prototypezeus | Getting out of Dodge

Getting out of Dodge

Alex is nervous. He's been avoiding this day for a while, but he can't put it off any longer. His food supply is running short, and there's only one thing to do before it goes dry completely... he has to leave Manhattan.

He stands on the edge of the rooftop in the Red Zone, looking over the city that's grown far more quiet than the last time April was here, nearly a year ago. The sounds of gunfire and animal-like screams continue in the distance, but there are few normal city sounds left.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I might have to consume a few on the way out if I need to heal. Will that be a problem?"

No. If you require nourishment, you must do what you must

"And those that just get in my way?"

You are a predator Alex. Do not hold back... otherwise you won't get out. I just felt it was important to tell you my limits

"Fair enough. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't going to be a problem." He makes a decision, and nods firmly. "Then we'll cross at the George Washington Bridge." He turns north and leaps from the building, gliding just far enough to reach the next rooftop, sprinting towards the bridge.

When he runs, he feels so alive, the rhythm of his stride singing to something in the part of him that feels like an Infected. But now everything seems super sharp, hyper alert, invigorating and holding the promise of lethality.

She can feel that predatory sense of being alive from him. The whole world becomes his hunting grounds now...

She herself tunes her senses to the world around them.

There are fewer and fewer Infected on the streets, but Alex doesn't move to avoid them. He heads straight for a water tower on top of a building, his fists becoming large and heavy like hammers, slamming into the metal canister. There's a roar from inside, and a clawed paw swipes at Alex.

Alex's arms morph into blades, and he rips into its spines, breaking them before his feeding tendrils grab it, absorbing its mass and life energy into him, giving him energy and power for what lies ahead. Its feral memories mesh with his own, making his hunter's senses even sharper.

And before them lies the waiting bridge, two helicopters hovering overhead, tanks and soldiers on the ground.

Edited 2013-12-31 00:15 (UTC)

April is not sure what kind of creature that Alex just absorbed, but she can sense the energy and power that it provided him.

There are two helicopters overhead. Tanks and soliders on the ground

Part of Alex is sorry that that'll probably be the last Hunter he gets to consume, maybe ever. They're good eating, though tough to take down if they hatch from the water towers first.

"We take out the choppers first." One of his arms morphs into a spiked whip, and as he leaps onto the last rooftop, he lashes out at the closest chopper, striking it just below the rotor. The blades shear off, and the chopper plummets from the sky. The other helicopter pilot reacts immediately, whirling around to search for the source of the attack, ready to blast Alex with missiles.

April projects a few psychic shields, ready to deflect the missiles away from Alex. She is going to concentrate more on defensive actions... and let Alex do all the offensive attacks.

By now, the troops on the ground know that they're under attack by Zeus, and start concentrating their fire on the rooftop. April will have her hands full keeping the rockets and bullets from striking Alex.

Alex ignores the gunfire, moving fast to dodge the missiles as much as he can. The helicopter rears up higher, trying to stay out of range, but it's too late. Alex leaps, covering the massive distance like it's no big deal, and lands on the skid. He rips the door off the chopper, which is now spinning wildly as they try to shake him off. For a moment he considers trying to hijack it after all, but it's not a good idea, and he knows it.

The tanks on the ground begin shooting up at the helicopter, more than willing to sacrifice their squadmates to take down Zeus.

She extends her powers, creating a psychic shield around the helicopter itself, while Alex deals with the situation at hand.

Alex's hands form into claws, the same claws that the Hunter in the water tower had, and he rips through the men in the helicopter like they're made of tissue paper. He hisses at the incendiary bullets that hit him before the men die, but he doesn't bleed.

He consumes the pilot and automatically takes his shape as he slips into the seat, then angles the chopper down so it'll drop on top of some of the ground troops. Then he leaps out the open door, plummeting down to the street in front of the bridge entrance.

The chopper begins to spin as it descends, out of control, and crashes on top of a group of soldiers.

April is glad that she is in shadow-form, for there is no physical damage to her when the chopper creashes to the ground.

She follows Alex like she was his shadow. Unharmed. Undetermined.

Alex shifts to his default face as he hits the ground, his arms becoming big and bulky like hammers again, and he punches the closest tank, leaving an enormous dent. The tank drives forward, trying to run him over, and the nearest soldiers begin shooting at him.

Alex begins grabbing and consuming them, one at a time, healing his wounds and building mass as quickly as he can. He might not be able to take out the tanks fast enough without it, and he can hear reinforcements already on their way: more tanks, more helicopters, and he doesn't want to wait around and see if they're bringing in nukes.

April concentrates her powers, projecting out several mental images of Alex. Ones that are heading in different directions. Perhaps a little confusion would be the best right now...

Her tactic works. While they would normally be able to focus on him and drive him off, the appearance of multiple Zeuses has them confused and a little panicked. One is bad enough, but they didn't think he could duplicate himself.

Alex takes advantage of the confusion to consume dozens of soldiers. Then he stomps his feet solidly on the concrete, and sends out the extra mass that he's just gained through his feet, into the ground. Black spikes shoot up out of the concrete, tossing tanks in the air like toys, impaling soldiers and cracking the surface of the bridge.

The bridge is cracked. Tread quickly and carefully

"Let's get the hell out of here before more show up." He abandons the attack and sprints for the bridge, leaping over the enormous crack in the road surface.

"Shit... Zeus is headed for the mainland!" the commander in one of the tank shouts over the radio. "We need air support, now!"

They are going to send air support. I could create a few psychic images of you, and take you into the shadow-form

Alex thinks fast. "Do it. Then get us to the lower level of the bridge." They're on the upper level now, exposed to the incoming fighter jets and their ordnance. There's another road that crosses underneath, for traffic going the opposite direction, that's more shielded from any incoming fire. But if they choose to detonate the bridge to keep him from escaping, it might collapse on top of them.

She sends out a few more psychic images of Zeus, going in different directions to confuse the others. Then she takes him into shadow-form, travelling on the lower level of the bridge.

April can travel very fast in shadow-form. And she just hopes she can get them to the other side of the bridge in time.

Alex can hear the jets roaring in, and the hiss of missiles as they fire at the bridge. While some strikes go wild, aiming for the phantom versions of Alex, others slam into the bridge above them. The structure begins to buckle, and there's a beeping sound from the charges planted in the bridge supports.

They're going to detonate.

Just hang on... April increases her speed, moving as fast as she can.

There's a series of explosions behind them as the shaped charges go off, destroying the bridge supports, and the whole concrete and steel structure begins to collapse. April and Alex barely manage to get out of the collapse zone before it plummets into the water.

Though they're on the mainland now, the streets here are empty of civilians too, with only soldiers on patrol. The quarantine zone extends several miles out from Manhattan Island now, for 'safety.'

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