Final Investigation

[petoskeymods]

FINAL INVESTIGATION

Friday starts as usual, with everyone waking up and starting to move about. The morning is cool, with the last bits of the night's dew starting to evaporate in the early sunlight. But as the living campers start to move about, they will notice two important details:

One: the zombie campers are nowhere to be found.

Two: there is a note pinned to the front door of the lodge that reads "It's time. Investigate the camp, find out the truth. Why are you here, and what do you need to do to leave? We will be at the campfire tomorrow at noon."

Well then. It's time to get to work.

BASE EVIDENCE: ???
CAMPERS REMAINING: 7


REMEMBER: every living camper needs 15 comments minimum in this post to qualify for 'good end'!

Comments

[killtheanimals]

The dead are nowhere to be found, either. [He... kind of has an unpleasant guess as to why on that front though.]

Speaking of the RV Park - are they still guarding us even now?

[It's been a while.]

[le_mat]

We can check. I can even grab some binoculars from the pile.

[killtheanimals]

[A nod.]

Let's take a look. If it comes down to it, I can probably slip inside one of the RVs again.

[Off they go?]

[petoskeymods]

[As they go, they'll find something interesting about the RV park.

Namely, that No one is around, but all the RV's are still there.]

[le_mat]

[Ren makes a detour to get said supplies... and all his battle gear, just in case. That done off they go]

Don't go rushing in there. It'd be a waste to end up wiped out after getting this far... plus the dead being gone, who knows if we'd get back up anymore.

[Oh that's... something]

...looks like Red and Archer aren't' the only ones that abandoned ship...

[killtheanimals]

You're one to talk about rushing in.

[A LOOK because you know what you did, Ren.

But then the RV park turns out to be empty and hhhmmmmm. Interesting. Very interesting.]

...What do you think the chances are this is a trap?

[Something to be wary of, here. Should they go for it?]

[petoskeymods]

[Nothing to be wary of here!

....Especially not the ice cream truck sitting in the middle of the road.]

[le_mat]

Look... do as I say, not as I do.

[... he snorts, but spots that truck and approaches slowly, weapon out.]

Possible, but if they wanted to kill us there's nothing stopping them from just rushing the camp. They have the numbers and the weapons. Ambushes are for if you're outmatched otherwise. My traps woulda given us a warning but...

[If they really meant to wipe them out in one go, doing it while they slept would have been the best option]

[killtheanimals]

They could have killed us all at any time, I'm sure. That doesn't mean they can't still make us suffer.

[He actually comes to a stop, watching Ren approach... and does a quick chant, words flowing too quickly to make out. As a result, the wind around them picks up, forming a globe of quickly spinning air that moves to follow Ren at his side.]

...An extra guard. It'll move to defend you if it can.

[Kindly be nice to his summon while he hangs back, he is a squishy mage.]

[petoskeymods]

[You're terrified of an ice cream truck, guys.

Anyway, Ren will find there's...No one in the truck, and it looks just fine.

Time to break into a truck, nasty crimeboy.]

[le_mat]

Unless it's booby-trapped I think we're good. Stay there till I open it.

[He is oddly touched by the summoned defender, honestly- even if it's a practical measure. He does a quick sweep for any traps like a good rogue and if the door is locked gets to work picking. If not he cracks that shit open like a cold one with the underaged boys.]

[petoskeymods]

[Gonna move this thread along but -

It is easily cracked open! The insides are a bit bare, but there's Tons of surveillance equipment. All of it has been marked with the Dark Road Organization name, practically everywhere.

There's also some ice cream in a mini fridge.]

[killtheanimals]

[C....AUTIOUSLY WALKING OVER TO TAKE A PEEK now that it has failed to explode.]

...This is... to record us?

[le_mat]

Yeah. Red mentioned there were cameras so I'm not surprised. I'm just... why an ice cream truck?

Wanna see if they left any recordings?

[He goes to the fridge to steal some ice cream before going to check out the equipment itself]

[petoskeymods]

[All the equipment seems like high-tech, worth more than you'd make in your lifetime stuff - and there's no recordings left, but there are two pieces of paper left out on a nearby bench.

As Ren opens the fridge, a small, black hand suddenly shoots out weakly -

IT'S SPICE BLOCK

HOW DID SPICE BLOCK EVEN GET IN THERE]

[killtheanimals]

[Mitsuru has his priorities, which is why he's checking the pieces of paper first--

What was that suspiciously raccoon-like sound.]

[le_mat]

[While Mittens is handling plot Ren yelps, jumping back in shock... then scoops up the poor thing and wraps it up in Nine's blazer]

You... stupid trash panda, how did you even get in there?!

[petoskeymods]

[Spice block chitters coldly, shivering. The raccoon definitely ate some icecream while they were in there, but they're grateful for the warmth and cuddles up to Ren.

Meanwhile, Mitsuru finds this on one of the papers:]

.- -. .- --. .-. .- --

colors gestate

[And on the other one:]

Stay in holding pattern until sword asshole tells us different - assume completion procedures unless told otherwise.

[killtheanimals]

[Mitsuru will glance at Ren and the raccoon for a second before shaking his head slightly and turning back to the notes. His brow furrows as he looks at the marks, remembering the cramming he did just the night before.]

Anagrams...?

[le_mat]

[Ren makes the blazer into a sling for Spice, then goes to investigate the paper too]

Think Archer told them to leave? They just packed up and left?

[He pulls out his notebook and pen and starts trying to figure out some matches]

...doubt it's 'graceless toot'.

[petoskeymods]

[Why are you like this, Ren

Anyway, Mitsuru will also find some writing on the back of one of the papers, in a different handwriting to the others.]

Go to the lodge.

[killtheanimals]

[And other handwriting too, huh? Does it look like any handwriting he might know?]

A holding pattern could just mean they're still out there, but not with us by the camp.

[Now is probably not the time to try fleeing into the woods. He gestures to the message about the lodge.]

Well? Shall we?

[le_mat]

[Yeah, Ren specifically tries to recall Archer and Red's handwriting from the various missions]

Let's go, we can work on the anagram as we go.

[Onward]

[petoskeymods]

[It's pretty similar to Red's....

As they go back to the lodge, the chapel and store are quiet. However, it's down in the Rec Room where an old friend is waiting...

Ren's Cellphone.]

[killtheanimals]

[He dismisses the air spirit as they walk, thinking over the letters. By the time they reach the rec room, he glances curiously in the direction of the closet, but wait--

Phone.

Hm.]

Didn't that app say something about needing to wait some weeks?