room with only one exit.
10. Turn the damn lights off. Hope you like the dark.
    

Now that we had these established we decided to get some rest, sleeping in shifts. Once the sun came up we decided it was a little safer to move around the house. We hadn't heard anything outside for hours. We all took things a little more lightly that morning. We were glad we had survived the night. Waffles made us pancakes for breakfast (don't ask) and we enjoyed being normal at least one last time. After that we decided to take inventory of our supplies.

Food and water

• Non-perishable food for about 5 days, plus 4 days worth of food that needed to be eaten or had certain cooking requirements. 9 days total.
• 2 cases of water (48 bottles total) We couldn't risk using tap water, even now. 5 days worth if we only had 3 each per day.

Weapons

• One over/under shotgun with 38 shells (Bird shot)
  
• One .45 pistol with 49 rounds
  
• One 9mm pistol with 125 rounds + 1 extra clip
  
• Various kitchen knives
• Lawn tools. Shovel, pick ax, etc. (could be used in a pinch)
• One hatchet
• One propane tank, 1/2 full (from the grill)
  

Vehicles/Fuel

• Waffles had her Jeep Cherokee, Clark. 1/2 tank of gas ~10 gallons
  
• Uncle Money had his convertible Mustang, Halle (as in Berry) Under 5 gallons of gas.
• Ninja had his Silverado truck like a good Texan should. Daddy's Little B**ch had about 3/4 tank, ~17 gallons.
• 5 gallon gas can (1/2 full) for the lawnmower

We had a fairly safe location, one firearm each, and sufficient food and fuel to last a few days. Now we had to figure out our next move.

Posted by Ninja

The Beginning

It all started one Sunday night in May. Waffles, Uncle Money, and myself were just sitting in the garage having a beer and watching basketball. Nothing really out of the ordinary had been going on so we weren't exactly on high alert. Around midnight Waffles went inside to take a phone call. A few seconds later Money and I heard something coming from the front yard. Now it was a little late for anyone to be walking around the neighborhood so after we shared one of those "Did you hear that too?" looks we both got up and exited the garage to investigate. We didn't find anything and returned to our seats. Not 30 seconds later I heard something else. As I spun around in my chair the creature emerged from between the Jeep and Mustang parked in the driveway. It made a rush for me and I was caught completely off guard, but had just enough time to get my hands up and grab it by the neck. Uncle Money was quick on the draw and side-armed his bottle of Budweiser (empty of course) across he room and despite his buzz, connected with the creature's nose. It let out a scream equivalent to a pissed of panther, so it still felt pain. Good sign. I quickly got to my feet and looked for a weapon. At my immediate disposal there wasn't much to choose from. I decided on a lawn chair and rather than run decided to stay and fight. As it was recovering from the shot to the nose I smashed it with a lawn chair WWE style. Unfortunately the chair simply molded around the body and didn't hurt at all. It did however tie the zombie up long enough for Uncle Money and myself to re-arm. I had left my Ninja sword at the samurai store so I yanked a rod out of the Foosball table to use and quickly stopped off at the beer fridge for a cold one. (It seemed like a good idea) Money snagged the chain-link dog leash off the floor. We positioned ourselves on either side of the zombie ready to attack, just as it got free of the lawn chair. I was hacking away and protecting my beer but the zombie was fast and dodged most of my strikes. Money was trying to lasso it around the neck from across the garage but this only pissed it off. It turned on him and had him cornered. Uncle Money was in trouble and I wasn't going to get there in time. Just then Superhero Waffles emerged from the front yard (she had flanked around via the front door). She one-handed an empty trash can and in one fluid motion bagged the zombie like a pro, bringing the can down over the bastard's head and arms. Money and I quickly took action and tackled it before it could get the can off. We managed to get the can planted on the ground with the zombie completely inside. I jumped on top to keep it there and Waffles grabbed my makeshift sword and started going Comanche on the sides of the can. Money ran inside and grabbed his new .45 pistol. He came out, aimed the piece, and cracked one off. Silence. We gave it a minute and still nothing. We looked at each other for a sec and with a nod I dismounted the trash can. We yanked it off and then realized it was the recent divorcee from across the street. Money shrugged, gave her one more shot to the head as insurance, and went to the fridge for another beer. We all shed a sigh of relief as the adrenaline subsided. I was in a little shock still not really believing what had just happened. I looked at Waffles and she asked "can we close the garage now?"

After our first encounter it was clear we had some work to do. We needed a plan, fast.

Posted by Ninja